Waiting
Author: Wicked Psyche
Title: Waiting
Fandom: Mai-HiME
Disclaimer: Not mine, duh. Things would have been very different if I owned it.
Warning: First Mai HiME fic. Have not seen the last 3 episodes of Mai HiME, so if something doesn't match, consider it AU. English is not my native language.
Also read a sentence that used 'Nao' and 'nun' in the same sentence. Half an hour later when I stopped laughing hysterically, I chose to act like I hadn't read that.
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Her body ached and begged her to get sleep, but her mind wouldn't listen. She was tired, and hadn't had a full nights sleep in three days; taking little naps when someone forced her to.
In the end, five hours ago, her friends had kicked her out, so she could go home and get some sleep. She had left for home, had taken a shower and tried to sleep. She was awake three hours later, her mind filling with images she didn't wish to see.
There was a knot in her throat and an overall feeling of emptiness. Being alone in the apartment wasn't helping, so she had decided to go back, knowing that she would get lectured by whoever was still there.
The elevator doors opened on the right floor and ripped her from her thoughts. She mindlessly ran her hands through her navy hair as she started walking silently.
The corridors were white and wide, and familiar after three days. Even the ever-present smell of antiseptic didn't bother her anymore. She bowed slightly to a passing nurse she happened to recognize as she stopped in front of the open hospital room door.
She leaned on the door ledge, looking in silently, not wanting to hear the irate lecture she was bound to receive from one of the occupants of the room.
She had been kicked out by five people, now only two remained. Not counting the still figure in bed.
A brunette with eccentric glasses was sitting by the bed reading a book out loud. It sounded suspiciously like a business text book for a third year university class; the wrong year and major for her. But the right year and major for the other two in the room.
The other occupant, the long-haired blond with the severe fringe, was looking out the window with a frown on her face. For an unobserved eye she looked to be less than pleased to be there. Being the observer, Natsuki knew better; the blonds fingernails were chewed to the brim, and her fingers were anxiously fidgeting. Her eyes would slide to the monitors next to the bed, but not to the occupant of the bed, as if afraid that she would tempt fate.
No, Natsuki thought, the blond was worried. She didn't want to lose her verbal sparring partner, her reason to push hard and to better herself. Her…friend.
Green eyes slid to the chart at the end of the bed. The name sticker on it had become a little loose, the end of it curling out, reminding her how easily that sticker could be pulled off, because of good news or bad.
Fujino Shizuru. Such a nice name she always thought.
"Natsuki-chan?"
Her name whispered in the usual quiet tones of Yukino, giving away her presence.
"What are you doing here?" the harsh tones of Haruka "We kicked you out for a good reason!"
Natsuki just nodded, too drained to argue. "Took a shower then slept for a while". She had done what was asked.
She had never seen Haruka looking so indecisive, it unnerved her. The blond didn't know whether or not to kick Natsuki out again.
Thankfully for Haruka, Yukino got up and offered her seat to Natsuki, making the decision for her.
The navy haired university freshman took the offered chair, without offering anymore words to the other couple.
"I am back" she spoke softly to Shizuru, taking her hand in hers. Shizuru did not open her eyes.
Yukino and Haruka shared a concerned look. Yukino closed the text book she was holding and put it onto Shizuru's side table. Her hand lingered on the book as she spoke "The Doctor came to check on her an hour ago. He said there wasn't any change yet."
Natsuki spared her a look as she nodded before turning her eyes back to Shizuru.
"I've got it from here… you two haven't been home for a while. Why don't you take off? I am sure someone will come soon to keep us company anyway." She wasn't really asking, Haruka understood immediately. Natsuki was telling them to leave.
Yukino looked like she was about to start protesting but was silenced by Haruka's hand on her shoulder. The blond cleared her throat "Right. You'll be okay?"
Natsuki nodded.
The blond and the brunette started to get ready, getting their coats and some scattered books. Haruka spoke again, her tone not giving any space to argue "We'll come back after our classes." And with that they were off, closing the door behind them.
Natsuki sighed slowly, squeezing the hand in her own gently "All alone now"
"This is where you insert some teasing comment you know, make me blush." She waited for a response she knew wasn't coming. She leaned more on the bed with her elbow, making herself more comfortable.
"Don't tell anyone, but I think Haruka is actually worried. This totally supports my theory that she can care about someone else besides Yukino. – Talking about Yukino, she really came through for us; even I didn't know you two had the same blood type. Remind me to get her something when you wake up."
She looked back at the door, before turning her attention back to Shizuru. "Talked to your mother a few hours ago, they can't find a plane back to Japan for another 2 days. So she told me to tell you that she expects you awake by then…"
She squirmed in her seat a little "To tell you the truth, I am so relieved they like me enough, makes it easier to handle parental figures".
