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Lock and Key	By : Wildfaerie Category: +S to Z > Tokyo Mew Mew Views: 706 -:- 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
- 7
- 8
- 9
Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew or anything associated with it. This story is, however, mine.
AN: Shocker, I know but this one is safe to read. Probably in the PG13 Rating. A few adult conversations, but nothing explicit.
Please Read & Review! Thank you!!
“text” – Talking ‘text’ – Thinking “text” – Talking Telepathically.

Lock and Key
Chapter 8: Old Hatreds, New Fears

Kish teleported them to a small alley across the street from the mall with Tart and Pudding following him closely through the general subspace. When Tart and Pudding appeared, Pudding clutched her head and nearly fell to her knees, but Tart caught her just in time.

“Give us a sec. Pudding still isn’t used to teleporting.” “Feel like your stuck on a merry-go-round?” Ichigo asked Pudding as she rubbed the younger girl’s back. “Exactly! But this one isn’t fun,” Pudding moaned and clenched her eyes tightly shut. “Kish, can you help her like you did for me that first time?” Ichigo asked.

“Only for you, Kitten. And only if Tart’s okay with it,” Kish answered glancing over at Tart. Tart sighed. He knew what Kish was going to do, and he wished it were him that could help Pudding. But Tart had never been particularly good at sharing energy. Pai was the best out of the three of them, but Kish was pretty good too.

Glaring at Kish, “Fine, but watch the hands.” Kish rolled his eyes. “I’ve already got a mate, thank you.” Kish moved beside Pudding, “Just relax, Pudding. I can help with the dizziness and nausea if you’ll let me.” “Whatever you can do, do it. I feel like I want to throw up,” she whined. “A heads up, I have to touch your skin.” “Just make the spinning stop,” Pudding interrupted with a pleading whimper.

Stepping closer, Kish gently slid his hand under the bottom of Pudding’s top, splaying his fingers wide over her belly. He placed his other hand against her temple. Taking a deep breath, Kish concentrated. A soft warmth spread through Pudding from Kish’s hands, chasing away the spinning sensation.

Blinking, Pudding slowly opened her eyes. She threw her arms around Kish, “That worked! I feel so much better. No more dizziness. Thank you so much!” Kish hugged her back awkwardly then stepped away. He stumbled a bit but threw his arm out and caught the cool brick wall of the alley to steady himself. “No problem,” he smiled.

Ichigo slid under Kish’s arm, “You alright?” “Yeah. Just a bit drained. I suggest we eat before you girls start shopping.” Ichigo nodded and pulled Kish closer, letting him lean more of his weight on her. “Thanks for helping her.” “Anything for you, Kitten.” Kish’s trademark smirk was back in full force.

Shifting his arm from Ichigo’s shoulders, he slid it around her waist. “Come on Tart. How about we go show off our girls?” Both Ichigo and Pudding blushed. Pudding took Tart’s hand and tugged him forward, “Come on Taru-Taru. I can’t wait to show you around.” Kish and Ichigo followed after the young couple. “Just remember, food first, Pudding. So, you two start thinking about what you want,” Ichigo hollered after them.

The four had finally decided on pizza. It turned out the boys weren’t too keen on processed meats, so they ordered a large cheese pizza to split between them as well as a soda for each. “I know you’re not a vegetarian, so why no meat?” Ichigo asked as they sat at a slightly secluded table.

Tart shuddered, “Found out the hard way last time we were here that some of your overly processed foods, especially some meats, don’t sit well with us. Spent three days in bed with stomach cramps when I stole some kind of meat sandwich.” “And yet, you ate candy like it was going out of style,” Ichigo teased.

“Hey! Blame Pudding on my candy addiction.” “It worked, didn’t it? You became my friend, Taru-Taru. And now my boyfriend,” Pudding smiled wide. Tart blushed and a smirk eerily similar to Kish’s slid across his lips, “I guess.” Ichigo’s eyes flicked between Tart and Kish. “You two have been spending way too much time together. Your grin is way too close to Kish’s. And that’s not a compliment.” “And what’s that supposed to mean, Kitten?” Kish asked, sliding his eyes over to her. “Nothing,” she eeped and returned to her pizza.

Pudding scarfed down her slice. While licking her fingers, she asked, “So if some of our food made you sick, what did you eat while you were here?” “We brought some provisions from home, but Tart grew enough fruits and vegetables for the three of us.” Kish saw the wheels turning in Ichigo’s head.

“Stop thinking so hard, Kitten. Tart’s one of few with that ability, so still not enough to have helped with the food shortages. He made enough for us, but just enough. And it takes a lot of his energy. And I will admit we did steal some food to supplement our supplies.” “Kish!” Ichigo exclaimed. “What? We were invading, not like we were concerned about laws or behaving,” Kish shrugged.

“I suppose, but no more stealing. We’re on the same side now. Right?” Ichigo stared at Kish. She realized that while they had parted on decent terms and both Kish and Tart had mentioned being on her side, they hadn’t actually discussed any formal truce or alliance.

Kish smirked and licked some sauce from his long fingers. “Of course, Kitten. Earth no longer has any reason to fear us or our people. Not only were we welcomed as heroes, but after we explained everything and that it was you who gave us the Mew Aqua in the end, you Mews are also viewed as heroes back home.”

“What! But we…,” Ichigo trailed off as she looked around and lowered her voice. “But we killed your people’s god.” Shock was coursing through her. They had talked about his planet before the Mew Aqua, but not much after. She had been his planet’s greatest enemy and now they saw her as a hero. It just didn’t make sense. Not to mention one of his orders had been to specifically kill her.

Even without their connection, Kish could easily decipher the shock on Ichigo’s face. His eyes flicked between hers. He smirked, “Did I forget to mention that?”

Tart rolled his eyes. “Kish is right. You are perceived as heroes just like us. You did save our lives and gave us the Mew Aqua. If it weren’t for you, all three of us would be dead and our people would still be suffering. And though Deep Blue was a god to us, we managed to convince the council of his intent to destroy us as well if we had fully invaded.”

“But we were enemies!” Ichigo hissed. “How can they accept us as heroes so easily?” Tart and Kish locked eyes for a moment. Kish subtly shook his head, but Tart didn’t agree. “They deserve to know, Kish.” Kish glared at Tart but sighed. Kish’s eyes slid to Ichigo, all traces of his normal glitter of mischief were gone.

“Listen, Kitten. Yes, a majority of our people do see you as heroes, but there are a few who aren’t happy that you killed Deep Blue. He was supposed to be our savior and was worshiped on our planet. However, they are in the minority and keep their feelings hidden. We only know because we’ve been threatened a few times over the last four years. And sometimes a questionable request or document would cross our desks in council dealings. So, we’re pretty sure at least one council member is opposed to how things turned out. But it’s all anonymous so we’re not sure who.” ‘Though I have a few ideas,’ Kish thought to himself.

Kish leaned back in his chair. It bothered him to have to reveal that they could be in danger on his planet. And though he hated to admit it, Tart was right that the girls needed to know. Especially, if Ichigo would be returning with them. The thought of her in any kind of danger made it feel like a cold stone had dropped in his stomach. He licked his fang. He’d happily rip apart anyone who threatened or hurt his mate.

