a/n: IT HAS BEEN LONG. YES. But I come bringing a short fic I wrote yesterday night even though my Chinese national exam was today XD XD I am so asking to be killed. Nonetheless, this was written for myself, since it's my birthday today (shameless declaration). I will try to get my other fics up and running, hopefully in the next two weeks, provided something doesn't crop up again. Thank you and enjoy~

It had been five years. Five years since the defeat of Byakuran. Tsuna assumed the rightful head of the family in the Vongola mansion, carrying out his duties with a more mature head and stronger heart, with Reborn continuing to show him the ropes. The Vongola guardians had their own spaces in the mansion, after all, they were in mafia business full time. The Varia remained an extension of the Vongola, with them having free reign with whatever else they pleased.

And so it was very normal for Hibari Kyouya to rise from his futon in his own wing of the mansion, pulling back the curtains and smiling softly at hibird tilting its head back at him. He slid the door open and hibird settled itself at the Cloud guardian's shoulder, chirping the Nanimori High School song in celebration of a new day, and to the amusement of its master.

The said master headed for his work desk in the main room and turned his computer on for the day. Hibari shifted his sleeping haori slightly, the long sleeves getting in the way of the keyboard. Hibird flitted to the table and nudged Hibari's finger to move the cursor onto the password box that had loaded up.

Hn~ Still as useful as ever. His hand reached out to fuzz Hibird, but unlike every other mornings, his hand froze.

Hibari's eyes widened for a brief second in alarm. No. No. No. It shouldn't happen so early in the morning. He tried to retract the same hand back but it just would not move. Slowly, he felt the familiar burning sensation in his lungs bubbling up. This other hand instinctively reached up to claw his now burning throat. Fumbling about he managed to wrench his desk drawer open, presenting an array of pills of every colour possible.

Shit. Which pill to take? Too many..

A cough suddenly racked his body, causing him to topple his chair over as he stood up in alarm. Another cough took over his body and he felt a sticky liquid covering his hands as he covered his mouth.

Sticky and metallic.

Blood.

Green. I think it's the green pill.

He cleared his mind enough to grab the bottle with the green pills from the drawer with his trembling hands, only to spill it on the table as he popped the cover open.

"Kyouya, what are yo-"

Hibari looked up in surprise and shock, at the one and only person who dared to use his first name, Mukuro. He must have slipped through Tetsu, he mused. But it wasn't the time to think of such things.

The next cough nearly made his threw up his lungs, and his heart hammered more loudly than ever. He was too weak to stand, but his pride would not allow him to fall. No one was supposed to see him in this state. No one. Especially not the Mist guardian.

"Kyouya, your hand.." he was stepping closer now.

Hibari was vaguely aware of the cool liquid that slid down his knuckles as he coughed out more blood. Damn, this had to be the worst seizure so far. Beads of perspiration dotted his forehead, and he was deathly pale. Hibari breathed in deeply as he felt the coughs getting weaker now, and finally subsiding. Mukuro was right beside him, but gave him enough space to not touch him.

Mukuro eyed the bottles of pills that decorated his drawer and picked one off the desk.

"A painkiller and sedative, Kyouya?" Mukuro's voice was playful, but it contained a slight amount of... anger?

He seated himself into the chair in front of Hibari's desk, both eyes never leaving Hibari's form. The Cloud guardian glared at him, settling himself back into a chair that Mukuro illusioned up.

"Don't... say anything.." Hibari's voice was soft. And weak. So unlike the Cloud guardian that he used to know.

Hibari reached for the tissue box and wiped his hands clean of his own blood, lips still stained red, a stark contrast against his pale features.

"How long has this been going on?"

Silence.

"Kyouya, how long has this been?"

Silence.

"..N."

"Two years... or more.. I don't remember.."

Mukuro's red eye blazed, but he kept his emotions under control.

"Doctor?"

"Where do you think I got the pills from?" Hibari smirked, just a little. "Use your brain Mukuro Rokudo. I thought you were smarter than that, herbivore."

"You are in no position to doubt my intelligence you asshole." Ah, that would be annoyance creeping into his voice. "Why didn't you tell any of us?"

"Same reason why you wouldn't have either."

Snort. "Does the great Hibari Kyouya actually care that we'd worry?"

