Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
A / N :
AND HERE IT IS.
The second chapter of You, Who Will Never Be Bound! (: Man, I was so surprised when I finished this... I hadn't been expecting to get it done so fast. OTL I've been going through this writing phase that's got me typing for hours and hours. Holy crap, I've been neglecting all my studies. -SHOT-
Thank you for all the reviews that you guys left me! I was so surprised at the number- I really wasn't expecting so much. So for that, I'm really grateful (:
I hope that y'all enjoy this chapter as well!
CHAPTER TWO;
"What the Future Holds"
"Azu-chan? My, my, you've grown up so much since the last time I saw you!" Nana, Tsuna's mother, exclaimed as she rushed over and embraced me tightly.
"It's been a long time, Nana!" I laughed as I returned her embrace. "Have you been well?"
She nodded her head enthusiastically, beaming at me. Her light oak eyes were sparkling as she pulled away, clasping her hands together in front of her chest as an idea hit her. "How about I make your favourite, Azu-chan? Takoyaki, right?"
My eyes widened, surprised she had remembered. "Is that—are you sure it's okay?"
"Of course, of course!" she grinned widely, warmly. "Will you be staying with us like before? I remember you and Tsu-kun would always have so much fun together!"
I wasn't sure how she could be so welcoming, even after I had been gone for so long. It was definitely a different feeling compared to the Varia base in Italy, where it felt like we went through each day following the laws of the jungle. It warmed my heart to think that despite everything, she could still accept me so easily.
Although I had stayed over at Dino's yesterday night, I didn't want to impose on him too much. After all, as the Chiavarone Famiglia Boss, he was extremely busy. I felt like having me there made him feel obligated to make sure I wasn't alone, forcing him to pull away from his work to keep me company and entertain me. Of course, Dino was kind enough to do so without any complaints, but it was still something that tugged at the corner of my mind.
Being with the Sawada household was, in a way, very similar. Iemitsu worked hard to provide everything for his family—I felt as if I was freeloading off of him if I were to stay. After all, the Sawada household is not only home to me, but to many other members of the Vongola Famiglia as well.
Before coming, Iemitsu had, of course, told me I should stay at his home with his family. He told me I was always welcomed there, but there was still a guilt that lurked in my heart. If I had to choose between the two, I'd pick the Sawada household without a second of hesitation, simply because I had so many memories here, while the Chiavarone household felt foreign to me.
Making up my mind, I smiled at her. "If you don't mind, Nana."
"No, of course not!" Her eyes were gleaming. "You and Tsu-kun will stay in his room like usual, unless you're not okay with that anymore?"
Shaking my head, I grinned at her. "No, no—I'd love to stay with Tsuna. It'll just be like old times, right?" I turned to look at the male, who blushed slightly.
"W-Well," he mumbled. "If that's what you want, Azumi."
Gokudera's voice was laced with complete and utter disbelief. "You'll be sharing a room with the Tenth? How could you? Aren't you a little too old to do this, Tenth? If you don't want to share a room with that woman, just say so!"
"Isn't it fine?" Yamamoto asked lightly, letting out a chortle. "Tsuna and Azumi seem more like family than anything else."
Tsuna scratched the back of his head gently. "T-That's true."
"I have a futon," I reassured him with a laugh. "We won't be sharing the bed again like we did two years ago."
Flabbergasted, Gokudera shrilled, "You shared a bed with the Tenth?"
"Oi, Sawada!" Ryohei roared, his eyes flaring. "Nothing inappropriate better have happened. Gentlemen do not do such things to ladies, to the extreme!"
Shaking my head, I reassured them, "We were practically knocked out by the time we went to bed, since we would stay up late just talking. Nothing happened, really. Tsuna takes really good care of me."
"A-Azumi!" he mumbled in protest, clearly embarrassed.
"That's right," Nana agreed wholeheartedly. Her eyes fell affectionately onto the two of us, and her teeth flashed. "You two are so close. Tsu-kun and Azu-chan always look out for each other, so it's okay."
Bowing at her, I said, "Thank you so much for letting me stay, Nana. I don't know how I'll repay your hospitality."
She waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about such things!" After embracing me once more, she notified us, "I'll be making the takoyaki now. I'll bring it up to your room when I'm done, okay, Tsu-kun?"
He nodded. "Okay. Come on, everyone, let's head up to my room." We all climbed up his staircase after taking off our shoes, passing through familiar hallways that were still exactly the same as they were two years ago. The entire household still emitted a certain warmth that instantly relaxed me.
Just as Tsuna opened up the door that led to his room, I heard a young, lively voice exclaim, "Tsuna! Tsuna, guess what Lambo-san did today?" He let out an adorable laugh, running up to stand right in front of Tsuna.
"Lambo, it's not a really good time right now," Tsuna told the infant hesitantly, looking down at the baby clad in cow patterned clothing.
"Eh?" Lambo stretched the word out. "But, but why? Lambo-san is talking to you, Tsuna! Lambo-san is!" He stopped for a moment, turning his head and blinking his wide, vibrantly shining forest-green eyes at me. Picking his nose, he asked, "Who are you? Are you here to be Lambo-san's henchman?"
Another baby, this time with dark hair braided at the top of her head, ran up to the jade-eyed infant. "Lambo, no! Remember manners, no be rude!" Turning to look at me as well, she placed her hands together and bowed. "I I-pin. Nihao."
Smiling, I bowed at the two. "I'm Shimizu Azumi. It's nice to meet you, I-Pin, Lambo." Having prepared everything beforehand, I told them, "I actually have something for the two of you."
Eyes wide, Lambo sauntered towards me. "Alalala, what do you have for the greatest hitman on earth, Lambo-san?"
"Azumi?" Tsuna was confused.
"Don't spoil the stupid cow so much!" Gokudera folded his arms across his chest, a sour look on his face as he looked at Lambo in distaste.
Lambo scowled back at him, "Stupid-Dera, Lambo-san is not spoiled! Just because I'm better than you—"
"That's it! Come here, you stupid—"
"Ah! I found it," I stepped in between the bickering two, pulling out a bag of candy out of my school bag. I handed it to Lambo, who took it into his small hands eagerly. "It's candy from Italy, Lambo. I hope you like it."
Lambo let out another cute laugh. "Lambo-san's going to eat it all!" He began to run towards the door, the bag of candy blocking his entire face and obscuring his vision, though he didn't seem to care.
Chidingly, I-Pin hollered, "Lambo, you must share!" She was just about to run after him, but she stopped and looked at me curiously when I told her I had something for her as well. "I-Pin, too?"
Beaming at her, I pulled out a thin, delicate silver bracelet that was weaved with intricate designs. "Hold your hand out, please." When she did so, I placed the thin chain around her wrist, clasping it on a hook that was suited for her wrist size. I had chosen it not just because of its beauty, but because it was a bracelet that could easily change and adapt to her growth.
"Is it okay?" I-Pin asked me, her face turning red. "Something for I-Pin?"
"Of course," I told her with a beam. "Do you like it?"
Nodding her head enthusiastically, she clasped her hands together and bowed again. "Xie xie," she said.
Shaking my head, I grinned at her. "I think that Lambo's getting bored without you, I-Pin."
"Ah, Lambo!" she exclaimed, remembering her playmate. "Nice meeting you, I-Pin find Lambo now." She bowed once more before hurrying out of the room, rushing to catch up with the baby with the wild hair.
After she left, Tsuna looked at me. "A bracelet? You must've spent a lot on it."
"Not really," I told him honestly. "It had been on sale." Which was true. It was an incredible deal, too.
"How thoughtful," Yamamoto commented, making himself comfortable on the floor in front of the table in Tsuna's room. "You sure are prepared, Azumi."
Happy that everything seemed to be going smoothly, I sat down next to the onyx-haired male. I could feel the pain of my bruising abdomen and thigh with each movement, but I pushed the dull throbbing into the back of my mind. I had been through much, much worse. "Well, I already knew general things about all of you. I have to make a good impression on everyone, don't I?"
The smile that I had on my face was a bit strained as I struggled not to think about it. How it was so pathetic that it was like this.
