You could be happy
Title inspired by: Snow Patrol – You could be happy
Disclaimer: I don't own KHR.
Author's Note:
YOURS TRULY IS BACK! I apologise for my long absence. But instead of bothering you with reasons that no one wants to hear, I just want to say:
Thank you so much for all the comments and the encouragement! Thanks for all the faves and alerts and thanks to everyone who considers this little story of mine somewhat worth reading!
My dearest thanks go to: TheMcgabster, chokolatito19, Okuri Soji, Marabou, Blue Quartz Foxy, yAsUmI kErZhEn, hleexda, chromeXhibari4ever, Audriel, animhaye03, Love Muffin Of Doom, KHR LOVER, Ruiminate, Toolazytologin, LavenderSkies, SlingtheSlingshot, kuuromuu-chii, kenji1104, chromeluster27, Bommie, Chocolate and caramel, BuzzCola, psyiNoheart (a comment for every single chapter? Thank you so much!), Hana Li and Niquie
And also to: CurryBread07 for the PM and Ratchadwi for the community thingy :D
Also: HUGE RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT! FINALLY! Now you can all kill me.
Thanks for reading. I truly appreciate it
The day she left the Vongola, Chrome felt sorry.
She was sorry for running away without saying a word. Sorry for the worries she had caused and would cause. Sorry for betraying her family. But while the world was said to be vast, hers was just a small one. Family was important yet she traded Boss' offer of security for an 'everywhere and nowhere' life. A restless girl and her naïve motivation. Mukuro-sama was the epitome of everything, a paragon of perfection, and she was his devotee.
Hers was a small world.
Sorry.
Close.
Too close.
The proximity was unnerving. Every single sense was awake and alert, rendering the current situation into an ordeal. Principle of cause and effect eventuating in an increased awareness of how her own perception was working against her. Eventually, the overloading of nerves reached a climax, then resulted in the depletive feeling of being overwhelmed by all the different influences seeping into her body and she had to lean back against the table, head spinning. The scent of his aftershave, the way his fingertips rested firmly on her hips and, of course, the lingering sensation of his warm breath still ghosting over her lips. However, it was that peculiar blush, spilling over her cheeks like some hot liquid, that finished her off.
"W-we shouldn't... this i-isn't the right t-time to discuss these ma-matters... Hibari-san."
Yet he wouldn't hear of her thoughtful advice.
"I don't want to waste more time on running in circles," he admonished without paying any heed to the current problems. Like a child, he had to have his way in the face of all logic. Never mind the roused Vongola famiglia and guests or the debilitating snowfall.
Breaking the physical contact by bracing his hands against the edges of the desk, Hibari-san gazed at the intimidated woman. No more games and no more uncertainties. Frankly speaking, he was fed up with parties he had to attend in order to speak to her seeing that he would never go to her place like a clingy herbivore, not a chance.
"Besides, you heard what I said. I doubt there is any need to go over this topic again."
No budging, no faltering. His firm, unwavering narrow-mindedness would not tolerate any compromises. For him, the master of bigotry, a middle ground was nothing but a sign of weakness.
Gradually managing to come out of the hazy stupor, Chrome glimpsed upwards only to avert her gaze because their eyes had met.
Ah, ditching him and dating a stone became more and more appealing as the minutes passed. Receiving an impatient look, she gave into his demands of having a conversation.
"...y-yes, I... I heard you," she finally admitted before proving her point by repeating the previous announcement, "Y-you don't like sharing."
As per normal, the true meaning of his words was lost in the cryptic construction of his sentences, remaining a hidden agenda. If the female Mist would have been an advocate of irony, she would have compared Hibari-san's refusal to reveal his real intentions to Mukuro-sama's art of deception. But compared to her erstwhile master, the former was lacking the intent. Everything, from his actions to his thoughts, made sense to him and he didn't indulge in being cooperative. He was so difficult to understand cos he simply wasn't used to explain himself or his reasoning. Nor would he ever be willing to do the like of it.
Sighing, she gave up, voluntarily accepting to play the coward's part. Ten years had passed and it was still an incessantly repeating of the same old story. So, if he wasn't going to amplify his thoughts, she determined that there was no need to pry. What she didn't take into account though was his biding silence. Maybe he was waiting for some response but she was at a complete loss as to what to say.
Discomfort was starting to build up. Her nervousness was like rain, steadily tickling while filling her mind like a chalice.
Still unsure what was expected of her, Chrome bit her bottom lip and after swallowing a small gulp of saliva, exhaled through her nose. Diffident fingers pushed against his arms and he allowed her to escape his suffocating presence. Even so, the Cloud misinterpreted the small rebellion against him as an attempt to flee from the room so he turned around and caught the passing illusionist by her wrist.
"Stay."
Freeing herself from his grip, she sidled towards the couch where she plopped down on pliant leather. 'What else is there to say?' she mused while easing herself into the softness of the backrest cushion. The only achievement they had accomplished so far was his prohibition of dating Sho-
Wait.
