Left Behind But Not Forgotten

 

That night her parents returned, Ryuuken had departed leaving Tatsuki to recuperate from her choking disaster. She didn’t see him for some time after that, getting caught up with her parents and their various inquiries despite meeting Ryuuken and learning his intentions.



A few days later, Tatsuki quickly joined the line of students filing randomly into the schoolyard of the high school, wondering for a moment if anyone saw her dropped off today. It wasn’t the first time, but she always had a nagging suspicion. Then she pushed it aside. After all, other parents dropped their children off to school. Or boyfriends.



She shoved her cell phone back into her pocket, remembering he had the newer model to it. Ever since Keigo had accidentally sat on hers and broke it, Ryuuken insisted she take his old one.



“I’m due for an upgrade anyhow,” he’d said.



“You’re GIVING me a cell phone?” Tatsuki asked as she’d glared at him.



“I’m saving you money having you on a common plan,’ Ryuuken had said. “You cannot go without one in the modern world.”



“Give me the total for it and I’ll pay you each month,” Tatsuki had countered.



“Do what you like,” Ryuuken had muttered, his shoulders releasing some tension when she took the phone from his hand. Refusing it would have hurt the idiot’s pride she figured.



Small concessions for a relationship neither had counted on, nor discussed much. Except for what was necessary.



“Tatsuki chan!” called a voice cheerfully from the side. Her head turned to see Orihime walking up with Uryuu not far behind her.



“Orihime!” called Tatsuki, rushing to meet her. Uryuu had his face buried in a book and walked a few steps behind Orihime, irritating Tatsuki.



“Arisawa san,” Uryuu said as he lifted his head and nodded to her. “Are you doing well today?”



“Fine. You?” asked Tatsuki as she looked at him awkwardly. The blue eyes a different shade were partly obscured by the distinctive square framed glasses, but they held distance in them that was hauntingly familiar.



“I am well,” he said.



“Hey,” said a familiar voice as she turned and saw Ichigo walking easily towards the school, with Chad at his side.



“Hello stranger,” Tatsuki said to her friend, resting a hand on her hip. “Finally well enough to come back to school I see?”



“Ha ha,” Ichigo said as he cocked his head to the side.



“Finally you’re showing your face,” said Uryuu quietly. “I was getting tired of having you copy my notes.”



“Ichigo!” called Keigo dodging in from the side. “Where WERE you last night dude?”



“Hey Keigo,” muttered Ichigo, instantly punching him in the face before he could get tackled.

“Had to study. Got a month of stuff to catch up on you know.”



Tatsuki’s fist punched an overenthusiastic Chizuro who had sneaked up to grab Orihime from behind again. Laughter surrounded everyone like a blanket, and things seemed almost normal for a change. Or what passed for normal.



Catching up to Ichigo she whispered, “Hey, where did you run off to last night?”



“I ran into an old friend,” Ichigo answered, slowing his pace to allow Tatsuki to catch up to him.



A slight smile perked up Tatsuki’s lips. “Must have been a real CLOSE friend huh?”



“Shut up,” Ichigo muttered, blushing deeply.



“Uh huh, I knew it. A girl!” Tatsuki whispered, pounding her hand into her fist. “Now who is it so I can kick your butt if you hurt her feelings…?”



Still looking down at his shoes Ichigo admitted, “She doesn’t go here. Her name’s Senna,”



“Senna huh? How’d you meet her and where? I want the dirt,” she persisted.



“Met her… uh around here and there,” Ichigo said shrugging. “Look we’ll talk about this without everyone listening ok?”



“Right,” Tatsuki agreed. Both of them entered the school building for 3B with the rest.

+++

Later that day at the office the director of Karakura General Hospital opened his lunch bundle to see the neatly arranged items and suppressed a slight smirk. Inside the Tupperware container with compartments he glanced down at the artfully prepared selections of sweet potatoes, rice balls, and other items arranged just so with a slight humph of surprise.



For a tomboy everything was very nicely arranged, and not as childish as he would have thought. No rice arranged in a heart, but the onigiri were shaped into little faces, and the octopus shaped cocktail sausages were a nice touch. He had to admit she made good omelets.



It amused him because it looked very much like what a girl would make for a high school boy to impress or a wife to make for their husband. Not cuteness about it, but more pragmatism, but the shapes were enough to impress him that there was care and sympathy in it. No hearts shaped in rice, but small shapes worked into the dessert.