"At least you didn't get something like that for the stupid cow," Gokudera approved slightly. He plopped down next to Ryohei, who had taken a seat on Yamamoto's other side, and Tsuna took the space between Gokudera and I.
"It was nice of you." Tsuna glanced at me. "You really haven't changed."
"I could say the exact same thing about you," I retaliated, smiling.
Gokudera broke the light moment by saying, "Sorry to ruin the happy atmosphere, Tenth, but we need to discuss something more important here."
"It's their reunion, Octopus Head! It should be fine, shouldn't it? Just give them another minute. Seeing old friends after long periods of time is very heart-warming, to the extreme!"
"No, no," I shook my head. "It's fine. We should discuss about this situation—it's definitely important."
Appearing out of nowhere, Reborn showed up dressed in a costume shaped as a shield with the Vongola Famiglia symbol on the front. "Ciaossu."
"Reborn!" Tsuna and I greeted simultaneously.
"You're here, Kid!" Yamamoto looked amazed at how Reborn popped up out of nowhere, which was something that astounded me a bit as well.
"That's some amazing magic trick, to the extreme!" Ryohei leaned forward, hands on his knees, to peer more closely at Reborn.
Deciding to ignore the Sun Guardian, Reborn got us back on track. "Let the discussion regarding our current situation begin! What do you think, Azumi?"
"Well," I started hesitantly, "I think that they'd aim for Lambo or Hibari."
"Lambo? But he's just a kid!"
"That's exactly why, Tenth," Gokudera responded, voice grim. "He's an easy target. Since he's still a stupid baby cow, he doesn't know how to fight back. He'd be to easiest to take out and take a Ring from."
Yamamoto leaned back on both his palms. "Then we just need to keep Lambo with one of us at all times. The problem's easily solved."
"Who would want to have that stupid cow with them all the time?" Gokudera objected, his lips curling in agitation and revulsion. "I don't want to babysit him—I'd strangle him before they even get to Namimori."
Reborn's voice held a tone that said it was obvious from the start. "Tsuna will be looking after Lambo, of course."
"I-I will?" Tsuna blinked at the hitman that stood, still dressed up in his elaborate costume, on the table that we were all surrounding.
"What are you saying? Of course you will. You're the Boss, No-Good Tsuna," Reborn answered easily. "The problem is that you have school, so nobody will be in the house to look after him."
"I don't see a problem with that." Ryohei's eyebrows furrowed together. "Just take the little guy with us."
"Stupid Turf Head!" Gokudera's lips tightened for a moment before saying, "We can't just bring a baby to school. There's no way that the teachers will be okay with it. And the stupid cow causes so much ruckus, we'd get expelled within the first ten seconds!"
Although I doubted it would work, I asked, "How about asking Hibari to take care of him?"
"H-Hibari-san?" Tsuna resounded, a look of fear crossing through his features. Shaking his head rapidly, he rejected the idea fiercely. "No, no, no. I-I don't think that'll work, Azumi."
"The Tenth is right on this one, woman. There's no way that Hibari would do it. And even if he did, he'd throttle the stupid cow faster than I would," Gokudera muttered. Even though he kept calling Lambo "the stupid cow", the fact he didn't want Lambo with Hibari was definitely some sign of affection.
"But he's the only one who doesn't seem to go to class," I pointed out. I was curious as to why he was still in middle school. After all, shouldn't someone of his age have already graduated and moved onto high school? I didn't voice my questions aloud though, instead choosing to keep them to myself.
Perhaps I'd ask him personally later.
Yamamoto had a reflective look on his face. "I'm sure that Hibari wouldn't hurt Lambo."
"Are you blind?" Gokudera demanded. "He's bloodthirsty. If the stupid cow gets on his nerves—which is bound to happen—then Hibari won't hesitate to kill the annoying kid!"
"Ah," I blinked, surprised I hadn't thought about it before. "Why don't we ask Dino?" As soon as the suggestion left my lips, I silently apologized to the older man. I had felt guilty about burdening him by saying at his residence, but now here I was, pushing Lambo onto him. There was no doubt that I was less of a handful than the cow-suited infant.
