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Lock and Key	By : Wildfaerie Category: +S to Z > Tokyo Mew Mew Views: 815 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew or anything associated with it. Nor do I make any money off this story.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew or anything associated with it. This story is, however, mine.

AN: Once again I apologize for just how long it took me to get this out. A lot has been going on in my world. Not only did I move recently but I also found out I’m pregnant. So, that’s been a journey. But please don’t worry. It may take me a bit, but I will get this story finished. I hate leaving things half done.

AN2: Yes the rating is still MA. Please only continue if you’re of age or can handle it. 😊

Please Read & Review! Thank you!!

“text” – Talking ‘text’ – Thinking “text” – Talking Telepathically.

Lock and Key
Chapter 13: Awakening

It was now Saturday, the morning of the fourth day since the attack. Kish still hadn’t woken, and Ichigo was currently drifting in that world somewhere between being awake and slumberland. Subconsciously, Ichigo didn’t want to wake up because she knew Kish wouldn’t be there to greet her, but another part of her wanted to, so she’d be there for him if and when he woke up. And so, she remained stuck in sleep limbo. She let her thoughts wander. Thinking of Kish and any and everything to do with him. His smile. His voice. His teasing. Anything. ‘Please, please wake up Kish. I miss you.’

Her mind conjured an image of her beloved. “I’ve missed you too, Kitten.”

“Great. I really am starting to lose it. I’m imagining you’re awake,” Ichigo sighed.

Kish snickered as he made his way to her through the misty and surreal dreamscape of her mind. Reaching her, he tugged her into his arms. He flashed her a fang filled smirk. “So, you still dream about me, hmn?”

Ichigo nuzzled against his chest. “All the time. But I miss my Kish. The real you. I need my mate. I don’t know how much longer I can stay strong for you. It’s getting too hard. Too painful. Everything feels so empty without you there. Please wake up and come back to me.”

Gently, Kish wrapped his fingers around her jaw and tilted her face up to meet his eyes. He gave her a tender smile, one of the ones he reserved only for her. “Anything for my Kitten. Now, open your eyes.”

She was confused by what he meant for a moment since her eyes were open. But then her mind started to shift more to the waking world. Slowly, she became more aware of her surroundings. A pressure around her jaw became noticeable, exactly where her dream Kish had gripped her. Finally, her eyes snapped open, and she found herself staring into bright, glittering, golden eyes.

“Hey Kitten. Nice of you to finally join me out here,” he smirked. A pearly fang slipped over his bottom lip.

Ichigo’s eyes grew wide. “KISH!” She launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing her cheek against his. “That was you!? You’re really awake?!”

“Easy, mate. I’m still healing. That was really me and I woke up just a bit ago. You looked too cute asleep at my side, so I didn’t want to wake you. But I missed you too, love. So, I couldn’t help but peek in on what you were dreaming. Can’t say I was disappointed when I saw you thinking about me. So, I dropped in. And thank you, Ichigo. You may not have felt me, but I felt you. I could feel your presence against me the entire time. You and the energy you shared kept me fighting. It was touch and go there for a bit, but I was able to grab the lifeline you offered. You saved me, Ichigo. Thank you.” Kish’s arms wrapped tightly around his mate as he held her possessively. He was beyond grateful and happy to finally have her back in his arms.

Tears of happiness and relief streamed down Ichigo’s cheeks. Kish was finally back. Finally awake and holding her again. Leaning back slightly, she caught his eyes. Gods how she’d missed those mischievous glowing amber pools. “You’ve got to stop doing this. Stop risking your life for me. You almost died in my arms. Again!”

Reaching up, Kish cupped her cheek and brushed her tears away with his thumb. “I can’t promise that, Ichigo. I will always risk everything to protect you. But I can promise to try to postpone the next time for a while,” he grinned.

“You better make it a very, very long time,” she growled playfully. She was much too happy to even pretend to be upset with him.

He smirked cockily. “I’ll see what I can do.” Tenderly, he pulled her down and captured her lips with his. Her lips had never tasted sweeter, and he craved more. Slipping his hand back, he cupped the back of her head and tilted it to give him a better angle to deepen the kiss. His tongue traced along her bottom lip, and she instantly responded by opening her mouth wider. Hungrily, his tongue swept forwards, savoring her taste. He licked and explored every crevice of her mouth he could reach. Pulling back, he ran his tongue along the inside of her bottom lip then sucked it between his teeth. The tips of his fangs grazed the swollen flesh before he released her to catch her breath.

Ichigo melted into a gooey puddle of warm love and happiness. Her hands slid down, releasing his hair and resting on his chest, being careful to avoid his bandages. “Damn,” she muttered breathlessly as she licked her tingling lips.

“Yeah, you can say that again,” Mint agreed in awe. She’d seen Kish steal kisses from Ichigo before, but nothing like this. She found it hot yet incredibly sweet and romantic.

Ichigo blushed furiously and scrambled to put a bit of space between her and Kish. Then she heard him snicker and she poked him in the ribs. “You heard her come in, didn’t you? Why didn’t you stop?” she growled in embarrassment.

“And interrupt our first kiss in days? Not on my life. Not like I care who sees anyways,” he grinned toothily.

“Don’t stop on my account. That was actually pretty hot,” Mint teased.

Ichigo whipped around to face Mint. Growling, “He’s mine! What are you doing here anyways?” There was no hiding the possessiveness or snap in her voice.

“Damn, I missed that. You getting all possessive over me,” Kish snickered to Ichigo.

“Shut it you,” but there was no bite to her voice. She was still too filled with joy at his return.

Mint rolled her eyes, “Relax. He’s not my type. He’s not rich enough for me to be interested.”

“Actually, I’m probably richer than you now,” Kish interrupted with a smug grin.

Crossing her arms, Ichigo glared at Kish. “Trying to make a play for Mint now? That coma make you forget you already have a mate?”

Kish cocked a brow. “Really? You should know better than that. I was just correcting her. My interest only lies in feisty kitty-cats, not stuck-up birdies,” he defended as he ran a fingertip along Ichigo’s jaw. It did just as he hoped. She immediately relaxed and leaned into his touch.

“I’d love to see you prove that one day. But anyway, I came down with your breakfast, Ichigo. Tart had to see to Pudding this morning. One of her brother’s is sick. So, he asked if I could keep an eye on you until he got back.” Mint set the tray of fresh waffles and strawberries on the bedside table, being careful not to spill the glass of milk or the small pitcher of syrup. “I’m sure you’re starving since you finally woke up. Want me to get you something, Kish?” she reluctantly offered. She wouldn’t normally play the part of servant, but she figured she owed both Kish and Ichigo for her behavior.

Both Ichigo and Kish looked at Mint in surprise. “Since when do you offer to do things?” Ichigo questioned.

Mint raised her nose slightly and placed a hand on her hip. “I can always rescind the offer. And don’t get used to it. I… Well, I feel bad, okay.”

Ichigo looked at Mint with concern and confusion.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that!” Mint snapped. “It’s just I owe you both an apology. I know I’ve already apologized to you, Ichigo, but Kish needs to hear this too.” Mint sucked in a breath and shifted her feet uncomfortably. “After seeing how you protected and saved Ichigo, it’s clear you’re no longer an enemy. Something that I should have realized a long time ago at how you’ve always acted around her. But every time I look at you, I can’t help but relive the fear you brought. Relive you attacking my brother and dog. But Ryou, and, well, everyone really, made me see there was more to you than just a cruel, psychotic alien. I’m still working on forgiving you, but I can accept you and Ichigo. And I’m sorry for how I reacted the other day. Besides, you two freaks are perfect for each other.”

“And you started so wonderfully there. Oh, wait. Is that a blue feather on the floor?” Ichigo said, gesturing behind Mint.

Spinning around, Mint scanned the floor as her hands searched her back for her wings or tail. Hearing Ichigo giggle, Mint whirled back around. “Ooh! Why you little cat!”

Kish chuckled. “Careful, Birdy. Cats eat birdies for breakfast. Which, if the offer still stands, I’d love whatever you brought Ichigo because it smells delicious. And thanks, Birdy. That meant a lot to both of us. Maybe one day I’ll be able to earn your full forgiveness because I really am sorry for all I did back then.”

Shooting Ichigo another glare, Mint looked to Kish. “Perhaps one day. In the meantime, you better continue to make this pathetic feline happy or I won’t hesitate to draw my bow on you if you ever hurt her.”

Kish’s arm snaked around Ichigo’s waist, and he sat up straighter. His eyes flashed with a hardness and a menacing fang slipped from his curled lip. “Bold words from such a little Birdy. But you have my word. My mate’s happiness and safety are always my highest priority.”

Mint took a hesitant step back, “Good. Then I’ll be right back with your breakfast.”

As soon as Mint left, Ichigo flicked Kish’s chest. “You didn’t have to scare her. You heard her, she’s already scared of you. And she was actually being nice for once,” she scolded.

His eyes shifted to his softer gold, and he shrugged. “Until the freak comment and calling you a pathetic feline. Consider that payback for that and the scar she left on my shoulder. You all weren’t the only ones repressing fears each time we went to battle.”

“You can’t tell me you were actually afraid of Mint or any of us?”

“Of you all, not in the least. Your attacks however… They didn’t exactly feel like a warm hug. You forget, your magic was designed to specifically harm us Cyniclons. Getting hit by any of your attacks wasn’t a walk in the park,” Kish explained as he relaxed back into the pillows.

A moment later Mint returned with Kish’s food and handed it to him timidly.

Seeing her hesitation, he smirked. “Relax. I was only teasing earlier. I don’t bite. Well, except for Ichigo.”

“Kish!” Ichigo protested.

“I sooo didn’t need to hear that. But didn’t think you’d be the one to enjoy the rough stuff, Ichigo,” Mint teased now that she was feeling much more at ease around Kish.

Ichigo’s cheeks flamed scarlet. “I refuse to answer that. And you shut it,” she snapped at Kish when she heard him chuckle.

“So that’s a yes. Wow! I’d expect it from someone as psychotic as him. But you, Ichigo? That is surprising. I bet Lettuce will be permanently red when I share this little tid bit. Anyways, I told everyone to leave you alone for the next thirty minutes. But expect your little love nest to be invaded shortly after now that everyone knows Kish is awake.”

“Don’t you dare say a word, Mint!” Ichigo pleaded angrily.

“Ooh, so you do admit it,” Mint chirped.

Ichigo tried to lunge for Mint, but Kish’s strong arm around her middle held her back. “Down, Kitten. Or I just might have to sink my teeth into you to keep you restrained,” he smirked evilly and tossed a wink towards Mint.

Eeping, Ichigo buried her face in her hands in mortification. “I hate you both,” she grumbled when she heard both Kish and Mint giggle.

“That’s not what you were saying earlier, Kitten.”

“And this is where I leave. I suggest you two eat and get whatever this is out of your system because you now have less than thirty minutes to yourselves. Later.” Mint turned and left, shutting the door behind her.

“At least I know you’re still the same Kish as always,” Ichigo remarked as she reached for her tray. Seeing Kish wince when he tried to cut up his food, Ichigo set her tray back down. “Here, let me help so you don’t keep aggravating that wound on your collar bone.”

A sly grin spread over Kish’s face as he set his knife and fork down. “Going to be my nurse and feed me?”

“Don’t get used to it. It’s just until you’re healed. Now open,” she snapped.

Kish opened his mouth and slowly pulled the bite of waffle off the fork. “Oh, I could definitely get used to this.”

“Keep it up and I’ll leave you to fend for yourself,” Ichigo warned as she continued to feed Kish.

“Yes, Miss Nurse Ichigo,” Kish teased.

“Must you really make everything more difficult than it should be?” Ichigo muttered.

“Of course. Otherwise, things wouldn’t be nearly as much fun,” he winked.

Ichigo sighed. He’d just awoken from a coma and yet he was already in one of his difficult moods. But even this, she’d missed. She’d missed everything about him, even his tendency to drive her up a wall.

Kish gathered his mostly empty plate and sat it on the table next to him. His molten eyes sought out her chocolate ones. “Either eat or kiss me. Because I’ve missed you just as much, Kitten. I can’t and won’t hold back much longer.”

Quickly, Ichigo grabbed her plate and began stuffing her face. Though the food was delicious, it tasted like ash when compared to Kish’s kisses.

Leaning forwards, Kish licked at the corner of her mouth. “You had a bit of syr…”

Ichigo didn’t let him finish. Instead, she moved the plate and sprung forwards. Her lips sealed over his, hushing him. She needed to taste him again. Needed to feel his cool skin against her own. Needed to know he was truly alive and back with her. She could have purred in happiness when she felt the warmth of his mind brush against hers again. When she felt his emotions like bursts of colored lights where there had only been dark emptiness. But she did purr when she felt his cool hands slip under her shirt and grasp her waist. She lost herself within everything that was Kish. Drank him in like water. She had been starving, suffocating and he was filling her with food and air. Clinging to him desperately, she poured her very soul out to him through their kiss and down the bond.

Kish was drowning. Drowning in his mate’s overwhelming emotions. Yet, he still clung to her just as desperately. One hand continued to grip her waist as his other moved up her back under her shirt. He caressed her smooth skin. Delighting in the feel of his mate beneath his hands once again. She may have been in agony because she hadn’t been able to feel him through their bond, but he’d been in agony because he could feel her. Had felt her suffering but had been unable to comfort her. Had felt her love but had been unable to touch her. It had been more painful than the toxins searing through his veins.

Long ears twitched at the sound of footsteps on the stairs. ‘Dammit, there’s no way it’s been thirty minutes already,’ he pouted to himself. Reluctantly, Kish started disentangling his lips and hands from his mate.

“Guess the others are coming?” she asked as she worked to compose herself. She smoothed her hair and crawled off Kish to sit beside him.

“Yeah, dammit. But you can be damn sure, the first chance I get, we’re picking up where we left off,” he swore as he wrapped his hand around hers between them. “I love you, Ichigo. So, so much. Gods, I missed you.”

‘Gah, stop it. I’m going to end up crying again. I love you too, Kish,’ Ichigo replied just as the door to the lab swung open and in filed all the girls, including Pudding. Tart, Ryou, and Keiichiro were also there.

Tart hurried to Kish’s side and hugged him tightly. “You are awake! How are you feeling? Don’t scare me like that again!” Tears were welling in his eyes. He had really been worried about his ‘brother’ and relief was flooding his system.

“Oi! Careful, Brat. It still hurts. I’m going to be fine thanks to you and especially Ichigo.” Kish said gently patting Tart’s back. “However, you ever touch my mate when she’s only in a towel again and it will be you in a coma next time,” he threatened.

Tart squeaked. “It wasn’t my fault! She needed help! I swear!”

At the same time, Lettuce gave Ichigo a hug. “You both had us worried. I’m glad he’s better and that you’re alright. Is there anything either of you need?”

“I’m fine. Sorry to have worried you all. And Kish will be fine too. He just needs to rest some to fully recover,” Ichigo answered, but she had heard what Kish had said to Tart. Pulling away from Lettuce, “Just a sec.” Ichigo then turned to Kish and snatched the end of his ear, causing Kish to both hiss in pain and arousal.

“Ichigo! I don’t think that’s the best idea in his condition,” Tart winced. He was well aware of how mates affected each other’s ears.

Ichigo glared at Kish. “Oh, I know. And he can just suffer,” she answered Tart. Focusing more intently on Kish, she continued. “If you think you’re going to get away with threatening Tart, then you’ve got another thing coming, buster. He was helping me while you were gone. Just how the hell do you know anyways?”

Kish shifted uncomfortably. The hold on his ear was piquing his arousal. “While you were asleep, I caught myself up on all that I missed.” Raising his hand, he calmly wrapped his fingers around Ichigo’s wrist. “If you don’t let go then my condition and the audience be damned,” he growled low.

To anyone else it would have sounded like Kish was threatening Ichigo. And, in a way, he was. But Ichigo recognized his tone of voice at once. There were consequences to touching his ears and he was threatening to carry them out with that seductive yet warning tone he carried. She gave his ear another tweak before letting go. “Later. Right now, apologize to Tart.”

All the girls looked on in confusion. They didn’t quite understand what was going on. Well, except for Lettuce and Pudding. They knew of Kish’s particular ear sensitivity to Ichigo and both blushed. “Care to explain what’s going on?” Mint asked.

Ichigo put her hands on her hips and continued to glare at Kish. “As soon as he apologizes.”

“Not happening!” Kish growled. “He just better be glad he kept his eyes closed or I really would kill him.”

Tart whimpered, “I’m sorry! She needed help getting dressed and she wouldn’t let me leave. It wasn’t my choice!”

The girls all stared at Tart. “Oh, this should be interesting. What do you mean you helped Ichigo get dressed?” Mint quipped.

Tart turned ten shades of red as all eyes fell on him, but Ichigo came to his defense.

“Lay off. I had a panic attack after I showered. I couldn’t hold my weight to dress, and I couldn’t bear to be alone. Tart helped. He didn’t see anything. And if it wasn’t for him, I’d be an absolute mess. He was there for me while you were gone!” She poked Kish in the chest, hard.

Kish finally gave in, at least partially, to his mate’s distress. “I won’t apologize. He knows better to keep away from my mate when she’s vulnerable. But I will thank him for taking care of you while I couldn’t.” Turning to Tart, “So, thank you, Tart. Honestly. Thank you for watching over Ichigo. But next time, get Pudding or one of the other girls before you force my mate to shower,” Kish warned but had a sly grin on his face.

“There better not be a next time where that’s needed,” Ichigo threatened.

Kish wrapped an arm around Ichigo’s waist. “I told you, I’d try,” he smiled.

Ryou had been checking the machines that had been monitoring Kish while everyone spoke, but now he made his way to Kish’s side. He checked the I.V. drip first then pulled out a needle. “All your vitals are back to normal. I just need to draw some blood to make sure all the toxins are out of your system and to be sure everything is as it should be.” When Kish nodded and moved his arm, Ryou quickly pierced his vein and took his sample. He wrapped a small piece of gauze around Kish’s arm. “Now I need to check your wounds.”

Again, Kish nodded and lifted his chin so Ryou could easily access all the wounds and dressings.

Starting with the one under Kish’s eye, Ryou carefully peeled away the bandage. The wound was completely healed except for a small, shiny, new scar. Moving to Kish’s jaw, he removed that bandage as well. That one was still healing, but it was mostly just a scratch now. So, Ryou didn’t see the need to rebandage it. He just lightly dabbed a bit of antiseptic on it. Carefully, Ryou pulled off the coverings of the deeper wound on Kish’s collar bone. It still had a while to go before it was completely healed. But the stitches looked good and there didn’t seem to be any sign of infection. Ryou gently dabbed some antiseptics over the stitches to keep them that way.

Kish flinched. “Fuck, that stings,” he said through gritted teeth.

Ryou rolled his eyes as he reapplied fresh bandages. “Some warrior you are.”

“I’d like to see you go through this,” Kish snapped. “A weak human as yourself wouldn’t have survived.” Seeing Ichigo’s raised brow from the corner of his eye, he glanced at her. “You don’t count. You’re not exactly fully human.”

Ichigo crossed her arms, “Oh, so what you’re saying is that I could have survived this?” Her hook was baited.

Kish grinned, “Yup. As you and I have said before, you’re stronger than most and can handle almost anything. Doesn’t mean I won’t always worry or try to protect you though.” Kish didn’t even see the trap she’d set until it was too late.

‘Line and sinker,’ she thought with wicked amusement. She rounded on him and shoved a finger into his chest. “If I would have been fine, then how the hell was it fair of you to take my wounds and force me to suffer without you? It could have been you watching over me just as easily!”

He scrambled for a response before she had him fully in a corner. Her argument was a sound one. “Because I’m still an alien and can take more than you. You saw how close I came. You may not have been so lucky.” ‘There, not bad,’ he thought. Then again, maybe not…

“Bullshit! You were already at your limit. I saw how drained you were after your attacks, the flying, then pulling the infuser out. But you pushed yourself even further to take my wounds. Using more energy than you even had. And don’t you dare deny it! I could feel it. I may have been tired, but I still had more energy than you at that point. I was nowhere near as drained. It would have been easier for me to fight off the poison,” she argued vehemently.

‘Fuck, she had a point,’ his mind railed. How was he going to get out of this one? His mind raced for a solution, but there really wasn’t one. She was right and he loathed to admit it. He settled on the truth. “Dammit, Ichigo! It’s because I love you! I panicked, alright?! Seeing you hurt so badly scared me out of my mind. My instincts and my heart were demanding I do something to help you. I will always do anything and everything to keep you safe. But you’re right. It wasn’t fair and I’m sorry. But that won’t stop me from doing this again if I ever have to.”

The rest of the group had backed away giving the couple some space. They had all seen the fire building in Ichigo’s eyes and knew a heck of a storm was brewing and about to crash down on the unsuspecting head of Kish. Ryou almost had a flash of sympathy for the alien, having been on the receiving end of Ichigo’s temper plenty of times. Even Mint knew better than to open her mouth or she could very well end up Ichigo’s target.

Keiichiro cleared his throat and whispered to the group, “Let’s give them some space.” He waved his hands, ushering everyone out.

All but Ryou left. He needed to run tests on Kish’s blood. He wanted no surprises. Kish had become a part of the team and Ichigo would be devastated if anything were to happen to him, especially under his watch.

Ichigo hadn’t even registered the departure of everyone, she was so focused on Kish. Her anger was still bubbling over, but Kish’s outburst and confessions were causing it to wane. “You dumb, arrogant, egotistical, and pig-headed alien. You could have died! AGAIN! Died and left me alone again. It may not have been ideal, but I could have survived. You took a risk that worked this time, but you may not get so lucky next time. Stop treating me like I’m some fragile kitten. I care too ya know. I love you just as much and don’t want you getting hurt either.” Her argument was losing steam, and she was about ready to collapse into his embrace.

Kish beat her to it and pulled her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. His wounds protested, but he ignored them. “I can’t promise I won’t take risks where you’re concerned, but I can promise to be more careful. I’ll also try to remember that you’re stronger than I may always realize. That’s the best I can do.”

Sighing, Ichigo snuggled against him. Again, she took comfort in the steady thumping of his heart. “It will have to do. As long as you realize I’ll always do the same. I will always be at your side and come to your aid, no matter how much danger it may put me in.”

