Author's Note

Recently I stumbled across the opening to To Love Ru again for the first time in years, and was struck with the urge to rewatch it. As it stands, I last watched the show as a teen in middle school, a trait shared by a lot of people apparently. But after rewatching it again a week ago, I was inspired to try my hand at writing for it. At first I didn't expect it to be serious, but then I thought I could make it good.

If anyone here knows of Usagi Drop, the first half of that is something that inspired me. For those of you who know, let's just all pretend that the second half after the time skip didn't happen...

Who knows if this will be a one shot or a new story. If people like it, then I'll definitely continue it.

Uploaded

09/11/2024

LEGEND BELOW

"Onii-chan, can we go out to play?" = Speech.

''Yo, Yuuki, how have you been?'' = Thoughts/Phone calls

Chapter 1

Rated-M

M rating for mature themes, mentions of death, nudity, language, and sex.

Music of the day

Minecraft - Comforting Memories

He slowly woke up, the sound of muffled crying drawing him from the depths of his exhaustion. He groaned lowly, blinking as he opened his eyes, greeted to the sight of his plain white ceiling. He went to sit up immediately, go about his day but…

A small warmth on his lap gave him pause. His mind slowly rebooted as he glanced down, his expression softening when he took in the sleeping face of his kid sister, little whimpers in her sleep.

"Mikan…" He breathed out softly, heart hurting at seeing the tear stains on her cheeks. Her breathing was soft and leveled, likely meaning that she'd been crying in her sleep. His heart ached at her pain, but there was little he could do about it.

Besides doing the best that he could.

He reached up, gently wrapping his arms around the little girl, pulling her firmly to his chest. Pressing a tender kiss to her forehead, he ran his fingers through her soft brown locks. "Don't worry… Onii-san's not going anywhere, I promise…" He whispered into her hair, holding back his own emotions for her. The last thing she needed right now was to see him crying too.

Her whimpers faded away in her sleep, finding solace in his embrace. Soon enough she was sleeping soundly once again, her iron grip on his night shirt letting up.

He breathed out a sigh of relief, before he found his attention drawn towards the clock sitting on the nightstand by his bed. It read (4:30), its soft red numbers glowing in the darkness of his bedroom. It was still far too early for her to be awake, school still hours away.

But he was now, he wasn't getting any more sleep in, especially if he wanted her to be ready and on time today.

Taking another breath, long and drawn out, he let it fill his lungs in an attempt to wake him up. He was surprisingly gentle as he maneuvered out of the bed, slowly setting the little girl down where he'd once been. She instinctively clutched the bedsheet, their warmth keeping her sound asleep for the time being.

He blew out a little sigh, pulling the blankets up to cover her, setting them down on her upper shoulders. He stood there for a little while, half lidded eyes gently looking her over, hoping those night terrors wouldn't return for the rest of the morning.

He wasn't aware of the tension in his shoulders until it released as she sank into the space on the bed, her gentle snoring music to his ears.

Making sure the blinds were still closed, he quietly made his way out of the room. A yawn split his lips as the softly closed the door behind him, a little foam stopper atop the frame stopping just short of closing fully. When she finally woke up, he wanted her to be able to hear him in the kitchen if she came looking.

Or if another nightmare woke her up…

He stumbled into the kitchen, the dim lights clicking on at his movement. Dressed in baggy pajamas and a grey shirt that clung to his upper body, he went about getting both breakfast and coffee set up. Food for them both, and a pot of coffee to get him through the morning.

He was going to need it.

His lips quirked up a little as he pressed his finger to the cd player sitting atop the kitchen counter, the disk inside already loaded up from countless hours of use before. Sure it was a little out of date compared to more conventional devices, but he liked it old school.

No internet connection required. His friends used to make fun of him over it, until they forgot to pay their internet bills on time...

As the soft rock began quietly playing in the background, just enough to serve as white noise to keep his mind focused, he got busy with breakfast.

He'd set the coffee up the night prior, simply pressing a button to start the process this morning. As it began to bubble away, he found himself popping the fridge open. Grabbing a handful of eggs and the nearly empty pack of bacon, he got to work.

