Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Bound Through Space ❯ Now Where Were We ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Four

"Now Where Were We?"

Down in the royal retaining cell Tenchi stood paralyzed with shock he could feel his angel's lithe, voluptuous body wrapped around him and his mind barely comprehended the fact that both he and she were now nude. Gathering the last working brain cells together Tenchi shifted her body to a less tempting height and carried them on trembling legs to the bed. When there, with all his might and last few rational thoughts thrust her bodily onto the bed and took several steps back. Gasping for breath and shaking uncontrollably Tenchi made a desperate grab for his pants and held them in front of his naked body like a shield, while watching her the whole time in an attempt to maintain thinking distance. When his breathing had slowed and his brain had mostly cleared of the sensual fog, Tenchi stepped towards the bed. Looking down at his confused angel's face nearly undid all his efforts to clear his mind from the lust-crazed fog she constantly seemed to induce.

Her large golden eyes stared up at him in confused frustration. Her pouty lips trembled with each ragged intake of breath and a most becoming full body blush had flushed her body to a tantalizing shape of coral. Despite his body's instant and urgent demand to give her what her eyes pleaded for, Tenchi needed to clear up a few matters before he dared to relent. Clearing his throat and turning his head away from her naked beauty Tenchi began to speak. "I need to tell you something; something that's been a long time in coming." Tenchi began to stammer, as he simply could not focus, her nudity too distracting. "Uh, before I go much further, could you uh… please put something on?"

She smiled at him, his nervousness was adorable nodding her agreement she fazed herself into the clothes left on the floor. Nodding for him to continue Ryoko laughed out loud when Tenchi rushed to put on the pants that were hanging loosely from his fingers, the disparity between their states of attire severely shaking the remains of his poise. Quickly stuffing his feet into his pants and rapidly but carefully pulling them on Tenchi turned to her as he finished fastening the button. Summoning a giant breath he began again. "I need to say this, just as much as I know you need to hear this, hear this for real… not in some dream that we've shared over and over again, but from my own lips in my own voice with my own words. I'm not the best with words, and I know I tend to ramble… But I've always wanted the moment that I said these words to you to be special, I had always hoped this moment would become reality. To be magical… this isn't the moment I had hoped for… and it's not the circumstances that I would have wished for. But before things progress in the direction that I think they are going, I need to tell you wha…."

As he spoke Ryoko's eyes began to shine with the gentle softness of unshed tears. She lifted her finger to his lips and silenced him. "You're rambling dear. And just for the record… I love you too." She rose and replaced her finger with her lips in a gentle loving kiss meant to confirm her words.

When she returned to resting back on the cell's bed, he had to chuckle. "Yeah, sad isn't it? I can't seem to ever get the words out I want to at the most important times. Like now, I've said the words time and time again in my head…'Ryoko I love you, Ryoko I love you' but when I try to say them out loud they just won't come…" Her giggling interrupted his thoughts. He looked down at her, his right brow rising in question.

She looked up at him, happy mirth beaming across her face. "Silly boy, you just said it."

He looked at her perplexed, then looked to the side analyzing his own words. And there within his ramblings were the words he had been struggling to say. He had to chuckle. It hadn't been during the heartfelt confession he had been hoping for. Nor had it happened during the magical moment when he asked her to marry him, but he would soon fix that and at least he had said the words. "So the rest of what I have to say is far more formal… So here goes, Ryoko I am Tenchi Masaki The First Prince of the Royal House of Jurai. Lets just say that I'm from a planet that's really far away and you probably wouldn't have bothered to go there even if you had wanted to. I was born on that planet, but stake my claim to the throne as the grandson of Yosho Masaki Jurai the previous First Prince of the Royal House of Jurai; son of Azusa Jurai and Funaho Masaki Emperor and Empress of Jurai. I offer you my ship Tsunami and the master key Tenchi to you as your betrothal presents. I have preformed all the required tasks set out by the betrothal ritual I ask you now would you marry me?" And with his speech made Tenchi turned back to her and waited with bated breath for her answer.

Luckily for him he didn't have much of a wait. During his speech Ryoko heard and observed the Tenchi from her dreams right before her eyes. His nervous habit of scratching the back of his head, his distinctive faintly nasally voice, and his manner of talking to himself while talking to someone else. All the little signs told her that this man was her Tenchi, the man that had haunted her dreams and been an occasional physical presence in her life for more years than she could remember. She smiled at him; he could be so silly sometimes. But she loved him nonetheless, and she would always love him. All previous reservations about Tenchi gone Ryoko assaulted him with a full body tackle, which sent them both crashing to the floor. Kissing his face and repeating laughing yeses between each kiss Ryoko accepted his proposal. Then between rapid kisses and joyous giggles she wrapped her arms more firmly around his neck and rolled switching their positions. Half pulling him down, and half lifting herself up to whisper in his ear, "Just remember, I'm the one that said it first."