Kit purred in his mind and a soft warmth spread through him. His eyes snapped to Ichigo’s. She’d seen what he was thinking and was comforting him, reassuring him. His thoughts flicked back to what they’d said earlier. They were strong on their own, but together they were a force to be reckoned with.

“Will Ichigo be in danger when she goes back with you?” Pudding was unknowingly echoing Kish’s thoughts. Both Ichigo and Kish exchanged smirks. “I’ll be fine. If I can almost beat Kish, no one else stands a chance. Besides, Kish wouldn’t allow anyone close enough to even attempt to hurt me.” Kish grabbed another slice of pizza, “She’s absolutely right. And Pai and Tart have our backs too. Plus we have other friends that we trust should there be any problems. But I seriously doubt anyone would try anything drastic.”

Tart eyed Kish. Kish was downplaying everything and seemed too overly confident. The first year there had been actual riots and outrage over what they had reported. Most were happy when the Mew Aqua had once again made their planet habitable. More than that, it turned his home into a veritable paradise. But there were still many that weren’t thrilled that their god had been killed. Going so far as to accuse the three of them as traitors. Things were precarious that first year after their return. And though things had certainly calmed down, there was still the anonymous threats and dark whispers through the palace and military compounds. But so far no one had acted. Most likely due to Kish’s strength and status.

Sighing, “Kish is right. We’ll keep her safe if anything happens, which I doubt will.” “If you say so Taru-Taru. I’ll be very mad at you if you let anything happen to her or me.” Pudding smiled and wiggled in her chair. “Huh?!” “I want to come too!” “Pudding!” Ichigo shouted. “What about school and your brothers and sisters? Not to mention the dojo?” “I’ll just take a year off before going to college. I was thinking about it anyways to help full time at the dojo. And with my dad back, my brothers and sisters will be fine, even if I will miss them like crazy. But I want to be with Taru-Taru and see his home.”

Mouth wide, Tart gaped at Pudding. “Are you sure about this? I don’t know how long it might be before we could bring you back.” Tart was thrilled with the thought of having Pudding come home with him. But was also nervous at not only the danger she could be in, but also about how much trouble she could cause. She wasn’t exactly subtle and was still on the energetic side.

“Absolutely! I’ll be graduating high school in a couple of weeks so the timing couldn’t be better. And I know my father will understand. He can’t really complain since he left for so long.” Pudding was beaming. She’d been thinking about this nonstop since she found out Ichigo was going to leave with them. Plus, she’d only just gotten Taru-Taru back. There was no way she could let him leave without her.

“If you’re sure about this, then of course you can come. I’d be lying if I said it wouldn’t make me happy to bring you home with me and show you my planet. But are you really sure?” Tart was bright red as he thought of having Pudding with him in his home. That thought reminded him of something. “But if you do come, you girls will at least be together. Kish and I happen to live together.”

Ichigo interrupted, “No wonder you’re starting to act like him!” Pudding giggled, “Just don’t end up too much like him. I like you just the way you are. And I’m absolutely sure, Taru-Taru. This is gonna be so cool. Living with you two and Ichigo. It really will be like we’re family.”

Ichigo couldn’t help but smile as Pudding jumped out of her seat and wrapped Tart in a tight hug. It really would be nice having her with her on their planet. Like bringing a piece of home with her. She knew she’d never be alone with Kish at her side, but secretly she had been a tad apprehensive at the thought of being the only human on their planet. But with Pudding around, things would certainly be lively.

Kish reached for a third slice, “Yeah. Tart and I have a house together. After being here for so long and after all we went through, it was difficult to jump back into our old lives. I had already made the decision to move out of our family’s home almost as soon as we got back. Tart tagged along and, truth be told, I enjoyed the company. We both missed you girls terribly, so it worked out. And Pai lives just down the road from us.” He glanced at Pudding, his golden eyes sparkling, “And Pudding. No destroying our home with those tricks of yours. I remember how hyper and all over the place you can be.” He gave her a wink.

“Hey! I’ve gotten better! I told you I’m not quite so hyper anymore,” Pudding pouted and stuck out her tongue at Kish. Both Ichigo and Tart giggled as they reached for the last slice of pizza. “Go ahead,” Tart told Ichigo. “Nah, you take it. I don’t think I could finish a whole piece. Just wanted a few more bites,” she said eyeing the slice Kish was about to take a bite of. He rolled his eyes and took a bite before handing it to Ichigo. “Thanks, babe,” she said happily before taking a couple of bites and handing the rest back to him.” He grinned, “Only for you, Kitten.”

Ichigo was about to respond when a voice behind her made her freeze. “Ichigo? Is that you?” A feeling of dread and anger washed through her and she paled. Slowly, she turned her head to the source of the voice.

Masaya stood a few tables away looking at her intently with a soft smile. Before he could come closer, Ichigo stood, blocking his view of the others. “Wh… What are you doing here?” She tried to sound friendly, but she couldn’t quite keep all her nervousness and anger out of her voice. Masaya’s smile faltered just a fraction.

“Just got in last night. Have to pick up Elaine at the airport later tonight. So, I decided to come walk around here for a bit to stay awake. Still on England time. And though I’d rather walk the park, I was afraid I’d end up falling asleep on a bench. Didn’t think I’d run into you here, but it’s really nice to see you again.” He stepped forwards to give her a hug, but she stepped back, distancing herself.

Before Masaya could say something, someone had taken Ichigo’s hand and tugged her to their side, placing her slightly behind them. A cold, golden, glittering stare caught Masaya’s eye. “It can’t be,” he muttered under his breath. But the resemblance was uncanny. The black hair threaded with green. The paler than normal skin and the slightly long canines. But what clenched it were those gold eyes. Eyes that were glaring at him with hatred. “Kish?” he stammered.

Kish’s arm slid possessively around Ichigo’s waist, tucking her closer to his side. “What of it?” he said. His voice was low and full of challenge. “But how?” Masaya asked, not backing down. Then his eyes flicked between Ichigo and Kish. Seeing his arm around Ichigo and she wasn’t pulling away. In fact, she was pressing herself further into his side. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Something inside Ichigo snapped at those words. Stepping away from Kish, she snatched Masaya’s hand. “Outside, now. The both of you,” she hissed and started dragging Masaya to the closest exit. She knew Kish was right on her heels. She could feel his anger and a small shadow of jealousy roiling within him. Her own anger was bubbling to the surface. She had a serious bone to pick with her ex. And the tension between the three of them was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. She knew she needed to get them somewhere private before things escalated. And before Kish’s temper and possessiveness took control.

Pudding and Tart watched the trio leave and glanced at each other. “This can’t be good,” Tart whispered. “Nope,” Pudding agreed. Quickly, they cleaned up their table and hurried after the others.

Ichigo found a secluded side of the building away from any passersby. Dropping Masaya’s hand, she glared at him. “What the hell did that mean?” she snapped. Her ears and tail popped out as her anger broke free. She thanked her stars that she’d managed to keep it together until they made it somewhere private. Masaya stared at Ichigo in shock. He’d never seen her this angry before, at least not at him. “You’re… You’re with him?! But you hate him!” he shouted.

Her eyes narrowed and her tail flicked in agitation. “I never hated him. I hated what he was trying to do, but never him,” she growled low.

