Asking someone to spend the rest of their life with you shouldn't be this hard, surely? He had heard tales from precisely two thousand, seven hundred and thirty three of his men, correlated all of their stories, analysed, with the help of Romario, of course, their tactics in proposing, their behaviours, their states of mind, cross analysed it with happiness and a range of other factors, and it all seemed to boil down to the fact that there was a ring involved, a complete lack of outside pressure and the ones they loved enough to propose to didn't happen to be in the company of seven blood thirsty guardians. It could, he thought, flopping down into the blush black leather chair which served for the throne of the Cavallone Family, be worse, but honestly, he could not think of a single way in which it could indeed be so. All he knew was that he loved Tsunayoshi, that he had waited years for the perfect day to propose to come around, [and he meant that quite literally; leap year days only occur once every four years, do they not?] because his statistics had shown that those proposals which had occurred under strange, perhaps even unique circumstances yielded a higher rate of success. It was also kind of romantic, which appealed to him for reasons he'd rather not admit, because Mafia Men were not meant to enjoy watching romantic comedies intended for a female audience, and Dino was aware of this.

Painfully aware.

"Boss, you're running out of time."

"Another fact I am painfully aware of."

At his right hand man's look of confusion, Dino can only despair, slumping further back into the seat, wondering if it would be easier to just become a plant. Perhaps this way, he would be safer. Yes, Dino was going to become a sunflower, and he did not want to hear even a single word about how this would not work, because he simply would not listen. Would Verde know how to go about converting your species like this? How much would it cost? Would it be worth the risk, handing his body over to the most notorious mafia-connected scientist the world had ever know?

Is he seriously considering becoming a fucking sunflower just to avoid the inevitable tomfoolerly that asking permission to ask permission to ask Tsuna to go through with the biggest adventure they would ever go on together?

Why. He does believe he is.

He's going to miss breathing.

Actually, if truth be told, his quest is most likely half completed already; not all of the guardians are certified psychopaths, and those that are, well. He can't imagine Kyouya having any problems with this union; it will bring more power to both families, and therefore, by way of proxy, more funding and manpower and whatever the hell it was his little black heart desired this time towards Foundation itself. Sipping the tea a moment too soon, hacking in surprise at the sudden scalding sensation upon his tongue, he misses the barely visible twitch of the Cloud Guardian's eyebrow, the way grey eyes sharpen from Dino to Romario to Kusakabe and back again. His disdain, though, is very hard to miss, as is the blunt object thrown his way. This he manages to miss, to which his only thought is the gods of luck and fortune must be smiling down upon him after all.

"Useless as ever."

Wincing, the temptation to mime the knife entering his aorta is overwhelming, but the look Hibari gives him soon erases all thoughts of doing anything other than sitting here on his knees, prim and proper, like a scalded schoolboy. After eight years, he's still not sure who, exactly, is in charge here. Perhaps it will be one of those unsolvable puzzles, noted alongside such treasures as 'Was it the chicken or the egg who came first' and 'How on Earth does Reborn manage to keep those sideburns so curly there is no way that is natural'. Oh lord, he was starting to ramble in his head now.

"Why did you call me here, Kyouya? Did you miss your tutor that much?"

Tone teasing, yet body tenses. Another note to make about the man before him; you did not summon Hibari Kyouya to a meeting, he summoned you. When he did, you had better pray to whichever lord it was you worshipped that it was good news, or forever rest in peace, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Time may have rounded off the edges of his sharp personality, but you could still beat someone to death with a blunt knife. Or would that be stab? Dino imagines it would be very painful. Very painful indeed, much like the silence when Hibari does nothing but stare at him like he was an idiot, something the blonde is used to but not entirely immune to. Exposure to chemicals does not make them any less deadly, should they enter your body. Not that he wanted Hibari to enter him in any way, shape or form; this isn't about their unresolved sexual tension, or as the Don likes to think of it as, 'My cute little student's crush on his manly tutor'. Because beating someone half to death in the name of learning definitely meant love, and tolerance was devotion.

"…Sawada."

The thud of his heart can surely be heard as it hits the floor, right? Letting out a nervous chuckle, he reaches for the cup of green tea, sloshing it around a little, watching the little leaves of tea which had escaped the strainer flow around as he avoids any sort of behaviour which may confirm, deny, exaggerate, do any single thing to antagonise Kyouya because he'd rather like to keep his anatomy intact.

"Something you'd like to discuss about Tsuna?"

He attempts a laugh, playful as always, but it sounds more like the nervous quack of a duck about to be thoroughly strangled. Perhaps some tea would help this problem.

