Disclaimer: I don't own KHR or stuff
Word Count: 7666
Part 71: And So you did
Natsume had left the shop before Malana could wake up. She would remember the little girl pouting up at her, batting her pretty light brown eyes at her and trying to wrangle a promise out of her to come back.
She knew it wouldn't be good for her, that she shouldn't get so attached, but she had said she would try to return. She left Kalani with her awhile longer, seeing that the animal companion was a soothing presence to the young child and although Hana and Kawahira were trying their best, the girl was sorely missing her mother.
"Honestly what is life?" she muttered to herself once she stepped outside of the shop wondering how such a day could be so nice, while her life so chaotic. She squinted her eyes at the sun, glaring at how peaceful it seemed to be against the bright blue sky, with its puffy little clouds flitting about. "Bitch."
Fuuta had let her stay behind, taking Lal ahead with him to get better treatment at the base. She would have gone back with him, but he had said she could stay behind – apparently he trusted her to be able to take care of herself.
So she roamed the town, going through places that she had been in not too long ago and seeing how much had changed with the years. The café was thriving at the current moment and though she did crave a macchiato, she could wait until she got back home. The clothing stores she and her mom would visit had changed names, though it still looked like they still sold clothes.
The park that they usually took the kids too had gotten a small water park added to it, for small children to come and play in.
She looked at the people that she passed by, recognizing a few of them, but mostly noting the feeling that hung over them. There was tension, murmurs of disasters having happened in certain parts of the world, and atrocities occurring in countries.
Natsume didn't stick around too long in the populated area, finding herself winding back to the plaza and heading towards the Nature Center. She was about to take the trail to head towards their training spot, when a voice called out to her.
Or rather, the voice called out to someone else about her.
"That Vongola girl is here, big bro!"
Natsume frowned at being addressed that way, turning around a facing the teen who didn't look that much older than her. She would have questioned who the hell he was if an older man hadn't come out from the entrance of the Nature Center.
Gamma stared at the young version of Sawada Natsume, feeling dread fill his stomach at the possibility that what he had been promised and what he had paid for were forfeit. Distantly there was a chuckle, one that made him shiver, a luring voice whispering I would never.
"You're Sawada Natsume."
"Yeah and you are?" she kept her arms at her sides, head tilting curiously at them and Gamma wondered what this young version could do. He had rumors years ago about this young version of Vongola Decimo's sister, but that's all what it had been.
Rumors.
There hadn't been any way to prove that the girl was actually capable of what was being said and eventually it was proven that she was just a simple civilian. He had believed that and that had been it. He furrowed his brows slightly; he wouldn't fall for that again.
Regardless of age, Sawada Natsume had the mind to do whatever it was she wanted and though it wouldn't be as refined as her older self, he wouldn't doubt that she wasn't capable.
"Your older self and I made a deal."
She blinked at him, watching him carefully as he stepped closer, and he held his hands up to show that he didn't mean any harm.
"Then that's between you and her," she responded and he felt cold inside, the chuckle in his mind turning into mocking laughter and crooning about how cute she was. Typical…she doesn't understand…not yet at least…
"It would benefit you –"
The girl raised a brow, lips pursed and seeming unimpressed with him, "Like I said, that's between you and her," she repeated, "And why would I help someone who hasn't even introduced themselves."
"Hey don't you -!"
"Quiet Nosaru," Gamma put an arm out to keep the teen from barreling forward to the girl. He cast a look over his shoulder to Tazaru, signaling for the other man to hold back Nosaru. He looked back to Natsume, letting his arms hang at his sides and bowing, "I am Gamma, we used to be Millefiore but we broke away, especially after I made a deal."
The girl pursed her lips, a brow raising questioningly, before sighing once more, "What is so important about this deal you made?"
"It's to help someone I care about, something isn't right, I've realized that, and I want to fix it," Gamma hesitated, but he didn't look away from her. "But I need help."
"And my older self offered help?"
"It's to help Uni."
"You asked for help for the Princess, bro?" Tazaru asked blinking slowly as he thought over why Gamma would do that. Uni was safe wasn't she? Sure they didn't like the alliance with Byakuran, but it gave them a better backing in case shit went wrong.
Nosaru stilled, looking between Gamma, Tazaru and Natsume, "So you have been hiding something."
Gamma's face was colored with a range of emotion, eyes glinting in a way that bespoke of violence being brought down on someone. Of course that only lasted so long, the man seeming defeated as he sighed deeply.
"The Princess hasn't been the same since she met with Byakuran over our families, I tried to make it seem like there wasn't an issue, but I know her, that child….something about her was changed through force," he said, looking past Natsume. "I thought it better to just go along with everything that has been happening and it seems to have worked, but all this change," he gestured to Natsume, "The Young Vongola and his people showing up, something isn't right."