Tenchi had the wind knocked out of him by her boisterous acceptance. He recognized the challenge the second the words were said. She may have said those three all-important words first but he would be the first to follow up on them. He had too many years of wishing, fantasizing, hoping, lusting and longing for her, to allow such an alluring invitation go unaccepted. Regaining his senses and gladly accepting the onslaught of kisses Tenchi valiantly fought against his body's instant reaction to her clothed state. But under the pressure of her warm body and her rapidly increasing ardor Tenchi's defense stood little chance. And with a whimpering sigh Tenchi yielded to her sybaritic wiles.

With one last thought of rationality Ryoko fazed Tenchi and herself to the bed. Leaving his annoying pants back on the floor. He shivered slightly above her, when lips grasped at his earlobe. `Who would have thought ears were so sensitive?' `Definitely not I,' Tenchi thought idly as coherent thought fluttered off to parts unknown. He allowed the nervous twittering chuckle to escape his throat. Not that he could have stopped it from passing his lips whether he wanted to or not. Her lips moved to his neck as one of her hands delved into his hair. Now he was really shivering. The arm that braced his weight above her was starting to tremble. Her nipping at his neck tickled, in the oddest sort of manner. Different from the simple tickling that could raise great peals of laughter, but more like a seductive caress that hovered between gentle and bruising. Her mouth opened wider and her tongue bathed the injured area, bringing more nervous chuckles pass his lips.

Her husky laughter vibrated through her lips and into his veins, re-igniting the passion that had cooled from moments earlier. He moved his idle left hand to brace his weight on the pillow next her head. His right arm could no longer hold their combined weight; at least as long as she was doing what she was doing to his neck. She had to laugh; he was so cute when he was flustered. The faint blush in his cheeks, the stuttering hesitance in his voice and the adorably nervous chuckle were all so perfect. She loved all of it, and she loved him most of all. She stopped nibbling at his neck, kissing the slowly forming bruise. `Let him try and explain that one in court.' Ryoko laughed again.

The moment she stopped nibbling at the now tender flesh of his neck, he felt gathered enough to begin his assault. He lowered his body to hers, pushing them both into the bed. He shifted his weight to press his right thigh between hers, all the while trying to stave off the horrendous rush of blood racing to his face. Now was not the time for either a nosebleed or a stroke. He heard her gasp in muted shock as his legs pushed hers aside. Her surprise slackened her hold on him enough to allow some distance to shift his left thigh between her legs. He moved both hands to either sides of her face and pushed up so he could look down at her, all the while eyes rich with craving languidly gazed up at him. He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. She shifted her weight below him then lifted her right leg to hook at his lower back. At the same time, she lifted her left leg to lock behind his right leg.

Powerful legs easily lifted her lower body to full contact with his and both his arms trembled with the force of his desire. She leered at him. He wanted to play dirty? She could play dirty. Using her arms and her legs Ryoko gave a swift jerk and easily overcame the trembling strength of his passion-weakened arms. He landed on her with enough force to momentarily steal her breath. And he took immediate advantage of the moment. Locking his lips to hers and kissing her fiercely, he hoped he was doing this right. Her moan of satisfaction assured him he was. With her now trapped below him and the need to support their weight no longer and issue, he turned his hands to matters more useful, such as the divestment of such useless fripperies as clothing.

Ryoko's eyes snapped open and she inhaled deeply through her nose as his cool hands brushed against her breasts. He was taking off her clothes? Eyes quickly slid shut as she wriggled to help him in his chosen task. His hands chaffed across her thighs as he lifted the hem of her formal dress. He had felt her stiffen but had been too engrossed in the sensory seduction of her skin. He had barely registered the pull of her fazing out of the remaining clothes. Moreover, lust nearly overtook him when he felt her naked flesh press against the full length of his naked flesh as he pressed her into the downy softness of the cell's bed. He felt more than heard her moan and returned an answering moan of his own.

