Libidinous
Dear readers,
Thank you for stopping by and reading this story. I would like to hereby thank everybody for your comments, reviews, follows and kudos. I still cannot believe that it will be almost a year in two months since I first started working on The Road to Perfection. Wow, time really flies, guys. And the second season of TMM is finally out too, yay! Honestly, I have not been watching any anime lately, but when I realized that this week is THE week we all have been so patiently waiting for, I got super excited! Not gonna lie! These new Kishigo scenes are everything hahaha
Speaking of excitement, the following chapter called 'Libidinous' ends another arc of our story. Apart from it being the second half of the latest update, I'll let you know that it was also one of the first segments I had in mind when I started thinking of this fic; kinda like what 'A Toll on Her Psyche' and 'Mild Shock' was for TRTP. I hope that you will find this chapter especially enjoyable and I will see you soon!
The music I used for this part is Marilyn Manson's 'Sweet Dreams (Alt. version).'
AnimeRoxx – Thank you for your comment! I am so glad to hear that you liked the last update so much. Ryou is rather intimidating in this story, is he not? Does he know anything about Ichigo's secret love life, though? That is yet to be determined!
DrDark7 - Thank you for your comment! I am so happy to hear that you are still enjoying this story so much and I can only hope that you will like the following chapters as well. Let me know your thoughts!
Lulyy Elizabeth Vaca - Thank you for your comment! I am glad that you enjoyed the last update. I hope you will like the following chapter just as much. We still have a long way to go!
Kishlover985 - Thank you for your comment! I am pretty sure that you will like the following chapter since it has a lot of intense moments in it. As for your question, the only way to find out is to keep reading!
Sorakitten - Thank you for your comment! I am really happy to see that you liked the latest updates so much. I hope you will like this one as well! Fingers crossed.
Wildfaerie - Thank you for your comment! I am glad to hear that you are enjoying this story so much. And, yes. I usually upload Thursday evenings, unless something unexpected happens. So stay tuned, because a lot of things are yet to come!
NeKoGirl - Thank you for your comment! Haha, you tell me! But I would agree with you on that. As a matter of fact, the more we progress with the story, the more drama we are bound to encounter.
As always, please enjoy and review!
I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew
Ichigo was descending the stairs into the basement with a little more than a mere anxious feeling in her heart.
There could be, of course, a plethora of reasons why her nightmare of a boss might have requested her immediate presence in his so called office. To torment her was, quite naturally, one of the first plausible options that had pervaded Ichigo's mind. But if Ryou wanted to torture her so badly, he wouldn't have asked her to come downstairs, quite on the contrary. He would have snuck out of that dark hole of his laboratory and crawled up the stairs to the kitchen area like the sick little cockroach he truly was. He had done this so many times in the past that Ichigo had simply lost her count. And, what more, she sincerely started to believe that her boss must have gained some kind of twisted pleasure from putting her down constantly. This conviction of hers only grew stronger the more passive aggressive interactions the two of them had shared and, whereas Ryou might have been ecstatic about their short verbal exchanges, Ichigo began to feel like she had developed a nervous tick whenever his blonde hair and sharp eyes entered her peripheral vision.
But, today, she was the one who had been asked to seek him out; to come down and meet him, which had somewhat ruled out the motive of possible public humiliation from Ichigo's mental list fairly quickly.
This afternoon was going to be about something else, Ichigo was almost sure; something far more profound than Ryou's insufferably fragile ego. And, not even for a second, did she doubt that whatever talk was awaiting her behind these closed silver steel doors was going to be pleasant, at least for her, that is.
As a rule, they rarely were.
In fact, it was somewhat given that anytime Ryou wanted to extract information out of Ichigo during their many debriefings, it was always done through his painstaking effort to remain in full control and exercise one, or sometimes even all, of his hallmark heinous qualities. Among such, heavy criticism, intimidation and almost clinical detachment always ranked the highest, and Ichigo was not delusional enough to think that something magical would happen today and he would suddenly started acting different.
Especially, since she had been so successful with avoiding him for the past week or so.
And, knowing Ryou, he might probably be close to the verge of insanity due to this particular lack of power, which is probably why she was presently going down to see him in the very first place.
'Why can't we just discuss weather over a nicely brewed tea with a cookie for a change?' Ichigo sighed, fully aware that pigs had a higher chance to soar and begin flying than her having a joyful tea party with her boss.
'Maybe if he had a girlfriend, he wouldn't be such a pain in the ass all the time,' she internally mused, while her hand automatically knocked on the shining, hard surface of the metallic steel door.
A few seconds later, a threateningly low voice, grave and cold as ever, invited her in, causing Ichigo to immediately correct her former assumption; in spite of his fairly good looks, even someone with as little love life experience as Pudding would beat Ryou in the dating scene on the spot.
Why?
