Sunday Night

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“What are we doing out here?” Kino sighed, letting Tanji tug her wrist until they were standing on a gentle hillside that sloped down into the wooded area of a park. Even as cold as it was, there were a few blinking fireflies here and there, how strange. They knelt there, Tanji facing her, smiling gently and pointing to the fireflies.

“Catch one,” Tanji urged softly.

“Tanji, that’s childish… chasing fireflies,” Kino shook her head, drawing her knees to her chest and watching the dusky evening sky shift subtly to black, not looking at him as he wandered off down the hillside.

She stole glances at him out of the corner of her eye, thinking they should go back to the apartment, or at least back to the temple. There was no point in sitting out in the open when it was fairly chilly still, even if he did have his homework done. They could watch a movie, or something… what was it he was trying to do?

No, it was what he was trying to say. Sometimes he did things to speak, she’d noticed that. Everyone did it to a point, mostly subconscious, and usually to augment speech, but Tanji did things to replace speech. Such a silly self-conscious boy, his English wasn’t that bad, and his Japanese was just fine. Even if those weren’t adequate there was always their telepathic link now. Still, Tanji was catching a firefly, not in a silly way, but very carefully stalking a little blinking bug, following it around as it hovered over the hillside, just watching it.

Kino furrowed her eyebrows, confused and thinking. Catching fireflies, a childish thing. Tanji was not prone to things childish, in fact his childhood had been terribly… nonexistent. She had no doubt that from the moment he was born, with jagan and phoenix to burden him, that he’d been placed into some sort of training to be able to handle them. Training, discipline… from the very beginning, it didn’t add up to a very happy and playful childhood. Tanji was the embodiment of control, reign in the powers, hold back the emotions, have each and every muscle under perfect command constantly.

This childish act, what she normally would have pictured as a romping play, Tanji had twisted into his own rendition. He walked calmly following the firefly, tracking it with softly glowing red eyes. Kino smiled, couldn’t help it, even if it wasn’t quite the canon version of chasing fireflies, Tanji was cute.

It was perfectly dark now, a few lights from the center of the park and the subtle glow from the city around them comforting enough. Tanji knelt in front of her, hands cupped in front of him, no doubt containing the firefly he’d been stalking. Kino sighed in false irritation and scooted to pay attention to him at last. He parted his hands slightly to show the gently pulsing yellow-green light of the little bug.

“They’re a reason I don’t wanna leave Ningenkai,” he whispered, as if speaking too loudly would disturb the bug.
“Fireflies?” Kino blinked up at him, not believing.

Tanji nodded once, staring down at the bug in his hands, just sitting there and blinking its light. “Makai doesn’t have fireflies.”

Tanji who trained diligently but ignored schoolwork, who apologized genuinely, who rarely smiled, who loved to sing but didn’t think he could talk, who loved fiercely but few - didn’t want to leave Ningen because it had fireflies? Well, that was one reason, and she vaguely had to wonder what some of his other reasons were as strange as this one was.

Kino peered down at the little bug as it crawled a bit in his hand, continuing to flash. She wanted to ask why, of course, she was curious. He had to be trying to tell her something. “It’s just a little bug,” she tried to prod him by dismissing its importance.

“I know… it prolly sounds silly,” Tanji sighed.

“Just… maybe a little,” Kino admitted softly, reaching up to brush his bangs to one side. He didn’t look up at her.
“This is only the second firefly I ever caught in my life,” he spoke slowly after a minute’s silence. “The first one… I caught it out in the temple garden, in May, when I was four, Yotaka was standing there telling me to come inside because it was dark now. I asked her if it was a baby phoenix… I don’t know where I got that idea.”

“Vivid child’s imagination, Tanji.”

Tanji smiled, just a little bit, “Well Yotaka-san told me that no, it was just a bug that had borrowed a wee bit of the phoenix’s fire to share with little ningen kids a piece of Makai without breaking Reikai’s rules of non-interaction between the worlds. I knew it was just a story, but I still liked it. We sat and talked, me holding the firefly, sitting in her lap… she actually held me.”

Kino bit her lip and blinked at the firefly. That’s what it was, or at least part of it. A rather loose and vague tie to ningen, but one nonetheless. Tanji kept Yotaka in such a respectful position, not like the mother and son relationship Kino thought there should be. There were glimmers of that, but Tanji hid them deeply and tucked them behind metaphors to keep Yotaka’s respect as it was. Tanji had had a fairly dark life, those little pieces had to be things for him to cling to. They’d worked… except for just once, and thank Reikai she’d been there to reveal one more thing for him to hold onto.

“Should let it go,” she nudged his cupped hand.

