Across Lands: Chapter 9 [PART 2]
Title: Across Lands
------> Chapter 9, PART 2
Author: Aquarius Galuxy
Fandom: Power Stone
Pairing: Ryoma/Rouge
Fiction type: Fanfiction, prose (can be treated as original fiction)
Genre: Erotica, Romance, Adventure (in that order)
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 12,192 (6-7k words for part 2)
Summary: When the threads of fate entangle a fortune teller and a samurai, lives and priorities are changed. An inevitable journey across the lands awaits, filled with hazards and defeat, along with a spontaneous attraction that deepens into something more.
Author's Notes: Another of my favourite chapters. I don't know how an est. 6k words could expand to 12k. -_- Wrote half of it yesterday, omg.
Part 1: http://aquarius-galuxy.livejournal.com/474968.html
It vaguely occurred to her that the futon had been prepared, and that they would be far more comfortable entwined on it.
Unwillingly loosening her grip, she trailed a hand down to his, catching his warm fingers. The question in his eyes was answered by tugging him in the direction of their shared mattress, stopping just short of it by inches. His body was warm behind hers. They were on the outer edge of the lamp's illumination now, almost within the shadows of the room. She turned back to him, brushing his cheek tenderly with her fingers. Ryoma blinked, nuzzled into her hand. Her heart skipped a beat.
He looked between her and the futon, seeming to ask if either of them should be on it first. It brought a quirk to her lips. Untangling their entwined fingers, Rouge threaded her hands through his hair, closing the distance between their lips again.
It began with a series of light, hungry tugs as she held his head to hers, nibbling on his lower lip. Their breath mingled, and she pressed closer to him, relishing the heat of his skin, needing more of it to be stored away as a precious memory. He responded by licking tentatively at her lips, angling his face to hers. Without thinking, she blurted against his lips, "I'll miss you."
The man froze. Her heart pounded. She cracked her eyes open, meeting the blur of his gaze with her own. It was a sudden reminder that brought their light intimacy crashing back down to Earth. Her heart ached.
With a shudder, she pressed her lips to his, sliding her mouth against his hungrily, parting her lips and delving into his moist heat, revelling in his familiar taste. He met her tongue, sliding his own heavily against hers, sending thrums of longing through her flesh as her body whispered for more.
Rouge tightened her fingers through his long hair, sifting through the tangled locks, pressing her body to his as his breath soughed against her skin. A purr slipped from her tongue. She rubbed her chest across his; his torso was hard behind his yukata, from the contours of his chest, to his rippled abdomen, and the stiff bulge at his groin that pushed into her belly, sending sheer desire tearing through her flesh. Her knees almost buckled. Heat swirled in her loins.
She leaned her weight into him, grinding herself into his arousal, moaning when he only seemed to strain harder against her. The memory of his erection was only too clear in her mind, of how he had slid between her legs, how he had rutted into her flesh. Her pussy tightened with longing. Vaguely, she wondered if he was urging to be within her, slipping a hand between them and cupping his hot flesh through his clothes.
He gasped into her lips, moaned, entered her mouth again, his tongue tipped with an urgency that roused her need. His hips pushed forward, sending his covered flesh more fully into her palm. Heat pressed into her skin. Blood pounded in her ears. Need pulsed in her flesh at his delicious thickness, and she slowly caressed him through the yukata, picturing his bare hardness. She could imagine him entering her needy depths, spreading her nether lips wide. A breathless whimper slipped from her lips. Her tongue twined with his; she barely drew breath when he advanced further into her mouth, caressing the back of his neck heavily with her other hand.
Longing tightened her chest with each heartbeat, each second she remained in contact with his erect flesh. He would drive her mad with want just by being hard. With a tremble, she dragged her hand away from the tempting bulge, slipping her fingers upwards, beneath the folds of his yukata. He growled at the loss of her touch.
The samurai did not pause when she smoothed her fingers over his bare chest, licking at her tongue, moaning into her mouth. She fumbled with the sash of his clothes with her free hand, her growing frustration ebbing when it came loose, pushing the folds of his robe apart, splaying her hands over his chest. His heart thudded into her palm. The flat discs of his nipples tightened beneath her fingers. She felt her own pebble, tingling as the rough fabric of her yukata brushed across them. They thrummed for his touch; she finally tore her lips away from his, leaving them both panting hard for breath, his glistening mouth inviting another caress.
Ryoma's eyes fixed upon her as she filled her lungs with air, staring at his face, mesmerized by his countenance. Under his attention, her skin tingled, and she held his gaze, deftly untying her own sash, her heart fluttering at how the yukata loosened around her body. All it took was a brush of cloth to her sides and a shrug of her shoulders for the robe to rustle down her skin, rendering her stark naked.
He swallowed, eyes raking over her body. She felt her flesh tense and heat beneath his gaze, desiring his hot skin against hers. Her nipples tingled again when he stared at them, licking his lips, and her breath caught, excitement flooding her veins at his open hunger. Rouge allowed her own gaze to trail down his physique, over his sculpted torso, lingering on his stiff flesh. She could never get enough of staring at his body. Her fingers trembled with need to touch him, but she held back, closing the distance between them again, easing his yukata off his shoulders and onto the floor, leaving him just as naked as she was.
Their eyes met briefly, before her lips crushed his, tugging at him with a raw hunger that was accentuated by his bare skin against hers. He smelled warm and of soap. She slipped her arms beneath his, pressing her breasts into his hard chest as she pulled him into an embrace, running her fingers and nails down his back, trying to draw him closer. It didn't matter that her soft mounds had flattened against his pectorals, nor that his bare length had pressed an indent into her belly, only that she wanted, needed, Ryoma, and just this wasn't enough either.
Sparks set the tension in her middle alight when his slippery tongue stroked hers heavily. She tasted his mouth and craved for more, breaking the kiss to nip a trail down his jaw, her hands smoothing restlessly over his back, over the uneven scars of his injuries. He gasped, watched her with his dark eyes, breathing raggedly when she nibbled and sucked a wet path down his throat, testing his jumping pulse with her tongue. Her nails pressed into his muscled back; she buried her face into the crook of his shoulder and neck, nuzzling him there, inhaling his intoxicating scent, before nibbling at his flesh, tugging at his skin lightly.
Ryoma gasped her name, shivered. Her heart pounded. She took it as an invitation to deepen her actions, closing her lips around his skin and biting into the base of his neck, just before where his shoulder began. The only audible response was a ragged breath from his lips. Rouge drew her tongue over the circle of his skin, slowly beginning to suck insistently on it, each draw turning more intense, until he moaned and squirmed beneath her, his heartbeat hammering into her chest.
Only then did she pull away, licking the wet, reddish patch on his skin clean, a faint mark that would soon blossom and mark him as her own, if only for a few days. The man breathed hard when she nipped the skin down his chest, flicking her tongue out at sporadic intervals, tasting his flesh, and kissing his hard muscles at other times, strumming her hands over his sides, brushing the nubs of his nipples with her thumbs. He gasped; she leaned in and took them between her teeth in turn, nibbling on them in a way that made him squirm.
Her calves tightened with the strain of her weight when she lowered herself slowly along his abdomen, trailing the very tip of her tongue between his muscles, smoothing over them with her thumbs, caressing his body. But what held her attention most was the straining length awaiting its turn at the end of his torso, its blunt tip brushing her throat when she forgot to pull away, trailing a short, damp path over her skin. Her heart skipped a beat. Ribbons of lust gathered between her legs, sending a gasp through her lips. Her knees met the uneven surface of the tatami flooring.
Rouge gazed up at the samurai through her lashes, a thrill skidding along her nerves at the blush on his face. Her lips quirked into a playful, hungry smile. She watched him as she rubbed her cheek against his cock, savouring its velvety heat. He groaned and stuttered her name. Her swollen clit throbbed at his arousal, clamoured for attention when she brushed her lips along his shaft, her heart thudding in her chest.
She ran her fingers along his thighs, breathing raggedly as her lips tugged on his taut skin, brushing them all over his thickness. He ground into her, sending sharp heat arrowing through her body. With barely restrained longing, Rouge trailed the pads of her fingertips along his flesh, slowly stroking his tip with her lips, flicking her tongue across the cleft at the very end of his erection. Wetness gathered on her flesh. She purred and swirled her tongue around his tip, tasting the man, glancing up at him, watching as he panted, his cheeks dark with colour, fists clenched at his sides.
