Under a Clouded Blue
Summary:
"My ambition in life? To conquer the world because destroying the mafia is so last season and I never got around with it the last time anyway…kufufu."
In which Rokudo Mukuro is reborn into a parallel world and finds himself in the position of every other SI/OC. Did he mention Hibari Kyoya being his younger brother?
To hell with what Sepira's spirit has to say about him making sure everyone —even bloody Byakuran— plays the role they did in his previous life. But if that dead woman promises those imported chocolate bonbons from Kawahira's store— "Sure. Why not?"
Featuring the evil mastermind and guardian angel of the canon!character's fates (the hell?): Rokudo Mukuro/Hibari Kuroo.
DISCLAIMER: Amano Akira owns it all. Except the plot and a few characters of course.
WARNING: Mind the language and grammar, I don't have a beta.
A/N:
Additional information that when my characters are speaking in Japanese, all such speeches will be in italics. This is only for when smol boi Kyoya appears.
15. Superbi Squalo.
Watching the future Vice-Commander of Varia get trashed by tante for the use of "Mon dieu, such uncultured language!" was one of the best sights Hibari Kuroo had ever witnessed in this life.
And to think this will be the man to carry Varia, Kuroo scoffed, the one who will provide the clutches for the assassination squad.
Kuroo had long recovered from the initial shock of reality being shoved at his face.
Well, it had just taken him about a minute. After all, this was a parallel of the old world he had lived in so running into people he knew from his past life would obviously be inevitable.
Somehow, he realized, he had already mentally prepared himself for it somewhere along the nine years (and counting) of his new life.
"That stupid woman." The spiky silver haired teen cursed once tante had walked out of the living room to get something to drink. He wore a frown as he rubbed his sore ear (no thanks to the blonde who had practically dragged him in by the ear while telling him off in rapid French).
Kuroo smirked.
"Voi, the fuck are you smiling for?" The other narrowed his eyes. "Piece of shit."
"I have a name." His smirk only seemed to widen. "It's Kuroo."
After a moment of assessment, the silver haired teen (Kuroo seemed unable to recall his name, perhaps this man had barely made an impact on him in his previous life— apart from all the yelling and swearing) grunted. "Squalo."
"Ah," Kuroo nodded to himself as the name came back to him. Superbi Squalo. "Of course, you're the shark."
"Excuse me?"
"Squalo, Italian for shark." Kuroo shrugged. "Sto solo dicendo che sembra molto appropriato."
"Conosci anche l'italiano?" Squalo raised an eyebrow.
"I guess." Kuroo hummed as he switched back to French. "There's no fun in knowing just two languages."
Squalo seemed to pause before nodding. "Yes. I have to agree."
There was a silence that settled between the two. Not an awkward one, but one that was heavy with curiosity (mostly on the silver haired teen's part) and nonchalance (on the raven's part).
It didn't take long before tante reappeared with a tray in her hands, balancing two cups filled to the brim.
"Here, I got some fruit drinks." Tante Alison huffed as she placed the tray on the glass table before them. "These were the only things I could find, seigneur! This house is lacking the required food and drinks!" She exclaimed. "What has Casimir been doing ever since the maids and cooks left for vacation!? And the butler is senile, he can't even hear!"
"Tante, you should calm down." Kuroo rolled his eyes as he took a sip from his cup. "You've just arrived and you're already making such a big fuss."
"Merde! What has maman been eating these past few days!?"
"Voi, lady, you're panicking like its the fuc—" Squalo quickly changed his choice of words, almost choking on his drink in the process, at the sharp glare thrown at him by the blonde, "like it's the end of the world. You can always hire some temporary staff."
"He's got a point there." Kuroo nodded.
She appeared to be in deep thought.
"You," she pointed at Squalo before jabbing her finger back at Kuroo, "show him around the house while I see to more important matters. And find Casimir while you're at it; tell him we need the best wine for tonight's dinner."
"Well, she sure is bossy." Squalo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose after Alison had left. "Same old, same old, anyway, come along. Let's get this done with quickly, I have my sword to take care of after this."
"You play a sport?" Kuroo casually asked as he followed the spiky silver haired teen out of the room. "Fencing?"
