* Title: Birds of a Feather
* Rating: G
* Prompt: The quote, "A faithful friend is a strong defence: and he that hath found him hath found a treasure." Ecclesiasticus 6:14; loosely, the setting of an abandoned house on the outskirts of town; and to a lesser extent, the line: 'No moon, no stars, just darkness…'
* Disclaimer: I do not profit from this work of fanfiction in any way; Akira Amano owns Katekyou Hitman Reborn and all the relevant characters.
A/N: This was a submission for a fanfiction competition whose due date is now long past, so I assume it's all right to publish now...
"What," Hibari asked flatly, "is this?" He stood framed in the entrance to the kitchen of the Vongola's Namimori base. In his hand he held aloft a photograph. Looking closer, one could see the silhouettes of two figures, posing with wide grins at the cameraman.
Mukuro glanced at the picture. "It looks like Tsunayoshi and Miss Kyoko," he said slowly. His spoon was poised above his breakfast.
"They sent this picture?" Hibari was frowning fiercely, mouth set in a hard line.
"I believe they are announcing plans for a wedding sometime next month, and they are inviting all of the Guardians." Mukuro resumed eating his breakfast. "Why?"
Hibari was silent for a moment. "Nothing." He turned on his heel and disappeared. When he came back, the photo was gone, and he proceeded to stalk about the kitchen preparing his own meal. Mukuro watched with eyebrow raised as the Cloud Guardian finally sat down with a clatter and much scraping of his chair, a roll of sushi on his plate. Hibari glanced up, finally noticing the stare. "What?" he demanded.
A tiny smile. "What did you think the photo was?" Mukuro queried.
"It doesn't matter now." Hibari bit fiercely into his meal and refused to meet Mukuro's eyes.
"Oh? Kyoya," Mukuro was grinning now, "did you think I was having an affair with Tsunayoshi?"
"Why would I think that?" Hibari growled at him. But his red face betrayed his thoughts.
Mukuro laughed. "You are too easy to read, mi caro." He ducked as Hibari's plate sailed past and shattered on the floor behind him.
"Shut up," Hibari muttered sullenly.
Mukuro leaned over the table, cupped Hibari's chin in his hand, and gave him a gentle kiss. "I won't betray you," Mukuro told him. "I said I loved you, and I always will."
"Bastard," Hibari muttered. "How can you expect me to believe you when you've lived your entire life through lies?"
"Because when I tell the truth, I mean it." Mukuro kissed him again then stood and went to fetch a dustpan to clean up the remains of the plate. He was just depositing the fragments in the bin when another man walked into the kitchen.
"Who broke that?" the man asked abruptly. His pale green eyes and short silver hair identified him as the Guardian of Storm, Hayato Gokudera.
"Kyoya did," Mukuro informed him, not noticing the frown directed at his back as he put away the dustpan.
"Please don't break the crockery - that's the eighth one in the past week," the silver-haired man sighed. "And Mukuro, the Tenth wants to see you about a new mission. Don't you try anything funny," he added warningly.
Mukuro smirked. It seemed his eyes flicked for a moment towards Hibari. "With such a loyal watchdog, why would I bother?" Mukuro swept out of kitchen before the other man could think of a reply.
With an annoyed huff the Storm Guardian glanced at Hibari, who was still seated and scowling after Mukuro. "If you don't like him then eat in your own section," Gokudera told him. In return he received a share of the murderous gaze. Without a word, Hibari finished off the rest of his breakfast and strode briskly out of the kitchen. Gokudera stared after him, eyebrows drawn down in confusion.
Mukuro found Hibari later that day, relaxing in the small Japanese garden in The Foundation's section of the Namimori base. Hibari had donned a yukata and was sitting upright, cross-legged, arms folded into his wide sleeves. A small yellow bird nestled happily amongst his short, spiky hair. The attempt to creep up silently upon the Guardian did not go unnoticed.
"What do you want, Mukuro?" Hibari asked without turning.
Smiling wryly, Mukuro answered, "I merely wanted to say goodbye before I left."
