Title: Serendipity
Author: sllebswap
Characters/Pairing: Miura Haru and Dino
Type: OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)
Genre: Romance/General/Humor
Word Count: 4967
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. Multi-verse. D86.
Verse: Modern Day AU
Chapter Last Revised on: 27/01/17
I really like you
Excerpt #1: All that and a bag of chips
She had planned their first date, or rather, she had simply called him up a few days after her misadventures in the woods and asked him out before he could even get around to offering. Usually, this thankless, headache inducing task of thinking up the day's program fell upon the male as part of an effort to impress the female with his creativity and sincerity, but he was quickly learning that she was never quite the type to follow the norm. Their first 'date' had ended up more like an errand run with dinner bundled in as an afterthought than a formal outing. She had needed to get some new furniture to furnish her place and so she had invited him along as well – and of course he had accepted. He probably would have accepted her invitation even if she had wanted nothing more than to go grocery shopping, to be honest.
It had been a casual, impromptu arrangement and for someone who had gone on his fair share of first dates, Dino still found himself uncharacteristically antsy when he had gone to meet her. Dating could be such an elaborate ruse, he had sometimes mused in chagrinned consternation. A concentrated effort in the name of courtship where one would strictly be on their best behavior, making attempts to appear as desirable as possible, even if they had to deliberately misrepresent themselves, all for the sake of securing the best mate that one could attract. Dino had often wondered about the overall effectiveness of such an elaborate, ambiguous strategy; this subtle deception of someone who would (hopefully) become a destined life partner.
Could true soulmates be found in this manner?
He had not known what to expect when it came to dates with Haru in particular, but something in his chest quietly eased when she opened the door to her home and smiled cheerily at him, her features alit with warm, honest delight. Dressed in a jumper and in that usual state of enthusiastic, charming disarray which he was coming to associate with her more and more, she had greeted and thanked him sincerely for his company before dragging him off with her for her next adventure. There was no time or need for pretensions or formalities around her random, effervescent energy, and he was happy to learn that she was exactly that same earnest, wholehearted sunshine girl whom he had met that first time by the countryside.
And so now here they were; in Ikea of all places, wandering through the winding aisles testing out various pieces of furniture while swapping outlandish childhood stories and discussing favorite foods, amongst other things. Dino was more accustomed to semi-formal dinner dates at this point of his life, but this was a rather refreshing, interesting, change of pace all the same. She was candid and down-to-earth in a way that made him feel very…comfortable around her. She was not looking to be impressed and there was also no need for him to deliberately go out of his way to capture her interest or attention. She was engaging; animated and vibrantly expressive when she shared about herself, yet attentive and compassionate whenever it was her turn to quiet down and listen. He quickly discovered that she had a way of focusing on him intently whenever he spoke, turning those limpid Bambi eyes on him unhesitatingly, as if she wasn't just hearing the words that he uttered, but at the same time, also silently gleaning the things left unsaid. It was almost unnerving, how someone who was so full of life and fervent could also be so still…and empathetic.
There was nothing coy or coquettish about her. She did not play hard to get or pretend to be aloof about subjects which she happened to be passionate about. She laughed freely, seemed to skip and frolic about with an overabundance of zeal and high strung energy that was almost…cervine-like. There was an unconscious, coltish grace about her quick, deft movements that almost made him feel awkward and ungainly in contrast, but she always paused, always turned around, and always waited for him to catch up to her, smiling, grinning impishly, eyes glowing with lively fervor, pointing out this and that and asking inquisitive questions with such eagerness that she frequently tripped clumsily over her own words. And then more laughter. Brightness and warmth.
She made his head spin, just a little. Dino wondered what he was getting himself into.
She was terribly overwhelming. Overwhelming in the way beautiful fireworks were, bursting into the skies with blinding brilliance and dazzling fanfare, disorienting with so many things happening at once…but yet the way those vivid explosions of light never failed to touch the heart was simply undeniable.
She was something like that too, he decided.
Larger than life. Chaotic but oh so vibrant. And when he looked at her beaming face, earnest and upturned like a pretty flower, something very much like budding affection stirred in his chest.
Still, this was only a first date.
