The night was beautiful, despite the air quality alerts that had been coming in that day from the city.  Yoshiki and Kael sat together on the rooftop balcony that looked out towards the city.  An orange glow of the city night life lit up the sky around it, making it appear as though it was encased in a giant dome.  The pair lay together on a blanket facing each other, a bottle of red wine, two wine glasses, and a vase of red roses between them.  Yoshiki’s way of being romantic.  Kael enjoyed it.  With both of them working all the time, they barely got time to sit down and talk, let alone share a glass of wine on the roof..  Kael was just ten years younger than Yoshiki, but she saw him both as a lover and a father figure.  She had never had a steady father figure in her life.  Her own father hadn’t had a thing to do with her, and when she got older, she had never held a steady relationship.  This she had never spoken a word of to Yoshiki, and she felt like she needed too.  Her eyes met his (for once he wasn’t wearing his sunglasses), and she opened her mouth to speak.  “Uhm…Yoshiki,” she began, “I really don’t know how to say this but…you’ve done so much for me.  I mean, letting me live here, letting me work for you, and I’m grateful for that…but you’ve also been like a father to me.  What I mean is, I never really had a father in my life, and no man I’ve been with has measured up to that.”  A smile played at the corners of Yoshiki’s mouth.  He sat up, moved the wine, glasses, and roses off to the side, and drew Kael close to him.  Kael smiled.  He was always warm.

Nothing's gonna harm you

Not while I'm around

Nothing's gonna harm you

No sir, not while I'm around

Demons are prowling everywhere

Nowadays

I'll send 'em howling I don't care

I got ways

No one's gonna hurt you

No one's gonna dare

Others can desert you

Not to worry, whistle, I'll be there

Demons'll charm you with a smile, for a while

But in time, nothing can harm you

Not while I'm around

“It’s because I love you,” he whispered in her ear, “And you can be sure that, because of that, you’re safe.  I won’t let anyone screw you over or wrong you in any way.”  He rested his chin on the top of Kael’s head and stared out towards the city.  “And if you’re ever in trouble and need someone to get you out, you know you can call on me and I’ll be there.”  Kael was awestruck.  She had never heard Yoshiki speak to anyone like that before.  Then she wondered: Did he also tell hide the same thing?  Was she really loved as much as he loved hide?  Somehow that seemed impossible.  She turned around to look him in the eye again.

Being close and being clever, ain't like being true

I don't need to - I would never hide a thing from you

Like some

No one's gonna hurt you

No one's gonna dare

Others can desert you

Not to worry, whistle, I'll be there

“You know,” she began, “You can expect the same from me as well.  Everyone goes out of their way to protect those they love, and those they love rarely return the favor.  But I’m returning the favor.  If you ever need to turn to someone for help, just turn to me.”  Yoshiki hugged Kael close, and the pair fell asleep under the starry night sky in each other’s arms.

Demons'll charm you with a smile, for a while

But in time, nothin' can harm you

Not while I'm around.

The night was young, and a thunderstorm tore through the area.  Set in one the multi-million dollar neighborhoods that dotted the city of Encino, California, stood a house; a house bigger than life itself.  In that house, was a room.  The room held several shelves of books, knickknacks, and other assorted furniture.  Against the wall was a giant flatscreen TV.  On this flatscreen TV was an old Stephen King movie.  In front of the TV was a couch, and on this couch lay our two lovers, one against the other.  Yoshiki lay with his back pressed up against the back of the couch, shirt askew, in dark blue pajama pants.  His head rested on a square pillow that lay on the arm rest.  Kael, laying with her back pressed against Yoshiki’s bare chest, also wore her pajamas, which consisted of a black cami and green terrycloth shorts.  In one hand was a carton of Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream, and in the other was a spoon.  The ice cream had been sitting out in room temperature for some time, so it was beginning to melt.  She scooped up a spoonful and offered it to Yoshiki.  He moved to receive the bit of ice cream that was offered to him, but before his mouth came in contact with it, a droplet of it escaped the spoon and landed on his bare chest.  “Crap…” he mumbled.  A sly smile crossed Kael’s face.  She placed the spoon and the ice cream container on a napkin she had sitting on the end table.  She sat up and looked Yoshiki in the eye.  He knew what she was about to do, and the thought made him grin.  Kael leaned down and with a slow swipe of her cat-like tongue, she sensually licked up the droplet on Yoshiki’s chest.  Eyes closed, he sighed with pleasure.  Kael smiled seductively.  “S’cuse me a second,” she crooned.  She made her way downstairs to the kitchen, and then returned upstairs with a can of whipped cream in her hand.  Yoshiki smiled and cut the TV off with the remote that sat by Kael’s ice cream.  The sound of rain beating heavily against the windows could now be heard clearly.  On a table by one of the windows sat a table devoted to nothing but candles.  Yoshiki decided to turn this dirty fantasy into something somewhat classy.  He arose from the couch and lit the candles with a lighter that sat on top of one of them.  Kael, still standing in the doorway, watched as the candles were lit and the lights were cut off.  To her, there was nothing more beautiful than Yoshiki’s bronze skin and golden hair glowing in the candlelight.  He looked like some sort of god.  He draped himself across the couch again and waited for his girl to join him.  Forgetting all about her dirty fantasy, she placed the can on the table by the TV, and made her way to the couch.  Yoshiki rose to a sitting position and made room for Kael.  She took a seat at the other end of the small couch.  With the candlelight backlighting her hair, to Yoshiki she was more beautiful than any goddess.  Their eyes made contact.  Kael draped her arms around his neck, closed her eyes, and pressed her lips to his.  He closed his eyes as well, and allowed his lips to open, inviting Kael’s tongue into his mouth.  Before they knew it, they were both horizontal on the couch entwined in a passionate kiss that neither of them wanted to end.  Outside, the winds tore through the trees, thunder rumbled, and the rain poured…