(A/N: Wow, it's been so long since I wrote a fanfic so forgive me if I'm rusty or the story stinks of copper soaked in salt water. I've just pulled an all-nighter, my first, to watch the series Gakuen Alice again and am now inspired to write this one-shot, so here it goes!)
Disclaimer: If I ever owned this series, please inform me cause I would really like that… sobs
Umbrella
Natsume opened his eyes and quickly shut them again as he felt the prick of sunlight on them. Before he could snuggle back under the covers of the hospital's white sheets, the voice of his closest friend, Nogi Ruka pulled him back out from under the covers.
"… Are you feeling any better?"
He lazily opened one eye to look at his friend, the worry clearly written all over Ruka's face. "I'm sure I've seen better days than these, but I won't die from them…"
A quick glance to his right confirmed his suspicions that his friend had spent all night watching over him and added, "…don't worry…"
Accustomed to his friend's mannerisms, he gave him the brightest smile he could manage. "Natsume, I know you should be resting like the doctor ordered, but I think it's better you take it now."
An eyebrow shot up, curiousity written all over his face as Ruka thrust a small medium-sized package into his left hand. "What's this?"
Before Ruka could reply, the door was quickly knocked down and trampled upon as a cacophony of voices and footsteps ascended upon the peace of the hospital creating one heck of a racket that was heard throughout the entire campus. Among them, the most audible of voices being Sumire's.
"Natsume-kun!! Are you feeling better, I was so worried about you! Here! I brought you some flowers!" As she spoke, she placed the flowers into the small vase on the desk beside his bed. "I knew it was your birthday today, so the moment I heard that you were awake, I invited the rest of the class to come greet you!" A bright smile on her face to match that of a cherubim. Unfortunately the effort was wasted as Natsume gave a grunt of displeasure and closed his eyes pretending he heard nothing.
Although he appreciated the fact that the class had made such an effort to come to wish him happy birthday, he could not push aside that small ball of disappointment that rolled around his gut when he saw that the one he had most longed to see, besides Ruka, wasn't there.
Silently, Hotaru had pulled up a chair from nowhere and was now seated on Natsume's right. In a small, almost inaudible voice stated, "Mikan as usual has overslept because she was up all night trying to figure a question that Narumi-sensei gave yesterday…" And at a more audible volume added, "whoever solves it gets a prize of 10 Rabbits." The glint evident in her eyes with the mention of money.
"Whatever, what that baka does is of no concern to me." He stated and proceeded to cover himself further with the white blanket. Hotaru just kept quiet and munched on an apple she had took from a nearby fruit basket.
Later that day, a very tired Mikan walked into the classroom, not even bothering to greet anyone hello. She slumped into her seat and rested her head on the table and would have almost drifted to dreamland if not for the constant firing of air pellets aimed at her head.
"Baka! Baka! Baka!" the gun screamed as its owner fired one pellet after the other. Greatly irritated by the swell on her head, she whipped her head up to give Hotaru a piece of her mind when she saw Hotaru pointing towards the back of the class.
As if by magic, her spirits were lifted and Mikan bounced up to Ruka to greet him a hearty 'good morning' and to inquire about Natsume. Ruka flashed back a smile at her as he petted the bunny on his lap. The two started to discuss the ridiculous question Narumi had given as homework and Ruka pointed out how no one short of a brain would give two seconds of their time to consider the question to which Mikan only blushed in response. The bell rang just as their conversation about Narumi ended, signaling the time for lunch.
Mikan excused herself and would have bolted out of the classroom to find the now-missing Hotaru had she not seen Ruka awkwardly lingering behind the rest. She walked back to join the guy. Perhaps he was not feeling well, she thought after all who would be knowing that your closest friend was lying on a hospital bed on the day of his birthday.
As the last few of the class disappeared from the hallway, Ruka dragged a very surprised Mikan to a corner. "I hope that you can go pay a visit to Natsume later on when lessons are over. Today's his birthday and although he doesn't say but I'm sure that he would want a visit from you." And with a curt nod, ran to join the rest of the class.
Back at the hospital, Natsume lay in bed thoroughly bored to tears. There was nothing he could do, no mangas were allowed if his broken right arm was anything to go by. He counted the hours that would go by if he went back to sleep again. After deciding that five hours was quite a fair bit of time killed while staying in the hospital, he was about to be lulled back to sleep when he was jolted awake by the loud footsteps that echoed throughout his room.
"Natsume! Happy Birthday!"
Natsume arched one eyebrow as he watched her place the odd-shaped present by his bedside. Her presence and her knowledge of his birthday, as the smiling brunette bounced about his room singing under her breath could only mean that Ruka had told her.
Sighing, he pushed himself under the covers even more, ignoring the presence of Mikan in the room.
"Ne, Natsume, I know we have only been partners for almost close to a year now and I know that you told me not to come so near you, but I feel that it is important that you received your present first-hand." Mikan petulantly stated as she sat herself on a chair near the windows after placing his present on the small desk.
"Oi, polkadots I don't really care for your present seeing that I must have more than you would ever possibly get in a lifetime," He stated, his left arm gesturing at the sea and mountain of presents pooled at his feet. "As you can see, I also can't quite open the presents." He pointed out by gentling moving his left arm and pointing at his currently incapacitated right one.
Mikan stuck her tongue out at him. "Well then! You can open up your present later on. I'll pass you the card so you can read it! I best be off before the rest find out I haven't done my chores yet." With that, she fished out a small card from her right pocket and placing it in his left hand, raced out of the hospital.
Natsume rolled his eyes. That was so typical of her. He agonizingly pulled himself up to a position more suited for sitting and opened the card to read. On the left page of the card it read:
"It's not much and it's not very grand.
But I give this to you because of the promise I keep."
On the second page of the card, there were two drawings that filled up the entire page. The first was a picture of Mikan holding a brown umbrella, with what looked like cats ears attached to it, above his head in the rain while the other was the same except the weather was sunny. He rolled his eyes again and turned to the last page of the card.
"Through rain or shine, I promise to keep you company always!
As your partner and friend. Happy 11th Birthday!"
Try as he might, he could not fight the small smile that made its way to his lips. Looks like it wasn't such a bad birthday after all.
(A/N: I tried my best to steer out of the dangers of OOCness, hope I made it. Minna, review and tell me what you think of it! Ja ne!)