What?
Mulling over his idiosyncratic turn of phrase, the young woman paled only to turn a brilliant shade of crimson in the following second. The chameleon-like change was brought on by a long-desired realisation. In the end, she had ultimately understood what all those inklings meant.
H-he was basically implying that they were... a pair now?
That was impossible. After all, the other person was Hibari-san. There was little hope that he actually knew what a... relationship was.
Yet, he also wasn't one to go around and pronounce his affinity for something, let alone calling her a 'girlfriend'. So, this was probably the only way he, who hated commitment, could express himself. After mature deliberation, she decided to take the risk. Fingers clawing into the fabric of her dress, Chrome lifted her gaze and aimed it at the male in front of the desk.
"A-are you... I mean... a-are we... well, you know... the both of us... what I want to say is... Hibari-san and I...," she stuttered, getting lost in the maze of her mind.
Losing his patience, the former prefect crossed his arms, sharp glare directed at her.
"Speak your mind. I can't understand what you're trying to say if you continue to mumble away to yourself."
Rather than having a positive effect on her, his speech pressured her and the younger female grew more and more confused and flustered.
"A-are... a-are we... an...," she kept on rambling before biting hard into her lower lip. Hands clenching into fists until the white of her knuckles became visible. "ARE WE AN ITEM?"
Blurting it out like this... she wasn't sure whether or not it had been a wise decision but now that the words were out, she couldn't take them back anyway. While she struggled with her own notions, Hibari-san's first thought was: Denial. He wouldn't allow himself to get tangled in a partnership, even less if it was labelled as 'relationship'. Once his brain had established this rule, he was ready to convey his absolute resolution but that traitorous mouth of his didn't show any intentions to be cooperative. It was true, he wanted to have her for himself but he didn't want to be restricted in any form either. Dignity buried into the depths of his mind, a decision was made: Seeing her with someone else was unacceptable. The Italian bastard would never let him hear the end of it.
"Call it whatever you want," he cavilled despite permitting her to do as she pleased.
"You don't have to force yourself, Hibari-san!"
What was the matter now? Wasn't this just what women would normally want? Especially, when they were already pregnant? Growing scepticism raised suspicions, leaving him wondering whether or not she was interested in someone else.
"Why are you asking then?"
"B-because!"
At this point, she deemed it best to stand up because as seconds passed, his towering presence became more intimidating. The change of height wasn't very helpful though since he was still by far taller than she was. Heels clicked as she paced through the office.
"Because... I want to know where we stand... eventually," she added as an afterthought.
The frown on his face was replaced when he raised an eyebrow.
"I-if Hibari-san doesn't want me... he doesn't have to force himself. B-but I'm also tired of these games." Looking at the black-haired man, she asked herself if it was time to confess. Back then, after she had declined Mukuro-sama's offer to protect her child, she had decided to keep quiet about her feelings. She had considered to reveal them in due course, had wanted to aim for his acknowledgement before founding any kind of attachment.
Yet...
Steeling herself, she whirled around, long hair blocking her vision for a moment.
"I-I will never ask you... no, I will never expect you to feel anything for me... but...Hibari-san is very important to me." It wasn't a real confession but it should be enough for people as socially awkward as them. Almost as if they had an unspoken agreement that the term 'love' was never to be used.
"Mh."
His reaction wasn't quite... what she had expected, though. Surely she didn't know that these news weren't as surprising to him as she had assumed. To him, this was merely a confirmation of what Dino-san had already told him earlier. Therefore, when all he did was to stare with his mouth set to a firm line, lips sealed, an expression of pure despondency crawled over her face.
"So... uhm... I said my piece. W-would you please answer my question now?. W-where do we stand?" Pulse fluttering and palms sweaty.
"Bianchi?"
She blinked, shot a brief glimpse into the skylark's direction before facing the door where a flustered Dino-san stood. "Sorry," he babbled hastily whilst his apologetic eyes scanned the room for his wife, "I didn't know someone was in here... well, I did... but I thought it was Bianchi talking to someone." The sound of his sharp inhaling filled the temporary pause. "I'm not disturbing you, am I?"
Opening her mouth to deny, Chrome noticed how her fellow Guardian emitted a deadly aura. Obviously, Dino-san was a nuisance to him and she had to intervene unless she wanted to witness a massacre. Even without Fuuta-kun's rankings, she knew that this was the most presumable outcome. "W-we were just... talking." The defence wasn't neither solid nor convincing. The presented evidence which consisted of flushed cheeks and reddened lips spoke for itself.
"Sure you were. And you probably want to continue 'talking', right?" Armed with air quotes, dripping sarcasm and a smug grin, the Cavallone turned on his heel to leave the room. However, his exit was prevented when a small hand took hold of his sleeve, making him stop short. To discount the rather unhappy sound from the left (the source was undoubtedly his displeased former student), he focused on the frail female and her shaking fingers instead.
