Title: Serendipity
Author: sllebswap
Characters/Pairing: Miura Haru and Dino
Type: OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)
Genre: Romance/General/Humor
Word Count: 3521
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: CEDEF!Haru AU
Chapter Last Revised on: 23/11/18
uptown funk
The mission briefing this time was swift, concise, and concluded within five minutes.
That was an unusual record even for the CEDEF, but there were a couple of good reasons why this was a special case. The first was because they had very little information pertaining to this particular situation, and the second was due to the urgent nature of this assignment. There were quite a bit at stake, and they did not have much time to wait around for more info to filter in. Whatever new updates that reached the command center were just going to be relayed to her on the way to the mission location.
Haru was already all dressed up and ready to play her newest role, the current head of CEDEF, Basil, easily keeping up with her as he escorted her to the waiting vehicle idling outside the concealed entrance of the headquarters. He was also giving her some last minute instructions on the way, feeding her the relevant details that she should know about the character behind the name she would be temporarily borrowing.
"Have you memorized everything in that folder that I've given you, Haru-san?"
"Hai, desu. Haru has memorized it all from cover to cover before personally seeing it destroyed, desu."
"Good. Tell me about yourself, Hime-dono."
"My name is Kaitenzakura Umeyuki, the heiress of the Kaitenzakura syndicate from Kyoto, Japan. I'm being groomed to be the next successor of the family business and this is my first time in Italy, visiting some of our European allies. I'm twenty one this year, and my father is also looking out to secure a proper marital match for me when I succeed him. I am known to possess a gentle, mellow temperament and I defer to my father for everything that he commands of me. This time, I am accompanied by a prospective fiancé that has been picked out by my parent."
She was dressed in a full length furisode that made movement rather challenging, but Haru had experience putting on the most cumbersome of costumes and this was not even it. The special traditional kimono was honestly a treat to wear, something that she would have actually enjoyed if not for the urgency of the mission. The expensive outfit was breathtakingly beautiful and every exquisite detail painstakingly handstitched upon the rich silk material, denoting her character's prestige as a Yakuza clan princess in a foreign land.
She had never had to play the role of an Ojou-sama before, but then again, she usually did not have to go into such deep and detailed cover like this one, and in such a short time too. Her appearance had also been largely altered. Her hair was now long and sheet-straight, the fine, silken strands reaching down to her hips in an elegant curtain of striking autumn red. Colored contacts adorned her eyes – they were now a striking, brilliant emerald. The rest of her features were accordingly enhanced by expert makeup and skilled cosmetic touchups, until Haru could no longer recognize herself anymore when she looked in the mirror.
"Who exactly is this prospective fiancé of mine?" she pondered aloud. Haru knew that the yet to be identified individual was most definitely an ally, inserted into this operation to assist and increase its chances of success.
Basil shook his head slightly, preferring to keep mum for now. There was no time left anyway.
"Kaitenzakura-hime, your escort is awaiting you in the car."
The back door to the sleek, chrome and white luxury sedan with its blacked out windows was opened for her by a couple of the suited bodyguards standing at attention, and it took some maneuvering to actually duck into the posh carriage of the vehicle due to her elaborate attire. She lifted her head on the way in and immediately laid eyes on the only other passenger who would be sharing her ride. Her eyes widened ever so slightly – it was the only indication of surprise she allowed herself to make.
Dino Cavallone from the great Cavallone Famiglia was already patiently waiting for her inside. He was dressed in a tailored Italian suit that was undoubtedly more expensive than any average Joe could afford in their lifetime, all sharp, precisely tailored lines and elegant, masculine cutting that complimented his long, lean musculature.
He flashed her a smile of greeting.
"Why, hello there, Ojou-chan."
Beyond the brief surprise of seeing the Cavallone involved in this mission, Haru settled down quickly enough to get right to business.
"Dino-nii, you're joining in on this one too, desu?"
The blond wasted no time getting right to the heart of the matter as well. As always, when it came to work, he was committed and serious. Their vehicle started to move off, conveying them to their destination.
"That's right. I presume that you've already been briefed, Haru-kun?"
"Yes, desu. Haru is to take on the identity of Kaitenzakura-hime to enter the Fierro mansion. Haru is not too clear about the intricate details yet but Haru is supposed to be on a lookout for a woman who is currently in their custody…but without any physical descriptions or other pertaining information, Haru thinks that it is going to quite difficult to find this person, desu."
