DISCLAIMER- I do NOT own Gauken Alice. Enjoy xD
Hyuuga Natsume. A guy filled with mystery.
Sakura Mikan. A girl filled with love, passion. And a bit of an airhead, too.
What did Mikan want from him? She was always trying to get Natsume to come outside of his cold shadow, to let others in. Couldn't she see how stupid that was?
He couldn't get close to anyone.
Because in the end, the ones you love will always end up getting hurt. There's no stopping it, no running away.
So why did she keep coming back? No matter how hard Natsume tried, he just couldn't get away from her. Her warmth had extended too far, and in truth, he wanted to be absorbed by it. He didn't want to be alone.
The days that passed by lingered with thoughts of Mikan hanging around, like a thread attached to something you love, blowing in the wind, watching you try to grab a hold of it.
Natsume had missed her and her foolishness. Had she really become something he couldn't live without?
No, he couldn't. Not her. He wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt, to let anyone else try and protect him.
Nothing could change the person who he had become.
It's funny how five years later, you wish you could go back to the old days. The worries you have when you are young are nothing compared to what awaits you in your future. Honestly, Natsume couldn't believe that he had even considered his life difficult back then. Sadly, that was just a small scar compared to what life was like now. His life now was much closer to death than a scar. A scar, compared to death, is closer to happiness. Happiness is all that he had ever wanted.
It was hard to admit, but he had found happiness in her. He was jealous of how she could always manage to smile. Over the years, that jealousy turned into love. If only he could tell her.
She was like a flame, he noticed. A flame that burned with passion, determination.
He needed to see her. Just once. His life was very short as of now, being forced to use his flames and all. He would need Mikan as a temporary escape.
He had missed those glistening caramel eyes. Her auburn hair. Most importantly, that warm, loving smile she would only give him.
What had happened to them?
Natsume had remained a guy filled with mystery, he had no choice. But Mikan….was she still the girl he had known long ago? She must have changed somehow. Perhaps she was less childish, taller. He smirked at the image of an older Mikan.
Okay, he had to see this!
It was settled. He would sneak out of his cell at midnight.
Yeah, that's right, he knew exactly how to sneak out besides all the high security and guards everywhere. They were all such fools. Did they not know how strong his flames were? Strong enough to open up the heating vent hidden behind his bed. All he had to do was put a pillow under the covers to look like the bed was occupied by him, that he was sleeping.
He should be back early in the morning. He wondered if Mikan would be okay with seeing him? He knew the address of the apartment she was staying at. It was in a letter that she had sent to him, asking how he had gotten himself in "jail." If only she had known that this "jail" was actually the government keeping him like a pet to use against others. She would soon. His reply would be a visit.
His watch showed 12 AM. Time to go.
Carefully pushing the pillow under the blanket, he crawled under his bed.
He burned the heating vent open, big enough for him to crawl through.
Soon, he found himself outside of the prison, a good distance away. The cool night air felt good for a change, he felt free.
The apartment was actually not too far from the prison. He had been thankful to god, if god actually existed, for once in his life.
Natsume made his way over to the complex. He quickly climbed a flight of stairs, until he found Mikan's balcony. The moonlight lit his way through the darkness, until he figured out how to get in. It was lucky she had left her sliding balcony door unlocked. Slowly, he slid it open. His eyes widened at what he had been wanting to see all this time.
Mikan.
She was sleeping there, on her bed, so peacefully. The moonlight shone on her face.
Everything else was a blur. What he had wanted was laying there right in front of him.
So he decided to crawl in bed next to her, feel her warmth like he did long ago.
His head rested against the pillow. He turned to face Mikan.
She had looked like she had grown up quite a bit. Her cheekbones were higher, features sharper. It looked like she had gotten taller, too. She was wearing a light blue night dress.
Her hair had grown much longer, about down to her waist. But her warmth felt all the same.
He inched closer.
Should he dare put an arm around her? She was asleep, so he could give it a shot.