"Well you're not wrong about that," Natsume spoke up, tilting her head back to gaze at the sky. "Then again, it's all about perspective, others might think what's been happening is the right thing."
Gamma glared at the girl, not breaking his gaze away from the girl's as silence fell around them. Not even the two with him bothered to say anything, mulling over what the teenager had said.
"Where even is this Princess of yours?" she asked, looking around them, gaze landing on the building behind them.
"She's back home."
The girl scoffed, arms crossing against her chest, right hip cocking out as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, "You want me to help someone that's not even here?"
"I get it you can't help, just leave."
Natsume clucked her tongue, not at all impressed with the blond, "If you have something of hers I may be able to help…maybe."
"I don't need maybe's –"
"Maybe is all you got and with how things are going, your only chance."
Gamma frowned, not understanding what she was saying, but waited for her to continue. "Byakuran has decided to play a game, he won't say anything for a few more days, but I'm sure something will come up," Natsume said, "You only have a few days and if this is the man who ruined your Princess, then you only have so long –"
Natsume was cut off as Gamma threw something at her, it landed right in front of her and she gave him a questioning look as she crouched down to pick it up, "A box?"
"Open it."
She didn't hesitate on picking up the box, but took longer turning it over in her hands. It's a simple box with light green engravings on it, making it seem as if it was a simple ornament. When she does open it, she looks inside and is surprised by what's inside.
It's a fine gold bracelet, with small little chains that had red and black beads woven between them.
Huh, this looked similar to what she had given Lambo months ago, except a lot more expensive. (She thought it had been a culture thing for just Jasmine, but it seemed others had believed in it as well.)
Oh, uh that wasn't good.
One of the bands was broken, which was hard to tell by the way the bracelet was made, but Natsume just noticed one of the chains just dangling off to the side instead of over each other.
"You will be here."
And she didn't wait for a response from Gamma, she gave a brief tug with her flame and without much trouble, she felt herself being pulled through.
Tsuna screamed, teetering off the motorcycle he was trying to balance on, but not falling off as Natsume quickly straightened him out as she floated beside him.
"What the hell!"
She gave him a cute smile (that was anything but cute, honestly she reminded him of the Cheshire cat) eyes focused on the crystal around his neck, before looking back up to his face, "That was pretty cool."
Judging by his face (and everyone else's reaction) it was not.
What a bunch of lame asses.
Intermission 26
Sometimes wanting was a terrible thing.
Craving and wanting for something that one could never get, to the point that they became obsessed and completely lost to what they already had.
And then to find out that what you do have, is gone and being replaced.
It would make anyone go crazy.
Right?
….right?
Gamma stared at the young child who gazed back without any fear, running what Genkishi had just said through his head.
Aria was dead and this child was supposed to replace her? This child who was supposedly Aria's, was supposed to be their boss and lead them?
He tried not to give into the need to yell, to find Aria and check (and then double and triple check) that she wasn't dead. (Something in him knew she was gone and there was no way to get her back.)
All that was left was this child.
A child who wore Aria's pacifier, the large hat that Aria and her mother used to wear during important events, and the orange flower marking just beneath her left eye.
And Gamma would eventually realize that even though he wanted and craved for Aria's presence, to hear her voice and feel her warmth, he will come to accept that she was gone. (And know that wanting for that which he knows he could never really have, wasn't a good thing).
Gamma knows what jealously, what envy, what wanting what others have (or what he's lost back) and so he gifts the child a bracelet.
To protect from jealousy, from others envy, from other people's selfish needs.
(Something in him breaks, when he's handed back a broken bracelet and he hides it so far back that he forgets about it and hides it in a place where he wouldn't bother looking. So when he finds it after having left Millefiore he feels himself nearly fall apart all over again.)
Part 72: And they will too
"I am really sad that I don't get a motorcycle," Natsume pouted having found Tsuna after she got kicked out of the training room they were using as a race track.
Tsuna reached for his sister, his hands cupping her face (and noticing that she was taller than him) and giving her head a brief shake, "Natsume you can literally teleport."
"That doesn't mean I wouldn't like a motorcycle."
Tsuna made a noise, bringing his hands away from his sister's face and resting them on his hips, "Yes, be sad that you don't have your own two wheeled deathtrap."
"Mama never let us drive her moped," his sister brightened up suddenly, putting an arm around his shoulders and bringing him close to her. "Oh do you think she'll take it out of storage? I mean, you're pretty much certified to ride it, right?"
"Just because I have a license here, doesn't mean I'll be able too."
The two continued to banter, Tsuna sounding exasperated by the time they got to the medical wing. Inoue smiled at the two teens, enjoying the sight and the light heartedness the two brought with them, "She's awake, Tsunayoshi-kun," she began, already knowing what the boy was going to ask. "She'll get her medication in thirty minutes, so you have time to speak with her today."
