Title: 6 Times the Guardians Came Back Injured

Summary: …and 1 time their boss came back critical.

Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to Akira Amano

Pairings: None

Warning: OoC-ness; Possible spoilers for TYL!Arc; Set in the canon world, between present and TYL.

CHAPTER WARNING: There may be medical inconsistency, such as degree of wound versus recovery time/survival rates. I've tried to do my research, but it's really hard to get a straight answer. Also bear in mind that in the KHR universe, we have Sun flames that can heal, so what is normally impossible might just be possible.

Note: When family is used with a capitalized f (e.g. Family), it refers to any Mafia Family. When the normal version is used (e.g. family), it refers to the normal understanding of family. The same applies with the Flames of the Sky –e.g. Storm will refer to Storm flames, while storm will refer to the weather condition.

CHAPTER NOTE: A portion completely written in Italics denotes flashback. It is not separated by two lines this time, but you should still be able to spot it. Again, just a headsup.

DEDICATION: This chapter is dedicated to Lightning515, who mused together with me this chapter as well as for becoming my new KHR buddy~

EDIT (01/02): Edited minor language errors; Ryohei's portion; revised ending.


There are many, many ways in this world to describe sounds. Loud, soft; rich, dull; clear, muffled…

The sound that they heard that day was none of that.

The sound that they heard that day was the singularly most devastating sound they have ever heard.

A single, flat noise that pierced through the air, ringing sharply through each of their minds; tearing down every last shred of hope they had.

They had lost.

Their most precious person; their most beloved friend…

Their most important family.

They lost.

*beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeep*


And One Time.

Rain, Storm, Cloud, Sun, Mist and Lightning. He influences, understands and accepts all of them.

10th Vongola Sky Guardian, Vongola Decimo: Sawada Tsunayoshi

The occupants of the Vongola estate, be it the Mafiosi or the maids or butlers, always knew that any day that their Boss loses his temper would not be a good day for anyone in the estate.

Today was no exception.

Today, the Mafiosi and the servants cleared the main lobby where the tension in the estate was the highest.

There, the Vongola Decimo stood resolutely in a pristine white suit, orange dress shirt and white tie, along with his signature cloak. Vongola Decimo's usual smile, gentle and kind, was absent on his face; replaced by a harsh glare, directed at none other than five of his beloved Guardians.

Across him and blocking the twin mahogany doors that served at the front doors of the Vongola mansion were said five Guardians, with varying degrees of displeasure and disapproval on their faces.

The 10th Vongola Storm Guardian and Right-Hand man to Vongola Decimo, Gokudera Hayato, openly glared at his Boss for the very first time. To the left of him, the 10th Vongola Rain Guardian, Yamamoto Takeshi, stood in a semi-casual stance –a hand on a pocket, the other gently holding the strap of the katana hanging over his shoulders. Instead of the harsh glare his fellow Guardian had, Yamamoto had a deep frown on his face, his eyebrow furrowed by the effort. Beside him, the 10th Vongola Mist Guardian, Chrome Dokuro, tightened her grip on her trident as she stared firmly at her Boss. It was clear that she was afraid, yet her eye reflected her determination to stop her Boss from what he was about to do. To the right of Gokudera, the 10th Vongola Sun Guardian, Sasagawa Ryohei, had a unique mix of a glare and a frown on his face as he stood with an arm around the teen beside him –the 10th Vongola Lightning Guardian, Lambo, who looked like he was on the verge of crying.

"Tsuna..." Yamamoto started. "Please."

Tsuna's eyes hardened, flickering between chocolate brown and honey amber. "I'm not going to say this again. Move."

"We extremely refuse." Ryohei answered.

"I'm sorry; did I not make myself clear?" Tsuna hissed. "That wasn't a request. That was an order."

"Then I'm afraid we'll be defying orders, Jyuudaime." Gokudera replied firmly.

Tsuna's eyes narrowed further. He knew his Guardians had been against this from the start, but to think that they would all work together against him is still a rather amazing feat. Still, as much as his Guardians are protesting, Tsuna still knew he couldn't give in to his Guardians.

"Herbivores."

Tsuna glanced over Gokudera's shoulders, watching wordlessly as the last Guardian, 10th Vongola Mist Guardian, Hibari Kyouya strode in through the front doors.

"Why are you crowding here?"

"Kumo-san…" Chrome greeted softly.

Hibari gave a nod in acknowledgment before turning to Tsuna with an annoyed glare. "What are you still doing here? I'll bite you to death for being late."

"Kyouya-nii…!" Lambo gasped in disbelief. "You're agreeing to Tsuna-nii going…?!"

Hibari glanced over at the other Guardians momentarily before turning back to Tsuna. "This meeting is pointless."

"But you just…" Gokudera trailed off at the Cloud Guardian's glare.

"However. Once the omnivore has decided something, he would not change his mind. Is that not right?" Hibari questioned. "Stop crowding here needlessly or I'll bite you to death."

Tsuna hid a smile. He knew he would need a miracle to leave the Vongola estate today. However, he never thought that said 'miracle' would come in the form of his aloof Cloud Guardian. Tsuna found silver blue orbs staring at him questioningly, and Tsuna could have sworn on his title as Vongola Decimo that he found a shred of concern within those same two orbs. A shout from his beloved Storm Guardian roused him from his thoughts, however, as the Guardians began to argue among themselves, spilt between agreeing with Hibari and yet, still disapproving Tsuna's decision.

The Vongola Decimo sighed. If he were still around, he would be telling Tsuna to resolve the problem already –it was only expected as the Don of Vongola, after all.

Tsuna really wanted to go alone; the less people involved, the better. But he already figured that that was an impossible wish, and he was therefore forced to compromise.

"Alright." Tsuna called out over the arguments.

The Guardians fell silent immediately, turning to their Boss inquisitively.

"I'll compromise." Tsuna said. "I will let you guys come with me. However, I will only bring two of you along."

"Jyuudaime! How can you only bring two of us? It's too dangerous!" Gokudera protested.

"Hayato." Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "I am going there for a negotiation. Not a declaration of war. I will not bring all of you there." Tsuna said firmly. "I already said that was my compromise. There can be less, but no more. I'll let you guys decide who to go." Tsuna closed his eyes momentarily, bringing a hand up to massage his steadily-aching temples. "Do hurry. We will be rather late at this rate. Plus, Kyouya will bite us to death for more than one reason."

The Guardians were silent for a while.

Right now, there is probably no one whose stubbornness can beat Tsuna's and they know it. None of them were satisfied with the compromise, but they knew that it was that or nothing at all. Taking the compromise means giving in to the Vongola Decimo, yet none of them –not even the highly intelligent Storm Guardian– could find a way to counter their Boss. They had no choice but to admit defeat.

And so, despite the amount of protest they had to keep down, the Guardians quickly discussed about their current task.

"I'm going." Gokudera was the first to speak. "I'm sorry, but I refuse to budge on this."

"I think we all figured you were going to be one of them, Hayato." Yamamoto managed a grin. "The question is, who's the other?"

"If Gokudera is going, I thought Yamamoto would be going to the extreme." Ryohei said.

"Yeah." Lambo nodded. "Haya-nii and Take-nii are Tsuna-nii's Right and Left-Hand men, right?"

Chrome nodded quietly.

Yamamoto blinked and frowned. He was silent for a while, a thoughtful look on his face, before he answered, "No… I think Hibari should go instead."

As expected, the Cloud Guardian barely reacted, except for the simple (and barely visible) arch of an eyebrow.

"Hayato is definitely going. It makes sense, because he is Tsuna's Right-Hand man." Yamamoto started. "Since Tsuna only allowed two of us, I think Hibari, being the strongest of all of us, should go instead. Hibari is more capable of handling that kind of situation, anyway."

Tsuna frowned but kept his silence. He could tell that his Rain Guardian was feeling self-loathing again, but this time, he couldn't afford to comfort him –even if Tsuna's own heart was clenching unbearably at the sight.

"Well, Hibari?" Ryohei asked.

"…Tetsu is waiting outside." Hibari said simply.

Tsuna just barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes, managing to keep the stern look and deep frown on his face. Knowing Kyouya, he probably planned this. Tsuna thought. Only this combination makes sense, after all. I'm sure he expected this… Just as I did.

