I know, I know, I should be updating existing stories, but this one-shot popped into my head although it's not brilliant it is driving me crazy. So here it is. Like it or flamed I DON'T CARE AS MUCH AS I USUALLY DO.

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He was watching her again. She could feel it. The way his eyes rested on her and her alone. She had first become aware of how much he watched her three months ago when Masaya and her had split , they had been in mutual agreement that they simply were no longer interested in being together and we're simply holding one another back from true happiness.

It was at about that time that Ichigo had had to re-examine her life, her future and her general existence. The Mews and she had all remained at the Café after they had defeated Dark Blue and the aliens. They had become relatively friendly with the aliens since. Mint even went as far as to date Kish. That had been a surprise as well as a relief for Ichigo. Kish had stopped bothering her and Mint had been genuinely happy.

They were still going strong.

Anyway during that time of Reflection she found that she wasn't really sure about how she felt about her boss. Think about it. Half the time he was really mean to her and the other half he was really nice. She didn't hate him but she didn't like him.

Why couldn't he just make up his mind about which personality was his and stick to it.

So in order to assess how she felt about him she had decided to watch him and note how he acted towards her. It was then that she had noticed how much he watched her in turn.

She felt his piercing blue gaze drift away from her and let out a sigh of relief. She had been concentrating hard on not letting her ears and tail show. It was about two months ago now, that she had decided how she felt about him and the answer had not been what she had expected.

She loved him.

She loved him and not in the way that she had loved Masaya, but in a deeper stronger way, it was the kind of love that made her believe that this emotion towards him would remain with her for the rest of life. It was as if she had found her soul mate, perhaps she had.

She had watched how he had seemed to relax after the defeat of Deep Blue. He had become more approachable. He remained elusive but he was there. The girls and her had remained at the Café partially for the Money and partially so that they would be there to fight rogue Chimera and aliens. There had been many. Today's battle had bee particularly fierce a group of crusading aliens had attacked. She suspected they would be back and that they would be even stronger.

Reminded of the battle she glanced down at her bandaged hand. It was covered in a make shift bandage of ripped clothe. He hadn't told Ryou yet, but during that battle she had taken a hit. Her upper arms was already decoloured with a rather large and painful bruise. That blue haired alien had sent her off a bridge and her cat genes hadn't been able to kick in fast enough. After the battle she had bandaged the hand.

When they had returned from the battle Ryou had been mad enough that she had attacked before the rest of the team could join her, so she had decided not to aggravate him further by bothering with her injury. He would probably just say it was her own fault and that she deserved what she got. But then he didn't know why she had attacked.

'Maybe it was time to tell him about the injury though. He had had enough time to cool off and become less agitated. Pausing in the act of polishing one of the now vacated tables Ichigo put down her rag and began to walk towards the stairs which led to the underground lab. She had seen him head in that direction after his gaze had lifted.

She slowly mad her way down he darkened stairway. Her cats senses were good and her night sight excellent, but she walked at a steady pace. But with every step praying that she would live through the encounter.

He was sittng with his head, back and eyes closed, at the chair in front of the main computer. If she hadn't been able to her his shallow breaths she would have thought him dead, he was so silent and still. Being careful not to startle him, he looked so vulnerable, she walked into the room silently. She sat on the other chair and waited for him to acknowledge her presence on his own.

In the mean time with a certain perverseness she decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. He watched him.

He had been dozing off when he had heard Ichigo enter. He had known it was her because of that intoxicating aroma of strawberries which seem ed to follow her. He listened as she entered and sat down on the chair beside his. He was deciding whether or not to acknowledge her presence when he felt it.

She was watching him, staring at only him and he had to fight hard not to gulp.

He had loved her for what seemed to him all eternity. He had watched everyday, any chance he got . Now it seemed it was her turn.

She had been watching him for about five minutes when he suddenly acknowledged her presence. His head lifted and once again she was exposed to those intense, blue eyes that she felt on her daily. "Ichigo… what can I do for you?"

Ichigo could think of a number of things, but she decided to stick with her original reason for seeking him out.

Avoiding looking him in the eyes she said, "I need to show you something."

Slowly she began to unwind the makeshift bandage on her injured hand.

Curious Ryou leant forward. What he saw made him gasp in surprise. Ichigos hand appeared completely unharmed, and perfectly normal until his gaze reached the end of her fingers. Instead of flat , normal nails, there were sharply hooked, curved nails. Cat claws.

Shaking his head in wonder, Ryou took the hand so as to examine the claws closely. He failed to notice the red flush which covered Ichigos face.

After and intense examination her asked, "When did this happen?" Nervous Ichigo replied, "Earlier." "Have you hurt this arm ?" Slowly Ichigo nodded, she rolled up her sleeve to reveal the bruises which covered her arm. Ryou frowned. "When did you receive these?"

Looking away guiltily, she remained silent. Ryou thought he already knew the answer but for confirmation he gently look her face and tuned it to face him. He repeated the question, "Where did you get these bruises, Ichigo?" She muttered something under her breath but with his intensified hearing he heard her clearly. Just as he thought , this afternoons battle.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ichigo looked at him, some fire back in her eyes. "I didn't wan t you to yell at me." "Whose yelling!" "You are , you jerk, " Realizing that she was right he lowered his voice. "When exactly did you get these bruises?"

Looking at him helplessly she replied. " Before the mews got there. It as when I was by myself, an alien got lucky, I lost my temper."

Interested, Ryou asked, "What made you lose you temper?"

Looking away nervously Ichigo debated with herself whether or not to tell the truth and thereby reveal all. In the end the end it was taken out her hands. "I'm waiting for an answer Ichigo."

Determinedly Ichigo faced him, "They were going to come after you, they knew how I felt and had decided that by taking you out they would effectively take me out. Had they not told me what they intended to do… they would have been right."

Momentarily stunned Ryou stared at her. "What exactly are trying to say Ichigo?" he asked hesitantly, willing himself not to hope that she had meant what he wanted her to mean.

Eyes misty she confirmed that he had heard right. "I love you Ryou."

Releasing a breath that he hadn't even known he had been holding Ryou looked down . Ichigo made to leave thinking he was disgusted, but found she was held back. She turned to see looking at her with his heart in his eyes.

"I think its only fair then to tell you7 that I too Love you Ichigo. I always will."

They were then in each others arms. Kissing, communicating all they felt in a way that that they knew words couldn't. The watcher and his subject were finally together.

Much later, after a lot more kissing and a lot more explanations and confessions. Ichigo lay across Ryous lap.

"So Ryou, how are we going to fix my hand?"

Smirking he replied, " Quite simple, I need to inject a supplement into you mark"

Ears appearing, Ichigo explained, "You have to WHAT!"

Ryou laughed as Ichigo began to rant that he would not be injecting anything there. Same old strawberry, he thought.

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This actually turned out better than I thought it would. So let me know what you think. Bye