The Moment of Truth
Dear readers,
Thank you for stopping by and reading this fanfiction. I would like to thank everybody for their comments, kudos, follows, reviews and love. It really makes me super happy to see that people are enjoying what I am writing and that this fandom is not dead! Yay!
This following chapter is basically 2 in 1, which is why it is so damn long. I initially wanted to split it in half but thought better of it, as it could lose some of its effect.
MMGriego – Thank you for your comment! I, personally, would not say that Ichigo is stupid, just a bit crazy in love, perhaps? It surely did not help that Kisshu eventually did end up kissing her too.
AnimeRoxx – Thank you for your comment! It was quite intense last time, wasn't it? I really like to build up some drama first before I let the characters interact a little more. I hope you will like the following chapters just as much!
DrDark7 – Thank you for your comment! The last chapter was definitely hot, was it not? And do not worry, Ichigo is safe, at least for now! If that is going to change any time soon is yet to be determined.
Kishlover985 – Thank you for your comment! I am sorry I had to make you wait thirteen chapters but I am glad that I made you happy at last. I like that chapter a lot too, especially the climate between them!
Rakshana – Thank you for your long comment! I am happy that you enjoy my story and I really appreciate your words. As for your questions, yes, the self-control was a bit lacking in the previous chapter, I totally agree. Believe me when I say that their PDA was not entirely missed by everyone, but none of the Mews, Taruto included, managed to see anything from their viewpoint. Kisshu in this story is a little less dark but still a pretty calculating and arrogant bastard from time to time. If you crave more evil/toxic Kisshu, wait for my second fanfic which is gonna go online once I finish TRTP. There will be a bit of backstory to Kisshu's engagement to Yuri in the later chapters and I will likewise try to incorporate more alien habits within the story. Thank you for the tip!
NeKoGirl – Thank you for your comment! And, yes. I changed the story avatar because I really enjoyed the kiss from the remake so much, how about you? By the way, get ready for even more tension in the upcoming chapters!
Lulyy Elizabeth Vaca - Thank you for your comment! I upload on weekly basis, usually on Thursday, so you can look forward to a new update next Thursday again!
As always, please enjoy and review!
I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew
"Don't be an idiot, Kisshu!"
The normally emotionless alien glared at him as he was holding him by his collar, pinning him to the wall, his eyes the very definition of smoldering someone to ashes.
"Do you really want to lose everything for that girl? Again? Have you even thought about what that would mean for our planet? Have you truly not learned anything at all?" Pai's voice thundered across the empty room, his gaze imbued with utter disbelief.
"Let go," Kisshu squirmed from underneath his hold yet Pai was relentless.
"No."
"Nothing happened, Pai! Relax already," Kisshu tried to talk himself out of it, but he knew that this time he had fucked up. Big time. He knew it immediately after he had released her from the kiss; after one quick glance at her flushed face and her eyes that sparkled with that quality of absolute elation at the prospect of him touching her some more. All the hard work of building emotional resistance had been squandered in the heat of one isolated moment without too much indecision.
He had really fucked up.
But there was no way he would let Pai know all about that.
"You fool! How long do you think it will take Gato to figure out what you're doing behind Yuri's back?" Pai pressed and his face inched dangerously close.
"As I said, nothing much happened," Kisshu reiterated but he could feel that his initial determination lost its previous strength.
"I beg to differ as your fiancé might think otherwise. You have been always provided with far too much freedom, Kisshu. Now it is time your wings got clipped. I am about done with covering for you. This is when my involvement ends. And do not even think of bringing Taruto into this. Your duty shall shortly be to serve as the ruler of Cyclonia, you should set a good example for your people and I am positive that your future wife does not expect any less than best from you."
"You can't make me marry her, Pai. It is not fair," Kisshu screamed as he desperately tried to wriggle himself out of Pai's grasp but the older alien was quicker.
"No, you are correct. I can't. But I also can't let you disappoint your whole nation. You are no longer responsible only for yourself now. So I suggest you start acting upon it."
At this, Kisshu stopped thrashing and went limp, when the realization of helplessness struck him with full force. He averted his eyes to the ground watching the cracks in the old wooden floor in dismay.
