I'm back with something. My job kept me busy and practically unable to write with all the mental burdens it gave me. Anyway, please do enjoy!

Summary: When a big tragedy hits the Vongola family, Hibari Kyoya is again wracking his brain for something to smoke out the perpetrator. But as things stand, there are other things that need to be taken care of, like the well-being of those around him. He soon finds himself accompanying a friend for a drink, and reevaluating his past actions and feelings.

WARNING: Boring as hell.

181: The small things I'd do for your smile

Tsuna was dead, that much Kyoya had gathered from the hesitation that Dino's son showed. The little details of the death did not matter as there are other things that he should be more concerned with, like what's going to happen to the eleventh generation when there is an obvious lack of a presiding Papa. CEDEF would take care of it, no, he'd like CEDEF to take care of it; he didn't want any part of determining who was going to be the next boss. But with the Tenth already dead, along with the Ninth, the ceremony is pretty much in their hands—the tenth generation guardians.

The summer heat was getting on his nerves too. Not the cold drink nor the AC could cool him off. It was like he was a bomb waiting to explode and incinerate everything in sight. His patience, not that it was ever long, was as short as a matchstick and boy was it dry! The slightest heat would set it aflame.

It all suddenly made sense—the guardians' hesitation, the ring battles… He's been away from the Italian affairs and without somebody to keep the order, it all goes haywire in a blink of an eye. But he remembered why he was away for such a long time.

His wife entered the room; her impeccable grace and beauty eclipsed her obvious exhaustion and sadness. She had been mourning the death of her adoptive brother. The dark rings under her eyes were too evident. Her eyes are red and puffy. Her silent sobs unnerving at night. And it kept him up till the break of dawn.

Should he do that time travel thing again? Of course the enemies know of that path. That was the path that led to their current present. And their younger selves would be incapable of doing anything, aside from having the Vongola rings. But the enemies now have those in their hands after winning the Ring Battles against Gino Cavallone's group. The enemies. The crafty bastard has yet to be exposed. Kyoya knew it would be hard to do so. There was little to no proof. Or what was left of it was conveniently destroyed. Kyoya grit his teeth.

"Kyo-san…" Her voice was like the cold wind, soft and relieving to what heat he felt. And yet, to his cloudy disposition, she was like the hot and bright sun that he so wanted to keep to himself. Kyoya clearly did not like seeing I-pin sad, especially thinking of another man, even if that man was her brother. He is selfish, yes, and that was the reason why the woman was there beside him. "The recon team has arrived with intel. Long Qiu is waiting for you."

Ah, Long Qiu. The brother that was trained by the Arcobaleno a few years before young I-pin found her way to Fon's door. He used to be an excellent saboteur and assassin, but now he functions as a maintainer of the Hibari clan's info network. Says he's way too old for vigorous jobs. And here we have a fifty-something Kyoya who brandishes his tonfa whenever he gets the chance. Long Qiu sucks at making up reasons.

Either way, the ageing Hibari stood from his seat on the zabuton and leaves the peaceful sight of their massive garden to meet with their info man. Deep within the Japanese manse he owns, its security assured by many skilled assassins and guards he and his wife hand trained, there was no way others would know what he'd know from Long Qiu. Unless he wasn't the real Long Qiu. Or the info he was about to hear had been passed around already. And Kyoya doesn't like that. Still the Chinese man was trust worthy.

"Brother," Kyoya called as he got in. His seat was awaiting him and so was the brother who was polishing a katana. "I do hope you're the real brother."

The lanky man stood; his dark, half-lidded eyes gazed through his fringes. "Silly. Why don't you see it for yourself, hm?" Then the Chinese man sheathed the curved blade. His dominant hand hovered lightly over its hilt, ready to pull it in a blink of an eye.

So he did, the tip of the blade scraping Kyoya's tonfa that had blocked in the nick of time. As if nothing happened, Long Qiu's stretched form pulled back like a spring and his blade was back to its sheath like it was never out to begin with. Simply with such an act did Kyoya knew that it was the real Long Qiu.

