OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.
Ryohei
This is how the sun comforts the moon.
Panic
When Ryohei first sees the small little girl with the large eyes and long hair standing in the middle of the road, he extremely panics. If he can't stop in time, he might extremely hurt her! And why isn't she moving yet!?
Extreme
Ryohei manages to skid to a halt before they can collide though, to which he breathes a sigh of relief. The little girl who sorta, really, kinda reminds him of his cute sister doesn't flinch, even when it looks like she's going to get hurt.
He decides she's really very extreme, just for that alone.
Kyoko always tells him that it's a tad scary when he comes running in from out of nowhere.
Introductions
Reiki is, exactly like he suspected, an extreme training partner, the first one he's ever met that can keep up with his extreme workouts! Even better, she introduces him to her friends, who are all just as extreme as she is!
Ghost
Ryohei isn't the smartest guy in the school, but he tries to catch all of the important parts in his life before they can slip away. That wouldn't be extreme at all!
He is the first one who realizes that Reiki sometimes looks through them all, like they're not there, like she's seeing something different. As if they are all ghosts of people she knew before.
"Life should be lived to the extreme!" he tells her one day when he notices her staring distantly at Tsuna and Takeshi, who are talking to each other in quiet voices. "You shouldn't dwell on the past so much, Reiki!"
She blinks and smiles, a rueful edge to her expression. "Dwell on the past, hmm? You're right, of course. Thanks, Ryohei-kun."
He simply beams brightly and sends her a thumbs-up.
Brash
"You can't be so thoughtless," she berates when she has to bandage his wounds for the sixth time that week. "Stay off this leg for the next week, Ryohei-kun! I mean it!"
"But I have extreme training to do!" he protests, even as he tries to think of an excuse to tell his sister later. He does not want her to have to worry about him again.
"That doesn't matter, not when your body is in such a shape," she says sternly, hands nonetheless gentle on his cuts and bruises. "You can train to the extreme when your body is healed to the extreme."
Happiness
This is how they laugh.
Clumsy
"We have a test in Engl - whoa, careful there, Tsuna!" Takeshi grabs his arm seconds before he would have gone down, tripping over his own haphazard shoelaces. The baseball player hauls Tsuna up, glancing over him carefully.
Tsuna blushes heavily, stuttering his thanks while Noriko kneels to tie his shoelaces properly. They both wave him off and drag him to class before Kyoya can come up behind them and start a game of cat and mouse.
Leaning against a column not far away, said boy sighs in resignation and rolls his eyes.
Game
"Wow, Yamamoto-san, you were incredible!"
"Yeah, it's all because of you that we were able to win today!"
"Hahaha, thanks guys." Takeshi smiles and rubs the back of his head, eyes scanning the crowd. He spots fluffy brown and platinum blonde and snow white in no time and his face lights up. "Ah, I'll see you all later, okay?"
Without waiting for an answer, he breaks off from his team to bask in Tsuna's sincere congratulations and Noriko's tight hug and Ryohei's bone-breaking slap on the back.
Help
"Ryohei-kun, be careful," Noriko scolds lightly after she rescues Sasagawa Kyoko with some good old pepper spray. She bandages the boxer's minor wounds with his first-aid kit while Tsuna fusses over Kyoko and Takeshi serves sushi.
Kyoya is already tracking down the stupid high school students responsible, bloodthirsty grin in place and tonfas in hand. No one feels a shred of pity, not even kind Tsuna.
Ryohei just smiles gratefully at her. "Thank you very much, Reiki!"
Noriko sighs, but answers for the group with a bright smile. "Anytime."
Birthday
When Kyoya's birthday comes around, Noriko giggles mischievously and tells everyone two weeks beforehand.
That day, Kyoya finds a book on ancient Japanese traditions, a perfectly cooked hamburger steak, a gakuran jacket, and a three-tier birthday cake on his rooftop. There isn't even any crowding or chattering involved.
It's not so bad, he admits to himself, taking a bite of the cake. It's delicious and exactly to his taste.
Graduation
Ryohei and Kyoya both graduate before the rest of them do.
By this point, Tsuna has grown used to the Cloud's rigid ways and steady presence. Takeshi is friendly and easygoing to the point that even aggressive Kyoya does not deter him.
And they have gotten along with Ryohei from the start.
Tsuna's quieter than usual. Takeshi's smile is strained. Noriko just sulks and pouts, mental age be damned.
Ryohei grins brightly and reassures them that their morning runs will extremely continue. Kyoya deadpans and tells them that if they break the rules, he'll bite them to death, middle school or not.
Fireworks
The explosions form sparkles and glitter, stars and diamonds and hope. They light up the sky in crimson, azure, emerald, gold. Even after the fireworks are gone, they stay on their little hill.
Tsuna falls asleep on Takeshi's shoulder. Ryohei snores on the soft grass, splayed out on Noriko's right. Kyoya dozes on his folded up jacket, and Noriko exchanges a happy glance with Takeshi.
This is how things should be. This is contentment.
(But there are three empty spaces that only she realizes they have left between themselves without even noticing.)