New chapter... finally. *dies* Sorry it took so long, went on vacation and had a bit of a block, but luckily I woke up this morning with entire sentences formed in my head, and just went and wrote it out :P Here it is, hope you like it - the next chapter will be the last one!

The Elucidative Rain

a.k.a. non-emo angst

There would have been given quite a yelling, not to mention punishment for skipping class, if it wasn't for Gokudera's fearsome gaze that pierced the science teacher and rapidly convinced him that no disciplinary measures are to be taken. The baseball ace would have been truly grateful to the intimidating bomber – that is, if the same gaze wasn't directed at him every time their eyes met.

Yeah, if all the embarrassing events that accumulated lately weren't enough to make the silverette hate him, yesterday certainly did it. He hadn't received a word apart from the "tch" filled with despise, and the teen was continuously avoiding him. Yup, he really screwed up big time.

'What was I thinking anyway?

Kissing him like that... as if the idiot me wouldn't comprehend it wasn't me whom he wanted...'

It was clear, after all, that Gokudera Hayato, the storm guardian and the boss' right-hand-man only lived for the Juudaime, for the former no-good-Tsuna. No one except Tsuna had the privilege of seeing him smile, of making him chuckle with laughter, of hearing the true feelings he harboured...

And Yamamoto Takeshi, who could make any girl of Namimori middle (and possibly a few guys as well) fall for him with a single word and a smile, could do nothing about it.

Actually, he felt a bit ridiculous. With girls confessing to him on a daily basis, one would think he was the luckiest guy on Earth, and that he could make anyone fall for him. Yes, anyone he could make fall for him with that optimistic grin he always bore, the grin that Gokudera said made him look like an idiot. But, a certain someone he could not make fall for him... when it came to that certain someone, the anyone principle didn't work at all, and he was bested by a guy that used to be the centre of mockery.

Ridiculous, and yet he was pretty certain that was the truth.

Even though... yesterday, he felt like maybe... like maybe Gokudera didn't hate him, like maybe he even enjoyed cuddling up against him...

The memories brought a faint blush to his face, and he buried his face deeper behind the textbook, hoping no one noticed, and leaving his luck to handle the possibility of him being called on right now.

He was an idiot, of course. Gokudera told him so many times, and yet he was still somewhat reluctant to believe (it)... naturally, he didn't consider himself to be on the brightest side, far from being such an intellectual as the silver headed bomber in the front row – but, he never considered himself stupid either. Well, not until now.

He couldn't really say he wasn't stupid after what happened yesterday. He sure was a blockhead not to get the obvious message that 'Gokudera liked Tsuna and not him and he was merely at hand and comfortable and Gokudera was exhausted and wasn't able to think clearly anyway so he just leaned onto the first half-comfortable thing at hand the fact that he kept calling him a pillow only proved that and he ignorantly took advantage of the helpless no calling him helpless would be a little too far but if he wasn't helpless then why didn't he react or push him away or whatever ah he was probably frozen solid by shock but he was all red in face when he yelled at me like he was blushing or something nah that was probably just a manifest of his anger but I've never seen him that angry to exhibit such a deep shade of tomato-red and I did apologize no actually he yelled at me only after I apologized damn I guess some things just can't be settled with an apology but why was he so flushed and out of breath and his heart I felt his heart beating against my chest before and it was going doki doki so fast and his lips were warm and soft and he didn't cooperate but he didn't resist really either was that just shock surely it was just shock but'

"GAAAAH!"

The entire classroom turned around in unison as the school's baseball ace's scream of frustration accidentally left his lips and he banged his head against the desk. Well, the nearly entire classroom. The only one that didn't seem to be affected by the sudden outburst was the very source of it (not quite knowing that, although the thought had crossed his mind), Gokudera Hayato, sitting in the front row with his feet placed leisurely on the desk, leaning backwards in his chair, ignoring the place and situation, dedicating his attention to matters more worthy of it.

"Yamamoto, is something the matter?"

The teacher's question resounded ominously in his ears as he realised the situation he had just put himself in. 'Great, just what I needed right now...'

And on top of that, it turned out he managed to cause himself a nosebleed when he head-desked. 'Just great.'

Actually, on a second thought, it wasn't that bad. A nosebleed meant he could legally escape from the classroom, being sent to the school infirmary, and since the nurse was that perverted Shamal guy who doesn't treat men anyway, he'd be free to go in a matter of moments...

"Um, sensei, I'm bleeding a bit, may I be excused...?"

Naturally, no one could deny such a request, and when accompanied with an I'm-afraid-I-might-die-if-I-don't-get-this-treated-soon look, even the cold-hearted science teacher just waved his hand in dismissal, sending the bleeding student to the nurse's office.

Yamamoto strode quickly to the hallway, eager to get out as soon as possible. His head was screaming with thoughts that just couldn't stay inside peacefully, and he was afraid he might accidentally say something else than just gah, something more meaningful even.

And that, he could not afford. Not because of his pride, or his reputation at Nami middle... no, he was worried about what it would bring to Gokudera. If he accidentally blurted out something actually eligible and comprehendible concerning his silver haired classmate, he'd probably go insane. Casualties and damage on school property were a certainty – but that wouldn't really bother him... he just didn't want to upset Gokudera about something like that... over his own idiocy.

To his surprise, he actually found himself striding into the infirmary. Shamal, luckily, wasn't there. Probably off skirt-hunting.

