A/N: Sooooo. I'm almost done with this story, I'm just editing. I had a lot of pieces in which I had started, but didn't finish. I've finished most of them now, so it's just a little bit of tweaking and whatnot. Sorry I've been gone for so long, anywho, enjoy!
Chapter 11:
Good Morning Gorgeous
It was an early morning, a woman, tall and brunette, was snuggled up on her couch with another person, though when the woman's dark green eyes fluttered open, she wasn't aware of the slumbering man underneath her. She stifled a yawn and lifted an arm high above as she stretched it, the other helping her sit up slightly. She took in her surroundings, her mind still hazy as she tried to remember why she was on her couch, and not her warm and fluffy pink bed.
Almost as soon as she thought of getting up, a groan could be heard beneath her, and her eyes widened slightly as she looked down and came face to face with a just as shocked Nate. Of course his shock turned into a goofy grin, and she felt his arms wrap around her waist, much to her dismay and mild interest.
"Well, good morning gorgeous. " He laid the words out with a casual grin, and Makoto couldn't help but wonder what he thought had occurred. She rolled her eyes and pushed off of him, taking satisfaction in the pained groan that escaped the burly man's lips.
"Morning." She held back her scoff as she straightened up and looked over at him. "You realize we didn't do anything, right?" Mako asked as she placed her hands on her hips, her grin spreading just as Nate's began to fade. She laughed and shook her head before pointing to the movies and popcorn bowl on the table next to the couch. "Remember?"
XX
Nate, a man not known for his brain but for his heart or his actions that spoke louder than words, felt a little pang when she told him they hadn't done anything. Maybe it was a little far fetched for him to think he would have gotten somewhere with her. It was Jupiter for fuck's sake. Why would he expect to get anywhere if it wasn't on her terms?
Last night for him had been pleasant, he was convinced that exotic beauty of his was beginning to warm up to him. That evening the two had watch two romantic comedies, an action movie that wasn't action packed enough for either of them, and lastly movie based off a romance novel that left both of them in tears, despite Nate's denial.
He remembered once they'd run out of movies, he began to just flip through the channels of her tv while she fell asleep next to him. Nate smiled, in his opinion, things had happened that night. He would never voice that, to her and most certainly not any if his friends, he knew exactly how they would react. They were treading on thin ice, all ten of them. Hell, he was surprised that senshi leader even allowed it, but it wasn't his point to say anything. Besides, he was sure a light haired man would rub salt into that wound eventually.
"Of course I remember. I'm not an idiot Makoto." Her name came out gruff, fast and more like a bark. It was how he had come to pronounce her name without messing up. He saw her make a face of disbelief and he shot her a false grin. "What? I didn't think anything happened! Just relax okay." He pauses, his heart pounding as he sits up and grabs her hand. "We're just friends anyhow Mako. Now if you feel anything else, that's all you." He bites his lip, a casual smirk falling on his lips. "You don't feel anything towards me, right? Just wholehearted friendship?" The pink that appears in Mako's cheeks is almost too sweet to ignore. Almost. He heaves out a sigh and releases her hand, instead crossing his arms while leaning back in the couch.
"Of course I have no feelings like that for you Neph-Nate." Her stutter over his past name barely bothers him anymore. He knows they look alike, are alike, and in every other way human and inhumanly possible, are the very same person. He refused the possibility that they are two souls shoved into one body and have nothing in common, and to that thought came a very straining moment to suppress the eye roll that Jason always brought when crossing anyone's mind. "Yeah. We're friends. Uh...um." He notices her face is growing pinker, almost moving past red and straight to scarlet as she begins picking things up around them. "Just friends." She sighs loudly and his grin begins to turn into more of a confused frown. His eyebrows scrunch close together, but before he can voice any confusion she is looking at him with a simple smile. "So, it's Monday, don't you have. Well you know...work?" He slams his hand to his head as nods. "Well I'll see ya then." She laughs and gestures to the door. Nate stands up and follows her out.
"Man, I'm going to be late. What am I going to tell them?" Nate asked, more voicing his thoughts because he doesn't like thinking in his head, claiming that the idea can't get bigger if its trapped inside his small of a brain, to which all his coworkers would laugh alongside him.
"Why don't you say car trouble? I could break a bit of it if you'd like." Makoto's smile is more of a devilish grin, and Nate chuckles loudly as he steps out of her threshold.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you? To break all my nice things?" Nate asks and Mako giggles and nods. "See you later Makoto." He smirks and reaches in to hug the slightly startled Makoto. In Nate's opinion, that was a damn long hug for a couple of acquaintances who have recently moved into friendship. But he is most certainly not going to be the one to stop this, because he loves her more than he can bear.
"Have a safe drive." She smiles to him when they part, her body leaning casually against the door. He wonders what it would be like to come home to such a face everyday, and to have her wrap her arms around him and say she missed him. Even ask him about his day and tell him he has to help with dinner, just because she want to spend time with him. He slowly comes back to reality and turns away sharply, throwing his hand up in a wave as he walks to the elevator.
"Yeah, thanks!" He sounds casual and cool, but on the inside he is holding back everything he has ever felt about her inside. "Stay safe today." He murmured when he heard her apartment door shut and the ding of the elevator.
A/N: Thanks for reading! :)
