. Title: Falling Star .
. snowmirage .
. Summary: A falling star, a simple wish for him to be safe. NatsumexMikan (one shot) .
Mikan hugged her knees tightly to her chest, shivering slightly from the cold night air.
Her thin nightgown, admittedly not a very smart choice in this cold weather, provided scant protection from the harsh winds that ripped occasionally through the school grounds.
Tilting her head slightly, she slipped a look at the window of Natsume's room, despairing slightly when it appeared as it had for the past twenty or so times she had looked: dark.
He wasn't back yet.
She wasn't supposed to be out here on the academy's grounds, not in the middle of the night when they were supposed to be sleeping in their dormitories, but she couldn't help it.
It had become a habit for her ever since the day she found out that on the days Natsume didn't come to class, he was off doing missions for the academy, something that a very intoxicated Ruka had told her (and the entire Class B) after Mikan's insistent pleas.
She wanted, at the very least, for Natsume to see a smiling face after he comes back from the missions he undertook so frequently, to let him know that there are people in the academy that cared about him.
So she waited for him.
Night after night, may it be rain or cloudy.
As long as Natsume had a mission, he would always find her waiting for him at the base of his favorite hideout: the sakura tree.
When he turns up, wounded, bloody, weary and disillusioned, she would be there with a smile for him, her worry hidden, and accompany him to his room, where she would bandage up his wounds before leaving.
And though nary a word ever passed his lips aside from a few smirks and name-calling, she knew he didn't mind her company.
So it had become a sort of routine for both him and her, a routine that brought them somehow closer to each other.
But tonight, tonight he was later than usual.
Mikan glanced worriedly towards the clock tower, the moonlight illuminating the silvery hands of the giant clock.
Ten minutes to twelve.
Mikan wrapped her arms tighter around her knees and propped her chin on her knees as her amber eyes scanned the dark grounds that seemed to stretched forever in front of her, the worry in her almost overwhelming.
She let her eyes drift towards the starry sky above her, and she prayed quietly.
Please. Please let him be safe.
As if on cue, a streak of silver light sped across the velvet sky.
A falling star.
Mikan let out a small gasp of wonder at the beautiful sight that seemed almost to be a sign from the skies above that her prayer was heard.
She smiled then, a small smile that blossomed into a full-fledged one.
Because, she knew then, that Natsume was coming back, safe and sound.
"Thank you." She whispered softly into the crisp air and waited for his return.
It was past midnight by the time Natsume reached the academy's grounds, bruised and battered from his tedious mission.
It had been worse than the others, and it was worsened by the fact that Persona had been watching throughout, and enjoying himself while Natsume killed mindlessly.
He hated what he had become: A simple killing machine to the academy.
Tired and weary, he was about to make his way to his room via the window when he spotted a lone figure seated under the sakura tree.
Mikan.
She was still waiting for him despite the time.
As he made his way towards her, a string of profanity ran though his mind at the sight of the paper-thin nightgown she had on despite the cold weather.
The idiot.
It was on the tip of his tongue to scold her when he saw that she was asleep, her head cradled in the crook of her arms, emitting soft snores accompanying her deep breathing.
Quietly, Natsume walked up to her and scooped her up into his arms as gently as he could so as to not disturb and wake her up.
He frowned slightly as he felt the coldness of her skin and used his power to emit a soft warm that enveloped him.
The only thing Mikan did at the slight movement was to sigh softly and cuddled closer to the warmth of Natsume's alice.
She never saw the slight smile that passed briefly across his face before, with her still in his arms, he leaped agilely up to his room and laid her on his bed.
After all, she had taken care of him so many times in the past.
So this once, just this once, it was his turn to take care of her.
She never questions, never wondered. Because she knows, like the falling star that returns to earth, he will always come back to her. No matter what.
. fin .