A/N: Tired. Sleepy. zZzZz

Her Prince

Haru woke up to the sound of voices, arguing voices. It was dark and she tried to open her eyes, and found out that she couldn't. She was blindfolded.

What...? Her neck hurt from sleeping in that position for too long ...happened? She tugged her hands, they were bound. Where is she?

"What's that doing here?" A loud angry voice demanded. For some reason, it sounded somewhat familiar to her. She could infer from the tone of voice that that referred to her.

"Eh? You told us to bring her in!" another voice whined. Bring her in? Oh yeah...she had been walking home from school when a car suddenly stopped in front of her. She initially thought they just wanted to ask directions so she stepped closer to the car...and then...

"I only said I wanted to see her!"

"How can you see her when you don't even want to go outside, you albino," a new voice muttered.

"Shut up! God, I hate noobs," the first voice sounded exasperated. Footsteps disappeared after awhile followed by the sound of a slamming door.

She could help it, she flinched. "H-Hahi!"

Seemingly out of nowhere, a hand suddenly tucked her hair behind her ear. She hadn't even felt anyone approach. "Don't worry, when Bel comes for you then we'll let you go," the voice cooed to her.

"What're you planning to do to Belphegor?" she asked, concerned. This was a trap laid to lure him then. "Where am I? Let me go! Let me go!" she kicked her legs and felt her feet connect to something hard... something metal. She bit back a whimper.

"Ara, kawaii... Bel chose well. This girl got guts I'll give him that,"

"She's also pretty cute," a voiced droned beside her.

"W-What're you planning to do to Belphegor?"

"What about yourself? Aren't you scared?" the voice asked.

"Shouldn't we answer her question?"

"What are—"

"Geez, you're so persistent," the voice whined again, he leaned closer to whisper. "We'll just bring him to our Boss," He stood up and started walking away, "You're in charge of her," he said.

"Try not to break her too much."

He knew when he opened the door and found Belphegor outside that something was wrong, and it wasn't just because of the Vongola Intuition. As a rule, Belphegor never knocks; he just waltzed in like he owns the place. Because I'm a prince, he would tell them. So when he found him waiting patiently outside, that trademark grin of his not on his face for once. He knew there was trouble.

"Peasant," Bel said, but there was no mocking tone on his voice. "Is Haru here?"

"Haru?" he asked. I knew it, something in his gut told him it was about Haru, that something happened to Haru. His eyes widened. "S-She's not here."

"Tch," Belphegor frowned, his eyes scanning the area behind the brunette. Haru's shoes were not among those in the floor. The hand on his pocket gripped the keychain harder. "Do you kn-"

"I know where she is," Reborn suddenly spoke up. He had sneaked up on them without either of them noticing. He should've been mad that he interrupted him while he was talking but he let it pass. This was more important. "This came here earlier," the Arcobaleno handed her a letter addressed to Prince the Ripper. Ah, his title.

He read its content hurriedly and a smile slowly spread on his face as he pocketed the paper. Tsuna looked worried.

"Belphegor, is that..." he started walking away. "Where are you going?"

"Ushishishi...the Prince is going to rescue the princess now," was his reply.

"Wait—" he closed the door behind him. "I'm going too..." but Reborn stepped on his way. "Reborn!"

"Don't get involved in this Tsuna," his tutor warned him.

"But- but to me, Haru is also my..." Both the assassin and the hitman waited for him patiently to continue. "...friend," he finished lamely. Reborn shook his head. "Why is Belphegor the only..."

Belphegor looked like he wanted to say something, but the Arcobaleno gestured for him to go. He grinned slyly before going.

"Because I'm a prince."

"Neh, what kind of person is Belphegor?" the dull voice asked her. She didn't know if he was being serious or not. He sounded disinterested. She was still worried about what the other one said earlier about breaking her so she decided to answer. Anything to keep him occupied.

"He's selfish and doesn't respect others people's privacy. He loves annoying me and is happy when I get angry at him," she said. "I helped him and he doesn't even know how to thank me properly! He—" Blood rushed to her cheeks, and she remembered that he hasn't thanked her yet for the keychain.

The voice gave a low hum. "Yeah, he's like that."

Her voice softened. "He's also really smart, well, he says he's a genius so..." she smiled. That maniacal grin, that self-flattering voice. "He's like a giant cat and always attaches himself to me..." waking up with his arms draped casually over her shoulder. "He could be surprisingly considerate sometimes..." leaving her alone with her date with Tsuna and then teasing her about it later.

Silence followed when she stopped and she heard someone stepping closer to her and then...

"Ushishishi...I suggest you don't do that," someone said from the other side of the room.

