DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any of its characters. I do NOT gain any profit from this fan-fiction. It is strictly for my entertainment and anyone who enjoys reading it!

CLAIMER: I OWN the craziness of my Self-Inserted Gary-Stu. Beware!

WARNING: This is a SLASH/MALExMALE/YAOI fan-fiction. If you do NOT like same-sex relationships, then this story is NOT for you. The reborn/self-inserted character may be a Gary-Stue. This story is also fast-paced.

BETA READER: None, so there will be some mistakes that I miss.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I decided to change the story image to just showing Kyoya. I thought it was better this way, instead of it showing 18/27. This change is because of how the story has been progressing. I just…felt that I had to explain to you all why I changed the image. I want to believe that this is just one dimension that was created when Kyoya's new consciousness woke up. Like how if one thing happens that was not supposed to happen, then the dimensions split into two separate paths and creating two different alternatives…I think I explained that right. Hm…

P.S.: Sorry, Knaruto, another cliffhanger.

-Chapter 24-

"I finally figured out that not every crisis can be managed. As much as we want to keep ourselves safe, we can't protect ourselves from everything. If we want to embrace life, we also have to embrace chaos."

― Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Breathing Room

-KHR-

Yamamoto Takeshi was conflicted. He enjoyed hanging out with his friends and found their extended game of Mafia exciting. It kept Yamamoto distracted from the pain of losing his mother, watching his father work himself to the bone, pushing himself to be the best for others despite how Yamamoto felt. He was grateful for Tsuna's friendship, for Gokudera's friendship, and Sasagawa's friendship…, but he was also grateful for Hibari.

The prefect was not as scary as Yamamoto had originally thought, even going as far as opening up his home to all of Tsuna's friends during a tournament another group of Mafia game players wanted to compete in. Yamamoto frowned, looking up at the cloudy sky. He remembered how happy two of his friends were, how utterly devoted Hibari and Tsuna appeared to one another.

Then something happened…Tsuna changed and Yamamoto could not fathom why or what caused it, but…

"Ugh, my head hurts," Yamamoto groaned, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Mine would too if I concentrated as hard as you appeared to be."

Yamamoto jumped and quickly turned towards the voice to see Kusakabe walking towards him, having come through his family's restaurant and out of the back door.

"Kusakabe-san," Yamamoto greeted, his lips curving in an attempt as a smile that fell flat.

Kusakabe stopped a couple of feet away and keeping his arms loosely by his sides in case he had to react suddenly to an attack.

"You said Fuuta-kun was here," Kusakabe stated, getting straight to the point.

"Yes, I don't have Hibari-san's new number," Yamamoto swallowed. "Sawada-san showed up this morning with Fuuta-kun. I thought it was strange to bring Fuuta-kun over for sushi so early in the morning, but before I could ask, Fuuta-kun had ran upstairs and locked himself in my room."

Kusakabe's jaw clenched, his fists balling tightly. Yamamoto took a caution step towards Kusakabe.

"I don't know what is going on or what has happened, but Sawada-san has changed. The rules of this game…I don't want to play anymore," Yamamoto admitted quietly, but his tone firm.

Kusakabe scoffed, staring down his nose at Yamamoto.

"You cannot tell me you can be this naïve, Yamamoto-san. After all this time and everything you and that group of yours has gone through, you still consider this a game?" Kusakabe voiced in disbelief, his words carrying an angry tint. "Let me make this as clear as possible. This is not a game. This never was. People fight, kill and die in this profession. The Mafia is not a game and whether you like it or not, you are in it for life."

Yamamoto paled, his eyes slowly widening, before they closed, He crossed his arms and turned slightly away from Kusakabe, everything since day one flashing through his mind. Yes…yes, everything was real and this situation was just as serious as any other. He turned back to Kusakabe.

"Three weeks ago, Sawada-san was shot by Lambo-kun's purple toy bazooka. Well, I thought it was a toy all this time. When the pink cloud disappeared, Sawada-san was laying on the ground. He looked older than he did seconds before and Gokudera broke down about Sawada-san not breathing," Yamamoto inhaled slowly and exhaled before continuing. "Five minutes later, the pink cloud appeared and Sawada-san, our current Sawada-san was back."