His fingers seemed to glide over the stove, turning the burners on as he set the stove fan to low to keep the kitchen clear of any smoke or lingering scents while he cooked. A little bit of oil saw the eggs sizzling in moments, the bacon full of enough fat to do that itself with the heat. While that started, he pulled out the pancake batter from the cabinet, a large plastic bowl ready to serve its purpose.

While he was busy mixing it up, his pocket began to vibrate. Sighing, he wiped his hands clean before picking up the phone. "Hello…?" He murmured tiredly, having not checked the number before answering.

''Yo! Yuki-kun, it's Kenichi!'' An overly excited voice echoed out from the other side, despite their poor attempts at keeping quiet. ''How you doing man? Been up to anything fun lately, you boring old board?'' The man laughed boisterously, giggling to himself like he'd just told the best joke in the whole world.

And if he was the judge of such things, then it probably was…

"Kenichi-san…?" Rito murmured, nowhere near awake enough for this much energy. "Why are you calling me so darn early? It's four thirty in the morning…" He muttered in question, holding the smartphone up to his ear as he continued to mix the pancake batter.

''Whoops! Sorry man, didn't know you were such an old man. Come on, you're twenty four, dude…'' The other guy ragged on. ''It's been months man, where have you been? The guys have missed you, dnd just ain't the same without you…'' He trailed off with a sigh, clearly shaking his head.

Rito's eyes widened, the thing having completely slipping his mind. "Oh, right, dnd…" He murmured absentmindedly, setting the bowl aside as he pulled out the electric skillet to get the pancakes going. "I'm sorry, Kenichi… I've been going through a lot lately, I completely forgot about you guys…" He felt a little bad about admitting that so openly, but only a little. "I'm sorry." He thought to add after a long pause.

His mind had been far too busy tending to the more important things lately, games and friends were something he didn't have much time for anymore. Dnd was no exception.

His life was simply far too busy, too much had to be given up in his responsibility to care for his sister. He just didn't have the time to do anything like game, not now. She was too important…

''Shoot, that bad huh? You haven't missed a game for the past two years, what's the occasion?'' Kenichi asked curiously, a bit of his excitement from before gone now. He could tell his friend was going through something, he just didn't know what yet.

Rito sighed, his shoulders sagging like he'd aged a hundred years. If Kenichi could see the black bags underneath his eyes, he would have more reason to be worried.

But his only warning was the deep exhaustion he could pick up in his voice.

Yuuki bit his lips, mouth quivering slightly. "My uh… mother died a few months ago… Car accident… Stepdad was with her too…" He muttered quietly, the words echoing out like a gunshot over the phone. He could practically hear Kenichi's jaw hit the ground in horror, his strangled gasp slipping free from his lips.

''H-Holy shit, dude…'' Came his choked out response, completely caught off guard. He opened his mouth to say something, but what was he supposed to say to that?

What was anyone supposed to say to that?

But before he could say anything more, Yuuki continued. "My sister was at home at the time… She had my number for emergencies, and when they failed to come back from their short shopping trip downtown… she called me, worried." He explained in a dull tone, tears prickling at the corners of his eyes.

But he wouldn't cry, he couldn't, not here and not now.

He wasn't allowed to.

He had to be strong, for her.

She was all that mattered now.

If he couldn't be strong for her, if he couldn't be that pillar for her to lean on, to look up to…

Then who would?

"I swung by in an instant, picking her up until they returned. When the police finally came over hours later, I… we learned what happened…" His voice grew distant, hands moving of their own accord as he finished breakfast.

"She's living with me now…" He muttered, biting his lips. He blew out a sigh, pouring his coffee.

The call was silent for a long time, a laundry list of things the other man suddenly had to ask and unsure how to ask any of them. Eventually, however, by the time Yuki had set the dining table for breakfast, he spoke up again. ''How is… How's your little sister doing? She's your stepsister, yeah…?'' Kenichi asked quietly, the wind taken from his sails as he took in the life changing situation his friend had gone through since they'd last met.

It was nearly too much to handle all at once, but he knew it was nothing compared to what he was going through.

Rito took a long sip of his coffee, the subtle hints of French vanilla and sugar waking him up. "She was frozen for a long time… I can't even imagine what it was like for her, loosing them at her age." He muttered. "She has nightmares every other night, doesn't get much sleep even when she doesn't have them."

He turned towards the open window of his apartment living room, gazing down at the city below.

