Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn © Amano Akira
Firstly, thank you very much, everyone, for your reviews, follows and favorites of this story. I was nervous from the time I posted the first chapter, wondering if there will be anyone bother reading it. Your supports make me happy to continue!
I'm having a war with myself about putting Japanese words in a story written in English, but I can't find the right English equivalent of the word, like "Mou!" of Tsuna's mother and sometimes Tsuna himself and the girls used it to express their frustration about something. The word itself has no meaning to it, like you exclaimed "AH!" when seeing a cockroach flew by. I've considered "Geez" for "Mou" but it is still not right, like you compare the action "pursed lips" with "pout" or "puff cheeks" (often after one said "Mou!" in manga/anime/game, not all but depends on the situation though). Same but not really same. And Hibird is a really smart bird, besides his cuteness.
So... before I came to the final decision, I want to say an early apology for my incompetence for using the Japanese words where I needed to put it due to the character traits from the manga/anime. I will tone it down to the best of my ability and I hope you will bear with me on this one. (Since I also find it awkward to encounter random Japanese words in an English written story while others think it's cute, I'll leave it to readers' personal preference and comment nothing about this one.)
And lastly, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
2. As a silent protector, as an invisible shadow
"Tsuna!"
The brunet jumped at the sound of his name, he immediately turned around and ran toward the culprit, glomped Dino viciously to cover his loud mouth, ignored Dino's protest. He jumped again when the familiar footsteps of his Cloud Guardian was getting closer (of course it could only be Hibari because school hour had ended already!) Tsuna looked at his surroundings frantically and spotted the Chemical Lab. He dove for it without second thought, didn't realize he was manhandling Dino with him.
Tsuna pressed his back against the door, holding his breath and tensely waited until his aloof guardian walked pass the room where he was hiding, dared he exhale in relief. He blinked and let out a squeak when he looked down at his hands still covering Dino's mouth, who looked close to lose his consciousness and started turning blue. Tsuna released the blond and shook him, "Dino-san! Dino-san!" He called worriedly.
"Oh, Mama, Papa…!" Dino slurred with a stupid grin, sluggishly clinging to Tsuna.
"No, no, Dino-san! It's Tsuna!" Tsuna got panic and patted Dino's cheeks hoping to wake him, "Get a hang of yourself, Dino-san!"
Out of nowhere, Reborn landed heavily on Dino's stomach, almost caused his eyes to pop out of their sockets from the impact. Not waiting for his ex-pupil to make a sound, he jumped forward and somersault kicked Dino in his chin, successfully threw the blond off Tsuna's lap, claiming the place for himself after flipping once in the air to release his momentum.
"Reborn!" Tsuna exclaimed, but remember where he was, he covered his mouth instantly.
"If you keep stalking Hibari any longer, you're going to be late for dinner again." Reborn told Tsuna, pointing his gun at his student's forehead, "Go do it with your Dyin—!"
"Wait, Reborn!" Tsuna quickly shook his head and pushed the small hand holding weapon away, "I… I want to do it myself!"
Reborn frowned impatiently, "You are taking too long."
"I can't always rely on the bullet to do everything!"
"Do what?" Dino asked, reminded the other two of his presence as he rubbed his jaw, halfheartedly glaring at Reborn for the rough treatment.
"Um… you see… Kaa-san wants to have a weekend get together in thanks for everyone has been helping me, it's like an outdoor party for close friends…?" Tsuna replied, looking at Reborn in confusion, "Kaa-san told me you said you would inform Dino-san?"
"Huh? I didn't hear anything from him all day!" Dino shouted, pointing his finger at his ex-tutor. And promptly got it twisted backward by said ex-tutor. "YEEEOOOOOOWWWW!"
"Don't you dare pointing anything at me." Reborn warned, "I didn't see you at the hotel so I left the invitation with your subordinate. Romario is his name."
"Ah, I see," Said Tsuna, "Ow—ow—OOOWW!" He shrieked in pain.
Reborn pulled Tsuna's ear harder, "Stop stalling and go do it."
"Tsuna, you are going to invite Kyouya?" Dino asked, looking at the boy in wonder.
Tsuna sobbed, his shoulders trembling in cold dread, "If he doesn't bite me to death first… then after he hears it, he will bite me to death anyway…!" He whined with big fat tears rolling down his cheeks.
He most likely gets forced by Reborn, poor Tsuna… Dino looked at the younger boy in sympathy. The blond went to sit beside the brunet and patted his slumping shoulder. "Why don't I ask him for you?" Hopefully I can get him too tired to care what is being asked of him, Dino inwardly winced. The numerous black spots from getting hit by those two tonfas last week still not faded completely yet… Lucky for him Romario had a very good timing or he might end up worse than half-dead by the time the rest of his subordinates and the Disciplinary Committee members started crowding them.
