AN- My first TMM fic! This is based off of the manga and is in no way related to the events of the anime. In my opinion, the fact that Ryou didn't kiss Ichigo was so stupid!! After all, he said it was for an experiment, she was leaning into it… Why didn't he kiss her?! So, this is my version of what should have happened but didn't.

Disclaimer-I don't own TMM, 'cause if I did, Ichigo wouldn't end up with Masaya. I don't have anything against him, really. I just have something against them together. Enjoy the story!

He didn't know why he had just said what he did. After all, he knew for a fact that Ichigo only turned into a cat when she got super excited, not when she got kissed. Of course, she didn't know that…

Okay, so maybe he did know why he asked her to kiss him. It was because, try as he might, he couldn't deny that deep down, he had feelings for the young neko-girl.

He knew that it was probably wrong of him to feel this way, and it was definitely wrong to take advantage of the unsuspecting girl. She was three years younger than he was, (1) and while that wouldn't be such a problem like ten years from now, he knew that it was more than slightly wrong for a sixteen year-old high school student to want a thirteen year-old grade school student like he did.

He also knew that while she was deeply in love with that punk, Masaya, she occasionally questioned her feelings for him, wondering just how platonic they really were. He could easily admit to himself- but no one else- that his feelings for her had always been anything but platonic since the moment they had met.

He could see her pondering over his question, searching for some hidden meaning as he started leaning in. He could see the wheels turning in her head frantically. He bet he knew just what she was thinking as she slowly started to lean in as well. He said it was just for an experiment, to see if I turn into a cat when I get kissed, or if it's something else. And if it's just an experiment, it doesn't really mean anything, right? So if it doesn't mean anything, then it wouldn't cause any trouble or harm if I responded, right? Of course…

He should stop. He knows he should, he knows what they're doing is wrong. But she's just so damn close to him now, and he knows he's starting to lose control.

He can feel and see his hand ghosting across her cheek in a gentle caress, but he doesn't remember his brain telling him to do that. He can feel her breath on his mouth as he leans closer still, and their noses touch. He can feel her heart beating 

against his chest rapidly as he presses up against her. He knows his heart is beating just as wildly, perhaps even more so.

He can see her gazing at him through half-lidded eyes, actual want and need showing through. And that makes him want and need her all the more.

Their lips are barely brushing while he murmurs sweet nothings to her. Things he shouldn't really be saying, such as how beautiful she is or how much he cares for her and wants her. Knowing that he's talking more than mentally though, scares him. For he's not supposed to think of her that way. He doesn't want anyone defiling her by thinking of her that way. Besides, why go to all this trouble, say those kinds of things, if, when it was all over, she would just think of it as an experiment?

He finds himself thinking of her relationship with Kish, and knows why the alien doesn't stand a chance. Kish always came on far too strong, and it drove Ichigo away. Not to mention being her enemy didn't help his status with her, either.

He finds himself next thinking about the past, and how before he met her, he hadn't even believed in love. But now he knew better. He knew just how important love was, and also knew how much it would hurt him when she didn't return his feelings. That was why he would never tell her. It wasn't really fear of rejection, though. After all, when you love someone, all you want is their happiness, and nothing else matters. And he knew how much it would hurt her to have to hurt him like that, because she cared so deeply for all her friends. He knew that to her, a friend was all he'd ever be.

He wonders if Kish really knew what love was before he met Ichigo. He actually felt a little sorry for the alien, knowing that while at least he got friendship, Kish got nothing but pure hatred. But maybe it would be better to be hated, he ponders. Perhaps all the alone time would give Kish the opportunity to truly get over Ichigo, while he had to deal with knowing that as long as he was friends with her, he would always love her. He decides that perhaps Kish is luckier than he is, after all.

He knows that after the 'experiment' is over, he'll have to pretend like it didn't mean anything to him, like it really was just an experiment, when in reality, it was so much more. But he knows that right now, he wants her far too much to stop, and no matter how wrong it is, he accepts that fact. He knows that after this, he'll be up for nights trying to think of some way to convince her to do it again because it felt so great, and he'll want her even more. He knows that after this, he will always love her, no matter what.

Yes, Ryou knew a lot for a boy of his age, but it was all forgotten the moment he closed the distance between their lips.

AN-okay, so this wasn't what I had originally planned on writing. It just kinda happened. But truthfully, I think this is better than what I had planned, so…

(1)-in the manga, Ichigo is actually eleven years old. Ryou just says he's a high school student. I felt that the true age difference would make the story just a little TOO inappropriate. Besides, the way those girls look and act is WAY more mature than a normal eleven year-old. So I bumped Ichigo's age up to her anime age.

P.S.-As this is my first TMM fanfic, I figured I'd offer a prize to the first reviewer. I'll write a oneshot of a pairing we can agree on, so start hitting that button, folks!