[Fiction] Warm bath, hot blood.

[Wakinyan]

Teninkyo Onsen, Hokkaido Dec 24th 2014

The mountains where steep and snow fell silently in the night. So quiet that one could hear it fall down upon the gorge that cut a jagged path in the forested volcanic mountains. Steep cliffs fell sharply down into large pools of bubbling, steaming water. Boulders stood in the water here and there, sentries protecting the hot spring. Christmas eve, it really didn’t mean as much here though every year the Japanese got a little more into the commercial fun of it all. Not here though, tonight it was utter and complete solitude and that was just the way the one soul who bathed liked it.

Totem lazily floated on his back in the hot Teninkyo spring, letting its heat penetrate his muscles and unwind him. The past month he had spent in Japan had been great for him, So many friends, so much seen. The experience was profound for him. Not since he erupted had the animal inside been so calm and part of him. He hoped he had turned a corner but wasn’t ready to claim victory in settling into what he was now.

He had flew north into Hokkaido only in the past day, interested in seeing what Japan looked like without so many people about. Well now he knew, the island gave to him what he sought, wild beauty. Such a contrast to Tokyo and other cities in the south it almost seemed like a different world entirely.

The mineral water permeated his senses and made him heady in his relaxation. The snow fell across his exposed body and melted and mixed with his wet fur. Purity was what was being given here. It didn’t take long for the waters warm loving embrace to soothe the beast to sleep.

The snow still fell.

His senses told him what they could in his slumber. Alerting him something was amiss. He blinked as he woke sleepily. He could smell her and feel her all at the same time. He glanced down and saw her nestled into his chest. Completely nude, wrapped only in his heavy coat, her fingers twined into his fur. It didn’t alarm him that she snuck up on him, in fact it made him feel so good that she was here he didn’t even move. What shocked him was the fact that she was asleep, or she was faking it very well. He wouldn’t have thought she would sleep anymore. In a way he found it comforting to watch her, her chest rise and fall, her fine scales glistening in what little light that was available. How could this beautiful creature be so deadly and sinister to the world? They where scared of her, almost everyone was, he wasn’t. You could live your life in fear of the passing storm but, if you did you would never see its beauty. He saw her beauty he felt her call to him. Still he wondered if she felt the same. She had always come to him so maybe she did. Maybe they could be something more, no need to try and push her on it.

Gently he nuzzled her with the side of his beak. The smooth hardness tickling her side slightly. She reacted more like a girl hugging her teddy bear than an evil Terat ready to kill. Her arms reached around his beak and she hugged him, opening her eyes only enough to give him a sleepy smile. Neither spoke, no words where needed only the bubbles of the hot spring and the whispering snow interrupted the silent night.

It was still dark when he awoke. Her scent still heavy to him yet she was not where she had been. Totem drug himself over and looked over the large pool looking for Apep. She wasn’t far away. Lounging against the side of a rock warmed by the steaming water. “Nice night.” She commented as her eyes turned to meet his. “Yeah I like it. It’s exactly what I came out here looking for.” He shook out slightly as he got to his feet and waded deeper into the pool. “Have you found anything else out here tonight you where looking for?” She asked playfully as she stretched her nude form against the boulder. “You know I am always looking for you.” The matter of fact response coupled by his slow approach to her stated his feelings without need of explanation. Apep drew away from the rock and kissed the side of his smooth beak and in response a tongue ran along her collarbone. “Didn’t think I would be easy to find I turned the Opdevice off.” She grinned wickedly. “You have a tendency to talk about what you are doing too much on the forum you know. It wasn’t hard to check the remote, isolated hot springs in Hokkaido for you.” “Maybe I just dropped hints hoping you showed up?” “Well I guess I took your bait oh wise and cunning Griffin. Now what will you do with your captured prize?” The young Nova circled her carefully climbing over the boulder behind her then down again. “Captured? Do you even get captured if you do not want to be?” “You might be surprised Pigeon.” Her response surprised him. It was much more than just playful response. It hinted of things deeper. Not just the attraction she held for him but bits of her own past where mixed within. Instead of responding with more banter he went about giving her what they both needed. No more stupid words would be tossed between them. At least not for now for now both of them needed what was going to be given to the other. He placed his head over her shoulder and the tip of his sharp beak pressed against the small of her back forcing her to arch herself into him. Both gave up rational thought as their instincts took hold.

