This Is Good, In a Bad Way

[Amy]

"Find me the next time you're in town"

His words echoed through Kiyo’s mind as she studied herself in the mirror, touching up the little makeup she wore. It had been over a month since she had been in Iwa and hooked up with the bannin, Lord Akari Kotaru. They had had a fast-burning, passionate night together that had dissolved into horrible awkwardness as soon as the fun ended. And Kiyo had no evidence to suggest that the cause of that awkwardness hadn’t been her. What she had asked for, what he had done because of it. In the moment, what had seemed like the right thing, ended up being the worst. She had been more than a little surprised when those words left his mouth right before he walked out of the room in the morning, figuring he wouldn’t want to see her again. For days after returning home, Kiyo thought about that night. She went over it again and again, trying to figure out why it had been so different with him.. Eventually, though, she gave up. She had liked him well enough but it apparently hadn’t gone both ways once his appetite was satiated. When he thought that maybe she wanted more from him. She was sure that he had told her to find him for the same reason he had chosen to stay even when he didn’t seem to want to. Kiyo had no idea what that reason was but it was the only thing that made sense. But still, she had been thinking about his words constantly since arriving in the village.

A loud knock on her hotel room brought her out of her silent musings. “One minute!” She gave herself one more look over, quite satisfied. She had her hair pinned up for the night, bangs framing her face and drifting across her forehead. Her black dress had a deep V not only in the front but also in the back with a covering of lace. The long sleeves were made entirely of lace and the only jewelry she wore was her family necklace. She dashed to the front door, slipping on her black heels and grabbing her wallet. She threw open the door to her room to find the rest of her team waiting for her in the same place they had been waiting ten minutes ago when she told them she needed five minutes. “Let’s go!

——————————

It took them much longer to get to the bar than Kiyo had expected. She usually didn’t stray very far from the hotel just to keep things easy but one of the guys had heard about this bar in the western district and wanted the whole team to go. Never one to rain on the parade, Kiyo had agreed, especially since it was their third night in the village and their first time going out. They had all worked late the first two evenings and had no time for anything more than a quick meal. They had finished up work that afternoon though, so they had a chance to let loose a little. The bar had all of her favorite things, luckily, including incredibly handsome men. She didn’t plan on taking any of them back to her room but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to have her fun. It wasn’t anything fancy but it was certainly not seedy, she had thought to herself when they first arrived. A place that she would have felt comfortable going to alone in the right circumstances.

Kiyo was sitting at the bar with her legs crossed, angled outward towards the room, her coworkers spread out amongst the other seats and tables nearby. Several men surrounded her, buying her drinks, and vying for her attention. The man standing directly in front of her was certainly trying the hardest to keep her attention, his hand resting on her bare knee as they spoke, his thumb rubbing in small circles. Occasionally, Kiyo would reach out and touch his wrist or the back of his hand in encouragement for him to keep it up. After all, she thought to herself as she offered him a particularly bright smile - sometimes, plans change.

[Kao]

Kotaru had no interest in working the morning after meeting Kiyo. Images of the night replayed in his head so vividly that it was impossible to hide the effect on his body, so he’d spent a lot of time seated behind his desk. As days passed his thoughts about her became less frequent - only once or twice a day rather than a near-constant loop. That gnawing, oppressive feeling still assaulted the edges of his mind, but less insistently if he made himself remember how Kiyo had looked in the dim light beneath him and in the brighter, warmer light of the morning sun.

A few days after Kiyo returned home, Kotaru ordered his subordinates to keep an eye out for her name and notify him when she returned. A few of them shot him furtive looks with raised brows or knowing smirks, but none of them were foolish enough to outright question the order. It took a month for him to finally get wind that she was back in the village. The first day, he was patient. The bannin assumed she was busy with shipments and audits and whatever other boring duties she had mentioned that evening. By the middle of the second day he couldn’t focus on his tasks. He expected her to reach out at any minute. But the day ended and a new day began with no word from Kiyo, and by the time the sun set on the third day he was annoyed.

“Is she still in the village?”

A pink haired kunoichi, face buried in a clipboard, startled at his sudden appearance in the hall. She hadn’t heard him coming. She hated when he did that. “Huh? Who?” Kotaru stared, aggravation pouring into his gaze, and the kunoichi gulped as she tried to figure out who he was talking about. When the lightbulb lit up in her head, she snapped her fingers. “Oh the Kiyo girl? No, she hasn’t departed.” Kotaru sauntered off, scowling.

It wasn’t hard to find her. When she first arrived he didn’t think it was necessary to keep close tabs on her but now he was glad he had decided to put his little network to use for personal matters. Kotaru didn’t often venture too far into the western district - too close to his childhood home and all that - but he supposed, with a sigh, that this was worth making an exception. The bar she’d chosen was nothing special. The moment he walked in the stench of sweat and liquor hit him, and the bannin briefly scrunched his face as he sifted through the crowd with his eyes and his nose.

He saw her and his breath hitched. Her clothes looked nothing like what she’d worn when they met. Then she had been casually professional. This was intentionally sensual and revealing and she looked absolutely mouth-watering. And to the bannin’s great irritation he wasn’t the only man who noticed. Kotaru rolled his eyes at the way Kiyo touched her…date, and the Akari decided he needed something to help him cool off. Kotaru tapped the counter to draw the bartender’s attention, hardly able to take his glare off the man with Kiyo.

“Ice.”

“Eh? You want a drink with that? We don’t really just-”

“Ice.” His glare shifted to the bartender, dripping with venom. ”Now.” The bartender held his hands up in a pacifying gesture, and seconds later slid over a tall glass of nugget-like ice. Kotaru moved to sit within her line of sight, then took in a mouthful and crunched, his glare cooling very, very slowly.

[Amy]

Kiyo felt his eyes the moment before she found them staring at her from a little ways down the bar. So, she thought to herself, he had meant it after all. It had taken days after her last visit for Kiyo to stop waking up flushed, the phantom sensation of his fingers still dancing across her skin. Days for her to stop thinking about the words he had whispered into her ear, the promises he had made good on. It had taken even longer to reconcile the way things ended and that she would likely never see him again. Even harder was accepting the way that that made her feel. But all of that and more came rushing back in a flurry as she held his gaze across that bar. Her own eyes were full of swirling emotions, all battling for their place in the forefront.

She knew the second she saw him, that she wanted to go to him. It was a sharp and sudden pull that refused to let her ignore it, wrapped around her gut and settling in deep. Tug after tug, it urged her to go to him. To apologize for not believing him. Apologize for letting so many nights go by when they could have spent them together. She wanted to tell him that the man standing in front of her meant absolutely nothing to her and that they could leave immediately and go somewhere more his speed. More his taste. But these strong feelings did not elicit joy in Kiyo and she did not move from where she was sitting. She didn’t want to feel drawn to him, enticed by him. Because as much as she had wanted him to be a good memory, the feelings that she had at the end of the night had prevented that and she did not want to feel that way again. Caution drifted across her features, a slight wariness working its way into her gaze. She wanted to be happy to see him but she found that she couldn’t let herself.

“Are you listening to me?” Kiyo pulled her gaze away from Lord Akari back to the man in front of her whose name she did not remember.

“No, I wasn’t,” she said, a less impressive smile pointing his way. “Tell me again.” The undeterred man began speaking again but Kiyo still wasn’t listening, she didn’t care at all about what he was saying.

She was too distracted thinking that somehow it wasn’t enough that he had shown up there to find her after what had happened. She wanted more. Kiyo knew that she should make the final move since he had come this far but she wouldn’t. At least, not yet. Not until she knew what he was thinking, what he really wanted from her. Would he stay, she considered through the light fog of tipsiness that plagued her, if she ignored him? How badly did he want her, she wondered. It was a dangerous game to play, one that could end up hurting her own feelings. And it was that thought that brought the bright smile back to Kiyo’s face.

Kiyo uncrossed her legs, instead lifting her leg that faced outward just high enough to balance the ball of her foot on the balance bar of the stool. Her knees were slightly parted, her dress riding up just slightly, just high enough that the stranger's hand drifted an inch or two further up. Kiyo wasn’t looking at him though, not as he talked about whatever inane topic he had thought of to keep her attention.

She only watched Lord Akari.

[Kao]

The second their gazes met everything stopped. Kotaru became deaf to the bar’s music and shouted conversations. The people around them, for a blissfully quiet second, vanished into nonexistence. He thought he could look at her for hours like this if he could, if it meant it brought such silence and peace. And then the spell broke, her gaze breaking away first. Kotaru belatedly recognized how unsure she had looked, how hesitant. His shoulders dropped an imperceptible amount at the realization that her reluctance to see him was because of how their evening had devolved from perfectly irresistible, explosive lust into an awkwardness that neither of them had been able to navigate.

