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Sora no shita ni - Beneath the Sky	By : DarkNarrator Category: +S to Z > Samurai Deeper Kyo Views: 3888 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai Deeper Kyo and make no money from writing this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Sora no shita ni - Beneath the Sky
- 1
Sora no Shita ni (lemon):

Beneath the Sky

�� Yuya cast a quick look over her
shoulder, certain she had heard something - a footstep rustling the
undergrowth, perhaps.� But only the
green, sun-dappled tunnel formed by the overarching tree branches could be seen.� She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.� �I could have sworn��� �Maybe it was just a bird or squirrel,� she
told herself, resuming her walk.�
Forests, of late, had the tendency to make her paranoid.

�� The noon sun beat down overhead, but the
forest shade shielded her from the worst of the heat.� The air was light and cool and Yuya could
feel a refreshing breeze on her face, a marked contrast to the stifling
oppression of Aokigahara.� The path, too,
was remarkably clear, making only slight bends as it wended its way about and
over the roots of the trees.

�� Mahiro-san was so considerate to
tell me about this path,� Yuya thought cheerfully, �She�s obviously a
very nice person, once you get to know her��

�� Arriving at Muramasa�s village only
in time watch helplessly as Sakuya was kidnapped had been hard enough; seeing
Kyo almost lose to Shinrei had been infinitely worse.� The fact that Yuya could do nothing at this
point was the most galling, however.� It
was rather difficult for the bounty huntress to suddenly switch gears from
battle ready to waiting around, worrying about whether or not Kyo was actually
going to survive his final training.� The
tension between the companions (those who were still present, at least) was enough
to make her want to fly to pieces.

�� Of course, Yuya�s emotional turmoil
did not go unnoticed.� Benitora had
cornered her in the rear courtyard and pestered her until Yuya blurted out
everything just to make him leave her alone.�
The ex-Sansaishu listened to her carefully, but did not try to allay her
fears with meaningless words.

�� You should try to get your mind off
of things for a bit, Yuya-han,� he said finally, leaning against the well,
�Worrying about things you can�t change or can�t help ain�t gonna do any good
for anybody.�

�� Yuya�s jaw twitched, but she had to
admit, Benitora had a point.� �Well, how
do you suggest I not concentrate on the fact that Kyo might very well be
hanging onto life by a thread?�

�� Benitora did not answer right
away.� �I know,� he finally said, looking
back toward the main house.� He beckoned
to someone behind Yuya.� �Just let
Mahiro-han take care of ya,� Benitora suggested affably, as the Iga kunoichi
approached on silent, wary feet.� Yuya
saw him send the surprised young woman a glance that made Mahiro bow her head
almost submissively.� �I�m sure she knows
the best way to keep a girl like yourself occupied for the time being.�

�� The remark had almost touched off a
round of haranguing on Yuya�s part, but Benitora somehow got away with nothing
more than a solid thwack on the head.�
And so Yuya had found herself in the company of a young woman who at one
time not only sought Onime no Kyo�s life, but had nearly killed Yuya to attain
her goal.

�� Mahiro had unexpectedly responded
with the utmost civility in taking care of her �guest.�� She showed Yuya around the house where she
had grown up and pointed out the smithy where the infamous Muramasa blades had
been forged.� Yuya restrained herself from
asking the personal questions she had always wanted to ask of the ninja woman
since her first run in with Mahiro, something Mahiro seemed to appreciate.� With the lines clearly drawn with unspoken
thought, the two women were infinitely more comfortable in each others�
presence than one would have thought possible.

�� I grew up in Nagasaki,� Yuya mentioned after the tour was
completed.� They were sitting on the back
porch, looking toward the nearby woods and the cliffs beyond, not a mile
away.� �After my brother�after I became a
bounty hunter, I got to see so much more of Japan than I could have imagined as
a child.� But I must say, this village
strikes me as one of the most beautiful I have seen for some time.�

�� Mahiro had looked slightly surprised
at this sincere declaration.� �Indeed,�
she replied, the guarded expression on her face relaxing just slightly, �The
legacy of my family protects the lands immediately surrounding us.� Very few people can ever find this place...unless
they are of the Mibu clan, of course. I used to enjoy playing in the forest
when I was little, and I never feared attack from predators, whether human or
animal.�

�� Yuya smiled at the other woman�s
recollection.� �I remember playing in the
back alleys of my home city.� My brother
used to get so angry when I�d come home all scraped up from some brawl with the
other street rats.� He�d go on and on
about how my mother would have been so ashamed of me because I was turning out
to be a hooligan.�

�� Sounds like a very conscientious
man,� observed Mahiro, �I take it that he did not take too kindly to your
becoming a bounty hunter.�

�� No, I don�t think he would have,�
Yuya answered softly, her gaze far away, into the past, �But after his murder,
it was the only occupation that I could or would take to survive and someday
avenge him.�

�� Ah, so desu ka,� Mahiro
breathed.� She regarded Yuya with
inscrutable eyes.� �I suppose we are
alike, in that respect.�

�� Hm?�� Yuya blinked, jerking herself back to the
present.� She met Mahiro�s look and
recalled the young woman�s story.� �Yes,
I suppose we are.�

�� Is that why you travel with him?�

�� Yuya did not have to ask of whom
Mahiro was referring to.�

�� Yes.� Kyo is my only solid clue to the identity of
my brother�s murderer.� He promised me
that he�d spare my life so long as I never gave up my desire for revenge.�� And there�s something else, too...the
fact that I love him,� she did not add.�

�� Mahiro remained silent at this and
Yuya could not but assume she had said something to offend her.

