I yawned as I stared out my bedroom window, smiling gently as I admired the stars. From this part of Tokyo, away from all the buildings and pollution, you could see them clearly. It was one of my favourite things about my house. As I continued to gaze at the sky, my thoughts drifted to a certain boy, and I sighed happily. The colour of the sky, it was the exact shade of his hair- a lovely dark blue.

My small smile soon morphed into a frown as I looked down, resting my head on my crossed arms. I'd been so lonely, what with Masaya going aboard to study in America. And ever since the aliens had left with the little Mew Aqua that was left, my life has been a bore. Even on a boring night or day, I could always count on them to bring me some form of entertainment, whether with a silly plan that could soon be over thrown, or just some random attack.

If I was being honest with myself, I would've mentioned something about how I missed them, all of them. Kish, Tart, even the cold, detached Pai. How I missed the endless attention a certain green-haired alien gave me, because, for whatever strange reason, it made me feel special. Different. Loved.

But I wasn't being honest. Instead, I was tricking myself, lying even, into thinking that all I missed from that time in my life was the precious Masaya that I had obsessed over. That I missed seeing his face, gazing into his sweet, ever caring brown eyes. That I missed his sun-kissed skin, the way his hair fell into his eyes.

But the image of my supposed dream boy became distorted as it changed into someone else. Someone with a pale completion, like their skin had never once seen the sun's rays. Someone else with dark, emerald locks, tied with crimson ribbons, and bright, liquid gold eyes. Someone with a cocky grin that spread across his face, and long, elfin ears.

I gritted my teeth as I closed my eyes, desperate to get rid of the image. I didn't want to see him, for I didn't care about him. I swear I didn't. He was an enemy, a person that had hurt me and everyone else on this planet in a attempt to steal it away from all the lived here. He never loved me. It was just some.. some attractionthat had been wildly misplaced. I could've just resembled someone from his home planet.

But those are just lies.. A tiny voice in the back of my mind argued faintly, no louder than a whisper. I shook my head in disagreement. I truly meant what I thought.

He tried to kill me, even once tried to kill Masaya by attempting to take his spirit. He's done nothing but harm. He's just a pest. An annoyance. I thought harshly, venom dripping from my words.

Orders. They were all orders. He was fighting for what he believed to be right, you can't deny him of the bravery he must've had to do that. The little voice murmured, trying to reason with me. Funny, how it skipped the annoyance part. It must've agreed with me on that.

I thought for a moment before answering. Was I talking to myself? Had I gone mad? I snorted, shaking my head once more. It probably wouldn't matter much if I did. Anyone who'd gone through what I had, transforming into a strange supposed superhero, having to fight otherworldly (even though they had originally belonged to Earth) beings, one of them constantly attempting to claim you as his own, constantly lying to protect your identity, probably wouldn't be quite sane either.

He had a mind of his own, didn't he? He could've used it and went his own way instead of destroying an entire race.Let's see what this voice would think about that.

But what would he be left with? He'd be by himself, I doubt Ryou or the others would let him join the team, though if you were given the chance, you might have. And he did leave Deep Blue, at the final battle. He died for you, do you remember that?

In fact I did, though I wish I wouldn't. That day haunts me still, causing me to twist and turn during the night in the result of nightmares. The sheer terror I'd felt when Deep Blue had jabbed his sword through the boys torso, how limp his body seemed when his supposed saviour threw him off the piece of metal, how he tumbled towards me before stopping completely.

His last words.

I love you..

My recently opened eyes shut once more, creases forming on my lids from the pressure. I whimpered softly into my arms as his voice, weak from blood lose, echoed in my head. My red hair blocked my face from view, not that anyone was watching, as tears spilled over my cheeks, the number of them increasing as my sorrow deepened.

Why was I crying? I had no feelings for the boy.

..I.. didn't..

Liar.

Realization hit me hard in the face, making my mud-coloured orbs widen in pure shock. My head was shaking back and forth as I tried to make the feelings go away. It wasn't possible. The feelings I had for that boy were purely of annoyance and dislike.

Right?

Wrong.

I took a deep breath to calm myself, repeatedly murmuring that I was only half-awake, that I was vulnerable to fake feelings (because this is what I told myself they were), as I practically jumped away from the window. I turned quickly, yet quietly so that my parents wouldn't wake, and headed towards my bed. As I lifted the pink sheets, I laughed silently at my own expense.

Lies, that's what they were. Simple little lies that a not totally sane part of my mind was feeding me, trying to make me believe them. I, tired and deep in thought, had been silly to believe them, thinking the feelings were real.

They weren't. They couldn't be.

I sighed for a second time, a tired sound, as I climbed into bed, pulling the sheets over me. My thoughts still whirling around in my head, I slowly drifted into a dreamless sleep.

-o-

A quiet knock woke me up, my eyes meeting darkness. I groaned and rubbed them as I pushed myself into a sitting position. Another knock sounded, making me wonder in my half-awake state who could be tapping on my window in the middle of the night.