Sparks of desire raced from every inch of contacted skin to his groin; there was no going back now. Both his body and his mind demanded release. Pressing his body further into hers, he began to mimic the gentle current of the ocean against the shore. She shifted her hips again, unconsciously settling his weight fully between her, now they truly hung before the precipice of consummation. He moaned again, as he held his body in tense check. Kissing her and caressing her, his thighs lovingly nudged hers further apart. He broke their kiss, his body trembling above hers in hesitant need. Just one word was all he needed. One word and he would bury himself in her softness and lose himself to her heat.

"Now!" came the moaning demand from kiss-swollen, moist lips, as Ryoko arched from beneath him. Her eyes closed and her hands clenching at his shoulders, she was the absolute embodiment of wanton glory. He clenched his eyes closed, unable to withstand the desperate need clawing for release. Slowly he entered her.

Her choking gasp broke into a loud contented moan. He paused and held himself in check. His body rocked with pleasure and the oblivion of impending climax was flashing brilliant starbursts of brightness from behind his closed eyes. He settled into her further his slow descent driving them both mad with ecstasy. When he felt the full length of him settle within her, he hung his head. Forehead resting to forehead and strove to gain control, he wanted to pleasure her, delight her, enrapture her. All of which would be extremely difficult if he orgasm immediately as his body demanded. So there, panting above her, his weight supported by his right elbow away from her, he tried to control the fierce trembling in his body.

Ryoko shuddered, her body a struggling bundle of attenuated sensuous fervor, while her mind lost the battle for control. There would be no holding back, she has lusted and longed for this moment too long for restraint to ever matter. She felt his hesitance and it drove her to the very boundary of her lucidity. Of all the moments for him to pick and stop, now was not one of them. She swiftly clutched at him, held him tighter to her and switched positions. Now he was below her, where she wanted him.

He gasped with the change in position. Gravity had forced her down a few fractions of an inch more, and those few scant centimeters of movement awoke a universe of sensation and gratification. His hands instinctively found her hips as she lifted herself from hunched over to sitting upright. His breathing came out in quick, bursting pants as her body shifted around him. His heart constricted in his chest and radiant flash fires of sensation were dancing behind his eyelids. Then she moved. Using her powerful thighs, she rose slowly moaning the entire way. He could not think, he could not breathe, he could do nothing more than feel. When she lowered herself back down and settled against him, he felt as if his very essence was merging with her. He was leaving his body behind, the pleasure too intense for his body to contain. He wasn't even sure he was still breathing.

Ryoko rose from her position of crouching over him when she had reversed their arrangement. And when her back straightened and she felt the full length of him, pulsing with the beat of his heart within her, she felt overwhelmed. His hesitance suddenly made sense. Panting fiercely, Ryoko threw her head back struggling to facilitate the movement of air into her lungs. His hands at her hips grounded her back into the moment, bringing her mind past the intensity of sensation. Finally, she gathered herself enough to move. Using her thighs to lift herself, she rose above his body, trembling the entire way. At the apex of her travel, her body shook heavily. Senses overwrought with the ardency of bliss, she hovered at the very confines of her body. With a silent cry of ecstasy, she lowered herself on to him, her consciousness splintered by the force of her rapture. She collapsed back down to him, her body completely staggered by sensation.

He felt her land above him and again his body lanced with pleasure as he settled a few scant millimeters more within her. He laid there for what felt like millennia, gasping and panting, struggling to gather his wits. He wiggled his fingers slightly to verify their location. The soft skin beneath them swiftly returned his mind to the here and now. His eyes opened and for the first time since that timid moment staring at each other, he looked at her. His eyes fell upon her in all her nude glory. Sweat was beading her forehead. While her fantastic mane was ferociously plastered to her skin and her body was fabulously warm. The heat and fragrance emitting in vibrant waves of life from her was like an amazing elixir. It overcame his fears, it overcame his doubts, and it overcame his hesitance enflaming him to action. Her only warning was a quiet husky growl. The fingers on her hips clenched fiercely only fractions of a second before lifting and then rolling her beneath him again. Now below, she lifted dazed eyes to his face. And she trembled at the fierceness of his features. Her mouth felt dry and a lump rose to her throat. He looked delicious.

He recovered the space lost between them and brought his body flush to hers. Her gasp of pleasure spurred him on. Slowly his hips rose in a rhythm of their own accord, advancing and withdrawing from her blessed depths. Her moans of delight easily drove him further. Soon, her voice rose in a crescendo of desperate gasps and pleading moans. And he accommodated her every whim. She writhed beneath him, her body wracked with unbelievable pleasure. She felt the heavens within her grasps and the whole of celestially in her heart. Wave after wave of rapture washed over her and she could feel the force of a newborn cosmos burgeoning within her. Then her existence splintered with all the magnitude of a supernova, flinging her consciousness throughout the heavens in an orgiastic explosion of ambrosial enchantment.