�� Ano�would it be all right if�if I
go for a walk?� Yuya asked, seizing on the first convenient excuse she could
concoct to divert the topic of conversation.�
She rose to her feet and gestured to the forest.� �I�ll just�do a bit of exploring, if that�s
all right.�

�� Mahiro cocked her head
quizzically.� �Didn�t you just spend the
last couple of days walking to get here?�
I should think you�d be tired of it by now.�

�� Well, um�I really can�t stand just
to sit around while everyone else is...and while Kyo is trying to...um...� �Yuya knew she was babbling, but she was less
comfortable with voicing all of her concerns with Mahiro than she had been with
Benitora. ��I�m kind of a restless person
and I need to do something that will let me calm down, take stock of
everything�� she explained hastily, breathlessly, �Would it bother you too much
if I asked to be alone for a little while?�

�� No,� replied Mahiro, her expression
dead-pan as befits a ninja, but her eyes were alight with wariness.� Yuya bit her lip and straightened her
shoulders, praying that Mahiro would not suspect the true motivations of her
request.� �Might I suggest you take the
path that begins between those two pine trees,� Mahiro said unexpectedly,
indicating the triangular arch formed by two decrepit pines just a stone�s
throw away, �The trail is easy to follow.�
It leads to a deep pool at the base of that nearest cliff � it is quite
beautiful at this time of year.�

�� Arigato, Mahiro-san,� Yuya said,
bowing slightly, �I don�t know how long I will be, but I will definitely be
back before sunset.� Tell Benitora not to
get his pants in a knot if he thinks I�m missing before I return.�

�� I will,� Mahiro promised.� She watched Yuya trot away, her wheat-gold
ponytail gleaming in the bright sunlight.�
�But I wonder�� Mahiro looked
eastward, toward the forest-shrouded cave where her brother was instructing his
last pupil in his last lesson.� The time
of reckoning was nearly at hand, for both of them.� �Would not Onime no Kyo also worry about you
if he sees that you are not here?�

�I do envy Mahiro-san for having this forest as a
playground.�� Yuya began humming softly, relishing the
opportunity to simply stroll and imagine, if only for a short while, that there
was nothing in the world for her to worry about.

The path began to dip downwards and Yuya noticed growths
of star-flower studded moss carpeting the dampened ground.� �I must be getting close to that pool
Mahiro-san was talking about.�

It was only a short while later that the forest ended
abruptly at a narrow, gravel-lined shore.�
Yuya, though she had been prepared for it, uttered a short gasp of
surprise.� The pool stretched out before
her, more a miniature lake than anything else, its rippling surface reflecting
the azure sky and scattering the brilliant white sunlight like crystal shards.� The water went right up to the foot of the
cliffs beyond, which were not much taller than the trees flanking them.� A small waterfall splashed energetically down
from the apex of the foremost cliff, encouraging the growth of brilliant green
mosses and flowered vines across its otherwise stark basalt face.� Nearer to the cliffs than the shore where
Yuya stood was a sizable flat-topped boulder, its sun-drenched surface
untouched by the spray of the waterfall.

Yuya slipped off her geta and tabi, stepping out carefully
onto the cool, shaded gravel.� She
gingerly made her way down to the pool�s edge and let the wind-stirred water
lap at her toes.� �Not quite Nagasaki harbor, but��� With a quick grin, Yuya withdrew slightly and
began undoing the knot of her hair ribbon.�
She had not had an occasion to bathe that day, and while hot baths were
the epitome of civilization (in her humble opinion), Yuya loved the rare
opportunities she got to swim.� After
all, her brother had taken the time to teach her, and knowing how to swim had
aided Yuya more than a few times in her career as a bounty hunter.

Yuya carefully folded each article of clothing and placed
them in an ordered pile on the shore removed from the water�s edge.� Her revolver and throwing knives were wrapped
in her obi, a measure against any stray moisture.� With practiced ease, she strode into the cool
water, finding its depth soon past her shoulders.� The bottom of the pool was composed of more
stone than mud, which pleased her.�
Smiling like a kid given her choice of mochi, Yuya ducked her head under
the surface and began swimming for the boulder.�
It would be nice to practice dives for a while�

Onime no Kyo strode down the forest path, his progress too
rapid to afford him any sort of appreciation of the natural beauty surrounding
him.� His mood at this particular time
was also not conducive to aesthetic contemplation.� Crimson eyes alight in what could only be
termed peeved aggravation, Kyo had only one thought occupying his head. �Why in
the nine hells did that fool girl wonder off like this?!� he snorted under his
breath, his grip on the saya of his katana twitching in his foul temper, �If
she gets abducted or killed because of this, it�ll only serve her right!�

No one would have been foolish enough to point out that
his pace quickened noticeably as soon as he had uttered this dire prediction.

