Nabiki watched Tatewaki from across the room. He was surrounded by various of his classmates, all talking excitedly. This was, Nabiki decided, the most relaxed she had ever seen her boyfriend be. Even if his samurai garb made him stand out, he still seemed to have fit in with his classmates better than he ever had before.
Nabiki knew that she was a big reason for that. When she and Tatewaki had made their entrance, murmurs had swept the auditorium. No other man was wearing a sword. And no other woman had a dress quite like Nabiki's.
She was wearing a strapless dress that showed off her figure to best effect. She and Akane had worked for an hour on her skin, giving it a translucent look. Akane had called her beautiful and Nabiki had agreed. Nabiki was not known for her humility.
In fact, Nabiki thought, looking around the auditorium, she was the best looking creature at the dance. Ikeda had better natural looks, but she had gone for a very traditional costume, with a formal kimono that hid most of her figure and a severely bound hairstyle that wasted her long, flowing hair. Yuko had done an effective job with her dress and makeup - easily matching Nabiki for time, effort, and effect - but she had only a plain face and average figure. She was still beautiful, but not as stunning as Nabiki was.
Most people saw Nabiki only as a hard-working student who also ran several successful businesses on the side. They saw the ruthlessly efficient amateur entrepreneur, and didn't much notice her looks. This suited Nabiki just fine; she wanted to be known as a forceful person, not as an object to be admired. Nevertheless, it felt good to show everyone that there was more to her than her mind.
She had been feeling everyone's eyes all evening and was basking in their attention. The boys of Furinkan High were admiring her and, at the same time, giving Tatewaki envious looks. Nabiki was aware that, in the mind of most of the men here, Tatewaki was to be congratulated for her appearance more so than she was. Although this was sexist, it didn't bother Nabiki too much tonight; Tatewaki was benefiting from his elevated status among the other boys, finding acceptance from them he had never experienced before. He had been respected, yes, as captain of the Kendo Club and Debate Team. But his odd mannerisms had prevented him from making many close friends among his classmates. Tonight, he was talking easily with them, laughing with them and generally having a fun time. This made Nabiki feel very, very good. For some reason, making Tatewaki happy was as important to her as anything else was. That was strange; her mind did not normally operate in such a manner. Something was changing its parameters.
She sipped her punch, barely listening to the chatter around her. Her own group of friends surrounded her, and they were gossiping about the boys. And other... interesting topics.
"Are you and Kaneto going to get married?" Minami was asking Rei.
"Oh, I don't know." Rei answered in a teasing manner. "I'll have to try him out first and see if he's worth it."
This set off a round of giggles while Nabiki frowned briefly. Rei should know better. Sex was not an idle game to be played; the consequences were too serious. "Are you going to be... trying him out tonight?" Nabiki asked, putting just a touch of reproach into her voice.
Rei sighed, smiling, either not hearing or ignoring Nabiki's disapproval. "Well, we'll just have to see how the evening goes, won't we." This set off more giggles.
Hiromi, known for her serious nature, poked Rei in the ribs. "Are you prepared?"
Rei looked back at her blankly. "Prepared?"
"You know." Hiromi waggled a finger at her. "Do you have protection?"
Rei blinked. "Good heavens, do you think I'd be carrying something like that with me? What would Kaneto think of me if he saw it?"
"Well, isn't that just the smartest thing in the world." Nabiki spoke sharply, making no effort to hide her disgust. "Here you are, all ready to jump into bed with him, without a thought of what might happen afterwards, unwilling to take even the slightest responsibility for your actions." Nabiki glared at Rei. "Kaneto isn't the one who will get pregnant. Think about that before you try anything."
Rei gaped at Nabiki. Fortunately, Hiromi spoke up. "Nabiki's right, Rei. Also, what if Kaneto gives you a disease?"
Rei gasped. "He's a virgin! He doesn't have any diseases!"
"Have you been with him every waking minute of his life? How do you know for sure? Has he been tested?" Nabiki tilted her head. "Do you want to bet your life on it?"
Rei looked back and forth between Hiromi and Nabiki. She looked briefly at Minami, who shook her head. "I think they're right, Rei."
"Of course we're right." Nabiki put some arrogance into her voice. "Have I ever been wrong before?"
Rei narrowed her eyes. "What about when..."
Nabiki interrupted. "Oh shut up, that was a fluke. Anyway, I'm not wrong about this, and you know it."
Rei looked around at everyone's faces, then lowered her eyes and nodded her head. "Yes, you are right. I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry for a mistake you haven't yet made." Minami clasped Rei's arm. "Just be sure you don't make it, that's all."
The sound of many people going "Oooohhh" washed over them. They looked to see that Tatewaki had bared his katana and was showing it to his classmates. Nabiki watched them, and something tingled in her brain, something that made her ecstatic to see Tatewaki having fun with his friends. She tried to ignore that part of her mind; it interfered with the smooth functioning of the rest of her brain. Over the past few weeks, however, it had been more and more difficult to push those feelings into the background.
