Prompt: I read Rapunzel is Secretly an Assassin by miikka-xx. (Its X/S. Check it out!) and I thought I'd try making fairy tale-inspired fic too, but unfortunately it didn't work. The story came out like this instead...not even sure if its somewhat fairy tale-ish.

A Cinderalla-ish Story

"First, like this"

"Like this?"

"Yeah, and then," Gokudera finished fixing his necktie, and Yamamoto followed the motion. When the swordsman finally finished, he let out an exasperated sigh. "I told you to learn how to do this, you baseball idiot."

"Hahah..sorry," The rain guardian simply laughed his comment off. He was about to tell him off when the Judaime peered into the room.

"Gokudera-kun, Yamamoto, are you guys ready?" the brunette asked.

"Ye—" the answer died on Yamamoto's lips as the Vongola Boss fully entered the room. He was wearing a suit just like them, but the effect wasn't quite the same. How to put it...Tsuna looked dignified. It perfectly suit him. "Whoa..Tsuna," he said instead.

"Does it look weird?" Tsuna asked, uncertainly. Maybe that was why people stared at him when he passed.

"It's perfect Judaime!" Gokudera eagerly corrected him. He glared at Yamamoto for making their boss feel otherwise. The baseball teen simply shrug. "You look like a true mafia boss."

"Mafia?" Tsuna's voice rose, and he was about to protest when he was cut off by Reborn who had entered the room without any of them noticing.

"You guys, hurry up and go down," the infant ordered them. "the Cavallone Family shouldn't be made to wait any longer."

It was Dino's birthday party. It was held on a hotel, secretly owned by the Cavallone Family. For his celebration, they had decided to hold a masquerade ball where members of the other mafia families were invited. Of course, security was tight, Collonello had offered to head it. But still, some of the guests were well-known and highly influential, the masquerade was simply a precaution.

Nevertheless, Tsuna was glad. He only attended because Dino was a friend of his (plus Reborn threatened him). He had never really felt comfortable on social gatherings like this. He also knew the stares he would get if the guests found out that he was the candidate to be the next Vongola Boss. He was glad to at least be able to hide behind a mask.

Although when the three went out of the room, and descended the stairs, all eyes still turned to them. Tsuna, naive as ever, thought that his identity was safe behind his orange-and-silver mask, and continued to walk confidently. Dino smiled at his little brother's innocence. With Gokudera, every bit a mafioso (on his right), and Yamamoto, who still has his sword carelessly hung over his shoulder, flanking either side of him. Not to mention, Reborn perched on his shoulder.

It was dead giveaway.

"Hurry up," Bianchi ushered the girls out of the car. Kyoko deftly got out from the front seat, careful not to ruin her baby blue dress. The girl looked especially cute tonight, her face beaming with excitement since this is the first masquerade ball she had ever attended. Her mind filled, with no doubt, fantasies of romance that just might happen on this ball tonight.

From the back, Chrome gingerly got out, careful not to get her lavender dress snag on the car's seat. Her violet eyes didn't held as much excitement as Kyoko's, but there was a faint blush on her cheek that gave away similar thoughts. It especially deepened when Mukuro, inside her mind, called her 'beautiful' and reminded her to not get too carried away tonight. He wouldn't want anyone stealing her beautiful Chrome.

And last to exit was Haru, and Bianchi had to admit, she was the most stunning of them all. She had let her hair down like Chrome, and it hang on her shoulder on wavy curls. Her red dress was eye-catching and emphasized the curves that Bianchi never knew the girl had. Even the way her lips was set tonight was different, so unlike her usual cheerful smile. It curved on a sexy smile.

However, she almost tripped as she got out of the car, and cried out "Hahi!" which ensured that Bianchi was still with the same person and not a stranger. Amazing what lipstick and a little make up could do.

After the pleasantries, in which Dino thanked everyone that came and declared that his Family's alliance to the Vongola Family was stronger than ever, the party began, and the guest mingled among each other.

