“Do you know what I’ve always wanted to do with my Partner if I ever found them?”

I stopped fumbling with my makeup bag when I found the lipstick I was looking for, “Well that’s ominously phrased…” I mumbled, looking at Kookie’s reflection in the mirror as he entered the bathroom.

I pondered for a second, nearing the lipstick to my face. I came to a halt as I looked away from the mirror, concentrating on my thoughts. Was this a way to evaluate my partnership compatibility with him? Was a week enough to examine all that I was and all I could be? To identify all that I could bring him if he were to stay with me? Or was it just a game? A trick my mind was playing by using Kookie’s inculpability?

I shook my head, unsuccessful at getting rid of the spoiling thoughts.

“Hum… I don’t know?” I answered truthfully.

My mind, still in a fog of distant thoughts, tried to focus on Kookie’s reflection in the mirror as he slowly put a shirt on. I forced my gaze back up to his eyes as mine had all-but lingered on his well-sculpted abdomen.

The fabric of his shirt slipped on top of his bare skin and he smiled a toothy-grin, “Arcade!”

The sound of his voice forced me back into my core for good, and I felt the grip on the lipstick I was holding tighten, “Really?”

He jumped, his eyes disappearing in a smile, “Yup! When I could still turn into a cat, my eyesight was very similar to theirs which led to me not really being able to follow animated pixels, though now, I have a super sharp eyesight!” He pointed to his -now- fully-glowing, dark-brown irises.

I smiled at him and nodded, “As you wish, Kookie.”

As I pressed my lips together to have an even colour of lipstick on my lips, Kookie came up behind me and kissed the top of my hair.

“I love you, (Y/N).”

Though I usually loved when those four words came out of his mouth, this time it sounded as it was almost painful for him to articulate them.

Or maybe it was just a stupid unfounded feeling of mine. Again.

I decided to brush it off and smiled, taking one of his hands in mine and kissing the top of his palm.

“I love you too, Kookie.”

The arcade was crowded, as it usually was, but with his imposing figure, Kookie managed to create a way for the both of us through the sea of loud teenagers and lone ships of concentrated middle-aged people who stared at the screens intensely as their fingers brushed each command with precision.

We strolled around the least occupied area and I turned to him, “So, which one do you want to try first?”

His cat-ears perked up under the cap as he brushed his gaze over the different machines, narrowing his eyes at the flaming orange and red one.

I rolled my eyes, “Street Fighter, really?”

Kookie turned to me with an eyebrow raised, “Why? What’s wrong with that one?”

I shook my head and laughed, “Nothing. I was maybe, kind of, expecting it?”

Kookie looked back at the machine and noticed the two sets of controllers, “And how are you expecting to do against me?”

Even with his back turned to me, I knew he was smiling like the Cheshire Cat. Though, what he did not know was that I had been the one to set the highest score on most of the games here.

I walked over to him, pushing the buttons on the panel to choose my character and looked up at him, grinning, “I’m going to kick your .”

True to my words, I did. First on Street Fighter, then on Pacman -though Kookie falsely claimed that the ghosts were set on a higher difficulty when he played- and finally Tetris.

The new high score I had just set appeared in bright golden letters on the screen.

Kookie stared at me, eyes wide as I danced in victory, “Holy crap, you were not kidding…”

“Ah well, I’m just a natural.” I brushed my hair behind my shoulders in a mocking way.

He laughed and wrapped his arms around me, nuzzling his nose into my hair.

“Can I be your prize?”

I blushed, hoping no one had noticed how he was treating me in public, “Kookie,” I whispered, using his real name to appear more serious, which seemed to work as he took a step aside to face me, concern written all over his features, “PDA.”

It was his turn to roll his eyes at me in a somewhat annoyed fashion.

“Hey!” I exclaimed not-so-seriously, “Don’t you roll your eyes at me-”

I was hushed by his palm against my lips as he s his other arm around me, pushing me into his chest.

“I want to make you happy, (Y/N), and I will do anything to reach that goal.” His hand started to slid off of my mouth, his fingers lingered on my lips. He stared into my eyes, shifting his gaze from one eye to the other. He trailed the tip of his fingers across my cheek and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “But I want to make myself happy too. And the happiest I am is when I get to hold you.” He closed his eyes, breathing out, “And it sounds selfish, I know. It is. But I can’t- I don’t want to hold back anymore, the feelings I have for you…” He trailed off, looking to the side.

I lifted my arms up, cupping his cheeks, “No, it’s not selfish Kookie, not at all.” I grazed my thumb against his cheek, trailing it up to his temple, “I should not be the one getting everything from our relationship, you have a right to enjoy what you want too.”