“Fine. Like you, I may not like it, but I understand. Both so stubborn. It’s a wonder we get anywhere,” he chuckled.

“That’s an understatement. Both your stubborn personalities are unmatched except by each other,” Ryou interjected.

Both Kish and Ichigo jumped. They hadn’t noticed Ryou at all.

“Were you listening to all of that?” Ichigo squeaked.

“Mostly,” Ryou nodded. “My teeth ache it was so sickly sweet.”

Kish’s eyes locked on Ryou’s, “Jealousy doesn’t become you.”

Ryou rolled his eyes. “For the last time. I’m not jealous of you. Nor will I ever be.”

Kish leaned back and began ticking off his fingers. “Let’s see… I’m smarter, stronger, more powerful, much better looking, oh, and I’ve got Ichigo. Plenty of reasons to be jealous.” A cocky grin appeared as Kish folded his arms behind his head and leaned back against the pillows.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Ryou counted to ten. He refused to let Kish get under his skin. Refused to play his little games. “You’ll be happy to know I found no traces of the toxin in your blood. A day or so of bed rest and you’ll be back to peak health. Then you can get the hell out of my lab and take your dramatic girlfriend with you.”

“Ooh… Struck a nerve did I? And she’s my mate. Or, if you’d prefer, my wife,” Kish said with his trademark smirk.

“I’m not even going to justify that with an answer. I’ll come check on you later. Kish, you should be able to leave the infirmary later today. In fact, I insist on it. Just take it easy.” Ryou said as he packed up his equipment and began to unhook Kish’s I.V. Though, he pulled the needle out a little harsher than was necessary.

“Bastard,” Kish growled as he clamped a hand over where the I.V. tube had been.

Ryou chuckled and headed for the door. “Remember, take it easy. If something happens, come get me Ichigo.”

When the door shut, Kish gave Ichigo a sly look. “So, where were we?”

“Oh no. As much as I want to, you heard what Ryou said. You need to take it easy,” she warned with a hand on his chest to hold him back.

“So cruel, Kitty-cat. I don’t think a few kisses will cause any harm.” His eyes flashed mischievously as he slid a hand over Ichigo’s thigh. “These wounds are not nearly enough to keep me from my mate.”

Ichigo cocked a brow, “Can you keep it to just a few kisses?” She lightly traced a finger between his pectorals teasingly.

He snatched her hand and pulled her arm around his neck, effectively tugging her on top of him. “Not if you keep that up, my teasing Kitty-cat. Otherwise, I suppose I can behave… Mostly,” he teased, whispering against her lips. “Kiss me, Kitten. I need to feel those luscious lips and that curvaceous body.” His voice was husky and dripping with lust and need.

Both Ichigo’s arms were now curved around Kish’s neck. Her lips were a mere millimeter from his and her body was pressed tight to his form. “And if I don’t?” she taunted.

Kish’s hand cupped her lower back, drawing her closer. “Would you really deny your wounded mate?”

Ichigo twirled her finger around a strand of his hair, playing with it before giving it a soft tug. “Maybe.”

“Ooh… You evil little woman. Even if I promise to keep it to just a few kisses?” he countered. His lips were now brushing against hers. Not even a breath’s width between them. He ached to close the gap, and yet he also wanted to see if she would give in.

She couldn’t take it anymore either. Soft lips covered his as she gave in. Her fingers twisted in his hair, and she licked at his lips. They parted for her, and she ran the tip of her tongue over a fang. There was no denying, she had definitely missed those fangs of his. A shiver ran through her when he used his tongue to press hers to his fang. The point pricking her tongue. It wasn’t hard enough to draw blood, but it did send a bolt of pleasure and pain straight to her core.

Kish was smirking internally at his victory. “Told you, I always win.” His hands slid down her sides to her thighs. They slipped underneath and wrapped tightly around them. With ease, Kish picked her up and sat her in his lap. Their kiss was never broken. It had only become more intense as their tongues battled. His hands gave her thighs a tight squeeze in delight when his mate finally surrendered to him, her tongue retreating to within her own mouth. “See,” he gloated.

“Oh, shut up and either keep kissing me or let me feel those fangs,” she demanded.

Kish nipped her lips. “With pleasure.” Her feisty demand had his blood running hot. He trailed his right hand up her back, his fingers caressing her warm flesh. Flipping his hand over, he pressed the back of his hand to her skin and slipped his fingers under the band of her bra. Curling his fingers around the band, he used it to tug her away from him just a bit. Dipping his head down, he let his fangs drag over the heated flesh of her neck until he reached the junction of her neck and shoulder. Sealing his lips, he let his fangs prick her skin. At the same time, his other hand traced random patterns across her skin at the base of her spine.

Goosebumps appeared over her skin. She was in heaven, but that little voice in the back of her mind spoke up. If they continued like this they would definitely progress past a few kisses. In fact, they already had. Ichigo’s hands wrapped around his biceps. “Kish… We need to stop. Only a few kisses, remember.” She didn’t want to, but they really needed to. Kish was still healing and who knew what kind of toll the poison had wrecked on his body.

Teasingly, Kish bit her neck softly, then soothed the bite with the tip of his tongue. “Must we?” he pouted in a husky whisper against her throat.

“Yes,” Ichigo said. Reluctantly, she began to disentangle herself and crawl off his lap. “You need to take it easy at least for a day or two until you’re fully recovered. I won’t risk something else happening to you.”

“Why must you always be so cruel, Kitten?” Kish pouted playfully as he laid back and folded his arms behind his head. The movement caused him to wince, and he had to lower his left arm. The position just tugged too harshly at his stitches. Instead, he fisted his hand in the sheets at his side. This helped to keep himself from trying to touch her. His palms already missed the feel of her soft skin under them. Gods, she was addicting.

“It’s for your own good,” she reminded him. Though she could still feel his strong desire rolling off him, she saw his eyelids start to droop. That coupled with his lack of a struggle and major protests when she pulled away were clear signs of how tired and weak he still was. Even if he was trying to keep up his usual cocky appearance. Ichigo leaned over and gave him a peck to the cheek then quickly climbed off the cot before he could stop her. “I’m gonna go find Tart and see if he’ll take me to the ship so I can shower and change. I want you to get some rest. Call me if you need anything. I love you.”

“Fine,” Kish grumbled, but let his eyes fully close. He was tired. Even if his system was still flooded with a hot-blooded need for his mate. “Just don’t stay away too long. I love you too, Kitten,” he mumbled sleepily.

“Never,” she whispered as she tip-toed to the door and carefully closed it. Once he’d given in, he’d quickly fallen asleep. Reaching the top of the stairs, she nearly collided with Ryou who came around the corner. “Watch where you’re going! And you better not be going to bother Kish. He just fell asleep, so leave him alone.”

“You watch where you’re going,” he said with his usual calm and detached voice. “I’ll let him rest for a couple of hours then check on him. He must be doing better if you’re willing to leave his side.”

“Yeah. He’s still weak and tired, but he’s mostly back to his usual self. Have you seen Tart?” she asked.

“I think he went back to Pudding’s. One of her brothers is ill so he’s been keeping her company while she sees to him.”

“Darn. I was hoping to get a lift to their ship,” she mumbled.

“I’m sure he can spare a bit to run you up there, well never mind. Just ask him,” Ryou said as Tart appeared in the café.

“Hey Tart! How’s Pudding and her brother?” Ichigo asked waving to him.

“Hey Ichigo. I guess Kish is doing better? And Pudding is fine and so is her brother. She kinda kicked me out. Seeing someone sick kinda still makes me overly anxious. It was usually followed by death back home. Guess I got a bit too panicky,” he admitted rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

“I will never understand how you and Kish can smile as much as you do after all you’ve been through.” Ichigo flung herself at Tart, wrapping him in a big hug. “And thank you for looking after me while Kish was hurt. Best little brother a girl could ask for.”

Tart blushed scarlet as he awkwardly hugged Ichigo back. “Don’t mention it, ya Old Hag. Now let go. Unless you really want your mate to kick my ass.”

Ichigo giggled, “He’s asleep, but alright.” She released him and stepped back. “I was hoping I could get you to take me to the ship. I need a shower and fresh clothes.”

“Urgh, fine,” Tart whined, but placed his hand on Ichigo’s shoulder and teleported her outside Kish’s room.

“Thanks, Brat. I’ll call for you when I’m ready to head back down,” Ichigo said as she opened the door.

“I’m not your personal taxi service, ya know,” he huffed.

Ichigo just tossed him a smile as she stepped into Kish’s room. “But you’re such a good one,” she snarked before closing the door. She showered and dressed as quickly as she could. Kish may be awake and well on his way to a full recovery, but she still felt anxious leaving him. She hoped once he was back up and moving, she’d be able to fully relax again. That had been too close a call and it had gravely shaken her. It had been way too reminiscent of when he’d died him her arms. And once again, it had been to protect her.

‘Ever since he came to Earth the first time, all his pain has been my fault,’ she thought to herself as she sat on their bed. It felt odd being in Kish’s room alone, and she suddenly felt very lonely. “Hey, Tart?” she called to him mentally.

“Mess hall,” was his fractured response.

Ichigo quickly made her way there. Upon entering, she saw Tart at the table they’d used for dinner days ago. Although it felt much longer ago to her. It sometimes blew her mind that Kish and Tart had only been back for just over a week. So much had happened in so little time. “Were you waiting for me?” Ichigo asked as she took a seat across from Tart.

“Kinda, but mostly I was getting some lunch. Pudding gave me some left-over stew she’d made for her brother,” he answered, gesturing to the bowl in front of him.

“That wouldn’t happen to be Pudding’s famous dumpling stew, would it?” Ichigo asked. Her mouth was nearly watering at the sight and smell.

Tart rolled his eyes, “There’s still some left in the chiller. Help yourself.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” she said, already halfway into the kitchen. “But you’re gonna have to show me how to heat it up.”

“Such a needy Old Hag,” Tart muttered shaking his head. But he got up and made his way to the kitchen. “Just go sit down. I got it.”

“Thanks again, Brat,” Ichigo hollered as she headed back to her seat. While they ate, Ichigo made light conversation to keep her mind off her absent Kish. “So, other then being on the council, what else do you do back home?”

“That keeps me pretty busy, but I also work in the Science and Development branch of the military along with Pai. Though, we’re in different fields. When the Mew Aqua brought life and stability back to our planet, my plant powers were in high demand. The flora ran rampant and me and a few others with similar gifts were tasked with controlling them and incorporating the plant life into the new towns and cities that were being built. We wanted to coexist, not destroy all the new life springing forth. I can’t wait for you to see our capital. It really is beautiful,” Tart explained. He was smiling with pride. Not only in the work he had accomplished, but with pride in his home. The main city truly was a sight to behold. Most of their new above-ground communities were, but the capital was spectacular indeed.

“That does sound beautiful, and I can’t wait to see it,” Ichigo chimed in with a large smile. “It’s only ben four years. How did you manage to build entire cities already? And how many are there? Do you any of you still live underground?”

“So many questions, geeze. In total we only have three actual cities: The capital, the Steel Clan’s, and our clan’s home city. Novarora is our capital. Translated, it roughly means ‘New Dawn’ in your language. It was the first of our cities to be built and for almost all our people, after the Mew Aqua, was the first time they’d experienced the sun. ‘New Dawn’ kind of became a term to describe life after our planet was healed, so the capital took it as its name. Our clan’s city is called Draconis or ‘Dragon City’ since it’s the home of the Dragon Clan. Civitas Scientia or ‘The City of Science and Knowledge’ is the Steel Clan’s home city. It rivals the capital in technological innovations and houses our largest library and digital database. Though, you’re required to have varying degrees of clearances to access parts of their databanks.” Tart paused to finish his stew then got up to take his dishes to the sink, but he continued as he walked.

“With our people’s varying abilities, construction was a snap. If we hadn’t taken so much time to plan everything out and been super careful about harvesting resources, we could probably have built the capital in a matter of months. As it was, it took roughly a year for most of it to be built. Though, some areas are still growing and being built up. The rest of the clans have small villages or towns found near the entrance to their original caves or cliff side dwellings. The only clan that remained mostly underground is the Moon Clan. But even they have a tiny village at the surface centered around the entrance to their cave. The Wilding and Rose Clans are both large, but they still only have a small village and town. The Wildings are slightly nomadic and live among the trees of a massive forest. Most of the Rose Clan lives in the trade district of the capital. The capital is built in a circle with it divided into five sections: The Trade District, The Entertainment District, The Military Grounds, The Education District, and the Residential District. With the palace at the center.”

“And where do you and Kish live?” Ichigo asked. Unfortunately, at the mention of Kish, some of Ichigo’s separation anxiety kicked in.

Tart noticed this and quickly made an offer. “If you want, I can take you back and we can finish discussing this at the café?”

Ichigo was torn. She desperately wanted to get back to Kish, but she also knew he needed the rest. She also didn’t like feeling so dependent. She needed to get her independent legs back under her. But the emptiness she had felt from Kish was still too fresh. So, her anxiety won out. “Actually, if you don’t mind, then yeah. I’d like to get back to Kish’s side.”

“Sure thing, Old Hag,” Tart said as he placed a hand on her shoulder and teleported them straight to the basement of the café. Kish was still asleep, so they sat on the bed next to his.

Keeping her voice quiet for Kish’s sake, “Thanks, Brat. So where do you two live?”

“We live on the farthest edge of the Military Grounds from the Palace. Most of the higher ups in the military have private homes there. The rest stay in the barracks or what you’d call apartments for those that have families. Oh, that reminds me. There’s something I bet you’d find interesting,” Tart said with a smile.

“Oh? What’s that?” Ichigo asked intrigued.

“When we were building the capital, the council gave the three of us a certain privilege. We were able to name a few things. The three of us made an agreement to honor you Mews for what you did for us. Because without you, our lives wouldn’t be what they are now,” Tart explained.

“What?! You’re kidding me,” Ichigo said in shock but also with a blush.

“Yup. In the Education District, there’s a large library that also houses a large aquarium. It’s named after Lettuce. A huge park that’s a favorite of the younger crowd is named after Pudding in the Residential District. Then there’s the main Trade Hall that’s named after Mint in the Trade District. In the Entertainment District there is a grand theatre and restaurant that took its name from Zakuro. And finally, at Kish’s request, the female barracks and training area is named after you.”

“Dammit, Tart. I wanted to surprise her with that,” Kish interrupted, startling both Ichigo and Tart.

“Sorry if we woke you,” Ichigo apologized as she quickly moved to his side.

Kish smiled and took her hand. Scooting over, he pulled her onto the bed next to him. “It’s fine, Kitten. I would have woken up soon anyways. And since Tart already ruined part of the surprise, there’s also a statue of each of you in front of your respective buildings or areas. The center of the capital outside the Palace is also called Ikisatashi Square and has a statue of the three of us. I didn’t ask for that one though,” he grinned. “I just requested a statue of you. Pai and Tart said it wouldn’t be right to leave the other girls out.”

“Seriously, Kish?! You asked for a statue of me?” she said looking at him skeptically.

Kish shrugged, “What? You deserved it. My people would still be dying and suffering without you. And maybe I missed seeing you.” His grin softened into a warm smile. Though he may have tried to move on, he had dearly missed her and had still loved her more than anything. He also thought it was fitting for the new women’s barracks to share her name. She was one Abyss of a warrior.

Ichigo threw her arms around Kish’s neck. “Full access to your mind and heart, and yet you still manage to surprise me. Thank you.” She kissed him on the cheek and looked Tart’s way. “And thank you for making sure all the Mews were honored as well.”

Tart blushed sheepishly, “Don’t mention it, Old Hag.”

Kish’s arm slid around Ichigo’s waist, and he pulled her into his lap, nestling her on her hip between his outstretched legs. Tucking his nose into the crook of her neck, he inhaled deeply of her scent. “Mmm… You smell delicious. It’s been too long since I’ve felt my mate.” The hand at her waist casually slipped under her shirt and softly stroked her warm skin.

Ichigo trembled as a pleasurable warmth spread through her. That soft honeyed voice of his and his feather light touch were sending sparks of arousal straight to her core.

“Achoo! Urgh, that’s my cue to leave. Just remember, you’re supposed to still be taking it easy, Kish,” Tart said as he headed to the door. “But I can run interference for at least an hour. Consider it an apology for my big mouth and for not being there to help with the chimera.” Tart snapped his fingers, and a small metallic cube appeared in his hand, “This may also be useful. No telling if Ryou has any recording devices set up in here.” He tossed the cube to Kish who caught it easily.

“This Pai’s Fritzer?” Kish asked in surprise, but with a spark of mischief in his eyes.

“Yup. He finished it not long before we left. Though he still refuses to call it that. He thought it might come in handy, so he sent it with me. Bet he’d be scowling at both of us if he knew what you were going to use it for. Laters.” Tart shut the door behind him as he left.

Ichigo had been reading between the lines and was blushing scarlet. Tart had left because he had smelled her arousal and had offered to keep the others away so that she and Kish could be intimate. She poked Kish in the ribs. “Oh no you don’t, Mister. You’re supposed to be resting.”

Kish’s grin grew seductive, and his eyes sparked and shimmered with lust and mischief. With a snap of his fingers there was an audible click at the door. “That and Tart will keep out any interruptions. And this,” he said, holding up the cube, “will ensure no one can spy on us.” He slid his thumb in a circle over the top of the device, turning a small, embedded dial. “Any mechanical devices will go on the fritz until I turn it off. I set it to affect only this room. When I turn it off, everything will go back to normal as though nothing happened.” Leaning forwards, Kish delicately nipped Ichigo’s ear. “I may have to take it easy, but that doesn’t mean you do.” His tone had dropped an octave or two and he clicked the button. Everything in the room shut off, including the lights. But thanks to his unique eyes, he could see perfectly fine.

Against her better judgement, Ichigo decided to follow Kish’s lead. She had also missed his touch. She could also tell Kish wasn’t going to back down on this. His mind was set. When the lights went out, she let her cat genes surface. Her eyes adjusted and she could now see much better in the dark. Trailing a finger up his bare chest, “As long as you promise not to push yourself.”

Kish grinned wickedly, “I promise.” Rearranging the pillows, Kish scooted back so he could sit up fully and still rest on them. He then shifted Ichigo, so she was now flush against him, her back to his chest. She was still nestled between his legs atop the bed and Kish rested his hands over her thighs. “Besides, you’ll be the one trembling as I pleasure my mate. Now spread your legs,” he said, resting his chin on her shoulder.

“Wh…What?” she stuttered.

He licked the rim of her ear. “You heard me. Spread ‘em,” he husked.

Obeying him, Ichigo hesitantly spread her legs wide.

“Good girl,” he praised in a dark whisper. With a snap of his fingers, her pants and underwear disappeared to fall into a heap on the floor. Thankfully, it was his left shoulder that was injured giving his right arm and hand free reign. He slid his left hand under her shirt and softly stroked his fingers over her abdomen. His right hand shifted to her inner thigh, his fingertips brushing back and forth along her sensitive skin. Teasingly, he slowly inched his way to her center.

Ichigo’s hands rested on his forearms as she relaxed against her mate. She let herself fully succumb to his touches. His gentle, yet teasing, strokes were fanning the flames of her desire, and her core was starting to twist in anticipation. “K…Kish,” she whimpered. “Stop teasing.”

A low chuckle reverberated against her back. “No,” he whispered into her ear. Normally he’d never say no to his mate, but he was enjoying the feel of her bare skin beneath his hands. Enjoying the small tremors that were coursing through his mate’s body. He wanted to take his time and savor this. It had been much too long in his opinion since he’d pleasured his mate. His right hand shifted closer, and he traced a single fingertip along her damp seam. A satisfied grin fell upon his face when her hands tensed around his arms and her heart rate quickened. But his grin grew even larger when her head fell back atop his shoulder and his name escaped her lips in a gasp.

That single, feather light touch sent heat waves crashing through her body. It had been days since her mate had touched her like this and the feeling was incredible. Her hips shifted forwards, trying to press harder to his hand. But that only made him pull his hand away. She groaned in frustration. “Kish…,” she whined.

Kish’s lips traveled up her neck as he licked his way to her ear. Sucking the lobe between his lips, he nibbled at it tenderly. “I said no. Keep still. The only movement I want to feel is your body trembling in the pleasure I’m about to give.”

A bolt of white-hot lightening shot straight to her core. Kish had always been on the demanding side, but this time his voice was dripping with authority. Ichigo found herself unable to deny his command. This time, she completely surrendered to her dominant mate. Let him take full control. Biting her lip when she felt his hand return to her center, she could only nod her head in compliance.

“That’s my girl,” he whispered seductively into her ear once he’d released it. This time, when she gasped as he slid his hand over her scorching heat, he quickly brought his hand up and slipped his fingers into her mouth. “Lick,” he commanded darkly.

Obeying immediately, Ichigo did as she was told and licked at his fingers within her mouth.

Once he was satisfied, Kish removed his saliva slickened fingers and lowered them to her core. Using his thumb and ring finger, he gently parted her lower lips. Keeping them spread, he teasingly used his slick fingers to trace wet circles around her throbbing bud. He refused to give into her desires just yet. When she whimpered, he let his hand drift lower to circle her hot entrance. Again, he only teased, never touching her where she wanted. His lips found her neck again, “Tell me where you want me to touch you, mate. Do you want to feel my fingers inside you, or do you want me to pleasure that secret pearl? You’re choice, Kitten.”

A faint blush dusted Ichigo’s cheeks at his intimate question, and she became torn. His hands were beyond talented, and his fingers felt incredible when they were inside her, but her clit was begging for attention after his teasing. She couldn’t decide, especially with him keeping her thoughts frazzled with his incessant teasing.

“Tick-tock, Kitten. If you don’t decide soon, then we’ll do things my way. And though you’ll still be quite satisfied, it may not be fully to your liking. I do so love to tease you,” his voice may have been breathy and seductive, but there was a dark threat veiled within. He knew he was supposed to be taking it easy, but that certainly didn’t mean he was going to take it easy on her. Nope, he planned on taking his time. He wanted his mate shuddering and gasping as he pleasured her. He wanted to hear her begging for more, or even begging him to stop because it became too much. Either way, he was going to savor every second of this.