Kish stood off to the side of Ichigo where he could clearly see both her and Masaya. He leaned against the brick wall with his hands clasped tightly behind his head. His focus was so shattered, he’d dropped his glamor. He was itching to punch the bastard square in the jaw, or better yet, run his sais through him. His old hatred and jealousy towards Masaya was back in full force. But Ichigo had asked him to start trusting her more. So, he’d keep quiet for now. But he couldn’t hold back the smirk when Ichigo defended him. Even if his eyes were narrowed slits full of piercing rage.

Kish’s grin caught Masaya’s eye. “So, you’re not denying it? You’re really with him?” he snapped. His old possessiveness over Ichigo taking over. “Yes, I’m with him. He’s never lied to me. His love was real. Unlike yours! In fact, we happened to be getting married. And I love him dearly.”

Masaya recoiled and his eyes flicked to Kish’s, narrowing. “You told her?” he accused. Kish’s pupils became mere slits as he glared at Masaya and came to stand beside Ichigo. He shifted his arms and clasped his hands behind his back. “I didn’t have to. She saw my memory of after I was resurrected. Though I didn’t want her to because I knew how much it would hurt her. How much you hurt her.” Kish’s voice was low but piercing. Masaya’s hands clenched into white knuckled fists.

Tearing his eyes from Kish, Masaya looked at Ichigo. “I’m sorry Ichigo. You were never supposed to know. You were mine and I couldn’t risk you finding out. I couldn’t risk you doubting me. And I never wanted him to touch you. You’re mine. Not his.” Masaya didn’t even notice the slip in tense, but Kish sure as hell had. And he was livid. Red flashed through his eyes as he shifted his stance.

Ichigo felt Kish’s anger surge through him like a tidal wave. Her eyes caught the flash of silver behind his back as she glanced at him. “Put those away, mate.” Her smooth command momentarily cut through his rage and his eyes locked with hers. “You heard what he said,” he growled. “I know and he’s wrong. I’m yours, mate. I should never have been his. And I’ll never be again. Only yours. Now drop them.” Kish’s angry stare never left hers as he grit his teeth and dismissed his sais. “He says it again and I can’t promise I won’t break something.” She chose to ignore that comment for the time being and calmly stepped towards Masaya.

Just as Pudding and Tart finally located the three, a resounding crack split the air. The young couple watched on as Masaya lifted a hand to his red cheek.

“How dare you! I’m not yours! Not anymore! I don’t even know if I was ever actually yours or Deep Blue’s. And it doesn’t matter now because I am Kish’s. Whether you like it or not. He never gave up on me. Never let distance stop his feelings for me. You were in England and he was in another freaking galaxy and yet he never stopped loving me. Unlike you. You let the distance drive us apart. Let your hatred of me being a Mew come between us. While he always accepted who I was, who I still am. Even when we were fighting he respected who I was, even if he didn’t respect boundaries. Not once in over four years did he ever give up on me. Not even when you told him to leave and forget about me. He’s my mate and I will always choose him. It should have always been him.”

Kish’s seething anger completely vanished at his mate’s words. She had thoroughly shocked him. In fact, everyone stood staring at her in shock and awe. A fang slid over his lip as he saw the shock and hurt on the tree hugger’s face. A momentary flash of satisfaction shot through him. ‘Hurt’s to be so thoroughly rejected, doesn’t it bastard,’ he thought. ‘I hope you suffer like I did.’

Ichigo ignored both Kish’s thoughts and the hurt on Masaya’s face as she continued. Letting all her anger and heartbreak out. “And I can’t believe you! He sacrificed himself for me and you wouldn’t even let him say goodbye. Even with as possessive as Kish can be, he still lets me make my own choices. But you took that away from both him and I. I may not have felt for him back then as I do now, but not only did he not get to say goodbye, but I didn’t either. That hurt. I had to live with thinking he just left. That after everything we went through, that he just abandoned me. But it was because of you. I had to watch him die for me then he just disappeared from my life. I never got to thank him or say goodbye. Because of you!”

Masaya just stood there and stared at her. His mind was racing over everything Ichigo had said. Then something hit him like a bucket of ice water. He couldn’t believe it. There was no way. She’d never agree to something like that. Not with him. “Mates?” he asked coldly.

“Yes,” and without another word, Ichigo tugged aside Kish’s coat and her dress, revealing her mark to a stunned Masaya. “And because you taunted him with it, I know you know exactly what the significance of this is,” she said flatly.

Masaya’s cold, angry eyes slid to Kish’s. “Three years we were together and I never touched her. How long were you back before you forced yourself on her?”

Every drop of anger came rushing back at Kish in full force. His hands once again wrapped around the familiar cool metal of his sais. “Bastard,” his voice was somewhere between a low menacing growl and a hiss. Ichigo’s fiery voice cut through the air at his side. “What the hell is wrong with you? He didn’t force me. I chose to be with him.” Masaya’s eyes snapped back to Ichigo’s, “How long Ichigo? How long was he back before you let him into your bed?” Masaya’s voice was low and cold, and it sliced through Ichigo.

Masaya couldn’t seem to stop himself. Couldn’t seem to hold back his words. A coldness was coursing through him with his anger and, to an extent, jealousy. After all he’d done to keep them apart, Kish had still managed to claim her heart. He knew he was being cruel and completely out of character for him, but it was like something inside had snapped. Ichigo had slipped through his fingers and Kish, of all people, had taken his place.

A burning rage tore through Kish. A flash of red tinged his eyes as he stepped in front of Ichigo. Blocking her from the bastard. He could feel her pain at his words. Feel how scared and confused she was, even with her anger simmering over everything. And, for a second, he felt a flash of uncertainty flick through her. Uncertainty in just how quickly things had moved with them. A momentary worry that maybe she had jumped in too quickly. And it made his hatred towards Masaya double. That his mate was doubting herself and their bond. But then he felt her love and resolve hold steady in her heart. Any and all shadows of doubt immediately disappeared. She loved him with everything she had. It allowed him to take back some control, but just barely.

Stepping forwards, Kish dismissed one sai and twisted his hand in the front of Masaya’s shirt. Hoisting him up, he glared into Masaya’s eyes. His pupils narrowed and his golden eyes glittered dangerously. “That’s none of your goddamn business. She made her final choice, and this time it’s me.” He brought his sai up to Masaya’s throat, “Keep hurting her, and this time I will kill you.” Kish had lowered his voice so only he and Masaya had heard the final threat.

Fear shot through Masaya. He knew Kish meant every word. And with his fear, his anger and the strange coldness that had gripped him began to break. Clarity hit him as he realized what he’d done. He’d possibly hurt Ichigo irreparably. He didn’t know if he had any hope of fixing things, but he had to try.

Struggling against Kish’s hold, “Wait! I’m sorry.” He tried to look around Kish at Ichigo. “Ichigo, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me,” he begged. Ichigo came up beside Kish and placed a hand on his shoulder, “Kish.” Her voice was soft. Kish flicked his eyes over to her. Tears were trickling down her cheeks as she looked pleadingly at him. His need to comfort his mate overruled his gnawing anger. Sighing, he tossed Masaya to the ground and dismissed his other sai. Wrapping his arms protectively around Ichigo, he kept them turned so as not to put his back to Masaya. Gently, he tucked Ichigo’s head under his chin and held her close.

Masaya landed on his backside, hard. Bracing his hands behind him, he stared up at the couple. “Ichigo… I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean it. I swear. I just got so angry when I realized you were with him. And I don’t know why. I’m with someone else. So I don’t know why I got so mad and jealous.”

