Work Text
Night, a single light is on in the kitchen. The pots, pans and chopsticks are washed and put on the drying rack. Dishes are being put in the dishwasher, when the elder Yamamoto moves to stand beside his son.“Kino Makoto, you cousin, will be coming to stay with us for a year in a couple months. She is taking a year off after high school before going to culinary school.”“Otou-chan*.” Takeshi frowns. “You never talk about any family.”Sometimes his father will speak on the phone in hushed tones in his room at night. But the boy has never listened in. It always seemed so private.The father claps a hand on his son’s shoulder.“That is because your mother is no longer here with us, neither are Makoto-chan’s parents. She came to live with us before you were born.”“But then oka-san…”“Yes. Your mother had to leave us early.” The man bows his head. “It was always my wish for her to stay, but child services…and she declared herself an emancipated minor. I told her she could stay her after that. She said she wanted to go back to her parents’ house even though we were paying the taxes. She said that it was time to take care of it after so many years. She is coming back to visit for her gap year.”It will be the first time he meets his older cousin. The last time they met, Takeshi was little more than an infant. His lips curve into a smile. He wonders what she looks like.Fifty seven days later, the sky is a warm orange-ish blue dusted with white nimbi. The doorbell rings. Takeshi blearily rubs at his eyes. It is the first couple days in summer break. Otou-san always lets him have a few days off before working him hard at the restaurant and he doesn’t have baseball practice today, so he prefers to sleep in. He pouts. It was a good dream. It was about silver hair and grey eyes and a smile.His cousin is coming today. Shit! He throws back his covers and nearly falls flat on his face. In his haste his feet got tangled up in his blanket, and even his swordsmanship couldn’t prevent that. At least he managed to right himself with no trouble. He powers through brushing his teeth and splashes water onto his face. He threads his fingers through his bed hair in an attempt to smooth out the tangled tufts. He gives it up as a lost cause.“Takeshi! Open the door.”He sniffs the air. Smells good. His father must be cooking his biggest breakfast spread downstairs. The one he used to tell Takeshi about when he was toddler about how he used to woo his late wife.“Hai! Otou-chan! Coming!” He staggers down the stairs in his sleep clothes.Takeshi throws open the door and has to cover his eyes because the sun is aimed in the direction of their front door.It seems tallness runs in the family on both sides. The female silhouette on front porch is Gokudera-kun’s height. The boy blushes at the reminder of his dream. He hopes she didn’t see, or if she did that she thought it was a refraction from the early morning sun.His eyes adjust better, and they widen. He can hardly believe the college lady in front of him is Mako-nee. She is dressed in draping clothes, her tunic is wide collared and her long skirt brushes the heels of her boots. His lips curve broadly.“Good morning! I’m Yamamoto Takeshi.” He bows short and respectful.“Good morning little cousin! I’m Kino Makoto!” She bows back and lunges.He shrinks back on nimble feet.She raises a brow. That was some smooth reflex. He is experienced in fighting.“Sorry. I just really wanted to hug you. You’re so cute!”“It’s okay.” He laughs scratching the back of his head. “I was just surprised. You can hug me if you want.”“Great!” She gloms him so hard he has trouble breathing.He doesn’t know what this girl eats, but she’s as strong if not stronger than most guys he knows. And it’s a surprise even though she’s as tall as Gokudera-kun, and especially since she’s slender. But sparring against Gokudera, and Tsuna helped debunk any and all theories that smaller people are weaker. More pressing, however is the fact that he can barely breathe.He pats her on the shoulder. “Can’t breathe.”Good thing he didn’t throw her over his head, and call on Jiro so he could stab her or something. That would be hard to explain to the police. He bites the inside of his cheek. He may be a soldier now in the eyes of the mafia (and possibly the yakuza) but he is still a civilian at home. He can’t just lose control of himself in the front landing.“Also,” Takeshi grumbles, smile not diminishing. “I’m not a baby anymore, y’know.”She raises her eyebrows at the rumpled quality of his a t-shirt and black pants. The harem crotch line is spectacularly wrinkled. Well then. It looks like her little cousin really isn’t. But older cousin’s privilege and all that.“It’s kind of hard not to think of you that way. The last time I saw you, you were this tiny.” She gestures with her fingers, miming a bean.