"Did you really need to do that, guys?"

Two pairs of eyes, one amber and one blue, moved from the opening of the alleyway the trio stood in and settled on the girl who spoke.

"Of course we did," Orga answered simply. "They can't say stuff like that about you."

"Well, it's not like they're wrong; I did kiss him."

"That doesn't give them any right to be mean to you, Tomoko," Mikazuki said.

The young teen sighed, looking between the two younger boys. She was the oldest at 13, but the boys were close behind at 12 and 11. Despite this, the two had taken to coming to her defense when other kids got involved. There were finally some people in her corner, which felt great; she had been cast out on her own at age six and didn't meet the boys until she was 11. But sometimes she wished they wouldn't get so involved in her life.

She decided to be tactful in dissuading them from getting involved any further. "You guys need to let me fend for myself; you won't be there to fight my battles once you start working at CGS."

"It's not like we'll never see each other," Orga shrugged.

"All the same, I can stand up for myself."

"Why don't you more often?" asked Mikazuki, his gaze as intense as ever, but genuinely curious.

"It's not always worth the effort. Their words can only hurt me if I let them."

"You guys didn't tell me Tomo-chan was visiting!"

"I didn't think we had to," Orga responded with a shrug.

The sixteen year old rolled her eyes at the overly excited teen boy. "Hi, Shino."

"Tomo-chan, check it out!" he smirked, cupping a hand behind the shell of his ear to draw her attention to the fresh piercing there. "Pretty cool, right?"

"Yeah, it is," she answered absently, amethyst eyes searching around the dining space. They finally settled on the reason for her visit. Shino was still rambling away, so she quickly excused herself and crossed the room. She sat herself beside the younger boy she had come to see, immediately drawing his attention.

"Hey, Tomoko," Mikazuki greeted casually.

"What're you doing out of bed?"

"I was bored and had to get up and do something," he answered. He extended his hand and offered, "Mars palm?"

"You're going back to bed soon, right?"

"You don't need to worry about me," he reassured.

"Mika, you just had your third whisker implanted; this is a big deal. You need the rest."

He nodded, so she opened her hand to accept the offered fruit. As she brought it to her lips, she froze then groaned. In a low voice, she muttered, "Here comes Shino for round two."

Mikazuki turned and watched the older boy take the seat across the table from Tomoko. The red head grinned widely at the girl and said, "So how long are you visiting this time, Tomo-chan?"

The blue eyed teen had to hold back an eye roll; he hated when the other guys called her that. However, he was curious to hear her answer.

"Only two days."

Mika couldn't help but be a little disappointed. Ever since he and Orga joined CGS, they hadn't been able to see nearly as much of their childhood friend as they used to. He was happy that he at least saw Atra a couple times a week, but it didn't make up for not seeing Tomoko.

"This isn't really a social visit; I only came to see that Mika is okay after the operation."

Mikazuki couldn't quite stop the small smiled that formed on his lips.

"Mika, can you take her for the night? I'm on patrol and I'd trust many of the guys with her like this."

"Come on, Orga, I don't need a babysitter," Tomoko complained.

"She can stay here tonight," Mikazuki nodded.

"Guys, I really don't need a babysitter," the sixteen year old repeated.

"We know you don't," Orga said with a chuckle. "Just look at this as a comfortable place to sleep off the alcohol."

"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, stepping into Mikazuki's room with a wave over her shoulder at Orga.

The silver haired teen took his leave and Tomoko plopped down on the bed. Mika watched her grab his pillow and cuddle it to her chest with a happy sigh. She then looked up at the younger boy. "So, what's up?"

"Nothing," he shrugged. "Just work as usual."

"Yeah, but you were in here sulking when Orga showed up to drop me off."

Mikazuki shook his head. "No I wasn't."

"I'm drunk, not stupid, Mika."

He gave her a small smile. "I know."

"So spill."

"It's the Gundam frame we found. We're trying to decide who will pilot it." He looked away from her. "I'm worried it won't be me… but I'm also worried it will be."

"Why is that?"

"I know I am one of the best mobile worker pilots here, so if it's not me and something goes wrong, I'll wonder if things would've gone differently if I'd been in control. But if I'm chosen and I fail, it will be because I wasn't good enough."

Tomoko rolled her eyes at him. "Then what you want is the impossible."

"What do you mean?"

"They only way for you to not have regrets or feel guilt is for nothing to go wrong as you guys fight for your rights here. If you feel like its's a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't situation, then logically the only option is for everything to go right. But we both know that isn't reality, so you have to decide what you are more able to live with – leaving it in someone else's hands without knowing if you are more capable, or taking control and perhaps falling short sometimes."

