Order Up, 2/3

[astrangestorm]

Hot Screaming Orgasm
1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz Bailey's Irish cream
1/2 oz Kahlua coffee liqueur
1/2 oz amaretto almond liqueur
1/2 oz coffee
Add hot coffee first to warm the glass, then add remaining ingredients. Serve in Brandy Snifter, or Irish Coffee Mug.

Her back was stiff, and she walked slowly as she emerged from the afternoon-long meeting with the hotel's board of directors. It had taken all of her strength and patience to earn their respect, and there was still quite a bit of push and shove during meetings. It had been the same in her grandfather's day, when there'd been suggestions to cut costs or contract with a different supplier for hand soaps, big things and little things. Her grandfather always got the board to back down on anything that might lessen the experience for guests, and it took every ounce of courage Miwa had to hold up that same bargain.

Meeting adjourned, she retreated to the quiet calm of her office. It had taken a while for Miwa to think of it as her office as the hotel manager. For her entire life, the room had been her grandfather's office with its large oak desk and couches and artwork. She'd changed little aside from getting a new chair, and she plopped down in it with a sigh, slipping out of her heels.

She was tired, but she had a long night ahead. A friend of a college friend was starting a new "business" and Miwa had been invited to attend a little party that evening. She'd have preferred to drag her tired bones over to Bar Eden Hall for a cocktail and perhaps another lesson from Sasakura Ryu, her almost-boyfriend. They'd had four "dates" now, all of which had been at Eden Hall. And four times he'd let her come behind his bar and mix herself a drink.

Four dates and not even a kiss or a hug yet. But, Miwa supposed, if it had taken three years to simply open his eyes to her feelings and his own, it might be a while yet before things got physical. With the party that evening, however, Miwa's impatience about her future with Ryu was all the more prominent in her mind.

Because the friend of a friend's new business was rather risque. Takahashi-san hosted adult toy parties, where women both married and not could gather in a safe, comfortable atmosphere to try things out and make purchases without embarrassment. Well, that was what the little flier her college friend Erena had given her said. Miwa had never owned anything like that before. Living in her grandfather's house and then in her quiet little rooms above Sakura Snack Shop, Miwa had never even considered such a thing.

She'd managed to get through three years of pining for Sasakura Ryu with only the touch of her own fingers, so why did she need a fancy device? But Erena hadn't wanted to go alone, and somehow Miwa had agreed. She was under no obligation to buy, of course, but the more nights she spent after hours at Eden Hall with Ryu so close but with physical satisfaction so far, she had to admit her curiosity was growing.

She got through the rest of the afternoon and headed out, meeting up with Erena at Shinjuku Station and then catching another train out a bit further west. It was a three block walk to Takahashi-san's home, and she could sense Erena's enthusiasm. Her friend hadn't wanted to go alone, but she was clearly here to buy. Miwa could only listen, face reddening, as Erena talked about the guy she was dating and how he'd wanted to watch her use her vibrator on herself sometime. "So obviously," Erena giggle-whispered to her, "I have to have the newest top of the line model."

Miwa could hardly imagine the words "please use your vibrator on yourself while I watch" coming from the lips of Sasakura Ryu, but she found herself imagining it anyway. She felt suddenly hot in her coat.

For some reason, Miwa had expected Takahashi-san to open the door in a sexy costume and wiggle some sort of vibrator in her face, but instead she was a cheerful middle-aged housewife whose kids were staying over by a friend's. Her husband, Takahashi-san readily volunteered, was out drinking with co-workers and knew not to come home until the "ladies' party" was over.

"What does your husband think about you hosting these things, Tomoko?" Erena asked as Takahashi-san offered them slippers and put their coats in the hall closet.

Tomoko-san just laughed, a confident laugh without shame. "It brings in a little extra pocket money. He doesn't mind. He's also a body chocolate convert so..."

Miwa let out an awkward chuckle as Erena and Tomoko-san let out much noisier laughs. Okay, Miwa, she told herself. You just need to get through this.

Tomoko-san had made a wide variety of snacks and appetizers for them to munch on. There were going to be about fifteen women at the "party," and Tomoko-san's living room was ready for them. There were two plush sofas and a collection of dining room chairs and folding chairs arranged in a circle. She and Erena were not the first to arrive, but they were the youngest. It seemed that Tomoko-san's neighborhood friends were gathered, a handful of laughing wives snacking without reservation. Miwa wondered if she was the only woman in the room who had zero experience in anything like this. She hadn't been with anyone since college, and even back then she'd lied to her grandfather and said it wasn't serious at all. These were mature women who knew their sexual appetites well.

