Title: hidden spots

Character(s): Miura Haru, Yamamoto Takeshi

Word count: 521

Rating: K+

Spoilers: This is the eight (and last, yay!) instalment of the "lost scenes" complex. For better understanding, go read chapter 14 to 20 first.

Prompt: 4—lost scene; 42—hope is the thing with feathers

A/N: I have the feeling that my endings are always weak. Like when I write an essay or a discussion—and I kind of think, hey, this makes sense, my line of argumentation is pretty good—and then I have to end it and usually I don't come up with anything better than "all in all I think I said everything I wanted to say and don't have anything witty left in me to give you a great résumé". Yeah, with this drabble, I feel the same.

Well, at least it's a happy ending (ops, spoilers).

Thanks for the reviews and alerts an such during that lost scenes complex. It was fun to write :)

EDIT: I hate how you have so little space for chapter titles.

LOST SCENES

part eight—
hope is the thing with feathers

Haru wasn't surprised when someone knocked on her door at three in the morning—for the greater part because she hadn't been sleeping, but also for a lesser part because she had heard even through her opened window Squalo-san's shouts resounding in the gardens where he had challenged Takeshi-kun to a duel.

(Even after all that had happened between them, Haru knew, deep down, that he would never flight.
He was a fighter and she had almost never been more happy about that than tonight.)

She raised from her armchair where she had been reading a trashy sci-fi/romance novel to open the door for him, and smiled when he greeted her with a "Yo" and the question if she had some gauze bandages in her first-aid kit.

"Come in," she said and ushered him into her room, "you look horrible, you know? Did you lose against Squalo-san?"

"Yeah," he affirmed, and let her push him gently on the bed, "Squalo was unstoppable. He made a point and showed me that my resolve was worthless." He tried to appear casual but failed grandly.

She felt her heart soar.

"Let me help you with the bandages," she requested softly and took the gauze from his hands.

"It's nothing bad. Leon healed most of it after the fight but my rips are still pretty tender and there was no one at the infirmary and I'm—" he halted as her fingertips touched his rip cage. "Sorry that I woke you."

"You didn't. I knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep so I didn't even try."

"Okay. That's … good."

"It is," she agreed, smiling amusedly. "Here, all finished now." Haru examined her bandaging skills for a moment, then handed him his T-shirt.

"Thanks, Haru."

As Haru put the rest of the gauze into the first-aid kit with her back to him, she said: "You're welcome, Takeshi-kun." Instantly, his eyes softened as she said his name. He reached out for her hand—and she let him. His touch was warm and comforting. "Haru …" He didn't say anything more—just looked at her with honest, honest eyes. He didn't need to say anything—from the moment he had entered the room, she had noticed the change in attitude.

She smiled watery, knelt down with her hands on his knees, and finally, finally was able to say: "I'm sorry for what I said back then. I didn't mean it. I was so stupid and I know that you don't like that I want to work for the Vongola—but I have to, you must understand that, too. I've always wanted to be helpful and I am now and that makes me happy. And—and I'm not sorry that I didn't say sorry earlier because then you would've been gone for good, wouldn't you? You would've distanced yourself even more and been idiotic and stupid—but I love you, so I couldn't just give up. And I was so afraid, all the time, that you would one day go away once and for all and—"

He interrupted her with a kiss and said: "I'm not running away anymore."

I have one or three "bonus" chapters that kind of belong to the lost scenes 'verse, but have no real importance for the story. I don't know yet if I should post them directly or if I'll post some single-drabbles first. If you have any preferences, tell me!
Also, I really hope that I'll have some time to spare (after the rest of my exams) to revamp this. Like, from scratch. I'm really not happy with it.

– bells