Soul Calibur 1. Fruits Of Youth

_Bounce…Bounce…_

Natsu found herself utterly distracted, her eyes fixed rather improperly upon her young friend. Luckily, she hadn't appeared to have noticed. Yet. Her mentor had drilled a will of iron into her, and now she called upon it, tearing her eyes away and mentally shaking herself.

"Focus", she murmured, her tone a little fierce.

_Bounce…Bounce…_

"Damn it", Natsu cursed herself quietly as her auburn eyes fell once more. Did Leixia even realise what she was doing?

"Enough talking!" her energetic friend called across to her, bobbing on the balls of her feet with her jian clutched deftly in her small fingers. "We can do that afterwards. Let's fight!"

_Bounce…Bounce…_

"Apparently not", Natsu determined, shaking her head. But her eyes once again settled upon the place she knew she really shouldn't have been looking. With a cry that almost seemed gleeful to the young ninja, Leixia sprang forward to engage her.

Natsu pondered briefly how she had found herself in this situation as she deftly turned aside the point of Leixia's blade.

_"Hey, Natsu?"_

_"Huh?" the young woman replied, lifting the forearm that blocked the world from her sight. Leixia, an ever bubbling fountain of energy, gazed down intently at her as she stood at her side._

_"Let's fight!" the girl offered completely out the blue. Her eyes were alight and her lips curved into a wide, expectant smile. Natsu regarded her in silence for a long moment._

_"Right now?" She had found a pretty comfortable spot to lay her somewhat weary body. The shade of countless overhanging branches cast dappled shadows across her form._

_"Yep!" Leixia replied enthusiastically, as she spoke masterfully twirling her jian through the air, its gentle whistle a pleasant sound upon the ninja's ears._

_"Well, whatever", Natsu sighed, pulling herself up. "You'd just pester me into submission anyhow"._

_"What are you trying to say?" Leixia said, her blade retreating to her side as she planted her hands at her hips and fixed Natsu with an intense glare. The ninja merely smiled as she patted Leixia on the head before strolling towards the open space of a small clearing. She heard the girl huff behind her: she hated it when Natsu patted her on the head._

The ninja's eyes were distracted – just for a fraction of each second of the fight that passed by. She hoped Leixia would think the heat that had risen to her face and softly flushed her cheeks was to do with exertion. Her eyes flashed downwards as she attempted to slip a lone kodachi through Leixia's defence, the swell of the girl's chest evident against beneath her outfit. Her body danced to the rhythm of battle without the fullness of her conscious thought as she ducked beneath an elegant slice. Natsu glanced up as the momentum of Leixia's strike turned her body to side, the sway of her chest persisting for a moment longer.

They fought with dulled blades, Maxi having insisted procuring such items before he had allowed the two of them to spar together. Leixia had expressed every intention to spar with any one of their little group despite the obvious danger of potentially killing them. Her enthusiasm to better her fighting style often overshadowed common sense, but she was already a force to be reckoned with.

Natsu hissed as the dulled steel of Leixia's blade flashed through the air and its tip slipped across the taut surface of her abdomen, scoring a line into her red, shape-fitting bodysuit. The girl giggled as she retreated, twirling the point of the blade through the air as though to taunt Natsu. The ninja, of course, would not rise to such a thing. Her mentor had taught her to hold a leash tightly upon her hot temper…but she hadn't taught her how to deal with certain other potential distractions. As the girl hopped backwards, Natsu found reason to be distracted from her moment of stinging pain.

_Bounce…Bounce…_

xXx

_Leixia tossed Natsu's twin practice kodachi through the air, and the ninja caught them deftly. She lifted her right hand and slipped one of the blades into the angled sheath that sat high upon her back without thinking, its partner settling neatly into the sheath at her lower back. She was ready and poised for combat in an instant, lowering her stance and attuning her balance as the fingers of her right hand brushed against the hilt of the sheathed weapon in anticipation._

_Leixia briefly spun her blunted steel through the air, gracing the clearing with its song as it blurred through an intricate pattern of circles and spirals before Leixia brought herself to the ready. The hilt of the blade was lightly gripped in her hand and she began to bounce on the balls of her feet, swiftly establishing a rhythm._

_"Let's find out which of us is stronger!" she challenged the ninja, but Natsu was suddenly paying little attention, barely hearing her words. Her eyes had been captured by the movement of the girl's chest._

_Bounce…Bounce…_

_Without warning, Natsu felt heat rise to her face, and she jerked upright in surprise. It didn't make any sense: Natsu had little reason to be distracted by such a thing. Her mentor, Taki, had been rather well endowed and her shapely form accentuated by the skin-tight bodysuit she wore. Natsu had never found her attention to be drawn so intensely to her mentor's assets, and there was also the fact the clinging tautness of her bodysuit kept them in check. Leixia's manner of clothing, however, didn't seem to offer a similar degree of support. Natsu's eyes moved in miniscule fractions, tethered to the rhythm of Leixia's bobbing and fastened to the young girl's chest. She couldn't look away._

xXx

"Hah!"

Natsu's eyes popped as she misjudged an upwards vertical slice from Leixia; the girl had instead halted the momentum of her original strike, tilting the blade downwards and thrusting down directly towards the ninja's feet. A fierce hiss escaped Natsu's lips and she hopped painfully on the spot, dropping her right hand to clutch her foot. They may have been practicing with dulled blades, but that didn't mean a clean hit still wouldn't hurt. Natsu cursed herself for not recognising what had become one of Leixia's most favoured techniques as the girl swept her lone grounded foot from underneath her. She fell hard to the ground and Leixia planted her foot to Natsu's abdomen, holding the point of her jian an inch away from the ninja's throat.

