My Storm, My Cloud, My Sun, My Sky
Summary: Reborn met Fon, they became Arcobaleno and went separate ways, not seeing each other for years. Kyoya was born, Fon had to leave to protect his family and they didn't see each other for years. Tsuna met Reborn, the adventure starts. Hibari met Reborn, craziness starts. Dino met Kyoya, Fon returns and secrets are revealed. Better than it sounds, I promise! D18, RF, LalCol possible others.
The Arcobaleno arrive to Namimori with not so surprising speed. Skull had been nearby, probably already been on his way to question Reborn about his 'wedding' - Fon had heard about that and had been skeptical from the beginning, because he had actually seen Reborn and Bianchi together and he treated her like he treated Skull if only the Cloud Arcobaleno were to be that obedient, like a faithful dog - and Verde appeared a day before this new(?) Arcobaleno Sky landed in Japan. Viper was still in Japan, since the Varia were still recovering from the Ring Battles, but since they had brought it upon themselves, Fon didn't bother trying to feel any sympathy for them.
They were all, amazingly enough, situated right on Nami-chuu's rooftop, along with Sawada Tsunayoshi, Reborn's current student, Dino Cavallone, his former student and Kyoya's current 'tutor' as if Fon's 'nephew ever needed one, and the new Juudaime's Guardians - except the Mist and Cloud, but Kyoya hates crowding so it's to be expected and from what he'd seen of her, Chrome Dokuro is a shy enough girl to not seek her boss and fellow Guardians out on her own - just sitting in a circle, most of them had their arms crossed while the teenagers tried to wrap their heads around the fact that their 'baby' friends and home tutors were actually not babies. Fon stayed out of sight but within hearing range, for now. He's been in Namimori for a long time now, so the Pacifiers won't react to his presence. And even if they did light up, with the other Arcobaleno bound to show up at any moment, no one will immediately assume it was because of him.
Fon was relieved to see that his fellow Arcobaleno looked to be in good health. They have not exactly seen each other since the Fated Day. The others may have run into each other at some point, but Fon had spent most of his time in China and Japan, places the mafia rarely visited because it's yakuza and the Triads' territory and invading said territory too often could lead to an underworld war that would surely draw the attention of civilians and all the law enforcement in the world. From what Fon knows of their lives since they were cursed, Reborn had completely changed his image but continued his life as normal - or as normal as life can be as and for an Arcobaleno - Colonello got a job at Mafia Land, Skull works for the Carcassa famiglia, Lal was still in CEDEF, Verde was ... Verde and Viper obviously joined the Varia at some point, calling themselves Mammon now. Fon didn't like to think that Luche was dead, but the dream showed very clearly that there was a new holder of the Orange Pacifier and the female had looked a lot like Luche, so that must have been Aria, Luche's daughter.
The teenagers - and Cavallone - seemed to be perplexed. Haneuma, though, not nearly as much as the others. If Fon didn't know any better, he'd say the blond was acting ... And considering he was the one who kept giving visits with Kyoya to 'Kawahira's Realtors', he probably was. That's gutsy, trying to keep a secret from Reborn. The hitman can practically read minds, as impossible as that might sound. The Arcobaleno have never figured out how he can do something like that and Fon knows Viper all but hates him for it because not even they are immune and they liked to be in control of what information about them is being given away.
"Wait, so you're seriously saying you guys have been cursed, like in a fairy tale or something, and now you can lift the curse?" Vongola asked, sounding incredulous. "And when you do, you guys will be grownups instead of babies?"
"That's how it is, kora," Colonello answered, turning to glare at the Sun Arcobaleno. "If only some people would, for once in their life, swallow their pride and accept that they might have been wrong about a person, kora."
"I doubt he's wrong about Checker Face, but this doesn't seem like a setup," Lal said, reaching over to whack the blond over the head. "Reborn's probably the sanest of us all to be suspicious instead of just accepting a miracle like this. We got into this situation for not being more suspicious of that summons all those years ago in the first place."
