Chapter 21: XX
Issei glanced at the clock: eleven twenty. The girls had said their somewhat awkward good nights to him and gone off to get ready for bed. Akeno had blown him a kiss and slipped out with a wink, and Koneko, after waiting for Akeno to leave, had offered him her sincere thanks for looking out for her. She blushed and hugged him before darting out of the room flustered. He sighed as he gazed mournfully across his blackened comforter. Every time Rias and Akeno fought over him, somehow he was the one who ended up suffering.
Rias' magical flames had scorched through his pillows, comforter, sheets, and down into the mattress too. She had extinguished the flames, but that wouldn't bring his bed back.
Issei headed to the bathroom, showered, brushed his teeth, and headed to the hall closet which often contained extra blankets and sheets. He pulled a soft-looking quilt from the shelf. Just my luck, only one blanket in here. He sighed and returned to his room. He spent a few minutes spreading the quilt on the floor beside his bed. No extra pillows either. He complained to himself.
"Oh well." He sighed as he hung up his robe, slipped on a pair of boxers, turned off the light and carefully lowered himself onto his side on the quilt. It was soft and decently comfortable to his pleasant surprise.
His mind dwelled on the events of the day. The punishments, the consolation, the misunderstandings, all of these things had played their part. He thought about how each of the girls in his family were different, had their own set of fears and cares. How each of them struggled with anxiety, but tried to do their best. They were all good girls at heart. Even Akeno. She had made some pretty horrible choices, but inside she knew she was wrong, and the guilt ate at her until she made it right. An evil person wouldn't have had that guilt.
He yawned loudly and drifted off to sleep.
Almost an hour later, he was awakened by the squeak of a door hinge. He thought to see what it was groggily, but didn't quite manage it.
A soft woosh whispered above him. A silky comforter gently floated down atop his body. He felt warm. A small smile played across his lips.
To his left the comforter rustled. A small body hesitantly scooched backward toward him until her back gently brushed his chest. The body jerked to a halt and scooched away a little. For a moment, everything was still. Then as if working up courage, the body slowly returned to his chest. A long, soft, cotton shirt separated the girl's back from his chest. She's warm. He thought.
He reached out and let his hand fall gently on her hip. The girl shied away from his touch for a moment, but then seemed to relax taking the hand and pulling it down to her stomach as she snuggled her back against his chest more tightly her rear pressed lightly against his upper thighs. Issei draped his arm gently around her body and softly clasped her delicate fingers.
Something soft but firm rolled back and forth across his chest. Confused in his sleepy state, it took him several minutes to figure out what was moving between their bodies. Tail! It's Koneko's tail. He finally realized too tired to laugh but amused.
"Thank you…" He whispered softly.
She squeezed his hand gently in response and snuggled a little more tightly against him.
Her tail twitched restlessly against him. Koneko opened her mouth to ask him a question, but couldn't form the words. Three times she tried, but three times failed to break the silence.
Finally her tail stopped moving.
"I-issei?" she asked timidly.
"Hm?" He asked yawning.
"Is that how it always feels?"
"What?"
Koneko's face reddened. She was glad he wouldn't be able to see it in the dark.
"When…when you… when you spanked me. Did it feel like that?"
Issei understood. When Koneko had gotten the chance to use the switch on Akeno, her inexperience caused her to use much more force than was necessary. The resulting welt and the accompanying scream had been so painful for Koneko she not only was unable to further punish Akeno, but she immediately forgave her.
She felt him nod against the back of her shoulder.
"It's cliché, but it hurts me more than you I think." He paused a moment. "Remember when I begged you not to ever lie to me again so I wouldn't have to punish you so severely?"
Koneko's embarrassment slowly faded at the memory. Eventually she responded, "You said it hurts you to hurt me… because…" She trailed off.
"Because I love you." He finished. "Exactly, that's how it is. When you have to hurt someone you love, even if it's for their own good, it's really painful to you too. It's so much easier to just forgive them and let it go. I wanted to do that so badly… but I couldn't. I knew it would teach you the wrong thing… So I was forced to spank you again."
