Title: At a Distance
Summary: /8YL!2786/ It wouldn't always have to be known, she thought. Little did she know he thought otherwise…
Rating: K+
Note: written for iu_fanfiction's WC # 28, prompt: Anino (Shadow).
This is before the Millefiore fight, the ten-year-bazooka-to-the-future plan, etc. (Let's just assume the Arcobalenos died first before Tsuna eh? And that they're oblivious to the fact that Millefiore and Byakuran started the ebil-ness. *shot* Okay, don't sue me.) Also, I want to project a stronger!/maturer!Haru, so yeah. XD
Ahaha. And yes. Was inspired by the song "One for Me" – SHINee (ahaha, since my sister's been blabbing about this song's awesomeness XD) and a snapshot from Katekyo Hitman Reborn episode 38. The piggyback ride, teehee. :D A sudden epiphany, yay \o/
WARNING! Not beta-ed. Might contain OOCness (not sure about Tsuna's characterization orz).
But well, read on? :)
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She hesitantly held the knob of the door in front of her.
Not that she was about to do something illegal. But she was being way too nervous to even gather enough strength to twist the doorknob to go inside.
Yet…well, she knocked anyway.
No answer.
"Tsuna-san?" she called out, still with the address she was used to for years (though he insisted to drop the –san, she wouldn't budge), now letting herself inside the humongous room. It was years since she first knew the true identity of everyone's Dame-Tsuna, who turned out to be some don of the mafia world, but everything about it (especially Vongola's influences) never fails to surprise her each time.
The room was dimly lit yet comfortably warm, with the fireplace as its only light. She stood beside the door for a moment, awed at how the room could magically made her feel as if his presence would remain even if it was empty.
"Ah, Haru. Yo," he greeted, acknowledging her presence as he raised his free hand and waved.
She, until now, harbored the same feelings that he had with the boy – now a man – since she first felt it. She wouldn't call it puppy love, or merely a love of a fangirl. But, although it was definitely more than that, she was contented with how everything went for the past years.
Though, at the back of her head, she hoped that she too could grow out of it, just like how Gokudera-san quit smoking (just because the Tenth told him it was bad for his health), or Lambo finally agreeing to cut his hair.
She observed him for a moment as he continued to scrutinize the unfinished pile of paper works on his hand, before she broke the silence.
"Um, yo!" She greeted back, as she walked towards his direction. "What are you doing? Isn't it your party down there?"
"I…don't really feel like celebrating. Besides, I need to do this," he raised the said papers on his hand as he stressed the last word. "If he caught me slacking off, Reborn would've hit me by now you know?" and at the mention of the Arcobaleno's name, another pregnant silence ensued that she didn't even know how to react.
Ever since Reborn and the other members of the Seven Strongest Infants died (apparently for some reasons the family don't know yet), he had become cold and distant, that to everyone, it almost felt as if he became another person. After all, he had been the one closest to the Arcobalenos.
She faked a cough, as she tried to gain her composure. Although she sensed it wouldn't be the right time, she knew she had to try. So she decided to bring the reason of her intrusion on. "A-Anyway, Tsuna-san, Haru wants to tell you that—"
"Ne Haru, what do you think of me?" he started, putting the pile of papers down on the table adjacent to him.
"H-Hahi?" To be honest, it was a pretty easy question, yet she finds it hard to answer. That it had to bring back all the things she thought she forgot…all her habits and feelings altogether.
"W-Why did you ask that?" she replied, suddenly anxious of the other's question.
"I'm still… Dame-Tsuna…no?" he answered with another one.
She knew she had to stop him from saying such pointless things, to scold him even, but she settled for silence contentedly.
For sometimes, she thought, it would be better to say nothing at all.
"Kyoko-chan…she's getting married," he continued, his voice filled with obvious pain and frustration in every word, for the woman he loved for years turned out to be engaged to another man in a matter of months. "Hah, and I didn't even had the chance to confess," he added with a pained laugh.
She didn't even have to face him to know that he had been replaying the scene on his head since the day of the unexpected announcement.
Besides, he didn't even remember that she was with him that time.
"Who's that Kyoko-chan?"
"Hi Haru-chan! Tsu-kun! Everyone! Meet Kanou-kun, my fiancé."
