A new morning with the lamb and the wolf

In the dim light of dawn, when the village still lies in the quiet embrace of sleep, Akira sets out with a purpose. His steps, silent and sure, carry him through the sleepy streets, a contrast to his usual solitary training. He had spent much of the night with clients, bending to all matters of will and whims, but the morning had come to wipe the night away from his thoughts and allow him to focus on the day ahead of him.

His work through the night did have a benefit, he had met with a florist during the night, and as part of his payment, he asked her to throw in a bouquet of white roses as part of his fee, to which she agreed. He clutched that very same bouquet of roses, their petals pristine against the morning's soft light. These are not just any flowers; they are a thoughtful gesture chosen specifically for his friend Asuka. He knew that this woman loved white roses, so he figured out what way to start the day better than with a present.

The morning began with a bouquet of white roses left on Asuka's front porch, a ring of the bell, and a door opening. Standing before her door, Akira would take a moment ot be sure the flowers looked presentable, adjusting a petal here and there, ensuring they were lovely. It's a small gesture, the giving of flowers, but to Akira, it was a big step forward to showing affection in a more, normal way.

He knocks gently, the sound echoing softly in the quiet of the morning. As he waits, he activates his eyes. He had been playing with them through the night, practicing them, and now he has realized that he can see people's chakra, something he wasn't able to do before. He couldn't see through walls or anything, not yet. He tries to keep his mind wandering into the pain that he sought, or the battles that he fought, he tried to keep his mind on more "normal" things today. He was going to go out on some missions with my good friend.

Just a friend. But did he want more? No no no. She wouldn't want to have him. Not for what he does for a living. But does she even know? He wasn't entirely sure, but he didn't feel the need to tell her. Not now anyway. He would wait patiently, as he said. Patiently.

WC: 411

Though Asuka had been nearly exhausted the night before, she would awaken before the sun rose and begin her daily routine. She would brush her long hair exactly 100 times to ensure that any tangles or knots would be removed that may have accumulated as she tossed and turned in her sleep. She would then get dressed, she knew Akira would be there at some point to do some work together so she needed something she could move around in. Instead of her regular attire, Asuka would wear a dark grey, long-sleeved shirt that looked similar to the top of a kimono. She wore a white pair of palazzo-style pants that looked like a long skirt. On her feet she wore a pair of matching dark grey flats that clicked lightly against the floor as she walked. Her nearly pin-straight white hair lay flat against her back, and some strands rested on her shoulders.

She decided that she was going to surprise Akira with a delicious home-cooked meal. She knew he would often go hungry for long periods of time, and didn’t wish to see him suffer more than necessary even though he reveled in the pain. As she noticed the sun began to rise, she knew it wouldn’t be long until he arrived at her home so she quickly got to work. She’d prepare them both an omelet with cheese, green peppers, onions, and a variety of spices, along with both bacon and sausage. She would even take the time to make a pitcher of homemade lemonade.

Soon she’d hear a knocking at the door, assuming it was Akira she would rush to answer it. However, in her hurry, she bumped into a side table that was in the hallway leading to the front door. Akira heard a bumping sound, followed by the sound of a body hitting the floor and a few squeaks of pain from Asuka as she recovered from her fall. She’d quickly stand and mumble some curses at the table before then finally making it to the door and opening it.

There in front of her was Akira, as handsome and charming as ever, holding a bouquet of white roses. She was unsure of when she had mentioned it to him, but white roses were in fact her favorite flowers. He probably had seen her home decorated with them at some point and took that as a hit. She would smile brightly as they made eye contact and look at him with a joyful expression. She’d notice his eyes glowing slightly, but since she had a dojutsu herself she didn’t see anything wrong with it. If he examined her chakra he would see a white aura emitting from her body, occasionally small flecks of gold could be seen shining within it. It also seemingly had the texture of a fluffy cloud.