Tanji nodded and stretched his hands flat, the fidgeting little bug taking to the air after a moment’s hesitation. Kino watched it go, then looked down at Tanji kneeling there with his head bowed. She leaned forward and slipped her arms around his shoulders, which had been her purpose for telling him to release the firefly. She pulled him close and held him.

“You’re cold, Tanji, we should get back inside.”

“I like it out here… an you’re warm,” Tanji answered softly, nuzzling against her neck and slipping his arms around her waist.

“We have school tomorrow, should get to bed,” she kissed into his hair.

“It’s still early, angel,” Tanji excused, pressing a very passionate kiss against her neck.

“Tanji… don’t… we’re out here… someone could…”

“See? There’s no one to see except the fireflies, angel… an’ I can hear anyone comin close,” he breathed warm air against her skin, breaths quickening.

“Not in the open… please… ahh,” Kino fought the sound of pleasure, losing the battle.

“I’ve scanned four times, there’s no one… relax…” Tanji whimpered, seeking a kiss.

Kino managed to fend him off, “Public place… no… people might have binoculars… telescopes,” she sought desperately for a rational excuse.

Tanji giggled, running his thumb over her cheek, “That’s jus silly.”

Then he got up. Kino blinked, a little confused, surprised to be certain. Her orange eyes inspected the hand offered to her, glancing up at him and blinking. She had expected a little more of a fight, certainly, and she probably would have even buckled in less than a minute.

“Let’s go back to the apartment,” Tanji offered the hand a little closer in urging.

“You call me silly… then listen to me?” she shook her head, grasping his hand and melding into his side as he pulled her up.

“Jus wanted ta kiss… wasn’t gonna do nothin, but if ya wanna go back,” Tanji held her around the waist as they walked, slowly, in the vague direction of the apartment, taking their time. “An’ it is kinna cold.”

“Yeah right, you just kiss? Please,” Kino smirked, feeling the tips of her ears burn red. “You are a terrible liar.”

“Ya I noticed that… can’t fix it either.”

Kino hugged him tighter, making their steps weave a little bit, “I love your honesty.”

Tanji suddenly tugged her to the corner of a building, pressing her against the brick and nuzzling against her ear. She put her hands on his chest and tried to push him off, glancing up and down the dark street nervously.

“Somebody… is going to see,” Kino couldn’t quit suppress that giggle as he nibbled at her ear. “Dangerous out here… at night.”

Tanji straightened up and looked around, blinking in honest confusion. “Dangerous? Nah, ningen ain’t dangerous. Ya know what’s dangerous? Yotaka before she’s had her morning tea,” he snickered and kissed at her neck, then up to her jaw.

Kino laughed and slipped her arms around his shoulders, still wishing they were inside. Tokyo at night was dangerous, at least that’s what she’d been taught her whole life, but he was probably right, there wasn’t all that much he needed to be afraid of. She tried nudging him away from her again.

“Come on, Tanji, the apartment is only a few blocks away. You’re cold,” her hand cupped his ear, warming the chilled flesh.

“Thaz why I’m nuzzlin ‘gainst you,” his speech was mumbled even more against her neck, interrupted further by little kisses.

“You’re incorrigible,” she pouted.

“I know,” Tanji pulled back, brushing the tip of his nose against hers and taking her hands in his. “Love you itoshii,” he murmured, touching her lips with his.

“Why do you keep… picking on me?” Kino didn’t know how to phrase it.

“Told me not ta worry bout pushin ya too much.”

“Just in public,” her eyes darted to the street.

“This isn’t public…” Tanji giggled, insisting a little more for her to answer his wanting for a kiss.

Battle of stubbornness, always fun. “It is so in public,” Kino argued, resisting the urge to kiss him, not answering his touches in any way.

“Public, meaning in open view… we, angel… are in no one’s view,” he nudged again.

“It’s only a couple blocks,” she ignored him. He was just playing, she could tell, so she wasn’t going to get mad.

“I don’t have any patience,” Tanji gave up on trying to get her to kiss him and went back to kissing and nibbling at her neck. She caught herself running her fingers through his hair, chiding herself silently, he wasn’t going to win this game.

“Well I knew that,” Kino sounded as exasperated as she could.

Tanji pulled back again, ruby eye glittering. He turned them so that his back was pressed against the wall, trapping her arms around him. Kino tugged but couldn’t get loose, putting on the best angry face she could muster.

“Do you have a purpose? Besides annoying me?”

“Yes,” Tanji dipped his head to her collarbone, kissing sweetly.

Kino scowled, trying to wriggle her hands loose, to make him look up at her. Tanji had some serious issues with how he started conversations. “Then just tell me.”

Tanji fidgeted, nuzzling against the base of her neck, his skin a little cold. “Jus wonderin… why can’t… why not in public? We got somethin to hide?” his voice was very very soft, a touch curious, nervous and scared, probably about upsetting her.