How does one describe what pent-up lust passion and primal urge is released from two such beings. To say that it was as much of a battle as it was tender passion does not do it complete justice. Over the course of the night and next day for those who where within miles would hear the roars of passion or crashing of rocks sliding down into the gorge from the coupling. The deep snow kept falling, ensuring their privacy even if the noises were not enough to scare off the curious.

Well into the next night came the first time the two had not been enwrapped in each other since the beginning. Wounds where healing as they lay against each other upon a huge rock that had fallen from the cliff earlier. Totem reveled in the heady scent of what had transpired while Apep quietly stroked the side of his head. His tail slithered across her running across her soft smooth scales. Yet he could not let it stand as simply as this. His self doubt welled up into his mind. His jealously and possessiveness of her came forward and he shattered the beautiful moment by speaking. “Am I just another?” He spoke as he purred against her. She didn’t miss a beat but played dumb. “Another what?” She asked with her eyes still shut enjoying the moment despite his attempts.

“You know, another Geryon or Leviathan, another conquest for you?”

“Do you think that is what you are or they are to me? Besides what does it matter if you are, did you not enjoy what we did or what we can do again soon?”

“It does matter to me and you know it. I know you haven’t forgotten what I told you.”

“I haven’t.”

“Then you know I want to be important to you. I just hate the idea of not being serious.”

“What is serious?”

“Uhm… I dunno. Hell, It’s not like I want to give you my class ring or something stupid like that. It’s just I want you.”

“I want you too and I think we just proved that.”

“No that is not what I mean! I don’t even know what you are out there doing in the months that pass when I don’t see you. Then you drop in every once in awhile. Say mysterious things and either beat the hell out of me or fuck the hell out of me. Sometimes it seems both.”

“That’s a bad thing?”

“Yes! No!” A growl replaces the purring. “You know what I mean. I miss you and I want to be with you more often.”

“What about the little fire bug. I thought you wanted to be with her.”

“Juri…. I like her. I don’t think she can handle me.”

“You’d probably be right you are a big boy.”

More growling. “Come on now that isn’t what I mean. I mean the path I walk and the one she walks don’t seem the same.”

“Does that matter?”

“Well it seems to. I mean I look at you and it clicks something in the back of my head turns on like a light. I have to stop myself from foaming at the mouth.”

“That would be fun you should let yourself.”

“Why are you doing this? Stop skirting the issue.”

“I am not sure the issue you want to address. Do you want to go get married or something?”

Totem stopped for a moment, stunned by what she says. She grins and he realizes she was only joking. “Just forget it.” He finally says as he lays his head down upon the rock.

“Now don’t pout, it is to beneath you. What do you want from me Totem? I am serious. Do you want to marry and settle down?”

“You aren’t taking me seriously.”

“I am. I want to know what you want from me. You said you loved me those months ago. I want to know what it is you want to result from that.”

“I want to be with you more.”

“You know the life I lead. Already the rumors of the two of us float around and you get attention in ways you don’t want.”

“I know that.”

“You said it yourself you know I am ruled by my lust at times I play around. It compels me just like it does you.”

“Right but I am not asking you to stop.”

“I just want to know what you are asking me.”

“I just want you to say it back to me.”

This time Apep is the one who grows silent. She looks away into the darkness watching the steam swirl and eddy in the light wind that blows through the gorge. “Neither you nor I are ready for that yet.” She finally whispers.

“I don’t understand how I am not ready.”

She turns to look him directly in the eye. “You are still young and are finding yourself. If I am always there I would influence your evolution too greatly. It needs to be yours.”

“Horseshit! That is bull and you know it! You are always being so damn cryptic. Is that a requirement for being Terat!? I am learning to be me and you agreed to help me a long time ago. You have already influenced my growth!”

She grows silent again. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore tonight.” Her hands roam over him trying to turn him on again and succeeding.

“No, wait. Why can’t we discuss this?”

“I am not ready yet. Please respect that. For now I can stay and we can enjoy one another for the night or I can leave.”

Totem gives up with a look of being more defeated than when she physically beat him in the desert. “Stay.”

The second act was different from the first. While still ferocious in almost every way both held the other a little closer, touched a little softer and tried just for a moment to pretend it was as innocent as the pure snowy night around them.