The room grew warm as others arrived, and Tomoko-san cracked a window and set a fan going. Miwa finished her snacks, twisting her fingers around the strap of her purse while they waited for everything to get started. Tomoko-san began by introducing herself again and then everyone went around the room and introduced themselves. Most of the women readily volunteered their married status while Erena, Miwa, and one other woman were not. Miwa only said her name and nodded her head with a weak smile. The women could see her bare left hand and make up their own minds about her.

Tomoko-san then started the demonstration. The other women asked questions and had Tomoko-san pass things around. First was some lubricant, a few different kinds. Miwa passed the bottles along without squeezing any onto her hand. Next up were some fun little toys - blindfolds and little dice that said things like "Kiss" and "Touch" and "Squeeze." The housewives as a cohort seemed rather dismissive of these things, and Tomoko kept cracking smiles.

"Alright, shall we move on to the main attractions?"

Miwa felt her face grow hot again as Tomoko-san brought out a sampling of vibrators. She arranged them on her coffee table, encouraging everyone to pick them up and play with them. Miwa stayed in her seat as Erena bustled forward, snatching a few. There were all different kinds, more than Miwa thought possible. Vibrators shaped like little bullets that made a loud buzzing noise, small ones that could fit in your purse, even one that was shaped like a tube of lipstick. Erena twisted the lipstick one, giggling as she ran it along the palm of her hand. "Miwa, here," her friend said, dragging the buzzing little thing across her wrist.

She jumped nervously, but all the other guests were busy sampling the merchandise and didn't seem to notice or care. Erena shut it off and patted her shoulder. "Don't be shy," Erena said, "men can't always deliver what we really need. You should get something that works best for you."

Miwa just nodded and smiled, realizing that she was simply unfamiliar and nobody here was going to pressure or judge her. Tomoko-san let the women keep playing while she brought out even bigger toys. Miwa heard the words "vibrating dildo" come from the mouth of a mild-mannered housewife for the first time, seeing the others laugh and cheer for the various, colorful items now on display. Miwa held tight to one of the smaller bullet vibrators as the other women yanked at the green and blue and purple dildoes. Some were glittery, some were anatomically correct, some Miwa couldn't even imagine trying to fit inside herself.

"Now ladies, don't tell your husbands, but each of these has a name," Tomoko said, holding up a red dildo with a glimmering butterfly attached to it. "May I kindly introduce Masao-san?"

Masao-san made his way around the room, poked and prodded and grasped. More "gentlemen" joined him, and Miwa heard a soft little gasp emerge from Erena beside her. Miwa turned, seeing a sparkly pink model in her hand. "Hmm?"

"I've found him," Erena announced. "My new friend."

The sampling session ended, and Tomoko retired to a small bedroom off of the main living room. The ladies went in one by one to make their purchases privately, emerging from the room with smiling faces and non-descript gift bags held closed with ribbon. To anyone walking on the street, it would look like a normal shopping purchase. Erena, sparkly pink sample dildo in hand, grabbed her purse and headed off to inquire about purchases.

Miwa took a look at the various items on the table a few more times, all the other women near the entryway gathering coats and chatting. Erena came out, giving Miwa a little push. "Go on, I won't ask any questions about what you buy."

Miwa nodded and headed for the room, closing the door. There were cardboard boxes stacked floor to ceiling, and Tomoko-san was jotting down numbers on an order form. "Ah, Kurushima-san," Tomoko-san said, welcoming her in. "You've been quiet, please don't feel obligated to buy."

She allowed herself a small smile. "I've never...I've never owned anything like this before..."

Tomoko smiled in return. "And there's nothing wrong with that. If you don't mind my asking, are you seeing anyone?"

"Sort of," she admitted, thinking back to their quiet little dates, her hands on the shaker, the clean scent of him behind her. "Yes, I'd say so...well, we're getting started."

"That's wonderful," Tomoko-san said. She dug in one of the boxes, unearthing a box of condoms. "When you make some progress, you'll be ready. A service, please accept them."

Miwa blushed, waving her hands. "Oh no, I couldn't..."

"Please," Tomoko-san insisted, "better you than my teenage daughter sneaking in here to steal some behind my back."

Miwa allowed Tomoko-san to set the condom box in one of the little shopping bags. "I was, um, I don't think I want anything...large."

