The only feelings from a man id had ever know were the love and pride my father had for me, and what ever you called the feelings Chastin had for me. Which i thought were love or at least his form of it. Now knowing real love, i see i was being controlled.

Chastin’s way of loving me was holding my parent’s careers hostage, and threatening me that if i didnt do what he asked that we all would be ruined. Thrown in jail or worse put to death for crimes he said he would frame us on. When he was drunk on either power or alcohol then he was attentive and actually loving.

Until we moved to Japan after i graduated i had never felt so welcome by a team before. Not many women went into working on the mechas that keep the federation safe. They take the jobs of bureaucrats or socialites. Marry rich or take bribes was the way to get ahead in life as a woman. I didnt think so. The work on the mechas always fascinated me since i was young. My father brought my brother and i up into it young. I carried on the vision he wanted after my brother died in a factory accident working on a mecha.

At first for myself it wasnt instant, but for Niko his love for me grew so fast from our first encounter in the under ground fights held near the factory. He always looked at me with that stare, like he was amazed at everything i did. I didnt think my skills were all that impressive but he always said other wise.

His praise would give my stomach butterflies, his worrying would make me angry. He knew i could take care of myself but i was still vulnerable.

After one night Chastin had slapped me across the face for lying to him i snapped inside my own mind. Niko came to my rescue when i didnt need it, which increased my rage. I went berzerk in my fight the next night. I took on two men at once and almost beat them to death.

I opened up to Niko why things were the way they were. His hand touching mine to comfort me felt like Heaven. I wanted so badly to know what he felt like in my arms, my lips on his, his hands on me. I had to restrain my self, for my parents and my reputation. He was my team leader.

In the heat of the moment after the bar fight he tried to kiss me. I wanted it so badly but i had to tun away from him. He chased me down as i ran to the cockpit of the mecha we are in charge of. The look in his eyes as he stared at me shook me to my core. He was right in front of me, begging me to do what i wanted in that moment.

As i searched his face for any chivalry to stop me i begged myself to lean forward to do it. To kiss him as if the heavens depended on it. I looked down to my fidgeting hands in my lap and then felt his grasp mine as in another silent signal to do what we both know we wanted to do.

All my courage surged up at that moment and i threw my lips on to his. My arms around his neck i pulled him close. Feeling the passion and the need behind my kiss he pulled me closer with his arms and met my passion with his.

I didnt think the most wonderful words to be uttered would be i love you. But that feeling from another person when they actually mean it, is almost indescribable. Its even better when they are repeated back to you.