AN: Boogie Man is ending soon. In probably two chapters, maybe four, if I'm lucky enough to fit all of it in there. Including an epilogue. Should be done before or at chapter 30. The following chapter below is mostly untangling misunderstandings and reconciliations. c: Hardly any action, but a lot of important stuff. Like confessions!

CHAPTER 26: OUT OF TIME

Reborn sighed softly, kicking up his small feet onto the table. "Is there anything else you want to know?" He sent a glance of inquiry to Tsuna's general direction.

He shook his head. He was too tired, almost ready to collapse on his feet. "Maybe later. But now, I think I just want to rest and think."

"Good idea." Reborn nodded in agreement.

Hibari immediately stood up, and stared as Tsuna followed suit. "Then," He nodded at everyone in the room, "I'm going to retire for the night. I'll see you all tomorrow, maybe." He wasn't sure why he had said 'maybe'. It could be because he's so used to people walking out from his life and coming back later. Hibari turned his heel, holding the door for Tsuna as they walked out of the room. The interaction was silent as Hibari led the way and eventually they reached a bedroom with a creaky wooden door. He ripped off his cravat, his blazer, and stripped himself of his shoes.

Hibari gestured to the bed silently and Tsuna went to sit on it, slumping tiredly.

There was a tense pause. "Hibari," Tsuna began, but Hibari put a hand up to stop him.

"We'll talk later. Right now," Hibari pushed him down the bed until his back hit the covers, "Rest."

And Tsuna closed his eyes and did.

—

When he woke, he checked his watch to find out that he had slept for twelve hours straight. No one had disturbed him.

He saw a flash of color in his peripheral vision and when he turned to look, beside him on the night table sat familiar, neatly folded clothes. Tsuna choked. With shaky hands, he grasped the orange and white fabric and tugged it towards himself. His eyes registered what his brain could barely believe. In his hands was his hoodie. Next to it was his plain t-shirt, his olive-green pants, and his heartbreakingly familiar orange shoes.

Did Hibari hold onto these for him? He looked around, trying to find any signs of where the boogie man could have possibly went. Tsuna tried forcing down the instant panic that followed. Being away from the man really unsettled him and he decided to focus on getting his clothes on instead.

When he stood up, slipped on his sneakers, it didn't feel nearly as liberating as he thought it would.

He felt like these weren't even his clothes. Because he had changed so much. He fought this sinking feeling away, determined to find Hibari. The floor creaked under his steps as he moved to open the door and peeked through hesitantly.

Stepping out, he looked to his left and then to his right. The hallway was narrow, but the left was a dead-end leading to a window and the right lead to more doors and eventually a staircase. He took step by step down the stairs and peered around the banister as he heard voices coming from the kitchen. It was muffled, not even intelligible, so Tsuna came closer cautiously, and pushed the door open to announce his presence.

Gokudera and Gamma spun around to stare.

Tsuna tried not to reflexively close the door in their faces. He instead, licking his lips nervously, walked over to the table and leaned on it. "Good morning."

Gamma muttered a good morning back and cleared his throat with a fist to his mouth, "Excuse me, I should wake the princess now."

There was a tense silence as the remaining two distractedly watched Gamma move past Tsuna and out the door. It swung close behind him. Their gazes instantly moved to the floor. He didn't know where to start and it caught him off guard to find Gokudera so soon upon waking up. Gokudera fiddled with the stove's ancient knobs, turning it low. Fists clenching and unclencing at his sides, the taller boy turned to look at Tsuna anxiously. "Tenth—"

"When did you get here, Gokudera-kun?" Tsuna asked, smile pained.

A bit thrown off track, Gokudera paused, "I came here about an hour ago. Listen tenth, I'm so—"

Tsuna shook his head, pushing himself off the table. It was a good thing he didn't see Gokudera yesterday. He might've not been so forgiving. "Why are you apologizing? Don't apologize for something you couldn't have possibly done." There was so much that he could name that happened to him over the course of these few months, but hardly Gokudera was to blame.

"No, you don't understand tenth," The silver-haired boy insisted, also pushing himself away from the stove, "I'm sorry, I should've told you earlier. Everything a lot earlier. I shouldn't have doubted that you'd believe me. I knew you'd listen but, but I didn't—if I told you earlier, then things wouldn't have been this way." Gokudera collapsed into a chair abruptly, hanging his head and putting his hands in his face ashamedly, "You wouldn't have been so hurt, you wouldn't have been through so much in so little time. I'm—I'm so sorry. You trusted me, you trusted me and I was insistently ignorant."

