Across The Years (CITRUS)

Twenty Three - A Little Too Late

A bonus chapter for you guys...things are speeding up.

No One's POV

Mei woke from a peaceful nap, still in Yuzu's arms. Though seeing the bright sunlight coming in the small gap in the curtains, she quickly guessed it was nearing lunchtime and she couldn't miss that as they were having guests.

Mei got up quickly. "Oh my, I cannot miss lunch. What time is it?"

Yuzu who was awoken by Mei's suddenly getting out of bed, muttered. "There's a clock on the mantle above the fireplace."

Looking quickly, she could see it was just before 11:45. That meant she had some 45 minutes to get home and cleaned up. She needed to get cleaned up as she smelled of sex. While she didn't mind it here, at home that was simply not an option.

Yuzu sat in bed with a sad expression as Mei quickly grabbed her dress and put it back on. Once dressed, she looked at the sad-looking Yuzu and her heart sank. Mei then quickly kissed Yuzu on the cheek and then whispered in her ear.

"For the first time, I felt like a true woman. I wish we could be together longer, but I must depart."

"Thank you." Yuzu said quietly.

After a strangely awkward moment, Mei made a half-smile and left.

Though the morning had been wonderful, Mei as soon as she left began to feel guilty, dirty. While she was with Yuzu, she felt safe, beautiful, loved, wanted and in general she felt right.

After returning home, she quickly got a basin of water and cleaned herself off. When Mrs. Bailey asked why the water was needed, Mei she had sweat a lot from the heat of the day. It was in fact a rather hot day, so her explanation was perfectly plausible.

After eating lunch and conversing with their guests, she felt like she needed some time to think, so she took her horse out and did some riding. A little while later she found herself sitting alone on an isolated hilltop, trying to sort out what just happened and how she felt about it. Was it just her giving into her urges, with the sole intention of purging them or was it much more than that. Mei would sit there for a long time, trying to decide that. Even when she went to sleep later that night, it stayed in her mind.

Yuzu on the other hand was happy, at least until Mei left. Then her own doubts and worries started to creep in as the rest of the day ticked on. Yuzu did try to occupy herself with a good horror novel but she had a hard time concentrating on it. Though Mei was now her lover, Yuzu was still very much a fraud and that stuck firmly in Yuzu's mind. Not to mention she had not told her about Amamiya. She was scared to, scared to say anything that would break the wonderful spell between them. That was why she didn't tell her. It all worried Yuzu tremendously.

Yuzu would lie awake for hours that night, wondering how if ever she would explain this. Then maybe Mei could fall for the real Yuzu.

The next day all was as it normally was, or at least it seemed that way. Yuzu arrived at 6 am and helped, Thomas, Mrs. Bailey, the cook, and Emily prepare breakfast. Deep down Yuzu was worried. She was worried that Mei would say something or reject her or even her saying something to blow it.

"What if I say I love her and scare her off?" thought Yuzu, as she started her tasks for the day.

The thing about yesterday that really bothered Yuzu is that it was largely physical. Little of anything important was said. No relationship was established, no secrets were whispered as the lover held each other, and so on. Yuzu wanted more than just sex with Mei, she craved a much deeper connection. Something that her relationship with Akane was lacking.