Pai relaxed his grip a bit, seeing his words had finally produced the desired effect on his brother.
"Kisshu, Mew Ichigo has always been nothing but trouble for you. I find it hard to believe that you still have not acknowledged it. She threatened our mission on Earth, she threatened your loyalties and she is doing exactly the same thing to you right now. How many more times do you need to be played with to actually understand what is going on around you?"
"That- That is not true," Pai could tell that he had hit home the second Kisshu's voice faltered.
"Denial is the first stage of acceptance," he deadpanned and released Kisshu's body altogether, leaving his dejected form slump down the wall.
"You can pretend all you want in front of me but deep down you know that what I am saying is the truth."
Pai kneeled a little so that he was meeting his eye level.
"Kisshu, you know that I do this to you, because you are my brother and I care about you," he placed a palm on his shoulder, but Kisshu smacked it off, the burning fire back in his eyes.
Pai retracted his hand in shock and immediately stopped at his antics. It was not Kisshu's anger that was suddenly coursing through him, making him double check everything he had just said, but the tears strolling down his little brother's cheeks.
"Do you really care about Mew Ichigo that much?" Pai asked, warily.
Kisshu's previously scrunched face visibly loosened, any signs of the former anger gone. He looked Pai dead in the eye and the elder alien could only stare back at him in mute horror.
Ichigo had not seen Kisshu for more than twenty four hours. Well, technically, she did see him but he was always so far away from her that she would not dare to count it. One thing was for sure though, be it during the day, or in the evening at the party; with or without Yuri by his side, Ichigo's heart clenched every time he was anywhere close. Why did she keep wondering what would have happened if they had not stopped? Why did she have to be so greedy and stuff that stupid hand of hers nearly down his pants? And what about his feelings for her? What were they exactly? What did he feel when he looked at her? When he had kissed her? Did his heart ache like hers whenever their eyes met? To Ichigo, it all almost felt like a dream. But glancing at the little plaster on her neck, she knew that no matter how much she had tried to persuade herself that her mind must have been playing some sort of sick trick on her, she had been kissing Kisshu passionately and God knows for how long.
Of course, Mint had noticed the plaster straight away and did not believe Ichigo in the least when she had claimed that she was covering a nasty mosquito bite. It was as if Mint could see right through her lie because her eyes momentarily hardened before her visage relaxed again and she exhaled sharply.
"You are a hopeless case, Ichigo."
Hopeless she was, indeed. And not only that. Hopeless was only one of many adjectives that Ichigo could use to describe her present state; ignored being one of many others.
Ichigo was keenly aware that if Kisshu had not been evading her before, he was definitely avoiding her now. Curiously, this made her somehow both irritated, as well as happy, at the same time. Irritated because she could still not comprehend how he had so effectively manipulated her, only to drop her again instantly after their kiss had ended; happy mostly because she was completely unsure of how to act around him when their mutual attraction was out in the open.
Ichigo sighed, Kisshu had been on her mind far too much lately. Plus, with her former plan to keep a low profile officially thrown out the window, she was forced to start from scratch.
Of course, when I finally set my eyes on some goal, he has to come and break it! What else is new?
For some weird reason, Ichigo could not likewise shake off the queasy feeling that she was cornered and there was no way out. Yet, perhaps, there was; she just needed an opening. Now, how would she get to meet Kisshu alone again without making it seem blatantly obvious and without disclosing her ulterior motives? That was a question worth million bucks.
"Daydreaming again, Ichigo?" Ryou's snarky comment caused her to come out of her train of thinking.
"Yeah, a little. What are you up too?" she asked, curious what her boss had in store for her today.
Man, she must have been really depressed, if even extra work from Ryou sounded exciting to her ears.
Aw, well.
"Just finished some data transmission me and Keiichiro have been working on, and I wanted to give this to Pai or Kisshu so that we can finalize our hypothesis."
Ichigo perked up, seeing her opportunity. There it was. The opening she had been waiting for.
Ryou must have seen her reaction too because his eyes narrowed at her. Hard.
