.:I.O:.
Chapter 3: A Touch Long Over Due
Disclaimer: I do not own KHR or any of its content, it all goes to its original owner and creator Amano Akira.
.:VxG:.
Takeshi is a bit of an odd one smiling, joking or telling some form of baseball pun or joke, the hitman had briefed the boy about the Flames, telling the boy he had Rain Flames, and would show how to pull them out from his core later.
The boy's father owned a sushi restaurant – Much like what Takeshi had said. – And the first thing Reborn noticed about the man, is that he has an active Flame. The second thing he noticed, the man was bound to a Sky, it was obvious in the way energy seemed fluctuate beneath the man's skin. The man made not obvious moves to hide it, almost daring people to see them for those that can.
A third thing Reborn noticed, he knew this man. Tsuyoshi Yamamoto; The Autumn Of The West, previously worked as an information broker/swordsman in a Japanese branch of Vongola. Retired to be with wife and son. Disappeared from Mafia view for years, kept under the radar, disappeared without so much of a trace, until now.
Reborn knew the man understood who he was, disappearing from mafia aside, nobody truly retires from it, you still hear things, understand things no true civilian would understand. Sees things with a darker understanding of what is really going on behind peoples backs. Probably helps that the man is an Ex-Informant, working in a restaurant where people tend to gossip.
The store was empty as they walked in, Takeshi exclaiming his return in a chirpy tune as he took off his shoes.
"Oh, Takeshi, you're back early." The boy nodded his head, a bright smile on his face.
"Haha, yeah I decided to skip out of baseball practice today." The boy said as he removed his backpack, putting it by the staircase behind the counter going up to the living quarters of their home.
"You wha-" The words died on the chefs tongue as he now noticed the three strangers standing in the middle of the store. Eyes widening as his eyes fell on both the Hitman and The Martial artist.
Then his eyes fell to Tsuna, a faint flash of Blue passed the mans eyes, not as strong or vibrant as Takeshi or Kyoya had flashed. It was almost diluted.
"What is the meaning of this? What are you trying to do, pulling my son into that world?" Tsuyoshi said in a darkened tone, switching to Italian so his son would not understand him. It was slightly accented, unused to speaking the language after who knew how many years he last talked it fluently.
Takeshi had a look of confusion plastered onto his face, his pupils slightly dilated in surprise at his fathers outburst and different language.
Fon was unable to hide a flinch, Lichi covering from behind the man's neck, his tail in a choke hold to the point Fon had to hold a finger to it to not loose the air supply.
Tsuna simply stared into the air, body swaying, arms hanging limp at his sides.
Reborn met the man's gaze, a faint smirk on his face. "I think you understand that this is simply no simple mafia matter." Reborn said, switching to his native tongue. Words crisp and fluent. "Besides, it is not up to you, it is up to your son if he wants to, and so far he has shown a pull to young Tsunayoshi here. Are you really willing to deny an Elemental Familia, one you as a bonded Rain, should understand is nothing more than a gift."
Tsuyoshi faltered, the surprise and shock of watching the hitman and triad practitioner walk into his small restaurant having run somewhat its course. He glanced to where his son stood besides a swaying Tsunayoshi, absolutely confused out of his head as to what is going on.
Tsuyoshi sighed, switching back to Japanese. "What happened to the boy? It is not normal for any Sky to be unable to properly connect to his or her element. I know Takeshi is showing signs of wanting to be near, but that bond has not been secured."
The air in the room suddenly felt very heavy, Fon took a step back, removing Lichi from his neck, knowing Reborn got this under control. He was just here to kill time until he had to head back to his sisters house to speak more with his nephew. Their conversation had been cut short because of that Sun user that caused Kyoya to get annoyed, making him turn tail to be left alone. The fact that Kyoya was irritated because the young Sky supposedly wouldn't shut up, confused the Martial artist. Reborn had said it himself, the boy is mute, he himself had not heard a word from the few minutes he had known the boy.
Reborn's gaze sifted from between Tsuna and Tsuyoshi a few times before landing and holding Tsuyoshi's gaze. "Tsuna's Flames where sealed when he was four years of age."
Tsuyoshi snorted, his eyes flashing a deep dark blue. "That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard in my entire life, what was the boy's parents thinking, sealing another's Flame? And a child on top of it all, it's ridiculous!"
Reborn shook his head. "Tsuna's parents did not have much of a choice, his father was backed into a corner, forced to accept it. After all, when a boss say it must be done, it must be done, no questions asked. Else be thought of as a traitor."
