Yamamoto Takeshi for once didn't have a smile on his face.

Eyes grim and lips pursed in an unnaturally straight line, he clutched the handle of his sword, feeling fire thrum through his veins and give a wave of calm.

All his training with Squalo, his father, and Reborn-san was for this moment He hoped he wouldn't fail.

Beside him, Tsuna (his Sky, his friend, his anchor, his life) nudged him with tendrils of his Sky flames, eyes still set dead ahead, causing the Rain to feel a new sense of purpose.

Hayato, who was on Tsuna's other side, also seemed to grow more confident. He bared his teeth, still visible despite the blood and dirt marring his face and staining his once silver hair. His clothes were ripped, but he still stood straight and tall, undaunted, taking courage from the similarly determined Sky next to him.

Takeshi drank in the feeling. They were the only ones there, all backup being busy with other fronts of the battle, spread across the world. Despite knowing this, Takeshi couldn't help but love the feeling of standing next to his two best friends, fighting fiercely for things they care for fiercely.

This is what he was meant to do. Fight for protection, with the war beat of a drum accenting his movements with the kind of senseless force needed to win. It wasn't clinical, it wasn't ruthless, it was filled with emotions and overflowing with love for his family.

Takeshi was riding on the battle high, that innate monster that used to scare him now being what made his blood sing, as he let his true cunning, his true self shine through.

The trio was suddenly split by an incoming wind attack, and immediately all the weariness and pain that had vanished with the Sky flames and romantic reminiscing came back tenfold.

Gritting his teeth, Takeshi shot up from his sprawled position on the ground, turning around just in time to bring his sword up to block against the flying debris. He slashed through a block of cement, and cast his eyes on the forms of Tsuna and Hayato fighting against the winds.

He had to get to them.

-{}-

Takeshi stared up at the sky, only faintly seeing the stretch of blue.

A blurred shape was just visible out of the corner of his eyes, swathed in orange flames and going at the remnants of the opposing famiglia with renewed intensity. A red flaming twin followed with bursts of smoke and flame, equally vigorous.

Takeshi realized his face was wet. Was it raining? He squinted at the sky, but saw nothing.

"I'll kill you!" A growl was spat out, and someone thudded to their knees on the ground next to him.

Takeshi flinched away. Or he tried to, as searing pain in his side kept him in place.

"It's just me, Takeshi," a voice he would know everywhere said reassuringly. The Rain smiled in reflex, ready to open his mouth and laugh.

Instead of the cheerful sound Takeshi meant, blood was spat out.

"O-Oi!" The nearby Hayato shouted out. "D-Don't try t-to talk, baseball freak!" He sounded oddly choked up.

A hitch in the breathing above him, and suddenly Tsuna was sobbing and sobbing.

Alarmed, Takeshi tried to reach out to his Sky, his flames doing the same. Tsuna stiffened at the feeling of rain flames and only cried harder.

"L-Look, you made J-Jyuudaime cry!"

Takeshi wanted to frown, but he had a feeling that would make things worse. His limbs felt leaden, and he was slowly starting to lose feeling in them. He felt his heart rate quicken.

Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump-

"Yamamoto?" a voice called, and the person in question tried his best to respond.

Thumpthumpthump. Thump.

"Yamamoto, wake up."

Thump. Thump.

"This isn't a game, idiot!"

Thump.

"Takeshi! Open your eyes, please!"

Thu-