He drove her to a gated community on the beach, quite a ways from the inner city. Although she might have been nervous going so far away from the mainland on a first date, Elly found that she was still comfortable with Hizashi. They chatted about various topics and when they got close to the housing he stuck a card in the slot by the gate and was buzzed in.
"Fancy," Elly murmured.
"Ostentatious," he corrected with the lopsided smile he made around her that melted her heart. "Though a gated community has come in handy a few times when I wanted privacy."
"Like now." She craned her neck, staring in the not too far distance at the waves hitting the shore. "There's nobody on the beach."
"Oh, that's a private beach, too. That's where we're headed. Shouldn't be any busybodies around here but my neighbors." He parked neatly in a designated garage and helped her out. There was a neatly pebbled trail that led into the dune grass and beyond, and he held her hand as they walked out onto the wet sands.
Elly watched as he grimaced when the wind picked up. His hair was so long that even wrapped as tight as he could get it into the bun, there was still enough to slip free and tickle his cheek and neck. "Aw, dang it."
"Cute," she said softly.
"Yeek! Your tail is whipping around!" Hizashi yelped as it smacked him on the back.
"Hizashi, it was your idea to walk on the beach," she reminded him with a laugh. "Didn't you realize it would be windy?"
"Yeah, I guess." He pointed to their left. "We're headed for that little bench next to the gazebo though. It's less windy."
"Oh, it is." They sat and watched the waves and stars for awhile, pressed close together.
"This is where I come to sit an' think." He sighed pleasantly and looked over at Elly, who was shivering. "Are you cold?" He slid one arm out of his outer shirt and offered it to her. She blushed but cuddled close to his side, draping it over her. Hizashi wrapped his arm low around her waist as well.
"This is nice." She set her hand gently over his heart and felt it racing like her own.
"Yeah."
"You live in one of these townhouses, then?"
He nodded. "Mm hm. I wanted a free standing house of my own, but I don't have time for taking care of a lawn and stuff like that. It's all done for you here, and there's not as much of a lawn as there is a patio overlooking the beach."
"I think it's beautiful. I love the ocean."
"<i>You're</i> beautiful," he sighed, then chuckled as she glanced up at him, rolling her eyes. "I know, I'm a cheesy bastard, but I can't let one of those slide. I'm gonna remind you every time."
"Zashi." She sighed a trembling little sigh and he bent to place his forehead on hers, staring deeply into her eyes. His hand came up to caress her cheek, his fingers cold but the skin soft.
"May I?"
"Please," she whispered.
Hizashi only had to move the slightest bit for their lips to touch. She wrapped her arms around him while their mouths brushed together, then slowly opened, their tongues meeting sweetly together. It was a slow kiss that caused their hearts to pound and hairs to stand on end, goosebumps prickling up and down backs and arms alike. Elly moved toward him on instinct when they broke apart, chasing the intimate contact without a second thought. She brought both hands up, catching his cheeks in her palms, and kissed him harder, nuzzling and reveling in the soft tickle of his mustache.
Eventually this had to end as well, and when it did he was stunned.
"Wow," he breathed, the words torn away from him in the stiff breeze. He looked her in the eyes and said it again. "Wow. That was... wow."
She nodded. "Wow."
"It - but it's late." He raised his head to look up at the twinkling stars above. "Where do you live? Is it far?"
Elly thought for a moment. "I live above the store," she finally confessed with an impish smile.
He did a comical double take, causing her to giggle. "There's a flat above there? I thought the other level was inventory space!"
"Part of it is," she admitted, "but the other area is cheap. I only need a bathroom and a kitchen with one small room to sleep in."
"Oh." He spun a red beaded bracelet on his arm in thought. "Sorry if that was condescending or - or anything. I didn't mean it like that."
"Nah. Most people react that way. Hell, Kayama has been trying to get me to move out of there for months. She says there's not enough room to really live."
Hizashi stared out at the waves crashing on the sand for awhile. When he spoke again his voice was low and a little shaky. "Do you wanna see my place? Your friends say you've got too little, mine are always telling me I have too much space for just me. Maybe if we were together it would be perfect."
Elly thought about it. She was comfortable with him, as if she'd known him for far longer. Of course, he <i>was</i> her soulmate, so that was a given. Yet she was sure that he was simply a good man. None of her instincts told her this was wrong, Kayama knew who she was with, and, and...
She <i>wanted</i> to.
It was as simple as that.
And yet, this was their <i>first date</i>.
"I want to," she told him honestly. "Would you think badly of me if I went home with you on the first date?"
"We're soulmates," he said as if that explained everything. "This isn't some tawdry fling or anything. I already know I wanna be with you forever."
Elly smiled.
"Besides," he added, "we don't hafta do anything besides actually <i>sleep</i> if you want. I've got an extra bedroom. The hell kind of person would I be if I expected sex if I invite you over?"
"Like most men."
"Ahh, right. Well, I'm not like most men. I might have urges, but I can control myself." He paused, then added, "or, uh, I could still drive you back or call a cab or an uber or anything."
"Hmm."
"What d'ya say?"
She closed her eyes, imagining being held in his arms, kisses raining down on her while music played in the background. When she opened them she rubbed her thumb on his lower lip, purring. "I want more kisses. Preferably in the comfort of your home."
"Oh, god," he gasped. "Sweet baby, yer gonna destroy me."
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