A/N: NXM shippers, be warned! I am doing a one-shot fic for someone who happens to be a Youichi/Mikan fan like I am. So do not go whining at me at why does Natsume have to be the bad guy and Youichi is the prince in shining armor and why not around.

So, in short, if you are perfectly aware this is a YXM fic and you still read it, do not go complaining to me and clogging up my PM box.

-x-

Mikan sat and wept in her spot. She didn't do anything! She didn't even talk to her project partner in science! And yet she got beaten up by him.

Yes. Natsume Hyuuga, who turned into the hot playboy wannabe that every girly slut wants. He is the ultimate trophy boyfriend, and the only thing that interested him in her was that she didn't like him.

"I-It wasn't m-my fault!" Mikan hoarsely cried into her palms.

What she didn't know was that her raven haired best friend and the gray haired toddler in her arms were watching the scene where Mikan cried about her boyfriend's abuse to herself.

"Maybe we should do something about it…" Youichi whispered as Hotaru carried them away.

"No, not now. I know you love Mikan. But right now, to relieve her of unnecessary pain, let's not get near her for now," Hotaru whispered.

"But she could be suffering and you don't want to do anything about it!" Youichi yelled. A fist came right down on the little toddler's head.

"Do you think I enjoy my sister getting hurt?!" Hotaru had small tears dropping from her eyes, becoming so OOC. Youichi's eyes widened at the sight. He stopped trying to struggle.

"I want to stop her suffering! But every time I try to do something, that…that…BRAT keeps getting in my way! He even told me that I am forbidden from seeing her! I want to do something as well!" Hotaru continued to yell.

Youichi started to cry.

"I-I'm sorry. I-I w-will come up with something, o-okay?" Hotaru stuttered.

Youichi nodded.

The two left, highly not wanting to leave their sad brunette to cry by herself.

-x-

Mikan had stopped crying after a while. She had gotten used to the pain. But it didn't stop the tears or hurt or backstabbing she would feel when she saw Natsume flirt with all the slutty girls while she had to close herself from all the boys that she considered her friends.

Mikan didn't know what to feel anymore. One moment he would need her. Next moment she is useless.

It was all normal, right?

"Get up," a cold voice came. Mikan flinched. She looked up, scared, to meet with cold and unfeeling ruby eyes.

"I said GET UP!" he yelled and a painful blow was landed on her stomach. Mikan cried out but not as painfully when the abuse actually started.

"What a useless girl. I wonder what I see in you," Natsume growled as he started to yank on Mikan's beautiful chestnut hair.

"It hurts!" Mikan clawed at her head.

"Then follow me and do not make one tiny squeak, you hear me, you little bitch?" Natsume glared intensely at Mikan.

Mikan, teary eyed, nodded, and followed Natsume. Every time her body winced in pain, she bit her lip so hard that it drew blood. But she didn't say anything about it. She didn't cry out in fear of getting another beating.

-x-

The next day in class, Mikan looked down. She never looked up when Youichi and Hotaru came in. Mikan had to put on extensive foundation on to hide the bruise marks from all of Natsume's beatings. Her eyes were downcast in a sad manner and her eyes were puffed up.

Natsume glanced annoyed at the gray chibi. Something that toddler knew and he didn't. Youichi had stopped clinging to him the moment he started inflicting harm on Mikan.

"Oi Youichi," Natsume called out.

Youichi shifted in Hotaru's arms and looked at Natsume with indifference.

"What do you want, you hag?" Youichi spat out.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" Natsume yelled and was going to claw the toddler's eyes out when he was attacked.

BAKA! BAKA! BAKA!

Natsume flew back into his seat next to Mikan and she flinched when she saw her partner bleeding profusely next to her. She thought she could help him heal a little more so he is not in a critical condition later on.

Reaching out her hand to put it on his shoulder, Natsume jerked it quickly back.

"Do not touch me you bitch. Just stare fucking ahead," he glowered. Mikan quivered, looked forward.

As Mikan took notes of what was happening in class, Natsume had moved next to Luna Koizumi's seat and started giving her neck hickeys.

Then the strong auburn haired girl started to cry. Hotaru saw this and her heart ached to go next to her best sister like friend and hug her until she cannot breathe. But Natsume got in her way.

Youichi's emerald eyes swirled with anger when he saw his crush silently cry.

It was two years ago when he first met Mikan.

Flashback:

It was not too long ago after Natsume had asked Mikan to be his girlfriend. Back then, Natsume was cold, protective, kind, and had a warm spot for Mikan.

Mikan sat in her seat and started humming a favorite classical composition she loved so much. Doing this, she took out her class homework and notebook.

"Oi, polka."

"Natsume, I told you that nickname irritates me!" Mikan said without looking up from her bag.

"Well then you shouldn't have worn that pattern," Natsume smirked. He sat down next to the brunette.

Mikan looked up and nevertheless smiled brightly and kindly at Natsume. Youichi was startled. He thought that the girl would look at his nii-chan with hunger or desire or lust in their eyes. Mikan looked at him with kindness just radiating in the air around her. He felt himself blush.