The sun was starting to rise, signaling the dawn of another day. For some reason he had a gut feeling that today would be different somehow, but he couldn't explain why.

"School started a month ago, and it's been something that has helped get her mind off of what happened. For a while she was distant and quiet, but now she seems to try and be as chipper as she can." He took a seat on the couch, the furniture large and spacious.

But he was the only one to use it.

He didn't have anyone to cuddle with on it, anyone that he could rest his head on, a shoulder to lean on…

"I'm her last living family. I think she's terrified of losing me too. She sleeps with me now, otherwise she can't even fall asleep anymore…" His eyelids closed for a long moment, and for a second there, Kenichi was sure he'd fallen asleep.

If the sounds of his breathing leveling out was anything to go by…

But a few long moments later they opened again, black bags hanging heavily underneath them.

''Yuuki…'' Kenichi breathed, heart aching for his friend. ''Is there anything I can do man? Food, money, help?'' He was quick to offer assistance, as any true friend would.

That got a little smile out of the tired brunette. "Thanks, Kenichi. I really appreciate it." He smiled lightly, despite the situation. "I think I'm managing so far, but maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to have you guys over this weekend?" He added after a little moment. "Mikan might appreciate the friendly faces. I'm afraid she might get bored of mine…" He yawned, struggling to keep his eyes open.

''Time and place, I'll be there in a heartbeat!'' Kenichi promised firmly, hand to his heart.

Yuki smiled a tired yet genuine expression. He knew the guy was honest to a fault, and meant every word he said. However, before he could say anything in response, he heard his bedroom door creak open.

"Onii-san…?" A small voice echoed out, nervous, scared, alone. He was by her side in an instant, phone forgotten on the couch alongside his coffee.

"Heeey, good morning sunshine." He greeted gently, scooping her up off the ground, teddy bear, blanket, and all. She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, clearly not fully awake. "I didn't wake you, did I?" He asked quietly.

The nine year old shook her head. "N-No… The bed got c-cold…" She murmured, looking over to the dining table, her eyes lighting up a little. "You already made breakfast?" She asked, cheeks flushing when her stomach growled loudly.

He chuckled lightly. "For some reason I thought you might be hungry this morning…" He explained, shaking his head as if it couldn't be helped.

She smiled at him, quickly taking her seat when he sat her back down on the ground. "I'll join you in a moment." He smiled, moving back to the couch for his coffee and Kenichi. "Still there?"

''Yeah man, still here.'' He said quietly. ''She seems okay this morning.'' He muttered lamely, not really sure what to say. Suffice it to say he'd been blindsided by the intensity of the conversation…

"She's a trooper, I'll give her that." Yuuki muttered with a sad smile. "I just wish that she didn't have to be. I think she's trying to be strong for me, when it should be the other way around. Still, I'm proud of how strong she is…" He trailed off.

''I'm sensing a but…'' Kenichi murmured knowingly.

Yuuki sighed deeply. "She's still so young. I feel like raising her by myself might not give her the life she deserves. She needs a mom too, not just her older brother around the house for the next ten or more years…" He spoke absentmindedly.

Kenichi rolled his eyes from his own bedroom, staring up at the ceiling as he kicked his feet. ''Maybe it's time you go and snag a baddie?'' He blankly stated, saying it so casually it caught him off guard.

Yuuki choked on his coffee, forcing it down his throat lest he stain his carpet. Glaring at the phone, he cleared his throat. "Oh haha, funny Kenichi." He murmured. "I have too many responsibilities to look after right now. Dating isn't in the schedule…" It hurt to say that far more than the other man would likely ever know, but it was true.

A family…

That was something the eldest Yuuki had always wanted, now more than ever. The desire for companionship had only grown stronger ever since he moved out on his own, but now that he had Mikan to look after, he doubted he would ever get the chance to find her that older sister she wanted.

A wife huh…?

Now that sounded wonderful, yet now it seemed as if it wasn't anything more than a pipe dream. Even so, he couldn't hold that against Mikan, it wouldn't be fair.

She was simply far more important than his currently as of yet, unfulfilled dating life. If he could find someone who would help fill that role of second parent for her, well…

He'd love them forever, that was for sure. But in this day and age, most girls his age didn't want a guy with a kid strapped to the relationship from the get go. Sure it sounded vain of them, but it was simply how it was for some people.

