After The Dawn

Freedom
No one could possibly feel the thrill that went through Tereya's veins, as she flew across the sky. Her long, black hair whipped behind her, and she soared like a bird racing through the thermals. Needless to say, she felt quite... powerful, setting herself on a course without restaints or obstacles. No one could hold her back from doing what she wanted. There was no Ahatake to protect her anymore, no Ahatake to treat her as someone below him. She flew like the very wind itself.

Free.

However, her face was set in an expression of grim stoicism. Her eyes searched above the city she was flying in, her spiritual senses roaming every which way. For now, she wasn't in the mood of celebrating like the rebel she was. She was now focused on finding the person she had to leave behind.

Nori.

And now, as her spiritual senses locked onto his signature, she couldn't help but wonder how he had been for himself...

His meager life had gotten along just fine.

After a sloppy breakfast of fast food (which wasn't especially healthy, but it wasn't as if he had to watch his figure; any fat he gained was burned away as Reiatsu, or used as calories whenever he focused long enough), he had climbed back into bed, to sleep off the time in which Tereya said she would return. If she returned. Of course she would return! He doubted that she wanted him to run up her tab here at this hotel...

Which was strangely high-class, which would mean that she had some money... Especially for her to let him stay here like this! It was nice! And the bed was still warm... Nori snuggled under the covers more, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep. He hadn't even bothered to throw away the garbage from his meal. Eventually, the maids would have to come in to clean it... He didn't have to worry.

While he dozed off, Tereya's lone figure appeared on the window-sill in a crouching position. Her eyes peered for a moment, unable to see him at first. However, once she noticed his sleeping form, she scoffed. All that he was doing was sleeping? No more going back to Hell or wherever? It was time to change that... She reached down, feeling for the window's opening.

Nori's sleeping form shifted slightly under the covers. He'd rolled on his side, with his back facing Tereya. Strangely, his body was located in the middle of the bed, leaving sizable room on both sides of the bed.

With careful hands, she managed to slide the window open and slip in, a ninja of the day. After she successfully infiltrated, she closed the window and turned towards Nori. Part of her was wary; before, he had tricked her in order for her to get close to him. However, it was overridden immediately. She walked over towards the front side of him.

Nori's eyes remained closed; his body taking slow, peaceful breaths. He was actually asleep. Whatever she might do to him would go completely unnocticed, so long as she didn't wake him up... Though, if she did wake him up, he might be mad... Nori didn't especially like being woken up. Especially after he had just eaten and the bed was so comfortable.

A perfect opportunity to exact revenge.

Curling one hand into a fist, Tereya readied her arm, aimed at her target...

...and punched him right in the groin.

Nori screamed.

It was incredibly loud; if it was anyone but Tereya in the room, they'd be begging him to stop. His manhood felt numb. Tears streamed from his eyes. The only possible thing he could was stare up at his assailant.

"Y... You bastard..."

Tereya snickered. "Don't you mean, you bitch?" She corrected him, retracting her arm at mid-scream. "I mean, did you forget about the last time I was here already?"

"Fine! You're a bitch!" Nori cried. This wasn't fair! Just because he'd hit her in the pubic bone... and the ovaries... Didn't mean that she had to hit him in the balls! "When... When this stops hurting, I'm going to fucking kill you. Watch. You're going to be begging for mercy..." He threatened. She would pay. He would make sure of it.

"Oooh, sounds scary!" Tereya mocked, putting her hands on her hips. "But don't worry, I won't run from the big bad ass." Promptly, and with what would seem like foolish bravery, she sat down on the opposite bed, legs crossed in her lady-like fashion. "I'll wait right here for my punishment like a good girl." She chuckled even more at her words.

Nori attempted an intimidating look, but it quickly faded. She was taunting him, and he would have to take it... "You're such an asshole," He cried, "You shouldn't punch someone in the balls..."

"Well, you shouldn't kick someone in the cooch..." Tereya countered immediately. "But you did. Twice."

Nori paused for a minute. It was getting harder to come up with comebacks. "So what..? I seem to remember winning two of our fights~." He taunted.

"Yeah." Tereya muttered, a frown being made of her lips. "Whatever it takes to make you sleep better." She tilted her neck to the side in a bored manner.

"Are you trying to argue that I didn't win our fights? You know, when we were in The Red Garden, and when I kicked you in the vagina when we were here." He giggled. Oh, she was frowning. Was it because she was annoyed? Nooooooo. It was probably because she didn't want to admit that he had won.

"Yeah, and when you nearly got knocked out by my punch to your face? Good times..."

