Picnic

Picnic is a short story I wrote as a sort of add-on to my fan fiction Light in My Life. You can find the whole story at http://www.eriedragon.com/works/furuba/indexliml.shtml or the main part on Fanfiction.net. If requested, I suppose I can post it here, but it\'s only rated PG-13. Meh. Enjoy.

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Picnic:

Light in My Life

Tohru giggled as the pair left the house, silently padding across the porch and onto the grass. The sun was barely peeking over the mountains as they reached the path, a morning chill permeating the air.

Akito offered Tohru his arm, which she gladly accepted, and they began towards the trees past the gates of the Honke. It was much too early for anyone to be stirring just yet, so they had decided to start their journey early to avoid any unwanted attention. Akito disliked appearing outside his own house unless he had to, so Tohru had suggested to leave at sunrise. She toted a picnic basket with both a light breakfast and a large lunch packed for when they arrived at their destination.

The pair had been walking only a few days before and from a distance, Akito had caught a glimpse of a well-hidden hilltop some way from the Honke, out of the sight of the nearby Sohma residences. It looked isolated and pleasant, so he had suggested they visit. Prepared for a long walk, Tohru had worn a good pair of shoes, Akito a thicker sandal.

Technically they were still on their honeymoon, but Tohru hadn\'t wanted to go on an extravagant vacation, so the two instead were just left alone for a few weeks. When Kagura had told Tohru what the exact purpose of a honeymoon was, she had found herself blushing whenever A was was near her for days. But Tohru had grown up a great deal in the past two years, and had even started getting used to life in the same bed as Akito. Living with him for so long had made her fairly used to life as it was, so not much had changed besides things seemed even more comfortable than they had before.

As the sun slowly began to rise the pair reached the main gate, where Akito opened one of the large, wooden doors.

They continued towards the still distant hill, following the main path for the first half hour or so. Tohru found herself stopping to look at the new flowers of late spring, laughing when a butterfly flew past. Akito was struck by how much she seemed to blend in with the green, warm world around her. The sun\'s rays began to warm them as they continued, until there was a very pleasant heat in the air.

At twenty past ten they arrivn thn the hilltop. Settling down under the shade of a large tree, Tohru put the basket on the grass and removed a few plastic bags of bread with fried eggs on top. Akito stood off to one side, observing the land around them. He could see the city some ways off, but most of the houses below were hidden beneath large trees, all blossoming wildly in the fair weather. A sakura tree stood not far off, and many of its pink flowers had blown to where Tohru now sat, sipping from a water jug she\'d brought along. With a sly look Akito noted that the foremost part of the hill was somewhat visible, but the rest of it was completely hidden from everything nearby by trees. The best part of it was that besides in the shadow of the large tree Tohru sat under, the area was bathed in sunlight.

Akito walked back to where the picnic had been laid out on a red and white blanket. There was bread and eggs, sandwiches, sweet cakes, onigiri, wrapped natto, and a smallto bto box opened to reveal a few pieces of sashimi and some beef rice. It was quite the meal.

Tohru smiled and waited until he had seated himself before offering him a small plate. He took it and silently set about to tasting the bread, watching her out of the corner of his eye as she busied about getting him a cup of water. He amazed at how even now, after all the time he had come to know her, she hardly ever stopped smiling. Though often he had trouble with his lack of emotional control, she always looked for the good in things and accepted them.

Even now that she was his wife he still felt like a black cloud that marred her bright perfection. He leaned back and looked up at the sun as he slipped a piece of salmon into his mouth, savoring it with each bite until he swallowed it. Though he often refused to let her cook--despite the much higher quality of her food--he still enjoyed it when she would unexpectedly bring him a bowl of strawberries and cream or breakfast in the sitting room.

They sat in relative silence for most of the meal, Akito lost in his thoughts and Tohru looking with fascination at all the various plants around her. She began to put things away, when Akito took the basket from her and, despite her objections, swiftly scooped everything off the blanket and into the wicker carrier. Putting it aside, he sat back down on the blanket and stretched out, letting loose a sigh. Tohru sat with her legs tucked beside her, her hair fluttering a bit in a warm breeze.