"What about you and Tatewaki?" Rei seemed to be trying to recover some momentum, and she sounded mischievous. "Are you two going to be... trying anything tonight?"
"Yeah!" Minami chimed up, beaming. "He's got that big old mansion, with lots of rooms. You can get private and everything."
Nabiki snorted. "As if. Trust me, girls, I've got no plans to make his acquaintance that way."
"Why not?" Rei looked over at Tatewaki. "He's so dreamy-looking, when he's not carrying on about something-or-other."
Nabiki looked at Tatewaki herself, and considered him. He *was* attractive; tall, with classic features and a stern visage that somehow turned her on. He had a good body, too, the equal of Ranma's in terms of build and muscle, though it was often hidden behind the robes he wore. The illogical part of her mind wondered what it would be like to see more of it.
Minami was giggling. "Careful, Rei, you're putting ideas into her head."
Nabiki blinked, and flushed a little as her friends laughed at her.
Hiromi calmed down and poked Nabiki in the ribs, too. "Are you prepared, Nabiki?"
"Well," Nabiki wondered about revealing this, but found the words coming out of mouth before she could fully consider them. "I am on the pill."
Hiromi and Rei gasped, while Minami looked blankly at her. "The pill?"
Nabiki felt her face go red. She wished she could take the words back. "Birth control pills." She'd been on them for about six months now, a secret that only her gynecologist had known until know.
Minami's eyes went wide, while Rei and Hiromi stared at her.
Nabiki grimaced; she was afraid of this reaction. Everyone seemed to assume that being on the pill meant that you were promiscuous. "I'm still a virgin. Just thought it best to be prepared. And it's convenient in other ways."
Hiromi recovered first. "But that still doesn't protect you from disease, Nabiki."
"True." Nabiki sipped her punch again. "However, I've seen the results of Tatewaki's latest physical, taken a month ago. It was quite extensive. He is certifiably clean."
Minami's eyebrows shot up. "How did you get a hold of that?"
Nabiki looked at Minami evenly.
"Oh, right." Minami shouldn't have to be reminded that there was nothing beyond Nabiki's reach.
Hiromi was looking at Nabiki curiously. "It seems to me, Nabiki, that you've been thinking about this for a while."
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "I just like to keep all of my options open." She looked at Tatewaki across the room, the logical part of her mind firmly in control. "We have lots of time. We've only been going out for a couple of months; no need to rush into anything. Sex is a pretty serious thing. I'm not sure I'm ready for that kind of a commitment with Tatewaki."
Silence reigned for a minute while they all considered Tatewaki.
Nabiki could almost hear their thoughts: Tatewaki was obsessive, arrogant, and given to bouts of irrationality that bordered on madness. They didn't know him like she did. Tatewaki was an honorable, decent, and forthright man who had experienced a horrible childhood. He was trying to overcome the effects of his upbringing. With Nabiki's help, he was making good progress. She was still unsure, however, if she wanted to undertake this as a lifelong project.
The illogical side of her mind made her think that, then again, she wasn't sure she wanted to go through life without him, either.
The beginning of their relationship could be traced to a time when Nabiki had been at her most depressed since the death of her mother. She had begun to see what a horrible person she was on her way to becoming, and it had frightened her to the core of her being. She might have either withdrawn from life completely, leaving her adrift at eighteen, or she might have ignored the warning signs and simply continued her way towards damnation. Tatewaki had, unexpectedly, come to her aid then, offering unique insight into her problems, forcing her to realize that it wasn't what she did, but how she did it that was causing her problems.
Tatewaki's rigid sense of honor, something Nabiki had always ridiculed in the past, had suddenly become something she leaned on for guidance. If she ever became unsure of whether what she was doing was right, she would always ask Tatewaki what he thought about it. More and more, she was following his advice, too. Increasingly, some part of her was coming to enjoy being with him, if for no other reason than to be physically near him.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the DJ's voice sounding over the speakers. "I am very sorry, but it is time we brought this great event to a close. We will play one last song, so everyone find your sweetheart and give them one last dance to remember Furinkan High by."
Rei perked up. "Last dance!" She stood on her tiptoes, looking around the auditorium. "I'm going to find Kaneto. Have fun everyone!"
Hiromi's arm was already taken by her date. "Don't forget what we talked about, Rei." Rei waved at Kaneto across the room, and favored Hiromi with a cursory glance. "Don't worry, I won't. At least, not until he's... prepared."
All four women chuckled; Nabiki envisioned a visit to an all-night store in Rei's immediate future.
Hiromi was led away, and Rei ran across the auditorium. Minami quickly found her boyfriend as well, and smiled at him as they walked onto the dance floor.
Nabiki tried not to look for Tatewaki; one should never appear to be too eager. She set her punch down on a nearby table, following the glass with her eyes, and felt more than saw Tatewaki come up to her. His presence spoke to the illogical part of her mind, which was hammering away at her control.
