Blossom (Part 1)
by BrDPirateMan

The apartment was quiet. Rooms stripped bare of life.

Except one. Here there was much clatter and untidiness. Clothes littered the place, most on the floor in ugly heaps. A blouse here, a pair of trousers there, and a few more in other places.

In the middle of this scene were two young souls engaging in a heated session of kissing and fondling. The boy was down to his trousers and the girl was even less dressed, bra and panties as white as snow. Their hands glided over each other's bodies, enjoying the touch. The feel of skin on skin. The bliss of a relationship taken to a higher level.

The girl stopped a little early, in need of breath. The boy waited patiently. And then, a most disappointing truth:

"Neku, I hate to break it to you," she said softly, "but my parents will be back soon. I've got to be home."

The ghost of a frown was on his face, but otherwise he understood. "It's getting late… It can't be helped."

"Sorry."

"Nah, don't sweat it, Shiki."

Her fingertips lingering on his chest, she gave him another quick kiss before getting off the bed. He absent-mindedly watched her as she picked her skirt off the floor and put it on. As she got dressed she continued the conversation, "I think it's best for now to keep my parents in the dark about our relationship. Knowing them they'll probably have a fit if they get wind I'm going out with a boy."

"I hear you, Shiki. And we got to first base pretty quickly too." He couldn't resist the charm of a smutty remark: "…At this rate second base wouldn't just be a dream."

"Neku!"

"Kidding."

They laughed briefly, but his words stayed in their heads.

Both youngsters were sixteen years old, smack dab in the midst of puberty and struggling with various issues that plague teenagers their age. For this couple, however, it wasn't just acne and mood swings that they had to deal with. And the source of their problems was the one thing that kept them going: their love for each other.

Neku and Shiki weren't exactly the typical love story. They didn't meet for the first time under favourable circumstances, but they gradually came to accept one another as partners and friends. Friendship eventually turned into something far richer, and now they were lovers close to reaching their six-month anniversary.

At first they were content with holding hands and giving hugs, but as hormones began to play their part they started to explore how far they could go. In time they grew so bold that their "alone time" wouldn't feel complete without yanking their clothes off and touching each other's underwear-clad bodies. Fortunately for them, Neku stayed alone, so anytime they felt lively they would retire to his place to satisfy themselves. And she always made it a point for them to finish up before the evening rolled in when her parents were back from work. That way she could hurry back home and take a shower and not appear too suspicious.

Neku's words were spoken in jest, but they posed a burning question neither of them could answer just yet.

When could they have sex?

They had seen each other's half-naked bodies. They knew each other's most intimate and embarrassing secrets, like how he keeps skin mags under his bed or how she massages her chest in hopes of making it bigger. They had hugged, and kissed… But no matter how heavy their urges hung, they couldn't bring themselves to do it.

And they really, really wanted to.

They just didn't know how to go about it.

On top of that, they were underage. His voice still cracked from time to time, and her breasts had not filled out completely, but they felt as sexually mature as the next adult. They were eager, but just when they felt that they were finally ready, they would get cold feet and think that no, it wasn't quite the time yet.

With their teenage lust and overwhelming sexual drive, however, neither could be sure how long they could last without getting the oft-procrastinated deed done. Half a year they were celibate, and they were tired of it.

That thought hammered deep inside Neku's head over and over as he watched his girlfriend drape on her shirt and start buttoning it up. Suddenly driven by a strong sense of determination, he spoke his mind for both of them.

"Shiki."

She failed to see the seriousness in his voice and gave her reply in her usual conversational tone.

"Need something, Neku?"

"Yes. I… I need you, Shiki."

She turned around to look at him, freezing in place, hands stopped short of doing up the buttons on her shirt. Her eyes had grown large in disbelief, her lips parting in a silent gasp. And she was wondering whether she had heard him wrongly. That intense yet strangely comforting gaze of his, however, told her that her ears had not failed her.

Her voice was but a mere whisper. "I beg… your pardon?"

Neku rose from the bed slowly, as though not to startle her. Shiki stayed rooted to the spot as he approached her, and waited with her heart thumping like crazy. He could be capable of some of the most daring, borderline erotic things if he so felt like it, so here she was expecting him do something completely outrageous.

