A/N: This is not the hot spring fanfic I promised. Sorry. I had this idea for the One-shot and needed to write it, because it was driving me nuts. I will get to the hot spring story soon, although it's probably going to be more of a drabble. After finishing "The Purity of White Seems To Be Red" I've started to work on a new multi-chaptered fic, so most of my inspiration flows into that one. I hope, you don't mind.^^

Love's Manual

Rushing through the residential area, Amawaka Mayura hurried to her date.

The last meeting of the day had taken much longer, than she could have foreseen and now she was running late. When she had made plans to meet up with him, she had thought, she would have an hour to spare at least, to get ready and walk at a normal pace to the Ikaruga estate. Now she jogged along the path leading through the houses of Tschuchimikado island's inhabitant, with huffed breaths, while trying to avoid knocking into anybody.

She knew, he wasn't fond of any form of delay. He would rather spend his free time on training than to sit and wait.

Ikaruga Shimon was indeed a man of high standards and valued virtues. But that had been one of the reasons, she had suddenly found herself so often feeling warm and hazy in his company. And this feeling had been there for a while now.

More than his values and his consonance, she cherished the moments, he would melt down the, what she called, "layer of indifference" and smile. The first time she had heard him laugh, had been months into their acquaintance. Not only had it moved something inside of her, but also between them. They had been companions and friends before. But since then she had found him to be special to her.

She looked forward to every time they met. Enjoyed every hour spend on talking about missions, every dinner they shared and every small message send between them in the early or late hours of a day.

Yet, for all this while they had been friends, she never let him know her one secret towards him. The secret of being in love with him.

Thud.

Suddenly Mayura felt a dull impact against her chest.

The breath left her lungs as her breasts were pushed back.

She felt herself falling backwards.

Just in time she saved herself with a big step backwards and recovered her balance.

Looking at the obstacle on her way, she spotted a cart joggling back and forth on its partly rotten wheels, sending apples over the railing as they sloshed and tumbled over the sides. Behind the cart stood a short, bald man, sending an angry glare into her direction.

Oh, oh.

Calling out, "Sumimasen!" she grabbed the side panel of the cart and helped the man restore its balance.

The man with a gray shade on his long chin hissed at her, after they calmed down the ragging movements of the vehicle, "Next time, watch out, where you are going."

Taking a step back, Mayura crossed her hands and bowed down. "Sumimasen."

"Seriously, the youth these days," she heard him utter seething with hatred.

Still bowed down, Mayura felt less willing to apologize. Cringing inwardly, she tried her best to keep up her polite smile. Though in her mind she pictured the man coming home to a wife complaining about the youth of today and her cheering into his angry chant.

Taking a deep breath, she said again, "Sumimasen."

Rising her body, she saw that the man had stirred his attention away from her now, collecting the red skinned fruits that were thrown out of the cart.

Less amused by his impoliteness directed at her, she figured she should just go on. She had been late anyway. Now she had lost important time.

Starting to jog, she felt sorry and a little bit satisfied, when she kicked an apple into the river flowing at the side of the path.

The splash she heard, when the apple hit the water's surface, was quickly accompanied by the man's angry yell. "Oi, you wench!"

Mayura stumbled and almost tripped over her own feet.

After hearing his insult, she didn't feel sorry about the old, ragging man at all anymore. It was just sad, she had lost more time on this accident. Time she didn't have.

She really should have focused more on walking than on thinking about Shimon.

But then again, the last time they had seen each other, his behavior had been odd.

So it was no wonder, why she would think about him.

Not that it wasn't something she wasn't used to by now. He often came to her mind. Sometimes only like a passing reference – like the picture of his smile, when she looked at a bonsai, clenching her heart sweetly or the wondering, if he'd like the sight of her, when she put on a new dress.

Yet, last time something had occurred between them. Something, that she didn't quite understand and that like every time before called forth the pain and insecurity she had felt since then, thinking about it.

They had met to eat dinner, as they so often did and talked about this and that. At the end she had made use of their old routine: She had asked, whom he liked. Out of fun, because it was a running gag between them by now.

At the very beginning of this routine, she had asked him out of curiosity. It had been at the time, they were stranded on the small island shortly after she had moved to Tsuchimikado island. Then and there they had become more acquainted with each other and she had asked him, if there was someone he liked. Back then he had said "No" but later changed his answer and admitted, he liked someone for a while now.

Since that time she had been curious and asked him very often, whom he liked.

Later that curiosity had changed into a more personal matter. Also, if she was honest with herself, she loved to tear down the "layer of indifference" herself. And she had found this question to be powerful weapon to make him falter. But never had he answered the question.