This sort of honesty is the best part of Issei. I'm not even really embarrassed to talk about it with him. With him… spankings aren't some childish, humiliating thing… their just… just a necessary tool to guide those he loves.
"I…I understand." She answered quietly.
"Now you understand a little of what it's like. You have to gauge how hard, how soft; you have to know how much they can take, and you have to read if they're really learning anything or just responding to the punishment. It's easy to go under or overboard. You have to be very careful not to be cruel and not to be too lenient, but the whole while you're afraid they'll hate you, or you'll hurt them too much."
"It's really complicated. And it has all kinds of crazy emotions, and it hurts too much too… I don't know how you do it." She admitted admiringly.
Issei blew out a breath.
"Now imagine when you finished and thought you had done a good job walking the line, suddenly you're told the punishment you gave… the pain you inflicted… all of it was ten times worse…"
Koneko froze in horror. I did that to him! He must have been terrified that he'd gone way overboard! He tried so hard to punish me just the right amount and I screwed that all up, wasted his effort by increasing the effect.
"I'm… I'm sorry…Issei-sama… so…so sorry…" she whispered sincerely.
Issei combed his fingers through her hair gently.
"I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, nee-chan. I just want you to understand exactly what that seemingly white lie did. I was so afraid that I had hurt you beyond what you could handle. I was sure I had pushed you passed cruelty, that you might be afraid of me, and that I would never be able to fix that. How could I know for sure if you would associate the increased pain with me being angry or with your decision to make it worse for yourself…? You have no idea how scared I was."
"I…I'm…" Koneko sniffled.
"I know! Shhh." Issei hugged her tightly.
"That's why the punishment for your lying had to be so severe. Because you didn't get it. You didn't see how even a small lie could be so devastating."
"I'll never lie to you again. Ever ever…" she promised quietly.
"Thank you, dear. I know you didn't mean it." He reassured her.
They lay quietly for several moments thinking about the exchange.
"You still love Akeno even though she really hurt you."
Koneko was quiet for a long time as she pondered that. It hurt me to hurt her… it was a different kind of pain, but I felt her pain; it was terrible.
"I'm proud of you." He whispered quietly. "It's takes a lot of strength to love someone who betrays you. You're a good girl. I know you'll grow into a woman we'll both be proud of."
Koneko wiped silent, hot tears on her shirt sleeve. Why am I crying? I'm not sad. What he said made me really, really happy. I feel…I feel like I've been waiting all my life to hear that. No. To hear that and know it isn't just words. She clutched his arm closer to herself and snuggled her back into him until she fit his shape.
Issei reveled in the cute kitten's warmth. He gently held her and listened until her breathing slowed and deepened signaling her slumber. Then he released a big yawn and prepared to slip off as well.
Just as he was beginning to pass out, the door squeaked open, and then closed again. Someone quietly approached him. Again he didn't look up. Whoever it was seemed to stop suddenly in surprise. Bet they didn't expect to see the blanket… or Koneko. He chuckled quietly to himself.
The new intruder didn't seem defeated when she discovered she wasn't first however. The graceful footsteps approached from behind. He felt the comforter rise behind him. A velvety soft body pressed against his back. Her legs curled to fit his, her hips and thighs pressed against his rear and her soft, pillowy breasts squished gently into his back as she snuggled more tightly against him.
"Mmmm." He moaned trying to stifle it as much as possible.
A quiet, melodic giggle came in response from behind.
Her erect nipples tickled his back as she stroked it up and down with her breasts. His breathing deepened. His knees bent slightly and pressed his backside more deeply against her thighs.
"Oooh…!" Akeno exclaimed a little too loudly.
Koneko stirred, yawned, and repositioned herself against Issei. After a moment her soft, deep breathing assured Issei and Akeno that she hadn't awakened.
"Shh." Issei scolded gently.
"It's your fault!" She whispered back amusement coloring her tone.
"Who started it?" he asked in the same playful tone.
"Oh? Shall I go then?" Akeno asked feigning hurt.
"No!" Issei whispered so loudly he might as well not have. He clamped a hand over his mouth, but Koneko didn't seem to have been disturbed.
Akeno giggled again quietly.
"Don't get so upset, darling. I'm not going anywhere." She assured him.