Mikan smiled brighter, "Who is your friend, Natsume?"

"S-Stay a-away f-from m-me, h-h-hag…" Youichi stuttered. Her radiance was so bright and warm.

"Wow, that's a start," Natsume's eyes widened.

"Does he insult all the girls like that?" Mikan tilted her head to the side, "Or is he sick?"

"He insults anyone that tries to get close to me. But looks like he has a hard time calling you a name," Natsume shook his head and smirked, "You're one of a kind, Mikan."

Mikan didn't know exactly what he meant. She didn't know that Natsume was slightly jealous. She didn't know that her simple start of interaction with Youichi would start her abuse. And she didn't know her radiant smile would get Youichi to fall in love with her without her knowing.

End of flashback

Mikan didn't interact with anyone after a while they had first met. Natsume isolated her slowly and slowly from the others, and Youichi, whom he saw Mikan was getting a little bit attached to and Youichi possessively attracted to.

Mikan just looked down at her shoes. Students cleared the classroom and she even saw her so called boyfriend leave with Luna Koizumi.

"Why do I still stay with him?" Mikan mumbled.

As the brunette just sadly shuffled to a Sakura tree and put her head down and feebly cry in her knees, Hotaru watched her sadly. Then a wave of adrenaline hit her.

"Come on, Youichi. We are going to tell him," Hotaru's lips thinned into a grim line as she gripped the boy harder and set out for his destination.

"Will I be able to tell Mikan?" Youichi asked Hotaru longingly.

"If we do something then Hyuuga can get expelled and we can be with Mikan again. And yes I know you can confess to her," Hotaru rolled her eyes but then glared at the toddler.

"What did I do this time?" Youichi asked Hotaru wearily.

"You better treat her right. Or else you will suffer a bigger wrath than Hyuuga will," Hotaru glared.

Youichi wasn't afraid like he would have been in the past. His love for Mikan kept him strong on his feet. Without hesitation he nodded, and Hotaru felt satisfied, lowered the intensity of her glare.

Hotaru tapped down the hallway. She stopped curtly at the HSP's office. Taking a few deep breaths, Hotaru caught herself and knocked.

"Come in."

-x-

Mikan cried as her back had hit the tree again. Natsume's eyes were ablaze with hatred when he sensed Hotaru go near the HSP's office.

"You wanted her to tell your uncle, didn't you?" Natsume glared as he hit Mikan in the stomach again. Mikan cried out when the impact was harder than she had thought his punch would be.

"I didn't! Natsume, I swear I didn't tell her anything! I didn't go close to her!" Mikan cried freely.

"Shut up you whore!" Natsume roughly slapped Mikan across her cheek.

Mikan's heart broke every time he said such a cruel name against her. She wanted to break free. She realized she couldn't stay with Natsume or else he would abuse her until he killed her. That is not what her parents died for, right? They probably wanted her to be happy, even if she couldn't find it in Kaoru's son.

Inseparable bond…

"Our mothers made a bond and you can't go around like a fucking bitch and break it!" Natsume yelled as he made her trip when she tried to get up.

Mikan closed her eyes. The bond their mothers made. The only official thing Natsume had to hold onto. Their stones were swapped back. Natsume had thrown her stone in a trash, and Mikan had found her big stone ripping out of the garbage can when it was taken out on trash day.

Mikan had been brokenhearted when she picked up her glowing stone from the grass.

He didn't love her like he had in the past.

He now just wanted to own her like a chess piece. It hit her then when Natsume had started wearing his own red stone around his neck like a narcissist. He just admired himself nowadays.

Mikan buried her face in her hands and said, "I know, Natsume. Please…I am staying away from Hotaru like you requested me to."

Natsume stopped. He reconsidered her words but nevertheless glared at her. He picked her up and shoved her behind a bush. Mikan looked at him with confusion, but then looked at her bloody uniform.

"Just get cleaned up and go back to your dorm. People might speculate and my reputation will go down," Natsume glared and then he left the broken brunette to cry on her own.

Just then, her two senpais were passing through. When Misaki viewed a beaten up Mikan, she grew angry. Tsubasa had to hold her back.

"Mikan is beat up! Let me go!" Misaki struggled against Tsubasa.

"Can't. If we get near her then she will be beaten up even more, right?" Tsubasa whispered.

Nobody had to be oblivious. They knew that the all famous Natsume Hyuuga was beating up his girlfriend. And the fact that he was having a steamy affair with a 27-year-old.

Everyone cared about Mikan and her getting hurt so they pretended not to know. But it seemed Mikan got hurt anyways.

"I wish that brat didn't make us stay away…" tears filled up Misaki's eyes. Tsubasa hugged her.

"I know. We will do something about it, okay?" Tsubasa soothed her. Misaki nodded.

-x-

Youichi didn't feel hungry now. He didn't want to eat howalon anymore. He didn't want to conjure up ghosts now that Mikan was getting hurt.

