A Sweetness that Melts
Author's Notes: This is a result of a sudden urge to write at 1 AM in the morning when I should have been sleeping or completing my neglected assignments. I am well aware of the fact that there are mistakes in this story (I can't even recall how long they were stuck in the future, let alone the particular mafia-action scenes that Kyoko witnessed.). Unfortunately, work calls, so I'll have to come back to do the research and edit those things later.
Summary: Tsuna and company have just returned from their trip to the Future. It has been a while since they've last been here, so Kyoko decides to go to her favorite cake shop a day or two after their return. The end. (Yes, I'm serious.)
Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! is the wonderful creation of Amano Akira, so of course none of it is mine.
Warning: This story features absolutely no plot, inaccurate recollections of the future arc, and an out-of-character Kyoko. But hey, even the most cheery character needs some downtime right?
She happily hummed to herself as she gracefully glided down the familiar streets of the Namimori shopping district. The soft pink frills of a cotton skirt bounced gently as its owner bounded happily into the quaint little bakery, bells chiming behind her as she stepped indoors.
She was the epitome of all that was bright and cheerful, glowing with a light rivaling even that of which was reflecting off the pavement outside. It was as if she was a fanciful daisy that just bloomed after breathing in the enticing aroma of cakes and pastries that were fresh from the ovens.
But then again, it had been a while since she last sat down to gorge herself on the store's dainty little sweets. To the world around her, only a mere three days had passed. For her, she had went through three weeks—three weeks filled with tension and fear that she had never experienced before.
That Future was in the past now, though. After hovering above the display cases for a while, she settled for a marble cheesecake covered on top with swirls of blueberry and strawberry jam.
Cake in hand, she moved over to a corner seat right beside the large window pane. With great anticipation, she drove her spoon down into the cake, shoveling a piece and launching it into her mouth.
Aaah, bliss. She moaned quietly as the sweet sugar glaze melted on her tongue, mixing with the taste of fruit jam. That was quickly replaced by the sensation of the soft puffy texture of the cake. The light taste of cheese was completely overwhelming as she rolled the thick mushy cake piece around in her mouth.
It was even better than what she had remembered. During their stay in the Future, she and Haru had honed their cooking skills by preparing all sorts of Japanese cuisine for the boys. They hadn't made any dessert though. They didn't even have the luxury to leave the underground base so they could buy some baking ingredients. And when they finally went above ground with their friends, it certainly wasn't for any shopping—
No. She stuffed another piece of the heavenly treat and drowned in its sweet goodness again. Her sunny smile adorned her beautiful face once more, bringing out the glimmer of light in large honey-colored eyes.
She let the piece sit on her tongue for a while, saliva washing over it before she slowly started chewing. After most of the cake had melted, she finally swallowed the second piece, leaning back in her chair slightly as she basked in the aftertaste.
She closed her eyes as memories flashed before her. Watching their three friends drive out with motorcycles into the streets lined by looming skyscrapers. Tsuna, glowing with brilliant orange flames. His cute little lion cub partner. Yamamoto with his aptly named dog and swallow...
The aftertaste faded from her mouth.
Eyes glued to the screen as excitement turned into sick anxiety. They were losing, they were losing, no, they couldn't—NO! No, no, no, they didn't, they tied, thank goodness, Yamamoto he—wait, what? The opponent's flames were relit? Can Shouichi get back up too? No, no...look at his broken and bloody body, it was worse than any injuries she ever saw on her older brother—
No. Not again. She quickly bit into a third piece, double the size of the last. Calming some, she rested her dessert spoon on her plate once more.
Waiting. Once again, she was just waiting beside Haru. This time though, they knew the massive explosions, the billowing clouds of dirt, and the crackling of clashing Flames weren't just an impressive fireworks display.
She absent-mindedly poked at some side crumbs on the plate, ignoring the large helping of cake still situated on the platter.
Tsuna, rocketing into the sky to join their friends...her brother...in the raging fight. Seeing him off with the best smile she could offer. He saw through it though, and she knew that. Fiery orbs were filled with pain as he gazed back at them in return.
She shoved two bites in her mouth, cheeks puffed up slightly. The sweetness and lightness of the cake, it suddenly made her think of someone who was also gentle, kind, and warm—
Her breath hitched and she almost choked on the lump of cake.
Uni. She had suddenly appeared after the battle when they had lost, joining them in their escape. Uni, who had...died in that dome of orange flame. Gone with the man as if vaporized, leaving nothing but clothes behind.
She had urged Tsuna to hurry and give Uni his protection when he seemed hesitant, and he had immediately complied. But they couldn't save her—Tsuna...couldn't—no, she sacrificed herself for their sake.
She shook her head and willed the tears away. Slowly placing another piece in her mouth, she sighed as she let the taste numb all other senses.
He became so...enraged. The open field was dominated by a blinding flash of sparking, pulsing lights, and then—
It was all over.
She looked down at her now empty plate, scooping up the last bits of loose crumbs as she delivered the final morsels of the dessert into her mouth.
In the future, as she would wait for her close friends while praying for their safety, she would often come to this shop to indulge herself with cake.
She would slowly eat, eyes gazing longingly out the window as if she were waiting for someone to come join her. She would let her chosen dessert melt in her mouth with each bite as she slowly ate, piece by piece, savoring to the utmost.
Because cake had never tasted so sweet before. And as she recalled past memories and worried herself over her friends' well-being, she would rely on the sweet cakes to dissolve all her troubles and feelings of foreboding, the bitterness and fear that festered within her heart.
To distract her from the quiet loneliness as their disappearances became more frequent and lengthy.
And to serve as a brief respite from the dull pain that would clench her heart until it became so commonplace that she grew accustomed to it without even thinking about it.