Trigger: N/A
Warnings: N/A
Important Stuff:
Small OC Cheat Sheet
Spirits:
Zephyr -The wind spirit that Reborn met in the Spirit World.
Kamikawa - The origami spirit that Reborn exchanged information with.
Engetsu - Silver kitsune that Reborn met in the Spirit World. Knows Ayame.
Meishi - A green falcon that lives in the Sawada Household
Farran - the woman who challenged Fon
Ienari's Guardians:
Matsushita Hachirou - Ienari's best friend. Captain of the Judo Club. Lightning Guardian
Akemi Kaori - President of Ienari's fanclub. Black Hair, Purple Eyes. Sun Guardian
Kakusu Hideki - Former student council president, son of politician. Red Rimmed Glasses. Mist Guardian
Koujin Fuun - Ninja assassin. Dark purple hair, crimson eyes. Kunais as weapons. Cloud Guardian
Inmen Hisen - Mochida's cousin. Ienari's crush. Hime-cut black hair and ocean blue eyes. Rain Guardian
Mochida Kensuke* - Hisen's cousin, captain of kendo club. Storm Guardian
Others:
Hibari Koumei - Kyoya's Father. Interpol Agent.
Hibari Yun - Kyoya's Mother. Deceased. Fon's sister.
Sawada Hidetada - Giotto's son. Twin to Yoshimune
Sawada Yoshimune* - Giotto's son. Twin to Hidetada
* - canon character
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Fall to Pieces
"I'm going to see Tsuna, oyaji!" Takeshi called out.
Tsuyoshi waved his son off. That was his boy. Tsuyoshi didn't begrudge that Takeshi wanted to spend all his free time with Tsuna. Tsuna was someone precious to Takeshi and all Tsuyoshi wanted was his son to be happy.
He hummed as he swept the floor. In the distance, the sun was beginning to set, casting his restaurant in warm colors. It was empty for now; the dinner rush still some time away. Once he was done, he opened the closet door to put away the broom.
"Ayame?"
Tsuyoshi blinked to find Ayame sitting in the broom closet. She had her face buried in her arms, legs drawn close. How long had she been in there?
Ayame looked up at him. Tsuyoshi saw her red rimmed eyes, her soaked sleeves, concern and alarm growing stronger. He had never seen her like this and the fact that he hadn't heard her crying at all was worrisome.
"Ayame?" Tsuyoshi tried again, crouching down to the ground.
She shook her head, wiping her face with sleeve. "S-sorry," she weakly apologized.
"Nothing to apologize for," Tsuyoshi said, handing her a towel.
He gave her a few minutes as she wiped her face, drifting off, lost in her own thoughts. Sometimes he forgot how young Ayame actually was. She always took on impossible amounts of responsibility, trailblazing to new heights.
Now? Now, she looked like the young girl he remembered who he tried to teach how to cook, to join and sit at the table to eat with others. He remembered the young girl who looked so awkwardly confused by Tsuyoshi's and Nana's offer of help, who tried so hard to understand the concepts behind social interaction and family affection.
She looked so terribly lost and heartbroken.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Tsuyoshi asked. His voice was low-pitched and gentle.
Grief ran across Ayame's face. "Dino confessed to me," she said bewildered.
Ah. "Flashback," Tsuyoshi said. Nana and him were the only ones who had witnessed the first time Tsuna had told Ayame that he loved her after his 11th birthday. The rest of the kids had already passed out and Ayame was tucking Tsuna in when he had softly mumbled it to her, half asleep.
She reacted poorly, lashing out. Engetsu had to pin her down and it took him and Nana hours to calm her down. It had been a sleepless night for them. It was only until the early hours of morning that Ayame managed to convey to them that being told 'love you' triggered her.
Tsuyoshi didn't want to know what could have happened in Ayame's life that she associated being told that people loved her with her trauma. He might be forced to dust off his sword.
"Come on," he said gently. "Let's get out of the closet. It can't be that comfortable in there."
Ayame gave him a distressed look, but followed him out, taking a seat at one of the tables. Tsuyoshi flipped the sign to closed. There was no way he would be serving people tonight. He sent a message off to Tsuna to tell him that Ayame was fine and set out to brew some tea.
Once it was done, he set the steaming cup in front of her, take a seat across. Ayame numbly took it, wrapping her hands around it, still lost in thought.
"How do you feel about Dino? Do you like him that way?" Tsuyoshi calmly asked.
"Does it matter?" Ayame asked, shoulders slumping.
"Do you want a relationship like that? Maybe not now, but eventually?" Tsuyoshi asked.
"I don't know. That's…" Ayame trailed off, eyes glazing over. "It's scary. I've never had one and after... it wasn't something I had ever considered looking for. It… didn't feel right. Besides, there are so many reasons why it would never work."
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Heartbreak
Rejection sucked. Dino carded a hand through his hair and tried not to think about the tight pain in his chest. Well, that answered his question. He would… bow out, leave Namimori and never return. It would probably be for the best.
"Dino-nii?"
Dino turned to see Takeshi waving at him. "Takeshi," he said, mustering up a smile.
Takeshi looked at him. His normal carefree expression fading away. "You okay?" he asked.
Dino forced his smile a bit wider. "Yeah."
Takeshi frowned. "If you're sad, don't be afraid to show it. Don't smile that false smile, it's okay to cry. Just remember that you're never alone," he said.
He grabbed Dino's arm and started dragging him off. "You should remember that," Takeshi said. "It's good words to live by."
"Where are we going?" Dino asked, letting himself be dragged along.
"I'm off to eat dinner with Tsuna. You should come."
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Recklessly Falling
Tsuyoshi held up his hand to stop her. "I know you have many reasons why it would never work, but first, I want to hear if you had any feelings for him."
Ayame drew in a sharp breath. She was… never the type to examine her own emotions. It had always been hard to convey them.
"Does he make you happy?" Tsuyoshi asked.
"No. He's… annoying, always tripping over and crashing into me," Ayame said instantly. But she thought of how he always came back, always trying to help her. She thought about how he sat with her in quiet silence, just having a presence there. She thought about how he kept bring her roses, how his silly antics made her smile in fond exasperation.
Ayame made a low-pitched whine.
Alright, maybe she like him a little bit.
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Give Your Heart a Break
"Dino-nii, are you alright?" Tsuna asked.
Dino blinked, bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other, still reeling from everything. "Of course," Dino said with the best smile he could foster.
"Don't smile like that," Tsuna reprimanded.
Dino winced. Reborn had already caught on the minute Dino walked through the door. Takeshi had seemed to already know, but Dino clung to the foolish hope that Tsuna wouldn't notice.
(Which, even without Hyper Intuition, was a foolish thought. Tsuna was downright perspective.)
"What's wrong?" Tsuna asked. He looked at Dino with such concern.
Dino swallowed thickly. Well in for a penny, in for a pound. "I… love Ayame."
The entire table, except for Reborn, froze before relaxing.
"That's good," Nana said brightly. "I think you'll be a good match for her."
Dino's expression tightened. "Well, she doesn't like me back."
Everyone once again froze. Dino looked at them warily, slightly surprised by their reaction. Considering the length they went to fool Vongola, did they not want to accept him just because he was also a mafioso?
"Dino-nii," Tsuna asked, slightly distressed. "By any chance, did you confess to Neesan?"
"Yes," Dino said, bewildered.
"And by any chance, did you use the word 'love' in that confession?" Tsuna asked.
"Well, yes," Dino said.
Tsuna groaned and dropped his head into his hands. Takeshi shook his head. The rest of the kids and Bianchi looked equally confessed while Reborn watched with a neutral expression.
"Oh my," Nana said.
"Well, that explains Tsuyoshi-san's text," Tsuna said. He sighed and sent Dino an apologetic look. "Sorry, Dino-nii. We didn't think to warn you. Neesan doesn't react well to being told that people love her. She handles expressions like 'I like you' or those that lampshade it like 'my heart beats for you', but any variation with the word love in it sends her into a full on panic attack."
"What?" Dino said, growing distressed himself. Any… variation of being told 'I love you' triggered her? He had stumbled across another one, after promising to do better?
"Any variation?" Bianchi asked in disbelief.
"Neesan said 'I love you' sends her into a full flashback," Takeshi said.
"I once told her 'love you so much' and it send her in a panic attack that caused her to destroy a wall and a table," Tsuna confessed. "It took Kaasan and Tsuyoshi-san hours to calm her down."
"That's…" Bianchi started.
"Unfortunate," Reborn finished.
"Don't tell Ayame-nee that we love her?" Fuuta asked.
Takeshi smiled at him. "No. Just give her a real tight hug. She'll get the message."
Dino whined in misery. "I'm a terrible person," he said, rubbing his hand over his face.
"You couldn't have known," Nana said. "Ayame doesn't tell people." She took Dino's bowl from him. "By now Tsuyoshi has calmed her down enough to be coherent. You best go to Takesushi to finish your conversation with her. I'll pack your food to go."
"But…" Dino said. Wouldn't she not want to see him?
Nana merely tutted. "No. If you let it wait, she will come up with reasons why she can't possibly date you without even factoring in how she really feels. Right now, she's emotionally wrought, but it's the best time to get an honest answer from her. Otherwise, she'll push you away."
"Neesan is convinced she doesn't deserve nice things," Tsuna added.
Takeshi gave a light laugh. "If we didn't drag her with us everywhere, she would have been content with turning our lives upside down from the shadows."
Dino just stared at them.
"Are you fine with leaving it like this?" Reborn asked.
Dino looked at his former tutor. It was barely there, but Dino could read the touch of fondness and exasperation in his form.
"No," Dino said.
Reborn's lips curled into a smirk. "Baka Dino, did I not teach you to do things with your Dying Will?"
Right. Right! Dino stood. "I'll be back."
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Count the Reasons (why I love you, why I hate you)
Ayame morosely stared down at the table, grief and exhaustion beating down on her relentlessly like a jackhammer.
Tsuyoshi had been talking softly for some time now, but Ayame wasn't following the conversation any longer. Her thoughts overwhelmed her, casting her adrift.
"Ayame."
She snapped out of her thoughts, jerking her head upwards. There, Dino sat across her, taking Tsuyoshi's seat.
"Why are you here?" Ayame asked. Her words were cutting and sharp.
Dino brushed it off. He gave her a wry grin. "I figured if nothing else, I should apologize for triggering you again. I am sorry."
