Disclaimer: I own the OCs, the rest is Akira Amano's work.

Fratellanza

They were all talking about future events, battle strategies, how I would get to Japan safely. I listened with one ear, comfortably sitting on Dino's lap, snuggling against him. Xanxus' eyes would be on me every now and then, but I was finally having some sort of familiarity ever since I got in this era and I wasn't going to let go of it.

"You'll make it safely to Japan, right Kyoya?" Dino asked him, squeezing my side. "I mean...we just got Luciana back, so don't lose her, okay?"

"Who do you think I am?"

"You're not coming?" I asked my brother, now alarmed. He smiled softly at me.

"I'm sorry Ana, I can't. The Millefiore keep attacking us, I have to protect my Family." He widened his eyes. "You're not less important, okay!? It's just… I mean, they..."

"I know Dino, Reborn is in Japan anyway, right?" He nodded sheepishly and I left his lap. "I should be fine then, especially if I go with Kyoya." I looked at the two silent men. "And you?"

"We have to stay in Italy for the time being, please go back to your time safely," Rick replied. Xanxus grumbled something, staring at the ground with a frown.

"He's pouting you're not giving him enough attention," Dino whispered in my ear, which got us the pouting one's glare.

"Shut your mouth trash," he growled dangerously. I tilted my head to Dino.

"I like the hair, you look like a Prince." He almost sparkled and his grin was blinding. "Now if only the clothes could follow. What, thirty-two and still dressing like a teenager?"

"Ouch, that hurts Ana." I pointed at Xanxus.

"Now, he's a total bad ass, a lot more than in my time. The angry teenager haircut and raccoon tail are gone, it's totally a win!" Then, in a totally serious tone, I told my oldest brother: "Next time I see you in my time, I'm burning it off." He scoffed.

"Yeah, remove it beforehand this time."

"Dully noted." Kyoya stood up.

"Let's go." I nodded.

"Just...be careful out there. All of you." I looked at Xanxus a little bit longer. "And thank you, for coming." He averted his eyes to the side and I followed Kyoya. We were far from them when I realized I was still wearing Xanxus' jacket. "I forgot to give it back..."

"He has others," Kyoya replied. He had not looked at me that much since we reunited and I pursed my lips. Was he mad at me or my future self? Was he annoyed I needed saving? Was he angry at the fact I was sixteen and not twenty-six?

"How am I still alive?" I asked with no tact whatsoever.

Nice, what a great icebreaker Bakana.

Kyoya peeked at me above his shoulder, and who gave him the authorization to be taller than me, with a cocked brow.

"Even the you of this era is surprised by this," he told me, slight frustration tangible in his voice. "Don't try to make conversation right now, I'll answer your questions once we're no longer in enemy territory."

Huh…

It made sense but...as I watched Kyoya's back, his shoulders broader than I remembered them to be, I couldn't help but think this Kyoya was an adult.

An adult. Not the Kyoya I knew, an adult.

Damn, how was the Arro of this time doing?

"Are you okay Arro-san?" Arro snorted.

"Yeah I'm good Sawada."

Everything was weird in this era. Of course, when Tsuna heard about how many people died he could not believe it. They were people he would often see. Yamamoto's dad was dead, and his friend was not letting anything show even if he knew better than anyone to believe Yamamoto's smile. His father had disappeared, even if he had his issues with him it was still his father, just like his mother, and it was the scariest thing. He cared more about that than his future death at not even twenty-four.

Everything was so wrong in this time. It was obvious when Lal briefed them quickly when she found them, but it was even more obvious when the older Yamamoto saved them with a too passive Arroganza. The two were wearing suits, a sword strapped to their back, but there was something strange.

Once in the base and with Reborn, Tsuna noticed how...Arroganza seemed to resent Yamamoto for something, the latter just ignoring it. It only got worst when the younger Yamamoto appeared and greeted him. Reborn told them about the reason afterwards.

To be fair, to Tsuna it was not totally surprising his senpai not being here. She was most probably with Hibari or Dino, maybe even the VARIA. She couldn't be dead because it was senpai, she'd find a way to get out of a dangerous situation.

Yamamoto's face falling as Reborn told them everything was burned in his memory. He died three months before his arrival. Luciana had been leading the CEDEF for a year, meaning she was basically in charge of leading the Vongolas as his future self was dead. A month before he arrived, the CEDEF fell. Arroganza got hurt, Reborn died and Luciana ordered the older Yamamoto to go back to Namimori with Arro and Reborn's pacifier.

