Author's Note: Takes place after Teru enters college, towards the end of her first semester. The author has researched some information about Japanese universities, but not enough to know what the core curriculum is at the major schools. Actually, probably not enough to know much of anything. While I would love to write Teru/Tasuku before or immediately after graduation, I thought I'd try something a little different the first go. This wrote itself very fast...probably because I have other stories I need to work on. Reviews are welcomed; flames are not. Flames encourage me to roast marshmallows.

Warnings/Disblaimers: M for sex. Teru/Tasuku.

Stress Relief

Teru glanced at the clock yet again, but she was discouraged to discover only a minute had crawled by.

Where was he? It was 9:00 already...

Unconsciously, she twisted the two rings on her left hand around in circles as she looked back at the computer screen. Her psychology paper was complete; she was merely proof-reading it at this point. But her brain had disengaged nearly thirty minutes ago, and with a distinctly disgruntled feeling, she realized she had re-read the same paragraph five times without actually comprehending the words.

Come on, Kurebay- Ahh, no.

She winced. It had only been three months, so it was still hard to remember her surname was no longer Kurebayashi. Kurosaki, she corrected herself. Her surname was Kurosaki. Something warm pooled in her belly at the thought; startled at where her brain was going, she shook her head to refocus and tried to read the paragraph again.

The words seemed to blur together on the screen and Teru sighed. It was no use; this was hopeless. She slumped in her chair, still unconsciously playing with the rings. The diamond caught on her smallest finger and she made herself straighten it back to its right position. Even in the glare from the computer screen, it sparkled.

Six months ago, the idea of going to university and being married at the same time hadn't occurred to her until Rena suggested it. Just kissing the man she loved made her brain implode on itself, after all. But now...

She squirmed at the thought. Now she was married and in university, her husband was working for the Ministry, and most evenings she found herself eagerly anticipating the moment they would crawl into bed together. Or the moment he would slip into the shower behind her, unnoticed until his arms encircled her waist and his lips began sucking water droplets on her shoulders. Oh, heck, sometimes they didn't make it until dinner. She often started cooking before he got home, and he would often arrive, deposit his briefcase on the sofa, and come back to the kitchen to help her...but inevitably they would end up on the floor. Seventeen times in three months they'd managed to burn dinner that way. Masuda and Akira were going to figure it out soon if they kept showing up at the Ohanabatake.

Instinctively, Teru clenched her thighs together and bit her lip. Just thinking about her husband was enough to work her up. At this point, proof reading the psychology paper was impossible. She'd have to finish it tomorrow morning. Shifting slightly, she reached for her cell phone, which was sitting on the desk, and flipped it open.

No new texts. The last one she had read and re-read fifty times already: Will be home late. Finishing up a project for Boss. Don't keep dinner waiting for me. I'll eat something, I promise. I love you.

She sighed. She might as well go take a shower and cool off. It was hot, which was not helped by the fact that it was the end of summer. Her cotton shorts were thin, and she could feel the dampness already seeping through them. Tasuku wouldn't let her live it down if he walked in right now; he'd notice before she could even speak. To make matters worse, it had been a busy week for both of them. Teru's exams were coming up, he was working on a project... for four nights in a row, they had simply gone to bed without fooling around because they were both so exhausted, and then woken up the next morning only to rush out the door because they had both slept late.

She stood up and stretched, but as she bent over and clicked to save the document, she heard the key in the door. Butterflies exploded in her stomach. The document saved and minimized; she looked to the door and tensed as her husband walked in: his briefcase under his arm, his suit jacket over his arm, his tie already undone (he'd probably ripped the knot out in the car), and his sleeves rolled up his forearms. The cigarette in his mouth was clenched between his teeth, and he looked tired.

Or at least, until he looked tired until he saw her bent over her computer, watching him.

It immediately occurred to Teru that her arse was sticking out in the air, her legs and feet were bare, her tank top was gaping in the front where she was bent over, and her hair was tumbling over her shoulder, because Tasuku's eyes glazed over slightly and the cigarette dipped as his jaw slackened.

She flushed and straightened up awkwardly. "I was just saving my psychology paper. I was wondering where you were."