"Hah, me? Use a flimsy toothpick!?" Squalo roared with laughter. He shook his head. "Well, I am a prodigy and do own one of those, but I now use a real deal sword made of steel; very sharp and heavy, it can actually kill! But kids like you wouldn't know." He paused. "However, if you're a good boy, I might as well show it to you...and maybe even make you hold it too."
"Have you killed anyone?"
"Huh?"
"You said your sword is so sharp and heavy, it can actually kill, didn't you?" Kuroo asked with nonchalance. "So I was wondering, have you actually killed anyone with it?"
Squalo stopped in his tracks and turned around with narrowed eyes. He seemed to actually really assess Kuroo this time— the boy simply wearing a smile as he did, making an uneasy feeling stir within him.
This Japanese brat is different.
"Well?"
And Squalo did not like how his smile seemed almost teasing.
"I won't tell on you." Kuroo brought a finger to his lips and cocked his head to the side, a picture of perfect innocence. "Your secret will be safe with me—"
"Stop." Squalo practically growled, slapping Kuroo's hand away from his lips. "Stop that."
"Is there a problem here, boys?" A smooth voice interrupted the two.
Casimir DeLauro stealthily slunk out from the shadows of the staircase they had been walking past, catching them by surprise.
"Tonton, your sister is looking for you." Kuroo said, his eyes momentarily narrowing. He hadn't heard him, or even sensed his presence in the first place. "She wants the best wine for tonight's dinner."
"That can be arranged for." The blond hummed as his arm slowly took a place round his nephew's shoulder. "So, it appears you have made a new friend..."
"Casimir." Squalo acknowledged the man stiffly. "I was not aware you would be here."
"And neither was I that you would." The man cocked his head to the side, ignoring the boy's rudeness in addressing him. "I had presumed that you would be busy with all your travelling and silly sword waving."
"It's not—" Squalo suddenly burst out before reeling in his anger. "They are called duels. Sword duels not...not silly sword waving."
"So you do kill?" Kuroo immediately snatched at the chance.
"I do—"
"What on earth are you telling my nephew?" Casimir quirked his brow.
"He told me his sword can kill." Kuroo looked up at his uncle.
"Voi!"
"Teaching a nine year old such a violent concept—"
"VOI!" Squalo yelled in frustration.
Somehow, this uncle and nephew duo seemed to be teaming up against him in a rather seamless effort despite meeting for the first time. And this annoyed Squalo.
The two quietened down and eerily eyed him before cocking their heads to the side, waiting for him to speak.
Squalo felt a shiver run down his spine at the sheer synchronization. He huffed. "Stop it, stop teaming up against me."
"I was not aware we were teaming up against you."
"I was just trying to get an answer for my question too."
"See!" Squalo pointed at them accusingly.
Casimir brought his hand up to rest atop Kuroo's head. "Maybe you're just jealous because you don't have a tonton to have a relationship like we do?"
"No, I am not jealous and neither do I want such a relationship." He growled in frustration. "You know what? Keep that thought to yourself, or even better, shove it up your fucking asshole." Squalo threw his hands in the air as he turned around and headed for the exit. "I'm getting the fuck out of here."
"Be back before dinner!" Kuroo called out after the retreating figure of the silver haired teen in the most endearing tone he could manage only to receive the middle finger flipped at him in return.
"I think we're going to get along just fine in these two weeks." Casimir hummed, pleased.
Mamie Renée was impressed.
No.
She was delighted.
And couldn't stop fawning over Kuroo.
The woman practically jumped at him after he had greeted her and given her a thorough explanation (in fluent French, of course) on why his mother and little brother couldn't make it.
Tante Alison had even made a passing remark that Mamie Renée would have gladly just pushed her entire inheritance upon Kuroo, had Casimir not been the heir to it. The man who had also been present at that time just nodded in agreement.
Mamie Renée then rushed into preparing a boeuf bourguignon for dinner meant especially just for Kuroo.
She definitely did fit the role of a doting grandmother alright.
When dinner rolled by, everyone was present and seated at the table; the stray shark who had made such a dramatic exit included.
