Welcome home

Title inspired by: Radical face – Welcome home

Disclaimer: I don't own KHR.

Author's note: I want to thank everyone for faving and commenting. Reading your comments made me extremely happy.

Sorry for the long break but I decided to put this story on hold until I finished my bachelor degree. Which I did. Horray. Whatever.

What does this mean? That means the next chapter is almost ready and Paper Hearts WILL be finished. And it won't take another year until you get the next update. As long as at least one person is still reading this, I promise I will finish it.

Thanks for reading. I truly appreciate it

Life was all about trial and error.

About falling in and out of love.

About spinning and stumbling and getting up and running again.

About bruises and plaster.

Furthermore, life wasn't fair.

Night was the time of dreamers.

No reverie, no lost train of thoughts and no wild imagination could ever hope to compare to a dream world coloured in uncertainties. With skies of a shocking pink colour or trees that bore blue leaves. Lakes tinged acidic yellow and the ability to hear oaths of love from one's darling.

The mornings following those pleasant nights were almost a disappointment in comparison with the kingdom of dreams.

In all honesty, the only good thing about them was to laze away.

"Mhmmm...," was the inarticulate sound that left Chrome's mouth as she twisted her body away from the window. The blanket had wrapped itself around her like a vine and had kept her warm. But now that golden sunlight flooded the room and cast the weaved patterns of curtains as complex shadows on the walls, she felt somewhat suffocated.

It was way too warm with the blankets. Yet getting up was also not an option. No, she would just bear with it a little longer and then... then... Snuggling deeper into her cushion, the female illusionist felt how a tired yawn bubbled in depths of her throat but she suppressed it by pushing her nose into the mattress.

A mattress that smelled suspiciously of pine-scented water and aconite.

Within seconds, the woman shot up into a sitting position and tried to brush some strands of dishevelled hair away as it was blocking her vision. Yes, this was most certainly not her room. And the purple shirt she was wearing didn't belong to her possessions either.

It took a while to clear her head but – after seeing her lovely cocktail dress covering the back of a chair – she eventually remembered what had happened last night. "This is... Hibari-san's room," the dark-haired female muttered and looked around to see if said owner was anywhere to be found. Silence was her sole answer and she concluded that sleeping in the Cloud's room didn't actually mean she had slept with the Cloud.

"Oh yes... he had given me a spare shirt as sleeping attire..." As soon as the sentence had left her lips, she noticed how her cheeks warmed up and she couldn't help smiling, not caring if she looked blissfully happy or just stupid. "Giving me one of his shirts... that is actually quite cute." Amusingly, the real memory of him tossing the shirt onto the bed turned into an image of him handing it to her. Almost as if he really had really cared whether or not she was sleeping in a cocktail dress or something remarkably more comfortable.

Oh, her contrived Hibari-san was really quite cute.

And then reality returned with a 'No.' and a 'Wait.'.

Nothing that Hibari-san did was 'cute'. The hormones must have started to mess up her brains instead, she concluded because even after pressing the palms of her (now clammy, she noticed) hands against her cheeks, the stupid grin wouldn't leave her face.

She fell back onto the bed and breathed in. If they were a... pair now, did it mean she could fall helplessly in love with him? Could she giggle like a school girl when he entered the room and could she reach for his hand for secret displays of affection?

"I'm probably still half-asleep." It was a soft laugh with a self-mocking undertone. Pressing her fingertips against the sides of her nose so that the palms formed a dome which covered her mouth, Chrome stared at the ceiling. "It's Hibari-san after all." This rather frustrating thought would have occupied her mind for a bit longer if it hadn't been for a sound. And if she wasn't mistaken, the source could be found in the adjoined office. Naked feet meet the floor and the Mist cringed as a shudder went straight down her spine. Even with all the rays of sunshine... the room wasn't that warm at all!

Ignoring the urge to dive back under the blankets, she stood up and made her way over to the door which was standing ajar and thus allowing her to peek into the other room.

"I will tell Sawada Tsunayoshi to refrain from sending you on spying missions. Given the fact that you do not seem capable of it."

The wood was cold to touch as Chrome pushed the door a tad more open. She had been exposed before she had even had the chance to look at the person who was facing the opposite wall which resulted in her staring at his back.

