She didn't say anything but her glance went past them and flicked from
fallen Tiger to fallen Tiger as Amaru hurried to finish the bandage. He
got a hissed "ouch" from Owaru as he tied the knot down tight over the
front hole. That brought her eyes back to them.

	This was the guy who she had gotten tangled up with and sprained her
ankle. What was he doing here and how had he taken down twelve Tigers,
most of them quite a bit older and bigger than himself?

	"What happened to your arm?" She asked softly, caution in her
expression and voice.

	"I got shot," Owaru glared at the fallen Leader as he answered her.

	"Shot? Is it bad?" She blinked at him in surprise then looked at Amaru.

	"Just a graze. It'll be gone in no time," Owaru answered her query to
Amaru and grinned, voice full of bravado, as he flexed his arm and made
a muscle to test the bandage and show her he wasn't badly hurt.

	She lowered her eyes, both hands going to clutch her shirt. Owaru saw
that they were trembling. It bothered him in a way he couldn't put words
to and made him wish he hadn't pulled so many punches.

	"Thanks for helping me. I thought I was..." Jesse left that hanging and
her eyes darted back towards the Tigers as she swallowed hard. She
brought her gaze back to them and offered a shaky smile. "I'm Jesse
Walker."

	"Owaru, we need to get out of here," Amaru warned softly as a few of
the Tiger's began to stir and groan.

	Owaru gave a curt nod even as he smiled at the girl.

	"Jesse. That's a pretty name. I like it!" He rose in one smooth motion
and offered his hand to help her up.

	She had also realized the Tigers were stirring and accepted the offer
of help this time. Her vision darkened and blurred as he pulled her up
and the dull ache in the side of head flared into vicious stabs.

	"Woah!" Owaru grabbed her shoulders as she swayed and went glassy-eyed.
"Well, you aren't up to walking yet. Up we go!"

	She somehow managed to keep her shirt together as he lifted her easily
into his arms.

	"Amaru, get her pack," Owaru asked and waited until his brother had
done so and was headed out of the alley before he followed.

	Jesse squinted her eyes closed against the brightness of the late
afternoon sunlight and the pain in her head. She willed her fast healing
to hurry up and take care of it as she let her head rest against Owaru
Ryudo's chest. She tried to distracted herself by listening to the even
beat of his heart under her ear. That and the slight sway of his stride
was hypnotic and she finally started to relax. She felt safe here in the
cradle of his arms. Safe for the first time she could remember. Slowly
the pain receded to a tolerable throb.

	"That's a pretty nasty bump you got on your head. You need to have a
Doctor take a look at it. You have one you go to or should I head for
the Clinic?" He felt her tense in his arms.

	His words wrenched her out of her dream. She wasn't safe. Nowhere was
safe. "No. I'm all right. In fact, you can put me down now."

	"Nope. I know your ankle's hurt and you still look too pale. I'd hate
to put you down and have you go all faint again. Stop wiggling, you're
making my arm hurt." He gave her a scowl, then softened it with a wink.

	"Then put me down!" She responded fiercely and pushed against him.

	He just tightened his grip. "The Clinic then." 

	Jesse saw him wince but his grip only shifted enough to keep her firmly
in place. She realized he wasn't going to put her down unless she hurt
his arm enough to make him drop her. And she didn't want to do that. She
was flattered and pleased yet at the same time annoyed. She studied his
face as she debated what to do. The strength of his jaw line off-set the
beauty of the rest of his features and rescued them from being
effeminate. She decided it was a good face, open and honest. Easy to
mislead.

	"Not the Clinic. Just take me home, please? One of my neighbors is a
nurse and can take a look at it when she gets back from work, O.K?"

	He looked down at her, unsure. She smiled up at him. Celeste had been a
nurse, once. A lot of the neighbors went to her for medical help.
Personally, Jesse wouldn't let that woman touch her with a ten foot
pole.

	"I guess. Where do you live?"

	Jesse lifted her head and took in landmarks. "Turn right on Cherry. I'm
the second building on the left."

	Owaru chuckled. She frowned up at him.

