Golden, 10

It was only a night away, but it seemed like forever until Shota was walking with hurried, jerky steps down the hotel hall to their suite.

The door flung open as he approached, and he tugged on his shirt, buttons popping open, as he rushed forward to greet her. She hopped up into his arms with a happy cry.

"Hey, baby! Miss me?"

"Ches!" He crushed his mouth to hers, delving between her lips with a hungry growl. She purred, grabbing and rubbing at his crotch.

"Hey, it feels like you did. Mmm."

God, it had only been seven, maybe eight days but it had seemed longer than a month to him. He had needed time to think and talk with his family but she had missed him just as much. It made him feel wanted, and he craved that affection. He lifted her, squealing and laughing, and tossed her onto the bed, leaping lightly on top.

"I want you," he ground out between taking large, hungry bites and kisses of her neck. His hands tightened on her wrist, pressing just one into the soft covers. "I want all of you, I need ..."

"You want to come inside me?" She brushed a strand of dark hair back and whispered in his ear. "Is that it, baby?"

Shota acted as if he had been electrified. His entire body stiffened and he blurted out a hasty, "Yes."

"I'm on birth control and I'm clean, but we can use condoms. I mean, I trust you, but you might not trust m -"

"I do." He took her hands in his and kissed them.

"You're a fool, then." She laughed, though a hint of sadness showed in her eyes.

"I think I must be, when I'm around you."

This time she frowned but quickly shook herself and laughed, seeming to get over whatever dark matter had crossed her mind. "I really want this, you know."

He lost control of his breathing momentarily.

"A - are you sure? Oh, and do you need any -"

"You almost went through with it without asking," she interrupted in a strange hiccuping voice. He realized in alarm that she was struggling not to burst into tears.

"Ch - Ches? You okay?"

She but her lip, nodding, but tears were now streaming from her eyes. He moved to comfort her and she flinched.

"What's wrong? Please don't cry... I didn't mean to make you cry."

"You were going to pay me, weren't you."

Actually, no. Not this time if she declined. But he had clearly been a fool to ask.

"I don't want this to end," she sobbed. "Shota, I took your money because I thought you didn't want a serious relationship. And - and as long as you kept doing that, we could see each other."

"What?!"

The most shameful thing about this was that she was almost right.

"I don't need your money. I really don't!" She sniffled, then wailed in heartbroken pain again. "I thought you might fall in love with me if I could keep this going, but - but you just keep doing it."

"You don't need ... wait. Ches, who are you? You barely have an internet presence in this day and age and you won't tell me where you work, either."

She smiled crazily through her tears. "You have several of my works hanging in your home, baby."

He blinked, confused. Then, "Silhouette?!"

It suddenly all made sense.

Since no one knew who she was because of the all-black bodysuit and voice changing apparatus, it was possible. Some said her mystery was what sold her work but those who appreciated it didn't buy into that. They loved it because it spoke to them, the same reason he did.

She was talented, intelligent, and, he knew now, beautiful.

And also rich.

She truly hadn't needed his money.

"Wait," he frowned, rubbing at his neck as he thought. "We saw her that night at the gallery."

"My assistant," she shrugged. "I only needed to coach her a little - she knows me well enough to respond pretty close to what I'd say."

"I asked you out," he said, puzzled. "At one of your earlier art shows. Why didn't you accept?"

Elly sighed and looked at her lap, where she was folding and unfolding her hands. "I couldn't go on a date in the suit. And I didn't want my secret out. My identity is my greatest asset. Plus, well... I was afraid."

"Of me?"

"Everyone said that Shota Aizawa would never settle down," she said sadly. Her tears had tapered off and she spoke in a defeated tone that wrenched at his heart. "Ever. That all you did was buy love, and you threw people away if they got too serious."

"Oh, Ches, no," he gasped. "That painting," he choked. "That was us, wasn't it."

Both the man and woman were vague renditions of the human form, swirls of paint within a silhouette, appropriately enough. The woman flowed with vibrant colors and light, the man slightly darker. They were embraced, figures behind them depicting acts of love and romance. When one looked closer, however, the figures were twisted shadows that lay flat on the canvas, howling in agony.

She laid her ears back and nodded hesitantly. "Yes."

"Is that how badly I made you feel?" His vision blurred, and she peered cautiously up to see his bloodshot eyes full of tears.

She bit her lip and continued to wring her hands. "I thought, what if it were true? I couldn't risk showing you who I was as Silhouette, so I did it as Ches instead. A less threatening option. And, then, if you were like the others said I could either see for myself or, well." She laughed abashedly. "Make you fall in love with me. At worst, I would be with you for a little while."

"I'm not - I never..."

"Never?"

Shota drew her very close, aware that her body was much stiffer in his arms than ever before. He wanted very much to fix that. "All right. When I was young and first came into my money, I did pay for sex. A few times, that was all, and I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. That's why I stopped."

Her ears unfolded slightly. "But you kept giving me money."

He swore. "I did it because I was scared!"

"Of me?"

"My first thoughts were that I could fool myself that you liked me. I thought it - we -- weren't serious. And then I found I didn't want to be without you. I can't stop thinking about you, all day and night. If I kept paying, it was because I wanted that to be a buffer between us in case you left. It wouldn't hurt so much, then."

"You wanted to be serious but used the money so we weren't - and you wouldn't get hurt." He nodded and she frowned. "But - but I kept turning it down."

"Yes." He coughed, embarrassed. "Look. I'm not proud of this, but every woman I've ever been with has only done it for my money." His lips thinned, and he sighed bitterly. "Even the ones with wealth that I dated just wanted to be seen with the richest man in town. They didn't like me. They weren't even attracted to me."

Her arms tightened around him and he nodded. "See? That. Those little things you do - wiping me clean the first night, covering me with a blanket when we napped the one day. And you get turned on by me. Me." He said this last in awe.

"That's because I -"

He shut her up with a swift kiss, then shook his head sternly. "No," he murmured. "I'm going to say it first. It's enough that I know you were about to, and you can tell me after." His grey eyes took on a soft, almost wistful expression. "I love you."

She cried out weakly, clinging to him so tightly he gasped hoarsely in surprise. "Oh, god, do you really mean it? Because I love you, too."

"Shit," he choked. "This is so much more than I expected."

"I know," she sighed happily.

"I'm - I don't know about you, but ..."

"It's overwhelming."

"Yes."

"I know," she sighed, even more dreamily than before. "Do you want to get in bed and cuddle?"

"Yes." He was grateful she understood, and that they were so in sync. He had gone from wanting to take her like a crazed sex maniac to a desperate craving to just hold her in his arms.

"Unf," he grunted as she slid an arm over his chest, toying with his hair. "Oh. I almost forgot, but this is super important. Do you want to meet my kids this weekend?"

Elly jerked upright, pulling the covers with her. "Shota! How could you 'almost forget' something so important?!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he spluttered, trying to get the blankets back. "C'mon, kitten. I'm freezing."

"Oh. Sorry." She cuddled back up to him again. "Of course I want to! I've been hoping you would ask but I ..." She trailed off.

"Didn't think I would, right?" He chuckled. "We had a talk and I told them you might be coming over for dinner."

"I'm so excited." She started to purr as he stroked her hair. "Should I bring anything?"

He looked surprised. "Well... if you want, you can win them over with dessert. They're pushovers for anything sweet."

"I can do that," she smiled.

"Good," he murmured. "Now, can you do this?"

"Oh, Shota."