Yamamoto wheezed out a laugh as Gokudera gawked. Lambo 'eep'-ed and immediately ran away the moment the smoke obscured their sight. "Stupid-cow! Come back here-" Yamamoto had to restrain the bomber while avoiding the punches aimed at him. "Calm down, Gokudera! I'm sure that he didn't mean it."

Gokudera clicked his tongue and pushed the taller man away. "Ryuuichi?" He called out, waiting for the smoke to disperse. And when it did, he and Yamamoto had the most shock of their lives. Instead of an older Ryuuichi, it was a toddler with dark brown hair. Large clothes that Ryuuichi, before he was hit by the accursed bazooka, pooled around him as the toddler blinked up at them.

He took one look at their frozen state, another at his surroundings before bursting out into tears. The two jumped at the loud wails, realizing that the toddler was scared. Of what, they had no idea. Yamamoto immediately bent down and picked him up, cooing and trying to get him to stop crying by holding him up high. "There there!" It only made it worse, as the toddler cried even harder, clearly disliking it.

"-Ch! Give him to me, idiot!" Gokudera snatched him away from the taller man's grasp and fidgeted. He was still crying, much to Gokudera's dismay, but the thought of holding a kid Ryuuichi was too much for him. That, and he actually had little to no idea how to pacify a toddler.

He blinked. There was something wrong. Ryuuichi was mentally older than them, and if he was to revert to a five years old, he should be matured. 

"What's going on here?" They turned to Reborn, who came in with both of his hands in his pockets. His eyes narrowed at the crying toddler and gave the both of them a look and a raised eyebrow. "Did you both spawned a baby?" He walked forward and literally plucked him out of Gokudera's hands and held him properly, patting his back slightly. Gokudera turned a bit red and screamed about how males cannot give birth and that he and Yamamoto aren't an item. Reborn ignored him.

Reborn cooed a little, patting the toddler in a gentle way that the other two never knew he could do that. Instantly, the crying slowed to a stop, only a few hics. "So what happened to Ryuuichi?" Reborn asked, never taking his eyes off the toddler as he showed him a small and soft plush toy of a cat, moving it around. Dark brown eyes followed as grabby hands tried to reach for it.

"-nd males doesn't have eg-" Gokudera paused on his rants and turned to Reborn. "What?" The hitman scoffed and rolled his eyes, letting Ryuuichi grab the plush toy. "It was so obvious that he's Ryuuichi. And that stupid-cow was dashing a hundred kilometers per hour across the hallway." He pulled out a set of clothes, Ryuuichi's size and swiftly put it on the toddler.

Yamamoto was torn between wanting to stay put and avoid making Ryuuichi cry again, or just go ahead and coo at the adorable toddler. It was seriously nostalgic, seeing tiny Ryuuichi. Reborn turned to him and held Ryuuichi out to him. Ryuuichi ignored the movement for the sake of trying to mutilate the plush toy; failed. 

"E-erh.. I think not? He's scared of us." They ignored Gokudera who jerked back slightly at the fact that Ryuuichi was scared at them. "No, he isn't. He's just scared of the fact he was in a foreign place." 

Yamamoto blinked at the taller man. "Seriously?" Reborn shrugged. "He's a crybaby." Honestly, Yamamoto couldn't imagine Ryuuichi as a crybaby and gingerly reached out his hands to hold Ryuuichi. At that, Ryuuichi turned away from the toy and stared at him. Yamamoto stiffen and waited for the cry, to find that there was none. Ryuuichi merely returned to the toy as Reborn literally dumped him into Yamamoto's arms.

"Giannini and Spanner have been tempering with the ten years bazooka. Shoichi couldn't stop them. And it has been five minutes. He'll probably be stuck like this for a while."

"Who'll be stuck like what?" They turned to the door again to see Tsuna along with Hibari behind him. Tsuna blinked at the toddler in Yamamoto's arms and frowned. "What happened to Ryuuichi?" He ignored how Hibari zeroed his eyes onto the man and the toddler, tensing slightly.

"Lambo."

He nodded and walked to Yamamoto to look at the toddler, who was again, trying to rip the plush toy into pieces. What a cheerful kid. Ryuuichi looked up at him the moment he was in front of him, and did the same thing he did to Yamamoto. He stared with an unnerving look the way that it seriously reminded him of Ryuuichi. 'Yup. It's him alright.' 

And then the gaze shifted to the one behind him, Hibari. Tsuna stepped aside and let the older man to take a look at him. Hibari reached out slowly to touch the toddler and see if he was real or that the pineapple pair had did something, when Ryuuichi, out of nowhere, dropped the plush toy that Yamamoto caught easily and grabbed the hand with both of his, smaller and softer than Hibari's.

Ryuuichi literally chomped onto the hand.

Hysterical laughter erupted from everyone except for the two, Yamamoto trying very hard not to shake Ryuuichi too much, as they stared at each others wordlessly. Only, Ryuuichi kept trying to slobber and eat the hand. Obviously, Hibari found it rather adorable, and it wasn't even the lest bit painful. Oh well. At least he knew Ryuuichi's a biter since he was young.

"Ryuuichi." The toddler stopped trying to bite the forefinger off and blinked. "Let go." He stared. And stared. And stared. Hibari merely waited. The others stayed in silence, trying not to cry in laughter again because of how ridiculous the situation was.

The toddler pulled the hand out of his mouuth and let go. Hibari took his saliva dripping hand out of his reach and leaned back. "H-Hibari?" Tsuna hesitantly called out as Ryuuichi turned back to the plush toy again, squeezing it instead of mutilating it. Hibari wiped his hand with a tissue that Reborn gave, who was very amused and clearly getting blackmail materials, and froze a little.

Yamamoto immediately dumped Ryuuichi onto him. Hibari hissed at the taller man as he properly gripped onto the toddler. Yamamoto laughed nervously. "I've a mission, so he'll be in your care." Ryuuichi made a soft noise and shifted to make himself comfortable in Hibari's arms. He held the plush toy closer and snuggled into Hibari's chest, falling asleep.

Reborn snickered at how Hibari stiffen again. It'll be a show to watch for the time been. And imagine all the blackmail materials on Ryuuichi when he returned normal.

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Hibari took him back to his room, Ryuuichi asleep all the time. Honestly, he was bewildered by the fact that his lover had turned into a five years old, and he was seriously trying to control himself because of how adorable he was. And pale. The current Ryuuichi was already pale, he was even paler in his toddler form. Hibari could not.

He placed him in the middle of the bed and pulled the extra pillows on his sides just in case he rolled down the bed in his sleep. Ryuuichi can be quite a mover when he was sleeping. Ryuuichi made a soft noise when he was detached from Hibari, scrunching his nose slightly but remained asleep.

Hibari decided he needed some time alone to calm himself down from all that adorableness. He silently left the room, leaving Hibird to watch over the toddler.

About an hour later, Ryuuichi woke up to Hibird chirping in front of his face. He blinked groggily at the yellow fluff and pushed himself up. He looked around the large room and found everything unsettling. He didn't knew if it was because he was alone, or because everything looked so huge and seemed to loom over him.

His lower lip trembled as he gripped onto the plush toy tighter. Hibird flew to his slight and chirped, landing in front of him. It started singing the Namimori Middle school anthem and somehow, Ryuuichi calmed down. He poked the bird gently before king it. He giggled when Hibird chirped in a happy tone.

He looked around the room and decided it wasn't that scary anymore. He crawled to the edge of the bed and climbed down, stumbling as it was tall. He landed on his bare feet and he shivered at the cold wood. He tapped it a few times before started walking. He trotted to the door like a penguin and stared up at the door knob. It was out of his reach by a few inches, much to his dismay. 

He pouted and tiptoed, trying to pull it. It took him a while, but he succeeded. So he sneaked out, with Hibird pierced on his head and the plush toy in hand.

When Hibari came back, he was surprised to see the door ajar, and Ryuuichi gone.

