Disclaimer: I do not own 'Baccano!' or it's characters. I do own my OC, Mia.

Absent Hearted

Drunken laughs and catcalls filled the night, causing those with weaker wills to quicken their pace. There were many who risked the dangers of night, and many who later regretted their decisions made on impulse or under influence. And then there where those few people, such as Mia Prochainezo, who really didn't care.

She wore a tight, red dress that begged for male attention – which was, of course the desired effect – and over the top of that was a long coat. Mia burst from a club, escaping the stifling inside that had threatened to suffocate her, and took one long calming breath of the fresh night air. The coolness that pressed against her skin was welcome, although she didn't remain still very long.

The car she had arrived in was kept some few streets away, and Mia already regretted wandering as far as she had. It wasn't that she was too weak for the walk, she just happened to be lazy.

It was why Mia was so thankful that she didn't need to put much effort into her appearance; beauty came naturally to her round features, and her wavy blonde hair was kept in a short crop so as to be low maintenance. It was also safer, in her line of work.

Mia was a thief, who just so happened to be deeply involved with the mafia.

She often blamed that on Firo, her younger brother. She wasn't willing to just let him run amuck with whomsoever he pleased, such as the Gandors, and so was set on protecting him in all the ways she could. Though not particularly strong, nor very skilled at attacking, she was skilled in other ways; such as running away. She also prided herself on her ability to talk herself out of any situation, as well as look good while doing so.

"Hey!"

Mia kept walking, not heeding the random voice.

"Hey! You! Lady!"

This time, she glanced around. Standing to her right of her, in the dark corner of an alley were the light refused to travel, were three men. Though not particularly striking, Mia felt an inkling of warning as one of them lifted their hands from their coat pockets.

She had only enough time to raise her eyebrow at them before he grabbed her.

She didn't scream – couldn't, as there was a hand over her mouth – and almost stumbled as the rough tug on her arm threatened to topple her. Had she been wearing heels, she might just as fallen. But as it were, she wasn't. The man secured her against him, not letting go despite her panicked wiggling.

"Don't struggle, just give us all your valuables."

Fear. That was the last thing Mia needed.

She took a shallow breath in, before acting as needed. Now, had she been wearing heels, standing on her capture's foot may have hurt a lot more. Before they had time to react, Mia slammed her head back against his. Not being particularly tall, she hit jaw.

He yelped in pain, letting his grip loosen just enough for Mia to take advantage of it. Quickly, she bit his hand, and when he wrenched it away, a piercing scream tore from her lips and into the night.

"Stupid bitch!" cried one of the three men.

Mia grunted as another set of hands grabbed at her shoulders. She twisted away, only to have them grip her arm. He jerked her away from the brightly lit street and deeper into the dark alley. The smell of sweat and thud of a racing heart grew.

Mia let her clenched arm swing out, satisfied when she felt it collide with someone's body. "Being a bitch is still better than being scum like you." she aggressed coolly.

"Shut up."

Cold steel was pressed to her throat. Mia froze.

"Shut up." breathed a man, panting heavily. "Shut up or I'll kill you."

He was long-faced, with small, beady eyes and a greasy mop that hung forward. Seeing the blood on his lip, Mia deduced that he was the one she headbutted. He's a coward, she thought. But cowards kill.

"Where's her purse?" another hissed from behind.

"Just hold her down." The beady-eyed man ordered.

Mia felt someone take her arms, forcing them behind her back. She almost yelped as pain shot through her shoulders, and would have if not for her pride and the knife at her throat.

"She's gotta ring." announced the second, holding her arms.

"You married?" the man before Mia asked, tilting her head observingly from side to side. "Lucky guy."

"Naw, doesn't look like a marriage ring, Boss."

The beady eyed man grinned maliciously. "Guess you're all mine then."

"That's for the lady to decide."

Mia smirked. "Lucky guy." She whispered.

The three men all turned to stare out into the alley opening. Silhouetted in the dull light was a tall figure, thin and imposing. He wore a suit, eyes flashing and a cigarette in his mouth. When he exhaled a cloud of smoke, Mia knew for certain it was Luck Gandor.

"Now," Luck announced, dropping the smoke and squashing it with his foot, "Here's how it's gonna go. First, you'll drop the knife, and the tough-guy act. Then, you'll let that beautiful lady go. And after, I think I'll beat the crap out of you."

"Boss…" whimpered the third man.

