DearS New Contact Chapter 5: Continuation, a dears fanfic

DearS: New Contact

DearS: New Contact

Disclaimer: Despite rumors to the contrary that may or may not exist, I don't own DearS

"Quotes" Normal speech and quoted speech

'Quotes' Quotes within quotes

Italics Thoughts and specially emphasized words

Chapter Five: Continuation

Two pairs of wide curious eyes stared at him, their owners whispering excitedly in each other's ears back and forth as though sharing some scandalous gossip.

Takeya grimaced, attempting the most irritated glare he could. It had no effect.

China began to slowly circle him, trying to study every detail she could. Nia scampered about on all fours and sniffed his shoes.

They had been like this ever since he they'd noticed him daydreaming with a smile on his face on a couch in the recreation room (originally made solely to be used by masters but now becoming popular with curious DearS). Takeya's eyebrow twitched. "WHAT?! What do you want?!"

Not the least bit intimidated, the DearS in fact seemed to ignore the outburst. China turned to Nia. "You're right," she noted, "he does seem different somehow." Her eyes shined with mischief. "So this is a human in 'afterglow?'"

Takeya stiffened at the implication, only for Nia to suddenly clamber up on his back and start sniffing around him more thoroughly. He struggled to not laugh from the ticklish sensations as he shook the odd DearS off.

Nia landed with the grace and smoothness afforded by her training as a Biter. "Ren's smell is on him more than normal-nia," she stated with a toothy grin, "also another smell. Smells like calamari-ni!"

China racked her brain for a few seconds as she tried to recall what calamari was, she had absorbed a lot of information since her awakening. She snapped her fingers when she came to a conclusion. "So Takeya had sex with Ren and then ate squid?"

As Takeya watched in stunned silence, Nia shook her head. "No-ni. On second thought it isn't that smell, just similar-ni! It makes Nia feel frisky-ni!" she said grinning and hopping about to emphasize. She turned to Takeya with wide, innocent eyes. "Can you make more of that smell-nia?"

Takeya gaped in disbelief. He'd showered, there was no way they should have noticed! Okay, so admittedly he and Ren had done some… things… during the shower… really, really nice things (Ren had clearly learned from the disaster of her long ago seduction attempt in Takeya's bath) but still!

"Oh, you need Ren to help-ni!" Nia remarked in realization, the innocence leaving her face. "Guess you really do go for big booby DearS after all-ni." She smirked wryly and meowed with excitement, "she gave you those little nips on your neck too didn't she-ni? Love bites-ni! Hickey city-ni!"

Takeya could only continue to gape. He was sure he had briefly stopped breathing at this point. Had he really been in such a hazy bliss that morning to not notice the several 'love bites' Ren had given him had left small marks? He was too embarrassed to even deny anything, but managed some small hope of escape when Io entered, clearly intending to speak with someone as she proceeded straight toward the group.

He should have known better, for the first thing out of her mouth was a monotone "As I sensed. So, you finally consummated, allowed her to satiate you. A number of times it would seem. We need to speak again, alone." She glanced at Nia and China.

China rather than Nia, of course, was the one to notice the hint to leave. It was odd how imposing Io could appear. Perhaps it was due to the fact she carried on her head a strange creature that was also a genetic bomb capable of destroying an entire species. "You can give us details on how Ren appeased you later Master!" the Zero Number said loudly as she grabbed Nia by the arm and dragged her out of the room.

"Its like I'm wearing a freaking sign," Takeya exclaimed bitterly, the sound of China and Nia giggling fading into the background as they left, "there's no privacy with you people!"

"Calm yourself," Io remarked, detached in tone as ever. "It is simply that DearS are sensitive to both emotional and physical changes in others. And anyone who looked closely could notice the marks on your neck. The scent of sex is quite distinctive, as are the emotional reactions that occur during and after it. Your privacy was not intruded on, those who were close to your room merely felt the emotional overflow. I was at a distance but as a Watcher my senses are tied into those of every DearS on this ship and so I could not help but notice the emanations from Ren. There is no doubt you brought her a great deal of pleasure."

Takeya was honestly not as upset as he was trying to act. Even such embarrassment couldn't do much to ruin his mood after the night and morning he had just had. His memories felt tinted in a surreal, dreamlike haze of pleasure and happiness. He and Ren had slept in the other's arms, awoken around the same time and simply stared at each other fondly in bed for a good while, before wordlessly making love again. Only then had they spoken of what had transpired, Ren going into details of what she had liked to a degree that made him blush. Still, he found it in him to compliment her back and Ren had been, as usual, ecstatic over being 'praised.' He had later gone to take a morning shower only to soon find Ren, and, contrary to what he expected, himself, up for more in the new location.

To say Ren had proved to be an amazing lover was an understatement, not that he would willingly reveal that to Io or his earlier duo of tormentors. And while he was certainly satisfied, thinking about it was enough to make him want to go find Ren and do everything all over again.

Io closed her eyes in thought. "To be truthful, it is unusual that it has taken this long for Ren to mate."

"What do you mean?" he asked, preferring this type of conversation over her asking him direct questions about what he had done with Ren.

"All DearS are specialized to some degree, even though it is encouraged that we excel in multiple abilities, and some such specialization is more obvious than others. Xaki, for instance, possesses far more combat skills than household ones. Nia's type caters specifically to certain, one might call… eccentric… fetishes. Miu exemplifies an ideal DearS archetype, capable of doing well in most any task given to her, yet even she clearly is most talented when it comes to domestic household skills. It can't be helped I suppose, as even without any real desire to make many of our own choices we DearS have still retained individuality, and all the things that entails."

"Look, that's all fascinating but I thought we were talking about Ren?" Takeya briefly reflected on the irony of the once silent Io talking too much and going off on a tangent. He also had a good idea where this was headed and wanted to get it over with.

"Well yes, my point is that as the Gate Ren is made to excel most in activities related to procreation." Takeya rolled his eyes in response to Io proving his prediction on the conversation right. "In order to best ensure that she gains sperm donors the Gate is formed to be as sexually attractive in every way as possible, even beyond that of other DearS, and to possess superior programming in seduction techniques as well as heightened empathic abilities for both sensing and causing sexual desire. Surely you've noticed her breasts are proportionally larger than most other DearS? Symbolic it might be said, of her capacity to breed, even though we have long evolved past using them to feed infants as your kind does. You may also have noticed her empathic abilities picked up on sexual desire from you more easily and quickly than they did other feelings."