"We were suspicious," Viper - Mammon - says, shaking their head. "It's just that the lure of a strong Sky kept us around long enough for us to lower our guard. Yare yare, but we were duped."
"Which is why I refuse to blindly put something on the thing that connects to my soul and might kill me in an instant or turn me into a brainless zombie without proof that it does what the Man in the Iron Hat said it does," the fedora wearing 'baby' says resolutely and Fon knew he won't be moving on his stance any time soon.
"Which is why I tested it," a familiar voice says and suddenly the rooftop opens up and an elevator brings up Verde with Keiman, making Sawada Tsunayoshi scream and scramble away from the crocodile. The scientist, Fon noted, was already wearing the Valve and Chain, put on probably for no other reason than to experiment on what it would do and how it would affect him. "Well, Skull tested it." On cue, Keiman flings forward the trussed up Cloud Arcobaleno, the stuntman cursing and protesting all the while, only to stop when he sees who else was there now. "I've run all possible tests that could come to mind. The Valve acts like a valve should and the Chain seems to be truly only a conduit of sorts. It regulates the flow of Flames and allows the Valve to work in the most efficient way. I can't guarantee that this won't kill us in the long run, because the Valve is still inactive so I can't test whether or not it will work the way Checker Face said it will. However, from what I've seen so far from my experiments, it's very unlikely to do us harm. I'd like to have more information about the Chains and Valves so I can check the data that brought about their creation, but I rather doubt I'd be getting it."
"See, Babyborn, kora! Even Verde is willing to wear it and Skull's just fine with it on, kora! Just put the damn thing on and let's get rid of this curse, kora!"
"Oh, so because Verde says it's safe, you believe him?"
"Are you doubting my work, Reborn?" The Lightning Arcobaleno asks in a rather dangerous sounding voice, the only thing that can truly offend Verde being the ridicule of his discoveries and research.
"I'm doubting you and your word on it because I know damned well that you wouldn't think twice about screwing us and yourself over for an experiment," Reborn replied in an even more dangerous tone, making Verde immediately back down because they all knew who would win that fight. "Give me the data you got and based your tests on."
"I don't think you would understand-"
"I have a PhD and can solve problems that have been taught impossible for generations. Give me the damned data and if you're not screwing us over, I might think about putting the Valve and Chain on."
"Reborn, don't you want to go back to normal?" Vongola asked carefully, frowning down at his tutor in worry. "It can't be easy to be stuck in a kid's body if you're really an adult in mind, right? Isn't it worth the risk?"
"This is why you're Dame, Dame-Tsuna," the Sun said, not budging in his stance.
"I think Reborn-senpai is just scared," Skull taunted, as though that would ever work. Fon sighed and wondered if he should just go down there and try to talk Reborn into it. If his new suspicions were right and Kyoya was somehow, some way, for some reason, involved in this, then there is no way that it would be harmful to them. Kyoya is not exactly easy to deceive. The teen had an almost sixth sense for judging people. Fon guessed he got it from his 'sire'.
Trinisette knows, you can't trick Reborn. Though the possibility of a distraction ... Fon narrows his eyes at Haneuma. Fon had been Reborn's distraction. Could Reborn's student be Kyoya's? But no, Kyoya is not so easily distracted. Most of the time, when he's set on something, he has a one track mind until he does what he's set out to do.
And Kyoya had always been uncomfortable with Fon's 'condition'. Not because being a cursed infant that never ages unnerved or disgusted him, like it had Fon's father, but rather because he hated the curse that will one day take his last living family from him, too, and he could do nothing to stop it. Kyoya hated not being able to control his own fate and the fate of those he loved. Kyoya has been wanting to lift the curse since Fon finally told him about it when the seven year old asked why he didn't age, how he was older than Kyoya but looked younger and why he wore a pacifier he never used like a pacifier is usually used.
There's nothing Haneuma could actually provide for Kyoya to truly distract him. Kyoya knows how to fight against all kinds of weapons and fighting styles. Kyoya is Flame Active, has been for almost the entirety of his life. Kyoya is fast, knows how to read a battle and his opponents, is aware of his surroundings and has strength, resilience and endurance that no one can match. There's truly nothing Haneuma could provide that would distract Kyoya from his ultimate goal of one day freeing Fon of the Arcobaleno curse.