"Gokudera," Tsuna said apprehensively, moving closer, he pulled on a arm to get the taller boy up. Gokudera didn't budge, staying stubbornly there. "Gokudera, no, get up."

"No tenth, you may say you forgive me, you may say that it's okay, but in the end, there's blame inside of you." Gokudera lifted his pained eyes to his, "Tell me. Tell me all of it. This would at least let me know what I could fix."

Tsuna's jaw clenched.

"If you really want to know," The shorter teen retracted himself away and moved to lean on the table again, crossing his arms defensively around himself. "Did you become my friend just because someone told you to?" Was that all their friendship was?

"No!" Gokudera cried out, shaking his head, "Well yes, at first, but then I realized how important you became to me, you're one of my best friends, I'd die for you."

"You'd die for me?" Tsuna repeated with a shake of his own head. Upset, he ripped his gaze away, "Gokudera, don't die for me. I never realized you were actually serious about that until just recently. I always thought it was a joke. Now that I know who I really am, it's not as nearly as funny."

"It was never suppose to be, that was never a lie," Gokudera said, "Please tenth I—"

"Please what?" Tsuna asked, uncrossing his arms to scratch at his head frustratedly, "I've already forgiven you, what more?"

"I," Gokudera swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing convulsively, his head hanging again, "I just don't want to lose what we had. I want to go home back to my sister and Yamamoto. I just want to be with you. I never meant to hurt you. But I don't ever want you to hold a grudge against me, despite what I say, despite what I do, I just don't want to lose you both."

"Gokudera, I never said we still wouldn't be friends." He bit his lip, trying hard not to cry. He had to be strong for his friend, to show that it was okay, "I still want to be with you two too. I still want to go home and have sleepovers. I still want to finish middle school, then high school, then college with the both of you. I never wanted to leave you guys."

The silver-haired boy looked immensely relieved by this. But then his face fell dramatically with more thought. Gokudera's face twisted in great agony, "We won't."

"What?" Tsuna asked incredulously surprised, then hurt, "What do you mean?"

"Because I won't let you do what you have to do." Gokudera whispered brokenly, grasping Tsuna's shoulders. "If you do, then...—no, either way, one of us will have to go on without the other. Only one of us can graduate with Yamamoto. I've prepared myself for this years ago."

"Gokudera—" Tsuna blinked away the hotness in his eyes, "I, I don't get it, what's going on?"

"In other words," Gokudera said, "I'm going to die."

Tsuna's stomach dropped. He bit the inside of his cheeks to keep in the instant choke. "No—are you hurt? Are you okay? I mean, you look fine, you can't be dying, that's ridiculous."

"I'm fine," Gokudera said, "Cielo isn't. It's only a matter of time."

Tsuna suddenly had no idea what had just exchanged between them. They were seeming to improve then all of a sudden Cielo was dying? Why had no one told him this? Tsuna was desperate as he grabbed Gokudera's arms and shook them slightly, "If Cielo is dying, then you and Hibari and Reborn and everyone can just come back home with us, you've all done it before, especially Hibari, he must've jumped back and from all these years. We can just get some cloud-flamed people and just move everyone to the other world—"

"It's not that simple, Sawada-san." A sad voice said behind him. Gokudera and Tsuna turned to look up at the door where Uni stood, flanked on both sides by Gamma and a familiar blond man.

"Why not?" Tsuna demanded, upset.

Uni closed her eyes. "I have predicted it in a vision." Her gaze opened, just slightly to stare at her feet, "If the sky truly dies here, then so will all Cielonians, no matter where they are, even at your home. We are forever tied to this place, and we are punished with it too. There was a time limit. And the day is approaching fast, we might even have only hours. Even our flames can't keep the trees alive long enough for it to make us oxygen. The grey is taking over, seeping into woodwork and plaster, I've already seen plants are greying too."

Tsuna's mouth dropped, disbelieving.

"But what about dad?" He asked dully, "What about Bianchi, Kyoko and Ryohei? Are they going to die too?" What about himself?

"My sister is half." Gokudera supplied, voice dulled.

"Yes," Uni agreed, "They are only half-Cielonian. And this curse does not affect them, only the full blooded are the ones that perish. Of all the royals, you are the only one who can survive, Sawada-san. That is why everyone is so desperate to find you. They needed you."