That wicked smirk of his made his lips curve upward and his teeth gleam. "Psychology my ass," he murmured around the cigarette. His eyes deliberately flickered down to the junction of her thighs, which were still pressed tightly together. "You're soaked. Starting without me, huh? That's not fair, Teru."

Her flush turned crimson. "Pervert! Go bald, Kurosaki."

He burst into laughter at her hollow jest, set his briefcase and jacket down, and took the cigarette out of his mouth. "You're the one who's wet!"

Good grief, sometimes he could be so insufferable! Teru considered storming towards the bathroom just out of sheer principle, but as he prowled towards her, tugging the buttons down his shirt open and exposing more of his chest, her legs suddenly turned to noodles and she had to clench the edge of her desk for support.

He deposited the cigarette in an ashtray on the table by the couch and when he reached her, his hands slid around her waist and his thumbs hooked into the band of her shorts.

Oh God. The skin on her hips burned where he was touching her; as though she were possessed, her back arched and her nipples ached to be released from the confines of her thin bra. Small comfort, she thought, to know that if she were able to regain any semblance of sanity and retaliate, she could make his knees collapse, too. That was worth trying; it wasn't fair that he was gaining ground.

His evil expression flickered and her heart rate sped up as the mask slid away and his eyes became serious. He bent, kissed her slowly, and Teru moaned and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Still can't believe it sometimes..." he muttered against her lips. "All mine..." His kissing grew more desperate as he moved to her throat.

She swallowed and squirmed. She had to regain some control. Anything. Reaching up, she traced his ear with one finger and then tugged on the lobe.

As she expected, he pitched forward slightly. He released her hip with one hand, only to grab the desk to stay upright. His other hand tightened its grip on her flesh and pulled her closer.

"That wasn't fair!" he snarled.

"I was just trying to make you feel the same way I do," she reminded him smugly.

After a couple of seconds, he regained control of his balance, because he released the desk and took a deep breath. "Believe me." He placed a hot, open-mouthed kiss to her neck, suckling the skin and laving it with his tongue. "I do."

Her brain jammed. "I... uh... I was about to... take a shower," she panted, gripping his arms to try and stay upright.

He nudged the thin strap of her top down her shoulder with his nose; his lips followed it. "Well I was going to get a beer, but you've changed my mind. Thanks for that, by the way."

"Tas...u...k..."

His hands were running up under her tank top to cup her breasts. Why did she have to jerk forward when he did that? Why did she have to thrust against him and gasp as though she absolutely couldn't wait for him? She squeezed her eyes shut. Her skin tingled wherever he touched; within seconds, his fingers had deftly unfastened the strapless bra and it fell to the floor unheeded, while his palms pressed against her tight nipples. She groaned in relief.

"Better?" he murmured against her lips.

Teru felt herself sinking into him; she didn't dare open her eyes to see his expression, but she managed to nod.

"It's been a long week," she finally breathed. "For both of us."

"It'll be over tomorrow when you turn that paper in. I finished the project so I'm staying home tomorrow." His lips were still tracing patterns over her face and neck, and she could feel the callouses on his palms as he massaged her breasts.

Teru dug her fingernails into his shirt and moaned incoherently as he kept it up. She wouldn't be able to stand on her feet much longer and damn it, he knew that. She was turning into mush!

Perhaps he sensed the shift in her center of balance, as she became more and more limp within his grasp, because he pushed her tank over her head, dropped it to the floor, and maneuvered them around so that he could sit on her chair. Then he pulled her into his lap so that she was straddling him in nothing but those damp shorts.

In an attempt to anchor herself, Teru hitched herself up against him, buried her fingers in his hair, and rubbed her crotch against his. The abrupt hiss that escaped his lips, and the throbbing, hot hardness pressed against her center made her feel marginally better. He was just as needy as she was. She rocked against him, her hips twitching to get closer, and Tasuku bent his head and lapped at her collarbone.

"Shh," he murmured. His hands pressed into her back, forcing her up slightly, and his head dipped further so his tongue could swirl against one of her nipples. "You're always so damned sensitive. It drives me insane, Teru. If you only knew what you do to me..."

