Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This... ❯ It's a nice night and everything, but... ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I've said this before but I don't own the characters that I have borrowed to tell you this story (Square Enix does)… So don't sue me for this… Plus, I don't own Toby Keith or the lyrics to his beautiful little song here either… More's the pity…

 

Author's Notes: The very first time that I ever heard the song that has graciously lent this fic its name, I thought it was so cute and yet still so beautifully romantic that I told myself while I was sitting in my car that day that I was going to write a lemon Song fic with it- but to do that, I had to figure out just which pair would fit it… Well, it looks like the long, long wait is finally over. Kingdom Hearts II took care of that little problem for me by officially hinting at a little something starting between FFVIII's Leon and FFVII's Aerith… Which is something I had been hoping to see back in the first KH game!!

 

Our little story begins on a night about three weeks after the end of KHII, and this fic is directly related to my story Sunset Hearts- think of this as something of a prequel, if you like- though it should be able to stand quite nicely on its own too. ^_~

 

So without any further hints to give ya…

 

 

 

 

 

You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This…

 

~

Got a funny feeling, the moment that your lips touched mine

Something shot right through me- my heart skipped a beat in time.

There's a different feel about you tonight- it's got me thinking lots of crazy things.

Even think I saw a flash of light- felt like electricity.

~

 

 

 

Leon honestly couldn't remember the last time he had been to a party… and he really hadn't wanted to come to this one either, after all, how could they have a party for Sora, Donald and Goofy without the guests of honor? Something about it just hadn't seemed right to him, but Aerith had talked him into coming anyway- not that that was surprising- she had been able to talk him into almost anything since the day the two of them had met... His friends had really put their hearts into getting things ready for tonight, he knew, but still their world- no ALL the worlds had been saved not once but twice by a kid, a duck and… a…. whatever Goofy was exactly- some kind of a bipedal dog maybe? Leon shrugged, not that it really mattered when the three of them weren't even here.

 

Still, Leon knew that wherever Sora was, he and his friends must have been reunited too. That had been Aerith's reason that he should be here at the town square with everyone else tonight. It just felt like it was really ok to breathe a big sigh of relief this time, like where ever Sora and the others were, that maybe this was the night that they were celebrating too. Even though they were far apart, they all firmly believed that their hearts remained connected.

 

The worlds were safe once again, they had to be… All at once the heartless and the nobodies had disappeared and no one had seen the town's continuously active defense systems do so much as twitch for almost three weeks straight. It really had to be over this time, didn't it?

 

That was a bittersweet feeling; one that he found actually made him more sad than happy. On the one hand it felt like things were finally settling down, that maybe the peace they had all fought so hard to find was finally here… yet the very idea that they would never see the young wielder of the Keyblade again was difficult to imagine.

 

Still, Leon smirked to himself just like he always did whenever he thought of the brave kid that had more or less saved them all. Sora's hyperactive habits of running and jumping around absolutely everywhere, his insatiable yet innocent curiosity and his unfailing courage in the face of danger were very endearing and unforgettable. Even though Sora was a typical kid in a lot of ways in others he was utterly unique. Leon knew he would never meet anyone else quite like him again.

 

“Well, Leon, what do you think of the progress we are making now?” Merlin asked, his kindly voice sounded happy and still just a bit sad too...

 

“Without the heartless around wrecking everything we've been rebuilding I'd say we'll finish up with the last of the repairs on the town proper in about another week. I'd still like to see the Castle fully restored to what it used to be before we start on the gardens and stuff though.” Leon turned toward the legendary wizard and shrugged. “I feel like it just won't be home until all of the buildings are finished.”

 

“Well, frankly, my boy I'm amazed at the progress you have already made in such a short while. You have taken control and really lead this world in healing itself. The townspeople aren't so afraid anymore and everyone seems to be smiling all the time, it's just wonderful, makes me think of going back to check up on my world. Come to think of it Archimedes and Arthur must really be wondering where the devil I've been all this time.”

 

“Well, you have been a good friend to us, Merlin, we'll be sorry to see you go, but I think your world probably needs you more than we do these days.” Leon nodded.

 

“Oh, there were a few more things I was going to do here before I leave; For one thing, Maleficent's library over in the distant castle is still full of ancient arcane lore that must never again see the light of day. I don't know how she did it exactly but the enchantments that protect her library remain in tact even though the castle itself continues to fall apart all around it. She was a conjurer with truly fearsome power- a relic from a dark age in magic in a place far from my own realm that is usually only spoken of in legends, Leon. Still, I think that the wards and things that I have used to hide and seal her dark library will hold just fine once I have finished placing them. Have you still been checking up on how my wards and seals are melding with their surroundings over at the heartless factory?”

 

Leon nodded. “Every morning, and I'm still amazed that you really can't even tell there was ever a door there at all anymore. I don't know how you did it, but its working, your runes or whatever you called them are starting to fade too, just like you said they would; it looks like pretty soon you'll be able to head home at last.”

 

“Yes, but like me that mage is gifted with legendary power and knowledge of magic that allows her to freely traverse the worlds that she has visited before regardless of the fact that even to the Keyblades those worlds are now separate entities again. If she has indeed survived everything that went on here, as I expect she probably did, she may one day return here to reclaim her library. She may have another, identical stock of books nestled in another world as I myself do, so she may not return, but in case she does you will know it because all of Villain's Vale will come down long before she will ever be able to reach her stores of magical knowledge. It's an intricate process but it will work. To keep her out of it I am using the walls and sealing the doorways and even the floors and the ceilings of each of the rooms above and below it, putting it into what amounts to a gigantic magically reinforced box that surrounds the whole library. As long as the library remains in this dimension that box will be impenetrable- even to other arch wizards like Yen Sid or Maleficent.”

 

“Her library was enormous… is it even possible to move something like that to another world?”

 

Merlin nodded. “Oh yes, I'm afraid that with magic like ours it would be rather easy. For example I could simply shrink the box and put it in my bag of holding and carry it around with me for few millennia or so, but I believe it will be safest inside the ruins of its castle for now, actually. As long as it is in your world it cannot be opened once the wards and seals have fully disappeared. I am linking the magic of the wards directly to this planet in the hopes that after she has her library that she won't return here.”

 

“Well, I knew that you've been busy- I guess we will just have to hope that she doesn't come back.”

 

Yes, indeed, here's hoping, right?” Merlin said, taking a sip of his wine, Leon nodded obligingly and raised his soda pop too. “Well, to tell you the truth, I'm getting a bit tired in my old age, so, I think I'll be turning in for the night now. Enjoy the rest of the party for me though, won't you?”

 

“Yeah.” Leon nodded. “Goodnight.”

 

“That looked like it must have been a pretty serious discussion you two were having.”

