KHR: Children of the Sky

Target 0.2 Takeo Sawada

Is that him?"

"Yeah, that is Young Master Takeo."

"How scary."

"He's just like his father."

The second child of Tsunayoshi and Kyoko, Takeo Sawada, walked down the halls of the mansion, listening to the people around him whisper. What they said could easily get them fired but he was tired of that. After all, they weren't worth his time or effort.

Since the day he awakened his flames, the same flames of Wrath that Xanxas used to kill others, everyone looked at him with fear. His brother saw him as a rival and stayed away from him. His father was locked up in his office, only leaving it when he had to 'clean' up some messes. And then there was his sister who was innocent and weak. He could only watch from afar when she would throw tantrums and cry herself to sleep. She seemed so sad and lonely that he wanted to reach out to her, but… his flames were dangerous.

Last week, he had burned a maid to ashes just by grabbing her skirt. The sight made Takeo puke and scarred him. The first time he used them, he wanted to protect his family. That maid made a small mistake by calling him Takumi, instead of Takeo. Takeo was a bit fearful of his flames now.

"Hahi?" A warm voice from behind him made the boy turn. "It's Takeo-kun!"

"Auntie Haru…?" Takeo asked, confused. He had met the woman many times with his twin when they visited Japan with their grandfather. She was always at the Sawada residence with Nana, helping out and even playing with the boys. Her son, Kotaru, would always latch on to him or Takumi whenever they played. It was like he had a little brother. Oh yeah, he had heard she had come last year and met his younger sister. Of course, his little sister was born in Japan and stayed for a year, but eventually, she was brought to Italy and never left the Vongola Mansion ever again.

"My~! You remember me?" She walked over and patted his head. "I'm glad~! Since I didn't see you last year, I thought you would forget about me."

Takeo could hear people whispering and turned away. "It's better if you stopped talking to me." He told her. Glaring at the servants around the two, Takeo had silently dismissed them and now Haru was alone with him.

"Hahi? Why?" Haru asked, concerned for the boy. She didn't notice the fact that the boy had dismissed the servants. She didn't even notice that they were alone.

"I'm training to be the next boss under my father's orders. My tutor is Squarlo from the Varia Squad. I'm picking up bad habits from the Varia and people are already calling me a murder since… that day…" He shook his head and began to walk. "Anyway, don't talk to me."

Before he could take another step, Haru grabbed his hand. "Takeo, are you free now?" She asked, smiling.

"Huh?" Takeo looked at the woman and then at the hand she was holding. "No! I'm busy! Now let go! Hurry!"

"Hahi? Doing what?" The woman asked, clearly not making any moves to let go.

"Tr-Training!" The frightened boy answered. "Now let me go!"

"Then let's skip that!" Haru giggled. "Come, now~!" She pulled him to follow her, but then noticed his fearful face. "Takeo-kun?"

"No! Please let me go!" Takeo begged. "I'll hurt you with these hands!" He stared at his hands, feeling the warmth getting hotter. "I-I can't control it! So hurry and let me go, Auntie Haru!"

"Takeo-kun." the gentle voice shocked the boy and made him look at her, "I'm fine. You're not gonna hurt me."

"Y-You don't know that!" Takeo cried. "I'm unstable! Squarlo told me! My flames are Flames of Wrath! The most powerful raw flames that one could be born with! I keep failing at my control so I easily hurt others!"

"Shh…" Haru slowly pulled his hand and him closer to her, gently holding the child's hand with both of hers. "Takeo-kun is nice."

"Eh?" The boy blinked, letting the heat in his eyes swell up.

"Your flames are nice and warm," Haru told him. "Your father was also scared of hurting others when he first found out about being a mafia boss. But then your mother told me that he could control it because he had people he needed to protect. His friends, family, your mother, then you and your siblings."

"Papa did…?" Takeo asked.

"Yeah, and you know what," The brunette woman giggled, "I'm sure since you're his son, you have his nice and kind heart. After all, you haven't tried to pull away."

Takeo blinked at the realization that her words were correct. Why wasn't he pulling her hand away? Feeling the tears fall from his eyes, he looked at her hands. "It's like Mama is holding my hand…"

"Takeo-kun…" Haru pulled the boy into a hug and rubbed his back as he started to cry. "It's okay. Let it out."

"I miss Mama…" Takeo sobbed. "Her smile… her smell. Her warmth…" He buried his head into Haru's shoulder. "Why shouldn't I save her? If only my flames awakened faster… If only I could do more… If only I could have saved my mama… Mama!" MAMA!"

Haru held the boy close as he cried. His sobs made her tear up as well, but she was happy that he was letting out his cries. They stayed like that for ten minutes until the boy fell asleep in the woman's arms.

…

"What's with this costume?" Takeo asked as he told in front of the mirror. He wore a brown suit and a matching top hat that both had patches of different patterned fabric sewed on them in different and random spots. He looked at the woman who was wearing a puffy dress, covered in red hearts and gold lining.

"Um. What is this about?" Takeo asked, clearly annoyed.

"Let's go to a tea party~! The theme is Alice in Wonderland!" Haru giggled.

Holding the boy's hand, he walked down the halls and they entered the garden. In the garden was a group of three people. A small boy was dressed as a rabbit with a vest that was covered in hearts. He remembered the boy as Koe, Haru's son. Behind him was I-Pin who was dressed as a bird, maybe? And the last was a small girl with short hair. Wearing a blue dress with a white apron. A black bow headband was on her head and when she turned to look at him, he saw that it was his little sister.