Kusakabe inwardly cursed, recalling Kyoya-san telling him about Lambo-kun's TYL bazooka and what it could do. Something must have happened in the five minutes Sawada was sent ten years into the future. Something so drastic that it caused Tsuna to kidnap Fuuta right out from under two powerful flame users.

"He was sent ten years into the future, it is what the TYL bazooka is designed for," Kusakabe stated even as he prepare to send a quick message to Kyoya about everything he just learned. "Is Fuuta-kun still upstairs?"

At this, Yamamoto grimaced. Kusakabe closed the last step between them, grabbing Yamamoto by the front of his t-shirt and lifting him until they were eye level. Yamamoto's eyes were wide, the tips of his shoes brushing the ground as he gripped Kusakabe's wrists.

"Where?" Kusakabe sneered, ignoring the sound of fabric tearing as he gave Yamamoto an impatient shake.

"Gokudera-san's," Yamamoto choked out, inhaling deeply when Kusakabe suddenly released him and started to leave. "Wa-wait! I'm coming with you."

"Hn."

And if that did not sound just like his friend, Kusakabe was not about to deny it.

-KHR-

Arriving at apartment building where Gokudera resided, Kusakabe wasted no time in getting out of his car and striding into the building. Yamamoto kept pace with Kusakabe, remaining surprisingly quiet as they took the stairs two at a time. At the door, Kusakabe raised a fist to knock when Yamamoto caught it.

"Let me," Yamamoto whispered, gently nudging Kusakabe out of the way.

Agreeing that this was probably for the best, Kusakabe nodded and stepped back to where he was just out of sight of the spyhole. Yamamoto knocked and called out a greeting.

"Gokudera-san?"

The sound of footsteps came closer to the door and Gokudera opened it to see Yamamoto and Kusakabe, the second person causing Gokudera's face to blank. Green eyes landed on Yamamoto; the baseball player's smile gone.

"What have you done?" Gokudera demanded Yamamoto, being sure to keep his voice down. "Hey!"

Kusakabe ignored Gokudera's indignant cry as he pushed his way inside. He immediately spotted a child's school bag along with Fuuta's uniform cap and winter coat.

"Fuuta-kun?" Kusakabe called out, shouldering passed Gokudera when the silver-haired bomber attempted to manhandle him.

A sound came from the back room and Kusakabe barreled into the room only to stop in the doorway. Tsuna stood up from the chair he was resting in located beside the bed. In the center of the bed was a small mass covered in blankets that would quiver from an occasional shake.

"What are you doing here, Kusakabe-san?" Tsuna asked, calmly stepping around the bed until he stood between Kusakabe and Fuuta.

Kusakabe forced himself to look away from Fuuta's form and locked eyes with Tsuna. The brunette's whiskey orbs were glowing amber and Kusakabe swears he could see flickers of embers against Tsuna's brow.

"Did you pick Fuuta-kun up for his birthday?" Kusakabe asked, his question catching Tsuna off guard but his eyes did not clear of suspicion.

"You know I did," Tsuna told him, his figure slouching.

If Kusakabe were friends with anyone other than Kyoya, he would have thought Tsuna was relaxing to have a calm discussion. No, this was someone preparing to strike out at a moment's notice.

"When should I expect Kyoya-kun to arrive?" Tsuna asked lightly, his lips forming a soft smile.

Kusakabe's eye twitch. There was a heated argument happening behind him between Yamamoto and Gokudera, but Kusakabe refused to let that distract him in the slightest. This Tsuna was dangerous.

"Sawada—," Kusakabe started only to be hit by a blast of Sky flames that sent him across the room until he slammed up against the wall.

Kusakabe pushed himself up into a sitting position, glaring at Tsuna with one eye as he used a hand to swipe away the blood that trailed down into his other eye.

"Tsuna-san!"

"Sawada-san!"

Gokudera and Yamamoto yelled as one, both struck with shock at Tsuna attacking Kusakabe without warning or reason. Tsuna calmly walked over to Kusakabe, his hands and brow flaring with Sky flames.

"You're not going to take this chance away from me," Tsuna told the raven.