Tsuna smiled brilliantly, thanking the woman. He'd been trying to speak with Lal since she had been brought back two days ago, but every time he had come by the woman was sleeping.
Two days had already gone by since they had returned from the Melon Base and though he didn't try and show it, he was feeling like a nervous wreck. The others had already opened the boxes they had received from their older counterparts and succeeded in not being nearly murdered by them.
(Well not murdered, he felt that wasn't the intention of the animal inside. But it definitely was not happy.)
He had been meaning to ask Natsume for help, but his sister kept disappearing off to who knows where and appearing when it was convenient.
(Like earlier today when they were all in the training room together, Takeshi and Hayato had been trying to figure out a way to make sure that Uri would not just turn on Jiro or Hayato. Natsume popping out beside Tsuna did not help and spooked the cat, earning Hayato an apology as he got pretty scratched up.
The fact that Uri was calmed by the very person that spooked her was unsurprising, Hayato was not impressed.)
"Oh Tsume, before I forget, can you help me?"
"Sure!"
She wasn't even going to ask for what, she was just going to go along with whatever he asked. Of course she was, "Thanks."
"Always, Tuna."
He made a face at the nickname, earning him a snicker from her, and then they were met with the tired visage of one Lal Mirch. Natsume was already at her side, smiling nicely at the woman who just gave her a curious glance, not at all bothered when Natsume reached for the pacifier that hung around Lal's neck.
Tsuna watched as the pacifier glowed with Natsume's flames, the deep cracks that had been there, having almost sealed up.
"I'm glad you're okay Lal."
Lal huffed, leaning back against the pillows, "You mean you're happy to see me alive." The older woman felt a bit guilty when the boy flinched, his eyes closing as he took a deep breath. "It wouldn't have been your fault, Tsunayoshi, I knew the consequences."
Natsume glanced between the two, noting how troubled her brother was and knowing that regardless of what Lal said, her brother would take any loss to heart. Lal, on the other hand understood her place, knew what was on the line and the very real possibility of loss.
Tsuna hadn't exactly suffered that.
At least not yet.
Sure there were fights; there were injuries, but actual death?
Natsume didn't have any idea how her brother would react and she didn't want to know.
(She knew how she would react, she had felt it from her older self. She didn't want Tsuna to be in that position, it was too much pain, too much disconnect, and nowhere near from ever being okay.)
"Give me a few more days and I'll be upstairs dealing with all of you," Lal gave him a look that made Tsuna break out of his sullenness. A quiet 'hie' escaping the boy when Lal flashed him a wicked smile, "You'll wish I would have stayed in bed."
"I think you should stay in bed for as long as you need Lal," Tsuna responded, looking exasperated. "I don't understand you people, you get hurt and instead of resting you want to be out of bed doing things that might possibly make you worse."
"Calm down there, mother," Natsume poked Tsuna, earning an amusing squeak from the boy as he jerked away. "I'm sure Lal knows her own strengths, right?" Natsume looked at the woman who nodded. "Right, so if she decides to push herself that's on her."
"Fifteen minutes left you two!" Inoue's voice rang from outside and the two teen's looked at each other. Lal really wanted to understand how the two communicated, when Tsunayoshi's face looked pleading and Natsume just gazed back looking unimpressed.
"Tsuna I don't even know why you came here, I was just following you."
"Dang it," Tsuna uttered, visibly deflating before he straightened up, he really hadn't wanted to inform Lal. "We have nine days before Byakuran tells us about Choice.
"What? Is he actually coming here then?" Lal asked surprised as the man had spent the past years sending his minions to take over or finish off anyone that had rejected him was actually stepping in himself.
"Shoichi's trying to figure –"
"Did you just say Shoichi, as in Irie Shoichi?" Lal interrupted, eyes narrowed. Natsume noticed her grip the sheets in her lap, quickly relaxing her grip, but the tension was still there.
"He's helping us now, this was all a part of Hibari-san's and my older self's plan," Tsuna said, straightening up and waiting for Lal's response.
"He helped in killing them and you're allowing him to side with us?" Lal asked slowly, her voice low, before she scoffed. "You let him come here, didn't you?"
Tsuna didn't answer, but he nodded, "He didn't have a –"
"Don't you say he didn't have a choice!" Lal yelled, cheeks flushing pink as she lost her control. "Everyone has a fucking choice and if he didn't want to do what he's done, he should have died rather than let himself be used by Byakuran!"
