I don't own KHR. Do I need to say that every time?
"Hmm..." Hayato softly mused as he looked at the cards in his hand as he leaned against a pile of pillows. Then he laid down a wild card.
"Blue," he said with finality in his voice. It was the middle of the morning the day after the shopping fiasco and they were all playing Uno. Well, kind of. Lambo was sitting in Takeshi's lap and was currently helping him choose what card to play next. Tsuna had his head resting on top of Chrome's lap while the rest of his body was on top of Mukuro's lap. He didn't have any cards, since he didn't feel quite well enough to play Uno with everybody.
But at least he was currently awake and more or less following what was going on in the game, which Takeshi was grateful for.
That wasn't why Takeshi was smiling however.
He was smiling because letting Lambo help him play had actually paid of.
"Oh no," Mukuro realized in horror as he took in Takeshi's victorious smile. "And he only has one card left! What have you done Hayato?!"
"Well excuse me, how was I supposed to know that he only has blue left?!"
"Quiet down everyone, me and Ryohei still have our turns," Kyoya assured them.
"That's right! Please tell me you have something Ryohei!" Mukuro exclaimed.
"I'm extremely sorry, but I only have blue myself," Ryohei apologized as he laid down a blue five.
Takeshi couldn't help but laugh in anticipation. As long as Kyoya puts down a blue or draws a card, the game was his.
"Darn it!"
"Uh oh," Tsuna reacted softly as Chrome gently stroked his head. "Wait, didn't you just tell everyone what you have?"
"Huh, I did," Ryohei said out loud before shrugging a mere second later. "Oh well."
"C'mon skylark, bite him to death!" Mukuro exclaimed.
"Don't tell me what to do pineapple," Kyoya shot back as he selected a card from his hand. "And you're being too loud."
"Wha...oh, sorry Tsuna," Mukuro apologized sincerely and quietly he petted their brother's leg.
"It's okay, I'm still okay," Tsuna accepted easily.
"Good," Kyoya said simply as he put down a red five. "Because I just prolonged the game. Fight against that herbivore."
"Yes!" Mukuro exclaimed happily (though not nearly as loud as before) as he clutched the two cards in his hand tightly.
However, as Takeshi looked at the card in his hand, he could only laugh.
"Hey Lambo, do you want to do the honors?" Takeshi asked as he handed his baby brother the card.
"Yea!" Lambo cried as he started to crawl towards the pile in the middle of the circle.
"No," Mukuro gasped in horror.
"Please be a mistake, please be a mistake," Hayato chanted. Then Lambo clumsily placed a blue five on top of the red five."
"It's not," Chrome stated.
"Uno out," Takeshi called out before laughing some more.
Man did he love winning games.
"Huh, what are the odds," Ryohei said simply. "I guess I should have put down a blue six instead."
"You think?!" Hayato cried as Mukuro groaned into Tsuna's legs.
"I was so close," Mukuro moaned, his words muffled since he still had his face pressed into Tsuna's legs. "Two cards, I only had two cards!"
"You weren't the only one close to winning," Kyoya pointed out as Chrome reached over to pat Mukuro's head consolingly. "And you don't see me upset."
His frown and the way he threw his three cards down on the ground suggested otherwise however.
"So...another game?" Chrome asked as Lambo knocked down both the discard and the draw piles with a proud giggle.
Before any of them could answer that question, there was a knock on their bedroom door.
"Hello kids," Asari greeted them as he opened the door a crack. "How are you guys doing?"
"We're doing extremely okay!" Ryohei exclaimed happily as Mukuro looked up, his heterochromatic eyes observant and scrutinizing as he stared at Asari.
"That's good," Asari replied with a nod as Lambo playfully scrambled all the cards on the floor. "Elena wanted me to ask you if there was anything in particular you wanted for lunch."
"I'm good for whatever," Hayato replied as he let Lambo snatch the remaining cards away from his hand.
"Me too," Chrome agreed with a nod.
