Lemon Zest

Warning: Rated NC-17. For Mature audiences only.

This references situations from the series of one shots called Berry Kisses.

He knew better.

Her hot breaths tickled his chest. He stroked her hair and restrained a sigh. For someone who managed to devote their life to a cause for centuries, around her he found his self-control rendered null and void. Only to culminate in last night.

Away from her, it was easy to say no to his desires. But the moment he saw her smile, all the promises made of being "good" became lost to time. The silken strands flowed from his fingers in a gentle cascading fall. What could he tell her? He never meant to take it this far, sorry? After this wouldn't she expect a little more? A level of commitment he could never give her?

He grimaced. The fault lay with him and him alone. Despite how much he longed to give himself completely to her, the chains of the past held him down. He made a promise. He kept his promises. Until today. He tapped her nose and smiled despite his guilt. He lived for her smile. Maybe she understood that, despite that wall separating them. "I wish I could give myself to you as well," he muttered.

Her brows furrowed. Earth green orbs glanced at him, then the area quizzically. Once they drifted downward, the moment of realization manifested on her face. She really was the most adorable thing he ever encountered. He caressed her cheek. "Hey you."

"Leon," Frey exclaimed, "It's one in the morning!"

"Good morning."

She half laughed and playfully bopped his shoulder. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I find nights like this perfect for clearing the mind."

"Of?"

He smiled through a sigh. "Things."

Frey frowned. "You know Leon, I'm here for you too."

He reached over and patted her head. "I know. Shall we walk? Here, hold my hand."

Her hands were dwarfed by his before she could protest. His rough fingers stroked hers as they walked in mutual silence, listening to the cicadas of summer.

Less than a year together, and yet nearly every inch of the town held a memory of him. The fishing spot he liked. The day he goaded Dylas into pushing Doug into the water. The day he goaded Doug into pushing Dylas into the water. The day they fooled Forte into believing she was a ghost in her closet. The day he convinced Kiel to walk around in his swim trunks to better emulate him. The day Blossom caught them kissing near the furniture store and ranted about their indiscretion for days. The day he took over the bathhouse so Lin Fa and Xaio Pai could spend time with their rarely returned Father. The day they wore goofy glasses and convinced Arthur they were the latest style, only to end up with most of the town wearing them for an afternoon. The day Nancy took her aside to talk about that thing, and gave her advice on relationships. The day Venti told her them she was happy two of her best friends were in love.

The memories held the same warm glow as the fireflies as they floated in and out of her mind. Too many to name, too many to count, not even a year and her entire life was enveloped by him and being with him. She held a lifetime of memories within her now; how would she have enough space to remember a true lifetime with him?

Sometime along their walk, he led her back to her door. "It's time for Cinderella to return home."

She tightened her grip on his hand. "Come inside for a bit."

His eyebrows arched. "You know what it means to invite me in this late?"

"I do."

His cheeks flushed. She squeezed his hand. He frowned and looked away. "Hey, you can't do that with me. It has to be someone you love."

"And I love you."

His cheeks changed from a slight pink to a crimson. She giggled. He pulled her into a loose embrace. "Girls in this time are really aggressive," he muttered. "I don't want you to have any regrets."

Her eyebrows raised, "So you're saying you won't stop?"

"I'm saying I don't make promises I can't keep."

"So you will stop, and it's okay." She tugged on his arm, "Let's go. I'll get us some ice cream."

"How about I wait outside?"

She sighed. "Fine. Wait a second. And if you run away I know where you live."

He smirked. "Then I look forward to all the trouble you'll cause me when I disobey you."

"Leon!"

"Don't worry," he laughed, "I'll stay here."

Frey came out with an ice cream cone and a skewered piece of lampshade squid. Leon's eyebrows arched. "No ice cream for me?"

"I know you hate things made with milk."

"I do," he replied with a smile. "I don't remember telling you that though."

She shrugged, "You didn't, but I could tell. When we eat out, you always feed me the things made with milk. I don't think I've ever seen you take a bite."

He gave her a warm smile and put his hand on the small of her back. They walked down to the benches near the clinic and sat. "You know, the one thing that hasn't changed is the stars."

Frey smiled. "We're always under the same sky, after all."

He half smiled, "I suppose we are. Makes me question if I'm dreaming sometimes."

She stared at him as he looked at the sky, eyes clouded with thought. When he glanced down at her, she looked away in embarrassment at being caught gawking, but he grabbed her hand and she felt the warm wetness of his tongue along her wrist. She gasped. He smirked and kissed her, swirling the sweet cream around her tongue.

The ice cream cone dropped to the ground. Leon pulled her to his lap. The now familiar ache formed in her belly. Then, just as soon as it started, he stopped. He pressed his forehead into her shoulder. "I said I wasn't going to do this tonight, you minx."

"You should know better," she admonished.

He groaned. "It's time for bed. I'll take you home." In a smooth movement, he lifted her up like a princess and started walking back.

"Leon," she yelped, grasping the ends of his vest.