"Don't make me bite you to death." Hibari didn't deny it nonetheless. "Tetsu in going to enter in 32 seconds and I will make him kick you out."

"Too bad he won't see me then."

Just as a knock sounded on the door, Mukuro fazed into the air.

"Kyou-san?"

"Enter."

Tetsu smiled, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. He eyed the bloodied tissues on the table and the pills scattered about, but kept silent. He set the steaming cup of green tea he was carrying and nodded to Hibari.

"New batch just came in. I think you'd enjoy this particular brand, Kyou-san."

Tetsu headed for the exit but paused just a while.

"Kyou-san, I think Mukuro-san should know that he could just enter through the front door."

And left.

Hibari quirked an eyebrow, then realised he was sitting on one of the Mist guardian's creations while his own chair laid on the floor behind him.

"He's a sharp one," Mukuro's breath was strangely too close for comfort. Hibari pushed his face away.

"Would you mind, useless herbivore?" Hibari headed towards his bathroom.

"Yes, I'd mind it very much," his smirked in all implied meaning, but strode towards the main door.

"Sawada will hear about this, Kyouya." he added softly.

Hibari closed his eyes in tiredness. "It won't help Mukuro. There's no cure."

"No cure found yet." Mukuro turned to face him. And suddenly, he had an idea.

Advancing towards Hibari like predator would to a prey, he vaguely surprised to see Hibari staring back defiantly without backing a single step. He was underestimating Hibari again. Sick or not, this was the Cloud guardian, Vongola's strongest guardian.

Hibari saw that look flit pass Mukuro's red eye. He planning to possess me. Hibari cursed inwardly. He didn't have as much strength in his body at the moment as he portrayed. If they fought, Mukuro would win. Hibari was not stupid. But Hibari was prideful. His two tonfas slid down his arms and he backed into a defensive position.

"Come on Kyouya, I just want to see how bad the condition is.."

"Don't touch me, freak."

"There's no way you can win in your condition now." Damn him.

"Bite me." The Cloud guardian bared his teeth and he lunged anyway, landing a solid whack into Mukuro's gut as he was caught unawares. But it gave the opening the Mist guardian needed anyway. His hand traced Hibari's bloodied lips and forced his consciousness into the Cloud guardians.

When he blinked and stared around, he was holding his own limp body in his arms.

"GET OUT YOU JACKASS."

Ah, that would be Hibari protesting somewhere in his mind. Mukuro focused on getting used to Hibari's body, vaguely aware of his five senses connecting with his conscious.

Then suddenly, he fell to his knees and clutched his heart. It burned. This. This was how Hibari felt everyday, but he was so used to it that the Cloud guardian never showed any signs. His entire heart and lungs felt like it was on fire, and his throat burned as he tried to let out a scream. Desperate, Mukuro clutched his own body and left Hibari's body, catching Hibari as the boy's body gave out.

Mukuro breathed harshly and tried to form a coherent thought within his raging mind. Hibari slowly became conscious and immediately slammed his tonfa into Mukuro for good measure, sending the Mist guardian flying into the wall.

"Fufufufufu..." Mukuro wiped the blood that dripped out the side of his mouth due to the impact.

"Don't do that. Ever. Bastard." Hibari spat, heading towards his intended destination, the bathroom.

Mukuro watched as the Cloud guardian strode confidently with nothing betraying his steps, but he knew how much Hibari was hurting inside.

"Sawada will hear about his, Kyouya," he said firmly once more to empty room, but he knew Hibari heard him. Hibird chirped from somewhere and flew to Mukuro's outstretched finger.

He petted the bird and smiled. "Don't worry, he'll be better soon."

Maybe if there was no cure, he could provide illusioned organs? But knowing Hibari, the said guardian would never allow it.

"He'll get better soon," he repeated, more to himself. "I promise."

a/n: Well, I tried. I've always thought that the only time Hibari would ever be weak is when he's sick. And that's the only possible way I think he'd die. Much like Kenshin, they're practically invincible. Mukuro seems too sedated in this one, but I haven't been having much of a Mukuro dose ever since Byakuran imprisoned him in that water chamber. *cries* but it's okay now Mukuro-sama!

Owari?

I might continue this into a three shot, but it's complete, for now.