TYL!5986 SHORT-STORY ~ VAULT ISSUES

Mirror Chapter: Storeroom Issues

Timeline: Canon TYL

CRRR. BADABAM. "WATCH OUT!"

A tumult of marble rock and petrified wood later…

"Kof kof…" "Huf… d-damn... Are you alright…?"

Alright is not exactly the word Haru would use to describe the feeling of being buried alive in complete darkness with barely a draught of air connecting them to the outside. Not exactly what she had been hoping for when wilfully joining Tsuna, Gokudera and the others for a treasure hunt in Italy searching for the blueprints of hundreds-year-old boxes...

"… looks like this damn vault collapsed, tsk… do you have any space to move?" "… n-no… about twenty-thirty centimetres only above… on the front it…" "OUCH! That was my face!" "S-Sorry…"

Haru tenses at realizing the entire surface below her is actually Gokudera's body, and she suddenly feels tiny when palpating around her and noticing that his built is so much larger and taller than hers.

"Gokudera-san… do you think the others will be able to pull us out soon…?" "… that's if they can find a way to open without breaking the equilibrium or it'll collapse on us…" "I see…"

Haru can't help feeling cold sweats running down her spin. Even someone not claustrophobic would panic in this kind of situation, but somehow the hot-blooded man she's used to bicker with is bearing with the situation with calm… Feeling his warmth just under her palms is the only thing making her keep her wits together.

"S-so… is there anything we can do on our side…?" Haru ventures with the hope of putting their two brains in it together to pull them out of their predicament.

SHIN. But silence only answers her, barely troubled by the sound of their two breathing.

"Gokudera-san…?" Haru asks after a long silence, starting to feel ill-at-ease at feeling the presence of another body under hers but no answer from him.

"… even if we can't go out on our own… I'm here with you. I'll definitely protect you, so just calm down for now."

DOKI. Haru feels her cheeks becoming instantly hot as she gaps without a word at the warm tone of his voice sounding more unruffled yet determined than usual.

"… y-you can't…" Haru mumbles with a teary vacillating tone.

TILT. Silence falls as Gokudera's clenches his teeth, feeling quite bitter to have his pride and honour as a Guardian belittled in such a way. It feels so irritating to have and put words on his feelings that he can only mutter angrily between clenched teeth.

"I just protect what I want to protect, even if it means my damn life. Don't make me justify myself, Stupid Woman. I have no account to give on my family choice to anyone." "… don't protect Haru… don't say you'll protect Haru… d-don't…" "… what the… is your problem…?!"

Haru has started trembling imperceptibly, not knowing herself why her chest feels like exploding at each second more spent in this confined and dark place, stuck in Gokudera's arms.

"… saying you'll protect me… don't ever say something like that to a woman if you don't understand the meaning! You can't… don't…!"

TILT. Gokudera's eyes widen at the reproach, not understanding why Haru's tone sounds both accusing and gloomy. His hands rise slowly to her shoulders that he can feel shaking of some unknown pressure she is trying to keep in.

"… don't let Haru fall in love with you…"

TILT. Gokudera's expression freezes in a gap, both surprised and pained by her wretched tone of voice.

"… Haru already knows… that I am not very good at choosing who to love… Tsuna-san… Tsuna-san always looks at Kyoko first… Haru knows it… I can see it… so… so…"

Her fingers nicked on Gokudera's shirt are trembling and clenching more and more, leaving Gokudera at a loss of words. This kind of topic has never been his cup of tea, let alone his favourite, and now on top of everything, it seems to involve him personally… 'seems' only… or is it pain he's feeling at seeing her so hurt… is it impulse he's fighting at not hugging the trembling her for comfort… is it hesitation he's swallowing back by not saying anything in fear of something he'd regret…

No way, just no way… she's the 10th woman… his boss woman, or at least prospective woman… as the Boss' right hand man, his duty is to watch over her when the Boss can't himself, protect her from harm, care for her well-being from the shadows… care… is it alright to care… is it not betraying the 10th to care about one of his women… because she is one of… she… the 10th… is the 10th considering her one of his women… if she were not… if she were not then could he care for her as a woman only… care… for her… only…

TILT. Haru freezes at being pulled up by Gokudera's hands to bring their lips together.

The warm breath linking them together stops as quietly as it begun, bringing a heavy silence.

Haru doesn't seem to realize, while Gokudera doesn't even seem conscious of what he has done himself, and obscurity soothes everything into nothingness as eternity passes in complete silence, blurring everything.

Long hours later…

The collapsed vault opens on the rescue squad, bringing fresh air and sunlight into the narrow space where Gokudera and Haru were buried alive.

"… tsk…" "a…hi…" The ray of sunlight awakes the two people who have fallen asleep one onto the other.

"They're safe!" Fuuta exclaims with a relieved overjoyed tone.

TILT. Gokudera and Haru blink of semi-blindness at the sudden burst of light, before turning towards the presence they can feel close to them. A faint blush at making eye-contact and they both snap in synch, averting their eyes before pulling from the other without a word.

Hands are hold to them to help them stand up as they tumble on their numb legs, and no more glances are exchanged as they receive everyone's friendly pats of concern.

It was only an illusion amidst darkness… these feelings never happened…

"Ah! Gokudera-kun, Haru! I'm so glad you're both safe!" "10th / Tsuna-san!"

My most important is still and will forever be the 10th / Tsuna-san…!