After a few months of questioning he hadn't seemed stressed out at the question like he used to. And by the way he reacted, she had believed, he didn't felt anything for the person anymore. That it was a matter of the past.

The last time they'd met, that changed.

All of a sudden he had looked very uncomfortable at the question. Pained, troubled and agonized he had looked at her and seemed, as if he was on the brink to tell her.

She wondered now, if his face could possibly display some part of the pain, that she felt.

All this time she had seen them being together as a possibility. The natural next step to the relationship they had created. And she had rested, lied back in the comfort zone of their friendship. When she had to face this feelings of his so suddenly, she had felt the wind taken from under her wings. Suddenly the reality of him liking someone else came back to her like a train running her over. He still liked that someone.

After watching him making funny faces, she had quickly excused herself. Not able to bear this anymore. This crushing feeling, that made heart ache and chest constrict. All this time she had played a seemingly easy game, that, in the end, she couldn't win.

Without looking at each other, they had departed rather awkwardly and cut short, not like they usually did.

Since then they hadn't seen each other. Hadn't written long messages. Only at times short ones, exorcism related ones, that weren't made to reply.

And for all this time she had wondered, whom he could like. Wondered, if he had ever spoken about somebody frequently or looked at somebody at school rather often. Still she got no clue and it was eating on her.

And when she didn't wonder about whom he could possibly like, she wondered, why he had looked so pained, making her thoughts run wild, as she considered the possibility of him already dating someone else, who maybe didn't like her or wanted to forbid them to see each other.

All these musings and doubts were driving her crazy and she couldn't stop blaming herself for not having told him her feelings.

Maybe it would have ended their friendship.

Maybe they wouldn't have grown this accustomed with each other in the first place.

But maybe – just maybe – he would have started to see her differently, too.

These questions and what-ifs had brought her nowhere.

So when he had finally written more than one sentence, Mayura had jumped at his message inviting her today to his place, saying he had something to talk about.

She wasn't amend to get her heart broken, but she couldn't deal with all this wondering either. Perhaps they could go on like they used to, even after he told her, whom he liked. And if- if he would end their friendship, at least she would know, where they were standing. Afterwards she could go home and lick her wounds.

A big sigh left her.

Slowly she became more aware of her surroundings again and discovered that she was at the end of her journey, when the Ikaruga estate came to her sight.

She would hate it, if this was the last time the clan acted towards her like to an old friend. She had spend so many happy times here, it killed her to think, it might be over soon. They were all so friendly, inviting her in, as they did now, telling her that Shimon was at the gardens behind the estate.

Leaving the building at its backside, her eyes searched for him, grazing the beautiful garden of the estate, that was large as a park and lead into a small forest reaching uphill.

She found his figure standing across a row of shrubs, looking towards the deep green forest with his back turned towards her. His hands rested in the pocket of his brown trousers. He wore a black, long sleeved shirt and was without his scarf or headphones.

For a short moment she wondered ,which sight she was more used to, the comfortable looking Shimon at home, the rebellious looking Shimon outside this constricted realm or the strong, fearless warrior in a karinguru.

Sensing the presence of somebody else, he turned his head around. The way he looked at her, his sky blue eyes filling with warmth beneath the rim of his glasses, almost made her forget their last meeting.

Almost.

Murmuring words of greetings, she walked up to him.

When he turned his body to fully face her's, she asked herself, why her heart raced the most now, looking up at him and noticing how tall he was. It was not fair. Trying to ignore the storm in her heart, she tried to smile, "I'm sorry, I'm late."

He shook his head and motioned for them to sit on a bench, overlooking the gardens, designed to emphasize the building of the main house. "It's okay," he said.

Sitting down on the bench, Mayura wondered, if she should tell him about her earlier encounter with a wobbling cart and an ignorant, old man.

Usually she would.

But today it seemed strange, falling back into the old scheme.

Instead she unintentionally fell back into her old habit of fumbling with the lower end of her skirt. She decided to cut the chase and get over it. After taking in a slow and deep breath, she asked, "What did you want to talk about?"

Shimon sighed. He looked troubled again, as he pulled out the hands of his trousers, leaned forward to sit upright and rested his hands on his knees, all the while keeping his gaze locked onto the ground in front of them. In a soft voice with an hint of reluctance he said, "You know, it's about the girl, I like."

The pang in her chest was still as heavy and hurtful, as it had been the first time, she had faced this new reality, when he had said nothing at all. Uneasy she looked at him from the side, "What is it?"

A red hue appeared on his cheeks, making matters worse, because he looked so damn cute thinking about somebody else. "I don't know, how to handle this. What am I supposed to do?"