“I was only that small when I was in okaa-san’s belly.” He laughs.“I know, right?” She exhales and laughs.She may have worried about male pride a bit too much. A flash of blue eyes and brown curls flitter through her thoughts. No. She won’t think of her doomed romance from years (and years ago – a million and three. Time is funny.) She inhales and hopes that she hasn’t ruined the mood with the tears building in her corneas. She blinks them away to see the tall boy looking at her. His smile is gone, but his eyes are wide and eyebrows softly drawn up.“I’m okay. Eyeliner must have dripped in.” She smiles, but it is stiff and crackling. She lowers her head, inhales. When she looks up again, her smile is softer and more stable.“C’mon little cousin.” She threads her fingers into his sleeve. “Uncle must be wondering why we’re taking so long now.”She leads him into the house.“Good morning, oji-san!”“Makoto-chan! Good morning! You are very early today. Did you not say that you were going to make it by breakfast?”“I thought I could help make breakfast!” The woman smiles, tilting her head.“We’re almost done, aren’t we Takeshi?”“Yes otou-chan.”“Well? Go on then.” Tsuyoshi waves his child and his niece to the breakfast bar.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Do you need help with your luggage?” Takeshi holds out his hand.“I just have this duffle and one other case.” Makoto hikes her bag higher. “I didn’t bring much. I figured that I could get new things along the way if I need them. After all, I’m staying for a year. I can go back out for it.”“Oh.” The boy smiles. “Would you like some tea?”“Yes please.” The woman bows her head in thanks.Seated, Makoto peers at her uncle’s kitchen. Tsuyoshi-oji-san’s kitchen is a seamless mix of traditional decoration and modern appliances. There is a breakfast bar in the same traditional browns as the room, and a black glass topped stove, a silver fridge and so on. There are multiple cupboards. She itches to peek into them but she has effectively been banned from participating as a guest. She pouts.“Makoto-nee-san?” The brunet fidgets with is sleeves.“Yes? Takeshi-tan.” The woman looks up at her little cousin.The boy blushes. His cousin is much kinder than he thought she would be. No one has ever treated him this warmly other than Otou-chan when he was much younger before their interests diverged. He looks down and notices from the corner of his eyes that her legs are crossed at the knee. His blush deepens as he notices her bare ankle. It’s improper to stare at a lady. Not to mention it’s weird because this is his cousin! But she has nice ankles like an athlete. He should probably ask.She sips her tea.“Makoto-nee-san?” Takeshi peeks up at his cousin.She smiles at him. “Mako-nee or nee-chan is fine.”“Mako-nee-san…um…” the brunet bites his lip, “do you play sports?”“Mako-chan! I told you call me Mako-chan! You’re little cousin. Act like it.” The woman hugs the boy against her. “I’m a figure skater.”“Oh…um Mako-nee-chan…I just noticed that you had nice ankles…I…mean…” He flushes.“So cute!” She coos. “And smart too. You must have a lot of pretty girls following you.”“Um…” The boy looks down at his hands. “I…I don’t really…”“That’s okay. Some of my closest friends (allies) are in love with each other.”Takeshi tilts his head. “What?”“They are both women. Although we mistook Haruka for a guy at first.” Makoto leans onto her hand. “Now. Tell me about this mystery boy.”Takeshi’s cheeks burn red, clashing horribly with his golden eyes.-“Aw.” The brunette ruffles her little cousin’s hair with her free hand. “Don’t be embarrassed. Love is a beautiful energy, not to mention a powerful motivator.”“I…I…” The boy ducks and hunches his shoulders.“Stop scaring the boy, Makoto-chan.” Tsuyoshi turns to them.“Oji-chan!” The brunette looks up, a healthy flush on her cheeks. “Love is the greatest thing. There once was this sempai of mine…”Anything to take her mind off him.Takeshi exhales and just lets his cousin’s thwarted love stories wash over him as they sip tea at the breakfast table. He finds out more than he needs to about Makoto’s serial monogamy. Wait. Is it serial monogamy if there was never any relationship? He scratches his head, and drops his hand when he still hasn’t figured it out by the end of her monologue.His father lays breakfast on the table, and he sits down with them. They hold their chopsticks before them, and the two youths say their blessings* to each other and the father.“Itadaikimasu.”Tsuyoshi piles food onto his niece’s plate. The girl is like his daughter after fostering her for some years.