Disclaimer: KHR is A. Akira's property.
A/N: Why is S80 so damn unpopular?
Singularity
The moment Squalo heard that Yamamoto had lost against Byakuran's underling, it was impossible to tell whether it was anger, rage or fury that set his eyes ablaze, threatening to burn everything with a mere glare.
It wasn't the fact that Yamamoto lost that infuriated him; he couldn't care less about the kid. No, what enraged him was that he had lost against that same kid, ten years ago. He simply couldn't believe that those were Yamamoto's limits. The brat wasn't supposed to have limits, damn it! And certainly not against those weaklings under Byakuran's orders.
Squalo punched the wall next to him with enough strength to make it crack.
"Xanxus isn't going to appreciate seeing a hole in the wall, Squalo."
The white-haired Varia glared with obvious contempt at the man who had just addressed him. That damn Lussuria was quietly sitting on the sofa and having a drink, not even bothered the slightest bit by Squalo's loss of temper.
"Mind your own business, Lussuria! I don't give a fuck about that bastard!" he snapped before walking to the door. As he grabbed the handle, the Varia of Sun stopped him:
"It's because of Yamamoto Takeshi, isn't it?" Lussuria went on, completely ignoring Squalo's fit of anger.
"I don't even want to hear that name! Damn it, that idiotic kid is so plainly stupid it's a wonder he managed to survive."
"If he annoys you so much, why don't you go and teach him a good lesson?"
"Tch. I wish I could do that, but it's not like I can suddenly leave Italy to kick his ass." Squalo grumbled.
"Oho, well I think you can actually. I received a message from Bronco, and guess what it says."
"I don't have time to play riddles so spit it out."
"You should learn patience, my dear Squ'." Lussuria said playfully, but as he saw the other man twitch and raise his blade, he decided it was safer not to tease him any further. "Well, he requests you to kindly come to Japan to become Yamamoto's tutor."
Silence filled the room for several seconds, during which Lussuria couldn't decide on whether it was demon he was seeing in front of him or a human being. Even through his sunglasses, he could have sworn that there was an evil aura enveloping Squalo, and the eerie smirk that was slowly appearing on his lips sent a shiver down his spine.
"His tutor, huh?" Squalo finally spoke again. "Damn right I'm going to tutor him! He's going to regret having lost that fight." And without wasting more time, he left the room, slamming the door behind him.
Lussuria let out a sigh. The poor Yamamoto kid was going to be in serious trouble.
As he arrived at the Japanese base, he was certain he could hear Yamamoto's cheerful voice. Tch, so the brat seemed to have recovered pretty well, didn't he? Well, Squalo was going to make sure he'd wipe that stupid smile off that idiotic face of his.
And for the hundred times, he wondered once again why the kids had been sent to that era, and why the older Takeshi he knew had to be replaced by this damn Yamamoto brat. Even if they were supposed to be the same person, Squalo still couldn't bring himself to call the kid by his first name. I'll call you by your first name when you prove to me that you're worth it. It took your older version years, let's see if you can manage better.
Even at this point, Squalo still couldn't grasp the reason why he hadn't been able to resist Takeshi's innocent yet seductive behaviour through the passing years. He was convinced that the only feelings he bore for the Rain Guardian were contempt and indifference, and yet... and yet whenever he heard that name, it always stirred a whirlpool of confused emotions in which disdain was mixed with a violent passion to crush that ever-smiling man, to run his blade through that tanned chest, to elicit screams from that oh-too-sweet mouth, to ravish that body that Squalo himself had trained, to...
"Damn it!" Squalo cursed as he shook his head. This wasn't the time to get distracted by such thoughts. It was Yamamoto he was going to deal with, not Takeshi; he couldn't afford to mistake them.
Reborn's voice raised from behind the door where he was standing:
"...to know is how Byakuran got into our system..."
A second later, the door was no more to be seen as Squalo kicked it open:
"So security here isn't worth shit, huh? Fucking amateurs." he snapped, not caring about the stunned look on the kids' faces. Of course, Dino knew that he was coming, therefore he was the only one who kept silent at his sight, but that brat, that damn Yamamoto brat just had to yell his name as if he was an apparition from some other dimension:
"Squalo!"
Fucking right. And who else could it be? With a look of irritation, he dumped the tuna he was holding to Dino, barely listening to the Bronco's words:
"Took you long enough, Squalo. You've kept your student waiting."