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Ryuuichi may reverted back to a five years old, but he still had the sense of direction and the ability to remember where he came from. He walked down the long hallway, touching the wall as he go while staring at the pictures or any other decorations along the way. He didn't touch it, however.

"Small animal. Here. Here." Hibird chirped as it led the way. Ryuuichi wordlessly tilted his head and followed the bird, excited. Hibird led him to the garden, where a maze the size of a foot ball field was, with a fountain in its center. He could hear the water, soft and distant, but he could hear it.

He walked in despite finding the place creepy and scary, but he was okay. He has the bird to help him if anything happens. Hibird, once again, led the way to the center. Ryuuichi's eyes widen in awe at how beautiful the fountain was against the sunlight that shone from behind thin clouds. It wasn't that deep, the water. He reached a hand in and touched the water, only to pull back when he found it cold.

He giggled and touched again, repeating everything again and again until his both of his hands were wet, the plush toy on the ground. He played around as Hibird stayed on his head. Ryuuichi stepped into the water and ignored the fact that his clothes were wet, and splashed around. Hibird fluttered at the droplets of water that hit him.

He remained oblivious from the chaos that stirred in the mansion. 

Hibari clicked his tongue and searched around the floor again, checking every crooks and cranny. Hibird wasn't around as well, so he presumed that the bird was with Ryuuichi. It would find him if something happened. But Hibird didn't find him. He didn't know if that was considered a relief, or not.

"Hibari! Still haven't found him?" Gokudera asked, frowning. He was the first person who Hibari bumped into when he was finding Ryuuichi, and immediately, every guardian in the house are to find the missing child. "No." The older man answered curtly a Gokudera scowled harder.

"Goddammit Ryuuichi." Gokudera swore to whoever is it, that Ryuuichi really, really likes to run around and be in MIA for who knows what reason. And when he did, he would tell no one. Everyone has the same sentimental of wanting to chain Ryuuichi up to the one who was with him at the exact moment.

"I checked the attic, he's not up there." Yamamoto said when he saw them, jogging closer to them. Tsuna arrived from the opposite direction. I checked the basement as well, not there either."

Hibari clicked his tongue again. He should have locked the door. "Have you guys checked everywhere?" They turned to Reborn, who was unfazed of everything and pretty calm. "We have." Tsuna replied with a frown.

"Think again, Dame-Tsuna."

Hibari blinked. The garden.

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All was well when Ryuuichi was playing, until a few crows flew by and landed on the ground, few feet away from the fountain. They cawed as Ryuuichi stared at them. One of them was eyeing the plush toy. Ryuuichi furrowed his eyebrows and reached out to grab the plush toy immediately. He held it close to his chest.

"No."

The crows cawed again, two of them eyeing the plush toy. Ryuuichi backed away slightly, the water splashing against his movements. All of them stared at the plush toy.

And they attacked. Ryuuichi cried out and curled around the plush toy, refusing to give it to them. Hibird chirped loudly and fought against the crows. It was a bit of a lost fight, but it still did, defending the toddler. The caws of the crows and Hibird's chirped. Ryuuichi couldn't stand it.

He wailed loudly.

"Ryuuichi!" A tonfa flew pass Ryuuichi's head and hit the crows, missing Hibird by a few inches as Hibird flew back down onto the toddler's head. The crows cawed loudly and quickly flew away, a black feather landing on the ground. Ryuuichi had his head tilted down, still curling up. His body trembled slightly in fright, soft sobs were heard. Hibari hurried over, dismissing the fact that his shoe was getting wet and pulled Ryuuichi close.

"Shh, it's okay." He patted his back as Ryuuichi leaned closer. The toddler sniffed and grabbed onto Hibari's shirt tightly, trying to calm himself down. Hibari pulled away slightly to look directly into Ryuuichi's eyes. "What were you thinking, walking out here alone?" Ryuuichi flinched and averted his eyes. "S-sorry.."

Hibari sighed and embraced him again. "Don't make me worry." He felt Ryuuichi nodded slightly against his chest and smiled slightly. Hibird chirped at them as the man carried the toddler up and walked out of the water. Ryuuichi squeaked a little at the change of height and clung onto Hibari tightly. Hibari chuckled at that. 

(Somewhere, Reborn chuckled evilly.)

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Ryuuichi had fallen asleep when the arrived Hibari's room, still holding onto the man tightly. Hibari shook his head in exasperation and changed him out of his wet clothes. He tried to pry his hands off his shirt but he couldn't do it without accidentally waking the toddler. He sighed and slipped under the covers, giving in. Ryuuichi immediately snuggled closer as Hibari smiled slightly. Oh well, at least it wasn't such a boring day.

The next morning arrived and Ryuuichi blinked himself awake. The first thing he noticed was Hibari was crushing him against his chest. That, and he was nakked. He had no memories of what had happened at all, a gap. The last thing he remembered was Lambo and his bazooka- Oh. 

It was probably malfunctioning or someone tempered with it.

He huffed and decided it was still early. He went back to sleep, rubbing against Hibari like a cat.

(Sometimes later, he was engaged in a cat and mouse chase with Reborn, with his gun out and shooting.)

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There would be times and times again that reminded Ryuuichi that Hibari wasn’t made of titanium even though he hits with the strength of breaking one. Ryuuichi wordlessly checked Hibari’s temperature and frowned a little. 39 degree Celsius. Quite high. He reached over the large bowl filled with ice water and took the cloth, squeezing out the  water. He plucked the one on Hibari’s forehead off and dumped it back into the ice water, no longer cold but warm, placing the cold one in replacement. 

Hibari seemed to be relief at the cold cloth on his forehead, still asleep. Ryuuichi raised an amused eyebrow and smiled slightly. He took another dry cloth and wiped his lover’s sweat away, carefully trying not to wake him up. It was a bit of a blessing that Hibari doesn’t wake up as easily as he usually would when he has a fever. All because Hibari doesn’t fall ill that frequent, which was why he would have it worst when he gets one.

It was no wonder that he needed to be admitted into the hospital years ago. At least, it wasn’t that bad as before.

He looked at the clock and decided that he should find someone to make a porridge or something for Hibari. And the medicine. Standing up quietly, he walked out of the room and closed the door silently. He walked around the house, trying to find the others, anyone, in fact, but found none. Since they were in the Giudizio estate, there was no maid or butler. Or caretaker. And hell, everyone just had to be away on this time.

He pursed his lips slightly and sighed. He knows how to cook porridge, but the question was, would he survive this?

He went to the kitchen with his phone out, looking at the instructions online just in case. It seemed easy, but Ryuuichi knew better. Unless it’s a beverage, he cannot cook at all.

“Well, if I die, it would probably be the funniest cause of death.” He was horrified by his own thoughts.

Shaking his head, he went to the rice container and took two cups of rice out, pouring it into the pot. He washed the rice a few times, as the instructions had said and poured out the water, only to refill it up to the required level. 

He stared at the stove, and the rice cooker. “I rather not use fire..”

He trotted over to the rice cooker and plopped it in, setting it and let it cook. He mentally prayed that nothing would happen, as he really didn’t want to buy another rice cooker.

When it was done, he was really really surprised. Because he didn’t die at all. Nor did the thing blow up. He, with a rather blank face, took some and ate it. It tasted like porridge. Instantly, he sparkled, couldn’t stop the huge grin from forming on his face. He immediately took out his phone and took a picture of it, sending on to his brother with the caption of ‘I didn’t die!’

There was an instant reply, so fast that Ryuuichi almost jumped the hell out of himself. ‘Wait what? Are you cooking?!’

‘Yep! *peace* :3’

‘And there’s no fire? No explosion? No nothing?’ Ryuuichi laughed. ‘Nothing at all expect the porridge. I. Just. Frigging. Survived. Dude.' He was practically skipping slightly as he walked around the kitchen to get the bowl. He scooped the porridge out of the pot and poured it into the bowl.

