Don't Judge the Book by Its Cover

Dear readers,

Thank you for stopping by and reading this story. I would like to hereby thank every single one of you for your comments, reviews, follows and kudos. Seeing your reactions always makes my day, that's for sure! And, now that we have all of the context finally set, let's proceed with yet another chapter! Hope you will all like it ( °▽° )/

The songs I used for this part were:

Chainsaw Man OST 'Emotional Theme/Ghost Devil Theme/Himeno's Death Theme'

Royal Blood 'Better Strangers'

DrDark7 - Thank you for your comment! Haha, you are absolutely right! Things are only going to get more and more complicated for Ichigo from now on. And, unfortunately, the alien alerts ain't helping her one bit!

Lulyy Elizabeth Vaca - Thank you for your comment! It makes me really happy to hear that you like my writing. And, I totally agree with you; I always thought that Elton would match perfectly with someone who is far more serious and level-headed than him. As for Ryou, yes, he's gonna be a little different in this fic, and so will be his relationship with Ichigo. There is a reason for it all, I can assure you of that. But, for now, let me just say that they are not exactly supportive of each other at this point of the story.

Sorakitten - Thank you for your comment! I am thrilled to hear that you liked the last update and I hope that you will find this one even more dangerous and interesting to read. P.S. As always, your emojis are killing me!

Kishlover985 - Thank you for your comment! I am so happy that you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope that you are going to like the following one as well. Fingers crossed!

2Sonic1808 - Thank you for your comments! I am so glad to see that you like my story so much and please don't apologize, your words made me super happy! I hope that this chapter will not disappoint you. Let me know your thoughts!

Arkel_angel - Thank you for your comments! I am happy to hear that you enjoy my story so much! Kisshu definitely is a hell of a sneaky bastard, isn't he? And, I agree fully. Ichigo asking Ryou something like that must have, indeed, seemed shocking, especially to him. Rest assured that it was important for the main plotline, though!

AnimeRoxx – Thank you for your comment! I know, I know. Ryou and Ichigo discussing sex or anything even remotely close to that seems so embarrassing in this particular story, right? The disbelief in Ryou's voice is so palpable haha, you can almost feel it! For me, it is especially interesting to note the difference in Ichigo/Ryou dynamics here, as opposed to my previous fic, wherein any kind of topic was totally ok. But, again, Libidinous depicts their relationship from an entirely different angle.

As always, please enjoy and review!

I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew

Ichigo should have known that her walk home would not be uneventful.

When had ever anything in her life gone according to the plan, really?

And, why would tonight be any exception to that rule?

Well, you did end up dating Masaya in the end, you know!

'Oh, yea! Lucky me!' Ichigo commented harshly before she caught herself.

There must have been something seriously wrong with her, she knew that much. Otherwise there was no way that she would ever think of her boyfriend so poorly. When had this sudden change taken place? And was it, by any chance, connected to Masaya's awful treatment of sex? Before her train of thinking could spin out of proportion, however, Ichigo squished that idea hurriedly. She was acutely aware that, sooner or later, she would have to face her inner demons, whether she wanted to or not. But now was not the time to involve oneself with such a matter. Now was actually the worst time possible for any of that. All the more, once she caught a glimpse of the radiant light emitting from the translucent body of the Parasite that slowly emerged in her field of vision.

Frowning slightly, Ichigo surveyed the whole area with fierce, hazel eyes.

There was no trace of any alien presence; only the luminescent creature was hovering in the air at a stone's throw from her, and Ichigo wordlessly watched as it gleamed with a dark shade of grey before it suddenly changed color and began glowing with far lighter hues of blue instead. With the way how its tentacles floated idly and its umbrella-shaped bell pulsed with life that was so foreign to Ichigo, the Mew Mew had found herself instantly captivated by the strange apparition.

'How come something so beautiful can be so deadly?' she internally mused, while Masha in her peripheral, all puffed up, continued to let out a series of alien alerts that were sending shivers down her spine.

As if in a dream, Ichigo came closer to the jellyfish-like object and extended her hand in an attempt to reach out and touch it with her fingers. Nevertheless, the second she almost brushed against the soft shell with her fingertips, the Parasyte quickly moved away.

What?

She tried again, and again, and again. And every time she felt like she almost captured the little creature within the palm of her hand, it shied away in the last minute and flew a little farther out of her reach.