"That's the reason why I'm here, actually. That lady is question is a close family friend of the Cavallone, and we're really keen on retrieving her as quickly as possible. Her safety is paramount. Her husband is very worried about her."
Upon hearing that the target was someone familiar – even if not to her but to an ally – Haru sobered and nodded her head.
"Understood, desu. Haru will do her best to assist. Please tell Haru more about the target." A small, thoughtful furrow knitted her brow. "What about Kaitenzakura-hime's 'fiancé?' Are we picking him up on the way? Haru would also like to coordinate with him first before the assignment begins, desu."
Dino tilted his head slightly before he simply pointed at himself.
"You haven't been told, huh? I'll be partnering you for this mission, since I'm personally acquainted with our mission objective. My familiar presence should, hopefully, make things easier when we locate her."
Haru was only a bit startled by Dino-nii's active participation in this case. The blond was quite well known for always putting himself right in the thick of things whenever his Famiglia or allies were involved, and evidently, this time was no different. He reminded Haru very much of her own Boss and his Guardians, she mused, always willing to lead by example, and would never make their followers and subordinates do anything they themselves would not be willing to do in the first place.
This would be the first time she was working directly with the Cavallone Decimo on an official capacity, and the thought of it made a thrill of anticipation and pride run through Haru. The her of the past would never have made it to this position, forever relegated to the role of the protected. But now, she had the chance to be useful. Now, she could also be a protector. She could save people with her own strength and ability, and that made her happy.
The (now) redhead nodded to indicate her understanding and agreement.
"Haru will take her cues from Dino-nii. Is Dino-nii familiar with the layout of the Fierro mansion? Haru has only seen the blueprints, and Haru is also unfamiliar with the members of the Fierro Famiglia."
"I am acquainted with the Fierro Famiglia as well as its property. While we're en route, I'll share all of what I know with you."
It was quite strange working beside Dino-nii.
Or rather, it was quite strange starring opposite Dino-nii, playing the role of his prospective fiancée.
The very moment they stepped out of the vehicle, the golden haired Cavallone slipped effortlessly into the charade of an attentive suitor. Haru did not care about what all the others had said to her before, but working this closely to Dino-nii was rather intimidating and stressful at first. It was very easy to become beguiled and led along by the extremely charming and charismatic Cavallone. It was just as well that her personality for the evening was supposed to be docile and quiet, and perhaps also just a tad enthralled by her dashing escort. She also pretended not to understand Italian, looking politely quizzical every time someone spoke to her until Dino-nii gallantly came to her rescue, 'interpreting' his native language for her.
She had turned modestly red the first time he leaned in right to her ear in the guise of translating, but then she had quickly realized what he already did; this was a very convenient way of relaying information without gaining additional scrutiny. He took the opportunity to point out all the persons of interest within the Fierro Famiglia as they met them one by one, his explanation clear and concise even as he smiled at her and acted out his part as her accommodating partner. Haru still went pink whenever he did it, though, but it wasn't as if she could control her own bodily responses. Besides, her copious blushing only seemed to make her act more credible, and so it was business as usual.
Other than that little speedbump, Haru did not let her training slip, attentively sweeping her gaze to and fro her surroundings, quickly logging the faces as well as the layout of every part of the Fierro mansion which she set eyes on. Dino-nii fulfilled his role as the distraction perfectly, seemingly having their hosts eating out of his hand with impossible ease. It was quite a treat and an extremely valuable learning experience, watching the powerful blond at work.
It was one thing to be touted a battle genius when it came to fighting, but it was another different ballgame altogether when diplomacy was called into the picture, and the Cavallone Boss just happened to be one of those rare few individuals in this world who was equally talented on both fields. He exuded no aura of intimidation or threat whatsoever regardless of who he spoke to, was confident whenever he spoke or did something, yet never flaunted any of his power or prestige from being the Boss of one of the most influential Famiglia in the Mafia world, and he always paid attention to his conversation partners in a way that made it clear that he valued and acknowledged whatever it was that the other was sharing with him.
So this was what a natural leader looked like, right in his element.
