I pulled my pants up in a hurried scramble, heart hammering against my ribs. Ai's fingers worked frantically at her bra clasp, the black cotton snapping back into place over the marks I'd left. We exchanged panicked glances as another soft murmur drifted down the hallway.
"Shit," Ai whispered, yanking her sweater over her head. Her hair stood in wild disarray, lips swollen and neck bearing evidence of my attention. "The kids—"
I zipped up, scanning the floor for my discarded shirt. "I'll check."
"No!" Ai hissed, grabbing my arm. "You look like—" Her eyes traveled over my bare torso, lingering on the teeth marks at my shoulder. "Like someone mauled you."
She had a point. I grabbed my shirt and pulled it on, wincing as the fabric scraped over the raw scratches down my back. "I'll be alright. Stay here."
I crept down the hallway, pulse still racing from more than just our activities. The twins' bedroom doors stood ajar, spilling soft nightlight glow into the corridor. I peered into Ruby's room first.
The little girl lay sprawled across her bed, one arm flung dramatically over her head, the other clutching a stuffed animal. Her chest rose and fell in the deep rhythm of childhood sleep. A half-empty glass of water sat on her nightstand – the likely culprit of whatever sound we'd heard.
Across the hall, Aqua slept with the precision of a tiny soldier, tucked neatly under his covers, book still open beside him. I carefully marked his place and set it on the nightstand, allowing myself a moment to study his face. The resemblance to Ai was striking, even in sleep.
I returned to Ai's bedroom, closing the door with exaggerated care. "False alarm. They're both out cold."
Ai sagged against the dresser, relief washing over her features. "Thank god. Ruby sometimes talks in her sleep."
The momentary panic had broken something between us – the desperate hunger replaced by awkward awareness. We stared at each other across the rumpled bed, the sheets bearing damning evidence of what we'd done.
"So," I said, eloquence deserting me entirely.
"So," Ai echoed, a nervous laugh escaping her. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, wincing as her fingers brushed a particularly vivid mark on her neck. "I should probably..."
Her eyes darted to the wet spot on the bed, cheeks flushing dark pink. The stain spread like a Rorschach test across the pale sheets, impossible to ignore.
"Yeah," I agreed, understanding instantly. "That's probably—"
"I mean, we should—"
We both spoke at once, then stopped, laughing softly at our shared discomfort.
Ai coughed, gesturing vaguely at my clothes. "Do you have, um, a change? These sheets need washing, and..."
I glanced down at my pants, noting the suspicious damp patches. "Not exactly something I brought for our day out."
"Right." She nodded, biting her lip. "The washing machine's in the bathroom. You can put everything in there, and I'll run it while we shower."
The casual way she said "we" sent heat flooding back through my veins.
"I'll grab you something to wear home," she continued, rummaging through her dresser. "Ichigo left some sweats here once. They might be a bit short, but—"
"Better than nothing," I finished for her.
She handed me a bundle of gray fabric, our fingers brushing. The simple contact sent electricity shooting up my arm, despite everything we'd just shared.
"Bathroom's through there," she said, pointing to a door I hadn't noticed earlier. "I'll strip the bed."
I nodded, retreating to the bathroom with as much dignity as a man wearing sex-stained pants could muster. The space was small but efficiently organized – tub-shower combo on one wall, toilet tucked beside it, sink across from both. A stackable washer-dryer unit occupied the corner, looking slightly out of place but practical.
I stripped quickly, shoving my clothes into the washer along with the detergent Ai had left atop it. The machine hummed to life with a few button presses, water beginning to fill the drum.
When I emerged wearing only a towel around my waist, Ai stood beside the now-stripped bed, sheets bundled in her arms.
"Here, let me," I offered, taking the bundle from her. Our eyes met, and something electric passed between us again – the momentary awkwardness giving way to simmering heat.
Ai cleared her throat, taking a step back. "I'll... start showering while you put those in."
I nodded, watching as she grabbed a clean set of pajamas from her dresser and disappeared into the bathroom. The sound of running water followed seconds later.
After stuffing the sheets into the hamper, I stood in the center of her bedroom, uncertain what to do next. The gray sweatpants she'd given me lay folded on the edge of the bare mattress, but something held me back from putting them on.
"Toshi?"
"Yeah?"
"You could... join me, if you want. Save water."
"Are we actually going to shower if I come in?"
Her laugh floated through the door, light and teasing. "Maybe... Why don't you find out, Shiro-chan?"
That was all the invitation I needed. I crossed to the bathroom in three long strides, pushing the door open with perhaps more force than necessary.
Steam billowed around me, fogging the small mirror above the sink. Through the translucent shower curtain, I could make out Ai's silhouette – petite and curved in all the right places.
