A/n: Hello, Ladies and Gents! Welcome to chapter 10! I'm terribly sorry it took so long…but a lot happens in this chapter; lots of introductions and antics, that's for sure. So if you'll forgive my lateness, please enjoy chapter 10!
Disclaimer: Of course, I don't own KHR. Those rights belong to Akira Amano. Sadly. You know my views on that.
Please enjoy!
"Mukuro-sama?"
The blue haired man opened his eyes with a violent gasp, pushing up off his back into sitting position and blinking away the sleep from his eyes. The soft grass beneath his hands swayed in the slight breeze, and the light, sweet air billowed around him soothingly.
He recognized where he was immediately, and squeezed his eyes shut, trying desperately to wake himself from the bittersweet dream.
"Nii-san?"
The girl's voice came from behind him this time, sounding like chimes in his ear. He whirled around suddenly, grabbing the girl by the shoulders before she could move again. He had learned the tricks by now. He knew what to do to hold her in place.
Instead of looking scared, as he had thought she would, the girl looked mildly surprised and was beaming. Her dark purple hair was down, swaying around her shoulders in the breeze. Her eye patch was tied around her head like a headband, leaving both of her eyes open for scrutiny; once purple, and one red, both glinting with excitement. The simple white dress she wore fitted her loosely, perfect for the summery temperature of the land.
"Nii-san, I'm so happy to see you! You rarely ever come anymore…don't you miss me?"
Mukuro's eyes widened in shock, and he pulled the smaller girl into a hug. "Nagi! Of course I miss you! I've just been…preoccupied. My apologies, many apologies…"
He could feel her shaking her head in his embrace, and she pushed herself out of his arms. She took a few steps back, staring at him sadly.
"It's Chrome now, Mukuro-sama. I'm not Nagi anymore. You know that."
"Na – Chrome. Right. My mistake."
An awkward silence settled over the pair. The older male stared intently at the gently waving grass, avoiding eye contact with one of only two people who could read him like an open book. The girl who looked so much like him stared off into the open sky, watching the happy white clouds float silently by. In the distance, she could see a storm brewing on the horizon. Her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Nii-san? Is everything alright?"
He made the mistake of looking up, facing her with tortured eyes. Her eyes widened, taking a step backwards and falling on the ground.
"Mukuro?"
He laughed bitterly, already feeling the tug of his consciousness, pulling him from this heavenly hell. He stood and braced himself, turning his back on the girl in the grass.
"Goodbye, Nagi. You can't help me."
He felt her stand up, heard her start toward him.
"MUKURO!"
He was gone.
(line)
Fran awoke to the feeling of cool tile against his cheek, and the scratchy material of a towel wrapped around his waist. The only things in his immediate vision were a vast expanse of off-white porcelain, and a little bit of light green tile. He blinked.
What the hell?
He pushed up off the floor, wincing as his neck and spine creaked and cracked, courtesy of sleeping on a hard tile floor all night. His shoulder ached for some reason, and it took him a good three minutes of sitting and staring around his surroundings to remember what had happened the night before. With a curse, Fran jumped up and stared intently in the mirror, tilting his shoulder toward the glass to try and catch a glimpse of what he knew was there.
Yup. There it is.
The X was an angry red; still healing and scarring over from last night. The only consolation that Fran could muster for himself was that Bel was nursing a similar wound. In fact, it made Fran feel immensely better. Maybe next time, Bel will think twice about inflicting pain… The instant he thought it, Fran shook his head in disbelief and laughed at himself quietly. Bel would never change.
As his memory woke up further, the smile slowly dripped from the teen's face. Byakuran. Byakuran knew who he was, and he had been too distraught last night to let Bel or anyone else know. At the thought of the prince, Fran cast a questioning look at the still locked door of the bathroom. He couldn't still be outside…could he?
Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, the teen dropped to his hands and knees and scuttled over to the locked door. His shoulder protested a bit, especially when he bent his head sideways to peer under the crack of the door, but he ignored the twinges of pain. As far as he could see, there was no one on the other side, but his range of vision was limited. Fran bit his lip in thought, weighing his options. He doubted that Bel would actually kill him…but then again, this was Bel he was talking about…
Fran blinked and shook his head, forcing himself to stop thinking. He reached for the doorknob, unlocked it with a twist of the handle, and stepped out of the bathroom for the first time in at least twelve hours. His shoulders were tense, waiting to be jumped, braced for an attack that would never come.
The room was empty and silent. One of the windows was open, letting in the crisp November air. Fran shivered violently, sliding silently over to the window and snapping it shut, locking it with a twist. He doubted he would open any windows in his room until after he turned eighteen. After that, even, if Byakuran continued to hunt him. He doubted the man would stop trying to kill him just because he was officially eighteen. In fact, he found extremely improbable.
This time, his thoughts were disturbed by loud laughter from the lower levels. Fran lifted his head in interest, padding over to the bedroom door and opening it a crack, smiling inwardly when the sound intensified.
His interest piqued, the teen scrambled about his room, exchanging his scratchy towel for clothes suitable for company. He pawed through his limited collection, settling for a simple black tee, a pair of blue jeans, and the ever present frog hat, tilted over his eyes to cast a mysterious shadow. He went barefoot. After he put on the hat, it crossed his mind that Bel's crown was curiously missing from his head. He would bet any amount of money that the blonde had snatched it back without him knowing.
Another round of laughter from below spurred Fran back into motion. He left his room silently, running down the huge spiral staircase and pausing for a second to try and locate the source of the laughter. The other models weren't making it very difficult. Another peal of raucous laughter filtered through the open doors of the main lounge area, and Fran shook his head slightly as he snuck up to the room and poked his head in.
The room was full of people he didn't know. He had seen them around, of course, but Fran doubted if he could pick even one of them out of a list of names. There were a few he recognized from his first day here, like the boyish guy with short spiky hair, who was rolling on the floor with laughter, while another man with short silver hair yelled at him, his face covered in a red blush. Nearby, a group of young teens were arguing about something, each one holding a card in their hands and making extreme gestures with them. One was tall and thin, with curly black hair and lime green eyes, another was rather short, with her hair divided into two black pigtails, and the last was blonde, blue-eyed, and dwarfed his two companions in regard to height. He seemed to be winning the argument.