Kyo stopped just short of the gravel-strewn shore, his
keen gaze scanning the area for anything remotely suspicious.� Mahiro had mentioned the pool, of course, and
suggested that Yuya might have taken the time to explore the cliffs above it,
as there was a trail that circled the pool and led up to the heights.� Kyo was not pleased about this, and the look
on his face had prompted Benitora and Mahiro to volunteer to search for
Yuya.� One look from Kyo cut short any
discussion on that topic, however.

�Where the hell did she�?��
Kyo happened to glance to one side, where he spied a stacked of neatly
folded, very familiar clothing.� Kyo
blinked.� Unless Yuya had gone completely
off the deep end, it was unlikely that she would be tramping about in nothing
but her skin.� He returned his attention
out over the expanse of the pool and caught sight of his quarry, her head just
then breaking the surface of the water.�
A thin, sardonic smile spread over his lips.

�Well, that was a nice little exercise,� Yuya thought complacently as she
turned on her back and floated, lazily staring up at the sky.� �Hm, looks like I�ve been here a good
three hours or so.� Time really flies
when you�re having fun, I suppose.� I�d
better get back to shore and return to the village or they�ll start dinner
without me.�� With that thought, she
executed a smooth underwater back flip just for fun and struck out for shore.

Yuya had just gotten to the point where she could stand
comfortably, the water licking at the point of her chin, when she noticed
him.� Kyo was sitting on the shore,
casually smoking his thin pipe and watching her beneath half-closed eyes that
merely feigned boredom.� She pulled short
with a gulp; her initial spurt of joy at seeing him alive and (apparently) well
was immediately overwhelmed by the acute knowledge of her current condition.� �When did he�?!�� Her gaze flicked over to where she had placed
her clothes�which were no longer there, of course.� �Shit��

�Did you get bored or did you just forget where you are?�
Kyo asked her in a low voice that carried quite well over the water.� He did not sound angry, which could only
mean�

�No, I didn�t, I just�!� Yuya sputtered.� She blushed hotly.� �Kyo, where are my clothes?�

�Clothes?� What
clothes?� he rejoined, exhaling a cloud of smoke.� He smirked, looking for all the world like a
snake eyeing a particularly plump mouse.

�The clothes I was wearing today, of course!� Yuya
flared.� Who would have imagined that
Onime no Kyo, slayer of a thousand men and quite possibly the scariest person
she had ever had the misfortune of meeting, would indulge in such a juvenile
baiting game as hiding a girl�s clothes! It did not matter one bit she that she
had been almost sick with worry about him; Onime no Kyo was a dead man!�

As soon as she got her clothes back...�

�Give them back, you jerk!� she ordered.

�Why the hell do you think I have your clothes?�
Kyo replied, still smirking, �Maybe someone came by and took them.� You really ought to be more careful with your
belongings, little girl.�

�My revolver, if only I had my revolver�my knives even!� she seethed, even though she knew
they would be less than useless in this situation.� �Knock it off, Kyo!� barked Yuya, shaking her
finger at him, �You�re the only other person who�s come here and you know it!�

�Pointing is rude.�
Why don�t you come out of that water, and look for them?� suggested Kyo,
his smirk transforming into an undisguised leer, �Perhaps you are only mistaken
as to where you placed them.�

Yuya narrowed her eyes.�
�Yeah, that�s bloody likely�NOT!��
Kyo was obviously enjoying himself too much to confess, let alone
return her belongings.� �Very well,� she
said primly, �You can go back to the village, then, and let me look for my
�misplaced belongings� on my own.�

�But what if I want to help you?� he drawled, licking his
lips suggestively.

Yuya was fairly certain some part of her body must be
suffering from blood loss at that point, she was blushing so hard.� �Hell no!� she snapped furiously, slapping at
the water for emphasis, �I�m not coming out of this water until you leave, you
pervert!�

�Well then, you�re going to be in there for quite a
while,� Kyo remarked, leaning back on one hand, �I think I like the scenery
here.� Now�s as good a time as any to
enjoy it.�

Yuya growled in helpless frustration.� Any movement toward shore would be exactly
what Kyo wanted and she seriously doubted it would result in the return of her
pilfered wardrobe and arsenal.� �If he
thinks he can just�well, fine!� Two can
play at this game!�� Sticking her
tongue out at Kyo, Yuya pushed herself off the bottom of the pool and began
swimming back to the sun-warmed boulder near the cliffs.

She reached it in fair time and looked back over her
shoulder at the shore.� Kyo was still
there, of course.� He was still watching
her, but Yuya was too far away to read his expression.� Sticking her tongue out once more, she
boosted herself up out of the water and clambered on top of the boulder.� �Ha!�
I might be out of the water now, but a fat lot of good it does him!�
she thought triumphantly, pulling herself over to the far side of the boulder
before settling down.� True, Kyo was
getting a nice view of her backside, but that was all he was going to
get!

Yuya leaned back on her hands, dangling her feet over the
side of the boulder, her toes just barely grazing the dimpled surface of the
pool.� Gravity peeled her streaming
bronze hair from her back, and she shook her head, flinging droplets of water
every which way.� If Kyo was going to
make a game of this, she was going to write the rules - and she was
going to be warm and dry while doing it.�
She turned slightly, checking on her opponent.� �Yup, still there.� Looks like we�re in this for the long haul,
girl.�� She sat up and gathered her
hair over one shoulder, setting to work squeezing out the excess moisture and
working out the knots with her fingers.

The sun and the boulder were warm and the chuckling of the
waterfall was almost musical, but Yuya soon discovered the combination had
quite a drowsing effect on her.� It did
not help any that she was tired from all the walking and swimming she had done
that day, either.

�I can�t bloody well fall asleep out here!� she admonished herself sternly,
blinking and shaking her head.� Yuya
looked down at the blue depths of the pool.�
The water would certainly keep her awake, but she had just started
felling truly warm and dry.� The wind was
starting to pick up too, lofting strands of her partially dry hair across her
shoulders and tickling her bare skin.�
No, the thought of once more submerging into cold was certainly not
appealing.

�It�s not like Kyo�s going to moving any time soon, in any
case,� she
reasoned indolently, looking back at the far shore.� Her eyes widened and a shock of cold more
intense than any glacier lake�s shot through her.� �GONE?!�
When did he�?!�� Squinting
against the glare of the sunlight on the water, she frantically surveyed the
surface of the pool.� Nary a stray ripple
betrayed the presence of something beneath it.�
Yuya shifted her perch, turning her entire body toward the opposite
shore.� �Maybe he did
leave�yeah, and I�m the emperor�s long-lost daughter!� she thought with a
sarcastic snort, �Well, where the bloody hell did he go, then?�

She scanned the shoreline and the forest beyond, trying to
discern a human shape amongst the shadowed tree trunks.� �There�s no way to be sure��� Yuya felt a cold pressure between her
shoulder blades, the all too familiar sensation of impending danger compounding
her tenseness.� �Where is he?�

The sound of a sizable splash behind her made her realize
her error.� With a violent, self-directed
oath, Yuya gathered her legs beneath her and dove off the boulder.� The shock of the cold water snapped her to
full wakefulness and she began racing for shore, certain she would be grabbed
from behind at any moment.� �Baka,
baka, baka, BAKA!� she berated herself with each stroke of her arms.

Yuya had almost begun to believe she had actually managed
to escape.� It was a clear shot to the
shore, a few more strokes and she would be home free�!

Kyo�s head broke the surface of the water, squarely
between her and the shore.

�Alarm, alarm!� All
engines, full reverse!� Pull up, pull
up!� her mind
screamed as she almost ran smack into him.�
Yuya jerked to a halt with a bitten-off yelp and threw herself
backwards, scissor-kicking with all her might.

Kyo made no move toward her, which gave Yuya pause.� She halted a safe distance away and tread
water, regarding him warily.

�Where did you learn to swim?� he asked her, his tone even
and conversational.� Well, conversational
for Kyo, anyway - he was not even leering at her.

Yuya raised a suspicious eyebrow.� �My brother taught me.� Why do you ask?�

�You�re quite good.�
Let�s play a game,� Kyo suggested out of the blue.

�Excuse me?� Yuya squeaked.� Teasing, she expected.� Compliments�that was another story.� It did not help that water droplets clung to
Kyo�s browned skin and ebony hair, gleaming on his muscled shoulders like the
sheen of sweat.� It was quite distracting
and for some reason, Yuya was finding it very hard to swallow.

Kyo�s eyes glinted, but that might have just been the
reflection of the sun off the water.� �Do
you think you can outswim me, little girl?�
Try and reach that rock before I catch you and you�ll get your clothes
back.�

�And what if I don�t?� Yuya demanded boldly, even as her
heart rate accelerated, �What guarantee do I have that you�ll keep your word,
Onime no Kyo?�

Kyo bared his teeth in a blatant, predatory smile.

�Ah�� Yuya chewed
on her bottom lip nervously.� All her
options were bad, but only one offered her a slight chance; hopefully Kyo would
not break with his established trend of honesty.� �When the going gets tough, Shiina Yuya
gets going!�� Eat wake, Kyo!� she
shouted, diving backward and striking out under the water.� �You can do this, girl!� Just like racing Onii-san!�

Yuya had never swum such a race before in her life.� Her heart was pounding so hard she could
swear it would burst and her breath was burning fire in her lungs.� The black shape of the boulder loomed out of
the blue shadows.

Piling in her last spurt of energy, Yuya lunged at it, her
outstretched fingers smashing into the stone with bruising force.

With a sharp cry of pain, she surfaced, gasping for air
and clutching her injured hand.� Her eyes
flew back over the way she had come.� The
surface of the water had been churned white and Yuya could not see below the
surface.� �Did I win?�

Something tapped her on the top of the head.� �You lose,� a deep voice informed her.� Yuya whirled around in surprise and
simultaneously tried to push off the boulder.�
Kyo was far too quick for her.�
Yuya was hauled up out of the water and deposited on the warm stone
before she could draw another breath. She found herself knelt between his bare
legs, his large hands resting lightly but firmly on the small of her back and
between her shoulder blades.� Escape
would not be an option.

