Between Nights
Aoi smoothed down his hair, slightly disheveled from a sudden gust of wind that had swept through just moments ago, it looked like rain would be falling soon. He took a deep breath, his gaze falling to the bouquet cradled in his hands. It struck him as almost funny, really: here he was, offering a bouquet to someone who sold flowers for a living. But this wasn't just any bouquet. This one he had arranged himself, hunched over his phone watching tutorial videos on social media, painstakingly piecing it together even though the final result was far from perfect. Still, he hoped with all his heart that Hime would like it.
He pressed the buzzer outside Hime's apartment, and not long after, the door swung open to reveal her already dressed in a lavender gown adorned with tiny floral ornaments scattered across the fabric like whispered secrets. She looked utterly enchanting, the kind of enchanting that quietly stole Aoi's breath and held it hostage somewhere deep in his chest.
“Hime-chan. Happy birthday,” he said softly, offering the bouquet forward as if presenting something far more fragile and precious than flowers.
“Sorry if it's ugly,” he added, a trace of embarrassment coloring his voice. “I'm not very good at arranging.”
Hime accepted the bouquet with a smile blooming across her face. She hadn't expected this at all. She had asked for nothing tonight except his presence, and yet here he stood, having poured his sincere effort into something made just for her.
“This is more than enough, Aoi-kun. Thank you,” she whispered, stepping aside to let him into her apartment.
They walked together toward the dining table, which Hime had transformed entirely on her own into something intimate and romantic. What was usually a modest, ordinary table had been reborn like a scene lifted from a quiet, elegant restaurant. She had laid down an ivory-white tablecloth, and atop it sat a simple vase holding a single stem of fresh lily—its presence adding a touch of understated luxury that needed nothing more to feel complete.
“You decorated all of this?” Aoi asked as he slipped off his jacket, revealing his body wrapped in a dark navy shirt.
“Of course I did,” Hime replied, her voice light and cheerful. “Today is a special day, after all.” She busied herself arranging the food she had bought earlier onto the table, then poured them both glasses of wine, not too strong, just enough to keep their dinner company warm and sweet.
They savored their meal in a haze of quiet romance, laughter bubbling up between them several times and drifting through the air like the softest melody, warming the space around them until it felt less like an apartment and more like a sanctuary. Every so often, Aoi would reach over and wipe a smudge of sauce from the corner of Hime's mouth with his thumb, a gesture so tender it made her cheeks flush crimson. But instead of pulling away, she found herself secretly hoping he would do it again—so much so that after the third or fourth time, Aoi could only sigh and shake his head at her barely concealed mischief.
After dinner, Aoi cleared the dishes away himself, leaving only the wine bottle and their glasses on the table. He refused to let Hime help, not after everything she had already prepared. Once the kitchen was spotless, he returned to her side, slipping back into his seat.
They lingered there together, exchange stories and secrets, the wine making everything feel more honest and sweet than usual. They exchanged gifts like it was Christmas blooming in the middle of spring. Aoi gave Hime a box of cookies he had baked with his whole heart. And Hime gave Aoi an apron, one so charming that even she had to admit he would look adorable wearing it.
They melted deeper into their conversation, each passing moment sparking another flicker of love between them until the flames grew large enough to wrap around both of them entirely. Outside, the rain had begun to fall in soft, scattered drops, lending everything an even more intimate and romantic glow.
“Ah, it's raining,” Hime murmured, rising from her chair to gaze out the window at the droplets beginning to soak the earth below.
“Pretty heavy too,” Aoi said as he followed her. His arms wrapped around her waist from behind, and he rested his chin on her bare shoulder, pulling her close until there was nothing between them but warmth.
“Hmm,” Hime hummed softly, breathing in his scent as it enveloped her completely. She placed her hands over his arms where they circled her stomach, holding him there.
“Hime-chan,” Aoi called softly.
“Hm?” Hime turned her head toward him, and the moment she did, she was met with a kiss so intoxicating it stole the very thought from her mind. It tasted sweet and dizzying, sweeping away her quiet observation of the falling rain as if it had never mattered at all.
Aoi's embrace tightened around her the instant Hime kissed him back. What began as a simple press of lips quickly unraveled into something deeper, hungrier, when Aoi caught her chin gently with his right hand and tilted her face to deepen the kiss completely. The faint taste of wine swirled between them, mingling with their shared breath until the warm atmosphere turned molten, heavy with desire. Every now and then, a soft moan escaped Hime's lips whenever Aoi bit down on her lower lip, not hard enough to hurt but just enough to send a shiver racing down her spine.
