[fic] Superficial Dreams
Title: Superficial Dreams.
Summary: When one runs out of tricks to play, a whole new level of mischief has to be created.
Rating: PG-13.
Word Count: 2916.
Pairing: Mukuro Rokudo/Chrome Dokuro, Kyouya Hibari/Chrome Dokuro.
Prompt: Chrome, Kyouya, Mukuro-“public embarrassment”
AN: This was a last minute one-shot, based around a small idea I've had for awhile. A huge thank you to bluequartz, dragoness21, my_name_is_yui and xsayounara for putting up with my crazy ideas and helping me make this work. And, of course, I was thinking of you during this, chromeluster27!
“And who are you, little girl?”
Her first reaction was to gape. Had she really heard right? Blinking, to get rid of obvious obliviousness, Chrome murmured softly, “Are you okay?”
“I believe I asked you the question first.” A narrow eyebrow became raised as he stared at her, demanding an answer. His lips were not pursued in a wry line, nor was there a small sparkle of amusement within his heterochromatic irides. Though, it could have been a ploy to lure her in. Maybe, it was just a new form of entertainment, tricking the petite girl into believing his lies. “Would you care to answer?”
“Mukuro-sama,” Chrome said, louder. Unconsciously she took a step backwards, trying not to show that she was uncomfortable. Being forgotten was something she'd experienced before-of course, that was thanks to the male in front of her-but she hadn't anticipated it from him.
Mukuro's expression seemed suspicious, not at all how it had been whenever they were together before. They were always borderline amused, curious or even trusting. Something to worry about, yet she chose not to question them. To accept them, however, was what she had done.
“And you are?” The expression to match his tone was neutral, as though he didn't have a care in the world. For a moment, they simply stared at each other until his eyes trailed off, the corner of his lip twitching. “What a peculiar choice of hair style.”
Flushing from embarrassment, Chrome refused to retort that his was her inspiration. Instead, she gnawed anxiously on her lip, eyes darting around the field to see if there were any others there. Not only was it odd for both of them to have been present at the same time, none of Mukuro's followers were there, the location empty, from what could be seen from their position.
“I could always give you a name, if you're not going to utter one,” he urged her, leaning forward to gently tilt her head upwards.
Even more blood rushed to her face-yes, they had been that close before, but it didn't seem right if Mukuro was claiming he didn't know who he was-making the alabaster skin stained scarlet.
“Chrome,” she blurted. “My name's Chrome.”
“Unique.” He raised an eyebrow again, mockingly, it seemed, as his eyes trailed to absorb her outfit. “Not like this uniform, though. Wouldn't you prefer something else?”
Her counter remark was defensive, even if her voice was still soft. “You chose this for me.” Did it really matter that she was fond of it, simply because he had suggested it? “You're wearing the male counterpart of it.”
“Oh, I know.” He laughed, the tone deep. It was a resonance of his previous self, making her believe until he spoke again that nothing was wrong. “But I'd rather you wore something else.”
“...B-but,” she stuttered unintelligently, trying to move away, discreetly. The finger was still there, her skin warming up slightly from the touch. “Mukuro-sama.”
“It's quite refreshing how you say that.” The low chuckle made its way out his mouth, quieter than before. “I'm correct in thinking you're mine, no?”
“Yours?” Chrome blinked, her cheeks burning. As nice as the thought was, it was wrong, definitely. She opened her mouth to correct him, again, yet Mukuro beat her to it.
“Why else would I be this close to you?” he murmured. “I know this place, after all, I'm the creator of it.”
“I'm just your vessel,” she admitted, honestly, still keeping eye contact. Their meeting wasn't as usual; instead of possessing her old appearance-the long hair and nightgown-Chrome was clad in her everyday attire, the eye patch strapped carefully onto her eye, too. “We're not how you assume.” She could still dream, privately.
Pulling away, Mukuro chortled to himself, seemingly amused by the answer. “Are we not?”
“No,” she confirmed with a shake of her head.
“We'll see.”
-x-
“Herbivore,” a voice called, deep and baritone. “Get up.”
Chrome lifted herself up quickly, blinking in surprise was taking in her surroundings. She knew where she was situated quickly-perched on the floor, outside the reception room while clutching onto her trident.
“...Cloud Man.”
“Why are you lazing around here?” he drawled, blandly.
For a moment, she gnawed on her lip before deciding to blurt out, “I wanted to see you.”
Hibari looked at her as though she had sprouted two heads. It was abnormal to admit what she was thinking, fully, without pausing to correct herself. “Hn.” A grunt was all she received.
“Have you...” Chrome paused, gulping, as she realised it was akin to suicide what she was about to utter. “Have you spoken Mukuro-sama lately?”
Instantly, there was a reaction. Hibari's eyes had narrowed-hiding the are shade of his irides-while he'd tensed, visibly showing anger in his stance. Again, he stared.
Taking the look as a no, Chrome continued, albeit warily. “He's, well, I think,” she corrected herself, shuffling her weight onto the other foot while gripping her trident tighter. “It's as though he's forgotten himself.”
