Hello, dear reader! This is the first of six (planned) chapters in this story. I intended for these to all be Reader x Character fics; the girl in question is never specified, has no name and no distinguishing features. I wanted it to read as an otome game or visual novel, in a way. And, none of these will be super-long or dramatic. I think of it as a breather in-between the main story, haha.

For each chapter, I use a song that inspires me to write for the character. Tsukito's was first and inspired this whole thing. As of now (November '14) I only have two characters written. I don't have a real time-frame, I just wait until the right song comes by and then write another character. So please be patient! I'm also working on another series right now for xxxHOLIC and have some ideas for other fandoms that need to be fleshed out.

Let me know if you're able to immerse yourself in this; constructive criticism is always appreciated. Happy reading!

=o=o=o=

"One night

A meteor

Came to my door

And he asked me to dance

One night

A shooting star

He traveled far

Just to ask me to dance"

the bird and the bee, "Meteor"

=o=o=o=

He closes the book with a snap, his eyes glinting in the morning light.

This chapter has given him the obvious next step with which to further his mission. Because of this, he decides to act on it as soon as possible. He has read the strange story of the tortoise and the hare, which led him to believe taking his time with the human girl would be best. However, he has also heard "the early bird gets the worm", and Totsuka Tsukito does not have an unlimited amount of time on his hands.

Tsukito waits until classes and club activities are over, glad that the moon rises earlier these days thanks to the seasons changing. He tells no one where he is going, though unsurprisingly Takeru correctly guessed his plans, sitting up in bed and sulking while playing with Usamaro. His steps are light and quick, with the air of a man on an important mission.

The book Apollon Agana Belea had given him at the start of their time in this strange school is proving to be rather useful. From it, Tsukito has learned more about human interaction than he had ever dreamed. And today, he has learned something new.

"Dancing," says the book, "is an excellent way to foster a closer relationship with a woman. The act of holding her closer will surely make her heart beat faster. Statistically speaking, 85% of women are weak to a man who is a good dancer."

Tsukito is at the girls' dormitory before he knows it, and he pauses at the door next to the plate bearing her name. He knocks twice, and hears a rustle of sheets. He wonders if she was already in bed, but he can see light shining from the crack between her door and the wooden floor, so he knows she is awake, at least.

He hears the sound of light footsteps, which makes him smile for some reason, his fists balling up in anticipation. This is odd, because Tsukito cannot recall anticipating a single moment in all his life. But here he stands with bated breath, his chest tight and his hands trembling.

The door creaks open, and the human girl blinks up at him, her hair mussed, clad only in thin pajamas.

"Tsukito-san?" she says, politely but quizzically. "Is there something wrong?"

Tsukito shakes his head. "No, nothing is wrong. But I need you to come with me."

She looks alarmed, and he mentally reviews his words. "Ah, no. Forgive me. I would like you to come with me, if you are not already busy." He watches her as she relaxes, and he feels his own body release previously unnoticed tension.

He wonders, not for the first time, why her actions affect him so profoundly these days.

She smiles up at him and Tsukito's heart begins to beat faster, strangely. Perhaps he is developing an illness? "I'm not busy at all, Tsukito-san!" She grabs a sweater to put on over her pajamas, and Tsukito finds himself both relieved and disappointed at seeing her bare, slim shoulders disappear underneath soft cotton. "So," she asks him as she locks her door, "where are we going?"

Tsukito considers telling her, but remembers the book's earlier chapters on "men of mystery", so instead he says, "It's a surprise." The book had also suggested a wink would be appropriate at this time, but Tsukito never did master that action well enough, so he leaves it at that as he looks down at her.

Her face lights up in curiosity and his chest feels warm at the sight. She's so childlike at times, not unlike Takeru, actually. Tsukito watches her from the corner of his eye as they walk, and decides he must be subconsciously equating her with Takeru. Tsukito cares deeply for his younger brother, and perhaps he feels like an older sibling to this girl, as well. That would certainly explain his odd need to watch over her.

It offers no explanation, however, for his need to impress her, or for his anxiety when she is speaking to anyone other than himself.

He takes her up to the roof, where the moon is shining full and bright upon them from the infinitely starry night sky. She gasps in delight, her eyes round and reflecting the moon as she gazes into the dark. "It's…it's so beautiful, Tsukito-san!" She runs up to the railing, holding on tightly as she leans upwards, as if she thinks she can fly up towards the moon if she wills it hard enough.

