Nova La

Conflicts often arose between you and Higuruma because he came home from work completely exhausted. His job as a judge was demanding, draining his energy and spirit. And you, starved for attention and craving more time together, would find yourself deeply hurt.

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>>> This day was no different. Your movie night in the shared bedroom was interrupted by the sound of a key turning in the lock. You stood, stretching your back and shoulders after lounging for so long, and walked into the hallway to see Higuruma. He looked utterly drained, his eyes red-rimmed from the grueling day, which immediately darted towards you.

||• "Hey. Thought you'd be asleep," he said, kicking off his shoes with a heavy sigh.

||• "How was your day? You must be so tired..." you began, already knowing the answer, yet clinging to a fragile hope that maybe, just maybe, a miracle would occur and you could steal some precious, intimate time together.

||• "Tough day. Same as always. Exhausted. I'm gonna hit the shower and then crash," he finished, already heading towards the bedroom.

You bit your lip, a flutter of hurt mixed with that persistent, aching hope. Silently, you followed him into the room, helping him out of his work clothes. Your hands were as gentle now, slipping the knot of his tie loose, as they had been when you'd tied it for him that morning. After hanging his expensive suit in the closet, you pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth—you'd missed his lips so much... He offered only a faint, tired smile in return before turning away without a word.

The room was filled only with the sound of your breathing and the distant hum of the bustling metropolis outside. The near-empty streets, the scattered lights of cars, the glow of skyscrapers painting the night sky—it was all so perfectly picturesque. But for you, he was the only thing that mattered. Higuruma brushed a quick kiss to your forehead and headed for the bathroom.

||• "I..." you started to say, but the words died in your throat.

You lay down on the bed, the sheets cool against your skin. You pulled the heavy duvet over your bare shoulders. Your thoughts were tangled, emotions swirling, threatening to overwhelm you. Still, you waited for him. You listened to the sound of the shower, the water drumming against the tiles, the sliver of light escaping from under the bathroom door into the dark hallway, all underscored by the frantic hum of your own mind.

Your reverie was broken by the click of the tap turning off. You propped yourself up on your elbows just as Higuruma emerged from the bathroom. A towel hung low on his hips, and the sight of his damp, toned body sent a sudden, sharp wave of heat through you. Defined pectorals, the hard lines of his abs, powerful arms, and what lay hidden beneath that towel looked incredibly... appetizing.

||• "Mmm..." you hummed appreciatively, your gaze heating him up.

||• "What?" he asked, genuinely curious.

||• "You, Mr. Hiromi, look unbelievably hot," you purred, twirling a strand of hair and giving him a playful wink.

You saw a blush creep up his cheeks, and he let out a low chuckle. Those beautiful teeth appeared from behind his lips—a rare, genuine show of emotion. You smiled back, catching his amusement, and slid off the bed. Higuruma watched you approach, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously as he swallowed.

You walked slowly, circling around to stand behind his broad, powerful back. Your hands gently touched his spine, and his muscles immediately tensed, his back straightening.

||• "Sweetheart... I'm tired from work. Maybe another time?" he said, shattering the fragile moment. You froze, a nervous, disbelieving laugh escaping your lips. The last chance for connection, dismissed.

||• "You're serious? Fine. Okay. Sure. It's not like we have so much time together, right?" you snapped, your voice laced with sarcasm and hurt, throwing your hands up before flopping back onto the bed. Higuruma groaned softly, defeated. He walked to the closet, pulled on his boxers, dried his damp hair with a towel, and slowly, stiffly, lay down on his side of the bed. You turned your back to him. He reached out and touched your shoulder.

||• "Are you mad?" he whispered.

||• "No," you answered curtly.

||• "But I've told you, I work hard, I get tired. I'm human, not a robot," he retorted, a defensive edge creeping into his tired voice.

||• "Seriously? Don't you ever think about us? We're in a relationship, but we never have any time together," you said, your voice cracking with the effort of holding back tears.

Higuruma covered his face with his hands, let out another heavy sigh, and simply said, "Good night," trying to shut down the conflict before it could truly erupt.

Your eyes, already stinging with unshed tears, widened at his cold, abrupt dismissal. Losing control, you shot up in bed and hurled a pillow at him. He stared at you in bewildered shock.

||• "Fine! Sleep alone then!" the words tore from your lips.

You fled the bedroom, seeking cold comfort among the decorative pillows on the couch in the living room. It was chilly and empty out here, a perfect reflection of the growing void in your shared bed. The silk pillowcase soaked up the tears of your sorrow, and before you knew it, you had drifted into a restless sleep. The ticking of the clock in the hall was a mournful lullaby, the distant traffic a melancholic hum.

A soft pressure on your forehead stirred you from your slumber. Your eyes were heavy, your vision blurry, your mind still sluggish. Higuruma was beside you—he had just kissed your forehead.

||• "Baby... I'm so sorry, please forgive me..." he whimpered softly, like a guilty puppy.

You propped yourself up on the soft couch, rubbing your eyes. He sat beside you, looking at you with an expression of pure, pitiful remorse.

||• "Why are you here? Go back to bed," you said, your voice cold.

In response, Higuruma gently wrapped his arms around you from behind, pressing soft kisses to your neck and whispering, barely audible, "I messed up... I'm sorry... Please... Can we sleep together?" he murmured against your skin, not pausing his gentle assault.

You tried to resist, to pull away, to turn your back. But it was useless. Against his loving words and tender actions, your wounded heart began to thaw.

||• "I'm still angry... I miss you, but... I know how tired you are, how much you need to rest..." you whispered.

He looked up at you from under his lashes, his expression crestfallen.

||• "Please forgive me... please..." he pleaded, his voice thick with remorse. "I'm tired, but... you're right, we need time for us... We need to figure something out, don't we?" he asked, his eyes searching yours.

||• "I'm still upset, but... yes," you conceded, allowing him to continue his soothing ministrations. He nodded, a silent promise in the gesture.

||• "I love you so much. You mean everything to me. I promise, tomorrow we'll spend time together. Anywhere you want..." he murmured, his hand gently stroking your leg.

||• "Yo—" you started to respond, but Higuruma cut you off with a kiss, his hand sliding to your waist.

||• "Maybe... now?" you managed to whisper between kisses, the words stolen from your lips.

His warm mouth enveloped yours, his tongue sweeping in to deepen the kiss. His hands roamed your curves, squeezing your breasts through the frustrating barrier of your clothes, then sliding lower, over your bare legs, tracing the sensitive skin of your inner thighs. His large palms gripped your hips, pulling you closer, eliciting a soft gasp from you.