ARomantic Kiss

It began when there was never enough room on the couch, when Momo joined, when Shintaro joined, when Konoha needed a good cushion and a half for those long legs of his. At first the two sat close, then closer, and as time wore on Mary found herself claiming Seto's lap more often than not. Even when everyone was out, when it was just the two of them, she curled up with her legs to one side, her cheek against his shoulder. He held her like she was something fragile, something easy to break, not like something that would outlast him for thousands of years.

It took months, closing in on years, before Mary had the courage to kiss him. He was mid-sentence, telling her about his day at work, when she twisted in his lap, grabbed the front of his collar, and pressed her mouth against his. It was her turn to be brave.

Seto didn't mind the interruption, didn't stop her. In fact, she suspected he'd been waiting for a long time when he immediately responded, cradling her face in both hands and drawing her closer, relief and a hint of desperation tinting his actions.

A Kiss with a Fist

Kido was at the kitchen counter, and as Kano entered the room he ghosted his fingers across her shoulders and the back of her neck, hopping back and out of reach with the ease of routine. She shook the paring knife at him, and he laughed, knowing she'd never go so far. But she went back to work, her hair falling forward. She pushed it back absentmindedly, her left hand keeping it in place at the base of her neck as she worked, and he thought about suggesting a ponytail. The words stayed in his throat though and he waited until she scraped the ingredients into the steaming pot on the stove and set down the knife. She went to the refrigerator for the next ingredient, and he crossed the room again, pretending to peer into the fridge as well. Her eyes flickered sideways, and he saw her register his presence, but ignore him. So be it.

He reached up, his fingers tucking a stray strand of green hair with mocking gentleness behind her ear. She reacted in an instant, grabbing his shirt collar and slamming him against the wall. His head cracked against the paneling, and through the haze of pain he grinned up at her. There it was, her narrowed eyes furious and boring into him. The tops of her knuckles burned spots in his chin and neck.

"Don't distract me," she growled, and it wasn't enough so he grinned up at her, winding his fingers around the left shoulder strap of her apron.

"Is that a challenge?" he replied, mischief in his voice.

He was the one challenging her, and today he won, as she slammed him against the wall a second time and then kissed him, messily and angrily and hopelessly.

Forehead Kiss

Haruka found Takane on the floor of the classroom, scrabbling for something she'd dropped. He got down to help her without quite knowing what it was, but when he looked at her face it was red with anger, her eyes bright with tears she was biting back. He suddenly felt like he was intruding.

"What did you lose?" he asked, tactfully returning his attention to the floor.

"A pill," she grumbled, her bitten nails scratching on the floorboards like mice. "Red and white, one of the capsule ones." Ah.

He redoubled his efforts, knowing too well the fear of medicine not taken, and by the time they found it in the corner her breath was coming in little puffs. He knew it was nervousness and anger at herself, but he still rushed to get her a cup of water, and she gulped down the pill with practiced ease.

"I lose mine all the time," he offered helpfully, smiling because he didn't know what else to do.

"It's stupid," she replied, furious with the world. It was stupid; stupid they had to take pills to survive. Stupid that the pills weren't working. Stupid that they had become such good friends. Stupid that they were racing to see who would die first.

Haruka wouldn't let himself think like that, and he certainly wouldn't let her, not Takane who should be worrying about video games and class projects, not blood tests and prescriptions.

He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead, and felt her go still and hot under his touch. Oops.

"It's gonna be ok," he told her, knowing the empty words wouldn't do a thing.