"T-That's…" she trailed, suddenly lost for words as she instinctively turned away to take a hold of herself, and the tears welling up on her eyes.
She didn't want to make him see that she's happy with the engagement of her best friend, and at the same time, she didn't want to feign sadness because of it (she is happy since she too wanted the best for the younger Sasagawa but… damn! She was in love with the very man who was looking extremely down with it). It would really make her feel guiltier. Well, any people in love would, she guessed.
And just like that, she felt as if she was trapped between two walls.
She didn't like it. To see him like this made the two walls disappear, but now with another round of bigger ones, this time giving her no means of escape.
And as if on cue, all the tears she's been holding up fell. She somehow thanked the gods for making the room poorly lit.
"I…I've been really pathetic, since Reborn—"
She clicked her tongue and faced him with enough courage and conviction. This she wouldn't allow. "No, you're not!"
"You're lying."
"N-No! Haru thinks you're—" she was about to say the words 'awesome,' 'marvelous' and 'amazing' to raise his spirit – this, she thought, was the least she could do – but was stopped short when he pulled her to the sofa with him.
She froze at the sudden contact, ironic that her cheeks felt all hot and red. "H-Hahi? Tsuna-san, what—"
"Haru, let me sleep here," and the next thing she knew, he lied down with his head now on her lap, ready to fall into a deep, undisturbed sleep.
And she had no words.
He closed his eyes comfortably, as he adjusted his head on her lap at ease. "Don't leave me…ne?"
Silence. Somehow she realized that he knew exactly how to make her feel like a jelly.
"By the way, you were about to say something earlier. What is it?" he asked with a curious tone, his eyes still closed though.
She pushed the very object of her visit on one side of the sofa, and replied with a smiling voice, "Nothing. It's…not important. You need to sleep. S-Sweet dreams, Tsuna-san!"
Tsuna slowly opened his eyes, as he felt hot with the rays of sunlight on his face.
For some reason, he was feeling light, completely better than the night before, which reminded him that he hadn't let anyone, even the sun, inside his room until yesterday.
He stretched both his arms, yawning, as he removed the warm blanket that covered him.
He wasn't surprised to see a tray of bread and butter and a glass of milk (which he assumed to be his breakfast) on the table beside him.
He smiled.
But that's when he noticed that his comforter wasn't around.
"Haru?" he called, as he took a piece of the bread, starting his breakfast.
He then noticed a note beside his food, with a doodle of a heart and a hand doing a peace sign but with words which seemed to completely imply a different thing.
You should keep smiling like you do in your sleep, Tsuna-san! So the people around you will then be happy.
Find your happiness, so that I'll be able to find mine. I love you!
Haru~
PS. Kyoko-chan called me last night to inform that her engagement was cancelled. :)
Feeling an unexplainable mixture of emotions (he was sure he was unhappy though), he stood up.
And as he did, something caught his eye.
Smirk. Great, her passport.
He didn't know why, but he had the sudden urge to rush straight to the airport.
After all, Miura Haru still has some explaining to do.
~fin
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Please feel free to skip this, my friends. I'll just be ranting after all. XDD
Okay, shoot me Kyoko fans. *shot*
But for 2786 die-hards, HAHAHA, let's just hope and pray he'll really go to the airport for her (and no, not to give her the passport lol). :D Because the Post Script is…UGH. WHY HARU WHYYY. (So why am I frustrated with my own story? XD)
Ahaha. This is the first time I used Haru's PoV. And a first 2786 at that, haha. :D AND YES, CAN YOU IMAGINE TSUNA SMIRKING? XDDD AS FOR ME, NO. :)) Then again, it's Future Tsuna (ahhhh, I'd love to see that). XD BUT BOY, THIS IS HARD KORA! (And I just said that my KHR OTP is 5986. I'm so…boo.) Is it just me, or Tsuna surprisingly appeared dominant and aggressive here? XDD Well, if that's the case, then hooray me! :D Because really, he deserves not to be treated as the 'ULTIMATE UKE' –with numerous exclamation points after hurhur – once in a while, darou?
In case the prompt was not evident, well, supporting someone without his/her knowledge is like a shadow of person in the dark eh? Subtle..? HAHAHA. OKAY, GO FIGURE FOLKS. XDD
Anyway, fire away with the concrit, dudes. And thanks for reading, if someone actually took the time to read. XDD