Reborn slapped his cane down onto the back of my hand, which had been resting on the table in front of me. It wasn't an extremely hard hit, but my skin still stung. "Don't bring the Chiavarone Famiglia into this. Dino has other things to do."
"But what else can we do, Reborn?" Tsuna inquired, looking hopefully at the Arcobaleno in hopes that the small male would provide the answer or, at the very least, a hint.
"You're the Boss, Tsuna," Reborn answered unhelpfully.
"We'll figure this out, to the extreme!" Ryohei exclaimed, the tone that intertwined with his slightly rough voice signifying that there was no room for argument.
All of us sat in silence as we pondered what we could do. I still felt like asking Dino and his men to take care of Lambo would be the most secure measure we could take, if none of us could be with him. However, Reborn also made a very valid point—we couldn't just expect Dino to drop his responsibilities as a Boss so easily just to help us out. Even though he was of an alliance Famiglia, both corporations held mutual respect for one another. Forcing him to take care of Lambo would seem almost as if we were disregarding the significance of his duties compared to ours.
It made me regret not asking Squalo to stay a while longer before returning to the base. Although, it was likely that Squalo wouldn't be able to handle Lambo calmly either, it was better than leaving Lambo all alone without someone to protect him. Squalo wouldn't have been happy, and Lambo wouldn't be cheerful in the least with a guard like Squalo, but he got the job done. He never made any mistakes when they truly counted.
Thinking of the long-haired swordsman made my mind drift off to the Ring Conflict, and then to the Cloud Match, in which the real Ninth was found. It was a horrible thing to merely hear about—I couldn't have imagined how Reborn felt, having to watch the scene unfold with his very eyes.
Everyone had gone through a lot of training, from what I had been told. Colonnello helped Ryohei triumph against Lussuria, who had underestimated the silver-haired boxer. Shamal had taught Gokudera well, and if it hadn't been for pure stubbornness on Bel's part, the blond genius wouldn't have survived nor won. Yamamoto's father had passed down something precious to the onyx-haired baseball player, and he trained hard not to disappoint his father—which he didn't, when he defeated an arrogant Squalo. Chrome had gone through a scary and painful time when her fake organs began to disappear, and I couldn't fathom how she had felt as she lay there. To not run away after experiencing such a thing, it was admirable. I never would have thought Mukuro would be the one to inherit the title of Mist Guardian and defeat Mammon, whom I had always thought created unbelievably realistic illusions. Hibari had been astonishing during his match, defeating Gola Mosca with such grace and ease; I wondered how hard he had trained with Dino to achieve such amazing movement.
And then there was Tsuna, who had trained so hard with Reborn and Basil, trying to master a technique that—my train of thought stopped, my eyes widening as I realized what I had just thought about.
Breaking the silence that had settled around us, I looked around at their faces. "How about Basil?"
"Basil-kun?" Tsuna's eyebrows knitted together just a tiny fraction. "I thought that he had already left for Italy with Lancia-san."
Shaking my head, I bit down on my lower lip. "I don't think that Basil left yet. He still hadn't returned back to Italy when I boarded the plane to Namimori, so it's safe to assume that he had received different orders. It's possible he's still here."
"How will we contact him?" Gokudera raised an eyebrow at me. "Unless you have his number?"
"Of course," I beamed at them, reaching for my schoolbag. Taking out my mobile, I searched through the list of contacts. When I could hear it ringing, I set it to speaker and placed the device on the table so that everyone could hear. It wasn't long before the pale blond answered the phone.
"Shimizu-dono!"
"Basil!" I greeted enthusiastically, smiling even though he couldn't see it. Although we were only a year apart, due to the fact we were on different teams in the Vongola Famiglia, it was hard for us to spend a lot of time together. Nonetheless, we kept in touch often through our cell-phones, and we were close.
There was a smile in his kind, velvety voice as he asked, "It is unusual for thee to call at such an hour. Did something occur, Shimizu-dono?"
"Sorry," I apologized automatically. "Are you busy right now, Basil?"
Quickly, he denied, "No, no! Not at all. I'm merely curious. I was worried that something had happened to thee."