"Yield?"

Natsu merely nodded with another hiss as fiery pain assaulted her right foot. Leixia thrust her hands into the air, a gleeful smile curving her lips.

"Success! I've taken the general!"

Her chuckle was a soft, sweet sound as she leaned forward and offered Natsu her hand. The ninja momentarily pictured the expression and tone of her mentor that would be expressed at such a defeat, and her face warmed with embarrassment. She glanced up at her friend as she lifted her hand to grasp Leixia's, but her face warmed for an altogether different reason as her friend's posture allowed the swell of her chest to press flush against the light blue material of her outfit.

Natsu couldn't help but stare. It hadn't occurred to her before how tight a fit Leixia's outfit actually was. With a supporting hand placed on a her thigh as she leaned forward, Leixia's arms served to gently push towards her chest, the fleshy mounds in turn pushing into the fabric of her outfit. Natsu could make out the delicate curvature of each of her breasts, and the widening of her eyes signified her surprise as she noticed the very faint protrusion of Leixia's little buds.

In a rare moment of panicked uncertainty, Natsu glanced upwards at Leixia's sparkling eyes before her eyes darted away to the side.

Pushing herself to her feet, Natsu mumbled something unintelligible to the girl's ear before moving off quickly towards the camp. Leixia raised an eyebrow as she planted her hands at her hips and tilted her head, watching her friend's rather hurried stride. She shrugged then, casually twirling her victorious blade through the air as she made to follow after Natsu.

"I'm just too good!"

xXx

Natsu noiselessly crouched over Maxi and pressed a hand to his shoulder. The man's sleep had been light, for his eyes snapped open and she could feel the slight tensing of his muscles as he sought her in the darkness. Recognition came to him moments later however, and he nodded to her as he sat up. They shared the watch between them, she and Maxi; Xiba was much too likely to be distracted by the mere thought of food, and Leixia was still young and unable to fight the lure of sleep besides that. Despite Natsu being only two years the girl's senior, the hard training she had experienced under the tutelage of Taki had impressed the maturity of a responsible adult woman upon her. She stepped around the cool remains of the camp fire as Maxi rose to his feet, his fingers almost absentmindedly ghosting across the holster that housed his nunchucks.

Leixia lay curled up beneath a thin length of cloth that served as a blanket, her dark brown hair falling across her closed eyes. Natsu stood for a moment and regarded her; she was an adorable creature when she slept, her seemingly boundless energy stored within a small, innocent form that breathed ever so softly as she dreamt. Natsu assumed her present dream was a good one, for the corners of her lips twitched upwards and a quiet sound came from her throat. Smiling as she shook her head, Natsu moved to lie beside her friend, in the corner of her vision watching Maxi take up the reins of the watch.

Natsu lifted and slipped beneath the blanket; it was not wide enough to fully cover the both of them, but she didn't mind, so long as Leixia was comfortable and warm. Her unbound, golden hair draped across her shoulder as she slightly curled her body, her back to Leixia as she drew her eyes shut and surrendered to sleep.

Leixia seemed to murmur softly and shifted her body, wriggling forwards underneath the blanket until she sighed with contentment and her movement ceased. Natsu's eyes had sprung wide open, and her relaxed form suddenly tensed as though she sensed an attack. Surely Leixia hadn't meant to do it purposely, and surely it was only the product of her body's basic survival instincts. But even as these rationalisations streamed through Natsu's consciousness, her breath caught as Leixia shifted a fraction closer. Every part of her was suddenly wide awake and ready to spring, the tension in her body building slowly to the point of aching.

Leixia, unconsciously detecting the new source of warmth, had snuggled close to Natsu's body. Her fingers lightly brushed the young ninja's shoulder as she moulded her shape to match the curve of Natsu's back. The ninja's eyes popped as she felt the soft, yielding flesh of Leixia's chest against her. She had adopted the style of her mentor's manner of dress, though her bodysuit was neither as clinging or designed to clothe her completely as was Taki's. Yet still, it allowed her the maximum degree of comfort and movement…along with being able to feel even the slightest breath of wind. Her awareness then was sensitively attuned to her manner of contact with Leixia's body.

The young girl's gentle, sleep-induced breaths pushed her chest incrementally against Natsu's back, and the ninja felt the warm air against the flesh of her neck as it stirred the tips of her hair. The ninja had assumed that Leixia was dreaming sweetly, but after the girl mewled softly and tilted her head towards the curve of Natsu's neck, the ninja had to wonder just what her current dream entailed. She tensed even further as she felt Leixia's knee brush against the back of her thigh, hearing the quiet ruffle of the blanket before she felt the girl's hips curving against her own.

At that point, she realised that it was probable that she wouldn't be getting much sleep this fine, quiet night. She always strived to keep her young friend comfortable, and Leixia clung to all manner of comforts offered her with delight. For her own sake, Natsu knew she should have gently extricated herself from the girl; she was living on less sleep a day and needed to make good use of the precious hours she was granted.

It was strange that this impromptu arrangement suddenly served to bother her so; this wasn't the first time Leixia had snuggled up to her in the depths of her sleep. Natsu herself had curled around the form of the young girl when she had shivered and whimpered because of the cold bite of the air, wrapping her arms around her and pulling Leixia close, stilling her shivers. Casting her mind back, Natsu felt her cheeks warm as she recalled the moment when Leixia had suddenly looked very different to her sharp, observant eyes.

It had admittedly been a good while since she had sparred with Leixia, they had been on the road for some weeks – a somewhat notorious road at that, but it was unfortunately necessary. A number of groups of would-be robbers had attempted to obstruct them along the way, and their little group had fought their way out of trouble. Watching Leixia fight out the corner of her eye was nothing new to her, and she was familiar with her style by now. But to see Leixia directly before her rather than flashing in and out of her peripheral vision, and be able to focus her attentions fully on her after so long somehow became a markedly different experience.

