5986 & L SHORT-STORY ~ HANDCUFFS DAY
Requested by: Kuro
Topic: Handcuffs | Theme: Adventure/Humour
SAWADA'S HOUSE, ONE AFTERNOON
"Hahaha! Lambo's win! Ahodera loser, buuh!" "DAMN IT! GET BACK HERE, STUPID COW!" "L-Lambo-kun, come back, PLEASE COME BACK!"
But Lambo has already disappeared by jumping out of the window, letting behind him two silhouettes collapsed on the floor of Tsuna's room – Tsuna himself being on an 'errand' after I-pin literally exploded for having seen Hibari passing down the street, her shyness activating the countdown.
"G-get of me, Stupid Woman!" "Ahiii, my line, Aho! Stop pushing Haru!" "You're the one on me, damn it!" "D-don't grab Haru here!" "Don't hit me! I'm trying to fix that mess, damn!"
By 'the mess', Gokudera is referring to how they have both ended up on the floor handcuffed, tied up by ropes and within multiple nets together, all thanks to Lambo's unexpected resources – the ones he's pulling out from his hair every time he can't 'hold in' his frustration anymore, and that include net-guns and bolas-throwing-guns which are probably the basic armament to capture cows on the run in the Bovino Famiglia, but not exactly what you're supposed to throw at your nakamas.
"Ahiii, Gokudera-san, what are you doing?! This kind of knots needs to be untied by pushing both ends inside here!" "Just take care of it instead of ordering me around, Stupid Woman!" "Haru can't move her left hand yet, buuh!" "Tsk! Then, here…? Can you move now?" "C-can you move your arm around Haru's shoulders here to release this loop?" "I can't see where, damn!" "Here, in front of Haru! Not-difficult-desu!" "Don't not-difficult me when I can't see, Stupid Woman!" "Then just trust Haru, you Aho! Move here and it will release the second rope!" "Damn, forget it! Just do whatever you want, but stop rolling on my arm!" "Haru is trying to undo this knot! No-choice-desu! Gokudera-san is just not flexible enough, buuh!" "Don't make it my fault of all things! And to start with, how come you can twist your body like that, are you a damn snake or something?!" "Ahiii?! Don't call Haru a snake, you Aho! Haru is part of her school gymnastics club, that's all!" "Tsk, whatever… Ah wait, stop right there or this other knot will tighten!" "Ahiii…?" "Here, don't move! Let me handle it! Ah, I need you to raise your leg more…" "A… hi…?" "Perfect, just hold on! Now that I look at it, we can take care of this mess around your feet too. Bring them closer, tsk…" "Difficult-desu…" "Don't difficult-desu me and help on, Stupid Woman! I don't want to stay like that!" "Haru doesn't want to stay stuck to you either, Aho! If Tsuna-san comes in, he will misunderstand!" "What the…?! Don't bring on the 10th's name now! I'm busy!" "Haru is just saying, so hurry-up-desu! During that time, Haru will take care of the net tangled in your hair." "D-don't you dare touch my hair, S-Stupid Woman…!" "What did you say…? Haru can't hear any more from the back, so speak louder." "…'d rather die…" "Ahiii…?" "Raah, forget it and just focus on pulling that off us, damn…" "Roger-desu."
After fifteen minutes of hard work, they finally roll on their backs on the floor, panting heavily while glancing at the ceiling, the pile of dismantled nets and bolas (throwing weapon made of weights on the ends of interconnected cords, designed to capture animals by entangling their legs) now abandoned on the floor. Only one thing is left for them to solve: the pair of steel handcuffs still linking Gokudera's right hand to Haru's left one.
"The key… Damn it/Ahiii, Stupid Cow/Lambo-kun, give us the key!"
A stumble and they're back on their feet, running to the house entrance to put back their shoes and chase after the kid in cow disguise that has since long disappeared in Namimori streets. After a couple crossings searching left and right, they spot a familiar silhouette:
"Ahiii, the pervert school doctor!" "Shamal, oy! Have you seen the Stupid Cow pass by?" "Hum, Hayato? Ooh, what can I see: so you finally learnt how to have fun with girls… As your tutor, I'm proud of you!" "What are you…? Wait, you mean… D-D-DON'T MESS WITH ME!"
