Windshear Part [21/?]
Authors: Kagaya Chou and The Dream Whisperer
Characters/Pairings: Yamamoto, Hibari, Dino, Tsuna, Reborn, Gokudera, Ryohei, Gamma, Genkishi, Mukuro, Byakuran. Implied Mukuro/Byakuran and Ryohei/Gokudera. Eventual Yamamoto/Hibari.
Rating: PG-13
Words: 4535
Summary: The aftermath of Gloxinia's battle. Meanwhile, Byakuran places his crusader in Mukuro's hands.
H stumbled out of the lift, a hand grabbing on to the doorframe and the other clenched around the back of Yamamoto's jacket. His breathing was short and shallow, and his head was spinning, temples throbbing.
But he didn't let go and he didn't stop, moving forward step by step, fighting the dizziness all the way.
Yamamoto tried his best to keep his eyes open and his feet steady so that he wouldn't weigh Hibari down. He felt disorientated, hot and cold flashes going through him wildly, and all that he could see were odd blurs of colors. Mostly black. Black was comfortable. Black was Hibari's color of choice.
His mind went black for a moment, flooding with thoughts and memories and those horrid little insecurities that made him feel like he was sinking. He groaned, shaking his head, because Hibari was alive, alive damnit, and he loved him. Loves him. And it was some drug talking, because he knew at the back of his mind that they were back in the hospital now and Hibari wasn't dying.
"Yamamoto Takeshi," Hibari snapped all of a sudden, shrugging his shoulder hard to jar against Yamamoto. "Don't close your eyes." He shook his own head hard, trying to stop the world from spinning on its axis but that just sent a bright, hard spike of pain into his head. Hissing quietly, he clenched his fist hard, trying to regain full control over his own body.
It was harder than he had first thought.
But there were doctors in front of him now, weaving in and out of his sight. They rushed over, frowning and worried, fluttering around them but not near enough to crowd him - they knew better than that. "He was drugged," Hibari pronounced, jerking his head towards Yamamoto. "Cure him."
Yamamoto's head cleared for a brief second while Hibari shrugged him off to the doctors and nurses. He tried to cooperate, to move, but then he looked at Hibari and there was something other than annoyance on the Cloud guardian's pretty face. Something that made Yamamoto lean back into him, and press his lips to Hibari's forehead and whisper, "Thanks," before turning away.
Hibari bilinked, staring at Yamamoto as the other man was gently ushered away by the staff. What- just what-
He still didn't understand why Yamamoto did that, yet at the same time, there was the strangest of feelings at the base of his ribcage, at his stomach. Yamamoto smiled back at him briefly, eyes glassy but warm and reassuring. As he went around a corner, Hibari turned towards one of his other doctors. They should be able to tell him if what he felt was just physical or not.
***
When Tsuna heard Dino's voice on the phone, he had been glad. At least, until the Cavallone don handed the phone over to the Giglionero boss. He wasn't happy that he'd been correct - that Genkishi had chosen to follow Byakuran again and had turned against his own famiglia. Lady Uni's Mist Guardian had rebelled against them, trying to convince her to merge with the Gesso once more and when she had refused...
Tsuna shook his head, pressing his lips flat together. It was a good thing that the relationship between the Cavallone and the Giglionero had been strengthened recently - he didn't want to think about what Lady Uni would have to do if she had been stranded.
But there were other pressing matters at hand as well. Gamma had aided Lady Uni's escape by staying behind, but she had received no word of him since finding sanctuary, which was especially distressing, since Ryohei and Gokudera should have reached the old Giglionero summer home by now.
"Hey, Tsuna," Dino asked, jerking him out of his thoughts. "Do you need me to send you backup?"
Tsuna shook his head slowly, though he knew Dino wouldn't be able to see it. "It's all right, Dino-san. I think we can deal with it by ourselves." He knew that for those who did not hold rings and could not use the power of their dying will flames, the fight would be out of their league. Dino's men being at the battleground would simply be cannon fodder at best and hindrances at worst.
"Please keep Lady Uni safe."