�You actually tried to beat me,� Kyo noted, his eyes
holding hers with mesmerizing intensity.

Limbs trembling from her most recent adrenaline rush, Yuya
glared back at him.� �Like I was just
going to roll over for you?!� she retorted, shoving her uninjured index finger
against his chest, �Dream on, Onime no Kyo!�

�Oooo, feisty, aren�t we?� he shot back mockingly.� Without warning, the hand that had been
resting between her shoulder blades settled over her left breast.� �Your heart beats like the wings of a bird in
the hunter�s snare,� he observed, lowering his eyes from her surprised face,
�You are shaking from weakness and yet you still have the wherewithal to defy
me.� Foolish woman.�

��I am who I am,�
Yuya uttered, shivering under the gentleness of his touch and the rare tone of
his voice, �You should know that by now.��
Her exhausted body urged her to slump forward, to let him take her in
his arms and let him do as he willed; he had won, after all.� But her pride was stronger, and silenced her
primal yearning.

Suddenly, Kyo frowned, causing Yuya to start in surprise
as his hand drifted lower down her torso.�
His callused fingers stroked over the ridge of her old sword scar,
eliciting more intense urges that Yuya had to grit her teeth against.� �This scar�I have seen it before�but at the
same time�� he intoned quietly.

�Perhaps the light was too dim�that night,� Yuya ventured
hesitantly, �You were pretty much distracted�by other things.�� She flushed scarlet and lowered her head, her
hands going automatically to conceal the shameful mark.

Kyo�s hand intervened, intercepting her injured one with unmistakable
intent.� Yuya glanced at him through her
dripping bangs.

�You are incautious with yourself,� Kyo rumbled, returning
her gaze and caressing him thumb over her bruised fingers, �Do you seek pain?�

�Hardly something that should be coming from a person who
steps heedlessly into the path of an oncoming blade,� Yuya pointed out, piqued
by the hint of rebuke in his voice.� Her
fingernails grazed over the recently-healed rosy stripe branding the skin of
his hard stomach, commemorating his duel with Yukimura.

Kyo quirked an eyebrow and released her hand, reaching
down to remove the other from his person.�
Tightening his hold on the small of her back, he growled, �I am not
heedless, little girl.� I have eyes that
can see the hairsbreadth that separates life and death.� You, however, are blind to it.� Never forget that your life is in my hands.�

The abruptness of his retort and the angry fire in his
eyes made Yuya�s heart still, her insides turning to ice.� At times, she could almost forget how truly
dangerous and lethal the man before her was, but Onime no Kyo was quick to
remind her.� �My life is my
responsibility, no matter what you think,� she spat fiercely, heedless of her
words in her anger.� She pressed his hand
against her scar. �This scar is just proof of that.�

�And how do you come to that conclusion?� came the
scathing counter.

Words that she had never before spoken to anyone came
streaming from her mouth, all reason and inhibition thrown to the wind.� �I was twelve when my brother was slain in
front of my eyes,� Yuya replied, her aquamarine glare unwavering despite the
thudding of her heart, �That same night I was attacked by four ronin who
thought a little girl would be sport for their lusts.� Three died from the revolver they did not
know I had, but the fourth�he thought he subdued me with the slash of his
sword.� He was mistaken.� My tanto was in his throat even as he laid
himself on top of me and I left the polluted blade to rust in its new sheath.�� The horror of that night shuddered through
her, the violent attack, the blood-drenched alley, the screams that went
unheard, the terrifying, violating press of her would-be rapist replaying
themselves with surreal clarity.� The
words were beyond recall, but Kyo had to understand, had to know�he might have
thought her innocent and pure, but she had killed.� If that was what it took for him to respect
her, then so be it.� She could live
without his love.

�Could I?� a little voice echoed in her, and the tears that came
with every sickening recollection of those hated memories stung her eyes.� �Gods, I didn�t want to kill, I never
wanted their blood on my hands, but I had to�!�� And so�you must see, Kyo�blood stains me
too.� I have killed�I�ve killed�� A choking lump burned in her throat, but she
pressed on.� �I can�� �But I don�t want to!�� ��I don�t need�� �But I do, oh gods, I do!�� Words failed, her pride failed; she could no
longer hold his gaze, but she would not beg, she would not allow herself to be
hurt�

�Ahou.�� Yuya
blinked, her eyes returning to meet his.�
�You kill four worthless men in self-defense and think that means you
can turn me away?� You�re going to have
to try harder than that, much harder, Yuya.�
Your life is mine, as I have told you before.�� He did not smile, but Yuya almost collapsed
in relief.� She had not meant to blurt
out her deepest sin and regret, and Kyo�s reaction was anything but the scorn
and censure she had been certain would result.�
�I haven�t lost him!�

Hesitantly, she reached out and touched his face, fingers
trailing over his cheekbone, down over his lips.� He did not withdraw, merely regarded her with
steady crimson eyes.� �Damn you for being
so stubborn,� she whispered, closing the distance separating them and kissing
his warm lips, lightly playing her tongue over them.

�So, do I get my clothes back?� Yuya ventured with a cool
smile, as she drew back.

