A couple days have passed and Asami is back home cooking in her kitchen as she preps for tonight. She invited Kyojuro and Giyu over for dinner as a way to apologize for trying to kill them. Of course they both said she didn't need to apologize for anything, but she insisted.
Mitsuri offered to help her, the pink haired woman stands beside her as they both chop up vegetables.
"Kyojuro told me what happened. That must have been terrifying!" Mitsuri says.
"I still feel terrible." Asami says as she preps the pot of water to boil the noodles in.
"They're both grown boys; a few little cuts aren't going to faze them." Mitsuri gives her shoulders a reassuring squeeze as she passes Asami, moving to the other side of the counter.
Both girls finished the cooking, making sure to have plenty of extra since some individuals...Kyojuro...have large appetites. There's a knock at the door. She goes to the front door while Mitsuri sets up the table.
Asami opens the door and her smile drops.
"Tengen? What are you doing here?" She says, confusion on her features.
He gives her a wide grin. "What do you mean? We're here for dinner!"
She leans to the side, peering around him. She sees Sanemi standing behind him, along with Kyojuro and Giyu.
She crosses her arms and turns back to Tengen. "I only invited Kyo and Giyu."
Tengen raises an eyebrow and points a finger behind her. "Then why is Kanroji here?"
"She helped me make the food, so she gets to stay."
Tengen puts a hand over his heart, feigning heartbreak. "Asami, my dear, you hurt me so! You wouldn't turn away your best bud, would you?" He sticks out his bottom lip, attempting to pout.
She narrows her eyes at him. "Fine." She says, giving in.
"You're the best, 'Sami!" Tengen says as he walks past her, rustling her hair. Sanemi follows him, giving her a pat on the head.
Kyojuro and Giyu remain standing outside. She lightly glares at Kyo and says, "Did you invite Tengen?"
He holds both his hands up, displaying his innocence. "I did not. He overheard and invited himself."
She nods and stands to the side, gesturing them inside. "Come in; It's a good thing I made extra."
Kyojuro walks in, but Giyu remains where he's standing, hesitating.
"Are you sure? You seem like you—"
She grabs his wrist and yanks him inside.
Despite the unexpected guests, she had a great time. Everyone sat at the low dining table together; trays of sushi lay out along with steaming bowls of udon.
"I heard she kicked your asses." Says Sanemi, shoveling his mouth with noodles.
"She did!" Kyojuro says proudly.
Asami shook her head. "I wouldn't call it that. They weren't trying to kill me; that's hardly a fair fight." She says as she reaches for more sushi with her chopsticks.
"Damn, I wish I could've been there to see it!" Tengen says.
As the night went on, the food slowly disappeared. Only one piece of sushi remained; Tengen went to reach for it but Sanemi slapped his hand away.
"I don't think so, Uzui. You've been hogging that tray all night. I'm taking the last piece."
Tengen narrows his eyes at him. "I have an idea."
"Oh no." Asami mutters.
"I'll arm wrestle you for it." Tengen challenges.
Asami interrupts them as she stands up. "Absolutely not; you're not breaking my table again." She plucks the last piece from the tray and pops it in her mouth. "There, all settled." She says as she chews.
Both men whine complaints.
"Don't even start. Neither of you were even invited; be thankful that I let you stay." She says as she starts to clear the table. The two men mutter apologies and thank her as if they were little boys being scolded.
That seemed to be the cue to call it a night. Everyone rose from the table, thanking Asami as they bid each other goodnight. Kyojuro stayed behind to help her clear the rest of the tabe, bringing the dishes into the kitchen.
She smiles up at him, grateful for the help. "Thanks for helping me clean up."
He smiles at her as he sets down the dishes he's holding, setting them on the counter. "It's the least I can do; I should be thanking you for the delicious food."
"You already have. Several times." She laughs. She spots the tray of cupcakes at the far end of the counter; she forgot to bring them out. Moving to the tray, she picks one up, peeling the wrapper and takes a bite. Vanilla was always her favorite; the sweetness of the frosting coats her taste buds.
She turns to him, "Want one?".
He smiles at her and taps his finger against the side of his mouth. "You have frosting on your face."
She takes her finger and swipes where he gestured. "Did I get it?"
He shakes his head and steps closer to her. He lifts his hand up to her face and gently swipes the corner of her mouth with his thumb. Her breath catches in her throat at the contact. They're standing so close now, her heart speeds up as he stares back at her. Pulling his hand away from her face, she sees the tiny smear of vanilla frosting on the pad of his thumb.
Without thinking, she lightly grasps his wrist, bringing his hand closer to her face. She parts her lips, placing his thumb in her mouth as she gently sucks the frosting clean off. She feels him tense and her eyes widen. She freezes, panic fills her as she realizes what she just did. Before she can apologize, he leans in and kisses her.
Her head tilts back and he deepens the kiss. His lips, soft and hot against hers as their mouths move together. She throws her arms around his neck, pulling herself even closer. She feels his arms snake around her waist, holding her tightly against him. His tongue lightly presses against her bottom lip, begging for entry. She gladly gives it to him as she parts her lips, his tongue slipping into her mouth.
She moans against his lips, their warm tongues moving together in an intimate dance. She takes a step back as he presses her hips against the counter behind her. Her hand flies to the counter's surface to steady herself, knocking off a bowl of udon. It shatters as it falls to the floor, but neither of them care. Her heart is beating dangerously fast, thundering in her ears.
She gently bites his bottom lip and slowly pulls away. She looks up at him through her lashes, their noses almost touching. His eyes stare into hers, his golden orbs burn with lust and desire.
A surge of courage runs through her. Her lips curve into a playful smile as she takes his hand and leads him out of the kitchen. She heads to her bedroom with him in tow. Sliding her door open, she pulls him inside, not even bothering to close the door.
His lips are on hers the instant they cross the threshold. Her hands move up, tangling her fingers in his hair. His hands move to her hips, holding her with a tight grip. She can feel his fingers tighten. Firm but not painful. She knows he's holding back. Their kiss becomes hotter, full of passion as their tongues swirl together.
