A light blanket of snow began covering the roads, forcing people to drive much more cautiously. The sun crept behind cover much earlier than usual, leaving the people enveloped by the chilly wind and surrounded by dim street lights.

None of this bothered Naoto Hachiouji. The young man, also known as 'The Artist', was walking through the falling snow, delighted by the sounds and sights.

There were Christmas decorations adorning the fronts of essentially every store he passed by. Some foreign music he had trouble understanding was travelling through the air. He wondered if Tony would be able to translate it for him.

Couples were walking through the streets, hand in hand, enjoying the atmosphere, the spirit, the season brought with it. Children were running around, supervised by their parents, all laughing and playing together.

Naoto thought of the last time he had felt that the world had been so peaceful. He couldn't recall. Perhaps never.

The man approached the building he was told to go to, spotting the intercom on the side of the front door. He read the names attached to it, until he found the right one and pressed the call button. The device crackled and came to life.

"Hey, it's me," Naoto said with a grin.

The front door buzzed, to let him know it unlocked. He quickly slipped through the entryway, taking the stairs up toward the apartment. The moment he reached the top stair, the door ahead of him opened, gracing him with the sight of a gorgeous woman. She was wearing a festive looking sweater, with comfortable, fluffy looking sweat pants. Her fiery, red hair had been put into a neat ponytail.

"You look cute," Naoto praised, able to withstand his body's need to blush. "Festive spirit got you?"

Maki grinned and leaned against the door. "First holidays with my boyfriend after all."

Naoto walked past her into the apartment, which was lit up by candles and a weak lamp. There was a CD of fitting music playing and a delectable aroma was reaching him from the small kitchen.

"Wow," Naoto was stunned. "You really went all out."

"Did you not just hear me?" she asked with a giggle, wrapping her arms around him from behind and placing a kiss on his cheek. "Of course, I did."

"And that smell? You actually cooked that?"

"Hey!" she chuckled and flicked the back of his head with her finger. "The hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Listen."

"I am all ears."

Naoto turned and quickly gave her a peck on the cheek, which made the woman roll her eyes.

"Smooth," she teased.

"I know."

Naoto put his coat up on the rack besides the door and moved to sit down on the small couch in the center of the apartment, just big enough to seat two people. A smaller TV was placed on a wooden tray in front of it.

"Oh, you're just gonna take it easy then?" Maki joked, resting her forearm on Naoto's head as he sat down. "While I slave away in the kitchen?"

"I just need a moment," Naoto pleaded. "I've been walking for a while now."

"You need to get your own car."

"Easier said than done."

Maki leaned atop her arm, which was on top of Naoto, and glanced over it into his eyes. "It's pretty simple. You just buy one."

"Most of the money we make, we put right back into expanding our band," Naoto explained. "I don't really have much of a budget right now."

"Hmmm," Maki hummed in thought. "Well, I can definitely drive you back to Tokyo."

"I'd appreciate it."

Maki removed herself from Naoto, unwilling as she was to, and retreated into the small section, that one would charitably call a kitchen.

Naoto took the opportunity to glance at the apartment Maki lived in. It was much smaller than he was used to, having lived for a while now with his band members in the larger place they all paid for together and his mother's house before that. That being said, it was rather cozy. It felt very personal, having been decorated exclusively with things that Maki would enjoy.

A bookshelf filled with DVDs and VHS tape was next to the TV, a collection of CD's and books was on the other side. Posters of movies, martial arts experts and some locales were up on the walls.

On one end of the room was even a large, poster version of one of their album covers.

"Ah, shit!"

Naoto turned back toward Maki, spotting a small trail of smoke coming from the kitchen. The man quickly hopped off the couch and sped over to her side. It would appear that Maki had attempted to use the oven to cook chicken, but the apparatus had other ideas.

"No worries," Naoto chucked. "It's gonna be extra crispy."

Maki sighed as she pulled the chicken out of the oven, placing it and the pan on the countertop. "But that's not- Whatever."

"Maki," Naoto cooed, placing a hand on her back. "It's alright. The chicken hasn't been lost. I am sure it'll taste delicious."