Which means ...
"I think Reborn is being rightfully cautious," Fon says by way of announcing himself and everyone whips around to look for the source of the new voice. Fon just smiles serenely, hands hidden in his long red sleeves, Lichi on his head, enjoying the way the warm wind seems to be playing with his hair. Yes, he most definitely loved the wind of Namimori best. It was home, after all.
"Fon-senpai!" Skull called out first, sounding delighted. Viper - Mammon - tried to inch away while going unnoticed and Verde 'tch'ed, adjusting his glasses.
Lal and Colonello smiled. "We were thinking you won't come, Fon," the holder of the Corrupted Pacifier said, waving the martial artist over.
"Eh!? That's Fon?" Dino Cavallone asked, inching closer to get a better look, eyes wide. Probably because he was stunned at the resemblance Kyoya bore to him. People have always insisted that, had Fon remained in his normal form and not as a cursed infant, they could pass off as identical twins, with only their eyes differing in color. Fon had inherited his mother's eyes while Kyoya had inherited Fon's grandfathers, only with that little spark of something that Fon knew came from Kyoya's other parent.
"Holy cow, he looks like a miniature version of Hibari!" Yamamoto Takeshi, Vognola's Rain, exclaimed, crouching down so he could get a better look at the martial artist when Fon came over to join his fellow Arcobaleno. Lichi got a bit irritated by how close the stranger was to its master and swatted at the baseball star until the teen leaned away with a laugh. "Maa, maa, was Hibari this cute as a kid?"
Fon smiled despite himself. "The cutest baby you would ever see."
"Eh? Reborn, are you alright? You look a little ... " Sawada trailed off and Fon turned his attention to his once lover. Now, as cursed infants, the Arcobaleno all have a bit of a healthy baby flush to their chubby cheeks that makes them unfairly adorable for a bunch of professional killers and the strongest seven in the world, at that. It was criminal how cute it looked. It made people forget fairly easily that any one of them could snap their necks with little to no effort on their part.
Reborn, though, looked like he was blushing.
Fon definitely blushed when it occurred to him why that might be, because there has been only one change from a moment ago and now that could have caused it.
'Well, at least I am not the only one who never forgot,' he thought to himself but was very careful not to reveal such thoughts. Instead, he smiled and gave a polite little bow. "It's good to see you all again. It's been a while."
"You can say that again, kora. You're the only one we didn't see at all these years, kora!" The Rain Arcobaleno said with gentle, friendly teasing, but then a wicked glint entered his blue eyes and Fon knew, without a doubt, that a gun will be coming out in a second. "Babyborn must have really missed you, kor-" At least Colonello learned over the years to shut up the second gun!Leon was shoved in his face by a displeased Reborn. That's a new trick he hadn't known the last time they all saw each other like this.
The Storm Arcobaleno smiled at the Sun fondly. "I've missed you as well." It was pretty cute when the big bad hitman blushed because of him. The depth of their feelings was, at least, still new to the both of them, what with neither of them ever having had a serious partner before they got together. "But I think we can catch up later. I wish to discuss the dream I am guessing we all shared?"
"This confirms it," Viper - Mammon - says, sighing in exasperation. "Good grief, what a pain."
"Oh, you don't know anything about pain," Fon promised and he could tell that the Mist recognized the threat for retribution for what happened to Kyoya during the Ring Conflict.
"I told them to leave the Hibari kid mostly unhurt! I warned them! You can't punish me for the idiocy of others! That's not fair, Fon, I don't care if he's your nephew!"
Fon narrowed his eyes. "You know about our ancestry, don't you? Don't try to lie. You've probably been suspecting of my relation to Kyoya from the moment you learned his name. The privacy protections that we have in place tracks any attempts at getting information about the Hibari and not even your method is infallible. I knew you were looking into me even back before we became Arcobaleno, but I didn't see any point in confronting you. I don't care what you can fish out about me, but stay away from Kyoya."