Genuine people were just hard to come by, no getting around it.

One day, he told himself…

One day…

''Come on man! You've got to check out some of these chicks who joined our collage! Seriously, they're straight tens!'' Kenichi continued on unabated.

"Not listening, Kenichi." Yuuki muttered, standing up from the couch.

''I'm not kidding, Yuuki!''

"Hanging up now." The brunette sighed, clicking the red button, ending the call.

''Youcansilencemebutyoucan'tsilencethetruth-!!'' Kenichi garbled out before the call ended, Yuuki pocketing his smart phone with a sigh.

He moved back over to the table, smiling as he sat beside the little girl. Taking up his own fork and butter knife, be began digging in. He'd managed perhaps one bite, before she spoke up. "Who was that? Was he your friend?" Mikan asked cutely, looking his way curiously.

He shoved a chunk of pancake into his mouth, glancing her way. "Oh? That's Kenichi, one of my friends from grade school." He explained simply.

She giggled a little, syrup stuck to the corners of her lips. "He sounds silly." She admitted genuinely.

He smiled, reaching over to ruffle her hair. "Well, that would be because he is silly." He laughed a little, taking an intrinsic glee when she pouted underneath his pampering.

Breakfast was quiet otherwise, the two of them settling into a comfortable silence as they ate, the background music soothing.

The food was nice, but he found himself gazing at the girl from the corner of his eyes, noticing the look in her eyes. The food made her happy, being near him made her feel safe and secure, but nothing he could do seemed capable of making her heart happy deep down. He knew more than she even did, that she missed her parents.

He could do everything in his power to stand up where they were no longer around to be able to, but that's was a hole he could not fill.

Still…

He would do his best nonetheless. Smiling back the pit of sadness that had suddenly filled him, he stood up. "Say, why don't we go pick out what you want to wear to school today?" He offered, eyebrow raised in question. That seemed to get her attention, as she gasped a little sound, clapping her hands together.

"Oh, can I wear my new dress?! Can I, can I?" She practically bounced with excitement, tugging on his pajamas to try and convince him to see her cause.

He placed a finger to his lips, pretending to be deep in thought. "Hmmm, I don't know…" He hummed, turning away as if unable to be convinced.

"Oh please Onii-san! Please please please please pleas-!" She ranted over and over till she was nearly out of breath.

He laughed, patting her on the head. "Of course you can wear your new dress." He smiled, heart soaring when she stared up at him with those big sparkling eyes.

"Yay!!!" She laughed, running off to her bedroom.

He sighed as he watched her go. "Make sure to wash your hands first! You don't want to ruin your new dress!" He called out after her, the door already shutting behind her.

"Kay!" She called out through the door.

He smiled, before that previously mentioned emotional exhaustion struck him. Her emotions during the day were such a stark contrast to how she felt at night, it felt like he was being stabbed with a burning iron…

She was playful and sweet during most of the day, but when everything was said and done, school done and it came time to wind down for the night, she wanted that mother figure to hold onto. He just wished that she didn't have to settle for him…

Still…

He opened the fridge, pulling out a lunch bento he'd prepared the night prior, setting it aside by her cute rockstar themed backpack on the counter. He made sure it had everything for a growing girl. Protein, carbs, healthy fats and snacks in case she got hungry after lunch.

Couldn't forget the orange juice either.

"Crap… This is the last of it…" He murmured in disappointment, realizing that he was going to have to go shopping afterwards. He sighed.

First though, he needed to get dressed as well. Slipping into his bedroom, the pajamas were left abandoned on the bed, replaced for black pants and a grey shirt, a tan jacket thrown on over top. His sneakers were by the front door alongside his helmet.

He threw a passing glance at his wrist, noticing the time. 6:30. They needed to get moving if she was going to be on time.

"W-What do you think, Onii-san?" He was pulled from his musings when Mikan came running out to him, dressed in her new favorite outfit. It was a cute one piece dress, black with red stars splattered down the front. She wore red boots to top it off, a little red bow tie in her hair.

He was at a loss for a moment, before he smiled brightly. "You look adorable." He admitted genuinely, laughing a little when she pouted at him. "Come on, school's across town and we got to beat traffic to get there on time." He said, pulling her attention towards the front door.