For a moment his body recalled that discomfort, the realization that in giving her everything she desired he had done one of the two things he never allowed himself to do with his flings. In that moment he wondered if she felt what he didn't. If she felt regret and wished she could take back what she'd asked of him. Kotaru surprised himself when he realized he would probably do it all again in a heartbeat, and he had no idea what to make of that. The doubt and confusion that threatened to sprout in his gut perished when Kiyo gave that bastard a smile. The bannin’s jaw clenched, and he lifted the glass to his lips to find it in was already nearly empty.

They barely knew each other. She was free to do whatever she wanted. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen anyone else during the interim. Kotaru had met with one or two other women since Kiyo, but the experiences did nothing for him. It had been the same as the few rendezvouses he’d had since that day in the Arena. He’d found himself thinking too much, unable to enjoy any of it, and he had resigned himself to being less than halfhearted about pleasing them then sending them on their way. Things were different with Kiyo. Not only different, but better than anything he felt in a long time. He hadn’t felt that calm since -

His throat went completely dry when she shifted her legs, opening her thighs to him. Kotaru inhaled, able to catch her scent even through dozens of smells that blanketed the bar. It called to him, and it took every ounce of self-control in his body to keep his expression unchanged. His vision unfocused while he took in that intoxicating smell, and when he remembered himself Kotaru found her looking at him once again.

He couldn’t read her expression. There was something inviting about that look, and he could swear there was a trace of patient anticipation there. But there was the chance that look wasn’t because of the bannin, but was because of the guy’s hand that was slowly wandering up her thigh. That he was merely interrupting. The possibility made his blood begin to boil. Kotaru crunched the last of his ice and slid from his seat, eyes glued to her.

“Lord Akari!” Someone blocked his path, someone wearing an obnoxiously sparkly blue dress. He reluctantly eased his eyes away from Kiyo’s and onto the face of a vaguely familiar woman. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you at a bar.” She leaned in, unnecessarily, so he could hear her over the din. “You’re not drinking! Let me recommend you something. I know you don’t like alcohol, right?” The remembered her then. The hostess from the izakaya. Kotaru glanced at Kiyo with his brow raised, and then he gave her a slow smirk and a shrug as he allowed the woman to usher him back into his seat. If Kiyo had a new plaything to flaunt, he supposed he could find one of his own.

[Amy]

Kiyo felt her very essence turn to ice when that…woman from the izakaya stepped between her and Lord Akari. He had stood up, she had seen the fire starting to ignite in his eyes. Her invitation had been well read and he was going to retrieve her from the hands of the previously attractive but now less than mediocre man that stood in front of her. She was absolutely sure of it. In that brief moment, pure satisfaction had settled over her. It sunk deep into her being, wrapping around her heart and bringing her a sense of relief that she hadn’t ruined everything by not reaching out. That she hadn’t ruined everything in the dim light of that hotel room. There were so very many ways that she wanted to apologize to him for misunderstanding his intentions and assuming he had been speaking out of nothing but empty kindness. She still didn’t understand, but at least if he would talk to her, maybe he would explain.

But now, Kiyo only wondered how many different ways she could torment the woman who had stepped between them. She had recognized the woman within the gaudy dress instantly. It seemed that she had become more bold since the last time Kiyo had been in town and it was no wonder what had urged her into action. There was a part of her that expected Lord Akari to push by her, based on how little attention he had paid her last time they were all in a room together. But no, it seemed that he also had a newfound interest in her, easily ushered back into his seat, his eyes quickly finding hers again. And all at once, the icy feeling was gone and replaced with something far hotter than rage. Her own brows raised in response to his smirk and the smile that slowly blossomed across her face conveyed exactly what she was thinking. If he wanted to play, they could play. After all, they were so good at it.

“Hey, you know him?” Kiyo pulled her eyes away from Lord Akari to look back at the man she couldn’t believe she had ever been interested in. His boring brown hair and his boring plain blue eyes nearly disgusted her. Any appeal had been lost the moment he had laid eyes on her again and reignited all of those feelings from their time together.

“Yeah, kinda,” she replied, her mind busy thinking of how she could provoke him. She was not going to go over there, not yet. She would not give him that satisfaction unless it was her last option. No one had ever tried to play these games with her and something inside of her needed to see how far they would take it. She needed to see who would break first. “We met last time I was here. Hey, can you do me a favor and go find Harue and ask what time he plans on heading out? He’s the guy you talked to when I first got here.” The guy gave her a weird look but did as she asked, stepping out onto the busy floor. As soon as he was gone, Kiyo turned to the bartender, a saccharine smile on her face. “Do you have a pen and paper I could borrow?”

Once in hand, Kiyo wasted no time jotting down her thoughts. Dearest Lord Akari, it started, very respectfully. What a coincidence to run into each other again like this. I’m glad to see you were not missing my company too much. Of course, Kiyo was only so strong and as she started writing faster, her words became more bold. It’s unfortunate to see that your taste has worsened so much after a single night with me. I’ll take full responsibility, of course. She hummed to herself for a moment before smiling to herself. I do indeed hope that she’ll be able to satisfy you by- And Kiyo went into great detail regarding the specifics of what had happened in her hotel room the moment they had stumbled through the door. Every detail about how and where she had touched him and the sounds that he had made in response. She left nothing out, ending the note with a simple: Your friend, Kiyo.

Her not-date had just gotten back as she finished writing, folding and creasing the paper in half. She held it out to the bartender with a wide smile. “Can you deliver this to Lord Akari down that way please? Thank you.” She turned back to the man in front of her, grabbing him by the wrist and placing his hand back on her leg, hoping that Lord Akari enjoyed her little note.

[Kao]

What a beautiful smile. Within it was an understanding, an acceptance of the challenge that Kotaru had laid out in front of her. He'd taken a gamble despite his uncertainty about how she felt or what she wanted, and that gamble had paid off. He hadn't missed the look of loathing that Kiyo had given his new toy. That blatant jealousy of hers would be a well-used piece in their game. Feeling emboldened by the knowledge that she clearly cared enough to play along, he turned to the hostess and made a show of looking her up and down. "The name's Minako, by the way." she said with a flip of her dirty blonde hair. Kotaru knew immediately he'd forget it before the night was over. "I know some of what you like," she tittered, "but I wanna know more." She said it with such a clumsily executed seductive tone that he almost scoffed. Or was the reason it sounded so unappealing to him was because she'd also tried to sound demure? He couldn't tell, but he knew that had he not had a purpose for her, he would have immediately waved her away.

Kotaru did his best to indulge Minako as she tried to figure out what to order on his behalf. When he glanced over to Kiyo her date had disappeared and she was bent over the bar, a pen moving at lightning speed across a sheet of paper. He tilted his head, curious. "Isn't that the girl you were with at Imai?" She tried to sound casual, but Kotaru could sense her irritation. The bannin looked back to her, a slight smirk on his face. She was the perfect game piece.

"Yeah. So?" He added a shrug and left it at that. The hostess seemed satisfied with his answer and the return of his attention, so she brushed her hand against his then turned to get a bartender's attention. Immediately there was a tap on his shoulder, and a different bartender slid a folded sheet of paper in his hand. He glanced at Kiyo, then at Minako, and then he unfolded the page and started reading. He couldn't hide the amusement in his eyes. That amusement quickly turned unto surprise when her words turned salacious, and he slowly licked his lips as her words painted a vulgar picture in his mind. His eyes lingered on the way she'd ended the note. Your friend, Kiyo. Friend. A bold assertion.

Suddenly the letter was ripped from his hands. His knee-jerk reaction was outrage, but then he saw Minako grinning at him drunkenly, waving the paper in his face. The bannin quickly took it back, and she giggled annoyingly. "I wanna see, Lord Akari~!" The hostess reached for it, and he saw her ploy for what it was. But instead of stopping it he played along, holding the paper out to his side so she had to reach across him if she hoped to get it back. Minako giggled as her hip grazed his knee and she conveniently stumbled, perfectly timed so that she fell across him with a hand pressed against his chest for balance. Kotaru contributed to the show by wrapping his arm around her waist and then gripping her hip so she was very firmly in his lap. Her eyes widened when she felt his slight arousal, and the way she looked screamed she had misattributed her touch as the cause of his excitement. Minako's face turned red, but her apparent shock and embarrassment didn't stop her from looking to Kiyo and conveying a very clear and smug message:

You must not have been very good.