Said Squalo couldn't care less as he directed his piercing gaze at the Rain Guardian who looked as dumbfounded as the others. The mere sight of the teen standing in front of him roused his fury by ten folds and next thing he knew, he was rushing at Yamamoto.
The moment his blade made contact with Yamamoto's skin, he knew that there was something wrong, but it didn't prevent him from sinking his knee into the boy's chest, with enough strength to make him pass out. A single glance at the lying body was enough for Squalo to understand what was wrong: the idiotic kid had seen the blows coming and yet, he hadn't moved an inch, as if he wanted to be hit. So you knew what was awaiting you, huh? How could such a stupid person exist in this world? Or maybe he had some masochistic tendencies, in which case he wasn't that different from Takeshi.
Squalo mentally shook his head as he picked Yamamoto up and threw him over his shoulder, not caring about the pool of blood at his feet. You're far from being like Takeshi, you piece of trash.
Of course, meanwhile, the other kids were making a whole fuss with "Yamamoto!" and "Did he kill him?" and whatnot.
"Not yet, but I'd like to." Squalo replied sharply. You can't even imagine how much I'd like to. But I can't, otherwise Takeshi would also disappear. "I'll be taking custody of this piece of trash."
Ignoring the protests behind his back, he headed for the exit, and the last thing he heard was Dino saying:
"He understands Yamamoto better than us."
Tch. Nonsense, fucking Bronco. Squalo would never admit that he was able to understand anyone, and certainly not Yamamoto. Their ways of thinking weren't even the slightest bit similar; it was like comparing night and day. Their characters were so opposite that he often wondered how the hell it was possible for them to represent the same element. Honestly speaking, the Varia of Rain had never really understood why his attribute was tranquillity, for it was definitely not his forte. On the other hand, that Yamamoto brat... no, he didn't embody tranquillity. He embodied stupidity, end of the story.
Squalo glanced at the unconscious figure he was carrying, trying not to think too much that in ten years, the teen would become the one man who'd succeed in making him lose his mind.
"Voooiii! Stop spacing out and focus!" Squalo shouted at the exhausted boy in front of him. The long blade on his left arm sank in the tree trunk, a few millimetres only from Yamamoto's face.
"S-Sorry, Squalo. I think I got distracted, hahaha!" the latter apologized between two pants.
Both swordsmen had been sparring for over an hour without any break, and saying that Squalo was merciless was an understatement. Yamamoto's life was put at stake at each second of the training session, and despite all his good will, he could feel that his limits were soon to be reached, to his tutor's utmost irritation.
"You think this is funny?" Squalo asked dryly as he pulled his sword out. "Damn brat, if I was a real enemy, you'd be dead by now. And what the fuck distracted you? We're in the middle of a damn forest with no one else around!"
Again, Yamamoto merely laughed and apologized. What else could he do? There was no way he could tell his tutor that the cause of his distraction was standing right before him, yelling at him because of his lack of attention and threatening him with every kind of possible deaths.
The teen sighed mentally. What was it in Squalo that attracted him so irresistibly? Was is the way his elegant eyebrows were always frowned, or that foul mouth of his that made every insult ring like a praise to his ears, or simply that flowing cascade of snowy hair framing that sharp and hardened face? Maybe it was everything. Maybe it was also the way the Varia of Rain wielded his sword in a unique way that only he could achieve; quick, accurate, and deadly.
Oh, of course Yamamoto wanted to convince himself that it was only admiration that made his eyes follow every single of Squalo's movements and listen to each of his words with attention. And the innocent soul truly believed it. That's why he always ignored the flutters in his chest whenever their arms would touch during a sparring session, or when a few strands of silver hair would brush past his face, or when their faces would somehow get too close for his own comfort.
It was only admiration towards a superior. That was all.
A graze of fire on his shoulder snatched him from his thoughts and he fell on one knee, one hand holding the newly cut flesh.
"Voooiiii! Did you even listen to a single word I said?"
Squalo was standing in front of him, looking visibly pissed and ready to kill him with his glare only. Yamamoto stood up, wincing a bit, but a quick glance at his shoulder showed him that the wound wasn't deep.
"If I had been serious, your arm would be lying a few meters away by now." Squalo spat out. "What the fuck were you thinking?"
"I guess I spaced out a bit too much, hahaha..." the teen explained, though he didn't even sound convincing.
"... You're hopeless. Let's stop for today. It's getting late anyway. Bring back some wood and make a fire, we need to talk seriously." the older man ordered as he turned his back to Yamamoto.