"Well then use me!" Tsuna cried, standing up. Because he just then realized. If everyone who was full-blooded died, then that included Gokudera, Mukuro, the Kokuyo, Fran and Bel, the Varia, the people in front of him and oh god Hibari, "What can I do? How can I help?"

Before Uni could tell him, Hibari slammed the door open with great ferocity, the wall behind it shook. Everyone turned at his arrival apprehensively. Hibari glared black at everyone and crossed the threshold to stand in front of Tsuna, "You won't. Help." His words were curt and final.

"What?" Tsuna squawked, "Why?"

But Hibari didn't answer, wresting his arm and dragging him bodily out the kitchen. No one said a word at his departure.

—

Among the throng of grey in the sky, in the quiet town of Giglio Nero and atop the roof of the Acrobaleno base of operations, Hibari sat. One arm anchoring from behind his torso, and one of Hibari's legs was drawn to himself, knee to his chest, while the other was splayed on the orange-brown shingles. He tensed when he felt more than heard another presence clumsily walking towards him on the tilted roof.

"Hibari Kyoya right? We've never actually been introduced." Hibari turned, his gaze unwavering as he observed Gamma sliding down to sit next to him. "I'm Gamma. I assume you're the one watching over the prince?"

"Tsunayoshi," Hibari corrected.

"Tsuna." Gamma agreed, looking out over the gray horizon."I realized earlier, you and I are a lot more alike than you think." Hibari blinked, almost confusedly, and turned to look at Gamma for an explanation. "Although," Gamma continued, "You both seemed to be at lost. Not like Uni and I. Though I assure you, it took us a very long time before we realized it, almost as long as your taking now."

Hibari still didn't understand.

"I can't imagine what it's like," Gamma dropped to a whisper, "To lose him for so long. I never lost sight of Uni, despite the fact she was—different, changed even, I still was there for her, still in reach. But to lose her like how you lost him…" He shook his head as he trailed off, as if to chase away the thought.

Hibari grunted in reply. They sat in companionable silence.

—

Tsuna sat at the edge of his bed, arms crossed. His brow furrowed worriedly, albeit angrily. Hibari had left again after dropping him off back in his room, not even giving a word of explanation why he couldn't help. Uni said he could, he fell back with a soft thump. Tsuna tried thinking of reasons why Hibari had reacted in that way when the subject was brought up.

There was a knock at the door and Tsuna knew instantly it wasn't Hibari because he wouldn't have even bothered announcing his presence. "It's open," He called out, sitting back up and politely stared as the door opened to reveal the blond man that stood earlier with Uni in the kitchen. He was bewildered for a moment, stunned into silence.

"Hello," the man said, peeking through the door warily, "Can I come in?"

Tsuna nodded, gesturing vaguely to the wooden chair at the table. The blond man moved to sit, and crossed his legs, folding his hands in his lap politely. "Do you remember me, Tsuna? It's been awhile. Since June, I believe."

Tsuna blinked, realizing why the man had looked so familiar. "I'm sorry I forgot your name though..."

"Dino," The tall man smiled, flashing a row of teeth, "Dino Chiavarone?" He remembered Dino, it was only in a brief passing a few months ago at Reborn's and Bianchi's wedding. He had been in the groom's room, lounging by the window talking lowly to Hibari. It had been so long ago, it was no wonder he had forgotten his name. "I'm the boss of the Chiavarone famiglia?"

"Yes, I remember you, you were friends with Hibari and Reborn." Tsuna leaned forward, tilting his head questioningly. The blond man smiled, pleased. As his eyes crinkled, he reached up to scratch at his neck. Tsuna's eyes zeroed in the tattoo at his collarbone before he determinedly tried to politely focus only on the other's face.

There was a short moment of silence.

Dino sighed, his eyes flicking to the door and back to the boy across him. "Actually, there's something I need to tell you. It was about earlier in the kitchen before Kyoya came." He was taken back by the casual use of the first name. He tried not to think much into their relationship as Dino ventured on, "It must've been hard Tsuna, having experienced Cielo the way you did. Do you feel bitter about this place?" The blond man seemed to scrutinize his expression as he said this, trying to rouse a reaction. The teen kept his face stubbornly the same.

"I don't hate it if that's what you're saying," Tsuna began, running his tongue over his lower lip anxiously.

"No, no, I just wanted to know." Dino lowered to a whisper, "Do you like Cielo then?"

These questions were odd, he was careful though, "I don't love it either, why?"

