That Which Obscures The Sky
Summary: When Reborn comes to Namimori on Vongola Nono's request, he was NOT expecting to find a Sky all for himself. This was not in his job description and the hauntingly familiar face wasn't helping him any. The question now is, what will he do?
A/N: This is technically just the beginning of Hibari Kyoya's adventures with his Guardians and the family he'd made, but that's a story of its own, one that will cause fear everywhere for generations to come.
So for now, let us see the ending of this chapter of their lives and a glimpse into their intentions and hopes for the future!
"And why may you be grumpy today, Fon-san?" Tsuyoshi asked in good humor as the disguised Storm Arcobaleno sat, grumbling and moody, in his soon-to-close for the night restaurant, sipping tea aggressively in a way he had not thought tea could be sipped. It was quite amusing, if not a bit concerning. Tsuyoshi has known this man almost their whole lives and the older Hibari twin had always been serene. Even when he's pissed off beyond words, Fon was always serene.
Though, if he was honest, he had a good idea what might have ticked him off and sent him into what might as well account for a temper tantrum where this man in particular was concerned. There were actually only two things - once, there had been three - in this world that could get a true reaction the likes of this from the strongest Storm in the world and Kyoya-dono was most definitely not the cause of this.
"I think Reborn's been avoiding me." Ah, there it is, Tsuyoshi thought, barely repressing his emotions so his fellow Guardian wouldn't pick up on his amusement. He'd known it would be something along these lines. After all- "It's been two weeks already since we all got turned back into our true bodies and I've not once been alone with him for longer than five minutes, if even that. And even then, we always had Leon or Lichi with us!" The martial arts master continued complaining. He huffed, taking another sip at his tea, though now it was a bit more sullen than aggressive. "And then I saw him with Bianchi yesterday. Clearly he's not that busy if he has time for a dalliance with a younger, worshipful Storm." A pause. Then, so quiet Tsuyoshi wouldn't have heard it had it not been just the two of them ... "So much for wanting to take me out on a date."
Not smiling at his friend's misplaced insecurities and the grumpiness it caused in the usually perpetually serene man was hard, but he managed. Only because he could tell that Fon-san was truly worried about this and not just shallowly jealous at someone else taking up Reborn's time.
"As you've said, it's only been two weeks since you all turned back to normal, and yes, it is indeed only, not already, as you say. Two weeks is a really short period of time for anything, let alone recovering from a way of living that you've grown used to for well over a decade. Not everyone has the resilience and tenacity of the Hibari-"
"Reborn does," Fon-san cut in and the former swordsman couldn't deny that without earning himself a bullet or ten for his own daring and foolishness.
"Some people need longer to heal and recover, to recuperate. Maybe he just needs time. Maybe he had things he needed to take care of and clear up first. After all, Dino-kun got quite injured in that fight, even if Kyoya-dono has healed him, and Tsunayoshi-kun also is a part of his life, as of recently. Reborn-san has put in a lot of effort in his grades, at the very least. Nana-san deserves an explanation. The Sawadas are probably trying to figure out what to do now that their main source of income - from that deadbeat husband of hers - was taken out of the picture and what they will do with the children they've been housing all this time on Iemitsu's dime. Reborn-san may feel obliged to help them, in some way."
"That's true," the assassin conceded and Tsuyoshi smiled at his childhood friend. Truly, he may have never been as close to Fon as he had been with Enmu, but Fon -san had still been a part of his childhood. Fon-san had looked out for the both of them from the start. Tsuyoshi felt it was his duty as the man's friend to assuage all of his concerns.
"And I wouldn't worry about Reborn-san running off with any other Storm," he said with a wink. "Reborn-san accepts only the best and there is no better Storm out there than you, Fon. Not for a good few years, at the very least, and even then, Reborn-san would never choose someone else over you. Especially not that girl. She's too young and too obsessed to make a good partner for our resident hitman."
