A/N: A little one-shot scenario that I entertained myself with while dreaming of future chapters. :) Thanks for looking at my first fanfic!

Love Fragrance

As the last scene of the day was ending, the chatter of giddy young actresses could be heard near the set. Cain both excited and frightened them, so they kept their adoration to a distance. He did little more than acknowledge their existence with a glance, but it was all that was needed to feed the flames.

Today, as some of the braver girls were wondering if they should try to speak to him, Setsuka couldn't help but revel in the closeness she shared with her brother. She also couldn't help but feel jealous whenever he paid attention to anyone else. And in her mind, Cain had wandered a little too close to the group of flustered geese as he left the set, causing them to squawk in delight. Setsuka chased after him as he started his way down the hall to his dressing room.

"Wait! Wait for me, Nii-san!!" She flung herself at him with such force, and held onto him with such possessiveness, that Cain's balance could not be saved. Setsuka managed to land square on his lap, and continued her grip around his torso.

"I won't share you with anyone!" Setsuka wailed in a spoiled tone. Cain caught a hint of tension in her words. He reciprocated the embrace, smirking slightly.

"You know that I'm yours alone."

"You need to be only mine forever." She squeezed with every fiber of her being. Cain sighed heavily, his soul hit with the unintended weight of her words. He tightened his grasp and rested his chin near the top of her head.

Setsuka's heart melted. It was as if he was sealing her away from the rest of the world. His heartbeat pounded in her ears. The feel of his warm, bare arms on her skin was electrifying. And somehow, this embrace was slightly different than usual, as if her brother's aura had changed. It was familiar, comforting, and wonderful somehow. An absent, gentle fragrance began seeping out of her memories, permeating her senses, and it made her heart swell so much that she had to expel it with her next breath.

"Tsuruga-san, I love you."

She probably wouldn't have noticed her mistake had Cain not stiffened like stone. It was so horrifying that Kyouko emerged to give a frantic apology and then ran off to the dressing room to recompose herself. Not only had she called out the wrong name, but she said that name... and in a sentence like that!!

"Cain" shuffled to his feet in his usual manner, strutting around the hall just briefly enough to verify there were no witnesses nearby before going to the dressing room. All the while the man's heart was throbbing, his mind revisiting the incident over and over. Could his name have just popped into such a lovey scene without any attachment? Is he just overreacting to hearing her say "Tsuruga" and "love" in the same sentence?? He took a deep breath as he reached the dressing room door, calming himself before speaking softly to the petrified occupant on the other side.

"You may think I am upset by your words, and for many reasons I probably should be. But I'm not. The words you said just now... made me very happy. Please, let me speak to you."

After a bewildered pause, the door slowly opened in response, then shut again behind him. She was unable to tell exactly who was standing before her now. She couldn't get herself to meet his eyes, stealing only a glance just long enough to see his expression. His face appeared slightly troubled as he was carefully choosing his words. It seemed to be Ren. He sat down near the corner of the room and drew in a lightly shaken breath before he spoke.

"Your words made me happy... because I love Mogami Kyouko-san. I have for a long time."

Kyouko's widened eyes locked onto Ren before she could stop herself. Her head was spinning in disbelief, yet her heart leapt loudly in her chest and a hot sensation seemed to engulf her body. How could this be possible? Yet one look at him, with his head now humbly hanging down onto his hands, told her that he was clearly telling the truth. Memories raced through her head: enchanting smiles, angry faces, shared experiences, the kiss on her cheek.

"I'm sorry to trouble you with this kind of talk. I hoped that perhaps an affection for me had caused the break in your acting. I apologize..." Ren trailed off as he looked up at her face, which she quickly turned to the side. She realized he was waiting for a reply. But how could she possibly? She of all people. Oh, why did she have to slip and call out his real name? And why had it slipped? Hadn't she been deep in her Setsuka role, filled with love for the brother who held her? Remembering how she felt in his arms, she realized it was a memory of Ren's scent that had pushed her over the edge. Kyouko blushed profusely and she looked back at Ren.

"Tsuruga-san," She whispered. She was frightened, but his imploring eyes begged her to continue. Surely those eyes would not hurt her. Surely she could believe in him. Her chest felt like it would burst.

"I think what I said was true... that I love you, too."

She watched as Ren's expression changed to one overcome with joy, disbelief, and gratefulness. An expression that Kyouko thought was probably the most beautiful she had ever seen. He held a hand up to his face to hide his embarrassment, relief, and most of all the tears that he fought to hold back.

Kyouko wondered awkwardly what to say or do, when Ren looked up at her and gently asked, "May I hold you?"

Her face flushed as her body temperature surged again, and she nodded timidly. She felt as though she was somehow merging into Ren's warm, secure embrace... losing herself. And for the first time in a long while, she thought it just might be ok.

The End!

I hope it wasn't too boring ^^;; Thanks for reading! 3