Kino sighed and kissed the top of his head, “No… it’s just… embarrassing. I don’t know, Tanji… it’s just me I guess… and changing…”

“I worry too much… thought it mighta been me,” he gave a meek little embarrassed laugh, letting her hands loose.
“No… I wonder sometimes how you can be so bold,” she cradled his face.

Tanji cocked a quirky grin, “I was born raucous and obnoxious,” he kissed her, “and stubborn… and annoying… and impatient,” he punctuated each with another kiss.

“In other words you were born Tanji,” she giggled.

“Well… yeah,” he chuckled, tucking a strand of crimson behind her ear.

“And I love you, Tanji,” Kino held him tightly.

“Ai shiteru, angel,” he murmured against her ear. “I won’t make you change… love my angel jus the way ya are,” Tanji kissed her cheek and moved them away from the wall together.

Kino laid her head on his shoulder as they walked, in silence for the last few blocks until they reached the apartment. It really was a nice place, the school, temple and park nearby, not far from the mall, and still pretty much on the outside of the city. She caught herself thinking about them living there, together, on their own, and surprised with herself that she was pretty much accepting of the idea.

Still, as nice and as practical as it was made out to be, there were other things that had to have their attention first, foremost being that it was seriously late and they had school in the morning.

“So… back to the temple tomorrow?” she asked quietly as Tanji latched the door behind them, making sure it was locked.

He shrugged, “We’ll see, talk ta Kesy if he’s in school morrow. I’d like ta go see Akemi if she’s still in the hospital,” Tanji leaned back against the door, wrapping his arms around himself and keeping his head bowed as he kicked off his shoes.

Kino nudged her shoes off beside his and slipped her arms around him, pulling him away from the door and tightly to her. He was shivering, just slightly, trying to hide it. She ran her hands up and down his arms, slowly and lovingly.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine, just needs time to heal,” she soothed, some being her own worries as well.

“I keep thinkin that if Reikai didna have those stupid rules that we could do somethin… but we really can’t… I mean… brain injury,” he sighed, relaxing slightly against her.

“If there was anything you could do, I know you’d face down all of Reikai just to help her,” Kino brushed his bangs back from his forehead, stealing away his headband in the same motion.

“I hate being helpless,” Tanji traced along her arm, finding the headband and stealing it back, tossing it in the general direction of his schoolbag before entwining his fingers with hers, nuzzling against her neck.

“You were babysitting Akiko all week, that was helpful.”

“And watching the apartment until they get back,” he finally smiled, following her a few steps as she moved backwards.

“It’s late, Tanji, we really need to get to bed.”

“I don’t want this to end… I like this… just the two of us together, nobody to pick on us, no jokes… no cameras,” Tanji giggled, running his thumb across her cheek as she blushed.

“We can’t stop time, Tanji… it has to end,” Kino pulled him a few more steps back, reaching to turn off the living room light, leaving on the bedroom light behind her.

“For you, I would make time stop,” Tanji kissed her sweetly, “go face down Reikai and all the gods if I have to,” he whispered against her lips.

“If anybody could it would be you,” Kino smiled, stealing his hair tie this time.

“What… is your purpose?” he laughed, looking around for the lost hair tie when he realized his hair was loose.

“We need to get to bed,” she repeated softly, blushing.

“Well I can’t argue with that kinda request,” Tanji grinned and swept her off her feet all too easily, carrying her back to the bedroom.

“Tanji… put me down,” Kino giggled.

“Again… I won’t argue,” he kissed her sweetly as he laid her down on the bed, lifting her only long enough from the comforting softness to remove her sweatshirt, kneeling over her.

A stretch of telekinetic power flipped off the bedroom light Tanji had neglected, leaving them to the kind of near darkness found in a city, even if the window did face an alley, the lights of Tokyo still invaded the room somehow. She laid her hands over his as Tanji pressed his calloused palms gently against her hips. Their eyes adjusted to the low light, gazing at one another lovingly.

Kino slipped her hands up his forearms. For two days now he hadn’t worn the wraps that concealed those scars. She wondered vaguely if he’d put them back on for school in the morning. More than likely he would. Perhaps he could relax around her now, but few others. And she’d already taken his headband and hair tie, leaving his hair to tumble freely over his shoulders. She paused a moment to caress strands, then continued her hands downward over his chest to his stomach, tugging his shirt untucked and over his head in a fluid motion.

Tanji stretched out and settled himself down against her, kissing her over and over again with slowly increasing passion. Kino pushed his hair back with both hands, smiling coyly. “We are not going to sleep half dressed.”