That laugh, and that voice!

"It's not like that Bel-senpai. I just want to check if there's something's wrong with her head," the other said. "Since she's saying all these nice things about you."

Belphegor laughed, but there was an edge to it. "Only the Prince can touch the princess." A whoosh in the air and a dull thud. "Senpai?" Bel asked. "Who are you?"

"Does losing that big stupid hat really make that much of a difference?" she heard the one beside her mutter under his breath. It was followed by several more thuds, which oddly, reminded her of darts hitting a target. "Be more careful, Bel-senpai, what if you accidentally hurt your princess?" he grunted, and there was the sound of metal clanging on the floor.

"I won't miss, because I'm a genius,"

"Yeah, yeah," the voice muttered before walking away. "I'm telling on you to the Captain,"

Belphegor casually walked beside her. Stupid frog. This was far from over. How dare they hurt his princess? He removed the ties on her hands, there were bruise marks on her wrist. He gritted his teeth.

"Bel!" Haru hugged her immediately when he released her. She must've been so afraid. He tugged at the blindfold over her eyes.

"Maybe you should get kidnapped more often," he said, half-joking. He didn't like putting her in dangerous situations, but he didn't mind getting the reception. He rather liked it actually. Like he was really her prince.

Haru hit her in the back. Ow. Maybe she wasn't as scared as he thought she was.

"What took you so long? Haru was waiting for you to rescue her, you know!" she said. Stupid stupid Belphegor! What genius! She was scared out of her mind when the others left her alone with that weird one earlier, telling him not to break her. She lowered his hands, and Bel used the chance to sweep her off her feet. "Wait—"

Bel lowered her a few steps after, and pointed to where they were at earlier. There were silver knives strewn on the floor. She realized that her guess wasn't too far off. Only not darts...but knives. Oddly enough, there was no blood.

"How did you know where to find me?" she asked, before catching herself. Of course he's going to tell me it's because he's a genius that's why he knows everything, she was ready to roll her eyes, but to her surprise, he didn't. Instead...

"Because I'm your prince."

He dropped her off to Tsuna-san's house after they escaped. It was so exciting, like they were...eloping or something. Bel was just glad she wasn't hurt or traumatized, (but that doesn't mean there won't be blood to pay, that frog is so dead) and he teased her all the way while they were running.

"Were you scared? Admit it! You were scared, right?" he asked.

"O-Of course not!" she said, sticking her tongue out to him. "I knew you would rescue me."

"Me? Not Sawada?" he asked.

"Eh?" Yeah...why did she... During the whole ordeal, Tsuna never even crossed her mind...only Bel... "B-Because they said you would," she reasoned. Of course, it was because her kidnappers were talking about Bel... that's why...

"Ushishishi... and you believed your kidnappers? You are so naive," Bel teased, but his smile wavered a little. So that was the only reason.

"No way!" she protested. "Haru just...knew."

It was enough to bring the smile back to his face.

Three months.

Bel left to settle things and she slept at Tsuna-san's house that night. Three months and he still hasn't comeback.

"Tsuna-san~~" she called, stopping in front of his house and waving to him. Tsuna waved back. "Any news?" she asked.

Tsuna smiled at her hopelessly. It seemed like Haru stopped by everyday just to ask about him. He shook his head. Haru's smile waned. "Want to come inside? I'm looking after the house."

She nodded. Tsuna-san was finally alone in the house, it was her chance to...

The brunette let her in.

"Where's Nana-san?" she asked.

"She took the kids with her at the supermarket," Hmm...good.

"and Reborn-chan?"

"Oh, he said he and Colonello had something to do today," Great.

"And Gokudera?" she asked just to make sure.

"He said he has training today with Shamal so he can't come." Perfect.

"Tsuna-san!" she said, suddenly leaning closer to him. Tsuna blushed. "Tell me..." Tsuna's eyes widened. "Tell me where Belphegor is!"

The brunette hung his head. So that's what it was...for a second there, he thought Haru would confess her love to him...like the old days.

"Haru knows that you know where he is, so tell me," she said. Tsuna was always reassuring her that Belphegor was safe, and when she told him what she overheard, he shook his head saying, that's just like them. "Tsuna-sa—"

"Haru, do you really like Belphegor that much?" he asked.

"Eh? O-Of course not Tsuna-san.. of course n.."

"Why do you always ask about him then?"

Haru hesitated. "It's because he went there because of me...It's my fault...that he..."

Tsuna looked at her intensely. "Haru, none of it is your fault, it was Bel who got you involved."

