"Inscription"

Setting: KHR, 6YL!
Pairing: 5927, 2759
Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort
Point of View: Third-person
Warnings: Homosexual relationships, swearing, Character Death, violence, blood/gore, and possible OOC. Italics are typically flashbacks, thoughts, foreign words, or stressed words.
Further Notes: I like how I'm always like "I'm gonna branch out to other fandoms" yet there are 16+ KHR documents in my document manager. Rated M for blood and gore.

It was raining. A downpour from sickly gray and darker than black clouds that continuously rolled over the blanketed sky.

How cliche for a funeral, he thought bitterly. He inhaled deeply, clenching and unclenching his fists in his pockets, and exhaled slowly through his nose. His eyes slipped shut, refusing to look at the scene any longer. The lacquer coffin only made him nauseous, and the picture of the smiling face just killed him. He swallowed harshly over the lump in his throat.

How could this happen?

You know what happened, his mind told him, you know and you know it's you're fault. He should've gotten there faster. He should have been there to begin with. Why wasn't he there? Why wasn't he there to protect her?

She was the Poison Scorpion. She was the one who gave him stomach aches just from seeing her face. She was- She was...

She was his sister.

And now she was dead.

Gone.

Departed from this world.

Why didn't he do anything about it?

"Gokudera-kun!" The voice yelled before he even had the phone to his ear.

"Kyoko-san?" Hayato frowned, furrowing his brow. Getting a call from Kyoko was rare, if even at all; it was typically when she wanted to make sure Tsuna was okay if she couldn't get a hold of him. Hearing her yell was just as odd, and it wouldn't be a lie if it set him on edge when it sounded like she was on the verge of tears and panicky. "What's wrong?"

"W-We...Bianchi-san...we were attacked- Haru-chan, Bianchi-san and I. We're hiding out now, but they're still around. Bianchi-san is injured. Please hurry!" Kyoko explained in one fast breath and Gokudera stiffened.

"Where are you?" He asked urgently, already out the door to his office and grabbed a confused Yamamoto by the arm to drag him. "Do you know?"

"N-Not really. We were at the typical cake shop a-and then when we ran there were a few alleys but we weren't really looking."

"Any windows?" Gokudera pulled open the driver's door as Yamamoto obediently and silently got into the passenger's seat, a grim look on his face. Even without explaining anything, he just knew something was wrong.

"Just one, but it's boarded up."

"Alright," The bomber swore inwardly, "Stay away from the window, find a spot that can't be seen from the doorway. Make sure to put pressure on whatever injuries Aneki has with whatever you can to slow the blood flow."

"O-okay," Kyoko answered the same time he heard someone (Haru, most likely) say to hurry just as he tore down the roads leading off the Vongola property. Kyoko choked back a sob and added, "Please hurry."

"Will do." He snapped the phone shut, tossing it to Yamamoto, who was patiently waiting for an explanation. Once he gave a quick summary, Takeshi had gone silent before deciding to call Tsuna with Gokudera's phone. It rang three times before it was finally picked up.

"Hayato?" Tsuna spoke, slightly confused.

"Ah, no, Tsuna, it's me," Yamamoto said quickly and continued before the brunet could question it, "Kyoko-chan, Haru-chan, and Bianchi-san were attacked. Kyoko-chan called Gokudera and so we're off to look for them. Have medical staff ready to go once we find their location."

"A-Alright. Call me as soon as you do!" Tsuna was probably nodding on the other side of the phone. "Be careful."

"Sure thing," Takeshi agreed and disconnected the call. Hayato ignored the glance sent his way, instead focusing on breaking driving laws without actually hitting and killing someone, though he would gladly run over the enemies once he found them, and shove dynamite down their esophagus. He sped around a turn and slammed the brakes once they reached the cake shop. The two guardians exited the car at once, on guard.

"Use Jirou. See if you can follow the girls' scent," The silveret ordered, lighting up a smoke out of anxiousness. Kyoko and Haru had self defense techniques taught to them by Bianchi in case of an emergency, but if his sister was injured, then they might not stand a chance to fight and help her at the same time. How long had Bianchi been bleeding out? How injured was she? Was she still okay...?

