Author's Note: a birthday gift for orenashii, and a tremendous thank you for getting me back into writing fanfiction again.

Practicality. A bath was to remove the dirt and grime for her body, to prevent sickness, to wash away the stink. Nothing more. You're clean, leave and dry off, a voice demanded, echoing the training her mother instilled upon her. There was never a moment to waste, never a chance to relax. Every breath had to be spent in dedication to Aku, to honor his blessed existence by exterminating the Samurai.

Jack argued against such a philosophy. "Rest is important, a moment to relax, to be refreshed. If you have the opportunity, take it. You do not know when you will have the chance again."

Opportunities like lying in a giant circular bathtub, filled with hot water and bubbly soap, lotions and moisturizers lining the wall. A gift from a grateful father whose daughter they saved from attempted kidnapping and ransom. Jack rescued the girl from the thieves' clutches, and Ashi chased after them, making sure they would never attempt this again. She came back covered in blood and mud, proudly assuring the man that this would never happen again. In gratitude, he opened up his home to them, escorting Ashi to a guest room with an attached bath, welcoming her to clean up before dinner that evening.

She grabbed another bottle of liquid moisturizer, squeezing a sizable blob onto her palm, and applied it to her torso, rubbing it into her pores. It felt too good to abandon this activity just yet. Jack was right, enjoy the opportunity while you have the chance. It was a rare treat to spend the night indoors, to eat at a proper table, to bathe in warm, clean water. After years of covering herself with rough burnt charcoal, it was a pleasant change to use soothing lotion instead. She ran her hands over her body, reveling in the gentle sensation. No friction halted their movement even for a millisecond, sliding freely over her supple skin, filling her with erotic sensations. But she didn't want to risk being wrinkly and pruney in front of her gracious host at dinner, and reluctantly drained the tub.

She stepped out and grabbed a towel to dry herself off, but the softness of the Egyptian cotton only fueled the strange feelings. Her skin felt flushed and excited, she wanted more, follow these mystery emotions to whatever the end goal was. She hung her towel, ignored the plush robe that was to cover her while her clothes were being washed, and jumped onto the unmade bed, sinking into the plush mattress, her back tingling against the silk sheets. She stretched languidly, taking in every sensation, grabbing the blanket and slowly dragging it across herself.

Her subconscious immediately likened the white linen to Jack's gi, and unbidden images of being pressed against his rock hard body came to mind. Her hormones were on fire, continuing the fantasy without much effort on Ashi's part. She slowly dragged the blanket off of her, picturing Jack's bare chest as he removed his clothes. Her hands weren't even close to the size of his, but it didn't matter. The sensations were enough as her hands moved around her torso with no input from her addled mind, traveling along her stomach, chest, shoulders, neck, and arms. Her breasts were especially sensitive; her body unexpectedly arching upwards as she brushed over her hardening nipples.

A burning need pooled between her legs, a need for what, she wasn't exactly sure; all she knew was a desire for Jack to be here, to be the one touching her, maybe doing more to her. Her hand followed the magnetic pull, brushing against her nub as she traveled to her entrance, sending a surge of pleasure through her, and she cried out. Her thumb circled around her clit as her index finger made its way inside, her walls clamping down on it, like it rejoiced in the penetration, finally fulfilling its purpose.

There was a knock at the door. Ashi immediately removed her hand, crossed her legs, and grabbed the blanket to cover herself. "Yes?"

"Ashi, are you alright?"

She let out a sigh of relief. "Jack, could you please come in?" It was difficult, but she kept her tone neutral. It wouldn't do to scare him off so soon, and she wanted him to sate these feelings of lust.

He immediately obeyed, his body stiff and his face flushed from the sight of Ashi on the bed, draped in white, her right leg completely exposed, the blanket barely covering her nipples, leaving most of the side of her breast visible. Jack couldn't breathe, could barely think, just kept his eyes on her as he quietly closed the door behind him.