"Isn't it about time you made an honest man out of him?"

Or, perhaps not, as a fair deal of it seems to have been dropped onto his lap, and ow, fuck, fuckity fuck fuck it burns, did Kyouya really have to wear such a perfect pokerface while emanating such disgust out of every pore? It made the sting all that worse. Pride just a little wounded, the dual attack of life and he could hear those sniggers in the background Romario, consider yourself in serious trouble later.

Once his spontaneous fit of coughing is over, his hair once more swept to the side and his pride thoroughly stabbed repeatedly, he lifts his head, looks the other plain in the eye, hoping his terror can't be seen, and nods.

"That is exactly what I've been thinking lately."

A strange beat of silence extends the moment he waits for the response; the smile, when it comes, is quick, barely existent, but proof enough that Hibari Kyouya may have functions beyond 'kill', 'kill harder' and 'rip to shreds' inbred within. Goodness. Permission for marriage and scientific discovery, all over green tea.

"Do it soon."

He resists, barely, the urge to snap to attention, salute, bow his head and skip away, buzzing with joy, because there are more important things to discuss before he can progress with this plan, important things such as the others, all six of them. Some might say that in matters of love, others shouldn't matter, but such a phrase does not account for the responsibilities of a Mafia Don, nor does it help to understand just what Tsuna seemed to mean to a lot of people Dino would have to keep very happy in order for this to work in any way, shape and or form. Instead of standing, he keeps sitting, earning a curious eyebrow in his direction once more.

"…I want to marry him tomorrow."

Dino would be proud of that slight deadpan look, the well-hidden surprise that years of close contact with Hibari had taught him to pick up on surprisingly well, but if he's completely honest, he has more important things to worry about. Predictability is not a flaw of the raven; this could be where it all goes wrong, where his body becomes a sacrificial offering and blood is spilt in the name of 'rule abiding'.

When a soft sigh reaches his ears, and the shifting of fabric accentuates the movement of the cloud guardian, Dino is very surprised that his heart is still beating, and seeks to express this through a nervous little smile, one the other seems to simply not care about in the end. Confusion does not even come close to this emotion; why is he leaving? Does… Does this mean he has approval? Eyes lingering on the raven, the nervous smile dissolves into a confused frown, waiting for the answer to magically appear, because there was no way Kyouya was going to acknowledge this with a simple yes, no, go ahead, go to hell kind of answer was there?

"So… Tomorrow?"

This seems to grab the other's attention; with a secretive little smirk, Hibari simply shrugs, oh so casual, for no apparent attention, hand on the doorframe for a moment as he lingers over his words.

"Leave Rokudo to me."

Dino just does not even want to begin to comprehend what on Earth that even means, and so, with a confident smile in the raven's direction, he nods.

He has to admit, though, that knowing he doesn't have to personally deal with the wild cannon that is Rokudo Mukuro is a weight off his mind, because if anyone could force the illusionist to do anything against his own will, Dino would bet good money that Hibari would be that person, but that still leaves him with five more guardians to tackle before the day is over. Perhaps taking shortcuts would help? Then again, if he wasn't thorough about matters of the heart, this could come back to haunt him. Honestly, it would be great if they'd all just be in some convenient location together, like a meeting or a ball or even a clusterfuck of a fight, cause his feet were starting to hurt from walking and Romario would just not wipe that stupid smile off his face.

"Don't you have something better to be doing than watching me make a fool of myself?" He asks, tone totally not sulky at all why on Earth would you think that he is in his thirties that would be horrifying.

"After doing it for so many years, it would be a shame to stop now, Boss."

"…I greatly dislike you at this moment in time."

With a low, affectionate chuckle, the moustached man pats the top of the blonde's head as if he was still the bratty little teen from all of those years ago, and starts to stride down the hallway adjacent to Dino's own destination.

"You're finally growing up."

If it wasn't for the insinuation behind the statement, Dino would almost be emotional, perhaps taken aback in the best possible way; alas, his mind is stuck upon the implications, so as his sort of maybe kind of father figure walks away, it's all he can do to not make a smart remark and earn himself a little condescending stare, as if the right hand man is imagining how on Earth Dino has managed to come so far yet remain so static in terms of personality. It is a thought many men have had, and it is a thought which will remain unanswered to all. Even the most perceptive of them will not be able to understand another fully, especially not the ever-idiotic don of the Cavallone Famiglia.