 

Leon turned around to see Aerith standing beside him; her jewel green eyes sparkled brilliantly in the light of the paper lanterns and the stars above. As always she was wearing pink, though this time it was a mermaid styled cross front halter dress, made out of silk and it shimmered beautifully in the starlight. She was wearing her long hair up in a more formal style than he had ever seen on her. He wanted to tell her that she always looked beautiful to him, but there was something about her tonight that was already making him wish she had stayed over by Yuffie and Cid…

 

She leaned toward him grinning impishly and then stood up straight again thoughtfully for a moment before she sighed. “You know, I brought you another Root Beer but it doesn't look like you are going to be finishing the one you have any time soon. Is there something wrong? I mean- besides Sora not being here?”

 

“No.” He shrugged, but he looked away, he knew he couldn't hide that that wasn't quite true if he looked at her.

 

He was distinctly uneasy when he was alone with Aerith in the last few days- ever since he had read that letter she had given him. Since then he had been going out of his way to avoid having to talk to her alone. He had found her arrestingly beautiful since he first saw her, and she was so sweet and charming that he had always felt drawn to her, but he had known equally attractive women before and had never found he was as interested in any of them as he had been in her since the day they had met- except for Rinoa…

 

“Dilly-dally, shilly-shally.” She turned away and sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Men… Why is it that you always think you need to hide everything you feel? I can tell there is something on your mind- why don't you talk to me anymore like you used to? Or is it really me that you have been avoiding? I guess I don't need to ask if you read my letter, then do I?”

 

“I liked your letter.” He said quietly. He meant it too. It wasn't her feelings that he was unsure of- it never really had been. She was honest and open, kind and genuinely compassionate to everyone so he had found it incredibly easy to feel attached to her. She was a terrible flirt at times, playful, mischievous and obviously aware of how attractive she was, but he had never been one to shy away from female attention- except when it came to her... There had even been a few times where he had flirted with her but he didn't think he had any intention of doing anything more with her- or any other women he met for that matter. It just seemed too soon- or at least it seemed like it should be after…

 

He tried not to think about it, but it was his past that had him avoiding thinking too seriously about giving in to the temptation of being with Aerith… In the end, it hadn't lasted very long, but he had been engaged to be married before the heartless had attacked. Even though he knew she was dead, and that nothing could bring her back, he still loved her. Rinoa had always been his heart, his soul and his whole world- her unexpected death had left him broken and drinking too much. Even now he didn't like thinking of her because of the terrible void her passing had left him with. Finally, one day just as he had been ready to give up, ready to join her in death rather than face another day without her, the massive numbers of the heartless attack had triggered a resurgence of emotion within him that wasn't despair- it was anger. Ultimately that terrible rage had saved his life, but Leon had never doubted that it had also almost cost him his soul- he knew it was only Rinoa's bright spirit that could have watched over him until he awakened in Traverse Town, being tended to by an exquisite green eyed angel with long reddish gold hair and porcelain skin…

 

“Leon?” Aerith asked, she had her hand on his arm and she looked as worried as she sounded.

 

“Sorry…” He sighed. “I just can't seem to relax tonight.”

 

She took his pop bottle and set it aside. “Then come over here and dance with me... You know, the people we once loved never really leave us after they die, Leon, and if they ever really loved us at all they would not want us to be sad forever. I know it's hard, I remember when my real mom died, I was like three or four I think... She told me not to be sad, that she was going back to the planet and I believed her because she didn't sound sad. I remember how sad my adoptive mother was though, when I had to tell her that her husband had been killed in the war… I was sad too, when my first boyfriend died… because I felt it- I wasn't there, but I didn't have to see it happen and the planet didn't tell me, I just knew…It was so hard for me to accept that- well, I made myself forget Zack for a while... but so much has happened since then, that it almost feels like those things happened in someone else's lifetime. I've always been very happy here though- with you.”

 

He looked at her, but she looked away quickly as if she finally realized that she had just said something strange… again. Usually it was subtle things, but still, Aerith talked about the planet like it was intelligent and had a will of its own often enough that he knew there had to be something about her that she and the others had never told him.

 

She and Yuffie and Cid had all told him pretty much the same story, which they had awakened after the heartless attack on the place they had all once called home and that they had really just been waiting in Traverse Town to see what would happen next. But they had also told him that they were all still sad because they had lost a friend named Cloud in a terrible fight to save the world only two weeks before the heartless had attacked. Leon sighed, the timing of the heartless's assault on his world had been bad enough- he and his friends had enjoyed five long years of peace after the end of their quest to save the world before the heartless had attacked. He couldn't even imagine how devastated his three new friends must have felt when they realized that Cloud had basically died for nothing…

 

It wasn't in her nature to hide things and he was not usually one to pry, so because he could see that it was still too hard for her and the others to talk about, he usually managed to keep his cool when she said such bizarre things but since he had known them for about two years now it was getting harder to keep quiet these days. The equally frustrating part about the situation was that he had ended up actually meeting Cloud, and found out that yes, he really had died and he was literally the least talkative person Leon had ever met so he still hadn't learned anything new about the past that those friends all shared.

 

“I'm sorry- I guess I'll probably always talk too much when I'm nervous.” She said finally. “So… will you?”

 

“Will I what?”

 

Aerith giggled. “I knew you weren't really listening, you big jerk. Dance with me… please?”

 

Aerith had always been surprisingly bold for such a sweet natured and innocent little thing that he usually ended up doing whatever she asked of him. He had learned very quickly that she wasn't usually much into material things or partying; she liked picnics and long walks and looking out at the stars from the tops of the towers and battlements just like he did. Still, he didn't mind when she dragged him off alone for hours on end because she was so easy to spend time with. They talked all the time for hours, and he trusted her completely even though he knew that didn't make any sense because he knew there was a lot that she and the others hadn't told him.

 

“Alright.” He shrugged finally, and took her hand. Donald's three young nephews and a few of their friends were in the band that had been playing for the party tonight and they were surprisingly good- but then, the three ducks weren't doing any of the singing either. “You know, I was pretty surprised when Yuffie told me who was in the band she booked… I guess they've been pretty good though, tonight.”

 

“They have, haven't they?” Aerith smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder as the two of them danced, swaying softly to the music that filled the marketplace. “I told you to trust her, didn't I?”

 

“Well, she does like to get a little crazy at times…”

 

“She just likes having fun- besides she's not even 18 yet. You should have met her when Cloud and I did! She really gave us the run around for a while in those days. I'm still a little surprised that Cloud put up with her antics as well as he did… What were you like when you were that young?”

 

“Come on. I've told you all about the Academy and Siefer and stuff a hundred times… why don't we ever talk about you?”