His left hand slowly released its hold around her waist and drifted instead to the tip of the zipper resting at the back of Hime's gown. Inch by inch, he pulled it down until it reached her waistline, leaving the lavender fabric hanging loose and exposing the pale, unblemished expanse of her back. Aoi traced his fingers across that bared skin, stroking her gently, feeding a slow-burning fire into Hime even as she remained lost in the fierce tangle of their mouths. If anything, she only grew bolder, sucking on his lower lip with just enough strength to let him know she had no intention of losing this quiet battle between them.
“Hime-chan...” Their breaths mingled into one ragged cloud, their faces flushed crimson when they finally pulled apart just far enough to gasp for air. Aoi caught a glint of satisfaction and triumph flickering deep within Hime's eyes. It seemed she was already savoring this small victory of hers. That was fine, let her have it. He would claim the larger one soon enough.
“You were very naughty just now, weren't you?” Aoi swept his thumb across her lips. He didn't need to worry about smudging her lipstick, after all that fierce kissing, it still remained perfectly intact.
Hime's cheeks burned at his words. Maybe it was the wine loosening her tongue, or maybe it was simply him, but she found no hesitation when she finally spoke. “And what if I was? Is that not allowed?”
Aoi let out a low laugh at her response, his eyes glinting with something dark and tender all at once. “I like this side of you,” he murmured. And then, in one smooth motion, Hime found herself swept clean off her feet, cradled securely in his arms—bridal style, as if she weighed nothing at all.
“A-Aoi-kun!” she gasped, startled despite herself.
“If someone is naughty,” he said, looking down at her with that impossibly gentle yet dangerous expression, “doesn't that mean they deserve to be punished, Hime-chan?” Hime fell silent. She knew exactly what he meant by those words, but there was nothing she could say in protest, not when her own body thrummed with the very same longing.
And so Aoi began to walk, his long, steady legs carrying them both toward a place where they could explore further, deeper, into everything the night still held. Toward a place where they would savor the long hours stretching ahead. As they made their way to the bedroom, Hime started unbuttoning his navy shirt, slipping her hand inside to press her palm against the warm, solid expanse of his chest. The touch drew a soft, stifled groan from Aoi, a small surrender he hadn't meant to give away. So this was it: Hime truly intended to be the naughty woman tonight, and she had no intention of stopping now.
When they finally reached the bedroom, Aoi lowered Hime gently onto the edge of the bed. His shirt was already in complete disarray thanks to her—he would need extra time with the iron later, given how hopelessly wrinkled the fabric had become.
He crouched down before her, or more precisely, he settled onto his knees in a quiet, devoted kneel. From this angle, looking up at her from below, she looked so beautiful it nearly stole the breath from his lungs. Aoi lifted her right leg and placed it carefully over his left shoulder.
“This is what you should do when you want to be naughty, Hime-chan,” he murmured, then leaned in to press a sensual lick against the base of her ankle. He glanced up at her briefly, flashing a rare cocky expression—one he rarely showed anyone outside this room. Hime felt a fire ignite deep in her chest at the sight of his face like that, especially when his fingers began to stroke her calf with such maddening tenderness.
“Your skin is so smooth..” Aoi was already drowning in her scent, even her calf smelled this intoxicating.
“A-Aoi-kun...” Hime tried to pull her leg back, but Aoi wouldn't let her. Instead, he shifted forward, causing her leg to drape fully over his shoulder.
“Didn't you want to be naughty?” His right hand began to travel up her left leg—from the ankle, slowly upward, until it stopped at the very top of her thigh.
“Aoi...” Hime's breath caught in her throat when his hand, now resting at the apex of her thighs, slipped beneath her underwear and began to stroke her most intimate place with featherlight tenderness.
“Hmm? What is it?” His face remained maddeningly innocent, as if he were doing nothing at all. Hime fought desperately to hold back any sound, but in the end, a moan escaped her anyway when Aoi grew bolder in his touch.
“Ah... hnghh...” Hearing Hime's stifled whimper only fueled Aoi's hunger. With deft movements, he slid her underwear down her legs and tossed it somewhere across the room without a second glance. Her leg that had rested on his shoulder now returned to its original position, dangling loosely over the edge of the bed.
“Hime-chan...” Aoi pushed her lavender gown upward, then lowered his face to inhale and kiss the soft skin of her inner thigh, leaving behind tiny marks of affection that made her flinch and shiver beneath him.
At one point, he climbed higher—higher still—until finally, his lips hovered directly over the center of her pleasure, the main course he intended to savor. His hands now pressed gently against her thighs, holding her open with just enough pressure to keep her from suddenly closing herself off from the pleasure he meant to give.