Tomoko pulled down a different box, setting it on a small table she had set up in the room. "I know exactly what you need. Here." She pulled out one of the unopened bullet vibrators, set in plastic. It was light blue and attached to a battery pack with a short wire. "Very easy to use, three settings. One of the quietest. Even if you have someone special, he may not know exactly what you like. And with some, they might not even care what you like. With something like this, you put yourself first. It'll always be waiting for you."

Miwa pulled out her wallet, grinning. "You're a good saleswoman."

"I just think we ladies put up with enough. Using these hurts nobody."

Purchase complete, Miwa accepted her bag and followed Erena back to the train. "So," her friend said, jostling her a bit. "How are things with your bartender?"

"They're..."

Erena gave Miwa's bag a tap. "In the meantime then, hmm?"

"In the meantime then."

Miwa held her bag close as she entered the Sakura Snack Shop, just about to greet Auntie and Uncle when she saw Sasakura Ryu sitting at the counter slurping some udon noodles. Miwa tried not to gasp at the sight of him there, dressed in a gray v-neck tee and jeans, noodles disappearing between his lips.

"Miwa-chan!" Auntie called, trying to get her away from the entryway where she was standing stock still. "You hungry? Let's get you something."

Ryu looked up from his food, smiling instantly at the sight of her. "Hey you."

Oh god, he just had to be here when she returned with merchandise from a sex toy party of all things. He just had to be here with his long legs and fluffy hair and kissable mouth. She nearly dropped the bag, stumbling forward. She made excuses. "Let me just...change..."

She hurried through the back of the shop and up the stairs, unlocking her door and hiding inside. She opened the bag, spying the colorful tissue paper Tomoko-san had put in along with her very obvious box of condoms and her even more than obvious vibrator. Miwa pulled open her bathroom door, tossed the bag in, and shut it. Changing from her work clothes and into a t-shirt and jeans of her own, she headed back down the stairs.

Miwa took a seat beside Ryu at the counter. "Auntie said you were at a party tonight," Ryu said, setting down his chopsticks. "Have a good time?"

She knew she was beet red, but she hoped he wouldn't notice. "Yep."

"Work party?"

She shook her head, tugging nervously at her ponytail. "Nope."

Despite the usual restaurant patrons and a spying-on-her-as-usual Auntie and Uncle, Ryu leaned close to whisper in her ear. She could feel his warm breath against her skin. "A secret?"

"No," she murmured back. "No, just...college friends."

"Ah," he said, leaning back. "Well, invite me next time. I'd love to meet your friends."

She gulped down a breath. The party she'd been to that night was not the kind of party she needed to attend with Sasakura Ryu. "Sure," she managed to squeak out.

He pulled out his wallet and paid for his meal, getting up from the counter. Auntie and Uncle practically pushed Miwa to follow him outside. He chided her for following him, standing close and rubbing her bare arms up and down. "We can go back inside if you want to talk," he said. "We could go sit in your room."

She thought about the sex contraband waiting in her bathroom, and she shook her head vigorously. "No, no, I'm...I'm a little tired tonight." His hands were still on her, warm and steady. Even in the cold, she thought she might melt.

"I didn't think I'd get to see you," he admitted quietly. "When Auntie said you were out for the night..."

"Well," she said, "here I am."

Without even looking around, he suddenly bent down and kissed her quick, the softest brush of his lips against her own. She blinked, realizing it was over almost as soon as it had started. Miwa looked up, seeing an almost arrogant confidence in his eyes. The kind of look he got when he knew he'd made a drink perfectly.

"Are you free on Saturday?" he asked, backing away slightly. "Let's meet up."

She said nothing, only knowing that he'd kissed her. Sasakura Ryu had kissed her.

"Go inside before you catch cold," he said, giving her a little wave. "Night, Miwa!"

She stood there for another few seconds before bolting, hurrying back into the Sakura Snack Shop. Auntie was clapping and Uncle was whistling and even the patrons were cheering. Miwa stomped rudely up the stairs, closing her door behind her. She leaned back against it, trying to catch her breath.

A kiss. A first kiss. And then he'd just walked off with a confident air. She pressed her hands to her face, wondering how she'd gotten to be her age while still reacting to a kiss this way. She was almost thirty and all he'd done was give her a peck on the lips. Miwa laughed at herself then, laughed until her belly ached. She changed into pajamas and went to brush her teeth, still floating on a silly "Ryu kissed me!" cloud when she spied her gift bag sitting so casually beside her tub.