Continuing on down the line, Fran blinked when he recognized Tsuna sitting among the group. His usually stoic face was curled up in laughter, and he was leaning heavily on a dark shadow of a man, whose cold grey eye surveyed the room in a smug manner. Fran moved his own gaze quickly away from the man. Something about him screamed 'predator'.
The teen also recognized Colonello, but the blonde wasn't paying any attention to the scene in front of him. He was gazing out the window, a dazed expression on his face. He seemed to be mulling over something important, while at the same time impatiently waiting for something to happen. Sitting next to Colonello was another familiar looking man, his orange striped fedora tipped over his eyes to hide his expression, although Fran could see the beginnings of a smirk forming on his lips. Suddenly, the man snapped his head up, catching Fran's gaze full on. His black eyes were shining with some kind of hidden light, as if he knew all of the teen's secrets just by looking at him.
Fran shuddered, breaking away from the man's gaze to continue his sweep of the room. He finally found the Varia, nestled in the corner of the room and keeping to themselves, as usual. Xanxus was watching the antics with something akin to amusement, while Squalo and Bel were laughing the loudest of the entire group. The silver crown glinted mockingly in the blonde's light hair, proving Fran correct in his previous thought. Fran was surprised and slightly horrified to find Mukuro sitting with this group as well, a small smile plastered on his lips. He was eyeing Tsuna with a sort of heartbroken desolation, but the brunette didn't glance his way once. Whether or not the cold front was intentional, Mukuro was certainly taking a few hits to his ego. Fran tried to be indifferent, but he found that even though the man had betrayed him, he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him. He was clearly distraught.
Just as Fran was about to slip quietly back upstairs – where Mukuro was, Byakuran was sure to follow, and he didn't want to deal with that – the guy with short black hair noticed him in the doorway, and a huge smile split across his face.
"Hey! New kid! C'mon in here! We don't bite…" He dipped his eye into a wink, ushering Fran into the room with a wave of his hand. The teen shook his head, trying to send every signal he could that he didn't want to, but the man would have none of it. He and his silver haired friend, apparently on the same wavelength, got up at the same time and lunged for the door, each of them grabbing on of Fran's arms and pulling him forcibly into the room. Fran hadn't even had time to take another step backwards.
Damn, they're fast…
And suddenly, Fran was seated on the floor amongst all the others, his hat dipped as low as it could go over his face, and his emotions sealed behind a perfectly stoic mask.
I don't want to be here, I don't want to be here, I don't want…
"Well, now that you're here, you have to introduce yourself! We haven't seen you since you got here, and that's just not right. You're one of us. So you should act like it." The spiky haired male was talking again. Fran decided he was a little too happy for his tastes. Apparently, his sliver haired companion thought the same. He delivered a sharp whack upside the head to the black haired male, who yelped and rubbed the injury sheepishly.
"What'd you do that for, 'Dera? I was just saying…"
"Yeah? Well you're freaking me out with all the overbearing kindness; and if you're freaking me out, I can only imagine what you're doing to the kid. Tone it down, Takeshi."
The other man raised his hands in mock defense, leaning away and laughing. "Oh, name change! Scary, scary! Excuse me, while I go cower in fear…" Fran raised an eyebrow as the man proceeded to do just that. He crawled over to one corner of the room and began to rock back and forth, muttering things under his breath and 'sobbing'. Fran had to fight back an eye-roll at the sight; the silver haired man, however, had no such restraints. He 'tch-ed' and shook his head, rolling his eyes so far toward the ceiling that Fran thought they would pop right out of his head.
"Idiot."
He returned his attention to the still-silent teenager, who was apparently trying to sit on as little of the floor as possible: his arms were straining in an effort to keep himself upright, and he looked like he was about to bolt for the door at any given moment.
Maybe there's a reason he doesn't hang out around people…
But the man dismissed the thought with a shake of his head, shifting his body weight so that he was sitting next to the teen. He tried to ignore it when the younger male leaned away slightly.
"Hey, kid. Time for introductions, yeah? I'm Gokudera Hayato, and that idiot is Yamamoto Takeshi." He paused, giving the teen a few seconds to reply. When it became obvious that he wasn't going to, Gokudera shrugged and continued.
"Those three bozos are Lambo, I-Pin, and…Basil, are you still arguing over that? You're nineteen! Stop fighting with the kids!" The blonde-blue-eyed boy looked over his shoulder, flipped Gokudera the bird, and continued to argue with the two younger teens.
"Honestly, I don't even know why he's here. He already has a job, and it sure as hell isn't modeling. Anyway, moving on. You know Tsuna, of course." The slight brunet had been trying to bring order to his flyaway hair. He looked up sheepishly at the sound of his name and waved. The man sitting next to him smirked. He eyed Fran in a very confrontational way, as if he would pick a fight at any moment.
"That's Hibari. I'd stay away from him. He's about as cuddly as a feral cat."
Even though Hibari's current position – sitting quite close to Tsuna with one arm slung around his shoulders – contradicted Gokudera's statement, Fran decided that he wouldn't take chances. Hibari seemed like he wouldn't appreciate cuddling with anyone else.
"Let's see…over there, being a love-struck moron, is Colonello. Have you met him? I think you have…I don't remember…" Fran nodded his head slightly, still feeling immensely uncomfortable in this crowd. Looking at Colonello, though, he had to agree with Gokudera's statement. The blonde hadn't even looked up at the sound of the name. He just stared out the window, twisting a couple of the pillow fringes around in his fingers absentmindedly. He was the picture of a love-struck teenager. Fran had to bite back a smile at the sight.
Perhaps these guys weren't so bad.
"Ah…and that's Reborn. He's the head of the Arcobaleno; he kinda keeps to himself, so I wouldn't worry about running into him." Fran wanted to ask what would happen if he did run into him, but another flat black glance from the man froze his words in his throat. This man was scary, in a different way than Hibari. It was almost as if the man could see right through every lie he had ever told, right into the heart of his soul. Fran shivered again and quickly redirected his gaze. It was the stare of a killer.
"Oi, bomb-freak. Aren't you gonna introduce us? Shi shi shi~"
Fran heard Gokudera sigh in exasperation as he turned to face the final group.
"Actually, no, since I'm pretty sure this kid knows who you are. Well maybe not Mukuro but…hey, kid. That's Mukuro. The petty magician who wants to be on top of the world." The disdain was clear in the silver haired man's voice, and Fran wondered what Mukuro had done to upset him.