Despite the sheer hunger throbbing through her body, she slid the end of her tongue beneath his tip, parting her lips a hair's width away from his cock, allowing her hot breath to fan over his stiff length in invitation.
He groaned and pushed into her mouth.
"Mmm." A moan emerged from her throat as he spread her lips, his thickness invading her mouth, heavy against her tongue. The corners of her lips quirked, and she looked up at him again, wondering if it was possible for his cheeks to grow any redder. He whimpered.
Her heart fluttering, Rouge slid her tongue around his tip, slowly tasting him, savouring the curves and hardness of his flesh, before rubbing the tight hole at his very end, gathering the slow drops of wetness that he yielded to her. Even so, it wasn't enough, and she drew a comfortable length of his cock into her mouth, slowly sucking on him to taste him better. He moaned and jerked his hips at her, gasping, pushing more of his erection past her lips. Hunger licked at her insides.
Slipping a warm hand around the base of his manhood, she held him in place and drew deeply on his shaft, stroking his flesh at intervals, trying to taste more of him. Her desire spiked when he groaned and thrust into her mouth, liquid heat leaking onto her tongue. Amidst his gasps and moans, she bobbed her head on his length, stroking him with her mouth and hands, rubbing his balls languidly, losing track of time, until he shuddered, and his arousal throbbed against her tongue.
"Rouge," he gasped, breathing raggedly, clenching and unclenching his fists. "I-"
She slid off his pulsing cock then, leaving it glistening with her wetness, licking her lips, watching as he squirmed, close to the edge. Rouge sat back on the futon, regaining her breath with deep lungfuls of air, crooking a finger at him. The slick length straining at her looked especially tempting from her position. A grin quirked her lips, and she rubbed her legs together, quivering when her own flesh ached for him.
Ryoma stared at her, inhaling through his lips, his gaze fogged with need, not quite comprehending what she wanted. "Lie down, Ryoma. We'll go to sleep now," she murmured, her lips curving in a mischievous grin.
"What?"
A giggle burst from her lips. She slanted her gaze up at him, drawing her tongue across her lower lip. "You want more, don't you?" He nodded mutely. "Come over here and lie down, and we'll see what exactly it is that you want."
He flushed then, hesitating for moments, before stepping over to her, lowering himself onto the mattress. His dark gaze was intense and expectant. Rouge shivered as her eyes dragged along his supine form, appreciating his hard, naked body, wanting to grind her entire self into him. Hunger laced her veins. Instead, she padded over to him on all fours, allowing her gaze to sweep over his naked body. Cool air brushed over her wet slit, sending a shiver across her skin. His gaze lingered on her swaying breasts, slowly drifting up to her face. The lock of hair that covered her veiled eye shifted, and for a moment, she glimpsed his face with her full gaze, before her vision was limited to her uncovered eye again.
Ryoma parted his lips then, on the verge of speaking, but she lowered her head and captured his lips with hers, tugging on his soft flesh, hardly waiting for moments before entering his mouth again, stroking his hot tongue with hers. The slick contact renewed the lust in her blood, and she urged his lips apart, hungrily meeting his slippery heat, sucking lightly on him when he probed her mouth again, trailing her nails over his chest.
His gasp sent fingers of arousal into her flesh, adding to the moisture within her nether folds. She ended the kiss then, lifting herself away, hovering inches above his face. Slowly, she brought her index finger to his mouth, trailing her fingertip across his lower lip. "Watch me."
The man followed the movement of her finger with his eyes, keeping his attention trained on her as she traced a line down his chest, to his abdomen, towards his cock. His breathing deepened. Her lips quirked.
Before she touched his hard length, Rouge lifted her finger off his body, bringing it up to her crotch instead, sliding it along her damp slit, until she reached the entrance of her pussy, sinking the digit into her tight, aching depths. Pleasure feathered within her flesh. She purred. Wetness surrounded her finger and coated it with her juices.
He must have realised what she did then, because his eyes widened, and widened further when she drew her finger out, bringing it to his lips. "Rouge-"
"Taste me, Ryoma." She dragged her slick finger along his lower lip, smearing her wetness along his flesh. He froze and stared at her, his cheeks reddening.
"But that's-"
Rouge eased her slick digit into his mouth then, touching his tongue, spreading her juices over his flesh, her heart thumping at his heat.
"Mmmph!" Ryoma tried to pull away, but the hard pillow behind his head left him with little choice of movement. Her finger curled enticingly in his mouth. It was salty and musky, and he flushed with embarrassment, knowing that it had been in her nether depths, that he, a samurai, shouldn't be thinking about, much less looking at, or tasting. His eyes squeezed shut.
But his body had somehow convinced him to take another sample, because Rouge didn't taste that bad after all. He yielded when her other hand brushed tantalizingly across his abdomen, sucking hesitantly on her digit, and more forcibly when her fingers trailed over his cock. Pleasure throbbed in his length, and he bucked his hips at her, drawing harder on her wet finger. Perhaps he could grow used to her taste.
As if she had read his thoughts, the woman shifted above him. He snapped his eyes open in anxiety, only to see her making her way closer to him on her knees, her shaven crotch filling his view. His eyes widened, a spurt of heat swirling in his loins. Not this close...
He blushed, and she slipped her fingers into his hair, gazing down at him, slowly caressing his head. "Please, Ryoma."
The samurai squirmed, knowing he could not refuse her request. Her breasts looked especially full from this angle, and his arousal strained at the view, demanding release. It didn't help that the sight of her nether lips so close sent more throbs down his length. He nodded, heat flooding his cheeks, staring at her exquisite flesh, not quite knowing what to do with it.
Her thighs slipped next to his face, providing support against his pillow. Heat emanated from her skin. He blushed; all he saw was the slit between her legs. Rouge caressed his cheek gently, lowering her smooth mound to his lips, the nub of her clit peeking out between them. He remembered that piece of flesh, at the very least, touching his tongue to it like he had done with his thumb in the prison cell.
She gasped, thrust her pussy at him. Her soft, warm slit pressed into his mouth. His flesh throbbed. His cheeks burned. Slowly, he probed at her clit with his tongue, smoothing over it, circling around it to part it from her lips. Rouge moaned and tightened her fingers in his hair, pushing her womanhood firmly against his mouth, leaving him with no choice but to slowly suck on her stiff nub, caressing the delicate flesh with his tongue. A groan tore from her throat.
The sound added to his arousal like dry wood to a wildfire, and he gasped, his heart thudding, flicking his tongue against her clit. She rutted against his face, shifting slightly so the rest of her nether lips pressed against his mouth, and her swollen clit was out of his reach. Taste me, she had said.
Realisation dawned on him that licking her clit was not all she wanted. The man blushed again, tentatively lapping at her slit, probing between her nether lips like she had taught him to. Rouge shuddered and moaned above him; her flesh grew slicker around his tongue, and he tasted that same salty muskiness again, squirming as she rutted into his face, pushing his tongue in deeper for a better sample. She arched above him and groaned. The tension between his legs increased, and he felt himself grow wetter at her arousal.
With each stroke of his tongue, she clung more tightly to him, gasping and moaning, the glimpses of her heaving breasts doing little to ease his raging arousal. Rouge allowed him to alternate between her clit and her slick depths, grinding at his tongue so hungrily that her juices smeared over his lips and down his chin. But her carnal moans drew his attention away from the mess, and he returned his lips to her clit, sucking firmly on it, until her cries turned raw.
She had bitten her lip to muffle her noises, gasping in pleasure when he stroked at her stiff clit with his tongue, until she froze suddenly, her fingers curling into his hair so tight it hurt, a low moan tearing from her throat. His thoughts hazed with the urging lust between his legs. Wetness squirted against his chin, and he parted his lips to receive some of it, tasting the evidence of her pleasure. It felt good knowing that he had been able to satisfy her.
Rouge gasped for breath, panting raggedly, finally drawing herself away from Ryoma's face, a light blush rising on her cheeks. His tongue had felt delicious, and she had been reluctant to have him stop midway when he had been utterly capable of bringing her to climax. Her flesh tingled, especially sensitive after her orgasm.
Her gaze settled on the man, who licked his lips and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, fixing his hungry gaze on her. It was quiet when she eased herself back towards his hips, save for the ragged draws of breath on both their parts. Her nipples tingled and hardened under his attention, and she leaned down to kiss him, tasting herself on his tongue. Their tongues entwined, and she lowered her body onto his, straddling him, slowly rubbing her breasts into his chest, allowing her hard nipples to graze his. He gasped into her mouth. Her heart fluttered.
