disclaimer:  do I look like someone who owns anything at all?  Let alone 7 bishounen...::drools::
                   ^_^''


author's note: This is kinda a spoiler, coz it takes place after the series ends....but it's not too bad...it only spoils the Himeno/Hayate thing...nothing else!!


Aftermath


    She knew.  Of course she knew.  Who ever said that she didn’t know?  Even if she hadn’t remembered the kiss itself, there was so much more.  The way his blue eyes, wet with tears had widened in shock, how he had wrapped his arms around her in relief, murmuring ‘kami-sama’ over and over again, refusing to let go of her, for fear he would lose her again.  
    Not to mention everything before she died.  Neither of them had been very good at concealing their feelings.  She grinned, remembering his pitiful attempt at non-chalance...


    
    “Are you hurt? No? Good.  Can you stand? Of course you can...



    “Ah, Hayate, we’re not so oblivious as everyone thinks,” she sighed under her breath, while water her plant, okaa-san.
    “No, I guess we’re not.”
    “EEEP!” she choked in surprise, launching the water can over her shoulder.  Hayate flinched, knowing that is was impossible for it not to hit anyone on the way down.
    “EEEEEEYYYYAA!” Mayune’s scream proved him correct, “HIMENO!! GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!” she shrieked in anger, the can still on her head.
    Himeno shrank down to the floor hiding her head between her knees, both in shock and embarassement, muttering something incomprehensible.
    Feeling guilty, Hayate sighed and stuck his head over the balcony, “Gomen-nasai, Mayune-sama! It was my fault...” the look in her eyes was enough to send him running to bolt Himeno’s bedroom door shut.  I am NOT doing shower duty AGAIN!! he thought to himself desperately, hearing Mayune screaming up the steps.
    “Himeno! Open the door!  If you think that ‘Gomen’ is enough for my humiliation–“ the tirade continued for some time.  
    With his back firmly glued to the door, Hayate sighed rolling his eyes.  That’s when he noticed that Himeno was still crouched on the floor in the foetal position.  “Daijobu?” he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.  His concern mounted when he noticed her shoulders shaking.  “Himeno?  I’m really sorry about sneaking up on you like that–“
    ”UURYA!” she screamed lunging at him, effectively pinning him to the ground, straddling his chest with a knee holding down each arm and her hands around his neck, as though to strangle him.  “If you ever do that again...” she threatened.
    Seeing the smile in her eyes, he couldn’t help but grin, “You’ll what, Tulip-head?” he smirked and promptly flipped her over on her back, pinning her down in turn.  Unfortunately for him, Himeno’s training was stronger than her humour and she brought her knee up a little too quickly...
    “Ooomph!” Hayate curled up into a little ball on the floor, his eyes watering in pain, and his voice rising a couple of octaves.  
    Himeno sat there grinning like a cheschire cat, but the longer he lay there curled up like that, the more she began to think that she may have really hurt him.  “Hayate?  Gomen-ne, I didn’t mean to...”
    “Daijobu...” he wheezed, trying to sit up, “you could always kiss it better...” he smirked/winced.
    Himeno’s eyes widened in shock at the implication, getting ready to pummel him again–
    “I’m kidding!!” he yelled, seeing the tell-tale signs that he was about to get hit...again.  Her shoulders relaxed, and seeing this as a sign that he wouldn’t have a few more bruises, he moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her.  She gratefully returned the embrace, enjoying the warmth, the peace of just sitting there, on the floor of her room, held in each other’s arms.
    “Why are you here?” she asked quietly, remembering what had caused all the commotion just now.
    “I had a promise to keep,” he answered her softly, running his hand through her hair.  He loved her hair, and he loved tulips, so in his own twisted way, calling her tulip-head was a term of affection...in his own twisted way (^_^;;)
    Feeling his body tense up, she knew what he meant, she also knew what he meant to tell her.  She had known when he had made the promise.  “But I already know,” she whispered, looking up into his eyes, “we’re not as oblivious-“
    ”-as everyone thinks we are,” he finished, smiling, “I know.  I just need to say it.  I’ve been hiding from you, from my feelings, from myself, for so long, and it’s not enough just to know it.  I need to say it, out loud, to make it real.”
    Himeno nodded in understanding.
    “Himeno...” he began, taking a deep breath, “after you just kicked me like that, I may never give you children,” he grinned, strategically wrapping his arms around hers so that she couldn’t punch him.
    “Hayate!” she gasped in horror.
    “I’m kidding,” he smirked, moving his face to within millimeters of her own, meeting her eyes, for the first time without blushing.  “Himeno,” he whispered roughly, “aishiteru..” and he lowered his lips to her own.
    Himeno’s mind simply shut down, her senses couldn’t take it, all she could do was return the kiss with the same love and passion as he was giving.  The kiss lasted for what felt like an eternity (a/n: an eternity I wouldn’t mind..hehe).  But they finally had to concede to their lungs’ demands for air and break apart.
    “At least I got to be awake for that one,” Himeno grinned, gasping to regain her breath Hayate smiled in return, a smile that reached all the way to his eyes (a/n: there may be a convulsion of the earth....::grin::)
    “HAYATE!! YOU GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!” Mayune screamed from the door, from which she had apparently not left yet, “YOU OWE ME A SHOWER!”
    “You don’t want to know,” he muttered to Himeno’s raised eyebrow, scooping her up and plopping her down on the bed, but found a bit of a problem when he tried to straighten.  The problem was, of course, Himeno’s iron grip around his neck.  Sighing in mock resignation, he curled up next to her, curling around her spoon-style.  Soon, the two were sound asleep, curled up in each other’s arms.



    “And now things are as they should be,” Sasame smiled from underneath Himeno’s bedroom window.
    “You were eavesdropping?” Kei asked, with a raised eyebrow.
    “Oh shut up, Kei,” Goh piped up, grinning like an idiot, “so he finally told her?!  Sugoi!”
    Be happy, Sasama said in his head, before disapearing into the night, the other Leafé Knights following suit.




The END!
If you want to email me: himeno_neechan@yahoo.ca
Please let me know what you think!!

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