"That goes without saying," Dino chuckled uneasily, and Tsuna could just about picture the anxious look on his 'elder brother's face. "Well, at least the Varia should be happy now. And if you can prove that the Gesso is behind this, the Vendicare will side with you, too."
"That would be helpful," Tsuna sighed quietly, slumping back against his leather chair. "He bit his lip slightly. "Thank you, Dino-san. Please don't worry too much. I had hoped that Genkishi wouldn't become a traitor, but at least now... we can resolve this quickly." His eyes steeled. "I won't let anyone else die again."
"You take care now," Dino added. While he hadn't been shot into the future ten years ago, Reborn saw fit to inform him of that epic tale of their deeds in that world. "Let's not have that history of yours repeating itself."
"It won't," Tsuna replied immediately. "I won't disappoint you."
Dino chuckled. "Of course you won't." He took a deep breath. "Tsuna... How's Kyouya?"
"He is going to be discharged from the hospital today," Tsuna said, smiling. No matter the situation or whatever had changed, it seemed that Dino still cared about his former student. "Yamamoto is, ah, accompanying him."
"I see," came a quiet reply. "Then I'm glad." After a moment's silence, Dino spoke again. "Well, let me know if there's anything else I can do. I don't want to get in the way of anything, especially while you're dealing with Byakuran, but I do want to see you guys again."
"I'll definitely contact you," Tsuna promised. Then, his cell phone started to ring. "Dino-san, I have another call coming in."
"All right, Tsuna. See you later."
"Yeah. Bye." Tsuna looked at his cell phone as he placed the office phone's receiver back on its hook. "Nakamura-san?" His eyes widened in dread.
***
Gokudera was doubled over, panting harshly as he tossed his head, flicking sweat and blood out of his eyes. His gaze darted around him, taking in the trees that surrounded him, trying desperately to at least hear something even if he couldn't see Genkishi coming. His fingers tightened around the stick of dynamite in his hand.
All of the sudden he jumped to the side, rolling on the grass and dirtying his clothes and hair even further. But he barely noticed it, lighting the dynamite immediately and tossing it in front of him, towards where those flashes of black and silver - Genkishi's swords - had came from. The explosion came, splitting a few trees into nothing but splinters. Burning leaves and branches at his peripheral alerted him to where they actually were. Ashes fell from above onto Gokudera's hair.
But the illusion remained.
Gokudera grit his teeth and spat the dying cigarette out of his mouth. He lit another quickly, on reflex, and counted the dynamites he had left. Still good. But Genkishi was either taking his time, playing with him, or just not interested in fighting him properly, because it was taking too long for his liking.
Outside of the illusion, Gamma shut his eyes as he gathered his Thunder flames in his hand, letting them wrap together into a ball of electricity. His eyes flickered towards Ryohei, making sure that the man beside him was out of the danger zone before he took a step backwards, pushed off, and slammed his hand against the solid air in front of him.
The earth shook beneath them, and Gokudera found himself shoved back by a blast of hot air that lifted him off his feet, smacking his back against the bark of a tree. "Fuck!"
Gamma let his hand dropped back to his side, breathing a little harder as the mist cleared around them. His eyes narrowed, darting around the clearing as his Thunder flames started to gather in his hands again. Genkishi was around - he knew it. After so many years of fighting beside that man and sparring with him, Gamma could tell his presence, and it was near them, hanging around at the fringes of the forest.
The Vongola Storm guardian crumpled to the ground with a harsh gasp. He coughed, and glared at his opponent. No wait, it was... Goddamnit, Gamma. He shoved the memories away, forcibly reminding himself that Gamma was supposed to be on his side this time.
"Gokudera!" Ryohei ran over, and knelt beside him, clamping a hand over his shoulder. "How hurt are you?"
Gokudera shrugged off the hand, scowling deeply as he pushed himself back on his feet, glaring at Ryohei because it would be too suspicious to even look at Gamma wrongly - in this 'world' , he had no reason for it. "I'm fine," he bit out.
Gamma wasn't even looking them. A side glance was enough. If that Storm guardian was all that hurt, his partner was going to heal him, which meant someone had to guard them against any possible attack.
