Band Aid

As an apology for the super late update and not fulfilling my promise, I'll post another chapter, please, enjoy! :D

-Sorry for bad grammar and tenses-

Disclamer : I do not own Gakuen Alice

Chapter 14 : Lovebirds

"Seeing you without bandages is the best." Natsume commented after Mikan come back from her doctor appointment to check on her sprained ankle. "How's your concussion? What the doctor said?"

"Well, you know that I should have been in hospital because of my concussion." Mikan said cheekily. "But I don't so I think that would be a perfect answer."

Natsume ruffled Mikan's hair, careful not to touch the bandages around her forehead though. "You little girl."

Mikan beamed up towards him and step closer, as if asking for a hug.

Natsume arch his eyebrow. "What?"

Mikan grinned and wrap her healthy arm around Natsume's strong body, burying her face in his broad chest and inhaling his intoxicating scent. "I feel safe here." She whispered softly. "and I'm fine, Natsume. The doctor said that I'm fully recovered, except for the wrist and shoulder."

Natsume's eyes softened at the act. He sigh and wrap his arms around Mikan's small figure, enveloping her with his warmth. Surprisingly, after all the crying and telling him that she once felt afraid of him for a moment, she became more touchy-feely in an instant, not that Natsume dislike it. She also often asks him for a hug, and she like to stay in his hug for a long time, and cuddling is on her top wish list now.

"That's great to hear, love. Do you want to move to your bedroom?" Natsume ask, looking down to the messy golden brown hair.

"Why not yours?" She ask back, curious. "You always ask to go to my bedroom."

"I think you would feel more comfortable and safer if its in your own room, the room that you've recognize, and after all I'm sharing room with Ruka. I don't want him come barging in on our moment."

Mikan chuckled. "That's true." She paused for a moment as she look up, beaming brightly. "Thank you for always being understanding like this."

Natsume leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Anything for you, love." With that Natsume scoop her up, earning a squeal and laughter before running to her bedroom.

After gently putting Mikan down on her bed, Natsume swiftly slip on her side, wrapping an arm carefully around her shoulder. Automatically, Mikan lean towards him and put her head on his shoulder while hugging her knees using her good hand.

"How's your gunshot wounds? They are going to be fine?" Mikan ask after a few moments of silence.

Natsume flick her forehead. "How dare you ask about my wounds after arrogantly saying that your concussion is a light matter?"

Mikan swatted Natsume's hand away and chuckled. "But its true, I manage to escape hospital."

Natsume doesn't have the heart to break Mikan's happiness, so he just left it at that. Although he knows the real reason Hotaru didn't force Mikan to stay in the hospital was because of her PTSD.

"I'm not that stupid you know." Mikan spoke again, looking at Natsume after observing his eyes for a while. "I know the real reason behind the fact that I didn't stay at the hospital for my concussion."

Natsume arch his eyebrow. "Did my face say something?"

Mikan laugh. "Yes it did. I learnt how to read your poker face overtime, and well, you never actually guard your eyes around me. Truthfully it's your eyes that tell everything."

Natsume smirk. "Look at that, the little girl has grown up."

Mikan hit Natsume none too gently. "Stop teasing me!"

Natsume chuckled and hug Mikan more tightly. "Love you."

Mikan froze for a moment hearing Natsume's sudden confession. A quick blush tint her cheeks as she try to hide it by burying her face on the pillow nearby.

"Should I say it again?" Natsume ask, grinning wide.

"Stop it!" Came Mikan's muffled voice.

Natsume smiled. "Love you so much, Mikan. There is nothing that can make me love you less. Absolutely nothing."

Mikan was silent for a moment before lifting her head and look straight at Natsume, still with red cheeks. She slowly lean forward until they are only inches apart. She literally can feel his hot breath. "Thank you." She whispered.

Natsume can feel his hormones went haywire when Mikan closes their distance. He want to kiss her so bad, but he restrained himself before he scares her.

"For what?" Natsume ask back in whisper too.

Mikan smiled a bit before bravely lean forward to close their gap and plant a chaste kiss on Natsume's lips. Its only a millisecond, but Mikan's heart already beating uncontrollably that she thought it would jump out from her chest.

Natsume arch both of his eyebrows in surprise. He never thought that Mikan was bold enough to do that. Especially after the last incident with Persona. But that doesn't mean he didn't enjoy the short kiss. He is dying to kiss her all this time.

Mikan shyly look away. "I'm sorry for my sudden action."

Natsume chuckled and gently cup her cheek to make her look at him. "What for? I like that. Can I get another?"

