****************
AN
INVITATION TO TEA
(09/13/1999)
BY
BRENSGRRL ([email protected])
*****************
Category:
ABH (Anywhere-But-Here), Romance, AU
Series: 1/1
Pairing: Qui/F
Rating: NC-17 (Romantic Smut!)
Summary: Qui-Gon wrecks your Tea Ceremony . . .no
furniture broken
though!
Archiving: Anywhere with my emailed permission—but you
must tell me
where.
Feedback: [email protected]. Very welcome, but flames will be
used to
light the "Fire on Ice" at the rink where my daughter skates...
;
>) This piece hasn’t been betaed,
so feel
free to do so and forward comments to me.
Disclaimer: Qui-Gon belongs to George Lucas. I wish he were mine,
literally,
but he is part of the wonderful world of make believe created
by
Lucasfilm, Ltd. The special appearance of You is courtesy of "You,
Unlimited,
Inc." . I'm broke and only
writing this for fun, so please
don't
sue me.
NOTES:
Roji—Garden
of a formal Tea House
Chaji—Tea
Ceremony, including the meal
Chashitsu—The
Tea House itself
Chabana—Flower
arrangement
Tatami—Reed
mats used for flooring in the Tea House
Koicha—Thick,
souplike green tea served as the highlight
of an authentic Tea Ceremony
Usucha—Thin
green tea served at the end of the Ceremony
Mizuya—Small
anteroom to the tea room of the Tea House
(like a kitchen) used for
preparation and storage
Mimosa--A
breakfast drink made with champagne and orange juice.
// //
Denotes thoughts
~ ~
Denotes telepathy . . .
And—all
of the Haiku is mine, except for the one marked with (*), which
is by
the poet Ryoko
*************************
Violet
.. High red clouds. Gray sky above the leaves.
Light
streams over the horizon, and you lean against the bamboo gate and
watch
your roji garden dismiss the night.
Eagerly, the garden turns
her
face to
the faithful sun, yet darkness clings to her private arbors like
a
secret lover. Breathing deeply, you
inhale the mingled perfumes of
the
honeysuckle vines and the pines that shade the gate, and look
about. The voice of the cricket is dying,
shouted
down by morning and the water cascading into the freeform pond
sprawled
a few feet away. Stone temple lanterns
stand sentry at the
entrance
of an arched wooden bridge that spans the pond's width; on the
other
side, a curving path disappears into the garden beyond. It’s a
matter
of pride for you that you had taken a hand in the placement of
every
stone, every bench, every bush, and every flower. Your choices
reflected
your desire that the roji be a place of beauty and peace.
Nonetheless,
Mother Nature hadn't cooperated in providing the veil of
dew
that you hoped for. So you decide to
cheat a little.
You
turn the sprinklers on and watch mist anoint the trunks of the young
maple
and oak trees, the clumps of pampas grass, the random patches of
bellflowers
and peonies, the scattered pots of tropical palms and
monstera,
the fragrant evergreens and the moss-covered stones leading up
to the
chashitsu that is the roji's centerpiece.
You sigh a little,
thinking
once again that you should have trimmed away all of the flower
blossoms
in the garden to harmonize with the way of the chaji. But you
just
don't have the heart to get rid of the flowers--not yet. Besides,
he
might enjoy seeing them. And their
scent is intoxicating and
romantic.
As is
customary for the summer season, you invited your guest to join
you for
tea at dawn, before heat and humidity conquer the day. Despite
the
round of festivities that both of you had attended the previous
night,
and fatigue, you knew that he would keep his word and arrive with
the
sun. All the more reason for this to
be a contrast from the hectic
round
of media and diplomatic hubbub. Now
that all of the agreements
were
signed, there would be time enough later to work out all of the
details
of "Earth System of the
Republic". What was needed now
was a
place
to leave the world behind.
You
shut the water off, looking with satisfaction as the vapor settles,
leaving
the air fresh and everything glistening with a haze of
moisture. "It may as well be as traditional as
possible. . ." you say
to
yourself, knowing that aside from the setting of the chashitsu and
the
roji , little else about the tea ceremony would or could be
traditional. You hope that
he will
be sufficiently impressed to return for another visit.
White
Peony. Sprig of honeysuckle. Bare, twisted maple branch.
At the
garden shed you lift the pan of water containing the chabana and
turn to
select a bamboo vase from a nearby shelf.