While Dino was having himself an internal dilemma, Haru's most important worry for the day was whether if she should get the tiramisu gelato or the pistachio flavored one. In the end, she bought both and gave one to her bemused companion, and while they sat by one of the alfresco tables enjoying their frozen sweets, she requested to try his flavor too, offering to share hers in return. Of course he obliged, and the pure happiness on her face as she sampled the ice cream brought a smile to his own. She was so quirky and straightforward and sunny, and while it was bewildering trying to keep up with her, Dino could not help but be drawn to her all the same.
"Haru, why did you agree to this date?" he asked, and she tipped her head to the side, the tiny plastic gelato spoon half hanging out from the corner of her mouth, looking at him curiously. She swallowed her mouthful of dessert and pulled the spoon from between her lips, reddened from the icy treat, not quite expecting this question from him. However, she did not have to think very hard or long to touch upon her truth.
"Hahi… because Dino-san is so warm, and Haru likes warm and kind people a lot, desu. Haru is very happy to be on a date with Dino-san. Haru is really glad that Dino-san gave Haru his number that night! Haru thinks that Dino-san is a really nice person." She looked at him and nodded firmly, smiling. "Hahi, Haru has not even managed to thank Dino-san for saving her all those times…"
She was a bit embarrassed to have to say all these things so openly, but she gamely flashed him a tiny grin all the same. "Haru is more confused about why Dino-san would want to go on a date with Haru, actually…"
He simply looked at her for the longest time, one brow slowly lifting.
"Isn't my reason obvious?" he replied at last. "It's because I like you, of course."
She stilled in the act of reaching over to steal some more of his pistachio gelato, her eyes widening at his frank remark. Her mouth fell open slightly, and she looked rather comical like that, like an alarmed chipmunk. Dino was quietly amused. For the first time today, she was the one finally caught off guard. His dark gold eyes warmed, and he silently conceded his ice cream, literally spoon-feeding it right into her mouth.
"Here."
I-Indirect kiss!
The brunette nearly choked. She quickly clapped her hand over her tingling lips, turning bright pink. The nutty treat melted sweetly over her tongue, even as she spluttered wordlessly.
"!"
He smiled innocuously at her gobsmacked demeanor, slowly starting to feel that maybe he wasn't the only one who had absolutely no control of what was happening, no way of resisting the undeniable pull of this gravity that was towing him straight to her whether if he was ready or not. She certainly did not look too prepared either.
Maybe this was what it was supposed to be like. Maybe this was why all the other many dates he has had in the past had not worked out in the end.
"…This probably sounds premature, but may I see you again?"
She had just swallowed the mouthful of gelato, and eyed him confusedly.
"Eh?"
She did not seem to grasp the actual meaning behind his request. "See Haru…again? Desu?"
He nodded, affirming his intention. There would be no hesitation anymore, now that he had decided to pursue this path, explore this possibility…of them.
"Mm. Again. As in another date."
The comprehension finally dawned. He wanted to go on another date with her?! She looked a bit dazed.
"Hahi…?!"
"Are you against it?" he asked, expression carefully schooled.
She thought about it seriously, and then she slowly shook her head. "Haru…Haru does not mind going on more dates with Dino-san, desu..." she responded shyly after a pause. "But Haru does not understand…"
It was a relief that she did not find his presence a chore. "Does not understand…?" he probed, wanting to know the reason for her hesitation.
"Yes." She looked at him, curiosity flickering in those doe brown eyes of hers. "Dino-san...does not find Haru...boring, desu?"
She was terribly self-conscious all of a sudden. She looked down after a while, as if unable to bear the weight of his silent regard. Dino was not having any of that, however. He reached out and gently touched the back of her hand with his fingers. She instinctively glanced at their connected limbs, and then peered up at him in silent question.
"No. Not at all," he responded firmly, matter-of-factly. "On the contrary, you're the most interesting person that I've met in recent times."
She appeared surprised by his admission. She was also doubtful.
"Hahi, how can that be? Dino-san flies helicopters and rescues people all day, like a real life hero, desu! Haru is just plain, simple, Haru! How can Dino-san find Haru interesting; that does not even make sense-"
Before she could even finish her hot rebuttal, his elegant fingers circled around her own slender digits and he brought her hand to his mouth; softly, deliberately brushing a kiss over her knuckles.
Her mouth fell open in a small 'o' as she just gawked at him, and then she blushed furiously.
