coruscate

~verb~

(of light) flash or sparkle.

"Because of the presence of unidentified carnivores in Namimori, there are three rules that innocent herbivores like you must follow for the sake of your own protection." Kyoya lectured earnestly to the two children as he paced around the room.

("Should we be offended that he is actually calling us herbivores?" Nagi deadpanned as she eyed Kyoya warily.

Tsuna shrugged. "Tsu-kun thinks it's quite cute of Cloud-san to worry about us. Though Tsu-kun doesn't understand what Cloud-san means by 'unidentified carnivores'." he then eyed the chessboard with a frown. "Now hush, Mist-chan, let me concentrate on the game.")

"Rule no. 1- You are not allowed to use your Flames in front of anyone who is not me." Kyoya said in a stern tone.

(Nagi stared at the chessboard with a frown as Tsuna moved his knight and took out another one of her pawns. "You're quite good at this, Orange-san." Nagi admitted.

"Thanks!" Tsuna giggled. "But it's all thanks to Tsu-kun's fire!"

Nagi scowled, "Isn't that cheating, then?!"

Tsuna blinked, bewildered, and tilted his head cutely and said, "But Mist-chan also hid her bishop with her fire, so Tsu-kun thought Tsu-kun can also use Tsu-kun's fire."

Nagi flushed and sputtered, "But- you- I- Argh!" She pulled her hair in frustration.)

"Rule no. 2- Don't go anywhere without informing me first." Kyoya said.

("Mist-chan, you can't just use your fire to turn Tsu-kun's pieces into yours. That's not how the game works." Tsuna said in exasperation.

Nagi frowned. "Aww…" she pouted, "When did you notice?"

"When you turned Tsu-kun's black Queen to white." Tsuna deadpanned.)

"Rule no. 3- Stay away from unidentified carnivores for the time being." Kyoya ordered.

("Checkmate!" Tsuna cheered as he paced his bishop before Nagi's pawn –and a moment later orange flames flickered over indigo ones, revealing White King in the pawn's place.

"But- how did you know?!" Nagi demanded.

Tsuna tapped his temple and said with a bright grin, "The orange fire told Tsu-kun!"

Nagi pouted and sulked, "No fair…..")

"Are we clear?" Kyoya exclaimed as he stopped his pacing around the room and turned to the two children who were busy putting away the chessboard and it's pieces.

"Uh, yeah." Tsuna said distractedly as he counted the chess pieces, and scowled when he found white pieces to be in greater number than the black ones, and glared at Nagi.

"Sure, sure." Nagi mumbled under her breath as she gave Tsuna a sheepishly and with a snap of her fingers put away the illusion she did on the Black chess pieces, turning them to their original shape and colour.

Kyoya stared to and fro between the two of them, and then deadpanned, "You didn't hear me at all, did you?"

the two of the shared a look, and then shrugged.

"Uh, you were saying…..?" Nagi mumbled sheepishly.

Kyoya's eye twitched as he bonked their heads with plastic tonfas, making them cry out in pain as bumps grew on their heads.

"Idiots." He mumbled under his breath and stalked off.

Two days later…..

"You let him go?" He seethed and said with gritted teeth.

"Uh, yeah…." Nagi mumbled, "Aunt Nana said Orange-san's Papa will go back to his work a day later, so they need to spend some quality time together." she blinked and gave her brother a wary look. "Um, is something wrong, onii-sama…?"

A vein throbbed over his forehead as he glowered at Nagi, who shrunk when she saw her brother's glare.

"You weren't listening to me that day at all, were you?" Kyoya huffed.

Nagi blushed and ducked her head from embarrassment. Kyoya groaned.

Timoteo Vongola had always fancied himself to be a good Mafia Boss. Everything he did was for the sake of his Family. He loved his Family. Even if he had to deal with loads of paperwork –oh the horror!- every single day –most of it is usually about damage repairs- and from the way every single member of his Family acted like a total crazy, violent person, the paperwork seemed to multiply on it's own –no, not on it's on. Usually it's Coyote who adds them when he has worked on a portion of the file. The traitor.