Of all the cuttings
you
gathered, three seemed most
appropriate. You gather the arrangement between your
palms and drop it
into
the vase
all at
once, in a single breath.
//Perfect. //
"Yes. A beautiful morning in a beautiful place. .
."
You
look around and see the Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, standing beneath
the
overhang of the covered waiting place, sipping water from a pottery
cup. How long had he been waiting there? Was he watching as you
arranged
the flowers? //Yes. . . perfect. // you
say to yourself as you
watch
his fluid movement through the gate.
His smile warms you as you
approach.
"You
honor me with your presence. This way.
. ." you gesture.
"The
honor is indeed mine."
Ever
since your first meeting, you have been entranced with him,
captivated
by his graceful beauty, his unselfconscious charm, the timbre
of his
voice as he spoke-- all Earth languages equally embraced by his
mesmerizing
accent. But most of all, it is his calm
that enchants
you. He exudes a deep and abiding serenity that
is as comforting as
an
embrace. In his presence your soul
seems to grow as fathomless as
the
sea.
And now
he was here with you, following you
down the daybreak paths of
your
garden and your heart was singing.
Cool
moss. Fingers of dawn. Secluded hut overgrown with tall
grasses.
You
breathe in the moist earth smell as you
make your way to the tea
house.
The
stepping stones shine in the early morning light, moist and
refreshing,
like a path through a forest. There is
a sense of
bridging,
crossing over, as you proceed deeper into the garden and leave
the
cares and dust of the world behind.
On the
steps of the tea house, you assist him in removing his outer robe
and
boots,
and you remove your sandals. You squat
and ladle water from a
low
stone basin next to the steps and rinse your hands. You gesture for
him to
hold out his hands and you pour water over them. When he
stands,
you hand him a small linen towel for drying and gently place
your
palm on his chest, gathering his attention.
Your eyes meet.
"There
is one rule for the tea. No troubles of
the outside world may be
discussed. Or we may discuss nothing at all and keep
silence. For a
while,
this is the whole cosmos." He
nods assent.
You
kneel at the low entrance, slide the door open and scoot into the
room
while still on your knees. He
follows, crawling in.
In the
sunken stone hearth at the center of the room, water simmers
gently
in an iron kettle on a small brazier. Opposite from the hearth, a
low
black lacquer table stands, laden with trays containing the light
meal
for summer tea. A few cushions are
neatly stacked next to the
table,
a concession to your guest’s comfort.
A scroll hangs in an
alcove
directly facing the door. Below the
scroll, water sheets across
the
flat stone face of a fountain, and gently splashes into a catchment
basin
at floor level.
Your
ankle bracelets tinkle softly as you rise and cross the tatami to
raise
the reed blind. A breath of the early
morning breeze enters,
swelling
the sleeves of your kimono.
You
glance away from the window and smile as you watch him walk over to
the
alcove to study the fountain and the scroll.
It's almost as if he
knows
the guest's role for the tea ceremony. // He,
of all people,
would.
// Moving back to the center of the room, you retrieve the
dampened
pottery tray containing the first course, jicama and orange
slices,
rice and gazpacho, and sit it down in front of his place on the
tatami. You arrange yourself on your knees across
from his place. He
is
still looking at the scroll and so you sit back on your heels and
wait. The silence doesn't bother you; in fact,
you welcome it. There
is no
hurry. You lean into the quiet,
hearing only the yin of bubbling
water
and the yang of birdsong.
Little
sparks float skyward as you add charcoal and sandalwood to the
brazier,
and he moves to his place and gracefully folds himself into a
cross-legged
position across from you.
“The
doorway is interesting.”
“It’s
traditional for a tea house to have a low door. It's an equalizer
of
sorts. Everyone
entering
must bow down to get in. No matter
how rich or how poor or
how
powerful,
you’ve
got to crawl in if you want to get in.
It helps people to
remember
that everyone is
the
same.” you reply.
"What
is the significance of the artwork?"
"It's
called a scroll painting and it holds the theme for our tea
ceremony."
"The
theme may vary?"
"Yes. The theme depends on the host's feelings,
who the guest is, what
the
season may be, any number of things.
But it's always a reminder of
the
importance of spiritual things, and it provides a focus for the
setting
of the tea ceremony. For today, I
chose MU, the
'nothingness.' Simply put, it means 'less is more.' It encourages
quietness,
closing out outside distractions.