Takeya could admit that much was true. Early on Ren rarely seemed to sense anything from him except for when his sexual desires got out of hand. It was only later that she learned to discern hurt feelings, nervousness, confusion and other such emotional states with real accuracy.

Io continued, "I suspect it was some combination of your resistance to the idea and the temporary mental and behavioral impairments caused by her unorthodox awakening that delayed your consummation this long. Still, it was so odd that I took the liberty of asking your parents for access to your medical records."

"You what?!"

"I was merely concerned that you may have been impotent," was Io's reaction to his outburst. "If that were the case there were treatments we possess that would have cured the condition."

"I have no condition!" Takeya ranted dramatically. "Why is it so strange that I didn't want to just jump in the sack with an girl I barely knew who wasn't even the same species as me?!"

"It is true, to some extent," Io acknowledged, "that such intimacy is not rushed into among elder members of your race. The unusual conditions of your meeting play a part as well. Regardless it is more typical of males your age to rush to something they desire and think of the consequences later, if ever. Many in your place would have bedded Ren as soon as she offered and with only her inborn instincts and knowledge to guide her she would have gladly given herself and done whatever they wanted. Faced with someone so desirable ready to throw herself at you, I'm sure even your thoughts were not initially concerned much over whether she loved you or not. This is nothing to be ashamed of. As I said, the Gate's primary function is to entice males to inseminate her."

"How can you say things like that so casually?!" Takeya didn't know how many more of these conversations his heart could take. He may have been intimate with Ren but that hardly meant he was comfortable with the subject of sex around others. Heck he still blushed talking about it with Ren.

Io shrugged. "It is part of what we are, a parasitic race that is also somewhat symbiotic. We live to be as pleasing toward the host as possible, and this principle extends to all facets of our lives, including reproduction and sexual behavior. It is not as strange as you make it seem, humans can behave in similar ways when attempting to fit into a group they desire to belong with, doing whatever they can to please the others. The difference is, once we have gained host, we DearS require true affection from them in order to thrive."

"On that note I suppose it is for the best that it took you two so long to get to this point, it allowed time for both your emotions to mature and grow. In the process Ren became something much more than a slave or even our Gate, rather she became the catalyst for a transformation in the DearS race. Whatever force guides the revelatory bonding we call a Gift, it seems it is never off in the choice."

"On that we definitely agree," Takeya remarked, unable to stifle a bit of anger at the thought of anyone using Ren the way Io described earlier.

"Oh, and by the way. There was something I neglected to mention yesterday that you should watch for in the coming days." She brought out a small scanning device and checked the readings she had apparently been gathering during their talk. "This confirms it," she noted and put the device back, attaching it to her side through some type of magnetic mechanism. "That is, there will be side effects to having consummated with Ren."

Takeya turned to her, apprehension gripping him. "S-side effects?! Why the hell did you wait until now to tell me?!"

"I forgot," Io stated with her usual aloofness. It was the truth, Io wasn't immune to rare lapses in memory. "Now, as I was saying, as the Gate, Ren has a subconscious psychic link with all living DearS, a psychic link that can alter our very genetic structure. It is this link that enabled the rapid changes within our bodies that have lengthened our life spans and perhaps made us fertile, as well as opened our minds to a greater understanding of emotions. As part of a Gift, Ren also has a link with you, as exemplified by your ability to sense each other. Thus It stands to reason with the many physical deficiencies humans suffer from, it would be judged fitting by her subconscious to alter your body as well now that you have confirmed for her that you will be her mate."

"Alter?!" Takeya cringed, unable to suppress the image of himself horribly mutating into some kind of tentacle-armed monster.

"If legends concerning Gifts are to be believed, and your example has proven them all true so far, they would be minor changes as far as your appearance and behavior go, and pleasing ones as well. Over the course of eons most civilized races in outer space have developed and incorporated into their bodies genetic alterations that remove imperfections in the DNA that cause a number of negative effects. The DearS have as well, for though we have had a relatively short life span until recently, we are still immune to most of the negative effects of aging. Cancers and most other such illnesses are also not a problem for our kind. For you to be an effective mate it would be best if you shared these attributes and I am quite certain you will.

"So… you're saying I won't get bald or all wrinkled when I get older?

"Yes, and you will likely live slightly longer as well, though in the end even with such modifications the body does eventually shut down and die. As for wrinkles, those are mostly the result of one's skin not being able to repair damage from solar rays as efficiently as one ages. Revitalizing skin cells is a simple matter for most alien races' technology, including ours. You will simply get the effect automatically due to the Gift."

"Still, people back on Earth are going to want the key to that and fast, it just might be a solution to all the negative attention the DearS have gotten," Takeya realized, pleased at the idea.

Io nodded. "I have considered it. Perhaps a trade would be in order, technology in exchange for Earth's vast supplies of energy and material. It is becoming increasingly apparent to me that our current resources are too limited for my taste," she frowned in distaste.

She continued on. "As for any additional changes, the Gate requires a good deal of mating for an adequate number of eggs to be laid, as well as to maintain her best health and the health of the offspring. The more inseminations the more her body has to work with. So do not be alarmed if you experience an increase in your sexual desire for Ren, as well as your physical ability to perform intercourse repeatedly."

Increase?! Takeya's mind reeled yet again. As if his natural hormones weren't enough he was going to have to deal with even stronger urges? He had to admit he had already displayed more endurance than he honestly thought he had possessed but even so…

"As I said, do not worry. It is not as though such desires will be uncontrollable. As Ren continues to mature you will simply be able to keep up with her. It is said that if a DearS who shares a Gift with their master is cherished by their partner then their body may compel such changes to occur in them for the sake of increased pleasure. This would be even more true for a Gate due to her need to breed. You will be more easily effected by her pheromones and feel less inhibited toward her in general. Essentially you'll be better able to express the desire you already have for her and make it last. The increase will not act on what is not already there."