Her breath leaves her lips in visible white puffs, and Tsukito frowns. He steps up behind her, turning her to face him as he pulls her sweater in tighter about her frame. "You will get sick if you are not careful," he sternly chastises her, and as he begins to fasten the buttons from her waist up to her chest, he hears her breathing quicken. He looks at her face, so perfectly upturned to his, moonlight making her hair darker and her eyes lighter, and he suddenly remembers why he brought her here.

He pulls her into an embrace, and she squeaks in surprise. Tsukito notes that even her ears have turned red, interestingly enough. "Tsu-Tsu-Tsukito-san! Wh-What are you doing?" She stammers in a panic, trying to push him away. But he is undeterred, intent on fulfilling his current mission, and he only brings her closer.

"I am going to dance with you," he informs her, calmly, and he clasps one of her hands in his, while his other arm stays firmly around her waist. "I wish to deepen our relationship."

He has no idea what she is thinking when she looks up at him with wide, rounded eyes. She tenses in his arms for a few moments, and just when Tsukito is wondering if he's made a mistake, she steps closer to him, close enough that their breath mingles in the winter air. "There isn't any music," she says quietly, almost shyly, it seems.

"No," Tsukito realizes, dismayed. "I…did not take that into consideration." He feels immensely dejected, and somehow embarrassed, of all things. But she only laughs, and his head snaps up. Is she laughing at him? The book said that is the worst thing that can happen.

"We don't need it?" She says it like a question but her lips are turned up into a smile as she begins to sway her body slightly. "I think…we can dance without the music."

Tsukito nods, concentrating fiercely in order to lead her, his hand strong on her lower back to guide her. He entwines their fingers together, as he did when they were connected by Loki Laevatein's rings. He becomes aware of how soft her body is, of the curves that are so foreign to him. Her hair is soft where it brushes against his cheek, and some pleasing, soft scent keeps wafting up to him every few steps. He doesn't think it's perfume; she seems to naturally smell sweet.

Tsukito wants to ask her if she feels they have reached a tacit understanding yet when he notices her fingers feel freezing cold in his warm grip. When he looks down at her properly, he sees her eyes are closed as she leans against his shoulder, but goosebumps lead down her neck and upper chest even as she smiles to herself. Tsukito feels an unexpected, sudden surge of anger at himself for not noticing, for not remembering how frail human bodies are.

With a suddenness that surprises himself, Tsukito pulls her into a tight embrace, tucking her head in under his chin, wrapping both of his arms around her. "Move closer to me," he whispers, his voice intense in a way he has never heard it before. "You need to warm up before you become ill. I've read humans cannot withstand harsh temperature changes." She nods after momentary surprise, curling up to him, her body quaking in small but worryingly frequent shivers.

After some time passes, her body calms, and he hears her voice drift up from his chest. "Tsukito-san, you're a very good dancer. Did someone teach you?" Her hands have curled into the back of his shirt at some point, but it feels oddly comforting, so Tsukito doesn't ask her to pull away.

"No," he says quietly, his cheek still resting against her hair. "I read a book on dancing, though. I am glad my dancing pleased you." He thinks he should let go now that she has warmed up; she likely will not be sick now, and he knows from the past few months in this garden that it is not appropriate to hug girls for long periods of time. He never found out why it isn't appropriate, but he knows he is pushing the boundaries of human etiquette.

When Tsukito pulls back, she clings to him. In surprise, his eyes widen the barest fraction, and he looks down at her. She looks up at him, so very close now, lit up by his beloved moonlight, her chest pressed to his.

He feels her heart beating faster—or is it his own?

She looks up at him so trustingly, her hands fisted in the back of his shirt, so very like a young Takeru, but…

But her heartbeat is fast and she smells sweet and feels soft in his arms, so very unlike Takeru, so very unlike anything Tsukito has ever known. Tsukito's palms are suddenly sweaty, his legs weak, but all at once he understands everything.

So he kisses her.

He simply leans down and presses his lips to hers, even though he has never kissed anyone before. But he feels the instinct to hold her close and stroke her hair, and he feels her soft lips uncertainly giving way to his own.

She seems happy, and so Tsukito doesn't stop for some time.

=o=o=o=

It is only much later that night, after the moon has set, that he remembers the chapter on kissing is at the very end of the book, and Tsukito is still only on chapter five.

He makes a note to ask Apollon Agana Belea in the morning if skipping chapters is acceptable.