 

She bit her lip and looked away. “I'll tell you everything someday, Leon. I promise. I just have a few more things to work out for myself first. I won't know what to tell you about my past until I know what to tell myself about my… powers.”

 

That he could accept- he had seen glimpses of her strange supernatural healing abilities and no matter how often they manifested they seemed to take her by surprise almost every time the same way they startled everyone else who would know what they were sensing. They didn't feel to his Ki like they came from magic. Nor did her gift for healing come from a potion or from her Ki- at least not consciously… It was strange- almost as if her desire to help others was itself so strong that it reached down into the ambient Ki of the world itself and caused the whole planet to move the aid of those she chose to help. He had had many good teachers in the study and the use of Ki energy and yet he had never seen anyone with the kind of power that it should take to do that- especially considering that Aerith was no warrior, no dedicated student of the martial arts or even true magic. Still, this was the first time she had ever admitted to him that she had any special powers actually, so he felt pretty good, as if he were finally making some progress with figuring her out.

 

She sighed, and stopped dancing for a moment, but he didn't want her to pull away, so he held on tighter, and grinned at her. “I know that look pretty well by now. It's ok, you can say it, you're thinking about Cloud again, right.”

 

“I… Yeah.” She bowed her head looking embarrassed. “First I ask you to dance and then I do this- I guess I…”

 

He shrugged it off coolly without letting go of her. “I can see that you and Cid and even Yuffie are all worried about him since he left. I just don't know why.”

 

“It's complicated, but it isn't because of you or anything you did. Everything just has a way of getting complicated when Cloud is involved. I just wish that he was here with us.”

 

“He doesn't exactly seem like the type to have much fun here.”

 

“I just want to know that he's really ok. Besides, I distinctly remember you didn't want to be here either, so you don't exactly have a lot of room to talk there, buddy… Cloud still has a wild side.”

 

“I know that- everyone does.” He assured her. “It's just that he keeps his distance from everyone so- methodically even when he seems to want to do the opposite.”

 

Aerith nodded. “That's why things are so complicated. Poor Tifa. That big stupid jerk literally came back from the dead just to be with her… but I know that he won't go near her, not until he gets his stupid darkness under control. I just don't know why he thinks he has to do it alone.”

 

“Are you kidding me?” Leon grinned. “Wolves are pack animals by nature, but according to legend, sometimes a special one is born. The lobo is alone because it chooses to be- instead of fighting together, instinct suddenly drives the alpha to stay away from its pack mates when danger approaches that it knows is great enough to destroy it... The same thing happens occasionally in lion prides, no one really knows why these creatures sometimes go rogue, they just do. I saw the totem spirit that has adopted him once, and I can tell you where ever he's at right now, Cloud still has a lot of fight left in him. Whatever he thinks he is up against, he's not loosing just yet.”

 

“I know, but he blames himself for things he had no way to control and no way to foresee, Leon. He's constantly afraid to get close to anyone because Sephiroth could use him and his sword to attack them and we can't just tell him not to worry about it because it's happened so many times. He's getting stronger, I believe with all of my heart that he will someday be able to stop Sephiroth from taking control of his actions before he endangers anyone, but Cloud isn't a patient person- especially with himself… He would never admit it, but that's why I know that he never really thought he could beat Sephiroth when he told Barret and Vincent to take us and leave- not by himself at least. His plan worked, he saved us all… but it makes me sad that he doesn't even care what will happen to him this time either. That's why I'm afraid that he will give up on ever reuniting with Tifa because if he does we will loose him to the darkness he has been fighting for so long.”

 

“If he died saving your lives I think it's unfair to say that he might give up on his whole reason for coming back.”

 

“He's a walking mass of contradictions. He thinks he's cursed and worse, he's never believed he deserves Tifa in the first place… physically and spiritually he's strong and resilient enough to survive damn near anything, but emotionally…” Her voice trailed off and she looked down sadly.

 

“I think you worry too much since you know him so well. I guess since I don't know his history, I see him differently than you and Cid and Yuffie all do. I agree that he's one of the best and most brutal fighters I've ever seen, but I know that the only people who ever get that strong are the ones who have been through a lot of shit. I don't claim to understand the subtleties of everything you just told me but I know he's much stronger than you think- he has to be. First, Hades is a god and it isn't normal that he would have believed any mortal- even one as powerful as Cloud could take on a demigod and survive- much less win. Second, there's a very good reason that Cloud isn't afraid to die- he's already been down that road before. In your world he made a choice most people couldn't even imagine being faced with and I can see you don't think it was the right one, but whether he did it because he wanted to die or because he was saving everyone else, you have to admit it still took great courage to face the end alone. His resolve is stronger than you think now too. He made the choice to come back to life willingly Aerith- and he knows far better than we do what a fragile state being alive really is. That means he has even more reason to fight even harder this time to keep it, right?”

 

“I hope so…” She smiled and nodded, melting against him once again. She laid her head on his shoulder and gave a contented sigh as she wrapped her arms around him. “Thanks.”

 

“What for?”

 

“For being so understanding, I'm glad that it really doesn't seem to bother you that I worry about him all the time. Obviously Cloud thinks he can handle things by himself, so I know it must get annoying, but I just-”

 

“Not really, knowing what I do now I'd wonder what was going on if you weren't afraid for him. That's just the way you are. I just don't understand why there are things that you haven't told me about where you guys really came from and why he died in the first place.”

 

“When we woke up in Traverse Town we knew that the world we lost was called Hollow Bastion, so it's not that we lied to you… Even Cid doesn't know why when we came here nothing about this world is the same as the place we came from. After the name of this place changed, the planet told me in a dream that my world had gone back to its original name too. I guess at one time, it had been called Spira. But I like your world much better than ours anyway. I feel safe here all the time- even in the middle of a heartless attack! In our world I only ever felt safe when I was in the ruined church in Sector Five or when I was with Cloud- he was my bodyguard after all.”

 

“Since I've met you I've never thought you seemed very afraid of anything.”

 

“I think that's because you are here.” She said and her eyes were as soft as her tone. “You always seem to know just what you are doing and where you are going… Nothing ever stops you from doing what you think is right- like when Cid and Yuffie and I all tried to talk you out of following Sora to Maleficent's castle to make sure Sora and Donald and Goofy were really ok. And...”

 

He looked away quickly because he sensed she was serious, but she was also flirting with him a little too… and he couldn't help liking that possibility- way too much. “I see, so all I am to you is a replacement for Cloud? You just needed another bodyguard, huh?”

 

“That's not fair, Leon. There will only ever be one Cloud and I've already told you he's devoted to Tifa. Besides, it wasn't ever the fiends that wandered our planet that I needed him to protect me from…” She trailed off and looked away, clearly looking for an escape route rather than having to say anything more about that.