"What are you standing there for?" Hibari called, his eyes narrowed in annoyance.

Tsuna straightened himself and stood a step forward, only to find himself with an armful of his youngest Guardian.

"Tsuna-nii… Please, please come back!" Lambo sobbed. "I… I got back my grades and I really want to show you…!"

Tsuna's eyes softened for a split moment before he gently pried Lambo off him, walking out of the front doors without another word. Gokudera nodded at the older Guardians before following Tsuna out, Hibari walking beside him.

The four remaining Guardians stood there in the front lobby, even after the car had driven off.

Ryohei sighed and turned, about to head back to his office when he noticed a strange look on Yamamoto's face. Concerned, he called out to his fellow Guardian, "Yamamoto? Are you alright?"

Yamamoto blinked rapidly, as if snapping himself back into reality before turning to Ryohei. The Rain Guardian looked a tad paler than normal, and Ryohei didn't like the look of that. After a while, Yamamoto finally spoke, "…I hope it's just me over thinking, but… Just now… Tsuna didn't answer Lambo. The normal Tsuna would have smiled and hugged Lambo and promised whatever Lambo was asking." The raven felt his throat tightened. "But Tsuna… Tsuna didn't… Just now…"

Chrome gripped her trident tightly upon hearing Yamamoto's words. "Boss…"

"No! Tsuna-nii… Tsuna-nii will definitely come back! Tsuna-nii will never leave us…!" Lambo sniffled. "He promised us… He promised!"

"Yeah. It's Sawada we're talking about." Ryohei nodded. "He's probably just… stressed."

It was clear that none of the Guardians were convinced, but it was all they could do in order for them to not lose hope.


The car ride was awkward, to say the least.

Hibari, who normally sat at the back, had chosen to sit upfront in the passenger seat as his Second-in-Command, Kusakabe, drove. Tsuna and Gokudera sat in the back, each taking window seats which were a seat apart, much to the Storm Guardian's protest (which Tsuna had decided to ignore).

It was halfway into the ride, after countless times of Gokudera shooting inquisitive looks at Tsuna discreetly –not– did the silverette finally gather enough courage to speak up.

"Umm, Jyuudaime?"

Even without Hyper Intuition, Tsuna noticed all the glances. He knew his faithful Right-Hand man had a burning question to ask, though it amazed him how long said silverette had kept it in. "Hayato, if this about the meeting..." He started.

"It is about the meeting, but I wasn't going to protest again." Gokudera answered quietly.

Tsuna arched an eyebrow at him.

"I hate to admit this, but Hibari is right. Once Jyuudaime decides on something, it's fairly impossible to change your mind. That's why, as your Guardians, the next best thing we can do is to support you and protect you." Gokudera explained. "All I wanted to ask was... Jyuudaime... Jyuudaime knows how risky this meeting is right?"

Tsuna nodded once.

"Then... Why? Why insist on going on this meeting if Jyuudaime knows the risk?" Gokudera swallowed, "I... I really don't understand, Jyuudaime..."

Curse my Hyper Intuition... Tsuna sighed softly. "…I know what it is… that you're all worried about. I understand that, given how that person is, there… just might be a chance that… I might not…" Tsuna swallowed, "…not return."

Gokudera's flinch didn't go unnoticed, neither did the tensing of Hibari's body, however faint that was.

"However… there is still a chance that this meeting will be successful. That we can come to a truce and perhaps, even an alliance." Tsuna continued. "If there is even the slightest chance that we can get through this without any violence, I will take it, no matter what."

"But Jyuudaime–"

Tsuna shook his head. "Hayato… I have no doubts that none of you will hesitate to fight for Vongola and me. But what is of a greater concern to me is that, as long as there is a fight, there is a chance that any one of you will be hurt." Tsuna's eyes softened as his sight fell to his lap. "Hayato… It pains me to send you guys out, knowing that anything can happen to you. It scares me to see when any of you fall."

Gokudera couldn't help but glance away. The fact that he recently almost died was still fresh in his mind, and Gokudera was sure that the Vongola Decimo thought the same. "…I… I understand now, Jyuudaime." Gokudera answered quietly. "A-As expected of Jyuudaime. Jyuudaime is… always thinking of us…"

It was his usual compliment, but everyone in the car could tell the lack of enthusiasm behind it.

Tsuna wanted to say more, to assure his Right-Hand man that everything will be alright, but there was no time.

The car slowly pulled to a stop as Kusakabe turned around with a stiff announcement, "We're here."

Tsuna stepped out of the car and readjusted his clothing. He took in a deep breath to calm himself and glanced to his two Guardians who already took their places a step behind him. The Storm and Cloud Guardian each gave a nod, to which Tsuna returned with one of his own before turning back to the person welcoming them.

"Vongola Decimo. I'm here to see Don Millifiore."

The person bowed, "My name is Irie Shoichi, Captain of the Millifiore White Spell's 2nd Squad. I'm here to bring you to see Byakuran-sama."

Tsuna inclined his head slightly in gratitude. It's time.


"Tsunayoshi-kun~ I've been waiting so long!"

Tsuna forced down a shiver and bowed politely. "Don Millifiore."

"Don't be so stiff. Call me Byakuran."

"…Byakuran-san, then." Tsuna nodded.

"Good, good." Byakuran smiled. "Take a seat."

Tsuna nodded and did as told, taking a quick glance around as he did so. He had called forth his Hyper Intuition, enhancing his senses. Tsuna knew he didn't have much time to hesitate, and so quickly took in the more important details.

Byakuran's office was rather… white. Contrary to his own office's rather traditional look (seeing as it was passed down from Vongola Primo's time), Byakuran's office was modern –which was to be expected, considering that the Millifiore Famiglia was set in an office building in the city. Besides the Boss of Millifiore himself, there was only one other person in the room; the one who led them in, Irie Shoichi, who stood a few steps away from the desk that Byakuran was seated at.

"…Well then." Byakuran spoke up, catching the attention of the three Vongola Guardians in the room. "Shall we get down to business?"

"…Certainly." Tsuna nodded. "Since you were the one who requested to see me, how about you begin, Byakuran-san?"

Byakuran smiled, "Tsunayoshi-kun really is as the Mafia said. Despite being the Boss of such a long-standing Family, Tsunayoshi-kun is still willing to look at people so kindly."

"I am well aware of the blood and betrayals that stain the Vongola's history. But it is my belief that inheriting the Vongola Famiglia does not necessarily mean that I need to follow in my predecessors' footsteps, that's all." Tsuna replied smoothly.

Byakuran didn't comment this time, merely smiling his mysterious smile. "Well. We're here to discuss a truce."

"I was rather hoping we could even discuss a possible alliance." Tsuna said.

"An alliance…" Byakuran murmured, letting the words roll over. "And what could the Vongola Famiglia possibly offer?"

To Tsuna's credit, the Vongola Decimo's eyes didn't narrow even the slightest at the mocking tone. Instead, a pleasant smile spread across his lips as Tsuna answered, "I am well aware that Millifiore holds much power at the moment –power that has made it the strongest Famiglia in Italy." Tsuna heard his Right-Hand man 'tch' softly under his breath behind him, but he ignored it and continued, "Our strength may be inferior now, but Vongola still has a very strong alliance."

"Ahh, yes… Vongola's alliances… One of the largest in the Mafia; boasting many powerful Families in the Mafia." Byakuran nodded. "It certainly is an… enticing deal." The white-haired man smiled almost predatorily at Tsuna, "As expected of the Don of Vongola; Tsunayoshi-kun certainly knows how to make a deal."

"And what would your answer be, Byakuran-san?" Tsuna asked.

"Ara, ara. Is that really all you want, Tsunayoshi-kun?" Byakuran arched an eyebrow, smiling rather playfully.

"What did Byakuran-san think I want?" Tsuna replied. "Should an alliance be formed, that will already solve many of my problems. I don't see what else I could possibly want from Byakuran-san."

Byakuran's eyes opened ever so slightly as he spoke, "How about… the name of the person who killed your beloved mentor?"

In an instance, the atmosphere tensed.

