Written by Miyu, Vampire Princess

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This is for Merrow's challenge! *ties headband tighter* Following events from the manga, Chapter 75, I present here, a Kureno X Uo story. This part is told from Uo's POV. LEMON WARNING.

Part Six - The Appointed Hour

Oh by the gods! What am I going to do?!

It's already after four o'clock and I need to clean my place up in less than two hours.

Shit! And I'm still out of coffee!

Why did I agree to meet with him tonight?! Hell, THAT'S a stupid question.

I want him.

I need him.

I love him.

Kureno.

Kami, I'm such a schoolgirl!

Shaking myself of my thoughts, I force myself into cleaning mode. It's not that difficult really. My place is a total wreck. Perhaps I should've waited to try to put that table together. And the garbage needs to be taken to the dumpster. GAH! And there's dishes in the sink....It's a good thing he didn't accept my offer last night.

But he's coming over NOW....My body nearly shivers in delight at the thought. I begin picking up whatever I can carry and putting it someplace useful, namely the trash. Once I'm finished, I take the trash down to the dumpster. Upon my return I grab a rag and some spray and set about cleaning what little furniture I have in my apartment.

The living room consists of two end tables a large futon and a small stuffed chair the Tohru loved to sit in. The table I'd just put together was for the kitchen. I don't really have a dining room. A thin paper door separates the living room from the kitchen. I usually leave the door closed, but I open it, allowing a small view of the kitchen.

And the dishes in the sink.

Once I'm satisfied with the furniture, I start on the dishes. I'm hoping he won't be too disgusted if I leave a few dishes in the sink. There's a pot that really needs scrubbed and I just don't have the time for it. With a sigh, I set it aside and begin scrubbing another pot.

I don't cook much for myself. If I'm working I just eat at work. Henry's good with employee discounts and all. When I'm home I usually make ramen or some TV dinner I've stashed in the fridge. I'm not a bad cook -- at least I don't THINK I am -- I just don't take the time to cook like Tohru, and on that rare occasion, Hanajima.

Maybe I should cook dinner for us tonight.

Baka! He may have already eaten by the time he gets here. I never thought to ask over the phone.

But my thoughts quickly turn away from food as I finish up a few more dishes then head into the bathroom for a quick shower. Who knew cleaning could be such a dirty job? Or maybe I'm just a clean freak. Nah. Definitely NOT a clean freak.

Clean and refreshed I emerge from my room dressed a bit less casually than I'd normally be. I know it's a silly notion. We're not going out to eat or anything. If I have my way, we'll be staying here and, with a bit of luck, he won't leave until it's very late.

Maybe not until morning.

The thought brings a smile to my face. I'm in love. So very much in love. Funny, I always thought I'd feel sick at the gushy feelings and strange obsessions that are all part of falling for someone.

I guess...if you find the right guy....

With about fifteen minutes to go, I sit on the futon in the living room and turn on the television. It's an old set, the one Tohru and her mother used to have before Kyoko passed away. Tohru gave it to me as a gift. She didn't need it moving into her grandfather's house. I was loath to pass it up, especially since I didn't have one. Besides, it was just one more reminder of how kind Kyoko was to me and how much of an impact she's had on my life.

I flip through the channels for about five minutes before I hear a knock on the door. I wish I had a doorbell. Easier to distinguish from the bathroom and bedroom. Tossing the TV remote aside I walk over to answer the door. A quick gaze through the peephole brings another idiotic smile to my face.

He's here. He's really here!

And his arms are practically loaded with stuff!

Eyes wide, I hurry to open the door for him. He smiles as I come into view and I can only smile in return. I nod to all the stuff he's carrying.

"Need a hand?"

"Yeah. Arigato."

I take a small grocery bag from him and motion for him to come in. The moment he steps into my apartment my heart nearly stops. Is the place really clean? What if it's not fancy enough for him? Will he be seriously disappointed?

"This is a nice place," he says, sitting a carrier of drinks and two other bags on the end table by the futon. He takes a quick look around, surveying his new surroundings. "I'd like to have a place like this."

"It's not exactly spacious," I say, releasing the breath I'd been holding. My shoulders relax and I close the door. "But it's enough for me." With a smile I stroll into the living room, heading for the kitchen with the grocery bag. "You didn't have to bring anything with you, you know."

"Well, I...." He runs a hand through his hair, looking rather sheepish. "You were kind enough to invite me for coffee last time. I just thought...well...I'd supply the coffee is all. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not," I answer honestly, sitting the bag on the kitchen table. I was out of coffee after all. But I have plenty of tea.

