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Target 34: Darker Days Ahead

Yamamoto made his way home in silence. He placed his sword on his back as he headed down the road. His clothes were ripped and bloody but Yamamoto didn't really have the heart to care. He made his way back to the sushi shop and slipped into an alleyway, going in through the back. He didn't want to scare any customers his father might have had.

Tsuyoshi was in the middle of waving off the last of his customers when he heard the sound of the backdoor sliding open. The sushi shop owner tensed slightly as he heard his son's footsteps quietly making their way inside. Tsuyoshi frowned. He had been expecting his son to come bursting in, beaming with tales of his victory all day. But Tsuyoshi got the feeling that this wasn't going to happen…

"Takeshi?" The sushi chef turned around to call out to his son.

Yamamoto sighed slightly. Of course he could never sneak past his father. It would never happen. He walked up through the hallway, making sure to not touch anything and get things dirty before he peeked around the door. "Um. Hey, Pops." He forced a smile as he stepped past the door, revealing his bloody state. "Um... How... How are you?"

Tsuyoshi's breath stopped for a second and his heart twisted at the battered sight of his boy. The sushi chef's eyes quickly roved over his son's body, checking for the injuries which had already been healed, staring at the bloodied residue that clung to the fifteen-year-old's clothes—and ultimately coming back up not to stare at the pink, raw scar on his son's chin, but instead at his son's eyes, which looked wearied and pained. Those were the eyes of one who had recently seen death. Tsuyoshi recognized them all too well. "Oh, Takeshi…" Tsuyoshi murmured, sighing sadly before he began to make his way over to his son, moving to wrap his arms tightly around his boy.

Yamamoto couldn't suppress the shiver at his father's voice. As he was held in his father's arms, he felt himself break just a little bit. He let his sword lean up against the door as he reached up and wrapped his arms around his father, holding on to him. "Dad..." he whispered into his shoulder. "Dad, I..."

Tsuyoshi's heart clenched at his son's voice and even though he knew his son had to get it out, Tsuyoshi couldn't bear to hear the words just yet. So instead, he ran his fingers over his son's hair with comfort and hushed him quietly. "I know, Takeshi… I know…" Tsuyoshi swallowed slightly and couldn't help but to feel conflicted. Guilty. Because he had been the one who had brought his boy into this world. The path of the sword was a bloody one, but Tsuyoshi hadn't expected his son to come back in this state so soon.

You said you'd watch out for them, Iemitsu… Tsuyoshi bit his lip with frustration but didn't linger on these feelings of guilt and blame. There was something more important to deal with now.

"Come on, son," Tsuyoshi murmured softly as he pulled back and began ushering his son towards one of the tables. "Here, sit down. Let me bring you some tea." Tsuyoshi's hand lingered on the other's scarred back for a second, and that agitated twinge in his stomach resurfaced then. A scar on a swordsman's back was a shameful thing… but Tsuyoshi knew his boy was no coward; this wound had been made by some dishonorable lowlife that had taken advantage of his son's kindness. He had no doubt this was the case.

Get a grip on yourself, Tsuyoshi. The sushi chef berated himself for standing around and got his ass in gear, heading over to switch the shop's sign to 'closed' before heading into the kitchen to get the aforementioned drink. As he poured the tea into the ceramic cup, Tsuyoshi couldn't help but to dwell on his torn emotions. His pride as a swordsman was conflicting with the overprotective feelings that came from being a father. A part of him was screaming at seeing his son in this state, while the other longed to berate his boy for being so soft with his opponents.

But finally, he settled for setting down an extra milky concoction of warm tea in front of his boy and taking a seat next to him. He set his hand on his son's hair once more, sliding it down to give Takeshi's neck a slight comforting squeeze as he prepared himself for the talk he'd been hoping to put off for a few more years.

Yamamoto sat down, staring at the wooden surface of the table. He felt his father's hand linger a bit too long on where he knew a scar would be on his back. He waited, still and unmoving, until his father disappeared into the kitchen. Slowly, Yamamoto reached back. His fingers disappeared between the rips of the cloth and touched the new scar on his back. The skin was numb. Yamamoto couldn't feel his fingers, but the fingers could trace the scar that he knew was there.

Yamamoto quickly pulled his hand back to his lap and clenched it. He stayed completely still until his father returned with the tea. He took it gratefully, finding a small bit of comfort in his father's touch. He took a couple sips of the tea before placing the cup down, feeling the liquid warm him to his core. He glanced at his father out of the corner of his eye, not sure where to start.

Tsuyoshi felt equally reluctant. His talks with his son usually held a certain sense of cheerfulness among the seriousness of the moment. But this time, there was no way he could lighten the mood. So instead, he asked the question that he'd been dreading to ask from the moment his son had come home. "Was it… one of your friends?" Tsuyoshi murmured quietly, as he stared down at his son's pale, somber face.

Yamamoto looked at his father and took a moment for the question to click. "Oh! No… No, thank god, no..." he murmured, looking at his tea and taking the cup in two hands, feeling the heat. "It doesn't really make it any better though, does it..." he muttered. He glanced at his father again before returning his gaze to the tea. "I... I fought this swordsman..." he started slowly.

