#moonstuff

It had been an innocent enough request. Team Mew was back at the café, most of the girls having already gone home after stopping another chimera attack. Just as Ichigo was about to power down Kisshu asked to get a look at her pendant. The request was casual, Kisshu laying down the air, arms behind his head as he looked at her sideways, like his request wasn’t all that important. After studying the alien for a second, looking for any hint of mischief in those golden eyes, Ichigo gave her go-ahead.

Kisshu floated in close, fingers reaching out to feel the trinket still attached to her uniform’s choker. Her pink eyes crossed a little as she looked down at Kisshu’s face, suddenly feeling nervous about her decision. Isn’t he a little too close? she thought nervously, as she subtly fingered the frills of her dress. She did her best to keep her breathing even as cool knuckles rested against the hollow of her throat as Kisshu ran his thumb across the pendant.

Ichigo wondered what he was thinking as she pointedly looked away from that intense gaze of his. She knew he and Ryou had started working on Mew tech down in the lab. Maybe Ryou had shared how the pendants worked? Heck, even she wasn’t entirely sure how it worked. Not the technical of it, at least. Most of her charge was fighting, with Ryou and Akasaka doing most of the behind-the-scenes work. She and the other girls knew how to activate the Mew Aqua in her pendant through their emotions and will. No science or tech needed, just intuition. From what she could understand from Ryou’s initial explanation (not long after she’d first transformed) the pendant helped her channel the Mew Aqua’s energy through her body more steadily, not that she knew how he managed to do that. Though, she supposed, she didn’t really need to know the ins and outs to do her end of the job. 

 Still, it had been exasperating at times (especially in the beginning) when Ryou wouldn’t explain things in less techy terms, opting instead to wave her off and tell her she just needed to focus on kicking chimera butt. Kisshu on the other hand was much more forthcoming with that information - as well rewording things when she didn’t understand. With him and his willingness to share what he and Ryou were working on now, she’d slowly started understanding more of the Aqua’s in-depth workings. She’d never really told him much that she appreciated that. I should do that soon, she thought.

 The Mew was torn away from her thoughts like the pop of a bubble, suddenly aware of Kisshu’s knuckles lightly grazing the side of her neck as he thumbed the fluff on the side of her choker, nowhere near her pendant.

 “It’s a cute design, isn’t it, kitten?” He hummed.

 Ichigo swallowed thickly as his light touch went from her neckband to tracing the tops of her shoulders. She was keenly aware of her tensing muscles and nervous heartbeat and absolutely certain it was loud enough for him to hear. Kisshu kept his eyes locked on her pendant (despite his fingers wandering far away from it), expression appearing relaxed and nonchalant, though there was a certain mischievous glint in his eye that Ichigo could spot from a mile away.

 Dumb jerk. He knew exactly what he was doing to her. And absolutely on purpose!

 Then there was a subtle little click and a slight tug at her neck. Ichigo blinked a few times in confusion as her ears swiveled at the sound. Kisshu was suddenly out of her space and floating away from her and Ichigo noticed a small golden-something resting in his palm. Her hands flew to her neck and she found it unusually bare.

 “I- you? Did you just steal my pendant?”

 Kisshu let out a gasp, hand going to his chest in mock offense. “Steal? I would never! I’m simply borrowing it. I want a better look – you’ll get it back tomorrow.” And he went back to toying with her fluffy neckband as though nothing was off.

 “I didn’t SAY you could borrow it! I didn’t even know that could come off!” The pink Mew quickly lunged for the alien only for him to fly up and out of her reach.

 “Since when has that ever stopped me?” he snickered, stretching out in a relaxed position. The cat-girl made a leap for the alien, fingers only just grazing his ankle as she missed her mark. He gave a few tsks and teleported to the other side of the room, feet landing softly on the floor. “Oh c’mon, I know you can do better than thaAA-”

-

Kisshu gave an oof! as Ichigo suddenly crashed into him, stumbling back as he tried to keep them from toppling over. One arm quickly looped around the back of his neck while the other reached out for the pendant he held out at arm’s length, face squished tightly against her. He pushed against her with his free arm, struggling to escape her grasp to no avail.

 Damn, she’s stronger than she looks, he thought through gritted teeth. He knew he wouldn’t be able to teleport away with her clinging to him and he did not fancy trying to race her for the pendant, even if he could make a good throw. She was faster than she looked too and was getting startlingly good at predicting his teleports.