(He had magically reappeared the moment dinner was to be served. Oh, the wonders of food.)
"Squalo, you said you had one more competition this December before the year ends, didn't you?" Alison said as she placed a rather generous portion of the boeuf bourguignon unto Kuroo's plate.
"Kufufu, more silly sword waving?" Kuroo teased with little subtlety while paying great attention to his plate.
The sharp scraping of knife against china sounded almost immediately, followed by a deep sigh. "Voi. They're duels, you fuck—"
"Language!" Tante Alison sent Squalo a sharp look that was ignored anyway.
(Mamie Renée, much like Casimir, didn't seem to flinch or even bat an eye at the slang words being passed around. Kuroo believed she must have gotten used to it after having Squalo around quite often.)
"—ing dipshit."
"Forgive me." Kuroo put on an apologetic front. "I was just trying to jest."
"Yeah right." Squalo stabbed at his food. "And yes, tante. It's...more of a one-on-one. Not exactly a competition."
"Last time you said that, Casimir told me you returned barely alive!" Alison narrowed her eyes. "Does this one even have rules? Who's organizing it? Are you sure this isn't something that is life endangering?"
"You're not my mother." Squalo rolled his eyes.
"Oooh," Kuroo stage whispered, "salty."
"Jeune garçon, if you don't keep quiet and eat—"
"Can't I converse with family?" Kuroo innocently batted his lashes at her. But Tante Alison knew better and returned his gesture with a sharp glare. He huffed. "Fine."
"My boy, are you enjoying the meal?" Mamie Renée asked him from her end of the table, effectively taking his attention away from the two. "Is the boeuf bourguignon to your liking?"
"There is nothing that could compare to how you prepared it, Mamie. No other chef could hold a candle to your boeuf bourguignon." Kuroo smiled. "Thank you for feeding me such an appetizing dish."
The woman beamed. "Very good." She nodded. "You are a very well mannered boy, as expected of Izanami's son."
There was an unfortunate choking fit from Squalo's part on hearing this.
The silver haired teen whipped his head to the side to face the raven head who was seated next to him. "You're tante Izanami's fucking son!?"
Kuroo blinked as he turned. "Yes. Was my face not obvious enough? I am a beauty, much like my own mother."
"Fuck, what do you— shit, she's here!?"
"Squalo, I will drag you to the sink and wash the filthy language from your mouth with detergent if you keep this up." Tante Alison slammed her fork down. "Or even better, I will tell Izanami of your behavior."
Kuroo's eyes glinted with interest when the silver haired boy seemed to pale considerably.
"Are you scared of my maman?" He tilted his head to the side with a slow forming smile.
"No!" Squalo defended himself a little too quickly.
Kuroo couldn't help the full blow smirk that was now plastered onto his face. "Oh, okay."
"If there is anyone in the family who has a firm hold on his leash, it's your maman." Casimir casually piped in. "The boy is terrified of her."
"My maman comes tomorrow, I simply can't wait to tell her all about you!" Kuroo exclaimed with glee.
Squalo's eyes were wide with alarm. "Voi, you wouldn't dare—"
"If you tell me who is organizing the upcoming competition, I will make sure this jeune garçon doesn't tattle on you." Tante Alison smoothly bargained.
Kuroo wrinkled his nose. "Tante, you're such a killjoy."
"Fine." Squalo sighed. "The Varia."
The raven head almost dropped his own fork at the sudden mention of Vongola's independent assassination squad. He quickly tightened his grip over the handle to prevent the silverware from slipping off his hand. It sure had taken him by surprise.
(All of this had happened very fast.
But hadn't gone unnoticed by a certain someone who sat across Kuroo.)
"Varia?" Tante Alison frowned. "What kind of group—"
Mamie Renée raised her brow at the same time. "Varia? Now why does that sound so familiar—"
"A school. It's a school that holds fencing competitions, like one-on-one's, every winter." Squalo quickly replied, not giving both women a chance to think much about it. "I have to go up against the one in charge. I guess you can say it's a sort of initiation ceremony if we want to join the organi— school."
The raven head snorted.