A shiver ran down Ichigo’s spine at the wicked inflection of Kish’s voice. She was getting another glimpse of his darker and more possessive side. It always gave her a thrill when he got like this. But she knew he wouldn’t hesitate to follow through on his threats. She could clearly see his plans if she hesitated any longer. Though a small part of her almost wanted to let him do as he pleased, but her body was aching for attention. If he had his way, she’d be aching for his touch for much, much longer. He’d push her almost to the brink before stopping, forcing her to rebuild. Then he’d do it over and over again. Never allowing her to release until he felt like it. It was a thrilling idea, but she desperately needed that release. So, with a slight bit of panic in her voice, she chose. “Inside me.”

“You sure, love?” he asked as he teasingly flicked a finger over her rosebud.

The jolt of pleasure that shot through Ichigo almost made her change her mind, but she nodded her head. “Yes. Please Kish. I want to feel your fingers inside me.” Her blush darkened with her answer. She had sounded so desperate, even to herself. And talking dirty was still new and embarrassing to her. But she also knew her mate enjoyed it, and she absolutely loved it when he spoke dirty to her.

Sharp fangs scraped up her neck until he reached the base of her ear. His lips brushed against the edge, and his warm breath tickled the tiny hairs around it, “As you wish, Kitten.” He dropped his hand lower and gently pushed two fingers into her scorching entrance.

Ichigo threw her head back and a deep moan escaped her lips. Her legs began to tremble, so she brought her knees up. Putting her feet on the outside of his legs, she tucked her toes under his knees. This gave Kish even easier access, but it also helped to keep her still. At the feel of his talented fingers, Ichigo wanted to buck her hips in response, but that was against Kish’s current rules. She knew disobeying him in his current mind set would postpone her pleasure and release.

Settling his chin back atop her shoulder, Kish’s grin grew. “Such an accommodating little mate.” As a reward for her obedience, Kish pushed his fingers deeper. On every third or fourth push, he’d curl his fingers so he’d brush against her sweet spot. He reveled in the shudders that coursed through his mate’s body. The bright bursts of pleasure that sparked from her end of their bond delighted him. Pleasuring his mate not only filled him with joy, but also pride. That he could control her reactions so thoroughly. Bring forth her whimpers and cause her body to tremble so easily. He loved his mate unconditionally and he loved pleasuring her almost as much.

Her mind was split. She wanted to focus on what he was doing to her. To the incredible shocks of warm pleasure that were breaking like waves through her system, but her mind was tangled deeply within his own. She had desperately missed the warmth and even the shrewd coldness of his presence within her. He’d become such a constant part of her that his absence had left her cold and devastated. She was so entangled within him that she was almost experiencing things from his side. She’d buried herself so deep in his mind that she almost forgot about his fingers within her.

Kish chuckled against her throat. He’d felt her snake her way down the bond and plant herself deep into his consciousness. She’d entrenched herself so thoroughly that, even if he had the power and had wanted to, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to push her out. He knew how scared and lonely she’d been. How much it had hurt her when she’d lost their connection. But it made him smile in pride at how completely she’d wrapped herself in his thoughts and emotions. They’d never be apart again. He swore it to himself and to her. “Even when you can’t see me. Even if you can’t feel me. I’m always here, Ichigo. We’re one. I’ll never leave your side. Now, stop thinking and feel.” He curled his fingers and spread them wide. The pads of his fingertips found that hidden button and brushed over it repeatedly. When she gasped his name, he knew her focus had finally been broken. Shifting his thumb, he swiped it back and forth over her swollen pearl. Her reaction was instantaneous.

Everything shattered. Her thoughts, her focus, even her body seemed to crumble under her mate’s skilled touches. But then, when she felt his thumb move over her, it was like her entire being became taut like a bow string. And with every pluck of Kish’s fingers, that string pulled tighter and tighter. Until finally it snapped, and an intense wave of warmth washed over her. Kish’s name fell from her lips in something between a moan and a gasp. Her legs shook and her body trembled. This wasn’t as powerful as some of the other orgasms Kish had caused, but it was up there. It felt wonderful and deeply satisfying. A blissful tranquility settled over her as she melted against her mate.

As connected as they were, Kish had felt everything. Her intense climb then the wave of ecstasy that had crashed over her when he’d pushed her over the edge. As it was, he had to bite back his desires to sink his teeth into her mark and allow his own release. By sheer will alone, he tamped it down. At least he knew, if they stayed this connected, finishing together would never be a problem. He continued to stroke her leisurely as he brought her down gently. It also gave him time to catch his own breath. This girl had quite literally invaded every aspect of his being. And he wasn’t complaining in the least. She’d already owned his heart. He’d already given her his body. Their souls were intertwined. And now their minds were shared. He honestly couldn’t be happier.

Slowly, Kish withdrew his hand. Rubbing his fingers together, he played with her thick essence that coated them. Bringing his hand to his mouth, he licked his fingers clean.

Ichigo’s eyes followed Kish’s hand. Her cheeks were tinged pink as she realized how deep within her those fingers had been. Not to mention, the slickness that coated it. But her cheeks became bright crimson when Kish slipped those fingers into his mouth. It was both embarrassing and yet strangely arousing. Especially, when she could see how much he actually savored the taste.

Kish chuckled, “Delicious is how I’d describe your taste. Just like all of you.”

She shook her head. “If you say so. Now, mind helping a girl out? My legs feel like jelly, but I need to redress. I don’t feel like getting caught again.”

“As my Kitten wishes.” With a snap of his fingers, Kish summoned a damp cloth and gently cleaned her up. He nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck when he felt her shudder. “Still sensitive, love?” he teased.

“What do you think?” she said in exasperation.

With another snap of his fingers, the cloth disappeared, and her pants and underwear were replaced upon her. He kissed the side of her neck, “Better?”

“Much, thank you. Are you comfortable?” she asked out of nowhere.

Confused by her random question, “Yes, why?”

“Good,” she said as she rolled onto her hip and snuggled against his chest. Bringing her knees up, she curled in upon herself like a cat. Though his skin was always cool to the touch, his body heat was soothing her into a cat nap. Her ear was pressed just above his heart and the rhythmic thumping was also helping to lull her into a relaxed sleep.

Kish smiled lovingly down at his mate. Tenderly, he tucked her loose hair behind her ear. He could clearly see her intentions and didn’t mind being used as a pillow. He wrapped his injured arm around her waist and used his other hand to softly comb over her hair. “Rest, mate. I’ll keep the door locked and the lights off for a while longer.” Kissing her crown, Kish settled against the pillows and let his eyes drift closed. Another nap would probably do him good as well. Before he succumbed to sleep, he reached out to his cousin. “Hey Brat?”

“Ye…,” was Tart’s broken reply.

“Kitten and I are going to take a quick nap. The door’s still locked, but will you tell everyone to leave us alone for a bit longer?” Kish asked.

“Yeah,” Tart responded. Though, he really wasn’t looking forwards to playing guard duty still. Ryou had tried to go check on the pair several times. And even the girls had tried sneaking down the stairs. He’d thankfully intervened each time, but none of them were very happy about being denied access to their friend. Ryou was especially concerned with his unresponsive equipment.

“Thanks, Brat,” Kish said before finally letting himself fall asleep.

A little over an hour or so later, Kish groggily awoke to someone pounding on the door. Yawning, he snapped his fingers and the door flew open.

An irate Ryou stepped into the room. Ryou took a moment to adjust to the darkness of the room. “What the hell did you do to my machines and the lights?!”

Kish glared at Ryou until he realized it was pointless because Ryou wouldn’t be able to see him in the dark. Reaching over to the bedside table, he picked up the Fritzer and clicked it off. The lights and all the machines immediately kicked back on. Blinking, Kish let his eyes adjust to the bright lights. “Calm down and lower your voice. Ichigo’s still asleep, and I’d prefer she stayed that way. Our separation frazzled her badly and I know she didn’t get much sleep while I was out. As you can see, your machines are fine.” His attention was drawn to the girl in his lap as she rolled over, so her back was to Ryou and curled up even tighter. Kish gently stroked a hand up and down her side, coaxing her back into a deep sleep.

Once Ryou’s eyes had also adjusted to the sudden harsh lighting, he made his way to his computers. After putting in a few commands and doing a cursory inspection, he deemed that they seemed fine. “Was it really necessary to turn everything off? These computers do monitor any alien activity like chimeras you know.” Ryou stated harshly with his arms crossed. Though, he did keep his tone low so as not to disturb Ichigo.

Feeling that Ichigo had once again fallen into a deep sleep, Kish stilled his hand but kept one arm draped over her protectively. “We wanted a bit of privacy. And unfortunately, this device only works in an area. I can’t choose specific pieces of equipment to affect.”

Ryou cocked a brow, “You’re supposed to be resting. What exactly did you need that kind of privacy for?”

Smirking, “Relax. We didn’t have sex if that’s what you’re worried about. We just wanted some time to ourselves without any prying eyes. I told you, being separated from me for over five days did a number on Ichigo. As mates, the loss of our connection can be extremely emotional and even painful. We just needed a moment to reestablish our link. Which is something very private and personal.” Kish had spoken quietly so he wouldn’t wake Ichigo, but his tone carried authority. That discussion was closed.

“Fine, but a little warning next time you decide to shut off all my equipment. How are you feeling?” Ryou asked as he leaned back in his computer chair.

“Much better. I could probably walk and even fly without any problems. Not sure about teleporting though. I figured I’d stay until dinner. After I’ve eaten something, my energy levels should be high enough to allow me to teleport. Hopefully, you’ll be rid of me by tonight.”

Ryou sighed, “Actually, it might be better if you stayed at least one more night. We’ve run into a bit of an issue.”

Kish’s attention was now fully on Ryou. “Now what?” he asked with concern.

“The militaries caught footage of the battle with you and Ichigo. They saw you fighting with her against the chimera. Our original plan isn’t going to work. Though the first photo has them confused. To them, it clearly shows you chasing Ichigo. But in the recent footage, you’re shown protecting her and even holding her like you care about her. They aren’t quite sure what to make of it. But you being true enemies again seems less likely to be convincing.”

Kish frowned. “It’s not like I could have just sat by when I knew my mate was in trouble.”

“And I’d never ask you to, but this forces us to rethink our strategy,” Ryou quickly countered.

An idea popped into Kish’s head, and he smiled wickedly. “We could actually spin this in our favor. Do you know if Tart or the other Mews were spotted?”

“Not that I now of. Why? What are you thinking?” Ryou would never get over how quickly Kish’s mind worked. Kish could see solutions and problems faster than even he could.

“What if it appeared Ichigo had switched sides? Or rather that I’d finally convinced her to be mine. I’m sure they’ve got to have some footage of how I used to be back then. I was fairly vocal on my feelings towards her. We could make it look like I’d come back for her, and I was stealing her away. The Mews board my ship in an attempt to rescue her. It’s even more believable than them trying to simply stop me. Especially since most of it is the actual truth. It would also explain why I was chasing her and only her. Why I was helping her. And why there haven’t been any real attacks. It’s just me, the lovesick alien, coming back for my girl.” Though a lot of it would be an act, even if it was mostly true, Kish was enjoying this plan much more. He’d be able to publicly claim Ichigo as his. A small part of him was still worried though. This could potentially put Ichigo in even more danger. She could be seen as a traitor. But he shoved that thought aside for now. He’d need to speak with Ichigo about it later. For now, this seemed like the best way.

“Yeah, the news crews got some video of you taunting and flirting with Ichigo. Leave it to you to figure out a way to publicly flaunt your relationship and use it as an advantage. It must be like a dream come true for you. It’s not a bad plan though.” Ryou sighed and looked towards Ichigo. “You do realize it could make her an even bigger target,” he gestured to Ichigo. “They could see her as a traitor and a threat just like you.”

Kish’s arm involuntarily tightened around Ichigo as he glanced down at her. “I know. That’s already occurred to me. And I hate the idea of possibly putting her in more danger than she already is, but it’s not like we have a lot of options. I’m going to speak to her about it tonight. If she’s okay with it, then it’s our best option. I won’t move forwards without her consent.” Another problem made its way into Kish’s thoughts. “But before we do anything, that chimera made me realize we have a hole in our plans.”

Ryou lifted a brow, “And that is?”

“I’m not sure how many chimeras are left out there. But I do know they react violently to the Mews by my design. If we stage the Mews’ deaths then people are going to be shocked if they reappear to fight the chimeras. Either we need an entirely new plan, or I need time to search for any other infusers or predacites.” Kish was mentally kicking himself for not thinking of that earlier. He was also annoyed with himself for having left any infusers around to begin with.

Rubbing his temples, Ryou shot Kish a poignant look. “Tokyo is huge, and Japan is even larger. And we have no idea how many are left, if at all. Do you have a way to search such a large area? My computers can only pick up fully evolved chimeras, and even then it’s not always reliable.”

“The computer aboard my ship can scan all of Japan in a couple of hours. I’ll just have to move the ship out of Earth’s atmosphere while it’s scanning. Unfortunately, infusers are very weak and give off a small signature. The computer will only be able to narrow the search area to about a five-mile radius. Predacites are slightly more evolved but still small. Their radius will be about two miles. I’ll be able to pinpoint any chimeras though. And once I’m close enough, if I’m focusing, I’ll be able to find the predacites and infusers. If they don’t react to me first.” Kish’s attention shifted to Ichigo as she started to stir. Using his uninjured arm, he lightly ran his hand over her hair. “Hey there, Kitten. Enjoy your nap?”

Rolling onto her back, Ichigo stretched out her legs and arms and gave a large yawn. Resting her hands atop Kish’s arm around her middle, she leaned back against her mate. “Yup, and I feel much better. Nothing like a good cat nap.” Noticing Ryou and the heavy atmosphere in the room, Ichigo did a quick search through Kish’s recent memories, catching herself up on what they’d been speaking about.

“Well, I’ll leave Kish to fill you in. We’ve come across a few problems with our current plan.” Ryou went to stand, but Ichigo halted him.

“I already know. One perk of being in someone’s head, you can get caught up easily. And I agree with Kish. If he thinks it’s the best idea, then I trust him. I know he’ll keep me safe. Besides, it’s not like I’m not used to being in danger. Or did you both forget my life used to be in constant danger from my own personal stalker?” she teased as she nudged her elbow into Kish’s side.

Kish chuckled and tugged her closer to him. Nuzzling his chin into the crook of her neck, “Admirer. I’ve told you before, I prefer admirer.”

Ichigo giggled, “If the shoe fits.”

Kish rolled his eyes and looked over to Ryou. “She has a point. And this time I’m on her side. If she could keep three advanced aliens on their toes then the military doesn’t stand a chance. And you can be damn sure I’ll do everything to keep her safe.”

“And the left-over chimeras?” Ryou reminded him.

“Ichigo wanted to spend tomorrow with the girls and her mother to go dress shopping. While she’s doing that, Tart and I can move the ship and begin our scans. Once I have the locations, I can send the data to your computer. Monday, Ichigo and I can start searching for them. I’d rather not involve the other Mews if possible. It will mess with the plan if we’re all seen working together,” Kish explained.

Anxiety started to bubble up within Ichigo. “You think I’m going to leave your side after you were in a coma for five days?! Absolutely not!”

Kish kissed her cheek. “Yes I do. I’ll be fine Kitten, and so will you. I’ll be on my ship the entire time and you can reach out to me whenever you want. You already made plans with everyone.” Privately, he added, “You’ll never shake this fear and anxiety if you don’t face it head on. I know how badly you were hurting. I was right there with you even if you couldn’t sense me. It killed me not being able to reassure or comfort you. But you’re my strong and fiery mate. It’s time to find yourself again. I promise I’ll be alright, and I’ll never be more than a thought away.”

Ichigo slumped against him in defeat. “Why? Why must you always be right? And since when did my psychotic stalker become the voice of reason?”

Chuckling, Kish nipped her ear, “Since you finally stopped being stubborn and realized you were mine. And since we became mates. Someone has to keep an eye on you, my feisty little kitty-cat.”

Feigning annoyance, Ichigo pushed Kish’s lips away from her ear. “Fine. Monday, Kish and I search for any chimeras that are still left. We’ll let the other Mews know what we’re doing and, only if we need them, ask for their help.”

Slapping the tops of his thighs, Ryou stood up. “Now that that’s settled, you feel up to coming upstairs? Everyone’s still here except for Pudding who’s still seeing to her brother. We can fill everyone in on our plans and Tart can relay it to Pudding later. The girls have also been missing you terribly, Ichigo. And even you, Kish. Tart gave us a bit of a crash course on infusers and, since then, I know Lettuce has been dying to pick your brain. Plus, I’m sure Keiichiro will be more than happy to put together dinner for everyone.”

Kish was momentarily shocked. He honestly wouldn’t have thought anyone else would be worried about him let alone miss him. Though, he really wasn’t surprised about Lettuce. That girl was always full of questions, most of them difficult.

Ichigo rolled her eyes at Kish, “Of course they care and worry about you. Not only are you my mate and future husband, but you’re also part of the team now. A part of our family. Just like Tart and even Pai if he ever gets his butt back here.”

“It’s just weird. I was their enemy. Tried to kill and hurt them. Plus, I’m honestly not used to being honestly cared about. Sure, I’ve got friends and admirers back home, but that’s because of my power, good looks, and who my family is. Not many honestly care about me as I am,” Kish revealed. It really was strange for him to have almost complete strangers truly care about him.

Scoffing, Ichigo elbowed him in the ribs. “They aren’t strangers. You fought everyone for well over a year.”

“True, but it’s not like we spoke often. Other than some basic personality traits, I couldn’t really say anything about any of them. You were the only one I spent time actually learning about,” he admitted.

“While you were admiring me, hmm? But I guess you have a point. We’ll just have to fix that starting tonight. So, do you think you can make it up the stairs?” she asked.

Kish nudged her side, “I’d already be up if I didn’t have a kitty-cat in my lap.”

Ichigo blushed and scrambled out of his lap and off the bed. “You could have said something,” she snapped.

“It’s not like I was complaining, just stating a fact.” Kish swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He was a tad wobbly having been in bed for over five days, but he quickly steadied himself. Testing his limits, he hovered a few inches off the floor. It was draining, but he could sustain flight for at least a while. Dropping back to his feet, “See. Perfectly fine. Just need a couple of good meals and I should be back to one hundred percent. You wouldn’t happen to have a spare shirt, would you, Ryou? I’d probably cause the girls to faint if I went up their looking like this,” he said flashing his signature toothy smirk.

Ryou rolled his eyes and Ichigo face palmed. “Arrogant freak. I’ll meet you at the top of the stairs with one.” Ryou turned and headed out the door to his room upstairs.

“Are you this bad at home too?” Ichigo asked with a hint of exasperation in her voice.

“Worse,” he winked.

Keiichiro had put together a healthy and nutritious meal considering they were in a sweets café. They had pushed another table to Mint’s so they could all sit together. Ryou and Keiichiro were at the ends with Tart, Mint, and Zakuro on Ryou’s right and Lettuce, Kish, and Ichigo on his left. While they ate, Ryou and Kish filled everyone else in on the new plans.

Pink dusting her cheeks, Lettuce looked over at Kish. “I…I’m glad y..you’re feeling better.”

Kish grinned, “Thanks Fishy. Ryou said you wanted to talk about infusers?”

Lettuce blushed harder. “Y…Yes, but only if you’re feeling up to it,” she stuttered out.

Setting his fork down on his empty plate, Kish leaned back in his chair and turned towards Lettuce, “What would you like to know?”

Lettuce’s eyes lit up. She loved learning new things, especially when it came to the aliens. “Everything!” she squeaked. Blushing madly at her outburst, she calmed herself down. “S…Sorry. H…How about we start with the infusers? How do you create them?”

Grinning, Kish brought his hand up above the table. Closing his eyes, he concentrated for a moment then snapped his fingers. He opened his eyes when he heard several at the table gasp. Floating above his hand was a pale blue and nearly translucent infuser. “Relax. This little guy is harmless unless I choose for him not to be.”

“What do you mean?” Lettuce asked. She was leaning just a bit forwards as she straightened her glasses to get a better look. To say she was intrigued would be an understatement.

Flexing his hand, Kish coaxed the infuser to bounce and twirl above his hand. “He’s a blank slate. I haven’t put any of my power into him yet or allowed a connection. Until I do, he’s completely harmless. Infusers are biologically engineered. They start as single-cell organisms then those with gifts such as mine coax them to grow. When they reach this state, their ready to be manipulated towards whatever goal I have in mind. Once I connect with it mentally and emotionally, I can instill my will onto it. What I focus on the most is what will be predominant. The more intricate its abilities are or the more powerful, the longer I have to work with it. It’s not easy, even with someone with as powerful as an ability as me. It takes time and a lot of energy. Which is why most of the chimeras you fought were simple ones. That bastard Deep Blue wanted to get results quickly and was impatient. He would get upset with me if I took too long creating the infuser. And let’s just say it wasn’t exactly fun when he got upset. Worked to your advantage though since I couldn’t spend too much time perfecting my infusers.”

“You mean you could have made even stronger ones regularly?” Mint asked as she eyed the floating infuser. A touch of fear was threaded within her voice. “And if you designed them, then what about the ones you didn’t plan? Like when you’d throw one into whatever creature was nearby?”

“Of course he could. I already told you he can make a level ten,” Tart interjected.

“You told them about that?” Kish asked.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to get mad at me about that too?” Tart whined.

Kish chuckled. “Nah. I’m not mad, just surprised. But yes, if I’d been allowed to work at my pace, then there would have been much more powerful and terrifying chimeras. As for your other question, technically I already answered it.” At Mint’s confused expression, he elaborated. “This infuser is a blank slate awaiting to have its orders and design imprinted on it. I have hundreds of them in my lab both on my ship and at home. When I’d decided to make a chimera on the fly, like when we were fighting, I’d give it very simple instructions. Like kill the Mews. I let the chimera randomly become whatever it wanted, but that command would be at its core so it would be hostile and aggressive, being more predator like. And unless I focus heavily on its final form, the chimera will always take most of its physical traits from the host. When I used humans, their form took from their personalities. Now, watch.”