"Yes?"
"Y-you are looking for Bianchi-san. I want to help you."
"No. You won't" It was impossible for Dino-san to reply. An objection was already issued without any hesitation or delay. Still, father-to-be was utterly ignored by mother-to-be.
"T-the last time we spoke, Bianchi-san seemed so miserable. I couldn't ask her back then so I know nothing about the reasons but she has always been kind to me... and I want to repay that debt. I want to help you out."
"We're not done talking," warned the annoyed Cloud, even further agitated since the other persons took no notice of him. Deliberately, too.
"Hibari-san, what would you do if you were indebted to someone?" Caught by the effectiveness of the argument, he opened his mouth just to shut it again. Blushing because she was almost smitten with his disgruntled pout, she let go of the blonde's suit coat and adjusted the bracelets on her arm.
"I don't know, Chrome. It is kinda personal," the Mafia leader interposed, unaware of how his expression betrayed him. Despite wanting some support, he appeared to be too proud of a man to easily accept her offer.
"But she wouldn't talk to you, would she? And... my intentions are good. I don't want to be nosy... I just want to help Bianchi-san." Locating her weight from one foot onto the other, the young woman cast down her eye. "Also, I guess it would be best to talk to Bianchi-san alone. She will only assume a defensive stance if you were to be present."
With the bucking bronco being torn between agreeing and rejecting, someone else had to make a decision. Gripping the collar of the male's powder blue shirt, Hibari-san dragged him out of the room.
"Make it quick," he snarled without turning back, the tone of his voice caused her to flinch.
"He is astonishingly insightful... at times," she deduced after the duo had disappeared, presumably heading for the ball room.
Compared to the hectic commotion from before, the number of people had significantly decreased and as a result, the frenzy of movements had calmed down as well. In fact, the atmosphere was almost of tranquil nature by now. Glaring at the remaining groups, Hibari stalked through the hall until he saw the herbivorous Vongola heir and the others of his ilk. The annoying horse trailed him like a lost child.
"Ah, Hibari-san!" The greeting sounded way too startled and way too forced. "Err... where's Chrome?"
One slender eyebrow was raised in response. Because: If this was supposed to be an innocent question without any ulterior motive, then why was the opposite man profusely sweating? Sawada Tsunayoshi put on a pained smile, still waiting to receive some kind of answer due to the fact that his right-hand man, currently standing behind him, had stirred the deepest fears in the poor brunette.
"I left her in your office," the mocking retort, emphasising the possessive pronoun.
Regardless of his steely composure, the Cloud was nevertheless taken aback when his leader desperately lashed out.
"But you didn't... do anything in my room, right? I don't have to throw my desk into the incinerator? Or my sofa? Or my chairs? Or the carpet on my floor? Or my bookshelf? Because I swear, I love my bookshelf!"
Storm and Rain were gaping at him with pale faces and curious eyes. Furthermore, he could feel how the blonde's stare practically bored into his back. Was everyone gifted with the talent to piss him off? If so, he could only hope that the pineapple bastard wouldn't show up since his appearance would make him lose the last vestiges of self-control.
"I don't entertain the idea of answering preposterous questions," he informed them, voice flat from the strain of holding back. He couldn't kill them. Now. Getting rid of all the witnesses would be too much trouble.
"He's not denying it, Juudaime. Do you know what that means?"
He received an incredulous stare. God, he was less than a minute away from creating a bloodbath. Making a mental note to butcher the smoking bomb first (in case of doubt: Agitators shall die before anyone else), he gritted his teeth and uttered, "Don't waste your breath. Your office is safe." He glanced sidewards and proceeded, "I can't say I'm particular interested how short-lived your stamina is but as far as I'm concerned, three minutes are not enough to fool around with somebody."
The partly relieved Sky felt compelled to point out that the duo had been absent for about thirty minutes (minus the time to get back to the ballroom) yet decided to swallow Hibari's insult wordlessly when he noticed Dino's frantic gestures. Maybe his mentor had managed to walk in on them or he had heard some horrible things. Either way, loose lips sink ships so saying nothing at all was most likely the best option.
And while this proverb was working for him, his Mist Guardian had to do the exact opposite.
"I've been looking for you. And your brother's office was some kind of first reference point."
Glancing upwards, Bianchi-san rewarded the guest with a semi-honest smile. Her long legs were stretched out and crossed, bare feet placed on the coffee table without any consideration of manners. Slender fingers played with a strand from her rather loose chignon hairstyle whilst the corresponding arm was casually slung over the backrest. Her left hand was holding onto an elegant wine glass, another one (empty, Chrome noticed) was placed on the table. Both rims were decorated with carmine red lipstick.
All in all, she could have easily passed for one of those models from the glossy magazines.
The illusionist's wandering gaze caught every single detail. Flushed cheeks, coloured in a pink hue. High-heeled shoes disregarded, carelessly dropped and left next to the vintage Chesterfield settee. True, the whole picture might have given a classy impression but...