Gokudera reacted the first, snarling at Byakuran, "You bas–"

"–HAYATO." Tsuna shouted, startling his Right-Hand man into silence. "…It's alright."

"B-But, Jyuudai–" Gokudera was once again cut off; this time by the warning look Hibari shot him from the side.

"It's alright." Tsuna repeated softly, unsure if that was meant for his Storm Guardian or for himself. The Vongola Decimo quickly resettled himself and turned to Byakuran with a calm look, "I thank you for the offer, but it's alright, Byakuran-san. My mentor may have died, but he died in the way he always wanted –in battle. He died a peaceful death; therefore there is no need for me to dig further into his death."

Byakuran stared at him before breaking out into laughter. "Tsunayoshi-kun sure is understanding."

"That is what my mentor told me a long time ago. I am merely following his wishes." Tsuna answered. "Byakuran-san, what say you?"

"Well, an alliance is no problem, of course." Byakuran spoke. "…That is, if Tsunayoshi-kun can give me something?"

Tsuna felt his stomach tighten as he answered in an even tone, "…And what would that be?"

Byakuran smiled. "…The Vongola Rings."

Tsuna didn't hesitate to answer –he knew that if he hesitated, it would be all over. "My apologies, but I'm afraid I'm unable to offer that."

"Oh?" Byakuran's eyes cracked open.

"Perhaps it's more accurate to say, it's impossible for me to offer it. You see…" Tsuna uncovered his right hand (which he had previously covered with his left hand), revealing a normal ring with an orange jewel. "…the Vongola Rings have long since been destroyed." Tsuna glanced over his shoulders, and the two present Guardians helpfully raised their hands to show normal rings with colored jewels.

"And why should I believe you? You could be hiding those rings." Byakuran pointed out.

"…The Millifiore Famiglia holds the seven Mare Rings, don't they? They are connected to the Vongola Rings. Therefore, Byakuran-san should know whether or not I am lying to you. And whether or not the Vongola Rings… still exist." Tsuna answered honestly.

"I was hoping that it was just me…" Byakuran murmured. "Well, if you don't have the Vongola Rings, then I'm afraid I have no more use for you."

With a playful smirk, Byakuran reached for the gun tucked in his drawer, took aim and–

In dramas and stories, they always say that time slows down when these moments happen.

Those are lies to make things interesting.

In reality, all it takes is a single moment to make everything come crashing down.

A single moment… for everything to end.


Gokudera knew there were many, many things he could have done.

He could have reached out and pushed the Vongola Decimo away; he could have summoned his Bone Shield to deflect the bullet; there were many things he could have done.

Instead, he froze up at the most crucial moment, and watched in horror as the bullet buried itself in his beloved Boss's chest. He stared helplessly as Tsuna's face twisted itself into a look of immerse pain. He listened as Tsuna let out a cry in shock and pain –excruciating pain. He stood, paralyzed with fear and dread, as Tsuna swayed to the side, crumbling into the couch as crimson bloomed across his chest, straining the pristine white suit a bright scarlet.

At the back of his mind, Gokudera faintly registered a scream.

It took some time for him to realize that he was the one screaming.

Screaming for his beloved Boss–

"JyuuTsuna!"

Emotions ran through him like a bullet train –horror, fear that he couldn't push back released themselves in the only way the violent storm knew.

Anger.

"YOU…!" Gokudera snarled.

Byakuran sat at his desk, his smile as bright as ever even as Gokudera aimed his gun at him. A shout from Shoichi, and Millifiore Mafiosi poured into the room, each aiming their own weapons at the Vongola trio.

"How dare you shoot Jyuudaime…?!"

Hibari had his eyes narrowed, still maintaining his silence.

"Ha… ya… to…"

"Jyu… Tsuna…?!" Gokudera ran around the couch and knelt down beside his fallen Boss. He swallowed, feeling fear grip at him as he watched the stain spreading further and further.

Tsuna coughed, blood splattering from his mouth, spilling down the side of his mouth. Despite his current state, he managed a weak smile at Gokudera. "…You… finally… called… my name…"

"This is no time to be happy about that…!" Gokudera sobbed.

"It's… alright…" Tsuna mumbled, cringing as more blood erupted from the back of his throat. "Don't… fight… It's… a… los… ing… ba… ttle…"

"You really should listen to your Boss, Vongola Storm Guardian." Byakuran laughed mockingly. "Mah, mah… I'm in a good mood today. You can bring your Boss back. I don't feel like taking care of his dead body."

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Gokudera growled.

Tsuna reached out and grasped Gokudera's suit with a shaking hand. He couldn't speak anymore. He felt so, so tired. His eyes were beginning to close. When he felt the silverette's eyes on him, Tsuna shook his head weakly, and let his eyes close.

"Jyuudaime…!" Gokudera's eyes widened.

"Gokudera Hayato." Hibari spoke for the first time. "Sawada Tsunayoshi is right. There is no way we will win fighting here."

"And Jyuudaime?!"

Hibari narrowed his eyes threateningly. "If we bring him back now, there is a chance that Sawada Tsunayoshi will live. If we fight here, then Vongola will have a total of three causality."

"Tsunayoshi-kun's Cloud Guardian is as they say. How very smart to choose to retreat." Byakuran chuckled.

"Do not be mistaken. Retreating now does not mean that we're done here." Hibari answered quietly. "Millifiore will fall at the hands of Vongola."

Byakuran laughed, "If it still didn't sink in, your Boss is bleeding to death! What makes you think Vongola can still fight?"

Hibari kept a passive face; he didn't frown, nor smirk, and he did not let out a single sound. Instead, he turned to Gokudera and ordered the Storm Guardian to hurry up. Gokudera nodded numbly, carefully gathering the Vongola Decimo in his arms. Hibari glared harshly at the Mafiosi that stood in their way.

The Millifiore Mafiosi still looked uncertain but Shoichi swiftly cut in, "Did you not hear Byakuran-sama's orders?!"

The Millifiore Mafiosi wisely stepped aside, allowing the three Vongola Guardians to step through.

Gokudera carried Tsuna firmly in his arms, careful not to jostle the Vongola Decimo too much as they ran down the hallways. Beside him, Hibari was already pulling out his phone and calling his Second-in-Command, ordering him to bring the car around. Any Mafiosi that got in their way were swiftly scared away by the combination of the glares present on the Storm and Cloud Guardian's faces.

Kusakabe gasped at the sight of Tsuna lying in Gokudera's arms. The Vongola Decimo looked so frail; as if he was about to break any moment. He would have continued staring in a daze if not for Hibari snapping at them. Kusakabe quickly slid into the driver's seat as the three Vongola Guardians piled into the backseat. He slammed his foot onto the pedal and quickly drove off, hurrying back to the Vongola estate.

Back in the office, seeing the blood staining his couch, the Don of Millifiore merely smiled and laughed.


If they had thought that the ride to the Millifiore headquarters felt long, then the ride back to the Vongola estate felt like an eternity.

In the backseat, Tsuna was laying with his head in Hibari's lap, while Gokudera pressed his suit jacket to the brunette's wound.

Several times, Gokudera had to push down the urge to vomit at the sickening sight of his Boss covered in so much red. Just about the entire of Tsuna's front has been stained red and the seat he was lying on was sticky with blood too –his bloodTsuna's blood. The jacket Gokudera was using to in an attempt to staunch the wound was getting soaked by the minute. Even Gokudera himself wasn't spared from all the redness, his hands covered in the thick red fluid.

Beside him, Hibari was keeping a close eye on Tsuna's facial expression, trying to judge the Vongola Decimo's current situation.

Tsuna's face was pale, very pale. Sweat covered his entire body, his hair sticking uncomfortably to his face. Every since the moment he was shot –Hibari forced himself to ignore the twinge of his heart– Tsuna face has yet to be released from its scrunched up state. The brunette had bitten down on his lips so hard to muffle any further cries of pain, but that only served to worry the two Guardians more and caused more blood to spill from his lips.

"Hibari." Gokudera was surprised he managed to speak without a tremble in his voice. Taking in a deep breath and calling forth every bit of the calmness him being Vongola Decimo's Right-Hand man demanded of him, he continued, "…Please call Ryohei. Tell him Jyuudaime has been shot and he needs to get a team ready for immediate operation."

