Disclaimer:
KHR doesn't belong to me.
The idea for this fic belongs to Ayako-kun, and that's why I'm writing this in English first. Thanks so much for the great fic and the brilliant idea.
I'm a Brazilian fan and my English sucks a lot. Thanks again Ayako-kun, for being my beta! If you can read it properly, it's all because of her.
Ayako-kun, I'm honored for meeting you through this fanfic! Thanks a lot for all the great advices and the care you showed to this simple idea. Thank you so much!
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39. Smile
Gokudera's smiles were even rarer than his laughs, and each time that dazzling smile was cast Yamamoto's way, the Japanese teen went home and wrote down the date and time so he would never forget it.
(from "8059 Sentences" by Ayako-kun - .net/s/4960745/1/8059_Sentences)
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59 Smiles
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It wasn't the first time he noticed it. Actually, since they returned from that Future, Gokudera had the feeling that Yamamoto was hiding something from him and Jyuudaime.
"I didn't notice anything strange about him, Gokudera-kun." Tsuna answered with a smile, but it wasn't enough to convince the Storm Guardian. Of course his beloved Jyuudaime was much too gentle to think anyone could hide anything from him.
"I'm sure there's something he's hiding from us, Jyuudaime! I can punch him until he spits it all out…"
"You don't have to!" the brunette yelled. What was Gokudera thinking? "Gokudera-kun, I mean… if there's something bothering Yamamoto, let's wait for him to be ready to tell us about it, ok?"
Gokudera had at least ten good points to tell his boss why they should not leave Yamamoto in peace, but the Japanese appeared right in front of them, apologizing for being late for lunch.
"Don't worry about it, Yamamoto-kun. We didn't start to eat yet."
"Don't make Jyuudaime wait for you, asshole! Just because you can't live without your precious milk…"
"Maa maa, I'm sorry! But I'm late because I bought you coffee, Gokudera. Please, take it, it's still hot."
Tsuna smiled and watched his two Guardians staring at each other, Gokudera with his eyes blinking in surprise, Yamamoto smiling brightly for that. Gokudera took the drink and turned his head to the other side, hiding a smile. And the Tenth Vongola couldn't help but keep to himself the thought that maybe it wasn't just Yamamoto who was hiding something from them…
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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Smile 07
Today I bought coffee to Gokudera at lunch. He tried to hide his smile, but I saw it anyway, right there, at the corner of his mouth! :)
Note: Maybe Dad knows how to make coffee? I could make it for him when he comes to the restaurant to eat…
oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
"What are you looking at? Finish this stupid question!"
"My bad! Hahaha… I think I got distracted again…"
"By what?"
Yamamoto blinked, suddenly looking straight ahead to his notebook. He wasn't ready to answer that question.
"I'm really no good with numbers, right? I'll have to thank Tsuna for asking you to help me after class…"
"Answer me, idiot."
Shit. If putting the Jyuudaime in the middle of the conversation didn't help, nothing would. Gokudera wouldn't change his mind about it so easily.
He breathed hard, and raised his black eyes toward the green.
"I like your hair."
Gokudera' green eyes filled with confusion.
"WHAT?"
They were full of confusion, but still sparkled.
"Its color… well, I like to look at it, because it's so silver and so badahbum and goooorsh and…"
"Stop looking at my hair and finish you homework, you bastard! I want to go home before Christmas!"
"Hahaha, but you asked, Gokudera…"
Yamamoto stopped, since Gokudera stared with a killer-intent towards him, and turned back to his Math book. But, by the corner of eye, he looked the reward for his courage reflected by the window.
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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Smile 11
His silver hair is even brighter when it reflects the orange sun. He smiled a little when I confessed that I like to look at it. Should I say all the things about him that I like to look at? It's easy, because it is everything.
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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It was Sunday. The apartment was clean, the homework done, Jyuudaime was training with Reborn, and Gokudera didn't have anything to do. He had read all of his books before, and had already seen all the movies in his collection.
He was fighting his sloth to get up from the sofa and go buy a new book, or rent a new movie, when the doorbell rang.
"Yo! I thought you'd be at home, since Tsuna is training…"
"What do you think you're doing? Who said you can come here to my house?"
Yamamoto smiled his easy smile, and just made his way inside.
"Wow, so this is where Gokudera lives. It's really nice."
"Humph, thanks."
The Italian turned his face, looking at his own place. He wasn't used to having visitors, since he always thought his place wasn't good enough for Jyuudaime… and there wasn't anyone else he would let enter his sacred space.
People… don't usually like him too much, right? He didn't like people, either.
"I'm trying to get close to you, Gokudera. I have cards, some games and a new horror movie. Can we try?"
He used to dislike people getting close to him.
"I'm not gonna play baseball in videogame, don't even try it."