"Chance? What are you going on about, Sawada?" Kusakabe questioned as he pushed himself up to his feet. "Taking Fuuta-kun against his will is your chance at what? Getting Kyoya-san back?"

Kusakabe huffed with bitter amusement.

"You lost that opportunity when you drugged Kyoya-san and interrogated him for information regarding nothing to do with you," Kusakabe sneered, his glare razor sharp. "You were jealous and held zero trust in Kyoya-san's word. You betrayed him for it."

Tsuna's jaw clenched, his Sky flames growing brighter by the second.

"They knew things about Kyoya-kun that I didn't," Tsuna seethed through his teeth.

"So what? You think everyone knows everything about each other?" Kusakabe snapped angrily. "He was going to tell you, but you were impatient!"

Tsuna trembled, his hair shadowing his face.

"So what? So what?SO WHAT?!" Tsuna shouted, bringing up his fist and pulling it back.

Kusakabe did not back down, preparing himself to dodge out of the way. He did not have to worry as right as Tsuna's came forward, his Sky-flame covered fist made contact with a Rain-flame covered sword. Tsuna's eyes widened before narrowing on Yamamoto's determined gaze.

"Sawada-san, please stop this. This isn't like you," Yamamoto stated as he fought to hold back the force of Tsuna's punch.

"Get out of my way, Takeshi-kun," Tsuna hissed, pushing more against Yamamoto's sword.

Kusakabe took the chance afforded to him and pushed himself away from the wall to go around Tsuna. Yamamoto pressed back, trying to keep Tsuna from turning towards Kusakabe as the raven quickly entered the room.

"Gokudera-san, help me!" Yamamoto shouted as Kusakabe scooped up a sleeping Fuuta.

"Fuuta-kun, wake up," Kusakabe spoke hurriedly, patting Fuuta on the back as he moved out of the room to leave.

A blast of Sky-flames filled the room and Yamamoto went flying backwards. The swordsman landed on the sofa and his sword clattered to the ground nearby. Gokudera stood frozen as Tsuna turned to face Kusakabe.

"You're not taking him, not when Kyoya-kun is so close," Tsuna murmured, raising his hands towards Kusakabe.

Kusakabe's eyes widened and twisted around to where his back faced Tsuna, bracing himself around Fuuta's still sleeping form. The air shook from the shockwave of Tsuna's flames slamming into some type of shield and Kusakabe opened his eyes to see a dome of Cloud-flames protecting him and Fuuta. Gokudera groaned from where he was thrown by the force.

"Kyoya-kun, you came," Tsuna breathed, his amber orbs brightening as he straightened his stance. "Just like I knew you would."

Kusakabe exhaled a breath, watching as the most enraged Skylark he has ever seen enter the room. Something creaked around them and Kusakabe swears he heard the building beginning to buckle from the build-up of energies.

-KHR-

Tsuna has officially lost it. Appearing just in time to see Tsuna send an attack of Sky-flames at Kusakabe who was holding onto Fuuta was the final straw. I surrounded the two in a dome of Cloud-flames, reinforcing the barrier when it threatened to give under Tsuna's anger.

"Kyoya-kun, you came. Just like I knew you would."

"Tetsuya, are you and Fuuta okay?" I asked, my tone dark at I watched Tsuna for any sign of another attack.

"I'm fine, but Fuuta-kun is still asleep. I suspected some type of aid," Kusakabe told me and I bared my teeth in hate at the brunette.

"He's fine, Kyoya-kun," Tsuna stated. "I only gave him a bit of cough medicine to get him to sleep."

"Tetsuya…thirty seconds," I hissed and Kusakabe bolted from the room with Fuuta held tight against his chest, not needing me to be specific in tell him that he had to get out as fast as he could.

"I needed you back here in Namimori and bringing Fuuta-kun here was the only way," Tsuna explained as if kidnapping a child was no big deal. "That guy you're with, Byakuran, he's done something to you—."

The walls cracked around them and the windows shattered as I unleashed my Cloud-flames directly at Tsuna. Tsuna brought his arms up in front of him, forming an X that took the brunt of my flames and forced him out of the second-floor apartment. Withdrawing my tonfas and coating them in Cloud-flames, I leaped out after him. Tsuna caught himself using his X-burner, hovering a few feet off of the ground while staring wide-eyed at me. As soon as my feet touched the ground, I launched myself straight at him.