“Why are you assuming I care about this?” Hibari arched an eyebrow. “All I want to do is bite him to death, if he's someone else, it's worthless.”
The answer piqued her curiosity. Never asking first hand about the relationship between the two males, it was a chance to get information. “Would you try to return him to normal?”
“He's a lost cause anyway.” His tone was dismissive, yet, he visibly relaxed.
“Mukuro-sama's not talking to me now,” she admitted softly, focusing on the handle of her weapon. To keep herself from trailing off, she concluded. “He's being really quiet, I can't hear anything at all.”
“That's a good thing.” Hibari scoffed.
“...Maybe,” she couldn't help but utter, flushing in mortification afterwards.
-x-
“My cute little Chrome,” he murmured, glancing at her discreetly. Though, she could still tell by the slight prickling of her skin. Pulling her legs closer to her chest, Chrome rested her chin on top of them, mildly interested in what was going on again. It was another visit within her mind, that time her appearance that of her past self. The hair that was shielding her eye was uncomfortable, yet she dare not move it. “Are you accustomed to me yet?”
Of course she was. “Yes,” she hummed, content with how they were. Mukuro seemed calmer, not touching her as often as before. Maybe she considered it a nice change, but that could have been classed as blasphemy, in a sense. “You're the same as always, Mukuro-sama.”
“I think that's a lie.”
She froze before closing her eyes, telling herself it was the truth. “No,” she lied, “it's always like this when we're here.”
“Quiet?” he questioned, chuckling afterwards. “If that's so, why are you tense?” His fingers were trailing across her bare shoulder, the movement tickling slightly, before she looked towards him, curious. With furrowed eyebrows, Chrome's expression was enquiring. “Am I too close for you?”
“No, Mukuro-sama.” They had been closer, although not for that very reason. The movement was confusing, she added within her head.
His fingers were soon within the tresses of her hair, the strands longer than they were outside of his world. The illusion was powerful enough for him to grasp the violet locks, entangling them softly in his lithe fingers.
“Tell me, Chrome,” he called lowly, the smirk across his lips seemingly daunting. She felt no fear, after all, they were in no position that was uncomfortable. “Why are you here, with me?”
She blinked. “Because it's always been this way.”
“There's no other reason behind it?”
“...No,” she whispered softly, her forehead pressed further against her knees.
-x-
“Why are you so persistent?” Hibari scolded coldly, leaning back in his chair. She'd infiltrated the school again-somehow, he didn't seem to mind the lack of identification pass-wandering towards the reception room, aimlessly. “I told you, I don't care what happens to him. If he dies, it'll be by my hand.”
“But if his personality is dead, isn't that the equivalent of death?”
“Stop assuming I care about his damn personality,” he snapped, feet dramatically landing on the desk as he leaned back in his chair. The pose was still portraying he was irritable, though, his words a few octaves away from a grunt. “It was dead to begin with.”
“I still can't-”
“Can't talk to him?” Hibari interrupted, tilting his head back. “That must be nice, silence, at last. Stop coming to me for some sort of comfort.”
“But you're...” Chrome flushed, shaking her head to tell herself it was right to say it. “You're his motivation.”
Surprisingly, Hibari snorted. “Motivation? Don't be ridiculous.”
“What if he doesn't remember you?” asked Chrome, tentatively. She had felt the surprise in the beginning from being forgotten, but told herself it was the same Mukuro, even if he didn't seem to have an ulterior motive. There was never any time they spent together, really, without a reason behind it. Yet, as they had seen each other each night, he was simply asking questions.
She was trying to look out for him, maybe, by appearing for the second time. Chrome couldn't deny that she had been looking forward to seeing Hibari before, although her reason behind the trip was simply because of Mukuro. It was an ulterior motive, learned from Mukuro, to use a reason behind a simple meeting. Otherwise, Hibari wouldn't have given her the time of day.
Mukuro's name was a key, one that opened the door to Hibari's sanctuary.
“Then, I'll make him remember with my tonfa.” His tone seemed smug as he looked away, pleased with the thought of beating the other.
“Wouldn't it be pointless if he thought there was no history between you two?”
“I share nothing with that herbivore,” Hibari proclaimed, sneering.
“Cloud Man,” Chrome murmured, frowning with her eyebrows furrowed with retreating. There was no point pushing it further, it seemed like Hibari wasn't willing to listen to her, no matter what.
Mukuro-sama? Chrome tried calling, still worried about what was happening. Are you there?
There was no answer, again.
-x-
“Why won't you speak to me outside of here?” Chrome asked quietly, finally having worked up the courage. It had been a week since Mukuro had first asked who she was, only two days had she ventured to Namimori Middle School for advice-though, it was not received-while the rest of the nights, she'd already wound up in the same place. Just like the first time, she was clad in normal attire.
“Are you saying you want to speak to me more?” Mukuro laughed lowly, twisting her words for his own enjoyment. Similar to the way the real him would've done, she realised. “Be more direct, my Chrome.”