What also amused him was the fact when he’d opened up his briefcase he found one of the terrycloth workout wristbands she liked to wear lodged in with his paperwork.

**



Tatsuki undid her lunch and opened the lacquer box, still marveling at how beautiful and expensive the darn thing had to be. Still she had trouble getting used to using it lately. Her friends often commented on her lunches lately, wondering just WHO was the designer behind them. Everything perfectly arranged with just the right proportions of all ingredients with the touch of someone’s mother or housewife.



The only one who noticed much of course beyond it was Uryuu, and he frowned a bit, sitting off to the side as he ate lunch alone. Orihime glanced towards him and he cast an apologetic look. She plopped next to Tatsuki and opened her own exotic concoction, waving it in Tatsuki’s face.



“What IS that?” Tatsuki asked.



“Red bean paste, wasabi and honey on rice!” said Orihime. “With some raisins and curry.”



“Where’s your boyfriend?” asked Tatsuki quickly. “He practicing being mister cool to eat with us?”



“Oh you know how Uryuu kun is,” said Orihime with a quick laugh. “He has to study for an exam… and well...”



From the way Orihime sat a bit gingerly, Tatsuki blushed a bit at the idea of just WHAT the reason for Uryuu’s cramming today was. She almost coughed on her piece of food before Orihime slugged her on the back and she sipped some water.



“You okay, Tatsuki?” asked Ichigo as he ducked near her.



“I’m fine…” said Tatsuki, looking up at her friend. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out a cell phone. Around her neck on a chain dangled a ring that glinted.



“Better watch it,” he said quietly, frowning at her. Then his eyes looked down at her throat.



“What, do I have something on my face?” she asked.



“I see you’re wearing it,” Ichigo said.



“Yeah,” said Tatsuki.



Light brown eyes met hers with a look of understanding as Ichigo muttered, “I see…”



***

At recess, Orihime had seen the hollow as he moved into position, but Ichigo was oblivious. Chad pushed him aside, and then his arm exploded into blue fire, sending a ball of energy at it.

Uryuu rushed out of the classroom, his bow slung over his wrist as he fired a spray of arrows.



Tatsuki pulled on a pair of fighting gloves and then shot before Orihime, slamming her fist haloed in fire towards the hollow’s jaw. “Take THAT! Get the hell away from her!”



“Tatsuki chan you didn’t have to!” Orihime yelped as she summoned her fairies to push at the hollow with her shield.



“What, and not fight next to you? Are you crazy?” Tatsuki asked, looking at her seriously. “You protected me, now I get to do the same thing. I’m not going to be left behind anymore!”



“Arisawa san,” Uryuu gasped.



“Watch YOURSELF!” Tatsuki snapped as she launched up and slammed her foot in an inferno to the hollow Uryuu had missed. With a single shot she cracked its mask causing it to disintegrate into spirit particles.



Impressed, Sado nodded and then punched the ground. Tatsuki and he soon polished off the other hollows while Orihime protected their friends and Uryuu fired at any hollows creeping up on them. Panting, Tatsuki bent over to catch her breath.



Dispelling his bow Uryuu asked, “What did you mean by that comment Arisawa san?”



“What comment?” Tatsuki asked, wiping sweat off her brow.



“The one about not being left behind again?” Uryuu frowned.



“Why should you guys get to play hero all the time?” Tatsuki said with a shrug.



“I hardly need a lecture on how to fight hollows, no offense,” Uryuu said clearing his throat.



“That’s not what I meant. You’re the one reading into things that aren’t there…” Tatsuki countered.



“Tatsuki Chan…”



“Uryuu, Tatsuki please don’t argue,” Chad said as he looked at both of them. “This isn’t the place. We all helped. The means shouldn’t matter.”



“You’re right,” muttered Tatsuki. “It’s just arrow boy here thinks he knows more than the rest of us sometimes!”



“I do NOT!” Uryuu snapped as he glared at her. “I am a…”



“I know you’re a Quincy!” said Tatsuki immediately. “And I know that means you can fight hollows but SO CAN WE!”



“Wait a minute!” Chad said, frowning.



“At least you can fight hollows!” said a voice from behind them.



All at once the friends turned to see Ichigo glaring at them, hands clenched into fists. From his expression it was clear he could tell what they’d been doing even if he couldn’t directly see it. Tatsuki figured the looks on the other three ranged from guilt to total surprise.



“Kurosaki kun!” gasped Inoue.