"Tendo Nabiki, it would be my honor if you would allow me to escort you onto the dance floor."
Nabiki lifted her eyes to look into Tatewaki's. Her chest tightened. He had never looked so handsome as he did right now. His face was happy, and his stern visage had softened a little. For a second, she imagined that it was love she was seeing on his face. Part of her mind recoiled from that thought. The other part rejoiced in it. She wasn't sure what she should be feeling; both emotions were warring for control of her rationality.
Not trusting her voice, she nodded her head serenely. He gently took her elbow, led her to the dance floor, turned, and took her into his arms.
She grabbed one of his hands with her own and put her other arm behind his back, grasping his shoulder. He put his free arm around her waist. They stood still for a second, looking at each other, before Tatewaki began moving them to the sound of the music.
This last song was one voted on by the graduating class, an old American song which had become popular in her English class. The lyrics were well-known; translations had been made available for those whose English wasn't up to the task. The song had swept the school. Some thought it a fitting tribute to Furinkan High. Nabiki had voted against the song - the gaijin song seemed sickly sentimental to her - but for some reason, right now, the lyrics grabbed her and played with emotions in a way she had not thought possible.
I cried a tear, you wiped it dry.
I was confused, you cleared my mind.
I sold my soul, you bought it back for me,
And held me up and gave me dignity.
Somehow you needed me.
You gave me strength to stand alone again,
To face the world out on my own again.
You put me high upon a pedestal,
So high that I could almost see eternity.
You needed me, you needed me.
And I can't believe it's you, I can't believe it's true.
I needed you and you were there.
And I'll never leave. Why should I leave? I'd be a fool.
'Cause I've finally found someone who really cares.
Nabiki's mind was in a whirl. She stared up at Tatewaki, thinking of how much she had come to depend on him, how much her heart leapt whenever she saw him, how much she enjoyed his company, how much she loved the feel of his body next to hers. Something was changing inside of her, something fundamental. She had erected some very strong barriers inside of her over the course of many years, barriers which kept her emotions tightly locked up and out of anyone's reach. Those barriers had been slowly eroding over the past couple of months, something eating away at their foundations. Now they were at last being washed completely away by the strength of the emotions she was feeling right at this moment. Logic and rationality lost their control over her basic operating instructions, and the illogical part of her mind gleefully decided to recode part of her brain. Those emotions were forever altering the way she looked at life in general. And Tatewaki in particular.
She loved Kuno Tatewaki.
She released his hand, grabbed his other shoulder, and hugged him close to her. He surrounded her with his arms, and they swayed together as the music continued. She was trembling, her face half-pressed into his shoulder, tears coming from her eyes.
You held my hand when it was cold.
When I was lost you took me home.
You gave me hope when I was at the end,
And turned my lies back into truth again.
You even called me friend.
You gave me strength to stand alone again,
To face the world out on my own again.
You put me high upon a pedestal,
So high that I could almost see eternity.
You needed me, you needed me.
You needed me, you needed me.
The song ended. There was scattered applause, the DJ gave one more speech, and everyone began talking as they made their way towards the exits. Nabiki was oblivious to it all, clutching at Tatewaki, not trusting herself to stand on her own. Tatewaki seemed to understand; he half-turned her in his arms and walked outside.
He led her to the front of the building where his carriage was waiting. A small crowd had gathered to watch his exit. Nabiki saw them, and quickly straightened herself. She dabbed at her eyes, tossed her head, and put on a radiant smile to dazzle the crowd with.
Tatewaki played his role well, leading her to the carriage, regally entering it first so that he could pull her up. Nabiki sat in the carriage while Tatewaki continued standing, waiting as the driver jumped to the front of the carriage, gathered the reins, and steered the horses off the school grounds. Tatewaki stared straight ahead, the very picture of noble serenity. Nabiki waved at her classmates, directing a special smile at her friends as they shouted their good-byes.
The carriage reached the street. The driver brought it to a halt, and turned towards Tatewaki. "Where to, sir?"
Tatewaki looked down at Nabiki. "Shall I take you home, Nabiki-san?"
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "The night's still young. Let's go back to your house for a while and take a stroll around your yard."
Tatewaki bowed to her. "As you wish." He looked at the driver. "To the Kuno mansion." The driver nodded his head and flicked the reins. Tatewaki sat down and put his arm around Nabiki's waist. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.
They stayed that way until the carriage drew up to the front gate. The driver helped Nabiki down. Tatewaki talked with the driver briefly. He nodded and tended to the horses. Tatewaki walked to the gate and punched a code into a panel. The gate swung open.
Tatewaki took Nabiki's arm and led her inside. They wandered through the yard. It was huge, as big as a private yard could be in Tokyo.
