Funny story: I planned a different ending for this fanfiction, but while I was doing the laundry, I thought of the current ending and I thought to myself, "Wow, this is something these dorks would do. Let's do it."
Setomary is so cute. This prompt is cute. I hope I did them some justice and weren't too out of character.
A lot of my headcannons are included in this. You'll probably be able to spot them out as you keep reading.
Kagerou Project belongs to Jin.
Seto and Mary situated themselves on the couch, the girl sitting on the boy's lap as she opened a book to read aloud.
This was their schedule from who knows how long ago. Seto would return from work, exhausted, and Mary would be sitting at the table, feet kicking and mouth smiling. This would make Seto feel much better, and he would sit down with her as they ate the food that was laid out in front of them. Then, Mary would get a book from her collection, and she and Seto would relax on the couch and read until she would fall asleep. Seto would then carry her to her bed, or fall asleep on the couch with her. It was mostly the second.
On this particular day, Seto was late. Mary checked the clock, and then pouted when she realized that he was about thirty minutes behind their schedule. Her stomach growled, and she looked at the once – steaming food grow cold.
"Mary, why don't you go ahead and eat?" Kido said from behind her. Mary almost jumped, but she had to remind herself that it was normal for Kido to appear out of nowhere. The medusa had only been there for just a year though, and she was absolutely absent – minded, so she had to remind herself of Kido's powers and the many other quirks of the Dan.
Mary checked the clock again, and her stomach rumbled in response. The food, which Kido always put such a good amount of effort on, was taunting her, but she insisted that patience was a virtue and that Seto would have to eat alone if she went ahead.
"It's okay, danchou!" Mary looked up at Kido, who merely looked back. "I can wait."
"If he doesn't come back in the next thirty minutes, you go ahead," Kido said, turning around. "I'm sure he'll understand."
The medusa watched her commander walk off into a different room, and then turned her attention to the clock again. She watched it for exactly five minutes until the door slammed open.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mary!" Seto exclaimed as he walked into the room, rolling up his sleeves as if they weren't already. "I had to go make a delivery just when I was about to leave."
"Ah, that's alright, Seto!" Mary smiled, wider than she usually would. She was glad that he was finally home, and that she was able to finally spend time with him. "I'm just glad you're here. Now we can eat!"
Seto glanced at the clock as he sat down, gasping at the time. "We better make up the time then!"
While Mary ate at her regular speed, Seto breezed right through. Seto really meant it when he said he was going to make up the missing time, she thought to herself, watching her companion clear the plate. She found it rather miraculous that he was able to keep his face and clothes clean despite rushing through the meal.
Seto gulped down his drink just as Mary had finished. They both smiled at each other, indicating yet another great meal, and Mary got up to fetch a book while Seto positioned himself on the couch.
The girl skimmed her collection for a while, almost picking up a book here and there, but deciding that she was not in the right mood to read it. She was picky with what she would read, but since she had to read these books over and over for years, she told herself that she had every right to be selective. Finally, she decided on the book entitled "The Princess and the Frog", which was a fairy tale she enjoyed, and she held it close to her.
A frog… she thought to herself, walking out of her room. Seto kind of looks like a frog…
Mary stumbled on her feet, falling in front of the boy. The medusa let out a little squeal, the book flying out of her hand and landing a few inches away from her. She got up quickly just as Seto was about to help her up. She picked up the book, held it close to her again, and turned to the boy, who swiftly asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Mary huffed. She never really liked to make the boy worry, but she couldn't help her clumsiness. "Don't worry about me, Seto! You know I do this all the time."
The boy looked concerned for a while, but then accepted the truth of her inept nature. Seto then sat down, and Mary followed him as she landed on his lap. She eagerly showed him the cover of the book, and he asked, "Oh, I don't think we've read this one before."
"We haven't?" Mary tilted her head slightly, trying to remember. "Trying" was the key word here, because her memory span was not the best around.
Mary turned to the first page of the book, looked up at Seto, who only smiled back, and began reading.
"'Once upon a time, there was a princess. The princess – '"
Hiccup!
Mary felt the hiccup on the boy's chest, and Seto put his hand over his mouth quickly. She obviously did not feel a hiccup, so the girl assumed that it was the boy who produced it.
"Seto, are you okay?" Mary asked.
"Yeah, I'm – hic – fine! Please, continue the story." Seto kept his hand over his mouth, and Mary could only reluctantly turn back to the book.
"'The princess was very spoiled. One day, as she was playing with a golden ball – '"
Hiccup!
She felt the hiccup again, and once more, she turned to face Seto, who was now turning a bit red. She pouted, and the boy turned even redder when she did.
"Seto, you are not okay!" Mary exclaimed, keeping her thumb as a bookmark for the book. "You've got the hiccups!"
"They're just the – hic – hiccups, Mary," Seto explained, trying to avoid the situation. "It's – hic – nothing serious! I – hic – think I got them when I – hic – ate way too quickly today."
"Still, it's interrupting our reading," Mary replied, and Seto could only nod before letting out another hiccup. "We're going to have to think of ways to get rid of them!"
"What do you suggest then?" Seto was not one to keep a list of home remedies, although he knew that Mary would. He hiccupped again, not even resisting the hiccups as they came along.
"Hmm, holding your breath for a few seconds might work," Mary said. An idea then popped into her head, and she smiled. "Okay, I have an idea. I need for you to close your eyes and move your hand away from your mouth."
Seto did as followed, knowing from experience that it was futile to argue with Mary. The medusa felt her heart race, and wondered if she could back out of her idea, but he was right there, hiccupping as he waited, and she knew she had to cure it. Besides, she was feeling a bit courageous.
Leaning in, Mary pressed her lips against his, and the warmth on her face only grew as she counted the seconds.
1, 2, 3, 4…
She felt the boy draw in his breath, and she was glad that this little plan had worked.
5, 6, 7, 8…
She was also glad to see that he cooperated, and he held his breath as long as they were kissing. The thought of this made her heart beat much faster.
9, 10…!
She leaned backed, her face too warm even when she put her palms against her cheek. The boy was quite red too, looking around as if the room itself had answers to what had occurred. The girl felt her heart slow down a bit, but the warmth of his mouth was still on hers. This feeling was probably something she would never forget.
She never wanted to forget it.
"Well," the girl said shakily, trying to break the silence. "Did it work?"
Seto waited for a bit until a hiccup erupted from his mouth.
"I'm afraid not," he replied, scratching the back of his beck out of embarrassment.
"I guess we'll just have to keep kissing until it goes away," the medusa said.
And so they did, and the book they were reading was forgotten until another day.