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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Smile 18, 19 and 20
He smiles with his cigarette in mouth while pay cards, and has a good hand.
He likes to win.
And he smiled when I said "I don't mind it, it's funny with you anyway." after he threatened to kill me for the nth time.
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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They were in Chemistry class. Tsuna were paired with Kyoko, so Yamamoto ended up with Gokudera. It made him feel much more nervous than any fight he ever had.
Yamamoto knew he wasn't as intelligent as Gokudera was, but of course he knew what Calcium and Hydrogen meant, at least.
"How can you not know that this is the symbol for Calcium! You are a milk maniac! Now, write it down here"
"Hahaha, I forgot! I'd be lost without Gokudera's teachings!"
"Tch, you're useless. Let's try the next one."
It wasn't that Yamamoto liked telling lies but… well, he would really forget everything to see that smile again.
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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Smile 27
I didn't forget the Calcium symbol… but he has such a funny smile when he's feeling smart! I can't help it. I just need to know what else makes Gokudera smile more.
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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Two weeks had passed and Gokudera haven't found out what Yamamoto was keeping as a secret yet. His behavior was becoming more and more strange each day, and it just confirmed his suspects. But he didn't have any idea what the secret could be. He only knew he needed to discover it at any cost!
Of course, inside his mind, he was saying "it is only for Jyuudaime safety". The Vongola boss didn't know what else he could do to keep Gokudera away from the idea of torturing Yamamoto and making him talk.
"Let him." Reborn said. "Gokudera, if you really believe Yamamoto is hiding something…"
"I do, Reborn-san!"
"Don't encourage him! Reboooooorn!"
But Tsuna's words were already lost in the Storm's ears. With Reborn's order to "go and find it out", Gokudera didn't lose time and left the Jyuudaime's house in a hurry.
"Reborn, what did you do! They're gonna get into a fight…"
"They're always fighting, no-good-Tsuna. What's so new about it?"
"But they…"
"I do know. Don't you think it's time for them to stop running in circles?"
Tsuna thought for a moment; maybe the Arcobaleno were right. For now, he could only hope Gokudera didn't blow Yamamoto up in pieces.
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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Smile 32
He smiled at me when I helped Tsuna today. Is it a good thing? Maybe this smile doesn't count; after all, it could have been for Tsuna, not me.
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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He lit a cigarette, while watching the Rain Guardian finishes his baseball training. He still couldn't understand what made that freak so happy when playing that stupid game.
But he looked like he was having real fun... Yamamoto was the type of person who was always smiling, but with baseball, there was something beyond a smile across his lips. There was something like true happiness, and somehow, it was good to see it. It was warm to the Storm Guardian.
He makes everything seem so simple in life, this idiot…
He kept watching, and three cigarettes later, the training was over. Yamamoto had already seen his colleague and ran to meet him, his huge smile greeting the Italian.
"Hi! You look happy; what are you smiling about, Gokudera?"
"What? I'm not smiling you empty-head! I'm here for serious business…"
"Ne, I saw you smiling all throughout training… were you smiling at me, then?"
Gokudera gasped around the fourth cigarette and after some "You fucker" and "Don't think bullshit, asshole", he stopped to breath and returned his mind to the reason why he was there.
"Maa, maa, don't be so angry, Gokudera! Hahaha… so tell me, can I help you or something?"
That was when something clicked inside the Storm. Like a thunder, or a bell, or a heart. Whatever it was, it just yelled inside, but he couldn't decode exactly what.
And then he heard his own voice, answering outside:
"Stop worrying Jyuudaime with your strange behavior. If you have something to tell us, tell him straight ahead and stop being a jerk. I don't care to listen, at all."
His feet started moving by themselves but that foreign sound kept singing inside him, all night along.
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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Smile 39
Beside his reasons, he smiled seeing my baseball training. Am I seeing things? XD
But he smiled that fake smile of when he's lying, too. I wonder why.
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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One thing was for sure: Yamamoto didn't want to worry Tsuna. His friend had a lot of things to worry about, what with the Mafia game, and he knew it very well.
After Gokudera's visit, he decided to see the brunette. Maybe he could understand what the Italian was really talking about…
"I am so sorry, Yamamoto… but you see, Gokudera just made his mind that you have a secret you weren't telling us, and he got a bit obsessed to find it out… I'm sorry I didn't stop him…"
"Hahaha, he's really the smart one, isn't he? Hahaha…"
Tsuna looked at his friend; a shy Yamamoto is not a thing you see every day. He smiled, trying to comfort him, and well, it worked somehow.
"He will find it out sooner or later, ne Tsuna?"
"I think so… it doesn't seem like he's giving up. Maybe… isn't it better if you tell him?"
Yamamoto stretched his arms above his head, breathing hard.