Satisfied, Hibari took the seat opposite the Chinese. "So?"

"Tsuna of the Vongola is dead, alright." The Chinese sat down as well. The sharp katana he used now sat on his lap as his legs crossed regally.

And to the news, Hibari reacted hastily, "The body? Where is it?"

"Gianini keeps it frozen. Although there is no real way to know if it's the real thing. You should have heard from Kusakabe-san that it's off limits."

"Who killed him?"

"More like what killed him. There are no leads as to who killed him. Everyone thinks it was suicide." That much Hibari thought. With the technology the Vongola holds, even a mook can kill the strongest guy; all he needed is a smart head atop his shoulders. The Vongola tend to be lax as well. A lot of things could happen in a group as big as theirs and the perp could easily get away with it. Not to mention that Tsuna is too trusting of others.

Long Qiu smiled as he gazed at the other man's knotted brows. To him, it was a surprise to even see the apathetic man worrying over a trivial matter such as the death of a Papa. A head figure that the famous solitary Cloud doesn't even want to associate with. Clearly it was for his wife, I-pin, that he's trying his best to resolve the matter. "But I guess you're with that kid, eh?"

Then the Chinese man pushed a thick envelope over to Kyoya's side of the table. The yakuza head eyed it questioningly. Not even the most trusted info man can resist the wiles of money and power. Or women. Or jealousy for that matter. Kyoya is just lucky that the man in front of him has unwavering loyalty to I-pin as a brother and servant. And that he is far stronger than this info man. It was a good thing that his wife has no taste for weaker men.

That aside, the envelope was safe of any toxic materials. As Hibari opened the darned thing and perused its contents, the Chinese's eyes seemed to glitter in anticipation.

"Gino Cavallone aka the Bucking Foal. He thinks he knows who killed Tsuna and how it was perpetrated." His words were more than enough to catch the other man off guard. But not enough to make any reaction that he would have deemed interesting.

Kyoya simpered, "You sure know much. As expected of you."

"It's easy really." Very easy if the person you're investigating is a close associate. That child was no less of a son to the Hibari patriarch even though the latter doesn't want to admit it. Still, Long Qiu's knowing smile passed by unnoticed by the busy guardian.

"So, what does that kid think?" said Kyoya as he closely looked at the photos that captured the moment when Tsuna's body was taken from the Italian office. Anyone could be inside that bag. Or so Hibari prayed. That it was somebody else and it was just a ruse.

The Chinese sighed, "How should I know? I haven't heard him tell anyone." By heard he meant tens of his men who are scattered all around ready to take what info they can get. "It should be you who knows. He's almost like your child."

"I don't remember siring a herbivore." Again, his attention was fully on the documents that the Chinese gave. There was a picture of everyone who took care of the body and the crime scene. Random scenes, uncensored, flashed before his eyes as he flicked through everything. Then there came a picture of a young boy with a face too much like Tsuna's. But he wasn't Tsuna. He didn't have the airheaded feel. Through the years Kyoya had spent nannying most of the Vongola children, he knew with a single glimpse. And he didn't like it that this boy's picture was amongst the gathered information.

Long Qiu then picks up the pictures that the Cloud Guardian has left on the table. Multiple angles of the Eleventh child as he stood outside the Papa's office after the crime scene was cleaned. "You know, you raised some frightening children."

"Keep an eye on the kids."

"No need to tell me. I'm already on it."

Their meeting adjourned. Both men stood from their seats. The gathered documents were thrown into the convenient mini-incinerator that Kyoya commissioned to be built in the room. It was for these times that he found it really useful aside from cold days. Everything slowly crackled until they turned to ashes and beyond recognition when they met the fire. Not even the young face of the Eleventh Vongola was spared. Kyoya then looked over his shoulder to inspect what the other man was doing, "I hope you didn't save copies of that."