"It's not like you could have known," Ayame said. The older she got, the more she wished this particular trigger didn't exist.
"And I told you, just because I couldn't have known doesn't mean I want to make you upset or uncomfortable." Dino said.
Ayame's eyes narrowed. "Why are you here?"
"I still like you," Dino said.
Ayame winced, tensing. "No," she said.
"Because you don't like me back?" Dino asked. "Or because you've come up with some reason why not?"
"No, yes. Both," Ayame stumbled over her words.
Dino surveyed her, his head tilting to the side in curious examination. "Tell me then what your deal breakers are."
"You're an Italian mafioso," Ayame snapped. Guilt welled up as a hurt look crossed Dino's face. Why was he making this so difficult?!
"I… I didn't think that would have been the thing you would have started off with," Dino said.
Ayame groaned and looked away. "It's not… It's not that you're Italian or that you're a mafioso," she said. "It's that you're a mafia don that's apart of the Italian Underworld. You're Don Cavallone. You… you could have been a yakuza or an American mobster. You probably could have even been apart of the Chinese Triad and I wouldn't have cared. And that says something considering I'm pissed at them on Kyoya's and Fon's behalf."
She pinched her nose, taking a deep bracing breath. "Being a prodigy whose parents were geniuses in their own respective fields did me absolutely no favors," Ayame said bitterly. "My entire childhood was filled with kidnapping attempts. Some never got off the ground, being crushed before then, others were successful. By the time I was six, I learned how to rescue myself. By the time I was ten, I decided that killing my kidnappers as a deterrent was the only way to get the message across that I wasn't going to tolerate it at all."
And it worked. After Sinapri, the starting point of that decision, the Italian mafia backed off with only a few exceptions. The rest of the underworlds caught on by the time she was twelve. The persistent extremists got caught in her traps as she continued to obscure her identity further. By the time she had met Tsuna, no one dared.
"I can trace approximately 40 percent of my kidnappings to the Italian mafia," Ayame said. She had no idea why that particular underworld was so interested in her. She suspected it had to do with her mother.
"Of those numbers, I can trace 30 percent to Vongola, 15 percent to other mafia famiglia or independent individuals, 10 percent were untraceable. The last 45 percent…," Ayame said, looking directly at Dino. Her eyes ablaze. "I can trace to the Cavallone Famiglia, to your father."
Dino flinched harshly. "My…"
"I don't blame you," Ayame said tiredly, energy draining again. "It's… you currently represent everything I hate about the Italian Mafia."
That didn't even touch the issues she had been building since meeting Tsuna. Vongola had force itself to the top of her hate list, displacing the Cavallone Famiglia merely because of how they treated Tsuna.
Silence fell. Ayame closed her eyes, waiting for Dino to leave.
"So…" Dino said, after another moment of silence. "Hypothetically speaking, since I can't change being an Italian, if I were to move my entire famiglia to Japan and leave the Italian Mafia would that no longer be an issue?"
Ayame's brain sputtered. She stood, chair falling back. "You must be joking! Do you even know how much paperwork goes into making you legal?!"
Dino beamed at her. "Oh good, you know about the paperwork too. I was wondering about that."
Ayame flipped the chair upright, sinking back into it. "You silly man," she bemoaned. "You can't… you can't just move your entire famiglia on the whim of a relationship possibly working out!"
Dino beamed harder. "You acknowledge the possibility of a relationship!"
Ayame counted to ten and reminded herself that this was Tsuyoshi's precious restaurant and she couldn't just destroy it.
"Still," Dino said, smile growing small. "I can't do anything but apologize for my father's actions. I can admit, even I have signed off a few kidnappings since coming into power. Not a saint, I'm afraid."
Ayame's shoulders slumped. "None of us are."
"Besides, my men are surprisingly on board with moving to Japan."
She groaned. "Of course they are. You're bonds and friendship." Dino's men would follow him to the end of earth.
Dino blinked at her, confused.
Ayame merely let out a pained noise and buried her face in her hands again. "You silly man," she repeated.
"What else?" Dino asked softly.
Ayame felt her chest tighten, her heart squeezing as if trapped in a vice grip and pounding hard. "We're doomed to fail," she said.
"You won't know until you try," Dino argued.
Ayame shook her head. "No. It's…" She reached out touching his pinky, sending out a small burst of her spirit energy. A red thread materialized, tied to Dino's pinky, spilling to the ground and out the door. "You already have a soulmate and it's not me."
Dino tugged at the red string gently. "I don't understand," he said.
"It's a Fate String," Ayame explained. She didn't bring them all forward, but Dino was covered in them. "Fate Strings are strings that connect you to people who will shape your life, for better or worse. Some are predetermined, from the moment you were born, some form after you meet people or as your relationship with them grow stronger. They can snap as you grow apart, change color or grow thicker as your relationship gets stronger."
She touched his wrist, materializing two more, thicker and intertwined together for a brief part before separating. A myriad of colors, green, yellow, orange, gold mixed between them. "These two connect you to Tsuna and Reborn."
"Is there one between us?" Dino asked.
Ayame shook her head. "No. They don't always form and sometimes they don't form until years after knowing someone. Or maybe we won't have any lasting impact on each other. They're fickle things all things considered. There's only one constant." She pointed back to the red string tied around Dino's pinky.
