As I promised, a Special drabble to commemorate my (first) 20th drabble shots! OMGYAY!
Wait, what am I saying?
Warning, though, this would be a bit shorter than usual... er, scratch that, this is a non-song drabble, so don't blame me as much. *shrugs* How in the world should I know?
By the way, I have the permission from SekhmetDaCat to (shamelessly) plug (and, might I add, put a small segment of her work) her work, 'Nippon Geographic: The Namimori Region' so please do read her work since it's a good way of learning about our dear Hitman Reborn characters (and prolly a laugh or two).
Typing furiously away, the blonde-haired female couldn't help but feel boredom rising out from her head, seeing that her work has been done already. And, as usual, they are not as hard as she anticipated.
Typical for the professional scientist as herself, Artemis could do as much.
From her own point of view, this was one of those times where the Vongola leader is not asking her to research on a certain something or any of the Guardians asking her about a certain information, heck, it seems that this isn't one of those days where a certain Hitman would come in and ask what in the world she was doing.
Then again, the last part might be done later. Yeah, right, and the Varia had started to dance the Macarena all of the sudden.
"Wait, what?" Artemis suddenly interjects at such awkward, yet humorous thought coming from her own mind; definitely she's in dire need of something to do.
Currently staying at the kitchen, with a mug of coffee on one side of the table and the laptop on the other, the female scientist began browsing random pages from the web as she stifled a yawn where it clearly states that she was, at most, not much of a person who can tolerate anything but boredom. In retrospect, she would rather have something to do on her hands than just idling around doing nothing but browse websites on her Wi-Fi capable laptop of hers that Tsuna had gave her for a job well-done. And, of course, she was only wearing nothing but a shirt and jeans- something that seldom see from the woman since she is mostly attire with a blouse, knee-length skirt, shoes and a lab coat- but since she's not much doing anything else but to stay at home and maybe clean up the place (the last time she cleaned up, she asked a certain, orange-haired ex-caretaker of hers to help her with the detergent and probably asked the said Hitman the same thing as well) or so.
"Great," Artemis groaned, taking another sip from the mug of coffee (at least she didn't brew it from within her lab like last time). "Now I'm sounding just like Sora." Shaking her head, she adjusted her oval spectacles as the ash-blonde woman clicked another link onto a site, leading her to who-knows-where within the world of internet. "Well, at least I get a day-off or something." She spoke to herself idly, a sigh escaped her lips once more as her sea-green optics manage to caught something from the site that brought her interest up. "Hmm... might as well check on this." And, checking it, she did.
---
"Artemis, you home?"
Opening the door with a silent creak, Reborn entered as he looked at the almost-messed up living room ('almost' is the root word) as he shook his head on how disorganized his blonde-haired colleague would always be.
"Seriously, would she even bother try to learn how to clean up without asking for help?" The raven-haired Hitman sighed as he removed the fedora from his head and promptly placed it onto the hat-stand before wandering around, casually picking up some pieces of paper scattered at random places, checking it for a bit and returning it in a neat pile in one corner. He was, at most, always surprise on how in the world Artemis able to survive with this kind of environment as the slate-eyed male would always end up helping the woman when he least expected it. Seriously, he thought with a groan, how in the world does she manage to manipulate him into doing things?
He could have just blamed all of this on Verde... him and his kooky ideas about the two of them. What in the world is he inserting to the woman's mind, anyway?
"Artemis?" He called once more but nobody seem to answer back. "Hm... guess she was busy with work again." It was common knowledge to Reborn that whenever he doesn't receive any answer (and, yet, the door is unlocked), that would have mean that the blonde-haired scientist is busy with her work and would rather not be bothered on opening the door and such things. Yep, typical of Artemis, must have got the trait from the female sky if he remembered or something. At least she manage to be focus on her own side of duties as part of Vongola, he thought with a smirk as he walked down the hallway until he arrived at the familiar door with the 'Don't Disturb' sign on it. Knocking on the door, the Hitman waited for a few minutes before holding onto the knob and turning it as the door opened slightly. "I'm coming in." he announced though as soon as he entered, he was only greeted by the familiar silence he received when he entered her house. "Hm, strange," Reborn observed, his finger placed under his chin in a thoughtful manner. "She's usually stayed here at this time."
In all honesty, the Mafioso always wonder, even to himself, how in the world he got used to the scientist's usual habits, even to her daily routine, as he calmly told himself that it must be due to she was always with him and the two had been together for god-knows-when. It was funny, Reborn thought with a chuckle, how he doesn't seem to get sick on her presence but it could always be worse, as a certain someone would always point out. He certainly didn't see her within the Vongola premises as well, he added as an after-thought, as he would have concluded that she must be around here somewhere, either hiding or in trouble.