"Kyoya, what—," Tsuna cut off, blocking my tonfa strikes as best he could, my strikes coming fast and hard with random precision. "Stop it!"

I swung wide, the end of my tonfa catching Tsuna right underneath his chin. He crashed onto the ground, rolling a few times from the momentum. Landing in a crouch, I moved to attack before Tsuna could recover.

Amber orbs narrowed, Tsuna met my tonfa head on. I have never attacked Tsuna before, not seriously and never outside of spars. This was my way of showing Tsuna just how serious I was about him staying out of my life.

"This isn't you. Byakuran's brainwashed you!" Tsuna shouted, unconsciously repeating a part of Yamamoto's statement from earlier.

Tsuna dodged and then blocked more of my strikes, wincing under the heavy hit.

"This is all his fault!" Tsuna tried again, grabbing hold of my tonfas with his Sky-flame covered hands. "Can't you see that he destroyed us?"

"The only one who destroyed us, was you," I sneered in his face, then brought up my knee and slammed it into his stomach.

Tsuna let go with a cry of pain, jumping back to gain distance between us. I stayed on him, not allowing him what he wanted.

-KHR-

Byakuran hurried out of the car as soon as he parked it, Kyoya having leaped from the vehicle as soon as it slowed down enough not to injure himself. He braced his feet as the ground shook and he caught sight of Kusakabe running out of the front of the building with a bundle of blankets.

"Byakuran-san!" Kusakabe shouted, running in his direction. "I have Fuuta-kun."

Byakuran took Fuuta, kneeling down in order to get a better look of the child who was wrapped up in blankets. He grimaced at the puffy red eyes and tear-treks marring Fuuta's face.

"I heard Sawada tell Kyoya-san that he gave Fuuta cough medicine, right before I was ordered to run," Kusakabe informed Byakuran right as a few windows on the second floor shattered and Tsuna crashed out of them.

Byakuran pulled Fuuta back into his arms, keeping the blankets wrapped around him to stave off the icy chill in the air. He stood up and watched as Kyoya followed Tsuna out of the window and commenced to attacking the brunette relentlessly.

"Tetsuya," Byakuran started, surprising the raven by using his first name. "Take Fuu-kun somewhere safe."

Kusakabe carefully took Fuuta from the snow-haired male.

"What are you going to do?" Kusakabe asked as Byakuran slipped off his heavy jacket.

Lilac orbs flickered to Kusakabe's dark gaze before focusing back on the battle going on.

"Protect what's mine," Byakuran finally answered and ran towards the fight, ignoring Gokudera and Yamamoto stumbling out of the apartment building.

"You and I were supposed to get married and raise a family!" Tsuna screamed, a build-up of Sky-flames heating up the area. "Not the two of YOU!"

White wings erupted from Byakuran's back and he flew into the air as Tsuna delivered a deadly blast from his X-burner directly at Kyoya. Focusing his own Sky-flames, Byakuran hovered in front of the blast and connected his hands together in a single loud clap. Compressed Sky-flames caught Tsuna's attack and sparks flew around them as the two forces negated one another. Byakuran looked down at Tsuna, ignoring the throbbing from the palms of his hands.

"That could have killed him," Byakuran pointed out, his tone blank but his lilac orbs reflecting the hatred stirring inside him at the brunette's actions.

"You," Tsuna snarled, his Sky-flames doubling in size as he focused completely on the snow-haired male that he believes stole Kyoya away from him. "I'll kill you!"

-KHR-

It was as though a switch was turned off inside Tsuna and his attacks suddenly became more erratic and focused in powerful bursts. Byakuran flapped his wings, dodging out of the way of the relentless shots of Sky-flames. One clipped Byakuran's wings and it was then that I realized he could feel pain through them. Slashing my tonfas downward, the Cloud-flames coating them flew at Tsuna and cutting grooved in the road in the process.

"Stay out of this!" Tsuna shouted, actually backhanding my Cloud-flames away with his own flames.