He placed everything in a tray along with two cups of water and some medicine. He carefully took the tray to his room. He pushed open the door just as Hibari had woke up. The older man turned to his direction, feverish. "Oh, you're awake." He made a beeline towards his side and placed the tray down on the night table. 

He took the thermometer and measured Hibari's temperature again. It was still high, but at least it was better than before. "Where were you?" Hibari croaked out as he tried to push himself up. Ryuuichi reached over and helped, plopping the warm towel into the ice water. "Cooking."

Hibari gave him a blank look. Ryuuichi couldn't help but grinned brightly. "And you didn't die?" He rolled his eyes at that, still smiling. "Nope! Everything went well to my surprise. I doubt I would be able to do it again but still!" He took the tray and set it over Hibari's lap. 

Hibari stared at it. It looked, normal. Which was a good thing. It wasn't burnt, nor there was any explosion for the last half an hour. Ryuuichi really did it. "Don't try and kill me, small animal." 

"Oh come on. I tried it before I even got it out." He scooped a small amount with the spoon and ate it. Ryuuichi waited impatiently for his critique, or anything as the matter of fact. "It's good." He sparkled.

Hibari chuckled and patted him on the head. "Good job, Ryuuichi." He smiled softly at how happy his lover was. Even though his head was pounding and he felt really horrible, seeing Ryuuichi like this had somehow eased everything a little. (He was secretly glad that Ryuuichi was there for him when he was at his lowest, physically and mentally wise.)

He finished the food slowly, listening to Ryuuichi's random chatter about what he had found in the attic when he was cleaning. He almost laughed while swallowing the porridge as the memory of a Ryuuichi screaming bloody murder from the top of the house and jumping down from the roof like a monkey without any hesitation. All because of a cockroach. Hibari was there, and he had personally witnessed it. He had to say, he couldn't stop himself from laughing out loud right there, right then.

"Did I mentioned that I probably found a voodoo doll..?"

He paused and stared at Ryuuichi. "A voodoo doll." He deadpanned as the younger nodded, sweating slightly. ".. I should probably burn it.. Or ask Xena to do it. She seemed to like these kind of things."

Hibari nodded and ate the last of it. "Thank you for the food." 

"Take your meds, Kyouya." He smirked. "Feed me then."

Ryuuichi gave him a pair of dead eyes and smacked him in the face. Well, not really. He merely just poked Hibari's cheeks. Hard. "Are you trying to get me sick?" He poked again. Hibari grabbed his hand and pulled it away slightly. "And here I thought you want me to nurse you when you're sick?" Ryuuichi poked him with the other hand as Hibari chuckled. "It was just a joke."

"I'm very well aware of that, Kyouya, since you are so adamant on not wearing the nurse outfit."

"Says the one who actually wore it." Ryuuichi blushed and squeaked in protest. "I was forced to?! And I'm pretty sure you were the one who made me wear that!" Hibari chuckled again, only to stop short and coughed. Ryuuichi frowned. "Take your medicine and rest, idiot."

Hibari snorted slightly, but did as told, plopping the bitter pills in and downed the cup of water. Once he was done, the tray was immediately set aside on the night stand, Ryuuichi forcing him to lie down. Hibari grunted at that and tugged Ryuuichi's hand. "Come in." He ignored the protest about how Hibari would be uncomfortable and all, and just pulled him down.

Ryuuichi sighed in exasperation but gave in. He immediately slipped into the covers next to Hibari and the older man automatically wound his arms around him, pulling him close. Hibari breathed out slightly, burying his nose in Ryuuichi's hair as the tie was pulled off. Ryuuichi's body temperature was so nice and comforting. In general, Ryuuichi's presence has been comforting for Hibari. 

And it was the same for Ryuuichi.

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Hibari woke up to a flushed Ryuuichi trying to burrow himself into Hibari's pajamas. "What are you doing?" He grumbled and shifted, holding onto Ryuuichi's hands and looked at him in the eyes. Ryuuichi's eyes were half lidded, brows furrowed. "Digging? I dunno.." He slurred.

That was when Hibari realized that he was feeling fine and more alive than yesterday, and Ryuuichi's skin was hot. He blinked himself awake and pulled Ryuuichi's head down to his, leaning their foreheads together. Ahh, Ryuuichi got his cold. Hibari sighed and pushed his lover down on the other side of the bed, ignoring the whine. "Stay here." Ryuuichi whimpered at the temperature and jumped onto Hibari as the older man stood up.

Only, he missed and dropped onto the cold floor. Ryuuichi lied there, thinking about nonsense, and rolled under the bed. ".. Ryuuichi, get out of there this instant."

There was a pause, and a thud. "No." Hibari palmed his face and reached down to pull Ryuuichi out, not even fazed at the fact that Ryuuichi was flailing his hand like a mad man. He pulled his arms around his waist and held it there, Ryuuichi's face planted on his back. "Come on. Let's get you to bath first."

The thought of what they had said about outfits the night before came back to him. He dismissed that thought in split-second. It suits Ryuuichi, but hell for Hibari.

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It was silent, their drive. It wasn't awkward nor tense, but it wasn't that comfortable. Well, it wasn't meant to be comfortable anyway. Ryuuichi sighed as he stared at the empty road save for the very few cars they passed, sitting on shotgun while Reborn was driving. He was tempted to roll down the window and stick his head out, but with how fast Reborn was driving? No way. He still want his head to be intact until he dies, thank you very much. 

"Did you and Hibari fought?" He blinked at the hitman, who still has his eyes on the road. "What?" 

"That skylark has been cranky all week long and the others couldn't stand him, even that Blue Pineapple." Reborn said in a deadpanned manner while Ryuuichi choked out a laughter at the nickname Reborn gave to Mukuro. He shook his head and looked back onto the road. How long has Reborn been driving? How long has he being here?

"We didn't..?" Reborn snorted. "Sure you did. 99 percent of the time he's angry has something to do with you, directly or indirectly." Ryuuichi frowned. "But I'm sure we didn't, minus the fact that he has been quite sulky these days."

"Well, I'll enlighten you then. He's jealous."

"What for?!"

"Remember the ball a week ago that ended up with him banging you up to the morning?" He flushed a little. "Crude. I thought you're a gentleman."

"I am, but you rather me being myself whenever we're alone." He did said that, didn't he? When he was slightly drunk, because of Reborn. Though, he did meant it. "Really, did you remember that?"

"Yes," He drawled in exasperation. "What of it?"

"You were flirting with the other dons and donnas and random people." He turned towards Reborn like an owl. Reborn did turned to him with a blank look before looking back to the road with a sigh. "Of course you wouldn't realize it."

"I was flirting?" Ryuuichi looked both horrified and scandalized. "Yes, you were." "B-but I was just being myself!"

"Yeah right you were." The hitman rolled his eyes. Trust Ryuuichi to not realize that he went autopilot when he interacted with other people. His apprentice is seriously an idiot sometimes. Actually, make that most of the time. Reborn couldn't decide if that idiocy is cute, or annoying. Tsuna's would be easier, as Tsuna is actually a hamster. Ryuuichi is more of a penguin. Or a two weeks old kitten.

Ryuuichi groaned and leaned back. "Even so, I don't think that he should be angry about it.. I mean, I didn't even did it on purpose, and I've no plan on leaving him for those people." He shuddered a little at that thought. Nope. Hibari is perfect for him. "He know that, of course, but his jealousy came with rage."

"Why?"

"Those people you flirted with? They were trying to get into your pants." Ryuuichi paled. "No." Dread dripped in his tone. Reborn nodded. "Oh yes. Really. Everyone noticed it. You're the only one who didn't." The younger groaned louder, burying his face in his hands and screamed in frustration.

"You don't have to tone down your flirt-not-flirt-which-you-were-totally-flirting. You're doing a pretty good job anyway, getting people to talk. Hibari won't like it, but there was nothing to lose anyway."

"For your side! You just wants drama and chaos anyway." The hitman chuckled, not denying it. Ryuuichi pouted and sighed again. "Looks like I need to talk to him.." 

Reborn leaned forward slightly before settling back. "You do that later. Right now, we have some interviewers." He hit the brakes and the slick, black car skidded to a stop right in front of a police car, a traffic police with a machine in hand, and a pen. The window rolled down as the two of them looked at the police and said in unison. "Yes?"

"Y-your license please, you have.. Exceeded the speed limit." Reborn mocked a surprised look. "Oh? By how much?"

"..You went two hundred and ninety kilometers per hour." He frowned a little while Ryuuichi snickered. "Didn't break your record again, huh." He sighed. "You were distracting me." He ignored the younger and turned back to the traffic police. "Are you going to write me a ticket?"

"I- Yes- Yes. Please give me your license." Ryuuichi leaned over to take a look at the traffic police. He hummed with a small smile. "You must be new, aren't you," He squinted his eyes at the name tag. "Paola?" 

Paola backed away a little, looking absolutely jittery. "H-how did you know?"

Reborn shrugged. "You waved me aside. Your seniors wouldn't do that." Paola frowned. "Why wouldn't they?" He stiffen when the both of them gave him a pointed look. "Because we meant business." He was a little horrified at how they spoke at the same time, bearing the same type of face.

"W-what kind of business?"

Ryuuichi hummed again and finally stuck his head out of the window. "Hey Reborn, pass me the rifle." Paola gaped when the hitman pulled out a large, black rifle from the back seats and handed it to Ryuuichi. Ryuuichi took it and aimed, looking through the eye piece. And he pulled the trigger.

The loud bang and the sound of tyre exploding along followed by a crash made the officer jump, paled from top to bottom. "Really?" 

"You wanted to catch him alive anyway." Reborn breathed out and got off the car, walking towards the smoking mercedes meters in front. Ryuuichi grinned and put back the rifle after clicking the safety back to place. "Oh, right, sorry about that, Paola."

The man jerked back, horrified. He frantically reached to his walkie-talkie strapped onto his torso, wanting to call the authorities. "Don't bother. They won't care." 

"W-wha-"

"... They're used to it. Which was why no one would flag us down whenever Reborn's on the road. As the matter of fact, no one flags any of us down."

"Y-you're the Cosa Nostra-" It came out slightly breathless as Ryuuichi nodded. "Somehow. But- hey. I thought I told you not to call them- Nevermind." Paola impatiently waited for the headquarters to answer and when someone picked it up, he panicked and blurted everything out.

"Paola-? Stop- Shut up!" His moouth snapped shut. "What's going on?"

"I- There's this two man- shooting-" Ryuuichi interrupted him with a rather cheery tune. "Hey Chief!"

"S-signore Shiroki?! Is that you?" Oh dear god- was his Chief stuttering? "Did something happened?"

"Nothing much. The usual, actually. Your newbie pulled us up when we're chasing this dude."

"He did?! I'm so sorry-" Ryuuichi chuckled. "No worries. Actually, he's pretty good, he managed to not faint like the previous one when this happen." He laughed loudly. Paola remained confused for his life. "Though I must say, you guys seriously need to inform your newbies about this. It's a bit troublesome if this happens every time."

"Yes, I'm sorry. We'll be sure to do that. I'm so sorry, signore Shiroki." 

"'Sokay~" Paola walked further away from them and whispered harshly in a fast manner to the walkie-talkie. "Sir! What's going on!?"

"Paola, you're a good recruit, and I really do not want to see you dead."

"Sir?!"

"Do not mess with them, Paola. Signore Shiroki may be merciful, but do. Not. Mess. With. Them. Understood?"

"I- But- He- This-" Paola felt like his mind was going to break. He made a sound akin to a dying whale and finally managed to choke out a yes. The Chief broke the connection as Paola slumped beside the police car, half of his life gone. "Oi oi oi. Are you going to take him back with us?" He turned back to them and saw Reborn dragging an unconscious man, shackled and gagged, and literally threw him into the back seat of his car.

"He has information, and is still useful." Reborn closed the door and turned to Paola. Paola froze at that. Reborn stared at him before smirking. He tilted his fedora down and slipped back into the driver seat. The engine roared and the car zoomed around and away.

Paola fainted after sending an S.O.S to the headquarters.

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They arrived back at the Vongola mansion about an hour later, Reborn dragging the still unconscious man into the estate as Ryuuichi walked beside him, huffing slightly. "How am I going to talk to him?" The hitman shrugged. "Don't know. Seduce him and let him take you?"

Ryuuichi socked him on the shoulder as Reborn laughed. "Seriously! Any idea?" Reborn hummed for a while, thinking. He blinked as his eyes gazed to the hallway and smirked. Ryuuichi noticed the smirk and frowned, not liking it. "Reborn?" He turned to where he was looking at and blinked as well.The hitman unceremoniously dropped the man onto the ground and pulled Ryuuichi closer, an arm slipping around Ryuuichi's waist.

He tilted his head up and gave him a full-blown kiss, with tongue and all. Ryuuichi's eyes widen as he turned into stone. Reborn pulled away a full minute later, Ryuuichi gasping for air. He smirked and picked up the man from the ground, and walked away to Tsuna's office. He waved, not bothering to turn back to see the red face Ryuuichi was sporting. "Good luck."

Ryuuichi wiped his lips in a frantic manner and tried to calm himself down. He paled a little when he suddenly remembered Hibari. The Cloud surely had saw that. He snapped his head over to the hallway and saw Hibari's narrowed eyes. Instead of the older man confronting him, Hibari turned around and walked away. 

Ryuuichi gaped as anger flared in him. So that damn skylark was going to give him a silent treatment? Ryuuichi wouldn't give him what he wants. He gritted his teeth and pulled his shoe off. With all his strength, he aimed his shoe and threw it at Hibari's direction. The shoe managed to hit Hibari at the back of his head and made him stop short in his tracks. He menacingly turned around to look at Ryuuichi, glaring in a way that would make even Gokudera shut up. 

The younger merely stuck his tongue out while pulling at the lower lid of his eyes. "Idiot!" He toed of the rest of his shoe and socks in matters of split seconds and ran out of the mansion barefooted. He didn't care if he accidentally stepped on a nail, or a glass, or anything that would injure his legs as the matter of fact. He just didn't, for the thought of Hibari ignoring him hurts more.

He just realized that he was too damn attached to the skylark for his own liking.

He ran into the gardens and swerved off the track of running into the maze and jumped into the bushes to the small jungle-not-jungle, Hibari hot on his tail with his tonfa out. There might be a chance that he will die, or he will die. Well, he would die anyway so why not get himself a triple death sentence.

He did not expect himself to get American Football tackled down onto the ground from behind. 

They rolled on the ground a few times before stopping with Ryuuichi on his stomach and face planting on the ground, wincing because Hibari accidentally hit his the bones on the back of his shoulders. Or, perhaps it wasn't accidental. A feral growl interrupted his mental rant as a knee dug onto his back, making him groan. To think that having a sore back was bad enough. He cursed at Hibari as he gritted his teeth.

"Why did you throw your damn shoe, herbivore?"

"Why?! Because you're being childish, that's why!" Hibari's knee dug harder, a hand on the back of Ryuuichi's neck in a dangerous manner that reminded him of the different ways to snap someone's neck from behind. "How was I being childish? You're the one who's flirting with everyone. I'm just giving you the freedom."

Ryuuichi couldn't take it anymore. He used all his strength and pushed Hibari off his back. He turned around and threw a punch onto Hibari's face.

"I wasn't bloody flirting with anyone! It wasn't even intentional! Stop sounding as though I'm a horrnny sluut who wants to get into everyone's pants when I've never even done it with anyone other than you, arsehole!" 

"What about the hitman? You done it with him before. Why are you trying to lie?" 

