"I'm not sure what I imagined, but I don't think this is it," Hikaru said while looking at the small neat duplex that stood on the corner at the end of a block of identical duplexes.

Kiri laughed.

"Maybe a fancy apartment with a cityscape view?" she suggested.

Kiri laughed again and hugged her, "I used to have something like that, but buying is cheaper than renting if you can afford to, and I like this place."

He took her hand and led her up the small adjoined porch that sheltered the entrances. He unlocked the door and opened it, then stepped back and waited for her to enter.

She stepped in hesitantly. "Wow," she said, "it's beautiful." It was a mix of modern and traditional. The entry was sunken. Half of the big open front room was kitchen, a large refrigerator dominated that side next to a wide counter. An island counter containing sink and stove separated the halves. 

The other half was set up cozily around the short traditional style table that was the center of Hikaru's own home. Polished wooden cabinets lined the wall under the row of windows. A larger, thinner, and delicately carved cabinet stood across the table opposite the couch. The colors of the fabrics used on the couch and hangings were rich.

Kiri stepped in behind her. He closed the door and grinned at her. He saw her settled at the table with her homework gave her a kiss and stepped into the kitchen to start cooking. After a bit, Hikaru asked where the bathroom was, he showed her.

When she came out she said, "That's quite a tub."

"Want to take a bath?" he offered teasingly. "It's my one luxury here, I had it installed when I moved in."

"You really like baths?" she asked.

"And hot springs." he answered. He was busy making some sort of dough.

She returned to doing homework. She felt surprisingly comfortable sitting at Kiri's table while he cooked. But she hadn't finished by the time he was done cooking. 

He sat next to her to eat. And laughingly offered her the first bite off his own chopsticks. She accepted it, but couldn't help being embarrassed. He let her eat on her own after the first bite, but scooted just close enough that their thighs touched.

"You like touching," she commented wryly.

"What?" he asked.

"You like to be touching, when we're together you're always in contact. Holding hands or sitting close," she moved her leg against his, "just touching somehow."

He looked at her soberly and asked, "Sorry? Does it bother you?"

She shook her head and replied, "No, I'm just not used to it so I guess I notice it a lot?"

"OK,' he replied.

They ate a bit more.

"Hikaru?" he asked.

"Yeah?" she enquired.

"How much homework do you have left, and what do you want to do after?" Kiri asked.

Hikaru sighed. "Too much, but I could finish the rest after I go home? And I don't know, is there something you'd like to do?"

Kiri looked at her. He stuck out his tongue and then laughed. "There's a lot of things I'd like to do? Are you stuck on anything I could help with?"

Hikaru stared at him for a moment, then answered the last question, "The worst of what's left is math, and I shouldn't have you do it because I need to know how to do it."

Kiri hugged her and said, "Then I'll bring some work out and sit with you."

He collected their dishes, and Hikaru complimented the food.

He grinned at her. "You shared the lunch I made," he commented after a moment.

"Yes, not that I was given a choice, but did you mind?" Hikaru asked.

"No, I was just surprised," he said. He stepped into the room that stood open to the living room and Hikaru stood up and peeked in. He looked back at her and motioned her in. "I use this room as an office, it's kind of a mess."

Hikaru looked around, it had mismatched filing cabinets and things were piled up, including a messy, overflowing old fashioned CD rack. "It's reassuring," she told him.

He laughed and asked, "In what way?"

"The rest of your house is so neat and pretty," she said. "I'm kind of messy I think, comparatively."

He gave her a wry look, "You don't think I just cleaned up because I knew you might come over?"

"Did you?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"I didn't think so," she said. She looked out the window and commented, "Your garden is beautiful."

"I think so too, but I can't take any credit," he said laughingly.

She raised her brows at him.

"When I moved in my elderly neighbors approached and told me that the last people had no interest in yard work, so they'd taken over. They offered to let me use the whole as my own yard if I'd let them continue to use it as their own garden. I'm totally getting the best of the deal," he explained with a laugh.

He took the selection of papers and the computer he'd collected from his desk out and set them on the table beside her homework. Then turned and asked with a wide grin, "Want to see my bedroom?"

"Sure," she replied.

He surprised her by scooping her into his arms and carrying her into the small hall in front of the bathroom, it was a little awkward.

"Aren't I heavy?" she asked.

"Heavier than I expected," he answered.

"I could just walk," she suggested when he struggled with trying to toe the door open without banging her against it.

"But having committed myself, I feel obliged to continue the gesture," he said a little breathlessly.

"OK," she said, but reached out and started the door open with her fingers.

He laughed and slid it the rest of the way with his foot, and carried her inside and up onto the bed where he laid her down. He kissed her and whispered, "Now I have you where I want you?" And then kissed her again.

She looked at him and said, "Your room is kind of dark." It was dim, and the bedding was black. The wall hangings had black designs too, though they also had color worked into them.

"Oh," he replied, and got up on his knees and started to pull apart the blackout curtains that appeared to hide a row of windows like that in the office.

She put out a hand and said, "It's OK, you don't have to open the windows, I was just saying."

He dropped back beside her and kissed her again. "You're being surprisingly calm," he commented.

She shrugged and said, "Honestly, I feel like you're just teasing me, and I'm not sure how you want me to react."

He laughed and reached out to caress her cheek. "I guess I was teasing you a bit, since I expected more of a reaction." He kissed her again.

"Your room is pretty but smaller than I expected somehow, it feels a little crowded," she told him.

"It seemed bigger before I put in the closet system," he waved toward the connecting wall which was occupied by a floor to ceiling storage system. "If this house lacks anything it's closets," he explained. "But this room is the same size as the office one, just wide instead of long."

"Ah," said Hikaru.

They kissed some more. Hikaru let him lay her back against the pillows as they kissed. His hands wandered her waist and hips, and his kisses began to wander as well. He kissed along her jaw and back to her ear. 

He slid his hands under her shirt and caressed her. Then he claimed her mouth again and slid his hands behind her and undid her bra. She shivered as he ran his fingers over her breasts and he kissed her throat. 

He drew one hand out and started undoing the top button on her shirt and she panicked and said, "No!"

He froze and took his hands away and sat up. "Sorry, I was teasing at first but I got serious," he said.

"I'm sorry," Hikaru said. "I didn't mean, I mean I..."

He interrupted her, "Hikaru, it's fine, we'll stop here, come out."

He got up and walked back into the living room. After a moment she followed him.