He leaned back, lowering his eyes and sighed long-sufferingly. "I would rather have Reborn tell you this," Dino worried his suit's cuff with short small fidgets, "But I think it's more appropriate I tell you, I guess. I think Reborn would've been too direct." Tsuna tried to keep in a retort that he'd prefer Reborn's straight-fowardness over beating around the bush. "Do you wish to help Cielo?"

"Yes," he answered without even the slightest pause. "Hibari wouldn't tell me why I can't help, but Uni says I can."

"He wouldn't you know," Dino said softly, gently, staring a hole through the woodwork. "Kyoya, he...he just wants you safe." Dino stood up abruptly, crossing the room to stop three feet in front of Tsuna. "What I'm about to tell you—Kyoya doesn't like it. He wanted to hide it from you—" Tsuna's face scrunched disbelievingly but Dino was quick to correct himself, "Because he knew there was a chance you'd say yes. He did it because he wants you to live your life, and I can understand that. And it's perfectly acceptable, I wouldn't want it for anyone else either, especially if they had another choice."

"Dino," Tsuna didn't understand where this was going, but his stomach was dropping at every word coming from the other's mouth. "What's going to happen if I help?"

"You'll die." Dino said, his voice lowered and hardly intelligible. "And you'll be our sky."

Tsuna was stunned into silence. His mouth suddenly stuck to the roof of his tongue. He would...die. He would die. His mind blanked and everything was turning into white static. He would die. He thought about the prospect of dying for the good of others. It would require a lot. He wouldn't be able to see Yamamoto, wouldn't be able to see his parents. He would never see Kyoko or Haru again. All of them, still a distant memory, faceless, voiceless. He would never see them again.

He thought about his mom and his dad, both still probably looking desperately for him but will never find him. He thought of a newly somber Yamamoto, graduating with a forever regretful Gokudera. Things would change, their hearts may never be put at rest ever again. They would never see him, they would think of him, maybe constantly, but they would never find him. He thought of the benefits of dying. But he could save thousands, millions even. He could save everyone including the Kokuyo and the Varia. The Vongola and even the Millefiore. He could save Hibari, even if he didn't want him to. Didn't that count for something?

Dino paused before continuing.

"That is why all the royals are needed. Not because they'll grants wishes, that's just ridiculous. You all are no magical genie. The true moral of the story is coming to its conclusion. And only you can fill in its last page." Dino looked away, face pained, "But I hate to push all this on you Tsuna, you're so young. So young and haven't experienced life to the fullest, not even a margin of it. We tried putting it off as long as we could, the Vongola wanted the best for you so I was the Prince of Spades until it was time for you to step in."

"What? You are the Prince of Spades?" Tsuna didn't know what to make of this new development.

"No," Dino shook his head, "I was the phony prince, set up to throw off those that wanted you early on, Tsuna. I made sure you grew up, made sure that you were safe. I tried holding off this even before you were born."

Tsuna was pretty sure from first hand experience that being the Prince of Spades was not a walk in the park. So many people were out to get you, so many people wanted you for power. So many people wanted him dead. When he imagined what had happened to him in the span of the last few months pushed onto Dino for his entire lifetime, he became nauseated and slightly suspicious. Why protect him to such an extent? Why protect a stranger, a naive boy living under love and riches, from the rawness that was Cielo? "Why? Why did you choose to be me?"

"Because," Dino closed his eyes, "Because you're important to me, Tsuna. Important to all of us. Your father is my father's half-brother." And he felt his eyes widened of their own accord. Then, if that was true...then, then...they were cousins, to some extent. Not to some extent no, Tsuna thought, they were first-cousins. They were closely related, and yet, he had never met him until now. He stared into Dino's facial features and realize he could see some of his dad in him.

"I was resentful at first," Dino confessed, "As a child, I didn't understand why everyone was keeping me from going outside. I was constantly attacked. The friends I made were stripped from me, I couldn't walk outside my own yard without being accompanied by escorts, I was lonely. And I resented you for it when I realized I was doing it for you." He smiled ruefully at Tsuna, "But then I met you, Tsuna. You were born. Your dad let me hold you, and you smiled at me, all toothless and teary." He held out his hands cupped upwards in front of him, as if reenacting the moment, "You were so small, so full of life. And before I realized it, I couldn't hate you, it was as useless as hating the sky. I felt you in my hands. My flame felt it." And Dino smiled fondly, lighting up his ring with his flame.