"Ono... His name was Ono. He didn't tell me his first name. He and I fought and... Well, I… I beat him," he murmured, not looking at his father. There was no victory in his voice. "He was... on the floor and I had disabled one of his arms. I was going back to help out senpai and he... caught me in the back... I knocked him out after that." Yamamoto swallowed slightly, his hands tightening over the cup he held for a moment before he spoke again.

"Eventually, senpai and I caught up to the rest of the group and... well... Two guys... after they were defeated... they killed themselves." Yamamoto gritted his teeth. "It was too fast for any of us to stop them..." Yamamoto then lifted his hands and placed them over his face. "The others were being taken away... the ones who were left alive, but... Hi- But that... guy... He grabbed Ono and..." His voice teetered away with each word. "He started... beating him..."

Tsuyoshi listened to the story with a quiet, troubled frown. He winced slightly at the story's end, knowing just by his son's tone that what had happened had ended with stomach-turning massacre. For a second, Tsuyoshi felt sympathy along with regret for all of his son's friends who had been present for the scene. This was not an easy thing to live with. But it was his son's pained voice that brought the greatest ache in his heart and Tsuyoshi squeezed his grip on his son's neck once again, the motion seeping with comfort. "You don't need to say anymore if you don't want to, Takeshi," Tsuyoshi murmured to his son as he tried to calm him. Every part of him longed to comfort his son. But the more he turned the story in his mind, the more unnerved Tsuyoshi became.

There was the part of him that acknowledged these deaths would scar his son more deeply than the wounds he had received, and it troubled him. But what frightened Tsuyoshi most was the realization of how close he had been in losing his son today. His eyes couldn't help but to keep coming back to the large scar on his son's back. His son's story had confirmed his guess, but that only served to further upset him.

I told you to watch your back… I told you that this wasn't a game… Dammit, Takeshi! Tsuyoshi felt himself grow tense and he bit his lip harshly.

Yamamoto bit his lip slightly, staring down at the table surface. He let his tea go cold as he took another deep breath. "Just... Pops, I know what you said. How the sword is something to be taken seriously and given respect…" His voice went smaller and smaller. "I just thought… that maybe… Ono would learn that too and we could face each other again fair and square… But…"

Tsuyoshi's eyes softened slightly at his son's words. He had expected as much… but even so, if he wanted his boy to survive this lifestyle, he was going to have to make him discard those kinds of thoughts and expectations. He began to tell his son as much. "You can't expect your opponents to change, just because you want them to, Takeshi," he chided him softly. "It's fine to show mercy for those who deserve it… but not everyone is worth your kindness."

Yamamoto felt the hand at his neck like an anchor, his father holding him down and keeping the world from spinning out of control. He remembered a moment from so long ago. The wind battering his face and his toes peeking over the edge, his balance but a frail string. "E-Everyone deserves a second chance…" he murmured, not looking up from the table. "People can change… You have to just... give them a chance to…" His voice wavered as if the faith he had held in these words also began to teeter off the edge.

Tsuyoshi's heart twisted at his son's voice and he squeezed his hold on him just a bit tighter as he spoke next. "Your way of thinking isn't wrong, son. But… not everyone thinks the same. There are people out there for whom victory can only be accomplished when their opponent is dead at their feet." Tsuyoshi closed his eyes at the image this invoked. His son's lifeless, bloodied body cradled in his arms. Gone was his cheerful smile and optimistic attitude. Gone was his only precious son…

"I don't want to lose you this early, Takeshi," Tsuyoshi murmured then, his voice a quiet, passionate plead. "I'm not telling you that killing is the only way to win… but sometimes it is something you can't avoid." Tsuyoshi bit his lip and almost considered not saying anything else. He feared his next words would put too heavy a weight on his son and only increase the guilt he'd seen in his eyes ever since he'd come back home. But in the end, he knew his son had to hear it. "And at times, death can be the most merciful thing you can offer your opponent."

Yamamoto bit his lip hard. His fingers trembled a bit and his eyes darted from his father down to the table. He knew what he said had to be true. Because if he had just killed Ono... If he had just done away with him like he was supposed to, Ono would have never had to suffer through what he did. The swordsman's cries of pain still echoed in Yamamoto's mind accompanied with that defiant glare just staring at him every time he closed his eyes.

A battle of swords will only end when one of us has been cut down.

Yamamoto stood up and walked off, his hands gripping his hair and letting out a small sharp whine. "Pops…" He looked at his father almost pleadingly. "Dad, please…" He wasn't sure what he was begging for. What he was pleading for. Only that there was just something wrong. Very wrong. And it had to be fixed.

"Takeshi…" Tsuyoshi's eyes followed his son's troubled gait and he bit his lip once more, unable to stand his son's pain any longer. At that moment, he pushed away the part of him that had disciplined itself to the path of the sword; the part of him that still needed to impart the hard lessons of the world to his apprentice. All that was left in its stead was the anxious, pained feeling of a mournful father who could no longer stand seeing that world-weary look on his son's face. So Tsuyoshi stood up and brought his son to his arms once more, just holding him there, his hand softly running over his hair. "Come on, son," he murmured as he tightened his hold on the fifteen-year-old. "Let's get you up to the shower. I'll bring some more tea to your room when you're done. Just rest for today and try to forget, hm?" He almost winced at his last words. Tsuyoshi knew his son would never be able to forget the events that had transpired today. But… in time, the wound would scab over and hurt less. And though he hated the change that his boy would have to go through, Tsuyoshi knew it was necessary transformation he had to go through if he wanted to survive this lifestyle.

