Title: Pinkies Up
Synopsis: They say that a red string of destiny connects the pinkies of soul mates. Chrome wonders where her string leads, or if it is too tangled to have a destination. Chrome/Mukuro.
Rating: T.
A/N: So, I hated Reborn. And then I began to love it. And now I'm obsessed. I love, love, love Mukuro (I have a thing for guys who are practicing mind rapers). Anyways, I hope that you enjoy my first fic for this fandom.
Disclaimer: I don't own Reborn, because if I did, I would have made the beginning suck less.
"They say that two people who are in love are connected by a red string of destiny." Haru told the other two girls sitting with her, her eyes wide with girlish excitement. "In olden days geishas would cut off their pinky fingers and give them to the man that she loved. It proved that though her body would stray, her heart would always remain his."
Kyoko squealed and Haru giggled wildly. Both fancied a red string tied around their pinky finger and Tsuna's, as well, though neither would admit it to the other. Still, the romantic idea intrigued them both in the silly way that teenage girls get about their crushes. "But wouldn't it get tangled if you were far away?" Kyoko asked, sending the two girls into a fit of laughter. The other girl at the table, however, was silent, lost in thoughts, in a totally different world from those around her. As they giggled and squealed, she sat and contemplated.
"Chrome, are you alright?" Haru asked, noticing that the usually quiet Chrome was even more silent than usual.
Looking up, her face red with embarrassment at the attention, Chrome nodded. Haru swore that the girl had been looking at her pinky, though later Chrome would say that she hadn't been. But the truth was, even if she didn't want to admit it, she had been looking at that finger, staring at it, wondering if a metaphorical red thread could be so long as to connect her to Mukuro, who seemed so far away. "I'm fine."
"That's good!" Kyoko said smiling as she glanced over to the clock on the other side of the room. "Oh, Haru! It's four thirty! I have to go meet my brother!" With a smile, Kyoko got up from the table and embraced Chrome. The girl looked down, her eyes lingering on her pinky finger once again. "I'm really glad that I got to see you again, Chrome. We should get together more often."
Chrome nodded, even though she wasn't sure why Kyoko would want to spend time with her; she was quiet and dull. Through the conversation she had probably uttered about four sentences and had done nothing but drink the tea and eat the cookies that had been placed in front of her. "Sure," She said, however, feeling a bit warmer. "Any time."
"Good," Kyoko said as she walked to the door. "I'm so glad to see you coming out of your shell, Chrome."
Kyoko waved goodbye as she walked out the door, and Haru returned her wave with great energy. Chrome lifted a hand, but her eyes were glued to the floor. She hadn't changed; had she? She thought about that red string and how since she had become a real part of the Vongola family, she had seen less and less of Mukuro, sometimes even doubting that he was even with her anymore.
"Chrome, would you like to stay for a while, or do you-" Haru began to ask, but in a nervous frenzy, Chrome interrupted her.
"I have to go!" She said, but seeing the hurt look upon her… friend's face, she slowed down. "I need to go grocery shopping; Ken and Chikusa aren't very good at picking out food." Not that she was any good, either, but they all agreed that chocolate snacks were better than the raw meat that Ken bought that no one knew how to cook and the random stuff that Chikusa enjoyed but no one else could stomach. "I'm sorry, Haru."
Haru shrugged with a little smile from across the table. "It's no problem, Chrome. Come back any time, though. We really like hanging out with you."
Chrome nodded and stood up, looking at Haru for a moment before deciding what to say. "I'll see you soon, Haru."
"You too, Chrome."
Chrome kicked her foot into nothing, trying to word what was on her mind. "Haru, is that whole red string of destiny thing… is it true?"
Haru laughed. "I don't think so, Chrome. It's probably just a myth that people made up, even though it is really romantic." She paused, thought-filled. "Then again, maybe there's some truth to it. I bet that everyone has a connection to their soul mate… Maybe not a red string, but somehow. Right?"
"Maybe." Chrome said, inching towards the door. "Bye then."
"Bye!" The door closed and Haru looked into her tea. She hoped that the whole red string thing hadn't upset Chrome; it seemed like as soon as they mentioned it she had become so somber.
It was hard for Chrome to get to sleep that night, and she knew why. As lied in bed, staring at the blank ceiling, she felt a little tug on her pinky finger, wondering if there was anything attached to it, or if she would always feel as alone as she did now.
"Is there something wrong, my little Chrome?" A voice asked within her head. It was him; he had not abandoned her yet.
"Nothing is wrong, Mukuro-"
"Now that's not true. Tell me the truth." He said and she could hear the smile in his words. He was caring and kind, and she loved him.
Still, these silly girlish desires of hers were not the sort of things that he needed to be bothered with; she shook her head, though he wasn't there to see it. "I'm fine, Mukuro. Thank you for your concern."
"Ah, Chrome, you've grown so distant." He said just before he disappeared and the string between them grew longer and more tangled than it had already been.
Fin