A school alright. Kuroo rolled his eyes. But it seems that he's already aware of the assassination squad. Perhaps, this is the time period where he will soon take over the reins of Varia.
Kuroo had little knowledge with regard to the silver haired teen's past except for the fact that he had attended one of the most prestigious Mafia schools in Italy.
What he was also aware of (no thanks to a certain Rain Guardian who liked to talk a little too much during missions— to such an extent that Kuroo remembered it in this life as well, wao) was that Squalo had acquired the leadership over Varia during his teens before shifting it over to Xanxus, the "born to rage baby", almost right after.
Has he met Xanxus yet? Kuroo wondered.
Tante Alison still seemed suspicious but nodded anyway. "Alright."
"Can I join the school as well?" Kuroo asked. "It sounds really fun."
"No."
Needless to say, his request was shot down by the two at the same time.
Spoilsports.
"Do you train in any physical arts as well?" Casimir raised the question as dinner slowly drew to an end.
"Martial arts." Kuroo replied.
"Much like Squalo, he's a prodigy." Tante Alison supplied. "Began learning it ever since he was..."
"Six."
"Ah, yes." She nodded. "Six. And he now holds a black belt in karate and judo, while currently training in the arts of Muay Thai."
"At the age of nine? Already?" Mamie Renée asked in disbelief.
"That is simply wonderful." Casimir's eyes glinted with interest.
"I'm one of a kind." Kuroo preened.
"Why not stick to just one art?" Squalo scoffed.
"Better more talent than a stagnant one that involves silly sword wa— oh, sorry. That just slipped out of my tongue."
"I'd watch my back if I were you." Squalo growled low.
"I'm terribly frightened." Kuroo faked a shiver.
"Voi, I do not like you now."
"Does that mean you actually liked me?" Kuroo batted his lashes (and such fine fucking long ones they were, it annoyed Squalo how distracting they proved to be as the shithead drew closer), his voice dropping to a low whisper just loud enough for the other to hear. "Am I too attractive that I have stirred some forbidden feelings in your heart?"
Squalo's eyes grew wide in horror at the implication. "What the—"
"Even though we're distant cousins, it might still be considered incestuous you know."
"—FUCK!" The silver haired teen yelled as he stood up, chair sharply scraping against the marbled floor.
"Well, that was a rather quick progression. I take it you don't like to take things slow?" Kuroo angelically cocked his head to the side (if such an act was even possible). "...but we're both still minors..."
"The fuck is wrong with you!?" Squalo spluttered, ignoring tante Alison's indignation in the background. "Who taught you such— fuck!"
The silver haired teen had tripped in a poorly executed attempt to get away. He fell face first so it wasn't much of a surprise that he had been knocked out cold right after.
Tante was already by his side, and Mamie Renée on her feet.
"Well," Kuroo blinked at the scene before him that escalated a little too quickly to be real, "I never took him to be someone who had a penchant for soap operas."
"Italians have drama in their blood." Casimir offered from across the table as he calmly sipped on his wine.
There was a pause of understanding.
"Ah."
When Superbi Squalo woke, it was to daylight streaming into the room.
And the annoying Japanese brat's face hovering right above him.
"Fuck!" He exclaimed as he shot up, pushing the boy away in the process. "Have you never heard of personal space!?"
The boy remained unusually quiet as he continued staring at him with those eerily blank steel grey eyes— wait. Grey!?
Squalo did a double take and realized the other seemed much smaller than he had remembered him to be.
On second thought, scratch that, the boy in front of him was definitely not Kuroo. Everything about this partial lookalike of the monster from last night (oh yes, he remembered what the little shithead had done!) screamed calm and curious rather than smug and haughty.
"Who are you?" He frowned.
"Kyoya." The boy titled his head to the side, something that seemed like déjà vu. "...kamikorosu."
"Huh?" Squalo blinked at the unfamiliar sentence. Sure, he knew Japanese, but he still struggled with the language, in terms of being fluent in it.
Wait, Japanese?
"Voi, don't tell me you're another fucking son—"
"Ah, Squalo!" A very familiar voice he hadn't heard for years called out in French as the door opened.
—and Squalo had almost bit off his tongue in a hurried attempt to rein in the curse word.