"No."
"But, Ryou," she whined, clutching at his arms desperately.
"What did we say about keeping a low profile?"
"But –but," Ichigo stammered, hesitant whether or not she should clue him on the latest events of her love drama.
"No buts," Ryou's tone sounded resolute.
Thinking that honesty was the best policy and, again, it was not like she had not shared everything with Ryou already, she took a deep breath and, screwing her eye lids shut, she blurted out the forbidden words.
"We kissed, Ryou!"
Hearing this, he actually paused, his eyes widening.
The moment of truth.
"You WHAT?!" he barked, removing himself from her hands and leaving Ichigo stumble backwards in the process.
"Yes, you heard me," she shot back, regaining her balance, "Kisshu kissed me and I kissed him back and guess what? It was the best kiss in my entire life!"
As though to prove the veracity of her words, Ichigo softly peeled off the plaster on her neck only to cover her hickey again once her secret was out and Ryou's face etched in fury.
"You IDIOT! All the more reason I am going to be the one delivering this data," Ichigo saw the dangling USB disappear within his palm and her brows furrowed.
"But Ryou, I did hold back. I swear to God I did!"
She did not lie, she never thought Kisshu would have really gone through with her challenge and actually kissed her; to her, it was only wishful thinking.
Ryou seemed torn.
"What if he kisses you again? Is that why you want to go there so badly? Have you even listened to a word I was saying earlier, Ichigo?" he asked in exasperation, his earlier titanic lividness replaced with a sense of weary resignation.
This was her chance.
"I did. Just let me do this one thing and I swear I will never want anything else from you ever again," Ichigo implored, staring him down and waiting until Ryou made up his mind. She wanted him to give her the USB willingly; that way, she would know that he stood behind her and supported her decision.
"Three months of unpaid work."
"Huh?"
"And I'm getting all your tips for that time being," his voice cold and uncompromising.
"That is not fair, Ryou!" she screamed in protest.
Leave it to the blonde to make a financial profit out of her personal woes. No one could dock her pay in a way Ryou could. No one.
"Of course not. You are putting the whole intergalactic treaty at stake with your capricious behavior. Perhaps, three years of unpaid work sound more accurate."
Ichigo paled.
"You wouldn't," she stared wide-eyed but his expression remained firm.
"I most certainly would. So three months of unpaid work and the tips, do we have a deal?" he pressed and it was obvious that he would not budge an inch.
Ichigo mentally imagined all her money gone with the wind in a pursuit of something that might not even happen. But she did not think twice before shaking Ryou's hand.
"Deal."
Scarcely would it ever occur to Ichigo that the government premises were so close to her. When she stepped out of the main entrance of their building complex, she spotted the correct skyscraper immediately. It did not look that much different from the one that she and her team had been residing at for the past couple of days; it was still extremely tall, though a little shorter than the rest, full of glass and steel, with plants intertwined around in various places. But the minute Ichigo walked upon the small square and faced all the similarly looking buildings, there was one distinct feature that notified her instantly that this was the place she had to go to. A golden statue of a mythical dragon sat above the main gate, which, as Ryou explained, was the main indicator she should be looking for; another being that she needed to reach the thirty-eighth floor, if she wanted to find Kisshu.
Ichigo only hoped that there was an elevator, but if not, she was likewise ready to take the stairs.
Whatever it takes.
She did not know what motivated her so much to go further and beyond, but as she eyed herself in the glass wall, she once again straightened her white dress and checked her red lipstick for any traces of flaws. Bringing her own stuff totally paid off, and, as much as Ichigo hated to admit that, she was thankful for Mint's remark too, since her lips did appear infinitely better with a small application of color.
To her own eye, Ichigo looked great and she hoped Kisshu would find her extra effort exhilarating as well. It would definitely make things easier, yet something told her it wouldn't go anywhere as smooth as that, but a girl could dream. Last time they had seen each other, Ichigo was in her swimsuit, for God's sake; and she knew it was not her clothes, or lack thereof, that had ultimately drawn a reaction out of him. Notwithstanding, it didn't hurt to look a little cute. Her confidence, in fact, much appreciated it.
