Summary : Tsuna his chased and Chrome comes to his rescue.
References to Shamal are about the third chapter of "When They Saved Her".
AN : Hello Dear reader and welcome back.
Here is the third chapter of my series. A bit long but I liked writing it.
You should read the third chapter of "When They Saved Her" so the references about Shamal will be understood, but you still can read it separately.
I hope you'll like it.
N.
Chrome was walking home when she realized she hadn't given her Boss his textbook back. With a tired sigh she turned around and walked quickly towards his house.
She bit her lip. She had been there quite a few time already but always felt shy, as if she was intruding. She steeled herself : Tsuna (he insisted she called him Tsuna and not Boss and she really was trying to please him) was nice and would be happy to have his book back.
As she walked past a cross-road she heard a cry and the sound of someone running. She stopped, straining her ears to know if the person needed help or not. She was startled when someone called her name.
"Chrome !" She turned only to see her Boss, running at her with a panicked expression. She immediately noticed how he was limping too and had blood running down on his forehead. It took her a short second to run to him, grab his arm and shove him behind her. Her spear appeared in her hand and her ring shone with flames. She eyed the street carefully, her left hand still clutching Tsuna's arm. He was clearly out of breath.
"Bo… Tsuna ? What happened ?"
"I didn't see it ! It jumped on me and bit me ! I fell against the wall, face first and it hurt like Hell. I shook it off and ran." He whined, his free hand patting his left leg.
"It ? What was…" She didn't get to finish her sentence as a huge black dog came running at her, fang bared. She almost rolled her eyes. Obviously, it was a dog.
"Aaaah… I sent it flying with flames, how did it get back so quickly ?"
Behind the dog, three others, just as big, appeared. She groaned and Tsuna gulped loudly.
"Stand back, I'm taking care of them." She turned to smile at him reassuringly and he nodded. He limped and slumped against the wall next to them, his head in his hands and his eyes carefully on her, ready to help should she need it.
She walked slowly, her hand raised in front of her in a peaceful and calming manner. The four dogs slowed when they neared her and stopped in front of her.
"Be careful Chrome, they are bloodthirsty creatures." Tsuna whispered behind her. She nodded but didn't look back at him.
She crouched and when the dog stopped in front of her she patted its head. She felt it lean against her palm and a small smile tugged at her lips.
"So unfair." Tsuna groaned behind her. It attracted the dog's attention and it growled.
Chrome sighed, defeatedly and produced a light purple smoke. The four dogs staggered and turned away. Tsuna had stopped breathing behind her and watched them walk away.
"I don't understand why dogs always seem to hate you, Tsuna." She looked at his relieved expression.
"I don't know either, they always have." He scratched an old scar on his elbow from when he was four and a small dog had bitten him.
She walked to him and slipped her arm behind his back.
"Let's walk you home." He pushed away from the wall and looked at her.
"I can walk, Chrome."
"You're hurt." Her voice left no place for arguments and he knew how stubborn she was.
He leaned against her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and they walked in silence for a few minutes.
"I'm sorry you have to do such a big detour, you live nowhere near here." He squeezed her upper arm.
"It's alright, I was going to your place anyway." Feeling him staring at her curiously she added, "I forgot to give you your textbook back."
"Oh ? It could have waited for tomorrow, you know. You don't need to trouble yourself."
"It's fine, I don't mind walking. And I'm happy I chose to come, or I wouldn't have found you." She frowned.
"Yeah, thanks again for that. Dogs always seem to like you. All animals really." He chuckled. "I can't believe Uri would kill Gokudera on sight but would let you pet him." Chrome smiled as the memory of Gokudera's shocked expression came back in her mind. He had been warning her about how dangerous the cat was and Uri had jumped on her knees and let her pet him all afternoon.
"He's a nice cat." She smiled. Tsuna didn't agree but said nothing.
They walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence. Chrome could feel Tsuna leaning more heavily against her as time passed. She looked at him, worried, and frowned when she realized he had troubles keeping his eyes open.
When they arrived Tsuna was surprised to find the house empty. His mother had left a small note on the coffee table : she, Reborn and the kids had gone to the cinema. He sighed, his house hadn't been this quiet in months and it felt nice.