She choked back another moan and arched against him, but he merely chuckled at her response and shifted her on his lap, working her shorts and panties off. She struggled to help him, leveraging against his shoulders to rise up and rid of herself of the last of her clothing. As soon as she was free, she sighed and nestled against his chest, glad that his shirt was completely open now. His skin was hot and burning; her fingertips skimmed over a light sheen of sweat on his muscles and she moaned as his hand slipped between them to free his cock from his slacks.

He didn't bother trying to undress, but kissed her hard and rubbed his erection into the junction of her thighs. She clenched in anticipation and then her legs fell open for him. Thank God he stopped the foreplay, and went ahead and pulled her down onto his length. They both groaned at the sensation, and Teru gripped his shoulders more tightly as she rolled her hips against his.

"If you don't stop squirming," he rasped out, his forehead on her shoulder, "I'm going to come right now."

She managed to still herself, though it was incredibly difficult. More than anything, she wanted him driving into her; she didn't want to ride him out. But then again, beggars couldn't be choosers. She wanted him pounding her into the couch or the bed. Maybe later, she thought hazily. Surely they'd do it again before the night was out. Four days was far too long.

His chest was rising and falling beneath hers, a rapid up-and-down motion as he gasped for breath and his fingers dug into her waist and buttocks, holding her down tightly, his entire length filling her. After a few moments, he lifted her and slammed her back down, and Teru gasped out, her nails digging into his shoulders. Again. Again. The rhythm was hard and jarring; his movements were jerky and she writhed on his lap, her sensitive nub pressed tightly against his pulsing cock. Each bump, each thrust made that desperate little piece of flesh within her ache for more, until finally it finally seemed to snap, and Teru screamed softly, her body bowing against him as she came.

With one of his large hands pressed tightly to the small of her back, he thrust a couple of more times, and she let her head fall back as waves of pleasure rolled through her core, making her very toes curl and her fingers claw into his biceps. Then, as fast as she had come, the pleasure faded into a dull, sweet throb and she became utterly boneless on top of him; when he thrust again, she moaned at the sensitivity. She vaguely felt him smile against her shoulder before he exploded within her, his semen and her juice mixing and running down her legs together.

They sat together on the chair for several minutes, breathing hard and shallowly, her fingers still tangled in his rumpled shirt and her head on his shoulder. His head had fallen backwards and he'd slouched into the chair to the point that she could practically slide off his lap, but she clenched her legs and stayed where she was, willing her body to cool off.

"Better," he muttered to the ceiling. "Slightly better."

Teru giggled and she felt his cock stir against her inner thigh.

"When we do this again," he went on quietly, "it's going to be in the shower. Or the bed."

"When?" she teased softly. "Not if?" She unbent one knee and her foot shakily found the floor.

"Never if. Always when. It's just a matter of time. I physically cannot keep my hands off of you. Law of nature." He cupped her arse and squeezed it, and Teru swallowed as her body stirred again.

Her other foot quickly found the floor and she pushed herself out of his lap before she started rocking against him. As she took in his distinctly disheveled appearance, half-dressed and sweaty, his shirt falling off and those wet slacks open and sticky, she couldn't help but sigh with longing. God, he was sexy.

She managed to stammer, "You need to get those clothes in the laundry. I'm going to the shower. And if you turn the washing machine on before I get out, I will kill you, Tasuku."

"Slowly and by sex, I hope." His grin widened.

"Do not take it as a challenge."

He struggled to his feet and kissed her chastely. "But I love a challenge."

"Not this time. Hurry up." She pulled away from him, and flushing, headed for the bathroom. Behind her, she could hear him pulling his pants off, and she ducked into the shower before she chased him down to the laundry room instead.

Really, Kurebay- Ah heck! Kurosaki! You're a slut for that man, she thought. But it didn't puncture the balloon inside of her. He made her happy, and she couldn't stand to be apart from him. At least he felt the same way about her.

Seconds later, she felt his arms encircling her waist and his lips touched her shoulder, sucking the water off. Teru sighed and closed her eyes. Yes, she thought. She was really happy.

~FIN~