Lavender Scented Love
A/n at the bottom
Warnings:Iemitsu bashing, spoilers, 10!YL KHR, post canon Ghost Hunt, Mai is Tsuna little sister, Swearing
The first few months in Italy were a whirlwind for Mai. Tsuna lived in a mansion bigger than even than the one from the Urado case. He was a mafia boss, but still three months in and Mai still got lost trying to find the dining room.
Mai was also taken on another shopping excursion with help from three women and her brother. Kyoko, who insisted Mai call her that, was Sasagawa-san's little sister. Hana, Tsuna's official lawyer, Kyoko's best friend, and Sasagawa wife. Both of whom and known Tsuna basically their entire life. Then there was Haru. Haru had known Tsuna since he was thirteen. She was slightly eccentric, but most of the people Tsuna knew were.
Mai proved to be rather observant in a number of ways. She noticed the Tsuna morning coffee had been poisoned based on the color. Tsuna took his morning coffee black and according to Mai the color was too light. She noticed an assassin dressed as a assassin's foot steps were too quiet. All staff member had clunky sounding gaits to let people know they're coming. (Woe to the poor injured staff that worked before that rule was put in place).
Mai was starting to settle into Italy, slowly picking up the language, getting use to Vongola headquarters, things like that, when she got a phone call.
"Sawada Mai speaking."
"Mai is that you? Did you change your name?"
"Bou-san! Yeah, it's me. And something like that, I guess."
Well… We, Ayako, John, Masako, Osamu, and I, were wondering if you wanted to help on a case?"
"I'd love to-"
"Great, where do you live I can-"
"But… I'm kind of in Italy right now. So... It'd be a little hard for me too help…"
"What?"
"I'm in-"
"No, no, I heard that. What do you mean you're in Italy? That's in Europe Mai, Europe!"
"I'm well aware that Italy is in Europe. I had to take a twelve hour flight here."
There was some muffled chatter and what sounded like the phone being passed around through the air.
"Sorry Mai Ayako and Bou-san are fighting again. The phone went flying."
"It's fine John, things happen."
"How did you end up in Italy? And where in Italy are you?"
"I'm in Sicily. It's kind of a long story…"
"I don't think Bou-san will be needing his phone for awhile with the way Ayako is going."
"I want to talk to Boss."
"Omasu! How are you? Which university did you get into?""
"Ugh! Really Boss? School talk?"
"Yep. I'm genuinely interested though. I… I don't know if I'll be returning to Japan for studying. So I wanted your opinion."
"Mai… What do you mean? Are you planning on staying in Italy?"
"Uh… May...be? I mean I haven't decided. I know I want to study psychology and religious studies, but… if I do... it'll probably online, you know."
"But what about the university experience, socializing, and isn't psychology kind of advanced for you I mean..." Omasu trailed off not wanted to say that Mai was too stupid to take classes.
"What do you mean? I was top in my graduating class Yasuhara. As for the 'university experience' I don't really care. I'm socializing enough where I'm staying."
"Sorry it's just Big Boss-" Omasu began trying to explain himself.
"Yes, Naru did like to point out my lack of intelligence in the field of parapsychology, didn't he." Mai cut the researcher off not wanting to hear anything about her old boss's opinion on her.
"So what kind of place are you staying at?" John asked changing the subject.
"A sort of dorm, I suppose you could call it that. There are a lot of Japanese people here. John what do you think? Should I go back to Japan or should I stay in Italy?"
"As much as all of us would like to see you Mai, I think you should do what feels right."
"It feels right to be with Nii-sama…"
"What was that? I didn't quite hear you. You were mumbling."
I can't believe I just referred to Tsuna as Nii-sama, out loud even! "Nothing John, just talking to myself."
"Oh… Did you say you were looking at religious studies?"
