Chapter 6
"So. How long have you known Kisshu?" Nara asked interested, after she had shooed her friends away to have a private conversation with her brother's new fiancée.
"I've know him since he came to earth." Ichigo answered, sipping her tea. They were sitting on a pair of comfortable thick pillows in Nara's private chambers. Nara's eyes flashed, though Ichigo didn't see it as she was looking into her tea, lost in thought.
"You're from earth?" Nara asked her expression filled with interest.
"Yes." Ichigo said without thinking. She then almost choked on her tea as she realized what she had blurted. Nara smiled at the worried Ichigo.
Oh no, now I've ruined it! Ichigo thought.
"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me." Nara smiled pleasantly. "... After Kisshu left to earth I knew he would find someone to marry from there. He had to, in order to escape Xian." Ichigo froze. Was that what Kish was after? Wasn't she special after all? Was it just luck that he saw her, and not some other brainless girl? Didn't Kish care after all?
Nara didn't notice Ichigo's deep thoughts, but just asked bluntly.
"So... How far have you gotten?" This time Ichigo spat out her tea, her eyes wide.
"H-h-how d-do you mean?" She stuttered out. Surely she wasn't having this conversation with Kish's little sister?
"Well that exactly. How far have you gotten? Have you touched? Have you perhaps even kissed? Have you massaged him?" Ichigo looked at Nara in bewilderment. What did she mean? Surely there was nothing exceptional in a touch or a massage? The kiss question she understood, but the others...?
"A touch? What's special with a touch? In earth we touch daily someone else..." Ichigo tried to clear up. Nara drew a shocked breath. In some moments her shock turned into interest, and she asked in the way of a little child:
"Really? Because we almost never touch each other. Only if you are promised to the other, you're bonded or if you are family." Ichigo hesitated.
"Oh...?"Ichigo didn't know what to think. Why hadn't Kish told about the customs of his people? Surely she had noticed how he had hesitated at the offer of a massage, but still...?
"Hi Kitten." A very irritated Kish said, saving Ichigo from further wondering of all these new questions. Her emotions and feelings were too much in overbalance before this conversation. She just didn't know what to think anymore! Ichigo shook her head before nodding to Nara and hurrying to Kish.
"What's wrong?" She asked Kish.
"Oh, nothing. The stupid council is just so damn corrupted, that the smallest threat to their station, and they are ready to the outmost desperate measures...Let's just go. I got the crystal." Kish sighted, showing a bright blue crystal. Ichigo stared at the crystal, when Kish grabbed her hand painfully. She didn't cry out, but turned her gaze to her hand, excepting Kish to catch the clue. Kish didn't catch the clue, but the firm grip loosened to a loose hold of her hand.
"Come." Kish said, his gaze elsewhere, and started walking in a fast pace back to the commander bridge, from where they made their way back to the ship. Ichigo struggled to keep up in his pace, and not to yell out loud. They were in the wide hallway now, and everyone was looking at them, and their joined hands. There was no use making a scene now, she decided, and hurried after Kish in a faster pace, so that it no longer looked like he was dragging her. Ichigo looked at his face, and realized that Kish probably didn't even realize he was hurting her.
"We're leaving now." Kish stated briskly at the soldiers, before stepping on the small platform, holding Ichigo near him, and Ichigo couldn't help the watering of her eyes. In a matter of seconds they arrived back to Serenity, and Ichigo said in said in a little panicked voice at Kish:
"Let me go." Kish immediately let go, only then realizing he head been holding her hand little too long.
So she wanted to be left alone, then. Kish thought. Ichigo hurried to the door. She didn't want Kish to know she was crying.
"Ichigo?" Kish asked worried, the earlier irritation leaving his voice. "...you okay?" Ichigo struggled to keep her voice steady.
"Yea, just need to use the toilet." She hurried from the room and into the toilet. She didn't know how to lock the door, so she just fell against the side of the bathtub, holding her hand, her tears falling freely.
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Kish looked after Ichigo worried. Something bothered her. Her voice didn't sound right. Was she... was she hurt? Maybe there had been someone who had tried to hurt him through her on the ship?
