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It was an unusually quiet day in the Vongola Headquarters. The silence was a welcome addition to their usually chaotic life.
Even more surprising is that all the Guardians were inside the House.
Lambo had just gotten home from school. Tsuna had enrolled him and I-pin in a local high school in town. Their Boss had been adamant about not giving any work until they were eighteen.
Tsuna was in his office, sitting at his desk, knee deep into his work, beside him, most likely was Hayato, proofreading and editing the papers their Sky was signing.
Mukuro and Chrome were in God knows where, the Mist pair were known to pop up randomly, scaring the workers inside, or making mischief somewhere.
Ryohei was presumably in the medical wing, brushing up on his healing flames, and stocking up on their first aid supplies.
And Kyoya was patrolling around, which probably means he’s napping on the rooftop with Hibird resting on his hair.
Which leads Takeshi to the small patch of field a little outside of their House, dressed in a dark blue naagi, with a hakama of the lighter shade.
After a few long hours of training, he drops down in exhaustion, letting go of his Shigure Kintoki which turns back into a regular bamboo sword.
In the quiet hours of the afternoon, the Rain notices his practice location, and sees the sturdy tree that he’d been using as a target. chips of wood scattered from the metal blade and deep gashes across the bark.
He sends a silent apology to the tree.
And lets his eyes wander around the field, this was a corner of the estate that he’d unofficially claimed. Yamamoto had found this spot upon moving to the Headquarters, in maybe the second week they had settled in. At first it was the perfect training ground, with wide spaces and cool air passing through, and leaves swaying by and flowers growing through the concrete and soil; And it wasn’t as if the actual Headquarters doesn't have a training ground of its own underground, but those were too stiff, too white and plain, too suffocating. It's just the calm Rain preferred outside.
And without even realizing, Takeshi had spent all his time in this little nook, and the other Guardians knew to find him there or on certain occasions, completely steer clear of the area, lest they face the hailing rainfall.
And now, with spring in Italy, the flowers were in full bloom, Takeshi had been careful not to step on any of them while he was training. He’d hate to be the cause of destruction of something so beautiful .
He didn’t know what compelled him, but he snapped out of his daze with his hand thumbing the stem of a flower in the grass.
“Takeshi-nii?” A voice calls out, and he whirls around to see Lambo standing there, leaning against a tree.
“Hey,” He greets back, patting the spot next to him, motioning the Lighting to sit.
“Can I really?” Lambo asks, and Takeshi nods back, “Sorry, I just needed a few minutes, homework was hard,” and he folds his knees to his chest.
“No other place like this to rest right?” Yamamoto grins at him, “Take all the time you need,”
Takeshi was vastly proud of Lambo, after all, he was the top of his class, he and I-pin always switching in between the 1st and 2nd rankings. It may not look like it, with Lambo’s laid back attitude and boisterous tendencies, but they had learned earlier on that he could store information like no other. Maybe that’s why his hair was so big, it's full of information. Takeshi stifled a laugh at that thought.
“There’s a lot of flowers here,” Lambo says, and scans the area, “Smells great,”
“It does, doesn’t it?” Takeshi stretches his arms above his head, “Reminds me of my childhood, when we’d make flower crowns at the park,” he says off-handedly.
“You’re so old, Takeshi-nii,” Lambo qips playfully, “You sound like a sixty year old,”
“Hey! I’m barely twenty five,” He ‘kindly’ reminds him.
“Still older than me!” Lambo blows a raspberry at him, and Takeshi rolls his eyes.
A soft breeze rushes by the field.
“I’m bored,” Lambo whines, digging his chin into his knees.
“Find a way to entertain yourself then,” Takeshi mildly suggests, and he sees Lambo pout in concentration, and abruptly he turns to his side and starts picking flowers, Takeshi merely watches curiously.
“Takeshi-nii” He calls out again, and the Rain hums, “Can you teach me how to make a flower crown?”
And that’s when Yamamoto Takeshi’s breath is knocked out of his lungs.