She’d reach out and attempt to give him a welcoming hug, wishing to show her gratitude for the gift he now presented to her. Her warm body would press up against his as they held each other for a moment. She couldn’t explain it, but his presence provided her with an immense feeling of safety and the more time they spent together the more she found herself wanting to be around him.

After they finished the embrace, or if he rejected her she’d happily say”Good morning Akira, I hope you had a pleasant evening. Thank you for the flowers, how did you know these were my favorite? Come inside, I made us some breakfast, also I need to find a vase for these”

If he offered the flowers to her, she’d happily accept them and then usher him inside. She’d lead him into the kitchen where he’d find the breakfast she had made for him, however before she sat down to eat she would pull a simple glass vase from one of her kitchen cabinets, pour some water in it, and then place the flowers inside of it. Afterward, she’d display them proudly on her small kitchen table, and begin to serve out portions for the two of them.

As they ate breakfast Asuka would ask about how his training was going, and attempt to keep the conversation more about him. Her life was rather boring compared to his, though she didn’t completely know what he did for a living, she knew it kept him up most nights and was concerned his health would suffer because of it.

WC:748

She opened the door, and yes, she was stunning. But she always was. She never realized just what her place was in this village, and in all respects, neither of them were really "important" in any way. He was merely a swordsman and a man of the night, while she was a woman who cooked and bartended. They were cogs in the machine of the village of Kumo, and while that did at times bring him to ruin mentally, being with her made him feel much better about his station.

He would bow to her as she opened the door, albeit slightly. His coat was merely hanging off of his shoulders, as he had his hands coming out of the center seam of it. He would reach out to her with his bouquet and he would smile to her. She would respond by giving him a hug, which he would take a moment to respond to. So many people found him off-putting. They found his obsession with blood undesireable and would ignore him. But Asuka was not like that, far from it. He would wrap his arms around Asuka and rest his head onto hers. He would silently sniff the top of her head, memorizing the scent of the woman, as it was a sweet smell indeed.

He couldn't explain it, how she made him feel. For so much of his life, he felt inhuman, a crazed individual with no true emotions. But when he was with her, she made him feel like he was able to feel emotions for someone else, to have the possibility of being... normal.

She would detach from their embrace, she would speak, her soothing influence over his mind was immediate and he would tremble slightly at her words. She would say that she made breakfast for them both, a kind gesture. She would ask how he knew that white roses were her favorite. He would laugh and place his right hand on the back of his neck and respond, "Oh, darling. You know that I try to know as much as I can. That just happened to be one of them." He didn't want to tell her that he had been watching her ever since they were children.

When they spent their time in the orphanage, he was always the odd one out. Treated as something lesser or subhuman. To their credit, they may have been right. The only thing he could focus on was pain, blood, and training. He wasn't the smartest individual; he didn't do well in school, hence why he dropped out of training after obtaining the rank of Genin. But he always had a watchful eye over Asuka, even after she had gotten adopted. Her softness, her sweetness, was something that any man would take notice of, but for him, it was something he would obsess over.

He liked to think of himself as a watchful observer, even if he was more the predator that prowled around the sheep. He wanted to be sure he was the only predator that pounced on this particular lamb. But in that time of his obsession, he had observed many things about Asuka, but he wasn't going to say that he was obsessed, worried he would scare her away.

He entered into her home, being thankful for the invitation and he walked inside. He thought of his own home for a moment and compared. Her home was far more inviting than his own. It was clean, of course, but his home was rather, sterile. He wouldn't think more on it, he would focus on what was happening now. He sat down at her small table and he would see the breakfast that had been set upon it. With a thankful heart he would speak, "Asuka this looks beautiful, almost as beautiful as you are my little lamb. Truly a hearty breakfast, worthy of even the Kage." He would eat in a calm manner, fit for a gentleman.

