Note: Unedited. No Beta. Mentions (implied or direct) of Slash. Setting starts ten years or so before canon. AU. Dark Themes. Slow update.
Eclipse
04:
"Iemitsu,"
Said man jerked and woke up almost immediately hearing his name uttered in such firmness. It was a reflex from how much he was in that position before.
He blinked his eyes rapidly to pay attention to who was calling him.
It was Tsuyoshi Yamamoto.
His rain guardian.
Who was looking at him with a neutral expression on his normally smiling face.
"What's up Yoshi?" He allowed himself a yawn and was about to raise both of his hands to stretch out like he normally does whenever he woke up from sleep when he remembered that he was helping his mist guardian from the pain he was feeling earlier.
But he wasn't there lying down on his lap anymore.
"Was Sicari here?" Yoshi asked sharply, eyes looking at him intently. He sat up straight at that, not knowing why he was saying that. But he wasn't about to say anything about his mist to his rain.
There was no way Yoshi and Sicari's meeting could ever be peaceful. Maybe before, but after his mist left them, Yoshi carried a grudge that was more volatile than his own.
"What do you mean? Why would Sicari be here?" he scoffed, even rolling his eyes so his rain guardian could see how he thought about that question. Complete rubbish. Yoshi's eyes though narrowed at him and his mouth was set into thin line. It was clear he didn't believe what was coming out of his mouth.
Even he was cringing inside as he spoke. It sounded too anxious and fake.
"Why are you entangling yourself with him again?" Yoshi continued his line of questioning as if he wasn't denying Sicari's presence around him.
"And I'm asking why you would think that," he insisted, stubbornly pushing on even though he could see how Yoshi wasn't buying any of it.
"His mist-flame signature was still around here. It's still active if you want to sense it. I would know that signature when used anywhere around me," Iemitsu immediately let his senses spread and sure enough, his mist flame was still around.
Still going strong.
Still active, the illusion that let him see that it was a dead end on their side.
Is he still here?
"Why Tsuyoshi, I didn't know you missed me that much. Even going so far as to imprint my flame signature into your own," Iemitsu didn't resist the urge to close his eyes hearing those words, that tone of voice unmistakable even if he plugged his ears to avoid hearing it as clear as he was hearing at that moment.
"I feel loved," the sarcasm was practically oozing on his aura even though he was acting sincere.
Think and the bastard arrives.
He heard Tsuyoshi grinding his teeth. He looked at his rain guardian and saw him glaring at Enzo - No, it's Sicari, he told himself - while he spoke clearly directed to him.
"Why is he here?" Tsuyoshi gritted out. Sicari smirked and Yoshi's hands curled tightly in apparent temper.
His rain guardian's anger rarely come out. He was the epitome of a calming rain, if a bit on the dense side even when he was a father already to little Takeshi. But whenever Sicari came into play, his temper always made itself known.
It wasn't always like that in the past. For some strange reason, Yoshi was quite close to Sicari. They seemed to have the same wavelength as they both had the same priority.
Protecting him. It probably has plenty to do with the fact that Tsuyoshi was the second guardian he acquired.
"Tsuyoshi, calm down," he soothed his rain guardian, rubbing his hand on his shoulder to calm him down from his anger. He didn't want a fight erupting after all. His son and wife was just there on their room. They would be swept by the fight. He didn't want that.
Besides, they were in a civilian hospital with civilian people trying to get healed. If they fought, there certainly would be bodies left behind.
The entire hospital would become a battleground.
"I... asked for his help," his rain guardian paused, looking at him in stunned disbelief.
"His help?" Yoshi stated as if he couldn't believe what he was saying. "What help? Information? Did the Ninth asked for it? Why did you meet him alone then?"
"It's not the Ninth. I asked for his help personally," Tsuyoshi now looked at him with incredulous eyes, fully facing him and staring at him intently, questioning why. "My son, Tsuna..." Iemitsu started and then paused. He was unsure of whether to speak the complete truth or not. After all, the information about healing wasn't his secret to tell.
They were his Mist's.
He's still my guardian despite all of our fights.
He stared at his mist's eyes and it was only then he noticed him looking at his hand intently. His hand that was resting on his rain's shoulder as he calmed the other down from his anger earlier.
He looked displeased. He rolled his eyes. The possessive attitude Sicari held wouldn't be tolerated anymore.
Not when he was the one who left him without even a word. It was probably uncharacteristic of him as a sky to ignore one of his guardian when he lost his way but Sicari had to learn that every mistake he made had consequences.
And this time, the consequence was the loss of his presence. Not that he think his presence was a positive influence for his mist. And he didn't want him back in his life after what he'd done.
If he hadn't tolerated the unusual possessiveness of Sicari before, if only he had corrected his antics beforehand and not just talked to him, all of the events before wouldn't have happened.
