Hurt Feelings

I can't believe Pai would say that…. Kisshu thought miserably. That was WORSE than Ichigo's rejections.

Flashback: "Why don't you just admit you like her?" Kisshu asked playfully. "You and she will both be better off that way. And then you can start calling her Fishy-chan!"

Pai turned red. "Jeez, I'm only teasing," Kisshu snickered. "Can't you take a joke?"

"So you DON'T want me to admit I'm in love with Lettuce?" Pai asked.

"I was talking about that nickname, but looks like you just admitted it," Kisshu snickered. "Now you should go tell her!"

That obviously hit a nerve, because Pai shouted, "Kisshu, just leave me alone! I'm sick of your teasing. I never want to see you again!"

The smirk dropped off Kisshu's face in less than a second, and he asked, "Do you really mean that?"

"YES!" Pai shouted.

Kisshu had never felt more hurt. He lowered his head, and teleported off.

-End Flashback-

Pai's always been my best friend; how could he say that? Kisshu wondered. He was sitting under the sakura tree in Inohara Park, and a tear trickled down his face. Soon he was curled up, crying.

Ichigo was also in the park that day; she had finished destroying her pendant, and was looking for Kisshu. As she reached the sakura tree, she heard crying from the other side. She hesitantly went over, and walked around the tree. To her shock, it was Kisshu who was crying.

She hesitantly walked over to him, and asked softly, "Why are you crying?"

Kisshu didn't look up, he just moaned, "Pai hates me…."

"Pai?" Ichigo asked, puzzled.

"He said he never wants to see me again!" Kisshu wailed. "I thought he was my best friend…."

Ichigo sat down next to Kisshu and gently put her arm around his shoulders. "Why are you being nice?" he asked.

"Because I finally figured out how to melt my pendant, which is how Ryou spies on me," Ichigo said. "And because my friends landed Aoyuck in the hospital for hitting me when I dumped him. And because I love you, and you need comforting."

"You love me?" Kisshu asked.

"Yes, but I had to make everyone think I hated you because of Blondie being so racist," Ichigo said. "He spent all his free time spying on me, so I never got the chance to tell you my feelings until I discovered my dad's flamethrower, and melted my pendant. Now he can't spy on me."

"Can I come home with you?" Kisshu asked sadly. "Pai doesn't like me anymore…."

"Sure," Ichigo said. Kisshu took her hand and teleported to her room. When they landed, though, Kisshu stumbled a bit, and Ichigo caught him. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"I don't feel good…." Kisshu said.

Ichigo felt his forehead, and said, "You're burning up; maybe you made yourself sick crying so much. You should lie down, you're looking shaky. I don't mind if you take my bed."

Kisshu sat down on Ichigo's bed, and took off his boots, then climbed under the covers. "Do you want me to stay?" Ichigo asked gently.

"Yeah…." Kisshu said sleepily.

"Okay, I just need to get a cool cloth, and I'll be right back," Ichigo said. She got up and went to the bathroom, then soaked a washcloth in ice water, wrung it out, and went back to her room, putting it over Kisshu's forehead. Then she climbed onto the bed with him, and started gently stroking his hair as she said, "Get some rest, Kisshu." Kisshu fell asleep pretty quickly, and Ichigo kept stroking his hair.

A few hours later, Ichigo was worried. Kisshu's fever had gone up, and he was still asleep. She didn't want to wake him, and she didn't know if he could take human fever medicine. He shifted in his sleep, and Ichigo looked down to see that he was crying again. This isn't good… she thought. NOW what do I do? I guess I could call Pai; but if he's still mad at Kisshu, that might not be a good idea- especially since I don't think any of the Cyniclons know that Lettuce, Pudding, and I can use telepathy. I don't want to make him more mad if he thinks Kisshu gave me that ability.

Suddenly her cell phone rang, startling her and waking up Kisshu. "Stay quiet, it's Blondie," Ichigo told him softly, and picked up. "What do you want, Ryou?" she asked. "I already told you I'm not coming back!"

"Why isn't your pendant giving off a signal?" Ryou asked.