Her eyes lit up in glee when she spotted the two helmets by the entrance. "Don't forget your bag." He said when he noticed she was ready to run out the door without it.

"Right!" She exclaimed in, rushing back for it before joining him outside.

Stepping outside on to the walkway, he locked the door behind them. The sun was up now, the city below already beginning to buzz with life.

"Come on Onii-san! Let's go let's go let's go!" She beamed, taking off at full speed down the walkway. Which, if her little legs were to be taken into account, wasn't very fast.

"Alright you, get back here!" He called out, walking after her.

He smiled a tired look, the cool morning breeze parting his long brown bangs. It didn't take long to reach the bottom floor, his motorcycle sitting locked out front.

He slipped his helmet on, making sure she was completely protected as well. "Checklist time. Elbow pads?" He listed off.

"Check!" She smiled, holding up her elbows for emphasis.

"Knee pads?"

"Check check!" She grinned, patting her knees.

He raised an eyebrow. "Helmet?" He asked in a knowing tone.

"It's-!" She exclaimed, reaching up to her head.

…

…

…

"I forgot it…" Her face lit up in embarrassment, cheeks puffed up. He smiled gently.

"I know you did. That's why I brought it." He held the missing helmet up, letting her take it. She beamed childishly, quickly shoving it on her head.

She turned his way, holding up two fingers. "How do I look?"

He smirked. "Adorable. Now hop on, we're burning daylight!" He patted the seat, holding out a hand to help her up.

"Yes sir!" She saluted playfully, grunting as she clambered up the side of the motorbike. Once she was up and secured, he hopped on to. She wrapped her little arms around his midsection, holding on firmly.

"Hold on, and don't let go." He said firmly, not playing around when it came to her safety. He'd be taking a car if he had one, but his motorcycle was all he had at the time.

Kicking the stand up, he revved the engine to life. He cranked his right hand backwards, sending the tire spinning. He pulled out of the drive and out onto the public roads.

Not a short distance down the road he ran into a roadblock. Apparently something had come crashing down, ruining the intersection. Everything was taped off, construction workers already steady as work clearing it out.

But he wasn't going to sit around in track all morning. He had a little girl who needed to get to school on time, and damnit she was going to be there.

The front drive to the school was already packed when he rolled up, the rumbling of his engine pulling most kid's attention, adults too. The car just ahead of him pulled away as he rolled up, safely slowing to a stop at the front.

He kicked his leg out as the bike leaned to one side, supporting it while he put the kickstand down. He had an instinctive feeling of being watched as he helped his sister off the back of the bike, the other young students all watching in awe.

"Here, give me your hands." He offered, reaching out to help her down.

"Kay." She said quietly, jumping into his arms.

"Gotcha." He stated, holding her still as he pocketed the keys. Setting her down, he was ready to walk her to class.

She reached up to take his hand as he began to walk, Yuuki glancing down to her, before smiling as his larger hand enveloped her own. "Come on, today's going to be great, I can just feel it." He muttered, almost to himself.

She nodded, but she'd become strangely quiet as they walked.

It didn't take long to get to her classroom, the smaller rooms passing by in a blur. When he did eventually reach it, he bent down to his knee to whisper to her. "Are you going to be okay on your own today?" He asked quietly, hands on her shoulders.

Her face was hidden by the helmet, but he could sense her internalized fears. Nevertheless, she nodded silently.

"Will you be going to work today?" She asked quietly, her voice almost inaudible over the sounds of the other students.

He shook his head. "Not today. I've got a couple things to do today. I'll be shopping after this, so I'll be sure to snag you something nice." He felt the need to say something to get her into a better mood, because he didn't want to leave with her feeling so down.

But…

"You're going to come back, right?" She mumbled quietly, hands clasped together in front of her.

He found himself raising an eyebrow in question, not that she could see it. "I'll be back as soon as you're out of class today. Same time as always." He clarified, hoping that would settle her nerves.

But she shook her head. "I-I mean…" She bit her lips, crying softly underneath the helmet. Her visor pulled up, her tears weren't hidden. "Y-You're n-not going to-to be hurt by a car too, a-are you?"

He felt his heart clench at her words, and for once he was glad he had forgotten to take his helmet off. She didn't need to see his tears. Swallowing his nerves down and suffocating those emotions that threatened to spring up, he pulled her into a hug that he hoped conveyed everything he needed it to.

