Mikan walked out from the kitchen announcing "Dessert is ready-" she stopped when she saw both Ruka and Natsume turn to her at the same time. Mikan stood frozen in her spot, the eyes of both men were on her and she felt like a deer caught in headlights. Her palms started to sweat, her knees were buckled and all words choked. What an awkward situation...
It felt like eternity, no was doing anything until-
"Daddy Natsume!"
Youichi walked in. From behind Mikan, Youichi ran towards Natsume and gave him a hug, and it was as if the tension drifted.
Natsume was the first to break away from the awkward spell and responded by ruffling Youichi's hair. "Hey Kiddo."
"Mom said you won't be able to come tonight" Youichi told him running back to Mikan taking the tray from her hands.
"I found an early way out" He answered back but then Natsume looked up at Mikan. "I can't stand being away from your mom." He looked into her eyes.
And it was that look that gravitated Mikan towards Natsume, when she was close enough she caressed his cheek and gave him a kiss lovingly on his cheek. "Welcome home" she told him.
Youichi went back to the kitchen to return the desserts smiling.
Natsume took a deep breath, taking in Mikan's scent and pulled her in a hug and gave her neck a kiss. "I really am home." He told himself but Mikan heard him clearly, she smiled contentedly. He did chose them over his Senatorial Candidacy. Just the though made Mikan's heart swell with happiness. Natsume was just too perfect.
Ruka looked away feeling uncomfortable. The way Mikan smiled in Natsume's arms was enough for him to know that he never had a chance with her, especially now that she was with Natsume. It made his heart break and he felt is chest tighten now that he was slapped with the cold hard truth that Mikan will never be his. He looked down on his plate the cutlery weak in his hands. He was having a difficult time breathing.
With a simple cough, Ruka caught the attention of the two.
Natsume and Mikan both looked at Ruka with Natsume firmly holding on to Mikan's waist when he gave his hand out to Ruka. "It's been a while, Ruka".
It took a second for Ruka to lay down the cutlery and stand up, he looked at Natsume's hand, he glanced at Mikan with her hand on Natsume's chest and her arm on his waist. Then back to Natsume. Ruka took a deep breath and kept it together, he looked at Natsume in the eye "Been really busy, you know that" he answered back clasping his hand with Natsume in a bro hand shake. Just make her happy.
As if reading Ruka's mind, Natsume nodded and smirked at his best friend. I will.
Mikan smiled at the exchange "Let me get you a plate" she told Natsume patting his chest and walked back to the kitchen, not before looking up at Ruka with a smile. Youichi stood up from the table "I'll help mom!" and dashed to the kitchen.
Natsume settled across Ruka but his eyes were on Mikan, working around in the kitchen. Ruka followed his eyes and then back at his best friend. "Now you see why I'm head over heels for her?" He asked Natsume with his own sly smirk, continuing to eat masking the tightness in his chest.
Natsume lightly laughed, nodding his head. He sighed "She's heaven sent." He answered back watching Mikan walk out of the kitchen carrying his dinner plate with an excited Youichi following her with the desserts in a tray.
...
After dinner, Natsume and Ruka were enjoying a glass of scotch at the Yukihara in house bar while Mikan was helping out Youichi with his homework. "So you really got the girl" Ruka sighed looking at his glass. "All these years of being in love with her"
Natsume kept quiet looking at his best friend, seeing how heart broken he was over losing Mikan. Ruka looks completely torn apart because of him. Then it suddenly hit him, what if he lost Mikan to someone else? Will he look exactly like Ruka right now? He watched Ruka pour another glass of scotch and down it in one go. Probably even worse. He thought.
Natsume took a sip from his drink, But I'm not gonna let that happen. He told himself.
Ruka laughed "When I saw her that night, I actually thought I would end up with her! That the universe is telling me that we were both meant to be... but" he sighed looking at a photo of Mikan by the shelf. He gulped down another glass of scotch "I always thought she deserved someone better than me" He sighed again. He pointed at Natsume with a drunken smile "I know you'll make her happy." He patted Natsume's shoulder. "I know you'll be good for her, mate." Ruka patted his arm none too gentle a couple of times "I am so pathetic" until he dropped his head on the counter, unconscious.