Her boss simply did not know how to relate to people. To change them into a team of magical superheroes? Maybe? But to actually talk to them and consider their feelings? Not so much.
"You wanted to see me?" Ichigo started, taking in his slouched posture with her big, hazel eyes.
She was barely surprised that his gaze was glued to the bright digital screen ahead of him yet again. In truth, it would look somewhat suspicious if he had, upon her arrival, turned around and greeted her with a broad smile on his face like any other normal person would.
'Suspicious and creepy,' Ichigo mentally shuddered at her own thoughts.
Which is why she was caught slightly off guard when he, all of a sudden, swiveled in his chair and regarded her intently. His lips remained in a firm, tight line, nonetheless, saving Ichigo at least from some of her semi-claustrophobic visions.
"Yes, have a seat," he gestured to the chair right next to him before tapping something away on his laptop and closing the lid with a soft thud.
Ichigo blinked owlishly at the odd invitation.
Since when did Ryou think about anyone else's comfort beside his?
Ok, now she was mentally freaking out. Something was going to give. Why else would he let her sit in his lab with him? That was never the case before and completely out of character for him, to say in the very least. As long as Ichigo had known him, Ryou had always tried to get her out of his sight the minute she stepped inside his workplace, wishing nothing but to be left completely alone. Ichigo often blatantly ignored these wishes and, sometimes, even enjoyed to annoy the living hell out of her boss for all the shits and giggles. She knew that if she remained standing in the door frame or somewhere close behind him for more than five minutes straight, he would lose his temper sooner or later, and that she always considered her personal victory.
Of course, other times, she prayed to be as far away from the blonde as possible.
Like now, for instance.
Sitting down, Ichigo scanned the poorly lit rectangular room, searching for any sort of clue that could help her better understand why she was suddenly experiencing such a palpable state of discomfort. The flickering soft light that was coming from one of the fluorescent lamps above them, cast various shadows across Ryou's somber face, she vaguely noticed. But it was not until her eyes left her boss and scrutinized the desk in front of him that her breath hitched in her throat. And, instead of the expected wave of relief, Ichigo blanched upon the sight of Masha, still connected to the tangled web of gray and black cables that protruded from the many monitors Ryou had installed in his laboratory. She could feel her frustration immediately mounting into sheer panic, as tiny beads of perspiration formed on her brow. It looked sick, or somehow out of order; its usually bright, semi-red eyes closed, and its body, which was often so hyper, unusually lifeless.
But it wasn't her fear for Masha's well-being that Ichigo was presently dreading.
'Oh. Shit,' the girl realized faintly, forcing her eyes instantly away from the little robot when she felt the color drain out of her face.
Ryou knew. Fuck, he knew!
That was the reason why he had called her here. Now it all made sense. He must have somehow found out about her affair. How much did he know? Did Masha tell him? Or was he able to see something on the video recordings that the little robot had taken? No, impossible. Ichigo had made sure Masha was safely tucked away in her purse. And she hadn't even transformed when Kisshu was around, which meant Ryou's sensors could not have caught any alien presence. Or, could they? No, she was just being paranoid. There was no way Ryou could know. Unless Masha was able to send some alien alerts directly to his computer solely based on the imminent Cyniclon proximity. And if that was the case….
Could it take the audio recordings too?
Quite suddenly, Ichigo experienced an overwhelming feeling of her bile rising up in her throat. Never in her life did she feel more stressed than now. Her hands began to sweat, as her mind became jumbled in a dark cold haze of the memory of her dimly-lit bedroom and Kisshu's hands on her that shook her whole body violently. She could scarcely breathe, each gasp starting with difficulty and ending in a broken wheeze. And, the longer the images flashed in front of her eyes, the paler and more clammy her skin consequently grew. Her heartbeat only accelerated when she trained her semi-shocked gaze back onto Ryou whose piercing, unwavering stare never left hers.
A horrible, icy dread then shot from her toes to the tips of her fingers, but she was unable to look away.
She couldn't. Because breaking eye contact was pretty much the same thing as to plead guilty in this particular scenario. And Ichigo did not want to plead guilty, even if guilt was the prevalent emotion that was currently pulsating harshly in her veins.
Looking back, Ichigo would have gladly had another of those unexpected alien attacks if it could have spared her of what was certain to happen next.
Where are the Cyniclons when you need them?
But, could she be really sure that her fear was even valid here? Maybe, just maybe, this ad hoc meeting was about something entirely different. Perhaps, Ryou just wanted some more details regarding their most recent mission? Or something pertaining to their upcoming task? The possibilities were endless, now that Ichigo had really thought about that. But why would he, then, not invite the whole team? Or Keiichiro in the very least? That was the weird part. On second thought, Ryou was rather reclusive. Could whatever he was about to divulge to her be simply not meant to be heard publicly? For now, at least?
'I just hope he didn't usher me here to confess his undying love for me,' Ichigo mentally grimaced, 'As that would truly be the joke of the century.'