"Don't worry, I have no plans to tango with that kid," the Esper sniffed. "Yare, yare, things are already complicated enough. I don't need Xanxus obsessing over a strong Cloud now of all times. I don't think I could explain it to him why Hibari is not a good choice."
"Hibari are always the best choice."
"Good option, then."
"No, Hibari's not an option at all," Reborn said, having recovered a bit. "He's Tsuna's Guardian."
"No, he's not and you know it." They all turn to look at him, but Fon remains as serene as ever, projecting calm that he did not feel now that his 'nephew's' status and fate were being discussed. "He did not bond with a Sky. He did not accept a Sky. He may have fought alongside a Sky, but he fought for his own reasons. Kyoya has no intention of forming a bond. He's what you'd call a true Cloud and very proud of that fact and I have no intentions of forcing him to make a decision one way or the other. However, I will interfere if I catch someone trying to decide this for him. Sawada Tsunayoshi has no claim on Hibari Kyoya."
The brunet in question looked to be in pain for a moment and Fon was reminded why he has never sought out to bond himself to a Sky, either. Even Luche, whom he had felt great fondness for, could not be the eye of his Storm. He had never had an eye to his Storm, not until Kyoya was born and he realized, more than anything, that this little babe in his arms was the thing, the person he will die and live for. No Sky can offer something that precious to a Hibari. Not even a Hibari Sky could.
"And if he chooses to bond with someone? Whoever it might be?" The hitman asked, returning to his usual self as he sauntered over to the martial artist. The Asian Arcobaleno did not back down, did not so much as twitch. Colonello may have a rivalry with Reborn and the others all might be strong enough to survive a fight with him, but it is Fon who had no fear of him whatsoever.
"I already said that I won't interfere with his decision. But I do give a fair warning, for none of you have actually met a true Cloud before while the Hibari do have experience with the such. Try to harmonize with him and he will rip you open from the inside out, through either Flames or blood. If he has no wish to be a part of a Guardian Set, Kyoya has every right not to be. Both you and your ... friend Skies better understand that." He looked from Reborn to Viper - Mammon - to show them how dead serious he was. "Kyoya is not Skull."
"Understatement of the century," all the Arcobaleno who had seen the younger Skylark in action so far snorted and the heavy atmosphere that had settled over them lifted and Fon knew, without a doubt, that even though neither the Mist or the Sun had said anything out loud about it, the decision will be Kyoya's. Xanxus might even know about these things given that he actually knew how harmonization between a Sky and their Elements goes, so he'll back off if Kyoya rejects him. He might stick around to see if the Cloud will eventually change his mind, but he won't be actively courting him anymore.
Sawada Tsunayoshi might be a different case altogether. Reborn will no doubt warn him off, because Reborn apparently respects and likes Kyoya quite a bit, but Vongola Skies have never done well with rejection before. Fon's heard ... stories.
Secondo had been rejected by Primo's own Cloud Guardian and the man had never quite stopped obsessing with Alaudi's location. That might have been fueled by either Daemon Spade's own mini obsession with the strongest Guardian of their Generation and the fact that, at that point in time, Alaudi had been a treasure trove of information the likes of which would make anyone the most powerful individual in the political or mafia world. The fact that the Hibari were the one that got him in the end is the only reason there had been no great power-shift, since the Hibari already possessed equally as dangerous knowledge so he simply ... fit right in. Terzio was rejected by a Storm he had been courting. She had found a Sky who resonated better with her Flames and Tercio had killed them both.
Ottavo had handled a rejection a bit better than the rest had. Probably because she wasn't as arrogantly proud as all the male bosses before and after her and she had known, from the beginning, that you cannot expect much from trying to court a Hibari. She and the Sun, Fon's aunt who had delivered Kyoya to the world, somehow ended up being great friends but Ottavo never could stop stalking what was happening to her, not until her own death.
Skies don't take rejection all that well, especially if their Flames resonate with the one rejecting them.