She shoved her toothbrush in her mouth, swishing it around with one hand while peeking inside her bag with the other. She was fit to burst with all the odd feelings inside herself. The party that night, her jittery nerves from all the buzzing, vibrating toys and carefree women. Coming home and not expecting to find her bartender at the counter, his smile at the sight of her. The way he'd leaned so close as though they were alone, the whispered syllables of "a secret?" brushing against her ear. How comfortable he'd felt touching her even when anyone in the shop could have seen, how easily he'd bent down and kissed her. She had to let it out. She had to let it out and this time she could do more than feel with her fingers.

Miwa spat out her toothpaste and rinsed her mouth, fingers shaking as she tore open the plastic container and pried open the battery pack. She slipped the provided batteries inside and closed it up, nervous as she held the small blue bullet in her hand and the pack with the other. Flipping the lights off, she slipped under the covers and took a few deep breaths.

The walls weren't very thick, and she could hear the usual sounds of Auntie and Uncle closing up shop downstairs. Once she went in her room they never bothered her and they wouldn't tonight, even though they'd clearly seen what had just taken place in the doorway outside their restaurant.

Miwa shut her eyes, settling the toy to her side and slowly shoving her pajama bottoms and panties down. Normally she was half asleep when she did this, staying up until she was certain Auntie and Uncle were asleep in their rooms downstairs. So many nights she'd tentatively slipped a finger inside herself, breathing in and out, shutting her eyes tight and pretending it was one of Sasakura Ryu's fingers, imagining his hands on her sensitive skin.

She decided to start out that way, body warm and humming like crazy from the simple kiss, from the touch of his fingers on the soft fleshy part of her arms. She tried to imagine that look in his eye, that possessive, confident look he'd had after the kiss. It had been a second, lips to lips, but in Miwa's imagination it became more. Her thighs trembled as she moved her legs apart, fingers drifting down her abdomen for a first touch. She was surprised but not too surprised to already find herself wet.

Usually she had to think and imagine for a while, had to work up to it, but she was so full of need, full of want, that her body was all ready for her. All ready for Sasakura Ryu, who she'd been thinking about all day, all night during the party when she nervously buzzed vibrators against the palm of her hand. She stroked herself with a shaky finger, taking her other hand and slipping it under her t-shirt to stroke her breasts. She prolonged Ryu's kiss, rearranged her memory so that she hadn't just stood there in shock but had kissed him back.

"Miwa," he'd said her name so easily. "Miwa."

Her hand drifted away from her body, found the cool little bullet. She took her hand from her shirt, held on to the little battery pack controller and felt the tickle of the cord against her hip as she brought the bullet between her thighs. There were three settings, Tomoko-san had explained, and she turned it on, hearing a light little buzz. It seemed to echo, seemed so much louder here in her dark, quiet bedroom than it had been in Tomoko-san's house.

Nervously, Miwa pulled her blanket over herself to dull the noise a bit, not that Auntie or Uncle would really know. For the first time without her finger, she stroked herself with the vibrator, dragging it along her inner thigh, feeling the pulsing start to warm her all the more as she tested it out. It felt good, it felt really good. As she clicked it up to setting number two it got a bit louder, but the pulsing was more pronounced and she smiled. Her eyes still shut tight, she stroked it back and forth between her opening and her clit, feeling a tense bubbling sensation grow each time it pulsed against the sensitive little nub. Her fingers definitely had never been able to make her feel like this so quickly.

Her body adjusting to the new sensations, she was able to turn her thoughts back to Ryu, to his kiss, to the promise of something more. She'd imagined him inside her before, had slipped her fingers back and forth inside herself to imagine it was him. But tonight she was in a different place, a naughtier place, encouraged by the party and from his kiss and from that wicked look in his eyes. She spread her legs wider and rubbed the vibrator against her sensitive folds with more pressure, feeling jolts of pleasure that were more intense than anything she'd ever felt.

Miwa had had sex with a few people, but it had been years ago, and she hadn't thought to move much or enjoy it because she'd been young and spent most of the time on her back petrified of her grandfather finding out she was doing it at all. But she remembered Tomoko's words, how using the little device didn't hurt anyone. She gave in and put the vibrator on the third and highest setting, fingers slipping away from the battery pack and spreading herself wide, gripping the bullet tight and pressing it against her clit in tight little circles.

It got a moan out of her, one she hadn't been able to stifle, and she let it happen. The buzzing wasn't even embarrassing her now as she imagined Sasakura Ryu, that mouth of his, those plump pink lips of his disappearing between her legs, something no college boyfriend had ever offered. His mouth, his tongue. There, right there. She could barely stay still, gasping at the reality of the feelings between her thighs and the fantasy of it being Sasakura Ryu taking her there. Her whole body was trembling and she could no longer keep her hand steady, coming with a gasp that shocked her, an intensity of feeling she wasn't used to. She fumbled for the battery pack, turning the wonderful thing off.