Tsuyosh's eyes, widened. Clenching and un-clenching his jaw in rapid. "What has happened in Vongola for the kind hearted Timoteo to seal away a young active Sky like that?"
Reborn could only shake his head, suddenly feeling very tired from it all.
The room got silent, Fon glanced around the group of people, his eyes landing on Takeshi who stood with an empty look on his face, tears flooding from his eyes freely.
"Are you alright, Takeshi?" The Chinese man asked in concern.
The sudden voice snapped whatever spell he had been in, as the young pre-teen turned his attention to the man before him, tears still streaking down his face. "Hh-huh, y-yeah, I'm good, wh-why would I n-not be?"
Fon brought his sleeve up to the teen's face, wiping at his face slightly. "You're crying young one."
Takeshi took a step back, bringing a hand to his face as he felt the wet tears running down his cheek. "Hh-huh, I am, wow yeah. Hhah, w-why am I… Ooouuhh my legs feel weak."
Tsuyoshi rushed over to his son, the boy's body was shaking, the tears not letting up. The man glanced over to Reborn and Fon. Tsuna was currently seated on the floor, legs having caved out beneath him it appeared, still staring emptily out into the air with that lost look of his. But there was a glimmer of energy in his eyes, it was faint though.
Tsuyoshi grasped his son's shoulders, gently nudging the teen away from the crowd towards the back room of the store. "Excuse me Reborn, Fon. I have some stuff I need to speak with my son about."
The two Arcobaleno nodded their heads. Just then a sound filled the air. Reborn pulled out a phone from his pocket, giving it a quick glance before answering.
"Chaos, Iemitsu." The flash of blue that went through Tsuyoshi's eyes did not go unnoticed by the two men, nor did the slight flinch or hesitation in the mans approach to the back room.
.:VxG:.
Tsuyoshi brought his son to the back of the store, closing the door behind them. He sat Takeshi to the floor, following suit, holding a firm grip to the teen's shoulders, staring into the boy's wet eyes, his body still shaking.
"Takeshi, you need to listen to me. This is a delicate procedure and I need you're full attention on this."
The teen nodded his shaking head, eyes burning with a bright blue sheen. "H-hey pops… before you do…. What did they mean with…. Tsuna being sealed?"
Tsuyoshi sighed, standing himself into a crouch, hands still resting on his son's shoulders. "It has a lot to do with a persons core and their inner Flame. Every person has one, but not all has the will or ability to manifest it."
Tsuyoshi placed a finger to Takeshi's chest. "The Core of ones person lies within the heart, weaving out into energy across the body in a steady beat, much like how the heart pumps the blood. It is a life source, and could become deadly or hazardous if that beat is messed with."
Takeshi was silent, his head tilted away from his dad, glancing to the door. "So if one is sealed….. their body should be a mess, but, why is Tsuna so…. Gone." he said in but a whisper, a ghost of a breath.
Tsuyoshi didn't say anything, suppressing a sigh, his shoulders tense. But Takeshi was ever persistent, standing up with a heated huff. "Pops! Why! It is driving me up the wall with worry. I can't stop this shaking, this unease. You are not telling me anything, Why is Tsuna like that!"
The boy was walking around in circles now, hand gripping his face, swearing something profusely, of which Tsuyoshi would have berated him if the situation was not of what it was. Tsuyoshi bit down another sigh. "Takeshi, you have a decision to make. A decision that will change your very life depending on which direction to go."
Takeshi was leaned up against the wall by now, his breathing shallow, sweat pouring down his face, his iris's blown, clouded with a dark blue hue.
Tsuyoshi was still crouched on the floor, eyes pinning his struggling son in place. "You have two options, you can either be a pillar of support for young Tsunayoshi, become his rain, or you can forget him, ignore him and go on with a normal life. Those are your choices. Where in one you will live a hard life, with a high probability of dying at young age, doing some questionable things you may never forgive yourself for, but the people you meet, the friends you will find, will forever be genuine. As for the other, you will live without knowing the dark themes going around, in complete bliss of the terrors of the world. Find yourself a girlfriend or even a boyfriend if you are into that maybe, start a family, and live out your life to its fullest without soiling your hands in crimson."
.:VxG:.
Takeshi felt he could not breathe, like he was tied with chain to an anchor sinking into the abyss. His dad wanted him to ignore Tsuna?! How could he ever even try to think it.
There had always been this presence to the other male, and the moment he was told Tsuna was sealed, that presence was just all the more obvious, he could not take his eyes off him, he could not take his eyes off of him at all. Like almost as if he was trapped in a vortex, with Tsuna in the middle.