Sawada Tsunayoshi might not be able to let Kyoya go. It might even be just unconscious, his Flames reaching out of their own accord for something that won't reach back, as the boy seemed like a good person. Kyoya is not someone who has no control over their own Flames. The prefect will feel the pull and he might just react violently, because Kyoya is more of a Cloud than any other Cloud has been before him and he hates the thought of being bound by anyone or anything.
"But we're getting off track here," Fon said with a sigh, spreading his arms out a little as if in the beginning of a kata before just letting them drop to his sides as tension forcefully left his body with the exhale. He cannot attack the future Vongola boss without a good reason or he might just create problems for himself, the Arcobaleno as a whole and Kyoya. And he won't let that happen. "The dream?"
"What is there to discuss?" Reborn asked, already sounding annoyed, clearly still very much intent on not changing his mind.
"I think we should try it."
"What?" The Sun Arcobaleno all but hissed at him, incredulous and not knowing how else to react. The other Arcobaleno were staring, a bit dumbfounded, as well. It is actually quite rare that Fon and Reborn have such differing opinions. It had been an unsaid rule that if Reborn and Fon agree on something, that's how it should be. If they disagree, the Arcobaleno argue among themselves to see who shares whose opinion. It had honestly reminded Fon of how his own parents used to solve disputes - usually about what they should have for dinner, back before his grandfather all but sold him to the underworld - and they'd turn to Fon and his younger sister so they'd pick sides and then the number of votes would decide.
The Arcobaleno had never been a proper Guardian set for Luche's Sky. They'd made bonds between themselves, some stronger, some weaker and, in the end, they were focused on each other instead of a Sky that was supposed to be the center of their harmony.
This? Fon and Reborn discussing on what should happen while the others wait to see which option they agreed with more? It was nothing new.
It was new, however, that they have such differing opinions on a subject. From day one, they had been the 'common sense', with Lal as support, in their group, the most likely ones to keep their cool. Or not screw them over, like Verde and Viper might.
Fon didn't so much as blink at the reactions he was getting. "I think we should try. We're dying slowly, anyway, so there's not much else we can lose. The curse is otherwise unbreakable. Wouldn't you rather try if we have a chance to live instead of just existing outside of time like this? I'm sure we all have people we'd rather not see die while we stay cursed like this forever. Not to mention that, even in death, we'll be bound to the Pacifiers. Why not try? That way, whatever happens, we won't die with regrets of 'what if's."
"Are you really ready to die, Fon?" Reborn asked, a frown in his voice if not on his face. "I thought you of all people would hesitate the most."
Fon bit his cheek to prevent himself from changing his expression too much, but the smile still slipped from its place. "Kyoya can take care of himself and he now has allies who will look out for him." The blond Italian looks surprised and then a bit embarrassed when he notices that Fon had glanced in his direction. "I'm sure Haneuma and Kawahira will take care of him if he ever needs it." Cavallone flinches like Fon had just thrown a decaying corpse at his feet. So he was in on this possible plan of Kyoya's, too? Nice to have that confirmed. And while the other's mouth the second name to each other to see if anyone knows the person behind it, Fon and Reborn focus on each other. "I would rather die now than live long enough to bury him, Reborn." He takes out the Valve and Chain he had received and puts the Chain on first.
Reborn lunges for him when Fon goes to put on the Valve and the martial artist lets the hitman stop his hands. They are now face to face, mere inches apart. They have not been this close to each other since the Fated Day, all those years ago. It feels oddly right, just standing this near to each other.
"What will you do, Reborn?" Fon asks in a whisper meant only for the hitman's ears.
"How can you just recklessly risk this?" The Italian asks almost desperately.
The Storm smiles, letting go of the Valve with one hand and using it to cover Reborn's hands covering the Valve, preventing him from putting it on the Red Pacifier around his neck. "If I told you I have strong reason to believe this will turn out okay, would you trust in me enough to try?"
Obsidian eyes flicker with true emotions for the first time in a decade. "Don't you trust in me enough to at least consider why I protest?"