"Ok!" Yamamoto replied cheerfully, but as he was about to leave, his tutor's voice rose again:
"... and treat your damn wound before it gets infected."
"I will!"
Tch. You damn brat. Bronco owes me one for taking care of you.
Squalo looked at his blade on which a thin trail of blood that wasn't his was dripping on the ground. Slowly, very slowly, he put the blade closer to his mouth and brought the crimson liquid to his lips. He closed his eyes to savour the faint, metallic taste spreading in his mouth, and memories suddenly flashed through his mind.
Memories of Takeshi gasping under him as he licked the open wound on his cheek, and calling his name in soft pleas with a husky voice. Memories of that same man teasing him on purpose simply to annoy him, because "The wilder, the better, Squalo." And of course, Squalo would never be able to resist the urge to make him shut up by sealing their lips together and biting on them to taste the single drop of blood he could drew. Squalo was very well aware that he had a certain fascination for blood, or rather, for Takeshi's blood.
But the blood he was tasting right now wasn't Takeshi's, it was Yamamoto's. Squalo clicked his tongue out of annoyance, trying to shake the kid off his mind but failing miserably.
"Tch. Damn brat." he cursed for the hundredth time.
Yamamoto had everything for Squalo to hate him; his jovial character, his carefree attitude, his passion for that pointless sport – baseball – that prevented him from focusing entirely on swordsmanship. Naturally, Takeshi also possessed all those traits, and yet it wasn't the same. And it wasn't only because Takeshi was ten years older than Yamamoto. They were just... different, even if they were supposed to be one and only person.
For instance, Squalo doubted that Yamamoto had as much endurance as his older self to stand entire nights in the Varia of Rain's care, that he could cry out the same passionate cries of pain and pleasure while asking for more, that he could manage to sate Squalo's hunger for his body as much as Takeshi could.
Yamamoto was just a teen who still needed to be trained properly. Squalo pinched the bridge of his nose, visibly tired of thinking too much. He hated thinking; to him, impulses and recklessness were far better than careful thoughts for the simple reason that he didn't have to wonder about being right or wrong.
After all, it was an impulse that had prompted him to pin Takeshi against the wooden floor of the room where they were training, to smash their lips together and claim his mouth with unsuspected violence, to tear his clothes apart and take him on the spot, without a single warning. And the strangest of all was that the Rain Guardian hadn't even resisted; instead, he had welcomed Squalo with open arms and his usual smile.
Fuck you.
It was a well-known fact that Squalo wasn't one to keep his temper easily, but there was a small detail that everyone ignored: Takeshi was the only one who was able to make him snap instantly until his loss of control rendered both of them breathless and panting with sweat-covered bodies. But now, the only one left was Yamamoto, who still had a long way to go to satisfy Squalo's frustration.
"Squalo? Didn't you say you wanted to talk?" a voice behind him almost made him jump.
The long-haired male cursed silently before turning round to see that Yamamoto was sitting on the ground, a fire crackling and lighting the area. It was evening, and the sky was already dark, though it was partly hidden by the numerous trees of the forest.
The teen was looking – no, gazing – at Squalo with his brown eyes which were reflecting the dancing flames, and for a second, it seemed to Squalo that it was Takeshi who was watching him with that gentle and inviting smile of his; but he quickly shook the thought off his head. No, the one facing him wasn't Takeshi. Not yet.
"Do you think you're worthy of being a Guardian?" the Varia of Rain asked dryly out of the blue. Yamamoto was obviously taken off guard by the sudden question for he scratched his head during several seconds before finally replying:
"Well, I try my best to support Tsuna and..."
"Don't give me that crap." Squalo interrupted him, pissed off. "If what I saw of you is supposed to be your best, then you're as good as dead. What the fuck is wrong with you? I could have killed you dozens of times today!"
"I know, I'm sorry. I'll focus more tomorrow." Yamamoto replied, a faint smile gracing his lips.
"Tch. You'd better. There isn't much time left before the bunch of you go kick Byakuran's ass, and I'll make sure you aren't going to lose a single match from now on."
"Haha, thanks for tutoring me, Squalo."
"You scum, it's not like I'm tutoring because I want to so don't go thank me so easily!" the older male snapped. "Damn it, you're as stupid as your ten-year older version."
"Speaking of which, did I... I mean, did the future "me" get along with you?" Yamamoto asked, and this time, it was Squalo's turn to be caught unawares.