"I hope so."

"Want me to help plate?"

The two quickly worked together, with Maki explaining the placement of everything in her kitchen, allowing Naoto to work more efficiently. Once the chicken had been cut and properly divided between them, Maki retrieved some rice, which she had already cooked prior.

"Side dish too?" Naoto quipped. "Impressive."

"You're going down, Hachiouji."

Once both plates were filled to the brim, Naoto and Maki took a seat at the rather small table in the corner of the apartment. A lit candle in the center of it added to the mood.

"Why, Miss," Naoto said with a smirk. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you're trying to seduce me."

Maki chuckle and waved the idea off. "As if I needed all of this for that."

Naoto had to admit that she had a point, but he wasn't going to divulge that fact to her.

"I know my place ain't grand," she spoke quietly. "But I hope you can, I don't know, think of it as y-your place as well."

Naoto couldn't help but smile softly at the terrible blush spreading on her face.

"Don't worry Maki. I love it."

Now it was her turn to smile, which made her look absolutely lovely.

"I hope the food tastes good," she added. "I tried to cook something based on my mom's recipe, so blame her if it tastes terrible."

"I am sure it won't."

And it didn't. Once they started eating, the first bite positively shocked Naoto, with how good it tasted. Yes, the chicken had been turned extra crispy and a little dry, but the flavor was undeniably good. Naoto eagerly ate off of his plate, not realizing how the whole thing quickly disappeared. By the time the plate had been, essentially, licked clean, Naoto felt like he was about to explode.

Maki snickered at him groaning in horror at his own mistakes. "Well, I am glad you enjoyed it."

"Help. Kill me."

"Nope," she denied mercy with a smirk. "Suffer."

Maki got up and grabbed both plates off the table, walking them over to the kitchen and placing them in the sink. Naoto was so perplexed by being finally able to see her like this. There were no more tragedies, no more pain, no more boundaries in their way.

For once Maki could be calm and collected, when not put in a situation where she ended up thinking of herself as the one standing between her loved ones and danger.

Naoto smiled at the sight of Maki tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, while placing the rest of the dishes she had used to cook into the sink. His heart fluttered as he watched her push her lips out, just a little further than usual, in contemplation.

It finally dawned on him, that he now had all the time in the world to take note of all the small things she did, without thinking about it. All her ticks, all her habits, every little daily routine she repeated. It made his heart race.

Those thoughts and the joy of it, trapped him long enough that he wasn't paying attention to her return.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, poking his nose.

"You."

Maki's face flushed a gentle red. " Oh, shut up."

"I'm serious!"

"I know you are!" Maki barked as she averted her face. "That makes it even worse!"

Clearly, now that they were in this situation together, this relationship, without the tension or need to hold back, Maki was far more bashful about the whole affair.

Naoto didn't mind this. as It allowed him to see her in a much different light, one that ended up being rather adorable at times.

The two moved to the couch, which was a massive struggle for the overstuffed and dying Naoto, and Maki began perusing her DVD's.

"Anything you're up for right now?" she asked, letting her fingers run along the spine of each cover. "Do you want anything festive?"

"Do you have anything festive?"

Maki looked at him over her shoulder. "Not really."

"Festive please."

She snorted as she turned back around.

"On it."

Eventually they settled on Nightmare before Christmas, which Naoto considered at least a little bit of a cheat. Maki shrugged her shoulders as she sat down next to him.

"Listen," she said. "It's either this, or a documentary on the north pole. I don't really got a lot of Christmas movies."

Naoto smirked at her but otherwise kept his snark to himself. Maki settled into the couch and began playing the movie.

The mood instantly and drastically changed, as neither of them were sure of what to do with themselves now. Both of them had somewhat of an idea what the average newly formed couple might do in this situation and they both were aware that the other knew as well.

The couch was small enough that they were separated by mere inches and Naoto could feel Maki's warm hand right beside his. Why was this suddenly so awkward?

As if she was reading his mind, Maki groaned and faced him. "This is stupid."

