Chapter IV ~ Realization

"How long have you been there?" Azulia asked.

"Around the time Sawada Tsunayoshi started siding with me," he replied.

"Siding with you?"

"'Mukuro seems like he's really in love with you.' That time." He smiled. "I was beginning to think that he was a rival."

"Why would you think that?" Azulia asked. "Because we're childhood friends?"

Mukuro kept smiling. "I guess you could say that. After all, he knows you more than I do." He stopped smiling. "About your boyfriends, for example."

Azulia froze. "S-so what?"

"I," he sat down on the bed, "also want to know about it."

Azulia looked at him, in his eyes, which stared back at her. She averted her gaze. If I... tell him... She looked back at Mukuro.

"I...," She stopped herself. She spoke again. "I..." She sighed and looked away.

Mukuro looked at her. "What's wrong?" He put both of his hands on each side of her cheek and lifted her face. His eyes widened. Azulia looked like she was about to cry. She touched one of his hands and closed her eyes. No tears came out.

"It's nothing," she whispered.

The door swung open. Gokudera stood at the doorway. He looked surprised at first, but his face immediately turned sour.

"What the hell are you doing in Juudaime's room, Mukuro?!" he snapped.

"Wait, Gokudera-kun!" came Tsuna's voice as he was climbing the stairs. "Don't go up there yet!"

"What's this bastard doing in your room, Juudaime? And he's with Azulia-san too!"

"It's fine. There's nothing to worry about!"

"No it's not! This guy tried to take over your body once and he's still trying!"

"It's fine!" Tsuna nearly yelled.

Gokudera flinched. "Well, i-if Juudaime says so then... it must be."

Tsuna turned around. "Sorry for interrupting you two."

"It's fine," Mukuro said. He got up. "I was about to go anyways." Azulia looked at him. "Since it seems like I'm not welcome here anymore." He returned Azulia's gaze. Then he bent down and kissed her. Azulia's eyes widened and she stopped breathing.

"Wah!" Tsuna covered his eyes.

"What the hell-" Gokudera started.

"Kufufufu." Mukuro chuckled as he pulled back. "So Azulia holds her breath when kissing, huh?"

Azulia blushed. "I do not!"

"Kufufufu. See you again." He disappeared as his usual purple mist enveloped him.

The moment he vanished, Azulia's eyes lowered in sadness. Tsuna noticed this and said to Gokudera, "Let's leave her alone for while."

"Ah, sure," he glanced at Azulia, "but are you sure you don't wanna talk to her?"

Tsuna shook his head. "I'll talk to her later. I think she's sorting out things in her head right now." He urged Gokudera out the door. "Let's go."

Azulia still sat in Tsuna's bed. She put her head on the wall. I wonder if I should tell him... She got up and went downstairs.

"Azulia-chan!"

Azulia looked up. "Nana-san." She got on the ground and bowed. "Tsunayoshi said that you were worried about me. I'm very sorry if I have caused you a lot of trouble. Please forgive me."

"Oh...," Tsuna's mother put a hand on her cheek. "Oh my, Azulia-chan. Please get up." She smiled."We've known each other for about 11 years. Please stop being so formal. I'm not upset either. I was just worried. Are you feeling better?"

"Yes. I feel much better than I was yesterday," she smiled back, "but I wasn't sick. I was just brooding over something."

"Well, if there's anything I can do then feel free to come to me anytime." She laughed sweetly. "Or you can go to Tsu-kun if that makes you more comfortable."

Azulia laughed back. "Thank you, Nana-san."

"Welcome back," Tsuna greeted as she sat next to him at the table.

"I'm back." Azulia smiled at him.

"Azulia's a sleepyhead!" Lambo said in a sing-song voice. "She woke up later than Lambo-san!"

"Lambo!" I-pin yelled. "That's not a nice thing to say to Azulia-san! Apologize!"

"It's fine, I-Pin. That's not an insult worth getting angry over," Azulia replied as she set her plate down on the table.

"Woah!" Tsuna exclaimed. "You already finished it?!"

"Of course." Azulia licked the corner of her mouth. "I always finish first."

"And Dame-Tsuna always finishes last." Reborn chimed in.

"That's because something always happens as I'm eating!" Tsuna shot back.

Azulia got up. She looked down at Tsuna. Tsuna looked back at her. She smiled. "I'll be at the park where we met Aria-san."

"Wait, Azulia-" Tsuna reached out. He stopped himself. She wants to talk, he thought.

Azulia put her dishes in the sink and pulled up her sleeves.

"Oh, I'll do it," Tsuna's mother said.

"Eh?" Azulia looked at her. "No, it's okay. I ate out of these dishes so it's only proper I clean up after myself."

Tsuna's mother laughed. "No, please let me do it. It's my job after all."

Azulia paused. She rolled her sleeves back down. "Sure then. I'll be going out for a bit so...," Tsuna's mother nodded. "See you there, Tsuna." she said as she left the room. Tsuna nodded.

Azulia closed the front door behind her. It was pretty cool for a summer afternoon, but it felt good. Azulia's wings sprouted and she flew off to the park.

"Azulia!" Tsuna looked around the park. "Where are you?!"

Azulia landed behind him. "Flying around."

"Woah!" Tsuna jumped back and fell.

Azulia sighed. "What's the point of jumping back if you're just going to fall. You should just flinch instead."

"A-anyways," Tsuna stammered, "what did you want to talk about?"

Azulia was silent. "Tsuna, I," she paused, "I'm...scared."

"Scared? Of what?"

"Of...," Azulia's eyes lowered in sadness.

Tsuna sat down on a bench hidden in the shadows behind a tree. He motioned her to sit down. When she sat down, he said, "'Of...'?"

"I'm scared o-of Mukuro's... feelings."

"Why?"

"B-because of my experience with those two. Ever since then I've been on my guard. I was about to... No, I was going to tell Mukuro about those two, but I stopped because I was scared. I don't know why I was scared."

Azulia sniffled a bit, but no tears came out. Tsuna thought of what to say to her.

"Azulia," he started.

"I've decided, Tsuna!" Tsuna flinched at her sudden movement when she jumped up from the bench. "Just now I've decided!"

"D-decided w-what?"

"I've decided that I'm going to tell Mukuro about them, about me, anything he wants to know, I guess." She sat back down.

Tsuna stared at her. Why did her eyes widen, he wondered. Is she afraid? He narrowed his eyes. If that's the case, then I should stop her. He opened his mouth to speak. "A-"

"HOLY CRAP, TSUNA!" The brunette flinched.

"W-what?!"

Azulia quickly turned her head towards him. "I think I'm in love with Mukuro," she whispered.

Tsuna stared at her, dumbfounded. Then he sighed and slumped on the bench. He put a hand on his forehead. "Did you just realize that now?" he said with another sigh.

"Wait, you knew?"

"I didn't know when he came to pick you up yesterday, but after some harsh explaining from Reborn and Bianchi I pretty much got the idea. Also, when you came home yesterday you were making some weird faces. It looked like you were blushing, so that gave it away... or made me realize your feelings for him."

Azulia stared at him and blushed.

"Well, it doesn't matter if you love him or not!" came a voice from behind them. Azulia quickly turned her head and Tsuna looked over her shoulder. It was MM. "Mukuro-chan is mine! Stay away from him!"

Azulia sighed. She smacked her forehead. The last person I ever want to run into.