 “Can’t breathe, kitten!” he tried as he strained against her arm, now dangling the pendant by just two fingers as Ichigo steadily closed the distance.

 “Good. If you pass out I get my pendant,” she grunted back.

 Damn. Well that trick didn’t work. Alright, plan B.

 There was an odd charge to the air suddenly - a buzzing kind of electric feel – and in just one breath and a strange tilting feeling the two were suspended up in the air, just beneath the café’s ceiling. Ichigo yelped, the sudden change startling her, and quickly wrapped both arms around Kisshu’s neck. Kisshu grinned wickedly as he reached behind him, fingers tangling tightly in hers and her fuchsia eyes quickly snapped up to his gold. Her pupils shrunk as she parsed Kisshu’s expression, ears quickly flattening and growling out a “don’t. You. Dare-” just a Kisshu pried off her hands and planted a boot firmly against her stomach, kicking the cat-girl away and sending her tumbling to the floor.

 “Whoops!”

 Kisshu bit his lip as Ichigo fell, a shriek tumbling from her throat. He knew she’d be fine, but he couldn’t help the way his heart instinctively lurched as he watched her plummet. He’d seen her fall from bigger heights and land perfectly fine, so he forced his body to stay put. He was winning whatever game they were playing right now and there was no way he was gonna let his own damn love-sickness give her an edge.

 The feel of his heart in his stomach didn’t go away until she twisted herself midair, landing safely on all fours with a heavy grunt. He let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding.

 “I can’t believe you just kicked me off from like, ten feet in the air!” she snapped, hair falling haphazardly around her face.

 Kisshu waved her off, reassuming his reclined position from before their tussle. “Oh you’re fine, don’t be a sore loser,” he quipped.

 “Why won’t you just give me back my pendant?” she growled, tail lashing side to side as she stomped a foot.

 “Whhhy won’t you just let me borrow it?” He countered, spinning the choker around on one finger. “I’m not gonna mess with it. Maybe I just wanna carve our initials in it.” He sent Ichigo a wink, blowing her a kiss for emphasis, and laughed as she just gave him a deadpan look. “C’mon, I won’t break it. Stars know I don’t need blondie bitching at me.”

 “No!”

 Kisshu scoffed, flipped around to “lay” on his belly, still high up in the air, chin propped in his hands. “Y’know, sharing is caring, kitten. It’s just one night, it’s not like you need-” he broke himself off and in the silence you could almost hear his brain give a little click! as an idea popped in his head.

 Ichigo regarded him warily with a side-eye as he floated closer, chin turned away as a grin slowly formed on his face. He flipped around again, sitting upside down and cross-legged at Ichigo’s eye-level, hands holding his ankles.

 “You can’t transform back without this, can you, kitten?” It was a bit of a shot in the dark, sure. But logically since he’s seen she can’t initially transform without it then logic would dictate she probably couldn’t power down without it either.

 Ichigo’s eyes narrowed, dark spotted ears folding flat against her head and giving Kisshu all the confirmation he needed.

 “Ha! Oh, that’s beautiful!” He quickly zoomed out of reach as a gloved hand took a swipe at him, flipping back upright as he did. “What I’d give to see you trying to slink home in that-” he gestured to her ostentatious everything, “-without anyone seeing you. I can see the photos of the famous Mew Ichigo just sitting on the bus now, the only neon pink thing for miles. Why are your outfits so loud anyways? Doesn’t make for good camouflage, you know. Might wanna bring that up to blondie.”

 Ichigo threw up her arms. “Alright, fine, yes! I can’t power down without the pendant. Or power up for that matter! And this-” she spastically waved her hands in his general direction. Kisshu had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing. “-is exactly why I didn’t tell you! Cuz you go out of your way to be a pain in my ass! There, now you know! So give me back my stuff!”

 Kisshu gasped out “language, kitten!” snickering at her subsequent eyeroll. He closed his eyes for a moment, tapping his chin as if in thought. “Hm. I’m thinking no.”

 Kisshu tried his best to not look amused as Ichigo’s tail puffed up twice its size, even the hair on her head seemed to be getting fluffier. “No?” She ground out slowly, as though she wasn’t sure she heard him right.

 “Correct.” Kisshu made a show of putting her pendant around his own neck and clipping it closed. “See, you’ve made the unfortunate mistake of keeping this thing away from you too much fun, I couldn’t possibly hand it back now.” He touched back down to the ground. His thumb hooked underneath the collar, giving it a tug and flashing a toothy grin. “So then, you want it? Come get it.”