“Thank you oji-chan!” She returns the gesture, because this man is like a father to her, always taking care of her even when he isn’t around physically.She spent more than enough hours talking and crying his ears off through the telephone when her heart was broken, and when her part-time jobs fell through leading to her needing to scrimp her way through school.She turns and adds some food to her cousin’s plate. He should feel neglected because he’s the little brother always wanted.“You still have to tell me about that boy of yours, ne?” She winks.He attempts to suppress a whimper. But it sneaks out the corner of his lips. Thankfully, his father wipes his mouth and turns to Makoto.Tsuyoshi lays down his chopsticks on the table and takes a sip of tea. “How was the drive?”“It was only a couple hours.” She taps a finger against her chin. “I got up at four.”She is forgetting something. She just needs to remember what it is. She can’t think of it at the moment. She scratches her cheek. Poor sleep deprived brain! But at least she isn’t going to hit herself on the head like Usagi-chan. They’ve all been trying to break her out of that particular habit.“You shouldn’t have come out so early. I was expecting you for at least eight.”“Oji-chan! It’s no big deal. I wanted to make food for you and Take-tan.” She leans up and ruffles his hair.A spark lights in her eyes. She must have remembered.She whips around and out the door. “Oh dear. I left my groceries in the car!”He blinks. His cousin moves fast.The weather isn’t too hot yet and she thought ahead to put ice in her rental trunk, so the food won’t have spoiled yet. She just needs to bring everything in.“Sorry Oji-chan!” Makoto runs back in carrying all her groceries.She puts them down on the floor by her seat and bows at a right angle. “I’m so sorry for leaving the table without permission!”“Its fine, Mako-chan.” Tsuyoshi smiles. “Sit and finish up. We’ll take care of your groceries together later.”“Yes sir.” Makoto bows again, and slides into her seat.They sit and eat together, when they are done the woman piles her dishes and takes Takeshi’s despite his protests. The father has already taken his to the sink when Makoto finally turns back.“You’re our guest, Mako-nee.” The brunet takes her hand and sits her down in the living room a couple steps through the partition. “Please take a seat.”“Will you tell me now?” The woman widens her eyes.The boy flushes, and bites his bottom lip. He twists his fingers in his shirt sleeves, and shake his head.“I-It’s a s-secret.” He mumbles, staring at the wooden flooring. “I-I…he likes girls a-and he a-always t-teases me.”“I see,” Makoto’s voice is harsh.Takeshi stares up at her.“Tell me if he bullies you okay?” The brunette’s thumps her breast. “Mako-nee will take care of him.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Takeshi is designated to taking his cousin around town. It would be no hardship, except his Family, or rather Shishou, expects daily meetings. So he has to bring her with him. Maybe she and Sawada-mama will get along well. Maybe the girls will be there too.As they turn onto the street, he decides that this is bad idea after all. He should have left Mako-nee at home.“Hi Gokudera-kun! Ryohei-ni.” The boy waves to his friends.The two boys are white haired and silver haired respectively.“Yamamoto!” A white haired boy waves back. “Who’s that with you? Your girlfriend?”“Lawnhead.” The silver haired one snorts “The baseball idiot can’t keep up with girls. Why else is he always rejecting them?”Takeshi exhales, and pastes on his brightest smile. “S-she’s my cousin.”His smile cracks a little. “Kino Makoto. She’s coming to stay at our place for a year.”Makoto can see the minute strain in her little cousin’s eyes.“Hi,” she smiles at the tall white haired boy. “Nice to meet you. You can call me Makoto-nee-san if you’d like.”“Sasagawa Ryohei!” The boy throws up a thumbs up. “Nice to meet you to the extreme!”The woman giggles, holding a hand to her mouth. She turns to the silver haired boy and smiles. But this time her smile is strained.“And you are…”“Gokudera Hayato.” The silver haired boy jabs finger in Yamamoto’s direction. “I’m that one’s classmate.”The woman frowns, she leans over and whispers into her cousin’s ear. “That’s him?”Takeshi tugs on his cousin’s sleeve. “Please don’t say anything.”“Okay.” Makoto whispers back and winks. “For my cute cousin. I won’t.”She looks him in the eyes. “If however he makes you cry at any point during my stay, or even after I leave, tell me. You have to promise.”He little cousin may be a fighter, but he is fragile emotionally behind those glamourous smiles. She will prevent him from shattering. His friends must not be doing a good job if even she an outsider can see the hairline cracks in his façade. Or perhaps she is shrewd enough now after all these years of fighting, and watching her sister-guardians try to hide their pain from each other, and watching their princess try to hide her own successful romance from them in a misguided attempt to ease their suffering.