"Gokudera, this way!" Takeshi shouted, gaining his attention. He followed after the swordsman and the box weapon currently darting through alley ways. He spotted several blood patches (one was a dark pool that made his stomach knot) before they disappeared completely, covering up the girls' trail from the enemy. Jirou suddenly stopped at the end of an alley, growling. Yamamoto unsheathed his sword, peering around the corner. "Fifteen, all slightly injured. They're looking but they don't seem to have found them," He whispered.

"On my signal then," Gokudera pulled several dynamite out from one of the compartments he kept them in, lighting them all with his cigarette with lightning quick efficiency. He nodded to the rain guardian and threw. The explosives landed in the middle of the group, and only half realized and moved away before they went off. Takeshi rushed in, taking care of five with his sword while Hayato took out the rest with another well placed dynamite stick.

Once the men were checked to be properly taken care of, Jirou scratched at a door and whimpered. Gokudera hurriedly ran over, kicking the door open. He called out, "Kyoko-san! Stupid woman! Aneki!" Something shifted, and Kyoko stepped out, her blouse covered in crimson.

"Gokudera-kun!" She said in distress; he stepped over to her as fast as he could and Yamamoto all but ran in to follow, calling Tsuna. Kyoko led him over to a hidden spot in the room, showing him the problem.

Bianchi was saturated in blood, it was all over her torso and spilling onto the cement floor. Haru was kneeling over her, pressing a cloth desperately onto what seemed to be a large wound. Gokudera swallowed, holding back the urge to vomit.

He could see her intestinal track. The wound spread from one side of her stomach to the other, like she was almost chopped into half.

It was a miracle she was still breathing, however shallow and uneven it was. Releasing a shuddered breath, he knelt down, shedding his jacket to place over the wound. He pushed down firmly on the injury, ignoring the sickening feeling in his gut. Yamamoto joined, removing his own jacket to help.

"Tsuna and Senpai are on their way with a medical team," He murmured, but it fell on deaf ears. The silveret bit back the fear the welled up in his chest, and glanced at his sister's uncovered face; he was too preoccupied with her well being to let his already rolling stomach worsen. A sheet of sweat covered her deathly pale face, and her eyes clenched painfully shut.

"Ha-Hayato," She whispered, cracking one eye open.

"Don't talk," Hayato told her immediately, shaking his head. He could hear the desperation in his voice and pointedly ignored the looks sent his way. "Just...stay quiet, okay?"

"Hayato," She continued, much to his worry, "I'm not going to make it. Listen...you- I will always love you. I-"

"Aneki, stop!"

"-want you to know that. Hayato, please try to..." She coughed harshly, blood spilling from her lips, "...try to be more honest with yourself...and play the piano more..."

"Aneki, please," He pleaded...actually pleaded, "Don't talk like it's over."

"I'm sorry, Kyoko, Haru, for having to see...this." The girls shook their heads, eyes watery and tears threatening to fall. "I'm sorry...Hayato...for not spending enough time with you."

"No!" He protested with a shout, "It's my fault. I was the one who always ran from you. Don't apologize to me. Don't talk like it's over...please."

"Hayato," Bianchi's lips quirked into a smile, "I love you...my little brother...no matter...what..."

Her eyes slipped shut, and his world came crumbling down.

When his thoughts came back together, he was standing in front of the headstone of his sister, letting the rain soak him to the bone.

Why didn't he get there sooner?

Why wasn't he fast enough?

Why did he not spend enough time with her?

Why did she have to die?

He couldn't blame Kyoko or Haru. They did all they could, fought off the enemies, kept her alive long enough for him to see her. They probably thought it was their fault.

It wasn't. It was his. He should've done something, anything to help her. Why didn't he use the sun flames he possessed? He could've healed her...stopped the bleeding...kept her alive until Ryohei and Tsuna had shown up five minutes later. He had let panic and fear consume him. He lost his rational thought and lost his sister all because he couldn't keep calm. It was his fault.

