The Premier!

Shinobu sighed when Cassie seemed to calm down. He was grateful. Who was Gwendolyn Dupont-Bettencourt? She was the one who paid the money for Shinobu and Cassie to be here. Maybe Cassie was one of the best int he ring btu she had some things to learn about other parts of society. Shinobu wasn't going to belabor the point though.

Certainly not when Cassie's smile returned and she spoke the words she did.

"Cassie-san." He said, nodding his head. "I think I'd like that very much." His cheeks blushed a bit, especially when her hand squeezed his back.

Shinobu eased into a comfortable position and looked around. "We can stay if you like, Cassie-san." he said. "But All of my obligations for tonight are complete. Our time is ours now." He said. The night was still relatively young but Shinobu would rather steal away if possible. Even if it just meant taking Cassie home and then going to his own place to relax for the rest of eve night.

While Shinobu spoke, Cassie's phone buzzed in her pocket. When she would check, there would be a text from Akashi:

Staying @ Taylor's 2nite! Don't be TOO naughty! " title="Wink" />

"I know just the place!" Cassie beamed, with a big, eager smile. She was even more excited for the next date than she was for this one!

"I dunno, do you maybe just want to go somewhere-" Her phone buzzed. "One sec..." She read the message from Akashi and nearly choked. She tried her best to play it off with a nervous smile, and quickly typed a short reply:

O M G

Akashi! Did she really think that Cassie would just bring a guy back to her place on the first date? She wasn't that kind of girl! She had self respect and morals and stuff, and she had never actually ever brought a guy home. She would have rathered that Akashi and Taylor were there, but... well...

"We could go to my house?" She said, and the words made her squirm.

Shinobu was eager to hear what Cassie said. Where would Cassie take him though? He could only begin to guess. He nodded when she checked her phone and then raised a coy eyebrow at her response. Whatever was on the that phone must have been quite devilish. That may have been the most interesting reaction from Cassie of the evening and that was after seeing her almost murder a debutant heiress in front of dozens of people.

However, when Cassie suggested they go back to her home, Shinobu blushed. "Well, as long as Tanikaze-san doesn't mind. Perhaps we could have some tea and just chat for a while until we part?" He said.

"Whatever we do, I think I'd like to go somewhere more ... personal..." Shinobu said, hoping he didn't sound too forward. He took Cassie's hand and guided her away from the celebrities and back to his limo. He gave instructions for them to return to Cassie's house.

Shinobu poured one more glass of freshly chilled champagne. He had sipped all evening and had just the smallest of buzzes. One more glass would probably put him at a comfortable position and not fog up his head.

"One more toast, Cassie-san." He said. "To the success of the movie and, more importantly, to the success of our evening! I had a great time and I'm glad that you did too! it exceeded my expectations, definitely." He said, smiling at Cassie.

"Just tea, that's all."

In the limo, Cassie found herself happy to see another glass of champagne. It wasn't so much the taste that she liked, or the alcohol. It was the occasion, like a special moment in a glass. And the bubbles.

She clinked her glass against Shinobu's, and drank. "I... actually did have a good time. I was really scared." She turned the tall, slim glass in her fingers and looked out the window. "I'm going to end up fighting her, I know it. That's how it always works. Pro wrestling is like jiujitsu for middle schoolers. It'll be okay, though, I won't hurt her."

She led Shinobu up the walkway to the front door and unlocked it with her key. "Ta daaa..." She pushed open the door and ushered Shinobu into Akashi's and her anachronistically decorated home. Cassie's touches were there, a fuzzy blue blanket on the end of the couch, a laptop with a yellow daisy sticker on it, a backpack on the floor by the door, half unzipped. Cassie's biggest contributions to the decor were the flowers, everywhere, in little vases.

"Akashi's actually staying in Hamamatsu tonight, with Taylor." She hoped to god that didn't come off sounding like she thought it would. "Um... why don't you have a seat while I make the tea?" She stood still for a moment with a big smile for Shinobu, until she could tear herself away and scamper off to the kitchen.

"How's jasmine?"

Shinobu took his sip as well, loving the taste of the fine champagne. "I'm truly glad, Cassie-san." Shinobu said when she said she had a good time. "I did as well. I this sort of life is more intimidating from the outside than it is from the inside." He smiled as she said that the two would fight. Shinobu would like to see that match, for sure. "Well... maybe a little?" He said, chuckling at the thought. "Though I'm sure breaking a nail would be a far more terrifying thought to her. I almost feel bad for her when the two of you finally meet." He added before they finally arrived.

He looked around the house. He hadn't gotten to when he arrived. It looked nice. Exactly what he might expect from a regarded Champion of the ring... 100 years ago. Still, he could see it was well taken care of and he noticed what he could only assume were Cassie's little touches among the reliquary of a home.

"O-Oh?" Shinobu asked. After he spoke, he hoped he didn't sound too eager. He wasn't trying to get into her pants at all! What if she thought he was? Shinobu began to fret a little until Cassie scurried off. Her question snapped him out of it.

"Ooh! H-hai! I mean, yes, please! Thank you!" he said, stammering as he sat on the couch and sighed.

Cassie hummed to herself while she flitted about the kitchen, filling the kettle and putting it on to boil, gathering two tea cups and a tea pot and a jar of loose jasmine tea. While her hands worked, her mind was buzzing, and with some trepidation she wet her lips and raised her voice enough for Shinobu to hear.

"You know, the first time I met my friend Taylor was at our pro wrestling gym in New York," she said. "Taylor got in a lot of fights, verbal fights, with the guys, because they would say little things about her being a skinny white girl, and she would yell things right back at them. My first memory of her was of her in a pony tail and black gloves standing nose-to-chest with a big, muscley guy, sticking her middle finger in his face, and I just thought... she's bad.

