Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn © Amano Akira


2. The wind that moves the cloud


On contrary to popular belief, Rokudo Mukuro was the Vongola Tenth Boss's favorite, not his Right-hand man Gokudera Hayato, not the ever-cheerful Yamamoto Takeshi, not the extremely noisy Sasagawa Ryohei, not the shy but strong-willed Chrome Rokudo, and of course not ever the cold and aloof Hibari Kyouya. The first person who was extremely unlucky that night to walk in on them, was none other than the Cloud Guardian himself. He didn't catch them missing any article of clothing as they were going at it like mammals in heat. No. It was the way Tsuna leaned his head on Mukuro's shoulder while the two cuddling on the lounge before the fireplace way pass midnight. The fact that Tsuna startled when Hibari cleared his throat to announce his unexpected return from a recent mission said several things. One amongst those things was that Tsuna trusted Mukuro enough to lower his guard completely that he didn't pick up the new presence had been standing at the doorway watching them for a while. Hibari didn't let the flare of envy show in his face when both turned to look at him, nor there was any indication that he had heard Tsuna softly told Mukuro "I don't know what to do with him," when the latter had stated "You can hold him, too," before both lapsed into companionable silence until he decided it was time to interrupt. It didn't take a fool to know the object of their quiet discussion had been him, for the Boss looked at him with a flash of guilt and then unable to meet his eyes any longer than the single instant when their eyes locked, lips parted with an apology that was unsaid but lingered in the air.

Hibari knew he had been pushing Sawada Tsunayoshi.

Purposely broke numerous expensive antiques practically littered everywhere in the Vongola Mansion. Exhibited more than the necessary amount of his power when hunting uninvited guests and destroyed a part of the Vongola Boss's favorite garden on top of over half the living quarters of the West Wing. Refused to cooperate with the squads that had come to his aid on specific order of their Boss, creating more mess than the said Boss could be comfortable with dealing afterward. Spending more and more time moping around the Chiavarone Estate than the Vongola Headquarters that had roused some to question the whereabouts of his loyalty. Nothing sort of punishment came to him as a result of the former deeds so he ceased acting like a child throwing a fit when not receiving all the attention he wanted since the conscience of guilt already became too noisy to bear. And stuck with the later to put a temporary long distance between him and the Vongola Sky, finding himself in the embrace of another one in the process. He smiled sardonically one night as he watched Dino sleeping soundly beside him. How two Skies could be so different, yet the same.

"If I tell you to betray Vongola and Sawada Tsunayoshi, what will you choose?" Hibari had questioned Dino on one drunken night that would be their last.

"I will betray my own family, my brother and his family, and die for you."

The words were sincerely bittersweet and they both knew how many would kill themselves thousand and one times and again just to hear it from him. Hibari had hoped that was only the liquor speaking from Dino's mouth. He stared at his Vongola Ring long into the night when the blond slept away, unnoticed of his departure. He closed his eyes, already reached his decision.

Hibari didn't look up when the door of his room opened and closed. Quiet footsteps approached as he was sitting on the bed and loosening his tie. He blinked slowly at Sawada Tsunayoshi in silent askance. It was quite late and the brunet looked too much awake for someone who should be sleeping.

"Kiss me."

It was not a request. Sawada Tsunayoshi always requested him in everything. This was the first. He noticed the clenching fists, the slight trembling frame, the furrowing brows and hard line downward of the tight-pressed lips, on a face showing displeasure that could have frozen all the minions living in the entire vicinity under the Vongola brand.

At full height he easily towered over the brunet, as did everyone else. A single step was all it took to eliminate their personal bubbles. A slight dip of his head caused his lips to brush the smooth and cold left cheek softly. As soon as the contact initiated, it was over when he pulled back and straightened up. "Is that all?" He drawled with a disinterest tilt of his head.

Brown eyes narrowed more, looking at him in defiance, challenging… as the heat glare was directing at a visible love bite had been exposed when it was not carefully covered by his shirt collar with the absence of his tie.

"Hn." And he had the object of his madness under him on the bed he had occupied alone so many nights since he left Namimori to come to this foreign country. He didn't ask to be granted entrance, he easily invaded it when the other was too shock to know what was happening. The corner of his mouth twisted into what could be a smile when a strangle noise escaped his captive as their tongue danced, too clumsily on the other party. When one of his hands slithered under transparently thin shirt in search for skin, brown eyes snapped open, wide, and hands immediately pushed him away. He let it happen, watching impassively at the flustered face gasping for air, unfocused brown eyes looked at something behind his left shoulder just so the gaze wouldn't meet his. Sawada Tsunayoshi went rigid when he put his hands on either side of his, efficiently trapping the Boss between himself and the bed. "You don't know…" He whispered nearby a reddened ear, emphasizing each word, "What you are asking of me, and how to take it."

