This is a Secret Santa fic for a dear dear non-biological child of mine. I hope you enjoy it~ 3

::DISCLAIMER:: I don't own KHR or Yama-chans. They completely belong to their rightful owners.

Dead. And he will never knew how she felt about him. When news reached Yamamoto, he was devastated. He in turn loves her with all his might. Never able to tell her he loves her as well. It's wrong. It's all wrong! How could this happen when he wasn't looking? How could he let her slip away from his fingers. How?!

Regrets. Words of feelings left unheard. Unspoken. Unreached. Vaporize into the void of blackness. He was her knight. She was his salvation. Now it's all gone...

I'm so sorry...I couldn't do anything in order to protect you...

Too late to make up for it. Nothing he can do. Sins. The pain of losing a love one. Is this punishment for something he might have done wrong in his life? What sin did he commit? Someone please tell him. Somebody. Anyone!

If he feel her one more time. Please. Grant him this one selfish request. Never had he wish anything for himself his whole life. Just this once. Grant him his wish. This selfish request of his. Kamina. Budda. Someone. He can't live another day without her. It's getting so hard to breathe in every waking second. It's so dark...

Drip... drip... drip... plop... plop... plop...

High school. Year 1.

It was during the opening ceremony when they first fell in love with each other. Chair neighbors. She was the most beautiful person he ever seen. Love at first sight. Beautiful smile. Beautiful blonde hair. Beautiful red-brown eyes. Beautiful slender figure. He just want to hug her and keep her safe in his arms.

Denise Kojima, half French and half Japanese, was like a princess out of a fairy tail. Her beauty washed over Yamamoto like a tidal wave. Her very being took out his very breath. Every breath. Every step. His illuminating light. His angel.

In his heart, it's telling him Kojima is the one who will anchor his life to reality of hope once the mafia world fully engulfs his life once he finishes school. Yamamoto tries to convince himself he shouldn't fall in love with Kojima. He doesn't want to pull anyone into that world. It nearly killed Haru and Kyoko when they were in the future world.

Two Years Ago.

He did his best to let her go, to forget about her, after high school, but she somewhat appear into his life again. Yamamoto never want to change Kojima's life. Them reuniting for Vongola related business at the company she works for seems like fate.

"Yamamoto?" Kojima looks at Yamamoto in surprise."I never thought I would see you again after high school."

"Same here. I didn't know you work at this company," Yamamoto agreed.

"And I thought you would off playing at a national baseball team. It always been your dream right?" Kojima arc an eyebrow.

Yamamoto chuckles. "You got me. It always have been my dreams, but things kind of didn't work out in the end."

"Oh, I see..." Kojima said sadly. "That's a shame."

Yamamoto pats on Kojima's head with a soft sad smile. "It's alright. If I didn't enter this line of work, I probably would have never have bump into you like this again."

Kojima nods. "If you say so."

"Want to get something to eat while we do this business?" Yamamoto asked, getting into business.

"Sure. I don't mind," Kojima nods in agreement.

One Month Ago.

During her days off, Kojima would go into town and buy some groceries for everyone at the Vongola mansion. Kojima makes sure there's a well-stocked supply of milk for Yamamoto in his room refrigerator until her next day off. Yamamoto always thanking Kojima for keeping well-stocked supplies of milk during her days off. Kojima would smile brightly every time he does.

"It's no problem. I love doing this for you and the Vongola," Kojima said cheerfully.

Yamamoto laughs. "That's good to hear. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself on your day offs.

"I-I don't!" Kojima blushes as she pouts.

"Quite the contradicting tsundere woman you are," Yamamoto teases Kojima.

"S-Shut up!" Kojima blushes harder. "I-I am not! Stop teasing me, Takeshi."

"Ha. Sorry, sorry," Yamamoto smiles at Kojima.

Yamamoto kisses Kojima on the forehead as a reward and as an apology for teasing her. Kojima blushes harder whenever he kisses her on the forehead. Despite a kiss on the forehead, Kojima seek a peek on Yamamoto's gentle handsome face. Kojima always love Yamamoto's gentle kindness despite his goofy, sometimes serious, personality.

One of those days, Kojima will tell Yamamoto she's in love with him. If only... If only she had the courage to tell him right there, right then. If only she knew it was the last chance she could tell him her feelings. A few days after Yamamoto left for a mission, the town Kojima resided in was suddenly attack by one of Vongola's enemies.

Present Day.

…. shi... aka... ashi... Takashi...

"Den... ise..." Yamamoto staggered. It's so hard to see anything.

"Takashi," A familiar warmth and scent greeted Yamamoto as his face landed on a soft flesh that turns out to be a woman's lap. "Don't give yet. There's still something you still have to do."

"Den... ise... Is... that you?" Yamamoto croaked.

"Hai... It's me," said a familiar soft sweet smoothing voice of a woman's.

"Thank... god... You're alive..." Yamamoto smiles in relief. "I thought you were dead. News of your death reached me too late. I felt so powerless. I failed to protect you. I thought I lost you forever."

"Unnhn. You didn't," Kojima shakes her head gently, her warmth still radiating. "I've been with you the whole time."

"Really...?" Yamamoto ask weakly.

"Yeah. Really, silly." Kojima holds back her tears, a hint of sadness is heard in her voice.

"Denise... You don't have to hold your feelings around me. You're always so upfront about your feelings," Yamamoto said.

"I know," Kojima said weakly, teardrops fall. "Let me see your face."

"Yeah..." Yamamoto grunted as Kojima turn him over onto his back so he can see Kojima's face clearly.

"Look at you. Your face is a bit dirty," Kojima wipes the dirt of Yamamoto's face.

"Sorry..." Yamamoto apologizes.

"You're always apologizes to me," Kojima laughs weakly.

"Heh. You're right." Yamamoto grins weakly, hand touches Kojima's face lightly. "I love you, Denise, from the day we first met."

"Me too. I love you from the moment I first lay my eyes on you in high school," Kojima confesses her feelings to Yamamoto.

"I will always love you, Denise," Yamamoto kisses Denise passionately.

"I know you will, my love." Kojima kisses Yamamoto in response. "I will always love you too and I won't leave you again."

"Marry me?" Yamamoto pulls out a beautiful blue engagement ring.

Kojima smiles softly and brightly. "Hai. I will marry you. Never will I leave your side again."

Yamamoto slips the ring onto Kojima's ring finger as he gives Kojima a series of short kisses. He couldn't be happier. It's like living inside a dream. But... it's really only just a fleeting dream as Yamamoto lay there on the ground in his pool of blood, dying. He can finally see his beloved in the heavens.

~Merry Christmas for all eterntity, my beloved~

A/N - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's, everyone! Sorry if I gave you feels in this fic. Not everyday you see a depressing Christmas fic *chuckles* I hope you all enjoy the rest of your holidays.