5986 & 27 & KIDS SHORT-STORY ~ CALCIUM ISSUES

"Ahiii?" Haru startles when a brick of strawberry milk is pinned to her face by a hand wearing spiky leather bracelets.

First confused, she still starts drinking while shooting interrogative glances to the one walking by her side on their way to Tsuna's home. Gokudera starts to find it troubling to be stared so insistently and looks away with a grumble.

"I read recently that lack of calcium makes women irritating, so here, my treat, Stupid Woman."

SHRRR. Haru almost chokes on her straw, her cheeks puffing into an outraged pout.

The next thing Gokudera is aware of is the strawberry-flavoured-straw being forced between his lips by Haru's vengeful fingers while she presses on the brick to feed him the beverage forcefully.

After several minutes of spiteful fight, they both end up covered with milk and passer-by avoid them as they keep shouting the regular lot of insults to each other's face.

"You started this, Stupid Woman! Now, how can I visit the 10th like that, damn it…!" "You messed up with Haru first! If you had just drunk the milk properly, then it would have stayed clean-desu!" "Don't push the damn responsibility on me when you're the one refusing to back-off when losing a fight, Stupid Woman!" "Ahiii?! You aho are not to talk! Hypocrite-desu!" "Don't call hypocrite someone who just treated you for a drink, ungrateful Stupid Woman!" "Don't say 'treat' as if you tried to be nice to Haru!" "I tried!" "Liar-desu!" "Don't mess with me when I was trying my best to improve your damn temper, you noisy Stupid Woman!" "Ahiii! You said it now, you despicable manipulating big liar! Haru hates you!" "Fine with me, tsk! Who would want a Stupid Woman like you to like me, anyway?!" "Ahiii…! Haru is leaving! Sayonara-desu!"

A minute later, Gokudera is left alone in the street with only the lingering smell of strawberry milk.

So irritating...

He twitches of annoyance while leaving as well to get changed, before heading to Tsuna's place once again, wondering how to get rid of the smell seeming to stick with him and definitely not matching his regular black-and-silver-skull wardrobe.

But the irritating strawberry smell finds its way back to him when he steps into Tsuna's room an hour later, only to find the Stupid Woman lacking calcium sitting at the coffee table with the 10th and happily enjoying a cream cake.

Damn, what 'sayonara', my butt... So irritating!

BAM. Before Tsuna even has time to greet him, his hands have fallen on Haru to drag her outside on a surprised 'Ahiii', the cake plate and fork still in her hands as he pins her back to the wall to corner her and scowl at her.

"I thought you said you were leaving… Already a change of heart, Stupid Woman?!"

POOF. The soft sweet texture of the whipped cream silences Gokudera as a large piece of cake is pushed on his greeted teeth.

"Aye, calcium-desu…" Haru states matter-of-factly, her stern annoyed chestnut eyes pinned deep into his aggravated green ones.

What is this Stupid Woman saying… pushing her luck and turning his own calcium argument against him… always such a damn busy-body… always on his way… always so exasperating…

Always so irritating...!

POOF. The piece of cake flies back to Haru's lips as Gokudera pushes it away with his, not giving a damn about the closeness brought by his counter.

"… don't mess with me when you need it more than me, Stupid Woman."

Haru freezes, before turning red with anger and starting another food battle. The ending gong only chimes when Tsuna finally comes and check on them, freezing sharp on his feet at the show, quite unable to get how they both ended up fighting in the corridor like two brats covered with whipped cream and cake crumbs.

"Ah, Tsuna-san/10th! It's just that… you know, this Stupid Woman/Aho is…"

But Tsuna's dejected expression as he face-palms and ignores them to call for his mother cuts them in their justification. The bitter taste of shame spreads between their lips as they stand up with a guilty sulk. They can handle bickering, fighting, insults, etc. but seeing Tsuna disappointed in them is a hard blow.

A trip to the bathroom and a change of clothes later, Tsuna believes it safer to go out – to avoid dirtying another corridor with creamy cake – and the three of them accompanied by the kids end up in Namimori shopping district.

The atmosphere is definitely not merry as they walk in silence among the shops, but Lambo and I-Pin are noisy enough for ten so it keeps Tsuna busy enough.

"Lambo-san wants a lollipop! Tsuna, Tsuna, get me one!" "Lambo, greedy!" "Buuh! I'm not sharing with you, hahaha!" "Alright, alright, I'll buy you both something. Mom gave me some allowance too." "Yeepee, lollipop, lollipop!" "Tsuna-nii, can I also get something from this shop?" "Hum, surr Fuuta, what do you need? Not too expensive, okay…?" "Well, Tsuna-nii is ranked first for his inability to refuse anything, so…" "Ugh, come on…"

Unconsciously, both Gokudera and Haru fall behind of the others, dragging their feet with uneasiness.

"Oya oya, cutie girl, pretty boy, do you want to try our new product?" "Ah hum, Haru can't eat too much ice-cream so…" "… don't like sweet things…" "Ara, but it's frozen yogurt, cuties. Light and healthy, and you choose your own toppings. Very good for all." "Three cups, please." "Aye!"

TILT. TILT. Gokudera and Haru have no time to tell Tsuna they don't need anything that he has already paid for the treat and is holding the cups to each of them.

10th/Tsuna-san… he's treating us just like he treats the brats/Lambo-kun, I-Pin-chan and Fuuta-kun… just like kids…

Despite the grateful thank-you, their mood sink uneasily as they gaze at their pots of frozen yogurt sprinkled with skull-shaped liquorice candies for one and strawberry-marshamallows for the other.

Yogurt… calcium… a lot of calcium…

A brief glance stolen from the other, and they dig into the ice-cream with forsaking expressions. It's true they've been very irritated at each other lately… for no reason… since they're not kids, there must be a logical reason… yes, actually they might need this calcium…