Why does no one Review? ((Sniff)) It makes me feel like a not-so-great writer...
Loki: There, there, it'll be all right. I liked your story. ((Huggle))
Me: Thankies...but...((Sniff)) It's not the same!!
Loki: ((Glares at readers)) READ AND REVIEW, DANG YOU! It's not that hard! Just click on that button at the bottom and type something. Anything! "Update soon!" "I didn't understand this part..." "There is gum in your hair"
Me: There isn't any gum in my hair...
Loki: ((Sticks a chewed up piece of "Hubba Bubba" gum in my hair)) There.
Me: WAH! Get it out! Get it out!
Loki: ((Looks at the readers again)) REVIEW. Or else JELLY BEANS will come for YOU in the night!!
Me: ((whisper)) Don't scare the readers...
Loki: They've been warned...((Evil look))
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Ever sense Natsume heard that someone was after Mikan, he had kept a constant visual on her. Mikan was a bit bothered by this, and she didn't hide it either.
Now, the brunette sat under their Sakara tree, and yet again she could feel his crimson eyes staring at her. They weren't filled with anger or hate, and they weren't filled with love either. Mikan couldn't seem to figure out how to describe what seemed to be driving the raven haired boy to follow her around. Looking upwards, she caught a glimpse of Natsume sitting up on a branch of the Sakara tree, looking down at her, before his eyes quickly darted back to his book. She sighed.
"Natsume, you stalker, would you quit following me around?" she groaned irritably up at the boy.
"Tch. Now you now how I feel, whenever you follow me around, Polka. And don't you start thinking I'm I stalker, either. This is my tree, and I can sit here whenever I want." he replied, flipping the page of his manga.
Mikan glared at the boy, but chose to pout rather than to argue. ((Note: Personally, I think the result will be same either way.)) "Why are you following me, anyway?" she muttered, mostly to herself.
"Oh, please. Stop acting like you don't want me here." he replied.
"I wasn't talking to you!"
"Hn. Then who where you talking to, Polka? You're imaginary friend?"
"I don't have a stupid imaginary friend!"
"Oh. So you have a smart imaginary friend. Well, that doesn't make sense, seeing as your not that intelligent."
Mikan turned away from the boy and crossed her arms. "Fine, say whatever you want! I'm just going to ignore you."
"Oi. You wouldn't be able to ignore me even if I paid you." he mocked.
"..." silence.
"Hey, I'm talking to you, Baka."
"..." more silence.
"Don't act like you can't hear me, Polka-dots."
"Hmmpf." she turned her entire body away from Natsume, so that her back was facing him.
Annoyed, the raven haired boy shut his manga and jumped down from his branch, so that he landed right next to the girl. Then, he lightly grabbed the brunette's chin with his forefinger and thumb, so that her chocolate brown eyes where now looking into his crimson ones. Mikan's eyes shot wide open, realizing how close their faces where. A blush creeped its way upon her cheeks, which caused Natsume to smirk mischievously.
Then, in the smoothest way possible, the black cat pulled her face even closer to his and whispered, "So, you still don't want me here, huh?"
This, of course, caused Mikan to grow about seven shades darker red. I...I can feel his breath...against my cheek...I..can't...move...she thought, mesmerised by Natsume's gaze.
While the pigtailed girl sat there in a trance, the crimson eyed boy debated weather or not he should move in for a kiss at this point. Hmm...she would probably get really pissed...but damn it, I'm so close, I can even smell the strawberry scent of her lip gloss. Kuso...I think I'm at my breaking point... he thought. But, his thoughts where inturupted when he felt something tapping him on his head.
What the hell? he wondered, glancing behind him. He met the gaze of a smirking Momo. Damn...carrot head is here...he thought, dropping his hand away from Mikan's face.
"Sorry to break up the party." she muttered, still smirking as Natsume stood up. The crimson eyed boy glared back at the arrogant girl, obviously upset that his semi-romantic moment was interrupted.
"What do you want, Kinomiki?" he demanded.
"Me? Why I was just walking about, looking for a friend of mine. Oh, and look! There she is." she replied, motioning towards the brunette.
