Wedding Night
15 February 2006
by O'donna Dean and Nate Hansen

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This travelogue is rated PG-13. Do not read if you get easily offended by PG-13 movies.

Nikana and Takako slowly walked into the room. They were alone. They had been alone many times before but this time made Takako feel nervous. She worried that she might do or say something wrong and he would walk out or worse regret the decision he had made that morning. Takako looked at her hands and slowly walked over to where sake had been laid out for them. She knelt down and then picked up the sake pot to pour the sake but she could not keep her hand steady and she missed the cup. "No," she quietly whispered to herself and she put the sake pot down and put her hands in her lap and sat there. Takako could hear Nikana walk up behind her.

Nikana knelt down behind Takako and gently touched her back, "Relax, my love." Nikana slowly put his arms around Takako and held her, "We have all night. Take things as slow as you need to, my Seppun-sama. Seppun Takako has a wonderful sound to it. You know there is nothing you could do tonight that would disappoint me." Nikana kissed the back of Takako's neck lightly. Takako's hair was still up in the traditional bunkin-takashimada style, and she now wore the colors of her new clan.

"I am being silly. I had imagined this night going much different then this." Takako blushed.

"We will do things just as we have both imagined, it will just take us a little longer to get started. Now let me pour the sake and after we drink some we will see how you feel." Nikana pored the sake and handed Takako a cup.

Takako took the cup, smiled and drank the sake down. It was just the right temperature. She held the cup out and Nikana filled it again and again Takako drank it down. She then put the cup back down on the tray, "Thank you, Nikana. You are always there for me."

"You have always been there for me. Takako, I believe I would still be looking for ways to return to honor if it were not for you." Nikana took a breath ready to keep talking but Takako put her finger on his lips.

Takako rose to her feet and put her hand out to Nikana. Nikana rose from the floor and took Takako's hand. She then led Nikana over to the sleeping mat. "Please sit down, my love," Takako said softly to Nikana. Nikana sat down and looked up at Takako.

Takako's hand rose to her waist and untied her obi. As she untied her obi, her eyes never left Nikana's eyes, she wanted to see every reaction his eyes made. Takako unwrapped her obi and let it fall to the floor. She brought her hands up to the top of her kimono and slowly ran her hands down the inner edges so that her kimono was slightly open all the way down the front. Nikana could see a thin ivory strip of her skin bordered on both sides by the emerald green of her new Seppun clan kimono. Next, Takako released her kimono completely and let it fall from her shoulders to the floor.

Takako knelt down beside Nikana. She reached out and started to untie Nikana's obi. Her hands shook slightly as she pulled the obi from around his waist. She brought her hands up to the opening at Nikana's neck and slowly opened his kimono. Before Takako's hands reached Nikana's waist, they stopped. She let her hands fall back to her lap, "Nikana, I have imagined this moment in my mind so many times, but now that I am here I am scared. I have been dreaming of holding you and touching you. I want to be with you, as close to you as I can be," Takako looked at Nikana's bare chest and touched it lightly with her finger. "Do you know what you do to me? Everything inside of me wants you and needs you. Why am I so scared?"

Nikana reached out for Takako's hand and held it to his chest – Takako could feel Nikana's heart beating strong and rapidly. Nikana placed his other hand over Takako's heart. He could feel the heat rising from her and that her heart was beating as strongly and quickly as his. Their eyes locked, Nikana whispered, "I know what you do to me and it's unbearable. You are scared because I have not given you everything you desire and deserve – you're afraid that I'm holding back."

Takako began to speak, a pained look on her face.

"Shsssh, Takako-sama, the time for thought and words has come to an end." Nikana turned slightly and kissed Takako on the lips. Takako's body responded in kind, twisting to meet Nikana's. All thought gave way to feeling as they shared, gave and took of each other all without words, the minutes and hours blending into one unending act of love and oneness.

Takako woke but kept her eyes closed. Nikana was awake and running his finger up and down her back. His touch sent waves of pleasure through her body. His hand made its way to the small of her back and then it slowly moved to her hip and down her upper thigh. She was unsure how much longer she could pretend to be asleep. Every part of her wanted him. Nikana's lips then kissed her shoulder. Takako could feel his warm breath on the side of her neck and then at her ear.

"I know you are awake, my love," Nikana whispered. With those words he lightly grasped her hip and rolled her over so that they were face to face.

Takako opened her eyes and giggled, "I should have known better than to try to fool you but I was enjoying myself. Anytime you desire to wake me up like that you can."

"Believe me, I plan on doing just that," Nikana whispered and then he lightly kissed her on the nose.

Takako finally realized that it was still dark in the room, "Nikana, it is not morning yet."

"I know." Nikana mouthed.

The next morning, Takako eyes opened and she smiled. For the first time in her life, she did not desire to rise early and greet the new day in the garden, and even if she wanted to she did not think it would be possible. Something was weighing her body down and she could not move. Takako looked down and saw Nikana's bare arm draped over her, and again she smiled. Last night had not been a dream, for she truly was waking up in his arms. Takako closed her eyes and concentrated on how she felt at that moment. Warm, from Nikana's body heat. Safe, from being in his arms. Happy, because she was finally his and he was hers. The world did not exist outside this room. Her smile widened; she could not stop smiling.

Takako wondered if she could roll over without waking Nikana up. Doubtful, since he was a Miharu, but she had to try. So slowly she started repositioning herself so she could face him. All of a sudden, Nikana grabbed her.

"No. You are going nowhere my love. Your Fire Kami can do without you this one morning, I cannot," Nikana said as he pulled Takako closer to him.

Takako giggled.

"There was once a time when I wondered if you would ever laugh." Nikana whispered to Takako as he nuzzled into her neck. "Now I know why you guarded it so carefully."

"What are you talking about," Takako asked, puzzled, as she ran her hands through Nikana's hair. "Are you teasing me again?"

"No, it's you who are teasing me," Nikana said accusatorially as he reached behind Takako's knee and lightly brushed her smooth skin.

Takako squirmed and giggled again.

"I'm certain that laugh could make any bushi fall in love with you. Is this what they teach you at shugenja school?" Nikana said grinning.

"I've learned much in my short life Nikana, and, apparently, I have much to teach you." Takako pulled Nikana in closer kissing him deeply. The Kami would have to wait this morning.