278659 SHORT-STORY ~ A-HUG-A-DAY

"Haru, are you alright…?" "…"

Haru's expression is impossible to decipher under the shadow of her hair, and Tsuna clears his throat with a troubled sweat-drop, quite ill-at-ease by the lack of reaction after his speech. He looks around them for a couple minutes to try and find something else to focus on, but the cups of tea are already full, the snacks are already out, and there is only the conversation to finish taking care of, now that he has had the brilliant idea of starting it.

"Ah, hum, Haru... I didn't want to lecture you, you know, it's just… Well, Gokudera-kun is a friend, so I don't want you to think bad of him. After all these fights about him calling you 'stupid woman' and everything, I wanted, you know, to explain you properly… Are you still mad? Hum, but I explained already, right…? I think it's, well, I won't say it's normal, but now that I told you about his family a bit, with all the things about his mother and Bianchi-san, I think you get better why he's not used to take good care of girls, right…? So please don't be too angry at him, okay…?"

But Haru is still making no answer, her hands not moving around her cup of tea as if deep in thoughts. Something seems in pause inside her, shared between the shock of realisation and what it means starting that moment. Knowing means changing, but what for, exactly... Tsuna doesn't really know what to do anymore, until the door of his room opening wide startles him.

BAM. "10th! Ojamashimasu!" "Aah, G-Gokudera-kun?! I-I didn't know you were c-coming?!" "Shishi, I just arrived after giving my regards and omiyage to your mother, 10th!" "Just… just now? phew, so you didn't hear… Ah hum, but no, it's no good, I should be more honest and… Hum, Haru…?"

But Tsuna doesn't have time to ask Haru why she stood up so impulsively. The next impulse just knocks his question into a shocked gapping face, along the wind getting knocked out of Gokudera.

BAM. Gokudera lands loudly on the carpet at the glomp, and his first reaction is to bring his elbows together to lean on them and face the one on him with an angry scowl.

"WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA, STUPID WOMAN?!"

He brings his hand up to grab her shoulder and try to shake her off but her arms are strongly locked in his back and don't nudge the slightest.

Why for damn Hell's sake is this Stupid Woman squeezing him out of the blue…?!

"Oy!"

Haru doesn't lift her head to face him and instead hugs tighter with a stubborn pout.

"A hug a day… A hug a day to stay healthy…" "… wh… the…?!" "Grandma always said a hug a day keeps the heart healthy so everyone should have one. Family-desu!" "A-aah?!"

Completely at a lost, Gokudera shoots a glance at Tsuna who is scratching his cheeks with a puzzled smile and sweat-drop.

"Ah hum, well, you know, Gokudera-kun, I told Haru about, you know, the family story and all…"

Family… More than just the Vongola Famiglia, the 10th actually told to others he is like family…

Gokudera lowers his eyes on the one still hugging him stubbornly.

A hug for the family…

He doesn't have a damn idea about why this Stupid Woman is involving her grandmother's advice in how to care for the members of their famiglia, but if the 10th approves…

After all, this weird and warm sensation of having someone holding onto you without wanting to kill, hit or poison you is not so bad… This feeling of having someone trusting you enough to come so close to you defencelessly, not fearing to get kicked or bombed, is not so bad either…

A hug a day for a healthy family…

Yeah, maybe it's not so bad to let this Stupid Woman's arms squeeze him once in a while…