Natsume's eyes were wide as she stepped in front of Tsuna, a clone of her appearing and tugging Tsuna away as she began to speak softly to Lal, her words lulling the other woman to relax. Lal cried, turning her head against the pillow to hide her face. The hair that had covered her face was pushed back by Natsume, whose earlier cheer was gone, replaced by a somber attitude.
"Inoue-san," she called, letting her flames work their compulsion on Lal, relaxing the woman and leading her thoughts towards brighter memories. The red haired nurse came in, a tight smile on her face having heard the yelling, prepping to administer a shot and medicine for Lal to take. "Dream of happy times, let your heart not be heavy for what's to come."
"Thank you, Sawada-san," Inoue murmured, as she gave Lal her shot. Having had to deal with Vongola's people the last few years, Inoue knew how hard they were to calm down. It was always nice to have the counselor around to help soothe some of the more stubborn individuals to get through any treatment that they needed.
Natsume smiled, though it was tinged with sadness and really the young girl shouldn't look so much like older self when she did that, "Please let me know when she wakes again Inoue-san, I would like to be here."
"Of course," Inoue said, offering the girl a kind smile. "Before you leave, would you like to know how Dokura-san is doing?"
With everything seeming to happen all at once, it had slipped Natsume's mind that Chrome had been brought to the medical wing. The girl had suddenly collapsed a day after returning from the Melone Base.
"Has she woken up?"
The red haired woman nodded, kind brown eyes crinkling as she smiled, "When she came to she realized what had happened, so she's meditating right now. She'll be let go in an hour or two once I'm sure she's able to hold her sustained illusions for more than three hours."
Natsume sighed in relief, giving the older woman a bright smile, "It's nice to receive good news every once in a while."
The nurse chuckled, nodding her head, "I would recommend she take any flame usage lightly in the next few days, seeing as it appears to be the first time she's encountered this situation."
"I'll make sure she stays okay, Inoue-san."
"That's all I can ask for, Natsume-san, that you all stay okay."
/ | \
Tsuna had been waiting outside for her, head down and avoiding eye contact with her. She sighed, rolling her eyes and put an arm around her brother's shoulders and began leading them back to her room.
The longer the silence went on, the tenser Tsuna got. She still kept their pace even and began humming a lullaby their mother used to sing to them, in hopes of filling the quiet. Tsuna sighed, letting his head rest against her shoulder and didn't even protest when he was guided into her room and sat down on her bed.
"Alright you wanted my help for something, what was it?"
She was used to Tsuna pouting, lower lip quivering as he teared up, now he looked completely wiped out, eyes filled with doubt.
"Look Lal is under a lot of stress, Tsuna, she'll come around," that or Natsume would stay between her and Shoichi. "Hibari's going through his older counterparts things, Kusakabe's helping him and it may help Shoichi out."
Tsuna's brow furrowed at that and Natsume smiled, "Hibari and I have been learning how to work together, also Kusakabe's been very helpful."
"What?"
"I'll tell you everything we did when we get back home, right now," she poked at his forehead making his head tilted back and his face scrunch up adorably, "Now you asked for help."
He pursed his lips, reaching into his hoodies pocket and pulling out the square gold box and handed it to her. It was the second time that day Natsume was being given a box, though this time she appreciated that it wasn't thrown at her feet. When she touched the box she could feel it shaking and taking it out of Tsuna's hand the shaking ceased, making her pause.
She turned it over in her hands, the engravings on this box much more elegant than on the one Gamma had given her.
"Hold out your hand," she said to Tsuna, who did as she said and the minute it was placed in her brother's palm, the box began to shake.
Tsuna heard the noise Natsume made, her face scrunching up in thought as she lifted the box up again and then put it back in his hand. She did this a few times, before putting the box between both of her hands. Her mist flames appeared, circling her wrists before swirling around the box and having it float in the air. Natsume stood up, heading towards one of the book shelves that were beside the door.
The box continued to float over to the desk as Natsume picked a few jars out and made her way to the desk. She was about to open up the jars and start placing the contents around the box when she looked over her shoulder at him. Tsuna was staring at her, head tilted slightly in curiosity and she gestured for him to come over.
Her brother came over, standing beside her and she shook one of the jars at him and without telling him, he pulled out one of the dried out flowers, "Its lavender," she said, pulling another short stalk out. She placed it by the box and then proceeded to pull out a few more, surrounding it in an almost circle. There was one section missing and without being told Tsuna placed it down completing it.
She set the jar side, opening up the other one, "And this is rosemary." He was used to seeing that in the kitchen when his mother cooked, not at all finding it odd that Natsume had some in this room.
Or at least the older her.
He pulled a few out, also placing it in a circle on top of the lavender. His sister hummed in approval, setting that jar down and using her now free hand to grasp his.
"Now burn it," she said, pausing a little as she closed her eyes. He watched as she physically relaxed, her shoulders which had been tense before lowering, her jaw unclenching. "But before you do, I want you to breathe."
