From the moment his eyes flickered open as the sun rose, Lambo felt off. There was a general achiness and discomfort - a sense of wrongness that reminded him of a summer flu. But he was sure he wasn't sick. Yet, there was a tight, tugging sensation in his chest that refused to leave. Distracting himself with a 10km run, an hour of training, cooking an elaborate breakfast and even spoiling himself with a bubble bath using expensive soaps and scents of Milan hadn't helped at all. Growling in frustration when the clock's bold 8:40 am stared back at him, Lambo hoped that he was just imagining things and grudgingly got ready for school.

Lambo was daydreaming about velvety gelato and cannoli melting in his mouth when Kyouya slammed open the classroom door. For a split second he recalled his frustratingly rough morning, the irritating feeling that he had spent the last hour persistently ignoring. A split second later, fear immediately pooled in his stomach, feeling slightly nauseous as that tugging sensation turned into a cyclone clawing at his chest.

"Pack up your things". "Critical condition". "Him". Tsuna. Lambo couldn't breathe.

That is, until the storm broke out of his chest, tornadoing all over his body in his fit of rage.

When he stopped to take a breath, Kyouya patiently asked, "Are you finished?" bringing his rage to a sudden halt.

His fingers coiled, clenching tightly into a fist around Kyouya's Italian cotton shirt. His head tilted forward, downwards, ashamed at his outburst.

Barely wanting to admit it to himself, he whispered, "It's my fault isn't it? This never would have happened if I was strong enough to stay by his side and protect him. But I'm so goddamn weak that I'm here in tiny Namimori that's protected by you. So he can protect me. But it's my responsibility to protect him. Isn't it Onii-Sama?"

He felt a familiar hand gently squeezing his shoulder, remaining there. He was being comforted. It reminded him of a warm summer afternoon, in the Vongola gardens with all of his famiglia. It was one of his absolute favourite memories.

At the innocently oblivious age of eight years old, he along with the guardians had finally settled into their roles, becoming comfortable with one another. At a picnic,he had turned to Kyouya, testing "Kyo-nii", and after that had earned him a harsh glare, squeaking, he tried "Kyouya-nii-san?" The glare turned sharper, and Lambo immediately shrunk, disappointedly backing off.

However, just as he was about to go back to Tsuna-nii, Kyouya interrupted him, curtly saying "Onii-sama."

Lambo thought he could see Kyouya's gaze soften ever so slightly, and his face brightened with an appropriately child-like innocence. Eight years old Lambo liked it, fifteen years old Lambo still did; slightly formal but he thought it suited quite well.

"There's a jet arranged to take us there as soon as possible, he's in the best hospital in Sicily with the best doctors operating on him."

To anyone else, it would sound nonchalant and indifferent, but Lambo could hear the tension behind the words, laced with the same fear that was flooding through his own veins. Frozen, he didn't know what to say, wanting to apologise to Onii-sama, to Tsuna-nii-san, to beg whoever was out there to let his Sky live.

Just as quietly as before, he whispered, "I'm sorry Onii-sama, I-I just don't know what I would do without him."

He trembled out those last few words, throat already aching as his eyes gathered moisture. But he didn't want to cry, he needed to be strong for Tsuna. He despised his weakness, but that overwhelming frustration only transformed into more tears.

Kyouya's warm hand moved from his shoulder to his head, softly muttering, "What would any of us do without him? You can cry, anyone who says anything will be bitten to death."

"Later." He insisted, like it was possible to will the tears away from his agony.

Later was when they arrived at the car waiting at the school gate. Before Kusakabe had even closed the car door behind him, all of the fear and frustration and anger came flooding down. Lambo pressed his face into Kyouya's shoulder blade, as if hiding his face from the world would make it seem like he wasn't sobbing uncontrollably.

—

Kyouya's own fears and worries were easily wrestled into a box when he shifted his focus to the boy he had come to cherish as family in front of him.

"You're still a child, so you can act like one." He said, gently rubbing circles with his thumb into Lambo's back.