"
"It
sounds very similar to a Jedi philosophy.
We call it emptiness
attribute. One must empty the mind of everything except
the task at
hand in
order to fall completely into the Force, to feel the Force move
within. 'Power in brevity', that sort of thing.
"
"Yes. It is something like that. Here on Earth it is frequently said
that
cleansing the mind of thought will help one to gain clearer
insight. An ancient philosopher once said 'from the
mind that abides
nowhere
comes forth the essence of enlightenment.'
That's the meaning
of
MU."
"But
you don’t fully agree with it. "
You are
surprised at his insight. "Of
course not. To tell you the
truth,
I chose MU mostly
because
of its beauty. Can you imagine the
danger of a totally blank
mind? There's no telling what kind of thoughts and
God knows what else
would
fill up the space. Nature abhors a
vacuum."
He smiles,
leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, his hands
clasped
beneath his chin.
"Hence
the philosophy engraved on the fountain?"
"Yes. Instead of filling up with nothingness, one
should consider what
is good
and look
for the
best in all things.
'Whatever
is true,
whatever
is worthy of reverence
and is
honorable and seemly ,
whatever
is just,
whatever
is pure,
whatever
is lovely and lovable,
whatever
is kind and winsome and gracious,
if
there is any virtue and excellence,
if
there is anything worthy of praise,
think
on and fix your mind on these things. . .'
you recite as you
offer
the tray containing the first course.
"Are
you the author of the fountain philosophy?" he asks, taking a bite
of
jicama.
"I
wish. No. It's ancient as well. It
comes from a very important
book. All of what we've
talked
about can be found in books."
"I
should like to read these books."
"It
would be my pleasure to show them to you sometime." you offer the
rice
and soup and
pour
mimosa into a small pottery cup.
"You
aren't eating?"
"I
have a tray back in the kitchen. That's
the traditional way."
"I
came here to spend time with you.
Surely we can dispense with
tradition
just this
once. Won't you join me? It looks like more than enough for two.
"
He
places a cushion and motions for you to sit next to him.
"Of
course." You cross to his side
and seat yourself, curious to know
how
you'll manage with only one spoon and a single pair of cedar
chopsticks.
Answering
your unspoken query, he begins to feed you from his dish as if
you are
a child, skillfully using the chopsticks, first taking a bite
for
himself and then bringing morsels of food to your lips. You wonder
if he
realizes how suggestive this is. He
does. The crescent of his
smile
is soft as he places a piece of orange in your mouth. And
suddenly
fruit
has never been sweeter. . .
As you
share each course, he tells you of his life as a Jedi, his bond
with
his Padawan, and the mission that brought both of them to Earth.
You
raise questions, and
harvest
answers. To clear the palate, hot
water flavored with sage
blossoms
is served.
Then
you reach over and place the fifth course of
‘mountain’ and ‘sea’
foods,
in front of him.
"I
have told you of our code. But you have
told me nothing of yours.”
“Terrans
don’t have a single unifying philosophy.
Surely you have
learned
this in your
travels
here thus far. Many people go through
life ‘making it up as
they
go’. Others live according to their
own religious belief. Some
view
any rules as tyranny. . . “
“I mean
your code. “
He
arranges the remaining cushions and lounges on his side behind you,
reclining
up on one elbow, his knees bent, catching you in the curve of
his
body. You are surrounded, retreat cut
off by a wall of man.
Serenity
flees, replaced by nervous anticipation.
Butterflies
flutter
in your stomach, yet you are seized by an impulse to lean back
against
him and snuggle into the crook of his hips.
“My
philosophy of life? It’s nothing
complicated, really. One part is
‘first,do
no harm’. That doesn’t mean that I
believe that people
shouldn’t
defend themselves. A person shouldn’t
be an aggressor.
Another
part is to ‘walk modestly, do justice and love kindness.’ And
the
third part is to treat others as I want to be treated. “ You fidget
on your
cushion as the words leave you in a rush.
“And
how do you want to be treated right now?”
//Does
that mean what I think it means? //
There
was no mistaking his implication. An
implication made
provocative
by his nearness, the bracketing of your body with his, and
the
smoky tone of his voice. You steal a
glance at his face, and meet a
gaze
that is primal, sultry. His lapis eyes
search yours, reading the
deepest
parts of you, waiting for your answer.
A deep thrill runs
through
you, stealing your breath. This is
seduction. //I think
that I
will skip the koicha under the circumstances.// You swallow to
moisten
a dry throat and decide to ignore his question.
