Watashi wa anata o mite iru.
(I'm watching you.)
It has been over a decade, and I still watch him. Everyday he grows more fluid, more graceful. There is no excess in anything he does, even the most mundane of tasks are carried out with precision and purpose. I watch him; as he walks, his quick, long strides, as he speaks, his smooth tenor soothing and yet fraying my nerves all at once. He doesn't know it of course, a major feat in itself. I am always careful never to show any outward sign that he has such an effect on me. I watch him as he fights. It is a beautiful horror. He shows no mercy, no remorse. He relishes in the defeat of his enemies as he forces their submission. It's during these times I have the most trouble containing myself. It's rather absurd, isn't it? Most are comforted by soft words and gentle caresses, feel the desire for another at kind gestures and loving embraces. Yet these things do not bring forth those feelings within me. Only when the sound of hard steel meets soft flesh, do I feel comforted. Only when he threatens me, do I feel any sort of affection.
He doesn't know, and I could never tell him. Surely, I'd be bitten to death. And so, I watch him.
"Juudaime!"
Gokudera, Vongola Decimo's self-proclaimed right hand man, burst through his boss's door, his hair was frazzled, his breathing quick and shallow, his green eyes were wide and darting. "Where is he, Juudaime? Where's that bastard hiding?"
"Gokudera? What in the world...?" Tsuna looked up from his never ending paperwork, taking in the appearance of his storm guardian. To say he was startled at his sudden and rather unkempt appearance would be an understatement. Gokudera had always tried to maintain a more professional front when in his presence. He watched concerned, and more than a little curious, as the silver haired young man began tearing the cushions off of his office furniture, opening then slamming shut cupboard doors, all the while demanding that, "... the bastard come out!"
Finally, after the harried young man had come around to Tsuna's side of his desk, pushed him away, and tried climbing under and rummaging through his desk, the Vongola leader had had enough.
"Gokudera Hayato!" Tsuna yelled, rising to his feet. "What do you think you are doing?"
He was ignored.
'Oh, hell no.' The brunette quickly strode over to Gokudera and grabbing the back of his jacket, forcibly hauled the man to his feet. Once there, he quickly spun him around to face him and yelled again, "Gokudera!"
That seemed to have done the trick as Gokudera finally realized his surroundings. His eyes widened even further than they had in his crazed search, his cheeks grew a light shade of pink. "J-Juudaime! I'm sorry! Forgive me Tsuna! I do not deserve to be your right hand man! I'm sorry! I have deeply disr-"
"Gokudera?" Better to head him off now, before his rant goes on any further. They'd have to sedate him again if it did.
"...you and I- Yes, Juudaime?"
"Care to tell me why you felt it necessary to tear my office apart? Who was it that you were looking for?" Tsuna asked, his eyebrow raised, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips. The brunette could see the reluctance shadow his friend's face, his smirk fell. "Gokudera?"
The storm guardian seemed to struggle internally before finding his resolve. "I-I was looking for Hibari."
It was now Tsuna's eyes that were wide. "Hibari-san? What for?"
"Well-"
"Eh? You were calling him a bastard! Crap!" Tsuna was genuinely worried now. He grabbed the Gokudera by the shirt, trying to shove him back under his desk. "You're going to be bitten to death! He'll be here any minute to make his mission report. Quick, you have to hide before he finds yo-"
"Hn. Too late."
The pair froze, both making audible gulps. They were done for. There in the door way of Tsuna's ransacked office stood Hibari Kyouya in all his lethal glory, tonfa already in hand. It had been a long time since Tsuna had actually feared Hibari, none the less, he was still a formidable man and one would be unwise to upset him. Regardless, though, Tsuna was still Vongola Decimo and he wanted to know what in the hell was going on! Straightening himself, Tsuna met unwaveringly met Hibari's eyes, while slowly moving to cover the still cowering form of one of his best friends.
"Good afternoon, Hibari-san." Tsuna greeted. "I trust your mission report is complete?"
"Gokudera Hayato, you lack serious discipline. Kamikorosu." Hibari charged, tonfa already arcing downward, ready to deliver a devastating blow to the weak herbivore.
It was times like these that Tsuna really hated being the leader of a world wide mafia organization. Keeping his subordinates in line was a task no one should be asked to undertake. Throwing himself in between Hibari and his prey was just asking to be beaten into something less than a pile of broken flesh. Internally wincing and cursing Gokudera for putting him in this situation, he swiftly placed himself in the path of the oncoming slaughter. Even someone as trained as Hibari was unable to stop himself in time...
"Bastard! I found your tape! What in the hell-"
… then again, perhaps that was the magical answer. For that statement and nothing else could have smothered Hibari's wrath. He froze, his tonfa becoming a cool caress of metal against their leader's delicate cheekbones. Something Tsuna later registered as panic flitted across steely granite eyes.
"Tape? Hi-hibari-san? What's he talking about?" Tsuna asked, looking up towards his cloud guardian, his eyes wide, his head cocked slightly to the left.
"Juudaime, p-perhaps you shouldn't..."
It seemed Gokudera only now realized the folly of his ways. Publicizing something of this nature, especially when it involved someone as innocent as his dear Juudaime, and someone as volatile as Hibari, was just asking for trouble. How was he going to get himself out of this? If he revealed his purpose for searching for the dark man, he would surely be bitten to death. Repeatedly. If he refused to answer, his Juudaime would be upset with him. Choices, choices. 'Still,' he thought to himself, 'perhaps there's another way...' The silver haired youth smirked to himself. Yes, there was always that option.
"Gokudera..." Tsuna growled rather menacingly.
"He-heh-he, well about that..." the bomber began.
"Y-you see... that is... uh..." He began inching his way towards the door.
"What I mean to say is..." 'Five more feet! You can do it Hayato!'
He cleared his throat. "Okay, so... you see... uh..." 'Yes! There!'
"Hibari has a tape of you naked! Kay, bye!" And he was gone, fleeing down the hallway as fast as he could.
A/n: Part one... maybe? I'm not sure where I'm going to take this... We'll have to see. ^^) Check out my profile for new links.
KHR (c) Amano
Plot (c) Me