Ichigo turned within Kish’s embrace to face him. Kish’s hands slid down to grip her waist, standing protectively at her back. “It’s a left over from Deep Blue’s power.” Kish’s voice was cold and flat. Worry raced through Masaya. “But… But he’s dead,” he stuttered. Kish’s grip tightened on Ichigo. “Yes. But I can still feel lingering traces of his power in you. Ichigo was supposed to have been yours. For Deep Blue’s protection. Seeing her with me, especially knowing we’re mates, probably snapped the last of his power to the surface.”

Having Ichigo in his arms was doing wonders to soothe his anger. Kish could feel his arrogance and cockiness slowly returning as his burning rage subsided to a low simmering heat. “But it couldn’t have been all him. I loved Ichigo. I was willing to die for her so she could destroy Deep Blue,” Masaya pleaded as he finally got to his feet. Kish shrugged but narrowed his eyes, “Don’t know and don’t care. I did die for her.”

Ichigo’s own anger was dissipating as she took comfort in the warmth at her back from Kish. His protectiveness and familiar possessiveness calmed her. She looked at Masaya and felt sorry for him. He had been dragged into her world unknowingly. And while she truly had loved him at one point and did still care about him, she realized it was time to fully let go. Being around her would only cause him more trouble. She also knew, that while he would try for her, Kish would never be comfortable around Masaya. Masaya was a painful reminder to Kish, from his death, his cruel god, to being who had originally held her heart. She couldn’t do that to him.

Finally finding her voice, Ichigo’s hands gripped Kish’s tightly, taking strength from him. “I’m sorry too, Masaya. For everything. I don’t know if you ever truly loved me or if it was just Deep Blue. But I like to think that in the end it was you who loved me. And I doubt I could have defeated Deep Blue without your help. But now I think it’d be best if we went our separate ways. For all our sakes. Maybe in the future we can try to be friends again, but for now, I don’t think we should see or talk to one another.”

As pleased as Kish was to hear those words, he could also feel how hurt she was. Sucking in a breath, he forced himself to make the offer. “Kitten, you don’t have to do that for my sake. I know you still care,” he whispered into her cat ear. She smiled at how he was putting her first again, but she shook her head. “I think I need to do this.” He slid a hand up and cupped her cheek, “Then at least let him come to the wedding before you say goodbye for good. I know you wanted him there. And just maybe I’d like to rub it in a little.” His smirk slowly slid over his lips and his eyes shimmered as they held hers.

She knew what he was doing, and it worked. Her mood instantly brightened, and a real smile graced her features. He’d always been a master when it came to manipulating her emotions. “Cocky damn alien. If you’re sure you can keep your anger in check, then I really would like to have him there.” His smirk only grew, flashing his fang, “Only for you, Kitten.” Giving him a peck on the cheek, she turned back to Masaya.

“If you want and can control your anger, I’d,” Kish gave her waist a hard squeeze. “We’d,” she corrected, “like it if you came to our wedding. It’s in one month at the café. If things go well, then maybe, just maybe, we can remain friends. But I still think until then it would be best to keep our distance.”

Masaya’s eyes drifted between the pair. “I… Yeah. I’d like that,” he sighed. “Again, I’m sorry, Ichigo.” She gave him a soft smile, “It’s alright. I’m still mad, but I forgive you. I don’t think it was all your fault.” Kish threaded his fingers through Ichigo’s and pulled his glamor back on. His golden eyes were smug as they caught Masaya’s over Ichigo’s head. “Come on, Kitten. We still haven’t finished our date.” A momentary flash of irony hit Kish. It was usually him that interrupted Ichigo’s dates with Masaya, and now it was Masaya that had interrupted his date with her.

A small grin slid over Ichigo’s lips as she heard what Kish had thought. “If the situation were different, I’d almost say you deserved this.” Kish snickered at her internally, “And you’d probably be right.” “I’ll text you the wedding info when we get it all nailed down. Bye Masaya,” she said as she let Kish pull her towards the mall entrance. “Later, Ichigo,” he called.

Dusting himself off, Masaya was about to head back into the mall as well when a boy stopped him. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the boy threatened. Then Masaya noticed Pudding not too far behind him. Looking the boy up and down, it clicked, “Tart?” Tart only grinned. “You’re lucky Kish didn’t kill you. So, I’d let them be and just go home. You may not be so lucky again if Kish sees you so quickly after that.”

Masaya stood a little straighter, “Ichigo would never allow him.” “Don’t be so sure. She’s in his head just as much as he’s in hers since they mated. They understand one another on a whole other level. And nobody allows Kish to do anything. He chooses for himself. Even Ichigo knows that. He was the one that convinced Ichigo to let you stay in her life. Because he loves her. But don’t ever think for one moment you can hide behind her. You push him too far and he will kill you. And Ichigo won’t be able to stop him. And, honestly, I don’t think she would try.” Tart’s voice was soft yet threatening and it worried Masaya. Tart had always been a cocky yet playful brat. To hear him speak like this sent a shiver down his spine.

“Fine,” he spat. “Guess I’ll see you at the wedding. Tart, Pudding,” he nodded to each before heading home. Tart watched him for a moment longer to be sure he didn’t enter the mall. He felt Pudding’s hand slip into his.

“Would Kish really kill him?” she whispered. “I don’t know, but probably. Kish holds a lot of hatred for him. Not only did he kill him as Deep Blue, but he also tortured him when Kish started to turn on him for Ichigo. Kept him locked in isolation and messed with his mind. Tried to convince him to kill Ichigo. But his love for her kept him sane and holding onto hope. Even as the Blue Knight, he tore Kish apart. On top of that, Ichigo initially loved Masaya, which broke his heart.”

Tart pulled Pudding close, “Don’t repeat any of that though. I know how your mouth can run away with you, Pudding. I only know because of my empathic abilities. I know Kish wouldn’t be happy about me speaking about what happened to him. Though I know what I said to Masaya, Ichigo could probably keep him in check. He would never do anything to jeopardize her happiness. But if the opportunity arose, I don’t think Kish would hold back.”

Pudding wrapped her arms around Tart’s waist, “Though I believe you. I also think you’re wrong. Kish has changed. He’s now much more in control and Ichigo helps keep him balanced.” “True. But you don’t understand the power of mating. He’ll want to eliminate any threat to Ichigo. And because he’s always been super protective and possessive over her, it’s only gotten worse. Let’s just hope Masaya’s not an idiot and steers clear of Kish and especially Ichigo.”

“Agreed. Now let’s go Taru-Taru. We also have a date to get back to. And I’m sure they’re wondering where we are,” Pudding smiled as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the mall.

Kish and Ichigo were waiting for them just inside the door. “What kept you two?” Ichigo asked impatiently. “Oh, umm… Well… I was talking to Taru-Taru, and we ended up kissing. Sorry…,” Pudding trailed off. Kish eyed her up and down. He could smell the lie, but let it go as he twined a hand in Ichigo’s. “So where to first?” he asked.

Pudding looked around, “There! Come on Ichigo. Time to keep your deal!” Pudding grabbed Ichigo’s hand and rushed her over to the clothing store. Ichigo smiled and let Pudding drag her along. Desperately wanting to put the previous encounter out of her mind and enjoy her time with her friends and love. The boys followed behind, smiling at the antics of the two girls.