Haru has no time to ask Gokudera – behind whom she had instinctively hidden at seeing Shamal – if he's really that pervert-doctor's pupil and what Shamal meant by giving them such a look after having seen the handcuffs that Gokudera is dragging her away at full speed, his cheeks beat-red.
An hour later, they've finally found their culprit and are running down the streets chasing after him, Lambo finding it the most amusing tag game he's done in a while.
"Buh BUUH! Catch me if you can, Ahodera!" "WAIT, STUPID COW!" "Lambo-kun, please! The key-desu!"
BAM. The recoil of having passed on different sides of a street pole sends them abruptly to the ground while Lambo runs away.
"Kof kof, damn!" "Ahiii, it hurts…" "Why did you pass on the left, Stupid Woman?!" "Gokudera-san is the one who passed on the right instead of following Haru! Careless-desu!" "Just follow me, for Hell's sake! We lost him because of your damn mistake!" "Don't blame it all on Haru, Aho!"
Indeed, being handcuffed to someone for a race means having to pace your rhythm with the other. The long hours of chase gradually teach it to Gokudera and Haru, for the best and the worst.
For the best because Gokudera would never have realised Haru was actually quite athletic comparing to most girls their age, and could follow after him at almost the same pace despite her legs being shorter than his. For the worst because he wouldn't expect her to take so many impulsive decisions such as stopping abruptly mid-way to drag him behind a corner to spy on Lambo and jump on him out of nowhere.
For the best because Haru would have never realised Gokudera was actually quite thoughtful comparing to most punks these days, and could care about her pace and even help her out on her feet when needed. For the worst because she wouldn't expect him to pull such violent stunts such as sliding on the ground to sweep Lambo amidst his run, something you shouldn't be doing to children.
Countless trips and chokes and pulls on the handcuffs later, countless insults thrown at each other later, countless misses by a close call, and they both collapse on the grass by the river banks, panting heavily and covered with dust and bruises.
"Damn… I just can't anymore…! Let's give up and break these damn things, Stupid Woman…" "No-way-desu! Haru doesn't want to keep handcuff as a bracelet, annoying-desu! Not-fashionable-desu!" "Fashionable…?"
TILT. Gokudera pauses on the metal handcuff around his wrist. Despite his natural Mafia-born dislike for any sign of police authority, he can't help but start thinking that they look a little cool, and would even look cooler if customized with skull emboss. His green eyes sparkle gradually of interest.
"Ahiii… even Gokudera-san is lost now… What is Haru going to do…?! How can we catch Lambo-kun… Ahiii, impossible to go back home like that… We can't go back! And what will Tsuna-san say…?!"
TILT. The mention of Tsuna's name pulls Gokudera out of his fashion fantasies, but not for long as he soon drowns into dramatizing fantasies this time.
What if the 10th misunderstands the handcuffs and says he's disappointed in him… What if Shamal slips some nasty stupid remark and the 10th believes he's having dubious taste on top of having fun with girls behind his back… Damn, what if the 10th misunderstands and says that he's not worthy of being his right hand man anymore because of that…
"… 10th believe in me, it's all a misunderstanding… it's all that Stupid Cow's fault…" "Ahiii?! What are you muttering to yourself?! Of course it's a misunderstanding! Buuh, Haru doesn't want Tsuna-san to believe that I prefer spending time stuck to another guy… Unfaithful-desu…"
TILT. The comment only aggravates Gokudera further as it reminds him that the girl handcuffed to him is indeed officially in love with his boss – although the 10th has never really settled the matter – meaning someone from his Family.
Damn, as Reborn-san is always saying, we mafia should take good care of our women, right…
Gokudera's eyes stray away towards Haru's wrist, and it makes him swallow uneasily to see it all red and bruised from the different hits and pulls it has taken during the chase.
Tsk, if he catches this Stupid Cow, he will make him remember how his idiocy is causing trouble to the ones they should be protecting as Guardians, instead of hurting them…
"Gokudera-san…?" "Hum?" "Haru is not too sure, but these obasans (grannies) seem to be talking about us, mysterious-desu…"
TILT. Gokudera freezes with a scarlet blush of shame at hearing the gossiping old ladies passing above them on the path following the river banks.