Fon snorted at that, surprising the sushi chef. "Age has never been a thing for Reborn. He's had lovers as an Arcobaleno and he most definitely loves people fawning over him."
"I'm still certain he does not like underage partners," the Rain says confidently. After all, he'd seen Reborn-san give Dr Shamal the stink eye whenever he made a too pervy comment or tried to grope any girl younger than eighteen. Not that such behaviour is acceptable for older girls, either, but Reborn-san believes in the ability to protect oneself. If the girls can't, then Reborn-san steps in. The hitman would never condone a relationship with a minor. "Besides, he's pretty infatuated with you, you know." He paused for a moment, wondering if he was putting his life on the line and then deciding his status as a fellow Guardian will keep him mostly safe from the hitman's ire. "Why, just before your two's little reunion, all those months ago, when the high of the bond finally hit him, he spilled the beans that he's never loved anyone before or since you. You were his first and only. I highly doubt he would risk his chance at getting back together with you over some second rate famiglia Storm that might poison his espresso if she isn't careful about what she touches."
"It is true Reborn would kill for his espresso," mumbled the red-clad man, gazing down at his tea. "But why, then, is he avoiding me? It's almost like he has time for everyone else but me. Did I do something wrong? Two weeks definitely means he's avoiding me."
Tsuyoshi sighed, thinking back to two weeks ago and the strange night that had been. After Bermuda-san had finally dragged Timoteo Vongola and his Guardians and Sawada Iemitsu off, the Varia were allowed to leave and they all made sure Dino-kun and Hayato-kun were healed and, indeed, fine, Fon-san, Kyoya-dono and Kawahira-san - whom he finally got to properly meet - gathered all of the Arcobaleno and explained the Solution to them.
It had taken some convincing on Verde's part, but hearing that he may die in the next two years if he doesn't accept the Solution had him reconsidering. The scientist only cared about how much time he had for his research and experiments. It was that lack of resolution that nearly killed him during the process of it all, had it not been for Kyoya-dono to propagate his Flames to a manageable level and for Reborn-san to heal the pain or any damage that may have been caused by his lack of truly trained Flames. Skull had been the happiest to return to his original body, since it meant he could fully go back to his stuntman career and ditch the Carcassa for good. He had no real problem of turning back, though he had taken a several hours long nap.
Colonello had also been in a bit of danger, as his Flames were definitely the weakest out of all of the Arcobaleno, since he wasn't even supposed to be the Rain Arcobaleno. Lal Mirch had had to sync their Flames so that the two of them could feed the Blue Pacifier together and it will probably be like that for as long as Colonello is bound to it. Not that either of them seemed to mind. They already had plans to return to COMSUBIN and all of the Arcobaleno had already gotten invitations to a small wedding.
Viper - or Mammon, as they still insisted on being called - didn't really trust them but they had not wanted to die, either, so they had accepted the Solution readily. They had pretty strong Flames so they, too, like Skull, just needed a nap, though shorter than the Cloud, before they were good to go. They returned to Italy with the Varia and the Vongola Rings with the promise to take good care of the famiglia and to not bother Namimori or the Skylarks unless Kyoya-dono declared war on them. From what Tsuyoshi could tell, Kyoya-dono and young Xanxus might even be as close to friends as two people like them could ever get. It promised to be an interesting alliance.
As for Reborn-san, it had been just as Fon had predicted. The man was so powerful and his healing factor was so overwhelming that he hadn't even been knocked out from the transformation. He'd needed all of two minutes to get back to his feet, find his equilibrium and then he was back to being the strongest man alive in the whole world. The first thing he had done? Peck Fon's cheek. Then he'd moved about healing everyone else that might need it, both Arcobaleno and Tsunayoshi-kun's Guardians. Then he'd had to fend off Bianchi when she finally recognized him and got all flustered upon realizing just how handsome the world's greatest hitman actually is. Only Hayato-kun's dire injuries kept her from gushing over the Sun Arcobaleno.