As she closed her eyes, Akito quickly got up and kneeled beside her, taking her face in his hands. She slowly raised her head to look at him, just as he kissed her. His lips were warm and firm as they pressed into her softer ones, allowing him to kiss her even more deeply. Tohru leaned into him, causing Akito to catch her around the waist with one arm. He put his other hand behind her head as she let her arms drift over his shoulders, his grasp around her drawing her in ever closer.

Akito lightly released her lips, watching as she recovered, her eyelids fluttering open. She was nearly in his lap, her legs in a kneeling position between his. Tohru blushed wildly as he took his lips from hers down to her neck, her shoulders, and her chest. He observed her small yellow buttoned blouse, which was somewhat taut around her chest and puffed out at the shoulders, and the side of his lip cracked up in a smile. She blinked in slight confusion, watching with a pleasantly flushed face as Akito kissed her collarbone, his fingers lightly twiddling with the first button of the blouse.

Tohru\'s face went bright red when he pulled back and his eyes narrowed, his gaze traveling to where his fingers playfully undid the topmost part of the shirt. He held back a laugh as she let her bangs fall in front of her eyes and her whole face began to blush. She was bashful even in the confines of their own room, so he knew that even the simple act of kissing outdoors was a lot for her to take in.

A light breeze pressed the trees, causing Tohru\'s hair to flutter up and trickle in shiny, smooth locks to one side. Akito paused as he watched her raise her head, her green eyes intent on his face. He could feel her gaze piercing into him to where it seemed that she was seeing deeper than his skin, into parts of him that he knew only she would be able to see. The silence grew, engulfing them in a small world that only they could know. Everythirounround them began to disappear, even the rustling leaves and the cool breeze, as Akito raised his hand to her cheek and lightly brushed his fingers along her smooth skin.

Tohru watched his face in amazement as he lifted her chin, pressing his lips ever so gently against hers. Their eyes remained open, gazes locked together during the brief exchange. She lowered her eyelashes as she saw various emotions passing through Akito\'s usually blank, dark eyes: emns tns that she knew were meant just for her. It was his spell over, it was his magic, his ability to make her feel like the most precious person in the world. He had assumed numerous mannerisms that only made themselves evident when he was around her; always his voice was harsher when speaking to others in her presence; he oven made unconscious actions like standing between she and anyone else, especially if the other person was male. He allowed her to visit with other people whenever she liked, but he almost always made an excuse for being present when it was with a man. He let her go wherever she liked, but like a protective parent, he would ask who she was meeting with, where she was going, and when. She didn\'t go out often, though, so he never interfered, and just preferred to know on the basis of \"I want to know when to have dinner sent.\"

And then there were the looks. He had habits, mannerisms, and outward expressions of emotion that were made just for her and only for her. After a long day he wouldn\'t let out a sigh of exhaustion until they were alone, when he would succumb to a brief shoulder massage and let it be one of the rare times where he fell asleep before she did. Tohru knew he was afraid of emotion--not fake smiles, not anger, not a deceivingly sweet compliment or insult--but emotions like sadness, frustration, and even the slightest bit of happiness or contentment. Her face flushed bright when she thought about the few times when he did show real contentment.

Rarely did Akito ever show any kind of desire. His eyes often twinkled at the thought of strawberries, a food which only Tohru knew that he absolutely loved, but whenever they made love it was some sort of attempt of Akito\'s at expressing to her just how he felt. He rarely would tell her things like, \"I love you,\" so instead he would make slow, deep, profound love to her, the kind that brought tears to her eyes and made his face a window into his soul. It was at times like those that he wore all his emotions on his sleeve for her to see, as if he could no longer hold them back inside himself. He held her body in the highest respect, always exploring it, always finding the parts that made her feel unbelievable things, and always gently touching every part of revealed skin. He was like a child discovering pleasures of the body for the first time and a master of himself and his actions at the same time. But as if looking into his deep, dark eyes at such moments wasn\'t enough, he always knew exactly what she needed and when she needed it, seemingly concerning himself only with her pleasure.

