A/N: New story, I caught the YamaChrome virus tonight and had been delirious ever since. I couldn't sleep until I finished this. Hope you like.
Play Pretend
It had begun as something like this:
"Kyaa! Yamamoto-kun! Look here!"
"He's so handsome!"
"Kyaa~~"
Some of the baseball team members looked at Yamamoto exasperatedly, while shaking their heads. One of the older members ruffled his hair. "You're a stud," he said, teasing while the others jokingly punched him in the shoulder. However, the Captain didn't take it that lightly.
"Yamamoto!" he barked, and the others all stood in attention. The second year students all knew that this was their Captain's 'serious' voice. Yamamoto ran to his side, still smiling.
"Yes Buchou?" he asked.
"Yamamoto," he said again, and began pacing in front him. Uh-oh Yamamoto's in trouble now, they all thought. He stopped abruptly. Big trouble. "Yamamoto, I need you to quit the team,"
"What?" all the other members asked.
Yamamoto laughed. "Hahah...what was that?"
The Captain put one hand on his shoulder. "Yamamoto, you're a great player. You have great potential. You're just a first year but you obviously will be a star player on our team in the near future. But for our team to even have a future..." he shook his head. "...we need to practice. And this," he gestured to his fangirls. "...is not helping."
It was harsh, all things considered the Captain knew that his decision was harsh. Yamamoto is one of the pillars of the team. Give him a few more years and he'd be Captain. He had the charm, people doesn't seem to mind following him. Not to mention his immense talent and love for baseball. He was darn handsome too and while it helps fill the stands when they had a game...he looked at the players flirting with some of the girls...it doesn't help during practice. The guys were fooling around, trying to act cool, not playing as a team. Each one of them wanting to stand out, what is it with guys when they know girls are watching?
"But buchou..." now, the teen was troubled. God, it would be hard to lose him, and their next game was just right around the corner. "I..."
"Listen Yamamoto," he took him to a secluded corner. "We don't want to lose you too," he said. "But if in order to keep you, I have to sacrifice the rest of the team..." He looked at the younger player, and was startled. Geez, I thought only girls can use puppy eyes. He sighed. "Get rid of your fangirls."
Yamamoto immediately brightened. "Then..."
"Yes, yes, you could stay," he said. He didn't really want to lose him anyway, the other clubs would hawked him for sure.
And that was how it all started.
"So yeah, I need a girlfriend," Yamamoto said, after explaining himself. "Can you help me?"
"B-But—" Chrome blushed a deep crimson. "I-I'm not..."
They were in a coffee shop in town. Yamamoto had picked her up from Kokuyo Land. Thinking that it was something mafia-related, she went with him without a second thought. Also, she was at ease with the swordsman.
He laughed. "I know," he said. "It's only pretend girlfriend, so please?" he asked.
"B-but why me? H-Haru w-would be more..." Haru would be a better choice, a lively and energetic girl like her would far more suit Yamamoto than someone meek—like her. Not to mention that Haru was also prettier.
"Hahah...it seems like the girls in our school are friends with Haru," After all, the perky girl was always coming to Namimori Chu to see her crush. She had chatted with some of the girls while waiting at the gates every time. "They all know she likes Tsuna."
"T-Then Kyoko-chan..." she trailed off, imagining the look on their Boss's face if he found out. "N-No, never mind," she quickly backtracked.
The rain guardian nodded, understanding what she meant. They both stayed silent for a moment, Yamamoto starting to get worried... Maybe Chrome really doesn't want to... When a full minute passed, he burst out. "If you don't want to do it, just say—"
"I-I'll do it!" Chrome suddenly said, cutting him off. "I-If it's okay that it's me..." she looked down shyly. "...please let me do it." She should help him, they were both guardians after all, and they were...friends, right?
He looked surprised a bit, before finally smiling.
"Perfect."
"So...I don't think we should tell the others about this," Yamamoto said, before turning to her. "What do you think?"
"Un," she nodded. "I don't think the Sun guardian could keep a secret,"
"Gokudera might let something slip too," he added.
"Bossu..." she said. "Boss is not good with lying,"
"Tsuna is an honest guy after all," Yamamoto laughed again. The rain guardian was always happy. He looked at her still full cup. "Don't you like coffee?" he asked.
"No, it's okay," she said, taking a sip. Yamamoto laughed at the bitter face she made; she had never liked the stuff. "Sorry," she apologized.
"Hahah...you should have just said so," he said, standing up. He pulled out his wallet and began pulling handful of bills, Chrome did the same. "Don't," he stopped her. "I'll pay, I'm your boyfriend right?"
Chrome stared at his smiling face for a long time. Boyfriend...