"Ultimately, I'll do what Orga asks me to," he sighed.

"Just remember that it isn't Orga that has to live with what you'll have to. He knows he isn't the best pilot here, so he won't be left with that question. And since he won't be the pilot, the blood will never be directly on his hands."

Mikazuki nodded slowly. His blue eyes finally met hers again. "Thanks."

"Anytime, Mika," she replied with a grin. She extended her hand to him and he grasped it, pulling her up into a sitting position. The older girl giggled and wrapped him up in a loose hug.

"I had almost forgotten you're drunk."

"I'm drunk, not stupid," she reminded.

"Tomoko?"

She hummed to let him know she was listening. Mikazuki hesitated, but returned the hug. "Never mind."

"I just don't get it!"

Mikazuki immediately regretted selecting a seat to eat dinner across from Eugene and Shino, the latter of whom had just had something of an outburst. He decided to remain quiet, eat, and let them carry on their conversation rather than to get involved.

"Maybe you're not her type?" Eugene offered.

"Maybe…" Shino sighed. He was quiet for a moment before snapping, "Do I have to treat her like shit for her to like me?"

"What do you mean?" asked the blond.

"All the guys Tomo-chan has been with have either been strangers she hooks up with and then never hears from again or they hang around for a few weeks then up and leave her. They treat her like shit, but she keeps going back to guys like that. It's so stupid!"

"Maybe she's going through a phase where she's into bad boys?"

"She's had easily over a dozen boyfriends since we met her, and more before that; how long could this phase last? When will I get a chance?"

Mika got up, leaving behind his barely touched dinner. His appetite was gone.

"Are you serious, Orga?"

The silver haired teen nodded. Tomoko sank back in the couch, taken off guard. She shifted her gaze to Mikazuki and found that he was watching her carefully.

"It'll never work. They don't respect any women, much less me."

"They'll catch on really quickly that you are someone to be respected and followed," Orga assured her. "These boys are largely young and immature, but they aren't stupid."

"I don't know, Orga… I mean, I can't get through a single visit here without the younger boys making a comment about my boobs or the older boys flirting with me. They can be nasty, given my reputation."

"That doesn't give them any right to disrespect you, Tomoko," Mikazuki said. She would have smiled at his words, reflecting those he used say to her when they were kids, but the conversation at hand overshadowed the nostalgia.

"Regardless, I can't see how this would work. Is there anyone else?"

"None that we trust as much as you," Orga replied. "You are more than capable of running the Tekkadan base while we head out on this mission. Plus, you're tough and you can keep the boys in line. Once we're back, you can step down and replace the CGS accountant we're currently keeping on."

Tomoko silently considered the offer again. After a long moment, she said, "Mika, what do you think about all this? The mission, me stepping up as boss?"

He was quiet for a moment, holding her amethyst gaze. She knew if anyone else had asked, he would have given his generic response that he would follow Orga. But it was her, so he replied honestly, "I don't really care for the girl who hired us; she's naïve and ignorant. But Tekkadan needs the money and a job like this will give us the publicity and credibility to book more jobs; even I can see that. And Orga is right; you have what it takes to run things here. Besides, I'd like it if the three of us were together again, and that would be the case after all this is over."

Tomoko regarded him thoughtfully before a soft smile turned her lips. "I would, too. But you know that means you both have to come back to me, right? I know Gjallarhorn is after you guys, and that means danger. Especially for you, Mika."

"Don't worry," he replied easily. He gave her a small smile.

Tomoko felt a slight flush bloom on her cheeks and she turned to Orga. "You, too? You'll be careful?"

"Of course, Tomo."

"Hey."

Mikazuki turned at the soft voice. He saw Tomoko standing behind him. "Hey."

The now eighteen year old sat down beside him at one of the outdoor dining tables. It was a cool night with a refreshing breeze. She might have enjoyed it under other circumstances. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. It'll take some getting used to, doing things with my left hand, but my eye isn't totally blind and both are fine when I'm connected to Barbatos."

"That isn't what I meant." Sky blue eyes looked at her, his unspoken question in his gaze. Tomoko continued gently, "I know you lost a lot of guys… Biscuit… and I know you fought a lot of people, Mika."

"It was harder than any of us expected," he admitted.

"You haven't been yourself since you got back."

"We've all changed," he muttered, looking away.