The last time he made a flower crown was for his Mother before she had died, with crumpled petals and tangled stems, but she took it with the brightest smile, she looked so beautiful.
“-Shi-nii?”
“Ta-”
“Takeshi-nii?”
He blinks and suddenly Lambo’s hand was waving in front of his face. He must’ve spaced out.
“Are you alright?” Lambo asks, gripping on Yamamoto’s sleeve.
“Yeah, don’t worry, just remembered something,” Takeshi dismisses.
“Are you sure?” and the Rain nods. With that, Lambo leans back “You don’t have to teach me, it’s okay,”
“No, it’s fine,” He reaches for a flower, plucking it from the pile Lambo had made, “Wouldn't want the flowers to wilt for nothing right?”
And so the Rain and the Lightning re-learn how to braid stems like twines.
Predictably, Takeshi finishes his crown first, tucking the last end of the stems, so that it would not be visible.
He carefully places the delicate row of baby’s breath on top of Lambo’s head.
I admire your innocence despite all your hardships.
“Woah Takeshi-nii! This looks so pretty!” He looks at the crown in amazement, and then compares it to how own and sighs, and Takeshi chuckles and points at a missed spot.
Takeshi spends a few moments correcting Lambo’s mistakes, but not for long.
“Flower crowns? How oddly domestic,” Mukuro says, amusement lacing his tone.
“I think it’s adorable,” Chrome states beside him.
“I didn’t say it wasn’t, Dear Nagi,” The Mist replies, and Chrome walks over to both of them and drops to the ground to marvel at their creations.
“Hey Mukuro, hey Chrome,” Takeshi greets, already plucking a new batch of flowers, and he wordlessly places a few over to Chrome’s lap
“You start by breaking the top lightly, just until it’s bendable,” And so the calming voice of their Rain fills the field, paired with the zephyr breeze.
And so the four of them sat there, Mukuro overseeing the three with a gentle smile on his face, as Takeshi explained the directions to Chrome and Lambo who followed dutifully.
Takeshi quite liked the Mist pair, even if half the time they were together, they were always up to no good, because they cause some noise in the otherwise empty atmosphere, they make life out of the house.
Sometimes when Takeshi couldn’t even bear human interactions, Chrome illusions his door invisible, blending with the creme walls, and Mukuro heads down to the kitchens to fetch him some sweets and sushi. They take care of him, and they also know when to leave him alone.
By the time had passed, Chrome had been half way into hers, Takeshi had finished two sets, and he unceremoniously reached over to Mukuro’s spot and he lightly placed a crown of vibrant bluebells on his head, complementing his hair.
In a life full of betrayal, you are the most loyal.
And then he turns back to Chrome who had a face full of childlike wonder, and he deposits the crown made of blue starflower as if she were a Queen, and maybe she is, that’s why Takeshi had knelt on one knee.
From the start, you’ve been the most brave.
“Look, Chrome-nee, Mukuro-nii! You match!” Lambo exclaims excitedly.
“Indeed, we do,” And Mukuro scoots over to Chrome’s side and squashes their cheeks together, which causes Chrome to turn light pink.
A thin and dark figure passes by the window facing the field.
Said figure has spiky brown hair and is speeding towards them in haste.
“Guys, please help!” Tsuna whisper-yells to them in urgency
And immediately, all present Guardians are on standby. Mukuro was already fading into thin air, checking towards the hallway Tsuna had just exited, and Chrome enveloping them into an invisible bubble. Lambo and Takeshi both let their eyes wander, sensing even the faintest movement.
“A terrible person is following me!” Tsuna says as he tucks his legs into his chest, sitting beside his Lightning Guardian.
Takeshi’s grip on his katana tightens.
A few beats pass quietly, tense and ready, they wait for the offender to make a mistake.
“Boo!” A loud and thunderous voice yells behind them, and all three Guardians turn to their Sky laughing his ass off, “Your faces! Oh my God, I’m sorry for scaring you but-” and he proceeds to laugh even harder.
“Boss!”
“Tsuna-nii!”
“Tsuna!”
