Hot Chocolate
Set after the series.
It was the winter after the Cyniclons had come back to Earth. Kisshu was living with Ichigo, and going to her school. Currently, however, it was winter break.
"I hate winter," Ichigo said to Kisshu.
"Why?" Kisshu asked. "You get lots of cookies and presents in winter."
Ichigo giggled, then said, "I don't like the cold. I used to like it and the snow, but then I got cat genes, and now I hate it all."
"Well, you should be glad you didn't live on our planet before the Mew Aqua," Kisshu said, his face going serious. "It was nothing BUT snow and ice and cold, year round. We had to live underground, and there was never any sun. That's why we all have pale skin."
"Wow…" Ichigo said softly. "I'm sorry."
Kisshu blinked. "Why? It's not your fault my planet used to be dying."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Ichigo said.
Kisshu took her hand, and said, "It's not your fault. You didn't cause my people to nearly die out. The only thing you have to be sorry for is something I forgave a long time ago. So now there's nothing for you to be sorry for, k?"
To Kisshu's surprise, Ichigo took her hand away from his and buried her face in her hands. Kisshu was about to ask what was wrong, when he remembered something. This happens every time I mention the rejections, and I just keep forgetting, he thought. I'd really better try harder to remember that she can't stand the fact that she rejected me so much. The minute I teleported to her room when I first came back, she was trying to kill herself. And Ryou and her parents said that's happened a few times. I really should have come back to Earth sooner. I think I put her through just as much pain as she did me. Unfortunately, while I can forgive her, she can't forgive herself.
While Kisshu was cursing himself for reminding Ichigo about the rejections again, Ichigo was wondering why he even wanted to be near her. Even though I love him more than I ever loved Aoyama, I feel like the past is too much sometimes, she thought. I know he doesn't mean to hurt me with memories, but after he left, I felt like a part of me left with him. I broke up with Aoyama four days after that battle, but that didn't really help much. The only good thing about waiting for him was that my parents quit the stupid vacations after Ryou called them to tell them I was trying to commit suicide while they were gone. I can't count how many times I wondered if I'd be better off dead, and I know I tried to kill myself at least five times. Eight months is all it was, but frankly, two weeks was more than enough without Kisshu. I guess we're both lucky he came back when he did, and teleported into my room; my parents were at the movies and the pain just got too much again, so I took a knife out of the kitchen, wrote them a letter, and was about to stab myself when Kisshu ripped the knife out of my hand and pinned me down again. A small sob escaped her lips as she thought, Even though he's pretty much healed my heart, there's always a part of me that wonders if I really deserve him. And I also worry about making a mistake. If he left me- I don't even want to think about what would happen.
Kisshu, meanwhile, had stopped berating himself, and decided to listen to Ichigo's thoughts instead. So he basically heard everything, and got worried when he heard a small sob from behind her hands. She doesn't usually cry; instead she shuts everyone out until I can get her back to normal, he thought. Focusing harder on her mind, he saw the last thing he wanted to see- the image of a knife. Great…. if she starts thinking suicide again, we're all in for it, he thought. An idea occurred to him, and he lifted a hand, palm out. A ripple formed in the air, and hit Ichigo. She froze, unable to move.
"Did you have to?" she asked.
"Yes," Kisshu said calmly. "Every time you start thinking about knives, I freeze you. It's for both of our good. And for your information, even if you made a mistake, I would never leave you. I love you, and I always will, no matter what. The only mistake you could make that would make me leave you is killing me, and even that might not work. I'd most likely turn into a ghost and start haunting you." He smirked when she squeaked. Then he got another idea, and said, "Wait here, I'll be back soon with something to cheer you up."
"Not like I've got much of a choice, but okay," Ichigo said.
Kisshu stood up and teleported downstairs. Then he got another idea, and teleported to the kitchen of Café Mew Mew. Keiichiro was in there, and he jumped. "Sorry," Kisshu said. "Do you have any chocolate-covered strawberries?"
"Yeah, they're in the fridge," Keiichiro said. "Why?"
"Ichigo's thinking again," Kisshu said.
"AGAIN?" Keiichiro asked, worried.
"Yup, and I need something to make her happy. I froze her again, so she can't do anything," Kisshu said as he pulled a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries out of the fridge.
He was about to teleport when Keiichiro said, "Hang on, I know something else that will make her happy."
Kisshu watched as Keiichiro took a pot and filled it with milk, then started heating the milk up. When it was hot but not quite boiling, he poured a bunch of brown powder in, then added some chocolate syrup and stirred it up. Then he poured it into two hot-drink paper cups, and put them on the tray with the strawberries. "There," Keiichiro said.
"What is that?" Kisshu asked.
"Hot chocolate, she loves it," Keiichiro said. "Careful getting home."
"Thanks," Kisshu said. "I'll bring the tray back later." He teleported back to Ichigo's room, where she was still sitting on the bed, frozen. Kisshu put the tray on her desk, and snapped his fingers, unfreezing her.
She immediately jumped up and asked, "Where WERE you?"
Kisshu pointed to her desk. Ichigo looked, and her face lit up. Kisshu smiled as she hugged him tightly, then went over to her desk. "You got hot chocolate AND chocolate-covered strawberries?" she asked happily, good mood restored.
"Yup, Keiichiro made the hot chocolate," Kisshu said. "There's one for each of us. I've never had it…"
"It's really good," Ichigo said, taking one of the cups and handing it to him.
Kisshu took a sip, and said, "You're right, this is great!"
"So are the strawberries," Ichigo said. "Thanks, Kisshu."
Kisshu smiled. "Sure, Koneko-chan."
Okay, so the title doesn't really come into play a lot, but I like it. Review please, I won't post again till tomorrow.