For a moment, he feared she would push him to elaborate. But he forgot that this was Tomoko and she always knew when he was unready to share something with her. "So how was working with Kudelia?"

"She grew on me," he admitted with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Oh?"

There was something in the tone of her voice that the teen had never heard in the seven years he'd known her. He couldn't place what it was, so he decided to remain honest in his answer. "She still doesn't get a lot of what life is like – what it's always been like – for us. But she isn't as ignorant, and she's really smart about loads of other things. She is able to create change using only her words. It's amazing."

"I'm glad she wasn't a total pain," Tomoko replied with a smile that Mikazuki saw through immediately.

He wasn't sure what he had said to irritate his friend, but if it bothered her enough, she would tell him. They were interrupted by the sound of a sniffle. The pair turned to see one of the younger boys standing there.

"Tomo-nee," he muttered, sounding close to tears.

Mika watched in surprise as the child shuffled into Tomoko's open arms. She wrapped him up in a hug and he could soon hear the child begin to cry.

"What's wrong, hon?" she asked gently.

Mikazuki couldn't understand the blubbering that followed her question, but Tomoko apparently could because she began to comfort him. It made him wonder how many times the kids had come crying to her in the eight months he and the others were gone. It had been a long time and she had been thrown into leading a company full of boys that had relentlessly teased, disrespected and propositioned her. Yet, somehow, that seemed to have completely changed. He couldn't imagine the struggle to get to that point, or the toll of taking care of so many kids physically and emotionally. Eventually, the crying died down to sniffling and the sniffling quieted to soft snoring.

"I'm going to put him back to bed," she said, carefully standing with the child in her arms. He stood as well, watching her readjust her hold on the boy without waking him.

"Are you okay, Tomoko?" he asked.

She gave him a sad smile. "Somehow, it doesn't surprise me that you're the only one who's asked."

"She's at it again."

"I know," Orga said disinterestedly.

"It's worse than before," Eugene continued.

"You say 'worse' as if her choices are bad."

"Well, it's not proper for a girl to party like she does and sleep around so much!"

"So? She's always been like that," Chad chimed in.

"It's none of our business what she does outside of Tekkadan's grounds. She's lined up a lot of work for us and has kept a sound budget. She's kept our numbers better than CGS ever saw. If she wants to go to the bars all weekend, fine by me. Tomoko is an adult and deserves to do what makes her happy."

"Too bad doing anyone makes her happy," Eugene grumbled.

Mika's brow twitched.

"C'mon, Mika. Let's go out tonight; we all know you've been off since the mission to Earth," Orga urged.

"I'm fine," the younger teen said as way of declining the invitation.

"Okay, you're fine. Then let's just go out and have fun," Eugene urged.

"You might meet some ladies," Shino added, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"I'll pass."

"Suit yourself. More opportunities for Eugene and Orga. As for me, tonight, I'm gonna make my move with Tomo-chan," the red head announced.

Eugene rolled his eyes. "You flirt with her every chance you get."

"Sure you don't want to come, Mika?" Orga asked with a smirk.

"What the hell," he replied with a shrug. "Let's go."

Mikazuki regretted agreeing to go out with the other guys. He wasn't big on getting drunk, so he had just been casually sipping at his glass. Orga was sitting with him, but was definitely buzzed; he had held several conversations with other bar patrons. Eugene had been flirting and dancing with a girl for a while. Meanwhile, Shino had been trying – unsuccessfully – to dance with Tomoko since they arrived.

Tomoko had already been at the bar when they arrived. She had briefly left the dance floor to greet them, but had otherwise been dancing all night. He noted that she would actually be a pretty good Gundam pilot; she skillfully evaded many guys trying to dance against her.

"Are you gonna stare at Tomo all night?" Orga asked.

"I'm just surprised that so many people don't ask permission to dance with her or touch her."

"Does that bother you?"

"It's disrespectful."

Orga snorted quietly. "You're still in denial, huh?"

The dark haired boy was about to ask his friend for clarification, but Shino sank into his seat with a loud, disgruntled groan. "I can't believe how frustrating this is!"

"Give it up, Shino."

"No way; do you see how hot she is? Especially when she's dancing!"

Despite himself, Mika found his attention shift to the dark haired girl. He had to admit it was hard to ignore the swaying of her hips. He also took note of her outfit for the first time. She wore tight fitting black pants which were tucked into black ankle boots. Her top was a black button up. The bottom was hiked halfway up her torso and tied in a neat bow to keep it in place. The top several buttons were left undone, lending a view of a fair amount of cleavage. It was impossible to ignore how good she looked without showing a lot of skin.