Despite the man's betrayal, Fran felt like he had to defend him somehow. "He's not a petty magician, Gokudera-san. In fact, I studied under him for about a year. He's about as real as it gets, and as good as you could ever find."
Silence settled over the room after his statement. Fran didn't really understand why his opinion was so radical, but the fact that he could hear Gokudera's heartbeat through the silence was making him uncomfortable. He shifted around on the floor, trying to get to a more comfortable position, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tsuna do the same. The brunet was staring intently at the ground, a light blush dusting across his cheeks. Fran saw him shoot a glance at Mukuro, but the look was so fleeting, he doubted it had even really happened.
Something definitely happened between the two of them.
Colonello blinked and shook his head, as if waking from a long sleep, and looked around the silent room. He glanced at each frozen figure, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"What'd I miss?"
Of course, that was really the only thing that could have broken the awkward silence. Everyone, with the exception of Hibari and Reborn, burst into peals of laughter. Even Fran had to struggle to keep his composure; Colonello's comment had come with such good timing. Sure enough, by the time everyone had regained composure, they had forgotten why they were silent in the first place.
"Anyway, kid. I've introduced everyone. Now it's your turn." Gokudera grinned at him goodheartedly, and Fran bit back a sigh. He was the center of everyone's attention again, and he just wanted to get it over with.
"My name's Fran. It's a pleasure to meet all of you." He dipped his head in a little bow, causing Gokudera and Yamamoto to laugh out loud.
"He's so formal! Honestly kid, where'd you learn to speak like that?"
Fran decided to keep silent. He had learned from experience that, when you worked at a bar, people liked you better if you were pretty and polite. Also, when every other word that comes out of your co-workers' mouths is a swearword, sometimes the only intelligent company you can find is yourself. So Fran strive to sound as intelligent as possible. After all, it was his 'smart' mouth that got him here in the first place, wasn't it?
But all the response he gave to the still-laughing duo was a shrug and a blank look. He didn't feel like explaining all of that to them. Fran cast his gaze around the room, settling on the arguing trio; they had stopped their bickering when the room had fallen silent, but now they were at it again with a vengeance.
"So…what were you all laughing at before? Before I came in. Seemed like it was a riot."
It was a ploy to get the attention off of him, and thankfully it worked. Squalo spoke up for the first time, his loud voice carrying out across the entire room.
"Oh, nothing really. We were playing people charades."
Fran stared at him, his blank expression speaking volumes.
Squalo blinked at him in surprise. "You've never played people charades?"
The teenager shook his head slowly from side to side, managing to keep the blank look plastered on his face.
Squalo shook his head sadly, while Bel burst into peals of insane laughter beside him. Fran shot him a look before redirecting his attention back to Squalo. The older man sighed and finally explained.
"Vrait…it's pretty much regular charades, but you pretend to be someone in the mansion, instead of some random idea from a card. Some people don't see its beauty, and insist on playing by the cards anyway." He shot a scathing glare at the trio of teenagers, all of which turned and stuck their tongues out at him simultaneously. Squalo scowled at them and went back to his explanation. "But anyway. People charades. Before you walked in, Hayato did the most perfect impression of Skull, one of Reborn's models. It was…vrait, I can't even. I wish someone had gotten it on tape. It would have been enough blackmail to make him my slave for the rest of his life…" Squalo and Bel burst into another round of raucous laughter, and were soon followed by everyone in the room. Fran, having no idea who Skull was, was completely lost.
So, he mentally rolled his eyes, keeping his stoic mask in place. "Sounds riveting."
Squalo smirked, but it was Bel who spoke up next. "Oh, but it is, Froggy. Shi shi shi~ Here, I'll show you."
He slid into a standing position and practically skipped over to the center of the room. There, he paused, grinning at Fran for one last second before turning to the rest of the group and bowing a little.
"Guess who I am!"
He slumped his shoulders a little, and stuck his hands in his pockets. He slouched, bending his knees when he walked around the room, and shuffled his feet. Suddenly, he was the perfect copy of someone who didn't want to be seen. A sinking feeling began to form in Fran's stomach. The feeling intensified when Squalo began laughing, quickly followed by a short, quick guffaw from Mukuro. Fran shot them a scathing look, his mask slipping just enough for his eyes to spark angrily. As Bel moved again, though, his attention was brought back to the middle of the room. The blonde had turned toward him, his huge grin completely absent from his face. In its place was a disinterested look that Fran recognized all too well. Despite the fact that he was obviously mocking him, Fran had to respect Bel's ability to keep a straight face. Even after more people in the room started laughing, he kept the disinterested look going strong, shuffling around the room and looking around in a confused manner. Fran was just about ready to kill him when Yamamoto yelled out "Fran! You're Fran!" before collapsing into a fit of giggles. That put an end to the charade, which Fran was eternally grateful for, and Bel's shit-eating grin returned to his face. He joined into the laughter, his own high-pitched giggle cutting through all of the others.
Fran didn't feel himself move, but all of a sudden he was standing in front of the laughing blonde, his hands clenched into fists at his side. Before Bel could react, Fran snatched the silver crown from his head and placed it on his own, ignoring the gasps of surprise that sounded from behind him. He stared Bel right in the eyes, which he could just see through his bangs, and spoke in a voice so low he could barely hear it.
"My turn."
He turned on his heel without another word, and stalked over to the center of the room. He, too, bowed a little before gesturing to the crowd with his hands.
"Guess who I am."
Fran closed his eyes for a second before straightening up to his full height, adjusting the crown so it sat extremely tilted on his head. He tugged on his shirt until it fell off of one of his shoulders, exposing his skin to the cool air. He fussed with his hair until most of his eyes were covered by the green mass, and finally started walking. He surveyed the room with cool disinterest, wrinkling his nose as if he had smelt something awful, and started to strut round the room. He nearly tripped once, but when he recovered, he dipped into a fighting stance, as if looking for someone to blame it on. Then he shrugged and went back to strutting, swinging his arms back and forth and keeping the disgusted expression on his face.
Like last time, Squalo was the first one to burst into laughter, quickly followed by a snicker from Gokudera and a giggle from Tsuna. Soon, everyone was laughing at Bel's expense, but no one had called out his name yet. Fran was getting a little tired of the act, so he stopped in the middle of the room once more, bowed, and went walked back over to the blonde.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the one and only royal pain in the ass…Belphegor." The teen bobbed a curtsy, making everyone fall into a new round of laughter. The blonde snatched to crown from the teen's head, replacing it on his own with a blank expression. As Fran looked up to meet his eyes, however, a grin split across his features, and he laughed softly.