"Why the fuck are you asking that all of a sudden?" he asked back, maybe a bit too harshly.
"I'm just curious." the teen answered innocently.
"Tch, curiosity kills the cat. And don't change the topic. You still haven't answered my question: do you think you're worthy of being a Guardian?"
Yamamoto sighed, though his faint smile didn't leave his lips.
"I wish I were. I know I lost against Genkishi, but I swear it'll be the last time I disappoint Tsuna."
"Your resolve is laughable." Squalo snapped.
"It's not! I'm really serious!"
"So am I. And you want me to tell you why you won't manage a damn thing in your current state? It's because you lack devotion."
"Devotion?" Yamamoto asked, puzzled.
"You heard me. As long as you don't make up your mind, you won't achieve anything."
"Make up my mind? What do you mean?" The question elicited an exasperated 'tch' from Squalo who glared at the younger boy:
"Exactly what I said. Your mind is split up, and as long as it remains in that state, you remain a worthless piece of trash."
Even if Yamamoto knew it was Squalo's usual way of speaking, his heart sank at the Varia's last words.
Hours passed, and yet Yamamoto still couldn't find sleep. It wasn't because of the chilly air of the forest surrounding him, or because of the constant hoot of the several owls; no, it was because of Squalo's words. The teen was very well aware that Squalo was still sitting by the fire, for he could feel the man's piercing gaze on his back and it was making him shudder. He pulled the blanket a bit more on him, as if to hide from Squalo's gaze.
On that night, Squalo had asked him to choose between the sword and baseball. On that night, he had asked him to choose between his duty and his passion. Naturally, Yamamoto had chosen the sword, and for a second, the teen thought he had seen a glimmer of satisfaction in his tutor's silver eyes. But then, he had spoiled everything by adding that it was only temporary, that after the battle was over, he'd come back to baseball.
And even if Yamamoto forced himself to laugh at Squalo's burst of anger at that reply, inwardly he wanted to punch himself for disappointing his tutor. In a way, Yamamoto was jealous of Squalo. He wanted to be like that man; strong, firm, unshakeable and entirely devoted to his blade.
It was at that moment the young Guardian realized the gap that separated him from Squalo. Everything in them was complete opposite and there was no way Yamamoto could reach that man's level.
There was no way he could reach that man.
He tossed and turned again, not understanding why his mind was so obsessed with Squalo. It was beyond mere admiration, he realized, though he still couldn't name which feeling it was that was drawing him inexorably to the Varia of Rain.
"Just sleep already, damn brat." A sharp voice made him jump. "You'll need to be in shape for tomorrow's training."
Yamamoto sat up and rubbed his eyes before looking at the man who had addressed him. Squalo was indeed sitting by the fire, but he wasn't looking at him. The teen couldn't help the fascination that seized him whenever his eyes lingered on Squalo, on the pure white strands of hair falling carelessly on his shoulders, on the rough yet beautiful features of his pale face, on those lips that could only utter harsh words... God, it was going beyond fascination.
"Squalo..." the name escaped Yamamoto's lips involuntarily but it was audible enough for the said Squalo to turn his eyes to the boy.
"What?" he asked dryly, but Yamamoto merely answered with his usual laugh.
"Nothing, really."
"Then just go back to sleep already."
"Say, Squalo... can you tell me more about my older self?"
The long-haired man twitched at the question, visibly annoyed.
"What are you, a narcissist?" he sneered.
"I was just curious since I didn't really have the chance to talk to him."
"Takesh-He's no different from you." Squalo quickly corrected himself, though he silently cursed at his tongue had almost slipped. "An idiot. That's all." he said out loud, while his mind was saying something rather different. He's got nothing to do with you, little brat. You can't even compare with him.
"Hahaha, I guess idiots don't change, do they?" Yamamoto went on cheerfully. "And... what did he choose? I mean, between baseball and the sword?"
Squalo didn't reply immediately, for the answer was simply not something he could tell Yamamoto so casually. Takeshi didn't choose any. He chose me, of course.
Yamamoto tilted his head on the side with a curious expression on his face. He patiently waited for Squalo to answer; yet, after long seconds of silence, even his patience started eroding.
"Squalo?" he called again.
"You're annoying, damn brat." the other man replied, annoyed. "Grow ten years older and you'll have your answer."
"I guess you're right. It's better if I don't know the answer, otherwise it could influence my own choice."