"You little…! Get back here!"

Ichigo was starting to become impatient with her unsuccessful efforts to catch the Parasyte but Masha's unexpected chant cut through her irritation at once.

"Ichigo! It's going away! It's going away!" the pink fur ball screamed, dragging her out of her momentary stupor.

"What?! Right!"

She trailed her eyes back onto the pulsing bluish body that was now a little farther down the alley, pausing only briefly, as if to ascertain that the Mew Mew was still following it.

'This could be a trap,' Ichigo thought immediately but before she could give it any more consideration, she felt her feet surge forward, goaded on by both her instincts, as well as a strange sense of curiosity.

Besides, there was no way that she could let a free Parasyte float amid the streets of Tokyo on its own, regardless of whether it was infused or not. And if it was really, for some odd reason, flying in the air of its own volition, the easiest thing Ichigo could do was to simply dispose of it by means of her Strawberry Bell.

She did not waste any more time.

Without stopping, she swiftly procured her pendant from her pocket and after noting that there was no one around, she kissed it fervently. A pink light subsequently enveloped her whole form, as she began to smoothly transform, and when the pink light cleared out, she was brimming with nothing but strength and confidence.

There was something spectacular about being a Mew Mew. Ichigo could not quite put it into words, but she knew that whenever she changed into Mew Ichigo, she felt different. It was as though she had turned into an entirely brand new person. Fiercer, stronger.

She regarded the flying object in front of her intently before a wide grin spread across her face and she struck her signature pose.

"For the future of Earth, I'll be of service, nya!" she beamed and, after that, took off at brisk pace and headed right after the Parasyte with Masha in tow.

Left, right, then straight, another left; with each of the following turns, Ichigo got more and more entangled in the complex labyrinth of the dark streets of Tokyo, noting only partially that the further in she went, the less light seemed to be around her. But that didn't matter, her eyes stayed transfixed on the glowing radiance of the Parasyte's shell which continued to float ahead of her effortlessly. And when it, quite suddenly, slowed down, before it vanished behind another corner that seemingly led into some other dark alley, Ichigo went even faster after it, her heart beating so hard she thought it would break.

Yet, the moment she had made the turn, something felt terribly wrong.

The Mew Mew abruptly grounded to a halt, as her frantic eyes skidded around the dingy alleyway wildly, searching the gloomy shadows all around her with practice only someone infused with Iriomote cat genes could. It was black, damp and cold everywhere she looked, and, with each of the passing seconds, Ichigo's discomfort merely grew, making her wrap her hands around herself instinctively, with only her feline genes helping her to adjust and see through the darkness surrounding her.

And that was when she finally understood that she had been lured into an evidently deadlock street, which was not as empty as it had initially appeared.

Her eyes opened wide at the disturbing picture that presented itself in front of her, while her rapid heartbeat almost progressed into a stroke.

She first noticed the little Parasyte, gleaming in the darkness at the far end of the alley pulsing with feeble blue and violet hues, before her gaze fell on the slim, shadowy hovering figure that lurked from behind it in the background. And the instant she recognized the long, pale fingers that circled around the translucent skin lazily, twirling it in the air teasingly, her thoughts immediately flashed back to the hot memory of their last encounter, making her visibly tense up at the ghastly sight of him, all her former uncertainties back.

Which path did she come from again? Didn't matter. She had to turn back. Right away. Choose a random street and follow it. As long as she got away. Quickly. There would be no issue.

What was she even thinking?

Deep down, Ichigo knew that what she had done was something vaguely resembling a bad idea. Why could she then not stop in her tracks any sooner? Why did she pursue the little Parasyte without giving it too much thought? Why had it not occurred to her earlier that there might be really someone controlling it, after all? Or had she just consciously blocked that notion altogether?

And why, of all three of them, did it have to be him?

The time seemed to drag on, as Ichigo felt herself begin to sweat with claustrophobia. She had to leave. Fast. Before he had the opportunity to notice her. The shadows covered her quite effectively, she thought, there was still a chance. But when Ichigo tried to move, she found her feet paralyzed, completely rooted to the ground, as an immense wave of guilt slapped her wide across her face.

Was this how a Tokyo Mew Mew leader should feel? Running away from the battlefield instead of engaging in a direct combat? What would the others think? What would Ryou think?