It was a sky flame.

Tsuna stared, going deliriously confused. Dino had a sky-flame, yet he wasn't the real prince? Why was he, born of half-blood, the Prince of Spades and not Dino? Dino, boss of the Chiavarone famiglia, tall, handsome, probably strong and brave. If nothing, he felt he should've been raised as the phony prince. When he realized, comparing himself to Dino, his efforts were nothing.

Seeing this reaction, Dino smiled. "Did you know Tsuna," He let out a soft laugh, "That the Prince of Spades was half-blooded too?"

"He was?" Tsuna asked, curious.

"Yes, he came from Italy actually. It's why a lot of our words are Italian, Giotto was heavily reliant on it."

Tsuna was quiet. "Did he love Cielo?"

Dino fidgeted, from foot to foot. "I assume so. Why else did he stay here, instead of going back home?"

"What if I don't love Cielo, Dino?" Tsuna asked, suddenly determined, "What if I just left you all here?"

Dino also was quiet. "Then, I wouldn't stop you. This is your choice, Tsuna. You are the only one who can walk away from all this unscathed. I'll give you time to think about it. Then we'll think of a plan to confront Byakuran and Xanxus, we need to compromise with them. Because of all the royals, those two are the least likely to give up their own lives to save a thousand." The blond haired man turned, hand shoved in his pocket. The whip folded at his hip dangled as he walked to the door.

"Oh," Dino exclaimed lightly, turning halfway to peer at Tsuna, "Don't tell Kyoya that you know this as of yet. Think about it first." Then laughingly, he added, "He may actually lock you in this room."

—

By the time the hands on his watch indicated it was long after noon and quickly approaching the late evening, he ventured once more downstairs. He was hesitant, only because he wasn't quite sure if Hibari would want him down there after leaving him in his room earlier. He cautiously peered into the kitchen and was greatly relieved by the lack of anyone around. It felt as the entire house was empty, but he knew better. Backtracking himself out the kitchen, he moved to the living room, observing the old wood that acted as floorboards and the pasty green wallpaper. He stopped as he reached the wall of photo frames again.

There was a picture of a woman, nine months pregnant, smiling widely. The picture was decidedly over maybe a century old, judging the grainy quality and the fading edges of the photo. But what struck Tsuna the most was the great resemblance to Uni this woman had. Her hair was short, maybe green (he couldn't tell, the picture was in sepia), the big hat settled comfortably on atop her head. The corner of her face under her left eye, like Uni, was a tattooed flower, or clover even.

"That is the Princess of Clubs, Luce. She is also the eighth boss of the Giglio Nero Familiga." Mukuro said, suddenly at his side.

Tsuna turned to acknowledge him with a blink before turning back to the picture. "She looks like Uni," He commented.

"She should," Mukuro said, "That's her grandmother. It seems that she has some power to see the future, like Uni. She was the one that predicted the end. It enabled her to know beforehand the curse that came together with being a royal." Mukuro folded his arms, "The baby in her belly at the time was Uni's mother, Aria. She couldn't do half of what her daughter and her mother could do."

Tsuna furrowed his eyebrows. "And Aria wasn't the Princess of Clubs, her daughter was?"

Mukuro frowned, "I'm not sure why, or how it works, but yes."

There was a short moment of silence as Tsuna continued to observe the rest of the pictures. There were much newer ones in quality, one of Reborn as an adult with his arms crossed among a throng of people he didn't know. His eyes widened as he recognized a black cloaked figure in the picture. "Is that Mammon?"

Mukuro blinked, and suddenly grinned, "Yes. His name was Viper at the time. He looks different from what he is now, isn't he?"

His reaction was of fond exasperation, despite the edge of stiffness to it. "You know him?" Tsuna asked Mukuro.

"Sort of," Mukuro answered, "We used to be equals. Eventually I became stronger than him," Mukuro touched the lid of his one red eye with a gloved hand gingerly, "Not by any means of cheating of course. I didn't ask for it. But in the end I came to appreciate this power, it allowed me to do things I couldn't do before."

Like murdering people, Tsuna's traitorous mind supplied, and he suddenly remembered that Mukuro still had yet to explain himself. He looked up to Mukuro determinedly, "You still have to tell me some things, don't you?"

The man in return let out a rueful smile. "Yes, I do." Mukuro leaned against the opposite wall of the frames with crossed arms and Tsuna mirrored him, both not looking at each other but at the pictures instead. "First off," He began with a sigh, "I apologize for kissing you. It was uncouth of me." Tsuna pursed his lips at the next words, "But I don't regret it."