So it really isn't any wonder that when his fellow External Advisor asked for a vacation to visit his home and family, he agreed, and even unashamedly invited himself to it (because let those idiota deal with this shit. he was out).

Because even Mafia Bosses needed vacation.

Well, it wasn't exactly a vacation when he needed to take a look at Tokyo and find out what exactly happened with the low-life Mafia famiglia who were involved in human trafficking and organs smuggling (usually organs of children, the utter bastardo-!) -who had set up their base in Japan and were slippery enough to escape every single damn time he sent his men to apprehend them.

Finding a destroyed base had been … surprising. Looks like someone else got to that famiglia and gave them the punishment they so rightly deserved. And the way the blood –that has now turned black- splattered the walls and the floor, and the strong smell of decay that permeated the air made them realize this place must've been littered with corpses a few weeks ago. Someone had already dealt with these low-life Mafioso, and they had missed them by a few weeks –at most.

He had ordered an investigation to be done and asked to report back with full information as soon as possible. After dealing with the case and ensuring that the government won't stick a foot in this mess, he took off to Namimori.

Iemitsu's family was so kind and accepting… and he actually got why Iemitsu loved them so much. Because they welcomed everyone with open arms, and showered them equally with love and care. He hadn't met anyone who would be so kind to him, without any strings attached, that is. (After all, Mafia doesn't do kindness.)

That was, until he met Iemitsu's family.

Sawada Nana –Iemitsu's wife- was a pretty, charming woman who smiled brightly like the sun and showed warmth and love to everyone whom she came across. She was so warm and accepting (just like the Sky he was unaware she is) of him, and hadn't even questioned his motives of visiting his employee's home during his vacation before she welcomed him into her home. The fact that her cooking is divine is just a bonus point.

The young Tsunayoshi –Iemitsu's son- was as cute and adorable as Iemitsu boasted him to be –what with his fluffy brown hair, innocent brown eyes and the way he referred himself in third person. When he first met him, the child had been hiding behind his mother and peered at him shyly. Such an adorable child he is.

(He lamented the fact that his own children had never been this adorable –especially Xanxus, what with him glaring and spitting foul language at everyone he came across. But then again, that is what happens to a child who has been overpowered by his own Tempestous Sky Flames in his early childhood.

Why, oh why, he couldn't have one sane child?!)

The days spent in Sawada household were some of the most relaxing time he'd ever spent in his life. He didn't have to deal with paperwork, explosions, politics, impromptu violence, damage repairs like he had to back in Italy. Here he was Timoteo –just Timoteo. And it was relaxing to be just Timoteo for once.

He would spend his days enjoying Nana's amazing cooking, talking about everything and nothing with Iemitsu –which didn't always include Mafia things, and sightseeing. He didn't get to play much with young Tsunayoshi since he was almost always playing outside and would rather like to play around then spend his time with an old man like him. Not that he minded. Young people were full of energy after all.

(Even with his Sky Flames suppressed to manageable levels so as to not startle –or sky-attract- any civilian, his Sky Flames were powerful enough to overpower any other sky in vicinity. Iemitsu didn't count, since he was Family, and hence his Flames had already accepted him as his own.

Which is why Tsuna's untrained Sky Flames urged him to stay away from the "old man" more and more so as not to be repressed by the older, powerful Sky.)

Meeting Tsuna's friends had been a shocking experience. Staring at the two young children beside young Tsunayoshi made him feel as if he was staring at living, breathing chibi versions of Vongola Primo and his Mist and Cloud Guardians. The three of them looked so much like the First Vongola Generation that he had no doubt that young Tsunayoshi would be just as bright and amazing as Primo had once been. Too bad, Iemitsu loved his son too much to let him enter mafia. And he too agreed with Iemitsu's thinking. He would not want to condemn a child to the cruel, bloodthirsty one of mafia, especially if one was an innocent civilian like Tsunayoshi. Besides, he already has three heirs who were alive –one of whom will be chosen as Vongola Decimo.

