Wahhhhhhh! I am SOOOO sorry this is late. Like seriously. This is f****** late! *sigh* Anyways let's make this one relatively long shall we? Okay here goes

oooXoooXoooX Bittersweet oooXoooXoooX

I squirmed uncomfortably in my chair, the evening sunset casting shadows in my small office. It had been a long day, studying in college, working on papers, taking care of him, I was tired but oh great! Freaking rent is due soon so I'm working the night shift for extra pay. Yup, wonderful. I sighed and set down my pencil, I remember when everything was normal, just a girl taking on the world by storm and crushing on boys, but nooooooooo, freaking Ryou had to go and mutate me! My head began to throb as I snapped the pencil between my fingers in agony. I didn't have time for this it was almost seven so it was time to go to work.

After I changed I walked out the door I found surprisingly that it was quiet and that Kish was sprawled out on the couch reading a book. Huh.

"Hey." I greeted him softly as I slipped into my heels.

He turned smiling and then looking a little worried. "You okay? You don't look so good…." He stood walking over to me and placing his cool hand on my forehead.

"I'm fine!" I lied trying to feign a small smile.

He didn't buy it as he continued to stare at me in worry.

"Look I gotta go, I'll be home before midnight." I said squeezing his hand reassuringly and slipping out of his grasp.

I left the house with an overwhelming sense of guilt as the apartment faded behind me and a long night of work approached me.

*11:41 pm*

I dragged my body out the back door and caught the first cab in sight, as I predicted the night was slow, boring, and full of perverts. Some people might think I was into girls by the way I perked up when one of them walked in. But honestly they were my saviors each day at work.

The cab stopped at my apartment and I paid the driver thanking him for the ride. I walked up a few flights of stairs and turned the key wearily before going inside.

The apartment was satisfyingly warm with a nice smell to it, and then I saw it. The whole house was clean and on the coffee table sat a mug of tea steam still radiating off it and a piece of strawberry shortcake, my favorite….

"You're home…."

I turned to see Kish standing in the doorway of the kitchen smiling goofily but with a weary look in his eyes as if he were anxious about something.

I smiled, "Yeah."

He walked forward until he stood next to me, "Do you like it?" He asked expectantly.

I stared at him for a moment, did he do this? I stood a little fazed before recollecting myself, "It's for me?" I asked skeptically.

He laughed and pulled me to the couch handing me the plate. "Of course, silly." He smiled softly, "You looked so tired today that I thought maybe I could do something nice for you."

I took a bite of the cake savoring the rich flavors before gulping it down and setting the plate down. "This is…one of the most amazing things anyone has ever done for me." I smiled leaning my head on his shoulder tiredly.

He looked surprised and oddly his cheeks were tinged with pink, but the moment was gone as his trademark grin came on and he fixed his luminous eyes on me. "Oh, but Ichigo I could do so much more for you than this." He joked winking at me.

I blushed and punched his arm with all the strength I could muster. He winced and let out a nervous chuckle as I slowly retracted my fist from his limb.

"Kidding…." He laughed quietly. I smiled to tired to be angry at his wonderful mood killing tactics.

"Thank you Kish, this was sweet of you." I said my voice sounded somewhat foreign in my ears, vulnerable and full of angst. Something that I usually didn't let people see.

He wrapped his arm around me tentatively, "Yeah, you're welcome koneko."

Soon the room was nothing but blurs of color as I drifted off to a quiet sleep my body still pressed against his right side my head resting perfectly in the crook of his neck. Maybe today wasn't so bad after all….

My eyes jerked open and adjusted to the darkness, it was still dark outside at least four am by now. I was lying in my bed tucked in the blankets nicely lying on my back. Kish was nowhere in sight so I'm guessing he put me here…. I walked out into the living room to see him lying on the futon snoring softly in his sleep.

I smiled and walked over to him, Leaning down gently I placed a chaste kiss on his forehead in an act of gratitude. "Thank you…." I whispered.

He stirred slightly and mumbled something incoherent as I stood and walked back to my room. For some reason the smile refused to leave my face even as I closed my eyes and fell back asleep.

I suppose I owe him for making my life so much better, I honestly am very grateful.

Not that I'll ever tell him though….

oooXoooXoooX Rainy Day. oooXoooXoooX

The chilly fall air pounded against the cold glass splashing rain across it as it did so. I closed my eyes and listened to the soft sound humming a lullaby my mother had sung to me when I was little. Today was a quiet day where I just sat around and did nothing. I had dressed properly for the occasion in a slightly oversized pastel sweater and dark leggings that curled around the sole of my foot.

I put my philosophy book down and focused my attention on the outside city. That was before someone had wrapped their arms around me breaking me from my lovely trance.

"What?" I asked grumpily looking over the strands of forest green hair that slashed across my vision.

"Ichigooooooo!" Kish's playful voice whined into my ear. "I'm bored!"

I rolled my eyes, "Go find something to do then." I grumbled as a small rumble erupted from the ground.

I shivered slightly at the sound, I despised these things, another roll of thunder and I was visibly twitching out of nervousness.

"Are you still scared of storms?" He laughed tears forming at the corner of his eyes.

"Shut. Up." I snarled glaring over at him.

His laughter toned down a bit but he was still smiling cockily, "Don't worry Icchi-chan I'll protect you!"

He tightened his grip on me pulling me even closer to him so I could feel his cool breath on my face, "Let go…." I protested although I couldn't actually move myself away from him.

He just smiled and pulled me again so now I sat on his lap. I blushed madly prepared to push him away but he quickly grabbed hold of wrists so that I couldn't struggle.

"Silly koneko…..you need to work on not getting caught so easily. You don't pose much of a threat to me anymore." He clucked his tongue in a false scolding.

"It's your fault." I accused fidgeting briefly from the bodily contact.

He grinned and could feel a small vibration of laughter in his chest. "I suppose it is, love. But If I had to choose I'm glad it's like this. I love you too much to let you go."

I blushed covering my face with his shirt. "Whatever." I huffed through the ruffled fabric.

He laughed again petting my hair soothingly before letting go of me. I looked up at him in curiosity as he stood and stretched out his body and then turned back to smirk at me. "I really have fallen pretty hard for you Ichigo."

My heart pounded in my chest I wanted to rip it out and eat it, it was making me so mad right now. "G-g-get real!" I stammered looking away.

His smile faltered a bit but he just waved his hand dismissively before turning to leave the room.

And then he stopped and not even turning back around he said, "But you're right down there with me." He disappeared leaving me with his warm touch and reverberating words.

Hopefully falling for him won't prove to be as bad as falling off a cliff….

Chapter Fin