 

Leon sighed again. Obviously, he had two choices here. He could either get pissed and try demanding some answers- or he could show her that he still wanted to respect her space even though it was getting harder for him to do that. He already knew how well option A was likely to go over while she wanted to get away from him to begin with… “Well, somehow I doubt the monsters in your head have big sharp teeth and razor claws, but ok…”

 

“Don't be silly.” She managed a smile in spite of her unease. “I really was just thinking about you. I remember when I first saw you… I saw the portal appear and I saw you fall out of it but my… powers were so weak in Traverse Town that I almost couldn't save you because you were hurt so badly and I didn't have any healing items with me that night. I was weakened just by healing you enough to wake you up and even though you still could have died, you protected me from the heartless who found us in the alley that night. I didn't have to warn you about them and I still remember how determined you were not to fall unconscious again until they were all dead- you were still so badly hurt that I don't think you could possibly know what I'm talking about it but I couldn't forget it… There was so much anger in you then I could feel it, I was instantly curious to find out where all that rage came from. The better I got to know you the more I wanted to know about you, I hope you don't mind me being so forward, but… I've always thought you are amazing.”

 

He grinned, but he managed to stop himself from laughing. That wasn't his idea of a girl being forward, but he thought she was pretty amazing too… He just would have felt awkward saying it.

 

“Well, I guess I could have told you how handsome you are, but I already know you know all about that.” She looked up at him with her brilliant emerald eyes. “What? Your scar doesn't bother me. Yuffie and I decided a long time ago that we like it. It makes you look even more fierce and determined. Just don't tell Yuffie I told you she said you're cute, ok?”

 

She whispered that so softly and conspiratorially that he couldn't help chuckling at that, but he still wanted to change the subject. “Well, you at least, look beautiful tonight- as always.”

 

She blushed like she always did and he couldn't help wondering again if she was still a virgin. She was in her early twenties like he was but her innocent blushes had never once struck him as forced or fakes… “Thanks. I'm glad you came tonight. I've missed talking to you and stuff while you buried yourself in work with the restoration.”

 

“I know, I've been kind of a jerk lately… but I missed seeing you too.”

 

“We are together now- shouldn't that be what matters?” She smiled warmly. “Besides, I never said you were being a jerk. I was kind of worried that maybe you were upset with me though.”

 

“I was surprised, that's all… after Rinoa died I never thought I'd be able to care about anyone else like that again. I never thought I'd want to take that kind of a chance again. It's been hard letting someone else mean as much to me as she did, but you've changed my mind about accepting it and I don't even know how you did it.”

 

“I didn't do anything special; it's just that you are healing along with everything else around here, it just takes time. I've always told you that you were stronger than you thought you were.” She smiled then looked down. “Thank you. I liked dancing with you tonight... it was nice, having you hold me.”

 

The lovely dress in pink silk that she wore accented her small but perfectly shaped breasts, her lean hips and long, slender legs, she always looked fragile and quite delicate for such a spirited little female, but in that dress she looked almost ethereal. Her hair was out of its usual long braided ponytail and arranged in a beautiful top knot, with a few delicate ringlets escaping to frame her exquisite face. She felt unusually warm in his arms considering the temperature had unmistakably dropped since the sun had gone down a few hours ago. That was about the time he noticed he could feel her whole body pressed against his, and particularly her aroused nipples and the desire in her emerald eyes she seemed to want to hide by looking away… how could he have missed such obvious signs that she wanted him this badly? Exactly what kind of a lion had he turned into lately?

 

He noticed that the music of the last song was fading, almost everyone in the square below his vantage point had gone home or was already hard at work on cleaning up but he didn't let go of her, instead he lightly cupped her delicate chin and coaxed her into looking at him again. She was nervous that he didn't want her so she was suddenly slow and reluctant to comply with his soft touch. That alone was enough to make him certain that she really was still as innocent as she seemed to be.

 

Aerith paused and looked up at him for a long moment as if she was trying to decide what he was up to and he grinned at her playfully. “If you're ready to leave, I should at least walk you home, shouldn't I?”

 

“Don't be silly.” She smiled nervously. “Yuffie and I live right next door to Merlin.”

 

“That's why I ought to go with you, since it's not exactly out of my way, besides; it's a nice night for a walk, isn't it?”

 

“You're not too tired? You've been so busy lately…”

 

“It's not like it matters what time I go to bed.” He shrugged. “For the last few months I just keep spending my time thinking about you when I'm supposed to be sleeping anyway. At least since I read your letter it got me thinking and now it finally makes sense why I keep doing that.”

 

She blushed and looked away. “You're making that up.”

 

He made her look at him again. “No. I'm not. I know you're just going to deny it again but you've awakened something in me that I honestly believed had died and would never come back. You brought me back to life... even though I didn't think I was worth saving after she died. I love that fearless optimism that you have.”

 

“You have always been stronger than you realized, Leon.” She said quietly. “I didn't do anything special. I just tried to be your friend. Once I got to know you and saw what a brave and noble spirit you have under all that anger, I just trusted my heart…”

 

“You make all of that sound really easy- and it isn't. After Rinoa died all of my friends from my world tried to do what you did for me, but I just kept pushing them away until they gave me the space I wanted- I feel awful about it now, because none of them are here with us... I guess what I mean is that a lot has happened in a short amount of time- to the worlds and to us… You know, when I think about everything and everyone we lost I still feel angry and hurt sometimes, but when I'm with you I don't feel afraid of loosing it all again- not anymore.”

 

She smiled and laid her head on his shoulder, her arms were still folded as tightly around his neck as her petite height would allow, and he liked having her close to him. She seemed so at ease right now that he couldn't help feeling that he wanted her to stay in his arms like this always.

 

“See,” She said softly. “Then that means your heart is healing, just like this place is. You know, it feels like a home again, I can tell when I watch you working that something has changed in you, and I like it. Whether you are meeting with contractors, helping move rock piles, scrap metal or lumber, assisting with inspections or any of the other dozens of other things I've seen you do, it doesn't matter, I just love seeing it in your eyes that you are really, truly happy here.”

 

Leon shook his head stubbornly, but he squeezed her gently, it never ceased to amaze him how easy it was to make her happy, and he loved making her smile. He couldn't see her lovely face at the moment, but he knew she'd be smiling, he had heard it in her voice that she was content. “Honestly, I know that it has more to do with your presence than with this place…”

 

She picked her head up and started to stir in his arms, but she didn't let go of him, in fact her arms tightened as she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. Her sweet lips brushed over his like the soft, light touch of the mists that hung over the ocean after a storm. She kissed him again too, just as sweetly, with the same tenderness. Only her lips were involved, but she still, moved so slowly and intentionally that for a moment, he was too surprised to even kiss her back. A flame of desire flickered to life in his belly and he pulled her closer to him instinctively.

