Aishiteru Means I Love You

Chiyo Kimura put away her instruments as Elisa picked up the white kitten on the examining table. "Other than her ears, she's perfectly healthy." Chiyo was saying. "Shinju-Chan is right, Yuki would fare better as an indoor cat than out here in the country. If you like, you can have her spayed after three more months."

"Thanks, Chiyo." said Elisa, petting her new kitten. "I'm thinking of changing her name though. Yuki sounds too much like 'yucky' where i'm from."

"Cats normally don't care what they're called." said Chiyo. "Particularly if they're this young."

"Let's see...." Elisa mused as she stroked the kitten. "She's white and going to be sharing an apartment with a cat named Cagney, so it's only logical to call her Lacy." Elisa smiled at the kitten. "That's right! Your name is Lacy!"

"Ohaio, Elisa-San." Dr. Kimura said on entering the veterinary lab. "Ohaiyo, Chiyo-chan." he said, kissing his wife.

"Ohaio, Tohru." said Chiyo. "Did you get what you went for?"

Dr. Kimura sighed. "I am afraid the samples were destroyed. Dingo thought they were coffee creamer and...."

Elisa couldn't help laughing. "Dingo thought...and he...." She tried to straighten up. "Sorry, that isn't very funny at all is it?" Chiyo was hiding her laugh behind her hands.

"Well, it's hardly tragic." said Dr. Kimura. "Dingo reacted as if he had been poisoned, but of course no harm came to him. It's only proteins and sugars, after all." Elisa had to swallow another giggle. "Lexington and Staghart will just have to provide me with more samples. Pity, the sperm count is usually higher after a period of abstinence. Then again, if stone sleep rejuvenates everything....This would be the first time anyone's had the opportunity to examine gargoyle sperm. Kimuras have been keeping Tengu patched up since the Edo Period. My family has learned much about their biology, but the comfort and dignity of the Tengu supercedes any scientific discovery of course."

"Dr. Sato feels the same way." said Elisa. "He's the only doctor in New York we feel we can trust."

"Can Dr. Sato read Japanese?" asked Dr. Kimura. "I have reams of notes on gargoyle biology made by myself, my father and grandfather. I've even saved some sketches and notes my great-grandfather made on his autopsy of Kawa."

"Kawa?" asked Elisa.

"My great-grandfather had befriended a very old gargoyle named Kawa." Dr. Kimura explained. "On his deathbed, Kawa told Great-Grandfather that when he died, Great-Grandfather could perform an autopsy, with the proviso that when Great-Grandfather learned all he could, he would burn the remains and give the ashes over to his clan for a Wind Ceremony." Dr. Kimura smiled. "It was a great honor for my Great-Grandfather. Not only was he allowed to learn more than anyone about gargoyle anatomy, putting a torch to a Tengu's funerary pyre is an honor reserved for the departed's closest friend. Usually, the honor is given to a mate, but Kawa's mate had proceeded him. Anyway, if Dr. Sato can read Japanese, I wouldn't mind faxing him copies of my notes."

"Well, he was born in America." said Elisa. "But he's of Japanese ancestory. I could e-mail him and ask. Even if he can't, I'm sure he'd like to at least see the anatomical sketches."

"I see you have a furry little friend, Elisa-San." Dr. Kimura petted the kitten.

"I call her Lacy." said Elisa. "Shinju and Yuri are trying to find homes for Chan-Chan's kittens and they asked if I wanted one. I figure Cagney could use a kitten to keep her company. And since Lacy's deaf, she'd probably be better off as an indoor cat."

"Un." Chiyo nodded sadly. "White cats with blue eyes tend to be deaf."

"Well, thanks again for giving Lacy a check-up, Chiyo." said Elisa. "Domo Arigato." Chiyo smiled and bowed to her. "I'll go e-mail Dr. Sato." Elisa was suddenly seized by a fit of giggles. "Dingo drank the...oh!"

Just after sunset, Lexington gathered with Dingo and his groomsmen at the men's clothing store. "Ah...how do I do this?" asked the man who was supposed to measure Lexington. "You don't have a waist!"

"Here, I'll help you with that." Lex slipped the tape measure through his wing piercing. "Say, Dingo." Lex said as the groom helped Matrix try on a jacket. "Did Dr. Kimura come by today?" Dingo suddenly went green. "Staghart and I had something for him."

"I hate to tell you this, Lex, but...." chuckled Fang, before putting on a bad Australian accent. "A Dingo ate your baby!" Dingo collapsed into a nearby chair with a groan as he covered his face.