Hibari glanced at him as though asking, 'why me?', but nevertheless reached for his phone.

"Don't give me that look." Gokudera grumbled. "I… I can't use my phone in this state." Emerald eyes clouded over as Gokudera stared down at his bloodied hands again.

Hibari made a small noise of acknowledgement, before turning to the side, his phone pressed against the side of his face.

"Sasagawa Ryohei speaking."

Hibari cut to heart of the matter, "Sawada Tsunayoshi has been shot. We're heading back. Prepare for operation."

"WHAT?! Where?!"

"Chest. Lungs most likely injured." Hibari answered.

"No…! W-What happened?!"

For a split moment, a thought entered Hibari's mind. Knowledge does not equate to being prepared. Seeing Tsuna covered in his own blood, a part within Hibari snapped as he lost his composure that he kept such a tight lid on. "I said Tsunayoshi was shot. You want a detailed report? Ask later. Get a team ready now!"

All three of them –Gokudera, Kusakabe and Ryohei– were all surprised when Hibari raised his voice.

Kusakabe especially.

The man had followed Hibari ever since they were in middle school. Being with the raven for so long, Kusakabe thought he had seen all sides of the man called Hibari Kyouya. He had seen the man irritated at rule-breaking idiots; pissed at the one person who managed to beat him with a dirty trick; relaxed as he napped on the school roof, and now his own apartment; content when Hibird sang loudly around him… But this was the first time Kusakabe had seen that look in Hibari's eyes.

Concern. Fear.

"…You're right. Chest gunshot, right?"

Hibari heard Ryohei pull away, shouting orders at his own men. There were a lot of rustling about as the medics on duty frantically prepared everything that was need.

"We're on it. What's your ETA?"

"Tetsu. How long?" Hibari asked.

"Fifteen– No." Kusakabe narrowed his eyes in determination. "Ten minutes. I'll get you back in ten minutes…!"

Gokudera's eyes had widened in surprise but Hibari merely smirked. "Ten minutes."

"T-Ten? But… never mind. I'm not going to ask. Gokudera is there right? Put me on speaker."

Hibari bit down a sharp remark and jabbed the speaker button.

"Gokudera?"

"What?"

"How's Sawada looking?"

"I'm trying to staunch the wound with my jacket, but it's still bleeding." Gokudera gritted out.

"If he's shot in the chest, it's to be expected. Keep the pressure on, but not too much; you don't want to hurt him." Ryohei instructed. "Is he conscious?"

"I'm not sure. He keeps going in and out of it, I think." Gokudera replied, watching Tsuna carefully.

"Alright. We're preparing for a thoracic operation. We'll meet you at the entrance." Ryohei said. "…Sawada!"

Gokudera glanced down to see Tsuna groaned softly, using all of his strength to crack an eye open. Hibari helpfully shifted the phone closer to the brunette, despite the phone being on speaker. Gokudera stifled a sob and croaked out, "He's listening."

"Sawada. Listen to me. You'll be fine. Everyone is doing their best so you better hang in there. Kusakabe is probably breaking every traffic rule out there and we're already making preparations on our hand. You hear that? You're not allowed to give up!"

"…Do… it… with… my… Dying Will…"

"That's right. Just like what Master PaoPao said. Hang on, Sawada…!" Ryohei urged.

"Sasagawa-san, ETA 2 minutes!" Kusakabe called from the front.

Tsuna only managed a small smile before his eyes closed again.


The entire Vongola estate was in a panic when the Foundation's car drove into sight.

Ryohei and a team of medic were already at the front with a gurney ready to transport their Boss directly into the operation room.

The car scarcely stopped before the car door slammed opened on both sides. A few medics went forth and helped carrying Tsuna over to the gurney and loaded him on before swiftly pushing him back into the mansion. The Mafiaosi and servants all made way, their faces either of fear or horror when they snuck a glimpse of the Vongola Decimo.

Ryohei paused at the operation room waiting area, where Yamamoto, Lambo and Chrome waited.

Yamamoto's face lost all color when he saw Tsuna.

Lambo, who had already been sobbing before, began wailing louder than ever.

Chrome raised a hand to her mouth, tears spilling down her cheeks as she almost began hyperventilating.

"DAMMIT!" Yamamoto shouted, turning on the Storm and Cloud Guardian. "You two were with Tsuna, weren't you?! How did you let him get shot?!"

Gokudera forced down a flinch. He knew the only reason why he wasn't being slammed into the nearest wall was because the Rain Guardian was holding to his last shred of self-control with all of his will. "…I…"

"…It's… al… right…"

The Guardians' eyes widened as they gathered around the gurney.

Tsuna's eyes were opened again, but barely. What visible part of his eyes were a dull brown as they stared almost lifelessly at the ceiling. Tsuna was once again forcing a weak smile to creep onto his face with all his strength in an attempt to reassure his Guardians.

"It's… go… ing… to be… alright…"

"Sawada… Stop talking…!" Ryohei pleaded.

"Don't… fi… fight…"

"Dammit…! Wheel him in!" Ryohei ordered.

Tsuna didn't listen; his mouth continuing to move, despite the fact that his voice had long since given up on him. Still the Guardians were able to make out what Tsuna was saying and they desperately tried to keep their emotions in check.

The medics scrambled to follow the order just as Tsuna's eyes began to close again.


"…You know where the observation room is, right? Go. I'll give you permission to enter." Ryohei said softly, turning to the double doors.

"Ryohei…!" Gokudera called softly.

Ryohei paused, tilting his head to the side inquisitively.

"…Please. Save Jyuudaime." Gokudera croaked out.

"Ah." Ryohei nodded and headed in.

The Guardians scrambled to follow, almost running down the hospital white hallways. They didn't know how they remembered the way to the observation room, but they did anyway. They piled into the observation room hurriedly and although they spread themselves out, they all ensured that they kept an eye –if not both eyes– on the operation starting below. Gokudera, Yamamoto and Lambo pressed themselves up against the full-length glass while Chrome peeked in from the side, allowing a space for Hibari to watch from his perch at the back of the room.

The next few hours were a mental torture.

The Guardians alternated between watching the operation closely and pacing around the room. The two younger Guardians eventually huddled together at a corner of the glass, leaving the rest of the room for the others. Hibari, however, remained where he was, not moving a single inch. Jackets have been tossed on the ground and ties loosened as the Rain and Storm Guardians continued to move around listlessly.

Perhaps it was because he understood, but Hibari kept his silence, when he normally would have threatened to bite the two Guardians to death.

They prayed.

Deep in the minds, the Guardians all prayed. Be it to gods, deities, or even to their own loved ones who had long since passed on.

They prayed hard, hoping that their family, the one who brought them together wouldn't leave them.

"L-Look! Ryo-nii!"

Their reaction was immediate.

Gokudera and Yamamoto were by the glass in a flash, and even Hibari stood up straighter, uncrossing his arms despite not moving from his perch.

In the operation room, Ryohei stood by the side, grinning up at the Guardians as he wiped off some sweat with bloodied hands. Alternating between using his Sun flames and doing manual work had tired him out (not to mention he had used much more Flames than his body could take), but the Sun Guardian managed to raise a hand in a thumbs-up, signaling that all was well. Behind him, the doctors and medics were ending the operation on Tsuna.

Back in the observation room, tears were shed, hugs were given, cheers were screamed, and murmurs of thanks were whispered.

But it wasn't that easy.

Even with the sounds of celebration echoing around the room, it was audible.

None of us would forget what happened that day.

In an instance, everything changed.

Ryohei spun around and rushed back to the operation table, working together frantically with the doctors to figure out what was wrong.

We prayed so hard.

We prayed for him to not leave us.

Did the room become quiet? Or was the sound simply too loud?

But it was no use.

We… We were too late.

They shouted and screamed, calling out loudly for their family.

We lost.

Tsuna… was gone.

*beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeep*


In the chaos of the aftermath, a figure quietly left the observation room.

Somewhat numbly, he headed down a hallway and pulled out his phone, dialing a number he had come to know recently.

He didn't let the other get in word in, murmuring tiredly, "It's done."