"Hibari-san has eyes in the back of his he-," she paused and bit her lip. A mirror. He was standing in front of a mirror while he tied his tie. "Never mind." Her eyes flickered to the side when he looked at her through the mirror. The man was already dressed in black trousers and a crisp, white dress shirt. The only thing left to do was to just add the finishing touches by straightening his sleek, coal-coloured tie. Fragile fingers itched to help him but he was probably better off on his own seeing that his hands were already smoothing the tie down, stroking the perfect knot in process. Besides, even though she was capable of tying her own ties, she also remembered how she had almost strangled Boss after only trying to adjust his neck tie. His face had taken on a dangerous purple colour back then... if she recalled correctly.

"Where did you sleep?" Asking whether he had slept well or if his morning has been pleasant so far would have been more appropriate questions. She didn't care. This kind of inquiry was merely to break the awkward silence and because she was truly curious. After all, there was neither a blanket nor a pillow on the sofa.

"In my bed, where else?" his repetitious voice replied as if she had just asked the most ridiculous, most obvious question on earth. Well, he probably thought it was.

Her face flushed. First pink. Then crimson. And she could have sworn steam left her head through her ears, too. Had he slept next to her? She could only remember how he had given her a shirt and she had changed in the bathroom. When she had returned, there hadn't been anyone else in the room and she had went to bed. If her memory served her right, he had been in the office instead, talking to someone on the phone. But that could only mean... he had come to bed after she had fallen asleep.

"I-I see." The stuttering was giving her embarrassment away. "I-... I just thought... Hibari-san wouldn't be that kind of person who would enjoy sleeping... next to someone."

This statement earned her an amused expression from the mirror Hibari-san. Funny, being stared at by his reflection was just as nerve-racking as facing the real Cloud.

"You think I would give up on my bed and sleep on the couch for someone else's sake?"

That wasn't fair! If he said it like this, it actually made sense that he had slept next to her. On the other hand, it would make even more sense if he had made her sleep on the couch. As if reading her mind, he continued, "And there is also the concept of 'Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer'."

Chrome's puzzled expression was more than enough for him to realise she hadn't understood what he was implying.

"Are you afraid I would try to harm you in your sleep, Hibari-san?"

"You truly are an herbivore."

Ouch. He knew how to make her feel stupid.

"But I don't understand."

A displeased sound. She decided to let the matter rest.

"Oh... now that I think about it... does Hibari-san intend to tell the others about our... arrangement?" Somehow, she just couldn't help it. Relationship was still too strong a word and her pathetic periphrases made it sound like a business contract.

"Irrespective of how dense these herbivores are (and he was sure they were quite dense not to mention idiotic), I reckon this matter will eventually come to their notice." Plus, telling them would lead to them acknowledging their positions. Which would (hopefully) subsequently lead to them stopping to crowd the Mist. His logic was flawless like that.

"Can I call Hibari-san... in a more familiar and informal way?"

Apparently, this statement came as a true surprise because he even turned around to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't care. Call me whatever you want."

"Darli-"

"Be reasonable."

She muffled her soft giggling with the sleeve of the purple shirt. Fact was, she couldn't think of any name besides 'Hibari-san' but she had wanted to hear him say her name again. Just like yesterday. Sadly, he hadn't fallen for her trap. What a shame.

"I think 'Hibari-san' is still the most appropriate form to address you."

It was as clear as daylight that he didn't approve of her change of heart nor her indecisiveness and she pondered whether it would have been better not to make this suggestion at all (it did seem he was content with being called 'Hibari-san' though). Glancing at the window, she squinted her eyes because the snow reflected the sunlight and seemed to glow. Chrome brushed some hair behind her ear and when she turned to glimpse at the former head of the disciplinary committee, her breath got caught in her throat. Suddenly, he was standing right in front of her and looked down at the smaller woman. An action which, in turn, made her become aware of the great difference in height.

Slowly, he raised his hand and she couldn't do anything except for standing there like a frozen statue. A frozen statue made of osmium. Oh, this train of though didn't even make any sense in her own mind. As her heartbeat accelerated, she tried to comprehend whatever motive or hidden agenda was making him do... whatever he was going to do. A kiss, perhaps? Or was he going to embrace her?