"Where are you headed this time?"
"I don't know."
Hibari twisted around sharply. The bird on his head fluttered wildly to keep its balance. "That's not an answer," he said, voice hard.
Mukuro shrugged. "I am not going to stay in any one place for a long length of time." For once, he had no smile, no expression at all. "I don't know when I will be back."
Hibari stood and grabbed Mukuro's tie, yanking the man downwards so he could glare into the other's eyes. "Don't you dare die, herbivore." Then he kissed him roughly before thrusting the taller man away and turning his back to simmer at some unknown point in the garden.
Mukuro's eyes glittered with amusement. He reached out, and in one fluid movement he spun Hibari around again and returned the kiss, more softly and sweetly than the other man's. "Keep thinking of me," he said, smiling a little sadly in farewell. Then he turned and walked away, quickly disappearing from sight, leaving Hibari to stare blankly after him already feeling lost...and lonely.
Days stretched into weeks, and weeks stretched into months with no word from Mukuro. Hibari had shut away all thoughts of the man - his instinctive attempt to ignore the strong feelings that arose from those memories. As a result, Hibari's temper began to fray, and his subordinates were the poor unfortunates who suffered for it.
"Tetsu, I thought I ordered sashimi, not ootoro." Or, "I told you to put those books back in the shelves in the proper order: so why does the letter 'C' come before the letter 'A'?" And, "You are all being too noisy", after walking in on several of his sleeping, snoring, over-worked men. Anything and everything would set off Hibari's temper and always ended with the 'annoyances' being thoroughly beaten.
The other Guardians were at a loss to explain his sudden drop in tolerance. Only Tsuna - who had guessed at the existence of a relationship between his two Guardians - had an inkling of the reason. Subsequently, he requested a private meeting with Hibari.
"About Mukuro..." Tsuna began.
"What about him?" Hibari interrupted. He was seated opposite Tsuna. "I don't want to talk about that herbivore."
"I think we should," Tsuna said gently. "You and him...you're in a relationship together. Am I correct?" The worst reaction he could get was to be 'bitten to death', right?
Hibari's narrowed eyes met his superior's. Surprisingly for Tsuna, Hibari was the first to look away. "Yes," the Cloud Guardian muttered.
"You should have told me," Tsuna chided (but not too harshly, in case Hibari took offence). "You're worried about Mukuro?"
"No, I am not worried!" Hibari snapped.
He's worried, Tsuna thought. He tried another tack. "He must think you're worried."
"Foolish," Hibari growled to himself. "Annoying. Irritating. Pineapple-head." The rest of his words trailed into indecipherable utterances. All of a sudden he sat up. "What...?"
Tsuna also straightened, alert. "Is something wrong?"
Hibari tilted his head as if straining to hear something. Abruptly he stood and ran out of the office.
"Hibari!" Tsuna called desperately after him, with no response.
He knew with the utmost certainty that he was in the right place. A moonless night had fallen, but the lights of Chinese cities shine with their own artificial light, blotting out even the strongest-twinkling of stars. This eerily quiet street on the fringes of the bustling city just felt right. Yes - Hibari was sure the summons had originated here.
His departure from Japan had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. He had used his contacts to secure him a seat on the next available flight leaving for Hong Kong. Tsunayoshi and Tetsuya had tried numerous times to call him until he switched his mobile off. Without hesitation he had followed his instincts - and that strange call that had pulled him - to this silent and empty street on the outskirts of the city. Unusually, the area was not run-down - it was simply empty of people. Hibari did not feel quite comfortable, suspecting there might be an ulterior reason for the deserted yet pristine state of the small businesses, but he put that out of his mind and entered his chosen building.
The first thing he noticed were the dried splatters of blood in the centre of the floor and a dark trail which led deeper into the building. No bodies - just blood. Hibari followed the trail, ignoring all his senses which screamed at him of danger. He froze when he saw where the blood ended.
A body lay sprawled on the carpet, illuminated by the light coming in from the windows. Hibari knew who it was immediately. He was at the body's side instantly, feeling for any signs of life.