Arroganza resented Yamamoto for leaving Luciana behind. From what Reborn told them, he had already lost his entire Family, and then his fiancee, and losing Luciana as well was the last straw.

Oh, and Luciana was at the Millefiore HQ, trapped by this Byakuran and had traded her place with her past self. The senpai they knew.

Inside the enemy HQ. Enemy who wiped out the Vongolas.

Needless to say that even if Reborn told them not to think about it, that it was being taken care of, he couldn't help to worry. To Yamamoto, it was even worst. He was feeling guilty because of his future self's actions, who just followed orders.

Arroganza punched him in the face when he apologized.

It was an awful, awful time.

As he was running toward the fight near Namimori Shrine behind Lal, his heart was pounding like crazy in his chest. What if Yamamoto and Gokudera didn't make it? What if they...what if they never went home? What would he say to Tsuyoshi and Bianchi?

He wanted to wake up from this nightmarish reality. He wanted to disappear from this situation.

"Tsunayoshi," a voice greeted him coolly once he was on the scene. He tore his eyes off an adult Hibari Kyoya finishing his fight and found himself sinking into ruby red eyes.

"Senpai?" he mumbled weakly. She tilted her head on her shoulder at his tone.

"I got out of the trash's home." A nervous smile appeared on his face.

Luciana stepped back in surprise when she had a trembling Tsunayoshi, his arm wounded, in her arms. She hesitantly embraced him back.

"I can't do this," he whispered to her, keeping his eyes shut. "I don't know how..."

"Don't worry Tsunayoshi, you're not on your own." He felt her raising her head. "Lal?"

"Luciana. Is that…?"

"Kyoya, yes."

"Are you done?" a cold voice asked them before the two teenagers were separated by Hibari. "Sawada Tsunayoshi, how've you been?" Somehow, the cold smirk thrown his way had something comforting to it. "Yamamoto Takeshi and Gokudera Hayato are over there."

"Right!" he yelled, running in the woods.

They were both hurt. They moved them in the base before he went to find Reborn.

He didn't enter the room though.

"Did he do anything to you?" He heard his tutor asking.

"No...nothing like that." His senpai sounded…so tired. "They...they saved me."

"It was obvious Dino and Alaric would do something. Xanxus helping was almost a certainty as well."

"...I want to go home Reborn."

"I know." In the small opening of the door, he caught a glimpse of Luciana, on her knees on the floor, hugging Reborn against her.

Tsuna settled for visiting Yamamoto instead. Even if she was more experienced in the Mafia than them and took care of a lot of things they were not aware of in Namimori, she was sixteen. She wasn't that much older than any of them.

They were a bunch of kids thrown into a war they had nothing to do with.

Tsuna stopped in the hallway and leaned against the wall, his forehead against it, and allowed a strangled sob to escape his lips. His friends had been beaten so easily, had been hurt. Luciana wanted to go home. The girls and kids were in danger because of him.

He wanted to see his mom so badly it hurt when he thought of her face and warm smile.

He could only hope they would all make it. He could only hope he could protect the girls and the kids who could not fight back.

He could only hope to get back to Namimori happy days once again.

I put Reborn down and blew my nose in a paper tissue. Damn, this would be the last time. Tsunayoshi clearly didn't know how it to deal with everything, I couldn't let myself lose it as well. Now, from what Reborn told me, Kyoko ran away and they all went to get her back. Takeshi and Hayato ended up fighting Gamma.

"I'll see Tsuna now, don't put too much pressure on your shoulder," Reborn told me before leaving. "Arro, you can come in now." I got up and spun around, seeing my best friend for the first time.

I was speechless.

Of course, physically speaking I recognized him instantly. He was almost twenty-seven in this era. The suit he was wearing, with a white dressed shirt and black tie reflected the fact he was, indeed, an adult. He was taller than me, probably a little bit taller than Kyoya but not by much. His hair was longer, tied up behind his head. It wasn't longer than when Hayato had a ponytail, Arro's hair was just...as wavy as it was in my time. He had long wavy bangs but they didn't hide his blue eyes.

That was what struck me the most. His eyes. They were...empty, dull, like the smile he was offering me right now.

