Sitting in the balcony he remembered the promises he had made to her.

He remembered how ecstatic she had become when he had proposed to her. He couldn't see her face in his memories, but everything except for that was all clear and vivid.

He remembered every single passionate kiss they had shared, all those intimate moments, her laugh, her giggle, her tears. Everything suddenly came rushing inside of him, bringing along a surge of feelings that he just couldn't bottle up.

Not even a single hair of his body wanted to leave her all broken like this.

Somehow he was managing to restrain himself all these days, by staying far-far away from her. But now that she was in front of him, in flesh and blood, he was not able to push himself back anymore.

It was as if their fates were cursed, no matter what happened, they had to be together with each other.

Succumbing to his raging thoughts, he went inside.

He looked at her moon face and inched closer. Looking at her peaceful face, somehow his heart felt a bit better. So he sat down on the bed and ran his fingers on the satin smooth skin of her face, which had captured him in some sort of a trance from which he had no escape.

He bent down slowly, touching her nose with his own and then slightly tilting his head he gave a soft peck on her lips.

He let his lips rest and linger on hers for a while, for he didn't want to detach, but then suddenly she parted her lips like she was inviting him in. All taken aback, he wanted to distance himself, but he suddenly felt her hand on his chest, tugging on to his t-shirt.

And he heard her mumble,

"I love you, Raymond. Don't you dare leave me again !!!"

Then slowly her grip on his t-shirt loosened and her hand fell down on the bed.

He didn't know from where a drop of tear trickled from his cheeks and landed on hers, which he immediately tried to wipe away, but instead, he ended up caressing her face again and again.

And at that moment he didn't know what he was doing or what he wanted to do, but he bent his head down and embraced her parted lips with that of his own.

His kiss wasn't tender anymore, it was a passionate and deep one.

It was so intense, that it radiated through her body, waking her up from the deep slumber that she was in. Slowly opening her groggy eyes, she looked up and saw his face. The only face that she ever wanted to see. The only face that she wanted on top of her face, the only lips that she wanted to taste, so when she found him, she was gripped by nothing but awareness.

Complete awareness of him and only him.

She closed her eyes and submerged herself in that kiss.

He saw her open her eyes, but he didn't flinch away and that wasn't because he didn't want to, but because he was being ruled by his carnal desires which were so strong that all that he could do at that moment was to cave in.

She was all that he needed. All of her, every single inch of her.

He was unable to bear it any longer.

He locked her lips in his grip and sucked them hard like he wanted them all. In no time he had climbed on the bed and was lying on top of her, relishing every inch of her lips. His eager hands were wrestling with her hair, with the skin of her neck.

"Missed me?", he asked and detached himself from her, waiting for a response from her.

But she lied there half dazed, unable to register the recent change of events.

Even though she didn't answer, that small drop of tear that trickled through the corners of her eyes said everything.

Lowering his lips he kissed on her forehead and said softly,

"I love you Akira".

Those were the magical words that she needed to hear. That was all that she needed. That gave her such solace that she was again pushed back to deep sleep. A comfortable sleep which she hadn't have had ever since Raymond had gone missing.

He lied next to her, holding her palm in his hands with their fingers intertwined. Turning towards his side he said,

"I do not know if this makes much sense to you right now, but I am gonna fight for us. I am sorry that I gave up on us. I am sorry for not loving you back the way I should have, but I promise you today, I will try my best to keep you happy. I will fight Akira."

He propped himself up on his elbow and then lightly pulled the flaps of her bathrobe, slightly baring a bit of her chest.

He looked at the pendant adorning her neck so beautifully. On her pearly white smooth skin, it was shining like a star. He slowly bent down and kissed just under the pendant. Then looking at her he whispered,

"Show me this, in case I forget", and saying that he untied the belt of her bathrobe and pulled her left flap down.

He gasped for air at the sight of her body, but in no way, he wanted to violate her sanctity. So taking a deep breath he clenched his fists and dug his teeth on the left mound of her chest. His bite was gentle, like he wanted to just leave his mark.

He saw her twitch and her fingers grabbed the sheets.

Sensing that it was going way too far, he tied the belt of her robe back and tucked her in.

Lying next to her on the bed, he whispered in her ears,

"Don't you dare love me any less Akira, I won't be able to take it".

Saying that he covered himself up with the same duvet. Holding her in his arms, he too succumbed to sleep.