"Right,"
Back when she was Nagi, she had dreamt of having a boyfriend too. She had never been interested in any guy in particular, but if ask (however the question never came) she would've like a boyfriend like Yamamoto. Not because he was handsome or athletic or popular, but because he was always happy, that was the only requirement, she wanted someone to bring that kind of happiness in her life too.
And now she's feeling guilty because she's taking away that happiness from all the other girls, even if it's just pretend.
"Chrome-chan, what're you doing here?" It was Kyoko who had found her in the gates of Namimori Chu. It was uncomfortable waiting here as some of the students had eyed her suspiciously because of her uniform.
"I-Im waiting for the rai...for Takeshi," she said, immediately blushing. She was still not used to calling the rain guardian by his name, even more so by his first name.
"Takeshi huh?" Kyoko looked at her curiously, dying to pelt her with questions but this was Chrome we're talking about so she would have to do it gently. "Did you need somethin-"
"Chrome!" As if on cue, said baseball player came running to the gates. You could tell that he had changed back into his uniform in a hurry, some of the buttons were still undone which only served to get them more attention. "Did you wait long?" he asked when he reached her side.
She shook her head. Now all the other students were eyeing her curiously. It was worse than earlier. Not to mention that the fangirls trailing after the baseball team were giving her hostile glares.
"Yamamoto, who's this girl?" one of the senpais elbowed him in the chest. "Don't tell me she's your girlfriend?" he asked, half-kidding.
Yamamoto nodded. "Yeah, she's cute, right?" The Captain looked at him slack-jawed. He had only told Yamamoto three days ago, to think he could get a girlfriend in that period, and someone from the infamous Kokuyo Junior High, judging by her uniform. He should never underestimate Yamamoto's looks or his immense love for baseball.
"Let's go," Yamamoto said, taking her by the hand. The girl waved to Sasagawa shyly. They seem to be friends. Yamamoto waved goodbye to them too.
The students were left looking after them.
Kyoko was already making plans. I've got to tell Haru
The Captain was in deep thought, Now we just have to wait and see if this'll work.
And one of the girls behind was thinking, I'm going to get you
They walked to the Namimori district still holding hands, the rain guardian wouldn't let go.
"Y-Yamamoto-san," she called him. He just kept on going. "Takeshi!"
Yamamoto stopped. "Yeah?"
Chrome nervously squeezed his hand. "W-Where are we going?"
"Ah!" The rain guardian scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I was thinking of taking you out to eat something, since were on a date."
"Date?" she asked, already blushing.
"Yeah," Yamamoto faced her. "Normal couples go on dates right?"
"Yeah, but..."
"We're a couple right?" he asked, still smiling. They were a couple...a pretend couple. She allowed herself to relax.
"Y-Yeah..."
"Kyoko-chan! I have big news for you!" Haru practically yelled on the phone when Kyoko picked up. The school idol moved the cellphone away from her ear.
"Wait, Haru...I have something to tell you too," she said.
"Me first, this is important" Haru insisted.
"This is also important," Kyoko said. Anything Haru would tell her would fade in comparison when she heard the news.
Haru bit her lip on the other line, it was unusual for Kyoko to be this persistent, that was more like her. Normally, she would've let her first but this couldn't wait. "Then, we'll say it at the same time," she offered. "Ready, go..."
"Yamamoto and Chrome are going out,"
"Chrome-chan and Yamamoto-san are going out,"
Both the girls laughed. It was nice to know that they both considered it important. Haru glanced at the couple inside the restaurant. They seem to be having a great time. She considered going inside to spy on them, but then decided against it. She'll just ask Chrome-chan about it later.
Haru put the phone in her ear. "We've got to grill her for details."
After accompanying her to the bus stop, Yamamoto walked home whistling. Asking Chrome to pretend to be his girlfriend was a pretty good idea, if he had to say so himself. Sure it would help solve his problems, but it's not just that...he also got to know the mist guardian better.
Chrome kept pretty much to herself, she had opened up to the girls but she still talks to the guys with some reserve...except with Tsuna. He learned that if Tsuna was the topic of the conversation, Chrome had a lot to say.
"Boss is kind," more than once, the blue-haired girl told him that. Yamamoto felt a pang of jealousy, he considered himself a friendly guy, but to think he still can't get through to the illusionist.
He flexed his hand, remembering the feel of her hand there. Her hand had been so small and tender, and to think that she had been fighting alongside with them. She just seems so fragile, delicate. He wants to know more about her...talk to her...touch her...
Yamamoto shook his head. Well, he wouldn't mind holding that hand again.
The next day rumors of Yamamoto's girlfriend had spread out on the school. If the number of red-eyed girls were any indication, then almost a third of their school's female population was in mourning.
Tsuna and Gokudera were just as surprised as everyone else.