"Sorry," Issei responded quickly a little embarrassed.
Several cozy minutes passed in silence.
"Dear?" Issei asked hesitantly.
"Mm?" Akeno inquired apparently still wide awake.
"I'm sorry, my leg fell asleep, and it's really uncomfortable, I need to turn onto my back." He explained a little worried she might be offended.
"Of course, darling." She scooched back a few inches and Issei slowly turned onto his back gently rubbing the pins and needles from his right leg.
"Ah, that's better." He mumbled softly. "Sorry, it wasn't that I—"
"Don't be silly! You can't enjoy it if you're uncomfortable, now can you? It'd be such a waste."
To his surprise, Koneko mewed sadly in her sleep. She rolled onto her left side and snuggled up against Issei's hip and side. She took his right arm in her little hands and scooched closer to him. She leaned close and gently rubbed her cute little nose against his shoulder then lay her head back on the quilt, her forehead resting lightly against his shoulder.
"She seems quite taken with you." Akeno whispered a little jealously.
Issei smiled warmly at the little catgirl clinging to his side.
"She just never had someone…" he began.
"Like a father." Akeno finished.
Issei choked on his words. "I was going to say big brother!"
Akeno giggled again quietly. "Father makes her seem far less of a threat to me."
"Does it? Then who's the mother?" Issei shot back sarcastically.
Akeno's eyes widened. "Rias…" She whispered with a scowl.
"Damned either way?"
"Maybe…maybe brother isn't so threatening after all." Akeno admitted.
Issei stifled a chuckle.
A few moments passed in silence once more.
"No pillow?" Akeno asked.
"Er—sorry. There weren't any in the closet." He replied a little embarrassed.
"No worries, I brought you one." She answered smiling.
"You're the best!" Issei cried quietly as Akeno raised the small white pillow from the floor behind her. He reached for it, but Akeno pulled it away coquettishly.
"This one's miiine, darling." She slipped it under her head and laid on her back resting comfortably.
Issei frowned. "I thought you brought one for me?" He asked disappointed.
"I did." She said sweetly. "Close your eyes and lift your head, I'll get it for you."
Issei smirked and rolled his eyes sensing some sort of trickery, but did as he was told.
As soon as his eyes were closed, he felt her warm hands on the back of his head guiding it downward. His head came to rest on a soft, warm, squishy pillow. It's so comfy! See? Akeno is kind. She's such a sweetheart thinking of me like that.
He turned his head to thank her face-to-face and felt his head slip slightly between what felt like two pillows. He wiggled his head back and forth nestling between the pillows and scooched upward a bit to support his neck.
As his neck made contact with the pillow, he noticed it was emanating heat. It was soft and warm, and… moving. Up, down; up…down… up… He reached his free left arm back to confirm what he already knew. His palm cupped a large, soft breast. His finger traced the curve and gently brushed his fingernail across the tip of the nipple.
"Mmm." Akeno softly moaned against her will. "Hey!" She whispered. "Don't do that! When we can't…can't…"
"You started it," Issei returned playfully. "Best pillow ever!"
Akeno giggled softly.
He turned his head and brushed his lips over the top of her left breast, kissing a little line across her blushing, soft skin.
"Issseiiiiiiiiii…" Akeno complained.
He smiled cruelly, and cocked his head back lifting his chin so that he could just barely reach her neck. His lips played gently across the base of her neck and moved up her throat till he could reach no further.
Her fingers which had been combing through his hair steadied his face as she leaned forward and with great effort closed the distance between them joining her soft lips to his hungry ones.
They shared a long, gentle kiss. It was warm; it was soft; it was bliss…it was agony.
Akeno blew out a frustrated breath and let her head fall back onto her pillow. Issei removed his teasing fingers from her breast and let it fall to the quilt beside him. His eyes strained in the pale moonlight gently bathing them from the window. He reached out to his left sliding his hand along the quilt until he made contact with Akeno's side. His fingertips danced across her ribs as his palm slid up her stomach and back to the side.
