The Rising Sun & the Morning Calm

Apologies for it having been so long since writing. Between working and moving it's been an intense year. Not much in the way of action after Saburo's death, but if you've wanted to see the budding relationship between Linnsa and Genzo, hopefully you'll enjoy.

*****

"Babies!"

Running into the living room, Angela began to cry when Yang and Snotty scrambled madly to greet her, meowing loudly and rubbing themselves against her leg. "Oh God, I've missed you guys and you've gotten so big! But...where's Yin?" she wondered aloud.

"Is that her over there on the bookshelf?" Linnsa asked, pointing.

Following her indication, Angela looked to the top of the bookshelf where Yin sat with her feet tucked beneath her, eyes closed. When she tried to reach onto the shelf to pick her up for a hug, Yin gave her a bored look and moved to the other end of the shelf where Angela couldn't reach her. "Oh no! She's mad at me!" she wailed. "Yin, aren't you happy to see Mommy?" As if understanding her, Yin merely turned around so that she was no longer facing everyone.

"Give her some time," Noboru coaxed, not wanting her to cry more. "I am sure she will come to you." Angela simply sniffled and kept staring longingly at Yin's furry backside.

"They are so cute!" Linnsa exclaimed. She started laughing when Yang jumped onto Genzo's pant leg and began climbing up his body in her eagerness to say hello. "Well, somebody missed you."

Cradling her in his arms, Genzo rubbed his face in her fuzzy mane. "Yang-chan." She crooned happily at the sound of his voice and closed her eyes as he rubbed her belly.

"And who's this?" Kneeling down, she giggled as Snotty continually butted his head against her outstretched hand.

"Is anyone hungry?" Noboru inquired. "I will have something brought in."

"Starved!" the two women chirped in unison.

_____________________

As the four sat down to a dinner of Italian take out, Yang refused to be moved from Genzo's shoulder and Snotty had firmly established himself in Linnsa's lap, kneading her leg with his front paws as he contentedly slept. Angela looked again towards where Yin had secluded herself, but she showed no signs of warming up to her. She threw Noboru a sad glance and he mouthed "[guk jung mah lah]."

Genzo picked at his meal not sure of how to proceed. "[Ano], Linnsa?"

"Hm?" Linnsa raised her head from her plate of spaghetti.

"Could I have a copy of our conversation?"

"What for?" she asked quizzically.

"I...ah...would like to study it further." Genzo rubbed the back of his head awkwardly which prompted Yang to begin grooming his hair. Linnsa laughed at how much Yang loved lavishing attention on him. "Okay, but there'll be a pop quiz later," she joked.

"Genzo, come with me," Noboru said, gesturing towards another room.

"Hai." After Genzo apologetically lifted a reluctant Yang off his neck, the two men left the women to continue eating.

Opening his suitcase, Noboru removed the tiny bottle of antivirus and a syringe. For a moment, he said nothing and simply looked at the objects in his hand. "Are you certain you want to go through with this?"

The sound of the two sisters laughing floated into the room. "I have never been more certain about anything. Please."

Sighing, Noboru nodded and rolled up Genzo's sleeve. Drawing up a small dose into the syringe, he injected it into his shoulder muscle. "If you're alright at the end of the week, it means that you've successfully been treated."

"How long until I'll know that it's making me ill?"

"Two to three days."

Genzo pulled his sleeve down over his deltoid and bowed his head to Noboru. "Whatever happens...thank you."

"Don't think that way." Putting on a smile, he added, "Now we need to find a role for you so that you can look after Linnsa." He was rewarded with a pleased smile.

__________________

guk jung mah lah: don't worry (Korean)

__________________

"Are you leaving, Genzo?"

"Yes. I must return to my own apartment."

Linnsa's paused for a moment, then her eyes narrowed "Did you do it?" When he nodded, her worry deepened. "Don't go! What if something happens?"

"Nothing will happen," he promised lightly. Inwardly, he was delighted that she seemed concerned for his well being.

"You expect me to believe that? You forget who you're talking to." Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she glared up at him. "You need a doctor with you in case something happens."

"I doubt you will be of much help if something does," he pointed out.

"You don't know that!"

"I will be fine."

"Uh, it wasn't a request, Genzo."

Everyone smiled at the way she sassed him. "Stay here for the time being," Noboru suggested. "As a favor to a friend who is worried for your health."