[Amy]

A hushed peal of laughter tumbled out of Kiyo as she watched Lord Akari read the letter she had so caringly crafted for him. She enjoyed every emotion that drifted across his face from the confusion, to the delight, to the lust. She struggled to keep her laugh restrained when the hostess grabbed her letter from his hands and tried to read it. Kiyo hoped that she would, and realize how outmatched she was not only as a sexual partner but also as a woman. Lord Akari did not seem to share her thoughts, snatching away the letter and holding it out of her reach. “I’m glad we share the same sense of humor. We should go see a show the next time you’re here.” Kiyo shifted her eyes to the man, tilting her head and parting her lips slightly, keeping an eye on the other duo out of the corner of her eye.

“I’m usually busy when I’m here so that may not be possible but I’ll keep it in…mind.” So, the woman thought she was coy, Kiyo thought to herself as she ‘fell’ into his lap. The redness of the woman’s face was enough to tell Kiyo that her letter had had more than the desired effect on Lord Akari who was holding the woman in place. She wondered what the woman thought of the hardness pressed against her and if she thought that her silly flirting was the cause of it. That thought infuriated Kiyo even more than the look that was being thrown her way. Kiyo huffed loudly through her nose, giving the woman almost no reaction and not looking at Lord Akari at all. “You never know though. Things can change. Let’s focus on tonight for now though.” After he accepted her excuse, Kiyo removed herself to the restroom to freshen up, her eyes glued straight ahead as she walked past the still cuddled together duo.

As soon as she was in the bathroom, Kiyo let out a shuddering sigh. She was used to the busy, loud, energetic atmosphere of bars and clubs but the tenseness in her shoulders wasn’t due to the usual things. It was because of him. Because of how infuriating he was, which was entirely unfair of her because she had started it. Both by not reaching out in the first place and by purposefully trying to provoke him. But it was also his fault. He was the one who had gotten weird first. She didn’t want to think about that either, but it was the only thing that Kiyo could focus on without feeling confused about why she hated seeing that tramp perched in his lap. Why she hated seeing his arm wrapped around her waist like it belonged there. She wanted an excuse for the fact that they were sitting halfway down the bar from each other but she would still swear she could feel sparks between them. She needed an excuse for why, when they hadn’t spoken a single word to each other, her body was already aroused. With a heavy sigh, Kiyo shook herself lightly and steadied herself in the mirror. She would not give up so easily.

Rolling her eyes, seeing that he hadn’t deposited her back into her seat, Kiyo walked up directly behind the two, her heels gently clicking against the floor. She placed her hand on Lord Akari’s shoulder and bent down, her mouth hovering directly next to his ear. The words were only meant for him but she couldn’t guarantee the hostess wouldn’t also hear them. “You should have let her read it.” She straightened up, leaning across the bar and tapping one of the non-alcoholic drinks on the menu without looking to see what it was. “You should get him this one.” Smiling sweetly at the woman, Kiyo didn’t wait to give them a chance to respond, settling herself back in front of her own toy.

“Do you want to get out of here?” His hand brushed against hers, fingers interlacing. He had leaned in so close that Kiyo could see Lord Akari directly over his shoulder. Kiyo rested her chin on the man's shoulder, blinking slowly. She spoke clearly so that both men would know what she was saying.

“Soon.”

[Kao]

As Kiyo walked past, Kotaru struggled to keep his attention on the woman draped across his lap. She shot Kiyo another smug look as she dragged a finger down his arm, clearly delighting in how Kotaru’s gaze didn’t follow Kiyo as she disappeared down the hall leading to the bathroom. Kotaru briefly considered following her but since that would cut the game short he stayed put, keeping the dreadfully uninteresting hostess in his lap. A short while later she reappeared, seemingly heading back to her seat. But she stopped to place a hand on his shoulder, and the bannin’s heart skipped at the contact. He immediately wanted her hands all over him, touching his bare skin instead. He nearly leaned in when she whispered in his ear, lips dangerously close to his earlobe. In an instant Kotaru was transported to the night they’d met, when her breathy moans had washed over him as he pushed into her. Heat pooled low in his abdomen and he had to blink several times to refocus. He felt Minako shift but hardly paid it any attention, this time unable to help himself. He watched with eyes glued to her ass as she sashayed back to her seat.

Kotaru paused when she sat down and the bastard she’d been talking to took her hand. He didn’t just take it; their fingers laced together and he found the sight so obscene and offensive that his lips briefly curled into a silent snarl. The bannin was able to press his lips together into a more neutral expression, but the fire still burned behind his eyes. He held her gaze when she looked at him with her chin on the guy’s shoulder and mouthed the word Soon, not bothering to hide how much he did not like her current company.

“What is this?” The bannin granted Minako a disinterested gaze, aggravation still blazing within it. The hostess was staring back, frowning in disbelief as she looked from the letter open in her hand to Kotaru. She scoffed as she waved it then let it fall to the countertop. “Is she for real? Can’t take a hint huh? Delusional bitch.” She yelped when Kotaru stood up suddenly, nearly falling onto the floor. Her surprise shifted into fear when he saw the look he gave her. A shadow crossed his eyes, and quiet rage practically rolled off him in waves.

“Delusional bitch, huh?” Minako gulped in response, confused and terrified. Her hands shook as she dreaded what would come next. To her relief Kotaru simply turned on his heel and walked to Kiyo. Anger lingered in his seafoam green eyes, but when he’d looked back to Kiyo it had quickly cooled to irritation. “Come outside.” His tone was softer than his glare, though not by much. “Unless you’re unable to peel yourself away from this.”

[Amy]

Kiyo sat up suddenly when Lord Akari stood so quickly the hostess nearly collapsed onto the floor. She couldn’t hear what was being said over the music and the conversations surrounding her but the open letter on the bar gave her a pretty good idea of the topic. There were a slew of things the hostess could have thought to call her based on the explicit details Kiyo had included and it seemed that she had chosen the wrong one to say to her ‘date’. Despite the intense anger not being directed at her, Kiyo was not so foolish to believe that she had not contributed to his current state and she found herself flooded with a confusing barrage of emotions at the thought. Slowly, her hand withdrew from the stranger’s hand as she tried to separate what she was feeling into something identifiable. Her lips parted softly, soundless breaths tumbling from her. Slow breaths, at first, but faster as he stalked towards her. She wanted to look away from his oppressive stare but it was like she was trapped in his eyes, held at his mercy. A place she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to be and a place she knew she never wanted to escape from.

Her previously quiet breaths hitched slightly when he stopped at her side and spoke, his words nearly as sharp as his gaze. The thought washed through her mind that maybe she had pushed him just a little bit too far and she knew that she should feel sorry about it. But the truth was that the longer she stared up into his eyes the more clear the emotions swirling through her became. Sure, there was the expected thread of fear as she got her first glimpse of the smallest amount of anger that had contributed to his fame. But it was not only fear that that gaze was calling forth from her. Kiyo could feel the heat building in her face, she could hear the rate of her heartbeat increase. More than that, she could feel the arousal between her legs intensify. Despite the fact that she could hardly register his words over the high-pitched ringing that had suddenly started in her ears, she knew what he had said.

“We can go,” she said, not bothering to excuse herself to the stranger. She somehow didn’t think that he was going to try to compete with Lord Akari. Only when she was standing did he move to walk out of the bar, not saying anything else to her. She followed at a slightly slower speed, trying to give herself some time to think before they were alone. She held her wallet tightly with both hands, resisting the urge to fiddle with her hands. What was he going to say? She had no idea, not even the smallest inkling of what was going to come out of his mouth. Was he going to ask her what she was doing? Why she was playing these games? Was he going to ask, did she not want to see him again? Worse, was he going to tell her that she had fucked it all up and he never wanted to see her again? Kiyo didn’t think it could get any worse than that. Unfortunately, she was wrong again. Because instead of any of that, he didn’t say anything at all.

Kiyo put a lot of effort into keeping her uncertainty off of her face though she could do nothing about the fear and lust that still lingered in her expression. “So…” She swallowed heavily, tilting her head to the side with an appeasing smile on her face, a dash of amusement in her eyes. “Probably not a coincidence, huh?”

[Kao]

Kotaru's scowl parted the growing crowd. The pair still had to rub shoulder to shoulder with a patron here and there, but for the most part everyone naturally moved out of the bannin's path. On a good day people usually avoided getting in his way but the displeasure written all over his face ensured that no one would even accidentally slow the pair's departure. As the two walked, free from those opportunists' clutches, Kotaru felt like he could finally think. His mind filled with the different ways the upcoming conversation could go. Everything that he thought of sounded too harsh, or had way more emotion than he thought was necessary. But he was annoyed at the situation, annoyed at that bastard she'd been chatting up. But most of all he was utterly exasperated at himself for being annoyed in the first place. The bannin had met Kiyo once. Exactly once, a little over a month ago. It had been one of the better experiences he'd ever had, sure, but it was supposed to be a one night stand. It was a one night stand but he had found himself wanting to see her so badly that he went out of his way to seek her out.