"...you had enough. You've been drinking too much lately," was the girl's monotone appraisal as she reached for the glass. There was no fight for the upper hand or dominance, reign was passed without complaints.
She toddled to the wooden desk and put the object down yet raised an eyebrow upon seeing various official-looking papers scattered all over the surface. They certainly did not belong to Gokudera-san and there was no doubt what sort of purpose they had. Be that as it may, Bianchi-san still had the feeling she was obliged to clarify their existence.
"Divorce petition," she ventilated the non-existent grievance.
"Oh."
Mouth shaping the form of an 'O', Chrome sat down on an unoccupied chair and placed her hands on her lap. What else was there to say, anyway?
"My brother's office... Kudos, Chrome, though I must confess I was expecting someone else. But for you to find me here: Am I really so predictable or his my husband just too stupid?" And she tried to take a sip from her glass before realising that her hand was empty.
"He is worried."
"He should be."
"Well... you have to talk to someone. Suffering all alone is..." Lies don't travel far. Being a hypocrite was not her goal. Because she had isolated herself before and had turned her back on Boss and the family. Giving advice was her only option. "You really should talk to someone."
The elder woman leaned her head back, tucking the wayward tendril behind her ear. "Ah, they wouldn't understand... especially the girls. Happily married, aren't they? They wouldn't understand what it means to..." The unfinished sentence was left hanging in the air.
"What about me then?" As if to clarify herself, she pointed a delicate finger at her own face though the message pretty self-explanatory without any adjuvant actions. Hazy eyes scrutinised her. The subsequent mockery was without an edge.
"I'm a big girl, Chrome."
She didn't like the irony of having her own words thrown back at her but she would lose in a battle of wits against the beautiful assassin. So: Ignorance is bliss.
"I will listen to whatever you have to say."
"Chrome, I..."
Pride and ignorance are akin. Bianchi-san and Chrome were akin.
"You helped me. You accepted me. Right from the very beginning. You cared for me ten years ago. Let me repay this debt. I'm selfish in my gratitude."
And the wall crumbled, brick by brick.
"I...," the softness of her voice betraying her, "Something happened... and I don't think I'm worthy of being... his wife anymore."
The wall came crashing down, debris in form of words hailing down on Chrome. Wait, it wasn't him. Dino-san was not in the wrong. To the contrary, it was... Bianchi-san?
"The way you're treating him..."
"Yeah, it would be easier if he'd despise me. But that thick-headed, stubborn idiot isn't willing to make things easy." The lament of failure. Nobody liked to devise plans only to watch them fall apart a moment later.
"Does he know...," and she swallowed the rest of the sentence since she wasn't quite sure on what the other woman's declaration of worthlessness was based on.
"You see, the thing is he's an idiot. Normal people would have stumbled upon an idea of what I'm trying to do and why I'm so keen on it. But, frankly speaking, what do you expect from someone who can't even tie his laces with none of his family members around."
"B-but he's not stupid." Someone had to defend him. Those purposes of his, weren't they for a good cause?
"Chrome," not-so-hazy eyes firm and carmine red mouth tight-drawn, "This is not business or Mafia related. This is love. He's a man. Of course he has no clue what's going on." She thrust an arm forward, gesturing at the divorce papers. "A piece of advice from me. If you want something from a man, tell him. No subtle hints. No beating about the bush. Tell him everything without ceremony. Otherwise you'll be disappointed." And, with a spot of reconsideration, she added, "Unlike us, men are straightforward. For some reason or another, they have no problem to let you know what they desire. Men and women can't communicate!"
"You are herewith not allowed to go on a date with Irie Shoichi ever again."
As the words were starting to sink in, the illusionist blinked.
"And I hate sharing."
So, the thing Hibari-san wanted was...
"Stay."
Biting onto the nail of her thumb, she leaned forward, eyebrows scrunched together. Whereas, the thing she wanted was...
"ARE WE AN ITEM?"
But, up to the present, he had difficulties to quite understand what kind of answer she had been waiting for all along, because...
"You don't have to force yourself, Hibari-san!"
"I-I'm such a fool." Enlightenment came crashing down on her and she sprang up causing the chair to toppled over and it subsequently collided with the ground. Ignoring the noise as well as the elder woman's nonplussed face, the Mist Guardian staggered towards the door, almost tripping over the discarded shoes near the sofa.
"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't impose on you and try to meddle with your affairs when I'm not even able to reach conclusions in terms of my own love life!" The metal of the doorknob had a cooling effect on the warm skin of her palm. Although she reached a decision at long last, the Vongola Guardian wouldn't run away from supporting Dino-san and his wife either. "Sorry, I really have to go now yet my offer still holds: I will listen to everything you have to say. You can nag, complain all you want. You can cry, too. It's just... that right now, there's something I need to sort out beforehand."
It had been a long time but, for once, Bianchi-san's smile was an honest one.
