Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot and the words written here! The characters belong to the mangaka.

This was an idea that's been buzzing in my mind for a while. Had to get it out of there somehow. Please that enjoy~ Reviews are most appreciated!

In shattered dreams

How many times has it been since their first tears? Endless streams of anguish that clung to their cheeks, leaving him unable to do anything to stop them. Staring blankly at them, helpless and empty, was all he could manage. Of course he had spent hours denying and generally cursing the world under his bitter breath. Yet the cold hard truth smacked him right in the face. As usual, there was no escaping reality. His cigarette offered him no haven from the pain, it held no escape. Even that idiot, the Rain Guardian, had lost his annoyingly bright smile.

"No tears?"

He turned, the dulled green eyes slowly searching for the speaker. When his eyes did finally land on a dark silhouette, his eyes dropped like heavy weights.

"It's not as if I don't have any," he croaked, hating how weak he sounded.

There was a laugh. There was no feeling contained in there. It was just as hollow and empty as he felt. With great effort he lifted his eyes again and held the defeated gaze of Yamamoto. Though they merely looked at each other in silence, it spoke volumes of their pain and loss.

It was a while before either of them moved. However when they did, Yamamoto was the one to take the first step. The now serious black haired man walked till he was right next to the broken right-hand-man and laid a heavy hand on his left shoulder. While the Rain Guardian stared in the direction of door, his gaze remained attached to the empty desk in front of him. Before the smiling moron walked away, he felt a light squeeze on his left shoulder.

He turned to snap that he didn't need the comfort when he felt the words die in his mouth. There was the Rain Guardian, Yamamoto Takashi, smiling at him. It was not the fact that he was smiling at such a time that made his words wither away. It was the fact that the once carefree smile had now turned into one that bit back unspeakable suffering. The only way he could tell the difference was the wet trail his agonized tears had left behind. They betrayed everything that swordsman had tried withhold.

It was only after he had been left alone did he realize that he too had betrayed his emotions through tormented tears.

There is still something useful in them

He was determined.

He had always been but this time it was for a completely different reason. His flame had never burned as brightly as it did now.

Yet as he looked down at his fallen opponent, he felt his resolve falter. There, in the eyes of a man he had never met before, was the same panicked expression the boss would get every time a situation looked hopeless.

'I can count on you, right, Gokudera?'

'Of course boss! I won't let you down!'

He narrowed his emerald green eyes on this target in fury. While his boss was gunned down, in the most cowardly way possible, and he wasn't there to push him out of the way. It was supposed to be a negotiation. They were supposed to sit down and avoid violence for once. But of course that would never happen. It would never happen to mafia families, they lived to fight for power. He should have predicted it. He should have been more suspicious about the offer for negotiations.

He aimed his weapon at the man, who was now attempting to crawl to the exit. He could not hesitate now. They had showed no mercy to a man who was willing to make negotiations. Why should he show mercy to the people who killed the one man in his life that made him feel worth anything? Why should he be merciful to the same people who showed no mercy to his boss?

If only he had been there. If only he had been the one to be the representative of the Vongola family. If only he had at least gone with the boss. Maybe… just maybe he would be still breathing.

He noticed that his breathing had become slightly labored. Even his vision was becoming slightly blurry. After kicking the man across the room, he angrily wiped away the water that had collected in his eyes. Crying was a sign of weakness that he was not allowed to show.

Shards that can cut