Fon leaned over until their foreheads were resting against each other, his eyes closed in content. "I understand why. I have never doubted you before, Reborn. I trusted you with things I'd never trust someone else with. You're not the only one who's been had at 'Chaos'." Reborn gave a jerk at that, his eyes widening just a bit. Fon smiles and leans away. Reborn lets him, even lets go of the hand he'd been restraining, lets him put the Valve on his Pacifier and waits as if terrified Fon might drop dead at any moment.
"I hate you," Reborn said with no true meaning or heat at all and promptly took out his own Chain and Valve, putting them only with only a second's hesitation. Colonello and Skull whooped and quickly followed while Viper - Mammon - handed over a swad of cash to Lal, the two having obviously been betting on who will be able to convince Reborn to change his mind. "You're all pathetic," the world's greatest hitman said to their companions and Fon allowed himself to smile serenely once more, not getting into the mini fight that started between Reborn, Colonello and Skull at that, the two ending up teamed up against the 'lackey'.
"Good grief," lamented Viper - Mammon - while they watched. Verde just shook his head and Lal put away her earnings after making sure it was all there and then put on her own new 'accessories' as well.
"So, what now? I mean, nothing is happening and we're all here," Skull said after his 'senpais' got bored of bullying him and left him be, the Arcobaleno now all in a circle.
"The Sky Arcobaleno is still not here, right? You guys just have to wait for them," Cavallone pointed out, glancing down at his watch to check the time. "We should probably leave the rooftop soon. First period's about to end and Kyoya will be none too happy that you guys skipped class or that we're 'crowding' at his favorite nap spot."
Sawada Tsunayoshi blinked and then let out an ear-splitting scream of fright, panicking about being bitten to death by the prefect for breaking school rules and ditching, but even as Yamamoto tried to calm him down and Gokudera reassured him that he'll 'get that tonfa freak for sure this time, Juudaime, just you wait and see!' the Pacifiers suddenly started glowing in the usual manner that suggests that a new Arcobaleno was near.
"Boss, there's someone suspicious stepping out of a car in front of the school entrance," Cavallone's right hand man, who had been standing to the side this whole time, called out just as the glow intensified beyond anything any of the Arcobaleno had seen before except on the Fated Day and they all reacted instinctively, reaching out for each other according to their bonds, as though to protect each other, especially when the Valves started vibrating around their Pacifiers and the Chains changed from their silver sheen to the colors of their Flames.
"What is this ruckus, herbivores? Do you want to be bitten to death?" Suddenly came Kyoya's voice but Fon could not tell from where or why, because the sense of time and space escaped him as he felt a pull at his very soul. "Fon? Fon!? What's going on!? Let go of me, Bucking Horse! Fon! FON!"
Other voices were calling out as well, but only Kyoya's pierced through the light and the vibrations of the Valve for Fon. Kyoya's voice and a hand in his own, pulling him closer. He went without a fight just as the Valves gave the most intense shudders during their vibrations and the world suddenly filled with black.
00000
"Fon?" A hesitant voice asked as said martial artist began opening his eyes, head pounding, the world spinning as though he had the worst concussion in the history of mankind. "Fon?"
" ... Kyo ... ya?" His voice honestly surprised him. Did he have a cold? It was scratchy and weak, but sounded way deeper than it has for the past ... ten years ...
The memories came back to him and his eyes snapped open as he tried to lunge upwards, but there were hands on his shoulders to hold him down, familiar hands. Kyoya's hands, though they felt so small against him. Like Kyoya had shrunk ... Or rather, like Fon had grown.
"Did it ... work?" When the world came into focus, he realized he was in his room at their house. Kyoya looked like he hadn't slept a wink and actually felt it. His eyes were a bit puffy and red ... Had he actually ... cried? His strong, indomitable 'nephew'? His incredible Kyoya? No way ...
"You look just like me, though the eyes are wrong," the prefect said and Fon ... Fon lunged up again and gathered his ... his child in his arms properly for the first time since the boy was born, holding on to him for dear life as though he feared it might be a dream or go back to the curse if he let go.
And Kyoya not only let him, Kyoya hugged back.