-

Ichigo’s tail lashed as she stared at Kisshu.

Don’t do it, Ichigo. He’s baiting you. You KNOW he’s baiting you.

But what ELSE was she supposed to do? WALK? Go back home and pray her parents weren’t sitting in the living room asking why the hell a superhero just walked into their house? (And y’know, doesn’t she look just like our darling baby girl- WAIT A SECOND--)

 Yeah. Right.

 And she had school tomorrow! Even if she did manage to sneak into her room completely unseen she still couldn’t go to school like this. No way would she be able to get her lazy butt out of bed before daylight (with her nocturnal genes it was hard enough just being awake at 7am much less any time before then). She doubted Kisshu would be so kind as to return her pendant before morning. Knowing him he’d make me go on a scavenger hunt first, she scoffed internally.

 She could call his bluff perhaps? Make like she’d back down and just go back home. What fun was there in a game with only one player, right? Wait, no, no, Ichigo mentally shook her head. He wanted to keep the pendant overnight in the first place. If she ignored him that didn’t mean she got it back, it just meant he got a consolation prize.

Darn it, think, Ichigo!

“If you don’t give it back I’m gonna… tell Ryou!” she threatened.

 “Hah! If you think I’m scared of blondie then you haven’t been paying attention these last few months. Next.”

 Ichigo pointed a warning finger. “He’ll start bitching at you!”

 Kisshu just simpered. “Totally worth it to see you trying to sneak home in that.” He gestured to her outfit, looking smug as he did a little hop so he could sit cross-legged in the air. “Plus, if he actually tries helping you steal your little trinket back then I just get an extra challenge. You know I’m always up for that.”

 Ichigo narrowed her eyes, thinking fast. “I bet Akasaka-san would be disappointed you didn’t respect my boundaries and took something without permission.”

 That gave him pause and he pursed his lips. Ichigo’s internal cheering was short-lived though as Kisshu clutched his chest with an exaggeratedly pained expression. “Oh, a low-blow bringing Kei into this. Even using the therapy words, you wound me. I think I’m impressed!” Ichigo just gave Kisshu’s theatrics a deadpan stare. “Kei’s disappointment would hurt, but seeing as we’re not stabbing each other I think I can earn his forgiveness. That’s major progress, you know! What else you got?”

 Ichigo pressed her mouth in a hard line.

 That-

 -was all the ammo she had. Not even the threat of Akasaka’s disappointment was going to sway him. (And she’d seen firsthand how much that could get under Kisshu’s skin, as much as he’d tried to hide it). Threats weren’t gonna cut it this time.

 A bribe?

 It’d technically be rewarding him for being a brat, but she just wanted to go HOME, darn it! You can only pick so many battles, right?

 But what would she have that he could possibly want? Money wasn’t a worry to him – he just lived at the café now and something told her Ryou wasn’t exactly charging rent. She hadn’t heard him express anything he wanted that she could buy – she doubted he’d even walked into a store before. Food wasn’t much of a bribe either. Akasaka was a master chef and pâtissier and Ichigo burned her grilled cheese last week. So, what else could she bribe him with?

A kiss, her brain supplied.

She felt her ears burn.

No, no, no! Bad idea! Bad brain! As if her feelings towards the alien weren’t complicated enough, the last thing she needed was to add fuel to that particular dumpster fire.

She gave a resigned sigh.

Okay. It seemed like her only real option (or at least the option with the lowest amount of anxiety-induced headaches) was to play by his game and take her pendant back by force. She’s kicked his butt before – she can do it again.

Tail lashing, Ichigo crouched low, feeling the wildcat’s aura stir to life within her. Mew Aqua and feline finesse thrummed through her veins, fueling her tired muscles.

Kisshu grinned as he watched her posture change, catching sight of that fire in her eyes. “That’s what I like to see, kitten!” he said as he touched down again. A flicker of excitement passed through his expression as he readied himself. “Come on then, let’s see what you’ve got.”

Ichigo lunged.

The ends of her fingers just barely swiped verdant hair as Kisshu sidestepped her. Thinking fast she twirled around in the opposite direction, kicking her leg out to catch him by the ankles. Her foot connected and she felt the follow through as he was swept off his feet, but upon facing him again she was greeted with the alien catching himself in a clumsy midair float. Ichigo snapped forward without pause, fingerless gloves reaching out to latch onto his wrist in a death-grip. Before she could make a move however Kisshu’s free hand snatched her forearm and he whirled around, using both their momentums to spin and throw her to the ground.