Tsuna steered away from buffet table, where Ryohei was making an extreme racket about the food tasting great. Well, they didn't know for sure if it was the Sun Guardian because of the mask, but hey, how many people do you think went around shouting 'EXTREME' all the time?

The Vongola Boss removed himself from the group, telling them that he had to go offer Dino his congratulations. Gokudera frowned since he was left with the baseball idiot, who would surely start shooting his mouth off as soon as Tsuna left them. However, two minutes had passed and the rain guardian still hasn't uttered a word.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, grudgingly. He didn't want to be the one to start the conversation, but the baseball idiot's unusual behaviour was bugging him.

"Huh?" Yamamoto asked, as if he had just come out of a daze. "Oh...well..." he stared off at a distance. Gokudera followed his gaze. He was staring at a blue-haired girl wearing an indigo mask. He suspected that it was Chrome since blue was hardly the usual hair color. However, he didn't think that Yamamoto had figured that out yet. Right now, the girl was being persuaded/harassed by Squalo (there was no mistaking that long silver hair) to go with him since his boss wanted to meet her.

"Just go," he told him. Yamamoto looked at him in surprise. "Squalo wants to bring her to Xanxus," he said. That seemed to bring the swordsman to his senses, he walked purposely towards the girl but not without a grateful smile to his direction.

Gokudera simply scowled.

Haru easily spotted Gokudera. Silver hair, green eyes hidden behind a black-and-red mask plus his trademark scowl. She saw him looking in their direction awhile ago, but his eyes were trained on Chrome. A bitter smile appeared on Haru's lips.

Soon enough, the guy beside Gokudera headed towards them. She was sure that it was Yamamoto from faraway, but now she wasn't. The guy that came was a bit more serious, a bit more...dangerous than the Yamamoto she knew. Also, he had smoothly managed to talk Chrome into dancing with him. A feat that the other guest didn't accomplished.

When she looked back into Gokudera, she saw him looking at her. Their eyes met for a brief second. Then pasting a sexy smile on her lips, she went to approach him.

Or so she thought. But halfway towards him, she chickened out and headed for the buffet table instead. There was a variety of food, most of them Italian and she did not recognize. Her hand remained posed over her plate.

"I recommend the risotto alla milanese," a voice suavely said from behind her. She whirled around to see who it belongs to. It was Gokudera. He was handing her a plate.

"Ha—" she stopped herself from exclaiming in surprise, instead she accepted it with a quiet smile. "I'll have that then, thanks," she said, making her voice sound lower.

She ate in silence, while Gokudera sipped his wine beside her. When she finished eating, Gokudera handed her a drink. "Wanna dance?" he asked her after.

It was all the invitation she needed.

They danced away from the other couples, or more like, the others distanced themselves from them. Gokudera was good at leading, and it was obvious that he had taken some lessons on dancing. From the stairs, Shamal watched amused at his student.

Perhaps unknown to his student, the way he held the girl on his arms was protective, claiming even. They looked like they were the only ones in the world, without a care to their surroundings, and even from here he could feel the intensity between the two. Looks like his student is getting some tonight.

When the music stopped, the couple stayed paused in their position, Gokudera's face an inched away from the girl, and like any student of his would do (he was proud of that), the storm guardian leaned closer to close the gap between them.

Haru forced herself to think straight as Gokudera kissed her thoughts away. The storm guardian was a fantastic kisser, she could tell that even if this was her first kiss and she had nothing to compare it to. The way he nibbled on her lips was pure heaven and she could faintly taste the wine he had drank earlier.

Yes, Gokudera was a fantastic kisser.

"Geez, get a room," a passing waiter was brave enough to voice his thoughts. Perhaps he didn't know what kind of people they were catering to today.

Gokudera paused from his ministrations, allowing her to clear her head from the sensory overload. As the silver-haired glared at the waiter (and the waiter shrunk under his heated glare) Haru used the chance to escape.

Haru run outside, the cold air slapping at her shoulders reminding her just how little she was wearing. Her dress was held with thin straps, and the slit on each side prevented her from having troubles running. The cold air also helped clear her thoughts.

