The soft hum of a bustling cafe filled the air, blending with the warm aroma of pastries and rich hot chocolate. Hibari sat quietly by the window, his gaze fixed outside, though his focus was anywhere but on the cobblestone streets of Italy. He took another small bite of his pastry, the powdered sugar dusting his lips, and sipped from his steaming cup.
Dino, seated across from him, was supposed to be reviewing his notes for an upcoming meeting, but he couldn't help but glance at Hibari. The slight pout on his lips, the delicate way he handled his fork—it was such a rare sight to see Hibari so... subdued. Dino smiled fondly, his heart warmed by the moment.
Then, suddenly, an idea sparked in his head.
"Let's arm wrestle," Dino said, his voice light and teasing.
Hibari blinked, looking up at him with mild confusion. "No," he replied flatly, not even sparing the suggestion a second thought.
"Why not?" Dino leaned forward, propping his chin on his hand. "Afraid you'll lose?"
That got Hibari's attention. He raised an eyebrow, his gaze narrowing slightly. "That's nonsense."
"Then prove it," Dino challenged with a grin. "Unless you're admitting defeat already."
Hibari's jaw twitched, his pride flaring. With an air of nonchalance that barely masked his irritation, he set his fork down and extended his hand across the table. Dino's grin widened as he clasped Hibari's hand.
Their palms pressed together, fingers intertwining slightly before Hibari tightened his grip.
"Ready?" Dino asked, his tone still lighthearted.
"Go," Hibari replied curtly.
Hibari pushed with all his might, his muscles straining as he tried to force Dino's hand down. Dino, meanwhile, smiled sweetly, using the bare minimum of effort to keep his hand steady. It wasn't a battle of strength for him—it was more about watching Hibari's determined expression, the slight tremble in his arm, and the subtle flush creeping up his neck.
"You're strong," Dino admitted, his voice warm and genuine, but his grip remained unyielding.
Hibari scowled, his focus unwavering. He was determined to win, but deep down, he knew Dino wasn't even trying.
Before either could claim victory, the doors to the cafe opened, and the sound of footsteps approached their table.
"Cavallone," a voice called.
Dino glanced up, his usual charm lighting up his face as he greeted his business associates. "Ah, there you are!"
His hand still held Hibari's, their fingers loosely intertwined now. Dino didn't seem in any rush to let go, and the others didn't seem to notice—or maybe they were too polite to comment.
Hibari, on the other hand, slowly pulled his hand back, his expression unreadable. He picked up his fork again, cutting into his pastry with a little more force than necessary.
As the meeting began and Dino's attention shifted to his guests, Hibari kept to himself, silently fuming. He glanced at Dino out of the corner of his eye, watching the way he spoke with confidence and ease.
He's strong after all... Hibari thought grudgingly, his lips pressing into a thin line. His fingers tightened around his fork as he sulkily cut his pastry into even smaller pieces, though the faintest hint of a blush lingered on his cheeks.