Sunset Hue (KHR Fanfiction)

The Monastery

It was to a raging headache that Mia awoke to. The worst that she experienced yet. Thousand of needles pricked from the base of her skull to her temples and when she opened her eyes, it was like staring into the sun. She hissed. After a moment that felt like hours, her death grip on the sheets loosened slowly.

"Don't move too much." Mia faintly recognize her Pa's voice.

"Pa...?" she croaked.

"Here, drink slowly." He carefully lifted her head and pressed a glass to a lips. Slowly, she took a few sips. Not wanting to burden her Pa for long, she gathered her strength and gingerly pushed herself up to sit. It wasn't any better now that she was sitting but it beat having to lay down. She took a moment to absorb her surroundings, how her clothes were sticking uncomfortably to her skin, the sunlight streaming through the windows, and the stinging of a different pain across her arms and legs.

It took a while for last night's memories to catch up to her, as they did, she had to stop the wave of nausea threatening to overcome her.

"How is it that every time I see you, you look worse than you did before?"

Of course Mukuro had to be here. But why now? Why Pa?

"Calm yourself,it was not my intention to possess your father." Mukuro huffed. Pa's form faded and Mukuro took his place on the chair. "My connection with Chrome was blocked - I couldn't reach her for days and when I felt a new connection open up, naturally, I came to investigate. Your father seemed to have scratched himself on my trident." To prove it, he showed her the small nick on his left palm. "I had no choice but come over and fortunately, at the right time too."

His explanation did little to ease the feeling in her chest that was threatening to explode into a full blown panic attack.

"Calm down," Mukuro repeated. "The sooner I know, the faster I'll leave and there's no point in telling me what's going on with the Mafia. I have heard whispers from the Underworld... enemies are flocking to eliminate the Vongola's Tenth heir before he succeeds the Ninth."

Her mind was heavy but the fear in her heart worked through the fog. Mukuro genuinely sounded like he wanted to know but she couldn't shake off the fear he might use Pa's body against her. No, it was better to comply. "T-Then what do you want to know?"

"Last night," he started. She flinched. "You were behaving unlike yourself. Almost as if you were... sleepwalking." He paused. "Or possessed."

The headache returned in full force, almost splitting her head in two. She held her head, trying to keep her skull together. But she could feel it. There, lurking in the corner of her mind she felt it watching her.

"You'll pierce your own head doing that." Mukuro said quietly as he pulled her hands away. "Here." He pressed something against her face. A towel? Mia blinked as the pain faded. It was then she realized her nose was bleeding. Her fingers trembled as she took the towel and tried to staunch the flow.

"When you fought my control you had the same reaction. I don't believe you can fight it for much longer... not unless you want to die from blood loss." He took some pillows and stuffed them behind her.

If Mia hadn't been so distressed with her current situation, she would have been horrified at how Mukuro was uncharacteristically kind in treating her. As if he sensed it as well, he pulled back and glared at his hands.

"Kufufu, how unpleasant." He shook his head and returned to his seat by her side. "Anyhow, you're far more collected than I thought you would be."

Was she? Mia didn't know. Now that Mukuro brought it up, she could no longer deny the presence that lingered in her mind that grew stronger with every passing moment. It didn't move but she could feel it waiting, watching and it freaked her out. She tried not to focus on it yet but had a horrible feeling it was waiting for her to let her guard down. "You said... the Order came what is owed. You think — you think they sent that bird after me?" Did they know what she was thinking? Was this a warning?