"The string tied to your pinky is always your soulmate, the other half of your soul. When it's colored red, it always means romantic love. And… you always meet your soulmate. Always," Ayame said, licking her lips and pushed away the grief. "It may be tomorrow, it may be ten years down the road. But you will meet them regardless."
"But," Dino started with a frown.
"Don't promise forever," Ayame cut him off. "I have… never been in a relationship, not a normal one at least. But I know this much, it's never going to be something causal. I don't… I don't have time for that, it's going to be something long term. And… you can't promise me forever, not when you have a soulmate out there."
Dino hesitated for a brief second. "It has always been a childhood dream of mines, to find someone I would adore to the sun and back, to choose who I would marry. I didn't want to be like other mafia dons whose marriages were politically arranged for the good of the famiglia," he said. "I don't have that many memories of my own mother before she passed, but looking back I got the feeling she was utterly miserable. And, even if I didn't know it at the time, I had caught my father with some of his mistresses when she was still alive."
He reached out, hesitantly hooking his index finger with Ayame's, not looking her in the eye. "I didn't want to do that to my future wife. You said I have a soulmate and I believe you. But you also said, I may meet them tomorrow, I may meet them ten years from now. I don't want to regret not trying because someone is out there for me, prearranged by Fate. This is today, not tomorrow, not the future. Maybe eventually I will want to spend forever with my soulmate, but right now, the person I want to get to know more, the one I want to see every day, is you."
Ayame choked. "I'm going to spend the entire time waiting for that shoe to drop," she weakly protested.
"I'm still selfish enough to ask," Dino said. "And I promise if you ever find your soulmate, I'll let you go."
"They're dead," Ayame said, grief overwhelming her. She didn't look at her pinky, didn't want to see- She stopped that line of thought, trying grip her emotions. "I will carry that grief for the rest of my life."
Dino crooned in sympathy.
"It doesn't matter though, if you don't like me back," Dino said. "Do you? Enough to at least try?"
She wanted to say no.
But…
Live. Promise me you'll live, smile every day and live.
Her heart ached. She wondered what he saw in her, so broken and just clinging on. A wave of grief rose, drowning her. Dino just smiled at her and the grief retreated. Just a little. She thought of how Tsuna was her shelter, giving her a place to rest and a new purpose. She thought of Dino who drove her utterly around the bend, challenging her in different ways, but always there. Home for her, had always been among the bonds she shared with others. Tsuna was the rock, but Dino soothed a different part, the glue in the cracks. That she smiled just a little more...
"Okay," Ayame said. "Enough to try."
The atmosphere swirled, bubbling. Ayame stared at the newly formed Fate String, pink in color, tying hers and Dino's ring fingers together.
"Is that supposed to happen?" Dino asked, picking at the pink string and looking utterly memorized.
Ayame just laughed. How was this her life?
Thank you for letting me be a part of your life.
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A Step Forward
Ienari groaned. His body ached, bruised and sore all over. The fight against Xanxus had been brutal and he was (once again) trapped in a hospital bed. Only the sweet taste of victory kept him from being bitter over it.
"Savoring your win?"
Ienari jumped, startled by Reborn's sudden appearance. "Yeah, of course," Ienari answered.
The look Reborn gave him, made Ienari's skin crawl. Even now, he wasn't sure what to make of his tutor. Ienari had no idea if he disappointed his tutor, if Reborn was proud of his progress. It was always a blank slate that Ienari hadn't been able to read.
"Nono is enquiring if you wish to finish your training in Italy," Reborn said.
"What?" Ienari said.
"Exactly that. To finish your training as Decimo, to learn the ropes of the famiglia and finish your school there," Reborn said.
Ienari blinked. "Are you coming too?"
"No. I'm not a part of Vongola, thus I cannot teach you all of its tradition," Reborn said. "I have already accepted my next job."
"Oh." There was a wave of… disappointment? Abandonment? Ienari wasn't sure. He had the feeling that he had just been… tossed aside.
"If I want to stay here?" Ienari asked. He wasn't sure if he was ready to leave his mother, (leave her with Tsuna?).
"That is your choice."
"What do you recommend?" Ienari asked.
Reborn gave him a flat look. "Go to Italy," he said. "There's a limit to what I can teach you and what I can do to protect you. You can stay in Namimori for another year to finish your middle schooling, but after that I would recommend going to Italy. But, all there's left to teach you are things that others can teach you, like Italian and Italy's laws. At this point in your training, you will gain more refinement from another Sky like your father, than under me."
"Oh," Ienari said.
"It's your choice," Reborn said.
Funny, it didn't really feel like it.
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Tip the Scales
"So, they are hiding something, kora," Colonnello said. He and Skull had returned to the apartment they had been sharing during their time spent in Namimori.
"We knew that," Skull pointed out. "If nothing else, the fact that Senpai wasn't pushing Tsuna as a Decimo Candidate was obvious enough."
Colonnello nodded. It had been startling to see the change in Reborn. He wondered if Reborn even noticed how differently he was acting. Sure the aloof cold-hearted hitman was still there, but was so much 'softer' now.
"So, what are you planning on doing, kora?" Colonnello asked.
Skull paused, thinking deeply. "Did you notice? Tsuna felt a little like Luce."
