Chapter 10 - Cherries

Revised on 1/4/12.


"What happened to your eye, Retasu?"

I could feel my face harden at Ichigo's question. I stared at her through my good eye, touching the bandage that was over my right one. I let out a humorless laugh as the other Mews gathered around, their faces filled with concern. "I fell down and my glasses broke." I said, once again bonking my head, smiling falsely. "Some of the shards got in my eye." There was no way that I could tell them that the 'Mew Aqua' had merged with my iris.

"I'm so stupid!" I drew back at Pai's angry shout. "Of course the 'Mew Aqua' merged with you! It always does!" I gingerly touched the bandage over my eye. Ever since I had gotten my eye taken care of at the doctor's, I had felt energy constantly flowing through me. It was a warm feeling, like I had just drunk a hot cup of tea.

"You're not stupid, Pai-san." I said, reaching out to take his hand. I was fearful, for I had never seen him so upset. "There is no way that you could have known that it would merge with me." He glared up at me, his amethyst eyes blazing.

"No, I should have known." He growled, turning away from me, resting his head in his hand. "You're not like the others. That's why it wanted to merge with you…" He trailed off, slumping down onto my bed. I watched in despair as my lover rubbed his temples in frustration, staring blankly ahead of him. "You're not like a human." I felt a little taken aback by his words, but I concluded that he must have been referring about the fact that I was a Mew, and that I had placed my allegiance with the aliens.

"Pai-san, what's done is done, and we can't change what has happened." He looked up at me again, the anger clear in his eyes.

"Retasu, do you truly understand the severity of the situation?" He asked as I paused, furrowing my brow.

"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled. I knew that it would take a while for my wound to heal and that I would probably always have 'Mew Aqua' in my body, but I didn't understand what he meant. He sighed, resting his head in his hand again.

"Either you won't ever be able to see out of your eye again or…" He looked up, staring vacantly at the door. I felt my throat tighten. "Or you will be able to see more things than you want to."

"Like what?"

"I can't tell you."

I slowly walked over to the bed, sitting down next to him. "Don't ever tell yourself that you're stupid, Pai-san." I said, feeling tears welling up as I saw the sorrow in his eyes. "You know so many things that I don't-"

"There are many things that I know that you don't." He growled, turning to face me. "And I hate it that I can't tell you."

I knew that it was stupid to ask 'like what?' so I didn't. I looked down at the cracked marble that I cradled in my hand, pondering Pai's words. Ever since the incident where the Mew Aqua had merged with me, it had become a clear marble, with the exception on the cat's eye in the center.

"When does your bandage come of, Retasu?"

"I don't know. Probably in a couple weeks," I replied. "That's what the doctor said."

"I hope you get well soon, na no da!"

Minto simply shook her head at Purin, her hands on her hips. As the other Mews quickly struck up conversation with each other, I made my way past them, towards the changing room. Before I had the chance to open the door, a hand shot out from the hall, grabbing my wrist. I must have squeaked as Ryou pulled me into the hallway, pressing me into the wall. His blue eyes were serious as he looked down into mine.

"Are you okay, Retasu?"

I blushed, looking away as I self-consciously touched the bandage over my eye.

"I-I'm fine, Shirogane-san, just a small accident."

"Was it the aliens?"

I looked up in alarm to find him still staring at me intently.

"N-no… I-I…"

"There was a reading showing that they were at your house, but it vanished pretty quickly," He narrowed his eyes. "Did you see them?"

I widened my eye as much as I could, shaking my head in false fear.

"N-no…" I started shaking a bit. "Th-they were in my house?" He nodded gravely, curling his hand into a fist against the wall. I blushed as I realized how close his face was.

"Retasu, please be careful." He said softly as he gazed down at my neck. I silently prayed that Pai hadn't left a hickey. Suddenly, his hand was running along my neck, down to where my mew mark rested. I blushed furiously as I started to stutter. I was legitimately taken by surprise at his forwardness. And then, I realized that he was pulling the chain around my neck to expose the 'Mew Aqua' that sparkled in its small bottle. "You've been keeping this safe?" He asked softly as he ran a finger along the surface of the bottle.

"Yes…" I said as I gazed down at his fingers, comforted by the warmth of his skin against my own. "I would protect this with my life…"

Those blue eyes… staring at me…

"Retasu…" He said, gingerly holding my arms. "Will you go out with me?"

I nearly fainted.

"Shi-Shi-Shirog-gane-s-san!" I stuttered, my face beet red. "I-isn't th-that a little h-hasty?" His gaze never left me.