"I don't understand what I need to do to get her attention!"

"Ever consider there might not be anything you can do to get her attention in a romantic way?" asked Orga.

Shino scoffed. "I doubt that; for years we've watched her blow through guys. Literally."

"Are we about to sit through another of your rants about Tomo's lifestyle choices?" Orga asked with an annoyed look at the red head.

"No, I'm just answering your question. I can't see how it would be impossible to catch her attention considering that she hardly discriminates when it comes to the guys she sleeps with."

"Clearly she does since she hasn't given into your years of pestering," Mikazuki said, unable to bite his tongue. Shino looked at him, surprised at the usually quiet, easy-going boy's involvement in the conversation.

"Come on, Mikazuki. You've seen even more of her boyfriends than me. Don't tell me you don't think it's crazy that-"

"You don't deserve her attention if you can't accept her," the blue eyed teen continued.

Orga snorted and Shino's eyes widened. Mikazuki didn't say anything further, just took another sip of his drink. After taking a moment to recover, Shino muttered something about finding at least one girl to dance with that night and left the table.

"Maybe you aren't too deeply in denial," Orga mused. "I'm going to get another drink and chat up that redhead. It looks like Tomo finally needs a seat and she may as well have mine."

Mikazuki looked up and saw Tomoko making her way toward their table. Orga met her partway, giving her a side hug and leaning down to mutter something in her ear. Tomoko nodded and smiled before saying something in reply. Orga returned her grin and then walked away toward the bar. Tomoko continued on her way to the table and swung herself into Orga's empty seat.

"Hey, Mika," she greeted, reaching over and grabbing his glass. She took a sip from it, wrinkled her nose, and handed it back to him. "How do you drink that?"

"I like it alright," he shrugged.

"Is it helping take the edge off?"

"What edge?"

Tomoko frowned, drawing cerulean eyes to her lips which, he now noticed, were painted red. "You know what edge I'm talking about."

He didn't deny it, but didn't respond. His eyes slipped downward, then immediately back up when they fell on the open neckline of her shirt. She didn't seem to notice, or else ignored it. He wasn't sure what made him say it, but he asked, "How are you able to put up with Shino hitting on you all the time? It's been years."

Tomoko shrugged and said, "It's pretty easy; he's like a super obnoxious younger brother. The most obnoxious of all my little Tekkadan brothers."

His chest tightened painfully at her words. "You think of Tekkadan as your brothers?"

"Mostly just the older guys." She frowned for a moment, then pressed on, "The younger kids feel strangely like adopted children."

The younger teen wanted to ask if she thought of him as a brother, but decided against it. They sat in silence for a stretch. Mikazuki sipped his drink and Tomoko started another of her own. Blue eyes watched the glass touch her lips and found himself saying, "Shino was complaining about your partying again tonight."

"Oh?" she asked disinterestedly.

"A lot of the guys talk about it."

"The drinking or the sleeping around?"

"Both." The young woman merely shrugged her shoulders again and took another sip. Mikazuki pressed, "Doesn't it bother you?"

"Words can only hurt me if I let them."

He couldn't help but smile slightly at her words. It was short lived, as his expression turned to one of surprise when she asked, "Does it bother you?"

"Of course it bothers me when they talk about you like that."

"No, I meant does my partying bother you?"

"No," he said honestly. He then paused, choosing his words before elaborating, "I'm glad when you're happy."

She smiled for a moment, but her expression soon fell. "I'm glad when you're happy, too, and that hasn't been the case lately."

He couldn't quite meet her gaze. Slowly, he replied, "Things happened on the mission that really bothered me."

"What do you mean?"

Again, Mikazuki hesitated. "Some things happened that have me confused about myself."

"Did something happen with Kudelia?"

"Well, sort of, but that wasn't a big deal." The blue eyed male shrugged his shoulders. "Naze said something that got me curious, and I kissed her, but it was a onetime thing."

Tomoko nodded and asked, "So if it wasn't something with her…?"

"It started out in a mobile suit battle with this nutcase, Kudal Cadel," he muttered. "He said something that I'm afraid is true."

"What insight could some random guy have on you?" she asked, seeming skeptical.

"He said that I… enjoy killing people," he muttered, unable to meet Tomoko's gaze.

The older teen didn't give any visible indication of her reaction. Instead, she just asked, "Why do you think he may have been right?"

"I've killed a lot of people… The first time was when I was a kid. And after Biscuit…" he paused, shutting his eyes for a moment. "My actions on the rest of the mission were ruthless and vengeful."

"And you think you are able to have done those things because you enjoy it?"

"On some level, maybe. What if he was right? Enjoying killing people… that would make me a monster."

Cerulean eyes had fallen to the tabletop as he spoke, so he didn't see Tomoko reach out her hand. He started when he felt her fingers entwine with his. He wished it wasn't his useless hand so he could return the gesture.

"I've always worried about how all of the violence would affect you, Mika, but it has never concerned me that you would come to enjoy it. Anger and vengefulness are not the same as enjoying killing. There's nothing I can say to clear up your internal crisis about who you are, but none of us see you that way. I certainly don't see that in you."

He sighed, relieved that she hadn't been put off by his revelation. He was still worried that Cadel had been right, but Tomoko accepted him. Somewhat emboldened, he changed the subject. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

At his hesitation, she gave him a reassuring look. "Why do you do it? The drinking and clubbing? The… boyfriends?"

It was her turn to be silent as she thought about how to respond. After a moment, she replied, "The drinking helps me forget myself for a little while. I don't have to worry about anything. I get to be a totally different person for a few hours. And the dancing and the music… there's no need to think, you just move. It's liberating.

"The boyfriends… when I was younger, it was because I liked the attention. But it grew into something entirely different. Alcohol helps me forget, but so does sex. Not only that, but in the moment, the only reality is that I feel good. There's nothing more to it than that."

"So it's not that these guys treat you badly and leave, it's that you're not looking for more?"

"Kind of. I'm not looking for more, I'm waiting."

Mikazuki wanted to ask her what she meant, but decided against it. He had already asked the questions he'd wanted answers to for years. Besides, it was at that moment that the other guys returned to the table, each of them with a girl. Eugene sat with the girl he'd been with all night, Orga with the redhead he had been eying and Shino with a blonde girl. Mika had almost completely forgotten they were in a bar, completely lost in the conversation with Tomoko. He sat quietly as the group's loud, boisterous conversation overwhelmed the table.

"Oh, be right back!" Tomoko announced suddenly. She got up from the table and quickly returned to the dance floor. Mika's eyes followed her as she effortlessly maneuvered her way through the crowd and began moving along to the beat of the song blasting over the speakers.

With his friends distracted, he allowed himself to watch Tomoko dance. Her hips had captured his attention earlier in the evening, but he now noticed the way her torso moved, highlighted by the midriff baring shirt. Her legs looked amazing in her form fitting pants as she spun and shimmied. He wondered how it had been possible to not notice how attractive she was before. He saw that she seemed to be singing along to the song as she dance, and he couldn't stop the corners of his lips from turning upward.

Welcome to my house

Baby, take control now

We can't even slow down

We don't have to go out

Welcome to my house

Play that music too loud

Show me what you do now

We don't have to go out

Welcome to my house

"She's such a great dancer," gushed the redhead, Mao. "A really nice, girl, too. She's always here, it seems, so I've gotten to know her a little bit."

"Yeah, she talks about her Tekkadan friends all the time; I'm glad to finally meet you guys. You're just as sweet as she made you out to be," said Kazumi, elbowing Eugene's arm flirtatiously.

"You know," the blonde girl, Rin, said as if she was about to divulge some gossip, "Even though she hooks up with guys here, she's never actually dated any of them. Hideki, one of my good friends, asked her out recently. She rejected him, and he asked her why she never tries for something more, and she said that she's known for a long time who she wants to be with. She's just waiting for him… to see if he wants her, too."

This was news to the Tekkadan boys, who exchanged glances. All except Orga, who had a small smile on his face as if he knew something the others didn't. Mikazuki was about to ask his closest friend about this, but then the song changed, and the girls pulled their partners out onto the dance floor. His memory must really have been failing him; he completely forgot how drunk the others were. With a sigh, he quickly finished his drink and, after only a moment's hesitation, downed the rest of the drink Tomoko had left behind. He felt less tense as the alcohol warmed his body, but found he wasn't content sitting around alone.

As if she had sensed this, Tomoko reappeared and grabbed him by the hand. "Come on, Mika."

He didn't protest, though he wasn't very keen on dancing. The dark haired teen stood awkwardly as Tomoko twisted her body to the beat in front of him. She was singing again.

