Clashing

By xxkoffeexx

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! at all.

Summary: Once again, she only cares because of Kyoko. [Ryohei x Hana]

-.-.-

It was terrible. Everything had gone wrong. The mission. The plans. The weather. Mostly the weather.

And Kyoko.

Nothing had gone according to plan and really, it was all Hana's fault. Now they were fighting bitterly. Yes, Tsuna's friends were fighting against the enemies and they were getting hurt in the process too. But she was fighting as well… against him.

They stood face to face, inches apart and yelling above a howling storm that wasn't too different from the turmoil within her.

"You should have stayed behind," he bellowed at her over the noise of the battle and the lightning crashing overhead. Lambo would be doing back flips now if he wasn't in the hospital, and Hana felt she was to be blamed for that as well. "Get away from here!"

"Not without Kyoko," she snapped back, the wind grabbing her hair and flinging it in her eyes and mouth. He stared at her, unmoving as stone. Hana stepped forward beseechingly, "Let me find her. I'll find her Ryohei—"

"You can't," he said harshly, from frustration or worry she couldn't tell. "You can't find her. Just go home Hana." He turned away.

Icy-hot clenched inside her as her fists trembled. He's leaving.

"Why?" She was unable to hold back any longer. "Why. So I can lose you too? It was my fault Kyoko ran off and disappeared—" He whirled around and grabbed her wrist before she could blink, pulling her away from the fighting (away from him). She struggled angrily but his grip was strong enough to break bone. "No. Stop. Let go! Let me go Sasagawa, or I swear—"

He suddenly released her. Hana would have flown backwards if he hadn't grasped her shoulders immediately, his grip tight and strong. She was trembling for many reasons, and the rain soaked through her clothes like freezing acid.

"Listen to me." His face was close to her but she didn't look at him. He shook her slightly. "Are you listening?" His hands and breath were warm against her frozen skin. She nodded once. "Good. Listen. You can't find her—"

"But—"

"—because she isn't here, Hana."

For a moment all she could hear was the heavy rain and thunder. And then she said, "Oh. Then where is—"

He shook his head. Her heart sank.

"I don't know. But Sawada will find her."

Tsuna. It was enough for now. She felt the numbness disappear as relief swiftly entered. Then she grew chagrined when the reality of the last few moments began to sink in.

"I'm sorry Ryohei." She felt foolish and wanted to break away from him, but he shook his head, holding her shoulders in a firm grip.

"No, don't be. You were worried about Kyoko. Thank you."

The sincerity in his voice made her even more embarrassed. Fortunately he finally released her, and she stepped away, stubbornly reminding him, "But it was my fault Kyoko—"

He shook his head again. "No. It was my fault for burdening you. I made you feel responsible when you shouldn't have." His face was regretful. "I asked you to watch over her, but only as a friend. Not as a babysitter."

Her jaw dropped. "I'm doing this as her friend! And you—" Her words were drowned out by a sudden explosion not too far away. The ground shuddered from the force of the blast and Hana knew the battle was getting closer. It was too dangerous for her.

"Sawada will find Kyoko," he said. "Don't worry."

She knew. Hana nodded and turned to leave, but he continued.

"And you won't lose me." Ryohei flashed a fierce grin, reminding her just whose brother he was. "I will never lose!"

He dashed away before she could protest that she wasn't worried about him at all, that she only cared about the younger Sasagawa, but she knew and he knew that was a lie. She cared all right, and not just for Kyoko.

I will never lose.

And she believed him.

END

-.-.-

A/N and Stuff: Can anybody tell that I am an avid Ryohei x Hana supporter? Such dramatic fluff. What a random story title. I was originally supposed to write, like, three other pairings (sorry YamaxHaru fans), but for some reason this one just popped out of nowhere. Hum.

And my oneshots are getting shorter and shorter… and shorter. Soon I shall be writing drabbles. Not that drabbles are bad of course... drabbles are really fun and awesome.

Anyways. What with school and finals and midterms and other stuff we should be doing but aren't because we like to procrastinate and read/write fanfics instead… Thanks so much for taking time to read! XD