Chad mumbled, hand extended. “Ichigo…”



“Don’t you dare feel sorry for me!” Ichigo snapped as he rushed off. Tatsuki ran after him.



“What on earth did I say?” asked Uryuu frowning.



“Well sometimes you do come across as being pretty proud of your skills, and maybe she took it the wrong way?” Chad muttered.



“Just because she has powers doesn’t mean that…” Uryuu began.



“But she learned how to use them. Are you just upset because of who her teacher is?” asked Orihime gently.



**



Right outside the entrance to the school she found Ichigo sitting on the steps slumped over. She could only see his bright head of orange hair because his head was buried in his hands. Tentatively she rested a hand on his shoulder, murmuring,” Ichigo?”



Long awkward filled moments clicked by between them. Under her hand she felt the tiny tremors from the teen holding back what she guessed were sobs. He made no noises except for shallow hitched breaths. If he were at home he would be laying face down stretched out on his bed. Unsure of what else to do she plunked next to him on the empty stair, wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and leaned into him.



His sagging body curled into hers the moment he felt her warmth. It seemed like they were transported back to a dark time when his mother’s smile had ceased. Rain became hated and far more prevalent to him. She alone other than Inoue understood his silent cries he hid from everyone else. Even though they were his feelings to share, she was among the privileged few he’d allow to see this side of him.



“You want to talk, or not?” she dared ask.



“Tatsuki, this is what it felt to be left behind, isn’t it?” Ichigo whispered, voice muffled in her shoulder. She felt the hot tears seep through the cloth of her blouse.



A lump formed in her throat. “Yes. It’s a lot like this. I’m sorry.”



Ichigo glanced down at the ground, fighting back tears. His voice cracked. “Why won’t they even look me in the eye?”



“Who? Chad and Inoue and Ishida?” she snorted, her protective instincts kicking in. Perhaps because of the serious nature of the relationship she now carried or just the years she looked out for him and Inoue it wasn’t so hard to be the shoulder he now leaned on.



Inside she thanked the fact he had opened up to her even if he’d closed off from the others. Of all of them she kept her feet on the ground avoiding fights with hollows whenever possible. Except to protect Ichigo and Inoue, or the innocent when others could not be there.



Why should she play superhero when she had her martial arts career, dojo and school? For that matter why did she feel ten years older in a matter of mere months? Wartime forced many to grow up beyond their years, or remain children depended locked in a state lacking some basic need. Transforming Ichigo again into a drifter seeking some place to belong.



“They’re protecting me. But I can’t get used to that,” Ichigo whispered.



“I can’t get used to it either. I’m the one who’s supposed to protect Orihime, remember?” Tatsuki joked.

**

As always he annoyed the hell out of her and Tatsuki was of a good mind to either throw a punch at the stubborn man or kiss him into submission. Not sure at times what the attraction was to him, she couldn’t pin it down.

Now as she had turned 18, she’d graduated from high school and enrolled in classes in the local university.  Tatsuki had wasted no time in starting her college studies early while balancing with a job at the local dojo part time.

Also her parents had accepted the situation between her and her much older lover things seemed to relax a bit.  Still she wondered if it was some strange elaborate dream.  The ghosts that plagued her day and night became more tolerable as she found ways of blocking them out thanks to the training from her significant other. Such training still continued on a routine basis.

So when he’d asked if she wanted to accompany him on a trip Tatsuki was dubious at first. 

She’d been walking between the groups of sparring students watching each for any flaws in their defenses.  Frowning she’d corrected the blow of one, and stopped another kid from taking out his knuckles on someone’s nose.

“Easy there Fujita.  You don’t want to take his head off.  Block for goodness sake,” she scolded.

“Sorry Arisawa sensei,” the student apologized.

“Less apology more focus,” Tatsuki returned, and then moved onto the next group. 

A trilling phone interrupted her and she found that it was one of the instructors that waved her over.  “Yes?” she asked, panting.

“You’ve a phone call from a Dr. Ishida. He says it’s important. Should I tell him you’re available or not?”

“I’ll talk to him,” muttered Tatsuki as she rolled her eyes.   “Could you take over?”

“Of course,” said the instructor.  He didn’t as much as blink considering that Dr. Ishida’s hospital had one of the leading sports medicine centers in the city and many of them used his doctors at events. Tatsuki had helped coordinate the hiring of such doctors to attend the events on call for any injuries accrued by the students.