"W-what?" Lex tried to make sense of what he was hearing.

"Oh, do I want to hear this?" asked Yama.

"You and that twelve point buck shoulda been more careful!" laughed Fang. "Dingo thought that was creamer you put in the freezer!"

"I can't believe I did that!" Dingo moaned to himself.

Lex mistook Dingo's mood for one of remorse and immediately sat next to him and patted him on the shoulder. "Ah, don't take it so hard!" said Lex. "There's more where that came from." Dingo retched and ran off to the men's room. "Oh, come on!" Lex was starting to feel offended. "It couldn't be that bad! We've both been cutting back on caffeine and I've been eating pineapple."

"Whatsamatta, Dingo?" called Fang. "Can't stand a little fruit juice?" Yama smacked him on the back of the head.
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The disc had been returned to Staghart's camera before he woke. He had no idea what Matrix had done with it earlier. "I've got to get around to editing soon." he told himself. "Wouldn't do to have anyone see our little adventure in the Hollywood Hills." He decided to get some flavor footage of Ishimura at twilight. There was an interesting rock garden behind the Temple he wanted to get some pictures of.

Along with meticulously raked pebbles in the garden were several larger white stones, each with a kanji painted on it and covered by a wooden roofed structure fringed with shide banners. Staghart guessed it was to keep rain from wearing down the paint. Both rocks and wood structures were sometimes decorated with flowers or other items like stuffed toys or photographs. One had a small stuffed toy atop the rock, sheltered by the roof. Staghart picked it up for a better look and couldn't help smiling. It was the new Beanie Baby, a gargoyle that looked more than a little like Goliath. He put it back. Nearly all the stones also had some burnt out sticks planted straight up in the ground in front of them. Staghart caught a whiff of a familiar smell. It smelled like that incense the Twins often burned in attempt to cover the fact that they had been smoking pot again. He could also hear someone speaking softly in Japanese.

He turned saw a small gray gargoyle with large horns, his hair white with age. He was kneeling and speaking to the stone in Japanese as the incense sticks glowed and smoked. He paused and looked up when he became aware of Staghart's presence. "Sorry, am I bothering you?" asked Staghart.

The old gargoyle slowly shook his head. "Not at all." he said. "Come, sit down." He patted the ground beside him. Staghart crouched down to his level. "I know of you, young one. You will father hatchlings for Ishimura Clan, yes?"

"Well, Lex and I will be donating, yes." he said. "Unfortunately, I talked to Dr. Kimura and the sample was lost." Staghart sighed. "That means I have to wank off all over again." Staghart smiled brightly. "That means I get to wank off all over again!" The old gargoyle chuckled. "Oh, where are my manners? Here I am talking of wanking and I haven't even introduced myself yet. My name's Staghart."

The old one nodded. "I've heard your mate call you 'Amp'."

"Yes, well, I've come to accept that only he's going to call me that."

"My name is Kashi. You can call me Kashi-San."

/Respect for the aged. Got it./ Staghart thought. "Nice to meet you, Kashi-San. Do you mind if I film you? I'm making a travel log for the folks back in London."

"If it pleases you." Kashi said with a nod.

"Nice rock garden." Staghart commented. "Can you tell me what some of the kanjis mean?"

"Not kanjis. Kanji." Kashi told him. "You have one kanji, you have a hundred kanji. Word is the same."

"Oh, like the word 'sheep', I get it." said Staghart.

"Do you know what the humans do with their dead, Staghart-San?" Kashi asked.

"From what I understand, they bury them. Seems a bit morbid if you ask me. Just leaving them somewhere, 'stead of spreading them to the wind where they belong."

"Ah, but humans can not glide on their own, can they?" Kashi asked with a gleam in his eye. "Ishimura gargoyles cremate the dead and hold a Wind Ceremony as is proper, but we also like to make shrines for those who passed. This is shrine I make for Riku, my mate of 105 years." Besides the burning incense and shide banners, the shrine was decorated with white flowers and a paper crane. The kanji painted on it looked like a stylized capital B with some crosses and swishy lines painted next to it. "The kanji is Riku's name."

"Terribly sorry to hear about your mate." Staghart said.

Kashi smiled a bit. "We were like Yama and Sora. Riku was twenty year older than me. Riku was my sensei, taught me everything about fighting and code of Bushido. When I reach Seijin Shiki, Riku taught me the ways of love as well."

"Seijin Shiki?" asked Staghart.

"Coming of age." Explained Kashi. "The 35th Spring Solstice. Is special time for gargoyle. Never to be forgotten."