Next to him Chrome grabbed her phone and dialed a number.
"Who are you calling ?" Tsuna really hoped it was not Mukuro. The man still wanted to possess him and he didn't feel like fighting him at the moment.
"Doctor Shamal." Tsuna's eyes widened slightly. "You need to be checked, this is a nasty bite on your leg and I won't be able to do it properly. The wound on your head troubles me too." The Doctor answered before he could reply and she turned her back to him. "Doctor Shamal ? Hello, It's Chrome... Yes… No… It's Tsuna… No, he's got attacked by stray dogs and got bitten. He also hit his head… I know, yes, but… At his place…. Really ? Thank you Doctor... Yes, I'll wait for you with him." She hung up and turned again. "He's on his way."
"Did you really need to call him ? I'm sure I'm alright." Tsuna cringed.
"Yes, I needed to call him. Better safe than sorry."
"I thought you didn't like him." Tsuna frowned. "You know, after last time…"
"Yes, I know. I don't like him but he's the best and you need medical attention. It doesn't matter what I think of the man. My Boss deserves the best."
Tsuna groaned, rubbing his face tiredly. He remembered too well how they had to throw the man out when he had been checking on an unconscious Chrome -not that they had told her about it, they were too embarrassed -, and the time he tried to corner her after one of her training with Hibari. She had called Shamal because she had hit her head quite hard and felt a little dizzy. Hibari didn't know she had called him and he had been resting on the roof of the building. The sound of her fighting back against him had attracted the attention of the Cloud Guardian and he had beaten Shamal and carried her to Gokudera's place as he was the only Guardian with some kind on medical knowledge.
This time they had been honest with her : she should never find herself alone with him. The perverted man knew the ways of the mafia and was a skilled fighter after all. Since that day she had been careful.
Tsuna flopped down on his couch tiredly and she wandered in the house, searching for a towel and a bowl of water. She came back with everything she needed and sat on the floor next to him.
She wet the towel and raised it so she could dab it against his cut on the forehead. There was so much blood but she didn't look that impressed, she'd seen worst. Once cleaned she realized the cut wasn't that large nor deep and should heal easily enough.
She moved on to his calf, more careful this time as the wound looked to be deep. Tsuna flinched when she dabbed the skin around it. She apologized but he just told her to keep going.
She worked silently and as gently as she could. She had cleaned half of the wound when she realized Tsuna was starting to fall asleep. She wasn't sure she could let him sleep before someone had taken a look at his head so she shook him softly. He opened a tired eye and someone knocked on the door.
She hurried to open. Shamal grinned wide when he saw her. He tried to wrap his arms around her but she sidestepped easily.
"I'm so happy you called me, Chrome. You look as beautiful as ever." He followed her to the living room, an arm wrapped around her shoulder. She squirmed, uncomfortable.
"Thank you for coming so quickly, Doctor Shamal. I was cleaning Boss's wounds."
Shamal looked away from her reluctantly and took notice of Tsuna's state.
"You know I don't take male patients." He said. She was going to argue but he cut her. "However I'll do an exception for you, sweet Chrome. Maybe you could thank me by letting me take you to the restaurant." He sat crossed-leg in front of Tsuna.
The boy looked exhausted, he mused.
"Oï don't sleep yet, boy !"
Tsuna mumbled incoherently but kept his eyes open. He knew he couldn't close them and risk falling asleep as it would leave Chrome alone with the man. Chrome sat on the armrest where his head was resting, brushing his hair away from his face in an affectionate way.
Shamal leaned over him, his hand brushing against Chrome's as he took a look at the small gash.
"How do you feel ? How hard did you hit your head ?"
"Hum, not that hard I think. 'Ve been through worst." Tsuna tried to shrug. "I feel dizzy and tired though. I don't think I slept enough tonight, Lambo kept running around for hours."
Shamal nodded.
"I don't think you have head trauma, and you don't need stitches here but you'll have to rest for a few days." Tsuna nodded against the couch. "You can try and get some sleep." Tsuna didn't want to sleep though.
Shamal moved on to his leg, finishing to clean it.
"You did a good work, cleaning the wounds." He said to Chrome. She blushed and he grinned wide, finding her way too cute.
