Author's Notes:
I know what you're thinking: "Why are you starting another story when you haven't even finished What Causes a Sparkand Forfeityet?!"
Well, with the former, I'm doing really slow on it. And as for the latter, I haven't found the song that just tugs at my heartstrings, you know? Forfeit updates rely entirely on the song ideas/suggestions :33 And also I'm busy right now and this story has been collecting virtual dust in my computer for months now that I just thought, "Maybe I should post this now that I haven't updated in a while?" So no, I didn't forgo those stories for this one. :)))
Anyway, these are a collection of one-shots about Touma and Mikoto's love story in the eyes of their awesome mothers :D
Disclaimer: I do not own To Aru. And story was inspired (initially) by a fanart that I no longer have.
I: Written in the Stars
Joint family vacations have become a thing between the Misaka and Kamijou households, with Shiina and Misuzu quickly becoming friends, and their son and daughter being close as well. It didn't hurt that the fathers of both households seemed to get along, but the main objective of their vacations together had always been clear to both mothers.
A romance between their children.
While the opportunity to match make wasn't abundant, Shiina and Misuzu made sure to make every chance they got count. So after their first Christmas and New Year together, their summer vacation had come next.
Misuzu suggested camping, saying that not only does her husband needed to be away from anything related to work, but also the concept of huddling together around the bonfire seemed too romantic to pass up. Shiina had happily agreed.
But as their last days of camping came to a close, Shiina thought that they might need yet another outing before their children would finally get together. That is, until the last night.
Shiina was stirred awake from her sleep when she felt her son leaving their tent. Instead of inquiring about where he was going though, she simply pretended to still be asleep, assuming that her son merely needed a bathroom break. But after zipping up their tent close, she heard him say in a low voice.
"Why are you still awake, Biribiri?"
Being the curious mother she was, Shiina quietly moved towards the opening of their tent, unzipping a small portion of it and sneaking a peek as Misuzu's daughter replied.
"Can't sleep. You?"
The girl was cloaked with a blanket, and the fire that should've been mere embers was burning brightly. She watched Touma sit beside Mikoto, giving her a perfect view of their faces.
Touma grinned lightly, "Same. What are you doing?"
"Stargazing." Mikoto said, looking up at the sky, "We never see this many stars in Academy City."
He followed her gaze and smiled, "I know what you mean. It's really beautiful."
"It is. And it's the first I actually got to see the constellations in person. The pictures didn't give them any justice."
"Do you recognize any of them?"
She smiled brightly and pointed, "Do you see those three stars that form a line?"
"Those really bright ones?"
"Mm-hm. That's Orion's Belt. Those three stars are called Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka. From there you can trace the other stars around it to form Orion. See how they look like a body holding a sword?"
"A little, I guess." He chuckled lightly, pointing out, "But hey, doesn't it look more like a headless and legless person holding a bow?"
She slapped him playfully on his arm, her lips twitching, "You have no imagination."
He snorted, "Do too. And look, don't those stars look a little like Gekota?"
"Where?!"
"Right there, above the ones that looks like a pineapple."
She giggled, "True! But the pineapple looks more like you with your spiky hair."
"Are you saying my hair looks like a pineapple?"
She merely laughed in response.
Shiina gleefully watched the two teens as they continued with their stargazing. For a while, the mother had been worried that their attempts to bring the two together wasn't working but after witnessing the previous event, Shiina found that she didn't mind much. The teens may not get together as soon as they'd hoped but she was certain that they would get there eventually.
They never really needed match making.
At the thought, Shiina prepared to go back to bed as she listened to their conversation with a small smile. She stopped, however, when she heard her son's voice say.
"Hey, doesn't that one look like a heart?"
Shiina quickly went back to her position, watching as Mikoto's brow scrunched up a little as she searched for the said heart constellation.
Touma gazed at the girl who still had her eyes on the sky as she replied, "Heart? I don't see it."
"It's right there," he said, but he wasn't looking at the stars, "Just below the stars that said 'I love you'."
Mikoto froze and even with the orange glow from the fire, Shiina could still see her face flush. The girl then hesitantly glanced back at him.
She made no reply so he continued, "I do, you know. I have for a while now," he admitted, shifting his gaze to the fire in front of him for a moment when he couldn't hold her gaze. He nervously licked his lips before meeting her eyes once again, "It took me a long time to realize and when I did, I wasn't sure how to tell you."
It was Mikoto's turn to avoid his look, her eyes making their way to the fire. She said nothing and after a long moment, Touma sighed.
"You don't have to say anything to that… I uh… wasn't planning to tell you anyway," he scratched the back of his head, trying to hide the sadness on his face, "I guess, I should go back to bed now. It's really late and I—OW!"
Shiina smiled amusedly as she watched her son get hit on the head.
"You idiot! You suddenly confess and now you won't even let me give a proper reply? What is wrong with you?"
"Well, it seemed like you weren't going to respond! And why the hell did you hit me?"
"Because you have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to say that!" her cheeks were a deep red hue by now but thanks to the darkness of the night and the glow of the fire, it was toned down a little. Touma was stunned, and after a moment of staring at her looking like an idiot, she huffed, "I-I… l-l-lo-l-lov—I feel the same way, okay? Geez, and you never even noticed?"
Finally, he laughed as if nothing had happened, putting his hands against his knees as he guffawed.
His reaction seemed to miff her as she scowled, "What the hell are you laughing at, you idiot?! I can't believe I just—eep!"
"Sorry," he suddenly cut her off by hugging her, tucking her head under his chin as if to mold her into him, "I guess I really am an idiot. I was so afraid you wouldn't want to be my friend anymore, that's why I didn't tell you sooner. Forgive me?"
Mikoto, unable to say anything, nodded into his embrace, wrapping her arms around him as well.
It was at this moment that Shiina found the perfect moment. She hastily (and quietly) shuffled through her belongings and pulled out a camera. Slipping the lens between the thin opening, she took a picture.
Before she went to bed, she heard Mikoto mumble, "Are you cold?"
"I'm hugging you. There's no way I can be cold…ow!"
"You idiot, when I asked if you were cold, I meant I wanted to share my blanket with you."
"…oh, okay."
The next morning, Shiina woke up to the noise of her son being chased around by Mikoto's father, screaming profanities about taking advantage of his daughter.
Author's Notes:
I just had to add the ending with Tabikake XDD but yeah, this story is pretty light and corny...
Hate it all you want but I REGRET NOTHING XDD
~61wisampa