Once she passed the main reception, with a weak nod of acknowledgement from the Cyniclon behind the white desk in return, and found her way to another stainless steel elevator, Ichigo punched the button and waited anxiously for the door to slide open. She was surprised at how identical everything appeared. Had it not been for Ryou's advice, she would have been circling the whole area for ages. The fact that there were no questions asked only unnerved her some more, but judging from the indifferent eye and the tell-tale pallor of the poor receptionist's face, she could guess that he had been after what one would call a rough night and therefore sincerely glad for as little social interaction as possible. Ichigo briefly wondered if that little scarf around his neck was meant to cover his love bites in a similar way her plaster covered hers; but she quickly squished that thought.
Not everybody is like you, Ichigo, her inner voice immediately chastised her and Ichigo had to bite her lip not to mentally face palm.
In truth, she fancied the possibility to wear a turtleneck or a scarf as well, but considering the scorching heat and severe lack of air conditioning on Cyclonia, Ichigo decided to abandon all these elevated ideas, including makeup, and play it safe with the good old plaster.
But that was not the point now.
No.
Now she had to muster all her courage and do what she had wanted to do a few days ago, but was never really given a proper chance.
The stainless steel elevator came with a beeping tone signaling its arrival and Ichigo grasped the USB in her hand firmly, when the metal door behind her closed shut.
There was a sudden knock on his office door and Kisshu's eyes instinctively narrowed at that sound.
He was in no mood for company now and, eying the stack of paper in front of him cautiously, he had no time for it either.
Ever since the incident on the beach, Kisshu had had a lot of trouble concentrating on the tasks at hand. It was rather disconcerting how easily his thoughts could be steered away whenever he managed to focus on literally anything else but the soft feminine moans replaying in his mind.
The pencil he was twirling between his fingers snapped. He sighed, throwing the broken object straight into the bin next to his feet.
This had better not be another nuisance coming his way, the office work was a drag as it was already.
"Come on in," he called out eventually, hoping he was right about the nature of the next upcoming intruder.
When his eyes took in the auburn tresses and the red lips, he inwardly cursed but cloaked his feelings under a bored façade.
Speak of the devil.
"What do you want, Ichigo?" he asked brusquely in only thinly-veiled irritation. She was in his office, determined to cause havoc, as he could perfectly imagine, and Kisshu was in no mental disposition for any of that. Pai's words had kept haunting him the whole night and all he secretly wanted at the present moment was to isolate himself and pretend the kiss had never happened. With one look at Ichigo's defiant expression, he could tell that he had no such luck today.
Instead of any verbal answer, Ichigo neared closer and handed him a small object, which he later recognized as an USB stick, over the table. Kisshu's discomfort grew as her body leaned further to him and he was suddenly reminded of how incredibly attractive she was, and how much his body reacted to her physical presence and the proximity between them.
"Ryou is sending you this. He said that you will know what to do with that," she replied shortly, her gaze transfixed on his.
'Did she really come all this way to drop off an USB?' he bit out internally, giving her a hooded look.
As his eyes swept up and down her dolled up appearance, he saw through her plan in an instant, nonetheless. The USB was just a cheap trick. A lame excuse that provided her with a reason to meet him. Taking the object from her fingers, he nodded and thanked her. Unsurprisingly, she did not seem to have taken the hint, nor move.
This was going to be difficult.
"Anything else? Because if not I am swamped with work, as you can see. So if you please excuse me."
"You have a nice office. I would never peg you for the pencil pusher," Ichigo smirked, her eyes sliding down his front, "of all people."
Small talk now, really?
Kisshu was acutely aware that he needed to work. But sitting at his desk and with Ichigo present in the same room with him, he knew that that would be next to impossible unless he sent her away pronto, which he should have done in the very first place. He had hard time answering why he had not.
When her body moved towards the window and the hem of her dress momentarily billowed around her waist, Kisshu's eye twitched at the feeling such a vision infused into him. She matured a lot. Her chest got bigger and her hips acquired that sexy swing that all girls gained once they came as of age. He swiveled slowly in his chair to face her, as he drank in the full sight of her figure.