The Chinese smirked. It was never in his work ethics to save digital copies of everything. Nowadays technology is risky. He might have been a risky man when he was young but not anymore, especially if his boss was known for crushing his enemies to death. But that was him; his men might be different. But not too different to wager their princess to a gruesome death.

"Don't you worry. We don't want to endanger I-pin's life. Her dainty neck is really easy to break if you wanted to."

The Cloud Guardian stayed quiet. Even though his blood was boiling and that he wanted to bite this Chinese to death, he stayed his fangs. But then, you never really think of things until somebody brings them up, causing the ageing man to reevaluate his feelings. Wherever his reputation precedes him, it's always like this. Can't a stalwart man be lonely and seek love and actually find it? On the bright side, these men and women, the recon team, will never think of betraying him. 'So they think I-pin is a hostage.'

"Also, some of the families are moving. Be careful."

"By the way…" spoke Kyoya as he opened the door. "If you get a whiff of that herbivore Yamamoto, tell him everything you've learned so far." The two men then proceed back to the reception room. Long Qiu obviously having a better time,

"I never knew you had friends!" he teased.

"Shut up, in-law. Don't lump me in with those weaklings."

The Chinese man then drew the shoji apart as they arrived, revealing the person that the Cloud was looking for. Surprised, he simply side-stepped to reveal to the Hibari patriarch the sight of the boyish-looking pro-baseball player that had come to visit them.

"Yo!" was Yamamoto's greeting.

Long Qiu bowed, his being a servant of the Yakuza family, seeing that there was a guest. "Guess you don't have to look for him."

Without further ado, Kyoya beckoned the Rain Guardian; his voice reeked of urgency, "Takeshi, I have something to discuss with you."

"Oh, is there?" Yamamoto stood from his seat by the low table. His attention wasn't fully on Kyoya but on the two that have decided to leave them be. His dead serious face took over when I-pin and Long Qiu were out of earshot. "Shoot."

As they were walking back to the secure room, the Cloud Guardian looked over his shoulder to see the lax younger man. He didn't like seeing how his colleague could be this relaxed nor could he understand how he can keep such guise. Nevertheless it was one of the good points of Yamamoto Takeshi; his smile is the best mask that there is and everyone is too busy getting chummy with him to notice what kind of cruel and vile man he really is. 'I'd say he's even better than me in this art…'

"What were you doing here?" Kyoya pointedly asked. What a way to change the subject.

Takeshi laughed. "It's nice that you actually see me as a rival for love…" He said as he draped his arm over Kyoya's shoulders, further infuriating the already annoyed Cloud Guardian. "But is that what you're going to discuss with me?"

Kyoya shook his head. 'Nice way of bringing that up just when everything is already SNAFU.' And he slapped away the other man's arm. Just as before, he thought of trivial things because they were brought up. Now he is utterly confused in reevaluating his feelings. The heart is such a complicated matter.

"Just wanted to see you and I-pin, ya know. Besides, the earth has ears and the news got wings!" He smiled but realized it wasn't appropriate. Both the smile and the idiom. "He's dead, huh?" he was holding it for too long. The moment they went in the office, he let out his desperate voice and tears, wishing that whatever news he heard was just some false, baseless rumor. Yet it was true. "This isn't happening! It's too early… Tsuna…"

This would have been the first time that the Cloud saw the Rain fall to his knees and weep. It is true that Kyoya had cried in front of the other man that one time he was darn wasted and wallowing in self-inflicted despair. But seeing somebody cry for a dead friend scraped at his half-thawed heart.

From the depths of one of his many bookcases, Hibari procured a small bottle of burning liquid—vodka—thumping the heavy bottle on Yamamoto's forehead while the man slouched in his mourning. And there was a crooked smile on his face, "Damn, Kyoya. You do know that alcohol's not good for athletes…"

"It ain't good for anyone…" said Kyoya as he passed the Rain Guardian a shot of the wretched liquid. It was downed. And there were silly expressions on their faces. For how many times that Kyoya had drunk pure vodka, he never got used to its sting. "Figures sake won't do the trick."

Yamamoto laughed. But there wasn't any usual spirit in it.

And back to business they were. "I'm assuming you heard this from one of my men. Yes, he is dead. Or I hope he isn't." Both men agree on the last part. Their shotglasses were filled again. They raised it, clinking the little objects together. For so long that they have been drinking buddies, they have grown used to doing a lot of things. They soon realize that it wasn't a time for a cheers; Yamamoto speaks of it,

"I-pin doesn't look good." Yamamoto gulped down another shot of alcohol and wiped at his lips. His eyes were reddened by his earlier crying and there were black bags under his eyes. The news didn't make him happy, that's for sure.

"That's rich coming from you." Kyoya backed off. There was no sense in getting drunk early on. "That's why I want to get to the bottom of this. At least, we get to see some heads roll and fill out the hollow that Tsuna's passing left."

Takeshi knew. He knew that Kyoya was least affected, but not happy about the death, amongst the guardians. But if there is anyone who can push him to do something about it, there is only the wife. "You sure do love I-pin, don't you?" He smiled as he put off the drinking for a moment and slowly relaxed into his comfy seat, a chair most probably chosen by I-pin.

"I don't know if you're blind or dense or what, but… yeah." And it brings up another awful memory, "Damn, everyone thinks that she's my prisoner." He then pours another shot out of anger.

"Well, is she?"

Is she, Kyoya internally asked himself. I-pin is the greatest female assassin that there ever was, which would mean she was a very good actress. Faking a smile would have been a piece of a cake… A very sad and intriguing thought. "Your ex-wife, how is she?"

Takeshi laughed, nervous. "Man, you really know how to shut up others!" Then there was quite a long pause to him as he scratched at his nape, obviously thinking of the right words to say. He finds them anyway, "She's fine. Angry at me, as usual. If you're gonna ask about the kids, Ken and Ami are both fine. Not that I don't see them." He laughs again but with his usual spirit. "It's funny that it's you who has a better marriage. Even if you were totally clueless at the beginning." The irony.

"That's because I-pin is the only woman I love."

"You just had to bring that up, don't you?"

"You're the one who started it. Besides, women can be nutcracks at times. Even I-pin has those moments. Last time she was batshit crazy when she remembered that Kirio destroyed some fusuma, said 'Why didn't you stop him? You were there, right? I know you like seeing our kids fight but don't let them ruin the house! Gawds, Kyoya. You can be an airhead at times!'" Kyoya shook his head upon the memory of a furious I-pin.

"Must be hard for you now that she barely talks."

The Cloud Guardian agreed. But there is something that the Rain should know, a very important thing that he had to say after such a long preamble, "What I'm saying here is your woman is most likely the same. She remembers a lot of things; things that you've probably handwaved and forgotten. But to her it's important. It's important to remember things about your loved ones. Big points for the tiniest of details." His eyes then looked straight at the man in front of him. The sudden change in his expression, from joking to serious, made Takeshi jolt upright. "And she remembers the time that you mistakenly confessed to I-pin when you were in a drunken state."

Yamamoto Takeshi paled. Not even the recent blood flow to his cheeks, brought by alcohol, could stay. Embarrassed was an understatement. "Even you remember that small thing."

"Gawds, Takeshi!" Kyoya thunked the bottle of vodka against the table in disagreement. "It ain't small. That's my woman. My woman. Ain't nobody be touching my woman!" And he downed the drink that he recently poured.

"If you keep on speaking that way, you'll make me laugh." Well, Takeshi was scared. His statement was just a way to ignore the threat. Imagine, he is in the house of the man whom he angered because he mistook the man's wife as his, all because he was drunk. Not to mention that this man he angered is probably one of the most unforgiving guys there is on the planet. Yamamoto Takeshi is lucky this time though,

"I-pin's rubbed off a lot of good things on me. Like acquainting with herbivores, then calling them friends when I'm all alone, like a real tsundere." Kyoya smiled, totally undignified by what he admitted. Anything for I-pin, so he says.