"Really? You will?" Tsuna perked up hopefully.
"Yup! As your big bro, I'll do anything for you! Besides, Kyouya can't bite me to the next ten years! Hahaha!" Dino laughed smugly.
"Dino-san…" Tsuna gave a relief smile but it abruptly dropped, "Um, where are your subordinates…?"
"I left them at the hotel because it'll cause a commotion if there are men-in-black coming to school." The blond grinned obliviously.
Tsuna tapped his temple against the door in despair, mumbled to himself, "Oh Gods, he's going to be bitten to death by Hibari-san…" He glanced down at Reborn, who had been silently watching him all the time, "But this is my problem, isn't it? So I should do it myself…"
"Hn," Reborn smirked satisfactorily.
"Who's there?" A familiar menacing voice asked from the other side of the closed door.
Eyes widened in horror, Tsuna squeaked, "Hiiiii! Hibari-sa—!" Before he finished, all in a flash practically impossible of human eyes to see, Reborn opened the door, kicked the bewildered Dino at the unsuspecting Hibari, punched Tsuna out of the windows breaking the glass in the process and followed after him.
Dino's eyes twitched several times. Like a cliché manga moment, Reborn's assault had slanted his mouth right into Kyouya's, of all people. He had never thought about it, but kissing Kyouya was not bad, actually it felt surprisingly pleas—The familiar front end of a tonfa nearly broke his jaw when the painful contact brought him back to the real situation he was in, a Vongola Cloud Guardian in his most dangerous blood thirsty mode.
Hibari stared down at the hunching form of the Mafia boss before him, sliver eyes narrowed to slits, sharp and unforgiving, "School ground trespassing, damage public property, sexual harassment…" Front bang slowly fell over his eyes, his shoulders trembled in barely contained rage.
Dino shook his head frantically and inched backward to put more distance between his life and the furious carnivore. This was bad, no, way passed bad, this was extremely the worst! "Kyouya! That was an accident! Reborn did—" He got all the more alarmed when Hibari advanced toward him, didn't appear to pay his words any heed, "Listen to me Kyouya! I can explain!"
"I'll bite you to death!"
Tsuna looked over his shoulder when an inhuman scream reached his ears. Narrow orange eyes widen, "Dino-san!" He made to turn around.
"Don't worry about him, Tsuna. Dino won't die." Reborn smirked sinisterly on Tsuna's back, Hibari won't just murder him too fast.
Tsuna silently regarded his home tutor. Reborn never stopped scheming in that baby appearance of his, but what could he be plotting this time? He was shot with a Hyper Dying Will Bullet when he fell down from the school lab, which was in the third floor and made to fly them both home as soon as Reborn landed on his back. Knowing this spartan hitman, wasn't leaving him face Hibari alone instead of Dino would be more fitting to Reborn's sadistic sense of humor?
"Well, if he dies now will also be fine. The Chiavarone Family certainly doesn't need a useless boss to lead them. Though finding a replacement may take some time since Dino hasn't married yet." Reborn commented offhandedly.
"Won't it look bad to the Vongola Family if one of its Guardians is responsible for the death of an ally Family's Boss?" Tsuna questioned monotonously.
"Since when do you start worrying about what happens to the Vongola? Feel like becoming the Boss you are now?" Reborn asked, onyx eyes shadowed by his fedora.
"I…" Tsuna looked down at the city below him and closed his eyes, then he looked ahead with determination, "Won't become a Vongola Boss."
"Hn," Reborn smirked, "I know you won't. That's why you will become Neo Primo."
Tsuna frowned, "There is no difference between Vongola Decimo and Neo Primo."
"Of course, they are both you."
"I told you I won't become a Vongola Boss."
"Really?" Reborn pressed.
Bright orange eyes narrowed more, "Reborn, what are you—"
"Do you really not want to become Neo Primo? Beside your Vongola Sky Ring, there are six, no, seven other people are holding on to theirs. Gokudera Hayato, Yamamoto Takeshi, Sasagawa Ryohei, Lambo, Chrome Dokuro, Rokudo Mukuro, and," Reborn whispered close to Tsuna's ear, "Hibari Kyouya. Do you really want to give up your Vongola Ring to someone else—"
Tsuna's eyes widened.
"—let that person become their Boss in your place so you can go back to your normal life without a care about Mafia business, without knowing what will happen to them after that?"
A pulse halted Tsuna in the middle of the air.
The flame on his forehead died out until it completely disappeared, and Tsuna fell.
Chrome looked out of the windows, halting her motion of chopping a carrot.
"Nagi-chan?" Nana called, confused by the girl's sudden stillness.
"Boss…" The knife fell from Chrome's hand, she immediately turned and ran out of the kitchen and out of the house within seconds, leaving the clueless mother behind.
