Disclaimer: I don't own KHR or stuff.

Word Count: 8304

Part 33: Day Three of Seven

Takeshi and the others ended up camping out in the living room and were woken up to the sound of someone falling down the stairs, a groan of despair filling the air as the person registered their face planting against the floor.

A tinkling bell and Hayato felt a weight settle on his upper chest, a pair of paws settling along his throat. Jade eyes blinked open, hoping to just brush off the crash and get some more rest, but with the cat (and probably the cause of the crash) sitting itself on his chest, he couldn't exactly do that.

"Get off you ball of fur," he grouched, lightly tapping the cat's behind in hopes of getting it to move like he had seen Natsume do when she wanted to get the cat out of the way (he wasn't about to shove it aside, Natsume got mad the last time he had done that.) The cat saw the incoming hand as a play thing and raised its orange paw up to bat at Hayato's hand, which the silver haired teen cursed at because its claws had lightly dug into his skin.

"Emi," Natsume groaned, finally having picked herself up, feeling her face burning up because wow wasn't that embarrassing. "You dick."

"You okay?" Ryohei called to the fair haired brunette, who had been the only one up, but had chosen to just stay laying down on the couch. He had seen when the girl toppled down the last couple stairs when the nearly all black cat had gotten between her legs and tripped her up.

"Awesome," the girl responded a bit weakly as she moved towards the glass sliding door. Emi hearing the door open up, bounded off of Hayato's chest and made her way outside, making a nuisance of herself as she sat beside her bowl and waited for her food. Mutterings of 'you spoilt little shit' could be heard as the three of them started stretching up, Hayato accidentally kicking Tsuna because somehow the brunet had fallen off the couch he had been on and ended up near his feet.

"Ow, Hayato I trusted you…."

"It's good to see you all waking up on your own," Reborn piped up, already having a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.

"We woke up to Natsume face planting actually," Takeshi corrected, feeling the girl's stare as she came back in and heard him.

"Fight me."

The baseball player laughed in response, giving the girl a sly smile, "I'd like to see you try." Takeshi couldn't pick up on what Natsume thought on that, but the bland smile she ended up giving up gave him the chills.

"Whenever you're ready, Takeshi~"

Hayato couldn't help but stare after the girl as she bounded upstairs, before looking at the rather stunned Takeshi (why was the idiot blushing, all she did was agree.) Ryohei was the only one who thumped Takeshi on the back, telling him good one, "Didn't she trash you the last time you guys sparred?"

"That was months ago," Takeshi responded after clearing his throat. "I'm way better now."

Reborn watched over all this, sipping at his drink and wondered if any of this kids realized just how much a mist could actually fuck them up (did they not remember Mukuro?) Judging by the standards the girl cast the bit of illusions he had last seen, whoever was instructing was doing a damned good job at pulling the best out of Natsume.

(Kawahira sneezed, actually burning himself on his tea and mildly cursed at whoever brought this on him.)

Reborn looked down at his pajama shirt when he felt warmth on his belly and was annoyed over the small coffee stain he now sported. He had just washed this too.

/ | \

"Ryohei you're actually going to school today?" Natsume asked after the others had split off, the white haired boxer staying beside her.

"Yep! Kyoko's bringing me my uniform since I don't have mine."

"Hm, I feel like she'll end up sending you home," she said, the other teen's response was to shrug one shoulder, as if saying if it happens, it happens. It was silent for quite a while after that, when they reached the gates, Kyoko was outside waiting for Ryohei, Hana standing beside her looking her usual annoyed self.

"You know Natsume with the way things are going on," Ryohei spoke up stopping before Kyoko noticed him. Natsume paused a few steps in front of him, half turning to look at him and giving him a questioning look. "As a big brother to another big sister, can I ask you a favor?"

"….depends…" Natsume answered, already having an idea of what the favor was.

"If anything ever happens, can you take care of Kyoko?"

Natsume didn't answer right away, casting a look at the auburn haired girl that was waiting at the gates for them, "She's my friend, Ryohei."

The white haired teen stared down the girl before him, not really knowing how to take her answer. So what if Kyoko was her friend, some people were only friends because they saw each other every day at school, was Kyoko as dear of a friend to her as his sister considered Natsume to be?

"Mama has some moves from the old days, y'know, wouldn't mind showing someone else how to protect themselves."

"So…."

Natsume sighed, "Yes, Ryohei, she's my friend, why the hell wouldn't I – gack!" she was cut off as Ryohei threw an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in and was he giving her a noogie?

"You're awesome!"

Kyoko heard her brother's voice, eyes falling on her brother pulling in Natsume and oh she should really go get Natsume out of that.

"You would think he'd contain himself until he's with his friends," she heard Hana utter beside her and Kyoko couldn't help but agree.

Then again, it was Ryohei and Natsume had probably said or done something that he really approved of for him to be acting like that with her. When Kyoko approached them, it was to Ryohei sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, while he shook his other hand in front of him, "That hurt, Natsume."