Taking a deep breath through her nose, she tried to muster a look of confidence and addressed the blonde at long last.
"So, did you actually need anything? Or did you call me here just to stare at my face?" she glared at Ryou balefully and he glared right back.
For some reason, Ichigo had always had trouble communicating with her boss. Mainly, because Ryou was always stubborn as a mule and not very agreeable about a lot of things; he often disregarded anyone else's perspective, deeming everyone around himself inferior to his superior knowledge. And he also took his work way too seriously, which had aggravated Ichigo to no end. Surely, she could admit that their mismatch of dynamics based on their different personalities was bound to conflict, that much had been made clear. But if he thought that he was going to use his position to order her around again, then she had no qualms about striking back. And if there was one thing that never failed to push Ryou's buttons, it was questioning his authority, since he absolutely loathed to be defied in any way, shape or form.
None of them said anything for what felt like eternity, causing the loaded tension that fell upon them to seem even more unbearable. Finally, Ryou leaned back in his chair and fixed her with a hawkish gaze.
"No, I called you here because I wanted to ask you a few things," he retorted, radiating a level of intimidation so intense that Ichigo felt a cold sinking sensation start somewhere in her chest.
"Well, I'm all ears," she muttered, positive that there was no way that her boss could really have any dirt on her.
"I'm glad to hear that," the blonde replied icily, before he crossed his legs and sent Ichigo into another state of panic, "So, first question. What is your business with Kisshu?"
Dumbstruck, the girl merely stared at him in horror, her distinct sense of unease immediately replaced with disturbing alarm.
"I'm sorry, w-what?" Ichigo choked out, her voice thin and high-pitched.
"Is it true that you and Kisshu eloped somewhere during your last battle?" the blonde inquired, making her grab onto the armrests of her chair harder.
"Where did you hear that?" Ichigo blinked, her wide eyes momentarily darting to the motionless pink body of Masha, as her heart pounded in her rib cage at a million miles per hour.
Obviously, she did not think that this piece of information would escape Ryou. She, herself, had somewhat hard time lying to her team mates about the nature of her unexpected disappearance from the latest battle. But she likewise did not predict that Ryou would make a big deal out of it. All the more, when her story sounded somewhat plausible. In the end, she blamed everything on Kisshu, naturally. She explained to her team how he had taken her somewhere against her will and how they had continued with their fight elsewhere before she had beat him to a pulp. Why had he taken her away? Because he was a psychotic crazy freak, apparently, who had had this insane idea to go on a date with her and killing her somewhere in the process. What a sick bastard, right? Yes, of course, she would be more careful in the future. She would not put herself at a risk like that ever again. And, yes. She would no longer engage herself in any other fights with the Cyniclons alone. She was not stupid. She knew her limits, sure. That was given, was it not?
A part of Ichigo felt really sick with herself at how easily all these lies slipped through her mouth. She could not really understand why but however farfetched and chaotic her explanation seemed to her own ears from time to time, her team mates had bought her version of the story without question, making the Iriomote Cat Mew even more uncomfortable.
Would they believe everything I say just because I am the leader of the Tokyo Mew Mew? Does the trust between us really cut that deep?
But, even if her team was willing to believe her, one chance look at Ryou informed Ichigo that her boss was clearly not.
Had she really been caught?
"It doesn't matter. Now, is that true or not?" the blonde pressed, the expression on his face completely inscrutable.
"Why do you ask me all of this?" Ichigo managed to get out, still somewhat certain that Ryou was just bluffing. There was no evidence. Masha had been safely put away. She hadn't transformed when Kisshu was around. Ryou had not been notified about their late evening interactions. It was all in her head, Ichigo internally chanted to herself. Her boss just wanted some answers for his project. He had no idea what was going on. And, the quicker and less emotional she would be about his tiny pop quiz, the faster she would be away from him.
The only problem was that, just like Kisshu, Ryou was able to call her bullshit easily.
'You're a shitty liar, I-chi-go,' the familiar malevolent Cyniclon cackle replayed in her mind, trembling her cells instantly with force.
'SHUT UP!'
"It is not the first time you found yourself alone with Kisshu during your fights," Ryou continued, watching her intently, "I want to know why is that?"
"Hell if I know," Ichigo cried out in desperation, as more uneasiness crept up her spine creating goosebumps on her lower back, "It is not my fault if he has some weird obsession with me, you know! You can't hold it over my head that he finds me attractive, Ryou!"
"Is that your final answer?" he gave her a long, pensive stare, his expression cold and hard.
"Yes. What else would it be?" Ichigo folded her arms over her chest defensively, hoping that Ryou could not read her mind.
For if he could, she was sure that her boss would find the images that were momentarily flowing through her head rather disturbing, in her opinion.