"Yeah, what he said," Linnsa echoed gruffly. That elicited another set of laughs. Glad for an excuse to stay, Genzo nodded in agreement..

__________________

Six hours after returning home, as Angela got into bed to turn in, she squealed in delight as Yin finally came bounding into the bed. Nuzzling her ardently, the little white cat paced a few circles on her chest before tucking her paws underneath her and purring as if no time at all had passed. "I predicted that she would come to you, did I not?" Noboru noted with an I-told-you-so voice. When Snotty jumped onto his pillow and curled up into a ball, he rolled his eyes. "Another accurate prediction. Snotty-kun, go away." His answer was to yawn loudly and begin kneading the pillow.

"Oh, my little sweetie, don't ever ignore me like that again!" As she peppered Yin's head with little kisses, the kitten closed her eyes and rumbled more loudly. Happy to have her back at last, Angela took care not to move so that Yin wouldn't change her mind and leave. Now that the two of them were alone, she asked, "How are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

Angela rolled her eyes. Men could be so thick sometimes. "Uh, your brother? Gone? Any thoughts?"

Noboru lay his head on the pillow and listened to Snotty's contented purrs. "I do not know that it has actually registered in my mind yet. I still feel as if I must be on my guard."

"After hundreds of years of looking over your shoulder, I bet that's to be expected," she agreed. "Do you feel sad at all?"

He thought about it for a moment. "No. The day you died, he ceased to be my brother."

"I for one am just glad all this craziness is over. Hopefully we can start looking forward to a semi-normal life?" He just smiled at her in response. "Do you think Genzo will be okay?"

"I have no way of knowing that," Noboru replied, stroking Snotty's head absently, "but I hope that he will be."

"Well, if he survives this hurdle, he's got an equally bigger one to contend with."

"Such as?"

"The fact that Linnsa won't have sex before she's married," Angela yawned, cuddling Yin to her face. So tired was she that Noburo's wry smile went completely unnoticed as the sound of her soft snoring mixed with her kitten's purrs.

____________________

While Linnsa brushed her teeth, Genzo sat on the edge of the bed, contemplating how he should conduct himself when a soft meow broke his concentration. "Mm?" Jumping delicately onto the comforter, Yang stretched languidly on all fours and began rubbing her face against his arm. "Yang-chan," he sang softly. Hearing her name, the kitten began pawing his sleeve and unable to resist her entreaties, Genzo held her in his arms.

"Would you two like to be alone?"

"Eh?" He looked up to see Linnsa leaning against the doorway.

"I feel like I'm interrupting," she countered with a smile. When he began to put her down, she hastily stopped him. "I was only kidding. Don't put her down, she'll be so sad."

Her kindness, even for the happiness of a little kitten reminded him of why she had grown so dear to him. "Please." He motioned for her to join him.

Linnsa tentatively laid on top of the bed on her stomach. Not looking at Genzo, she began petting Yang, unsure of what to say next. "I'm not gonna lie, this is really weird for me."

"Of that, I have little doubt," Genzo said sympathetically.

"I mean, not that I want to make you feel bad, but I feel a lot of pressure."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, I just feel like I don't want to hurt you. You've put so much into being with me. What if we don't work out?" She winced inwardly when she saw a momentary look of sadness flit over him.

"I do not wish for you to feel a sense of obligation to me."

"I'm so bad at this, I'm sorry, Genzo!" Linnsa apologized.

"I know how you feel," he answered with a small smile.

"So...". Linnsa rested her face in both hands, propped up on her elbows. "Is this how it goes? You meet someone and then you guys are bound for life?"

"It sounds unusual, but remember, I have had three centuries to understand what it is I want." Setting Yang gently at the foot of the bed, she curled into a ball and covered her face with a paw as she went to sleep. Leaning on his side, also propped on an elbow, he lowered his face level with Linnsa's. "If you wish me to hide my feelings, I will do so for your comfort."

Flattered at the depth of his devotion to her, she shook her head. "I'm not used to it, but I can't say that it isn't nice to have someone so into me." When he reached out to pull her to him, she didn't resist, feeling a wave of heat pass through her when her body met his.

"I would do anything to make you happy," he told her softly.

"I believe you," she whispered. It felt so secure to be wrapped in his arms. There was something infinitely comforting and familiar about being with him.

