When they woke up, Takumi reminded Eri that he wanted to take her shopping for gear and rings.

Sleepily Eri asked, "How much do you think it will cost?"

He grinned at her and replied, "Don't worry about it, I'm paying for it."

Shocked fully awake, she sat up and protested, "If it's going to be so expensive that you don't want to tell me, I'm not sure that I want you to buy it!"

Takumi hugged her and replied soothingly, "Eri, I have no idea how much it's going to cost, other than that a good helmet will be at least a couple hundred."

Eri stared at him and then suggested, "Maybe you should try to borrow one after all?"

He kissed her before asking seriously, "Are you breaking up with me when today ends?"

"No!" she replied with alarm. Then she added shyly, "I set up an appointment for birth control tomorrow afternoon."

"Then I'm getting you a good helmet that fits you properly," he replied calmly, and after a moment he kissed her again.

"Shouldn't I at least buy the rings then?" she questioned doubtfully.

"You can if you want to," he agreed. "But I really don't mind, and I'm the one who asked for them." She sighed and cuddled against him, as though she had decided to let him do as he wished, without putting it into words. He slid his hand down to her hip and asked softly, "Can we?"

She nodded and he rolled over and got out another condom.

--

After they finished he looked at her with alarm and she asked, "What's wrong?"

"I forgot all about our laundry!" he exclaimed.

She laughed and he pulled on clothes quickly before he banged out the door.

--

Takumi came back to find Eri cooking breakfast, dressed in the yukata he'd lent her. She looked so cute.

He carried the basket full of clothes to the bed, and told her with amusement, "The other residents were friendly this time. Everything seems to still be here, and nothing is ruined."

"That's good," she replied with a grin.

Takumi walked over to her and looked at the eggs she was cooking, and then kissed her cheek. When she smiled at him again he suggested, "I could get used to this, want to move in with me?"

Eri blinked at him and said, "I can't."

"Why not?" he asked seriously.

She blushed and replied questioningly, "We've only known each other for three days?"

"So?" he asked.

She shrugged, and after a minute of him watching her intently, she pointed out doubtfully, "You said you'll wait for me?"

"I will," he agreed promptly.

"Then don't ask me that yet?" she requested.

"OK," he agreed, and kissed her again. "I won't ask again soon, but it's an open offer, whenever you feel ready," he added.

She dished up the food and handed him the plates without commenting.

While they ate, Takumi asked, "Do you want me to go with you to your appointment tomorrow?"

Eri looked at him with surprise, and asked, "You wouldn't mind?"

"I don't mind," he replied calmly. "What kind are you thinking of getting?"

"I don't know," she answered uncertainly.

"When is it?" he asked, pulling up his schedule.

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She told him when, and where, and when he asked, which college she was attending.

They agreed on a plan where he would pick her up after her last class, and they would go together. When they finished breakfast they did the dishes, and then went shopping.

--

At the motorcycle gear store, Takumi instructed, "Don't choose black or grey stuff. Everyone thinks it's cool, but it's not as visible. If something does happen and you wind up laying in the road, you're more at risk for getting run over after the accident."

Eri looked at him nervously, and he added, "I don't want you to be afraid of riding with me, but I want you to understand what the dangers are, so that you'll be as safe as possible."

"Have you been in accidents?" she asked worriedly.

"Only a few very minor ones, mostly during the first couple of years that I was driving," he assured her.

After they looked around for awhile, Takumi asked, "Have we looked at any jackets that appeal to you? We can go to a few other places if you don't see anything."

Eri told him uncertainly, "The only one that I thought was pretty is really expensive, but it doesn't need to be pretty does it? Although I'd rather not have yellow or orange."

"If you saw one you think is pretty enough to wear apart from riding, let's get that," he replied.

"Why?" she asked.

He grinned at her and told her smugly, "Because if you like it, and don't mind wearing it when you're not with me, then I can pick you up without needing to carry it on the bike all the time."

"But if it's like yours it'll be too hot to wear it soon," she objected.

"I'll put the luggage case on for the summer," he assured her.

"It was really expensive," she warned him.

"If it's too much, I'll take you to the other shops or we can look on the net, but it's better to be able to try it on," he said.

"OK," she agreed and showed him the white suede leather jacket that she thought was pretty.

"White?" he questioned with a dubious expression.

"Is that bad? It's bright?" she asked in return.

"It'll be expensive to keep it looking clean is all," he explained.

"Oh," she replied, and hung it back up.

He reached over her shoulder and pulled it down again. She looked at him questioningly, and he opened it up and read all the tags and examined each zipper carefully.

"It's really good apart from that. Do you like it enough to wear it daily?" he asked.

She hesitated and questioned, "Is there a mirror I can try it on in front of?"

He looked around a bit before he finally spotted one, and then nodded. He lead her over to it and she tried the jacket on.

"It's pretty, but even though it feels soft to touch, it's stiffer than yours," Eri said uncertainly.

"It will relax as you wear it," Takumi assured her.

He reached over and pulled it open, and then tugged at various interior adjustment straps until he was satisfied. She didn't struggle against his adjustments, but she felt like it must seem like she was being dressed like a small child if anyone was watching them. He closed the jacket and zipped it up before stepping back.

"It adjusts to fit you pretty well," he said approvingly.

"It was more comfortable when it was looser," she complained mildly.

"It's safer like this, but you can loosen it when you're just wearing it off the bike," he replied reasonably, and he reached out and touched her cheek.

"I like it, but it's really expensive," she said again.

He grinned at her and assured her, "Don't worry, you're worth it. Trust me."

She blushed, and he pulled her close and kissed her.

--

Finding a helmet took even longer, and they did visit another store, because Takumi insisted that they keep looking until they found a style that didn't pinch her anywhere, and still fit snugly enough to suit him. They couldn't find it in white to match the jacket, so he chose silver.

Eri asked him doubtfully, "How is that different from grey? Wouldn't the red one at least match yours?"

"Silver is more reflective at least. Would you rather have red?" Takumi asked.

She laughed and replied, "I'd choose green, but we'd look like a Christmas decoration."

The clerk offered, "I can order that one in pink, if you can wait a week? Or two days if you want to pay for shipping."

Eri asked doubtfully, "What shade of pink?"

The clerk pulled up a catalog and showed them.

Takumi said, "That's not bad."

"Do you like it?" she asked.

He grinned at her and replied, "Do you like it, is the main question."

She shook her head and answered swiftly, "No it's not. I'll see the jacket a lot, but I'll only see the helmet when I'm putting it on or taking it off. It's okay, but I don't like it any more than the red or silver, so you pick."

He glanced at the other helmets and replied, "It's better than those, though I was hoping to have one today. Let's get it."

"Okay," she agreed.

--

They went to lunch before tackling shopping for rings.

Eri received a message from Chisa while they were eating, and muttered, "I don't know how to answer this."

Takumi asked curiously, "Can I see?"

She blushed, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "I guess," she agreed nervously. He held out his hand and she passed him her phone. He read the message and laughed. Then he scrolled up the history and Eri complained, "Hey!"

He grinned at her and told her soothingly, "Don't worry, there's nothing embarrassing about having friends who care enough to worry about you."

"I guess," she agreed doubtfully.

"It's all good advice," he said with another grin. She covered her face with her hands. "Why don't you just reply, 'I am.'" he suggested cheerfully.

She blushed again.