As I pull a canister of coffee from the bag I realize with a smirk that he also bought cream and sugar to go with it. There are also two videos on the bottom of the bag. He bought movies? I raise an eyebrow in appreciation. Maybe I'll get my wish after all.

Leaving the bag on the table, I carry the movies with me back into the living. Kureno is already seated on the futon, staring intently at the TV. I'd left it on a news station. He seems to be watching the streaming feed along the bottom. Stock quotes, I think.

I take a moment to assess him, his brown hair neatly combed, his bangs falling over one eye as he tilts his head as if contemplating something. He's dressed not too casually in a pair of khakis and a green button down shirt. His socks are white with little gray and tan stripes. They don't really go with his outfit, and I can barely stifle a giggle as I sit on the opposite end of the futon. I'd like to sit closer...like on his lap perhaps...but I keep a foot or two between us on the seat.

"I didn't think you followed stock quotes as a Marketing major," I say politely, hoping to bring him out of his reverie.

"Wha--? Oh, gomen," he says, a light blush tinting his cheeks. He's cute when he blushes. Not handsome. Cute. There's a difference. "Since I help with the family business, I try to keep up to date with the latest quotes and such."

I nod in acute understanding. Then I point to the bags on the table beside him. If I'm not mistaken they're from the old burger joint where I used to work. "What's in those?"

"Ah!" He turns to the table and grabs the two bags. He opens one then the other, handing me the second bag. "I brought dinner." He looks at me wide eyed for a moment. "You didn't eat yet did you?"

I shake my head, eyeing the contents of the bag. It was the order I had placed while we were out yesterday. I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face. Heck, I'm surprised I'm not lit up like a frickin' Christmas tree! "Arigato."

"I hope it's all right," he says, pulling a carton of fries from his bag. "But I didn't know what else you might like."

"It's fine, really," I assure him, pulling out the contents of my bag and sitting it in my lap. When I'm finished I hold up a movie that had been sitting beside me. "Did you want to watch the news, or can we watch a movie?"

"Movie, please," he replies.

It takes some doing, but I sit my meal aside so I can put the movie in the player. I chose the Jackie Chan movie, simply because I am in the mood for some action. Okay, so I have a different definition of action, but at least it's a movie I like. We eat, chatting occasionally about the movie.

After the trash has been discarded, we sit in amiable silence and finish the film. By the time it's over, we're sitting closer on the futon, with only a few inches separating us. Without my knowledge, his arm has risen, laying carelessly on the back of the futon behind me. Smiling to myself, I pull away, the second movie in my hands.

"You up for another movie?" I'm truly enjoying our time together, although we're not out and about like yesterday. I like quiet time as much as anyone else. And I feel truly relaxed around him. I enjoy being near him. I enjoy being in his company.

I'm also stalling. It's almost nine. I really don't want him to leave. Not yet.

He shrugs seemingly relaxed on the futon. "Sure. But I have to warn you, it's a tear jerker."

GAH! A chick flick. Oh well, maybe it'll be good.

And it is, much to my surprise. An American film called "City of Angels". I'm totally absorbed by the main character, played by Meg Ryan. She's a doctor who loses a patient in surgery. It happens every day I'm sure, but it can't feel very good. She ends up meeting this fallen angel, played by Nicholas Cage. The two of them, strangely enough, end up falling in love. And I end up crying when she leaves the small cabin to go into town to pick up some supplies on a bike. Something just doesn't seem right about that. Why would someone as smart as her ride a bike in the middle of the road? Of course, they are in the middle of no where....

I have no idea how close I've gotten to Kureno until I feel his hand on my shoulder, you know, from the arm on the futon. I jump slightly, at just the same time Meg Ryan gets run over by a truck. I try to force myself to relax as Kureno's fingers caress my shoulder. It should be soothing, but it only drives my nerves nuts. I feel a hot tear make its way down my cheek. That's a bad way to die, I think, trying to focus on the TV. More tears seem to make their way down my cheeks, my vision blurring.

What happens next is also somewhat of a blur. I remember leaning into Kureno, his gentle fingers continuing to lightly caress my shoulder and neck. I know he's paying attention to the TV and that his actions are half-mindless. There's a tear falling down his left cheek too. At least, I think it's a tear. He couldn't possibly be sweating. Actually, it's a little cold in my apartment.