Tohru brought herself back to reality when she felt familiar fingers undoing the second button of her blouse. The collar began to sink, revealing more and more of her creamy shoulders as she felt her undergarment become visible. Flushing, she watched as Akito focused intently on his work, his fingers already spreading the fabric at the third button. His hair had grown a bit the past few months, for he only thought of getting it cut when Tohru mentioned it. But she had come to like the look, and hadn\'t said anything about it so as to not alert him to it. He hardly looked in the mirror often enough to notice anyway. Now the dark, gray-purple locks hung low around his eyes and face, looking slightly shaggy around the ears and neck. It gave him a strange, new appearance, accentuating his features and giving him an even more serious look.

Tohru\'s face became even redder as a slow warmth began traveling up her arms and neck. She tried to shake it off and focus on the events at hand, but she found that she was staring more and more at Akito, a thing which only seemed to make the warmth grow.<

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Before she knew what was happening her shirt was completely unbuttoned, hanging mostly open and off her shoulders. The white collar tumbled down her back as Akito took the sleeves in his fingers, lightly drawing them down her arms to completely reveal her chest. Before Tohru had the chance to stutter rossross her arms he had taken her in a breathtaking kiss, her whole body magically relaxing against his touch. He removed the rest of the blouse, hrms rms twining around her waist as he drew his lips from her own.

Akito always told himself he knew everything about her, from the length of her hair and the shape of her body to her friends and childhood. But whenever he looked upon any part of her body, he would find something new, some new thing that he never imagined he would see or find so perfect. It hurt him to see his own hands carousing her pure, tender flesh, when he sought out the places that would make her jump suddenly or let out repressed whimpers.

Oh, how he loved to hear her usually innocent, sweet, caring voice squeak in pleasure. It gave him goosebumps all over and made the hair on his neck stand on end. He assumed great pride in knowing that only he would ever hear those sounds, only he would hear such private things emitted from her lips.

He let a small smile escape for a brief moment when Tohru blushed as he traced his fingers down her back. He released her waist and kissed her cheek as he lightly undid the clasp of her long skirt, letting his hands travel up her body and leave the garment alone where it was. Akito kept his face a mask, his lips drawn and his eyes focused solely on hers, a sudden gasp of silence engulfing the air around them.

Tohru took in a breath, her chest rising, her milky, curvy breasts hidden ever so carefully by a innocently white bra. Its girlish plainness was seductive, and the idea of what it held so preciously out of sight drove Akito\'s hands on as he reached around her back, cleverly unfastening it and keeping his eyes trained on her face as it fell away. Tohru\'s face showed every passing emotion as bright as day, something that Akito had once seen as vulnerability. But now he felt comforted by the stability he could find in her; a stability that he could never see in himself. When he knew how she felt he knew how to react, whether he should comfort, applaud, or smile.

And so Akito held back a chuckle at Tohru\'s ever-widening eyes. As soon as her bra fell to the grass she covered herself, her face turning a rather bright shade of tomato red. He lightly took her hands in his own, kissing her forehead. \"No one can see you but me,\" he murmured, his breath caressing her cheek as he spoke into her ear. Tohru shivered, both at a sudden draft and at the chill his voice sent up her spine. Akito lifted one arm and wrapped it around her waist, abruptly pulling her closer to him. He pulled his waistband loose, hardly flinching as Tohru lightly leaned her head against his chest. He gently pressed his lips to the top of her head and allowed his arms to wrap around her shoulders.

The sound of a bird warbling floated on the breeze, overwhelming the light rustling of the still healthy, green leaves. Akito raised his eyebrows as he felt Tohru\'s hands lightly brushing his bare skin, her fingers examining the muscles on his sides and chest. He raised his shoulders, letting his loosened yukata slide off his collar and down his arms, until it was in a puddle around his hands and spread legs. Tohru sat between his thighs with her feet tucked under her. Her blush had disappeared and she now watched her hands, which were lightly caressing his various muscles as they traveled up to his collar and then down to his hips.