After everyone was deemed alright, Kyoya-dono and his Guardians were all questioned about their strange bond. Mukuro-kun and Chrome-chan took the time to thank Kyoya-dono for all that he'd done for them, along with their Rain and Sun friends, before migrating to Kyoya-dono's oldest - by far - Mist and hitting it off almost immediately. Fon-san and Tsuyoshi were the ones to answer Tsunayoshi-kun's and the other's questions. Takeshi had been quite surprised to hear that his old man had served the Hibari long before he'd been born and that he himself was, in fact, partially compatible with the Hibari triple Flame user. Nana-san thanked Kyoya-dono for all that he'd done for them, both as citizens of Namimori and as just ordinary people, and Tsunayoshi-kun had apologized that his blood had caused so much trouble for the prefect. Kyoya-dono had waved them off, as uninterested in their gratitude as he was in everyone else's questions.
He'd been far more focused on Dino-kun and though Tsuyoshi had no idea what those two may have been discussing while he'd been explaining things, the tension that had been birthed between them when they'd stood on opposite sides had finally melted. Kyoya-dono had even gone as far as to take a nap on Dino-kun's shoulder, which had caused th blond to turn red, splutter before his whole being seemed to go soft and he'd had Romario-san help him wrap up Kyoya-dono in his jacket so that the younger Skylark may nap in peace. Roll and Hibird definitely liked him, too, though Onyx - Kyoya-dono's new Mist Animal Ring black kitty - and Sora - the Sky skylark - seemed to need a bit of time to warm up to him. Fairly understandable, given they were essentially newborns, for all intents and purposes. Roll's been around for years and Hibird is an ordinary, if rather intelligent, animal that relies on instinct and his owner's cues. They knew Dino-kun meant them no harm. The other two just need to learn it, too.
During all of that, Reborn-san had done his healing and had then left with the Sawadas at the end of the night. The other Arcobaleno had all found a place to stay of their own and eventually all left when they felt like it. Kawahira-san and Kyoya-dono had to go and check up on Verde and Colonello regularly for a few days because they had the, by far, least or weakest Flames and had been in actual danger during the transformation, so they might require some propagative assistance, but even they left before the week was up.
Now, there were only two Arcobaleno still in Namimori left and it seems as if they have yet to have a proper meeting or some real alone time. And it's not for a lack of trying on Fon-san's part. It is Reborn-san that was always 'unavailable'. Though, perhaps if Fon-san wasn't as distressed by this lack of bonding time, he would remember that he was supposed to be the one angry at Reborn-san instead of wondering if he had somehow offended the hitman. It is, after all, Reborn-san that had made a grave offence he should be trying to make up for and woo Fon-san all over again.
He goes to say something of the sort to his friend when he gets a message on his phone. A quick glance has him barely repressing a grin. He smooths his face out when he turns back to the Storm, who is still all glum and sulk. "Perhaps he isn't avoiding you, my friend," he tells him even as he reaches under his bar and takes out a big serving for two of his finest, most expensive sushi, some more tea for Fon and two cups of sake. The martial artist looks two seconds away from opening his mouth to remind him that alcohol really isn't the solution to his misery - especially since he can't get drunk due to having trained his disintegrating Flames to destroy any substance that enters his body which is harmful to his overall health, especially things that would leave him inhibited - when the door to Takesushi opens and the first thing they see of the newcomer is a gigantic bouquet of flowers: red and yellow roses intertwining to make a beautiful pattern. The yellow roses have a bit of glitter on them while the red ones have been perfumed. Tsuyoshi can smell it from his place behind the bar.
When the flowers move out of the way, the face of the newcomer is revealed and Fon, if Tsuyoshi didn't know better, looked close to tears. "Chaos," greets the world's greatest hitman - and if that greeting doesn't make Tsuyoshi want to run for his life, even if it is not uttered maliciously, he doesn't know what will; everyone knows that if you hear the word 'Chaos' for a greeting, you could end up dead any second, because your life is now in the mercy and the whims of the deadliest, most dangerous man alive - with a handsome smirk on his face but the look in his eyes is soft. Reborn-san had definitely put in the effort, having come here in his finest suit and made the perfect arrangements for a nice first date.
Tsuyoshi finished his part by pulling out a just finished, steaming cup of espresso before taking off his apron and speedily making his way towards the other exit, the one that goes through into his house, while calling over his shoulder to the lovebirds. "You kids have fun, now~! But not too much fun; this is a restaurant! Just lock up when you're done! Good luck!"
"Tsuyoshi!" Cried out Fon-san, sounding scandalized, while Reborn-san could be heard snickering.
"Grazie, Yamamoto Tsuyoshi. Have a pleasant evening."
And Tsuyoshi planned to. Life has been so stressful since Reborn-san came to Namimori, from the drama of his bonding with Kyoya-dono, to his reunion with Fon-san and learning about the Hibari Clan and then all of that Vongola bullshit. None of them had had a good night of rest and relaxation since it all started.
Only now, when it was established that the Vongola won't bother them anymore, could they go on with their lives.
Reborn-san's thoroughly planned out new-first-date was just the beginning.
Kawahira-san had all but become mentor and guardian to the so-called Kokuyo Gang. Mukuro-kun was discussing their adoption papers with the man, just so they could ensure they could go to normal schools like normal kids if they wanted to and that they don't have to worry about the law or whatever.
Tetsuya-kun had spent the first week or so overseeing the repairs done to the grounds around the temple damaged in the fight against the Vongola and assisting the Arcobaleo leave Namimori once they are ready. He'd been offered by Levi A Than Lightning Flames training whenever they might meet in the future, but Tsuyoshi didn't know if Kyoya-dono's youngest Guardian had accepted it or not.
Chrome-chan had decided she wanted to go to school like a normal girl and Tsuyoshi had a suspicion that her decision will sway Mukuro-kun, whose participation will sway Ken and Chikusa. Each of the Kokuya Gang had been given a house within the Hibari Compound and a house in other places around Namimori, if they ever wanted privacy, but they all kept together.
Mukuro-kun actually wanted to one day get Kokuyo Land back up and running. Tsuyoshi had no doubt that Kyoya-dono will help him in this endeavor but it remains to see whether Mukuro-kun would want to do that before or after Kyoya-dono re-establishes the Skylark Network.
As for Takeshi and his friends, they had been helping the Sawadas adjust, especially Nana-san. Poor woman was even contemplating changing their last name and moving to another address just to avoid the Vongola bullshit even more. Tsunayoshi-kun hadn't seemed to mind and Kyoya-dono had even offered to ease it all through for them.
Takeshi, he thinks, has asked Hayato-kun out on a date! That was so sweet and cute and as much as Tsuyoshi wanted to see if tonight was when they were going out, he still had one other thing he had to do as a bonded Guardian before he could even think of interrupting his son's most-probably-date. Because, well, it would be only Takeshi and Hayato-kun hanging out, or so his son had said.
It could really be nothing else, because Smoking Bomb was definitely not the kind of person who would just go 'hang out' one on one with anyone but his precious Tsuna-sama. (Yes,the poor boy was still adjusting to the fact that he can't go calling Tsunayoshi-kun 'Juudaime' anymore and it is hilarious to see his constipated expression whenever he had to stop and correct himself.)
The Sasagawa siblings, from what he knows, were looking more into their own family history. That bubbly Miura girl was taking self-defense classes. She wanted to be a proper Guardian for Tsunayoshi-kun and a 'real woman because real women protect their men!' because she still had aspirations to become his wife.
The older version of Lambo-kun had approached Kyoya-dono and asked the Skylark to cut all of his younger self's ties with the Bovino, stating that 'he has and will suffer things no child ever should for a family that never really loved him'. Not a day later, Nana-san had received full custody of not only Lambo-lun, but Fuuta-kun and shared custody of I-Pin-chan, too, the other part belonging to, of course, Fon-san.