"Shi shi shi…good one, Frog."
And then he promptly captured Fran in a neck hold and dragged him over to the Varia's corner, despite the teen's verbal reluctance. The games continued as soon as the two sat down, and soon Fran was lost in a whirl of laughter.
(line)
The distant sound of laughter drifted up the stairwell, and Byakuran clicked his tongue in annoyance. He swiveled back around in his chair, staring blankly at the illuminated computer screen with his hand cupped around his cheek. His other hand idly handled the mouse, scrolling down the page with disinterest. It was just a load of gibberish, really; the latest gossip and goings-on in the bowels of CEDEF, the company that had so ruthlessly cut him open and left him in the cold…
Sachi, you were one hell of a righteous bastard. Hm~ Almost makes me feel bad for killing you…
His phone lit up and vibrated on the desk next to his hand, and Byakuran snatched it up immediately. The device was pressed against his ear before it could ring again.
"Yes?"
The man on the other end seemed nervous. His words came out in a few rushed sentences.
"You have another agent coming your way. One that knew Mr. Sachi, before he…well, she's on her way. They gave her a protection assignment, so she's going to be around for a while. Be very cautious. She's a bad one."
Byakuran sighed and leaned back in his chair, tipping his head back against the seat.
"Genkishi…are you telling me what to do?"
The following reply was stuttered and hurried. "No, sir. I was just making a friendly suggestion. That's all. Look, Byakuran-sama, I have to go. If I get caught on this line, I'll be fired for sure. And then where would you be, stranded in that mansion without a spy?"
He heard the little bit of smugness in the other man's tone. The white haired man narrowed his eyes in disgust before replying, a sliver of ice slipping into his voice.
"Are you implying, Genkishi, that you are irreplaceable? Because if you are, let me assure you that you are, without a shadow of a doubt, one-hundred percent disposable. And if you don't watch yourself, you may find yourself alongside Mr. Sachi in a nice cold grave. Do I make myself clear?"
The silence on the other end was all the answer he needed.
"Hm~ Thought so. Is that all, Genkishi?"
It took a few seconds for the man to formulate a reply.
"Y-Yes sir. That is all."
Byakuran smiled coldly, sitting back up straight and leaning his elbows on the desk in front of him. "Well, that's wonderful! You know how to contact me if something else comes up. Goodbye, Genkishi. Have a stellar day~"
Byakuran snapped the cell shut with a twitch of his wrist, and sent it spinning across the room with another twitch.
Imbeciles. The whole lot of them.
He sighed once more, leaning back in his chair again and casting his hand across his eyes.
A woman agent who was alive when Sachi was…well, that can only be one person. She's the last person I want in this mansion. Damn it all, Genkishi…you couldn't give me more of a warning than this?
His musings were interrupted by a small knock on the door, and Byakuran sprang out of his chair in a heartbeat. He turned to the open door, surprised to find one of Reborn's models standing in the doorway. It was the small, moody one who was always in the shadows…what was his name?
Byakuran shook of his thoughts with a fake smile, sliding his hands into his pockets.
"Anything I can do for you, Arcobaleno?"
The model shifted uncomfortably, casting a worried glance over his shoulder. His voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke.
"Is there any way I could speak with you privately?"
Byakuran's eyebrows rose in surprise, and he quickly weighed his options. He immediately came to the conclusion that even if the kid did try something, he could easily overpower the smaller man. Waving his hand invitingly, Byakuran returned to his chair and took a seat.
"By all means. Come in. And close the door behind you, hm~?"
The smaller model did just that, shutting the door behind him with a soft click. Byakuran still couldn't get a good look at him, since all of the lights were off in his room, but he could tell the man was nervous. Too nervous for good intentions.
"Come here, Arcobaleno. So I can see you."
He took a few tentative steps forward, seeming to be regretting ever coming here in the first place. As he got closer, though, his resolve seemed to come back, and by the time he was standing in front of Byakuran, his eyes were shining with a cold hatred that Byakuran knew all too well.
"Hm~ I like that look. What's your name, Arcobaleno?"
The model blinked once. "Mammon." If he was offended that Byakuran didn't know his name, he didn't show it. Byakuran had to stop himself from smirking.
Well, maybe he isn't worthless…
He leaned back in his chair, resting his elbows on the arms of the chair and clasping his hands in front of his face. "Well? What do you wish to discuss?"
Mammon shifted his weight again, apparently thinking about his words before he spoke.
"I know you want to kill Fran Sachi."
If Byakuran was smirking before, he was far from it now. His lips dipped into a confused frown, which was quickly becoming an angry scowl. How? How had this twig of a child found out about everything he was striving to accomplish? He had told no one…
"I overheard them talking. The Varia. They're close to Sachi, and they suspect you."
Byakuran snorted in disbelief. "Suspect me? How could they? They have no proof…"
Mammon actually rolled his eyes. "The internet is all its age these days. There are headlines about the murder you performed all those years ago, and pictures of your capture. Fran found them, obviously. I'd suspect you too, if I were him."
Byakuran cursed quietly. So the boy's nervousness the night before hadn't been just an act. He actually did know. Byakuran had convinced himself that the boy was simply cautious, wary of strangers, which was why he had lied about his life. The jibe he had given him at the end – Give my regards to Belphegor-kun – had been another test, to see if he reacted. But the little snake was so good at hiding his emotions, Byakuran hadn't been able to tell.
So the kid knew. And so did the Varia. It wasn't the end of his world.
Byakuran shrugged his shoulders and stared at Mammon with cold eyes. "The news is helpful, but nothing too important. It still doesn't explain why you're here…"
Mammon sighed and ran a hand through the few purple strands that hung in front of his face. "Look. I want in. I'll help you. I can sneak around this mansion without anyone noticing me, and I can get you more information about the kid, his friends, anything you want." He paused to gauge Byakuran's reaction. The white-haired man narrowed his eyes.
"What's the catch?"
Mammon bit his lip.
"I want a favor."
Byakuran sighed. "Of course you do. People don't kill people for free…"
There were a few beats of silence as his words sank in. Byakuran grew impatient and clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Well? What do you want?"
Mammon was staring at the floor intently, as if it would reveal to him all the secrets of the world. He looked like a child. When he raised his head, however, his eyes were cold and flat, with no childish light in them at all.