His hand caressed with soft pressure down her hip lightly across her outer thigh drawing a soft whimper from Akeno's lips. Issei lightened his caress to a feather's touch reaching further and further down her thigh until he felt her knee. He noted that she wasn't lying straight beside him anymore, but diagonally in order to rest his head on her chest.
Akeno drank in the warmth of his touch as he caressed her. She bit back a cry as his finger nails lightly dragged across her thigh. Rias had forbidden Issei to rub that blissful cream into her rear, and part of her enjoyed the lingering sting, but the heat was slow to fade.
Issei's hand glided around her thigh and hip again and again slowly working his way toward her rear. As his hand reached the part of her thigh that met that quilt he stopped.
He tapped her thigh lightly with two fingers. "Up." He ordered a hint of his Master personality slipping into his voice.
"It…it still hurts she cautioned." She submissively lifted her bottom off the quilt.
Issei's hand slid under caressing softly.
"Down."
Akeno gulped, bracing for the pain. She lowered her rear onto his hand. She felt it cup her right cheek, squeezing and kneading her tender skin. She bit her lip enduring the painful pressure. The heat from his hands exacerbated the fire still burning in her rear.
"G-g-gent-ly!" she tried to whisper her eyes squeezed tightly shut.
His hand wiggled slowly under her until the apex of her cheek rested in his palm. He gave it a light squeeze sending jolting flashes of pain through Akeno.
"This is mine." He teased, gently squeezing and releasing triggering small waves of intense flame.
"Y-yes! Mas-ter!" she replied as the shock from each squeeze cut her off mid-word.
"Good girl," he praised and stopped squeezing. Gently slipping his palm further and curling his fingers into the cleft between her cheeks.
Akeno gasped. But not in pain this time. A confusing mix of surprise and mild pain was overwhelmed by intimacy and arousal. No one has ever touched me there! She thought as his fingers wormed their way between her cheeks touching, feeling, invading. Her thighs squeezed tightly together of their own accord. Her cheeks clenched firmly in reaction to the penetrating touch as his pointer and index finger traced the rim of her anus.
"Akeno?" Issei asked gently.
"Y-yes master?" She managed to squeak out.
"Are you alright?" He asked seriously.
She was breathing heavily almost hyperventilating.
She struggled to take slow measured breaths.
"I…I'm okay." She managed. "Just…you just surprised me… that's all. I wasn't ready."
"Unclench your bottom." He ordered softly.
She wrestled her natural instincts into submission and obeyed.
"Good girl." He praised again.
His pointer finger pressed against the opening of her anus covering it without penetrating.
Akeno shuddered at the intensity of the feelings coursing through her. She didn't know if she liked his finger there or not, but she knew it felt scary and new and exciting and embarrassing all at the same time. I'm so glad I took extra care to scrub in the shower!
Issei's fingers slowly withdrew from her cheeks.
"Up." He commanded.
Obediently she lifted her rear again and his hand slipped out. It was strange. While the probing fingers had felt violating when they had slipped into that private area, now she felt a strange sense of loss with them gone.
"Down."
She lowered herself gently onto the quilt once more.
"Did it hurt?" He asked care evident in his voice.
"Yes." She admitted. "My bottom is still very sore. Every time you squeezed it hurt."
"I couldn't help myself." He apologized. "I want to touch every part of you; I want to run my fingers over every inch of your delicious curves. I want to kiss you."
"Well…the pain… wasn't… wasn't all bad." She admitted blushing. "It sorta… excites me. If I'm already aroused."
Even in the dark as she looked down she couldn't miss his knowing smile.
"I knew it!" He quietly remarked.
Akeno pouted. "You hurt me on purpose!"
She felt him nod against her chest.
"Little waves of heat and pressure and…maybe a little pleasure?" He asked exhibiting the only sign of uncertainty she'd seen in him so far.
"Yeah." She confirmed still a little unsettled that he could read her so well. "Exactly."
He released a relieved breath. Akeno smiled realizing he had been holding it waiting a little fearfully for her response.
They lay in silence for several minutes before Issei's hand slid up her stomach. Akeno giggled as he traced a circle around her belly button.
"Did you always intend for that to happen?" Issei asked curiously.
"What?"
"For us to have sex this afternoon."