She hadn't realised that her friend was growing into a young woman; the fifteen year old that she had first met several months ago was most certainly not the same girl who lay close to her now. And clearly, Natsu had learned something about herself in the past few hours. If she could look at her mentor without being crippled by the same feelings that caused the jaws of men to fall loose and the hearts of women to pulse with a little more vigour, what was she seeing in Leixia?

_Bounce…Bounce…_

The image had been imprinted upon the surface of her eyes and refused to be blinked away. She found that she could not look at Leixia afterwards without the image accompanied with an uncomfortably pleasant heat spreading through her limbs rising to the forefront of her mind. She had kept her eyes down as they sat around the camp fire, answering to Leixia with a somewhat higher pitched voice and an unusually quick laugh. She had been quick to take the first watch, seeing an intense curiosity in her friend's eye and reading the intention to pester her with questions. Natsu knew Leixia would not be able to resist sleep before she passed the watch over to Maxi...

Natsu tightened, her body aching now from the build-up of tension in her limbs as Leixia snuggled closer. The hand brushing her shoulder trailed down languidly to her upper arm – said limb drawn tightly to Natsu's body, and the ninja felt the pads of Leixia's fingers ghost across her bodysuit. Her breasts pushed against Natsu's back and she was intensely aware of their shape and pressure against her even through the fabric that hid them. The young girl sighed softly against Natsu's neck, and the ninja's thoughts were immediately emptied of all but –

_Bounce…Bounce…_

"Damn it", Natsu hissed into the night.


	2. Delectable Meat Buns

Her dream faded, and a quiet moan of complaint slipped from her throat as she tried to grasp its edges with smoky fingers. No sooner did it vanish into obscurity did its details blur along with it, becoming a grey haze and dispersing as her hands swept through it in wild attempts to pluck a solid recollection from its depths. But alas, it was gone. Gradually, she became aware of the ground, hard beneath her form. She could feel the edge of a ruffled blanket tickling the underside of her jaw, her body curled beneath its appreciated warmth. As sleep evaporated and she woke dimly to the darkness behind her eyelids, Leixia realised that she was no longer alone, as she had been when she had first laid her head down to rest.

She felt the tingling sensation of soft hair against the tip of her nose, stirred ever slightly by her small breaths. Her body appeared to have curved to match the shape of another, for she felt plains of muscle pressed against her chest and her hips flush against another's. Her fingers twitched as she registered the soft, fleshy curve of Natsu's waist beneath them. She didn't need to open her eyes to realise that she lay beside – or rather behind – her ninja friend. It was not the first time she had unconsciously sidled close to Natsu after she had handed over the watch to Maxi and come to sleep next to her. She was drawn to warmth in her state of sleep like a moth to the flame. However, something appeared to be amiss.

The ninja seemed to be painfully tense, and Leixia could feel the tightness of her body with growing clarity as she woke fully. Leixia found herself curled rather loosely around Natsu's smaller, tighter form, and the young girl began to worry that her friend was not experiencing as pleasant a dream as the one she vaguely remembered leaving. But even within her moment of worry, Leixia felt a familiar warmth rising gently to her cheeks as she cracked her eyes open and the final hooks of sleep were cast away. Being able to confirm with her eyes what she had surmised from the physical hints of her body caused her to swallow a sudden lump in her throat.

From the very first moment she had witnessed Natsu fight, Leixia had been struck with a sense of awe that had left her speechless. The ninja was like a bolt of lightning, her unbound and wild golden hair flung through the air as she darted from place to place, leading the invisibly sharp tips of her dual kodachi towards her target with a mastery that Leixia envied. Beyond that was the fact that to her eyes, Natsu was shaped for battle. Leixia was soft and elegant, a lotus flower that her mother had raised and nurtured and treasured more so than words could articulate. But Natsu was something else.

Her scarlet outfit clung jealously to her body and served to emphasise the shifting plains of her back, pressing against the taut flesh of her abdomen and highlighting the faint lines of defined muscle. Leixia was entranced the moment she had seen the ninja, and she could disguise her prolonged stares behind the excuse of her youth and utter unfamiliarity with virtually everything that existed beyond the palace walls. But there was more. It hadn't taken long before Leixia found herself looking at Natsu with something other than intense fascination. Her bodysuit swept down and clung tightly to the curve of her buttocks, emphasising its shape and size and inviting her young gaze.

Perhaps the thought triggered a vague recollection of her dream, but Leixia's hips shifted ever so slightly. The ninja twitched – Leixia felt it, and she swore she heard the faintest intake of breath as she fell still. Leixia paused for a long moment, wondering if her friend was indeed being tortured by a bad dream. Glancing down momentarily at the arrangement of their bodies, a hazy image flitted past Leixia's mind's eye and her hips stirred once again without conscious thought. The movement this time was more pronounced, a slow and circular motion that sent heat flaring to Leixia's cheeks. At the same time, Natsu noticeably flinched. Leixia gasped and pushed herself away from the ninja in surprise.

_She's awake?!_

"Natsu?"

She didn't respond, and Leixia thought herself mistaken with her assumption until a muffled groan corrected her. Leixia propped herself up on an elbow as Natsu stirred, her tightly curled and tense form stretching out slowly. Leixia's eyes were drawn to the subtle shifts of her muscles as she moved, a single, continuous ripple seeming to flow down through the fabric of the bodysuit along her back. As though following its path, Leixia's eyes traced the curve of the fabric as it swept below her hips, hugging to the curvature of her body and tightly embracing the ninja's powerful glutes. Upon them did the young girl's gaze linger.