"I see you're finally awake. Did you come to just now?"
There stood Hibari Izanami in all her grace and beauty, wearing her hair in a neat low braid, carrying a tray of medicine and food in her hands. She beamed at him as she stepped into the room.
"Oka-san, he just used a bad word." Kyoya said as he turned around to greet his mother. "Will you scold him too?"
The silver haired teen's eyes widened in horror at the kid's words. This brat understands French!?
"Iie, Kyoya." Izanami said as she placed the tray on the bedside table before turning to scoop her youngest up into her arms. "You're as bad as your brother when it comes to pointing fingers at people, did you know that?"
The boy wrinkled his nose in reply.
The woman laughed again, making Squalo feel warm. It had been such a long time since he'd heard her melodious laughter. And seen her too.
So her sudden appearance wasn't really helping his poor heart.
He averted his gaze at he tightly clenched the blanket his hand had been resting on. This wasn't how he had wanted her to see him.
In bed.
Because of a chair.
How uncool, he thought.
Izanami had raised him like a son even though it had been for a short time. And then she kept in constant contact with him, caring for this health and welfare.
It was only right for him, he had long before decided, to feel guilty for not growing up like the model child he was sure she had wanted him to become.
He couldn't help but feel like such a letdown.
And somehow, it sucked.
"Squalo, I heard you were knocked out cold last night during dinner?" Izanami asked as she sat on the edge of the bed, resting her son on her lap.
Squalo felt himself turn pink (to his utter horror) at the embarrassing detail. He was going to kill Kuroo for landing him in such a predicament. "It was nothing."
"I was told you tripped because of your chair." She continued. "I never took you to be the clumsy type. How much has changed ever since I left?"
"This was just the first time." Squalo hissed, refusing to look up. "I'm very careful."
There was a short pause before Izanami started chuckling. "Don't worry, I was just teasing you." She shook her head. "And besides, I already gave Kuroo a sound scolding. I understand he can be a little too much sometimes."
"You did?" Squalo asked in surprise, lifting his head up and finally meeting her eyes.
"I did." Izanami beamed. "And I can tell you with confidence that he is very sorry for whatever it is that startled you last night. In fact, he will soon be here to offer his apology too."
Squalo felt a shiver run down his spine. So even the Japanese brat didn't stand a chance against his own mother, how frightening.
"Oka-san, who is he?" Kyoya interrupted Squalo's line of thought. "I want to kamikorosu."
"Kyoya, no." Izanami lightly pinched his cheek. "This is Squalo. He is as good as your older brother, alright?"
(Squalo would deny feeling all warm and fuzzy when she'd referred to him as her own son because he did not do warm and fuzzy— he was going to join an assassination squad soon enough for god's sake!)
"Another Kuroo?" Kyoya sounded displeased.
Squalo raised a brow. Did the Japanese brat's younger brother hate him too?
(Oh how wrong Squalo would later come to learn he had been.)
"More or less." Izanami laughed.
The door suddenly opened again to reveal Kuroo.
Speak of the devil.
"Ah, you've finally arrived." Izanami nodded. "Come over here now and say you're sorry to Squalo."
The silver haired teen had been expecting a protest or something of the like, so he was rather taken aback when the raven simply shrugged and replied with a, "Sure."
Squalo couldn't help but narrow his eyes as the boy approached his bed rather normally.
"I apologize for being so honest last night. I was just trying to carry on the line in which you had started the conversation, I didn't think you would have such a," Kuroo paused, "such a violent reaction to it."
Squalo deadpanned. "You call that an apology?"
"You want something else?" Kuroo raised an eyebrow.
And then suddenly, before the silver haired teen could voice out a reply, the Japanese brat leaned in and pecked his cheek before drawing back with a cheeky smile.
"A kiss to heal your boo-boo?" Kuroo faked a gasp. "Oh my, was that your first kiss?"
It took a second for reality to really settle down upon Squalo.
Another to forget that Izanami was in the room.
And one more for him to lunge out of bed and after Kuroo who was already halfway out the room.
"Voi! Come back here you fucking brat!"
Casimir DeLauro watched in interest at the two boys who seemed to be sparring in the open space of the orchard.