"Yeah, well if you're going to be treating me like that, suffer."

"Ehh, I'm just treating you like one of the guys!"

Hana smothered a laugh at Natsume's offended expression and she pulled the girl to her side, keeping an arm over the teen's shoulder to keep her from jumping Ryohei as she had seen her do when Takeshi made a comment regarding her height or when he and Tsuna teamed up on teasing her.

"Calm down there hot shot."

"Fight me Hana."

"Onii-san," Kyoko chastised, forcing Ryohei's bag into his hands and getting a clueless look in return. "Don't say things like that."

"What, why?"

"I'm going to fight you too."

Hana gave a brief squeeze, getting an odd little whine from Natsume, "Are you doing that again?"

"What…"

"Saying you'll fight people."

Kyoko sighed; fighting the urge to rub her head at the troublesome people she was surrounded by, "No fighting people. Onii-san, you have ten minutes to go change before the first bell rings." Ryohei flashed his sister a thumbs up, ruffling her hair as a thank you as he bounded off towards the locker rooms. Kyoko watched her brother go, hands on her hips as she slightly shook her head and when she finally turned her attention to Natsume, the girl couldn't help but freeze at the stern look on Kyoko's face.

"You are in a better mood than usual, Natsume," The auburn haired girl chirped, "Maybe instead of ignoring us at lunch, you can actually sit and talk with us?"

Oh.

Kyoko's stern, yet serene expression betrayed nothing; Hana's very knowing smirk told Natsume she wasn't getting out of it.

Ugh.

"Haven't I been doing that?"

Kyoko hummed, beginning to walk towards the school, Hana following after and pretty much dragging Natsume beside her, "There's a difference between just sitting there and actually being there and chatting with us."

"Your attention is either on volleyball or going to wherever it is you disappear off to after practice."

"The big game is coming up –"

"Please don't be another Takeshi," Hana finally pulled her arm away from her, though not before lightly tugging on Natsume's braid. "He's obsessed enough with his sport….just….don't."

"There's nothing much that really makes me an interesting person then," Natsume responded, her face scrunched up in thought. Ever since Sport's day at the beginning of the year, most people only really knew her as a decent volleyball player, and some people still remembered how over protective she was of Tsuna.

That was pretty much it for her.

(She tried not to think much on it, but it was usually the others who added to the conversation, on her behalf she felt like she just disrupted it to make either lame jokes or have her own little input. At least that's how she felt…that probably wasn't the case…hadn't Jasmine felt the same way? Or…ugh…)

They were inside as Natsume took off her shoes and mulled over her thoughts as she opened up her shoe locker and pulled out her school slippers and put in her current shoes, not really noticing the look that was shared between Kyoko and Hana.

"Hey Natsume, how about a sleep over tonight?" Kyoko finally asked after switching out her own shoes. There was a brightness to the other girl's eye when Kyoko said that, "We can get cakes~"

"A girl's night, I'll invite Haru as well, oh come on don't be like that," Kyoko chastised, just barely hearing the other girl mutter 'but she hit me once. "We can bake and do each other's make up –"

"And lose ourselves over boys," Hana deadpanned, shaking her head as Kyoko got a little carried away, the girl just nodding eagerly at her words.

It was in moments like these that Hana never doubted that Kyoko and Ryohei were related, the two could get quite passionate about their interests – dressing up and preparing for a girls night, was definitely something Kyoko liked to go overboard with.

/ | \

"Sawada, why didn't you say you had a phone?"

Natsume snapped the flip phone shut, hiding it behind her back, even though her teammates had already seen the little pink device, "A what?"

"If we knew you had that, contacting you would be so much easier instead of hunting you down!" one of the other second years, who was in classroom 2C piped up.

"You rarely do that unless there's a sudden change in schedule," Natsume commented, hands on her hips, for the moment not at all caring that she was just in her practice shirt and underwear.

"Put some shorts on and then argue," a third year commented, who was already dressed and ready to go.

"Fight me Watanabe," the second year (who was in the midst of changing into her shorts) called to the red head. "We could have been hanging out as well and you could tell us things what Gokudera-kun likes~"

"Yeah, Kimmie's right~"

"Sawada's so lucky to get to hang out with such cute guys –"

Natsume brought up her free hand, her hand covering over her nose and lower half of her face, "Why me?" She sighed out, putting her phone away in her bag and pulling out her shorts and her kneepads. "Wait, wait," Natsume called out, thinking over what one of the girl's had just said, "Does that mean you think my brother's cute?"

There was a silence, the two third years still there shook their heads, nose slightly scrunched while the others seemed to really be thinking about it, "Sawada-kun is adorable…" Kimmie amended finally, "You guys are twins right, you weren't just held back or something."

"Totally sure we are twins." Fraternal twins, but twins nonetheless.