"You're in the way."

Reality was cruel.

"Huh?" With one rapidly blinking eye, she stepped aside and watched how he opened his wardrobe. The wardrobe she had been standing in front of. Her gaze was fixed on the blazer he pulled out and she sighed when he put it on and then headed for the door.

Just. What had she been thinking?

Ever since he had agreed to date her yesterday, that foolish head of hers was filled with romantic ideas. Granted, they were baseless and it was nearly impossible for him to actually even consider executing one of them yet whenever he didn't do what she had hoped for, disappointment was building up.

'I'm the only one getting my hopes high and feeling this crushing feeling of love,' she thought with a touch of bitter-sweet melancholy, 'If... we were simply team mates like we used to be, I would have never even entertained any thought of Hibari-san doing something to please me.' And it was now that she realised the degree of stupidity she had been displaying this morning.

Hibari-san was Hibari-san. And nothing would change that. Unlike her, he would never twist and turn and try to reshape himself for someone's sake. Clouds were like that. And mist was like her. Moulding and wrapping around objects to go their way.

She didn't have any expectations when this started out. Why would she start to get them now? This made no sense. If she kept doing this, her heart would be torn apart into thousand pieces.

Just.

Ha. What had she been thinking? What was she thinking?

The door was closed with the faintest sound. And she just stood there and listened how his footsteps carried the man further away.

"Just why does it take so long to go down the road to hell?"

Whoever had slept in Chrome's room had left in the early morning hours. Which was good because she wouldn't have fancied meeting someone while wearing nothing but a shirt and her undergarments. After she had changed into a set of spare clothes, she had went to meet the other Guardians in Boss' office for a brief review of the situation. Thanks to the Thunder's growling stomach, the meeting had been amazingly short and the Vongola members and their guests had all sat down together to eat breakfast.

"I don't know how I feel about the people who were all too eager to leave the mansion this morning. They could have waited a little longer and joined us for breakfast at least," the Rain pointed out while leaving the room with some of his fellow Guardians.

"Maybe they were extremely busy or something? Either way, people had planned to go home yesterday and not sleep here due to the snowfall. And those who left early are still better than those who risked their lives to leave yesterday night."

With a push of his shoulder, Kyoko's brother opened the door and shrugged. "Or they were afraid of sleeping in a mansion full of Mafioso. There is no safer place than one filled with Mafioso yet there is also no place that is more dangerous."

Th male Guardians continued their little conversation while Chrome simply drowned them out, their voices mixing together to become one monotone buzz. Her head rolled from side to side and the slurred speech lulled her to sleep. With so many things on her mind, a few hours of sleeping were just not enough.

"-en't seen Irie Shoichi."

Okay, that did bring her back to life. Yawning, she turned her head to the males next to her and heard Yamamoto-san's merry laughter.

"Shoichi? But he already left yester-!"

It was half-amusing, half-frightening to watch Gokudera-san's determined expression as he tackled his fellow Guardian to the ground. Of course, she didn't have a clue what was going on between those two but Boss' shrieking and flailing (and did he well up in panic?) combined with the Cloud's arched eyebrow gave her the idea that it was some kind of insider joke.

Either way, she didn't get it.

There wasn't much to do after this brief episode and one after another excused themselves to go back to their office until it was only Chrome and her superior who were standing in the hall like some lost children.

"You look like there is something on your mind?" Boss asked and gave her an expectant look. After all, she had waited for the others to leave. Hence he guessed there was something she wanted to discuss in private.

Licking her lips, the female nodded and glanced from side to side, possibly looking out for possible eavesdropper. Granted, the hallway wasn't the best place to talk about certain subjects but she also wanted to go back to her office after this had been dealt with.

"I-I just... wanted to inform you of my arrangement with Hibari-san."

"Arrangement," he repeated. It wasn't hard to hear the underlying sigh in his words.

"N-no, well, yes... maybe. You see, we hashed our... current situation out."

Another sigh. But this time it was accompanied by furrowing of brows and a scrunched up nose.

"Oh dear, what did Hibari-san make you sign?"

"Sign?" Now it was her turn to play the parrot. To emphasise her confusion, she tilted her head to the side.