"It makes sense. You're very fascinating," he murmured against her skin, warm gaze admiring her pink tinted cheeks, her bright eyes. She had effectively gone mute, once again looking like a startled doe. She also hurriedly tugged her hand away the moment she snapped out of her stupor, as if she had been scalded by the innocuous touch of his mouth. Instead of claiming offense, his lips twitched, and he propped his hand under his chin, still watching her with bald amusement. She was very pure-hearted, he thought. But then again, that was hardly surprising. She was so passionate and sincere and he was beginning to realize that she was the type who poured her heart and soul into everything she did.
He really, really, liked what he was seeing, the longer he spent time with her.
"Besides, my life is nowhere near that exciting when compared to yours," he teased gently. "You're the only person I've ever met who had tried to take on an armed snatch thief with nothing more than her umbrella. For someone who thinks herself 'plain and simple,' you sure get into a lot of interesting situations all on your own, little lady."
She flushed even more at his mention of her previous misadventures.
"Hahi!" she sputtered. "That's not true, desu! Dino-san just happened to always be around whenever Haru got into trouble!"
"Then I suppose we make a good team, no? You, who always gets into trouble, and I, who is always more than happy to come to your rescue every time?"
"…"
Blush.
Now, it was his turn to smile mischievously at her, eyes twinkling. He probably should not tease her this much, but she was really cute and so he could not help himself. He had not felt like this towards anyone for a very long time, but she seemed to easily draw a curious mix of tenderness and affection out of him, without even having to try.
"Hahi…but Haru does not need to be rescued, desu," she muttered slowly then, much to his surprise. She raised her head and looked at him, cheeks rosy, still a bit shy and uncertain. "Haru would rather have someone to go on adventures together and get in trouble with, desu…"
He could not help but huff out a soft laugh at her candid, honest response.
"Of course. That can be arranged, too."
Excerpt #2: We throw in extra parts just to mess with you
"Hahi, Dino-san, are you really sure that leg is supposed to go there?" There was obvious doubt in Haru's voice as she watched what was supposed to be a table looking more and more like some monstrous wooden construct than an actual piece of functional furniture. She also had the instructional paper for assembly in her hands, and the more she looked at the blueprints, the more confused she got.
Her companion took a step back from the piece of furniture which they were attempting to put together in her kitchen, and had to admit to his chagrin that he had no idea what he was doing anymore. Scratching his head, he wandered over to his companion to take a look at the piece of paper she was holding, and the two of them proceeded to try to figure out where they had gone wrong.
"If that's not supposed to be there, then, what are these additional hinges and screws for? Did they randomly throw in extra items just to mess with us, now?" Dino questioned. He peered over Haru's head and reached out to trace his finger over the written instructions on the paper, reading them carefully once more. Since some parts were also in fine print, he had to lower his head to squint at the words, muttering under his breath as he did so. Haru tipped her head back slightly to stare at the taller male. He was not his typically cool, reservedly suave self right now, and appeared a bit frazzled and disheveled. Even his wavy gold hair was sticking up every which way, which became more amusing the longer she watched him, until she could not hold it in any longer.
"Hehe."
Her giggle was a soft thing, but he heard it all the same, since they were standing side by side. Lifting his eyes to her, he was promptly met with her sparkling eyes and lopsided grin. "Hehehe," she puffed out again when he looked at her quizzically.
Thanks to her fertile imagination, she had absolutely no trouble picturing him as a confused, human sized eagle owl sitting right in the middle of her kitchen, and suddenly the peals of laughter just came tumbling right out of her lips.
"…Are you laughing at me?" He sounded more bemused than actually piqued by her random spurt of mirth, and that made him look even more owlish, which set her off all over again.
"D-Dino-s-san...o-owl, d-desu...!"
As if that was supposed to explain it all. Dino just looked more bewildered, if that was even possible.
Owl?
"What owl? Is there an owl here?"
And then she was snickering helplessly again, even though she was also mortified at the same time for laughing at the clueless man. Face flushed a slight pink, the young woman reached for the taller blond and went on her tiptoes, straining to reach the top of his hair. His eyes widened slightly in surprise at her unexpected proximity, but he lowered his head obligingly for her, even though he still wasn't quite sure what was going on.
She smoothed down his wild mane, slim fingers gently ruffling the wavy strands and then slowly, carefully, combing through them, making sure that they were at least no longer trying to start a vive la resistance right on top of his head. She petted him happily; his hair was so soft!
"Hahi, Haru is sorry, desu," she sounded apologetic even as the faint lilt of laughter could still be heard from her accented voice. "Dino looked like an owl just now, confused and with his hair all sticking up, and Haru doesn't know why she found it so funny, but she did, desu!"