Ichigo sucked in a breath as she braced for impact, her shoulder connecting to the floor as she was thrown to the side. She let out her breath and let herself roll, landing back upright on hands and feet. The sound of sharp nails scraping against hardwood sounded as she scrambled after Kisshu. Already the alien was floating away, trying to put some distance between them.

“Ohoh, going straight for the heart right away, huh? Want to end things quickly? How cutthroat, kittycat.” Kisshu snickered at the blatant look of exasperation he was met with. Ichigo was never much one for trash talk – until Kisshu came along anyhow. Even before they were allied she swore his battle taunts were never-ending. It only seemed to ramp up the more he trained with the Mews, quipping and jeering to get a rise out of them at every second. It certainly worked to distract them at times. Zakuro seemed to be the only one immune to his jibes.

“Oh my GOD you are so annoying right now.”

“It’s a gift~”

Ichigo struck out but felt her arm connect with nothing as Kisshu disappeared. She whirled around and spotted it almost instantly – that slight wave, that barely-visible distortion of air.

It was so slight – most people wouldn’t even register it if they weren’t looking for it. And even if they did notice they’d likely brush it off as their eyes playing tricks on them. But repeated exposure to it meant Ichigo learned. Her cat’s eyes were evolved to catch movement – something fast and small shooting across their vision could trigger that instinctual urge to chase. It was that hardwired advantage that allowed Ichigo to latch onto the shiver in the air that signaled the alien’s teleport location. If it weren’t for regular sparing matches against (and with) Kisshu she might never have noticed that little tell. But now she only got better and better at spotting and reacting to it. It only lasted seconds – that’s all Ichigo needed.

Delight shot through her as she swept up behind the distortion. She guessed his orientation correctly and watched – a little smugly – as Kisshu’s head whipped side to side as he failed to spot her in her last location. With a wicked grin she grabbed a wrist and yanked it behind him, pinning it behind his shoulder blade as he hissed with the pain.

“Hm! You’re gonna have to get some new tricks, I’m getting too good at predicting yours.” Ichigo simpered, quickly grabbing his other wrist before he could retaliate.

“I ain’t outta tricks yet, kitten- ack!”

Ichigo pressed her boot to the back of Kisshu’s knees and he quickly fell to them. He struggled for a moment but with him being at a disadvantage she easily managed to get him kneeling and hunched over.

“There, I win! Now give me back my pendant.”

Kisshu scoffed despite his compromised position. “You win when I can’t do this-”

Ichigo yelped as Kisshu pitched forward suddenly and she was thrown onto his back. On instinct she wrapped her arms around his shoulders to both keep from falling off and losing her captive and quickly found herself on an unexpected rodeo ride. With his hands free Kisshu made it to his feet again despite his extra baggage. Within moments of him standing Ichigo was bucked off, Kisshu’s fingers prying her arms from around his neck as she tumbled to the floor. She clumsily stumbled forward, trying to grab him before he could escape, but her eyes registered that shiver of air and she knew he was gone again.

Slitted pupils frantically flitted around before pinpointing Kisshu’s landing sight, way up near the café’s ceiling and far out of the Mew’s reach. He materialized and locked eyes with Ichigo for just a moment before disappearing. She spotted his next landing site (still too high for her to reach) and stared at him before he vanished again. He did this twice more, disappearing and reappearing randomly across the room, always too high for her to attack. Each time Ichigo's unwavering sight locked onto where he inevitably appeared.

Kisshu finally stopped, breathing heavily from his high post. Ichigo knew his teleporting took a lot of energy. Even just moving in those short bursts probably felt something like a sprint, especially back-to-back like that.

Kisshu chuckled. “Can’t escape from your eyes, huh? You’re getting too good at that.”

When Kisshu first started training with the Mews one on one it wasn’t uncommon for him to win. Where the girls were used to fighting with their teammates, Kisshu was used to fighting alone or with a significantly smaller group. Ichigo especially had the worst win ratio against him; she depended a lot on her teammates getting in faster, more versatile hits to set up for her Strawberry Bell. It had taken a while, but Ichigo definitely started making progress. She stopped leaving herself open quite as much and worked better with her body. Where Mint and Zakuro tended to be flighty or graceful, Ichigo’s strengths lied more in stocky force. She leaned into both her natural strength and the newfound muscle her cat genes supplied and could really pack a punch now, even without her Strawberry Bell. Now her matchups against Kisshu were much fairer – almost a game for both of them. A constant push and pull of learning and adapting to each other’s vastly different styles, a newfound challenge that was always evolving.