"N-No uncooked carrots please," Tsuna requested meekly. "I usually like them but...not today. They're gonna be too loud."
"No uncooked carrots or other overly crunchy foods, got it," noted Asari with an understanding glint in his dark eyes. "Anyone else?"
When everyone else either shook their head (him and Ryohei) or stayed silent (Kyoya and Mukuro), Asari nodded.
"Alright, good to know, thanks kids!" And with that, Asari began to shut the door.
And it was right then and there that Takeshi realized that this was his chance.
"Hey Asari, can we..." Takeshi called out as he stood up. His heart fluttered a bit from nervous anticipation but he kept his eyes on Asari and pressed on. "Can we talk? In private?"
"Why? About what?" Mukuro questioned, almost all traces of his good mood gone, only to replaced with concern, shock, worry, and perhaps a bit of anger.
"Yes, about what Takeshi? And why does it have to be in private?" Kyoya asked, his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at Takeshi like he was trying to read his soul.
Takeshi didn't answer, he couldn't answer, because not only he didn't know what or how to answer their questions, but his eyes were more or less focused on Asari.
Who looked like he expected Takeshi to ask this question yet was still kind of sad or apprehensive about it.
"Take-"
"It's okay Mukuro." Takeshi looked over and saw that Tsuna was sitting up now, his hand on Mukuro's forearm as he looked at Mukuro with a calm gaze.
"Wha...do you know why Takeshi wants to talk to Asari?" Mukuro asked him. Tsuna started to shake his head but quickly stop with a wince.
"No, but...I can feel that it's important," Tsuna continued softly before he gave Mukuro's arm what was probably a reassuring squeeze before looking at Kyoya with those calm and understanding eyes. "He's gonna be alright."
A moment or so passed in silence before Kyoya sighed.
"Alright, I won't ask why you need to speak with him," Kyoya granted him.
"Thanks Kyoya!" Takeshi replied as he beamed his smile at Kyoya. As Kyoya bent his head in response, Takeshi turned his attention back to Mukuro.
"Mukuro? I-"
"You already got Kyoya's permission, you don't need mine too, just go ahead already," Mukuro reluctantly approved before he looked at Asari. "That is, if Asari has the time to speak with you in private."
"Oh I do," Asari quickly assured him. "I've been...it would be nice to have a one on one chat with you Takeshi."
There was a smile on Asari's face as he said that but Takeshi could tell right away that it was fake.
But no matter, because Takeshi had to know whether Asari really did know Pops or not.
"Okay, great!" Takeshi exclaimed happily anyway as he walked towards Asari. "Then let's get to talking!"
"Alright, let's go to an empty room down the hall," Asari suggested as he opened the door so Takeshi could leave the room.
"See you later guys!" Takeshi cried as he waved at them.
"See ya Takeshi, have that conversation to the extreme!" Ryohei encouraged them as he returned Takeshi's wave like they weren't going to see each other in days, and not in a matter of minutes.
"Yeah, don't feel the need to hurry back, the rest of us would like to play a fair game without your cheap luck weighing in," Hayato informed him, making Takeshi laugh.
"Alright, we'll see," Takeshi replied as he stepped out of the room. Asari then closed the door, though before he did Takeshi managed to catch Tsuna's warm gaze and encouraging smile.
Takeshi smiled. He was forever grateful that he let Tsuna past his defenses on that day at the orphanage rooftop.
"Alright, let's see..." Asari pondered softly as he looked around. Then he pointed to a room down the hall. "There, let's go in there."
"Okay," Takeshi agreed as he then followed Asari to the room, which happened to be what looked like a small study. Before he entered the room though, Takeshi thought he heard a door open and close. Takeshi looked back and saw no one else in the hallway, let alone anyone in front of their bedroom door.
So either he was imagining things or...
"You coming Takeshi?" Asari called out from inside the study.
"Yeah, I'm coming," Takeshi replied as he went inside without anymore hesistation.