Mukuro-sama, Boss is…! Chrome said in her mind but stopped herself, remembered she no longer connected to him like before anymore. She closed her eyes desperately and ran faster. Boss, please be safe!
"Chrome!"
But the warning call was too late and she barreled into Ryohei.
"Sun-person…!" Chrome looked up at the taller male, who was almost out of breath like her and his expression was grim.
A look at the girl's face Ryohei understood, it was the same reason as to why he had left the dinner table and Kyoko to run around the town, but not to train himself.
"Chrome! Lawn-head!" Gokudera called, running toward them with Yamamoto.
"Octopus-head, Yamamoto!" Ryohei steadied Chrome and turned to the other two.
"Where could he be, we've already checked the school but he obviously left. No one was there!" Yamamoto said through his heavy breathing.
"This is bad. I suddenly have the urge to see him no matter what!" Gokudera bit his thumb impatiently.
"I…!" Chrome started, but her eyes lost light and she fell into a trance. Chrome, Mukuro's voice said in her mind. "Mukuro… -sama…" She whispered faintly, catching the others' attention.
"Chrome? What happened?" Yamamoto shook her shoulders.
"Mukuro… -sama…" She repeated, voice getting smaller.
In her mind eyes, the blurry vision slowly became clear and she saw a figure falling from the sky. Hurry, my dear Chrome, Mukuro urged. She blinked and looked around at the worried faces, "Sun-person, Storm-person, Rain-person…"
"Are you okay now?" Gokudera asked next to Yamamoto, "What did Mukuro say?"
"Mukuro-sama…" Her eyes widened, she looked up at the sky, "Boss!" She yelled, searching frantically, "He's in danger!"
"What? What happened?!" The other three shouted.
"He's falling!" She answered and started running. Not waiting for more explanation, the three boys ran after her.
Give up my Vongola Ring to someone else, for other to become their Boss…? Tsuna wondered in his mind, eyes closing, mindless to the fact that he was heading toward the ground at a deadly speed.
"Juudaime!" Gokudera-kun and his unconditional devotion,
"Tsuna!" Yamamoto's carefree grin,
"Sawada!" Onii-san and his extremes in everything,
"Dame-Tsuna!" Lambo, what trouble did he cause this time?
"Boss!" Has Chrome gotten used to her new living arrangement?
"Vongola." Mukuro…
"Little animal." Hibari-san…
Kyoko-chan, Haru, Fuuta, Ipin, Bianchi…
Give up on everyone, who I've been getting stronger to fight for…?
The corner of Reborn's mouth curled up at the first flicker of flame on Tsuna's forehead. That's right, Tsuna, you know it better than anyone else that you didn't get any single one of them for granted, that's why…
Flame blazing bright on Tsuna's forehead, lit a part of the evening sky as he suspended in the air, staring eye to eye at Reborn who sat cross legged casually on his stomach. "Like hell I am giving up on anyone," He calmly stated.
Reborn's smirk widened, "That's more like it."
Tsuna's eyes narrowed, "You—"
"BOSS/JUUDAIME/TSUNA/SAWADA!"
The familiar shouted all addressing him took his attention away from Reborn. Tsuna looked down at the crossroad in the direction the voices came from. "Chrome, Gokudera-kun, Yamamoto, Onii-san…" He whispered to himself.
"It seems the feeling is mutual, Tsuna," Reborn remarked, poking the back of Tsuna's head painfully in reminder but the boy paid it no mind.
"Everyone…" Tsuna smiled, flying toward his waiting Guardians. His flame flickered and died out, and he felled off the sky again. "WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!?" He shrieked, flailing his limbs hysterically against the gravity.
"Boss!" Chrome screamed in horror.
"Juudaime/Tsuna!" Gokudera and Yamamoto ran toward the falling boy.
"Dying Will Flame Boots!" Ryohei shouted and immediately took to the sky with his gear toward Tsuna and caught the brunet around his stomach.
"Onii-san!" Tsuna breathed out in relief, "I'm saved…"
"Are you EXTREMELY okay, Sawada!" Ryohei asked loudly.
Tsuna smiled gratefully at his Sun Guardian, "Yeah, thanks to you…"
Ryohei blinked, feeling a little awkward, he looked away and scratched his cheek, "No prob—" The Dying Will Flame from the sole of his boots got weaker and disappeared, "—lem—! EXTREMELY—!"
"NOT! WE ARE FALLIIIIIIIIIIIIING!" Tsuna screamed and shut his eyes tightly, unable to look down, not with the ground was getting closer.
Chrome tapped her trident to the ground, a massive vines grew and shot toward the dropping duo, curled itself around both of them.
