Hey everyone. It's been a while since I posted anything being 1827, so here's a little something for the new year. Chapter seven of Burning Bridges is almost done so you can expect an update pretty soon. I've been on a roll lately. Hope you enjoy! This will be a two-shot. Please review, I really want to know what you think!

"Kyouya!"

At the sound of her voice, his little legs ran, and swung swiftly over the counter. He could only imagine what Grandmother would teach him today. The cafe was still closed, but he managed to finish cleaning the windows. Its wooden floors were polished, a soft aroma of lemon and lavender lavished the air and lightened the atmosphere. Each table had a magnolia and dimly lit candle, and the prospect of opening hours excited him. He was greeted by a slight smile, her now salt and pepper hair pulled into a crisp bun. "Yes?"

"Get that stool, so you can see better." Complying, he observed her skillful hands hold a white pot of hot water. "Now, brewing is an art. But it is how much care and delicacy you put in pouring. Watch." She poured in small, slow spirals, the manually crushed grounds of coffee dissolved, and out came a smooth and dark liquid. "Powerful." She smiled, and inhaled. "That is how you do it."

He nodded, noticing how as the years passed, her cobalt eyes lightened when she had a surprise. "Where is it?" He asked, eyes narrowed.

"Perceptive, are we? It's in that box in the pantry. The white one." Without hesitating, he made his way to find that box. It was a simple one, no design, no excessive wrapping. Grandmother in a nutshell, simple but very substantial. He gasped, and pulled out his very own pair of tonfa. "Yes, it's time you learn how to protect yourself. I'll teach you before I get any older, after all, someone has to take care of this place. And Namimori, too."

…

Present Day

"Kusakabe. Two blocks from the train station. Take care of those herbivores."

"They're not here, Kyou-san. They're heading in your direction."

"Then I'll bite them to death." He snapped his phone shut and waited. No need to unnecessarily exert himself.

It was a sunny, but cloudless day. No need for disruption, he mused. His black suit attracted some stares, wary whispers of, "The cops are here. Maybe something's wrong...That's Hibari-sama. It has to be serious."

"Everyone clear the area, or be prepared to be bitten to death." No one wasted time, and as he anticipated, the assailants came running towards his direction. His tonfa were firmly held, and before the thieves even knew it, they were smeared on the ground, unconscious. Satisfied, he left the scene, knowing that the rest will be taken care of. His pace had no hurry, because Dino knew he was coming. He better know he was coming, really. And just seeing the establishment washed him of all anger. Of unwanted attention from Namimori's citizens. The embroidered sign read 'open' and he allowed himself to inhale that sweet lemon polish and lavender incense.

"Kyouya! We need more nutmeg."

"Don't test my patience."

Dino laughed, and he actually dared brush Hibird's hair. Yes, Dino made the bird wear a wig similar to his own hairstyle. Not that Hibird minded, of course. "I'm a barista, trust me. I have all types of patience."

Hibari said nothing, and stared at his credentials. They were worthless now. "Let me guess. Your last mission as Head Enforcer of the police department was an astounding success, and you have no room for your Citizen of the Year Award. And every woman wants you, you don't even know which one to choose."

At this, Hibari glared, silently daring the Italian to say something else. "You're an idiot," he scoffed, twirling the delicate magnolia between his fingers. The cafe was still empty, and wouldn't buzz with bustle until noon. An occasional patron would come, order tea, or read, and they would leave at night. Not very uncommon, but his grandmother loved those types of people. "They're at balance within themselves, they have no sense of time," she would say fondly. "But those who rush have too much purpose. It's refreshing."

Her apron hung in the center hook, along with a crushed dry lily embroidered in its pocket. She passed some time ago, and now that the Cloud was in his hands, he had to invest a great amount of time in it. He considered expanding, but thought it excessive. After five years of being in the Namimori Police Department, he had to leave and hold full reign. The Cloud was busier than ever, and Dino alone couldn't manage the business. "Did you check the inventory? And did you change the shift in the register?"