"The last time someone made an arrangement with Hibari-san, they were drowned in contracts and they ended up in a very bad position due to those actions because blackmailing shouldn't be allowed! It was just ONE sentence I didn't read, I swear!"

His rambling left her confused but as soon as she grasped how it had been him who had suffered the consequences of making a deal with the devil (also known as the Cloud Guardian), the corners of her lips moved upwards. A warning based on experiences? Didn't every single one of them already go down that route at least once in their life?

"Not that kind of arrangement," she appeased him gently, "It's just... Hibari-san and I are now... well, you know."

He didn't.

"Engaged!?"

"Together."

Brown eyes as wide as the horizon.

"... you and THAT Hibari-san?! And HE actually agreed?!"

Somehow, he managed to make it sound like a wonder of the world. Chrome answered with a disgruntled moan. Either way, she couldn't blame him for the state of shock he was in. Yet she also thought he didn't quite believe her (which he did. He was just not sure if he could believe the Cloud's sincerity concerning this agreement. That, or trust the man's intentions).

"He did (with rules and potential sanctions. But. He. Did.)." If she had been Bianchi-san, she would have rolled her eyes when he gasped. "Bossu, why are you this astonished? You suggested 'engaged'."

"That was sarcasm. I had no idea what you two were... I just... so.. wait." Pausing, he scratched his scalp and screwed his eyes shut, obviously trying to approach this with a sober mind. "Let me wrap my head around this. Hibari-san is the father of your child. Hibari-san has displayed actual signs of caring about you. In his weird twisted ways but let's not get bogged down in details. And that very Hibari-san has furthermore agreed to enter a relationship with you."

A nod. Teeth worrying a lower lip. A shy glance at the man's face.

A groan. The beginning of a migraine. And the fear he finally had to acknowledge the former head of a bunch of delinquents as being a human... well, human being.

"The world will end."

"Bossu!"

"Soon."

Yet the Mist wasn't given the chance to puff her cheeks in indignation or to reply with a 'I understand where you're coming from but...". No. She didn't have the time since two warm hands were placed on her shoulders.

The brunette's smile was kind.

"I'm happy for you though."

There was a pinching sensation going through her eyes and she felt her vision becoming blurry. When Boss pulled her forward, she could just stumble against his chest as he hugged her.

"Things have been rough. And you deserve happiness (this was a vague reminder of what Yamamoto-san had said back then)." The illusionist felt how his mouth formed a smile from where it was pressed against her shoulder. "And who knows... maybe you'll be able to change his way of thinking."

Neither of them minded the little pause after he had said these words before they both burst out laughing. Chrome with wet cheeks and the Vongola heir with mirth in his voice.

The stress and those weights on her shoulders appeared to become lighter. And it was all thanks to a round of shared stupidity and genial guffaw.

Once he stepped back, she rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her blazer.

"No matter what happens, Chrome, you know we'll be there for you. We're family."

Seeing that her voice failed her and her throat felt clogged up, she just bobbed her head up and down. Perhaps there was no genetic link between any of them but she was sure that this was exactly how it should have felt when one had a family.

Bickering and big brothers who looked after one and the kindness and love that made one feel all tingly and warm. Never had she felt closer to the Vongola famiglia than now. Never in her life had she felt closer to anyone.

And she wouldn't want it any other way.

Three rapid knocks and the hissing sound of a 'Chrome, can I come in?'. The person in question put her papers down and sucked in a sharp breath.

"Please come in."

Seconds later the door opened and Bianchi-san entered the room. As per usual, she was all glamour and a man's fantasy come true. It made it hard to think her life wouldn't be perfect and that someone like her had troubles in her relationship, too.

"Take a seat. Oh, and would you like to have some tea?"

The poisonous scorpion confirmed this with a nod of her head, long locks falling like a curtain over her shoulders. "That would be lovely. And thanks for... this." Whatever this was going to be, neither of them knew.

"I want to help you through this mess."

With her back turned to the guest, Chrome prepared some tea. A blanket of silence was covering the room, both females remaining mute for they knew enough words would be spoken later on. Only a few minutes passed until the tea was ready but it had felt like an eternity when soft breathing and the sound of placing cups on a surface were the only audible noises. Long fingers grasped the tea cup tightly when the Mist offered it to the taller lady before she sat next to her on the sofa.

