BRUXISM by: Crumpled Thoughts
Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice.
For the umpteenth time during the current day, Mikan Sakura sighed helplessly and pouted ominously. Cushioning the root of the Sakura tree, she shifted a little and leaned a little bit backwards, resting fully her weight on its lean trunk. Her fingers crossed and uncrossed together as anxiety gnawed her troubled mind uncomfortably. She realized then that it was her nervous habit that couldn't be really helped.
Regarding herself with a gentle smack on her thighs, she tsk-ed and bit her nails nervously waiting for the doom that was about to befall her. Unsteadily, she brought her nails down and stared away ransacking her brain for something that could help her in this predicament.
"Why must Hotaru propose a stupid camping anyway?" she muttered to herself morosely.
She sighed dejectedly and pushed her short skirt downwards upon feeling it hiked up when she shifted position.
"Like, come on. How about a picnic in the Northern Forest or a day at Central Town? I'd feel much better eating my precious Howalons than getting bitten by nasty mosquitoes." She continued ranting, unaware of her surroundings.
"Aish.." she stomped her feet forward, her hands on her skirt, ready to push the nasty piece of fabric down if needed. "As if she didn't know my situation…ugh, sometimes, I can't still imagine why I've been bestfriends with Hotaru until now.." she clicked her tongue in wonder.
"I keep asking myself the same question you know." A deep random voice popped out of nowhere making Mikan jump from her place.
She quickly turned around to confirm her suspicion and was warmly greeted by a pair of dark, alluring crimson eyes looking intently at hers. A ready smirk was planted on his thin, moist lips giving Mikan enough urge to straddle him and wipe that stupid, sexy smirk off his face.
"Why are you here?" she asked in annoyance, her nose scrunched up indignantly.
But she was rewarded with a tsk, as she watched him sit down comfortably on the place she was sitting on moments ago.
Her place.
That jerk.
A nerve popped on her forehead as the hot bastard continued to ignore her—smirking as he put his hands behind his head and slouched comfortably as if he owns the place. Mikan momentarily forgot her current predicament as she tried to compose herself so she could deal with this annoying human who seem to be ignoring her at the moment.
"Go and find another place, Natsume. I'm not in the mood for your daily pranks." She told him, sitting close beside him, their shoulders barely touching but she used the precious opportunity to elbow him in the guts.
"Sorry, I was making myself comfortable." She said dismissively.
She heard him scoff making her throw a short, fleeting glance at him. But words were caught on her throat when she does, their position almost made her pray that she didn't dare look at him—rendering her immobile from her seat. He was unfortunately so close to her, his lips hovering inches away from her nose courtesy of his looming height.
Mikan bit her lower lip as her gaze locked on the delectable, pale, red lips before her. Then like a little kid that she is at seventeen, she looked up to meet his playful crimson eyes giving her a knowing look—as if he'd caught her from what she's doing. He's even managed to blow his hot breath, tickling every inch of her flushed face. Then he smirked at her in nonchalance, snapping her from her short, silly fantasy.
She pulled away abruptly to look somewhere else, projecting her vision far from his hot, lingering gaze. She heard him chuckle, the deep husky voice resonating in her ears like a sweet, addictive melody.
"It's not funny…" she said in a small voice, not looking at him.
"I never said it's funny." He played it cool, leaning his head on his arms resting on the trunk of the tree.
"Jerk." She muttered annoyingly, her face slowly returning to its normal pale, rosy color.
She heard him chuckle and this made her return her gaze on him.
"Aren't you over that childish lapse, idiot?" he asked, throwing her a look full of hilarity.
Her eyebrows twitched, "Well, I'm sorry a certain jerk triggers me to continue this childish lapse you claim I have."
His lips thinned in a serious line and Mikan couldn't help but watch his every action under her scrutinizing gaze. Then she noticed his eyes transfixed down…to her skirt which at the traitorous moment was hitched up exposing the lace of her lingerie.
A loud cry erupted and broke the peaceful morning of anyone a yard away.
"Perveeeeert!"
Natsume cocked an eyebrow, "Excuse me? But you're the one showing me your panty."
Mikan screeched, "Stop it! How dare you say that in front of my face? Natsume no hentai!" she admonished.
He clicked his tongue and threw her a mischievous look, "Polka, you never learn, do you?"
"Stop, calling me Polka!"
"Polka.."
"I said stop it.."
"Polka.."
"Natsume…" she gritted.
"Polka.."
"Natsume..!"
"What, Polka?" he asked her teasingly.
Mikan without having all the patience in the world once again proved how impulsive she is upon suddenly wheeling to face Natsume and pushing him down to the ground, tackling him on the process. She straddled him and had her hands wrapped tightly on his neck with all the attempts in the world to choke the guy.
"What are you doing?" Natsume raised an amused eyebrow on her.
"I'm going to chock you until you die!" she announced, her hands tightening on his smooth neck.
Mikan paid no heed on how smooth or soft his neck was as she thought of her easy victory over him, already forgetting the fact his two hands are freed and were now making its way to her waist.
"Let me go, Polka." He said calmly, his hands massaging her waist slowly.
"S-Stop it." She was eyeing him with wide, unbelieving eyes.
He smirked, "Why is that?" His adams apple moving beneath her hands. Mikan swallowed dryly.