Miwa opened her eyes and could only stare up at the ceiling as she came back down, breathing heavily. She gave a few seconds' thought to the housewives at the party, their knowing smiles, and she felt in that moment that she understood them and understood why Tomoko-san wanted to sell these things. But eventually her thoughts drifted back to Ryu and the promise of what the future held.

Midnight Kiss
3/4 oz vodka
5 - 6 oz Champagne
1/4 oz Blue Curacao liqueur
Pour the vodka into a sugar-rimmed champagne flute and fill the rest of the glass with Champagne. Top with the Curacao, and serve.

Danny-kun and his girlfriend walked in front of them, hand in hand. His girlfriend's name was Julia, Miwa had learned that day, and she lived in the same share house Danny did in Setagaya. She was from Italy, but somehow between her tentative English, Danny's sparse Italian, and the combined pair's Japanese, they managed to both get along with each other and had communicated reasonably well with Ryu and Miwa that day.

It had been Julia's suggestion to visit Shinjuku Gyoen to view the cherry blossoms, and Danny's suggestion to invite Ryu and Miwa along as a double date. It was an off night for Eden Hall, and Julia had fussed enough for all four of them, somehow carrying along a massive basket on the train that held a blanket to sit on and some tasty sandwiches on a hearty Italian bread. Ryu and Miwa (mostly Ryu) had been charged with the wine, and together the four of them had sat from sunset onward under the trees as the lights shone brightly on the beautiful pink blossoms.

For Miwa, hanami had always been a treasured time with her grandfather, walking slowly among the trees in the sunshine. After his passing, she'd gone with co-workers. This was her first evening hanami visit, the first time seeing Tokyo's gorgeous blooms under artificial light. And her first hanami in a dating situation. There'd been hundreds of other people in the massive park, but somehow Danny had found them a quiet spot to snack on their sandwiches and drink their wine and practice language skills.

They'd sat together on the blanket, the four of them, but once the meal was finished and only droplets remained in the wine bottles, Danny had leaned back, and Julia had comfortably settled her head in his lap. Miwa and Ryu had watched as he stroked his girlfriend's hair, listening to her melodic voice as she taught them a few phrases in Italian that Miwa knew she'd forget come morning.

And not once in that time had Sasakura Ryu done anything to hint that he felt for her the way that Danny and Julia obviously felt for one another. Miwa had settled her hand on the blanket for a while, but then ended up putting it in her lap once she was certain Ryu wasn't planning to reach for it. He had grown quiet, back into his bartender listening mode, letting boisterous Danny and cheerful Julia do most of the speaking while he picked at the wine bottle's label with his thumbnail.

Eventually it had been time to pack up and go since the trains would be packed from the busy evening at the park. They were walking to the station now, a few paces back from Danny and Julia's joined hands and their large picnic basket. There were tourists foreign and domestic walking along the paths, and Miwa inhaled the pleasing scent of the blossoms. She wasn't entirely certain if she'd had a good time that evening or not. She liked Danny and Julia, but she'd been so preoccupied with what Ryu hadn't been doing that she'd probably come across as rude.

It came time for the party to split up with Miwa and Ryu heading east and Danny and Julia heading west. Once they'd said their goodbyes, she turned and saw Ryu let out a huge breath. They walked in silence, side by side, toward their train station, the crowds almost unbearable. They made it through the turnstiles only to find an overcrowded platform.

Two trains went by before they could board a car, the compartment packed. The doors closed and Miwa soon found herself wedged between the wall at the end of the car and Ryu. They'd been on crowded trains together before, but somehow they'd never managed to get stuck like this, face to face with Miwa's back to the wall and only Ryu to keep other people from crushing her.

The train got in motion, muscle memory making passengers sway with the movement. A passenger behind Ryu jostled around a bit, shifting his backpack to the floor, and it pushed him right up against Miwa. Ryu braced himself with one hand to the compartment wall beside her head and the other at her side, bringing sudden pressure against her.

"Sorry," she heard him mutter, the first words out of him since they'd said good night to Danny and Julia. But he didn't move his hand away. Instead, he kept it pressed there at her waist, against her jacket.

Miwa couldn't help but look up, seeing the paper advertising posters suspended in the car rock back and forth in tandem with the dangling handles in the grip of other passengers. She saw Ryu looking down at her, an odd expression on his face that made her look away with a burst of embarrassment. She ended up focusing straight ahead, her eyes level with his chin. He was so close she could smell him, could smell something fresh like soap.