Breathing out a low breath, Gokudera shook his head as he looked around him. There was no sign of Genkishi now that the illusions had dissipated, but Gokudera would never believe that the man had simply left them alone. After all, he was after the rings, wasn't he? That was what Byakuran had always been after.
"Where the fuck is he," he growled.
He received no answer. Beside him, Ryohei took a couple of steps aside, looking around. Although the mist had parted for Gamma when he broke through the barrier, it was only for a moment. That Genkishi probably remoulded his illusions. They were in a normal forest now, it seemed, but Ryohei knew that he couldn't trust his own senses. To know his own strengths, a man must first recognize his weaknesses; Ryohei was aware that he could be quite gullible.
He closed his eyes, and focused on his environment. Not what an illusionist should want him to feel, but what had to be real: That tree Gokudera had slammed into, the wind that flowed around it, Gokudera himself...
"Hey," Gokudera said, all of the sudden. His hand clenched, the other slipping into his pocket. "Lawnhead. When did the Tenth forget to bring his coat?"
Ryohei grinned despite trying to feel for things that shouldn't belong, "Date with sis. Last Valentine's," he answered. His eyes snapped open a second later, and he drew Sun flame into his hands. "There!" He charged at Gamma.
The Giglionero hitman gaped, but promptly leaped aside just as Ryohei's fire blocked off deadly steel. The sword was real then. The man wielding it however... whether he was the genuine article was another question.
Gokudera growled under his breath at the sight of Genkishi. A sleight of hand sent a whole bunch of dynamites flying from his hands towards the direction of the sword, already lit. The air trembled for a moment before an explosion rocked the ground, sending dust upwards to cover their vision.
But Gokudera was already used to this. He darted forward immediately, a gun in his left hand and more dynamite on his right.
Ryohei, by now, was used to Gokudera's fighting style. He ducked away at the whispers of lit fuses, and killed his flames so they would not set off the explosives too soon.
Gamma cursed beneath his breath. Of course Genkishi would target him, he thought. Of course! The man knew how he fought, the two of them having worked together for so long.
On Gokudera's side, he had already expected that Genkishi would attack Gamma - after all, it was the Mare ring that took priority right now. He spun around, moving over to the Giglionero's Thunder Guardian's side and threw forward a smoke bomb. Then, he pulled Gamma hard out of the way before aiming and shooting at the place that man used to be.
Hidden within his own Mist flames, a single bullet skid past metal and grazed Genkishi's cheek. For a fraction of a second, his eyes widened and he realized that, somehow, the Vongola knew what he was after, what Byakuran sought.
Gamma had that hurt, angry look of betrayal on his face that said he was beginning to see through the denial. "Why," he whispered, thinking of what the Vongola had told him and Lady Uni before. "What can he offer you that our own don can't?!"
"It's for the sake of the famiglia," Genkishi said monotonously. His eyes flickered with some identifiable, muted emotion for a moment before it was quickly masked. "Give up, Gamma. I don't want to fight you. Work for Byakuran-sama for the sake of Uni-sama."
"Bullshit," Gokudera spat out immediately, aiming his gun straight at Genkishi's head. "Stop preaching, fucker. You're just saying a bunch of crap."
Genkishi only responded with a look of contempt towards Gokudera. Nothing more. Seeing that, Ryohei held his ground. Genkishi really didn't want to fight, it seemed, and he didn't want to interfere too much either. This was still primarily Gamma's fight, after all.
And Gamma was scowling. "That's not answering the question!" he pointedly replied. "What did he offer you?"
At that, Genkishi only shook his head, brandishing one of his sword at the Vongola Guardians. "This doesn't concern you," he stated, then turned back to Gamma, his sword arm not lowering. "He offered me nothing but what is good for the Giglionero, Gamma. Don't be stubborn."
"You're wrong." Gamma shook his head, thunder flame crackling around him. "There is nothing that we need from the Gesso."
"Because the Vongola will provide?" Genkishi calmly asked. "Or in this case, the Cavallone, one of their allies."
