A/N:Agh always when I need to update stories and I get a new idea. Well here's a one-shot for ya, happy new year!

—

The clock read ten-thirty and the light of the fireworks happening outside the window to their bedroom trickled through the cracks of the curtains with pretty colors. Kaname was sprawled naked against Sousuke under the sheets with her head rested near the bend of his neck. The sergeant had only come back to their apartment that morning after being dispatched to the middle east on a month long mission. Of course she wanted nothing more than to enjoy the last holiday of the year alone with him. Though getting frisky in the bedroom was just an add-on to her bliss.

Her eyes were closed as she let out a tired moan, her body slightly shifting against him. Sousuke was comfortably laying on his back with his arm around her petite body. His fingers drew lazy circles around her side for awhile until her little moan and shift brought his attention to her. He turned more towards her to wrap his other arm around her and held her in his embrace.

"Sousuke," she spoke as fingers trailed over a particular scar on his chest, eyes now open.

She was always intrigued by all the markings on his body every time he exposed them. She wanted to know the story behind each and every one of them for the longest time. She figured now was as good a time as any to ask away if he'd answer.

"What is it?" He asked her, tiredly.

"Will you... tell me about your scars?"

"They don't have nice stories behind them, why do you want to know that?"

She paused for a moment. Of course she knew these markings came from war, some very well might've been obtained at childhood. Maybe it would be best if she didn't make him tell her. She didn't want him to remember bad memories.

"I just- never mind."

He created enough space between them for his eyes to find hers in the room barely lit by the fireworks and moon.

"I don't mind telling you I just wondered why you wanted to know."

She met his eyes as soon as she felt his on her.

"I was always curious to know where they came from."

Her fingers traced all the ones she could find in front of her, eyes following.

"This might sound odd but the longer I've come to know you the more I love these scars."

He smiled at the way she looked over the markings he normally paid no attention to. The ways that he found her to care for him just made his heart warm.

"So I just wanted to know the stories."

"I'll tell you then."

"But I don't want to bring up any bad memories."

He sensed her guilt for asking and he only kissed the top of her head while his hand gently rubbed her back in assurance.

"Which one do you want to know about first?"

Her fingers hesitantly trailed the skin over his chest. He couldn't tell her how good it felt to feel her touch. The gliding of her fingers across his chest. She finally stopped on a thick line in between his collar bones. He didn't need to look down to know, it was just something he could tell her off the top of his head.

"That one?"

"Yeah."

He paused to recall the memory. It wasn't a particularly bad one, just training practice he came back from a little beat up.

"A training exercise. I would say it was three years ago, I was practicing blocking and dodging a knife attack with a partner and he came in too close."

To his surprise, he felt her lips press against the mark and then her fingers fall onto a scar on the rib just under his pectoral muscle.

"What are you-"

"This one."

A confused expression was plastered on his face when she just moved to the next mark. Though he decided to brush it off and think of the memory associated with that scar.

"A mission in Afghanistan five years ago, it was a fire-fight and the bullet grazed my skin-"

Again her lips were there, pressed up against that scar. Now he began to understand and he smiled at her affections. Every single scar she pointed to he gave an explanation for and each received a kiss to let him know she loved it.

"What about this one?"

He was on his back while she straddled his hips. Her fingers were placed over a mark on his stomach above his belly button. That one was what he thought to be a close call. He remembered it vividly.

"This one was a few months ago... I was in Australia piloting a savage," he began.

Learning that this one was acquired just a few months ago made her listen intently. This one was a fresh bad memory and she could tell by his tone of voice.

"I wasn't given the savage, I was piloting an M9 since the Arbalest was still going under maintenance at the time, but I lost it in a fight and had to find another AS quick. I found the savage in an abandoned hanger located in a dense forest. I was up against some tremendously advanced AS's, I was outclassed by all six of them-"

"You fought six of them alone?!" Kaname interrupted in disbelief.

"Kurz and Mao were in their M9's trying to fight off a few, but even they had a hard time. Mao lost her AS in a fight as well. It was an ambush we weren't even close to being equipped for."

"So... what happened here?"

He looked down to her finger pointing at the mark.

"I was fighting an AS, not sure what model it was because it was unlike anything I had ever seen. Though I can easily compare it to Belial, I wouldn't be surprised if it was just an upgraded version of it."

It was hard for Kaname to imagine this. To imagine that this deadly fight happened not too long ago and she had no idea that Sousuke could have almost died. She was here in their apartment after all.

"It was a really close call... he took out both of my legs and stood over me with a knife. Sadistic bastard he was, slowly pressing the knife through the armor and into my cockpit..."

He could see the tears forming in her eyes, her hand covering her mouth.