"I want you to kill Lal Milch."
(line)
"Okay, okay, how about this one?"
Fran watched with feigned boredom as Yamamoto climbed across Gokudera's lap and into the center of the room. He stood there in silence for a good fifteen seconds before he sucked in a huge lungful of air, stuck his arm up in the air, and waved it around as he yelled.
"VRAIT! VRAIT VRAIT VRAIT VRAIT VRAIIIT!"
The entire room burst into hysterical laughter. Even Fran had a hard time keeping it under control. Something about Yamamoto broke down barriers, whether they were emotional or physical. The idiot in question was running around the room, waving his arm and screaming his fool head off. Even his huge screams couldn't match the real thing, though.
"VRAIT, YOU BRAT! YOU THINK YOU CAN MAKE FUN OF ME? WHERE'S YOU SWORD, KID? LET'S TAKE THIS TO THE FIELD!"
Squalo was on his feet, bellowing right back at the black haired man, who was laughing now, and still running around.
"Haha sword? But you can't fight with that hand! I'd destroy you!"
"VRAIT! I'D TAPE IT TO MY WRIST AND FIGHT YOU LIKE THAT, YOU BRAT! AND I'D WIN!"
And so on. Etcetera. Ad nauseum. Fran was beginning to pick up on the thought process of these two. Neither of them knew when to give it up. They both ran out of the room, screaming their brains out and tripping over their own feet in their haste. The silence that was left in their wake was bliss.
Gokudera stretched and yawned. "Well, that was enlightening. Anyone got anything to do? I'm bored."
Bel giggled from across the room.
"Bored already, bomb freak? That was fast…shi shi shi~"
Gokudera decided to ignore the blonde, choosing instead to sigh and tilt his head back in annoyance. His pale green eyes closed for an instant before he was back in a sitting position, staring at everyone with an inquisitive stare.
"Well?"
It was the little curly haired kid who spoke up. "We could go shopping…"
Gokudera snorted and rolled his eyes, voicing his extreme disinterest in the idea. "C'mon, could you be more stereotypical? A model who loves to shop. Never saw that one coming…"
The teen pouted, one eye drooping into a bored expression. "You didn't have to be mean about it…"
Fran looked around the room, fighting to keep his stoic expression as he spoke.
"I think it's a great idea."
Once again, every head turned to look at the green-haired teen. Fran was getting a little tired of being in the spotlight, but he sighed mentally and pushed on through. He brought in on himself, after all.
"I wouldn't mind getting out of this mansion. I mean, have any of you stepped foot outside since you got here?" The room was awkwardly silent. Basil raised his hand tentatively.
"I went to the grocery store once…"
Fran resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Precisely. None of us have been outside in a while. It would be good, I think. And safety in numbers, right? It's not like anything will happen…"
Yeah, except you could die…
Fran ignored the pessimistic voice in his head, squashing it down with reason.
I'm in more danger if I stay in this mansion.
"I don't know. I don't mind staying here. I live here, you know. I'm used to it." Gokudera still didn't seem sold on the idea.
Fran sighed quietly. "There are other things to do at the mall besides shop. There's food, a movie theatre, and sometimes an arcade, too. So you don't have to put your manliness at stake, Gokudera. No one will think less of you for going." He didn't have to turn around to see that Gokudera was blushing; the indignant sounds he was making were proof enough. Fran cast his cool gaze around the room, please to see that most of the models were agreeing with him. Only Reborn, Xanxus, and Hibari were emotionless. Everyone else seemed excited.
The teen shrugged his shoulders. "Then again, you can always just not go. It's not like you're forced to go. I say we put it to a vote. All in favor, hands up."
All hands went up, apart from Reborn, Xanxus, Gokudera, and Colonello, who was still in his own world. Fran raised his own hand as well, counting quickly in his mind.
I win.
"4 no's, 8 yes'. Let's go, then."
(line)
Fran had thought that the mall was big – he had a few vague memories of shopping here when he was younger – but he hadn't quite remembered it like this. The mall was enormous, full of stairwells, escalators, and row after row of huge stores, like Forever 21, H&M, and Aeropostale, to name but three. Fran knew that his eyes were wide, like a kid in a candy shop, but he didn't care. He was trying to wrap his mind around how huge this building was…
Someone beside him snorted. "Better close your mouth, kid. Wouldn't wanna catch any bugs…" Fran snapped his mouth closed immediately, a slight blush coloring his cheeks.
"Sorry."
"Shi shi shi…but he's a frog! Frogs like bugs, bomb freak. Didn't you know that?"
Yes, Gokudera had decided to come along after all. The group had run into Yamamoto and Squalo bickering in the hallway on their way out, and invited them to come as well. Once the silver haired man found out that his dark haired companion was going, he immediately joined the group.
"Shopping isn't really all that bad…" he had tried to argue, but everyone knew why he had changed his mind.
The present Gokudera glanced over his shoulder at the blonde, glaring daggers at him. Bel just shrugged, his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face. Fran ignored them both, and concentrated on finding a map. He could get really lost in a place this big…
As he suspected, looking at the map only made him feel more insignificant. He turned to face the group, his face blank and his voice a deadpan as he spoke.
"I…have no idea…where we are."
"Oi, Frog…you see that red box there? The one that says 'You Are Here'? That's where we are. Shi shi shi~…"
"Oh…" And of course, now that Fran knew what he was looking for, he could easily see when the marker was. He tried to fight down the blush that was quickly covering his cheeks.
"Well that's…convenient."
Someone's hand was on his shoulder. Fran looked over, only to come face to face with heterochromatic eyes. His own aqua eyes widened in surprise, and he jerked out of Mukuro's grasp. Old friend he might be, but Mukuro's involvement with Byakuran made him an enemy. And Fran wanted nothing to do with him.
If Mukuro was surprised by the teen's reaction, he didn't show it. He simply smiled sadly, and pushed the teen out from in front of the map.
"Let me figure this out. You go stand over by Bel." Fran started to take another step back, but the other man grabbed his arm.
Mukuro glanced over his shoulder once before adding, in a low voice, "You aren't safe here."
And just like that, all the fun was gone from the day. Fran slipped into Bel's shadow without a word, ignoring the blonde's curious glance. He darted his gaze around the group, wondering if any of them could be a spy for Byakuran.