The two would begin speaking together, and she would ask about his training. He wanted to spare her the gory details of how he been taking to self harm just to be able to see blood again, figuring that was just not fit for breakfast talk, so he would instead give her a brief explanation, "Training has been good, darling. You know me, just swinging the blade around. Nothing major of course. Haven't really found anyone to train with, but as you know I do enjoy the act of training by myself. Although I have been spending a lot more time at the training facility. It's not as cold as the valley, so it doesn't hurt as bad, but even then, I do find myself enjoying the mirrors, I can analyze my every movement whilst there and it does provide a great deal of benefit."

He would swallow and point his fork towards her, "How has cooking been, sweetheart? Also you must tell me when you began working at the Drunken Kage. Your rather peculiar change in personality was quite a sight to behold, darling. Nearly brought me to my own knees, which is no small feat." He would continue eating as he awaited her response.

WC: 869

As they sat she’d begin eating as well after placing a small napkin on her lap. She’d listen to him as he spoke delicately to her, and she’d soak in each word. She had always been enraptured by his charm, and jealous of the confidence he exuded. In all honesty, when she was working at the bar, she modeled her behavior off of his though she could never quite nail the performance. She hoped with time she’d grow more confident and be cherished by many like him. She’d allow him to finish speaking uninterrupted, then begin talking herself after wiping her mouth gently.

”Cooking has been going great, I recently bought a new recipe book and have been dying to create some dishes from it. I’m hoping soon I can make my own, but that won't be for some time.

She’d take a bite of her food, savor the delectable taste, and swallow before responding to the statement. She’d blush slightly at his comment and was unsure of how to answer. She couldn’t tell him that the personality change was her attempt to replicate his usual demeanor, no that was too embarrassing. After taking a small sip of her lemonade she’d respond in a somewhat embarrassed tone.

”You liked it? I figured you thought it was funny, to be honest with you. I had been working there for some time when I realized my normal cadence wasn’t providing the tips I wished for. So I drew some inspiration from a few others and decided to try out a personality adjustment. The first night I worked like that, I received over 800 ryo just in tips. Though I don’t see the appeal, I suppose others do.

Asuka would attempt to quickly change the topic, and begin discussing what missions they had lined up for the day. She didn’t want him to feel as if he had to compliment her more than he already had done. As they concluded breakfast, she would quickly clean up the kitchen and begin her preparations to leave. They had a busy day ahead of them, and she was excited to spend it with him.

Their first stop would be at a blacksmith who needed assistance in delivering some equipment to the academy. As a child, she had wished to attend the academy in hopes of growing stronger to aid the village, but unfortunately, her parents were against the idea when she came of age. Quickly that dream died and her passion for creating masterpieces through food was created. Soon the two would move from her home, and exit out into the bustling street. She’d lock the door behind them, and turn to face the street. Before walking she would reach out to take Akira’s arm if he allowed her to do so.

Soon they came upon a rather large building with thick black smoke billowing out from its chimney. Upon entering they’d be greeted by a rather large, rugged-looking man. His hands were rough and calloused, also he had a bit of soot on the side of his face. She’d allow Akira to take the lead of introductions, really not wanting to be observed at this moment. As they spoke she would look around the room, hoping something would catch her eye. Due to her upbringing and lack of training she knew very little of her clan, but she did know they were well known for their taijutsu abilities. Perhaps she should take Akira up on his offer to assist in training her.

She’d snap back to reality as the conversation concluded, and the man behind the counter handed Akira a large, heavy-looking box. He would then instruct the two of them to grab one of the carts in front of the shop so Akira wouldn’t have to carry the heavy load all the way to the academy.

WC:648
Total WC:1396

He would continue to eat while she would speak on cooking, he would look across the table in admiration, seeing her light up to such degree speaking on something he did regularly. He remembered a time when he thought what he did was fun, enjoyable even. But now, he just viewed it as a means to an end. He didn't crave the women's attention any longer. He wanted something... different these days.

"Oh I don't think it's too far off from now, darling. I am sure that you could make your own recipe right now if you truly put your mind to it. You are very talented in what you do, and you just need the confidence to rely on your own skill. But either way, I'm just glad that it brings you joy, sweetheart."