"And in case you're wondering why we did not use genetic manipulation technology to save ourselves from our deficiencies as slaves during our population crisis, it was because such efforts are futile. No science can alter our life spans and reproductive abilities, as the only complete and active genes that control such things are in The Gate and only she can activate them or alter them and only if given the proper stimulus. It is only in our dealings with humans that we have come to understand how the required stimulus was a Gate who possessed a Gift, a loving bond with a master, and the desire to change to help them both find happiness."

She then hesitated, unaccustomed to the feelings she was about to express. "I'll leave you to yourself now, but first there is one last thing I wanted to tell you."

Takeya stared back at her, confused by how different Io now sounded. The confidence was gone from her voice, and she sounded more like the frail, timid girl she at first glance appeared to be.

"As I said to you once before, saving the DearS is a powerful feeling. However, I never did truly thank you. I was still too conflicted in my own feelings. I remedy that now and thank you sincerely on behalf of myself and all DearS. You and Ren helped keep me from committing an unjust and terrible genocide upon your race." She lowered her eyes, appearing shamed. "I was… disillusioned by my own perceptions, even after all the time I spent with you and your friends. I may not act like it, but I am still fairly new to the world. There are many things I have yet to understand. It seems being programmed with vast knowledge does not equate to the ability to use it correctly."

Takeya now smiled and Io seemed to relax. "Don't worry too much about it, I think we all will always have a lot to learn from each other. That's one reason I volunteered to come with you after all. I intend to find my path while you and the other DearS search for yours. Being Ren's partner is obviously part of that path, but I think there's other stuff waiting for me and everyone else that I can't even imagine right now."

Io nodded, now smiling slightly as well. "Wisdom may always take time, but truly, you are far wiser than you first appear, Takeya. If Ren had not taken you I might consider you eligible as a master for any of the DearS on this ship, even myself. After all, as I recall from before my metamorphosis, you do taste quite good."

Takeya knew she meant it purely as a compliment, but was unnerved all the same at the thought. "Yeah, thanks," he remarked, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

Ren had never felt quite so giddy in her life. Happiness was bubbling up inside her to such a degree that she occasionally had to let out a random giggle before she burst. It was all she could do to keep from swooning as she meandered down the hall in a pleasant daze to the dining area to visit other DearS, a slight blush on her face as she relived the previous night and that morning's events. Vestiges of the pleasure radiated through her body even now.

This feeling of completeness, of acceptance, warmth and security… It was so wonderful! She just wanted to scream out about it all, to tell the whole cosmos how much she loved Takeya! She felt like she was floating on air! Wait, she was floating, she at last realized as she bumped her head on the hall ceiling. She then had to force herself to calm down enough to deactivate her anti-gravity ability.

In her current exuberant state Ren could be forgiven for a greater-than-usual lack of tact. And so it was that she grabbed the first DearS she came across, a random green-haired girl whose name she didn't even know, and began a one-sided discussion on the wonders of a sexual relationship.

"Did you know? Did you?" she asked without giving time for an answer. "Ren and Takeya made love last night! And this morning too! And in the shower too! And Takeya was so wonderful, Ren has never felt such pleasure! Ren was able to touch Takeya in the ways she has always wanted to, and Takeya touched Ren in ways that made Ren move without thinking, and he tasted so good, and smelled so good! Making love is better even than eating melon bread! You really must try it! But not with Ren!" In a flash she had turned angry and surprisingly intimidating. "No! Ren is only for Takeya and Takeya is only for Ren! You will make Ren very angry if you try anything with Takeya, understand?"

The other DearS nodded, confused and a bit frightened. Her sudden bout of jealousy forgotten, Ren continued excitedly. "Good! Now Ren must go and talk to Miu! Ren will make everything better! Ren is sure Miu will find love! All DearS will find love and love will SAVE THE UNIVERSE!"

With that Ren let out a happy squeal and ran ahead, leaving the dazed girl behind. Meanwhile, another DearS, a slightly-built, purple-haired boy, had overheard much of Ren's exuberant oration. He walked up behind the still stunned female and cocked his head in confusion. "I do not believe that is a normal reaction to satisfying one's master is it?"

The girl shook her head to clear it, her mind swimming with the emotions Ren had assailed her senses with. "She is the Gate. Perhaps this was caused by pregnancy-induced hormones?" she ventured.

It took a while but Ren finally located Miu inside a hanging room, where the pink-haired DearS was unsuccessfully trying to shut her thoughts down. By this point Ren had actually calmed down enough to think about what she was doing and so instead of racing up to her she examined Miu for a short while, trying to sense her current mood.

However, it was Miu who ended up starting the first address, looking up and giving Ren a tired smile. "Ren-san, good day to you. I hope all is going well." Miu was trying very hard not to lose her prim and proper attitude in public, but her words still ended up a bit forced.

"Ren is doing very well, extremely well!" Ren replied with a cheerful smile, growing excited again for a moment. Forcing her emotions back she gave her fellow DearS a serious and pleading look. "Can Miu talk now about yesterday??

"Oh, you remembered?" Miu remarked, a bit surprised. "Alright, but let's go somewhere less crowded."

Ren looked about, there were only a few other DearS in the room. But clearly Miu didn't want anyone to overhear so she'd go along with it. Thus they headed out into the corridors of the ship.

For a bit they walked in silence, trying to gauge each other's mood. Miu honestly tried to be angry or hurt, but she couldn't be. Not in the presence of the happiness Ren was beaming out. It was obvious she and Takeya had been intimate, the feelings Ren was emitting could only come from a DearS who had been so totally accepted and cherished by her master, could only come from someone who had so shared their love with each other. A part of her wanted to fume over that, how Ren had forever taken away something she had hoped to have. Yet her feelings from yesterday had not changed, she truly was happy for the two of them. She just wished she knew how long the hole in her heart would hurt before she found someone able to fill it. Perhaps she first needed to learn more about herself and grow as a person, to have patience. Still, she reasoned she could at least give some closure to her and Ren's rivalry.