He remembered how he had shuddered at both the feel of her inviting flesh under his fingers and the soft whimper she had made as she arched her back to encourage him. A gesture that had directed his complete attention instantaneously down to those full, soft lips that he was more than willing to recapture even now.
Except that he wouldn't. Not anymore.
No matter how he looked at it, Yuri would never turn a blind eye on this, even if it were a one-time thing. His obvious infatuation with Ichigo was barely overlooked by anyone in the army and Kisshu was a good liar, but not good enough to fake that he could do it with Ichigo and drop her like the rest of his mistresses soon afterwards. Taking into consideration all the reactions she was able draw out of him, he knew that with Ichigo, it would be different. He would definitely come for more.
By the time she turned around, Kisshu had already a very precise idea in his mind of what exactly he could do to her on his paper-laden desk. But he knew that he could no longer mark her, nor taste her; even if her lovely pale flesh was asking to be tasted and marked.
He was getting married next week.
It was nice while it lasted, but it was a little too late for that now.
Nevertheless, he would lie if he said that he did not find her attempts tempting.
"So what was the kiss from yesterday about, Kisshu? Why did you kiss me?"
Here we go.
She did not beat around the bush, he could give her credit for that much. Although that did not alleviate the indignation her question had brought upon him in the slightest. He clicked his tongue in annoyance at that thought.
"You challenged me, kitten. Did you forget that part?" he rebutted, completely oblivious to her baleful glare.
"Bullshit," her eyes lit up with the familiar flames he was so used to seeing during their battles, "I know for a fact that that's how it started but that was not why you actually went through with it!"
He watched her from his sitting position and felt like this conversation was going nowhere.
Fortunately, he did not excel in emotional manipulation for nothing.
"Feel free to believe what you want, I-chi-go," he chuckled darkly and his eyes shimmered when they were met with her growing frustration, "Whatever eases your conscience."
"Fine. Kiss me again and prove it that you feel nothing," she retaliated almost in a flash and his expression slightly fell and soon turned into a frown as the two stared each other down.
"I can't, Ichigo. I already told you that," he said, tight-lipped, and, seeing this was not enough to stray her away, he further added, "I have no feelings for you anymore. I am marrying Yuri, so please respect that."
"Why did you force yourself onto me then?!" she screamed, trying to keep the hurt from her tone but not quite succeeding.
He raised a quizzical eyebrow at her before he barked out a short caustic laugh.
"Force? Are you kidding? You wanted me to do it, kitten. You were practically begging for it. It was the only way how to get rid of you so that I could retrieve Taruto and return back to work in no time."
If she was not furious until then, she was now, he was sure of it; more about his words or that cute pet name of his, he could not tell though. As her body began to shake with uncontrollable anger, he knew she was going to snap soon by the way her teeth ground together. He was not wrong.
She unexpectedly slammed her hands down on either side of his desk, keeping him pinned in his chair, and leaned down over him, while his eyes drifted down her neck and over the sliver of cleavage exposed by her dress. And before he could protest her defiance, she inched even closer until she was directly next to his face.
"Why are you lying, Kisshu?" she simpered, her voice suddenly husky and this sultry gesture made Kisshu consider her for a moment.
Granted, they had not seen each other for a while, but since when had Ichigo mastered the art of seduction? She had already somehow caught him off guard last time; there was no way he would take the same bait again. Could she perhaps be far less innocent than he had initially thought? No. That couldn't be. Ichigo was a good girl, always had been.
But, for all he knew, this could truly be a game to her as well. Testing whether or not he would once again succumb to her charms. Relishing in the fact that her body did not go unnoticed by his eyes; trying whether or not he would engage in a tryst with her and throw all of his responsibilities in the gutter just for the sake of temporary pleasure. Didn't she just break up with her boyfriend? Yes, that's it. In all likeliness, this was nothing more than rebound sex for her. She was on vacation, right? How could she possibly develop something deeper for him within mere few days? That sounded far too far-fetched. Not to mention that she would also leave again soon, which gave him absolutely zero hope that they could last.
