Title: Broken china
Author: Dreamcloud704
Fandom: Katekyo Hitman Reborn
Pairing: 80/59

Summary: Hayato and Takeshi get into a fight and Hayato doesn't go to Takeshi's game out of spite. Takeshi then doesn't play as well because he's not there.

Author's Note(s): This one's a little sad, but hooray for happy endings right? Word in italics are part of the fight and from other conversations.

Somewhere along the line we had started fighting, and to be honest I'm not even sure why.

It could have been about me supposedly "flirting" with one of the girls who had been congratulating me over the last baseball game. Not that I would ever do that to him.

"Idiot! Why do you always let them flirt with you like that!"

It could have been over dinner last night. I had stayed over his house and as normal the food hadn't been what one of a normal diet would call a meal. It had been pot noodles of course, which were all he could afford right now, despite me saying he could come over and eat at the restaurant anytime he wanted.

"You really need to start eating properly you know"

It may have been over the fact that he had been in a bad mood last night, due to an argument with Shamal and his rent again, and maybe he had snapped over something stupid like me putting something where I shouldn't of (because seriously he's such a perfectionist).

"Oi! Stupid baseball idiot!"

But whatever it had been over we weren't talking now, and I had walked out on him after we had both said and done things we didn't mean. I could take so much from him, but even I had my limits.

"I don't ever want to see you again! You stupid idiot, get the hell out of my life!"

"Not everything revolves around you!"

"Get out!"

"Fine!"

I was upset, of course I was. I didn't like fighting with him for real. He knew how to hurt people, especially when he was feeling hurt himself. His walls went up and suddenly he just pretended like he didn't care when he really did. It was like he was pushing me away and at the same time pulling me back. I knew that everything he had said he didn't mean, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt.

"I don't need you at all! I was doing fine before I met you! I could easily cope if you weren't here!"

I couldn't talk though. I had said things to. Things I didn't mean. But he didn't know that.

"I don't need you either! In fact sometimes I wish I never met you!"

Maybe at the time I had meant it. Or maybe I was reacting to what he was saying. Like when a pitcher throws a ball too hard and you immediately go to meet it with the same force. It's just a reaction…

Not that he would understand. He's all technical and bases everything off knowledge not what feels right and what doesn't.

"Who the hell puts that much faith in something that you they can't even see?"

He's not here.

I don't know why I haven't noticed until now. I'm thinking too hard, which is odd for me, I should be sleeping right now or sending him notes across the table and trying to make him flush crimson; not sitting here wondering where it went wrong last night.

Heh, he'd tell me to watch myself with all this thinking business or I might just hurt myself.

"Does it hurt to think that much?"

I miss him.

"Of course I love you, you idiot!"

What did Tsuna say? He's not feeling well. It's no wonder, I was pretty mean last night, and I know there was no need to throw that dish at him. I knew for sure when I had left that he had been bleeding. But in my anger I had ignored it the best I could and left, leaving the door swinging on its hinges and thundering down the corridor that lead to his apartment. The neighbours had most likely got the gist of what had happened, and this would only fuel his anger, we had after all not been discreet about the volume of our voices.

"Shut up you idiot! Do you want everyone to know what's going on?"

"Why do you always care about what everyone else thinks about us? Can't you just let that stupid pride of yours go?"

No wonder he wasn't at school, he was most likely cleaning up the mess I had left him in. Broken plates and china, overturned chairs, food stains on the carpet, blood stains maybe from where I had nailed him with a plate. Did I mention that the fight between us had not just taken place in his kitchen come dining room? It had been an all around the apartment fight and not even the bathroom had escaped our raging war against each other.

God his rent this month was going to be sky high.

I had to apologise, somehow. Once he had cooled down and was willing to let me within 10 feet of him without throwing a bucket load of explosive devices at me.

Tsuna knew something was up, and he knew it had something to do with why he was off school. Damn Tsuna and his hyper intuition. He'd been asking me what was wrong on the way to school and when I had shrugged it off and said I was simply tired, which I was, he had settled on sending me these concerned glances.

Which lead to now.

We were walking down the corridor that lead to the rooftop, where we normally went to hang out during break. I hadn't been thinking about going to see Shamal at the time. But as soon as I saw his door I couldn't help myself.