"We don't give out free gifts like Santa," Gokudera clicked the safety back, walking forward. "Why the fuck would you ever want your famiglia to depend on that Byakuran? Whatever you need, do it yourself."
"They don't give out free gifts, Gamma," Genkishi mockingly echoed. His eyes narrowed to two small pinpricks of fool's gold. "They have the rings. They have a good majority of the Arcobaleno on their side. What could they possibly want from the Giglionero?"
Gamma stiffened at the words.
"Don't listen to him, blondie!" Ryohei shouted, stepping in before Gokudera could say a word. "That flower bastard- Byakuran isn't doing this for free either." His fists clenched at his side as he caught Gamma's gaze, holding it. "Your boss trusts us, Gamma. She doesn't trust Byakuran at all."
Gokudera nodded gravely. "The Tenth isn't after ultimate power or world domination, idiot. He fights for peace!"
"The Vongola Tenth wants peace?" Genkishi scoffed. "What makes you think Byakuran doesn't? But unlike your Tenth, he is willing to obtain it by any means necessary."
"Byakuran wants peace? Yea, sure. By dominating the mafia, or even taking over the world." Gokudera rolled his eyes. "How is that any fucking peace at all?"
"Hypocritical fool," Genkishi answered. "Don't you see, Gamma?"
Gamma nearly froze again because the question sounded like it had been whispered directly into his ear, but self-preservation made him jerk aside, blasting the man who was suddenly beside him with electric volts while the one who stood talking to them before... faded to nothing with an ominous, "I'll make you see."
***
Another flower was starting to wilt.
Mukuro's eyes narrowed, turning his head slightly to look at the row of plants on Byakuran's desk from his peripheral vision. His hand toyed with the Rook piece, lips drawn between his teeth in the classic show of thinking. But he already knew his next move; he was simply stalling.
Byakuran seemed distracted lately, more so than normal, and while it could be chalked up to his recent recovery and the internal problems within the Gesso, Mukuro didn't think it was so simple.
But the white-haired man's biggest concerns at the moment seemed to be flowers. He spoke in flower language. He kept glancing towards them when he thought Mukuro wasn't looking, and sometimes, he even explained their meanings to him.
The man was frowning, attention affixed upon his Black Crusader Calla, or so he had called it, a poisonous plant that required careful handling.
"Byakuran-san?" Mukuro placed the rook on a black square, smiling as he leaned in. His hand pressed flat against the tabletop. "Are you all right? You seem to be distracted."
Violet eyes flickered back towards him. Byakuran had a sterile smile on his face, clean and unreadable like some of the other dolls the man had shown his playmate.
"I'm sorry, Mukuro-kun." Briefly, he covered Mukuro's hand, as though he truly meant his apology. And then he stood up, walking from the chess table to his work desk, lifting pot in question and cradling it in his hands like he was studying a crystal ball.
Mukuro's eyes narrowed as he watched Byakuran, but his smile remained the same as always. Slowly, he shook his head. "There's nothing you have to apologize for. Are you all right?"
Byakuran tilted his head, an indication that he had heard the question. But for a long time, he remained silent. "I can't tell what's going on with my crusader," he finally said by way of an answer. "Mukuro-kun, can you?"
He held the pot out to his playmate, but the expression on his face was genuinely concerned.
Mukuro took the pot, weighing it in his hands as he hummed tunelessly under his breath, He turned it around, looking at the dark flowers that stood up high and proud amongst the dark green leaves. He blinked at the other man's words, tilting his head to the side. He looked almost like an inquisitive child.
"Your crusader?"
The Gesso don smiled vaguely, eyes lingering on the plant for a moment longer. "My dark knight," he nodded. "Petals bruised, stem bent out of shape...
"I can't tell if it's too much sun or-" He curled his fingers around Mukuro's, holding the pot. "Let's give it some shade."
Smiling slightly at the hands around his, Mukuro slowly pulled the pot towards him; pulled Byakuran towards him. "I'm sure that it will be all right under your meticulous care, Byakuran-san."
Inside his mind, the gears were shifting, but he didn't have enough information to piece everything together to make a full picture. The plants were significant, he knew, but to what exactly?