Well, there's the obvious…but he just…
The teen returned his gaze to Mukuro, who was standing in front of the map, hands on his hips and a scowl on his face. He was the enemy, but he had just warned him of danger. Unless, of course, there was no danger, and Mukuro was just messing with him…but why would he do that? Fran had to restrain himself from holding his head between his hands. It was all so confusing.
A flash of green caught his eye, and Fran jerked his head around to see. The man standing in the middle of the crowded room was tall, and just flamboyant enough to be stylish. His green eye shadow stood out on his pale skin, and his light green hair fell in waves to his lower back, despite being pulled back into a ponytail. Enormous gold earrings rested in his ears, and his piercing eyes found Fran's stare without fail. He smirked once before taking a step back, and disappearing like smoke into the crowd. When Fran blinked, he was completely gone.
"Oya, oya…little one, are you alright?"
Fran whipped his head back around, eyeing the group with carefully controlled surprise. Time had passed, it seemed, while he was locked in a stare with the strange man. Everyone had shifted; Gokudera now stood with Yamamoto, Hibari, and Tsuna. I-pin, Lambo, and Basil were already walking away from the larger group, engaged in conversation and giggling. Reborn and Colonello were also walking away, in a different direction from the three teenagers, but they were also engaged in conversation. Which left Squalo, Bel, Mukuro, and Fran standing in front of the map – Xanxus had stayed at the mansion – with the three older males looking at the teen expectantly. Fran blinked, shaking his head from side to side and shrugging.
"Sorry. I zoned out."
He didn't notice the three males each shoot him a worried look. He shuffled his feet for a few seconds before lifting his head.
"So…where are we going?"
Bel giggled. "Shi shi shi. We're gonna buy you new clothes, Froggy. Don't try to hide it. You've worn that shirt twice since we got here. You need more clothes."
Fran glanced down at his black t-shirt. He peered at the blonde through a few strands of green hair, raising an eyebrow at him
"Maybe I just really like this shirt."
Bel shrugged. "Doesn't matter. We're buying you new clothes anyway. Let's go."
(line)
"Nii-san?"
Mukuro gasped, turning on his heel in an instant. This shouldn't be happening here. He was in the middle of a mall, with three others. How…?
"Nii-san…why have you been ignoring me? Did I do something wrong?"
Mukuro could only stare at the girl in front of him in shock. Around him, it was as if time had stopped; people were frozen in a second of time, halfway between movement and standing still. Only he and his apparition could move in this fragment of the world.
"Mukuro-sama. Look at me."
But he was looking at her. He could do nothing but stare.
In a softer voice, she added, "You know what I mean."
He winced, but forced himself to follow her words. He raised his head slowly, and his differently colored eyes met hers. They were glinting with unshed tears, and her voice quivered when she spoke.
"Why?"
He was silent. He couldn't speak to her, not after what he had done. No after what had happened. He let his head drop again, unable to keep her gaze. He didn't see the tear that slid down her cheek, and he didn't see her eyes harden to amethyst and ruby. In an instant, she had changed from an innocent child to a determined woman.
And he hadn't seen it.
"Mukuro. Would you look at me?"
Again, the force of her words brought his eyes up to hers. He never could refuse her, in the long run, even when he had been strong. Now that he was broken, it was all too easy.
Her gaze was soft again. "What happened to you, nii-san?"
His lips parted, and he finally spoke.
"You died."
It was her turn to be silent. Her eyes darkened, and she reached out a hand to the side. The air shimmered slightly, and with a small electrical shock, a trident appeared in her grasp. She swung the weapon back around, pointing its lethal tips toward her startled older brother, and muttered quietly.
"You're weak."
She charged forward, the deadly points aimed at his chest.
(line)
Fran was slowly getting used to the mass of people around him. He had learned, after a few fatally embarrassing mishaps, how to navigate through the crowds without bumping into anyone. While Squalo and Bel laughed at his attempts to stay out of everyone's way, Mukuro was oddly silent. In all the time they had been walking, he hadn't said a word. He had a strangely vacant expression on his face, as if he were thinking hard about something, so Fran decided it was best not to disturb him. He still didn't know what to make of the man's swaying alliance, so he figured it was for the best.
"Shi shi shi, Froggy, let's go in here!"
The group stopped in front of the store, peering inside curiously. Fran couldn't really see much of anything, since the store was so dark, but from what he could see, he knew he did not want to go inside. Bel wasn't giving him much of a choice, though, and before he knew it, Fran was standing in the middle of the darkened shop, trying to piece together exactly how he had gotten there. Squalo and Mukuro, he noticed, had stayed outside.
Smart move…
Bel still had a hold on him, and he was still pulling him deeper into the store. He was muttering to himself under his breath.
"I know it's here somewhere…"
Fran decided not to ask. He had the feeling he would find out soon, anyway. Bel's triumphant cry a few seconds later confirmed it. The grip on his arm released, and Fran stopped moving immediately, suddenly in charge of his own body again. He stood awkwardly alone, wondering where the slightly hyperactive blonde had disappeared to. He rubbed his wrist a little, telling himself that he was just trying to get the blood flowing again.
In all honesty, though, he missed the feeling of Bel's grasp.
What's wrong with me?
"Shi shi shi…oi. Frog. Look here."
His voice came from behind the teen, who turned around in surprise, letting his emotion show through for a fraction of a second. Bel was standing there with a small smile on his face, holding up two shirts. One was pure white, with a pair of intricate black wings spread across the back. The other was the exact opposite; black, with white wings. Fran stood there in silent confusion, not quite grasping what Bel wanted him to do. The blonde seemed to sense this, for he stepped closer and said, "Pick one. The other will be mine."
Understanding flashed across Fran's features, and he reached out to grab one of the shirts. He grabbed the white one, holding the soft material in his hands and inspecting it closely.
He didn't hate it. He never would have thought he would like anything in this store, but Bel had found something in under a minute. He glanced up at the blonde, who was still smiling softly. He wasn't grinning, or smirking, or laughing; he was smiling. And Fran could tell he was staring at him through his blonde bangs, his hidden eyes travelling across his face, and leaving a trail of heat that Fran could actually feel.
He looked away, away from the intense gaze. He could still feel it, though. Nothing could change that.
"Th-thank you, Bel-senpai. It's very…me." He glanced back up. Bel was still smiling.
"Shi shi. I thought so."
There were a few beats of silence between them, before Bel spoke again.