Hibari drew back and walked leisurely to his wardrobe, grabbed the first nightwear he sighted. "You could just tell me how much my… insubordination bothers you," He stated, and closed the bathroom door after him, leaving the motionless brunet alone on his bed.

By the time he came back, there was no one in his room but himself.

.

.

.

He removed the Vongola Ring and placed it on his bedside table before he turned around and walked out of the Vongola. Dino had made him the Vongola Cloud Guardian, not Sawada Tsunayoshi. Therefore none had enough rights to keep him.

He hadn't expected to see Rokudo Mukuro leaning on the wall, facing his room door. "Don't push him."

The corner of his lips curled up in an empty smirk. "Not anymore," Hibari told the other when he passed him. That was as close as admitting defeat he would let himself verbalize in the presence of this man.

"He has no need to bind you, because you can never escape his embrace in the first place," The carnivore told him when he was by the gate, disappointed onyx eyes shadowed by his black fedora.

"Maybe." He didn't know why he had responded as he walked pass the Arcobaleno. It could be his acknowledgement that he was just running away. By this time he had commanded his mind and body to do what he knew very well to protect his heart from getting damaged any further by someone who didn't do anything wrong.

Hibari Kyouya merely, had fallen for someone who couldn't wholly… love him back.

Goodbye, Sawada Tsunayoshi.

.

.

.

"Da quanto tempo che non ci vediamo, il mio Nuvola."

A gun shot.

Pain…

"Welcome home. By my side."

… And darkness.

.

.

.

"Kiss me."

He opened his eyes to look at Sawada Tsunayoshi, whose lap cushioning his head, whose fingers had been running in his hair. There was a Byakuran doing world domination out there while they were idling here, enjoying each other's company after years apart, completely at ease.

Hibari sat up and looked into those brown eyes, still expressive after all these years living in this dark side of the world. He lifted his hand to ghost his fingers on the smooth cheek, warming up under his touch, and traversed to the back, tangled in the deep rich bronze color hair that he deliberately took time to marvel at its soft texture despite the appearance could easily lead many to believe no small amount of hair product was at work to keep most strand stood up like that of a rebellious teenager.

His lids lowered but not to the point of hindering his sight of the other person. He angled his head, pulled the Boss closer by the hand on his nape, and brushed their mouth softly against each other. It was until Hibari felt hands circle his neck that he applied pressure to the kiss, but not too much to deter an attempt to push away. It was until a firm weight straddled his lap that he wrapped his other arm around the low back, tightened his hold, to keep Sawada Tsunayoshi where he wanted him.

His responses to kisses and touches and how easily he accepted what was given to him spoke of a habitual experience where one engaged in these acts for many times enough to know what to expect. A dark realization flashed by his mind, the mismatched eyes and irritatingly ridiculous laughter, but Hibari himself had also been in the arms of other, he was not exactly a victim to fill any complain.

But again, they were experiencing something new.

He had never left any mark of love on Dino like the blond had done to him, seeing how those would easily be erased by Tetsu who carefully concealed the fact that he was a Sun Flame user, and an excellent one.

He stared at the swollen flesh where he had bitten moments ago, and wondered how long it would stay on the Vongola Boss who had just offered him his life to compensate for their wounded hearts.

Hands caressed his cheeks, refocused his sight toward the soft eyes of dark chocolate hue. Gaze that was distinctively bittersweet looked at him with no small amount of adoration together something he might have totally missed long ago. Had he overseen everything that should have been so obvious in the first place?

"You are My Cloud Guardian, I could only cling into that delusion of ownership to keep you close to me even when you can easily drift away… to another Sky."

I couldn't take my eyes off you, and have never stopped willing you to look at me. Only at me.

"I could have killed anyone but him… for having you the way I want."

Don't you know I never started a kiss with him, only received his affections that I want the one who showed it to me was you?

"I looked at you and wonder if you always resent me for binding you here. You always walked faster when you were leaving."

Going back. That had been how I unconsciously preferred to your side whenever someone asked where I am heading.

"I envy how easy he can say those three words to you, and how many times I heard he told you just that. I would have repeated those words every second I see you if only I had no fear that might just push you away instead of having you bitten me to death like you did him."

Imagine that would be enough to freeze me on the spot and I then, had to pray you couldn't hear how fast my heart was beating when I see the truth in your eyes and, don't know what to do.

"Say it." Hibari dared.

"I love you." The Boss said without hesitation, no hint of doubt, unaffected by fear.

I don't know what to do, what else can I do aside from… "I love you," Too.

"I will win." The conviction whispered against his lips, "Byakuran and, your heart. This time, it will be just Tsunayoshi and Kyouya."

The corner of his mouth curled up. "Just now, I remember how I have fallen… for you."

The pout directed at him was boyish and childish, but it didn't make the brunet any less attractive in his eyes. "So unfair! I can't even realize when I start going crazy when I am not seeing you around…"

"Ah, that must be the day I left."

"No. That was the day my worst nightmare come true."

Hibari tilted his head. "There were more?"

"Not important anymore," The brunet shook his head and pulled him impossibly closer, "If the worst had already happened, then I'm going to make the best of it happen too."

"And it is?" The taller of the two pressed.

"You."

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.

.

"Gokudera Hayato can be his Right-hand. I have his body in more ways than my original intention. Because of that, I know only you have his heart." Mukuro told him as they stood staring each other down, at the airport where he would return to Namimori. "He wants to start over with you, and unfortunately I can't have that."

His eyes narrowed at the implication but he said nothing.

"This time, one tiny wrong move of yours will make him mine, Hibari Kyouya."

.

.

.

He opened his eyes slowly, careful of the source that woke him up from distant dream. The first few tiny flecks of morning sunlight bathed his reposing form on the veranda, where he often found it was easier to sleep than a soft bed with warm blankets.

"Good morning, Kyouya-san." A familiar voice greeted him before its owner took a long sip of his drink. The same green tea that had been their mutual favorite for as long as they knew each other, not only because of the calming scent but also its taste that was both bitter and sweet at the same time.

"Why did you make me remember." He demanded, blinked once at the clear blue sky and decided he didn't want to open his eyes yet. He could hear the chirping of his canaries not too far and whistled to gather them at his side.

"You wouldn't want to repeat the same mistake, Kyouya-san. Besides," The former Storm Arcobaleno shifted his gaze toward him with a parental smile, "It is more entertaining to be your opponent when you have obtained the previous ten years long of battle knowledge, experience and power within one and a half year."

The younger of the two, by true age and not by physical appearance, closed his eyes with a haughty "hn".

"Kyouya-san, the wind makes the cloud move." Fon chuckled, looking fondly at the silent male, "All the wind does, is giving the cloud a push it needs so it won't stray from the right path for too long."

Like a cat, Kyouya yawned widely, still keeping his eyes close while his pet birds snuggled him.

"A good friend of mine during dark days contacted earlier. He seems worry about his favorite charge. The boy hardly slept and ate even less these days." Fon skillfully hid his mirth when he noticed a very unnoticeable twitch in the other's profile at the mention of that certain someone. "It saddens me knowing the person who contributed most to my freedom hasn't been doing well. I hope all will be fine for him… soon."

Kyouya was no longer there.

"Oh, you really should listen when someone is talking to you, Kyouya-san. Especially when I am about to tell you how beautiful his smile was, at the sight of a little canary." The former Storm Arcobaleno chuckled softly and raised his tea cup toward the sky. "But you can view it anytime with that tiny camera attached to your very first Hibird before the battery runs out."


"If you dare move your pitiful ass back here for another time, I'm kicking you out of the country and feed your rotten bones to the sharks! Fuck off!" Xanxus snarled at Tsuna, brandished one of his guns at the attendant who paled rapidly as he was running to the group surrounding the Neo Primo.

"VOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIII! What the fuck do you want, TRASH!" Squalo growled, waved his sword dangerously at the poor servant's face, efficiently halted him from approaching any further and lost his life before he knew what hit him, most likely got burned to death by the Flame of Rage.

"Oh no~ you poor thing, don't come any closer or even I don't feel like keeping your corpse in one piece~!" Lussuria dramatically pointed his manicured index-finger at the same man.

"You possibly terrorize him into glossophobia," Tsuna sighed at the overenergetic display of extremely obnoxious protectiveness, relieved that his Guardians didn't choose to join in the spooky fest too. He looked at the unfortunate soul empathetically and offered a kind smile (that apparently only caused both the Varia and Guardians became even more murderous at the horrified man, while Chrome and Reborn stared blankly.) "How can I help you?" Tsuna questioned courteously, oblivious to the sight behind his back when he moved away from his personal homicidal squad to approach the trembling house worker.

The servant dared to open his mouth despite he was shaking very badly. "N-N-N-Neo… P-P-Pri—!"

"Can you hurry up? You are wasting Neo Primo's time here." Gokudera snapped impatiently.

"U-U-Uuuumm… ChiavaroneBosshascomeNeoPrimoSir!" The man squeaked in one breath, lucky for him he didn't bite his own tongue in the process.

Tsuna frowned, looking troubled at the news. "I… see."

"No you don't," Xanxus remarked coldly behind the servant, his gun barrel now digging in the man's skull, "You never heard any fucking thing from this trash and you have already left before it got here. Or the thing is, this trash never exists here in the first place to back up the Chiavarone trashes' claim of seeing it run off to look for you." He removed the safety and was about to pull the trigger.

"Don't." Tsuna stopped him.

"Then go."

Tsuna regarded the Varia Leader silently before he smiled. "Thank you."

"If you take your damn time," Xanxus grinned threateningly, "There won't be any trash left to save by the time you come back."

"I expect at the very least you can find an equal amount of replacements then, if they are unable to meet your needs." Tsuna countered easily, knowing how the other man hate scouting job, even when it had been Fran in the past.

Xanxus scoffed, turned around and walked back to the Mansion, waving over his shoulder as he went.

"I'll send you postcards every day, so remember to answer all of them!" Tsuna called after the retreating man.

"Shut up! Learn to text on your own fucking phone!"

"Hey, did he just admit he wants to get a text message on the phone?" Squalo asked the gaping speechless Lussuria, in equal disbelief.

"Geeez, he's so demanding!" Tsuna huffed, dropped the hand he had put on his hip before looking at Squalo with a serious expression that eliminated the easygoing air earlier. "I'm counting on you."

It was the white hair man's turn to grin sadistically. "Sure thing."

"You shouldn't spoil him too much or he'll get fat. Take him out of the house when he's just lounging around, a short walk will do. I'll send the Kobe beef when I get there." Tsuna instructed. "And take note of his blood sugar. If possible make him see a doctor regularly, don't get too dependent on the Sun Flame unless necessary."

Lussuria was in tears and it didn't take long before he buried his nose in a tissue and blew on it noisily, and started wailing his eternal adoration to the sweetheart Vongola.

"And I am the one spoiling him?" Squalo muttered under his breath, nearly turning blue from the amount of sugar on display by his own flamboyant teammate. Idly he wondered if Lussuria was more likely the one in needed of an immediate blood sugar checking, or himself… to see a dentist just in case, since he feared he was going to get a cavity very soon. Aloud he droned dismissively to Tsuna, "Okay, okay, anything you say."

There was a soft ding from Tsuna's phone. "Just fuck off already!" It read. The brunet blinked at his new text message and raised an eyebrow at the familiar figure glaring at him from the second floor next to a smiling Nono, who was waving in his direction. "Well then," He tapped a quick reply then pocketed his phone and waved back, "I'm going. Tell the others I say welcome home and sorry about the short notice."

"Yeah." Squalo acknowledged in a more somber tone.

"See you soon~ Godly Boss!" Lussuria sniffed tearfully and blew his nose again in his rainbow color handkerchief.

Tsuna nodded and turned around to his waiting Guardians and Reborn, took lead of the brief walk toward the waiting aircraft. "Let's go."

Back to Namimori, where that person is waiting… for me.


"Little animal," Hibari whispered to the sky.


Tsuna shifted his head to look outside the window, the cloud was near. "Hibari-san."


Vongola's Private Channel.

[Announcement]: Greetings Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your usual host Ribbon-sensei. We had hacked into our self-proclaimed best Vongola Underground Network just to spite its leader because I wanted to, and from there I have gotten information about the new recruit of this one night club is a hot stuff who can sing and actually wrote the songs too. This is where we, those who have safely arrived at Namimori, are heading since we couldn't just go off to bed like good children on a vacation. It is too early to disturb the Sawadas' neighborhood, and most importantly Mama, who needs her good sleep to welcome her son home at a more decent hour. Now we will be off to enjoy our first day of vacation in Namimori and may get back to you if we somehow miraculously managed to not get owned by the Yamamoto's sake and sashimi first, also let us not forget about the hotpots and wagyu. Ciaosu.

[Breaking News]: Your beloved Boss has shipped you all his early Valentine chocolates from Japan because he was paranoid that it would be late whenever you got it if he sent them out any later. Each present would of course include his personal handwritten letter to you all as the years before. Be grateful he always had you in mind, and he did all these things after kindly asking us to have fun in Namimori. So rake your brain to write something back and start scouting your White Day presents for him now. Obviously he had meant to keep this a secret but I feel like spoiling it for you so good luck convincing him you don't know anything about his pleasant surprise. Don't worry, the chocolate is top quality money can buy. I would know because I'm eating mine as I am writing to you all. Again greetings from Namimori. Ciaosu.


"VOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIII! What did you do that for?!" Squalo growled, spun around to face Xanxus after the latter scored a direct hit at the back of his head with a full wine glass. Needless to say the Varia Captain wouldn't be too happy with his new pink head as soon as he spotted himself in a mirror later.

"How much does it cost for us to hire ourselves to annihilate one of our own?" Xanxus grinned borderline murderously.

"If I am assuming the same target as yours. All the shipments from Japan. You may, no, you will definitely be made to do everything about paperwork for an indefinite time. A certain someone will most likely ignore and pissed at you for another indefinite time. And most important of all, we will FAIL." Squalo snarled.

Xanxus threw his newly refilled wine glass at Squalo. This time the white hair man saw it coming his way so due to common sense, he dodged.

The Varia Boss casually pulled out his phone and read his new text message. He scoffed and pocketed it, then stood up fully intended to find his next unlucky victim for target practice.

That left the Varia Second-in-Command gaping at his back. "Oi," Squalo called the silent presence had been lurking around the lounge room, "Did he just…"

A materialized Mammon flew over and handed him the camera. After several taps on the screen, the device started playing from when Xanxus was reading his text until the former Arcobaleno tapped on the screen once more to make the video speed slow down. There, they both once again witnessed a tiny twist at the corner of his mouth, without the usual malice often plastered on his face by default, before it quickly turned into the familiar sneer they all knew of as if he had caught himself on time.

"… Holy… cow…!" Squalo exhaled, shaking his head to make sure his eyesight had just not failed him… again.

"There is more," Mammon urged, practically shoved the camera at Squalo's face in impatience. This time it recorded from an angle behind Xanxus's shoulder, focused at what was displaying on the cellphone.

Squalo blinked, eyes wide, before he directed his gaze at the close door where his Boss had gone off not long ago. "I'm going to bed and sleep this off." He decided, but not making a move.

"How much do you think these clips will make?" Mammon asked nonchalantly.

"Your life. Why did you think he left? Because he didn't want you to see his reply, idiot."

"… Che. No fun." But then again… maybe the one of Squalo opened and closed his mouth like a fish would at least sell well. The clips were not free for watching.


Tsuna barely opened his eyes as he groped around searching for his cellphone and sighed in relief when he blindly caught the device before it fell off the bedside table. "When will they make something that unlock itself at voice command?" He slurred sleepily under his breath, moving his hand around the phone this time in search for the fingerprint sensor, still trying to salvage several more seconds of eyes closing bliss. And actually dozed off while doing so.

It was a little over three hours later that the Vongola blinked his eyes open, confused as to why he woke up. Until he heard the low battery warning tune from his cellphone. He frowned, not remembered leaving it on. He squinted at the screen until his attention focused on an unread text message. He chuckled at the content and looked at the time before pressing call.

"What?" The other line snapped.

"How much did you drink?" He asked, unable to hide his amusement when sleep had not fully abandoned him yet, in fact, it was coming back with a stronger wave.

Silence.

Tsuna waited patiently for the more vocal response, eyes closed with a sleepy smile.

"… Go to sleep," Xanxus grumbled almost sulkily, at last.

"Mmhmm…" The line abruptly went dead because Tsuna's phone had shutdown itself.

Xanxus looked around himself, on high alert like a hawk, before he let out a relief sigh. Truth to be told he nearly dropped his phone when Tsuna called, because he had been staring blankly at their text messages.

"It's night here. Goodnight."

"Buona notte, Cioccolato."

TBC.


A/N:

(Italian) Buona notte, Cioccolato. = Good night, Chocolate.

I'm having serious problem with Xanxus and Squalo's extremely potty mouth while trying to keep them in-character. I hope I hadn't already destroyed anyone's general personality at this point.

Reply to Guests' reviews:

To the 1st Guest: Thank you, I hope you also enjoy this chapter too.

To Anna: Thank you.

To the 2nd Guest: Thank you very much. I was wondering if I've been playing favoritism with Reborn (but it is hard not to, for the same point you have pointed out.) Adding with a fact that the bond between Tsuna and Reborn is one of the strongests in KHR doesn't help Iemitsu's case any. And I'm happy you like the relationship of Tsuna and Xanxus in my story, there are still more of their bromance will pop up along the way later.