A memory was brought before him, a memory he had thought he had forgotten, back when he was five, he had played a bit with Tsuna in the playground. Back then, Tsuna was not as broken as he was now, he could talk, always had this pained look to his face, gripping at his head, or even shouting at people to be quiet!… When there had been nobody but their mothers around. And even they had been across the field sitting together on a bench, just observing the two children play.
It had been very curious. He would always try to avoid something, tripping over nothing but his own two legs, his eyes flickering to everything around him.
As the memory kept playing in his head, there was just something that just clicked. Tsuna, even back then had been somewhat klingy, felt a bit more calmer, almost sighing in relief at just being in the proximity. But then Takeshi's mother had died in a car accident, and he had just pushed everyone away, including that short lasting kinship he and Tsuna had shared briefly as children.
He had pushed Tsuna away once, and now knowing the other boy was struggling to even walk, even stopped talking, and from what he has seen, has probably stopped eating… does he even sleep. For Takeshi had seen the bags under the other boys eyes. There was also that…. Essence that was pulling Takeshi to be close, he had peered into Tsuna's eyes properly for who know how long, and he knows. Ignoring him now was not going to happened.
What was even left to go back to, while he will forever love Baseball as a sport, and would probably still play a bit down the line… but there has been something that has alienated him from his heart sport. His supposed team mates always put pressure on him, slapping warm hardheartedly on his shoulder. "With you we will never loose." "Hey Yamamoto, good going, we are unbeatable with you on the team" It felt more like a slap in the face, he was always staying after school practicing, but… he was the only one. Even his coach kept telling him to do good, it just… didn't feel like the team sport it is meant to be. While the decision to follow Tsuna today was an abrupt one, it still feel like the right one.
That does it, he has decided, screw the school team, Tsuna needs him, and he would do all in his power to help.
.:VxG:.
Tsuyoshi watched as his boy struggled with himself, the boys breathing was ragged, coming out in exasperated huffs and puffs. His body was shaking, sweat pouring down his face like a flood. His iris's blown with a bright Blue shimmer shining at the corner of his eyes.
This went on for a while, and Tsuyoshi had to physically ground himself not to go up to his son and hug the ever-loving daylight out of him, but he held his ground. This is Takeshi's fight, his decision, and he as a father would support his son in all that he could, no matter what he decided to do. The pull of a Sky is a strong one, the pull of a desperate Sky who has been neglected for years, who has finally been able to somehow make somewhat of a contact with a searching Rain must be even stronger.
It is no wonder Takeshi is having a difficult time.
Tsuyoshi knew that Takeshi has been struggling for a while, his grades where dropping, his talks about school practice has turned somewhat dark in the last couple of weeks, that love for the sport is still there, Tsuyoshi knows that for a fact… But it has been somewhat diluted.
Something must have changed at school, or at least something in Takeshi must have realized that something was wrong, or at the very least, something that was off.
Tsuyoshi never pried, it was Takeshi's business, if the boy wanted to tell him, he would have told him. If not, it was best not to pry.
Suddenly Takeshi lurched, his body straightened, tears still prominent on his swollen face, but there is a determined sheen in those brown eyes of his, literally glowing with the serene Blue Rain Flame of the Sky. It was at that moment Tsuyoshi knew, Takeshi had chosen Tsuna as his Sky.
The father stood up from where he sat, walked over towards Takeshi, and pulled the boy in for a hug. Of which Takeshi clung to the man for dear life.
"I take it you have made your decision." Tsuyoshi said, speaking into the soft black hair of Takeshi, that reminded him so much of his departed wife.
Takeshi said nothing, just nodded tearsly into his fathers arms. His grip tightening a bit more around his dad. Tsuyoshi hummed more quietly into his son's locks.
"Takeshi."
"Yeah, Pop's?"
"Welcome to the world of the Mafia. A place where you will find true friends, family, love… but in order to keep that, you will have to do some stuff, see some stuff that are not very humane to the outside world."
"… you mean I will have to kill someone… right?" came the muffled reply from a tired Rain.
"… Yeah, all for the sake of the Famiglia… and with you now in the ropes of learning about this world… you are bound to something called Omerta, if you break it, you will be killed or imprisoned. So whatever you do… Do not speak of the other side with anyone but myself, the two men outside, your Sky, and his Guardians."
Takeshi nudged out of their hug a bit, they are still embraced, but Takeshi is no longer clamped into his fathers shirt. "Guardians?"