She had tried so hard to be a great DearS and had often loudly proclaimed her superiority to the "defective model" that was Ren. Yet in the end Ren had exceeded her in so many ways and proved more than worthy of her blessings. Miu's pride demanded that she acknowledge this directly. "You win Ren-san, you're the Gate, you and Takeya-sama are a Gift… I could never compete with that. I just want you to know I accept that now."

Ren looked to her with a curious expression. "But why must Ren and Miu compete?" She smiled. "Takeya says that we all have our own paths, even when we walk side by side with someone. So Ren knows that we each must open the door to our futures ourselves. The real one Miu must compete with is Miu."

Miu was quite shocked at Ren's application of this lesson learned on Earth to her own life. More so when Ren put a hand on her shoulder and fixed her with a serious gaze. "Miu has to know herself. Ren knows Miu is strong, and smart, and so much more. Miu has to believe in this. Miu has to believe she will be happy and she will be. Ren will help too!"

Miu felt many things in response to Ren's words, but most of all she felt strangely encouraged. "You really think, that I'll be able to have what you and Takeya-sama have, Ren-san?" she asked in a hopeful tone.

"Of course!" Ren replied fervently. "If Ren can find love then anyone can. Miu just has to keep looking."

She's not just saying these things… Ren really does believe in me… and somehow… somehow that makes me want to believe too… Her eyes watered a bit. "Yes!" Miu cried, raising her fists with a hopeful smile, her eyes shining, her usual inner-fire restored. "Somewhere out there in the cosmos there is a man for me to love! A man who I can devote myself to completely in every way, who will have need of me and appreciate me! One who can quench my burning desire to serve! I hereby swear to never give up until he is found!"

Ren raised her own fist excitedly, "And Ren swears to help in any way she can!"

Miu suddenly felt downcast again as random doubts assailed her. "But what if… what if I'm not pretty enough for him? What if he wants to just be friends like Takeya-sama?"

"If it is true love then he will accept Miu eventually. And Ren thinks Miu is very beautiful, even if her breasts are small," Ren remarked matter-of-factly, then in a impulsive move that would make Neneko proud began to examine one of them.

"They are NOT SMALL!" Miu roared back, her face flushed and hands to her chest. She pointed an accusing finger at Ren's impressive assets. "Yours are just freakishly large!"

Ren pouted, "Freakishly?"

"Anyway," Miu remarked as she tried to smooth out the massive locks of her hair, which had somehow been frazzled by her outburst, "you are right Ren-san. I am certain that with my good looks, great mind, charming personality and humble attitude, my true love won't be able to help but see me. I will find my path just as you have, I won't lose hope. After all, my pride is still at stake," she ended with a warm smile.

Ren was quite encouraged by the new upswing in Miu's attitude, various ideas now forming in her mind and leaving her mouth before she could think of stopping them. "Then Ren can give you firsthand knowledge about wonderful aspects of satisfying! Did Miu know how amazingly good it feels to have your breasts massaged by a lover, did she? Or how much a man likes it when you-"

Miu turned beet-red. "Ren-san!"

After all this the day passed in a quite uneventful manner. Despite the huge changes in Takeya and Ren's relationship, it would have little effect on life on the ship until Ren started to lay eggs, something Io assured would take a few days to happen once she was pregnant and would be quite painless for Ren. There was no guarantee she was already pregnant either, as Io claimed once the process was kick-started by the stimulation of mating it could take a bit for Ren's body to make the inner adjustments needed to make eggs. Then she would need to be successfully fertilized, something that was about as likely to fail as it was in any normal human.

So it was that routines continued as normal. China was schooled in the ways of the DearS, Miu the ever-vigilant tutor for her and other Zero Numbers. Nia trained with various other Biters, napped, and otherwise wandered the ship in an effort to satisfy her boundless curiosity. Ren wowed her fellow DearS with her ability to cook food to their tastes to such a degree that Miu had once referred to it as the "flavor of the cosmos!" She also educated them on the concepts of thinking for themselves and correctly perceiving emotions, though now focusing a great deal on love. Io maintained a near constant watch over the ship's course, searching for planets with appropriate host species. Rumors circulated that she could sleep standing up and with her eyes open. Io herself neither confirmed nor denied them.

Meanwhile Takeya passed time stargazing, reading up on various potential careers and otherwise relaxing, as well as helping the DearS with the accuracy of their knowledge on human behaviors and customs. His critiquing of the sometimes hilariously wrong interpretations they had would inevitably lead to a lot of confused expressions, frustrated groans and shared laughter. Takeya always left such meetings feeling oddly satisfied with his efforts and amused with the process.

That evening Ren greeted him at their door with a hug and a kiss, which he returned just as sincerely though without Ren's hyper enthusiasm. He was still Takeya after all, and Ren wouldn't have it any other way. He no longer pulled away, mentally or physically when she touched him, indeed he touched back, and that was all Ren had dreamt of and wanted.

Things settled down to a quiet dinner between the two and various discussions about the day and muses about the current activities of their friends back on Earth. Her apron in place, Ren collected the dishes, her DearS pride demanded it, giving Takeya an affectionate kiss on the cheek as she did so and considering herself very much the image of a dutiful housewife. If dutiful housewives wore skimpy elastic suits and had blue hair. Takeya only smiled, simply happy that she was happy, he and her perfectly content in the moment. Indeed, Takeya couldn't recall a time in recent memory when he had felt more content and at ease than he did now. After all his stubborn refusals he had at last fully embraced his path with Ren. The emotional benefit he might get completing his career search seemed to pale in comparison. He at last had a better understanding of who he was, and to top it off was pleased with the answers he'd found, even with the troubles that came along. With Ren he found the security and confidence that had so long eluded him, and had given Ren much the same without even realizing it.

Everything was fine between them. Better than fine it was great in fact. There was no new awkwardness, indeed the tension that had built up during their stay here was finally gone and he found himself appreciating Ren in new ways, no longer shoving aside certain more risqué thoughts as he considered her. Every now and then she would glance back to see him admiring her and give what he considered the cutest shy smile and blush before turning back to her work. That led to the little things he thought about now that seemed to matter more than before. There was the adorable way she would cock her head from side to side when she was confused, how cute she looked waking up, sometimes pawing her eyes like a cat, the enthusiasm and joy she expressed for even the most simple gift, or how she could light up a room and make him blush with the smallest of smiles. Even the strange sounds her stomach made when she was hungry seemed endearing now.