The knocking continued and I grumbled as I crawled out of bed, almost tripping as I did so. I walked, swaying back and forth in fatigue, over to the closed window.

The person behind the glass grinned, and I would have screamed in shock if the sound didn't catch in my throat. I could hear their laughter from inside, since the glass that separated us wasn't very thick, no doubt laughing at my expression of disbelief.

"Hey, Koneko-Chan! You mind opening the window and letting me in? It's cold out here and I'm too tired to teleport!"

I could only stare at the face in front of my own, trying to figure out if this was a dream or not. No.. it couldn't be a dream. He looked so much older, so much more mature than the boy that had left 2 years ago, so real.

Real..

I gasped as my confused mind finally grasped the situation. This was real, not a figment of my imagination. This boy was actually here, though I had no clue why. Shouldn't he be on his own planet? Living the life as a hero as he, without a doubt, did?

And what the helldid he think he was doing outside my window in the middle of the night?

"Kisshu.." Was the only thing that my brain could come up with in response.

"The one and only! Now, do you think you could handle opening the window?" He replied, chuckling.

I nodded numbly, my hands reaching over to lift the piece of glass up, just enough so he could get in easily.

Why aren't I telling him to go away? Why am I letting him in?

Because you missed him.. The voice whispered gently. Ahh, so the voice was back. I thought I'd gotten rid of it when I went to bed. Apparently not.

Why.. why would I miss him..? He's a annoyance.. I answered, my voice dragging on, unsure.

As this conversation continued in my head, I'd finally gotten the window open, stepping aside as the boy eagerly climbed into my room.

"Heh, thanks! I would've just teleported in if I wasn't so tired.." He sighed, rubbing his neck sheepishly. His golden eyes turned to me then, staring at me intently as if trying to figure out was different about my appearance. My cheeks burned under his gaze.

"Ne, Kitty, have you, by any chance, gotten prettier?" The boy finally said, a sly tone colouring his words as he grinned widely. I rolled my eyes in response to his light flirting. Deciding to get straight to the point, I yawned.

"Why are you here, Kish?" I asked quietly.

He pouted playfully. "What? You don't want me here or something?"

"Not.. particularly." I answered, looking down as I waited for his reply.

If I'd looked up, I would've seen his expression wither ever so slightly. But I hadn't, so I didn't. But I could still feel his saddened gaze resting on me.

"Well, Tart kept complaining about wanting to visit the monkey girl, and when I mean complaining, I mean whining 24/7. After a while, I joined in, saying I'd like to see you! Pai eventually got annoyed," He paused in his explanation, sending me a sly look and a knowing grin. "Though, between you and me, I think, deep down, he wanted to see that green-haired Mew again."

"Lettuce.." I gasped.

He nodded. "Yup! But anyways, Pai eventually got annoyed and told us to go pack a few extra pairs of clothes. He seemed pretty angry when we started going, but I swore I saw him smile, sorta secretly, a couple times. I guess he isn't so mean after all." The boy finished cheerfully.

"Oh.." I mumbled, continuing to stare at my bare feet.

"So, what about you, Kitten? How's.. how's Masaya?" His grin faltered slightly as his 'rivals' name, and he tried not to show the pain in his eyes, though it showed anyways.

"Masaya.. He.. he's gone. He went aboard to study in another country. He calls sometimes, mostly during the weekends. I'm happy for him, since he seems to be enjoying himself."

The boy across from me nodded, though he stayed quiet. Perhaps he didn't know how to respond, or maybe he did, but chose not to voice it aloud. Whatever the reason, he kept his mouth closed and the silence between us became awkward. I was the first to break the silence.

"So.. How about you? Have you got girls falling over their feet just to look at you yet?" I mumbled, my tone holding a sour edge to it for reasons that I didn't know. Was it because though I've told myself countless times that I only loved Masaya and that I had no room to love another, the thought of girls fawning over him made me angry? Or was it because the idea of him ever getting over his feelings for me made me sad?

Maybe a bit of both.

He simply shrugged in reply, "If they do, I don't really pay attention. You're still the only one I think about, you know that, Kitten?"

His sudden confession caused my head to fly up, my gaze searching for his own. As soon as my eyes locked his, I was taken aback by the intensity of his golden orbs. They looked so sincere, like he truly meant what he'd said. And perhaps he did, though my brain wouldn't quite comprehend that fact at the moment, too in shock.

"I.." I couldn't think of a reply, all that came out of my mouth were strange mumbles and stutters as I tried to form sentences and responses. He looked at me a bit strangely, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes, so I knew he didn't think to weirdly of my behaviour.

".. I.. How.." He stared at me patiently, somehow knowing that I was prepared to answer with an actual reply this time. I took a deep breath, forcing the desired words to make their way out of my mouth.

"How do you.. How do you still love me? After all I've done... all the rejections and harsh words? How do you still love me after all that?" Half way through my second sentence, tears had begun to form, and by the third one, they streamed down my face in an endless waterfall. As I continued to cry, strange hiccupping noises and sobs had escaped my chest. My shoulders began to shake as I broke down, my eyebrows furrowing and my eyes closing.

