They returned to Kiri's grandparents place late into the afternoon.

Hikaru liked how Tae and Sora would silently hand each other things sometimes without needing words, though they weren't a silent pair. They teased each other and shared little stories of the day or happenings in their large family. Tae was rarely still, and she and Sora both smiled often.

Tae suggested Kiri take Hikaru out onto the porch to watch the sunset, after they had summarized their day in town. Kiri agreeably led her out onto a traditional porch, that overlooked a small garden. Beyond the fence, the fields sloped away, and houses dotted the edges of the road that passed in the distance.

Hikaru said as she knelt and cuddled against him, "I want this."

Kiri looked at her.

"Not this place, or this view," she explained, waving an encompassing hand, "what they have," she gestured back toward the house where Kiri's grandparents were. "A comfortable old love stuffed full of memories."

Kiri reached for her hand, and said, "I'm ten years older, I'll likely be gone by the time you're 88 Hikaru. My mother has never said she regrets it, but the age dif..."

She withdrew her hand, rose to her knees, put her hands on his shoulders and said a little angrily, "You could die tomorrow! Or I could!"

He looked up into her face, shocked by her sudden vehemence, and she continued, "I know Kiri, I know better than anyone that there may not be enough time. But if you are so worried about being older, then just take care of yourself, eat well, exercise, live as long as you can..."

He nodded but she continued after a deep breath, "Because Kiri, I want to have it all! Every year, every day, every minute that I can have with you!"

"Yes," he replied. Unsteadily, in almost a whisper he added, "I'm already yours."

He pulled her closer, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and they kissed. A while later, when he laid her down and slid his fingers under her shirt, she said, "People can see us here."

He said while caressing her, "Only if they're looking, and I don't care. Do you want me to stop?"

"No," Hikaru replied.

His lips burned against her skin when he kissed her neck, her ears, and her jaw. And when he kissed her mouth it felt like he wanted to devour her and she moaned.

The sunset stained her scars red when he pulled her shirt off, and he wasn't wearing a condom when he came inside her.

--

Later in their futon, after a dinner that Hikaru had blushed through like a sputtering firework, he whispered apologies.

Finally Hikaru laughed and put her hands against either side of his face. "Kiri," she said firmly, "I told you I didn't want you to stop. It will probably be fine, please stop trying to hog all of the responsibility."

He buried his face on the crook of her shoulder and whispered, "But I said I'd be careful with you."

Hikaru asked wryly, "Didn't you tell me before it would be OK if I was already pregnant?"

He pushed himself up and looked down at her and replied seriously, "Yes, but Hikaru, you just told me this afternoon that I'm pushing you too fast."

She nodded seriously and said, "Kiri, if it will make you stop feeling like you have to apologize, we can combine our bank accounts on Monday."

She laughed again as his face lit up and he kissed her enthusiastically. "I love you," he said again.

"I love you too, you idiot," she replied still laughing.

He froze and she put on a serious expression and said, "Kiri, you really are acting like an idiot, do we need to set a new safe phrase?"

He laughed and relaxed against her. "No," he mumbled against her skin, "I don't want you to make calling me an idiot a habit."

"OK," she agreed, and then she reached over him and pulled out a condom. "Want to go faster?" she asked.