It can't be, he shook his head, Artemis knew what she was doing even if she were in trouble as he got himself out from her room before he could do anything else that might end him being shouted by the woman (well, it IS her room; he knew that if he tamper anything, he's going to get a biting from her).
Where in the world is that darned woman, anyway?
Somehow, his silent prayer were answered when he heard a slight knock from downstairs (he was about to check Artemis' room, even though Reborn was directly told by the woman that he isn't allowed, in any way or manner, to enter in the first place no matter what; hidden stash of lingerie she was hiding, perhaps?) as he released his grip from the doorknob, pulled out his gun from his coat and dashed downstairs, thinking that there must be an enemy inside the premises. Of course, he might be a Mafioso so technically he knew that there are some people who are after his head; that or the fact that they must have knew where Artemis live and wanted to use her for whatever evil schemes they have with her superior knowledge or blackmail purposes. Since she is also part of the Vongola, and that she is a very valuable asset, he knew that she is also part of the target list and he took it upon himself to watch out for her, no matter what.
Though he would blatantly lie that he's not interested with her in any form or matter; Like what would both Tsuna and Sora would say to him, he's as terrible at lying about that part as Artemis does when it comes to that matter.
Damn, why did he even teach Sawada how to know if someone is lying or not? Should take note of that one next time he was assigned on tutoring his next pupil, he thought with another groan.
As he arrived at the bottom of the stairs, gun at hand and with a serious façade, Reborn slowly listened until he heard another noise, a 'Thud' it seems, as the Mafioso walked slowly, following the noise until arriving onto the door leading towards the dining hall. He knew her house like the back of his sweaty palm and he knew that it was the only place that was seldom went by Artemis. Maybe she was there, Reborn thought, gulping the lump from his throat as he slowly opened the door using his free hand. He didn't let his guard down, just in case it was an ambush, but he was wondering what if the woman was caught up in trouble and he had to make a choice if he would shoot and harm her. The noise grew louder as slight anxiety grew from within his mind (though he dared not to show it which would make him caught off-guard).
And then, he heard it again, though this time he heard a slight-muffled voice from the kitchen.
"P-please don't shoot!"
Another thump.
'Artemis...'
Unfortunately, despite the fact that he is a professional Hitman, his mind somehow project images he doesn't want to see as he could have swore he vowed to himself not to get close to anyone ever since he had become a Mafioso; and, now, Artemis is in trouble and it's all because of her being allied with him and Vongola.
Another struggling; apparently, the negotiation doesn't seem to work and whoever is doing those muffled noises must have been prepared on harming the female scientist.
Without any second thought, though he still retained his calm composure, Reborn entered the kitchen as he aimed his gun straight-on, prepared to shoot if ever the other party initiated a gun fight, expecting a gunshot and all.
"What the heck are you doing?"
And then he was greeted by a weird-out look from Artemis, her mug midway through her lips as she look like she would do a spit-take or something and face flushed as if she had been having a hard time breathing.
"Where's the enemy?" Reborn spoke coldly, looking around for any signs of any enemy-mafia, only to find a laughing fit from the female. "Where are they?"
"'... except much calmer and without the battle-ax.' Yeah, right, like I would believe that!" Artemis spoke as she laughed herself in a hysterical manner, promptly placing her mug down in fear of spilling her drink onto her precious laptop before looking at the tall Mafioso. "What are you talking about?"
"You're not responding when I called you."
She blinked a few times before the scientist, who was wearing a casual today mind you, laughed once more.
"Ah, I must have been too engrossed reading this stuff." Artemis waved her hand, beckoning her close to him as she showed the male what she was talking about. "I swear, whoever wrote this must be a stalker or something, or a practical genius, I admire this person!" She said within chuckles as she waved her hand in regards to whoever had created the one the scientist was reading in sheer amusement, in which she earned him a skeptic look, before Reborn took a peek on what she was reading about.
"'The Nippon Geographic presents: the Misfit Trainer'..." Reborn read. "'...In the Namimori Region it is not uncommon for creatures big and small to pass through looking for sources of food and water that can better sustain them as the seasons change. One such creature is the Misfit Trainer, which is the size of a human infant, dressed as a Mafioso. This being even goes as far as to intentionally trick its hosts into believing such so as to have better control over them using fear. It also possesses an uncanny intelligence that leads us to believe that it is an incredibly short midget rather than a baby. Home Tutor Hitman Reborn, or as we like to call him specimen R, is a Misfit Trainer that can be distinguished by having a symbiotic relationship with a chameleon that likes to sunbathe on the Misfit Trainer's fedora. A type of Homo Sapiens Mafiosi Infanti, the Misfit Trainer lives a nomadic life moving from one area to another. It gains its means of sustenance by leeching food and water from one of the many misfits and outcasts living in the area...'"