But it did. And he left without saying anything to him. He never even saw a glimpse of his face, nor his shadow for four years.
And then, when he became the leader of CEDEF, he came back expecting him to accept him back?
He shook his head inwardly and pushed that thought out of his mind before concentrating back on what was happening in front of him.
Ignoring the emotion on Sicari's face, he looked at Tsuyoshi with a serious expression. And his rain, seeing it immediately looked concerned.
"Tsuna...? So you finally decided on his name?" His rain said lightly with a smile even though his eyes still looked concerned. He knew his Rain guardian was only trying to distract him from his thoughts.
He smiled wryly at that. Not only because of the reason Tsuyoshi brought it up but also because of the antics he had done when he knew Nana was expecting. He remembered how he ran to his Rain dragged him and was firing name after name that would suit his soon-to-be son while he was still inside Nana's womb. He remembered he had been quite nervous looking for a proper name.
"Nana gave his name. She was pretty adamant using 'Tsunayoshi'," he said. He heard a derisive scoff and both him and Tsuyoshi abruptly turned to look at Sicari.
Said Mist guardian had a sneer on his face. It made him clench his teeth to stop from snapping. He really didn't want to attack in a civilian place.
And here he thought the two of them were getting along even if just a little bit.
"That's a plebeian name as I expected. You should change it,"
"Tsu-chan's name is none of your business Sicari," he could practically hear Tsuyoshi's smile when he said it. But his aura was currently laced with sarcasm.
Sicari looked like he was about to open his mouth with his forehead currently set in a scowl when he suddenly stopped and looked beyond them with intense black eyes.
He didn't know what made his mist quiet. He was about to turn and look since it might be a threat – his wife and his son was inside their room – when he felt the overwhelming calmness of storm flame wash over him.
Aoi?
"Did you bring Aoi here Tsuyoshi?" he asked.
Aoi Yagari was his storm guardian. And he was sure he told him to oversee CEDEF until he returned. He saw his rain blinked, close his eyes and then grimaced.
He probably finally sensed Aoi's presence.
He wondered why it took him a long time to sense him.
"I didn't. I left him in the headquarters,"
"You should leash your guardians tighter my sky," Sicari all but purred when he said it. He gave his mist a scathing look.
"Mitsu should. But then that would include you, and then I would have to disagree," a new voice said. Aoi's tall figure walked in to them, his long overcoat on his shoulder. He came to them with his long, purposeful stride regardless of the still quite potent mist flame surrounding the area they were in. He looked unaffected as he continued smoking while he looked at him with critical eyes from head to toe.
"You look exhausted Mitsu," Aoi commented after a moment, apparently satisfied to see him without any wounds or bruise but still looked displeased at his tired figure.
"I am," he simply said. No point lying when it could clearly be seen on his face. "What are you doing here Aoi? I'm pretty sure I left you in charge of CEDEF. I even told Tsuyoshi to tell you,"
Aoi gave a minute glance at Tsuyoshi and said man stiffened before looking away.
He looked at them in confusion. There was some sort of tension between the two of his guardians that he didn't understand. As far as he knew, Tsuyoshi and Aoi had been getting along fine before. They were often partners in any mission he assigned. They never had problems between each other.
He heard Sicari scoff and saw him looking pretty amused at his Storm and Rain guardians. Tsuyoshi gave his Mist a small yet potent glare before giving him a hug.
"Let's talk later?" he whispered. Despite the confusion he felt, he gave his Rain a light squeeze.
"Alright,"
Tsuyoshi pulled back, gave him a happy, yet tensed smile before walking away without giving them back a glance.
He stared at his Storm guardian intently, eyes sharp.
"What happened?" Aoi didn't speak though. He merely gave him a calm look loaded with messages only he could probably decipher. And probably Tsuyoshi to some extent.
And he understand what he was trying to say. Aoi didn't need to voice it.
He sighed at that. "Is this the reason why you came?" he asked. Aoi nodded after a minute. If this is only a disagreement between them, then I should leave it to them.
"Alright," he said, nodding his head. "Go on and catch up to him then. He's probably going to be with his son,"
Aoi gave him a look and then slid his eyes to stare at Sicari. He rolled his eyes at that.
"Don't worry about him. I can take this," when Aoi didn't move, he sighed and then pushed him towards the exit. "Go on already. I still have to talk to him," Aoi's expression turned indecisive before becoming stony. He took his cigarette off his mouth, burned it with his flame and stubbornly stayed.
"Oh? Feeling protective Aoi-kun?" Sicari asked slyly, a teasing yet mocking smile on his face with his teeth on full display. Aoi only looked at him unimpressed.
"I am. We all are, especially when it's you," Aoi said bluntly.