“Okay.” He looks back at her just as seriously.Even though he only just met his cousin consciously, she is already someone he can trust as much as his Family and his father. He bites the inside of his cheek to hide a wince. Neither she nor his Otou-chan know about his other life. They’ll be so mad. All the more reason to never say anything.“What the hell are you talking about so secretively over there?” Gokudera shouts.“That is rude to the extreme, Octopus-head!” Ryohei cuffs his friend on the shoulder.“Shut up Lawnhead.” The punk digs his elbow into his companion’s stomach. “What if she is working for the enemy?!”“Enemy?” The woman frowns.As far as Makoto knows her baby cousin and his friends are ordinary humans. They feel nothing like the enemies she and her comrades face before. They are not Dark Kingdom, Black Moon, Death Busters, or the Dead Moon Circus.“What’s going on?” She backs away from the boys, and takes her little cousin by the wrist.“What is this?” A child comes along the road unaccompanied. “You were taking too long.”“Shishou!” Takeshi calls out, smiling at the child.Makoto stares. Why is her little cousin calling a child teacher? Something is strange here. She slips her hand into her back pocket and grasps her transformation wand.“Mako-nee? What’s wrong?” The boy walks closer, but slowly as if he is afraid of spooking a feral animal (Or Xanxus or one of the Varia types).“You’re not really my cousin are you? Are you part of the Dark Kingdom? The Dead Moon Circus? What are you?” The woman steps back further.But the boy keeps coming closer and she is reaching the limit of her panic.“Get away from me?!” The Sailor Senshi shoves the boy away from her.The boy falls on his buttocks, but because he wasn’t prepared to make a landing his ankle crackles. The dark haired child toddles over to him and coaches him through the pain and splinting his foot. The boy’s friends converge around them, blocking them from the woman’s view.When the boy never reveals a more nefarious form, Makoto holds her shaking hands to her mouth. What has she done? She promised herself she would protect her little cousin. Tears begin to build in her eyes, and she wrings her hands.The silver haired one advances. His face is contorted into a snarl. “Who are you? Which Familigia do you work for?”“W-What?” She clenches her fingers around her wand.But her hand trembles. How would an ordinary human know about the Silver Millenium? Unless they are not mundane at all. How could her little cousin be embroiled in The Dark World? He’s so sweet!“Relax.” The white haired man gestures with his hands. “This woman has nothing to do with the Mafia, or well, she had nothing to do with the Famiglia. Hello Princess Jupiter.”“Who are you?” Makoto frowns.This man however has a similar aura to Beryl, but different, similar to Ail and Ann, but also with Pegasus. He is not evil but he also isn’t human.“I am Kawahira.” The white haired man bows to Jupiter’s Princess. “Of course you may know me by a different name. I am called Kanoite in the old world.”“Beryl’s brother.” The woman’s frown deepens.“Aye, milady.” The Earthian takes the princess’s hand and kisses its back.Makoto pulls her hand out from the man’s grasp, and stares at in horrified fascination.“What?” The black haired child snarls.The woman stares. How can a child be so…so aggressive? She can feel the pressure of his murderous intent.“You know that I belong to a race that populated earth long ago, Reborn.” The white haired male tips his head to the child. “This is something that cannot be said in the open.”“What are you talking about, Kawahira?” The child spits the Earthian’s name like it is a curse.What has he done to the child? How is he related to her cousin? She wants to take her cousin with her back to the house, but his friends won’t leave him unprotected with an enemy. Maybe they don’t know how dangerous the Earthian is. But that can’t be true. The child knows.The boys support her cousin between them, and the child leads them to another street. Makoto follows them in a daze. She injured her little cousin and an Earthian is involved with him. What is going on? And why are they going to a house, not a hospital?They stop at a house surrounded by a brick fence. This is not the type of house she would expect for such strange humans. She frowns. But if this is their destination she will follow. She needs answers, and if she may need to tell them her own story. She pulls out her phone and sends a text to her Princess and to Venus. Her phone vibrates as they walk up the path onto the porch.Be careful.