"So," the first word said was a long-drawn 'so'. Truth to be told, she had expected some other conversation starter. "Have you sorted out your problems regarding your love life?"

"I did. Thanks to you." She whispered into the steam of her tea, not quite drinking the hot liquid yet. "And I will tell you everything after we discussed your problems."

"No." It was a definite statement. One of the kind that did not allow any objection. "Something has happened to you and I want to know what it is," Bianchi-san explained and looked Chrome straight in the eye. The younger woman had to turn her head. "Who is involved in that love life of yours?"

"T-that's not... actually... there were some men involved."

"Amore, I have all the time in the world."

It couldn't be helped. The sigh of defeat was finally released. And the next minutes were spent on explaining what had happened after a certain meeting of six females who had eagerly discussed bridal fashion. From the feelings of an unaccomplished life to an one-night stand which had only been spurred on due to Mukuro-sama's musings concerning the Cloud's sexuality. From all the confusion to the bonding time with a sick Rain and an annoyed Storm. From how the Mareggiata had ambushed her to the birthday party to a date with Irie Shoichi.

Nothing was left out. All these memories had engraved themselves in her heart. And they would stay there forever.

"Wao," said the professional assassin as she leaned back against the leather of the vintage Chesterfield settee. It took her a couple of minutes to comprehend, to process and finally digest the inundation of information. She gulped and licked her lips to wet them.

"That was... a lot."

The dark-haired female nodded in understanding and took a sip from her cup. The tea was significantly cooler by now.

"My apologies. But when you said you wanted to know what was going on, I assumed it would be better to tell you everything. And not leaving out bits and pieces."

"And I thank you for that." Sincere words. She meant it. "Let me summarise: You and Hibari are now together (the way she spit out his name was an indicator for her disdain. Oh, she still harboured a grudge because of the birthday present?). Not the best choice but who am I to judge? You deserve better but if you're happy... I guess, it's okay."

What was wrong with people and their happiness anyway? She wasn't sure if she had ever understood the concept of it. Her family made her happy. Wasn't that enough?

"Is a toast in order? Or would that be inappropriate in this kind of situation? I see fit to do that."

Teeth grazed her lower lip as Chrome shook her head. There were still so many things she had to understand before she could truly accept any congratulations. Being 'in a relationship with Hibari-san' didn't seem like the end of the story. It was merely the beginning.

"And pregnant, too," Bianchi-san continued and her head rested on the sofa, "Not something I will ever experience."

There were no gasps and no wide eyes. On account of this the scorpion moved her chin downwards to catch a glimpse of her conversational partner. Whatever her expectations had been, they weren't met.

"You cannot have children," the Vongola Guardian of the Mist said softly, "I suspected that much after yesterday's talk with you. Those hints you dropped... about you being not worthy of being Dino-san's wife anymore." As she exhaled, she noticed the way her own breath warmed her lips and she stood up to turn the heater on. Western mansions were a bliss regarding that. "Bearing in mind you're the defender of true love and everything related to it, I figured you would never have an affair or cheat on him in any way."

For some reason, she chose not to sit down.

"But," and the word was surprisingly loud for her standard, "I don't understand."

Swirling around, she stared at the older female with her lone eye. There was a whirlwind of words in the back of her throat and she had troubles to bring them in order.

"You love him yet you want a divorce. Is it because you're feeling guilty? Is it because you... can't bear children?"

Long fingers breezed over the rim of the cup, faintest touches every now and then. Bianchi-san drank the tea with an unusual form of perfection. And she wasn't even a Japanese. Yet she was able to hold a mere cup with more elegance than anyone else had ever done and she never lost her poise.

And Chrome watched in awe.

"This is this and that is that."

A sentence that wasn't meant to be easily understood. Not at all. Because while other loved their tea with a lacing of rum, brandy or milk, the beautiful assassin preferred to have her tea with a sprinkle of tautology. She would say how things were: A book was just a book. An affair was an affair.

And:

"This is this and that is that."

Swallowing the large gulp of green tea she had taken, Chrome tilted her head to the side and tried to wrap her head around this concept. When she failed to do it, she could only sigh and wrap her fingers around the cup instead.

