The plastic convenience store bag brushed against Ren's leg as he walked down the quiet hotel hallway. He slid his keycard into the slot. With a soft click, he pushed the door open.
"I'm back," he said quietly.
Mai was sitting rigidly on the very edge of the bed. The television cast a flickering glow across the room, but the volume was completely muted. Her eyes darted to him the second he walked in.
"Took you long enough," she said. Her chin was tilted up in defiance, but her fingers gripped the bedsheets so tightly her knuckles were white.
Ren set the bag on the small table by the door. Mai's gaze snapped to the plastic, lingered for a split second, and then quickly looked away. A heavy blush crept up her neck.
"Lines were long," Ren lied smoothly. He walked over and sat down beside her, the mattress dipping under his weight.
Mai shifted away slightly. "Right. Well. Did you... get them?"
Ren leaned back on his hands, making no move toward the bag. "I did. But we don't have to use them tonight."
She turned to him, her bored act dropping instantly. "What? Why? I told you I wanted to."
"I know," Ren said, his voice dropping to a softer tone. "But I also know you're terrified right now. And that's okay."
He held her gaze, dropping the banter. Earlier, she had asked why he even bothered with her. He needed to make sure she knew the answer.
"Like I said earlier, I'm not here for your technique. I'm here because I actually like being around you. If all we do tonight is watch silent TV and go to sleep, I'm perfectly happy."
The room went completely quiet. Mai stared at her lap. Slowly, her rigid shoulders slumped, the tension draining out of her.
"You're really annoying, you know that?" she muttered, her voice thick.
"I've been told," Ren smiled.
Taking a shaky breath, Mai let go of the bedsheets. She closed the distance between them until their shoulders touched. Without looking up, she reached out and grabbed the fabric of his shirt, holding onto it tightly.
"I am nervous," she whispered. "But... I still want to. Just... go slow. Okay?"
Ren lifted a hand, gently cupping her jaw and tilting her face up to meet his eyes. "I promise."
He leaned in. The kiss started out light, just a gentle, steady pressure. Mai let out a shaky breath against his lips, her grip on his shirt tightening before she finally melted into the touch, her body relaxing against his.
Ren slid his hands down to her waist. With an effortless pull, he stood up, bringing her with him. Mai gasped, her hands flying to his shoulders for balance as he carried her across the room. He set her down carefully on the edge of the small table by the door.
Stepping between her knees, he broke the kiss to let her breathe. He trailed his lips down her jawline and against her neck. Mai tilted her head back with a soft sigh.
Without looking, Ren reached toward the crinkling plastic bag resting next to her thigh and pulled out the small, dark box.
Before he could open it, Mai reached down and plucked it right out of his fingers. She held it up to the dim light of the TV, squinting at the label.
"Orange?" she read aloud, a mix of disbelief and amusement in her voice. She leaned in a little closer to read the fine print. "And... textured?"
She lowered the box and raised an eyebrow. The panic was gone from her eyes, replaced by her usual sharp wit. "Okay, I have to ask. Why these?"
Ren chuckled, resting his hands on her hips. He looked right at her. "Maki asked for them last time. I figured there was a good chance you'd like the same thing."
Mai stared at him. Her face burned bright red as the logic hit her. She let out a heavy sigh, but a small smile pulled at the corner of her mouth.
"You are unbelievable," she muttered, tossing the box against his chest. "But... you're probably not wrong."
Ren caught the box and tossed it onto the bed. He slid his hands down to the backs of her thighs and lifted her off the table.
Mai gasped, her legs wrapping around his waist to hold on. Her arms draped over his shoulders. Her cheeks flushed darker again.
He took a step toward the bed, but Mai pressed her hands flat against his chest to stop him.
"Wait," she murmured. She ducked her head, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. "Let's... turn off the lights first."
Ren paused. Maki had asked for the exact same thing their first time. He bit the inside of his cheek to hide a smile.
"Whatever you want," he said softly.
He carried her to the wall switch and clicked it. The room went dark. The harsh light vanished, leaving only the flickering television and the faint glow of the city bleeding through the curtains.
Ren carried her the rest of the way to the bed and set her down gently. The mattress dipped as he followed, keeping his weight on his forearms so he hovered just over her.
Mai let out a shaky breath. Her hands slid from his shoulders to rest flat on his chest.
"Better?" Ren asked softly.
"A little," she admitted, turning her head. She bit her lower lip. "It's easier when I don't have to see you looking at me."
Ren chuckled. "I can close my eyes if it helps. But for the record, you look beautiful."
Mai scoffed and lightly swatted his chest. "Shut up. You can barely see me."
"I see enough," he replied.
He brushed a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered, tracing her skin down to her neck. Her pulse jumped under his touch.
Ren grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulled it over his head, and tossed it aside. The faint window light caught the lines of his chest as he braced his arms on either side of her head.
He lowered himself, pressing his mouth to the hollow of her throat. Her pulse beat frantically against his lips. Mai drew in a sharp breath, her fingernails digging into his bare shoulders.
"You're still tense," Ren murmured against her collarbone.
He slid his hands down, brushing under the edge of her shirt. He traced her skin with a slow, heavy pressure. Mai arched off the mattress, pressing upward as a breathy gasp escaped her. Ren trailed kisses up her neck, pausing just below her ear.
The stiffness in her spine melted away. Her grip on his shoulders loosened, hands sliding down his back to pull him closer. She relaxed completely into the sheets. Her quiet gasps deepened into a heavy, uneven rhythm, completely overriding the last of her hesitation.