Annoyed groans reply to him.
“Ara ara, Tsunayoshi-kun, I didn’t think you were this mean,” Mukuro’s voice says, and they see Hayato standing beside him, scowling.
“I found this little kitty, maybe he’s the one that’s following you,” The Mist tilts his head to his right, making the flower crown flop slightly.
“Stop calling me that!” Gokudera grunts, “And I wasn’t following the Boss, I was heading towards the main hall,”
“Oh? Unusual for our smart and hardworking Storm to skive off from work?” Mukuro quips.
“I wasn’t, I was getting something from my room,” Hayato grunts, “And speaking of skiving off,” he points a finger to Tsuna, “You haven’t been doing the paperworks I’ve been setting at your desk,”
“C’mon Hayato, give me a break! I just finished three all-nighters!” Tsuna never really grew out of his boyish grins, much like the ones he’s giving to his Storm right now.
“Fine,” he sighs defeatedly, he couldn't even deny his Sky anything, especially with Lambo and Chrome pouting behind said Sky, those fuckers knew he had a soft spot towards them.
“Boss! Check out what Takeshi’s been teaching us!” Chrome calls to him and holds up her work.
Tsuna and Hayato step forward and the Sky cautiously takes hold of the circular object in his hands, while Lambo passes his work to their Storm.
“...It’s cute,” Hayato settles, after a beat of silence.
“Hey! Bakadera!” Lambo huffs at him, and lightly kicks at his leg.
Chrome giggles at that, and everyone present falls a little bit in love. Platonically of course. Except maybe Mukuro.
“Wah, it’s so pretty!” And Tsuna looks around to their heads, with tufts of flowers on top.
“Come sit down, Tsuna-nii!” Lambo yells, and their Sky obeys, while Hayato sits down next to Chrome.
And so the Sky and Storm join them in their lessons.
“What the-” Hayato almost curses, when the flower stem he’s holding breaks off again .
“Not like that! Try to be a bit gentle,” Chrome reprimands him, handing him another flower.
Takeshi chuckles a bit at the struggling Storm, but their Sky isn’t doing well either.
“Like this Tsuna-nii!” Lambo says, slightly tucking the stems like twines.
Tsuna was never an artsy child, but damnit if he wasn't going to try for his youngest Guardian.
It’s pretty ironic , Takeshi thinks, that the hands that constantly hold bombs and cigarettes, and the hands that incinerated a whole human in the Future That Never Was, are both treating a flower so, so gently.
Takeshi turns back to his own crown, a finished one resting at his left thigh, and knotting the final row.
He stands up and walks over to Hayato, crouching down to their level, he misses the look Mukuro sends to Tsuna, eyes full of warmth.
He plops down the crown on Hayato’s hair, the yellow alstroemeria violently contrasting with his silver locks. But oddly enough, it fits.
I’m grateful that you’re my best friend.
And because it’s in Hayato’s nature to be a curious little shit, he instantly swipes at the crown, inspecting it.
And because he’s smart, he figures out the meaning pretty quickly. Takeshi had expected it and his grin brightened.
“Baseball idiot,” he mutters, ears turning a little bit red, as Takeshi guides him to place the crown on his head again.
“And you’re a ticking time bomb,” Takeshi returns.
Their Storm truly embodied his element, Hayato never took any bullshit from anyone, even their Boss, which took a hilariously long time to do so, and he was never gentle, yet he was always soft, a true tsundere, as he liked to sometimes tease Hayato. He braided I-pin’s hair whenever she visited, and helped Lambo sneak grape candies from the kitchens, and he held Takeshi on days when reality hit a little too hard, and he realized this whole mafia thing wasn’t a game anymore.
He kneels again, once he’s reached Tsuna’s side, except now, it’s more regal-looking, with his back straight and calloused palms, he lays the crown of hydrangeas like he’s bestowing it upon a King. That isn’t much further from the truth.
Thank you for accepting me, and giving all of us a place to call home.
“Thank you, Takeshi-kun,” He smiles gratefully at him, before pricking his finger to the thorns of the flower he was holding, “Ow!”