"But I don't understand. You wanting to divorce him and you feeling guilty for being unable to bear children... isn't it related? It's not "this" and "that". It is part and parcel of the whole problem instead."

"Why do you think I'm unable to conceive to being with?"

Well, this question was tricky. Of course, there were multiple factors that had to be taken into account and-

"Amore, don't give me that look. It's simple: Poisonous cooking. My body had to accommodate to the poison and an egg wouldn't be able to survive in this kind of environment. Long story short: Mastering poisonous cooking has taken a toll on my body. I can't tell you anything more specific about the 'whys' and 'whens', I'm not a doctor."

Life was cruel. In order to become a top assassin, Bianchi-san had given up her ability to become a mother. And the worst thing was: She hadn't even known what she had been doing back then. Or what she would have to forfeit. No wonder that Bianchi-san and Dino-san were having a rough trot.

"I-I'm sorry," the illusionist stuttered and rubbed her eyes, the prickling sensation of tears welling up bothering her again. For some reason or another, her mouth felt suddenly incredibly dry and a dislocated heart appeared to be stuck in the throat. As per usual, she blamed her hormones.

"You're just saying that because it's protocol, right, darling?"

Half-truth. Half-misunderstanding. Her feelings were genuine and she did feel sorry for her friend's misfortune. But the social awkwardness which had build up over decades wasn't simply going to disappear because she was now more involved with people. It was a learning process.

"Don't divorce."

"I'd rather let him go instead of being the reason for a mutiny within the Cavallone family. This, Chrome, is also some form of love."

Sacrificing. She knew too well what that was.

"It's not your fault. And Dino-san knows that."

The proposal of peace lost its soothing effect. The other party refused to desist from verbally assaulting the absent spouse.

"That fool knows nothing."

"But he doesn't want to lose you! He wasn't the kind of man to leave you because of a blow of fate. Instead he was and still is more than determined to make things work out. He doesn't want a divorce! He wants to prevent it and he wants to thwart your plans."

And finally. FINALLY. Finally, she had triggered an emotional response from the collected woman in front of her.

"He is the freaking heir of a Mafia famiglia! He needs an heir. He needs someone to take over his business... he needs a proper wife."

It was a learning process. That's why it felt awkward to mimic Boss' actions from earlier and to wrap her arms around the top-assassin/heart-broken wife. Today seemed to be a weeping festival because sporadic hiccups and muffled sobs indicated that Bianchi-san was way more involved than she let on. The 'tough woman act' crumbled to pieces at their feet as her voice cracked. Not knowing if she should rock her softly or rub her back, the Mist just sat there, stiffly and unmoving, allowing her to cry out her sorrow. The only thing she did say, was a soft 'There, there' once in a while.

"I-I don't w-want to... I can't... bind him to me out of p-pure selfishness! What s-should I do, C-chrome?"

Boss had once mentioned how Gokudera-san's sister had been passionately crying after meeting the Reborn-san from the past. But other than that, she had always been the big sister who had looked after everyone. Seeing her in this state was just not right.

"But leaving him is also selfish."

The pink-haired woman moved away and sniffled, eyes puffy and red (So long, mascara. Hello panda look). Her mouth stayed shut but her look spoke volumes of her interest in Chrome's sentence.

"He is very much in love with you. He wants things to work out between the two of you. If you leave him because of your own feelings and guilt it would be the same as staying together with him. But the second option is the happier one."

"B-but it was my fault... everythi-"

"Bianchi-san! You always helped me! You took care of the girls, sheltered them and you are the reason why Haru and Kyoko can smile the way they do. Mafia is cruel but you were always there for us as support. As a friend." Fact was, she was a soft-spoken person. That couldn't be changed. But she hoped that her clenched fists and the determined look on her face would be enough to show the urgency of the matter. To make Bianchi-san understand how important she was. And how important her feelings were. "Everyone tells me things I don't understand about happiness and that everyone is supposed to pursue it. But nobody here did. Bossu let Kyoko go because he feared of her safety as a Mafia heir's wife. Your brother didn't end up with Haru because his work would always be the most important thing in his life and he didn't want her to be second place."

There was no more crying and the tears had stopped too as wide eyes watched her every move. This was her encouragement to continue.

"Bianchi-san, I ask you t-to be selfish. I was selfish, too. And look where I ended. I'm together with Hibari-san."