I hoped you'd be able to live a carefree life for just a little longer… But I guess it was too much to ask…

Chrome walked down the sidewalk, holding Lambo in her arms. She sighed slightly, thinking back on the others and how they had reacted from what had happened.

Death was death. They were part of the mafia and death was something that they'd experience in everyday life. Chrome knew this. But perhaps, the others still needed to learn. It was something that just wasn't pleasant, but even though Chrome knew it was a necessity, she had still hidden away Lambo's eyes.

She looked down at the small toddler. "Lambo-chan?" she spoke softly. He had been silent the entire time.

Lambo's grip on Chrome's shirt tightened at her voice and he buried himself deeper into her chest, shrinking slightly. "…A-are those s-scary people g-gone yet?" His voice had a timid, trembling tone to it.

"Yes. They're gone," Chrome said softly, petting his hair. "I'm taking you home now so you'll be with Mama soon."

The words had an immediate effect on Lambo. His earlier fear finally banished at the news. Moreover, the thought of home had him immediately forget he'd been cowering just a moment earlier.

"Maman…?" Lambo's face peered out from his hiding spot, and though he looked teary-eyed and pale, there was a touch of excitement mixed in with the huge bout of relief that welled up inside the five-year-old's body. "Home!" The five-year-old beamed slightly. "Lambo-san was getting hungry! Hehehe!"

Lambo began to wriggle around, wanting to turn in Chrome's arms so he could see where they were going better. "'m gonna eat lots!" he was saying as he leaned back on Chrome's hold. "And get I-Pin's and Fuuta's and Tsuna's food! I'm gonna eat it all! Gyahahahaha!" Lambo had a mischievous look on his face. He appeared to have gone back to his normal, bratty self. But then, it was as if he registered his own words, because the five-year-old couldn't help but to quiet down a bit at the thought of Tsuna. It was then that he finally seemed to notice that his "big brother" wasn't around.

"Where'd Tsuna go…?" the five-year-old then asked, his voice quiet and hushed. "Did he go home already? 's he okay?" The absence of the brunette's presence was making Lambo tense and a little bit scared. Though his eyes had been covered in the earlier ordeal, his ears had been free to listen to all that had happened. And though he barely understood what had happened then, Lambo still knew it had been something bad… He could still hear Tsuna's pained sobs echoing in his mind and for once the five-year-old didn't feel like making fun of Tsuna for doing so.

Chrome was slightly relieved at Lambo's happiness returning. But then it just took a big 180 again and Chrome wasn't exactly sure what to do. She didn't really deal with children that much and so this was just... Chrome was at a bit of a loss. So she told a half-truth. "He went with Gokudera-kun. I think he'll come back tomorrow," she said softly. "He'll be okay, Lambo-chan. Gokudera-kun will take care of him just fine."

Lambo's somber thoughts fled as his expression switched to that of an annoyed scowl. "Not faaaair! Bakadera's always taking Tsuna home!" Lambo scrunched up his nose. He missed playing with Tsuna! At least Fuuta and I-Pin were still around. But beating Tsuna was the best!

Chrome sighed, already becoming a bit exhausted with Lambo's constant change of moods. "You can play with your other friends. Don't worry," she said as they approached the Sawada household. Chrome put Lambo down in front of the porch and smiled softly. "Don't give Mama a hard time," she said softly.

"Mmkaay!" Lambo promised with a bob of his head. He never liked giving Maman a hard time anyway. The others on the other hand… Lambo's grin stretched mischievously.

It didn't last long though, because it was at this moment that a small projectile launched itself down from the second floor, landing straight on Lambo's head.

"Lambo! Where you been all day!" I-Pin's voice was stern. "Maman worried!" The little girl scowled down at the sniveling five-year-old who was scowling back at her in tears as he cradled the spot the girl had landed on with his hands. Thankfully, due to his hair, the blow hadn't hurt that much. Still, Lambo was annoyed.

"WHY'D YOU DO WHAT FOR?!" he screeched loudly as he lunged at the girl, who immediately dodged. "STAY STILL, STUPID!"

"You stupid!" I-Pin stuck out her tongue and jumped back up to the window on the second floor, disappearing into Tsuna's room.

"Grrr!" Lambo glanced at the tree near the window but instead of climbing he began pounding on the door. "Maaamaaaan!" he whined loudly, and a couple of seconds later, the sound of shuffling steps could be heard approaching.

The door of the Sawada house opened then. "There you are, Lambo—" Nana's words were barely heard by the vengeful five-year-old whom was already rushing up the stairs. She sighed slightly, a fond smile crossing her lips. "They're always so lively." She quietly laughed to herself.

But it was then that she noticed there was someone else standing at the entrance. Nana blinked slightly in surprise before putting on her best welcoming smile. "Oh, you're one of Tsu-kun's friends, aren't you? He always meets the cutest girls!" Nana giggled slightly. "However, I'm afraid I don't know your name yet, dear."

