Up in Flames (Fire Force fanfic)

Chapter Thirteen: Flowers of Carnage

After the bath we came back to our room. I move my futon next to his as he serfs the channels for a movie to watch.

"So when should we talk about the church artificial infernal conspiracy?" I ask while setting up our futon cushions against the wall.

"I don't think talking about it now will be much help. Besides it's our vacation, it can wait till we're back in Asakusa." He clicks on Lady Snowblood, "This is a classic, got the beers from the fridge?" 

I sit down on the futon with two beers in hand, "Yep, now come over."

He sits down behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. He pulls me close to him as I lean back against him. I open up my beer and gulp it down. He presses his freezing beer can to the back of my neck.

"You fucking jerk!" I screech.

"Can't stand a little cold?" He smirks and drinks his beer.

I was about to retaliate when I heard a familiar tune from the movie. "Wait...that sounds familiar...I need to look up this soundtrack or else I'll go crazy."

"Well duh, it's from Lady Snowblood."

"Oh I thought it was familiar. It's also in Kill Bill."

"Kill who?" He looks over my shoulder at my phone screen.

"Kill Bill, it says here in the trivia that it was inspired by Lady Snowblood. It's an American film by Quentin Tarantino, I watched half of it before my mom stopped me. She said it was inappropriate for a child to watch. Gave my dad hell for leaving the dvd laying around."

"Can't beat the original."

I lay across his lap while finishing my beer, "Kill Bill isn't good like Lady Snowblood but it is good on its own merit as a homage to the movie and Japanese historical dramas in general."

"I'll see it and judge for myself." He grumbles.

I poke his rib, "Mind gettin another beer, babe?"

"Fine. You incorrigible brat." He flicks my forehead and stand up.

As he bends over to get more beer out of the mini fridge I can't help but tease, "Asakusa's finest ass."

He throws the beer can into my hands, "Asakusa's finest rack."

"Oi who's been saying that!!?" I demand.

"Me...and maybe everyone else in the town."

"Rude! Uncouth! Perverts!" I rant at Benimaru.

"Who's saying I'm Asakusa's finest ass?" He deadpans.

"Me...and maybe everyone else in town." I mock him.

"Lewd nun." He crouches over me.

I'm still laying on my back as I reach my hands up to stroke his hair. "You seem pretty lewd too."

"Hmph." He leans his face closer to mine.

I bring his face to mine and kiss him. He bites my bottom lip gently, I open my mouth to allow his tongue in. His tongue dances with mine as my hands go to his chest. Fuck he's ripped.

"You wanna see more?" He asks seductively.

I blush and lose some of my sense, "Ah...um yes..."

He shrugs off the sleeves of his robe, exposing his torso. He takes my hand and presses it against where his heart would be. I feel it quickly thump; looking into his eyes there is an intensity lingering there.

"Can you feel that?" He asks softly as his hand cups my cheek.

"It's beating so fast."

"It's you, it's always been you."

I take his hand and rest it upon my beating heart, "Same goes to you, Shinmon Benimaru." 

He lifts his hand and replaces it with his head. His ear is pressed against my chest.

"It's a good pillow...even better than your lush thighs."

"So you do remember when you got drunk?!"

"Yeah so what?"

"Y-you could've said something..." I pout at him. 

"It was embarrassing..." He gropes my boob, "I wonder if anyone has ever been suffocated by someone's cleavage?"

I roll my eyes, "That's stupid. Who would sit still long enough for that to happen?"

He kisses the place above my heart, "Not a bad way to go."

I pet back his hair, "Who's being lewd now?"

"Takes one to know one. What're we gonna do tomorrow? It's still technically Tsukimi and it's our last day."

"We should go to the national park and Lake Ashi. I wanna see the forests before I have to go back to Asakusa."

"That would be fun. I guess the city life isn't your style?"

"I can manage in Asakusa since it's not as overwhelming as the rest of Tokyo, also it still has that touch of traditional. I guess I just miss things that remind me of life before it went up in flames."

"What was it like? Before the fires." He asks softly.

"It was peaceful. We lived in a traditional Japanese house in the woods near the town. It was me, my mom, dad, brother and grandpa. The forests were an emerald green and the winters were so still and silent that it felt like the world stopped for a moment. Autumn in the mountains was my favorite, the maple leaves were so pretty and bright. I miss everything about it but I won't be able to rest until the spontaneous human combustion is solved."

"It sounds so beautiful...the way you talk about it. Different from Asakusa but lovely."

"Asakusa has its own charm. The history and the people make everyday so fast and fun."

He moves up from my cleavage so he can face me. His hand gently pushes back my hair softly.

"We should go to sleep. Tomorrow we've got so much to do. It's our last day here."

He pulls my body close to his; I nuzzle my face close to his chest.

"Night Beni."

He presses a gentle kiss to my forehead, "Goodnight Clarisse."