Colonnello blinked. He… he had noticed. But of all the Arcobaleno, he was the only one who didn't know Luce very well. Lal knew Luce better and Colonnello stepping in Lal's place was the only reason why he could be counted among the Arcobaleno right now.
"I guess, kora," Colonnello said, frowning. No, wait. Skull couldn't be implying… "Are you saying both Fon and Reborn think of Tsuna as their Sky?"
That was mind blowing. It was one thing to find another Sky after losing Luce, but for both of them to harmonize with the same second Sky? The odds of that happening were close to nothing. Colonnello didn't even think it was possible.
Skull shrugged. He looked off into the distance, thoughts wandering. "It's not that hard, I think. Tsuna is... " he trailed off, grasping at words. "I think I could call Tsuna my Sky too. I have the loosest ties to the mafia out of all of us. The only reason why I stayed active in the mafia was because of Luce and when she died, the only reason why I kept coming back was because the people I considered to be family, the same people who thought I was nothing more nuisance, was there."
Colonnello flinched, remembering exactly how he and the others treated Skull. It was easy to forget that behind that whimpering, Skull was their equal. Even more importantly, he had been a civilian with little training and was a kid in comparison to the rest of them. It really was unfair the way they treated him. Shame washed over him.
"I don't think senpai has noticed it, but he has yet to kick me at all since coming to Namimori," Skull said mildly.
Colonnello flinched harder.
"Even if you find senpai's change in behavior odd, I find Fon's change even odder," Skull said.
Colonnello blinked. "Fon hasn't changed at all."
In fact, it was the only reason why Colonnello hadn't thought everything in Namimori wasn't a crazy dream was the fact that Fon had remained constant.
"It only looks that way," Skull said. "It's like he became blunt, but more direct? Fon has always carried this tension in him and sure he looked serene and peaceful, but he always hiding razor sharp claws. He was always so passive, despite his power, constantly holding back.
"Here, Fon is relaxed. There's no tension, the claws have been retracted. But at the same time, he's less passive, less afraid to take action and more straightforward. The serenity he projects is more real and no longer a mask."
Colonnello felt his jaw slacken. "I… I had no idea you were this observant, kora."
Skull shrugged. "No one expects it."
Colonnello had no clue what to say about that.
"It's easy if you know where to look," Skull said, breaking the silence once more. "It's pretty clear that something about Namimori changed both Senpai and Fon. Tsuna is probably the cause, given how close they are to him. Plus, there's something special about Tsuna. It's... well it's probably harmonization, but it's just that gut feeling too. The same way it felt wrong for Ienari and his Guardians to be battling against the Varia, that lingering knowledge that it could have, should have been something else."
"Besides, except for you, Senpai and Fon are the two people I see the most. Lal is always busy, I have no clue where Viper and Verde are hiding and it's uncomfortable to be around Aria long. I have no reason to go back to the mafia, no real ties there and I'm curious enough to want to stick around to see what is so special about Namimori and Tsuna that both Senpai and Fon are willing to leave the mafia behind," Skull said quietly.
That was the most damning thing of all. Reborn, who the epitome of the underworld, who lived and breathe in that darkness, who lived for the thrill of a hit, who was the World's Strongest Hitman for good reason, was willing to leave that life behind for this… small quaint town on the other side of the world. The same went for Fon. Both were willing to leave the life where they thrived, where their skills shone like stars for this town… for Tsuna.
"You've given this a lot of thought, kora," Colonnello said.
Skull merely shrugged. "I like Tsuna as a person. The rest of fell into place when I started paying attention to it. What are you planning on doing?"
Colonnello's skin itched. It was… He hated to leave an unsolved mystery behind. Plus, well, Lal was his only connection to the mafia these days and she, like Skull had said, was so busy that he didn't even see her often. Before Reborn called him, he had been doing a job at Mafia Land and you didn't get any more neutral than that.
He always felt a little like an odd man out. He wasn't originally chosen. He just managed to swap places with Lal who deserved to be acknowledged as the Rain Arcobaleno. He didn't regret swapping with her, only regretting the pain and lack of acknowledge of her skills it had caused.
"I don't know," Colonnello admitted. "It isn't like I have to go back either. Lal is the only one I keep regular contact with and like you said, she's always busy."
"If you're feeling lost, I don't see why you can't stay either. Tsuna and his friends aren't the type to turn you away," Skull said.
That didn't sound like a bad idea. Some time off to refocus and find a new direction might be what Colonnello needed.
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Omelets
"Excellent job, Bianchi!" Nana praised with a smile. "These omelets taste wonderful!"
Bianchi beamed, head bowing to hide her blush. Her practices to separate her storm aspect from her cooking was proceeding beyond her expectations. Nana had been exceedingly patience with her as well, helping her step by step with new recipes.
"Thank you for teaching me, Mamma," Bianchi said with a small smile.
"It is me who should be thanking you," Nana said, taking another bite. "Ayame is helpless in the kitchen and Tsuna lacks the passion. I'm so happy that at least one of my children wants to learn my recipes."
Bianchi felt her heart skip a beat. Despite the fact that she called her Mamma, Bianchi had no idea that Nana considered her to be one of her children.
"Do you want to learn how do tamagoyaki?" Nana asked, eyes sparkling.
Bianchi nodded enthusiastically, walking on cloud nine.