Her hands traced the lines of his back, fingernails grazing his skin before she gripped his ribs. Lifting her head from the mattress, she pressed her mouth to his chest. Her lips moved over his skin, lingering to feel the heavy, racing beat of his heart against her mouth.
Ren let out a low rumble. His hands tightened on her, his thumbs pressing firmly into her waist.
A sudden rush of heat hit Mai. She shifted, hooking her legs high around his waist. Locking her ankles behind his back, she pulled him down until his weight pressed fully against her.
The breathless contact pulled a quiet sound from her throat. Her hands tangled in his hair, guiding his head down as she searched for his lips in the dark.
Their teeth bumped, breaths mixing in the quiet room. Ren's hands slid from her hips, dragging up her waist until he caught the hem of her shirt.
He pulled it up. Mai broke the kiss, immediately throwing her arms back. Ren pulled the fabric off and tossed it onto the floor.
Neon light from the window spilled over her. She wore a simple black bra, the dark lace stark against her pale skin. Ren flattened his hands against her bare ribs. She shivered instantly under his touch.
"Cold?" he whispered.
"No," Mai breathed, her nails lightly scratching his shoulders. "Just...."
Ren kissed her collarbone, his hands slipping beneath her back. A quiet click, and the tight band snapped loose. He slid the straps down her arms and tossed the lace off the bed.
Mai sucked in a sharp breath as he settled back down. Skin met skin. The heat of his body pressing against hers made her arch off the mattress.
Ren trailed kisses lower, his mouth moving over her skin. Mai let out a shaky, breathless sound, her head falling back against the pillow. Her fingers curled deep into his hair, pulling him closer as a jolt went straight through her.
His free hand traveled down, hooking into the waistband of her pants. He pushed the fabric down slowly, his palm brushing her stomach.
Mai arched her back, letting him pull the dark fabric down her legs. The clothes hit the floor with a soft thud. Above them, the hum of the air conditioning blew a cool draft over her flushed skin, bringing out goosebumps. Neon stripes from the Shibuya streets outside painted the lines of her body in the dark.
Ren took his time. He reached across the tangled sheets and found the small box he had tossed aside earlier.
The shadows helped. The darkness hid him just enough to keep her heart from racing with panic. She gave a small, quick nod, letting him know she was ready.
Ren moved back over her. He gently pushed her knees apart and settled between her legs. He could feel her lingering tension, so he didn't rush. He reached down, finding where she was most sensitive, and applied a steady, teasing pressure.
Mai arched off the mattress, gripping the bedsheets tight. The intense feeling washed away her last nerves, leaving her completely relaxed and hot.
"Just breathe," Ren whispered against her neck.
He shifted his hips closer. Instead of pushing forward right away, he moved against her slowly, creating a heavy, teasing friction. The heat and slow pressure helped her body relax entirely. Mai let out a soft whine, her nails digging into his back as she blindly pulled him closer.
Feeling her yield completely, Ren shifted his weight. He began to move forward, going inch by slow inch, giving her all the time she needed to adjust in the dark.
Mai let out a sharp, trembling breath. Her fingers dug hard into his shoulders as she stiffened.
"You're okay," Ren murmured. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple. "Just keep breathing."
He moved forward with a steady push. Mai gasped loudly, her whole body going completely rigid against him. Ren stopped instantly. He held perfectly still, wrapping his arms around her back, waiting for the sharp sting to fade.
Slowly, the tension in her muscles loosened. She let out a long exhale, her grip on his shoulders softening as she tilted her hips upward.
Taking the hint, Ren began to move. He kept the rhythm slow and steady. A high, breathless sound escaped Mai's throat.
Her composure vanished entirely. She didn't even try to stay quiet. Her head fell back against the pillows, her soft whines turning into loud gasps that filled the quiet room. She wrapped her legs tighter around him, matching his rhythm as the feeling built up in her chest.
"Ren—" she cried out, her voice breaking.
Her nails bit deep into his back. She pulled him as close as she could as a sudden, intense wave crashed over her, her body clamping down hard. The sudden pressure pushed Ren over the edge. With a low groan, he drove forward one last time, holding her tightly against his chest until he caught his breath.
They didn't stop at just one. But unlike Maki, Mai didn't have a bottomless well of superhuman stamina. An hour later, she was completely spent, her limbs feeling like lead.
The hotel room went quiet again. The neon skyline glowed faintly through the curtains.
Mai lay draped across Ren's chest, the blanket pulled up over their shoulders. Her dark hair was a tangled mess against his skin. She breathed in a slow, exhausted rhythm, tracing lazy circles on his chest as she watched the city lights.
Ren rested his chin on her head, gently brushing his fingers up and down her bare arm.
"You know," Ren whispered, his voice dropping into a teasing tone. "For someone who acts so tough... you're pretty loud."
Mai's face flared hot against his skin. She weakly lifted a fist and gave a half-hearted punch to his ribs.
"Shut up," she mumbled, her tone lacking any real bite. "You're the one who wouldn't stop doing... whatever it was you were doing. Don't let it go to your head."
Ren chuckled. The sound vibrated through his chest, making her smile.
A long silence settled over them. But as Mai watched the lights blink outside, her smile faded.
"Hey," she whispered. She kept her face hidden against his chest. "Be honest. For my first time... was it disappointing?"
Ren stopped moving his hand. He shifted, gently cupping her chin and tilting her head up until her dark eyes met his. The teasing was completely gone from his face.
"Mai," he said firmly. "It wasn't disappointing at all. It was perfect."
A deep blush spread across her cheeks. She let out a soft, exhausted sigh, burying her face back into his neck and pulling the blanket tighter around them as she drifted off to sleep.