One in the Same

Chapter Fourteen

   When Cat had fallen asleep that evening, Botan had been laying on the pallet next to her. His nose just less than an inch away from her own. When she woke, he was still snoring lightly next to her with his arm gently wrapped around her waist. She smiled as she laid watching his eyes mouth beneath his lids in dream. Slowly, she lifted her hand and stroked his cheek. He felt so warm beneath her touch. He smiled softly in his sleep. Cat pulled her hand down and stroked her thumb over his lips. A gentle graze. She blinked and looked up towards his eyes. They were still closed. She looked back down at his lips as she moved her thumb over them. They parted slightly. What do they taste like? She wondered. What does it feel like to truly kiss someone? She had been with men before. But this. Her eyes drifted closed. She took a deep inhale through her nose. Moving slowly, she pressed her lips to his. They were warm, soft. She didn't mind his beard and mustache tickling her. After a second, his lips returned the kiss. She laid her hand against his cheek. Botan pulled her closer to him, wrapping her in both arms. As her hips met his, and she gasped pulling away from the kiss. He smirked and opened an eye took looked at her.
   "Did somethin' else crawl in? Or are you just excited ta feel me?" She asked with a giggle.
   He responded with a chuckle, ran his fingers through her hair then grabbed the back of her head and moved back in for a kiss. It was deep and fierce. A wanting gasp escaped her again as his tongue began a dance with her own. She sucked at it and bit ever so gently. Botan growled and pressed his hips harder to hers. Cat couldn't help but smirk and he teasingly bit at her bottom lip.
   He pressed her back to the pallet and moved over her looking down. She was used to seeing lust in the eyes of the men she had laid with. It was there, oh yes. No doubt of it. But there was more than just lust. There was a wanting. No, a needing In his eyes. A longing only Cat - his Cata - could fill. This wouldn't be seducing a man to get blood, this would be love.
   Botan stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. "I...don't want...to hurt you."
   "You won't," she replied with a smile.
   He nodded as he moved his hands down. Stroking her jawline, her neck, her collar bone. Between her breasts. Cat pulled the sash keeping her kimono closed and felt the silk shift over her nipples, causing them to press more against the fabric. As if even they begged for his touch. With the tips of his fingers, he brushed it aside. The longing grew more intense. Cat smiled and brought his hand to one of them. Static coursed through her body as he needed her breast in his hand. A sigh escaped his own lips now. There was no sound in the world more perfect. Her eyes drifted shut and she tilted her head. Arching her back and pressing her hips once more against his. It was as if, at that exact moment she had last all control of her body.
   "My Cata," Botan breathed into her ear. He laid a hand against her hip and gripped. Not painfully, but there was force. Not force. Want.
   "My Botan," she breathed back.
   The world stopped spinning. Time stood still. There was nothing there. Nothing but Botan. Her Botan. Nothing else seemed to mater. Nothing else needed to mater. Her world was right there in her arms. Fire and lightning raced through every part of her body. And there was no other reason but one word. Love.

   Botan collapsed next to her, panting and trembling, covered in sweat and other more intimate things. He smiled warmly as Cat moved closer and rested her head against his chest. He could be inside of her again at that exact moment and still, she wouldn't feel like he was close enough. They laid in silence holding each other. Both trembling in each other's arms. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. She melted and laid her hand over his heart. He lowered his hand over hers and held it. So this is peace. She thought to herself. This is love.
   "Did I-" he trailed off looking down at her.
   "No," she said, shaking her head and looking back up at him. "I'm fine." She said warmly.
   Botan smiled and kissed her forehead again, running his fingers through her hair. "Good for you?"
   "Seven save me!" She exclaimed with a giggle. "It was...unlike anything."
   Botan blinked and frowned. "Anything?"
   "Anything I've ever had." She smiled looking up at her but the smile faded.
   "Have there been...Hoka ni arimashita ka?" He asked slowly.
   She frowned not fully understanding. Then an image flooded her mind. An image of what had just happened, but the man wasn't Botan. And the image wasn't her own.
   "Sukoshi," she replied unsteadily. "But none...arimashita..."She trialed off struggling with the words so she projected her own image to him. The image of them embracing, holding, kissing, loving. That seemed to change his emotion on the subject. He smiled and chuckled then kissed her head again.
   "Yoi," he whispered.
   "Anata wa hoka ni motte imashita ne?" Cat asked looking back up at him.
   "No," he replied. "Never."
   "Never?" She repeated bolting up and propping her self up on her elbow looking down at him. "Not once?"
   "Bangō," he repeated shaking his head. "You were...first."
   Cat stared down at him for a moment. Slowly she lowered herself back down and rested on his chest once more. "You were...are...my first." She gave the image of them embracing once again.
   "What is word?" He asked stroking her hair.
   "Grá, love."
   "Then you are...my love...Cata."
   "And you are mine, Botan."
   They kissed again and the world stopped for the second time that day.