Akito never remembered her being that fascinated with his body before. He was glad to oblige, leaning back to allow her a clearer view. He was still thin and always would be, but Tohru was amazed by the smoothness of his unmarred skin, the sleekness of his refined muscles, and how his slim body sloped from broad shoulders to a thin, strong waist. She shivered unconsciously when her hands reached his sloping hip muscles. Akito kept his face stone with practiced forethought, but watched with barely-veiled eyes when Tohru lightly hed hed his skin with a fingertip. She drew back, raising her eyes to his, her emerald irises widening with an almost childlike innocence. In response let his lips crack a slight, almost undetectable smile.

With a sudden gust of wind, Akito took her chin in his hand and captured her lips with his own. Tohru felt a jolt ripple down her body and through her limbs at the unexpected intensity. Without opening his eyes or drawing back Akito\'s hand found its way to her skirt once more, lightly sliding his finger into the hem and pushing it with excruciating leisureliness down her hips to her thighs, when it caught on where her legs bent at the knee. With a slight blush Tohru stood up, lightly bending over to slide it the rest of the way down to her ankles, where she lifted each foot individually to completely remove it. Akito watched the whole thing with deep fascination, his eyes glued to each movement. Still sitting, he stopped her by taking both her hands in one of his, drawing them up to the side as he lightly drew the fabric of her panties into his fingers. They were white and rose up to below her belly button, and had a flowery pink pattern which ended abruptly at the hems. A light blush crept across Tohru\'s face as Akito rolled them down her hips, letting them slide down her slim thighs and calves to her feet. She wiggled her toes and lifted each foot, the innocently white garment joining her skirt on the ground.

Akito took each of her hands in own own, putting his weight on his toes as he lethargically rose to his feet. His yukata fell away, leaving naught but a whitish-gray slip, the shoulders of which hang down to his calves and was held to his waist by his thin obi. He lightly pulled on one of the tied ends and drew the cloth loose, causing the rest of the undergarment to drop to his feet. Without flinching he wrapped one arm around Tohru\'s waist, the other around her shoulders, and pulled her against his body. Akito reveled in the feel of her soft, round breasts against his chest as her own arms tentatively wound around his waist. They stood in silence for some moments, Akito lowering his face so his chin rested on the top of her head.

He lightly drew away with his hands on her shoulders, looking from her face down to her toes and back again. Tohru\'s face flushed prettily as he lightly ran his fingers from her shoulder down her chest, along the smooth curve of her breast to her smooth ribs and barely rounded stomach. His hand wove his fingers in a flourish along her upper groin muscle and he brought his palm back up to her face, where he lightly cupped her cheek. Akito lightly kissed her nose, bringing his arms around her once more. Tohru leaned into his touch, unable to resist the gentle curve of his elbows against her sides, a fit so perfect their bodies seemed to meld together. Akito lightly began to push her down, Tohru\'s knees buckling as she let her body come to rest on the grass. Her back pressed into the soft green blades which cradled her like a soft, pillowy cushion. Her skin tingled as Akito kneeled over her, one hand resting on the grass beside her, the other lightly brushing her lips as he kissed her neck.

Tohru flinched and her head tilted back as he lightly sucked on the skin just above her collarbone. He knew that spot well, for he often employed it when he seemingly placed a chaste kiss on her throat. He lifted his head, watching her wide-eyed expression as his free hand played with the skin just below her rips and above her bellybutton. Tohru let out a short gasp when he rubbed, causing a brief smile to alight on Akito\'s lips. He lightly took one of her hands in his, letting his thumb drift back and forth across the skin between her fingers, causing her to make another sharp intake of breath.

