(Disclaimer: I do not own Akatsuki No Yona or any of its affiliations.)

YONA

I woke with a persistent need to tinkle.

Groaning softly, I shifted from my sleep. The ground was hard and so very cold. It was dark, too. My eyes took some time to adjust but after a moment, I was able to make out the faint contours of cave walls- somewhere water was dripping from the caverns above. Muted thunder echoed down the rocky shafts, and I wondered when it had started raining…

I shivered from the cold and pulled at my blanket. That's when I realized it wasn't my blanket; it was a kimono.

Come to think of it, where was I?

The last thing I could remember was Zeno leaving that bottle of sake in my hands and wandering off to dance around the bonfire. Curiosity had gotten the better of me and I'd tried a few sips. I was awful at first (don't ask me why I had kept tasting it) but the more I had drunk, the less awful it had gotten.

I know I'd also seen Shin-Ah and Hak talking to Jae-Ha about wanting to scan the perimeter before heading to the villa that the townspeople had so kindly offered us. Knowing that the others were still working hard had made me feel guilty for sitting around, so I'd headed off to practice with my bow. That's when things started to get blurry…

Squinting into the darkness, I tried to focus. I could sort of remember Jae-Ha sitting next to me in the woods, looking all majestic and suave while he stared at the night sky. I remembered stumbling around. Gods, I hoped that was before he had shown up. Yoon was going to scold me for the scrapes on my knees in the morning and Hak – well, Hak was going to scold me for drinking at all. They insisted on keeping me sheltered.

As I laid there, the feeling of warm arms holding me tight was lingering in my mind. I didn't know why.

The ground was pressing firmly into my side, so I decided to roll over. When I turned, I saw Jae-Ha lying beside me. At first, I was taken aback by his nearness. But, I soon realized we were alone. He must've carried me here when it started raining. Why not back to the villa though? I wasn't far for him. Maybe he had injured his leg during battle and didn't tell Yoon… He was stubborn like that, sometimes.

As I stared at him, I noticed he was on his side, his arm sprawled out in front of him, like he was reaching for something- a pretty lady maybe?

The green strands of hair that normally fell to cover his eyes had shifted, and for the first time, I could see his face in its entirety. He was handsome, breath-taking really; and he seemed peaceful sleeping, like all his worry had disappeared. I blushed, feeling like I had seen a side of him not meant for anyone else. Butterflies in my stomach fluttered, telling me that him like this – vulnerable - was more than I was supposed to see. It was intimate.

Still, I couldn't look away...

The more I studied him, the more I noticed how large of a person he was. His body took up all the space around me. His arms stretched past my head, and my feet rested at his calves. It was like sleeping beside Hak. Well, sort of…

Hak reminded me of a bear, big and fluffy. He was safe, familiar. Jae-Ha was like- like a dragon. He was enchanting, lethal and warm- so warm. I shivered and scooted closer to him hoping to share his heat. But instead, my shifting only caused him to move.

"Hhmm…" he mumbled in his sleep.

I was frozen. I hadn't expected to disturb him. The intimacy of our added closeness, though he was still asleep, was paralyzing me. When he shifted again, wrapping his arm around me, my heart raced. His forearm tightened against my back; I shivered from his touch. Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I was filled with apprehension, but I was too petrified to retreat from his hold.

"…Yona…" When he whispered my name, my eyes darted up expecting him to have woken. But, he was still only dreaming.

My thoughts puzzled over what he could possibly be dreaming about. I entertained the idea that my name escaping his lips was proof that he'd been dreaming about me. The notion made my heart skip a beat. I continued to lay still, captivated by his incoherent ramblings. I'd never really seen him when he wasn't all composed and refined. It was mesmerizing to watch the muscles on his face curve into senseless expressions. And, every so often, his hold on me would tighten as his dreaming intensified.

Slowly, his brows started to furrow, and his face began to contort into a frown. Without thinking, I reached for him hoping to soothe the lines away with my hand. When I touched him, his skin was warm; and as I traced the side of his face, I could feel the soft stubble of a freshly shaven man. As I charted the outline of his jaw, my fingertips lingered at his lips.

"Careful," he interrupted.