My eyes widened at that and I raised my tonfas in front of me to absorb Tsuna's deflected attack. A sword blade coated in Rain-flames locked with my tonfas and Yamamoto braced himself beside me. The flames hit up, the force pushing us back a foot. The slight distraction was enough for Byakuran to build up an attack of his own, an orange sphere forming in the palm of one hand aimed at Tsuna with a swirling vortex in the center of the mass. I huffed, swiping the excess Sky-flames off of my tonfas while Yamamoto did the same.

"Is Fuuta-kun safe?" Yamamoto asked, keeping his eyes on his out-of-control friend.

"Tetsuya will keep him safe," I answered, preparing to jump back into the fray. "Thank you for calling."

Byakuran relinquished his hold on his Sky-flames and the swirling sphere shot at Tsuna as an immense speed. Debris erupted around us and I form a half dome of Cloud-flames to shield us from as much of the backlash as possible. Byakuran landed on the ground, his chest heaving as the Sky-flames he put in the attack took a lot out of him. Something shifted in the cloud of dust and Tsuna appeared battered and bruised, but still able to fight. He swiped a drop of blood from his lips before taking off again.

Tsuna launched himself into the air using his Sky-flames. A large burst erupted from his left hand that he had aimed behind him, while a much smaller amount began to gather in his right hand that was aimed directly at Byakuran. Byakuran's eyes widened, taken aback by Tsuna's resilience. He cursed under his breath, his body tensing as he prepared to fend off Tsuna's incoming attack.

I found myself running towards them, the drooping of Byakuran's wings let me know all I needed to. He had put in a lot of Sky-flames into his last attack and I questioned myself if I would be able to block a direct hit from a full-powered blast from Tsuna's X-burner. Whether I could or not, I moved in front of Byakuran just as Tsuna unleashed the overloaded attack. I pushed my Cloud-flames out, encircling both myself and Byakruan while holding out my Cloud-flame coated tonfas.

"Kyo…," Byakuran panted, one eye shut as he fought to catch his breath and gather as much Sky-flames as he could to help.

I glanced over my shoulder at Byakuran, my steel orbs glowing purple as I channeled as much of my flames as I could from deep within me. Breaking contact, I turned my gaze back in front of me right as Tsuna's attack hit. My shield splintered before shattering in a sparkle of purple, and then the full-on force of Tsuna's flames hit me. I can not recall ever feeling the overwhelming amount of pain that I felt in that very moment. It stole my breath away.

-KHR-

Byakuran stared as Kyoya's Cloud-flame enforced shield shattered like glass when Tsuna's Sky-flames struck it. Then those burning flames hit the center of Kyoya's tonfas and the Skylark's signature weapons groaned under the pressure before melting. Kyoya's grip on his destroyed tonfas went slack and he forced his arms further in front of him before yelling.

"KYOYA!" Byakuran shouted, pushing against the heavy explosion resulting from combustible Sky-flames hitting its mark.

The flames dissipated and Kyoya collapsed onto his knees, smoke drifting off of his slumping form. Catching Kyoya just as he began to fall forward onto his front, Byakuran carefully pulled Kyoya to him, his lilac orbs blown wide at the damage to Kyoya's front. Steel orbs stared dully at nothing and everything at once as the smell of burnt flesh contaminated the air around them.

Sky flames had burned through the front of Kyoya's jacket and shirt, all the way to his chest which was chard. Red, orange, and yellow drops began to cool and turn a dark shade of gray. It was then Byakuran realized that it was not just Sky-flames that burned Kyoya, but also the melted steel of his tonfas.

"Ky-Kyoya?" Tsuna gasped, stumbling over and would have knelt down beside them if Yamamoto and Gokudera had not grabbed the brunette and yanked him away.

"Don't you dare. Don't you dare," Byakuran chanted, leaning over Kyoya with one hand caressing the side of the raven's face that was not burnt. "Don't you dare."

A warming orange glow began to surround Byakuran, the snow-haired male inhaling and exhaling deeply as he focused on gather his Sky-flames. What was the point of remembering all of his lives if he could not protect those that mean the most? Slowly, the burns began healing, but what concerned Byakuran the most was those dull, dull gray eyes.

"Fight it!" Byakuran hissed, tightening his hold on Kyoya as the last of the burns healed.

Kyoya remained motionless.

"Don't leave us."