His nosebleed stopped in the meantime anyway, and he didn't need any medical treatment in the first place. The bleeding had stopped far before he even got close to the fatal room of seduction as the infirmary became known as of these days, and he merely used the room's comfort to wash his face clean, then strode straight out of school. Fearless, or rather due to his current condition, oblivious of a certain Disciplinary Committee head's potential wrath at his breaking of school regulations, he exited the school premises already lightly trotting, and to his luck (though he would probably give credit to his gut feeling), Hibari Kyouya was nowhere to be seen.

He let his feet guide him wherever they may. He didn't want to be bothered by thinking where to go to, he had more than enough to think about, and he couldn't just go home, given that he was pretty much skipping school. Besides, their family restaurant had never been a good place to think – Gokudera would say that it shows if he were here...

Suddenly, he heard the sound of grinding gravel. Wondering where that might be coming from, he looked around, and found himself to be the source of the noise. Unknowingly, he had strayed into the park where he, Lambo, I-Pin and... Gokudera had played while the others were visiting their homes in the future.

He smiled softly, though bitterly at the memory. The future. What did it hold for him? What did it hold for them...?

They've seen a part of it, learned of their future power and the influence of their famiglia, and ensured a safe future for all of them. Or at least Byakuran-free, safety was debatable. But he couldn't help but wonder... What kind of a relationship did the future Storm and Rain have...? Gokudera and Tsuna were the only ones that have seen his future self, and Tsuna the only one that saw Gokudera as he was ten years later. None of them mentioned anything, and if he tried asking, it would just look suspicious...

He would just have to wait then. Since when did Yamamoto Takeshi ever worry about the future anyway?

However...

...the future that they experienced together... those were his favourite memories.

The first time Gokudera let him fight alongside him. They both said things they shouldn't have, yelled at each other and failed miserably. But still... Gokudera opened himself up towards Yamamoto a bit, let a single layer of his shell-like armour down and accepted him as a fellow fighter. He was happy.

And in the Melone base, when the walls and hallways started to move and shift, he... he actually reached out for the baseball ace, crying out his name and telling him to grab onto his hand. Yamamoto knew it was too late, and that there was no way Gokudera could pull both him and Lal Mirch through the rapidly narrowing space between the two moving blocks in time, but he was happy. Gokudera cared.

Not wanting to visit his home, knowing of his father's death, he took Lambo and I-Pin to play in the park. He was pretty sure Gokudera had nowhere to visit as well... after all, what was his place? A tiny rented house identical to its neighbours, one of a fifty soulless buildings that lined the street. Nothing a man could get attached to, and he was living alone as well. He knew they were all aware of that blatant fact; he knew they both knew it when he asked if he wanted to come along with them. And yet, he refused. Not that it was unexpected; no, he knew Gokudera Hayato all too well – but it was undeniable that their relationship had developed, and he kinda hoped... He thought that maybe he now the bomber considered him friend, but his reluctance to join them didn't show the acceptance he hoped for. Ha, was he happy when the silverette appeared out of nowhere to join them!

Could Gokudera... like his company...?

Sitting on the top of the slide, he let himself drown in memories, emotions and thoughts.

It did not occur to him that it was strange that the park was empty, that no child voices could be heard on the playground, and that no one bothered him to get off the slide. Well, not until he was soaking wet from the rain.

When his now half-transparent clothes stuck to him like glue, it was rather inevitable that he would realise that it was raining. Had been raining for the last three hours. Pouring down almost.

The raven-haired teen laughed at his own stupidity.

He laughed, laughed until it hurt and he had to wrap his arms around his abdomen.

Then, he cried.

Cried for what he thought was lost,

cried for what he believed could never be,

cried for everything that he had done wrong.

But above everything, one thing was bothering him and driving him insane. He had lied to Gokudera.

He thought it was for the best, he thought he was merely avoiding further conflict, he thought he could make it right with those words – but that didn't change the unbearable fact that he had lied to him.

He wasn't sorry. Not even in the faintest shade of the word's meaning. He fully and truly enjoyed every second his lips were imposing themselves on Gokudera's; he revelled in pleasure every second of his tongue exploring the other male's mouth. He did regret the consequences, the aftermath of his reckless actions, but he wasn't sorry.

Before he knew, his feet were moving again. This time, he was not wandering. This time, he was going somewhere, not just anywhere. This time, he had a purpose, and his feet knew exactly where to guide him as they paved the sidewalk with confident steps.

It was only a short stride to his house, although it seemed like eternity, eternity accompanied with the melodic splatter of raindrops against his shoulders and splashes under his shoes. Now finally, he was here, hand reaching for the doorbell, pressing it in two short rings.

Bzzt bzzt

He could feel the footsteps from within vibrating and resonating through the building's weak structure, and hear the constant uninterrupted flow of Italian curses as the only resident made his way towards the door, opening them violently, sporting a threatening gaze and already opening his mouth to shout something along the lines 'what the hell do you want' when he froze in place at the sight before him.

Yamamoto.

At his doorstep.

Soaking wet.

Clothes half-transparent and sticking closely to the figure of his body.

'Che, he could just as well be naked, wouldn't make much difference.'

Beta reader's commentary: 'I like Goku's mind-flow :3 All in favor say "Aye!" (and the whole fandom screams their guts out)'