Come on, come on, turn the radio on

It's Friday night and it won't be long

Gotta do my hair, put my make-up on

It's Friday night and it won't be long 'til I…

Tomoko swayed her hips and shimmied skillfully away from a guy who looked like he was about to try to become a player rather than a spectator of her dance. Mikazuki shot him a scathing look. It was short lived, because he soon realized that her evasive tactics brought her closer to him. She kept dancing, and something in him stirred.

Hit the dancefloor

Hit the dancefloor

I got all I need

Blue eyes went wide when Tomoko tossed her arms around his neck, moving in still closer.

No I ain't got cash

I ain't got cash

But I got you baby

The young male finally came to his senses, placing his good hand on her hip as she continued to dance. Tomoko dropped one of her arms, making room for her to place her head in the crook of his neck. Her body continued to twist and sway, until she had pressed her hips against his. His mind had ceased processing, but his grip on her hip tightened and he held her against him firmly. He found himself rotating his hips in response to hers, albeit somewhat awkwardly.

By the end of the song, Mikazuki felt a jumble of emotions. He was, however, fairly positive that the denial Orga had pondered about was completely gone. The next song began and Tomoko pulled away slowly. They locked gazes for a moment. Finally, she said, "I need a little fresh air. Want to come with me?"

The younger teen nodded numbly. They made their way through the bar and out the front door. They walked a ways down the street, away from the crowds before stopping to sit on a bench tucked out of the way from the main street. The pair sat in silence for a long stretch, enjoying the cool breeze.

"That was… different," Mika finally spoke up.

Tomoko didn't need him to elaborate. "Was it okay to do something different?"

He nodded and looked away shyly. "I've never really been able to think of you as just a friend."

"It's been a while since I've felt like all I wanted was friendship. I've wondered if you might feel the same; our relationship has always been entirely different than mine and Orga's. I've been waiting for some sort of clue…" Tomoko was silent for a moment, a frown on her lips. She shrugged and continued in a lighter tone, "But I guess I threw caution to the wind on the waiting thing tonight."

"I'm glad you did. On some level, I've known for a long time that you were different to me, but I was able to brush it off by telling myself that it's just different to be close friends with a girl, that it's different than my friendship with Atra because I'm the younger one in this situation, that it irritates me when Shino hits on you because I know he's a womanizer… but none of that is entirely true. You just made me face that."

"It was never really my intention to rush you or push you or anything," she sighed.

Tthe blue eyed teen assured, "Tomoko, you know I'm not good at relationships of any kind, or emotions… I could have just kept ignoring the truth for a long time."

The older girl was silent for a moment. She focused her amethyst gaze on him again and said, "I get that, Mika. So I want to just clarify exactly what we're talking about."

He nodded and fought the heat threatening to bloom on his cheeks as he confessed, "I have feelings for you."

A small smile turned the corners of her lips. "I have feelings for you, too."

"I'd like it if we were… together from now on."

"I'd like that," Tomoko nodded with a grin. "I'd also like to kiss you, if that's okay?"

Mikazuki nodded numbly, still surprised at what was happening. Deep down, he had wanted this for several years, but now here he was accepting his feelings and having them reciprocated. Tomoko closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms around his neck and enveloping his lips with hers. His lips were still for a moment; his kiss with Kudelia had been rather chaste and was his only experience in that department. He slowly mimicked Tomoko, his good hand finding perch on her hip once again. One of her hands worked its way into the hair at the nape of his neck as her tongue traced his lower lip. He tentatively copied her, then swiped his tongue over the dip of her Cupid's bow. Tomoko deepened the kiss, taking his compliance as permission for entrance.

The dark haired male was concentrating on her exploration of his mouth, trying to learn so he could return the favor, and was surprised when one of her hands curled around the wrist of his unusable arm. She pulled him closer and slipped his hand into her back pocket. He squeezed her hip, grateful that she was thoughtful enough to consider the limitations his right arm presented. He enjoyed having his arm around her, as well as the way it felt for his palm to cup her bottom. Feeling she'd had her turn, Mika began his own exploration of her mouth, heady with new feelings.

The teens separated for air and Mika noticed a smirk on Tomoko's lips. She asked, "How did that compare with Kudelia?"

"There's no comparison," he replied. With a small smile, he asked, "Why, were you jealous of her?"

Tomoko shrugged and admitted, "I had always sort of wanted to be your first." With a playful wink, she added, "That innocence of yours was really appealing."

"Well, I did only kiss her once. I hope to kiss you many more times than that."

"Count on it."

A/N: Obviously, I do not own anything related to IBO or the songs quoted here. All views, favorites and reviews are sincerely appreciated.