Kyo�s answering leer, however, quickly erased any hope she
might have harbored for escaping this encounter unscathed.� �Oh hell��

�You�ll get your clothes back when I�m through with you,�
Kyo informed her rather unnecessarily.�
He leaned forward and drew his lips over her throat, lightly sucking the
moisture from her skin.

�But won�t they start looking for us?� Yuya asked, her
hands sliding up his chest and over his shoulders.� Only because it was more comfortable that
way, she told herself.

�Probably,� Kyo rumbled against her left breast before he
took to suckling it.

Yuya hissed and clenched her hands in his hair.� �Don�t you...think...ah! Kyo!� Don�t you think this will...mmnph! be a
bit...embarrassing?�

�No,� was Kyo�s eloquent answer as his body against hers
urged Yuya backward, Kyo taking her weight in his arms.

Yuya uttered a short exclamation of surprise: she knew for
certain the rock was not nearly big enough for what Kyo had in mind!� �Don�t you dare push me off into the water
after you started this!� she ordered, clinging to him in the interest of
self-preservation.

�I can do what I want with you, remember?� Kyo growled, shifting
his attention to her face, his red eyes sparking mischievous fire, �But are you
saying you want me to go through with whatever�s in that mind of yours?�

�I thought that that was what this was all about!�
retorted Yuya, disregarding his insinuation.�
If she tried struggling or possibly smacking him in the face (as she
dearly wanted to do!), he probably would just dump her in the pool and have
done with it.� Yuya narrowed her eyes,
seeing the trap Kyo had set for her.� �One
of these days, I swear to Kami-sama that I�m going to...�� She angled her face and captured his lips in a
ferocious kiss, pressing up against him as hard as her tired muscles would
allow.� Kyo was momentarily surprised, which
added a taste of sweet payback to the fire with which he returned her attack.

�Do it, damn you!� she growled, backing off momentarily to
draw a breath, �You won, but mark my words, you�re not always going to get away
with it!�� Her arms began trembling from
exhaustion as she glared up at him.�
Again, the temptation to just lie back and receive whatever Kyo would do
was heartily voiced by her body, but her spirit simply refused to be so
passive.

�Yare, yare, you don�t know when to quit, do you?� he
teased.� Kyo straightened, drawing her up
with him.� �Such determination should be
rewarded...or punished.� Which would you
rather have?�

Yuya bit her lip, scanning Kyo�s face for any hint of
trickery.� �What�s he playing at now?�
she wondered.� �The end result�s the
same, so why should it matter what I choose?� she hedged.

�Nice to know you�re getting smarter, at least,� Kyo
observed, �Reward, then.�� Without
warning, he boosted Yuya up against him with one arm, using his free hand to
untuck Yuya�s legs from beneath her, drawing them over his thighs so that she
sat facing him, her hips resting firmly against his.

Yuya blushed as she felt the hard warmth radiating from
his lower torso right against her crotch.�
The sensation immediately evoked the yearning throbbing in her womanhood
she knew would drive her to pieces unless...

�H-how is this a reward?� she asked, forcing her breathing
to slow even as her heart raced.

�I would have thought you were the type of girl who
enjoyed being on top,� Kyo replied in mock innocence, �Can�t you imagine the
advantages?�

�Of course not, and you know it!� Yuya flared.

�So I do.�� He kissed
her, murmuring against her lips, �Show me what you want.� Show me what you can do...�

�O-oh...�� Yuya took
a deep, shuddering breath and leaned back slightly against Kyo�s arms, drawing
her hips away from his.� With some
trepidation, she reached down between them and touched Kyo�s manhood, taking it
into her hand.� Apprehension and
embarrassment turned to curiosity and fascination.� �Gods, you put this into me?� she
gasped, running her fingers up and down its length.� Even as she held him, the organ expanded and
hardened, smoothing until it felt like ivory.�
�No wonder it hurt so much...�

Kyo�s only response was to clamp down hard on her
hip.� Startled, Yuya back up at his face,
wondering what she had done to goad such a reaction.� His eyes were mere slits in his face and his
teeth were bared in a decidedly feral snarl.�
�Kyo...?�

�...like this...� Kyo bit out, taking her hand in his and
directing her fingers against the base of his member.� Yuya allowed him to teach her, but she
followed her own lead, gauging her success from Kyo�s half-stifled moans of
pleasure and the pressure of his hand on her hip.� It was intoxicating to have so much control
over him, giving him pleasure as he had given it to her.� She trailed kisses across his lips, down his
throat and chest, lower...

�Yamero!� Kyo exclaimed suddenly, his hand on her hip
squeezing so hard it surely bruised.

�Why?� What�s
wrong?� Yuya asked anxiously, looking up at him.

�Yuya...you don�t want to do that, not yet,� he rasped,
raising her face to his and kissing her fiercely, as if compelling her to obey,
�Do that and you�ll get nothing from this.�

�How do you know what I want from this?� she murmured
against his lips, flicking her thumbnail over his tip.