"Mukuro, listen, I..."

"I love you."

He was stunned into silence, staring unseeingly ahead of him, and Mukuro continued, "Ever since I met you, I felt like a changed man. When I broke out of the Vendicare prison in the Millefiore headquarters, I thought that I'd have this overwhelming sense of rage and anger. I had imagined over and over again what I'd do to these men that kept me there, how I'd kill them. But instead, I found myself cool-headedly walking out with you in tow."

Mukuro furrowed his eyebrows. "And then I got used to you, running after my coattails at our time together, always curious and mysteriously determined of something I didn't understand. You intrigued me, and I wanted to help you. But then, I found out that you were looking for Gokudera Hayato. You were looking for a way to get out of here, to get away from us, me. So I stalled, in truth, I knew where Gokudera Hayato was, but due to my selfishness I kept that information to myself. But then I realized how wrong it was, how desperate you were to go home and I settled on telling you the moment you returned."

"And then," Mukuro's pitched dropped lower. "You disappeared. Without warning. I knew I should've watched you three, but I had such full confidence in my dear Chrome and M.M that I," The man swallowed, "I went through great lengths to find you, to know where you had went to, if you'd gone home. But then I discovered you were the prince through my resources. Then I knew, I couldn't let you go."

At this Tsuna interrupted him, ripping himself away from the wall to stand in front of the man, "This is what I've been wondering. I was wondering if your feelings were really true. Was it only because I was the prince?" He gritted his teeth, "You tried to kidnap Uni. Just so you could get your revenge."

"No," Mukuro said shaking his head, "To save her. We were trying to save Uni from Byakuran. Byakuran had been trying to keep her close, for power, like how Xanxus had kept you."

Tsuna looked away, folding his arms stubbornly.

"Tsunayoshi," Mukuro said, almost pleadingly, "Don't doubt my feelings for you. They are real. I may be a master at deception but I speak nothing but the truth this time."

Tsuna's words were quiet, "I don't doubt them. I just don't understand why you would." At this, Mukuro looked confused and Tsuna looked up, snapping out his arm to gesture at the pictures in front of them, voice rising, "Look at them, Mukuro. All these faces, all these people. They may be different, in personalities in looks, but they're all undeniably," Tsuna let out a shuddering breath, "Beautiful. They're beautiful, all of them, and I'm," Tsuna looked back down, "Me."

There was a long pause before Mukuro spoke again. "But isn't that the beauty of it? You're you." He crossed his arms. "It's obvious you don't reciprocate my feelings, and I can see that now you at least heard me out. But I can't stand the thought of you believing that you're nothing special." He smiled, but it wasn't happy, "Perhaps you need to double check your position in life now. You're obviously more than nothing now." Mukuro waved an arm slowly to the people in the pictures, "They've been waiting for you, isn't that special enough?"

The teen leaned against the wall again, rubbing hand over his face. "Mukuro," Tsuna began, "I'm going to die, aren't I?" The more the thought about it, the more he realized. He was going to give in. Not because he felt obligated to, but because he couldn't find it in himself to abandon these people, all of them were relying on him, and yet, they didn't blame him if he wanted to leave unscathed regardless. If this was his destiny, to save all these people in exchange for his own life, then so be it.

The man next to him stiffened, but responded, "Yes." He whispered, "When the time comes, and that man," Hibari, Tsuna immediately filled in, "doesn't want you to go, come to me. I've already spoken to Chiavarone." Mukuro muttered softly, "I knew you would do this. But, remember, that my feelings for you will never change. I understand your wishes. I will take you to the Millefiore when you are ready."

And with that, Mukuro turned and walked out of the narrow hall. Tsuna did not run after his coattails this time.

—

"Gokudera-kun?" Tsuna questioned as he swung open the kitchen door.

"Tenth!" Gokudera exclaimed, spinning around wildly from the stove. He was cooking dinner enough for a small army. Then cautiously, "How are you?"

"Good," Tsuna answered. Then observing his friends answering smile he smiled back, "Better actually." He didn't have a lot of time. Best he spent it with Gokudera while he could. He decided to keep the conversation light, "Did you manage to speak with anyone before you came here? Like Yamamoto?"

The silver-haired boy shook his head worriedly, "No tenth, I haven't seen them as long as you have. I've been here in Cielo this whole time after Reborn told me about his curse. I've been with him since."