The blunt length of his arousal pressed against her slit when she stretched against him, sending a thrill through her nerves. Her flesh heated anew, and she broke their kiss, tracing his jaw with her fingers. With a slight grin, Rouge lifted his warm hands to her breasts, cupping them around her twin mounds, grinding their stiff crests into his palms. Something flashed across his eyes. He squeezed them and rubbed her nipples with his fingers, inducing a pleasured gasp from her lips, sensation spiralling into her flesh. The heat of his palms seemed to soak right into her chest when he massaged her breasts, slowly caressing them, his gaze leaving a searing trail all over her body.
Her flesh tensed and hummed under his stare, and her breathing deepened. Rouge shifted her hips to catch his hot length between her legs, moaning when his glistening tip caught her gaze in the lamplight, reaching down to stroke it with her fingertips, smearing his wetness all over his arousal. The samurai gasped and rutted into her fingers. Her loins tightened with want.
At length, when the man started to squirm under her touches, groaning lowly and bucking his hips at her, she curled her fingers around the base of his erection, squeezing him firmly. His breath hitched; he thrust into her hand. The gesture sent heat welling in her pussy. A hungry smile quirked her lips. She lifted herself up slightly, angling his cock so that his tip brushed her slick entrance, moaning and lowering herself down onto him, gasping when he spread her tight flesh, partially assuaging her hunger.
Ryoma groaned and thrust into her, meeting her downward stroke, filling her so completely that her eyes half-lidded, and she moaned. Pleasure throbbed in her flesh. Her hands splayed across his chest; he cupped her breasts gently, squeezing them, before sliding his hands down to her waist, anchoring his palms there when she started to ride his shaft, forcing his erection deep into her core. Her juices smeared over him.
She didn't know how long she spent bouncing on his flesh; all she was aware of was how his thickness ground pleasure into her, sending the clamouring hunger in her pussy and clit into a buzzing fervour. He impaled her from below, filling and emptying and filling her again, until she panted and dug her nails into his chest. His moans grew louder, as did his uneven breathing, and just as his pounding grew frenzied, she pulled herself off him, earning a growl of frustration as he stared darkly at her, his chest heaving.
Her lips quirked. She knew the thwarted agitation he was going through, could feel it in her own throbbing flesh. But it didn't quite matter when she trailed her nails down his hard chest, whispering, "Take it from me yourself."
A tinge of red fanned over his cheeks. The samurai panted and stared at her, slowly pushing himself up. His eyes glittered with the promise of payback. She grinned, taking his place on the mattress, laying back, her legs parted in invitation. He shuddered imperceptibly, his gaze branding her skin, shifting himself between her legs, his stiff length thick and obvious. The touch of his attention on her slit made her quiver, and she did not bother closing her legs, relishing his hungry gaze.
Rouge licked her lips, memorising his naked form, revelling in the primal savagery of his expression as he stared at her. He wasted little time positioning himself before her, gripping his urging cock and pressing his rounded tip into her pussy, drawing a soft moan from her lips.
He plunged into her swiftly then, burying his shaft to its hilt, his thickness so satisfying that all thought fled her mind. Pleasure thrummed in her core; she dug her fingers into the mattress, her chest rising and falling as she took his length, rutting up at him.
Ryoma's eyes glittered, and he leaned over her then, bracing his arms on either side of her shoulders, lowering his torso over hers. Rouge felt her heart thrill with his proximity; his eyes bore into hers from inches away, his breath brushed over her lips. On impulse, she reached up and cupped his cheeks with her hands, pulling his head down to hers and kissing him fiercely. Their lips and tongues clashed, and she moaned into his mouth, rolling her hips at him to remind him of his invasion.
In response, he broke the kiss and withdrew till he was almost out of her, before slamming hard into her aching pussy, jerking her entire body with his thrust. She groaned breathlessly, her flesh clinging around his, bucking her hips at him again, trailing her nails over his back. He breathed hard, staring into her eyes, starting to ram into her needy flesh. Rouge almost forgot to breathe, spreading herself wide to receive him, wrapping her legs around his hips to pull him closer, offering him her vulnerability.
This time, it didn't take as long before their mating grew feverish; her nails all but clawed into his back, and he pounded hard into her throbbing flesh, their bodies meeting with wet, lewd squelches that only seemed to heighten their need. The tension between her legs grew hot and tight - suddenly she could only feel the explosion of white-hot pleasure that burst within her flesh, robbing her of her breath, freezing her limbs, causing her to convulse tightly around his length, coating him with wetness. She clamped her lips down on the scream that threatened to rip from her throat.
Ryoma shuddered, his groans growing louder as he came, plunging himself deep into her body, tensing. She watched as his face contorted in pleasure, branding the image into her mind, panting and watching as he slowly recovered from his climax, reaching up to caress his cheek.
Reason slowly returned to his eyes, and she matched his gaze as he stared down at her, panting. The man was beautiful in his own right. Her heart pounded and swelled with emotion; she slowly allowed her eyes to linger on every feature of his face, before drawing his head down for a lingering kiss, gently stroking his tongue with her own as they met midway. There was no telling how long they remained joined like that, each reluctant to part from the other. Her hands drifted over his neck and chest, needing to touch him to make certain of his presence.
Their predicament returned in all its entirety, and they eventually broke apart, staring at each other, neither wanting to end the silence.
She thought about the future ahead, how she would be remaining in her hometown, and how he would be far away, training to become the best swordsman he could. It filled her with painful longing, and she lost herself in his gaze, wondering if he would ever find another woman when the time came for him to settle down. Her chest ached.
"Don't forget me, Ryoma," she whispered, her eyes misting, stroking his cheek with her fingertips.
His gaze never once left her face. It was as if he was trying to imprint her into his mind too. "I won't."
"Promise?" Rouge touched his lips, remembering the kisses they had shared, remembering his smiles. It was probably a miracle that she had the honour of meeting such a man.
"Promise."
It hurt so much that she wanted to cry, but she refused to, because she wanted her vision clear to remember every minute of staring at his face. "S-Smile at me, please?"
The samurai blinked, but he did not question her, slowly relaxing his countenance and allowing his lips to twitch upwards in the gentlest and most sincere of smiles.
Her heart must have stopped beating then. She felt her chest tighten with bittersweet joy, gazing hungrily at him. Then his face blurred into a mess of tears, and she cursed herself, reaching up to wipe the hot, salty liquid away, afraid that his smile might disappear by the time she could see again.
It had.
Warm, coarse fingers stroked her cheek, brushing her tears away more tenderly than she would allow herself to. She stared at him in surprise, wishing she could see his smile again, regretting that she had cried.
"I-"
I think I more than like you.
Ryoma watched the expressions on her face change, waiting for her to continue her speech. When she didn't, he allowed the backs of his fingers to caress her damp cheek, his gaze flickering over to the lock of hair veiling her other eye. The vague memory of both her eyes meeting his nagged at his mind, and he touched her hair gently with a finger, looking hesitantly at her. "May I... look at your face, Rouge?"
She nodded, and he found himself unexpectedly nervous when he slowly brushed her lock of hair to the side, not quite knowing what to expect, aside from the fuzzy image in his memory.
Two perfect, clear grey eyes stared back at him, blinking once. His breath caught. His lips parted in surprise.
Rouge was beautiful, more so than when she left half her face covered. He swallowed, unable to look away, admiring her dark irises. His heart quickened. It was probably time to admit to himself that he liked this woman, but the thought came with little comfort. They were going to have to part very soon, and it would probably save her from more pain not knowing what he felt.
"Y-You're beautiful," he finally murmured, ceasing to say any more. Ryoma gazed at every inch of her face and hoped that he never would forget what she looked like. Hell, he could not bear the thought of losing her any more than she did him.
His chest tightened as he stared down at her, wondering if he could remain watching her until they had to leave tomorrow. He would still be staring on their trip back to Fireland. Rouge was a special person who could make his heart flutter and his body taut with longing, and it was just not fair that he could save her from everything but her fate.
"Thank you," she whispered. Pink tones rose on her cheeks, and she squirmed beneath him, making space so he could share the futon with her. His gaze softened; he drew away from her, lowering himself onto the thin mattress.