My hand shakes as it reaches for his cheek. He jumps as it makes contact, my thumb wiping away the tear. He looks at me somewhat surprised and concerned. His eyes, watery with an unshed tear to two, convey something akin to longing. Again, it's hard to tell with my vision blurred almost constantly now. Without thinking, my other hand reaches for his other cheek and as I pull him to me I -- quite thoroughly -- plant one on him.

That's right. I kissed him.

And DAMN what a kiss!

As soon as our lips met, our mouths were open and our tongues dueling. It's nearly animalistic our kiss. He gave as good as he got too, releasing a bit of pent up passion. Letting his cool exterior drop, I think I got a glimpse of the man inside. Someone determined and absolutely hungry for something forbidden to him.

Forbidden him? Why would I think that?

With some quick maneuvering on my part, I manage to straddle his lap, my knees digging into his hips while my feet dangle off the edge of the futon. The kiss grows hungrier, more passionate, more determined. I wait for him to stop me, thinking that perhaps I'm being too forward and stepping over a line that I shouldn't have crossed. But when his hands pull my hips closer and I feel the prominent evidence of his desire against my thigh, I can't help but smile. I break the kiss, breathing heavily as my lungs try to take in air.

"Gomen." The word escapes from me before I have a chance to stop it.

"Don't apologize," he replies, returning my smile.

"If you're uncomfortable," I tell him but he shakes his head.

"I'm quite comfortable." He does this little push with his hips that forces his heated erection against my thigh again. I bit my bottom lip to hold back a moan. "You comfortable?"

"Hai. Do...you wanna stop?"

"If I say 'hell no', is that any different from 'no'?"

I can't help but giggle. Yes. Giggle. "Hai."

"Then HELL NO," he says, pulling me a little closer and reaching with his lips for mine.

We kiss again, this time more leisurely than last, taking the occasion to explore each other's mouths as our hands start to explore our bodies. His hands find their way under my cotton shirt as my fingers try to undo the buttons of his. His skin is smooth, his chest hairless, and his abs -- OH KAMI! -- are very well toned. I can't help but oogle at what I've just found.

But I'm interrupted as I feel my shirt being lifted over my head. Our eyes meet, but only briefly. He tears them away to look at my chest, his hands following the motion. Apparently he likes what he sees, or doesn't quite see as I'm still wearing my bra.

Correction. WAS wearing my bra!

My head drops back as his fingers start kneading my breasts. Does he have any idea how good that makes me feel? I push my hips into his as if to show him, feeling a growing wetness between my legs. My hands roam over his shoulders and arms, keeping me steady as he works his magic.

My breath catches and I nearly melt when I feel the light press of his lips on the crest of one breast. The kisses circle my nipple before he takes it in his mouth. I gasp, intending to cry out his name. My fingers thread through the soft locks of his brown hair, pulling him closer, holding him to me. My arms start to encircle his shoulders and he pauses, pulling away. I groan, opening my eyes to look at him.

"I want to see you Arisa," he says, pushing lightly on my hips. Does he want to stand? "I want to see ALL of you."

Well, that answers my question.

With some effort I stand from the futon. Taking a step back I smile a bit shyly as I fumble with the drawstring of my pants. I wore them simply for comfort and ease...with ease being key. But my numbed fingers couldn't seem to do anything more than put a knot in the strings.

Kureno pushes my hands away, offering to help with the knot. He smiles at me, pulling me a little closer to him. He's seated on the edge of the futon now, his fingers making quick work of the knot. With his help, his hands on mine, I pull my pants down, my panties included. His eyes widen, but he's not disappointed. The appreciative stare he gives me when I'm completely naked assures me of that.

"May I...touch you?"

"Like you have to ask?"

His smile widens, his lips pressing a light kiss just below my bellybutton as his fingers linger on my hips before blazing a scorching trail towards my middle and downward into the most sensitive of sensitive areas. I feel his thumb brush across my clit, eliciting a small hiss from between my lips. He does this several times, his other fingers diving further still until he has me moaning his name again.

When he stretches a finger inside of me I feel as if I'm going to burst. I feel his lips on my stomach again and my fingers find purchase in his hair. A wave of white heat washes over me and I cry out, feeling myself reach a small but satisfying orgasm. My knees start to buckle as I recover and Kureno stands to help support me.

"Arisa?" He sounds very concerned.

I only smile at him, my hands reaching for the waistband of his pants. "I want to see you now. It's only fair, isn't it?"

A smile reappears on his face and he nods. "H-hai."