Natsu sat up with a strained moan, lifting a hand and pushing it behind golden hair and seeming to massaging her neck with a sigh of relief. After a few moments, she lifted her arms above her head, settling the palm of her left hand atop the back of her other and pushing up towards the morning sky. With a grunt accompanying her long stretch, Natsu's back arched slightly as though she fought to brush her fingertips across the clouds above, utterly – and thankfully – oblivious to the flush of colour that had risen to her friend's face behind her. Leixia positively absorbed the shape of the ninja's body, her eyes flitting as the plain of Natsu's back rippled with an undercurrent of strength.

"Morning", the ninja greeted, looking over her shoulder as she lowered her arms. Leixia actually winced at the dark shadows beneath Natsu's eyes.

"I hope you slept well", Natsu spoke before Leixia's lips parted. Leixia paused as she thought she heard a slight stress on 'you', and her friend's voice seemed rather monotonous to boot. It was not the matter of Natsu not being a 'morning person', as Leixia knew Natsu's mentor had pretty much drilled that out of her for life.

"Did you?" Leixia asked.

"I…" Natsu paused and frowned, pressing her lips together as she fell silent. Her eyes seemed to flick downwards before she quickly turned away.

"I slept alright", she said evenly.

"Hmm, you seem a little tense", Leixia said as the ninja made motions to rise. "How about a massage?" she offered brightly. Natsu laughed as she stood to her feet and curved an arm behind her back in another stretch.

"I doubt you'd know how to", she told Leixia, smirking. "Wasn't that the servants' job?"

"So?" Leixia retorted, folding her arms tightly across her chest. "I watched them pretty carefully".

"Of course you did", Natsu said, stepping past Leixia as a hand descended and patted her head. Leixia fumed and swept a hand upwards to swat the ninja away. Natsu merely chuckled as she danced away and made towards the alert form of Maxi, mentioning something to him as she passed which drew a nod from him.

"Don't go too far", she heard their guardian of sorts advise. Natsu merely grunted and lifted a hand casually to indicate she had heard and understood. Maxi turned his head towards Leixia as the ninja disappeared into the trees; she was already rousing herself, pushing aside the blanket and rising to her feet. Xiba still lay fast asleep off to her left, lips moving soundlessly though she could guess pretty accurately what he might've been mumbling. Maxi didn't like any of them walking off by themselves, though he trusted their ability enough to not chaperone them himself. Leixia paused before she set off to follow after Natsu, first reaching down to one of her satchels.

"Don't wander off with your eyes closed", Maxi said plainly to her as she jogged past.

She found Natsu just out of sight of the camp, sitting with her legs crossed and her back high and straight. Her hands were curled into fists and she pressed them together, her forearms drawing a perfect line through the air. She trod quietly, though she knew Natsu would be aware of her presence. The ninja's eyes were closed in meditation, and Leixia knew not to disturb her; this was no simple quest for peace and enlightenment.

Natsu meditated each morning – or at least should have done – as her mentor had instructed. She was required to quell and rein in the demon sealed within her body, Arahabaki, who often thrashed within its bonds and brought the young ninja fiery discomfort. It was another element of Natsu that Leixia found greatly fascinating, and Natsu had been thrown off initially by her enthusiasm and almost envious curiosity regarding the great demon locked within her where others would gladly flee.

Leixia knew that her presence was a comfort to her friend whenever she sunk into meditation. She often displayed a reluctance to carry out this particular ritual, and Leixia had seen the pained expressions lining her face and worried greatly when she had initially watched the ninja in secret. When Natsu had eventually invited her to sit with her, being aware of her secretive presence the entire time, Leixia realised that it also brought a sense of comfort to herself. She settled quickly into the idea of a protective role, announcing this in declarative fashion to her friend who had smirked and then smiled softly. Beyond that, it was also the perfect time to do something about the ninja's unruly hair.

Natsu had favoured a simple, though rather messy ponytail before meeting Leixia. Her hair was a wild, stubborn thing that she had all but given up trying to control. Leixia had leapt at the opportunity to fashion the ninja's long golden locks into something stylistic and dynamic, something that would represent the fighter Leixia thought her to be. Leixia perched herself on her knees behind the still, quiet form of the ninja, holding the edge of a length of pink ribbon between her lips. Carefully so as not to disturb her friend's meditation, Leixia gathered Natsu's hair in her hands. Her hands and fingers were swift and practiced here, and the multiple tails of the elaborate style Natsu had quickly grown fond of soon arced upwards into the air. Leixia sat back on her heels, her work finished.

Uncertainly, after a long moment of silently gazing at Natsu's still form, Leixia lifted her hands once more. She could disguise this behind the massage she had offered Natsu earlier if the ninja reacted to what she was doing…she hoped at least. It was too difficult to just sit within such proximity of the body she so admired, though when she laid her hands ever so timidly at Natsu's shoulders, she suddenly thought of the stories her mother used to tell her as a younger child. She figured that it was a strange moment for such a recollection.

She felt Natsu stiffen as she touched her, immediately regretting her intentions. Her mind bid her to flee, but there seemed to be no strength in her legs. Her hands continued to move though, striking up a slow and gentle rhythm. A relieved smile crept up to her lips when she felt Natsu relax and heard a quiet exhalation from the ninja, her fingers working to ease the tension from Natsu's shoulders. Emboldened when her friend said nothing of her actions – and appeared to be enjoying it, Leixia's eyes glanced downwards and her hands followed. Her fingers trailed down just below Natsu's shoulders, applying slight pressure as she traced a crescent shape and swept up towards the back of her neck.