Right, Kyoya told me about him. He lost everyone, his fiancee, and was down almost immediately in CEDEF, where my future self ordered Takeshi to leave her behind and bring Arro and Reborn's pacifier to safety. He was wounded and apparently, Storm Flames were slowly eating up his whole body. His Rain Flames were fighting them off but…

Arro was no longer fit to fight and refused to be amputated. His right arm was the root of this problem and…

"Wow, I didn't realize how young you looked ten years ago. You still have baby fat on..." I punched him in the stomach, hard enough to make him bend over.

"Kyoya told me about you." He tensed. "Don't take me for an idiot. Sixteen or twenty-six doesn't change that I see through you dumb ass." He stayed still for a second and chuckled bitterly.

"Of course Kyoya would," he almost spat, straightening up. "He had to tell you I became pathetic and can't do anything right and who can't even fight anym..." I slapped him.

"The Luciana of this era is still alive. You may have lost a lot but not everything. The Arro I know is most probably trying to find me in my time, find a solution. You're one of the few who know this era, but also Dying Will Flames and Box Weapons the best, right? Then don't whine about being useless because you can't fight anymore and help us get back to our time, got it?" I started to walk past him. "And get that arm cut off. Your cousin knows a guy, I'm sure of it."

I sighed deeply once outside and raised concerned eyes to Kyoya, who was quietly leaning against the wall. He grabbed my wrist to pull me aside and I sat against the wall.

"He's..." I started quietly.

"It's not your problem." I glared at him.

"How can you say that!?"

"I mean it. If anything, it's this era's Luciana's problem, not yours. I told you the most important things for you to understand the state he's in, but you don't know anything about his life for the past ten years. He works for me now anyway."

"In the Foundation?" He nodded. "So...you don't hate crowds as much?" He smirked slightly and crouched in front of me.

"I handle them when the situation requires me to." Then, he hit my forehead with his, leaving just a very small space between us. I didn't even blush at this gesture.

I was used to...being physically close to Kyoya by now, even if he was an adult...it was still him. My mind was too focused on my best friend anyway.

"I'll teach you how to properly use your Cloud Flames starting tomorrow." On this note, he got up and started leaving.

"Where are you going?"

"I have information to share." Once he was out of my sight, I got up as well and wandered in the base.

I had no idea whatsoever where I was going. Sure, I knew how to go back to Kyoya's base but I didn't feel like doing it for now. My mind...was not totally there yet. Almost, but not yet. There was still a little bit of adrenaline in my veins from the Millefiore escape and watching Kyoya fighting, in the back with Tetsuya.

This Kyoya could beat me.

I didn't like that. He already grew taller than me, he should stay below my fighting skills.

I stopped in front of a door, my arms crossed. Were they alright back in Italy? What would be the next actions?

"Hahi! Lambo-chan, don't do that!" I entered the room and found myself in the presence of Lambo, I-Pin, Kyoko and Haru.

My stomach grumbled loudly when I realized we were in a kitchen, and Lambo laughed at that, pointing a sticky finger at me.

"Lambo-chan, don't be rude!" Haru shrieked again, taking the kid in her arms. Then, she smiled brightly at me. "Are you hungry Ana-senpai?" I nodded dully. "I'll make you something! Onigiri?"

"Sounds great."

She put Lambo down and started cooking. The kids started playing together and I turned to look at Kyoko, who was still staring at me. I raised a brow at her and she pursed her lips guiltily. I sighed and walked up to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"You feel bad enough as it is, you must have been scolded already. Remember your lesson. I won't lecture you." Then, as if she was waiting for a line like this one, her face broke down and trembling arms embraced me strongly. My eyes softened and I hugged her back, running my hand in a soothing motion in her back.

She wasn't crying at least. Funny thing was, I never saw myself as the comforting type. Kyoko was a nice and cute girl though, so I found that easy. Plus, she kind of had already been involved in some of our shit in the past, so it was not surprising at some point she would break under the pressure.

I looked at Haru, now noticing they were all looking at us.

"Haru, would you mind making some tea as well please?" She started.

"Of course not!"

"Heh, why is Kyoko sad?"

"Kyoko-san scared!" I looked down at the kids at our feet.

"It's normal to be sad or scared at times kids." They looked at me with big eyes. "It's okay to feel any kind of emotions as long as you let them out and don't keep everything inside." I walked Kyoko to a chair and sat her down, sitting down next to her, keeping my arm around her shoulders.

"It's just...so disorienting and...violent..." Kyoko mumbled weakly, her shaking slowly coming to an end. "And Tsuna-kun...he's...they're all hiding something from us." Haru put the snacks and beverages in front of us.

