Chapter 4: The Thimble Necklace
Maya was home.
She breathed in the cold and smiled. Clad in her old yoga pants, sweater, and leather gloves, Maya glided through the ice. Familiar steps she had done since she was five-years old once again overtaking her body. Bracing herself, she held her arms close to chest and jumped. Mid-air, she raises her arms, gracefully landing on one foot. Then, she twirled, letting the cold air take over.
She missed this. She missed skating. She missed the calming cold air.
The last few days had been filled with chaos, trouble, and occasional death threats and harassment. Regardless, Maya had been stressed. She had been pressed thin between treating Kyoya's injury fight after fight with Dino, and helping Tsuna with his training. But now, Maya had free time, and she was more than happy to spend it alone in the ice stadium.
The Namimori Ice Skating Rink was just two blocks away from Namimori Middle School. It was built three shy years before its sister school was built. Ever since then it has been the base of the Namimori Middle School Ice Skating Club. The same club that has been persistently tailing Maya. It had bothered her at first, especially when they had decorated the whole stadium with candid posters of her mid-jump. Fortunately, they had tore it down, no doubt thanks to Kyoya. Now, she was finally free to enjoy the ice all on her own.
Maya was mid-air, spinning, when she felt someone watching her. Landing gracefully, she saw Dino smiling at her. She smiled back and glided towards him.
"Yo," he greeted with one raised hand.
"Good afternoon to you as well, Dino-san," Maya relied, stopping at the wall that separated them. "What brings you here?"
"I was curious," Dino explained. "You weren't at the rooftop this morning." He scratched his cheeks and was firmly looking at the ground.
Ah, he was worried. How cute, Maya thought. The ice skater giggled, "You know, Dino-san, contrary to popular belief, my life doesn't revolve around Kyoya."
Dino's blush turned wilder and waved his arm animatedly, "That's not what I meant, Maya-san. You've got it wrong.I just thought that you know," Dino drawled out
Maya's smile turned into a grin. "That what? Dino-san?"
"I just thought that since you and Kyoya are dating, you'd be there to support him," Dino replied shyly.
Maya blinked. Then she laughed, "I-I'm so sorry, D-dino-san,-" she snorted in laughter. She sighed, finally calming down, "Kyoya and I aren't dating," she finally explained.
Dino tilted his head in confusion. "Eh."
"I grew up with him, Dino-san," she explained with a smile. "I was with him ever since we were in diapers. Kyoya is my brother in all but blood."
"S-so you're not dating anyone?" Dino asked shyly.
Oh, Maya blushed in realization. She smiled. "No, Dino-san, I'm not dating anyone. Why do you ask?"
Dino coughed. "No reason."
Maya bit her lips and huffed out a laugh. "If you say so."
"So how's training going?" she asked Dino. Maya was out of her ice skates and into her comfy slippers. They were sitting in the front bleachers, looking over the ice rink.
Dino only sighed in answer. His shoulders dropped.
"That bad, huh?" Maya patted his back consolingly.
"How do you do it, Maya-san?" Dino asked, rather desperately.
Maya tilted his head. "Do what?"
Dino licked his chapped lips. "It's just that, when you're with Kyoya, he seems like-like," Dino paused looking for the right word.
"Like he's just a normal sixteen year old boy?" Maya asks, her face was understanding.
Dino snapped his fingers, "Yes!" Dino exclaimed, "When he's with you, he acts more like a human. But with me or the others…" the mafia don left Maya to fill in the blanks.
Maya hummed. "Have you ever tried treating him like that?" She smiles sadly at Dino "Like he is human?"
Dino's eyes widened with guilt. He looked down the ground, unable to face Maya.
Maya only sighs. "A lot of people forget," she drawls, "that Kyoya is human. No matter how strong or coldblooded or removed he is. He's still human." She touches her thimble necklace. "But then again, maybe that's just me."
Dino nods at Maya. "I'll try to keep that in mind, Maya-san."
"Look after him for me, Dino-san." Maya holds his hand, just as she would Kyoya. Dino looks at her in surprise. "He's strong, but that doesn't mean he's smart," she smiles at him.
