"Buoyant"
AN: This is the FINAL chapter. It has some spoilers for Chapters 163 and 216.
Please review, when you can.
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
--
Chapter 5: They were buoyant
Hibari was on his way to a meeting with Dino Cavallone. Dino was in Japan and arranged for Hibari to meet him at Japan's Vongola base. Hibari's thoughts were elsewhere.
His mind traced back to eight months ago.
--
"Kyoya… Kyoya…"
Chrome was breathing heavily as Hibari held her close and felt her whispers lightly touching the back of his neck and his ears felt warm from the exposure.
"Kyoya…"
Hibari was usually good at keeping the momentum going but tonight his heart was beating too fast, his insides felt too warm and Chrome was repetitively whispering his name in the familiar closely to his ear.
Hibari was never fond of exchanging words during intimate moments.
"I want you, Kyoya…"
Hibari was never fond of intimate words until he heard them from Chrome.
The moment after was no different. Chrome was lying next to Hibari and was staring at the ceiling. Hibari wanted to hold her again but decided to remain motionless lying next to her. All he could do was watch her until that still and quiet moment ended.
"Kyoya?"
Chrome turned to Hibari and pulled the sheets up to cover her exposed chest.
"Kyoya, I feel safe here."
Hibari remained motionless.
"Kyoya, I feel safe and… I can be who I used to be…"
"Before Mukuro?"
Chrome bit her bottom lip. She closed her eyes and faced back at the ceiling.
"It was different then, Kyoya. I was alone. I was…"
Chrome felt a tear run down her cheeks.
"I was lonely."
Hibari turned to face Chrome and felt the need to hold her. There was something about Chrome's vulnerability that Hibari was attracted to. He lightly touched her shoulder and noticed Chrome reacted with a slight shiver to his touch.
"I am just cold, Kyoya."
Hibari loved hearing his name in the familiar from Chrome's lips. The only other person who would refer him to the familiar, besides his subordinates from The Foundation, was Dino Cavallone. But hearing his familiar name from Chrome was different. It brought him the urge to enjoy human touch. It brought him the feelings he used to despise when he saw them in others. Hibari hated that notion but constantly craved it.
And it was all because of Chrome.
"I was alone but I learnt to live for myself."
Hibari knew what she meant. Ever since Chrome entered into a transmigration contract with Rokudo Mukuro, her independence became non-existed. However, because of the contract, Chrome existed.
"I think… I can be myself when I am with you, Kyoya."
Chrome turned to face Hibari and lightly pulled his neck so his lips were about to brush hers.
"Kyoya… Ti voglio"
In response, Hibari closed the gap between them and fell into the world he never really believed or trusted in the first place.
--
"Kyoya!"
Dino greeted Hibari as the younger man entered the meeting room of the Vongola base. That was Romario's cue to leave the room as requested by Dino prior to Hibari's arrival.
"Your message stated that you require to see me about some new information on the rings."
"Kyoya, we found some information on some rings, we believe were discovered before the dying will flame."
Hibari leaned against the wall as Dino continued, "These rings, they are called Hell Rings and their power lies by establishing a contract with its user to lend them a significant amount of power."
Contract.
"Some of the Hell Rings have been destroyed because of how its immense power have mentally destroyed the owner's lives."
Power.
"Kyoya, we have found evidence that there are only 6 Hell Rings left in the world today. And the Hell Rings, they are activated by the Mist Flames…"
Mist.
Hibari, who had his arms crossed, noticed Dino's expression. Usually, when Dino spoke to him, the Italian would attempt direct eye contact with Hibari but in that instance, Dino's eyes were focussed on the empty seats across the room. Hibari uncrossed his arms and straightened his stance.
"We could even call them Mist Rings, Kyoya. Cursed by the paths of hell. Powerful but…"
"Are you keeping something from me?"
Dino realised that Hibari was only inches away from him. Hibari's face was so close and Dino had a feeling why Hibari was being confrontational at that instant.
"Kyoya, you…"
"I believe you saw Chrome and yet you did not inform me about her whereabouts."
Hibari backed away from Dino and took a seat around the meeting table.
"Additionally, the Vongola require Chrome's whereabouts…"
"I'm aware of that request, Kyoya."
"The Cavallone are now withholding information from the Vongola?"
Dino noticed Hibari looking around the room. He looked like he was scanning for something and Dino commented, "Kyoya, I made sure that this meeting room was not under surveillance and I…"
"Why didn't you inform me of her whereabouts?"
It was Hibari's turn to stare at those empty seats.
"Kyoya…"
Dino took a seat across from Hibari in the room. "Kyoya, Chrome… Chrome's loyalty to Rokudo Mukuro is strong. Their contract, when she entered into the contract with Mukuro; the transmigration of souls… I don't think any of us could ever understand."
"Kyoya, I don't think we could ever understand the connection Mukuro and Chrome have."
"It was never my intention to try to understand Chrome."
Dino nodded to Hibari's response.
Chrome ga hoshii.
"I have read something, a few years ago; one of those books you pick up during long layovers in transit. But there was a line in the book that I always remembered – the one you love and the one who loves you are never the same person – I don't think it's completely true because I'm sure some people do get to love the person they love back but for a lot of people, I think that does ring true… I wanted to share that with you, Kyoya."
Hibari looked motionless. Dino's words felt too familiar to him and he was not completely sure why he believed that they were not only about Chrome.
Hibari thanked Dino for the information on the Hell Rings.
"And also… thank you for the other information."
"I hope that both of them were useful, Kyoya."
Hibari gave Dino a nod in response and proceeded to walk out of the meeting room.
--
This is what happens when you look for someone who chooses to disappear.
Hibari received a message from Sawada Tsunayoshi in regards to Chrome's possible whereabouts. Tsuna advised that Chrome Dokuro might have been involved in a recent battle with a member of the Millefiore family but further details of the battle were not provided to Hibari.
The message concluded with details on a flight due to arrive at Italy's Fiumicino International Airport in a few days.
This is what happens when you become desperate that you forgot what you came here for.
Hibari ordered Kusakabe to arrange his flight to Italy immediately.
This is what happens when you fall back into who you hated to be.
--
Hibari was waiting at the arrival terminal of the Fiumicino International Airport with a long-range zoom lens attached to his digital SLR. Usually, his pet bird, Hibird, would be involved in his observation missions but Hibari insisted that Hibird remained with Kusakabe and he wanted to see for himself whether Tsuna's information on Chrome's presence was accurate.
"Kyoya… Ti voglio"
Chrome ga hoshii.
Stop.
And there she was.
Dragging a suitcase with one hand and her other arm in a sling. Her hair was covered in a headscarf. Her eyes covered with sunglasses. Her right eye appeared to still be covered with her trademark eyepatch.
And there you are.
--
"She disappears in the mist,
So the cloud searches in the wind,
And then she was found,
He holds his chest, she draws breath
They were buoyant"
END