Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice
Summary: A one-shot about Hotaru and Ruka (as husband and wife)
"Hotaru! Isn't it nice!"
I sighed; she never gets tired of squealing my name whenever she sees me. It's a good thing that we were not in the same place for she and Natsume together with Yoichi and Aoi were on a camping trip.
Through the use of satellite communication she contacted me and started touring me around their camping site. Letting me see the tent they were going to use, the rivers and the mountain top view, which I admit was very breathtaking even though I was just seeing it through the computer screen.
"Stop being so noisy Mikan."
"Mou… I just wish that you and Ruka are also here." She was wearing again those teary eyes.
"Baka," I said before giving her a small smile, "you can visit me after you're back from you trip."
Her eyes glittered."Awww Hota- - -"
And then I heard a familiar sound. Baka! Baka! Baka! However, this time I was not the one who did the deed. By now I knew Mikan was sprawled somewhere in the bushes.
I heard someone spoke. "Oi polka-dots, don't go near the screen, you'll drool over it."
After a second or two of seeing no one in the monitor, a familiar face became visible.
"Hey."
I gave that person a nod. It was Hyuuga Natsume with the same facial expression of monotony.
He snickered. "Thanks for giving me a Baka Gun."
I shrugged. "Thought it would be helpful. Where are Yoichi and Aoi?"
"Their by the river, fishing. So, how are you and Ruka doing?"
"Just fine. He's at the barn right now."
"He left you alone?" I almost laughed how concern was written on his face. I then pressed something on my keyboard.
"No, he just went there to get something. He'll be back soon."
Natsume didn't say anything and just looked at me.
At the corner of the monitor I spotted Mikan dusting off her pants. "Natsume! How could you!"
Mikan tried to whack Natsume with a branch she got from somewhere, but he was just on time to move sideways and avoid it.
A series of attacks by my best friend ensued followed by Natsume's imperturbable evasions.
For the nth time, I sighed in exasperation, seeing the usual bickering of those two. I could never remember a day where they didn't fight like an old married couple.
Well, they are a couple now. Natsume finally admitted his feelings for my best friend after I sent out a half-true, half-false rumor that the Head Principal took a liking to Mikan especially that she was available. I just don't know when he'll gain enough courage to ask Mikan to marry him. If I get impatient again, maybe another scheme would do the trick.
It was exciting to watch them when Natsume tried to throw a flame to Mikan and she nullified it. Yes,my clumsy and idiotic best friend got better in using her alice. But aside from that their strike-parry movements tires me.
"I'm going to sign off now."
Mikan heard that and lost her focus while throwing a punch to him. And as always, failing to keep her balance, she fell on top of Natsume and both of them blushed.
Chuckling lightly, I pressed a shortcut key on my computer, taking a picture without them knowing. It was the same key I used when I was talking to Natsume awhile ago.
Not waiting either to recover from their position or from Mikan to wail nonsensical things to me, I closed my laptop.
"Ahh… peace and quiet at last…"
Normal POV
After talking with Mikan and Natsume, Hotaru went back to tinker her new invention. When she finished she set it aside and stared at their well-maintained garden.
By 'their', she means her and Ruka. They have been married for a year and a half now and she's currently in her ninth month of pregnancy. It was the reason why Mikan and Natsume were constantly giving them a call.
Instinctively, her hand gently massaged her bulging belly. She felt a sense of reverie when she felt that the baby kicked inside.
However, Hotaru was pulled back from her trance when someone embraced her from behind and kissed her on the cheek.
"Natsume and Mikan called awhile ago." She said knowing that there would only be one person who would do that.
Ruka rested his chin on Imai's shoulder, still embracing her from behind, and gazed at the willow tree a few meters away. "I hope they're alright."
"..." Silence...
"You've been here in the patio for the whole day?" Ruka asked while giving her a slight squeeze.
She again didn't' give any answer, but it was fine for him, as he continued.
"In two days we'll go to the hospital since you're schedule to give birth will be next week."
Imai nodded while continuing to pat her stomach. Still her eyes were fixed to something in front of them. "Before you arrived, our baby kicked."
From the movement of his jaws, she knew that he was grinning. Then Hotaru saw one of his hands moved in order to hold her hand (the one on top of her tummy and was previously caressing their baby).
If they could be a picture, it could perhaps emanate the feeling of satisfaction. Both of them staying at that position, she sitting on a soft couch and he hugging her while nature itself was bearing witness.
A few more minutes elapsed and they went inside their house. Hotaru wanted to help Ruka in preparing for dinner but he was adamant that she should not tire herself.
"No, no, no. If you want you can sit and keep me company but there is no way you're going to help me." He motioned her to be seated while he was putting the beef inside the microwave to thaw.
Hotaru conceded. "Fine, but be sure to make it edible."
"Uh well," Ruka looked unsure, "for it to be edible I need to do one thing first." And with a swift move he closed their distance, quickly stole a kiss from her and then went back to his previous position in front of the sink.
She shot him a glare. But he just smiled at her and blew her a kiss. "Don't worry this'll be good."