Akeno giggled mischievously. "Darling, I always intend for us to… we've just always been interrupted before today."
Issei let out an amused breath.
"Maybe, I thought my odds were a little better today." She admitted with a wink.
His finger glided down passed her waist. Her thighs opened to permit his fingers passage, but they stopped just short of her sex. C'mon! What are you waiting for? She mentally shouted. Her clitoris throbbed millimeters from his touch. His finger jumped three quarters of the way to the bottom of her labia and gently and slowly swiped upward all the way to the top. She was slick and ready for him.
His arousal had been fully erect for several minutes now. He sighed in frustration. It's not to be. Koneko's tail swished through the air and landed on his stomach. There's no way we could do this without waking her. Time to slam on the brakes.
He slipped his finger into his mouth.
"You taste good." He told her want evident in his voice.
Akeno blushed happily.
"Too bad I only get a sample tonight, darling." He announced matter-of-factly.
"What!?" Akeno almost shouted. Koneko jolted in response to the loud sound but quickly settled.
"That's right. For tonight, you'll have to settle for wet dreams." He explained slyly.
"But… but I'm already wet!" She whispered urgently.
"Deliciously so." He added.
"Ugh! You can't… can't leave me like this!" she pleaded.
"Maybe I like you desperate." He smiled doing his best to hold back his own raging desire.
"I'm…I'm desperate!" she cried softly. "No need to wait!"
Issei felt bad, though she had started this whole thing coming in naked, giving him her breasts for a pillow knowing the whole while it couldn't go anywhere. He had pushed it much further, even after she warned him.
"Tomorrow, darling." He stated as if an end to the discussion. "If you're good." He added playfully knowing it was dangerous.
"T-tomorrow!" she cried aghast.
She felt him nod again.
"Maybe I'll just go back to my room and take care of it right now!" she threatened.
"You wouldn't do that." He returned with a smirk.
"Oh really?" she giggled half amused half frustrated. "And why not?"
"Because." He answered simply. "That would be naughty."
And he said he'd only…if I was good. She remembered.
"Ugh!" she sighed. "There's nothing naughty about a girl touching herself!" she announced brazenly daring him to disagree.
"Certainly not; it's natural, and I wouldn't stop you." Issei agreed.
"Then—!"
"But denying me the chance to passionately relieve your tortured need pushing us both to our very limits of endurance and pleasure… That would be naughty."
Akeno whined. His words had only increased her arousal. But he had laid down the ultimatum. Obey and be rewarded tomorrow to the limits of their bodies, or disobey, satisfy her need for tonight, but be punished with no sex tomorrow.
"You'd punish yourself with me!" she whispered triumphantly. "Even if I leave and take care of my needs, you're still stuck here. And tomorrow…you'll be more desperate than me. Perhaps, I'll make you beg." She simpered arrogantly.
"Such is the fate of a Master." He played the martyr. "Sometimes we must suffer for our charge's sake."
Akeno eyed him wondering if she'd crossed a line.
"Hmm. Akeno-chan." Issei began in a deadly serious tone. "It seems you've yet to learn submission to your master. I think in light of this new arrogance, I'll have no choice but to cut you off for at least a week. Maybe two."
"Two weeks!" Akeno squeaked. Where is he getting this restraint from?! Is he bluffing? I can't take that risk. I'll die if I have to wait that long!
She wrapped her arms around his chest and squeezed him tightly dropping her face on this hair. She shook her head against his hair erratically as she desperately backpedaled. "No, no, no, no, no! I'm sorry, Master! Please be merciful!"
"I'll have no more of your threats then." He scolded. "Be a good girl and tomorrow you'll be rewarded."
"Yes, master." She agreed desolately.
"It will be worth it, I promise."
"Mean." She quoted Koneko.
Issei chuckled.
"Good night, Akeno."
She rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Good night, darling. Let's try to get some sleep."
She laid her head back on her pillow and resumed gently stroking Issei's hair. Issei reached his open hand up over his head to her. When she placed her hand in his, he drew it to his lips and lovingly kissed the back of her hand.
Akeno squeezed his hand intimately as he softly stroked hers with his thumb resting both on his chest.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone