Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! is the property of Amano Akira.

Important Note: This collection of vignettes serves as a continuation of my story "Redefine". It contains spoilers for and makes references to that story, so you may want to read that first. However, it's probably understandable for the most part even if you haven't read the other one.

To returning friends, welcome back! Hope you'll like these as well…

First Adjustment: Proof

"Kyouya, do you have a minute?"

Two heads leaned out of a doorway just in time to see an apathetic looking Cloud Guardian wordlessly walking towards the waiting Mist Guardian at the end of the hallway. Her smile sweetened just barely noticeably as the raven-haired man reached her side, and she began speaking to him as the pair walked off together.

Gokudera and Yamamoto retrieved their heads from the hallway and continued into the lounge for that cup of morning coffee they were on their way to get before they got distracted by that little scene.

Hibari and Chrome.

Nobody had really said anything or asked any questions about it, at least not openly. But in all likelihood…probably everybody had been wondering about it these days. About Cloud and Mist.

"Something is definitely up with those two," the Storm Guardian grumbled as he poured himself a cup of the caffeinated drink.

"They're probably together now," the Rain Guardian just blurted. He was likely the only one in the Family who could voice that particular opinion so readily, and he did it with a grin, no less.

Gokudera couldn't actually refute that claim. In fact, all evidence seemed to point to that very conclusion. Even his own brain was inclined to think so. But still… "It's ludicrous."

There were just so many things wrong with that idea. First of all, just saying that Hibari was together with anything for whatever reason was already a defiance of nature all on its own. That guy was the epitome of aloofness. He didn't do togetherness. There was no together where Hibari Kyouya was concerned, unless one was talking about his fluffy yellow bird.

If Gokudera hadn't known Hibari and Chrome for over eight years, he might have been able to take it all at face value and not question the things he was seeing. But he had known Hibari and Chrome for over eight years, and he knew how they used to be around each other for the span of all eight of those years. The change was so sudden and drastic that it made absolutely no sense to him. Seriously. What the hell happened?

"Something must have happened during the last mission," Yamamoto said with a light shrug as though he had read the other man's mind. "They were practically joined at the hip those couple of weeks."

Right. The mission that had taken down the Gesso Family and landed Byakuran and his Funeral Wreaths in the Vendicare Prison. Anyone with eyes would have noticed that that had been the turning point. Before, Chrome used to avoid Hibari as much as humanly possible, and Hibari had more or less ignored Chrome's existence as well. After the mission, however, there was suddenly this casual, borderline intimate atmosphere between them.

Still, that wasn't enough. "I need proof," Gokudera finally said.

"She calls him Kyouya," the Rain Guardian pointed out in a tone that said 'what more proof do you need?'

Gokudera had to admit that the name thing was a big one, because Dino had always been the only person to call Hibari by his given name. Most tended to be of the opinion that it was a testament to the Cavallone's idiocy more than anything else. But still… "That's just really strong evidence. It's not proof."

"Isn't that good enough?" the swordsman inquired conversationally as he stirred the cream and sugar into his coffee. "I mean, is there some reason why you have to know very definitely one way or the other?" He was honestly curious.

The silver-haired man took a sip out of his steaming cup as they made their way over to a small table. "Think of it as intel. It's good information to have in the back of our minds so we can act accordingly."

Yamamoto eased himself into a lounge chair. "…act accordingly," he repeated dubiously, not entirely sure that he was following.

Gokudera almost rolled his eyes. "For starters, if they are…you know…together," the idea was so out there it was even awkward to say, "then you might wanna consider toning down on those overly friendly brotherly hugs of yours."

Yamamoto blinked. "What's wrong with friendly hugs? And as you said, they're brotherly." He flashed his famous boyish grin.

"Same difference," the Storm Guardian deadpanned.

"Then, what? You're gonna stop kissing her?"

Gukudera almost choked on his coffee. "I don't kiss her. She kisses me!" Why can't he get that right? "And they're sisterly kisses!"

"Same difference," Yamamoto returned with an amused half smile.

Gokudera grumbled. The baseball idiot was probably right. In the eyes of a territorial skylark, they'd all be nothing more than a bunch of laughing hyenas waiting to move in on his turf at the first opportunity.

"So, why don't you just ask?" Yamamoto suggested. "I mean ask Chrome, of course." Because one wouldn't walk up to Hibari Kyouya and ask 'hey, are you in some kind of relationship?' You just wouldn't.

Gokudera clicked his tongue. "I can't."

"Why?"

"…"

Yamamoto raised a brow. "Are you worried?"

Gokudera's brows knotted in a frown. "No."

"Chrome's a big girl. She can take care of herself. And Hibari's…dependable."

"In protecting her from physical harm? Yes. But he's lacking in the communications department and practically disabled in the emotional one," the silver-haired man replied dryly.

"So, you are worried," the Rain Guardian noted with a chuckle.

Gokudera heaved an agitated sigh. He was more concerned about what reaction he would give Chrome if she were to tell him yes, because right now he couldn't say for sure if he thought Hibari was a good choice. He probably won't be able to act all supportive about it.

"Fine, then." Yamamoto said, veering course to cut his friend a break. "Have you seen them kiss? That should count as definite proof, right?"

"No, and I don't think I want to," Gokudera stated as he tried desperately to prevent the mental image from coagulating in his mind. "The shock of seeing Hibari kissing someone would equate to the shock of catching somebody having sex on the floor. I don't think I can take it."

Yamamoto could only laugh. "I can't help you then." He was out of suggestions.

"Don't worry. I got it covered," Gokudera began with a smirk. "It would be suspicious and awkward if we go poking around since we've known Chrome forever, and she'd know we were up to something. But if it was a new guy on the job asking her questions, then it would just seem like the new guy was curious and trying to befriend her."

Yamamoto quirked a brow. "When you say new guy…do you mean…?"

"Yep," Gokudera confirmed. "Robo-B is on the case."

When he heard the door, he closed the book he was reading and stood up from his chair, his hands folding behind his back. "Good morning, Chrome senpai."

The Mist Guardian's heart rate skyrocketed when she saw the light-haired man standing in her office. Then she took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. It was apparently going to take a bit more practice to not start at the sight of Byakuran's face. "Good morning, Ghost. You're here early again."

"I'm used to waking up early. Since I didn't have anything else to do, I thought I'd just wait for you here," he explained. "What will our tasks be today?"

"Um…let me get settled, and I'll see what's on the agenda," she replied as she made her way to her desk.

He nodded. "All right." Seemingly satisfied with that, he sat back down in the guest chair across the desk from her and continued to read his book, awaiting further directions from her.

Chrome heaved a silent breath, once again wondering about her predicament. After the Gesso mission, which had all the Guardians headed out in different directions, she and Hibari had taken a bit of a detour before returning to Namimori. They had retrieved Mukuro from Vendicare Prison then spent some time at Dino's place during Mukuro's recuperation. As a result, they had been the last ones to make it home. By then, Ghost was already a part of the team.

Formerly the Gesso Family's Thunder Funeral Wreath, Ghost was the only one who had escaped the fate of Vendicare, because Tsuna had decided to take him in. It had been quite a shock, not because he used to be their enemy, but because he was the clone of the fallen Gesso leader and therefore looked exactly the same as Byakuran. However, that was about where their similarities ended. Personality wise, Ghost was nothing like Byakuran. He seemed straightforward and lacked Byakuran's flippant attitude. Apparently, he'd had little contact with the outside world but was well educated in various subjects. Sometimes he even spoke like a textbook. Gokudera liked to call him 'Robo-Byakuran'. It wasn't the most flattering nickname, but Chrome could see where he had gotten it from.

She didn't have any problems with there being a new member in the Family until, three days after her return from Italy, her favorite Storm Guardian decided to assign Ghost as her assistant, saying that it would help him learn how they did things around here if he could just follow someone around. Since she was apparently gentle, levelheaded, and patient, she was the most suitable one to take on this task. That was still all fine and good. She didn't really mind showing Ghost the ropes. However, she suspected that this wasn't the only reason Gokudera had assigned the ex-Funeral Wreath to her.

Just then, her phone rang. "Hello?" She smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. And you?... Um, no, I can't do lunch today. Sorry…. How about tomorrow?... Okay. That sounds good. See you then… Bye." She hung up.

Ghost looked up from his book. "May I ask who that was on the phone?"

Here it was. The thing that was making her uncomfortable: the questions. "Just Haru."

"I see." A moment's pause. "Are you unable to have lunch with Haru-san because you have a previous engagement with someone else?"

She tilted her head slightly. "Maybe. Why do you want to know?"

He stared at her for a few seconds as though trying to decide his best course of action. "I'm not at liberty to say."

When she kept getting questions and responses like these, it was hard not to be suspicious. Whenever she received phone calls, he would ask her who it was. If she was meeting with someone, he would ask whom with. At the end of the day, he would ask if she had evening plans with anybody. But whenever she would ask him why he wanted to know, he would basically tell her that he can't tell her. Ghost obviously had no talent in the art of lying, nor did he understand the ways of subtlety. If he wasn't so naïve about it, she probably would have gotten fed up long ago, and they were still only in the first week of this arrangement.

Her phone rang again. "Hello?... Yes, he is… Now?... Sort of. There's something I'd like to take care of first… It won't take long. We'll be there within the hour… Okay. Bye." She hung up.

"May I ask—"

"Before I tell you," Chrome interjected, "there's something I need to discuss with you first."

He blinked. "All right."

She folded her hands on her desk and leaned forward, giving him a serious look. "This is just between you and me. I need you to be honest and tell me everything. What did Hayato ask you to do when he assigned you to be my assistant?"

He gave her a blank stare as though trying to weigh his options on how to proceed.

She tried again. "He must have given you some kind of mission, right?"

He heaved a small breath of resignation. "So, you can tell."

She gave a small wince. "Yes."

"Then I guess I've failed."

"What did he want you to do?" she repeated.

Since she had already figured it out, he might as well just tell her. He sighed once more, feeling somewhat dispirited. "I'm supposed to watch for and report any and all interaction you may have with Hibari senpai."

That was pretty much what she had thought. "So, he asked you to spy on me, and you just said…okay?"

"Gokudera senpai said I was too much of an open book, and this exercise will be good training," he informed.

The Mist Guardian heaved an internal sigh. Basically, the poor guy was being manipulated. Why would he need training for this sort of thing anyway? He was obviously not suited for any espionage type of missions. His talents would be better used elsewhere, and their boss's right hand man knew it.

"What did I do wrong?" He didn't seem quite so down anymore. He just wanted to analyze his faults so he could improve on them next time.

In the back of her mind, Chrome's answer was 'everything', but she wasn't going to crush his outlook. "Well, when Hayato gave you the mission, he probably told you to just observe and report, not ask a whole bunch of questions, right?"

"He said I should casually ask questions during conversation," Ghost replied.

"But when you repeatedly ask the same questions over and over again, it's no longer casual and starts to become something more like an interrogation. It feels unnatural and out of place," she explained.

"Point taken," he said after mulling it over.

"You also have to be patient," she added. "You may not get results right away, but you can't force the issue or you'll risk exposure."

He smiled slightly. So, she noticed that as well. He should have known better than to think he had any chance of deceiving a master of deception. "What should I do? Should I tell Gokudera senpai the mission failed?"

"No, you can just keep doing what you're doing for now." It won't last much longer anyway.

"I see. In that case, may I ask who that was on the phone?" he inquired, going back to information gathering mode.

She chuckled lightly at his response. "You finally have something to report. That was Kyouya," she divulged. "I told him we'll be there shortly. He wants to see you."

His brows rose in surprise. "Me?"

"Yes. The Foundation already has quite a bit of intel on the Gesso Family, but he wants to see if there's anything you can add," she began. "In particular, he would like to know who the members in Byakuran's team of scientists and engineers were."

It only took him a second to process what that meant. "You're concerned about an information leak on the Gesso's technological research and inventions." Byakuran had been developing some pretty advanced and dangerous technology, after all. He himself was an example.

Chrome smiled. He was quick to understand when things were logical. "Yes." Although the Gesso Family no longer existed and all members had disbanded after the defeat of Byakuran and his Funeral Wreaths, it didn't mean that those of the research team would simply forget the projects they'd worked on. Even though Gokudera had destroyed all records at every Gesso base, there was no guarantee that nobody had made a copy of their research material and saved it elsewhere. In fact, it was highly unlikely.

The Vongola Decimo's Family had spent the past eight years keeping tabs on Byakuran, trying to make sure that what had happened in that alternate future world would not in some way repeat itself in this one. Now that that threat was over, their new mission was to ensure that no one else could pick up where Byakuran had left off.

Ghost nodded. "I understand." He had spent his entire life, the whole two and a half years of it, in the Gesso's lab. If anybody knew who frequented that place, it would be him. However, he did have one concern. "Will I be working with Hibari senpai directly?"

Chrome blinked. "Would that be a problem?"

"Tsunayoshi-sama had warned me about him," he said, bluntly honest. Basically, what he got from the warning was: don't go near the guy. Now that it looked like that won't be possible, he required further counsel.

"Kyouya doesn't—" She caught herself before she could finish. She was about to say that he 'doesn't bite', but that wouldn't be entirely true… In fact, it would be entirely false.

Ghost watched her frozen form with her mouth half-open, her words hanging. "I find your hesitation troubling."

His voice pulled her out of her thoughts, and she opted for a safer reply. "You'll likely be working with Kusakabe-san instead."

"…I see." Her response wasn't very reassuring.

"Okay, then, let's go," Chrome said as she rose to her feet. "If we're late, Kyouya might want to bite us to death."

"I thought that the tonfa was Hibari senpai's primary weapon of choice," Ghost voiced as he followed the Mist Guardian to the door, somewhat bemused. "I can't imagine attacking with his teeth to be very effective…or sanitary."

She laughed lightly as she opened the door, thoroughly amused. "First rule of survival when it comes to dealing with Kyouya: never question his use of animal kingdom terminology," she imparted. "It'll decrease your chances of being bitten to death."

"I will…keep that in mind," he replied despite feeling completely confused.

"Don't worry," she said with an encouraging smile that he didn't find particularly encouraging. "You'll learn."

It was well into the evening when the gate separating the Foundation from the Vongola's main base opened, revealing Hibari, Kusakabe, Chrome, and Ghost.

The Cloud Guardian looked blandly to the former Thunder Funeral Wreath. "Report to Tetsu tomorrow morning. Same time."

"Of course," the light-haired man replied dutifully.

Cloud and Mist shared a wordless parting glance. Then Chrome and Ghost started making their way back to her office.

"I think he's warming up to you," The Mist Guardian commented supportively.

"I'm not convinced," Ghost replied as he gingerly touched his bandaged left cheek where his face was swelling and bruising from a well placed tonfa strike. The first thing that Hibari had done when they had arrived that morning was take him down to one of the training rooms on the lower levels for an all out fight. He couldn't consider it a sparring match no matter how he looked at it. "He fought like he was aiming to kill."

"And that says something. He wouldn't have bothered if he didn't think it was worth his time," she explained.

"He wishes to kill the people he likes?" he inquired with a perplexed frown.

"No!" she replied hastily. It was difficult trying to explain Hibari to someone else when she was only just beginning to figure him out herself.

"Is this why Gokudera senpai wants me to keep track of your contact with Hibari senpai?" he asked. Was Hibari some sort of potential danger to her?

She gasped. "That reminds me! Wait right here." Without answering his question, she whirled around and headed back in the other direction. "Kyouya, wait!"

The look in her eye seemed to suggest that she had something important to say, so the raven-haired man stepped forward to meet her half way. And Kusakabe, being the smart man that he was, did not follow. That, however, did not mean he wasn't curiously watchful. After all, just like everyone else, he had been wondering about Cloud and Mist as well.

At the other end of the hallway, Ghost snapped a photo with his phone the moment the two Guardians met up, attached it to a message, and sent it off to the Storm Guardian. Chrome did tell him to continue with his mission, didn't she?

Chrome looked up at Hibari, playing with her fingers nervously, wondering how best to broach this subject. "Um…I was wondering if we should maybe…make some kind of…formal announcement." True, they weren't purposely trying to hide anything, but they weren't the most outwardly affectionate people in the world either. So, she could kind of see why people were wondering.

"Announcement." He already didn't like the way that sounded.

"Yeah…about us," she clarified.

For a brief moment, he simply looked at her. It was still odd to him that there was an 'us'. The concept was new and unfamiliar. "I feel no obligation to explain anything to anyone."

She almost rolled her eye at that expected response. "I know. It's just to clear up the weird atmosphere that's been building up since we got back from Italy."

"Hmm." It was a noncommittal sound that told her he didn't think it was necessary. "If you feel the need, you can do it yourself. Do not involve me." Not even in a million years could he picture himself doing something like what she was suggesting. Establishing an 'us' was one thing. Having to formally declare that 'us' was unacceptable as well as a waste of time.

She heaved a sigh. "It's not that I feel the need to, I'm just feeling a lot of pressure. You can't honestly tell me that you haven't noticed how everybody's been watching us for some kind of sign or something."

No, he knew exactly what she was talking about. In fact, they seemed to be attracting an audience at that very moment.

After receiving the message from Ghost, Gokudera had rushed to the scene at the speed of light with Lambo and I-Pin, who happened to be with him when he got the message, in tow. Yamamoto, having received the forwarded message from Gokudera, had also shown up. Even Ryouhei was there, because Yamamoto had sent him a message saying there was an impromptu party down here.

They were trying to observe discretely but failing miserably. While Gokudera was pretending to check messages on his phone, Lambo and I-Pin were peeking out from some random doorway. While Ryouhei was pretending to groom a potted plant that was sitting in the hallway, Yamamoto simply leaned nonchalantly against the wall and observed openly.