The harder he had thought about it, the more everything played right into the rational part of his brain which dictated that it was a good idea to dispose of her once and for all; innocent or not; and, as fast as he could for that matter. Because the longer she was lingering around, the more he felt his resolution shrinking. He had to act, quickly, because his façade threatened to crack at any minute. And, glancing at the sliver of her dress once again, he gulped and cast his gaze away in shame, knowing full well what a profound effect she had had on him.
Even more reason to kick her out.
"I don't understand how many times I have to tell you that, Ichigo," he groaned, his patience running thin, "I have no feelings for you. Period."
A very bad lie, but the best he could come up with at the present moment. In reality, he hadn't lied through his teeth this much in years and he silently made a wish that she could not call out his bluff.
Apparently, she could.
"Liar," Ichigo exclaimed and, without thinking, her right hand shot up and slapped him across his face.
Kisshu tsked in stern disapproval, his visage twisted with anger, and the burning sensation on his cheek was only somewhat tempered by the expanse of pale thigh that he was now able to feast his eyes on from the new vantage point he had acquired.
"You have a lot of nerve, don't you think, Ichigo?" he spat, his mask of feigned indifference slipping at last.
"Look who's talking," she scoffed, her eyes never leaving his, and, as if to make a case, Ichigo gingerly lifted her hand to her throat and slowly, almost cautiously, took off the plaster that covered a red spot on her neck; a red spot whose origins constantly burned in his thoughts as hot iron and at whose sight his pupils immediately widened.
It only took half a second to rewind that vivid memory of her low moans in his mind when the image of his lips and teeth on her soft skin temporarily filled his senses.
As he let his orbs rake over her body one last time, Kisshu gripped the table so hard that he could feel his fingers getting numb.
She could not believe him.
When she had first entered his office, it was merely a matter of a moment until she zoomed out on his form, perched at his desk, staring back at her with a somewhat pained expression on his face and something Ichigo could not quite identify. She had no illusions about the fact that he would be hard to deal with but there was no way that Ichigo would expect him to be this annoying.
His uncooperative behavior made her feel snubbed and unwanted and even though she attempted to control her cool and keep her emotions inside, little by little, the urge to slap him was growing surprisingly strong in Ichigo's mind.
In fact, during the entirety of their argument, the compulsion to throttle him did not fade in the least.
Every word out of his beautiful mouth made her want to snap his pretty features in half and when he had the audacity to lie straight into her face, all the while donning that cantankerous look, she could almost hear the aneurysm popping in the back of her brain.
Her body, however, reacted in a completely different way; of course, the moment she had stepped in, it instantly reveled in his physical closeness, as the fire surging through her veins began to send shivers down her spine, the friction between them thickening once again.
And, yet, despite all the obvious subconscious indicators, Kisshu had evidently decided to shut her out. Instead of giving in, he chose to proceed with his crabby attitude and resist her with these cooked up lies, which only resulted in Ichigo's face contorting in unbridled rage. She glowered at him ferociously, chest heaving in an effort to contain all the mixed emotions within her, the most prominent of which was unabashed anger.
It was a mistake. Forget that it ever happened.
As if she could ever do that!
Why was he so stubborn towards her demands? Did she really have to fight him tooth and nail to get her answers? He had something coming then, since she was fully prepared for that fight today.
Ichigo was also certain that the more she tried, the more prone he was to throw a fit. She could sense the tension rolling off of him in waves and she knew that he was aware of her just as much as she was aware of him, his mask as fixed and phony as her own. She did not miss how old and tired he had been looking; the black bags under his eyes suggested he had not been sleeping much lately either, which only cemented her belief that whatever had been happening between them was simply not a figment of her own imagination. And even his reactions now were a little more snippy than usual, a clear indicator that this conversation was really getting to him. It was all a matter of time and this piece of knowledge played right into Ichigo's hands; for she was familiar with Kisshu enough to be able to detect his fatal weakness.
