Title: Serendipity

Author: sllebswap

Characters/Pairing: Miura Haru and Dino

Type: OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

Genre: Romance/General/Humor

Word Count: 2156

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.

Verse: Marriage of Convenience AU

Chapter Last Revised on: 13/11/16

I'll let you set the pace

Being the wife of the Cavallone Decimo came with the basic understanding that her husband would never belong to just her alone. No. She had to share him with the rest of his five thousand plus subordinates, and that staggering number did not even include the many allies of theirs, all of whom maintained strong ties with the charismatic and chivalrous Cavallone House. As such, if there wasn't an issue regarding their members that had to be personally resolved by the Boss, then it was some rallying call for assistance by a friend of the Family that he was obliged to ride to the rescue – there was never an uneventful day for all of them, that was for sure.

For the most parts, Haru was fine with it. Her husband had always been the sort to care wholeheartedly and his unwavering loyalty and dedication to those whom had earned his support and friendship were simply part of what she had always admired so much about him. Not to mention, when she had accepted his marriage proposal, apparently she had also inadvertently agreed to marry his entire House as well, though she had only realized that unspoken clause a few months after she had stepped over the threshold of her new home. Her past experiences in caring for/managing various individuals combined with her ability of generally being very adept with domestic skills became really handy as the wife of the Cavallone Don, and Haru took pride in performing her duties well.

But sometimes, Haru wanted her husband's attention too. Sometimes she felt more like an assistant or the Boss's designated right hand man (or woman, in this case) than his wife. She wasn't beautiful or flashy like Bianchi-nee or a lot of the femme fatales that moved in the circles of the Italian Mafia like sleek, self-assured sharks swimming through dangerous waters. She was a foreigner, she wasn't very proficient in combat or even outright intimidation, and even though she was already twenty-five, she still looked embarrassingly like some sixteen year old; childish features, slight, waifish figure and all. She wasn't very womanly or sophisticated and long story short, she stood out from all of the others for all the wrong reasons.

But what she was, however, was useful. And being useful and being helpful made Haru happy. She thrived on being needed, and with a Famiglia as extensive as the Cavallone, there was always something for her to do. She was efficient. She made sure the Cavallone household ran smoothly every day. She hassled and nagged the men who followed her husband like they were her flesh and blood family. She cooked and cleaned and ensured that everyone who stepped into the threshold of the main Manor would feel welcomed and at home with delicious meals and comfortable lodgings. She managed the staff and hosted the guests not with charm and grace, but with warmth and exuberance and sincerity.

And the men adored her. It did not take long for her to earn their devotion and loyalty. Bianchi-nee was right – the way to a man's heart was most definitely through his stomach.

The Cavallone Famiglia quickly learned to love their mistress and her youthfulness and earnest nature only served to make them very protective of her. She was akin to a cute, younger sister – a good girl, their Boss's wife was, even if it was generally agreed upon that she possessed no sex appeal whatsoever.

…

Dino looked up from the book that he had been reading the moment he heard Haru blow into his study. One brow silently lifted at the aggravated air that surrounded her as she paced before his desk, and long, elegant fingers bookmarked the page and set the volume aside. His reading glasses remained perched on the bridge of his nose, though.

"What's wrong, Haru? You look…high spirited."

As always, there was something about his smooth, gentle baritone that served to temper whichever mood she was in, and some of her indignation faded, replaced by a moody bout of depression. She slumped and clapped her hands over her face, mumbling unhappily through them the entire while.

Dino cocked his head bemusedly at her antics, and had to ask her to repeat her words since he could not quite grasp the reason for her upset. She was animated and expressive and it was always entertaining attempting to decipher her quicksilver moods.

"Hahi! Haru is not womanly at all and has no feminine appeal whatsoever!" she wailed at last, looking rather miserable and comically defeated. "Haru is a failure as a woman and Haru cannot look mama in the eye now when she finally meets mama in the flower field of the afterlife!"

It was a good thing that Dino hadn't been drinking anything at the moment or the surprise at her outburst might have caused him to splurt out his beverage there and then.

"...What?" His question was faint, almost incredulous.

This was quite the crisis to the young woman, and she looked too agitated to entertain his surprise.

"Wait, wait. Slow down there, Jo-chan. Whatever brought this on?" He gestured for her to come closer, and she obliged instinctively, rounding his study desk to go to his side. Dino swiveled his chair to face her completely, leaning forward slightly as he paid her his full attention.

"Haru overheard some of the men speaking earlier. Hahi, Haru knows that it's bad to eavesdrop on other people's conversations but it was honestly an accident, desu." Even though upset, she was still trying to be mindful of her manners. Her face was red. "T-They were saying that Haru is more like a little sister type and is not s-s-sexy at all. Haru is like a child to everyone in the Famiglia, desu! It's really a shocking blow to Haru's womanly pride, desu!"

Dino's eyelid twitched once - those guys; what on earth did they think they were doing, talking about their Boss's wife like that. At the same time, he was trying not to smile - to think that his wife would harbor such doubts. She was always upbeat and sensible...or was it emotionally independent? She certainly tried her best not to 'bother' him too much and did everything she could to support him and his Family, though he wished that she would depend on him more.

The blond rested his chin on an upturned palm even as his gaze silently observed the young woman.

"That's not true, you know," he murmured in response to her outburst.

She looked at him briefly before wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. It really hadn't been her original intention to go crying to Dino over this little thing but her husband had always been a wonderful listener, patient and attentive. Just by spilling her uncertainties to him already made her feel better, even though this was such a ridiculous topic.

