Haruka blinked, his jaw slack. Hila? And…Tula? Kaldur? What in the world…?
"Hila," he managed, a grin stretching across his face. "What are you guys doing here?" He hadn't seen them since…Atlantis. Since everything went down with Orm. A wave of warmth washed over him, a feeling he hadn't realized he'd been missing. Seeing familiar faces from another world, a world he'd fought to protect, was a welcome surprise.
Hila's lips curved into a small, elegant smile. "I had some free time from my…duties," she said, her gaze flickering briefly around the room. "And I thought I would visit National City. See what all the fuss was about."
Before Haruka could respond, Megan entered the living room, a polite smile on her face. She held a small plate of dango, offering it towards Hila. "Hana-san taught me how to make these," she said, her voice soft and lilting. "Would you like to try some?"
Haruka watched as Hila's smile faltered, just for a fleeting second. A flicker of something…was it jealousy?…crossed her face before she schooled her expression back into its usual composed mask. It was so quick, he almost thought he imagined it.
"Thank you," Hila said smoothly, taking a dango with delicate fingers. "I would be delighted."
He needed to make introductions. "Hila, Tula, Kaldur, this is Megan," he said, gesturing towards her. "Megan, this is Hila, Princess of Xebel," he added, making sure not to reveal too much. Best to keep the Atlantis connection on the down-low for now. "And these are her…associates, Tula and Kaldur."
Tula gave a curt nod, her eyes assessing Megan with a warrior's gaze. Kaldur offered a polite smile.
Megan returned their greetings with her own genuine warmth. "It's nice to meet you all," she said. "Haruka-san has told me so much about…his travels."
Hana, who had been watching the unfolding scene with barely disguised amusement, bustled forward. "What lovely young people! Please, everyone, make yourselves at home. I'll bring out some tea and more snacks. You must be tired from your journey."
She swept into the kitchen, leaving Haruka to navigate the suddenly crowded living room. The air was thick with unspoken questions and subtle tensions.
"So, Hila," Haruka began, trying to steer the conversation away from anything too revealing. "What do you think of National City so far?"
Hila took a small bite of the dango, her expression thoughtful. "It is…certainly different from Xebel," she said carefully. "There is much…noise."
Tula, ever the stoic warrior, simply scanned the room, her gaze landing on the various knick-knacks and family photos scattered around. Kaldur, on the other hand, seemed genuinely curious. "The architecture is quite…unique," he said, his voice calm and measured. "I find the variety of materials used in construction fascinating."
Haruka rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit he hadn't quite shaken off. Showing Hila around National City… It wasn't exactly patrolling for rogue villains or battling interdimensional monsters. Still, he had made a promise.
"Well, Hila," he said, turning to face her. "I guess I could show you around National City, like I promised. It's not Atlantis, but it has… its charms."
Hila's eyes lit up, a genuine spark of excitement flickering beneath her composed exterior. "I would like that very much, Haruka," she said, her voice softer than he'd ever heard it. A smile touched her lips, a smile that had nothing to do with royal duty or political maneuvering. It was a smile just for him. A smile that made his stomach do a weird flip. He quickly looked away, hoping he wasn't blushing. This was definitely more complicated than fighting Black Adam.
Hana returned then, bearing a tray laden with steaming teacups and an assortment of colorful Japanese sweets. "Here we are, everyone," she announced, placing the tray on the coffee table. "Please, help yourselves! Haruka-kun, be a good host and offer your guests something."
The sound of the front door opening broke the slightly awkward atmosphere. Matsu was home. Haruka tensed, wondering how his father would react to the unexpected guests.
Hana, ever the gracious hostess, beamed. "Matsu, you're just in time! These are Haruka's friends, Hila, Tula, and Kaldur." She gestured towards each of them in turn.
Matsu, ever the diplomat, smiled warmly. "Welcome to our home. Haruka has never mentioned you before, but it's wonderful to meet his friends." He looked genuinely pleased. "Please, join us for tea and snacks."
Hana patted the couch. "Yes, come sit down with us."
The living room buzzed with polite chatter. Kaldur peppered Hana with questions about local botany, while Tula, surprisingly, engaged Matsu in a quiet discussion about the merits of various martial arts. Even Hila, initially reserved, seemed to relax under Hana's gentle warmth. He felt a strange sense of pride watching his mother effortlessly charm the Xebelian princess.
"So, Hila-san," Hana asked, her eyes sparkling with genuine interest, "where are you staying while you're in National City?"
Hila took a sip of tea, her expression thoughtful. "I believe it is called the Kojima Grand Hotel," she replied. "A…satisfactory establishment."
