The short walk down the hallway felt like it took both an eternity and a fraction of a second. Ren carried her effortlessly into his bedroom, the bright overhead light from the ceiling illuminating the messy, familiar space.
He leaned forward, gently lowering Maki onto the edge of the mattress. As her back hit the soft covers, she let out a quiet breath, slowly unhooking her legs from around his waist and letting them rest against the edge of the bed.
Ren followed her down, caging her in with his arms as he settled his weight over her.
His dark eyes held hers for a long moment before his hands slid from the mattress to her waist. His fingers caught the thick hem of her soft beige ribbed turtleneck sweater, preparing to pull it up.
Instantly, Maki's hands snapped down, her fingers wrapping tightly around his wrists.
Ren paused, looking down at her in surprise. The fierce, intoxicating heat in her amber eyes had suddenly been replaced by a wave of intense, crippling shyness. The brilliant crimson flush that had painted her face earlier returned with a vengeance.
She averted her gaze, stubbornly refusing to look at him as she bit her lower lip.
"Wait," Maki muttered, her voice incredibly small, entirely betraying her tough exterior. She nervously pulled at the collar of the sweater. "Turn the lights off first. Please."
Ren couldn't help the slow, teasing smirk that spread across his face. He kept his hands resting lightly under the hem of her sweater, his thumbs gently brushing the warm skin of her stomach.
"Let me get this straight," Ren murmured, leaning in close so his breath ghosted over her burning cheek. "You forcefully grab me, demand I bring you to the bedroom, and blindly chuck your phone across the living room like an action hero... but a lightbulb is where you draw the line?"
"I said shut up and do it, idiot," she groaned, squeezing her eyes shut and aggressively pushing at his chest, though her hands were trembling slightly. "It's embarrassing."
A low, breathy chuckle vibrated in Ren's chest. "Alright, alright. Your wish is my command."
He shifted his weight, reaching over to the wall switch and flicking it down. The bright overhead light vanished, plunging the bedroom into darkness, save for the soft, silver moonlight spilling in through the window blinds.
The shadows immediately seemed to ease the frantic tension in Maki's shoulders. She let out a long, shaky exhale, her grip on his wrists loosening.
"Better?" Ren whispered, his voice dropping into a smooth, soothing register.
Before she could answer, Ren leaned down, bypassing her lips entirely. He pressed a warm, lingering kiss to the side of her jaw, trailing slowly down to the sensitive skin of her neck. He found the exact spot where the bruised reddish-purple love bite sat directly over her pulse point, and pressed his lips firmly against it.
Maki let out a sharp, quiet gasp, her back arching slightly off the mattress. Her hands left his wrists, sliding up to tangle desperately into his messy hair. The sudden, overwhelming rush of sensation completely hijacked her senses, replacing her nerves with a heavy, building heat.
Taking advantage of her distraction, Ren's hands moved back to the hem of her sweater.
"Glasses first," he murmured against her skin.
Maki blindly reached up with one hand, pulling her wire-rimmed glasses off her face and tossing them carelessly onto the nightstand.
With smooth, agonizingly slow movements, Ren gripped the beige fabric and pulled the turtleneck up. Maki raised her arms, letting him slip the soft sweater completely over her head and toss it onto the floor.
The moonlight cast long shadows across the bed, revealing what she had been wearing underneath. Beneath the thick winter sweater, she wore a snug, thin black camisole that clung perfectly to her athletic, powerfully toned torso. Through the delicate, dark fabric of the undershirt, the thick, practical straps of a black sports bra were clearly visible, offering a stark, deeply attractive contrast to the soft, olive-green skirt she still wore.
Ren let his gaze drag over her, his eyes darkening. He traced his fingertips lightly down the side of the camisole, feeling the frantic, heavy beating of her heart beneath the fabric.
"You're beautiful," he whispered honestly, leaning down to capture her lips once more.
Maki felt the sudden, cool kiss of the night air against her bare skin as the sweater hit the floor. Without the thick fabric to hide behind, she felt dangerously exposed in the dim, silver moonlight. Her hands, which had been tangled in Ren's hair, dropped to her sides, her fingers curling into the bedsheets as if trying to anchor herself against the overwhelming rush of vulnerability.
She watched him through the shadows, her amber eyes wide and hazy as he lingered, his gaze tracing the lines of her black camisole.
The intense, burning shyness she had been fighting all night flared up again, making her chest heave as she struggled to maintain her usual fierce composure.
"What are you looking at?" Maki muttered, her voice raspy and lacking any real bite. She shifted her weight on the mattress, her face flushing a deep, brilliant crimson that even the shadows couldn't hide. "And why the hell am I the only one losing my clothes here? Shouldn't you... I mean, it's not fair if you stay like that.".
Ren let out a low, appreciative hum, his eyes reflecting the soft light from the window. "Fair point," he murmured, his teasing smirk softening into something more intense. He sat back on his heels just enough to reach the hem of his own shirt, pulling it over his head in one fluid motion and tossing it aside.
As he leaned back over her, the heat from his bare chest radiating against hers, Ren's hands moved to the thin straps of her camisole.
Maki took a sharp, shaky breath, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs that she was sure he could feel. She looked at his face—the patient, effortless confidence in his dark eyes—and the last of her hesitation finally shattered. She knew there was no going back now, and for the first time, she didn't want there to be.
Gathering her courage, Maki let out a soft, determined exhale and lifted her arms slightly, her fingers brushing against his as she helped him slide the thin black fabric up and over her head.