"You've already become more like us than human. No matter how much you try to explain, they'll never truly understand you!"
"Run away with me?"
His words were ringing in her ears. While she adamantly refused to acknowledge them during battle, the young redhead couldn't deny the truth they held.
As time passed, Kisshu's words continued to bother her. Especially the way he looked at her when he'd spoken. There was a desperate need in his golden eyes.
After all the time they'd spent fighting, she'd started to pick up on his feelings; it was all in his movements. The way he hesitated before charging her. The momentary look of regret when he injured her. Even his constant flirting held a small tone of sincerity. It was starting to sway her feelings.
Kisshu had begun noticed the way she was starting to look at him. He had cornered her when one day and asked her about it. But the teen outright denied it, blushing and telling him he was reading into her too much. His response was a smirk and she paled at the knowing glint in his golden eyes.
He'd left her there, haughtily playing along with her little lie.
After that, it wasn't long before she realized her heart was starting to betray her. Her feelings for Aoyama were nothing compared to what she now felt for Kisshu. That secret was slowly eating at her conscience, making her paranoid whenever they fought. She had slipped up so many times because of it and the others were getting suspicious.
She wanted to curse her heart; to curse herself for wanting to run away from everything and get to know him. But she couldn't. No matter how hard Ichigo tried, her stomach would flutter and her heart race whenever the green-haired alien appeared.
His consistent pleads for her to join him were becoming too tempting. With every passing battle, it grew harder and harder to deny his requests.
However, one fateful day, she finally gave in.
Ichigo was sitting in homeroom, silently seething as she ate her bento. There were bags under her eyes from all the late nights doing homework after battles. It was starting to take its toll on her and Minto had ever-so-kindly pointed it out this morning. Then, Ryou had pulled her aside and warned her about slipping in battle again. At this rate, she'd have to tell them what's wrong or be forced to the sidelines.
The sound of her name being whispered pulled her from those thoughts. Glancing around, she found a group of her classmates huddled together and gossiping. For the last few months, whenever Moe and Miwa were out, that group would antagonize her. Unfortunately, the two girls were both out sick today.
A few minutes later, one of the girls approached her with a strange look in her eye. Ichigo sighed in irritation. Her day was about to get worse.
"Momomiya-san. Why do you skip class so often?" Glancing up, Ichigo gave her a slight glare before turning away guiltily. She hadn't done anything to earn the redhead's ire yet, but something nagged at the back of her mind. The girl continued. "You're not doing anything dirty are you?"
The neko spluttered, spitting and coughing out the rice roll she'd been eating in shock. "No! I wouldn't!"
"Then why do you skip?" Usually, Moe and Miwa were here to help her with excuses. They had discovered her secret shortly after the incident and promised not to tell. "Well, Momomiya-san?"
"I-," she hesitated before sighing. "That's none of your business."
"Oh?" Malicious amusement grew into the girl's tone and a chill ran down Ichigo's spine. The rest of the class had gone silent, watching them intently. She didn't like where this was going. "And why is that?"
"I said it's none of your business." Now she was getting angry. Her morning had already been less than pleasant, and now this?
The girl smirked. "Then we can only assume the worst. Maybe you've gotten caught up with the yakuza, or even better, sold yourself to some old geezer." The group this girl had huddled with burst into laughter, adding even more insults, as she smirked in victory. Ichigo lowered her head, bangs shadowing her eyes as her anger rose.
"What's wrong, Momomiya-san?" Venom dripped from the girl's voice, snapping the last of the neko's patience.
"You have no idea." Finally looking up, her brown eyes had turned pink. A pair of black, furry ears and a matching tail popped out and everyone gasped. She knew they were exposed but was too angry to care. "After all the sacrifices I've made, protecting humanity, this is the thanks I get?"
"Momomiya-sa-"
"No! I don't care anymore! If this is how I'm treated, I don't care what happens to humanity!" She raced out of the room, unaware of the golden eyes that watched from afar.