"What if I just kill her now?" the leader asked, pressing the blade further against Mia's throat.

Luck stared at him levelly. "I'll kill you."

It was then that the man laughed, turning around to brandish the knife at Luck. While a threat like that might have worked on any normal person, it was safe to say that Luck wasn't normal. And he had forgotten one other crucial thing; Mia was behind him.

Sensing the opportunity, Mia utilized the only part of her that was free. She kicked, high and powerful, and her foot collided with the beady eyed man's back. He stumbled forward, caught unawares, and then let out a pained grunt as Luck stepped forward and punched him.

The man holding Mia thrust her to the side, where she crashed into a brick wall and tumbled to her knees, shaken. Mia wasn't sure what might have happened, had she not heard the cock of a gun.

"I promise." Luck vowed darkly.

Someone yelped, leaping into a stream of gibberish, fearful exclamations.

"Let's scram!" cried one of the men.

Mia turned her head, watching with dazed absentness as the trio began to run. Their boss followed quickly, even discarding the knife as he ran. Curses were called back, falling on deaf ears as neither Mia nor Luck cared to spare them any further concern.

"Mia."

She turned towards the source of the voice and found Luck kneeling down beside her. He used his hand to tilt her head upwards towards him.

"If you continue to put yourself in danger like this, I'll have to have someone watch over you." Luck concluded.

"Only if it's you." Mia replied seriously.

"Are you hurt?"

"I think my coat got a little dirty." She shrugged. Apathy usually described how she acted, although in this case, she suspected shock had a little bit to play as to why she was so calm.

Luck gripped her wrists and helped her stand. She was a little shaky at first, and had to use him to steady herself for a brief second. "Thank you." She murmured whilst brushing herself down. "I-"

"Don't. You know I could never let anyone hurt you." Luck assured.

Mia nodded curtly. "So Firo wouldn't get upset. You did it for him."

"No." He denied. While they still stood in the concealed alley, Luck took the opportunity to pull her closer, before continuing, "I did it for myself, because if you were hurt, I would be too."

Mia gazed up at the brown haired man, her expression blank despite what lay underneath. It was a thin veneer, one she habitually adopted, and one Luck easily saw through.

"Come with me." He ordered, offering his arm.

Mia took it, ignoring his smile as she did so. "Where to?"

.

.

.

When next she woke, Mia first wondered if it had all been a dream.

A brilliant, incandescent dream, but a dream nonetheless. That was before she opened her eyes.

What she saw was Luck Gandor, asleep in his bed just as she had been. He lay facing away from her, so that she could see only his dark hair, unusually messy, and exposed back. Mia wriggled closer, before sitting up so that she could inspect him more closely. Her fingers lightly brushed back hair from his fringe, but seeing that he was sleeping soundly still, she decided to leave him. Acting as she never might if he were awake, she quickly leant down to press a soft kiss to his cheek.

After, she rolled out of the bed and began to scan the room for a shirt. As she was already half dressed, Mia took only a button-up undershirt of Luck's to wear so that she was covered more modestly. After, she snatched up the pack of cigarettes on the bedside table, along with the lighter. She wouldn't say that she was addicted to them, but couldn't deny how relaxed they made her feel.

Mia found a seat by the window, which had been built out so that a bench layered in cushions could fit in line with the walls either side. Just as she settled in, framing the window with her body, she heard a yawn. The cigarette lit easily.

She exhaled a cloud of smoke, and he, a sigh.

"That's my shirt." Luck observed.

"Yes, it is." She agreed.

Without turning her head, Mia watched as Luck wrapped a sheet around his waist. Though she knew it to be late morning, he clearly didn't seem to be concerned about preparing for the day ahead. Instead, he was watching Mia rather intently, walking over to her as he did so.

"Did you sleep well?" he inquired.

"Did we sleep?" Mia countered.

He offered is usual, cool smile. Mia extended her hand, offering the smoke to Luck. Without taking it from her, he took a deep drag before letting it go.

"Sit forward." He requested suddenly.

Mia, though curious, didn't question it and did as asked. Luck took a seat behind her, so that when she leant backwards, it was against Luck's chest with his arms around her waist. They sat in silence for a few minutes, content with just the knowledge they were together; there were times when words weren't necessary.

"Shouldn't you be helping your brothers run your mafia?" Mia queried at length.

"Perhaps, although the alternative is staying here with you."