Coming to Namimori was the best decision ever.
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Naptime
Fon let out a small huff before smiling. When he had decided to seek out his nephew this morning, he hasn't expected to find him napping on the rooftop. (Though, it was a common enough pastime for Kyoya.)
Hopping over to Kyoya's side (and already aware that he most likely awake), Fon settled down next to his nephew. It was a fine morning for a nap.
Their spar could wait until later.
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Decision
"Italy?" Hachirou asked. "Cool. I got nothing against it." All of Ienari's Guardians were gathered in his hospital room, each one in various states of healing. Ienari had filled them in on what Reborn had told him yesterday and what were the options that were laid out before them.
"We still need to get stronger," Hisen commented. "We had a hard time against the Varia. Unacceptable."
"You're all okay with moving to Italy just like that?" Ienari said, surprised.
"It will be beneficial," Hideki said.
"I'll go wherever you go, Ienari-kun!" Kaori cooed.
Well, if everyone else was okay with it, Ienari could see himself moving to Italy.
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Panic
The second his phone rang, Koumei felt a headache start and the feeling of dread wash over him. He ruthlessly suppressed it. He was a Hibari. Hibaris didn't run away from anything.
"Omnivore," he greeted.
"I think I have a boyfriend."
Koumei would deny to his dying day that he felt absolute panic when he heard that. That was… That was arguably the worse thing he ever heard.
"Don't ask. It happened yesterday," Ayame said on the other side of the phone. "I'm still trying to figure it out."
"Who," Koumei demanded. Perhaps his father was willing to do him a favor. Or any of the Hibari relatives that specialized in assassination.
"Dino Cavallone," Ayame said wearily.
Alarm bells went off in Koumei's head. "Omnivore!"
"I know," Ayame said. "He's apparently considering relocating his entire famiglia here and turning mostly legal."
The paperwork alone! "You-"
"I am very serious," Ayame interrupted. "This is just a heads up. I… we're still talking about it."
Koumei snarled into the phone. "Impossible child," he growled.
Ayame went silent on the other side, just long enough for Koumei to check that she hadn't hung up on him.
"Do you think you could have ever moved on from Yun?" Ayame asked, whispered so softly that Koumei had to strain his ears to hear it.
His blood ran cold. "No," he snapped, hanging up.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Agreeing to come back to this job was the worst thing he had ever done.
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Call Me Home
"Tsuna!"
Tsuna turned and smiled, waving as Skull and Colonnello ran towards him. With ease, Skull leapt up and Tsuna caught him.
"How are you two today?" Tsuna asked.
Skull tilted his head. "I'm thinking of staying in Namimori. With you."
Oh. Oh. Tsuna blinked, feeling the hum of harmonization, deep plunge into an ocean. Contrary to belief, Tsuna didn't actually know who he was calling home with his Sky Flames. Hyper Intuition nudged him in the right direction; a subconscious instinct Tsuna always followed without really knowing, but it was always a surprise, a carefully slotted piece that snapped into place. It usually followed a decision, whether verbal or mental which made Tsuna happy because he never wanted to force anyone to stay.
It was different from the other side, according to the others. Sometimes it was subtle, creeping in a way that there was no difference from the before and after, just the acknowledgement. Other times it was quick, so fast it was overwhelming, like drowning in water.
"That felt different," Skull remarked mildly. "Much different from Luce."
Tsuna hadn't even know that Skull had been considering it. He beamed, welcoming another Element home.
"I've been told it feels different," Tsuna said sheepishly.
He looked at Colonnello who had been quietly watching them.
"Will you be staying as well, Colonnello?" Tsuna asked.
Colonnello tilted his head. "Why does it matter?"
"It doesn't, as long as it's your choice," Tsuna said.
Colonnello gave him a suspicious look. "That's it? You don't want me, us, around because we're the Arcobaleno? You've already collected Reborn, Fon and Skull. With me, you'll be halfway to a full a set."
Tsuna shook his head. "No, that doesn't matter. I hadn't even known that Fon looks up to me as Sky until he had mentioned it."
Colonnello frowned. "I don't know if I can call you my Sky."
Tsuna smiled gently at him. "You don't have to. But, regardless, you are always welcome here because you're my friend, Colonnello."
Colonnello stared at him, stunned. Tsuna merely stretched his smile wider, feeling the soft harmonization singing in the background, weaker and not fully acknowledged like Skull's. That was fine. It was always going to be Colonnello's decision.
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Real Deal
"He's the real deal, isn't he?" Colonnello asked later as he and Skull walked back home.
Skull smirked. "I would say so," he said.
"W-wipe that look off your face!" Colonnello protested. So maybe Skull had a point. Tsuna was really nice, and it was really easy to call him his Sky. Colonnello liked to think he had good instincts and a good judge of character. Tsuna was genuinely that nice and it was good to have it confirmed that he didn't want Colonnello around just because he was strong.
It was nice to be welcomed somewhere just for the sake of being welcomed, because he was wanted as a person.
Because he was a friend.
Colonnello didn't have many friends. Any he had from before the Arcobaleno Curse had been cut out of his life, leaving only the other Arcobaleno to fall on. But they were a volatile bunch as Skull had put it. He also didn't know most of them well, having only tagged along with Lal. But then Lal found her way to the CEDEF and well…
It was lonely, to say. He loved Lal, he really did, but at the same time, she clearly didn't want to deal with him.