"You do know what you're doing, then". Natsu turned her head slightly to glance over her shoulder.

Leixia ducked her head shyly at the grin that curved her friend's lips, mumbling as she spoke.

"I distracted you", she said apologetically.

"Nah", the ninja replied, "didn't take too long today. I was just enjoying your attention".

"I could – umm…I could do it properly if you lie down", Leixia offered in a quiet voice. Natsu shrugged.

"Sure".

Leixia directed Natsu to lie flat on her front, her arms at her side and her face turned to the side. Auburn eyes glanced up at her as knelt down, and Leixia swallowed down the suggestion that such massages usually took place with the recipient being naked, heat flushing her cheeks. She had also seen the servants applying a special oil to their hands; lacking it however, she aimed to be as careful as possible.

Shuffling over to kneel at Natsu's head, Leixia felt a slight tremble in her hands and a pronounced _thump thump_ in her chest as she leaned forward and laid her fingertips just below her friend's shoulders. To her surprise, the ninja's bodysuit was surprising soft and yielding to the touch; she had uneasily anticipated having to put up a fight with it. She pushed her hands down the length of Natsu's back, her breath catching in her throat as she finally explored the plains of muscle that had captured her eyes and imagination for so long. Her hands moved outwards from the centre of Natsu's back as her fingers glided upwards towards her shoulder in a shallow arc, at its peak ghosting along her sides. She repeated this several times, feeling her own skin tingle as Natsu sighed appreciatively.

She shifted until she was positioned at Natsu's side, relieved to see that the ninja's eyes had fallen shut and a smile curved her lips. She didn't think she could brave her gaze right now. This time starting from the base of her spine, Leixia's thumbs trailed along the small depression at the centre of her back as she slowly pushed her hands upwards. A soft '_ooo_' was drawn from Natsu's lips as Leixia's fingers slowed gradually as they approached her shoulders, briefly tracing the curve that led to her neck. Leixia brought her hands back down, softly stroking diagonally across the left side of Natsu's back as she returned to the base of her spine. Leixia gazed at the swell Natsu's buttocks, her eyes widening as she recalled the brief moment earlier on when she had ground her hips against the ninja. She was so glad her friend's eyes were closed.

Swallowing, Leixia ghosted her fingers across the top of the curve of Natsu's buttocks before pushing her hands upwards along the depression of her back. Her hands slowed once again as she reached her shoulders and she increased slightly the pressure of her fingertips. Trailing them back down, Leixia stroked small lines incrementally up the length of Natsu's back towards her left shoulder. Reaching it, she laid her left hand atop her right and applied pressure as she traced a path upwards to the curve where Natsu's upper arm met her shoulder. A strange, but pleasurable heat pulsed through Leixia as she transferred herself over to the other side of Natsu's body, stretching over the ninja and performing a small leap of sorts before landing quietly on the balls of her feet. There, she performed a similar routine, drawing yet another sigh from Natsu's lips.

Admittedly, she was becoming a little distracted. Natsu's rump was a sight to behold, and the tight fit of her bodysuit accentuated the delicious curve of her buttocks. Leixia's lips had gone dry and her tongue felt heavy in her mouth as she glanced down at it time and again. When she turned herself slightly and faced towards Natsu's legs, pushing her thumbs along the line of her lower back, her eyes were fixed upon it. She could feel that single desire rising up from her core, bringing with it the heat that drew the moisture from her mouth. Her hands pushed down towards Natsu's glutes, sliding down to trail along their sides before curving upwards. She grasped them at last, a piece of heaven squeezed between her fingers as her heart pounded with fury.

"Leixia…"

She panicked, her hands springing away as though scorched with fire.

"Ah, I think we should get back!" she said hastily as Natsu propped herself up on her forearms and turned to look at her. "They're probably wondering what's taking us so long!"

She laughed nervously and positively scampered away, leaving Natsu lying on the ground staring open-mouthed at her swiftly disappearing form. The ninja rolled over as silence settled around her, pointing a knee to the sky as she hid her eyes with a forearm. Her back tingled pleasurably in the aftermath of Leixia's administrations…and she felt the ghost of her touch at her ass.

She had just learned a great deal about her friend.


	3. Pool Of Delights

Her leg pulled up into her chest, Natsu rested her chin upon the angular plane of her knee as she looked out over the water. The rock upon which she sat was mildly uncomfortable, the thin nature of her bodysuit allowing her to distinctly register the rough and uneven surface. It did little to placate the dark mood she had descended into over the past few days, but it was the one place that Leixia didn't seem to be inclined to look as she quietly bathed.

Natsu knew she had only herself to blame; she hadn't been doing her morning meditations as her tutor instructed since the encounter with Leixia. She could feel the presence of the demon she harboured within a little more clearly each day, and it sullied her good nature. She would snap at all of them for the smallest inconvenience; her sleep was restless and her appetite meagre though her stomach murmured often.

Earlier that morning, she had struck Xiba across the head without warning for daring to reach across and attempt to pluck her breakfast out from underneath her nose. Leixia had reprimanded her and she had nearly lashed out the girl for her daring. She had stayed her hand with much difficulty, but she could see that the anger of her gaze had scared Leixia. She knew that the shadow of the demon was lingering behind her eyes, and as much as Leixia expressed enthusiastic interest in her predicament, a deeper part of her had the sense to be fearful.

Maxi had sent her off after witnessing the exchange between his three young charges, she needed to calm down and have some space and time to herself. She had tried to meditate, but the chains upon Arahabaki were loosened enough for it to present a mildly painful resistance to her efforts. She conceded defeat all too quickly as her head throbbed and her skin crawled, but she knew that she needed to tighten the leash upon the beast.

