Having one chance to make a change, would you roll the dice? Even if you should fail, will you still be able to pay the price?
Disclaimer: Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn (along with its characters, etc.) is the work of Amano Akira. Original Character(s) belong to Yellow-sama.
Song Inspiration: HOWLING – Abingdon Boys School.
What determines luck? I'd have to say that it depends on whether or not you believe in that kind of stuff, like me, I mean, I have a bad case of bad luck. Fuck, I've never had a day where I could consider myself lucky.
He told me his name was Timoteo, was it supposed to ring a bell? I sure didn't think so. Besides, the fact that it was an Italian name, I didn't give a shit. I suspected that he was obviously a buddy to "la commare secca"; he dressed well and was damn hot too. I mentally bitch slapped myself, while muttering under my breath about the fact that I was too observant.
The other one snorted, "Don't worry so much, you're not good enough for the Ninth boss of the Vongola."
I wanted to punch his lights ou... Hold on.
Timoteo...He was the Ninth boss... of the Vongola family no less? ...Aw crap.
"Reborn," Timoteo gave the man a look and la commare secca remained unfazed, but you could tell the dark death reaper accepted the gesture of the Mafioso boss with great respect.
Timoteo's smile sweetened considerably and gently took my hand in his own, "There's nothing to be too scared about, Ms. Russo."
Psh! It's a bit late to be saying that...!
"I know, I've put you into a difficult situation," His deep brown irises pierced into my eyes and locked my soul within a heavy iron grip, leaving me with a cool shuddering sensation running through my nerves, "But you have to make the decision yourself, Ms. Russo. Will you comply with my request?"
...Or risk being killed off by the hands of professional murderers?
Were these choices supposed to make me feel better?
My free hand clenched the bed sheet tightly and I was hopelessly thinking, trying to think of ways to escape the situation. But there was no place left to run. I felt like I was trapped on spinning cups, spinning round and round forever with the center plate burning my skin with an unbearable heat.
What could I do...?
I couldn't get out. It's like the moment before your eyes could pinpoint the light and make you see the blurred shapes of the objects in a room. You're blindsided and there was nothing you could do but focus your eyes attentively on something, anything at all.
The room was silent, save for the sounds of the breath of each person in the room, but I knew, it was my own panicked gasps that filled the room.
"Choose," The voice of the man clothed in darkness echoed in my ears, "or would you rather I do it for you?"
I viciously shook my head from side to side.
Then I spoke and didn't realize that my voice was cracking due to the sobs spilling out from my lips, "I... just... I want to live."
Timoteo's smile became warmer, "That's the answer I wanted to hear."
I don't think there was any real help in my situation, but I guess I don't regret making the choice I made. At least for the most part, I'm still alive, even if I'm under the watch of the most powerful mafia in the country.
"So, what happens now?"
The car stops just right out front of my apartment building and I step through the threshold, up the stairs to my room, number thirty-seven. Thank god I wasn't wearing my broken heels, but it was a bitch to climb up the stairs with loose slippers. Opening the door with the key that I keep in my breast pocket, I enter the room and it's as messy as I've left it... maybe even worse.
My legs trudge through the clothes scattered on the ground and I bring my arm to open up the wardrobe, to dig out my luggage. Having a bit of difficulty pulling the large gray bag from the bottom compartment of the wooden chest, I pretty much dropped the dusty thing onto the ground.
I was surprised to find that la commare secca was the one to fill me in, "How fast can you pack your things?"
"Where am I going?" I look up to Timoteo to find some kind of answer.
He replied, "Not too far, just the next city over. You'll be staying with an acquaintance of mine. You'll be safe there."
That was the end of our little conversation before he left the room with la commare secca who were talking to one another privately outside the bedroom. I didn't bother trying to listen in, I was too fed up.
The Vongola boss somehow forgot to mention that I'd be indebted to him... quite literally. I actually wondered how much I owed him. A lot I would guess, but even then, I don't think that I could really pay him back.
Timoteo... or should I say the Ninth paid off my boss who I'm sure was glad that he could drop me and is most likely celebrating the fact that I wouldn't be working for him anymore. But fuck, I was so fucking frustrated that I lost that job! I worked my ass off to get to where I was, even if I had a measly pay and worked over time all the time, I still liked working as a photo journalist.
Now, there was this huge ass gap in my life with absolutely nothing to fill the void.
I fling my clothes into the large bag, not even caring in the slightest that my clothes would get even more wrinkled, but who was I going to impress my new landlady?
Apparently, the Ninth also paid off the damages made in my apartment and paid off Padrona di casa Stefani, so I had just today to clean out the room and be gone with the wind. I thought it was hard to imagine living a life where everything I built and everything I worked for could disappear so quickly.
