rating: PG

genre: fluff, romance

word count: approx. 1,000+

Krystal eyed him with plain curiosity, her head cocked to the side as he crinkled his face in confusion.

“What are you staring at?” Kai asked. An expression of doubt, whether in himself or in the girl standing confidently before him, settled over his face and gave Krystal the impression that she was unsettling him. She didn't show it, but she was inexplicably amused by it, as one would take pleasure in making someone feel uncomfortable for no reasonable purpose other than just because.

“Nothing.” Krystal shook her head, but kept her eyes on him. It was in a nonthreatening way, of course, but nevertheless, Kai felt worried. Did his hair look all right that day? Did he perhaps retain obscene particles from lunch earlier in between his teeth? Kai probed the in-betweens of his teeth with the tip of his tongue. Thankfully, there was nothing there, but that only seemed to heighten his anxiety when Krystal leaned closer towards him.

He staggered backwards involuntarily. “W-what are you doing?” he stuttered. He had not meant to stutter.

The corners of Krystal's mouth twitched, but she refrained from laughing. “Nothing,” she said again. “I just wanted to try something.”

At that, Kai straightened himself and frowned. “Try what?”

Krystal blinked at him, not saying anything, but hoping that what she was thinking in her mind could be communicated through her eyes and into his. She was experiencing … impulses. None that were too scandalous, mind you, but outrageous enough to tint the cheeks of a strong and unashamed person such as herself.

But in the course of the past few years, Krystal learned that she had no need for extreme chastity, nor did she have any reason for beating around the bush. When Krystal wanted something, she made any and all efforts to get it, completely disregarding whatever ramifications might follow.

“Just hold still,” she said finally.

As if her words worked like magic, Kai stood frozen, suddenly spellbound by the look of mute determination on Krystal's face. She looked up at him with half-closed eyes, her eyelashes casting shadows underneath them. Before he had any time to grasp the sudden seriousness of the situation, Krystal placed her hands on his shoulders and raised herself to meet his lips with her own.

It took all of Kai's consciousness—or what was left of it, anyways—to keep himself from flinching away. Krystal's eyes were closed, but Kai's were entirely open in surprise. Gradually, they closed as the warm feeling of her lips on his consumed his entire being. He didn't just feel it on his lips; he felt it all throughout his body, all the way down to tips of his toes as if their kiss sent sparks all over his skin and set fire to his insides.

Kai's heart swelled with a flash of excitement. But it was soon quelled when Krystal pulled away, her hands still on his shoulders and her eyes blinking expressionlessly up at him. Kai opened his eyes almost reluctantly as if in hopes of keeping himself grounded in what seemed like a really, really good dream. Only it wasn't a dream—Krystal was still here and they did kiss. He just doesn't know exactly why.

And as if reading the question in his half-lidded eyes, Krystal spoke surely, not at all regretful of what she had done. Then again, why should she? It was exhilarating, and she would do it again if not for the look of total shock on Kai's face. “I just wanted to see how it felt,” she said simply.

As she was about to pull completely away, Kai suddenly seized her, sliding one of his hands to the small of her back and raising the other to cup the side of her face, closing the distance between them and pressing his lips hotly against hers. It felt clumsy at first, what with his inexperience and her surprise, but within moments, Kai was certain in what he was doing. He kissed her slowly, despite the racing beat of his heart, and soon his kisses grew more fervent as if trying to incite a reaction from her. He smoothed his hand up her back and tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling her close enough that there were absolutely no gaps between his body and hers. Under normal circumstances, he would have reprimanded himself for being so forward, so reckless; but counting this as ab-normal, Kai granted himself an allowance for self-indulgence.

Krystal's breath trembled, and for once she found herself feeling nervous. It was something she hadn't felt in a long time—or rather, forced herself not to feel since, like most other feelings, she believed that nervousness was pointless. It served her well in this case, however, because while she had no idea what was going on, no idea what was the reason behind Kai's evident hunger, she was enjoying it. The feeling of her heart shaking violently inside her chest, the gruff hum he gave when she raked her fingers through his hair, the taste of him foreign yet familiar all at the same time—altogether, it served as pure ecstasy. It was new, it was strange, but it was just so right, and Krystal couldn't bring herself to stop.

Eventually however, they both did, Krystal pulling away flushed and Kai looking down at her thoughtfully, their roles having completely reversed upon light of recent events. Krystal looked back at him in utter confusion, her lips as red as her cheeks.

“Why did you do that?” she asked.

The question flew out of breathlessly, frantically, and Kai didn't know whether she was asking about the kiss, or his ending it when he had so very clearly initiated it. Kai didn't know a lot of things, actually. He didn't know why she kissed him first, nor did he know why he kissed her back and then some. He couldn't explain the surge of electricity he felt when their lips touched, nor could he explain how he could feel such powerful emotions towards someone he's known for a great number of years in his life.

“I just wanted to see how it felt,” he answered finally.

And it felt wonderful. Undeniably, breathtakingly, catastrophically, wonderful.

author's note: Wrote this on a whim because I needed to air out my Clockwork Princess feels and for a series that takes place in the late 1800s, The Infernal Devices has a looooot of kissing scenes like oh. my. goodness - I NEED TO BREATHE. And I know this isn't Friday, LOL, but I missed writing without having a definite goal in mind. Like writing because I wanted to and not because I have something planned out - spontaneity at its best, heh. I didn't even edit this once I was finished. I just spell-checked and ba-bam! A surprise mid-week update. I hope you guys enjoyed this, and in case any of you died while reading it, the emergency room is that-a-way! /purposefully points in the general direction of the TARDIS, wherever it may be/ Anywhooo, catch you all at the next update o/ - Ella