(D4, LE Tanabe's) A Touch of Ruby (closed)

[Kuni Yasu]

Still confused, but quite the opposite of resisting, she buries her face in his shoulder and holds him as he embraces her, trying to figure which words prompted this. His voice against her ear catches her breath, as she falls still for a moment before hugging him tighter. This conversation was not going as she'd expected...at all.

With a long, calming breath, she just settles into the moment and how peaceful it is, literally heart to heart. Her hand at his back stirs, stroking gently as shifts to rest her cheek on his shoulder, eyes closed to absorb everything else--his warmth, the weight of his arm against her ribs, scent and sound and ...everything she'll want to retain when she needs this later.

Eyes opening with a soft sigh, she says. "It's not how i'd have planned to tell you. Though I guess that's not something to plan out, anyway, is it? Love you, no matter what the matchmakers chose, we chose each other first."

[Susaki Tanabe]

His face went into her hair his lips press against the top of her head "we chose eachother first." He repeated back to her softly, the sound of his low rough voice slightly muffled by the hair.

"I am just as surprised as you I think." He rested his head against hers his voice rumbled slightly through his chest, subtle vibrations she would feel as he spoke "but like you said, I don't think the confession of love is usually planned. And if it were in this case I would have serious questions about your timing." He said with a bit of that teasing tone he loved to use so much.

[Kuni Yasu]

She presses her lips against his throat as he speaks, feeling the words as much as hearing them.

Shifting in his arms, she rests her hand against his chest, head still tucked beneath his. "The timing's related though," she says quietly. "Been thinking on this most of the day, around and around."

There's a stillness to the earth-aligned priest, nothing restlessly seeking more or more varied touches. Solid hands are settled and warm-one above his heart, the other at his waist in back; her head is still on his shoulder, breath easing along his skin; and he can feel the gentle shift of that breath through the woman in his arm. There's a deeper breath as she says, "you're right, it's a miai. We're all exploring. But...it felt like a betrayal. Even if, in the end it might be him I'm matched with. Even if there'd been no pledges between you and I. It came clear how much you meant." The arm around his back hugs tighter, breaking that stillness just a bit.

[Susaki Tanabe]

She shifts in his lap and hos arms are around her as hers are around him. Thick arms holding her firmly but gently much like him it was solid and secure but not smothering in nature she would get the feeling should she fall asleep she would be held fast until she awoke, but should she wish toove or disengage the arms would fall away and part like water. She was secure but not trapped.

He listened to her and nodded "I do not view it as a betrayal. But I will not tell you you can't or how to feel. If not for the the short amount of time from out own meeting I would not have really been hurt by it." He kissed the top of her head gently "but if it taught you things, if it clarified to you that you loved me." She could likely hear his lips curling into a smile as he said those words "then I am happy it happened."

[Kuni Yasu]

"It did, and I do...love you, that is," she says quietly, tipping her face up, kissing his ear. The warmth in her chest was new, pleasant, and lit her own smile into something happy and peaceful. But there's some confusion in her tone as she asks. 'Why does the timing matter, though? Would you be less hurt if I...if I kissed someone in the baths tomorrow night instead of tomorrow morning?"

"Not that I'm planning on either one," she says, feeling distinctly aware of their closeness, of his lips, of the privacy they've lacked before.

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe was quiet for a moment thinking about her question as he enjoyed the closeness of their bodies. "I do not know, I only know it is how I feel. I could be wrong, it might hurt the same but something in my heart fixated on the time between." He shrugged and kissed the top of her head "the heart is not an exact science Yasu. It doesn't always follow logic, it desires what it desires and it is hurt by what it's hurt by." He grew quiet for a moment again before chuckling "I'm sorry that's not really a good answer, basically boils down to I don't know."

Tanabe leaned back a little and looked down, one large finger came to tilt Yasu's head up toward him "I know one thing though, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now." He said softly as he looked into her eyes deeply.

[Kuni Yasu]

"It's fine, you're right." It was just that endless curiosity in any case. "Sometimes the heart wants what it wants," she says with her eyes caught in that gaze. There was something a bit inevitable about the pull that drew her in to press her lips against his, slow and gentle at first, savoring the intimacy and privacy they haven't had until now. Still new to this, but learning more each time, and with the warm feeling in her chest rising and feeding desire, tentative brushes of her lips become pressing, passionate. Her hand at his chest slips beneath his collar, instinctively seeking more contact.

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe matches her energy with the kisses the start being slow and tender but each kiss like the wind from bellows stoking the fires of passion in his chest. With each press of their lips more desire came through, the time between kisses shortened with every separation wanting to feel her lips on his again.

As he hand slips under his collar he pulls the string holding his yukata closed and the garment fell from his broad shoulders leaving him bare from the waist up. Eventually his lips left hers and he ran on instinct his kisses trailing away from her mouth to her cheek, then her jaw line where he left a few soft kisses before moving to kiss her neck his lips meeting the soft skin with fervor.

[Kuni Yasu]

It's a good instinct, judging by Yasu's slight gasp, then moan, and the shiver that runs through her as his lips press against her throat. Her hands roam across his back, feeling the play of muscle there as one slips up to his neck, holding him closer, her robes slipping from her shoulders. She hadn't expected the press of skin against skin to be so intoxicating.

Gasping, she presses away slightly, shifting to her her knees, shrugging out of her robes as if they burned. The tattoo beneath her collarbone is a dark swirl in the dim light. Taking his face between her hands, eyes searching his, wonderingly. "I'm staying. ?" Leaning in for kiss as her hands brush down his body slowly, uncertain instincts exploring. Hands at his waist, she pulls back just enough to leave space for an answer.

[Susaki Tanabe]

The dim light concealed some but nothing could dim the beauty of what was before him. Tanabe's eyes consumed her, moving over every inch of her bared skin a hungry passion in his eyes. He had seen the sight before at the baths but this was so different, energy between them made the moment electric.

He surged forward like a tidal wave his powerful muscles scooping her up easily the feeling both familiar from sparring and entirely alien in this context. She already knew he could handle her easily as they were deposited on his futon him on top of her. He kissed her fiercely, deeply, with a fire to the kiss that burned away any hurt, doubts, fears the fire consumed everything and left only this moment, the feeling of her skin on his, her lips on him the look in her eyes as he looked down on her "you're staying." He nearly growled as he descended upon her to fill the night in her arms.

/ftb?