Not wasting another minute, he ended the call, shoving the phone back into his pockets as he leaned heavily against the wall behind him.

And in that lone, quiet hallway, he allowed a single tear to roll down his cheek.


The funeral was quiet.

The Guardians had decided against burying the Vongola Decimo, instead choosing to leave his coffin above ground in the same clearing that the brunette had frequently visited over the past few months.

A light rain fell that day, and so the coffin was closed, but they all knew the sight they would see if it were opened.

On a bed of pure white flowers, as pure as the one they cradled, laid the 10th Vongola Sky Guardian. They had dressed their beloved Boss in Vongola's signature 'uniform' –a pure black suit with white dress shirt and black tie– and had even put on the cloak they had worked together to give to him. After all, what they've been taught by that person had never left them.

"The Vongola Mafia originated as a team of vigilantes who fought to protect the people. For generations, when the Vongola Famiglia fulfils that duty, they have always gone into battle and risked their lives in full uniform."

The coffin was simple, yet elegant. It was made of black wood and given a black enamel finish. On the lid of the coffin, the Vongola Famiglia's Coat of Arms sat, imprinted in gold and below it, an elegant bold 'X' sat, identifying the occupant of the coffin.

The funeral itself was attended by few; not because they did not show up, but rather, because they were not invited. The Guardians not only wanted to keep the affair quiet, but also the location of their Boss' grave unknown.

The only ones there that day were the six Vongola Guardians.

They stood there in the drizzling rain, each staring blankly at the coffin in front of them, lost in their own thoughts.


Yamamoto felt strangely calm as he stared at the closed coffin.

He thought he should be feeling more than this –more than the tranquil rain he was named for. He should be feeling angry (at who? Gokudera and Hibari, who were with Tsuna? At Byakuran, who shot Tsuna –who killed him?) remorse (what for? Because he wasn't there to protect Tsuna? Because he should have insisted on stopping the Vongola Decimo for going in the first place?)

He should be feeling a lot of things, but he felt none of it at the moment. Maybe it's because I'm in my element…? Perhaps, but those thoughts were pointless and needless, so he pushed it to the back of his mind.

Instead, for reasons unbeknownst to him, as Yamamoto continued to watch, his mind trailed back to a recent memory.

A memory of a chat he had with Tsuna just a few days ago.

"I'm back, Tsuna!" Yamamoto announced cheerfully as he entered the Vongola Decimo's office.

Tsuna raised his head from the document he was reading and smiled at the sight of his Rain Guardian. "Welcome back, Takeshi. How was it?"

"We won!" Yamamoto grinned. "We were this close to losing, but the little kiddos didn't give in and we made an awesome comeback and won!"

"Well. They're probably inspired by the presence of Namimori's former Ace." Tsuna chuckled.

"Now you're just teasing, Tsuna." Yamamoto replied, plopping down on the couch. "So, how things going?"

"I'm still buried in paperwork. Mukuro is still popping up out of nowhere and fighting Kyouya. We're renovating the estate again. Wonder how long it'll last this time." Tsuna sighed.

Yamamoto laughed, "In other words, everything is as normal, huh?"

"Yes, everything is as normal." Tsuna smiled.

"Uwaaah…" Yamamoto sighed. "Seeing those kiddos play baseball is making my hands itch again."

Tsuna glanced over at Yamamoto in surprise.

"M-Mah, mah. Just a random thought. Don't worry about it, Tsuna." Yamamoto reassured.

Tsuna frowned. "Ne, Takeshi… Did… Did you ever regret giving up baseball?"

Yamamoto sighed, slumping into the couch. He was afraid the Vongola Decimo would ask him that, and the brunette really did. "Well… Sure, I miss baseball, but I don't regret. Besides, I didn't give up baseball. You still force vacations on me every now and then and kick me back to Namimori to coach the Nami-chuu baseball players."

"But it's not the same as playing." Tsuna pointed out.

"Yeah. But it's better than nothing." Yamamoto grinned. "Haha. Squalo will kick up a fuzz if I told him I miss baseball."

Tsuna smiled fondly at his Rain Guardian. "…Ne, Takeshi."

"Hmm?"

"…Thank you." Tsuna murmured.

"Ehh?" Yamamoto blinked.

"I've… never really thanked you, have I?" Tsuna asked. "For agreeing to be my Rain Guardian. For giving up baseball. For… For leaving your father behind in Namimori and following me here."

"Oh, come on Tsuna. It's already been so long, I thought you already know." Yamamoto smiled. "You don't need to thank me for all of those, because that's what friends –no. That's what family do for each other."

Tsuna's eyes widened slightly as a dust of pink splattered across his cheeks. "…Promise me something, Takeshi?"

"Anything."

"Don't… Don't ever stop smiling, okay? The others will never admit it, but all of us always look for your smile to calm us whenever something happens. That's why… no matter what happens… no matter how bad things are… Please be the blessed shower… that washes everything away." Tsuna said.

Yamamoto didn't know what sparked such a speech from Tsuna, but one look at the brunette's caramel orbs told him that the Vongola Decimo was completely serious.

The Rain Guardian sat up straighter and looked at his Boss straight in the eyes.

"Of course. I promise you. No, I swear it to you."

"Thank you, Takeshi." Tsuna smiled. "…Thank you…"

Yamamoto frowned at the memory. Thinking back on it now, it felt as though Tsuna was giving a farewell speech.

Yamamoto felt his stomach clench unbearably at the thought.

Yet, remembering the last thing he promised, the sides of Yamamoto's mouth couldn't help but lift themselves without his consent. Just barely, but they did.

Yamamoto glanced up at the sky, ignoring the rain droplets splattering on his face.

Ne, Tsuna. I just remembered, but you said this before, didn't you? 'Smiling is contagious'. I think I know what you're telling me now. Things are going to get even tougher from here on, but don't worry. No matter what happens, I'll keep smiling. If not for the Family, then for you. I'll keep smiling, and everyone else will smile, and we'll keep moving on.

Because I'm the blessed shower that settles conflict and washes everything away, after all.


Lambo had been crying for a long time.

He knew he was a crybaby.

He has yet to kick the habit of crying whenever something happens.

But he knew that a small part of him refused to give up the habit because, selfishly, he knew Tsuna will always come running when he cries and comfort him.

It happened too, a few days ago, before Tsuna passed– before… before Tsuna left and…

"Lambo? Lambo…!" Tsuna called as he wandered down the hallways.

The brunette sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. Arguments were almost as common as fights and brawls in the Vongola Famiglia. The older Guardians tended towards the latter but with the youngest Guardian –whose abilities, admittedly, were not yet on par with the others– almost always tended to the former. Just earlier the Vongola Decimo had heard several shouts and yells and lots of stomping which practically screams 'ARGUMENT' in bright red solid block letters. With a sigh (in relief, not that Tsuna would tell anyone), Tsuna left the paperwork he was doing and began hunting down his youngest Guardian, finally finding the teen in the large, flourishing gardens.

Tsuna let out another sigh and crossed his arms, quietly remarking, "You know… Our gardeners put a lot of effort into maintaining our overly-huge and way too extravagant garden. Spare them a thought, would you?"

Lambo jumped a little as he spun around, "T-Tsuna-nii…!"

Tsuna gently led them to the closest gazebo and sat down, patting the seat beside him. Lambo hesitated, but eventually sat down, snuggling into Tsuna's side.

"…So. Do you want to tell me what happened this time, or do I have to call Hayato?" Tsuna quipped.

"N-No…!" Lambo protest quickly.

Tsuna quirked an eyebrow wordlessly.

"Umm… Bakadera was teaching me again, but he was going on and on about the explanations and I… kinda… talked back at him…?" Lambo replied, somehow managing to turn his explanation into a questioning statement.

Tsuna sighed, "Lambo…"

"I know…! I… I shouldn't get mad at him but he was really, really going on and on…!" Lambo protested weakly.

Tsuna couldn't help but sigh again. After all, he himself had the pleasure of going through one of his Storm Guardian's explanations when he was younger, and he certainly understood Lambo's feelings. But that wasn't the point here. "Well, certainly Hayato's explanations are… long…" Tsuna winced. Talking about it now, 'long' was an understatement. Gokudera's verbal portion of the mission report –a mandatory for all Guardians, including the least talkative Cloud Guardian– usually took an hour, sometimes more. "…But, he really is trying, you know. I mean, he's sincere in teaching you, especially since you went to him for help, right?"

