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Five Times

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Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! in any way or fashion.

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Summary: The five times Haru approached Gokudera because she liked him and the one time he approached her because he liked her back.

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(A/N: Chapter two~! This chapter was fun to write.)

II. This Is Getting More Weird

Haru has been over Gokudera Hayato's apartment at least three times every week this past month alone. He complained about her being there but after seeing how much help she was to him and Uri, he didn't mind so much. He still complained though. They both knew it was just hot air at this point. Everything was fine until one day, Haru came to his place with groceries.

"What is that?" He asks the moment he sees bags hanging off the arms of Haru. He walks over to her and leans in close to take a peek inside of the bags. Haru gasps at his closeness but doesn't shy away from him. She blushes instead. Meanwhile, the oblivious boy stares in wonderment at all the produce she had brought over. "You bought all of this?" He asks her, feeling conflicted all of a sudden. He looks Haru dead in the eye. "I don't like owing people."

"You don't owe me anything Gokudera-san." Haru assures him as she walks into his kitchen and begins to put away the food she brought. "I wanted to do this."

Hayato hurriedly rushes over to stop her. "Wait, wait, wait." He covers one of her hands with his, effectively stopping her movements. "Don't do this. I already have food here." He begins to argue but Haru is already rolling her eyes.

"Gokudera-san, TV dinner is not real dinner." She states.

"Then why does it have 'dinner' written all over it, hmm?" He challenges.

Scoffing, Haru brings her free hand to point a finger in his face. She almost laughs at how Hayato is nearly cross eyed at that. "It's not healthy to have those every day and you know it." Haru shrugs his hand off hers and continues to pack away the food. Hayato frowns at that.

"It's just a waste though, dummy." He tells her. She spares him a look from the corner of her eye. "I don't have time to make my own food." A smile plays along Haru's lips at that statement.

"Are you sure it's not because you can't cook?" She teases him.

"Ha. Ha. You're so funny, idiot woman. Not." He scowls and Haru has enough nerve to stick her tongue out at him before laughing. The boys ears twitch at that and then he grows irritated. 'I'm hearing that a lot more these days.' He thinks with what he believes is irritation. Yet, he doesn't speak out in ire. "Still no use if I'm not going to be able to cook the damn things." He tells her.

Haru stops at that and says nothing. Silence passes between the two for a moment and Hayato is worried if he offended her. 'It's not like you said for her to buy these things!' He tells himself, worried that Haru is probably thinking she wasted a ton of money on him for nothing. However, to his surprise, Haru's entire being lights up as if she's come up with a grand idea.

"Then I'll come over and cook every day." Exclaims the girl, proudly so.

"Yea—no." Replies Hayato, feeling a headache come on. She just pouts as she places her last purchase away in his kitchen.

"Why not?"

"Because that's... Too much. And weird!" He insists.

"There's nothing weird with helping a friend though?" Haru retorts. Hayato gives her a look of disbelief.

"You don't do this with anyone else." Fires back the boy. Haru flushes at his words, for whatever reason, he doesn't know.

Luckily for her, Haru is quick to think on her own two feet. "Yes, well... Everyone else doesn't eat TV dinner everyday."

Hayato opens his mouth and closes it before thinking real hard about that. 'She's got me there.' He thinks begrudgingly before grumbling. The private school go-er exclaims a proud and loud "a-ha!" at him, knowing when she is the winner in an argument. She taps him lightly on the shoulder, her smile radiating off her face. It's so bright, Hayato has to look away for a second.

"Don't worry. I really don't mind Gokudera-san. In fact, I think I'll sleep better knowing that you have eaten a home-cooked meal now." The way she says it, Hayato feels like there's more to be said about that but he shakes his head from those thoughts.

"It's too much." He whines and suddenly Haru is getting out some of his unused pots and pans. "Now what are you doing?" He questions. Haru looks at him like he's just asked her the most stupidest question of all time.

"I'm making dinner."

"Wait, already?!" He shouts, shocked.

"No time like the present Gokudera-san!" Haru chirps happily.

"W-Wait, just wait a second!"

