No Activation

By EXION

Iemitsu: had no idea that the seemingly 17-year old kid his wife had been keeping secret from him is actually not his son, but his great-great grand-uncle. Hibari: if disrupting the order was what it takes to make the mysterious Nami High's banchou appear, he might just do it. Reborn: is the tutor whose student disappears into thin air whenever he gets closer than 2 meters. Vampire!Tsuna, drabble-y in no chronological order, OOC.
*Disclaimer: You know the drill. Don't own.

*Repeat warning: the OOC is serious. And you, kind reader you, be my beta please.

For you guys who coincidentally read Wrong Sky to Ground the Flighty and found this, I hope I can make up for the lack of bro-con Hibari in the past months with this and even though it's not the same Hibari and there's no Harry it's still Hibari so it should be fine right ehehe *ignore me

Weakness

The sun burns. Its very rays are acid on his skin, charring the pale white and whatever tissue beneath it into black. Just once, this once, he allowed himself to taste physical pain. He needed to wake up. All of the hard work he's done since forever, crumbled in just a phone's call. He wanted to get angry, throw a tantrum, and break something. But he was no longer the age to do so. The tears streaming down his cheeks too, their only witness is himself. He cannot let Nana see them. He can't blame her. She is still so young, still clinging to her emotions.

He had tried to wash away his regrets. That he should have known better, that he should have left the memories of his idiot brother the way it is. He shouldn't have chased the remnants of his legacy that is Namimori. His intuition once flared, reminding him that it was his fate, which he was meant to finally stop running away. But it never made his heart easier, because at the back of his mind, there was always a little part of him, a child who was never ready for change and clung to his sentiments like a lifeline. It kept reminding him how he had spent the years remembering, holding back from his desires, and being alone.

'Tsunayoshi-sama, why can't you meet Iemitsu? He's a good man, and he loves me! Could it be… you don't approve of us together…? …That's not the case? Thank god, I thought I had to choose between you and him, Tsunayoshi-sama…'

'He's not coming again… Will he come next year? I can't wait!'

'Tsunayoshi-sama, please don't leave, I can't leave Namimori, he'd be worried, and I- I can't… please…'

'Oh, it's a postcard from Iemitsu! Tsunayoshi-sama, look!'

'Tsunayoshi-sama, I… I might have mentioned your name to Iemitsu a-and he thought you were his son…'

'It's fine? Really? Tsunayoshi-sama, thank you so much… Y-you have no idea how this means so much to me…'

Nana. She was so desperately in love with Iemitsu that she used her most—or used to be most precious person as bait so he'd come home. She was so afraid of him getting angry that she lied. She did it in tears of guilt and fear and also of hope. She didn't know that he knew. The damage's already been done, and he has no choice but to face it. Blaming it on Nana would be worse. Better he keep to himself than let her drown in guilt… Even if she's turned so weak-willed and untrusting to him from her meeting with Iemitsu, she was still Nana, his companion for years.

If he were to have one weakness, he'd let it be Nana.

Placated

Takeshi is persistent.

"Yamamotooo... how many times do I have to tell you I cannot? And you should stop running to me every time. If you keep everyone at arm's length, you won't get any other friend."
The tall black-haired kid with Japanese features, Yamamoto Takeshi, grinned and scratched the back of his neck. "But Senpai, you don't hang out with your peers either."

"You should have taken what I said before as 'Leave me the- alone', kouhai. I have friends; I don't really care for the rest of the population. And not everyone's heads are filled with baseball like you. I've to study for university, you know." The senior sighed as Takeshi chuckled and fell in step with him.

"Senpai, studying's a joke to you. I know what you're doing when you say you're studying. You just covered a manga with your textbook."
The brown-haired senior narrowed his eyes; the dark brown orbs glinted in the dim shade of the sidewalk trees. "How'd you know? Anyway, if you're going to drag me to your baseball field or the arcade again, I'm not seeing your face. Ever."
"Maa, Tsuna-senpai, you're not the pouty type. It looks horrible on you." He laughed when his senpai kicked the back of his knee for that. "If you're going to continue, at least tell me why you are so against spending time with me."

Tsunayoshi, Takeshi's three-year senior, averted his eyes and stared into the distance with an almost gentle expression. The soft brown locks that fell down from the hood of the third-year's orange fleece swayed slightly in the breeze, framing the dainty features of his face. Yamamoto thought absently about his senpai's rabid fangirls and how now he noticed that it wasn't all that weird that they go 'savage' around the brunette. His senpai had this otherworldly beauty about him- even a simple shirt would look ethereal if it's on him, and Yamamoto's not exaggerating. There was a mass fainting event when Tsuna-senpai visited his class in the Junior High to return the bento box Yamamoto gave him the day before.

(His old man told him to give Tsuna-senpai the bento. Takeshi himself wasn't sure if Tsuna-senpai even eats anything for lunch. He certainly never ate anything in front of him, and the pale-skinned senpai generally avoids sunlight and outdoor activities. However unhealthy his senpai's habits are, said Namimori High's model student looked healthier than most save his pale skin (which most people say it's because his father's a foreigner, but Takeshi noticed that even foreigners aren't supposed to be that pale). His old man was a little irritated that Takeshi's closest friend never paid the sushi restaurant a visit and shoved two bento boxes to Takeshi one morning. Takeshi was suspicious that his old man actually expected senpai to return the lunchbox to the house, not to Takeshi.)

Tsunayoshi-senpai was still silent when they reached the intersection where their way parts. His senpai wasn't mad, he know that much. Sawada Tsunayoshi's innate kindness draws everyone to him, and he's not easily angered despite his apparent dislike of the badgering he gets from people.

Contrary to the popular belief, Yamamoto is observant and serious. (About anything he likes, particularly baseball and... Tsuna-senpai.)

Takeshi respected his privacy and he wasn't going to pry; but there was something serious his senpai hid from him. And he doesn't like the feeling he had that senpai could be hiding it exactly for his sake. It's just a hunch, but it settled uncomfortably in the back of his mind. "Maa, maa, senpai, I was just joking. Please just spare some time for your kouhai, okay."

He grinned, even though the words felt wrong and left a foul taste in his mouth. Tsuna-senpai nodded. The brunette sent a cursory glance over him, but he looked like he had taken some damage just from doing that.

It was as if someone has just punched him in the gut, and his expression turned thunderous for a moment. Was that… a flash of orange in his eyes?

"Yamamoto..."

"…?"

"You know… I think you actually don't know. I have no intention of keeping my secrets forever."

"Hahaha! Senpai, it's f-"

"And you're my friend, okay?"

"Sure I- Wait."

"So you just gotta be patient like friends should do."

Tsuna-senpai's expression was kind as always, but the thick, impenetrable tension blanketing the afternoon air was suffocating. Takeshi swallowed thickly. "Senpai, I am being patient."

The slight frown on his senpai's face grew more pronounced. Takeshi had to wonder what exactly he did to make him feel so offended. Senpai was fine when he said he was joking, until he turned to face him.

Oh. Oh.

"You noticed." The brunette smiled. "It's okay, Yamamoto. If you're so curious, I won't get mad if you push. I will if you give up on me like that. Don't ever use that plastic smile on me again, kouhai."

Tsuna-senpai is extremely sensitive to everything, and without doubt had seen something wrong with the grin plastered on Takeshi's face earlier. The plastic smile was Takeshi's regular smile; he used it every day, every time he passed by familiar and foreign faces alike. The only people to see his sincere smile was his father and Tsuna-senpai. To not pretend is the symbol of trust and honesty between them, and never once did Tsuna-senpai fake or lie to him. Whatever the older student wanted to keep, he'd say outright that he can't tell instead of covering it up with a lie. And Takeshi too has secrets and his own insecurities, but Tsuna-senpai had this uncanny people-reading abilities. Takeshi is like an open book to Tsuna, and he's grateful that Tsuna knows him well. It was that sometimes it feels unfair that he doesn't know Tsuna-senpai as well as Tsuna-senpai does him. He shouldn't have gotten impatient and expected his senpai to open up just as fast…

"Senpai… I-I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay! Let me tell you something."

"I

Am

Allergic

To sunshine."

Before he knows it, Takeshi fell again for the small smile and warm gaze of the brunette. There was no doubt and he had no intention to deny it or lie to himself, because Tsuna-senpai is the kind of person who's worth falling over and over again, even if he knows next to nothing about him. Takeshi shook his head from the rather gloomy train of thought (because the probability of his senpai reciprocating is really small—the older student is still treading on eggshells with him) and paused to digest what was actually said.

"Senpai… That's lame. Why did you even hide that from me?"

