All She'd Wanted To Hear

With Filo asleep, Naofumi and Raphtalia were finally able to sit down and rest. It was nearly night time and the stars were shining down brightly.

"I rarely got to see this in Japan, living in a city..." Naofumi lamented. He was finally able to appreciate the world for its beauty, thanks to Raphtalia and the people of Lute Village. Suddenly, he felt a bump on his shoulder. Raphtalia had scooted close. She had been acting strangely ever since they'd left the castle. She seemed embarrassed at the slave trader's. Maybe some bad memories came up? She was blushing now, too...

"Lord Naofumi?" the raccoon girl asked. "You were very cool today, taking on Lord Motoyasu in that race. Even thought they cheated, you still won. I was very happy for you," she said.

"It was his and that woman's fault for draggin me into it in the first place-" Raphtalia pushed Naofumi to the ground. She was smiling gently, and her face was awash with a healthy flush.

"That's not what I meant, Lord Naofumi. I was talking about you, and how amazing you were. Please, understand. I care little for your spite against the other heroes, but I can withstand it because I'm with you, Lord Naofumi." Her words rang loud and clear, yet they seemed odd, coming from her. She was still a kid, and yet Naofumi was feeling flustered.

"Yeah, well... What's going on, Raphtalia? You're acting really wierdly recently. Is it something you don't want to tell me?" Naofumi asked, trying his hardest to maintain his innocense. Her shirt was slightly open, the slave crest was visible.

"No, rather it's something I haven't been able to tell you. But after today... You winning the race, you becoming a merchant, you regaining some of your reputation, you taking care of me because of my motion sickness... Lord Naofumi, I love you. As a woman, not as a partner. I have, ever since the battle in the cave, I've felt for you strongly. And now that I am a woman, I can finally admit my feelings to you in hopes that you'll reciprocate them. I love you, Lord Naofumi!" Her hair was falling all around him and her eyes were fixated on his. Naofumi was left with little to do or say. The little raccoon girl he'd picked up as a slave had grown up in front of his ver eyes and was now professing her vehement love for him, the man who'd saved him. It was all so clear now. He'd thought of her as his daughter, but she had felt differently.

"... It must have been hard for you. I don't know how many times you've shown it, but thinking back, I see many times your feelings have come to the surface. Once again, you're making me see things differently, Raphtalia..." Naofumi was going through all their time shared together, and was trying to find all the things he'd been oblivious to.

"... It looks good on you," he replied. Raphtalia looked confused.

"Your slave crest. That's what you asked me about at the slave trader's, right?" Naofumi answered. He knew it wasn't about that, but he was getting flustered as well. Raphtalia was caught off guard.

"Y-yes, more or less!" she blurted out. She got off of him and sat on her legs. Naofumi sat up and leaned against a rock, crossing his arms. Raphtalia rested her hands on her lap. Her tail was wagging uncontrollably. Naofumi sighed.

"So, love, huh? I can't say I'm well versed here. I've never even had a proper crush, let alone have someone love me, tride and true. All I can say is I'm glad you were finally open with me, Raphtalia. It makes me happy to know we share a bond like this. And, if I'm being honest, I would be lying if I claimed not to love you, as well," he said. Raphtalia's face lit up like a torch. Naofumi lifted a finger.

"But! I don't really know what kind of love it is. Understand that, up until now, I'd thought of you as a daughter of sorts, someone I had to raise properly. And now I'm faced with the reality that the person I thought of as a child is in the kind of love with me that leads to a lifetime together. I may be dense as a black hole, but when something's stated outright, I don't want to leave it be. So, Raphtalia, I'm going to say... Let's try. Let's try this 'love' out. Neither of us know what it really means, so we should-" Naofumi was pinned against the rock by Raphtalia. Her face was inches from his.

"Every word you speak... Makes me want you even more, Lord Naofumi. You're so kind and compassionate, and you're open-hearted. Please, let me put you at ease, milord." She spoke under her breath. She was visibly excited. Then, in that instant, their lips locked. Raphtalia kissed her master like there was no tomorrow. Tears fell down her cheek out of happiness. It was all she had wished for. Her, him, starlit skies and mutual love. Everything was in place. Eventually, the two separated, entirely due to Naofumi's resistance.

"... I was going to ask you to take it slow, you maniac." Raphtalia was in rapture. She was way too far gone to understand what Naofumi was saying. She had waited long enough.

"I'm sorry, Lord Naofumi..." she gasped, locking her lips with his yet again. Naofumi was unable to resist. Not only was she physically overwhelming, he was also confused. Did he want this or did he not?

"Why isn't the slave crest reacting? I want her to stop, don't I?" Naofumi panicked, but his cries were muffled. Raphtalia's tongue forced its way into his mouth, carressing every inch. His own tongue was wrestled into submission, unable to resist. "That's it!" Naofumi forcibly activated the slave crest and Raphtalia's chest begun to burn violently.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" she creamed into the night, a pain rivaling a knife through flesh piercing her chest. Naofumi cut off the crest and Raphtalia slumped down, gasping for air.

"You're crazy! I TOLD you to take this slow! That's an ORDER!" Naofumi berated her. Raphtalia's ears drooped and her eyes fell behind her bangs.

"Raphtalia, I'm not like you. I don't have the same kind of instinct you probably do. Considering you're part animal, I'd assume you have a stronger sense of what to do. But I, as a human, do not. So I beg of you, let me take my time with you. You're kind of scaring me here, honestly." Raphtalia's face was full of shock. She only now realized what she'd done. She buried her face in her hands and cried. Naofumi felt bad, somewhat. He pulled her close.

"Raphtalia, let me see you... Please." Raphtalia put her hands down, looking her master in the eye. Naofumi could imagine nothing more than her. He knew her feelings, and he was pretty sure he now knew his. He slowly neared her face, and kissed her. With passion unlike any she'd ever felt. She may have been stronger than him physically, but what he was doing now made her weaker than a newborn baby. She melted entirely in his arms, and Naofumi laid her down. He was now on top of her. She looked so vulnerable, so tempting. Her tears were of joy, he knew it.

"Please be gentle. I'm still a-"

"Likewise, Raphtalia. I'd still like to be able to walk tomorrow," he joked. Raphtalia chuckled as she pulled him in.