His face wasn't so odd, she realized. It was just not a look he'd ever shown her before, something she'd never seen. It wasn't the confident little smirk of his kiss or the confused oblivious smile when he wasn't picking up on her signals. He was looking down at her right now on this overcrowded train, one hand inches from her hair and the other at her waist. He was looking down at her, and he was with her somewhere else, maybe thirty minutes from now when there was no train and no crowd.

She bit her lip, exhaling with the realization that his feelings were truly real. What had caused it? They'd been inching closer and closer the past few weeks, but tonight had changed something. Maybe it had been the romance of hanami. Or maybe the way Danny and Julia were so overtly physical. Or maybe he remembered their previous kiss and how quickly it had happened and not yet been followed up on. It was pure want that Miwa had seen in Ryu's eyes, and her mind started spinning like a top.

They were surrounded by people. Tired people, bored people, annoyed people. They had a few more stops on this line, a transfer, and then another train after that. Each time the train stopped a few exited and more came on, and even when he had space to lean back, Ryu didn't. She stared straight ahead, watching his chin, his jaw, felt the continuing pressure of his grip at her waist. He'd only have to slip his hand behind her to pull her flush against him. But the train, the train.

It was their transfer point and his hand finally, regrettably slid from her waist to her wrist, tugging her through the thicket of bodies and out onto the platform. From there he didn't release her, marching them through the station, dodging more bodies, down an escalator.

They queued up in yet another grouping of people, Miwa's heart pounding when he let her go and turned to face her. He waited to speak until after an announcement for track four had stopped. His voice was unsteady, almost a whisper.

"Don't go home," he said, almost making it sound like a hopeful question instead of a command.

She nodded, her entire body flooding with warmth. Yes, finally. Finally after all this waiting. When the train came, this time Ryu maneuvered them so Miwa was able to sit and he stood in front of her, hand gripping the overhead strap. When the train got moving, she looked up again, his words repeating in her head. "Don't go home." This time when she looked up she held his gaze for a few moments, allowing herself a small smile. He returned it quickly, squeezing tight to the strap. She could feel the press of his sneakers against her own, the same kind of electricity she felt when she'd been behind his bar, feeling him put her hands in place against his shaker.

As the train moved along, she was eye level with Ryu's crotch, though he was in a bulkier coat, and she couldn't exactly tell if he was hard inside his jeans. She discovered that she wanted him to be, to know that he wanted her and was enduring the worst train ride of his life having to wait for it. Something she'd wanted, craved for so long would soon arrive. Kurushima Miwa, Sasakura Ryu, and something more than a simple, split-second peck on the lips.

"Don't go home," repeated itself itself again and again, and she internally panicked her way through a dozen odd things. There was a condom in her purse? Yes, yes she'd kept a couple inside one of the bag's zipped compartments ever since Takahashi-san had given them to her. She'd worn matching underwear that day? Miwa pursed her lips, thinking back to that morning when she'd dressed, assuming only innocuous thoughts about the double date at Shinjuku Gyoen, thinking only of the cherry blossoms and not the possibility of what "after the cherry blossoms" could mean. It had been a pink lace bra, she remembered. And an unmatching pair of green cotton panties. Well, she told herself, they were clean and kind of cute.

It was their final stop, and he stepped back to allow her to rise from the seat. The station noise became nothing more than a faint hum as she followed him out of the car and onto the platform. From here it was only a few blocks to the docks, to the boat he still insisted on living in. She focused on putting one foot in front of the other, eventually catching the slightly fishy scent of the waterfront and the other little boats-turned-houses that made up Ryu's strange little neighborhood.

Ryu's neighbor, an old man with a limp, was perched out on the deck surrounded by a group of men his own age. There were lit-up lanterns strewn all over the deck, and their laughter was filling the night air. They tried calling out to Ryu and Miwa, inviting them over for their fish fry, but Ryu somehow managed to decline without coming across as rude. Miwa was a fairly normal sight at Ryu's boat, so she was grateful for no whistles or hoots as Ryu pulled his keys from his pocket, getting the door open and letting her inside.

It was dark inside, but Miwa could see the glow from the old men's lanterns through the sliding panels that made up the walls of the houseboat. Ryu closed the door, turned the lock. There was another round of laughs from the neighbors, and Miwa took a breath, slipping out of her shoes and fumbling with the ties of her jacket and dropping it somewhere on the floor.