She had chanced upon Leixia bathing in the small body of water in the proximity of their campsite and sat down to merely watch her. Or rather watch over her, she reasoned, as the water was not necessarily in the clear line of sight of where they were camped. Maxi shouldn't have let her go off on her own, but then perhaps he knew Natsu would inevitable find herself close by.

She found it oddly soothing for her to watch her friend bathe; usually they bathed together, and more often than not Natsu did not allow them to linger long in the water where they could not properly defend themselves if need be. Leixia hummed a little song as she dipped a small pail into the water and tipped it over her shoulder. Natsu's brow wrinkled as she heard the soft, sad notes upon the air; she realised that her earlier outburst really had affected her friend. She had glared at her in a manner reserved only for her enemies.

Arahabaki, however, was yet still a potent influence within her being. As she had approached the cusp of womanhood, it had begun to draw on her baser instincts to wield its power over her. Lust was a powerful foe, she had learned, and only the tutelage and protective eye of her mentor had kept her from making decisions she otherwise would have regretted. The demon knew how to veil her eyes with the haze of lust, and it knew how to spread unnatural warmth through her body, one that settled at her core and drove reason from her mind.

She could feel it even now, and she knew that her gaze upon her friend was something more than protective. Her eyes traced the outline of her body as rivulets of water dripped down her back, admiring the delicate shape of her shoulders and waist. As she lifted an arm to draw water once more, Natsu caught a delicious glimpse of the curve of her chest. The ninja's lips were pressed tight and her eyes narrowed as though she focused on a target; her bodysuit clung to her body and she was more than aware of her own need to bathe. After a moment, she lifted her head from her knee and vacated her seat upon the rock.

xXx

The water was a little too cool for her liking, but she could not complain too much as she felt dirt and sweat lift from her skin. With a washcloth in hand, she tried to curve her arm behind her but knew it to be futile. With a sigh, she let her arm drop; she always bathed with Natsu, they would help each other to wash as thoroughly as possible. She figured that would be in for a struggle this morning, however; the ninja's mood was foul and the look she had received earlier had unsettled her. It was a fierce, angry glare that she had been scared to meet for too long; she had been afraid Natsu was moments away from striking her, too.

She reasoned that it had been a costly mistake for her to intrude upon the ninja's meditations; she hadn't seen Natsu doing them recently, and with a grimace she could attribute that to the moment she had offered her friend a massage. That had led to actions she still even now couldn't believe she had allowed herself to do. Conversation between them since then had been sparse at best. Leixia was deeply embarrassed, not only for what she had done, but the fact that she could not keep her eyes away from Natsu's body, despite her mood.

A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts then, accompanied by the splash of water. "Need some help?"

Leixia turned quickly and saw Natsu stepping into the pool; her breath caught in her throat. The ninja regarded her with an odd expression seemingly halfway between carefree and greatly annoyed, and Leixia didn't know what to think of it. The morning's events were more than fresh in her memory, but Natsu did not possess that same anger in her eyes. Still, her gaze held some intensity and Leixia felt a little intimidated. She gave a small, tentative nod as the ninja approached.

Natsu took the washcloth from her hand and dipped it into the water as Leixia turned around. She remained very quiet and still as Natsu pressed the cloth to her skin, pushing it across her back in a familiar pattern. The sound of water trickling back into the pool filled her ears as the ninja steadied her with a hand upon her shoulder. Her grip was a little tight and her stroke a little more forceful than usual, but Leixia bid herself to bear it. She was grateful for the help regardless.

Natsu moved behind her then, lifting the washcloth to her shoulder. Her eyes flicked to the side as the ninja slowly brought the cloth down the length of her arm. Their bodies were close, and for a brief moment, Leixia simply enjoyed the warmth radiating from the ninja upon her cool skin. Their proximity soon became awkward for her however, particularly when Natsu brought the washcloth to her shoulder once more but this time pushed over its slope towards her chest. Without thinking, she lifted an arm to cover herself.

"What was that about, a few days ago?" Natsu asked her quietly. The path of the washcloth and the ninja's guiding hand skirted her elbow and moved down towards her stomach.

"What do you mean?" Leixia said nervously, hearing the pitch of her voice and feeling heat flush her cheeks. Natsu traced circles upon her stomach and she was well aware of the pressure of the ninja's stroke. The washcloth rose higher, approaching the underside of her chest.

"Your massage", Natsu said. "I…I liked it".

Leixia paused; her throat felt tight as she tried to speak. "I'm glad", she managed.

The washcloth's slow ascent grew still and the sound of a body pushing through the water graced her ears as Natsu stepped closer. The hand the ninja had used to steady her slipped away from her shoulder and Leixia felt shivers across her skin as Natsu's fingers traced a seemingly aimless path downwards. Her touch ghosted down her back, fluttering along the curve of her body. The washcloth fell into the water with gentle splash.

"I'd like to return the favour", Natsu told her.

She froze as she heard the words and her mind sluggishly worked to comprehend them. By the time that happened, she looked down as she felt Natsu's hand creep beneath her forearm. She pressed the limb tight against herself without thinking, her face growing warm. The ninja's fingers teased and gently prodded her defences; her other hand trailed down her side, seeking her susceptible spots. Leixia jerked to the side as Natsu found one, gasping involuntary laughter. The patient hand slipped beneath her forearm.

Natsu closed her eyes and sighed audibly as she finally captured in her palm the smooth, captivating mound of Leixia's chest.

Ever since they had sparred together and she found herself looking at her friend in an entirely new manner, the girl had been a greatly distracting image at the forefront of her mind. Her dreams were of things that she woke from to find her body unusually warm and a certain ache gnawing at her being. Leixia arched her back in surprise at her touch and this only served to push her breast into Natsu's palm. The ninja had no complaints.