"You tell me, Ichigo. Because don't even think for a second that I haven't noticed the change in your behavior. Your performance is rapidly dwindling both at work, as well as on the battle field, which is exactly why we are presently having this talk. If it isn't the Cyniclons, what the hell is wrong with you, then?"
Ichigo could no longer ignore the knot in her stomach, and neither the slowly building indignation that had begun to burn in her system like liquid acid.
This conversation was starting to make her feel really sick.
"What is it to you? Don't pretend you care about me now! Cause we both know that that's not the case here," the Mew Mew snapped, throwing him a scathing look and immediately regretting her words.
She saw how the blue pupils of Ryou's eyes imperceptibly narrowed, which was hardly ever a good sign, as the room fell into another dangerous silence.
"I just want to know the truth. What kind of stunt are you trying to pull this time, Ichigo?" the blonde asserted, leaning forward, while a deep scowl started forming on his face.
"I'm not trying to pull anything," Ichigo bit back tersely, "Why do you have to constantly bully me like this? Are you getting off to being mean to me? Is it really doing it for you, Ryou? Because I have a boyfriend, unless you forgot."
He drew back, his scowl gradually receding into a haughty sneer.
"You mean the one who doesn't know how to tend to your bodily needs?" he asked flatly.
Ichigo winced at the way he pronounced the last few words. She felt herself reddening as her blood pressure began to skyrocket. And, it was safe to conclude that she was fuming at this point. Before she could stop herself, she sprang up to a standing position, her hands clenched in tight fists.
"You're so full of yourself! Besides, whether Masaya and I have been having some problems isn't any concern of yours!" she spat in a voice quaking with only partially subdued hysteria.
"Am I?" he followed suit and likewise rose from his seat with a loud screech, leaving both of the chairs conspicuously empty and the distance between their bodies rather scarce, "I think that you are forgetting that as long as you are working in this Café, you defer to me. And that pertains to any and every of my questions as well. So what is the real cause of your current state? Or, let me guess. Has Masaya still not figured out how to make you come? Is that why you have your panties always so high up your ass?"
"You!"
"What? I can't get on your nerves from time to time," Ryou half-joked, raising a quizzical eye brow at her, but that merely pissed Ichigo even more.
"You have been on my nerves long enough, you insufferable jerk!" she screamed and, in a surge of anger, her hand shot up in the air a little too quickly for her to understand what had been happening.
Only when Ichigo held up her shaking palm right next to Ryou's face, did she catch herself at the last moment and fully comprehended what she had almost done.
A mistake which could cost her a lot, and of which Ryou would never be too averse to reminding her.
"Don't you dare, Ichigo. Or do you really want to prove to me that you are, indeed, a slave to your immature emotions, after all?"
She retracted her hand slowly and faced away, thoroughly embarrassed.
Her subsequent reply held solely as much politeness as she could let out through her gritted teeth.
"Go fuck yourself."
Without glancing back, Ichigo turned on her heel and, with her tears clinging to her bottom lashes, slammed the steel metallic door behind her with a loud shut.
"Has Ryou been a jerk to her again?" Mint inquired, looking up from her cup briefly, while she surveyed the kitchen interior around her with her deep, inquisitive eyes.
The Café was especially busy today, bustling with customers coming in and out from all different directions. Regardless, the depressing, dark cloud above Ichigo's head, which had kept trailing after her no matter where the Iriomote Cat girl had gone, seemed to have slowed everything down in Mint's mind.
Lettuce looked to the table where the dark-haired Mew was sitting, enjoying her tea break.
"Yes. Their arguments have been more and more frequent upon recently. Not to mention heated. I mean, Ryou has been pretty mean to everyone, but Ichigo might have it worst," she answered honestly, trying to decipher the strange look that passed over Mint's face.
"Well, it would be just easier if the two of them finally got together," the blue-lorikeet Mew thought out loud.
"What are you saying, Mint?" Lettuce sweat dropped at the outrageous idea, "Ichigo has a boyfriend!"
"Yeah, yeah. But think about it, really," Mint went on, moving her tea spoon in the air airily, "Ryou is a workaholic who is extremely driven and needs to be always in command of everything while Ichigo is an emotional wreck who needs guidance and attention more than anyone else I know. It could work between them, actually. And maybe it would put a stop to all this drama as well. Have you not noticed how weird Ichigo is acting lately? She is far more jittery than her usual self."
"With that I cannot disagree," Lettuce sighed with unconcealed sadness.
Just then, their blonde boss stalked in through the back door, leaving a trace of icy aura behind him. Noting their impromptu break, he barked out another of his signature, acid remarks.
Speak of the devil.
"You two, no lollygagging. I am not paying you for slacking around. Get back to work!"
"I'm sorry," Lettuce apologized and promptly shuffled back to her workstation, whereas Mint held his penetrating stare. She gave him a quick once over before her gaze fell back onto the tea cup in her hands.