Not that Ren was now incapable of annoying him, he just felt overall more comfortable with her quirks. He let out a pleased sigh and leaned back in his chair. He wouldn't call their relationship an ideal blueprint for others to follow, but it was clear they had weathered the recent milestones and come out stronger. He had no trouble thinking of the two of them as a real and official couple now. However strange a couple they might still be, however much standard terms might still not apply to them, it just didn't matter anymore.

Which meant they could begin a new routine, one free of the stress and awkwardness of before, and one that came so naturally that neither Takeya nor Ren had to think much about it. And so after getting cleaned up Takeya slipped into bed, putting an end to his former habit of a cold shower and staying up until he was dead tired. He lay down, this time, for the first time, willfully taking Ren's body in his arms as she climbed in with him. She let out a pleased murmur and laid her face against his neck, giving him a tickling sniff and nuzzle, her hair forming a fragrant pillow for his chin, her hands grasping him close to her as comfort allowed. She whispered a loving goodnight and he returned it.

Takeya considered it strange to think about. For so long he had feared the unknowns of this kind of intimacy with Ren. Not much more than a mere day ago he couldn't have imagined things being this way, and yet here he was nonetheless. He was surprised at how right it all felt. Their bodies warmed each other perfectly, it was amazingly pleasant, and both felt as though they could stay like this forever. Indeed, perhaps it felt too right, as sleep eluded them, neither wanting to give up the conscious enjoyment of each other's body. Inevitably this led to Ren sensing the telltale sparks of desire emerging between them. She took in his wonderful scent and nuzzled him more strongly, soon moving to lightly sucking and nibbling at his neck. Takeya couldn't have suppressed the moan that followed if he had wanted to.

"Takeya…" she whispered in his ear in a tone that caused his breath to quicken, the husky edge to her voice sending his blood racing.

"… yeah, Ren?"

"We don't have to go to sleep right away do we?" She had started to nibble again before her words had even completed.

Linked at they were, no further words were needed and they began to softly kiss at a slow and steady pace, though there was still a lot of tongue and "juice mixing" as Ren would put it. Between them Ren could sense none of the anxiety, fear or despair of before. There was only affection, a sense of no need to hurry things, a contentment in the slow escalation of their passions that somehow acted in harmony with their burgeoning lust as each sought to bring the other to perfect ecstasy yet again.

I guess Io was right, Takeya thought to himself, starting to massage her breasts again with one hand and caressing her face with the other, Ren practically purring, sending a pleasant vibration into his mouth in mid-kiss, everything feels so natural with Ren, and somehow it just keeps getting better… I wonder if I'm addicted now… no… I feel the same as before when it comes to other women, but with Ren everything is different. If I'm addicted to anything its her. Ren, the weirdest, most troublesome, most wonderful girl I've ever known.

Falling deeper into a spell of passion that would ensure they slept well later in the night, Takeya concluded that being addicted to Ren was far from a bad thing and as long as she was there he didn't really care what changed inside him or what the future held. He could definitely get used to this, if he wasn't already.

After all, if Ren had taught him anything since they met it was that change could be good.

So very good.

Hold your hand

(Pay attention to me)

Touch and feel

(Fawn on me)

Gnaw and taste

(Stare in me)

Through the night

(Kiss me)

Notes:

The song at the end is from the opening of the DearS anime and really sums up this story just about perfectly I think. The stuff about Ren changing Takeya's body is made up by me, but seems possible and makes sense since she and Takeya share a connection due to the Gift.

The two random DearS are just that, random DearS that will hold no importance as characters in any future stories that may or may not be written. I just needed someone for Ren to express her excitement to.

For my final thoughts I'll note that what I love about DearS is that it's more than just some ecchi series (if it can even really qualify as ecchi). It has real heart in it and characters you can really like and admire. I hope my story was able to convey some of that and do DearS justice. As wonderful an ending as the manga had I still felt it was incomplete without resolving the sexual tension between Takeya and Ren that filled the series. Admitting he loved her wasn't quite enough for me when we never even got to see a real reciprocal kiss. Thus this story was born.

Below this you'll find excerpts from various scenes I've written for potential future stories of DearS that continue their adventures once they return to Earth. I don't know or when if I'll be inspired enough to make them into complete stories, so by putting them here people will at least be able to read what I have written for them. Should someone want to use any of my story ideas, feel free to. It would be appreciated if you credited me though.

Excerpt 1: Summary of the DearS and their history

Takeya found himself taking a moment to appraise how unlikely he would have considered his current situation not so long ago. For some time after their arrival on Earth he had been suspicious of the alien beings that had become called DearS by their supporters. He was confidant that there was no way such beings could be as perfect and well-intentioned as the DearS were made out to be and made it no secret to his peers that he cared little for them.

Ironically his suspicions had turned out to be partially right. For while the DearS may have been ideal physically their personalities could be every bit as flawed as a humans. At the same time they were very different from most humans in their thought processes.

In fact it turned out the DearS who came to Earth were the last survivors of an alien race that had evolved to be the ideal servants of others, a true slave race. Every fiber of their being seemed dedicated toward serving the wishes of others, to the extent that making their own decisions was a rather foreign concept to most of them. Yet, conversely they used their 'masters' just as much. The dark side of the DearS was that they were in fact in some ways more like parasites than slaves. They depended upon a host species to thrive and adopted the role of slave in order to gain such hosts. Usually the relationship was quite symbiotic, but only to a point, after which they could become quite detrimental to the host to say the least. Not that the DearS came to their hosts with malicious intent, their parasitic side was simply a survival mechanism geared for their race's own self preservation.

For should the host species at some point prove to not be compatible with the DearS, the psychic effects on the very empathic species would become deadly. To deal with this there existed a Watcher for every generation of DearS. The Watcher's task was normally like that of a leader for the DearS, but beyond that carried the responsibility of a terrible weapon, a genetic bomb that could be used to destroy a host race. This was possible because while the DearS did need hosts to thrive, they could live without them for some time should the hosts become a threat.