"He has grown up a lot, he's gotten a lot better too, he doesn't mess up in class as much as I remember he used too," another girl considered, one that Natsume recalled going to elementary school with. "I don't understand why people always picked on you two; honestly, minus the bitch face you're pretty cool Sawada."

"…..bitch face?" Natsume asked, her hands coming up to cup her cheeks, frowning in confusion, while the other three around her began snickering.

"Oh yaa," Hayashi dragged out, a girl with short cropped hair and was one of the reserves for the game. "Big time, you always look so mean."

"I'm not mean though."

Kimmie sputtered out a cough, "Sure, sure, of course not Sawada –"

"We all do it sometimes, but I think yours might be chronic," Hayashi continued on, ignoring the other second year who continued dying (well not literally, but she might have ended up choking on her spit by the way she had inhaled her earlier.) "Come to think of it, you've always looked rather put out when we were younger, I think it just evolved."

"Like a Pokémon?" She couldn't help but ask, trying not to laugh at her own lameness, though she did get a laugh from someone.

"Oi! Come on girls! Daylights wasting!"

"But Mirai-senpai we're inside the gym, the lights are always on!"

"….All of you come on, let's go!"

Natsume actually laughed this time, clicking the lock on her locker shut and spinning the wheel before she followed behind the others.

Intermission 14

You know it'd been awhile since I thought of Jasmine, she really doesn't bother me as much as she used too. Of course sometimes I'll try to reflect on her, compare the differences between us and how we acted and felt. I'm going to assume, but maybe things have settled between us (random memories of hers didn't pop out at me anymore) – I don't get the anxious feeling of knowing somethings going to happen, or a sense of déjà vu when something is brought up.

That doesn't mean I'm not worried or anxious about what's currently happening (because that's the big situation, the Ring Thing and it's not even something I'm directly involved in, I'm just an outsider now, just watching and hoping things turn out for the best – which I have already kind of indirectly messed up, now that I think about it….)

Agh, maybe I have been in my head too much lately, but then again I've also been trying to distract myself by over focusing myself in one thing and volleyball is oddly therapeutic, even if the skin burns I earned when I ended up sliding against the gym floor hurt like a bitch.

Speaking of therapeutic – thanks Jasmine for that big word, haha, not – did Mafia psychologists exist? I mean, I think Reborn, or was it Hayato that had said that the usually absent school doctor was a Mafia Doctor.

….oh great…an idea is hitting me…

…and I just might be in school for a little while longer than I thought.

Hana and Kyoko will be glad that I might want a higher education.

I just hope that this time around I do get through school, if not I'm going to be pissed in the next life.

Part 34: A Clue? Yes…A Clue

"So you have an idea."

"That's usually what thoughts are, ideas that come and go," Hayato responded, having taken a break from trying to blow up the small remote control airplane that Shamal had gotten for their last 'lesson' today.

"Save the sass brat, it's not cute coming from you," Shamal said, lightly thumping the back of the silver haired teens head. "Seriously after all these years and still no respect."

"Che, after all these years and you still don't have a wife."

Shamal gave a halfhearted sigh, his right hand coming up over his heart, "And break the hearts of all those poor women who haven't had a chance with me? I could never do such a thing~"

"I doubt women want an old goat like you."

This time Shamal was a little heavier handed to the smack upside Hayato's head, "You should learn some respect."

Hayato scoffed, ignoring the stinging feel at the back of his head, "So….this Prince the Ripper….what's he like."

"You ask now what your opponent is like, a little late for that, no?"

Shamal wasn't intimidated at all by the glare Hayato gave him, he had been doing this for too long to let a little brat like the kid before him ever get the best of him, "A genius, more so than you'll probably ever be," Shamal gave Hayato his own hard look, making the kid quiet down before he got loud. "Sixteen years old and considered good enough to not only be part of the Varia, but to be one of Xanxus' Guardians, the kids a total loose screw though."

Perhaps the worst loose screw to meet and if Hayato had any mind to him, he would try to find the quickest way possible and move first before Belphegor decided to play with him. Both Storms were mid distance fighters, Hayato more so depending on his dynamite, while Belphegor still had the chance to get up close and personal with those blades of his.

A good plan to consider would be to have an ongoing smokescreen or get Belphegor before the blond set his own rhythm to the fight.

Rumor had it that the 'Prince' liked to play and though he acted as if teaching Hayato was one of the most troublesome things to do, he rather liked the punk and wanted the kid to actually finish growing up. Hayato had changed a lot since Shamal had bothered giving him a few pointers and the Doctor really wanted to see how far he would go.

It was just getting through tonight alive that would be the issue.

/ | \

Hana elbowed Natsume, who returned the gesture, feeling her cheeks warm up. Kyoko didn't realize it as she thanked the older teen behind the counter as he handed over their order of desserts.

"He's hard working, mature, and good looking, just your type Hana," Natsume whispered to the taller girl. "Imagine all the cakes–"

"Shut up Natsume," Hana grit out feeling her ears and cheeks burning red even after they stepped out of the bakery and headed towards the café to meet up with Haru who had gone to get their drinks.