Rouge snuggled into his chest, tracing her fingers over his skin, keeping in constant contact with him that he could not blame her for. Her warmth was enticing. Slowly, he wound an arm around her slim waist, cherishing her in her purest form for one night more.
-x-
Neither of them wanted to get out of bed the next morning. As was the case for the past two weeks, Rouge had woken up under Ryoma's gaze. They had shared a lingering kiss, then another, and another. It had taken her a great deal of willpower to tear away from their naked embrace to get dressed; Ryoma had watched her with a brooding gaze.
Since dawn had barely broken, there was scarcely anyone in the communal dining room. They almost had the place to themselves, and no one saw the frequent glances each stole of the other, nor the momentary linking of fingers. Before leaving, they had returned to their room to make sure that nothing was left behind.
Rouge remembered the low stocks of herbs in her pouch, just as Ryoma started winding strips of cloth around his wrists and calves. Not wanting to trouble him, she stepped over and pressed a brief kiss to his lips. "I'll be out for a while, Ryoma. My herbs need replenishing. We might need them for the trip if anything happens."
He looked up, pausing mid-wind. "But-"
She kissed him again. "I'll be back before you know it."
The fortune teller left with Ryoma staring after her, purse in hand, walking briskly through the streets, turning through alleys as she headed for the herb shop she remembered passing. People were starting to fill the streets at this early hour, and noise was slowly emerging from the various houses and shops.
A shadow fell into step behind her when she slipped into an alley, and she turned to see who it was.
"I'll require a minute of your time, if you'd be so kind."
Against the orange glow of sunrise, she could make out a tall, thin man, his hair tied up in a way similar to Ryoma's, dressed in a blood-red kimono top and baggy pants. Two swords hung by a sash at his waist. Light shone from behind him, rendering his expression unclear. There was something oddly familiar about this person.
She had seen him in her crystal ball almost a month ago. Ryoma had mentioned him on a few occasions, but they had been in Sunland when the samurai had lost to him. Tsurugi was his name, Ryoma had informed her. Why, then, was he here?
Without waiting for a response, he continued in a drawl, "Your presence is required in Fireland, Miss Rouge."
Her blood ran cold.
The pieces fell into place suddenly - Tsurugi was the one who had knocked her out that day in Mahdad, and brought her to Neros. And now he had come to Moonland under Neros's bidding, to bring her back again. Her stomach flipped. "What business do I have with you?"
"Not me, per se. We do have a mutual acquaintance who is interested in having you back." He stepped towards her, raising an eyebrow. She saw the eagle-like features on his face, saw his beady, nonchalant eyes. "You have two choices - to come with me quietly, or to come with me while you're unconscious."
"And what if I don't want anything to do with either of you?" she retorted bravely, stepping back, realising that there was no way she could outrun him. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she thought painfully back to Ryoma, who awaited her return back at the inn. No apology was sufficient now. If she tried to scream, the handful of people around the town would not be of much help.
"Oh, I don't know. Neros did mention having some teacher of yours over at his place." Tsurugi shrugged. "Said that an old hag like her would be better off in the land of the dead."
Her fingers curled tightly around her purse. Neros had Mistress Ganna captured? Anger roiled in her chest, that he could stoop so low. "You're despicable! How could you do this?"
"Not me, Neros," the man corrected her, drawing a folded piece of material out from a pouch behind him. "I'm just someone he hired for the job."
She guessed that it might be some sort of material to hide her in once he had her unconscious. Fear coiled around her heart, knowing that she could not escape unless a miracle happened, and she'd had more than her fill of miracles. Rouge backed into a wall, allowing her almost-empty purse to slip to the ground behind her baggy purple pants. It landed with a muffled thud, which she spoke to drown out. "You could at least let me get my belongings."
"Not feasible, Miss. I'm under strict orders to get you back immediately." He folded his arms and tapped a foot. "Now do hurry and make your mind up, I don't have all day to wait for an answer. Remember, your precious old woman awaits."
Ganna's life could not be compromised. Rouge bit her lip, regretting the moment she had stepped out of the inn. Ryoma would come looking, she knew, but he would be too late by then. She hated to make him worry. "I'll- I'll go willingly."
"Good." He threw the material over to her, which she caught numbly. "Put that cloak on. We'll be getting out of here."
The fortune teller swallowed hard, her fingers scarcely cooperating when she pulled the heavy material apart, thankful that it did not stink, at the very least. It seemed to take forever to get herself into the hooded cloak. He tugged the top cleanly over her head, so that her face could hardly be seen from the exterior. Tsurugi reached towards her suddenly, and she recoiled, her heart pounding. "Don't touch me!"
"You don't have to worry. I don't harbour intentions towards someone else's woman," he remarked drily, producing thick rope from somewhere and binding it tightly around her wrists.
She thought back to Ryoma then, wondering how Tsurugi had known. Her heart throbbed with longing. The man led her out onto the streets, forcing her to walk briskly for a few minutes, taking turns through alleys, until she heard the whinny of a horse. Her captor lifted her onto the animal easily, securing her down, before mounting it himself, sitting snug behind her. She cringed, squeezed her eyes shut, thought about Ryoma and his smile.
Her composure crumpled with misery as they galloped out of Mutsu, thankful that no one could see her as she was.
It did not occur to her that Tsurugi might have been referring to her as Neros's woman instead.
Ryoma dashed out of the inn with Rouge's satchel, thankful that she had paid for their lodging before heading to the marketplace. It had been almost an hour, and he had been stewing in worry. There had been no sign of the woman ever since she had left. Did her prophecy come true while she had been out?
He cursed himself for letting her go, tearing through the streets in search for her. His chest was tight with anxiety, and he traced the path between the inn and the herb shop multiple times, scanning through the streets without any luck. Had she gone to visit his mother on a whim? No, she could not have. She had promised to be back, and he knew he held a higher priority in her heart. The ghosts of her kisses still lingered on his lips.
A trio of children giggled as he ran past them, throwing an object amongst each other. He caught a purple flash from the corner of his eye, snapping his head back so fast that he almost twisted his neck.
It was Rouge's purse.
His heart missed a beat. Doubling back, he snatched the wallet from mid-toss, glancing briefly at the kimono-clad children. They stared at him. "This is my purse. Where did you find it?"
"Over there, Sir." The tallest among them pointed to a dark alley, and he muttered his thanks, sprinting over to it, hope welling in his heart, only to find it starkly bare.
Ryoma brought the purse up before himself, tracing the familiar lines across the purple cloth. His fingers tightened around it. This was all that he had left of Rouge for now, next to her satchel. He needed to rescue her. There was no doubt that Neros had somehow got his hands on the woman - his woman, if he took his liberties - and had her on the way back to Mahdad. The samurai did not know how that was being done, but it would not stop him from going after Rouge. Her captor had better not lay a finger on her.
All he needed to do before that was to drop by his mother's home to inform her of the blow. That did not bear well, either.
Ryoma took off at a run, reaching Yuka's cottage in minutes, shouting for her. She burst out of her home in a hurry, casting her gaze about for the fortune teller, black eyes widening in realisation.
"Where is Rouge?" she asked anyway, rushing over to the gate, looking to him for answers.
"I think she's been kidnapped." His lips pressed into a line. "I'm going back to Fireland to rescue her, Mother."
The woman winced. "As you should! Give me a moment, Ryoma, I'll get you the food I prepared for your trip."
Yuka rushed back into her cottage, returning moments later with a small cloth-bound parcel. He thanked her, slinging Rouge's satchel across his back and accepting her gift. She glanced away from his face suddenly. "That mark on your neck is from Rouge, isn't it?"
He blinked, staring blankly at her, reaching up to touch the crook of his neck with his free hand. At the slight pressure, his memories returned, of the fortune teller and her embrace. His eyes snapped back to hers. How had she known? Heat scattered over his cheeks. "I, uh..."
"She loves you, you know." Yuka gazed fondly upon him, her lips curving.
She what?
His heart missed a beat. Ryoma felt his face and ears being set aflame, gazing numbly at his mother. "Y-You can't be serious!"
The flower seller nodded, her youthful face sincere. "I'd love to have her as a daughter-in-law."
"Mother!" He turned away from her, pulse racing, his face as flushed as before. "Don't spout nonsense! I-I'm off, do take care!"
Yuka watched as her son took off down the packed dirt road, an affectionate smile crossing her features.