She bit her lower lip and concentrated on choking him, "I-It tickles."
"Really?" and the bastard kept his ministrations going that Mikan couldn't concentrate on her own.
"Stop tickling me!" at once, Mikan demanded, getting beet red at the weird sensation the warmth of his hands was bringing her.
"Stop choking me." He said in return.
"Natsumeee~" she crooned.
"Polka.." he acknowledge with a nod.
"Arggghh!" Mikan yelled and let go of her hold on Natsume at the same time rolling on her back to lie beside him. He had instantly let go of her the moment she did, to her relief.
Natsume chuckled again, "You're playing a stupid game, Polka."
"Why do I never win from you?" she said hinting frustration.
"An idiot never wins." He said simply, regarding her with a look Mikan couldn't pinpoint.
"Jerk!" she retorted and gave him a slap which he effortlessly dodged.
"No, seriously you should aim better." There was an amusement laced on his voice.
"Well, I did it on purpose." She said haughtily, trying to cover up her fail.
"I think otherwise." Natsume's tone was that of incredulity.
"Oh, shut up." She rolled her eyes looked up above her. However; the large canopy of leaves hindered her from seeing the clearness of the blue sky, getting her stuck on seeing green and brown together.
Mikan drowned herself in silence and wonder as how green and brown complement each other well being grateful that Natsume didn't hurl anymore insult at her. Curious at his silence, she peeked at him through her lashes and saw him lying immobile beside her, his eyes were closed and he looked very peaceful.
Thinking that he was probably asleep, Mikan started to speak. "You're better when you're asleep." And then she stole another glance on him. When he didn't react, she smiled a bit and continued.
"I hope you're not going with us on the camp later. Hotaru and her plans always scream evil, money and profit altogether you know." She scrunched her nose upwards again before continuing, "But I've always wanted to spend time with her though…but the camp later…argh..I know it's not a good idea."
"Like, how am I supposed to sleep later right? People would just be annoyed by the morning and complain that they didn't get enough sleep because of the noise I'm making.." she continued, not aware of anything in her surroundings. Mikan felt the desperate need to share her problem to somebody, and even if he wasn't awake to hear her story it would be enough to get it just out of her system.
"Well, this stupid bruxism should be blamed and not really me, you know. I had the tendency to grit my teeth at night—I had no conscious of it, mind you—and anyone close to the vicinity would jerk awake every time because it was too loud. However; I can't help it you know…I'm not even aware of it." She pouted cutely, one hand, grabbing the mop of grass that it can reach and groping it mercilessly. She was too engrossed in her story.
"Hotaru said it's a sickness…like a misalignment of jaw or something..I can't help it. I'm going to be noisy tonight and everyone will be pissed at me…including you of course if you decided to come…people will hate me and I will never have a normal life to live." She said feeling sorry for herself.
"If I only know how to cure it you know…I'm torn between joining the camp or staying in my room all night—guarding myself so I won't produce those creepy noises that will render anyone awake." She was already rambling now. "I don't know what I shoul—"but she was cut off with the sudden heavy weight pressed on her and moist, soft lips firmly locked on hers.
Mikan's eyes widen as it dawned on her.
Natsume was on top of her, kissing her.
Kissing her.
Kissing…her.
"You're too noisy." He said simply after breaking the kiss. "I can't sleep."
Mikan kept on staring at him indifferently. Why did he kiss her? What did he just do?
Natsume on the other hand kept a calm, nonchalant façade. He made no motion either to get off her or lean away. His hot breath continued to fan her face, making her at one point suck a huge amount of air sideways.
"What are you doing?" her voice was so tiny, and she looks every inch of a flustered woman.
"I can help you with your problem." He told her.
"What are you going to do? And how are you going to hel—arghh—can you please, get off me first?" she had her hands on his chest determined to push him away.
He smirked at her before his head swooped down again for another kiss. Mikan stilled.
Even when he pulled away, Mikan wasn't able to form any coherent thought. Natsume kissed her…twice!
"Then I can do that again and again to make sure you wouldn't annoy the hell out of everyone tonight. I'm coming, so you better be there too…" he said casually and get off her like nothing happened. He stood up and dusted his pants, turning around; he began walking away from her, leaving her shocked and speechless.
"W-What?" Mikan asked herself dumbly after watching his figure disappear from her sight. "D-Did he just—?" Her hands involuntarily reached up to touch the lips where his lips had left moments ago.
That night, Natsume did fulfill his promise. Mikan had been sure of two things: Natsume's kiss and Hotaru's intention. As when everyone was fast asleep that night of the camp and Mikan's bruxism started its nightly attacks, Natsume was there to keep her quiet.
Mikan could never forget the aftertaste of his lips on hers as she woke up with him silencing her with a kiss. Fortunately, everyone else was fast asleep. Or so she thought.
Because the next morning, to Mikan's utter surprise, there was her and Natsume's picture on the school bulletin board—kissing.
Haha! So this is what my twisted mind has come up to. =) Consider this as my comeback fic on fanfiction. After being on hiatus for about 3 or more years, I wanted to finish what I've started and continue weaving stories to feed my inconsolable passion to write. I'm not good at fluff but I hope I was able to pull it off well. Thank you for reading. Dropping a review is a click away. =) – Crumpled Thoughts