I tried to push back the feeling of guilt I felt, but it kept growing in my stomach like an insatiable monster lurking in the growing pit of culpability that was my insides. I felt my eyes prickle with tears. I tried to hide my face from Kookie, but my attempt was not so subtle.

“Hey, (Y/N), I don’t want to upset you. If you mind it this much, I can wait until we get home to-”

I gripped his left hand in both of mine, drying my tears with the other but still not looking his way. I took a deep breath and articulated, to the best of my ability, “Hug me.”

A short gasp left Kookie’s lips. His left hand squeezed both of mine, “Look at me, (Y/N), please.”

I did as I was told, unable to find the courage to fight against his warm voice. As soon as our gazes locked, I knew I was trapped in his sweet cage of adoration.

“Now, ask me again.” His own demanding tone seemed to surprise him. He accompanied it with a smile, aware of my hatred for orders.

And it was the way his hair fell above his dark brows, obscuring his intense glare and capturing mine, the way his cheeks were slightly reddened, giving him a somewhat naïve appearance, the way his rosy lips barely parted, the way his chest lifted up, feeling closer to mine at each breath he inhaled through his nose. It was how he was that made me feel so fervidly attracted to him.

But it was whom he was that I deeply adored.

“Hug me, Kookie.”

With our fingers intertwined, we left the arcade and laughed as we pointed to many buildings which were still covered in confetti from the fireworks as well as Chuseok’s multicoloured banners. The sight was incredible, but not as much as what was awaiting us in our apartment.

“Kookie, this is awful!” I slapped my knee as I struggled to get my breath back. I collapsed on the floor, trying my best to see the ceiling’s lights through my tear-filled corneas.

Silence followed as I tried to get control of my breath, regulating it slowly.

I was doing a grandiose job at it considering the circumstances, though, when Kookie’s form appeared at my side I couldn’t help but break into another fit of laughter.

“Come on, (Y/N)!” Kookie whined, making me look up at him as I hardly kept my eyes open from the laughter. He himself, making the fabric of the bright pink skirt float above his upper-thighs. I swiftly covered my eyes with my hands, hiding my irises from a sight I did not want to experience, “Don’t you think I’m…” His voice trailed off and my palms were shifted away from eyes, making me look at Kookie’s serious expression, “Pretty?”

I rolled over on the floor, using the wall at my side as support as tears flooded my cheeks. I heard Kookie falsely-sigh and leave the room, thankfully enabling me to get back my composure.

When I was finally back on my feet, holding back the giggles that formed in my throat at the images of Kookie’s previous outfit flashing in my head, I sneaked up to our bedroom. There he stood, in front of our bed, buttoning up his onesie… With his back turned to me.

I tiptoed to him and hugged his waist from behind, resting the side of my face between his shoulder blades. I smiled, “You’re not pretty Kookie, you’re beautiful.”

I let go of his waist as he turned around, placing his hands on mine in a gentle grip. He leaned his face closer to mine and hummed, “Not as beautiful as you.”

My hands gripped at his onesie as he kissed my cheek repeatedly, earning a giggle from me each time. At first, I did not notice how his lips approached my jawline, though, when I felt his warm breath on my neck, I gasped, holding onto the soft fabric more tightly.

He stilled, but did not say anything. His fingers retracted from my waist and hovered my shirt.

He leaned up slowly, eyes glued to the floor, “I’m sorry.” He whispered.

I shook my head. He should not feel guilty, and I had made him apologize not once but twice today. This was the least I could give him, right?

I s my hands up to his neck, tugging at his hair slightly, “Kookie, look at me.”

He did. I traced his human-ears with the tip of my fingers, “Do it, Kookie.”

His pupils thinned as his eyelids were lifted up, “Are you sure?”

His eyes searched mine for a sign of reluctance, but as they did not find one, he leaned back down slowly. My arms slipped back to their original place on his onesie and his held a firmer grip than before on my waist. Warmth spread through my body when his lips finally closed in on the sensitive skin on my neck. I tensed up at the touch, but allowed him to repeat the gesture two more times. However, when his tongue slipped between his lips and grazed against my already-shivering skin, I retracted from his touch and not-so-forcefully slapped his forearm.

“Yah!”

Yet, his smile was a contagious one and he was soon to be forgiven.

“It was too tempting.” He grinned against my hair.

I sighed but let him lead the way to our bed, “You’re lucky I love you.”

Kookie draped his arm over my stomach as he spooned me, tangling his legs with mine and wrapping his tail around my ankle.

“Very lucky indeed.”