"Yo Tsuna you go on ahead, I've just got to nip back to the classroom and grab something" I told me grinning and making a move to turn back.

He nodded and headed back down the corridor none the wiser, Reborn following in his shadow.

Once I had made extra sure that he had gone, I snuck back round the corner and knocked on Shamal's door. A grunted "come in" sounded from behind it and I braced myself for the worse. He was sitting in his normal swivel chair, a cigarette hanging from his mouth lazily, and suddenly I had images of him doing the same thing; except the image was a million times sexier.

"Oh it's you" was my greeting when he saw me standing there in the doorway looking slightly nervous. "What do you want?"

"I wondering whether you had heard from him" he knew who I was talking about instantly, it didn't take a genius to work it out, and from the look on his face and the way his eyes narrowed I knew there had been contact somewhere.

"Surprisingly well, considering the chaos that took place last night. I found him curled up behind the door nursing a fractured wrist after he called me, if you're wondering"

The guilt settled like a stone in my stomach. Had it been that bad? I knew he had been bleeding, but how hard had I thrown that god damn plate? I could only remember him bringing his left hand up to block the attack…

Wait.

(smash!)

Of course it hit his hand and then he had fallen back, out of shock most likely, and landed on it.

Of course, he had had his revenge when he socked me in the face with his right. Yet another reason why Tsuna had been worried. It wasn't normal for me to get into fights, unless they were related to the family. So seeing me come into school wearing a blackened bruised cheek was not a good image; particularly when I was trying to wave it off and say I was fine.

"Is he okay?" Stupid question, but I had to ask.

Apparently Shamal thought so too, because he sent me a rather stupefied look as if I had asked why the sun was shining. I think Shamal's opinion of me had significantly decreased since all of this had come to light. But there again I don't blame him. If I was in his position and my Godson had received a fractured wrist from his boyfriend, I'd probably not hold said boyfriend in high regards either. Even if said boyfriend had been returned the favour.

"Are you stupid? Of course he's not. He had a horrific fight with the person he cares about most and thinks that because of this they've broken up and that that person now hates me. How the hell do you think he's doing?" the whole explanation is said with the mediums of sarcasm and emphasis, it's basically meant to make me feel like crap…

"If I was you, I'd stay the hell away. You've caused enough damage don't you think?"

"Why don't you just piss off back to Italy?"

That questions rhetorical and it's meant to close the conversation. But that doesn't stop me from fighting against it.

"But he said he was going to come to the game today" I tell him sounding hopeful.

"Forget it" Shamal replies fixing me with a hard stare and taking a drag of his cigarette again. "I already told him to stay away when he brought it up, and besides do you really think that's a good idea?"

Another rhetorical question that I know the answer to. No, it's not a good idea for him to come. But that doesn't mean I don't want him to come all the same.

"He mentioned it then?" I ask leaning in the doorway now, knowing there a possibility that I'm beat.

"Yeah he did. He was going to call you and apologise, that's how messed up things were. Hah, him apologising to someone who isn't that Sawada kid, it's about the most shocking thing I've ever seen. Whatever the hell you said, you certainly did a number on him"

"I don't even care what happens to you anymore! Don't come running to me when you really end up killing yourself, because I'm past caring! In fact maybe it's better that way! After all you weren't even meant to be alive in the first place were you? You're an illegitimate child!"

Yeah. I know exactly what I did. In the heat of the moment I said something I really shouldn't have said no what the circumstances were…

As Shamal said, he doesn't turn out. Not when I'm making my way to the grounds. Not when I'm getting ready for the game. Not when the spectators start taking their seats, Tsuna and gang among the crowd, even Bianchi who now knows he wasn't in school today. Not even when I step out onto the pitch and search the crowd.

He really didn't come.

The whole team knows something's wrong. I didn't join in with the cheers before the game in changing room. I didn't join in with the high fives that were exchanged, or even with the calls of good luck. They know my hearts just not in it today, and maybe it's obvious as to why. Normally he's glued to my side, and it just so happens that I'm as down as hell and it just so happens he's not here.