He draped his arm around her sleeping body, nuzzling into the crook of her neck, resting his head on her shoulder.
So warm.
She smelled so sweet, like honey.
She didn't move much, just breathed softly. Her heartbeat echoed from her neck into his ears. He wanted to stay like this forever, if only he could, if only there was a forever where nothing bad ever happened, and all you could do was be happy.
Be loved.
He had hoped, dreamed, and wanted so badly to believe that she had loved him back. Would he ever know?
"Natsu..me…" Mikan whispered in her sleep. This caught him off guard.
"Mikan." He whispered back, stroking her hair, love in his eyes. Now she was resting on top of him.
"Don't go." She pleaded within her dreams.
Natsume sadly smiled.
"I'm right here." He whispered into her hear, being a hair away from it.
Suddenly, her eyes slowly opened.
She stared into Natsume's chocolate eyes.
It only took her less than a second to realize it was him.
"Natsume!" She whispered in surprise.
"Yo." He said, his face centimeters from hers.
"It's you!" She exclaimed. She got up and sat on her bed. He got up, too.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him close, as if she would never let go, not for anything.
He hugged her back.
"Natsume!" She sobbed. "I've been lonely…I've missed you…"
He comforted her, rubbing her back. "Mikan. I've missed you too. So much."
Mikan couldn't bring up the words to describe how happy she was to finally see him again. All they could do for now was embrace each other's presence.
Mikan pulled away from the hug. He was now holding both her hands in his.
"Mikan, I haven't forgotten you. I haven't stopped thinking about you." Natsume told, making Mikan's eyes water.
"Natsume, all I want if for you to be okay…" Mikan cried, making Natsume's heart clench. He had wanted the same for her.
"Mikan, I want to know if you are okay. You're…you're everything to me…" He slowly admitted, letting the truth sink in as he watched her eyes blink away pools of tears.
"Natsume, where were you?" Mikan asked. He had dreaded this question. Where was he? In hell, that's for sure.
"My very existence is not appreciated. They're…they're using my power to hurt others." Natsume began.
Mikan's eyes angered. "You're just going to let them use you?" This wasn't the Natsume she knew.
"Mikan, they won't leave me alone. For now, all I can do is obey, or I'll be killed." Natsume said with burning eyes, holding back tears.
"Natsume…" Mikan whispered. "I don't want to see you die."
"Mikan, I won't be here for long, not at this rate. I came here to tell you something." Natsume said with dead serious eyes.
Mikan's eyes widened. Was there something she didn't know?
"Mikan, I love you."
Oh, so it was something she had known all along. Something she had felt this whole time. Her heart beat fast, face heating up.
"I love you, too." She said without thinking, only feeling.
They shared an intense stare. Before Mikan knew it, Natsume's lips had crashed onto hers.
The tears ceased.
And for that moment, all they had felt was love for each other.
Their night together slowly began to fade into day.
Mikan had woken up, and turned to her side.
No Natsume.
He must have gone back to that prison. Mikan suddenly felt lonely once more, hugging the pillow Natsume had slept on that night to her chest. It smelled just like him.
Natsume had successfully gotten back to his cell, without anyone finding out. They really were fools, honestly. He lay there on his bed, thinking about what had happened the rest of that night. Smiling softly, he closed his eyes, remembering what she felt like.
He was happy, because now he knew that she was his, and that she had loved him, too.
His dear flame.
Hey hey hey…..you know what a review is :D I would really appreciate one. This took me a while, I worked hard. If I get review I might even continue! So you know what to do. Review.
Natsume - Free hugs to whoever reviews… .
Mikan – Seriously? Why? D:
Natsume- isn't it obvious, Mikan? T_T
Mikan - …. 0.0
Natsume - *sigh* I guess I'll have to show you *drags Mikan away*…*smirks* ;)
Mikan –L-Let go of me! _
Ahahaha poor Mikan… xD