But she did not want to deal with him. Not him.

Why, why did it have to be Kisshu?

Ichigo gazed in awe, as the clouds above them drifted and spread for a few seconds, while a draft of liquid silver moonlight fell onto his head, making his emerald green tresses a shade darker than usual and his pale skin all the more radiant. For a while, only the sounds of Masha's fluttering wings and the far-away honks of the cars echoed in the dark, narrow alley, causing the thick silence that continued to sit between them to seem unbearable. Still too appalled, Ichigo wondered if Kisshu wasn't aware of her presence, or, rather, if he decided to plainly ignore it. But no sooner had she started to mentally debate her options of how to proceed, than the alien had tilted his head and cast a glance in her direction at last.

And the moment their eyes met, Ichigo felt real sweat drops breaking out on her forehead as an immediate consequence. It was as though something very terrifying had been put right before her, and she could feel her throat drying instantly, while her heart began to thrum faster in her chest.

No, she could not leave now.

Not to mention that her superhero reputation would not allow her to do so in the very first place. But the problem was how to continue, especially when she currently felt so weird and awkward around him.

Act normal, Ichigo. Nothing happened between you two. Maybe you were just imagining things anyway.

Well, that was also possible. Ryou had worked her hard to the bone. And with all the school stuff and Masaya drama in her life, it would hardly come as a surprise to Ichigo, if she had finally let go and turned bat shit crazy.

"Hello, kitten," Kisshu greeted jovially, "Looks like we meet again. Is that fate, mm?"

Noting his flirtatious demeanor, the Mew Mew faced away quickly, thoroughly embarrassed, and determined not to let the fact that they were completely separated from the busy hustle of the street get to her.

'Fate? Since when did Cyniclons believe in fate?' Ichigo mentally growled but dropped the thought immediately once the events of the previous day once again rose unbidden in her mind's eyes, blinding her senses temporarily.

In truth, there were still so many things stuck in Ichigo's head that she did not understand; heck, she could not interpret half the thoughts and images that had passed through her brain since yesterday. And, judging by the quick beating of her heart, she still felt deeply conflicted and uneasy when directly challenged with the locus of her post-traumatic experience. On one hand, Ichigo wanted to pulverize the Cyniclon in front of her, ridding Earth of one of its arch nemesis for good, but, simultaneously, she also wanted to run away and, above all else, she wanted to know; to discover; and to comprehend what had happened during that afternoon, and what exactly had led to it. Torn or not, one thing was for certain, though; whatever Kisshu's reason for being here was, Ichigo did not feel like fighting with him at the present time. Not when her thoughts still reeled with all kind of whimsical ideas, confusing concepts and jumbled notions, causing her to feel both equally flustered and angry at him. She sincerely thought she had cast all of her problems aside; truly believing that once she had breathed in the cold evening breeze into her lungs, it had cleansed her out of her trials and tribulations. But now, at the end of the day, here in this dark alley, Ichigo knew she was out of her luck. The minute she spotted his figure swamped in the gloomy shadows, she found herself back on square one, and as bemused as ever.

Another pregnant moment hung heavily in the air, making Ichigo all the more neurotic and apprehensive around him, but it was nowhere close to the feeling she acquired once his fingers, all of a sudden, snapped, and the blue light of the Parasyte's shell vanished completely, plunging them thus both into a veil of utter darkness. She kept her gaze firmly glued to the ground, deciding to avoid direct eye contact at any cost, but even through the thick shadows, she could still feel his lingering gaze on her. Watching her; making her hesitate, as her heart continued to hammer with unprecedented speed. Ichigo knew that she would have to confront him eventually. It was just the fact that she was not entirely sure that she was exactly ready for it as of now. For a start, she was still too ashamed by what he might have seen, but she also understood that she could not be quiet like this forever.

'What are you? Scared?' her conscience jibed and Ichigo's eye brow twitched angrily at the overall stupidity of the whole thing.

As if she was scared, and of Kisshu for that matter!

He was nothing but a stalker. A perverted stalker who did not know when to stop. Come to think of it, what was he even doing here anyway? He already waved the Parasyte away, did that mean that he would not create any Chimera animas and start a fight tonight? But the manner with which he presently carried himself did not betray any good intentions either. So what was this about? Did he come here to make fun of her? To laugh at her face some more?