"Thank you, Basil." He was too kind for his own good. "I mean—there's nothing really wrong, but I was wondering if you're still in Namimori?"
"Yes, I am," he answered. There was a pause, and then, "Ah! So the person that the Vongola sent to help Sawada-dono is thou, Shimizu-dono?"
Not surprised that he had gotten it so quickly, I said, "Yup! We actually need a little help, Basil."
"I'll be happy to be of any assistance to everyone," he said sincerely. He hadn't even taken a second to think it through. It just slipped out of his mouth instantly, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Ah, thank you, Basil-kun!" Tsuna couldn't help but say, breathing out a sigh of relief. His face eased itself out of the worry lines that had been etched onto his features, and he smiled.
"Sawada-dono?" Slight surprise coated the voice of the cobalt-eyed male on the other side of the line, but it was quickly replaced with a smiling tone. "There's no need to thank me. What is it that I must do? I shall do it to the best of my abilities."
"We need you to take care of the stupid cow," Gokudera informed Basil plainly.
"Gokudera-dono," Basil acknowledged, masking his surprise easily. "Could thou possibly mean Lambo-dono?"
Yamamoto let out a light laugh. "You got it, Basil."
"Yamamoto-dono! Shall I take a guess and say that Sasagawa-dono is there as well?"
"You are good at guessing things to the extreme!" I wondered, briefly, if Ryohei actually remembered who Basil was and what he looked like.
"Not in particularly, but thank you for the compliment," Basil said on the other line. "Back to the subject at hand—I will gladly look after Lambo-dono. When shall this take place?"
Tsuna's tone was apologetic, "Whenever we have school. Sorry, Basil-kun, for asking you to do something like this. You must be busy."
"No, please do not apologize, Sawada-dono," Basil's tone was firm. "Is there anything specifically I should know?"
I shook my head, and then I realized he couldn't see me. Hastily, I voiced aloud, "No—the information you have is the information that was given to me as well."
"I see," he mused. "Everyone must go to school tomorrow early in the morning, correct? I shall make sure to be there to keep Lambo-dono safe during your absences."
"Thank you, Basil-kun," Tsuna said gratefully.
"Where will you be staying, Basil?" I questioned, curious.
Reborn slipped into our conversation. "Yes, where are you staying, Basil? Come and stay with Tsuna. Mama is the best at cooking."
"Reborn-dono! I cannot possibly stay with Sawada-dono. There is no need to worry about me. Arrangements have already been made beforehand as a precaution in case I'd need to stay longer. I assume that it is because they want me to keep a watchful eye on things as well to help you out, Shimizu-dono."
"Is that so? That's a pity," Reborn remarked, though he didn't sound like it was remorseful at all. He was still clad in his costume—wasn't it bothering him? It looked like it would be extremely hot wearing that heavy attire for such an extended period of time.
Grunting, Gokudera grumbled warningly, "You better not forget."
"Rest assured, Gokudera-dono. I will not forget," Basil offered his reassurance.
"Thank you so much, Basil," I restated Tsuna's words from earlier. "Sorry to ask you to do this."
"Like I said, please do not say such things," Basil reminded me. There was a pause, and then he said, "And I apologize for the abruptness, but I must take my leave."
Concerned instantly, Tsuna asked urgently, "Is something wrong, Basil-kun?"
"No," Basil answered, sounding slightly confused. "It is just that I have another call."
"Oh, that's it?" Tsuna relaxed, his muscles unclenching slightly.
"Okay, Basil. We'll see you tomorrow," I murmured. "Take care of yourself."
"You all as well," he answered before the line went dead. I retrieved my phone from the wooden table, placing it into my opened bag.
Yamamoto's eyes were bright. "Well, that's one problem solved. It wasn't so hard, was it, Gokudera?"
"Shut up, Yamamoto," was Gokudera's loving response.
"Now we need to worry about Hibari-san," Tsuna announced, his lips pursing slightly.
Ryohei's eyebrows furrowed and he stared at Tsuna with a downward tilt of the lips. "Hibari? Why do we need to worry about him? He's strong to the extreme!"