Her cries of ecstasy had nearly been his complete undoing. His body demanded climax. Sweet resolution and completion came in a rushing torrent of starbursts and exaltation as he felt her body shiver and quake, lost within the throes of her own passionate zenith. For a moment, all that was audible in the cell was the harsh panting breaths of the two lovers. Then the words of devotion broke the hushed silence. Then kissing, and when at last exhaustion finally won over passion, both were left shivering in the musky coolness of aftermath.

The guards outside the royal retaining cell were curious about the hushed sighs and moans coming from behind their rigid backs. The sounds continued on for what seemed like hours with both guards ears straining desperately to decipher words spoken on broken moans and startled gasps. At long last the sounds ended and just when the guards were ready to break down the door from curiosity the princess's voice rose in a command.

"Guards, sent for the Consulate and inform them that I wish to speak to them in concerns of the betrothal ritual. Ryoko's voice carried across the cell and to the two guards that she knew were eavesdropping on the other side. After waiting for the guards' confirmation of her order Ryoko turned back to Tenchi and settled back to her previous position of resting her head on his chest.

"Ryoko?" Tenchi questioned.

Giggling at the sensation of Tenchi's voice rumbling through his chest and into her ear, Ryoko lifted her head to look him in the eyes and purred her response.

Hearing Ryoko giggle one of Tenchi's eyebrows rose in silent questioning. Then returning to his original thought he asked, "Why did you send for the consulate?"

"Well to answer your first question, your voice tickles." At the perplexed look on Tenchi's face Ryoko nearly burst into laughter. Once her giggles had subsided Ryoko continued. "To answer your second question, I asked for the consulate so we can begin the second stage of the betrothal ritual."

"You mean there's more than just the journey from hell?" Tenchi inquired quizzically.

"Yeah, there are about thirteen stages all together."

"And here I thought I could get away with just asking you `Ya Wanna?'" Tenchi teased before he dropped a tender kiss on the tip of Ryoko's nose.

"Ha, I wish it were that simple. The things that you had to go through are called `The Heroic Journeys' each of the other stages sound just as hokey. Supposedly the betrothal ritual duplicates the exact trials of the first Juraian prince to marry a Shihotasaki princess."

"Legend has it that Prince Yashiko of the Second House of Jurai was sent as an emissary of Jurai to Shihotasaki and upon seeing the staggering beauty of the First Princess Kome requested to court her. The princess was angered by his assumptions and dictated that if he was to win her hand then he and any other suitor that saw fit would have to complete the tasks that she set before him in no more than a five year span, a time limitation placed on her by her sage father the Emperor Yakishi. Most of the suitors either died or lost interest as one by one the tasks increased in difficulty. Finally with the princess at a complete loss for impossible tasks and the five-year time limit nearly over Princess Kome relented and accepted her fate to suffer through his courtship of her. So the triumphant prince returned to her side and promptly gave her a taste of her own medicine."

Ryoko shifted so that her entire upper body rested on Tenchi, swung the leg closest to him over to straddle him and crossed her arms at the wrists over his chest and rested her chin on her crossed wrists. Feeling suddenly warm again Tenchi coughed in hopes of covering his body's instant reaction to her change in positions. "So what did he make her do?" Tenchi hoped to draw her attention away from his rapidly growing arousal.

Sensing the blatant and unsuccessful subject change Ryoko chose to go along with him. "Well his justice is now referred to as `The Labors of Love'. I know, I know, I know," Ryoko said when Tenchi almost rolled his eyes, "…I warned you that the names were made up by some of the most dye in the wool, bleeding heart, eternal romantics. Me personally I would have called it `Paybacks are a Real Bitch', but hey that's me, I guess it's sort of really good that I'm not the one writing history. Anyway, the Emperor decreed that as Prince Yashiko had proven himself even by the Princess's standards then the prince had just as much right to require any task the prince saw fit to the princess in the same allotted 5 year span. And with that he promptly set about his slow torture."

"So he tortured her?" Tenchi questioned, honestly curious.

"Well, if you consider spending three years turning someone on torture then, yeah he did. He seduced her and used the requests she had to perform for him as a thinly veiled courtship. The first few tasks are simple, nothing more than essentially getting to know one another. But once Prince Yashiko noticed her growing fondness for him the real torture began. Once the princess started taking an active interest in Prince Yashiko he started demanding tasks from her ranging from playful to erotic. One of the last tasks to be preformed required of the courting princess is an over glorified sponge bath for her chosen prince."