Closing his eyes, Kish focused on the infuser. He let his love and desire to protect Ichigo swell within him. Opening the link to the infuser, he pushed that demand and emotion into it. The infuser danced and pulsed above his hand. Its color started to seep into a soft pale pink. Opening his eyes, Kish smiled down at the infuser. He also gave Ichigo a quick wink. He’d felt her keeping a close eye on what he was doing. “Follow me,” he said as he stood and headed for the back door. Everyone, including Ryou and Keiichiro followed Kish outside.

Spotting a small squirrel not far off, Kish waved his hand and sent the infuser towards it.

“Are you crazy?! You’re going to make another monster?!” Mint shouted in both fear and anger.

Kish only smiled. “Just watch.” Glancing from Kish to the infuser, everyone watched as it disappeared into the squirrel. It froze then a light seemed to pulse around it. Letting their link grow a little stronger, Kish made sure he was in full control of the predacite as it took root within the squirrel.

A few gasps were heard as the squirrel grew to be about the size of a small pony. Its reddish fur lightened to almost a dark pink and it glistened in the sunlight. Its tail lengthened to several feet and became extra thick and bushy, but the fur was incredibly silky and soft. The squirrel’s eyes became large and more intelligent. Even though it had grown large, it looked even more adorable. With a cute chitter, it bounded over to Ichigo and wrapped its fluffy tail around her protectively.

Kish and Ichigo both snickered when they saw Mint and Zakuro tense. Mint had even started to reach for her pendant.

Shaking his head, “You don’t need to be scared. I didn’t put any ill intent into the infuser. As you can see, Ichigo is perfectly fine. Besides, I’d never endanger my mate like that.”

Ichigo giggled, “It’s so soft and tickles. I saw everything he did, Mint. His command was to protect me. I’m perfectly fine.”

Focusing on the chimera, Kish curled his fingers and pulled his hand away from it. “De-fuse,” he said as he gently pulled on the link and freed the infuser from the squirrel. Once it was out, the squirrel looked around then scampered back into the tree completely free of harm. Snapping his fingers, Kish sent the infuser back to his lab and headed back into the café.

When they were all reseated, Lettuce spoke up. “That was amazing. I didn’t know chimeras could be so beautiful or used for good like that. Now that it’s been imprinted with the desire to protect Ichigo, can you write over it or is it permanent?”

Leaning back in his chair, Kish looked over at Lettuce. “Most couldn’t rewrite it, but I can. Though, even if it was another simple command, it would take longer and more focus and energy to write over the current command. But I’ve got a much better idea in mind.” Bringing an arm up, Kish flicked his hand to the side. A crystal dagger just over a foot long appeared in his hand. The hilt was gold, and the grip was wrapped in red bands, the exact same pattern as Kish’s hair bands.

Tart gasped, “But that’s…”

“Shut it, Brat,” Kish snapped, cutting off Tart.

“But Kish,” Tart continued.

“I said shut it. I know what I’m doing,” Kish growled out.

Being curious, Ichigo slipped through Kish’s thoughts for an explanation. Immediately, she raised her hands between them and scooted her chair back away from Kish. “No! I couldn’t possibly accept that!” she shouted at Kish.

Glancing from Tart, then between Kish and Ichigo, “Someone care to explain to the rest of us?” Ryou asked in his normal authoritative tone.

Ichigo moved her eyes from the dagger in Kish’s hand to Ryou. “That was his mother’s.”

A collective gasp was heard around the table. Most knew that Kish’s mother had died while giving birth to him.

Kish’s mouth was set in a hard line as he looked up at Ichigo. “And now I’m giving it to you.”

“No, you’re not! I can’t accept it. That was your mother’s. One of the only things you have left of her. I refuse!” Ichigo said adamantly.

Breaking the tension she saw building, Lettuce cut in. “I don’t understand what your mother’s dagger has to do with that infuser.”

Tearing his piercing gaze from Ichigo, Kish carefully placed the crystal dagger on the table in front of him. Glancing at Lettuce, he summoned the pale pink infuser. “My mother was a warrior like me. One of very few females to ever be. She had two incredibly unique abilities. First, she could enchant items. Much like how I can imprint commands and feelings onto an infuser, she could on an item. Either making it stronger or having unique abilities. And like my infuser, the more intricate the enchant, the more time and energy it took to create. Like enchanting a piece of jewelry that could create a protection barrier around the wearer when they activated it. Things like that.”

Shifting his eyes to the dagger, he delicately ran his fingers along the hilt. “Her other ability was part of the reason she became a warrior. With just a touch she could momentarily steal someone else’s power. Not only would that person be rendered powerless, but my mother could also use whatever power they had for a short while. She enchanted this dagger with that ability. Anyone touched by this dagger would have all their power pulled into it. They would be without powers until the wound caused by the dagger healed. But that power would be stored within the dagger indefinitely until was either used by the wielder or a new power was sucked within.”

Very, very carefully, Kish coaxed the small infuser out of his hand. He directed it over the blade and had it drift down. As soon as it touched the crystal blade, there was a small flash of brilliant light, and the infuser disappeared. The crystal blade now had a soft pink hue to it. Flicking his hand again, Kish summoned a white leather sheath that had red ties around its middle that also matched his hair bands. With a reverent touch, Kish slid the dagger into the sheath.

“To finish answering your question, Fishy, the dagger now holds that infuser within.” Turning towards Ichigo, “If you’re ever in trouble and I’m not there, just hold the blade near a creature and say, “Release.” The blade will release its held power, in this case, the infuser, and it will take over the creature and protect you.”

A single tear slid down Ichigo’s cheek. “I can’t Kish. That was your mother’s. I can’t take that from you.”

Picking up the dagger, Kish placed his other hand on Ichigo’s shoulder. “Excuse us for a moment.” He teleported them both to the balcony they used to appear at the café. This time, however, he collapsed to his knees as soon as they appeared. “Dammit!” he cursed under his breath.

Shaking her head, Ichigo knelt beside him. “Stubborn mate. You know you’re still too weak to be teleporting, especially the two of us. Now, let me help.”

He thought she had meant to help him stand, but then he saw her intentions when she placed a hand on his cheek and wrapped the other around his wrist. A tingling warmth spread through him where they touched. He felt his weakness ebb away and his energy began to rebuild quickly. When the trickle of energy became a large wave, Kish quickly pulled away from Ichigo. “That’s enough, mate. You’re sharing too much. You’ll exhaust yourself to collapse if you keep it up,” he said firmly but softly.

“Sorry. Still figuring out how this works. I wasn’t even sure I could do it again. I wasn’t desperate or had Tart to pull from this time,” she apologized and admitted with a faint blush.

Kish chuckled and drew her into a gentle hug. “Thanks for the help, Kitten. You really are amazing. I would have figured you’d gain my more common and simple abilities like flight or teleporting, but you seem to be gaining the ones more suited for protection and enhancing us as a couple instead of just yourself. You’ve taken my strong mental shielding ability and my energy sharing power, but you’ve also enhanced them to fit you and us better. You can slip past my shields without even trying and, the first time you shared energy with me, not only did you draw from someone else, but you poured it into me without touching. Figured out a way to push it down our link. Talk about an ace up my sleeve if I ever become exhausted and cornered on a battlefield.”

“Plan on using me like a back up battery?” she teased as she poked him in the ribs.

His chuckling grew deeper, and he snatched her hand. “Only in dire circumstances because I already know you’ll be fighting at my side.”

“You’re damn right,” she interjected.

“And that brings us back to this,” he said picking up the dagger he’d dropped when he’d collapsed. “You are going to accept this. I never knew my mother. Only from stories from father and Sisa. So, I don’t really feel like I’m losing anything. And your safety is the most important thing to me besides you yourself. And now that you can use my sais, a dagger isn’t that much different. I also know it will be safe in your hands. You’re a part of me now, a part of my family. Something tells me my mother would be proud to see her weapon passed on to her daughter. We don’t use the ‘in-law’ suffix. To her, you would have simply been her daughter.”

Tears welled in Ichigo’s eyes as she held the glowing gaze of her mate. “Fine. I promise to cherish it and keep it safe, always. And thank you for saying that. I hope I can live up to her and that she finds me worthy of being her daughter and her son’s mate.”

Kish gave her a tender smile, “I may not have known her, but I know she’d have loved you and would have been proud to call you daughter. Just like I’m proud to call you mate.” Reaching up, he gently brushed away her tears then set his mother’s dagger into her hands. “Later, I’ll show you how to access your personal sub-space pocket. I know you can already do it; you just don’t know how to outside of when you’re a Mew. I’ll walk you through it so you can keep the dagger there.”

Ichigo reverently hugged the dagger to her chest. “Thank you, Kish. For this and everything.”

“Anything for my mate. You deserve it. Maybe one day it will become one of your own regularly used weapons. I’d be honored if that was the case.”

“Maybe one day. But you’ll have to start training me with daggers along with your sais.”

“It would be my pleasure,” he smiled wide. Raising to his feet, he tugged Ichigo to hers. “Let’s get back to the others. I’m sure they’re wondering where we disappeared to.” Wrapping an arm around her waist, he teleported them back to the main room of the café.

“And where did you two disappear to? And is everything alright?” Mint asked when the two reappeared and took a seat.

“Everything is fine. Kish just needed a moment in private to convince me to accept this,” she said gesturing to the dagger across her lap.

“But is that really safe? You know how powerful and dangerous that weapon is,” Tart voiced with worry.

“I trust Ichigo with it. And I have a feeling it will act the same with me as it did my father,” Kish said with a knowing smile.

“What do you mean?” Lettuce asked with intrigue.

“Because of their bond, my father was immune to my mother’s power stealing ability and this dagger. If she or her daggers ever touched my father while her power was active, it would have no effect on him. Because I’m their son and bonded with Ichigo, I’m certain I’d be immune as well,” Kish explained.

“I never did understand how her spirit weapons stayed after her death,” Tart openly wondered.

“Spirit weapons? And what does he mean?” Lettuce asked Kish. Her mind was almost giddy to learn even more about the aliens.

“Almost as curious as my Kitten,” Kish teased as he looked to Lettuce who blushed. “Spirit weapons are made from a piece of our very souls. They embody our personalities. My sais, Tart’s clackers, and Pai’s fans are our spirit weapons. It’s part of the induction ceremony when you join the Academy at ten. Though I joined when I was eight, I still had to wait until I turned ten before I could manifest my weapon. It takes a large toll on the body and can be both painful and severely draining. It’s safer to wait until at least ten years of age or the process could be fatal. But it’s also proof that you’re strong enough and worthy enough to join the military. It’s not unheard of for a child to die trying to create their weapon. And if you fail to do so, you are deemed unfit and cast out. To explain Tart’s question, you need to understand that our weapons are tied to us. As I said, they are a piece of our very souls. When we die, our weapons usually disappear. My mother was a special case. They may have been her spirit weapons, but she had enchanted them. According to my father, that made them unique and powerful enough to remain after her death. Ichigo now holds one, and my sister took the other to the Abyss. We don’t bury our dead. We open a portal within solid rock. Anything sent through is ultimately atomized the second it comes through the other side. At my sister’s passing ceremony, my father and I placed one of my mother’s daggers with her.”

Ichigo reached out and twined her fingers with his. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “What was your mother’s name?” she asked softly.

With a sad yet soft smile, Kish answered. “Corfura.”

“How beautiful and unique,” Mint said softly.

Ichigo smiled wide, “And fitting.” Seeing the girls’ confusion, she explained further. “In his language it means ‘little heart thief.’ Not only did she steal your father’s heart, I’m sure, but it fits with her ability.”

Kish grinned, “Cheating cat. Using me to learn my language.” Flicking a hand to the side, Kish summoned a framed photo. “And I can see you looking. Here.” He handed her the photo.

“Oh Kish! She’s beautiful and your father is so handsome. I see where you got your good looks.” The photo was of his parents at their bonding ceremony. Corfura was just a head shorter than Kish’s father. She had long green hair that reached her waist. Two long thin braids framed her face and were tied off with what looked like Kish’s hair bands. She had the palest of green eyes and delicate features. But there was a fiery strength held within her eyes. And her lip was curled into a very familiar smirk as it revealed a pearly fang. She wore a form fitting crop top with long billowing sleeves. It was a bright ruby red, and a half circle cut out bared part of her left shoulder, revealing her mate mark. Ichigo could just make out the gold chain and hanging from it was a small, silver, curved dagger with gold accents. It reminded her of the curved daggers Ichigo had seen in Kish’s inner mind, the ones that had belonged to his father. Corfura wore long flowy red pants that were shear from mid-thigh to her ankles. A gold band cinched them at her ankle and she wore golden flats much like Pai’s shoes. Around her waist was a golden cinched sash that flowed behind her into two gold tails. Also at her waist were her two daggers in their white sheaths.

Ichigo did a double take when she looked over his father. Kish may have gotten his hair, delicate features, and that infuriating smirk from his mother, but the rest was a carbon copy of his father. He looked identical to how Kish had looked when he’d first come to Earth. The only difference being Kish’s hair coloring and style and the color of their clothes. His father wore the same uniform Kish had, but his undershirt, tails, and shorts were gold while his vest and the tunic over his shorts were black. The wrist and leg wraps, his collar, and the band around his waist were red just like Kish’s as were his brown boots. He also had those same intense glittering, golden cat eyes. But his hair was a dark lavender and was pulled into a high ponytail with a single small braid to the left of his face. Ichigo could also see where Kish had gotten his demanding and authoritative presence, for she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off his father.

Kish smirked at Ichigo’s thoughts. “I told you I take after my father, Crumb, though I probably act much more like my mother. Her mate mark was my father’s dagger and his was of her dagger. You see, from what my father’s told me, they were rivals at the Academy. She was a year behind but a prodigy when it came to fighting, but so was my father. She challenged him over and over again in spars, but he always beat her. The day she finally defeated him was the day he asked her to be his. You see, she had always had a crush on my father and the spars were her way of getting his attention. Though, she also wanted to win to prove she was stronger. As a female, it was hard to get military recognition. By besting my father, who was the best, she could prove herself to everyone. It wasn’t her original intention, but through their constant fights and competitiveness, she fell in love with him. He fell for her as well. From what Sisa told me when we were kids, she was also a terrible flirt and a rule breaker. Always finding ways to get attention or to stand out. I may have followed in my father’s footsteps, but a lot of my personality comes from her. At least that’s what I’ve been told.”

As the girls oohed and awed over the photo of Kish’s parents, Tart rolled his eyes as he looked towards Kish. “You’re doing it again,” he said with a gesture towards Ichigo.

“Dammit all to the Abyss. You’re right.” Snatching the photo from Ichigo, he lowered his eyes to the table with a blush and dismissed the photo. “Sorry. I’m not usually so open. An effect of our bond means I channel a bit of Ichigo’s personality occasionally, at least until I get better control of it. I didn’t mean to share so much.”

Zakuro shifted her cool eyes to Kish. “I was beginning to wonder. This all seemed out of character for you. However, thank you for sharing. I also know what it’s like to grow up without a parent. My mother divorced my father when I was very young. And because of her fame and money, she got full custody of me. I rarely saw my father if ever. I was always being dragged to wherever my mother’s new movie was being filmed or where whatever modeling gig or competition she’d gotten me into was. I became very independent from an early age. But I was also very lonely, which was why your initial offer was tempting back then, but I could tell you were both lying and weren’t sincere.”

“What are you talking about?” Ichigo asked in confusion.

“It’s nothing,” Kish interjected with a bit of panic.

Zakuro cocked a brow. “He never told you?” she snickered. “He flirted with me. Told me if I joined his side we could rule Earth together. Tempting, but I could see in his eyes that his heart wasn’t in it. Then, when I saw the way he looked at you, I understood. He was in love with you. I would have just been a tool in his pocket. Not only a blow to you all, but a possible way to make you jealous.”

Kish’s eyes bore into Zakuro’s, “You figured all that out after only meeting with me twice? Why didn’t you ever tell her if you knew I genuinely loved her?” His tone was a touch angry and accusatory.

“Because it wasn’t my place. You were an enemy and she loved someone else. It wouldn’t have been right to come between them. Plus, that was something between you two.”

Kish growled, “Fair points. Still, she may have actually believed I loved her if you had backed me up.”

Ichigo smacked Kish’s shoulder, “That was for flirting with Zakuro when you were apparently in love with me. And for trying to turn her against us.”

Wincing, Kish rubbed his shoulder. “War remember? I was willing to use whatever tactic I could. And normally I’m pretty smooth when it comes to the ladies. Wasn’t counting on her to see through me so easily. Even if she had agreed, I wouldn’t have done anything with her. My heart already belonged to you. Maybe a kiss or two to keep the lie going, but that’s it. I swear.”

This time, Ichigo smacked him upside the head. “You’re only digging yourself deeper.”

“Stop that,” Zakuro scolded cooly. “His tactics may have been cold, cruel, and deceitful, but, he said it himself, he was at war. It was a solid plan even if it was underhanded. Looking at it objectively, it even gained him some of my respect which is why I agreed. Though mostly it was for my own amusement. But when I saw how much he cared for Ichigo and how determined you all were, I knew he’d never win. Then Ichigo’s stubbornness is what convinced me to join you all. She and Mint showed me I didn’t have to be alone. There, now you know a bit of my story to keep things fair since you shared some of yours. Besides, you’re part of this team now. It’s only right that you know more about us.”

“Thanks wolf-girl, but did you really need to tell my mate that I came on to you?” Kish said glaring at Zakuro.

“Yup. We don’t have secrets,” she grinned coldly, but there was a touch of wickedness to her smile.

Kish’s uninjured arm shot out and he grabbed Ichigo’s wrist before she could hit him again. “Enough, mate. As you can see, it didn’t work, and you know I only belong to you. Always have.”

Keiichiro, seeing Ichigo’s rising temper decided to diffuse the situation. “I’m noticing a theme amongst the males of your family. Kish, Pai, Tart, and now your father, Crumb. You all seem to be named after food.”

Tart giggled, but Kish, glad for the reprieve from his mate, answered. “I was wondering when one of you would ask about that. Yes, it’s tradition in the Ikisatashi family to be named after food, baked goods specifically and mostly only the males. Don’t ask me how or why it started. No one knows. But my mother actually hated the tradition which is why my name is unique. ‘Kisshu’ is a term in my language that is commonly used for knight or warrior. It was her private joke. By shortening it to Kish, I was her little warrior. Phonetically it still sounds like quiche, a baked food.”

Ichigo looked at Kish, “So if we have a son, we’ll have to name him after a food?”

“Says the strawberry, but yes. But don’t worry. If you don’t like it, I’m sure we can find a work around like my mother did,” he winked.

Ryou stood and began gathering his dishes. “It’s getting late. Give us a hand cleaning up then you all can leave. I’m sure you’d like to get back to Pudding as well Tart and explain to her the new plan.”

Tart nodded and after dropping his dishes in the sink, disappeared.

While everyone was cleaning the table, Kish remained seated and filled his plate with a third helping and another slice of raspberry cheesecake. His eyes drifted to the side when he saw Lettuce hovering next to him and wringing her hands nervously. “Need something, Fishy?” he grinned.

“Umm… Well… I was kinda hoping I could stay a bit longer and ask you some more questions. If you don’t mind that is?” Lettuce stuttered nervously.

Kish’s grin grew. “If you don’t mind that I continue to eat while we talk, then take a seat,” he said gesturing to her chair beside him. “I still need to replenish my energy. I’m still not fully recovered.”

“Of co…course. I d…don’t mind at all. And thank you. I’m sorry if I’m a bother,” she apologized as she took a seat.

“No bother at all, so stop apologizing and ask away.” Kish nodded towards her and started to eat.

“Well, you showed us a fully formed infuser, but where do they come from? You said they were engineered and start as a single cell organism, but were they completely created or were they based off an actual creature?”

“Not starting with an easy question, are ya?” Kish teased.

“I…I’m sorry…,” Lettuce started to stutter an apology, but Kish cut her off.

Waving his hand, “Enough of that. I was only teasing you. Honestly, I’ll never know how such a timid little thing could catch Pai’s eye.” He had muttered that last part under his breath.

“Wh…What was that?” Lettuce asked.

“Oh, nothing,” Kish smirked. “Anyways, yes, the original infusers were creatures native to Cynicla. Many generations ago, someone with similar gifts as mine discovered the parasite. After studying its vast capabilities, they created the first infuser. Almost all the rest are clones from that original one. Except for most of mine. Yes, I originally started with some clones, but cloning has a whole host of problems. Those in my possession I bred. This not only strengthened them, but also allowed me to splice in better traits and breed the best of the bunch. The breeding process and how I splice desired traits is a long and lengthy explanation. Not to mention the accumulation of years’ worth of my work. So how about this? As soon as Ichigo and I take care of the rest of the chimeras, I’ll take you up to my ship and my lab. Let you have full access to my notes and research. Sound good?”

“R..Really? You’d do that for me?” Lettuce’s eyes were huge with excitement. Her mind was racing, which was why she couldn’t seem to stop herself from asking the next question. “Why didn’t Pai come with you and Tart?” Lettuce blushed bright red and covered her face with her hands. She hadn’t meant to say that aloud.

“I’d be happy to share my research with you. As long as you keep your promise that it stays within those of the Mew Project. I don’t even let those on my planet see my complete work. Call it proprietary information if you will. Pai hasn’t even seen it all.” Kish gave Lettuce a wickedly knowing grin. “As for Pai, he’s keeping an eye on the Council back home and filling in for Tart and I.” Leaning in closer to Lettuce, “Why the sudden interest in Pai? You don’t by chance have a thing for my cousin?”

Lettuce’s blush deepened and spread all the way to her ears. “It’s not… I mean… I…,” she stuttered desperately, but thankfully Ichigo came to her rescue.

Ichigo had been half paying attention to what Kish and Lettuce had been discussing as she helped Keiichiro with the dishes. But when she felt Kish’s curiosity and wickedness spike, she started paying closer attention. Coming out of the kitchen, “Stop teasing her mate. And Lettuce, you know it’s fine if you like Pai. Pudding and I couldn’t be happier with our alien guys.”

“If you say what I think you’re about to, then it could be our funeral,” Kish quickly interjected to Ichigo.

Tossing a wink at Kish, Ichigo continued. “I’ll even let you in on a little secret that Kish let slip. Pai has a thing for you as well.”

Lettuce’s hand fell to her side in shock. “B..But… Me? But I’m not special or anything.”