"Of course not. Nothing can hurt me, especially not some car. Big brother is invincible." He promised confidently, biting back his tears.

He needed to be strong for her.

Her eyes widened in awe, completely buying into his words. "R-Really?" She breathed in awe, tears drying up.

He nodded firmly, holding up an arm to pat his bicep. "Yep yep. I could stop a car with one finger if I had to." He whispered, making a show to look around just in case anyone was listening in. "But don't go telling anyone, okay? My super powers are a secret between me and you, gotcha?" He winked, holding up a pinky finger.

Her eyes sparkled in amazement, and she couldn't help be giddy at the prospect. She quickly extended her pinky too, giggling when he wrapped his larger digit around hers. "Pinky promise." He said in a mock serious tone.

She raised her hand up to salute, dinking off the helmet. "I promise!" She whispered loudly.

He smiled. "That's my special girl. Now come on, class is starting in five minutes. Maybe you can get some drawing in before it starts?" He said as he went to stand, glancing down the hall absentmindedly.

"Kay!" She beamed, running off into the room, sadness temporarily forgotten. He blew out a sigh, turning to glance at the teacher standing at the front of the classroom. She gave him an understanding smile, one that understood everything without having to say a word. She was one of the few that knew what truly happened, why Mikan was being brought to school by her big brother now instead of her father…

News would surely spread soon enough, but he would leave that to her.

He nodded to her, and she merely smiled. He stood there for a moment, watching as Mikan fell into friendly conversation with the other kids in the classroom, before making his departure.

Or he would have, but someone stopped him. He'd nearly knocked her over when he suddenly turned to leave, bumping into her surprisingly large breasts, sending her stumbling to the ground. Or, it would have, had he not reached out to catch her, one arm behind her back, his leg out to balance.

She blinked up at him from her position bent over backwards, cheeks flushing slightly at the feeling of his hands on the small of her back, surprisingly strong. Seemingly aware of the situation he'd found himself in, he cleared his throat as he pulled her back up until she was on her feet again. "Shoot, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there, Mikado-san." He apologized sincerely, hand coming up to scratch the back of his head nervously, before he remembered that he was still wearing his motorcycle helmet.

"Please, it's alright. I should've been more careful." She smiled, her soft green eyes staring slightly down at him. She stood a few inches taller than him, wearing a white coat over a pink sleeveless dress underneath that did little to hide her rather ample feminine assets, long black leggings serving to ride up her long shapely legs. Her hair was a soft brown, reaching her shoulders with a slightly curl at the edges.

She was the head nurse in Mikan's school, yet she was prone to bounce between the elementary school and his college depending on the days. He'd interacted with her before today, but he'd never the chance to truly talk to her for anything more than a few minutes at a time. She seemed sweet enough, gentle eyes and a beautiful smile, alongside her clear feminine beauty.

He'd talked to her a handful of times before over the years, in his college at campus as well, but she'd watched him from afar for the most part. His struggle, his fear and anxiety, she'd seen it all when he came by to drop the girl off and beforehand when setting her up for the next school year.

He nodded lamely, glancing behind her to the exit. "Ah, well I'll be going then." He tried, moving to brush past her. However, he wasn't ready for her to reach out to grab his arm, gently holding him in place.

He could've easily pulled away, but he didn't. "Just a minute now… I wanted to talk to you before you go." She said, offering him a smile that made his insides tingle. It was also a look that said he wasn't going anywhere until she said so.

He sighed, the bone deep exhaustion audible in his voice.

"Ok."

She smiled, pleased.

He didn't say anything as she lead him down the halls, taking a few turns before he found himself sitting in her office, door shutting behind him. She took a seat in her rotating black office chair, one long slender leg coming up to rest over the other, fingers interlaced as she leveled a curious glance at him.

Her eyes seemed to glisten with motherly warmth, but he found himself on edge. Not for any particular reason he could discern, but just how she made him feel.

It was as if she was staring right through him, as if his helmet didn't even exist. "Please take a seat, Yuuki-kun." She asked gently, motioning to the seat beside her.

Rito eyed the chair like it was going to bite him, eyes narrowed warily. He didn't feel comfortable here, too many things on his mind, too much to do right now.