She grabbed her phone from her school bag, something the boys had insisted she got as they might need to call her if anything happened. She dialed Gokudera's number and, with a smile at Tsuna, left the room.
"What the hell do you want, Chrome ?" Chrome barely understood him as he grumbled.
"I'm sorry, Hayato. It's just that Boss got attacked by straight dogs and got hurt." She heard a strangled cry and thought he'd fallen from where he was sitting. "He hit his head and one of the dogs bit him."
"I'm on my way, where are you ?" She heard the door being locked and smiled.
"I took care of the dogs and walked him home. I'm at his place right now."
"Great, I'll take him to the hospital, just in case."
"It's alright, I called Doctor Shamal. He is taking a look at Boss right now."
"You what ?" Gokudera cut her and she had to push her phone away from her ear. "Shamal doesn't have male patients."
"I'm the one who called so he came running." She shrugged. "He asked me to go to the restaurant with him in exchange though."
"There's no way you'll go." Gokudera growled and she rolled her eye.
"I wasn't going to accept. Anyway, he is the best Doctor we know and I really needed him to take a look at Boss. He said Boss doesn't have a head trauma but will need a lot of sleep for a few days. He's taking a look at his leg right now."
"Good. I'm already on my way. Call me if anything happens." They both knew what he meant but she didn't comment on how she didn't really need him to worry about her.
"I will." She just said and they hung up.
When she walked back in the living room Shamal was putting some thread and a needle away and grabbing some bandages.
"Some of the wounds needed a stitch, they others will heal without a problem but he'll have to use a crutch for a few days so as not to put too much pressure on his leg."
"I'll make sure to tell him."
"Who did you call ?" Shamal asked as he wrapped Tsuna's leg tightly.
"Hayato. He is on his way here."
Shamal groaned. If his moody student knew about Tsuna then he may not have more than ten minutes left to be alone with the beautiful Chrome.
When he stood up and took a step towards her, he noticed as she took a step to the side, placing the couch between them. He chuckled.
"Now, Chrome, what about this restaurant ? I was thinking about this famous Italian place a few miles away. The waiting list is pretty long but they owe me a favour." He smiled broadly and leaned over the couch, his hand brushing against her arm.
"No, I don't really want to go to the restaurant with you, Doctor." She took a step back.
To her surprise, Shamal laughed.
"Come on, it will be fun ! I'll show you how a man must treat a Lady."
"I'm not a Lady." Her voice was cold and he looked at her strangely.
"Of course you are one. Every woman is a Lady, my dear Chrome. And you are a beautiful one. I'm sure you'll grow up into a splendid young woman."
"I'm not a Lady." She repeated. "I'm a warrior." Her eye flashed indigo.
"I love a woman with a fierce spirit." He took a step back and jumped easily above the couch to land just in front of her. It surprised her and she mentally slapped herself for having forgotten how good a fighter he was.
He rested a hand on her shoulder and the other grabbed one of her wrists. She tried to take a step back but collided with the wall. She looked into his eyes and the second he blinked she turned into mist. His hand fell to his side and looked around himself.
"I like playing too." He said loudly as she reappeared on the other side of the room. He grabbed a small box from one of his pockets. She recognized it, it was where he kept his dangerous mosquitos. Her spear appeared in her hand, just in case, she thought. "However I know we don't have much time left together before that annoying boy arrives." He looked serious. "Don't make me use them, Chrome."
"I'm not making you doing anything." Her ring burnt with indigo flames.
"Chrome ?" She startled at Tsuna's quiet voice. "Are you alright ?" He tried to sit but failed.
"I'm fine, Bo-Tsuna." She nodded at him, her eyes softening as she hid her ring from him. "Just talking to Doctor Shamal. Don't worry about me and rest, you need it." She smiled and he frowned. She could see how he tried to fight the sleepiness but it overtook him.
Shamal and her, face to face, waited in silence to see if Tsuna would wake up again or not. When a slight snore escaped him they both jumped into motion.
Shamal leaped above the couch, landing just after the small table while Chrome produced a knife from her mist, throwing it at him, then a second, a third and a fourth, just like she had seen Belphegor do many times. Shamal dodged them with ease.
