Page 213 of Light Leech

“Yeah, I’ll utilize the chance I have to relax.”

“So again, why waste your time with me?”

“Because he has some irrational worry bothering him,” Naoma said, “like always. Right, Pet?”

I looked over my shoulder. She was standing in the doorway.

She shared my smile.

“What, did you think I would blame you for what happened or whatever?”

I shook my head. “How long have you been listening?”

She shrugged. “A few minutes. I like to hear you talk.”

Abbas leaned forward, but I stood before he could. “No, you stay, we’ll leave you alone.”

He raised his eyebrows a few times.

I waved him off and met Naoma. She took my arm and we walked down the hall to a room with a similar wall-sized window. She held my hand as we sat on the mattress atop the tatami mat and watched the rain.

“I missed you,” I said.

“You better have.” She laughed with a delicate smile.

“I wasn’t avoiding you, I swear. I just wanted to catch up with everyone before–”

“I get it. Can you spend time with me now?””Is Denji fine?”

“I think so,” she said.

“Good, then you have all the time you need.”

We turned to face one another, taking in our respective faces and bodies. She wasn’t as done up at the Neon Idol but wore her natural beauty. Subtle makeup and clean hair with a robe over casual violet jumper lacking any light adornments. Her lips were her natural pink, though recently moisturized. Her eyes pulled me in to see beyond her appearance, into that soul I had learned to love.

I bit the inside of my lower lip.

Her eyes dilated and her eyebrows raised into a hopeful, yet tame look. She ran her hand up my thigh, then onto the bend of my back. She lifted her other arm up, as delicate as a feather, and placed it on my neck.

All this time, I couldn’t turn away. My heart pounded in my burning chest. The rain was a perfect chorus to the peace I felt with her, kindling that flame that I longed for.

She ignited it.

Naoma pulled me in, pressed her lips to mine in a passionate kiss. It was the most beautiful, yet delicate feeling I had ever experienced. No pressure. No fear. No anxiety.

Bliss.

The world was outside.

Naoma was here. With me.

She let her tongue slip forward and I brushed it with mine. Our blossoming love was a pink canvas upon which we painted a full flower.

I ran my hand down her back and pulled her in, not tight, but close enough to let our warmth billow with each movement of our lips.

She let go of the kiss and brushed her cheek against mine. We remained there in silence, appreciating each other’s warmth until she whispered, “I missed you, Petya.”

It took me a second to control my quivering breath. “I missed you, too.”