They were all, after all, citizens of Namimori and the Hibari always looked out for those they called theirs. And Namimori was definitely the Hibari's.
Tsunayoshi-kun had kept Reborn-san as his home tutor, still partaking in most of the same training the hitman had been giving him before, stating that just because he was no longer a mafia heir candidate did not mean he won't be attacked for his blood or by the enemies his father had collected himself. He wanted to keep his better grades for his own future and to be able to protect his friends and family.
Reborn-san had definitely been very proud of his 'not-so dame-dame' student.
And speaking of Reborn-san's students ...
"Are you truly going to interrupt, Yamamoto-san?" Romario, Dino Cavallone's most trusted man, asked when Tsuyoshi settled in next to the overprotective man as the two of them dared spy on their master's date. That's right: Dino-kun had dared gather the guts to ask Kyoya-dono out on a date and it was happening tonight. It's why Tsuyoshi couldn't go off spying on his own son's date tonight. Out of Takeshi and Hayato-kun, it is Hayato-kun who is in more ... danger, whereas here, it is Kyoya-dono, because Kyoya-dono is much younger than Dino-kun, despite the blond having the purest of intentions. For a while, at least. We'll see as Kyoya-dono grows and becomes even more handsome. The Hibari all age like fine damned vine. (Enmu's and Fon's grandfather, when he'd died, had looked like he was barely pushing his fifties, when he had been, in fact, ninety six years old. That's some fine genetics right there and both Fon-san and Kyoya-dono are definitely going to inherit them. It's clear even now; Fon-san looks almost as young as Kyoya-dono when he was only a couple of years younger than Reborn-san, who, admittedly, also looks younger than he is and no, he is not counting the years they've been stuck as immortal babies.)
"Depends on how that boy of yours conducts himself," Tsuyoshi replied, handing over a thermos of hot tea to the other man as they started their vigil.
"Do you honestly think Hibari Kyoya needs protection from Dino?" Asked the younger man and the sushi chef slash swordsman snorted.
"Of course not! It will be Dino-kun that needs protection from Kyoya-dono!" And they both descended into what was definitely not giggles because that was an unrefuted fact that Kyoya-dono could definitely protect himself. Dino-kun might be a bit more experienced in life, but Kyoya-dono has been trained to fight from a way too young age - at his own insistence, of course; no one can make a Cloud do anything they didn't want to, even if that Cloud also had secondary Mist and tertiary Sky Flames - and definitely ha stronger Flames and more bloodlust out of the two, being a Hibari and all. And that's not even mentioning the Animal Rings Kyoya-dono always carries these days - or the rings and/or conductors Kawahira-san is trying to make that could withstand the intensity of Kyoya-dono's Flames. Roll, Onyx and Sora would definitely not let anything happen to Kyoya-dono and even Hibird was a fierce little warrior in his own right!
Besides, he actually didn't think Dino-kun was capable of hurting Kyoya-dono, emotionally, socially, mentally or physically. The young man was way too much like his tutor, in some ways, and one of those ways was the way he looked at Kyoya-dono. Tsuyoshi had just come from seeing a pair of black eyes staring with as much adoration at Fon-san as those hazel eyes of the Bucking Bronco were staring at Kyoya-dono. Kyoya-dono will probably never realize just how early on he'd snatched up the young Don's heart, but it is perhaps for the best at this moment. Kyoya-dono has 'used up his emotional-bullshit tolerance' probably for the rest of the year, so him figuring out this young man might just be infatuated with him right now wouldn't be the best start of their relationship, even if Dino-kun looked like the type that wouldn't give up until he got so under the prefect's skin that Kyoya-dono couldn't deny being fond of him, too. He'd certainly went back, again and again, for a beating when he thought he was supposed to train the boy.
That kind of persistence is necessary if one wants to get closer to a Skylark. Tsuyoshi knew from his own experience. While Enmu had been the one to approach him with friendship, it had been Tsuyoshi who had fought for it after Enmu was swallowed by guilt when Fon took on double the load and responsibility so Enmu could do whatever he wanted with his life.