"Yeah… thanks for the advice."
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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Smile 42
I know he smiles for "Jyuudaime". But when the joke is mine, he "sends me to hell" a lot of times before he closes his eyes, lit his cigarette, and there it was: that smile is only mine.
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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The silver haired student wasn't hard to find, not for Yamamoto. He knew very well that at that hour Gokudera would be on the roof, smoking and watching the sun rising.
"You were right all along. I'm hiding something." he simply said as soon as he saw the other's back. Gokudera turned to him, a serious smile over his lips.
"I said I don't care, since you don't worry Jyuudaime…"
"You're lying, Hayato."
The Italian frowned, staring in silence those black eyes.
"May I tell you now?"
"I've said I don't care… Hey, you bastard!"
Yamamoto has moved a little closer to him, and took his cigarette off. Gokudera didn't have time to yell; Yamamoto pulled him even closer, closing his mouth with his lips.
For a second, he felt Gokudera's mouth trembling under his.
And then, a punch on his face. Not like it wasn't expected.
"Wow… that hurt…"
"You… why… what did you…"
Yamamoto smiled his easy smile again, looking straight ahead to that face. He wasn't smiling.
"I just told you my secret. I am sorry."
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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Smile 48
Maybe this smile doesn't count, either… I hid myself to see Gokudera's reaction after our kiss. I've already knew he would get mad in front of me, he's so temperamental, but could it change when he would be all by himself, with his thoughts? Some minutes I saw a shy smile under his smoke… it was a smile, right? My jaw still hurts. I think it's another smile that doesn't count.
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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The next day, Gokudera tried to ignore Yamamoto. But after lunch, when Jyuudaime kept asking "Are you two ok?" he decided to use a new strategy.
Two days later, he was treating Yamamoto like nothing had ever happened. Of course the baseball freak would think it was strange, and when he would ask him to talk, all he needed to say was "Let's just be friends" or some shit like that.
Or he thought so. Yamamoto didn't say anything different, for days. Even for a week.
But he was different. Gokudera wasn't so stubborn he wouldn't notice it. He could see it, he could feel himself acting like a high-school girl anytime he was around him. Will he touch me now? Is he looking at me? Where is his smile when no one is noticing him?
One day, Gokudera saw it, and it made things clearer. And it wasn't one of Yamamoto's easy smiles, unfortunately. Over his own lips, it was there, yelling to everyone, as he could see reflected by the window. He was smiling, watching the idiot gives a wrong answer to the English teacher.
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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Smile 55
Seventh shy smile when he's thinking I'm not looking at him. Be patient…?
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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"A kiss doesn't mean anything!"
"Nani?"
When Gokudera told him "we need to talk" he was expecting a long speech about a hundred of reasons why he didn't love him back, or they can't be together, or at least, a "go away and die". Not that.
Yamamoto looked at the pale figure standing on the roof, trying to avoid his gaze.
"I… I need a more reasonable thing to understand it!"
"Oh, ok."
He tried not to smile, but it was so difficult for him. The swordsman believed smiles could make storms seem like spring rains. They can make life lighter.
"I love you, Gokudera."
"THAT IS NOT A REASONABLE THING!"
"Hahahaha… what can I do?"
"How am I supposed to know? You bastard… you started all of this…"
"Maybe I should kiss you again then?"
And he believed that even a storm could smile.
"Yeah, maybe you should."
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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Smile 58
That was his "I-love-you-too" smile.
I'll stop counting because from now on, I promise I'm making him smile a lot of smiles, everyday. (And this writing pad won't afford so many! So, thanks for now.)
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oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
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A couple of years later, the best baseball player in Nanimori arrived home late at night. He was tired from an exhaustive training, but was even more worried about the hour. His boyfriend would be pretty angry with him for being so late, and that could mean one or two walls of their house exploding. If he wasn't too upset, it would only be the walls.
"I'm sorry, Hayato… The new guys from the team are very… Hayato?"
The Italian was sleeping deeply on the sofa, the TV on a shopping program. He must have been very bothered.
"I'm sorry again. I'll take you to bed now, ok?" He whispered in the Italian ear, making him roar a bit. Gokudera was so like Uri sometimes.
Yamamoto was enlacing his boyfriend in his arms when he noticed something under the cushion. Something blue, and a little dirty from time…
"Maa maa, you found it, Hayato! I'm ashamed now, hahaha!"
Takeshi opened the old writing pad, just to found a new note in the last page:
Smile 59
Each smile of mine is always because of you, baseball freak.
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oOo oOo OWARI oOo oOo
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I did it! Actually, we did it, because Ayako-kun gave me all the support I could need and imagine.
because 8059 is love love and deserves it! 59 smiles for you who read it, the 60th for a review!
T.K.