Perhaps a "spar" was not the right word, seeing how one of them was busy jabbing his sword at the other who, in a very impressive display of stealth, dodged every move without even seeming to break a sweat.
He heard his nephew's laughter ring out clearly in amusement.
This only appeared to enrage the silver haired teen who was growing angrier by the second.
Squalo had a lot of pride, so losing to a boy who had insulted his way of fighting just the last night was not something he was going to accept easily.
Casimir had been returning from the winery when he'd heard Squalo's loud cursing. That was what had drawn him over to be a spectator of the scene before him from the shade of the fruit trees, in a spot where he wouldn't be noticed by either of them.
The boys had most likely been at it since the whole afternoon, he discerned.
"Hibari Kuroo." He hummed to himself as his eyes followed his nephew's fluid movements.
The boy looked more like he was performing a dance rather than fighting; always sticking on to defense and never once shifting to offense. Somehow, his nephew seemed far too graceful for someone his age— it all but appeared unreal.
Hibari Kuroo had a lot of potential.
All he needed now was just to harvest it right.
Some more time had passed when Squalo gave out a triumphant roar as his blade drew a long red line across the boy's cheek.
The silver haired teen declared they weren't finished before stumbling back to the mansion to "take care of some business".
Kuroo simply huffed and followed him, calling after the other in a teasing tone.
"Oh, it's already over."
Casimir had decided to head back too but stopped short when the raven suddenly turned around with narrowed eyes. He remained still as his nephew seemed to scan the area with suspicion before shrugging it off and leaving.
Casimir felt his lips quirk up in a smirk.
He'd just witnessed something rather interesting. His nephew was very sharp, no doubt, but that wasn't it.
It was the cut; the wound inflicted on his cheek by Squalo, the long and ugly bleeding red line—
Gone, as if it had already healed.
"How very curious."
A/N:
I was supposed to have this out by February but oh well.
Also, if you didn't get the last bit of this fic, Kuroo used his Flame of Hades (yes, that fancy flame he acquired that has properties of time, so yeah, you do the math as to how he healed his wound).
Yes. He uses it too. It's just that I don't write about it much but he has been actively making use of it ever since he discovered about it.
A big thank you to my reviewers (y'all make me so happy) Meilinfan, SugarAlien, kalmaegi, Maester Ta, Neko1290, Rangle, Iceless, bloodshound, mikkaskiee, ren7720, TheSilverHunt3r, mer, BlueAutumn12, Failing Wings, almakarma18, Shiro-chan1827, AlunaGray, Guest (Jan 26 c14), Purplebeian, dyingUta, Ritz-chan, TheManyFacesOfAnon, BlankCanvas624 and Guest (Feb 23 c14)!
I replied to most of you through pms, so here are the replies for those who have their pms disabled, are guest reviewers and for the people who's reviews I didn't see until today (I don't know how I missed them)—
Neko1290: I'm really flattered to know you keep on rereading this fic over and over again, haha, also, I'm back after one month rather than three. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :'3
Rangle: please be surprised because I can promise you this fic won't have those genres ;') also, if it ever feels like this fic is turning out to be yaoi, it's either because I like bromance (even straight guys can be really bromantic, I swear) or because Kuroo is a shit-eating little tease, lol
ren7720: Xanxus harmonizing with Kuroo, well, that is indeed interesting. I have definite plot points for the whole fic but I haven't really planned out everything so, we'll see. :')
mer: thank you too :')))
Guest (Jan 26 c14): haha, yeah, he's kinda like Izaya too. Funnily enough, when I try to picture Kuroo, I see him with Izaya's hairdo.
TheManyFacesOfAnon: and here you have the next chapter! lol
BlankCanvas624: aaaah! Reading reviews like yours gets me so hyped! Thank you so much, I really appreciate it that you took time off to write a long review! Also, yeah, a beta huh? I never really thought of it, maybe I'll get myself one when I'm more regular with updates, haha, thanks for the suggestion!
Guest (Feb 23 c14): world domination plans coming soon ;')
Super grateful for all of you who also put this work in your favorites and follows!
Thanks for reading!