He was shocked. I knew this even without having to look at him, I could feel his bewildered gaze on me. I felt as he brushed my bangs back gently, fixing the messy array, in an attempt to comfort me, to stop my crying. This however, made me flinch slightly and cry harder, my tears becoming thicker as more joined them.

"I.." It was now his turn to stutter and think of what to say.

I heard him take a deep, shallow breath as he tried to keep his emotions in check, just as I had done. He was better at it than me, though, because he didn't burst into tears as I had.

"I love you because I can't stop loving you." This statement confused me, and I opened my eyes to look at him quizzically. A silent question.

What do you mean?

"I can't stop loving you because.. because of the way your nose scrunches up when you're mad, the fire in your eyes when you're annoyed, the way you're hair falls perfectly every time, the way your eyes sparkle when you're happy, the way you're smile lights up the room and glitters when you're full of joy or excitement, the way you're always stuck in my mind.." He smiled, gently, unlike his usual sly smiles and cocky grins. "I can't stop loving you because you're Ichigo, and I love every single thing about you."

And this time, when he fixes my tangled hair, I don't burst into tears. I don't pull away. I just stay there, comforted by his words. Because this is a person who truly loves me, not someone I should be scared of. I finally realized this, and it felt good to embrace the truth after denying it for over 2 years. Like a weight had lifted from my chest, making it easier to breathe.

I blinked away the tears that were slowly dying down, lifting my head and opening my eyes to look at him. How had a simple visit gone from friendly, yet awkward to this? Confessing love to the other and so emotional? It'd only been what, 15 minutes, maybe? And yet.. and yet..

And yet, my feelings about that boy had changed so much. Or maybe they were always there, just buried deep within the back of my mind, never to be discovered.

It wasn't like I was going to just jump into his arms and declare that I loved him, because I still wasn't sure. I knew I cared for him, but how much was still a mystery. Only time would tell if I could return his feelings romantically, though I had a feeling he wouldn't mind if it took a while. So no, I wasn't about to kiss him passionately, nor was I going to embrace him tightly, whispering that I loved him over and over into his long, elfin ears.

Because.. it wasn't like that, not yet anyways. Perhaps I could learn to love another, maybe even let my dear, precious, kind-hearted Masaya go and start a new life. But for now, knowing that I at least cared for the emerald-haired boy in front of me, that was enough.

But, just to show my undying gratitude for the love the alien gave me, continued to give me, I stepped forward slowly, shyly, not at all like my personality. My dark, burgundy, tear decorated eyelashes fluttered shut as I gathered up my courage and raised myself onto my tiptoes and leaned forward, pressing my lips against his in a short, gentle, innocent kiss in appreciation. For I appreciated his love.

As I pulled away from the shocked boy, I giggled quietly. His golden (beautifully coloured. How had I not noticed them before?) orbs were widened in surprise, staring at me in disbelief. "Ichigo.." He murmured breathlessly, voice just above a whisper.

"Hai?"

"I love you." He laughed in his boyish tone, voice still low. He gave me a grin, his visible canines glinting in the moonlight.

I giggled again, looking downward at the ground as my cheeks flamed red. I only hoped he couldn't see my blush in the darkness, for he'd probably tease me about it.

"I know."

Authors note:
Well, this is odd. Usually I write editors notes, not authors' notes. xD

Yeah. First fanfiction. I'm quite nervous about uploading it, since you know, it's my first..

And yeah, the plots probably all wacked, but I'm horrible at them. I'm mostly good at describing things, ect. So uh, yeah. I'm also sorry if the two characters that I included, Kish and Ichigo, were out of character. I tried my best, aha! (Plus, Ichigo's supposed to be a little mentally weak here, unsure about her feelings and such.)

So.. if you're still reading this, go and read Manwhore Stealers (Kishigo-Paruto)'s TMM fanfiction Returned, along with the others. They're like, amazing. And 'cause they're fun to edit, since I amvthe editor! :D

Also, on a random note, if you haven't read the absolutely glorious series called the 'Hunger Games', go read it! And then go see the movie, because of a.. certain actor who plays as Peeta, which makes him more awesome. xD 3

Yup! And now, for the disclaimer! –drumroll please-

Disclaimer:
If I owned TMM, I'd have Masaya suddenly confess to Ichigo that he's gay, or that he has found the love of his life, Gurthy, a pretty tree.

Thus, Kish would get his chance, and they'd be having children named Kishigo and George Jr.

Pudding and Taruto will also have a child, and their name shall be bacon for reasons unknown. Pai and Lettuce would have a child named Barney, because you know, purple and green.

Mint would go with Ringo, Zakuro with Kanji, and the world would be a better place.

(Ringo and Kanji are two characters that belong to Kishigo-Paruto, and are included in her fanfic, Returned.)

But do you see any of this actually happening? No? Well, it's pretty clear then that I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew.