[Fic] Windshear [Part 9/?]
They turned on the annual Christmas lights in my city today. Might be a bit early, but then, there are plenty of things to call for celebration, like the US Election which is still being covered where I live, despite it being like half way around the world. Just goes to show how happy the world is, really. Also got my hands on some charity bears for World Children's Day, which is Nov 20th. And work is picking up again while I sorta want to hibernate, haha XD But as always, enjoy~
Windshear Part [9/?]
Authors: kagayachou and the-dw
Characters/Pairings: All the Vongola Guardians, Reborn, and Byakuran. Byakuran/Mukuro, eventual Yamamoto/Hibari.
Rating: PG-13
Words: 3856
Summary: "So, Vongola Tenth, let's have a little gamble." The Guardians meets the Gesso in Rome. Just what is Byakuran playing at?
Faced with larger stakes, the reconstruction of the third training room was shoved to the far reaches of Tsuna's mind, overlapped by Gokudera and Yamamoto's condition, and most of all, Hibari's.
It was bad.
One of his aforementioned guardians, effectively out of commission, had to be transported to Rome. The other two had been using each other as mobile training dummies to do something about mutual wishes to kill Byakuran, and thus - "Haha, sorry, Tsuna," and "I'm so sorry, Tenth!" - took out the third training room.
Tsuna just wanted to reach out and smack their heads together. Hard.
But there were other things to worry about, like whether or not his guardians might mob Mukuro right now in this Gesso famiglia-run resort if his act is too convincing - or if Byakuran might do something drastic if it wasn't good enough.
Even so, Hibari...
He sighed and looked around, a dreadful sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted Chrome, who was looking around the resort, quiet and anxious, her hands tight around her trident.
Chrome chewed on her lip slightly, then her eyes went downcast, for she had definitely recognized the man who had come to greet them - Gloxinia, who had almost killed her ten years ago. There was no recognition in his eyes when he had glanced at her, which was of course expected. But it had put her on edge nonetheless - even more on edge then she was already.
It didn't help matters that Byakuran seemed to be completely at ease with them in his own territory, lounging on the couch like that he had just had sex. Chrome honestly wouldn't be surprised if that was true, especially when Mukuro was sitting at his feet like a pet, his head on his lap.
She felt just the slightest bit of irritation at that. She knew that Mukuro had to keep up his pretence of being unconcerned for Hibari's well-being and the Vongola as a whole, but... it irked her, that was all.
Briefly, she closed her eyes, and then sat down at one of the armchairs, tilting her head away from the sight.
Upon their entrance into his seating room, Byakuran looked up lazily, one hand curling around Mukuro's hair, almost petting him. He could sense their discomfort and ill will easily, no matter how much they tried to hide it, and it made him smile. He stood up, spreading an arm out opulently.
"Welcome to my humble cottage, Vongola," his voice just had a little of the mocking lilt to it. "I trust that your trip to Rome was... pleasant?"
Before anyone could say a word, particularly fuming Ryohei and Gokudera, Reborn replied curtly, "It is." He sat down on the couch just opposite Byakuran, crossing his legs and leaning back so his piercing dark eyes met the other's violet ones. "Let's get down to business, Mr. Gesso."
My, my, Byakuran thought, thoroughly amused. What crawled up their asses and died there- oh wait. He chuckled to himself before sitting back down. Mukuro had lifted his head up already, blinking blearily at the Vongola Guardians gathered - the poor thing, Byakuran had exhausted him rather thoroughly last night, after all.
Mukuro was yawning into a hand, but his mind was as sharp as ever. One look at everyone gathered told him that pretty much everyone was displeased with the situation and with him - which he really couldn't give a damn about - and, more importantly, that Hibari's situation was worse than what his pretty Chrome's brief words had revealed.
Her small hands were completely white, a rather fetching colour against his silver trident.
Pushing those thoughts out of his mind, he pushed himself off the floor and sat down on the couch, drawing his legs close to him. He leaned a little against Byakuran - nothing but show to make Gloxinia's face turn just a little blacker - and kept his silence.
Byakuran smoothed his hand through Mukuro's hair almost absent-mindedly, turning to face the Vongola Tenth and his tutor with a wide, disarming grin on his face. "I'm glad to hear that, Vongola Tenth, Reborn-san."
He linked his fingers together and dropped his head on them, "Now, I have a proposition for you. But before I say it... would you like to give me an offer, Vongola Tenth?"
Tsuna could feel the negativity from his guardians, all his present guardians, as if they were cutting into him like knives. Into him, through him, and towards Byakuran and the gathered Gesso members. He looked over his shoulder, to calm the people behind him. Ryohei and Gokudera may be the most vocal, because the Sun Guardian considers Cloud his friend, and Storm thinks of them all as part of his family - with an extreme, almost-religious zeal.
But even Lambo saw Hibari as one of his important people as well, having grown up around the man and training to escape his attention and subsequent wrath.
And of course, now he meant something more to Yamamoto than the Rain guardian seemed to realize. Or, Tsuna frowned slightly, maybe he had realized... the man always used to admire Hibari and respect him, preferably from afar, like the rest of them.
But it had to take a botanically engineered disease?
Reborn must be beating himself up inside, Tsuna thought, for having prevented one student's death only to shift the bullet's target towards another.
Despite how calm they might look, even Chrome and Mukuro had to be shaken.
Grimly, Tsuna turned back to Byakuran, but ignored him momentarily to give his yawning Mist Guardian a once over. Mukuro was acting so unlike himself, so submissive and pet-like. It hurt to think of how Byakuran must take pleasure in treating him so, or Mukuro wouldn't have to act in this way.
Quietly, Tsuna promised to himself that he could not, would not let any of them down.
"Byakuran-san. We came in peace, and as per your request, all my guardians are in Rome. Including the Cloud."
It sounded angrier to Tsuna out loud rather than just in his head.
"Now," he paused to edit out the 'stop beating around the bush' before he continued, "Would you tell us what you want?"
Byakuran chuckled, thoroughly amused. Well, well, the seemingly meek-looking Vongola Tenth actually did have fire, and more than just his dying will flame.
Byakuran did not mind it - quite the contrary, actually. It would be far too boring if the Vongola had just bent over and let him do whatever he wanted. He clapped his hands together and leaned backwards, perfectly at ease despite the heavy, oppressive pressure he could feel from the Vongola Guardians.
"Well," he tapped his lip, the image of innocent curiosity if not for the glint in his eyes. "I'm sure you've already guessed: your rings." He lifted his right hand and pointed at Reborn, the light glinting off the Sky Mare ring on his ring finger. "And of course, that Arcobaleno pacifier that your tutor has hanging on his neck."
Before they could reply - and oh, he could see that they wanted to speak, especially that Sun Guardian, almost blue in the face now - Byakuran shook his head and continued, "But! I'm not such an unreasonable man, you see. I know you won't give them up." He chuckled lightly, and stroked his hand through Mukuro's hair. "So, Vongola Tenth, let's have a little gamble."
"... I'm all ears," Tsuna replied, a flat look in his eyes. What else were they here for, besides listening to Byakuran's song and figuring out how to get the cure to Hibari with the least damage, the least loss of human life possible?
Behind Tsuna, Gokudera felt a tug upon his sleeve. A sharp glance down, and he traced the hand back to Yamamoto, who still had his eyes on Byakuran and an uncharacteristic frown on his face. He knew what Yamamoto wanted and it defused his own anger somewhat. Casting his glance aside to glower at anything else, Gokudera clutched Yamamoto's wrist, a safety precaution they agreed on last night.
Byakuran did not miss that little movement, even though his focus was entirely on Tsuna. His smirk widened even further, until he faintly resembled the Cheshire Cat. "It's very simple, really," he spread out his arms wide. "Let's gamble everything on one battle. If you win, Hibari Kyouya receives the cure. And if I win, I get your rings and that pretty yellow pacifier."
He laughed; tilted his head to the side.
"Let your Cloud Guardian fight me."
There was an uproar of voices all mixed up on top of each other.
"What the hell?"
"He's in coma!"
"You crazy bas-"
"Sasagawa. Yamamoto! Gokudera!" Tsuna raised his voice sharply, knuckles turning white on his knees. He didn't look back at them, but the grave weight of his tone was unlike anything they'd ever heard from the Tenth before.
After a few seconds of silence, Tsuna resumed, "You're asking for the impossible. There's no doubt in my mind that he would fight you if he could move, but as we all just heard, Hibari-san is in a coma right now."
Amused but unsurprised by the uproar that ensued, Byakuran's lips twitched. He threw his head back, bursting into laughter. Then he leaned forward again, resting his elbows on his knees, a full-blown smirk on his lips. "Yes, do calm down, Guardians of the Vongola." He tilted his head, looking contemplative for a moment. "Well, that is a problem... Hahaha, then we'll have to wait for him to wake up, won't we?"
Tsuna scowled, lips drawn into a straight line.
"... Tenth."
Instinctively, Tsuna started turning to his Right Hand Man. Gokudera was looking to the left however, alarmed rather than simply angry. Dreading the reason, Tsuna looked at his Rain Guardian.
"Yamamoto... What is it?"
"Let me fight in Hibari's place," he replied. Yamamoto's voice was clear, quiet, and deceptively calm. "Please."
Mukuro swore mentally the moment Yamamoto made his request. Bad move, Takeshi-kun, he thought to himself. You're just putting yourself up on the chopping block now. Despite his thoughts, his exterior remained as calm and placid as ever, his head on Byakuran's shoulder, posture entirely passive.
Byakuran blinked at Yamamoto, and he smiled. Twirling Mukuro's long ponytail with a hand, he shook his head, "Ahahaha, you're really funny, Mr. Rain Guardian." He tilted his head up, looking into Yamamoto's fury-filled eyes with no little amusement. "You're a really chivalrous man, but I'm afraid I have to decline your offer~" there was just the slightest bit of a mocking lilt in his voice.
"You're not Hibari-kun, and I only want Hibari-kun."
He leaned forward a little more, seemingly entirely earnest and sincere. "See, I've always heard about Hibari-kun's exploits - he's your strongest, isn't he? It's all very interesting and exciting to hear, really. So I've decided that I want to fight him, and well, what better chance than now?"
His smirk turned malicious, "It is his own life on the line, after all."
Gokudera jerked Yamamoto's arm back before the man could even begin to pull out from his grip.
"Che. If you want to fight him, genius, you'd have to cure him first," Gokudera barked at Byakuran. "There's no honour in winning a fight against a sick man."
Tsuna agreed, so he did nothing to hold Gokudera back this time. He just glared at Byakuran instead. "... If you're done baiting my guardians, shall we move on to something more feasible?"
"But you asked me what do I want, Vongola Tenth," Byakuran replied, perfectly innocent. "And that is the only thing I want. I'm not an impatient man - I'm willing to wait until he has awoken from his coma.
"And he will, Rain-kun."
He let his arms drop back to his side, dropping backwards to lean back against the overstuffed leather couch. "Storm-kun, you forgot one thing," he waggled a finger at the Vongola Storm Guardian, smirking widely. "If I cured him already, he would have no reason to fight me at his best, hmm?
"I do so want to see his dying will, after all."
"Trust me," Gokudera growled, "He'd remember you with his dying will, regardless!"
Before anyone else could say another word, Tsuna's cell phone suddenly rang. He gasped mentally, eyes hooding as he turned to look at his pocket. No one, but no one was supposed to call him right now, except... it was the Namimori anthem.
"Excuse me!" Swiftly, he pulled the phone out of his front pocket, staring at the message.
"Hibari-san!"
As soon as he said it, he realized his mistake. Oh no-
"He's awoken?" Byakuran's clapped his hands together, his smile widening so much that his eyes almost looked like wide slits. "How serendipitous, Vongola Tenth! How utterly splendid!" He threw his head back and laughed loudly and melodiously. "We can certainly continue with our gamble now, can't we?"
"Ku... fufu.... Kufufufu..." Mukuro buried his face against Byakuran's shoulder, but did not bother to hide his laughter. He could feel their stares, shocked, angry... and amusement from Byakuran alone. But it was rich. It was ironic.
Mukuro-sama? What... Are you... Is everything all right?
Mukuro sighed contently, relaxing against Byakuran and opening his eyes to stare at the phone.
All right, my dear Chrome? Why, the Gods are in their heavens and all's right with the world.
***
The first thing Hibari was aware of was that there was a needle under his skin.
The second was that there was a tube down his throat.
And the third was that he couldn't move properly - his body was heavy, numb. It was as if he had been drugged.
His eyes flew open. This... no. This was entirely too much like then, from before he was Hibari and was just a weak child in a research facility. White surrounded him, just like then, and the white was moving around him, surrounding him, crowding him. His fingers twitched. The monitor beside his bed started to screech.
In one jerky motion, Hibari sat up from the bed and tore the three IVs from his arms, the violence of it drawing blood. His eyes were wild, feral, and empty as he grabbed hold of the silicon tube leading down his throat and tugged.
Needless to say, the numerous probes and sensors on his body didn't survive the onslaught, and the machines around him screamed and beeped in alarm as, for all intents and purposes, Hibari was dead as the monitor stopped sensing any sign of life.
There were people calling his name, shouting at him to stop, but the blood was roaring in his ears and his hands itched to close around metal. His tonfas - where were they? Never mind - he could fight with whatever that came to hand. Just because they took away his weapons didn't mean that he was helpless - far from it.
He growled like a wounded wolf when a blotch of white tried to approach him, teeth bared and eyes wide. Pushing himself off the bed, he took a step towards the door. Then another. He was almost out of there, out of those memories and near nightmares when-
In the move reminiscent of his old tutor, Hibari's legs gave out on him and he tripped over the sheets, sending him crashing to his knees on the floor. The sudden flare of pain woke him up from the numbness he had been swimming in, chasing it away, and making him fully aware of his body... and of the white-hot pain in his chest.
He gasped, doubling over, his hands bunching his shirt as he tried to draw enough breath to stand up again.
That was how Tsuna and his fellow guardians - even Mukuro, through Chrome's eyes - saw Hibari when they rushed into the room.
The medical personal wisely stayed back, but Yamamoto, being a fool, and a fool who now knew that he was in love, rushed to Hibari's side with little regard for personal safety.
With hindsight, Gokudera wondered if he should have grab hold on the idiot and never let go - not that he felt more for the guy than he'd admit, but they more or less spent the more interesting parts of their lives growing up together. And now seeing Yamamoto and Hibari like this, so close and light years apart...
Gokudera wanted to tell him to back off and let the doctors sedate the freak for his own bloody good.
And blood. The awful treads of red trickling down the holes in Hibari's arms and from his lips... There were smears of it on the stark white tiles beneath him, and looking brown on the ugly green of his hospital garb...
"Hibari!" Yamamoto was nearly screaming, because what would softness and gentle laughter mean to a wounded carnivore? "Hibari, stop! Let the doctors help you!"
Ryohei found himself held back by Lambo, of all people, who looked at him with such pitiful eyes.
"Don't crowd him," the boy whimpered.
"Don't touch me," Hibari barked out, fire practically spitting from his eyes as he glared at the blurry form in front of him. The voice cut through the dizziness and the haziness to deliver a new wave of pain into Hibari's head. But he barely noticed the pain, because there was someone there now, someone tangible for him to fight against, to rail out against.
Someone who, very possibly, had placed him in a situation too similar to then.
"Don't fucking touch me," Hibari's hand had closed around Yamamoto's wrist before it even landed on his shoulder, squeezing hard enough to bruise. "All of this-" he waved a hand around him, "Don't you fucking dare to try to drug me up as if I'm one of you herbivores." His chest heaved with the effort, and he shoved Yamamoto away, hard.
And Yamamoto should have expected that, really. Because Hibari was nothing if not feral, least of all when he felt his strength or authority the slightest bit threatened. But for all his blinding concern, Yamamoto received a knock to his senses when Hibari pushed him back with a physically painful blow.
For the first time, it occurred to him why Mukuro hadn't seemed too concerned with the outcome of Byakuran's requested battle. Hibari was strong. He had less than two weeks to live, he just woke up from a coma, and yet... Yamamoto could honestly feel bruises spread to his bones.
Back at the doorway, Mukuro looked through Chrome's eyes and frowned. There was something odd about this scene. Something familiar scratching beneath the surface of his own skin, against muscles and nerves and he knew, all of the sudden. It was the look in Hibari's eyes... he wasn't behaving just like a wounded predator. He was behaving like a wounded and terrified one.
A lot of things about Hibari suddenly made sense to him, and Mukuro laughed inside Chrome. It was really terribly ironic, because the man who hated him the most seemed to have a part of him that was very similar to Mukuro himself... or was it because of this similarity that Hibari hated him? Well, he could possibly find out later.
Chrome my dear, Mukuro spoke, I need to borrow your voice for a little.
You're not going to manifest, Mukuro-sama? Chrome asked, polite and unfazed as always. Sometimes he wished that she would still blush when he talked to her, but he liked this Chrome better. He didn't bother answering her question.
"Hibari," Mukuro said, in Chrome's voice. "Hibari, these people are your own doctors. Let them help you." He lowered her voice until it was a soft, soothing whisper, dropping down into a crouch far away from Hibari. "They are not like those people.
Charity wasn't something that came easy to him, but it was easier with Chrome's subtle, guiding hand. But this was his limit. He closed his eyes and his presence faded, retreating to the back of Chrome's mind, merely watching.
Hibari panted, eyes narrowing as they slid over to first Chrome, then Reborn. Not 'those', huh? And what would Chrome know of- no, that was Mukuro, for sure. Mukuro, whom Hibari despised because he was so weak to slide into that madness instead of holding on to himself and his own self.
Hibari barked a laugh.
Reborn closed his eyes, dropping down to sit on the floor, his legs tucked out of the way and hands open. He knew what Mukuro was insinuating, and it surprised him just slightly that the usually malicious Mist Guardian would lend a hand this time. Especially to the man who professed to hate him so.
"Don't fight against us, Hibari. There's someone else for you to fight - the man who did this to you," his voice was firm but soft, and bore no argument. There was only one way to reason with a predator - just offer him better, more enticing prey. That had always worked with Hibari in the past.
"Byakuran...?" Hibari asked in reply, his voice hoarse as he turned his eyes forward to face Reborn. The hitman nodded. Hibari closed his eyes.
"All right."
It was the finality in his ragged voice that told Tsuna nothing he could say would change Hibari's mind. Tsuna closed his eyes, steeling himself against the overwhelming anxieties running amok in the crowded room so that he could clear his mind and think of the right decisions to make.
"That's fine," he opened his eyes. Patting his Rain Guardian on the shoulder as he walked past him, Tsuna stopped in front of Hibari, and told him, "Get up.
"Let your doctors patch you up, so you can train without bleeding all over the place. He'll give us your cure when you win, so don't bite him to death unless you're taking him with you," he paused, eyes softening slightly. "Okay?"
Hibari cracked an eye open, looking up towards Tsuna. Sometimes, that man gave him the reason to tolerate his leadership all over again. But Hibari's will still remained his own - he wasn't a weak, dependent herbivore like the rest of them, needing Sawada's guidance. He closed his eyes again and stood up as fluidly as he could.
Sitting down on the bed, he held out his still-bleeding arms, an unspoken command that his doctors immediately obeyed, scrabbling over towards him. He looked down to the floor now that the world had stopped spinning, and saw Yamamoto looking at him with a strange, yet familiar expression. It was a look that he had seen on Dino Cavallone's face before, in the past.
Hibari didn't understand it then, and he still didn't understand it now.
He scowled, turning back to Tsuna.
"I will exact my vengeance, Sawada Tsunayoshi," he intoned flatly.