Kisshu was never a patient man. Ichigo actually came to the conclusion he must have been the most impatient person she had ever met in her whole life. She knew for a fact that it was particularly her disobedience and persistence that had always irked him to great lengths, even back then during their fights on Earth. And, since he decided to be a jerk, Ichigo did not hesitate to prey on this flaw of his and use it against him; her resilience being her ace card now. If only she could just keep her temper down and push him over the edge first, she would come out as the winner. But it was difficult; so difficult that Ichigo started to think she would not be able to make it. The sheer determination with which he had constantly defied her ticked her off to no end and although she so much wished to play it cool, she started to feel like she couldn't. Not with that annoying penetrating stare Kisshu aimed at her, and which so vastly angered her; that stare which burned with the same distant hunger that was there when he had kissed her on the beach; something which he refused to acknowledge even now when he was faced directly with the evidence of his past actions.
Fuming, Ichigo's nails dug deeper into her palms, her eyes flashing angrily.
"Why do you keep lying to me? That cannot be true!" she was being excessively hysterical at this point, she was highly aware of that. Some would have even regarded her as downright irrational. To anyone who might have been observing their interaction, Ichigo was the insane one out of the two of them, and for all the valid reasons. There was no denying that. But she could simply not believe him. Finally, when everything in her life started to make sense to her for the very first time, he had been doing everything he could to sabotage her attempts.
"Did you not fight for me? Did you not die for me? How can you say that you don't love me? Say something already!"
The moment Ichigo uttered those words, she became conscious that she had basically overstepped the vague, indistinct line between the present and the past that was getting vaguer and harder to see every day. Yet, even though desperate actions called for desperate measures, she understood all too well that she should not have exploited their shared memories against him because it simply was not fair. Kisshu must have felt the same way because his fangs went bare and there was a blazing rage in his eyes. Ichigo thought that his reaction towards her accusation would be turbulent but she didn't anticipate the sudden lash of anger.
He pushed himself furiously off of the chair and grabbed her by her shoulders with such a force that she let out a small yelp, as he teleported them both near the door frame of his office in the next instant.
Putting an almost bruising pressure on her body, he glared daggers at her and seethed through gritted teeth, "I would like you to leave now," his voice hard as steel.
It was not a request.
Bewildered by his sudden closeness, as well as the palpable venom dotting his tone, Ichigo swallowed hard. She had never seen him this enraged. Not even during their battles. As she rallied her calm, Ichigo gingerly placed both of her hands over his arms.
"Kisshu," she began, feeling infinitely smaller than she had been a few moments ago when her last shreds of infuriation and resolve fled in his contorted face, "please don't do this. Just tell me the truth. Do you still have feelings for me?"
Upon hearing her pleading, his expression somewhat darkened and he fully slumped into the shadow, his green bangs effectively masking his eyes.
To Ichigo, it almost seemed as though he was in pain. But she could not let go. Not after the kiss they had shared. She would not give up so easily. He should know that much by now. There was no way he was going to get rid of her just like last time. She still had not told him anything. She still had not got what she came for.
Ichigo felt her hold on him tighten, as the new wave of courage washed over her. She fluttered her eye lids shut, ready to close the gap between them, but the moment her lips neared too close, he realized what she was doing and quickly faced away from her in the nick of time.
And she knew that he could not have hurt her more even if he had actually slapped her.
Where was the confident alien that had always so ardently claimed to be in love with her for all of those years? Was it all really just a lie? Why was he shaking? Why were they both shaking if there was supposed to be nothing between them?
Should she try again?
Ichigo swallowed thickly, contemplating her options whether or not to try and pull him in another kiss, but, as if on cue, Kisshu's hands clutched at her harder, nipping her effort in the butt.
"I am being serious, Ichigo. I loved you once, as in loved in the past. But I have no intention of reliving any of these feelings. They are dead now, as is my love for you. I am getting married soon so please respect that and stop fooling around," he lifted his gaze to meet hers just to witness her complete character disintegration.
Everything went oddly quiet in Ichigo's head, as a cold wave of rejection passed through her, draining away all the intense feelings she had been experiencing and leaving behind a large hole and hollow aftertaste. Her grip on his arms subsequently slackened until she let go of him completely as though she was momentarily electrified, his words ricocheting at the back of her mind. Funny, since she could not see Pai standing anywhere near to deal such a major blow. Regardless, the effect Kisshu's monologue had had on her seemed almost identical to Pai's fans. Instantaneous and deadly.
