A Royal Return
Chapter Nine
"Hmm? Confused?" Lussuria repeated as he poured Byakuran a glass of water. After handing off the glass, he went back to cutting up fruit for lunch.
"Yeah...," Byakuran sighed. "I just called Irie Shouichi. He's grown to be a sweet young man. I dunno... I guess I kinda miss the times. We used to be such good friends... until he turned around and stabbed me in the back." The albino's expression became clouded with anger as he remembered the moment he found out Shouichi had been a spy.
"Oh, hun... Calm down, now," Lussuria hushed. "He did what he did for the world. Sometimes, even the ones close to you must make these decisions for the greater good. Don't be frustrated by what he did. Instead, wonder how you can regain his trust."
BEEP.
Byakuran looked down at his phone, and saw a text from Shouichi. 'Why did you hang up?'
The albino tensed. "What do I say...?" he wondered aloud.
"Hmm," Lussuria hummed. "The best thing would probably be the truth, but... in this situation... Call him back, and apologize. Okay, hun?"
"But...," Byakuran began, but catching the expression in Lussuria's face, he quieted himself and called Shouichi.
(... "Hello? Byakuran-san?")
"I'm sorry, Shou-chan," the albino sighed. He looked at Lussuria, who immediately mouthed, 'Truth.' Rolling his eyes, the white-haired male muttered, "I guess I was a little jealous of Tsunayoshi-kun."
("J... Jealous?")
"Yeah. I... I miss you, Shou-chan. I miss Choice. I miss making up games and developing technology with you at my side. I miss... I miss the relationship we had years ago."
("... I'm sorry.")
"Huh?"
("Times have changed, Byakuran... After what you did... The havoc you caused... How can I ever completely trust you again?")
"... How can I get your trust back?" the albino murmured.
("... I'm sorry. I... I don't think that's even possible.")
With that, the line was disconnected, and Byakuran felt his heart boiling with anger. How dare Shouichi dispose of him like this! They had been friends! The closest of allies! The albino slowly slipped the phone into the Varia uniform he'd changed into that morning, and he murmured, "I'm going to... go take a nap or something..." Hanging his head, the sugar-loving man began to walk away, not even bothering to look up when he ran into someone. "Excuse me...," he mumbled.
"VOOOI! WHAT ARE YOU SULKING AROUND FOR, DAMN BABY?" Squalo roared, shoving the albino away. Byakuran stumbled back, landing painfully on the ground, and he glared up at Squalo, his amethyst eyes blazing. The shark paused when he saw this frustrated expression, and he sighed. "Look, Byakuran," he growled, kneeling down. "I don't know what you're freaking upset about, but I'm willing to hear you out. What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, all right? Don't act like you care," Byakuran muttered, starting to get to his feet. Lussuria immediately dashed over to the other and helped him up, but Byakuran angrily brushed him off. "I need some time alone, all ri-" He cut himself off when he was suddenly pulled into a tight and suffocating embrace by Squalo. He blushed, and tried to push the other away. "Get off!" he protested. "I don't need a hug, okay?"
"Stop spewing your crap, you trash," Squalo sighed. Slowly but surely, Byakuran began to relax, and he was soon hanging limply within the other's embrace, his head against Squalo's shoulder.
"What's... happening to me...?" he whispered in frustration.
"By the sound of it, you've got feelings for the red-haired brat," Squalo sighed. "Look, Byakuran, whether you realize it or not, prison does things to you. It changes you. You start to feel lonely, and if you don't realize it, then you unconciously try to hoarde whatever affection you can get. We know this for sure, because Fran's pineapple master used to have the same deal going on. So you need to freaking realize that we're here for you, and that you don't need to root around for love like a little kid. If you're really into Shouichi, then you have our full support."
The albino closed his eyes, trying to completely calm down. "Squ-chan," he murmured. "... I apologize. I'm not a man who's meant to look sad in any situation." He looked up, and he was smiling once more. "Sorry, Squ~ I'm better now. Promise!"
Squalo sighed, pushing the other away, and Byakuran left the room, then headed on to Belphegor and Fran's room, in which he was going to take that nap.
Meanwhile, in the Vongola Base...
"Here, Yamamoto," said Lal Mirch, handing the shot to the Vongola's Rain guardian. "You've been eager to see him since he fell ill, and Tsunayoshi isn't available right now. You do it." The swordsman nodded, and walked into the room with a mask, up to the pale Storm guardian.
"Gokudera... he murmured, picking up the bomber's arm. "I promise this will make you better." He slowly injected the silverette with the shot, watching as Gokudera's expression tensed for a moment, before relaxing again. Yamamoto bit his lip, hoping that this was truly going to work. As the bomber beside him panted softly, the baseball player leaned in, and gave him a hug. "Get well...," he mumured, closing his eyes.
"... Yama..."
The raven-haired male glanced at Gokudera, suprised, but he saw that the other was barely coming out of his coma, and needed a lot more rest. That in mind, he smiled, and rubbed the other's chest, before standing, and leaving the infirmary. "I gave him the shot," he murmured.