Dino blinked. When her words sunk in, he snorted, trying not to laugh. But it was all in vain, after a while, Dino was laughing. Pearls of laughter was making his shoulder shake.
It took a few minutes before he finally calmed down. He looked at their joined hands. "I'll take care of him. Don't worry."
"I've been meaning to ask," Dino droned. "But that necklace of yours," he pointed at the thimble necklace hanging around her neck. "Where did you get it?"
Maya hummed. "Kyoya gave it to me."
"He gave you a….thimble necklace?"
"Shall I tell you the story?" she asks with a smile. 'Kyoya gave this to me at my first competition. I was six then…"
Maya was nervous. And she was pretty sure, sooner or later, she was going to hyperventilate. The outfit she had on, with its stupid glitters and feather, suddenly felt too tight. Her body was light and heavy at the same time. Her heart wasn't making it any easier for her either.
She breathes slowly, willing herself to calm down. And then she hears the audience, loud and excited. Suddenly, she was a nervous wreck again.
Maya was due to perform soon and she was sweating profusely. This was a big mistake. All of this was a big mistake. She snapped out of her thought when she felt a finger poke her on the side. Jumping out of her sit in fright, she turned to look at her attacker. Teary-eyed, she saw Kyoya looking at her with a calm and removed face. She wished she could be calm and removed like Kyoya, Maya thought with despair. Kyoya poked her on the side again, this time harder.
Maya hissed as her grubby hands removed Kyoya's finger from her waist. "That hurts, you jerk!"
Kyoya only smirked and poked her on the side again, "I'm not stopping until you calm down. You're going in fourth and the program hasn't even started yet. Calm down," he reminded her.
Maya's hands starts making wild gesture, "B-but w-hat-what i-if I mess up my jumps or over rotate or miss my marks or fall or flub my routine or-" her increasingly worried listed ramblings was interrupted when Kyoya covered her mouth.
"You're acting like a herbivore," he said with a sigh.
At this point, Maya can definitely feel the waterworks coming. She sniffed, "B-but Kyoya, I can't help it!" Taking a deep breath, Maya whined, "I-I'm scared, Kyoya!"
Kyoya's eyes widened. For the six long years he's had on this world, he has never been more uncomfortable. He gulps. Maya had always been a crybaby. That was a universal truth. But until now, he never really took the time to teach himself how to make her calm down. Usually when Maya cries, it's small tears and hiccups. But this time it's loud cries and pearly tears. Kyoya feels so helpless. This was so not part of his training. Regardless, Kyoya realizes the importance of this competition for Maya.
So Kyoya nods resolutely, vowing to help his friend. He pats Maya gently on the head. Startled, she turns to look at him, all teary-eyed. "Maya," he starts, "let's make a bargain," Kyoya offers. Deep inside, he knew this would work, Maya's mother said that the best people thrived best when most pressured. "I can't have a herbivore for a friend, so if you don't win this competition, consider our friendship over."
"Wait, wait, wait," Dino interrupted. "Kyoya said that?"
Maya nodded with a melancholic smile. "In his defense, he was wholeheartedly sure I would win back then, it was only to push me."
"That's not an excuse!" Dino exclaimed.
Maya giggled. "He was six at the time," she defended her childhood friend.
Maya looked at Kyoya with surprise. When his words finally registered, her lips began to quiver and her eyes filled with tears. Hiccuping, she pushed Kyoya's hand away from her head. "Why would you say that?" she demanded weakly. It was getting harder for her to breathe and every time she tried to her shoulders would shake violently. "Kyoya, you meanie!"
All the while, Kyoya was shocked and helpless. Wasn't this supposed to motivate her? Then why was she crying.
"What the hell is happening here?"
At the sound of the familiar voice, both children turn their heads to see Kyoya's mother with her hand on her hips, and a frown on her face.
"Mom!" "Auntie!" Both kids exclaimed simultaneously.
Maya ran towards Kyoya's mother to hug her. "Auntie, Kyoya's being a meanie!"
Kyoya looked helplessly at his Mother. He was just trying to help motivate Maya!
Kyoya's mother sighed and bent down to reach Maya's height. "Maya," she said with a gentle voice. "You need to calm down. This is a competition, honey," she reminded her. "And right now, crying won't help." She rubs the tears away from the young skaters ,face. "You've been training hard for this, right?"