"Sicari is still my guardian Aoi. He's not an enemy," Iemitsu said. He wouldn't have even said anything, but Aoi was acting as if he was facing an enemy hell bent on killing him. Because despite it all, Sicari wouldn't be harming him.
At least not physically. Because like he had said, Sicari was still his guardian.
"Besides, I still have to… talk to my sky," Sicari stated in an unconcerned way, his eyes giving him a meaningful look. He clenched his hands into fist when he understood what the look was for.
The price Sicari asked for healing his son.
As if I would forget about that, he snarled inwardly.
"Go on Aoi," he softly said, voice tensed. He was on the verge of growling and was only able to barely stop it from coming out. Aoi looked at him intently. As if asking if he was sure. He nodded.
"Just remember Sicari," Aoi said before he could finally walk away from them. "Even if you are still Mitsu's mist guardian, his life is none of your business now,"
He happened to look at Sicari and saw him baring his teeth on Aoi's retreating back.
"I will only pay you if you can guarantee that Tsuna's eyes are healed even just a little,"
"No,"
Iemitsu blinked rapidly before giving Sicari a fierce look.
. . . . .
His sky's expression at the moment could have melted steel but still, he didn't back down.
Not now.
"Just remember Sicari. Even if you are still Mitsu's mist guardian, his life is none of your business now,"
He didn't want to admit it, but what Aoi said deeply penetrated inside him. Because currently, it's true. Even his Sky was doing everything he could to not let anyone know that he was his Mist guardian. He was always formal with him whenever they met and he never allow himself to be left alone with him.
If it weren't even for his blind son, his Sky wouldn't have sought him out, alone and, even though he was reluctant, he was willing.
"I want you to honour it now," he wanted his sky back.
His Sky gave him a fierce glare.
"I will not have you constantly in my life without knowing if Tsuna could really see," he said those words slowly, as if he couldn't understand what his Sky had said the first time.
"I understand my sky. But how will I know if he could really see?"
"I will tell you," his Sky said. He couldn't help but give his Sky a knowing look.
"But will you really tell me?"
His Sky didn't answer. He didn't need to.
There was a few moments of silence between the two of them before a phone rang. His Sky abruptly glanced at his phone, looked at it and answered it immediately.
"Nana?"
His blood began to boil hearing the name. That no-good wife of my Sky, he growled to himself.
"And Tsuna?" his Sky asked. After a few seconds, his entire expression brightened. "Really? That's great!" his Sky listened on the phone for a few seconds before his expression dimmed. He looked at him for a second. "Hmm… he's with me… but – alright,"
Now he became intrigued. What could that useless wife of his Sky said that involved him?
"I love you too…" his Sky gave a soft and gentle smile. His vision turned red at the sight.
Why? Why did his sky have to love someone as useless as that woman?! She couldn't even give birth right! How could she even make his sky happy? What did his sky even saw in her?! She's just an airhead! Only digging her claws to his sky for money!
He took a huge, deep breath to calm himself. He didn't want his sky to see how murderous he was feeling towards his wife or he might never honour their deal. And he might really go ahead and break their bond.
He already killed that little usurper Rene and his Sky had been furious enough to cut him off his life. And he was only his surrogate little brother. If he kill his wife, his sky might really try to kill him.
Or worse, break their bond permanently even if the backlash would be onto him.
His sky finally turned his phone off and looked at him with a scowl.
"Nana wanted to thank you,"
"Oh? Could your mini-clone finally see?" he asked curiously.
"Apparently," his sky gave a small smile and it made his breath caught in his throat.
It had been too long since I've seen Nicolai's smile, he thought inwardly. He savoured the look and captured it before treasuring the memory deep inside his mind. Maybe I could make Nicolai's mini-clone's eyesight back again as my project if I could get him to smile like that in my direction again.
He only agreed to heal the mini-clone's eyes so his price could be met. But now that he could see the bonus right in front of his eyes, perhaps he have to put a little more effort.
If he could make his sky smile at him like that again, everything will be worth it.
TBC.
A/N:
Okay, the fourth chapter's here. I made it long to make up for the long wait.
As always, new OC's in every one of my fics will have their own profiles in my tumblr. Tagged as #OCProfile, you'll see the profiles – as of the moment – of Kijima Jun from Palm Strike, and Enzo Sicari of Eclipse. I am also adding Aoi Yagari in there after this.
Their profiles will be updated from time to time as I update my works so check it out as frequently as you want.
And yes, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, father of Takeshi Yamamoto will be Iemitsu's Rain guardian. I'll put his profile if you want me too. Who wants to be my drawing buddy? You can draw my OC characters and color it. PM me if you want so we can discuss it. I'm really pants at drawing. And I would like your drawings in clear detail please.
Anyway, that's it.
Review?