Byakuran sighed lightly. That's just it, he mouthed beneath his breath. But he smiled quickly. "Thank you, Mukuro-kun." Slowly, he moved the pot out of Mukuro's hands and glanced around the room. His gaze settled upon the bookshelves, and he started walking over when his private line rang.
Two steps backwards and Byakuran turned back to his desk, answering the phone. "Byakuran speaking," he injected a joyous tone, and then hissed, "Iris." As he listened, his fingers clenched around the receiver and the pot, knuckles turning white.
"Ah... well then," he shrugged, forcibly relaxing his shoulders despite how stretching still agitated his burn wounds. "I suppose it can't be helped. Thank you... for the effort, my dear."
After he ended the conversation, he glanced up at Mukuro with a sharp, bright-eyed smile. "Good news, Mukuro-kun.
"Gloxinia-kun. He's dead."
Mukuro's eyes widened. At his side, his fingers curled inwards, almost forming into a fist before he forcibly stopped himself. The Gloxinia - his Canterbury Bells - on the window and now... he took a step closer, wrapping his arms around Byakuran's shoulders, stroking the wounds through the cloth gently.
"How is that good news?" he shook his head, frowning. Cupping the older man's cheek with a hand, he whispered, tone low and mournful, "I'm very sorry about that, Byakuran-san. I know you cared for him very much."
"Oh, no... You see, if I cared, I wouldn't have allowed him to die," Byakuran reasoned, his voice exceedingly calm. "I thought that you'd be happy though. He never liked you... You never liked him."
Mukuro shook his head. "I didn't, but it doesn't matter now... he was your man, wasn't he?" He tilted his head to the side, concern shining both insincere and genuine in his eyes. "Are you upset?"
Byakuran let his eyes close briefly, simply letting the other man hold him. Mukuro knew better than to be anything but gentle - unless he was feeling deliberately malicious, because Byakuran was still recovering, sometimes numbed with medication and sometimes feeling like he'd just been burnt again.
"I'm very upset, Mukuro-kun," he pronounced.
"Is there anything I can do then?" Mukuro asked, eyes downcast and as sincere as he could ever be. "I don't want you to be upset..."
"Anything..." Byakuran smiled thinly. Placing the Black Crusader on the shelf, he chuckled. "You're too good to me.
"But I can't think of anything at the moment, Mukuro-kun. If there's anything you would rather be doing, do share."
Mukuro cocked his head to the side, "Rather be doing? What would I want to do except to aid you here, Byakuran-san?"
Byakuran stared at him. Just stared at him, then nodded once, and slowly wet his lips before speaking. "Help me pick out a funeral wreath?
Now, that phrase was a familiar one; and dangerous as well. In the timeline that was not, those who were part of Byakuran's guardians were called 'funeral wreathes', presumably as they were the ones who killed most of the opponents.
But he half-feigned ignorance still, ducking his head down, lips curving up into a sheepish smile. "I'm afraid I don't know very much about plants."
"It's okay, Mukuro-kun. I've already narrowed it down to a few choices." He opened a drawer and pulled out a thick folder. Inside, there were several files - not of flowers exactly, but, as Mukuro suspected, of personnel.
Mukuro looked at him for a long moment, taking in the unusually unsmiling expression, the tense fingers around the file, and the tightly-pressed lights. He nodded slowly. "I understand. I will take my leave first then, Byakuran." He straightened, heading for the door.
"Where are you going, Mukuro-kun?" Byakuran blinked innocently, as he sat down behind his desk, just about ready to go through the reports he'd taken out.
Mukuro stopped in his tracks, turning around to look at Byakuran. He smiled automatically, "Do you prefer me to stay?"
Byakuran nodded, smiling again, and Mukuro wasn't sure if he should be more relieved or disturbed by the familiar sight. "I have some files to go over, but... I just thought of something you can do for me... which would make me feel much better." He nodded towards his black lily.
"Keep my crusader alive. Please. It feeds on dying will energy."