"What is it, Ryou? You and Ichigo seem constantly in each other's hair as of lately and we are getting seriously worried about you two," Mint frowned, clearly unsettled that her boss was so cagey.
"That's what I'd like to know," the blonde scientist crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his chin, "Never seen a bigger drama queen in my entire life."
"Well, I'm not going to deny that," the blue lorikeet Mew finished her tea and set aside her cup with a delicate clink.
When she glanced back up, she met Ryou's cool stare head-on, "I won't be coming tomorrow, as I need to practice for my ballet rehearsal. I hope you can understand."
"Sure, thanks for letting me know in advance," he nodded in acknowledgement, "I appreciate it."
And, hearing that, Mint's features suddenly softened.
She knew that Ryou was not entirely heartless. But she also knew he could be extremely cruel. Especially to Ichigo, whom he had driven beyond the state of homicidal rage many times. When the image of her gloomy auburn-haired friend filled her vision once again, Mint stood up and, pursing her lips, made her way for her coat.
She turned around just in time, to catch her boss still leaning against the doorway, his eyes transfixed on her form.
"Try not to be such a hard-ass on Ichigo, Ryou. I have a feeling she is not taking it rather well," Mint informed him casually, inspecting the cuticle of her nails with utmost care.
"That girl needs to get some serious reality check, if she wants to become a real adult one day, and you know it," Ryou exhaled sharply, as he ran a hand through his blonde tresses in exasperation.
"I agree, but you will not accomplish much by simply pushing her," Mint noted sagely.
Her tone then took a hard edge, as she lifted her gaze to meet his, a clear warning making its way into her voice, "Give her some space, Ryou, or you might regret it later."
Without another word, Mint retrieved her beige trench coat from the hanger and wordlessly left.
A light breeze drifted past Ichigo's murky silhouette, immediately reminding her of her serious lack of a jacket, as well as the wet sensation of her tears that still stung her eyes, causing her vision to be blurred and bleary.
Everything appeared swayed and undulated.
Everything seemed dim and dull, mirroring the inner vortex of emotions Ichigo had been currently feeling on the inside perfectly.
Why had Ryou's words hurt her so badly, damn it? Was she not trying enough? What more did he want from her? And, more importantly, how much longer was she really willing to put up with his shitty attitude? This was not normal. Today, he had crossed the line. He really did. A notion, which was only further confirmed by the snap of anger that instantly shot through her, once her sub-consciousness conjured up the image of his stupid face in her mind. More tears welled up in the corners of her eyes at that mental image, making it extremely hard for Ichigo to will them back. Until, at one point, she just stopped caring anymore and let her tears flow down her cheeks on their own accord.
As her feet came to a sudden halt, she pressed her hand against her misty eyes and began sobbing uncontrollably.
It did not matter that she was out in public. Why would it? With only the soft glow of the nearby street lamp on the opposite side of her, it had hardly made a difference. There was no one around her. And that was good. She did not want to cry in front of the others; especially Ryou, who would indisputably derive some sense of sick satisfaction from seeing her taken apart once more.
That jerk!
Why was she even working for him when all he did was to bully her over and over again? And why only her? There were five of the Mew Mews! Had the fact that she was the leader entitled him to make her the very center of his abuse?
Egoistic self-absorbed jerk!
Ichigo was just about to wipe her tears and continue on her way home when an unexpected flare of red glaring light blinded her temporarily.
"What the-"
She stopped mid-sentence and quickly glanced down at her feet once a semi-familiar sensation of falling through the ground sucked her into the portal that formed out of nowhere beneath her.
"Ah!"
With another sudden rippling sound, Ichigo found herself thrown out of thin air into the vast, inky darkness, only barely recognizing the solid ground that reappeared under her body.
Scared half to death, she searched her surroundings with frantic eyes, realizing instantaneously how grateful she should be for her Iriomote Cat genes. From the looks of it, she was still in Tokyo. Somewhere deep, deep inside, amid the shadowy streets she had never imagined visiting, nor deemed existing. In the distance, only the sound of the pipe leaking water was ricocheting across the seemingly empty alley. Apart from that, Ichigo couldn't hear a thing, as her heart continued to thrum in her chest against the deafening, ever-encompassing silence.
She could sense the burning knot of unease stirring something dark in her lower belly.
'Should I transform? Is it another of Kisshu's pranks, or are the Cyniclons really attacking me?' closing her eye lids in concentration, Ichigo clutched at her golden pendant anxiously, trying to make up her mind.
It had not occurred to her until now that ever since she had started being intimate with Kisshu, she could no longer tell where the fine line between imminent danger and pleasure was. These were blurred as much as her conflicting feelings about their secret affair.
Quite suddenly, her eyes fluttered open at the feel of two, very lean and very masculine arms around her waist that brought her back up against his hard and welcoming body.
She stiffened in his arms, not daring to look back.
