A/N: 8059. Don't like, don't read. Oh, and this takes place about three days after One Stormy and Rainy Day took place.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own KHR.
Summary: Sequel (kind of) to One Stormy and Rainy Day. Gokudera is asked by his neighbors to dog-sit for a week. Yamamoto decides to help.
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The Sound of Silence
Three days had passed since that fateful, stormy day. Gokudera Hayato was seated in the living room of his apartment, crushing a cigarette into the dish on the coffee table, still unable to stop thinking about it. He hadn't gone to school for the last few days, because he couldn't bring up the nerve to face him again. Not after what he had said.
Suddenly, his doorbell rang. Gokudera looked over at the door, a rather blank expression on his face. With a sigh, he tossed the butt of his cigarette into the dish and shuffled over. Before he opened the door though, he quickly glanced at his reflection, trying to make himself presentable. His hair was messed up, for he hadn't bothered to brush it for quite a while and there were dark bags under his eyes. The shirt he wore was too big for him and the black sweatpants he had on the lower half of his body had a hole in the knee.
He ran a hand through his hair as the doorbell rang again. He exhaled sharply before opening the door.
It was his neighbors. They were a young couple living in the apartment across the hall from him and they now stood in his doorway, smiling awkwardly. The man, a slender, fellow with raven black hair and slim features, spoke first. His wife, a petite female with light brown hair, clung to his arm. Gokudera noticed, with amusement, that she was shaking.
"G-Gokudera-kun," the man began.
Gokudera tried to remember his name. Could it have been Taro? No, that was the name of his dog. He lost his train of thought. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. So, with that, Gokudera just settled for a simple, "Hmm?"
"We're going on vacation for a week," the man said quickly, bowing swiftly. "And Hana and I were wondering if you could take care of our dog. You see, Taro is afraid of planes and so we can't take him with us. We'll even pay you."
Gokudera sighed. "Did you ask any of the other neighbors?"
The man nodded. "But they've all declined. So you're our last hope, Gokudera-kun. Please, please, please help us!" he bowed again. Hana bowed as well.
"Fine," Gokudera said.
"Thank you so much!" the man replied, elated. "If you have some free time, perhaps we can show the ropes now?"
Gokudera ran a hand through his hair then shrugged. "Eh, why not…" he muttered before following the happy couple across the hall into their apartment. The minute he stepped into the room, he was nearly knocked over by a Shiba Inu.
"Taro! Down!" Daisuke shouted, grabbing the collar of the ginger-colored dog. Taro's curly tail wagged furiously as he strained to lick Gokudera's face. "I'm sorry, but you're going to have to deal with this every time you come in," Daisuke apologized, bowing again.
Hana had disappeared into the apartment and she now reappeared with a rubber bone. She threw it into the main living room and Taro jumped after it, chasing it down and beginning to gnaw it.
The couple showed Gokudera the water, the food and everything else needed to take care of the dog. "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning," Daisuke said as he handed Gokudera a copy of their apartment key. "So if you could just drop by before and after school to walk Taro and then just feed him twice, I think you'll be fine for the week. Do you want us to pay you now or would you rather us pay you later?"
Gokudera shrugged. "Do what you think is best," he said quietly, looking down at Taro. The dog rolled over, revealing his white stomach. Gokudera managed to smile, just a little bit, as he crouched down, rubbing the dog's belly. Taro's left hind leg began to thump against the wooden floor furiously as his tail swept across the floor. He began to whine when Gokudera withdrew his hand.
"I'll be back tomorrow, Taro," Gokudera said, rubbing the side of the dog's head.
Hana laughed as Gokudera bid the couple good-bye and returned to his own apartment.
"What have I gotten myself into now?" Gokudera groaned as he flopped back down on his couch, pulling another cigarette from the box on the coffee table.
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The sun seared through the slits in the blinds on the window of Gokudera's room. The silver haired teenager sat up in his bed. He had spent the entire night tossing and turning, the Yakyu-baka's words still ringing in his head.
I love you…
I love you…
I love you…
Gokudera got up, grabbing his school uniform from his closet. Today was the day he was going back to school, he decided. It was time to face the Yakyu-baka and determine whether or not what he had said was actually true.
Then, he remembered he had to walk Taro.
"Cazzo!" (A/N: I'll leave this up to my readers to try and figure out what it means. =) I'm pretty sure you'll have an easy time though. I mean, seriously, it's Gokudera…)
Gokudera had slipped into his natural Italian in his hurry to get to the energetic Shiba Inu before the dog destroyed Hana and Daisuke's apartment.
He swiftly unlocked the door and was then eagerly greeted by the ginger dog. Taro jumped up, placing his paws against Gokudera's chest as he licked the teenager in greeting.