An hour or so later, the boys found themselves sitting on a bench with several bags between them as they waited for the girls to come out of what felt like the twentieth store they’d been in. In reality, it was the fifth. Ichigo poked her head out, and when she saw the boys, she beckoned Kish over. “Hey Kish, could you come here a second? Tart, watch the bags.” As Kish stood, Tart glared at her. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Old Hag,” he said crossing his arms. “Please?” Ichigo asked sweetly. “Oh, fine.” “Thanks, Brat.”

“What ya need, Kitten?” Kish asked looking from her to around the store. Ichigo took his hand and pulled him back near the changing rooms. “We need a guy’s opinion. Pudding wanted something to make Tart drool. You’re a guy and know him better than us. So, I was hoping you could help us pick something out for her that he would like.” Kish chuckled, “She could probably wear anything, and he’d still drool over her. But I’d be glad to help.”

Kish tapped his fingers to his chin. “Well, his favorite color is red, followed by yellow for obvious reasons,” he winked. “And other than Pudding, the only time I’ve ever even seen him look at another girl, they were wearing a short skirt. Pretty sure he’s got a thing for legs. But other than that, he doesn’t like a lot of skin. He doesn’t like them looking… What’s the word?” he trailed off. Ichigo giggled, “Slutty?” Kish laughed, “Yeah. That’s it. He likes cute and modest on the top with lots of leg.”

Ichigo snapped her fingers, “I got it! I know just the outfit. Stay here.” She ran off and slipped into the changing room with Pudding. A few moments later she came out with a blushing Pudding close behind. Pudding was wearing a Chinese inspired mini dress. It had the traditional high collar that wrapped her throat and was a deep shimmering ruby. The sleeves were long, coming to her wrists. But the dress only hit her mid-thigh. It was formfitting, but not overly tight. A long sinewy black Chinese dragon coiled around the bottom. A pair of low strappy black heels completed the outfit.

Kish’s jaw dropped. He’d never seen Pudding looking so… Well, hot. “Damn, Pudding. You’re going to give Tart a heart attack when he sees you in that. It’s perfect.” Pudding blushed deeply and tugged down on the short dress. “You really think Taru-Taru will like it? Or that it’s not too much?” Ichigo laughed, “You’re gorgeous in it. Any man would be dying to have you on their arm wearing that.” “She’s absolutely right,” Kish added. Ichigo crossed her arms, “Oh really?” Kish chuckled awkwardly, “You know I only have eyes for you, Kitten.” Ichigo grinned and gave Kish a peck on the cheek. “I know, I was only teasing. Now stay right there, just one more.”

Ichigo and Pudding disappeared into the dressing room again. Kish crossed his arms behind his head while he waited and tried to keep his feet on the floor. When the girls returned, he grinned. “I’d say you’ve nailed his tastes,” he winked. This time Pudding was in a soft yellow flowy blouse. It had a square neckline that only showed her collar bones. The sleeves were short but also flowy. The hem around the bottom and collar were red and she wore a fluttering red skirt that ended just above her knees. Pudding did a twirl and the skirt flared out around her. Underneath were small black shorts so there was no worry of flashing anyone.

“You look cute, and I know Tart’s gonna love it,” Kish said smiling. “Thanks,” Pudding blushed but smiled wide. “Thanks for the help, love. Now shoo and send in Tart.” Kish quickly wrapped his arm around Ichigo’s waist and pulled her flush to his body. After stealing a quick kiss, he released her. He couldn’t help but chuckle at her surprised face and the light pink that dusted her cheeks. “Nope. Never going to tire of stealing kisses from you,” he smiled, licking his lips. Ichigo clenched her fists at her sides. “Kish…,” she pouted. Kish’s chuckle could be heard through the store as he walked out.

Spinning on her toes, Ichigo shoved Pudding into the dressing room when she saw Tart coming their way. “What you want now, Old Hag?” Tart grumbled. “I was hoping to get your opinion, Brat,” she snapped. She was still a bit flustered from Kish’s quick kiss. “About what?” Tart asked, softening his voice. It actually thrilled him that Ichigo wanted his input on something. “Well, Pudding and I were hoping to convince you boys to take us on a nice date Saturday night after work and I wanted to see what you thought of the dress I picked out. If you think Kish would like it,” she stuttered as she twisted her hands in front of her.

Tart rolled his eyes. “You already know Kish will be thrilled to take you out. And I guess I’d like to take Pudding out as well,” he finished with a blush. Just then, Pudding came out of the dressing room and threw her arms around Tart’s neck.

“Really? You’ll take me out somewhere nice, Taru-Taru?” His blush only deepened as he gently pushed her off him. “Yeah…” Pudding squealed, “You’re the best Taru-Taru!” “Gah, whatever. Now go change, Old Hag and I’ll tell ya if Kish will like it,” he said, trying to change the subject.

When Ichigo returned, both Tart and Pudding gaped at her. She was in a deep, emerald green dress that was backless, coming to just above the swell of her rear. The halter top style of the front left her arms and shoulders bare as well. The two straps came over her breasts and met at her throat in a choker like collar. The center plunged low between her breasts, revealing a long trail of skin. It was asymmetrical. The right side, long and flowing, came to mid-calf, while the left ended just above her knee. It was tight and showed off all her curves.

“Well, what do you think?” she asked nervously. “I don’t think Kish is going to be able to keep his hands off you when he sees you in that. Not that he does anyways,” Tart said with pink cheeks. Ichigo giggled, “Thanks, Brat.” “You look amazing, Ichigo! Wait, one sec,” Pudding exclaimed as she ran off. She returned with a pair of incredibly high silver heels.

Slipping into them, Ichigo wobbled for a second then found her balance. ‘Thank God for cat agility,’ she thought to herself. Though they were high, they were oddly comfortable. She spun around for them. “Perfect!” Pudding announced. “Kish is going to lose his mind! Oh! One more thing,” Pudding yelled as she retrieved Kish’s coat and slipped it over Ichigo’s arms. “Now the look is complete. And just wow!” Tart had to agree. “Wow is right.” “Thanks, you guys.”

Once Ichigo had changed and paid for all the outfits, they went to rejoin Kish. Tart grinned when he caught Kish’s eye. “You’re in for a serious surprise Saturday night. Apparently, we get to take the girls out on a fancy date.” He didn’t know whether to grumble or smile at the thought. But after seeing Ichigo’s dress, he could only imagine how amazing Pudding was going to look. “Do we now?” smirked Kish. Kish snatched Ichigo’s hand and pulled the surprised girl into his lap.

“What’s this about a fancy date on Saturday? Hmm? I don’t recall asking you out,” he teased. “And here I thought you’d enjoy showing me off. But if not, then maybe I’ll just tag along with Pudding and Tart by myself.” She teased as she struggled to get off his lap. Kish’s arms tightened, keeping her in place. He brought his lips to her ear, “It would be my pleasure to take you out, Kitten.” His voice was a soft growl.

Ichigo blushed and pushed on his chest, finally managing to slip from his grasp. “Then it’s settled. You boys get to take us somewhere nice. And we’ll let you decide where. I’m sure Ryou, Keiichiro, or Lettuce can help you guys with some suggestions,” she winked.