You
lift an empty tray and rise quickly to your feet, turning aside to
hide
your blush. “I have to clean up and
prepare the room for the tea
service. It’s the custom for guests to go out and
enjoy the garden for
a
bit. I’ll let you know when tea is
ready. “ Despite hearing the
command
in your voice he smiles boyishly as he rises and leaves.
Sighing,
you try to calm yourself and gather the
rest of the spent
trays
and take them into the mizuya room.
As you remove the MU from
the
alcove wall and enclose it in its case, a sudden strong breeze lifts
the
reed blind at the window, making it rattle.
You are ‘rattled’
too,
shaken by a wind more powerful than any gale.
So many things to
consider—including
the
fact that he is from somewhere very far away and is leaving soon.
You
really didn’t know if you wanted to get yourself so deeply involved
in
something that couldn’t last.
Yet. .
.
Your
hands tremble a bit as you arrange the tray with the tea items.
Another
breeze mingles the aroma of charred sandalwood with the scent of
the
junipers. You tend the brazier and
leave the tea house to get the
flower
arrangement.
Lark
song. Morning light. Floating leaves in the pond.
Your
thoughts meander along the path to the garden shed where the
chabana
waits. That wasn’t the correct way to address a guest. Your
manners
seem to have fled. You hadn’t even
offered the tray of
sweets. This tea was turning out to be anything but
relaxing for you.
Yes,
you do want to get closer to him. He
is gorgeous and fascinating
and you
enjoy being alone with him. This was
much too fast, though.
It is
almost as if he knows.
//Yes, he knows.//
He
knows how much you want him. And he
wants you.
He is
as calm and straightforward in seduction as he is in
negotiation. No games here. He'll probably wait all
day, patiently,
for an
answer to his question. And if you
don't give him the answer
soon,
he'll probably telephone to get it later.
What would have
happened
if you responded right away, telling him the first thing on
your
mind?
// Truth is, Qui-Gon Jinn I want to be
treated like your lover. I
want
you in my bed; I want you
pillowed next to me every night. . .//
And how
would he treat a lover?
You
visualize his hands on you, your bodies twined on the tatami.
//Was
that a wish or a prophecy?//
The
very notion sets your heart pounding, your imagination racing. Your
pace
slows as you allow yourself to wonder what sort of caresses he
might
like and you both might enjoy. You
retrieve the vase of
flowers
and turn back to the path.
Then
you catch sight of him, sitting cross-legged on the grass in the
dappled
shade of an oak tree, lost in meditation.
His eyes closed, his
face
serene, his lips slightly parted;
a large
hand resting palm up on each knee. He
is stunning. A swirl
of
energy, a power, is radiating from him, breaking against your
consciousness
like a wave. A zephyr caresses his long
brown-silver
hair,
setting it floating about his head like a shadow, and you are
transfixed. //An angel, a seraphim// your thought spills. A desire
to
touch his face consumes you.
Temptation bids you to kneel and kiss
those
lips. He remains motionless, seemingly unaware of you. Blue
light
gathers in his hands, dancing on his fingertips. Suddenly, you
feel
like an intruder. You turn to hurry
back to the tea house with
your
vase.
"Wait. I'll go with you."
You
freeze without turning, hearing the slight rustle of his clothes as
he
rises and comes to your side. And
slips his arm around your
waist. Your hands tighten around the vase in a
death-grip as you walk
together
in silence.
No one
spoke. The host, the guest, the white chrysanthemums. *
You
place the vase of flowers directly on the table-like face of the
fountain. Momentarily,
you dip
your fingers into the water swirling
about the base of the
vase,
and longing claims you as your mind replays the vision of him in
the
garden, the feel of his hand on your body
as you
walked together. Oh, yes. He will have his answer before the
morning
passes. Your reverie breaks with the
realization that he is
watching
you with knowing eyes. Wordlessly, you
pass each other by as
he
moves into the alcove to admire the flowers and you cross to the
mizuya
to get the tea utensils for usucha.
You
swallow hard when you return and see that he has taken a seat next
to your
place. You bow once to him and take your seat,
placing the tray in
front
of you. Then you sit back for a few
minutes and try to compose
yourself. Meditation is so very important
to the
ceremony, but you are so aroused that contemplating anything but
his
kiss is almost impossible. . .