"What about you, Ryoma? Do you love her?"
-x-
------> Chapter 9, PART 2
Author: Aquarius Galuxy
Fandom: Power Stone
Pairing: Ryoma/Rouge
Fiction type: Fanfiction, prose (can be treated as original fiction)
Genre: Erotica, Romance, Adventure (in that order)
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 12,192 (6-7k words for part 2)
Summary: When the threads of fate entangle a fortune teller and a samurai, lives and priorities are changed. An inevitable journey across the lands awaits, filled with hazards and defeat, along with a spontaneous attraction that deepens into something more.
Author's Notes: Another of my favourite chapters. I don't know how an est. 6k words could expand to 12k. -_- Wrote half of it yesterday, omg.
Part 1: http://aquarius-galuxy.livejournal.com/474968.html
It vaguely occurred to her that the futon had been prepared, and that they would be far more comfortable entwined on it.
Unwillingly loosening her grip, she trailed a hand down to his, catching his warm fingers. The question in his eyes was answered by tugging him in the direction of their shared mattress, stopping just short of it by inches. His body was warm behind hers. They were on the outer edge of the lamp's illumination now, almost within the shadows of the room. She turned back to him, brushing his cheek tenderly with her fingers. Ryoma blinked, nuzzled into her hand. Her heart skipped a beat.
He looked between her and the futon, seeming to ask if either of them should be on it first. It brought a quirk to her lips. Untangling their entwined fingers, Rouge threaded her hands through his hair, closing the distance between their lips again.
It began with a series of light, hungry tugs as she held his head to hers, nibbling on his lower lip. Their breath mingled, and she pressed closer to him, relishing the heat of his skin, needing more of it to be stored away as a precious memory. He responded by licking tentatively at her lips, angling his face to hers. Without thinking, she blurted against his lips, "I'll miss you."
The man froze. Her heart pounded. She cracked her eyes open, meeting the blur of his gaze with her own. It was a sudden reminder that brought their light intimacy crashing back down to Earth. Her heart ached.
With a shudder, she pressed her lips to his, sliding her mouth against his hungrily, parting her lips and delving into his moist heat, revelling in his familiar taste. He met her tongue, sliding his own heavily against hers, sending thrums of longing through her flesh as her body whispered for more.
Rouge tightened her fingers through his long hair, sifting through the tangled locks, pressing her body to his as his breath soughed against her skin. A purr slipped from her tongue. She rubbed her chest across his; his torso was hard behind his yukata, from the contours of his chest, to his rippled abdomen, and the stiff bulge at his groin that pushed into her belly, sending sheer desire tearing through her flesh. Her knees almost buckled. Heat swirled in her loins.
She leaned her weight into him, grinding herself into his arousal, moaning when he only seemed to strain harder against her. The memory of his erection was only too clear in her mind, of how he had slid between her legs, how he had rutted into her flesh. Her pussy tightened with longing. Vaguely, she wondered if he was urging to be within her, slipping a hand between them and cupping his hot flesh through his clothes.
He gasped into her lips, moaned, entered her mouth again, his tongue tipped with an urgency that roused her need. His hips pushed forward, sending his covered flesh more fully into her palm. Heat pressed into her skin. Blood pounded in her ears. Need pulsed in her flesh at his delicious thickness, and she slowly caressed him through the yukata, picturing his bare hardness. She could imagine him entering her needy depths, spreading her nether lips wide. A breathless whimper slipped from her lips. Her tongue twined with his; she barely drew breath when he advanced further into her mouth, caressing the back of his neck heavily with her other hand.
Longing tightened her chest with each heartbeat, each second she remained in contact with his erect flesh. He would drive her mad with want just by being hard. With a tremble, she dragged her hand away from the tempting bulge, slipping her fingers upwards, beneath the folds of his yukata. He growled at the loss of her touch.
The samurai did not pause when she smoothed her fingers over his bare chest, licking at her tongue, moaning into her mouth. She fumbled with the sash of his clothes with her free hand, her growing frustration ebbing when it came loose, pushing the folds of his robe apart, splaying her hands over his chest. His heart thudded into her palm. The flat discs of his nipples tightened beneath her fingers. She felt her own pebble, tingling as the rough fabric of her yukata brushed across them. They thrummed for his touch; she finally tore her lips away from his, leaving them both panting hard for breath, his glistening mouth inviting another caress.
Ryoma's eyes fixed upon her as she filled her lungs with air, staring at his face, mesmerized by his countenance. Under his attention, her skin tingled, and she held his gaze, deftly untying her own sash, her heart fluttering at how the yukata loosened around her body. All it took was a brush of cloth to her sides and a shrug of her shoulders for the robe to rustle down her skin, rendering her stark naked.
He swallowed, eyes raking over her body. She felt her flesh tense and heat beneath his gaze, desiring his hot skin against hers. Her nipples tingled again when he stared at them, licking his lips, and her breath caught, excitement flooding her veins at his open hunger. Rouge allowed her own gaze to trail down his physique, over his sculpted torso, lingering on his stiff flesh. She could never get enough of staring at his body. Her fingers trembled with need to touch him, but she held back, closing the distance between them again, easing his yukata off his shoulders and onto the floor, leaving him just as naked as she was.
Their eyes met briefly, before her lips crushed his, tugging at him with a raw hunger that was accentuated by his bare skin against hers. He smelled warm and of soap. She slipped her arms beneath his, pressing her breasts into his hard chest as she pulled him into an embrace, running her fingers and nails down his back, trying to draw him closer. It didn't matter that her soft mounds had flattened against his pectorals, nor that his bare length had pressed an indent into her belly, only that she wanted, needed, Ryoma, and just this wasn't enough either.
Sparks set the tension in her middle alight when his slippery tongue stroked hers heavily. She tasted his mouth and craved for more, breaking the kiss to nip a trail down his jaw, her hands smoothing restlessly over his back, over the uneven scars of his injuries. He gasped, watched her with his dark eyes, breathing raggedly when she nibbled and sucked a wet path down his throat, testing his jumping pulse with her tongue. Her nails pressed into his muscled back; she buried her face into the crook of his shoulder and neck, nuzzling him there, inhaling his intoxicating scent, before nibbling at his flesh, tugging at his skin lightly.
Ryoma gasped her name, shivered. Her heart pounded. She took it as an invitation to deepen her actions, closing her lips around his skin and biting into the base of his neck, just before where his shoulder began. The only audible response was a ragged breath from his lips. Rouge drew her tongue over the circle of his skin, slowly beginning to suck insistently on it, each draw turning more intense, until he moaned and squirmed beneath her, his heartbeat hammering into her chest.
Only then did she pull away, licking the wet, reddish patch on his skin clean, a faint mark that would soon blossom and mark him as her own, if only for a few days. The man breathed hard when she nipped the skin down his chest, flicking her tongue out at sporadic intervals, tasting his flesh, and kissing his hard muscles at other times, strumming her hands over his sides, brushing the nubs of his nipples with her thumbs. He gasped; she leaned in and took them between her teeth in turn, nibbling on them in a way that made him squirm.
Her calves tightened with the strain of her weight when she lowered herself slowly along his abdomen, trailing the very tip of her tongue between his muscles, smoothing over them with her thumbs, caressing his body. But what held her attention most was the straining length awaiting its turn at the end of his torso, its blunt tip brushing her throat when she forgot to pull away, trailing a short, damp path over her skin. Her heart skipped a beat. Ribbons of lust gathered between her legs, sending a gasp through her lips. Her knees met the uneven surface of the tatami flooring.
Rouge gazed up at the samurai through her lashes, a thrill skidding along her nerves at the blush on his face. Her lips quirked into a playful, hungry smile. She watched him as she rubbed her cheek against his cock, savouring its velvety heat. He groaned and stuttered her name. Her swollen clit throbbed at his arousal, clamoured for attention when she brushed her lips along his shaft, her heart thudding in her chest.
She ran her fingers along his thighs, breathing raggedly as her lips tugged on his taut skin, brushing them all over his thickness. He ground into her, sending sharp heat arrowing through her body. With barely restrained longing, Rouge trailed the pads of her fingertips along his flesh, slowly stroking his tip with her lips, flicking her tongue across the cleft at the very end of his erection. Wetness gathered on her flesh. She purred and swirled her tongue around his tip, tasting the man, glancing up at him, watching as he panted, his cheeks dark with colour, fists clenched at his sides.