Haru was so impressed with how easily Dino-nii could make anyone feel at ease and comfortable around him, how easily it seemed for him to convince others to follow his soothing and charismatic lead that it was almost just as easy for her to forget that he was also still that same occasionally clumsy and awkward individual whom she had known since the age of fourteen.
He had not come by this ostensibly effortless grace and dignified polish simply by chance or even by birthright. He had earned every bit of it, through experience, through empathy, through endless effort.
When Haru sat beside him under the guise of his fiancée and watched him interact with the others at the table during dinnertime, the light of admiration that sparkled in her eyes was not entirely just an act.
That evening, after most of the festivities had died down, the pair was shown to their quarters where they would stay the night. Since their cover had been that of a courting pair, they had been given a suite with adjoining bedrooms, which made it a lot easier for both of them to plan their next move now that they were right in the middle of the enemy stronghold.
Haru had just emerged from a shower, her wig momentarily removed as she toweled her hair dry, and it was also a relief to be out of that constricting furisode which she had been dressed in all day. Now wearing a comfortable pair of slacks and a blouse, she quickly set up her laptop and proceeded to check in with headquarters, intent to find out if her fellow CEDEF members back at base had any new information for her. After checking that the connection she used was secure, and that no one was attempting to breach the security measures that she had put in place to protect the network, Haru managed to make contact with Tumeric, who promptly linked her up with...Shoichi-kun...?
"Yo," the redhead IT Whiz greeted her all too casually through the virtual camera feed. He looked suspiciously like he had just crawled out of bed, dressed in a ratty shirt and with clumps of hair sticking up all over the place. "So I heard that you need some help hacking into the security feed of this property that you are currently transmitting from, Haru-kun?"
Beyond the initial surprise of seeing her fellow Vongola, Haru did not question his participation in this assignment - while not strictly a member of CEDEF, Shoichi was sometimes known to assist in missions if his brand of expertise was needed, such as in this instance. The brunette nodded.
"That's right, Shoichi-kun. Time is of the essence, desu. We're looking for a missing woman hidden away somewhere in this large property, so any clue that we can find regarding her whereabouts will be very helpful, desu."
"Understood. I'll try to crack this firewall as quickly as I can – should not take too long by my estimates. Please standby."
A knock on the adjoining door distracted Haru from her laptop screen, and she stilled.
"Haru-kun, it's me." Her mission partner's voice rang out from the other side of the adjoining bedroom, and so Haru hurried over to the entrance and opened the door for him.
"Dino-nii," Haru welcomed automatically before updating him on their current status. The tall, lean blond entered the room and went over to the laptop with Haru beside him, and he proceeded to greet Shoichi on the other end of the communication channel.
"Irie-san, thank you for pitching in to help. Is it also possible for you to pull up a digitalized blueprint of the Fierro mansion? While I'm reasonably familiar with the property, I also suspect that there are hidden niches and entirely concealed sections in this sprawling house that we may also need to investigate. My sources are absolutely certain that our target is sequestered somewhere here on Fierro land, so we'll need to conduct a thorough search if we're to have any chance of locating her."
"Hi, Dino-san, don't worry about it. And uh, that should not be a problem once I crack the security code. Give me thirty minutes, top," Shoichi responded in affirmative, and then he quickly got right down to work.
"Dino-nii, can Haru ask something?" the rookie CEDEF agent enquired as they were waiting for Shoichi to get back to them. The Cavallone Boss switched his attention to her.
"Yes, Haru-kun?"
"Hahi, how did Dino-nii know that our target is here?" Haru asked. She also followed up her question with the next thing that had been niggling her. "Can Dino-nii also tell Haru more about the lady whom we're trying to rescue? Dino-nii mentioned earlier that she is a close family friend, so Haru is a bit inquisitive, desu. Is Haru allowed to ask…?"
The older male was willing to indulge in her curiosity, and more importantly, he also detected the genuine traces of concern in her voice. Even though she did not personally know her mission target, she was already worried about the latter. Dino inclined his head.
"Of course, Haru-kun. I'll answer any question you have. The lady we're attempting to retrieve is the wife of an independent Cavallone retainer. I say 'retainer,' but in actuality, Terranova and his family are amongst a select group of individuals whom I've personally endorsed to manage the daily operations of various Cavallone owned businesses that we've established within our territories. To further clarify, these local businesses are purely independent of any and all mafia related involvements, with the sole exception that they are financially maintained and funded by the Cavallone Famiglia. Still with me so far, Haru-kun?"
