Title: Serendipity
Author: sllebswap
Characters/Pairing: Miura Haru and Dino
Type: OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)
Genre: Romance/General/Humor
Word Count: 1814
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: 20/11/16
It's like we're chasing all those stars
The night skies that covered the extensive Cavallone territory of Lazio, Italy, were always startling clear overhead. Perhaps it was due to the fact that they lived not in the city but out in the beautiful, pristine countryside, where there were less buildings, traffic and light pollution, so Haru was always very appreciative of the amazing views that her new home afforded. She had never lived in a place like this before; it was so different from Namimori back in Japan, but she was already learning to embrace and love its many rustic charms. It was so peaceful and serene here, and in the evenings, whenever she was done with her duties and there was still time, the young woman would sometimes be found wandering amongst one of the sprawling fruit orchards that surrounded the villa, looking for a good clearing free of overhead branches, where she could simply spread a plaid blanket, lay down over the soft grass, and simply gaze at the stars.
"So this is where you have been hiding away during the evenings."
Haru was so startled by the familiar voice that came somewhere over her head that she immediately sat up.
"Hahi? Dino-nii, you're back? Haru was not told that you'd return this early." She started to stand but the blond waved her back down, coming over the rest of the way to join her on the blanket instead. He laid down, emulating her previous position before he came upon her. Haru stared at him until he gestured once more for her to join him as well. After a while, the young woman slowly acquiesced, settling down beside her husband. It did not take her long to relax once more, and then the two of them were just side by side, companionable, both looking out at the universe and admiring its magnificent beauty.
"I haven't done this for quite a long time," Dino commented after a pause, his tone musing, almost wistful. His hand reached out towards the skies, as if attempting to touch the twinkling stars with his fingers. Haru turned her head to look at him, doe brown eyes reflecting curiosity.
"Does Dino-nii enjoy stargazing also, desu?"
"Mm. When I was a young boy, I'd sneak out to the orchards after everyone was asleep and just look at the stars." He made a grand, sweeping gesture over the velvet, sparkling skies, the infinite celestial bodies glittering above them like a carpet of pristine diamonds. "The skies were always so clear during the summer. Ah, that's when the boarding school would let us go home during the break, see." He snickered as a stray recollection occurred to him. "I remember falling asleep out here in the orchards sometimes, and in the morning, I'd wake up and stumble back to the villa, and poor Romario would be in tears and running around like a chicken without its head thinking that I've gotten carried off by abductors in the dead of the night."
Haru continued to stare at him, her eyes running over the warm amusement in his reminiscing expression, the way he smiled ruefully, as if at the distant memory that only he could see running through the back of his mind.
"Heh, I really gave Romario a lot of trouble back then. He cried a lot at the beginning too. It must have been hard serving such a problematic master."
Haru's gaze softened as she sensed the quiet love and gratitude that Dino has always reserved for his men. Unbidden, her hand came up and rested lightly on his arm. He turned his gaze to meet hers.
"Hahi…Haru thinks that Haru will always be very happy and proud to serve Dino-nii, who always thinks of and looks after his important people so well. Haru thinks that Romario-san feels the same way too, desu. Definitely even more so, more so, desu!" There was nothing but sincerity and belief in her tone. "Besides…"
Her voice turned playful.
"Dino-nii still makes Romario-san cry sometimes," she teased, smiling impishly. "Though these days, Romario-san is probably crying more from happiness than despair, desu."
His eyes widened slightly at her sassy response. He huffed.
"Is that a backhanded compliment, Haru?"
She beamed at him, eyes twinkling, schooling her features to portray innocence.
"Of course not, desu! Haru only says what Haru believes to be true, desu~"
He chuckled.
"You can be pretty cheeky too, huh?"
"Hahi, what is Dino-nii saying, desu? Haru is a good girl, desu!"
"Hoh? Methinks this good girl is kind of braggy…"
"Hahi!"
He laughed softly at her indignant retort, then reached up and ruffled her hair.
"Dino-nii!"
"Of course I know that Haru's a good girl. That's why I'm glad I married you."
He was petting her hair like she was a little sister again, and she flushed slightly, ducking out from under his hand.
"Dino-nii…you always treat Haru like a kid, desu!"
"No, I don't. That'd be quite strange since I also happen to like kissing and hugging you."
Haru's face turned redder. "E-Ehhh? D-Dino-nii-"
He wrapped an arm around her and drew her closer, so that she could rest her head comfortably in the nook of his shoulder. He didn't let her embarrassment grow out of hand, changing the subject even as he brushed a kiss over her hair. His casual affection never failed to make her breath catch in her throat, her heart starting to beat faster in her chest.
"Tell me about yourself too. I want to know something about your childhood."
"Hahi? Anou…" She thought about it for a while before replying. "Haru was very clumsy when she was little, desu. But Haru also liked to go out and play a lot so Haru was always going back home with skinned knees and scraped palms, desu." She laughed softly at the memory. "Haru was a little tomboy. Papa was always despairing too, desu! So Papa signed me up for ballet classes. He heard that ballet might be able to fix Haru's clumsiness, so Haru attended ballet classes for five years."
"Did you like it? Ballet?"
