Title: Do Actions Speak Louder?
Author: Etsuko O. Daikama

Rating: K+
Category: Romance
Pairing(s): RxH, Slight NxM

Disclaimer: The day I become a chimera (which would be a milestone in my life) I still would not own Gakuen Alice. Dang it, I'll have goat hands then.
Summary: "Ruka, do you still think action speak louder than words?" ONESHOT AU RxH, slight NxM

Notes: May contain OCCness.

Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words?

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Playground; Ages - Five Years

It was hot, yet beautiful summer day at the playground. Children were found everywhere doing their thing. Swinging on the swing set, sliding down the slide, playing hopscotch even playing jump rope. Girls were singing, boys were laughing while parents were talking and watching their kids.

One boy sat lonely in the sandbox, desperately trying to build a sandcastle. He would glance at everyone to see what they were doing. It looked normal and he sighed. Then he looked over at a tree and saw two girls sitting comfortably in the shade.

There was one boy who was sneaking closer to them with something in his hand. It looked pink and wet... what was it?

The blonde boy watched intently, watching the raven-haired lad slowly moving in on his target. The raven-haired boy's next actions were unbelievable.

He placed gum in the now-crying female brunette's hair.

"Wah! Natsume!! Why did you do that?!" the girl wailed and tried to take the sticky piece of gum out. "It's so gross! Hotaru, help me!"

The girl who was sitting peacefully by the brunette turned her head. "Take it out yourself, baka," Hotaru responded and looked back at her book to continue reading.

Natsume, the one who stuck the gum in her hair, smirked triumphantly. He walked away, looking innocent, to play dodge ball with the other kids.

"Mikan," Hotaru called. Mikan turned her head and stared at her friend. "Go talk to your mom, maybe she'll get it out."

Mikan nodded and walked to her mother, while holding on to the piece of gum in her hair. When she was walking towards her mother, she saw the blond boy, looking lonely. Mikan looked around her and ran towards the boy.

"You look lonely," Mikan said. "I'm Mikan Sakura, what's your name?" Mikan smiled at him, leaning closer to the boy.

"R-Ruka Nogi," Ruka replied almost inaudibly.

Mikan leaned even closer to the boy, putting her ear next to his mouth. "Can you please say that again?" she asked and waited for his answer.

Ruka gulped and spoke a little louder, "Ruka Nogi."

"Ruka?" Mikan asked, seeing if it was right. Ruka nodded bashfully. "Did you see that jerk put gum in my hair, it was so mean!"

"I can help you... take it out," he said.

"Really?! Thanks Ruka-pyon!"

Ruka gave a small smile at the sudden nickname and walked to his mom, requesting an item. The mother brought out a picnic basket and pulled out the magical item: peanut butter.

The blond boy thanked his mother, and headed to Mikan, carrying the small jar of peanut butter.

From afar, Natsume was watching them. He started clenching his fist and marched over to the two.

Ruka sat down in the sandbox again, opening the jar.

"Peanut butter?" Mikan questioned. "Are we going to eat it?"

Ruka laughed and shook his head 'no.' He used his index finger and his middle finger to scoop some peanut butter. His hand slowly reached over to Mikan's hair, but Natsume snatched the girl away.

The crimson-eyed lad glared at Ruka, took the blob of peanut butter from the blonde's fingers and started walking away with Mikan still in his clutches.

"Natsume! That was rude!" Mikan yelled. "Apologize to Ruka-pyon!!" She started squirm in his tight grasp, trying to be freed.

Ruka sighed and sealed the peanut butter with the lid, then licking his fingers afterwards. He felt a presence near him and looked upwards. He saw a girl with short raven-hair and amethyst eyes.

"Thanks for trying to help my friend out, but Natsume is a bit possessive," Hotaru said.

Ruka nodded and replied, "I can tell. I've always believed in the quote 'actions speak louder than words.'"

"Although, Mikan is clueless about this," she said. "She's really a dense idiot."

The two stared at each other in eyes for a moment. Hotaru didn't show a bit of emotion and Ruka looked slightly shocked, not that he was.

"I should be going now," Hotaru said while getting up.

"Wait!" Ruka yelled - he actually yelled. "What's your name?"

"Hotaru," she said and walked away, leaving the boy dazed.

