Pai's Regrets

Seeing Pai pace was a common thing now a days; he could often be found pacing the floor in front of his bed or around his lab, lost in deep thoughts. It never usually bothered Taruto, but this time was different because he knew exactly why he was doing it. He's thinking about the final battle again... Although the young one had forgiven his brother for everything long ago, the scientist could never forgive himself. Taruto sighed and glanced over at Lettuce who was frowning at the sight.

'Pai stop it.'

The small boy planted himself in front of the elder one with a stern look on his face. Sighing, Pai flopped down on one of the couch chairs dejectedly, head in his hands as he sighed again.

'Why haven't you killed me yet? I betrayed you and yet you so willingly forgive me. I killed you, hate me!'

Pai's head shot up as he glared at the boy in front of him, silently begging for some kind of punishment; his wise grey eyes swirling with misery and regrets, more so than any one man deserves to carry. Taruto just stood there; tears of anger, sadness and annoyance prickled threateningly at the edges of his eyes. He felt the strong urge to give the man a smack, maybe then that would knock some sense into him at least.

'Pai for goodness sake we've been over this! I forgave you because you are my brother, no matter what happens and no matter what you do nothing is going to change that! You had no choice but to kill me because you were being brainwashed-!'

'That's no excuse!'

Pai was standing again, the hatred of himself flooding his system and tears were now freely running down Taruto's face.

'That doesn't excuse the fact that I murdered a child, my brother, my own flesh and blood! Do you think Mew Pudding is ever going to accept me being here? She was distraught when you died! And Mother and Father don't even consider me to be their son anymore, I'm dead to them. You should have left me to my punishment and saved yourselves.'

'You think we'd leave you behind? You're our brother Pai! Do you think we would have made it here by ourselves? Been able to sort a truce? And neither me nor Kisshu would have known what to do last night, Ichigo would still be dead if it wasn't for you! And besides, you fixed it; I mean I'm alive aren't I?'

Pai sighed for the third time that morning and sunk back down onto the chair again, bowing his head in defeat. Taruto sat next to him and put his head on his shoulder, trying to bring some comfort to him if anything.

Lettuce, who had been sat in the window seat listening to the argument intently, picked up her cell phone and sent a message. There, she thought, now Pai has a chance to fix something else...

Upstairs, Kish and Ichigo could be found leaning against the bedroom door, they had also been listening to the quarrel. They looked at each other, silently asking one another if they could do anything to help, but they decided not to interfere for now.

Meanwhile, nobody downstairs had moved an inch for the past ten minutes. The silence was thick but not uncomfortable, and was soon broken by a tapping at the front door. Three heads flicked towards the sudden noise and Lettuce hopped up, quickly going to answer it while muffled footsteps could be heard upstairs. There on the threshold stood Pudding, clad her usual orange attire and a soft smile on her cheery little face,

'Hi Lettuce, what's going on na no da?'

A small gasp followed by a groan was heard from within as Pai heard the tinkling voice and two sets of footsteps ascended the stairs.

'Yea Lettuce what is going on?' Ichigo stood side by side with Kisshu, a questioning look present on both faces.

The girl in question smiled and said simply 'Pai has some mistakes he needs to fix.'

'P-Pai?' The little girl at the door clinched her fists slightly and a pout made its way onto her features, 'He's back na no da?' Lettuce nodded and let her in, then looked over at Pai who looked quite frankly betrayed.

'It's for your own good Pai.'

Pai sighed as he and Taruto stood up awaiting the onslaught that was soon to come from Pudding. She glared at him and stated plainly,

'You killed him.'

'Yes.'

'You hurt my friends.'

'Yes.'

'Because you had to.'

'Yes.'

Every word stung, digging deeper at his already black and blue heart. Pudding broke eye contact and looked at the ground, sighing,

'He forgave you?'

'Yes.'

There was silence for a few moments, then the tears Pudding hadn't realised she'd been shedding stopped and she smiled.