Eyes glowing, she lowered her gaze from his hair to meet his, slowly withdrawing her hand from the crown of his gilded head at the same time, and was disconcerted to finally realize that their faces were extremely close to each other's now. She stilled in surprise.
He was smiling at her.
"That's a really pretty expression on your face, all lit up like that," he only commented, and it only took all of three seconds for said pretty face to go right up in flames.
"Hehhhh?"
He was struck by an ever growing curiosity, wondering what it would be like to kiss those laughing, cherry blossom lips, but he quietly checked his impulse. Not yet.
His gaze was unconsciously fond, even as a mischievous spark twinkled in those dark gold depths.
"No, not 'heh.' 'Hoot.'"
She looked at him with wide eyes, and then she laughed.
"Yes, desu!"
Excerpt #3: You're my favorite thing to read
He reads. A lot. Mostly during active duty hours, strange as it sounded.
Being a SAR pilot wasn't constantly all action packed, daring rescues and risky, adrenaline inducing flight maneuvers, as he had explained to her once. He still remembered that peculiar conversation with great fondness and amusement; the little lady whom he was gently courting possessed some of the most vivid imaginations he had ever known, and he still smiled to himself sometimes, thinking of the way she looked at him with sparkling sincerity and awe, and called him a 'real life hero.' He hadn't wanted to burst her bubble – there was something really, really flattering when the object of your heart's desire was looking at you like you're the most amazing thing since sliced bread – but he had also objectively described the nature of his job to her, when she had curiously asked about it once.
Usually, his shifts involved a lot of sitting around at base waiting for an SOS to connect to the airbase's command center. Often, there were plenty of shifts that would go by where not even a single distress call would come in, and while it was a good thing that no one was in distress and in need of rescue, all of them in the Guardia Costiera, from the pilots to the medics to the ground crews, still had to wait out their shifts in a permanent semi-ready level of preparedness, and maintaining that constant state of mental alertness was not so easy when there was a whole lot of nothing to do. Most of them found ways to keep occupied and utilize their time at least productively; some trained their bodies rigorously, other officers spent their time filing paperwork or just generally building up rapport with their teammates, and Dino was no different.
But one of the things he liked to do most especially when he was slated to standby for duty during graveyard hours was sit down with a good book and just read the hours away. Most of the air and ground crew would have quieted down by that phase of the early morning, which made it the best time for him to make a decent dent in his reading list. His interests were rather varied, and they were reflected in his collection of fictional novels of various genres, biographies and even research papers on the latest advancements in animal husbandry and horse breeding. He read so much that he even had glasses just for the sole purpose of reading. It wasn't a particularly interesting hobby that he advertised for any reason, but Haru had a way of encouraging him to tell her anything she wanted to know, and there was little – nothing, really – about him that she did not want to learn about.
Sometimes he wondered if she was trying to read him like a book as well.
Even if so, his pages were open for her to interpret and explore as she liked.
And she, this exuberant and sunny young woman, was only too happy to hear all of his stories, listening with bright starlit eyes and a laugh like a sweet song.
Then, much to his pleasure, she shared her pages with him, too. The good, the bad, and the ugly. (Though he thought that her ugly was mostly rather cute and amusing, despite what she felt about it.)
She was slowly teaching him how to read her too.
Excerpt #4: You, me and a hot dog
They had been supposed to meet at the park that day, but she was running late and had fired off an agitated message full of apologies as well as something about frogs and somebody's runaway pet snake – as always, she was neck deep in something again and so he had told her to take her time, and that he would wait for her.
So he wandered around and eventually found an unoccupied bench by the pond. He reached into his leather bag and drew out the book which he was currently reading. Cracking it open to the page which he had bookmarked previously, he settled in to read and wait. This time, he was revisiting one of the classics, Il Principe, and it didn't take him long to be immersed in Machiavelli's most famous work, or at least he had, until he heard a little whine and a slight movement from the edge of his peripheral vision.
Lowering his book a little to see what was making that noise, he was greeted with the unexpected sight of a dog standing right in front of him. Dino blinked and then briefly cast around his surroundings for its owner – it obviously belonged to someone seeing that it was well groomed, and it also had a collar around its neck – but there did not seem to be any other sign of human life in this stretch of the park that midafternoon with the exception of himself. He looked at the dog again, and the canine looked back at him with soulful brown eyes. It was kind of furry and all black and white, and it looked to Dino to be some sort of Border collie mix, and for a brief moment, man and dog just warily eyed each other.