Haru hums while maneuvering herself around his kitchen like she's been here all her life. "What is it?" Questions the girl as she turns on his stove. For a moment, Hayato takes in the sight of Haru in his kitchen. It looks like she owns the place. She probably knew his kitchen better than he did at this point.

'When did this happen?' He wonders. He watches Haru take out some vegetables (the one she brought) as she preps them. At the sight of real food being made, his stomach growls. He misses the grin on Haru's face as she hears that. "Okay, you can make dinner today but coming over everyday? Th-That's too much." He informs her.

"Eh? But you can't cook." Haru reminds him, waving around the knife that's suddenly in her hand.

"Watch where you swing that thing!" Hayato takes several steps back and Haru snickers at his reaction. He takes a closer look at the knife. 'When did I buy that?' He shakes his head before going back to his dilemma. "That's not the point Haru!" He raises his voice. Haru gasps at that, and the poor boy doesn't even realize that that's the first time he's said her name. "I can't ask that of you. You're busy too. Don't you have club duties? It's too weird!"

Haru frowns at him. "I guess you have a point there. How about I make dinner for you for four days?"

"Three." He bargains.

Haru purses her lips and makes a "hmm" sound. "Okay, then I'll have Bianchi-san come over the re—" She doesn't even finish her sentence as Hayato starts to make a queasy face.

"Don't tell her about this." He says, trying to sound stern but he just comes off as weak at this point. Haru begins to pity him.

"Fine. Five days a week then."

"Let's go back to four." He says.

Haru frowns again. "How come you don't want me to cook you dinner everyday? It's a free offer." She tells him. Hayato can tell that she's sincere but it just doesn't seem right.

"It's just weird." He admits. "I'm not used to seeing you like this."

"This?" Haru emphasizes. She sounds unsure of how to take his words.

He sighs. "You know... I don't know how to say this. But I'm not used to having someone over all the time. It's weird enough that you already seem to know my kitchen better than I do." He mumbles under his breath before blowing a strand of silver hair out of his face. "Not used to you being here."

Haru flashes a look of hurt before swallowing. Sucking in her breath, she musters all of her courage to ask a very important question. "Do I bother you, Gokudera-san?"

He can hear the hurt in her voice and honestly, he didn't mean it like that. Struggling with words to say, Hayato brings his hands to hold Haru still by her shoulders. Green eyes pour into silver ones and in the most honest tone he's ever used, Hayato does his best to get his feelings across. "No, you don't bother me dummy. I wouldn't invite you in if you did." She smiles at that. Hayato is glad to get through that part. "It's just... It's personal, okay? What if you decide one day to stop coming over after I get used to you?"

It sounds bad, he knows. But that's the best way he can phrase it right now.

Haru plays with his words in her head before coming to a realization. "Are you scared that I'll leave you?" She gasps.

"Well, I didn't exactly say that." His voice goes up and down in that sentence, giving him away.

For some reason, Haru's smile widens and she brightens up to him. "Oooh, Gokudera-san! You sap!" She teases him, slapping his arm. Realizing that he's still holding her, he quickly lets go. "You don't have to worry about that! I'll never leave you!" She promises.

The Storm Guardian can feel something hot climb up his neck, reaching out towards his ears at her words. "What?" He mutters.

As if realizing her own mistake, Haru quickly waves her hands in the air dramatically. "Because we're friends!" She yells urgently. "Yeah! It's because we're friends! It's so normal." The look on her face is intense as she laughs nervously but Hayato decides to take her words to heart.

"Friends." He repeats the word several times in his head. Then with a grin, he ruffles Haru's head. "Yeah? Well, thanks then. Thanks Haru." Said girl hides her face in her palms.

"N-No problem." She squeaks.

"Remember, don't tell Bianchi. I don't want her to catch wind of this. She'll make me eat her food. Bleh!" So disgusted by the thought of her cooking, Hayato doesn't see Haru peek at him from behind her fingers. She's thankful for it, of course. And also, maybe, a little forlorn. However, after that day, Haru makes him dinner as promised.

Only, she does it every day.

(A/N: I've always considered Haru a go-getter. Thanks for reading! Please review and tell me what you think!)