Ah. That was why he was here.

There was comfortable silence as Gokudera filled up a plate of marinated beef and unions and set it down in front of him. "Go ahead and eat, tenth. You didn't eat breakfast right?" He hadn't and he was hungry. He picked up his fork and began eating. Gokudera held out a glass of water and Tsuna took it gratefully, drinking the residue away.

"Gokudera-kun, how do you know Uni? And Gamma?"

Gokudera hummed, stirring more beef in the fry pan, wincing as hot oil hit the bare skin of his hands. "Uni is sort of Reborn's boss. Since they're from the Acrobaleno familiga, you see. Gamma came as a package deal with Uni, the guy was always hanging around her so its hard not to know him. However, Reborn and I are also from Vongola."

At his lack of response, only because he was thinking, Gokudera dared to peek through his hair at him. "The Vongola familiga is actually your family, tenth. You're the tenth of Vongola you know. The tenth boss after Giotto, the Prince of Spades." And that was probably why Gokudera has been calling him tenth since they were children.

Tsuna snorted into his cup, "Thanks but no thanks. I'll just let Dino handle the Vongola for me. There's no way I can possibly be a leader for a familiga." He sighed, measuring the reality of the situation. Even if he wanted to, he didn't have time. His days, hours, minutes were slowly ticking away.

"But tenth," Gokudera protested weakly but was unable to finish when Reborn walked in, his tiny form bobbing.

He immediately looked to Tsuna, holding out a phone. "Tsuna. It's for you."

Instantly, Gokudera went quietly somber, going back to sulkily pushing the beef around the pan and Reborn hopped up to sit in the chair across from Tsuna, still holding out the phone. He stood up from his seat and reached over the table. He was bewildered, wondering who could possibly be calling for him. He thought of people from Varia, but after what transpired and the lengths to get away from them, Tsuna doubted Reborn would actually phone them. He didn't know who else could be calling him though, but nonetheless grasped the cellphone and brought it to his face. He greeted, "Hello?"

"Tsuna!" The voice bellowed, and Tsuna fell back into his seat in shock. Because it couldn't be, it just couldn't be.

"...Dad?" Tsuna said disbelievingly.

Iemitsu babbled, as if unsure what to say first, "Thank god, you're all right, you're all right. I was so sure that you—you disappeared and I didn't know what to do. Me and your mother were just so at loss and god, I want to see you, I want to see you, Tsuna—" It was his dad, his stupid, muscle-headed dad. His voice was so real, and instantly familiar in his ears.

"Dad," Tsuna said, his throat catching. Unsure of whether to cry or stay in disbelief. "Dad how—how are you talking to me? Dad are you at home?" Because damn, this cellphone signal is strong if he was.

"Oh Tsuna, no," He finally said, catching his breath, "I'm here in Cielo."

At his, he almost dropped the phone. "What? You're in Cielo? Is that what you said?" He wasn't sure he had heard that right.

"Yes!" Iemitsu exclaimed, excitedly, so different from his own inner turmoil.

Tsuna's greatest horror grew tremendously real. His father was here, his father could die. His father could die in this place. "Dad," He stumbled, "Dad where are you? Tell me where you are, we'll go find you—you can't be out there alone."

"I'm not alone!" Iemitsu chirped, almost innocently, and Tsuna felt like he was being choked to death, "I'm here at the Vongola base, waiting for you!" And Iemistsu's tone dropped worriedly, "Tsuna, you're alright, right? You're not hurt? Me, Kyo-kun and Reborn have been looking for you for months. They made me stay here when they went to go find you. Said it was too dangerous and stuff. But damn, I should've went, you're with Reborn aren't you—god damn it, I should've went with them. I knew it."

"No," Tsuna's voice hitched, "No, I'm fine. I'm so glad. So glad." He rubbed at his eyes. "I wish you were here." Oh how he wished he was here instead of speaking with him through a tinny cellphone.

"Me too," Iemitsu replied regretfully. "I heard what you've been through Tsuna. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I wish I could've found you earlier. Then you wouldn't have to deal with this Varia and Millefiore and stuff. The rate your being exchanged from hand to hand is ridiculous."

"I'm fine now, dad. How are you? How's mom?"

There was a pause.

And Tsuna's panic was roused again when he didn't respond immediately. "Dad?"