Kyo growled, the sound thrilling through Yuya.� �Don�t.�
I want to feel you around me, I want to feel you...� he whispered, �You
promised not to leave my side.� I will
not leave yours.�

�Kyo...�� For some
reason, tears stung at her eyes.� Kyo
caressed her cheek, staring down at her with eyes that mirrored both consuming passion
and gentle concern.� His words from the
other night echoed in her ears: �To have you, to possess you�it is rare that
I take pleasure in another when it does not involve their death. Your life is
precious to me, woman, and you committed yourself body and soul to me when I
could not claim them in the same manner...�

�Come with me, Yuya,� Kyo said lowly, his request ringing
with tones of promise far beyond the day and place they were now.

�Hai...I will,� Yuya agreed, laying a tender kiss on his
forehead.� Kyo leaned backward, lowering
one arm to support his weight, his other arm still cradling her hip.

�It�s up to you now,� he told her, watching her intently.

Yuya trembled as she drew herself up over him and angled
her hips to take him in.� The pain was
sharp, undeniable as his point pierced the folds of her womanhood.� She cried out and her hands flew to his
shoulders to prevent her from falling.�
But she did not withdraw, she could not withdraw...

�Don�t hurt yourself for me,� Kyo growled as she
hesitated, panting.� He released her hip
and worked his fingers up into her, coaxing her along until her warm wetness
spilled down, ensconcing his manhood in a sheen of liquid.� �Try it now,� suggested Kyo, once more
supporting the weight of her hips.

Yuya nodded, sucked in a breath, and plunged herself down
to earth, taking him all at once.� The
sensation literally knocked the wind out of her.� �I can�t breathe, oh gods, I can�t
breathe!�� She could feel him, all of
him, within her.� Such fullness made her
wonder how she had ever wandered the Earth for so long while being so
empty.� She leaned against him, burying
her face in the side of his neck so that he could not see...

�Yuya?� Kyo asked her tears spilt liquid heat against his
skin, �Dammit, I told you not to hurt yourself...!�

�No, it�s not pain!� Yuya protested even as tears flowed
freely, �I�ve never felt...I never thought...��
She kissed the places where her tears had trailed, then moved her lips
over his jawline until she could look up into his eyes.� �You...I can feel you inside me and it�s as
though...as though you�re a part of me that I�ve been missing my entire
life!�� She choked out a laugh as Kyo
blinked, surprised.� �Was that too
�little girl� of me to say it like that?�

�No,� Kyo said, no hint of sarcasm in his voice.� He pressed his forearm against the small of
her back, making her cry out as the sensation of him within her redoubled.� �You�re only being too honest for your own
good again.�

Yuya laughed at that, tears shimmering in her eyes.� �As if...you were the model of...tact,� she
moaned, feeling the pulse of him, wanting to match it, but not knowing how to
do so; the void would only come back full force if she let him go....� She reached down with one hand, pressing hard
against her own belly, angling her hips to take him as deeply as she could.

�Yuya...�� Kyo�s
voice was soft, but firm. ��You must be
willing to let go...�

��I-I...can�t...�

�Yes, you can,� Kyo replied, stroking her hip, �I�m here,
I�m right here, Yuya.� Trust me.�

A keening moan worked its way from Yuya�s throat as she
released him, only to plunge down once more, her internal muscles clinging to
him as though he were an anchor to sanity.�
With whispered urgings and the lightest pressure on her hip, Kyo guided
her into a rhythm, maddeningly slow, it seemed to Yuya.� Her hips rocked back and forth,
seeking...until Kyo reached between their joined bodies and pressed his fingers
up into her, tweaking her center.� Yuya
half-screamed, nearly breathless from pleasure.�
Kyo matched his stroking fingers to the rhythm he was teaching her,
urging her to lean back as he lavished his mouth over her throat, collarbone,
and breasts...

Suddenly, a shock of insurmountable sensation ripped
through her, freezing her muscles at the apex of pleasure.� �Kyo!� she half-screamed, faintly hearing his
own hoarse shout of her name as their world exploded, leaving only them in the
wake...

Kyo fought against the last entangling remnants of
pleasure that dulled his senses, his instilled warrior spirit seeking to
restore his maai.� Yuya was
collapsed on his chest, her lissome body trembling with the aftereffects, the
sheen of sweat on her skin turned golden in the dying light of the sun.� Kyo was proud of the fact he was often
thought to be a demon unchained from the deepest abyss of Hell, but she...she
was an angel fallen to earth that he, against all reason, had managed to
catch.� �That someone such as you would
give themselves to me...� he murmured, drawing her closer.� The sharp edges of the rock bit into his
shoulder blades, but Kyo paid it no mind.�
�Yuya?� Yuya, are you...?�

�I�m all right,� she assured him after a moment.� She propped herself up on his chest, her
small hands crossed over the place where his heart beat.� Her eyes radiated warmth and love as she
stared at him, the smallest smile gracing her lips.� A light breeze stirred the strands of her
hair, setting them to dancing about her face and head like a halo, caressing
him with ethereal touch.

He could only stare at her; to say she was beautiful would
be too trite.� Her loveliness went beyond
anything common eyes could appreciate, as her purity and the strength of her
spirit shone through - for him, only for him.

�What is it?� Yuya asked, cocking her head to one side as
she saw the change in his expression.