“Everyone, Shuta sensei will be taking over for today,” she said.

The class bowed and chorused, “Yes Arisawa Sensei…”

She turned from the students and quickly strode towards the office at the rear of the open space.  Past a few kendo students garbed and whacking each other with shinai through a door. . The phone on the desk blinked with several lights as she grabbed the chair and sat down in it.  Snagging the receiver she pressed the button and said, “Arisawa here.”

“I have an important matter to speak to you regarding,” he said in his usual professional clipped tone.

“Is it that important that you’re interrupting one of my classes?” she asked, arching an eyebrow.

“My apologies for trespassing on your work, but I wanted to know if you’d be free this upcoming weekend?”

“I don’t know. Tournaments are coming up in 2 weeks and it’d take some shifting. What’s the deal?” Tatsuki asked, frowning as she paged through her calendar planner. She shared the desk with others.

“I’ve a medical conference and I was interested to know if you’d accompany me as a guest,” he said.

“Say what?” Tatsuki asked, straightening up in her chair.  “Look, I’m not going to hang on your arm and sip champagne and make you look good.”

“As always you are quick to make presumptions that have only some basis in reality,” he chided.

“And you’re always poking your nose into things that irritate the ever living nerves out of me,” she immediately countered.  “So convince me why I should rearrange my schedule to accommodate you eh?”

“There are a few speakers in sports medicine you may find interesting,” said Ryuuken.  “Which may be of benefit for your future career?”

“Hmm,” Tatsuki muttered, and smirked a bit.  So he was taking her seriously and trying to dangle something in front of her to up the ante.  “I don’t know.  How long is this conference?”

“Two days.  It is in Osaka, and I can arrange for transport pending when you must return,” he said.

“I’ll have to check to see if I can switch things around,” she said.  “I guess there are some people who owe me favors. But next time wait another 15 minutes before you call here?”

“So is that an answer in the affirmative?”

“What do you think genius?” Tatsuki asked, suppressing her laugh.  “I’ll get back to you.”

“I see.  Then perhaps we should discuss this when you’re finished for the evening,” he said in a lower tone.

“And are you working late again?” she then asked. 

“I would recommend you prepare yourself for dinner at seven thirty,” he said quietly. “In a more relaxed environment.”

“Deal,” she said as she looked at her watch.  “Later.”

“Later,” came his reply, the slightest hesitation and sharpness in his tone easing a bit.

She grinned, realizing that she’d gotten to him yet again.  “All right your highness,” she whispered as she got up to resume her class. “Let’s see what little shenanigan you’re spinning for me.”

**

Ryuuken enjoyed games.  So did Tatsuki.  Considering the amount of games he played over the course of a number of years he had experience while she had a healthy skeptical mind.  Neither of them had ever played a game of chess, but she was always thinking to give it a shot and see where it would go.

At five thirty she finished her class and showered, changing into a set of jeans and a button up blouse with blue jean jacket.  She stepped into her sneakers and grabbed her workout bag, waving goodbye as the dojo closed for the afternoon classes and set up for the evening programs.  Then caught the bus towards her destination.

The well to do part of town always amused her.  She leapt off the bus and wandered casually up to the front door of the apartment building extracting the set of keys from her sports bag.  A quick ride up to the elevator from the lobby unseen and she reached his front door.  It was a trek she’d undertaken many times in the past year or so.

She swung open the door she unlocked and entered a familiar compartment added onto her once separate world.  The smell of furniture polish mingled with cigarette smoke just inside.  Tossing her bag to the side she pushed the door closed with her foot, balancing the stack of mail she had extracted from his box below.

While he didn’t ask her to do it, she just figured it’d save him more time.  She left the pile of letters on his desk in the study, and then entered the kitchen with its highly polished floors.  The fact she could see her face in them indicated someone else had entered here recently.  Didn’t surprise her he’d had the housekeeper clean things because it was Thursday.

Rifling through the fridge she grabbed an apple and a sports drink for a snack and sat down leafing thr0ough the newspaper left by the welcome mat.  The afternoon sun still beamed strongly through the curtains and vertical blinds of the kitchen windows.  A quick tap of a button on the remote and she turned on one of the pop music channels on the television set.

Midway through a song she liked she sensed the familiar flutter of his spirit pressure long before she heard the click in the lock. He‘d probably mutter something about letting her see him, but she chuckled anyway.  The almost inaudible creak in the door opening and the minute vibrations of his footsteps inside didn’t deter Tatsuki from enjoying penning in the crossword puzzle in the games section.