But she didn't have to; even without looking over her shoulder, she knew whom these hands belonged to.
Kisshu.
"Well hello there, Ichigo," he bit her ear playfully, earning a gasp of shock from the girl in his grasp.
"Oh no, not you again," Ichigo wailed before she wrangled herself out of his hands and let her frustration out in the open.
She didn't have time for this. She didn't have time for him.
"What do you want? Get me back and then get lost already!" the Mew Mew barked.
"I came to say hi," Kisshu smiled widely, enjoying her obvious discomfort.
"Hi," Ichigo hissed in mounting indignation, "Now, take me home and go wherever you came from!"
"Somebody has gotten up on the wrong side of the bed today, I see," he hummed as he fixed her with an amused stare.
"Not your damn business," she bit back, her eyes brimming with complete animosity.
After the argument with Ryou that afternoon, she did not feel like she had any more tolerance for anybody else's bullshit. Especially Kisshu's.
"So, tell me," inquired the Cyniclon cheerfully, floating closer to her, that annoying smirk still present on his face, "What got your panties in a knot today, mhhhm?"
"I said not your damn freaking business! Now, beat it," she lashed out and forcefully shoved him away.
"You know what the best way how to never get your panties in a knot ever again is?" he asked, the little fires dancing in his gaze in sheer excitement.
"No, I don't. Enlighten me," she drawled sarcastically.
"Not to wear any at all," he supplied and before she could stop him, he spun her around and with a loud rip and a sharp pull tore her underwear apart, making Ichigo reel in shock.
"You, jerk! These were brand new! Are you crazy?" she cried out in utter disbelief.
"Maybe," Kisshu smirked, cupping her chin gently between his pale fingers, "Crazy for you."
Her cheeks immediately flushed red as his thumb brushed against her bottom lip. And, for a second, she forgot that his presence in her life could bring also something else than just psychological pain and inner turmoil.
He noticed the change in her expression and let his eyes travel down her front evilly.
"Oh, you and I are going to have such a good time, kitten."
"Kisshu I'm not in the mood today," Ichigo sighed, swatting his hand away from her face.
Being around him meant trouble. Trouble that could lead to even more trouble. Today had proved it to her alright.
Why was he simply not getting it?
She turned around, trying to walk past the alien, but paused when his voice reached her ears.
"Aren't you tired, Ichigo?"
"Eh?"
Without warning, he teleported directly in front of her again and backed her against the nearby wall. She regarded him with unsure, apprehensive eyes, her anger slowly dying as the solid cold feeling of bricks against her spine heavily informed her that she had nowhere else to run. Her initial alarm only increased, as he held her tighter, his intense gaze boring into hers.
"Tired of trying to appease all these people around you without getting anything back? Tired of giving all of your energy to your boss every day who does not seem to acknowledge your talents and instead tramples all over you the more you try? Tired of having friends who do not understand anything about what you are going through; tired of striving to satisfy your boyfriend sexually at the expanse of your own primary needs? What kind of life is that, really?"
"T-that's not-"
"True?" he cut her off, "We both know it is. The sooner you stop deluding yourself, the sooner you are going to start living outside of this self-imposed illusion."
"What do you know about me?! Nothing! So shut the hell up!" she snapped, trying to push him away.
At this, his lips curled upwards revealing his sharp, pointed fangs. Something in his gaze then shifted and flashed while his free hand stroked her cheek. She could see her face reflected in the glow of the shimmering molten gold, distorted and warped, like a painting.
"I don't need to know you to see what you desire," he chuckled darkly, his voice soft and inviting, "You are in a fatal craving of pleasure, Ichigo."
"W-what?" she breathed out.
"You need pleasure," he whispered seductively, his eyes never leaving hers, "You, in fact, deserve it. And I will give it to you, kitten. All the possible unearthly pleasure your mind could imagine and far more."
Perturbed, Ichigo blinked at him a couple of times before finding her voice again.
"What, you want to become my man whore?" she mocked, an evident shock clearly entering her tone, but it didn't seem to faze him.
Kisshu grinned.
His eyes streaked a darker color of amber as his mouth grew wider until it looked as though his lips had cut a section off his face.
"Let's not be crude like that. I will provide you with my services of various nature. Any fantasy you might have dreamed of, I will fulfill it. Any desire you might be feeling, I will take care of it. I will make it happen, Ichigo. Anything you want. I will make your body feel again what you felt that afternoon, but much, much more of it," he paused, as he traced the line of her jaw with his fingertips, before lifting it upwards to meet his lust-filled stare, "You will be breathless when I am done with you, but still asking for more."
"K-Kisshu."
"All I want is one thing in return."
"Huh?" that had managed to snap her out of her libidinous state rather quickly.
Regaining her sanity, she shot him a wary look, willing him to continue.
"I want one little piece of information and that is all," he rejoiced at her fierce reaction.
