Bittersweet Love

Please, enjoy! :D

-Sorry for bad grammar and tenses-

Disclaimer : I do not own Gakuen Alice

Chapter 27 : Sleepover

"Mom, I'm sleepy." Hiro half whining, rubbing his eye.

"I know sweetie." Mikan replied while drying his hair with towel. "But you can't sleep with wet hair. Wait here for a moment, I'll take a hairdryer."

"Just take a bath first, Mikan." Natsume said, appearing from the guest bedroom with water still dripping from his hair. "I'll take care of him."

Mikan tried to hold down her blush seeing how handsome Natsume's after shower looks. Ugh. She already seen it several times, why does she still react like this?

A smirk made its way to Natsume's lips. Mikan is really an open book. "I already have the hairdryer." He said again, to snap her out from her staring.

Mikan blink, as she rush to stand up and walk past Natsume. "Thanks. He already brush his teeth. So he just need to be tuck in."

Natsume approach Hiro with a smirk still playing on his lips. How cute. She is shy around him. Is it because this is the first time he sleepover in her apartment? Usually they would be the one who stay over at his mansion, and his mansion is big. So they have a lot of spaces between them.

He ought to think about moving to smaller house though. He thinks he like it better in small spaces like Mikan's apartment. He like how they can interact more often and well, more family friendly.

"Dad. I'm sleepy." Hiro complained again, this time he yawned.

"Today you are fussy, aren't you?" Natsume ask, chuckling while plugging in the hair dryer. "Are you tired?"

Hiro blush in embarrassment before nodding slowly. "I don't know I feel super tired today, Dad."

"Maybe because you planned the party with mother. I love your gift by the way."

Hiro perk up at Natsume's statement and quickly turn around. "Really?"

Natsume swiftly dry Hiro's hair, making it messier in the process. "Yep. I like your card, and the photo frame. It is beautiful. Thank you."

Hiro beamed at him. "Yeay! I'm glad you like it, Dad."

Natsume smiled back. "It's done. Let's go to your bedroom. What kind of story do you want to read?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'll try choosing from the bookshelf."

"He's asleep?" Mikan ask, hanging her wet towel.

Natsume nodded as he close the Hiro's bedroom door carefully. "Yeah. Soundly."

Mikan smiled a little. "Thanks."

Natsume taking in Mikan's after shower figure in awe. She did look drop dead gorgeous back at the party, with short baby blue dress and simple make up, but right now she is more.. how does he say it, alluring?

Mikan blush noticing the way Natsume stare. "Can you give me the hair dryer?"

"Sure." Natsume responded immediately, extending his hand while approaching her.

"You are okay with the surprise party?" Mikan quietly ask while drying her hair.

Natsume smile teasingly. "Are you worried about me?"

Mikan sigh. "What if I am?"

Natsume arch his eyebrow. Mikan definitely act out of her character a lot of times today. "Is there something wrong? Did I do anything?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You are really different today." Natsume paused, searching inside her big eyes. "Like you are more forward with your feelings. Its just, I'm not used to it, not that it is bad."

Mikan look down, fiddling with her hand again. "I.. actually have some gifts for you."

"Really?"

Mikan slowly nodded and put down the hairdryer, stand up, and start to walk towards the kitchen.

Natsume quietly follows her to the kitchen and greeted with a sight of a mug filled with hot chocolate and some marshmallow on top of it and a small box wrapped with simple black ribbon on the dining table.

"Another surprise?" Natsume ask, slowly making his way towards the table.

"I.. actually doesn't contribute that much on your surprise party. Anna told me to just prepare myself. Hiro actually contribute more than me." Mikan answered, half chuckling on the irony. "Hotaru made me say that I was the one who planned the party so you won't blow up."

"A little white lie huh?" Natsume ask, smirking

"Uh, yeah. Sorry."

Natsume shook his head. "No its okay. I'm not much into surprises after all."

"Yeah, that's what everybody told me. So I think you would prefer it simple."

"Is that why we are here in our pajamas opening your gifts?"

Mikan bit her lower lip shyly. "Yes. I think after quite a party a few hours ago, you would prefer something more quiet."

Natsume lightly chuckled. "You guess it right."

Mikan blushed, again. "So.. I choose to just surprise you in my own way."

"You are doing great. Thank you."

Mikan look down again. "You should open your gift."

Natsume smiled seeing the shy Mikan. She is more open to him nowadays and he is delighted by the progress they made in their relationship day by day.

He carefully pull off the ribbon and open the box, finding a simple fossil watch sitting in the box with a card that says 'Happy birthday Natsume.'

"I know its not much. But .. I don't exactly know what do you like and.."