"Ryohei's right," I nodded, lightly nudging Tsuna with my elbow. I smiled at him reassuringly, "Hibari can take care of himself just fine. Besides, there's a reason why I'm going to school with everyone."
Lifting his lips into a smile that resembled mine, Yamamoto nodded his head. "That's right, Tsuna. We're all at school together. It should be fine. We have one another to rely on if we need it, and besides, Hibari isn't the head of the Disciplinary Committee for nothing, right?"
"As much as I hate to admit it," Gokudera forced between his teeth, "There's a reason why he's Guardian of the Cloud Ring."
"Onii-san, Azumi, Yamamoto, Gokudera-kun..." the spiky-haired brunette trailed off for a moment, his eyes skimming over ours. Eventually, he let a small smile curl at his lips. "You're right. Hibari-san won't lose to anyone."
"That's right!" Ryohei said loudly, his hands clenching into tight fists.
Yamamoto looked like he was going to say something, but just then, knuckles rapped on Tsuna's door. All of us turned to look at who would come in, though the smell of delicious food gave it away. I could feel my mouth watering at the tantalizing aroma—I definitely missed Nana's cooking after I left.
Sure enough, the kind-hearted woman entered the room, although she was not alone like we had all presumed. Instead, two girls were with her, one holding the large tray of takoyaki where the plates and utensils were also neatly placed. The other held onto another tray, this time with two different pitchers of juice as well as cups.
The one carrying the drinks looked extremely familiar, and I realized after gazing at her for a moment that she was Sasagawa Kyoko, Ryohei's younger sister. I had also taken a look at her profile before coming, but it took a second for it to click in my mind. Unlike her older brother, whose hair was a shining silver, her hair was a bright shade of orange that reached her shoulders. Her eyes were extremely wide and round, the irises a shade of brown—almost so light that it was amber—that was beautiful. A slightly surprised, but friendly smile was on her face.
Miura Haru, the one carrying the takoyaki and plates, had her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked at me. Her dark walnut hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, a few stray strands framing her face. She had a milky complexion, her skin looking soft and undeniably smooth. Her large, doe-like eyes were a gentle shade of milk chocolate.
"Sorry it took me so long," Nana apologized with a sweet smile. She gestured to the two ladies and continued, "But we had some more unexpected guests, so I had to prepare more than I had originally planned."
"Lambo-san wants some takoyaki," Lambo complained loudly as he lumbered into the room, I-Pin on his trail. He was still carrying the bag of candy I had given him, and he had on an unsatisfied look. I-Pin, however, had her eyebrows strung together and a small frown lingering on her lips.
"Manners, Lambo!"
"Kyoko-chan, Haru!" Tsuna exclaimed, taken aback. His eyes slid from the brunette to the other Nami Middle student, his eyes widening just the slightest fraction, glinting with something that made me smile.
Haru and Kyoko both said simultaneously, "Sorry to intrude!"
"I have to do some grocery shopping for dinner, Tsu-kun, so please watch the house, okay?" Nana beamed, waiting for Tsuna's nod before closing the door behind her as she prepared to leave the house.
With a bright smile, Haru walked up to where we were and placed the tray down onto the table as Kyoko followed her actions. "Tsuna-san! Haru has once again come to visit you!"
"Sorry about coming over without earlier notice, Tsuna-kun," Kyoko apologized.
"Kyoko!" Ryohei stood up from the floor. "Why are you here? Did you hear anything before you came in?"
She blinked her eyes at him for a moment, before sharing a confused and befuddled look with Haru. Turning back to Ryohei, who had an intense look on his face, she shook her head. "No, Onii-chan. Why?"
Freezing slightly, Ryohei let out a nervous, blaring laugh. Slinging an arm around her shoulders, I prepared myself to hear one of his unbelievable and lame excuses. "We were just discussing some things—there's going to be another sumo contest, you know? Ahaha..." over the younger sibling's head, his eyes shot us all a look to be quiet and keep our mouths shut.
"Ah?" Kyoko gasped slightly. "Another sumo contest? It must be a lot of fun."