"And what would that be?" Ichigo asked impatiently, arching one of her eye brows in distrust.
His fingers drifted down to her neck, causing her to gasp at the feeling that his light feather-like touch produced on her soft skin, leaving heat wherever he had made direct contact with her exposed flesh.
"This pendant of yours," his eyes flicked to hers, "What is it exactly for?"
Ichigo's pupils widened in a mixture of terror and befuddlement as she continued to stare at him, looking too stunned to speak.
"I want you to tell me how you store information in regards to our battles, kitten. Do you guys have it in your pendants or is it the pink fur ball?"
"Wh-what?" she forced out, astonished.
"How does Tokyo Mew Mew store information?" Kisshu repeated, in far more serious tone.
She squinted at him in disbelief, gathering her senses long enough to realize what was happening. Surely, he did not think she would tell him, did he?
"Don't be ridiculous. I can't tell you that!"
Despite the rift between her and Ryou, there was no way she could divulge any sort of information of that nature to the Cyniclons. Her boss would kill her, for sure. And she did not even want to think about the reactions of the other Mew Mews.
"Are you sure, I-chi-go?" he elongated her name playfully.
"Yes, I am perfectly sure," she shot back with solidified determination.
Was he for real?
"Aside from that, even if I told you, how would I know that you would keep your part of the bargain? And if I would even like it for that matter?"
Hearing this, a new smirk spread across his pale face, lighting it up instantly, and making Ichigo's skin crawl.
"Soo, distrustful," Kisshu cackled, letting his gaze slide down her chest before it snapped back up to meet her eyes, "I would have thought that by now you would know that I keep my word. Have I ever not performed well, mmhm?"
"That is beside the point," Ichigo replied and even if her lip was trembling, she kept her chin strong.
"No, it's actually a pretty good deal, Ichigo. I already gave you a free sample of what I can do, free of charge. I think it is only fair that I want something back if we continue with this, kitten. Plus, I am not talking only about one time thing here. If you decide you like it, I can do it with you over and over again. Think of it as of one-time subscription fee," he snickered as his mouth morphed into a mischievous, semi-maniacal grin, "A one-way ticket to the unlimited supply of pleasure."
For a fraction of a second, Ichigo mentally debated whether she should accept his proposal. For someone as sexually deprived as her, this might have been truly a lifetime opportunity that did not necessarily need to repeat itself. The main issue was, though, that it sounded too good, which had irrevocably led her to believe that there was definitely more to this than he was willing to share with her. And, as tempting as his offer was, this niggling feeling of suspicion that had lingered in her thoughts had settled it once and for all.
'Well, better safe than sorry. It was too good to begin with, anyway,' Ichigo internally sighed before she tried to shove him away yet again. Whether she was more frustrated with him or herself, she could not tell.
"You're disgusting!" she sneered at him in contempt.
"Am I?" his eyes twinkled with fair amusement, "Mmm perhaps I am," he took a lock of her hair between his fingers, twirling it slightly, "But maybe my mind is just clouded with desire, just like yours."
"I am nothing like you!" she spat back, pinning him with a vicious scowl.
"And yet, every time you see me, you keep asking for more. I wonder, are you really here to fight and save the world, Ichigo? Or is it something else that lures you in?" he threw her a half-lidded look, as his lips inched closer to her ear.
"Stop it!"
"Tell me, how long has it been since you gave me your body for the first time? When you let my fingers slide deep inside you in the bath tub? How did that make you feel?" he kept nuzzling her neck.
"Not all that great," she bit back, lying through her teeth as she felt his other hand suddenly make a movement up her leg.
"Oh, really? Could have fooled me. I would almost think that you liked it. Just as much as you are liking it right now, mmhm?"
"You!" Ichigo extended her hand, ready to smack him, but he stopped her easily and pushed her further against the wall before kissing her with unrestrained passion.
All the emotions were roaring through Ichigo's body like crazy as the alarm bells began ringing in her ears. She felt her pulse increase, while fear began clawing at her heart, forcing it to pound fast and loud in her rib cage.
Danger, Ichigo. Danger!
But it was meaningless at this point. He did not have to hold her wrists any longer, as she started kissing him willingly, slinging her hands around his neck, pulling at his hair and pushing his body more into hers, relishing in the feeling of having his tongue around hers. She felt how his hands returned back to her thighs, squeezing her hard and she let out a whimper when one of them reached the hem of her dress and disappeared in between her legs.
It did not take much longer for her to start moaning shortly afterwards.
"Oh my god, Kisshu."
"Yes, that's right. Scream for me."
"You bastard!" she heard him chuckle against her neck, as his fingers curled deeper inside her, causing her thighs to squirm in delight and her nails to dig deeper in his skin.