 

This was not the same as the chaste little kisses she had given him on the cheek a number of times while the two of them had been completely alone while they were just talking this was different and a surge of intense animal lust tried to take hold of him. He stomped it down quickly but she was still kissing him and he wasn't about to tell her to stop. He didn't care who might be watching them because of what they might think, but he wasn't about to get carried away in the middle of town square. If he was going to give Aerith what her body was silently asking him for, then it was going to be on his terms- this involved among other things a bed and privacy…

 

He was about to kiss her back- deeply and passionately when her soft, light kisses drifted down his neck instead. That was unexpected, he thought… and he shivered a little because the sweet kiss lingered and deepened slowly sending off sparks of hot desire through his whole body. She wasn't going to leave a mark with the way she was kissing him, but it didn't seem to matter, she was very gentle but passionate and he didn't want her to stop. Still, it was over sooner than he wanted it to be, leaving him wondering when the little darling had become such a tease.

 

“Whatever it is,” Aerith purred, as she settled into his embrace again, his body was now more considerably more aroused than hers and every instinct he had was commanding him to kiss her back until she was begging him to take her... here and now. It took him a moment to realize she was still talking, and than another one to get that she was still talking about what they had been talking about before she had kissed him. “I mean it; I'm glad I'm here, glad that I get to see that you're happy again.”

 

“You probably shouldn't kiss me like that- but since you did, you didn't have to stop- silly. If I had known you were just going to stop like that I would have pulled away and kissed you- long and hard.” He didn't figure there was any sense in leaving her unaware that he wanted her the same way she seemed to want him- after all, she may as well know what she was getting into with him since she didn't seem to be giving up on flirting with him… and he didn't really want her to either…

 

She blushed and quickly looked away, giggling nervously. “Leon! I was just… well… oh… you rogue…”

 

He watched her fumble with her words for a moment and grinned, drawing her closer. As much as he had not wanted to be at the party he seemed to be finding it impossible to leave. Leon had to admit that was a rather rakish thing to say, but she wasn't pulling away from him like a Victorian girl fresh out of the schoolroom looking for her governess either. She had never backed down when he had flirted with her before- he was glad that she didn't exactly seem afraid now either. “I suppose it must have been some other girl who told me tonight that I shouldn't still be hiding what I feel?”

 

“I did say that, didn't I?” He heard her giggle and was surprised when she picked her head up and looked at him with mischievous green eyes. “Well, I guess I did like kissing you… If I do it again will you kiss me… long and uh hard?”

 

He laughed, just for that he wanted to kiss her right then, but once again she beat him to it. She closed her eyes, and softly pressed her lips against his. She kissed him slowly and gently, her lips were soft and sweet and he didn't think he would ever be able to have enough of her. The kiss deepened as she shyly tried getting her tongue in his mouth. He let her kiss him until she finally had to pull away just to breathe again, and then he kissed her.

 

First, he picked her up and set her on the thick wall in front of him so that she didn't have to stretch as far to reach him and felt her body temperature jump sharply. He grinned to himself as she held onto him tightly and tried to open her legs, but he loved how that dress looked on her so he wasn't about to let her get rid of it just yet- and certainly not in the middle of the market place square. He had more control over the instincts of his totem spirit than that- after all he hadn't been with anyone since Rinoa- and it wasn't due to a lack of interested females… still, two years ago seemed like a very distant memory just now…

 

As long as it had been since he had been with anyone, Leon was pleased to note that he didn't seem to have forgotten anything. While they were kissing, he put his arms around her again and decided he liked that dress even more now because it left most of her back exposed to his touch so he took advantage of it by lightly caressing her down the length of her spine with just his fingertips. She moaned, her kisses were still getting hotter, and so was her delicate body.

 

He kissed her, deeply and passionately, but he didn't really trust himself enough to give in to the urge to kiss her the way he wanted to- the way he had promised to- not here at least… He found the taste of her intoxicating and the arousing scent of her perfume that was already blending seamlessly with her desire for him. She was still trying to get her legs apart so that he could get between them, but as tempting as that idea was, he still had no intention of forgetting where they were.

 

She was responsive, passionate and she was everything he had ever wanted. But, even more than how beautiful she was he found he was thinking about how patient she had been with him. She had given him constant support and encouragement; no one he had ever met had the patience or the compassion that she seemed to that was why he had nicknamed her an angel a long time ago, in his thoughts- his angel.

 

He had never doubted that she wanted to be his lover, but she hadn't ever been pushy or rude about it. Her ability to accept and trust people for who they were and her compassion for the things that he had told her and no one else had won his trust long ago. He was pretty sure that she had possessed his heart too, for much longer than either of them had fully realized, but now that his mind and his spirit were finally in agreement with his body, having his arms around her seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

 

He was forced to admit though, when he slipped his tongue inside her mouth and she groaned, pressing her body more tightly against his that he was wishing they were already at his place where he could…

 

“Finally!! I'd give that a 9.95, Aerith, sweetie! Now we're getting somewhere… But are you two crazy love birds just going to stand there talking and kissing all night or are you finally going to admit you're in love and just get it on already? The suspense is just killing me- and Cid too, I'm sure he's at home watching you on the camera he set up for this area of the town's defense grid by now.” Yuffie giggled, strolling over to meet them with her arms behind her back. The little ninja was actually wearing a dress for the first time since he had met her and he had to admit, she looked quite good in that slinky little red mini, too. Yuffie had started to grow her hair out, which he had to admit, made her look different and very sexy rather than like the impish, rather awkward teenager he had first met, but still his body was only interested in Aerith.

 

“Oh, don't be a brat, Yuffie. I knew I never should have told you…” Aerith giggled too, as she slid down from the wall against him. She was blushing terribly now, she still had herself pressed against him tightly, but for an entirely different reason now... Leon knew he would have just been pissed about the timing of this particular interruption if it had been anyone but Yuffie- the little ninja had always exhibited a special knack for spoiling their more peaceful, quiet moments over the last two years and he had always known that the minx did it on purpose.

 

The young ninja laughed. “I knew way before you said anything, honey. I think you two are the only ones that didn't know it was love at first sight. Anyway, Leon be careful with her, she's…”

 

“Yuffie Kisaragi!! If you say one more word right now so help me I'll… I'll never forgive you!” Aerith yelled, and tossed Leon's pop bottle at her. It missed for the mischievous ninja was already gone, having taken a graceful leap over the wall to the rooftops of the houses below, where she paused and waved goodnight. “She's just incorrigible- and the worst part is she knows it. If I go home now she'll never leave me alone!”

 

He held her gently, as he tried not to smile. “Just pretend I wasn't here.”