Then he was behind her, filling her space, his arms encircling her and pulling her back against him. She closed her eyes, sighing when she felt a kiss press against the top of her head, then another at her neck. He was so warm, so close, and his hands on her were so firm she didn't dare try to move on her own. It was quiet except for her breathing and the muffled talking of the men next door. He held her tight, and she wondered how long he'd wanted to do so, if he'd held himself back or been in denial or if he'd wanted this the whole time as she had and neither of them had said or done anything about it.

She felt his long, thin fingers thread through her hair, slipping the elastic band of her ponytail off and letting it free. He turned her then, hands finding her face in the dark, thumbs stroking her cheeks as he leaned down to kiss her. It was a vast improvement from before, his mouth lingering this time, their noses bumping only briefly before she tilted for a better angle. The difference in their heights was going to hurt her neck before too long but for now she was being kissed, and she was kissing him back and it was so much more than she'd imagined for a first real kiss between them.

The hands on her face were the hands she'd watched for so long - the hands that grasped bottles, fingers that twisted on the shaker's cap. She could feel strength and imperfections, the calluses that made his hands a little rough. His hands slipped back from her face, threading through her hair as he pressed further, surprising her by adding his tongue to the mix.

How long they stood there, making out like a couple of teenagers, Miwa couldn't even guess. Ryu still hadn't put a light on inside, and the men's party outside went on in its noisy way. But he stopped kissing her first, pulling back with a sharp breath. She was about to raise a complaint, to try and pull him back to her, when she realized that he wanted to do a lot more than kiss her.

His fingers were at her stomach, looking for the buttons that kept her shirt closed. She silently helped him, starting at the top while he started at the bottom. They met halfway, hands colliding, and then her shirt was open, her skin tingling from the exposure. He pushed her hands away, sliding her shirt from her shoulders. It got lost somewhere on the floor. She couldn't help gasping a bit when his hands started exploring and teasing in the dark. Along her shoulders, his fingers sliding along the straps of her bra, then down her arms. Her waist, around her back and the slight dip in the middle to her spine. Miwa just stood there, letting him touch, letting him do whatever he wanted because everything felt good to her.

He eventually stopped his inspection, brushing a quick kiss to her mouth before turning her again, pulling her back against him once more. His breath was in her hair, and now she could feel him, an insistent pressure against her backside. His t-shirt was soft, added warmth against her back. He seemed to like having her against him like this, his hands against her belly before sliding up, tracing the girlish lace of her bra. She found herself leaning back and Ryu leaning forward, his hands cupping her breasts through the fabric. She gasped again when he squeezed. He seemed to like her reactions, stroking and squeezing, learning her body.

Miwa let out an "mmm" of surprise when his left hand slipped inside her bra, his fingertips grazing against her nipple as his right hand slipped down. She'd only worn a pair of black leggings under her button-down blouse and his fingers slipped inside easily. There was no hesitation, no obliviousness to his movements. Ryu knew what he wanted and what he wanted was her. Even though it still seemed like they had an audience, a chorus of old men's voices ringing out into the night, Ryu didn't stop. She felt his fingers slide inside her panties, past her dark curls and straight to her.

She squirmed in his arms at the feeling, unable to keep from sighing and pushing back against him. She was rewarded with a groan and the renewed press of his erection against her backside. But he seemed content to just touch for now, his lips against her hair, her temple while his left-hand fingers teased her breasts and the ones on the right found the wet, slick warmth between her legs. The exploration became more pointed when she felt one of his fingers slip within her, hearing him groan at how easily he was able to do so.

It was nearly impossible to stay still and endure it, being touched like this by the person she'd wanted for so long, the person who up until now had only kissed her quick and scampered off into the night. It felt so good to be wanted, so good to be wanted like this. She nearly doubled over when one finger inside her became two. She thought she heard her name, a breath that sounded like "Miwa" against her hair.

She put her helpless hands to work, reaching one up a bit awkwardly behind her and settling it on the back of his head, hearing a murmur of approval when her fingers twisted into his hair. "Ryu," she managed to say without an ounce of politeness for maybe the first time. She was bucking against his fingers, driving them further inside her, stuck happily between the pressure of his hand in front and the press of him from behind.

Her stray hand eventually pushed its way inside her now damp leggings, squeezing his wrist. He allowed her to give it a light tug, slipping his fingers from inside her. "Here," she guided him between heavy breaths, "here." Her legs shook when his larger, clumsier fingers stroked her clit. Her fingers tightened in his hair, wondering if he was going to make her come standing up with both of them still mostly dressed. Her squirming seemed to be driving him crazy because he was moving his hips against her in time with the motion of his fingers. He circled her clit until she gasped, and his fingers slipped inside to stroke again, rougher and rougher.