This was a chance to start over, to stay somewhere he would be welcomed. He could see the appeal, it was no wonder Reborn and Fon decided to stay. He hadn't expected Tsuna to just… offer him a smile and tell him he was always welcomed here.
He felt something click, the subtle probing of a Sky's harmonization.
"I guess," Colonnello grumbled good naturedly, "I could call Tsuna my Sky too."
Skull laughed.
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Prowling
Xanxus quickly hit the streets once he was released from the hospital. He stalked them up and down, in search of that trash. Xanxus had no Hyper Intuition to guide him, but his instincts were still top notched. He didn't know how, didn't know why but his gut told him that there was something going on and that fucking trash he had met was the one who knew.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the same boy with blue hair. Xanxus snarled, sensing something that felt like Mist Flames, an illusion just like he thought. He stalked over, grabbing the kid by the collar.
"Fucking trash, what the hell are you playing at?" Xanxus snapped. "Is this some kind of joke? You don't show any of this of this power during the Ring Battle. Are you mocking the Varia?!"
The kid choked, utterly caught off guard by Xanxus' appearance. "Not Ienari," the kid said.
Xanxus whipped out his gun, cocking it at the kid's forehead. "Don't fuck with me!" he snarled.
There was a flash of gold and Xanxus felt his gun knocked out of his hands. He stared down as the illusion faded away, orange eyes gleaming up at him with a deep-seated rage.
"I am NOT Ienari," the kid snapped.
The penny dropped. "Twins," Xanxus growled with realization. They were fucking twins. How did he not know that? Why the hell was this twin never a contender?
Standing before him was a dangerous beast. Someone worthy of being Vongola, the deep overwhelming intensity of Sky Flames. Someone with orange colored eyes, the mark of Hyper Intuition. Why did he face the fucking trash in the Ring Battle?
Blood pounding and anticipation building, he reached for his gun before another flash of gold stopped him. This time the edge of the sword rested against his throat. "Don't," the kid warned; his orange eyes gleaming with the promise of violence. "I want nothing to do with Vongola. Leave me alone."
Xanxus faltered, feeling crushed under the intense pressure of the Sky Flames that forced him to bow, forced him to concede defeat. Staggering, Xanxus tried to push back, only to buckle under the weight. He had never felt Sky Flames this heavy before.
As suddenly as the onset of pressure, it faded. He looked up, snarling as the kid had vanished on him.
Xanxus pulled out his phone, dialing Mammon's number. "The fucking scumbag has a twin brother. I want to know everything about the twin."
This was not fucking over. He wasn't going to let this mystery slip from his hands.
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Shaken
"So, Xanxus," Ayame said.
Tsuna was hunched next to her, leaning against her side. "Yes," he said miserably.
"I supposed we could always kill him," Ayame said mildly.
Tsuna made a noncommittal noise, trembling slightly. Ayame couldn't blame him. This little slip up could undo everything they had been planning on. The only consolation was that she was fairly certain the Ienari being confirmed as Decimo couldn't be so easily overturned.
She was immensely proud that Tsuna stood up for himself though, regardless of how many plans it shattered in the process.
"Dino-nii?" Tsuna asked.
Ayame let out a bitter laugh, hands shaking. "Well I haven't killed him yet," she said. What was she thinking? There was so much left to do.
Tsuna leaned closer. Ayame closed her eyes.
What a broken pair they made.
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Mother and Son
Nana hummed as she helped Ienari packed. It had been nearly a week and a half since the Ring Battle. Ienari had been released two days ago, timidly coming home with a request to move to Italy with Iemitsu. A weak excuse, given she knew exactly why Ienari was going.
Still, she didn't call Ienari or Iemitsu on it. She nodded along with the excuse that Ienari fed her, even smiled at Timoteo, the man responsible for stealing one of her sons away, for causing her family so much heartbreak. She listened to Iemitsu reassure her over the phone and continue to make empty promises to her.
No one noticed.
Well, no one from Vongola, even Ienari who should have gotten a clue from the conversation they had, noticed. Bianchi always trailed nearby, her presence a mere warning. Reborn was always within eyesight. Unseen to most, Meishi lingered on Nana's shoulder, fussing over Nana's hair, constantly preening her. Tsuna gave her constant worried looks. The rest of the children noticed something was off. Nana had even caught Ayame lurking, dangerously close.
She had good children.
Even Ienari was the odd one out.
"Kaasan," Ienari said warily. "You sure you don't want to come to Italy?"
Nana shook her head. "No, Nari-kun. I do not."
"But… you're not gonna be safe," Ienari said.
Silly boy. She never understood where this concept that she was in danger came from. Especially since, according to Ayame, Ienari meant she was in danger from Tsuna.
Instead, Nana drew Ienari in for a hug, pouring as much love as she could, hoping that no matter how all this went, that a part of her son remained that sweet little boy who use to adore his twin brother to the sun and back.
"Be careful, Nari-kun," she said. There was no turning back at this point. Everyone, even her, had made their decisions and choices. It was just a matter of living with the consequences now.
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At the Airport
Ienari tightened his grip on his backpack. This was it. The flight to Italy was leaving in an hour.