The brunette's eyes lit up with comprehension. So in other words, not only did the Cavallone Famiglia protect and guard the region of Lazio as they traditionally did over generations, they also actively supported and assisted in the local businesses and hence the local economy, albeit privately so. She nodded.
"Yes, Haru understands, desu. Please continue."
"Excellent. Coming back to the main topic, the Terranova family runs and manages the Cavallone vineyards. Marco is the current head of the family, and his wife, Castella, is the lady whom we are trying to find and rescue. Castella is also the youngest sister of the current Don of the Fierro Famiglia. Unfortunately, her relationship with Marco is not regarded favorably by her family, and so when the pair decided to get married recently, they did so in secret. The Fierro Famiglia was infuriated when they found out about the elopement, and a few evenings ago, they stormed the Terranova's home and took Castella back with them by force."
"…So that's it. That's the long and short of why we're having this mission right now."
Haru frowned. "Hahi…what is this situation, desu. Modern day Romeo and Juliet?" she muttered, already feeling indignant on the behalf of the poor newlywed couple. Dino smiled faintly at her disgruntled comment.
"For many Famiglias, it's an unspoken rule that a member's loyalty to the Family must be absolute," he explained. "This takes precedence over all other types of relationship a member may have, especially to those perceived as outsiders to the clan. This tradition is maintained to keep the integrity of the House strong."
The furrow between Haru's brows deepened. The current Vongola generation was quite unique from the other established mafia houses because many of its main members were recruited or had joined on their own volition with no prior experience or direct involvement with triad-related activities before they took up the name (and cause) of their Family, and Haru was no exception. She slowly shook her head.
"Hahi, does Dino-nii thinks the same way also?" the brunette asked. "Haru cannot agree to this type of opinion, desu. Haru thinks that while it is important for a member to be loyal to their Famiglia, it is also equally important for a Famiglia to be loyal to her members. Haru believes that loyalty developed out of love is the strongest kind of loyalty there ever will be, desu." The young woman put a hand over her chest, directly where her heart steadily beat, and she looked at the Cavallone. "Because Haru loves her Famiglia, because Haru also knows that her Famiglia loves her back and cares for her just as much, Haru will happily give her all for her Family, desu!"
His gaze warmed ever so slightly at her passionate and earnest spiel.
"Your idea is not wrong, Haru-kun." His statement was gentle and uttered in a manner that was contemplative, almost wistful. She could not help but wonder at his reply-
!
Haru suddenly remembered just who she was being so assertive with her opinions with. She jerked upright and flushed, abashed.
"Sorry, Dino-nii! Haru did not mean to be rude or thoughtless, desu! Haru was just caught in the moment, desu!"
Of course Dino-nii had a lot of responsibilities and people to watch out for, being the Don of one of the largest Famiglia in the mafia world. Her response was probably all too idealistic and naïve and unrealistic, and the young woman felt her mortification rise even more. Was she being childish?
But still, Haru did not feel that it was a mistake for her to stand by her feelings and her beliefs. That was what her Papa had always taught her and she would keep to it no matter what.
"No matter what, Haru will do her best to help Dino-nii rescue Castella-san!" the CEDEF agent promised fervently. She looked so ready and determined to rescue their mission target it seemed as though she was about to spring right out of their shared quarters and immediately start searching for the missing lady.
It was just as well that Shoichi-kun reestablished communication with them at that very moment, and the IT expert came bearing good news. Haru and Dino both turned their attentions back to the screen, intent to learn the information that their ally had unearthed for them.
"Alright, guys. The firewall came down easily enough, so that's one thing done. I took the liberty of putting up a false wall in replacement so we probably have a bit more time before we're found out. Here's the digital blueprint of the entire property as requested; take a look and let me know if there are any special areas in particular that I should focus on. I'm still tracing the security feed, but this is what I've found so far…"
::owari::
Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:
This is the first of three chapters…I think.
This mini arc is all about our rookie!CEDEF!Haru going on her exciting first mission with Cavallone Decimo!Dino. In this, obviously they are allies and friends, so no romantic undertone in this one yet!
xXxXxXxXxX
Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!
-sllebswap