Tsuna inhaled, giving his sister an odd look and feeling thankful that her eyes were closed, though judging by the way she squeezed his hand, she knew.
"Close your eyes, Tsunayoshi," she murmured, head bowing forward. "I want you to think of all your troubles, of every problem that has happened the past couple days."
He could feel himself tense up at the idea of being reminded, because it just brought back the reality of what was to come and really he could deal with everything else that had happened in his life.
But this.
Traveling to the future to correct the wrongs of –
"Let it out," his sister murmured, her soft utterance of the word bringing him out of his thoughts. He let out a shaky breath, feeling his shoulders come down, his hand relaxing in hers, no longer clenching it as tightly. "Breathe in deeply and think of it everything that has passed and breathe it out slowly."
He did it again, though this time he tried not to let his thoughts get to panicked, breathing out when they did and picking up on where he left off as he breathed in deeply.
Everyone believed that he could do this.
His future self believed that he could.
Even older Hibari who terrified him, trained him because he thought he could.
Tsuna breathed in and then out.
They were going to get through this.
They had beaten the odds before, they could beat them again.
As long as his family was at his side, he will make sure that they returned home.
The smell of something burning had him opening his eyes and he almost freaked out when the plants he and his sister had circled around his box were on fire. Natsume was staring at him, her eyes a mixture of amber and indigo, "In fire we are reborn, Tsunayoshi."
She lifted their hands up, placing it on top of the box, were the smoke was curling around. Tsuna was about to yell that his sleeve was going to get burned, but stopped when he realized the box wasn't shaking under his touch.
Natsume let him go, stepping back while her stunned twin brought the box up to his face, his head bowing forward so that is forehead was pressing against the ring slot.
This wouldn't last for long, but hopefully it would be long enough for Tsuna to be able to understand how he should feel when reaching out to his box animal.
/ | \
Natsume sat in the kitchen eating, shaking her head when Lambo looked as if he was about to ask for some of her food, "It's spicy," she nodded in the direction of the stove, "Pull up the step stool and serve yourself what's on the stove."
Her moment of distraction cost her a piece of chicken and she cast Tsuna a flat look as the little lion trotted back to his side, nibbling on his stolen snack, "Natsu that's not nice."
"Can you not exaggerate the pronunciation and just call him Nuts? Or hell how about Nutmeg?" Natsume sighed, resting her elbows against the table so that she could use her hand to lean her face against. "Nutmeg is cute."
"Natsu is a fierce name though."
There was a chirp that came from beneath the table and Natsume nudged her own box animal, "Shush you."
Tsuna looked a little too smug as he reached up to scratch Natsu, the little lion purring at the affection, "Fine whatever, but that's the one and only time I'm allowing him to do that, I don't appreciate food swiping."
"That's because you don't like sharing," came Takeshi's voice and the twins turned to look at the teen who was sporting bruises he didn't have earlier that morning. Takeshi noted their concern and merely smiled, trying to hide the wince that came about when he tried to wave them off. "I'm okay."
"And I'm the nicest person ever," Natsume retorted, setting down her chopsticks about to help Takeshi but was beat to it by Tsuna, who stood up and pulled out the chair beside Lambo for the teen. "I thought you guys finished training today, why are you so beat up?"
Takeshi shrugged, thanking Tsuna as the teen set down a bowl of whatever they were eating down in front of him. Lambo gave him a thumbs up; unable to talk with his mouth full of the rice and chicken that the twins had probably cooked, but still letting him know it was good.
They proceeded to all eat in silence, though Natsume did have to pick up her bowl and turn away so that Natsu wouldn't be stealing her food again, "You need to learn manners little lion." At that she narrowed eyes at Tsuna, who just smiled back at her.
"He's a baby –"
"He's not a baby –"
"Look he's so tiny –"
"Emi would have never –"
"Emi trips me down the stairs every other morning."
There was a brief pause, Natsume pursing her lips, before sighing loudly, "She would never steal food out of my hands, like someone."
Said someone blinked cutely at her, the lion's head tilting to the side, "Gao."
"I'm over it," Natsume muttered, "Lambo have you bathed yet?"
The child nodded, wiping his hands on a napkin before patting his hair, "Fuuta helped me."
"He dried your hair too?" she asked glancing at his hair and noticing that it wasn't dripping wet like other times. She got a nod from the boy and she wondered how Fuuta managed to get the six year old to sit still long enough to even bother getting his hair not be a sopping wet mess.
She ate the last bit of her food, giving Natsu a stern look as the small lion started to approach Lambo. The small lion chirped at her as he strolled over to Takeshi and plopped himself down in his lap. Natsume rolled her eyes as Takeshi began lightly scratching the lion with one hand, "Well I'm off, goodnight."