Ryouhei

It was a particularly cold winter when he first met him. He remembered bullies trying to harass Kyouko, his dearest sister, and the pure white shine of the snow blinding his eyes. They stung, both from the droplets of blood from the glancing stone in the snow when he fell earlier and from his held back tears. It was extremely pathetic and not extreme of him, but he felt helpless for the first time in his life. Kyouko was crying silently, four upperclassmen surrounding her and her hands trembled, holding the strap of her bag while he was pinned face first to the ground by two boots, struggling to get up. It didn't really work. The two guys that had one of their feet on him were ridiculously overweight, and Ryouhei hadn't felt the effects of his push-ups and lifting yet. Not to mention he felt something broke, and a sharp pain somewhere in his ribs.

"Matsuda, this shrimp is reeeally tenacious! He really doesn't know when to give up, yeah?" The high-pitched voice of the obese guy near him pierced his ears. "Do you think he'd scream if we step on his hands?"

"N-no!"

"Do it, should be okay since he broke my nose with it. Kyouko-chan, you don't have to see."

Ryouhei gritted his teeth, readying himself for the pain that was sure to come. But then something unexpected happened and Ryouhei saw, with wide eyes as he felt the weight on his back eased, two faces kissed the ground beside him.

"Which high school are you guys from?" It was a calm, gentle voice with the faintest hint of threat. Ryouhei tried to get up and see, but his body hurts too much to do it. He only managed to catch a glimpse of the hem of a soft orange jacket and what looked like Nami High's uniform trousers.

One of the upperclassmen surrounding Kyouko scoffed, albeit not just a little discouraged by the swift disposal of two of his cronies. "Whatsit to ya?!" In two brisk steps, the stranger closed the distance between him and the bullies. Three of them visibly recoiled, obviously not as foolhardy as their leader to dismiss the danger that the stranger emitted. "D-don't come closer! Or…" The leader, Matsuda-something, grabbed the back of Kyouko's upper arm and the back of her shirt collar. Ryouhei tried again to get up, ignoring the stinging pain; his mind racing with worries for his little sister. When Ryouhei managed to bring himself into a sitting position, the stranger turned his head to look at him.

Their eyes met, and Ryouhei was sure the stranger was saying 'leave this to me' with his strange amber eyes. It was weird, but he felt strangely content to trust the stranger, who wore a face even colder than the bullies'. He usually stayed away from those types of people who can make people feel terrified just by existing; those types of people who lacks remorse for irreparable injuries and possesses cold-blooded ruthlessness. There was an extremely strong student in his school too, but Ryouhei hadn't approached him for the boxing club because he fulfilled the no-category. But this stranger, there was something different in his gaze, and Ryouhei nodded stiffly to give him okay-to-proceed. It wasn't as if he could take on the bullies on his own with his current state.

Satisfied, the stranger returned to Ryouhei's upperclassmen. "Or what? Not high school, from your uniform." The stranger murmured. "But well, you've made yourselves fair game. I suppose it's better than waiting for the guy from junior high to show you your place."

And Ryouhei watched in a mixture of awe and fear when the stranger took out the bullies in a matter of seconds. A well-placed series of blows to the neck soon saw the offending students to the ground. Kyouko looked like she wanted to say something, but she was quiet, and her tears had stopped. Did his sister know this person? But she had never mentioned any male friend before. "Kyouko-chan, you okay?"

"Y-yes…" His sister nodded, a faint blush blooming on her cheek.

Suddenly something clicked.

"A-are you e-extremely Kyouko's boyfriend?!"

Weakness II

"What the hell are you doing?!"

It was Kyouya who finally approached him in the harsh sunlight. "I'm just tanning my arms."

He was on the roof of his room, with his hood up and sleeves rolled up to the elbow. Okay… not really tanning, maybe charring. They looked horrible in black, and it hurts. So much, and is good because he did it for the pain. He feels sorry for Kyouya though. The peeling off, crispy-crinkled skin managed to spook him- who can hardly be surprised from anything- surely it would look worse from Kyouya's eyes. The younger teen just stood there, disbelief and barely hidden anger clashed to take place in his face. Then, in a jerky motion, probably because he's still shocked, the prefect crouched and pulled his sleeve down with utmost care all while glaring at him still.

Tsunayoshi couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt and a little happiness that he cared enough to worry about something like this. He couldn't stop the ends of his mouth to twitch upward a little, though. Seriously, this guy is just too adorable.

For a second, all the worries from Nana's slip up washed off.

…Did Giotto feel this way too about Alaude? He was never close enough to the man to know him beyond the cold exterior (it's easier to get cuffed and thrown far away than starting a conversation with him), but Kyouya looked like the man's twin. He could even be his reincarnation or something.