She would respond to his comment about her behavior at the bar, and he would giggle as he continued to eat. "Oh I did like it, but also found it humorous. The idea of you acting in such a way like me? It was a thought I couldn't actually comprehend at the moment. But I must say, with how beautiful you are. You would be able to bring any man to his knees."

She spoke on her first night acting in that manner at the bar, "Oh I don't doubt it. I remember my first night on the town. I was new back then and didn't quite know what I was doing, but even at 18 I was tipped quite a bit..." He realized that he was speaking about the very thing he told himself he wouldn't speak on. He tried to catch himself, "Ummm doing yard work. Lots of tips for helping people with their yards and things of that nature."

He would quickly start sipping his lemonade, relieved when she changed the subject. "Oh yes, darling. The missions that we have today are very important. I do think it is about time we headed off to do those things. This was delicious by the way, absolutely astonishing." He would rise from the table and he would help Asuka around the kitchen, ensuring that she wasn't doing all of the cleaning by herself.

The first stop would be the blacksmith, and the two would walk arm-in-arm through the village streets. He would think of the things that he needed to do with his life, he wanted to start thinking of his future in the village, and what he could do to truly make his friends, and Asuka, proud of him. He wasn't sure what her feelings were towards him. But he pushed that out of his mind as they arrived at the Blacksmith's shop.

As they entered, Asuka's mind seemed to wander elsewhere, which was fine for him. He bowed slightly, still holding onto Asuka's arm as he began to speak with the blacksmith. He said the shipment that needed to be delivered was quite heavy, and to use one of the carts to the side of the shop to get it to the academy. He thought for a moment, looking over to Asuka, who was still wandering in her mind.

He would accept the crate and he would hold it over his left shoulder, continuing to hold onto her left arm with his right. Her mind would shift back to reality and they would be off. Akira would strain his body slightly to keep this shipment in place, but he wanted to show off for Asuka, and this was how other women would be impressed, so he figured he would try it here.

Together they continued to walk towards the academy to deliver the goods. As they walked, he would continue small talk with Asuka, just to keep her mind in reality, but if she truly wanted to wander mentally then he would let her. They would arrive at the academy, and Akira was beginning wish he hadn't been so fool hardy, but he was committed to showing her that he was as strong as he thought he was.

They entered the academy doors and he finally set the box down onto the floor before the front desk. "Hello there. We have been tasked with delivering this box to whoever it may concern. Do point me in the right direction and we shall make this delivery complete." He would bow to the ladies behind the desk and smile his devilish grin, continuing to hold on to Asuka's arm.

WC: 745
TWC: 2025

Upon exiting the blacksmith Asuka would attempt to collect a cart for them. However, Akira would refuse the offer and instead decided to carry the heavy box all the way to the academy. She could tell he strained under the stress of the object, but due to his stubbornness, he would refuse any aid. Thankfully he managed to make it to the academy without dropping the box, or anything bad happening. As they walked Asuka kept up in conversation with him, however as usual she listened more than talked.

She wanted him to feel comfortable around her, and feel as if he could rely on her. Though she wasn't strong or a good combatant, she liked to think of herself as a grounded and reasonable person. She knew Akira had his cruel tendencies which seemingly would only come out when he was genuinely pissed. When she was being bullied as a child he'd often step in, and save her from whatever was coming her way. She wanted to do something similar for him, she wanted to be able to protect him and her loved ones.

She was slowly warming up to the idea of training beside Akira, though she didn't believe she could handle the intensity of his routine. She dreaded the thought of her dainty hands becoming calloused and rough from all the work she’d have to do. She was already behind Akira when it came to strength, she couldn't even wield the weapon that he seemingly handled with ease. However her abilities always leaned toward more of a support, perhaps she could be his medic.