"Thank gods for Chrome…" Tsuna exhaled, spent and went lax in the hold of the vines.
"Extremely good job, Chrome!" Ryohei gave the girl a thumbs up.
But Chrome was breathing hard and she barely held up her illusion.
"Chrome!" Gokudera caught the girl when she started swaying where she stood.
"I'm… fine…" She said through rag breaths, her visible eye never strayed from the two up there.
She won't be able to keep it up for much longer, Gokudera looked at Yamamoto from the corner of his eyes, who nodded in silent agreement. "This is good enough, you can release the illusion now. We've got them." The silver hair male assured.
"But…" Chrome protested, biting her bottom lip.
"If you exhausted yourself, your illusion that created your own internal organs might disappear. Juudaime would be devastated if something like that happened to you…" Gokudera looked down, "… again."
"Storm-person…" Chrome whispered. Her eyes widened when an all familiar pain hit her lower abdomen. Even then, I… She tightened her grip on her trident.
"Chrome!" Gokudera and Yamamoto gasped in horror, seeing the girl's stomach slowly hollowed. Then it was fine again.
"Kufufu, what a troublesome girl."
A glove hand covered Chrome's on her trident, another wrapped around the back of her shoulders.
"Mukuro!" Yamamoto and Gokudera breathed out in relief—
"Are you certain you should be looking this way?" Mukuro raised an eyebrow at them.
"Shit!" Gokudera exclaimed and dragged Yamamoto with him toward the screeching Tsuna and Ryohei, now that they were free-falling again with no illusionary vines keeping them in the air.
"Mukuro-sama…" Chrome murmured.
"It's alright now, Chrome. Sawada Tsunayoshi will be fine." Mukuro told her.
They watched as a chain coil around Tsuna's ankle and pulled him toward an army of Cloud Hedgehogs. A figure jumped over them to catch Tsuna like a princess and landed on one of the Rolls around him, kicked Ryohei toward Yamamoto and Gokudera's direction in the process made him barrel right into the two while they ran up to catch him.
"Hiii! Hibari-san!" Tsuna squeaked, petrified in his Cloud Guardian's arms when said Guardian glared down at him intensely.
"What do you think you are doing, Sawada Tsunayoshi." Hibari demanded stoically with an anger undertone.
"I don't care if you want to die young, Vongola, but can you do it in a way that wouldn't leave your body too damaged to be used later? I need it in good condition for you-know-what. Your. Underdeveloped. Body." Mukuro emphasized, sighing long-sufferingly.
"You—! It's not that I want to die! Suddenly my flame disappeared!" Tsuna snapped, shaking in angry embarrassment at his male Mist Guardian's purposely double-meaning comment.
Mukuro frowned.
Hibari's eyes narrowed, "What?"
"Must be because you all are hungry." Reborn said from behind them, "Well, it's way pass dinner time."
As proof of his claim, several upsetting stomachs growled in agreement.
"I think so," The baby hitman continued knowingly.
Gokudera turned to Tsuna smiling brightly, "Juudaime, are you oka—Hibari you bastard! How long are you planning to hug Juudaime like that?!" He shrieked, pointing angrily at the nonchalant Disciplinary Committee Chairman.
Feeling he needed to intervene before Gokudera added something else even more deranged to his already humiliated predicament, Tsuna steeled himself and looked up at his Cloud Guardian, squeaking inwardly when said Guardian had already been staring at him, "Um, Hibari-san… I'm okay. Uh… can you please put me down?"
Hibari blinked once and did as he was requested, his expression unreadable.
"Um… thank you, Hibari-san, Mukuro," He looked around at his Guardians, "And everyone."
"As long as you are safe, Juudaime!" Gokudera puffed his chest proudly.
"Yeah, Tsuna." Yamamoto grinned.
"Yeah, Sawada! This is extremely case closed!" Ryohei announced loudly, pumping his fist in the air.
"You're welcome, Boss," Chrome smiled.
Muruku shrugged uncaringly, "Kufufu, you don't need to thank me. I only came because I sensed Chrome's distress. And before it becomes mine, I don't need any permanent disfigured happen to your underdeveloped bo—"
"Mukuro, you rotten bas—!" Gokudera roared, being held back from jumping the heterochromatic eyes man with his handful of dynamites by Yamamoto and Ryohei.
"Don't say another word," Tsuna cut them off hastily, coloring in mortified. He turned to Hibari who still looked at him strangely, "Um, Hibari-san…?"
Hibari blinked at the sound of his name, he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, "I was in the middle of disposing that garbage over there."
There was a bloody lump that looked scarily like a Chiavarone Tenth Boss, who was very thoroughly bitten to death.
Tsuna grabbed his head, screaming in dismay, "DINO-SAN!"