Gokudera had just kissed her! She was happy, because that had been the purpose of why she dressed up like this. Also because she knew that Gokudera wouldn't expect her to wear such clothes, and she was quite confident she wouldn't be found out on her disguise. But at the same time, she was hurt. Did Gokudera really just kissed a total stranger? Does he really go for girls who wear provocative clothes and gave flirty smiles? Because that was what Haru had been tonight, the exact opposite of her real self. If that was true then she didn't stand a chance.

Despite how she looked or acted tonight, she was just like every other girl, like Chrome and Kyoko, hoping that as if by magic, something would happen to her tonight, something special. She even had her prince picked out. In the end, she hadn't even acted princess-like, the princess was supposed to wait right? Just wait for her fairy godmother to help her, wait for the prince to notice her. Wait, from the beginning, the fairy tale was already ruined, by the princess taking the initiative and acting on her own. Funny, her prince acted every bit like her fantasy, yet she was the one most hurt by that.

She tripped as she hurried down, her high heeled shoes getting caught in one of the steps. The strap quickly became undone and the shoe was sent flying behind her. Nevertheless she continued running, Gokudera was right behind her.

"I told you you're going to regret buying these shoes stupid woman," he snarled at her as he continued pursuing her, one hand holding her shoe.

Huh? She suddenly stopped, causing the still descending storm guardian to crash into her. Thankfully, they were already on the bottom steps and they landed safely on the grass. Gokudera broke the fall by cushioning her. She ended up lying on top of him.

"What did you say?" she asked with her usual voice. Too shocked to disguise it.

Gokudera clanked her in the head with the shoe. "I said, 'I told you you're going to regret buying these shoes'," he repeated. "And I was right, look what happened."

"But—But—" she searched for something to say. "Do you know who I am?"

Gokudera gave an exasperated sigh. "The stupid woman, right?" he asked.

"Haru is not stupid!" she said, giving herself away. Gokudera laugh at her blunder, and removed her black-and-maroon mask.

"You think I won't recognize you? pleeease," he said, as if the mere assumption that she could elude him was an insult to his intelligence. True, there had been some times when he doubted his judgment like when Haru kept quiet the whole time or when she heatedly returned his kiss making him think that maybe he got the wrong girl. But there were some things that gave her away, her hair color for one thing and the way her eyes shine when she laughs. That didn't change. Also her shoes. He was with her when she bought it.

Flashback

It was the stupid woman's turn to go shopping. Fuuta had something else to do, the Judaime was training with Hibari, and the baseball idiot was training with Reborn-san. Lal Mirch saw him as he was trying to avoid his big sister (her training was not working for him) and so she ordered him to go with Haru.

After a heated argument, some threats and finally weapons being drawn, he was forced to go with her. Haru was not entirely happy with the situation either.

"Then some sweets for Lambo and Ipin-chan," she said, checking off items from the list.

"What?" he asked. "Why do you have to buy things for the Stupid Cow? It's not like he's helping any."

"Lambo gets restless when he doesn't eat sweets," Haru said. "He'll be crying nonstop at the base."

"Stupid Cow," he muttered under his breath. He reached for something in his pocket. Found none, then searched for his wallet instead. "Wait here," he told Haru while he headed for a store to buy a pack of cigarettes. As he was getting ready to pay, Haru snatched the pack from his hands.

"What are you doing stupid woman!" he asked, his voice loud enough to attract the other customers' attention. Haru didn't seem to care.

"I can't believe you're wasting money for this Gokudera," she lectured him. "When there's so many things needed at the base."

"Leave me and my money alone," he said, selecting another pack and again Haru snatched it from him. "What I do with it is none of your damned business!" he was beginning to get angry.

"I'll tell Tsuna-san!" she threatened, and Gokudera deflated like a balloon. He let her lead him out of the shop. He sulkily followed her around. Haru feeling guilty that she used Tsuna-san to threaten Gokudera handed him a box. It was a box of pocky.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" he asked after opening it. Haru laughed at his obvious question.