He wasn't sure where this is going (he stopped reading halfway, not wanting to know what else this... crack... can say), but he knew that this must be the reason for the woman's hysteria as he looked to his side once more and noticed how Artemis seem to giggle for some reason.
"Oh, God, Reborn," The blonde-haired scientist spoke, covering her mouth with her hand as she tried not to burst out laughing like a mad maniac. "I don't know what runs to your mind and you suddenly thought that I was attacked just because you heard something from the kitchen, and you know how seldom I come to this place unless I was dragged out from the lab or something, but," Stifling another laughter as she waved off the odd look the said Mafioso gave her. "I swear, you are SO desperate or something!"
"Artemis?"
Somehow, Reborn couldn't gut in how humiliated he looked in front of the woman who always heard bantering with him on a one-sided basis (though, lately, he seems to be answering back for some reason).
"Yes?"
The face was priceless, Artemis laughed as she looked at the slightly-twitching Reborn with her sea-green optics behind her spectacles.
"I'm just going to confiscate that laptop of yours and ask Aihara to put a security Cookie on it, just like how you said I shouldn't enter your room and checked on those hidden stash of lingerie you were hiding from me."
Twitch.
---
"...And that's why you should never go inside Artemis' bedroom, OR declaring that she had a hidden stash of lingerie for some reason, even if you assumed that she has one or not."
Somehow, Reborn couldn't understand how in the heck the young, fifteen-year-old knew, but he must have guess that someone must have told him about it. That or he had (almost) done the same thing.
"Yamato Saotome," Reborn spoke calmly, even though that the cool façade he showed doesn't seem to be fit with a bloodied nose and the scratch (or two). "May I ask how in the world you knew such things?"
"Er..."
"He attempted to enter her bedroom once and all hell breaks loose." He heard a thump on the table as a glass of water was laid in front of the Hitman. Reborn looked towards the raven-haired kendo mistress (who, somehow, found a way to work part-time in Takesushi when not on jobs or kendo lessons) as Kanata Saotome gave a slight huff. "Well, that was what Yama-brat told me when he came home in a bloody pulp." She said, jabbing her thumb towards the direction of her younger sibling.
"Of course, she added extra measures to make sure I don't do that ever again!" The brown-haired lad, Yamato, piqued in addition, speaking as if he was even proud of his achievement or that his attempt was the greatest he had done in his life so far.
Why was the great, the GREAT, Hitman Reborn ever talking to Yamato again in the first place about this?
"Hey, have you read this story about 'The Misfit Tutor' on the web?"
Reborn could have sworn he could hear another laugh coming from somewhere.
"I knew knowing Artemis was nothing but trouble."
Too bad Verde is... well... you know what happened to him.
Well, there you have it for the first special. Since I noticed how slightly-gloomy the past drabbles I have done, I decided to make a humorous one... and because Meki-chan (The Great Pineapple MEKI) wanted this paring (and I haven't wrote these two for a while now... and, from what I heard, some others wanted Artemis for some reason), I somehow manage to grow a spine and created this almost-crack story. Yeah, sorry if Reborn is a bit OOC... and bashed(?) by her, but you know what will happen every time you say those in front of a woman, especially if a woman is a scientist who rather want to keep her 'private' life secret. I am SO screwing the whole thing up.
And, as I promised, I advertised her story as a meta-story in here (though I didn't state on whose author here for specific reason or another) on her behalf. You should go and read her work, you'll love it!
Anyway, I didn't use any song-theme here (though I decided, to commemorate this, I used the song 'Pre-Parade' from the first chapter of the same title and kept it on loop while in the making of this drabble) so yeah. Also, cameo appearance of Saotome Kanata (If you remember 'Scramble' and 'Last Farewell', yeah, that woman.) and, apparently, this is the first appearance of her fifteen-year-old younger brother of hers (He was mentioned- briefly- in the 'Scramble' part when Kanata was fifteen, so, technically, this is around where Tsuna and the rest are 25+ and that Reborn and Tsuna are alive for some reason) named Yamato. Ha-ha, you won't see more of him, but just giving you head's up. And don't ask me how he can talk casually with Reborn about that, that'll come in due time.
Oh, right, disclaimers and credits, nearly forgot about them.
The insert of the fan fiction Artemis was reading is called 'Nippon Geographic: The Namimori Region' by SekhmetDaCat. I don't own that (but I have permission since I told her I would advertise her on her behalf) but I give it credit, so go read it! I also don't own KHR, its characters and the stuff that is known not own by me... but I do own my characters and this drabble.
Yeah, nothing else to say, so just wait for the next one. Review would make Lambo go Commando on Reborn. My, a Rhyme! Wait, what?
*is nearly shot by a gun courtesy from Reborn*
