A/N: This is so random. And somewhat OOC. But I've always hoped to write something like this and here we are. Comments please!
Hilaire: (If ever you get around to reading this) I know I've said I'm very busy, and I am, trust me. This story just came to me all of a sudden and I had to write it down. Anyway, I hope you'll read this and you'll be able to drop me a review (I really enjoyed reading your past ones. They help me a lot). The other story, I may or may not post. But here goes, let me know what you think.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.
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"We're leaving."
She nodded. Her back turned from him.
"Natsume says we will be back in two weeks."
"I know. Mikan told me."
He grasped for something, anything to say, to make her face him. But he knows that nothing would lessen the amount of fear, of doubt that she was feeling. He knew that of course, even if she still kept some of her emotions from him.
"You better go. I'm sure you have a long way to travel."
He sighed and approached her. Grasping her arm, he attempted to make her face him. "Hotaru—"
She snatched her arm away from him, flinching. "Just—just go, Ruka."
With more determination and force, he pulled her into his arms, her face settling between his shoulder and neck.
He felt the moisture almost at once and tightened his arms around her, almost on reflex.
In their six years together, four as mere acquaintances and two as something much more, he had seen her cry only twice. He had been pained to see her cry, but had consoled himself that at least, at the moment, it wasn't his fault.
Today, tonight, that consolation was no more. Because he knew, this time, her tears were for him, because of him.
"Hotaru, I—" He tried, once again to say something suitable. But her movement stopped him, she was shaking her head.
"It's okay. I've told you, I'll be fine. It's only for two weeks anyway."
He stayed silent, sensing she wasn't done.
Hotaru turned her head such that her voice was muffled when she spoke at last. "I'm sorry I'm so pathetic."
"You're not."
He held her that way for a few moments, hoping to, at least, soothe her before he left.
When he spoke, he finally knew what to say. "Do you trust me?"
She looked up in surprise, lavender eyes still glistening with the tears she rarely, if ever, showed. When he showed no indication of either retracting or explaining his query, she nodded.
"Of course I trust you." Why do you ask me that now?
He angled his head to be able to lay his cheek next to hers and whisper, "Do you trust me enough to be able to believe that I'll return? Do you trust me enough to believe that no matter what, I would never leave you? That I would return whole and safe?"
She nodded, tears once again threatening to fall.
"Baka. Of course I knew that."
Her voice was trembling but she finally started to sound like the Hotaru Imai he loved. The one with so many facets. The one who was sweet but cold. The one who made him smile but made him so angry that at times, he would want to throttle someone. That was a feat in itself, because he was calm and gentle by nature.
"Then why are you crying?" He half-teased.
She wiped her tears, almost self-consciously. "These are… tears of joy, you baka. I'll finally have some peace and quiet to finish my experiments without you around to… to distract me."
He smiled, blue eyes happy and relieved, and brushed his lips with hers, holding her close to him, luxuriating in the feel and the smell that was so uniquely Hotaru.
He finally let her go, knowing he was terribly late but not really caring.
"I'm going then. Stay safe, Hotaru."
"I know. Do that, too."
"I love you."
Hotaru smiled. "I know that too, Ruka. You've told me so many times."
"Well?"
"Well what?"
Ruka sighed, "Aren't you going to say you l—"
"I love you, too. And I expect you to be back two weeks from now."
With a final kiss and a grin, he was gone.
And she was left to wait for his return.
But it was alright, he had never broken his word before.
A/N: Don't ask about the title and where this leads to...cause I don't know myself. Thanks for reading.