Dino's smile waned. "Yes and no." Without another word, the blond darted to the back to retrieve the other register. They met in university, Dino an exchange student and brilliant martial arts fighter, and Hibari a bored but intrigued bibliophile. They sparred in some rare instances, when they both had time. That was because Dino also did YouTube, and his fanbase was definitely growing.

"Kyouya, can you get my camera, or phone?"

"No."

Dino scowled, and changed the shift. "I need to vlog. And then I need to go to the office and pick up some stuff from Giotto." Hibari ignored him, engrossed in the orchestral music, and continued observing Namimori from the window.

"I'm not moving, Bronco. Do you wish to be bitten for disturbing my peace?"

"Your grandma was so sweet, she would pass the camera."

"She wouldn't." She would, he thought, but right now he was still idly wondering whether he should get his apron or wait. Exhaling, he stood, placed Dino's camera on the counter, and removed his vest. It was bulletproof, not that he needed it, but protocol was protocol. "You're still working with that Vongola crowd," he said flatly, casting his eyes to tables that needed cleaning.

"Yeah, they're partnering with my father in Italy. So I'll be working with Giotto's younger brother."

"Hn."

"Yep, he's coming in today, in like half an hour." Hibari lost interest, noting how Dino gestured wildly and laughed. He still talks too much. "-violin. I don't know, his channel is pretty interesting. He takes a more cooking and lifestyle approach."

They continued setting up the cafe in preparation for the next hours. Hibari placed tea leaves accordingly in their jars, dusted the display case of pastries. Dino counted the change, updated the playlist of the day, and vlogged. Rarely did Hibari show up in his videos, because he's paid the consequences once. "They want more of you Kyouya! It's not my fault!"

Some customers came and went, and Hibari tended to them quickly, attempting to mask his face into one of indifference instead of anger. "Thank you, Hibari-san," Haru chirped, and saluted with a final good-bye. There was comfortable silence to bask in, until a man walked in. Dino left the register to greet him personally, so he supposed that was Giotto's younger brother. The man had his older brother's hair, only it was dark brown. His wide brown eyes were looking everywhere, a smile on his lips as he looked at the pastries.

"Yes, Dino-san. Of course I wouldn't forget the files. Giotto said you couldn't make it to the office, so why not?"

"Tsuna, you're the best."

"I wouldn't say that.'' The man laughed.

"I beg to differ. Right, Kyouya?" Dino turned around to look at him, grinning.

"Hn. If you're going to crowd, I suggest you tell the herbivore to order something." He said plainly, eyes never leaving the whip cream nozzle.

"Tsuna, this is Hibari Kyouya, an old colleague of mine." Tsuna finally approached the counter, eyes twinkling.

"Yes, I know who Hibari-san is. It's great to meet you. I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi." Tsuna bowed, and then peered at the display case with great concentration. Any closer and he'll fog up the glass. "I would like that vanilla bean scone. Make that two. And I would also like to have the St. Valentine's black tea." His hand hovered over the plate.

"For here, I'm assuming." Hibari stared at the man, who was not the slightest bit intimidated by the question. He's received a number of complaints already from customers, about how he should smile more. Like that would ever happen. But he observed the man, from how he stood so calmly, to his casual formal attire. A simple grey button down with a black sweater vest, and khaki slacks. His white scarf was tucked under his chin, cheeks pink. So unlike Giotto, who wore sweatpants and t-shirts to business meetings. But very eloquent and brisk.

"Yes, Hibari-san. Dino-san, what does that say? The top thing in bagels?"

"You should always have your glasses on. It's blueberry cream cheese."

Tsuna hummed, cupping his face sheepishly. "I lost them already. There are so many things! And they sound so good." He sighed. "I'm trying to be fit and healthy and it's not working out."

"Your tea, herbivore."

"Thanks, Hibari-san. And how did you know?"

Hibari frowned. This man spoke too much. Like that Bronco. "Know what?"