Nodding her head softly, Haru spaced out wistfully. "If only I could see Tsuna-san participating in the sumo contest. I would die happy!"
"D-Dying seems a little too extreme." Tsuna's eye twitched slightly, his face paling.
Turning to face me, Kyoko's eyes locked with mine for a moment. I smiled at her, trying to convey that I wasn't anyone dangerous, even though I was. "Nice to meet you. I'm Shimizu Azumi."
Slowly, her lips followed the action of mine. "Yes, I know. I'm sorry for not speaking with you today—I haven't even introduced myself properly! I'm Sasagawa Kyoko. It's nice to meet you, Shimizu-san."
"Are you a new transfer student?" Haru inquired curiously, her eyebrows raised up to her hairline. "I'm Miura Haru, it's nice to meet you! I hope that we get along well."
Nodding my head in confirmation to her first question, I added, "It's nice meeting you, Haru."
"Lambo-san wants takoyaki!" Lambo jumped up and latched onto Tsuna's shoulder, causing the brunette to let out a yelp. "Tsuna," he whined, stretching out the name. "Tsuna. Lambo-san wants takoyaki right now."
"Lambo, be patient," Tsuna said, sighing. He reached over, grabbing the stack of plates and handing them to me. I took one, handing the stack to Yamamoto, who repeated my actions.
I spent the rest of that afternoon laughing, smiling, and silently observing all of those around me. Somehow, I clicked with all of them relatively well. None of the usual occurrences took place, which surprised me. I couldn't help but muse about it in the back of my mind—was this what the tenth generation was like?
But then again, it was also because they hadn't met her yet.
The night was eerily still, the sound of even a single breath in the room sounding like thunder had struck. The steady, deep breathing of all those in the same room as me was soothing, calming almost. And yet, my gut clenched restlessly. A feeling of dread welled up inside me, almost so strong that it consumed me entirely.
Staring up into the darkness, barely able to see if there was a ceiling there after all or if it was just an endless pool of black, I pursed my lips together tightly, my hands clenching around the material of my futon.
Something felt so incredibly wrong.
I had always felt uneasy when I wasn't sure what I would be up against, something that a lot of people could relate to. After all, when going out on missions, I always had an idea of what would be awaiting me. Information on the group, their abilities, possible traps in the base—most of that information would be gathered and given to me, letting me analyze and understand the situation fully. Even if there wasn't enough information, during those times, I had always been fortunate enough to be with someone who was experienced and knowledgeable. They provided me a plan, and I focussed solely on my own role.
It was rare that I was left in the dark about the enemy without a concrete, confident plan.
But for some reason, the apprehension I felt this time was different. It was something that reached through me, gripping at my spine, clutching at my soul. Sorrow and a feeling of complete and utter devastation entered through the clutching hands of Dread, making me shiver unpleasantly despite the warmth the room was filled with.
My stomach clenched and unclenched in a way that was almost painful, and in response, I curled up into myself for a moment, squeezing my eyes shut. It was such a horrible feeling. The amount of horror that rushed through my veins was thick, my heart beating faster and faster even though nothing was coming yet.
Maybe I was just imagining it. Perhaps all this was just due to the overwhelming feelings of coming back to Japan after two years. It was possible that all these negative feelings I had were just due to the fear I wouldn't be accepted by Tsuna's Family.
Deciding that I would get some fresh air to see if it would clear my mind, I lightly slipped out of the futon covers, careful not to make too much noise. When I was successfully out from under the covers and standing up, I glanced over at Tsuna, who was sleeping soundly on his bed. His mouth hung open, his arms flailed in strange positions, his blanket having been pushed away to rest at his waist. He looked like he was about to suffocate from the heat the thick blanket provided him.
Reborn, who was sleeping on the rope hammock that hung from Tsuna's ceiling, was snoring away with his hands clasped together and resting on his stomach. He looked peaceful, just like Tsuna, even though I knew both of them were worried about what was to come.
I manoeuvred myself swiftly, but quietly out of Tsuna's room and down the stairs. Luckily, the creaking of the stairs had all been minimal, and by the time I reached the bottom of the stairs without waking anyone up, breathing seemed to get harder.
