Disclaimer – I do not own the Ronin Warriors, The Fray or Boyce Ave.

Set shortly after the war with the dynasty. Slightly OOC but mostly sweet Rowen and Mia. Doesn't follow any of the other story lines I've written so far but felt nice to write.

Kiss Me

He was sitting in the library with one of his favorite books when she entered, her long auburn hair down and clad in her nightgown and robe. She was bare foot as she entered and he could hear the soft pad of her feet on the wide planks of the hardwood floors. He was mostly hidden in his chair so he was fairly certain that she wasn't aware he was present as she hummed a song to herself.

He didn't know the tune but he could see from where he sat, sunk into a large dark leather chair that she was smiling and swaying lightly in time with the music she was humming. He smiled upon seeing her so carefree in a momentary glimpse of her as someone outside of the 'professional student' or 'Ryo's adopted older sister'. A chance to see her without her guard up. It was worth a hundred battles with Talpa, possibly even one on one with the monster demon, to get a chance to see her being purely herself.

She had closed her eyes now and was smiling as she went and then she turned towards the shelves searching for a book her eyes opened. Although she was still humming she frowned in concentration as she searched for a particular book. Her face he knew had lit with a happiness he only saw on his own when perusing the library here at the Koji estate. It was one of the few parts of herself that shown through the guard she kept up daily. He was a little worried as to why she was still so guarded with them. They'd been together in life and death situations for almost a year now. They were also working towards the same goal but something told him she was always this guarded.

He thought back to a time when they'd all been out, they had needed to go supply shopping and she had wanted to see about clothing as well for all of them since the only clothes he and the other Ronin's had were the ones on their backs at the time of the attack. They hadn't realized that had been one of the goals for the outing was for them to obtain clothes for them to wear. Most of the time they were in sub-armor due to daily attacks from dynasty soldiers. Since their last confrontation with Talpa though they'd had a small measure of peace. A week's worth and Mia had made the decision that they needed to have at least some clothing of their own.

They had all been very surprised when she'd taken them to the mall shortly after it opened. He'd been shocked that she'd made such a generous offer. She'd just smiled lightly and said softly, "It's alright, besides you guys need some decent clothing to wear when you aren't fighting bad guys and saving me from evil demonic warlords right?"

It had taken a little more than that to finally convince them to allow her to pay for the new items. She'd finally sighed and gotten frustrated with them. The first truly angry emotion he could remember since she had yelled at him and the others for arguing incessantly. "Oh for crying out loud, you're going to the store, you will each pick out a weeks worth of clothing at the least, two if I can bully you into it, and you will not argue with me anymore, the subject is closed. If you're worried about paying me back you can help me around the house and completing a few minor repairs if it means that much. Now get in there before I get really mad!"

They'd been totally astonished as she stood there hands on her hips face flushing lightly hair tousling and jade green eyes flashing. She took a deep breath and although his fascination started with her much earlier in their time together it was then that he realized that she was beautiful when she was angry. Female beauty wasn't something he had a lot of experience with so when he'd had the 'She's beautiful thought'. He'd gone scurrying backwards shying away from her after that and had only recently started to come back out of his shell. Spending time with her in the library, working with her on the codex, and he'd even asked her to teach him to cook. That was scary at first and Cye had laughed when he'd seen her in the kitchen with him showing him where everything was and how things worked.

She seemed to have fun though during their times together, sometimes he'd sit in the kitchen with one of his books for the classes he was taking before Talpa struck, pretending to study while he watched her cook a meal or go over her own school work. She was a college freshman, and he was a high school sophomore. She smiled at him and he was fairly certain she enjoyed his company but she was three years his senior at least so he wasn't certain how or what to do about his rapidly growing crush.

He acknowledged his fear as he was apt to do. It was better to confront it, deal with it and make it part of the solution then to bury it acting as if it wasn't there. He heard a gasp of breath and knew he'd been found out.

"Rowen?" She gave him a wide eyed and shocked look spying him in his comfy chair.

"Hi Mia." He replied with a slight smile running his fingers through his electric blue locks. "Everything okay?"

"Oh sure Rowen, just figured that I'd do some late reading since I couldn't sleep." She replied sheepishly to which he gave her a broad grin. She blushed lightly at him as she realized that neither of them was properly dressed, and he had only put on his sleeping pants, not bothering with a robe or a shirt even. He may have been 15 soon to be 16 and she had only last month turned 18 but she was definitely not immune to the handsome young man before her.

He noted the blush on her cheeks and was sure he was blushing as well since he felt his cheeks grow warm as he was caught out. He closed his book and set it aside, "would you rather talk for a bit instead?"

"I guess so." She replied softly coming to sit near him. "Is something wrong?" Her voice was concerned as she viewed him closely.

"No, but since the rest of the house is asleep and we're the only one's up..." He shrugged not sure how to continue. She laughed lightly at this and finally sank into the couch cushions across from him and relaxed some. He noted sadly that the seeming guard was back and took a deep breath to chase the sadness away. She was a very private person and he had the feeling that her family had been extremely traditional much like Sage's was.

"So what have you been up to?" She asked him glancing at the book he'd been 'reading' when she'd entered. She didn't seem to realize that he'd been watching and contemplating her though so he was safe in that regard.

"Not much, looking into an interesting theory in physics is all." He replied to her, "I never realized that you had so many books in regards to applied mathematics and physics though, I wouldn't have expected that at the home of a literature professor and his historian granddaughter."