But he didn't. Instead he gently placed his hands on her shoulders and, with a sincere look, said, "Shiki, you know… I might not have been joking about the part about getting to second base. I've had enough of waiting and I know you feel the same way. I… I just want us to taste that little, seemingly unreachable slice of happiness."

Shiki's mouth went dry with surprise. "Oh my god… You're serious, aren't you. We're… We're going to…"

"Not today. But yes, one day and soon, I hope we can…" Neku blushed and hesitated a little because what he was going to say next were some very strong words. "…I hope the two of us can make love."

Her hands shot up to her mouth. He could see she was in a state of shock, albeit a rather happy one, and took the chance to keep the momentum going.

"Shiki, by the end of this month, I'm going to bed you. I promise you that."

"O-Oh my god…"

His expression became softer and kinder and he even became visibly embarrassed. "I mean, er… the summer holidays begin around the end of this month, so I figured we could go somewhere. Like a holiday getaway, you know? S-Say! Um, what do you think of staying the night at the hot springs? Teppeki Inn is pretty good, I heard."

If there was one thing Shiki was especially fond of, it was hot springs. She began to relax and was even beaming at his suggestion. "Just the two of us at the hot springs? Oh gosh, that's so romantic. Yes, yes, that would be nice."

A smile graced Neku's lips. "Then I'll make reservations for the two of us at once. How's one day and two nights sound to you?"

"That is good. I'm so excited…! Um, are you?"

"Heh… Of course."

"Neku… thank you." Her beautiful eyes soothed his soul. He could stare at her soulful brown orbs for hours and never get fed up.

"Thank you. Uh, sorry if I sprang this on you too suddenly. I just…"

"No, it's perfectly fine! I'm happy that we can finally… we can finally…"

A pause fell upon them, and in an instant they were back to being a couple of teenagers who were still clumsy at romance. They were very happy at this turn of events, and while they loved how beautiful each other's faces were, now they were so bashful they were looking everywhere else.

"Neku," said Shiki softly, "it's a promise, okay? So by the end of this month, let's go to Teppeki Inn, and… let nature take its course."

He snorted good-naturedly. "That's a really weird way to put it."

"Hee hee… Sorry."

They shared their final kiss for the evening and parted ways. That night, the anticipation proved too much for their young minds to handle all at once, and their sleep was quite badly disturbed as a result.

XOXOXOXOXO

Neku awoke the next morning to an uncomfortable dampness in his trousers. The first thought that came to mind was that he had wet his pants. But upon closer inspection and after taking into consideration the incredible dream he had just moments before, he could only conclude that it was a different type of wetness.

It wasn't very amusing, but nonetheless he still found some humour in his mishap. And when he got into the shower to freshen himself up for the morning, his thoughts quickly turned to the night before and all traces of whatever frustration he might have had from his little accident disappeared.

His memories of it were a little on the fuzzy side, but he distinctly remembered that in the dream, he and Shiki were in a meadow. The part about the two of them romping around was vague, but what stood out the clearest was them collapsing onto the grass, their clothes magically unfurling and disappearing before their eyes. He towered above her on all fours, she lay underneath him… vulnerable, waiting, impatient.

No time like the present. Sweet nothings soon gave way to action and the next thing he knew, he could feel the pressure down below as he happily thrust his hips against hers. A most intense sensation spread through his body. Her screams of gratitude were music to his ears. Unfortunately for him, it was a short-lived happiness, and with his sudden ejaculation in real life, he was jolted awake and his dream ended.

Perhaps it was not such an unfortunate thing. Neku smiled to himself as he soaped up in the shower. Flitting as it may have been, that wet dream had given him an idea for their impending hot spring getaway. An idea to make their eventual union a masterpiece for the senses.

But it was not yet time to reveal the details. He had to be patient…

XOXOXOXOXO

At the very same moment, Shiki was at home, also taking a morning shower. No matter how cold she cranked the temperature of the water to, she couldn't soothe and calm herself. Neku's words from yesterday had a profound effect on her, and simply thinking about him would send shivers down her spine.