Despite the sheer hunger throbbing through her body, she slid the end of her tongue beneath his tip, parting her lips a hair's width away from his cock, allowing her hot breath to fan over his stiff length in invitation.
He groaned and pushed into her mouth.
"Mmm." A moan emerged from her throat as he spread her lips, his thickness invading her mouth, heavy against her tongue. The corners of her lips quirked, and she looked up at him again, wondering if it was possible for his cheeks to grow any redder. He whimpered.
Her heart fluttering, Rouge slid her tongue around his tip, slowly tasting him, savouring the curves and hardness of his flesh, before rubbing the tight hole at his very end, gathering the slow drops of wetness that he yielded to her. Even so, it wasn't enough, and she drew a comfortable length of his cock into her mouth, slowly sucking on him to taste him better. He moaned and jerked his hips at her, gasping, pushing more of his erection past her lips. Hunger licked at her insides.
Slipping a warm hand around the base of his manhood, she held him in place and drew deeply on his shaft, stroking his flesh at intervals, trying to taste more of him. Her desire spiked when he groaned and thrust into her mouth, liquid heat leaking onto her tongue. Amidst his gasps and moans, she bobbed her head on his length, stroking him with her mouth and hands, rubbing his balls languidly, losing track of time, until he shuddered, and his arousal throbbed against her tongue.
"Rouge," he gasped, breathing raggedly, clenching and unclenching his fists. "I-"
She slid off his pulsing cock then, leaving it glistening with her wetness, licking her lips, watching as he squirmed, close to the edge. Rouge sat back on the futon, regaining her breath with deep lungfuls of air, crooking a finger at him. The slick length straining at her looked especially tempting from her position. A grin quirked her lips, and she rubbed her legs together, quivering when her own flesh ached for him.
Ryoma stared at her, inhaling through his lips, his gaze fogged with need, not quite comprehending what she wanted. "Lie down, Ryoma. We'll go to sleep now," she murmured, her lips curving in a mischievous grin.
"What?"
A giggle burst from her lips. She slanted her gaze up at him, drawing her tongue across her lower lip. "You want more, don't you?" He nodded mutely. "Come over here and lie down, and we'll see what exactly it is that you want."
He flushed then, hesitating for moments, before stepping over to her, lowering himself onto the mattress. His dark gaze was intense and expectant. Rouge shivered as her eyes dragged along his supine form, appreciating his hard, naked body, wanting to grind her entire self into him. Hunger laced her veins. Instead, she padded over to him on all fours, allowing her gaze to sweep over his naked body. Cool air brushed over her wet slit, sending a shiver across her skin. His gaze lingered on her swaying breasts, slowly drifting up to her face. The lock of hair that covered her veiled eye shifted, and for a moment, she glimpsed his face with her full gaze, before her vision was limited to her uncovered eye again.
Ryoma parted his lips then, on the verge of speaking, but she lowered her head and captured his lips with hers, tugging on his soft flesh, hardly waiting for moments before entering his mouth again, stroking his hot tongue with hers. The slick contact renewed the lust in her blood, and she urged his lips apart, hungrily meeting his slippery heat, sucking lightly on him when he probed her mouth again, trailing her nails over his chest.
His gasp sent fingers of arousal into her flesh, adding to the moisture within her nether folds. She ended the kiss then, lifting herself away, hovering inches above his face. Slowly, she brought her index finger to his mouth, trailing her fingertip across his lower lip. "Watch me."
The man followed the movement of her finger with his eyes, keeping his attention trained on her as she traced a line down his chest, to his abdomen, towards his cock. His breathing deepened. Her lips quirked.
Before she touched his hard length, Rouge lifted her finger off his body, bringing it up to her crotch instead, sliding it along her damp slit, until she reached the entrance of her pussy, sinking the digit into her tight, aching depths. Pleasure feathered within her flesh. She purred. Wetness surrounded her finger and coated it with her juices.
He must have realised what she did then, because his eyes widened, and widened further when she drew her finger out, bringing it to his lips. "Rouge-"
"Taste me, Ryoma." She dragged her slick finger along his lower lip, smearing her wetness along his flesh. He froze and stared at her, his cheeks reddening.
"But that's-"
Rouge eased her slick digit into his mouth then, touching his tongue, spreading her juices over his flesh, her heart thumping at his heat.
"Mmmph!" Ryoma tried to pull away, but the hard pillow behind his head left him with little choice of movement. Her finger curled enticingly in his mouth. It was salty and musky, and he flushed with embarrassment, knowing that it had been in her nether depths, that he, a samurai, shouldn't be thinking about, much less looking at, or tasting. His eyes squeezed shut.
But his body had somehow convinced him to take another sample, because Rouge didn't taste that bad after all. He yielded when her other hand brushed tantalizingly across his abdomen, sucking hesitantly on her digit, and more forcibly when her fingers trailed over his cock. Pleasure throbbed in his length, and he bucked his hips at her, drawing harder on her wet finger. Perhaps he could grow used to her taste.
As if she had read his thoughts, the woman shifted above him. He snapped his eyes open in anxiety, only to see her making her way closer to him on her knees, her shaven crotch filling his view. His eyes widened, a spurt of heat swirling in his loins. Not this close...
He blushed, and she slipped her fingers into his hair, gazing down at him, slowly caressing his head. "Please, Ryoma."
The samurai squirmed, knowing he could not refuse her request. Her breasts looked especially full from this angle, and his arousal strained at the view, demanding release. It didn't help that the sight of her nether lips so close sent more throbs down his length. He nodded, heat flooding his cheeks, staring at her exquisite flesh, not quite knowing what to do with it.
Her thighs slipped next to his face, providing support against his pillow. Heat emanated from her skin. He blushed; all he saw was the slit between her legs. Rouge caressed his cheek gently, lowering her smooth mound to his lips, the nub of her clit peeking out between them. He remembered that piece of flesh, at the very least, touching his tongue to it like he had done with his thumb in the prison cell.
She gasped, thrust her pussy at him. Her soft, warm slit pressed into his mouth. His flesh throbbed. His cheeks burned. Slowly, he probed at her clit with his tongue, smoothing over it, circling around it to part it from her lips. Rouge moaned and tightened her fingers in his hair, pushing her womanhood firmly against his mouth, leaving him with no choice but to slowly suck on her stiff nub, caressing the delicate flesh with his tongue. A groan tore from her throat.
The sound added to his arousal like dry wood to a wildfire, and he gasped, his heart thudding, flicking his tongue against her clit. She rutted against his face, shifting slightly so the rest of her nether lips pressed against his mouth, and her swollen clit was out of his reach. Taste me, she had said.
Realisation dawned on him that licking her clit was not all she wanted. The man blushed again, tentatively lapping at her slit, probing between her nether lips like she had taught him to. Rouge shuddered and moaned above him; her flesh grew slicker around his tongue, and he tasted that same salty muskiness again, squirming as she rutted into his face, pushing his tongue in deeper for a better sample. She arched above him and groaned. The tension between his legs increased, and he felt himself grow wetter at her arousal.
With each stroke of his tongue, she clung more tightly to him, gasping and moaning, the glimpses of her heaving breasts doing little to ease his raging arousal. Rouge allowed him to alternate between her clit and her slick depths, grinding at his tongue so hungrily that her juices smeared over his lips and down his chin. But her carnal moans drew his attention away from the mess, and he returned his lips to her clit, sucking firmly on it, until her cries turned raw.
She had bitten her lip to muffle her noises, gasping in pleasure when he stroked at her stiff clit with his tongue, until she froze suddenly, her fingers curling into his hair so tight it hurt, a low moan tearing from her throat. His thoughts hazed with the urging lust between his legs. Wetness squirted against his chin, and he parted his lips to receive some of it, tasting the evidence of her pleasure. It felt good knowing that he had been able to satisfy her.
Rouge gasped for breath, panting raggedly, finally drawing herself away from Ryoma's face, a light blush rising on her cheeks. His tongue had felt delicious, and she had been reluctant to have him stop midway when he had been utterly capable of bringing her to climax. Her flesh tingled, especially sensitive after her orgasm.
Her gaze settled on the man, who licked his lips and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, fixing his hungry gaze on her. It was quiet when she eased herself back towards his hips, save for the ragged draws of breath on both their parts. Her nipples tingled and hardened under his attention, and she leaned down to kiss him, tasting herself on his tongue. Their tongues entwined, and she lowered her body onto his, straddling him, slowly rubbing her breasts into his chest, allowing her hard nipples to graze his. He gasped into her mouth. Her heart fluttered.
