AN: I originally wrote this as a lemon at around three in the morning a few weeks ago. When I looked back on it however, it seemed rather silly and not very good so I revised it. Now it's just an angsty little snippet of a story. I hope you like it anyway xD


Transient Clouds

Hibari Kyouya sat in the back pew of a packed cathedral, eyes narrowed and arms crossed stiffly over his chest, irritated, uncomfortable and bloody well bored out of his mind. Somehow he had managed to tolerate the crowding and the noise and the sentimentality of it all up to this point for the sake of some small amount of begrudging respect for the Vongola Decimo. That respect was only a side effect of years and years of battles, observing the formerly wimpy boy grow into the powerful Mafioso he was meant to become.

"Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife...in sickness and in health...till death do you part..."

Kyoko was radiant in her white dress, cheeks flushed and eyes bright with life. Tsuna held a solemn dignity, no longer did he allow emotions to dance across his face in the way they once did when he was but a boy. It was a necessary adaption. A lot of things were. Just like the cold distance that had spread between the Vongola boss and his Mist guardian. It is his duty as the head of the famiglia to produce an heir.

Hibari closed his eyes, a soft sigh. This whole thing had been rather troublesome. Flying all the way to Italy for a wedding when both the participants lived in Japan. But they won't for much longer, he recalled warily. The Vongola were relocating to Italy. Hibari had refused at first. Of course he had refused. He could never leave Namimori. The base will be in Italy but the guardians are free to travel between residences.

It had been a long time, many years since Hibari had stood on Italian soil, drank Italian whine and--

"That suit looks marvellous on you Kyouya."

Hibari started slightly as the unwanted subject of his musings plopped down into the empty seat beside him. His golden hair had grown out since Hibari had last seen him and subtle, barely noticeable laugh lines had started to form on his smiling face.

"Your age is starting to show, Cavallone", Hibari smirked.

"How many years has it been now? Four, five? And that's all you have to say?", Dino's tone was playful however and his eyes had that little sparkle to them that Hibari had grown somewhat fond of. He would never admit that to the man in question of course. Such a thing was unthinkable and his pride would never allow it.

Hibari turned his cheek slightly, a tad bit uncomfortable under Dino's intense gaze. He coughed slightly, clearing his throat.

A quiet chuckle sounded from Dino's end of the bench. "Still as cute as ever Kyouya."

Che, was all the response Dino received as Hibari's eyes drifted back to the scene at the front of the church.

"It's kind of surreal", Dino murmured, "seeing Tsuna all grown up and getting married, and to Kyoko no less! Sort of nostalgic in a way. Remember how he used to have that huge crush on her? Before Mukuro I mean...", Dino trailed off awkwardly. His shoulders sagging slightly as the reality sunk in. "Do you...think he'll be happy with this?", he glanced at Hibari, waiting in silence for a while before starting at the sound of his former pupil's voice.

"Happiness is irrelevant to this."

Dino looked pained.

"He has a duty, a responsibility as the Vongola Decimo to produce an heir". Hibari's voice sounded flat and empty to Dino's ears, like he was repeating lines in a play which he'd read hundreds of times before, words which had ceased to mean anything and only provoked a hollow feeling in one's bones.


The sky was overcast, the air silent on the steps of the great cathedral as Dino took a long drag on his cigarette. He sighed, exhaling a scalding breath of smoke from his lungs as he gazed out over the grounds, anything to take his mind off the unsung message to Kyouya's words. You have a duty, a responsibility as the head of the Cavallone to produce an heir. He was well aware of the situation even without Kyouya's subtle hints. Why did he think Dino had been absent from his life for these past few years? It wasn't because his feelings for the Cloud guardian had faded over time. He had tried for the sake of duty to put aside whatever this..thing he had with Kyouya was. But it had been a fruitless endeavour. He had met with countless daughters of various families but his smiles could never be anything more than polite and cordial and forced in their company. His men as always were nothing less than one hundred percent on his side.

"You don't have to do this boss. You can always choose someone to be your heir. We don't want you to do something that will make you unhappy."

Dino had laughed then, some kind of combination of bitterness and relief. "You're too good to me Romario".

And so he had come to Tsuna's wedding. He would have come anyways of course but there was still that ulterior motive. Kyouya would be there. And of course he hadn't been able to resist when he saw him sitting there alone in his expensive suit, poised and pristine as always. They had slipped back into their usual banter just as if they had seen each other yesterday and there had never been any great distance between the two of them.

A warm hand brushed against his own, taking the lighter from his fingers with ease and flicking it effortlessly.

"I didn't know you smoked Kyouya."

"I don't", the dark haired man replied, blowing a ring of smoke in Dino's direction.

Silence.

"I missed you", his voice was so low that Dino had barely caught the words.

Dino's eyes widened and a quick blush sprung to his cheeks, "C-cute!" he choked out, laughing as Hibari pouted and proceeded to smack him upside the head somewhat half-heartedly.

"I missed you too Kyouya. I missed you a lot", he smiled sadly, done with teasing. Taking a step forward, Dino raised his hand up, ghosting over Hibari's cheek. His thumb nudged lightly against Hibari's bottom lip as the usually cold Cloud guardian leaned into his touch, eyes smouldering beneath thick lashes.

Dino's other hand encircled Hibari's wrist, pulling him closer as their lips just barely brushed in a rare moment of tenderness.

"I lo--"

The sound of Hibari's voice was swallowed whole as the church bells tolled, doors flying open as the newly married couple made their way out onto the steps and down into the waiting limo, wedding party following. Noise and movement blurred as Dino's eyes searched wildly for Hibari. But he had lost sight of him. The Cloud had drifted away.

The moment was lost.


Omake:

Years later, Dino Cavallone would wonder if he had only imagined it, if Hibari Kyouya had ever come so close to saying those words or if it had just been Dino's own mind longing to hear it. A piece of him died that day when he lost sight of Kyouya in the crowd, a piece of him that would remain buried for several more years until the Cloud would drift back into his life as if he never had left it to begin with.