	"What?"

	"My brothers and I live just a few blocks farther down. Small world,
huh?"

	"I guess." She answered, distracted. She chewed on her bottom lip as
she realized the enormity of what he'd done. "You've brought a lot of
trouble down on yourself, you know. The Tigers are nothing to mess with.
They'll be gunning for you now."

	Owaru shrugged and grinned. "Don't worry about it."

	"I'm not kidding. You've disgraced them. They'll kill you."

	Owaru looked down at her and there was something in his eyes and face
that was frightening. Then he grinned again and it was gone.

	"They can try. Don't worry about it. I'm not." Then the grin faded.
"Will they come after you?"

	She was worried about that. But that was her problem, not his. She
would deal with it. "I doubt it. They'll want you. Besides, most of the
time I can stay out of their way. Today I was just stupid." *Really
stupid.*

	Amaru held the door open for them and Owaru maneuvered them through,
careful not to bump her feet on the frame. "Which floor?"

	"Six. You don't have to carry me up. I can do it," she offered.

	Owaru didn't say anything, just started up the stairs. She tried to
convince herself that he wasn't in any danger. He took out most of the
gang once. But he wasn't immune to bullets. And the Tigers had guns.
Lots of guns.

	"613," she informed him as they hit the landing for her floor.

	A part of her realized he was in great shape. He wasn't even breathing
hard after carting her up all those stairs. She studied his face and
felt a great sadness come over her as she put it into her memory. He was
dead. He just didn't know it yet. She doubted he would survive the
weekend.

	Owaru put her down in front of her door and his hands hovered close to
catch her if she should go down. She wouldn't. Amaru handed her her pack
and she fumbled with the zipper to one of the smaller compartments that
held her keys, still having to hold her shirt together with one hand.

	"Here," Amaru took hold of the pack and unzipped it for her.

	She pulled out her keys and smiled at them. Time to say good-bye.

	"Thanks so much. I don't know what else to say," she blushed and looked
down. Thank you was so inadequate.

	"It was my pleasure!" Owaru favored her with a traditional bow. "You
make sure you have that nurse neighbor of yours look at that bump,
O.K.?"

	She nodded and winced inwardly at her lie.

	"Maybe I'll see you on Monday?" Owaru asked, almost shyly.

	"I hope so," she was surprised at the fierce hope that colored her
answer.

	Owaru colored a little and she saw Amaru give his brother a sideways
look and an impish grin.

	"Great! Well, we'd better get going. Um..." Owaru dug in his pack and
came up with a pen and piece of paper. "Here's my address and number. If
those goons give you any problems, you call or come over, O.K.?" He
folded it and handed it to her.

	"O.K. Thank-you again, Owaru. And be careful."

	He shrugged into her concern with a devil-may-care gleam in his blue
eyes.

	"Go on, we'll wait until you're in."

	She let herself in and leaned back against the door. She could hear
Amaru start to tease Owaru as they headed away and felt tears come into
her eyes.

	
						*****


	Matsuri tipped her head, still held tightly in Hajime's arms, so she
could look at his face. She wondered why it was that men where so
beautiful when they were asleep. He had dozed off as they had cuddled
and she had let him sleep, knowing that he would be better off for the
rest and was content with just being close. She glanced at the ugly
clock on the wall and sighed.

	"Hajime," she called softly, "it's time to wake up."

	His eyes snapped open and for a moment there was confusion in them.
Then he smiled and hugged her tight.

	"Did I fall asleep on you there?" He whispered into her hair and
sounded embarrassed.

	"Eh. You needed the rest and I needed the time to recuperate," she
teased softly.

	She felt more than heard his little laugh. "The boys will be home soon.
We need to get moving if we want to get cleaned up before they get
here."

	He sighed and she could almost feel the weight of his worries come back
down on him. He released her reluctantly and stretched as she sat up
beside him. She pushed his shoulder gently.

	"You go shower, I'll put up the futon."
	
	"Thanks, Matsuri-chan," he propped himself up onto his elbow then
pulled her head down for a lingering kiss.