Without another word, she leaned over, cupping his face in her hands and kissed him gently. Her lips were incredibly soft and sweet, causing Naoto's mind to fry. Both of their faces were beet red as she parted from him.

"I am not letting nerves get to me now," she giggled.

Naoto, not wanting to be passive in this situation, placed his hand over her own, and began stroking the back of it with his thumb. Maki bit her lip, her eyes glinting dangerously.

"Naoto..."

The man swallowed tightly, trying to suppress the anxiety flaring up within him. There was a harsh pang in the back of his mind. Maki took note of his inner conflict and placed a tender kiss right above his right eye.

"It's okay Naoto," she assured him. "Just say the word and we'll stop."

"O-okay."

Maki grinned at him; her desire clearly written on her face. Another kiss, far more passionate this time had her licking his lips and gently biting them by the end of it. Naoto found himself heating up in a vaguely familiar way, as if his body was experiencing something it couldn't quite recall, from years past.

Naoto squirmed slightly, realizing that Maki was ever so slowly pushing herself against him, forcing them both to recline into the couch. His mind was firing emergency flares, evoking his desire to flee the moment. Despite this almost overpowering urge, he did his best to remain calm.

Maki would not hurt him.

The woman's hands, somewhat rougher than most, due to the amount of physical hardship she had put them through, slid beneath his shirt, gently tracing up and down his waist. With an unexpectedly delicate touch, Maki ensured that Naoto could grow accustomed to the contact, before she would go any further.

Maki knew what she wanted, yet also knew that she would never want to push past what her lover would be reasonably comfortable with. It would prove to be a difficult balancing act, of that she was sure, but that would not stop her.

Naoto let out a content sigh as Maki deliberately dragged her nails along his side, moving upward, toward his chest. Instinctively, his hands began clutching at the sides of the redhead's shirt, who couldn't help but grin. The joy and excitement building up inside of her had never been matched by anything else before.

Maki moved her face close enough that their noses were touching, then reached behind her head with her free hand, undoing the ponytail and letting her red mane fall into Naoto's face. The smell of strawberry was overwhelming. It almost felt like Maki had been planning to utilize it as a weapon from the very start. The very thought caused Naoto to quietly laugh, which put a goofy smile on Maki's face.

"What?" she asked, amused.

"Felt like you practiced that move."

Maki placed a peck on his cheek, then moved further and began to nibble on his neck. "Maybe I did."

As if to punctuate the idea, she began gently swaying her head back and forth, just slightly, to have her hair tickle Naoto's face. The man wasn't sure why, or how in the world, this worked, but it did. Something about it, from the smell filling his nostrils, to the soft texture of her hair, gently caressing his skin, caused a fire to flare up inside of him.

"S-Stop teasing me," he fretted, only further fueling Maki.

"No."

The soft breath against his ear caused Naoto's face to flush horribly, his mind melting slowly as Maki continued to tease him mercilessly. The hand beneath his shirt had now found its way to the center of his chest, while her hair was still barely stroking his face and her teeth were leaving subtle marks on his neck.

Naoto knew that he was at Maki's 'mercy', which made his mind race and his skin crawl for a moment. It was a struggle, a constant back and forth between the part of him that loved and adored the woman, was absolutely on cloud nine at the moment and the terrified, scarred young man, who was frightened by the prospect of ever letting himself be this vulnerable with another.

Maki could feel his body tensing beneath her and shifted her weight above him, placing her forehead against his. Their eyes locked and Naoto was overwhelmed by the beauty of the flaming orbs he was gazing at. There was comfort, there was love, there was a future that he had never dared dream of, reflected on the surface of her eyes and Naoto wished so badly for it to be true.

"I love you," Maki whispered, her eyes speaking louder than her words.

"I love you too."

Maki pressed her lips to his once again, before removing her hands from his body and pushing herself up. Once she knew Naoto was able to see all of her torso, she bit her bottom lip, struggling with her own shyness for a moment, before grabbing the hem of her shirt and lifting it above her head.

Naoto found himself instantly trapped by the unmanageable desire of staring at Maki's body, taking in every inch of what he was able to see and averting his eyes, coy about stealing glances and potentially alleviating Maki's own embarrassment.