"I'm afraid I was right plastered at mine." Staghart said with a chuckle.

Kashi chuckled too. "It was not long after that Riku asked to be my mate." Kashi sighed. "Twenty years older than me. I should have known Riku would go before I would. But, when you are in love, you don't think of such things." Kashi smiled. "But, still, I don't regret it. The past century has been the best years of my life."

"It isn't often that a female goes for a younger male." Staghart observed.

Kashi smiled. "Riku was male." he said.

"Oh, you're family then!" said Staghart.

"Many months ago, Taro sent someone to get revenge on our clan for a perceived slight." Kashi continued. He laughed a bit."Some revenge! He fired mochi balls at all of us. I managed to duck most of them. Being short has advantages. But, Kai got one right between the eyes. He was so shocked by this Gaijin who threw mochi in Taro's name that he couldn't move! Riku just wiped the mess off his face, tasted it and said 'Mmm...strawberry kiwi!" They both laughed.

"Riku loved a good laugh," Kashi continued. "But, not long after that, he was tired almost all the time. One night, he told me how happy I had made him and that I should always remember how much he loved me. He died just before sunrise. I woke up to find my arms empty. The humans had laid him out in the Temple. Cleaned him up, dressed him up in a nice kimono. Trimmed his hair and whiskers. One of the ladies even put a little rouge on him so he looked alive, were it not for the way his kimono was arranged. He looked so nice, it was almost a shame to burn him. Well, he is one with the wind now."

"Did you ever run into any problems with your relationship?" asked Staghart. "My own clan had no problem with me being gay, but we were never as close to humans as your clan is."

"Homophobia is a western conceit." said Kashi. "The humans of Ishimura were true friends who didn't bother themselves with what one did with another in private. We managed to get around the 'filial piety' because at the time, all the females in the clan were mated or at least being courted and our population was healthy enough. The last two clutches weren't very auspicious. Only twelve hatched in 1958, and one of them didn't survive infancy. Last March gave us a better clutch of 28, all still living, but still rather small."

"Small clutches are pretty normal back in London." Staghart told Kashi. "The last one had only 25. There were 26 in my generation, of course, one of the eggs turned out to be holding twins."

Kashi smiled. "Twin gargoyles are very rare. I had been told that a pair had hatched in my generation, but they did not survive."

"I think we still have some photos of Castor and Pollux in the incubator." said Staghart. "Had to borrow one from London Hospital. I've been told that one of them, no one's sure which, stopped breathing at one point. Columban, one of our rookery fathers, gave him a couple of good whacks and he was right as rain. Might explain a few things." Kashi chuckled. "Well, I'll leave you alone now. Thank you for letting me film you, Kashi-San."

"Anytime." Kashi smiled and ran a gnarled talon over the smooth rock as he heard hooves step away in the raked pebbles. "We had some good times together, didn't we, beloved?" he asked the stone in Japanese.
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The year had been 1893, the Meiji Era. It was spring and the air was thick with the scent of new growth. It was the night of Seijin Shiki for Kashi's generation. Kashi managed to slip away while his brothers boisterously made their way to the local okiya. Kashi simply didn't find the idea of being surrounded by geisha appealing. He didn't want to go back to the Temple either. His rookery mothers would be showing his sisters how to dress, put on make-up and pierce their ears. Even sitting on the roof, he could still hear strident squeals and giggles. Kashi always became embarrassed whenever a female showed interest in him. Though he was on the small side, females saw him as "cute" and "huggable". Kashi cared about his sisters. He'd even go as far to say he loved them. But, the idea of intimacy with one of them just didn't appeal to him.

His brothers were another story. Kashi found himself drawn to them more, reminding himself not to stare at their lovely, muscled bodies when they were at the onsen. One brother had a charming smile. Another brother had a lovely voice and a gift for singing. Another had wide shoulders and a tapering torso. Another has a long, thick tail that was always flicking with energy. Kashi had often wondered what would happen if he stroked the fin on that tail, but he didn't dare. Just as he didn't dare touch any of his brothers any more than he had to. He knew he was one of the clan and would always be, no matter what, but he didn't want to do anything that would cause his brothers discomfort.

He had glided off to the seashore and perched on one of the rocks as he watched the waves crash over each other in the moonlight. Kashi looked up when he heard the familiar sound of wind against a pair of wings. It was Riku, a member of the older generation, a respected martial arts instructor, and Kashi's long time crush. "Kashi-Chan," he said on landing. "You shouldn't spend your Seijin Shiki alone." Kashi stood up to bow to his teacher and elder. "We are not in class, Kashi-chan. Sit down. May I provide you some company?" Kashi found his mouth too dry to speak; he could only nod as Riku approached him. "Why aren't you at the okiya with your brothers?"