She would day dream about tending to his wounds, and chastising him for pushing himself too far. She wished to heal his mind and body, as it pained her to see such a close friend suffering. Yeah, just a friend.. They had been growing rather close to each other over the past 2-3 years, she even had at one point given him a spare key to her home just in case he needed somewhere to go.

Soon those thoughts would be pushed aside as they entered the academy. Akira would introduce the two of them and inform the person at the desk of their delivery. They would then be instructed to take it to the blacksmith they had at the academy and were given instructions on how to get there. Soon they come upon a very neat, and well kept armory that looked to have a forge in the back.

She would allow Akira to speak and introduce the two of them. After dropping off the box, the person that took the delivery would offer them another job. There was a few different pieces of equipment that needed tending to, and the academy was asking for a bit of help with the task. After discussing with Akira they would decide that it would be best to accept the job.

Due to Asuka's lack of training, she didn't really have a specific weapon or set of armor that she knew how to maintain. Eventually, she would wander over to a box filled with dull kunai that needed to be sharpened and placed away accordingly. For the next hour, she would sharpen the weapons to the best of her ability, though the outcome was subpar.

As she was nearly done with the assignment, unfortunately the Whetstone and kunai slipped from her hand, out of reflex she would attempt to grab the kunai before it dropped to the ground but she wasn't quick enough. The blade slipped through her hand and sliced a deep cut through her palm. She'd grip her wrist and let out a painful cry as it cut through her flesh. Blood quickly began trickling down her arm, and had begun to soak into the sleeves of her top.

Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks as she quickly tried to find something to wrap up her hand. She'd chastise and curse at herself for being such a clutz, her cute demeanor now replaced with a pained expression and panic.

”Oh fuck, ow ow ow. I'm such an idiot, why did I even try to grab it?”

Wc: 701
Total WC: 2097

The two would have their shipment accepted, and they would be given the directions of where they would be able to place the shipment, with the academy's blacksmith. He would of course nod and hoist the box back onto his shoulder and he would nod to the ladies behind the desk. "Why thank you, lovely ladies. I wish you a glorious day." He would say with his usual warm, and somewhat off putting smile. They would move toward the academy blacksmtih, and he would notice that Asuka's mind was elsewhere again.

He thought about asking about it, to see just what was on her mind. It was something that drove him crazy, not being able to know what others were thinking. He would constantly think about it, whether he wanted to or not, it was always on his own mind. He would kiss the side of her head as they walked, and smile to her with the best smile that he could muster. It was still something he was learning to do, to smile. Other people make it seem so easy, just simply do it. But when you don't have the same mental processes as normal people, that simple task becomes arduous and daunting at times. It was why he would normally go for a more alluring and predatory smile instead. That smile seemed to work well enough for his clients, but Asuka was far from being one of those.

The last couple of years have been quite different for the two of them. Before that, Akira was nothing more than a specter among those that he used to know. He moved to the outskirts of the village, where the undesirables live, and would simply spend his days there, training in the alleyways, then he would work nights at different clients' houses. He didn't have any social connections for several years since the orphanage, and he didn't know how to feel about that. Parts of him loved the seclusion, he didn't have anyone expecting anything from him, and he was performing a rather pleasurable act of service through the night hours.

But another part of him craved connection, some sort of tether to this world. He decided that he would seek out Asuka, "randomly" bumping into her in the village. Then they would stay in touch, but he would think of that no more for the time being. They had arrived at the academy blacksmith, and he was told where the leave the box on the floor. He would do just that, not letting go of Asuka's arm, partly because he didn't want her getting hurt on any of the sharp objects within the room, but mostly because he just enjoyed being in contact with her.

The blacksmith would then ask the two to stay there with him and sharpen some of the weapons for the academy, saying that he would pay them both. He was slow to take this job as he didn't want Asuka getting hurt, but she seemed to want to prove herself as she approved the job almost immediately.

The two of them would begin sharpening blades, something he would excel at. He would start burning through all the projectiles first, grinding them down to a beautiful point on each one, before moving to the next. After he worked on the shuriken, he would move to the kunai, then any of the other bladed weapons that the blacksmith had to offer. He realized that Asuka was going at a much slower rate, which he giggled thinking about how their roles were reversed when filing documents.

