Hakuouki: Dragon Circles in Quiet Summer

Chapter 35

~~3rd POV~~

She woke to the feeling of something brushing over her cheek. It wasn't hot so she knew it wasn't an early attack, she knew it was Souji.

She stays "asleep" as he begins to finger the bracelet he gave her and occasionally drawing patterns on her hand. It felt comforting to her, his signs of affection were always nice and sweet. "Why aren't you warm?" He asks himself curiously in a whisper.

He pulled her to him, so she was on his chest making her groan in protest. She was easily calmed when he began running his fingers through her hair making her relax against him. Even if she was awake, it didn't mean she wasn't still tired.

His heart slowly beat against her ear. He had purposefully done that, knowing she fell asleep and was soothed easily by it. But most of all, it was one of the few things she trusted, one of the few things that made her feel safe.

He soon heard her breaths become deeper, letting him know she was asleep again. When in her time of gloom, he had missed her warmness and body that seemed like a perfect fit to his own.

Last night he noted that Sakura also had a way of getting out of things and conversations whenever she wanted to avoid a topic. Her open confessions were as surprising as there were many. He never thought she would so easily open up to him and be so honest with him. It still angered him though that she believed she was going to die and was so calm and unaffected by it. But if anything, he wouldn't let her at any cost.

As if hearing his thoughts, she whispered, "Souji..." She tightened her hold on him and nuzzled his chest before going back to sleep.

Her sleep actions always made him grin. They were cute and almost possessive. She had a habit of keeping tight holds on him and nuzzling him. He liked to tease her by saying that her cat personality came out especially when she laid down with him. It always resulted in a sore arm from her punching him and a sore face from him laughing so hard.

She tightened her hold again but it was different from the last time. This time she seemed frozen. "Sakura?"

"Kaede my neck... Why is it bleeding? What happened? Did you cut it up?" He didn't know if he should wake her or not.

"Kaede, why do you have brother's sword? Kaede I'm scared." Was she dreaming about...

"No, Kaede, I don't want to go. You have to come, brother has to come." The day she escaped... Kaede was the one who freed her. This could be her way out. This could fix everything.

"There's 'Yukimura' on this hilt... This is brother's special sword..." He eyes the long forgotten sword that she had brought back when Takeo had taken her and... Was that his sword? He'd have to check. "I can't take it. Come on, let's go before-" She cuts off and her breathing becomes rapid. "Run! Run! Come on, you have to come!" Now he would wake her. She shouldn't have to relive this. But for once, he was happy she sleep-talked.

He sat up, bringing her up with him, and cradled her. "Sakura... Wake up." He already knew her dreamed stopped. After many nights with her, he found out that they stopped when she was cradled.

He dropped a kiss on the corner of her mouth and then on her jawline. The corner of her mouth quirked up when he began dropping kisses on her neck.

"Souji... I was sleeping..." She whined but he didn't stop kissing her soft skin. She giggled. "Souji, stop..." She tried but it only made him kiss her harder and faster, all over her exposed skin.