"You know what? Actually, I think this is a quite good idea."
"I'm sorry!" shouted the soft-spoken female out before rushing out of the room, leaving an amused/bemused hitman behind.
"I wonder... if she's okay."
The young man was leaning against the wall and watched the ado around him with not one iota of interest. Even when someone approached and dared to talk to him, he still decided to send that very person to Coventry. Regardless of his blatant actions, the Cavallone heir didn't take the hint. Bastard had already caused enough trouble.
"I hope she comes back soon," the blonde mumbled ruefully and Hibari considered sparing his life if only he left him alone. Needless to say, his inner thoughts went unheard as his personal space (which was a radius of at least 10 metres) was invaded. Annoyed and pestered, he had starred at everything but the male next to him because he had absolutely no clue whether or not 'she' was okay. Be it the estranged wife or the one who went looking for the aforementioned woman, he wasn't sure but also not one to feign concern.
So, not even deigning to look at the Cavallone, he resumed glaring at various people like a hawk looking for a prey.
"And you? Waiting for Chrome?" A pregnant pause. "Sorry, I guess I really must have disrupted you then."
Subtle hints would be pointless besides he didn't feel like immersing into the world of explanations and advice-seeking.
"What was your secret council about? Folie à deux?"
With his endurance becoming strained, he sighed in irritation. Only answering would save him from the idiocy. Otherwise he would be doomed to listen to endless monologues.
"Chrome Dokuro is suddenly interested in... something. I'm not really sure what it is tough. She asked 'where we're standing'."
"Soooo?" Long and drawled.
Honestly, he would live to see his name on the bronco's epitaph. Preferably in the context of 'cause' or 'reason'.
"So what?" he snapped back. What a shame, his patience was about to run out. All those years of enhancing self-control were slowly going to waste these days. His health would very likely be at risk, he should especially watch out for hypertension.
"Do I have to spell it out for you? What did you say, Kyouya?"
"Nothing."
"Oh God, you are beyond help." He even threw his arms up.
Howbeit, the words weren't that aggravating. It was the being preaching them. As if his situation was any better. Frowning but not speaking, the Cloud crossed his arms and backed his head against the wall. His former mentor misread the silence and persisted on receiving an answer.
"Then... where are you standing?" he inquired, smile crooked and expectations low.
"How should I know? I have yet to find out what it is she wants to hear."
Brown eyes were full of wariness.
"How about being honest?" he started just to change his mind immediately, "No, you're always too frank. Thinking about her feelings may be the right approach."
"It's not about feelings. It's about entertaining her." Because the imminent danger of her running into the four-eyes' arms was ubiquitous. Omnipresent like the sword of Damocles. Not that he was about to share this information with an uber-nosy Mafia leader.
"But it's not like you to have no plans at all. Do you even know what you want?"
A prideful smirk was enough to frighten the Italian.
"Of course, I do."
"I see. And that may be the reason for Chrome's insecurities."
"What do you mean?" Annoyance aside, he was genuinely interested. "Beat about the bush and I'll bite you to death."
"Going the easy route? Let me explain it to you with simple words then: Chrome would like to know whether or not she's included in that future of yours." Poking his friend's (in a way, he usually comforted himself) forehead, the bucking bronco jumped backward to evade potential punishment. By contrast, Hibari simply narrowed his eyes to slits, mute mouth stayed in a slanted position.
"That's all I have to say. So, go and mull over those things whereas I'll take my leave to pace the hallways until I hear from Chrome." Scratching his nose, Dino grinned. "Show me that this head of yours is capable of doing more than establishing strategies to harm other humans.."
Once he was assured of his former pupil's confusion, he turned around to exit the ball room yet staggered a bit after hearing footsteps following him. Recognising the steady pattern of this gait was the easy part, believing that the other man actually listened to his counselling... he could only shake his head in disbelief.
'I see, he's worried after all,' the fair-haired man assessed mentally and nodded, features graced by a mixture of complacency and sympathy. Getting a quick sneak peek at the follower, he walked towards the doors but had to press a hand over his lips to suppress a snicker. Dangerous territory; He would only survive by getting rid of the evidence of any buoyant disposition. Of course, all his efforts were in vain since a baritone voice, irritated and impatient, inquired about the inappropriate display of mirth. Neither a run-away wife nor a mother-to-be who couldn't make up her mind (even if her own life would depended on it) were topics one would consider to be 'exhilarating'.
"What?"
"Ah, nothing, nothing! Just thinking that you're all grown up now," rhapsodised the bucking horse. The dreamily expression on his face, however, was instantly whipped off by a direct hit from the used-to-be student's back of the hand. As he brushed past him to leave the room, a low mutter could be heard.
"Yeah, eating my words. Forget what I just said. I'm exercising my right to revoke all my previous appraisal."