Kish glanced at Tart, an idea quickly forming. Grabbing up half the bags, he handed a couple to Tart. “Come on, twerp. We’ll meet you girls back at the food court in about an hour. Tart and I have some things to pick up.” Ichigo eyed Kish suspiciously. “Like what?” “That’s a surprise,” he winked. “See you girls in a bit,” he said, tugging Tart along after him.

“I wonder what he’s up to?” Ichigo thought aloud. “With Kish, it could be anything. Want to follow them and find out?” Pudding asked with a playful grin. “As much as I want to, let’s let them have their secrets. After all, we have our own surprises for them,” she grinned slyly.

Tart whined, “Where are we going?” “Well, if Ichigo’s dress is even half as good looking as Pudding’s then we need to find something nice for us to wear to take them out.” Kish winked as a devilish smirk slid across his face. Thankfully, with their abilities, they could create whatever they needed so they had plenty of money to buy what they wanted. But they still needed to find something. Tart shrugged, “I guess you’re right.”

“I’ll tell you about Pudding’s dress if you’ll tell me about Kitten’s,” Kish said teasingly. Though he really did want to know. “Oh, no. I don’t want to ruin Pudding’s surprise. Besides, I’m not dumb enough to piss off Ichigo,” Tart said with his hands raised. Kish pouted, “Wimp.”

They stopped in front of a men’s clothing store. “This looks like a good place to start,” Tart said, eying the mannequins in the window. Kish nodded and stepping inside, they quickly found the dressier section. Kish immediately saw something that caught his eye. It was a slim fitting, long sleeve, black button down, but the buttons, the inside, and the cuffs were dark green.

Watching Kish thumb through the clothes to find his size, Tart finally asked, “How do you know what the girl’s would think of as dressy for us?” Kish chuckled darkly, “Interrupted enough of Kitten’s dates with that tree hugger to have a pretty good idea.” “You really were horrible,” Tart smirked. Kish glanced at Tart, “Kitten’s right. You really are starting to act like me.” He shrugged, “Hated the guy and she was mine, she just didn’t realize it yet.”

Throwing what he picked up over his arm, including a pair of black dress pants, Kish turned to Tart and eyed him up and down. “Now for you. Seen anything?” Tart shrugged, “I umm… I have no idea what to look for.” Kish grinned, “Good thing I’m here then.” Tart rolled his eyes. Spinning back to the clothes rack, Kish flicked his eyes between Tart and the clothes. Finally, he spotted something. It was a deep red polo shirt and a pair of dark blue slacks. “Here,” he said handing the clothes to Tart. “Let’s go try them on.” Tart grumbled but followed Kish to the changing rooms.

When Tart came out, he saw Kish leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. Kish grinned in pride, “Yup. Pudding’s gonna love that.” Blushing, “Really?” “No doubt,” Kish winked. Rocking on his toes, “What about me? Think Kitten will be impressed?” ‘Not half as impressed as you’re gonna be,’ Tart thought to himself. Tart nodded, “I’m probably going to end up in a sneezing fit when you two see each other.” Kish broke out into a fit of laughter. Slapping his hand on Tart’s shoulder, “Told you to get used to it. Let’s change and pay. There’s one more place I want to check out before we meet up with the girls.”

Walking to the register, Tart asked, “How are you going to pay? We promised we weren’t going to steal anymore.” “Got it covered,” Kish said smirking. Glancing around, he held his hand out between them. With a snap of his fingers, a stack of money appeared in his hand. He’d seen the money Ichigo had used earlier so he could easily recreate it. “Don’t let Ichigo catch you doing that, it will probably make her mad.” Kish shrugged, “Eh. She’ll get over it. Not like I’m going to have to do this all the time.”

“Where else did you want to go?” Tart asked as they left the store. “I promised I’d get Kitten a ring. I wanted to see what engagement rings looked like.” “What’s an engagement ring?” Tart asked curiously. “It’s an Earth custom. When you ask someone to be your wife, you’re supposed to give them an engagement ring. According to her, it’s to show they belong to someone. Kind of like our mate marks.” “Weird,” Tart muttered. “Maybe, but I promised. And with her mark usually covered, this will be something that easily shows the human males that she belongs to me,” Kish said smirking evilly. “How about over there?” Tart asked, pointing at a very high class jewelry store. “Perfect,” Kish grinned.

Stepping inside, the two were greeted by a man in a suit. Bowing, the man asked, “How can I help you gentlemen?” Taking in the man’s appearance and the high class feeling of the store, Kish pulled on the act that he used when dealing with the aristocracy back home. Standing straighter, he gave a slight bow. “Evening, sir. I was hoping to get some ideas for an engagement ring for my fiancé. Though I plan on designing it myself, I wanted to see some styles.” The sales attendant smiled wide, “Congratulations, sir. Come right this way. We have an excellent selection of engagement and wedding rings.” “Thank you,” Kish said, following the man to a counter display case containing many beautiful rings in all kinds of styles and colors.

Gesturing to the case, “See anything that catches your eye?” Kish looked over the rings. One in particular caught his attention. It was a large diamond set in rose gold with two pink diamonds on either side. “That one,” he tapped the glass. Retrieving the ring, the sales rep placed it on a piece of black felt cloth. “Very good choice, sir. A beautiful ring for a beautiful lady, I’m sure.” He pulled out another simple rose gold band and placed it next to the other ring. “And here’s the matching wedding band.” Mind working rapidly, Kish took a moment to think through what a wedding ring was. Then it clicked. The engagement ring was to show a girl was getting married, while the wedding ring was to show they were married.

Picking up the engagement ring, Kish let the pads of his fingers explore the gems and the metal. He memorized the materials so he could easily recreate them later. A large smile lit up Kish’s face. “Yes. I think my fiancé would adore something like this as apposed to the gold or silver rings.” He carefully placed the ring back down. “Rose gold is very popular with the young ladies,” the attendant said. “That’s a one karat diamond and half karat pink diamonds. But we have cheaper or more expensive options,” he said eyeing Kish up and down. “And a wonderful design team to make anything to give your girl a special one of a kind ring.”

Kish waved his hand nonchalantly, “That won’t be necessary. Money is no concern. And as I’ve said, I plan to design the ring myself. I just needed to get a feel for some ideas. Thank you very much for your time.” Kish gave another slight bow and was about to turn to the exit. The attendant quickly got his attention after hearing that money wasn’t a concern. He didn’t want to lose a potentially high paying customer. “Are you sure there’s nothing here that I could show you?” Kish internally rolled his eyes. The man reminded him of the greedy aristocrats back home. Making a last ditch effort to get Kish to agree to something.

Giving the attendant a dazzling, yet completely fake smile, “I’ll think about it and I may come back. Again, thank you.” Kish had no intention of ever coming back, but the greedy human smiled wide. “ A pleasure to be of service. Here’s my card. Ask for me when you return,” he said handing Kish his business card. Taking it, Kish didn’t even bother to look at it as he slipped it in his pocket. “I certainly will.”