Ichigo rolled her eyes. “You’re incredibly special, Lettuce. You’re compassionate, beautiful, and beyond brilliant. It’s no wonder you caught Pai’s eye. And I’ve already talked to Kish about this, but I was hoping to maybe convince you to come back with us. You’d be able to see Pai again and I’m sure he’d be thrilled to see you. You’d even be able to study and learn the alien’s culture from firsthand experience. And maybe I’d just like to have another friend there.”

Lettuce was in complete shock and had no idea what to say.

“I think you broke her,” Kish teased.

“This is just all so sudden. Yes, I admit I am interested in… in Pai. But I don’t really know him. So, I can’t s…say for certain if I really li…like him. My summer vacation does start in a couple of weeks. I need to think about this. How long would we be gone?” Part of Lettuce was thrilled at the idea, but mostly she was scared and nervous. She didn’t do too well with change. ‘What if after he gets to know me, Pai decides he doesn’t actually like me? Or what if it turns out I don’t really like him? Or we do end up liking each other? What then?’ Her mind raced with question after question.

“You’ve still got plenty of time before we leave. And we’ll be gone for at least two to three months, but it could be longer. I’ll try to get you back as quickly as I can though,” Kish explained with a kind and reassuring smile.

Lettuce stood and bowed before Kish and Ichigo. “Thank you for the offer, both of you. I must think on this.” Looking at Kish, “And thank you for offering to let me come look at your research. I look forwards to it. I need to be getting home. Have a good night.” Lettuce gave another quick bow then hurried out the door. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts for a while. Glancing at her phone, she saw it was just a bit until seven. The library would be closed, but she knew of a small bookstore that would be open for another hour. Taking a few shortcuts, she could be there in about fifteen minutes. Straightening her glasses, she headed for the store.

When she turned down an alley to use as a cut through, a shiver ran down her spine. It felt as though something was watching her. Slipping her hand into her pocket, she wrapped her fingers around her pendant. Squaring her shoulders, she took an uneasy breath and continued forwards. She never saw the attack coming that knocked her against the brick wall of the alley. Just before she blacked out, she could have sworn she had heard Ichigo’s voice call out to her.

Unbeknownst to Lettuce, Kish and Ichigo had decided to follow her to make sure she made it home safely since it was getting late. Ichigo was worried about possible chimeras and your run of the mill punks, and Kish was looking forwards to stretching his legs. They kept their distance so as not to alarm Lettuce, but Ichigo got worried when she started to cut down alleys. “This isn’t the way to her home,” Ichigo said with concern to Kish.

“Maybe she’s taking a longer route to think? We did drop a lot on her and gave her a lot to think about,” Kish offered as an explanation.

“I’d believe that if her home wasn’t in the opposite direction,” she countered.

Suddenly, Masha sprang from Ichigo’s side. “Ichigo! Alien! Alien alert!”

“Where Masha?” Ichigo quickly asked.

“Ahead! This way! This way!” Masha chittered loudly.

Thankfully, they were in a dark alley, so Ichigo wasted no time in transforming and Kish dropped his glamour and summoned his sais. Just as they turned a corner, they saw a large rat chimera slash at Lettuce from behind, knocking her into the wall.

“Lettuce!” Ichigo screamed as she hurried to her side, but Kish stopped her.

“Take care of the chimera. I’ll check on Lettuce,” Kish ordered. He had enough strength thanks to the energy Ichigo had given him earlier to fight, but not much. The wound on his collar still hurt when he moved certain ways as well. He’d jump in only if Ichigo needed him. Thankfully, this chimera was only the size of a very large dog and didn’t seem that powerful. However, he knew looks could be deceiving, especially since he was close. The predacite had already tapped into his presence.

“Fine!” Ichigo huffed as she shifted her focus to the chimera. “But as soon as you know she’s okay, try to either take control or force the predacite out. I’ll try to weaken it and keep it distracted in the meantime.” The chimera didn’t look much different than an overgrown rat, but it had six legs instead of four and two long, thick, naked tails. Its fangs were long and dripping thick saliva onto the cement. Red beady eyes scowled at Ichigo as she placed herself between it and Lettuce and Kish. When it lounged for her, she easily dodged and kicked its head, knocking it away from the others. “Stupid rat! Don’t you know not to mess with a cat?” she yelled as she summoned her bell. “For the Earth, I’ll be of service, nya!” she called out as she took a wide stance. Bracing herself, she shot the scrambling chimera with her bell.

In the meantime, Kish had picked up Lettuce and sat her against the alley wall. She was starting to come to as he looked her over for any serious injuries. There was a bad scratch on her leg, and she had a nasty bump on her head. Thankfully, nothing seemed too bad, and nothing looked broken.

Fluttering her eyes open, Lettuce focused on Kish kneeling in front of her. “K…Kish? Is that you? Wh…What happened?” She tried to sit up straighter, but her head swam, and her leg burned.

Kish quickly placed a hand on her shoulder. “Shh. Don’t try to move. You hit your head pretty hard. It was a chimera attack, but Ichigo’s handling it,” he kept his tone soft and reassuring. He also didn’t want to draw the chimera’s focus. When he heard Ichigo attack with her bell, he grinned wide. “That’s my cue. Just sit still. I’ll be right back.” Rising to his feet, Kish turned and eyed the weakened rat chimera. Focusing, he found the link between him and the predacite. “Stand down and come to me,” he ordered.

Instantly, the predacite recognized its master and swiveled its head towards Kish. It dropped its hostility and scrambled over to Kish. With its head bowed and its tails wiggling back and forth it almost looked like a dog coming to heel at his master’s feet. Reaching out, Kish scratched behind one of its floppy ears.

Coming to stand beside Kish, Ichigo eyed the rath with something akin to hunger. Tamping down her cat instincts, she glanced from it to Kish. “You better wash that hand before touching me. And no, we are not keeping it,” she teased with her arms crossed.

Kish chuckled, “Afraid you’ll end up chasing it all over the place, Kitten?” He laughed aloud when he saw her cheeks turn a bit pink. The thought had already crossed her mind. Grinning, Kish turned back to the chimera. With a wave of his hand and an authoritative, “De-fuse,” the predacite released from the chimera and floated into Kish’s open palm. The confused rat looked around and scampered into the dark shadows of the alley. “Naughty little thing. Time to return to your brothers and sisters,” Kish cooed to the light purple floating infuser. It seemed to shiver with the reprimand, but then spun in happiness just before Kish snapped his fingers, sending it to the containment cell within his lab aboard his ship.

“You really do care about those things, don’t you?” Ichigo asked.

“Yes and no. They are merely a tool to be used. But because of the mental and emotional connection I share with them, I can’t help but to care for them at least somewhat,” he explained. A groan from behind them pulled their focus and they both spun around to check on Lettuce.

“Are you alright?” Ichigo asked worriedly as she dropped to a knee beside the dazed girl.

“A little dizzy and I can feel a massive headache coming on, but I’m alright otherwise,” Lettuce answered shakily.

“Should we get you back to Ryou?” Ichigo quickly asked.

Lettuce focused on Ichigo, “That’s probably a good idea. I think I might have a small concussion.” Wobbling, Lettuce tried to stand using the wall for support.

Quickly, both Ichigo and Kish slipped under Lettuce’s arms to support her. “I hate to ask, but think you have enough energy to teleport us?” Ichigo asked, glancing over at Kish.

He shook his head. “Sorry, no. I could probably port myself, but not multiple people. It also wouldn’t be a good idea if she does have a severe head injury. However, I can carry her and fly us there if you can keep up?”

Ichigo grinned, “Let’s see if you can keep up.”

Carefully, Kish swept his arm under Lettuce’s legs and lifted her bridal style. “Try not to move around too much. If you get scared, just wrap your arms around my neck, but watch the stitches. I promise I won’t drop you.” Making sure his hold was secure, Kish kicked off the ground and took to the air. Quickly, he headed straight for the café. He grinned when he saw Ichigo leap to the rooftop of a nearby building and race just below him, leaping from building to building. He couldn’t help the smirk when Lettuce’s arms snaked around his neck.

A scared gasp left Lettuce’s lips when they took flight. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms tightly around Kish’s neck and buried her crimson face into Kish’s chest. She was deathly afraid of heights. But she trusted Kish enough to keep her safe. That didn’t stop the bright blush from working its way to her ears from the intimate way he held her though. She also couldn’t help but wonder if this is how it would feel in Pai’s arms. She suddenly couldn’t stop wishing it was Pai carrying her instead of Kish.

A knowing smirk grew on Kish’s face. “Wishing it was a certain other Cyniclon carrying you?” he teased softly.

Drawing back a bit, Lettuce gazed up at Kish’s smirking face. “B..But… How? H..How did you know?”

Kish chuckled, “Your heartrate started to double after we were flying, meaning it wasn’t the flying or height affecting you. I could chalk it up to being in my arms, but you know I love and belong to Ichigo. And we both know you have some feelings for my cousin. Besides, that blush says it all.” He gave her a wink and turned his focus back to where he was going.

Eeping, Lettuce tucked her even darker flushed face back into Kish’s chest. “S…Sorry,” she mumbled.

“Heh. I’m not offended. So, no need to apologize. I actually find it adorable. And I do hope you decide to come back with us. He won’t admit it, but I know Pai misses you. All Bright knows he needs a good woman in his life, not to mention a distraction. That man works way too much.” He gave Lettuce a warm smile before glancing below him. Gently, he landed on the balcony of the café. Just as his feet touched down, a panting Ichigo leapt onto the balcony as well.

Leaning over with her hands on her knees, Ichigo worked to calm her breathing. “Gah! It’s been a while since I’ve run that far on full tilt.” Glancing up when she heard Kish snicker, “Don’t you two look cozy. Remember, he’s mine,” she warned Lettuce.

Lettuce and Kish shared a knowing look then started to giggle. “Always, Kitten. Her interest lies in a more emotionless Cyniclon just like mine lies in feisty cats,” he winked. Adjusting his hold on Lettuce, “Mind getting the door, love?”

Ichigo quickly got the door, and they all made their way downstairs. It may have been late, but the kitchen lights were still on. Seeing Keiichiro, “Ryou down in the basement? Lettuce got hurt.”

Jumping a bit from being startled, he nodded his head. “Yeah. He’s monitoring the computers. We got the alien alert from Masha. You okay, Lettuce?” His voice was soft and full of concern, especially when he saw Kish carrying her.

“Took a nasty bump to my head. But I think I’m alright. I wanted Ryou to check me over to make sure I don’t have a concussion. Sorry to worry you,” Lettuce explained with a blush.

Keiichiro smiled warmly, “Do please stop apologizing, Lettuce. There’s no need. Best get her down there quickly, Kish.”

Kish nodded and headed for the basement. Stepping through the door, “Hey ya blonde bastard, get over here and take a look at the Fishy. We think she may have a concussion.”

“Take her to the infirmary. What happened?” Ryou asked as he followed the three.

“Another chimera. Thankfully, a smaller weak one, but it managed to get a good swipe on the Fishy before Ichigo and I could intervene. We took care of it,” Kish said as he placed Lettuce on the second cot. The first one was still a mess from where he’d been sleeping.

Ryou hurried over and looked Lettuce over. After examining her head and doing a few eye and memory tests, Ryou concluded she was fine. “Doesn’t look like you have a concussion. Let me clean and bandage those scratches on your leg.”

“Thank you. Sorry I’m such a bother and a clutz,” Lettuce stuttered. She stretched her leg out on the cot so Ryou would have better access.

“What have I told you, Lettuce?” Ryou stated coldly as he cleaned her wound.

Lettuce blushed from both the reprimand and feeling Ryou’s light touch on her leg. “I know. Stop apologizing all the time. So…,” but she cut herself off at a shark look from Ryou.

Tying off the bandage, Ryou shook his head. “You’d think after five years you’d be over this by now.”

“I’m,” again she started but cut herself off. She just couldn’t help it. Some personality traits were harder to shake. She’d managed to become a bit less shy over the years thanks to the girls, but she still couldn’t seem to stop apologizing, even when she knew she’d done nothing wrong.

When Kish saw that Ryou was done bandaging Lettuce, “Mind giving me and the Fishy a moment?” There were some things he wanted to say, and his mate had wanted him to get to know the girls.

Ichigo gave him an encouraging look. She could see what he had planned. “Come on Ryou,” she said as she tugged Ryou out the door.

Lettuce looked at Kish with confusion clear in her eyes.

Kish waited until the door shut then sat hovering in the air near Lettuce. Lazily, he leaned back in midair and gave Lettuce a soft smile. “Tell me why you feel the need to apologize all the time?”

“Huh? Uh… What?” Lettuce stuttered in absolute confusion and a bit of nervousness and embarrassment.

Chuckling, “I want to know why you apologize all the time. From what I’ve seen, you’re brilliant. You have more compassion than almost anyone I know. You’re definitely stronger than I know you give yourself credit for. I’ve seen firsthand how you always strive to see the good in everyone, always giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. And only someone truly exceptional would be able to catch the eye of someone as nearly emotionless as Pai. And I may only have eyes for Ichigo, but I’d have to be blind not to see how pretty you are. So, I ask again. Why do you feel the need to constantly apologize when you have no reason to?”

Lettuce’s face turned brighter than a cherry tomato. It even coated her chest and all the way up to the tips of her ears. She’d never heard that many compliments aimed at her before and certainly not from a boy. Ducking her head, she fidgeted with the hem of her blouse. “Wh…Why? Why would you say all that to me?”

Kish’s smile grew and he cocked a brow, “Because it’s true? I don’t understand why you don’t have more faith in yourself. Everyone else does. Maybe it’s because I’m the exact opposite. Enough arrogance and self confidence for days. But I see such a disconnect. You seem so unsure here, but when you’re a Mew, your confidence seems to grow. You’re still you no matter what form you take.”

The wheels in Lettuce’s head were spinning like mad. Kish did have some valid points, but she’d always been this way. Always shy and feeling like a bother or a burden to others around her. She looked long and hard at Kish. Dropping her gaze once more to her lap, she began to explain. “I… I was bullied a lot growing up. I’ve always been painfully shy and too nice. People took advantage of that. Using me to do their homework, etc. At first I went along with it because I was desperate for friends. It wasn’t until I met Ichigo and the others that I realized what real friends were. Apologizing became my coping mechanism. I didn’t want to upset people. I was afraid of being alone again, even if I was being used. But I don’t understand. Why do you want to know and why do you care?”

Kish clutched his chest overly dramatically. “That hurts, Fishy. Of course I care about you. You’re one of my mate’s closest friends, and as I keep getting told, I’m part of this team now, part of this very odd little family. Ichigo also wanted me to get to know everyone better since I am part of this team. And my cousin is sweet on you, so that makes me curious about what makes you tick. It’s not very often he shows interest in something besides his research, especially in a female. I also thought you might feel more comfortable opening up to a bit of an outsider. Someone who sees things more objectively and without the odd influences of your society.”

A small smile appeared on Lettuce’s face. “I don’t think you’ve ever looked at anything here objectively. If you had, the war would probably have gone much differently.”

A loud laugh broke from Kish. “Alright. You may have me there. The heart wants what the heart wants, and speaking of hearts, I’ll let you in on a little secret. It was when you stood up to Pai and tried to reason with him that you caught his attention. Not only did you let him see your intelligence and compassion, but you gave him a glimpse of that hidden confidence you keep so buried. You confused him. Which is not something that happens often. Now, I’m not saying to change or lose who you are, but it's fine to be confident in yourself now and then. As I said, you’re brilliant. Don’t be scared to speak up or stand your ground. And if you ever need help finding your inner pride or arrogance, I’m your alien.” He tossed her a wink.

Sitting up straighter, Lettuce steeled her spine. Raising her face, she looked kish square in the eyes. “Th..Th,” she shook her head and took a deep breath. Starting again, “Thank you, Kish. I still don’t quite understand why you’re trying to help me but thank you. You made me think about things in another way. And you’re right. Mew Lettuce and I are the same person. If I can be confident while in costume, then I can try to be normally as well.”

A snicker from Kish interrupted Lettuce. “Just like I tell Ichigo, I’m usually always right. And you’re welcome, Fishy.”

Lettuce cocked her head, “Why do you do that? Call everyone by nicknames?”

It was Kish’s turn to blush as a light dusting of pink appeared on his cheeks. Spinning around in midair, Kish fell to his back and tilted his head so as he was laying in the air, he was looking at Lettuce upside down. “Originally, it was because I didn’t see the point in remembering your names since I was going to kill you. They ended up sticking. But that doesn’t mean I don’t know your name, Lettuce. I just prefer my nicknames.” He gave her another wink along with a toothy grin.

“I see. But Tart said you were hesitant about the mission from the very start. If that was true, then why be so adamant about killing us?” Lettuce pointed out. If Kish wanted her to open up, she thought maybe she could get him to do the same.

Kish’s grin faltered. “That brat needs to learn to keep his mouth shut.” Flipping around so he now sat upright in midair, “It’s a bit of along story, but I’ll try to summarize. First, you know my father was executed?” When Lettuce nodded, he continued. “It was because he knew some secrets Deep Blue didn’t want getting out and because he openly spoke out against us invading Earth. Now, originally I was determined to be on that mission so I could prove I wasn’t a traitor like my father. Just before I was given the mission, I learned what those secrets were. I still wanted the mission because I desperately wanted to save my people. To not see anyone else die like my father or sister, but the seeds of doubt had been planted. I wanted to learn for myself just what your race was like. When I arrived and saw how badly you treated the planet, the constant wars taking place for trivial things, and the mass amount of crime over the entire planet, I grew angry and appalled. Deep Blue had been right, and my father was wrong. You were a selfish and hate filled people that should be wiped out.”

A soft smile appeared on Kish’s face as he locked eyes with Lettuce. “But then I met Ichigo and the rest of you. So caring and happy. Willing to put yourself in harms way not only for the planet, but for each other as well. You changed my perspective again. And you know the rest.”

Reaching up, Lettuce timidly placed her hand on Kish’s arm. “Thank you for sharing. I’m glad you came back. Not only for Ichigo’s sake, but for all of us. It gave us the chance to see what Pudding always had and what I had suspected. That you weren’t some mindless evil beings bent on our destruction. That you were thinking and feeling people no different than us. It also let us be friends who we can learn from.”

Kish chuckled, “Your curiosity is almost as bad as Kitten’s. I’m glad I came back too. Mostly for my Kitten, but it’s actually nice getting to know you all and to think of you as real friends. Honestly, I don’t have many of those.”

Lettuce smiled warmly, “You’re more then just a friend. You’re part of our family now.”

Kish’s smile grew. “Thanks. Now, I suppose I should take you home. It’s late and your family is probably starting to worry. I’d offer to teleport you, but it’s still not the best idea with a head injury. So, if you’re alright with it, I can fly you home.”

“I’d appreciate that. You’re right. My family will start to worry soon if they aren’t already. Thank you again,” Lettuce said giving Kish a small bow of her head.

“Anytime, Fishy.” Carefully, Kish picked Lettuce up bridal style and made his way upstairs. When he saw Ichigo sitting on the top steps waiting for him, he flashed her a toothy smile. “I’ll be right back. Going to take Lettuce home. Mind waiting for me, love?”

Ichigo gave him her own large, warm smile. She had heard most of what Kish and Lettuce had spoken about. She had tried to give them some privacy, but her curiosity had eventually won out. When they drew near, she got to her feet and stood on her tip toes to give Kish a peck on the cheek. “I’ll be waiting.”

“Um… Kish?” Lettuce timidly asked to get his attention as they flew towards her home.

“Everything alright?” Kish asked, keeping his eyes forward. He’d never been to Lettuce’s place before, so he wanted to make sure he stayed on course.

“Yes. But, umm… Are you sure Pai would want to see me and that it would be alright to go back with you?” She’d been thinking about it, and after getting to see another side of Kish, she felt much more comfortable around him. She was starting to seriously entertain the idea of visiting Kish’s home and Pai.

A knowing grin appeared on Kish’s face. “He may not say it outright, but I know seeing you again would make him happy. But I won’t lie, things may not be completely safe for you humans on my planet. Ichigo and Pudding already know of the danger. There are still some followers of Deep Blue who aren’t your biggest fans. But I swear my family and I will keep you safe.”

Lettuce’s eyes grew wide, and her voice became filled with concern. “Ichigo knows of the danger and is still going? And what about your family? Aren’t you in danger too? You all helped us and turned on Deep Blue.”

Stopping in midair, Kish glanced down at Lettuce. “Heh, you don’t need to worry about me. Me, Pai, and Tart have been taking care of ourselves for the past four years. And we’ll continue to as well as protect our girls.”

Lettuce shook her head. “No. If I didn’t have a reason before, I do now. Friends look out for each other. I’ve decided to come to help in any way I can.”

“You really don’t have to. Not for that reason. Only come if you wan to, not because you think we need help,” Kish quickly countered.

Again, Lettuce shook her head. “I want to come. Friends stick together. I can help, and I’ll get to see P..Pai.”

Kish gave Lettuce a gentle squeeze. “As I said, you really are one of the most compassionate people I know. I won’t try to talk you out of it because honestly I think you’ll do Pai some good. And I know Ichigo will be thrilled for you to come along.”

“Thank you, Kish.” Looking around, Lettuce saw where they were. “You can put me down on that corner over there. My apartment is just down the street.”

Doing as she asked, Kish gently set Lettuce down in a deserted alley near her apartment. “Laters, Fishy.”

“Goodnight, Kish.” Lettuce gave him a bow and headed to her apartment.

Kish flew up and kept an eye on Lettuce until she entered her apartment. With a smile, Kish teleported back to the café.

As soon as he appeared within the dining area of the café, Kish found his arms filled with one overly happy pink cat girl. “Eavesdropping little sneak,” he growled playfully into her bubble gum hair as his arms wrapped around Ichigo’s shoulders. “This keeps up and my home is going to become a boarding house for Mews.”

A wicked grin appeared on Ichigo’s face when she looked up at Kish. “Didn’t you mention that Pai has his own place?”

“Yes, but what does that…,” Kish trailed off as it clicked. “Ooh… Such a wickedly conniving cat.”

“Which is why I’m so purrfect for you.”

Kish flash his own wicked smile. “Beyond perfect for me. Now, why is my little scheming feline still in costume?”