Ichigo grinned up, feeling a twinge of accomplishment at the praise. Where Kisshu’s jeering was common in battle, his compliments were decidedly less so. It felt good being recognized by her opponent.

“Come back to my level and fight fair then,” she called as she stood back up.

Kisshu’s lip quirked at the playful lilt in her voice. If Ichigo stopped to think for a second she might’ve realized her annoyance was fading and she was starting to have fun now. “Oh, very tempting, but no,” he replied. “I think I’m gonna have to level the playing field, actually. New rule: you want your prize? You’re gonna have to come find me.”

And with that, much slower than before – he’s tiring out, Ichigo thought – he disappeared. Pink locks bounced around as Ichigo tried spotting his new landing site, but nowhere in the room did she spy that telltale shiver of air. A few more seconds ticking by proved he hadn’t reappeared in the room.

“Kish?” Ichigo called – to no response. She swiveled her ears, straining to listen. Nothing. The tip of her tail twitched nervously. She didn’t want to just start screaming and disturb Ryou and Akasaka, wherever they were in the building. “Kisshu! That’s not fair, you can’t just run away!”

She heard it then: a quiet chuckle from the hallway.

She stepped lightly and quickly, making her way over. The hallway was dimly lit, illuminated only by the light spilling over from the main part of the café.

“Kisshu!” Ichigo hissed again. The deeper they went into the building the higher chance they had of running into Ryou. She wasn’t particularly interested in a reminder of how crabby the blond could be after a long day.

“Ichigooo,” came the quiet reply, singing from deep down the stairway to the lab.

Shoot, Ichigo cursed. She quickly made her way down, hand feeling against the railing. The descent down was dim and only got darker further in. Her fingers brushed against the cold wall as she reached the bottom, hoping to find a light switch. She groped blindly while she waited for her eyes to adjust, but to no avail. It wasn’t often she came down here – and when she did the lights were always already on. She wasn’t even sure if there was a light switch.

Thankfully her eyes adjusted quickly, pupils expanding to drink in what little light snuck in from upstairs. (Thank you cat genes). A cursory glance around revealed nothing to her. It looked like she was alone.

Ichigo stepped further in, head on a swivel and ears twitching at every creak and step. She knew she was playing right into Kisshu’s hands, but she had little choice but to venture further, seeing as he was still holding her prize captive. Once she reached the hall’s halfway point she stopped. Surely Kisshu wouldn’t go into the lab, right? Things could get a little  rowdy when they were too focused on beating each other. The last thing they needed was to break something expensive.

Too wrapped in her own thoughts, Ichigo recognized a second too late the electric buzz of Kisshu’s teleporting. Before she could react she felt lean arms wrap around her like a vice, pinning her arms to her side.

“Gotcha.”

A tingle shot up Ichigo’s spine as she felt warm lips press against the back of her neck. Her muscles instantly tensed and she could feel Kisshu’s grin against her skin. His grip tightened almost imperceptibly as he pulled her closer against him and her pulse skyrocketed. She forced herself to breathe. Don’t get flustered, that’s what he wants.

An idea popped in her head and Ichigo bit her lip to keep from smiling.

She reached her hands up, grabbing tight where his arms crossed over her midsection, and spun. Kisshu yelped in surprise as he was suddenly taken for a joyride, his grip on her slipping as he was whirled around and slammed into the wall. Ichigo heard a low wheeze as the air was knocked from him and he stumbled sideways. As soon as he was disconnected from her she saw a quiver of air and he teleported away. It took her much longer to spot him again in the dark. She might have better night vision than a normal human, but the shadows still masked things just enough to make predicting his teleport impossible to spot before he reappeared.

“Actually? I think I got you,” Ichigo quipped. Despite the interruption from her attack, her chest still felt tight from moments before. Warm lips pressed against her neck, her back being pulled flush against him. She shook her head to clear the image.

“You are freakishly strong, you know that?” Kisshu coughed as he caught his breath.

Once again Ichigo felt a swell of pride at catching him off guard. In the back of her mind she wondered if throwing the alien around was easier because she was so used to fending off chimeras twice her size.

“Giving up?” she goaded.