Chrome didn't want to fight him. She was tired and hungry and worried about her Boss and had no time to lose with this perverted man.
"Don't make me fight you, my lovely Chrome. You're too cute to fight." She rolled her eye. "I just want to eat a meal with you !"
"And I don't want to, is that so hard to understand ?" She huffed.
"But why ? You could learn to know me. And like me."
"I don't want to. I'm perfectly fine on my own."She dodged as he tried to grab her spear and turned to mist again.
"At least give me a kiss." The old man pouted and she grimaced. She didn't kiss just anyone, only the people she cared for deeply, the ones she trusted the most, her Family. "I'll give you one too."
"No thanks." She said quietly, reappearing on the other side of the room, near the front door. She could run for it if she wanted to and leave the place, yet she could not leave her Boss alone with this creep.
"A hug then ?" He smiled widely at the idea he could have Chrome's body pressed flush against his. However when she grimaced his smile wavered.
Chrome didn't mind hugs as much as she used to. Takeshi happened to like hugging people, including her. However she didn't like hugging or being hugged by strangers, and Shamal was basically a stranger.
"No thank you." She groaned. Shamal pouted again and looked at her sternly.
"You're not nice to me. I come here running the second you call me for help and you won't even thank me."
"I thank you so very much for coming here and healing my Boss, Doctor Shamal." Chrome bowed low for a few seconds. "You are the best Doctor in the mafia world and I know Boss deserves the best."
Shamal looked surprised by her praised and smiled.
"Ahah, you're too nice. You know I can kill as well as I can heal people, right ?" He raised an eyebrow and saw her expression shifting. "However, I won't hurt anyone I don't need to." She seemed to relax and he took the opportunity to walk towards her. "Now, I just want my kiss and my hug. After all, that's all the payment I need." She blanched.
"I may not be rich but I have enough money. I can pay you for your work. I am not sure I want to know what kind of girl you thought I was." She stated. She walked briskly to her bag and kneeled next to it, reaching for her wallet.
He used the moment she wasn't looking at her to step next to her. He gripped her hand before she could grab some money.
"Don't." He said. She looked up at him, her big eye scanning his face. She tugged on her wrist but he did not let go. He forced her up, pulling on her hand and she stumbled, catching herself on the couch. That was when she realized she was trapped between it and the old man. "You don't need to pay me."
That's only when she noticed the ring on his right hand and how it was faintly glowing. He followed her eye and smirked.
"Did you really believe I could survive in this world without using a flame ? I was asked to join the Varia once." She looked surprised but said nothing. "I am just like you, Chrome. I also use Mist flames." He lit his rings and she could feel how powerful he really was.
She tried to vanish again but felt as if her flames were being sucked out of her. He smirked. She glanced behind her, Tsuna was still sleeping peacefully. She really didn't want to start a fight here and break her Boss's furniture but she didn't see any other solution.
She planted her gaze in Shamal and pushed her knee where she knew it would hurt. The man gasped, letting go of her hand to hold his hurt parts. She sidestepped quickly as he fell forwards, catching himself on the armrest of the couch with a groan. She jumped further away from him and lit her ring. She created long ropes that tied his legs together.
He fell to his knees and turned to her. He was going to say something when she created a gag that wrapped itself around his mouth.
"I really don't feel like hearing you right now." She frowned as he pushed himself up again. He produced a knife and cut the ropes before ripping the gag off of him.
"You're not as nice as I thought." He seemed sad but she did not dwell on it. She saw him producing a flask full of some kind of powder and a surgical mask. She created one too, feeling that she would not like what would happen if she didn't. She was wary of him, she had no idea of how he used his flames. If he was able to suck up hers, maybe she could do the same with his ?
She focused on the Mist she could feel was not hers and tried to call it to her. She was aghast to feel a huge amount of flames flying to her and heard Shamal gasp.
"So you know how to do it too ?" He didn't seem pleased. She didn't answer. She felt the Mist accumulated in her hands, its power swirling around her, pushing her hair against her face.
"Are you going to leave me alone now ?" Her voice sounded deeper than what she was used too.
"What if I say no ? I only want a hug and a kiss. I really don't understand why you refuse. I've seen you kissing the boys' cheeks and hugging them. Why not me ?"