“Hime-chan... you're already wet,” he breathed, just before his tongue made contact with that damp, swollen surface.
Her body clenched hard, a violent shudder running through her as she felt his tongue—first playing along her outer folds, then slipping slowly inside her, searching with instinct until he found that one spot that made her see stars. Once Aoi located that sensitive bundle of nerves, it didn't take long at all for him to reduce her to a trembling, melting mess. He played with her clitoris, lavishing it with expert attention—licking, pressing, teasing that tiny pearl until she thought she might break apart entirely.
“Ah... Aoi... kun...” Her moans could no longer be contained. She was drowning in it, wanting more and more, until without even realizing it, her fingers had tangled in the hair at the back of his head, pushing him deeper, urging him to keep pleasuring her until there was nothing left of her but raw, breathless surrender.
Aoi continued playing with his favorite spot until he felt the trembling of Hime's core grow more and more intense—until finally, that tight bundle of muscles clenched hard and a rush of fluid spilled from her, flowing all the way to Aoi's waiting tongue.
“Ah...” He pulled back and watched her, breath ragged, face flushed completely crimson. She had already reached her first peak, but Aoi had no intention of stopping.
“Hmm, was it that good, Hime-chan? That you came undone so quickly?” He rose from his kneeling position, now standing upright but bending low so his face remained level with hers. “I've only just begun,” he murmured, and then closed the distance between them, capturing her lips again before she could protest or form a single word.
The kiss grew fiercer as Hime's hands roamed across Aoi's body. She still refused to lose to him, even with her eyes closed, her fingers found the zipper of his trousers and pulled it down.
“Hime...” Aoi groaned when she reached inside and touched him through the thin fabric of his underwear. He caught her wandering hand, then, with sudden, surprising force, pushed her backward until she fell completely onto the mattress, though her legs still dangled over the edge.
“You really have become quite naughty, haven't you?” Aoi growled. He dragged his still-clothed length against her bare, slick center.
“Ah...” Hime's moan echoed through the room once more, growing sharper when Aoi attacked the upper swell of her breasts—those soft curves peeking out from her disheveled gown—with something close to brutality.
He left marks there, scattered love bites across her skin. The Aoi who was usually so gentle now seemed wilder. He pinned her hands down to keep her from struggling or making any further moves of her own. Perhaps tonight he truly would punish the naughty woman trapped beneath him.
“You asked for this, Hime-chan,” he breathed.
His hands busied themselves pulling off her gown—tugging it roughly, not bothering with care—and tossing aside the bra that adorned her chest. Once she was completely bare, he pushed two fingers inside her, making her flinch. While his fingers worked below, his mouth explored above.
With ravenous hunger, Aoi sucked at her breasts, alternating between them until both nipples turned red and swollen from his relentless attention. Hime didn't know which sensation to focus on—her body, overwhelmed with stimulation, squirmed and writhed beneath his touch. Her freed hands could only clutch at his body; more than once her nails raked lightly across his back, but Aoi didn't seem to notice or care. He stayed focused on his mission.
“Aoi-kun... nghhh...” Her core began clenching violently again. She was about to reach her second peak, but just before she could feel that release, Aoi stopped everything. Every touch, every movement, vanished at once, leaving only their ragged breaths colliding in the space between them.
“Aoi-kun...” Emptiness washed over her. She had been denied her peak because he wouldn't let her have it.
“Don't go alone, Hime-chan,” he murmured, stroking the crown of her head.
Then, quickly, he stripped off his own underwear. With his shirt still clinging to his body, Aoi climbed over her, kneeling just above her stomach, his legs braced carefully so he wouldn't crush her beneath his weight.
“Satisfy me, Hime.” His voice, deep and heavy, sent shivers racing down her spine.
His fully hardened length rested between the soft valley of her breasts. Aoi began to move, rocking back and forth, losing himself in the friction of her warm skin surrounding him. But Hime wanted to do something too. She wanted to be the one who made him moan. So in the middle of his rhythm, her hand reached up and caught him between her breasts, making him stop.
Her fingers began to stroke and massage him, and soon a low, guttural growl spilled from his lips.
“Hime... ah...” Now it was Aoi's turn to moan in helpless surrender. His legs felt weak after she had lavished him with such attention. Sensing himself growing unsteady, Aoi pulled her hand away, he didn't want to collapse and crush her beneath him.
He rose again, now standing at the edge of the bed, ready to enter the main course. He positioned himself at her warm, waiting entrance and slowly pushed inside, only to pull back out moments later.