Of course.
She will update them when she knows more. For now she goes in after her temporary companions..
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
She swallows her surprise. The house’s occupant is not what she expected. He is a mousey boy with untameable hair, and large brown eyes. He is so cute she wants to hug him. But she refrains. After all, he is somehow involved with Kanoite. IF he were not Beryl’s brother, she would not have been so concerned.“Sorry Jyuudaime, but Yamamoto got hurt.” Gokudera glares at the woman.“You guys are lucky my mother is out shopping for dinner. Otherwise we’d have to explain Kawahira-san being here.”Makoto glares right back at the silver haired brat. She turns and watches as the boys lay her little cousin on the couch in the living room. Take-tan is in good hands with his friends at least for now. She turns to watch Beryl’s brother. He seems to be in an amiable mood. But, she knows better than to turn her back on him, at least not for long.Kanoite stands at the side. He snaps his fan open and closed. The woman glares at the Earthian.Ryohei sighs. “If you hadn’t set your foot, you would have had to go to the hospital. Yamamoto!”“S-Sorry.” The brunet laughs.The brunette watches as the Sun Guardian puts his hands over her cousin’s ankle.“I’m so sorry, Take-tan!” Makoto moves to hug her little cousin.He flinches, and she shrinks back. Her eyes fill with tears again.“I’m really sorry.”“I know. I just…” He blinks up at her.She is immediately reminded of a puppy, all innocent but slightly confused. She coos, and wants to pet him all the more. But she refrains. She doesn’t need to scare him more than she already has.He sucks in his bottom lip. “I can’t help it. It’s too soon.”“What about Mizuno?” Gokudera gripes.“I had time to think about it.” Takeshi mumbles.“Even though he nearly killed you?” The silver haired boy snarls. “You’re a fucking idiot!”Nearly killed rings in her head. Her breath stutters.And Makoto shouts. “What are you talking about? Almost killed? You got my baby cousin into dangerous situations? What the hell?”“We are in in the Mafia.” The brown haired boy speaks. “I am Vongola’s Decimo, Sawada Tsunayoshi. Pleased to meet you onee-san.”“Kino Makoto.” The brunette cracks her knuckles. “Tell me what the hell you’re doing with my little cousin.”She was after all part of a sukeban for a short time not long after she left oji-chan’s place. She knows what it means to be part of organized crime even if it was on a much smaller scale.Sawada clears his throat and explains what the Vongola is.Makoto nods. It sounds like they are like her and her sister-comrades only on an enhanced human scale. They don’t play with denizens from other planets. Since when did she start thinking of their lifestyle as a game? She shudders.“Stay safe little cousin.” The woman glares at the males in the room. “I’ll kill you all if you let him die.”“We don’t let him do anything.” Gokudera grumbles.“Don’t get killed.” Makoto snarls.She almost laughs because that boy her little cousin was so worried about, she was so worried about, definitely returns his feelings. But he’s such a little boy about she hopes he comes to his senses before she has to beat the shit out of him for hurting her little cousin by accident.She exhales. The name clicks. Mizuno. There aren’t that many even in the whole of Japan. But does she want to know? Does Ami-chan? No she needs to find out.“Tell me more about that Mizuno person.”“His name is Kaoru. His Family is our ally now.” Sawada launches into the saga of Cozart and Giotto’s pact, and Daemon Spade’s fallout.Makoto pales and shudders. “I need some space.”Her fingers tremble as she calls Ami-chan. Luckily all the girls are at her place today. She tells them everything, and admits that she doesn’t know what Kanoite-Kawahira wants. She tells them she’ll text later. Her fingers are still shaking when she ends the call but she takes deep breathes and re-enters the house.Everyone is staring at her when she walks into the living room. Kanoite must have told them. There is a space beside her little cousin. She looks at him and he nods, but doesn’t smile. She sits down next to him.