Once they were out of the store, Kish relaxed to his old self. “I still find it creepy when you do that,” said Tart. “Comes with the territory,” Kish shrugged. “You wouldn’t be so ignored at the banquets and balls if you could put on the act as well.” “No thanks. I prefer being left alone.” Kish chuckled, “While I do enjoy the attention, I will admit dealing with people like him does get tiring. But it’s a good way to gain information. People let their guard down when they think you’re one of them.” “Still don’t think I can pull off the act like you and Pai can,” Tart muttered. “Enjoy it while you can, twerp. When you get older, you won’t have a choice.” Tart knew Kish was probably right, but he knew he’d never like it or be good at it.

“So what do you want to do while we wait for the boys?” asked Pudding as she bounced on her toes. “Well, I kind of want to get Kish a gift. He’s made me so happy since he came back. But I have no idea what to get him.” Pudding giggled, “That’s so cute. And you already gave him the best gift. You!” she teased. “That actually gives me an idea! Thanks Pudding.” Ichigo grabbed Pudding’s hand and pulled her down the mall.

“I think Kish’s perversion is starting to rub off on you,” Pudding teased while blushing as they entered the lingerie store. “Maybe a little,” Ichigo admitted. Ichigo couldn’t help but blush as well as she looked through the lacey things. “What’s it like?” Pudding asked softly. “Hmm? What’s what like?” Pudding looked around to make sure no one was listening in, “Having sex.” Ichigo froze and turned bright red. “Pudding!” she yelled in a hushed whisper. “What? I know you and Kish have done it. Tart explained about how you have the mate marks. So… What’s it like?” Ichigo stared at Pudding. She wasn’t surprised Pudding was interested, but she was surprised at how direct she was being.

Blushing scarlet, she finally answered. “It hurt the first time, but not for long. And well… It’s amazing!” she gushed. “He always puts me first and seems to know exactly what he’s doing. And that tongue of his. God, Pudding. It makes me weak in the knees just thinking about it.” She couldn’t seem to stop herself. Thinking about her and Kish put her on cloud nine. “So, you’ve done it more than once?”

Ichigo only nodded. “And with us being mated, it makes it even better. We have this mental connection. If I concentrate, I can feel what he’s feeling and vice versa, as well as read each other’s thoughts. It can make things intense,” she said dreamily. “Wow! He can read your mind? Doesn’t that get too personal? I mean what if you think something you don’t want him to know?” “We can still keep things private when we want to. And we trust and respect one another not to pry too deep. But yeah, he’s usually in my head like I’m in his.”

After a moment or two, Pudding finally spoke again. “It really feels that good? Because I’ve been thinking about it with Taru-Taru,” she said softly, pink spreading across her cheeks. Ichigo caught Pudding’s eyes. “Listen, if you want to go all the way with Tart, I won’t stop you. But be sure it’s what you really want. And be sure to talk with him first. I know it can be embarrassing, but mating is a big deal. For Tart it will be like getting married. I probably shouldn’t say this, but you’re like my sister and he’s like a brother now. But I know he wants to start the mate bonding process with you. You’re his chosen. But I also know he’s willing to wait until you’re ready.”

Pudding’s eyes got wide, “Really? He’s chosen me?” Ichigo nodded. “But there’s no rush. This is a huge decision. For both of you.” “I want to. I really do. But what if someone else comes along? I mean I love him, but I’m only sixteen. I’m not sure I’m ready for that kind of commitment.” “Then tell him that. He’ll understand. He’s a kind boy, he won’t push or rush you. And I know I shouldn’t tell you this, but if you tell him first, you can sleep with him without starting the mating process. Just remember, that to him, you’re the one. So don’t take it lightly. I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”

“Thanks, Ichigo. I promise I’ll take it seriously. I don’t want to hurt Taru-Taru either. And as much as I want to sleep with him, I’m not sure if I’m ready. And, by the way, that’s the one,” Pudding pointed to a very sexy number a few hangers away. It was an emerald green lace babydoll chemise. A small pink bow connected the breasts but plunged low to the belly button, leaving a line of skin bare. Another layer of pink lace was under the green on the breasts in the pattern of roses. A fine pink strap ran over the top curve of the breasts, framing them, and meeting up with the green shoulder straps. Starting just under the ribs, a pale pink sheer skirt came just past the hips. A green thong completed the set.

“Ah! Pudding, it’s perfect! Kish is totally going to lose his mind when he sees me in this.” Ichigo was smiling wickedly as she searched for her size. Finding it, she quickly made her way to the register. The girl behind the counter smiled, “You’re going to make someone’s night with this.” Ichigo flushed red. “I hope so,” she whispered. “No doubt about it, hon. He’ll be eating out of the palm of your hand.” Ichigo giggled as she handed over her money. “Special occasion?” the girl asked handing Ichigo her change and wrapping the chemise in tissue paper. “Kind of. We got engaged yesterday.” Handing Ichigo the bag, “Well congratulations. I know he's going to love it. Have fun, sweetie.” She gave her a wink. “Thanks,” Ichigo said as she and Pudding made their way to the exit.

“Why don’t we head to the food court and wait for the boys? I’m sure they’ll be along soon.” “Sounds good, Ichigo,” Pudding said, skipping along beside her.

Not long after, the boys found the girls chattering at a table. “Miss me?” Kish asked as he set their bags down beside an empty chair. “Always,” grinned Ichigo. A smirk slid across Kish’s lips. Coming up behind Ichigo, he leaned over her and slid his arms around her shoulders. His lips found that sensitive spot right behind her ear.

“Kish…,” she hissed as her hands settled on his arms. A sharp fang pricked her ear and she squeaked. Swatting him away, she glared at him, “You’re terrible.” Though she couldn’t help the upturn at the corner of her lips. Kish chuckled, “You love it.”

“So, we ready to head back?” Tart asked, disrupting the two lovers. “Wait! Think we could get some ice cream first?” Pudding asked, bouncing in her chair. “Great idea! You guys stay and watch our stuff, we’ll be right back.” Ichigo eyed Kish as he sat down, “And no peeking in the bags.” Kish’s foot froze where it was trying to pull one of her bags closer to him. Kish slouched in his chair and crossed his arms behind his head, “You’re no fun, Kitten.” Ichigo rolled her eyes and left with Pudding.

As soon as she was gone, Kish began reaching for her bags. “I mean it, Kish. Leave them alone.” “I wasn’t doing anything,” he pouted. “Uh-huh. And I’m the queen of Cynicla. I know you. Now leave them alone. It will be worth the wait, I promise.” Kish sighed, but gave in, “Fine. But don’t be too long.”

The girls returned with a cup of ice cream for each of them. Ichigo placed one in front of Kish before sitting down and Pudding did the same for Tart. “What is it?” Kish asked picking up his spoon. “It’s a cold sweet treat. I got you strawberry,” she winked.

Hesitantly, Kish took a bite. “Cold!” he shouted. “But delicious.” “Though, not as delicious as my strawberry.” Ichigo blushed, “Shut it, pervert.” “What flavor did you get?” he asked, eyeing her ice cream. “Coffee with marshmallows.” Before she could say anything, Kish had swiped some of hers with his spoon. “Good, but I like mine better,” he smirked.

“What did you two get?” he asked Pudding and Tart. “I got chocolate chip cookie dough and I got Taru-Taru double chocolate chocolate chip. He always loved the chocolates I made,” Pudding grinned happily. Tart dug into his. “Oh wow! This is awesome! Thanks, Pudding.” “You’re welcome. I knew you’d like it.” Copying Kish, Tart stole a bite of Pudding’s. “That’s good too. Tastes like cookies.” Pudding giggled, “Yup!”

