WARNING! This chapter comes with a supplementary warning. I think Iemitsu stepped over the line a lot in this chapter. So I know it's not fun to get 'triggered' or even to walk into something without knowing what it is. So this is a supplementary warning. There are suggestions of rape, and murder, and other things. INTENSE SWEARING. So please do not read if you are uncomfortable. !WARNING.

I'd actually like to make it known that 90% of the swearing in this are not words I'd ever use, even under duress. I find them offensive and wrong. However, these are mafia men and I'm trying to keep them IC. If any are seriously offensive then tell me and I'll see what I can do.

The Difference Between: Rain Commanders and Rain Runners.

A lot of the time, Skies were not night-owls.

They tended to be lethargic in the early hours, when the sky was waking with the sun, though they did indeed take a long time to settle when night final approached. Unlike their others elements, skies didn't follow rules of the weather. Though they tended to stick to the rhythms of the blue skies above.

Xanxus though, was a night owl.

He was more than lethargic in the mornings, he was stiff and achy as if he was recovering from flu. He needed coffee and good food and an icy shower to be awake when something not-terribly-important was happening.

He napped and lazed around until two or three when he would wake and prowl with a ferocity that made men and women tremble with lust and fear.

Tonight was a night where the evening darkness did not bring sleep to Xanxus. He was wound tight and his flames simmered, very awake unlike the sky. He would not sleep tonight.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping, you shitty shark? You have a fight tomorrow." Xanxus growl was full of base and Squalo could only sigh as he took a seat on one of the couches in the living room. Xanxus was standing in the open window.

"Rains occur at all hours. I'm up when the sky is. So until your trashy ass gets to bed, neither will mine."

Xanxus sighed fondly. His guardians were a fucking pain in his fucking ass. Though, he supposed speaking in hushed tones late at night was a good way to bring sleep to him. "Suit yourself, shitty shark. Talk to me about Belphegor's battle."

Tsuna did not like waking up at ungodly hours. He didn't.

He liked sleeping, because sleeping was oblivious unconsciousness and rest. Especially when Mukuro and Chrome overlapped their dreams with his, or when they allowed the others into the mindscape.

Sleep brought Tsuna peace, and recovery.

And with healing came hope for tomorrow. Hope that he would one day overthrow Iemitsu.

Hope that no one had to die (not Reborn's friends, not Dino, not the Varia, and definitely not his Guardians) for that dream.

One thing of a few that had Tsuna up at stupid o'clock with only hot-chocolate and a warm hand in his was training. Especially before these god awful battles.

"Come-on Tsuna, you know my old man doesn't like being late."

Tsuna nodded and yawned, walking into Take-zushi. He passed the tables that hadn't yet been set for the day, and passed the darkened living room. Tsuna only stopped when he arrived in his usual corner (by the door, in a blind spot) where he folded his legs and proceeded to do nothing more than watch and feed his flames into Takeshi's training. Resistance and strengthening that was his harmony with the rain.

Tsuna doesn't speak, he knows his rain is in the zone now. He knows that Takeshi wants to be strong, and sometimes he needs to be a different person to do that.

The only hurt that Tsuna feels is that Takeshi seems to turn back into that person from elementary school when he does. All fake expressions that too many fall for.

"Breathe Takeshi."

Tsuna looked at Tsuyoshi where he stood with Takeshi and could see the hate broiling there. While Tsuna knew it wasn't directed at him, he did know that it was aimed in the direction of Tsuna's general situation.

After all, Tsuyoshi had called the police so many times about Takeshi. About the scars on his face, about his flinching. About Tsuna. Every time he tried he was shot down and called delusional. He had to silence himself when he was threatened. Takeshi was wounded, yes, but Tsuyoshi was all the boy had, Tsuyoshi wouldn't let himself be detained and his boy taken away.

But Tsuyoshi knew that it was Tsuna who centered this storm, and who centered his son. "Good morning, Tsunayoshi." The man's words were curt because of circumstance, but he always flooded with hope for his child when Tsuna smiled.

It was pained, and strained, and Tsuyoshi could see the scars of a dying man in his eyes, but Tsuyoshi also saw the bandages wrapped tight around Tsuna's wounds. Some he recognized came from his own son. "It is a good morning, Tsuyoshi-san. Thank you for training Takeshi."

Xanxus walks quietly in the center of his guardians as they walk towards Namimori once the sun had set. Squalo is ahead of him, twitching and ready. Xanxus knows not to disturb him now. He was a hitman here and not a rain general. Xanxus couldn't interfere now unless Squalo was going to snap from the pressure, or had finished his duty.

So instead he turned his eyes on the baby fox of the family.

To no one's surprise, Bel had flown off to his rooms when they had arrived at their base the evening of his battle. He didn't debrief them, he didn't talk to them. He simply went off to his rooms to shower and sleep.

What did surprise everyone that morning however, was an extremely cranky, pale Belphegor stalking into the dining rooms and joining them for breakfast.

He still didn't debrief them, simply saying that he was only just off his blood high (Xanxus knew the boy had forced himself down rather than savouring the rush) and his mind was muddled. But he had eaten with the crew, sharing small tidbits about the general ability of the Decimo generation.

Now though, bandaged and groggy, Bel looked about ready to share. Xanxus wasn't going to let that pass by without him.

"So, what strikes you immediately, shitty Prince?"

Bel hummed, twirling one of his blades around his hands. Thinking. "I told you as much about their tactics as I could gleam last night, though as I look on it now I'd say they're not all as talented in analytics as the one I faced last night. He had a level of genius that you'd be lucky to find in one of one-hundred-thousand." Bel explained, he hummed alone beside Xanxus, speaking about the level of flames, and his thoughts about the flame-syncro. Though they mirrored Xanxus' own. "There was one thing though."

"Oh? Spit it out shitty prince."

Bel didn't know how to explain this. It was more of a gut feeling. The feeling of a predator when they were faced with a weakness. They could smell it.

"The Peasant Hurricane was not well."

Levi snorted, "Well obviously, they're fucking tainted." But he listened anyway.

Bel frowned, and Xanxus felt a shiver up his spine. "No, not like they're wrong. Not like what Iemitsu has done to us. Hurricane's body wasn't well. He was wrapped up pretty tight, his ribs were probably broken long before he got to me." Bel sounded put out.

Xanxus understood, the young Prince had had a good fight, the thought that he was cheated out of an even better fight by his opponent's injuries must have been a sour taste. Especially since he had won the match.

The Varia as a whole didn't like it when it felt like a match had been thrown. They were top quality, and they enjoyed being able to say they were the best. Once upon a time, each member would go through recruitment again, just to make sure they were still Varia Quality.

"Are you sure that his injuries weren't just from aggressive training?" Mammon was floating beside them, the Arcobaleno had been ornery ever since he'd learnt that Reborn was training up their opponents.

Apparently Mammon didn't take too well to traitors in his Arcobaleno family.

Bel hummed. "Possibly, but the traitor's storm got ripped apart by my knives. His clothes were a mess and I could see that he was covered in bruises." Bel frowned. "I've only seen wounds like that after a heavy beating…or when someone has been physically abused for years."

Never let it be said that Bel wasn't a brilliant mind. He needed to know the condition of the bodies around him, he was an assassin first. But he was a Prince too, and one who needed to remember his inebriated condition when he drew blood. Bel could tell that Hayato Gokudera had gone through a rough beating right before his match, but the way he was wrapped up, with practice, and the way he flinched (not from pain, but from the physical violence) was compelling.

"Mou, it's probably just the sky beating his storm to keep him in line." Though Lussuria sounded unconvinced.

The Squalo spoke up, voice steady as the School came into view. "I'll be sure to look out for that. Dino is an idiot, and he's loyal to a fault. But I refuse to believe that he is siding with Iemitsu. There's no way the man I know would do that. If he has, if I find no evidence as to why Dino's betrayed me I'll kill him myself."

Xanxus just hummed. "I'll leave it to you then, Superbi."

By this point, Tsuna couldn't tell if his hyper intuition was being prophetic anymore or whether the general feeling of his life was just constantly poor. All he knew was that when his guardians gathered at Take-zushi before heading to the arena for Takeshi's fight, he was nauseous and that he couldn't bring himself to hold Lambo. He felt like he needed to jump into action.

Tsuna watched as Takeshi approached his father, his adult face scarred with the injury from some years ago and his eyes stony with readiness. He didn't beg or cry, though Tsuna saw tears in the tension of Takeshi's shoulders, instead Takeshi pulled his dad into a hug.

"Today's training was the best yet, old man! I'll have to get you to teach me more once we come home."

And that was it. That was all Takeshi said before he turned and walked with his fellows to his death.

Tsuna really hoped that it was his life in general that made his intuition sick. It couldn't be healthy to have to constantly look out for Tsuna after all. He didn't want tonight to be the bad feeling that came true.

Though of course, when a sudden wave of illness wafted over Tsuna's intuition, and Basil barrelled sloppily past him and into the arms of a large, blonde man who seemed to find Tsuna in an instant, Tsuna was sure that it wasn't his life in general.

"Master!" Basil sounds delirious and Tsuna feels that way when Iemitsu stalks forward.

"Well well, haven't you been busy." Iemitsu snarls. And despite his quickness, Kyouya is tackled by Basil when he tries to block Iemitsu and the two are wrestling on the floor when Iemitsu gets his hands on Tsuna. "But I see your storm failed. Tsuna we've talked about this."

Iemitsu's hands are tight on Tsuna's throat and he starts to lift the boy. Kyouya is snarling and Ryohei is doing his best to pull the hysterical Basil off the cloud. Hayato is shoving Takeshi back, snarling and with tears burning in his eyes.

Iemitsu won't kill Tsuna here, they're on their way to a battle. Takeshi can't afford to be injured trying to protect Tsuna, thought it burnsHayato to be allowing this to happen. Mukuro seems to feel the same, because he pulls Chrome and Lambo back, hiding them suddenly to keep them safe.

Tsuna's eyes are on Kyouya and he's snarling when Ryohei kicks Basil off. Then Tsuna, hanging off the ground with Iemitsu's disgusting smile in his face snarls at his father. "Yes, we have. We're fighting this useless battle for your fucking kink! Hayato did great, he was scouting. Now, get your fucking trash off my guardian!"

Fear seeps into Tsuna's scent when the words have left. His eyes widen and he starts to feel a plea on his breathe, especially when Iemitsu's face twists and his hands tighten. "Excuse me? Did you just talk back Tsunayoshi?" And Tsuna starts to kick out, his face twisting.

Yes he fucking did because this was it, he needed Iemitsu dead. But then there's the snap of the breaking sound barrier and Tsuna noticed a welt of grey bubble on Iemitsu's hand as sky flames danced in the air.

Tsuna coughed as he hit the ground –he needed to get his lungs filled with air so they didn't fil with liquid –and turned to see Dino. Except he looked nothing like Dino.

Dino had Reborn on his shoulder and he was surrounded by Sky flames. His eyes were bright almost yellow-orange and his hair lifted with the wind his flames created. "What the fuck is this then?"

Iemitsu turned a dirty smile on the Cavallone heir and shrugged. He clicked his fingers and Basil was beside him, panting and wide eyes, following like a deranged dog. He looked at Iemitsu like a prayer answered and practically stepped on the man's heels when he turned away. "Just a family reunion. Now get your ass into gear, child. It's time to see if your rain can measure up where your storm failed."

Reborn was seething when they arrive at the school. Their Cerevello escort take them to their waiting room while they take Takeshi to the arena. Squalo is there already apparently, and unlike before, Tsuna couldn't see Xanxus.

He was a little disappointed, and a lot relieved.

Xanxus was single minded strength. He was going after Tsuna and Iemitsu without pause and Tsuna wished he could go after Iemitsu with the same.

Reborn watches as Takeshi pulls Tsuna over to the door. Reborn seethes when he watches Tsuna's shoulders bunch up suddenly, and when Takeshi's face sparks with surprise.

"You're coming back Takeshi. You didn't say goodbye to your dad, so I'm not going to do it for you." Tsuna bowed his head, placing a fist over Takeshi's heart. "I need you to come back and help me, Takeshi. We all need to protect each other."

Reborn ground his teeth on Dino's shoulder, because yes no matter what Tsuna would risk losing a guardian in these battles, even if he had been prepared since he was a child. But Reborn had not expected it to be this painful. "I'm starting to see, Reborn."

No, as Dino walked away with Tsuna at his side, Reborn didn't think this was how all this was going to go, but here they fucking were.

Takeshi dropped the sheath and cover on his sword outside the door when Tsuna had walked away. He didn't give it to Tsuna, because if Takeshi did die here, his sky would mourn and covet the useless tools for ever. Takeshi wouldn't do that to his sky.

No, Takeshi walked into the arena without anything but his skill and his sword, and he didn't think about the way the door slammed and sealed.

Instead he found his opponent and smiled slyly. Squalo returned the smile. "I do hope you're a good fight, boyo." He sneered, and Takeshi watched a pure blue flow around them. "I would hate to slaughter you without learning a thing."

Takeshi ignored the rules, he ignored the Cerevello. He knew this battle would be one of water. He knew this battle would be one to the death. But he ached too, because this was the first swordsman he'd gotten to fight.

"Maa maa, don't worry. It will be. Cause you'll be dead by the end."

Takeshi had been very young when he'd made his promises to himself. He'd been so very young when the understanding of what it meant to 'kill for your family' settled into his bones and had him casting his baseball bat aside for his sword.

He was no longer young, so even as the buzzer sounded and water started to pour all around them, Takeshi didn't flinch.

No, his grin seemed to mirror that of his opponent.

Squalo swung his sword in an arc and he grew pleased when blood splattered.

This boy was so young, so fresh to this world and Squalo would take pleasure in ending him. It would be for the best, such a tainted child would never have a fulfilling life.

Besides, Xanxus was waiting, and so was Dino. Dino needed to be cuffed around the ear, and the best way to do that was by cutting down this distraction.

"Pay attention, Squalo. I want to do some learning too." Takeshi laughed, and his sword danced in the water.

Squalo had to admit, this boy was good. But he had battled this style before.

So it was easy to freeze the boy's limbs. To bleed him. To bring him to his knees. It was easy. It was child's play. It was a whisper that drove Takeshi mad.

"What a disappointing rain."

Takeshi growled, and his eyes glowed blue. Squalo barely managed to jump back when the boy practically exploded and his attack caught Squalo full frontal.

Blood splashed everywhere, and Squalo could see the shark in the water. Takeshi was snarling and Squalo was impressed.

He had not known about that attack. That hadn't been in the original style that Squalo had battled. Something violent and great burst in Squalo's chest and he charged.

But Takeshi was just as excited, because he was grinning and throwing himself into this fight, Happy to be fighting against someone who took him seriously.

Almost forgetting he was trying to protect Tsuna in this.

Xanxus watched with passive eyes and a frown.

He could feel his rain's enthusiasm spike as he roared and ran. The rooms were flooding and Takeshi could smell the blood from here. Almost.

"He seems to be having fun, ne boss?" Lussuria asked, he was standing with crossed arms and a frown.

Squalo was having fun, more fun that should be possible in such a tense match. But Xanxus was worried too. Because Squalo couldn't forget what was happening, they'd been betrayed and the brat he was fighting was an enemy.

His eyes drifted to the other monitor and his mouth grew dry. Iemitsu had appeared to watch apparently. He had hand on his son, and another on Basil. Somehow the latter boy seemed more put together, though he did stay.

Xanxus' chest rumbled in a barely-perceived growl. He didn't like the scene, his chest constricted when he watched the way Tsunayoshi's guardians scattered and prowled. They were looking for an opening somewhere.

Xanxus wanted to know whose opening, and where the Guardian candidates hoped they could escape to once they found it.

Iemitsu watched the proceedings with narrowed eyes. "At least that fucking retard is doing better than your storm, Tsunayoshi." He growled, he had a hand on Tsuna's shoulder, just at the junction of his neck. It was bruising and Tsuna did his best to remain still.

"Takeshi isn't stupid, father." Tsuna snarled, biting his tongue when Iemitsu's hands heated up with flames. "Hayato did well, he almost won. I called him back and he listened."

Iemitsu's hand heated enough that Tsuna could smell his burning shirt, but he bit his lip til it bled to keep from crying. Iemitsu didn't deserve the satisfaction. No, instead Iemitsu's eyes passed over the suffering on Tsuna's face and found Hayato and Shamal instead.

The doctor had turned up to treat Hayato just before Takeshi's arms were frozen by Squalo's attack. He was prowling around Hayato and did not like that Iemitsu was looking at his boy.

"The fuck do you want?" Shamal snarled, standing before Hayato. Reborn was on Ryohei's shoulder, but he jumped off quickly and was already walking towards the group. Something was wrong.

And Reborn was right, because Iemitsu let go of Tsuna and turned to face Hayato. He grinned, so twisted with clouded eyes and he practically smelt like decay when he crossed his arms. "I was just thinking that I'd hoped he'd be better than his whore of a mother. I was wrong it seemed." Iemitsu licked his lips and grinned again. "I should have offed you when I had the chance. So lost and alone because 'mommy died in a car crash'. Pathetic twat."

Tsuna watched as Shamal and Hayato stilled, he watched their flames pool in their eyes. He watched them stop breathing.

"The fuck are you on about?" Hayato hissed, his voice steady and deep.

Iemitsu laughed, lough, guttural. "Oh? I forgot to tell you didn't I? You thought your father killed your mother right, in that landslide? Stupid boy, your father didn't have the guts. But I did. And oh, how she begged for me to let you live. She begged and beg, she never broke, no matter what I did." Iemitsu was practically frothing now, his eyes dirtied and rolling with his disgusting mind. "Maybe I should have kept her for myself? It certainly would have kept you in line, boy."

Hayato choked for a moment, but it was a moment too short for Tsuna to grab the boy before he was at Iemitsu's throat with lightning and storm flames throwing off of him in rivulets of pure rage-induced power.

Shamal was fast too though, his mist and sun flames were being thrown off and made the world warp around them. Reborn though was on it. He tackled Shamal to the ground and snarled, very loudly. His voice was deep and Tsuna felt his chest tighten when he watched and heard the crack of bones as Shamal hurt the ground. "Grab him! Don't let Iemitsu get them. He'll kill them."

Ryohei and Mukuro were on Shamal, holding him down, he thrashed though. "You fuck-faced ass-kissing son of a bitch. I'll kill you. I'll kill you before you can breathe again. You take it back. You take your whore-breathe cock-sucking son of a slut words back and I'll still kill you. What did you do to her?! What did you do to my Lavina?!" He kicked and thrashed. It was lucky that he was so focused on Iemitsu, or else Tsuna would be treating burns on the guardians who held him down.

Hayato though was a rocket and he went straight for Iemitsu. Then man started pulling out his gun though and Basil struck. He had Hayato around the waist. Hayato was stronger than the weakened man though and got through. Kyouya had Basil down in an instant, and he was beating the boy relentlessly. He was wild eyes and panic. Tsuna didn't even care.

No.

Tsuna saw the gun, he saw Hayato, and he saw Iemitsu's glare. He saw Iemitsu's intentions. Hayato had failed in Iemitsu's eyes.

Tsuna acted. He moved so face he didn't even care. He had Hayato in the air and flying towards Dino. The man had Hayato down, a knee in his back within a moment. He had his whip out, and even though his knee was between Hayato's shoulders, Tsuna thought Dino looked like a gargoyle protecting something precious.

Tsuna was flame-in-hand in Iemitsu's face. The gun was half way across the room and Tsuna's fist was sunken into Iemitsu's face. If Tsuna wasn't crying and scared he'd be ultimately satisfied by the crack and blood. He didn't even get nauseous knowing this. "Don't you dare touch my guardian again! You won't speak of this again. You have no right to say those thing, Iemitsu."

And then there was only horror in Tsuna's gut because a knee met his chest and he felt his body creak. He felt feet and fists and flames converged on him even as he pushed himself into his intuition to parry and dodge.

But then there were hands, so big and hot on his throat and Tsuna started to see blackness. He started to see spots and he started to cry, because Iemitsu wasn't thinking. His eyes were clouded. He wasn't thinking and Tsuna was going to DIE IF HE DIDN'T STOP.

Dino is running.

He doesn't see anything, he doesn't even think.

All Dino knows is Mukuro's hand on his arm and the cold breathe of death on his neck when the man –eyes so old, so terrified, so scared of even breathing another word –spoke to him. As soon as Dino had felt the cold wash of an illusion settle onto his skin, Dino had gone with the words tingling his scalp.

"Run, I've covered you. You know what's happening now. Run Bucking horse. Get to the Varia and save us."

And so Dino ran.

He finally saw. He finally saw what was happening, everything finally clicked into fucking place. Suddenly Dino realised why he couldn't go to anyone else either. They were all in Iemitsu's fucking web and even Dino himself had tied himself into the thorns. One wrong move and it wasn't just his newest foals that would be killed, but Reborn's companions would too.

But to think that Dino had been with his herd of foals for months and he hadn't realised what Iemitsu was doing? That Dino hadn't been able to see why Basil was so broken, and why Tsuna so damaged shattered something that was once so strong in Dino's chest. No wonder Tsuna couldn't tell him, even broken and damaged and caged like no sky ever should be, Tsuna tried to protect Dino's famiglia. Tsuna was being beaten and he still tried to protect Dino.

For that, Dino was forever grateful and fucking livid.

Dino couldn't be sloppy right now, he knew that. But Mukuro was giving him an out and Dino was going to take it as fast as possible. He hadn't hesitated.

He didn't trip or slip on slicked rocks and leaking floors as he tore away from Tsuna's group.

Dino needed to get to the Varia, he needed to tell them. He needed to tell Squalo. He wouldn't be believed if Squalo couldn't listen.

After things were settled, after Tsuna was safe and home Dino would confront Squalo about their friendship. He'd rebuild it once Squalo helped Dino protect these little guardians.

But first Dino needed to make it to Squalo.

Takeshi hadn't looked at the screen for a while. His gut was churning, but he had to concentrate. Squalo was bearing down on him. He couldn't slip. He couldn't risk looking at Tsuna and his fellows if it meant he'd be run through.

Dodge, water. Jump, sword. Blood and blue. Takeshi had to work hard.

His thoughts became words before he could stop them. But he was concentrating, and he'd never been good at censoring himself when he was in high stress, active situations. "Xanxus must be some incredibly guy. You're pretty desperate to kill me."

Squalo snarled. "Xanxus is worth ten thousand of your skies." Squalo couldn't believe a child would think some monster's boy was worthy of comparison to Xanxus. "You're confused, and I can't let you live if you insist."

"Maa Maa, Tsuna's a really great guy. He's the most amazing sky too." Takeshi was furious, that someone who didn't even think to know them would dare suggest that Tsuna was less than worth the entire world. "You don't know Squalo, so I'll forgive you. But you don't know the things Tsuna has done for us."

Squalo roared and drove forward, sword slashing and digging into every inch it could. "I'm going to win, you useless trash. Your sky is going to break and mine will win." But something felt wrong with the words this rain had said.

But even as he said that they battled on. Takeshi grew more and more agitated. Something was wrong. Something was wrong with his own. He needed to check on them.

And he tried to look. Because he was desperate to win too.

And he was run through.

Tsuna felt cold air and arms around him and he flailed. The arms locked down and he started to hyperventilate. The dark spots came back and suddenly he felt the hands around his throat again.

"I am sorry, Master Sawada, but we cannot have you killing a contestant while the trials are still ongoing."

And the air came back in a rush. So cold and so painful to his lungs and throat. But with it came a caging warmth that made Tsuna so uncomfortable.

When the world rights itself, and things stop going gray, Tsuna see nothing but pink and white.

A Cerevello woman had Tsuna in her arms, and others have the Guardians forced back from the confrontation. Tsuna tries to stand but is stopped when soft eyes –blue eyes hidden behind the mask –turn on him. She puts her head near his ear and whispers.

He stops struggling, cooled by the way her voice speaks as if she is constantly singing.

"We are sorry, Decimo." The woman sounds genuinely sorry. "We have not been able to help you, but we will not let him touch you while these matches go on."

Tsuna didn't trust these women. He understood what it meant to have your hands tied, but from the way the others were corralling Iemitsu and Basil away from Tsuna (away from the entire match) it would seem that they were highly-aware of what Tsuna and his Guardians were going through. Yet they had done nothing. Tsuna didn't trust people like this.

Though he had to thank them as a panting, delusional Iemitsu stalked off in a huff.

Pain laced through Takeshi and it was nothing like he'd felt before. Not when Iemitsu had disfigured his face. Not when he'd broken four ribs fighting too hard with Ryohei. Nothing hurt as much as the feeling of Squalo's sword ripping his insides apart.

It was like fire. But nothing like Tsuna's fire when he wrapped them up as his own.

But he couldn't fall. Not here. He couldn't.

Blind from blood-loss and shock, takes doesn't know how he stood. Only that he did. Only that suddenly he had sight. He had vision like a radar, hues of blue led his way and Takeshi could only take one breathe as he held his sword.

He leant forward, flames pooling in his gut and on his tongue.

He had to win, he had to get back to Tsuna.

"Utsushi Ame."

Xanxus' breathe hitched as he stared at the battle. His own had fallen.

He had hoped, hoped with everything in his chest that when Takeshi had gone down it'd be over.

But the trash had stood. He'd stalked forward and he'd run Squalo through and over and dropped him like meat.

Xanxus felt the rage melt the chair arms in his hands. He felt it boil in his lungs.

He felt it die away with confusion and pain when the boy stooped down and dragged the life-less body of Xanxus' second onto his tiny shoulders. Rage and confusion smoked from Xanxus as he watched this child try to drag a dead man to the surface.

The world flooded back into Squalo's world. He hadn't even seen the attack coming. All Squalo knew was brief pain and blackness. He hadn't been able to mourn.

He hadn't thought he'd have time to mourn. But he was alive and he had a concussion if the bile building by his teeth was anything to go by. He was swinging limp from someone, and the grunts were pained, though not from Squalo himself.

He barely managed a roaring whispered, "Why?" before his vision swam again.

"I don't get to practice against a sword much." Takeshi grunts out as he stoops to save Squalo. "And you're the sword emperor right? Which means you know a fuck ton of styles."

Squalo is trying to argue, kicking out. Kicking Takeshi. "Stop being a fucking child. I'm dead, you beat me. Let me die for my boss. I can't face him having been defeated by the likes of you."

But the brat holds fast. Arms right around Squalo's waist as he walks, slowly. "I can't do that. Tsuna wouldn't live without me, he needs me. So V-Vongola needs you, I bet Xanxus still needs you even if you lost this time."

