Some Notes: Thanks for the people who liked the previous stories. Reviews are welcome, if you want to give them.
Timeline? Future, after Gamma's defeat by Hibari and before Hayato-Ryohei-Gamma standoff.
Disclaimer: This is KHR, created by Akira Amano, character rights and the original story belong to her.
HIS WET SLEEVE
Gamma has been drinking nonstop long before his talk with Genkishi.
Or rather, the bastard talked, and Gamma listened.
He wouldn't waste his breath on the traitor.
Before the bastard asked to talk to him, he has been trying unsuccessfully to get drunk for five hours now. He beat all his subordinates to a pulp. Except Nosaru who was saved by his brother.
Nothing helped. Everything is just the way it was. And his sleeve is still wet.
Aria has always been the woman in the midst of men. It never bothered her, Gamma was sure of that. She dressed in long sleeved shirts and pants like everyone else. She's comfortable around all of them. She didn't seem to notice that all her subordinates were all in awe of her. She seems too radiant, even for Gamma who has seen her from afar, and up close.
He was her right hand man, and sometimes, a shoulder, or even the man for her if she likes it. Gamma fulfilled whatever she needs at the moment. A confidant, a friend, a follower, a lover.
But she never did cry in front of anyone, even him. Especially, not him.
But he knows Aria cries, alone. He could never catch her at it. He always arrives after the tears stopped falling, after her shoulders stopped shaking, after her sobs have quieted.
But he knows. Aria even cries like one of them.
He can always tell by her wet sleeve.
They didn't look down on her when they found out that she cried the night before. Aria is their light, their hope. She will be the one smiling when they can't manage it. So, she can cry as well when they don't have the strength for it.
When Gamma came home too late and found Aria was gone, the tears wouldn't come.
He would like to soak the bed, the sheets, the pillows, everything in Aria's bedroom but the annoying thing was he cannot squeeze even one tear.
Genkishi came in, with a little girl in tow, and he was about to lash out, to shout at them. Since he couldn't cry, he would do the next best thing. Let his rage pour all over them.
Suddenly, he didn't know how it happened. While he was shaking the little brat, with the Aria's pacifier around her neck, looking deep into her eyes, something within him broke.
He fell down, on his knees before the little girl, and vowed to protect her with his life.
That was a very long time ago. Since then, a lot of things have changed. Byakuran now ruled over everything. The princess never asked to see him after the fated meeting with Byakuran. He has been that effeminate fucker's puppet ever since.
Everyone's a puppet, more or less. Him, all the members of Giglio Nero family, even the beloved princess.
Everything's changed. He has never been truly sober for years now; and his sleeve has never been dry around the same time as well.
Now, holding the box that princess gave via Genkishi, he supposed at least, after this, maybe he could finally do something. He is tired of having a wet sleeve.
Besides, Gamma is a man who wants to have control of the following events that will unfold. So, he cuts off his sleeve just to be sure.