This was worse than everything she had thought of. Neither was he telling her, whom he meant, nor was he ending their friendship – which would be great, if he didn't asked for her help as a friend to confess to somebody who wasn't her.

Feeling beaten and bruised, she tilted her head down and slowly mumbled, "I see. I didn't know, you still had feelings for her."

She felt his gaze, as if he poked her with a stick. Looking up she saw him watching her seriously and unwavering. She wondered, if he could see right through her with his crystal blue eyes and discover the truth.

Afraid this could lead to a bigger mess than this already was, she swallowed down the hurt and chose to play best friends for now, even if she would have preferred to run away and dig up a hole, she could bury her feelings in. And so she – despite her feelings about this – inquired, "You want an advice on how to tell her?"

He nodded once.

She sighed deeply. If she was going through this, she at least wanted to go out of this with one answer to the numerous questions tormenting her, "I'll help you on one condition."

Raising his eyebrow, Shimon looked at her.

After taking in a low breath, she said a thing, that she wanted and didn't want to say, "You have to tell me this time who it is."

His gaze got blurry as if in trance while he nodded in a broken motion before he seemed to have caught himself again, "Deal."

She managed a crumbling smile. She would pull this off, helping him as a friend. There wasn't anything else for her to do anyway. So she started to give him the basics, "First of all, you should ask her out, like on a date or just a friendly meeting."

"Such as?", he blinked at her.

"Going to the movies, eating out or something like that." Although Mayura never had confessed to someone or had received a confession herself, she knew a lot about dates and dating thanks to life magazines and a great portion of empathy.

He seemed to think about this point for a while. It was obvious to her the way one of his eyebrow was slightly pulled down, "Could it be something like walking through a park?"

She huffed a small laugh. He seemed to love meeting at green places. If her heart wouldn't be aching so much, she would actually wish him the best of luck, "Sure."

His eyes relaxed a bit. Somehow was watching him behave as usually, calming her upset heart and brought her a bit comfort in a very much twisted situation. Going on with his advice-seeking, he asked,"And what am I supposed to do then? How do I start?"

"You should wait until the mood is comfortable. Do not go into the date with a confession at the beginning," Mayura replied.

"Hn." He nodded again, looking at the ground.

What was there to tell him next? They finished the when, now it was probably wise to go onto the how. "Then when you get to the point to confess, don't start right off."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Shimon's widened eyes blinked at her.

"I mean, if you just blur it out, what you feel for her, you might scare her away. It might seem too straightforward or too cocky." She looked at him, while concentrated on the advice. It was cute, how serious he took the matter, yet, on the same time it was totally destroying her.

Laying out the road for him to confess to someone else, definitely tasted more poisonous than bitter.

But they were friends. Even if it hurt, she wanted to help him. So she gave him another advice, that admittedly differed from woman to woman, but Shimon would need all the help he could get, "Instead you should start with something else, maybe tell her, what she means to you generally or an anecdote, how you both met. And then you confess."

"I think, I got it now," he smiled honestly and gratefully, making her heart twist and curl.

Quickly she added, "But don't be too confident or too shy. First would seem dishonest. Second can become ridiculous."

He still smiled at her unwavering. Her lips curved on their own, while he told her, "Thank you, Mayura. You are a true friend."

She felt like he stabbed her with a knife. Giggling uncomfortably to cover the impact on her, she waved her hand. "It wasn't that much of a deal. I promised to help you with stuff, you're not good at, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did. You are a very kind person."

"Don't worry. I was glad, I could help." Mayura wished, he would stop smiling at her like this. He was making it too difficult for her to ignore the feelings blooming and faltering in her chest. Figuring she should get this over with soon, so she could make a quick leave and bury her feelings – or even better herself, she declared, "Now it's time for your end of the bargain."

His smile vanished and his eyes traveled away from her, as he began to star off.

She feared his answer.

"To be honest the first time we met, I wasn't sure, what to think about you. I couldn't believe someone like you to be the daughter of Seigen-san."

What? Now, he truly made her forget her heart break. Offended she countered, "Excuse me? I help you and you go and complain about me?"

A small smirk broke out on his face and he continued, "Well, it's true. But you changed my opinion of you rather quickly. And all of a sudden I found myself liking the way you smiled and looked forward to spend time with you."

Eh? "Shimon, what are you saying?"

"Mayura, the one I like." He looked at her. "It's you."

Shock, desperation, irritation, confusion, relief punched into her like a car crash.

It was her?

She was the one he liked?

But how-?

And why for crying out loud had he make her go through this then?

When the smoke of the crash lifted, it left one unhealthy feeling: Anger.

He had made her think, he would confess to someone else. He made her believe he loved someone else. All to end up in a confession, that she advised him on.