She felt embarrassingly wet, but he didn't seem to mind, his kisses growing sloppier as he refused to stop. She'd never been touched like this before, nobody had ever bothered. With the boys in college, there'd been some kissing, a few painful twists of her nipples, some thrusts, and then it was time for her to go home and hope her grandfather wouldn't read her mind. But Sasakura Ryu took his time, as he apparently did with almost everything. All Miwa could think was that it was worth the wait because she couldn't handle any more, clenching around his fingers, wanting to slip to the floor but still held tight in his grasp.

His fingers stopped, their bodies stopped rocking in tandem, and Miwa's breaths were coming in pleased gulps of air. "Was that okay?" he finally asked her quietly.

"Yes," she said, smiling giddily in the dark. "Yes."

He pulled his hand from her leggings, and she lost him for a moment, feeling the awful absence of his body pressed against hers. She heard a rustling noise on the floor, his socked feet sliding across tatami, and her memory filled in the gap. His futon, on the floor.

Then he was back, hand trembling when he found her arm. "Do you...do you still want to..."

He was nervous now after the way he'd made her feel? She responded by moving her hands to his waist, to the buckle of his belt. That was a good enough answer for him, and he pulled her hand away, leading her to the futon and gently urging her down. In the dark she heard him undress, heard his jeans unzip.

"Do you have..."

"Yeah," he replied, somewhere in the dark room around her, close to the small bookshelf and TV stand against the wall. She listened to him rummaging around. "Yeah I do."

She unclasped her bra, tossing it aside, and added her leggings, panties, and socks to the pile. "There's some in my purse, uh, if that's easier..."

Eventually he made his way back to her on the futon. She lay back against his pillow, and they were skin to skin when he joined her. Miwa was still on a high from his touch, finding herself arching up against him almost as soon as he was lying between her legs. His body was warm, his mouth warmer still when he kissed her again. As she suspected his arms were strong, muscled when she traced with her fingers. He leaned back, fingers at her chin. "Miwa...Miwa I really..."

There was an obnoxiously loud cheer from the houseboat next door, and the pair of them collapsed into laughter. So much for any sweet words before they got started. "So loud," they both managed to say at the same time.

He leaned back with a sigh, and she heard him open the wrapper. Well, if they were going to be inadvertently cheered on by the neighbors...

It felt differently when it wasn't his fingers, a bit more pressure, but he eased himself into her slowly. If he knew how long she'd waited for him, perhaps he was being extra kind despite how badly he wanted her. He moved a bit, his face coming to rest beside her, and she had to tilt her head back a bit to avoid getting knocked in the jaw with his shoulder. Miwa closed her eyes, adjusting to the real feeling after so many years imagining it.

In her fantasies, they'd always been in one of the suites at the hotel, enjoying the best mattresses and high thread-count sheets. The lights were on in her fantasies, for another thing, and he told her how much he loved her over and over again. Instead she was on the floor of his houseboat, in his futon, in the dark, feeling a tickling sensation when his thighs rubbed against her.

But even with the noise outside, his dangerous shoulder placement, and her body's initial shock at the intrusion, it got better. So much better as Sasakura Ryu got over his nervousness and let his body take over. Before long he was grasping her hand and filling her hard and fast. She moved, adjusting herself, bringing her knees up and letting him take advantage of a better angle. She'd probably be a little tender later, but for now it didn't matter.

She could feel his breath against her ear, little warm bursts of air. Miwa said his name, and it seemed to turn him on all the more. She squeezed his hand, felt him slide back and drive home, slide back and drive home. "Ryu," she whispered, "Ryu." And then he was squeezing her hand, one last burst of effort, and he gasped.

When it was over, when he finally turned on the lamp to tidy up, Miwa felt an almost shameful satisfaction at the sight of her naked body in the warm glow. Her flushed skin, the soft little ache between her legs. And then there was Ryu, all arms and legs and grinning like a fool, his toothy smile winning her heart for the thousandth time. His hair was sticking out in a dozen different endearing directions.

She didn't usually sleep without clothes on, but he brought out some new sheets and they lay together underneath them when the lamp was once again off. He brushed her hair aside to kiss her forehead, mumbling something that sounded like her name before he was lost in sleep. Miwa enjoyed the warmth of him at her side, giving in to sleep once the neighbors' cries next door finally died down.

Part Three