D9 EN (Closed - Private Apartment) Drawings and Such

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Suh-Hyun let herself be guided into a pose, in truth she was holding back the urge to... hijack the artist for something akin to a dance.

Finally settled in she watched the Hiruma prepare, shifting slightly to get more comfortable. There was a sense of vulnerability as she lay there, not merely physically but emotionally. It didn't escape her notice that Akito was similarly exposed, at least emotionally. There was a tension there between them, not a dangerous one but still likely to end in physical actions of a more pleasant sort.

But the Unicorn had a mischievous side and as her feelings tumble about on the inside, that little inner gremlin asserted itself once more. Casually she raised a hand and dismissively waved, then channeling the ancient Khans of old Rokugan she said, "Get on with it little Painter." The impression held for less than a second before she let out a nervous laugh. "I'm fine, I'm fine. What sort of expression do you want?"

Her brown eyes contained a mix of desire, mirth, embarrassment, and raw joy. Emotions mirrored in her lopsided smile and the slight sideward lean of her head.

[Hiruma Akito]

"Little?" Akito flashed Suh-Hyun a quick grin. "Ooh, I'll pay you back for that later." By the look in his pale eyes, the manner of his payback would be one they would both enjoy.

But then he took a deep breath. "Just look at me." Akito said, his smile gentle once more as his eyes met hers. "That's perfect just like that." One more deep breath... and then he began.

It was rather like a dance, at a distance of several feet even though Suh-Hyun lay still, and Akito sat nearly so. Art was an expression of emotion, and that emotion was a tangible thing between the two of them, accompanied by the scratching of Akito's stencil. Sometimes his gaze traced her form, sometimes it sought her eyes; either way, it was intense.

And then he sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Okay." A brief pause, and then he straightened, smiling. "Here we are." He stood, sliding onto the bed next to Suh-Hyun. One arm slid around her, needing that touch. The other held the paper up for her to see.

He promised to show her as he saw her. The desire he felt for her, and her for him, was clear in the art. And there was a great deal more. The cool competence in the lines of her face. The vulnerability of the moment. Her gorgeous legs were featured, of course, but he'd seemed to spend the most time in her eyes, on capturing as much as he could there. Not everything; he knew he could never.

"What do you think?" Akito breathed, his face turning towards hers.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

A small laugh escaped her lips. Not a cruel or mocking laugh but a pure release of emotion. Suh-Hyun studied the picture for some time, "It's beautiful." She was grinning broadly when her head turned to look in his eyes.

When her eyes met his the smile vanished, her expression becoming more restrained. Her breathing increased and her heart was pounding, "Akito-san." Her voice trembling, "Please put the sketch somewhere safe... before I lose control and roll on top of you."

And as soon as the drawing was out of the way...she did just that, her lips pressing into his as restrained feeling broke loose...

/FTB?

[Hiruma Akito]

Akito, too, had been restraining himself for what felt like far too long. He felt his own heart pounding as he set the drawing aside; one last instant of care before casting aside all restraints.

And then his lips met Suh-Hyun's, his hands guiding her once more as she rolled atop him, and both of them wonderfully lost control.

...

/fadebackin...

Akito lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. He breathed heavily in and out, his now bare chest rising and falling. I can't ever remember feeling this good...

Smiling, he reached out, finding his lover. "Suh-Hyun..." He said, his voice thick with fatigue and satisfaction. "You're amazing. I wish I could say it better than that..." He chuckled. "But I can't."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Laying on her stomach and panting softly, Suh-Hyun smiled. Only one eye peeked up at his, the other was buried in the sheets with the other half of the smile. "I know I'm amazing Akito-san." She winked with the visible eye.

Pushing herself up and bring her arms under let the Unicorn elevate her head enough to look more directly at the Crab. Sheepishly she began, "...sorry about the vase, I may have been a little too..." She mulled for the right word, "energetic." Her eyes briefly shifted in the direction of the broken vase, tipped over at one point. She shivered slightly as his hand found her back.

"Akito-san..." She looked down, "I...well you know I...well when we first had our dance and..." Suh-Hyun took a deep breath and exhaled, "Well you know...I thought it was just you know friends. Friends with..." Her eyes traced a path down the Hiruma's body, "benefits. But, well..." She swallowed, feeling her temperature rising. "I think...I think that you and me, well that you know..."

She frowned and shook her head, "Ah Jigoku! I might be falling in love with you, you dumb Marine!" Having said the words her expression turned more shocked at saying it out loud. "Wait, wait I mean. Yes. And you aren't just a dumb Marine...no not dumb at all...really...and artistic and, and." Suh-Hyun groaned dropped her head onto her arms. "I am so bad at this..." When she looked back up her lopsided embarrassed grin was there but also a nervousness, fear maybe? An unusual expression on the daring pilot's face.

[Hiruma Akito]

Akito laughed at that, rich and warm. "Denser'n a black hole you said, right?" His hand stroked playfully up and down her back, then he tilted his head to smile at her. "And forget the vase. Absolutely worth it. Seeing you like that was..." He took a breath, sighing appreciatively.