They walked for a long while. Nabiki lost track of time; it seemed as if they walked around the house a hundred times. They talked quietly of inconsequential things, doing nothing more than sharing each other's company. All the while, Nabiki's mind raced, trying to define and quantify her emotions. If the logical part of her brain had lost this particular battle, it at least wanted to make sure its voice was heard in the new order.
Nabiki finally decided that she could not keep her thoughts to herself. She reached her hand over and took Tatewaki's. Her heart was beating very fast, and she was still shaking a little.
Tatewaki noticed. She felt his gaze. "What is wrong, Nabiki-san?"
"Nothing is wrong, Tatewaki-kun." She stopped and looked over to the house, which was dark. "Is your father home?"
"No, he will be spending the night at the school. He delights in pouncing on those who linger on after the prom." He stopped, turned to face her. "Do not attempt to divert my attention. Tell me what you are thinking about."
Nabiki looked up at him. His face was stern, but genuine concern was there as well. It pierced her heart. She was so wide open right now. The slightest nuance was having the most profound effect on her.
She reached up and touched his cheek. She couldn't hold it in any longer. "I love you."
His eyes became wide. He actually took a step backwards. "What - what did you say?"
She laughed and stepped closer to him. "I love you, Kuno-baby. I just decided that tonight. Or rather, it was decided for me. It made me so happy, it scared me so much, I was trembling." She examined his face to see what his reaction was.
The stern look was gone; a kind of happy befuddlement covered his face. "So long have I wanted to hear that, Nabiki-chan. Yet I still can scarce credit my ears that they have heard those words." Fear flitted across his face. "Are you sure? There is much that should drive you away, I cannot help but think that it would be better for you - "
The irrational part of her mind recoiled at his self-doubt. It made her want to pull away, hurt. Fortunately, the logical part of her mind reasserted itself, and decided that Tatewaki was due for a lecture on the nature of her emotions.
Nabiki reached up and grabbed his head in her hands. She whispered fiercely into his face. "Listen to me, Kuno Tatewaki. Never again question my judgment. Never, ever try to tell me what I should be feeling. And especially, I never want to hear from you anything about your unworthiness. I - love - you." She paused for a moment, glaring into his eyes. "Don't ever doubt that."
Tatewaki's focus shifted from one of her eyes to the other. He seemed to be trying to say something, but was unable to get it out.
Nabiki came to his rescue by kissing him passionately.
He seemed to be in shock at first, but eventually he responded. They kissed for a long time in the moonlight.
Nabiki eventually broke it off. She smiled at him, then took his hand and led him to the front door.
Tatewaki let them inside. They removed their shoes, and he took her into his room. It was not their first time alone together in his room, but something felt different this time. Nabiki could see hope warring with trepidation in Tatewaki's eyes.
Nabiki was unsure herself what was going to happen. She walked gracefully over to his bed, turned and sat on it in one fluent motion. She looked over at Tatewaki to see what he would do.
He removed his katana from his outfit and put it in its place on the wall. He turned out the lights, although enough moonlight shone in from the window to show everything fairly clearly. He walked over to the bed and sat on it next to her.
They looked at each other for a while. Nabiki smiled, enjoying the moment. Anticipation was often better than the actual event, Nabiki knew. Still, after a minute she became impatient. She leaned over and met him halfway as they began to kiss again.
He reached his arm behind her to grab her opposite shoulder. This usually meant that he had plans for his other hand. Sure enough, it began to trace the curve of her breast. She felt his fingertips explore the edge of the fabric along her bust. The dress was too tight; Nabiki knew he'd never be able reach inside.
She rose suddenly and stood facing him. She looked at him long enough for her to take two deep breaths; then she turned her back to him and held her arms out.
She heard him rise behind her and awkwardly feel along the clasps that held her dress on. He seemed to be having difficulty; he'd never had much luck with her bra in the past, either. Snap by snap, Nabiki felt her dress become looser until it fell around her feet.
She turned back to face him, almost nude, wearing nothing but her panties. Tatewaki stared at her breasts. Although he'd felt them in previous sessions, she'd always kept her blouse on, even if it had been unbuttoned or pulled loose. She thought that even at this distance she could feel heat radiating from his face. Then again, maybe she was blushing herself.
She quirked a smile, then stepped up to him, reaching for his shirt. She pulled it loose from his hakama, then brought her hands up his hard, muscular chest to his shoulders, then slid her hands down his arms until his shirt fell to the floor.
Not pausing for thought, she looked down at his hakama. It appeared to be held up by straps that went around his waist twice. She'd managed to twist some of the straps while removing his shirt. She tugged at the straps, and was able to untie the knot after fumbling a bit. She laughed at herself, making a note to never again be critical of Tatewaki's attempts to undress her. After she unwrapped the straps from his waist, the hakama fell to the ground. Underneath he was wearing boxer shorts, and they bulged in an unusual way.
