"Gokudera." The silver-haired teen flinched when he heard the familiar voice. "Kise-sama!" The said boy smiled when he approached Gokudera. "How are you", Kise asked and leaned against a wall. Gokudera hesitated, before he answered: "I am not sure." He lowered his head, looking down.
"You don't have to win", Kise said without thinking. "What are you talking about?" Gokudera suddenly screamed. "This is important. I just have to win!" Kise just smiled at him, keeping his cool. He had already expected this reaction. "It's not the fights that are important to Tsuna", Kise started, watching Gokudera's mimik, "The only thing he really cares about are his friends. He doesn't want you to get hurt or risk your life for something like this."

It took a moment before Gokudera opened his mouth. Then he closed it again, not knowing what to say. "Just think about it, you should know him that well by now." Hayato only nodded, still not knowing how to react. "Like I said, fight, but keep living!"
With these words, Kise left the silver-haired alone. Hopefully he would get what Kise meant.

~   *   ~

We all have been waiting for the protagonist of this night, but he didn't show up. Everyone was watching the clock until it finally exploded and Gokudera showed up at the last second. "Sorry I am late, Juudaime." 
"Good, then let's start the usual before the match!" Ryohei screamed and raised his arms. "Hey wait, I don't want to! I don't need that for my match!" Gokudera exclaimed. This was just too embarassing for him. "Don't say that", Tsuna interfered, smiling at his friend.
"Let's just do it." 
"What?"
"I don't want to lose anyone. So isn't it better to act as a group?" Tsuna looked concerned but he knew that it was too late to just cancel the fights. Realization hit Gokudera and he finally agreed to it. 
"Be careful", Kise told him, before he left for the "battlefield". 

This fight took way longer than the other ones. And everytime something happened, everyone was at the edge of their seats. Even Kise couldn't hold back but root for Gokudera as well.

"Hand the ring to your opponent and come back here, Hayato!" Shamal screamed, when Bel didn't let Godudera go. The Chelvello already announced the big explosion. They would die together if they wouldn't leave now. 
"How can I come back empty handed? If I go back like this, I am not qualified to be Juudaime's right hand!" He looked desperate when he screamed that. "Juudaime... When I win this, I can turn this situation around. Leave it to me!" But everyone thought otherwise. No one of his friends wanted him to stay there, no one expected to win or fight any longer. They just wanted him to be save. 
"Hayato!! Did you forget everything I told you yesterday?" Kise screamed this time. He was hoping that Gokudera would understand what he was saying back then, but it seems that it was useless... Nonetheless, Gokudera paused for a second but then he shook his head. "I won't come back, even if it costs my life." 
"Stop joking around!" Both Tsuna and Kise screamed at the same time. "What do you think, we are fighting for?" Tsuna continued and Hayato paused again. "It's for us to have snowball fights and watch fireworks again! That's why we are fighting! That's why we have to become stronger! I want to laugh with everyone again, but what meaning will it have when you die?!" 
Kise sighed but couldn't feel calm after all. He knew that Gokudera would left the ring now, but at what cost? 

"GOKUDERA!" Tsuna screamed when everything exploded. Kise gritted his teeth. "He is alright", Kise whispered. He needed to say it out loud in order to believe his own words. He knew it, but he was still worried.
Luckily it didn't take long until Gokudera actually stepped out of the smoke. He was injured but alive. "Gokudera", Tsuna said again, running towards him to support his friend. The silver-haired teen smiled crookedly. "I am sorry, I lost." He said with a shivering voice but Tsuna just shook his head. "I am glad that you are still alive! Never do that again!" Everyone else nodded in agreement while Kise appeared on their side to also support Gokudera. 
"I will leave... the rest to you!" Gokudera suddenly walked towards Yamamoto and grabbed his collar, saying these words. 

"That is great, since the next match will be between the guardians of rain", the Chelvello exclaimed. "I have been waiting for this moment a long time. I can finally cut you up!"

~   *   ~

"Kise", Tauna called his brother when he entered his room. "Do you want to come with me? Visit Yamamoto?" Kise stopped right in front of him, he was just about to leave. Tsuna took a step backand looked at him with a questioning look. "Tsuna. I am sorry I just wanted to leave." "Oh..." "Where's do you want to go at that time?" Reborn suddenly asked. Kise sweatdropped. "I... have some business to do..." 'Wow', he thought, 'what a reasonable answer...' But fortuanetly Reborn didn't say anything to that. He just nodded but his black orbs that were observing Kise nearly 24/7 were enough to give him chills. "I am sorry", Kise repeated and gave his brother a smile, "But please give Yamamoto my greetings, he doesn't have to worry that much, I am sure he will do great."
Tsuna was startled for a moment, but he just nodded. "I will be back in time!" He promised, before he left his room, leaving his brother behind.