"Oi, baseball idiot… Good luck…"

It's quite obvious we're not going to win. We're getting hammered by the opposing team. I try I really do. But I can't seem to hit the ball right at all. The bat keeps missing by a fraction each time and won't line up right, the angles off and the directions all wrong. My feet won't move and I can't seem to make my hand reach for the ball.

The rest of the team are stuck in horror as my fingers just graze the ball as I go to catch it and call the member of the opposing team out. But at last minuet my fingers go limp and feel numb and it rolls out of my grasp and hit the grass about 10 feet away.

"Wow, what is up with you today?" Mochida, who had recently joined the baseball club, asks looking concerned.

It suddenly dawned on me what was wrong. I didn't want to play well. He wasn't here so what was the point? I didn't have anyone to play well for right?

Wait, what?

Since when had this been about him? When had I suddenly made it about him? Baseball was my passion, what did he have to do with that?

"Hey! Takeshi!"

I glance up to see my father waving madly at me, his arms high up in the air and annoying the other spectators with his antics. He suddenly starts pointing to his side grinning at me. My eyes follow his wild waving and my heart stops, just as another one of my team mates starts to pull me inside for the end of the first half.

Sitting with my father glancing away with a prominent blush on pale cheeks is him! Bundled up in one of those familiar hoodies and jacket thrown over to keep him warm is the person I've been wanting to see all day.

Hayato!

Hayato really did make it! He kept his promise, even though he's most likely so angry at me right now. He still kept his word.

I can't help but grin at my father and give him the thumbs up I know he's wanting. I would have smiled at Hayato too and mouthed the words "thank you". But I know he's embarrassed by my father and it was highly unlikely that he would stop engaging the floor in a glaring contest to look up at anyone.

But either way it didn't matter he had made it, and that's all that really matters.

During the rest of the game I managed to play a hell of a lot better. I shook myself out and joined in with the cheers of my team, much to their amusement. Perhaps they had seen my dad waving around a like a loon and worked out the reason why.

All I could now think about was playing well and not looking like a fool in front of a certain someone. God knows Hayato would tell me if I was.

"Don't mess up at the one thing you're actually good at!"

We managed to scrape a win, but just barely and the coach hadn't been impressed by my earlier performance, but even he seemed to know the reason for my sudden turn around, if the casual glances off side were anything to go by.

Tsuna and the gang had come to congratulate me on the win, and Tsuna sent me a cheerful smile realising I was back to normal. Ryohei was beaming from ear to ear, and then had started shouting about how the game had being extremely tense. But I wasn't looking to talk to them (as mean as it probably sounds).

I had still smiled and thanked them before running off to locate the person I really wanted to talk to.

He was still standing with my father, being fawned over by him and having another cup of coffee brought. My father always had a soft spot for Hayato and often treated him to lunch in exchange for a little help in the kitchen from time to time. He made sure he was stocked up on coffee when he stayed over and told me to take good care of him. It was most likely because he worried about him living on his own and being so stick thin.

"Hayato!" I called, my father catching me first, and walking away to give us some space to talk.

I catch the frantic look in Hayato's eyes as he suddenly looks round for my father, who has miraculously disappeared. I don't let him get away though, and with a solid tug of his sleeve pull him towards me into a hug. He struggles and curses me for a moment and I laugh at the foul language leaving his mouth, grinning as he switches to Italian so I can't understand what he's calling me. Though I know it's got to be along the lines of "you stupid baseball freak!"

After he falls silent and just lets me hold me him for a while, I decide it's probably best to tell him now.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean what I said before, not any of it" most of this is mumbles against his neck, so he may or may not have heard it properly. But I'm sure he gets the gist, especially when he returns the hug by winding his arms around my neck and standing up on his toes with a sigh.

"I know. I'm… I'm sorry too. About what I said, I didn't mean it either. You just really pissed me off… Stupid baseball idiot" he doesn't say it to be mean this time though.

He says it because it's just the way he is, and I wouldn't want him any other way…

Broken china and punch to the face included.

Yet another little chapter there! Very happy with how this turned out in the end. I was going to upload it later but I got all excited and went ahead and uploaded it anyway! Still looking for ideas here if anyone wants to drop any in. Please review and I hope to have another one out soon!

DreamCloud