"Hibari! Hibari!" Hibird chirped, perched on his shoulder, tilted his head and stared at him curiously as he sat on the windowsill of the Reception Room looking outside. Hibari opened his hand with a new batch of breadcrumb, in which the tiny yellow bird immediately landed to eat.
"You are snacking too much lately," Hibari told his pet bird, "Don't blame me if you get fat in no time."
Hibird perked up and tilted his head, then flapped his wing. "Fat! Fat! Hibari! Fat! Hibari!" He chirped.
Hibari closed his eyes and sighed, "Not me, you are."
"Mi~dori tanabiku~ Namimori~ no~"
"Don't change the subject."
"Kamikorosu~!"
"Wao, what nerve you have for a little animal." Hibari chuckled to himself and looked at the clear morning sky, he sighed, "… Little animal."
Last night…
"You know, Tsuna has been working up his nerves to invite you to this weekend's party at his house… as a thank you for everyone has been helping him." Dino said beneath him as he sat on the foreigner's back, idly wiped off the blood and dirt on his tonfas.
"I don't do crowding." Hibari stated.
"I know you're going to say that," Dino chuckled but hissing right away when the action jolted his injured jaw. "You seriously need to learn when to hold back and listen when people talk to you!" The blond complained.
"I believe in what my eyes see," Hibari hissed, slammed one end of his tonfa on the marble floor near Dino's head, who turned pale at the literally earth-breaking impact right in front of his eyes, "Since you can still talk, does it mean you are ready for round two?" The Vongola Cloud Guardian smirked sadistically.
When he was about to deliver the finishing blow, he felt a strong pulse shook his entire body and before he knew it, he was dragging that half-dead Italian herbivore and jumped out of the windows in his Vongola Gear… At the time, he only knew one thing, that he had to see a certain little animal. So much. It burned.
"To begin with, even if I have a reason to kill Sawada Tsunayoshi, there is no reason why I should let him live."
Silver eyes narrowed. He couldn't stand it. The memories of the man that was him ten years into the future. Hibari looked at his wrist where the Cloud Bracelet was shining under daylight. That future was… His gaze shifted to a dark corner of the room. "What do you want."
Hibird flew off to somewhere outside, his singing of the school anthem was the only sign for Hibari to know his pet bird was still near.
"Kufufu," The familiar laughter resounded before a shadow stepped out of the dark mist, "You are too immersed in the past."
Hibari didn't like the sound of it, his eyes narrowed more, "The past?"
Mukuro walked over to the window and looked outside next to Hibari. "Human likes naming things for their convenience, to the point of being unable to realize they only make it become more complicate than it's worth."
"Hn," Hibari grunted, but he said nothing.
"While in fact it is more simple that what you had experienced with your present self is the past no matter what time you are in, even if someone told you that was the future." Mukuro closed his eyes at his pause, "We will not experience that kind of future again, not in ten years from now, and not even in ten years from then on. Because it had become the past."
"Somethings are better left unknown."
"Why?" Mukuro asked, glanced at the other male from the corner of his eyes, "What are you afraid of, Hibari Kyouya?"
Silver eyes widened and narrowed. "There is—!"
"Nothing?" Mukuro cut him off with his irritating laugh, halting a tonfa strike with the shaft of his trident, "Kufufu, even after receiving his battle knowledge and being adept in using your own weapons, you are certainly lacking his ten years' practice of patience, experience and the inability in bringing out the level of power he possessed."
Hibari clicked his tongue in agitation. He thrust his tonfa forward with full intention to land a hit in Mukuro's face but only destroyed the wall instead.
Mukuro patted Hibari's shoulder and whispered in his ears from behind, "I was kind of unable to refuse Chrome when she asked me to join in that merry party, how about you?" He jumped backward to avoid the swinging tonfa swiped pass his chin in the nick of time. "Your silence only gives him unnecessary hope until you crush that pitiful little hope by telling him 'no', drop-dead gorgeous Hibari-san," Mukuro teased, dodging the chain aiming his neck.
"There is nothing changed even in ten years later. The sight of you makes me sick." Hibari hissed, "Cambio Forma—"
"Unfortunately, I won't be able to keep you company for much longer," Mukuro straightened up, a hand on his hip and tilted his head, his trident already disappeared.
Hibari lowered his tonfas, still glaring at the heterochromatic eyes male.
"Oya?" Mukuro feigned a smile, "It seems I will need to take back some of what I said earlier, your patience is getting pleasingly fat."
A tonfa flew through his disappearing face and lodged itself in the wall.
"The rest is up to you," Mukuro's voice echoed within the four walls, "How will you tell him no without hurting his feeling, Hibari Kyouya."
"What are you—!" Hibari stopped himself and focused his gaze toward the door, where he sensed the presence of someone standing on the other side.