She hadn't. Kiyo had completely blown him off. He'd been rejected before but he'd never cared. This upset him more than it should and Kotaru didn't know how to even begin to digest what it meant. Seeing her with that guy had set his teeth on edge, and listening to some random groupie insult her was unendurable. He recognized it as jealousy and that realization made no sense to him. He had never before felt anything akin to jealously when it came to a hookup. Not even once. When they were outside and several paces away from the bar's entrance she spoke, and Kotaru shot her a side glance that could have melted glass, though the rest of his face softened the look by twisting into mild incredulity. Finally, when the two were near the end of the block he turned and stood barely a full pace in front of her.

Kotaru had lost their little game by breaking first. Any amusement he'd shown her was gone, left behind in the bar. Still, after her disarming smile he found himself making a conscious effort to not let too much of his frustration seep into his expression. The man had considered brushing off his feelings and turning on the charm, but at that point he was too bothered and couldn't manage it. He looked into her eyes, trying to find the words. "I thought I told you to let me know when you were in Iwa next." His voice was low and even and brusque. "Were you just-" He stopped himself, the words already jumbling on his tongue. The longer he looked at Kiyo the more he felt that the situation was fragile, and the last thing he wanted was to smash it by being careless. Kotaru broke their eye contact and instead looked just to the left of her at nothing in particular. Several long, tense seconds passed by, only ending when he inhaled deeply and then sighed through his nose. Instead of meeting her eyes again he raised them to peer into the dark, cloudy sky.

"Are you hungry?"

[Amy]

Two simple words had never tasted so heavy on her tongue before. Every cell in her body was screaming at her to say the words. Kiyo could count on one hand the amount of times she had apologized for reading a situation wrong. She had apologized even fewer times for playing a situation wrong. And she could tell that she had really messed this one up. He had taken the time out of his schedule to track her down, to find out what bar or hotel or restaurant she was at. And when he succeeded at that she had thrown it in his face and made a game of it instead of just letting herself be relieved that he had in fact wanted to see her again. Shame nipped at her as she watched him struggle to find the words to say to her. She opened her mouth once but quickly shut it again, figuring that her sense of humor had done enough damage for one night.

Her body was so tense that she could hardly stand still, her fingers clenching and unclenching on her wallet. He had turned so unexpectedly that she hadn’t had a chance to back up and all and now they stood so close it was hard to breathe. All she could do was watch him watch her and wait. And when he finally did speak all she could do was offer him something that was supposed to be a smile but looked more like a wince because she didn’t have a reason to give, the reason why she hadn’t reached out. Not there, at least, not standing in the middle of the street. She needed more time than that to figure out how to explain it to him. She just needed more time and she hoped that he would give it to her even if she didn’t deserve it. Last time, when he had struggled with what to say to her she had been overcome with the urge to reach out to him. He had stood up first though, her hand landing on nothing but the empty spot where he had sat. At that time, she was almost glad.

This time, right as he finally spoke again, her fingertips connected with his forearm. She didn’t grab him and she didn’t even hold onto him. She simply let her fingertips rest against him. It felt like barely any contact, less than she gave her acquaintances that she saw once a year. And yet, it felt like so much more. It made her think of the first time she had touched him, her hand wrapped around his wrist. “Yes, very” she replied, much too quickly to pretend that she wasn’t relieved. Her voice was deadly serious so that he could not possibly think that she didn’t mean it, her brow lowering as if to accentuate the feeling behind her words.

Still, she didn’t move, not her feet or her hand. “I would love to get dinner with you. My treat this time though.” She continued to watch him, looking for any sign in his expression that could help her say the right thing. Somehow, she worried that if she startled him with the wrong response he would realize how foolish it was to give her another chance. Now that she knew things weren’t over yet, that she could still try to explain, a real smile worked its way across her face. For the first time in what felt like hours, she took a breath that felt easy. Kiyo was good at talking and she was even better at explaining. All she needed was the chance. She was more than ready to get started, there was just one problem.

“I’ve never been here before though, so…I don't know where anything is. You lead.”

[Kao]

The moment Kiyo's fingertips touched his arm, Kotaru's breath hitched. He could barely feel her gentle touch through the thick layers of his jacket but the change in pressure againsthis skin was more than enough to draw his attention. Slowly, he lowered his eyes from the sky and his gaze found hers. It took mere seconds for Kotaru to cool and melt all at once. The tension in his shoulders eased and he felt himself relax the moment she spoke. Kiyo's tone clearly conveyed that she'd abandoned their game and her sincerity blanketed them both. She stood very still and so did he, and he waited for her to say something, to do anything. Her offer to pay for their meal caused the bannin to give a small shake of his head.

"Absolutely not. You're my guest." The refusal didn't exactly come from a place of chivalry. The man simply didn't want to feel like a burden to others in any way. Years of looking out for himself as a child ensured he would continue the habit as an adult, even when he didn't have to. He wasn't sure if she'd noticed that the extravagant room service charge was taken off her bill the morning after, but he could only assume that was the reason behind her offer. "Plus, I'm overpaid. So don't worry about paying for anything." He thought of where he could take her that was nearby, eventually realizing there was nothing close to their locations he felt was worth a visit.

"There's a place northeast of here, in the Underground. It's a bit of a walk though." Kotaru raised his brow and looked her up and down, noticing she wasn't dressed for the weather. There was a sharp chill in the air and Kiyo had no jacket in sight. The Akari channeled his chakra so quickly she likely wouldn't notice, then he briefly raised his left hand. Five tiny flickering flames bloomed, creating a sphere of warmth around the pair. Kotaru turned to head north, pausing long enough for her to fall into step next to him.

The firelights followed them, casting parts his face in shadows and highlighting others. His face was a mask that gave away very little of what he was thinking. On the outside he had calmed. Inside, however, he was still swirling with confusion and uncertainty. A feeling akin to self-consciousness curled up in his chest and he initially kept his eyes straight ahead in case it leaked into his expression. Questions gathered in the back of his throat and settled, forming a lump, and he struggled against the urge to physically try to swallow it down. Only a few paces into their trek, the bannin decided he had to fill the silence or else he'd crack further. They walked for a short while before he glanced over and asked, purposefully vaguely, "So. What kept you?'

[Amy]

Kiyo simply pursed her lips at his refusal to let her pay for dinner, letting it go uncontested. Her first instinct was to bristle at the refusal but she thought, maybe this time she could just take him at his word instead of assuming something else. So, that could be a discussion another day, another time, when things were not already so delicate between them. Instead, she nodded softly at his suggestion, having no qualms with him leading her to the Underground. She had never been there before, either. “I don't mind,” she said, the words having barely left her mouth when the small orbs of fire appeared. Of course he had noticed how terribly unprepared for the weather she was. She was used to the chill in the air in Kiri, but Iwa was something else entirely and despite her best intentions she always seemed to forget that. Her fingers reached out towards one of the orbs, not touching, just close enough to feel the heat coming off of them. “Thanks.”

As she fell into step beside him she couldn’t help but glance over periodically, watching the way he kept his eyes glued forwards. He was so guarded, she thought to herself. Not once had she been able to tell what he was thinking from his expressions alone. And even when he spoke, there was something about it that felt…calculated. Not in a manipulative sort of way, she didn’t think, but more like he was afraid of accidentally saying too much. Like he was afraid that she might see too much of him if let the wrong words slip. It was something that Kiyo understood well, that desire to control exactly what people saw of you and what people thought of you. Whether it was good or bad, there was a power that existed in forcing people to see you a certain way. She had been holding onto that power for a long time.

When his question permeated the air she offered him a quiet “Hmm,” so that he would know that she heard him. It didn’t seem like she would get to use the walk to finish figuring out what she was going to say after all. She sighed lightly through her nose, folding her arms behind her back, turning her own eyes forward.

“I thought a lot about our night together. I found it impossible not to, honestly. But thinking about the afterwards when things got…awkward, I got the feeling that you weren't used to staying. Staying the night, I mean. I figured it was either that, or, after the lusty haze had cleared you just realized you didn't like me much after all.” Kiyo laughed slightly, trying to make it not sound so important. Like that it had mattered to her, whether he liked her or not. She had always been good at communicating, good at being honest even when it didn’t benefit her. The struggle she was having now was to keep her explanation simple and casual.

“But, either way, you still stayed. So, it seemed like there must be a reason to force yourself. And it was easy to think that maybe you only said what you did the next morning for the same reason, whatever that reason was. Maybe it was just to be nice, for all I knew. “Find me next time” has a better ring to it than “thanks for the fuck” does.” This time, Kiyo was the one who let her eyes drift towards the sky, her chin lifting just slightly. She was saying too much, a tightness working its way through her chest into her stomach.