Chrome watched the chaos immediately ensue the moment Lambo arrived and wondered if this was how it was every day. Chrome had been turning to leave when suddenly she was addressed and her cheeks turned red. She turned back to face Nana, staring at the floor. "Um. Y-Yes... My name is Chrome." She bowed politely. "I was just bringing Lambo-chan home."

"Oh! Thank you for bringing him home, I was worried of where he'd run off to. And my, you have the loveliest name! Would you happen to come from Italy too? My Tsu-kun seems to be making so many Italian friends lately." Nana smiled brightly.

"Um," Chrome stood up but still stared down at her feet. "N... No, actually. I'm Japanese... But... I'm learning Italian!" she offered, flustered and embarrassed. "I should... be going now. I have to go home."

"Already? What a shame, I was just about to set out dinner. But I won't keep you if you must go, dear." Nana watched the girl begin to head off and was about to close the door when she thought of something. "Oh, hold on a second, Chrome-chan!" she called out to the girl, stepping out as she did. "Before you go, I wanted to ask if you knew whether Tsu-kun was on his way home. I figured he'd come with Lambo-chan, but…" Nana's perpetual smile faded into a worried frown. She'd tried calling her son earlier, but her call wasn't getting through for some reason. She had been worrying over Reborn too, but Bianchi-chan had assured her earlier that he was fine and would be home soon.

Chrome turned back to Nana and felt a little something akin to awe. Nana cared about Tsuna. Cared a lot. And yet she didn't know anything about him. "O-oh. Sorry, um... He's staying with Gokudera-kun," she replied softly. "He said he'd be okay..."

Nana was immediately put at ease by these words, though she couldn't help but to smile exasperatedly. "That boy! He can get so absentminded when he's with Gokudera-kun." She giggled a bit. "Well, I suppose I'll let him off this time. It's not like I don't know how it was like. I was just like Tsu-kun when I first met Iemitsu." Nana giggled once more, though this time it was fonder. There was a nostalgic expression beginning to cross her face. But it didn't last long.

"But look at me go on and on—I don't want to make you late!" Nana blinked twice as she refocused back on the present. "Anyway, thank you again for bringing Lambo-chan home! Get home safely, alright?"

"Ah, y-yes!" Chrome nodded, blushing lightly and feeling more embarrassed at Nana's concern over her safety. "G-good evening." She bowed low and turned, hurrying to the sidewalk. She sighed softly with relief when she passed the wall and headed down towards her home. She really did hope that what she said was true. That her Boss would be okay.

She held tightly to her trident. She really, really hoped.

Thwack.

Ryohei's fists met the punching bag he kept in his room hard, again and again. He'd been at it ever since he had gotten home.

Thwack, thwack, thump.

Ryohei grunted. He felt a trickle of sweat begin to slide over his skin but paid no attention to the fact. His mind was racing everywhere. Though this exercise was usually good for helping him clear his head, today it seemed like it had the opposite effect.

Thump. Thump, thump, thwack!

Ryohei brought his fist down on the punching bag with more force than usual. All of his frustration had been focused on the punch, and it still wasn't enough. "This isn't working…" Ryohei muttered to himself, biting his lip as he clenched his bandaged fists at his side. The boxer looked down at the floor as he breathed in deeply, trying to rein in his breath as he made another attempt to clear his mind.

Why was this wretched feeling persisting?

Ever since he'd gotten home—no, it'd been way before that—he'd been feeling weird. There was this raw, empty sensation lingering in his chest. It felt wrong and almost made him want to puke, but he'd swallowed the feeling down as much as he could and tried to ignore it.

It wasn't working.

Ryohei brought his fists up to punch at the bag again, feeling his frustration overwhelm him again. He wished he could at least pin down this feeling.

He wished… that he could forget about what had happened today.

Normally, this wasn't a hard thing for him to do. Ryohei was often forgetful, mostly because he didn't find most things remarkable or extreme enough to hold his interest.

But what had happened today was still lingering in his mind. It seemed impossible to forget.

As he stared blankly at the red, battered bag in front of him all he could think of was of how Hibari had looked only a few hours ago, his typically pristine shirt no longer white but instead battered, dirty, and splattered in the redhead's blood. The prefect's expression had been murderous—and not in that usual angry manner that Ryohei was used to. No, it had been cold, vengeful.

Ryohei wasn't a stranger to blood, or to beating his enemies senseless. He often found such fights exhilarating. But nothing about what Hibari had done then had been right. The encounter had been too one-sided, not to mention entirely too vicious.

I should have stopped him! Ryohei thought, not for the first time. His teeth gnashed in frustration and self-contempt as his mind began to playback that sickening, dreadful scene. He could still feel the itch under his skin that had urged him to stop Hibari at that moment.

But the toll of his injuries, the stomach-curling sight of his unfairly imprisoned opponents, and the fresh memories of the dual-suicides that had happened just a few moments before Hibari's assault had left Ryohei paralyzed back then.

He'd felt so powerless. He still did.

And no matter how long he continued to vent out his feelings on his boxing equipment, Ryohei's mood didn't seem to be improving. It seemed to be getting worse in fact. Regret was beginning to mix in with his bout of self-loathing. Frustration was giving into doubt.

A few days ago he'd been proclaiming that all he cared about was protecting those he cared for. But now, things didn't seem as simple.

Did protecting those he cared for justify the death of their opponents?

The boxer hated to do this kind of heavy thinking, but these thoughts couldn't stop plaguing him.

Kyoko walked into the house with a small smile, having just spent the day with her best friend, Hana, who had just dropped her off at the house. When she entered, she was greeted by the familiar sound of Ryohei training and realized, with happiness, that he had returned from his sumo tournament. He must be hungry and tired, so Kyoko decided to head to the kitchen.

It was about half an hour later that Kyoko walked up the stairs with a tray of ramen with ham and eggs and veggies lining the noodle bowl along with a big glass a juice. She stopped outside Ryohei's room with a bright smile, though it faded slightly when she noticed that the sounds of training had stopped. Had Ryohei overworked himself?

"Onii-chan?" she called timidly, tapping her foot gently against the door. "Onii-chan, are you awake?"

At the sound of his sister's voice, Ryohei jolted out of his deep thoughts. The nauseous sense of unease in him grew stronger at the thought of facing his sister. But avoiding her would only worry her.

I can't let her see me like this… Ryohei thought determinately and took a deep calming breath as he clenched his fists tightly.

"Oh, h-hey, Kyoko! I didn't hear you come back." He tried to muster up his usual self the best he could.

Kyoko blinked and held the tray in her hands, looking down at the food and hearing, very well, that shaky tone in his voice. But she stayed smiling. "I brought you dinner." she called through the door, hesitance in her voice but, at the same time, the never-ending want to please. "Can I come in...?"

Ryohei bowed his head slightly, feeling the strain of the day weighting him down more by the second. He didn't think he could stomach the food, much less look at it. But he couldn't tell his sister that….

Swallowing back his hesitance, Ryohei answered, doing his best to sound normal. "Of course! Give me a second, yeah?"

Ryohei took another deep breath then before squaring his shoulders. He took another quick look around his room and moved to hide the bloodied clothes he'd carelessly discarded out of sight. He then slipped on a clean shirt before heading towards the door.

Kyoko waited patiently, shuffling on her feet a little bit and listening to the noises of Ryohei moving around in his room. What was he doing? The door was unlocked. But it would be extremely rude to just walk in. So Kyoko stayed there, keeping the worry away from her face and deep in her mind.

It was a bit easier to smile when the door opened, but at the sight of Ryohei's face, the smile shrunk just a tad. Ryohei looked tired, as if he was holding something heavy on his shoulders. A huge burden. Kyoko could tell immediately that Ryohei had no intention of telling her what it was. Kyoko wouldn't prod. She simply smiled and held up the tray a bit. "May I come in?"

"Ah, yeah." Ryohei nodded with a forced smile before moving away from the door. As he watched his sister come in, he couldn't help but to shift on his feet. He felt restless.

Kyoko walked in and placed the tray on the desk in the room that had been pushed off to the side, rarely ever used but had come with the furniture set. She looked over to the abused punching bag before looking at Ryohei. "So um, how did the sumo match go?" she asked softly, putting on her best smile for her brother. He looked so tired. It was so unlike him.

Ryohei's smile faltered at the question and he looked down to the ground. He wasn't sure how to answer that. To say that they had won didn't feel right. Not after everything that had happened. This wasn't like the previous battles they won, where they had come out on top with the thrilling feeling of victory rushing through their veins.

No, the only feeling this battle had left him with was one of failure.

"I…" Ryohei's face scrunched up in frustration as his hand moved up to brush against his stomach. Though his injuries had been healed he could still remember the pain from Jiro's blows. If he had been stronger…

But I wasn't. Ryohei's jaw set at the thought, and with a rush of his usual determination he looked up to meet his sister's gaze. "I still need more training!" he told her, fists clenched tightly at his sides.

Kyoko blinked and looked at Ryohei. "More training? Did you lose?" She looked a bit concerned. With the amount of training that Ryohei did and the amount of dedication, could he have really lost and felt this way? Something more must have happened. Her big brother was always such a good sport, walking away from any match, win or loss, with a smile because he always did his best. Something that Kyoko always aspired to do.

"Well..." She fidgeted slightly before giving him her brightest smile. "Things can only get better! Right? You always train so hard and smile so big that everything is going to work out. It always does. Even if it doesn't look like it now and things always look kinda dark, it's okay." Kyoko walked over and took her brother's hands. "Tomorrow is going to be a new day and it's going to be big and bright and..." She looked down at the ring on her brother's finger. "And sunny." She smiled.

"Kyoko..." His sister's words resonated in him. Her encouragement, her smile, and her support warmed his heart and reminded him whom he was aiming to protect through it all.

When he smiled this time, Ryohei looked a little brighter than before.

"You're right. I can't let this get me down! I'm going to continue training to the extreme! A man can't live weighted down by regret!" Ryohei nodded firmly. He moved to rest one if his hands on top of Kyoko's shoulder and squeezed it lightly.

"Thanks, Kyoko."

As soon as she saw her brother smiling again, Kyoko felt so much better. Her heart soared and relief coarser through her. Because it was a dark time indeed when her big brother didn't smile as bright as the afternoon sun.