Keys jingled and a pungent scent of cigarettes reached her nostrils above the usual background pong in the apartment. No matter how much sandalwood or vanilla air freshener was applied it was still present, even on Tatsuki’s clothes.  A reminder of how thoroughly he’d entered her life with an elusive and tenuous presence.

“Make sure you drink something with that cancer stick,” she called from the kitchen.

A bit of smoke wafted in the entrance as he stepped in, still wearing his usual business suit.  He murmured, “You’re early.”

“And you’re complaining why?” she countered, not looking up from the crossword.

She heard the fridge open and shut, and the clink of a glass set down from an overhead cabinet despite the music masking most sound.  Various rustlings later she heard the coffee machine hissing and steaming in a corner like a dragon, and the steam mingling with the smoke of another cigarette.   The table shifted a bit as he set down his cup of coffee and laid his cigarette in the ashtray in the middle.

A tablet computer sat down near her elbow as he pulled in the chair and flickered through his schedule, not interrupting her game.  Tatsuki only waited a bit before she finally looked up to see him intently checking any last minute emails on the new toy he had.  Paper rustled as she got up and stood up to peer over his shoulder.  His coffee cup rested with a clink in its saucer as he shifted to one side and picked up his cigarette again.

Two hands rested on his shoulders and she leaned to rest her chin on one while rubbing them in kneading strokes.  Ryuuken at first only shifted in his chair, continuing paging down with the action of one finger through an exhaustive list.  Tatsuki took one more look at the cigarette before he placed it in the ashtray and she maneuvered around his arm to drop her face in front of his.

Dark eyes met hers.  He pushed out from the table a bit. Tatsuki rested her hand near his and then slid into his lap without a word, sitting so she faced him and blocked his view of the tablet.  He only looked up for a second with a frown before she shifted on his lap and smirked down at him pushing his hair from in front of his eyes.  She leaned close and whispered, “What’s the idea of calling me during my class?  It’s getting annoying.”

“You should leave your cell phone on vibrate,” he said.

“And risk setting a bad example?” she asked as she felt his hand wrap around her waist. 

“You do have a cell phone for a reason,” Ryuuken scolded. She sniffed and bent down as she wrapped her arms around his neck and dipped her face inches before him.

“That doesn’t mean you can use it to call me up just so I can hear you talk and make you feel important listening to you babbling on,” Tatsuki responded.

“I don’t require anyone’s approval to boost my self esteem,” he murmured, his hand sliding up the small of her back.

“No, you’re too busy chipping away at someone else’s, aren’t you?” she said with a slight frown.

Ryuuken grunted and said nothing to this, pretending to ignore the fact that she was shifting on his lap and peer around her to the tablet.  Sliding one hand through his hair she then lowered her face down and pressed a kiss to his lips.  His mouth opened the slightest bit, tongue darting out to slip into her own mouth.  A bitter tang moved over her mouth and she invaded his with her own tongue, tightening her grip on him.

Both her legs tightened around his waist and his arms locked around her body imprisoning her on his lap. Not that she wanted to go anywhere because she enjoyed where she straddled now. Their breaths merged and a soft groan came from the back of his throat barely audible over the music.  That tingling at the juncture of her legs that had built up since his call ached for satiation. For the time being rocking against his bulge only took the edge off while the kiss burned through her like fire.

Teeth nipped his bottom lip even though she pulled back for air.  She glared down at him, and tugged at his silver hair.  “I don’t know what the hell you think you’re doing asking me to go to a boring conference with you,” she whispered.

“It’s you who are presupposing such things,” he murmured, hissing in delight as she released his lips then pressed another hungry kiss to his mouth. 

“Oh, you mean it won’t bolster your ego having a young woman on your arm while you talk to the rest of those doctors who like to make themselves feel important?” she teased.

“You read too many romance novels,” he huffed, then smirked.

“So whose ego do you have to cater to going to this thing? I know you don’t REALLY like schmoozing with the others year after year do you?” she chuckled.

“Have you ever seen what happens at one?” Ryuuken then asked her, holding her down on his lap.  “Before you presume to judge?  You may find it fascinating.”

“I’ll admit I’m curious,” she murmured, seeing the chink in his armor that showed a hint of his feelings being hurt, and surprise that he seriously wanted her to go for more than the obvious reasons.