As he's left alone in the hallway of the Vongola Mansion, he has to try very hard to not flip everything, all his shit, instead strolling in the opposite direction to his initial destination with a muttered agenda every flowing from his lips. He needs something cold to drink; unfortunately, it seems as though luck is not on his side as even though he is fairly sure Romario is still within his radius, a finger slips, slices on the ring-pull of a can of something fizzy. He's starting to doubt everything by this point, heading instead to the make-shift infirmary stocked with the disinfectants and bandages he will need, and this isn't really doing wonders for his confidence. If he can't even open a can without a fountain of blood splashing out, how can he be expected to treasure another living being for the rest of his life?

The gentle murmurs of another's voice does not reach his ears until he has pushed the door open; he was unaware people could move apart so quickly as they do, watching the swordsman give him a sheepish smile, Chrome casually turning away, back to the tray of medical supplies she had, by the looks of it, been using to dress a rather nasty looking wound over the rain guardian's arm.

"Y-Yo, Dino! What brings you here?"

To say he flopped upon a chair would be an understatement; were the chair a sentient being capable of living, breathing, emotions and breeding, Dino would just have thoroughly topped the chair into submission. Ahem. Sitting upon the chair, keeping his hand above his heart, he reaches for a swab to start mopping the blood up. There was not as much as he may or may not have been implying, but blood was blood and was unwelcome at this moment in time. When the cut is visible, he takes up a little bandage to stick around it, sighing below his breath.

"If you were going to propose to someone, how would you do it?"

The clatter of the tray being knocked to the ground wasn't exactly subtle, now, was it? Staring at the illusionist as she carefully kneels down, head turned away from him in a motion he's sure hides the blush that also creeps up the back of her neck, Dino attempts to distract himself by looking at Yamamoto instead, but if he's honest the stark affection on his face as he stares at the woman is harder to deal with. Coughing, gently, he averts his gaze elsewhere, wondering if he's ever going to get an answer, or if Yamamoto will continue to look at the other with eyes that spoke of dreams and a gentle smile that signified 'soon'.

"…I would promise to be there, always. Is anything else needed?"

Dino appreciates the sentiment, and he's almost emotional with the soft caress Yamamoto's voice becomes, but this isn't helpful, in the slightest. Romance is one thing, but over the years, his own clumsy attempts of seduction had been a little less sixteen candles, a little more shall we accidentally plunge headfirst into a cold pool of water with every ruined conversation at the hands of certain guardians hissing in your direction their disapproval. Ahem.

"What if the one you loved couldn't be with you that easily? Would you do everything in your power to make it happen, even if it meant souring relationships elsewhere, or would you just… Would you wait until the end of the world for them?"

What is he asking? He's making it sound as though his very existence will vanish, should he not get what, indeed, who he wants; dramatic as it is, though, he's not exactly exaggerating. He can live without a lover, but he cannot be who he is without love being returned, without eyes that burn into his body with the merest glance and holy shit why is Yamamoto grinning at him like that? The rain guardian strolls over, all the graceful swagger of a man who has all he needs, right now, at this moment in time, wow where did that come from no Dino you can't start thinking about how attractive other men are when you're asking permission to marry another.

Standing, a little nervous as to where this is going, the sudden hug he's yanked into earns a totally dignified yelp of surprise, a stumble and a cough, covering everything that had happened in the past few seconds because that is totally possible. He manages a pat upon the other's back before it all feels a little too awkward, and they break apart, Chrome barely offering a raised eyebrow before going back to fixing the medical supplies on the tray.

"Arm."

At her order, because there was no way the word could be mistaken for anything else, Yamamoto offers a quick smile in the blonde's direction and moves to sit upon the bed once more, holding out the arm as an offering to the illusionist, as if to calm her down, a thoughtful look on his face as he turns to study Dino, from head to foot, with all of the precision of some sort of detective sleuthing out all possible detail. Or maybe it just felt that way; there was a reason Dino was hesitant to start this, after all. He'd seen first hand what Yamamoto could do with that sword of his. It would be foolish to think the tip of the blade wouldn't be lovingly introduced to his general body in the event of Tsuna's heart being broken. Or even, should the circumstance arrive, a friendly disagreement between the dons. He doubted Yamamoto would hesitate, should it cause distress.

"If you care so much, why go through this trouble?"

It may sound like an encouragement of sorts, an assurance that Yamamoto does not mind, that his permission is given, but the look in his eyes has yet to melt from curious hostility to warm acceptance. Only an idiot would answer in any other way than the words forming in Dino's head, but he's never been one for following the well-laid plans of others. Improvisation seems to work the best for someone of his personality type; what a shame this entire situation screams think things through before you fuck this up. So, he stands straight, looks the other straight in the eye and shrugs.

"…Family comes first."

Chapter two might take a while, lost muse for this story n

Reviews are welcome 3