For KHR Rarepair Week 2018 Day 1: Storm, for the prompt Soulmates

Karakura was a pleasant town, in Adel's opinion. That was a good thing, because she could already envision many future visits, so Enma could spend time with the Decimo.

It was a nice place to take a quiet morning walk, as well. The early hour meant that most businesses weren't open yet, and the streets were clear of all but a few pedestrians. There weren't even any students rushing to school.

The quiet meant that Adel heard the girl before she was close enough to see her. She was talking to herself, rhapsodizing over some boy that was apparently the love of her life. As Adel got closer, she could actually make out what she was saying.

"- and Tsuna-kun looked so handsome Haru couldn't believe it! Maybe Haru should make him something similar? It would be a dream come true for Haru's future husband to wear an outfit she created!"

Tsuna-kun? Was she talking about Decimo? There was no way she was officially his fiancée, because Enma would have whined at her about it incessantly, and he had never mentioned anyone called Haru before.

She turned a corner and could see the girl, Haru, up ahead. She was wearing a uniform different than the one for Namimori Middle, and had brown hair pulled up in a ponytail. She was still talking to herself, but Adel could now see that she was also gesturing dramatically with her hands while walking back and forth on top of a fence.

"Kyaaa, Tsuna-kun is just so perfect! Haru will have to work really hard to become worthy of being his wife one day!", she said excitedly, not noticing that she was no longer alone.

Adel was planning on just walking by. She didn't know the girl, so there was no need to greet her and encourage conversation.

But the words struck a chord, and she couldn't make herself walk away without saying something . She didn't have it in her.

So she stopped and took a breath, already expecting it to go horribly. People usually didn't appreciate life advice given by strangers. (Or so she imagined. She had never actually cared enough to give it before.)

She marched up to the fence and cleared her throat to get Haru's attention. The girl squeaked and startled, losing her footing on the fence but managing to turn the fall into a backflip and landing steadily on her feet. Adel didn't allow her expression to change, but internally she was impressed at the display from someone so obviously a civilian.

"Don't talk about yourself like that. You're worth more than just being some man's wife," Adel said sternly, frown on her face. She didn't even know this girl, but she knew that.

Judging from her reaction, no one had ever bothered to tell her that before, which made Adel doubly glad that she spoke her mind. Haru looked blindsided. Her mouth fell open and her eyes went wide and round. She was still and silent for several seconds, before suddenly bursting into motion.

A blush came over her cheeks and she gave a little hop in place, wrapping her arms around herself and grinning. "Do you really think so? What a nice thing to say!" she said in a giddy voice.

Adel wasn't sure how to respond to that, she hadn't been expecting a positive reaction, but then she realized-

Oh.

She'd never spent much time thinking about her soulmate. Her famiglia had always come first, and for a long time all the Simon had was each other. Sometimes, over the years, she'd wondered if she even wanted to find her soulmate. Surely she didn't need them when she already had family, people she trusted and loved, people she'd live and die for.

But then they had met Vongola Decimo and his famiglia, been their enemies and then their allies, first against Daemon Spade and later against the Vindice and Checkerface.

And slowly, she and the rest of the Simon had learned to open up to people a bit more, to give trust and receive it in return.

If she'd known the identity of her soulmate even a year ago, she would have scoffed and wanted nothing to do with her. Not out of cruelty, but a deep-seated fear of letting outsiders get close, a fear that she shared with the rest of the Simon.

Now, though, she thought it might be nice to give her soulmate a chance.

Letting someone in was still a frightening prospect, but she understood that that didn't mean it wasn't worth it. She'd seen (and heard, at length) how happy Enma's friendship with Decimo made him, and they'd had a much rockier start than most friends. If the two of them could do it, surely she and her soulmate could too.

That decided, Adel bowed and introduces herself. "I am Suzuki Adelheid, it's good to meet you."

Her soulmate was much less reserved. She bounced forward and threw her arms around Adel's shoulders in a tight hug.

"Hahi, Haru is so lucky, her soulmate is nice and pretty!" she said delightedly.

Adel could feel herself blushing harder than she had in a long time, and the tension from having a stranger so close seeped out of her.

"I think I'm lucky too, Haru-san."

The girl stepped back with a giggle and looked up at her, still grinning brightly. "Call me Haru-chan, Adelheid-chan." She paused for a moment, a thoughtful look on her face. "Your name sounds familiar… Haru thinks Chrome-chan mentioned it before. Are you Tsuna-kun's friend?"

Adel nodded, glad that Haru didn't seem interested in gushing over Tsuna like she'd been doing earlier. She got enough of that from Enma, thank you, and she only put up with it from him because she thought it was slightly more cute than annoying.

"Yes, you could say that. He's friends with my… close friend, Enma." That reminded her, she'd have to ask Tsuna if Haru knew anything about the mafia. It wouldn't do to go blurting things out around a civilian, even one that would have to know about it someday, if she planned on being part of Adel's life.

Haru gasped and grabbed her hand, squeezing it in her excitement. "Since Tsuna-kun is already friends with Adelheid-chan's friend, Haru should introduce you to some of her friends! Kyoko-chan and Hana-chan and Chrome-chan should be walking to school soon, we can catch them if we hurry!" She started walking down the sidewalk, tugging along Adel, who allowed herself to be led.

It would probably be easier to meet people after school instead of before, but her soulmate's excitement was infectious, and she didn't seem able to tell Haru no. Haru's open acceptance and genuine joy at having Adel as her soulmate made something warm and fierce ignite in her chest.

Resolve burned inside of her, bright as her Flames. She would cherish and protect that warmth, and the one who caused it. With her dying will.

Sorry if their characterization isn't spot-on, I've never written Adel or Haru before, and I haven't read much fic in their POV either. But the idea for this got stuck in my head when I read the prompts so I figured I might as well write it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