Maybe, if any of these children willingly stepped into Mafia, then he'd extend an invite to join Vongola famiglia. Until then, it'd be better to keep them away from this cruel, bloodthirsty world. After all, Timoteo Vongola, even for a Mafia Boss, had a bottom line. And that happens to be civilian, innocent children who are unwillingly dragged into mafia for absolutely no reason. And that is why, he decided to let them live their lives as a civilian, even if he was a bit unwilling to let first generations direct descendants –and perfect look-alikes- anywhere that is not Vongola territory.

And then Sawada Tsunayoshi fell off the tree and ignited his Dying will flames of the Sky for the first time, leaving Timoteo with a wavering resolve.

Having someone with such pure Sky Flames –someone who happened to be a direct descendant of Primo, and even his look-alike- would strengthen his Family hold in mafia. Even if he cannot be chosen as Decimo, he will still enjoy high prestige as a high ranked member in Family.

But….. he is just a child. A civilian child. The son of his External Advisor , who loves his son too much to let him join the cruel world of Mafia. He knew that Iemitsu was dense, and stupid and sometimes did things in a way that would come bite them later in the ass, but there was no doubt that Iemitsu loves his family –so much that he was even willing to keep them at an arm's length for their own safety.

(Sometimes, he had wondered why Iemitsu hadn't left Nana (and young Tsunayoshi) and free them from himself if he really loved them. After all, love also means sacrifice. But for all Iemitsu loved them, he was also selfish enough to keep them close enough to bask in their love and care when the world became too much for him. That is okay though.

After all, who in the world is not selfish even a bit?)

As he hesitated, he was convinced by Iemitsu who immediately disagreed with him when he asked for his opinion to take Tsunayoshi to Italy and let him join their Family.

"No." Blue eyes flickered a pale orange as Iemitsu's pale orange Sky Flames clashed against Timoteo's to protect his son, because Tsuna is minemineminemine and how dare you-! and mylittleSky-! "Nono, my little tunafish is just a child! He will be overwhelmed by the mafia! I do not want him to lose his innocence and kindness that makes him so different from others!" he clenched his fists, his eyes darkened as he said, "They will crush him, Nono. Crush his kindness and innocence, and he will break. And I cannot watch that happen." The orange in his eyes flashed in conviction as he mumbled, "I am his father. I will protect him, no matter what the cost is."

Timoteo sighed. There was no choice then. He will have to seal young Tsunayoshi's flames.

"B-But-!" Iemitsu hesitated.

"There is no other way." Nono sighed as his shoulders bent down as if they had the weight of the world over them. "As an active sky, his flames will beckon other passing –active- flame users, and you know Japan isn't as mafia-free as you and I would like to believe. Tsunayoshi will be in danger then. Besides, having activated Sky Flames so young and having no one to train him into controlling them will only make him get overwhelmed by them, and you know the consequences of that. Do you want him to turn into a second Xanxus?!"

Because that is what had happened to his –adopted- son (not that anyone knows that, except him and his guardians, that is.) Xanxus had activated his Flames quite early in his childhood, but had no one to train himself, considering he spent most of his childhood with his mother in slums. By the time Nono got his hands on him, the boy had already been severely affected by his own Flames –as evident by his personality of a ticking-time bomb that could go out at any moment on any unsuspecting fool. Timoteo would not wish such a curse on anyone, let alone a young boy with so much potential.

In the end, Iemitsu agreed, for the sake of his son.

And so, they decided to seal the Sky.

(They didn't understand that their intentions were right, but their method was wrong.)

Tsuna whimpered as the old man brought his finger closer to his forehead –the finger that was lit up with a fire that was a familiar shade of orange (but for some reason, the fire seemed cold instead of hot, and it was wrongwrongwrongwrong-). The orange fire inside him hissed at him to runrunrunrun, but for some reason he stayed transfixed on his spot, unable to move at all. The cold fire that lit up the finger neared him, and he squeezed his eyes shut as a feeling of dreaddespairdoom- settled deep in his bones, and he knew that if those fingers touched his skin, he would never be the same again.

