Disclaimer: I do not own Zatch Bell. (sobs) Also, thank you to every romance fanfic I have ever read. (Most of you don't know I read yours.) And "Good Night Kisses" in the category of Zatch Bell.

On With The Story...

Be warned. Zatch can be a little OOC in this story.

"Kiyo, I have a question." Kiyo and Zatch were walking along the sidewalk.

"Sure Zatch. What's up?"

"How do you know when you have a crush on someone?" Kiyo was caught off guard.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, I see the way you act around Megumi, and, according to my soap operas (He accually does watch them! I am not making this up!)that is how you act when your around a person you like." Kiyo's face was as red as an apple.

"What makes you think I like Megumi?"

"Well, your face turns an odd shade of red, you try not to yell, and you do everything in your power to protect her, and-" Kiyo's hand went over Zatch's.

"Thank-you-Zatch." Then he removed his hand.

"But Kiyo, how do you know when you like someone?" Kiyo paused for a minute. Then he sighed.

"Well, you get this funny feeling in your stomach. You really want to impress them and make them happy. And you don't want any harm to come to them-"

"But I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"-yeah, but esecially them. And if anyone does hurt them, you have a strong taste for vengence." Zatch looked down for a second, and Kiyo thought that he heard the name Maruss under Zatch's breath.

"Why, do you like anyone?" Zatch bluhed. It's the first time Kiyo had seen him blush.

"Wh-wh-why do you ask?"

"I just want to know. Wait, let me guess! Do you like Kolulu?" Zatch looked horrified.

"Kiyo! Ew, gross! She's like my sister!"

"Layla?"

"Kiyo. She's just a friend. I don't like Layla."

"Tia?" Zatch said nothing, but turned a darker red.

"Ha!"

"Kiyo! Promise you won't tell anyone."

"Of course I won't, just maybe...Tia!" Kiyo ran out of the house. He wasn't going to accually tell Tia, but he figured he might as well have fun torturing Zatch. His little plan worked. Zatch was running behind him.

"DON'T TELL KIYO! DON'T TELL!"

"Maybe I will, maybe I-" He smacked into Megumi. They both went tumbling to the concrete.

"Hi Kiyo. Won't tell what?"

"I-I-I-I-umm-wha-?" Zatch caught up.

"Kiyo was going to tell Tia that I have a crush on her!" Realizing what he just said, Zatch put a hand over his mouth.

"Kiyo!"

"Megumi, I was just messing with him."

"Still! Love is a very fragile thing. It can lead to happiness for one, and angst for another. You don't play with this!"

"Whoa! I didn't say anything about love!" Zatch screamed, his hands now up in the air.

"There you are Megumi!" Zatch heard Tia's voice, and he saw her running towards them. Zatch went as white as a sheet. "Hi Zatch! Zatch, are you feeling okay?" Tia was now inches away from his face. She put her hand on his forhead. Zatch started shaking. His throat went dry, and he thought he might passs out.

"That's what love feels like." Kiyo whispered. Love! He couldn't be in love! He was just a kid! Love was meant for adults. Not for him. But this didn't feel like his normal crush. It felt like his crush times one-thousand.

Zatch swallowed. "Zatch, maybe we should get you to a nurse." Tia said. Suddenly, Zatch remembered his soap operas. You are supposed to touch your lips with their's when you like someone. Zatch leaned in, but chickened out at the last second. Tears in his eyes, he ran as far away from the pack as fast as possible.

*

Megumi found Zatch in the forest. Zatch wasn't crying but his face told her he had. H was sitting on a rock, his arms curled around his legs. Half of his head was in his arms. His eyes were staring out.

"Hey Zatch." Zatch didn't say anything.

"What happened?" Zatch started crying again.

"Well, I know that you're supposed to kiss a person, that you-" He paused for a very long time."-love, but I just wasn't ready. I leaned in to kiss her, but I chickened out! I feel terrible Megumi. I thought love was supposed to be the best thing in the world." Zatch put his face down. Megumi put her arm around him. She hated seeing him like this. He was like a little brother.

"You know, Tia feels it's her fault that you left. She thinks she's done something wrong."

Zatch shot up. "She didn't do anything wrong!"

Megumi smiled. "Well go tell her that."

"Thanks." Megumi and Zatch ran to where Tia was.

*

Tia was sitting on a park bench, kicking her feet. She felt horrible. What did she do wrong?

"Tia!" Zatch ran toward her, smiling. He tackled her to the ground with a big hug.

"Tia, I love you!" Tia was in shock for a moment. She should be happy, but what if she misunderstood?

"Like what?" Zatch stopped smiling.

"What do you mean, like what?"

"Do you love me like a sister, or a cousin, or..." She trailed off. All of Zatch's confidence fled from him.

"L-l-l-like a g-g-g-irlfr-i-e-end."

"Like a what?"

Zatch took a deep breath. "Like a girlfriend." Tia didn't think she heard correctly. Like a girlfriend? Why would he want to be her girlfriend? She was constantly hurting him. Was it possible?

"Okay, I understand." Tia looked back to reality. Zatch was off of her, and his head was down.

"No, no Zatch, I...I love you too." Zatch turned to her, with a beaming smile.

Well I guess everyone made up!" Kiyo said, coming out of the trees.

"Shhh Kiyo, don't ruin it!" Megumi said. But the two mammodo seemed unphased. Keyword:seemed.

"Well Kiyo, now that I confessed to Tia, you gotta confess to Megumi." Once Again, Kiyo's face was as red as an apple.

The End