"They are my Family." She said forcefully. He took a step forwards with a scowl, his lips pursed.
"I could be your Family too. I mean, I'm already Hayato's master." Another step.
"It's not my choice to make."
He kept walking towards her, still talking about how much he deserved such a young and beautiful girl's love and affection. He almost drooled. She cringed. She found him more ridiculous than threatening. She knew not to underestimate her opponent and stood still as he approached her.
When he reached for her she was faster than him and he was startled when she gripped his wrist tightly. Just like Hibari had shown her she used the man's own weight against him and threw him over her shoulder.
He was so surprised he didn't think of slowing his fall with his hands. He hit the floor hard. Chrome turned on her heels, never showing him her back, the mist she had attracted still waiting in her hand.
Shamal stood up quickly but not quickly enough. Thick metal chains appeared and wrapped themselves tightly around Shamal. He gasped, breathless as he was being squeezed. He tried to move his hands but couldn't move a single finger. He tried to lit his flame but felt it being sucked up by the young woman before him.
He grinned and chuckled.
"Alright, I get it. I give up." She didn't answer, instead she walked to a nearby armchair and sat on it, never leaving him out of her sight.
Barely two minutes later the front door banged open and a breathless Gokudera stumbled in the room.
"Chrome ! Are you alright ? And Tsuna ? Where's Shamal ? Did the dirty old man do anything to you ?"
He heard a scoff and walked around the couch to reach Chrome only to find said dirty old man, lying down and tied up at her feet.
"He didn't do anything, he tried though." She frowned and Gokudera felt like punching the man. "However, he took good care of Boss." It stopped him from doing anything. Chrome pointed her finger to the couch and Gokudera saw his beloved Tsuna laying there. "He's sleeping. He was exhausted." Gokudera nodded.
"Can I be freed now ?" Shamal asked, annoyed. Chrome seemed hesitant and Gokudera crouched in front of him.
"I don't want you near her. If I learn you've try anything I'll be the one digging your grave."
Shamal had rarely seen his student so serious.
"Yeah, yeah. I get it." He huffed. It's not as if he was impressed or scared of him after all.
Gokudera turned to Chrome and nodded. Without moving a finger the chains disappeared and the man got back to his feet in a swift and elegant motion.
"Vongola needs to rest and not put too much pressure on his legs for a few days. Call me if there's anything." He grabbed his bag and walked to the door. He stopped under the threshold and met Chrome's gaze. "I'm impressed you mastered that technique so quickly, only after seeing it once. You have a lot of potential and will become one of the greatest illusionists the world has seen. I understand why Mammon has volunteered to train you." She gasped at the news but he turned away and left the house.
She turned to Gokudera, eye wide and gaping. He was in the exact same position.
"I swear I didn't know." She said quickly when he turned to her. "I'll always be faithful to my Boss. I'm not interested in working for the Varia. I won't accept Mammon's offer if you want me to" She stood, holding his gaze with hers, intently.
"I know. It's a wonderful opportunity to be trained by an Arcobaleno. You'll get stronger and more powerful."
They stood there, quiet, for a long while.
"Shamal did try something, didn't he ? He wouldn't have been tied up if he hadn't." Gokudera frowned. They had already warned him once. "I told you to call me if he did."
"He did. I didn't know he was a Mist Flame user too."
"Neither did I, I just learnt something." Gokudera admitted with a grimace.
"Fighting him was… interesting though. I learnt a few things too." She smiled and looked away. "I probably should leave now."
"Why ? You can stay you know. You're part of our Family." Gokudera put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. It startled her. The Storm Guardian wasn't one for physical contacts.
"I don't want to bother you. I'll see you tomorrow in class." She smiled but he didn't let go of her.
"You don't bother me, nor anyone else for that matter. You can stay here." Without a look he walked into the kitchen. "I'm going to make tea, do you want some ?"
"I... Yes, please." She said after a second. If she was bound to them, destined to spend the rest of her life in their company, why not start right now ?
AN : I always picture Shamal as a dirty old man, I don't really know why. I like his character, though.
Following chapter should be posted in two weeks, maybe three as I'll be on holidays.
Thank you for your time.
N.