Ichigo had run to the roof. Curled up by the door, she sat sniffling into her knees. Her body shook from the sheer force of her sadness as she struggled to hold in her tears. No, she refused to cry; to give them the satisfaction of breaking her down.
Then, a calming hand came to rest on her shoulder.
Startled, she raised her head to see the one her heart longed for. His golden eyes shone with sympathy as he kneeled in front of her. Running a clawed hand gently through her hair, he silently comforted her until her struggle receded.
Kisshu frowned at her state and an ocean of anger washed over him. Her eyes were red and bloodshot, with dark bags under them. Red trails streaked the sides of her face and she was still shaking. That girl had really hurt his little neko. She would pay, but only after he'd comforted Ichigo.
Taking a deep breath, the redhead finally spoke. "Thank you, Kisshu. But why are you here?"
"Oh koneko-chan," he chuckled. "I'm always watching over you."
A few months ago, that would've freaked her out. But now, it made her heart soar and fill with warmth. She tried her best to smile up at him, but the flat look he gave her made it falter.
Ichigo looked down before she spoke again. "You heard that, didn't you."
"I did," Kisshu sat down in front of her, still a few inches taller than her. "I never thought this would happen."
With a sigh, he gently grabbed the neko's hands and pulled her into a hug. That was all it took for her to break down. She wrapped her arms around him, grabbing at the fabric of his vest, nuzzling into his neck as she sobbed. The strength of her tears Her grip tightened as he whispered calming words into her furry ears and rubbed soothing circles into her back.
All her frustration and sadness slowly washed away under his comfort. She fell asleep in his hold, exhausted from releasing everything that had built up in the last few months.
Kisshu sighed and picked her up. "It's time you came with me, Ichigo."
He wasn't expecting a response. So he was surprised when her tail wrapped around his waist. A gentle smile turned his lips as he disappeared into the sky.
Ichigo stirred, slowly waking up.
"You're awake."
She glanced over at the source of the voice, expecting one of her classmates. Instead, she was met with a familiar pair of golden eyes. With a start, she tried to move away only to be stopped by a wall. Only then did she realize they were in a room she didn't recognize.
Brown eyes scanned the room. It was sparsely decorated with furniture. A small, glass table was surrounded by two couches and plush chairs. Two beds were on the other side of the room, one with yellow sheets, the other with blue. Glancing down, she realized she was sitting on a third bed with forest green sheets.
Kisshu sat in front of her, crossing his legs. "You cried yourself to sleep so I brought you here."
"Oh." Now that he'd mentioned it, she remembered crying in his arms. Red dusted her cheeks at the realization that she'd been in his arms. "Ah, thank you, Kisshu."
He gave her a fanged smile and her heart skipped a beat. It seemed as though he realized something because his smile dropped. "What made you cry, anyway?"
"Well, some of my classmates were picking on me." She hugged an arm to her side. That girl's words had been hurtful. Then, the thought of this morning's lecture came to mind. "Not only that, but the other Mews aren't exactly happy with how much I've been slipping in battle."
His eyes widened at the sight of fresh tears pooling in her eyes. Not knowing what else to do, he pulled her into his lap, hugging her much like he had earlier. To say Ichigo was shocked was an understatement. But, she relaxed and returned the hug.
Both silently cheered in joy at the contact, something they'd always wanted to do. When they finally released each other, Ichigo blushed from head to toe, smiling sheepishly at him. Kisshu merely smirked, knowing his little neko had finally admitted her feelings.
Clearing his throat, a blush spreading across his cheeks, he asked, "Since the humans seem to be ungrateful, and I want nothing to do with Deep Blue, will you run away with me and let me protect you?"
Her eyes widened. He still wanted her to be with him. It sent warmth through her chest, knowing he hadn't given up on her. Taking a deep breath, she finally answered. "I will."
Kisshu couldn't keep the shock out of his face. Then a smile wide smile replaced it.
He stood up, walked into a closet and came back with a packed bag. He'd been prepared to leave for a while it seemed. A clawed hand reached toward her and she looked up at him.
With a smile to match his, she grabbed his hand and he picked her up. Then they disappeared, never to be heard from again.
Or will they?