Haruka nearly choked on his tea. The Kojima Grand? That was… their hotel.
Hana's eyes widened, her smile broadening. "Kojima? Oh, my! That's our hotel, you know! My husband owns the Kojima Hotel chain." She clapped her hands together, her voice bubbling with excitement. "Oh, this is wonderful! Of course, we'll have to arrange a discount for you all, Hila-san. It's the least we can do, after Haruka speaks of your bravery."
Hila's lips curved into a genuine smile, a smile that reached her eyes. "That is…very generous of you, Hana-san," she said. "Thank you."
Haruka watched in mild amusement as Hana and Hila seemed to bond over their shared appreciation for impeccable service and luxurious accommodations. They were discussing thread counts of Egyptian cotton sheets when he excused himself to head upstairs.
Hours passed. The room was filled with pleasant conversation and the clinking of teacups. Even Tula cracked a smile or two, mostly at something Matsu said. The afternoon sun began to dip towards the horizon, casting long shadows across the room.
Finally, Hila stood, her movements graceful and deliberate. "It seems we must be taking our leave," she said, addressing the room. "Thank you for your…hospitality, Hana-san, Matsu-san. And thank you, Haruka, for your company."
Hana beamed, ushering them towards the door. "Oh, it was our pleasure, Hila-san! You must visit again soon. And please, do let us know if there's anything else we can do to make your stay more comfortable."
Matsu clasped Kaldur's hand firmly. "It was a pleasure meeting you both. Come visit again when you have the time."
Haruka walked them to the door, feeling a strange mix of relief and…something else. Seeing Hila again had stirred something within him.
"Thank you for visiting," he said, looking directly at Hila. "It was…good to see you."
Hila's eyes met his, and for a fleeting moment, he thought he saw a hint of something more in her gaze. "Until next time, Haruka," she said softly.
With a final nod, Hila, Tula, and Kaldur stepped out into the fading sunlight and walked away. Haruka stood in the doorway, watching them go until they disappeared around the corner.
Hana, who had been standing beside him, nudged him playfully. "What lovely friends you have, Haruka-kun!" she exclaimed, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "And that Hila-san…she is quite beautiful, isn't she? And so polite! Why, if I didn't know better, I'd say she was practically royalty!"
She is royalty, actually.
Haruka groaned inwardly. Here it comes. He knew his mom wouldn't let this go easily.
"Haruka-kun," Hana began, her tone taking on that familiar, slightly scolding edge, "why didn't you tell us you had such… distinguished friends visiting? And such a beautiful one, at that!" She gave him a playful nudge in the ribs. "You keep secrets too well, my dear!"
He flushed, his cheeks warming. "Mom, it wasn't like that. It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing. And it's not like Hila is—"
"Is she your girlfriend?" Hana cut in, her eyes gleaming with barely concealed excitement. "She's lovely, Haruka-kun. A perfect match for you!"
"Mom!" Haruka protested, his blush intensifying. "She's not my girlfriend. We're just…friends. From…a trip." He hated how vague that sounded, but he couldn't exactly explain the whole Atlantis-saving, sea-kingdom-protecting situation.
Hana just chuckled, clearly not buying his protests. "Just friends, eh? Well, I wouldn't mind at all if she became more than 'just friends.' She seems like a very lovely, refined young lady." She patted his cheek, her smile positively radiant. "I think she'd make a wonderful daughter-in-law."
Haruka's eyes widened. "Mom! Seriously, stop!" He glanced around, half expecting Matsu to join in the teasing, but his father was nowhere in sight. He probably escaped to the study to avoid the impending matchmaking onslaught. Smart man.
Hana just laughed, a light, tinkling sound. "Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing…for now. But you know, Haruka-kun, a mother can dream, can't she? And that Hila-san… she certainly makes a very pleasant dream." She winked, then turned to head towards the kitchen. "Now, you run along and finish those college applications! And maybe…think about inviting Hila-san to dinner sometime. We'd love to get to know her better."
Haruka sighed, shaking his head. His mom was incorrigible. But as he watched her disappear into the kitchen, a small smile tugged at his lips. He really did like Hila. She was strong, intelligent, and fiercely loyal. And yeah, she was pretty easy on the eyes, too. But a girlfriend? That was…a lot to think about. Especially with everything else going on in his life.
He was saved from further contemplation by a sudden burst of laughter from the kitchen. It was his mom and dad, and they were definitely laughing about him. He could practically hear his mother's conspiratorial whisper: "Can you believe he didn't even tell us she was a hotel guest! Oh, Matsu, our son is so clueless!"
He groaned. He was never going to live this down.
///
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