She felt the pebble of her nipple pushing against her skin, hardening and protruding into her palm as she at long last cupped Leixia's breast and sank deep into the sensation of its presence in her hand.

"Natsu! What are you doing?" Leixia gasped.

What was she doing? It dawned on her slowly; Arahabaki was nudging her forward to act upon the thoughts that had stirred sluggishly within her mind since she had felt Leixia squeeze her backside. She hadn't been lying when she told her she'd enjoyed it. Her friend's touch had felt good, so good. The massage had almost seemed to lull her to sleep, and at the back of her mind she sensed Leixia's hands going lower than they were perhaps required to. She hadn't minded.

She didn't answer Leixia's question immediately, first giving her breast a gentle squeeze.

"Your chest distracts me when we fight", she said, belatedly realising how ridiculous the words must have sounded as they spilled from her lips. But her focus quickly fell back to the breast in her hand. "And when we sleep together".

"Natsu…"

"You say some things in your sleep, Leixia", Natsu said as her thumb joined a finger at the peak of the girl's chest and slowly rolled the hardened bud between them. "A quiet whisper, nothing more".

She leaned forward and intertwined her fingers between Leixia's, drawing her hand around both of their bodies.

"It's difficult to sleep when your best friend is pressed tight against your back, you know".

Leixia's heart seemed to throw itself against its cage as Natsu guided her hand to her buttocks, resting her palm upon the curve of her naked flesh. She left her floundering in the deep a moment later when she moved her own hand away, and Leixia found that her arm refused to move along with it. The ninja pressed close against her body then, her taut stomach flush against her back. She hesitated for a long moment, utterly aware of Natsu's hand cupping her chest.

"I knew it", her friend murmured in her ear as she slowly pushed her hand into motion. Natsu had all but given her permission and she didn't have the strength to resist. Her skin was smooth and wet beneath her palm. She gave a small squeeze blindly, and like Natsu sighed as she felt the firm muscle of the ninja's buttock yield to her touch. She gasped a moment later as Natsu pinched her tender nipple.

"Sorry", the ninja said quickly, and then she began to draw away. "Come on", she said as Leixia turned, "this isn't really the best place for this".

What turned out to be a much more suitable location was beneath the shadow of the collection of rocks that stuck out their jaw over the edge of the pool. Natsu had sat atop them, looking down at Leixia. Small rocks were perched in the water, peaking about above the rippling surface.

As they stood face to face with the water almost reaching their hips, they glanced away from each other as they felt their cheeks grow warm. Natsu briefly escaped the haze of pleasure settling upon her and realised where her lustful thoughts were leading her. Leixia was small and cute and innocent, standing before her with water glistening upon and between the valley of her breasts. Natsu was letting Arahabaki get the better of her surely.

Leixia glanced at her, then quickly looked away, but then turned her eyes back to her.

"This is wrong, isn't it?" she said quietly, tentatively.

Natsu didn't know. Her eyes trailed along Leixia's form; she liked the gentle swell of her chest and the contrast in the tone of her skin where her pert nipples sat at the centre of a darker circle of flesh. She liked the soft, almost tentative curve of her waist, her young body beginning to grow into itself and sculpt the fine, delicate form of a woman. She lifted her eyes and found Leixia's lips, moist and full. She liked it when the girl pouted and her cheeks puffed out just a little. Her dark brown hair framed her face, wetly clinging to her skin as strands of her fringe fell across the corners of her eyes.

She found that she didn't have much to think about, she was seeing all that she had seen in murky, forcibly half-forgotten dreams and more. Definitely more. Leixia looked infinitely more delicious before her waking eyes. So she leaned forward and brought them both what they sorely desired.

Young lips touched softly as their hearts pounded in ears. They kissed once and broke apart. It wasn't enough. They kissed again, a little longer this time, tasting the other's lips. Leixia felt herself melt underneath the intensity of Natsu's gaze as they parted. Every part of her being trembled with anticipation and warmth spread through her body, making her forget the cool air upon her skin. She gave herself utterly to the ninja as their lips met for a third time.

Natsu felt a hunger stir at her core as she leaned forward and took Leixia's face between her hands. Their lips moved with urgency as they quickly became attuned to each other's shape and texture. Wanting more, Natsu pushed her tongue forwards. Leixia initially stiffened at the wet, slippery intrusion into her mouth, but then the ninja's tongue dipped and sought out hers.

Natsu absolutely relished the heated passion of their kiss as she engaged Leixia's tongue. From deep within, without her conscious thought or permission, a moan hummed at the base of her throat. She opened her mouth and their tongues danced haphazardly between their parted lips, glistening with saliva. Natsu pushed hers back into the warmth of Leixia's mouth and kissed the girl hard, stroking the line of her jaw with her thumbs.

The water was stirred around them and Leixia almost staggered as Natsu pushed into her body. The ninja's arm coiled around her waist and held her steady, and a few moments later she felt the rough wall of rock at her back. It was uncomfortable and dug into her shoulders as Natsu pressed into her. The ninja's kiss was strong and insistent and Leixia suddenly found herself hard pressed to breathe. Her hand gripped Natsu's shoulder and pushed her away.

Natsu stared at her in a wild moment of confusion and agitation until she noticed Leixia panting and saw her wince as she pushed away from the wall.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry", she said quickly, cursing her idiocy. "I didn't mean to –"

Leixia silenced her with a finger to her lips as she gathered her breath. She gave a small, shaky laugh as she looked up and saw the ninja's expression. Again, she was reminded of the romantic stories her mother had told throughout her infancy and the beginnings of her teenage years. She was already breaking one common trait among them, but she certainly hadn't envisioned breath-taking kisses literally living up to their name.