"Yo Taro, ready for a walk?" Gokudera grinned, reaching over to the coat hook on the side of the wall and grabbing the leash. Taro went crazy when he heard the word "Walk" and when he saw the leash. Gokudera had a hard time attaching it to Taro's collar but by the time he managed the task, he realized there was no time to take the dog on a walk long enough to tire him out and make sure Hana and Daisuke's apartment was safe.
He hated asking anyone for a favor, but he knew he had to do it. Someone had to take care of Taro until he returned from school. This meant he had two people to ask: Juudaime and Yakyu-baka.
He raced down the street, the dog easily keeping up with him. As he turned a corner, he saw the retreating figure of a tall, raven-haired male, a baseball bat slung over one shoulder. Taro tugged the leash from Gokudera's hands and tackled Yamamoto Takeshi in the back.
Yamamoto didn't fall, but merely stumbled as Gokudera caught up with the dog, scooping up the handle of the leash. Taro was wagging his tail, jumping up and down, trying to reach Yamamoto's face.
"Oh, it's Gokudera," Yamamoto grinned. "Where have you been these last few days?"
Gokudera rolled his eyes. He didn't want to explain himself to this guy, to the guy that had been the cause of his absence. "I have to take care of my neighbors' dog. But I didn't have time to walk him this morning." He said, avoiding the question Yamamoto had asked him.
"You can leave him here," Yamamoto said. "Oyaji is inside and he'll probably be willing to take care of the dog. What's his name?" Yamamoto knelt down, scratching Taro's head. The dog licked Yamamoto's fingers.
"Taro," Gokudera replied curtly.
"OI! OYAJI!" Yamamoto shouted.
His dad appeared in the doorway of Takesushi. "What is it?" he asked. Then he saw the dog.
"Can you take care of the dog for today?" Yamamoto asked. "It's just until school gets out."
"Don't see why not," Yamamoto's father said. Gokudera handed him Taro's leash.
"His name is Taro," Yamamoto added.
"Taro, that's a good name," Yamamoto's father boomed out his loud laugh as he and Taro returned to the shop.
"Now let's go to school," Gokudera growled.
Yamamoto laughed, slinging an arm around Gokudera's shoulder. The bomber didn't seem too bothered by it. They picked up Tsuna along the way to school, who expressed extreme concern for Gokudera's absence. Gokudera managed to put up a cheerful façade for his precious Juudaime, and Tsuna failed to notice it.
But Yamamoto did.
The baseball player just didn't say anything. He'd talk to Gokudera later.
School passed by, the same mundane events happened, Gokudera discovered he hadn't actually missed that much but his mind still kept replaying that event in his head. He could still see it the dusty, gray room, the feel of Yamamoto's breath on his ear, taste the dust in the air, could still feel the way his throat tightened, like he was going to cry…
"Gokudera! GOKUDERA!"
Fuck. He had spaced out again.
"What?" he growled.
"Solve the problem on the board." His math teacher was glaring daggers at him.
Gokudera looked at the problem on the board and sighed. Such an easy equation. He got up from his desk and walked over to the board, picking up a piece of chalk as he went. He quickly wrote down the answer, momentarily satisfied with the angry growl that his teacher emitted when he realized that Gokudera had solved the problem correctly.
The girls in the back of the room were all murmuring in awe as he walked back to his seat. Gokudera didn't bother to acknowledge them but his eyes still scanned the room. Yamamoto had his head tilted to the side as he tried to figure out now Gokudera had reached his conclusion.
Gokudera sighed. Perhaps he really should begin tutoring the Yakyu-baka. If he wants to be my...boyfriend…Gokudera cringed at the thought of the word, but he had to admit, it did please him just a little bit. Then he has to at least ace his next test.
When school finally got out, Tsuna accompanied Gokudera and Yamamoto to fetch Taro from Takesushi. They found the dog chained to a pole outside, barking at passing cars and people.
Gokudera quickly untied the dog, glaring at Yamamoto. "Why is Taro chained up?" he growled. Yamamoto shrugged.
"I'll go talk to Oyaji," he said with a sigh then disappeared into the sushi restaurant. Gokudera didn't feel like waiting so he just started walking towards his apartment building.
Yamamoto chased after him, falling into step with the silver haired teenager. "Taro was making a mess in the restaurant," he explained. "So Oyaji had to tie him outside."
Gokudera just nodded.
"By the way, can you help me study for the math test tomorrow?" Yamamoto grinned, slinging an arm around Gokudera's shoulders.
"Why don't you just stay the night at my place?" Gokudera couldn't believe he was saying this. Perhaps he really was going crazy.
But then again, love could make you do crazy things.
"You know, so we can get more studying done," Gokudera quickly added.
Yamamoto laughed, but his expression told Gokudera that he knew there was something else Gokudera wanted to do that wasn't exactly…studying.
Tsuna looked between the two of them and suddenly it dawned on him. "HIIIIIIIIIIIIII??????"
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Tell me what you think! If I get enough reviews, I'll continue! If I don't, I might just continue anyway, lol.
Ja ne!
~ Arazora