At the words `sponge bath' Tenchi shifted uncomfortably under Ryoko. Trying desperately to calm his already desperate imagination and elevated hormones Tenchi transfer Ryoko's body off of his own and back down to his left side. Hoping against hope that his urgent desire would calm enough to allow his to listen to the rest of the tale.

Stifling a giggle Ryoko willing shuffled off of Tenchi's body, but refused to completely lose contact she flung her left leg over his waist, wrapped her arms around his neck and looked him straight in the eyes before continuing on. "So anyway, the requests became increasingly bolder in both physical and emotional intimacies. It got to the point where the princess was fairly begging for any physical contact but still the prince refused to actually touch her, instead he commanded her to continuously touch him. Till in the end the princess was reciting poetry while straddling the prince and feeding him breakfast in bed. By that time the consulate thought the requests had grown so impropietous that after only three years they put an end to it fearing what the next step would be. And in the end by the time the consulate had buckled the princess was so in love with the prince he could wrap her around his finger with a look."

Feeling a sympathetic understanding for the princess Tenchi looked down into the liquid gold of his angel's eyes and sighed. "So what happens next, that's only the first two stages? Do all the tasks require at least a year to accomplish? We still have eleven more to go!" The thought of how much time was involved worried Tenchi a little.

"To answer your questions a little out of sequence, the entire betrothal process has been known to take in excess of 22 years, give or take two. It all depends on the willingness of the couple involved. The record for the shortest betrothal ritual is eight years, but I think we can beat that don't you Tenchiiiii?" Ryoko cooed into Tenchi's ear while rubbing her calf up and down his leg loving the startled gasp and the fire that lit Tenchi's eyes. "What was I talking about? Oh yeah, well next is the `Devotional Recitations' after that is the, `Flights of the Heart', `The Parental Beatitudes' `Affirmation to the Populous' `Acceptance of the Consulate' `Acceptance of the Holy Counsel' `Honeymoon Eve' `Serpentine Flame' `Issuing of Vows' `Bonding Ritual' and lastly the `Marriage Ceremony'."

With a mind barely able to understand Tenchi strained to concentrate on Ryoko's words. Hearing the same words that his grandfather had used, Tenchi immediately sobered from her sensually, intoxicating movements. "What is the `Bonding Ritual'?"

"Well according to legend it's suppose to mentally, emotionally and in some extreme cases psychically link the couple together." Ryoko was too intent on returning to her earlier enjoyment of Tenchi's body to truly analyze what she had stated.

But Tenchi caught the full meaning of her statement. "So what happens in this Bonding Ritual? What do we do? And how do we know if it works?"

Frustrated with Tenchi's sudden lack of cooperation, Ryoko double her amorous intents while half-heartedly answering his question. "Well, we are supposed to say some words that supposedly grant us some sort of link. Apparently the powers that are offered through the Juraian blood in my family are channeled by those words and when those words are spoken by a person of full or in some cases nearly full Juraian blood a telepathic link is established via the resonance of Juraian energy."

Tenchi was too distracted by her words to notice her actions; somehow he and Ryoko had completed the bonding ritual and at an early age too. He couldn't even remember how old he was when he had first started dreaming about her. The dreams had definitely started before he had reached the age of four, the earliest age he could clearly remember.

Tenchi knew that he was at least a year or two older than Ryoko, some part of him deep down could faintly remember a time without her constant psychic presence. A part of him that Tenchi refused to acknowledge, he hated that part of himself. It was where all his fears about Ryoko resided, down below his rational understanding, beneath his humanity. Back in the farthest reaches of his most primitive mind the genetic knowledge that had been imbued to him upon conception knew of a time without Ryoko. A time before her existence, yes Tenchi had lived his dream life for a short time without her, but there had always been that comforting aura of her life's spirit at the edges of his vision.

There had always been the instinctive knowledge that somewhere she existed and lived, maybe not for him anymore, but at least she lived. But down in that dark recess of Tenchi's most primitive mind there was the knowledge of the coldness of life without her, what his life would be like were she to ever die, and it was this part of his mind that drove the intensity of his next actions. "Is there anyway to undo the actions of the `Bonding Ritual'?" Tenchi felt frantic, he couldn't loose her now! Not when he had finally found her! The irrational fear of the empty loneliness drove Tenchi to near madness grabbing her shoulders and wrapping his arms around her Tenchi rolled to cover Ryoko with his body. A fierce growl issued from his throat as he gently bit down on the tender flesh of her neck. "MINE!" The word was his claim and the bite his scorching mark. Ryoko yelped at the marking and melted under Tenchi's possessive desire. Incapable of coherent thought Ryoko could not answer Tenchi's question but instead replied to his physical demand.