"Oi. Froggy."
Fran jerked his head up immediately, and almost didn't register the feeling of a pair of cool lips brushing against his own. By the time he realized what was happening, Bel had pulled back, still smiling. He brushed a few strands of green hair from the teen's eyes before straightening up and walking away to the register. It took Fran a few seconds to realize that he was carrying both shirts again. The blonde paused for a second, glancing over his shoulder with a smirk.
"C'mon, Froggy. Let's go."
Fran struggled to fight down his blush before they left the store, but he didn't succeed. He had to deal with Squalo's incessant pestering for the rest of the trip.
Mukuro remained silent.
(line)
"Hm~ This had better be good news, Kikyo."
The green haired man smirked, rolling the vial he was holding around in his palm. "I left Zakuro to watch the kid while I went to go get that present you wanted. Just letting you know that I got it successfully." He held the phone close to his ear, waiting expectantly for the other man's response.
"...That is good news. Good work, Kikyo. Now, bringing it to me immediately. You know how much I love presents."
Kikyo smiled, pocketing the vial and finishing the phone call.
"Right away, Byakuran-sama."
The call ended with a click, and the green haired man shook his head slightly.
Always so dramatic.
He walked away without another word, back towards the mansion and his white-haired leader, being sure to keep a protective hand around the vial the entire way there.
(line)
Mukuro sidestepped, and dodged another swing of the girl's trident. They were both panting heavily, but neither had any injuries. It had occurred to Mukuro sometime during their fight that Nagi wasn't really trying to hurt him. She had other motives.
"Nagi, what – "
She didn't let him finish. "My name isn't Nagi, nii-san! It's Chrome!"
Another swing. Another dodge.
He took a few steps back, out of the range of her trident, and held up his hands in defense.
"Oya, oya…alright. Chrome, then. What do you want from me?"
Chrome lowered her weapon, letting the tip hit the ground with a light click. She stared sadly at the man, her eyes brimming with tears again.
"I want you to move on, Mukuro. You can't keep living in the past."
He was about to protest, but a harsh look from her stopped him.
"You're making the same mistakes you did all those years ago…"
This time, he was able to retort. "The same mistakes? Oya, Chrome, I am doing everything differently this time. I will not make those mistakes ever again…"
She shook her head, her purple hair flying around her face. "You're falling into his trap again, nii-san. You're making all of the same mistakes. You're just making them differently this time around."
Mukuro could feel his eyes starting to water. He fell to his knees, staring blankly at the floor in front of him. Impossible…
Chrome was kneeling next to him, her small hands resting on his shoulders softly.
"I'm sorry, nii-san."
Mukuro clenched his hands into fists, but he didn't pull away from her touch.
"I had to watch you die. That was my punishment, for failing him. I had to stand there and watch him kill you. I swore it would never happen again. How can it be happening now?"
Chrome shook her head. "I can't tell you. All I can say is that if you don't change what you're doing, Tsuna will die. Just like me."
Mukuro whirled his head around, but she was already fading away.
A final whisper reached out to him across the fragment of time, a final message from a ghost of a memory.
"Fight back."
And then she was gone.
(line)
By the time they returned to the mansion, it was already dark. Mukuro had snapped out of his reverie sometime during the ride home, and spent the rest of the ride staring pensively out the window. Fran tried to ignore the tears he could see streaming down the other man's cheeks. Tsuna, also, seemed to be ignoring it, but he wasn't doing as good a job. Every few minutes or so, the brunet would glance quickly at Mukuro, and then back to Hibari, who was sitting next to him in the car. If the grey eyed man noticed, he didn't say anything.
The group stumbled into the mansion all at once, each of them carrying a shopping bag and laughing at something Yamamoto had said. It took all of five seconds for the bags to be dumped, and the models to be stretched out on any piece of comfortable furniture they could find.
"Ugh, my feet are killing me! Whose idea was that, again?" Yamamoto leaned his head on the back of the couch he was sitting on, kicking his shoes off as he spoke.
Gokudera shrugged as he sat next to the black haired man. "I don't remember…wasn't mine, though. I know that."
Fran decided it was a good idea not to say anything. He sat down in the chair furthest away from the rest of the group, relieved to finally be able to sit down. He scanned his eyes around the room, as he was used to doing by now, and was the first to notice the shadowy figure standing under the stairwell. He wasn't the only one, though. Bel soon followed, along with Reborn and Mukuro. Colonello noticed as well, but his reaction was very different from everyone else's. Instead of glancing at the others warily, confusedly, he leapt up from his seat with a small laugh, and ran toward the shadow with a smile. He tried to hug the person, but whoever it was dodged the embrace easily, stepping into the light as Colonello fell flat on his face. Now everyone knew of the person's presence, although most were laughing at Colonello's state, rather than wondering who the stranger was. Fran watched the newcomer warily, not knowing if it was another one of Byakuran's cronies.
But when the person turned, Fran was struck with a strong feeling of déjà vu. He felt as if he had seen this woman before, in a picture, or a newspaper. She looked so familiar. Her dark blue hair was cropped short, just above her shoulders, and the cloak she wore masked the rest of her body from view. She surveyed the room with the air of someone who was used to doing so, and she seemed to be constantly on edge.
Colonello was groaning and shifting on the floor by her feet, slinking into a sitting position.
"Lal…that was mean…"
She cast him a glance, not twitching a single muscle in her face as she spoke.
"I warned you. You never listen."
The blonde continued to whine, but Lal turned away from him. She walked over to Reborn, who was smirking underneath his fedora, and sat down next to him. The man turned his head, acknowledging her presence with a nod.
"Lal Milch."
"Reborn. Haven't seen you in a while. How have you been?"
The dark man shrugged, which was apparently all the answer the woman needed. She nodded, settling comfortably into her seat as Colonello slowly regained his dignity. She turned her head to look at the blonde, raising an eyebrow at his dejected expression.
"Well, 'Nello? If you're done throwing a pity party, get your ass over here and sit down. I'm not keeping this seat open for just anyone, you know."
All of a sudden, the blonde was all smiles again. He literally jumped into the seat next to Lal, casting an arm around her shoulders and grinning. She rolled her eyes.
Fran finally knew what Colonello had been thinking about all day. He had a sharp comment on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it. He didn't want to offend their guest, who he still didn't know anything about. He still couldn't place where he had seen her before. Best keep his mouth closed.