"Oh, you'd rather a caveman hold?"

"A cave," she began, but he flipped her body down until her head nearly touched the ground. "Leon!"

"Oh, I see, fireman it is." He twirled her body like a baton and threw her across his shoulder. She lightly peppered his back with punches.

"Such manners," he mocked, "Hardly befitting a princess like yourself."

"Put me down!"

"As you say, my Lady." He unceremoniously dropped her to the ground.

Frey groaned and rubbed her backside. "Hey! That was kinda mean, Leon."

He leaned down and trailed his fingertips down her spine. "You're right, let's go inside and I'll make it feel better."

Her jaw dropped. "I can't believe how well you set those things up."

He chuckled, "You like it."

"I do."

He coughed and stood up abruptly. Frey giggled. He probably was blushing. She held out her hand and he pulled her up.

"Leon."

"Hmm," he replied absentmindedly.

She reached up and grasped fabric of his vest. "This isn't a dream." Before he could reply, she tugged the fabric down and kissed him deeply. He loosely embraced her as their tongues twisted around each other. She raked her nails down his back. He took small steps forward, leading her back inside her room.

At the bed he pushed her down and lay on top of her, devouring her lips. His body crushed her. The passion in his kiss was on a level she never experienced. His lips were a concentrated form of electricity that sent powerful pulses straight to her core, creating a hurricane of pleasure. He pushed up the skirt of her pajamas and pushed his hips. His erection pressed against her, held chaste only by the thin material of his pants and her underwear. Her body throbbed with anticipation.

He bit the bow and pulled it off her shoulder. He sucked on the revealed flesh and teased kisses along the cleavage of her shirt. She shuddered and tried to writhe into a position that gave him better access. The deep rumble of his chuckle sent chills down her spine. "I'm going slow so you can tell me no."

"I'm not," she gasped.

"You," he growled in lust, popping the first button of her pajamas. "You are going to regret this." He popped the second button. The swell of her breasts peeked through. He bit his lip and closed his eyes. "Tell me no," he begged.

She pushed him off.

He stood in a daze. His eyes were clouded with lust and his arms hung midway to his sides, as though he couldn't choose between embracing her or keeping them to himself. He nodded, "Right, we can't do this."

Her dainty hands couldn't wrap all the way around his forearm, but she grabbed him and with her strength threw him onto the bed. His brows furrowed. She straddled him. "Damn," he muttered. He grabbed a twintail and pulled, "Get over here."

His hesitation vanished. She moaned as he sucked on her tongue and quickly popped the rest of her buttons. She shrugged off the top half of her pajamas and embraced him. His flesh seared her skin. As she rolled her hips against him, the smoothness of his skin brushed against her nipples. The sensations shocked her. He never grabbed her breasts before; and the combination of the heat and the smoothness of their skin exponentiated the pleasure setting her body aflame.

As his breaths became ragged, he rolled their bodies and placed her on her back. He pulled off the remnants of her clothes and stood at the edge. His eyes followed the curves of her body; the small rise of her breasts and rosy pink nipples, the smooth white marble of her stomach, the curls of her mint colored forest, the creamy softness of her thighs, the gentle tapering of her calves to her ankles and dainty arched feet.

Though Frey was naked under his intense eyes, she didn't feel embarrassed. There was no need; his eyes hungrily ate each part of her. But not just his lust reflected in his expression, the gentle love surveyed each inch. He stood in front of her now, casting off the large belt covering his abdomen, and the white undershirt, leaving only the moss green pants. His hands lingered at the tie holding up the thin material. His erection tented the fabric at his crotch, pulling it taut in an almost comical fashion, yet it awakened a primal desire within her. His lower abs formed a v leading downward, like a map pointing to where she needed to go. She needed to see it and touch it.

He left the tie alone and walked to her. He lifted up her foot and kissed her toes. She giggled at the ticklish sensation. He trailed kisses up her calves and inner thigh, stopping just before the point the sensations became strongest. She whimpered and rolled her hips to him. He gazed up at her with hesitancy before closing his eyes and tenderly kissing her.

The first brushing of his lips sent a firecracker of tingles through her. She gasped as he kissed her down there as he did her lips. The ache in her core would explode, subside, and rise all in the same time. When his tongue wriggled inside her she couldn't stop the noises escaping her mouth.

His calloused fingers massaged her inner thighs as he licked and sucked on the precocious nub blossoming to his touch. Each little coo that she made sent a torrent of pride and desire through him. She tasted slightly tangy and salty; a savory delight to the palette.

Careful not to overstimulate, he trailed kisses up her belly to the valley between her breasts. As one hand gently prodded her slick opening, his other traced a circle around her areola, slowly making its way to her small bud. Her body writhed under his touch.

He took the other nipple in his mouth, sucking at first, then swirling his tongue around the bud. His fingers became soaked with her arousal. He wriggled them inside her. Her voice rose higher. His eyebrows arched and he smiled. With his hands and mouth, he began tuning her body, enjoying the variety of moans she made with each different stimulation.

