(Disclaimer: I do not claim to own Reborn! or characters.)
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"Tsuna!" Nana called up to her son, "make sure you shut your windows, a storm's coming in!" The newscaster could be heard in the other room predicting storm damages, none of which sounded good.
Lambo and I-Pin were both down with Nana huddled together watching the man on the television talk. Bianchi was down there as well, to help, goggles covering her eyes, expression guarded.
With the distraction of the kids downstairs Tsuna and Yamamoto could talk openly, with Reborn adding in every now and then.
Yamamoto shut Tsuna's window to stop the pouring rain from coming in through the window. Tsuna had a phone in hand having called the Sasagawa's home a few minutes earlier.
"I'll watch for octupus head to the extreme, Sawada," Ryohei's gruff voice responded from the other end.
"All right, thanks Ryohei," Tsuna sighed before hanging up. It wasn't usual that Gokudera would miss walking home with him and Yamamoto.
"It's starting to rain hard," Yamamoto stated the obvious while coming back over to Tsuna and sitting himself down in the center of the room. Reborn hopped down from his perch on Tsuna's desk.
"Maybe the two of you should go look for him then." Reborn was being quite serious, apparently just as concerned about the storm guardian's disappearance. His expression was grave.
"Bu-"
Tsuna was cut of when Yamamoto spoke. "The kid's right. Gokudera could be out in the storm right now." Yamamoto was oblivious to a lot of things, but he knew now that his friend was in danger and was willing to brave the storm outside for him.
Yamamoto was clambering back to his feet at his point, baseball bat slung over his shoulder. How could Tsuna say no to that? After all, he was worried about Gokudera...
"Tsuna, why don't you stay here in case Gokudera comes over. You can call me then, okay?" Now Tsuna would never admit how much that calmed him down, knowing that Yamamoto wouldn't mind him staying home. But then he'd have three friends lost in the storm, Ryohei being the second.
"I can't let you go alone, Yamamoto," Tsuna protested.
The pitcher just laughed off what he said. "Don't worry about me, Ryohei's out there, remember? I'll be okay."
"Well, all right," Tsuna answered but didn't sound so sure. Reborn stayed quiet until Yamamoto waved his good bye and retreated from the room.
The baseball player jogged out into the thickening downpour, sight impaired by the straight slate of rain. He didn't really know where to start looking, after all he didn't really know where Gokudera lived. Tsuna, back at him home, called a few other people looking for any sign of the explosives expert.
Shamal was watching at the school, Ryohei was watching one side of town and Yamamoto was sure to be looking everywhere else. Still, there was no telling where Gokudera would be.
While the entirety of Namimori went on a storm watch the Vongola Family was having a storm watch of their own.
Gokudera winced when the rain fell harder from above. He was drench already that it didn't make much of a difference. He growled in irritation when he tried and failed to light up a cigarette to calm himself.
At least the stupid swing had stopped creaking he reasoned with himself. The world didn't hate him that much. He sighed thinking through the day and seriously considering retracting his last thought.
"Guess I'll just return to Italy..." He wondered vaguely if Dino would escort him back to the country next time he came to visit. He doubted it, and he didn't really want to wait until the Chiavarone boss visited anyway. Gokudera didn't want to have to deal with his own boss. Oh, to disappoint his Jyudimine again.
He couldn't help but remember that afternoon and how his Jyudimine had brightened up so completely when Yamamoto had joined him. The way he'd argued with Reborn, telling him Yamamoto was his friend, the first friend he'd ever had. He'd spoke about how Yamamoto was so strong and the bravest of the Family.
Gokudera bit into his lip painfully drawing blood. He never had been any good. Whenever the Jyudimine had needed him, he'd always failed. No wonder all the other families always turned him away. They were all right, he really was good for nothing.
Bowing his head he let the rain cascade down his silver hair and add to the puddle forming at his feet. The storm guardian started in surprise when he heard the thunder rumble again, wind buffeting him harshly. He was glad there was no one around to see him like this. Pathetic.
Tsuna looked out the window, worried expression in his large brown eyes. The storm outside was getting deadlier. Tsuna jumped in fear when lightning struck a tree outside ending up a flurry of sparks and a large limb crashing to the ground. He heard a yelp from downstairs.
The Vongola Decimo swallowed heavily. His friends were in danger and he was just waiting here all safe. With a burst of resolve he grabbed his jacket and prepared to go help, only to be stopped by Reborn.
"Tsuna, Yamamoto will be fine, you stay here."
"But, Gokudera..."
"Your guardians will find him, they're all drawn towards each other. If Gokudera comes back you need to be here, now go babysit," he ordered, however even as Tsuna went down the stairs the arcobaleno's expression stayed grim.
By this point Yamamoto was getting frustrated. He'd looked everywhere he could think of for the storm guardian but he wasn't anywhere to be seen. So now instead of looking anywhere in particular Yamamoto ran down the streets of Namomori, drench, tired, worried, and being pushed around by the wind. He didn't give up hope that he'd find the silver-haired teen, and his hopes weren't in vain.
Passing the park he registered someone on the swings but he passed the entrance before really registering and backtracking. However, he had to jog closer to truly identify it as the storm guardian.
"Gokudera!" he shouted to be heard above the rumble of thunder, constant in the air. The other made no moves so Yamamoto figured he probably couldn't hear, deafened by the raging storm.
In that case the baseball player took the other guardian by the arm and drug him away, headed for the family restaurant. The other was fighting against him trying to get free the entire time. The rain guardian was pretty sure he even tried to use explosives on him, useless in the rain.
Upon getting him inside he fetched up the nearest two towels and draped one over the bomber's shoulders. "You're freezing!" Yamamoto exclaimed, "dry off!"
"I don't need your help, idiot," Gokudera snarled, radiating more violence than usual. "You're lucky I lost my lighter."
After he'd said it the lights wen tout leaving the entire town in isolated darkness. "Better call, Tsuna," Yamamoto said, ignoring the darkness as he groped for his phone. "Pop'll have the back-up system on any time now."
Fruitless searching the dark - running into Gokudera at least twice, in which he growled obscenities - the lights came back on. Yamamoto laughed at his own carelessness, the phone not two inches from his hand. Gokudera face palmed. Why did his Jyudimine like this idiot more than him?
"He was really worried about you," the baseball player stated dialing Tsuna's number. "He kept calling people looking for you, but couldn't find you anywhere."
Gokudera was looking away from him. "Jyudimine was worried about me? Why?"
"Because he's your friend." Yamamoto received an automated voice through the phone. Hanging up he said, "Towers must be down." He hoped Tsuna wouldn't worry about them too much.
"But I can never seem to do anything right. Why would the boss worry about a runt that always screws everything up?"
Yamamoto cocked his head to the side. "I don't understand your whole mafia game, but I did understand Tsuna worrying about you. I was worried too." Lightning flashed outside the window. "Neither of us want anything to happen to you."
Feeling displaced by Yamamoto's kind words the Italian proceeded to dry out his silver hair. "Thanks idiot," he muttered quietly, leaving the two in a clam, contented silence that for once didn't bother Gokudera.
Leave it to the idiot to go and do something stupid like his next statement though. "I'm still not letting you be Tsuna's right-hand-man though!"
"What was that, bat boy?" Hands itched at his side to grab the explosives on his belt.
"I think you heard me," Yamamoto taunted.
Oh, it was on, and let the best guardian win.