With Natsume now gone, Natsu chirped cutely at Takeshi, eyeing the piece of chicken in his hand, which had Tsuna sighing, "Okay maybe she has a point, Natsu."
The little lion looked over at Tsuna and if Tsuna didn't know any better, he would say the lion was pouting at him. "Come on, back you go," and he held up the box, earning an odd look from Natsu. A brief flare of golden lion and the box animal as gone from Takeshi's lap.
"You figured it out?"
"For now," Tsuna answered, fiddling with the box which felt as if it were humming. "…are you really okay Takeshi?"
Takeshi nodded, "I'm okay." His response just had Tsuna raising a brow at him, "Really, I'm okay."
"You're not worried for what's coming?"
Lambo stared at the two teen's, wondering if he should tell them that he was done with his food, but instead decided to stay quiet and listen to what they were saying. He understood that everything was really different compared to the few times he had appeared in the future.
Or maybe that's how they made it seem when he would appear, Fuuta was usually there to watch him, even now Fuuta was taking care of him.
"I'm sure we'll get through it."
Lambo frowned, he should have paid attention, "What are you talking about?"
The two teens seemed surprised, but why? Lambo knew a lot better about things than they did, at least mafia things, he just didn't focus on it anymore.
"It's not something you should worry about Lambo."
Lambo was about say something, but he decided not to. He'll ask Fuuta, or maybe even his ane. Tsuna-nii usually didn't want him getting involved, neither did his ane, but she made sure he would be okay the last time with that butt faced weirdo.
Instead of whining like he wanted to, he'd just go to his ane about it. She'll tell him, or do something to help him.
/ | \
Haru and Kyoko were in their shared room, laying in bed. They both knew that the other was awake, but neither tried to talk. They just laid in the silence, each one trying to understand what had been happening around them.
Bianchi had been more than nice enough to spend time with them, informing them of what was happening and what not. She had kept them safe when the base had been attacked and they were glad that at least the part in which they were living in hadn't been entirely affected.
It still had been terrifying, hearing the explosions and the distant fighting.
It had only been two days since it had happened and while everyone had come back already, the girls got the feeling that it wasn't over.
The others, who were all now their age, had already been immersed in their training, from what Ryohei had told them earlier before their bath, they were learning how to ride motorcycles. Kyoko had tried asking Ryohei what else was happening that they were preparing for and her older brother didn't want to tell her.
(He hadn't been happy to find out that they had been told about what they were involved in.)
Haru had gotten upset and told off the older teen, pulling Kyoko away from him and trying to find someone who would say something.
"Hey Haru," Kyoko spoke up, staring at the ceiling, hands clutching the blanket on her tightly, "You still awake?"
A silly question they both knew the answer too, but still she responded, "I am."
"What do you think we can do?"
It was quiet for a second, Haru's soft sigh sounding too loud in the room when she did so, "I don't know."
"….I wish Hana was here," Kyoko murmured, turning on her side and staring at the bed across from her. "She'd definitely get them to talk or even help us figure something out."
"Haru is surprised she hasn't seen Hana-san around here," Haru responded, not turning onto her side, instead just looking at Kyoko. "Everyone else seems to be here."
"Maybe Hana isn't a part of all this."
Haru harrumphed, shaking her head, "If Natsume's a part of this, Hana definitely knows everything that's happening."
Kyoko didn't say anything to that. Her and Hana used to be very close, but the last few months Hana had been spending more time with Natsume, sometimes even disappearing for a few hours on end and reappearing later with an excuse that she lost track of time with Natsume.
She wouldn't say what exactly they would do together and Kyoko assumed that they just spent too much time around the Nature Center. That was the only place where phone calls and texts wouldn't get through and Natsume had mentioned that she and her brother spent a lot of time on those trails with Reborn.
"Do you think our Hana knows already?"
Haru shrugged, looking away from Kyoko and back up at the ceiling, "If Hana even has an idea of what's happening, she'd bug them about it."
Headstrong, stubborn Hana who would want to know why her friends disappeared at odd times, who would definitely question the oddness of an event being hosted at night, especially because they had never heard of it. Who was the one who got the closest to Natsume, even though they all had spent a fair share of time together?
"If our Hana knows, she wouldn't tell us, she knows it's dangerous."
"But my own brother is part of this –"
"Sometimes secrets stay secret so people don't get hurt," Haru said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Maybe Haru wishes they hadn't told us."
Now that she was calm and could think, Haru understood. She had been thinking too much over if it was worth knowing. How different would things be happening if they had just left them in the dark?
"I'm going to sleep," Haru said after Kyoko didn't say anything for a few seconds. "Goodnight Kyoko-chan."