"You eat it silly," she said. When Gokudera opened his mouth to protest she used the chance to stick a pocky into his mouth. That shut up the storm guardian.

After passing several shops, Haru stopped into a clothes store, her face pressed closed on the glass display.

"What are you doing stupid woman?" he asked. He nibbled at the end of the pocky. It's not like he likes it, of course not, its just that he'll take what he can get.

Haru's eyes were pleading when she turned to him. Gokudera blushed a little, it was the first time he took the full brunt of Haru's puppy eyes, usually it was Sasagawa who resorts to this trick. She pointed at the shoes on display.

"What?" he asked. He didn't get it.

"I want to buy those shoes," she said.

Gokudera exploded. "I can't even f*cking buy a pack of cigarettes and you're gonna spend your money on goddamn shoes! you really are stupid!"

Instead of shouting back like he expected her to, Haru answered him in a quiet voice. "It's because these shoes are really popular right now, I mean, in our time, but they're very expensive. Here its like 20% of the real price."

No doubt its 20% of the price. Ten years had passed, you know. It was 10 years out of fashion. "Why do you even need these shoes?" he asked, it looks uncomfortable and certainly not practical.

"You wouldn't understand," the girl said.

"Damn right, I won't" he answered, putting his hands on his pocket. He was about to tell her to do whatever she wants when Haru piped up.

"I'll let you buy two, no three packs of cigarettes!" Haru suddenly bribed him.

Gokudera pinched the bridge of his nose. "Buy me two," he said. "And get me one box of that thing you gave me," he rather liked it now. Haru smiled brightly at him. The girl almost gave him a hug before she caught herself.

"Thanks Gokudera!" she said.

"I'm telling you though, you're going to regret buying those shoes,"

"I won't"

End flashback.

"Haru thought that Gokudera only k-kissed her because you thought she was a different girl," she said, blushing at the word 'kiss'.

From under her, Gokudera's face also flamed. "Why would you think that baka?" he asked.

"Because...Haru was being flirty and p-provocative," Haru confessed.

"Provocative? pfft," the storm guardian blurted out. He continued before Haru could protest. "You were just being your usual self, except maybe you being more quiet. Besides," he said, turning his face to the side. Grass scratched his cheek. "Did you really think I'd approach a stranger? That I'd invite her to dance? And then k-kissed her?" Shit, why was he stuttering like her? "I only did it because it was you."

"What?" there was definitely a smile on the woman's voice. Damnit, she was enjoying this. "What did you say Gokudera?" she asked. The silver-haired teen still refused to face her. She planted her hands on either side of his head. "Hayato."

"I said—" when the storm guardian finally faced her. Haru leaned down to kiss him. It was her turn to lead. She could feel his heartbeat against her chest, and he was making some funny noises. Or maybe that was her, she didn't know anymore. They would have continued to make out in the grass, (Haru was still lying on top of him) If not for a voice that interrupted them.

"Get a room kora"

A/N: There. It was somewhat Cinderella-ish right? Or maybe not. Help me come up with a better title? Oh and for what happened after that, continue reading. R&R please!

It was the day after the party and the girls were still talking about it. Bianchi was invited to dance by none other than the birthday celebrant himself. Chrome was bombarded with questions since she was dancing with a dark-haired swordsman for most of the time, and towards the end, she was also invited to dance by a quiet (also dark-haired) blue-eyed stranger. She didn't learn the name of either of them.

They could tell that Kyoko had the most fun since she gushed excitedly when she told her story. "He had the fiercest orange eyes I've ever seen," she said, and went into more detail of how he asked her to dance, his voice sounding cool and serious.

Haru, who had been glancing at the door waiting for the guys to arrive so she could tell them what happened last night, was also asked. She smiled as she heard his voice coming up the stairs, excusing himself from Tsuna-san and going ahead.

She opened the door to reveal her silver-haired now-boyfriend.

"Last night? I met someone."