The inhabitants of Earth ended up learning of this DearS last resort first hand and almost experienced it. Due to great controversy and repressed fears, human hatred for DearS had at one point reached a very high level, high enough to threaten the remaining DearS' lives. The newest Watcher, Io, had nearly used the genetic bomb with the intention of wiping out humanity while preserving all other life forms on the planet. It was only the last minute influence of Takeya and Ren's confessions of love for each other, and the coinciding compassion of those who had come to know individual DearS as friends and loved ones, that had turned the tide enough for Io to reconsider.

In the end Io decided not to destroy the humans, but also refused to accept them as a host species. A compromise was made between her and the former Watcher Fina, wherein all DearS who wished to remain on Earth could. Many had, some having found masters, others having discovered how bonds of love and friendship could serve their needs for serving almost as well as having a true master. Io and a number of other DearS, however, chose to search space for other hosts. Takeya had decided to come along, as he had not yet decided just what to do with his life, vowing to return home when he became a better man than his father.

Such a compromise was only possible because of one particular DearS who had been given the name Ren. She was the DearS Gate, and as such the only individual among them with the ability to reproduce. She also possessed a strong empathic connection that gave her a certain degree of influence over the entire DearS race on both a mental and physical level. This influence had activated due to the changes Ren had undergone as she learned about love and life and it had started things that had yet to be fully understood. Normally a new Watcher replaces the old one due to her death, as DearS had fairly short life spans. Yet Ren's experiences had altered this. DearS life spans were somehow extended, their life forces strengthened. DearS in general were also becoming more capable of understanding lives outside of being slaves, though serving remained their primary concern.

Excerpt 2: On Ren and Takeya's relationship

He was quite sure having Ren as a lover wasn't exactly typical for the same relationship with another human, not that Takeya had expected it to be. To put it mildly Ren was extremely affectionate, tending to touch him whenever they were within arms length of each other and especially desiring skin contact whenever possible. It had taken some getting used to in more ways than one as feeling her responses to the contact through their empathic link was a bit overwhelming at first. It was hard to believe she felt that much pleasure even from such light contact. Not that he wasn't himself quite addicted to her touch now. Sex, once such a mystery to him personally, was now a nearly daily occurrence due to Ren's (to put it bluntly) raging libido and her link to him enabling Takeya's body to handle it. It had never become dull either, with Ren every time seemed so unique and wondrous with a quality that just couldn't be fully described.

Of course, their relationship consisted of more than erotic bliss. He was happy to say they had actually had a real fight a few weeks earlier (real as in a fight where both he and Ren got angry at the other). Admittedly it was over something silly, namely he contesting her claim melon bread was without a doubt the best food in the known universe. Normally he wouldn't have cared a bit abut her saying this but in this case she was trying to get him to have it as a meal for the fifth day in a row and he had simply snapped at her.

In addition, his disagreeing had not been what upset her but rather his statement that her view was stupid and bringing in Io and Miu to support his argument. Ren had viewed this as a low blow by ganging up on her and a way of saying Takeya thought she was truly stupid. This was far from the truth but in their angered states her judgement was clouded and their empathic link weakened to where Ren could not discern Takeya's true feelings. Takeya on the other hand had been so angered by Ren "overreacting" that his end of the link had also been muffled. They had refused to speak to each other for several hours but the fight had quickly ended once they had both cooled down a bit and sought each other out. They crossed paths in a hallway, felt a bit of each other's inner turmoil, and promptly began to profusely apologize to each other before running off to engage in some rather eager makeup sex. It may not have been much of a fight but he still took it as a sign that their relationship was as normal and healthy as a relationship between a human and alien breeder could be.

It wasn't as though Ren or he were freakishly addicted to sex, they just enjoyed it very much, although Takeya was still usually highly flustered at talking about it, especially in public. Ren just had a very healthy sexual appetite befitting an alien born to reproduce and Takeya, in addition to being a hormonal adolescent, had assimilated some aspects of Ren's nature when he took the role of being her partner.

They enjoyed many other activities too. Talking with her could always lift his spirits, even if she was the one being comforted, especially since she now knew enough about most things to hold an intelligent conversation. At the same time her classic patented Ren-logic often showed through, though Takeya found it these days to usually be more endearing than annoying, and in fact often quite deep if one thought about it long enough. The world would truly be a better place if hurt feelings or sore tempers could always be solved with a hug, a kiss or a batch of melon bread.

Increasingly his thoughts turned to adapting back to a semi-normal life on Earth with Ren in a new apartment. Though calling it an apartment seemed a bit of an understatement as their new place was to be far larger and nicer than a typical apartment. Io had maintained that the DearS's Gate and her Mate deserved at least decent housing and that she would provide the funds for it using money available through the various ties the DearS had with the government of Japan. Takeya had eventually agreed, with the condition that he pay for the place as soon as he got a job with enough pay to do so, and that Io agree to never refer to him and Ren as Gate and Mate in public. He had also wisely made sure terms like "consort, bedmate," and especially "sperm donor," were also off limits. Indeed, he thought it best not to advertise the romantic nature of their relationship yet. Living with her would get the DearS enough bad press as it was. It wasn't like he didn't want people to know he and Ren were a couple, but he was afraid of the possible consequences for Ren and the other DearS if the nature of their relationship became widely known. But that partly depended on how much views on Earth had changed in their time away. The idea of marrying Ren had even crossed his mind, but he knew that such a thing could enrage some people as well. Of course there was some basis for this view. They were technically different species. On the other hand it was part of the DearS life cycle to use other species for reproduction, so from that angle such a union couldn't be regarded as unnatural.

When it came to keeping such matters under wraps it wasn't the other DearS that were a main concern as much as Ren herself was. He knew he needed to have a talk with her about how some of her behavior around him would not be acceptable in public. This had been an issue many times in their first year together, Ren impulsively doing things or saying things that he found highly embarrassing. He knew now that she would certainly understand the reasons for why she had to restrain herself, but he still feared telling her, afraid of hurting her feelings. For Takeya, restraint in personal matters except when in private had always been what he was most comfortable with in most everything, so he knew he could handle largely keeping his hands off Ren in public without too much difficulty.