Lambo nodded slowly.

"…You know, Hayato has been working a lot later recently." Tsuna remarked casually.

"Recently…? A-As in…"

"As in since he started tutoring you, yes." Tsuna nodded."Since he's spending time tutoring you, he has to push his work backwards. Normally, I'm the last one to finish working, but recently, I've had to yank Hayato off to bed after I leave my office at night."

Lambo ducked his head guiltily. "I'm sorry…"

"I'm afraid you're apologizing to the wrong person, Lambo." Tsuna smiled gently.

"Okay. I'll go apologize to Haya-nii." Lambo announced.

"Give it a while more." Tsuna said, wrapping an arm around Lambo's shoulders. He smiled knowingly and explained, "Takeshi's probably working his magic right now."

Lambo blinked. "Your Hyper Intuition is scary sometimes, Tsuna-nii."

Tsuna laughed, "Nah. Passed by Takeshi when I was looking for you. He said he'll take care of Hayato." He explained. "Hey, Lambo. What do you think of us? The older Guardians?"

Lambo blinked again, pondering over what prompted that question. He glanced over at Tsuna. The Vongola Decimo still held a relaxed stance, but there was a faraway look in his eyes as the brunette gazed out into the distance. "I like everyone. Lambo–"

Tsuna frowned at that. Over the years, he had learned that his youngest Guardian only talked of himself in third-person speech because of his self-consciousness, and while the habit had slowly been cured with every ounce of confidence the teen gained, Lambo would still slip back into his old habit when he was nervous or scared.

"–knows that Lambo is really annoying sometimes. But Tsuna-nii, Haya-nii, Take-nii, Ryo-nii, Chrome-nee and Kyouya-nii still put up with Lambo, and Lambo is very happy for that."

Tsuna shook his head and drew the teen into a tight embrace. "Idiot." He scolded affectionately. "We're family. And family always forgive each other."

Lambo wrapped his own arms around his adoptive older brother. "Lambo really likes Vongola. I love Tsuna-nii, Haya-nii, Take-nii, Ryo-nii, Chrome-nee and Kyouya-nii."

Tsuna blinked, "No Mukuro?"

"He's still too scary." Lambo pouted.

"Even more than Kyouya?" Tsuna asked.

"Even more than Kyouya-nii." Lambo confirmed.

"Wonder how much of an ego boost he will get if he hears it…" Tsuna mumbled. "…Wait. Kyouya-nii?"

Lambo pulled away and blushed sheepishly. "Umm… I accidentally called him that once, but he didn't bite me to death. He just stared at me for a really long time, 'hmph'-ed, and walked off."

"My Cloud Guardian, nicknamed my strongest Guardian, is getting soft…!" Tsuna laughed. "Mah. Should have know that seemingly heartless man actually has a heart inside him." Tsuna smirked. "…Lambo. I want you to promise me something, okay?"

"What is it, Tsuna-nii?" Lambo asked.

"In the event that, for some reason I'm not around, promise me you'll follow exactly what the others say, okay? And no matter what happens, don't ever give up." Tsuna said.

Lambo tilted his head to the side in confusion. He normally did that whenever they went out on missions, so Tsuna making him promise now was rather redundant, but Lambo nodded anyway. "I promise, Tsuna-nii."

Tsuna smiled and ruffled his afro affectionately.

In the distance, a familiar voice called out, "Oi, Idiot Cow! How long are you going to put off your tutoring?!"

Lambo jumped off the bench he was sitting. "Coming, Bakadera!"

Tsuna rested his hands on his knees and smiled warmly at the scene.

Lamno sniffled and shuffled himself closer to the silverette beside him. Gokudera gave him a pained smile as the older Guardian pulled him close, shifting the umbrella in his hands to shield them both from the rain.

Remembering his promise to Tsuna, Lambo raised a hand to grab Gokudera's, holding the older Guardian's hand tightly.

Tsuna-nii… Lambo is really sad. Lambo doesn't want Tsuna-nii to go away. But it's too late, isn't it? Tsuna-nii is gone…

Tsuna-nii, you don't have to worry about Lambo. Lambo won't forget what Lambo promised Tsuna-nii… Lambo will follow Haya-nii, Take-nii, Ryo-nii, Chrome-nee and Kyouya-nii.

Tsuna-nii said it before, right? Lambo draws damage to Lambo and away from the rest of the family, serving as a lightning rod. Lambo will make everyone happy. Lambo promise.


Hibari wondered why he was standing out here in the rain when there were more urgent things to take care of –the investigations into the Boxes were not yet complete, preparations for the discussed plans have barely been started, and he still needed to receive reports from the Foundation all over the world.

There were many, many things to do, yet despite so, Hibari found himself coming to his funeral without even needing to be asked.

His stormy blue eyes never left the coffin, aware of the truth that laid inside, and almost immediately, a memory surfaced.

"Then I will take my leave now."

Tsuna nodded, and his guest left the room, leaving himself and his Cloud Guardian behind. Said Cloud Guardian stared at him with a narrowed gaze, burning holes into his back for he was still facing the full-length windows behind his desk.

"What is it, Kyouya?" Tsuna caved in first.

Hibari continued staring for a long while before a single word left his lips. "Why?"

Tsuna sighed and finally turned around, clouded caramel orbs staring at the raven. "Why did I trust him? Why did I agree to his plan? Why did I not search for other ways like I normally did? Or why is it that you're the only Guardian that knows?"

Hibari narrowed his eyes as if daring the Vongola Decimo to dance around the issue any further.

"Mobility and detachability is the key. As the Cloud Guardian and the leader of the Foundation, you can come and go as you wish, and no one will bat an eyelash. Furthermore, as the strongest of my present Guardians, your strength will be greatly needed." Tsuna explained in what was known as his 'business' tone. "Besides… if we want the plan to work… they… they can't know."

Hibari let out a small noise that sounded suspiciously like sighing. "…You always were melodramatic."

Tsuna couldn't help but let his mouth fall open. "H-Hey…! I resent that!"

Hibari arched an eyebrow elegantly and in return, Tsuna pouted. In a flash, Hibari had appeared in front of Tsuna and unceremoniously whacked the Vongola Decimo's head with a tonfa.

Ignoring Tsuna's indigent, "Hey!"; Hibari merely replied, "It seems you needed some discipline. You've been enjoying the akanbo's lack of presence recently."

Tsuna's pout dropped and a pained smile replaced it, "…Strange… What would I give to have him give me the special brand of wake-up call again, or for him to threaten shooting me when I'm behind on paperwork…"

Hibari glanced at him with an unreadable expression.

"Mah. At least this plan should ensure that everything returns to normal." Tsuna said. "Ne, Kyouya. You promise me something too."

Hibari raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"I made everyone promise me something, and I'm not letting you out of it." Tsuna huffed.

Hibari raised a tonfa in answer. Tsuna stared back resolutely and Hibari eventually gave in, lowering the tonfa with a smirk.

Tsuna smiled and continued, "I want Kyouya to promise me that… Well, actually, I'm giving you permission to whack any of the others whenever they get too depressed and forget their duties. I want you to promise you'll bother whacking them."

Hibari stared. He expected the Vongola Decimo to request something along the lines of 'protect the Vongola Famiglia', but not that.

"Well… This plan will inevitably cause them anguish. Terrible pains that they may never forget. But as long as there's a chance, even if I have to hurt my Family to protect their safety, I will do it. But my part is easy. Theirs, aren't. They may, along the way, give in to the pressure. But they can't give in; they can't lose hope." Tsuna stared firmly at Hibari. "I need someone to remind them about their pledge to me and the Vongola Famiglia, and you're the only one who can do it, for more than one reason. So… please, Kyouya."

Hibari closed his eyes and let out a breath. "Very well. I will bite those herbivores to death for forgetting their discipline."

"Thank you, Kyouya." Tsuna sighed in relief. "…Just… don't bite them too hard…"

Hibari merely smirked.