"Chrome?" the brunette asked, during their break. That explains why there were less girls who greeted him good morning, and why Gokudera's fangirls swelled in size. "Since when?"
"Hahah...about a week ago," he said. "I ask her to go out with me,"
"You know that she's Mukuro's vessel, baseball freak," Gokudera warned him. "Besides...an affair between the guardians...Jyuudaime, is that alright with you?" he asked.
"Eh? Why me-"
"It's okay, I'll protect her," Yamamoto said making the young Boss smile, he could tell that he truly meant it. "Besides, it's not like it's Mukuro I'm dating, right? Hahah...that would be interesting though"
As usual, I have no idea what goes through Yamamoto's mind!
Like usual, she waited patiently at the gates. She's been doing this for almost a week now.
There were some who still looked at her resentfully, a few even gave her some biting remarks but after being around the storm guardian for so long, she found their vocabulary greatly lacking. It helped that she was talking to Mukuro-sama in her mind.
It seems like you're having fun, he chided, pulling out images of her and Yamamoto while they were talking yesterday from her mind. Am I being forgotten? I feel a little bit lonely
No! she thought in a panic. I-I'm just helping him out. It's all pretend, she assured him.
Kufufu...don't worry I was just teasing you my dear Chrome, Mukuro-sama's laughed resounded in her mind. But you should know, sometimes truths can become lies...and lies can become truths...
Lies can become truths...?
"Hey, you're Yamamoto Takeshi's girlfriend right?" She was snapped back to reality by someone talking to her. It was a girl with long brown hair. She wondered how long she had been standing there, she must've looked foolish, spacing out like that.
"Y-Yeah," she nodded.
"Can I talk to you? I promise it won't take long," she looked kind. She doesn't seem like a bad person.
"Sure," she said, wondering where this was going. She looked back at the school. It seems like Yamamoto's practice isn't over yet.
"Can we talk somewhere else?" the girl asked. She noticed several girls hiding behind some trees listening in on them.
"Okay," Even now, Chrome still had a hard time saying no to people, even total strangers. "Let me just call Takeshi,"
She pulled out the phone Boss had given her and dialed his number.
After only a couple of days, the number of fangirls cheering on the baseball team had dwindled in size. The Captain was a little sorry to see them go, but now all his players can concentrate on practice. It was all thanks to Yamamoto...although the teen always seems to be in a hurry to go home.
"Going home?" he asked. The younger player had immediately run into the locker room to change into his uniform right after practice.
"Yeah," he said, "I'm meeting Chrome after this,"
The room was filled with whistles and catcalls.
"Having a girlfriend sure is nice," one of them said. "Does she have a sister you can introduce me to?"
Yamamoto just laughed it off...although now that he mentions, he didn't know if Chrome had any siblings or if she was an only child. He also didn't know anything about her family.
Oretachi wa ashita no door wo tatakun da, Mada minu sekai wo kirihiraku you ni...
He pulled his phone out from his bag. Chrome was calling:
"Yeah? Chrome?" he said, the room became rowdy again. "What? I can't hear you,"
"Uhh...something came up," Chrome said from the other line. "Sorry, I can't go with you today," she said. Weird...he was more disappointed than he should be. "Is it okay?"
"Okay, I guess," he said. "Tomorrow, then?" he asked hopefully. The baseball team members were all clinging to him, listening closely.
"Sure," she said. She seems to be hesitating, and he wondered if she would end the call, then, "I-I love you," she said from the other line.
Yamamoto was taken back. It took him a moment to say something back. He cleared his throat. "Y-Yeah, I-I love you too," he said.
A click, and he was swamped by his teammates.
Chrome put the phone down. The girl was listening to the phone call so she thought that she should say that. Maybe she'd gone too far. She had never said those words before to anyone.
It made her nervous, and embarrassed. She would explain everything to the rain guardian later.
"Are you okay?" the brown-haired girl asked. "Your face looks flushed."
"I'm okay," she said, trying to calm her breathing. Her heart was hammering away on her chest, it was the first time she had said those words to anyone.
It was also the first time someone said those words to her.
"Yamamoto, you bastard," the guys were ruffling his hair, or mock-punching him. "Being lovey-dovey with your girlfriend in front of us, have you no shame?"
Yamamoto laughed feeling giddy.
"Your face is red," the Captain teased, he turned to the rest of the team. "You'd think he'd be used to those I-love-you's by now,"
They all nodded in agreement.
Yamamoto covered his face with one hand, he could feel the heat on his cheeks. They were right, he was blushing. For some reason, it struck him as funny.
I-I love you, he could feel his face heating up just remembering her words. He laughed again, and her teammates looked at him strangely but he couldn't help it.
Looks like in the midst of playing pretend...he fell for her for real.
A/N: This is just a two-shot, hope you enjoyed it. R&R please.