"But, I mean, but-"

"I like you Haru" The brunette suddenly declared, taking both of them by surprise. It helped that Reborn wasn't there. He didn't think he would be able to say it. But all these questions about Belphegor...he wanted to know if Haru still loves him. If he wasn't too late.

"Eh? Eh?" Haru tilted her head to the side, and looked around them. "Tsuna-san... What did... Is Haru hearing things?" she asked.

He took her hand. "I like you Haru. Would you go out with me? If you still like me, please say yes"

"T-tsuna-san..." What is this...she should be really happy right now...After all this time, finally...finally...Tsuna-san liked her back but... all she feels is... her eyes wandered to their hands. ("Only the prince can touch the princess") she gently let go.

"Sorry Tsuna-san. I'll wait for him to come back."

Too late. Too late.

Reborn told him this was his last chance. He closed his eyes, and buried his face in his hands. If only he had noticed earlier...why did it take him too long to know that he likes Haru...

""Of all the sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: it might have been," Reborn said, suddenly appearing behind him. Of course his tutor wouldn't even give him time to feel depressed.

"Reborn!" he said. "You knew this would happen, didn't you?" he realized he sounded angry, not at Reborn of course, but to himself. The Arcobaleno mistook it and thought that his frustration was directed at him.

"Don't use that tone on me Dame-Tsuna," his voice carried an edge that made his anger dissipate. "It's your own fault that Haru got away." He mellowed when he saw his student looking seriously disheartened. Haru might not have become the next Vongola Boss's wife, but he still got something out of the deal.

"You could look at it this way, now the ties between Varia and Vongola has never been stronger."

Haru walked back home hurriedly. She couldn't forget the look on Tsuna-san's face when she rejected him. She may not like him anymore, but he was still a friend and it hurt her to hurt him.

"Stupid! Stupid Belphegor!" she shouted at the house. Her parents were out. She climbed the stairs, stomping the whole time in frustration. "You come here and make me fall inlove with you... at least take some responsibility for it!" she yelled.

Exhausted, she went up to her room. The first few weeks after he was gone, she hurriedly went home every day after asking Tsuna-san, half-expecting him to show up like he always do. That when she opened the door...he would be there...lounged on her bed like he owned it, grinning up to her like a giant cat.

Whenever she opened the door and find no one there, she always felt like crying. That's why she stopped giving hope to herself. She opened the door and went inside, not even bothering to turn on the lights.

She lay down on the bed. "Come back already," she muttered in the darkness. "I still haven't thank you for rescuing me."

"Are you planning to thank me by mouth?" a voice asked.

"Yes, by mouth-"

The light clicked on, and Belphegor was sitting on the bed with her. A pillow lay by the floor near the switch.

"Ushishishi...I'll hold you for that one," he said. It was like he was never gone, just talking to her like this. She sat up on her bed. Was he here in the house when she arrived? Did he hear what she was yelling downstairs? She blushed.

"Y-You too!" she said. "You still haven't thanked me for that keychain I gave you," He really was here. He's really back.

"Can I thank you...by mouth?" he asked, teasing her. She gave a short nod.

"Thank you," he said, his voice sounding mischievous. "Your turn,"

Haru opened her mouth to protest...what? She expected him to... well... if he wouldn't... She smiled before charging at him, causing him to fall on the bed with her. "Thank you," she said, her face an inch away from his face.

He grinned; he wouldn't mind getting thanked like this. Her body softly press against his. But...

"I still haven't thanked you for waiting for me," he said, leaning closer so they could kiss. It lasted for a minute and when they both came up for air, he grinned.

"And I still haven't thanked you for..."

Tsuna looked miserable. Reborn had told him everything. Xanxus was angry because Belphegor didn't come back immediately after his job. If there was one thing the scarred man hated the most (aside from cheap wine and Sawada Tsunayoshi) it was his men slacking on the job.

As punishment, he made him stay in the Varia mansion to train the grunts for three months. There was also the matter of recruiting Fran from this time. The emotionless teen explained to him on the phone that it was all Lussuria's fault that they abducted Haru...just because Squalo casually commented that he would have like to see the girl that managed to tame Belphegor. He mistook it as an order to bring her in.

Today was the last day of punishment, the grunts and the Varia as a whole was just as glad it was over. Their numbers were rapidly decreasing due to the Prince's temper. Reborn stepped on the table.

"Here, I'll play for you the world's smallest violin," his tutor offered.

"No thanks," he said, standing up. "I'm going up in my room." It was kind of him to offer though, maybe he felt guilty that he got his heart broken because of his urging. Tsuna smiled.

Silence.

"Why don't you try Chrome next?"

Arrgh!

A/N: Owari. I might edit this later when I've had some sleep. R&R please. Oyasuminasai~~