Instantly, Mikan blush beet red as she shout a loud no.

Natsume laugh at her reaction and just plant a loving kiss on her crown, still hugging her. "Where is your bravery come from?" He ask, his eyes twinkling with happiness and amusement.

Looks like Mikan won't have normal colored cheeks for a while.

"Well. I just feel like I want to kiss you." Mikan answered saucily, sticking her tongue out.

"Do you want me to kiss you?" Natsume taunted back, arching his eyebrow.

Mikan laughed, hiding under his arm. "No! Don't!"

Natsume chuckled. "You are really something, little girl."

"By the way, I want to ask you something." Mikan suddenly spoke after their laughter subsided, her face serious. She retract herself from Natsume and sit in front of him.

Natsume raise his eyebrow at her act. "What is it?"

"When you left me back then, what kind of mission did you do?" Her eyes look like searching for an answer.

Natsume sigh. He doesn't expect that Mikan would ask that kind of question of all things.

"Would you answer? Or is it a secret?" Mikan ask again, tilting her head.

"No. It's just not a common question."

Mikan chuckled. "Your job is not a common one either."

"You are so audacious these days."

Mikan grinned. "You are the one who taught me."

Natsume rolled his eyes in annoyance but still smile at the fact that Mikan slowly gain her confidence. "Fine. I'll tell you."

"I just want to know."

"I know." Natsume replied, tucking back her hair behind her ear, which make her blush, again. "So, I was tracking Persona back then. But didn't succeed."

Mikan shook her head, pushing the tingling feeling to the back of her head. She take a deep breath and voice out her question. "So why it took so long for you to come back?"

"I'm on another mission, and its still connected with Persona. I managed to annihilate his most important branch. That's why not long after I come back, he attack right away."

"I see that's the reason of the sudden attack."

"It's a suprising attack actually, even for me. I thought he won't be that careless, because usually he would take around two or three weeks before countering the attack. But luckily, that dirt bag manage to caught me defenseless." Natsume said grimly, still remember the fact that he put Mikan in grave danger twice.

Mikan lightly cup Natsume's cheek. "Hey, I don't blame you. After all, sooner or later he would found me since my jerk father give him the task. I'm thankful that I'm with you so he can't harm me."

Natsume's eyes hardened. "He did harmed you though."

Mikan smiled. "I think he can do worst than what happened if you didn't came, or if you didn't trained me how to fight and use weaponry."

"But still, you're – "

"Oh, come on Natsume. You know I'm right." Mikan gently interjected, not wanting Natsume to blame himself.

Natsume let out another sigh before reaching forward and pulling Mikan into his hug, again, for the second time, which surprise her. He plant a soft kiss on her crown before speaking in soft whisper. "I know. The most important thing is that you are alive and well now."

Mikan snuggled deeper as she wrap her good hand around Natsume's torso. "I don't know what would happen to me if I didn't found you."

Natsume chuckled. His chest rumbling with it. "Glad that you choose to runaway then."

"Thank goodness that you choose to strolled around that night." Mikan countered back, looking up and beamed at him.

Natsume brush Mikan's cheek lightly. "You are stunning, love."

Mikan can feel her cheeks start to burn again. Natsume loves to tease her endlessly. But that's what she adore about him. He always assure her in every way possible, that she never think Natsume doesn't love her.

"By the way love, what do you think about moving your father into the afterlife?"

Mikan snap her head up in surprise at the question. "Why?"

Natsume raise his eyebrow. "Because he is threatening your life. Even Hotaru agreed."

"But he is staying in the prison for the rest of his life. He can't go anywhere."

"Persona?"

"It's just coincidence."

"That's a simple-minded thought, love. Don't give me that."

Mikan pouted. "Well, let's just believe it and leave it at that."

"Mikan." Natsume slowly take her hand, the good one of course. "I don't want you to be in danger forever. I even considered of letting go my main jobs as hitman and undercover agent so I can focus on being CEO which is not a life-threatening profession."

"I'd like that." Mikan mumbled in response.

"I wish for us to have a normal life, and we can't have that as long as there is still enemy lurking around us, love." Natsume continue his explanation. "Your father is a cunning man, I am not sure that he won't know that Persona is dead or that he won't take any other action."

"But I don't want you guys to be a murderer just because my father." Mikan replied back stubbornly.

"I am already a murderer, Mikan. Adding one person to the list won't change anything." Natsume said darkly. His eyes blank and cold.

Mikan gasp at his harsh answer. "Natsume!"

Natsume close his eyes and pull Mikan into his hug again, burying his face on her strawberry scented hair which calm him down. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I was emotional. I don't like you to be in jeopardy."