When I got to the sliding glass doors that led to the back deck, I unlocked it and pushed it open far enough for my body to slip outside, making sure to close it behind me, though leaving it unlocked. The moment I stepped outside, the cool air embraced me like I was an old friend, making goose-bumps rise on my skin.
The moon was three-quarters full, its rays bright and illuminating the dark blanket of night. Nervousness fluttered inside me, my throat tightening. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around myself, almost like it was going to protect me even if I knew it wouldn't.
Three minutes.
Deciding that was my time limit outside, I quickly made my way up to the rooftop of the Sawada household. When I got up there, I sat down and pulled my knees up to my chest, swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat. With every breath I took, the air left a trail that almost seemed to burn.
The uneasiness I felt wouldn't disappear.
Would the enemies be strong? Weak? Would they be great in numbers? Would they only be a small cluster of people? I tried my best to think, to concentrate, but I couldn't. With every little sound that reached my ears, I jolted.
Unable to stand it any longer, even though I had barely spent any time outside, I swallowed and hastily jumped down from the roof, reaching out to grasp and open up the glass doors.
And I wasn't stupid enough to delude myself into thinking there was any other reason besides thatone that explained why my body shook.
A / N :
And that concludes the second chapter! Yeah, yeah, it's goin' slow and Hibari didn't make an appearance in it, but I felt like it was more realistic and informing if I wrote this chapter. Next chapter for sure will contain some Hibari goodness, so look forward to it!
I hope that you guys liked this chapter, and that none of the characters were OCC. I was, like the first, fretting over it. -SHOT-
I also apologize for any mistakes in grammar, spelling and etc.
Lots of love and thanks to;
10th Squad 3rd Seat, Phoenix. kiss, kuroitsubasa24, steel-alchemist, Youknowwhothisis, Tsukuda Sumiko, Jaesun Michele, and MoonlitNite
Also, lots of thanks to those who have favourited and alerted! (: You guys rock, too. =P
I feel like it's important that I address Jaesun Michele's review, though. So I hope you read this, love~ And, you know, to all those who want to. It isimportant =P Sort of.
IT'S NOT LIKE I'M MAD. SO DON'T JUST NOT READ THIS 'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA HEAR ME B-TCH YOU OUT. O_O 'Cause, really, I'm not.
I was actually kinda happy when I read your review, because it was what I was going for. Sorta. I mean, like... I don't know if it's just me, or don't people always seem kinda perfect when you first meet them? I know that's how it was like when I first met my friends, and a lot of others. MAYBE IT'S JUST ME. OTL. In order to make it seem more realistic ( or, at least, what I feel is realistic... But then again, I've been told more than once that I'm weird ), I wanted that to be like how you guys first perceive Azumi as well.
I know, I know- I'm probably being stupid, 'cause if she seems like a Mary-Sue, then no one will wanna continue reading.
But, Iunno. I feel like it's more realistic this way. Maybe it doesn't make sense to anyone but myself... -SHOT- And maybe it's 'cause I'm the only one who knows exactly how Azumi's like and everything that she feels and etc, since she's my character. I feel like a lot of people who find nice protagonists are Mary-Sues, and I don't believe that it's true. I hope that you'll continue with me and watch as Azumi develops, as well as to see everything unfold (:
BUT, YOU KNOW, YEAH.. LOL. I was kinda happy when I read your review, since it was what I had been aiming for. But I was also kinda like, "Aw, crap..." since, y'know... Having people think that isn't good. BUT, YEAH- Ahmygod, I don't even know what I'm saying anymore. LOL. -SHOTSHOTSHOT-
Anyways... Thanks to those who actually read that. I felt a need to clarify it. xD
So, yeah, guyssssss. Thanks for reviewing and for alerting~ It makes me happy to read your reviews, and criticism is also welcomed, since I feel like it'll help me improve as a writer.
Please drop me a review to help motivate me write and also to tell me your thoughts and opinions, whether it be positive, negative, or something in the middle!
I hope that I'll be able to write and update soon~
Ja ne,
-EverlastingxSong-