"We didn't do it you bastard!" Hibari's eyes widen at that. That was the first time Ryuuichi called him a bastard. Actually, that was the first time Ryuuichi ever calls anyone he's close with bastard. Ryuuichi bit his tongue to shut himself up and turned away from Hibari. He breathed in deeply to stop himself from crying. He didn't want to. In fact, if possible, he would never want to cry again. He never succeeded.

He and Reborn was close, yes, to the point Hibari would kill the hitman if not for the respect he has for him. There was once, that the both of them were drunk, which led to Reborn trying to do it with him. It never happened, because the hitman, for some reason that he was too intoxicated, fell asleep when Ryuuichi was going to stop him. Ryuuichi, being too tired to care as Reborn was knocked out on top of him, went with it and slept as well. Only in their boxers.

Like he had explained to Hibari when the older man found out, they were drunk from playing Never Have I Ever with Vodka. There was dares and all, which led to them being half nakked. Ryuuichi wasn't sure if Hibari believed him, but now he know he didn't.

(He tried to reason with himself, that Hibari was too stressed from all the trips and research, and yet, he just had to be petty of it.)

He breathed in again. "Sorry." He muttered. 

".. Why are you apologizing?"

"Because I lost my temper, of course.." He huffed and ruffled his messy hair, still not looking at Hibari. If the man wanted to believe that, he couldn't do anything about it. "No." A twinge. "I should be the one apologizing." Hibari pulled him onto his lap and held him tightly. "I was too blinded by everything. My apologies, Ryuuichi."

(Their flames danced, swirling, connecting, mixing and fixing.)

Ryuuichi gripped onto the back of Hibari's jacket tightly, burying his face on the crook of his neck. Out of impulse, he bit down onto Hibari's neck harshly, breaking the skin a little. He felt the man jolting slightly at the sudden pain as he bit harder. He released a moment later, lapping up the blood. He stared up at Hibari, who was frowning and gave him a stern look. "Next time, I'd do more than just that to show you that you're the only one."

Hibari blinked. A smirk slowly formed on his face as he leaned in closer. "I'll be looking forward to it then." Ryuuichi twitched at that.

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"I'm not your dating counselor, Hibari." Reborn deadpanned as he stepped on the gas. Hibari sat beside him, neither of them looking at each other. Hibari, on the other hand, was sporting a bruise on his left cheek. "I never said that you are."

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In another world, in another parallel world, where the Historian doesn't exist. In that world, Caelum lived as a citizen, only meeting Alaude and the others years after the expected time. In that world, Ryuuichi was borned with no memories, and only occasional fleeting dreams. He met neither of his friends until he and his family migrated to Italy, with the knowledge of the mafia since young.

"What are you thinking about, Ryuu?" He turned to his brother with a small frowned, arms crossed. The twins sat alone in the lounge room of Cavallone mansion after arriving two days later. Their parents were on a job, and their cousin was god knows where, but they heard that he was meeting his ex-tutor.

And from what they heard, the said tutor was an infant with crazy strong strength and a spartan. Ryuuichi sighed. "I was just wondering why were we both here, doing nothing."

"Uh, Dino-nii asked us to?"

"For what reason, however." Yuuichi shrugged. Ryuuichi twitched again. He was feeling unsettled. The nineteen years old teen's leg was jumping, twitching so much that he couldn't even stop it. He sighed again and abruptly stood up. "I'm going to take a walk around. You wanna come?"

"Um, nah. I'll stay here." Ryuuichi raised an eyebrow. "Your penpal?" He shrugged as Yuuichi nodded and walked out with a wave. He closed the door shut and skipped around, exploring the place he never had the chance to. A few moments after he left, Dino came into the room with a group of teen, and a very tall, fedora man. Dino blinked at the lack of Ryuuichi's presence.

"Where's Ryuuichi?" "Out, exploring."

Behind the exasperated blonde, Tsuna looked around in confusion, wondering where the hell was Hibari. 

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Ryuuichi hummed an English song as he skipped up the stairs to the upper floor. The place was absolutely huge, Ryuuichi had to memorize every section just in case he got lost. He cast brief glances over the pictures hung around the floor, avoiding the expensive vases and other fragile things placed around. Just as he turned a corner, he almost bumped into a man. He jumped back immediately and breathed out in relief.

"I'm terribly sorry-" He blinked at the raven haired man as Hibari stared. (For some reason, Hibari looked familiar. Probably from his dreams?)

And he suddenly attacked. Ryuuichi yelped slightly and ran away, Hibari chasing him with his tonfa out. Ryuuichi leaped down the floor, he came up from and sprinted across the hallway back to the room he came from. He might seek refuge there. He mentally thanked Yuuichi for always pulling him out for morning run as his stamina had never been better.

He practically ripped the door open and hid behind Dino, making the blonde a meat shield as Hibari, whilst baring his teeth with a smirk, tonfa out and glinting against the light. Tsuna attempted to shriek when Reborn shut him up with a slap over the mouth while Gokudera shouted at Hibari. Yamamoto tried to stop them both with Dino trying- and failing- at keeping Hibari at bay, Ryuuichi kept pulling his shirt tightly.

Hibari ignored all of them and stalked forward, very amused. "I'll bite you to death."

"Your kink is unnecessary!" He paused at that while silence fell. Yuuichi couldn't help but burst out laughing at how ridiculous the situation was, doubling over the sofa with his phone clutched onto his chest. Reborn couldn't help but smirked at that as well. Ryuuichi 'eep'-ed at the increase of murderous aura and immediately jumped out of the open window. Since they were on the second floor and Ryuuichi, again, being forced by his brother to participate the random parkour activities Yuuichi had went to, dropped and rolled up to a crouching position. 

He ran away without even looking back. (It took a minute for everyone in the room to join Yuuichi in hysterical laughter.)

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For the next six months, Ryuuichi and Hibari had this silent competition of hide-and-seek slash cat and mouse chase. Ryuuichi had no idea what of him had interested the older to the point that whenever he followed Dino to Vongola mansion or Hibari paid a visit, Hibari would always wanted to fight him. He didn't want to, because he had seen Hibari sparring with Dino. 

He just didn't know what in the seven hell that this was happening. (Yes, he finally knew the moment Hibari stopped chasing him and he, for some reason, got along with most of them without much problem. He was surprised as he was sure that he had hard time getting along with strangers.)

Just as always, he was running away from Hibari, whose famous tonfa was out. He had heard that the Cloud Guardian of Vongola Decimo was a violent and aggressive guy, but he had not expect him to be a blood-thirsty, kinkky war freak. War, because he always leave destruction behind.

"Can you.." He gasped in a breath and shouted. "Stop chasing me already?! It has been half a year! And all you did was forcing me into a shrewd game of tag every time we met!" He climbed up the tree and sat on the highest stable branch when Hibari wasn't chasing him. He greedily suucked the much needed oxygen into his lungs, feeling slightly dizzy. He had to admit, that was the most exercise he did in his life in the span of half a year.

He was well aware that Hibari was staring up at him, but he couldn't care less as fatigue overwrote the adrenaline. Hibari was seriously a monster. He didn't even break a goddamn sweat after the long and fast run. "Alright."

He blinked. "Seriously?"

Hibari kept his tonfa and leaned against the tree trunk, staring up the sky instead. "Shiroki Ryuuichi, oldest son of Shiroki Kei and Shiroki Sakura. Used to live in Namimori before migrating to Italy, is the bronco's distant cousin. Excel in guns and other weapon, pessimist at times and has not much friends."

The last sentence hit Ryuuichi hard. True, he didn't have much friends back in high school and middle school. He had quite a lot in primary, but as he grew older, he grew further apart from them until he realized that most of his friends weren't really friends. He didn't even care, since he has his family, but it was still painful to hear it from someone he barely know. And it seemed like Hibari knew more about him than he himself does.

"Are you a stalker?!"

Hibari scoffed. "As if. You're a Namimori resident. I know every Namimori residents." Ryuuichi raised an eyebrow. The man sounded as though he wasn't done. That, and there was something strange. Really strange. The way he talked to Hibari was strange, in a sense that even he himself doesn't understand. He spoke in this familiarity that he would only do with those he's closed with.

He was pretty sure that he had only met Hibari six months ago. Apparently not.

"You're such an idiot, crybaby kitten." He twitched.

"I'm not a goddamn crybaby nor a kitten-" He paused just as Hibari craned his neck up and stared into his eyes with this unnerving smirk. A familiar, annoying, unnerving, irritating, aggravating, irksome and vexatious smirk. He gaped. 

"Crazy Raven?" If possible, the smirk widen. "Took you long enough, crybaby kitten."

Ryuuichi slammed himself back onto the tree trunk, groaning loudly. "Stop calling me that, goddamit. I'm not a crybaby." "Says the one who cried his lungs out in kindergarten when his brother was home sick." He blushed and sputtered incoherently. "Shut up!" He shifted and accidentally lost his balance. He tilted down onto the ground head first. 

He wasn't able to comprehend anything at all, and when he realized it, he was in Hibari's arms. Immediately, he was propped upright and he was blinking into the man's bluish grey eyes. "What just-" He quickly covered his nose when he felt something dripping out, and smelled like rusted iron.

He had overdid it. Then again, who wouldn't when they were running away with the speed of a hundred kilometer per hour. Okay, maybe not that much but still. 

A sigh brought his attention back to the man as a handkerchief was pressed against his nose, removing his hand away as he was set onto the ground. "Just what were you doing?"

"Excuse me. You're the one who caused it, indirectly." He wanted to tilt his head back as he said in a raspy, breathless voice but Hibari had his hand on the back of his neck, forcing him to keep his head upright. Ryuuichi was tempted to bite his hand when the man rolled his eyes at him.

"I could say the same to you." Hibari murmured lowly in French as he pressed the cloth harder. Ryuuichi frowned at that, wasn't able to catch that at all.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Needless to say, Hibari didn't know if it was fate, as he had once said it, or it was just plain coincidence that he found Ryuuichi, that he found him again. He would never let go, not after waiting for so long. Ryuuichi merely raised an eyebrow at that strange behavior.

In the world where Ryuuichi have no memories except the occasional fleeting dreams, Hibari has the memories of the past 400 years, as a French man. In the world, where their connection were cut for different yet similar reason, they met once again with no other reason to separate.

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Caelum was someone with plenty of opinions, plenty of thoughts and ideas on life as a human. He had a interest in philosophies and the way the world works, having to read, heard and memorized the words from famous people all around the world. He was, in a sense, similar to his late uncle, mysterious, deep thoughts, filled with wonders and questions.

However, unlike his uncle, he had never dared to actually find everything out and voice his questions. He was all but afraid of knowing the harsh truth and, oblivion.

And he had not wanted his family to hate him as how they hated his uncle. A coward, people would say. He begged differ.

That was all his thoughts in the past. 

He soon realized that there was no such thing as peace, from all the war, blood and death. There was no forever happiness from all the betrayals and backstabs. There was no eternal love, but he believed there is despite how his mind rejected the idea. He believed in eternal bond in every sense, he believed that there was soulmates.

He also believed that there was none for him, after what he had done. 

Caelum closed his eyes shut, darkness replacing the blue sky, basking in the sun with the cooling wind blowing. It was calming. So calming that Caelum was slightly edgy about it, as there was always the saying of the calm before the storm. Especially in the world of mafia.

In a sense, he knew that Vongola wasn't like the mafia. They were a vigilant group, one that protects. He don't deny the fact, however, that he could still taste the split blood from the past, and from the present. He wasn't exactly looking forward to the future in anyway.

"Are you unwell?"

A shadow loomed over him as he cracked an eye open, lying on the soft, green grass. He was greeted immediately by a pair of orange eyes, bright and filled with concern. The strong shoulders that held the burden of the Family, the responsibility, looked slightly sagged and tired from the lack of mantle. Perhaps the man was taking a break, Caelum mused.

"No, I'm fine and dandy, actually." Giotto looked relief at that as he sat down beside him. "Then do you mind if I ask what are you doing here?"

"Not at all. I was just.. Reliving everything." He raised an eyebrow at the ginger. (Caelum proclaimed it to be the color of oak, but it looked ginger to most of them.) The other has great memories, seemly limitless with how easy he could memorize things. It was good, yet it was also bad, because he could never forget something.

Giotto stayed silent, not answering it. He wasn't Alaude, who could easily know what exactly Caelum was thinking with a glance. Alaude knew him longer than Giotto, or most of them did, after all. Even his hyper intuition could only do so much when it comes to the Historian.

"My soul is in the sky. Doesn't it seems," Caelum quirked a smile. "Ironic?" 

"It does, but since when that deceased man has no twisted sense of humor?" He laughed. "True." He closed his eyes again and hummed a tune, the lullaby his mother had always sung to his younger sisters every night. It has been years, but the song never left his mind, imprinted to his soul. 

He loved it, even as it brought despair to his heart.

"Are you really going to leave, Caelum?" His humming stopped. A sad smile appeared on his face. "Yeah."

"What about Alaude?" He stared up at the drifting cloud, well aware that Giotto was staring at him. "He'll be free." Giotto frowned. "Why are you trying to bring grief to yourself? You have never tied him down or anything." 

"Sometimes.." The other said so softly, so weakly in a way that Giotto had never heard before. He was mildly afraid of what Caelum would say. "Leaving is necessary. Perhaps my sorrow now will bring blessing to the future, or it won't and make it worst. Who knows, for I'm no god. All I know is that I can no longer stay by his side."

".. Does he know?" Caelum shook his head. "It's for the best, Giotto. It's for the best." He pushed himself up onto sitting position and finally looked at the blonde. He gave him a grateful look. "Thank you for all these years, Giotto. Thank you so much." He reached out his hand for him to shake.

Giotto couldn't help but let twitch upwards. "I should say the same to you, Caelum." He took the hand and shook it firmly, warm and comforting. "No words can ever express my gratitude to you for your presence." He pulled him into a hug and petted him on the back. "Should fate allow, we shall meet again. All of us, where hatred and sadness cannot touch us." 

Caelum returned the hug and nodded. "Should fate allow." He echoed as they pulled away. The mirrored each others' smile, Caelum staring into those bright orange eyes for one last time before he stood up. "Addio, il mio fratello." With that, he walked away, disappearing into the woods and disappearing completely, where Giotto can no longer feel his presence.

'Dio, please have mercy and bring them out of the darkness. Please have mercy and let us sinners breathe.'

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Ryuuichi woke up to tears falling down his eyes uncontrollably. He leaned back onto the office chair and wiped his eyes. He frowned in confusion. He had no idea why, but he was feeling so damn sad and lonely. It was just so sudden, and the cause was all because of the dream. A dream that he couldn't remember. He had no recollection of it at all, not even a bit.

But the emotions were so raw, so pure. 

His phone suddenly rang from the desk as he blinked away the tears, sniffling slightly. He cleared as he picked it up. "Yes?"

"Ryuuichi? Something happened?" He pulled the phone back slightly to see that it was Hibari. How strange. He was pretty sure that it was in the midnight in America at the moment. "Nothing. Why?"

"You're crying." Trust Hibari to know something happen. He had probably felt it somehow. How, Ryuuichi had no idea, since Hibari had the tendency to realize things. It was endearing, and slightly scary. He let out a watery chuckle, soft but loud and clear in the silent room, cold office. "I guess I am."

"What happened?" Hibari asked again. Ryuuichi was tempted to shrug but he remembered that Hibari couldn't see him at the moment. "I've no idea. I just woke up to realizing that I was crying for no reason." Hibari stayed silent through the phone, and Ryuuichi could literally hear him frowning. "I'm alright, Kyouya. I'm alright." 'Because you're here.'