"Oh, you mean when I feigned to get you to come closer? Like when we were in the bed?" He said. It didn't even hurt anymore. He was just laying there.

The corner of Tereya's eye started to twitch. When did he learn so fast to counter her? Was she losing her touch? "I could've beat your ass right then." She said stubbornly, folding her arms across her chest. "Consider that luck."

"Luck has nothing to do with it. If you could've beaten me, then why didn't you..?" He prodded. Sitting up, he scooted closer to Tereya, and when he was close enough, he leaned his head on her shoulder.

Oh, how she wanted to smack the man right now.

Unable to say anything, she only looked away from him in a huff, but didn't mind the close contact he shared with her. Any more, and he could easily press the advantage. For now, she would only allow him to revel in his little victory.

Nori wrapped his arms around her. "Oh, calm down. It's only natural that women are inferior to men. I can't help it if I'm bigger, and stronger, and faster, and smarter..." He rambled, obviously trying to piss her off. He was winning! Against Tereya. In an argument. This wouldn't happen very often.

"Tch. Oh, ok, then. I'll remember that the next time you're begging for mercy in the face of certain death." Tereya replied coolly, leaning against his arm.

"Don't be like that..." Nori whined, squeezing her tighter. "You know you want me."

"Maybe I do..." Tereya whispered slyly, almost in a teasing manner.

"So what are you going to do about it?" He taunted, letting go of her. She could do what she wanted. He was tired, and she had woken him up. If she wanted him, she was going to do all the work.

"What do you mean? I thought you were the bigger, stronger, and smarter guy, so I thought maybe you could help me with that problem..." Tereya countered easily.

"We both know that's not true." Nori stated sternly. She could beat him if it was a fair fight. The only thing that was keeping her from winning was her vulnerability to feints.

"Then shut up." She emphasized those words by reaching over and flicking Nori in the forehead with two fingers, with just enough force to make it... annoying. "Don't bother talking shit if you can't back it up." Of course, those words sounded like insults, but they were rather Tereya's own form of teasing... and possibly scolding.

Nori frowned profusely. His hand rose up and gingerly rubbed the spot where she had flicked. "Well if you won we wouldn't have this problem!" He snapped, punching her in the arm.

"It was a draw." Tereya argued.

"F-fine... It was a draw..." Nori mumbled. No it wasn't! He had won! Because he was better than Tereya. And he would keep on teasing her about it, until she inevitably kicked his ass to prove him wrong. Then she'd tease him and he'd tell her to shut up. Then she'd call him Romeo.

"Unless.... you want to try it.... again, just to make sure...."

"N-no..! That's okay..." Nori cried, a little bit too quickly. That really wasn't necessary...

A feral smirk came across Tereya's face at his remark. She raised a hand up, lifting her finger under his chin to make him look at her. "What's the matter?" She asked confidently. "Scared that I'll kick your ass this time?" The hesitance in his voice had only served to strengthen her resolve.

Nori couldn't respond. His face turned red. This was getting old. Quickly, he pulled his head from under her finger and stuffed it under a pillow. Maybe if he hid here long enough she'd go away! Or she'd clean the garbage he'd left out. Or do something that a woman should do. Anything that didn't involve teasing him.

"I'll take that as a yes." Seeing the comedic position Nori was in, Tereya decided to add to his torture by lifting herself up and sitting on his back to force him on his stomach. "Jeez, you're such a girl..." She added, only serving to tease him even more.

"You can call me a girl when you grow a penis..." He growled, his voice muffled by the pillow. This wasn't a comfortable position for him. Reaching behind himself, he feebly tried to toss Tereya off of him. He'd punch her in the boob later. He might hit the duct and make it hurt a lot. That would be fun~! Especially since he'd get to feel her boobs.

She simply caught his hand before it could reach her, twsting herself on him to pin his arm behind his back. "Oh, really? Who says?" She asked.

"I do." Nori replied simply. It wasn't as if she was actually going to do anything on his back. This wasn't a hostile situation. "Really, what are you even going to do, sitting on my back like that?"

"Oh...."

Her grin turned rather sinful at that. She leaned forward, raising both of her hands and putting them on both sides of Nori's head. This way, instead of just her hand, her entire body was pinning Nori down. "I can think of many things I could do to you right now." She replied hauntingly, her breath tickling his ears. "You really want me to demonstrate?"

"Yes. Please, go right ahead." Nori bluffed, actually struggling against Tereya. It was pointless. But whatever she did, he could just heal anyway. It's not like he couldn't regenerate.

No words needed to be said after that.