"Hibari! Hibari!" Hibird flew in and nestled on Hibari's head, "Little animal! Little animal!"
Hibari's eyes widened, he gritted his teeth in anger. That damnable pineapple herbivore! He seethed inwardly, stood tensely for several seconds glaring at the silhouette of the figure behind the door.
After another silent half hour of motionless on both parties, Hibari blinked. What was Sawada Tsunayoshi up to? Standing outside this whole time doing nothing… If he was lucky enough that little animal would just give up and left, so he didn't have to stand here raking his brain to say the obvious. He hated crowd!
Tsuna wringed his hands, he had been a nervous wreck since the moment he stood in front of the Reception Room. He tried to listen to see if there was anyone inside but the silence only intensified his fear of the inevitable encounter with his Cloud Guardian, whose bloodthirsty aura covered the entire school ground on this sunny Saturday morning.
What a nice day to be bitten to death… Tsuna sobbed inwardly.
A little away from where Tsuna stood, several pairs of watchful eyes looked at him encouragingly.
"You can do it, Juudaime! If that ungrateful bastard dares to refuse your generosity, I, as your Right-hand man," Gokudera pulled out his dynamites, "Will blow this school into bits!"
"Haha, that's not nice, Gokudera!" Yamamoto laughed, thinking the silver hair male was obviously joking.
"Yamamoto is extremely right! Even if Hibari extremely refuses to come, we all can try persuading him to the extreme until he relents! There is no need to extremely destroy our school!" Ryohei declared loudly.
"Boss, do your best." Chrome whispered.
"Uhng uwa! Ey ih kwe aweng ik uga ihin kwikiunph!" A mummy said.
"I extremely don't understand you!" Ryohei declared, looking between the squirming mummy and the shaking head Romario.
"Ignore him!" Gokudera sniffed, "Not only did he fail to get Hibari to the party, he even got himself beaten to a pulp! Now Juudaime has to bother himself asking that bastard!"
"Mukuro-sama said he has no interest in the Chiavarone Boss's body so he won't help making the wounds disappear or temporary supporting the broken ribs." Chrome told Yamamoto when the later looked at her in askance.
"And Shamal doesn't treat male." Reborn popped out from the nearby fire-extinguisher box, cosplayed himself as a firefighter, "Ryohei can only fix him to a certain degree so he doesn't have to be admitted to the hospital."
"The Vongola Cloud Guardian is too dangerous on his own device, Reborn-sama, at this rate…" Romario sighed heavily, looking at his Boss's humiliated form in concern.
"Hibari is one of Tsuna's Guardians. What to do with him is entirely up to Tsuna." Reborn deadpanned.
But the Vongola Decimo is unable to control his own Guardians… Romario frowned unhappily. He looked up when someone tapped his shoulder, meeting his Boss's gaze. He closed his eyes and smiled in resignation. I can only hope you won't get hurt any more than this, Boss.
Tsuna reopened his eyes determinedly. Let's do this! He raised his hand to knock—
—The door opened almost violently.
Hibari-san, please come to my house tomorrow because my Kaa-san insists on holding a small party in thanks for everyone has been helping me! Or so Tsuna wanted to say but the words waving goodbye in tears to his speaking ability at the sight of his Cloud Guardian towering over him. He stood rooted to the spot, dared not to breathe let alone open his mouth.
What do you want? Was all Hibari intended to demand when he decided enough was enough and opened the door himself. But the instant he confronted Sawada Tsunayoshi, his earlier aggressiveness fled, left him standing there with the herbivorous little animal who looked like he wanted nothing more than running back to his house and hid under his blanket for the remaining of the school year. "Yes?" He forced out, a little harsher than he meant to.
Tsuna flinched at the tone. Oh my Gods, he's mad. No, he's beyond pissed! I'm gonna be bitten to death even worse than Dino-san! He wailed in his mind. "Um… Hibari-san, I… you know… um…" Tsuna squeezed his fingers tighter, "Hibari…-san?" Why doesn't he say anything? The brunet chanced a glance at the taller male to see Hibari had his murderous gaze bored hole into the round corner of the hallway. Hiii! That was where everyone was crowding to cheer for him—!
WHOOOOOOSH!
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
"HIIII!" Everyone! Tsuna squeaked in fright at the destruction of the three layers of wall where Hibari's chain had pierced through from the Reception Room to the other two adjacent class rooms. He breathed out in relief when no dead body was buried under the debris after the dust cleared.
Silver eyes narrowed, "Just my imagination," Hibari said under his breath and turned back to Tsuna, "So, what do you want?"
Tsuna jumped when those eyes stared him down again, "I, um, you see… actually, uh, there is a… err…"
A yellow something flew over Hibari's shoulder and landed on Tsuna's head causing the smaller of the two to squeak in surprise.