"The first time I met Akashi was after Avalanche in 2012. I told her I was glad that all the bad stuff between her and Taylor was done, and that we could all be friends again. I... kind of threatened her. I tried to, anyway, I don't think I did a very good job. Can you believe that? Maybe you can, since the first time I met Gwendolyn, I almost got in a fight. Heh."

She carried the tea on a tray to the living room, and set it down on the table. She sat down next to Shinobu and poured the tea into each cup. "Everybody always would say about how my mom is so beautiful, and stunning, and gorgeous. Everyone always just tells me how cute I am..." She pouted. "I'm so cute and so nice, I'm such a good girl. I guess... I am cute... but maybe I'm not as nice as people think."

She looked up at Shinobu, and meeting his eyes made her suddenly realize the absurdity of what she had just said. She quickly looked away, blushed, and tried to take a sip of tea only to realize it was much too hot.

Shinobu relaxed in the comfy couch as Cassie began to fix the tea. When she began talking, he closed his eyes and focused on her voice. The youthful chirp with the Canadian burr. She might find his accent exotic but Shinobu thought the same of her. In this land of the rising sun, a girl from the winterlands certainly was unusual.

He carefully heard her talk about Taylor and Akashi and how Cassie had met them. He still didn't know Akashi very well and even Taylor he had only came upon a few times. He didn't think that Johnny kept them away from him, he just didn't intrude into Johnny's home too often. However, with the way Johnny spoke about her, he felt he knew Taylor well enough and Akashi's greeting when he came to pick up Cassie seemed to give her the same larger than life impression he had come away with from viewing her on the television.

He took the tea and gave it a cooling blow, holding it carefully in both his hands. He was about to tell her how he had felt when her words quickly changed. Shinobu's eyes widened and he watched her pout and then drink her tea before it had a chance to cool.

Shinobu held out his hand but it was too late. He grimaced and set his own cup down on the tray. His hands clasped around Cassie's cup and he leaned forward, blowing into the steaming cup and looking at Cassie as his hands wrapped around hers. "Cassies-san." He said in a soft tone. "You should wait for it to cool." He eased her hands over to the tray and set her cup down as well, taking her hands away from her cup and holding onto them.

"I think that one can only be expected to be so polite in the face of indignity and dishonor. Even we Japanese have a breaking point." He said turning his head a bit. "Kindness, however, is a two way street. If no one else was mean, I'm sure you wouldn't be mean either." Shinobu turned his head. "I don't think most people WANT to be mean. I don't think YOU'RE mean." Shinobu looked back. "But we can all be capable of meanness and we shouldn't be held to our transgressions if we're doing our best. in the face of others."

Shinobu smiled. "At least, that's what I think." He then looked down, his eyes catching Cassie's lips, her chin and neck, trying to avoid wandering further. "I'm sure your mother is beautiful but whoever is comparing you to her is missing out. You are you and however it is called, I think that it is ... wonderful..." Shinobu lifted his gaze and sheepishly looked into Cassie's eyes with a blush on his cheeks.

"Well, I don't want it to cool off too much..." Cassie giggled, looking back at Shinobu while their hands touched. She blew on her tea, and lifted it for another try. "It's too bad we don't have champagne. I think I like it. Well... I like drinking champagne with you."

She listened to Shinobu speak about... she wasn't sure what. She was only half paying attention to the words, but she was entirely captivated by his voice, and his mouth, and the lines at the edges of his mouth when he smiled. His compliment made her giggle, almost uncontrollably.

"So..." She said, shifting in her seat and wiggling her toes, which, without her cowboy boots, were clad up in pink socks that covered her calves. "Your agent... publicist... sorry, I don't remember her name. She seems nice. She seems like she does a really good job for you. But we never got to finish our conversation... outside, after I turned tail and ran away from the rich jerk. What was it you were saying?"

She peered up at him over her tea, her eyes big and bright with anticipation.

Shinobu smiled at Cassie's words. And she liked to drink champagne? With him? He'd have to send her some! It would be a good excuse to spend more time with her!

Her tone changed suddenly and Cassie began to speak about his assistant suddenly. "Fujiko?" He couldn't help but say, wondering what she was getting at until...

"Oh..." He said as his lips pursed into a wry grin.

Shinobu reached up and placed a hand on Cassie's cheek. He then leaned in close. "I think were here just about... " Shinobu's lips hovered just in front of Cassie's as his eyes began to close. "...here..."

Shinobu pushed his lips against Cassie's, gently tilting her head into a kiss.

Cassie's heart beat so loudly it was a miracle no one had called the police. Her lips quivered, and while her eyes stayed fixed on Shinobu's, her mind was on his mouth. She white knuckled fistfuls of the skirt of her dress and held her breath.

"I..." She said, her voice like a whisper. "I've never..."

She was a nanosecond away from Shinobu's lips, and all the wonderful feelings that she imagined came with them, but in spite of herself, she pulled back, no more than an inch, but enough to stop the advance.

"Sorry..." She whispered with a hint of a nervous laugh. "It's just... I mean, I've never..."

She closed her mouth and looked helplessly at Shinobu, her fists clenched in front of her chest. Maybe it wasn't right to go this far on a first date. They were alone in her house, and she didn't know if... but she was twenty-one years old, my god, at what point did she get to stop thinking like somebody's daughter and start acting like a woman.

She sighed. Maybe she really was a good girl.

"Oh, screw it."

She grabbed Shinobu and yanked him into a hard, clumsy kiss. She wrapped her arms around his body and she clasped her hands behind his back like she was securing her position, or setting up a trip. It was all she knew.

But the feeling of his... of another person pressing and sliding against her... with the... warm, and... oh my goodness.