Silent Heartbeat Chapter Eight- Parental Counseling


Hibari Kyoya was in a state of sheer depression.

When Dino had stood him up yesterday morning, it had really taken its toll on the prefect- who's newly found feelings were sensitive and easy to control. He had landed in a nest of sadness that he continued to spruce up with tears and murmurs of sorrow, his entire being weighed down by the heavy emotions. He spent the day in bed, not answering when his mother or brothers came to the door, and not eating.

He was in the biggest emotional slump he had or ever would experience.

And it was then that there was a knock on the door- sharper than anyone else's particular knock.

His father had arrived.

"The hell is wrong with you, Kyoya? Why aren't you eating?"

"Father...," Hibari whispered, frightened. He spoke up, "Father, I just need to call it a sick day."

The door broke immediately, and an enraged papa Hibari strutted into the room and kicked the bed. "Kyoya! Get your lazy ass out of bed and eat something!" Hibari sat up, and looked at his father with his sad, tear-filled eyes, and he saw that the man was genuinely suprised to see the heartbroken expression in his son's eyes. His expression softened as he came over, and slowly sat down on the bed, reaching to place a hand on his son's shoulder. "Kyoya, is there something I should know?" he asked. The prefect reached over and hugged his father for the first time, and, for the first time, he hugged back. "Talk to me, Kyoya," he whispered.

"Father, I'm gay," the younger man murmured, "please don't shout..."

"Shh, all right, Kyoya," his father replied. "It's all right."

"I'm in love with a man, father."

"It's okay."

"He doesn't love me back."

"Don't worry, son."

The prefect clung to his father, sobbing, and letting himself be soothed by the older man, who was gently rubbing his back, and murmuring those words of comfort. He quietly asked if his son was in love with Mr. Cavallone, and Kyoya whimpered and nodded. "Father... do you hate me now?" he asked, looking into his father's bright, silver eyes. The man solemnly shook his head, and rubbed the prefect's head.

"Kyoya, I couldn't hate you. I did... but not now. I'm a smart man, Kyoya, I can tell when something's different. You've really changed, and I think it's a good thing for you," he said. "You're going to feel true emotions while the rest of your family can't."

"Father... can you feel them?" Hibari asked in a small voice. There was a pause, and the older man nodded.

"I can. But I gave up on love and fear long ago. I couldn't handle the strength. So I just shove my emotions away and pretend that I don't feel them. It looks like you took after me more than I thought."

The prefect smiled and said, "I love you, father."

"I love you too, son," the man chuckled. "Now get up, Kyoya, I'm going to take you out so I can teach you how to control your emotions. This mean's I'll be digging up some of mine, too, so be prepared."

Hibari's phone rang, and he reluctantly answered, apologizing to his father. "Hello?"

("Where were you yesterday?")

"You stood me up, you bastard," Hibari hissed. His father suddenly grabbed the phone.

"Is this Dino Cavallone?"

("... Yes?")

"Do you know how my son feels about you?"

("Uhh, do YOU?")

"Get out of his life. Let him live properly as a man. And a man shouldn't have to deal with someone who will hurt him."

"Father...," the prefect murmured.

The older man patted his son's shoulder. "It's okay, son."

("I love him.")

The man frowned. "Let me get my son in shape before you screw things up." With that, he closed his phone, and smirked at Kyoya. "Let's head out, son."

"Okay, father."


"All right, how do you feel right now?" Hibari's father asked as the stopped in front of Namimori Middle. "About your school, I mean."

"I love my school," the younger man told him. "When I'm around Nami Middle, I feel relaxed, at rest, and I'm calm."

"Good. How about friends?" the other asked. "Have any friends?"

"... Well, there's Tsunayoshi...," Kyoya murmured, "and his little crowd."

"That's a good start," he said. "How about you show me around, son? It's lunchtime, right?"

The prefect nodded, and led his father into the school, in which many strange looks were given to them. "Tsunayoshi's probably on the roof," he said.

"How does it feel to call him Tsuna?" Mr. Hibari asked.

"Uh... I don't know, I never have," Kyoya replied. "I don't feel that close to him."

They soon stepped on to the roof, and Hibari's father gestured to the circle of Tsuna, Gokudera, and Yamamoto. "Go on, son," he said, patting Kyoya on the back. "Try to engage in a social conversation. I'll watch from here."

The prefect sighed and approached the three. "Hey, guys," he greeted, sitting down. "Do you mind?"

"Oh, not at all," Tsuna said. "Hi, Hibari-san."

"Hello," the prefect returned, "how are you?"

"I'm good," Tsuna replied. "Hey, are you all right? We didn't see you earlier."

"Ah... I haven't been well," Hibari answered.

Just as his father seemed to have expected, conversation wasn't a natural thing for Kyoya. He soon became left out of the discussions as Yamamoto and Gokudera joined in, and soon enough, Mr. Hibari was done with his test. "Kyoya!" he called. "Retreat, boy!"

As awkward as the situation was in the moment, Hibari stood and walked back to his father. "How was I?" he asked, as if he didn't know.

"Not very good, son," the man sighed. "But I see you trying. You've been so cold up until now... it's odd that you're suddenly... well, a 'feeler.'"

"Feeler?" Hibari repeated. "What a weird word..."

"Heh, don't mind the petty details, Kyoya," said the older man. "Now listen... Your mother and I were forced to marry by our parent's decision, and I didn't like that, but I had no room to speak out. I don't want you to be heartless like we were. Okay?"

"I've BEEN heartless all my life," the prefect replied, "Something happened, I think."

Suddenly, someone cut in, "Yeah, something happened."

The prefect and his father both looked up to see Reborn. "What is it, baby?" Hibari asked.

"I've been investigating this myself," Reborn announced, "And I think you and your father should look through these files. It's up to you to tell Dino." Hibari's father took the folder and opened it, then showed the picture to his son.

"Do you know this girl?" he asked.

A jolt of suprise ran through the prefect as he remembered. "Yes," he whispered, "Yes, I attacked her... she wasn't following the regulations... I just ignored it, but... she said... she said she cursed me!"

"You're in trouble, Hibari," Reborn said. "The way you are now, you aren't fit to be the Cloud guardian. And you're going to get yourself hurt. Her curses are real, Hibari, and they can't be lifted without her help. Some of these curses are deadly, too. Is she alive, still?"

The prefect stared, shocked. "No... I... I killed her!"

Reborn nodded.

"You're a goner."

-End Chapter


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