She quickly looked back up, not wanting to explore that further right now. Tatewaki was breathing heavily, his face filled with desire. Nabiki felt plenty of that herself. She stepped closer to him, her breasts pressing against his chest, sending small waves of pleasure radiating from her nipples. She felt them harden, which was an intriguing experience when they were pressed against Tatewaki's flesh.
Her whole body was buzzing. She'd felt this way before when she and Tatewaki had made out, but never this strongly. Tatewaki's breathing was becoming more ragged. Nabiki found this all very interesting, since they had done nothing more than kiss and take off their clothes. If this was foreplay, she couldn't wait for what sex itself felt like.
Tatewaki bent down and began kissing her. He pulled her down onto the bed and rolled with her until he was lying more or less on top of her. Their kissing grew more and more passionate. Tatewaki used one of his hands to fondle her breasts. Nabiki found this enjoyable, but it was old territory. She wanted something new.
She broke off the kissing and raised her chin. As she had hoped, he began kissing her neck. This, too, was pleasurable but familiar. She put her hands on his head and applied a small amount of pressure. He moved further down her body and began kissing her breasts. He ran his tongue around her nipple before gently sucking on it.
This was new. Nabiki closed her eyes and let out something between a sigh and a groan. The buzzing sensation was stronger, and she felt a warmth increasing in intensity in her groin.
Tatewaki moved his head and applied the same treatment to her other breast while Nabiki idly stroked his hair. His hand began to stroke her leg, moving lightly up and down her outer thigh. He seemed to be flirting with moving it to her inner thigh, but always backed his hand away when it began to drift that way.
The center of the warmth she was feeling was in the region Tatewaki's hand was drifting. She wondered if he could do something to increase the sensation. When his hand moved once more towards the warmth, she spread her legs farther apart, so that her inner thigh was under Tatewaki's hand.
He seemed to freeze a little at this point. After a second, his head moved up so that he has kissing her shoulder. One hand lightly caressed her breast while the other stroked her inner thigh.
Alas, he seemed to have no idea what to do. He touched her panties uncertainly, and stroked her pubic region through the fabric. This did absolutely nothing to enhance Nabiki's pleasure; if anything, the buzzing grew less.
Tatewaki seemed to sense this. He withdrew his hand and lifted himself up so that he was kissing her again. At the same time, he shifted himself so that he was on top of her. His weight pressed down on her, his chest flattening her breasts, his groin pressed against hers. She found this very exciting, and the buzzing and warmth grew again. She felt... something through his boxer shorts. Something that pressed against her panties; something very hard.
She knew what it had to be. She just had no idea it could get that... rigid.
For a moment, Nabiki stepped outside of herself, her logical side making one last argument. What was she doing? This was crazy, there was no need to do this. This was too much, too fast. She was too young; they both were. She should tell him to stop. That was the most reasonable thing to do.
She loved him. Nabiki loved Tatewaki. That was a fact, and part of the new truth of her existence. The force of that emotion washed over her again, wiping away reason and enhancing the growth of the buzzing. Her logic admitted defeat. Somehow, it didn't feel wrong, either.
She kissed him more ferociously, pressing her tongue into his mouth as far as it could. She arched her back a little, pressing her groin against his. She rocked him a little this way, pulling her groin back and pressing it back against his.
His hips began thrusting against hers. Suddenly, he went rigid. He pulled his head away from hers and gasped. She felt a wetness through his shorts.
She opened her eyes to look at Tatewaki. His face looked very strange. He looked down at her, and suddenly looked embarrassed. He rolled off her.
Nabiki drew a couple of deep breaths, free of his weight. She looked over at him. "What happened, Tatewaki-kun?"
He sat on the edge of the bed and didn't answer.
Suddenly she figured it out, and became quite amused. "You had an orgasm, didn't you?" She chuckled. "I understand young men like you have those quite easily."
"Nabiki!" He sounded shocked and embarrassed. His hands covered his shorts.
She sat up, her nudity making her somewhat self-conscious. "What was it like?"
"Nabiki!" He sounded less embarrassed and more outraged. He got up and made his way to the bathroom attached to his bedroom. He turned on the light and closed the door halfway.
Nabiki grinned in Tatewaki's direction. That had been interesting. There was lot for them to build on. Next time, they could try some different things.
Then again, she wasn't sure she was done with this time. On an impulse, she threw most of the covers off the bed, covering herself with a single sheet.
Tatewaki turned off the light and emerged. He was wearing a bathrobe. He saw her lying under the sheet, and she saw another strange expression come over his face. If she could make it out right, he seemed to be feeling guilty.
He came over and sat on the edge of the bed again. "I - I apologize, Tendo Nabiki. I did not intend for things to go this far. This is not an honorable way for me to treat you."
"Hush, Kuno-baby." The amusement hadn't left her. "I could have stopped you at any time. You went as far as you did because I wanted you to." She gave him her evil eye. "Do you really think you could ever make me do something I didn't want to do?"
His chuckle sent tingles up her spine. "I suppose not. Still, we must needs be careful. There are... complications associated with the... actions we were considering."