And Squalo stills, because this fucking mongrel, this vile excuse of a rain who was raised by Iemitsu would have NO FUCKING CLUE about what it meant to be Vongola or Varia. He had no right to speak about what Vongola needed, as if he understood what Family and Famiglia meant.

Except then something happens on the big screens. The words that come across are strange and for whatever reason, Squalo can feel the shiver run through Takeshi.

Squalo is there, in Takeshi's arms when the man tries to save him, and so Squalo felt the tremor in his shoulders and heard the horror and pain in his voice.

"Don't fucking touch him!" The boy's mild manner practically dissolves and he almost drops Squalo into the drink when his eyes find the screen playing out the scene in the viewing galleries. Takeshi wasn't talking to Squalo this time.

Hayato pitches himself at Iemitsu, eyes intent in a way that Squalo had only seen in Belphegor when someone had tried to kill Xanxus. Iemitsu simply laughs, a gun heading for Hayato's throat.

Squalo is shocked, but he pitches forward on Takeshi's shoulder when the boy starts sprinting. Takeshi's blood splatters everywhere in his haste to get away.

Squalo catches snippits of the scene as his face swings around. He still struggles to get off of Takeshi. "Fuck off boy and let me die. Your charity won't save you, Xanxus is out for your blood."

And the boy snarls, rain flames gathering on his sword again. Squalo is a little impressed, the boy's core is depleted as it is. "You think this is to win your favour? I don't' care if Xanxus is trying to kill Tsuna right now, what I care about is Iemitsu trying to kill Tsuna. Let Xanxus slaughter Iemitsu for all I care."

And Squalo suddenly realises that Takeshi is right, everything to that moment becomes clear as Hayato is thrown to the ground, snarling and screaming and crying (how disgusting) and Iemitsu starts laying into Tsuna in a way that is not play fighting or reprimanding. It's attempted man-slaughter. Squalo sees the way Tsuna throws himself at Iemitsu, single minded focus.

Squalo suddenly understands what he was blind to before. This wasn't Iemitsu being harsh, and Tsuna being equally a monster.

This was about Iemitsu being a monster and the kids just fighting to escape.

Squalo needed to get to Xanxus, to tell him what he had seen. But Takeshi wouldn't make it. Squalo could smell the blood up this close to the boy's side. He'd need immediate medical attention form where Squalo had run him through.

He flinched, and Squalo's pride won out.

Takeshi had won fair and square, he wasn't allowed to die out now, one of them had to live and pass on their technique and it was obvious that the winning technique should live on.

Squalo kicked Takeshi to the floor above –the winning floor, where the Cerevello and a medical team would save him –as he crashed down into the water.

The last thing that Squalo saw before all he saw was the inside of a shark were the Cerevello stepping between Iemitsu and Tsuna (who he held up by his throat).

Squalo hope with all his heart that Xanxus wasn't too blinded by the pain and nausea of losing an element to see what Squalo had seen. Because Xanxus may have been furious at these children for threatening his position, but once he found out that Iemitsu was forcing his boy to kill and play Decimo, Xanxus would never allow Iemitsu to live.

He wouldn't kill these children either. He would hold them close and protect them.

At least Squalo hoped so.

Squalo hoped, he hoped that his death wouldn't mean the difference between the children's death and the truth. Takeshi was a worthy rain guardian, one of those that only came about when the sky above them was equally worthy.

So this chapter hurt me a lot to right. I deliberated and deliberated on whether or not to Kill Squalo, or to kill Takeshi. Even at this point I am not sure that this was the right path. And let me tell you, I've already started the framework and written some scenes for the next chapter….and it does not get easier.

I am actually crying while I write this because I am in pain. Me. The Author. The one who knows how this all ends. So I can only imagine (and hope I got across the emotions I wanted to) that you guys hate me.

So please review and tell me how you feel. I'll love and cherish you regardless.

Thank you, love you.

~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3