Each second he did something, the worse the ache became. Her entire body throbbed. The sounds coming from her mouth were foreign to her ears. Her entire body felt like it was about to explode, yet somehow it became more intense by the second.

He kissed and sucked her down there as his fingers thrust inside. "L-Leon," she panted, "Something!" He moaned and the deep vibrations sent a torrent of tingles through her. She cried out and gripped the bed. "S-something's wrong with me," she groaned in a hoarse voice.

He ignored her and continued his assault. It became difficult to control her as her body nearly wriggled away from him. "Leon," she cried as her body spasmed for a split second.

Like a typhoon, a wave of intense pleasure crashed into her over and over, slowly descending in intensity, but relentlessly attacking. She cried out his name over and over.

He moaned as a small gush of fluid came into his mouth. He slowly lapped it up as she twitched in the after effects of her orgasm. When her breathing slowed to ragged pants, he stood up and grasped his erection. He watched her chest rise and fall, her eyes drink him in, and with a deliberate movement, untied the last thing keeping them apart.

Her eyes widened. She sat up and stared, reaching out and gingerly touching it. A clear liquid oozed from the tip and fell to the floor. She ran her fingers up and down, amazed by the velvet smoothness of the skin. She gripped it and surprisingly, her fingers barely touched at the tips. She squeezed and watched as more of the clear liquid oozed out.

He wrapped his fingers around hers and taught her how to move her wrist. The skin covering his tip shifted down, revealing a dark throbbing crown, shaped like a mushroom. He kissed her down there, and she leaned forward, deciding to return the favor.

He moaned as she stuck it in her mouth, but pushed her head away, shaking his head. She frowned and slapped his hand away, and put it back in her mouth, running her tongue along the head. The liquid tasted salty, yet it had a pleasant taste. "Stop," he groaned, pushing her head away roughly. The pole twitched in front of her. He grabbed her by her shoulders and shoved her back down onto the bed.

Something smooth ran itself over her, sending more of those pleasurable tingles. She bucked her hips, trying to get more of the sensation. He leaned forward and caressed her cheek. "There's no turning back after this," he whispered.

She nodded, "I know."

"And still you-"

She leaned forward and stole his lips, kissing him with the level of passion that manifested in her feelings for him. He slid inside her. Their bodies were joined, and she felt full inside. He slowly moved his hips out, and the fullness left her, and when he slammed it back in, the pleasurable tingles returned. He grasped her hips and lifted her up, slamming her into him. Each sensation brought its own sort of pleasure. The brief moment they were fully joined, the brief moment she felt empty, the feeling of him sliding inside her, each motion creating a crescendo of pulses that rose and fall like waves.

Their voices intermingled with their pleasure as their bodies kept a steady beat to the music. In Leon's face she saw no mask of restraint. In those orbs she saw only his love for her, pure and heart wrenchingly powerful. The world swirled around her, yet she kept her gaze on his eyes, basking in the warmth.

"Damn it," he groaned, falling forward on top of her. "Sorry Frey, I'm," he panted, "I'm coming before you," he grunted. A primal yell shook her being and he crushed her beneath him. They lay in each other's embrace as their high subsided.

The feel of their hot flesh together brought a comforting aura. Her eyes struggled to stay open. Leon kissed every inch of her before drawing her into a tight embrace. "You're the most beautiful thing of all time," he murmured, kissing her hair. "Thank you."

"Leon," she whispered, but he placed his finger on her lips. His words echoed in her mind. The thank you came out tender, as though he said "I love you" in its stead. She smiled and nuzzled into him, then closed her eyes and slept.

Leon cradled her head to his chest. She ran her fingertips over the grooves of his muscles. A million words died on the tip of her tongue. A long sigh left in their stead.

"Ah, it's never good when the lady sighs first thing in the morning."

He used humor to clear the dark skies. His tone held the same restraint she heard him use the moment before she gave herself to him. She crawled on top of him and stared into his cerulean eyes. He loved her, even though he could never say it. The other guys never looked at her that way. That deep warmth that filled her with joy each time she gazed upon him was love in all but name.

Eventually he would tell her the truth. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, or years from now. Maybe not until the day they lay on their deathbed to say the final goodbye. But someday she would know why the black cloud strangled his heart and stole his voice. Until then, so long as he let her stay by his side, creating more memories, she would be happy.

"I don't need words," she whispered and leaned down to kiss him.

The kiss was tender and gentle. As they broke apart he reached up and ran his finger along the curve of her cheek down to her lips, and pressed against them in a bid for silence. As he stared at her, his eyes flickered with forlorn. He crushed her petite body against his chest. His body trembled. She inhaled his earthen scent and nuzzled him.

Their lips met and they conversed in the only language they knew to express their love.

A/N: I wonder how many reading this are old enough to remember back when these were called "lemons" haha This ended up being rather melancholy, so I'll probably make a couple sequels that showcase less angst and more fun~ :D