“That’s payback for scaring us earlier,” Lambo remarks, making fun of him.
A King that took all of their broken pieces and mended them, one that expected nothing in return, one that held his friends tight, and famiglia even tighter.
All of that yet, still a clumsy King.
The Guardians wouldn’t have it any other way. Even if Kyoya and Mukuro can’t seem to bring themselves to admit it.
“There you all are!” A loud booming voice hollers, and they turn to see short white curls and tanned skin.
Ryohei was holding a fairly large picnic basket, and he lifted up his other hand, waving at them, “You had the workers worried for a minute, they said you disappeared one by one,”
“Sorry,” Tsuna had scratched his nape sheepishly, “We just wandered here by chance,”
“Ne, Ne, Ryohei-nii, what’d you got there?” Lambo curiously peeks at the basket.
“Lunch,” The Sun had walked over closer and sat down, and started to lay down a blanket enough for all of them to lounge in and then unpacked the food. “Figured you lot haven’t eaten yet, so here I am, there’s some snacks in here too,”
Bentos were appearing one by one from the basket, like Ryohei was pulling a magic trick, and it certainly felt like it. Eventually eight boxes and utensils lay in line, like a rainbow, which is self explanatory with the distribution of the food packages.
Immediately, the Japanese natives started to beam brightly, it’s been a long time since they had any Japanese food, and while the dishes in Italy are delicious and filling, there’s nothing quite like eating home cooked food from their country.
Tsuna reached for his orange and the green one, handing the other to Lambo, and Chrome got up to fetch hers and then pouted at the size of her indigo bento, which was a little bigger than Mukuro’s.
One by one, they get their designated bento and instantly melt, they’d had missed this.
Ryohei, Lambo and Hayato together, in one confined space, were a sight to see, with their constant bickering and snappish replies towards each other, providing entertainment to the rest of the Guardians.
Takeshi picks at the flowers again, while chewing on a bite of his onigiri, might as well keep himself busy while eating, he was always a slow eater.
He’s halfway on the crown when he feels someone pressing themselves beside him, he leaves the person be, the Tenth Generation were quite a tactile group so it was not surprising for someone to sit close to another.
What did make his eating halt, is the metal chopsticks placed in front of him, trailing his view to their Cloud.
“Eat first, that can wait,” He whispers and motions his hand again, this time Takeshi complies and opens his mouth. “Good boy,” Kyoya pats his head like a puppy, and the Rain elbows him. Hard.
The Cloud makes an ‘oof’ sound and flicks his forehead lightly as revenge, before taking his bento and eating from it.
And so, the Tenth Generation of Vongola, shared a meal together.
By the time they had finished and put away the bento boxes, Takeshi had finished braiding the flowers on his hands.
He pats Kyoya's thighs to signal him to leg him up, and the Cloud lets out a small growl in response but he eventually complies.
He crawls over to where their Sun-Lighting-Storm trio are still bickering, and pokes Ryohei's cheeks to get his attention, once the boxer turns his head around to face him, Ryohei feels a weight on his head. Chrysanthemums.
Continue being joyful and full of life in this dull world.
Ryohei had matured after moving to Italy, he was more serious and an even more skilled fighter, although he had never lost the warm feeling he emanated to people around him, making the children drawn to him. Ryohei is Takeshi’s sparring buddy. The Rain slashed, and hit, and caused the training ground to crumble to its knees, and yet the Sun only let him, and then afterwards, he would pick Takeshi up and douse him with Sun flames in the Infirmary.
The look Ryohei gives him is as bright as his Element, bright and excitable, and Takeshi couldn’t help but return it. Ryohei then boasts his crown to the other two beside him.
Takeshi comes back to his spot and immediately, Kyoya claims his lap as a pillow, but Takeshi doesn’t mind. With the limited moving he can do from his position, he picks up a bunch of flowers again. His grin never leaves his face.
His fingers dance around the flower stems again, expertly weaving it around, this time with precision and focus, it was for an important person after all .