 

Aerith glared at him and rolled her eyes. “That's a little hard to do when you're still holding me and I liked being in your arms- kissing you…”

 

“I thought you might say that.” He nodded. “I like holding you too- that's why it shouldn't really matter what anyone else thinks, should it?”

 

“By the way… Is there anyone in this town that didn't know I'm a virgin?? I feel like an old maid even when she's not teasing me…”

 

He snorted, and took her hand, turning to go down the stairs into the residential part of town. “Come on, let's get out of here.”

 

“Why bother?” Aerith scowled again looking at the place where Yuffie had waved at them from.

 

“I wasn't done kissing you when Yuffie made her appearance.” He smirked.

 

“You still want to?”

 

He laughed simply because she looked so amazed and pulled her back into his arms when she blushed and looked away... “Yuffie isn't quite as merciless with her wit as she likes to think; she can say whatever she wants to me and it won't change anything between you and I, silly. I liked kissing you. It felt good to be wanted that way again.”

 

She relaxed into his arms again. “I'm glad. I was afraid you might have decided it is still too soon…”

 

“No. When I kissed you tonight I wasn't thinking about anything at all- except how much I wanted to show you what you mean to me. I know that I've been at this point in my life once before- but this time I don't want to fight it. If I learned anything from loosing Rinoa it's that you don't ever get back the time that you don't spend with the people you care about. I already know I can't stop myself from caring about you, so don't want to have to live with those same regrets about being with you someday, too… It's taken me a while to accept this, but I love you, Aerith.”

 

“That's true. You don't ever get back the time you don't spend with the people you care about… And I loved hearing you say it…” She said, resting her head against his shoulder again. “Of course, I loved hearing you say that you love me too, but it's the other things you said that have made me believe it. When I first met you, I never would have thought you could have such a sweet and romantic side to you, Leon.”

 

“It just took your love to bring it back to life.”

 

She giggled, and nodded but didn't look up at him. “You know… I think it must be your lion spirit, making me say this, but I just can't stay away from you- even when I wanted to because I knew you weren't ready to fall in love again. All the different animal spirits are driven by instinct, but there is something magnetically arousing about being close to you though. I've always felt so drawn to you- but never as strongly as I do tonight.”

 

He chuckled a bit at her unnecessary, though very intriguing admission, but it faded into a sound rather like purring as he leaned down and kissed her. She kissed him back deeply, and it took him a while to realize he was just about to strip her in the middle of town square and that she wasn't likely to protest at this moment. She was breathless and very dazed when he grabbed her hand and led her out of the town square.

 

Still, he knew her concern for his feelings was genuine and her compassion was one of the things he found most attractive about her. “I could tell, you probably would have let me take you up there if I hadn't caught myself.” He told her, and took her hand again.

 

She grasped his hand tightly and giggled as they kept walking. “I can't help it- I like how I feel about you. I like the way that you kiss me, I like being in your arms and I like the way that you touch me… I'll go anywhere you want- as long as you are sure you are ready...”

 

Priceless, he snorted; a virgin just gave you the chance to back out of making love to her… “That's what I'm supposed to say to you a little later, silly.”

 

She smiled but looked away quietly. “I told you I talk too much when I get nervous…”

 

“Actually, I think it's adorable when you say things like that. You have nothing to be afraid of though. Your body will tell me when you are ready, Aerith.”

 

She giggled, but kept her gaze fixed on the brickwork of the postern as they walked through it arm in arm, with her head on his shoulder. “I guess I haven't seen your place since you moved out of the study and into the living quarters you found in the corridors after we got the debris out of the hallway that was blocking it.”

 

“Don't expect much it's nothing fancy like the upstairs areas would be. This isn't the royal apartments. These quarters are part of an old barracks. Everything is Spartan and all the rooms are painted exactly the same but they are furnished at least. It's perfect for me though, I don't spend much time there anyway and I wanted to be close to the computer room at night without being in Cid's way while he's working on killing that bug in the computer system during the day.”

 

“That strange man that you saw in the study right after we found it- you haven't seen him again, have you? I worry about you being alone here sometimes since then.”

 

“No, but I already know we haven't seen the last of him though. I only saw him for an instant but I felt like there was something- I don't know almost familiar about him- even though I'd never seen him before- weird but make yourself at home for a minute. I'm just going to go make sure the study is still locked.”

 

~

You shouldn't kiss me like this, unless you mean it like that,

Cause I just closed my eyes and I don't know where I'm at

We'll get lost on this dance floor, spinning around-

And around and around and around

~

 

Aerith nodded but inside she wanted to go with him. Only a warrior would tell her that the guy that had ambushed him and left him soundly unconscious six months ago was a semi- familiar presence that they hadn't seen the last of and then honestly expect her to sit quietly by and let him go back to the spot where it had happened all by himself. She didn't sense any danger in the lifestream though tonight so she told herself she was being silly and knew that he would tell her that too if she tried to protest or go with him.

 

His home had a large kitchen, a bathroom, living room and a bedroom that was all surprisingly well organized but there just wasn't much in it that he could actually make a mess out of either. The walls were all drab white and there weren't many pictures or knickknacks on the shelves, in short it looked unfinished, but he had already told her that he didn't spend much time there and she knew that was true because he was easily the busiest person in the Restoration Committee… His living room had a large window and she pulled the curtain aside to see what kind of a view it had. The rugged purple cliffs where the Bailey area met the castle's main gate at the head of the Ravine Trail stretched out majestically beneath the window.

 

“This is the old quarters for the Captain of the Guard I think. This set of rooms has the best view and it's the only one with a private shower. There are showers at the far end of the hall for the rest of the guard company. This hall probably would have been responsible for guarding the main gate. I've found a lot of detailed maps, sketches of the piping, power lines and ductwork, plus there were floor plans in the drawers of that built in desk over there, that's why the restoration here has been going so well.” Leon told her as he came back in. “Too bad the rest of the town didn't come with instructions for rebuilding.”

 

“It's ok; the rest of the town is almost done. I like it here, I guess it's kind of small, but at least it's clean,” She smiled looking around. “I think it could use a little more color though.”

 

“I don't know, I'm seeing plenty of colors right now. Maybe I should just keep you for a dcoration.” He came toward her slowly, his sapphire blue eyes held a playful glint in them that made her smile even as she looked away. He cupped her chin and made her look at him again and grinned reassuringly as he slowly leaned down to kiss her. She closed her eyes and let her arms wrap around him, there were even more butterflies in her stomach now than there had been when they had been at the party and she wasn't sure how steady her legs were going to be after he kissed her this time.

 

He kissed her softly and slowly, giving their bodies' time to return to their previous heightened state of arousal. She moaned as she returned it, wondering how she could have possibly have felt nervous about being with him. She still wished she hadn't worn such a tight dress to the party though, she wasn't terribly maneuverable and more than anything she wanted him in between her legs, but with her gown on that just wasn't possible.

