X/1999 Fan Fiction ❯ Akuen ❯ Kuchidzuke ( Chapter 4 )

A/N: I do not own X, its characters or settings, just my own.

Kuchidzuke

To Kiss

Kamui smiled down at the living goddess, thinking that her name, which meant Love, was entirely appropriate. Everything she did seemed to make him think of that haunting, irrepressible emotion, and he barely knew her.

"What have you come to thank me for?" he asked with genuine interest.

"Saving Man from destruction, of course," she answered with a smile.

Despite his inexplicable contentment at her proximity, Kamui's expression instantly grew shuttered. He did not like speaking of the past, no matter how much he dwelled on it in his mind. And he had never openly declared he had saved the people of the planet, though he had. "I'm not sure what you mean. I ended a terrorist coup in Tokyo, but I hardly think that saved Mankind."

Aikou tilted her head to stare up at him, wondering how much she should reveal to him, and deciding perhaps he wasn't ready for everything but he certainly needed to know she knew the truth about his past.

"I happen to know that you did," she countered softly.

Kamui grew still, his face carefully indifferent. "How's that?"

"I see things, Kamui," she replied. "Things no one else can."

Kamui studied her in silence, weighing her words. Perhaps she was a seer. Or maybe she was something else altogether, but though his common sense told him to be wary of her, he couldn't bring himself to believe she meant him harm. There was something inherently good about her. But he was a cautious man by nature, so he kept his next words neutral.

"And what did you see that made you think I saved Mankind?"

"I saw the battles you fought in, and the ones your friends fought as well," she whispered, her eyes now shining with sadness. "Those were no ordinary terrorists you helped to defeat that day, and all of your companions fell to save the rest of Man."

Kamui felt a lump forming in his throat as his haunting memories came roaring to life in his mind. Kotori…Fuuma…Shaking his head, he took an involuntary step away from her, his eyes growing hard as he tried to contain the emotions roiling within him.

"That was a long time ago, and I prefer not to think of it," he said in a voice as cold and dark as the heart of an ocean.

Aikou considered pushing him a bit more, but his face had changed, closed up, and yet his eyes seemed almost wild. He was clearly fighting for control of himself, and she had no desire to traumatize him. She smiled at him and then reached out to touch his cheek in a gesture of comfort.

She failed.

Heat blazed to life between them, leaping between their skin and searing into their minds with striking intensity, bringing with it feverish longing rather then comfort. Kamui's eyes narrowed as desire snaked through him, and Aikou dropped her hand as if she'd been burned.

"I'm sorry my words caused you grief," she commented into the charged air between them.

Kamui forced a smile to his lips when he was reeling with confusion, sorrow and lust in a combination so potent it threatened to unman him. "That's alright. Normally it wouldn't trouble me so much, but your words surprised me. I've never met anyone who knew what happened that day."

Aikou knew he was lying about being untroubled by the past, but she let it go for the moment.

"I understand," was her answer.

And she did, more then he could ever realize.

Kamui nodded and then his smile turned genuine as he moved closer to her again. "Enough of my sadness. It is a lovely night and I have a beautiful woman with me, surely I have no cause for sorrow. Now that you traveled here to thank me, could I interest you in taking a walk with me?"

Aikou smiled and nodded. "That would be nice."

Kamui reached down to take her hand, and that incredible fire roared to life again, causing him to freeze. Although Aikou felt it as well, she was much better at hiding her reactions now that she knew what to expect. This had happened to her before…

Kamui started to release her hand, startled by that urgent heat, but she tightened her grip.

"It's alright," she said softly, sensing he needed some sort of guidance as to what to do next.

Although Kamui was somewhat uncomfortable with the desire that seemed to rage between them, her words were reassuring. He awkwardly cleared his throat and then took her for a tour of his island. She asked him about his home, and why he had chosen such an isolated place. Kamui had told her he prized his privacy above all things, and he enjoyed the solitude. After that, they had walked in companionable silence, strangely at ease in each other's company.

The moon light overhead bathed the land in a romantic glow, casting a radiant sheen over their faces, but as a cloud passed in front of the moon, Aikou suddenly leaned forward and whispered, "How about a game of hide and seek?"

Kamui stared at her as if she'd lost her mind. He hadn't played games since he was a small child. He opened his mouth to tease her, but she disappeared without warning. Kamui blinked in surprise, but when he heard her giggle in the night, a smile tugged at his lips.

"Come and catch me if you can," she called out in a flirtatious tone that set his heart to racing.