	She melted into the teasing promise of it for a moment, then pulled
away. She gave him a smile as she saw the readiness of his body. Well,
it would have to wait for later. "Go on! We don't have much time!"

	Hajime sighed as he rose, his fingers trailing through her hair before
he turned away. She sighed also. A gleam came into her eyes as she
watched him turn into the hallway. They might have enough time if she
hurried...

	
	Hajime leaned against the wall as he listened to the ancient plumbing
groan in protest as it struggled to pull water up through the building
and force it out of the shower head. Visions of Matsuri in all her naked
glory danced in his mind and he smiled softly. He would have to
rearrange his work schedule so they would have time together and alone.
He sighed and reluctantly turned his thoughts to tonight's dinner and
the problems that would surely come with it. Finally the water reached
the shower head and he let it run for a few seconds until it was clear,
then stepped in and pulled the curtain closed.

	He stood in the weak, warm streams of water and tried to relax and let
his mind go blank. The movement of the curtain startled him and he
tensed and whirled. He found himself staring into Matsuri's eyes. She
returned his regard evenly as she reached for the bar of soap. He raised
one eyebrow as she ran it between her hands and worked up a lather.

	"I thought we didn't have time?"

	"Well, we probably don't," she put the soap down, then put her hands on
his chest and started to transfer the lather with a firm touch. "But who
knows when we'll have time alone again?"

	Every inch of his skin tightened as her soap slicked palms ran slowly
across his nipples.

	"I'll make sure we have time, Matsuri-chan," he assured her as he
reached for the soap and hurriedly made handfuls of suds to return the
favor.

	She laughed lightly and reached for the bar again as he massaged his
soap onto her breasts, her nipples hardening under his fingers. They
washed each other languidly, both of them searching out and delighting
in the discovery of the others erogenous zones and just enjoying the
feel of wet skin under soap.

	Matsuri felt the throb of desire grow inside and knew she was ready for
more than touches. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she stepped
up onto the side of the tub with one foot, her other leg going to wrap
around his waist. His hands went instantly to her rear to support her.
It took a few wiggles and giggles, Hajime's deep chuckle joining her,
but finally they were both in the right place. She let herself down
slowly, savoring the sensation of his flesh entering her own. His hands
tightened on her rear as he sought out her mouth, their tongues meeting
and dancing together.

	Hajime felt a rush of embarrassment as he struggled to help Matsuri
into the position she wanted. He hadn't expected anything so...exotic.
But her giggle reassured him and he found his own laugh joining with
hers. He wondered how she even knew about this position. Then he didn't
care as she engulfed him. She wrapped her supporting leg around his
waist, entrusting him with her whole weight as he captured her mouth.

	Her inner muscles gripped and pulled at his length in a maddening
caress as they kissed. He started to lift her, wanting to move her on
him but felt her resist. He accepted that and went back to just holding
her. For a few more moments she didn't move, just continued their deep
kiss. When she did move, he reveled in the sensations.

	She moved in small circles, then after a few of those would rock her
hips forwards against his pubic bones, then back to her circles. It was
a pleasure-filled torment he wished could go on forever. She broke the
kiss and leaned back slightly, totally trusting in his support and
balance, bringing her breasts into the range of his mouth.

	He caught one garnet colored nipple with his lips and played with it
with his tongue. She purred as her breathing and movements quickened,
driving his own pleasure higher. It was frustrating and at the same time
exquisite that he couldn't manage more than a slight rock in her. He
wasn't going to be able to hold back much longer. She pulled her breast
away from his mouth and leaned back into him.

	"Do it, Hajime. I want to feel it," her whisper was deep and sultry
next to his ear as her movements became more forceful.

	He couldn't resist her any longer. His shuddered as the pleasure-filled
sensations gathered and knotted in his penis, then groaned and pulled
her against him as it thundered out of him in pulsing waves.

	Matsuri smiled as she felt him harden and lengthen even more, then he
shuddered and groaned as his hips jerked under her again and again as
his member jumped and pulsed deep inside. It was wonderful! She closed
her eyes as the sensation triggered her own release.


to be continued...