He tosses his shirt aside as I unbutton his pants. I'm having a surprisingly easy time of it, considering the trouble I had with my own pants. I manage to free him easily, pushing down his pants and boxers -- how shocking! -- at the same time. When my eyes return to him, he's standing straight at attention. And I don't mean his posture.

My fingers wrap around his hardened length and I marvel at the contrast of smoothness and rigidity. He's not all that bad off either. I begin to stroke him, like I've read in some of those romance novels I used to sneak from Kyoko's room. His hands lift to caress my breasts in time with my strokes. It's very erotic to feel his fingers playing with my nipples as I work his cock with both of my hands.

Stroking him makes me nearly mindless with want, that sensitive place between my legs beginning to throb all over again, and my lips press against his wantonly. He stops massaging my breasts, but the restarts as our hips start to press together in a sensuous dance of need.

I want to press myself against him, but he keeps me at a distance. I try again, but his hands on my breasts maintain their slow kneading as well as manage to keep me those few inches from his bare chest. I ponder this for only a moment before deciding it's not worth worrying over. There's really only one thing I want now.

Him. Inside of me.

I step forward, forcing him to sit back down on the futon. He does so, his hands still on my hips and tugging me down to sit on his lap again. I lean forward as if to kiss him, but instead I lean in a little further, my lips coming to rest on a spot just below his ear. I hear him moan my name, feel his hardened length twitch against my thigh.

Placing feather light kisses along his jawline, I grasp his length in one hand and position myself above him. Despite what people may think of me, I've never done this before. Still, the mechanics are simple enough and my instinct seems to know what its doing. With deliberate slowness I ease myself upon him, taking his lips in another passionate kiss.

Unfortunately it seems that he's more eager than I am. Grasping my hips tightly he thrusts upward, tearing through my barrier. I have to bite my bottom lip again to hold back a scream. Tears start to pool in my tightly closed eyes and my body feels like it has been violated in the very worst way.

"Gomen, gomen, gomen" he whispers to me, placing kisses anywhere and every where his lips could touch. His hands, cup my down turned face, his thumbs wiping away fallen tears. I lift my head slightly and he places a light kiss on my lips. "I didn't know. I should've asked. Arisa, I'm sorry."

"It's all right." And it is. Really. My body, having been still for a few minutes, is starting to adjust. I can feel him pulsing inside of me, stretching me. It's a rather odd feeling, but it also feels...well, good.

I tentatively roll my hips forward and I feel him slide deeper into me. He's not totally inside me, I realize. I repeat the motion, taking in even more of him. A third roll has him buried to the hilt. We both moan in response.

"I guess we can continue then," he mutters, his lips suckling at a sensitive spot on my neck.

"Ah...yesssss...." My last word comes out as a hiss when he grabs my hips again and starts helping me find a rhythm. Hips move at a leisurely pace at first, slowly building as the heat in my loins builds. I can feel his length slide out of me, almost all the way sometimes, before I plunge myself back onto his hardened staff. Kami that feels good. So good.

But it's not enough. Just not enough!

My pace quickens as we both start panting for air. His lips are no longer suckling my breasts, his head tilted back against the futon, his eyes closed in pleasure. His hands hold loosely onto my hips as I ride him even faster. I want to push harder, but I can't find it in me. In the end, it matters little.

I feel my orgasm wash over me before my body reacts to it. My mouth opens and I hear myself moaning his name. My body tightens around him, squeezing him as tightly as possible before releasing him and my consciousness. My vision is hazy, my mind in a fog. I feel him come inside me, feel his length pulse and his seed wash over my inner walls. I curse myself for not thinking about condoms, but again it matters little. What's done is done.

And I still want more!

As my breathing slows, I lean forward to kiss Kureno. He surprises me by meeting me half way. With a bit of overpowering he manages to push me onto the futon, half laying on my back, half on my side. I'm trapped between him and the back of the futon. Not that I'm complaining mind you.

"Arisa...that was...."

"Marvelous."

"Spectacular."

"Amazing."

"Magnificent."

"Mind-blowing."

"Wanna do it again?"

I can't stop the smile that curls my lips into a silly grin. "Like you have to ask?"

He smiles at me before engulfing me in another kiss, this one much more unhurried than the last. My hands roam over his chest and shoulders once again, my legs tightening about him as I feel him harden inside of me. It's another odd feeling, but one that I will always treasure.

I moan his name over and over as he begins thrusting in and out of me, my head tossing and turning on the futon. This time is as mind numbing as the first and I only hope that I'm strong enough for a third...maybe a fourth.

~TO BE CONTINUED~