There is a comforting silence during their drive to the airport once Lambo's sobs stopped. It gave Kyouya a lot of time to think, time he didn't really want. Perhaps Lambo was right, he mused. But could he really let go of Namimori? It was home. He loved it so much.

He gazed down at Lambo, underneath the mess of black hair was a child who would one day grow into an omnivore, just like the other guardians. His eyes were squinted, like he was trying to stop anymore tears from falling out of his eyes. Even for a child, a teenager, Lambo constantly would try and be just as strong as everyone else. "I'll be strong for Nii-san," he had said not too long ago, during one of their blissful Italian summers.

Tsunayoshi. He wished he could have ignored the pang in his heart with the thought of his sky, his first omnivore, dying. Dead. His chest clenched around his heart.

He looked at Lambo again, any trace of tears were gone, only fierceness and anger left in its place. Kyouya smiled.

He loved Namimori inexplicably. But he loved his sky and fellow guardians more.

When they finally arrived at the airport, he glanced at Lambo, unsurprised to see the brave mask Lambo had donned as he stepped out of the car.

—

Over two hours into the flight but for Lambo, it felt like two years. He tried to sleep but despite the comfortable beds and lounges and the peaceful atmosphere, Lambo was restless. The silence felt uncomfortable. Thoughts of how Nii-san was doing gnawed at him. Turbulence which forwent disrupting the plane had decided to plague the inside of his head instead.

He jumped up, irritated. He began a stomp towards the kitchens where he was sure the chefs would have a delicious dessert waiting for him. Maybe even something that'll make him fall asleep. Just as he grounded out a step and a half, something metallic was knocked into his sides. Hard.

"You're disturbing my sleep. Herbivore brat."

"Ow! Onii-sama!" Lambo cried out, but Hibari just glared. Slightly beginning to feel fear creeping in, Lambo apologised. Hibari put down the tonfa and closed both of his eyes.

Just as Lambo was about to quietly leave the room, in soft steps, Hibari interrupted him.

"Go to sleep, brat. You won't be able to when we get there." He sighed, exasperated but not without fondness.

"Can't." And just as he was about to turn around and continue to the kitchens, Hibari grabbed his arm and tugged.

Lambo yelped as he was pulled down to the sofa next to Hibari who had let go and crossed his arms, shifting over so he could lean on to Lambo's side.

"I'll bite you to death if you wake me up."

And with that, Hibari stilled, his breathing evened and he was asleep again. Lambo froze, then gradually loosened, the only real option was to comply. So, he slightly shifted, careful to not make any sudden movements and gently slouched against Hibari, eventually drifting into a deep sleep.

Buzzing white noise gradually brought Lambo out of his slumber. He was warm, covered in a blanket he didn't remember having before he fell asleep.

Lambo heard quiet tapping of keys and hushed tones around him. Huh? He was currently lying down. He definitely fell asleep sitting up. Rolling over and bringing a hand up to rub the sleep out of his eyes, he noticed the lighting in the room was dimmed. The most prominent source coming from behind him, the brightness of a laptop screen. Hibari seemed to be working on his laptop and having a whispered conversation with Kusakabe.

"Finally awake? For someone who refused to sleep, you slept for the entire flight." Hibari said, smirking down at him. Then it finally hit him, and a chill went down Lambo's spine, he was currently lying down, using Hibari's lap as a pillow. Lambo shot up, already beginning to sweat all over.

"Wh-What happened?" infuriatingly, Hibari didn't say anything, he just smiled.

"There's news, I'm presuming you want to hear it?" Hibari asked teasingly. That tone of voice, the lightness of it. No hint of the tense edge in his voice which was present for hours. His grey eyes had a certain shine in them. Just from that, Lambo knew. He knew. Tsuna was going to be just fine.

"He's going to be okay!" It was meant to be a question, but it came out as an exhilarated statement with a stupid grin plastered on Lambo's face.

"Hn."

Lambo felt every needle pricking his muscles disappear, every weight from his shoulder lifted, the stressed creases on his face smoothened out. His eyes were bright with a healthy redness adorning his cheeks, everything felt right again, each one of Lambo's concerns were forgotten in that moment. Once again, all was right in Lambo's world.