A/N: This may be a bit cracky, or cheesy, or OOC, but I tried my best! This is my first time writing for Colonnello and Lal, but they're one of my favourite pairings. ^_^ There's more I could easily add to the story, but I want to know what you guys think of it first. You know, what's good, what's bad. I'd really like to know how it's going. =p
I hope you enjoy the story so far, R+R please!
Thank you ~ Miria

Lal Mirch would never tell Colonnello just how much he meant to her. She would never let anyone know the effect the blonde arcobaleno had on her. That was the kind of girl she was. If anybody ever found out that she actually cared about him, it would spell trouble, at least in Lal's eyes. And if anyone knew that maybe she cared just a BIT more than was common in a student-teacher relationship, it would be the end of the world.

She would never say it, but she was actually just afraid. What would happen on the miniscule chance that he cared too? They both had jobs to do, and absolutely no time for love. Besides, if Lal was being her usual self, she wouldn't admit that she wanted anything to do with him. She had denied it to Fon and Reborn countless times, maing it absolutely clear that she did NOT like him. She. Was. His. TRAINER for goddsake! And you can't have a relationship with your student.

Lal Mirch had drawn the lines, and she would stick to them.

'I'd do anything for her.' Colonnello thought one night, sitting outside his house and looking up at the stars. He shivered slightly,
pulling his coat tighter around himself. He couldn't go inside until he was sure that Lal was asleep. She'd surely take it the wrong way if he watched to make sure she fell asleep ok. Yeah, he was a guy, and his motives might not be all pure, but for the most part, he just wanted to make sure she was ok. Lal was inside right now, probably lying in bed. She was in his house after an accident during training had left her in no condition to get back to her own house.

'Well, it's not as if she didn't struggle..' he thought. 'But if she was giving it her all, I would never have managed to get her back here.
"though with her condition, it might be a bit difficult to fight anyone off.'

For the past few days, Lal Mirch had been neglecting her own health, and pouring evevrything she had into Colonnello's training.
This meant she wasn't eating or drinking, and hardly slept. As a result, she was tired and dizzy-even more so then usual.
Add that to the fever she had been fighting off, and you had a very, very sick girl.

Many times during training, Colonnello told her to just relax for a minute and take a drink of water or something. Of course, being Lal, she simply glared at him and shouted some more. If she had been cooporative, and rested when Colonnello asked, she wouldn't have collapsed, and wouldn't have had to be carried to Colonnello's house.

The arcobaleno smiled. 'So, it's all her fault she has to be here. She can't blame me now.' he continued to gaze up at the stars absentmindedly.
'I know how to make her laugh, and I know how to make her cry. I can make her smile, or blush, just by teasing her the right way.
But then...' Colonnello considered, 'she certainly has more of a hold on me than the other way around. But who could blame me for loving her?' he continued, his mental monolouge getting longer and longer by the second. 'She's smart, and strong, and beautiful.
She only wants to protect people, however harsh she seems. And she-she's just Lal! There's nothing more to it. She's herself, and I love every bit of it.' He switched his gaze from the stars, to the yellow glow from the window on his front door.

'She's gotta be asleep by now...' he concluded, standing up and moving towards the door. "I might as well check up on her. I need to be getting to bed myself anyways.' With this thought, he turned the doorknob and stepped inside.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lal Mirch looked up from the bed as she heard the front door open. She peered curiously out of the bedroom door as footsteps approached.

"Tch, God, Colonnello, what are you doing?" she growled as the blonde appeared in the doorway.

"I just had to come inside. It's a bit cold outside, Lal."

"I'd rather you didn't call me that." she said, moving to get up from the bed.

In a flash, Colonnello was next to her, pushing her back down.

"Like hell you'll get up. You're staying right here until you've eaten, and rested, and won't fall over as soon as you stand up!"
he exclaimed, smirking inwardly at Lal's frustrated face. "I'll feed you what you want, but you need to eat something." he pleaded, noticing with relief that the blue-haired girl was not attempting to stand again.

"Fine." she agreed coldly. "So I suppose I'll be sleeping right here tonight as well? It's your bed after all." she questioned.

"Yeah, that's the plan."

"Where will you sleep? You don't have a couch or anything." Lal commented, an edge of amusement creeping into her voice.

Colonnello walked out of the doorway, into the kitchen. "We'll work that out when the time comes." he said, while in reality, he had absolutely no idea either.