Akito almost fell oveen hen he felt small, warm fingers press against the muscle on his left hip. The sensitive place sent a flood of fire carousing through his veins, and Akito had to steel his lips to prevent a low sound from escaping his mouth. He glared down at Tohru, whose eyes had an unfamiliar spark of mischievousness in them. Akito tilted to one side, letting himself lie down beside her on the grass. Tohru took the opportunity to lightly press her lips to his throat with a boldness Akito was unaccustomed to. Relaxing, he raised her head with one hand and planted a firm kiss on her lips. His hands traveled down her slim neck to her chest, where he lightly cupped her breasts in his fingers, admiring her taut nipples with his thumbs. Tohru let out a gasp into his mouth, her hands pressing suddenly against Akito’s chest and causing him to release her mouth and grin slightly at her response. He continued to play with her small, firm breasts, watching her eyelids flutter as he rubbed his palms over them repeatedly. Releasing one hand, he let his fingers drift down her belly to her hips, where he gently brushed his hand over her nest of curls. His heart caught in his throat when he saw her arch slightly in what seemed almost like expectation.

Akito furrowed his brow as he felt his pulse begin to rise steadily. Tohru opened her eyes and looked at him as he rose above her once more, both his hands supporting his body by resting on the g to to either side of her. She let out a short sound when she felt his warm length press against her inner thigh, and her eyes widened considerably. Akito’s lip turned up in a sly smile when he saw her looking around, as if realizing for the first time that they were outside, their position hidden only by a grove of dark trees. Akito found the whole situation rather arousing, if his hardening manhood was any indication. He held back a groan when his tip lightly brushed her skin, sending a searing hot blaze into his blood all the way up to his neck. There was something powerful about the way she watched him so innocently, her mouth slightly open, her skin beginning to flush all over, that he could barely contain himself when he brushed against the warm heat of her folds and she let out a hushed moan.

Tohru shivered as she felt heat pooling around her warm center, her lower body beginning to throb almost urgently as she felt his hard, pulsating length near her most vulnerable parts. She had had no experience or exposure to anything remotely male besides occasionally seeing one of the Jyuunishi partially naked; even when she had to pull the nude, unconscious Hatori from the bathtub, she had immediately covered him up and had never seen more than his bare chest. Despite her lack of knowledge, when she married Ak she she knew there was something in the way he made love to her and showed no embarrassment in his body thade hde her think he was especially gifted in his masculinity. Though he had a frightfully sugary voice at times and sometimes appeared to be nothing but a figure buried in oversized clothing, something about him changed when they were together in their most private of moments.

And Tohru knew he was well-endowed, because she could feel it. Akito watched numerous emotions pass through her eyes, from surprise and nostalgia to embarrant ant and affection. Akito leaned over and lightly kissed her now full lips. She was a very affectionate person, despite her cont mnt modesty, and he enjoyed her kind, doting nature. Tohru was always willing to humor a stolen kiss and he would often find her curled up to him in the night, her face pressed into his back and her arm holding his waist. She made small gestures so unconsciouslat hat he became accustomed to succumbing to his protective nature. He would wrap his arms around her when she flinched at a touch, or lightly squeeze her hand when she showed signs of nervousness around other people. He had learned that she was a very sensitive person and responded as positively to a brief smile as she did to a romantic evening, an asset which also occasionally got him into trouble when he made an offhand reprimand or misdirected his anger. But, of course, Akito always made sure to atone for his actions.

Tohru watched Akito’s pensive face as he slowly lowered his hips, seeking the comfortable warmth that he was accustomed to. He lightly pressed into her hot, strict opening, causing her to squeeze her eyes closed and release her gasp as a high pitched whimper. His eyes widened at the sound, feeling his resolve to continue slowly slipping through his fingers. He rarely carried out his desires in any way but lovingly, although at times he would find himself swept away by pent-up sexual energy, when he would use all his strength to bring she and himself quickly to a strong, powerful climax. Tohru found these rare moments to be quite enjoyable, for deep inside, she would feel her heart quicken and her body tremble when she saw Akito’s face dripping with perspiration and his eyes clouded and black with desire.