As if she could hear his thoughts, Lal turned her head in Fran's direction. For a fraction of a second, dark eyes met green ones, and both widened in recognition. They both opened their mouths to speak, but they were interrupted by Lussuria's nasal voice.
"Everyone~! Supper's on the table. And Lal, you'd better come in here too. I know how anti-social you are…" The woman in question scowled at the words, while everyone else laughed. Lussuria walked into the room, his hands on his hips, and his multi-colored hair flopping into his face.
"Well? Hurry up! Oh, and Fran-chan, could you help me with the rest of the silverware? I got a little sidetracked." The teen shrugged silently and rose from his seat, ignoring the catcalls from Squalo and Bel. His eyes were still on Lal, who seemingly just had her suspicion confirmed. And if her idea was right, then so was his.
She had been one of his father's co-workers. She was around the house all the time, and one of his mother's greatest friends, even though she had only been a teenager at the time. As Fran set out the remainder of the silverware for their meal, his thoughts were all screaming for attention in his mind. One thought especially stood out from the crowd.
What is she doing here now?
(line)
"Alright. Anyone want to explain to me how the heir to CEDEF was sitting here this entire time, and no one let me know?"
Lal's face was deceivingly cool, but her tone was scathing. Fran winced, even though he wasn't the recipient of the heated words. No, the words were aimed at everyone else in the room. Bel, Squalo, Xanxus, Reborn, Colonello, Basil, and Tsuna all winced, obviously having been on the receiving end of Lal's anger before.
"Well…we kinda didn't know either…" Colonello tried to speak up, but Lal sent him a withering glance that shut him up immediately. She had been extremely tense during dinner, which Fran had attributed to her dislike of people, but now it seemed like she was just bottling up her anger for this moment. She glared around the room, meeting the eyes of every single person, including Fran himself. He tried his hardest to keep her gaze, but she was terrifying. Just as he was about to look away, she dropped the stare. She did another sweep of the room, the scowl on her face deepening with every second.
"Well? Anyone?"
No one spoke, and no one moved. Basil made the mistake of shifting his weight, and Lal's furious stare locked onto him immediately.
"And you! You work for CEDEF! How could you not know?"
In Basil's credit, he didn't take it sitting down. "I'm new to this company! How the hell was I supposed to recognize Sachi's son? He was dead before I worked here!" Lal turned her fury away from him and onto Tsuna.
"And your father is the current CPO! And you had no clue?" Tsuna just shook his head, his eyes holding a slight orange light. Reborn was standing next to him, his hand on his shoulder. Whether it was comfort or restraint, Fran couldn't tell.
He figured it was time for him to speak up. He cleared his throat, unnecessarily, since the room was dead silent anyway, but every eye in to room locked on him. Lal stared at him in surprise, her eyebrows raised into her hairline, but she let him speak.
"They didn't know. I just found out the other day. The only ones who know are Xanxus, Squalo, Belphegor, Lussuria, and Levi. Well, and Byakuran, which is a bit of a problem, but –"
Lal cut him off. "Wait…Byakuran? White hair, purple tattoo, superiority complex, thinks he's god's gift to mankind?" Fran nodded. Lal snorted in disbelief. "That piece of shit is here? No kidding…huh. Well, that complicates things…"
Fran nodded. "Especially since he's trying to kill me."
The room fell silent again. Lal turned to stare at the teenager, who stared back at her evenly. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before sound actually came out.
"Pardon?"
Fran shrugged, trying to being nonchalant about it. "He's tried to kill me twice already. Indirectly, of course, but I'm long overdue for another attempt. We've gotten it all figured out. I'm the rightful heir of CEDEF, and he murdered my parents. It only makes sense that he would come after me now."
La looked stunned. "I mean…I knew he was mad that your father fired him, but…to go as far as to murder him? And then to go after you…Well, it does fit his character, that's for sure…" She seemed to be digesting the new information. A heavy silence fell over the room as she thought, tapping her foot rapidly against the floor. After what seemed like hours, she looked up again, a plan shining in her eyes.
"Well, I'm already here on protective orders. I was supposed to protect Tsuna – seems like CEDEF thinks something is going to happen to him – but I can easily protect you too. Don't worry kid. I've got you. You'll be safe, as long as I can help it. Your father was a brilliant man. I miss him a great deal. The least I can do is protect his son."
There was a loud knock on the door, which blew open before anyone had the chance to respond. A small, thing, hyperactive ball of human being ran into the room, a biker helmet covering his head, and a purple jumpsuit covering the rest of him. He cast his gaze around the room, whipping his head from side to side until he locked eyes with Reborn. The purple man shrieked, making Fran and multiple others practically jump out of their skins.
"Reborn! I've found you! I challenge you to a duel! Right now! Today is the day I finally beat you!" Reborn didn't reply; he just stood up and kicked the man in the ass with such proficiency, he had to have had years of practice. The man yowled, holding his injured area and high-tailing it out of the room, spitting out curse words as he went. He called out over his shoulder what he probably thought was a brilliant retort.
"I'm gonna tell Lussuria on you! And then you won't be able to come to Lal's welcoming party! Ha ha ha!"
And then the room was silent once more. The mood was completely broken. Tsuna sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in exasperation. When he looked up, his eyes were tired.
"Well, Lal, sounds like we're throwing a party for you. Why don't you all come into the main room? I'm sure Lussuria has prepared something brilliant and sparkly."
The room chuckled softly, and everyone filed out one by one. Lal ended up next to Fran somehow, and she muttered low some words meant only for him.
"Be careful tonight. Byakuran will be on high alert now that I'm here. I don't know what he's going to do."
They left to room in silence.
(line)
A few hours later, everyone was having a good time. Someone had thought it was a good idea to bring silly string into the mix, and now the room was dripping in chemicals and smelled like a kindergarten classroom. No one seemed to mind, though. They were either drunk or well on their way to getting there. Fran was only slightly tipsy, since someone – he couldn't remember who – had convinced him to try a glass of champagne. It was sweet and cold, and left him feeling better than he had in a while.
He didn't notice, when he set his glass down, the white haired man coming up behind him. He didn't notice the vial in his hands, uncorked and filled to the brim. He didn't notice, either, a few seconds later, when the man had walked by, that the vial was now empty. And when he lifted the champagne to his lips once more, he didn't notice the drug laced in with the alcohol.
He didn't notice, and neither did anyone else.