"Um… yeah. Honestly, religions fascinate me. How so many different cultures came up with different religious explanations for natural, and scientifically explained phenomenons. And how religion affected their daily lives… I'll stop talking now," Mai blushed as she began to ramble.
"I don't mind you sounded very-"
"Mai! Is that you?"
"Yes Ayako, it's me."
"How've you been?"
"I've been-"
There was a knock on the door.
"Just a sec Ayako, let me put you on hold."
Mai pressed the hold button on her phone,"Yes, who is it?"
"It's Tsuna. I wanted to ask you a few things." That was that Tsuna. The voice was too gruff. Not scratchy enough like how Tsuna's was from disuse while doing paperwork.
"Iemitsu-san, please refrain from pretending to be my brother." Mai called towards the door.
There was some grumbling from the other side of the door and then the barely there sound of someone leaving. Mai picked up her phone again.
"Sorry Ayako, you were saying?" There was only silence. Mai looked at her phone call time: 8min 49sec.
Although Tsuna opposed it fiercely Reborn insisted that Mai be introduced to the Mafia world. It took months to convince Tsuna to merely let the Varia meet Mai. By that time Mai was already taking Religious study classes.
God that was a mistake. Aside from the fact that Mai nearly got in a fight with Belphegor, She got along swimmingly with Fran. Both were dubious to Belphegor's prince status and rather verbal about these ideas. When the Varia left Mai exchanged contact information with Fran promising to "keep in touch." This only fueled Belphegor's anger.
Mai was a social person by nature and her limited socialization was draining her. She wanted to talk to people that weren't employed by her brother. Tsuna was five feet deep in paperwork so he was too busy to talk so were the rest of guardians. Fran was on a stealth mission and couldn't be bothered. She didn't want to call any of the SPR irregulars. Mai knew that she shouldn't go out without at least one guard but she was dying from lack of social interaction.
Mai strolled down the streets deciding how to strike up a conversation. I could go into a book shop asking for advice on what I should read next. That's… REALLY pathetic. I'm not doing that.
"Hey, do you want to go for a coffee?" a voice broke Mai out of her thoughts.
"What? Me?" Mai pointed to herself rather flustered.
"Yeah," the man asking Mai started to corner her, "you're pretty cute after all. You are free right?"
Mai backed up until her back hit the wall of the bookstore she was planning on entering. Her eye's darted side to side trying to find an escape without drawing too much attention. Mai found none.
"Hey, there you are!"
Someone else had entered the equation. It was another man strangely young for having white hair. He couldn't be any older than Rokudo-san.
Are you hitting on my dearest?" the new arrival snarled at the first man.
"NO! Certainly not, I was just… leaving, yeah." the at left at a steady jog.
"Um… Thanks for your help, but I should be going." Mai smiled nervously.
"Are you sure? You look like you could use some tea. I could get you some," the man smiled cheerily, "I'm Byakuran by the way."
Mai and Byakuran sat in a tiny tea shop. The shop actually let Mai blend her own tea. So she relaxed with a mix of valerian, mint, lavender, and st. John's wort. Byakuran was seated across from her with a cup of mostly marshmallows although he claimed it was hot chocolate.
"Thanks again," Mai sighed as some of the tension left her shoulders."that guy was really weird. I don't get why though."
Byakuran raised one of his eyebrows, "Mai, that guy was hitting on you."
Mai scrunched her face up in confusion, "He didn't touch me let alone hit me."
Byakuran snickered, "No, no, he was-"
"Byakuran! There you are." A girl about Fran's age called from inside a black car.
"Ah! Yuni come over here and meet my new friend Mai!" Byakuran waved at the girl, Yuni.
The girl got out of the car she was wearing a very expensive looking suit, but instead of the traditional pants or A-line skirt the bottom part was a pair of black shorts that ended mid-thigh.
"You skipped out on paperwork to harass this poor girl" Yuni huffed.
"I did not," Byakuran slumped across the table, whining.