He squeezed his eyes shut in terror, and a moment later he could even feel the cold fire sending goosebumps on his skin as it was mere inches away from him. He held his breath as the orange fire inside him writhed helplessly, as if screaming for help-

-and then as soon as his panic reached a new height, everything stopped. The feelings of cold despair inside him faded away in an instant, leaving behind his orange fire jumping in glee and barely repressed sadism. He could still feel the cold fire just hovering over his forehead –the coldness it emitted sending a shiver down his spine- but for some reason it never made contact with his skin.

Curious and confused about his situation, Tsuna hesitantly opened his eyes, and gaped at the scene before him.

The finger –that was lit up with the cold fire (keepitawayfromme-!) was mere inches from his forehead, but could not move any closer to him, because of a certain Skylark, who had clamped his hand tightly on the old man's wrist, making him unable to move it even an inch.

Cloud-san was here, and he protected him…..

His heart skipped a beat as a warm feeling flooded in his chest, and Tsuna knew that this person will always, always protect him, no matter what.

(Years later, Tsuna would look back at this day and laugh heartily. Because this was the day he actually fell for his dearest Skylark, though he wouldn't realize it until much, much later.)

The raven haired boy slid between Vongola Timoteo and Sawada Tsunayoshi –his Baby Sky- ignoring the gaping Iemitsu in background.

Small, chubby hands clung to his dark jacket, and a watery voice sniffled, and whispered, "C-Cloud-san…."

"Nagi," Kyoya mumbled in a somewhat calm tone, barely repressing his bloodthirst and fury. "Keep an eye on baby omnivore, will you?"

"Hai, Onii-sama!" Nagi quivered as she grabbed Tsuna –making him release Kyoya's jacket from his hold and coaxing him to keep him safe- and the two of them retreated.

As Tsuna followed Mist-chan to the other end of the backyard of his house, he glanced back at his Cloud-san and watched as he materialized his tonfas from thin air and growled at the two older men, who now stared at him warily.

"For attacking the baby omnivore, I will bite you to death!"

"Wait-!"

Iemitsu couldn't even get out a word before he was interrupted by a metallic tonfa smacking straight on his head, and he barely ducked under it. Hibari Kyoya spun the tonfa that was left in his hands and struck Nono's outstretched hand, which Timoteo only dodged because of his hyper-intuition. Kyoya then moved and attacked the two older men with the grace of a carnivore, aiming each attack at their vital points. He knew he couldn't kill them –not because he couldn't because that's a big fat lie (no it's not)but because his Baby Sky would be upset, and would be scarred for life, and Kyoya didn't want that. So biting them for now would do. And so would maiming and torture.

What was even more frustrating was that the two didn't even retaliate. the two of them had just made eye contact and nodded in understand –as if they had understood each other's intentions with just an eye contact- and kept dodging his attacks. And he hated it. The bastardo were underestimating him.

He'll make them pay.

His attacks got faster and harsher, and soon the two of them had difficulty suppressing the urge to not hurt him back as they tried their best to dodge his attacks. The ground groaned and cracked, the grass was uprooted, and even a lone tree that had the bad fortune to come in his path was uprooted.

(Nana jumped as another tremble shook her house and sighed dazedly.

"Ara, looks like Kyoya-kun is playing hunt once again." Nana mumbled as she kept washing dishes and hummed under her breath, wondering if she should make some snacks after the children were done playing. They would get hungry after all this playing, right?)

Timoteo Vongola took in the destruction caused by the child that looked like a mini-copy of the Cloud Guardian of Primo, and there was only one thing in his mind. Cloud. The child was definitely a cloud, considering how he flew into a rage when he saw someone under his protection being harmed –even if the child didn't understand what was actually going on (Oh how wrong he was). He resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall. Because of course the child happened to be a Cloud. Of course he was a Cloud that was equally –if not more- bloodthirsty like his predecessor infamous for his temper.