"Hana, don't be like that!"

"Yeah," Natsume picked up, moving to walk on the other side of Kyoko, keeping the shorter girl between her and Hana. "Don't be like that."

"You –"

"You started it and I finished it, deal with it," For a split second Natsume wished she had a pair of sunglasses so she could just slip them over her eyes and strike a pose and then the moment was gone when Haru called out to them as she exited the café, a to-go tray of drinks in her hands.

"Thank you for coming, Haru-chan, last minute as it was."

The girl smiled, waving off Kyoko's thanks. Unlike them she was dressed down in regular clothes, "I don't have Saturday classes anymore and anyways why would I miss out on hanging out with all of you?"

"The last time was the beach trip?" Natsume asked, fixing the straps of her bags so they didn't slip off of her shoulders.

"Last time I saw you, I've seen Kyoko and Hana a couple of times after that."

"I feel unloved."

"You always run off to your practice or wherever it is you disappear too –"

"You're bringing that up again Hana, do you have an issue?"

"If you had a phone, contacting you would be a lot easier," Hana continued on as if Natsume hadn't interrupted her, actually speaking over the girl who gave her a playful smile. Hana could feel her brow twitch, a tick beginning to appear and was about to rattle off what she did have an issue with, when Natsume spoke up again.

"Is Hana jealous because I'm not giving her attention?"

The tick at her right brow got worse, no, that was not the issue. The issue was that everyone was acting weird and secretive and if Kyoko and her hadn't gone out that other night, they'd still have no idea what the others were up too. It may not have been obvious to the others, but Hana noted the difference in everyone, especially Natsume and it had all changed over a month ago.

It wasn't like it had been a physical or obvious difference, something about her best friend just felt off, and Hana had a feeling that the others wouldn't notice.

Hell, Kyoko had just barely noticed today when Natsume had idly made that comment about herself.

"I'll do better, Hana," said girl dug about her school bag and pulled out a pink flip phone, "I actually kind of have a phone now."

"….Since when?"

"A…couple of days I think…"

Haru pouted, "Mou, that doesn't sound like Natsume-chan."

"Eh?"

"To forget something like that, usually you're very on it," Haru elaborated, it wasn't like Natsume to let something like getting a phone and not telling anyone anything about.

"Is it a big deal, I don't really use it much," she waved the phone, the charm she had attached to it jingling as she did so. Really the only reason she had it was because of Longchamp and the bastard was happily sending her pictures of his good time at Disneyland.

"So whose house are we going too, mine or –"a chorus of 'yours' was Kyoko's answer and the girl shook her head at her friends. "Natsume do you want to stop by your house to get anything?"

"Ahh, I'll just call my mama to bring me clothes," Natsume responded, knowing that Hana lived two doors down from Kyoko and Haru already had her things. "I think she might actually like the excuse of getting out of the house."

"Why the excuse, she can just leave no?" Haru asked, a little curious over what Natsume had said.

"My papa's home," Natsume answered, putting the phone back in her bag, while her other hand tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "It's not a bad thing," the fair haired brunette affirmed, seeing Haru's expression become a touch bit sympathetic. "She's happy he's home, but….he can be a bit too much."

A little white lie, to not explain the whole situation entirely and at her friends understanding nods, she felt a touch bad.

She'll talk to Tsuna and see what he felt about letting them know about what was really happening. Though knowing the way her brother was going (not wanting her to be any more involved than she has to be) he'd be completely against letting Kyoko, Haru and Hana know the full truth.

/ | \

"So how do you think he'll do?" Reborn asked Shamal once they had been escorted to the room they were to watch the Storm Battle in. Shamal breathed in deeply, before letting it all out in a deep sigh, shrugging as he did so.

"It really depends on him," Shamal finally answered, knowing that the other kids were listening in on his and Reborn's conversation. "As long as he sees a chance and takes it, I think he'll be fine."

"Hayato isn't one to hesitate…" Tsuna said his attention mostly on the screen that showed said silver haired teen walking up to his spot, a lit cigarette already between his lips.

"Tell me about it," Shamal muttered, a hand coming up to rub the back of his neck, already knowing Hayato fairly well, though the doctor did notice that the teen was much more aggressive than before. "We can only hope now that everything goes well."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Thank God you have a doctor like me on your side then."

/ | \

The others had fallen asleep and Natsume found it disturbingly easy to make her way out of Kyoko's room. She made her way downstairs to the kitchen, sitting herself at the counter and opening up the box of the left over desserts they had.

It probably wasn't a good idea to eat sweets so late at night, but if it were to happen, she'd put up with the nightmares that would come.

Her mother had stopped by earlier, a lot chipper than she had been all week, though it wasn't hard to miss the stress her mother was under (nor the fact that her mother had brought over a few homemade sweets, so that showed that she was starting to channel her need for comfort food instead of being out in the yard most of the day or dealing with the children).

Had they made the right decision in telling her?

