Word Count: 329
Characters/Pairings: Lal Mirch, abstract mentions of Colonello, Tsuna, and Reborn; ColoLal
Timeline/Spoilers: set during Choice; slight spoilers for Future Arc
Summary: Clutching his old camouflage bandanna, she breathes, "I can't."
Notes: This was originally intended for Lal's birthday, February 20, (though this in no way conveys a happy message — as per usual) but I just couldn't wait to post it. And, I might forget. Happy birthday anyway, Lal Mirch.
Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. It is property of Amano Akira-sensei and Shounen Jump. The lyrics at the end are taken from One Day by Trading Yesterday.
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.
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"Hah, you really are a cold instructor."
She recalls the smirk that graced his features as seized her wrist. "You could at least try saying 'Good luck' before sending me off to the battlefield. Just doing that can make your student pretty damn happy, you know?"
Clutching his old camouflage bandanna, she breathes, "I can't."
.
.
She stares up at the white ceiling. Day by day, it inches closer, caving in on her. One day it will crush her...
She utters a humourless laugh at such a ludicrous thought.
Lal Mirch lies in bed, recovering, as the battle rages on outside. She silently curses herself for being so weak. Everyone else was out there fighting for their lives and their future. (Their future, her living nightmare.)
She had been prepared to crawl there, if need be, but Reborn had convinced her otherwise, saying that she would only hold her student and the others back.
Her student...
Those two, simple words conjure up an image of a time so long ago.
'Good luck,' eh?
She smiles wryly. It was just like him to place his belief in mere words. Always the optimist, he was.
For the first time that day, she's glad the others are gone.
(Just another broken promise she'd clung on to. He'd vowed to return unscathed that day - return to her. But that day was the day...
...he never came back.)
She's glad of the fact that no one is around to bear witness to her resounding flaw. (Yet another promise she has failed to keep.) She swore an oath to herself to be strong (no more weakness), to continue living (even when there was nothing left to live for).
If only for him.
But, ever since that day, far too often has Lal Mirch simply let loose and cried.
'Good luck,' eh?
As tears flow freely from her misty, brown eyes, she whispers to herself, "Would it have made a difference if I did?"
.
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.
Then hope could make these promises come true
Beyond what I could say, what love can do
With every moment leading me to you tonight
.
.
owaranai
A/N: So...what did you think? This being my first venture into the KHR fandom as a writer, I of course had to do a piece for my OTP of the series. Because — as the authour of another story I can't recall at his moment so rightly put — Colonello and Lal Mirch deserved more than what they got.
Sora(: