If there was one thing that hadn't changed since middle school, Gokudera would say it was the threat of Yamamoto Takeshi's very existence. Beneath the easygoing nature, the Rain Guardian held a resolve that rivalled Gokudera's own. And there was no telling when he'd get in the Tenth's good– well– better books and steal his position as the right-hand man right under his nose.

Or so he told himself.

Because the fights Gokudera picked with the man weren't just an assertion of his position as the Decimo's right-hand. They had become a reassuring reminder that Yamamoto was still around to laugh with that goofy expression and pat Gokudera's back, retracting just in time to avoid a clean punch to his ribs.

The day Yamamoto returned with the scar on his chin, Gokudera had lashed out. Angry words that stung, like the jarring blemish on the Japanese man's face (a chilling reminder of the future they had avoided). And if there was anyone who understood him better than the Tenth, it was Yamamoto. If there was anyone to be blamed, it should've been anyone but Yamamoto. But it was exactly Yamamoto whom he had shouted at.

"Why were you so careless, you idiot?!"

You're back in one piece.

There were things that went unsaid. But it was fine that way because Yamamoto had always understood. Always.

So when rich brown eyes pierced Gokudera's own, it was soft and warm, but that irked the Storm Guardian all over again, and then they'd fall into rhythmic banter, and it was as if Yamamoto was telling him–

It's good to be home.


It's an update after 6 months! So sorry that it's been this long, but I had major exams to study for and I dropped everything afterwards to work on NaNoWriMo (which I won this year!) I missed writing this, so there'll be more coming, no matter how infrequent the updates may be. If you guys like 1827, don't forget to check out my other fic, Snapshots :")) I haven't updated that in ages either but they're definitely going to happen, those updates. (I noticed a number of horrid mistakes here and there, I promise to edit them someday)