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In space, it was very hard to be “too big”. Either form let X drift between stars or galaxies with miles between his outstretched fingertips and the nearest planet, easy grace to his movements. It was easy because, well, what did he have to lose? Unless something was really wrong he was never close enough to a planet to see the shapes of a landmass, let alone impact it in any way.
But on Earth- well, on Earth, even people got too close.
(Perhaps, more specific - Daichi was too close. X lived in cyberspace most of the time, and he still talked more now, to Daichi, in an hour , than he ever did in decades of space travel. Odd was how he wanted to describe it. Pleasant fit better.)
Back to people. Just people, and what had happened during a battle earlier. Two humans in an embrace, and so close to being crushed by rubble - yet instead of running they mashed their faces together and slobbered .
“It’s unhygienic,” he said, and Daichi laughed. Partially because this was the third time X had said so, but mostly because X’s disgust seemed to amuse him. X spent a moment congratulating himself for improving the sound quality of Daichi’s phone. His laugh sounded much better when it wasn’t crackled with static.
“It’s fun! It shows someone they’re important to you.”
“Then why do you not kiss Mamoru or Rui? If it’s what you do when someone is important. ”
“I wouldn’t kiss them!” Daichi spluttered, and X gave a superior huff.
“See? You admit it’s gross.”
“It’s a good gross,” Daichi said, and X faked a gag just to hear Daichi’s snickers.
Well. Half-faked a gag - the thought of sharing saliva with anyone made his stomach churn.
Daichi spun around on his chair, his voice frustrated and amused in equal measure. “Look, I can promise it’s not as bad as it looked. Those two were just terrible at it! Kissing is hard if you’re scared.”
“Then why would they do it?” X said with a scoff, and Daichi huffs out a laugh.
Then, distractedly, his voice gleeful, he leans forward. “Ah, Mamoru’s clocked out. Wanna project? No-one will see you.”
No further prompting necessary - it’s always more fun to have a conversation when he can see the twitch of Daichi’s smile and his bright eyes. X’s form turns into holographic light, and he flickered into view above Daichi’s phone. Part of him, at least - enough to keep him small, just in case someone did come back. Easier to hide a water-bottle-sized him than the version that belittled skyscrapers.
“Daichi, I refuse to let this go,” X said, watching Daichi’s teeth, his mouth, the spread of his lips into a grin. “The facts you’ve presented are terrible and contradictory.”
“ Aiyaaaaa, ” Daichi whined, spinning on his chair again but grinning so wide it likely hurt his cheeks. X gave a heavy, confusingly longing sigh as he watched Daichi spin. “It’s hard to explain when you’re being stubborn!”
(Longing gained new meaning when the idea sprung to his head, words fully formed and yet- too awkward to voice. Ah, but he possessed a brave, traitorous tongue.)
“Then- why not show me. Instead of explaining?”
Daichi’s grin vanished. X swallowed non-existent weight, something heavy in his chest.
“I’m important, aren’t I?”
Daichi looked away, his mouth all tight and unhappy. “Too important for this,” he breathed, then glanced back at X with the smile on his mouth looking terribly fragile. “Didn’t I say people were bad at kissing if they were scared?”
“Why would you be scared of kissing me?” X asked, Daichi’s words another confusing fact added to the mountain of evidence against kisses. He was starting to regret continuing the argument - and regretted even more his theory about what kisses meant to humans. If Daichi had shut down like this, it meant-
“By important,” Daichi started, “I mean people that you- like.” He groans, and rubs his hands over his face. “No. People that you- people that you love. That you want to stay with forever.”
Aren’t we already meant to be together ? X wanted to ask, but Daichi hadn’t finished. “I can show you what a kiss is like, X, but you can’t ask me again. It- it would mean more to me than you mean to give.”
Perhaps it would be too clumsy. Perhaps it would be cruel. But he had a brave, traitorous heart, too. Overeager and overzealous, but it left him with little regrets, and so X leaned forward first, and fast, and pressed his lips to Daichi’s mouth. Daichi made a tiny, surprised noise, jolting back ( fear makes kisses bad- ), and then suddenly it was pressure, soft, and warm and wonderful and sweet - Daichi’s hand cupping X’s cheek, electronic sparks shimmering along X’s skin.
Daichi pulled away aeons to soon, eyes closed, and X let his fingertips prod at Daichi’s mouth until his eyes were open and he was smiling again. “Daichi,” X said, before Daichi could explain away the bitterness in his smile, “I would stay with you till the sun burnt out. I would never be scared to kiss you. If that is not the level of importance needed for a kiss than tell me what is.”
“Do you even know love?” Daichi whispered, and X grinned at him sharply.
“If I didn’t, then I have no label for the feelings you inspire.”
Daichi’s smile was a slow, steady thing, as bright as any sun X had basked in. It lit low warmth in X’s chest. “I think,” Daichi started slowly, eyes wide and hopeful, and how could X have ever thought about not kissing his beautiful, smiling mouth-? “If you want, then- I was scared. I can do better.”
“If that’s you at your worst...” X said, thinking about the heat of Daichi’s mouth. A spark flickered across his face, and he swatted it away, embarrassed. “I would like to know your best.”
(And perhaps, like kisses, like Daichi, there were other odd, pleasant things he could get used to on Earth.