Squalo ignored the last remark as he let his eyes wander to Yamamoto. The latter was sitting with his knees pulled to his chest and both arms wrapped around them and his chin resting on them. For once, the older male failed at deciphering the expression Yamamoto was pulling; the teen looked abnormally serious and deep in thought, as if something was troubling him. Well, it's not like Squalo wanted to bother with trying to find out what the stupid brat was thinking.
"Hey, Squalo."
"What again?"
"Have you never liked anything else but swordsmanship? I mean, another passion or something like that?" Yamamoto asked softly.
"No." The immediate answer made Yamamoto raise an eyebrow.
"And I guess that even now, you still don't like anything else." he commented, more to himself than for Squalo to hear.
"Damn right." Squalo replied, though at the same moment, the image of a certain Rain Guardian crossed his mind. I certainly don't like Takeshi. He's just a stress reliever. Or so he wanted to convince himself.
"I don't know if I'll ever be able to be like you..." Yamamoto murmured. "I really do want to improve to support Tsuna, but..."
"Shut up." Squalo interrupted him sharply. "If you want to improve, then learn how to stay silent for once." Though I don't mind hearing your older self screaming and begging for more.
The Varia of Rain mentally cursed himself. No matter what, it seemed that he couldn't rid his mind of Takeshi. And was it his imagination, or the temperature had suddenly increased? It had to be because of the fire. Yes, the fire. Yet, whenever he looked at Yamamoto, he couldn't help but picture the boy's face with sharper traits, a longer face, a scar on his chin and eyes that reflected ten years of constant battles. But what he missed the most was the serious and sometimes sad look in those brown eyes and the cool and reassuring aura that only Takeshi could give off.
Enough. His self-control had limits, and they weren't very hard to reach. He stood up abruptly and walked to Yamamoto who raised questioning eyes at him, and without any warning, roughly pinned the teen on the ground.
Yamamoto winced as his head met with the hard ground but was even more surprised when he saw the look Squalo was giving him. He couldn't decide on whether it was irritation, anger or something else. But the mere fact of having Squalo's face at only a few inches of his, with a few long strands of hair tickling his cheek, was enough to leave him speechless. He could feel his heartbeat racing in spite of himself, and it was only thanks to his natural ability to remain cool in any kind of situation that he managed not to panic.
"S-Squalo?" he asked cautiously.
"You're a fucking, stupid and annoying brat." the man above him spat out, and before Yamamoto even had the time to answer anything, his lips were sealed by Squalo's own. He opened his eyes wide.
It wasn't exactly what one could call a kiss; to Yamamoto, it felt more like being attacked by a starving person as his lips were literally devoured by Squalo. His representative animal wasn't a shark for nothing, after all. Yamamoto suddenly felt like a prey being eaten up by a voracious predator, and strangely enough, the natural instinct that was telling him to fight back for his survival was completely off. And when Squalo grabbed his chin to force his mouth open, he merely complied, not even resisting when a tongue was shoved inside of his mouth. His palate recognized the faint taste of black coffee, but his mind didn't have more time to analyze the savour filling his mouth as Squalo gripped his shoulder a bit more tightly, making him wince again.
He made an attempt at emitting a sound, but it was quickly muffled by Squalo's tongue rubbing against his palate, and a moan escaped him involuntarily. He felt his cheeks getting warm, but he also felt the lack of air in his lungs and even if he wasn't in a state to think clearly, he could still tell that it was going to be problematic if Squalo didn't allow him to breathe.
His fingers reached for Squalo's hair, slipping them tentatively in the snowy locks falling on him, until he accidentally brushed Squalo's cheek. The mere contact was enough to make the older male pull back abruptly.
Squalo stared at the flushed boy underneath him in disbelief; how the hell had he come to this? An urge, an impulse, a whim; he could call it however he wanted, the fact wouldn't change. An accident. Squalo snorted silently. Yeah, right, a damn accident that had prompted him to kiss Yamamoto who was now... bewildered, to say the least.
"Squalo?" the teen asked again.
"Shut up." Squalo snapped as he stood up and turned away, furious against himself.
"But why did you..."
"Just shut up! At least, Takeshi knew when to stay silent..." the Varia of Rain let out before biting his lip. Damn it.
Yamamoto's heart leapt in his chest when he heard Squalo say his first name. It was the first time he heard it from that man, and for some reason, it sounded really nice. He was dying to ask Squalo about why, how and whatnot, but he knew that the latter would only get more pissed off if he talked again; yet his curiosity was too strong and he made a new attempt:
"Did my older version..."