Tohru let out another whimper when she saw his gaze fixed on her, his irises filled with dark storm clouds, swirling with barely masked . Of. Of all the things she had come to learn and love about Akito, she loved the intensity of his emotions--when shown--and how incredible and overwhelming it was to those who saw it. She had come to discover that if she looked close enough, she could see past whatever emotion he put on the surface to the deep, dark things lurking inside of him. Tohru could feel the difference between a fake laugh and a real one in her bones, and she would often give him an uncharacteristically serious look when he tried to pass an emotion without sincerity. He had learned after the first year of living with her that she could read his every move and that there was really no point in trying to fool her.

Akito was brought back to the task at hand by a slow pulsating throb. Just one swift movement and he would be inside of her body, engulfed by every sweet, warm thing that was Tohru. He leaned down and kissed her with a caressing kind of gentleness, tasting berries on her lips and candy on her tongue as he delved deeper into the experience. Tohru\'s hips trembled as his length unconsciously tip-toed closer to her already lightly moistened entrance, alerting Akito to the uneted ted cloud of need in her gaze. He trailed one hand down from her face to her abdomen, lightly squeezing it between their bodies to her light, friendly curls and warm, softly pulsating bundle of nerves. He brushed the sensitive area lightly and watched Tohru\'s eyes as she quivered, a heavy breath escaping her lips. There was something so erotic about the sound that he felt his own groin tightening almost painfully. Akito began to twirl his fingers, brushing and rubbing in circles and diamondd crd crisscrosses. Her gasps and breaths quickly escalated into hushed, feminine moans, which flowed freely from her soft pink lips. He felt the moisture against his hand grow, and feeling it sufficient, he abruptly withdrew his fingers and Tohru gasped almost piteously at the loss of pressure.

Akito applied pressure with his hips, his head still lightly embedded in Tohru\'s warm, damp entrance. He moved further inside, causing her eyelids to lower and a gasp to escape, a sound which coupled perfectly with the faint moan he withheld. Pushing again with just a faint movement, he felt his head absorbed by her rather strong, sensitive muscles. Tohru\'s hands found his chest, one remaining there and the other reaching to his side, where her fingers brushed along his ribs. Akito leaned down and kissed her already perspiring forehead as he applied final pressure, letting himself fully enter the hot, wet sheath. He held back a groan at the incredible tightness of her body. She had never been quite like this before, as it seemed her body was especially taut with the need for him and for release. He smiled inwardly and let her fully receive him as her muscles began to adjust around him and accommodate.

With measured movements Akito slid himself back towards her entrance, barely withdrawing enough so that his tip remained inside the warm, seductive comfort of her body. Tohru\'s finely clipped fingers drew across his skin as he pushed back inside, her eyelids closing and her mouth forming a silent groan. Her bangs were flipped from her face and her skin was flush all over in a light rosy hue. Akito lightly took her lower lip in his own, pressing it and brushing his tongue along its soft smoothness as he pressed himself into her once more. Her moan escaped into his own mouth, causing his manhood to twitch with rising need as he continued his unhurried maneuvers. Lightly cupping Tohru\'s cheek with one long-fingered hand, he pressed on her eyelid until it opened, bright green eyes looking up at him with unmasked affection. He kept his eyes glued to hers as he resumed his slow, thorough thrusting, his eyelids hovering like dark clouds over his chillingly overcast irises. Tohru shivered and lightly lifted her lips to his, mimicking his light, loving caresses with her rubies and her tongue. Akito raised his eyebrows, slowing his thrusting just long enough to close his eyes and press her head back against the ground, his hand circling under her neck and his lips readily accepting all that she had to offer.

Tohru\'s hips began to move against Akito\'s, her back moving and arching into each prolonged plunge, waves passing through her body in overwhelming landslides of physical bliss. Every look into his eyes, however, brought another emotion to the surface of his dark, clouded soul, revealing each one to her in the unrestricted passion of their lovemaking. Akito steeled himself against her probing gaze, the combination of her pleasured cries and the unbridled, intimate emotions so clearly written upon her face causing the pressure inside of him to build in great leaps. Using all his leftover strength to control his release, he increased his speed and almost gasped at the feeling of her slick warmth pulling and embracing him inside of her.