Fon-san needed that from Reborn-san, especially after the messy breakup they'd had and were now trying to get over and move on from once and for all, starting afresh.
Kyoya-dono will need that from Dino-kun, too.
He'd need it from all of them, because no single person can truly fight alone. Not Reborn-san, who'd admitted to several times being saved by Fon-san or one of the other Arcobaleno. Not Bermuda-san, who'd founded a whole organization in order to be strong enough for what he wanted to do and had gathered more allies still. Not even Kawahira-san, for all his age and power, because it had still been someone else who had solved his centuries-old guilt and provided a better solution. (Not even the previous Giglio Nero Donnas, who'd sacrificed their own lives and lives of others. The current one, Aria, wants to connect and ally herself with Kyoya-dono and the Hibari Clan, in order to keep protecting the Arcobaleno secret and the Mare Rings, the third part of the Trinisette, that were in her care. She had even offered to help both Tsunayoshi-kun and Kyoya-dono sharpen their Sky intuition! But Tsuyoshi had a feeling they should probably keep the woman away from Kyoya-dono around Fon-san. Fon-san had not been overly fond of her mother, after all. From Reborn-san, too, because he had been fond of her mother and rather friendly, too.)
Not even the Hibari could stand all on their own. It's what had birthed the Skylark information network in the first place.
So yes, Kyoya-dono will definitely need people who can push and push without actually intruding on Kyoya-dono's freedom in the future, to stay by his side and be his allies.
In the future, when Kyoya-dono shakes Xanxus' hand when Vongola Decimo steps aside and lets Hibari Kyoya reestablish the last piece of the Skylark network puzzle in Italy and they form the most frightening alliance in the history of the world, they will stand by his side as he faces anyone who is stupid or brave enough to dare even think of opposing him. The Arcobaleno, out of gratefulness or debt. Tsunayoshi-kun and his Guardians, out of gratitude and solidarity. Xanxus and his Guardians, out of respect and because it's fun to mow stupid people down. The Giglio Nero, out of solidarity and unity. The Kokuyo Gang, because they were the Skylarks' too and they knew and loved it, even if some of them protested and denied it. The Vindice, because the Skylarks are neutral and their allies, have always been, even when no one else knew it. The Triads, because a good chunk of it had always belonged to the Hibari. The yakuza, because Kyoya-dono will conquer them and return tenfold what they had done to his family. The Cavellone, because Dino-kun loved Kyoya-dono. The Disciplinary Committee, because they are loyal and devoted and, above all else, Hibari Kyoya's.
Yamamoto Tsuyoshi, Kusakabe Tetsuya - and his whole family, all of them returning to an active status because a Hibari needed them - the world's greatest hitman, Reborn, and Hibari Fon ... Checkerface and Mukuro Rokudo and Chrome Dokuro and I-Pin and Namimori ...
In the future, they would all stand with Hibari Kyoya when he faces the Gesso, the Todd, the Simone and anyone else stupid enough to try and oppose him.
In the future, when his Sky Flames will not be obscured from sight and senses, when all would know about his secret but his Flame status still won't be that by which they judge him ... When they know that, for all he is a Sky, he is a Mist before that and, first and foremost, he is a terrifying, destructive, unbound Cloud ...
In that future, they will all stand together under the red banner with a golden skylark in flight, proud and tall and united, the most fearsome power on earth, and not even because, together, they would hold all of the Trinisette and its Administrator.
But that was in the future.
Now, in this time and place, in this present, where they were all sort of high from shoving it to the Vongola and solving an ancient problem that has killed so many and finding love and understanding and acceptance, they celebrate and have fun and enjoy life until a new adventure should come across them.
Because that which obscures the Sky (Namimori's one true Sky) protects them all, for now, unfailingly.
And for that, Tsuyoshi thinks, they have one man to thank.
He hopes Enmu can see his son now.
He would be proud.
LA FINNE