Kyoko wouldn't say she was jealous at Haru's ability to instantly fall asleep as she did. She stayed laying on her side for who knows how long, eventually drifting off to sleep.
Maybe talking to someone else would get her answers. She had to know who else would tell them and talk to them about these things, she couldn't keep relying on Bianchi.
As much as she appreciated the older woman, she wanted to be able to trust her friends.
To trust her own brother.
Could she do that?
Yes.
Could her friends?
…..maybe.
Part 73: What do we do?
Natsume hesitated as she saw that Chrome was in the bath. She gripped the towel around her tighter, debating if whether she should head back and get ready for bed or join the other girl. She turned around to leave, but Chrome calling out to her made her pause.
"Natsume-san?" said teen paused, looking over her shoulder to see Chrome giving her a curious look, "Did you come to use the bath?"
Yes she did.
Was she going to use it with someone else in there? No.
"I was, but I…." would it be rude of her to say she didn't like the idea of someone else seeing her naked? "I'm a little uncomfortable."
Chrome titled her head to the side, "Have you gone to bath houses with your friends?"
Natsume pursed her lips, shaking her head, "I've only gone once when I was small and that was with my mama and papa."
"…I won't look," Chrome said, giving her a soft smile. "I think the bath would be good for you."
Natsume looked away, crossing her arms tightly against her chest. She debated in her head and in the end she decided to join Chrome. She made her way over to the side, Chrome turning around, head resting against the edge of the tile as Natsume took off her towel and stepped into the water.
"Oh my God," she hummed as she found a spot to sit and sink into. "You can turn around Chrome," she said, sitting in a way that the water came up to her chin.
"It feels good, doesn't it?" Chrome asked and Natsume could see her cheeks tinged pink from the heat. "Inoue-san said it would be good to take a hot bath, said it would relax me after the incident yesterday."
Natsume blinked slowly at the girl, with all that had occurred with Tsuna earlier it had slipped her mind "Inoue-san told me earlier are you going to be okay?"
Chrome nodded, "When I woke up in the infirmary, I realized what was wrong and tried to fix it myself," she sighed. "So far I'm doing better than I thought I would."
Natsume huffed, "I wouldn't doubt it, but if you need help –" the other girl shook her head, before Natsume could finish her offer and she nodded in understanding. "Okay then."
It was quiet after that, the pair enjoying the warmth of the water and each other's presence. After months of visiting her, Natsume could admit that Chrome was a good friend. Even Ken and Chikusa were okay and they often hung out for a little after the girls finished whatever they were working on.
Chrome's growth was coming along nicely and her joining Tsuna and the others whenever they got together for their training really made her a lot more confident about her abilities. The fact that they trusted her and included her on their little excursions, making sure she was fine made her a feel a way she hadn't thought she would.
(She couldn't exactly name the emotion, though Mukuro-sama would sometimes tease her about how much happier she was.)
This situation however was a bit odd; she never would have thought Natsume to be bothered by sharing a bath with someone else. She always saw the older girl as confident and strong, one who decided for herself and didn't let others choose for her.
She wouldn't ask Natsume about it right now, noticing that even though she tried to relax, Natsume's shoulders were slightly hunched. Chrome came to the decision that she would leave first, letting Natsume have time to herself so she could at least have a relaxing bath.
"What do you think this Choice is?" Chrome asked, having heard a little about it when she first got here. Natsume shrugged, clasping her hands in front of her and resting them against her mouth.
"It could be anything."
Shoichi hadn't said much either, having gone off with the blond guy and Giannini to 'figure' some stuff out, whatever that meant.
"Did you know the boys were learning how to ride motorcycles?" Natsume asked and pouted when Chrome shook her head. "Unfair, y'know."
Should Chrome mention about the man she passed by earlier?
It was late, most everyone else would be in bed by now and she didn't exactly know what reaction Natsume would have. He had been involved in the Ring Battles just a few months ago and had injured Yamamoto-kun.
Tsuna was the one that talked about what had happened during those times, Chrome didn't really recall Natsume ever bringing it up.
What she did bring up was what had happened at Kokuyo and Chrome still didn't know what sort of conversation had taken place between Mukuro-sama and Natsume. At least after that time there was a better understanding between the two and Chrome assumed, Natsume just liked to pretend to not like Mukuro-sama to annoy him.
At least that's what she assumed.
She could be wrong.
"What are you thinking so much about?"
Chrome blinked slowly, realized she had dazed off and when looked, Natsume was resting her head back against the edge of the bath, eyes closed looking the total picture of peaceful.
Or as peaceful as someone who looked annoyed ninety percent of the time could look.
Chrome smiled, "Nothing much."