Hibari ignored him as per normal. As he should have done from the very beginning. Simply because it was usually the best. Not like he was missing out on something important (the problem was: Whenever Dino manipulated him, he would deny having paid heed to him. Though the results spoke for themselves). The sound of the closing door followed a few seconds later, along with hurried footsteps and huffing.
"Wait, Kyouya!"
Stupidity aside, the blonde Cavallone had a stunningly fast recovery time which was in all probability a result of being born as the clumsy person he was.
Oh, talking about clumsiness...
The clacking drumming of heels echoed through the hall. And just as the Cloud raised his eyes and looked up, a hurried Chrome Dokuro came round the corner. Surprise was written all over her face when she spotted them so she forgot to reduce her speed. Not to mention how her movements became more haphazard, less controlled.
He wasn't gifted with precognition but the smell of misfortune was in the air.
Almost as if to prove him right, the strap of her right high heel snapped, unable to bear the strain of running any longer, and the female tripped then tumbled. Collision. A dull sound. Some moaning.
Raising a slender eyebrow, Hibari stepped forwards without thinking. Albeit he was far from being worried (well, she was a Guardian. The blows and kicks, scratches and tackles she had received during various fights had been way more severe than a mere fall), he intended to help her up. Having said that, someone rushed past him and he saw the idiotic Mafia leader kneeling down to assist her instead.
Always the gentleman, wasn't he? Surely, he had to learn his place.
Scowling at the annoying interference named Dino, the quondam head prefect watched with pleasant interest how those helping hands were pushed away rather promptly. "Thank you, Dino-san, but there's no need for aid," she insisted (because she wasn't weak and the charm of being helpless had no affect on Hibari. Quite the opposite, in fact). Her legs were still a bit wobbly but she managed to stand up nevertheless.
"Why were you in such a hurry anyway?" the bronco enquired curiously while she brushed non-existent dust from her -now- rumpled dress. It didn't seem like she had listened to him at all for she bend forwards, removed the other shoe from her foot before dashing towards the black-haired man. Fingers secured their grip on the shoes, arms being lowered until they seemed to hang limply.
"Uhm... Hibari-san... about...," she stopped as something (realisation?) hit her and turned around to face the other male. "Oh... uhm, I'm very sorry, Dino-san. My talk with Bianchi-san... we'll conclude it another day. Please be patient until then!"
Well, not like he had any progress on his own, right? So, he was doomed (or worse: At her mercy) to wait for her to smooth things over. Defeated, he waved his hand and motioned her to continue the conversation with the fellow Vongola Guardian. She nodded but the blush on her cheeks showed the apparent embarrassment for intruding herself into their affairs and coming back with no results.
"You were saying?" the Cloud reminded her, intrigued by the current intensity of crimson which inundated her face, even reaching her ears by now.
"Ano... about the matters we discussed... I reflected on it and..." Shallow breaths made it hard to focus. The palms of her hands, covered in a thin film of perspiration, were getting warmer with every passing second. Throwing all her insecurities away, accepting that she was foolish in her honesty, the woman recalled the scorpion's words and finally blurted the overdue request out. Ultimately, she had abandoned fears in favour of dreams and wishes.
"H-H-Hibari-san! I-I'm sorry! The things I said before... none of it is true! Even if you don't want to... even if you have to force yourself... please, I-I," she gulped, shook that heavy head of hers to get a sober mind and continued, "I want to be in a relationship with Hibari-san!"
The small spark of confidence floundered and withered and died once she remembered the Italian's presence.
No good.
No good at all.
How could she have been this stupid? The one and only chance: And she had to go and ruin it. This proposal was most likely classified as 'herbivorous attachment', suggesting it in front of another person, a potential witness, would mean that the Foundation's leader had some kind of soft spot. Soft spots equalled weakness.
There was no room for choices: He would have to reject her to save his face.
Hibari-san would not allow anyone to assume he had feeling of a sort. Especially not feelings for her.
"I accept."
Being a master of deception didn't help to lessen her suspicion. But he wasn't an illusion. Couldn't be. Astonishment drifted over her, she could only wonder whether or not her face looked identically to the Cavallone leader's expression of profound shock. I hope not. Because: His gaping mouth appeared to be more than plainly inappropriate.
"Not without a few conditions, though."
So, it was him after all. Both of them were able to catch their breaths.
"I-I-I-I see. I'll accept them!"
Careless indeed yet she swore that no matter what, she would make this work.
"Eh? Don't go and simply accept them like this, Chrome!" warned the tattooed man from behind, "Who knows what sort of things Kyouya has on his mind. Maybe he's a closet pervert with a few sick fetishes and even sicker fantasies. Do you get it? I'm talking about the kind of kinks you'll have to fulfil. And once you accepted his terms, you have to abide by his rules or else you'll be bitten t-"
"Don't judge others by your own standards," Hibari chimed in, obviously pissed if his rigid posture and crossed arms were an indicator, "Why don't you go and make yourself useful for a change? Run to Sawada Tsunayoshi and tell him that we've done enough for today (his two conversational partners were exchanging looks of mutual understanding, both agreeing that – unlike everyone else – the skylark had refused to help out ab initio)."