To say Maki was 'well endowed' was an understatement. Naoto had already known this, for quite a long time, but this was the first time he was seeing the proof in such an intimate scenario. The only thing now covering her was a black, lace bra, clearly struggling to contain her. Even their trip to the beach never allowed him to truly take in the view.

Maki regained her footing, spurred on by the way Naoto was clearly infatuated with the view he was receiving. Emboldened his lustful stare, the woman decided it was time to step it up. She would get him to participate and find his courage.

The redhead moved her slightly shaky hands behind her back, brushing her fingers against the clasp of her bra, contemplating on her next step.

"You satisfied like this?" she purred, trying to keep her voice steady. "Or do you want me to take it off?"

Naoto's face had bloomed into an inferno, so red had it flushed. Beneath the surface of her own insecurities, the simple acknowledgement of how much Naoto desired her, was beginning to boil over. It pushed away any inhibition she might have had prior and all she needed now, was for him to say the word.

"Come on Naoto," she giggled. "Tell me what you want."

The man pressed his lips into a thin line, struggling with the anxiety and sheer embarrassment he was experiencing from the situation. Then again, he reminded himself, he was not the one, about to bare himself in such a way.

There was a quiet sound, something akin to a mumble. Truly, far too lacking in power to be heard.

"Come again?" Maki chuckled, unwilling to let him off the hook that easily.

Naoto swallowed hard, staring unabashedly at Maki's chest for the first time, something that suddenly forced her own self consciousness back to the forefront. The woman smirked confidently, but this time, it was a mere façade, trying to stay in control.

"C-Can you- take it off?"

Maki's smirk grew into a malicious grin. It was like a flip switched in her, hearing the man beneath her so timid and unsure of himself. She knew, she had to be careful and gentle, to assure he would be fine, but her heart was racing at the thought of devouring him whole.

"Since you asked so nicely."

The woman took a deep breath, closed her eyes and unclasped the bra. She leaned forward, pushing her arms together a little, allowing the fabric to slide off her skin. With a quiet, soft sound, the final obstruction fell to the side, allowing Naoto to fully view all of Maki's upper body.

Despite her advantageous position, Maki felt incredibly vulnerable, having to beat back the urge to cover herself with her arm. It felt odd, as this is what she had wanted, for Naoto to see her like this and be consumed by his desire for her. It had just never occurred to her, just how embarrassing the situation could end up being.

"W-Well?" she asked, hoping to hear something, anything, to fill this silence that was driving her mad.

Her words seemed to snap Naoto out of his trance, who had been too busy staring to formulate any thoughts. Realizing how awkward this must have made her feel, the man scrambled to find a response.

"I- Uh- You're-"

"Naoto!"

Maki pursed her lips, trying her best not to laugh out of amusement and embarrassment at once. She placed her hands on his chest for support, causing her chest to be pushed together, making it look even bigger than before.

Naoto had already lost basically any control over his body by this point, but the sight was enough for Maki to feel a subtle poke beneath her. The woman let out a tense sigh, knowing full well that what she wanted was so close at hand, yet both of their coy behavior was getting in the way.

Wishing to entice Naoto further, Maki began cautiously moving her hips, slowly grinding against him.

Naoto's head was spinning, his breathing sped up and he felt as if his blood was boiling. It was as if his body was reminding him that, despite what happened, regardless of what his brain was fretting about, he still had urges, that Maki was forcing to the surface. They had been dormant for many years, only occasionally being brought up, like the last time Maki had put him into a situation like this, but never this strongly.

It was at this moment, that he became suddenly aware of how, unless he was left in the dark about aspects of Maki's life, this was the first time she had been this intimate with anyone. The woman was trying her best, with little to no guidance, except maybe for a bout of research through different kind of movies than what they were watching now.

She had been putting so much effort into making him comfortable, allowing him to feel safe and at ease, while also doing her best to arouse and entice him, while he was barely participating. It made him feel somewhat shameful, even if he happened to have a rather valid reasoning for it.