"Momo!" Mikan exclaimed, hopping up from the ground. She quickly hugged her friend, happy to be 'saved' from her 'tormentor'. The orange haired girl comfortingly patted her hazel eyed friend on the back. While Mikan mumbled into her friend's shirt about how 'mean' Natsume was, Momo glanced towards the ticked off Kuro Neko.
Smirking yet again, she mouthed the word, 'Jealous?' to him. Natsume's eyes turned into slits as he turned his back on the two.
Whatever...I don't care...he thought, trying hard to convince himself of this, but failing. He picked up his manga, and walked off, leaving the two friends to chat.
Hmm...I just asked him to help me keep an eye on Sakara so nothing bad would happen to her. Looks like he is starting to get rather protective of her heart too. This is going to get interesting. the ninja thought as she watched the boy walk away.
--
(The next day, in class)
Mikan had just walked into class, with Momo not far behind. She greeted everyone, including Ruka-pyon and Natsume. Ruka smiled sweetly back and replied with a kind "Ohayo gozaimasu,((good morning)) Sakara-san."
As always, a simple "Hn." reply from Natsume.
The brunette took a seat next to her friend, Hotaru, and Momo sat near Mikan. This surprised some kids in the class, seeing as the pigtailed girl usually attempted to hug her best friend every morning. Instead, she was turned towards Momo, asking if the green eyed girl could help her with her homework.
Little did Mikan know, that her best friend was secretly becoming upset due to lack of attention. Sure, at first she was happy that the energetic girl wasn't always bugging her and asking her dumb questions, but now she missed seeing her friend show up at her door--wanting to spend time with the inventor. She wouldn't admit it, but she was becoming jealous of all the time her best friend spent with Momo.
Just then, Ruka tapped the inventor on the back. Normally, this wouldn't have bothered the inventor. But sense Hotaru had been bottling up all of her emotions that she had been feeling recently, she accidentally snapped on the animal lover. The violet eyed girl quickly turned around to face Ruka, with her new and improved Baka gun pointed at him.
"What, Nogi?" she glared menacingly at the innocent boy.
"Whoa, I was just going to ask to borrow a pen." he replied, sweat dropping. The blond boy shifted uncomfortably under the gaze of Imai and her weapon.
Realizing that she had let her emotions get the better of her, the inventor lowered the Baka gun. "Sorry Nogi..." she muttered.
Ruka studied the violet eyed girl's expression. "What's going on, Imai? You've been acting strange lately." he inquired, a worried look showing in his eyes and in his tone.
The girl glanced at the animal lover, a hurt expression reflecting in her eyes for a moment. This shocked Ruka, and deepened his curiosity. "Nothing is wrong. Your being paranoid, Nogi." she replied, her expression going back to normal. But, this didn't convince the blue eyed boy at all. Then, just as he was about to drop the matter, he caught a glimpse of Hotaru glancing at the two female students next to her, while they where caught up in their conversation. The same depressed look from before reappeared in her deep purple eyes. That's when it hit him.
She misses talking to Mikan all the time...but knowing Imai, she is probably too proud to admit it. Poor girl. Maybe I should keep her company later on... he thought, leaning back in his seat as the substitute teacher walked in.
--
((After class))
The last bell of the day rang, and all the kids filed out of the classroom quickly. Momo and Mikan stayed in their seats, planing a trip to Central town for another day. Mikan turned to her best friend who sat beside her.
"Wanna come with us, Hotaru? I've been saving up, and I have enough for us to get a big box of Howalons! We can all share that way." she asked, smiling towards the Ice queen.
Hotaru finished gathering up her things and stood up quickly, a cold expression on her face. "No, I'm busy." she replied sharply.
Mikan frowned at her friend's actions. "Aw, come on, Hotaru! It'll be fun."
Hotaru turned and began to walk out of the room. "You have Kinomiki to go with, so why are you bothering to ask me?" she shot back coldly. Mikan stared at her best friend as she walked out of the room, shocked that Hotaru would treat her in such a way. She stood up to go after the inventor, but Ruka stopped her.
"I'll go talk to her, Mikan-chan." he offered, before saying a quick good-bye to Natsume and hurrying off after Imai.
Natsume glanced towards the door, watching his best friend leave. Hn. Didn't expect Ruka to fall for a girl like Imai so quickly...Oh, well. I suppose it means less competition for me...Wait, what am I thinking? That's my best friend, not my rival... he thought silently.