Ichigo could just barely see Kisshu’s eyes flash in the darkness. “Not a chance.”

With that confirmation she advanced, though a spark of surprise hit her as he held his ground.

Ichigo’s strength lied in fighting things head-on (what with her having the strongest, but slowest, powers on her team). Kisshu tended to avoid and evade – opting instead to confuse and keep his opponent guessing on where he’d strike. It usually led to Ichigo throwing a lot of weak strikes or blocking him, waiting for Kisshu to give her an opening she could use to really capitalize.

Ichigo threw a half-closed strike, the kind always used in sparring matches, as Kisshu threw up an arm to block it. He struck out with his foot to catch her ankles but Ichigo reacted too quickly, raising her own to counter and hooking it behind his leg. With a twist of her hips she pulled him forward away from the wall. Her gambit worked and he tripped, falling back right on his butt. Ichigo swooped in, gripping his shoulders and shoving him to the ground in a pin. Kisshu gritted his teeth as he struggled, but it wasn’t much of a fight as Ichigo quickly wrangled him down. Still probably exhausted from teleporting, she thought as she kept him trapped beneath her.

“And here I always thought,” he took a large breath as he stopped struggling, pointedly glancing down to his hips where they were trapped between Ichigo’s thighs, “you’d be too shy to be on top.”

Ichigo blinked in confusion before pink quickly dusted her cheeks. “Oh- would you- shut up!” She smacked his arm in retaliation, ears folding against her head as she took in their position. It wasn’t her fault fights got a little… close sometimes! Still, she couldn’t help the stutter in her chest as the realization was brought to her attention. “Just give up. You lost this match and you know it.”

Kisshu’s eyes narrowed competitively, but she could see the fatigue in them. “Never. I still- still got one more trick.”

That familiar wave of distortion weaved around her.

He’s gonna try and teleport now? He’s exhausted! If she hadn’t won before, she knew it’d be a given now. Teleporting took twice as much energy if you had a passenger and he was clearly running low. She tightened her hold on his shoulders, just in case he did manage to move them.

When the world stopped distorting and that lurch in her stomach disappeared Ichigo glanced around. They were in the exact same spot, not having budged an inch. She heard a light thunk as Kisshu’s head dropped to the floor. Her raised his hands in surrender, saying “alright, alright, you win,” in between heavy breaths.

Ichigo hesitated before loosening her grip and lifting her weight off him through narrowed eyes, not quite trusting as Kisshu shuffled backwards to lean against the wall.

At seeing her distrustful glare he gave a tired, lopsided grin. “You win, I swear. No double-crosses.”

Ichigo pursed her lips, not quite sure if she believed him as she sat back on her ankles. Both were quiet as they caught their breath. The two stared at each other, both looking all sorts of unkempt. One of Kisshu’s hair ribbons had completely undone itself and was surely lying lost somewhere in the café. Ichigo pushed one of her armbands back in place from where it fell down to her wrist. Both of their hair was messy and sticking out all over the place from their whirlwind tumbling. Ichigo couldn’t help but think Kisshu looked like an edgy teen going through an emo phase as half his hair fell over one eye. She pressed her mouth closed harshly, trying to keep it together, but as soon as she heard a snrrk from Kisshu it was all over and they both doubled over laughing.

“You- are SUCH. A pain,” Ichigo wheezed out between giggles.

“I- I know.” Kisshu held his stomach, trying and failing to breathe between laughter. “Like- like I said: it’s a gift.”

The two took a few more long moments trying and failing to reign in their giggle fit. It never failed that they both ended up getting sucked into their own game (as often as Ichigo tried to resist it), and would end up going all out against each other – no matter how stupid it started out.

Kisshu pulled himself further up against the wall, wincing as he settled in. “Ugh, I think you pulled something on my side. Did you have to slam me into the floor and the wall?”

Ichigo shrugged. “You’re the one that asked me to kick your butt.”

He huffed. “Whatever eases your conscience. I hope the thought of me sobbing in pain keeps you from sleeping.”

“I will think of that but it will give me joy and sweet dreams.”

“Sadist.”

“You’re one to talk!”

Kisshu barked out a laugh. Ichigo rolled her eyes and gave a good-natured huff before holding her palm out expectantly. She pointedly eyed the choker still clasped firmly around Kisshu’s neck. He grumbled a bit as she gestured “give it” at him but relented, reaching back to unclasp it.