"That I'm vegetarian. It's not hard, really. But the protein substitution can be. Thank you, though." Tsuna walked away, and made himself comfortable at the table Hibari liked to sit at, mouth blowing persistently at his cup. His behavior had slight childish undertones, but Hibari knew. Sawada Tsunayoshi was definitely not a herbivore. Although his warmth was genuine, that warmth could transform into bitter cold ice. From his calculating walk, to his pristine attire, the man had an uncanny resemblance to Giotto.

He watched how he talked to Dino, they both smiled and did a lot of gesturing. "Ne. Kyouya? Tsuna wants another cup of tea. Can you please serve another one?"

Without batting an eye, he set another cup of water to boil, until it steamed in the spiral his grandmother would approve of. He poured it delicately over the leaves, the water glowed an amber brown and had a floral scent. "-beautiful prose. I appreciate her writing style, very delicate. Giotto wants me to stop going to bookstores, but I'll keep indulging myself."

"You're the second person to tell me that. Kyouya likes that author too, don't you Kyouya?"

Hibari glanced at the familiar book in Dino's hand, nodding once and setting the cup of tea. "You do, Hibari-san? Amazing, isn't it? She's doing a book signing a few weeks from now in the Namimori bookstore."

Hibari said nothing and proceeded to his spot in the counter, refusing to indulge in crowding before people even came. Tsuna merely grinned at him, and kept conversing with Dino, never commenting on Hibari's lack of verbal interactions or rudeness. How refreshing. If only everyone was like that.

…

"Where's Kusakabe? He hasn't stopped by?"

"He does. At night." Hibari answered simply, turning the page with one finger. Hibird perched on his shoulder, chirping occasionally. The rain pattered rhythmically, and he knew he'd have to wash the mop four times today. The welcome mat would get muddy and people would stay linger just to be cozy. He hated the rain.

He was broken out of his thoughts when Dino burst inside, with a loud jingle of the bell. Dino frowned and headed to the speaker, plugging in the cable to the player. A soft melody began, and the Italian smiled broadly, humming along.

"Guess who's playing this?" He asked, face all smug.

Hibari only gave him an indifferent scowl, clearly not in a good mood. And Dino would not shut up until he was indulged at least once. "Who?"

Unperturbed by the sarcasm, Dino puffed his chest. "It's Tsuna! He uploads covers on his channel. I told him I'd download the audio, but wow. I think a night performance here in the cafe would boost up sales."

"We don't need any of that nonsense. Now shut up or I'll bite you to death."

"You're so stuffy, Kyouya. Enjoy the music at least. I'm taking a five minute bathroom break. Get all this water off my boots." The sound of the bathroom door clicking shut meant Dino would be there for quite a while. That idiot.

Not a minute later and Haru breezed in, hair matted to her forehead in a rather unflattering manner. "Hahi! It's pouring outside, Hibari-san. One red bean muffin and mango tea, please. I'll be staying a while." She settled in the center, and stuffed her dripping umbrella in a plastic bag. Clearly a peaceful reading session will never happen, so with a bit more bite than usual, he shoved the muffin on a plate and glared at the boiling water.

The bell jingled again, this time it was Kyoko, her hair also plastered down by water. "Haru-chan! Sorry I'm late, the rain was just so heavy." Both women's chatter became background noise as he focused on making the drink and less on being murderous. For some time, he stood, the morning rush swept in, unrelenting, and every drink or pastry done to perfection. Nothing he sold was substandard, and he stood by that.

"What's the name of this piece?"

"You ordered it," Hibari replied, annoyed.

"No," Yamamoto said, chuckling. "The music. Sounds amazing. Compliments the rain perfectly."

"I don't know. Ask the Bronco." He went back to drying the cups, and actually paid attention to the playlist. Every composition was flawlessly played, and for once, he was curious about that non-herbivore. His playing skills, to be more specific

"I will. Thanks again, Hibari-san." Yamamoto smiled and put some coins in the tip jar. He wasn't the first person to ask about the music, and it was honestly grating his patience. He might as well place an FAQ on the menu, because he's never said 'I don't know' that many times in his whole life. He always knew, and although he did know who was responsible in artfully reaching people's souls, he did not want to say Sawada Tsunayoshi's name.