The current Cloud Guardian of Vongola glanced at his fellow Guardians (as the omnivore had named them –he had bitten the omnivore to death though), who were mourning for the loss of their Boss.

Hibari tossed a look at the coffin before turning back to the Guardians.

I'll let them off for a little while more, Sawada Tsunayoshi. Because you interest me so much, even if I am the aloof, drifting cloud that 'protects' your family from an independent standpoint, I'll allow myself to be bound for a little while. I'll bite you to death after this whole thing is over.


Chrome stood quietly by the Sun Guardian's side as she stared lifelessly at the coffin before her.

She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that her beloved Boss, the second person to trust in her and protect her was gone.

She felt so lost; so empty…

Even her counterpart couldn't give her any support, since he himself had fallen into an odd silence since a few days ago…

"Chrome! I'm having a bite. Join me?"

Chrome stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned around to see her Boss' head poking through the gap in his office door, smiling warmly at her. Giving a shy smile in return, Chrome nodded and quietly entered the Vongola Decimo's office, settling herself on the couch.

Tsuna moved to pour a cup of tea for her, adding a spoonful of honey and a bit of milk –exactly the way she liked it.

Chrome blushed a little in embarrassment, sipping at the warm tea in bliss.

Across her, Tsuna smiled. "Fresh batch of cakes today. I managed to abuse my authority and claim a piece for you. Chocolate velvet cake; your favorite."

"T-Thank you, Boss…" Chrome mumbled.

"So, how are things with you, Chrome? Is Lambo giving you any trouble?" Tsuna asked as he took a bite of his own strawberry shortcake.

"N-No. Lambo-chan is doing well with his duties." Chrome answered.

Tsuna hummed and nodded. "I'm glad. I knew you were the best choice to help Lambo with his Guardian training."

"Boss… chose me first?" Chrome asked.

Tsuna nodded, "I can't choose Hayato. Those two are like brothers, but the amount of time spent bickering will be too much. As efficient as Takeshi is, he's more of an actions person. He can do things, but he's not good at teaching. Ryohei is even worse at teaching. And Kyouya is just out of the picture. You were the obvious choice from the very beginning." Tsuna grinned mischievously, "Besides, Lambo is pretty attached to you. This Tsuna-nii is getting jealous."

Chrome blushed deeply. "B-Boss, y-you're n-n-not s-serious… are you?"

"A little." Tsuna chuckled.

"Boss…" Chrome murmured softly, bowing her head.

Tsuna sighed, "Come now, Chrome… It has already been nine years. Have we not proved that you can trust us?"

Chrome's head shot up as she shook her head rapidly, "N-No…! I-I mean… I know that I can trust Boss, Arashi, Ame, Hare, Lambo-chan and Kumo-san."

"Then you need to remember that we trust you too, Chrome." Tsuna smiled gently. "Don't keep doubting yourself, Chrome. You have grown from the you that had to constantly rely on Mukuro nine years ago."

"…Y-Yes, Boss." Chrome nodded.

"I need more than that, Chrome. You have to believe in yourself, no matter what. If ever something happens to the Family, we need you to cover us. Promise me, Chrome. Promise me that you'll never doubt your abilities anymore." Tsuna said.

Chrome closed her eye momentarily and reopened them, staring firmly at Tsuna. "Yes, Boss. I promise."

Tsuna smiled. He sat back as a familiar purple mist immediately surrounded the female Mist Guardian, replacing her with her counterpart.

"Hello, Mukuro. Fancy some cake?" Tsuna asked in greeting.

Mismatched eyes watched him closely before Mukuro spoke, "You're planning something."

Tsuna was unfazed. "So are you."

Mukuro shrugged and smiled eerily.

"Well. Most likely your plan will coincide with my plan and hopefully help out mine." Tsuna shrugged. "Still, whatever your plan is, Mukuro, be careful. Chrome still needs you."

"Oya, oya… Aren't you the one who was just convincing my dear Nagi-chan to be more independent?" Mukuro asked.

Tsuna rolled his eyes, "Depending on you for your abilities and depending on you for emotional support are two different things. Stop being jealous." He huffed. Tsuna mumbled something about 'possessive pineapples' as he happily took another bite of his cake, purposefully ignoring the mismatched orbs glaring from across him.

Chrome sniffled softly as she stood up straighter, grabbing her trident tightly. Her eye, while still dull with regret, shone a little brighter after the little trip down the memory lane.

Boss, don't worry. I promised you. The family is broken right now, but this it is exactly my duty: to create something from nothing, and nothing from something; bewildering the enemy and rendering the family's true form intangible with visions of deceit. I will step up and cover the family. That's why… Boss… please don't worry about us.


Ryohei knew that his 'extreme' persona started from the very moment his little sister was born. Seeing that small, frail bundle, Ryohei immediately felt the need to protect her and he had lived his life like that. Somewhere along the way, he fell into the persona he created to keep his sister happy, making it his way of life.

When he met Tsuna, he was immediately reminded of the sense of protectiveness that overwhelmed him back when his sister was born. And with that, he silently swore that he would protect the brunette too.

But now… seeing the coffin in front of him, he felt like a failure.

Yet… Ryohei knew he couldn't afford to be down for long. In boxing, every second counts, and life was no different.

It was now, and especially now, that he had to be strong.

He made a promise, after all.

"Ah. You're training again." Tsuna announced as he entered the empty gym.

"Yo, Sawada." Ryohei greeted with a grin. "What are you doing here to the extreme?"

"Taking a break from paperwork." Tsuna grinned. "I figured this was the last place Hayato will look, plus you're probably here, so I here I am."

"I've been training for a while. Time for me to take a extreme break too." Ryohei said as he slumped onto the bench beside Tsuna.

The Sun Guardian immediately picked up his towel and wiped off some of the sweat off his face before grabbing the large bottle of water he brought with him, pouring some onto his heated face and gulping down some of the water greedily afterwards.

All that done, Ryohei turned to Tsuna, only to blink in confusion when he saw the brunette smiling at him. "…Sawada?"

"Oh…! Sorry, Ryo." Tsuna grinned sheepishly. "I'm sorry. Seeing you always makes me smile, no matter what mood I was in."

"Ehh?" Ryohei blinked.

Tsuna chuckled, "Onii-san is always so bright and cheerful, just like the Sun. Somehow, you make it almost impossible to frown at your presence. That's why, every time I see onii-san, I can't help but smile."

"That's a good thing, right?" Ryohei asked.

Tsuna laughed, "Yes. It is."

"Then it's extremely fine." Ryohei grinned.

"You know… They will probably never admit it, but it's the same for Hayato and the rest too." Tsuna remarked. "Onii-san just has that effect on us. Except maybe Kyouya."

"The day Hibari smiles will be extremely bad." Ryohei frowned.

"…Yep. Definitely." Tsuna shuddered. "You know… Seeing you reminded me of something."

"What is it?" Ryohei frowned.

"Ne, onii-san… This is probably selfish of me, but Promise me you'll be strong even when things are down, alright?" Tsuna smiled. "Hayato always tries to be strong, and Takeshi would always try to keep things to himself, but I know that myself, Lambo and Chrome will subconsciously look for you as a pillar of strength whenever things go wrong. That's why Promise me, no matter how bad it is You have to make the Sun come out."

"…Sure, Sawada!" Ryohei grinned, seeing the unreadable look in the brunette's eyes.

It wasn't uncommon to see that look in Tsuna nowadays. The Vongola Decimo was almost always concerned with the many threats against Vongola. Not being able to help as much as he wished, Ryohei figured that it was the least he could do.

That smile on Tsuna's face made it all worthwhile anyways.

Ryohei clenched his fists and piercing grey eyes fixed themselves on the coffin once more.

Sawada… You called me 'onii-san'. You even once said that I was everyone's onii-san. That's why… Don't worry. It's my duty to destroy the misfortune that attacks us with my body. I wll become the Sun, like you wished, and shine brightly on us. I will make everyone stand up again. And I will give it my all and protect them in your stead.


Guilt. Remorse. Regret.

That was the only few emotions left in Gokudera as he stood, shellshocked, in front of the coffin. He felt Lambo lean into him and he responded almost automatically, wrapping an arm around the teen.