Kish hurried after Ichigo, guessing she had gone to the toilet. He stopped at the door, and knocked.
"Ichigo? You okay?" He got no answer, but heard a faint sniff. His eyes widened. Ichigo was crying? Kish opened the door hesitantly.
Ichigo heard Kish coming and stood up, putting her hurt arm behind her back. Kish stepped inside hesitantly, wanting to check if she was decent.
Kish looked at Ichigo, and found that her face was covered in tears. He frowned.
"Ichigo. What's wrong? "Ichigo looked frantically around, and backed up to the bathroom wall.
"I-I... I m-miss my friends. "Ichigo tried to lie, but Kish had already seen she was hiding her arm. He walked up to Ichigo and pulled her arm from behind her. Ichigo hissed in pain, and Kish's eyes widened at the sight of the dark bruises. But Ichigo wasn't hurt when he saw her in Nara's room. And the only one who had touched her after that...
Was him.
God! Kish's eyes widened in realization.
"Oh god, Ichigo, I didn't mean to, oh god you got to believe me... I mean... Let's get it healed." Kish said ashamed, taking her in his arms. He carried her to the library, and put her in a cushion, while trading his long, gently fingers along her injured hand while whispering some words, the bruises disappearing.
He avoided her gaze, and dropped her hand as soon as possible. Ichigo's confusion was starting to turn to rage, and she hissed venonomously;
"Oh, now it isn't proper of you to touch me!" She hissed between her teeth. Kish's eyes widened in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"What do I mean? What do I mean? I MEAN THAT YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!" Ichigo screeched at him, standing up. Kish just sat on the floor, confusion evident.
"Tell you what?"
"Tell me, that in your world touching isn't acceptable, or neither is massage, or kissing, but you just went on with it, you! You...- you! You should've told me! That you only seemed to like me, because you wanted to get rid of Xian! You never liked me, you could've chosen anyone! Because...because a moment there I though you actually liked me! That you... That I... That I was something special!" Ichigo was almost in tears at the end of her tirade.
Kish stared at her shocked. She was upset about that? She wondered if...?
Kish just looked into her eyes and kissed her. She was surprised by the soft, hot and moisture lips on her own, and as his tongue required entrance, she answered. She lost herself in the kiss, as did Kish, while being amazed that she answered his kiss.
After a moment Ichigo seemed to realize what they were doing and pushed him away.
"How dare you kiss me Kish? It's not me you care about! It could've been anyone!" She said tears in her eyes, and hurried to leave the room.
Kish watched his chance to walk away, and decided he didn't like that. He hurried after Ichigo and grabbed her hand just by the entrance. Ichigo flinched, but Kish didn't let go. He hugged her from behind, and whispered into her ear.
"But I do care about you. I love the way you smile, I love the way your eyes shine when you fight, I love your stubbornness, your intelligence, you determined mind. I love everything in you. I fell in love with you the moment I saw you, and I just couldn't stop myself from kissing you, even though it is not the custom of my people. I fell in love with you, no one else. I fell in love with everything about you, and it feels like my heart is ripped from my chest every minute I can't hold you, and I know you desire to be in the arms of your...-your boyfriend." Kish confessed huskily into her ear. Ichigo shivered.
She slowly turned around, and Kish knew what was to come. The accusations he was lying, or just the clean fact that she didn't feel the same.
Ichigo's eyes glimmered with tears as she whispered to him, their faces very close;
"Really?" Kish touched her forehead with his own, their brows touching.
"Really... And I'll do everything in my power to make you happy... If you'll me mine." Ichigo looked into his eyes, and finding only sincerity in them, smiled.
"I'll be yours."
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The End... - For now.
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A/N: Whew! Finally done! Over 9 000 words, but it's finally done! My first Tokyo Mew mew fic, but I gave it a shot, and kind of liked how it turned out. Please review!
Now this was the first part of a trilogy I've been thinking about, and I've started the other part already. Remember that there is still everyone's reaction at their relationship, and the way to happiness can be rocky... Not to even start with Eoin.
Check out the sequel, 'against each other'!