She shrugged after another thoughtful pause.
"Hahi, it was fine. Haru neither like nor disliked it, desu. Ballet helped Haru become more agile and flexible for gymnastics, though. Haru had a lot of fun with gymnastics during middle school and high school, so that was good, desu."
"And did your clumsiness get fixed?"
She nodded, her expression enthusiastic.
"Haru thinks so, desu. Haru is not falling or tripping over her own feet every which way anymore, desu!" She thought about it more, then pondered aloud. "Hahi, maybe Dino-nii should take ballet classes also! Then maybe he won't be falling every which way anymore, desu!"
"Haa?!"
Dino knew that by now he should already be immune to all the randomly bemusing things that his wife often blurted out on a daily basis, but still he found himself surprised often. It was not the sort of surprise he found unpleasant, however.
"Hahi! Just imagine Dino-nii in tights doing pirouettes and grand jetes on stage and maybe Reborn-chan will be happy to help also pffft-"
The increasingly startled look that Dino had turned to panic once Haru brought up the subject of his old tutor. Old fears weren't easy to abate, and while no one could question the efficacy of the master assassin's teaching methods as well as the outstanding results they wrought, they were also rather traumatizing.
"Hey! Don't even joke about bringing Reborn into this, I can't even laugh because the mere thought of you two scheming together behind my back is just seriously terrifying."
Haru could not help but giggle at Dino's honest response.
The blond squinted suspiciously at his wife.
"Are you laughing at me, Signora Cavallone?"
Her shaking shoulders and the muffled peals of laughter escaping from her trembling lips were evidence enough. Dino started to mutter about cheeky wives, but then, he was smiling as he did so, which made Haru snicker more. She wiggled around in his arms until she was resting on her stomach, looking down at him. Her lips were tipped up in an elfin grin, her features gently glowing with mirth.
"Haru thinks that Dino-nii is good the way he is now. Even though Dino-nii can be clumsy sometimes, Haru knows Dino-nii always tries very hard for all of his important people, desu. Haru…Haru is happy to have married Dino-nii also, desu!"
His gaze softened, and he reached up to caress her cheek.
"…You're incredibly lovely, do you know that, Jo-chan?" he murmured, fingers tracing the line of her jaw, then that large, lean hand slipping over her nape, slowly, gently drawing her closer.
Haru had to wonder what on earth he was talking about; the one being incredibly charming and charismatic was him!
She made a soft noise just as their lips met, her eyes slipping shut, sinking into him. She came to her senses moments later, pulling back slightly, her face flushed.
"Dino-nii," she uttered, breathless, only to be kissed again by him. A muffled whimper escaped her. He stroked the skin over the back of her neck with his thumb, his gaze slowly darkening. He leaned in and gently nipped her lower lip, then drew the abused flesh between his own. She exhaled, shakily, the pit of her stomach feeling languidly warm. Her wide eyed expression made him smile softly at her, and he redirected his attention along her neck, tracking the slender column with butterfly kisses. She had to fight to swallow down the little moan that threatened to escape her, her hands coming up to the front of his shirt, fingers clenching uncertainly into the fabric, as if not sure whether to draw herself even closer to him, to this wonderfully pleasurable sensation that he was giving her, or to push away instead.
He nipped her again, lightly, on her skin along the defined jut of her clavicle.
"This is no good," he murmured, and she raised her flustered gaze to meet his, confused. He continued, huskily. "You test my control more and more every time."
The intimacy in his tone made her shiver.
"H-Hahi?"
He brushed another kiss along the side of her neck. "Little missy, what exactly do you think you're doing to me whenever you're being so impossibly sweet and sincere? Shall I drown you in kisses, and touch you in ways that make that lovely blush on your face grow even more…?"
"D-Dino-nii," she stuttered, turning even pinker. "Dino-nii's being unfair also – Haru, Haru cannot think properly when Dino-nii is being like this. Dino-nii is too good with his mouth, d-desu!"
His shoulders shook slightly as he chuckled at her frazzled accusation. She bit her lip.
"Dino-nii is so sly, desu…"
He did not deny her charge.
"I've got to do this much at least, to get you to notice me more, no?"
::owari::
Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:
Moral of this chapter: Dino would like to remind all readers that it is easier to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, haha.
So, my personal impression of the Cavallone Boss is that of an extraordinarily shrewd and cunning individual, even though he usually doesn't give off that vibe whatsoever. That's one of the more important traits of his that makes him so dangerous as an opponent, I feel. He gives off so little to no pressure for the most parts and as such it is all too easy to dismiss him as non-threatening right off the bat.
But just think; how else would he be able to bring the Cavallone Famiglia back to power and prominence within such an incredibly short span of time?
Sometimes, I feel like the full extent of Dino's true abilities is underrepresented in the KHR series, but then again, that might be the whole point, 'hidden dragon' that he is.
Something to think about, yeah?
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This installment falls under the umbrella of the marriage of convenience!AU. It's my most favorite verse at the moment for this pair so expect to see more of all these fun little pieces in the near future!
FYI, TYL!Dino is thirty three, and TYL!Haru is twenty-five.
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Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!
-sllebswap