Ichigo set her jaw, while wild anger began blazing in her eyes.

That jerk!

But her fury slowly dissipated, once another thought, far more gruesome, clawed at her mind, making her recoil in disgust.

What if he came here to rape me!?

When the horror of the idea began to fully sink in, a cold fear settled into the pit of Ichigo's stomach, as a bile formed in her throat.

She swallowed it hard, not entirely sure that she could put it past him and dismiss her dread so easily.

But, maybe, it was really all in her head? How could she even prove that their last encounter was real? Maybe Kisshu did not even see anything? Maybe he was not even there? What had made her so positive that her mind was not playing any sick tricks on her?

'Well, that is also within the realm of possibilities,' she glumly thought, but something told her that that would probably not be the case.

What if he had somehow jinxed her, though?

God knew that Ryou's research might have some loopholes in it, however unwilling the blonde was to admit that out loud. Could it be possible then that the Cyniclons were able to, apart from levitating high in the air, creating Chimera animas and summoning dangerously looking weapons, also control human bodies?

Or what if it all was just an example of her own subconscious projection in the heat of the moment? Could she truly believe herself enough to know that it had actually happened? And even if he was really there and saw everything, what had made her so adamant in her belief that he would care in the very first place? Why would he simply not forget about it? Wasn't she getting a little in a way over her head, after all? Maybe he had already let it go? How remarkable was it, really, to watch someone else in the mid of fornicating? But, again, he had displayed some perverted tendencies in the past, which basically-

Her train of thinking was suddenly interrupted by the twinge of alarm that sprang within her at the sound of a soft tap, when his tip made a contact with the solid ground. And, she gasped the second later once she felt his fingers slipping underneath her chin, forcing her to glance upwards.

A long, silent tension stretched between the Mew Mew and the Cyniclon, as the two of them stared each other down wordlessly, unwilling to display any sign of weakness, looking into each other's souls as if to pull out all of the secrets of their lives. Refusing to give Kisshu the upper hand, Ichigo bit her tongue and narrowed her eyes at him in anger, hoping that she would burn holes in his head that course, she didn't. And neither did it particularly help with fighting the blush that became painted brighter and brighter on her face with each of the following moments.

The seconds ticked by, and the redder she got, the wider his devious smirk grew.

When he finally spoke, Ichigo felt like the air had momentarily left her lungs, but for the life of her, she could not look away.

"I'll say, I would never peg you as an exhibitionist," he looked surprised, then grinned cattily, sporting a slightly lustful expression on his face, "but, as they say, don't judge the book by its cover."

Hearing this, Ichigo's eyes widened a fraction, as a new wave of shock rocketed straight down her body.

Obviously, she had not been hallucinating and, based on the way Kisshu was presently acting, the Mew Mew could safely assume that he wasn't anywhere close making it easy for her to live it down.

So much for letting it go, huh?

"Shut it," Ichigo rebutted, once she found her voice back, rage already building from within her.

And, somehow, that amused the alien even more.

"Did I hit the nerve? By the way, thanks for coming," he grinned again, revealing his sharp alien fangs and the innuendo was unmistakable.

She fisted her fists in balls and made a swing at him.

"I said SHUT it! I don't know what you saw yesterday, but I suggest you erase it from your memory and pronto! Or I WILL!" she used a forcefully aggressive tone and, screwing her eyes, pushed her elbow against the Cyniclon, shoving him fiercely away from her.

"But, kitten, you were such a sight," he sighed dreamily, floating back in the air with his hands leisurely crossed behind his back, "I enjoyed the show very much," before promptly teleporting himself behind her, catching her slightly off guard, "Wanna play again?"

Her cheeks immediately flared up.

Whether due to the bold manner wherewith he ran his fingerprints over her face, or the sheer audacity of his words that had made all of her collective hair stand on, she could not tell; but her hazel eyes instantaneously filled with complete animosity towards his obnoxious suggestion.

"Cut that out," Ichigo wrangled her way out of his arms, and swiftly turned around, ready to pounce at him.

He was, by no means, going to let her off the hook. Now, she was certain of it.

"No, can do," Kisshu chuckled darkly, summoning his sais in the following instant before lunging forward, "This time, Tokyo Mew Mew is finished."

"Like hell," she spat back and brandished her Strawberry Bell to stop his attack in time.