After he started working on the sharps that she was assigned to work on, he could feel a sudden shift, and then a yelp coming from Asuka. But then, he could smell it. Blood was running down her arm and getting into her sleeves. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, he had wanted nothing more than to see her blood for so long, and now he had the chance to do just that. But he did notice that Asuka was not enjoying the process of bleeding.

In a split second, he looked around and saw that there was nothing for him to clean her up with. So he grabbed her hand softly, and brought it to his lips. He licked the wound, cleaning up the blood that would be pooling into her palm. He would use the kunai she cut her hand with to slice a small amount of his shirt off, slightly sad as it was one of his favorite shirts. He used the shirt to wrap around her hand, and he would wipe the rest of the blood off of her arm by licking it off of her arm slowly, enjoying ever second that his tongue was connected with her skin. Savoring it as he felt its rapturous emphatic joy and pleasure rush through his body.

A moment passed and suddenly his mind came back to reality, and he realized what he had done. Her arm was clean, and he had cleaned it. The bleeding was not too bad that the pressure from his banding couldn't stop it. He would wipe some of the blood off of his face, leaving a small amount still on his cheek. "I'm...I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. I just didn't have anything else to clean your wound. Are...Are you okay?" He would stumble over his words, knowing that he had given in to his obsession once more, and was worried that he had shown too much of his true self to her. It was too late, and now he waited in bated breath.

WC: 947

Everything happened so quickly, that she didn’t have hardly time to react. As the kunai dropped to the ground Akira had rushed to her side. His movements were fluid and without a moment of hesitation he placed the wound to his mouth and attempted to clean the area. A bit of it would land on his cheek, but thankfully she wasn’t bleeding too much. He looked to be in some sort of a trance, not really thinking of his actions, and just simply doing them.

She could feel the wound throbbing in her palm as Asuka sat and stared at him with a neutral face as he “tended” to her wound. Emotions flooded her brain, and she couldn’t help but feel a bit short-circuited. She didn’t know how to react in this moment, she found his willingness to jump to her aid charming but was a bit off-put by the execution. However she knew he was attempting to help, but she couldn’t help but feel slightly uneasy. Thankfully it wasn’t a lot of blood to begin with so it didn’t take long for him to finish cleaning the area.

She watched as he used the kunai to rip a bit of his shirt off to use as a makeshift bandage. Holding her hand out to him, she’d allow him to wrap it, wincing slightly as the pain rushed through her. With her unharmed hand, she would wipe the tears from her eyes as she stopped crying, however, she was still sniffling slightly.

He soon would snap out of whatever hold was placed on him, and he began to apologize to her. Before he could finish speaking, Asuka would lick her thumb and attempt to wipe the remaining blood from his cheek if he allowed her. She didn’t look angry, or upset in the slightest, just neutral almost as if she was thinking of what to say. Not wanting to upset him, she wanted to choose her next words carefully.

She’d wait for him to finish speaking, before responding between sniffles saying ”Y..you don’t need to apologize. You stopped the bleeding, and that’s all that matters to me. I think I’ll be fine, I’ve cut myself while cooking in significantly worse ways so I promise I’ll be alright. What about you, are you okay?”

Asuka would look over at the blacksmith, who was now looking at them, specifically Akira, in absolute shock. Her gaze would quickly look back to Akira and she’d give a pathetic smile before saying ”Actually why don’t we collect our payment, and head to the next mission site? We can talk on the way don’t you think?”

If he agreed, the horrified blacksmith would promptly hand them the money that was due with no words exchanged. Asuka apologized to the man for not doing such a great job, to which the man simply said “It’s fine”. Money in hand, the two of them would begin walking to their next destination. Her hand still throbbed, however luckily it was her left hand that had been injured, and not her dominant hand. If he allowed she would wrap her right arm around his left and walk closely beside him. She wouldn’t speak much while in the busier parts of the village, she wanted to be able to talk in a somewhat remote area.