".. I'll be coming home soon." 

"Oh? Are you done with your work?"

"For my part, yes. The rest is up to him." He nodded, knowing that Hibari was referring to Tsuna. "Okay. It's midnight there, right? Go rest, Kyouya." 

"I will. You should take a break as well, Ryuuichi. Good night." He hummed at the tone, loving every second of it. "Good night. Stay safe." And with that, the call was ended, leaving Ryuuichi wanting nothing but to hear Hibari's voice again. (Little did he know, Hibari was the same.) He blinked at the calendar on the desk and couldn't help but smile. He stood up from his chair and stretched, sighing in relief at the sound of his bones popping. "I should perhaps buy something for the others while buying Kyouya's gift."

He shoved both of his hands into his pocket as he leisurely walked out of the office. Unknown to him, the Historian ring glowed slightly.

"Caelum. Did you say that you aren't going to look at their life?" The man quirked a wry smile and let out a chuckle. "I did, but for some reason, Ryuuichi managed to pull out my memories without me tapping into it, even when he can't remember it. None of the other reincarnations could do that. I just have to see why."

"He's the most similar to you after all, and the purity of his flames- ... You do know why, don't you?" He chuckled again. "Ahh, you caught me. I do know why. I'm just.. Curious. He's not me."

The other sighed. "Caelum, let's go. We should leave now." He finally looked up to him from Ryuuichi. ".. I suppose." He smiled sadly. "Let's go then, Alaude." They disappeared into thin air.

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Tsuna swallowed and sweated, heart thumping nervously against his rib cage as his hands were clammy. He breathed in deeply, trying calm himself down, looking up the sky. He was finally going to do it. After all these years of silent liking, he was finally going to confess. He would probably confess earlier, but his growing tutor was distracting. He blamed his hormones for it, but apparently, he still like her. He couldn't forget about her even after all that.

So he asked her to meet him on the rooftop of their high school after school alone. He almost couldn't shake both Gokudera and Yamamoto off because it was his birthday, but fortunately, he did. He arrived almost an hour before the arranged time, too nervous and impatient. When five minutes passed, his confidence dropped.

What if she doesn't like him the same he does?

He bit his lips and shook the negative thought away immediately. Just as his mind was about to stray further, the door opened as she appeared. Tsuna immediately blushed and stammered a greeting when she greeted, apologizing for being late. 

"Is there something you need?"

He gulped. 'Now is the time. I can do this.' He need to do this. He had thought of it for so long. Worst case scenario, he being rejected. He would accept that.

"I- Kyoko-chan. I-I-" He breathed in deeply again, she staring in confusion. "I like you, Kyoko-chan! Please go out with me!" He was blushing so much that even his neck and ears were red. His eyes were shut tightly, hands clenched as he waited for the rejection. Kyoko's eyes widen as she blushed as well.

She fidgeted for a moment, looking here and there. She was taking so long that Tsuna thought she was really going to reject him. "I-I'm sorry, Kyoko-chan. I shouldn't bother you wit-"

"T-that's not it, Tsuna-kun! I-.." He blinked upon the same hue she had on her cheeks. "I... Like you as well."

He couldn't believe his ears. His long time crush, and the one he like, had the same feeling as his! He pinched himself to see if he was dreaming. 'Painful..' He wasn't dreaming! He wasn't dreaming! "R-really?"

Kyoko nodded slowly. Tsuna couldn't help it but grin happily like a maniac. He immediately pulled her into a tight hug and muttered thousands of thank you to her. Kyoko giggled at that, mirroring his smile.

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It wasn't a lie when Haru really liked Tsuna. She really does. But she also know that he was in love with her best friend, Kyoko. It was as clear as daylight since they were teens. Yet she wouldn't give up, silently taking Kyoko as her love rival, but also her best friend to death. 

She was hung on him for years. Until Tsuna's eighteen birthday. They were having a party in Tsuna's house, when she saw that he and Kyoko were holding hands in an intimate manner. She immediately knew what was going on. So she put on a smile, greeting the both of them happily. They noticed the difference in her almost instantly, but she didn't care. She was really happy for them, honest! But it hurt.

So she bustled around, chattering as how she usually would. Ryuuichi wasn't smiling at her. He wasn't frowning as well. From what she know, he was concern about her. (She was aware that Ryuuichi was incapable of sympathizing or pitying anyone, after all these years. Either he was concern, doesn't care, or he has no comment over things.)

She gave him a wry smile, not noticing the stare from Gokudera

When night fell as everyone went back, Gokudera confronted her. 

"What is wrong with you?" The way he said that was so different from his sentence. For once, he was talking softly to her. Haru put up a facade. "Nothing~ Why? Is Gokudera-san worried about Haru? Aww~" Unlike usual where he would sputter and shout at her, he frowned. "Seriously, what happened to you?"

She stopped smiling and turned away. "It's none of your business, Gokudera-san. Haru'll be fine. Please don't mind me." He frowned even more. She was surprised when he hugged her, awkwardly patting her back. If it was anytime, she would shriek and jump away, shouting at him, but she didn't feel like it.

Instead, she broke down against his strong chest.

Gokudera patted her head, dismissing how his shirt was getting wetter each second. 'Idiot..'

(Much later on, they went back to their usual selves, shouting at each other. But more often than not, they would hold each other close with a content smile on their face.)

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Hibari was damn annoyed. Really damn annoyed at everything, especially at the growing crowd. The fact that Ryuuichi, who was supposed to be with him had ditched him even before it started. Unfortunately, he had already arrived for the fact that he needed to make sure that the security is fine. Not to mention, that damn bronco had stopped him before he was able to take a step off the ballroom. 

It was the annual ball that Vongola holds every year without much of a hitch, and this year, the Cavallone and the Shimon had joined and together, the three Dons hosted it together. 

It was a really, really huge ball. No joke. 

He was outside, away from the crowd while leaning against the small balcony with the glass door closed. He was trying to pacify his own irritation as if he were to go on chaos now, nothing good would come out of it. As Ryuuichi had said. Honestly, he wouldn't even care of it and just create destruction, but he had no energy to deal with those pathetic herbivores. (Really, he didn't because Ryuuichi had also threatened him that if he did pulled some crazy stunts or tried to slaughter everyone, he would be banned from touching him for two months.)

A rap on the glass door was heard as he turned to the bronco. Still a giant, and still smiling that stupid grin as always. Hibari wouldn't deny it, however, that he does look good. Ryuuichi's always better though. The door was pulled open as Hibari narrowed his eyes at the older man. "What is it?"

"The party's starting, Kyouya." He huffed and turned away, arms crossed. "So?"

"'So'? Let's go!" He growled lowly at the hand that was going to touch him. "No." Dino groaned, but dropped his hand to his side. "Oh come on! Don't be such a wet blanket. It'll be fun! I promise!" 

"No."

"Ryuuichi's coming." That, he perked up and raised an eyebrow at the blonde. (Dino sweated at the fact how Ryuuichi's name could grab Hibari's full attention like he was the most interesting thing in the world. Well, to Hibari at least. It was almost as though Tsuna had given him the mission to slaughter a crowding flock of two thousand or something.)

Dino raised both of his hands up and shrugged at that 'I'll bite you to death if you dare to lie to me' look. He was used to that already. "Yuuichi told me that he would."

Hibari scrutinized him for a moment. "Hn." With that, he pushed himself away from the balcony and passed by the blonde, into the ball room as Dino made way for the skylark. He walked to a corner where he could look at every guests in the room with just one glance and where no one was. (No one dared to stay near Hibari's perimeter. Not after hearing the rumors of the skylark being a mafiosi-eating demon.)

The party soon begun and Hibari felt his temper reaching it's max as time passed. It was getting too noisy with chatters and the soft music in the background, and Ryuuichi haven't even arrive. He was tempted to just walk away and leave already when the chatters stopped short upon five women's appearances from the door. It was Kyoko, Haru, Chrome and Bianchi, dolled up gorgeously that left lustful mafiosi drool over them. That explained why they were missing the whole day.