"Though I had been saving a few bullets left in a small rifle I had attached to the back. The knife didn't even get to pierce my muscle before I pulled the rifle out and shot him straight through the cockpit."

Her face was buried in her hands at that point and she was sobbing. He thought that maybe telling her how he'd won would make the story a little better, but it seemed he only succeeded in making her cry.

"Kaname it's alright I'm right here I-"

She slid down enough to allow her face to reach the scar on his stomach and kiss it. Even after she was done showering her love over it, she stayed in that position with tears flowing freely. He sighed as he hesitantly placed his hand over her head and affectionately stroked. Silence filled the room for a bit until she slowly crawled her way up to his face, her cheeks red and stained with tears he felt guilty for causing.

"There's one more I want to know about."

Surprise transformed his face. Why would she want to know anything else after that?

"Tell me about the one right here."

Her fingers landed over the cross scar on his jawline.

"Are you sure?"

"Tell me."

Sousuke let out a sigh, her eyes watching him told the sergeant that he was gonna get it if he didn't out with it soon.

"I was eight. There was a war in a desert in Helmajistan, I dove in to protect my comrade, Zaied. An enemy was coming at him with a knife from behind, I didn't have a weapon on me at that moment, but if I didn't throw myself in front of him then he was as good as dead. At that time the enemy only got two slashes in at my face before my comrade turned around and shot him."

Just as he expected, Kaname kissed the scar over his jawline.

"This one definitely is my favorite after all," she was able to give a small smile.

"You liked it before?"

"I always thought it gave your face character and of course handsome."

He blushed at the compliment of being called handsome while her fingers trailed his jawline.

"But now I love it even more because I know that it came from an act of your selflessness. You're so strong and caring Sousuke. This scar will be a symbol of everything good that you are forever."

He didn't know what to say after that. Her words left him utterly speechless. Though an idea did come to mind.

"Do you have any scars or markings?"

"I- me?"

"Affirmative."

Kaname gave him a confused expression as she sat up and tried to look around her body.

"No no."

He sat up and began roaming his hands all over her body. He wanted to find them just as she found his and have her tell him about hers. When his fingers stopped at what felt like a dip in the shape of a small hole in the base of her back, he found his way around to look at his and saw that it indeed was a scar.

"What's this one?"

That one she didn't need to see because the memory of it made her wince.

"I was a little kid being a cluts and backed up into a nail sticking out of a wall."

Sousuke even had to wince at that himself.

"How far did it go?"

"Oh it was a little poke, but it did hurt."

When she felt his lips against the spot, Kaname giggled at how ticklish she was there.

"Sousuke!"

He drew himself closer and allowed his hands to trail across her skin again in the hunt for her perfectly imperfections. She had to admit it did feel good to have his hands roam her like that.

"Where's this one from?"

He found another ticklish spot on her ribs at the left side. Sousuke realized it was a lot of fun finding these ticklish spots and decided to leave trails of kisses everywhere he could. Kaname continued to squirm and giggle at his ministrations.

"I'll tell you. I-If. You. Ah! Stop tickling!"

"Nope. You have to. Keep going," he said in between kisses.

"I-It happened. When. I was. Hehe! Twelve."

His lips trailed to her neck where he planted ever so soft pecks upon her lips. His hands roamed her front side.

"I. Clashed with. Someone. During. Soccer. Pffft. Her cleat. Scraped my side. Really. Hard!"

Kaname rolled out of the way, unable to cope anymore with his actions. She laughed while holding her stomach. Sousuke smiled as he climbed over her. Of course he wasn't done. His right hand bent her left leg and began roaming around for something to find.

"I don't have many y'know," she said once she calmed down.

"Well then what about this one here?"

He found a burn mark on the side of her knee. It wasn't big at all, though he was still curious enough.

"Hair iron!"

"On your knee?"

"Well I dropped it and it slid over it."

Sousuke shook his head in mock disappointment.

"Miss Chidori you need to be more careful."

"I think I'll live, don't I have you to look after me?"

"Always," he responded before he planted his lips against hers.

It was a feeling he thought he could never get used to. The softness, the love she gave just by pressing back.

"I love you, Sousuke."

"I love you too, Kaname."

The fireworks seemed to go off one after the other it seemed, which caused her to look over at the time. It read twelve o' two.

"Happy New Year," she said to him softly.

"Happy New Year," he said before giving her a peck on the lips.

Grabbing the sheets, he pulled them over their bodies and settled himself on top of her.

"Sousuke what are you-"

"Shouldn't we be celebrating?"

"I-I guess so but-"

He said nothing more before he made them disappear completely under the sheets where the sound of her giggles could be heard. Though he knew in time he would turn those giggles into his name.