"I destroyed it with my dad's flamethrower, because I'm sick of being spied on," Ichigo said calmly. "And if you don't quit bugging me, I'll destroy you as well. I can transform without the evil little device, you know. Oh, and if you come to my house, you WILL be destroyed, got that?"

"Did the aliens do something to you?" Ryou asked suspiciously.

"No," Ichigo said. "They don't know about you spying on me with the pendant; if they did something, they'd ask me to keep the pendant. And they don't know I can transform without it."

"That would give us an advantage," Ryou said.

"Forgetting something?" Ichigo asked. "I quit. You can't MAKE me fight, especially since I hate the fighting. And Pudding destroyed that brainwashing device, so don't even think about brainwashing me."

"Is that why she and Lettuce quit? You brainwashed them?" Ryou asked.

"NO, they're sick of the fighting too," Ichigo said. "This is a waste of my time. Go back to your stupid computers, and leave me and my friends in peace, or I will personally kill you- whether you're in cat form or not. Goodbye." She hung up, cutting off whatever Ryou was going to say next.

Kisshu was looking at her, and she said, "If he comes here, he can go down. I won't let him hurt you, k?"

"K," Kisshu said. "Thanks, Koneko-chan."

"Sure Kish," Ichigo said.

"I have a nickname?" Kisshu asked.

"Yup," Ichigo said.

"Yay!" Kisshu said. Then his smile faded, and he said, "I have a headache…."

"You've still got a fever, too," Ichigo said. "Do you know if you can take human medicine?"

"It's poisonous," Kisshu said gloomily.

"Do you want me to call Pai?" Ichigo asked.

"Pai hates me…." Kisshu moaned. "And besides, I don't remember his number."

"I can use telepathy," Ichigo said.

It turned out this wasn't necessary, as they heard teleportation, and Pai appeared. He looked worried when he saw Kisshu, and asked, "Kisshu, are you sick?"

"I think I made myself sick crying…." Kisshu said miserably. "You hate me, don't you?"

"I made you cry?" Pai asked, worried.

"Yeah…." Kisshu said sadly. "That was worse than Ichigo's rejections…."

Pai looked horrified, and sank down on the edge of Ichigo's bed, looking gloomily at the floor. "I'll leave you two alone," Ichigo said softly, and got up, then left. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me," she said before closing the door.

"Do you still hate me?" Kisshu asked Pai sadly.

"No," Pai said softly. "I never did. I was just angry. I'm really sorry for hurting you, Kisshu."

"I'm glad… I don't like being hurt," Kisshu said. "Ichigo hurting me I can handle. But you're my best friend, and I can't handle you hurting me."

"I'm really sorry, Kisshu," Pai said. "Do you need me to heal you?"

"Yeah, I don't feel good," Kisshu said.

Pai put a hand on Kisshu's chest, and started healing him. Ten minutes later, he asked, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, thanks," Kisshu said, sitting up. To his surprise, Pai hugged him. He hugged back, but they broke apart when they heard Ichigo shout her transformation. "I guess Blondie's here," Kisshu said, as Ichigo shouted, "Ribon… STRAWBERRY SURPRISE!"

"Should we go see?" Pai asked.

"Nah, she told him she would personally kill him if he came here, I doubt she needs help," Kisshu said.

This was proven correct as Ichigo knocked on the door and asked, "Can I come in?"

"Yep," Kisshu said.

Ichigo opened the door and said, "Blondie is a pile of ash. Did you get things settled?"

"Yes," Kisshu said. "And Pai healed the fever I had."

"Good, I'm glad," Ichigo said. "I made chocolate chip cookies; do you two want some?"

"Yes please," Kisshu and Pai said immediately.

Ichigo giggled and said, "They're downstairs, but I can bring some up here if you'd like."

"We'll come downstairs," Kisshu said, getting up. He and Pai followed Ichigo to the kitchen, and sat down at the table while she brought over a platter of cookies. Then she sat down with them, and said, "Okay, have some!"

Kisshu immediately took one, and bit into it. "This is GREAT!" he said happily.

"I agree," Pai said.

Ichigo smiled. "I'm glad you like them," she said.

It's short. I KNOW that. But I like it, and I hope you do as well. Please review!