Startled, I jerked my hand back, but he caught my wrist in his fingers and held it suspended in the small space between us. His dark eyes caught mine and he looked at me with smirk, raising my hand to rest back against his cheek, "I may bite."

I was so embarrassed I'd been caught examining his body while he slept that I couldn't hold his gaze. I looked away to his chest. He had removed his robes for me to use as a blanket, so only his underclothes remained. His white, poet shirt- damp from the rain- and brown, leather vest revealed parts of his torso and shoulders, further reddening the blush on my cheeks.

Noticing my silent panic, he raised a hand to my chin and tilted my attention back to his face, "Yona, I'm only joking."

When I still didn't respond, he reached over and grabbed me by the waist, hoisting me above him. I yelped as I attempted to steady myself with my hands. My fingers pressed into his muscular rib cage; and my body rose and fell with every breath he took. Jae-Ha's eyes were soft as he looked up at me, and a patient smile rested on his face. I'm sure he was waiting for me to relax now that our bodies were not so near, but having my palms digging into his chest were not doing any numbers to erase the red on my cheeks or slow my racing pulse.

"I, um," I strained to form words, "I'm sorry for waking you. You seemed so peaceful dreaming..."

"Don't be sorry," he chuckled, "Zeno says I talk in my sleep, so I hope I didn't say anything too embarrassing..."

The thought of him babbling in his sleep and annoying everyone laying around him made me giggle a little, "Only that you want to look at Shin-Ah's eyes and think Kija has a pretty face…"

"That sounds like me," he chuckled.

As our laughter slowly died, and an awkward silence filled its place. I shifted my weight so that I was sitting upright, but Jae-Ha rose to meet my gaze reluctant to let me back away. Even seated, he seemed to tower over me. If I had tried to imagine what the dragon warriors were like before I'd met them, I'm sure I would have pictured something like this - a ferocious man, who stood above others, yet was self-sacrificing and full of kindness.

With every flash of lightening from outside, his shadow consumed me, plunging me into darkness and illuminating his sharp silhouette, his broad shoulders and long body, his gentle eyes and happy smile. Even though I'd been staring at him, it felt like I'd glimpsed something unworldly.

Thunder boomed.

"...so beautiful." The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop myself. I glanced up, hoping the crashing echoes had masked my quiet confession, but Jae-Ha looked at me with widened eyes.

"I- I'm sorry," What was wrong with me?! Maybe this was the liquor still speaking, but I hadn't felt fuzzy anymore so I couldn't be sure, "I don't know where that came from."

"Yona," he whispered, cutting of my panicked stammering. His eyes softened, and he leaned in closer, "Stop apologising."

My lips parted to speak but no words came. I was speechless. And, as I looked at him in the darkness of our cave, listening to him chastise me for my honesty like some kind of saint, something inside me stirred. And all at once, I realized that I- I craved him.

It'd felt like the wind had been knocked from my chest. I breathed in slowly; I hadn't expected it. I mean, I didn't really think about that- about wanting someone. I hadn't ever had time before. It was always fighting battles, setting up camp, getting food, helping Kouka... There had been very few points were I'd had time to think about what I wanted or who I wanted.

Even in the fleeting moments where I might've had the opportunity, I wouldn't have known what to do. I'd never gotten that talk - the one the of-age noble girls had gotten at the palace. Everything I knew about womanhood I'd learned on my own.

Now, Yoon was the only person who I confided in about 'woman things,' and that was because someone had to know. Someone had to go to town for me. They never would've let me go alone to the village to get things I'd needed and I certainly wasn't going to take any of them with me.

Thinking about it made me reminiscent. I hadn't thought about those kinds of things since Soo-Won. And, sometimes with Hak, my heart had skipped a beat and the thought of his strong body beside me held my attention at night. But, this time was different. This was heavy, palpable, and frankly, a little frightening.

Spurred on by the quickly-fading traces of liquor in my bloodstream, I leaned in to close the distance between us, pausing just moments before my lips met his.

He'd stopped me.

I could sense agony in his voice as he pulled away slightly, "I- We can't do that."

Oh... I hadn't expected rejection.