"Took you long enough," she said, pulling the curtain aside just enough to peek out. Water droplets clung to her eyelashes, her gradient eyes sparkling with mischief.
I let the towel drop, enjoying the way her gaze traveled down my body appreciatively. "Had to make sure the sheets were washing properly."
"Such a responsible boy," she teased, opening the curtain wider in invitation.
I stepped into the tub, immediately confronting a logistical challenge. The showerhead hung at the perfect height for someone of Ai's stature – which meant it hit me squarely in the middle of my chest.
I smirked, ducking my head under the spray. "This is built for short people."
Ai's eyes narrowed as she pressed against me, skin slick with soap and water. "Don't make me bully you."
"You?" I laughed, wrapping my arms around her waist and lifting her easily. "Bully me? Short stack, I could use you as an armrest."
"Put me down!" she squealed, squirming in my grip but laughing all the while. Water sprayed in all directions as she swatted at my shoulders.
I set her back on her feet, both of us grinning like idiots. It struck me then – how easy this felt. How right. Despite what we'd done in her bed, despite the marks we'd left on each other's bodies, we could still be like this.
Ai turned, reaching for the shampoo bottle. As she did, I noticed her wince slightly.
"You okay?"
She glanced back at me, a rueful smile playing on her lips. "Just... feeling the aftermath. There's still a lot of... you... inside me."
Heat flooded my face. "I asked about protection."
"You did," she agreed, turning to face me fully. "And I was very insistent. So it's on me."
"Still," I said, reaching for the soap. "Let me help clean you up."
We washed each other with care that bordered on reverence – soap-slick hands gliding over heated skin, discovering new marks and sensitive spots. What began as practical quickly evolved into something else, though less frantic than before.
Ai turned in my arms, her back pressed against my chest as my hands slid over her stomach, up to cup her breasts. She sighed, head falling back against my shoulder.
"We shouldn't," she murmured, even as she pressed herself more firmly against me. "The kids..."
"Are fast asleep," I finished, lips finding the sensitive spot below her ear. "And we'll be quiet this time."
Her laugh turned into a gasp as my fingers dipped lower, finding her still sensitive from earlier. "You promise?"
"Cross my heart," I whispered, spinning her to face me. I lifted her easily, her legs wrapping around my waist as I pressed her against the shower wall. "Though you're the one who screamed."
"Did not," she protested, the indignation in her voice undermined by the way she ground against me.
"Did too." I captured her mouth in a kiss that silenced further argument. "Let's see if we can do better this round."
We moved together under the spray, finding a rhythm that built slowly. This time wasn't about desperate need but confirmation – that what had happened in her bed wasn't a fluke, wasn't just pent-up desire finding release.
When we finished an hour later, foreheads pressed together and breath mingling, something had changed between us.
"That was actually a shower," Ai noted with mock seriousness as we toweled off. "At least partly."
I laughed, running the towel through my hair. "Multi-tasking. Very efficient."
She threw her washcloth at me playfully. "You're a menace."
"Says the woman who invited me into her shower."
Ai pulled on her pajamas – simple cotton shorts and a tank top that did little to hide the marks I'd left. I slipped into the borrowed sweatpants, which indeed ended several inches above my ankles.
"Fashionable," Ai snickered, eyeing my exposed calves.
"Haute couture," I agreed gravely. "All the rage in Paris."
We remade her bed with fresh sheets, moving in comfortable synchronicity. The washer hummed in the bathroom, our clothes spinning away evidence of what we'd done.
"Will you stay?" Ai asked suddenly, her voice small.
I paused, pillowcase half-on. "What about the kids?"
"They'll be up at dawn," she admitted. "But they're used to Miyako sometimes staying over. We could say you fell asleep on the couch."
The prospect of leaving seemed suddenly unbearable. "I'll stay."
We settled into bed, Ai curling against my side as if she belonged there. In many ways, she did. Her head found the perfect spot on my shoulder, her arm draped across my chest.
"This is crazy," she murmured, tracing patterns on my skin. "What we're doing."
"Completely insane," I agreed, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"The kids..."
"Will be fine."
"Our careers..."
"Will survive."
She propped herself up on one elbow, studying my face in the dim light. "How are you so calm about all this?"
I considered my answer carefully. How could I explain that having lived twice gave perspective? That the regrets of my previous life made me value different things this time around?
Instead, I said simply, "Because it feels right. You and me."
She smiled, the expression transforming her face. "It does, doesn't it?"
"Like finding something I didn't know I was missing."
Ai settled back against me with a contented sigh. "Poetic for a boy band member."
"Says Japan's number one idol."
We drifted toward sleep, limbs tangled and breath syncing. Just before consciousness slipped away entirely, I heard her whisper:
"Shiro-chan?"
"Mm?"
"I'm glad you stayed."
I tightened my arm around her. "Me too, Starlight. Me too."