But…

"Yuuki-kun, I'm not here to interrogate you. I just wanted to talk." She explained quietly, reaching out to take hold of his hand. He flinched but seemed to hide it well as he responded with a level voice.

"What about?" He asked simply, a strange edge to his tone.

Her eyes softened with something he hadn't been expecting.

Pity…

"You." Came her single word response. His eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't know what to say.

"I don't need-"

"Rito-kun…" There it was, the tone that told him that she saw right through that tough exterior of his. The voice that said that she could see him struggling, that she could sympathize with him.

It made him feel weak…

Cornered…

Afraid…

Useless.

She saw him tense up, his shoulders squared together as if he'd been shot.

She could sense his urge to pull away with every single fiber of his being, but he didn't. Perhaps because she still had a grip on him, no matter however gentle it was. He simply wasn't the type to tear his arm away and storm off.

Instead he found himself coaxed into the chair beside her, hand still captured by her own. Her fingers gently traveled the lines of his hand, gliding over them as she turned her attention up to him.

He'd locked up, seemingly unable to speak his mind. The trembling in his shoulders told her all she needed to know. He was anxious, stressed beyond belief, and scared. Not for himself, but for her, for Mikan…

"I heard about what happened to her parents, your mother…" She started quietly, that soothing motherly tone simultaneously making him want to lean into her warmth and never let go, and run away to keep a tight leash on his bottled up emotions. "I know there's nothing I could say that would change what happened, and I cannot say that I can relate to what you are going through right now, but…" She continued on gently, interlacing her fingers with his own.

She could feel his chest shuddering through the vibrations in his arm, and the sight of the tears leaking from the rim of his helmet simply confirmed it for her. "If you ever need a shoulder to cry on, a chest to lean on, or someone to hug…" She trailed off, pulling him into a hug. "I want you to know that I'm here for you." She promised softly.

He didn't fight her when she pulled his helmet off, the motorcycle gear set off to the side as he suddenly found his head resting comfortably in the valley of her breasts.

He didn't make a sound as he cried, the leash on those emotions too strong to be broken so easily, but…

God…

It felt so nice to hear someone say that to him, to hold him in such a manner, he never wanted it to stop. He bit his lips to keep quiet, even when his tears began to stain her dress. She smiled gently down at him, running her delicate fingers through his wild brunette locks absentmindedly.

"That's right. I'm right here…" She murmured into his hair, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. She had no idea just how much he needed to hear that today.

Or maybe, she did.

Either way, he wasn't going to refuse her warm embrace now that he'd been enveloped in it.

When he eventually stopped crying, he was left more exhausted than before. And yet, some of that tension and anxiety had faded from earlier in the day.

Mikado found her lips hovering inches away from his own, but she stopped herself. She wanted to make this man, the poor struggling young man feel so much better, he deserved at least that. But she also knew that it might be pushing it a little too far too soon, and she didn't want to scare him off.

Yes…

Right now, the thing he needed most was companionship and someone to lean on. She wanted to be that woman for him, but she's no clue if those sorts of feelings were reciprocated. More than that, she wasn't sure the age difference between them would be a problem, her thirty six years towering over his twenty four. It wasn't anything too crazy, but she didn't want to bring him any unnecessary pressure to date an older woman like her.

Pushing him away here and now, when he'd displayed his vulnerability to her would not be wise, this she knew. Perhaps it was her desire for companionship as well that she'd felt so drawn to him, or it was her motherly urges kicking in when she saw the young man in such a desperate and dire situation that she wanted nothing more then to take him in and pamper him till the world ended.

But right now simply wasn't the time…

So, instead she settled for pressing her lips to his forehead in a tender kiss. Love was simply a question for another day.

"Be strong Rito-kun… I believe it will get better…" She whispered into his hair, holding him warmly to her chest. "Just let me know if there is anything I can do for you, anything at all..."

The sun was setting now, the day nearly over. Mikan was sound asleep in her bedroom, having fallen asleep in his lap some time after he'd brought her home from school. After watching her favorite anime, she'd passed out shortly after dinner, leaving him awake.

He'd put her to bed, covering her up gently, making sure she wouldn't get cold in the middle of the night. Sneaking out of the bedroom, he quietly closed the door, leaving it open just a crack.

