I'm getting fluffy again. Shut up. Don't blame me. Besides, this one's for a purpose. Wanna know why?
'Cos it's for R. Barma, my new pal. Today's her birthday and something like this does not pass in my book without recognition. So go, peasants, and wish her a happy birthday before I sic the closet monsters on you!
...Just kidding. But seriously. Go wish her a happy birthday.
Disclaimer: Disclaimed. (Because I'm really getting tired of saying this.)
Monsters and Affection
Creak creak...
Mikan's eyes shot open and she sat up quickly, averting her gaze to her closet.
It was that sound again. She was sure she'd heard it this time.
"Mommy!" she called quietly. "Daddy!"
A few minutes later the door open and the light flicked on, and Izumi and Yuka walked in.
"What is it now, sweetie?" Yuka asked, rubbing her eye and yawning sleepily.
"I heard it again," Mikan whimpered. "There's a monster in my closet."
"This again." Izumi rolled his eyes so Mikan couldn't see and Yuka nudged him with her "It's a phase" look and sat next to Mikan on the bed, stroking her forehead.
"It's all right, honey, there's no monster," she crooned. "See, Daddy will even check for you." She shot Izumi a glare, and he sighed again and walked over to the closet, opening it wide.
"See, sweetie?" Izumi smiled a wide, reassuring smile. "It's empty. Nothing but toys and clothes in here, right?"
"But I heard it!" Mikan insisted. "There was a creaking noise, and I saw the closet opening, and...and..."
"Maybe it was a dream." Yuka smiled.
"I wasn't dreaming!" Mikan yelled. "I saw it with my own two eyes—"
Yuka shushed her. "Calm down." She looked helplessly at Izumi, who sighed and came over and sat on Mikan's other side.
"So let's say there was a monster," he said with a smile. "It's just a monster. What will it do to you?"
"It'll eat me," she whimpered.
Izumi gave Yuka a look and Yuka looked down and smiled at Mikan.
"It won't eat you, sweetie. It's already ran away. See?" She gestured at the closet. "It's afraid of light. Want us to put the nightlight in here?"
Mikan shook her head hard. "No!"
"That's right. You're a big girl, aren't you?" Yuka kissed her forehead. "Just call us if you see the monster, all right?" She stood. "Goodnight, Mikan."
" 'Night." Mikan buried herself under the covers as the light turned off.
But the minute the footsteps resided and a door closed, she jumped up and tiptoed agilely down the stairs to the living room, picking up the phone that was sitting on a table near the door that lead to the kitchen.
They didn't believe her. And if they were asleep, they wouldn't be able to save her if the monster got her.
There was only one thing left to do.
Mikan dialed.
Any sane kid would not be out riding his bike four blocks down to a complete idiot's house at eleven-thirty at night.
Then again, he wasn't sane.
Natsume pedaled slowly past the houses, all of the windows completely dark, making the street look lifeless. It would have been utterly dark, except the moon was peeking out from behind some clouds, which provided a little light.
If he hadn't gotten a somewhat frantic call from the complete idiot whose house he was biking to, he would be in bed right now, sleeping peacefully, without having to worry about annoying wake-up calls and abruptly ending messages and creepy lifeless-looking streets. But he wasn't, now, was he?
Natsume put a foot down and stopped in front of a white house. This was it.
He tossed his bike on the lawn, walked up the steps, and knocked on the front door.
Mikan, who had been nervously tapping her toes against the floor just moments before in anticipation, jumped when she heard the single knock on the door. Rushing to the door, she swung it open and, without even thinking, threw her arms around the said person's neck.
"Oi, Polka. Let me go." He stepped into the house with her still clinging to him. Secretly he didn't mind, which was why he didn't tell her to let go a second time.
"Monster," she whimpered.
"What?"
"There's a monster in my closet," she sobbed.
"That's why you called?" Natsume was incredulous. "At eleven—effing—thirty, in the middle of the night?"
"It's going to eat me!" She clutched him tighter.
He sighed.
"See, if I sit right here, in front of the closet, when the..." Natsume cringed. "...monster comes out, I can kill it instantly."
"Y-you will?" Mikan's bottom lip trembled.
"Hn."
She sniffed, playing with the ends of her pigtails, then gave him a hug. "Th-thank you," she said, and crawled into her bed.
Natsume sat on the floor in front of the closet, staring at the ceiling silently. Normally he would be (quietly) rejoicing at the idea of watching Mikan sleep, but tonight was different. Tonight, he actually felt like he had a job to do.
What people do for love.
"Rise and shine, sweetie!" Yuka said, cheerfully bouncing to Mikan's door. "Shake the cobwebs out, it's another beautiful day!" She put her hand on the knob and stopped when she heard the sounds of not one person heavily breathing, but two.
She opened the door and reared back in shock when she saw Natsume sitting in front of the closet, head bobbed down, fast asleep.
"Izumi," Yuka called. "Izumi, come look at this."
"What is it?" Izumi walked next to Yuka and stopped.
At that moment Mikan opened her eyes sleepily and sat up. Her eyes instantly shot across the room to Natsume, and she threw off the covers and jumped out of bed, running over to him and crouching on her knees in front of him.
"Natsume," she breathed. "Natsume, wake up."
He twitched and his eyes quickly opened when she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head on his shoulder. Yuka and Izumi gaped.
"No monsters?" she said quietly.
He gave a small smile and wrapped his arm around her waist.
"No monsters."
Okay, so there you have it.
NOTE: Yuka and Izumi were completely forgotten in the last scene by the said kids. Completely. XD
Anyways...
That's my present to R. Barma. I know it's not that good, and I know it's so freaking late but I was diverted from my precious computer by dinner and dish-washing. -.- At least I posted it before midnight. :D
If you're wondering why it seems (somewhat?) rushed, I guess the idea is that they were friends for a long time. Looooooong time. Get it?
LOL, and I don't know how old they're supposed to be. Supposedly the age that Mikan's still afraid of monsters in her closet, so seven and eight maybe? Rofl.
But anyway, a review is a reaaaally good thing in my book. So couldja give me one, pweasies? :3
Thanks for reading.
~Ariisha-chan