"It better be." Hotaru muttered as if she was pissed. But in truth she was wearing this pleasant smile that was appearing more frequently than before.
She was enjoying watching Ruka move around the kitchen. Add to the fact that he was whistling a love song and would wink at her at some instances.
The life inside her suddenly moved. At first, Hotaru thought that it was just the normal kicking of their baby but then she experienced an increasing pain. She gasped. "Ruka…"
"Hmm? This will be finish in a minute." He was busy with something and didn't look at her.
"Ruka!"
Sensing now the alarm in her voice he turned his head to her direction, his face inquiring. But she couldn't muster enough strength to say something for she was busy controlling the pain.
"Oh gosh, oh gosh. Hotaru? Is it, is it?" He went by her side, wiping the sweat piling up her forehead.
Imai grabbed Ruka's collar. "Damn it. Do I have to tell you this? My-water-bag-broke" She was panting in between the words as she spoke, though she still maintained a calm expression.
"WHAT!" Ruka panicked and was running in circles in their kitchen. "Oh no, oh no. It should be next week, not now! What to do! What to do!"
Rather than feeling more pain, Hotaru was getting more pissed. She snatched an orange from somewhere and threw it at Ruka. Bull's eye! It went straight on his forehead. Even if in pain, she could still aim.
Recovering from the hit, Ruka saw his wife stood up and walked outside. "Hotaru! Wait!"
The moment he caught up with her she was leaning on the passenger side of their car, arms crossed. He was about to blabber his concern but Hotaru cut her off.
"Shut up and open the damn door."
At the hospital:
"Ruka, please stop pacing around. I'm getting dizzy."
"But I'm worried Koko!"
Kokoroyomi snorted. "Yeah, as if I can't see it."
Not bothering to retort to what his friend said, Ruka just started walking back and forth the hallway.
"You look like you're the one giving birth than Imai, you know."
"Arrrgghhh…" And he started pacing around again. However, after a few minutes Ruka realized that Koko was right and decided to sit down beside him.
Koko, a resident psychologist in the hospital they went,was the one whom Ruka immediately contacted after Hotaru went inside the delivery room. He needed someone to give him company.
Ruka wiped his face with his hands in agitation. He was about to start wearing out the hospital floors again when Kokoroyomi started laughing.
"And what the heck is funny!"
Koko chortled. "Ahahaha… aherm… ahahaha…"
"Koko…" his voice threatening.
His friend raised his two hands upward and controlled his laughter. "You."
Ruka frowned. "What?"
Kokoroyomi then beamed and chuckled lightly. "Your thoughts were so strong that I knew what happened before Imai went inside the delivery room. And maaannn… I didn't know you could panic like hell."
He stared at him in disbelief and then all of the images came rushing back.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
He was driving like a crazy man on their way to the hospital. He had even beaten a red light, out of impulse, when Hotaru suddenly had a hard time breathing. Because of that they were chased by two police cars and he had to order some birds to drop their feces on their windshields.
And when they arrived at the hospital he helped Hotaru get out of the car, but because of panicking he was the one who sat on the wheelchair when a nurse brought it out. He realized his mistake when Imai started walking indifferently inside the hallways.
In addition, when they were on their way to the delivery room, he tripped two times. The first one was with an elderly man and the second was with a young woman who fell on top of him due to the impact. Ruka could swear that his wife was ready to kill him hadn't he immediately removed the lady away from him and went to her aid.
Also after the couple of stumbles, to his excitement and fear he dashed toward the 'labor area' and left Hotaru and the nurse way, way,way,way behind. When he ran back he was shot with her portable Baka Gun and the next thing he knew was that his wife was laboring.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Ruka then felt Koko patting his back. "By what I have seen and read in your mind, I'd say that you have nothing to worry about. If Imai could walk that far then that means she will have less difficulty in giving birth."
Well, he remembered that exercise before actually giving birth really helps in easing the pain. And somehow, that thought gave him relief.
"Thanks…" He mumbled and gave Koko a grateful look.
Then he saw Koko's eyes twinkled. "Although Ruka, you need to prepare yourself after she gives birth…"
"And why is that?"
Koko then grinned. "Because from the moment that I arrived all I've been hearing from Hotaru is this…"
"Grrr… Ruka, you baka… I'll sell all your most embarrassing pictures after this!"
Ruka gulped and Koko gave him his sunniest smile. And at that instant their thoughts were broken by the shattering yet mystical sound of a baby's cry.
Koko: At last I've appeared!
Façade: Ahehe… so sorry for that Koko. I still couldn't find a scene to insert you in MGR.
Koko: Nyahaha… oh it's okay. At least I'm here!
Yoichi: Give a review!
Façade: Ohhh… Yoichi is soooo cuteee!
Author's Notes:
bwahahaha… it's finish!
I was inspired to make this story from watching a slapstick comedy just awhile ago. And I was thinking of publishing this after I finish "Merry Go Round" and make this its sequel. But I don't know if I could finish the prequel and still be able to retain my idea for this story. :bwahahaha:
However, it's still SOMEHOW patterned to my first story (which is still in the process of its completion / extinction ahahaha kidding)