"Little animal! Little animal!"
"Hibird?" Tsuna recognized the small bird always tagged along wherever Hibari was and gathered Hibird in his hands, "Where did you come from?" He looked around, his eyes widened at the sight behind Hibari's back.
"Hiii! The Reception Room!" It looks like a battlefield! What happened?! Tsuna was in panic, This can't be because of last night with Dino-san, right!?
"Ignore it." Hibari told him.
Tsuna saw a red somewhere, he gasped seeing Hibari's hand, "Hibari-san, you are bleeding!"
Hibari raised an eyebrow and inspected his injured hand. Must be from earlier with Rokudo Mukuro… His mood only got worse thinking about that irritating pineapple herbivore.
"Let's have it treated before it gets infected, Hibari-san. The infirmary is not too far from here," Tsuna suggested.
Before Hibari could protest, the brunet had already grabbed his good hand and pulled him toward the new destination. The carnivore briefly wondered where that earlier fear had evaporated to.
"Please have a sit, Hibari-san," Tsuna directed his Cloud Guardian toward the swivel chair, most likely where Shamal used to sit during his work hour, and ran around to collect what he needed.
Hibari let Tsuna treat him while he observed the little animal. Actually Sawada Tsunayoshi made no mistake that often occurred as part of his clumsy nature when he set his mind on doing something. His movement was precise and speedy. Not once did he trip over nothing or anything in the matter. He did not accidentally cut his own finger when handling the scissor. He did not ridiculously get himself tangled in the gauzes. He did not bandage Hibari's hand at the level of a five-year-old trying to figure how to wrap a present.
"You are a confusing creature." Hibari said.
Tsuna jumped at the sudden conversation and looked up at his Cloud Guardian in surprise as he was securing the bandage for the taller male. "Hibari-san?"
"When you walked down the stair and missed a step, it was within your ability to avoid falling down and yet you fell, rubbing your head and apologized to those herbivores when they ran to you, asking if you were alright. Another time when you were cornered by the good-for-nothing herbivores who loved crowding to overpower those even physically weaker than each of them, instead of easily biting them all to death, you ran to not let them catch you as if they were playing the role of predators while in fact they were nothing but your preys, then you laughed in relief with your fellow herbivorous friend because you both were safe from them." Hibari recalled, if he noticed Tsuna's eyes widened at his words, he said nothing. "I can tell those were not an act. That's why I am confused which side of you that I prefer over the other."
"Which side of me?" Tsuna repeated in confusion.
Hibari closed his eyes, half-smiling at Tsuna's expression. "Then there is this side of you only emerges when those who are close to you were put in danger. You become calm, keep your thought to yourself, only talk when need to. And most of all, your eyes are no less persuasive, they are the only thing that connect those two sides of yours so the more carnivorous one not to be view as something of another completely different personality that only appeared when the situation calls for it."
"Hibari-san…" Tsuna had no word to say. This person had always been… And yet, I… He bowed his head.
"You want to be stronger to protect someone, do you not?" Hibari asked, lifted Tsuna's face with his index-finger curling under the small chin, "How about treating yourself a little better so you won't get into unnecessary troubles, since you won't be able to protect anyone if you can't even take care of yourself."
"Hibari-san…" Tsuna murmured again, not knowing what to say next.
"They said you represent the Sky, right? So don't get yourself fallen out of it." Hibari told him.
Brown eyes widened in realization. Yesterday! Tsuna hastily said, "Hibari-san, I'm sorry for being a burden to you, I—!"
"It's not about that, Sawada Tsunayoshi." Hibari cut off his ranting but didn't elaborate any further. He leaned on the backrest of the chair and sighed.
"Um… Thank you, for saving me, Hibari-san." Tsuna said, bowing his head.
The silence afterward started becoming awkward the longer it stretched on. At least Tsuna felt that way since Hibari didn't appear like he could be read that easily by his neutral expression.
"I heard from the herbivore who I bit to death yesterday about the crowding occasion at your house." Hibari recalled out of the blue.
"Um, yes. I'd like it very much if you come. But Hibari-san, you don't have to if you don't want to. I know you don't like crowd. There will be many people so if you don't come—"
"It's fine."
"Ah, I understa—EH?!" Tsuna openly gawked at the taller male, unable to trust his own hearing.
"I will come," Hibari clarified, "If they annoy me too much, I'll just bite them all to death."
Tsuna forced a strain smile, knowing full well Hibari would always stay true to his words. He could only hope all wouldn't end up in disaster. His comical expression dropped when he saw Hibari's bandage hand on the armrest.
Followed Tsuna's line of vision, Hibari lifted his injured hand and ruffled Tsuna's hair then angled the brunet head up so they were facing eye to eye. "It's still too early for a little herbivore like you to worry about me, and besides, you are weak."