However, he also knew that for Ren one of her greatest joys was being able to finally express her affection for him freely, though she had developed enough of a sense of shame to not want to do anything more intimate than kiss in public. Albeit such kisses were usually far more than simple pecks on the cheek, and though she knew this could embarrass Takeya, it was still hard for her mind to comprehend how displaying the sacred bond they shared could ever be inappropriate. For Ren, a kiss on the lips was more than just a pleasurable experience, but also an affirmation to others that she saw Takeya as the sole person in the universe with a sovereign right to that kiss. She had given him the sacred kiss when they had first bonded as servant and master and every one after was a reminder of the divine inspiration she felt compelled her to select him on that day seemingly so long ago. It had been a sensation of need for him that she still could not fully comprehend and could never be overly sated.

On the ship such displays weren't really an issue. Most of the DearS completely ignored Ren's greetings and affectionate displays and Takeya could quickly take them somewhere private if either wanted to do more. On that note he was glad the novelty of their relationship had rapidly waned for China and Nia, they no longer accosted him or Ren asking for details as to their intimate encounters. He was also happy to say Ren did restrain herself if Miu was around, in consideration for whatever lingering feelings she might have for him.

On Earth on the other hand, he knew he would never hear the end of it if his friends ever saw Ren bound up to him for a very deep kiss and period of fondling. Add to that the attention such behavior might get from strangers and the media and some real problems could arise. It was going to be hard enough to endure Oihiko's inevitable interrogations once he learned that he and Ren were officially together (a subject Takeya had avoided with him before leaving Earth), especially since he could no longer truly deny that he knew what "it" was like with Ren. He actually was hoping one of the DearS or any girl for that matter would take an interest in the guy so that his porn-addicted friend would stop trying to vicariously live a fantasy life through him.

His thoughts might have meandered longer, had a pair of slim arms not wrapped around him from behind as he lay in bed. He smiled at Ren's familiar warm presence and began to grow excited at the equally familiar feel of her lust saturating the air. She began to kiss, suck and nibble at his neck. She was hungry it seemed. Even a good night of lovemaking wasn't always enough to completely sate her.

"I want you to touch me Takeya… touch Ren… please."

Takeya wasn't sure what exactly caused Ren to use first-person speech on occasion, but it always got his attention. Not that Ren's request would not have otherwise. It was as logical as it was fun that one of Ren's most distinctive attributes had proven to be so receptive to pleasure, from him at least. He loved being able to make her climax this way, watching in pride at how he could pleasure her. Not to mention such "priming" tended to result in Ren becoming extremely amorous to a degree that insured a great time for both would follow.

Ren had been uncovered from the start due to the night's activities and was so eager she practically pulled Takeya's hands to her chest as the two adjusted themselves on the bed until he was straddled over her, sitting on his knees, each hand doing its best to cup her breasts. Her breath already quickening in anticipation, he bent forward to add his mouth and things progressed from there, Ren cooing, moaning and crying out more and more until she came.

Excerpt 3: Nia and Xaki reunite

"Nia…" he acknowledged plainly.

"Teacher," the catlike DearS replied, looking abnormally serious.

Silence followed as the two stared each other down. Then, with movements too fast for the untrained eye to follow, each launched themselves at the other and started a fierce sparring session. Nia attacked with inhuman agility, spinning and flipping in every imaginable direction and loosing a flurry of seemingly random punches and kicks. Xaki responded with a fluid and relaxed style, not wasting a bit of energy as he turned Nia's strikes aside with well-timed blocks then just as smoothly retaliated with a powerful kick or punch of his own. In turn Nia used her greater flexibility and smaller size to dodge around his moves.

This went on for over a minute as the others watched in stunned fascination. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, it was over. The two again stood apart, staring each other down. Nia nursed a sore stomach where she had been kicked quite hard, while Xaki's right cheek was rapidly developing a bruise.

Then, in an unusual display of emotion, Xaki smiled slightly. "You've improved a great deal Nia. Never before have you been able to land such a clean hit on me."

"Nia had to be able to protect everyone-nii," Nia replied as she smirked back. "Nia had to become a Biter who could equal her teacher-nii."

Excerpt 4: A new pairing

"W-w-ait…" He slowly looked from Hiro to Neneko and back again. Then he did it a third time for good measure before he was able to form a coherent response. "Y-you, and Neneko?"

"Freaky isn't it?" Neneko remarked casually adjusting her glasses on the bridge of her nose. Hiro seemed content to let Neneko take the initiative in explaining and merely smiled suavely with his eyes shut but keeping his hand on hers. "After Xaki made him his master I was about the only girl who would come near him anymore. He was pretty desperate for female attention at the time. It was so pathetic it was funny so I took pity on him." She smirked as Hiro coughed uncomfortably and blushed a bit.

"We started spending time together, got to know each other and things just sort of," now Neneko blushed "happened."

While Takeya gaped in shock Ren beamed, simply ecstatic to see two of her friends had found happiness like what she had with Takeya. "This is wonderful, congratulations to you both!"

Excerpt 5: Hiro and Takeya talk

"Despite my initial feelings, much like you it seems having a DearS choose me as a master has ended up being the best thing to ever happen to me. If it weren't for Ren refusing me and Xaki chasing away everyone else, I may have been forever blinded to the treasure that was before me all this time."

"Neneko-chan isn't at all like any other girl I've known, and as you know I've known a lot. Of course, I always knew she was special. The fact she is about the only human girl from our school who never swooned over me caught my attention even back when I was chasing Ren. She may not have the curves of some girls but I find her spunk incredibly alluring. She is extremely cute as well. She is a conquest like no other…" he trailed off wishfully.

Takeya didn't like the sound of that. "And just what have you been doing to 'conquer' her?" he asked, a threatening edge to his voice.

Hiro caught the anger in his tone but didn't seem too concerned with it. "Don't misunderstand me Ikuhara. I have not conquered Neneko, and I doubt I ever truly will. She makes me work for every kiss and never falls for even my most subtle charms. That's what makes her so interesting. I find myself admiring that strength."