“On the way here I thought maybe I would anyway, find you, just in case you were serious. But…” This was the part that she hadn’t figured out until she had seen him. Why she hadn’t even given it a shot, why she hadn’t even tried. “I thought I had upset you. With.... Kiyo flushed, frustrated with why she couldn't just say what she meant. She never had any issues talking about sex before. “With what I asked for. And so I really couldn't imagine you wanted to see me again. The thought of you looking at me in that cold, dismissive way you looked at that hostess…I couldn't do it. If I showed up and you looked at me like that, it would have been worse than you not looking at me at all.” Kiyo smiled joylessly at the sky. “I think it actually would have really hurt my feelings. But then, you showed up at the bar and I didn’t know what to think because I really had thought you were just being nice. I needed some time to think and I thought it would be fun to tease you.” The tightness in her stomach dropped lower when she recalled the look on his face when she had invited him to play. Like he was hungry for her.

“And then I let it go too far.” Regret laced her words, a heavy sigh following as she finally looked back over at Lord Akari. Her eyes were soft, imploring. “I guess this was a long explanation for the simple answer that nothing kept me, I just got in my own way. I won’t make you wait next time.”

[Kao]

At first he thought she wouldn't answer. The hum she gave sounded as though she wanted to stall, to give herself some time to think of something to say that would placate him. Kotaru immediately decided he wouldn't push it if that were the case. Even though it bothered him. Even though his gut felt like a cemented clump of confusion and self-consciousness with a sprinkle of hurt in the mix. It wasn't a completely foreign feeling, and that was what had him so hesitant. Scared, even. This sensation, this sense of impending rejection felt like heartbreak in its infant stages. So he steeled himself, ready for Kiyo to offer up her excuse.

The walls he built around himself felt as though they were thickening when she described how awkward things had turned that night, but when Kiyo said she thought he didn't like her Kotaru's expression softened, just slightly, as his chest twisted. That was the furthest thing from the truth. For the first time the thought fully formed: he liked her. He'd liked her immediately. From the moment she sat next to him and batted those long lashes at him and called his horns 'charming,' he was intrigued. The potent lust that followed had surprised him. He'd tried to reign it in, to prolong the time they spent fully dressed rather than immediately take her to bed. It didn't work out that way but he didn't regret a moment of their time together. That lack of regret was another matter entirely, one he didn't want to think about, especially in that moment.

So he didn't look at her. The bannin thought a look from him at that moment might make her stop talking, so he kept his eyes forward as they neared the trolley station that villagers could ride to the Underground rather than walking down the long, spiraling path in the center of each district. His firelights kept them warm, but he still walked nearly shoulder to shoulder with her to feel her body heat. Kotaru's lips twitched downward when Kiyo admitted she thought he was just being being nice that morning. Truthfully, 'thanks for the fuck' wasn't far off from what he'd told some of his one night stands. But even after one meeting he didn't think he could take that tone with her. He couldn't look at her the way he'd looked at that hostess, at that waitress, at any of the women he'd fucked out of habit just because they were decent lays.

The Akari wanted to reassure her. He wanted Kiyo to know that this wasn't at all what she feared. That what she'd asked of him hadn't upset him, but had confused him - especially because he was more than ready and wiling to do it. That he'd been taken aback and hurt when she didn't tell him she was back in Iwagkure. It wasn't because of some bruised ego of a man with a reputation for being a womanizer. He liked her, and he wanted her to know. But the words weighed too heavily on his tongue. Speaking his mind usually wasn't that difficult of a task, but when it came to expressing his feelings Kotaru often went mute.

By the time she finished speaking they were near the trolley platform. The machinery of the station made the air around them warmer than it was elsewhere in the village, but Kotaru didn't step away from her or extinguish his jutsu. The way her skin glowed in the firelight was too beautiful.

The way she looked at him made him stop, then he moved directly in front of her. He moved so quickly that he held his hands out in anticipation, so he could catch her before she fully crashed into him. Kotaru paused, searching her eyes for a long while. There was no manipulation there, and her words hadn't felt empty. The knot deep in his stomach melted, and where that lump had been something fluttered. He allowed a smirk to grace his lips, and it widened into a smile. "Next time, huh?" A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. "Lucky me."

[Amy]

Kiyo felt like she couldn’t breathe. She had said so much, more than she had initially intended. She didn’t know why it was so important to her that he understood why she had done all that she had done. Maybe it was his burst of anger in the bar or the exasperation in his voice when they exited the bar. Most likely, though, it was the way he asked what kept her. It had been such a simple question and he asked it in an almost off hand manner but she could sense the weight behind it. Like he was already preparing himself to be disappointed. And more than anything she felt, she didn’t want to disappoint him.

But now, she was just waiting and it was killing her. Surely, if he continued to stare at her in that way he would drain the life from her. He had startled her when he moved to stand in front of her, so close that his grip on her arms was the only thing that kept them from being pressed against each other. Just as she opened her mouth, no longer to withstand the silence, he smiled at her.

And it was the most beautiful thing that Kiyo could have ever asked to see at that moment. He offered so few of them. She wasn’t cold anymore, not between the station machines, the fire lights, and the body heat radiating from Lord Akari. But still, a new warmth blossomed through her at the sight of that smile. That smile told her more than any speech could. It told her that he accepted what she said and the promise behind her words.

It wouldn’t happen again.

Her hands reached up and grabbed the sides of his jacket, tugging him closer to her. So close that if either one of them leaned forward on their toes they would be pressed against each other. “Yes.” Her voice was steady but there was an unmistakable hint of relief to her tone. “Lucky you indeed. Lucky me too though.” All night they had been dancing around each other and the tension that was strung between them. Now, with that tension cleared, everything that Kiyo felt in the first moment she saw him in that bar came rushing back. And she wanted him to move his hands down her arms. She wanted him to wrap them around her waist. She wanted him to pull her in a-

The sound of the arriving trolley interrupted her train of thought that had been bringing a healthy glow to her face. She sighed, not unhappily. There would be time for that later. For now, she was actually interested in having a nice meal with him. “Ready to go?”

Once on the trolley, Kiyo chose to remain standing, leaning back against one of the support rails. She crossed her arms under her chest, watching Lord Akari. A small smile played across her lips now that things felt normal between them again. She raised an eyebrow at him, her head tilting slightly to the side. “So, how did you find me anyways? Are you going to have me followed every time I’m here?” A wider grin grew on her face as she looked him up and down. “Guess it’s a good thing I didn’t go anywhere…unsavory.”

[Kao]

Kotaru followed Kiyo into the trolley, her words still ringing pleasantly in his ears. 'Lucky me too. Lucky me too.' Still smiling he eased into the spot next to her and leaned his back against the horizontal railing on the trolley wall. He rocked back and forth, and he turned his head to her when she asked him a question. The man had never felt anything remotely close to embarrassment when it came to having people followed. And yet, he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and grimaced. "Uh...." He cleared his throat, leaning forward so that he had to look up at her through his bangs. "Let's just say I'm good at finding people. Technically my people keep tabs on every foreign shinobi that steps foot in the village." The bannin paused, stopping himself from saying something like 'You're not special.' That was, of course, far from the truth but he couldn't find the nerve to tell her that. So he pivoted.

"You? Somewhere unsavory? Can't imagine it." He stood upright and grabbed the bar behind him, amusement dancing in his eyes. At that moment the trolley bell dinged, and a long hiss of steam sounded as the vehicle began its descent. "You're as pure and innocent as freshly fallen snow. I'm sure you wouldn't dream of being where the rabble goes to play and get their rocks off." Despite his words that were dipped in sarcasm he could almost imagine her there in the clubs, dancing to pounding music beneath colorful lights. It wasn't his scene, but she seemed like the type who would enjoy that kind of atmosphere. That wasn't his plan for the night. Kotaru wanted to take her somewhere private. Somewhere intimate. His heart thudded in his chest when the word date swirled around his mind.

Darkness fell suddenly as the trolley dipped below ground, the only source of light momentarily coming from the three lamps on the ceiling. There was the occasional flicker of small lights that illuminated the tunnel, and they cast gentle yellow light into the carriage as it moved further underground. He nodded to the windows that spread from floor to ceiling, giving them a panoramic view of what lay outside. The trolley groaned as it slid down the metal rails, the small lights lining the tunnel suddenly vanishing.