"That is certainly more enjoyable."

Luck's thumb traced circles on her elbow. Mia exhaled more smoke.

"If you're going to stay, could you draw on my back?" she asked.

Luck's sigh ruffled the short crop of her hair and raised goosebumps on her neck. "Sure."

Mia leant forward, exposing her back so that Luck could trail his fingers over her spine. His fingers traced shapes over her back, sending delightful tickles through her body. She stretched herself forward, hands over her knees to secure herself. When Luck began to press butterfly kisses to the back of her neck, Mia smiled. She turned with him, as Luck began to move up to her jaw, and when Mia turned away from the window, he progressed towards her lips.

Just he was about to reach his goal, the door opened swiftly and suddenly.

"Luck have you seen- o-oh, um, I see you have."

Mia stared at him and Luck resisted a scowl.

Firo stood in the doorway, hand on the door handle as his wide eyes took in the scene before him. Undoubtedly, he had never had the desire to find his sister in such a position, no matter how he had encouraged their relationship in the past.

"I'll, um-" he stammered again, "I'll wait outside."

And with that, just as quickly as he had come, Firo took a step back and slammed the door behind him.

"Idiot." Mia remarked absently.

Luck sighed and removed his hands from her body. "I'll talk to him."

She nodded shortly, before taking a long drag of her cigarette and ashing it.

Soon, Luck stood and Mia was left to contemplate the weight of his absence as well as find a new position to sit comfortably in. She soon settled for using the ledge as a chair, her legs hanging over the edge and so that she looked over the bedroom.

Luck was currently dressing, buckling his pants. He glanced over at her briefly, reaffirming that she had his shirt and he now needed to find another. This prompted him to head to the wardrobe.

"So are you wearing the white shirt, or the white shirt?" Mia asked teasingly, upon noting the contents were a repeating pattern of the same type of clothes.

"The white shirt." Luck answered, unperturbed.

Mia quirked a brow but no further comment followed. Luck was, in seconds, walking out the door. Though sloppily dressed, she doubted he minded much when it was Firo, and they had seen in each other in far worse states.

Left to her own thoughts, Mia wondered why Firo was here. Obviously, looking for her. Perhaps, when she had not arrived home last night, she had worried him. The prospect was unusual and alien to Mia. Always, it had been her who looked out for him. He had been the younger of them, most in need of protecting. As a child, his kindness and gentle spirit had often ended only in pain for him.

Maybe that was changing; or, possibly, perhaps it already had and Mia had just been too stubborn to see it.

That would certainly be typical of her.

With a heavy sigh, Mia stood and first crushed the glowing end of her smoke into the ashtray Luck kept by the bed. After, she wondered if she should get dressed but quickly dismissed the idea. The sooner she did that, the sooner it would be that she left. Instead, she grabbed the sheet previously used by Luck and secured it around her body before approaching the door.

Before Mia had the chance to open it, or was even close enough to hear the two men conversing outside, the door opened once again. Luck had his back to her, hand barring passage across the doorway, whilst Firo faced him from across the hall.

Mia placed a hand on Luck's shoulder, causing him to glance down at her.

"I was worried when you didn't come home." Firo told her. "And Luck tells me I was right to."

Mia knew then that Luck had explained the events of the previous night. She only said, "I'll come home tonight."

Luck wrapped his arm around Mia's shoulder. When a silence fell, she was left to glance between the stare held by her brother and newly-realized lover. A conversation weighted with unspoken words lay heavily in the air, until Firo smiled.

"If you're with Luck, it's okay," He decided, "But I need to get going. See ya later."

Firo turned, beginning his departure.

"Later!" Mia called out, as a promise.

Luck promptly shut the door, turning around as he did so.

"What did you tell him?" Mia asked quickly.

"Only what he needed to hear." Luck replied with a small smile.

She dropped the sheet so that she might pull him into an embrace, one that was readily returned.

"About those men last night then…Would you really have shot them?" she questioned.

He kissed her forehead softly. "Yes."

"You're heartless."

"Only because I gave it to you."

Mia blinked up at him, surprised by his words. No matter how many times Luck assured her of his affection, she would always wonder. Perhaps he felt that way too; it was this thought that led to her reply.

"I'm heartless, too."

Thanks to all who read this! I hope I did the characters some justice (although I'm not sure if their personalities are spot-on). Reviews are always appreciated and welcome.