Every time Natsume slapped Mikan and hit her stomach, his chest painfully stung when he should've done something to stop the conflict but didn't. He couldn't, because he wasn't as strong. And even if he was, he wouldn't have the willpower to go against the one person who cared for him before he had met Mikan. But seeing her suffer underneath his constant abuse made him rethink his doubts.

-x-

Mikan was in the library. She was tired. She was exhausted. She didn't want to move anymore. She didn't want to make an effort to hang on.

Mikan sighed and closed her text book. She found herself over studying, even after the exams. Natsume spent less and less time with her and more and more time with Luna.

Something Natsume would tell Mikan was how dedicated and wildly passionate Luna was and how pathetic Mikan is if she cannot be like that.

Mikan whimpered as she traced an outline of a hand mark. It wasn't Natsume's hand this time. It was Luna's. Now with claw marks.

Tears cascaded down Mikan's cheeks. She wanted to get out of this. This hell hole was too much for Mikan. She didn't know if she can go on forgiving Natsume like this.

The tears splashed down onto the books. Mikan couldn't stop herself.

When the tears started, there was no way to stop them.

Little did she know that someone in the toddler form was becoming furious when he saw Mikan cry out from all the wounds she received.

Youichi balled up his fists. This was calling for action. He can't wait for another second now.

He ran outside. He felt guilty of making Mikan stay in there. But ending her pain was more important than just continuing to watch like an idiot.

He went to the place where Natsume and Luna were passionately were making out under Mikan's special sakura tree that she and Natsume had shared their kisses under.

Youichi felt sick to his stomach. He marched forward and kicked Natsume in the stomach. It got the desired effect. Natsume doubled backwards.

Luna glared at him and said, "What are you doing here, you stupid sissy?"

"I am getting revenge to what he did to Mikan," Youichi glared back at her. Luna scoffed.

"That slut? God she is a goner. She still is willing to walk at Natsume-kun's heels without fighting. She is nothing more than a puppet," she gave a sick laugh and pushed back her hair reeking of too much caramel shampoo.

Youichi cringed. He HATED caramel.

"I do not know why you are keeping her with you. She is like, SO useless. So why are you willing to hang out with the bitch?" Luna asked.

"She is useful," Natsume glared at Youichi.

"I am here to say that you have no more rights to touch her," Youichi glared at Natsume.

"Oh come on, you know you have no strength. Come on, this is your nii-chan you are going against. The very person who understood you," Natsume snickered at Youichi.

"I might have been grateful, but you are not my nii-chan anymore. You hurt Mikan. I loved her when I met her but I thought that if you were willing to protect her then I could let her go. But then this is how you show your love and affection, I am not letting you get near her," Youichi glared.

With that, Natsume tried to chuck a fireball at Youichi. But when the fireball would have hit Youichi, a barrier quickly formed around Youichi and bounced the fireball right off. Youichi's eyes widened when the barrier dissolved.

"Shiki-san!"

He nodded. He then made eye movements to the side and Youichi, without glancing, knew help was on is side.

Luna started to go for Youichi and strangle him but his ghosts made her scared temporarily, as she was such a sissy no matter how scary she looked.

Misaki took the advantage of this opening and she pounced on Luna with one of her many clones. Tsubasa trapped her limbs with the aid of his shadow minions.

Youichi's eyes widened.

"Everyone…"

"We got them!" Misaki smiled and then hit Luna square in the face.

Youichi hesitated.

"Don't you dare give me that look, young man! Go after her!" Hotaru yelled and then hit Baka Gun, bullets flying into Hyuuga's head.

Youichi turned on his heels and went to the place where Mikan sat in the library, sadly stroking her scars from Natsume.

Mikan lifted her head from her book and tried to cover the ugly purple and black bruises Natsume gave to her.

Youichi saw her small action and yanked down the sleeves. He saw the months and months of endless torture. When he saw claw marks, he knew Luna started abusing her as well.

"You know, Mikan, you do not have to hide it," Youichi said as he looked at Mikan with sadness and worry in his eyes.

"I look so ugly like this, and yet I didn't do anything to stop Natsume," Mikan's bright hazel eyes filled with tears.

Suddenly, he puffed from a three year old to a nine year old and he went up and hugged Mikan. He murmured into her blazer, "I do not care if I am nine years younger than you, Mikan. I loved you ever since I met you two years ago. And I will definitely treat you better than Natsume had."

Mikan's breaking point came and her body wracked with sobs. She couldn't hold in the pain any longer. Youichi stayed strong as she freely cried.

"You know, you don't have to stay away anymore," Youichi murmured. Mikan's eyes widened when she remembered Natsume's harsh words.

STAY AWAY FROM THEM!

"He won't hurt you ever again, Mikan. I promise."

Mikan felt a new love bloom in her chest. Through abuse, torture, claw marks and a meeting two years ago.

Two years ago when they had first met.

"I love you too, Youichi."

Mikan's tears stopped, Youichi hugged Mikan a little harder and the day just seemed a little brighter. Somehow, through a trick of their eyes, the sun shined and smiled down on the two new lovebirds.

And in this kind of love, age difference is the last thing to think about.

-finalmente-