The Tenth nodded then, and said, "I don't doubt that." His voice was strong and determined. Because he believed - no, he knew: this time, Byakuran had really chosen the wrong target.
Back: Part 8
Next: Part 10
Windshear Part [9/?]
Authors: kagayachou and the-dw
Characters/Pairings: All the Vongola Guardians, Reborn, and Byakuran. Byakuran/Mukuro, eventual Yamamoto/Hibari.
Rating: PG-13
Words: 3856
Summary: "So, Vongola Tenth, let's have a little gamble." The Guardians meets the Gesso in Rome. Just what is Byakuran playing at?
Faced with larger stakes, the reconstruction of the third training room was shoved to the far reaches of Tsuna's mind, overlapped by Gokudera and Yamamoto's condition, and most of all, Hibari's.
It was bad.
One of his aforementioned guardians, effectively out of commission, had to be transported to Rome. The other two had been using each other as mobile training dummies to do something about mutual wishes to kill Byakuran, and thus - "Haha, sorry, Tsuna," and "I'm so sorry, Tenth!" - took out the third training room.
Tsuna just wanted to reach out and smack their heads together. Hard.
But there were other things to worry about, like whether or not his guardians might mob Mukuro right now in this Gesso famiglia-run resort if his act is too convincing - or if Byakuran might do something drastic if it wasn't good enough.
Even so, Hibari...
He sighed and looked around, a dreadful sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted Chrome, who was looking around the resort, quiet and anxious, her hands tight around her trident.
Chrome chewed on her lip slightly, then her eyes went downcast, for she had definitely recognized the man who had come to greet them - Gloxinia, who had almost killed her ten years ago. There was no recognition in his eyes when he had glanced at her, which was of course expected. But it had put her on edge nonetheless - even more on edge then she was already.
It didn't help matters that Byakuran seemed to be completely at ease with them in his own territory, lounging on the couch like that he had just had sex. Chrome honestly wouldn't be surprised if that was true, especially when Mukuro was sitting at his feet like a pet, his head on his lap.
She felt just the slightest bit of irritation at that. She knew that Mukuro had to keep up his pretence of being unconcerned for Hibari's well-being and the Vongola as a whole, but... it irked her, that was all.
Briefly, she closed her eyes, and then sat down at one of the armchairs, tilting her head away from the sight.
Upon their entrance into his seating room, Byakuran looked up lazily, one hand curling around Mukuro's hair, almost petting him. He could sense their discomfort and ill will easily, no matter how much they tried to hide it, and it made him smile. He stood up, spreading an arm out opulently.
"Welcome to my humble cottage, Vongola," his voice just had a little of the mocking lilt to it. "I trust that your trip to Rome was... pleasant?"
Before anyone could say a word, particularly fuming Ryohei and Gokudera, Reborn replied curtly, "It is." He sat down on the couch just opposite Byakuran, crossing his legs and leaning back so his piercing dark eyes met the other's violet ones. "Let's get down to business, Mr. Gesso."
My, my, Byakuran thought, thoroughly amused. What crawled up their asses and died there- oh wait. He chuckled to himself before sitting back down. Mukuro had lifted his head up already, blinking blearily at the Vongola Guardians gathered - the poor thing, Byakuran had exhausted him rather thoroughly last night, after all.
Mukuro was yawning into a hand, but his mind was as sharp as ever. One look at everyone gathered told him that pretty much everyone was displeased with the situation and with him - which he really couldn't give a damn about - and, more importantly, that Hibari's situation was worse than what his pretty Chrome's brief words had revealed.
Her small hands were completely white, a rather fetching colour against his silver trident.
Pushing those thoughts out of his mind, he pushed himself off the floor and sat down on the couch, drawing his legs close to him. He leaned a little against Byakuran - nothing but show to make Gloxinia's face turn just a little blacker - and kept his silence.
Byakuran smoothed his hand through Mukuro's hair almost absent-mindedly, turning to face the Vongola Tenth and his tutor with a wide, disarming grin on his face. "I'm glad to hear that, Vongola Tenth, Reborn-san."
He linked his fingers together and dropped his head on them, "Now, I have a proposition for you. But before I say it... would you like to give me an offer, Vongola Tenth?"
Tsuna could feel the negativity from his guardians, all his present guardians, as if they were cutting into him like knives. Into him, through him, and towards Byakuran and the gathered Gesso members. He looked over his shoulder, to calm the people behind him. Ryohei and Gokudera may be the most vocal, because the Sun Guardian considers Cloud his friend, and Storm thinks of them all as part of his family - with an extreme, almost-religious zeal.
But even Lambo saw Hibari as one of his important people as well, having grown up around the man and training to escape his attention and subsequent wrath.
And of course, now he meant something more to Yamamoto than the Rain guardian seemed to realize. Or, Tsuna frowned slightly, maybe he had realized... the man always used to admire Hibari and respect him, preferably from afar, like the rest of them.
But it had to take a botanically engineered disease?
Reborn must be beating himself up inside, Tsuna thought, for having prevented one student's death only to shift the bullet's target towards another.
Despite how calm they might look, even Chrome and Mukuro had to be shaken.
Grimly, Tsuna turned back to Byakuran, but ignored him momentarily to give his yawning Mist Guardian a once over. Mukuro was acting so unlike himself, so submissive and pet-like. It hurt to think of how Byakuran must take pleasure in treating him so, or Mukuro wouldn't have to act in this way.
Quietly, Tsuna promised to himself that he could not, would not let any of them down.
"Byakuran-san. We came in peace, and as per your request, all my guardians are in Rome. Including the Cloud."
It sounded angrier to Tsuna out loud rather than just in his head.
"Now," he paused to edit out the 'stop beating around the bush' before he continued, "Would you tell us what you want?"
Byakuran chuckled, thoroughly amused. Well, well, the seemingly meek-looking Vongola Tenth actually did have fire, and more than just his dying will flame.
Byakuran did not mind it - quite the contrary, actually. It would be far too boring if the Vongola had just bent over and let him do whatever he wanted. He clapped his hands together and leaned backwards, perfectly at ease despite the heavy, oppressive pressure he could feel from the Vongola Guardians.
"Well," he tapped his lip, the image of innocent curiosity if not for the glint in his eyes. "I'm sure you've already guessed: your rings." He lifted his right hand and pointed at Reborn, the light glinting off the Sky Mare ring on his ring finger. "And of course, that Arcobaleno pacifier that your tutor has hanging on his neck."
Before they could reply - and oh, he could see that they wanted to speak, especially that Sun Guardian, almost blue in the face now - Byakuran shook his head and continued, "But! I'm not such an unreasonable man, you see. I know you won't give them up." He chuckled lightly, and stroked his hand through Mukuro's hair. "So, Vongola Tenth, let's have a little gamble."
"... I'm all ears," Tsuna replied, a flat look in his eyes. What else were they here for, besides listening to Byakuran's song and figuring out how to get the cure to Hibari with the least damage, the least loss of human life possible?
Behind Tsuna, Gokudera felt a tug upon his sleeve. A sharp glance down, and he traced the hand back to Yamamoto, who still had his eyes on Byakuran and an uncharacteristic frown on his face. He knew what Yamamoto wanted and it defused his own anger somewhat. Casting his glance aside to glower at anything else, Gokudera clutched Yamamoto's wrist, a safety precaution they agreed on last night.
Byakuran did not miss that little movement, even though his focus was entirely on Tsuna. His smirk widened even further, until he faintly resembled the Cheshire Cat. "It's very simple, really," he spread out his arms wide. "Let's gamble everything on one battle. If you win, Hibari Kyouya receives the cure. And if I win, I get your rings and that pretty yellow pacifier."
He laughed; tilted his head to the side.
"Let your Cloud Guardian fight me."
There was an uproar of voices all mixed up on top of each other.
"What the hell?"
"He's in coma!"
"You crazy bas-"
"Sasagawa. Yamamoto! Gokudera!" Tsuna raised his voice sharply, knuckles turning white on his knees. He didn't look back at them, but the grave weight of his tone was unlike anything they'd ever heard from the Tenth before.
After a few seconds of silence, Tsuna resumed, "You're asking for the impossible. There's no doubt in my mind that he would fight you if he could move, but as we all just heard, Hibari-san is in a coma right now."
Amused but unsurprised by the uproar that ensued, Byakuran's lips twitched. He threw his head back, bursting into laughter. Then he leaned forward again, resting his elbows on his knees, a full-blown smirk on his lips. "Yes, do calm down, Guardians of the Vongola." He tilted his head, looking contemplative for a moment. "Well, that is a problem... Hahaha, then we'll have to wait for him to wake up, won't we?"
Tsuna scowled, lips drawn into a straight line.
"... Tenth."
Instinctively, Tsuna started turning to his Right Hand Man. Gokudera was looking to the left however, alarmed rather than simply angry. Dreading the reason, Tsuna looked at his Rain Guardian.
"Yamamoto... What is it?"
"Let me fight in Hibari's place," he replied. Yamamoto's voice was clear, quiet, and deceptively calm. "Please."
Mukuro swore mentally the moment Yamamoto made his request. Bad move, Takeshi-kun, he thought to himself. You're just putting yourself up on the chopping block now. Despite his thoughts, his exterior remained as calm and placid as ever, his head on Byakuran's shoulder, posture entirely passive.
Byakuran blinked at Yamamoto, and he smiled. Twirling Mukuro's long ponytail with a hand, he shook his head, "Ahahaha, you're really funny, Mr. Rain Guardian." He tilted his head up, looking into Yamamoto's fury-filled eyes with no little amusement. "You're a really chivalrous man, but I'm afraid I have to decline your offer~" there was just the slightest bit of a mocking lilt in his voice.
"You're not Hibari-kun, and I only want Hibari-kun."
He leaned forward a little more, seemingly entirely earnest and sincere. "See, I've always heard about Hibari-kun's exploits - he's your strongest, isn't he? It's all very interesting and exciting to hear, really. So I've decided that I want to fight him, and well, what better chance than now?"
His smirk turned malicious, "It is his own life on the line, after all."
Gokudera jerked Yamamoto's arm back before the man could even begin to pull out from his grip.
"Che. If you want to fight him, genius, you'd have to cure him first," Gokudera barked at Byakuran. "There's no honour in winning a fight against a sick man."
Tsuna agreed, so he did nothing to hold Gokudera back this time. He just glared at Byakuran instead. "... If you're done baiting my guardians, shall we move on to something more feasible?"
"But you asked me what do I want, Vongola Tenth," Byakuran replied, perfectly innocent. "And that is the only thing I want. I'm not an impatient man - I'm willing to wait until he has awoken from his coma.
"And he will, Rain-kun."
He let his arms drop back to his side, dropping backwards to lean back against the overstuffed leather couch. "Storm-kun, you forgot one thing," he waggled a finger at the Vongola Storm Guardian, smirking widely. "If I cured him already, he would have no reason to fight me at his best, hmm?
"I do so want to see his dying will, after all."
"Trust me," Gokudera growled, "He'd remember you with his dying will, regardless!"
Before anyone else could say another word, Tsuna's cell phone suddenly rang. He gasped mentally, eyes hooding as he turned to look at his pocket. No one, but no one was supposed to call him right now, except... it was the Namimori anthem.
"Excuse me!" Swiftly, he pulled the phone out of his front pocket, staring at the message.
"Hibari-san!"
As soon as he said it, he realized his mistake. Oh no-
"He's awoken?" Byakuran's clapped his hands together, his smile widening so much that his eyes almost looked like wide slits. "How serendipitous, Vongola Tenth! How utterly splendid!" He threw his head back and laughed loudly and melodiously. "We can certainly continue with our gamble now, can't we?"
"Ku... fufu.... Kufufufu..." Mukuro buried his face against Byakuran's shoulder, but did not bother to hide his laughter. He could feel their stares, shocked, angry... and amusement from Byakuran alone. But it was rich. It was ironic.
Mukuro-sama? What... Are you... Is everything all right?
Mukuro sighed contently, relaxing against Byakuran and opening his eyes to stare at the phone.
All right, my dear Chrome? Why, the Gods are in their heavens and all's right with the world.
***
The first thing Hibari was aware of was that there was a needle under his skin.
The second was that there was a tube down his throat.
And the third was that he couldn't move properly - his body was heavy, numb. It was as if he had been drugged.
His eyes flew open. This... no. This was entirely too much like then, from before he was Hibari and was just a weak child in a research facility. White surrounded him, just like then, and the white was moving around him, surrounding him, crowding him. His fingers twitched. The monitor beside his bed started to screech.
In one jerky motion, Hibari sat up from the bed and tore the three IVs from his arms, the violence of it drawing blood. His eyes were wild, feral, and empty as he grabbed hold of the silicon tube leading down his throat and tugged.
Needless to say, the numerous probes and sensors on his body didn't survive the onslaught, and the machines around him screamed and beeped in alarm as, for all intents and purposes, Hibari was dead as the monitor stopped sensing any sign of life.
There were people calling his name, shouting at him to stop, but the blood was roaring in his ears and his hands itched to close around metal. His tonfas - where were they? Never mind - he could fight with whatever that came to hand. Just because they took away his weapons didn't mean that he was helpless - far from it.
He growled like a wounded wolf when a blotch of white tried to approach him, teeth bared and eyes wide. Pushing himself off the bed, he took a step towards the door. Then another. He was almost out of there, out of those memories and near nightmares when-
In the move reminiscent of his old tutor, Hibari's legs gave out on him and he tripped over the sheets, sending him crashing to his knees on the floor. The sudden flare of pain woke him up from the numbness he had been swimming in, chasing it away, and making him fully aware of his body... and of the white-hot pain in his chest.
He gasped, doubling over, his hands bunching his shirt as he tried to draw enough breath to stand up again.
That was how Tsuna and his fellow guardians - even Mukuro, through Chrome's eyes - saw Hibari when they rushed into the room.
The medical personal wisely stayed back, but Yamamoto, being a fool, and a fool who now knew that he was in love, rushed to Hibari's side with little regard for personal safety.
With hindsight, Gokudera wondered if he should have grab hold on the idiot and never let go - not that he felt more for the guy than he'd admit, but they more or less spent the more interesting parts of their lives growing up together. And now seeing Yamamoto and Hibari like this, so close and light years apart...
Gokudera wanted to tell him to back off and let the doctors sedate the freak for his own bloody good.
And blood. The awful treads of red trickling down the holes in Hibari's arms and from his lips... There were smears of it on the stark white tiles beneath him, and looking brown on the ugly green of his hospital garb...
"Hibari!" Yamamoto was nearly screaming, because what would softness and gentle laughter mean to a wounded carnivore? "Hibari, stop! Let the doctors help you!"
Ryohei found himself held back by Lambo, of all people, who looked at him with such pitiful eyes.