The canine sat down on its haunches before him and continued to watch him almost expectantly. Dino was rather bemused.
"…Essendo dunque un Principe nella necessità di saper usare le qualità della bestia, di queste deve prendere ad esempio la volpe e il leone," he started to read aloud to his four legged audience. The collie huffed, and then it shuffled closer to rest its muzzle on the blond's knee, as if keen to hear what else the latter had to say about foxes and lions. And so, the Cavallone gamely continued.
"Perché il leone non sa difendersi dagli inganni e la volpe non sa difendersi dai lupi violenti. Bisogna essere volpe (astuti) per riconoscere gli inganni, e leone (forte) per impaurire i lupi violenti. Coloro che si limitano all'uso della forza non conoscono l'arte di governare…"
It was to this amusing sight that Haru had stumbled upon some twenty minutes later – Dino reading a 16th century political treatise to his newest fan while it laid its head on his lap and gazed solemnly at him. It was by far Haru's favorite picture yet, and the brunette was more excited to see the dog than her boyfriend. She was careful not to disturb their tranquility though, and quietly slipped over and joined them on the bench. Dino noticed her right away, though she greeted him first before he could.
"Hahi, Haru is really sorry for being late, desu!"
He smiled at her.
"It's not a problem. Crisis resolved?" he asked, turning briefly to give her a quick once over, to make sure that she was okay.
"Yes, desu. We caught all the escaped frogs, and also found the missing snake. Haru really hopes that the market won't send anymore wrong ingredients to the café next time, desu." She pointed at the dog. "Hahi, whose puppy is this?"
Dino shrugged.
"…I do not know. He just turned up out of the blue while I was waiting for you. We're friends now, aren't we?" He scratched behind the canine's ear, and the dog sighed gratefully. "I'm sure your owner is here, somewhere…"
Or at least he hoped so. Haru reached out and happily petted the top of the collie's head as well. "I guess we should stick around for a little while more then, Dino-san?"
She reached into the carrier which she had brought with her and pulled out two filled paper cups, handing him one.
"For you, desu. Macchiato from that corner café across the park that Dino-san likes," she added before taking a sip from her own. For her, it was café latte with just the slightest hint of vanilla. The hot, comforting drink really hit the spot, as they both sat there beneath the trees, admiring the leaves starting to turn a fiery, orangey red as fall progressed and the weather turned colder.
"Thank you." Dino accepted his drink with affectionate gratitude, which he readily showed with a fond touch brushing against the inside of her wrist. Her cheeks turned a faint pink, and she settled onto the bench, turning her gaze to the dog next.
"Sorry, koinu-kun, Haru has no treat for you, desu." She compensated by rubbing the dog's ears, and all was forgiven as the canine lazily swept its tail from side to side.
She lifted her head and looked at her human companion expectantly, with the same soulful brown eyes which reminded Dino of the dog which he had unknowingly picked up. No wonder he hadn't had the heart to shoo the lost canine away, he thought ruefully.
"…What is it?" he asked over the rim of his cup.
"Hahi, will Dino-san continue to read?" she asked, gesturing to the open book resting beside him on the bench. Her eyes seemed to sparkle hopefully. "Dino-san has a very nice voice, desu. Haru likes it a lot."
"Really, now?" he murmured, lowering his cup and looking at her with renewed interest. "You like the sound of my voice?"
She nodded shyly.
"Yes, desu… Will Dino-san please read more to Haru from now on?"
He smiled at her. "If you make a request so earnestly like this, how can I say no? For you, I'd recite poetry even, if you want."
She pinkened at his offer but also brightened with anticipation and delight at his willingness to indulge her whims.
"Yes, desu! Haru will probably become mesmerized by Dino-san's voice even if he's reading the menu, or the newspaper!"
He could not help but chuckle at her enthusiastic retort, but picked up his book all the same and started to read again. He also set down his coffee on the bench and wrapped an arm around her shoulders instead, drawing her close. She flushed into her drink and happily allowed herself to be tucked into his side, luxuriating in his warmth as well as this feeling of solid, reassuring comfort that being around him gave her.