"Its fine Mikan. I like it. I don't have a lot of watch, and this one instantly become my favorite." Natsume cut Mikan before she ramble further.

Mikan bit her lip as her cheeks become redder. "Thank goodness then."

Natsume let out another chuckle. "So the other gift is the hot chocolate I guess?"

Mikan nodded. "Yeah."

Slowly Natsume take a sip. "It is delicious. Wow. I think this one is more delicious than the twins made."

Mikan slightly smiled. "That was the exact same thing that the twins told me."

"You are amazing, Mikan."

Well, looks like Mikan's face won't return to its original color for a while seeing the way Natsume act.

"I actually have one more."

"Wow. Okay."

"I.." Mikan stop and take a deep breath, bracing herself. "I want us to date for real, not trying anymore."

Natsume's eyes slightly widen at Mikan's statement. "Are you sure? I mean, if you are still scared don't force yourself."

Mikan girp the chair stronger as she dared herself to look right into Natsume's eyes. "No. I really want it. I'm ready for our relationship."

Natsume chuckles. "Where is this bravery come from?"

Mikan blush again, looking down. "I just want to tell you my feelings. I.. I think I like you, Natsume."

Natsume smiled as he slowly pull her chin up, staring into her beautiful eyes. "I'm overjoyed to hear that. Its a really special gift on my birthday. Thank you."

Mikan averted her gaze. "You're welcome." She mumbled as an answer.

Natsume carefully slip his arm around Mikan's waist and pull her closer, until their face are only inches. He assess her expression, wanting to make sure that he doesn't scare her in any way.

"I am serious." Mikan softly whispered, looking from under her eyelashes.

Natsume smiled as he close in the gap and captured Mikan's lips.

Mikan doesn't froze this time. She is ready, and her body clearly remember the way he felt on her. Natsume's lips taste just like when they were up in the ferris wheel.

Mint and chocolate.

But this time the chocolate taste stronger since he just drank her hot chocolate.

Natsume's hand travelling up to her back, sending down electricity down her spine, while the other hand wrap her tighter, pulling her body closer to him as their lips move in synchronize.

Mikan can feel her body start to become hot, as if fire from her mouth travelling down and spread inside her body. Unconsciously her arms moving up, around Natsume's neck, grabbing his smooth hair.

Natsume growled in the back of his throat as he grab the back of Mikan's thigh, lifting her up and sat her on the kitchen counter. He press his hand on the back of her head, deepening the kiss.

Mikan grab Natsume's hair tighter, she can feel Natsume's tongue which asking for entrance and his hands which start to travel up and down on her thigh.

Mikan open her mouth slightly, letting Natsume in while she greet him back with her own tongue.

Time feels like stopping for forever as they embrace each other, and expressing their own feeling which can't be expressed by words.

Sadly, a few seconds later, it has to stop since both of them need some air to breath.

Natsume let Mikan's lips go, his eyes sparkling brightly and a smile decorated his luscious lips. He slightly panting, as he reach forward, cupping her cheek.

Mikan blush redder – if its possible, and she look away while panting too, as she try to calm her erratic heartbeat.

"You look beautiful, love." Natsume whispered, giving her a chaste kiss on her lips.

Mikan cover her face with her palms, embarrassed. "I don't know what to say to that."

Natsume laughs as he hug her tightly. "You are really cute, Mikan. Can I kiss you again?"

"No." Mikan muffled answer came.

Natsume laughs again. He push her gently and hold her on arm length. "I can't?"

Mikan sigh in resignation. "You know its not fair when you look at me like that."

"Look at you like what?" He ask back innocently.

Mikan smack his shoulder none too gently. "You and innocence doesn't match you know."

Natsume chuckled. "So I can kiss you again then?"

Mikan glared at him but she grab both of his cheek and kiss him.

She is going to let him go, as her adrenaline only gave her bravery for a second or so, when Natsume's hand shoot up, holding her as he deepening the kiss again.

This time Natsume doesn't take it slowly.

He give Mikan the hottest kiss ever, which earn him a beautiful moan from her.

He tried to hold himself back, not wanting to do much on their first intense interaction. Thus the reason why he ended the kiss early, despite the fact that he wanted to kiss her more.

"I want to have another gift from you on my birthday." Natsume said, cupping her cheek again.

Mikan, still dazed, answered with a soft, "What is it?"

"Can we sleep together? I promise I won't do anything. Just sleeping."

Mikan hesitated for a moment.

"Can we?" Natsume ask again, dropping a sweet kiss on her forehead.

Damn. It is really not fair the way Natsume persuade her.

"Yeah, fine." She finally answered, still blushing. "We've done it twice after all."

Natsume chuckled. "True. Let's go to sleep shall we? Its already late at night."

They are official now!

Thank you!

Aquabluemarine