It stung more than I anticipated. In fact, it hurt. A lot. Thoughts of inadequacy flashed through my mind. Now all he needed to do was murder my father and I could relive my past. Without realizing it, tears began to well in the corners of my eyes. I hadn't planned on crying. It just sort of happened...

Jae-Ha noticed my quickly changing expression, "Yona Dear, please don't cry. I hate when you cry."

But, asking me to stop only made it worse. He raked his hand through his hair, frustration and pain clear in his voice, "Ugh! This is torture. Curse this god-forsaken dragon's blood."

His fingers dug into the dirt beneath us, and his shoulders were tense as he fought mubbling to himself, "…Be the good guy. Big brothers don't steal the girl…"

I didn't understand what he was rambling about, but he looked so torn apart. I couldn't help but feel at fault.

"Jae-Ha, I'm sorry… I…"

"It's not your fault, Yona," he sighed, moving hair away from my face and tucking it behind my ear, "You're perfect. You are the most beautiful, sexy and strong woman I've ever met. I am beyond flattered that you would even think of me that way, but I just can't. I am your friend, your protector -- the green dragon."

"I'm not virtuous or patient. And, I'm definitely not Ha-" he cut off, a trace of sadness in his words, "Well, let's just say I'm wrong for you…"

His words broke my heart. No longer from the rejection, but because he had thought so little of himself.

Jae-Ha was amazing. He'd been a part of a pirate resistance when we'd first met. I'd admired that. He was musical, funny, and endearing. His martial arts were deadly, yet graceful. He let me do more on my own than any of the others ever would've. And, I had always been captivated when he'd take me with him, soaring through the sky. I was never afraid in his arms.

If I could've been born a dragon warrior instead, I think I would've been him, with his soul in the sky. Then, I could fly to my own rescue.

I don't know where he got off thinking he wasn't a good person. He would lay down his life for a woman in need, or for his friends, and he'd almost died fighting more times than I cared to count for the kingdom of Kouka- or for me.

That last thought left me tinged with guilt.

I reached for his hand, intertwining my fingers with his. The same hesitancy from before was clear in his expression when he looked at our hands together, but he still let me touch him like this. Raising his hand to my face, I planted a gentle kiss against his palm.

"Jae-Ha…?" I whispered, almost inaudible.

He looked at me with his full attention. His gaze was fierce- intimidating, even. But, I smiled and spoke anyway, sure of myself, "Someone once told me that I get to chose who I love, and right now I'm choosing to love you. So, will you please stop getting in my way? I want to-"

Before I could finish, his lips were pressing against mine. He kissed me deeply -- lovingly -- breathing fire into my lungs and filling me with desire. He was so full of need. One hand wrapped around my waist pulling me against him, the other around the back of my neck, pulling me into him. And, despite just having told him that I wanted him, I wasn't exactly sure what to do now that I had him. My hands were frozen at my sides and my body was tense. Realizing my response was tender footed he took control, pulling me into his lap and looping my arms over his shoulders, so that I was above him as he leaned up, kissing me harder.

The feeling of his mouth against mine sent waves of feeling to strange places. Heat rose in my core, and I could feel my pulse between my legs. Consumed by the sensation of him holding me tight against his body, I dug my fingers into his shoulders and kissed him back, eagerly.

His hands were big against my slender frame. And, when he held me his grip on my waist was rough and gentle. It didn't make sense to be both, but it was. Everywhere he touched me turned to fire. As our lips molded together, a soft moan escaped me.

Gods, I don't think this is what the Dragon Spirits had intended when they had chosen Jae-Ha as a warrior in servitude, but I didn't care. And, that was the single most dirty, inappropriate thought I'd ever had, and it was only making me want him more.

As if in tune with my thoughts, Jae-Ha's hand slipped from my waist to play at the hem of my dress. He traced his fingers underneath me knee, and pulled me closer to him. As he slid his hand up my thigh, he hesitated.

"Yona…" he said, stopping, "I don't want to… Are you sure about this?"

I broke away to look at him in the dim light of the cave. His desire was as clear as day, but I could sense a struggle in his mind.

"I want you," was all I could manage as I sat, pressed against his hardened body.

