Disclaimer ~ I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn
Aria had not been expecting to discover that Skull had broken into her bedroom while she was in the shower. He hadn't noticed her yet, too busy placing a cake on her desk and talking to a man with blonde hair. It took Aria a second to recognize where she had seen the man before. He was in a couple of her visions, protecting her future daughter. In those visions, he was confident. Sure of himself and his strength. Looking at him now, Aria thought the man looked almost…lost.
As if sensing her gaze on him, the man looked away from Skull to stare at Aria silently. Skull still hadn't noticed her, currently lighting the candles on the cake. The stuntman turned to the man once the last candle was lit, having taken his silence for another meaning.
"Hey Gamma. It's going to be fine. I've known Aria since the day she was born. Trust me, she'll love having you around," Skull told the other, placing a hand on his shoulder. Gamma glanced at Skull then shook his head, pointing to Aria silently. Skull whirled around with a yelp, finally noticing Aria standing there.
"Hi Skull-nii," Aria greeted, giving a small wave. A wide grin appeared on Skull's face.
"Happy fifteenth birthday Aria!" Skull exclaimed, coming over and giving Aria a tight hug. Aria leaned into the embrace. It had been months since she was able to last speak to her brother figure, and even longer since they were able to see each other in person. She had missed him.
"Thank you," Aria replied. Skull gave her one final squeeze before pulling away. His smile was sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck. That was a habit that uncle Reborn had never been able to get him to stop.
"I wish I could stay, but I have to get back to the Carcassa soon. Technically I'm not even supposed to be here, but I couldn't miss your birthday," Skull explained, motioning to the cake on the desk then towards Gamma. Aria glanced at the third person in the room, still unsure of how Skull came across him. Skull picked up on her unspoken question easily.
"I found Gamma a few weeks ago. He was being held prisoner by the Carbone famiglia. He has no family, and something told me he'd thrive with you, so here we are," Skull said. Aria didn't know how she could help Gamma, but she knew that eventually he would heal. He would become a kind and caring person that she knew she could always count on. She only hoped she could be the same for him.
"Hello Gamma," Aria said with a soft smile. "My name is Aria. It's nice to meet you."
She wasn't expecting Gamma's response to be bending at the waist into a full ninety degree bow, something she suspected he picked up from Skull during the short amount of time they spent together.
"It is my honor to serve you, Lady Aria," Gamma declared. Skull laughed, loud and boisterous, at the scene.
"Take care of each other! I'll try to visit properly next time. Happy birthday again Aria!" Skull said, waving goodbye to the duo before jumping out the window. Aria had a hunch that was how he entered her room in the first place, but pushed the thought aside. She had more important things to think about, such as starting to free Gamma from his shell. They spent the rest of the night enjoying the red velvet birthday cake Skull made (perfect as always) and getting to know each other. One thing was for certain, this was a birthday Aria would never forget.
I've needed to work on this miniseries for awhile now and I've finally caught up. Honestly took me longer than it should have, but better late than never. I've mostly been trying to catch up on the Proof Of An Immortal miniseries, but I wanted to get this one out of the way as well. As soon as I finish posting this chapter, Fon's will be next. After that, I'm finished rewriting the Birthday Wishes chapters. Whatever comes next on this fic will be brand new content, although I make no promises as to when those chapters will arrive.
I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Please Review, Follow, and Favorite! Stay tuned for the next update!