From what she remembered of that other story, that Nana worried and fretted just as much as her own, but she didn't have an idea of what was exactly going on. Did hiding the truth make it much less devastating to know that her child was involved and slowly becoming conditioned to the idea that everything must be fought and blood must be paid to prove he was capable of a position he never wanted.

Did Tsunayoshi really want the position of Vongola Decimo, even now?

She hadn't heard him complain anything against it recently, though he seemed much more for turning it around and making it something better rather than the bloody mess it currently was.

Which, wow Tsuna, could you have chosen something not as difficult to do?

Really sometimes it seemed like her brother lived to complicate things, not that she cared, it was why she didn't mind being there for him or helping him out.

She bit into the macadamia nut cookie her mother had brought, savoring the taste of it while trying to ignore the way her hands shook, or how anxious she became the more seconds that went by. The fair haired brunette heaved a sigh, her left elbow resting on the counter as her hand held up her chin.

Her gaze drifted to the stove, the bright green numbers getting her attention as they stood out in the darkness, "Twelve o-six," she murmured, popping the rest of the cookie in her mouth. I wonder how Hayato's doing.

/ | \

Hayato grit his teeth as the wires on the blades cut into his shirt and dug into his skin, the bastard blond before him laughed, and Hayato was of the mind to react to just shut the fucker up, but he knew better.

(Snake like vines wrapped around him, Natsume standing before him and giving him a cocky smirk as they tightened and kept him from moving away.

"What will you do now Hayato, your hands are tied and your fire out."

She always liked to fight like this, to separate either him or Takeshi and pick on whoever she felt like messing with that day and if it just so happened to keep her out of Reborn's eye, while the small hitman focused more on Tsuna's fighting and leadership capability, then that was just a bonus….even if the small babe did have a clue of what was going on.

The hissing drew his attention, tiny tongues flicking against his cheek, and he noted how Natsume's fist clenched tighter in tandem with the vines.

'your inner fire is the best weapon you have' Hayato remembered Reborn commenting towards Tsuna when the boy was drawing out his flames and Hayato wondered if that could be applied to him.

Hell the baseball freak had managed it, so why not him?)

Hayato waited for the blond to creep closer, slightly wary of the other blades the so called Prince flipped between his fingers. Belphegor stepped closer, enjoying the defiant look in his prey's eyes even if they had been caught; his ears caught the whirring sound of the turbulent that had been installed and they had about a minute before the one beside them went off.

The silver haired teen swallowed as he began to focus on pushing everything he knew he was worth out, the grating laughter of the Prince adding fuel to the fire that he remembered once.

"Shishi~ Don't close your eyes, I want to see your pain in them!"

("Oh shit," he remembered her uttering, stepping back from him even though she had been moving closer to knock him out. "Focus, Hayato," she called to him, and for a second he opened his eyes and glared at her, completely ignoring the crooked smile she was giving him. "What gives you strength?" she asked, keeping her distance now, her hand held out as that bluish purple fire in her palm expanded, forming a long pole with a short bladed tip that she used to tip his head up. She raised a brow, head tilting, eyes more a dark golden hazel. He went rigid, breath catching, his mind going hazy, "How far will you go to show me what you got, to show Tsuna that you're worth it?"

There was a need to prove himself and he felt himself grow warm, everything a blazing red, before he flung a few of the dynamites that had been up his sleeve at the girl.)

And it was odd as that memory played; it felt forgotten but as it resurfaced Hayato knew what had ended up bringing out the brilliant red flames.

Belphegor was barely caught in the blaze that sprung forth, having to dodge to the side as the silver haired teen moved forward after him, the red licks fading away having already done their damage. Sticks of dynamite were between Hayato's fingers and he was throwing them, keeping Belphegor backpedaling as he threw himself full out against him.

His dynamite trick went off without a hitch, one following the other and pushing the one before it forward, the smoke that came from the explosions provided sufficient cover and Hayato moved to where Belphegor had been, a cry of pain (or something that he couldn't quite place, but it gave him the absolute chills).

He took down the Prince, ignoring the pricks as the Varia member moved fast to try to skewer him with the knives he kept hidden upon his person. Hayato didn't notice the ring that his friends had given him was shining along with his emotion and as he grabbed at one of Belphegor's flailing arms the Varia member felt as if his skin was burning when the metal band of the ring pressed against him.

Hayato felt something cut at his face and he barely managed to avoid the wild swing that Belphegor made with his left arm. Without much thought Hayato moved, grasping at the chain and ring around the Varia member's neck and pulling at it hard enough that it broke off making him stumble back.

There was an eerie silence that followed as Belphegor processed what had just happened and Hayato slowly moved back in case the blond decided to continue on fighting.

"Match over, winner is Gokudera Hayato."

/ | \

"What is going on here?"

Tsuna felt chills go up his spine, already knowing that the prefect would not be at all happy to know what his school was being used for and how it was being treated.