She busied herself with smoothing down her hair as waited for the feel of a weight dropping into her palm but instead let out a squeak as fingers closed around her wrist and yanked her forward. Her free arm shot out to catch against the wall and Ichigo found her face suddenly very close to Kisshu’s. She was posed awkwardly, one wrist still held hostage and half-leaning, half-falling over him, forearm propped along the wall next to his head. At her expression the corner of Kisshu’s mouth quirked and Ichigo felt her pulse spike.

Too close, too close, mayday, mayday.

On instinct she shuffled forwards to fix her awkward position and lean back only to find it just nestled her more squarely between Kisshu’s legs. Ichigo threw her best glare at him (as good as she could with her face surely on fire) and Kisshu just widened his smirk, crossing his legs behind her, trapping her in. He raised a brow and jingled the pendant in front of her, almost as if saying “don’t leave yet, you didn’t get this back.”

Ichigo didn’t move. Bright pink eyes stared unblinkingly, trying to reign in her nerves as she watched to see what he would do next. She liked to think she chose to stay put, but if she were being honest, she was completely frozen. The hand trapping her wrist tentatively released her and began a slow climb up her forearm. Ichigo suppressed a shiver at the tingling sensation and subsequent heat his trailing fingers left in their wake. Her eyes tracked as his knuckles slooowly dragged up her arm past her shoulder and traced along her clavicle. She looked back up to his face when she couldn’t track his hand anymore. He wasn’t looking back, instead gazing almost lazily as his hand trailed up her throat.

Calloused fingertips looped around to the back of her neck and gently tugged her forward. Ichigo bit the inside of her cheek, trying her best to get her breathing under control as it quickened, lest Kisshu feel it right against his cheeks. She was keenly aware of her waist and the slight pressure of his thighs against it. She resisted clenching her eyes shut as she felt his legs draw her in closer. They were already so close. (Yet somewhere the back of her mind insisted it wasn’t nearly enough).

The hand still holding her pendant reached up, gliding across her jaw before tilting her head up. Electricity crackled across her skin at the touch and the deep quietness of the hallway reminded her that they were very alone. No one around to hear. No one around to see. Throat exposed to someone who, in the past, had put daggers against it. Once upon a time, though perhaps not as long ago as it felt to her, this situation would’ve been reason to panic. And Ichigo was panicking, though not in the same way she might’ve when they were still enemies.

Her nerves felt numbed and on fire all at once. Her eyes drowned in the golden gaze in front of her. She felt both like it would take a mountain to move her and that she could bolt and run at any second. The moment was nerve-wracking and electrified. Terrifying. Addicting. She should move. She should stay put. Say something. Say nothing. Her mind frenzied in half-predictions of what would happen and what was happening in a flurry of thoughts that resulted in her absolute stillness.

Kisshu’s fingers continued their feather-light touches as he deftly looped her band back around her neck and clicked it closed. The pendant finally sat against her throat hollow with a comfortable weight and she felt her body sag in relief. That odd sense of nakedness with its absence finally lifted from her. She’d never noticed the small quiet pulse it gave off against her chest before. She wondered through muddled thoughts if that rhythm was the Mew Aqua within, resonating with her.

Kisshu quirked his lips as he stared at the pendant. From the outside he seemed entirely unperturbed by their current state. He leaned against the wall almost casually, head slightly tilted, shoulders relaxed. But from this close Ichigo could see the slight dilation of his slitted pupils (and some part of her was certain it wasn’t just from the darkness). She could feel the minor quake to his fingers against her neck. How his breathing fanned across her lips, shallow and fast. He swiped a thumb across the heart engraved on her pendant, pale skin a stark contrast to the saturated gold. He finally flicked his gaze to look up at Ichigo. As their eyes locked Ichigo felt the electricity in the air crackle and she held her breath. Anticipating.

He looped a finger into her neckband and pulled her into a kiss.

All at once the tension between them exploded. Cool lips pressed against warm ones. Chaste at first, unsure. Ichigo could feel the nervous tremble of his lips, even as his hand tugged at her neck to pull her closer. She felt herself caught between two wants. One was to pull away. Get distance. Get time. You haven’t thought this through. How could this possibly work out? What about Masaya, you still have feelings for him, don’t you? The second want was to stay, sink in. Feel what’s going on now. Who cared about all those worries when the person in front of her made her head swim and set her skin on fire? Her hand hovered over him as she short-circuited, indecision between clutching to him or pushing away leaving her frozen.