Shit, I got something in my eye.
I take a moment to wipe away the stray tears from my eyes, before he came in to see the progress I was making.
"Are you done yet?" He pompously entered the room, kicking my clothes aside with his foot and creating a pathway into the room for himself.
...Did it look like I was done? I wanted to say out loud, but I didn't bother wasting my breath for someone like him. He wasn't blind, I'm almost certain that he could see perfectly fine, so the jerk was just pointing out the obvious to be fucking annoying.
Plus, if you're wondering why he's here, the Ninth assigned him to be like... a bodyguard of mine. It wasn't hard to figure out that he was only there in my room to escort me to my destination and to keep a watchful eye on me for the time being.
"Hmm..." He is thinking over something he's seen in my room, but I am focused on jamming all my clothes into my luggage. I just packed in my winter jacket, autumn sweaters and spring long sleeve shirts. There are just some pieces of jewellery and my summer ensembles left to pack in that old bag.
"I wouldn't suspect you to be a B34; I always seemed to think you were an A." All I could see is red and I could almost feel the comical steam rushing out from my ears.
I stand up abruptly, pivot on one foot and immediately yank the pale cream nude brassiere out of his hand and acid hisses out each syllable being spouted out from my lips, "Don't. Touch. My. Things."
His charcoal eyes gazes blankly into my own. If he's thinking of scaring me with a little death glare or something, he has another thing coming. Instead, he approaches me like a silent shadow and towers over me.
His voice is emotionless and his words are spoken with a severe tone, slicing through the air I'm breathing, "Don't assume I'll follow your orders."
I couldn't help but shudder unconsciously. I look down at the ground, turn around and go back to stuffing the crap out of my luggage. I don't feel like repeating the fiasco of our first official meeting.
His soundless footsteps glide to the window of the apartment and once he's out of earshot, I begin my grumbling rant under my breath. Shitty no good sonofa...
"Work faster," He orders from across the room. Leaning against the wooden frame to peer down at the urban life below, his arms cross his chest and that green thing is on the top of his fedora hat.
Work faster my ass! I like my pace, thank you very much.
I jam the last of my undergarments into the sleeve pockets of the bag and I plop myself on top of the luggage to make sure it wouldn't suddenly blow up from its over-stuffing. Thankfully, it didn't, which meant that my clothes and such are safe. I wipe the tiny remnants of perspiration from my brow, a job well...
"You must feel awfully proud," His condescending voice interrupts my thoughts, "It took you long enough, let's go."
Sadistic and bossy, he definitely fits my idealistic profile for a boyfriend.
...I didn't just think that. I didn't mean that I thought that he... I'm being sarcastic, get it together Amaranta!
La commare secca exits the apartment first, having taken my luggage from my hands since he thinks that I couldn't carry it. I look back at the empty room, thinking back to how it looked like when I was still living in it. My legs felt like lead and I didn't want to move from my spot, right in front of the doorway to the apartment. I would miss this place like crazy; it was my first home away from home. This room was my beginning to my urban city life. Closing the door behind me, I realize how hard it must have been for Nonno when I left the house. My memories are all that is left in my old apartment and they would stay there, even though everything has been stripped clean of my existence.
"Goodbye." I murmur softly.
I plant my apartment key in Padrona di casa Stefani's mail box since her tiny office was dark and she obviously wasn't home. I suspect that she was off grocery shopping or something. I never bothered to get to know her.
I exit the building and walk over to the car with the engine running. As expected, he's already patiently waiting in the driver's seat, tapping his slim fingers away on the wheel to a melody I'm not familiar with. I circle to the opposite side to the front passenger seat and it starts sprinkling from the heavens. It is oddly fitting in this situation and not to mention really cliché.
The rhythmic dance of the raindrops pounding onto the car reverberates into a soothing melody and attempts to sing me to sleep like a little lullaby. The water streams down the windows, the raindrops running separate courses until the tiny droplets meld together and create larger ones. The windshield wipers shook to life, swinging left to right then right to left in a repetitive pattern. Soon afterwards, I find my eyes are closing shut. I'm drifting softly away into a quiet place, without any care in the world. I just want to sleep, even for a little while.
But like I said, my luck is shit.
Unexpectedly, my body is jerked forward roughly that the air is practically ripped away from my lungs with the seatbelt clenching tightly against my chest. I am quickly slammed back into my chair and I am gasping for air like a fish out of water. Fuck...! What the hell was that? I struggle to turn my head around to see the damn fucker who bumped into us from the back, but his hand presses against my body back into the car seat.
"Just sit back," His eyes darkened considerably as he looked towards his side, glaring at the mirror attached at the front, "This is going to get rough."
I could just slap myself for the shrill childish voice erupting from my throat, "W-what, why?"
