When Spring Fades Away

That Day

Disclamer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira Amano. This is a work of fiction not for profit. 

                                                                                             

The swordsman walked happily next to his hyperactive friend, who had been shouting 'to the extreme' since they got off their private plane. The news about Haru's delivery was the only reason his smile never faltered, even during his mission.

If one asked Yamamoto Takeshi, he would say that he was the happiest man alive. Because she was happy.

His thoughts were interrupted when Ryohei shouted, "Romario-san! What are you doing here?"

Yamamoto looked for the older man's eyes, but the latter kept looking at the floor. He felt shivers run down his spine; something was off.

"I-I was asked to drive you to the hospital."

Hospital?

"The hospital? Why? We're supposed to head back to the base. Tsuna-" before he could finish his sentence Yamamoto took a step ahead of him and put his hands on the Bucking Horse's right-hand man's shoulders, "Takeshi?"

"What happened to her?"

'Please... please God, anyone... anything but her!'

-:-:-:-:-

The hospital seemed calm to Bianchi; calmer than it should be. Maybe something was wrong with her ears; maybe something was wrong with her heart. The only sounds she could distinguish were the baby's and Lambo's loud wailings. Even Chrome and Kyoko's sobs were not heard.

'Why... why?!!' she could not help but stand still watching the whole scene with shock; unknown to her, her tears had been rolling on her cheeks since earlier, but she didn't notice; she didn't care.

She didn't know what to do anymore.

She was supposed to lull the baby, she was supposed to hold the two teenagers close to her chest, she was supposed to stand for everyone. She was supposed to be the adult. But that responsibility was heavier than expected, and it easily came crushing her, along with her rational emotions.

The most dangerous tutor stood next to his student at the door of the room, his fedora hid his face; no one knew if he was crying or not, no one noticed; they were all busy dealing with reality than paying attention to their surroundings. Leon, though, seemed to be weeping; the little green animal formed a small trembling ball.

"I leave everything in your care, Reborn-chan!" she had said smiling brightly.

Reborn never thought that he would become so close to her; she was supposed to be a candidate for the title of the Decimo's bride, but ended up becoming the wife of the cloud guardian instead, and something more.

She was the spring.

The bomber leaned on the wall of the hallway with a passive expression; his world had just collapsed, and he could do nothing. He watched the younger guardian of the family sitting on the floor, crying loudly; Gokudera would have reached for him... but his mind went blank and he could do nothing, say nothing, feel nothing.

The air felt heavy; his head, shoulders, stomach, feet hurt; his heart ached. He couldn't perceive anything anymore as his eyes became blurry and the tear were finally allowed to fall.

Something was wrong; everything went wrong, he was supposed to visit her today, and she was supposed to be smiling at him, shouting nonsense like usual. Then why was everyone crying? Why was he on the ground watching his droplets fall? Why was I-pin holding him? Why was she so affectionate? Why was she sad?

Then why was she lying lifeless on her hospital bed.

Lambo felt like throwing up; everything hit him at once, he couldn't take it. It was too much. He delivered himself from the Chinese's tight hug and laid his back to the wall; with watery eyes he glanced at the room and saw the man she loved. At that moment he understood, he understood that he wasn't the only one hurting, that someone was sadder than him. He hid his face with both hands as the teenage girl reached for him once again.

Kyoko wasn't sure if she was comforting her violet haired friend, or comforting herself. Both women cried their heart out, but the tears didn't seem to end. She wanted to wake up from that nightmare; it was too much, she couldn't handle it. It was too early for her leave them like that; way too soon, way too easily.

Hugging Chrome, the brunette made her possible to suppress the need to hug her husband; no, she couldn't. He lied; she hated him for that. As much as she loved him, he had no right to hide her friend's critical condition. He had absolutely no right.

Doctor Shamal walked out of the room, and stopped at the door frame, where stood the only person who knew; who, just like him, hated himself. As he put his hand on the young mafia boss' shoulder, the latter wanted the ground to crack open and eat him. He couldn't stand it, he couldn't stand the atmosphere. Tsuna felt that it was him fault, his goddamn fault that she died.

He knew, he knew better than anyone that it was not; that she had planned for everything knowing the outcome, with no regrets. She had told him once that all she ever wanted was for her husband to be happy, but how could he be?

How could he ever be happy when she was gone? Forever gone.

The brunette's heart burned with repressed tears; he wanted to cry, but couldn't. Reborn said that he should stand for his friends before himself; he owed them that at least, for not telling them the truth.

The blond climbed the stair two by two, ignoring the elevator that took long to arrive; he couldn't wait another moment; he had to be there. Dino hurried to the hospital as soon as he received the phone call and made sure that Romario went to pick up the other guardians.

The faster he ran, the further it seemed. At first he didn't believe his ears when Tsuna broke the news to him with a shaking voice, but then, he understood why he was the first person to be called; he was needed, not by Tsuna, but by his friend.

Finally arriving, he walked past the family members, fists clenched, he entered the room after putting his hand on Tsuna's shoulder, and the brunette gave him a fragile smile of recognition. The bucking Horse stood silently watching his weeping friend before reaching for him.

He did not know when the tears started falling, and when they would dry. He somehow did not want them to, though; as the time in which he was weeping was the only reality he could face. The only reality he did not want to face.

The skylark was hurt, betrayed... Hibari Kyoya was crying.

In one fleeting moment she pronounced her last breath, and everything fell apart.

Her body lied in his hands; she was gone, forever. She had promised him to be there for him, to never leave him. Yet, there they were.

Haru was his light, the only thing that illuminated his life; she was home.

Mukuro stood silent in the hallway; his eyes wandered from his crying lover, to everyone present there. He felt hollow. It had been few days only since the delivery, and he had talked to Haru who requested to see him the next day, but he was busy and couldn't make it. Little did he know what she meant when they talked, "I want to see you one last time."

The bouquet of zinnias he was holding fell from his hand. He smiled at the little irony, zinnias, he brought zinnias.

The illusionist never thought that the little missy as he used to call her; in the beginning she was a simple friend of Chrome, a silly cosplayer. The only reason he got close to her was to irritate the cloud guardian, but in the end he grew accustomed to her. Rokudo Mukuro regarded Hibari Haru as his friend. Slowly the mist guardian turned around and started to walk way. He simply wanted to get away; ignoring the rain and sun guardians accompanied by her father, who ran past him.

Upon exiting the hospital, the shining sun blinded the mist guardian.

'You know Haru, when spring fades away...'