Fire and Ice

A/N: This is my first and probably last fic. I love this pairing, and I believe there should be more people who post stories about their romantic development! :D Please review! This is my first fic, so please be nice! To ., my hero.

Sorry it's out of character, by the way. :(

Disclaimer: Disclaimed.

The girl and the boy were so alike, they were. They both had hair as black as charcoal, both were cold to everyone they met, both were considered geniuses and both were obviously heartbroken.

'What the hell are you doing here?' He asked her, lying under his manga, frustrated of this disturbance of his slumber.

The raven haired boy turned to face her, and gave her a death look.

'I just wanted to sit down.' She looked up at him, her violet eyes piercing him as though ordering him to step off.

He shuffled himself in his awkward position, sitting upright on the tree, his tree of which he self-proclaimed.

'It's a free country, Hyuuga. Move over.' Her words, so short and yet powerful, almost forcefully pulled him out of the way.

She made herself comfortable under the tree, looking up towards the sky. She breathed in heavily, and out, but taking in small breaks from breathing. Noticing this change of pacing, the boy was immediately annoyed, and couldn't seem to fall back into his sleep.

'Can you stop that?' He quickly asked, more of a statement, than that of a question.

She rolled her eyes at him, and sat with her knees pressed tightly against her chest. She rested her forehead on her knees.

Although it may have not seemed like it, they were actually friends. They were good friends. Ever since they were ten, they had one person that kept both of them together: Mikan Sakura.

It was like a fairy tale, really. Mikan was the princess and Natsume Hyuuga was the prince. Hotaru Imai, the friend of the princess was supposed to be with the friend of the prince. The four of them were all looking for someone to be with them, and there was a destined person on the other side. It was all meant to happen.

'I will be with you forever.'

And then, relationship when it came, didn't last as long as it was expected. Forever was shortened to two years. The princess looked the diagonal position to a blonde boy who cherished her and loved her from the very beginning of time.

And years went by after that, Mikan and Ruka were the couple of the year for three years. But somehow, that didn't work out either.

It was the bittersweet reality that relationships don't last forever that stopped Ruka and Mikan from being together.

And now, the four friends were all single, but not looking. No, never looking. And yet, it was when you are not looking, you find what you are looking for.

They were the two who had it all, but just not enough. They were the two who didn't get to make a decision.

And from that, their friendship began.

'Did you hear, Hyuuga?' Hotaru asked him, her head still hanging. 'Nogi and Mikan broke up, apparently. Are you okay with that?'

'Like I give a shit.' He replied, looking upwards to the sky to which she shot quickly, 'Language.'

'Are you okay with that?' Natsume asked.

'Well, it's not like it matters,' Hotaru replied softly, 'Nogi wouldn't pick me even if I was the only fertile woman on earth.'

'God, what a thing to say.'

'It's true. At least you had Mikan for a while, and she was madly in love with you. I…' She sighed, as if switching off her emotions. 'I was never meant to be happy. I wasn't programmed that way.' She stated matter-of-factly.

There was a long silence, consisting of sounds of their breathing, cicadas screaming on the top of their lungs. This silence had lasted for hours, and both of them pretended to be involved with some other activity, although they were thinking of each other. Finally, Natsume spoke:

'Forget Ruka.' He started playing with the edges of his manga, folding and unfolding them. 'He's hopeless. He was hopelessly devoted to that idiot, and now he's hopelessly heartbroken by her as well. I'm sure.'

'What will you do?' She asked.

'I'll fo-'

'Don't forget Mikan.' She interrupted, 'I'll murder you if you do.'

'Why? It's not like she cares anymore.' He mumbled under his breath, shifting his eyes from side to side.

'And if she does? What will you do then? Feel regret?' She looked down, sighed deeply. 'Just don't ruin your life.'

'Fine. Don't forget Ruka, then.'

Hotaru looked at him with an annoyed look, and replied, 'It's different with me and Nogi, because Nogi doesn't like me. Nogi never liked me. What makes you think he'll start now?'

'Because…' Natsume thought for a moment, 'I don't know…'

'Great, Hyuuga, that makes me feel tons better.'

'I'm not good with this compliment crap, okay?'

'Evidently.'

Natsume shot a look at her, meeting her eyes directly. 'Your eyes are nice?'

She shook her head in disgust, 'That's the most pathetic compliment I've ever heard.'

This angered him, for he thought he knew it all. 'Oh, well, if you're so great, go ahead. Compliment away.'

She stared at him, surprised by his challenge towards her.

'Your eyes reflect your past, I think. That's a good thing, because you're not hiding anything from anyone.'

'They're red.' 'Which reflects the amount of people you killed.'

Natsume rolled his eyes, 'what the hell is that kind of compliment?'

'It's a bittersweet compliment.' She replied, and seeing him growl, smiled slightly to his reaction.

'Sadist.' He mumbled. 'You take pleasure in other people's pain.'

They were quiet after that remark, and sat there under the tree for a couple of seconds. Inspiration came to Natsume, and he quickly retaliated:

'Your eyes are beautiful; probably the only beautiful thing about you.'

Hotaru almost smiled to that comment, but she stopped herself before it grew large enough for the human eye to see.

'You took care of Mikan for me, kept that idiot away from me for a while.'

'You have a way with taking pictures and inventing, probably the best of the world.'

'Your fire alice is useful, and I fear that you overuse it sometimes.'

'You're pretty smart, though not as smart as I am.' Natsume snickered and stopped, to think for a second. When he was about to attack with another compliment, she spoke:

'You're not that bad, once I got to know you.'

'Well, neither are you.'

He couldn't believe those words came out of his mouth. Suddenly, he was confused, an emotion he had never been trapped in.

She looked straight up at him, and smiled, fully and wholesomely this time. But her mind, no matter how focused her eyes were on his face, realized something that made her frightened, making her tear up.

What was this feeling that was overpowering her chest, making it impossible for her to see?

This confusion he was feeling, what was the cause?

Hate? Love?

She closed her eyes, listening to the beat of her heart.

He experimented, for he never knew how it felt to not understand.

Following his heart without consulting his mind, he leaned in and kissed her.

It only took one second, for both of them to realize what they felt. They quickly pulled away, and looked at each other firmly.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

It was almost his birthday.

But what should she do for him? Was she permitted to be close enough to give him a card?

A little card caught her attention.

You are fire; I am ice, it read on the cover. There were illustrations of fire and ice, both looking against each other.

In the card, read:

You make my heart melt.

Happy birthday!

'Oh, god no.' She thought to herself, and shook her head, shivering. How corny. She walked out, limiting herself to a card that read 'Hang in there!'.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

It was his birthday. Natsume realized, seeing that it really was November already.

After what happened, should they talk? Would she buy him anything, or celebrate with him?

He selfishly wanted a card from her, and knowing she must've not bought anything, he went quickly to buy a card for her, more original than anything he's ever seen.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

'Here.' He gave her a card, looking away and trying to avoid the awkward atmosphere.

'What's this for?' She asked.

'It's a card to me.'

'You bought yourself a card?'

'For you to give to me. So…Yeah.' He replied calmly, and gestured for her to give it to him.

She opened it up in front of his eyes, and read,

You are fire; I am ice.

You make my heart melt.

'God, Hyuuga. This is the most clichéd thing I've ever read.'

He looked over to her, and smiled.

'That's a bittersweet compliment, isn't it?'

She smiled back,

'Yes, Hyuuga. Yes, it is.'


Did you like it? I hope you did! :)