"Some old friends of yours want to play a game with us," The green lizard drops down from the death reaper's fedora and squirms down his arm into his free hand.
Friends...? He's got to be kidding!
I watch as the lizard glows a white light and transforms into what looks like a hand gun. I don't know about you, but I know that regular fucking lizards don't fucking do that! I didn't know how to react; I am left with my mouth wide open and my eyes bulging at the gun in the reaper's hand.
"H-how...?" I chocked on my words and watched as he pointed the green gun in my face.
I could hear separate roars of gunshots outside and the shrill cry of metal scraping against metal. I unconsciously slid down my seat and crouched over my own lap.
Oh god, they were shooting at us!
"Hey," He barked beside me, "do you know how to drive?"
"Me? Drive? I-I don't."
The death reaper could smirk even under these circumstances, "Time to learn how."
...I bet he was fucking enjoying this!
The car entered into a sharp turn, swerving to the left then right and I, being thrown around like a rag doll, manage to get the tip of my nose to brush against his shoulder.
"I can't get a good shot like this..." Bullets whirred in from the back window and I let out a scream, our car made a sloppy turn to avoid the onslaught of the fired tiny 'missiles' aimed at our heads. I could see from the rear view mirror that the back window was cracked with two holes at the center of the glass. The rain was entering in from the orifices and wet the back seats with droplets of rain.
Oh fuck, fuck, fuck! We're gonna die!
Not even looking back, the death reaper pointed his gun at the rear window and proceeded to shoot at our enemies. The window shattered after the third bullet and consequently, the front wind shield of the car following us blew out, showering our enemies with fragments of glass. The driver lost control of the vehicle and the car swerved violently in the opposite direction. It only took mere seconds for the driver to recover before coming right at us again with more bullets to shoot at us.
"Take the wheel," He ordered before I could complain and cranked his seat lower, making it easier for him to access the back seat, "and keep it steady!"
My fingers were fucking shaking as they pressed the button to release me from the protection of the seat beat. I swear, if I mess up, he'll probably be thrown right of the rear! I crawl hesitantly over to his seat just as he slid his body back. I immediately gripped onto the wheel and lowered my head enough so that I wouldn't get shot.
I focused all my attention on trying to keep the car straight because it started to sway from side to side like a drunken man. All I could hear is gunshots whizzing through the air and my heavy breathing. There's a corner coming up ahead and I didn't bother making the turn, I ram the front of the car into a small cluster of trashcans and the tires screech at my sloppy attempt of a curved turn. I bite back the scream by biting down on my lower lip; my teeth break the skin and make me bleed. The poor car is basically attached to the wall at this point, scrapping the paint off the side of the car and probably creating a huge gash. I could see the sparks flying off the metal.
There is a scream and the car behind us falls back. The death reaper regains his hold of the wheel and made a right turn, leaving the enemy behind. I didn't have the courage to look behind us to check if they were still on our tail. My breath quickens into quick sharp gasps and I think my heart is going to explode. My palms are sweating out of fear and my body is shuddering.
The car came to a smooth halt and I immediately bolted from the seat, opening the driver's door and fall down to the asphalt on my hands and knees. I was quivering like a shaken leaf and I could taste the bile rising in my throat. My hand reaches for my mouth, but I react too slowly since the little meal I ate yesterday erupted from my lips. I sputter, cough and choke everything I had. A putrid sourness tainted my palette and nose, forcing me to practically heave my stomach empty. I couldn't tell if I was crying since the relentless rain is pounding down on me from above.
"Deep breaths," His voice rang in my ears, I swallow down the saliva and blood dripping from my lip. Stopping myself from emptying my guts, I press my palm to my mouth. I inhale then exhale, in and out. I felt so hollow inside like every single bit of my innards is ripped out of me.
I wipe the gunk off my chin and try to stand on my own two feet, but hell, I was still so goddamn helpless. He grabbed my right arm to steady me, then turning me to face him; he brushes away the bangs in front of my face. I take a step forward but my knee buckles and I almost fall on my face, but he happens to catch me.
...I know I look like shit and probably smell too. I know that he may think that I'm just downright fucking disgusting right now. But he doesn't say anything; he wordlessly pulls me towards the car, settles me into the back seat and adjusts my seat belt. He takes off his black coat to reveal a white button up shirt and drapes the wet thing across my shoulders. Funny thing is, is that it's warm...
He settles into the driver's seat and I don't know what happened after, my eyes close, letting me drift into unconsciousness.
I didn't notice that the car stopped until he closed the driver's door shut. I blink my eyes a couple of times and wipe the tiny crust at the corners of my eyes. My shoulders and neck are fucking stiff, fuck, probably the muscles are sore from being hunched for too long. The sky is darkened and it looked like it finally stopped raining. He opens the passenger door for me and I slip out, holding onto the door so that I wouldn't fall. I was still woozy after all, and fuck, who could really blame me?