Quite some time later he rose sated yet still unsettled to a more comfortable position. Resting his head on her heaving, sweat-sheened breasts Tenchi's still wondered about their link. Had the words she spoken on that night so long ago been the words that could destroy their link? He remembered she had seemed to not finish the entire statement, but rather half finished it thus only partially removing their link. And with the right words in his dreams his grandfather had physically and symbolically given him the key back to their link. Was there a way to undo this all?

Sensing his thoughts Ryoko answered his questions, "Yes, either one of us can break or re-establish the link, according to the legend. The words that broke the link could never truly severe it. They can only disable the link for as long as at least one party is willing."

Had he heard her right? Both parties had to be willing for the link to be disabled? All those years and some part of him had wanted to not dream? NO! He couldn't believe it! He wouldn't believe it! Turning to look at Ryoko, Tenchi noticed the faint track of tears.

Had she tried to come back to him during those years and he not been willing? Had those occasional dreams of her during those four years really been real, instead of his over-active imagination like he had assumed?

Yes… … I tried to come back the very next night, but you had shut me out. I kept coming back for the next couple of weeks………but, nothing happened just me by myself all alone………………I never gave up though…I kept coming back…maybe not as frequently as in the beginning, but I did keep coming back!

Tenchi was startled, he could hear her, in his head he could feel her emotions the pain and sorrow tearing at his heart.

Yes Tenchi, the Bonding Ritual is complete. The final stage is consummation. My soul is bound to you just as yours is bound to me. The consummation in our dream life allowed us to occasionally take partial physical form around each other, that's why you were visible here on my planet when Ibara was here.

Tenchi bristled at the name and the fond, wispy feelings that Ryoko's mind attached to it.

He was nothing more than a friend.

A friend you kissed!?!

Yes, at the time a friend that I kissed. I thought I was going to marry him; I had to get over you some time you know!

I don't care!

Come on don't you think you're being unreasonable about this?

NO! You belong to me; we are one! You're MY angel!

Tenchi, don't you think you're acting just a little extreme? That maybe you're taking the whole Ibara thing just a little too seriously!?!

I hate him! He wanted you. I could see it. HELL, I could feel it. It hung on him like his stinking cologne!!

What has gotten into you? You're usually the calm rational one! What the hell are you doing ranting, and raving?

I………I………

Yes?

I………IDON'TWANTTOLOSEYOU!

Huh?

I said I don't want to lose you!

Oh!

OH!! That's all you can say? I start acting like a psychotic maniac and all you can say is OH!

Well, yeah I mean you do realize this entire time we've been having this little chat inside your head your body has been having its naughty way with mine. Not that I'm complaining, its just a little hard concentrating on what your saying right now, I mean you're doing some really pleasurable things to me right now.

Shaking out of his catatonic state and returning mentally to his body Tenchi realized that yes, he was having his naughty way with Ryoko and yes she was having a very tough time trying not to scream. Enjoying the look of ecstatic pleasure on her face Tenchi continued to drive her over the edge. When at last the pair had met completion and Tenchi could think rationally again he began to wonder when and why he had done what he had done.

You need to quit thinking so much… Ryoko's exhausted voice shattered the pondering silence of his mind. Your body knew what it wanted. That and you're really jealous of Ibara for some reason.

He touched you. Was Tenchi's sullen reply as he snuggled further into Ryoko's sweat-slicked breasts.

Like that answers my question. Tenchi this isn't like you. You're kind, calm, peaceful, gentle and caring.

Yes, I am all of those things. But around you and concerning you, I'll admit it I'm selfish, jealous … possessive. I've lived my entire life so far waiting and wanting to be with you. I'm sorry… but I just won't allow anything or anyone to come between us again. I'm not losing you ever again. Tenchi wrapped his arms tighter around Ryoko and nuzzled even further into her soft skin. I love you and I would rather die then lose you again.

Ryoko smiles gently before snuggling within Tenchi's strong embrace. Who would have guessed? He loves me… almost as much as I love him… Then as an exhausted sleep stole her ability to think, Ryoko floated into anotherdream of Tenchi with one last final coherent thought echoing through her mind. He loves me…