“I know your interest in prosthetics used for athletes suffering limb loss, and I do know that you’ve read a great many articles about the latest advances in the field,” he murmured.

This time Tatsuki bent down for another kiss, the sort that involved slow traces of lips on his and a gentle coaxing of his mouth apart so she could explore at a more leisurely pace.  The sort of kiss that invoked a soft sigh and rubbing motions of his hands down her spine.  And kindled a bolt of electricity through them both.  Panting deeply she felt his hands sliding up her thighs at the same time her hands slid down his clothed chest.   The fumbling fingers that couldn’t unfasten clothes enough and the choking desire to show something that she didn’t want to put into words.

Only an inconvenient moment separated her from him as she stood up on shaky legs to let him help her off with her jeans pooling around her ankles.  Soon the inner surface of her thighs rubbed against his suit trousers.  Ryuuken’s strong hands held her off the slightest bit as she shifted material aside and boosted herself up with hands on his shoulders.

“I guess I don’t mind skirts a whole lot after all,” she muttered, gasping as he slid inside her.

“Nor do I,” he whispered into her ear, keeping completely still as she shifted on him.

Hard, hot, and invasive, but welcome.  She felt her toes curling a bit as she rocked back and he pushed up.  Her hands seized the cloth on his shoulders as his lips found hers and his tongue invaded her mouth this time.   At first irritated about the interruption into her own world she now relaxed reminded yet again of the benefits of sharing.

“Ry…” she gasped as he shifted one harder time forwards, accidentally pushing her into the table. His hand slung around to cradle the back of her neck. Without apologizing aloud he then gripped her backside and lifted her up enough to push the chair back so it was well away from the edge.

“Better?” he whispered, settling her into place again. Tatsuki nodded and glanced up at him gratefully.

“Even better if you let me sit in the chair,” she whispered.  Ryuuken nodded then carefully pulled out of her.  He lifted her to stand on shaky legs then helped her to sit in the chair as he dropped down on one knee and rested his hands on her thighs. Surprised he was going to go through with it Tatsuki rocked her head back.  He reached up, removing his glasses and tossing them to the table behind him.

Ryuuken’s silvery haired head dipped between her knees and Tatsuki tangled her fingers in it, scooting to the edge of the chair.  Seconds later the combined action of lips and tongue wrenched a loud groan from her mouth.  Even more her toes curled and legs lifted, held by his hands under her thighs. Soft nibbles and licks in strategic places drove her to the brink of insanity.  From below she heard a slight chuckling and gritted her teeth as she peered down. Her legs would have tightened around his neck if he hadn’t been holding them apart.

Then Ryuuken’s intimate kiss below deepened and she squeezed his shoulders hard, almost shredding the expensive fabric.  To think that the director of a hospital was on his knees giving her such attention in his own kitchen.  Then that distinction faded and all she could focus on was that it was the man she loved doing this, where titles had no meaning.

Panting and sweating she felt the second orgasm crash over her and Tatsuki’s legs dropped over his shoulders.  Straightening up Ryuuken shakily moved to his feet, and then pushed her back in the chair so he could sit straddling it with her atop his lap.  Almost crushed between his torso and the hard back of the chair she panted, breasts squished to his chest.  He’d unbuttoned his suit jacket so her blouse and his shirt rubbed and the buttons caught on each other.

Tatsuki wrapped her arms around his neck feeling his lips and tongue on her neck and rocked hard downwards for every stroke he slammed upwards into her.  Gasping and groaning as she heard the creaking of the chair she was sure wouldn’t hold up for long.   She almost lost her breath at the constant friction hard and deep.  Behind her something snapped and she felt herself pitching backwards for the fraction of an instant.  Ryuuken grunted in shock as he landed on the floor just short of toppling on top of her on the cold tile. Yet his hands braced forwards stopping them both as wood splintered and scattered everywhere.

“Are you Crazy?” Tatsuki snapped but soon stopped feeling the hard pressure of him inside, looming over her.

He’d landed on his knees rather painfully bruising them on the hard cold black tile, her legs tight around his waist in a death grip. Pieces of varnished wood were between one knee and the other while the seat was still under her bottom slightly.

“You aren’t hurt I presume,” was all he could say and Tatsuki wanted to smack him on the back of his head.