Ruka was about to leave, he was picking up his toys and putting them into his bag. "Oi," a voice came. Ruka turned his head to see Natsume looking down at him, Mikan by his side, tapping her foot impatiently at Natsume. "Polka-dots is making me do this. So... I'm sorry."

"Don't call me that, you pervert!" Mikan yelled at him, her arms perfectly lined to her sides.

"I'll call you whatever I want," Natsume said and started walking away with a toss of a wave.

"Natsume!!" Mikan yelled. She huffed and a delicate pout graced her lips.

"Ja ne, Sakura-san," Ruka said behind her.

"What?" Mikan looked at him. "You're leaving already?"

"Yeah, I have to go home," Ruka said. "I'll see you later -- oh, and by the way..." Mikan waited eagerly. "Tell your friend that she has a cute name."

Mikan smiled brightly and hugged Ruka. "I promise I will!" She let go of him and smiled at him. "But promise me you'll come here whenever you can!"

"I promise," he said. "But bring your friend."

"I always do!"

"Oi, polka-dots, let's go!"

"Natsume, stupid pervert!"

Every weekend since that day, Ruka and Hotaru would meet up in the sandbox. Ruka will try with all his might to strike up a conversation but Hotaru fashionably ignores him. Which wasn't helping him - at all. They would even play hide and seek and if Ruka was 'it,' he would try to find Hotaru first.

His main goal was to spend most of his precious time with Hotaru. Although, that plan wasn't working as great as he thought it would.

But later in the future, he befriended Natsume and he'll talk about Hotaru unconsciously, which made Natsume scratch all over. He said that mushy stuff makes him itchy. Yeah, right...

Ruka asked Natsume for some advice on how to spend time with their... ahem... "loved" ones, because Ruka saw how Natsume was with Mikan.

But Natsume kept denying that he liked Mikan.

He was clueless when it came to love, just like every other seven years old child. Yes, Ruka has been pursuing Hotaru for two years now and that wasn't going to end anytime soon.

When a special event would occur, like Valentine's Day or Hotaru's birthday, Ruka would bring in flowers to Hotaru. But she would always glance at the flowers and say she doesn't like them, making Ruka feel a little crushed. But that didn't crush his confidence, did it?

He would still bring flowers to the amethyst-eyed girl and ask if she favored them. Her answer would remain as a 'no.' He tried roses, lilies, carnations, tulips, daisies, even violets! He was starting to lose his money that he earned because he spent them all on flowers.

If Hotaru didn't favor the flowers, he would give them to his mom. Did his mom love flowers!

Eventually, the day came when Ruka found out her favorite flower: orchids. He brought some to her one day and she glanced them without saying a word. Actions speak louder than words. Even if the action was hardly anything.

So everyday since that day, Ruka would buy at least one orchid and gave it to Hotaru even when she said she didn't want them. Ruka even started an orchid garden with the help of his maids.

Little boy is obsessed, isn't he?

As much as he tried to say 'I like you' to Hotaru, it never came quite out. Let's hope she also believes in the famous quote.

Park; Ages - Seventeen years

Ruka and Hotaru were sitting on a bench. Not a sound echoing, not a word spoken. Neither of them made a move in the last three minutes. Ruka had a reddish color on his face, while Hotaru had smaller amount of red on her face.

"Ruka," Hotaru spoke. "Remember where we met?"

Ruka nodded quietly. He wasn't sure what was going to happen. This young boy, gained guts and told Hotaru he loved her - OK, he either stuttered and or said it too quietly the first few times. But he still confessed to her, what difference does it make?

"Do you still think actions speak louder than words?" Hotaru asked.

"I - uh..." Ruka had his tongue twisted into million knots. Then he felt something against his cheek. Hotaru. Was. Kissing. His. Cheek. His flippin' red, hot cheeks.

"That's my answer if you do," Hotaru said. She got up from the bench and walked away.

Because if they do,

Then I hope my action tells you,

I love you too...

A/N: Haha, a rushed one-shot. This was my first one-shot about Ruka and Hotaru. Y'know, I was planning to write a Koko/Sumire one-shot. Maybe I will... in the future.

I'm starting to think I'm making rushed one-shots is because I'm getting paranoid about my time. Yeah, maybe... ah, who knows?

Yeah, I know I should be working on "Colorful Flaws" but I wrote this before I came up with the story, I just never finished this one-shot.

- Etsuko O. Daikama