For a while none of them spoke and it was the most unbearable silence where nothing could be uttered to alter the course of action. It was void and final and Ichigo at last seemed to begin to come to terms with the fact that no matter what she did, Kisshu was not willing to listen.
She opened her mouth to reply and then closed it again, the color completely bleached from her face. She felt his arms dropping from her shoulders suddenly and she tried to distract herself from the peculiar, painful sensations coiling beneath the lost weight of his palms. Even if he was no longer touching her, her heart was still battering away at her ribs and her hands shook ever so slightly; a stark contrast to her otherwise paralyzed mind.
It took another silent moment for her come out of her state of static shock, when the realization ultimately set in; the first tears began to gather in Ichigo's eyes but she blinked them back. She then said.
"O-ok. I'm sorry, Kisshu. I will leave you alone," she forced out between her gasps, too hurt and broken from his outburst.
She lost him. Forever. She was so stupid. So, so stupid.
What was the weird feeling of emptiness that suddenly engulfed her? How could she make it go away?
"I'm on my way then," she flashed him with a smile that was heartbreaking and for a split of a second she thought that she saw a brief flash of panic in his eyes; a sudden urge to stop her dead in her tracks.
But, he didn't; why would he? She should stop deluding herself already. She had been a fool to think that there could be anything between them; he was out of her league in so many ways now. It was time to accept the fact that she was not the primary object of his affection anymore; and, the sooner she could wrap her mind around it, the better.
When the door finally clicked behind her form, Kisshu stood motionless for another second before he teleported himself back to his spot.
It was horrible, terrible, too cruel even for him; nonetheless, that was the only viable option to go with.
How much he craved taking it all back; saying that he had lied to protect her, to protect the nation; to protect everybody. But that one gnawing thought hampered all of his mental dilemmas abruptly.
You are no longer responsible only for yourself now.
Kisshu punched the marble desk so hard it left a dent to it.
He scrutinized the blood smeared across his knuckles with absent minded curiosity. The pain he was sensing in his fingers felt numbing, but it was nowhere close to the ache he was experiencing in his heart.
The sight of the setting sun was one of the very rare displays that never failed to calm her. There was something strangely soothing about that fleeting moment; these precious few minutes during which the sun went down, slowly, wiping everything out of vision, while inflicting temporary blindness in the process and leaving only cold air behind. It sounded almost poetic; a schism between two completely contradictory processes whose successful coexistence stemmed only from the perfect, astonishing symbiosis. The sun gave the world its welcoming warmth; the night then shrouded its secrets in a black veil of mystery.
"So you will not do anything about the current state of events?" his voice was flat but something in his eyes told her that he was alarmed and visibly opposed to her open-mindedness.
"For the time being, yes. I trust Kish, Gato. He has to decide himself and depending on what he chooses, he will live his life accordingly. That is the price he will have to pay for his decision," Yuri answered simply, tracing the rim of her cup with her delicate fingers.
The bespectacled alien gave her a pensive stare before he turned away and looked outside of the window towards the last glimmer of the sunset.
"Pardon my reservations, your highness, but I believe that your kindness is utterly misplaced."
His gaze was now transfixed on a pair of little white doves flying together high in the evening sky, their wings flapping around them in a regular rhythm. It was only upon a closer look that he could discern that one of them had a broken wing, which made the act of floating with its partner all the more difficult.
And, when something did not work, Gato was there to restore order.
With a sudden flare of red glow in his eyes, he quickly put the poor bird out of his misery.
"Duty or honor? Which do you think Kish values more, Gato?" Yuri asked her main advisor deep in thought, while she watched with strange fascination as one of the doves burned alive, whereas the other continued to glide through the air freely until it disappeared behind the horizon in one slow motion, "we shall find out soon," her lips curved into a small smile.
"Very well then," Gato pushed his glasses further up his nose and Yuri resumed drinking her tea.