Kashi blushed as Riku took a seat on the rock next to him. He always felt hot and nervous whenever his instructor got close to him. "I...I'm just not interested in geisha."

"And you're not interested in kimono and lipstick like your sisters either, neh?" Riku asked with a teasing smile.

Kashi had to laugh. That was something he liked about Riku. He might be a teacher, but he was still someone he could laugh with. "No, sensei, it's too difficult to find a color that suits me."

"You need not call me 'sensei' anymore." said Riku. "You are an adult now. I have taught you all that I can."

"I should call you onii-chan, then?" That was what Kashi called gargoyles of Riku's generation.

"If you like." Riku smiled. "But I'd like it if you could call me Riku-Kun. Or just Riku."

Kashi gulped. Honorifics were only dropped if the two were very close indeed. He looked at his former teacher, who was gazing upon him with dazzling dark eyes. His smile was framed by a whisp of black mustache, like a dragon's whiskers. As much as Kashi admired Riku's beautiful face, he had to look away to hide his blush. "You-you've been a very good teacher, Riku-Kun." he said. "I thank you."

"You were a very good student." Kashi's breath caught as Riku's hand gently touched his back. "I knew you always had great potential. You always wanted to prove yourself. I want you to know that I'm very proud of you."

Kashi felt himself glow with happiness. Riku was proud of him! He made Riku happy. Riku cared about him. The large hand on his back sent warm waves straight to Kashi's heart. He started thinking about Riku's lean but strong arms. He knew what it was to spar against such strength. What would it be like to be held tenderly in them? Kashi forced himself to talk about something else before his thoughts drifted to something unseemly. "So...what do you think about what's been going on with the humans lately? They've been doing a lot of things like the Europeans do."

Riku shrugged. "They may do as they like, of course. But, I don't think I'd like to wear trousers. No room for the tail."

Kashi smiled and nodded. "They've gotten rid of the caste system. I hear they're going to make it illegal to carry katana or wear topknots next."

"Then it's a good thing human law is not gargoyle law." Riku observed. "We will always keep our swords. And we will wear our hair as we wish. However, Kashi-chan, I do wonder how you would look with your hair down. May I?" Riku reached up and touched the leather thong that tied up Kashi's hair. When Kashi did nothing to stop him, Riku tugged and loosened Kashi's hair, letting it cascade over his shoulders. "It's like black silk." Riku said, stroking it as Kashi's breath caught in his throat. Riku smiled at Kashi's expression. "You're eyes are so big just now! Should I stop?"

Kashi could barely gasp out the word "Iee." It came out sounding more like a sigh as Riku continued to caress him.

"Those big horns of yours hide your hair." Riku stroked the horns. "You should wear your hair loose more often." /Kami-Sama! He's touching my horns!/ Kashi thought, trembling with excitement. "Kashi-Chan? Would you like to do a European thing that's becoming very popular with the humans? They call it 'kisu'."

"Like the fish?" Kashi asked nervously.

Riku smiled. "Just relax, and be very still." Riku's arms went around Kashi. He brought his face so close to Kashi's that they were inhaling each others' breath. Riku's lips touched Kashi's. The soft, slightly moist tickle on Kashi's lips was a revelation. Riku was pulling him closer, stroking his hair, humming softly, causing a thrill of vibration to run from Kashi's lips to every part of his body. Kashi clung to Riku and hummed his own pleasure, pulling Riku's hair from its own topknot, winding his fingers in it. He had closed his eyes to better savor the experience, only to open them wide when Riku's tongue slipped over his lips. Riku's tongue was tickling the inside of his mouth. /His mouth. On mine. His tongue tasting me as I taste him. I shouldn't let him...but, so good. Feels so very good./ Riku drew away just long enough for them to catch their breath. He kissed Kashi on the side of the mouth, then the cheek, then the ear and then a trail over Kashi's neck and throat until Kashi was panting, breathless from sensation. "Kashi," Riku whispered, dropping the honorific. "Do you know why I've not yet taken a mate?"

Kashi was feeling very light headed, but he smiled and said "Your standards are too high?"

Riku laughed. Kashi could feel the ripple vibrating through his body. "I prefer my own gender, Kashi. You've done nothing to stop me from enjoying your lovely body so far. Shall I take that to mean you like males?"

Kashi snuggled happily against Riku's body. "I thought I was the only one who felt like this!"