“Aoi-kun?” Confusion flickered across Hime's face. But that confusion quickly turned to shock when she felt her body lift into the air. Aoi had picked her up and repositioned her so that she now knelt on the floor, her breasts pressed against the side of the bed for support, her body angled away from him.
“Hime-chan... I've wanted to worship you from behind for so long. You know, your back might get jealous, it's never received the same attention as your chest,” he murmured from behind her, his fingers reaching around to trace her tender breasts with just the tips.
“Even your back is beautiful,” Aoi breathed, inhaling the scent of her spine. He dragged his tongue along the ridge of her backbone, a slow, unbroken line from the top all the way down to where her waist began to curve. Hime flinched and moaned as he did it, the sensation crackled through her like a jolt of electricity.
“Hime-chan.” His hand returned to play with her breasts, squeezing them with enough force to make her cry out, but Aoi wouldn't allow that. His other hand slipped into her mouth, muffling her before any sound could grow too loud.
“Mhhmmh—” But even his fingers inside her mouth refused to stay still. He thrust them back and forth, as if it were his core buried between her lips instead. Hime felt herself unraveling, pleasure building beyond anything she could contain. Her grip on the bedsheets tightened until her knuckles went white. She could feel herself clenching down there, even though no one was touching her there at all.
Aoi sensed she was about to peak again. And once more, he stopped everything, pulling that cresting wave away from her just before it could break.
“Aoi-kun,” she whined, tortured by what he had just done to her.
“Sshh...” He stroked her cheek gently, and the next moment, Hime felt something pierce her from below—fast, without warning, making her jolt.
“Ah—”
“This is the punishment... ah... for a naughty woman... hng...” Aoi pumped into her from behind without mercy, slamming his body against hers with relentless force. His right hand braced against the edge of the bed to keep his movements steady, while his left hand roamed her body with savage hunger. He even delivered a sharp slap to her butt whenever he caught her deliberately holding back her moans.
“Ahh... mmmm...” There was no pain at all. Only pleasure, more than Hime had ever felt in her life. The Aoi who had always been so gentle with her was now rough. Every thrust reached the deepest part of her, and her mouth couldn't even beg him to go faster or deeper because he was already doing all of that and more.
Her back arched when the wave she had been chasing for so long finally crashed over her. She could feel warmth spilling inside her, spreading through her lower body.
“Aoi... kun...” Her breath came in ragged gasps, her head spinning from the sheer force of her release.
Hime thought they were finished when Aoi pulled himself out of her. But no—he turned her body so they now faced each other. She sat propped against the bed, and he hovered above her, gazing down as if she were the most delicious feast he had ever laid eyes on.
“Beautiful,” he murmured. Then, with swift, practiced hands, he took her wrists and crossed them above her head, holding both captive with just one of his hands. Her flushed, sweat-slicked face only fueled his hunger to have her again.
“Beautiful,” he whispered again before burying himself inside her once more.
“Grmm.” Aoi growled low in his throat as he felt her clench around him even tighter than before, the sensation massaging him with unbearable pleasure.
He began thrusting again, and Hime rolled her hips to meet him. His movements were fast and deep—no more playing, no more gentle teasing. He pumped harder than ever, making her entire body shake with each stroke.
Their moans echoed through Hime's room, their sweat pouring down like the rain still lashing against the windows outside. Aoi quickened his pace when he felt them both tightening, clenching, until finally—
“Ahh...” A long, drawn-out cry escaped both their lips at once. They reached their peak together again, and Hime once more felt that warm flood fill her from within.
Breathless, Aoi released her wrists and pulled her into his arms.
“Thank you,” he said softly, holding her sweat-slick, trembling body against his.
“Mhmm... Happy birthday, Aoi-kun.” Aoi glanced at the small digital clock on the bedside table and let out a quiet laugh. Midnight had already passed. Hime's special day was over—and now his had begun.
“Thank you, Hime-chan,” he whispered against her hair.
Aoi felt his chest swell, full to bursting with a tangle of emotions he couldn't quite name. With Hime nestled in his arms, with those birthday wishes still hanging softly in the air between them, his world felt complete. He didn't need his world to be as colorful as everyone else's now that she was here beside him. It didn't need to be dazzling or loud or filled with noise and distraction. The only color he had ever needed was the one she brought just by existing. The only thing that had ever truly captured his interest was her. And the only person who could chase away the quiet loneliness that had always lingered at the edges of his days—she was right here, wrapped in his embrace, warm and real and breathing softly against his skin. That was more than enough. It was everything.