He knew he had to be strong; he was the leader of the Guardians; Vongola's Second-in-Command.

But the guilt was eating at him, his remorse overwhelming him, regret swallowing him whole.

Gokudera didn't know how he was going to move on, even knowing that he already had an answer.

"Hayato!"

Gokudera jumped, his pen falling from his hand as he reached for his Box instinctively. His vision focused, trying to detect the threat, only to find caramel orbs staring back at him. "J-Jyuudaime…?"

"Finally recognized me, did you?" Tsuna huffed. "Hayato. It's two in the morning. It's time to sleep."

"It's fine, Jyuudaime. I'll be done in a bit." Gokudera replied, almost dismissively as he picked up his pen again.

Tsuna crossed his arms and glared. Amazingly, his Right-Hand man ignored him as he continued to work. Huffing in exasperation, Tsuna strolled over to the couch and settled down. "Fine. In a little bit, right? Then I'll sit here until you're done."

"J-Jyuudaime…" Gokudera frowned.

"Hayato. I know you're my Right-Hand man, and essentially Vongola's Second-in-Command, but there's no need to work yourself this hard." Tsuna reprimanded.

"It's not that, Jyuudaime. It's just, I've been tutoring Lambo, so I'm getting behind on my work." Gokudera explained.

"What work?" Tsuna questioned.

"Umm, financials and the preparation for the meeting in three days and such." Gokudera replied.

"Hayato. You can finish the preparation tomorrow. And financials can wait; I'll give you an extra week to turn it in." Tsuna instructed. "Now, come. It's time to retire."

Gokudera glanced between his beloved Boss and the paperwork on his desk.

"That's an order, Hayato." Tsuna pulled his last trump card.

Gokudera sighed in defeat. "Yes, Jyuudaime…"

Tsuna pouted, "Mou, Hayato. You have to take better care of yourself." He chided. "When you pledged your loyalty to me, you swore to be my back-up if anything happens to me right?"

"Jyuudaime, please don't talk like that…" Gokudera frowned. "I certainly did, but I'd rather I never have to step up."

"But you have to promise." Tsuna said. "A Family without head will only drive itself into destruction. If ever something happens to me, be it I'm ill or injured, you will step up to lead the Vongola. It is not only your promise to me, but also your duty as my Storm Guardian and Right-Hand man."

Gokudera stared at Tsuna before getting up from his desk. He walked over and knelt down on one knee in front of Tsuna, and kissed the ring that sat on Tsuna's right hand.

"I promise, Jyuudaime. I swear my life on it."

Gokudera barely resisted the urge to chuckle.

He did make a promise, a solemn vow. The timing was almost eerie, but Gokudera couldn't really care.

I won't forget my promise, Jyuudaime. I swear to lead Vongola in your absence. But I am the Storm Guardian; the one continuously at the heart of the attack, the furious storm that never rests. Even though I have my duties, and my duties will always take priority, I swear it on my pride and honor that I– We will get your revenge, Jyuudaime.

Rest well my Don.


"Haya-nii…" Lambo murmured, shuffling even closer to the silverette, basking in the little warmth he managed to steal. "…I miss Tsuna-nii."

The older Guardians all glanced at each other with a soft look in their eyes. Gokudera handed over the umbrella he was holding to Yamamoto, who moved over to shield them as the silverette knelt down, holding Lambo by the shoulders. Gokudera's smile was strained, yet warm as he spoke, "I miss Jyuudaime too. We all do. But we have to be strong. Jyuudaime trusted in us and he left Vongola in our care. We can be sad, we can mourn for however long we want. But we have to stand up and protect the Vongola Famiglia Jyuudaime loved so much."

"Haya-nii…!" Lambo wailed as he buried himself in Gokudera's embrace, sobbing into the Storm Guardian's suit.

"Why… Why did Tsuna have to go…?" Yamamoto mumbled.

"Jyuudaime said… If he could settle this without violence, he would do anything for it." Gokudera said softly. "That's why… even though he knew perfectly well the risk, he went anyway. Because he wanted to protect us."

"Boss…" Chrome sniffled as she wiped away the reemerging tears.

"Sawada… is such an idiot." Ryohei swallowed.

"That's the kind of person Sawada Tsunayoshi is." Surprisingly, Hibari was the one who spoke up.

A gentle silence washed over them. The Guardians took a moment to reflect. Once again, they thought back to the promises they each made to their beloved Boss and family. They thought about their sworn duty. They thought about Tsuna. They thought of how they had all been laughing during dinner a mere week ago.

It was alright. They thought. Tsuna may be gone, but we still have memories of him. We can stand up again. We can move on.

The Guardians smiled.

"Mah." Yamamoto spoke up. "Should we head back?"

"Yeah. Before we all catch a cold." Ryohei sighed.

"Hn." Hibari hummed his agreement.

"I'm already feeling a little chilly…" Lambo whined.

"It's alright. Lambo-chan will warm up soon." Chrome smiled.

"Unlike all of you, I'm burning right up." Gokudera smirked.

At that moment, all six Vongola Guardians glanced up at the sky –the sky that was, only moments ago, covered with dark clouds and rain, and was now clear and blue, with the sun shining brightly. They thought back together to the last thing Tsuna had said to them, right before he was wheeled into surgery.

'Don't worry. It'll be alright. I am the Sky who influences all, understands all and accepts all. No matter what happens, just look up and remember that I'm always be with you.'


A/N: Sorry this took so long. The chapter itself was about 10k words in length, plus I was working parttime last week, so I had less time to write. That, and I was distracted by Lightning515...

Anyways. Now, before you peeps come after me with flaming torches and tridents, lemme explain some stuff.

Anyone and everyone who was asking about the grave in the previous chapter (Gokudera's chapter) as well as who the 'he' Tsuna refered to. YES, it is Reborn.
Combine this with the warning I put in every chapter that says that this fic is set in canon, between present and TYL, you'll come to the conclusions that this chapter is basically my take on canon!TYL!Tsuna's death.

That said, that should already answer if Tsuna's dead or not.

My apologies to people who reviewed that Gokudera's wound was considered critical. It honestly slipped my mind when I was writing it. I couldn't write that "and 1 time their Boss came back dead" because, it gives Tsuna's chapter away, and more importantly, it didn't make sense, since Tsuna really did came back critical, plus his death was... you know. (For peeps who don't know, please ask in review and I will answer, but beware of spoilers.)

Strangely enough, as I wrote this chapter; especially the funeral portion, I realised that each Guardian's duty would allow them to carry on even after they have lost their Sky. The only flashback I was unsatisfied with was Ryohei's. The ending was also a little rushed. Likely, I'll come back to this and improve on the flashback and the ending. (If that happens, I'll inform you guys in the AN next chapter.)

Now, in other news, I mentioned in the previous chapter that I will put up a time line. Here we go:


(Present) Ring Conflict (Varia Arc) (5YL~9YL) First six chapters – (9YL) Sky Chapter [Older!Tsuna shot](9Y10M) Future Arc – (TYL) Mukuro's chapter

l

(Present) Inheritance Ceremony Arc (Shimon Arc) – (Present) Curse of the Rainbow Arc – (?YL) Reborn's chapter


This should further clarify Tsuna's chapter and will also give you an idea on Mukuro's chapter coming after this, and Reborn's chapter after Mukuro. Same thing applies for the timeline, ask anything you want in the review and I will answer, but beware of spoilers.

While I am satisfied with Tsuna's chapter, I am rather worried about the reactions, because technically the summary and chapter sorta didn't match up. Once again, I apologize and thank you for reading.

That aside, THANK YOU so much for over a 100 reviews, follows and favorites! I didn't expect this to get so much response and I am very thankful for the support. *bows*

That's all for this time! See you guys next time on Mukuro's chapter~ Ciao Ciao~

EDIT (01/02): As if the ending wasn't sad enough, Never More from the Reincarnation:Persona 4 OST had to turn up on my playlist. And right after I was done editing, a happy, upbeat song came up. My playlist understands me! :x

Anyways, I've read through this entire chapter, editing language errors, revising sentences here and there. The more prominent changes are Ryohei's flashback portion as well as the ending.