/ | \
It was barely midnight as Natsume finished taking care of her hair, regretting not having her phone on her to take a picture of the leave-in conditioner that was on the dresser. Not only did it smell nice, but it didn't leave her fingers feeling sticky like some of the products she had used before – then again living in a small town like Namimori, she didn't have much of a choice on what she used.
With a pleased sigh, she decided to get to work on what needed to be done, wondering how Gamma thought she could be of use.
She sat down at the edge of her bed, reaching for the bracelet that she had set down on the small table by it. The bracelet was pretty, the gold color not having that nasty yellow gleam to it, which she appreciated. The parts that had broken swung lightly and she lightly touched those ends, trying to figure out what could have caused it to break.
It didn't look like it had been snagged, but more like the chains had just fallen away from the main part of the bracelet, which wasn't any better.
She had already decided she wouldn't go to Kawahira for this, unless of course she really couldn't figure it out on her own. She laid down, clasping the bracelet in her hands and holding it over her heart, breathing in deeply as she closed her eyes.
There was still a connection here and though she had just barely started getting used to reaching out to links she knew, searching out ones she didn't recognize was definitely new.
She breathed in deeply, clearing away her thoughts, just focusing on the object in her hand. The brief flicker she received back after who knows how long had her jolting up from her meditation. She sat up, blinking slowly as she glanced around the room, trying to make out the objects in the dark room.
Her eyes landed on the clock by her bedside and quietly groaned when she noted the time, "Four in the morning already?" she muttered, arranging herself so that her head was on a pillow. She set the bracelet down on the table, giving it a brief pout. "I'll figure the rest out tomorrow."
She narrowed her eyes, did she mean tomorrow tomorrow, or later on today?
"I hate my brain sometimes."
/ | \
A young teen blinked, eyes flickering with life at the sudden nudge she felt. She looked around her, noting how unusual the room was decorated, definitely not something she would have liked seeing as it was much too white and ostentatious for her tastes.
This wasn't her room was it?
She got up from the bed, nose wrinkled in dislike as she headed for the large closet.
"Oh, uh," she uttered taken back by just how big the closet was and the clothes she definitely hadn't picked out.
Really who picked this all out? She was ten…she frowned no that didn't seem right. She pursed her lips as she looked for a dress that didn't have thin straps and delicate lace on it, eventually finding one that at least had elbow length sleeves and would go down past her knees.
Now if only it wasn't in black.
Extra One-Shot!
The future was weird.
Not in the 'we're in the future and we belong in the past' but in the 'there are things here that I won't have when we go back.'
Natsume sat in the kitchen, waiting for the other girls to finish up the food they were making. Growing bored the longer she waited, Natsume opened up the laptop she took from her older selfs room. She started going through the news articles before she ended up on YouTube.
Haru had gotten the other two to listen and at times dance along to a group called Girl's Generation and although they were something she would usually listen too, she wasn't in the mood for them.
"Tryin' to get control, pressure's takin' its toll"
She had accidentally clicked on a recommended video and an unknowing smile made its appearance. She had forgotten about the type of music Jasmine used to listen to and realized that it was also something that had carried over (it's just that most of songs the other had liked hadn't even been recorded).
"It wasn't love, It was a perfect illusion"
Knowing that Haru would get exasperated with her, Natsume plugged in some headphones and continued listening to the rest of the song and ended up making a playlist (her older self was logged in.)
The song ended and the next one continued on, it wasn't until the boys came in and Tsuna was trying to get her attention (she had laid her head down and closed her eyes to just relax to the music). Tsuna ended up unplugging her headphones, something had her looking up and glaring at her brother.
"Lord forgive me, for things I don't understand,"
"Natsume, I was wondering if –" Tsuna was didn't finish his question as his sister gestured at him with both hands, her glare not subsiding and mouthed along to the song.
"Bitch don't kill my vibe"
AN:
SO, i was going through all these documents that I need to appropiately name because of them are titled either as "extra", "nananana", "memememewww" or some other spelling of extra, nah, and meow. I found a bunch of little one shots that I wrote and this one that I put here kind of had me giggling because YES. Also I keep having to look up when groups formed and debuted, when songs were released and what type of technology and fashion was popular for the twins time.
Really 2008 for me was a quesitonable time
I've also been spending my time figuring out a playlist for Natsume, but she'll listen to anything and some artists I want I can't find on spotify.
ANYWAY before this gets wordy, thank you to all of you for hanging in there. I hope times are safe and healthy for you and that it gets better. I am (un)officially graduated after 85 years of going to school (HAH). Finding a job at this point is going to be quesitonable.
But yeah, hope you guys enjoyed, please let me know if this got weird at any point, i'm awful at proofreading and I kept going back and forth between chapers to make sure everything stays in line waht with whats been said or done.
Enjoy~
Sorugao