And this reels him back into the topic of 'Avoiding Giotto's-Guardians-Lookalike'. To think of it, he once considered the idea of having his own family with them as his 'guardians'. He honestly liked them. Well enough that he thought he should just step into the sun and stay there if they die. They are odd, some are extreme, but they wormed their own way into his life and he just can't, and don't want to lose them. They are like the chains that tether him from the insanity that threatens to invade his mind since Nana's breakdown.

It's just his fate that the recent development of events here typed 'get away' in bold uppercase.

Sawada Iemitsu, chief of CEDEF, thought he had a son. The son had a group of friends with the right flames, is the carbon copy of Vongola's first boss, does have sky flames and has shown control over his power. To add cherry to the cake, the son is already in contact with the mafia world. In other words, once Iemitsu comes here, it's Tsunayoshi's kingdom come- if he doesn't do something about it.

And damn right he will do something. He has decided.

Quenching the bitterness and last bits of reluctance, he looked up. Kyouya was looming over him with a face that would send him running were he a lesser person. It should be scary, but he noticed that he's also trying to block as much sun as he can. He really should stop prying deeper into Kyouya's actions; he couldn't help to smile and whenever he figured out something, which happens often. And Kyouya hates people who smile too often. Tsunayoshi shuddered when he thought that the prefect would meet one of his 'friends', a vendicare escapee sooner or later. One cunning, overfamiliar, and a mist to boot; Kyouya's complete opposite.

As much as he hates putting his friends in danger, most of them are already deep in it. Their flame potentials are prominent, clear as day, and if they don't get kidnapped by a shady family, they'd probably end up joining a family as hitmen or something. Better get things going before any of that happening.

"Sorry for the scare. I was in need of some kind of wake-up slap, you see… People of questionable professions will come to Namimori. They are after me and in extension, you, Ryouhei, and Yamamoto. And some more people too, I- I'm not saying you should get buddy-buddy with them or something!" Tsunayoshi quickly corrected, and and Kyouya's gaze softened for a second.

"…"

He will fight for them. He can never trade them for his past.

"I have a favor to ask. I need the help of others too, and if you agree, they most likely would too. It's called the sealing of flame. Ever heard of it?"

"…Shut up. And get inside. Any more sunbathing and I'll bite you to death."

Reminiscent

"They look so much like them, brother." He curled up in his covers, voice hoarse. Nana wasn't home, no one would hear him talking, but he couldn't speak louder. The silence was deafening, and he felt his heart squeeze painfully in his chest. His room was dark and cold, so much like the corner of his mind where he seeks solace. To the room he poured his heart out, years and years of forlorn pining catching up and breaking his guard.

"I think I saw Asari's twin today. He's the last. He's so sad too, like me. I can see it when he smiles."

"I wonder if he too finds my face in the crowd. Will he see something different or just a passerby?"

"Ryouhei's getting more and more like yours. A-and that carnivore guy, the one who looks like your cloud, I think he's looking for me."

"I haven't heard anything from Lambo and Hayato for months. Maybe they're up to something." He laughed quietly, his pain eased a little when he thought of the two who mixed like fire and water. "I missed Lambo's laugh." There was something that was left unsaid here.

"I took the name, you know. It's now Tsunayoshi." His throat felt like it was clogged, and his heart once more ached, pulsing with blood that wasn't there.

"I-I missed Lambo's laugh. I missed Hayato. I think I missed strangers whose names I don't even know."

He heard sobbing from somewhere, and he felt warm tears trailing down his cheeks. When he felt them drop to his palms, Tsunayoshi wondered where they originated from, both the liquid and the warmth in it. He was truly desolate for all eternity, and no matter what he did, nothing can grant him the only wish he ever kept in his heart all his life. Clenching his now wet fist, he whispered the one sentence he had never said to the one he wanted to say it to the most.

"I miss you." Giotto.

The ringing silence was his answer, and Tsunayoshi quietly cried himself to sleep.

Unbeknownst to him, darkness stirred in his room.

"I wonder if you'd miss me too."

Uh, if you didn't see it, I did say that this fic is in no chronological order. Please don't whine about it if you decide to review.

Thanks for reading! I think there'll be more Hibari and Giotto in the next chapter. I was worried that Yamamoto would turn into Gokudera mk. II with is infatuation with Tsuna, but he gave off a different feel so I think it should be alright. And the title is because Kyouko's nii-chan and Reborn; get it?! No? Okay. And Tsuna forgot about someone important here. Like, really important.

Ffn's document manager hates me. I don't think the shift+enter worked...

Again, thanks for reading.