"Hibari, wait –"

The prefect was moving, completely ignoring Dino and heading towards the hallway that Hayato and Belphegor were currently in. The screens displayed that even though the match had already been called, the blond Varia member was more than willing to continue the fight outside of it.

Shamal was gone, having left right behind Hibari and only Reborn remained as one of the supervisor's, curiously staring at Tsuna's reaction, while also trying to process what he had just seen.

Takeshi had been the other one apart from the twins he had helped draw flames out, but Hayato (who had already been fighting and understood their lifestyle much better than the other three) hadn't been, so to see the teen draw out his flames, if only for a split second and continue on was a bit surprising.

It was something to consider for later, after this whole mess had been sorted through (if everyone made it out alive and in one piece), for now Reborn had to move quickly, before Hibari decided it upon himself to take down the Varia on his own.

Which knowing the prefect and his almost disturbing need for a good fight, would happen.

Part 35: There Are No Distractions

"Aren't you up a little late, hey?"

Natsume blinked, turning around to look down at the small blond and covering her mouth as she chewed on her food as if to hide the fact that she was snacking so late at night. "Uh…aren't you?"

Colonello shook his head, making his way up onto the other stool, pulling on the corner of the box and getting one of the cookies that her mother had baked, "Time doesn't affect me."

"That sounds cryptic," Natsume spoke out slowly, trying to make sense of that phrase. She had a feeling that he and Reborn where of the same, seeing as Reborn had been with them for a year and he hadn't grown or shown much physical change. She had met Colonello a few months ago on the cruise to Mafia Land and if she remembered right, she would also say that he hadn't changed much at all either.

Colonello could see the girl thinking and he chuckled, "Don't think about it too much, hey," many have done so, to figure out what made the arcobaleno the arcobaleno and it was safe to say that no one (not even the famed second coming of Da Vinci could do so.) "You'll stunt your growth if you pull nights like this."

The girl seemed to think over his words and shrugged instead of saying anything. She reached into the box, getting another cookie, even though she wanted the chocolate filled croissant, but she would have to heat that up and currently the microwave was too far to do that.

"I'm five something."

"You'll stay that way if you don't rest."

She stuck out her bottom lip, having a feeling that he was going to stay on her case if she stayed up any later, "Then please tell me, oh wise baby, how I can go to sleep?"

"A warm glass of milk always helps, hey!"

Her response was to make a face, tongue sticking out and acting as if he had suggested eating something gross, "Milk tastes and smells weird."

"Milk is good for you."

Natsume gave the small blond her full attention, shaking her head slowly as she bit into her cookie, "If my mama has no chance of making me drink milk, your shot is dead," she took another bite, "So dead, like no hope whatsoever."

Colonello only rolled his eyes, letting the issue slide as the girl finished off her cookie. She offered another treat to him and he nicely said no, so she closed the box and put it back where it had been before getting off the stool.

"I'll go to sleep now, since I don't want to get nagged by a baby."

She went out of the kitchen, heading back upstairs, Colonello staying in the stool as he took in his surroundings. If anyone were to listen closely to the small toddler, they would hear him muttering that he wasn't a nagger; he was just making a helpful suggestion to the kid (one that any adult would give to someone younger than them.)

/ | \

"My eyes look amazing," Natsume said, squinting her eyes before widening them, bringing the mirror in her hand closer to see the colors that Haru had put on her eye lid better. Between the four of them, Haru was the best at makeup and putting together an outfit (either at the store or actually making it herself).

The girl had brought most of her makeup tools with her and Natsume wondered just how much money Haru had put into her makeup collection because she had a lot.

"Close your eyes, I'm going to line them," the girl instructed, her hand resting lightly against Natsume's cheek and began to lightly drag the brush as closely as she could get to the waterline, before going over it to make the line thicker and dragging it out into a small tail.

She did the same with the other one and once that was done she stepped back, Natsume opened her eyes, staring back at Haru, puffing up her cheeks to make a face at the girl. "You're done~"

"Wow," Natsume uttered, bringing up the mirror again and looking at herself. "I'm almost a completely different person."

The girl giggled, hands lacing behind her back as she fidgeted, not as nervous as she thought she was going to be. She had blended the purple and black shadows on the outer corner of Natsume's eye, the bright glittery gold that had also been chosen having been put over the main part of the lid.

"Haru's turn!" Kyoko cried out, her own makeup much more subdued than Natsume's, though it still made her eyes pop. Natsume stood up, gesturing for Haru to take a seat.

"You're going to coach us through this," Hana said, pushing herself off of Kyoko's bed and making her way over to everything that had been laid out on Kyoko's small dresser. The dark haired girl poked through some of the brushes, "Because we have no idea."

"Kyoko has an idea and Hana at least you know how to line your eyes," the fair haired brunette brought up, lightly resting her arms against the back of Haru's chair. She tugged the band that held the girl's hair up off, the wavy brown curls settling just a bit past her shoulders. "I can probably do some braids, but that's about it."

