Flashbacks are in italics: Example

Thoughts are italics in Quotations: 'Example'

Word Count: 1273

Loving in His own way

Long ago, Leone Abbacchio had once saved her life.

Perhaps he didn't remember, but it was still fresh in her mind. Both the thought and feeling were always there, present whenever the light-haired man came into contact with her,

'I'll never forget,' She declared, knowing that it was fate that had her meet with him once more, only years later.

Back then, he had been so young and sweet, a deep contrast of the bitter man he was in the present time.

She was well aware he was no longer the same naive boy, but even then, she continued to appreciate the fact.

- And she continued to pay him back with little acts.

Publicly, he was disgraced, but even then, it didn't change her thoughts of him.

She was well aware he was no longer the same starry-eyed male, but even then, she continued to hold onto the same feeling.

Somehow, despite the bitterness, she still loved him.

Somehow, despite his initial shove he'd pushed her away with, she still admired him, pushing back with the only thing she had to offer,

Her heart.

Hushed, she never revealed her reasoning, not wanting him to think of it as something she offered out of obligation, but rather, a simple act of genuine love.

- An act of affection.

' It was the first time I'd ever felt I mattered,' She thought with adoration, always willing to fall back in line with him, and always willing to follow his path.

Slowly, he melted down, becoming close to her, in only a way Abbacchio could ;

Discreetly, with shame, and with the feeling that he didn't deserve to have anything nice come his way.

But she could tell.

She easily read him, knowing just why he'd been so guarded, as well as why he didn't just admit that gradually, he'd fallen in love with her too.

' You think you're so inconspicuous,' She mused.

Occasionally, his hand touched hers, ever so softly that the touch was nearly nonexistent.

Other times he was much more bold, taking hold of them altogether,

With one hand laid onto the seat, he let his small finger inch closer to hers, stopping just as his skin made contact with hers, feeling the chilly touch of her (s/c) skin meet his,

"You cold?" He asked her quietly, scooting closer, the excuse of keeping the conversation between the two of them being what most often became his justification for the close proximity.

" A little," She said smiling halfheartedly, her two hands coming close together, rubbing eachother for warm friction.

"Yeah?" he softly breathed, soon holding her two hands in his, lifting them to his mouth, blowing out warm huffs, coating her fingers with their sweet heat,

"Better?" he said in the same tender tone, causing her entire body to envelope in warmth.

From the roots of her (h/c) colored hair, down to the tips of her toes, she was touched by the warmth.

Breathlessly, she answered, nodding her head as well as she watched him pull up a faint smile,

"Leone...Thank you," she responded.

Often, he'd save the seat next to him, not saying it was meant for her, but going as far as to not let anyone else occupy the space.

In fact, even Bucciarati was warded off, which surprised her.

"Off the chair Narancia," Abbacchio muttered, his golden eyes staying hidden as he kept them close. He didn't move, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back on the chair, a seemingly permanent scowl being displayed.

"Ahhh! Why??" Narancia pouted, his books in hand, all picked right back up and clutched to his chest. " I need to study or else Fugo's gonna get pissed again!" He said worriedly.

"There's another seat over there," Abbacchio added with the same dullness, offhandedly waving his hand over to the other side of the table he knew was empty.

"But Abba-"

"- Go," Leone said sternly, his slouching back fixed upright as he heard a familiar, feminine voice greet everyone in the room,

"Hello Everyone!" (f/n) said smiling, seeing an empty seat beside the long-haired male, graciously taking it, soon getting comfortable as she ordered a small drink.

Across the table, Narancia grumbled, his chin in his hand as he glared dead at the older man.

'I should have known,' Naracnia thought to himself, annoyed as he watched the man push his plate towards the woman, offering her a small pick at his plate,

"I hate mushrooms," Abbacchio said dishearteningly, watching as she happily picked the pieces, loving the savory bits as she paired the veggie with pasta.

"- Why didn't you just ask for them to exclude it," Giorno asked innocently, not having anticipated the sharp glare shot to him by the golden-eyed man. Granted, he was used to Abbacchio's glares, but the one directed at him just then was enough to cut through a diamond.

Dark and menacing, sharp and malicious...

Lifting his hands up in defense, Giorno felt a cold sweat drip down his forehead,

'Wait, What did I do?' He wondered to himself.

An elbow then jabbed at his rib, his green eyes trailing to the dark-eyed male beside him who tried his darndest to keep his eyes down on his own meal,

'Don't', Mista pleaded with worry creased brows, concerned for the golden-haired teen.

In the past, he'd been stupid enough to ask the same exact question, not having put two and two together beforehand.

But it was like this :

(f/n) Liked mushrooms, but Abbacchio didn't.

Abbacchio liked (f/n), so they were always on his plate, just on the side, ordered in a small quantity.

Smiling secretly, (f/n) held back a giggle, knowing how defensive Leone became at the question.

"Leone," she said suddenly, stealing the glowering man's attention, saving Giorno in the process.

"Hmm," Abacchio sounded, responding to her.

"I don't know anything about wine," She said sheepishly, " What would you recommend?" She asked him, and as she expected, he leaned in, his finger trailing below the printed beverages as he gave her small, personal reviews on them.

' Do you remember?' Leone wondered, taking a slow sip of his glass of wine, glancing towards (f/n) as she pushed her plate towards him, giving him a cute grin.

'Because you don't owe me anything,' He thought to himself, smiling graciously at her, taking his fork and picking at the extra strawberry decorating the slice.

'I see you got an extra one... again,' He thought to himself, tickled pink at the very small detail, knowing she would have had to have asked to get two placed at the top.

A little, discrete perk lifted the right corner of his mouth before taking a bite of the sweet fruit.

' It'd been a long time since I'd felt like I mattered,' He thought with adoration for the woman, '...A long time since I'd felt that I had actually made a difference.' He added, thinking back to his days on the force.

'You mean the world to me,' He thought while sticking his fork through the other berry,

'You admire me...

You appreciate me...

You love me...

And I believe it all...Much more, I feel the same.'

"They're really sweet," he said tenderly, hovering it over her mouth, " Even without the frosting," he added, watching as her sweet lips spread apart, accepting the bite with glowing happiness,

"I love...them," He told her, his eyes filled with adoration, connected with hers all the while.

Understanding, she smiled gently,

"I do too, I love them too."

A/N: This started off as a drabble, and then ran its own course.