"Don't crowd him," the boy whimpered.
"Don't touch me," Hibari barked out, fire practically spitting from his eyes as he glared at the blurry form in front of him. The voice cut through the dizziness and the haziness to deliver a new wave of pain into Hibari's head. But he barely noticed the pain, because there was someone there now, someone tangible for him to fight against, to rail out against.
Someone who, very possibly, had placed him in a situation too similar to then.
"Don't fucking touch me," Hibari's hand had closed around Yamamoto's wrist before it even landed on his shoulder, squeezing hard enough to bruise. "All of this-" he waved a hand around him, "Don't you fucking dare to try to drug me up as if I'm one of you herbivores." His chest heaved with the effort, and he shoved Yamamoto away, hard.
And Yamamoto should have expected that, really. Because Hibari was nothing if not feral, least of all when he felt his strength or authority the slightest bit threatened. But for all his blinding concern, Yamamoto received a knock to his senses when Hibari pushed him back with a physically painful blow.
For the first time, it occurred to him why Mukuro hadn't seemed too concerned with the outcome of Byakuran's requested battle. Hibari was strong. He had less than two weeks to live, he just woke up from a coma, and yet... Yamamoto could honestly feel bruises spread to his bones.
Back at the doorway, Mukuro looked through Chrome's eyes and frowned. There was something odd about this scene. Something familiar scratching beneath the surface of his own skin, against muscles and nerves and he knew, all of the sudden. It was the look in Hibari's eyes... he wasn't behaving just like a wounded predator. He was behaving like a wounded and terrified one.
A lot of things about Hibari suddenly made sense to him, and Mukuro laughed inside Chrome. It was really terribly ironic, because the man who hated him the most seemed to have a part of him that was very similar to Mukuro himself... or was it because of this similarity that Hibari hated him? Well, he could possibly find out later.
Chrome my dear, Mukuro spoke, I need to borrow your voice for a little.
You're not going to manifest, Mukuro-sama? Chrome asked, polite and unfazed as always. Sometimes he wished that she would still blush when he talked to her, but he liked this Chrome better. He didn't bother answering her question.
"Hibari," Mukuro said, in Chrome's voice. "Hibari, these people are your own doctors. Let them help you." He lowered her voice until it was a soft, soothing whisper, dropping down into a crouch far away from Hibari. "They are not like those people.
Charity wasn't something that came easy to him, but it was easier with Chrome's subtle, guiding hand. But this was his limit. He closed his eyes and his presence faded, retreating to the back of Chrome's mind, merely watching.
Hibari panted, eyes narrowing as they slid over to first Chrome, then Reborn. Not 'those', huh? And what would Chrome know of- no, that was Mukuro, for sure. Mukuro, whom Hibari despised because he was so weak to slide into that madness instead of holding on to himself and his own self.
Hibari barked a laugh.
Reborn closed his eyes, dropping down to sit on the floor, his legs tucked out of the way and hands open. He knew what Mukuro was insinuating, and it surprised him just slightly that the usually malicious Mist Guardian would lend a hand this time. Especially to the man who professed to hate him so.
"Don't fight against us, Hibari. There's someone else for you to fight - the man who did this to you," his voice was firm but soft, and bore no argument. There was only one way to reason with a predator - just offer him better, more enticing prey. That had always worked with Hibari in the past.
"Byakuran...?" Hibari asked in reply, his voice hoarse as he turned his eyes forward to face Reborn. The hitman nodded. Hibari closed his eyes.
"All right."
It was the finality in his ragged voice that told Tsuna nothing he could say would change Hibari's mind. Tsuna closed his eyes, steeling himself against the overwhelming anxieties running amok in the crowded room so that he could clear his mind and think of the right decisions to make.
"That's fine," he opened his eyes. Patting his Rain Guardian on the shoulder as he walked past him, Tsuna stopped in front of Hibari, and told him, "Get up.
"Let your doctors patch you up, so you can train without bleeding all over the place. He'll give us your cure when you win, so don't bite him to death unless you're taking him with you," he paused, eyes softening slightly. "Okay?"
Hibari cracked an eye open, looking up towards Tsuna. Sometimes, that man gave him the reason to tolerate his leadership all over again. But Hibari's will still remained his own - he wasn't a weak, dependent herbivore like the rest of them, needing Sawada's guidance. He closed his eyes again and stood up as fluidly as he could.
Sitting down on the bed, he held out his still-bleeding arms, an unspoken command that his doctors immediately obeyed, scrabbling over towards him. He looked down to the floor now that the world had stopped spinning, and saw Yamamoto looking at him with a strange, yet familiar expression. It was a look that he had seen on Dino Cavallone's face before, in the past.
Hibari didn't understand it then, and he still didn't understand it now.
He scowled, turning back to Tsuna.
"I will exact my vengeance, Sawada Tsunayoshi," he intoned flatly.
The Tenth nodded then, and said, "I don't doubt that." His voice was strong and determined. Because he believed - no, he knew: this time, Byakuran had really chosen the wrong target.
Back: Part 8
Next: Part 10