Pretear Fan Fiction ❯ One and Only ❯ Chapter 4

Chapter 5

 

Author's note: This is so not mine. However, I do claim “scruples” as my own word. But… that has nothing to do with this story. Let's get on with it, shall we?

 

 

On the plane, Himeno stared out the window with a sigh. They were on their way to another long series of fighting, but this time in a different country. She wondered what America would be like. How would the people treat them? How would she fit in? Would the other Leafe Knights like them?

She gave another sigh and looked down at her book. The cabin was quiet, the lights out. Everyone was trying to sleep so they wouldn't suffer from jetlag. But she couldn't get to sleep. She was worried about too many things. As Pretear, she'd have a lot of things to do. She was the head of this mission. She had to be able to protect the ones she loved.

Next to her, Hayate's heavy breathing showed that he was asleep. His arms were crossed, and his head bowed. His blue hair fell around his face, blocking her view of the thing she loved most to see. She reached up with a soft smile and tucked one side of the hair behind his ear, gazing at his face. He looked like a little child when he was asleep.

He was so peaceful. It looked like he didn't have a care in the world. He didn't care that they were about to go into a dangerous mission. He didn't care that life was about to be turned upside-down. He didn't care about anything at that moment. He was just… Hayate.

Looking at him made her forget her troubles. It made her not worry so much about what was coming. It made her feel warm and cozy inside. She leaned over and kissed his cheek gently, then looped her arm inside of his, resting her head on his shoulder. He stirred and groaned a little, then set his head on hers. She smiled and blushed, closing her eyes as she slowly drifted to sleep.

He was smiling as well.

 

 

“Himeno. Himeno, wake up.”

Himeno stirred and slowly opened her eyes. She rose up from Hayate's shoulder, blinking and yawning. She retrieved her arm from around his and stretched, looking at him with a sleepy smile.

“Hey there, handsome,” she said, still half-asleep. He looked down at her in surprise, red filling his face. After realizing that she probably didn't even know what she was saying, he cleared his throat.

“Himeno, we're in America,” he stated with no emotion. She looked at him with the same sleepy smile.

“Yes, and the cow dances with monkeys on the lake.” And with one more yawn, she collapsed against his shoulder, completely asleep.

“Himeno! Wake up, for God's sake!” he said, getting impatient. What was wrong with her? She wasn't usually like this!

“Uh oh,” he heard Go say from across the aisle. Hayate knew what that meant. That “uh oh” usually meant that Go had done something wrong. He slowly turned to him, preparing for the worst.

“What… did you do?” he asked slowly.

Go looked at him nervously and said, “Now… don't get mad now, Hayate. I only did it for the best.”

“What did you do?” he ground out.

“Nothing much, really…”

Kei leaned over and said, “He drugged Himeno's drink.”

“Go!” Hayate exclaimed. “What the hell did you do that for???”

“She was stressed out! She needed some sleep! It was the best thing to do for her!”

Hayate rolled his eyes and was about to yell at Go some more when he felt Himeno move against him. He looked down at her and she moved her arms around one of his, hugging it tightly, and snuggled against his shoulder. She looked so adorable, that he couldn't focus on anything else.

“Hayate,” she murmured. “Don't yell at Go.”

He smiled gently and kissed her on her forehead and said, “Alright, I won't.”

She settled firmer against his arm and her breathing went heavier. She looked so peaceful when she was asleep. He wanted to take her in his arms and hold her forever. For now, this was good enough.

But that still didn't solve their problem at the moment. The plane was landing in Washington D.C. in 30 minutes. How were they going to wake her up in time? He looked over at Go, who was still nervous. He sighed, trying to control his anger, telling himself over and over that Go did it for a good reason.

“Go,” he said calmly. “When did you give her the drugged drink?”

“It was just before we got on the plane when she had tea,” he said hesitantly.

Hayate nodded. “So maybe ten hours ago… and she fell asleep around seven hours ago. She should wake up pretty soon… I hope.” He paused, forced a small smile, and said, “Thanks for trying to help, Go.”

Go blinked in surprise, and so did Kei. They looked at each other, then back at Hayate, and then slowly leaned back in their seats.

Go turned to Kei and said, “The Apocalypse is coming.”

 

 

“Good lord,” Hayate grumbled, thinking how much at that moment he wanted to hurt Go. The pilot just announced that they were landing, and Himeno was still as conscious as a rock. He poked her, prodded her, yelled in her ears, and the only response he got out of her was stirring and her holding his arm tighter. It was cute, but it made him worried, not to mention cut off his blood circulation. What would they do when they had to get off the plane?

“Himeno's still asleep,” came a small voice from the seat behind Hayate. He turned and saw Shin staring softly at Himeno with a concerned look. “Is she alright?”

“I'm sure she's fine,” a soft voice answered. Shin turned to the girl who sat next to him. “She'll be okay. She's just really tired.”

Hayate looked at Mawata and she smiled at him. “Don't worry. If worst comes to worst, you'll have to carry her off the plane.”

Hayate turned back to look ahead of him, but not before Mawata caught the blush on his face. She smiled to herself but didn't say anything more. Takako, who was sitting directly across the isle from Mawata, however, could not help but make known her comments.

“Just think of it as practice, Hayate,” she said with a wink, “for when you carry her over the threshold.”

“If you ever get the courage to ask her to marry you,” Sesame added in with a mischievous grin.

“All of you can shove it up your—,”

“Hayate…”

His attention snapped to Himeno, and found pink orbs looking back into his eyes. His breath caught in his throat at how close they were to each other.

“Y-yes?” he managed to stammer.

She pressed her hand to her forehead and groaned, murmuring, “Where are we?”

He cleared his throat and scooted a little away from her, then pointed out the window. “We're in Washington D.C. We just landed.”

Himeno snapped to attention, and quickly looked out the window. “We're there??? Why the hell didn't you wake me up, Hayate??????”

Hayate sighed and scowled, leaning back in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest while the knights, Takako, and Mawata all joined in laughter together.

“The pain I endure…” he muttered to himself.