"Good. Hopefully, that works," Lal sighed. "After all... according to Tsunayoshi, the formula was given to us by Byakuran..."
"It's all right. What reason does he have to give us a false cure for something that would kill Gokudera?" Lambo laughed. "That just seems silly."
"Lambo...," Lal sighed, before pushing the Lightning towards the kitchen. Yamamoto stared after them, a touch of sadness in his gaze.
'Gokudera won't die,' he told himself. 'I trust Byakuran. Everyone has a little goodness inside of them, after all.'
A few hours later...
CREAK.
Everyone turned towards the infirmary door, to see Gokudera lumber out of it, Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto supporting him as he walked out.
"Gokudera, you're all right! Thank goodness!" sighed a relieved Haru.
"I'm so glad Hayato's okay...," murmured Bianchi.
"Alive to live another day, hm, Stupidera?" Lambo laughed. Gokudera gave him a weak glare.
"Shut up, cow... Uff..."
"I think we need to think of a way to repay Byakuran," Tsunayoshi murmured. "Yamamoto, take Gokudera to his room, please. Shouichi-kun, come with me." The mechanic obediently followed Tsunayoshi back to the meeting room, and the two sat down beside each other at the table, as usual. "Well? Any ideas?"
"Um... well... uh...," Shouichi murmured. "Ah... Am I really the one to be asking, Tsuna? Um... I mean... you see... he called me earlier. And uh..."
"Yes, Shouichi?" Tsunayoshi questioned.
"... I think he wants to be friends with me again...," the red-haired male mumbled, blushing a little. "I... I don't know what to say to him."
"... You know, we have his box weapon. We confiscated it, and the Mare ring has been destroyed. If Byakuran is given a B-class ring, and if you and Spanner find a way to reduce his White Dragon's power, we can give him back his box weapon."
"B-but to mail a box weapon... wouldn't that be really dangerous?" Shouichi protested.
"Actually, I think it's best if he comes to our base here in Japan," Tsuna answered. "After all, since he cured Gokudera, I would like to meet him again. And I believe it would be best if you and him... make up."
Shouichi turned away, his cheeks darkening until they were the same shade as his hair. "Um... T-Tsuna-san... I think... I should tell you..."
Tsunayoshi smiled, and placed a hand on Shouichi's shoulder. "Do you love him?" he whispered. Shouichi's beet-red blush turned crimson.
"N-no! Of course not... that's..."
The mechanic doubled over from the pain of a fierce stomachache, and Tsunayoshi continued, "It's all right. I've learned that between men, there is a certain attraction the more you think you hate each other. Just like how Hibari-san and Mukuro fell for each other. How Squalo and Xanxus became lovers... and how Belphegor and Fran-san became lovers. You and Byakuran... maybe you were made for each other."
Shouichi stood up, and stormed out of the room immediately, his face burning with embarassment. Tsunayoshi stared after him, sighing. "There I go again. No tact," he muttered.
When Shouichi entered his room, Spanner was lying on his bed, reading a book, a lollipop in his mouth. "Hey, Shouichi. You got a text."
"Hi... Spanner...," Shouichi sighed, joining the mechanic on the king-sized bed they shared. He picked up his phone, and looked at the text.
'From Byakuran:
'I'm sorry. Please forgive me.'
Shouichi frowned. The text was only received a few minutes ago. He closed his phone. "Spanner," he sighed. "What would you do if someone you once loved, someone who betrayed you, decided to come back and try to be friends again?"
"This is about Byakuran, isn't it?"
Shouichi blushed. "Why does everyone immediately assume it's Byakuran?" he muttered.
"Haha! You and I both know about that meeting," Spanner said. "Remember? When he had a meeting with us mechanics? You were there with him, and we mechanics from Black Spell just saw the video feed."
Flashback...
Shouichi and Byakuran were sitting beside each other on the sofa, looking into his computer screen.
"... In short, we want to make flame boots for everyone so that we can all move faster," Shouichi said. "Remember. We are no longer Gesso and Giglionero. We are Millefiore."
"Fufu~ I love your formality, Shou-chan," Byakuran said, reaching an arm around the red-haired male's shoulders and grinning at the computer. "Isn't he just adorable?" The albino leaned in, and pecked Shouichi on the cheek. "Fufu~ And you taste like marshmallows!" he laughed. Shouichi just barely managed to switch off the power on the laptop, before Byakuran met their lips together for the first time.
It had been so wrong. So weird, and so foreign. It was something so repulsive that Shouichi had long since blocked it from his memory. But even so... somehow... this one, accidental kiss was a memory that he knew he'd treasure for life. He loved the feeling that Byakuran gave him.
Even though at the same time it made him sick.
End Flashback.
Shouichi was curled up on the bed after recalling the ordeal. "My stomach hurts," he mumbled. Spanner sighed, and gently rubbed Shouichi's shoulders.
"It's all right. Here, take this," he sighed, handing the other a lollipop.
"Thanks, Spanner...," Shouichi murmured.
-End Chapter
As you can tell, I'm ready for some drama. XD
Please keep reviewing! If we're really lucky, I might finish the first story before vacation!
But that will take a LOT of reviews!