"So...what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Asari asked after he closed the study door behind him with a soft click. Realizing that his small quest for the truth was almost over, Takeshi gulped as he looked at Asari. A small part of him wanted to just back out, that it would be easier not knowing than it was to ask Asari. After all, what if the answer wasn't good at all? What if it just ended up hurting him?
But...Takeshi knew he had to ask, he had to know what Asari meant when he said that he would protect Takeshi in his father's stead. He couldn't back out now, especially not after he got his family's blessing to talk with Asari in private.
And besides, even if it did go south, his family was just down the hall. And if his hunch was right, perhaps even closer.
So with his resolve strengthened, Takeshi went for it.
"Did you know my dad? Did you know Pops?"
Asari didn't answer as an expression passed by his face that made him look older than his actual age, whatever that was (20's?). Then he sighed.
"Yes. Yes I did."
Before Takeshi could ask how, before he could even react to knowing that his suspicions were correct, Asari continued.
"We were cousins."
"Wha-What?" Takeshi stammered, because of the reasons and answers that he imagined in his mind, that had never entered his mind, not even once. "But...Pops didn't have any Aunts or Uncles!"
"That is true," Asari confirmed with a nod. "But we did have the same Great-Grandparents, which made us second cousins."
"O...okay," Takeshi replied, his mind whirring with this revelation. Then he shook his head, because he had even more questions. "If...then how come pops never talked about you? Were...were you not that close?"
"Not at first," Asari answered as he headed to the nearest chair and sat down, his dark eyes having an unreadable tint to them. "We met at occasional family gatherings but we didn't really get to know each other until we were both around fourteen. We were both being seriously trained in the sword at that point and at one of our family gatherings someone, I honestly forgot who, suggested that we fight each other in a mock duel. We did so, and thus a very friendly rivalry was born."
"So...who won?"
"Oh I did, but man did he gave me a run for my money," Asari chuckled as he wore a grin that seemed both sad and happy at the same time. "We saw each other more often after that. We didn't live that far apart so it quickly became normal for one of us to pop in at each other homes to duel, to train, or to just hang out."
Takeshi stood still as he stared at Asari, trying to see if there were any signs of any kind of falsehood in Asari's dark eyes and facial features. But no matter how much he looked, Takeshi only saw the truth in the adult's face. In fact, Asari still looked both kind of sad and happy at the same time, like he was fond of his past memories but he also felt pain because those memories had ended.
Then Takeshi realized that there was a term for that.
Nostalgia.
"So..." Takeshi began, a bit hestitant but not willing to stop here. "So what happened?"
And just like that, Asari's nostalgic grin disappeared.
"There...there was a typhoon," Asari continued. "My parents happened to be away on vacation so I was at your father's house when it hit. At first, it wasn't that bad so when it came to our attention that there wasn't any milk left in the house, I volunteered to go get some. The store wasn't far away at all, so I figured that I should be fine."
"But you weren't?" Takeshi deduced softly. Asari nodded.
"I got to the store just fine but on the way...the typhoon really picked up and before I knew it, I had trouble standing my ground, let alone walking against the wind. Then I got hit by a piece of sheet metal. I don't even know where it originally came from, all I knew was that it had hit me and that I was lying on the ground with a bloody cut on my leg. And then, to make matters worse, the typhoon caused a tree to break and fall. Right towards where I was."
"Really? How did you survive?" Takeshi couldn't help but ask, the word typhoon having struck a memory bell within him.
"Your father," Asari answered with a small smile. "Just when I was afraid that I really was going to die, he came out of nowhere and cut the tree into pieces, with the very same sword that you have in your possession."
Shigure Kintoki...
"Because of your father, I was spared from being crushed by a tree, which I am still forever thankful for. However, as he helped me home, I realized that I felt...inadequate. As time went on, I felt bad that I couldn't defend myself, that my cousin had to risk his life in order to save mine. By the time the typhoon was over and it was safe to go home, I had decided that I would leave Japan when I graduated high school and learn as many sword techniques as I could. So what had happened that day wouldn't ever happen again."