"All right," Mukuro nodded, curling his fingers around the pot and lifting it up. He looked at it scrutinizingly for a moment before he turned to Byakuran, smiling brightly with his eyes closed. "I'll do that."
***
Hibird's rendition of the Namimori high school anthem drifted into the hospital room from an open window, drawing a nostalgic smile to Yamamoto's face. Slowly, he opened his eyes and tilted his head towards the source. The little yellow bird was perched on Hibari's finger and Hibari's eyes were closed. Maybe he was enjoying the breeze.
Then, Hibari's eyes snapped open immediately, as if reacting to the sound of Yamamoto's hair against the pillow. Extending his arm, he extended his arm and let Hibird, still trilling the anthem, take off to the trees outside. His eyes did not leaving Yamamoto's.
"You'll be discharged the day after tomorrow," he pronounced, shrugging slightly.
"Why?" Yamamoto asked quietly, and then cleared his dry throat. As he tried to sit up, stray memories seemed to slot themselves back into place. Taking Hibari out of the hospital. Fighting, and then killing Gloxinia. Kissing Hibari in the corridor...
"Haha," he gave a breathless, disbelieving laugh, leaning back against the headboard. "What hit me?"
Hibari's smirk was a little bitter but mostly bloodthirsty, rage hidden at the edges. "The Death Heater." It was terribly ironic, really, that the poison used on all of them in their youths cropped up again. Hibari pressed his lips together, leaning backwards against the windowsill. His eyes were narrowed as he watched Yamamoto, waiting for his reaction.
"The... That Cervello poison?" Yamamoto blinked. "But it barely felt like... Oh yeah, my insides were boiling." And at present, come to think of it, he wasn't hurting much, but he should have been. He rubbed his side absently, over the hospital gown, and felt bandages. "I'm on morphine or something?"
Hibari nodded. "Don't touch them. You will open the wound."
"You're not wounded... Are you?"
A moment's silence, and Yamamoto changed the subject, "And it's over?"
Hibari strugged.
"...Tsuna and the kiddo?"
"The doctors have informed him," Hibari told him crisply, opening his eyes to look into Yamamoto's own. Then he uncrossed his arms, letting them fall to his side, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Now rest."
Slowly, Yamamoto shifted himself back down with a quiet, "Okay." He closed his eyes, as if to sleep, but looked at the ceiling after a moment, and then back at Hibari. "Hey, Hibari... Do you sing?"
Hibari raised an eyebrow at him. Then, his gaze flickered towards the bag of morphine hanging above Yamamoto's head, and then he shrugged. "No."
"Oh..." Yamamoto rubbed his eyes, yawning briefly. "Then, how did you teach Hibird the Namimori anthem?"
"My ringtone," was the flat, rather bored reply. Hibari hid a yawn behind his hand - it was contagious, and he was rather tired was well. After all, he was still not fully recovered, no matter how much he wanted himself to be.
Yamamoto laughed lightly, thinking of Hibari presenting Hibird with his cell phone, and even though it was probably more likely that Hibird simply picked up the song on its own, the idea of it struck him as adorable. "That's so cute."
"Cute?" Hibari's other eyebrow rose. "What do you mean, Yamamoto Takeshi."
The question-statement garnered a soft smile and a shrug. "You're very good with animals, aren't you?"
"They are less annoying than humans." His eyes slanted towards Yamamoto, narrowing slightly. He didn't know why he was still staying here, answering inane questions. "Go to sleep already."
"But how long have I been sleeping?" Yamamoto asked, despite the heavy feeling over his eyelids. Momentarily, brown eyes widened. "How long have you been waiting?"
"Half a day," Hibari answered, droll. He pushed himself away from the wall, heading for the door. "Don't assume that I have been waiting for you."
"Haha, you're here because you want to be here," Yamamoto managed a nod and smiled brightly. "I'm glad." Then, he sighed, and uttered a soft, "Thanks."
Hibari placed a hand on the doorframe, turning back to look at Yamamoto for a long, silent moment. Then, he nodded shortly and left the room.
Yamamoto closed his eyes and allowed the Namimori anthem to take him back in time.