If Chrome didn't know she was the center of their attention, she would have laughed. "Actually, I'm not really sure how to go about it. I…don't really look forward to having to bring it up in conversation." It would be awkward and she would have to answer a ton of questions that were sure to follow. "Someone is bound to ask how it happened, and I find it hard to explain that we sort of bonded over a couple of unconventional first aid sessions."

He gave her an amused half smirk. "Was that what happened?"

She could feel her cheeks flushing from the memory. "Well, there was also the property destroying incident, but I don't think Hayato would appreciate the details on how that particular hotel bill got so high." When he didn't respond, she tilted her head slightly. "Well, what would you say?"

"Nothing," he told her with no hesitation.

She deflated. "You're not being helpful," she voiced, beginning to get somewhat agitated.

"You want me to be helpful," he deadpanned. In these matters?

"I wouldn't be discussing this with you otherwise," she returned equally flatly. "And if you can't think of anything, then I'm going to have to ask Muku—"

Before Chrome could complete that particular thought, Hibari grasped onto her tie and pulled her closer until her lips met his in a firm but lingering kiss. It was really more a statement than a real show of affection. Then he pulled back with slightly raised brows. "Problem solved?"

Blushing from his unexpected solution, she took a glance at the various wide eyes and dropped jaws all around. "…I guess that's one way to do it."

"You owe me," he told her, his eyes teasing.

She smiled, regaining her composure. "Dinner at my place tomorrow night?"

He considered her offer. "Fine."

"Then could you do me another favor while you're at it?" she asked.

He raised a questioning brow.

"Mind if I leave from the Foundation side of the base?" Going back the other way would be like walking into a storm…or a pack of wolves.

"That depends," he said impassively. "What will you be offering for tomorrow's dinner?"

She actually did roll her eye this time as she fought to suppress the laughter that was threatening to escape. "I know you're a hardcore carnivore. Rest assured, there's going to be meat."

The Cloud Guardian smirked slightly before turning to lead the way. "Do as you like."

Her smile widening, she followed behind him.

As the pair walked past him, Kusakabe tried to withhold his tears of joy. Finally, there was a glimmer of hope that, somewhere down the road, his beloved Kyou-san may actually have descendants to carry on his greatness!

Meanwhile, at the other end of the hallway, Ryouhei accidentally pulled out too many leaves from the poor plant in his excitement. "THEY'RE TOGETHER TO THE EXTREME!"

Beside him, Yamamoto simply laughed. "Looks like we were right."

Gokudera hissed with disbelief and a certain level of horror in his eyes. "…sex on the floor…"

To that, Ghost cocked his head. "That's incorrect, Gokudera senpai. In order to have sex on the floor, it would require the shedding of clothing in order to expose the male and female genitalia required for sexual interc—"

The Storm Guardian practically tackled the ex-Funeral Wreath to the floor trying to slap a hand over his mouth. "Holy shit! What the hell kinda knowledge have they been feeding you in those Gesso labs?!" This wasn't even information that could be used for combat, technological research, or anything!

Lambo, however, perked up. "Wait, Gokudera-shi! I wanna hear what he has to say!" For a thirteen-year-old ladies' man in training, this topic was high priority, after all.

"Shut up!" the silver-haired man hollered with a reprimanding glare. It was precisely because Lambo and I-Pin were present that he had to stop the walking textbook from reciting too much information.

By now, the Rain Guardian was already laughing himself into tears.

Further down the hall, behind the ruckus and around the corner, the Vongola Decimo stood chuckling softly with his back leaning casually against the wall. With a newly confirmed couple on top of the addition of a new member, there was definitely going to be changes to the Family's dynamics.

"Looks like there're things we're going to have to get used to around here," said the amused Arcobaleno standing beside him.

Tsuna smiled. "Ah."

They were all going to have to adjust.

A/N: And that's the first one. There's a lot of stuff here devoted to set up, so the actual interaction between Hibari and Chrome was not that long in this chapter.

The part about them wanting to track down the Gesso researchers is also background/setting stuff. Although this may come up every now and then, the intention is not to detail out how they're going to go about doing this. It's more to establish that, as a Family, this is their new long term mission.

Ghost refers to all of the Guardians as 'senpai'…including Lambo. LOL! Brief explanation, just in case: usually, you would refer to someone as a senpai if they have seniority over you. Like someone who came before you in a school, company, or organization.

Thanks for reading! Reviews appreciated!