Your
movements are rhythmic and smooth as you,
wipe the tea scoop and
the
outside of the tea container with a silk cloth and place them in
position. You then carefully fold the silk cloth
and set it back on
the
tray. Some of the hot water from the
kettle is ladled into the tea
bowl,
and then you place the tea whisk in the bowl, rinsing it and then
holding
it up for the ceremonial inspection of its tines. You discard
the
water into another container and wipe
the whisk and tea bowl with a
linen
cloth. You place these next to the tea
container and lift a
small
black lacquer tray of light and dark chocolate truffles.
“Please
partake of the sweets. . .” you turn toward him and bow,
offering
the tray in the traditional manner.
After a moment has
passed,
he still hasn’t taken the tray and you raise your eyes to see
what’s
wrong. His gaze locks with yours,
immobilizing you. He takes
the
tray from you, places it aside on the mat and pulls you into his
lap.
He
turns your body so that you are sitting on his thighs, slightly
reclined,
wrapped in his arms. Moments fade into
eternity as his eyes
hold
yours, and you begin to feel warm and boneless. Then he kisses
you.
At
first, there is only the warmth of his breath, his lips just grazing
yours,
a feathery
touch. His mouth is cool and firm. You feel a hint of his beard, yet
everything
is gentleness. So sweetly gentle that
you are barely sure
it's
happening. He pulls away, just a
little, and kisses the bow of
your
lips, then the corners of your mouth, then your lower lip.
Then
his tongue, warm and moist, takes its circuit of your lips,
beginning
with where the
kisses
started. Your lips part and your
breath catches. Your body
arches
toward him, and you desperately want to hold him. But your
arms
are locked to your sides in his embrace.
He wants you to
receive,
not give. Not yet.
Now he
wants to give himself to you.
His
lips claim yours totally now, hungrily,
his tongue thrusting deeply
into
your mouth, penetrating and exploring, foretelling what he wants to
do to
your body. Without hesitation you
return his ardor, touching
your
tongue caressingly to his, tasting him,
inhaling
his breath, delirious with the sensual pleasure of his kiss.
As he
continues to make love to your mouth, his arms press you closer,
exploring
the hollow of your back, the
swell
of your hips. You can feel his growing
hardness. And
something
else. A tender yet
insistent
flickering against your awareness, his plea for entry into
your
mind. You let
yourself
yield completely, and his radiant presence fills you,
heightening
your perception
and the
sensation of the kiss. You are lost
in wonder as you
experience
both kissing and
being
kissed at the same time.
~ I
want you. . .~ echoes hotly in your mind as one of his hands travels
to
cradle your neck while the other moves down to your breast, covering
it. He swallows your moans as he fills his hand
with you, squeezing
softly,
massaging. His thumb caresses your
peaked nipple, and your
body
slams urgently against his. He breaks
the kiss and holds you
tightly,
tenderly, swaying gently. He murmurs aloud, softly, love
words
in a language your ears have never heard before, but that your
heart
understands perfectly. Gently he
releases you, letting you rest
on the
tatami, your head on a cushion.
His
hands find the sash of your kimono, undoing it. And then he unworks
the
sash of your inner shift, and draws your body out of both garments
as if
you are a doll.
He
hooks his fingers under the waistline of your silk panties and skims
them
down, and off.
He
studies you for a while, his indigo eyes hot on your body.
~Beautiful,
you are so beautiful.~ his thought sounds inside your head
with a
reverence bordering on prayer.
For a
split second, you can see yourself, through his eyes, your hair
fanned
out on the
tatami,
your chest heaving, a look of wide-eyed astonishment on your
face.
Your
eyes slide shut as he strokes the underside of your breasts with
his
fingers. ~So soft.~ His hands are hot against your bare skin as
he
grasps the fullness of both of your breasts, lightly stroking and
lifting
them, coaxing your nipples to full attention.
When your
nipples
are pebbled, hardened, he lowers his
head, taking first one
and
then the other between his lips, and you are lost in the sorcery of
his
mouth. First the shattering kisses,
now these incredible
caresses. Heat swirls through your center, moistening
you. Your body
reels
against him, and you clasp his head with your hands as you cry out
his
name.
He
kneels between your legs as his mouth travels lower, lovingly
covering
your waist and then your belly with little kisses and bites.
He
takes his time, mindful of your pleasure.