She smiled seductively, and patted the spot on the bed next to her. "Come here."

He immediately obeyed, sitting on the very edge of the bed, hands firmly in his lap, eyes desperately locked onto her face. She moved closer, letting the blanket drop, smiling at how his eyes widened and his face turned bright red before sealing her lips on his in a firm kiss. He was too distracted to fight her, just instinctually responded and returned her kiss, and she took advantage of this by crawling onto his lap and straddling him. He broke the kiss with a gasp, surprised by her boldness. He opened his mouth to speak and she immediately silenced him with another kiss; her hands slipping beneath his gi to grasp his hard muscles. The power they held, the ferocity, the greatest challenge she ever faced, tempered by mercy and compassion. His massive hands, how easy would it to be to wrap themselves around her throat and end her life. Now they only held her tightly, sharing her desire to savor the other, to give and take mutual pleasure.

She lowered herself onto the bed, taking Jack along for the ride. Her hormones screamed in delight; hidden desires were finally being fulfilled. She quickly undid his obi, tugging at it until it fell apart. He sat up and tossed the fabric to the side, his robe quickly following. Ashi's eyes darkened with lust; she hadn't seen his naked body since they recovered his sword weeks ago. She didn't appreciate the sight back then, but now she viewed it as a masterpiece from the greatest sculptor. She slowly ran her hands up every bump of his abs, across his pecs, and wrapped her arms around his meaty neck. "You're beautiful," she purred.

"Thank y—" she silenced him with another kiss, pulling him down on top of her. He kept his hands at her sides, unsure of what was acceptable behavior, even though Ashi was being quite free with his person. She corrected this by grabbing his hand and dragging it down her torso, forcing his finger inside her, and crying loudly from the joy of it.

"Did I hurt you?" He panicked, pulling out, but she moved down to follow his retreating finger.

"Don't stop, ahh, Jack, please don't stop," she begged breathlessly, her walls clamping down on him. "Feels so good!"

He smiled shyly, pleased that he was able to bring her to such a state. "Alright," he conceded, slowly moving it in and out of her. She sank against the plush mattress, lost in the overwhelming pleasure, as her hips arched upward. His speed increased ever so slightly and she loved every second of it, her breathing becoming louder and more frantic, until suddenly, his finger was gone. She sat up on her forearms, confused at what had happened, and watched him settle his face between her legs, steadying hands on her thighs, and his tongue reached out to barely touch her entrance. She never imagined she could ever feel as good as she did in this very moment, her whole body shuddering as she cried out his name.

His tongue going inside her felt even better, twisting and angling itself to touch her in so many places, driving her mad. He kept a slow, loving pace, alternating between licking, kissing, and nibbling at her folds, but she was too inflamed to last long, even at this tender pace. She could feel a strange pressure in her groin, growing at an alarming rate. Her breathing became ragged, her stomach muscles tightened. What was happening?

"Easy," he advised, his dark eyes, almost black now with lust, meeting hers. "Easy," he repeated, his voice calm and soothing, as his thumb flicked at her clit. It was enough to send her over the edge, her torso violently dropping to the bed as she came, crying out so loudly that she didn't care who heard her. The world deserved to know that this man was more than capable of pleasuring her; the great hero an even greater lover. Jack held her hips down as she rode out the waves, capturing this beautiful moment in his mind for all eternity.

She couldn't think, could barely focus on anything but the complete and utter satisfaction that filled her, her ears ringing as she panted, trying to steady herself. She whimpered as he moved away, reaching out to him, but he simply moved to her side, spooning her while covering them both with a blanket. "Are you alright, Ashi?" He asked, trailing kisses and nips down her throat, a comforting arm around her waist.

"Never felt better," she purred, pressing herself against him, and moaning at the hard bump against her back. "Jack, you're—"

"Another time," he assured her. "Right now, I just want to lie with you."

She smiled and got comfortable, feeling warm and safe in his arms, and surrendering to the lull of sleep. "I agree."