She smiled a little nervously at Natsu as she lowered her finger from her lips. "I liked it", she whispered as the ninja gazed at her with concern. Natsu nodded slowly, and when their lips met again, she was more careful.

Leixia sighed happily into her friend's mouth as they struck up a slow, passionate kiss once more. Her hands refused to stay still and rose to Natsu's shoulders, resting there for a moment as she tilted her head to accommodate the ninja's tongue. She enjoyed its presence in her mouth, the moist warmth of the live muscle dancing with her own. She liked the heat of Natsu's body and the feel of it pressed flush against her. Were it not for the sharp, pitted nature of the rock wall at her back, she would have welcomed Natsu's weight upon her.

Instead, she let her hands fall from her friend's strong shoulders, roaming the plane of her back as her fingers ghosted along her wet skin. She pushed her hands flat along the small of her back and felt the swell of her buttocks at her fingertips. She felt Natsu's hands at her cheek and at her back to support her weight. Her own hands slipped beneath the water and gripped the ninja's full cheeks. Natsu groaned into their kiss as she felt herself pulled against Leixia's body.

The girl breathed heavily in her ear as she ducked her head and kissed the side of her neck. Natsu traced a path down towards her left breast, leaving Leixia's skin blazing as she slowly and sensuously kissed her flesh. She couldn't help the grin that curved her lips as she leaned down and brought her lips to Leixia's chest. Leixia practically hugged her head to her breast as Natsu kissed the curving flesh, tasting the stiff peak with a quick flick of her tongue.

She lavished her attention on Leixia's breasts, ravishing the girl's chest with her lips and her tongue. Heat spread through her limbs as she slaked the thirst that had nagged at the corners of her mind for days. She found her hands following the curve of Leixia's body without her full intention, slipping past her waist and into the water. They grew still once they reached her thighs.

Leixia felt her heart racing and heard its frantic rhythm pulsing in her ears. She was completely aware of the path of her friend's hands. When they stopped, she took Natsu's face between her hands and lifted her to meet her soft lips. The ninja could only submit herself to the passion and desire that fuelled Leixia's kiss. When they parted, Leixia was breathless and trembling, but she gave Natsu a reassuring nod. She felt heat rise to her face and glanced away as she parted her legs.

"Hold onto me", Natsu told her, massaging slow circles along Leixia's inner thigh. The girl complied, loosely wrapping her arms around her neck. Her arms tightened as she lifted the girl; aided by the buoyancy of the water, she propped her up on one of the smoother faced rocks that stood around them. Leixia's face burned red as she realised she was fully exposed, and she almost immediately made to jump back into the water.

"Relax!" Natsu laughed, holding her still. "Remember, I'm a ninja. If anyone comes along, poof!" she said, gesturing in exaggerated fashion. Leixia gave her a narrowed gaze until she returned her hands to her thighs.

Natsu grinned at Leixia's expression. "Surely you've done this before?" she said, her fingers moving closer.

Leixia looked at her and then away, answering in the barest whisper.

"And after all this, now you're shy?" Natsu teased. Leixia pouted. Natsu smiled widely and touched her lips to Leixia's before bringing her touch to her friend's hot centre.

An emerging crown of black curls hovered over moist, pink lips, and Natsu traced their shape slowly as she eagerly took in Leixia's shifting expression. She couldn't help but give a small laugh as the girl's hands clenched and unclenched as Natsu drew her shape once more.

"Stop it", Leixia said tightly. "Stop laughing, someone will hear".

"I'm sorry", Natsu chuckled. "I'll whisper, just for you".

So she did; she told a steadily reddening Leixia how soft her lower lips were as she ghosted her thumbs along their shape. She told her how moist and pink her folds were when she gently pulled her lips to either side. She told her how cute her little bud was as she ever so softly squeezed it between her fingers. She told her how warm and tight she was as she slowly pushed a finger into her sex.

Leixia was panting soon enough, her chest heaving as though the two of them had just sparred. Natsu feared she might gouge holes into the rock soon enough with the way she was tightly gripping it. It amused her greatly to watch Leixia struggle to keep her mouth sealed as she began a steady rhythm, pushing her finger and then fingers into the girl up to the second knuckle. Her walls were tight around her digits, clinging to them with a wet, hot embrace.

Moments later, Leixia didn't seem to have a clue where to place her hands as Natsu thrust her fingers into her. Molten fire had settled at her loins, stirred by the ninja's probing digits. The world had become a hazy blur to her eyes and her voice strained against her restraints, buffeting against her sealed lips. In the end, she settled to hold Natsu's head tight against her when the ninja leaned forward and began to lash her sensitive nub with the tip of her tongue. Pleasure thrummed powerfully through her body and she shook so hard she would have fallen off the rock had Natsu not held her steady. Natsu escaped her grip and leapt upwards. Their lips crashed together and Leixia positively shouted her pleasure into their kiss.

Natsu helped her down into the water once more after she had calmed a little. Her legs were devoid of strength, but the ninja held her strong against herself. Natsu merely held her until her breath had returned and she could stand on her own. She turned in Natsu's arms and tilted her face. They kissed long and slow.

"I'm sorry", the ninja apologised when they parted. "I shouldn't have shouted at you earlier".

"It's fine", Leixia said quietly. "But, no more slacking on your meditations!"

Natsu grinned ruefully. "Yes, Master Leixia".

"Mm. I like the sound of that", Leixia purred. "So you admit that I'm better than you".

Natsu's retort was swallowed as Leixia leaned forward and kissed her. When they parted, she jerked her head towards the rock she'd just been sitting on. She grinned brightly.

"Your turn".


End file.