"Who is the epitome of the word 'self-centred'," the avid cook interjected, the vaguest smile flashing over her gloss-covered lips. Somehow (and she had honestly no idea 'how') this conversation was going into the right direction. Social awkwardness be damned. "A-and this is weird coming from someone as egoistical as me, Chrome."

"To be honest, I think you were more selfish ten years ago. Bossu told me you wanted to kill him in order to get Reborn-san back."

"I regret not killing him seeing that he goes around whining about such a thing even now." She still looked messed up and the mascara had left dark stains under her eyes but the sound of her voice had changed. Almost, as if she was considering to talk things over with her husband.

"That's not the point. You asked for my advice, right? W-well, it may sound strange... coming from me and all... hypocritical even... b-but... but you should be more... selfish right now. A-and I don't mean the kind of self-protecting selfishness. More like... err... how do I say that? 'Fight for your love'-selfishness... maybe," she suggested with an insecure, modest nod.

It was the greatest surprise to see the nod she received in return.

"Then... let us fix that make-up of yours and look for Dino-san. He was so worried about you and it's about time he gets an explanation."

Blinking, she noticed how the assassin pulled her closer and she received a second embrace that day. When she let her go, the Italian kissed her forehead briefly as a sign of gratitude.

"Thank you, Chrome."

She smiled in return.

"Merry Christmas."

Maybe all Bianchi-san had needed was someone to tell her to pursue her happiness. Maybe everyone did.

Because that would explain why people kept on bringing this topic up.

Merry Christmas indeed.

Hibari was pacing through the corridors, a certain blonde tailing him. It was time to go home but needed to have a talk with Chrome Dokuro before he could leave. There were still things that needed to be discussed (regular check-ups and what she had meant with 'calling or seeing him once in a while'. He didn't want to return home only to be called because she 'missed him' or whatever women deemed as a good reason to bother someone). The idiotic Cavallone was probably just following in order to find his estranged wife.

That marriage would break apart soon.

"...and then I held his hand. The whole time."

Upon hearing a female voice in the corridor, both men looked up only to see Chrome and the poisonous scorpion.

"No way?! What are you two? High school kids? Then again, even those would be already past that stage nowadays," the Italian lady pointed out, half-snorting and half-reprimanding. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she brushed some hair from her face and shrugged. "I think you need to learn more about the joyful life of a mature woman. How about this: After you gave birth... let's go drinking together. We could get totally drunk and flirt with every male."

"Our spouses would be thrilled."

"Spouses? Don't tell me you left something out of your story. Are you and... Hibari, ...dear, what are you two doing here?" She stopped in the middle of the corridor and crossed her arms, not bothering to continue her conversation with the younger female now that their respective partners had appeared.

"Bianchi, we..." Poor Dino-san was silenced before he could even start to convey whatever he wanted. The downcast expression of his face made Chrome wonder if he assumed this would end like all their other recent encounters.

However, when his wife stepped forward and headed towards him, the Mist could observe how his breath hitched. "Listen. And listen carefully."

Interlacing her fingers, she couldn't help doing what the scorpion had demanded even though she hadn't even directed it at her. A bead of sweat ran down her neck when Hibari-san stood suddenly next to her, expressing some mild interest in whatever was going on between the married couple in front of them.

"I'm coming home," Bianchi-san crooned and Dino-san's lips curved upwards, just like a child who had received the best birthday present ever. "About time...," he began but he hadn't finished yet. This time, it was a waving motion of his hand that silenced his partner, "We have a lot to talk about." His wife's smile was telling him she was inclined... no, she was ready to do this.

"So do we," commented Hibari-san reticently while looking at the mother-to-be. "Yes," she agreed and glimpsed at him, albeit briefly. Chuckling quietly, she then continued to watch the couple in front of them with a satisfied expression.

And for the first time in her life, Chrome allowed herself to believe in 'happy endings'.

Maybe... just maybe... fairy tales weren't that stupid after all.

Life was all about trial and error.

About falling in and out of love.

About spinning and stumbling and getting up and running again.

About bruises and plaster.

And this was what made it so damn worth living.

Next chapter: A quarrel of lovers and an insight into what Mukuro had been doing all this time.