One and Only

Ch. 23 Aftermath

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The low rumbling of thunder stirred us awake. The soft pitter patter of raindrops hitting against the window making us aware of the storm that had been going on. I felt Satoru stretched. We had changed positions while asleep, from lying side my side to each other to Satoru burying his head into my chest, a hand under my shirt and resting on my belly. This was something he began doing after Shoko fixed me up. I had a scar. From under my ribcage across to my left hip. Satoru would rub it, tracing it and just giving it affection. As if he were trying to replace the memory of how it happened with his touches.
"Satoru." I whispered out. He didn't move. "Satoru." I said, a bit louder this time. Still nothing. "Satoru, I know you're awake." This time, I patted his head.
"You have no proof." He muttered out. I chuckled at his childishness. I turned to look at the clock that sat on his bedside table. 9:16 am. I perked up, but that quickly diminished at the thought that we were an hour late to classes. I didn't have my phone so I checked Satoru's to see if we had any missed calls or messages, and I was right. 2 missed messages, from both Suguru and Shoko.

Chainsmoker
27/09/2006 7:16 am
Yaga canceled classes for the day, make sure you tell Mai. Try to get her to nap today too. She needs it.

I exited out of Shoko's message and clicked onto Suguru's.

Baby Daddy
27/09/2006 8:57 am
Shoko and I went to get some breakfast, there's some food outside your door for you guys. I'm assuming Mai's with you. Please make sure she eats something.