“I needed the energy and power boost for this.” With her arms around his neck, Ichigo pulled Kish’s lips down to her own. Letting her body melt against his, she intensified the kiss. At the same time, she tapped into her energy and magic reserves. Concentrating, she poured both her energy and some of her power into Kish through their kiss.

A warm tingling sensation started to spread through Kish’s body from his lips. Or rather from Ichigo’s lips. He realized she was sharing her energy with him again, but this time something was different. With a quick glance at her thoughts, Kish nearly jolted back in shock. His brilliant Kitten had discovered not only how to share her energy, but her magical power as well. She was effectively rebuilding his magical stamina. He wouldn’t have to wait for his body to process his normal energy into magical power, effectively skipping a step and greatly shortening his recovery time. When he felt her energy start to flag, he nipped her bottom lip and pulled away. He looked down at her with pride filled eyes as he scooped her up. “Always so full of surprises. You’ve twisted my ability even further than my capabilities. How’d you figure out how to do that?”

A tired but pride filled smile appeared on her face as she powered down. “Now that you’re awake and better, I wasn’t about to spend another night in that infirmary. I miss our bed. But I knew you were probably still too weak to teleport us both all the way to your ship. I knew you’d need more energy. So, I immediately thought of transforming since it gives me a huge energy boost. But I wasn’t sure if that would be enough. Though you had the I.V., you still hadn’t eaten anything for days besides dinner earlier. Then the thought struck me. What if I could bypass everything and give you straight power instead of just energy? I wasn’t sure if it was going to work though.”

“And the kiss?” he asked slyly.

She grinned, “A personal touch.”

A chuckle rumbled in his chest. “A delicious touch at that,” he said licking his lips. A salacious idea struck him, an idea that earned him a whack upside the head from Ichigo and a grumbled, “Pervert,” from her. He had wondered if she could share energy wherever they touched, specifically from more intimate areas. “It was just a thought,” he defended. That tingling sensation in his lips had been rather pleasant.

“Just take me to bed already.” When she saw the wicked gleam in his eye, she shook her head. That dirty mind and insatiable appetite of his were beyond a handful. “Not like that,” she hissed. “I’m tired and just want to snuggle into our bed. It’s been a long day and an even longer week. Plus, we both have a busy day tomorrow.” A large yawn punctuated her statement.

“As you wish, my sleepy Kitten.” Tightening his hold, Kish teleported them both straight to his room. Gently, he sat Ichigo on the edge of their bed. “You’re right. I’ve definitely missed our bed, but, more importantly, I’ve missed seeing you in it,” he said as he started to get undressed.

“I swear. Sometimes I think if it wasn’t for dirty thoughts, then you’d have no thoughts at all,” she teased as she too got ready for bed.

He chuckled and slid into bed. “And sometimes, you’d probably be right.”

With irritation, Kish snapped his fingers to shut off his alarm. A large yawn broke from his lips, and he stretched out to full length, momentarily forgetting about his stitches which pulled harshly resulting in a hiss of pain. Unfortunately, his movement and noise disturbed the girl sleeping on his chest. He winced when he felt her hands start to curl, causing the tips of her nails to catch his skin. A momentary thought of making her wear mittens to bed crossed his mind. He almost couldn’t contain a giggle at that thought. Carefully, he maneuvered the sheets between him and her nails before he gently nudged her awake. “Time to get up, Love.”

Ichigo’s hands slid around to his sides and hugged him tightly. Nuzzling her cheek against Kish’s chest, she grumbled in response. “I hate mornings.” A low rumble vibrated against her cheek as Kish gave a soft laugh.

“I know, Kitten. But we both have a lot to do today. You’re supposed to be meeting the girls and your mother at your parent’s place at nine.”

“Urgh. Whose idea was it to meet so early?” she complained, wrapping the covers tighter around her. Kish would just have to drag her out of bed because she had no intention of getting up yet.

Rolling his eyes, Kish snapped his fingers. The blankets were suddenly gone from the pair and folded at the foot of the bed. “That would have been your mother.”

“Damn cheating alien,” she whined. Glowering at Kish, “I’m still not moving.”

Kish cocked a brow. “Oh really?” In an instant, Kish had teleported them both inside his shower. He held Ichigo in a tight hug, so her toes barely touched the floor. “What was that, Kitten?” he smirked down at her.

Her glare intensified when he flipped the water on. “I really hate you sometimes.”

Setting her on her feet, he gave her ass a firm pat. Taking a step back, he carefully peeled his dirty bandage off and with a snap of his fingers sent it to the bathroom counter. He winced slightly when the water hit his wound. It needed to be cleaned out and redressed anyways. Moving his focus to Ichigo, he stepped towards her which caused her to take a step back. He continued until he had her back pressed to the shower wall. His eyes gleamed with lust as they trailed up and down her body. Leaning down so his lips brushed against her ear, he let his voice drop to a low timbre. “If you hate me so much, then I suppose you wouldn’t want me to do this,” he growled before his lips and fangs found that sensitive spot behind her ears. At the same time, one of his hands palmed her breast and gently ran a thumb over her peaking nipple, while his other hand dipped down between her thighs to teasingly trace along her seam.

“K…Kish,” she whimpered. Her body was already starting to react to his explorative touches. Knees growing weak, heart starting to race, and the quickening of her breath, she couldn’t stop any of it. Her mate’s ability to please her too strong, too hard to resist. Even if she had been annoyed with him, her body was all too happy to succumb to him.

Grinning at her reaction, he slowly slid a finger over her hidden pearl. Shifting closer, he pressed his body to hers, keeping her effectively trapped against the wall. It also kept her upright because he could see how weak her knees were becoming. He nipped her ear, “Yes, honey? Oh, you probably want me to stop since you hate me so much.” Wickedly, Kish removed his hands and placed them on both her hips.

Ichigo almost growled in frustration. “God damn alien,” she hissed. Her body was practically screaming to be touched. She wanted, no, she needed to feel that connection with her mate again. She’d been deprived for too long and he’d already thoroughly stoked the flames of her desire. “If you don’t continue right this second, I swear you’ll regret it.”

His warm tongue continued to trace the edge of her ear. “Mm. So demanding and feisty. Absolutely delicious. But be careful my dear. Attempting to hurt me would only hurt yourself as well.” He kissed his way across her cheek until he captured her lips. Without hesitation, he forced his tongue into her mouth, tasting her deeply. Gods how he’d missed this, missed her. The taste of her lips on his, the feel of her body pressed to him, and her soft, bare flesh beneath his hands. As he kissed her senseless, he focused part of his mind on where she’d entrenched herself within him. Her needs and desires were laid bare before him. “I see how much you missed this connection. Though, I have half a mind to deny you any pleasure for threatening me and for claiming you hate me. But I’ve missed the feeling of your body wrapped around me just as much, if not more. I crave this connection as well. Besides, even when my mate is being cruel, I will always see to her needs.” Within seconds, he’d wrapped his hands around her thighs and picked her up. As soon as her legs were around his waist, he pushed himself deeply inside her. At her gasp, he released her lips in favor of tucking his nose into the curve of her neck. He set a smooth steady rhythm as he made love to his mate.

“Why?!” Ichigo growled in complaint.

Sighing, “We’ve been over this already. You made plans with your mother and the girls. I’ll be perfectly fine on the ship, and you know you can talk to me whenever you want.”

Pouting, Ichigo plopped down on the side of their bed. As she had started to get ready, her separation anxiety had started to appear. She didn’t want to leave him after only just getting him back. “I know. I know. And I know I’m being irrational, but dammit, Kish! I almost lost you again.”

Sitting down next to her, Kish wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “You’re not being irrational. I feel you, Kitten. Just like I know you can feel me.” With his free hand, he tapped her forehead and then placed his palm over her heart, “I’ll be right here and here. We’ll always be connected. Now, where’s my feisty, iron-willed mate from the shower earlier, hmm? Because it’s time to get going.”

Ichigo threw her arm around his neck and placed a peck to his cheek. “Thanks. You’re right, and don’t you dare say it. Just promise you’ll answer me if I reach out.”

Kish tucked a knuckle under her chin and gave her a cocky grin. “I’m always r…,” he stopped as Ichigo pressed a finger to his lips.

“I said don’t say it!” she grumbled.

Removing her hand, his grin morphed into that infuriating all-knowing smirk accompanied by that mischievous glimmer in his eyes. “But Kitten, I was only going to say that I’m always right here whenever you need me. And I promise to answer you when you call.” Standing up, he drew Ichigo to her feet. “Got everything you need?”

Grabbing her purse, she threw her phone and wallet into it. She smoothed down the simple pink dress she’d chosen to wear. “Yup. Oh, and no peeking and be careful if you check on me. I don’t want you to see a dress that I might choose. I want that to be a surprise for our wedding day.”

Kish pressed his lips to her forehead. “I promise not to peek, honey.” Scooping her up, he teleported to her room. “Love you, Kitten. Call upon me whenever you need,” he said with one of his rare, tender smiles.

She returned the soft smile with one of her own. “Love you too. See you later.”

Being unable to contain himself, Kish wrapped his arm around her tightly and captured her lips in a deep kiss. Once he’d kissed her breathless, he released her and floated towards her balcony. “Thanks for the kiss, Kitten,” he grinned cheekily. “Have a good time.” And with that, he disappeared, leaving Ichigo glassy eyed and with kiss swollen lips.

Sighing, she rolled her eyes at where Kish had just been. “Cocky damn alien,” she muttered under her breath. However, a large smile played on her lips.

Ichigo ran one hand through her hair in frustration as she swirled the tea in her cup. She, her mother, and the girls had taken a break from dress shopping to have lunch. They’d already been to several bridal stores and Ichigo hadn’t found anything even close to what she was looking for. The voices of the others droned on around her as she partially zoned out. Her mind flicked to Kish, wondering how his search was going. She’d already checked in with him a couple of times at the start, her separation anxiety flaring up. Kish had answered quickly and immediately soothed away her stress with his calm and reassuring words.

Feeling her subconsciously reaching for him, Kish smiled to himself. “Everything alright, Kitten?” he asked softly.

Realizing she’d inadvertently reached out to him; she quickly stuttered a response. “Y..Yes. Just… I’m just getting frustrated is all. Haven’t found anything close to what I’m looking for. So, I started wondering about you to get my mind off it for a moment.”

“I’m sure you’ll find the perfect one. Even though I know you’ll look beautiful in whatever dress you wear.”

She wanted to shake her head at him but refrained so those around her wouldn’t think she was nuts. “That’s not helping, but thanks. How’s the search going?”

“Finished the scan a while ago. Found around twelve different signatures. Four infusers, six predacites, and two full blown chimeras. Tart and I are trying to narrow down the locations of the infusers and predacites. Looks like you and I are going to have our hands full the next couple of days at least.”

“Oh goody,” she groaned. She suddenly realized Mint was trying to get her attention by snapping her fingers in her face. “Gotta go,” she said quickly as she refocused on everyone around her.

“Hello? Earth to Ichigo,” Mint said in annoyance.

Ichigo blushed, “Ah, sorry! Guess I zoned out there.”

Pudding giggled knowingly. She’d seen Ichigo space out like that plenty of times when she was speaking to Kish. “Hey! Girls only! Tell Kish to leave you alone.”

Ichigo’s blush grew in embarrassment. “Um, it wasn’t his fault. I accidentally reached out to him. Ever since the attack, I get a bit anxious when I’m away from him.”

Sakura’s eyes widened in concern. “Fight? What fight and what happened?”

A cringe slithered through Ichigo. She hadn’t told her mom what had happened. “Uh… There was a chimera several days ago. Kish and I fought it, but I was careless and got hurt pretty badly. Kish took my wounds and ended up in a coma for five days. He woke up yesterday morning. While he was hurt, some of my old anxieties resurfaced as well as my old nightmares about his death. It was a close call and way too similar to that day.”

“Kitten!” Kish yelled within her mind. “Why didn’t you tell me the nightmares were back?” he scolded yet there was obvious concern in his voice.

“Good gracious!” Sakura exclaimed. “Is he alright? Are you alright?”

Ichigo nodded her head. “Just a sec, Mom. Kish just found out about the nightmares, and he’s not exactly pleased with me.” Refocusing on Kish, “I didn’t want you worrying even more about me when you were supposed to be resting. And they haven’t come back since you woke up. Look, can we talk about this later?”

“Oh, you better believe it, Kitten. We’ll definitely be finishing this conversation later.”

Ichigo sighed in relief when she felt Kish mostly withdraw. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, mom. I was too focused on making sure Kish was alright to think about anything else. And yes, he’s fine now. We both are.”

“You better tell me right away if something like that ever happens again. I worry about you. And that boy is my future son-in-law. I care about him too. You shouldn’t have hid things from him either. That’s part of being married, you share each other’s burden’s. I can see why he got upset,” Sakura scolded but in her warm motherly tone.

“I know, Mom. You’re right. I just didn’t want to stress him after what he went through. But I know I’m going to get an earful when I get back to the ship tonight. Anyways, really sorry about that everyone.” Sighing, Ichigo reluctantly turned to Mint, “So, any suggestions on where we should look next. I don’t seem to be having much luck finding what I want.” Internally, Ichigo was crying. She just knew whatever place Mint suggested would undoubtedly have some spectacular dresses, but they would most likely deplete her wallet of every yen she had.

Mint’s eyes immediately lit up and she clapped her hands in glee. “Oh, I know just the place. It’s only about six blocks away. It’s the loveliest little dress boutique around.”

Giving Mint a weak smile, she nodded in agreement. “Then that’s our next stop unless anyone has a place closer that we can hit on the way.”

Lettuce fidgeted with her napkin before speaking up. “Actually, I know of a small family-owned dress shop just two blocks away. A friend of my mother’s works there as the head seamstress.”

Ichigo gave Lettuce a large smile. “Perfect. We’ll stop there first and if I can’t find anything, we’ll head to Mint’s place. Everyone ready to go?” When she saw everyone nod, Ichigo flagged down the waiter. “Check please,” she said. The waiter nodded and headed off. When he returned, Ichigo’s mother snatched the bill before Ichigo could get her hands on it. “Mother!” she protested.

“Oh hush. Let me get this. It’s a real treat getting to spend time with all you girls and I want to do something for you and the wedding,” Sakura explained.

“Fine. But you didn’t have to do that. Thanks, Mom.”

“Of course, dear. Now, let’s be off. I can’t wait to see you try on more dresses, and we still need to find the bridesmaid dresses,” Sakura exclaimed.

Gathering their belongings, everyone made their way to the exit and nudged Lettuce to the front to lead the way.

Pudding wrapped her arm around Ichigo’s as she skipped along the street. “This is so exciting. One of us is getting married! And to one of the aliens no less!”

Ichigo quickly clamped a hand over Pudding’s mouth. “Shh! Not so loud Pudding. People could hear. But it is rather exciting.”

Pudding giggled sheepishly as she pulled Ichigo’s hand away. “Yeah. Sorry, Ichigo. I’m just so excited and I know you’re going to find the perfect dress. Then we’ll all be able to see Kish go completely speechless.”

Mint snickered, “That’ll be a sight to see. I swear he never shuts up. Always prattling on and on about his Kitten.” She rolled her eyes towards Ichigo.

“He’s not that bad,” Ichigo defended, but all the girls shot her incredulous looks. “Okay. Okay. So, he talks about me a lot. That’s not really a bad thing, is it?”

“Absolutely not, but sometimes I wonder if he has any other thoughts in that psychotic brain besides ones about you,” Mint snarked.

Blushing, Lettuce chimed in. “Actually, he’s incredibly intelligent. Much more than even I ever gave him credit for. He also pays attention to a lot more then you think.”

Pudding jumped onto a concrete railing and balanced along it as she walked along with the others. “Yeah! Taru-Taru has told me how smart Kish is. Says he has a brilliant military mind.”

“Do get down from there,” Mint said, scoffing at Pudding’s childish behavior. “And I’ll believe all that when I see it. He certainly didn’t have many brilliant ideas when he was attacking us. Lost every fight I do believe. And there’s no way he’s smarter than that creepy Pai.”

Lettuce spun around towards Mint. “Pai’s not creepy. He just thinks and acts logically without letting emotions get in the way.” Her cheeks flamed scarlet when she finished her outburst.

Ichigo grinned, “Only some feelings for Pai? Hmm? Seems like it’s more than that. One talk with Kish and you’ve gained some self-confidence. Way to go Lettuce.” She both teased and praised the blushing girl.

Mint stopped and looked from Lettuce to Ichigo. “Wait. You’re saying Kish is who helped Lettuce find her confidence? How? We’ve been trying for years. Your psychotic boy toy shows up and poof?”

Lettuce shifted her eyes to Mint. “Like I said, he’s smarter than you give him credit for. He spoke logically to me and broke some things down. Let me see things from a different perspective. I wouldn’t say I’m completely confident in myself yet, but he definitely helped.” She pushed her glasses further up her nose. “Ichigo told him to get to know us better. Maybe you should try talking to him, Mint.” Spinning back around, Lettuce continued to lead them to the dress shop.

Following along, Mint found herself drifting to the back of the group as she lost herself in thought. It seemed like she was completely outnumbered. She just couldn’t understand how everyone could so easily look past all the aliens’ past deeds. They’d hurt many people including her own family. Kish specifically had made Ichigo’s life a living hell and even attacked her and her boyfriend more times than she could count. And now Ichigo loved him and was even marrying him. All the girls seemed to be on the aliens’ side. Even Lettuce seemed to have some feelings for the other alien. A hand fell on Mint’s shoulder, and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

“I know that look,” Sakura said quietly to Mint. “Both my husband and I wore it often when we first began to realize our daughter’s growing interest in that Kish. We just couldn’t understand. He’d been downright cruel to Ichigo and hurt so many people. How could she have ever grown to care about him? But Lettuce is right, dear. You should try talking to him without judgement, at least until he’s said his piece. That’s what helped me. I chose to ignore what I knew and listened to what Ichigo had to say. Then I did the same with him. He’s nowhere near as awful or cruel as he seemed to be. I’m not saying you have to fully forgive him, but you really should try and give him and the others a chance. At least for Ichigo and the rest of your friends’ sakes.”

Mint looked up towards Sakura and sighed. “You’re probably right, Mrs. Momomiya, but sometimes I feel like I wasn’t given a choice. Like if I don’t accept Kish and the others, then I’ll lose my friends. It’s just so hard to look past all the evil things they did.”

Sakura shook her head. “That’s just it. To them, we were the evil ones. We’re destroying this beautiful planet that was their home while they were dying daily on a cruel and unforgiving world. They were only doing what they thought was right at the time to save their people. Not much different then you attacking them to protect all of us.”

Biting her lip in frustration, Mint clenched her hands into fists. “But they were the aggressors! We were defending against them. We didn’t attack them!”

“In their eyes, we were the aggressors. We took and squandered the planet they had called home,” Sakura defended softly. She was getting concerned at Mint’s sudden outburst and wondered if she’d overstepped her bounds.

“A planet they left who knows how long ago!” Mint shot right back.

“Mint, why didn’t you tell us how uncomfortable you were with the aliens?” Zakuro calmly asked.

Mint suddenly realized that everyone had stopped, and they were all looking at her. “I did! But Ichigo got upset because I wasn’t happy for her because I still didn’t trust her psychotic boy toy!”

Ichigo grew defensive, “I wasn’t upset that you disliked Kish. I was upset because you didn’t seem happy for me at all. I’d finally gotten him back. And you knew how I’d been hurting without him. How I’d missed him. So, it shouldn’t have been a shock. But I never said you had to like him. I only hoped you’d give him a chance.”

“She’s right,” Zakuro cooly interjected. “If you hate the aliens forever, that’s your choice. I’m sure I can speak for everyone that we’ll still be friends regardless of your feelings towards the aliens. But I too believe you should try talking to Kish and Tart. Try to give them a real chance. They are a part of this group, this family, now. But we also don’t dismiss your feelings.”

Stepping forwards, Ichigo embraced Mint in a quick hug. “I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel dismissed. I really want you to be my maid of honor, but if Kish makes you feel that uncomfortable, I won’t force you to be in my wedding.”

Mint wiped away the tears of frustration that had gathered in the corners of her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t care who you’re marrying. I wouldn’t miss my best friend’s wedding. And maybe you are all right. Maybe I’m being too stubborn. The correct and respectable thing would be to at least hear him out. I felt wronged because it felt as though my feelings were being dismissed, and yet that’s precisely what I’m doing to them. So, uh, Ichigo. Would you mind if I waited with you once we’re done for Kish to pick you up so that I can speak to him?”

Ichigo smiled brightly. “Sure! I’ll even do you one better. Once I find my dress or we call it quits for the day, I’ll treat you all to ice cream. And I know it’s a girls’ only day, but I know Kish has something he’s wanted to say to everyone. Afterwards you and he can speak.”

Pudding clapped her hands, “Yay! Ice cream! And if Kish is going to come, can Taru-Taru come too?”

:That will be up to Kish,” Ichigo answered. Threading her arm through Mint’s she started in the direction Lettuce had been heading. “Let’s go! I still have a dress to find!” she happily sing-songed.”

They’d been in the little boutique and Ichigo was starting to lose hope. But then she saw Lettuce move a hanger aside and it was like a pillar of light shown down upon the dress. Hurring over, she quickly stopped Lettuce and pulled the dress from the rack. As she held the dress up to herself, she saw Lettuce’s eyes grow wide.

“Oh my!” Lettuce exclaimed.

Ichigo nodded enthusiastically. “Right!”

“Oh honey. It’s stunning!” Sakura said after she came to investigate Lettuce’s gasp.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Go try it on, you silly cat,” Mint snarked as she shooed Ichigo towards the dressing rooms.

After she’d carefully stepped into the dress, she called for her mother to help lace her up. Stepping out into the show room, Ichigo stepped onto a small platform in front of several full-length mirrors. It let her see the dress from all angles. A collective gasp drew her attention to her friends.

“If you don’t pick that dress, then you really don’t have any fashion sense,” Mint quipped.

Pudding was bouncing on her toes. “You have to pick that one! You look magical and I know Kish will lose his mind when he sees you. I wasn’t wrong about the green and pink outfit, was I?” she teased happily.

Ichigo blushed in embarrassment, “Shush, Pudding.”