Tohru let herself free, taking in every single movement, absorbing each monstrous rush of chilling heat. She cried out as his pace began to increase with each thruser her hips responding automatically to the incredible increase in her inner tension. She felt a familiar feeling inside of her crawling up steps, grasping onto each ledge and pulling itself higher to some total and complete summit where she knew that the plummet would be something so incredible that it was just hardly out of her grasp.

Time seemed to come to a slow creeping. Tohru\'s eyes grew wide, tears almost threatening to spill over her dark lashes, her mouth wide with a loud cry. Akito jerked as he felt himself press into her, finding a place that he never seemed to have found before. The complete, overwhelming sensation overtook her body, sending a massive wave into every vein of her body where it burned her very fingers and threw her mind into an incomprehensive swirl of bright, flashing lights and beautiful carousing colors.

Akito let a moan escape as he felt every part of her tighten, her muscles squeezing around him with an unknown strength. He let himself be taken by the avalanche, one which surrounded every part of him and sent him tumbling into a mush of completeness. With one last effort he moved against Tohru\'s powerful inner muscles, releasing every part of himself into her in one mind-bending burst.

There was a strong, poignant silence as the pair let their climaxes and emotions wash over them. Akito\'s muscles gave way and he slowly collapsed on top of her, his lips resting on her perspiring forehead. He smoothed away with his hand, brushing his fingers through the brown locks down to her cheek, where he let his palm rest on her cherry skin. Wrapping his arms around her, Akito lay to her side and drew her against himself, unwilling to withdraw himself from her slowly calming body. Tohru rested her head against his shoulder, her eyes sluggishly opening to half-mast. He tightened his hold and buried his face in her hair.

And there they lay as the sun rose higher into the sky, their secluded spot becoming bathed in warm, golden sunlight. Tohru let out a tired yawn, her eyes closing against the feeling of her bare skin warming in the midday glow. Akito lightly released her from his grasp and sat up, keeping one hand on her and the other above his eyes as a shade as he surveyed the area. Their picnic basket sat off by another tree, undisturbed.

He stood up and set about retrieving and putting back on his clothes. Tohru watched in silence, still lying in complete relaxation on the soft, cushiony grass. Her hair fluttered in a new breeze, one which alerted her awkwardly to her nudity. Akito allowed himself a laugh as she quickly fetched her clothing and, with an unexplainable modesty, began to put them on with her back facing him.

Tohru blinked as she felt arms wrap tightly around her waist. Akito leaned his head over her shoulder so his breath tickled her ear, where with a strangely contented voice he mumbled, \"No need to be shy.\" She shivered when he drew away, placing one hand on her shoulder and turning her to face him. \"Actually... Promise me something?\"

Tohru raised her eyes in question.

\"Y-yes,\" she replied, still unsure of what it was he wanted her to promise.

\"Promise me you won\'t be shy around me like that anymore. You are fine just the way you are. In fact, I love seeing you. There is not a thing I would change, and the more I see, the better I like it.\"

Tohru blushed, lowering her eyes as he drew a finger along her cheek. \"I promise,\" she said in a low voice, lifting her face and giving him a familiar bright smile.

Akito nodded a satisfied nod and turned, setting to retrieving the red and white patterned blanket which they had conveniently left half-packed into the picnic basket. He removed it and folded it, setting it lightly on top of the wicker carrier.

Tohru came over some moments later re-dressed, looking no worse for the wear besides a pair of especially full lips and a bit of ruffled hair. Akito offered his arm, which Tohru gladly took, and carried the basket on his opposite elbow. They started down the hill toward the main gate, which lay some ways off through a few outlying houses. He wondered what a Sohma would think if they saw them, for Akito knew that even he showed some outward sign of their little escapade.

He laughed inside at the word. It was almost like a danger, and it was a danger that he had found incomparably refreshing. He gave Tohru a rare smile when she glanced at him curiously.

\"Akito? What are you smiling about?\" she asked. At that moment, Akito laughed. She blinked with wide eyes, a smile alighting her lips.

\"Nothing,\" he replied, playfully tightening his elbow around hers. \"Nothing at all.\"