"I told you not to die, herbivore," he muttered. Oddly, he felt no anger. He did not know what the emotion inside him was. It was new and alien to him. A drop of liquid rolled down his face and was silently absorbed by the carpet.
The prone body was Mukuro. Blood had matted his clothing and dried in a trickle down the side of his mouth. His eyes were closed and a gloved hand still loosely gripped his trademark trident. At first glance he appeared dead. Then, without warning, he coughed, and slowly opened his eyes.
"Kyo...ya...?" Mukuro coughed again and dark flecks spotted the floor.
"Yes, you bastard, it's me." Hibari crouched by Mukuro's side, trying to evaluate the other's injuries in the dim light.
"Really...?" Those red and blue eyes flashed and Hibari reeled as he was assaulted mentally by a strong presence which fought for his bodily control. Gritting his teeth, Hibari resisted the urge to give in, even as he felt his limbs twitch and jerk of their own accord.
"Stop. It. Now!" Hibari growled thickly. The presence retreated but remained hovering at the back of his mind - just as it had when Hibari had been called to this place.
"It is you..." Mukuro smiled weakly. We have to leave quickly, he spoke mentally. My attackers are still here.
"Let them come, I'll bite them all to death for doing this to you." Even as he spoke, several shapes materialised around the room, surrounding them and blocking their escape.
Don't! They're illusionists. They combined their power to wound me. I wondered why they left me alive - they must want you. But you heard me calling and were already on your way before I could stop you.
"Only herbivores attack in a group." The ring on Hibari's finger exploded with violet flames and outlined his figure. The illusionists cringed away from him before rallying.
Wait. Hibari felt Mukuro's presence in his mind expand a little. Let me possess your body. I can defeat them if it's you.
Hibari eyed the circle of attackers before replying grudgingly. Just this once. His body appeared to slacken for a moment but quickly straightened, this time surrounded by indigo flames. The illusionists hissed.
Hibari - or rather, Mukuro - smirked. His previously grey eyes were now glowing red and blue. "I will send you all to the depths of Hell."
It took several long weeks but Mukuro was now almost fully recovered from his injuries. He was still confined to his sick bed and Hibari made a point of paying the illusionist regular visits to check on his condition. On one such day, he walked in on Mukuro conversing with Tsuna. Mukuro smiled at Hibari's appearance.
"Ciao, Kyoya," Mukuro said in greeting.
"What are you doing here?" Hibari asked Tsuna rudely, taking a seat opposite the Decimo.
"Making sure he's healing properly. Like you," Tsuna replied evenly. Mukuro chuckled.
"Don't mind him. He gets jealous easily." Mukuro winked at Hibari as the latter scowled at him.
Tsuna smiled. "I'll leave you two alone. I expect a proper report soon," he reminded Mukuro. Then he stepped out, shutting the door behind him.
"You still haven't told me what happened," Hibari said, leaping straight to the point.
"Why do you persist in wanting to know the details?" Mukuro asked, evading the question.
"How did those herbivores wound you in the first place? Don't try and tell me you weren't good enough. Aren't you supposed to be the master of illusions?" It was not a compliment; he was stating a fact.
Mukuro shifted in his bed and he stared down at the sheets. "I was just foolish, that's all," he said softly.
"How?" Hibari was getting impatient.
"They tricked me. With an image of you." Mukuro flushed. "It was such a surprise. I let my guard down - let that fake you approach too close. That's how they caught me."
"Someone knows. Someone must be spying on us. We have to find this herbivore and get rid of him." Hibari began to rise but Mukuro reached out a hand to stop him.
"I already took care of that," Mukuro said. "That person is dead." A slow smile spread across his face. "Besides," he added, "would you have deprived me of the satisfaction of hunting down someone who is also my prey?"
Hibari looked away a little mulishly. With a small laugh, Mukuro pulled him close and brought their lips together. "Ti amo, la mia piccola lodola." I love you, my little skylark.
Hibari kissed him back, blushing faintly. "I love you too."