"Kiyomi…" He called out to her, making everyone freeze and go quiet. "It's Kiyomi…"

Even Haru had stopped, letting the boy walk ahead and his hand slip out of hers. "Kyoko, I promise to reunite your family." She whispered to the heavens above.

"You're…" Kiyomi blinked as she walked to the boy. "You're Takeo, right?" She asked, excited.

"Y-Yeah…" He told her. "I'm your big brother."

The joy on the girl's face made his eyes feel warm again as she rushed to give him a big hug. "Did you come to play with me?" She asked him, her head on his chest.

"I…. Uh…" He looked at Haru who only nodded. "Well, I'm not wearing this silly outfit to go on a mission." He told her as he became stiff. Could he touch her? No, don't try it. What if he burned her to a crisp? Would she burn...?

"Nii-chan?" The name made the boy blink. He looked at the girl who was hugging him. "Hug me back!"

"Huh?" Takeo blushed at her command. "H-Huh? Wh-Why?! No way!"

Pouting the girl squeezed harder. "Hug me! Takeo-nii!"

"Eh?! Ah! Wait!" He struggled to try to push her off but just waved his arms around since he was afraid to touch his sister. "Wh-What do I do?"

"Just hug her back." A familiar voice made Takeo jump as a hug from behind made him turn to see his twin hugging him from behind.

"Ta-Takumi?! Why?" He blinked when he saw cat ears on his brother. "A cat?"

"Cheshire Cat~! Auntie Haru has some interesting outfits~!" Takumi chuckled. He then looked at Kiyomi. "We caught Takeo, Kiyomi."

"Now he can't escape!" Kiyomi laughed. "Hug me, Takeo-nii!"

"Takumi! Kiyomi! Let me go!" Takeo blinked and then saw Haru walk past the siblings, holding a certain man's hand, pulling him to the table. "F-Father...?"

Tsuna looked back at Takeo and gave a small smile, surprisingly he was just wearing a suit. "I got caught as well."

Takeo lowered his hands in shock. His father had never smiled since the accident, yet he just did towards him. The son that failed to protect his mother. He looked down at an excited Alice. He wrapped his arms around her and placed his head on her bow. Feeling her warmth. Takeo closed his eyes. "Warm..."

"Takeo-nii...?" Kiyomi called out to him, making him pull away to look at her. Even Takumi let her go. "Thank you both for coming! Kiyomi told Auntie Haru that I wanted to spend more time with my brothers and father... Today is a happy day for me! Thank you!"

"Then invite me more," Takeo told her, shocking everyone. "I'll do anything for Kiyomi. Tea parties, dinner, shopping, playing in the garden, or even taking naps together. Whatever Kiyomi wants to do, I'll help Kiyomi. So ask me."

"Me too." Takumi chirped in. "I want to play with Kiyomi more."

Kiyomi stared at the two boys and then looked back at her father, who was smiling at his children. "Then... I want to take a picture!" She smiled. "Today is my Unbirthday, so I want a picture to remember it!"

Five Years Later:

A ten-year-old Kiyomi walked into the airport with her tutor and bodyguard, I-Pin next to her. The day had come for Kiyomi to go to Japan. She had three or so years to train to be the next boss. Feeling a bit empty, she let I-Pin go handle all the check-in progress as Kiyomi waited in a waiting room.

A knock on the door disturbed her quiet time and she looked up to see her older brother walking inside. "Takeo-nii!" She shot to her feet. "What are you doing here?"

"Seeing my sister off, duh!" The boy sighed, pushing his brown hair back. "Listen, I heard that Hibari is gonna be your tutor and I honestly hate that idea. Reborn is hell, but Hibari might be worse so just-!"

"Drop out?" Kiyomi interrupted him. "No, I have a goal and I need to be boss to achieve it. If you're here to try to get me to drop out, then forget it." Standing proud, the girl glared at her brother. "I may not have one of the halves of the Vongola Ring, but I will win this fight."

"Are you serious about this?" Takeo asked, a bit annoyed. "It's gonna be Hell."

"That's fine by me."

"You won't have the same freedom."

"I never had it in the beginning."

"God dammit." Takeo, shaking his head, only sighed. Taking the necklace with the ring-shaped pendant off, the brother handed it to his younger sibling. "Here." He told her, watching her face go from annoyed to shocked. "You need it more than me.

"What the…?" Kiyomi held the necklace in her hands and stared at her brother. "Why are you just handing it over? Papa choose you!"

"And I choose you." His words sent a warm, fuzzy feeling to the girl's body. "I don't care about becoming boss. I can protect you as I am. If you or Takami were the next boss, I could protect you both. So… the people who want to be boss can have the rings." He then put a fist extending towards her. "Besides, I'm strong enough without it!"

Kiyomi took the ring and wore it around her neck. "Thanks, Takeo-nii." She smiled at the boy, shocking him.

"Oh, wow. Koe's not here and you smiled." Takeo laughed as his sister lightly punched him, giggling as well. He pulled out a box that had the Vongola symbol on it and handed it to her. "I know you're going to be boss for him. Good luck." He patted the girl's head and then walked away, waving at her.

"No fair…" Kiyomi blushed, holding the box with the other six halves of their rings. "Why does my brother understand, but you don't…" Kiyomi looked at her pendant and sighed. "Baka-Koe."

Kiyomi walked onto the plane with I-Pin next to her. A private Vongola plane had everything for a comfortable flight, however, Kiyomi had something she needed to do before they took off. Taking off her necklace and pulling out the storm half in her box, she looped the storm ring with her boss ring and put the necklace back on.

"Kotaru Miura… You're my Storm." She lightly kissed the storm necklace and giggled. "I'll wait… as long as it takes… I'll wait for you."