She smiled lightly, "My mother studied physics actually. She's brilliant really. I wasn't quite as good at it as she is but she always seemed pleased with what I did manage to understand."

"You mean these books are your mothers?" He asked curious at this revelation.

"Oh yes, she studied in Paris and in Berlin before she met my father. My father was a diplomatic attache to France and they met at a university function." She admitted with a light smile, "What about your parents?"

He was a little taken aback by the question. "My dad's a scientist at Tokyo university and my mom is this major super star journalist who's currently been assigned to New York. Dad's an applied mathematician and does a lot of theoretical modeling and equations for quantum theories, he's brilliant and my mom, well she's always into something new. She just published a new book so I'm pretty sure she's researching her next topic."

"What are your parent's doing now?" He asked quietly watching her as she smiled sadly.

"I don't know actually Rowen. It's been over a year since I last heard from my parents themselves. Last I had heard, my father had been reassigned to a hot spot and my mother was going to retire and follow him. Last we spoke, they were pleased with my acceptance to Shin Sho but otherwise I've heard nothing." She replied softly, "My father did warn me that they may not be able to speak to me often though since where they were going had some trouble."

"I'm sorry Mia, it must be hard." He replied watching her carefully.

"I guess." She replied softly and he watched her closely still from where he sat. "So, what are your plans after school Rowen?"

"I'm actually hoping to go to Shin Sho and study, I like science but I'd like to study history and mythology." She smiled broadly at this.

"Have you chosen an era yet?" She asked interested in another who might be going into her field.

"I figured I'd poke my nose around a bit but I was thinking about maybe the time period our armors were created." He shrugged.

"Are you poaching in my territory now?" She asked him a slightly teasing tone to her voice as she viewed him.

"Never." He replied, "We all know that no one will ever master that exact era better then you Miss Koji."

She laughed lightly at this with a smile. "Do you have any other family? Brothers or sisters, cousins or the like?"

"Oh no, I'm an only child as were my parents." He replied with a grin, "How about you?"

"Oh I'm definitely an only child but I have two aunts from my father's side near Tokyo, and my mother has family back in France." She replied softly.

"So, what was it like growing up for you?" He asked watching her carefully.

"Well, I spent the first part of my life in Paris, my parents and I with my mother's family. When they were getting ready to be reassigned to their first major appointment, my father wanted me to learn more about his family, so I was sent here to live with my grandfather. It was very difficult at first. The cultures have some extreme differences and my aunts and I do not appreciate each other at all." She replied with a sigh.

"I'm sorry, I seem to be picking all the bad questions." He apologized sincerely.

"It's alright Rowen, your curious nature isn't a bad thing really, and it's not your fault." She replied smiling softly at him.

"Let's try something other than family for a bit, music." He replied trying to change the subject to something safer.

"Okay. Music sounds safer." She laughed with a small amount of amusement.

"Do you have a favorite song?" He asked.

"Um yes, it's currently, please don't laugh, called "Kiss Me", but it's the version by the Fray although the one by Six Pence is good too." She admitted, "I also like a group called 'Boyce Avenue' as well."

He was familiar with both but slightly surprised that she liked the first. "Okay do you play any instruments?"

"Yep, I play Piano and Guitar both acoustic and electric," she replied with a smile, "Now your turn."

"Okay, I currently don't have a favorite song right at this moment but I like American rock music and 'Boyce Avenue' is one of my favorites right now." He admitted. "I was trying to learn to play the electric Guitar right before I had to leave to help fight Talpa."

"Oh, I have an extra if you'd like to borrow it." She offered warmly, "I don't get to play very often so it would be nice that someone would get some use out of it since I haven't been able to use it."

"Really? I'm not very good though." He admitted to her suddenly shy at the offer.

"Well, the only way to get anywhere is to practice." She replied.

"That's very true." He smiled at her with a nod.

"I can show you where it is in the morning if you'd like."

"That would be great."

They sat for a moment in silence enjoying the company and she went to stand, "I'd better get to bed. I'm expecting a call from one of my aunts in the morning."

"Oh yeah, then you'd better get to bed then I guess."

"Shouldn't you go as well? It would be nice to see you before noon you know." She smirked at him suddenly an impish look in her eyes.

He shrugged at that, "Mia, the song, why do you like it so much?"

She stopped for a moment considering the question and he rose closing the distance between them for a moment, "I like the piano and I rather like the lyrics."

"What would those be?" He asked feigning ignorance and from the blush he'd done it well.

"Oh, there's this part where they sing, 'Oh kiss me beneath the milky twighlight, lead me out on the moonlit floor...' the cadence is soft and gentle and it feels like a lullaby when I hear it." She blushed as he came closer.

"Makes sense." He replied watching her closely. "Come on, I'll walk you to your room."

"I guess so." She replied softly eyes wide watching him as he suddenly smiled at her a wicked little smile that made her feel like electricity was shooting through her.

He offered her his arm and when they stood before her door she smiled up at him and he leaned down hugging her tightly as she closed her eyes relishing the feeling of his arms around her. She returned it feeling a thrill as it went on. He took a deep breath holding her and leaned in further kissing her softly as she pulled closer to him. The dynamic electricity sparking through her as she returned the kiss of the young man who held her scared away any doubts that she might have about it. When he pulled away she whimpered slightly and he smiled as she opened her eyes.

"Goodnight Mia."

"Goodnight Rowen."

She felt the warmth of his touch long after she'd gone to bed that night and slept soundly since the first time they'd returned from the dynasty.