Title: Serendipity
Author: sllebswap
Characters/Pairing: Miura Haru and Dino
Type: OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)
Genre: Romance/General/Humor
Word Count: 1284
Rating: T (Contains content not suitable for children)
Disclaimer: Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira-san.
Summary: CEDEF Agent Miura Haru and Cavallone Boss Dino have known each other for a very long time, haven't they? Loosely interconnected one shot/drabble series. D86.
Chapter Last Revised on: 31/10/16
You got the healing that I want
After the whole time travelling fiasco with the Vongola Famiglia had been resolved and the entire dimensionally displaced group had been returned to their rightful era, Dino took advantage of the brief lull in activity to return to his own territory to oversee the Cavallone operations. Not that there were much for him to do; his men had kept the Family business running as per normal even while their Boss was off gallivanting in Japan assisting with his 'little brother's' predicament. All's well that ends well.
His day was just starting, and he had been reading the morning papers that Romario had personally delivered to his desk when he sensed that he was no longer alone in his study. But the blond was not too worried, and did not react when his newspapers were deftly plucked from his hands, and he was treated to a familiar sight. His golden eyes warmed with welcome, and one corner of his lips lifted in a lopsided smile.
"...CEDEF-chan, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?" There was a faint lilt of amusement in his tone as he peered upon the smartly attired figure of one Miura Haru, his gaze touching briefly on the crisp lines of her black and white power suit, not a strand of hair or loose thread out of place. Her sharp appearance was a stark contrast to the casual attire which she had been seen in by her Famiglia circa ten years ago, but then again, the twenty four year old External Advisor had her reasons for keeping her occupation under wraps from her time travelling companions.
Dino's gaze lit upon the mug of what looked (and smelled) like an absolutely delicious serving of coffee that she carried in her hand. His favorite too, if he was not wrong. The Cavallone's smile widened, and he gestured for her to come closer, straightening in his seat in anticipation. Haru obligingly handed him the specially prepared beverage, her own light response accompanied by a slight wrinkle of her nose.
"Is it right for sempai to still call Haru that, now?"
Dino happily accepted the offering, his own reply momentarily forestalled as he elected to enjoy the drink first. He emitted a faint hum of pleasure when he took his first sip of the gently steaming brew, eyes closing as he appreciated the rich, refined taste of the coffee. She had gotten even better at this over the years; and he has always had a great appreciation for the drinks she made him. How could he not; when she always put so much care and thought into them?
He cracked an eye open after a short lull, pinning her with a content, golden stare over the rim of the cup.
"As I recall, I've been 'Dino-nii' until quite recently, haven't I?" he quipped with light teasing. "How long did it take again; for me to upgrade to the position of 'sempai?'"
Her mouth fell open slightly, and he was gratified to see her fall out of that CEDEF-trained composure and discipline, her cheeks rouging slightly at his bald question.
"E-Eh? That's not the same thing, desu! That's not fair at all, is it? We were all busy running interference with Milliefiore Famiglia the last few months and-"
She was mumbling and starting to look even more flustered, and he was hard pressed not to tease her even further. This change of dynamics between them was new enough that she was still somewhat uncertain and jumpy around him. It was endearing.
"I was just kidding," he murmured, cutting her off before she could truly work herself up into a lather, lips still twitching faintly with quiet mirth. "Thanks for the coffee. I was seriously craving a fix."
He set the beverage down and gave her his full attention, once more all businesslike and every inch the Cavallone Decimo. A pair of slacks and a dress shirt adorned his person, the collar unbuttoned, cuffs rolled up to his elbows, exposing lean, strong forearms and adroit, elegant hands, his bold, colorful tattoos sprawling across the graceful expanse of masculine flesh. Whether he actively realized it or not, he cut a handsome, powerful figure seated behind that large, imposing desk, even when dressed informally.
"What brings you here?"
Her gaze sharpened, and she seemed to regain her courage, her hands tucked behind her back as she leaned in slightly over his desk, closer to him. Her face reddened, but there was also a light of determined resolve glinting in her eyes.
"…Hahi…I…Haru came to do this."
Before she could lose her nerve, she reached across the mahogany desk for him. Slim fingers made contact with his jawline and she turned his face to her. Not expecting her unexplainably bold action, Dino was surprised into momentarily stillness as she ducked the rest of the way towards him and brushed a chaste kiss on his cheek.
She drew back almost as quickly as she had struck out, hurriedly letting go and stepping back, her hands nervously returning to their previous placement behind her back. She bit her lips, flesh tingling from where they had briefly touched his skin. His warm skin. She wondered vaguely if she could taste him if she licked her lips. And promptly became even more flustered.
"Thank you," she blurted out, and her eyes were wide pools of sincerity as they met his. "Haru has always wanted to thank you."
He looked at her bemusedly. He leaned back in his seat to consider her cryptic remark, silent for a significant pause.
"…For? …Not that I'm complaining, mind you." Tipping his head to the side, one lean hand came up to absently touch the spot on his face where her mouth had caressed. He rested his chin on the palm of his hand and continued to regard her, a small smile growing on his lips. "Tell me so that I can do it again."
"Because you were kind, sempai," she murmured, flushing at his faint teasing. "You've always been kind to Haru, even from the very start."
Ah, he was beginning to see where all this was coming from now. It wasn't hard to put two and two together, especially in light of the last time he met her. Or rather, the her from ten years ago. Even now, there were still many, obvious traces of that same her from that time; how little had her demeanor and personality changed over the years.
His gaze softened imperceptibly.
"You remembered?"
It had been a long time for her, after all.
Her eyes lit up, all but glowing.
"Haru never forgot."
She looked like she wanted to say more, but then her phone buzzed quietly, reminding her that she had other agendas to see to. She stole a quick glance at the message before stuffing the device back in her suit pocket, a busy air quickly overtaking her previously abashed one.
"Hahi, Haru has to go! Basil-kun is calling, desu! Haru is only supposed to drop in very quickly to say hi." She absently tucked her hair back behind her ear, and she bowed deeply, exuding earnestness and thankfulness. "Haru is happy to see that sempai is safe and well at the end of this war-"
"Jo-chan."
His voice was still the same rich, mellow baritone, no change whatsoever in pitch or octave, but she shivered inwardly at the name he had given her all the same. And the nuances of warm affection in his tone…
Despite her best efforts, her heart rate sped up. She lifted her head to meet his eyes. They were so gentle that her chest ached, just a bit.
He smiled.
"You're welcome."
::owari::
Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:
As mentioned previously, this installment directly follows the events of the previous chapter. In this one, TYL!Dino is thirty two, and TYL!Haru is twenty-four.
And yes. In this verse, at this point of the timeline, these two are only just beginning to establish some form of romantic relationship. Everything is very new still, hence Haru's skittishness and uncertainty. On the other hand, Dino is considerably calmer, though he probably has more experience with this sort of things, being older, wiser, and all.
I find this contrast rather fascinating, and will be exploring more of it in the future. This pair is really precocious to write!
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'Jo-chan' is Dino's nickname for Haru. 'Jo-chan' (short for 'Ojou-chan') basically more or less translates to 'little lady' or 'little missy.' It's a more affectionate, playful interpretation of 'Ojou-sama,' which means 'Lady,' or 'Princess.'
How and why this nickname came to be will probably be explored in one of the later chapters, so hang tight!
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Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!
-sllebswap