Silence filled the room, aside from the gentle hum of the monitors.
It was three days ago, she had received a rather panicked call from one Kanzaki Reito, telling her that Shizuru was taken to the hospital after a drunk driver, in the middle of the day, had driven to the pavement the two friends were standing on, and had hit Shizuru.
Reito had moved to look at the bus schedule merely seconds before the accident, unwittingly avoiding the car altogether. Shizuru's quick reflexes were the only thing that had kept her from getting caught underneath the car; instead she was thrown over it. The caramel haired girl had suffered a few broken ribs, a broken arm, several deep gashes, and a severe concussion upon her fall. The last of the injuries putting her in the situation she was in now.
The doctors had told her that the swelling in Shizuru's brain was keeping her from waking up. While she was not technically in a coma, at this point, she could either fall into one or wake up. That's why their friends had decided that someone would be with the crimson eyed girl at all times. Maybe it was just a futile attempt at trying to keep the girl grounded, but it was worth a try; talking to her, reading to her, or just by simply being in the room so she could feel their presence.
It was Mai's idea of course, the eternally positive girl when it came to people in the hospitals. The orange haired girl was used to hospital visits, courtesy of the now healthy Takumi. Natsuki felt like everything that came out of the big breasted girl's mouth was trying to convince her that Shizuru would be okay.
Nao on the other hand had been covertly trying to get her ready for a long time stay, probably reminiscence of her own experience with her mother. The bright-red haired girl had only come in twice to visit Shizuru, both short stays. Natsuki figured it was too much for the girl. The young girl, to everyone's surprise, had developed a weird mentor/friend relationship with Shizuru, the person who had overpowered her, twice. And even Natsuki who was thoroughly annoyed at first, in time, had learned to live with it.
Midori-sensei (she was one of her university teachers now) had actually organized a time schedule chart for the 'patientcare-sempai', and never showed an ounce of worry.
Chie and Aoi visited too, but as neither girl liked hospitals (Aoi actually screamed whenever she saw a needle, and Chie refused to shut off her cell phone), they usually kept their visits short.
She didn't know what Mikoto was feeling, all she knew was that whenever the feral girl left after a visit, it was left to her to get all the little braids out of Shizuru's hair, and clean up the crumbs on the bed. The black haired girl was usually silent during her visits with Reito or Mai.
Reito, on the other hand, was a total mess; he blamed himself for the accident. He and Shizuru were very good friends, their similar habits and experiences had gotten them closer after the festival, and their coworker status had been upgraded shortly after. Natsuki often found them sipping tea and talking after their Student Council meetings in the University. No matter how many times Natsuki told him he wasn't to blame, he refused to listen.
As selfish as it was, she didn't want to think about Reito or anyone else right now. She had come here on a purpose. Her dreams, nightmares, were getting to her; she needed to stop the insistent noise at the back of her mind.
"There have been some things I have been trying to say in the last month" Natsuki said breaking the silence.
"…but I've been too nervous. Even now it's hard …and you are sleeping." She sighed.
"Talking to you like this seems too movie-ish to me, but even the doctors said it was fine."
Without letting go of Shizuru's hand she brushed away some hair off of the sleeping girl's face, and smiled warmly.
"It took me three years…three!" an unbelieving laugh escaped her for a second. "And then suddenly, a month ago, I figure it out. How clueless can a person be?"
"Last year when you were dating that girl, the one I was always mad at. I didn't realize it then. And don't think I didn't notice you broke up with her just because I didn't like her."
"Or how I never managed to hold onto a date more than a few weeks, why it never felt right. I didn't realize it then either. Now it feels like it was so obvious all the time and yet somehow, I missed it."
She lifted their hands to her lips and kissed the back of Shizuru's hand before moving them to her cheek and holding them there as she spoke. "Sometimes I feel like you were born for me. For me to meet you. …to love you."
A smile "I've never felt anything more right. That's why I am telling you now, and I will tell you when you wake up. I love you. I am in love with you."
She felt like a huge brick was lifted off her chest and her eyes watered as she choked out "So you better hurry up and wake up."
Shizuru didn't wake up after she stopped talking, not like all those movies where the stars magically woke up after a heart-felt confession.
Shizuru didn't wake up, but Natsuki swore that the pale hand holding hers gripped a little tighter. For that alone, she knew, that everything would be okay, even if it took a while.
They were no stranger to waiting. Shizuru had waited for her once, now she would wait for Shizuru.
FIN
This was for me to start getting more comfortable with the characters (and the series), and with how the characters might evolve in the future. I hope I've managed to entertain a few of you in the process.
