"Buoyant"

AN: A short chapter series of the 1896 pairing of Hibari x Chrome. If you read my first fanfic, Breathe, this could be an accompaniment extra chapter into 1896.

Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to Amano Akira. The story is partly inspired by the song, "The Glow, Pt. 2" by The Microphones.

"I'm not dead

there's no end

my face is red

my blood flows harshly

my heart beats loudly…

my chest still draws breath

I hold it,

I'm buoyant"

-- "The Glow, Pt. 2" by The Microphones

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Chapter 1: She disappears in the mist

There is something about the way he sleeps that makes Chrome remember him.

She had already gotten up from the bed and watched Hibari sleeping next to her. She grabbed the kimono hanging on the edge of the bed; a present Hibari gave her from Japan. Hibari told her that he loved the Japanese silk and wanted her to feel the material he loves. She wrapped the kimono around her naked body as she walked towards the balcony.

The Renaissance Hotel in Italy had the most spectacular night views. You could see the antique streetlights and Chrome felt the cool breeze through the kimono. She wrapped her arms around her chest and waited for the dusk to change to sunrise.

She did not expect to see Hibari last night. They kept contact in secret after they met in Sicily and their passionate affair began from then. They became secret lovers; a secret that if revealed could get them both killed. Chrome was sure the members of the Vongola family and its allies have no clue about their secret affair and she had been cautious not to reveal anything to her associates. Especially him.

He could never know.

Last night started out simple enough.

Their conversations were brief. Hibari gave Chrome a box with a thin black obi ribbon wrapped around it. Chrome opened the box and it revealed a beautiful, purple kimono with detailed Japanese art.

"It's made from Japanese silk. So you could have a part of Japan here."

"Grazie, Kyoya"

Chrome called Hibari by the familiar after he asked her to. Chrome felt Hibari opening up to her more and more after each affair. She tried the kimono on over her white shirt and Hibari would stop her. He would loosen her tie, first, and then pushed her on the bed and had his body on top of her. Chrome would let out quiet, small breaths and Hibari would slowly unbutton her small white t-shirt with one finger and whispered in her ear, "Tell me something in Japanese…"

"Anata ga hoshii…"

Hibari locked his lips against hers and Chrome forgets about him for a brief second.

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Chrome tightened the obi on her kimono. The cool Italian breeze sent shivers down her spine but she needed be out of that room, out of that bed, for a moment. She loved the sex, she always had, and Hibari always treated her with the right passion she craved. Everything he did was perfect, sometimes too perfect, and she felt guilty at times that she was not showing him the passion she knew she had inside.

Why do I think of him when I'm with Kyoya?

Chrome wondered about her feelings. She did care for Hibari. He was warm, gentle and at times, so delicate and beautiful that she was afraid to touch him. But she could not help think of him during the most passionate moment of the night and she nearly let slip her thoughts to Hibari.

"Mm.. m."

Chrome wondered if Hibari secretly knew or she managed to get away from screaming out his name by excusing it as a moan.

Chrome dug her fingers harshly on Hibari's soft Japanese skin as she couldn't hold it any longer.

Hibari was grabbing lightly on the strands of her long hair. Chrome wanted desperately to whisper, "Kyoya… Kyoya…" to Hibari's ear but no words came out.

Her thoughts were still of him.

She wondered if his Italian skin were as soft. If he would hold her like how she loved to be held. Like how she was at that moment with Hibari.

Chrome wanted those thoughts to just go, so the night would not end with another guilt-ridden moment.

Before falling asleep, Hibari picked a small speck of black thread from her naked shoulders. He told her, "I love how your hair falls right now…" and Chrome realised that she took off the top knot of her hair before going in to bed with Hibari.

Chrome realised that either way there was guilt. Whether she was guilty about what she just did or feeling guilty over almost forgetting about him.

Hibari had fallen asleep. Chrome quickly tied the knot back on before falling asleep right next to him.

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Hibari woke up.

Chrome was no longer in bed with him.

There was no trace of Chrome in the room.

Except.

Chrome had left the kimono Hibari gave her on the chair. It was folded neatly.

Hibari checked between the fabrics of the kimono to make sure there was no note.

There was no note.

Chrome never leaves any notes behind.

Hibari knew that but he still wanted to check and made sure that maybe this time was different.

But it was always the same.

She comes in.

She leaves.

She is out.

Yet, why does he let her come back?

Hibari went back to bed and ignored his thoughts.

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AN: I am continuing this story. I just thought I upload the first chapter instead of just uploading the whole lot. I am still thinking about the second chapter (sneak preview: D18 and more angst) and most likely only one more chapter after that. I love this pairing more and more every time I write about them. I did not want to write a detailed 'love' scene but I guess you can get an idea how angst-ridden that moment was for both Chrome and Hibari. More to be revealed in the next chapters…