The slur in Ruka's speech was enough clue for Natsume to know Ruka was drunk, what he didn't see was how much alcohol he drank. Natsume looked at his sleeping best friend. He leaned on the counter and took his time finishing his glass. He looked back at Ruka and patted his shoulder "I didn't really mean to fall in love with her. I didn't want to hurt you."
Natsume looked up at the second floor as if sensing that Mikan was there, listening to them, but of course she wasn't.
After tucking Ruka in the guest room for sometime, Natsume walked out to see Mikan closing the door to Youichi's room. He walked up to her, pulling her towards him. After all he heard about Ruka's affections for Mikan, Natsume need her in his arms for reassurance that she's really with him.
"How has your night been?" He asked her, nuzzling her neck and taking in her strawberry scent. Mikan giggled and pushed him not too far away but close enough to rest her hands on his chest. "I've had an interesting night." She whispered affectionately, she gave Natsume a kiss on the cheek lovingly. "You handled that situation with Ruka very well" she told him.
"Did I?"Natsume asked playfully, running his fingers up and down Mikan's back. "Yes you did" she answered back whispering in his ear, her hands slowly moving up to play with the hair on his nape. Natsume raised a brow playfully "Really? Care to tell me?" he asked her leading them to their room.
Mikan had a sly smile. She kissed his lips "I have something else in mind though".
Natsume carried her in his arms and kissed her neck "I like where this is going."
...
Mikan woke up the next day beside a sleeping Natsume, his arm wrapped around her waist keeping her near him. She smiled at the man beside her, "What did I do to deserve a man like you?" she lightly bopped his nose and giggled.
Natsume stirred in his sleep and slowly opened his eyes. "I wouldn't mind waking up next to you everyday" he greeted her back. Mikan snuggled closer to Natsume when he pulled her closer to his body, "Give me a few more minutes to sleep though" he drawled out closing his eyes again.
Mikan just nodded her head and prepared to drift off when there was a knock on the door. Ignoring the knock, Mikan tried to go back to sleep It must be the maids again. She thought.
A more urgent knock followed when Mikan didn't open the door and a panicked voice rang out "Ms. Yukihara, please open the door."
Hearing the sense of urgency, Mikan sat up pulled on her robe and opened the door making sure Natsume was concealed from their view. "What's the problem? Did my mother arrive again?" Mikan groggily asked.
The maid looked like she wanted to cry "Ms. Mikan, master Youichi is missing"
"What?" A sense of urgency ran through Mikan's body. She immediately ran to Youichi's room to see an empty bed with messed up sheets, she ran towards the bathroom but it was clean and empty.
In a state of panic Mikan called the maid and the bodyguards to look around the house whilst trying not to sob. When they left Mikan sat on Youichi's bed and hugged a pillow, sobbing uncontrollably. "You-chan where are you?" she cried in between her sobs.
Natsume stirred hearing Mikan's frantic orders and when he walked out of the bedroom he saw the maid and the bodyguards briskly walk out. He heard Mikan's sobs and entered Youichi's room to find her crying on the bed. He immediately ran to her side and hugged her. Mikan cried harder, "He's missing, someone took my baby boy" she cried on his chest"Someone took my son, they took him".
Natsume kissed Mikan's forehead in comfort. "We'll find him" he told her "Don't worry, we'll find him."
Hearing the commotion outside, Ruka walked out of the guest room and heard Mikan sobbing in the other room. Then he heard Mikan frantically telling Natsume someone took Youichi. Ruka stopped on his track and stood by the wall outside Youichi's room, his hands in a tight fist.
It's been a while since I posted or uploaded. Sorry to keep you guys waiting, I have been busy with life and everything that goes with it. To tell you honestly I didn't know how to continue the story for stopping for so long but here we are.
Let me know what you think :)