Nabiki tsked at him. "Don't worry, Tatewaki-kun, I've got the 'complications' under control. You needn't worry that anything unplanned will happen as a result of our 'actions'." Teasing Tatewaki was one of her favorite things in the world to do.
He seemed taken aback by her words. "Truly, Nabiki? Are these actions something you had prepared for?"
"I always plan for every contingency." Nabiki wondered, for the first time, if he would be offended by it. He shouldn't be. "To answer your question: No, I didn't plan to have sex with you tonight. I've been planning for these contingencies since long before we were going out."
He blinked at her, and she was quick to add, "I'm still a virgin, Tatewaki. I firmly believe that sex is not a casual thing. Only people truly in love should have sex. And you're the first person I've fallen in love with." She didn't add that she hoped he was the only man she would fall in love with. That would give him a certain power over her, and power was something she gave up only under extreme circumstances.
Tatewaki reached out and took her hand. "Sex..." Just saying the word seemed to embarrass him. "Sex is something only those who are married should engage in. It is not honorable otherwise."
Damn, a male Kasumi. "Why is that?"
He blinked. "I... I am not sure. It seems to be a... violation, a besmirching of your honor..."
Nabiki snorted. "Trust me, Kuno-baby. I would feel neither violated nor besmirched. If we're both willing and in love, how can it be at all dishonorable?"
Tatewaki thought about it, and seemed unable to answer her.
Gotcha, she thought. Time to move in for the kill. "So tell me, Tatewaki, what was it like to have an orgasm?"
"Nabiki!" He was beginning to sound repetitive.
She smiled mischievously at him. "All the books say that the best sex comes only when two people can talk candidly about it. Speak to me. What's it like?"
"I..." He swallowed. "I cannot describe it. I am sorry, Nabiki."
Nabiki put on a pouting face. "You can't describe it? In that case," she said, throwing the sheet off of her, "you'd better show me."
He stared at her. While he had been in the bathroom, she had removed her panties. She was now completely naked.
Tatewaki's eyes grew very, very wide. Nabiki waited for him to react. He just sat there, apparently carved out of stone.
She smiled and got up on her hands and knees. She went over to him and put her face in front of his. His eyes wandered over her body before settling on her eyes. Nabiki leaned forward and quickly touched the tip of her tongue to the end of his nose.
His breath began getting heavy again. She rearranged herself so that she was sitting on the bed next to him. She reached for the straps of his robe.
His hands reached out to grab her wrists. His grip was very strong. Nabiki looked at him in mild surprise. Tatewaki gazed at her for a long moment. He released her hands, grabbed her shoulders, and pushed her back onto the bed.
As she watched, he undid his robe, threw it on the floor, and crawled into bed with her.
She tried to examine the parts of him she hadn't yet seen, but he managed to keep them out of her line of sight. He brought his face to hers, and they began the kissing again.
Nabiki tried her best to recapture the buzzing. The sensation seemed distant this time. Somehow, the knowledge of what she was about to allow Tatewaki to do to her seemed to put a damper on the sensations she was feeling. She tried increasing the ferocity of her kissing, to the point where their tongues seemed to be fighting each other. It helped a little.
Tatewaki disengaged himself and began another journey south. As his mouth reached her breast again, she lifted her head and kissed the top of his head. He gave her breast considerable attention, tickling her nipples with his tongue and sucking gently. Nabiki subtly guided Tatewaki by sighing louder when he did things she particularly liked. He picked up on it quickly, and soon she felt the buzzing returning in greater force.
His hand began stroking her legs again, this time beginning on her inner thigh. It felt so weird to have someone touching her there, at the same time very exciting. He moved his hand up until it touched her cleft. There it paused, and again Nabiki got the sense that he had no idea what to do.
Nabiki wasn't too sure herself. She rocked her hips gently, and one of his fingers slipped inside her. His finger was quickly wet, and he tried moving it around. It didn't seem to be doing anything useful; Nabiki wasn't sure what he was doing wrong.
Tatewaki sensed that he wasn't getting anywhere, and removed his hand. As he did, the tip of his finger brushed something. Something that sent a jolt right through Nabiki. She cried out, and looked down at Tatewaki.
He raised his head to look at her, concern on his face. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"
"No..." She sounded a little shaky. "That felt... Can you try it again?"
Tatewaki looked puzzled. "Try what?"
Nabiki reached down, took his hand, and guided it inside her again. "What you did right at the end. It was about..." His finger brushed against the spot again, and Nabiki gasped and dropped her head back on the bed. "That's it. Right there."
Tatewaki began rubbing her gently. Nabiki moaned; the buzzing seemed to be directly connected to that spot. It grew in leaps and bounds. Tatewaki seemed to be getting a feel for the exact area, and began stroking it directly. Nabiki grabbed his shoulders and began squeezing. This was very, very good. Something was building in her; something that begged for release. The warmth in her lower body grew in heat and area. Her breasts grew even more sensitive, which made Tatewaki's ministrations in that area even more pleasurable. The buzzing became almost a quivering. She moaned tremulously.