And then, an explosion of light and color. The Underground, more than twice the size of the village above, was spread beneath them. It was bathed in a soft, ethereal glow from the lights and lanterns that dotted the darkness like stars. The buildings there were huge, some of them three times as tall as those above ground. North of of the underground village was a lake that glimmered and shimmered from the village lights. Kotaru glanced at the scene outside for only a moment. He was much more interested in seeing the way Kiyo looked, how her glow put the village's to shame. As the trolley came to a stop, the man slid his hand to the small of her back. "I hope you don't mind," he breathed, "if we go somewhere without a crowd. I want you to myself tonight."

[Amy]

“Mmhmm,” Kiyo murmured as he avoided answering her question directly, looking a bit flustered even. She made special note of the fact that he looked quite adorable when slightly flustered, with the way his hair draped around his face and his eyes took on an almost boyish charm as he looked up at her. There was a part of her that wondered if she shouldn’t be bothered by the fact that he had her followed. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe the technical truth behind what he said but she got the feeling he didn’t often follow up on the whereabouts of every foreign shinobi in his village. She got the very distinct feeling, in fact, that she was a special case. And something about that simmered inside of Kiyo, licking along her nerves, bringing a heat back to her gaze that had temporarily simmered out during their brief but serious conversation.

His teasing words were music to her ears. She wasn’t stupid, she knew that bars and clubs and loud music and dancing were not his scene. He was not at ease around the large crowd of cascading bodies and thrumming beat that set her alight. But, she didn’t need him to be. When she was with him her heart beat faster than it ever had at any club. When he touched the soft skin at the nape of her neck and the inside of her hips, a hundred bodies couldn’t replicate the electricity he created. She knew that there was no beat in the clubs more enticing than the small breathy sounds he made as he traced her soft curves with his mouth. The clubs and the drinking and the throwaway men were all things she hid behind. And they all seemed utterly worthless when standing next to him.

Kiyo didn’t know what to think. She had never wanted to see a man again after a one night stand. There had, in fact, never been someone she had taken to bed twice. Once was a good time. Twice opened up the possibility for more. And that was never something Kiyo had been willing to consider. But now, in the trolley of a strange village she found herself inching closer to a man who had already reduced her to a puddle once before. She found herself sidling closer to him, until she could hook her leg underneath his, placing her foot on the inside of his. Her thighs opened again, as they had when he first met eyes with her in the bar. Her hand slid against his own, gently prying first one and then two fingers up from the bar so she could look down at them. A small noise vibrated in the back of throat as she examined those black tipped fingers and found herself realizing that no normal hands could ever compare. Not in strength, not in shape, not in appearance. The images of his blackened fingertips depressed into her thighs were burned into her memory. She let his fingers fall back with the rest though, leaving her hand pressed up against his own.

She knew that she should turn and look at the views. He was even kind enough to nod in the direction of the windows. And she did turn and look for a moment, unable to deny that the views were beautiful. For a brief moment she was even sad that she hadn’t ventured there before. But the lights that reflected off of the buildings and lake were nothing compared to the way they reflected off of Lord Akari’s face. The way they deepened the soft hues of his eyes that seemed even softer now that she had seen them hardened. She couldn’t decide how she liked them better and she wondered how long she would have to stare into them to decide. When his hand slid across her back she was glad she hadn’t looked away from him so that he could see the effect such a small touch had on her. She leaned closer to him, her body pressing against his.

“To be honest,” she said, her voice low and dripping with want. “I wouldn’t even mind skipping dinner again. Somehow, I once again find myself compelled by an entirely different appetite.” She ran her hand down his arm, feeling emboldened by his declaration. Her hand wrapped around his wrist, gently, her fingers settled gently in his palm where he could either grab them or not. She tugged him gently towards the open doors, an inviting smile planted on her face.

“Let’s go.” She tilted her head to the side, making no effort to hide the desire in her eyes. He had earned a clear view of how much she wanted him. “I don’t want to waste any more time.”

[Kao]

Kotaru blinked several times when she shifted and spread her thighs open just slightly. Once again he had thought they were having a moment that could almost be called innocent. Flirty, perhaps. There was no way, he thought, that she had any idea how much that simple movement made him feel he was on the edge of going insane with desire. But the noise she made when she played with his fingers sounded suspiciously close to a tiny moan. He lifted one brow, searching her face because surely he was imagining things. But there was no mistaking that look, the carnal desire that poured from her eyes. It threatened to wash them both away in its current.

When she pressed against him, a familiar lust radiating from her, his body also reacted. His heartbeat picked up its pace, his breaths became shallower. It was like she was determined to be his undoing. Perhaps she wanted to pay him back for the last time, to turn him into putty just as he’d done to her. The thought made him give a short, amused chuckle. Then he swallowed because she was serious, and heat spread from his wrist where she touched him and settled low in his abdomen. When Kiyo rested her hand against his own, the man stood still for a moment. Then, he carefully shifted his hand so their fingers lined against each other, pressing his palm against hers. Holding her gaze, he let his fingers dip between the spaces between her own, and he curved his hand to hold hers.

Before he could answer she dragged him out of the trolley. He let her pull him along for a while, the slightest smile gracing his lips. “You’re insatiable.” Kotaru tilted his head, amused. “At least let me feed you first this time.” Once out of the station he led the way, and they walked for a few minutes before coming to a small restaurant. Clearly family owned, it appeared to be mostly empty. The lights were dim, and the sound of clinking dishes and running water drifted from the kitchen. The bell hanging above the door tinkled when he opened and closed the door, and Kotaru heard someone groan softly from the back. He pulled Kiyo behind him and waited as someone stomped to the front.

”Sorry, had to close early fifteen minutes ag- oh. Wh- Lord Akari?” The tall redheaded man cocked his head and threw a damp towel over his shoulder and shook his head. “Long time no see. I’m closed, even for-” He belatedly noticed Kotaru had company, only seeing her when the bannin stepped to the side. “-you.” The man paused, looking at Kotaru, to his guest, and then back again with his brows scrunched in confusion. Then, slowly, a shit-eating grin spread across his face. “Who is this?”

”Stop it.” Kotaru scowled, but there was hardly any bite behind his words.

”Uh huh. Uh huh, no, I don’t think I will. I’ve never seen you in public with a woman before. Well, not since-”

”Since when are you so chatty, Hideo?” This time there was plenty of force in his tone, and the restaurant worker recoiled.

”Sorry, sorry. Don’t bite my head off, I don’t taste good.” Hideo groaned as Kotaru stared, eventually relenting with a vague gesture toward the dining area. “I’ll reopen the kitchen. Not that I have a choice.” The last sentence was a low grumble, and once Hideo was out of sight Kotaru led his guest to a table. Kotaru inhaled deeply then released the breath through his nose. Hideo could be…a lot when he was cosplaying a civilian. The bannin waited for Kiyo to sit then took a seat opposite of her. He cleared his throat, his stomach suddenly twisting as Hideo appeared out of nowhere, dropped off two menus, then disappeared again.

“So…what are you in the mood for?”

[Amy]

“Ah,” Kiyo laughed, the sound easy and carefree. “I've been called considerably worse things before. Let's eat then.” Once they were out of the station, she let him guide them to the restaurant he had in mind, doing her best to ignore and savor the fact that he had taken her hand. She was certainly not disappointed, but she had been surprised when his fingers had woven between her own. Pleasantly surprised. The restaurant he pulled her into was empty and the only sounds came from the back. She was about to state the obvious, that it seemed like they were closed, when he tugged her behind him.

She stood quietly while the men spoke, offering Hideo a knowing grin as Lord Akari...encouraged him into letting them stay. Whatever dynamic they had was not her business so she didn’t attempt to interject anything. Instead, she just soaked up every word they said to each other, latching onto Hideo’s words specifically. Not since what? She thought to herself as she settled herself into her seat.

Her eyes scanned the menu, a quiet snort of amusement blowing through her nose. Her first instinct to answer his question was you. But, he wanted to have a nice meal together and if she was being honest, so did she. So, she kept her comment to herself and instead focused on actually reading the menu. There was a lot of variety but she quickly chose something that sounded good, laying the menu down in front of her.

“Noodles, I think,” she said as she folded her hands together. There were so many things she wanted to ask him but they all seemed…risky. She was desperate to know what Hideo had meant and why he didn’t bring other women here. But that seemed like not the right thing to bring up, not with how quickly and firmly Hideo had been shut down. “Unless you have any suggestions. I’m open to trying new things.”

She leaned back in her seat slightly, offering Lord Akari a slight smile. The closest she had gotten to having a meal with a man recently had been him and she knew they both remembered how that had ended. Before that...Kiyo didn't know the last time she had been on anything resembling a... “Did you used to come here often? He said he hadn’t seen you in a while but you seem…” She spoke before she could spend too long trying to assign meaning to the time they were spending together. Kiyo’s eyes drifted to the ceiling as she sought the word she was looking for. “Friendly…enough.”