Jut his luck.

Sighing, he decided to put an end to this fight. First he would need to knock out the rampaging child before he gets out of control, and then have a talk with them.

(Kyoya could feel something change instinctively, and from his years of experiences with fights, he knew that Vongola Nono would retaliate. Something, he thinks that his baby Sky also understood –thanks to his hyper intuition- as his Sky Flames roared-

-And before Kyoya could dodge or retaliate against the older man who though he could restrain Kyoya with a mere karate chop to his neck –did this herbivore (because a carnivore would never turn down a challenge from another carnivore, and Nono has been dodging him all this time and did not retaliate like a true carnivore) actually think of him to be so weak to be defeated by a mere karate chop? He is asking to be bitten to death, right?- he found himself staring at familiar brunette boy standing protectively before him, his hands and forehead lit up with pure Sky Flames, and there was only one word that escaped Kyoya's lips at that moment, which described all his emotions perfectly-

"Wao.")

(to be continued~)

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AN:- Pfft, yeah right, I was joking. I could never do that to you guys. I REALLY wanted to end this chapter like this (amazing cliffie, isn't it?) but I couldn't. So, enjoy Tsu-kun's badassery that has been rubbed off on him by Kyoya.

And give me some reviews in return, will ya?

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He didn't expect his plan to go spectacularly wrong when he tried to knock the raven haired child out with a hand cloaked in hypnotizing Sky Flames -that'd make the child unconscious immediately- and found another pair of hands clenching his Flamed hand tightly, lit in familiar orange flames that pulsed with purity.

Timoteo Vongola blanched when he found himself staring into glaring amber eyes of a brunette, and a small, orange flame lit on his forehead. The very same flames were also lit on his hands, which held on tightly to his own hand that had been cloaked in Sky Flames.

Timoteo let the flames on his hands extinguish as his mind whirled with thoughts. The child –Sawada Tsunayoshi- was in Hyper Dying Will Mode, at the age of five. Without any prior training or proper knowledge about his situation. And he had single-handledly stopped Timoteo from dealing a finishing blow –even if the Mafia Boss had been paying more attention on the Cloud child and had been caught off guard. there is only one word that summarized this situation perfectly.

-What.

Tsunayoshi –when he released Timoteo won't move to attack his friends, took a step back, and slid his eyes to give a warning glare to his Papa, who stuttered god-knows-what as he stared at Tsuna with wide eyes.

"Tsuna," His father mumbled, "You-"

"No one here wants to hear anything from you." Tsuna declared, making Iemitsu shut up in an instant. His eyes then slid onto the older man before him, deeming him a threat greater than his Papa, and said, "Tsu-kun, no- " he paused, and then continued on, the amber in his eyes burned a brighter shade as he said, "I don't like it when someone hurts my friends, and that is what you did when you-" he stared accusingly at Vongola Nono, "tried to do to Cloud-sa- ahem, I mean Kyoya-san."

"But he attacked us first!" Iemitsu argued.

"He was protecting me." Tsuna said calmly. "I don't see how he had done anything wrong here." He then tilted his head and said, "He is a protector of Namimori. Anything he deems dangerous to Namimori's citizens is bitten to death. And I support him."

He then eyed the two older men as his intuition hummed and whispered conspiringly in his ears, and he said, "Your presence in Namimori brings danger here. It'd be better if you go back to wherever you came from." Iemitsu opened his mouth to argue once again but was cut off by Tsuna's stern, "Or do you want people to get hurt because of you?"

The two men quietly shared a glance –as if conversing with their eyes- and in the end, it was Vongola Timoteo who said, "We will retreat then." He placed a reassuring hand over Iemitsu's shoulder and glanced at the young children before him. A protective Sky, a bloodthirsty Cloud, and a possessive Mist. If he didn't have any children, he'd have had chosen Tsunayoshi as his heir. Tsunayoshi would make a good Boss.