"Nari-kun."
Ienari turned, sneering. "What are you doing here, Dame-Tsuna?"
He choked as the feeling of drowning began to overwhelm him. He struggled to breath, gasping and staggering. His backpack slipped off, falling to the ground with a thump. His knees gave out, hitting the ground.
It stretched for what felt like hours before it vanished, something softer, warmer, safer replacing it.
Ienari raised his head, sweat rolling down his face to see Tsuna offering his hand out. He snarled at the look of concern in Tsuna's eyes. "Be careful, Ienari," Tsuna said.
Slapping Tsuna's hand away, Ienari scooped up his backpack and fled. Desperately trying to put any sort of distance between them, Ienari ran into a bathroom. He dry heaved over a sink, struggling to breath.
Eventually, his breath even out, his heart calmed down. Ienari turned on the water, splashing his face. Just who did Dame-Tsuna think he was?
He grabbed a paper towel and wiped his face. As he brought down the towel down from his face, he caught a flash of a smirk. A finger poked his forehead before his world turn to black.
The last thing he heard was a soft voice whispering a heavy command.
"You shall not consciously think of your twin brother, Tsunayoshi. You will know that you have a brother, but his existence is not important to you. With this geas I bind your thoughts."
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Skyline
Tsuna never thought he could breathe so easily before. It had only been two days since Ienari had gone to Italy and Tsuna could feel the tension leaving him. He hadn't realized how often he had looked over his shoulder when Ienari could potentially be found.
He felt horrible for feeling like that.
(But it was the truth.)
"So," Shamal asked, looking around the full room. The entire living room was packed, filled to the brim with so many people, that they had run out of seats. "Why exactly are we here?"
Tsuna had called everyone over. Nana was in the kitchen with Bianchi and all the kids. Fuuta had grabbed Ken, Chikusa and Lancia, pulling them in. The four Arcobaleno were in deep discussion, Dino listening in. The rest of his friends were shattered about. Hayato was rolling his eyes at something Takeshi was saying. Kyoya in the corner, dozing lightly as Mukuro looking uncomfortable surrounded by the girls. Spanner and Shoichi were babbling to Ryohei about something; Shoichi animatedly waving his arms.
He took a brief moment to just… simmer in the Flames that filled the room. He had never thought he would have ever felt so many people with Flames gathered in one place.
(And he was secretly thrilled that each and every person here was his.)
"Neesan wants to meets us at her office," Tsuna said beaming.
"We get to see where she works?" Fon asked, surprised.
Tsuna chuckled, knowing that Ayame had purposely kept her job a secret. In fact, he didn't think anyone outside of his five original friends, Shoichi and Spanner knew. Reborn was definitely didn't know and Hayato hadn't figured it out.
"Well, we shouldn't keep her waiting," Hana said with her arms crossed. "Your room, right?"
Tsuna nodded.
"Why are we going to your room?" Mukuro asked with narrowed eyes.
Tsuna merely ushered everyone else to his bedroom door. He grinned slightly as he opened the door and stepped inside.
"... Hahi this isn't your bedroom," Haru said with wide eyes.
Reborn hopped into the room, stepping on the lush dark grey carpet and over to the four large windows that framed the wall.
"This is Tokyo's Skyline," Reborn said, a touch of disbelief slipping into his tone. In the distance, Sky Tree loomed, one of Tokyo's signature building, gleaming under the bright morning sun.
"How did we get from Namimori to Tokyo?" Shamal asked.
Dino wandered over to another wall, staring up at the full-size portrait of a young man with blond hair and grey eyes. "Who is this?"
Hayato drifted over to the logo painted next to the picture, touching the round circle with a stylish K. "Wait, I know this logo," Hayato said.
Everyone turned to look at Tsuna. Tsuna merely grinned, gesturing to the large wooden desk against the last wall. Its large seat facing its back to them. The seat slowly turned around, revealing Ayame. She folded her hands, placing them on her lap, legs crossed. A wide smile spread across her face.
"Welcome," Ayame said cheerfully. "Please allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Ayumu Ayame, CEO of Kinga Corporation.
Ahaha how many of you saw that coming? There were a good number of people who guessed that.
Dino and Ayame take that leap of faith, that twisting turning road of love. They'll probably hurt each other, but what's love without a little risk? Ienari is gone to Italy (and has exited from the fic for the seeable future, beyond being mentioned.)
So let's see the first wave of consequences from everyone's choices.
See you in a month.
General Notes
See Chapter 1 and Chapter 9 for "If you're sad, don't be afraid to show it. Don't smile that false smile, it's okay to cry. Just remember that you're never alone" line
See Chapter 26 Red Roses for the first time Dino and Ayame talked about triggers
See Chapter 28 for Fate Strings Conversation
See Chapter 30 Making Friends for the first time Skull remarked that Tsuna and Luce feel alike
See Chapter 31 Ice Cream Fun Times for the illusion that Tsuna was wearing when he met Xanxus
See Chapter 4 Wait Patiently for the first mention of Ayumu.
Hilariously, if you know where to look, Bianchi and Gokudera have the same reaction about coming to Namimori. Best idea ever.
The stylish K Logo is everywhere, on cups, letterheads and other places.
Likewise, Kinga Corporation mentioned throughout the entire fic.
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