Summary: The guardians always thought that Yamamoto was oblivious to the mafia world, thinking that it's all a game. He proves them wrong.
Disclaimer: I do not own KHR or any of its characters.
Updated: Thanks to ilYamaTsuna7227li for pointing out a part I missed.
It was nine years after the Shimon conflict. Tsuna if officially the boss of the Vongola, assisted by his guardians. The Varia have officially allied themselves with the Decimo, seeing as the previous boss had already passed away due to old age. The boss and his guardians had just recently moved to Italy after completing their studies, except for Lambo and I-pin who would be completing their schooling in Italy due to their young age. Surprisingly, all of them who finished had decnt grades. Even Dame-Tsuna and Baseball-idiot-Yamamoto.
As with any organization, while the boss stood on top, he delegated quite a bit to his guardians as well. Gokudera as the right-hand man had the most to do. Ryohei, having relations with Kurokawa was keeping tabs on Japan. Hibari kept to settling internal disputes on top of keeping general order within the family. Yamamoto was the only one who wasn't too involved, allotting part of his time to major league baseball aside from the missions being given to him by the boss. The other guardians didn't mind, even Gokudera who was saying that the more oblivious the baseball idiot is, the more secured I am as the tenth's right hand man. What they didn't know was that Yamamoto was well aware of the situation and the game ended long ago for him, and he very well intended to let them know soon enough.
"hmmm... mmm... hmmhmm..." a certain rain guardian was whistling back to the boss' room in the Vongola mansion. He just got back from Germany on a mission from the boss and wanted to file his report before changing in his quarters. And did he need a change of clothes. His was tattered beyond recognition. If it wasn't for the long standing rule that the reports should be filed before personal time, he'd change first. But the boss was adamant about knowing their post-mission status and clothing was a good way of figuring out how well the mission went.
"Boss! I'm back!"
"Good work Yama... what happened?" It was no surprise that Tsuna was shocked. Very rarely did the rain guardian come back injured. He was simply that good. But here he was, cut, bruised, and goodness knows what.
"mah, mah... It's nothing. Turns out that rogue group was more hostile than we thought. Met with an ambush on the way to their HQ but I dealt with them. The mission was still successful."
"I'm sorry, Yamamoto. I guess we could have used more intel after all."
"That's fine, it happens. What matters is I'm back in one piece."
"But you have a big game coming up right? I'd feel bad if you weren't able to play 'cos of this."
"Are you still thinking about that? Tsuna, I think we need to clear things up a bit."
"What things?"
"Everything. Us, our friends, the mafia, EVERYTHING." Yamamoto put an emphasis on the last word so that Tsuna knew he was serious.
"Yamamoto..." Tsuna started to speak, but seeing his rain guardian's eyes, he conceded and led him to his private chambers so they wouldn't get disturbed.
"Tsuna, I'm aware of everything you know."
"What?"
"I know this isn't a game. For a long time now. The fights, the things at stake. Do you really think I could fight like that if it was just a game to me?"
"Why didn't you say anything? I mean, we were all worried that you might get killed thinking the missions weren't life or death."
Yamamoto started to explain everything. How he kept a status quo so that Tsuna would have a sense of normalcy to hang on to, for Gokudera to be happy as the right-hand man of the boss, and the like. What the two didn't know was that there was a certain someone listening through the doors who really couldn't take the news as well as the young Vongola.
"YOU BASEBALL IDIOT! WERE YOU JUST PLAYING AROUND TO AVOID GETTING MORE WORK FROM THE TENTH?!"
"Gokudera-kun! Why are you accusing Yamamoto of that? And why were you listening outside the door?"
"Well, tenth, I was going to give you some financial reports and overheard this idiot talking about him knowing everything. Tell me Yamamoto, why were you avoiding duties within the family?"
"I wasn't..."
"THEN WHY HIDE THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW EVERYTHING?! YOU EVEN KEPT FROM US THE SECRET OF THE ARCOBALENO!"
"Gokudera-kun that has nothing to do with it!"
"Jyuudaime! It has everything to do with it!"
"No it doesn't. Just drop it already!"
The boss and his right-hand man kept at it for a while until Yamamoto silenced them when he spoke.
"No, Tsuna, it does have something to do with this. But not in the way Gokudera's thinking. "
"Then what, I'm starting to lose my patience with you baseball idiot."
"The duty of the guardian of the rain..."
"What?"
"The requiem rain washing away everything... that's what it should be right?"
"Yeah, but I don't get it." Tsuna, even being the boss was a bit lost in this conversation.
"I didn't get it too. So I asked Reborn and what he told me was..."
"Eliminate anything and everything that threatens the family, wash away the negative emotions to keep the family happy. That's what I told him."
"Reborn! What kind of duty is that? Yamamoto isn't a security guard and he isn't a clown either!"
"But he acted that way dame-Tsuna. In a way, he's still doing that now."
"I... I don't understand."
"Think Dame-Tsuna, what have I always been telling you about Yamamoto?"
"That he's a natural-born hitma... HIEEEEEE?! You mean..."
"Hahahaha! Took you long enough Tsuna! I've been keeping quiet about it to keep you at ease."
"Baseball idiot! Don't you get that the tenth is more worr..."
"Gokudera-kun, that's enough... he's right."
"Tenth?"
"It makes me worry that Yamamoto is getting dragged into this against his will. But knowing that he thinks of it as a game is comforting as well. It helped me hang on to the hope that things would go back to normal. I guess that was ok while it lasted..."
"I guess it's about time I stopped pretending right? Hahahaha!"
"Then what about baseball? Or the sushi shop?"
"You really are dense Tsuna... Surely you would have noticed that I have more important things to take care of."
"Yamamoto?"
"Baseball idiot?"
"We're a family right? I have to look out for you guys. Especially you boss."
By this time, Gokudera forgot about his anger toward Yamamoto. In fact, he was somehow relieved that Yamamoto is finally getting serious.
"Tsuna, you don't have to worry about me any more than you have to."
"I'm at least relieved you're taking it well."
"I'll always be your guardian, and your best friend."
"His best friend is supposed to be his right-hand..."
"Wrong Gokudera. As his right-hand-man, you're his assistant. You share his responsibilities. My role is a bit different. I help him cope."
"Cope? What are you talking about?"
"Tell me Gokudera, have you ever seen Tsuna cry openly?"
"I guess a couple of times..."
"Two thousand seven hundred eighty times..."
"What?"
"HIIIEEEEEE YAMAMOTO!"
"2780 times Dame-Tsuna has cried openly in front of you Yamamoto? You're pretty good, you've actually kept count."
"Right kid, and that doesn't count the times he lashes out his frustrations in his dying will form..."
"Yamamoto, you remember all that?"
"Sure Tsuna! And I don't regret a minute of it. I'll always be your best friend, and this is probably the best way you can get away from the mafia while still being in it."
"Sorry baseball-i... ... Yamamoto, I guess you're right. I hate to admit it but you are actually better than me at understanding the tenth's feelings."
"Exactly! And Tsuna, don't worry about me. I may be an idiot but I know what I'm doing. You, and everyone else in this family is more important to me than any sport and I..."
Yamamoto never got to finish his sentence since Tsuna, out of his relief that things would come out right slumped over, falling asleep due to fatigue. He was promptly caught by his rain guardian, who carried him back to his room, closely followed by Gokudera.
"You still have a lot to learn Dame-Tsuna, you should remember to listen to what your subordinates say before sleeping."
-End-