Immediately, the woman's mouth sank down into the nook of Nori's neck, the moved her tongue across the skin in a light manner, but with enough force to jolt his nervous system. Along the way, she made sure to nip on parts of it, in a rather unpredictable pattern.

His reaction was priceless. Everytime she bit, he whimpered like a baby, all the while craning his neck in every possible direction to try and get her mouth off of it. This was unbearable. He was going to explode. "St... Stop...!"

A restrainless chuckle was his response. "You see, Romeo, I don't need to mutilate you or anything like that to get you to squeal..." She said, allowing herself to fall off of him and on her back on the bed. She folded her hands beind her head.

Nori reached and covered the spot she'd been 'attacking' with his hand. "That's not funny! How the fuck am I supposed to cover that!? I don't want to go for walks outside and watch people point out that you put a huge fucking hickey on my neck! You fucking asshole." Nori grumbled, jumping off the bed and heading into the bathroom. He slammed the door shut and locked it. She wasn't invited this time.

The only response from Tereya to it all was a chortle. "Serves you right for running your mouth." She replied, though it was clear to her that she couldn't hear him. She closed her eyes, crossed her legs, and overall, looked rather relaxed. Who could blame her? The bed was quite soft and comfortable...

The sound of water filled the room. He was getting into the shower. Nori would be in the bathroom for at least an hour.

Calmly, Tereya allowed herself to get up from the bed, walking over towards the bathroom door. She could simply barge in and do what she did last time; even locked doors would not restrain her strength. However, she herself didn't need one - she had already taken care of that before she got here. She leaned against the wall beside the door, folding her arms across her chest. "Besides, I bet you've been spending your lazy ass here ever since I left!" She called into the door. "When did you plan on taking a walk?"

"I was afraid that if I left, when I came back, I would have missed you."

Nori blushed, even though he hadn't said it to her face. It was such a sweet thing to say. But it was the truth. A feeling a nervousness swept through him. That might prompt her to storm in here like she did the last time... And... Take control. He didn't want that. If she came in, she wouldn't be getting anything.

Thankfully, Tereya didn't think of it. "You? Miss me?" She asked skeptically. Didn't I give you that little energy of mine in order to find me? Either that, or I find you... quite easily, I could add."

Nori frowned. "Fine, I was being a lazy ass and didn't want to go outside. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Well, really, I didn't care either way. I was just asking."

"Well, since you're not busy, could you clean up the garbage I left out there from my breakfast? Thanks Honey."

Tereya scoffed. "What the hell do I look like, your maid? Clean your own fucking garbage." She craned her head towards the direction of the door.

"No, that's okay. Why should I have to do it when I have you?" He taunted.

The woman snickered, closing her eyes and turning back forwards. She was obviously amused. "You won't have me like that when I leave this door." She retorted. "Kur--... Seishou Tereya doesn't clean other people's messes." She had to correct herself; saying Kurosaki after her first name had became a habit before.

Nori sighed inwardly. "You don't have to clean it. You just have to pick it up and put it in the garbage. It's more like moving it. C'mon! You can do it! I beleive in you!" He shouted with mock-enthusiasm.

"You can do that when you step out! I'm goin' to fuckin' sleep!" With that, Tereya began to step away from the door and to one of the beds in order to emphasize that fact. How long had she been searching for Nori, anyway? What was the time of day?

The shower stopped a prompt twenty minutes later. She was asleep~. The perfect time for revenge! Whistling as he put on the same clothes he had been wearing (There was nothing wrong with them!) he stepped out of the bathroom and crept towards the bed she was lying in. This would be fun!

"Zzzz...." Beyond gone from the world of the awakened, Tereya hadn't even bothered to put on the covers. She lay on her side, facing Nori. Her expression was rather peaceful, all of her feistiness having seemingly vanished. Her breaths were steady and controlled, meaning that she was having a rather good sleep despite the short time.

Upon seeing Tereya like that, all of Nori's thoughts of revenge and vengence instantly vanished. He crawled into the side of the bed near her front and closed his eyes. If he touched her she might wake up! So he would sleep away from her.

"....you....bastard....."

Although it was in her sleep, Tereya seemed to be muttering incoherently, her words barely heard by her sleeping partner. Her expression looked a little aggravated.

Nori looked at her uneasily. She was talking about him, wasn't she!? He would wake her up and ask her what she was thinking about... Placing a gentle hand on her arm, he shook her lightly, trying to easily stir out of sleep. "Tereya... Wake up..!" He whispered. Maybe she needed another hug? She always enjoyed them.