Tsuna always reminds them not to play favorites, in any circumstance, but Takeshi thinks he can forgive him for this one.
In a matter of minutes, a new crown was created, and Takeshi leaned down to brush his lips against Kyoya’s forehead.
“Can you get up for me?” He requests, giving the other a bashful smile.
“Okay,” And then the Cloud pulls himself, sitting up beside Takeshi.
Takeshi gently bestows the flower crown onto Kyoya’s head. Red Roses decorates his hair.
I'll love you further than tomorrow and longer than forever.
Takeshi had never expected his almost childish crush on the Discipline Chairman of Namimori would ever flourish, much less be returned by the same intensity. They had danced around each other up until Takeshi’s highschool graduation, which mind you was a very long time. All of their Elements had found them the day after, sleeping beside each other at Takeshi’s room, and Takeshi swore up and down that nothing indecent had happened, but Kyoya’s sly smirk was enough evidence stating otherwise.
Kyoya gives him a soft look in return, their eyes never leaving the other.
His lover brings a hand up, ruffling his hair again, and placing a sweet kiss on his temple.
The both of them share a smile, then Takeshi leans back, and Kyoya now drapes himself onto him, tucking his face on his Rain’s collarbones.
And for the first time in a while, Takeshi can feel like he can breathe.
Breathe , where he can see his family eat heartily, and laugh in jest. He inhales and feels grateful for that day ten years ago.
Takeshi will be eternally grateful towards Tsuna for holding him back that day.
Takeshi hears his fellow Guardians fuddle around, a shaking of leaves, and distant bickering.
He wallows in the fact that his people are near him and their comforting voices fill his ears.
“Takeshi?” Said man opens his eyes to find Tsuna crouched in front of him, hiding something behind his back. And behind him are his Guardians, with matching soft smiles on their faces.
“Yeah?” He groggily asks, he must have taken a cat nap.
“Uh,” Tsuna mutters, “This is for you,” And he extends his hands, presenting him with a flower crown, and it was poorly crafted, if Takeshi was to be honest, the ends were not tucked properly, and the pattern was inconsistent, and some even shoved precariously, but he drowns that thought when he recognizes what kind of flowers they were made up of.
Orange Roses with White Daffodils.
We admire you for who you are, please never change.
Takeshi feels his eyes swell up a bit, and a tear escapes. It must be a coincidence. He thinks, but he can’t bring himself to believe it, not when Hayato throws him a knowing look.
He lowers his head, gesturing Tsuna to place the crown on his head, and he does, cautiously lowering it to his hair, like he was knighting him the highest position on the court.
Tsuna pats his hair once and gives him a teasing grin, and Takeshi returns him with knotted eyebrows.
Their Sky points downward, to Takeshi’s hands, which were being held by Kyoya.
The Rain follows the direction and sees two delicate flowers on his fingers, formed into a ring, on his left hand.
A Red Daisy and a White Rainflower.
Takeshi feels his face brighten pink, and he splutters. And his friends chuckle amusedly, Hayato even wolf-whistling.
“Shut up!” Takeshi exclaims, attempting to free his hand, yet Kyoya merely tightens his hold.
“Oh, come on,” He nudges him lightly and Kyoya relents, and Takeshi brings his left hand up to his face, inspecting it in wonder.
“Don’t worry, I’m planning to give you a real ring soon,” Kyoya whispers to him, “But I think this one will mean more to you,”
I just wish you could see yourself in my eyes, see how wonderful you are, I love you.
And there, Takeshi, basking in the warmth of his famiglia, shoots them a beaming and toothy and genuine smile.
Takeshi turns to Kyoya, and takes a hold of his chin, and gently presses their lips together. Kyoya, however, is insatiable, and so, he angles his head to the right, and slots their mouths. With their friends, who have witnessed and have been supporting their relationship from the start, hollering loudly in the background.
Takeshi can’t think of a better way to spend his day. Being surrounded by the people he loves and who loves him too.
esisterete sempre nel mio cuore,
grazie per essere la mia casa.