[Kao]

Sitting across from her, Kotaru watched Kiyo as she looked over the menu. He waited for her to say something about Hideo, about their exchange. The redhead lost nearly subtlety when he wasn't working as a shinobi. He was comfortable around Kotaru, and his lips had loosened without thinking. The bannin knew it wouldn't happen again, but he'd have words for the man later. Thankfully Kiyo didn't acknowledge it. Whether it was tact or inattentiveness, Kotaru was thankful. He only glanced at the menu before replying, "I have a few things in mind. It all depends on how long he's willing to cook." A loud metallic clatter was Hideo's reply.

He paused thoughtfully at her question. "I've known Hideo for years. He was one of the first subordinates I ever had when I was made jounin." Kotaru blinked when he realized that was well over ten years ago. "His father owned the restaurant. He and Hideo's brother both died in the war. We didn't want this place to close and he didn't wanna sell it, so he manages it when I'm not running him ragged." The sound of sizzling oil reached their ears, along with Hideo's bark of a laugh.

"He was a kid when we met," the man yelled from the kitchen. "Constantly pissed off. So much anger in such a tiny body. What were you, twelve?"

"Thirteen," the bannin deadpanned.

"Couldn't believe they promoted him with that attitude," Hideo continued as if he didn't hear him. "Hardly anyone wanted to take him seriously. But we understood when we saw him in action. Fuckin' monster of a kid." The jounin walked out of the kitchen, steaming dumplings in tow. Kotaru blinked rapidly and looked over at Kiyo, a touch of surprise in his eyes. He hadn't told Hideo about the day he'd met her. He hadn't told anyone, in fact. When he sat down the plate, Hideo's eyes sparkled with delight, ignorant of what he'd just done. He continued on with, "He's mellowed out a lot over the years, believe it or not. Well. In some ways." Hideo clearly didn't get to tell the story often, especially not in front of Kotaru. "What did you decide?" Kotaru listed several dishes: tonkatsu, yakisoba, skewered anything, and stir fried beef noodles. Heavy emphasis on the noodles. Hideo balked. "I'm the only one here and we are closed!" But Kotaru waved him off.

"Better get started then." He snorted halfway through the statement. "And stop eavesdropping." When Hideo skulked back to the kitchen and the sound of near-frantic cooking reached their ears, Kotaru sighed. "The food is worth his smartass mouth, I promise. And the dumplings are...a coincidence. Whatever he makes will be loads better than whatever you guys eat in Kiri. Isn't it mostly fish there?"

[Amy]

It was nice listening to Kota talk to Hideo about the past. Kiyo carefully drank in every piece of information that bounced back and forth between the men. She hadn’t heard anyone speak to Kota in such a familiar way or so freely. Or, rather, she hadn’t really seen anyone talk to him much at all. Did he prefer it that way? Her eyes traced his face slowly as Hideo mentioned how angry he used to be as a child. The corners of her mouth twitched up at that thought. She tried to picture a smaller, younger version of him. A scowl planted permanently on his face. She supposed it made sense, considering his reputation. It seemed lonely, though, she couldn’t help but think.

Her musings were interrupted by Hideo walking up to their table, sliding a plate of dumplings between the two. Kiyo snickered before she could stop herself as her eyes flicked up to meet Kota’s. Memories from that private room at the restaurant flooded through her. The sudden, intense heat between them. The palpable desire. Looking back on the night, Kiyo had never been able to figure out the moment it happened. But she was glad it had.

She blinked rapidly, clearing the heat of the memories from her gaze. “I like his smartass mouth,” Kiyo said, a chuckle in her voice. “I like him too. He’s got good instincts.” She looked pointedly at the dumplings, shaking her head slightly. There was no hint of disbelief on her face though, only amusement. Despite his annoyance at them showing up after closing, he seemed to care a lot about his craft. It said a lot about the friends Lord Akari did choose to have.

”Mostly, I suppose. It comes in various forms but it’s all the same at the end of the day.” Kiyo had been spending more and more time around the docks since joining the family business. The smell of crates of fish was a hard one to forget. “Not just fish though. Anything that comes out of the water. Shellfish, octopus, squid. We get quite a few imports so there is some variety, but,” Kiyo paused to laugh at a particularly loud clang echoing out from the kitchen. “Anything made with that much enthusiasm is bound to be delicious.”

As if to prove herself right, Kiyo moved several dumplings to the plate in front of her before lifting one to her mouth. It still steamed slightly so she blew on it to cool it down before popping it into her mouth. She nodded happily as she chewed, her eyes closing in bliss. She had already known the food would be delicious but it was even better than expected.

“Have you been? To Kiri, I mean.” Her hands lifted slightly in the air, as if dismissing her own words. “I’m not personally a huge fan, never have been. But there are a few things worth seeing.” Somehow, being in Iwa, in the Underground, felt less stifling than being in Kiri. Or maybe, she considered as she met Kota’s eyes over the table. Maybe it was him that made it seem less stifling.

“You’ll have to tell me if you ever do visit though. I don’t have the resources to have you followed.” Kiyo grinned before popping another dumpling into her mouth, chewing slowly.

[Kao]

As Kiyo complimented his friend, Kotaru clicked his chopsticks together and then grabbed the smallest dumpling. He popped it into his mouth and quietly chewed, wondering if he should be thankful or worried that Kiyo immediately took a liking to Hideo. Hideo was one of the very few people who knew Kotaru well enough to call him a friend, though the redhead normally hid that fact for the sake of their professional relationship. But they were in private now, and the bannin could only imagine the stories the man would regale her with. It wouldn't surprise him if there was a childhood photo of them tucked in this place somewhere.

When Kiyo began describing the multitudes of seafood they ate in Kiri, he frowned. He was suddenly thankful that they didn't live near that much water. As he started comment on it he paused, the words vanishing somewhere between his mind and lips. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards almost imperceptibly as she closed her eyes to savor the flavors. He studied her face in that brief moment. The slope of her nose. The way her hair fell around her face and accentuated her high cheekbones. The shape of her puckered lips as she blew on her food. How her skin glowed even in the dim light. His chest tightened as his heart skipped, all in the span of mere seconds.

Then she spoke, and he blinked as his attention refocused. No," he replied, as if the idea of visiting Kirigakure was almost distasteful. "Closest I’ve been to Kiri was the beaches of Water Country when we had the Iwa-Kiri beach party. I helped organize it so I was obligated to go." Despite his tone, it was a rather fond memory. There he had met Shio, another one of his few friends, though he wasn’t sure where they stood after their tense meeting in Kemuri. It had certainly put a strain on their relationship. He pushed the thought aside, refusing to think about anything except for the woman in front of him.

And Hideo too, he guessed, since the man again popped up out of nowhere and set a plate of steaming stir-fried noodles in front of Kiyo. He smiled at her briefly then turned his gaze to Kotaru, placing a large plate of yakitori in front of him. When the men's eyes locked they both paused, seemingly having a wordless conversation in the span of a breath.

'I saw that.'

'Saw what? Shut up.'

'When were you going to tell me?'

'There's nothing to tell.'

'Liar.'

Hideo strolled off without a word to finish making the rest of their meal. "You'll be the first to know if I visit," he promised, continuing on as if they hadn't been interrupted. "You'll have to show me around. But I can't imagine anything in Kiri worth seeing more...." he trailed off, his words sizzling out. 'More than you.' He almost said it. And he would have meant it. But he felt the need to keep things light. They'd proven before that it didn't take much for them to venture into salacious territory. "But if you're not a fan of Kiri, my doors are open whenever you feel the urge to stop by." Kotaru dared to imagine Kiyo in Iwa more often. Much more often. But he batted the thought away and instead pushed his plate toward her, beckoning her to grab a skewer.

[Amy]

Suddenly, though she hadn’t minded at the time, Kiyo was disappointed that she hadn’t been able to attend the party. She couldn’t even remember the specific details of why she hadn’t gone but she was sure they hadn’t been important. Honestly, it had likely just been an excuse. But now she found herself wondering if they would have crossed paths there. If they had, would things have gone differently? Would they have still been drawn to each other in the same way? Or would they have simply passed by each other without so much as a nod in the other's direction? Kiyo smiled softly to herself as Hideo appeared with more food. Whatever might have happened if she had gone didn’t. And she wouldn’t change the way she met him even if given the chance. Trying to mess with fate didn’t usually end up in one’s favor.

“Thank you! It smells amazing,” she stated as she leaned in towards the bowl. “It’s very appreciated.” Kiyo tilted her head upwards slightly and offered Hideo a pleased smile before the man turned towards Lord Akari. For as much as he had complained about staying open, he seemed to be in decent enough spirits.