 

He shrugged off his cropped leather jacket and lazily tossed it over a chair then easily picked her up without breaking their kiss. She could feel her body getting very wet between her thighs and hoped that was normal- since he wasn't even touching her there after all. The thought of him touching her there made her hotter though, prompting her to deepen their kisses. His body temperature kept rising along with hers, but she noticed that every move he made was smooth, relaxed and perfectly controlled. He was being very careful with her not only to show he was in control and he liked it that way, but she thought he probably wanted to avoid startling her too. He lowered her gently so that she was standing beside the bed, and then pulled off his shirt and tossed it aside.

 

She had never noticed it so clearly before, but he was quite a bit taller and bigger than she was, he was lean and muscular but he suddenly seemed to tower over her. He had a broad, powerful chest and arms with thick, corded muscles that she found fascinating. She had seen him shirtless before- like just yesterday when he had been helping move bricks for the new Postern steps they had crossed to get here, but never while she had been this close to him and certainly never while they were alone either. Every time he moved the exquisitely sculpted muscles beneath his smooth tanned skin changed their highlights and shadows in a way that her body did not. She was all delicate, smooth curves that she found rather boring in comparison- even her breasts were disappointingly small; there were no deep grooves of muscle and sinew etched along her body that caught the light and turned it into something so completely arousing in its masculine beauty.

 

She reached out a hand and touched the tightly packed muscles of his lower abdomen with just her fingertips and then jumped back when he groaned. He was one of the most powerful fighters alive so she looked away, giggling at herself for thinking even for that instant that she might have accidentally hurt him. He was grinning too, and obviously trying hard not to laugh but he didn't say anything. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her again. She melted into him with her whole body; she loved kissing him, and was only too happy to see that he seemed to want her to keep touching him too.

 

For a while, she was content to kiss him and explore his chest and his shoulders and his back with her fingertips, but when he started untying the halter part of her dress, she held on to him tightly. She was anxious to have him touching her now that she was getting used to his body and the way that being close to him made her feel. She was glad that he was so dominant yet careful with her, her body was wet and aching for him, but he was still taking his time with her.

 

He pulled the bodice of her gown down to expose her breasts, and knelt down to kiss them slowly lavishing kisses over them. He held her up with his strong arms when her knees threatened to buckle, and slowly proceeded to pull the rest of her gown down to her hips. After that he helped her take her shoes off and then he started stripping her again. He was still slow and careful with his hands though and he never stopped kissing and nipping her breasts either. Aerith was sure that it wasn't possible for her to get any more turned on than she felt at this moment, but that was only until after she stepped out of her dress. She was going to lay down on the bed but he stopped her easily and pulled her against him, and his very sexy mouth moved from her nipples, down her ribs to the flat of her stomach while he removed her underwear.

 

She was pretty sure she knew what he was going to do with her- Tifa and Yuffie had both told her about oral sex and how if she was lucky enough to find a guy that wanted to do it to her that she should definitely let him. She hadn't expected him to try and do it to her while she was standing up though. “Ooh… Leon.” She gasped and tipped her head back when he parted her legs a little more and nipped gently at the tender skin just above her sex.

 

“I could've saved this for later, I suppose, but I really want to know what you taste like.” He started to purr just a little as she whimpered softly, but brought her hips a little closer to him. Rather than tease her, he seemed to have decided to just do it, since she was being so obliging. He didn't want her to fall down though, so he arranged her so that she was sitting on the bed and slid between her legs.

 

She was gasping already she was so turned on by what he had done with her so far, but he didn't seem to notice. He was still calm and completely controlled when he parted the delicate folds of her sex with his tongue. He held her down easily when her hips thrust up to meet him instinctively, and used one hand to hold her open while he licked her. Her body felt like it was already being overloaded by the exquisite pleasure of what he was doing, but at the same time, she still wanted to have his shaft inside of her too- every time he licked her it just made her want him more. “Please… no more teasing.” She gasped, trying to sit up. “I need you…”

 

“Teasing, huh? No. I just love the taste of you, silly.” He chuckled and gave her a devilish grin. “Eventually you'll trust me enough to let me go down on you until you cum- and it does get better, I promise so you'll see why I don't want to stop. But, since this is your first time, I guess I could play nice and give you what you want.”

 

“Yes.” She gasped, scooting herself up onto the middle of the bed. “Take me… please.”

 

He climbed up onto the bed and on top of her with catlike grace and she wrapped her arms around him, and spread her legs wide, eager to let her fingers continue exploring his lean, well muscled body. That was when she realized he had been getting himself undressed while he had been going down on her. From his waist, she moved her hands lower, drawing a soft growl from him. He leaned down and kissed her lips hungrily, and he didn't stop her hands find his member. She grasped him firmly and tried to figure out how big it was. It felt big to her, and thick and hard too, but since he had her pinned to the bed she couldn't actually see much- even if she could stop kissing him long enough to open her eyes.

 

Aerith was incredibly curious about this particular part of him, but with the way that he was still kissing her, she doubted she was going to get a chance to see what she was playing with until later. His kisses were even deeper and more passionate than before and the taste of her desire was all over him, even though she found that it tasted a bit odd, it was still turning her on, because he had been willing to do something that struck her as so weird just to give her pleasure.

 

He positioned himself over her carefully, but then he hesitated before she had a chance to steel herself. “Are you sure? I- I don't want to hurt you…”

 

“I know, but I love you and I have it on good authority that the part that hurts is over pretty quickly as long as we keep kissing and stuff.”

 

“I hope it wasn't just Yuffie who told you that…” He grunted.

 

“Well, actually she said it too, but I know I can believe Tifa. The two of us always talked about stuff together that we couldn't say in front of anyone else- even Yuffie or Shera.” She looked up at him and smiled sweetly, though she knew there had to be a mischievous glint in her green eyes. “So... Leon, are you ready to give yourself to me yet?”

 

“My innocent little temptress,” He purred against her lips in a husky whisper. He left her breathless with his next kiss, for he eased himself inside of her very slowly.

 

“Ooh, yes.” She arched her back and moaned softly, she could feel her insides struggling to accommodate him but she was so wet and so turned on that it didn't hurt all she felt was pleasure and desire for more. “Don't stop…”

 

“We're not to the part that's going to hurt yet.” He warned her, but before she could ask what he meant, he shifted his weight over her a bit more and she felt him sink even deeper into her, but all at once her barrier stopped him. She stiffened and even winced after she squirmed and felt him put pressure on it again.