(Un)fortunately, he already had three sons who have been training to be his heir ever since they could walk. That means sooner or later, Tsuna would either have to join mafia –with or without his consent- or get his Flames sealed –or suppressed- if he wanted to live a civilian life. But then again, seeing how protective his Elements were being of their Sky –which the baby Sky reciprocated easily- maybe that won't be necessary.

They will retreat for now. Staying long on a foreign Sky' home -especially when the foreign Sky's Cloud thinks of this place as his own territory- was a disaster waiting to happen.

(There was a reason Sky Flames are the only Flames in nature that could harmonize with other flames. When a Sky rages, they can destroy as much as a Storm. In face of a conflict, it is the Sky that soothes down their Elements –just like how Rain calms the disputes. In face of adversity, a Sky's resolve shine as bright as the Sun. A Sky stands before his Elements, protecting them from harm, just like lightning that attacks head-first for the sake of their loved ones. The Sky suppresses their pain and worries and smiles for the sake of their elements and deceives them with grins and well placed words, just like Mist. And the Sky is very possessive of those they count as theirs, just like the Cloud.)

They will have to get away before this newly awakened Sky snaps, and rages –bringing the fury of the Cloud and the Mist with him. It's not that they can't deal with a raging Sky –in fact, Timoteo has experience in it (considering he had deal with Xanxus on a daily basis, it isn't that much of a surprise) but Tsunayoshi is a young child who had just awakened his Sky flames and had already jumped to HDW-Mode. If he is pushed even more in this state, it will only harm the child further. So, for the sake of this child, they will retreat for now.

He'll send someone –probably Lal, because Reborn won't deal with something as small as this (at least in his eyes) until he asks it as a favor, and Timoteo would like to not waste Reborn's favors so easily (because you can't get the favor from the greatest Hitman in the World that easily)- later to deal with this mess.

And so, Vongola Timoteo and Sawada Iemitsu retreated and went back to Italy, leaving behind three children, two of whom surrounded the brunette as soon as the Flames lighting on his hands and forehead disappeared, leaving behind severe burns and his exhausted body.

Kyoya grabbed Tsuna before he could collapse on the ground and clutched him closer to his chest. The brunette buried his head in his chest and inhales sharply.

"Cloud-san….."

"Sleep, baby Omnivore." Kyoya mumbled as he patted his head as if he were some sort of pet. "Everything will be fine."

Grey eyes flashed with pride as he pulled Tsuna closer to him and made his way through the backyard –that looked as if some disaster struck it- into Baby Omnivre's house, and muttered under his breath, "You did well, mio Cielo."

The brunette child's eyes fluttered open and stared dazedly at the person carrying him into the house. The fire inside him curled in pleasure, and the warmth he felt at Kyoya's compliment momentarily took over the pain.

"Thank you, Cloud-san." Tsuna mumbled under his breath as he let himself fall unconscious, trusting his Cloud to protect him and care for him in his vulnerable state.

Hibari Kyoya just hummed in acknowledgement, but halted his steps a moment later and tilted his head a bit and mumbled, "You can drop the illusions now, Nagi, they won't be coming back to harm anyone anytime soon."

Nagi stared at him with an unreadable look in her eyes and then nodded. "Alright, onii-sama. I'll follow you in a moment."

Kyoya then shrugged and brought his Baby Sky into the house for a quick first aid, unaware of the way red flashed (with kanji of number Six) in Nagi's right eye.

With a wave of her –(his?)- hand, indigo flames flashed and shimmered around the ground, and suddenly the creepy carnivorous plants -that and been inching nearer to the spot where Kyoya had been fighting Vongola Nono and Iemitsu- disappeared. Heterochromatic eyes glanced contemplatively at the door the Skylark had just entered with his sky, and a moment later, a smirk bloomed on (not)Nagi's lips.

"Kufufufufufu~" A creepy laugh escaped her(his?) lips as (s)he mumbled under her(his?) breath. "How interesting~"