'Then I suppose na no da, I can forgive you too.'

Pai blinked, what? The yellow Mew giggled slightly and walked over to where he sat,

'I can't stay mad at people, it's just a quality of being Pudding na no da.'

She grinned and hugged him around the middle, and hesitantly, he hugged back. Although, Pai being Pai wasn't a know giver of hugs, so he was a bit awkward in doing so. Everybody present smiled at the scene; Kisshu put and arm around his Kitten who snuggled against him slightly and Lettuce blinked back happy tears. The peace was broken however by Taruto who yelped as Pudding let go of Pai and glomped the poor boy and laughter filled the room.

'I missed you Taru-Taru na no da!'

'Yea, I guess I missed you too.'

The poor alien was immediately half strangled again by a more than happy Pudding.

'And don't call me that!'

A few hours past as the group just talked, discussing truce plans and filling each other in on what had happened since they last met.

'Well I'm glad to see you're feeling better from last night Ichigo, and you Lettuce.' Taruto said, causing Ichigo to frown and Lettuce to blush.

'What happened to Lettuce?' She asked.

'Um, well as you know, Lettuce was the one who found you and um, decided to raid the cafes liquor cabinet...' Taruto trailed of, not needing to explain any further.

'Lettuce got drunk na no da?!' Pudding was grinning at her madly blushing friend who started stuttering.

'Uh well y-yea kind of.'

'I'm sorry Lettuce.'

'Don't be Ichigo, it's all over now right?' Ichigo nodded and smiled. Lettuce then turned to Kisshu apologetically.

'I uh, I'm sorry about last night Kisshu, I wasn't trying to hit you.'

Kisshu smiled and nodded, brushing it aside. Feeling Ichigo's confusing he looked at her and explained.

'She nearly hit me with a bottle.'

'Lettuce!' Ichigo looked at her in shock.

'I'm sorry! I wasn't expecting him to teleport in right at that moment!' A few chuckles floated around the room before Lettuce stood up,

'Anybody want a cup of tea?' Everyone in the room nodded.

'Hm, I was half expecting the bird Mew to break down the door at the mention of tea.' Kisshu commented, smirking proudly at his own joke. Eyes were rolled and chuckles let loose at the thought of their tea-addicted friend.

'I'll help you Lettuce.' Pai got up and followed the blushing girl to the kitchen, trying to ignore the near identical smirks produced from Kish and Ichigo and the muffled giggles from the younger two.

Immature fools...

Lettuce filled the kettle and set it to boil as Pai found the cups and placed six of them on the counter. Lettuce popped a tea bag in each one, grabbed the milk and sugar then set everything on a tea tray she found in one of the cupboards.

'Lettuce?'

'Hm?'

'Why are you blushing?'

'W-wha- I-I am?' She put a hand on her cheek and felt the heat.

'Yes. You always seem to blush around me, and also your heart beat increases and you can never look me in the eye.' He took a step towards the girl who took a step back, eyes wide.

'And all of this implies,' he took another step forward and Lettuce found her back pressed against the counter, 'that you're in love with me.'

Lettuce stood in shock, slightly creeped out by his accuracy, how does he do that? She gulped and took a deep breath (A/N: she's been doing that a lot recently 0.o) preparing herself for rejection slash humiliation.

'Y-yes Pai, I think I might be.' To her surprise, he didn't run away screaming; he smiled.

'Good, because I do believe that I'm in love with you Lettuce Midorikawa.' Lettuce thought for a moment that she was hearing things, but was proved wrong when he bent down and place a small, tender kiss upon her lips. Neither of them could be happier as they smiled at each other, and on the other side of the door, four figures who had previously been pressed up against the wood grinned and high fived each other, doing silent little happy dances and all thinking the same thing:

Finally! Jeez it took them long enough...

TADA! Ooh drama, ooh my awful attempt at comedy, ooh PaixLettuce fluff!

Hope you likey like! :3

R&R for next chapter :D