Tsuyoshi smiled, a genuine; 'I am so happy for you right now.' kind of smile. "yeah, a Guardian. Once Tsuna is capable to fully connect and feel your beautiful Rain, you will be bound in the most amazing way, you will know him just by proximity, a touch in just the right spot will have you feel like the calmest you have ever felt in your entire life. This touch goes the same for any other Element bound to your Sky."
Takeshi had a look of confusion for a fraction of a second before it clicked. "Those men outside, Reborn and Fon… they have a shared Sky… right? I have seen them interact a bit on the way here… but.. why do yo–"
Takeshi was interrupted as Tsuyoshi's head flew up, eyes widening, a flash of Blue streaking across his eyes as he let go of his son and bolted for the door to the store. Leaving Takeshi frazzled and confused in his wake.
.:VxG:.
Iemitsu had ran with all of his might. Reborn had been able to find both a Rain a Cloud (of all things.) and a possible Sun, the details of this Sun being connected to Tsuna or not has yet to be confirmed, though, Reborn sounded hopeful as the boy had a lot of Energy to the point where there where raw Sun Flames literally shining from his body. Fingers crossed on that one.
But no, that was not the reason why he was running, he was running because Reborn told him of who the Rain was. Yamamoto Takeshi, the father, Yamamoto Tsuyoshi… A man Iemitsu had not seen in forever, in a time Iemitsu was but a trainee himself, working up the ranks to become CEDEF head. It was just days prior to his promotion to boss that they had last seen one another, where Tsuyoshi's wife had passed away, and the man could not keep working away from his son no longer, so he said his farewells to Vongola, and went under the radar. Never to be seen or heard from again.
Or that is what Iemitsu had believed until Reborn told him of certain circumstances where young Takeshi had approached them after school inviting them to some sushi restaurant his dad runs.
He stopped outside the sushi restaurant, heart pounding in his chest, he could feel it, that familiar
sensation, a sensation he had not felt since that day they had passed ways.
Just as he was about to open the door, said door, opened with a heavy thud. And before him, stood Yamamoto Tsuyoshi, his Rain.
Tsuyoshi stood there, panting, a bright smile on his face, tears threatening to fall from the corners of his eyes. Iemitsu would not be surprised if he was in a similar state. "How long has it been, old friend." Tsuyoshi stated. Iemitsu just breathed a sigh of content as he reached out his hand and brought the two closer, so they rested their foreheads against one another. Breathing in a touch they have not had for years. A touch that they have been starved from due to life choices, while Iemitsu never faulted Tsuyoshi for what he did, for he would have done the same for Tsuna had anything happened with Nana. And speaking of.
"You have found your Mist. Who?" Tsuyoshi started, but got interrupted by a hearty chuckle. "My wife, after Tsuna stopped speaking at five, I told her everything. And in that moment, I found her, and she found me." And nothing more could be said about it, it didn't really matter if a person was Mafia or not, an element is an element, no matter where they come from.
So the two males stood there, hugging it out, breathing in one another's Flame.
.:VxG:.
Reborn and Fon stood by the door, watching the two adults reuniting after who knows how long. Fon turned to Reborn, a small frown caressing his mouth. "What now?"
Reborn meets the Chinese man's gaze, hold a hand out to touch the nack of said man, and feel the pulsing of Fon's Flame stirring. "For now, we let Takeshi and Tsuna figure out things on their own terms. The best course of action would be to have them be in one another's vicinity for as much as possible until we can find the rest…. Actually, I think I may have a good candidate for a Storm now that I think about it. And there was that boy we met earlier who has a good energy output… Perhaps a bit more so that what is best… but still, I'll see about if we can't introduce the two of them soon."
Fon nodded his head, leaning into Reborn's touch, his eyes half lidded as he watched the Sky and Rain before him, being reunited, their shaking bodies, the genuine heartfelt relief, the tears of joy. Now, if only he could be able to have Kyoya get comfortable enough in another's presence like this, they would be golden. Then again, he had to get the boy to actually want the bond to begin with, things turns ugly when someone tries to deny the call of a bond.
He could only hope…. That Kyoya would listen.
.:VxG:.
End of chapter; sorry for the wait, have been having some writers block with this thing. But I got you all the chapter finished, I just hope you enjoyed it. And now, before I leave, now that I have canceled my One Piece Story The Revolutionary Pirate, I have put up a new poll on my channel. Do give it a quick check and vote in it, if you would all be so kind. And with that, I wish you all a very much good day, so, until next time. I see you all then.