"Actually Miss, Byakuran saved me from a rather aggressive man who wanted me to have coffee with me." Mai smiled reassuringly.
"Wow… you really look like…" Yuni stared at Mai.
The poor girl shifted under the older's scrutiny. Mai couldn't take it any longer,"Um… Who do I look like?"
Oh! Just someone we know" Yuni waved off the question.
"Speaking of Tsu-chan we have a meeting with him today don't we." Byakuran seemed to have quickly recovered from his pouting as he was flouncing around the coffee shop.
"The meeting been canceled. Apparently someone important from the mansion has gone missing," Yuni explained, "That's why we were looking for you.
Just then Mai's phone rang. It was Tsuna.
"Oh! Nii-sama, no I'm not lost. I know we were supposed to meet at the fountain, but some guy harassed me. Then a kind man named Byakuran helped me. I'll tell you the whole story when I get to our meeting place." Mai rushed out hoping to prevent any yelling or squadrons from being deployed. Then Mai ended the call without waiting for a response.
"Sorry, but I've gotta go my brother's waiting for me. Plus Byakuran, you have work to do. I don't want to take up anymore of your time." Mai waved at her new acquaintances as she gathered her things.
"Are you sure you don't need a ride you were pestered by a nasty man not too long ago? I could give you a ride." Yuni offered.
"No, I think... that would just make my brother... more concerned. Besides I'll be fine." Mai reassured the older woman.
Tsuna was already waiting with a car when Mai got to the fountain. She wasn't really surprised when her intuition told her that Tsuna was pissed. Tsuna held the car door open for Mai. He waited five minutes before ripping into Mai.
"Don't you know how dangerous that was? You could have been killed, or kidnapped, or worse!" Tsuna continued a long tirade for what felt like hours to Mai.
The rant didn't make Mai feel repentant in the slightest in fact it only made her mad. Then she snapped, "You think I didn't know the risks I was taking I may be younger than you but I'm not naive!"
"Then what was so important that you had to leave the mansion?"
"Socialization! I don't have anyone to talk to at all. Employees are not people to talk to. You and you're guardians are far too busy for me to even think about bothering. Fran is almost always on a mission and I'm not going to risk his life because I'm lonely. I thought that when I found out I had family that I wouldn't be alone anymore. But, in the end you're just like Naru. You give me a taste of what family is like and then you leave me feeling even more alone." Mai had begun to tear up, "Honestly is that how you get your kicks? Is it too much to ask? Is it too much to want to be an actual family?"
Tsuna flinched. That wasn't what he expected Mai to say. He wasn't even sure where to start. Who was Naru? Why did he make Mai feel alone? How was he supposed to fix this? Tsuna was not experienced in comforting people.
"Ah… Sorry, nevermind. I...I didn't mean to make you worry." Mai wiped at her tears.
"No. I'm the one who's sorry. You should be able to tell me what you're thinking without having to apologize. I should worry about you; you're my little sister. But I shouldn't be so overprotective that it stifles you. I guess I'm so use to my family liking being left alone that I forgot that other people like to be social. So, I'm sorry I hurt you so much that you think I don't care. I'm sorry that whoever this Naru is hurt you. And I want to be a real family not just be related by blood. In short I want to be the 'Nii-sama' you spoke to on the phone" Tsuna replied forcefully.
Mai gaped at her older brother, blushed when he mentioned Naru and nodded with a sniffle, "Then you're already doing a pretty good job."
"Now that we've cleared up that issue. Did you say you met someone named Byakuran?
God I'm sorry this chapter has gone through a lot of revising.
Approximant time Mai has spent in Italy by the end of this chapter: ten months
Mai graduated in March so it's January right now. Yuni do you like shorts that much? Why are you wearing them in January? Also Mai why are you so obtuse?
There's going to be one to two more chapters before Mai meets up with Naru
Mai goes to England: 3
Naru goes to Japan: 2
Mai and Naru meet in Italy: 3