"Even so, if you do ever hurt her I want you to know there won't be a place far enough for you to ever get away from me."

Suddenly Xaki was between them. "While I appreciate your concern for your friend, I assure you Hiro has no ill intentions for her. I also must inform you that if you did attempt to harm him I would be obligated to enforce consequences."

Just as suddenly Ren now stood between Xaki and Taki. "And I must inform you that there will by equally severe consequences should any harm come to Takeya." She wore a smile but her tone and eyes were deadly serious.

Xaki suppressed a gasp of surprise, she is still faster than me! He honestly had never really gotten over that blow to his ego.

Neneko got between the four and held up her hands. "Okay, okay, let's all calm down."

Excerpt 6: A romantic and steamy vacation

His eyes widened as he realized too late just what a dangerous weapon that yellow bikini could be. Though then again, the sight that greeted him would have been hard to resist ogling regardless.

She seemed to rise from the pool in slow motion, water cascading off her back and flowing along her curves, her soaked hair seeming to wrap about her for a moment like a series of ribbons. The water seemed to make everything about her more apparent, from her alien red eyes to her seemingly endless legs.

Ren of course was acutely aware of what Takeya was feeling, indeed she had been eagerly waiting for a strong response from him ever since he had seen the suit. He had kept himself in check somehow but now she knew she had him.

She sat down next to him, leaning back and stretching her body out in a slow sensuous manner, then looking at him with an expression of such false innocence that even without their link he'd have no doubt she knew exactly what she was doing to him. "Shall we return to our room… Takeya?"

But we just got here! One side of Takeya's mind argued, and was promptly deafened by the crowd of raging hormones he had now screaming inside him. He was certain he saw some of them holding up cardboard signs proclaiming 'GO FOR IT!' 'JUMP HER BONES!' 'RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!' and various other things perhaps not fit to print.

"R-Ren," he sputtered, trying and failing to look away from her as her finger trailed down his chest, "you're r-really not playing f-fair." He dimly recalled how it had been much easier to resist her back before he experienced just what she was capable of when it came to… intimate activities.

She cocked her head cutely, then betrayed the barest hint of a smirk on her lips, "That is not an answer. Takeya…" she continued to stroke a finger along his chest, making him shiver from the tingling sensation that reverberated through him in response, "you want to come with me, don't you?"

It surprised him just how very sly and teasing she had learned to be in her flirting when she wanted to be. In the end all he could do was nod dumbly. After all, he reasoned, this trip was about having fun and spending time together, not necessarily swimming. And so the two left for their room as quickly and discreetly as they could, the male population of the pool heaving sighs of despair at the goddess's departure and whispered words of envy toward her lucky consort.

As he watched her walk confidently ahead, her amazing hips swaying hypnotically for him, he was reminded all the more strongly of how Ren had changed in recent months. With the frustration and anxiety of having never 'satisfied' him no longer an issue, Ren had rapidly eased into enjoying just how hot and bothered she was able to make Takeya. It had become a sort of game for her.

And oh did she play it well…

As forward as she was, she would still sometimes play hard to get, teasing him in ever inventive ways. She could be amazingly playful and cute and yet still overwhelmingly seductive. It was not at all mean-spirited, she didn't ever bait him with the intent of not delivering. She simply loved the process of making sure he was as hot for her as she was for him. She saw it as making sure the spice remained in their relationship, and to give him a needed jump-start on those rare occasions when his libido couldn't match hers.

Just as she needed, and Takeya had provided, whenever her empathic senses became so stressed by her surroundings that she slipped into a mild depression. This rarely happened and usually could only be caused by Takeya or one of her close friends becoming very upset or sad. Her change in behavior was usually enough to drag Takeya out of his self pity and pleasure her, helping himself out of his funk in the process. It was really quite therapeutic.

As he closed and locked the door he turned to see her standing a few feet beside him. Her towel lay forgotten on the floor, Ren leaning against the wall, her eyes half-lidded as she looked at him, a view of the setting sun in a nearby window illuminating her body in a warm glow. Ren had thoroughly mastered the 'come hither' stare, that was for sure, and was the very vision of a love goddess.

Added to that was the glistening effect of the water droplets which seemed to make her look even more tempting than normal and he was overwhelmed by the desire to taste her wet skin. Giving into the impulse he firmly pushed Ren up against the wall and began kissing her face, then neck, drinking up the water as he did and moving lower. Ren offered no resistance, her only response being to hold onto him and wrap a leg around his to better support herself, loosing a pleasured gasp as he threw his inhibitions aside.

As happy as Ren was with usually being the more forward of the pair, she still found a special pleasure in getting Takeya excited enough to make the first moves, even if it was a bit difficult to restrain her own instincts of acting to satisfy his desires. But now she reveled in the feeling of his lips roaming her skin, sucking and nibbling in the ways he knew she liked best. In turn her small voice issued various moans and sighs of encouragement to his ministrations.

Still, Ren could only be so patient, and Takeya sometimes took more time than she liked to get to the best stuff on his own volition. So, after a minute or so of being ravished against the wall, Ren gently pulled away, bringing Takeya's hands to his sides and taking a step back. Breathing heavily, he looked on in confusion as she teasingly sashayed away a few steps only to crawl onto the bed and lay out on it, leaning back and looking at him invitingly.

"Takeya…" she ran a hand through her damp tresses, sieving out a few more drops that slid along her neck, shoulders and chest.

His breath again taken away, Takeya gulped in reflex as his eyes seemed to roam over her form of their own will, widening and straining not to blink.

"Ren is still wet…" she coyly completed the seduction by running a finger through the droplets, spreading them slowly over her chest, some disappearing into her more-than generous cleavage, her fingers tracing their paths.

No real thought was involved in Takeya's response. Utterly enraptured, his body simply moved toward her.

Some time later Ren licked lightly at the salty sheen of Takeya's neck, both of them still wet but with sweat instead of pool water. She pulled herself closer, continuing to nibble and suck on his skin till he moaned her name in his sleep. With those last remnants of her lust sated for the moment, she smiled, then nuzzled against him and soon joined the man who was at once her master, friend and lover in peaceful slumber.