"You're welcome!" she said happily. "Don't forget to eat, okay? You can't train if you don't eat!" She squeezed his hand before heading out towards the door. She stopped then and turned, remembering. "Oh, and how is Tsuna-kun? He didn't get sad too, did he?"

Sawada... Ryohei's stomach dropped at the remainder. He tried not to let that feeling overwhelm him.

"…he's fine, Kyoko. We all are," he told her quietly. Ryohei tried not to think about the somber looks that had been on his friends' faces. The sunken look in Yamamoto's eyes when he had departed. Sawada's heart-piercing sobs. The conflicting feelings that still festered inside him.

As much as he wanted them all to move past this, Ryohei had a hard time thinking how. There was still so much he didn't understand...

But now wasn't the time for these thoughts.

"We're not going to let this get us down," he told her. "I won't let it." He hoped.

Kyoko bit her lip and nodded with a small smile. "Onii-chan always makes me smile when I'm sad, so I hope you can do the same with Tsuna-kun." She turned back to the door and sighed softly. "I guess I just... worry about him. And you too." She looked at her brother one last time and managed a small smile. "Take care of yourself, onii-chan. I don't know what we'd do without you," she said before walking out the door and heading to her room, gripping the hem of her shirt softly. The way Ryohei spoke, Tsuna must be sad about something. She just... hoped everyone would be okay.

"Kyouya, wait up!"

Dino frowned darkly as he stared out the dark, tinted window of his car. He tried to focus on the familiar visage of Namimori as a way to distract himself, but no matter what he did, he couldn't get the way his lover had flinched at his touch out of his mind.

"Let go of me."

Dino had frozen at the sheer amount of vehemence in Kyouya's tone. As his lover continued to stalk off into the distance, Dino's body filled with dread and his hand shook with the effort to stay calm and rational.

"Kyouya, wait, please. Just get in the car. I'll drive you home."

His pleas had fallen on deaf ears at first, but something must have clicked then, because Kyouya had relented. But the car ride home was a silent one. It was engulfed by a tense atmosphere that Dino was not willing to break.

All he could do was stare out the window and will the car to go faster. He wanted them to be home already.

Kyouya… Just what happened to you? What did they do to you?

Dino could tell by the look of his lover's injuries that he had been hurt. But to what extent? Ever since his fight with Ayumu, a dark suspicion had begun to well within Dino's mind. He wasn't sure to what extent he could trust the visions he had seen during his fight with the Cloud user… but Kyouya's prickly reaction worried him.

Dino knew his lover's pride had suffered a heavy blow, but could something else be bothering him as well?

Dino dreaded to think about it.

Hibari sat silently in the car, staring out the window at the town of Namimori which he had missed so much. He nursed his injured wrist with his good hand, gently holding it while Hibird huddled tightly in the crook of his neck, nothing more than a yellow fluff ball. After about ten minutes, his good hand wandered, instead to his stomach. Hibari's face stayed stoic and unemotional, but inside, he was screaming. He couldn't handle everything he'd gone through. He had been weak. He had been broken. He never wanted to experience it again.

The moment the car pulled up into the driveway, Hibari got out and headed straight for the door. His clothes were still covered in Ono's blood and he wanted to bathe and change.

Dino's gaze snapped towards the opened door as he heard the prefect rush out of the car. The frown on his face deepened at the abrupt move and Dino quickly scrambled out to follow him. After all that had happened, the idea of letting Kyouya out of his sight for even a second terrified him. Out of instinct, he grabbed on to his wrist to at least slow the other down. "Wait, where are you going?" he couldn't help but to ask.

The hand on Hibari's wrist was suddenly unwelcome. It caused a tremor to go through his body. The smell of the kill was still fresh in his mind, but so was that smile.

"You... Lose..."

Hibari wrenched his hand out of Dino's and glared at him. "Don't. Touch. Me," he growled before he walked into the house.

Dino's heart jolted at his lover's cold threat and he couldn't do anything but watch as Kyouya continued to walk off into the house.

Oh, Kyouya…

The blonde's face twisted into an expression of guilt and frustration. It took all his willpower not to stop him again. It took a couple of moments before Dino moved to follow him again. This time he kept his distance, not wanting to anger or agitate his lover. When he saw Kyouya head for the bathroom, he stopped and sighed. He ran a stressed hand through his hair before calling for Romario, telling him to get the medicine kit ready.

Hibari walked into the bathroom and stripped out of his clothing. Hibird flew off to the towel rack, singing the Namimori anthem cheerfully. Hibari listened to it as he texted Kusakabe, placed his phone with his clothes, and began washing himself.

He was careful with his wrist, but at the same time, he made sure to use it. He knew the ramifications of pushing the limits too much, but he couldn't help but hate the fact that he had to hold back. He washed his hair and watched the bloody water flow down the drain.

After cleaning his body as well and holding his wrist under the cool water for a while, he looked over at the singing bird and curled his finger twice, beckoning him. Hibird flew over and landed on his finger. Hibari took his wash cloth and gently used the corner of it to clean the blood off from his feathers. Hibird waited patiently, and when he was done, the small bird fluffed up his feathers and shook himself a bit in order to dry off quicker. Hibari stood up and placed Hibird back on the towel rack before moving over to the bath. He laid in the hot water for a while, his eyes closed and allowing his muscles to loosen and relax.