“I’ll be lucky you’re not picking splinters out of both of us in your emergency room,” she muttered as he shifted her to a clear place on the floor with the cold tile.  Shaking himself free of the debris he then reached down and scooped Tatsuki up in his arms.  She could swear he had used flying screen step because a quick series of movements later she found herself lying on the soft plush duvet.  Overhead his face bobbed into view as she shakily reached up and grabbed his tie.

Clothes methodically dropped to the floor as she helped Ryuuken disrobe and his slender form joined hers on the covers.  He peeled off her shirt and other garments so they were lying alongside one another and she scrambled over to him for the kiss he laid on her lips.  Again he slid his hands behind her thighs and she joined her body to his.

The interrupted mood was easily regained as she rolled atop him and he glanced up at her with passionate shortsighted eyes.  It didn’t take long for the dance to resume as she felt him invading, pushing and entering at the same time she contained and accommodated.  She swore if she closed her eyes she saw cobalt blue in the back of her eyelids at the culmination of friction.

Desperately their mouths locked in a kiss, swallowing each other’s cries.  Hot passion moved through her like molten silver. Even though the small rational part left functioning in the wake of intense tingles of bliss told her she was ‘protected’, she couldn’t help but wonder.  Shots and pills worked wondrous magic that a barrier also could, yet another part half hoped something would result. A tangible presence that indicated movement forward.

They lay together for a time listening to their heartbeats slowing.  Tatsuki endured the fumbling in the dark as he extracted a pack of cigarettes from the bedside table.  Before she could roll away she felt his arm pulling her towards him and rested against his body.  None of the smoke that drifted from his mouth seemed to reach her though she could see it curling towards the ceiling to dissipate into the shadows of the room.  Grateful for the blanket he pulled up over them both she watched him crush the half smoked cancer stick into the ashtray before turning over to curl up to her.

He usually finished the cigarette completely.

***

Hair slightly damp from the shower, Tatsuki belted the robe and entered the bedroom.  He already was buttoning a new shirt while a suitcase lay open on a stand in the side of the room.  Already he’d been packing by the looks of it.

“I guess it’s never too soon to get ready for that conference?” she asked, peering into it to see how painstakingly he’d arranged his clothes in neat little bundles strategically placed.

“Indeed,” Ryuuken said quietly, setting a pair of shoes in one corner.

Tatsuki reached into the closet and pulled out a small suitcase, flinging it onto the bed.  She reached into one of the nearby drawers and extracted some of her own clothes to place into her luggage.  Ryuuken glanced at her with surprise as he slipped his glasses on.

“Yes, I’m going,” she said looking back at him in slight irritation.

“If that is the case, then you should look in the closet as well,” he said.

“I saw the closet,” she shot back, pushing open the door and pulling out some clothes hanging in there to fold them as neatly as she could and laid them in her own bag.

“The other garment bag,” he said. “The one with the department store.  You may want to take its contents.”

Tatsuki unzipped the bag in question, then blinked as she noticed the neat navy blue business suit with an at the knee skirt.  A soft pastel blue blouse hung with it.  She turned to Ryuuken, a frown on her face.  “For me?” she asked.

“Were you expecting some frilly evening gown?” he asked.  “Or something in sequins?”

“Well,” she admitted as she carefully put the suit on the bed near the bag.  “It’s nice. Really nice and professional. But I don’t know if it’s something you’d wear to a cocktail party… they do have those sometimes at conferences.”

“Mmn,” he answered and pulled out another garment bag, but this one had the letters of some cursive boutique across it. He laid it over her suitcase, and then pulled out a box from under the bed that looked as if it contained shoes.

“Ryuuken?” she asked as she opened the box and bag.  A silver and blue gown below the knee with capped sleeves and a scoop neckline met her eyes.  Classic and respectable.  She then noticed a set of long silvery silky pants and realized it wasn’t so much a gown as a very nice pantsuit that could easily be taken for an evening gown because of the billowing nature of the bottoms.

“You hate skirts,” he said. Still shocked Tatsuki pulled the strappy sandals out of the shoebox.  The heel was only an inch high, but a kitten style. Perfect for her to walk in since she was unaccustomed to such shoes but knew the necessity of them for style.  On the whole the outfit was not too feminine, but just enough to look dress up and chic.  A smile came over her face and she turned to him. Ryuuken wasn’t surprised at the kiss she gave him.

“You’re absolutely right,” she acknowledged.  “And nobody’s feelings are hurt as a result.”

Ryuuken lifted an eyebrow at this but continued packing, a smirk coming over his face that looked more like a normal smile.