[Bluejay]

Disclaimer: Contains adult themes and an itsy bitsy bit of sexual content. As always, use your own discretion.

The force was irresistible. Kimo found himself hovering along the same trail the next day, anxiously wondering if she would come again.

Realizing fully that she might not, that he may have scared her away, he tried to prepare himself for the reality of never seeing her again. From now on, as he moved within the crystalline sea of people, he would have to accept that she could be right next to him and he would never know. Brought together by chance, they would disappear once more into anonymity, near yet forever apart.

These thoughts so occupied him that he didn't notice someone there, coming up the trail. When he finally saw the figure, he stopped his pacing. For several moments, they stood, looking at each other. Was it her? He debated making a move. The hood and gown did give him a measure of safety, his identity concealed. He took a step closer. The figure didn't move. He took another step and then another, stopping just at that invisible boundary that must not be crossed, that safe radius made instinctive by years of training. One more step, and a normal person would back away in discomfort.

Trying to take that last step, he anticipated the discomfort himself, and it immobilized him. To approach so closely to a stranger...

The figure took a step toward him. They were close enough now that he could see the eyes behind the hood, eyes wide with anticipation and no trace of fear.

"I..." he began, but he had no words. He was so close, and he didn't know what to do.

She came to his rescue. "Will you come with me?" Her voice was muffled beneath the hood, but the words were clear.

He nodded, with relief and growing excitement. She moved right to him, and he felt a sleeved hand awkwardly take his. The sensation raced through him. His legs suddenly unsteady, he forced himself to walk as she led him slowly up the trail.

"This way," she said, indicating a small break in the bushes. Hand in hand, joined with only two layers of gown between them, they moved together off the trail and crunched over raw ground cover, entering at last a small clearing out of sight of the trail.

To his disappointment, she released his hand; but she didn't move away. She raised her arms and shook them to make the sleeves fall back, exposing her hands. "May I?" she said.

He wasn't sure what she had in mind, but he had no intention of saying no. At his simple nod, she took hold of his hood and began gently lifting it off his head. The experience of being uncovered by her made him draw in breath. She stared intently at his face. Suddenly shy under her scrutiny, he did his best to smile, but it wouldn't stick.

He looked down at his own hands, then back at her. "Me now?"

She straightened and tipped her head back slightly, a subtle gesture of offering.

As the hood left her, she closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. He took in every detail of her face - the sharp cheek line, the long hair spilling down her neck, the bright eyes that opened and looked upon him again. She took the hood from him and placed the pair on the ground. Looking deep in his eyes, she raised her hands once more, hesitating as they drew near his face, asking a silent question. Then she closed the gap, and he felt the softness of her skin on his as she caressed his cheeks. As her hands stroked him, he discovered it wasn't just the physical contact that moved him - it was the feeling of connection with someone else, someone warm and alive and reaching out to him with purpose, that made his heart race.

So far, she had initiated the contact. Now, it was his turn to take that step, to cross that line. He brought a hand up, moving toward her face. She relaxed her own hands and waited, her eyes on him. His hand brushed her cheek, a glancing touch. She shivered. Then he cupped her chin in his hand, his fingers along the edge of her face. They both sighed. She turned her head slightly and nuzzled his hand, her mouth brushing his skin, sending a chill through him.

His attention was suddenly drawn to his gown pressing against him. He glanced down and noticed he was sticking out in front, his gender now painfully obvious through the fabric. Confusion filled him. "Here?" he thought. "Now?" Without thinking, he began to reach down. She noticed, too. She reached out and stopped his hand. She slid her hand up his sleeve along his arm; he let his fingers glide along her arm as she moved. With her other hand, she took hold of what he had reached for. He stood there, ecstasy filling him, as her fingers danced up and down his arm. She went a little higher and lightly brushed his shoulder and chest. His body was on fire.

So enraptured was he with her touch inside his sleeve that he failed to notice her other hand lightly enfolding his manhood. He began to get that impending feeling, and a small panic set in. "No, wait," he thought. "I mustn't..." She traced a finger down the length of his arm, and it was suddenly too much for him. His body tensed, and the orgasm ripped through him. He gasped and convulsed with each movement of her hand on his arm. She lightly squeezed his bicep, and he cried out.

"Oh, no," she whispered when his trembling ceased, her brow furrowed with concern as she looked down. "I'm so sorry."

Gathering his breath, he weakly answered, "That's ok." He had already broken a couple of laws. What was one more?