After, Hibari got out of the bath and dried himself off. He slipped into a robe and Hibird flew over and landed on his shoulder as the prefect grabbed his phone again and walked out of the bathroom to go to his bedroom.

Back in the bedroom, Dino was slipping a shirt on. The clothes he had been wearing earlier had been discarded and lay at his feet. Beside him, Romario was putting a bottle of salve, which had been used on Dino's bruising neck, back in the medicine kit which lay open on top of the desk.

When Hibari came in the bedroom, Dino's gaze snapped over to him.

"Kyouya…" Dino felt a wave of relief at the sight of him. Kyouya was already looking much better than when he had found him. He's safe, he's home. It's over. Above all his worries, it was these words that comforted Dino—it was a mantra he had chanted before in similar situations and always assured him that things would be okay, if not now, then eventually.

Feeling lighter than he had all afternoon, Dino tried to ignore his lover's closed off expression. As much as he wanted to talk with Kyouya, now wasn't the time for this. He needed to focus on helping Kyouya. What he needed now was some food and medication. With that in mind, Dino silently gestured for Romario to attend to his lover as was their custom.

Hibari walked into his bedroom and frowned when he saw Dino and Romario there. At the signal from Dino, Hibari glared at Romario. "Get away from me," he growled before turning around and walking down the hallway to go to a spare room where, most likely, he could get some peace.

Romario stopped in his tracks at the command. He exchanged a look with Dino, who frowned and moved to follow his lover.

"Kyouya, wait up." Dino was careful not to reach out to his lover as he had done before.

"Leave me alone," Hibari snarled, looking over his shoulder as he walked and escaped to the spare room. He slammed the door behind him as Hibird began chirping. He fluttered around a bit and landed again on Hibari's head as the prefect took out his phone to inquire where Kusakabe was.

Dino's frown deepened at his lover's reaction, but it wasn't as if he hadn't expected it. He hesitated outside, his hand hovering over the handle of the sliding door. Yet, as much as he understood the other's need for space, he couldn't just leave him alone knowing his injuries had yet to be treated.

"Kyouya, come on. Don't be like this." Dino sighed. "I know the last thing you want right now is for us to hover, but at least let Romario tend to your wounds."

Hibari growled again at the door. "No. Get out," he snarled once more as he, in quick angry motions, moved to set down one of the futons from the closet on the floor, before sitting down on top of it. He winced in pain at his injured wrist but otherwise didn't pay much attention to it. It was then that he got a text back from Kusakabe saying that he was only a few minutes away. Hibari relaxed a little bit and crossed his legs as Hibird continued to chirp and sing.

Dino felt a twinge of annoyance well inside of him at his lover's steadfast refusals. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down, but his control over his emotions had been at an all-time low for the past week. He didn't think he could hold on for much longer. Dammit, Kyouya. Why must you always to fight with me on everything? "Would you quit being so damn stubborn?! Just let Romario tend to you!" Dino ran a stressed hand through his hair and glared at the door in front of him in frustration. He tried to guess just what was going on in his lover's head. He wondered what he could possibly say to improve Kyouya's mood.

"Look, I'll leave the room if you want me to. I promise not to look." Dino bit his lip. "You know I only worry about you, don't you? It's not like I think any less of you or anything. So please…"

Dino's continued insistence made Hibari's anger flare. He stood up so quickly that Hibird fluttered off to the pillow. The prefect walked right up to the door and opened it before using his good hand to punch Dino right across the jaw. "I said get out," he growled. "I don't want you to touch me. I don't want him to touch me. I don't want any of you to look at me or breathe my air. I said, GET. OUT," he spat, flexing his fingers as if ready to punch him again. "Now."

Dino hissed and stumbled back a few steps at the punch. His hand came up to cradle his now-aching jaw, and though he felt a spark of anger ignite at the blow, it was quickly drowned out by the cold rush of dread he felt upon hearing his lover's words. He couldn't believe it was just Kyouya's injured pride that was making him talk like this. Could Dino's worst suspicions actually be more than just that? His mind couldn't help but to recall once more the visions that Ayumu had shown him in their battle. A flash of pain crossed Dino's face as he thought back on that one image… the one of that redhead, Ono, caressing the ebony locks of his lover ever so intimately. Just the reminder of that felt like a punch in Dino's gut and almost made him shake. But he couldn't let those feelings resurface now—not when Kyouya looked so ready to kill him at the slightest word he said.

But Dino couldn't just remain quiet, or even worse, useless. So instead he focused on his anger and gave in to what was most familiar to them: fighting. He focused on the sheer rage he had felt back then upon seeing Ono's hands encroach his lover's space, resting on his belly.

Dino slowly straightened up and held his ground, staring down straight into Kyouya's eyes. "Just how much longer are you going to continue to act like a child?" Dino demanded sharply. "Is your pride more important to you than your health? Than the life you're carrying inside of you?"

Hibari bristled, his eyes widened and anger was a fiery tornado in his dark irises. His shoulders tensed and his breathing quickened slightly. He felt insulted. He felt outraged. He felt ashamed. He felt weak. Hibari reached out and grabbed the door frame of the sliding door and literally ripped a wooden beam from the frame.