“I have to say, I believe you found the one,” Zakuro quickly added. After Mint’s prying, Zakuro was well aware of what outfit Pudding was referring to and wanted to move things along before Mrs. Momomiya inquired into it.

Glancing down, Ichigo smoothed the dress out and made a slow turn in front of the mirrors. Her breath was nearly stolen when she got a good look at herself. It was perfect. Beyond perfect. It was exactly what she’d been looking for. The top of the dress was a tight satin corset that was encrusted in intricate beadwork that sparkled when the faceted beads caught the light. The neckline was an off the shoulder sweetheart cut. A thin layer of lace ran just under the top edge, keeping her cleavage visible but modest. Satin bands held the sleeves in place then fell into beautiful lace to her elbows. The sleeves grew into large bells that draped down from her elbows almost to mid-thigh. The corset came to appoint at her abdomen and the satin dress flared over her hips and fell to the floor. More crystalline embroidery danced along the bottom in intricate swirling patterns. Lace was under the crisscrossing strings at her back that tied the corset. The corset also swept low once it reached under her arms, making it only about six inches up from the top of her rear. Thickly gathered and layered lace fell from under the ties of the corset to fall down her backside to the ground then spread out in a semicircular lace train behind her that was about four feet long along the ground.

All in all, the dress looked like it came right out of the pages of a fantasy novel. Ichigo could easily imagine some wonderous princess wearing this to marry her knight in shining armor. And what’s more, it fit her like a glove. The only modification that it needed was for the sleeves to be shortened just an inch or two. She also hoped she could find a veil that would match or at the very least compliment the lace in the dress, as well as the slightly opalescent shimmer of the satin. The color was one of the things she loved most. It wasn’t pure white since she herself wasn’t pure, but it didn’t have that dull dingy look of cream or ivory.

She ran her hands carefully over the beaded bodice and turned to face the girls with tears glistening in her eyes. “It’s perfect! This is it! This is the one. Thank you so much for all your help. But especially with agreeing with me. This is exactly what I imagined. I just hope Kish likes it too.”

Mint rolled her eyes. “If he doesn’t then he’s a blind buffoon. You look amazing. Absolutely gorgeous. That alien will be lucky to even get to stand next to someone so beautiful.

“Aww. Thanks, Mint. You’re going to really make me cry,” Ichigo said as she tried to keep her tears at bay.

“That boy will never know what hit him when he sees you, dear,” Sakura said, wiping her own tears away. “You look possibly radiant. As if that dress was made specifically for you.”

Hurriedly, Ichigo stepped off the platform and wrapped her mother in a tight hug. “Thanks, Mom,” she blubbered against her shoulder as her tears started to flow freely.

Sakura pattered Ichigo’s back. “Enough of that. Go get changed so we can purchase it and set an appointment with the seamstress if there’s any alterations you want done. We don’t have a lot of time before the big day. And we still need to find bridesmaid dresses and a few other details need to be nailed down.”

Ichigo sniffled, “You’re right. So much to do, so little time. Be right back.”

While Ichigo changed, Sakura and the girls looked over the selection of bridesmaid dresses and chattered about a few other wedding details. When they saw Ichigo emerge from the dressing room, they waved her over.

Mint gestured to three bridesmaid dresses that she and the others had liked, “What do you think of these? I believe they’re classy and elegant, but still compliment the fairytale dress you chose.”

Looking them over, Ichigo was immediately drawn to the dress in the center. It had the same sweetheart neckline as her dress as well as off the shoulder sleeves. However, its sleeves were just simple bands that wrapped the upper arm, attached to the top of the bodice. The bodice was fitted and the dress flared out in an “A-line” style. It came to almost mid-calf and was made of the same satiny material. It was simple, elegant, and matched her vision splendidly.

Running her hand over the dress, Ichigo beamed. “This one! This is what I want just in a soft pink.” She saw another dress in the color she wanted and pointed at it. “Like that color. That’s the color I want the bridesmaid dresses. With shoes the same color, though I don’t care what style of shoe for any of you as long as it’s that color.”

Mint grinned triumphantly. “Then leave those dresses and shoes to me. I’ll get the girls another day and have my personal seamstress take their measurements and I’ll purchase the dresses. This is my wedding gift to you. Oh, this wedding is going to be stunning!” She nearly squealed as she clapped her hands in glee.

“Mint!” Ichigo hissed. “You don’t have to do all that.” She saw Mint cross her arms and narrow her eyes. Ichigo knew that look. She’d seen it plenty as Mint sat at her table sipping tea and refusing to help. It was her ‘I’m being stubborn and having things my way,’ look. Ichigo sighed in defeat. “Urgh! You’re terrible and I love you. Thank you, Mint.”

With a condescending nod, Mint uncrossed her arms and straightened her shoulders. “Someone has to make sure we look good too,” she said gesturing to the other girls.

“Ichigo, dear?” Sakura asked, getting her daughter’s attention. “We’ve spoken amongst ourselves, and we think Pudding’s sister, Heicha, would be a perfect flower girl. Pudding’s family already knows about her being a Mew and are friends with Tart, so they know about the aliens.”

A smile appeared on Ichigo’s face. “Are you sure? Heicha would be an adorable flower girl. Do you think she’ll want to?”

Pudding giggled, “Absolutely! She would love to! I know it! And Mint already said she’ll help find the perfect flower girl dress and take care of it.”

“Thanks, Pudding. If Heicha is going to be in the wedding then you should invite your brothers and father. Actually, I think you all should bring your family members that know about us. I know your brother knows Mint. And I’m fairly sure you told me you told your brother about us, Lettuce.”

Both Lettuce and Mint nodded. “Are you sure, Ichigo?” Lettuce asked softly.

“Absolutely! The more the merrier. It will make it feel more like a wedding if there are actually people in the audience. Otherwise, it would have felt too much like just another Mew thing,” Ichigo exclaimed.

Half an hour later, the five Mews sat around a patio table of a local ice cream parlor. Sakura had excused herself, taking Ichigo’s wedding dress home with her.

“Is it alright if I call for Kish now, or did you all want some more time to talk?” Ichigo asked as she looked around at each of her friends.

“Oh, go ahead and call for the freak. I’m sure you’re just dying to see him anyways,” Mint snapped.

Ichigo placed her hands firmly on the table. “That may be true, but you know that’s not why I offered for him to come. You wanted to talk to him, or have you already given up on that since you might have to be nice and put in some work,” she snapped right back.

Kish had been eavesdropping on and off, but when his mate’s anger spiked, he fully tuned in. Already knowing that Ichigo was going to ask him to join her, he decided now was as good a time as any. He quickly skimmed through her most recent memories, searching for a concealed spot to teleport to. Seeing an alley near where the girls were, he teleported there. After pulling on his glamor, he made his way to Ichigo. Coming up behind her, “That’s enough, mate. Mint is entitled to feel however she wants.”

Spinning around, Ichigo glared at Kish who stood there grinning with his arms crossed. “I know that!” she huffed. “I’m just getting tired of her negative and condescending attitude when it comes to you or us.”

Sighing, Kish took a seat next to Ichigo and scooted his chair close to hers so he could drape an arm over her shoulders. Leaning back, he turned his attention to the girls, specifically Mint. “I meant what I said, Mint. You’re free to feel however you want. You all are. But there’s something I should have said to all of you the first chance I got. I’m sorry. There are plenty of reasons and explanations for what I did in the past, but none of them truly excuses my actions. I was cruel, saddictive, and hurt you all many times. I know I don’t have a right to ask, but I hope you can try to forgive me. To accept me, and more importantly, accept me being with Ichigo. I love her more than life itself, and through her I’ve come to care about each of you as well. But I’ll understand if you can’t forgive me. I truly am sorry.”

Lettuce hesitantly reached across the table. She turned her palm face up.

Getting the hint, Kish delicately placed his hand in hers.

With a gentle squeeze, Lettuce gave Kish a shy smile. “I forgave you a long time ago when I understood why you were fighting and when you chose to sacrifice everything, not only for Ichigo, but for all of us.”

Kish returned the affirming squeeze and smiled back at Lettuce, “Thanks, Fishy.”

After Lettuce had pulled her hand away, Zakuro spoke up. “I too, forgave you. You only did what you did because you thought you didn’t have a choice. But as soon as you realized you did, you chose to help Ichigo, and through her, all of us as well. And anyone who fights so hard for the one they love can’t be all bad.”

Giving Ichigo a squeeze, Kish grinned at Zakuro. “I’d have done anything for my Kitten. I still would. And thank you as well, Wolf-girl.”

Pudding leapt out of her chair and ran to Kish’s side, wrapping him in a tight hug. “Pudding always knew you weren’t evil. Knew you were only trying to help your people. So, I don’t need to forgive you. Kish is family now, just like Taru-Taru. Speaking of which, can you ask him to join us too?” Pudding pleaded.

Chuckling, Kish carefully disentangled himself from Pudding. “I will in a bit. And thanks, Monkey-girl. I’m already starting to think of you as a little sister. Maybe one day that will be true,” he whispered that last part for her ears alone and gave her a sly wink.

Pudding blushed and bopped Kish playfully on the head. “Maybe,” she whispered. Letting her voice get a touch louder, “Now that I think about it. I will accept your apology. You were mean quite a bit. Especially to Ichigo.”

Kish’s arm snaked back around Ichigo’s shoulders and pulled her against his side. “Believe me, I know. But against all odds, she not only forgave me, but she also gave me her heart. The one thing I had desired most in my life, she willingly gave to me even after all the torment I had put her through. It’s made me believe that miracles really can come true, or maybe I’m just as irresistible as I’ve always believed.” Halfway through his words, he had turned from Pudding and locked eyes on Ichigo. For a moment, it was like the rest of the world had faded away, save for his mate. When he finished, he gave her his fang flashing smirk followed by a flirtatious wink.

“Do you have to ruin every moment with that damn cockiness?” Ichigo grumbled, but the corners of her lips had twitched upwards.

Rolling her eyes, Mint lifted her nose into the air. “God you two can be so sappy. Did everyone forget how many times he and the others attacked us? How many times they hurt us?” Mint stood and placed her hands flat upon the table. “Not only that, but they hurt our families, our friends. How can you all forget all that so easily? And you, Ichigo. Kish made your life a living hell specifically. Stalking you, taunting you, trying to grab or kiss you every chance he got. Our lives were turned upside down because of them!”

Ichigo shot to her feet, ready to defend Kish and tear into Mint, but an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her a few steps away from the table. Her vision became blocked by Kish who had stepped in front of her.

Glancing over his shoulder, “Sit down, Kitten. This isn’t your battle.”

Blinking, Ichigo found herself obeying her mate. His voice, though not cold, had been authoritative. A cold fire had danced in his eyes. The Commander General had come out to play. And though she was still pissed and a bit ticked at him for ordering her around, she sat back to watch the show.

Slowly, deliberately, Kish turned his head until his glowing amber eyes pierced into Mint’s. “Sit down, Mint.” His voice was low, almost menacing, but still held that intensity. That pure authority that made everyone take notice.

Just like Ichigo, Mint found herself obeying Kish right away. It was like he had suddenly gained power over all around him.

‘In a moment, I’m going to need an infusion of energy, Kitten.’ Pressing his palms together, Kish focused on creating a translucent ball of energy between his hands that grew as he slowly pulled his hands apart. Holding his arms straight out, he held onto the energy. “I need each of you to touch the space between my hands for just a moment.”

Each of the girls put their hands into the tingly air in front of Kish. The only one who hesitated was Mint.

Kish eyed her, “It won’t hurt, but I need you to hurry up.”

Finally, she touched the energy.

Kish leaned heavily on the table. That had taken a lot out of him, but he could already feel Ichigo pushing her energy into him. Straightening up, he glanced around the table. He could see the faint shimmer of glamor over all of them.

“What the hell did you do?” Mint snapped.

“I put up a dampening shield over us. It’s like my glamor. Everyone can still see us talking, but no matter how hard they focus, they won’t be able to make out what we’re saying.”

“Bastard! You cast some kind of spell on us?” Mint hissed. Not only was she feeling queasy, but she was beyond pissed. To her annoyance, there was also a shiver of fear coursing through her. She still didn’t fully trust Kish.

“It won’t do any harm to you and will disappear when I want it to. I’m starting to lose my patience and there are things I need to say. Things that can’t be overheard. Not only that, but what I’m going to share is embarrassing, shameful, and very painful, and above all else, very private. But I can see you need to understand some things, Mint. Yes, you have a right to your feelings and opinions, but I’m getting tired of how it’s hurting my mate. The things I’m about to share, I’d really rather not, especially not like this in front of everyone. But as Zakuro said the other day, you don’t keep secrets. And it’s only fair that if I’m going to tell one, I should tell the others.” Taking a deep breath, Kish sat down.

Ichigo’s hand tightened around Kish’s, “You don’t have to do this.” She could see what he was planning on sharing, and he was hurting. Most of them were incredibly painful memories.

Kish’s eyes drifted to Ichigo. “Yes, I do. Maybe I’ll finally be able to reach Mint. I’m sick of her attitude and how it keeps upsetting you.”

“Maybe, but you didn’t have to do it like this, in front of everyone. You didn’t have to tell them too,” she countered. Her worry for her mate was growing more intense. She could feel his pain, fear, and apprehension as clearly as if it were her own feelings.

“I need to do this, Kitten. They all have a right to hear my reasons. It wasn’t just Mint I wronged, even if the others have forgiven me.”

Growling, Ichigo turned her worried frustration on the girls. “I don’t like this one bit. I hope you all realize just how much pain he’s about to put himself through just so you might understand more of why he did what he did and more about what made him who he is.” Spinning back to Kish, “I won’t stop you if you really feel like you need to do this. However, I’ve heard it all. Even experienced some of it firsthand. It broke my heart the first time and I’m still coming to terms with some of it. I can’t sit through it again. Especially not all at once. Come find me when you’re done.” She placed a quick kiss to Kish’s cheek then stepped away from the table. She reached out to Tart as she walked away, “Mind coming to where Kish and I are?”

Feeling like he didn’t have a choice, Tart quickly teleported to the alley Kish had used. Pulling on his own glamor, he found Ichigo leaning against a railing near the others.

“Let’s go for a walk, Tart. We need to talk,” Ichigo said as she turned from Kish and the others.

Tart nodded and followed Ichigo. He gave Pudding an apologetic glance as he walked away.

Kish rubbed his temples. “You didn’t have to leave.”

“Yes I did. Give your explanations then call me when you’re done. I don’t agree with this. You’re putting yourself through unnecessary pain in my opinion. But good luck. I love you.” Pulling away, Ichigo focused on Tart. She had led him around the corner to a small park. “Mind talking with me for a bit? I can’t listen to what Kish is going to say. It’s painful for the both of us.”

Tart nodded, “Sure. And for the record, I’m on your side. Kish has never been one to share his personal life. Especially the bad or painful. It just doesn’t feel right. But, on the other hand, I can understand why he’s doing this. For you.”

Giving a frustrated cry, Ichigo kicked a rock across the ground. “I know,” she growled. “And that only pisses me off more. Because he doesn’t have to. He’s doing this because he feels like he’s causing a rift between me and Mint. But what he fails to realize is that that’s Mint’s problem. Not his.”

Finding a bench, Tart plopped down and shook his head. “You know how overprotective he is when it comes to you. He’ll always do what he can to protect you.”

With a huff of frustration, Ichigo began pacing back and forth in front of Tart. “I know. I know. And I love him for that, but it can also be freaking annoying.” Tugging her pigtails, she gave an agitated growl. Coming to a stop, Ichigo spun to face Tart. “Anyways, there’s a few things I need to talk to you about.”

A flash of worry crossed Tart’s face as he looked at Ichigo. With an audible gulp, “Uh… About what?”

Ichigo grinned at the panicked look on Tart’s face. “Relax, Brat. I’m not gonna attack you or something. But, I gotta say, I’m not really impressed with how you keep spilling Kish’s secrets. He trusts you, and you’ve managed to seriously hurt him several times, even if he won’t admit it. Especially the torture slip. You have no idea how badly that upset him and, in turn, me. He let me experience some of it. God, Tart, it very nearly broke me. Seeing him suffering like that and feeling the pain he was in. I can’t believe your people ever followed someone so cruel and sadistic as Deep Blue. And I will never understand how Kish managed to endure all that.” With a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold, Ichigo tightly wrapped her arms around herself.

Sighing, Tart leaned forwards, propped his elbows on his knees, and let his face fall into his hands. “I know. Trust me, I know. I could feel exactly how hurt and angry he was. And I’m sorry Ichigo. That you felt what he went through. I remember how bad it got at times. Kish did a decent job at keeping most of his pain locked away, but I got glimpses. I remember walking by his room one night after a pretty bad session. It felt like I’d walked through a wall of ice, and yet it felt like every inch of me was on fire. I remember falling to the floor the pain was so intense. I nearly fainted, but Kish came out and helped me to my feet. Kish had been consumed by the fires of rage and bone chilling fear. It was like all the air had been pulled from my lungs as he tightly clamped down on his feelings. The strongest had been pain, fear, and anger. I always thought his fear was of Deep Blue. It wasn’t until after everything and we had been home for a couple of years that I realized the truth.”

Tart lifted watery eyes to Ichigo. “He was afraid of Deep Blue, just not in the way I thought. Kish was afraid of what Deep Blue might have done to you. More importantly, he was afraid of what he might do to you. Afraid that Deep Blue would eventually break him, and he would kill you. Kish has always had a cold and cunning darkness within him. Able to separate himself from everything to get a job done. It was probably what drew Deep Blue to him in the first place, along with his powers and abilities.”

A small smile started to creep over Tart’s face. “The one thing Deep Blue failed to realize was that Kish is no one’s pawn. And he also severely underestimated Kish’s loyalty. Once Kish decides you’re important to him, he stops at nothing to always be there for them. As soon as Kish fell in love with you, Deep Blue was doomed.”

This time, when Tart lowered his eyes, it was in shame. “I think that’s why sometimes I say or reveal things that I know will hurt him. I don’t mean to, but I get so jealous at times. Even when Kish loses, he always comes out on top somehow. Losing his father pushed him to train like never before and he developed his ability to detach which allowed him to climb quickly at the Academy and eventually the military. When he lost control of his chimera and it destroyed a large part of our caves, he didn’t get in trouble. Instead, he was praised and promoted. He lost us the war here and our new home. But managed to get you to give us the Mew Aqua to save our home. You broke his heart and he lost you, but that only made him work harder and train harder. He committed himself completely to rebuilding our home and lives. Made our people better for it and in the meantime became the strongest warrior and ability user my people have ever seen. Then, to top it off, you call him back to you and agree to be his mate. Don’t get me wrong, I love him like a brother, but he can be infuriating at times.”

Shaking her head with a knowing grin, Ichigo sat down beside Tart. “I know exactly what you mean. He has an uncanny ability to make pieces fit to his advantage even when the pieces shouldn’t fit together at all. I also get the jealousy thing, though I don’t fully see it. I haven’t been around him as long as you. Have no idea his level of power compared to the others of your people. So, to me, it’s not so coveted. But I can see how that could be enviable to others. But seriously, Tart, you need to be more careful. I don’t like seeing him hurt, even if he hides it well.”

“Sorry, Ichigo. I’ll try to lay off. I really don’t mean to keep pushing his buttons, at least not with such personal things,” Tart apologized sincerely.

“Thanks, Brat,” Ichigo said with a soft smile. Slumping back into the bench, Ichigo let her head fall back atop the top edge and stared up into the bright blue sky of the late afternoon day. Huffing, “I still think he’s being an idiot and causing himself unnecessary pain. But maybe he’s right. Maybe the others should know what he’s been through. At least I hope Mint may be able to look past her hatred and mistrust of you all after hearing his story.”

A shadow fell over Ichigo’s field of view as someone came up behind her and leaned over her. Two shimmering golden pools caught her eye.

“When will you learn, I’m always right?” Kish chuckled as he slid his arms around Ichigo’s shoulders and stole a quick kiss to her cheek.

Kish had watched his mate walk away. Carefully, he closed off as much of their connection as their newly strengthened bond would allow. Ichigo would have to actively listen in or search out his thoughts and emotions. He knew she didn’t want to hear or even think about what he was going to say. With a heartfelt, yet determined, sigh, he turned towards the girls seated around the table.

“I apologize for technically casting an enchantment over you all without your permission, but what I have to say can’t be overheard. Hopefully by the end, not only will you all understand who I am a bit better, but maybe you’ll be able to look past some of my past actions.” He looked directly at Mint for a moment before letting his eyes drift onwards. “I have a lot to say, so I’ll try to be as brief as possible. Feel free to ask me anything at any time. If I can, I’ll answer, but understand a lot of this is highly personal and I reserve the right to refuse to answer.”

Lettuce had also watched her friend walk away and was concerned. If Ichigo had felt so strongly that she had left, then did they really have a right to see such intimate parts of Kish’s life. Looking at Kish, “Are… Are you sure about this? If what you have to say is really so personal and painful, then you really don’t have to share it. We already know you’ve been through a lot.”

Kish smiled warmly at the concern he could hear in Lettuce’s words. “It’s alright. I think I need to do this. Not only for me, but for Ichigo as well. She wants me to get to know you all better. She just may not be happy with how I’m going about it though,” he winked.

Mint grumbled, “Then get on with it.” She still wasn’t happy about having some sort of spell cast over her. She saw Zakuro give her a warning look, so she pursed her lips in agitation and crossed her arms defiantly.

A bit of annoyance flashed within Kish causing his eyes to darken just slightly. But he managed to bite back any sly retort he may have made. “Before we get into the rough stuff, let me tell you a bit about my childhood. It will help put some things in better context.”

With another quick check on his mate and a deep breath, Kish began. He started by explaining his mother’s death. That even a strong warrior like her had died because of complications during his birth. How with even as advanced as their medical technology is and how strong some of their healers were, her body had still given out. A testament to how living so long with so little food and the cold damp living conditions took a toll on the body. He then went on to explain his sister’s death. How she had basically given up her life for him and others, and that starvation had been the primary cause.

The death of his father came next. Having been killed for disagreeing with Deep Blue and because he knew too many secrets. He couldn’t be allowed to live and was named a traitor. His death being the catalyst that pushed Kish to train harder and push himself further. To become the ideal candidate for a possible mission to Earth.