Brown eyes widened.
Hibari continued before he was interrupted, "That's why it's okay to let someone strong protect you."
"It's unfair…" Tsuna mumbled.
"Hm?" Hibari raised an eyebrow.
"It's unfair, Hibari-san!" Tsuna protested heatedly, "I'll get stronger! So one day, one day… I'll be able to protect Hibari-san too!"
Hibari blinked at the declaration. He raised a fist to cover his mouth, but that was still not enough to hold in the first sound escaped from him. He doubled over, his shoulders shook.
"Hiii! Hibari-san?!" Tsuna was by his Cloud's side in a flash, flailing his hands wildly for not knowing what to do, "Are you okay? Do you feel unwell somewhere? Is there another wound? Hibari-san!"
Hibari sat up, leaning heavily on the backrest and laughed outwardly.
"… Hibari-san?" Tsuna called hesitantly, wondered if Hibari got hit in the head somewhere but dared not to ask. But his laughter sounded nice…
"You…!" Hibari said between chuckles, running a hand through his front bang from the right, "Are amusing."
"Mou! Hibari-san!" Tsuna huffed, pouting in annoyance.
Hibari breathed out, finally getting his mirth under control. "Well then," He smiled slyly, "If you can bite me once, I'll consider your offer."
"Hiii!" Tsuna squeaked in fright, backing off a little, "I can't bite Hibari-san!"
"You won't know until you try," Hibari insisted, leaning closer, enjoyed bullying the little animal a little too much, "Hm?" He pressed a tonfa under Tsuna's chin.
Tsuna shook his head frantically, beyond terrified. I knew it! Hibari-san is SCARY!
Somewhere else…
"Hibari is totally extreme!" Ryohei shouted at the row of broken walls, hiding with the others behind another and further round corner.
"How did he always get away every damned time he destroyed something!" Gokudera muttered darkly under his breath.
"You don't know?" Reborn questioned, sitting on Yamamoto's shoulder, "The Hibari Clan owns the whole Namimori and its public properties."
"The Hibari Clan?" Chrome repeated.
"Yes. Since long long long long long time ago, even before Vongola Primo settled down here, Namimori was said to be the safest and most peaceful town in Japan. The founder of the clan was a man with a French name before he changed his name to Hibari to better suit the environment. Vongola Primo took the name Sawada when he came to live here. Also since then the town was closed off from outside influences under the strict rules of the Hibari Clan. Rumors had it that they must be keeping something away from the rest of the world."
"Really?" Ryohei folded his arms thoughtfully, "I've never thought much about it, but Hibari's extreme passion about Namimori is already a legend."
"Yeah, he's been hell-bent on protecting Namimori for as long as I remember, especially our school." Yamamoto grinned.
"Reborn-san, do you know the name of that man with a French name?" Gokudera asked, something started clicking in…
Reborn smirked. "Alaude."
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"
"EXTREME REVEALATION!"
Omake
"Whoa, this is Ugetsu's country? So beautiful! The air is so nice!" Giotto stood on the ship prow, stretched his arms at his sides, shaking off the kinks from sitting in one place for too long. He turned to his companion, a scowl replaced his merry grin.
"—arrive soon. Get everything ready."
"You!" Giotto pointed an angry finger at the taller sandy blond man talking on the phone, "Even after we all retired, you are still working!"
An eyebrow arched, "Don't worry. Everything is according to plan." The blond assured, putting his phone in his pocket.
"Now you are talking like a criminal!"
"Stop yelling, you are disturbing other passengers."
"Don't change the topic!"
"Right, we have to think of a new name for you."
"Listen when people are talking to you!"
"Do you want to know what your name in the language of this country is?"
Amber eyes shined like Christmas. "Want!"
"Ieyasu."
"Ieyasu. Hmm… it has a nice sound to it. I like it." Giotto hummed thoughtfully. He saw something from the corner of his eyes and grinned excitedly, "Ah, a field! Wonderful! Fantastic!"
His companion sighed, "You are like a child…"
"Look! Look! It's a field!"
"The next thing I know is you will like the name Sawada too."
"What does it mean?"
"Rice paddy in the swamp."
"So… I'll be Ieyasu Sawada?"
"It's Sawada Ieyasu. The order of your given name and surname is reversed in this part of the world."
"How about Alaude, your name meaning is 'Skylark' right?"
Alaude smirked, "Hibari."
A/N:
The fandom has too many characters... I'm extremely overwhelmed whenever I need them in the story beside Tsuna, Reborn, Hibari and Mukuro. I am well-aware of the distraction from other characters to the main characters is very great if not being handled carefully, but it's easier said than done, sadly.
Thank you for reading and I hope you'll look forward to the next update,
Asuka K.