"Don't you want it, Ichigo?" Kisshu pried, making her senses hazy and her body warm, "All you have to do is answer my little question and I will give it to you. All of it. All of me. Isn't this what you've been fantasizing about ever since that afternoon?" he bit lightly into her shoulder and she shuddered when his fangs grazed her flesh. He then let his tongue run over the exposed skin of her clavicle and Ichigo could not hold herself back any longer.
Damn him!
She hated him.
She hated how well he could read her.
And she hated herself even more for surrendering herself to him so easily, only barely attached to the reality around her.
Her awareness was pleasantly dazed at the way how he sucked on her throat, sending one shivering surge of excitement after another. She felt his fingers getting wet with her juices, but not impatient never impatient. Every single of his moves was calculated and carefully pre planned.
And that scared her and thrilled her to no end.
There was something about that intense creepy stare; something about the manner with which his chalk-like skin was riddled with shadows in the dim-light and his golden eyes bulged out from his skull that had made her insides twitch and twist in knots whenever he sent one of those looks her way.
"Kisshu, I-I can't," she rasped as she tried to control her moans while his fingers continued to pound into her.
"Well then I am afraid I can't help you either," he smiled at her with mock sympathy.
In a reaction to that, his hand abruptly stopped with its movements, pulling his fingers out of her in the next moment, and Ichigo was struck with a desperate need for more immediately afterward. Her body ached for him and that ache was eating at her from the inside.
"K-kisshu," she choked out.
"Yes?" he asked, as he returned closer to her face, his breath hot on her cheeks and his hands sliding behind her, clenching at her bottom.
She arched her back off the wall, reveling in the way her body pressed against his chest. Her blood was jumping with rage at her inability to coherently think anymore, failing to reign in her volatile emotions that had been longing for him for far too long. Her body was not listening to her; instead, it was becoming clay for him to mold. She sensed how her legs heavily trembled, as her desire started to take full command of her, while her mind continued degrading more and more.
Could she tell him? Was there any harm in telling him? Could he somehow seriously hurt Tokyo Mew Mew, if she provided him with that piece of information? What could he do with it, really? It was not like the Cyniclons could use it to aid their attempt to destroy Earth in any way. And, knowing her boss and his tight security, it was not like Ryou would ever let them even try.
Ryou.
Just the name itself had reminded Ichigo of her previous anger. And, for a fleeting moment, she had temporarily forgotten about Kisshu's hands on her body until another wave of immeasurable pleasure washed the frustration away, along with most of her protests and inhibitions.
It was so hard. Excruciating even.
With the way how he pressed himself against her, she felt each fiber of her being pulled tight with delirious need for fulfillment as all of her muscles tensed with anticipation.
"Say it, Ichigo. Give me the thing that I want, and I will give you yours."
As to punctuate his statement, Kisshu buckled his hips against her, making Ichigo hiss in pure ecstasy and holding onto the last bits of self-restraint. The throbbing she had been experiencing felt unbearable, as she was rooted to the spot between the smooth expanse of the wall and the hot, yearning body of the Cyniclon. She could not miss how hot and hard he was against her and could only fathom how hot and hard he could feel inside her, his shorts forming the last barrier between them. Though she was positive that from how soaking wet she was from all the pressing and grinding, his shorts must have been wet too. She briefly wondered if he was dripping with desire to fuck her as much as she was. That notion itself had made her former resolution crumpling and her skin prickle.
"Don't fight this, Ichigo. Don't fight me."
She felt her inner walls subconsciously clench when his sweet yet menacing voice floated to her ears, striking her core harshly and making the muscles of her chest constrict. It was as if her body had a mind of its own, begging for a release, desperately pointing towards the direction she had to take so that she could finally sate her yearning.
It could not end up like this. They could never end up like this. She had never wanted these arms to leave her. She wanted him. No she needed him. As much as she had never needed anything else in her entire life.
Her sanity broke then through the monster of lust, as the last few fingers of self-control lost their grip on her body, all hope of escaping gone.
With her mind blank, she looked at Kisshu for a long, silent moment and surprised herself when she heard her own voice speak.
First, she saw the evil glint lit up in his gaze before his maniacal grin widened ever so slightly and another dark chuckle slipped through his lips. She watched, with baiting breath, how his mouth inched closer, whispering against the soft flesh of her neck, and she could not but moan, as the hot puff of air lingered on her skin.
"Good girl, I will make sure that you are rewarded properly."
With his eyes on hers, she felt one of his hands go in between them to pull down his shorts.
And she gasped, her head reclining back, when he rolled his hips and roughly slammed himself into her. Every single neuron in Ichigo's body sighed at the foreign intrusion and reveled in the feeling of how much he was stretching her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, as her hands looped around his shoulders pressing him closer to keep her balance, while Kisshu smoothly readjusted his grip on her ass, lifting her slightly above his hip bones.
A few seconds later, the only sounds that were heard across the dark empty alley were her female cries and moans of utmost pleasure, as he had fucked her hard into the firm, brick wall.