“So you’re the reincarnation of an alien princess and a soldier?” Gokudera scoffs.Makoto sighs. She folds her hands over her lap. “The Moon Princess’s handmaiden. That is our designation. But yes, we are effectively soldiers.”“Extreme!” Ryohei punches the air.The woman can’t help but smile a little.“Wow!” Takeshi turns to his cousin. “Can I see you transform?”He feels comfortable next to her now that he knows. A soldier can never fully recalibrate to civilian life. He curls closer to her. She leans against him too.Her lips curl into a small smile. “Maybe later.”“Don’t be such a kid, idiot!” The silver haired boy grumbles.Takeshi pouts.Makoto stifles a giggle. Her little cousin is too cute. She definitely has to indulge him now.“It’s okay. I can show you.” She smiles at him.“Not yet. I need to ward this place from detection.” Kanoite murmurs. “It may be peace time for now, but there is a small chance that there could be an active enemy.”“And you…” The brunette raises an eyebrow.“No. I had my duty. I could not watch over my sister as I should have. Her madness is partially my fault. Forgive me, your highness.” The white haired Earthian bows his head in deference.“That was a long time ago.” The lady knight sits up straighter, staring Kawahira in the eyes. “But why did you not stop her this time around?”“You needed the experience. I knew She was coming.” The Earthian holds her gaze.“Metallia…” Makoto murmurs.“Yes.” Kanoite nods.“So many people got hurt…” The woman wraps her arms around her waist.Her hand brushes against her little cousin’s. He threads their fingers together. She squeezes his fingers, and he squeezes back.Kawahira looks at some point past their heads. “The ends justifies the means.”The black haired child lunges for the Earthian. “You fucker! How many people died for your fucking duty?”“And you an assassin is a murderer in your own right.” Kanoite murmurs. “How can you even ask me such a question? Your moral compass is only your pocket. I care for the greater good. I protected the Trinisette! Be glad I made you part of it as repentance!”“You!” Reborn snarls.“Please stop!” cries Tsuna. “You’re going to wreck my house again!”“Jupiter Crystal Power!” Makoto cries and transforms into Sailor Jupiter.Everyone in the room turns and looks at her. She smiles and waves. She transforms back into her civilian clothes.“It seemed like we needed a diversion.” The woman looks over at the teenagers and the child currently attempting to strangle the Earthian. “Reborn-san please stop trying to kill Kanoite.”“It’s pretty, Mako-nee!” Takeshi grins.Makoto smiles back at him. “Thank you.”She exhales. Now that the tension is diffused from the argument, she still has to send her statement to her monarch.“I have to report you to my Princess, Kanoite.”“I understand.” The white haired Earthian gets up. “I am no longer need here,” he looks at the faces around him, “no welcome. Goodbye.”He opens the window and jumps out into the lawn.The Sailor Soldier turns to her little cousin. “I’m sorry I was keeping such a big secret.”“Me too. I mean about my secret too.” Takeshi turns to her. “Let’s not tell Otou-chan. You’ve got to promise, okay?”“Of course, Take-tan!” The brunette nods. “I don’t want to worry him either.”“Good.” Takeshi grins. “Let’s shake on it.”Makoto takes her little cousin’s hand and shakes it. “Does your foot still hurt?”“Nope, Ryohei-ni and Shishou are really good field medics.”She looks at the child-man. She dips her head to him, and turns to the white haired boy. She smiles at him and throws her arms around him in a hug. He hugs her back just as hard. She pulls back and they grin at each other.If she wasn’t already in love with her sempai who broke her heart, this boy could have moved her. He is a much better man already even at this age than him. She closes her eyes, and forgets the what-ifs. She is better single anyway.If he didn’t already have feelings for a certain girl, he would have fallen for this woman. She is really extreme! He needs to stay true to his ideal girl. After all, they are dating ten years in the not-future. They will most likely date in their actual future, too.