Spurred on by her acceptance, he began to kiss her, hesitantly at first, but when she began impatiently kissing him back, they quickly became more heated. Her small sighs at his rising insistence instantly got him hard, but to his surprise, she didn't back away from him as she first had in Japan. Instead, she slowly ran the flat of her palm over his chest and abdomen, finally stroking the length of his penis through his clothes. Equally surprised and excited by her actions, he heard her make a noise of surprise as his precum rapidly soaked through them, but she never stopped rubbing, even as she continued to press her mouth into his, feeling his ragged, short breaths as she brought him pleasure. "Linnsa, please...stop...I -"

"You what?" she asked with a sly smile. Without answering, Genzo arched his back and bucked his hips against her hand as he ejaculated with a strangled moan. Still cumming, he heard her marvel under her breath, "Oh, wow..."

Trying to get his breathing under control, Genzo suddenly felt embarrassed to be lying on his back with a very large freshly blown wad rapidly cooling in his boxers. Linnsa's eyes were riveted to his still swollen cock. "You're so big," she mused with awe.

"I should change," he muttered, not knowing what else to say. When he tried to get up, Linnsa pulled him back down. "Why? Why did you do that?"

"Did you not like it?" Her brow furrowed in concern.

As if to answer her, Genzo looked down at the very large stain on his crotch and grinned sheepishly, causing her to giggle. "Of course I did, but I am confused. Before, you..."

"I thought maybe this would help you sleep," she replied impishly. "I couldn't have you staying up all night frustrated. That would just be...mean." She said the last word with a somewhat devilish glint in her eye which wasn't helping his erection subside. Kissing him lightly, she suggested, "Now you can go change."

When he had returned to bed in fresh clothes, Genzo gathered her in his arms, relishing how her tiny body fit so neatly against his. "Why do I feel that I have gotten myself into more than I can handle?" he asked, nuzzling her ear as he spooned her.

"Because you have." Her words practically dripped with smugness.

"What do you wish to do tomorrow?" As sleep began to overtake him, he realized that this was what it was like to look forward to something.

"Well," she yawned, "why don't you take me on a date?" The end of her sentence trailed off slowly.

"[Aishteryu]," he murmured without thinking as he began drifting off. Linnsa, tired from their long trip, was already fast asleep.

_________________

aishteryu: I love you (Japanese)

_________________

"Angela, may I speak with you?"

"Mm?" Angela lifted her head off her pillow at the sound of Genzo's muted voice calling from downstairs. Noboru was no where in sight, but Snotty had ensured that his side of the bed would not lose an ounce of heat. "Genzo, wha-"

"Sssssshhhhhhht!" he hissed testily from below.

Rubbing the night's sleep out of her eyes, Angela grabbed Noboru's kimono jacket and wrapped it around herself. Peering over the ledge of the loft area, she saw Genzo standing tentatively in the middle of the floor, his finger to his lips. "What is with you?" Saying nothing, he motioned for her to come downstairs.

When she was near enough to hear him speak at a whisper, he looked over his shoulder at the room he shared with Linnsa before turning back to her. "I need some advice."

"Advice?"

"From a woman," he explained awkwardly.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh..." she whispered knowingly.

"I need to know what people do when they go to a dating." When Angela laughed aloud at his use of Engrish, he turned beet red and spat, "[Urusai]!"

"You-". It was so hard for her to speak without cracking up. "Y-you want to take Linnsa out on...on a...date?" She caught herself mid snort more than a few times trying to get that sentence out.

"[Hai]," he growled in a tone that basically said [don't make this any more humiliating than this already is, woman].

Making every effort to stop chortling, she took a few breaths to compose herself before looking at him again. "I'm sorry, Genzo, I don't mean to laugh at you. I just never thought I'd hear you ask for advice, let alone that sort of advice."

"Forget that I asked," he grumbled.

Angela grabbed his arm as he turned to stomp off. "No no no, I want to help, really! I just think it's so sweet of you, and..." she paused before adding, "I want you to win her over too." His sour expression softened at her words. "Okay, get a pen and paper, you may want to take notes." Though being somewhat concrete about her instructions, Genzo dutifully obtained a pad of paper and a pen and sat down like a pupil awaiting a lesson. She had to force herself to remember that he was already feeling embarrassed and to not make it worse despite the fact that she found the situation insanely adorable. "Okay, lesson number one: pick up lines." When she saw him scrawling studiously, she sighed and raised his head up with a finger under his chin. "That was a joke, Ninja Boy."