Maya nodded weakly.
" You've worked hard. Are you really going to let all that hard work go down the drain just because you're a little nervous?"
Maya bit her lower lip and shook her head.
Satisfied, Kyoya's mother smiled. "Good. Ice skating is fun, that's what you said before, remember? So you should go have fun today as well. No matter the results." She patted her head. "Now why don't you go see your grandfather so he can fix that snotty face of yours?"
When Maya left, Kyoya's mother turned to her son. Sighing, she gestured towards the direction Maya walked out from. "That's how you do it, little man."
Kyoya narrows his eyes at his mother's choice of endearment for him. "I juts wanted to help," he sulked. "Maya's mom said that people thrive the most when they're pressured. She said that desperation and adrenaline can make people do amazing things. Even the herbivores."
"What has Ayano been teaching you?" She shakes her leads and leads her son to the bleachers. Sitting down, she asks, "So what? You thought that if you threatened Maya with your friendship, she'd stop crying and suddenly become motivated to fight? Is that it?"
Kyoya gave a startled look at his mother, "I didn't threaten Maya," he said, offended by his mother's words. "I would never threaten Maya." He sighs, "I just wanted to," he bites his lower lip, not knowing what to say.
"You just wanted to help. I know, little man, I know." She ruffles Kyoya's hair. "But, see, Maya's just six years old," she reminded him. "Of course, she was going to cry. Do you remember why she started ice skating?"
Kyoya blanches. How could he forget? "To heal."
"To heal from what, Kyoya?"
"From her trauma."
"Little man, I know you're strong. And I know that Ayano has been training you to be even stronger. But you have to put yourself in Maya's shoes. Before ice skating, she couldn't even speak. Her PTSD was that bad. And I know that you've helped her a lot. But right now, ice skating is the only thing keeping her sane and you're not helping by threatening to cut off your friendship."
Kyoya nods. "I'll do better, I promise."
Kyoya's mother smiles and puts her arm around her son's neck, "That's my little man."
Dino snorts. "L-Little man?"
"Yeah, it was what coach used to call Kyoya."
The mafia don looked disappointed, "So he doesn't call him than now?"
Maya nods, "Yeah. Now it's just honey munchkins."
The blond man blinks, "Honey munchkins?"
"Auntie is a very tactile and loving person. No matter how scary she may seem at first.
Dino nods, storing away future blackmail material for his student. "So wait, Kyoya's mother taught you ice skating and your mother taught Kyoya how to fight?"
The ice skater nods again. "When Auntie was still in her maiden days, she was an international figure skater. She was the one that got me into figure skating. And, well, my Mom is a career soldier," she explains, rubbing her hand against her thighs to fight the cold air of the rink. "At that time, women in the army was frowned upon but my mother was really stubborn. She fought tooth and nail to get to her position. By the time she met my father, she was the first female Lieutenant of the Japanese Army. And, well, Kyoya has been tailing her ever since he saw her fight. I guess, Kyoya always fixate on strong people."
Dino sweat drops at her explanation. "Are you sure you two weren't switched as babies?"
Maya laughs. "Well, there were some theories growing up but no we really are the biological offspring of our respective parents."
Maya's program has ended when Kyoya approached her again.
"You did great," Kyoya said.
"Hmph," Maya crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks. "You're a meanie. I don't talk to meanies."
Kyoya sighs. "I'm sorry." He scratches his head in frustration. "Maya, I was only trying to motivate you. I didn't mean to make you cry," Maya looks at him from the corner of her eye, "You know I never want to make you cry," he says in a gentle voice. "I have a peace offering."
Kyoya reaches the inside of his pocket. It was a thimble with a thin chain attached to the head. "My grandfather gave this to me. He said that the thimble was used by my grandmother back in the war. She used this to sew my grandfather's uniform," he explained. "Grandpa said that this protects him from the bad stuff like nightmares or fears like it protected my grandmother's finger."
He walks towards Maya and puts the necklace around her neck. "Now, it's going to protect you from your nightmares and fears. And it's also going to remind you that you have a very mean friend who is very sorry for what he said. Please forgive him?" He asks in a teasing but nevertheless honest voice.