With his sacrosanct statement being final and inviolable, he turned his back on them and walked away. This time round, the illusionist caught the meaning and bowed slightly in order to bid adieu to a dumbfounded Dino before chasing after Vongola's maverick.
"Kids... they sure grow up fast these days," he laughed as brown eyes monitored their disappearance, "Oh well, at least this gives me an opportunity to lure Tsuna into another bet."
It was nothing she was proud to admit but, after all this time, today marked the first time Chrome entered Hibari-san's office. Moreover, she was bewildered to see it wasn't that much different from the other rooms. Her imagination had been full of endless space, golden chandeliers and grand fountains. Or the exact opposite: Japanese simplicity.
This was... neither.
The room was of normal size, nor small nor big (the faint anthem of Namimori-chuu whispered through her head as an old remain of faint memories).
At the behest of the Sky, every Guardians had received a certain standard equipment and, by the looks of things, the Cloud hadn't exchanged many pieces of furniture. Listing the few differences, she noticed the desk was somewhat bigger and his office armchair looked not only comfortable but also very noble-classic-expensive-whatever. She mulled over those many times she had to change her office equipment due to 'unforseen circumstances' until it occurred to her that not a single Guardian, regardless of how easily they were tempted to accept challenges wherever they pleased, would have dared to start a ruckus in this room.
Most of their meetings took place at Boss' office anyway. Oh, that would explain why he was forced to refurbish almost every other week.
The raven-haired male reached over to switch a table lamp with the purple shade on (again, Boss' idea, everyone had some utensils in his/her designated colour: From pencils, curtains to key pendants – He was obsessed like that) so that the room was immediately surged in a warm light. All in all, it was homely. In a strange way. Wasn't Hibari-san the one whose walls were supposed to be decorated with various instruments of torture? All of them covered in blood?
"Sit down."
Nodding towards the leather sofa, he strolled over to the window and leaned against the window sill. Nervously, Chrome shuffled trough the room and did as she was told, tucking her dress underneath her thighs afterwards (because the leather left a chilly sensation on her bare skin, mind you). Once she was comfortable and content, the female Mafia member glimpsed at the man before realising that his stare was directed at the window. He was either gazing into the darkness of the night or observing her by means of her pale reflection.
One way or another, she felt at ease and availed herself of the opportunity to study his features.
'He really is handsome...,' she decided when he closed his eyes while inhaling.
"My conditions."
Almost choking on saliva, the petite woman ensured him of her attention with a chortling noise. His grey eyes were once again glued to the window as she remained silent.
"No other men, no confessions of pathetic emotions, no unreasonable demands. The latter includes dates, kisses and any kind of expectations that require me to change. I ask you to be faithful (despite his way of putting it there was no doubt of the consequences if she failed to comply)," he pondered briefly, then proceeded with what seemed to be the most important requirement, "And: No Rokudo Mukuro."
Nodding her head enthusiastically, Chrome clasped small hands together, interlocked bare heels and skimmed over her upper lip with the tip of her tongue.
"Understood." There was something on her mind as well. "But... am I allowed to call or see you... once a while?" A moment of consideration before alleviating the impact of the sentence. "Not every day, not even every week. Just... once a while, really. Oh, and will you come to see me when I feel under the weather? Y-you don't have to take care of me or anything... only to check if I'm still alive. It doesn't have to be longer than five minutes. Pretending to be interested in my well-being is just fine!"
His contemplation didn't take long. And it was undeniable nerve-racking. Notwithstanding, the outcome would be no surprise. She had already been presented with a miracle when he had agreed to enter a relationship. Further expectations would be greedy.
"No."
Certainly. However, his voice rang out a second time.
"In the event of illness, you'll be staying at the Hibari compound."
Because it would be easier to keep an eye on her and ensure the safety of his heir. Fair enough. It didn't bother her because she would forget about his true intentions and delude herself. Somewhere along the line she had become quite an expert at this anyway.
Also, Bianchi-san's dogma was true. Men weren't discreet in the pursuance of their wants. But knowing all of this still didn't help to cease the warmth's advance as it spread over her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears.
Silence followed.
Was there something else to be voiced out? Because listening to the sound of her own breathing or the pounding of her heart wasn't exactly thrilling. On the other hand, she was also afraid of saying anything. If he considered her talking as being either needless or redundant, he wouldn't pass on taking his consent to their relationship back.
"Anything else?"
The frantic shaking of her head was vertigo-inducing, a discovery she came across as dizziness took over her mind. Somehow, this was like the end of a long, long journey except that it was a far cry from being over. She, and she presumed the Cloud Guardian as well, was/were somewhat prone to attract hardships and trouble (though only one of them appeared to be actually seeking them at times. And it wasn't her). But for now, she wanted to do was to call it a day.
"Let's go to bed then. It's late," he determined coincidentally.