"How did Pops take it?"
"He was sad, as was the rest of my family, but he handled it well enough. A few days after graduation, I said farewell to him and to my parents, and we promised that we would write or call each other often. And at first we did, we made contact at least once every two weeks or so. I remembered feeling happy for him when he wrote about meeting and dating your mother."
Takeshi perked up a little at the mention of his mother. He didn't really remember his mom, having died of some kind of illness when he was only a toddler.
Maybe he could ask Asari what he knew about her later.
"But then, I found myself in Italy and not even five days after I first entered this country, I met Giotto. I felt inspired and touched by his desire and resolve to serve the people around him that before I knew it, I was fighting by his side as a member of Vongola and his close friend."
"How did Pops take that?" Takeshi asked as he tried to figure out why mentioning Pops had caused Asari to react so badly back in the store.
"He supported me, though he may have been a bit miffed that I probably wasn't going to be able to see his baby, you, be born. He was so proud that he was going to be a father, your father," Asari continued, his voice choking by the end.
And whether it was the result of seeing Asari almost break down or it was the fact that Pops was so excited to be a dad (or both), Takeshi felt tears welling up in his eyes. He rubbed them as Asari took in a deep breath and kept on talking.
"At that time we were still keeping contact with each other by either phone or mail once every two weeks. But, as Vongola grew I became more busy, so two weeks became three weeks and then before I knew it, it would be months before we would contact each other. And the worse thing was, was that when I was able to go back to Japan for your mother's funeral, we had promised each other that we would keep in better contact with each other."
"And you didn't?"
"We did at first, but then Vongola grew even bigger and your father was busy taking care of both you and his restaurant so we ended up not contacting each other for months," Asari clarified with a shake of his head. "When months eventually turned into years, I remembered thinking and...accepting that it was just one of those things. Until..."
Asari gulped.
"Until I accidently came across your father's grave while hunting a serial killer in a cemetery."
Takeshi couldn't help but flinch at that. The orphanage had been...kind enough to let him go and attend Pop's funeral but he honestly couldn't remember much of it. All he remembered was that the sun was too bright and that it took all of his focus not to cry.
Speaking of which, there were now tears in Asari's eyes.
"I didn't believe it at first, but when it became clear that your father, my cousin, really had died...I wished that I had made more of an effort. If I had kept in contact with him, I would have known that he had decided to move to Italy. I would have welcomed you guys, I would have visited you two as much as I could, I...I would have been able to s-save him..."
"You don't know that."
Asari startled as he stared at Takeshi. Takeshi wasn't sure what his face looked like but whatever emotion Asari read made his eyes widen.
"You...why..."
"You said it yourself didn't you? Pops was busy with me and the restaurant, it was just as much his fault for not keeping in touch as it was yours," Takeshi explained as he slowly walked towards Asari. "Not to mention, even if you guys had kept in touch with each other, that doesn't mean you would have been there when...those guys attacked Pops."
"I...I guess that's true," Asari softly admitted.
"And besides, Pops made it a choice not to tell you that we had moved to Italy," Takeshi continued when he reached Asari. "Pops told me that we were moving because it was time for a change, that a new life waited for us in Italy. Looking back, I think that he wanted to move closer to you, and maybe the reason he hadn't told you was because he wanted to surprise you."
"That would have been a nice surprise," Asari said with a chuckle.
""Yeah, it would have," Takeshi added. "It definitely would have been a cool surprise to meet the guy Pops told me about."
"Wait...so he did tell you about me?" Asari asked as his teary eyes widened in surprise and confusion. "I...I thought..."
"He didn't say your name, or your true relationship, but he told me about how he came up with the eighth form of Shigure Soen Ryu when he saved his best friend during a typhoon," Takeshi clarified. Then he softly smiled. "I think that the fact that he did tell me that story, as well as having moved us to Italy...meant that he still cared about you."
