[KIYOMI]
"There, there, baby," Kiyomi cooed as she watched the Lycan queen's eyes go from concerned and defeated, to unsheltered and soft and then to safety.
She could see the moment when Sakura realized that Kiyomi was never going to leave and it was a joy for her. She had wanted this for the longest time. She had wanted to hold onto the queen like this and now here she was with the girl after her heart.
"You're so beautiful, Saki," Kiyomi said as she shifted positions, so that Sakura was lying on the bed beside her.
She could feel the shivers on Saki's skin and she wanted to chuckle at how nervous the mighty queen was with her, but then she realized that this wasn't the Lycan queen. This was just the girl. Sakura Watanabe.
"I—" Sakura began, only to be interrupted by the good doctor.
"You don't have to say anything, my beautiful. If you're worried about the sheets, I changed them when I changed our clothes," Kiyomi said and Sakura stared at her, before she realized she was once again clothed.
She was tempted to protest, but when she realized she was in the good doctor's shirt, she went silent. She would leave here smelling like Kiyomi Kimura and boy did she love every bit of it.
"But I want to… please," Sakura pleaded in earnest as she leaned closer to Kiki.
"C'mere," Kiki said as she pulled Saki closer to her, so they were snuggling, while Saki's head rested on her arm like a pillow. They were so close, oh, so close that they were breathing each other in.
"Tell me, my beautiful… What is it," Kiki asked softly as she pulled sheets over them. She knew that Sakura was feeling insecure, which was quite the turnaround for a woman who had been so confident and one who is known for her wolf habits.
Then again, perhaps Sakura felt vulnerable with Kiyomi like this, because this woman was speaking to her heart and not just her body. This woman was making her want to live and experience life differently.
Oh, Saki.
"I… promise me you won't be mad at me," Sakura said and that got Kiki's attention. They had been doing so well, so why would the wild woman think that she would be angry, or was it something that she did?
For a moment, Kiyomi's thoughts drifted to the worst possible things and she watched as Sakura flinched at the sight of her changing face. It was then that she realized that she had to think positively if this was going to work for them.
"I won't. I swear, on my honor," Kiyomi said and Sakura relaxed.
"I… I always dreamed of finding someone like you," Sakura began and Kiyomi mused.
"Like me? A rogue?" she teased.
"Titles never mattered…"
"Oh, baby."
"I know… it's stupid—"
"No, it's not stupid, love. It's not."
"I always knew I couldn't have what I wanted…"
"Love…" Kiyomi said and Sakura just nodded simply.
"But seeing you, unlocked something in me, something that got me selfish. I wanted to be wherever, with you, even if you hated me… I'm not strong enough to live in a world that doesn't have you in it, petal," Saki admitted as she looked into Kiki's eyes.
"Sometimes, life doesn't always go the way you want it to."
"So, I've learned."
"But I'm glad the chaos led us to this moment, baby," Kiyomi said as she kissed Saki's forehead gently and held onto her tightly.
"Aren't you scared?"
"Scared? Of course, I am. I am mated to the Lycan queen with a thousand and one enemies who might want to use me as bait to get to her," Kiyomi said and Saki's shoulders sagged. She should have expected this.
"But I love you, baby… so very much, it's probably unhealthy, but it is what it is. We can't change who we are, but we can make the best of what we get to be, no matter how hard the road gets. I want to cherish every moment and walk that road with you, Saki.
"I want to learn things with you, I want to experience life and love with you, the one I love. If the world will cast stones at you, I'll shield you. If they fight you, they will have to go through me. If they try to break you, I will break them first.
"I won't leave, and I need you to always keep that in mind, no matter what happens along the way. Sure, we come from different worlds, and we have things that will draw rifts between us, but I'll always find my way back to you, if you let me," Kiyomi added.
"What if you realize I'm not good enough or that I was never with the effort you intend to put in me? What if all of this turns out to be just a phase and someone messes with the both of us? What if we never make it out alive?" Saki asked.
She was scared of what life would be like for the both of them and Kiyomi understood her a little too well. She knew what it meant to be in a world filled with people and yet still be alone on the worst of days.
She knew what it felt like to have no one to rely on and while she was taking a great risk with the woman in her arms. This was one decision that Kiyomi Kimura didn't see herself regretting in any lifetime.
"Oh love… you really don't know a thing about love, do you? But don't you worry, I will walk the walk with you. I fell in love with you, the broken version of you, the ruined version of you, the unloved and the uncertain version of you.
"But that doesn't mean that I don't want to experience a life with you that doesn't have you looking over your shoulder all the time. I want to be there with you, every step of the way, because love is not naive to the burdens of life.
"It doesn't matter what happens along the way, and there isn't a day that I will come to regret loving you. Love doesn't work like that my beautiful rebel. I love you, for you. For who you are now, who you were back then, and for who you will be in the future.
"I will love you until my very last breath. Whether you're the queen of the wild Lycans, or just the simple girl who managed to sweep me off my feet. Whether you're the barbaric woman everyone is scared of, or the girl who tries all that she can to get my attention and love me.
"I will love you, until the very end. And if the lifelines don't allow us an eternity, then I'll make sure to ask the goddess to let me reincarnate into the one who loves you and gets to be loved by you, Saki.
"I love you; I love you so much it makes me want to explode," Kiki said.
Sakura stared at her in shock.
She had heard of stories about love, and what it meant.
She had read confessions and what people in love did with each other and for each other, and while she had never been brave enough to let herself love or be loved, hearing Kiyomi say that was like the ignition to a flame she never knew would ever bloom in her.
Here and now, she was not the Lycan queen. Here in Kiki's arms, she was a girl in love and a girl who was loved. And even though she was scared of what the future would look like for them, she wanted to experience it.
She wanted to love and be loved and if Kiki was that for her, then Saki wasn't about to object to it.
"I'll be better. I'll try to be a better person. I'll learn what it means to love, however scary it could get. I won't let you down, I promise. I will do my best," Sakura said and Kiyomi smiled at her.
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Saki. Love is not a project, or an assignment you need to be best at. We might fall back in line, but as long as we have each other, we will prevail regardless of what happens.
"Together, my love. We will walk the roads together," Kiyomi reassured and Sakura breathed in relief.
Perhaps this wasn't a terrible idea, right?