Summary: When the Tsuna and co returned from the future, a member of the famiglia they hadn't met yet- Kagome Higurashi was among those who saw them off. She gives Hibari a confusing piece of advice. Then back in the present, the Kagome of their time moves to Namimori a couple of years later. Few would have ever guessed just how close Hibari would come to be with her.

Pairing: Kagome/Hibari

Warnings: mention of fem!Tsuna, possibly some language, possibly light violence

The Skylark and His Neko

Fifteen year old Tsunami Sawada and her friends, quite a few of which being her Guardians, were finally returning to their time. All were glad to be going home and away from this post almost apocalypse world. (Hibari and Reborn, of course, would never admit it.) They had all agreed that they needed to make sure that that future doesn't happen. All had been surprised at the presence of someone none of them had met or heard of. A woman named Kagome. Even Reborn found how familiarly she treated both Hibari and TYL Hibari surprising. Everyone who was less slow or oblivious in such things finally saw what was going on at her parting words.

"Kyouya, when you meet the younger me in a couple of years, please try not to judge me too quickly or treat me too harshly; even though I'm sure you'll see just another herbivore at first. I went through a lot in the couple of years before I moved to Namimori, and I was lucky to live that long. I left to let go of the past and find myself. The whole time that happened was an emotional roller coaster for me, and even in Namimori there were times when you were the only rock in the sea keeping me afloat emotionally and mentally."

Hibari shook his head. He could see his younger self's eyes widened. The boy was obviously confused. Once he and Kagome were leaving, he spoke.

"Was it wise, giving hints about the future?" he asked.

"Kyouya, you might be the biggest reason I healed emotionally, but you've always been a little awkward socially and emotionally. You usually need something of a push, and the only people that care enough are too scared to do so or don't realize that they need to. Besides, he'll probably mostly forget until he meets me." Kagome stated.

Hibari chuckled in agreement. "It was frustrating for the longest time that you were the one person I couldn't figure out." Kagome just giggled and kissed him on the cheek. On her left hand was something no one from the past (except for perhaps Reborn) had noticed- an engagement ring.

Back in the present, Kagome's words were proving true. Hibari had been confused. He chose to ignore it however, when he did remember. Kagome arrived almost three years later. The year Hibari finally graduated from high school, to be precise.

She was in the same class Hibari would be in if he actually bothered to attend class. Hibari showed no sign of remembering Future Kagome's words. Or caring, for that matter. But Tsunami (who by that time was dating the now free Mukuro) and a few others noticed that the prefect didn't treat her with the usual level of disdain reserved for most people deemed Herbivores usually not worth his time.

To most people's surprise, the girl form a shrine in Tokyo proved to be one of few who could gain his respect. It hadn't been how she was the one person who fed, pet, and was liked by Hibird. It was something not even Reborn really expected. (Though Tsunami felt that it would have been strange if Reborn hadn't been surprised.)

Kagome had protected Lambo from a bunch of teenage bullies that tried to steal the money Nana gave him for a toy that he had really wanted. They hadn't stood a chance, really. But she still ended up with a nasty cut on her arm, which she treated herself. The only reaction to the incident she had was asking the scared little boy if he was all right. Lambo, they found, would even actually listen to her. After that Hibari let Kagome do pretty much whatever she wanted. He also found that she sometimes dealt with troublemakers before either he or his Disciplinary Committee could.

It was the aftermath of a particularly disastrous accident of Lambo's during one of the Varia's visits that brought the two to be close. Hibari found Kagome by herself in a park. She seemed upset. Naturally, Hibari was curious because he'd never seen her like that before. He thought it was strange, seeing the normally cheerful young woman feel down.

"What's bothering you, Omnivore?" he asked.

"It's just… nostalgic, almost. Lambo's interaction with the louder boys now that he's getting older. Gokudera's interaction with the louder members of the Varia. Your interaction with people like Xanxus-san and Squalo-san." She answered, "It makes me think of my life before I came to Namimori. I can't seem to decide how I feel about that.

"What gives you mixed feelings? You seem to care about your old friends as much as your family." Right after he said that though, he suddenly remembered the future Kagome's words.

"If I told you the whole story, I doubt you'd believe me." Kagome started, "But starting on my fifteenth birthday I had at least as many near-death experiences as Tsuna-chan. When I think of the times our lives weren't in danger the only ones that don't ever bring up old feelings of anger or frustration were of Shippo, Sango's cat friend Kirara, and Kaede Obaa-san."

"Isn't that normal? It sounds similar to Tsunami." Hibari asked.

Kagome sighed. "It's not so much that in general. It's… two people in particular." she admitted, "For the longest time I was convinced that I was convinced that I was in love with Inuyasha. But he was rude, a jerk, and worse than Gokudera-kun with children… There was no such thing as someone he wouldn't hit or yell at. And…"

"Well?" he prompted.

"I have trouble believing he ever genuinely saw me as a friend." she said, getting to the heart of what troubled her about her time in past for the first time, "Quite a few people saw me as practically identical to his technically dead ex, who liked trying to kill or rob all of us. A lot of people mistook or compared us, and I couldn't stand it."

"Hn. You're Kagome and no one else. I have yet to meet or hear of anyone even remotely like you." he scoffed.

The resulting smile had to be one of the brightest things Hibari had ever seen. "Thank you, Kyouya-san."

"Hn. What for?"

"For listening… and for cheering me up. Not a lot of people have ever done both." she told him.

"… You're welcome… Kagome."

With that she stood up, kissed him on the cheek, and left; she never looked back so she never found out that Hibari was blushing brightly at the action. 'You're certainly interesting, Kagome Higurashi.'

After that, their interaction was noticeably different to most. Though of course no one ever succeeded in finding out just what happened. He even nearly bit Hojo to death when he ran into them during his vacation in Namimori and he wouldn't leave Kagome alone. It was around two years later that the two's relationship finally took a romantic turn.

Kagome was the first to finally make their feelings obvious. It had been Valentine's Day. She never stated that Hibari's chocolate wasn't Giri choko like the rest of their friends'; Yet his wasn't like anyone else's. Though it was Hibari, naturally, who made the first move.

He didn't use White Day as an excuse of course. It was cliché and what herbivores did. Instead, Hibari gave Kagome his gift a week later. He gave her a black velvet choker with an amethyst set in silver for a pendent. When she opened the box her eyes widened at the sight. She looked up at him, the question clear in her eyes. In response he didn't say anything. He just pulled her close to him and kissed her soundly. Kagome was already used to reading people that didn't talk much, and Hibari made sure that she couldn't possibly doubt what the kiss meant.

Hibari smirked. "Wao." Kagome just blushed, and Hibari decided that that shade was one of his favorite colors.

Owari

Tsunami and Kagome: *Both blushing*

Yoruko: Sorry, but I just couldn't resist that last part… and it seemed in character for Hibari to boot.

Hibari: *smirks*