A sound of metal clashing against metal subsequently reverberated through the dark alley, immediately disrupting its former tranquility, and Ichigo's heart jumped every single time when she saw the sharp edges of his blades enter her peripheral vision. She knew that it was not very wise of her to take him down alone. It was downright stupid, actually. Even more so, when it had become apparent that the longer they had fought, the more challenging it had proved to block his blows. Was it her prevailing embarrassment or his relentless pace that had made this fight so difficult? Since when did he become so quick, anyway? Was he always this quick? Or was Ichigo just that slow? She stopped briefly to stare at his brisk teleportation movements, trying to estimate from which portal he would emerge next, and she was almost spot on, be it not for her unexpected pause, when she was met face to face with his midriff and her gaze unconsciously dropped to his lower area, where it remained for far longer than it should.

That was the moment when she had fucked up. And, unsurprisingly, Kisshu hadn't let that one slip so easily.

Before Ichigo could register a coherent thought, she felt a strong pair of hands latch onto her wrists with iron grip and forcibly pull and pin her arms above her head, as he pressed her roughly against the nearby brick wall, his sly smirk back in place. Startled, she instinctively strived to free herself but Kisshu didn't budge.

"What is it, kitten? If I did not know you any better, I would have guessed that you are distracted," he taunted and Ichigo sensed how the back of her neck started growing hot at the sudden proximity of his lips close to hers; the proximity that had sent an unexpected rush of goosebumps up and down her legs in the next few miliseconds, making her shiver and quake with a strange feeling which was only heightened when she looked up and spotted the sheer excitement that was relayed through his face.

Smelling her distress, his sinister smirk merely intensified, causing her to shrink back and try to curl herself in.

"L-let go," she reeled back slightly but her tone lacked both strength, as well as conviction.

Kisshu fell silent for a long moment, trying to read the soul that was uncomfortably shifting under the weight of his piercing gaze. It took almost forever until his lips parted with a low whisper and Ichigo felt an illogical panic take root within her while her eyes widened in terror at his next words.

"Listen, Ichigo," he drawled once he inched even closer, his hot breath tickling her ear, "are you, perhaps, distracted because you are sexually aroused?"

The Mew Mew swallowed hard, her inner dread rising.

She had no idea what had gotten into her, but the moment his question clicked in her brain, the events of the previous day instantly flitted back to the forefront of her mind, overriding all the shame and anger she should have been feeling. Her skin grew pale and clammy as the relentless images kept assaulting her, letting all of her former doubts began to bubble towards the surface once again, while more angst started to swirl in her gut and another rush of panic had made her skin crawl with fear. Her mouth went dry at the intensity of his vibrant golden gaze that had been penetrating her, waiting to be dived in. And Ichigo wasn't sure if she liked the evil conniving glint that was aligned in Kisshu's eyes. She knew it would be far smarter to look away, but she was too entranced, too captivated, too powerless against the way how he was intently staring at her, silently assessing her, carefully observing her every movement, just like he had done during their last encounter, that she remained completely petrified. And the longer he had stared at her, the more detached Ichigo felt from everything else.

A few more silent seconds had passed between them, the atmosphere still loaded with thick tension, as Kisshu patiently waited for her answer. But Ichigo provided none. Partially for she was not entirely sure what exactly she had been experiencing at the present moment, and partially because she was far too afraid to delve into that foreign realm of her sub-consciousness and discover what had been actually abiding there. Alas, even if her will stayed strong, the same could not be said about her body. With the way how he had been pressing himself against her, Ichigo's self-control began waning, slipping slowly from between her fingers, until it momentarily faded away altogether, and she could not but close her eye lids at the brief sensation that his closeness had produced on her skin. When his grip around her arms suddenly tightened, she involuntarily hissed and a small noise slipped out of her throat before she could stop it, causing Kisshu to practically chuckle into her ear.

"Mm, how very unexpected," he shortly backed away and let his predatory gaze rake over her form.

He quickly noticed the sweat gleaming off of her forehead; how her gaze became glazed and half-lidded; how prominent the redness in her cheeks was; just like when he had caught her in her room the previous day. His eyes then flicked between hers, before a devious ghost of a smile reappeared on his features. He released one of her arms, letting it fall numbly by her side, and tentatively placed his fingertips over her neck, pressing into her pulse point and earning a soft gasp and a quick flash of surprise at the sudden touch.