"I learned through just playing around with it," Haru admitted, lifting her head up a little as Kyoko began to dab some foundation around her face.

"So what colors do you want?" Hana asked and got a soft hum in response.

"Surprise me."

Natsume and Hana made eye contact, the dark haired girl shrugged and just picking one of the small collections of eyeshadows, "Alright."

They got to it, letting Haru guide them when they asked her to, but most of it was left up to them. When they finished, Hana and Kyoko glanced over their work, going in and trying to fix it up a bit more. Haru's eyes seemed brighter, the pink and light purples hues that Hana had used showing nicely, and unlike the cat eye Haru had done on Natsume, the thin line that Hana had done made her eyes appear more rounded and gave an innocent-like vibe.

"Hahi! So cute," Haru commented, picking up the mirror that Natsume had left on the dresser and looking herself over. "I really like the braids too."

Natsume gave thumbs up, "The pain I put my fingers through in learning was worth it then."

They dithered about for a couple more minutes, deciding if they should wipe the makeup off or just keep it on and head downstairs for a snack. They ended up doing the latter and it was a nice, peaceful afternoon that passed, one that was greatly appreciated by Natsume (even though she really wasn't aware of it, she was a lot happier than she had been feeling lately)

/ | \

"You shouldn't be moving around so much," Tsuna said to Hayato, who stilled at being caught moving around and just slowly lowered himself back onto the bed. The brunet shook his head, moving forward into the hospital room and taking a seat in the chair that had been set up by Hayato's bed. "How are you feeling?"

Hayato rolled his neck, enjoying the cracks that accompanied the movement, "A lot better." After he had gotten the Storm half of the ring from Belphegor the Varia member had done as Hayato assumed and gone in to attack him.

The blond had gotten in a couple good hits before Hibari of all people came down on him, Shamal right behind him tugging him back and getting him out of the way. Hayato leaned back against the pillows that had propped up, "How's the baseball idiot doing?"

"He was going through the stances of the fighting style his dad taught him slowly, said something about finding his Zen that way."

"…huh, well then…"

"Oi, you're looking fresh!"

He was covered in bandages, was Ryohei being sarcastic or honest. Going by the boxer's characteristic 'shining' smile, he was being sincere.

As always.

"I feel like death."

Tsuna resisted the urge to palm his face, because Hayato would. Before Ryohei could get an explanation out of the silver haired teen, Tsuna turned to look up at the boxer, "Hey senpai, did you already stop by your house?"

The teen nodded, sliding the small bag he had at his back off and pulling it open. He handed a small plastic bag filled with cookies to Tsuna, "Cookies from Sawada-san."

"My mom?"

Ryohei nodded, adjusting the bag back over his shoulders, "Apparently the girls had a sleepover and your sister called your mom to bring her some of her things." Here Ryohei pulled his phone out of his pocket, flipping it open and pulling up a picture that he had taken, "I also managed to take this!"

It was a little blurry, but it caught the four girls that were sitting around the counter well enough to note how each of them looked, Tsuna blinked, not at all expecting his sister to be wearing make up at all, "You don't see that every day."

"How did you not know that they were doing that?"

"I didn't see them after school," there was a hint of a 'duh, you idiot' in Ryohei's tone, but it was probably Hayato making it up. "I just went over Takeshi's and knocked out in his room."

"….that's like a thing now isn't it," Tsuna said all of a sudden, going completely off topic. "We just end up at someone's place and knock out."

"Just your place and Takeshi's," Ryohei answered instead of Hayato, "My parents will extremely not like the idea of three other boys in the house while Kyoko is there."

"What, why?"

Ryohei shrugged, "I seriously don't get it either." His parents had mentioned once that boys his age were only interested in one thing and that it would just be better if people didn't stay over the house. Which brought to question why they let the girl's stay over…..was it because he hadn't been home or because his parents had left later on in the afternoon yesterday to visit family in Osaka?

One or the other, but he wasn't going to question, not if it could get Kyoko in trouble.

"Anyways," Hayato said, to split from that topic. "We're in the lead, if Takeshi wins tonight and for sure Hibari will, we're pretty much guaranteed the winners."

"Should be, it'd be four to three."

"That's if they decide to play fair, which I'm very sure they have not been doing," Tsuna sighed, a hand coming up to rub at his temple. "Everything so far has been played to their strengths –"

"You think so?"

"Reborn's been making me analyze the fights before we begin training," Tsuna answered, looking at Hayato, his mouth turning down and just looking so done with everything. "It's not that I'm figuring this all out, it's just….a gut feeling, y'know."

"A man's instinct is the best he has," Ryohei commented sagely, arms crossed against his chest as he nodded along with what he said. "Trust your gut Tsuna, it won't lead you wrong."

Hayato grumbled, "Coming from the guy who punches bags for fun," the silver haired teen coughed into his hand when the two looked over at him. "It's smart what they're doing; they are the ones who brought the Cervello, who's to say they aren't just helping them against us?"