Then, without any prompting, Takeshi climbed onto Asari's lap and gave him a hug.
"And that he didn't hold it against you for losing touch with him. Pops wasn't the kind of guy to hold on to a grudge."
A moment or so passed in silence, as Takeshi kept on hugging his cousin. Then, with the sound of a choked sob, Takeshi felt Asari finally hug him back.
"No, he wasn't. He really wasn't," Asari agreed as he continued to hug Takeshi tightly. Takeshi smiled happily as he laid his head on his cousin's shoulder.
"I'm still sorry that it took me so long to find you though," Asari apologized after moments passed in contented and forgiving silence. "I went to the orphanage they sent you to as soon as I could but when I got there, the Head told me that you had run away."
"Yeah, they were going to give Lambo away," Takeshi informed him. "We...after everything we had been through, we couldn't just give Lambo up without a fight."
"I don't blame you," Asari said, his voice full of honesty. "That orphanage, from what little of I saw of it...didn't seem like a good place."
It really wasn't.
"So...what do I call you now?" Takeshi asked as he pulled back so he could look at Asari's face. "Do I just call you Asari or cousin because we're second cousins...wait are we?"
"We're technically second cousins once removed," Asari answered with a laugh as he wiped his face dry of tears. "But you can just call me Asari like everybody else. Or just cousin if you prefer."
"Um..."
"What are you all doing?" Takeshi and Asari both turned their heads towards the door.
Takeshi had suspected earlier that Mukuro had secretly followed them to the door but...that didn't sound like him.
"Shush Alaude!"
"Giotto?" Asari mumbled.
"Ah screw it, our cover's blown anyway, let's just go in there and give the two an ultimate hug!"
"You extremely said it!"
The very next second, the door busted in and everyone in Takeshi's family as well as Giotto, Elena, and the rest of the Guardians (excluding Alaude who stayed back in the hall) busted into the room.
"How long were you guys out ther-oof!" Without any warning, almost their whole family rushed towards them and enveloped the two in a giant group hug, effectively interrupting Asari.
"I'm so happy for you two!" Elena cried with tears going down her cheeks.
"I told you it wasn't your fault Asari, I told you!" Giotto reprimanded his Rain Guardian with no real malice as he managed to poke Asari in the forehead despite the tight space.
"I know, I know you did," Asari admitted with a sheepish chuckle.
"Oh you two, get in the group hug already!" Chrome exclaimed as Takeshi saw his sister conjured up a couple of vines and used them to pull both Kyoya and Mukuro into the hug.
"That includes you too Alaude, if my eyes are going to be red for the unforseenable future, the least you can do is get in the darn hug with everybody else!" Lampo ordered.
"Yea!" Lambo supported happily from top of Ryohei's head.
"No."
Takeshi thought he saw a small smile on Alaude's face though.
"How are you feeling Takeshi?" Takeshi turned his head as much as he could and saw Tsuna squished in between Giotto and Chrome with a big, bright smile on his face. He then, as best as he could, looked at all the people surrounding him.
Including Asari, his newly-found cousin.
Takeshi felt himself smile brightly back.
"Great."
The real miracle isn't Asari forgiving himself, but how everyone managed to pack themselves outside the door without hardly making any noise.
For any of those curious, Mukuro did initially follow them to the door by himself but when he told the others (through his and Chrome's mental link) that Asari and Takeshi were cousins, the rest of the kids decided they needed to hear the rest with their own ears and quietly went to the door themselves. Then Giotto and Lampo found them and decided to join in on the eavesdropping, then not long after that Daemon and Elena, then Knuckle and G arrived before Alaude found them all huddled at the door.
So, what did you all think of the chapter? Please leave your reactions in a review and I will update by the end of this month, hopefully. I'm moving soon so who knows.
Till then, stay safe and have a good day or night!