Rapid.

The corners of his mouth twitched slightly when he let his fingers trail upwards and across her lips, before his eyes, dark and deep, shifted back to hers, and he fixed her with a look that she could only liken to a cat watching a caged bird.

A look which had turned her simmering blood icy cold at once.

Ichigo's heart rate only accelerated, when his eerie voice floated to her ears, snapping her promptly from her trance-like state and sending her mind deeper into the burning sense of anxiety. She heard the alarms bells ringing loudly in her head, as a horrible feeling of appalling dread bled out from her heart, creeping along her blood vessels and gripping them tightly, just as his eyes glanced back up to meet hers, the nasty half smile returning to his lips.

"I think we both learned something rather interesting today, I-chi-go," Kisshu purred, taking in her still utterly befuddled expression, his voice even smoother and more dangerously seductive than before.

Leaning in, he puffed a gust of hot air straight into her right ear, just as his fangs grazed along the thin, delicate skin of its shell.

"See ya!" the alien murmured softly.

And, before the Iriomote cat girl could react in any way, he waved his hand in a motionless goodbye and, with a near inaudible sound of air moving with his teleportation, disintegrated, leaving Ichigo's completely stupefied form slump against the brick wall behind.

"Could you again please kindly explain to me why you did not contact anyone and instead engaged in a fight with Cyniclons only by yourself?"

Ryou's voice was seeping with merely thinly-veiled outrage.

Ichigo had a hunch that things would eventually come to this, one way or another. In all honesty, she had fully expected the clash of opinions to occur much sooner, but when the ever so timid Lettuce had emerged in front of her earlier to retrieve her during Ichigo's diligent sweeping of the Café Mew Mew yard, the distressed Mew Mew could easily tell that the moment of truth was now. She clutched the broom in her hands harder, reading herself for the impact that was sure to come, but followed her green-haired friend inside quickly, nevertheless. The ominous feeling of nausea, which had suddenly gripped her, had made Ichigo's stomach churn with nervousness, which only grew in volume with each of her following steps. It was only upon her arrival at the basement, however, that she was finally met face to face with Ryou's long scowl and, from the looks of it, Ichigo could immediately discern that her gut was right.

As expected, her boss was not happy. The glaring fluorescent light in his lab that had been casting a weird kind of shadow on his features throughout the duration of their argument had only made the dark and menacing expression he had been wearing on his face all the more pronounced. He was, by all means, furious, Ichigo sagely observed. And, she did not have to think too long as to know what exactly had ticked him off.

Ryou was as much a strict leader with a very strong propensity to OCD as a natural team player who, in spite of his own dubious methods, never enjoyed to be kept in the dark when it came to gathering data; which is why Ichigo was certain that no excuse, not even a really good one, would save her sorry ass from his stern rebuke. Even more so, when she had de facto set off on a solo mission last night without not only informing anyone, but also not sharing any information regarding her late night meeting with Kisshu whatsoever. Something, which Ryou was surely never willing to forgive.

The deeper Ichigo had pondered all of this, the more stupid she had started to feel.

Why had she just not reported the whole incident to Ryou yesterday like she had always done in the past? Was she really going to fight him tooth and nail to keep her lips sealed in regards to her latest encounter with the aliens? And, more importantly, why? Was it because of the weird feelings she had been battling within herself lately? Or simply due to her boss's excessive emotional tantrum that he had been presently throwing without being even remotely aware of what had really happened?

And would he act differently if he had known what had happened?

That was a question worth million bucks.

Ichigo watched quietly as the blonde continued to thump his knuckles against his desk in irritation. She knew that silent treatment would get her absolutely nowhere with her boss; if anything, it would get him even more agitated, since he utterly abhorred stalling, perceiving it as nothing but a waste of time. They were talking business now. He had asked her a question. She had to answer. It was as simple as that; a failure to respond to any of his inquiries would not only further question her professionalism, but also throw in even more suspicion and shade on her behavior.

She had to answer him.

For, as much as Ryou hated stalling, disobedience was, after all, a personal trait that the blonde detested the most.

"Well? I am waiting," he pressed on and Ichigo, all of a sudden, found herself feeling very small underneath his heated gaze.