The last one, the tallest one they were holding onto tightly tried to pull away from them, her long dark brown hair curling up at the base, wearing a uncomfortable-looking black dress with a pair of high heels. It was as if she wasn't tall enough. Hibari stared at her as she tried to hide herself from public eyes. He then noticed Reborn sauntering over to her, Bianchi immediately latching onto the tall hitman as she cooed about something.

Reborn was smirking as the unnamed woman growled and snapped lowly at Reborn. People all around them stared in horror at how brave she was. What she was talking about, Hibari didn't know as he was practically at the opposite side of the room. She looked as though she wanted to punch Reborn when she took a step forward. Though, she ended up stumbling and falling into Reborn's arms.

Hibari felt more irritated than usual.

Soon, Dino, Enma and Tsuna crowded around her, grinning and laughing while she blushed and screeched at them. Hibari hummed.

He walked over to her. Just as he was about to reach her, their eyes met. She immediately turned scarlet and tried to run away. Read: Tried to. She ended up tripping over her legs. Hibari managed to save her from embarrassing herself by falling flat onto the ground and pulled her into his arms. 

She was red to the tip of her ears as Hibari smirked down at her. (The others snickered and hurried away from them.) "Good evening, small animal. You made me wait" She, or rather, he groaned and wanted buried his face into Hibari's shoulder but the split second remembrance that Kyoko and Haru had put on some make-up on him made him stop. His face itched, his legs hurts, and he was really uncomfortable at his exposed back. He whimpered in despair at why he allowed them to force him into this revealing dress.

Right. He lost a bet to Reborn. Damn that hitman.

"Someone please kill me oh my god--" Hibari pulled him tighter and tilted his head to look at him. He was still smirking, much to the younger's chagrin. "Why? You look gorgeous." He said huskily, leaning closer slightly. Ryuuichi, if possible, turned even more redder. Hibari really missed the time he could make him this flustered without much of an effort.

"Shut up." He pecked him on the lips and chuckled lowly. He pulled away slightly and dragged Ryuuichi off to the dance floor. "Shall we have a dance?"

"You should have asked that before dragging me here, dammit. It's not like I have any choice.." Ryuuichi pouted as Hibari skillfully led the dance. He was finally able to calm his heating face down, going with the flow. He had given up the moment Hibari grabbed onto him. There was no escape for him after all. "I didn't think that you would want to dance in this crowd though."

"What crowd? There's only you in my eyes." He blushed again. "You- How can you be so cheesy- God----" Hibari smiled at how adorable he was. "Says the one who's cheesy even before he was born." Ryuuichi growled half-heartedly before sighing in exasperation. True, he had only just realized that.

"How did they managed to make you wear this anyway?" 

"Bianchi said that she would feed me to her ingredients while Chrome would throw me into a vortex of cliche horror if I don't let Kyoko and Haru...." He looked away slightly and sweated.

Hibari raised an eyebrow. "They saw you ?"

"They did not!" Ryuuichi gave him a horrified look because the mere thought of that gave him goosebumps. No offense to the girls, but he honestly don't feel comfortable even being half in front of them. Or anyone else as the matter of fact. His parents and Yuuichi doesn't count, and Hibari's a special case.

"Huh. So you put it on on your own accord." He sobbed. "I didn't want to die.."

Hibari chuckled again. "You're afraid of them when you wouldn't even cower upon the cold creatures?" He meant by the Vindice. Really. Ryuuichi wouldn't even give a damn to them despite the danger. Either he felt that they wouldn't kill him, or that he could beat them. It was a fifty-fifty chance though.

"I don't want to hurt them." Ryuuichi sighed as Hibari twirled him. He didn't realized that that was coming and almost fell again. Damn these high heels. He had never liked them, and he will never like them.

Hibari pulled him back and kissed him despite the stares.

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Ryuuichi hissed as he pulled off the high heels and rubbed his sore feet. The skin around his heel bones were red and chafed. He was fortunate enough that they weren't bleeding, or it would be a pain in the back to deal with it. He sighed and slumped onto the soft bed, spreaded across the cover, absolutely exhausted. He should really clean the make-up off his face.

Hibari, who had went into the toilet the moment the doors were locked, came out with a wet towel. Ryuuichi blinked at him when he was attacked in the face by the said towel. (At least it was warm.) "Hmpp-!?" His yelps of surprise was muffled against cloth, unable to breath.

"Puwaa- What the hell?" Hibari raised an eyebrow at the cloth before tossing it somewhere. "Did you just attempted to get this," Ryuuichi pointed at his face. More specifically, the chemicals on his face. "Off with just that?" 

Hibari gave him a blank look. "Shouldn't your eyes be burning."

Ryuuichi blinked. In matters of seconds, he rushed into the toilet and the sound of frantic splashes of water made Hibari snickered, settling on the bed. Ryuuichi came out with another towel, a dry one, and was wiping his face with a sigh. It was much more comfortable without the make-up on his face.

He glanced down at the dress and frowned. It took him ages to put this on because he had no idea how to without the help of the girls, and freaking hell, he would rip this into pieces if he wasn't careful enough. (He was pretty sure that it cost a bomb. He preferred a bomb than this. Or not. Depending on the situation.)

He reached back to find the zip at the bottom and was about to pull it down when Hibari stopped him. The older man was suddenly in front of him and pulling him into a kiss. Ryuuichi gasped into Hibari's mouth as he was pushed down onto the bed. Hibari suddenly pulled away and grabbed his leg. Ryuuichi blushed when he pulled it up, exposing his clothed lower parts.

Hibari raised an eyebrow at the boxer. "Pity that you aren't wearing lingerie." The younger blushed harder and tried to close his legs together, attempting to kick the Cloud on the head as well. Hibari's grip only tighten at his leg and spread them wider. With a smirk, he pulled the leg he was holding nearer, eyes never leaving Ryuuichi's.

He kissed the leg, slightly. He gave him a feral grin as Ryuuichi blanched and flushed at the same time. "Let's hear you scream, small animal."

And scream he did.

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A/N= FINALLY! How long did I take? Almost three weeks? Yeah, I think. Sorry for taking so long! School and the extra classes and the activities are taking a toll on me. orz

'Addio, il mio fratello' means 'Farewell, my brother' in Italian. 'Dio' means 'God' in Italian as well.

For the first part, Ryuuichi's brain had strunk to a five years old. Because of the bazooka. Instead of switching with his future self, he into a kid. Initially, I wanted to write him stuck 400 years in the past, but well... *shrug*

Reborn knew that Ryuuichi was once a crybaby because Ryuuichi has no filter when he's drunk. 

Fun Fact= Like Hibari, Ryuuichi actually really like soft, fluffy and cute things, but not as much as Hibari. (Somehow. He tends to squeal at times though.)

The parallel world thing is more of an AU, actually. The twins and the others are nineteen here. Instead of Yamamoto, Ryuuichi and Yuuichi's childhood 'acquaintance' is Hibari. Hibari has his memories of the past as Alaude, but he only remembered it after he lost contact with the twins.

Fun Fact= Yuuichi's penpal is Amemori *smirks*

'My Soul is in the Sky' is actually a quote from William Shakespeare. I found it amusing so yeah. And since William Shakespeare passed away in the 1600 something, and that the Primo era is somewhere around 1600, so yeah.

Don't you guys think 2795 and 5986 is cute as well? Though I still like R27~ XP

*cough* I apparently have no shame over the last part *grins*

I'll be writing those 100 prompt thing? Where a word or two was given and you'll need to write something? Yeah. I might write 200. So it'll definitely take a while. I'm apparently procrastinating on the Character Profile and I need to edit it a LOT. *sigh*

I felt like I've forgotten somethings... I s2g that my memories hadn't been the best these days. *sweats*

[I apologize for any grammar, spelling, etc. etc. mistakes]