I reached for the threads of his vest and pulled at the strings, watching as they came undone. Jae-Ha followed my gaze as I pushed his leather vest over his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. My hands rested on his chest, the thin layer of shirt fabric was the only thing standing in the way of my fingers against his bare skin.

My breath hitched as he leaned in to kiss me again sliding his hand further up my thigh to the apex of my hip. His fingers rested on the bindings hidden underneath my clothes.

Heat from his mouth lingered at my lips as he left to kiss my cheek, tracing his way down my neck and sending shivers down my spine.

"Jae-Ha..." I breathed.

Even though his hands were all over me and his lips were pressed to my skin, the longer we touched the more I needed.

"Mmm…" he hummed darkly against my neck, "You're so perfect, Yona."

Nervously, I ran my fingers over the fabric of his shirt. Pulling the hem out from under his blue pants, my hands wandered to the bareskin of his torso. He groaned as I traced along his sides, resting my fingertips against his chest.

His free hand moved from my neck to pull at the strings holding my kimono together. They fell to the ground. His expert fingers parted the now loose red and pink robes draped over me, letting the cloth find its way to the dirt alongside the rest.

I shivered - partly from being exposed to the cool air of the cave and partly from having my body covered only by my bindings, under his heavy gaze. My stomach was fluttering, my heart was racing, and the space between my legs ached.

I pulled at the hem of his shirt wanting to remove it, but his hand caught mine stopping my ministrations. He leaned foward, slowly placing me against the cool earth.

I looked up to meet his gaze. His eyes didn't leave mine as he pulled his shirt over his head and came to rest his hard, lithe body over me. His muscled stomach felt like hot stone against my soft touch.

He leaned in and kissed me gently. His lips fluttering against mine, his breath hot. One hand pressed to his cheek and the other tangling in his hair, I pulled him closer deepening our kiss. When my lips parted, he dipped his tongue inside. I whimpered from the sensation.

His fingers traced along my side and came to play at the bindings around my chest. He slowly slipped his fingers underneath. Undoing Yoon's hardwork, he pulled the wrapping from me exposing my breasts.

I couldnt help but flush, being more exposed than I'd ever been. I was grateful that the dim light of the cave helped hide the embarrassment that crept over my cheeks as Jae-Ha trailed kisses down my neck.

His fingers played at the undersides of one of my breasts, when his mouth suddenly covered the other.

"Jae-Ha!" I gasped, jerking from the sudden sensation.

He chuckled at my reaction, his hot breath against my nipple making it harden further. His mouth came back over me, running his tongue expertly over the hardened tip. The combined feeling of his mouth teasing one breast, while his hand held the other, brushing his thumb against my hardened nipple was more arousing than anything I'd ever experienced.

A hard moan escaped me.

I was so cloaked in arousal that any feelings of embarrassment had all but left. It was just the sensation of pleasure building inside me as Jae-Ha continued to knead my breast between his fingers. I struggled, needing... needing... more...

He seemed to know somehow, because his teeth nipped at my breast one last time before releasing it and returning to place a kiss against my lips. I whimpered at the loss.

He ran his hand over the top of my thigh then, whispering against my ear, "Part your legs, Yona."

I swallowed, racked by the bluntness of his words and slowly - slowly - inched my legs apart. Jae-Ha pulled at the last of my bindings, starting to unravel the thin cloth. My breathing was ragged, and my heart was beating hard and fast. He seemed to notice because he stopped, his hands resting instead on the inside of my thighs.

"Are you afraid?" he asked softly.

Yes. "...No."

Jae-Ha leaned down, coming to rest between my legs, his pelvis pressing against my most intimate parts, separated only by the thin fabric of my bindings and his pants . His arms came to rest on either side of my body, encasing me. His face inches from mine.

He looked at me intently, softly. Desire hiding just behind his concern, "Don't lie to me, Yona."

I waited, unable to answer. I didn't want to tell him I was scared because I didnt want him to stop. I knew that the first time could be painful, but I still wanted him. I still wanted this. But, I knew he was a good man, if I lied to him again and he didn't believe me he would definitly stop.

"A little..." I finally confessed.

He smiled genuinely. His eyes warm, he placed a soft kiss on my lips.

"Don't be afraid."