His shoulders slumped, slowly blinking as he struggled to stave off the exhaustion.

It was eight at night now, a little early for him to be heading to bed, but he was supremely tired. However, what he really wanted right now, was a bath.

The idea seemed to make him spark up, for it was the closest thing he had to a hot tub around here. "Yeah… That sounds nice right about now." He muttered to himself, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand. "Hopefully I don't fall asleep in the tub and drown… Wouldn't that be embarrassing…"

Shambling off, he slipped into the bathroom across the apartment, far enough away so as to not wake up Mikan. Thankfully the rooms in the building were very well insulated against sound, so he doubted he had much to worry about.

That said, he left the bathroom door open a crack, in case Mikan woke up.

The last thing he wanted was for her to wake up from a nightmare and be unable to find him.

He cranked the handle to the tub, hot water released into the bath as he began stripping down. In a few moments he was naked as the day he was born, and a few minutes later saw the tub full and ready.

He slipped into the water, eyes nearly rolling up as his body released all that pent up tension. "Ooh… This is heaven…" He groaned in pleasure, head lolling to the side as he slumped.

He wasn't there for long before he found his mind drawn to Mikado. He didn't know how much he needed to cry, even for just a little before she called him into her office. Not for the first time he wished he had someone like that to lean on at all times, someone to hug and kiss, to hold and to love passionately…

But he'd never been so lucky.

He wasn't sure of her feelings towards him, and he was afraid to try anything on the off chance that he ruined whatever it was that they had in the first place. He wasn't even sure she would like him that sort of way in the first place, he was probably too young for her more mature tastes…

He sighed, stuck in a strange situation.

Right now, he wouldn't deny a girl if she literally came crashing into his life. He just wasn't sure if he could give that girl the attention she'd clearly deserve.

She'd have to be accepting that Mikan was more important right now, and would have to accept that his time and energy would go towards the little girl.

…

…

…

He was nearly asleep, breathing leveling out. It was only the sound of his bath beginning to bubble violently that drew him back to the world of the living. He was wide awake in seconds when a strange light began to glow from the water between his legs, then came the crash.

He closed his eyes as something splashed into the tub, throwing his hands out to brace himself for whatever was coming.

Eyes closed, they snapped open in confusion when he heard the lewd sound of a girl moaning.

He blinked in surprise, water stinging his eyes as he stared forward, the steam clearing away to reveal…

To reveal…

A buck naked, huge breasted, pink haired, heart shaped tailed girl. As for the reason she'd moaned in that manner would be due to the current placement of his hands, palms cupping her large boobs, nipples trapped between his thumbs and index fingers.

Unbelieving, he experimented, pinching them slightly to see if it got a reaction. More than that, already in this situation, he found himself absentmindedly feeling them in his hands, their weight, their warmth.

She moaned again, eyes scrunched up closed, cheeks flushed up.

…

…

…

His eyebrows twitched violently, unbelieving. He turned to glance at the window of his bathroom, noticing that it was still locked shut, so she couldn't have gotten in that way. The same went for the bathroom door, still slightly ajar as he'd left it.

She'd literally, without question, teleported into his bathroom…

"Oooh yes! Yes I'll do it!" She moaned, emerald green eyes opening, gaze half lidded. She was breathing heavily, full bouncing breasts heaving in his grasp. His eyes widened in shock when she grabbed his shoulders, pulling him into a passionate kiss that had his grasping for air. His hands struggled for ground, coming to rest on her plump posterior.

When she finally pulled away, trail of saliva connecting their lips, she grinned as if finally coming to terms with something wonderful. "I'll marry you, Darling!" She exclaimed in glee, clasping her hands together in excitement.

He stared at her, eyebrows twitching. His brain had been, for all intents and purposes, completely fried. What little sanity he had left vanished when he saw her long slender tail wagging around in the air behind her, the heart shaped tip dripping with water.

…

…

…

Wait, what did she say?

Marriage?!

He wasn't sure, because the exhaustion from the past months, his emotional state from earlier in the day, and having his private time crashed by a literal magical girl had sent him gently into the land of sleep.

His head hit the back of the tub, unconscious.

She smiled, lifting the unconscious man free from the tub with considerable ease. "Come on Darling, let's go to bed. I'm tired…" She yawned, drying him off before carrying him to bed…

Chapter

1

End