"Ah, y-yes!"
Exhausted from the day's events, she moved to stand up and planned to leave the office but when his face looked into her direction, she halted. He wasn't pleased. Why?
"You're staying here."
She floundered. He cleared his throat.
'I won't allow you to share a bed with the herbivore Irie Shoichi,' he added mentally, still unaware that said person had already left a while ago and the agitator, Gokudera Hayato, was waiting to be punished once the Cloud found out.
"Uhm... uh... o-okay..."
Feeling lost, Chrome stood frozen in her spot. The nature of his request (or rather: demand) was unusual but she was happy to follow through. Happy, indeed. On the other hand, she had no idea what she was expected to do. Absorbed in thoughts, she was unaware of him going into the next room.
Furthermore, it wasn't his voice which brought her back to reality but a simple, carelessly said word.
"Are you coming, Chrome?"
She blinked. Twice. Then smiled.
Maybe it wasn't possible to savour this moment. But then again, it didn't matter. Her determination chanted: She had to make this work. So, she would never lie. Solely basing her her life on honesty, on sincerity. That was enough.
Whatever they had, it would never fall apart.
Not when she was able to be closer to him than anyone else.
Close.
The day she came back to the Vongola, Chrome felt sorry.
She was sorry for being full of regrets. Sorry for the worries she had caused and would cause. Sorry for having betrayed her family. But everyone was forgiving and they let her in once again. Back into that small world of hers. Back into their protection. Mukuro-sama wasn't the epitome of everything anymore, wasn't a paragon of perfection, and he had lost his devotee to Hibari-san.
Chrome had a new a small world.
Sorry.
Some fluff because the next chapter will be depressing again. The circumstances of Dino's/Bianchi's problems will be revealed. Finally!
Just replying to a few comments this time due to the amount. Sorry for that :)
Blue Quartz Foxy – Thanks a bunch. At times, I think I'm spending way too much time on including all those background characters but as long as you think it works out fine, I guess I'm on the safe side :D I'm wondering if Canon!Hibari knows what jealousy is since his only interests resolve around fighting and Namimori. Yeah, Tsuna and Gokudera (Dino and Yamamoto, too) have learned from their past mistakes and, over all those years, they've become a bit better at manipulating their Cloud. At least, in my head..., yeah. So expect some more mischief from them :)
chromeXhibari4ever – I turned you into a 1896 shipper? I'm deeply sorry for this... seeing that there isn't much going on between the two of them in the actual show. As for the baby: It will come in due time... so thanks a lot for your comment and interest!
Audriel – Hurry much indeed ;) Haha, sorry 'bout that! I truly love your 'father Tsuna' analogy! Agreed, Hibari is probably his rebellious son, though Mukuro isn't any better. Reborn? He's just a sadist, simple as that. I always expected Gokudera to work in a kindergarten but your idea is just hilarious! I hope the next chapter will be right up your alley. Some explanations will be given... finally, phew! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
animhaye03 – The honour is way too great O.o! Thank you very much! Sorry, but none of the Guardians will be a love rival in this story (Mukuro likes to mess around but can't be counted as a 'love rival' per se). Yamamoto may be Hibari's love rival in a future story... not too sure about it at this point.
Ruiminate – Dunno but I think Amano-sensei would beg to differ :) But I'm so, so happy that you enjoy my writing style. Don't worry... I'm prone to do those kind of mistakes, too. But instead of sending it twice, I manage to accidentally press the send button when I have yet to finish the message... yeah... anyway, thanks for your review!
SlingtheSlingshot – Thank you, much obliged! But I think those (little parenthesis), though they kind of define my writing style, are an annoyance to most of the readers. Quirky? Mhm, I like that description. Thanks! Oh and actually, I think the word 'monopolising' is a great choice. He's single-minded like that.
chromeluster27 – Cheers! Sorry for taking months to upload again... argh, I will try my best to do justice to anyone but usually fail miserably. Though, I'm happy you like the fic and it's an honour that you like my choice of vocabulary and even learned some words (same happens to me whenever I read fanfictions... a nice benefit, isn't it?). Thank you very much!
Bommie – Thanks a ton for your comment and the advice/critique. When I started writing this chapter, I actually tried to change a few things (according to your suggestion) and I kinda realised that 'this isn't me'. Sorry about that. While all your points may be true, if I were to change my style it wouldn't be as much fun to write anymore. Anyway, I really considered the things you pointed out and I would like to thank you for that! About the baby's gender: That has been decided ever since I began this story but I won't spoiler XD
Lastly, the addressing: I'm using third person narrator but not necessarily the point of view – meaning, the suffixes indicate from whose point of view the story is told (e.g. Hibari doesn't use any suffix etc.)... Okay, enough explaining, I hope you will still enjoy the story regardless of my annoying tendencies :D
psyiNoheart – I'm really happy that you enjoy the story so far! I had to laugh when I saw all the comments. Thank you for the effort!
Thank you.