“Hmm… good point,” Tanji crept down along her body, kissing the indentation at the base of her neck, then between her breasts, rather discretely working the clasp of her bra before moving downward to her belly, repeating the subtle unfastening with the closure of her jeans. Like she didn’t notice.

“You aren’t… arguing,” Kino reached to tap his nose playfully.

“I don’t argue,” he blinked, looking so cute and innocent she just had to laugh, pulling him back up for a kiss.

Tanji slipped his arm behind her head, cradling her, other hand at her hip and gently nudging between her skin and fabric. She slipped her tongue gently across his lips, entwining it with his as her blindly seeking hand found his that was trying to remove her jeans. They somehow managed, slowly, kissing deeply and undressing one another, slipping beneath their comforter and enjoying the heat building between them.

Kino pressed her cheek against Tanji’s, caressing his face and dusting his skin with tender kisses. His hands were roaming everywhere, awakening every nerve in her body with sensation, driving her into a blissfully heightened state of awareness. The mental link between them was alive with pulsing thoughts, nothing coherent, no true words, just pure emotion, constant, loving, soothing. There was nothing else but the two of them.

Tanji shifted himself easily, moving between her slender thighs, steadying himself by staying one hand from its exploration of her and resting it on her hip. He moved so slowly it had to be painful for him, but it was only to keep her from hurting too badly, she knew that, and she loved him for that deep concern. Even in a haze of desire he kept the motion gentle, easing himself within her, little by little.

She heard the distinct sound of teeth grating against teeth, her hand moving to caress his tightly clenched jaw, trying to encourage him to relax. Yes, moving so slowly was certainly excruciating for him, but not without reward.

He could hear their hearts, beating in perfect unison, moving to a faster pace as he finally eased completely inside her. Tanji pressed his lips against her neck, his muffled sounds of pleasure mingling with hers as they began to rock in a slow mutual rhythm. She was actually moving with him, guided by something indescribable. Their hearts, their quiet noises, their movements, they all seemed to be connected, inseparable and perfect.

Tanji lifted his upper body from her slightly, tracing a touch along the curve of her shoulder, bending her arm and entwining his fingers with hers, leaning down to kiss the back of her hand just behind her ring. Their joined hands moved slightly upward, pressed into the mattress slightly as he lowered his lips to her neck, trailing kisses down. He kissed more fiercely at the juncture between her neck and shoulder, making her gasp, eyes squeezed shut. He pulled back a little, closing his eyes as well and gathering every shred of willpower he had left, contenting himself with a tiny little nip, the barest mark that would fade before dawn.

Kino’s lips were parted, uttering a sound of something close to agony, her eyes slitted open. He pressed his lips to hers, tongue caressing her lips. She whimpered quietly when he broke the kiss without going further than that, beyond reason as to why.

Tanji nuzzled against the underside of her chin, nudging her head back a little further as he consumed the sensitive flesh of her neck with passionate kisses. He caressed the indent between her collarbones with his tongue, slowly, enjoying the taste of her, the silken heat of her skin. Their thrusts remained slow and even, but the pressure was building, the heat becoming overwhelming even for them.

As Tanji played his lips and tongue over the depression between her breasts, Kino could think of nothing but him. The feel of those attentions to her chest, his fingers entwined with hers, his heat pulsing deep within her so much more powerful than any fire magic, his breath far too slow for that racing heartbeat that matched hers, his ki rising to twine with hers. There was nothing but him… with her… nothing else mattered.

Overcome by the building of desire, Tanji moved back up to find her lips, slipping his strong arm around her waist and pulling her slender body even closer against him. Kino threw her arm around his neck, her body shuddering beyond her control, a ragged gasp escaping her breathlessness.

Tanji held her tighter, so securely with just that one arm, the other still captured by their entwining fingers buried somewhere beyond the velvet pillows. His movements slowed to a near stopping, placing himself so deep within her with a powerful thrust, making her delicate frame shiver over and over again. Then again, moving so painfully slowly, but hitting so deep the pleasure within her grew to unbearable level and finally strained to breaking, washing through her in waves of consuming heat.

Reality slowly returned, their senses recovering, hearts mingling beats that slowed gradually. Kino found herself cuddled close to Tanji’s chest, unsure of when she’d turned on her side, but really too exhausted to care. Her left hand was still matched to his right perfectly, pressed between them.

“I love you Tanji,” she sighed contentedly, shifting and nuzzling comfortably against his neck, letting the exhaustion slowly claim her.

“Ai shiteru, my angel…” he murmured, lips brushing her forehead, sounding as close to sleep as she felt.

Kino let his even breathing, his heartbeat, lull her easily toward sleep.

“Only for you Kino… only for you,” Tanji’s sweet kiss was the last thing Kino knew before she surrendered herself to dreams, their hands held together through the night.

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