"I suppose, but lately…" He said as he pulled me closer. "I just can't stop thinking about you." He said in a whisper.

"L-let me think about it…" I said, looking at my feet. "This is a little sudden, and I'm not sure that I'm ready for that." When I looked back into his eyes, I saw irritation flicker across them.

"…okay."


"Welcome home."

I literally took a step backwards as I opened the door to my room, allowing a sweet smelling smoke to waft into my face. Pai lay on my bed, a tray with what appeared to be incense on it resting on his bare chest. His fingers made trails in the curling smoke that was rising to the ceiling. "How was work?" He asked as he turned to look at me with lidded eyes. I furrowed my brow.

"It was fine…" I said, shutting the door behind me. "Are you high?"

"I do not know what that means." He said as he removed the tray from his chest and set it on the bedside table. His violet eyes were still piercing through the smoky haze. As he rested his hands on his stomach, he continued to watch me. I set down my bag, swallowing hard. I blushed as I started to undo the buttons on my sweater. Pai raised an eyebrow at this. As I shed my sweater, I continued to remove my clothing until nothing remained but my bra and panties.

"Retasu…?" He muttered as he furrowed his brow in confusion. The air was cold against my skin, giving me Goosebumps.

"Pai-san, we've been together for a while… you know I'm yours and…" I took in a deep, shaky breath. "I'm yours."

Slowly, he swung his legs off of the bed and got to his feet. He stumbled once as he walked towards me, coming to a stop before me. "Retasu… are you sure…?"

"Pai-san, I love you. Yes."

"Are you really sure? I didn't pressure you too much or any-"

"I'm sure. Please… kiss me."

He suddenly looked very serious, his eyes dark with desire as he cupped my chin with his hand, lowering his lips to mine. His first kisses were soft, but as he continued, his intensity only deepened. I felt shy as his hands wandered to places he had been before, due to the fact that it just seemed… different. As I allowed my own hands to wander, I appreciated the feel of his cool, smooth skin. It felt like an eternity that I stood in his arms, his lips caressing mine. Suddenly, I was being lifted, carried over to my bed. The mattress puffed as first my weight, and then Pai's weight. Crouching over me, he reached for the front clasp of my bra.

"Last chance, Retasu." He growled as he held onto the clasp. "Any further, and I won't be able to stop myself." I blushed, running my finger along the top of his pants.

"I'm sure that I want this." As soon as the words escaped my lips, he undid the clasp.


I ached all over. But I was happy as I pressed myself further into his damp chest. Muscled arms held me there as Pai rested his chin on the top of my head. It was a comfortable silence as we lay there, naked bodies pressed against each other. I was somewhat surprised to find that the place where I could hear his heartbeat the best was on the right side of his chest. His breath was soft, slow, almost making me believe that he was sleeping. I smiled to myself. I had been fooled by that act before. I remembered random moments in time, ones where he spoke to me, and ones where he simply held me. I remembered times that he had kissed me; times where he had ran his fingers through my hair.

"Will you go out with me?"

I felt my happiness dissipate into nothing. I needed to tell Pai.

"Pai-san?"

Silence.

"Shirogane-san… he… he asked me to go out with him,"

More silence, but this time, I felt his arms stiffen around me.

"I… I don't want to… but everyone thinks that I have a crush on him… I don't know… I think that they'll be suspicious if I don't accept…"

"Why do they have to know that he asked you out?" He growled, pulling me closer.

"Pai-san, if it has to do with someone's personal life, they know it- of course, they don't know about you, but..."

We lay in silence for a while longer as I fought back tears.

"Don't sleep with him." He growled. "Don't let him do anything you that you don't want."

"Y-yes…"

"Retasu, you are mine. Remember that."

"Of course."

"We cannot endanger the mission. If you find it acceptable, than you must go out with him,"

"R-right…"

"If you find a good reason to break up with him, than do,"

"Yes."

"…I really care about you."

My eyes widened at this, and I tilted my head back to look at him. It felt as if my heart stopped when I saw the most beautifully subtle smile on his lips. Suddenly, he pressed me down into the bed, making a trail of kisses down to my breast. I blushed as he made a hickey on the inside of my breast.

"This is my mark, Retasu." He said as he ran his finger along the hickey. "And this one is theirs." He said as he touched my mew mark. "This Shirogane bastard can't go past his mark, and certainly not past mine." He looked down at me. "Understood?"

Speechless, I simply nodded as that subtle, angelic smile returned to his face. "I-I love you." I said softly as he simply ran his thumb along my cheek.

"Take care of yourself, Retasu."