"Dino-nii is too nice," she muttered, though without any heat or resentment. Theirs was a marriage of a convenience, and she had always known first and foremost just how kind and gentle he was. If it wasn't for the fact that it was required for the Vongola/Cavallone alliance to be solidified by way of familial ties, then Haru was sure that there was no way Dino-nii would have gotten married to her. She smiled tremulously at the older man, her gaze warm and earnest.

"Thank you, Dino-nii."

She really was going to be the death of him, he thought with faint consternation. And what was that about being 'too nice?' Jeeze, it wasn't even as if he was aiming for that kind of distinction in her mind...

"Jo-chan, trust me when I say that I don't see you as a child, even though you keep insisting on calling me your older brother."

She flushed at his soft rebuke.

"It's not right for Haru to call Dino-nii by name, desu," she insisted fervently.

"Why not? We're married, and I'm already calling you 'Haru.' ...Unless I'm not allowed to do so?"

Her face went up in flames, and she looked so comically panicked as she almost fell all over herself trying to assure him otherwise.

"N-No! Dino-nii is free to call Haru whatever he pleases! Haru does not mind at all-"

Yep. He was very much aware that he was bullying his little wife, but she made it all too easy for him to do so. For some reason, she seemed to think him incapable of such deeds, though how and why she thought so highly of him was beyond his understanding.

…It was endearing all the same, the boundless faith and loyalty she had for him. She really was very adorable.

Once again, he silently gestured for her to move right up to him, his golden brown eyes faintly aglow with mischief. She obliged without hesitation, trusting him absolutely. She came to a stop right between his long legs, head tilted down, her gaze locked with his. He reached out and grasped her hands in his own larger ones. She twitched, but did not pull away from his hold. He also absolutely refused to let her look away, tugging her even closer until he filled her field of vision and there was no way for her to get out of this.

"Well, then. Let's try it again." There was amusement in his tone, but she was too frazzled by their proximity to take offense. He smiled genteelly at her. She started to look dumbfounded. "Haru. Say my name."

She tipped her head to the side, brows creasing in bewilderment even though she dutifully answered his request.

"Dino-nii…"

He shook his head at her, slowly exhaling through his nose in a huff of disappointment.

"Wrong answer, wife. Call me Dino. Dino. Without the '-nii,' okay?"

No, it was not okay at all! Was what Haru frantically wanted to say, but then the dratted man beamed her an encouraging smile again (that move should be banned, dang it!) and she shuddered when his thumb lightly brushed over the back of her knuckles. No doubt he had probably meant to be reassuring, but it only made goosebumps prickle her skin, acute awareness of him ghosting across her senses. Abashed, she stuttered.

"…Di…no…"

The corners of his eyes crinkled, and his smile grew warm and gentle. Haru did not know for how long she held her breath while staring transfixed at him (her expression was comically horrified for some reason), but any longer and surely she was going to start turning blue in the face. She deflated like a squeaky balloon, giving up the fight for a lost cause.

"…"

Blush.

"…-nii."

He should not laugh at her, he knew, but he could not quite help the chuckle from slipping past his lips. It did not take much else for her to look indignant again, and then she was tugging her hands away but he had them deftly trapped in his, squeezing them slightly to get her to hold still.

"Dino-nii!" she wailed. "You're just making fun of Haru, desu!"

"No, I'm not," he retorted, his baritone rich with quiet laughter even as he raised her hands to his lips and brushed a kiss over them. She emitted a muffled squawk and started to turn purple.

He had to turn his head to the side to conceal his mirth-filled features, shoulders shaking finely with the effort to contain his amusement.

"Dino. Nii."

"Sorry, sorry. I guess I was teasing you a bit too much."

He finally released her hands, and she all but snatched them back – her fingers still tingling from where his mouth had touched them…

She started to turn pink again, her eyes growing wide, looking vulnerable, like a doe's.

"Dino-nii?"

He sighed then.

"You know, I'm not kidding when I say that I'd honestly prefer it if you address me without any suffix. Or you can just call me husband." He brightened as another thought occurred to him. "I know! What about 'anata?' That's what wives call their husbands, right?"

She spluttered.

"Hahi! W-W-What are you even saying, desu?! You're just messing around with me too much again!"

She was all flushed and flustered. How cute. He smiled, almost with an unrepentant, leonine mischief.

"The men are wrong. You can be very charming, Jo-chan."

She gave up then, squeaking as she slapped her hands over her burning face. He was really so-!

Dino leaned back in his chair, very amused by her responses. Haru was probably going to resist this shift in their relationship dynamics to her utmost ability, but he had already given her all the time in the world to adjust to him…too much time, even.

"Haru?"

She peeked warily at him from between her fingers. Dino would be lying if he denied satisfaction from sensing her rising awareness of him.

"…Y-Yes, desu?"

"I'm not as nice as you think I am."

E-Eeeeh?!

::owari::

Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:

FYI, This installment belongs to a separate verse from CEDEF!Haru. This is (kindaish) a marriage of convenience!AU that occurred to me out of nowhere and I just had to go with the flow since it turned out to be pretty fun to write.

Basic summary of this AU (just in case some of you are still confused): A few years ago, Haru and Dino were paired into marriage to further strengthen the existing Vongola/Cavallone alliance. Haru runs the Cavallone household and manages the internal, domestic affairs of the Famiglia very efficiently, thus freeing Dino and his crew to go gallivanting around the country resolving any crisis encountered by their clans or allies. It is an efficient arrangement that they have worked out and perfected over the span of their marriage. However, the spousal relationship between the two is still very much on paper only. The union is (largely) platonic in nature, though obviously Dino is slowly attempting to change that – no small feat since our dear female lead can be really oblivious at times. Time to whip out the big guns, then.

FYI, TYL!Dino is thirty three, and TYL!Haru is twenty-five.

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-sllebswap