--
((Hotaru's Lab))
The inventor had entered her lab just a little while ago, and was now sitting in one of her chairs, staring at an old picture of her and Mikan, as they held out a fish they had caught together. It was small, but that didn't appear to bother the young brunette in the photo at all. And surprisingly, the younger Hotaru in the photo was softly smiling as well.
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"Hotaru! I think I got one, but it's really heavy!" young Mikan called, struggling with the fishing pole.
The young Hotaru calmly walked over and grabbed the net she had brought. Mikan pulled hard on the fishing pole, which caused the fish to jump up into the air and release the hook from it's mouth. Luckfully, Hotaru acted quickly and caught the fish in the air with the net before it could fall back into the water and swim away.
"We did it, Hotaru!! We caught our first fish, together!" exclaimed the young brunette as she hopped up and down.
Looking more closely at the fish in the net, the young Imai realized how small the fish was. "Idiot. THIS was what was 'so heavy'? Its a shrimp."
Mikan studied the fish too. "No, I've seen shrimp before. They're smaller and have a redish color to them, Hotaru." she corrected.
'Idiot' the young Hotaru thought. Just then, Mikan's grandfather walked up with a camera. "Wow, what a fish. How about a smile girls, and hold up your catch!" the old man held up the camera and waited for the girls to get in position. Mikan put an arm around her best friend and gave a big, bright smile as they both held up their small catch. This caused Hotaru to make a small smile herself as the old man took the photo. Once it was fully devoloped, Mikan held it out to her best friend.
"Here. You keep the picture and I'll keep the fish. That sound fair?"
Young Hotaru took the photo and nodded. "I'm getting the better deal, ya know. That fish is so small, it won't even make a tasty snack." she replied.
Mikan shook her head. "I'm not gunna eat him! He's going to be my pet, Silly!" she smiled as she looked at the fish in the bucket full of water.
Hotaru sighed as she and Mikan walked back home together. "Your a real idiot, you know that?" she muttered. Putting her arm around her friend's shoulders, she added, "But, I guess your my idiot."
Mikan smiled. "Aww, Hotaru..." she replied happily.
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Hotaru stared down at the photo for a long time. Baka, what are you smiling about? she thought, a small smile creeping across her face. The inventor's thoughts where interrupted when she heard a loud knock at her door. She quickly hid the photo in her pocket. Once she opened the door, the Ice queen was surprised to find Ruka Nogi standing on the other side.
"Can I help you?" she hid her confusion as she spoke.
Ruka smiled softly. "Uh...yea. May I come in?" he asked.
"OK..." Hotaru murmured before she opened her laboratory door wide, and then closing it once the blond haired boy entered. At first, he simply walked about the lab, glancing at this and that, not saying anything.
After a while, the inventor grew impatient and began to question the boy. "Alright, so what are you here for, Nogi?" she asked, sitting back down in her chair.
Ruka nervously scratched his head. "Oh, well, you know me. I just wanted to chat and stuff..." he replied, avoiding eye contact with the emotionless girl. Bad lie... he thought.
Hotaru raised an eyebrow at this, obviously not believing a word of what the blue eyed boy was saying.
The animal lover sighed, deciding to tell the truth. "Well, you seemed really upset in class today...and I just wanted to make sure...well, you know...that you where alright and stuff. And if you wanted to...talk?" Ruka mentally kicked himself once he finished speaking. There is no way I could have sounded more like a total dork right then. he thought silently.
The inventor wasn't sure if she should be more confused or...touched that the boy actually cared about what she was feeling right then. She stood up and slowly walked over to her window, looking out at the endless sky, trying to find the words in her mind. "You really want to know?" she asked, not looking towards Ruka as she spoke.
Ruka stared back at the violet eyed girl, nodding. "Yea..." he replied.
Hotaru sighed. "You wouldn't understand...it's...complicated..." her eyes drifted off to someplace far away, that couldn't be seen by anyone else.
But, Ruka wasn't going to give up that easily. He walked calmly over to the inventor, and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. Once she was looking strait at him, he replied, "Try me."
For the longest time they stayed like that, looking into each others eyes, wishing their alice was mind reading so that they could hear what each other was thinking right then. Hotaru couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. As she tried hard to regain control of her raging thoughts, a stray tear slid down her face and landed on the windowcill. Ruka didn't flinch. In fact, he felt relived to see the true side of the usually emotionless inventor.