“See, you do know me better than you thought,” Kish teased. Ichigo rolled her eyes, “About the small stuff, sure.” She paused to lick her spoon. Kish’s eyes flicked to her tongue and licked his lips. Realizing what held his attention, Ichigo teasingly licked the rest of her ice cream off her spoon. Kish’s eyes darkened slightly, and his pupils widened. “Tease,” he muttered before taking another bite of his own. Ichigo smirked, “Payback for the fangs earlier.”

“Speaking of which, I know you won our duel, but let me have tonight? I promise you won’t be disappointed,” she pleaded. Golden eyes glittered dangerously as they caught hers. “You could never disappoint me, Kitten. And anything for you. But this comes at a price,” he grinned wickedly, the tip of his tongue sliding over his fang.

“That is?” she asked nervously. “You leave that red door unlocked so I can sift through your memories when I please.” Ichigo’s eyes widened. “Don’t worry, Kitten. I’ll let you keep your thoughts mostly to yourself. Even I’m not that possessive. In return, I’ll do the same. However, there are still some memories that I’m not ready for you to see yet. So if I feel you poking around those, I’ll stop you and you better respect my wishes. Deal?”

Ichigo stared into his deep golden eyes as she thought about it. He promised to let her keep her thoughts to herself. What harm could this be? Besides, it wasn’t like she was hiding anything from him. And if he asked about anything, she’d tell him anyway. But she was still hesitant. This was her innermost private mind. Did she trust him enough to allow him full access? The answer came quickly. “Deal.” Without hesitation, she released the lock on the door.

A wicked grin crossed Kish’s face and his golden eyes flashed in the bright mall lights. Carefully, Kish rearranged his shields so that only Ichigo had access to his inner mind. Tart was slightly telepathic with him, so he didn’t want to leave himself open to him. Though he doubted Tart would ever go looking, but it was in Kish’s nature to keep himself locked away.

Which was something else that had always shocked Kish about him and Ichigo. Somehow, Ichigo had always managed to get him to reveal things that he would of otherwise never have said. From being so blatant and demanding about how he felt about her, revealing secrets about their planet life, to warning her about Deep Blue. And all while they had been enemies. He normally kept everything tight to the chest. It kept people guessing and, he’ll admit, he loved watching people squirm. With Ichigo it was different. Sure, he still loved frustrating her to no end, but it was like he couldn’t hold back what he was feeling or what he wanted with her.

A gasp escaped Ichigo and she suddenly found all eyes on her. Quickly, she waved a hand, “Sorry, brain freeze.” It wasn’t a total lie, which would hopefully keep the Cyniclon’s from noticing. Her brain was frozen at the moment, just not in the way she knew the others had taken it.

No, her mind was momentarily frozen as she was granted unrestrained access to Kish’s mind. And with his shields down and the door unlocked, she didn’t even have to fully enter his mind to sift through anything. It was all laid bare at her fingertips. As soon as the door unlocked, Kit had slipped through and had curled up on the computer console behind that door. Kit was feeding her any information she focused on. And it was a lot to take in.

Kish smirked at her, “Clever, Kitten. I can see that lie and yet even I can’t scent it.” “Oh, hush. I had to say something.” “And I see Kit’s already made a new home for herself,” internally Kish ran a hand over Kit’s ears. ‘Well, that’s new,’ she thought. It was like she could feel the ghost of his touch on her ears though they weren’t even out. Kish’s chuckle reverberated through her mind, “Told you. She’s a part of you.” He scratched behind one of Kit’s ears and Ichigo had to will herself to keep from purring.

“Would you quit it? At least while we’re in public,” she pouted. Kish shot her a grin and internally scratched under Kit’s chin. “For now,” he teased and withdrew his hand. “Thank you. Oh and before I forget, no peeking at my thoughts about tonight or what I’m wearing Saturday night. I want to surprise you.” Kish pouted slightly, “You have my word, Kitten. Your mind is your own. I won’t go actively looking for things I can feel you want to keep private.” “Thanks, love.” “Anything for you, Kitten.”

Withdrawing from Kish, Ichigo refocused on the rest around her. Tart shot her a knowing look. He recognized the far off look on her face as she spoke to Kish telepathically. It happened to most who weren’t used to splitting their focus. Ichigo gave him a weak smile, “Sorry.” She hadn’t realized she had thought it at him until his eyebrows shot up. “Heard,” was all Ichigo understood in return. Kish was right. Even with her, Tart’s telepathy was weak and broken.

Kish snapped his attention to Tart. “Well, isn’t this an interesting development. You really do see her as a sister, don’t ya, twerp?” Kish prodded. “Yeah… Know?” Tart asked. Though it was broken, Kish easily understood. He was used to filling in the gaps with Tart. “I’m in her mind. I heard you as well. And I’m warning you now, she doesn’t know how to shield properly, so stay out of her head. Or I will beat your ass. As soon as we get home, I’ll have her work with Pai. She’s too open and anyone could take advantage if they went looking.” “Promise,” Tart said sincerely.

“Am I really that vulnerable?” Ichigo asked Kish nervously. “Yes. Though for now it’s fine. Tart and I are the only ones around with telepathic abilities. But it will be different when we go home. There are many there that could easily read your mind. But don’t worry, Kitten. I’ll help and Pai will be able to train you so you can easily shield everyone else out. There’s too much in your head that none of us want getting out. And I don’t mean personal things. There are those that would use information you have about Earth, us, and Deep Blue to further their agendas. It’s too dangerous.”

Kish sighed. He was going to have to work hard with her before they went back. Too many people could slip past her weak defenses. And she held too much information that he didn’t want to get out. The knowledge that Deep Blue’s host still lived, for one. They had purposely left that detail out in their reports. Better to squash all hope for possibly reviving that bastard. Not to mention his early betrayal because he had fallen for her so early in his mission. It would cause too many questions. Thankfully, Pai and Tart were on his side and kept him protected. After all, other than holding back, he hadn’t really betrayed anything until the very end. But again, it would bring up too many questions that he would have a hard time answering.

“Sorry,” she squeaked. “It’s alright, Kitten. It’s not your fault.” Kish slid his hand over and laced his fingers through hers. A thought struck Ichigo, “What about Pudding?” Kish shook his head, “She’s fine. She has no telepathic abilities. Until she bonds with Tart, she’ll be fine. Someone would have to brute force their way into her mind which would alert her and be too obvious. They wouldn’t risk it.” “What about Pai? He could read her mind.” “Though we were enemies, we still had a relationship with all of you. After fighting you all for so long, we came to know you. So, there was some familiarity there. It would take a while for anyone back home to develop that sort of connection and by then Pai would have strengthened her mental shields as well. Though speaking of Pudding… Bragging about my tongue, hmm?”

“Kish! That was a private conversation!” she hissed. “Sorry, Kitten. Didn’t mean to see it. You were thinking about Pudding so it came up. But don’t worry, I’m not upset. Flattered actually,” he winked.

Ichigo shook her head. He was terrible. She sighed. Though she still held some worries, Kish’s reassurance helped Ichigo relax. They still had over a month to figure things out. And now with full access to Kish’s mind, she could seek out answers whenever she wished. For now, she would enjoy their time because she had a feeling things would be very different when they arrived on his planet.
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Lock and Key