"You two are just like Tsuna… Tsuna saved me before. I was about to jump off NamiChuu's rooftop back then." But Tsuna's dead now.

"If you did it back then, I would have beaten the shit out of your corpse for littering itself and dirtying the premises."

"Heh, that's true."

"Just don't kill yourself yet. We still have to kill the bastard who caused this mess. And you're gonna give him the last blow."

"Thanks man."

Kyoya crossed his arms over his chest, like a real tsundere. "Don't get me wrong though. I'm doing all this for I-pin. If you walk away from our house with a smile on your face, I'm sure I-pin would be happy, even a little would be fine for me."

"I have I-pin to thank then. But you know... I never thought that you could be romantically inclined!"

"Shut up." Kyoya would really like to say not to use those words, Takeshi's last sentence. They were reserved only for his wife to say, no exceptions. But a knock on the door alerted them both and I-pin's voice came through,

"Takeshi-san, your kids are here to pick you up!"

It didn't take a second for the man to come jumping out the open door, teary-eyed and happy. "Really, they came to pick me up?" His kids are the silver-lining to his wrecked life. And he went running through the halls, passing by I-pin like a gust of wind. But he returned a few seconds after, "Eh… Where are they anyway?"

Both I-pin and Kyoya smile at his antics.

"Dad! You reek of alcohol! Don't come near me! Ugh you stink!" Ami, Takeshi's idol daughter, screamed as her father tried to hug her. She continued to push her doting father away. "And why are you here of all places? Really, that's why Mom thinks you cheated," placating the man.

YamaKen was the next to reprimand him, "Dad, you know you shouldn't be drinking."

"I'm so happy that my kids are concerned for me!" Tears fell from Takeshi's eyes as he flashed a toothy grin. The kids did not understand and they both think their father was doing his usual stunts but the Hibari couple knew well. "Why don't we go home and have dinner?"

Ami was still angry, "And what are we going to have for dinner when you holed yourself in here?"

"Mom!" another female voice called from somewhere in the manse. She soon arrived, opening the shoji without a care for the world, "I'm home—" The sight of the Yamamoto family in their reception room was a surprise, especially the airhead named YamaKen.

"Oh, hey Ori!" answered the boy, making the girl flush red and hightail him without a word. "Eh?"

"Either way," Kyoya began. "You three should make yourselves scarce before I kick you out of my house," he commanded. And so the three got up and thanked them for their hospitality and were shown their way out by the servants.

The Hibari patriarch took a quick glance to his side and seeing that his wife was visibly happy, he too was happy. Now what's left to do is deal with the culprit.

Gino Cavallone is Dino's second son. He led a group of kids to fight in the Ring Battles, hoping to seize the title of Eleventh, or Neo Secondo, but to no avail. He is currently resting at the Hibari household after being denied return by his father and his brother. He thinks he knows who the perpetrator is but doesn't speak of it with anyone. He is in a relationship with an ex-Cervello though he has Casanova tendencies.

Long Qiu is one of Fon's many students. He leads the Hibari clan's assassin group but he has resigned himself to paperwork. He handles Kusakabe Tetsuhiko's training and the Hibari children's safety.

Yamamoto Ami is Takeshi's younger child. She is currently unaffiliated with the Mafia and is a teenage idol who is quite famous. She has long, wavy, brown hair and she is very much an Ice Queen. The Vongola kids, even the boys, can't stand her.

Yamamoto Kenji, aka YamaKen, is Takeshi's son. He is older then Ami and is like a knock-off from Takeshi. He enjoys baseball and is a regular in his school and is the one who visits Takeshi everyday. He is currently unaffiliated with the Mafia or Yakuza, aside from being friends with the Vongola kids.

Hibari Orihime is Kyoya's favorite child. She has been spoiled too much by her father, thus she doesn't like it when things don't go her way. Kusakabe Tetsuhiko is mostly responsible for her safety and chastisement when she goes too far with her uproars. Her brothers are highly protective of her.

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