Tatewaki began rubbing harder, faster, and suddenly it wasn't so good. "Ouch." She pulled her hips back, and Tatewaki removed his hand.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be." She tried to catch her breath. "Let's... let's move on."
"M-move on?" Tatewaki's voice sounded almost strangled. "What do you mean?"
Nabiki laughed throatily. "Kuno-baby, what do you think I mean?"
He swallowed and his face looked frightened. She could see the desire there as well.
She shifted herself slightly and spread her legs. Tatewaki positioned himself above her, and she felt something pressing against her cleft. Something hard; she still couldn't believe it was a part of the human body. It was trying to penetrate her, but it didn't know where it wanted to go. She reached down and touched it. It was smooth, hard, and very warm. She guided it gently to her cleft. Tatewaki thrust, driving himself deeply inside of her.
Nabiki knew all about the theoretical concept of a hymen. The reality of it was a little more than she expected. Something ripped inside her, and she cried out in pain.
"Nabiki-san!" Tatewaki's voice sounded scared. "Are you okay?" He moved to get off of her.
She wrapped her arms around him and held him in place. "Wait." She was sure she was bleeding, and it hurt, but it wasn't unbearable. The feeling of him inside her was very strange. Still, she could see Tatewaki trembling with desire and pleasure; that made it worthwhile. She held him a moment, trying to recover from his initial penetration. Then she began to move her hips.
That was all the permission Tatewaki needed. He began thrusting, moving inside of her. It combined pleasure and pain; she discovered that there were other parts of her, inside of her, that seemed to be connected to the buzzing as well. At the same time, he was aggravating the wound. She tried to work around the pain, moving her hips in rhythm to his thrusts. It increased her pleasure, but the pain was still too much.
Meanwhile, Tatewaki seemed to have lost all rational control. His thrusting increased in intensity, and both of their bodies were being rocked by the force. Suddenly he cried out and went rigid again. He held that pose for a few seconds, before practically collapsing on top of her.
Nabiki smiled and began kissing his shoulder. She decided that she liked the feeling of him on top of her and inside of her. This was a level of intimacy she had never shared with anyone before, and she found that she liked it, as long as she was sharing it with this man.
Tatewaki seemed to be having a lot of difficulty recovering this time. Nabiki was still buzzing, and continued kissing what parts of him she could reach. She ended by wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly.
Finally, he rolled off of her. She felt a little messy, so she made her way to the bathroom and cleaned herself off. She returned, walking nude across the bedroom. She stood over the bed and looked down at Tatewaki.
"Well, that was fun, but you've certainly got some room for improvement, Kuno-baby. I'll do some research and see what we can do to better our technique."
Kuno was sitting up on the bed, his hands clutching his head. "Tendo Nabiki. We must get married right away."
"Oh *please*." Nabiki glowered at him, unsure how much of her face he could see at this distance. She adjusted her body posture to show as much disapproval as she could. "What possible reason could we have for getting married?"
Tatewaki lifted his head, looked over at her, then sprung from the bed. He seemed unaware of his own state of undress, instead striking a kind of heroic pose in front of her. This could only mean one thing: he was about to spout something. Nabiki hoped it wasn't Shakespeare.
"Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! It is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no woman ever loved."
She rolled her eyes; so much for hoping. She looked at him skeptically and tapped her foot. This only seemed to encourage him.
"And, Will you, nill you, I will marry you.
Now, Nabiki, I am a husband for your turn;
For, by this light, whereby I see thy beauty,
Thy beauty, that doth make me like thee well,
Thou must be married to no man but me."
Nabiki tilted her head. "I'm pretty sure my name doesn't appear in any of Shakespeare's works."
Tatewaki looked abashed. "I improvised."
Nabiki snorted and began searching the clothes at their feet for her panties. Tatewaki began quoting other poets, but Nabiki ignored him completely. She stepped into her dress and lifted it up, then turned her back to Tatewaki.
"Kuno-baby, shut up and help me get this on."
Tatewaki ground to a halt. She felt his hands fumble with the clasps. She could feel that he was doing it wrong, but it was sufficient to keep her dress on, which was all that mattered at this point.
She turned back to him. "Time for me to go home."
He looked at her, and seemed genuinely distressed. "Nabiki-san, we must get married. To act as we did tonight would not be honorable otherwise."
"We already covered that, Tatewaki-kun. Let's not rehash old arguments."
"But we must. Will you not marry me?"
Nabiki barked at him. "Of course not. Now get dressed and get me home."
Tatewaki stood there in shock. Nabiki closed her eyes and scolded herself. That was much harsher than she had intended it to be.