"She said we would always be best friends...but look at us now. She has a whole new group of friends, while I'm avoiding her and left all alone. I want her to smile...to be happy...I don't want to be her only friend...But I don't want her to stop being my friend either..." murmured the violet eyed girl as several more tears rolled down her face.
She didn't try to wipe them away, she just allowed them to fall, hiding her face with her bangs. Ruka knew he wouldn't be able to bear standing there much longer, while the lonely inventor fell to pieces. Soon, Imai wasn't the only one who was losing control of her emotions. Because before the blond boy had a chance to think, he already had the crying girl in his arms, holding her close to him.
Everything seemed to freeze at that moment. The tears stopped flowing, the world stopped moving, and everything fell silent. No one else seemed to exist right then, except the two people that where holding each other so close. Ruka spoke into the silence. "It's alright. I get it...And I don't think that your a horrible person for saying it, either. So, go ahead, cry. Really, I don't mind if you cry. Or if you scream, or if you yell. To tell the truth, the worst thing I think you can do is to not say anthing at all..." he whispered soothingly.
Hotaru's eyes widened in shock. She could hardly believe everything that was happening. ...Ruka... Then, she quickly closed her eyes again as more tears flowed from her dark purple orbs, staining the blue eyed boy's shirt. But he didn't care, as long as Imai was somehow allowing herself, for once, to let all of her self restraint go. Just for a little while, he hoped she would allow herself to let out whatever she was really and truly feeling right then and there.
"...Ruka..." she whispered. "...Thank you..."
The blond haired boy closed his eyes, and whispered back, "Anytime..."
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Hazzah! I FINALLY got to do my RxH pairing! And wasn't it cute? Oh, fluffy-ness all around! X) I'm getting inside everyone single mind of the main Gakuen Alice characters! Except for Yochan...But, maybe I'll do that later.
Loki: And Tsubasa!
Me: Don't start that again...
Loki: NO! I will not be silenced! Tsubasa shall have a chapter all to himself!
Me: Well, I do need to mention him sooner or later I guess...
Loki: Yes, yes.
Me: Oh, and then there is Koko.
Koko: Woah. No way you crazy people are getting inside my inner thoughts. THAT is my job! I mean, HELLO, Mind reader!
Me: Koko, who let you in?
Loki: Uh...well, you see...ehehehe...
Me: Loki?! Your CHEATING on Tsubasa?
(Tsubasa, some-where far away: YES! CHEAT ON ME! Then maybe you'll stop harassing me...)
Loki: I WOULD NEVER! He just knocked on the door and at first I didn't answer, because I was looking for cookies. But then he read my mind and pretended to be a Girl Scout! ((Starts to sniffle)) Don't hate me!! I was so hungry, and he hit my weak spot!!
Koko: ((Evil grin)) A perfect plan, I may add.
Me: WHERE IS THIS FREAKIN' DOOR EVERYONE EXCEPT ME KEEPS FINDING?!
Koko: ((Shrug)) I guess your just out of the loop.
Me: How can that be? I'm on Loki's "favorite 5 List"! ((On her cell.))
Loki: I don't have 'Alltel' wireless!
Me: Oh, yea...
Koko: Weirdos.
Loki: Hey!
Me: No, No. It's alright. He should know. He's been inside some dark places in peoples mind... Like Hotaru after Ruka steals all of her recent blackmail on him.
Koko: ((Shudder)) Don't remind me.
Me: Or Natsume's when he is really pissed at someone.
Koko: STOP! STOP! I'VE TRIED SO HARD TO BLOCK OUT THOSE MEMORIES!
Me: (("Innocent" Smile)) Or Loki's mind when she is thinking about Tsubasa and all the things she wants to do with him.
Loki: ((MEGA BLUSH)) LIAR! You promised you wouldn't tell anyone about that!
Koko: I CAN'T TAKE THIS! ((Holds up a sign that says 'The End' on it))
Me: Oh, well. Until next time, Readers! Oh, and see that little button right below me that says "Submit Review"? CLICK ON IT. CLICK THAT GO BUTTON RIGHT THERE RIGHT NOW. TYPE SOMETHING YOU JERKS...pretty please? LOLZ