The blood rushed to her cheeks, adorning the pale shade. “Am I a bother to you?”
In her peripheral vision, she saw an eyebrow become arched. “Why would you think that?”
“You only allow me to be with you at night, mostly.” She gripped her trident tighter, staring straight ahead at the sickening shade of green that the grass was painted. “Not when there is a sunset, nor when I am walking around, within Namimori.” The sky was never stained ochre where they were. Since Mukuro had changed it was always night there, only enough light to allow their forms to be visible. “I'm a nuisance to you, Mukuro-sama, and I can't help it.”
“You do not think highly of yourself, Nagi.”
Mukuro had remembered her name. Beforehand, she had not uttered it, nor proclaimed to have been only Chrome. Excitedly, she turned her head, expecting to meet his smug gaze, but instead, she found that they were far too close. Blood rushed to her cheeks as their noses were pressed together, the words caught in her throat. “I-”
He hummed, not pulling away. Purposely making eye contact, Chrome was sure that her eyes were wide, even if one was covered. The trait of blushing easily was working against her, her whole face tainted with the scarlet colour.
“What is it?” A laugh escaped his lips.
“Do you remember anything else?” she asked, hopefully.
For a moment, he was quiet. The same, smug, smirk spread across his lips after. “What if I said, I only remember things concerning you?”
Certainly, Mukuro was back.
-x-
There was no reason for her to be there. Chrome had concluded that Mukuro was back, really, and simply playing around for his amusement. There were too many similarities to his old self at that point in time, the reason for doing such a thing, however, not clear to her. She found herself standing in the stairway of the rooftop, not sure whether to step through.
Her excuse was gone-there was no reason for her to visit Hibari after that, but, maybe, he would've been pleased by the news? Like a cat, pleased that their pray was back, alive and kicking, for them to freely swipe at.
She shook her head, opened the door and was immediately bemused by the gust of wind that hit her. It wasn't a nice day-the clouds proved that, too-yet he was still there, resting against the wall with his arms crossed, and eyes gently closed.
“Why are you here?” Hibari asked, not opening his eyes.
My Chrome, a voice said, softly, within her head, why are you seeing him again?
“E-eh?” she stuttered, flushing when it occurred to her that Mukuro had been answered first. “...I wanted to see you again.” The last time, she added. “Am I being a bother?”
Chrome, Mukuro chastised lightly, he's not interested in you.
“He's not talking to you, therefore it's not crowding.” Hibari frowned, shifting in his position, yet still not opening his eyes. If he did, though, he would've seen that Chrome was flushed again, that time trying to compose herself and not answer to Mukuro aloud. It can happened before, of course, but not why they were both together.
As Hibari yawned, Chrome replied, I know, Mukuro-sama. It was the truth, after all. There were only excuses to see him, the reason he was letting her stay being them. But how did you know I've been seeing him?
Are you forgetting that I know almost everything about you?
“Spit out what you want, quickly.” Hibari opened his eyes, gazing at her with a bored expression. Chrome clutched her trident as she closed her eyes, willing herself to concentrate. If Hibari found out that Mukuro was talking already, that would've been the end of it. Plus, she needed to answer them both, somehow.
“You don't know anything about me.” Her grip tightened. “You just know my name, and that I'm your vessel.” Chrome's voice was coming out quickly as he knuckles turned white. “Are you lying?”
“...What nonsense are you spouting?”
My Chrome, what would I gain from lying? I just don't approve of you going to see him, that's all.
“You shouldn't know who he is,” she defended herself, head falling down as she clutched her trident in confusion. Why was he saying that? “I haven't spoken of him, nor have you asked.”
Were you trying to keep him to yourself? Mukuro chortled, the smirk obvious in his tone. I thought you were mine, Chrome? You know I'm possessive.
“I'm-” The blood rushed to her face. “I'm not yours.” She was just there for convenience, no other reason behind it.
“I never said you were mine, herbivore,” Hibari drawled, pushing himself up from the floor. He sounded infuriated, as though he wasn't within a loop. “Are you idiotic enough to think I wouldn't know he was there?”
“W-wait!” she stuttered, eyes opening with a scarlet face. Talking aloud gave away her position, embarrassment clear within her expression and stance, hinting at what was happening. “He's not there.”
Are you denying my presence?
“Lying is futile.” The sickening gleam of his tonfas were present the next moment, Chrome taking a cautious step back, clutching her trident in one hand as she debated what to do.
This is more amusing than I thought it would be. Shall I switch with you soon, dear Chrome?
“...You were lying.” Her eyebrows were furrowed. “You never lost your memory, did you?”
I was surprised you believed it, Chrome, but it was enjoyable. Look, it even made your crush jealous. He's infuriated that you're paying attention to me, rather than him.
“I don't have a crush on him!” she said loudly, closing her eyes in embarrassment. Only then, when she heard her own voice, did she realise she'd been replying aloud, alerting Hibari, completely, of what was happening.
With her face bright red, Chrome ran towards the exit, trying to ignore the laughter inside of her head.
You're mine, Chrome.