Once night came and he was within the privacy of his home, he looked the non-herbivore up on YouTube. His username was 'Tuna Tunes (very fitting, he thought). With more that 900,000 subscribers, he posted musical covers with his violin and lifestyle oriented videos. Clicking on one, he remembered this song from the cafe, and read the description.

Sawada Tsunayoshi

First Violin Player in the Namimori Symphony Orchestra

for business inquiries: tsawada. at Vongola Co. official website

Now this is all he needed. His curiosity sated, he let himself be lulled to sleep.

…

The next day was spectacularly uneventful. He counted the inventory, purchased a fax machine, and watched Sawada Tsunayoshi drink his St. Valentine's black tea. The non-herbivore did not come to chatter today, only brought manila files and a very thick book. There wasn't much to do, considering today was Wednesday. Which is why he watched his patrons: a pink-haired woman reading, a perverse doctor staring at her read, and of course, Tsuna doing whatever assignments he had to do as a marketing executive. So immersed in his work, he did not notice Hibari approach him.

"Herbivore."

Tsuna looked up, slightly surprised. The skin under his eyes was blotched purple from no sleep, collar slightly wrinkled. "Yes, Hibari-san?"

"Do you still perform or are still competent in violin playing?"

Eyes blinking blearily, he opened his mouth and then closed it. "Uh, I can still play. For the orchestra, we hold concerts every few months, so it depends what you're proposing."

Hibari hummed, hoping Dino wasn't scrounging around to hear this conversation. "No, I was simply in need of information." He refilled the tea cup, and dropped a spoonful of honey.

Tsuna tapped the table, eyes fluttering shut every few seconds. "If you ever need a performance for the Cloud, I'm happy to do it. Hibari-sama was a great lady, it would be an honor to play here." Hibari-sama. Amused, Tsuna smirked. "Yes, I knew Hibari-sama. A great woman, helped my mom out whenever my dad had to leave for Italy. She used to babysit me, taught me how to pour hot water properly, how to brew in refinement. Very kind, she would bake cookies whenever okaa-san was too sad to cook." Tsuna's voice wavered at the word 'okaa-san,' but his fondness for Grandmother was crystal clear. "I'll do anything to help this establishment, Hibari-san. Although it doesn't really need any help, considering Hibari-sama left quite a sturdy foundation." Tsuna yawned, and went back to his paperwork, leaving Hibari surprisingly self-reflective.

Tsuna can brew coffee.

Tsuna knows about the special spiral.

Grandmother cared for him.

…

Everyday, among his regular customers, Tsuna also became a loyal patron. Eventually, he watched the non-herbivore become good friends with Yamamoto Takeshi. They would work on what they had to do quietly, or chatted amongst themselves. It was quite unexpected, but he was satisfied with business. Rain or shine, the cafe buzzed and garnered visitors from Dino's fans and citizens alike. It was slightly irritating to be dubbed "Dino's Cute Angry Friend," but it brought much ambiance. Hardly anyone dared rile up any trouble in the premises, and if they did, well they can expect a quick one way trip to the Namimori Hospital.

"Wow, I can't believe Tsuna still talks to him." Dino spat the him, so he glanced up to see who could possibly warrant any sort of negativity from the Bronco.

A red haired man held a cup of green tea, a bit of medical tape over his face. He had a meek expression, with soft features and a calm demeanor. Tsuna laughed at something he said, and the red-haired man became flushed. "Back to work." Hibari murmured, determined to not become fully invested in something trivial.

"They dated. Enma's his name. Little turd looks cute and innocent, fucked his secretary and Tsuna found out. Trust me, when Tsuna's pissed, you don't want to live. He's a monster. It's always the cute ones you gotta watch out for."

So he has an affinity to men.

Interesting.

I love coffee shop AUs, kinda the same to Enigma tbh. The flowers I mentioned have meanings, so keep an eye out (also this chapter is unbeta'd, nothing new). And I apologize if Hibari is out of character, I've been trying to grasp him a bit more, and I wanted to try it where he wasn't a Guardian or whatever. Same for Tsuna too. Thanks for reading and don't hesitate to tell me what you think!