"I know." Mikan answered in the same soft voice. "I don't like you to be in dangerous job too. We are the same. I understand your feeling. But isn't it better to leave him rotten behind the bars? After all, killing him only shortening his punishment and suffering. I don't like that."

"I can't agree with that, love. I choose your well-being over righteousness. I prefer to shorten his punishment rather than put your life in danger for as long as he live."

Hearing Natsume's earnest answer, Mikan fall into silence. She can't be selfish, wanting to take revenge while Natsume worrying like this. Is there a way for her to make sure her father regret his actions but still killing him?

Natsume watch Mikan's expression in turmoil, changing from one to another in just a few seconds. Her fingers fiddling with the hem of her t-shirt, showing that she is nervous about something.

"Love, if you don't want to then – "

"You know what, Natsume?" Mikan finally spoke up after a moment, effectively cutting him off. "I don't tag myself as a cruel person, especially after what I've been through, I absolutely can't accept violence in any way."

Natsume nodded. "I know."

"But if you want to kill him then I'll give my permission, with one condition."

"Yeah?" Natsume responded. He can't read where is this conversation going. He can't even guess what's running in her mind right now.

"Torture him until he ask for mercy." Mikan said quietly.

Coming from a person who disgust violence so much means that Mikan really hate her father to the core, but, Natsume more than willing to comply with her request.

"I don't know my girlfriend is this merciless." Natsume said lightly, glad that she finally on the same page with him about her father.

Mikan sigh. "Don't make me sounded like a cold blooded killer please."

Natsume chuckled. "Sure, love. Now, with that done, what do you want to eat?"

"How come your mood change drastically like this?" Mikan grumbled, looking unbelieving towards her boyfriend. "Where is the Natsume I know?"

Natsume smiled. "I will cook for you. Ruka just stocked the refrigerator yesterday."

Mikan glared at him. "Are you serious, Natsume?"

"Come on, Ruka and your best friend won't be home till midnight. We can have some cooking moment."

Mikan sigh and finally choose to give up, sliding down the bed and following Natsume towards the door. "I bet you guys always talk about your missions over lunch or dinner."

"We talk about them over breakfast, lunch, and dinner, love."

"You guys don't have heart for sure."

Natsume chuckled again. "I don't know about them, but for me, I just found my heart in this girl." He said, draping his arm over her shoulder.

"Natsume!"

"What do you think of this place, Hotaru?" Ruka ask, smiling softly.

After all the fiasco with Persona and some missions which related after that, Ruka and Hotaru finally have their alone moments. Ruka intentionally surprised his long time girlfriend with a special dinner in a special restaurant which is located right beside a big lake with a beautiful, serene full moon as a scenery.

He knows that his girlfriend like fancy things, but she doesn't like something that is over glamour too. So he choose their all time favorite restaurant, which is quite expensive, but at the same time have a comfortable, simple atmosphere. The most important is that this restaurant has many crab dishes that are his girlfriend's favorite.

"We came here a lot of times." Hotaru answered, munching on her crab snacks.

Ruka chuckled. Hotaru always answered vaguely, but being with her for years make him understand the true meaning behind her every words. "We finally have some time for us." He said, holding Hotaru's hand across the table.

"Yeah, with your stupid best friend taking a camp over at my place, I can't have me time at all." She grumbled coolly, glaring at Ruka.

Ruka smiled again. "Well, that's why I love you so much. You are really kind, Hotaru. I know you prioritize Mikan over yourself that you let Natsume stay as long as he wants to make sure Mikan would be fine."

Hotaru look away to hide her blush. "Shut up, Ruka."

Ruka chuckled at her reaction. "I love you." He said again, enjoying the beautiful creature in front of him that has taught him so much about life.

"Capt. We're here to report." Yuu said, standing in front of Natsume's desk inside the headquarter.

"You are late." Natsume answered deadpanned, glancing at the clock which shows 3.30 AM.

"I'm sorry. We have an unpredictable attack. But we manage to control the situation perfectly without any victim on our side." Yuu replied, bowing his head. "Mission accomplished."

"Injuries?"

"No. We are all fine and ready to be on mission again. Even we've confirmed our condition with Tsubasa, and he cleared all of us."

Natsume nodded in satisfaction at the complete report Yuu gave. He stand up and turn towards his best friend. "We can move now. It's better to finished it once and for all."

"Let's go then." Ruka responded, taking his guns.

I put another Rukaru moments! It's short though, but I hope you guys like it :D

Thank you!

Aquabluemarine