"She...I don't know," Iemitsu admitted. "When you were taken away, I was nearly arrested under suspicion of murdering you and Hayato. And then Kyo-kun saved me and brought me here. I don't know where she is now."

There was another pause as they both thought of Nana, alone in the house, wondering where her son and husband was. Probably worrying herself so much she hardly ate. They wanted to return to her, but not before they met up first. But Tsuna caught something unusual in his father's confession. "What 'Kyo-kun'?" Tsuna repeated, confused.

"Yes, Hibari Kyoya? He saved my life, Tsuna." Iemitsu recalled with soft fondness. Hibari went and saved his dad? He gritted his teeth and tried to hold back his tears. How could he ever thank him? If Hibari hadn't stepped in, oh god, his dad would've probably been locked up in jail since for his stupid mistake. Iemitsu growled and Tsuna drew back to stare at the phone in confusion.

"Oh that reminds me!" Iemitsu suddenly exclaimed, his voice rising through the static of the phone, "You're in big trouble. You're going to get a spanking when we get home."

"What!" Tsuna squawked, his face reddening in great embarrassment, much to Reborn's amusement. "Why?"

"Because you've been hiding a man in your closet for seven years! That's half your age! Why didn't you tell us!"

Flustered and cornered, Tsuna exclaimed indignantly, "I did though! Several times!"

"You told us it was a boogie man!"

"But you never believed me!" He retorted, turning redder as Gokudera grinned behind his hand and Reborn smirked through chewing on his beef. He only called Hibari a boogie man to his mother and father's faces, but it was horrifyingly humiliating now that one of his best friends and his older sister's husband knew.

He was met with a short, fuming silence. He sighed exasperatedly, but fondly all the same.

"Tsuna, we'll see eachother again, and then we'll talk about this further. Kyo-kun said he was going to bring you here soon."

He replied quickly, "We will." But then he realized. He couldn't. Wouldn't, really, see his dad again. His reaction was instantaneous, his smile dropped like he was struck by lightning. He couldn't see his dad again, because there was no time. He had no more time left. And he swallowed over the lump in his pipes, "I'll see you soon dad."

As if sensing his distress over the distance and through the receiver, Iemitsu tried to reassure him, "We will see each other, you hear me? Kyo-kun will keep you safe, and I trust him."

Tsuna didn't doubt it. Hibari would most definitely keep him safe and sound to see his father. He didn't doubt it for a second. But he had to be a responsible and sensible adult. Hibari and his dad didn't know what Tsuna was really planning, and it was best to keep it that way. His gritted his teeth, fighting to keep the dead mechanical tone out of his voice, "Yes, soon." But his next words were sincere, he was unable to keep the emotion out of his voice, "I'm really glad I got to speak with you, dad. I—I missed you."

"Me too, and I'm glad you're safe. I love you, Tsuna."

He battled the threat of a sob clawing up his lungs, breathing through his nose in and out slowly. He didn't want his dad to know the agony he felt at the moment. Because when he goes off to die, he wanted to remember his dad's usual happy robust, not worry or sadness. He tried to smile in his words. "I love you, dad." And with numb fingers, he ended the call, listening intently to the dial tone before snapping it shut. He slid the phone with stiff limbs over the wood of the table to Reborn. He only realized there were tears staining his cheeks when Gokudera held out a handkerchief to him silently. He took it, wiping his eyes.

"Tsuna," Reborn began, his voice childish yet rough with age, "I take it Dino has told you what you must do?"

Tsuna nodded silently, fresh tears springing to replace the wiped ones.

He had expected a praising encouragement from Reborn, pleased with his answer, but he was only met with a solemn stare. It was as if everyone had mixed feelings about the subject, he realized. Was it truly the right thing for him to die, even for the behalf of everyone in Cielo? Even for Hibari?

AN: I wonder if you have all noticed how Tsuna doesn't say "mama" or "papa" anymore, only saying mom and dad. Our baby is growing up! But oh my god, Tsuna might die. I bet you are all like, 'omfg she comes back from a nine month hiatus and she greets us with a major character death? wtffffff'. But I've been planning this since the very beginning, believe it or not. If Tsuna actually becomes Cielo's sky, well, that's up to you isn't it, to read the next chapters? c:

In case anyone hasn't known, I have a tumblr account where I post previews of the chapters I'm currently writing, including Bestialized (a short 1827 project I'm working on at the moment to get used to this website again). It's ( jikage. tumblr. com )

Thank you for reading and all the amazing support, and even sticking with me even when I went AWOL!