Maya nods, not trusting her voice to be firm and whole just yet.
"I won silver that day. Ever since then, I never took this off," she finishes with a smile. Maya stretches her arm "Now then, it's your tun," she mumbles with a tired voice. "Why are you really here?"
Dino blinks. "Why would you think I have an ulterior motive to be here?" he asks, a little bit hurt by her discrete accusation.
"Because, Dino-san," Maya starts in a quiet voice, " the battle for the rings starts tomorrow night. And I know Kyoya is strong but from the way you and Reborn-san has been reacting towards the Varia, Kyoya is going to need all the training he can get. And right now, it's crunch time and you're not by Kyoya's side training him."
Dino's eyes widens at her deduction. Still, as a mafia boss, he didn't let his surprise known. Much. Okay Maya definitely noticed his surprise. Dino coughs, "I'm here to ask for your permission. I'm going to take Kyoya in a training trip until before his match."
Maya tilts her head, "And you're asking my permission because?"
Because you're very scary when you're angry, Maya-san, Dino wanted to say. Nevertheless, he smiled and said, "Because you might get worried if Kyoya suddenly disappeared."
"Oh," Maya exclaimed. "Well, thank you for telling me beforehand, Dino-san."
Dino smiles. "You're very welcome."
Omake:
Maya was in her room lying down on her bed, relaxing, when Kyoya suddenly barged. Now, normally, Maya wouldn't be perturbed by it. Kyoya, though he hates people not respecting his personal space, has no concept of boundaries. What bothered Maya, however, is his state of dress, or rather the lack of it.
Before her was a naked Kyoya, only covered by the white towel hanging low on his hips. His hair was dripping wet and so was the rest of him. Maya raises her eyebrow, "Can I help you?"
Kyoya's answer, apparently, was glaring at her.
Maya sighs. She stands up and walks towards Kyoya. "Words, Kyoya. Use them," she reminded him.
"My bath bomb," Kyoya growled. "You used my bath bomb."
Maya blanches and points accusingly at Kyoya. "You have, like, thirty-one of them for goodness' sake."
"No," the prefect hissed. "I have thirty. Thanks to you."
Maya huffs, she couldn't believe this. "You are such a brat."
Kyoya's glare only widened. "That's it. I'm kicking you out." Then, he turned and left.
Maya blinked. And then gulped. She makes a mental reminder to buy him more bath bombs when he returns from his training trip.
Sneak Peak for Chapter 5:
Kyoya was in the plane when he felt his phone vibrate. Taking a look, he saw Maya send him a picture. The prefect blinks. Why did Maya send him a love letter?
He reads the content. Again, he blinks, why did Maya send him a love letter from a herbivore? He remembers this herbivore. She's the sister of the boxing herbivore Sasagawa Kyoko.
Why did Maya send him a love letter written by Sasagawa Kyoko?
TO BE CONTINUED...
Hello again! So I was reading the reviews, and you guys really like he Maya/Kyoya pairing, don't you? Honestly, that's not what I planned for them. I kinda wanted to show that two people of different gender can be really really good and close friends, just like friends with the same gender. And I wanted to portray Kyoya with someone he regards as a friend and sister. I wanted soft!Kyoya to come out of this fic. Regardless, there is nothing wrong with going to lovers from friends. But that seems already overused? And I'm still not sure who to pair Maya with.
So, I propose a solution. From these choices of possible pairings:
Maya/Kyoya
Maya/Tsuna
Maya/Gokudera
Maya/Yamamoto
Maya/Dino
Maya/ Mukuro (this one is if you want to annoy Kyoya)
Maya/Basil
Maya/Belphegor
Maya/Chrome
you guys will choose. The voting period will start now and will last until the Chapter 10 when the Varia arc is finished. You can vote by commenting. Of course, the pairing with the highest vote will be the official pairing. Though, I will incorporate it later on in the story. Until then, I will dedicate some scenes with these pairings to show you their chemistry. Lastly, you can also suggest other pairings if you want :)
Thank you for reading!
Next chapter will be uploaded on or before July 22. Promise!
