Patience, a katekyo hitman reborn! fanfic

Three months had passed and everything had changed.

Upon learning of the dire circumstances of their unexpected and blood-soaked arrival, Tsuna had, of course, immediately welcomed her into the Family. She was now under the protection of the entire Vongola Famiglia. Having sensed the palpable tension between the couple and the growing irritation between his Guardians, Tsuna had Kyoko and Haru quickly whisk her away. Undoubtedly, she would be more at ease with the ladies instead of in the company of a mafia boss and his agitated hitmen.

After the inevitable shouting-match which very nearly led to an all-out brawl between himself and Gokudera over him bringing a potentially dangerous outsider into the mansion. Into the heart of their Famiglia, without Tsuna's permission. Ryohei and Tsuna had to step in when of the irritable Storm Guardian tactlessly threatened to throw Takeshi's girlfriend to their enemies and the Rain Guardian reacted to the threat as expected-to draw his katana.

It was all too clear to those in the room that Takeshi loved her with all his heart and soul. He would fight anyone, even a longtime friend and ally, to keep her safe. The unexpected attack on his lover had brought out the deadly hitman his usual easy-going nature so skillfully hid. He was so on edge, the Rain Guardian wasn't even fully at ease with his Famiglia in his own home.

It was a volatile situation and as he was, anything could potentially set Takeshi off. In order to defuse the situation, Tsuna tactfully insisted that the swordsman go vent in his personal dōjō before he went to see his shaken lover. While he steered Gokudera out of the mansion and on an important mission to find out how their enemies managed to find one Takeshi's safe-houses and to get the bloody scene cleared up. They needed to post spies nearby just in case more of them showed up looking for their comrades.

Tsuna tried, in vain, to keep the Rain Guardian preoccupied and away from his inner turmoil. But Takeshi was resolute. As long as his lover was in the mansion, he would not leave her side. Only she was refusing to see him and Tsuna was adamant on letting her have her privacy. Even going so far as to order the swordsman to let her have her peace. As wound up and resentful as he was, Takeshi wasn't about to risk upsetting his lover any more than she already was or outright disobey a rare order from his friend and boss.

Still, every night, without fail, he patrolled the hallway that led to her private room. Her silent sentinel. He passed her locked door so many times he'd long lost count. Sometimes he humorlessly mused that the plush carpet now had the wear from his shoes forever imprinted into it. He was certain that he now knew every detail about the hallway, no matter how minute. In a way, he guessed, he was trying to ward off the demons in her memories. It never worked.

His heart shattered whenever he hear her crying in the night. She was traumatized and all alone. Some nights were worse than others. On really bad nights she would scream so loud he imagined that everyone in the mansion could hear her. However, no matter how much he pleaded, or repeatedly banged on the thick door nearly yelling in frustration and panic, she would not allow him to set foot into her room.

To his knowledge, she only ever allowed the ladies and Tsuna to enter. Although he had his suspicions that during the rare times he was forcibly absent from the hallway, Ryohei had visited her. It took him awhile, but he soon realized that she didn't want to see him. That realization alone nearly broke him. Did she even love him anymore? Had she only chosen to go with him just to stay alive? Had he... had he made a mistake in allowing her to live?

Tsuna had quickly stepped in before he let himself fall too deep into an endless pit of despair and guilt. He offered to speak to her on the Rain Guardian's behalf. Tsuna was just trying to keep the peace-he was always playing referee with his Guardians it seemed.

"She just needs more time," He affirmed after exiting her room. The Vongola Decimo had spent three hours behind those doors speaking to her. For Takeshi, it seemed like forever and that was all Tsuna had to say? As if the swordsman didn't already know! She'd made that fact perfectly clear already. Beneath all the worry and frustration, Takeshi understood, but he didn't like it.

Poisonous doubt wrapped itself around his heart and dug in with razor sharp thorns. He had to know. But he was too afraid to ask. He feared that the answer would destroy him. In that unique way of his, the ever intuitive Vongola Decimo seemed to know what his Rain Guardian couldn't voice aloud.

"She still loves you," Tsuna revealed softly, placing a reassuring hand on the taller male's tense shoulder. "That's one thing she's certain of."

Takeshi had to fight back tears at the revelation. He couldn't even begin to voice the relief he felt-everything, the turbulent emotions. Tsuna ushered the stunned swordsman to sit down on the outrageously expensive chaise lounge under the window before he collapsed in the hallway.

"Wait for her, just a little longer." Voice-less and trembling uncontrollably from an overwhelming amount of built up emotions expelling from his system, Takeshi could only nod in assent.

Three months had passed and nothing had changed... But that was okay, he now realized. He would wait. For her he would do anything. Impatient and anxious and near bursting with restlessness, but he would wait all the same. No matter how long it would take. When she was ready to see him again, he would be there.

A/N: ...The unwarranted, probably unwanted sequel to my old story: Trust [KHR: TYL!Yamamoto Takeshi]

This is yet another attempt at shucking off some years old built up writers rust, so please don't judge too harshly. :3