A hand placed itself comfortingly on his shoulder, nearly making him jump as an umbrella was moved to shield his person from the downpour. He exhaled deeply, taking a glance at who had made the gesture.

Tsuna.

"Hayato, you're going to catch a cold like this," The brunet murmured softly. "We should head back soon." He didn't respond verbally, only leaned into the touch absently, eyes fixed on the inscription on the granite stone.

RIP
Bianchi Aiello
XXXX-XXXX
Loving Sister, Great Fighter
"Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh." -Henry David Thoreau

How weird for that to be the words on her stone. Cherish his regrets? How could he when he was the one who got her killed, got those words inscribed on smooth stone for eternity. He couldn't...he wouldn't...

He blinked, finding his view changed to the sun-kissed skin of his boss and lover, who had one arm wrapped around him tightly as the other held up the umbrella.

"It's okay...Shh.." Tsuna was whispering, and he realized tears were falling over his cheeks without his notice. "You haven't cried yet, have you?"

His silence was an adequate response as he buried his head into the brunet's neck, grasping the suit jacket of the other tight enough for his knuckles to turn white. He stifled a sob, but it wasn't long until he was crying like he did when he first ran away after learning the truth about his mother. Gut-wrenching sobs racked out of him without his permission, tears stained the other's neck and collar, breathing came in short bursts. Tsuna took it all silently, rubbing soothing circles on his back until he calmed a little.

"She...my sister..." He rambled, his voice hoarse. "She was my sister...She's gone...Tsuna...Aneki is gone, and it's all...my fault...and..."

"Shhhh, Hayato," Tsuna interrupted softly, and he stopped to listen; his body shook as new silent tears threatened to fall. Tsuna adjusted the umbrella (unknowingly, the rain began to lighten up), and wrapped both his arms around the other, one around his waist and the other around the torso, while still managing to cover them with the umbrella. "It'll be okay. Bianchi-san loved you; she'll watch over you from wherever she is. I'm sure she won't like it if you blame yourself for this. She passed away protecting those she cared about. She was able to see you before she left, and she left with a smile on her face. I'm sure she doesn't regret anything."

"B-but..." Gokudera sniffled, his cheeks flamed red. That's couldn't be true. If he had only gotten there sooner then-

"No buts," Tsuna sighed quietly. "Hayato, don't you think we should see her off with a smile? I think she'd like that. She'd want you to keep going and fighting for what you care about." The silveret didn't respond right away, but he slowly shifted back, pulling slowly away from the embrace. His eyes were red and slightly puffy, and his cheeks were pink. He rubbed at his emerald orbs for a brief moment with his sleeve, before looking back at Bianchi's headstone. He grasped Tsuna's hand tightly, and if he was hurting Tsuna, the other didn't say anything, only smiled at him for encouragement.

"A-Aneki," He began, "It'll...be different without you here. I'll- I'll try to play the piano more...tell people how I feel more. I'm glad...you went to Japan six years ago...and that we met again. It was hard...getting over the past with you...but I'm glad we got to spend time together again. Aneki, please rest assured that I...will keep living and trying my best for Vongola. I...I love you, Aneki."

Hayato smiled, and unknown to him, it was the most hauntingly beautiful smile that Tsuna had ever seen from his lover.

"Please rest in peace."

Hayato bowed slightly, and then turned to walk off. He lessened the grip on his lover's hand as they left the cemetery. Unbeknownst to either of them, Bianchi smiled at them from her tombstone, before dissipating into the air...

The rain stopped.

Fin.

I'm such an angsty writer, what's wrong with me?

Never mind, don't answer that. I got this inspiration from thinking of the sentence that is the summary for this story. I get random ideas like that from nowhere, and they turn into stories.

By the way, Bianchi has no actual last name, and I figured Gokudera got his last name from his mother because he hated his father and ran away and probably didn't want to use that name, so I googled Italian surnames and picked one I liked.

Penny for your review?