"…La prima opinione che ci si fa delle capacità di un Principe, è osservare gli uomini di cui egli si circonda; e quando questi sono valenti e leali, può essere sempre giudicato saggio, perché ha saputo riconoscere gli uomini all'altezza del loro compito ed è stato in grado di conservare la loro fedeltà-"
Not fifteen minutes later, a frazzled looking young man came into view, and he also looked very relieved when he spotted them. To be more precise, he was extremely relieved to have spotted the black and white dog that was with them.
"Meno male! Earnesto, vieni qui!"
Earnesto the dog sighed again before getting up and ambling back to his crying owner, tail wagging lazily in greeting, and Dino and Haru both stopped to see frantic master and laidback pet reunited. Haru cheerfully waved goodbye to the two as they left. It was nice to see a happy ending, and she was still smiling when she turned to look at Dino.
"By the way-"
He lowered his head and kissed her, much to her surprise. It was a simple brush of his lips against hers; soft, gentle, clinging. It stole her breath away, and when he slowly pulled back, she looked a bit dazed, dreamy. He smiled, and she turned questioning.
"…?"
"Greeting kiss," he murmured in explanation. "You forgot to say hello properly earlier, little one."
When she looked confused, he quirked a brow.
"We Italians are very particular about our greeting kisses, you know."
She looked even more bewildered, if possible.
"Hahi, but greeting kisses are cheek kisses, desu-"
He leaned in and kissed her again, quelling her doubts.
"This is the only kind of hello I wish to receive from you," he repeated, eyes twinkling almost mischievously. "Okay?"
She licked her lips, and immediately tasted him. The rich, musky hint of macchiato, and something dark and smooth that was quite uniquely Dino. She flushed a little, her heart throbbing in her chest like the frantic wings of a hummingbird, and she nodded.
"…Okay."
::owari::
Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:
Just popping in really quick to put up this chapter since I'm going to be quite swamped (and stressed out) this weekend because of the Lunar New Year festivities. By the by, this chapter is unbeta-ed and unedited, so apologies to all for any grammatical and/or spelling errors! Better yet, please do let me know if you spot any so that I can correct them, thanks!
A happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrates this holiday! :)
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This chapter is dedicated to the lovely reviewer who requested to see more of my Modern Day!AU D86. Thank you for asking about this series, and I do hope you enjoyed reading these 'excerpts' as much as I have enjoyed writing them!
Just to further clarify, this Modern Day!AU installment belongs to the same verse as the one from Chapter 8. :) The above 'excerpts' are random events that occurred along the timeline of Dino and Haru's relationship as they slowly progressed and deepened over time. I may write more for this verse in the future, but we shall see!
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For those who are curious about what Dino was reading, Il Principe (The Prince) is a 16th century political treatise written by the Italian diplomat and political theorist, Niccolo Machiavelli. Yes, that Machiavelli who was ultimately responsible for bringing the word 'Machiavellian' into usage as what we know now. I recommend reading it – it's quite an interesting and thought provoking piece of literature, I feel.
Chapter 18 of Machiavelli's The Prince: CONCERNING THE WAY IN WHICH PRINCES SHOULD KEEP FAITH:
"…Essendo dunque un Principe nella necessità di saper usare le qualità della bestia, di queste deve prendere ad esempio la volpe e il leone. Perché il leone non sa difendersi dagli inganni e la volpe non sa difendersi dai lupi violenti. Bisogna essere volpe (astuti) per riconoscere gli inganni, e leone (forte) per impaurire i lupi violenti. Coloro che si limitano all'uso della forza non conoscono l'arte di governare…"
Translation: "…A prince, therefore, being compelled knowingly to adopt the beast, ought to choose the fox and the lion; because the lion cannot defend himself against snares and the fox cannot defend himself against wolves. Therefore, it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lion to terrify the wolves. Those who rely simply on the lion do not understand what they are about…"
Chapter 22 of Machiavelli's The Prince: CONCERNING THE SECRETARIES OF PRINCES:
"…La prima opinione che ci si fa delle capacità di un Principe, è osservare gli uomini di cui egli si circonda; e quando questi sono valenti e leali, può essere sempre giudicato saggio, perché ha saputo riconoscere gli uomini all'altezza del loro compito ed è stato in grado di conservare la loro fedeltà-"
Translation: "And the first opinion which one forms of a prince, and of his understanding, is by observing the men he has around him; and when they are capable and faithful he may always be considered wise, because he has known how to recognize the capable and to keep them faithful-"
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Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!
-sllebswap