"This is my house. This is my body," he snarled, glaring in a way he's never glared at Dino before. His knuckles were white as he gripped the wooden beam. "This is my territory. My air. My space. MY child. MY dignity. MY pride," he nearly yelled before swinging the beam at him, which Dino instinctively dodged. This only made Hibari angrier. "Get OUT. Get out RIGHT NOW!" Hibari's voice cracked as he spoke and it made him want to punch himself and curl up in a ball of self-loathing. "GET OUT!" he yelled instead, not allowing Dino to get near him.

Dino's eyes widened. His chest hurt, listening to his lover's outburst. He had never seen him lose control of himself like this. For Kyouya to be this distraught… Dino didn't know what to do. He felt angry at the Vendetta for doing this to his lover; angry at himself for letting it happen. He felt more helpless than ever. Of course, he knew things wouldn't be the same after all that had happened…. But he hadn't been prepared for this.

"Boss…"

Romario. Of course he had come out after hearing all the commotion. Dino bit his lip in frustration but didn't turn to face him. He couldn't bear to tear his gaze away from his lover. He could barely breathe.

How had things escalated so fast?

Hibari twisted his hands on the wooden beam, his wrist pulsing at the agonizing pain that shot up his shoulder with each movement. But he made sure not to wince. He made sure not to let anything show on his face. But right when he was about to yell again, the front door opened and he heard Kusakabe's voice.

"Hibari-san! I'm here!" he called.

Hibari relaxed slightly before he glared at Dino once more.

"Last time, I'll tell you. Get out or I'll make sure to bite you to death this time," Hibari growled as he heard Kusakabe's footsteps approaching.

Dino felt his heart jolt hard against his chest at the threat. No, at the promise. This was more than just a typical death threat from his lover.

But who was he kidding? Dino had already known that it would come to this from the moment Kyouya had lost his composure.

There wasn't anything more he could do.

So Dino closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath. He tried to ignore the frustration that had welled up inside of him to no avail. "Fine," he finally said, voice quiet. "Fine," he repeated. "Whatever, you say."

There was a beat of silence. Dino's chest ached. He couldn't help but to add, "I'll leave, but…" Dino hesitated for a moment but he dared take a step forward again. He noticed Kyouya tense at his approach, but at this point Dino didn't care if the other moved to kick him or punch him—that, at least, he was used to. Still, he made sure not to get too close and slowly reached out to grab the wooden beam. He rested his hand right above Kyouya's own, though he kept a deliberate distance between their hands. Dino's voice then went down to a low murmur. "I'm leave, I promise. For however… however long you want me to. But just stop this. Don't hurt yourself anymore."

Hibari tried to wrench away the wooden beam but he wasn't able to free it from Dino's grasp. He listened to Dino's words and felt even more infuriated by them. He was acting as if Hibari was a child. He was acting like Hibari was doing this to himself when it was DINO who wasn't listening. DINO who wasn't doing what he said.

"You told me when you revealed that I was pregnant that you'd do everything I said," Hibari growled lowly as Kusakabe turned the corner into the hallway. He let go of the wooden beam and pushed Dino away. "You're not keeping your word. This is the last time I'm telling you to get out. You, and your lackey. I don't want to see you anymore."

Kusakabe's eyes widened as he caught the last of the argument. He frowned but waited for Hibari to finish before continued his slow approach. And Hibari didn't spare a second. The prefect walked down the hall, towards his own room and Kusakabe followed. He threw a reassuring look to Dino and Romario as he walked after Hibari.

Kyouya… Dino clung to the wooden beam in his hand as he bowed his head. He didn't say a word as his lover brushed past him, instead focusing on the sound of his retreating footsteps. The sound of the door closing felt final, and the blonde's hands shook slightly as he felt his chest constrict in pain. He didn't know how long he stood there for but eventually Dino lifted his head back up. His expression was unreadable as he quietly murmured to his right-hand man.

"Come on, Romario… Let's go."

Tsuna wasn't home yet.

Reborn crossed his arms as he stared out the window at the darkening street. But, of course, he knew that Tsuna wouldn't be coming home. He'd already watched Lambo settle quite loudly into bed, complaining that Gokudera was constantly stealing his time away with Tsuna. Reborn had half a mind to go over and watch them. His lips pursed slightly and his small fingers tightened on the sleeves of his expensive suit.

Tsuna wasn't home and he wouldn't be coming home tonight.

The Arcobaleno had seen all the kids walk off looking solemn and raw. Properly broken. And really, how many times had Reborn thought to himself that he needed to toughen these kids up? How many times had he said to himself that he not only needed to train their bodies, but their minds? How many times? Too many times. And now they'd seen the real world. They'd seen the world of the mafia for what it really was. They'd seen what their life was going to be from now on. Hibari had been rescued in near-to-perfect health. The baby had survived. They had no casualties on their side and the Vendetta Family had been eliminated. This was what he had been aiming for. This was what he had been working for.

The street lights began to flicker on one by one, lighting up the darkened street. But the light on the corner of the Sawada house hadn't turned on. The bulb had likely burned out, leaving their section of the road dark.

Reborn grabbed the curtains and pulled them shut as rain began to tap against the window pane.

Today had been a success.

The sky cried for the rest of the night and Reborn didn't sleep a wink.