"Fucking, annoying kid!" Squalo interrupted him as he turned round again, irritation painted all over his face. "You don't need to know what happened between him and me. For now, your main business is to grow stronger to defeat those pieces of shit, got it?"
A faint smile graced Yamamoto's lips as he nodded silently. Some day or another, he'd know.
"Fine." Squalo went on with a cooler tone. "Now kid, let's make a deal. Beat the crap out of Byakuran and his trash underlings, and I may tell you something interesting."
"What kind of thing?" Yamamoto blurted out without thinking.
"Are you an idiot or something? What's the point if I tell you now?" Squalo retorted back.
"Haha, I guess you're right. Then I'm looking forward to hearing it!" the younger boy laughed.
"Show me that you're worth something and we'll see."
"I'll try my best then!"
Tch. If that was enough of an incentive for you, then you really are a kid.
"For now just get some rest already. Don't think I'll go easy on you tomorrow because of what happened tonight." he added sharply, and despite the harsh tone, Yamamoto's smile broadened as he replied:
"I guess you wouldn't. Good night, Squalo!"
The battle was over and it was soon time for the Guardians to go back to the past. Yamamoto was standing by the cliff, waiting patiently for Squalo to join him, which he did a few minutes later. The teen's face lit up when he saw the familiar silhouette walking to him, but inwardly, his heart sank as the usual blade on his arm was no more. Still, he greeted him with a wide smile:
"Squalo!"
"I'm not deaf, brat. No need to shout my name like that." the older male replied, annoyed.
"Haha, sorry about that. So, are you going to tell me?" Yamamoto asked.
"Tch, impatient kid."
"But you said you'd tell me if..."
"I said 'I may tell you'." Squalo corrected him and smirked when he saw Yamamoto's expression change. "But I suppose you deserved the right to know."
Immediately, a smile appeared again on the Rain Guardian's face. Squalo snorted mentally. It was so easy to please that kid.
"So, is there something specific you want to know?" he asked dryly.
Obviously, it had been bothering Yamamoto seriously for his answer was instantaneous:
"What happened between you and the older me?"
"Tch." Of course it had to be that question. Squalo had expected it, after all. Now the question was: what was he going to tell him, and how? It wasn't as if he could say that he had a great time fucking Yamamoto's older self. Yet, Squalo wasn't well-known for his sense of delicacy, and after a full minute of silent and fruitless thoughts, he merely said:
"Let's say Takeshi's body is very delectable." Squalo smirked at the sight of Yamamoto's widening eyes. "What? Don't tell me you're surprised. According to him, you've been lusting after me for quite a while, haven't you?"
Yamamoto blushed furiously and opened his mouth but it seemed he was unable to find anything decent to say.
"Just close that mouth of yours, you look like a goldfish." Squalo sneered.
"Well... but..."
Squalo came striding over to Yamamoto and grabbed his chin with his only hand and stared into the hazel eyes.
"He told me your obsession for me started right after our first encounter." he went on, and the teen shivered at the closeness of their faces. "But I have no interest in you." Squalo released him and stepped back. "Not in the current you, at least. You're not Takeshi, not yet."
"But I'll become him someday." Yamamoto retorted.
"Tch. You're not even denying that you're obsessed with me. Shameless kid."
Yamamoto laughed at those words, and for a second, Squalo thought it was the older version who was laughing.
"There's no point in denying something that I told you myself!" the Rain Guardian explained.
"Idiot. I told you you're not Takeshi yet. For now, you're just a stupid and irritating kid." Squalo snapped.
"I suppose I am." the said kid replied happily, which made Squalo sigh.
"Now listen. Before you go back to the past..."
"It's rather 'present' for me." Yamamoto corrected, making the other man twitch.
"Don't interrupt me! You're just so damn annoying... Anyway, before you go back to the past, I'll give you a piece of advice. I won't repeat it so you'd better listen carefully."
Squalo turned away so Yamamoto was now facing his back, and paused a few seconds, and as he spoke, the grin on the teen's face couldn't have been broader:
"I have no interest in you, but my younger self didn't dislike stupid and irritating kids. Far from that. If you don't get the hint, then you're a desperate idiot."
As Squalo slightly turned his head on the side, Yamamoto could have sworn there was a faint smile on the swordsman's lips.
Returning to the past – or the present – was going to prove interesting.
This was done for a contest on Aarinfantasy. If you enjoyed reading this, I'd appreciate some comments :]