"Look, Tatewaki-kun, I am not going to get married to you or anyone, ever. College is going to be tough enough, and after that I'll be going into a business of some sort, probably investment banking. There's enough pressure associated with all of those things that I don't need a husband holding me back. So get used to the idea that you will never see me in a wedding dress."
Tatewaki gaped at her, evidently unsure how to react. Nabiki sighed to herself and waited him out.
Slowly, he looked down at himself and seemed to notice his nudity for the first time. He began dressing slowly while Nabiki watched him closely. She could tell that he was hurt. However, he needed to understand this. She was not going to get married for years at least. It was best for his peace of mind if he believed that she was never getting married. He would come to appreciate their relationship for what it was, rather than what he thought it should be. After they'd been together for a few years, she would allow him to talk her into marriage. But not for a long while.
Nabiki was determined to be her own woman. She certainly wasn't going to depend on any man for her identity. When she was certain that the world understood who exactly Tendo Nabiki was, then she'd allow Tatewaki to share her identity. But not one minute sooner.
Tatewaki finished dressing and looked at her. Without saying anything, he took her arm and began leading her out of the house. He called for the carriage, and helped her into it. The carriage began making its way to the Tendo home.
Nabiki was feeling more and more depressed. This was not how her prom was supposed to end. She had just allowed Tatewaki into the deepest recesses of her heart. That should be sufficient for him, he shouldn't demand more. His silly sense of honor and his antiquated views on sex were forcing him to ask for more than he should. He'd better get over it. She was not going to let him get away.
She looked over at him. He was staring straight ahead, doing a good impression of a block of ice.
Nabiki sighed, a sad sigh that had no artifice in it. She grabbed his arm and rested her head on his shoulder.
The carriage continued for some distance. She tried to break the silence. "You're still coming to the beach with us, aren't you, Tatewaki-kun?"
His answer was very formal. "I have already given my word that I would be there. You need my family's van to help get you there."
Nabiki felt tears coming to her eyes. She asked in a small, quiet voice, "And that will be the only reason you'll come?"
Tatewaki sighed heavily, then took his arm out of her hands and put it around her shoulders. "Of course not. My first and best reason will be to see you and share your company, Nabiki-chan. Nothing else gives me as much joy as to bask in the glow of your smile when it is directed at me. If all the demons of hell were to rise against me, were the earth split asunder and a thousand-kilometer chasm to separate us, if Saotome Ranma himself were to oppose me, nothing would prevent me from being at your side."
Nabiki closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief and happiness. She half-turned in her seat and hugged Tatewaki to her.
Tatewaki sounded uncomfortable. "Forgive me for causing you distress just now, Nabiki. Such was not my intent. I understand your reasons for refusing to marry me, even if I do not agree with them. Please know, I will not relent in my pursuit of your acquiescence. We two are meant to be together, now and always, and not even the willfulness of Tendo Nabiki will prevent our destiny from being fulfilled."
Nabiki began laughing. She couldn't help herself; she was very tired, and Tatewaki was very silly. She could feel him radiate disapproval at her laughter. In an effort to control herself, she lifted her head and kissed him.
He kissed back. This went on for some time, until the carriage came to a stop.
They disengaged and she sat up. Tatewaki helped her out of the carriage and walked her to the front door. They stopped and faced each other.
Tatewaki spoke in a soft, quiet voice that was full of emotion. "It occurs to me, Tendo Nabiki, that I have not yet told you how I feel about you."
Nabiki smiled at him. "Kuno-baby, do you honestly think that there is anything about you that I don't already know? You keep underestimating me."
"That cannot be, Tendo Nabiki. How can one underestimate perfection? Yet, it is true I am still learning about your nature. The more I discover about you, the more I wish to discover. It will be my lifelong quest to know all about you, and to discover new ways to make you happy."
Nabiki chuckled. "We haven't even discovered one way, yet. I told you that we'll need to work on that."
Tatewaki colored. "That is not what I meant!"
"I know." Nabiki shook her head a little. "I shouldn't tease you so much. I'm sorry." She reached out and took one of his hands. "Forgive me?"
"In all things you ask, I will endeavor to do as you wish." He reached out and stroked her cheek. "I love you, Tendo Nabiki."
Nabiki felt the tears coming again, but they felt better than before. "I love you, Kuno Tatewaki."
They gazed at each other for a while. Nabiki examined every detail of his face. It *was* love that was written there, and it no longer frightened her.
Tatewaki raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. He bowed to her deeply, then turned and made his way regally back to the waiting carriage.
Nabiki watched as the carriage drove away. Damn, what a night this had been, full of all sorts of ups and downs. They had experienced a whole lot of up, and they had worked together to try and minimize the down. She liked that, liked the fact that she could trust someone as much as she trusted herself. She was especially grateful that there was someone who needed her as much as she needed him.
Tonight, she decided, was merely a microcosm of what her whole life spent with Tatewaki was going to be like. It was going to be wonderful.
Humming to herself, Nabiki opened the door and went inside.
Comments and criticism welcome!