It wasn't that her boss was particularly scary or horrifying, as, actually, Ryou was rather handsome and easy to look at. Sometimes, Ichigo would even go as far as calling him hot, if you essentially forgot his terrible character and slave driver work ethics. But the piercing stare that he had been presently aiming at her held so much contempt that it had made her skin prickle; a sensation which the Mew Mew had already experienced a few times first hand when dealing with Ryou, and which was never a pleasant experience, so to say. From all the previous interactions they had shared, Ichigo could tell that if she was not going to spill the details quickly, he would lash out on her sooner or later. A notion which was shortly confirmed when he leaned more forward in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, his fingers now drumming impatiently on his right elbow.

Yet, if she was to tell him the truth, would he accept it or deem it a lie? Not that there was really much to relay. Plus, even if Ryou found her answer somewhat satisfying, Ichigo doubted that it would make her actions seem any less far-fetched in his eyes.

"I-I," her voice trailed off, trying to scramble a plausible explanation, but he cut her off brusquely.

"You what? I have all day, Ichigo. Come on, enlighten me," he uncrossed his arms and studied her expression for a moment before he went on, "What is it? Am I not giving you enough time to spend with your boyfriend? Do you really have to cross me this way?"

"I-I did not mean to cross you," she supplied dully like a child hearing the same lecture a hundred times, the hem of her dress suddenly appearing to be the most interesting point in her line of vision.

"Then why the hell did you not call the other Mews?! Imagine my surprise when I got notified about an alien attack through Masha and, except for me, no one else even knew what was going on!" he raised his voice and Ichigo tried her hardest not to flinch.

'Well, for starters, no one else was available, duh,' Ichigo thought sourly but kept her mouth shut, not wanting to antagonize Ryou any further.

"You know what I think?" he continued, seeing that their verbal exchange was not leading anywhere, "I think you are way too reckless these days. And I don't like it, since it puts the whole team in danger too. As a leader, you should have known better. Are these the side effects of your PMS or is there something else on your mind, apart from sex, that is bothering you? Man, makes me think if you have really gone sex crazy."

Ichigo blinked in surprise a couple of times, positive that she must have misheard. Nonetheless, when her mind eventually processed his words, she glanced up at her boss fiercely with a pair of red-speckled eyes and beside with anger.

That was it! Her temper snapped with an audible bang of her hands on his desk.

Then she exploded.

"What the hell, Ryou?! Like where the fuck do you get off by telling me what I can and cannot do? Do I have to inform you about every single detail of my life as well?! Because last time I checked, when I have a problem, you are nowhere close to even hearing me out! Besides, it was only Kisshu yesterday! And we barely even fought! So get off my tits, I'm doing the best that I can here!"

From the corner of her eye, Ichigo could see Ryou's pupils slightly widen for a split of a second before his cold, piercing gaze narrowed at her defiance, his next words sounding like nothing but liquid ice.

"No, you're not," he returned frostily, "You are letting far too many emotions to steer you away, Ichigo. You're right. I could not give two fucks about what you do in your personal life, but I won't let you jeopardize the Mew Project, nor my father's legacy. Go and fuck Masaya senseless or screw a cactus for all I care, whatever will set you straight. But never forget your duty here. You were chosen for this mission for a reason. Millions of lives are dependent on you, Ichigo! So tend to your raging hormone levels in however way you see fit. But I don't want to hear any more stupid excuses from you. We have a task aligned for us tomorrow. Get a grip for fuck's sake and start taking it seriously!"

Ichigo barely held the prickling tears that began to gather in her eyes, while she glowered at him viciously, her hands shaking with uncontrollable hurt and blistering hatred.

"You know what?! Next time a Cyniclon engages me in a one-on-one battle, I hope he kills me, so that I don't have to face your criticism right after!"

She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, not giving Ryou any more time to form a retort.

There followed a resounding, dead silence, as the blonde scientist continued to stare speechlessly at the spot from which Ichigo had just taken off for a minute longer.

"You are putting way too much pressure on her, Ryou."

Keiichiro's calm voice came from next to the blonde, making him pause with a slight startle and swivel around in his chair to regard the older male carefully, his eyes instantly falling onto the tray with cupcakes in his hands.

"I know. But that is the only way," Ryou whispered with a far-away look on his face before his expression screwed back into his signature schooled indifference.

He took a bite of one of the sweet treats and, shortly after that, resumed with his typing effortlessly.