"Hey Natsume…" Mikan called as she turned to her left to stare at the said boy currently resting his head on her shoulder. Natsume didn't reply and Mikan figured he must have fallen asleep. She smiled to herself thanking the gods for the luck they seemed to have generously bestowed upon her on that particular day. Otherwise, she thought, there was absolutely no way she'd find herself cuddled next to her sleeping fiancée with a warm blanket wrapped around them when she didn't even know of his existence until less than 24 hours ago and yet, here they were.

Just the two of us, she reminded herself and her heart doubled the pace in response.

"Natsume…" she whispered the name to herself, loving the explosion of warmth the name triggered in her.

"Natsume…" she whispered again, not even attempting to contain the giant smile that spread across her face as she snuggled closer to the boy.

She was certain she couldn't be happier and yet she felt her toes curl and the tip of her fingers tingle in response to Natsume's arm pulling her closer and his lips kissing the edge of her jaw.

"Mikan…" Natsume breathed as he buried his head in her hair and Mikan worried if the heat of her skin would burn him.

She thought she had remembered everything about Natsume but she couldn't quite remember him ever being like this. But the last time they were together, they were in the middle of war and they didn't have the luxury of showering each other with all the love the way they could now. She still couldn't quite believe the grumpy boy loved her. And she could never, for the life of her, have guessed that the boy who was cuddled next to her at the moment was the same boy who was once capable of killing people without a second thought. She never believed when people told she was the reason he changed but she was glad he did.

Her train of thought screeched to a halt as she felt Natsume's fingers gently massaging whatever part of her body that it held and his lips busy kissing her neck. Mikan realized she couldn't remember how to breathe anymore. Was this the day she was going to die because she couldn't handle her fiancée's acts of endearment?

"N-N-N-Natsume!" Mikan breathed realizing if she didn't do something to stop this she would die right this instant. And the fact that she also never wanted him to stop whatever he was doing was cruelly pushed back into whatever perverted depths of her mind it came from.

"Y-You're awake." She blurted the first thought that surfaced her mind.

"I wasn't asleep." Natsume muttered, now peppering her cheeks with kisses.

"A-Ah, I-I see." Mikan was sure her heart couldn't possibly beat any faster. She thought about the last time they were like this and how she felt like her entire body was on fire with just one kiss from Natsume. Or was it two? Or three? In any case, she knew if she didn't stop him now she'd collapse and Natsume would never let her forget that.

"A-Ah let me get us something to eat." She yelled a bit unnecessarily loud and prepared herself to get up but Natsume pulled her back down.

"Not now."

"But-"

"Not now." He repeated. "Don't… don't leave now."

Mikan's eyes widened as she realized what he meant and the moment she turned around to look at him a wave of guilt washed over her. She closed her eyes, enjoying the way his fingers were caressing her cheek. She knew it wasn't her fault but she couldn't help feeling terrible for making him suffer.

"I'm sorry." The words rolled out of her tongue before she could stop them. "I was enjoying my high school life while you-"

"We both know it wasn't your fault." Natsume replied as he rested his forehead on her. "So don't apologize"

"But you were suffering all alone." She hated that her voice sounded shaky. She didn't want to cry now of all times. She didn't want to imagine what those years were like for him. Did he cry? Did he try to escape the academy like he did when he was a kid? Did he go back to being a rebel? She always thought the end of war would be the end of all his troubles but he was only pulled out of one trouble and thrust into another one. She had promised herself that she would give him all the happiness and she hated that couldn't keep it.

"You could always kiss and make up." Natsume chuckled and Mikan couldn't help but let one out of her own.

Mikan locked her arms around his neck and nuzzled her head against his. "I can't say I missed you all these years but I'm glad I have you back. So…So glad."

Mikan blushed as she realized she probably sounded desperate but she couldn't help it. She really was utterly and incredibly happy he was back. Natsume took a deep breath as if trying to breathe in all her scent and pulled her closer until Mikan was sitting on his lap.

"I love you." Natsume whispered and Mikan tightened her grip around his neck.

"M-Me too."

"Say it properly." Natsume said and almost laughed when he felt her head fall on his shoulder in sheer embarrassment.

"I… I love you too." Mikan answered a few moments later and immediately stiffened as she felt his lips on her neck again. A moan escaped her lips before she could stop herself and Natsume tightened his grip around her in response.

"You've grown into quite a woman." Natsume suddenly declared as he circled his fingers around her back. If she didn't know any better the compliment would have made her happy but she had a feeling where this was going. Mikan tried to pry herself out of his arms in response to the growing irritation that was replacing all the mushy feelings.

"If you're going to comment on my chest again, I swear, Natsume you-"

"You look beautiful is what I meant." Natsume almost laughed again at her stunned response as he traced his fingers through her hair, clearly trying to soak in every detail of it. God, how he missed this… how he missed her.

"This hairstyle really does suit you." Natsume smiled and looked at her as if silently asking her if she remembered?

"It's not a hairstyle, Natsume. I've just let my hair do-" Mikan paused realizing what he was talking about.

"Ah… that." Mikan looked down and smiled fondly as she remembered a certain fight that had led to Natsume suggesting her to let her hair down.

"By the way…" Natsume smirked. "Were you really sleeping in my bed while I was gone?"

Mikan's jaws promptly dropped and wished with all her might that the earth would open up and swallow her.

"I-I WASN'T!" She yelled instinctively but she knew it was meaningless to hide that with a lie at this point.

"Oh?" Natsume asked while caressing her cheek again. Mikan blushed again, not sure how to handle this version of Natsume who seemed like he couldn't stop pampering her. It was impossible to look into his eyes and not notice the affection that was pouring out for her. She waited for him to continue with another teasing remark but it seemed as if he forgot what he was thinking while he was busy coddling her.

Mikan didn't know if it was the love in his eyes that made her do it or the way he was holding her in his arms or the kind of things he was telling her but before she knew it, she had bent down and captured his lips with hers and all thoughts were forgotten after that. She didn't know how long the kiss lasted or how close she held him in his arms or notice the way Natsume couldn't stop smiling ever since he felt her lips on his or how she ended up with her back facing the floor and Natsume sprawled on top of her kissing the life out of her or the number of times she said she loved him between the kisses. She only hoped this was just the beginning of several blissful days to come.