It had been her all this time and he hadn't said anything?

Had made her believe the worst while holding back on his confession?

She felt tricked. She felt hurt. She felt angry. And she had only one word for it, "Baka."

"Huh?" Now, it was his time to look shocked.

Good for him. He deserved it.

"Baka. You're such a baka," she grumbled.

He stared at her. All nervous and insecure, asking, "Did I do it wrong?"

Seriously? Did he truly believe the plan of his was such a great idea? "You had me thinking, you liked someone else."

Understanding replaced the nervousness on his face, ending up in a sorrowful look. In a low voice he apologized, "I'm sorry, I really didn't know, how to tell you. I'm truly sorry, if I mislead you."

It wasn't enough to soothe the hurt she felt. Angry tears formed in her eyes, relentlessly gushing down her face the same way her words did. "How dense can someone be? It's so much like you to ask for such a stupid advice and then applying it to the person you asked. That's not how it's done. What was I supposed to think?"

He looked down on his knees covered in his trousers into which he had buried his fingers in. "I wanted to tell you. I had thought often about how to do this. But the more you asked, who it is, the more complicated it got. I thought, I couldn't just tell you. So I wondered, how this is usually done. And I didn't want to ask Sayo. You know how over-the-top she gets."

Carefully she watched him, blinking her tears away. She wished, he wouldn't have this power over her. Wouldn't be able to quickly calm down her anger. She wished, she wouldn't understand his reasoning.

He seemed to be filled with dismay, when his gaze fell onto her again. "I ruined it, didn't I? I messed up."

"Yes, you did." Rubbing the tears away, Mayura looked at him accusingly.

The guilt seemed to lay heavy on his shoulders, while he bent down, supporting his weight on his knees.

She was cooling off but she wouldn't let him get away without explaining to him, where he went wrong, "You should have just told me everything you did without asking for an advice right away. And you should have known, that I wouldn't think you too straightforward or cocky."

"But you said-"

"I know, what I've said, but you should have known, that I feel the same way about you. Instead of making me think, we talked about someone else." In a small corner of her mind she admitted, that she was being unfair, because she had neither known, that he returned her feelings. But she was still grabbing onto that little flicker of anger being left.

"You do?" He stared at her in wonder, that made her insides clench with delight.

Letting go one big breath and all the negative feelings, she finally admitted the truth out loud, "Yes."

A crooked smile formed on his face. In a strained voice he mumbled, "I'm sorry, I didn't know." After a while he began to stare at the ground in concentration, before directing his silky voice at her hesitantely, "Are you still mad? Because I honestly don't know, where to go from here."

Suppressing a surprised laughter, she snickered and huffed a playful sigh. This was so much like him. "You're hopeless, Ikaruga Shimon."

She giggled. He truly needed help confessing to her, didn't he? But this time she was anything but reluctant to help him out. "Now, we tell each other, that we like each other and then you may wanna kiss me."

A small smile lit on his lips. His eyes seemed to dance, while he turned his body fully towards her. "I like you, Mayura. I have for a long time."

This time his confession brought nothing but sweet happiness and cheerful delight over her. Her heart fluttered, "And I like you, Shimon."

They smiled at each other.

His eyes skimmed over her face and rested on her lips.

Then all of a sudden he started to lean forward in an untypically awkward movement, supporting his weight with one hand on the back of the bench.

Heat broke out in her face. Utterly nervous, she started fidgeting. She wasn't sure, if she was prepared for her first kiss.

Not knowing, where to look in these seconds, that unbearably felt like an eternity, she closed her eyes and waited for their lips to finally meet.

They didn't.

Her heart missed a beat.

All of a sudden she felt his warm breath on her lips, making her heart and stomach ache in a sudden urge of sweet desire.

Anticipation rose within her, burning down the nervousness she felt to crisps.

Without thinking she leaned forward and was rewarded with the soft feeling of his lips and a small gasp of his.

Gentle relief and an abiding yearning fought within her, while his lips grazed hers.

Never would she have imagined her first kiss to be like this. Comforting and steering at the same time. Soothing her soul and pulsating to the smallest corner of her being.

Releasing a shaky breath, she titled her head and shifted closer, while he started to nibble onto her lower lip.

Blindly her hands searched for something to hold onto, while she was swept away in the high tide of emotions. Grabbing onto the shirt covering the hard planes of his chest, she felt something else stir within her.

They definitely wouldn't be able to go on like they used to.

But she wouldn't have it any other way.

A/N: Kinda exploring different first kisses. XD I personaly prefer "The Purity of White Seems To Be Red" the most but that kiss had been a long time coming. Though it's not bad to have different shimayu first kisses. ;)