Earth had literally been a bedtime story, told to the young to help them cope with their harsh reality. That somewhere out there was a beautiful blue and green planet full of lush life. A dream like paradise compared to their home. It gave a false sense of hope. That one day they’d make it back to that idyllic world.

He told them about going to live with Tart and Pai’s parents. How if they hadn’t taken him in, he would probably have wound up dead. Then about how he had snuck out of the caves because he preferred to be alone. How he’d take on the wild creatures by himself just to prove to himself that he could. And how he scavenged for food to keep Tart alive. That he’d nearly died of starvation himself to ensure Tart’s survival. He touched a bit on the rough and strenuous climb at the Academy. Becoming cold and detached. Keeping people at bay. Death was too much of a constant to really allow anyone close. He had his cousins and that was enough.

Finally, he spoke about the mission. About how after hearing stories all his life about the beautiful blue planet only to find it suffocating under the pollution and abuse of the selfish humans. He had seethed with anger. His people were suffering, dying, and yet these humans had everything, but it didn’t seem enough. He had wanted to wipe humanity off the face of the planet. But after his chimeras had been destroyed, Deep Blue had instructed him to observe those responsible. The girl in pink had been so full of life. So willing to put everything on the line for complete strangers. An unknown warmth had taken root within him. Just maybe his father had been right. These humans may not be as bad as they seemed. At least the pink girl wasn’t. He hadn’t realized it until much later, but that girl had captured his cold heart. Had shown him that it was alright to care for others.

However, that new feeling came at a heavy price. Not only did the girl reject all his advances, but his own god was growing tired of his antics. Was becoming suspicious of his lack of progress and his refusal to severly harm the girl. Until Pai and Tart had inadvertently ratted him out. They had let it slip that he had developed feelings for Ichigo. Deep Blue was livid. The torture started off small at first. Simply being confined for days. Or having to watch as Pai and Tart attacked the girl he’d fallen for. But as Kish continued to stay conflicted and refused to harm, let alone kill, Ichigo, Deep Blue upped the stakes.

Kish had been able to partake in some of the bounties of Earth. Being able to eat more than he ever had in his life. But Deep Blue took that away. Essentially starving him just like he’d been at home. Then the horrific torture began. Being restrained within his own mind. Forced to watch Ichigo’s rejection and hatred of him over and over. Seeing her in that boy’s arms on replay. To be constantly reminded of how much pain she had caused and that she wanted nothing to do with someone as vile and pathetic as him. On top of that, every time Deep Blue would show her image, he’d wrack his body with intense pain. Deep Blue had hoped he would associate pain with Ichigo and would start to hate her.

Swallowing thickly, Kish closed his eyes. “Let’s just say that if Deep Blue had actually been torturing me physically, I would have died long before he had a chance to use his sword. It was excruciating, but worth it. Seeing that side of Deep Blue let me see other things he’d been hiding. Allowed my doubts to grow. And not being completely under his thumb, I saw him for the tyrant he really was. Could look through the façade he’d shown me and my people. But I still had a part to play. If I openly fought him directly, he would have killed me easily. As a devoted follower, I had allowed him access to my mind. Which is how he immobilized and tortured me. But other than my infatuation with Ichigo, I had been able to keep my traitorous thoughts hidden, but the threat was there. If I stepped too far out of line, my life was forfeit. I also had to find a way to help my people. They were counting on me. And the thought of Ichigo being killed plagued my heart. So, I had to continue to fight, but I held back where I could, ruined plans without making it obvious, and began looking for any weakness Deep Blue had. Turned out we both had the same weakness, Ichigo.”

Looking around the table, “I still understand that my past doesn’t clear me of my sins. Abyss, some of it only makes what I did to you all worse. But from the bottom of my heart, I am sorry. And now you know most of my history. I’m not looking for pity. Other than Deep Blue, most of my life was fairly normal for someone on my planet. I just thought my past might give you more perspective. I wasn’t always so cold and cruel, and my people certainly aren’t for the most part. We really aren’t that much different then you humans.”

As his eyes flicked over each of the girls, he was shocked by some of their reactions. Both Pudding and Lettuce had tears streaming down their cheeks. Zakuro had her hands fisted so tightly, her knuckles had gone white, and she had her eyes locked on the table before her. Mint was the real surprise. She may have tried to keep her arrogant air of indifference, but Kish could clearly see the shimmer of unshed tears in her eyes.

Pudding leapt from her seat and nearly tackled Kish. She threw her arms tightly around his shoulders and pressed her face to his uninjured collar bone. “Oh, Kish! I can’t begin to imagine the kind of pain you’ve suffered. I’m so glad we were able to give you the Mew Aqua. If what you went through was normal for your people…,” she trailed off as a sob wracked her. “It… Well, it’s not right. No one should have to go through such horrific things. To be so surrounded by death that you’re numb to it.” Pudding shuddered and gave him a squeeze. “I’m sorry but thank you for sharing. And… uh…thank you for saving Taru-Taru when you were kids.”

With a genuine smile, Kish gently patted Pudding’s arms that were still around him. Thanks, Monkey-girl. But uh…it’s getting a bit hard to breathe. Mind loosening up?”

A bright blush appeared on Pudding’s face. “Ah! Sorry.” She quickly jumped away.

Kish waved his hand with a chuckle. “Now I get why Tart’s always complaining when you pounce on him. You’re stronger than you look.”

As Pudding resumed her seat, Zakuro spoke up. “After hearing all that, I almost wish we could have made Deep Blue suffer. You may be a lot of things Kish, but you certainly didn’t deserve to be treated like that. And by your own God and savior as well. I too would like to thank you for sharing, though I still mostly agree with Ichigo. I don’t believe it was necessary. You redeemed yourself mostly in my eyes when you stood against Deep Blue. Then even more when you returned to make sure Ichigo was alright. You’ve earned my trust and loyalty, and I will gladly fight by your side should you ever need me.”

“I… uh… I don’t really know what to say other than thank you. I promise your loyalty isn’t misplaced. And though we,” he gestured to everyone at the table, “may not be all that close, you all have my trust and loyalty as well. Not only are you my mate’s adopted family and closest friends, but you all also helped me to restore my planet and people. For that I will be forever grateful.”

Hesitantly, Lettuce lifted her watery eyes to meet Kish’s. “I never realized just how truly awful your life and that of your people’s were. I wish we could have opened lines of discussion from the very start. You suffered more than your fair share. And not just from Deep Blue or your past hardships, but from us as well. For that I’m sorry. And you also have my complete trust and loyalty. Between this and our earlier discussion, I’m starting to see just how complicated you are. I can also see how Ichigo fell so hard. There really is so much more to you. It would certainly pique her curiosity. I can also see why she got so protective and defensive of you. Like Zakuro, I think you put yourself through unnecessary pain but thank you for letting us see the more vulnerable side of you.”

Slowly, Kish slid his hand across the table and lightly rested two fingertips over Lettuce’s wrist. “Thank you, Lettuce. That means a lot coming from you.” He gave her a toothy grin, “And I’m impressed. Not a single stutter or random apology. Guess I’m better then I thought.” He tossed her a wink.

Pudding shook her head. “Again, Ichigo’s right. You are a dumb alien. Just had to ruin the moment.”

That only made Kish chuckle. “What can I say?” he shrugged. “It’s just part of my charm,” he winked.

“I just don’t understand you,” Mint finally spoke up. “You just told us about some horrendous things that happened to you and yet you’re laughing and making jokes like it was nothing.”

A cold seriousness came over Kish as he eyed Mint. “And what would you have me do? Deny myself any fun? Only focus on the bad in my life? I’d say it was a coping mechanism, but that would only be partially true. Yes, I’ve suffered more than my fair share of pain, loss, and heartbreak, but so what? It’s in the past. It may have shaped some of who I am or choices I’ve made, but it is still the past. What matters is today and what tomorrow might hold. I’ve told you; death was a constant everyday fear to my people. Each new day was a gift. And do you think I would be here if all I did was focus on the past? We may have been the aggressors, but don’t sell yourself short on the damage you inflicted on us. Not to mention the amount of pain and heartbreak Ichigo put me through. If the past was all that mattered, I would have wiped my hands of Earth. But I was looking towards the future. For me, that was a life with Ichigo, which now also includes all of you.”

Mint couldn’t help but drop her eyes from Kish’s piercing gaze. She was completely caught off guard and at a loss for words. What he said made sense, but it made her feel like her entire argument had been negated. If the past wasn’t as important as she thought, then why was she clinging to it so tightly? Why was she still wanting to see the aliens punished for what they had done? She drummed her manicured nails on the table as she thought and muddled over his words. Lifting her eyes, she looked at the other three girls at the table. Pudding seemed to think she should just forgive Kish. Lettuce looked apologetic. And Zakuro was basically telling her to stop being so stubborn. Finally, her eyes drifted back to Kish’s. “Fine, you win,” she huffed.

Before she could continue, Kish cut her off. “This wasn’t about winning or losing. Or even who’s right or wrong. I just wanted to provide some context for my actions. To give you more information so your opinions about me weren’t based solely on my actions from four years ago. And to protect Ichigo. She’s my mate and my soul job is to protect her and ensure her happiness. It hurts her when you two fight. And I know she desperately wants you to accept me and our relationship. But she also knows you’re entitled to your own opinions and feelings. She wouldn’t dream of taking that away from you. So, she’s conflicted. Which is why I stepped in. If I could possibly change your mind, it would make my mate happy. I can’t force you to think or feel any specific way, nor can I force you to forgive me. If you still hate me, then fine. But as long as you continue to distress my mate, I’ll keep my distance. My instincts see you as a threat. And I don’t want to possibly lash out or hurt you.”

“You would really attack me just because I’m upsetting Ichigo?” Mint asked with skepticism.

Sighing, “Yes. But I don’t want to. Ichigo loves you like a sister, so it would hurt her if I hurt you. Plus, through her, I’ve come to care about each of you in your own way. So, I don’t want to hurt you either. But mating instincts can be powerful.”

“If that’s true, then you have my forgiveness and acceptance. If you’re willing to attack me just for Ichigo’s happiness, then you just might be worthy of her. It still may take me some time to fully trust you, but I forgive you.”

“I’ll take what I can get,” he grinned. “Thank you all for listening and for your understanding. I’ve trusted you with parts of my past that my own family don’t know about. All I ask is that you refrain from bringing up what Deep Blue did around me. You’re more than welcome to ask me about anything else though. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a mate to comfort and reassure.” Kish looked towards Pudding, “And I’ll send Tart along. Ichigo and I will be back shortly.” Rising, Kish quickly headed to where he could feel his mate.

“Seriously? You managed to change her mind?” Ichigo asked with skepticism.

“Of course I did. I’ve told you, I’m pretty smooth when it comes to the ladies,” he smirked proudly.

Reaching up, Ichigo tweaked the end of his ear. “That talent better get retired ASAP. I better be the only lady you’re smooth talking to.”

A shiver ran down Kish’s spine and he heard Tart sneeze. “Hey Brat, we’ll meet you and the girls in a bit. Pudding’s waiting for you.” Once Tart had walked away, he turned his attention back to his mate and nuzzled into the side of her neck. Whispering, he said, “If you don’t want the girls to be waiting too long, I suggest releasing my ear.” He punctuated his statement by running the tip of his tongue up her neck then along the rim of her ear.

With a squeak, Ichigo let go of his ear and pulled out of his arms. Standing from the bench, she turned to glare at him. “Pervert,” she muttered.

Instantly, Kish teleported behind her and wrapped his arms tightly around her chest and waist, pulling her flush to his body. “Your fault, love,” he whispered against her cheek. “Not only did you touch my ear, but you were getting possessive. You know how that riles my blood.”

Ichigo gave a half-hearted struggle before melting into her mate’s arms. “So, how did you manage to win Mint over?”

“I told you. With my smooth charm and devilish good looks.” He really should have expected the elbow to his side. Wincing, “Okay, okay, my feisty feline.” Fully reopening their link, he showed her the end of his discussion with the girls. “Apparently, my willingness to do whatever it takes to see to your happiness was all it took to gain her forgiveness and acceptance. Though, I have a feeling she’s still going to be a thorn in my side now and then.”

Ichigo giggled and turned around in Kish’s arms, so she faced him. “You’re probably right.” Sliding her arms up his chest, she circled them around his neck. She lost herself in his molten eyes which also held a glimmer of mischief.

“Want something, Kitten?” he smirked knowingly.

“Oh, shut up and kiss me already,” she snapped, but there was no venom in her bite.

Normally, Kish would have countered with a sly or witty remark, but he could see and feel her desperate need of him. She was still struggling with separation anxiety. Letting his hands fall to her lower back, he pulled her against him. His lips captured hers in a soft and tender kiss. He kept his normal desires and aggression at bay. His mate just needed reassurance of both his presence and his love. Pulling away, he placed another quick kiss to her lips. “Come on love. The others are waiting for us.” Taking her hand, he led them back to the patio where the girls were sat.

Upon arriving, Tart glared at Kish, Pudding looked annoyed, and the rest of the girls looked confused. Kish winced. “Forgot to drop the dampening shield, did I?”

Tart glowered harder. “You think? Took me a minute to figure out why I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying. Thankfully, I could at least talk to Pudding, so she understands what’s going on.”

“Heh, sorry.” Bringing his hands together, Kish brought forth the ball of energy then clapped his hands together. The spell instantly shattered. “Sorry about that everyone. I forgot to drop the shield around you all.”

“Wait. If the spell was still active, then how did Tart and I understand you?” Ichigo asked.

“Two reasons. One, we were away from the area I had tied the spell to. Secondly, as the caster, I was both part of the charm and separated from it. Meaning different rules apply. Since I purposely spoke to you and Tart, you could understand me. But as you saw, the others couldn’t speak to Tart because he was outside the shield,” Kish explained as he resumed his seat.

“You and your people really can do some incredible things,” Ichigo commented, taking a seat as well.

Kish chuckled, “Says the girl who can transform into a superhero with cat ears and tail. That can also fully turn into a cat. You are just as incredible, Kitten.”

Pudding wedged a chair in between her and Lettuce and pulled Tart over to it. “We finally ready to order some ice cream?” she happily squealed.

Mint rolled her eyes, “As long as there are no more spells to be cast.” She shot Kish a glare, but it was more in annoyance than actual anger.

Ichigo pointed to the long list of flavors and toppings that was posted next to the ordering window. “I chose for you last time, but those are the flavors if you want to try something different,” she offered Kish.

“Nope. I’ll stick with strawberry,” he winked. “Although, chocolate syrup on top sounds pretty good.”

Giggling, Ichigo placed a quick kiss to Kish’s cheek. “Then I’ll be right back.”

Pudding and Zakuro helped to get the others’ orders and helped Ichigo carry the cups of ice cream back to the table.

Kish gently wrapped an arm around Ichigo’s shoulders and pulled her against his side. She had barely finished her ice cream before her eyes had fluttered shut and her head fell against his shoulder. After giving her a tender smile, he looked up at the others. “I think it’s time I get Ichigo to bed. It seems the excitement of today and the last week have started to catch up with her. Again, thank you all for listening earlier. And thank you Mint, for finally giving me a real chance.” Carefully, he scooped up Ichigo and rose to his feet. “Have a good night everyone.” Keeping his pace steady so he wouldn’t jostle his mate, Kish made his way to the alley he had arrived in and teleported to his room.

With a snap of his fingers, Ichigo’s clothes fell to the floor, and he tenderly tucked her into their bed. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead before disappearing into his bathroom. Dropping his glamor, he winced. He had been a bit too rough with his movements throughout the day. A bit of blood had seeped through his bandage and into his shirt. Carefully, Kish peeled off his undershirt and vest. The stark white bandage was stained with fresh blood. Again, he winced as he removed the bandage. Thankfully, it was healing nicely and quickly. Unfortunately, the poison had slowed down his naturally fast healing and he’d pulled a couple of stitches. They weren’t torn, just been pulled too far causing the scab to open and for it to bleed. Digging through a drawer, he found the healing salve he’d used earlier after his shower. He gently dabbed away the blood, cleaning the wound, then covered the whole thing in the salve. He put a fresh bandage over the stitches and sighed. He was surprised he’d managed to keep this from his mate, but he just knew he’d get an earful when she found out. Changing into his softer house shorts, he quickly made his way to the bridge of his ship.

It was still early, only around six or so Tokyo time, so he figured he could get some more work done. Picking the closest signal, which was an infuser, Kish settled himself into the pilot’s chair. Making sure the cloak was still active, he flicked his hand across the main panel, pressing several buttons. Then he wrapped his hand around the joystick and began to slowly maneuver his ship towards the infuser’s signal. He and Tart had only managed to narrow down a few of the signals which still left three infusers and three predacites to track down. They had a rough estimate of where they were, but Kish wanted to narrow down the search area as much as possible to keep any possible surprises to a minimum.

Tart appeared not long after. “Manage to locate anymore?” he asked as he took a seat behind Kish at the main computer console that was currently displaying all the signals they had found.

“Nah. Still homing in on the closest one. Mind manning the screen and giving me headings?” Kish answered, keeping his attention locked on the screens and window in front of him.

“Sure thing. A little more to starboard and you’ll almost be on top of it. I’ll start rescanning.”

Doing as Tart said, Kish maneuvered the ship over the coordinates of the signal and eased off the throttle. He then lowered the ship until he hovered just above the tallest buildings in the area. Relaxing back in his chair, he waited for the computer to do another scan of the area. But he could feel Ichigo stirring so he partially shifted his focus to her.

“Where are you?” Ichigo asked with a yawn. She was surprised when she woke up alone. Kish rarely missed an opportunity to hold her naked body.

Kish snickered at her thoughts. ‘She’s not wrong,’ he thought to himself. “Tart and I are on the bridge. We’re trying to narrow down the locations of the rest of the infusers and predacites. You’re welcome to join us, Kitten.”

Rolling out of bed, Ichigo rummaged through her dresser until she found a pair of pink pajama shorts that had gray pawprints all over it and the matching tank. Pulling the pajamas on, she made her way to the bridge. She took a moment to take it in. It was much larger and way more impressive than the cockpit of the skiff.

There were three seats directly in front of the large glass window and console. A large seat in the center, which was obviously for the pilot, was where Kish was currently sitting. A slightly smaller chair sat to each side and two behind those chairs that faced each side of the ship in front of two different looking computer terminals. There were several small screens above the window displaying some kind of information that was in Kish’s home language and more buttons, switches, dials, and keys than Ichigo had ever seen littering the console in front of Kish.

“Hey Brat,” she nodded to Tart as she headed to Kish’s side. Placing her hand on the back of his chair, she peered over his shoulder and out the window. “Wow, we’re so close to the ground. You sure no one can see or detect us?”

Grinning, Kish wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her into his lap. “Don’t worry, Kitten. The ship’s camouflage keeps it hidden and its stealth abilities will keep it off any radar.”

When Tart heard Ichigo eep, he glanced over at the pair. Clearing his throat, “I’m still here so no funny business.”

Rolling his eyes at Tart, “That isn’t the only thing ever on my mind ya know.” He let his arms wrap loosely around Ichigo’s waist and rested his chin on her shoulder when he felt her start to struggle. “Relax, mate. I just wanted to cuddle and hold you. This seat also has the best view on the ship.”

Giving in, Ichigo relaxed against her mate. “Fine, but you better behave.”

“Yeah right,” Tart snarked. “That’s all you think about since you mated.”

“Laugh it up twerp. It will be the same for you when you mate Pudding. The mating instincts aren’t easy to ignore or turn off,” Kish quipped right back.

Tart’s cheeks turned bright pink. “Feh. Whatever,” he muttered under his breath.

“So, is that the only reason you’re always so keen on sleeping with me?” Ichigo asked hesitantly.

Kish refocused on Ichigo and gave her a gentle squeeze. “Now, you should know better than that, Kitten. Mated or not, I’d still crave feeling your naked body pressed beneath mine. I’ve craved your touch long before I chose you as my mate. The mate instincts just increase my already high desire for you.”

A light blush tinged her cheeks. She felt better knowing it was her and not the mating instincts that kept Kish’s focus on her. “Good,” she affirmed.

Kish just shook his head and gave her a soft peck on the cheek. “Any luck with the new scan?” Kish asked Tart over his shoulder.

A couple of hours later, they had managed to pinpoint everything except one predacite and two infusers. Kish was in the process of moving the ship back near Tokyo Tower. He kept his movements smooth, for Ichigo had curled up and fallen asleep in his lap. Once the ship was securely parked, Kish carefully picked up his sleeping mate. As he passed by Tart, who was sending the new coordinates to Ryou’s computer, he made a request. “Ichigo and I are going to hunt the targets tomorrow. Do you mind sticking aboard the ship? I’d like you and Ryou to coordinate with each other and direct us to our targets. I’d also like you to have the computer run some additional scans on the three we couldn’t zero in on. Plus, I’d like to have you available in case we need help. My energy reserves are basically back to one hundred percent, but my wound still needs at least a couple more days to fully heal. I won’t be able to dual wield my blades unless absolutely necessary and definitely not for long. With our new plan, I’d rather not get the other Mews involved. It doesn’t work with the narrative, but if the news catches you with us, it should be fine.”

Tart frowned, “That wound should be healed by now. And yeah, I’ll stay on the ship, but are you sure you’re up for some fights?” Both he and Kish were keeping their voices low so as not to disturb Ichigo.

“The poison unfortunately slowed down my healing, but I’ll be fine. But that’s also why I want you on standby. Just in case we end up with something like that swamp chimera.” Kish affirmed. He knew he could fight; it just wouldn’t be for long or at his best. Even holding Ichigo as he was, was pulling uncomfortably at his wound.

“What time did you want to start tomorrow?” Tart asked.

Shifting his hold on Ichigo so his right arm carried most of her weight, “Let’s say nine. She and I will stop by the café first so I can patch one of our comm channels through to Ryou’s computer and we can get coordinated.”

“Sounds good,” Tart nodded. “Now get her to bed. I’m sure she’s still exhausted from this week, and I can see you trying to hide a wince.”

Kish snorted. “Which one of us is the big brother?”

Tart snickered, “Neither, but without Pai, someone has to keep an eye on you.”

Kish just stuck out his tongue. “Pushy little brat,” he muttered. “We’ll see you in the morning.”
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