With enough hesitation, and the delicious feel of Kisshu squeezing her arm to pull her against him, she gave in to her second want.

Ichigo melted in the kiss, sighing as the hand holding her up against the wall slid down against Kisshu’s shoulder. Her other hand finally spurred to action and rested against his hip and supported her weight there. His hand ran up to tangle itself in her hair while the other rested against her back. She arched slightly as she sank into him, guided by the gentle press of his palm. Sharp teeth lightly nipped her bottom lip and was immediately soothed with the wet feel of his tongue gliding across it, almost an apology. Ichigo hesitantly opened her mouth. Her already blushing cheeks grew darker in color and she let out an undignified squeak as Kisshu wasted no time diving in. His tongue ran along the roof of her mouth before quickly finding hers to tangle with and Ichigo had to remind herself to breathe.

Kisshu only grew bolder as the seconds ticked by and Ichigo found herself coming further undone in his arms. Her worries? Her uncertainties? Her buts and what-ifs? Gone with the wind, swept away in a river separate from the one she was happily drowning in. As far as Ichigo was concerned they never existed.

With her chest pressed close against his she could feel the resounding beat of his heart right against her own. They thrummed one after the other, an echo and answer, a drummer keeping steady rhythm. Her hands at his shoulder and hip gripped tighter as his legs squeezed around her. He tightened his grip in her hair, nails running lightly against her scalp. Ichigo unconsciously let out a little noise of enjoyment and she vaguely registered Kisshu chuckling in response.

He pulled back for a moment, leaving her dazed and catching her breath. His hand untangled from her hair to cup her face, pushing her bangs back. As her glazed eyes refocused she found herself trapped in his sights again. She almost swore she could feel his heart rate pick up beside her own. Somehow, of everything done, she found looking into his eyes to be what caused her chest to ache the most.

He looked at her like someone who’d never seen the stars – full of awe and admiration and yearning to reach out and capture one for himself. An excitement and anticipation as finally the night sky was within reach. Ichigo felt almost burned by his gaze. A forest beset by a fire so bright and wild that it could do nothing but be consumed. Ichigo felt something curl low in her stomach, equal parts exciting and terrifying as she thought, I want him to.

And that thought is so sudden, so intense, that she feels all her previous worries come flooding back in. A rush of cold water dumped on her head.

What was she doing?? As if her feelings weren’t already complicated enough!

She felt herself being tugged forward for another kiss, Kisshu’s eyes dropping to her lips. His mouth pressed against hers, warm and inviting.

“I-”

Kisshu paused, lips just brushing hers, breaths mingling together. He didn’t push further, but didn’t pull away either. Just glanced up at her.

“I…” Ichigo started again, swallowing. Their mouths continued just barely touching as she spoke. “It’s… it’s late. My parents are going to get worried.”

Kisshu looked indecisive, like he wanted nothing more than to ignore her words and pull her into another kiss. Sear his mouth against her. Devour her. And he probably does, she thought.

A few moments of silence more. Kisshu’s eyes flicked between Ichigo’s stare and her lips. But finally, with closed eyes and a fortifying breath, he leaned away from her.

“Guess you better get back home then.”

Ichigo stayed silent for a moment as some part of her heart felt disappointed. Then she nodded, a little dumbstruck, and mechanically pulled away. The air felt cold against her cheek as Kisshu’s hand slipped away and she nervously twiddled her fingers as she stood. Ichigo took a few steps back and hesitated. Kisshu hadn’t taken his eyes off her, yet she couldn’t read his expression at all. She was overwhelmed by the need to say something, explain herself somehow? But she wasn’t even sure what to explain. She was having trouble understanding herself, let alone telling someone else. Instead she turned away, powering down as she headed for the stairway, staring unseeing at the metal flooring clanking beneath her shoes.

As she reached the end of the hall she mumbled, “see you tomorrow,” sure Kisshu heard her despite the quietness of her voice, and made her way up the stairs.

When she exited the café she was greeted by cool spring air that sent a shock to her system. Stark contrast to all the heated things that happened within the café’s cheery walls. A shiver passed through her as she bundled her arms together and made her way home.

When she uneventfully arrived home she collapsed in her bed. Her mind swam with so many things. About Kisshu. About Masaya. About her lingering feelings for her “old” flame and the sparking embers of her “new” one. About how good everything felt. And how guilty she felt about that. About facing Kisshu tomorrow. About what she would say – about what he would say. About, about, about.