Written in response to Cheerleader101's Royalshipping challenge.

Without warning, he pushed her to the ground. His lips are instantly pressed onto hers—kissing, tasting, drinking up all the bitterness and hatred that's been boiling through her veins for so long it's seeped into her saliva. Wondering if all girls taste like this.

His tongue latched onto the white column that was her neck and he began his exploration there. It was a wonder why he hadn't started on her lips, at least to give her a vague sense of what his intentions were with the conventional 'first kiss' that stemmed all romantic relationships. But maybe that was the exact reason why he didn't kiss her—because he wasn't a romantic and neither was she. Ryou could be charming if he wanted to and Asuka could be flirty if she actually tried, but those were just tasteless masks, and they knew the truth well. They were both pragmatic and down-to-earth and unlike some other people they both had their feet planted firmly on the ground and their heads far away from the clouds in the sky.

…though in the back of his brain, Ryou distantly hoped this similarity was enough of an excuse for him to access her body. As if reading his mind, Asuka merely gave him a glance with half-lidded eyes.

"So this is your game: friends with benefits, huh?" she commented tonelessly.

Ryou found himself smirking. If it were any other girl, they would have automatically thought he was harboring a secret, lusty crush on them and enter into a dreamlike bliss only to be heartbroken when reality struck in. But not Asuka…never Asuka. She fully understood their relationship. Ryou wasn't looking for devotion or commitment. His main focus was to seek raw power and he simply didn't possess the luxury or concern to settle down and find a girlfriend.

Yet at the same time, Ryou desired a companion. Somebody he could trust. Somebody who could take care of themselves. Somebody who didn't cling onto him every waking moment but didn't see him as an inferior either. Somebody who would mutely respect him and somebody who he would mutely respect back. Asuka was this perfect person. She would provide him with the camaraderie he desperately needed and in return, he would make it worth her while. Ryou would protect her from physical harm, he would buy her expensive jewelry with the opulence from his career as a successful Pro League duelist, and he would send her white roses from time to time…

…but they both knew there was no way in hell or heaven that he was going to steal kisses on her nose in broad daylight, issue double dates with Fubuki and Junko, make out on a bench in the middle of a park, fly a kite together on windy days, take turns shoving caramel popcorn into each other's mouths during a carnival or—god forbid—share candy between their tongues. As a matter of fact, they weren't going to perform any frivolous activities that wasted their energies and time that usually resulted in having a love partner.

Satisfied with his choice, Ryou proceeded to carry out his experiment. His right hand pulled down the neckline of her uniform so that her collarbone was exposed and he attacked the smooth, creamy skin with feverous kisses. Asuka let out a small moan as he trailed his tongue on her skin in circular motions before planting a small dewdrop kiss in the middle of each ring. But kissing just wasn't enough, he soon realized, and to compensate his rapidly swelling lust, Ryou decided to explore a little further down. The buttons to her blue and white top were unfastened in haste and her bra was unclasped without so much as a fumble of the fingers. Her torso was now completely exposed and she peered up at him almost innocently, as if inviting him to touch her. His mouth fastened to one of her pink rosebuds, curving his tongue slightly to fit her nipples, and he lapped at it until it hardened. With one hand, Ryou clutched her other breast and squeezed the bulge of flesh, feeling the sensation with curious interest.

He spread her legs and rubbed a finger against the thin swathe of cloth that hid her womanhood, smirking when her body arches in pleasure. An incentive to continue. He hooked a finger in her panties and created an opening to slide his other fingers in. Then he decided it was too much trouble to keep them on and simply pulled them down until they hung loosely around her ankles. His other hand slid up her thigh and into her opening which earned an 'ah!' from her, soft and pleasure-filled, but even then he realized he was going too far. Ryou withdrew from her body and gazed into her eyes.

"You're actually willing to be dirty slut after this one-night stand?" Ryou asked her dispassionately, but she saw the faint glimmer of uneasiness shine through the cracks of his cobalt eyes.

They both knew what he meant. There was no going back after this. If he drove into her here and now then she would never regain her purity and be forever branded as unclean from thereon after. For Ryou, it didn't feel proper. Kissing and touching was one thing but intercourse was entirely another issue that he hadn't planned on entering today. However, Asuka seemed to be unperturbed.

"…better you than somebody else, I suppose," was her attempt at soothing his nerves. "But I don't want to make a decision. You do it."

Ryou wasn't comforted. "If you don't want to go through with this then just say so," he replied firmly. "It's your call. I'm not going to hurt you."

Bitterness flashed through golden eyes. "Hell Kaiser has a heart," she whispered. "Amazing."

"No." The word was emphasized to a disgusting degree, or at least in Asuka's ears. "It's merely because my morals are not so nonexistent that I'm willing to take somebody against their will. Now answer me. Do you want this or not?"

Asuka wanted to shout that she didn't mind being used for his benefit. She just wanted him to be happy. She just wanted to please him and if offering him her virginity gained the opposite effect then she would have preferred to pour acid over her body than let him touch her in guilt. Leave her. That was the most dangerous warning he could ever make. Ryou could threaten to punch her in the face, he could threaten to publicly humiliate her, and he could threaten to do a lot of things that would strike fear into most girls' hearts but Asuka could handle being hit and kicked at…just never left alone.

"Fine." She licked her dry lips. "Take me now."

That was enough of an approval for Ryou to grab her chin and kiss her on the lips. Together, they stepped into the gates of paradise.