She would wait to speak until they were in a more desolate part of the village, closer to the outskirts where she believed Akira lived. Though she had never been to his home, she knew that he regularly worked in the area.

Now semi-alone, Asuka would speak up in her normal timid voice and say ”I’m not trying to be rude, but what happened back there? I’m not upset or anything, more just curious. I want to know more about you Akira... I-” she would quickly stop herself from speaking, covering her mouth slightly with her wrapped-up hand. She wanted to allow him time to respond, and she was slowly becoming embarrassed. She didn’t want him to think she was prying, but she truly just wanted to understand the way he thought.

WC: 696
Total WC:2793

He knelt beside her, a small tear in his shirt, and a massive gap in where his mind was, to reality. His body was still throbbing from the blood he had consumed. Her blood was sweet as if she had wine running through her veins. He wanted more, but he knew that he needed to play this situation well. He let the mask slip, ever so slightly, or in this case, in a rather huge way. He thought for a moment while she spoke, about how he was going to slip that mask back on, wishing not to scare her away. She would've known about his obsession with blood, if she had remembered him from their years together in the orphanage, but he wasn't sure if she would remember just to what degree his obsession held over himself.

Her hand got closer to his face, and she wiped the blood from his cheek. His nerves would still be on fire from the encounter, and he would shudder at her touch, barely noticeably. When she was done speaking, she asked if he was okay. A crooked smile graced upon his face, "only she would ask if I was okay after her getting hurt." He would think to himself. He looked at the wound and he simply held pressure on the wound to make sure the bleeding had stopped. When he was sure that it was done, he let her hand go, allowing her to bring it back to her side. Still thinking about how he would play this situation, Asuka offered them to change the scenery, and he looked over to the blacksmith, who was looking at him in awestruck terror. Akira would smile over to him, "Sorry for this whole... mess. Sir. We will be on our way."

Asuka would speak to the blacksmith and get their payment, then she would walk with him out of the academy and on to outskirts of the town for their next mission. Her arm was wrapped around his and she walked closely next to him. He tasted her blood, he had the taste of someone else's blood, and it felt so good. But he had to remember that this wasn't "normal" behavior for the average individual, and Asuka was far more normal than he, so he was going to have to be smart.

They stopped only a block away from his home, something that caused Akira to feel even more discomfort as none of the people that he knew actually knew where he lived, just that he lived in this area. She turned to him, with few people near them, and she would speak in her soft, malleable, timid, sheepish, lavishly decadent voice. Just the sheer voice of hers was enough to cause him to have his mind travel to faraway lands, remembering the taste that permeated his mouth.

He would get a grip of his mind by time she was done speaking, and putting her hand over her mouth, and he would finally respond to her questions. "Darling," He would begin by placing his hand against the side of her face, caressing it softly, peering deep into her eyes. "You were bleeding, and I simply couldn't stand you hurting. So I cleaned the wound in the best way that I had available to me at the time. I do apologize for the unconventional methods that I had used, I do hope you can forgive me for frightening you." He would pick up her injured hand, he would slowly turn it over to reveal her palm side up, leaving the bandages on. There was a small amount of blood seeping through the shirt bandage that he had used.

He would shudder slightly at the sight. He picked up her hand close to his face, and he would kiss it gingerly. He would pull the hand closer to his body and kiss her arm as well. "I do apologize, my sweet sweet Asuka." Saying her name with a rather poetic inflection, attempting to sound somewhat alluring in this situation.

He wanted to be fully honest with her, but he wasn't prepared to have the one person that he had put in his life, allowed her in to any type of circle he may have had, and scare her away immediately. So he would leave it at that. Unless she continued to ask. He would look lovingly into her eyes, doing his best to hide his usual predator type look, in exchange for something softer, more seductive.

WC: 752