Are they serious… saying with such a straight face to each other how 'back then' they were keeping such 'distractions' inside the house and not out wide in the open… What kind of country did the Vongola Primo moved in for even elders here to have the same kind of references as Shamal…?!
"Let's go, Stupid Woman…" "Ahiii…?"
Haru feels her feet follow after her hand being dragged away, but this time not through the hurtful contact of metal sizzling her wrist. Her large chestnut eyes can only widen of surprise at seeing her hand disappear along the one which has grabbed her inside the large pocket of a dark-red hoodie.
TILT. The uneasy sensation stops as abruptly as it started when Gokudera's fingers let go of hers once the gossip-magnet handcuffs hidden out from sight inside the pocket. Their skin is still brushing against each other in the narrow space, but the warmth of the previous hold disappears gradually, along Haru's stupefied silence.
"A-Ahiii…?! B-but it's… we… we can't run like this…!" "Not like running around did us any good, tsk…!" "B-b-but…" "We need to find a way to get this Stupid Cow… Any idea, Stupid Woman?" "Ahiii, y-you're asking Haru…?" "That's… Tsk, it's just… A-aren't you the one always baby-sitting these brats? You should know how to handle them, right?" "Hum…"
Haru pauses for long seconds, deep in thoughts, trying to review Lambo's priorities and how to make him do or not do things.
"Of-course-desu!" She finally exclaims with an enlightened expression.
"Hum, what is it, Stup… Gyaaah?!" Gokudera has no time to ask more detail that he's dragged at full speed by the hand inside his pocket pulling on his hoodie and thus pulling him along.
"Snacks-desu! We can trap Lambo-kun with snacks!" "Snacks…? You mean using sweets or a lollipop…? This Stupid Cow is a damn hopeless idiot, but I can't believe him stupid enough to fall for that." "Ahiii, let's just try! Haru is sure it will work!" "Suit yourself… I'm just too annoyed to mind anym… Guh, the baseball-nut!"
BAM. Haru is pulled backwards in reaction of having Gokudera stop abruptly in their tracks, just at the entrance of the convenience store they have arrived to in order to buy the baiting-snacks, and she lands heavily against him.
"Ooh, Gokudera, Haru! Buying some drinks?" "Not everybody are sport freaks coming to buy isotonic drinks after training, tsk…!" "Ah, hum, Yamamoto-san, have you seen La… A-Ahiii?!"
A rough pull on her hand – the one inside the pocket – stops Haru in the middle of her sentence, and a glance for Gokudera is enough to make her understand the silent threat 'tell this damn baseball-nut about our issue and I bomb you' as clearly as if it had been written silver on green in his exasperated eyes.
"A-Ahiii… G-Gokudera-san and Haru are just… just…" "It's none of your business, Baseball-Nut!" "Hum? Hahaha, no need to make a scary face, come on. Ah, I know, do you want to go and hang out with Tsuna together? I'm on my way to his place."
SNAP. A vein explodes on Gokudera's temple as he can't hold back the frustration entirely at the idea of having the one he dislikes sticking around the 10th without him being able to tag along.
"Just get lost and leave us alone, damn!" "Hum…? How weird, I thought you would…"
TILT. After having reviewed Gokudera's pissed expression and Haru's troubled one looking away impatiently, Yamamoto's eyes finally fall on the hoodie pocket towards which two arms are leading, and the little pieces of the puzzle connect in his mind in Yamamoto's mode.
"Ah, I see I see! Hahaha, sure, I'll get going, then. Take good care! Haru, if this guy is not nice enough to you, you can always come to tell Tsuna or me, hahaha…" "A… hiii…?"
And the automatic door of the convenience store closes after Yamamoto and his parting remark.
A long minute of silence after, Gokudera and Haru finally defreeze when the shop attendant comes to ask them if they need anything, and they vent their frustration on the snack shelf, putting together each coin wandering in their pockets to buy as many sweets as they can, without forgetting a big swirl lollipop.
"Hand me the stick, Stupid Woman." "Here. Ah, Gokudera-san, use a better knot to make sure that when we pull it, it'll make the basket close. More-effective-desu."
Their teamwork easily compensates for their being unable to use a hand each, and the trap is soon set in the park where Lambo has declared his home to be – the home being the round playground toy house with slide installed near the sandbox.