To Maki's credit, it seemed she could read him better than he could even anticipate, as she stopped her lower body's movement and lifted her right hand up to his cheek, lovingly caressing him.

"Hey," she spoke with a tender tone. "What's got you worried?"

Naoto shifted slightly, to kiss the palm of her hand and closed his eyes. "You're too good to me."

Maki smile at his words, finding them silly and meaningless. considering how much she loved him.

"There is no such thing. If I am being honest, nothing is good enough for you. I just want to spoil you."

Then she smirked predatorily and leaned forward, her bare breasts pressing against his chest, her lips brushing against his earlobe.

"And I want to hear you moan my name."

The moon shone through the window; the curtains drawn before it barely stopping its advance. In the rays of its light, two still bodies laid comfortably, wrapped in each other's embrace. Her ear pressed up against his bare chest, Maki reveled in the sound of Naoto's heartbeat. It felt almost too good to be true. It felt as though she would awake any moment now, to be greeted by the harsh reality of a life where Naoto was not her own.

The thought frightened her, causing her to cling more tightly to the man by her side, which made him stir.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay," he mumbled, still sleep drunk. "What time is it?"

"Way too early. Go back to bed."

"Then why are you up?"

Maki smiled wryly, feeling somewhat silly about her anxiety running rampant now of all times. She kissed Naoto's chest, more to ease her own mind than anything else.

"Naoto?"

"Yeah?"

Naoto had begun to stroke her wild mane, hoping it would ease whatever was clearly causing her discomfort. Maki leaned into the show of affection, desperately trying to soak up all the love she could.

"Tell me you're mine," she pleaded, with less bravado than she had hoped for. "Tell me this is not a dream; this isn't just a hopeful moment and the floor will fall out beneath me any second now."

Naoto kissed the top of her head, taking a moment to breath in the scent of her hair, while playing with the tips, curling it around his finger. Maki sighed happily, but it wasn't enough to ease all that was ailing her.

"I am yours Maki," Naoto replied, causing Maki's breathing to become uneven for a moment. "I love you. I want to be with you."

A couple of joyful tears began their descent down Maki's cheek, something she felt rather embarrassed about. Even so, the relief she felt from hearing those words from him was unimaginable. All this time, she had felt unworthy, only in the running due to her ability to keep Hayase in check, to protect Naoto, to a certain extent from his own, fraying mind.

Never had she truly hoped to be the one that would be by his side. Her own insecurities, closely kept secrets she would have to work on divulging one step at a time, had pushed her to do the only thing she knew best, which was to be physically aggressive. Her attempts at treating love the same way as she would her time in the ring ended up falling flat. Or so she had thought.

Yet here she was, lying next to the man she adored.

There would still be hurdles to overcome.

Naoto had taken great strides in overcoming the pains of his past, pushing onward despite it all and becoming someone he could and should be proud of. Despite that, it didn't mean that all the scars had healed at once, that there was no longer any trauma to deal with. It became apparent through how difficult their first time together had been, how hard he had struggled to remain in control of his anxious mind.

Maki knew that it would be up to her to reign in her own enthusiasm and provide him the time and pace required to be truly comfortable with intimate, physical contact, or even initiate it on his own leisure. She was more than willing to be as patient and as supportive as he required for her to be. That would never be an issue.

Rather, she was worried about whether or not she would prove to me someone that could retain the love and interest she had managed to capture. Maki assumed that most people had concerns such as these and she didn't consider herself a boring person by any means, but it was still a worry gnawing away at her. What if Naoto, of all people, thought her lacking? Uninteresting?

What if he ended up regretting his choice and wished things had gone differently?

What if she had never been the right one for him after all?

Maki shut her eyes tightly, trying in vain to block those thoughts out. They swirled around her like furious swarm of hornets, the buzzing painfully ringing in her mind.

Naoto suddenly pulled her closer, allowing her to siphon his own warmth, and kissed her forehead. The tender display allowed her breathing to regulate and her mind to calm somewhat.

"I love you," she sighed, as her exhaustion hit her, guiding her to sleep.