 

He pulled back but didn't withdraw from her completely. She gasped, amazed that it still felt good to have him move in her again so soon after that little shock of pain from the discovery of her barrier. He kissed her again, slowly but deeply and she returned it glad that he was still willing to be careful with her. He didn't move again until her hips shifted almost of their own accord, trying to force him into her as they kept kissing.

 

She felt his aroused member move deeper into her and moaned again, pure, intense desire swept through her all over again as if her body had already forgotten it would hurt when he ran into that stupid barrier again. She had to admit, though the pain had been a bit intimidating, she still wanted to have him for her first lover. She loved the way he touched her and the way that he had gone out of his way to put her fears aside and give her pleasure. She also liked it that he really seemed to have enjoyed going down on her and that even though he must be going crazy wanting to just take her and be done with it, Leon was still taking his cues from her body and its reactions.

 

She kissed him hungrily, and opened her legs wider. He broke the kiss abruptly, but only long enough to start kissing her neck. Aerith tipped her head back, enjoying his rough kisses on her throat. She knew she was going to be bruised there, but it felt incredibly arousing and it made her want his shaft deeper inside of her. Once more Leon moved his hips as it he were about to withdraw from her velvet sheath and she grasped him tightly, holding on with all the strength she could manage.

 

“So… Are you ready to give yourself to me, little one?” He asked her still in that low sexy whisper and started to purr as her nails dug into his back, and bent his head to nip one of her breasts this time.

 

“Yes…” She gasped. She knew it was going to hurt when he thrust into her- hard this time. At first his sudden movement was intensely pleasurable but when it broke straight through her delicate barrier, the pain was as sharp and startling as being stabbed with a knife so she squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to feel anything at all or she was afraid she might start to cry.

 

“I'm sorry, I know that hurt you...” He purred against her neck. The lower half of his body was very still, and she was glad for that, but she was a little wary of having any part of him touching her at all right then- until he found the velvet peak of her other breast and kissed it deeply. “But I want you too much to stop now. Can you forgive me?”

 

She smiled weakly, already feeling hot desire spreading back through her body like wildfire because of what he was still doing to her breast. “I asked you to take me, and I wasn't going to ask you to stop...”

 

He smiled at her adoringly and then kissed her passionately. Aerith returned it desperately; her arms were wrapped tightly around him, trying to draw him closer to her. He stubbornly kept his hips very still though even after she finally broke the kiss and arched her back as high as she could. He nipped one of her breasts and played with the other one, massaging the hard little kernel of flesh with his thumb in a slow circular motion.

 

“Ooh…” She moaned sliding one hand between their bodies down the sculpted cage of his abs. “I love it when you talk to me like that- do it again… your voice is so sexy you could be reading one of Cid's computer manuals right now and it'd still turn me on.” She giggled.

 

~

They're all watching us now, they think we're falling in love- they'd never believe we're just friends!

When you kiss me like this, I think you mean it like that, and if you do, baby kiss me again…

Everybody swears, we make the perfect pair, but dancing is as far as it goes!

Girl you've never moved me quite the way you moved me tonight, I just wanted you to know.

I just wanted you to know

~

 

“I love you, but I'm going to have to insist that you be quiet and let me make love to you now, silly…” And with that, he kissed her deep and hard until she was breathless and very dazed while her body was arched against him with all the strength her slender figure possessed. Her sex was still very tight around his member, but he was sure he could take her now without hurting her this time- after all, she was very, very wet and being deep inside her felt incredible.

 

Cautiously, he shifted his weight over her, as if to withdraw and she moaned and tipped her head back. He kissed her throat enjoying marking her delicate skin with another bruise. Her nails dug into his back again, but he didn't mind, he wanted her to trust her body's reactions to the things he did- and it turned him on that she didn't seem afraid of him being a little rough with her. She had always been pretty fearless, though he was amazed that she was still so brave in trusting him with her fragile body.

 

He pushed himself into her again slowly and smirked when she gasped, raising her hips to meet him. “Ooh, Leon.” She murmured.

 

He opened her legs a bit wider and began to build a rhythm, keeping her fairly still under him because he didn't want her to wear herself out- he knew from experience that she would already be sore when they awoke in the morning and he knew she would never admit it willingly any more than Rinoa had… Aerith was fragile and disarmingly beautiful and he knew she had great courage; he just didn't want to put it to the test again tonight.

 

Besides, as long as he was focused on her, he knew he would last longer- two years was a disturbingly long time for him to have made it without having sex... he had always been a man of strong desires. His body was holding back rather well considering, but as much as he knew he'd enjoy his release, hers was what really interested him, since he doubted she had ever had an orgasm before.

 

That thought turned him on, so he started taking her harder and Aerith moaned, arching her back even higher. “Yes…”

 

He was content to make love to her at that hard but still very steady pace and let her hands glide all over his body, until he felt her inner muscles tightened even more around him. He was taken off guard by how suddenly her body seemed to have shifted into overdrive. Her sheath was not only holding onto him even tighter, but she was even wetter now too. He swore softly under his breath and doubled the pace of his thrusts, and hoped that she was as close as she seemed to be…

 

“Oh- Leon, I think…” She gasped out, but he already knew what she was trying to say, so he kissed her again and she accepted it hungrily.

 

He kept kissing her too, until the inner muscles of her body began to shudder, trying to pull him deeper into her while she writhed in ecstasy. She whimpered softly but the tremors of her body became more pronounced too, and it wasn't long before she was scoring his back with her claws again... which he still found highly enjoyable so it took him with her.

 

Awareness seemed like it was slow to return to him, but he withdrew from her carefully, and smirked when she tried to hold onto him without opening her eyes. His weight resting on her didn't seem to be bothering her at least though, because she was as limp and relaxed as a well fed cat taking a nap in the sun. He kissed her lips lightly, but pulled back before she could deepen it, and he also grabbed her hands before she could start touching him again... He picked her up and traded places with her, and arranged her so that she was in his arms, and had her head resting on his shoulder.

 

Of course, he would have liked to take her again immediately, but it was clear that she needed to rest- and as much work as there was to do on his town in the morning he would rather spend most of the day in bed with her tomorrow anyway…

 

~

You shouldn't kiss me like this, unless you mean it like that

Cause I just closed my eyes and I don't know where I'm at.

We'll get lost on this dance floor spinning around,

And around and around and around.

 

They're all watching us now, they'd never believe we're just friends.

When you kiss me like this, I think you mean it like that, and if you do, baby kiss me again.

Kiss me again

~

 

Author's Notes: So… Will this have a chapter 2?? Well- I don't know, yet. Morning after lemons are always fun, but they are not my specialty. Perhaps if I get a few extra nice reviews on this, you darlings might just be able to convince me to post another part to this story… just because I had so much fun writing this piece.

 

So… don't forget to REVIEW!!!