The blunt length of his arousal pressed against her slit when she stretched against him, sending a thrill through her nerves. Her flesh heated anew, and she broke their kiss, tracing his jaw with her fingers. With a slight grin, Rouge lifted his warm hands to her breasts, cupping them around her twin mounds, grinding their stiff crests into his palms. Something flashed across his eyes. He squeezed them and rubbed her nipples with his fingers, inducing a pleasured gasp from her lips, sensation spiralling into her flesh. The heat of his palms seemed to soak right into her chest when he massaged her breasts, slowly caressing them, his gaze leaving a searing trail all over her body.
Her flesh tensed and hummed under his stare, and her breathing deepened. Rouge shifted her hips to catch his hot length between her legs, moaning when his glistening tip caught her gaze in the lamplight, reaching down to stroke it with her fingertips, smearing his wetness all over his arousal. The samurai gasped and rutted into her fingers. Her loins tightened with want.
At length, when the man started to squirm under her touches, groaning lowly and bucking his hips at her, she curled her fingers around the base of his erection, squeezing him firmly. His breath hitched; he thrust into her hand. The gesture sent heat welling in her pussy. A hungry smile quirked her lips. She lifted herself up slightly, angling his cock so that his tip brushed her slick entrance, moaning and lowering herself down onto him, gasping when he spread her tight flesh, partially assuaging her hunger.
Ryoma groaned and thrust into her, meeting her downward stroke, filling her so completely that her eyes half-lidded, and she moaned. Pleasure throbbed in her flesh. Her hands splayed across his chest; he cupped her breasts gently, squeezing them, before sliding his hands down to her waist, anchoring his palms there when she started to ride his shaft, forcing his erection deep into her core. Her juices smeared over him.
She didn't know how long she spent bouncing on his flesh; all she was aware of was how his thickness ground pleasure into her, sending the clamouring hunger in her pussy and clit into a buzzing fervour. He impaled her from below, filling and emptying and filling her again, until she panted and dug her nails into his chest. His moans grew louder, as did his uneven breathing, and just as his pounding grew frenzied, she pulled herself off him, earning a growl of frustration as he stared darkly at her, his chest heaving.
Her lips quirked. She knew the thwarted agitation he was going through, could feel it in her own throbbing flesh. But it didn't quite matter when she trailed her nails down his hard chest, whispering, "Take it from me yourself."
A tinge of red fanned over his cheeks. The samurai panted and stared at her, slowly pushing himself up. His eyes glittered with the promise of payback. She grinned, taking his place on the mattress, laying back, her legs parted in invitation. He shuddered imperceptibly, his gaze branding her skin, shifting himself between her legs, his stiff length thick and obvious. The touch of his attention on her slit made her quiver, and she did not bother closing her legs, relishing his hungry gaze.
Rouge licked her lips, memorising his naked form, revelling in the primal savagery of his expression as he stared at her. He wasted little time positioning himself before her, gripping his urging cock and pressing his rounded tip into her pussy, drawing a soft moan from her lips.
He plunged into her swiftly then, burying his shaft to its hilt, his thickness so satisfying that all thought fled her mind. Pleasure thrummed in her core; she dug her fingers into the mattress, her chest rising and falling as she took his length, rutting up at him.
Ryoma's eyes glittered, and he leaned over her then, bracing his arms on either side of her shoulders, lowering his torso over hers. Rouge felt her heart thrill with his proximity; his eyes bore into hers from inches away, his breath brushed over her lips. On impulse, she reached up and cupped his cheeks with her hands, pulling his head down to hers and kissing him fiercely. Their lips and tongues clashed, and she moaned into his mouth, rolling her hips at him to remind him of his invasion.
In response, he broke the kiss and withdrew till he was almost out of her, before slamming hard into her aching pussy, jerking her entire body with his thrust. She groaned breathlessly, her flesh clinging around his, bucking her hips at him again, trailing her nails over his back. He breathed hard, staring into her eyes, starting to ram into her needy flesh. Rouge almost forgot to breathe, spreading herself wide to receive him, wrapping her legs around his hips to pull him closer, offering him her vulnerability.
This time, it didn't take as long before their mating grew feverish; her nails all but clawed into his back, and he pounded hard into her throbbing flesh, their bodies meeting with wet, lewd squelches that only seemed to heighten their need. The tension between her legs grew hot and tight - suddenly she could only feel the explosion of white-hot pleasure that burst within her flesh, robbing her of her breath, freezing her limbs, causing her to convulse tightly around his length, coating him with wetness. She clamped her lips down on the scream that threatened to rip from her throat.
Ryoma shuddered, his groans growing louder as he came, plunging himself deep into her body, tensing. She watched as his face contorted in pleasure, branding the image into her mind, panting and watching as he slowly recovered from his climax, reaching up to caress his cheek.
Reason slowly returned to his eyes, and she matched his gaze as he stared down at her, panting. The man was beautiful in his own right. Her heart pounded and swelled with emotion; she slowly allowed her eyes to linger on every feature of his face, before drawing his head down for a lingering kiss, gently stroking his tongue with her own as they met midway. There was no telling how long they remained joined like that, each reluctant to part from the other. Her hands drifted over his neck and chest, needing to touch him to make certain of his presence.
Their predicament returned in all its entirety, and they eventually broke apart, staring at each other, neither wanting to end the silence.
She thought about the future ahead, how she would be remaining in her hometown, and how he would be far away, training to become the best swordsman he could. It filled her with painful longing, and she lost herself in his gaze, wondering if he would ever find another woman when the time came for him to settle down. Her chest ached.
"Don't forget me, Ryoma," she whispered, her eyes misting, stroking his cheek with her fingertips.
His gaze never once left her face. It was as if he was trying to imprint her into his mind too. "I won't."
"Promise?" Rouge touched his lips, remembering the kisses they had shared, remembering his smiles. It was probably a miracle that she had the honour of meeting such a man.
"Promise."
It hurt so much that she wanted to cry, but she refused to, because she wanted her vision clear to remember every minute of staring at his face. "S-Smile at me, please?"
The samurai blinked, but he did not question her, slowly relaxing his countenance and allowing his lips to twitch upwards in the gentlest and most sincere of smiles.
Her heart must have stopped beating then. She felt her chest tighten with bittersweet joy, gazing hungrily at him. Then his face blurred into a mess of tears, and she cursed herself, reaching up to wipe the hot, salty liquid away, afraid that his smile might disappear by the time she could see again.
It had.
Warm, coarse fingers stroked her cheek, brushing her tears away more tenderly than she would allow herself to. She stared at him in surprise, wishing she could see his smile again, regretting that she had cried.
"I-"
I think I more than like you.
Ryoma watched the expressions on her face change, waiting for her to continue her speech. When she didn't, he allowed the backs of his fingers to caress her damp cheek, his gaze flickering over to the lock of hair veiling her other eye. The vague memory of both her eyes meeting his nagged at his mind, and he touched her hair gently with a finger, looking hesitantly at her. "May I... look at your face, Rouge?"
She nodded, and he found himself unexpectedly nervous when he slowly brushed her lock of hair to the side, not quite knowing what to expect, aside from the fuzzy image in his memory.
Two perfect, clear grey eyes stared back at him, blinking once. His breath caught. His lips parted in surprise.
Rouge was beautiful, more so than when she left half her face covered. He swallowed, unable to look away, admiring her dark irises. His heart quickened. It was probably time to admit to himself that he liked this woman, but the thought came with little comfort. They were going to have to part very soon, and it would probably save her from more pain not knowing what he felt.
"Y-You're beautiful," he finally murmured, ceasing to say any more. Ryoma gazed at every inch of her face and hoped that he never would forget what she looked like. Hell, he could not bear the thought of losing her any more than she did him.
His chest tightened as he stared down at her, wondering if he could remain watching her until they had to leave tomorrow. He would still be staring on their trip back to Fireland. Rouge was a special person who could make his heart flutter and his body taut with longing, and it was just not fair that he could save her from everything but her fate.
"Thank you," she whispered. Pink tones rose on her cheeks, and she squirmed beneath him, making space so he could share the futon with her. His gaze softened; he drew away from her, lowering himself onto the thin mattress.