As Suh-Hyun began to speak, Akito's expression turned more serious. He shifted, rolling onto his side to face her more directly. He kept his hand on her back, though, warm and reassuring. Watching his face, she'd be able to see ever flicker of emotion in his handsome features. From the quirk of the lips and a little tilt of his head when she mentioned benefits, to the way his pale eyes widened and his lips parted as she dropped the L-bomb. A precision strike; how else, for a pilot.

"Suh-Hyun...-san..." Akito said softly. But then he grinned. "Thank fuck you said it first!" He scooched closer to her, his solid arm squeezing her slender form. "Here I was thinking hey, I'm hot shit in my unit, and she clearly thinks you're hot, but she's this awesome offworlder ace pilot, you'll just scare her off if you tell her you're falling in love with her..." His voice went gentle on those last few words.

Tilting his head, he kissed her temple. "I think I am, though. Even if you said it first. Maybe you're the braver one."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Suh-Hyun smiled, a sense of relief on her face. "I guess I did say that," She smiled and caressed his cheek, "Ok maybe not a black hole, just neutron star dense." The Unicorn kissed him then looked down sheepishly, "That was one of scariest things to admit out loud."

She wiggles a little, "I was getting ready to just laugh it off 'Haha, yeah good joke right? How could a man like you love a big dork like me.' Then just resign myself to enjoying your company as a friend and nothing more. Hearing you say the same words in response...I'm dumbfounded. Caught in a loop circling and not sure whether to break or drive or climb or roll or...you know dogfighting metaphors are kind of my one trick...dork, like I said." She laughs a little, tension leaving her voice.

"But I don't think it matters, well it does but...I don't think it changes anything immediately." She slides closer, "You know tonight. I think it's something we can figure out as we go. You know we..." Her mischievous grin returns as she winds up for the..."Wing it!" terrible pun!

[Hiruma Akito]

Akito grinned as soon as their lips parted. "I could tell. But hey, I liked how you said it. It fit you." He smirked. "And hey, if we're going with the metaphors, it was a nice air strike to soften things up for the ground pounder. So... thank you, for being brave enough."

"How could I...?" Akito scoffed, still smiling. "How could I not? But, even thinking that, I get what you mean. It's all..." He let out a puff of air, "-it's a lot, right? But at the same time, it's not, because it's you and me..." Akito made a face. "Yeah, caught in a loop is right."

Tricked, Akito smiled, sliding his arm around her, defenseless against the terrible pun attack. Akito groaned. "Oh, fortunes... you dork..." His arm tightened, and he kissed her fiercely. And then, as they parted, he bopped her with a pillow. And then and then he put his arm around her again, cuddling her to him. "How could I not..." He said again, softly. "Yeah. We'll figure it out, you and me."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Suh-Hyun smiled and rested her head on his chest, which would have left her feet dangling over the bed's edge if she wasn't curled up. For a moment she just enjoyed being close to him. A silence drew out for a time, perhaps she had fallen asleep.

"...hey Akito-san," Suh-Hyun looked up at him her expression serious, "...what do you think about a bushi who...can't...who is too afraid to take another's life." The question was out of nowhere, but there was a fear in her eyes. As if a sudden terror had entered her mind. Something that risked the feelings they had confessed. "I'm sorry for the question but please...answer it seriously."

[Hiruma Akito]

Sighing pleasantly, Akito let Suh-Hyun settle in, his hand resting on her back. His chest was warm and solid, his breaths even, his heartbeat steady and strong.

He hadn't fallen asleep; when Suh-Hyun spoke, Akito looked at her, first fondly, then his handsome features turning serious; gently serious, at least. It wasn't hard to figure out what she was talking about.

And so, Akito took a deep breath, considering carefully, even as his hand reassuringly stroked Suh-Hyun's hair. "Well... even in the old days, a bushi was more than just a killer. And I think we're even more than that now. And that's good." Akito grimaced. "Taking a life, snuffing out a person, everything they are, and could be... I mean, I don't like it."

Tilting his head, he met her eyes with his. "And so, maybe I'd want to hear more. But I'm pretty sure I can understand where they're coming from. Even respect them for it."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"I..." Suh-Hyun couldn't look him the eyes as she continued, "hate it...the killing. No that's not the right thing to say, that little child in me that jumped off tables and grew into an awkward teen diving gliders at the station deck. That part of me feels a thrill at the act prior to the kill. Those rare occasions where a battle turns into a close in dogfight, the sort of brutal fight that ends with one person dead. My inner self feels joy at that life and death struggle."

She shivers, "But I hate it...hate it and hate when my innocent joy takes such a thrill. I hate coming back to the carrier to see others had died."

"It was easy to pretend in a fighter. Just too metal boxes shooting at each other. But reality reasserts itself eventually." She finally looks up into his eyes, her own now red, "...I had to tell you, I didn't want to. I told you. Boldness not bravery. But it would be unfair to keep it from you."