"[Konnoyaro...]"

_______________

urusai: shut up (Japanese)

konnoyaro: why you little...(Japanese)

_______________

Opening her eyes after a much needed night's rest, Linnsa yawned and stretched luxuriously, feeling more rejuvenated than she had in a while. Propping herself up in bed, she was surprised to see she was alone. "Hello? Anyone here?" she called out.

"Good morning." She looked up to see Genzo walk into the room with a tray. "I thought you might be hungry." Setting the platter down on her lap, he removed the dome off the plate to reveal a very respectable breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast.

"You made me breakfast in bed?" Linnsa squealed delightedly.

"[Hai. Dozo.]" When she looked up perplexed, he corrected, "Please, eat."

Since her reversion back to her old self, Linnsa no longer possessed the legendary appetite she once had, but didn't want to hurt his feelings. "Only if you share with me," she said, picking up her fork. "Here." Against his objections, she spooned a small bite of egg into his mouth. "Good?"

"Needs salt," Genzo retorted with feigned gravity.

Giggling, she took a bite and was surprised to find that it actually tasted quite good. "These are tasty! Who taught you how to make eggs?"

"I found a tutorial on youTube by a man named Gordon Ramsay," was his matter of fact reply. This only caused her to giggle harder. "What?"

Putting the tray aside, she hugged him tightly. "You are such a sweet little man!"

"Little?"

"It's a figure of speech, Genzo," she laughed. "Come back to bed." Happy to comply, he lay down next to her and pulled her to him. Still smiling, she took a moment to just look at him.

"What is it?"

"You're very handsome, you know that?" It melted her heart to see him blush and look away. "Do you like it when I say that?"

"Yes," he grudgingly admitted, his face buried in her neck. She could feel the heat from his blush on her skin and giggled again. "I like when you laugh," he added in muffled contentment. When he felt the blood drain from his cheeks, he lifted his head so that he could meet her eyes. "Would you like to see a movie with me?"

"You are just full of surprises! What movie did you have in mind?"

"I do not care." He laced his fingers into hers and smiled. "It is your choice. I was told that movies were a typical venue for a first date."

She loved his style of speaking. "We could rent a movie," she suggested.

"I would have difficulty watching a movie if we stayed here," he warned, his hand slipping under her shirt to the skin over her hip.

Linnsa couldn't deny that feeling his hands move over her felt wonderful. "You have quite the sex drive, don't you?"

"Entirely your fault," he noted as he ground his fully erect cock against her thigh.

Despite feeling self conscious for not having brushed her teeth yet, Linnsa allowed him to kiss her. Seeing that he didn't seem to mind, she gave herself to enjoying his touch. Genzo rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him as they desperately made out. To his shock, he felt her grind back with her hips and the pressure sent electric needles of pleasure through his body. Suddenly, he felt her bite down gently on his lip, whimpering. Feeling her body go rigid in his hands, when he realized she was in the throes of an orgasm, he grabbed her hips and and thrust against her, groaning as he joined her in cumming. Even though their contact was through their clothes, his release was incredibly intense and immediately, he became sensitive and had to pull away. Linnsa lay on her back, her crotch soaked with both their juices, her nipples standing straight through her t shirt, panting with a glazed look in her eyes that made Genzo's cock release a few extra jets.

When her breathing had returned to normal, Linnsa blushed furiously and hastily bolted for the bathroom. After cleaning up, she came back to find him also in fresh clothes, lying on the bed watching her with a worried expression. Curling up next to him, she took his hand in hers. "Genzo, I've never...been with anyone, you know? I mean, I know you have already and...I guess I feel a little inexperienced. I always expected my husband would be the first man I ever slept with.

"Does that mean I cannot have the job?" he asked her half jokingly.

"Hey, man, you break it, you buy it," she joked back.

He kissed her on her cheek. "I would not hesitate to 'buy' it. The question is would you want me to be that man?"

"Is that a proposal?" she teased.

"A proposal is a formality. Whether it is as your husband or life partner or whatever name you wish to give it, as long as I can be with you, it does not matter."

"Can you be patient with me?"

Genzo smiled and put his arm around her waist. "It will be difficult, but having waited for so long, I suppose I can try to wait a little longer, but do not be offended if I must disappear for a few minutes in the bathroom before we sleep."

Both of them laughed at his warning. "Deal," she promised.

_____________________

dozo: please enjoy (Japanese)