"They don't want to worry us," Haru added. I frowned at the sadness in her smile. "We understand this but...we're involved too."

I let go of Kyoko and took a sip from my tea. If the girls were still close to Tsunayoshi in this era, there was no way they didn't know about the Mafia, especially with Ryohei being a Guardian. Also, I would have forced Tsunayoshi to tell them at some point, because one, they'd become a liability, and two, not telling them because they were scared was plain stupid.

They were already in danger, might as well tell them why. If they thought it would make the girls hate them, then they had some serious self-confidence issues. In any case, not telling them meant keeping them from defending themselves and kept them as the damsels in distress.

Bitch, I grew up in that testosterone-filled world my whole life and it was suffocating. Being looked upon because I didn't have a dick and seen as an object a guy had to acquire because of Dino and not as someone with a brain was terrible. Lal and Oregano were there, but still, it sucked. Being a girl meant automatically becoming the obvious target, the weak spot.

I wouldn't have let them remain that way.

"I'll talk to them," I told the girls. I finished eating and drinking quickly.

"Hahi, you know?" I deadpanned at her.

"Well, yeah. Kyoya and Tetsuya are the ones who brought me here, they told me the situation." Kyoko smiled faintly.

"Of course you know already." Not as if the place I landed gave me any choice. "Sometimes I wish Tsuna-kun could trust us like Hibari-san trusts you." Haru widened her eyes.

"Hahi! Does it mean you and Hibari-san are a couple?" I opened my mouth to deny it but she squealed. "You are perfect for each other!"

"Okay see you later," I told them, turning around to leave.

"Only she can melt the ice around Hibari-san's heart!" I sweat dropped at that.

Seriously?

"There's nothing between us!" On this note, I left to go to his side of the base. They said I had a room prepared for me with the stuff I got from the Millefiore HQ.

Kyoya's side of the base was a lot more welcoming too, it was completely Japanese style and he even made a Japanese garden. It was very peaceful.

"Kyoya?" I called him as I opened the door of the living-room. He was there, his tie hanging loosely around his neck. "Wow, you're done already?"

"Too many people," he replied casually and I rolled my eyes. He didn't need to say more.

I widened my eyes when he started to unbutton his shirt.

"Kyoya, what are you doing!?" He raised indifferent eyes to me.

"Getting out of these clothes for more comfortable ones," he answered, unbothered as the last button was undone. His shirt slipped from his shoulders and I looked.

He was right in front of me, it was hard not to! But...he was...he had abs and he was lean and obviously toned and...

I blushed and turned around. Kyoya was good looking in my time, ten years later he was just too hot.

"Pervert," a deep voice said in my ear and I stumbled forward with a yelp. A hand on my beating heart, I turned around.

"Don't do that!" He averted his eyes to the side, ignoring my comment. "And don't strip like that!"

"Like that?" he asked with a smirk, his hands at his belt buckle. I hid my eyes.

"I swear to God, you got ten times worst than you are in my time!" He scoffed and disappeared in a hallway. I stayed here, alone, silent, for a few minutes and he came back wearing a kimono. "Wow, very traditional."

"There's one waiting on your bed," he told me as my eyes were glued to the naked skin of his chest. He was too casual with…

"I've never worn a kimono." He raised a brow. "I don't know how to tie it."

"I'll tie it for you if it's wh..." I blushed hard.

"Hell no!" I took big steps away from him. "I can dress myself!"

I found the room, my room, on the third try. My bag and Xanxus's jacket were on a chair in the corner of the room, and there was indeed a kimono waiting for me. Or yukata, maybe it was a yukata. It was a deep purple with like sparks of orange and red in the leg area.

I touched it and frowned at the feeling of the fabric between my fingers.

Was it silk? It looked expensive but…

I went back to the door to go to Kyoya, but he was behind it as if it was totally normal.

"Seriously?" I asked him, a hand on my pounding heart. "Anyway, it's silk, isn't it? I can't wear that, it's too much." He frowned.

"And why not?"

"Because it's...silk."

"So?"

"I wear expensive clothes when the situation..."

"It's a gift, wear it and don't be a hassle like your future self."

"A gift? From who?" He glared slightly. "Wait, you gave it to me? Why?"

"For your promotion at the CEDEF."

"Prom..." I froze, my eyes wide. "Oh right...wait, did that make me my brothers' boss?" I asked, pursing my lips.

"It made you everyone's boss." You bet. "They helped you when you asked them. A lot fell on her shoulders at once." You bet.

I never got Tsunayoshi's ring though, and it was a good thing. Not that the rings being destroyed was a good thing but...whatever.

"She has never worn it. Not enough time." Was he...disappointed? I sighed and closed the door to his face. "Carnivore..."

"I'm changing, don't come in," I replied, taking my top off. I kept my underwear on and put on the silky yukata. It fit me perfectly, or at least my future self. There was a little too much space at the hips.

I tied it and opened the door. Kyoya looked at me up and down with an appreciative glint in his steel-colored eyes. His hands grabbed the knot around my waist and arranged it quickly. Then, I followed him quietly and knelt down in front of him.

"If you have questions, you can ask them now."

"I knew Byakuran." He tensed. "I saw him and I just knew his name and...the Luciana of your time, did she discover what those dreams were?" He stared at me with unreadable eyes. "I mean...he talked about me reconnecting with a ring and being longtime friends, that I didn't remember it but..."

"It's the ring." I blinked up at him. "You are familiar with the Tri-Ni-Sette?" I nodded.

"The Arcobalenos, the Vongola rings and the Mare rings."

"You are a potential wielder of the Sky Mare ring." I froze.

"What?"

"She never told me the details but..." He sighed deeply. "The Mare ring gives you these dreams, these memories of parallel worlds. It seems like Byakuran and you met in one of them, but you were the one changing element in each world."

"The Estraneos," I blurted out. "My vanishing Sky Flame."

"Yes. Because of that, the ring kept going to Byakuran. However, it seems like in the most recent worlds, the ring started to reach out more to you. However, because of your Cloud Flames and the ring using Sky ones, it drained too much of your strengths."

"And I got ill each time." I took a deep breath. "Reborn knows already, doesn't he?"

"He does. There is nothing you can do about it. When you were told about this, you had too little Sky Flames to use it." I looked down. "Don't focus on this Ann', focus on going back to your own time."

"Sure...wait, did you call me 'Ann''?" He raised a brow. "It's Xanxus' nickname."

"It was." He smirked smugly and I facepalmed.

"It pisses him off you calling me that, doesn't it?"

"A lot."

"Why the nickname though?" He shrugged.

"You call me 'Kyo', it's fair." I blushed faintly. "Concerning your Cloud Flames, I will train you so that you can use them correctly, just like I will teach you how to work with Cloud the same way the Luciana I know does." 'Cloud'? Damn, I was bad at naming. "Once your training in the day is over and you are back here, you will wear this yukata or others in your closet. Everything you need is at your disposal or you can ask Tetsu or I if you want something." I grabbed my necklace, which didn't escape his eyes. "What?"

"It's just...it's just me, you don't have to treat me like I'm an important guest or anything." He frowned.

"Nonsense, it is not what I am doing stupid." I chuckled a little. It was more like the Kyoya I knew. "Right, your uncle and Zac are safe." I raised my eyebrows. They...didn't really come in mind.

"And my mother?" I raised my hand immediately when his eyes became darker. "No, don't say anything, I don't want to know. Feng?"

"Safe." A little birdie flew inside and landed in Kyoya's hair. "Hibird." I smiled softly at the sight, which didn't escape him. "What?"

"Just...I made a good choice by entrusting you with the Cloud ring, didn't I?"

Kyoya was clearly powerful and influential now, and not just in Namimori. He even got his own base and organization, yet he still knew when to help the others. A real, true Cloud.

My breath was stuck in my throat when his forehead was against mine, his nose grazing mine.

"She was captured, I'll make sure you won't," he whispered quietly, his warm breath hitting my lips.

"Yes, because I'm 'yours', right?" I replied, remembering how he had been possessive in the back alley before I gave him the ring. I probably left the Committee once I...she went back to Italy though, right?

He smirked, amused.

"Exactly. However, you shouldn't say that to a man so casually Luciana." I moved my head back with a frown.

"But you're not a man, you're you." He blinked in confusion, clearly not knowing how to take that. He went back to his spot and crossed his arms.

"Hn."

"Kyoya?"

"Any glasses or contact lenses you need are in your room." I got up.

"Yeah, I haven't been able to properly since I got here."

I had a feeling I broke the mood.

Meh, it was Kyoya.

Now, it was time to get ready to train.

Fratellanza

Thanks for reading this chapter! Thanks to AutumnBee124, RoLouA, Maistyria and Goatlike for their reviews! Thanks for liking the relationships between the characters, developing them is one of my favorite things!

Bye!