[Hiruma Akito]

As soon as Akito saw that shiver, saw the redness in Suh-Hyun's eyes, he put his arms around her, holding her against his solid form. "It's okay... I'm glad you told me. Thank you..." He tilted his head as far as he could, to kiss her tenderly.

He settled back again, still holding her. "I get what you mean. Sometimes it's fun. There's a thrill in those hot drops. But then..." He sighed. Suh-Hyun would feel a bit of tension in his muscled form; Akito clearly had some bad combat memories himself. But holding her, he slowly relaxed, mutually soothing. "Not everyone comes back, and you realize that the shape you blew apart-" Akito cut off suddenly, holding Suh-Hyun a little more tightly.

Gently, he shook his head. "That doesn't make my feelings for you any less. Not one bit. Maybe the opposite." His hand left Suh-Hyun's back to gently stroke her cheek. "Compassion's a good thing. Even in war..." Again, the slight tension, again soothed by their shared touch.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Suh-Hyun looked into his eyes as he spoke, then the tears welled up and she cried. Clinging to the Crab as her body shivered. As she calmed, her eyes look back up to his. Her voice was trembling, "...I was afraid, afraid you would be disgusted with me. Think I was a failure or a coward."

She rests her head against his chest. "Thank you..."

[Hiruma Akito]

Akito's expression softened even further. "Suh-Hyun..." He said, his voice soft. Both his arms gently wrapped around her, holding her until she stopped shaking. As she looked back up to meet his eyes, she could see a swirl of feeling in them. For her.

Gently, he shook his head. "Not gonna happen. And you're not a failure or a coward. You're a test pilot, damnit." He shifted a little, tilting his head up, so he could meet her gaze more easily. "And I've seen you nervous. Like when we were dancing. Or I kissed you for the first time." He grinned. "Or when you say something that's somehow dorky and sexy at the same time, and I still don't know how you're so good at doing that." His expression softened again. "Or when you told me how you feel about me..."

Tilting his head forward, he kissed just below her eyes, one after the other, brushing her tears away. "And then you go ahead and do it anyway. I wish I was that brave. That daring..." He sighed, settling back down again.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Suh-Hyun struggled to say anything, instead she answered with a kiss of her own. The pair had had several. Starting with an awkward, and bold, kiss as they parted after their first dance. Followed shortly by an equally awkward if perhaps more impulsive one. Then the kiss at the beach that had communicated a physical desire. And tonight they had showered each other with hungry kisses, ruled by physical intimacy and raw passion.

This kiss was different, not hungry or awkward or impulsive or expressing a want for physical contact. It was simple and communicated with more confidence what had taken several stumbled words.

It was a kiss that stated 'I love you', nothing more and nothing less.

[Hiruma Akito]

Sometimes actions were better than words. That was especially true when it was a kiss. Akito closed his eyes as their lips met, savoring the touch. Savoring the meaning, which he understood as clearly as if it was spoken, and which Suh-Hyun would be able to feel in return.

As they parted, he was silent for a few moments before speaking. "So... as long as we're sharing things that we're a bit... y'know... about..." Akito spoke hesitantly. "I mean... you think you can still fall for a guy that hasn't done much besides go where people tell him, and dream about other places? All the cards on the table, maybe that's me." He smiled at her, but there was a hint of worry in his otherwise steady gaze. Honesty was best, but being truly honest was sometimes scary, Akito thought. But if she could do it, it only felt right to match her.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Her eyes were still red, but Suh-Hyun managed a laugh, "As dense as a neutron star." She smiled, marred perhaps but the red and puffy tear stained eyes, "Too late you've already caught me in that gravity coming from your thick head."

She rest her head on his chest. "This love thing is more complicated than I thought. Especially when it's two fumbling idiots trying. But I am still willing to keep stumbling forward alongside you."

[Hiruma Akito]

And with that response, Akito couldn't help but laugh too. "Glad it's good for something. Ahhh..." He sighed pleasantly. "Two super dense objects orbiting each other, huh? Not the most romantic metaphor, but maybe it fits us."

As Suh-Hyun lay her head on his chest, Akito tilted his own head up. Gently, he kissed the top of her head, his lips lingering. After all, how often could he have the chance to do that?

"Tomorrow it's complicated." Akito said. "That's when we start trying to figure out how to make it work. Tonight, we can just be two dense objects in love. How about that?" He grinned down at her, rubbing her back.

But then his smirk turned playful, and he leaned forward, bringing his lips close to her ear. "In fact, let's say tomorrow afternoon is when it gets complicated. Because I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna be able to resist missing the sunrise with you..."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"Hey, hey. I'm a comet, streaking across the night sky!" Suh-Hyun wipes her eyes, "And just make sure we don't stay here long enough the embassy sends out a search."

"I don't think Moto-san is the type to ask questions before she starts swinging. And Utaku-san would probably come in swinging too if she thought I was endanger." Her eyes linger on his. "But that's a tomorrow problem."

"Tonight's problem is trying to not miss the sunrise." She grinned mischievously and kissed him again, this one was also pretty clear on its intentions. "Not tired yet I hope, marine?"

/Scene to sleep... eventually?