Tenchu Kurenai

Ayame

"Phew. That war was tiring wasn't it, Rikimaru?" Rikimaru gave me a sideways glance, then continued to sharpen his sword. After a few moments, I began to pout. "You could be so boring, Rikimaru." Even though Rikimaru still had his half mask on, I could see his face muscles move to show that he was smiling. "You weren't saying that last night when I was touching your-" "GAHH!!" I yelled dramatically, my cheeks feeling hot. Rikimaru stood up from what he was doing and walked toward me. He untied his mask that was tied around his head, and kissed me long and hard. As I felt his tongue swirling in my mouth I let out a quiet moan, and wrapped my arms around him. We continued to do this until we stopped to take a breath. Then he gave me a tap kiss and went back to what he was doing. When he sat back down and started to sharpen his sword again, he looked straight at me, affection filling his eyes. I cleared my throat, then said "Point taken."

*****

When me and Rikimaru were only partners, he was always deep in his thoughts. Everytime we had to eliminate a boss, he would black out and give everything he's got. And I always wondered why. So when he first made love to me, it was surprising on how deep and affectionate it was. He began to tell me about his past, on how he was only a weakling when he was a child, and how his parents were assasinated. He was 18 when he first joined the Azuma clan. However, I initially joined the Azuma clan at age 14. I was considered a prodigy (And despite the fact that I had a bad attitude I was also considered calm and level-headed.) As he began to tell me more about his past, I realized that me and him were quite different. And as he laid there telling me all this, I also realized that I loved Rikimaru. When he was finished talking, I took him by the chin and turned his head so that he could look at me. "Rikimaru," I began, "I love you. No matter what, I will stick with you till death do us part. I will protect you with all my might just to keep you safe. You truly are my-" He cut me off by pressing his lips against mine. As he began to kiss me harder, I closed my eyes, because I know that life's most beautiful things are not seen with the eyes, but felt with the heart.

*****

That night reminded me of this one, as I laid here watching Rikimaru sleep peacefully. I smiled as I heard Rikimaru's shallow breaths. I rested my hand against his chest, which was built by all the training and fighting he had done all these years. And as I drifted off to sleep, the last thought I had was how Rikimaru was once my rival.