�Hn, nothing that concerns you, woman,� Kyo told her
gruffly, giving her buttocks a firm grope for good measure.

�Jeez Kyo, after all that, you can�t stop being a
pervert?!� she half-groaned, half-laughed, poking him in the chest as she tried
to sit up.

�If you�re going to insist on lying on me like this,� said
Kyo, not letting her up, �expect what�s coming to you, little girl.�

��Insist on�?!� Yuya echoed, feeling the first sting of
irritation, �I can�t help it if...mnph!��
The argument died at its inception as Kyo seized her mouth in a
devouring kiss, somehow managing to maneuver her as he willed despite the
obvious advantage she had over him.� Yuya
would have rolled her eyes and stalked off in a huff if he was not so good at
what he was doing...

�You know...we do have...to go back...� she reminded him
once she could get a breath in edgewise.

�Aa,� agreed Kyo languidly, bringing her lips back to
his.� This time, Yuya did roll her
eyes.� �To hell with it!��

It did come as somewhat a surprise when Kyo rolled the
both of them off the rock into to the cold water...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

�� I swear one of these days I�m going
to kill you!� Yuya shot over her shoulder as she stormed the last few meters up
onto the shore.� The gravel crunched and
crackled in staccato as she stomped toward the tree line.

�� Promises, promises,� Kyo mocked,
coming up behind her silently.

�� Hmph!� Yuya snorted, not looking
back at him.� Instead, she began
searching purposefully for her clothes.�
All she found was Kyo�s discarded kimono.� �Kyo, where did you hide them?� she demanded.

�� Hide what?�

�� You know very well what I�m talking
about!� she snapped, slewing around, colliding full tilt into him.

�� You�re shivering, little girl,�
remarked Kyo.� He wrapped his arms around
her before she could pull away. �Should I warm you up?�

�� Yuya blushed.� �Oh, no you don�t!� she yelped, recognizing
the leer on his face and what it portended, �I already paid the price for
losing that race!� All I want now are my
clothes!�

�� And you expect me just to give them
to you because...?� Kyo trailed off.

�� But you said...!�

�� I never said you�d get your clothes
back afterwards, did I?�

�� No sound came out of Yuya�s mouth as
she gaped at him, realizing he spoke the truth.�
She had only assumed...and with Kyo, that was always a risky prospect.� �Dammit!�

�� Kyo chuckled.� �When you glare like that, it only makes me
want to take you even more,� he said as he released her.

�� She blinked.� �Kyo?�

�� What?� You said you wanted your clothes,� he
reminded her, walking further back from the shore. �Yuya had to tell herself not to stare at the
way his muscles rippled beneath his bronze skin...

�� Stopping beside a hollowed out trunk
of some deceased forest giant, Kyo leaned down and drew out a familiar bundle
of cloth.� He held Yuya�s clothes and
weapons out to her.� �Did you change your
mind?�

�� After all that, he�s just going
to give them to me?� Yuya thought.� �Yeah
right...�� No, I didn�t change my
mind, but I sure as hell am not going to take them from your hand, Onime no
Kyo!�� She placed a hand on her hip and
shook her finger at him.� �Just put them
on the ground and back away!�

�� Make me,� Kyo said, leering.

�� Argh!� Yuya growled, feeling
herself blush even deeper than before.�
She picked up Kyo�s kimono and drew it around herself, aware that she
looked rather ridiculous in the garment that was too many sizes too big for
her.� �Fine, if you�re going to be like
that, I�m just going to take this and...�

�� Keep it.� I like the way it looks on you,� interrupted
Kyo, genuine hunger in his voice as he approached her.

�� Not exactly the reaction I
wanted...�� Yuya gulped.� �All right then,� she braved, holding her
place as Kyo loomed over her, �It�s not as though my money didn�t buy it in the
first place!�

�� True enough,� allowed Kyo.� He dumped her clothes and weapons on the
ground as he seized her.� �I�m going to
have fun getting it back, though...�

��

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

�� Kyo...� Yuya said, stopping in the
middle of the trail as she suddenly realized something, �You left your clothes
and katana on the shore, but you snuck up on me by diving off the cliff...�

�� So?� queried Kyo, continuing on.

�� Grrrr...� Yuya flipped her ponytail
over her shoulder and caught up with him, grabbing hold of the black cotton
cloth of his kimono sleeve.� �Did you
really run through the forest and climb that cliff stark naked just so you
could do that?� she demanded.

�� It seems so,� Kyo answered,
smirking.

�� Yuya blinked, then groaned and
slapped her forehead.� �Jeez, you�re one
hell of a determined pervert...!�

~* OWARI *~

Soundtrack:

1.
�Red
Thread� �� [X
(Movie) OST]

2.
�That
Day at the River�� [Spirited
Away OST]

3.
�eX
Dream�� [X
(Movie) OST]

4.
�Aoshi�s
Theme� �� [Rurouni
Kenshin (TV) OST]

5.
�Yasashii Yoake�� [.hack//Sign
OST]

6.
�Affections Touching Across Time II�� [Affections
Touching Across Time (Inuyasha Movie) OST]
- 1
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Sora no shita ni - Beneath the Sky