Sorry guys if I'm a little... intermittent when it comes to updating. But I hope this new chapter makes up for it! Enjoy!

Motherly Love (And Drama)

A pink haired woman stood beyond what seems to be an arena, announcing the beginning of the Cloud Ring match, "Subdue your enemy and your respective teams will get the point. And also," In her hands, she held a velvet box wherein a shiny ring embossed with the image of a cloud and the insignia of the most powerful famiglia, the Vongola, sat in wait for its new owner. "Whoever the winner gets to wield the Vongola Cloud Ring."

The tension was thick and the two competitors, two boys who shared the same features, seemed to enjoy it rather than be paralyzed. One had short hair and the knowing gleam of his glasses sparkled in the dimly lit arena, taking the attention away from his look of bloodlust. The other one had long, braided hair and he spats, "Kirio-nii, get ready to be beaten," with a smile more telling of his excitement unlike the other.

"Challenge accepted!"

Meanwhile at the Hibari estate, the Vongola power couple was having a little fight. Considering that both are powerful martial artists, little would be rather hard to scale. As of now, the missus is relentless at knocking at her husband's chest; said knocking may or may not be as powerful as a brickbreaker.

She was crying with a sour pout on her face and reddened, puffed cheeks, as she ranted endlessly, "Kyo-chan! Why!? You're so cruel! Cruel! Cruel!" Yet Kyoya stood undisturbed by his wife's antics, his face a serene contemplative look. He eyed his wife as she went on hitting his chest and spouting nonsense about their children being allowed to join the Ring Battles. To him, it was only natural that his children took part as they have his strength, his flames, and those shouldn't be wasted on idle hands. If they win or not, they have gained strength nonetheless.

"I-pin… you do realize those kids can't be stopped, right?" Soon enough, the light thumping on him ceased and hot hands clung to his yukata. The woman answered with a nod and she raised her swollen eyes and he couldn't help but feel torn. As much as he wanted to grant I-pin's request of keeping the children safe from battles, it would require that he bound his kids with chains at the depths of the Foundation, which is the barest minimum.

I-pin shook him twice, "You could have tried harder!"

"Then why don't you chain them to the depths of HQ?"

This restarted her attack on him; her pretty, little hands forming weak fists that knocked at him with the strength of a raging mother. "You're cruel! Cruel! Cruel! Cruel!" I-pin cried again.

Kyoya couldn't help but think if there was ever a right answer in their petty argument. But then, the safety of the kids was never petty to begin with; it was more complicated than having to change diapers. For the second time, I-pin ceased and her eyes were overflowing with tears and her lips pursed tightly due to her rampaging anxiety. "Kyo-chan doesn't understand!" Then she ran away with tears streaming down her porcelain face, leaving Kyoya in the hallway to be found by Kusakabe, dumbstruck.

-Skylark-

The house was quiet without the kids' constant clamor and I-pin missed it very much. Now that they were all gathered at someplace else, possibly brewing strategy or fighting, I-pin had nothing to dote on. Well, Kyoya was there. But they're currently in a fight so he doesn't count.

A sigh escaped her lips as she lazily lounged at the low window in a room on the second story of their house, her legs folded underneath her, overlooking their beautiful garden and seeing her husband looking up at her from below. Their eyes met for a few minutes as unspoken words become known only to them and it was as if everything was resolved by their loving and warm gazes.

The man left the garden as I-pin the window. She takes a pot, two cups and tea from the cabinet and places them on the table; soon enough her husband came in with the slide of the door.

"I'm sorry. I was being unreasonable earlier," I-pin began as she put the leaves in the pot, beginning to steep the tea. "I just…"and her hand clutched over the porcelain object, the lid clinking with the pot itself, and Kyoya's hand over hers was more than enough to cut her sentence off and never to be continued.

"I'm scared, too," Kyoya confessed.

"That's unlikely. Pinch me," and he heeded her request, pinching her delicate hand. A small smile tugged on her lips and the husband wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes. As his hand retracted, he opted to sit beside her, so that he could envelope her in a warm embrace.

"So much drama…" was his apathetic comment that which would have started another argument if I-pin was sober.

Her grip tightened around him and her shuddering became more prominent. It scared Kyoya that I-pin was capable of such emotional change. The time that he left her alone to her own schemes doesn't even compare; back then she was more composed, in control. Now she was nothing but a wreck.

"Why can't we keep them from fighting?" Her words were muffled on his strong shoulder.

He had no words to comfort her with. Mainly because it was not his forte, secondly because he knew that he was at fault: he had long drilled into the skulls of his kids that strength would be the only thing he'd truly appreciate. What's more is that he doesn't know how he'd respond to an emotional I-pin, whom he had never seen break down, ever. "Maybe… I really don't understand…"

I-pin heard him, the full length of it. But she wanted to be sure, to be reassured that her hearing didn't fail her and thus asked with a surprised face.

Kyoya was embarrassed to say the least, "I said I don't understand…"

"You said you were scared but you also say you don't understand? Are you crazy?"

"As I've said, I don't understand." It wasn't meant to be hilarious yet I-pin was laughing at him. "You're laughing."

Resting her head on his shoulder, I-pin sighs as the last strings of laughter leave her. "Dearest husband, having a family, your own blood family, changed you a lot. For better or for worse, I don't know. But, I do know that you love being with us even if we're annoying and I'm happy for that. The kids… I don't want them to fight. I don't want them to get hurt." Then she pulls back to look at him, "I don't want you to get hurt. Because it hurts here," and she places her hand over her chest, just above her beating heart. "And it hurts even more when I see them fight one another."

The long silence after prodded Kyoya, 'say something,' yet there was nothing in his head. All he could do was stare at the rippling surface of the tea that she served him. There was no solution, at least at present nor the near future, and no matter how the man simulated things in his bright head, it's a constant: his kids will keep on fighting.

"What can I say to make you feel better?" was his final card. It wasn't the trump but what can he do, seeing that there's limited choice.

"Tell me you're scared again." Mischievous was her smile.

"No way." Kyoya responded quickly; his eyes a little venomous.

Her bright smile was back on her lips again; a great relief if Kyoya was concerned. "Guess I'm pushing too hard, huh?"

Then he moved closer, his hot breath fanning over he ear and neck, "I know something that I can push harder…" and he followed it with a smirk, causing a different kind of blush to creep over I-pin's face.

"Kyo-san!" pushing him at the shoulder as well. Once they both settled down and the warm and familiar companionship was back between them, I-pin had to ask the question that lingered far too long, "So, why is there another Ring Battle?"

And it's done. Thank you for reading as far as here. Please leave a review.

So why is there another ring battle? The answer is nothing. Because I wasn't thinking.