"Shiki, by the end of this month, I'm going to bed you. I promise you that."

His serious face was etched so deeply in her memory that it was impossible to get those events out of her head. She loved him with all of her heart, and if he could bring her to the bedroom and elevate their relationship to something more, something better… then nothing would make her happier.

He had not determined when they could go on their much-needed vacation, but she still loved to count away the days till then. As of now it was the beginning of the month. The exams that were just round the corner would take a week or so, and then the holidays would begin, bringing promises of frolicking and summer fun for many. She and her boyfriend would have their own "fun" too… and she couldn't wait.

Thinking about how their first night would turn out made her all hot and excited. The cold water, which she hoped would help her control herself, did not do anything at all. In fact, because it felt good against her warm skin, it actually heightened her senses to the point where every single droplet that touched her was like having her body caressed everywhere in a very slow and sexual way…

This pent-up energy that was building up inside of her… it made her feel weird… She had to let it out somehow…

Her hand, shaking and hesitant, reached between her legs. She had never done this sort of thing before, but she had certainly heard of it. And while she had always washed and shaved herself there many times, she had never actually touched herself in such a manner. Self-stimulation was that taboo aspect of society that many frowned upon, that many claimed that the very practice degrades the mind and body.

But Shiki would disagree. Just a simple graze of her fingertips on that sensitive area of hers was enough to elicit a jolt from her body. A jolt she had never experienced before, but one that she quickly admitted felt…

…good.

So this was what it felt like…

Growing bolder, she eased two fingers in, and gasped at their intrusion. In no time at all she began sliding them in and out at a careful and rhythmic pace. Never before had she been witness to such an amazing feeling. The friction loomed ever greater inside of her with every movement of her fingers. As her eyes fluttered closed in an attempt to block out everything around her and focus on the moment, the boy she loved appeared in her mind's eye and embraced her.

Even though he was a figment of her imagination and she knew it, she didn't care. She welcomed him with open arms and surrendered her virginity to him.

Under the hiss of the sprinkling water, she whispered, More, Neku. More!

And he obliged. He – or rather, her hands – pumped vigorously against her, earning her every whimper of delight. Her legs started to tremble and weaken, and even with her back propped against the glass door of the cubicle, it was of little use. She slid down the length of the glass and onto the floor, but still the young man of her dreams did not falter. Her hips gyrated uncontrollably, body yearning for a climax to shatter her.

His imaginary voice spoke to her just before the big moment.

I love you, Shiki.

In a supreme effort, she bit down on her lip and managed to suppress a moan that could have brought the whole bathroom down. The sensations that coursed through her were so intense that her entire body arched back in reflex, chest pointing skywards like a pair of mountains. Spasms shook her, destroyed her, ground her sanity to dust.

But of course she loved it all.

Shiki sat on the floor, tired but satisfied. One hand was plastered on a breast, the other was buried firmly within her. Her exertions had boiled up her body so much that her heat had fogged up the glass. The only sounds in the cubicle she could hear were the water sprinkling on her body, her short breaths, and the pounding of her heart.

The aftermath of her two minutes of ecstasy was interrupted by the sound of her mother's voice through the bathroom door. "Shiki! How long are you going to stay in there? Hurry up or you'll be late for school!"

Cripes! "R-Right, mum!"

A powerful imagination was wonderful. But…

…she knew the real thing would be a whole lot better. Now she was tempted to count minutes – not days – off their countdown to their vacation.

XOXOXOXOXO

Having had a sexual experience of some kind so early in the morning, both Neku and Shiki had a hard time readjusting quickly to their usual daytime schedule. They were more fidgety, more nervous, and more prone to making small mistakes like tripping or dropping their commuter passes.

Things only got worse for them when they met. It's simply embarrassing to talk to the very person they were fantasizing about just moments earlier.

"Oh, N-Neku?"

"Shiki! Um… hi."

"Y-Yeah… Hi. Um, well… exams are in a few days' time. So… let's work hard."

"We'll… We'll do our best."

Suddenly it felt like they were back in the awkward phase of beginning to date all over again.