She absentmindedly mixed the food around to help it cool as he began speaking about Kiri again. What was there to show him, she wondered. She couldn’t picture him as being interested in the lakes based on his comment about the beach or overwhelmed by Kiri’s mountains, especially considering the view of the Underground. Most of what drew people to Kiri weren’t things that Kiyo involved herself with. Shaking her head softly, Kiyo lifted her chopsticks from the bowl. She was about to ask what it was in Kiri he thought was worth seeing when he spoke again, causing her to freeze.

A now all too familiar flutter ran through her stomach. "...my doors are open...." His doors? Whenever he said. Whenever she felt the urge. The urge? Urge for what? Just to get hook up? Or… to see him because she wanted to? Kiyo blinked hard several times before resuming her motions of moving food to her mouth, only daring to look at Lord Akari when her mouth was full of food and she couldn’t say anything. She knew what she wanted him to mean, what she hoped he meant: That he wanted to see her more often. But she was worried that she was misunderstanding him because of all the ways he might have expressed that, what he said was not what she expected. It was only a short time to think, but by the time she had finished swallowing, she had shaken off the shock of his words.

She smiled as she took one of the skewers off of the plate. “Thank you, I haven’t had yakitori in ages.” Her eyes landed on his and for what seemed like the hundredth time, she tried to find answers in his gaze. She hungered for what he was thinking more than she did for anything else. So when she spoke she didn’t look away, hoping maybe just once he would give something away. “’Not a fan,’ is putting it quite lightly, honestly, but I’d hate to complain too much.” Kiyo wrinkled her nose slightly. “There are usually reasons to come here though. I tend to take contracts to various locations to see different sights but…” She shrugged now, as though the thought of visiting more, if it meant seeing him, wasn’t causing a blush to warm her cheeks. “I could certainly be here more often. Just tell me where I should go. If I get the urge to...stop by.”

Kiyo lifted the skewer to her mouth and slid a piece of meat off, chewing slowly, waiting to see what he would say.

[Kao]

Perhaps she would be disappointed with what she initially saw in his eyes. Kotaru’s public expressions had a narrow range and usually defaulted somewhere between anger and boredom. His eyes were perpetually kin to firestorms or steel. It was rare but at times he expanded that range in a single direction to include things like amusement and excitement. Almost never did he let anyone witness his emotions go in other directions, like towards sorrow and fear and grief. He wasn’t always that way, as his friends and family could attest. But nowadays he rarely allowed his thoughts and feelings to etch themselves too deeply into his features. Lust of course was the exception. He never had a problem with expressing that particular feeling whenever it presented itself. But otherwise he was comfortable with appearing harsh, unapproachable. Up to that point, since they’d left the seedy bar, he had given little away whenever she searched his gaze. His was a well crafted mask hidden behind a stone wall that usually took no effort to maintain.

But now under the dim lights of his favorite restaurant, one of the few places he could be at ease, perhaps she would be pleased to see his famous scowl was nowhere to be found. Not a single hint of displeasure or discontent touched his expression. Instead, when Kiyo suggested she could be in Iwagakure more he smiled, nearly showing teeth. And there was softness there. There was warmth, the likes of which he had forgotten he was capable of exuding.

The moments after he realized he had smiled he pressed his lips together, but there was no hiding the upturned corners of his lips. She'd asked him something similar the night they met. Unlike then, when he was just prattling to fill the awkward silence, he had a few ideas now. After all, there had been more than one occasion in their weeks apart that he found himself thinking about it, to make up for his half-hearted answers that night. “The first place you should go,” he eventually responded, his voice lilting, "is to the Narusawa Caves. This time of year the bioluminescent algae are in bloom and the cave walls glow like green and blue stars. And if you know where to go they open to a spot in the mountains above the village where you can see for miles." Kotaru paused, absentmindedly rolling a skewer between his fingers. "And there's the gardens. I've heard they're beautiful but they aren't much in the winter so you'll have to come in the spring." He'd only heard, and had rarely seen, because the Akari hadn't deigned to see them in person in years. He hadn't had a reason to care about things like flowers until now.

"There's the markets and shops, if you'd like. There's a whole entertainment district where you can get into all sorts of trouble. And of course there's Rock Country's river towns and lakes if you can travel. It's not the barren wasteland everyone seems to think it is." He took a bite of yakitori, enjoying the explosion of flavor on his tongue and how light he felt in that moment. The awkwardness between them seemed to have evaporated. The cold, gnawing feelings that had been plaguing him for months were still lingering somewhere deep within him, but they were lost behind the warmth he now felt. It made him brave enough to imagine. He allowed himself to imagine her around more often, with her fingers entwined with his own. "Since you probably don't know where any of these places are, and these are my ideas, it's only fair that I show you all of them."

With the ghost of a smile still touching his lips, Kotaru added, "And to be clear, I'm not saying any of this just to be nice."

[Amy]

Kiyo was pleased at what she saw. The last bit of anxiety that she had been feeling was nowhere to be found when he smiled at her, this one even sweeter than the last. She couldn’t help but to return it, even as he tried to contain his. Kiyo had no such inclination and continued to grin at him as she continued to enjoy the meal and his company together. Their last meeting had been such a whirlwind of passion that she had found it impossible to not think that that was all there was between the two of them. Two people fueled by lust and desire who would never see each other again. Two people who wouldn’t usually cross paths or even speak to each other if they did. A random, happy blip in a lifetime of moments.

But sitting across from him, watching and listening to him tell her about all of the places he thought she would enjoy, she knew that it had been more that had drawn them together. Something more than attraction or lust. Because she knew, without a doubt, that she wanted to spend more time with him doing all of these things he was telling her about. And this time, when the thought slipped into her mind that she felt more for him than a carnal attraction, it didn’t scare her. She wasn’t entirely sure of all of the feelings the realization caused but she knew that she didn’t need to figure it all out right then and there. She would have plenty of time, she hoped, to navigate the feelings that were making her more than a little excited to come back. To see him, just because she wanted to.

“I’ll come back in the spring,” she said with confidence when he stopped to take a bite of his own food. “And the summer.”

She was about to tease him that while all of those things sounded incredible, she would have no idea where to find any of them, but he decided to clear that up too. Kiyo pursed her own lips now, feeling much too pleased by his words. Her attempts at staying even slightly stoic didn’t last long though, a burst of laughter forcing out the smile she had been trying to hold back.

“Don’t worry, I won’t ever accuse you of being ‘just nice’ again. Lesson learned, I think.” She shook her head, brushing her bangs out of her face as she enjoyed more of the yakitori. “That all sounds wonderful, though. I’ve never seen, ah, bioluminescent algae before. It sounds beautiful and a little bit like you made it up.”

There was only one thing that he had said that bothered her. “I don’t want you to misunderstand, though. If I’m coming here to…” See you. The words were on the tip of her tongue but she couldn’t say them. They felt too...powerful. “If you’re going to show me around, I mean. If that’s the case, I won’t have any interest in getting into trouble anywhere except with you, K-. Lord Akari.”

She wasn’t sure if she was getting warm from the steam from the kitchen or the food she was eating or from the emotion that was running through her. All she knew was that there was a healthy glow to her skin when she leaned forward slightly, her elbows balancing on the table. Her words were soft and sensuous when she glanced up at him through her lashes.

“I’m really glad I almost dropped my glass on your foot.”

[Kao]

Her promise to return rang melodically in his ears. He held on to those words, drawing them into his chest so he could feel them. Kotaru couldn’t remember the last time he looked forward to something that didn’t involve his work. He couldn’t remember the last time the fire that perpetually raged and coiled within him didn’t sear his bones, but simply filled him with comfortable warmth. Even the scaping in his mind had quieted.

The bannin didn’t take his eyes off of Kiyo as she talked. He didn’t notice as Hideo brought out the last of their food. After taking one look at the soft, almost tender gleam in Kotaru’s eyes, Hideo decided it wasn’t the time to pry and tease. He walked away quietly, his heart swelling at the thought that his squad leader - his friend - was taking a shot at happiness. Kotaru had waited for it. Deserved it. They could have their banter later. For now, he’d let Kotaru bask in that happiness, in that coveted ray of light that could cut through the shadows in which he had grown and thrived.

Kiyo’s last few words made him surrender the already loose hold he had on his expression, and when he let go his lips curled into a grin. His head tilted slightly when she nearly called him by his first name, and memories of their night together flooded his mind. Kotaru swirled his drink, his gaze now smoldering, and he briefly mulled over her declaration that she only wanted to get into trouble with him.

He’d be more than happy to oblige.

Kotaru licked his lips, already thinking of all the ways he could thank her for those promises and for her company tonight. But for now, he simply replied appreciatively, “I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”