"Impossible," a voice chimed in, Hayato only frowned at Shamal, who moved past the other two and towards the clipboard that hung off the edge of the bed. "The Cervello are rarely seen, but when they judge and oversee they are unbiased, they only serve those in a higher position and that just so happens to be Nono."

"….So Nono is against us?" Tsuna asked, watching Shamal go over the notes that had been written in by one of the nurses.

"Who knows."

"You seem –"

"I am deducing and know just as much, if not less than you," Shamal cut off Hayato, setting the clipboard down. "I am only here to make sure those bullets Reborn is so fond off don't bugger off your dear Tsunayoshi."

…so that explains why he was really here.

"Hayato, you'll be discharged within the hour," Shamal said, going on as if he hadn't just said what he had. "Your paper work is being processed and I encourage you to not have to need my care again."

With that said the doctor turned around and left the room, his footsteps echoing down the hallway, leaving the trio to themselves once more.

"Meet up at Takeshi's place," Tsuna finally said, rubbing his eyes with the palm of his hands. "I still have a couple more things to do with Reborn."

"Are you leaving me with –"

"Hey that's a great idea!" Ryohei cut off Hayato, but getting the idea that the boy was about to express "We're safer together aren't we?"

Tsuna pulled his hands away from his face for a second, looking between Ryohei and Hayato, before letting his face fall into his hands. "Can you please? It'll make me feel better."

Hayato exhaled, his fingers tapping against his thighs as he thought over what being with Ryohei for the next couple hours. The guy was alright, a little loud and had a tendency to be a bit more heavy handed when messing around with them (like that mock punch he did at lunch once, which actually hurt and bruised like a bitch.)

He really just wasn't a fan of the teen's energy.

There was a thing as too much.

And Ryohei was it.

"...fine..." And he knew that Tsuna knew he would give in, because Tsuna just like Natsume, didn't ask for much.

"Awesome!" cheered Ryohei, pumping both of his hands up.

Tsuna gave Hayato what he hoped was a smile that showed how thankful he was for this and though the silver haired teen did look grouchy (then again that was Hayato's neutral setting) he did do that two fingered salute-peace sign thing that he did to show that everything was good.

Great, Tsuna bid the two goodbye, already lamenting whatever Reborn had in store for him (and poor Basil) but he knew whatever it was, he would definitely get stronger from it.

/ | \

Takeshi sat in seiza the middle of the dojo, the shinai his father had gifted him laying before him. He knew the sun had set already and the time for his match was ticking closer, couldn't help but just sit there and think over what Dino had told.

'Squalo's a swordsman, Yamamoto. Whatever you're thinking of doing, he probably already has an idea or knows it. Have a backup plan ready.'

How had he reacted to that, he had just smiled and laughed, reciting the words his father had told him when he first introduced him to the Shigure Soen Ryu.

'It's invincible, that's what my old man says.'

Dino had shook his head, 'Nothing is truly invincible…but for tomorrow night let's hope it is.'

Takeshi liked Dino, but what the man had said and how he had said it irked the teen a little. The older blond had only said those words to him because he hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings. The dark haired teen knew what it was like to be given false hope, understood the older man's disbelief in his abilities (hadn't that happened last year, after his first big game? The feelings of that time curled up, never having really gone away, he doubted it ever would, he had spent too much time in them, knew them to well and maybe sometimes he still –)

"Takeshi?" his father's voice brought him out of his thoughts and the teen lifted his head to stare at his father who stood near the doorway of the dojo.

"Dad…."

Tsuyoshi waited for his son to continue on, hands clasping behind his back, "Is…is the Shigure Soen Ryu….really invincible?" The man almost smiled at that, because hadn't he asked that once upon a time?

"It is your want to learn," Tsuyoshi said, moving towards where his son sat, sitting opposite him in seiza, the shinai between them. "Your ability to apply yourself and your own belief that lends to invincibility."

"You must be sure of yourself Takeshi," the man grasped the pommel of the shinai, holding it out in front of him, parallel to the ground. "Go in with pride of yourself and this style, if not, do not bother at all."

Takeshi blinked, his father's last words sounding harsh to his ears.

"I…."

"So how will you go?"

Takeshi's jaw clenched, but Tsuyoshi could see the change in his son. Whatever thoughts had been plaguing Takeshi seemed to have been swept away at the challenging tone he had issued, his son's eyes narrowed, brow furrowed and Tsuyoshi couldn't help but offer his son a lazy smirk.

"You go with my blessing."

Author Note: Not exactly happy with this chapter, but alas it gets most of what I wanted across.

Any questions or concerns, or if there are major spelling/wording/messed up sections let me know, Its one in the morning and my focus went out the window not even half way through proofreading. My only really big issue and why I've been taking longer with the chapters is making sure they all flow nice and I don't diverge and spring something up only to completely drop that point.

A big thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited/alerted this story, ya'll are great and really give me motivation.

Til next time~

Sorugao