He reached out and softly grazed her lips with his fingertips. She tipped her head back and closed her eyes, her mouth opening slightly as she drew in breath. He slid his hand around behind her head and brought his other behind her waist, drawing her slowly to him. She did not resist as he brought his face to hers.

Suddenly overcome, he pulled her tightly to him, and thrust his face against hers. She stiffened and moaned. Her movements changed, and as he pulled back a little, her mouth moved against his. "Hurts."

He quickly released his grip on her. "Sorry," he said, frowning.

"That's ok," she said with a small smile. She moved forward again. He stood still this time, not wanting to cause her more pain - he let her take the initiative. She paused with their faces a mere breath apart; he resisted the urge to move. Then she brought her mouth gently to his, and they kissed. They held each other, joined. The softness of her lips sliding along his made his knees shake, and he nearly dropped to the ground.

"Are you ok?" she asked, pulling back, holding him up.

He smiled weakly. "Just a little shaky." He stroked her hair. "You're having quite an effect on me."

She smiled. "Here," she said, pulling him gently down. "Let's sit." He joined her on the ground, but they didn't sit for long. Soon, they were lying side by side, locked in a mutual embrace.

There was no need for anything else. The feeling of her there, her body against his, was something he hadn't even been able to imagine. Now, he didn't want to be apart from it ever again. "I wish we could stay this way forever," he whispered, and she squeezed him tightly in response.

He ran his hand down the length of her back. Then he brought it lower, down the back of her thigh. Gently sliding her gown up, he moved his hand to her leg, feeling the softness of her skin. At the end of his reach, he slowly began bringing his hand back up, exploring. The silky firmness of her thigh... the curve in back... the dip in front...

With a sudden movement, she took his hand and pulled it away. She held it for a moment; then she pulled her gown back down. "No," she said gently.

He returned his hand to the small of her lower back. She was here, so close. He wanted to be closer. "What's your name?" he asked.

She pulled back, her eyes clouded with sadness. She shook her head no.

"What?" he said, confused. "I can look you up. We can connect..."

She sat up, looking away from him. She shook her head again. "We can't..."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"We can't," she repeated. "This..." She hesitated. "This was... wonderful. Incredible. You don't know how long I've wanted to... to touch someone, anyone."

"And now we have," he said. "It's wonderful for me, too. I didn't know it could be like this."

She looked at him, her eyes piercing his. "But it can't happen again. This is wrong. We're going to get caught. I don't want that to happen to..." She reached out and brushed his cheek.

"I don't care," he said, nuzzling her hand. "We have to find a way. How can I live without you now?"

"You have to!" she said forcefully, drawing her hand away from him.

He looked at her. She was suddenly far away. "I... I love you," he said hesitantly.

She frowned. "You don't love me," she said. "You don't know anything about me." She reached out and touched his cheek again. "You love this."

"But it's from you," he said, gripping her wrist. "Your free spirit is what changed me; I'm not the same as I was before." He sat up. "I've been feeling so... lost lately. Something was missing. You showed me that... better things are possible. A week ago, I wouldn't have even imagined taking off my hood like this. And now look at me."

Her expression was anguished. "What have I done?" she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "I've corrupted you. It was bad enough that I craved a human touch. Now I've spread my disease to you."

"It's not a disease," he said. She looked away. "I think it's the way we're supposed to be."

"But it's not the way we can be," she said. "Not here." A tear rolled down her cheek.

He reached for her, but she pulled back. "I'm sorry," she said, standing.

"Wait," he said.

She reached down and took a hood. Her last glance at him was tender. "Thank you," she said. More tears slipped down her cheek. Then she covered her head and moved off quickly through the bushes.

"Wait!" he called. He grabbed the remaining hood. Suddenly, he looked down. There was a noticeable stain on the front of his gown. He groaned in frustration. What was he going to do? He couldn't walk around like this.

The solution didn't take long to come to him - just long enough for her to be too far to catch. It was not unheard of for people to find themselves too far from their toilet during recreation period. It was not a crime to have an... accident.

He relaxed the necessary way, and the urine streamed from him onto the inside of the gown, broadening the stain as it flowed down, dripping onto the ground. Finally satisfied with the new look, he headed back to the trail, slipping the hood over his head.

As the hood enveloped him, he gasped. She had taken the wrong hood; he had hers. It smelled like her, like her hair, like her skin. He breathed it in and looked off in anguish. Where was she? How could he find her again?

Final Parts

[Peppy]

I'm wondering what's going to happen now. There are somethings that must be answered, I hope I get the answers on the last parts.

[Alex]

It just keeps getting better and better. I like how you let her take his hood, therefore I know this is not done because he will always be reminded of her and the moment they had.