Arranged Marriage

YOUR Tarte Awaits

When you wake up..you're lying right on top of Katakuri. You're sprawled across his torso. You blush, remembering last night fondly, and pretend to keep sleeping so you can enjoy the moment. You happily nuzzle into his chest, rubbing your cheek against his soft skin. "You were kicking me last night," he complains as soon as he sees you're awake. You smirk, "Oh, sorry... I've never done this before, I guess I'm not good at it." He draws circles around your back with his bare finger, "I disagree," he growls in a low voice that sends shivers up your spine. "Next time you have to wear pajamas," you tell him. "Next time?" He restates. You nod, "underwear is optional." You smirk at the thought. You like the fact that he wasn't wearing any and wondered if he usually wasn't. The thought that at any time, if you undone his pants, there'd be nothing underneath but skin. You wondered, if in the halls at Whole Cake Chateau... was he wearing any then? You pout when you see he'd gotten dressed, well, that he'd put his pants back on.

"I thought we agreed this was a one night thing? Tomorrow I'm back in my own bed," he tells you sarcastically. You shake your head, "no, I decided this is how I want to wake up everyday for the rest of my life and you're going to have to deal with it." Katakuri doesn't respond the way you'd hoped. He looks sad. "There's something over there for you," he tells you, pointing across the room to a table, ontop is the cutest little tree in a small honey-colored pot. "What is it?" You ask. "Amande hand delivered it with some almond butter early this morning. Looks like a baby peanut tree." You didn't know how to feel about Amande being over here while you were sleeping, but you supposed it was okay as long as Katakuri was with you. Now it made sense on why he was dressed. "Did I oversleep? How did I miss someone coming to the door?" You yawn and stretch. "I think I could have unloaded a gun in this room and you'd still be asleep," he jokes, "I'm guessing she'll send you gifts until you or I forgive her." You didn't realize what a heavy sleeper you were...

"She didn't strike me as the kind of person who cares like that," you mumble. "Crossing me is something my siblings don't do," he says. "It must be for you then," you say, "because I already told her that I forgave her. And I meant it." He sits up in bed and looks at you like he's processing your response. "What.." you ask, "Why are you looking at me like that? Are you upset? Should I not have?" He shakes his head, "No, that's not it. Amande told me you'd said that. I didn't believe her. Only you would be brave enough to forgive Amande after what she'd done to you." You thought about that for a minute, then you say, "how is THAT being brave? Wouldn't standing up to her and fighting her be brave?" He pulls you closer to him, picking you up and sitting you across his lap. He tucks a lock of hair behind your ear and whispers, "No. What you did was much more brave." You shrug, "well then I'm keeping the baby peanut tree."

He drops you onto your back on the bed and climbs on top of you, "you can have the baby peanut tree if I can have you." He pulls a pillow over your eyes and licks across your lips, asking for access to your mouth. You gasp and he runs his tongue across yours and kisses your lips. You wrap your legs around his torso, there's no way you're letting him get away. "More," you beg, your fingers blindly traveling up his chest. But he suddenly stops. He sees too many futures with unacceptable variables so he pulls off of you. "Katakuri?" you ask out of breath. "No," he says firmly. "Why don't you ever let me see you when we kiss? Are you pretending it's someone else you're kissing and not me?" You had to ask because it was starting to feel that way. "I said 'NO,' of course not!" He clenches his jaw, angry with himself if he's made you feel that way. "No," he says again. You were going to ask if you could kiss him now but without covering your eyes this time. You knew his answer would be 'no,' but you didn't understand why. "Why," you ask, "or is that also a 'no' answer." He doesn't reply.

You feel so frustrated. You don't understand what's the big deal? Haven't you already seen all of each other? He seriously sleeps in the damn scarf. It's getting a bit ridiculous. "How will this work when we're married? I won't be able to look at my husband while we kiss? Not even at our wedding ceremony?" You ask. He still doesn't answer. "Do you think I won't like your kisses when my eyes are open? Because I promise I will," you say as kindly as you can without showing how frustrated you are but it ends up sounding condescending anyways. "You can't promise that, you know nothing," he sighs. "I sure can! Just watch! I have an idea... Pretend like we will kiss regularly, then see into the future.. and if you like my response.. then don't stop!" You grin. "That's NOT how it works. Pretend futures don't exist," he says. He gets out of the bed, feeling the need to distance himself from you. He crosses his arms in front of his chest, "Stop it!! It's not happening! Whatever you're thinking, stop it!" He orders. He seems pretty upset right now. And he's nearly naked. There's only a pair of pants between you two... and that stupid scarf. You stand up on the bed and close the space between you two. While standing on the bed, you're as tall as he is, which makes you grin. You trace your finger around the tattoo on his arm and he lets you, but he doesn't seem to be opening up to you again.