Riku stroked the smaller body. "You don't look at enough shuga." Riku kissed Kashi's horns. "Kashi, I want you to know that I love you. Not as a student, not as a younger brother, but passionately, as one would a mate."

"Then be my mate, Riku!" Kashi knelt before Riku and bowed his head. "Please, I humbly offer you my body to your care."

"You should not be so humble about such a rich gift." Riku said, stroking his hand over Kashi's wing.

Kashi took the hand and kissed it. "I have loved you for a long time, Riku. You have one thing left to teach me. Teach me how to make love to you."

"Lay back." Riku said simply as he undid Kashi's tunic. Kashi lay back on the flat stone he had been sitting on as Riku exposed him, admiring his body with appreciative eyes. "So very beautiful." he said appreciatively.

"You've seen me undressed at the onsen." Kashi pointed out.

"But never aroused." Riku said, caressing the column of flesh standing proudly between Kashi's legs.

Kashi smiled and moaned in pleasure. "Ah...I always made it a point to be in the water before anyone could see." Kashi fondly remembered an incident where he sat soaking in steaming hot water, watching Riku soap up his body and dumping a bucket of water over himself to rinse. Riku's hands were now all over Kashi's body. Riku pulled himself away from Kashi just long enough to open his kimono, revealing his beautiful body and aroused manhood. Kashi thought he would faint with ecstasy. Then, Riku was between his legs again. His lips were on the head of Kashi's penis. Kashi closed his eyes and felt everything melt away as Riku suckled on him, stroking his body. Just as the pleasure was getting higher, the warm, wet mouth was taken away. Kashi opened his eyes to see Riku open a pouch on his obi and pull out an ornate glass bottle. He uncorked it, letting a spicy aroma whaft from it. He sprinkled a bit of the contents in both palms before returning the bottle to his pouch. He vigorously rubbed his hands together, sliding slippery, fragrant liquid over his hands and fingers. He gave his hard penis a stroke, sighing as he did.

"Kashi, I want you to do the ki breathing I taught you." said Riku. "Can you do that?" Kashi took the deep, lung saturating breaths Riku had taught him long ago. "Good. I'm going to try not to hurt you, Kashi-Chan. I want you to feel pleasure." A finger went inside Kashi's opening, making him gasp. "Back to your breathing, Kashi. In...out...in...out...." Kashi took the breaths as Riku built up the rhythm for him. As the breaths went in and out of Kashi's body, so did Riku's finger. Kashi moaned as a second finger was added, stretching his passage, filling him. A spot up inside him was brushed, causing Kashi to feel on fire with ecstasy.

"Riku!" he shouted. "Riku, it's so good!"

"I'll make it feel even better, love." Riku said, stroking him from the inside. "Now, you're going to feel very full and stretched when I enter you. It will feel hot, and you will be closer to me than you have ever been to anybody. I promise, the pain will be but a moment and will be well worth the pleasure I give you." He took his fingers away and leaned over Kashi's body. Feeling Riku's flesh against his own made Kashi moan with desire as his neck and ear was kissed. There was a hot nudge at Kashi's passage. He tried doing his ki breathing again. Still, nothing could keep him from gasping for air as he was achingly stretched wider to let in this hot invader. Kashi clenched his eyes closed, determined to take the pain stoically as befitted a samurai. His prostate was brushed and Kashi could no longer be stoic.

The waves hissed as they tumbled over each other in the moonlight, just as two male gargoyles let their bodies join as they both gasped and cried out their pleasure. Kashi sighed his lover's name as their tails linked together. He was joined with his lover. Every dream he had ever had had come true. The stars seemed just a little bit closer tonight.

Riku's sighs and moans were music to Kashi. For so long he had wondered what his sensei's voice would sound like while in a state of rapture. Riku was telling him how hot and tight he was, how good it felt to be inside him, how deeply he loved him. Kashi was soon thrashing back and forth, begging Riku for more. Riku squeezed Kashi's member until Riku felt it build inside him. He gave series of shouts mixed with excited laughter as he orgasmed in Riku's hand. Riku's eyes glowed white as he shouted out a feral roar and gave a few final thrusts, splashing Kashi's inside with hot dampness. He withdrew and picked Kashi up, holding him close. "Did you enjoy that?"

"It was so good, Riku-Kun." Kashi sighed, laying against Riku, feeling his heart beat. "So very good. I love you." Softly, he kissed Riku's neck and cheek.

Riku kissed him between the horns. "Perhaps another night, I can show you how to do that to me. For now, rest, and know that you are loved."
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"Rest, Riku." Kashi said in the present day. "And know that you are loved."