Locking the car, he takes a hold of my right hand and leads me into what looks like a hotel. It is a tall large white building with a giant black awning at the front of the establishment and there was the typical red carpet leading into the hotel. The valet out in front took the keys from the reaper's hands and drove the rundown car away.
Damn, it looks like a broken down second hand car... pretty much, a hunk of junk.
The moment I step into the hotel, the thoughts running through my head make me feel... embarrassed. I mean, compared to the death reaper, I look like a shitty homeless person or something in this high class hotel!
La commare secca chuckles at my expression and I shift my neck to stare at him, "Hmm, I think you look great."
...Fucking liar. I felt the urge to wipe the smirk off his face, but I just didn't have the energy. I'd let him have his little victory, this time.
"Ah Senior Reborn," The head clerk announced, approaching us from the main desk in the lobby, "we have been expecting you."
So, his name is Reborn... What a name. It's most likely an alias.
The sleek haired gentleman hands the reaper a key, "Your room is on the fifth floor, room number five twenty-two. Please, enjoy your stay and contact us if you need anything."
The death reaper...Reborn nods and I couldn't help but flush in embarrassment at the bright smile the head clerk is giving me. I didn't dwell on the thought for too long since the guy drags me into the elevator.
The elevator makes a clear ring as it closes its doors and I remove myself from his grip, leaning myself on the wall closest to me. I slip off the coat off my shoulders, fold it and hand it back to him.
He accepts it, while I try and straighten myself a bit. I comb down my hair as best as I could, but fuck, I know my hair is lopsided and tangled. I brush down my clothes with my palms, but I do more harm than good by making more wrinkles appear.
"It doesn't matter," Reborn states in the quiet, "we'll be in a private suite."
I mutter a soft, "Oh."
Shit... A private suite that was most likely arranged and paid by the Ninth before we even got to the hotel. I'm way past broke at this point thinking about how much I have to re-pay the Ninth.
The elevator lets out another ring to open its doors and we both step out. The hallway is quiet and empty as we walk down the long length of carpet. Reborn leading in front, while I followed from behind. I am a prisoner after all, in this war between mafia families.
He opens the door with the key in his hand and pushes it open.
Dropping my luggage, he proceeds to seat himself on a chair, "Wash up and sleep early. We're leaving tomorrow morning."
I nod slowly and notice how large the entire suite is. With my non-existent salary, I was comfortable in my snug apartment, but this huge accommodation made my room pale in comparison. There was a red couch covered in luxurious silk with matching pillows and a middle sized ebony coffee table on a cream nude carpeting. The giant television set stuck in front of the coffee table and completed the entertainment center. The chair Reborn is sitting on is part of the dining area of the room.
I walk into the open double doors to see the bedroom with one bed. What hit me the hardest is the fact that there is only one bed...Although it was a double king sized bed; it is still just one bed.
"Umm," I walk out of the bedroom and Reborn turns to look at me, "how is our sleeping arrangement gonna work?"
"We're sharing the bed... unless of course," He sent me a cruel dastardly smile, "you want to sleep on the floor, darling."
Darling... Damn fucker, you go fucking sleep on the damn floor!
...What the hell!
I hissed in disbelief, "This isn't...!"
He answered my question with another, "So, will you be taking a shower darling, or shall I go first?"
ARGH! He is so damn fucking ridiculous!
Yellow-Sama Says... Seeing as how my last update was too short to compensate for my long absence, I wrote out this really long chapter. The chapter is roughly three thousand and nine hundred words, even though I planned for the chapter to only be two thousand words long. I tried hard not to make it end off in a cliff-hanger this time. So, I hope the ending of the chapter is not considered to be one in your books. If it is, you know I tried. I had a lot of trouble with writing the action scenes in this chapter, especially in figuring out the car terminology. Thankfully, my father helped me out quite a bit. Although, it comes to show that I really need to read some action stories or watch some action movies to get the scenes down pat.
I'd like to thank my regulars: 10th Squad 3rd Seat, Ashj and Something Written and a new comer, Dragonet-Dialga123 for reviewing. I really loved the reviews I received; your reviews literally motivated me to write this very long chapter. Grace made me laugh when she called me a "sadistic MONSTER" in her review; it got me into thinking of changing my username to that little nickname... Plus, I'm glad there are flaws to Amaranta that some readers do not like about her, I mean to tell the truth, there are times when I don't even like her.
Plus, I just wanted to point out that I'm also working on other fanfictions on other sites, so check out my main page for more details.
Happy Holidays~