He
lifts your legs over his shoulders and spreads his hands wide over
your
derriere as he draws you to him. His
mouth descends yet again,
and he
kisses and licks the cleft of your womanhood with gentle
fervency. Your cries of pleasure drive him to tongue
you deeper . .
.. and
the two of you moan in unison as your release uncoils within you,
swirling
outward, growing like the ripples on a pond, breaking as you
climax.
Releasing
you, he rises to his feet, catlike, and begins to undress
slowly,
letting his
garments
settle into a pool at his feet, his eyes never leaving yours.
You
slowly come to
your
knees to study him, want burning brightly within you. You want to
learn
everything,
all the
smooth places and the rough places and the secret places. You
want to
archive
him in your memory.
Finally,
he is naked.
You can
only think that, despite the scars that arc over one of his
shoulders,
he looks
magnificent,
like a thing of natural splendor, something that belongs in
the
untamed beauty of a deep forest or a jungle.
You marvel at the flow
of
muscles beneath the skin, the power shown in the broad shoulders and
muscular
legs, the vulnerability of the little V at
the
small of his back before it flares into firm buttocks, the dusting
of fine
brown body
hair
peppering his chest and clustering darker and thicker about his
erect
sex.
~You're
gorgeous.~
He
smiles at your wordless compliment as he moves toward you with easy
grace. And you
reach
out to him. . .
Your
breath stops for a moment as you take him in your hand and rub your
palm
against
the
head of his hardness. It moves and
swells under your hand,
stretching
higher,
the
crown of it rising proudly, steel and velvet. You slide your
fingertips
down its length, and his body tenses with need, his breath
hissing
between his teeth. You begin to stroke him with both hands,
fingers
wrapped around him, and he moves
against you, finding a rhythm.
His
eyes are closed as he fully opens himself to the pleasure of your
touch.
You bend your head and touch the silken tip with your tongue.
Wanting
more, you slide your tongue around the ridge and then draw as
much as
you can of the length of him into your mouth, sucking gently,
your
lips advancing and retreating. You can
almost hear his control
breaking
as his hips begin to rock. Knowing
that he is so close to his
release
ignites your lust, and you take him deeper.
~Gods!~ You hear his groan inside your head, as his
fingers tangle in
your
hair.
He
withdraws from you and drops to his knees, sweeping you into his arms
and
cradling you against his broad chest.
Your arms encircle him and
your
lips meet his in a kiss so sweet that tears spring from your eyes.
You
bury your face in the curve of his shoulder, inhaling his scent,
imprinting
him on your mind. He lays you down on
the tatami once more,
places
a cushion under your hips and stretches out his body over yours,
slipping
between your thighs. You sigh and
raise your hips to him as
he
enters you, filling you perfectly, sliding slowly inside your wet
warmth.
The
white heat of passion grows, and your body begins to move, little
pulses
at first, searching for the answer to a timeless question. And
his
body responds,
matching
your rhythm, thrusting, joining the two of you in an ecstasy
beyond
your
wildest
dreams as the sensation of his pleasure fills you body and soul.
You are
lost to reality, completely caught up in the storm of emotions
flooding
you. There is
a
tensing of every cell of your being as you surge toward completion.
Your
hands fist in the mane of his hair, drawing his head down to lay
against
your own. Your legs lift
to wrap
around his waist. Sensing the
nearness of your release, he
increases
the
rhythm
of his thrusts, each stroke drawing a little sob from you, until
he
gives one final
stroke,
sheathing himself fully as he joins you in orgasm.
**********
You
awaken to find yourself in his arms, your head pillowed on his
chest. The kettle had long since ceased its boil,
the fire in the
brazier
being nearly out. For a while, you
simply lie there, listening
to his
breathing, watching dust motes dance in the late morning
sunbeams. His hand grazes your cheek, letting you
know that he is
also
awake.
“I hope
you realize that you ruined the Tea
Ceremony . . .” you say
languidly
as you stretch
in his
arms.
“How
so?” he whispered. “ I was a proper
guest; I obeyed all the
forms. I didn’t talk about problems. I shared the meal with you. . .
and how
could I ruin it when it isn’t finished yet?”
“What?” You raise yourself up against his chest and
look into his eyes.
His
hands begin to caress your back as he looks up at you.
“You
seduced me.” you continue.
“No. You offered the sweets and I partook. . .” his embrace
tightened. “you can serve the tea later.”
His
laughter peals in your head as you kiss his smiling mouth.