Rouge snuggled into his chest, tracing her fingers over his skin, keeping in constant contact with him that he could not blame her for. Her warmth was enticing. Slowly, he wound an arm around her slim waist, cherishing her in her purest form for one night more.
-x-
Neither of them wanted to get out of bed the next morning. As was the case for the past two weeks, Rouge had woken up under Ryoma's gaze. They had shared a lingering kiss, then another, and another. It had taken her a great deal of willpower to tear away from their naked embrace to get dressed; Ryoma had watched her with a brooding gaze.
Since dawn had barely broken, there was scarcely anyone in the communal dining room. They almost had the place to themselves, and no one saw the frequent glances each stole of the other, nor the momentary linking of fingers. Before leaving, they had returned to their room to make sure that nothing was left behind.
Rouge remembered the low stocks of herbs in her pouch, just as Ryoma started winding strips of cloth around his wrists and calves. Not wanting to trouble him, she stepped over and pressed a brief kiss to his lips. "I'll be out for a while, Ryoma. My herbs need replenishing. We might need them for the trip if anything happens."
He looked up, pausing mid-wind. "But-"
She kissed him again. "I'll be back before you know it."
The fortune teller left with Ryoma staring after her, purse in hand, walking briskly through the streets, turning through alleys as she headed for the herb shop she remembered passing. People were starting to fill the streets at this early hour, and noise was slowly emerging from the various houses and shops.
A shadow fell into step behind her when she slipped into an alley, and she turned to see who it was.
"I'll require a minute of your time, if you'd be so kind."
Against the orange glow of sunrise, she could make out a tall, thin man, his hair tied up in a way similar to Ryoma's, dressed in a blood-red kimono top and baggy pants. Two swords hung by a sash at his waist. Light shone from behind him, rendering his expression unclear. There was something oddly familiar about this person.
She had seen him in her crystal ball almost a month ago. Ryoma had mentioned him on a few occasions, but they had been in Sunland when the samurai had lost to him. Tsurugi was his name, Ryoma had informed her. Why, then, was he here?
Without waiting for a response, he continued in a drawl, "Your presence is required in Fireland, Miss Rouge."
Her blood ran cold.
The pieces fell into place suddenly - Tsurugi was the one who had knocked her out that day in Mahdad, and brought her to Neros. And now he had come to Moonland under Neros's bidding, to bring her back again. Her stomach flipped. "What business do I have with you?"
"Not me, per se. We do have a mutual acquaintance who is interested in having you back." He stepped towards her, raising an eyebrow. She saw the eagle-like features on his face, saw his beady, nonchalant eyes. "You have two choices - to come with me quietly, or to come with me while you're unconscious."
"And what if I don't want anything to do with either of you?" she retorted bravely, stepping back, realising that there was no way she could outrun him. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she thought painfully back to Ryoma, who awaited her return back at the inn. No apology was sufficient now. If she tried to scream, the handful of people around the town would not be of much help.
"Oh, I don't know. Neros did mention having some teacher of yours over at his place." Tsurugi shrugged. "Said that an old hag like her would be better off in the land of the dead."
Her fingers curled tightly around her purse. Neros had Mistress Ganna captured? Anger roiled in her chest, that he could stoop so low. "You're despicable! How could you do this?"
"Not me, Neros," the man corrected her, drawing a folded piece of material out from a pouch behind him. "I'm just someone he hired for the job."
She guessed that it might be some sort of material to hide her in once he had her unconscious. Fear coiled around her heart, knowing that she could not escape unless a miracle happened, and she'd had more than her fill of miracles. Rouge backed into a wall, allowing her almost-empty purse to slip to the ground behind her baggy purple pants. It landed with a muffled thud, which she spoke to drown out. "You could at least let me get my belongings."
"Not feasible, Miss. I'm under strict orders to get you back immediately." He folded his arms and tapped a foot. "Now do hurry and make your mind up, I don't have all day to wait for an answer. Remember, your precious old woman awaits."
Ganna's life could not be compromised. Rouge bit her lip, regretting the moment she had stepped out of the inn. Ryoma would come looking, she knew, but he would be too late by then. She hated to make him worry. "I'll- I'll go willingly."
"Good." He threw the material over to her, which she caught numbly. "Put that cloak on. We'll be getting out of here."
The fortune teller swallowed hard, her fingers scarcely cooperating when she pulled the heavy material apart, thankful that it did not stink, at the very least. It seemed to take forever to get herself into the hooded cloak. He tugged the top cleanly over her head, so that her face could hardly be seen from the exterior. Tsurugi reached towards her suddenly, and she recoiled, her heart pounding. "Don't touch me!"
"You don't have to worry. I don't harbour intentions towards someone else's woman," he remarked drily, producing thick rope from somewhere and binding it tightly around her wrists.
She thought back to Ryoma then, wondering how Tsurugi had known. Her heart throbbed with longing. The man led her out onto the streets, forcing her to walk briskly for a few minutes, taking turns through alleys, until she heard the whinny of a horse. Her captor lifted her onto the animal easily, securing her down, before mounting it himself, sitting snug behind her. She cringed, squeezed her eyes shut, thought about Ryoma and his smile.
Her composure crumpled with misery as they galloped out of Mutsu, thankful that no one could see her as she was.
It did not occur to her that Tsurugi might have been referring to her as Neros's woman instead.
Ryoma dashed out of the inn with Rouge's satchel, thankful that she had paid for their lodging before heading to the marketplace. It had been almost an hour, and he had been stewing in worry. There had been no sign of the woman ever since she had left. Did her prophecy come true while she had been out?
He cursed himself for letting her go, tearing through the streets in search for her. His chest was tight with anxiety, and he traced the path between the inn and the herb shop multiple times, scanning through the streets without any luck. Had she gone to visit his mother on a whim? No, she could not have. She had promised to be back, and he knew he held a higher priority in her heart. The ghosts of her kisses still lingered on his lips.
A trio of children giggled as he ran past them, throwing an object amongst each other. He caught a purple flash from the corner of his eye, snapping his head back so fast that he almost twisted his neck.
It was Rouge's purse.
His heart missed a beat. Doubling back, he snatched the wallet from mid-toss, glancing briefly at the kimono-clad children. They stared at him. "This is my purse. Where did you find it?"
"Over there, Sir." The tallest among them pointed to a dark alley, and he muttered his thanks, sprinting over to it, hope welling in his heart, only to find it starkly bare.
Ryoma brought the purse up before himself, tracing the familiar lines across the purple cloth. His fingers tightened around it. This was all that he had left of Rouge for now, next to her satchel. He needed to rescue her. There was no doubt that Neros had somehow got his hands on the woman - his woman, if he took his liberties - and had her on the way back to Mahdad. The samurai did not know how that was being done, but it would not stop him from going after Rouge. Her captor had better not lay a finger on her.
All he needed to do before that was to drop by his mother's home to inform her of the blow. That did not bear well, either.
Ryoma took off at a run, reaching Yuka's cottage in minutes, shouting for her. She burst out of her home in a hurry, casting her gaze about for the fortune teller, black eyes widening in realisation.
"Where is Rouge?" she asked anyway, rushing over to the gate, looking to him for answers.
"I think she's been kidnapped." His lips pressed into a line. "I'm going back to Fireland to rescue her, Mother."
The woman winced. "As you should! Give me a moment, Ryoma, I'll get you the food I prepared for your trip."
Yuka rushed back into her cottage, returning moments later with a small cloth-bound parcel. He thanked her, slinging Rouge's satchel across his back and accepting her gift. She glanced away from his face suddenly. "That mark on your neck is from Rouge, isn't it?"
He blinked, staring blankly at her, reaching up to touch the crook of his neck with his free hand. At the slight pressure, his memories returned, of the fortune teller and her embrace. His eyes snapped back to hers. How had she known? Heat scattered over his cheeks. "I, uh..."
"She loves you, you know." Yuka gazed fondly upon him, her lips curving.
She what?
His heart missed a beat. Ryoma felt his face and ears being set aflame, gazing numbly at his mother. "Y-You can't be serious!"
The flower seller nodded, her youthful face sincere. "I'd love to have her as a daughter-in-law."
"Mother!" He turned away from her, pulse racing, his face as flushed as before. "Don't spout nonsense! I-I'm off, do take care!"
Yuka watched as her son took off down the packed dirt road, an affectionate smile crossing her features.
"What about you, Ryoma? Do you love her?"
-x-