"Lambo-kun always comes here for a nap when Tsuna-san's mother goes shopping for dinner. Habits-desu." "Don't know if I should be bothered of your plan working or failing… That Stupid Cow is still supposed to be a Guardian, damn. If he falls for that kind of trick, we'll have to worry, tsk…" "Ahiii, here he comes!"
A sweet wrapped in electric-green paper found on the ground later, Lambo follows happily the trail of sweets, jumping and dancing at his luck like a happy-go-lucky fool at each new sweet leading him step by step towards the toy house.
BAM. When the basket under which the final swirl lollipop is set closes on him, concluding the victory of Haru's trap over Lambo's common sense, Gokudera can only face-palm wearily.
"He REALLY is that stupid, damn…" "Ahiii, Gokudera-san! Now is not the time for that! Let's catch Lambo-kun and get the key. Now-desu!"
Haru pulls their hands out of the pocket to run more easily, and her quick-wittedness saves them the doom of seeing Lambo escape them once again.
POF. Lambo's feet have emerged from under the basket, and he starts running around and bumping into anything his way with panicking ranting squeals.
"Buuh, too dark! Lambo-san can't see!" "Damn this Stupid Cow! Don't tell me his hair protected him from the basket trap!" "Ahiii! Left, left, he's climbing the toy house!" "Gotcha!"
Gokudera grabs Haru's wrist to throw her upwards towards the toy house ladder while he jumps up just after her, closing in around Lambo in his blind-basket state.
"Ahiii, Lambo-kun, wait! Don't! The slide is…!" "Damn it!"
BADABAM. A pile of three silhouettes lands loudly in the sand after a chaotic slide down.
"Kof kof… Th-thank you, Gokudera-san…" "… don't… mention it… and just get this damn key, tsk…" "Gotta… hold… it… in… Uwaaah! Aah? Lollipop!"
A passing-by granny starts giggling out loud that youngsters these days sure know how to have fun with their younger siblings, and Gokudera can only sigh heavily while waiting for the one on top of him to secure Lambo – licking the lollipop and not really minding the chasing game anymore – and rummage his hair in search of the solution to their problem.
The sun is already setting and tinting everything with gold and crimson. Everything sounds deadened for Gokudera who gazes at the orange skies with a mixture of forsaking and tiredness, not even minding anymore the weight on top of him, the numb sensation in his legs still half on the slide exit, or even the warm feeling of her wrist under his fingers.
Damn… Today has been such a headache…
"Found-it-desu!" Haru's happy exclamation pulls Gokudera out of his thoughts and he leans on his elbow to stand sit and come closer.
TILT. A pair of green eyes and a pair of chestnut ones widen of disbelief in unison when Haru's fingers bring the key to the handcuffs.
The links are… broken… already?!
SNAP. A synch glance back at the top of the playground slide and they are gapping of realisation at seeing a shiny broken link still hanging at the bisection of the decorative antenna.
It broke when they fall down the slide to catch Lambo… It broke when they were holding onto another… It broke when they weren't focusing on breaking apart anymore…
"A… hi…?"
Gokudera's fingers leave Haru's wrist as if in slow motion, betraying his disbelief at not needing to be connected anymore, almost as if fearing some other link to still prevent his hand from leaving hers.
"… just take these damn things off already…" "A… hiii…?"
Haru's eyes widen at seeing Gokudera hold out his hand to her, presenting his wrist and the keyhole of the handcuff to her. Yes, she should be taking these off, shouldn't she…
A minute later, both parts of the opened handcuffs have left their wrists and they have stood up to leave the park unhurriedly. Exhaustion from the chase strikes back when on their way back to Tsuna's house, Lambo being the only noisy one.
Once at Sawada's House, they can't help but react by automatism, making all polite smiles and polite answers to assure the 10th/Tsuna-san that nothing went wrong and they just 'enjoyed' a game with Lambo the entire afternoon.
When separating to go back home, their smiles are still the tired and automatic type, just like how their feet carries them automatically until their place, automatically making them climb up the stairs step by step until they collapse each of them on their bed, exhausted and somehow melancholic.
GLING. The cold shine of steel doesn't help them settle their feelings as each of them gaze at the broken handcuff they kept in their pocket without realising.
Why did they keep them… Why are they keeping them even now… Why aren't they throwing away that thing that made them live a Hellish afternoon… Just why…?