Kamui grinned and then gave in to the urge to pursue her, casting aside his dignity to dart through the shadows like a child. He pitied her, though, for he had always been gifted with heightened senses and capabilities. Using his superior vision, he scanned the darkness and found her hiding behind a tree. She was facing him, and didn't seem to be making much of an effort to hide. Rather, she seemed to be waiting for him. His blood quickened and he plunged at her, moving fast and without warning. He reached for her with outstretched hands, but she was gone.

She'd moved so swiftly he'd failed to detect it. He stared at her in surprise as she waved at him from several yards away.

"You'll have to be faster then that if you want to catch me," she said in a sing song voice.

Kamui smiled and said, "What do I get if I catch you?"

Aikou pretended to give his question some serious thought, tapping her chin thoughtfully with one delicate finger. "Why, you get the satisfaction of winning the game."

Kamui snorted and said, "What kind of prize is that?"

Aikou looked down her dainty nose at him and asked, "You have something better in mind?"

"As a matter of fact I do," Kamui returned, his smile turning to a leer. "A kiss."

Aikou tilted her head at him, and for a moment, apprehension crossed over her face, but it was gone in the blink of an eye. "A kiss, you say?"

Kamui wanted to ask her why his suggestion had made her nervous, perhaps she was unused to such bold overtures from a man, but he doubted it. A woman such as Aikou must surely be used to the attentions of men. "A kiss," he affirmed.

Aikou suddenly gave him a brilliant smile and said, "Well, I normally would never consider such a request, but since you most likely won't be catching me, I shall agree to give you a kiss as a prize."

Kamui returned her smile, but said nothing to her teasing words, his attention solely on the task of capturing her. He ducked into the shadows and circled around behind her, watching as she stood unmoving. He approached her in absolute silence and leaped at her, but again, she was gone.

Unfortunately, he hadn't been prepared for her evasion, and he went sailing through the air. Straight into the dirt.

Aikou started laughing when Kamui landed in a comical heap on the ground. He raised his head to give her a dignified glare, but his hair was mussed and there was dirt on his face, and she only started laughing harder, walking in his direction. He suddenly saw the humor in the situation and started to laugh himself.

But he was watching her the entire time, inching his way to her side…slowly…

When he reached out and grabbed her hand, he caught her unawares, for she'd been laughing so hard she'd failed to notice how close he'd gotten to her.

"Ha, caught you," Kamui teased.

Aikou tilted her head and then reached up to wipe the dirt from his face with gentle fingers. The touch of her hand on his face was heavenly, and Kamui had to repress a sigh as she stroked his skin.

"So you did," she agreed. "It was most clever of you to fling yourself into the dirt so I would be overcome with laughter and pity would lure me to your side."

"I thought so," Kamui chuckled, but his eyes were already going to her lips, thinking of the kiss she'd promised him.

Aikou saw the direction of his gaze and wetted her lips nervously. It had been ages since she'd kissed anyone. But she would not go back on her word. Besides, she had planned on doing much more then just kissing him from the very beginning. She intended to ease his past pain with present day pleasure. To remind him there was still one thing worth living for: Love.

She gently cupped his cheek and he instinctively leaned his face into her hand, basking in her touch. His dark eyes met hers in an intense stare and then Kamui slowly lowered his head and kissed her for the very first time.

LOVE…

It screamed its presence between them, raged through their veins in a torrent of lust and longing and tenderness that left them stunned as their lips slid together for the first time. The kiss started out tender and sweet, but quickly grew to epic proportions, spinning out of their control, until their bodies were crushed against one another, throbbing with need. His hands slid around her waist, pulling her so close to him her breasts were flattened on his chest. One of her hands held onto his broad shoulder for support, the other tangled in his hair as his tongue slipped into her mouth with slow deliberation, drawing out the sensation of entering her body in any way, letting her taste him as he was tasting her. She was shy and slow to return his caress, and he became almost crazed with the desire to make her his when he finally felt her tongue lightly slide against his own.

His hands stroked down her back to cup her butt and then he pushed her hips flush against his thighs, letting his erection nestle into the curve of her stomach. He moaned at the contact, but Aikou suddenly regained her senses and pulled back from him with a gasp.

She stared at Kamui with enormous eyes, fighting to regain her breath.

Kamui watched her in hungry silence for a moment, stunned by his arousal, his need to push her to the ground and make her his…

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice ragged with lust.

She gave him a tremulous smile and said, "I'm not, although I would be if you hadn't stopped. It felt…wonderful, but we hardly know each other."

She'd surprised him again, and he gave a pained laugh as he shifted in place, trying to ease the tautness in his groin. "I'd love to get to know you better."

He hadn't meant it as a come on, but it sure sounded like one, he thought, wincing.

Aikou just smiled, then winked and said, "I bet you would, and the feeling is mutual."

Kamui started to respond, but then a terrible darkness fell over them, and a voice seething with anger roared, "Get away from her, boy!"