I smiled at the messages. Silently thanking whoever was out there for blessing me with such wonderful friends.
"Suguru and Shoko left us some breakfast by the door, I'll go get it." I told Satoru.
"Nooo," he whined out. "So warm." He buried himself further into my chest, his hands getting dangerously higher.
"Let me get the food before it gets gross." I said, pushing his hand away. I heard him let out another whine as I went to the door. I opened it to see a white baggie sitting on the ground next to the door. I picked it up, still felt warm. "Satoru, can you message Shoko and Suguru to thank them? I don't have my phone." I asked as I walked back to the bed.
"Just did," he said, tossing his phone back onto the bed. "What they bring?" I opened the bag and was met with the delightful smell of bread.
"Looks like they went to the little bakery we took Mafuyu and Himeko to on Mafuyu's birthday."
"Oh sweet, that place was good." He said, sitting up and quickly grabbing the bag from my arms.
"Hey!" I scolded. Satoru just waved me off.
"Look! They got you that filled sweet bread!" He handed me the delicious treat. Still warm. I felt my stomach rumble. I took a bite from the bread, but the flavor wasn't as I remembered. It was dull. Much like everything I've eaten recently. I put the bread down. "Is something wrong?" Satoru asked.
"I guess I wasn't as hungry as I thought." I lamely excused.
"Your stomach growled not even 10 seconds ago." Satoru swung his long legs over the side of the bed and sat shoulder to shoulder with me now. "Mai, you need to eat. You haven't been, you've lost a lot of weight. Please, let me help you take care of yourself." I looked over to him, his eyes were filled with concern.
"I just.. haven't had much of an appetite recently, that's all." I tried to reassure.
"That's fine, I didn't expect you to eat a full course meal after.. you know. Your grieving, that's normal. You don't have to eat all of it, just some. Please?"
"..okay.." I picked up the bread and nibbled on it. I bounced my legs lightly, feeling awkward at the silence. "How did uh.. how did your mission go?" I tried to start a conversation.
"It was fine, easy. Just took a while." He replied. "Mai, is something wrong?" I felt him lean closer to me. I leaned into his warmth.
"I.. just missed you.." I answered. Satoru brought me in for a hug, peppering my face with soft kisses.
"I've missed you too. Do you wanna go do something?" He suggested. I just shook my head.
"I'd like it if we just stayed here. I need a day with you. Just like this." I brought my hand up to cup his face. He nuzzled into my palm.
"Okay, we can stay here."
Satoru finished off his bread, I was able to eat about 3/4 of mine. Satoru already has plans to feed me little things throughout the day. I didn't protest.
"Do you wanna watch TV?" Before I could answer, Satoru already turned the TV on. Flipping through the channels until he was satisfied with a rerun of a drama that came out last year. He made himself comfortable between my legs. Head resting on my chest. My hand immediately burying itself in his soft white locks.
"Oh, did you see that there have been some repairs done at Hanayashiki and its opening back up next week?" Satoru excitedly asked.
"I didn't see that, that's cool."
"I heard that a new restaurant opened close by too. Western style food, if I remember correctly." Satoru went on about the things to do around Hanayashiki.
"Satoru, what are you trying to get at?" I questioned.
"Oh, well I was just thinking that uh, it would be fun.. you know, for us to go?" He tentatively asked, I felt him sink his body further into mine.
"Like, all of us?"
"Well.. ideally, just the two of us..?" I have never heard Satoru be so timid.
"Are you asking me on a date?"
"Yes..?"
"What do you mean "yes..?" Are you, or are you not?"
"Yes. I am asking you to go on a date with me." He said more confidently.
"I would love to," I replied. "But what about all the stuff with our clans?" Even though I have been named Clan Head for nearly a year now, the prospect of marriage still comes up. "Plus, you said you wanted to wait until you got your technique down."
"I have, well, not fully. But after the incident, it opened my eyes to new methods that I didn't think of before. I've been working on it recently, it's not perfect, but with a bit more tweaking I think I'll have it down before the end of next year." He explained.
"Wait, really?" I gave him a hopeful look. "So we won't have to sneak around like this anymore?"
"Yeah," he brought my hand down and left a soft kiss on my palm. I felt him shift, turning himself over so that his chest lay flat on mine. Bringing his lips up to meet mine. "Then I can kiss you whenever I want." I smiled and kissed him again. I felt Satoru left put his weight onto his arms, adjusting himself to now be hovering over me. He didn't break the kiss, but with the new position it deepened. His lips moved against my own, the loneliness I felt taking over me and pulled him impossibly close. My arms coming up to circle over his shoulders, locking him in the embrace. I felt one of Satoru's arms go under my back and around my waist, holding onto me. His other coming up to hold the back of my neck. I let out a low hum of satisfaction. I could feel Satoru graze my lower lip with the tip of his tongue. I let my own tongue play with his, slow to start but soon we were a panting mess. Satoru flipped us, and now I was straddling his waist. I tried to break away to catch my breath but he refused to stop. My head was going dizzy, did kissing always feel this good? Satoru brought his hands and began to slowly go under my shirt. My skin pebbled from his touch. His fingertips felt hot against sides, stomach, ribs. His hands were going so achingly slow. I felt his hands brush the underside of my breast.
"No bra?" He broke away, now peppering my jaw and neck with hot kisses.
"They're.. uncomfortable to sleep.. in," I replied between breaths.
He took my breast into his hand and began to massage it. I let out a breathy moan from the foreign touch. This seemed to be the reaction he wanted because I felt him smile against the crook of my neck. He began to suck and nip at my neck. His rough hand was now pinching and tugging at my hardened nipple. He ran his thumb over it as I let out sighs.
"God, you're just so fucking hot," Satoru said before biting down on where my neck and shoulder meet. I let out a huss, but that was soon replaced with more breathy moans as I felt him kiss and lick at the sore spot. I felt something push against my thigh, my eyes quickly snapped open at the sensation.
"Sa.. Satoru..?" The rush of ecstasy was coming down, part of me forgot about what this could have led to. And I wasn't sure ifbi was ready.
"Yes?" He looked up at me, but his expression quickly changed once he saw the anxiety on my face. "Hey, are you okay? Do you want to stop?"
"I.. I don't.. I uh," I couldn't get my thoughts straight. Part of me wanted to continue, but part of me was screaming to stop.
"Hey, hey. It's okay. We can stop, it's fine." He quickly got off.
"No!" My hands shot up to his arm. "I mean.. uh.." I let him go. I felt uneasy. I didn't want him to go, but I wasn't ready to go further. Not yet. Satoru grabbed my hand.
"I dont mind waiting." He brought it up to his lips. "If it's for you, I'll wait as long as it takes."
"I'm sorry," I looked away. I felt embarrassed.
"It's alright, we did get a little carried away," Satoru said as he got comfortable next to me. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to."
"But I do!" I yelled out a bit too loudly. "I mean.. eventually? I dont know, I just got nervous."
"And that's fine. We can go at your pace." I felt him press his lips to the top of my head.
"Thank you, Satoru." I said with a sigh.
"Anything for you, Bunny."