The woods behind the Namomori shrine were still the best place to train without anyone coming by. But to be sure, he looked around, seei g if he could feel any presence nearby. But before he was able to even start, his phone interrupted him. He flinched before he realized where this sound came from. He doesn't get called often, so he forgot to mute it.
Quickly he fished it out of his pocket and looked at the display. FATHER, was written in the middle. "Father? Why is he calling me? Didn't he return to Italy?" Sceptical, he answered the phone. "Hello?" He asked, deciding to be careful for now. "Kise? Listen, I have to talk with you!" 'It's really him', Kise figured but couldn't worry less. "Father, what happened?" He heard how someone was running. "Kise, listen. I need you to look after Tsuna and the others!" His voice sounded unfamilliar persuasive. "Yea, sure. I will always do so", Kise just answered. He didn't know what else to say to this. "No, not like that. I can't tell you what happened exactly. This call might get heard by others. I can tell you that it has to do with the Varia. So please look after them." Kise hesitated with his answer. He would have never thought that his father would ask him something like that. But at the same time, Kise knew that Iemitsu should be very aware of the fact that he knows something about the Mafia by now, more than he ever should. "Father, I..." "I know that you known more than you tell us. That you know what the Vongola really is and that you posess sky flames, that you are even able to use them. I don't know why or how, but you are my son and I believe in you. Never forget-" The call suddenly got cut off by an explosion. "FATHER?!" Kise screamed, although he knew, that he would be fine, hopefully...

As if he was in trance, he lowered his hand, trying to process what just happened. He sighed and leaned against a tree. "I can do that, father... but there is no need to...", he whispered to himself. "And how?" He could surely fake a permission letter from the nineth. But the Varia would know that it was fake immediately. Should he just watch front afar? Or should je continue like always? But he would expose himself when he would interfer without any disguise. But did he really need to interfere anyway? Kise sighed. "Just be fine", he whispered although he knew that Iemitsu would make it out alive. 

He took himself some minutes to order his thoughts. He sighed again. "Okey, so I should protect Tsuna and the others, atlough there is no need to, or is there?" Suddenly, Kise wasn't so sure anymore. What if something changed? "Shit..." He frowned. Now he couldn't just stand by anymore, doing nothing just hoping that everything would go how it was supposed to go. How he remembered it. He buried his face in his hands and sighed for the umpteenth time. "I guess that I will just watch them from afar then..." What other choide did he have anyway?

With that, he decided to continue his training to be prepared for a what-if-scenario. Plus, he really needed to do something to reduce his inner stress level, so training would be just the right thing to do. 
Kise stopped when he felt a presence at the end of the clearing. "Who is there?" He asked, looking into that direction where the person shoule be at. He didn't think that it would be an enemy but he still didn't let his guard down. One second later, Kise figured that this was the right choice to do. A figure suddenly jumped out of the shadows and attacked him. Kise blocked the attack quickly and jumped back to get some distance. 

"You?" He asked when he finally realized who was standing in front of him. "Hn", the person replied, holding up his tonfas before he attacked again. 
"Wait! Wait!" Kise tried to stop him while dodging all of his attacks. He was a little overwhelmed with the situation. What was Hibari doing there and why was he attacking him? 

But Hibari didn't even hesitate when he heard Kiseyoshi's words. That's when Kise suddenly grabbed one of the tonfas and stopped the "fight". Hibari was startled for a second and stopped to look at Kise, who just did exactly what Hibari wanted. "Wow." "Not, wow. What the hell are you doing?" Kise tried his best to sound out of breath and as if he was really startled by Hibari's actions. But even Hibari just gave him an "are-you-serious" look. Although he didn't say anything, Kise also knew that it was way too late to act as if he wasn't able to fight anymore. "If", Kise then started after he realized that he couldn't hide it any longer from the black-haired teen, "If I agree to spar with you once, could you keep it a secret that I am able to fight?" Kise didn't really want to admit it, but he would actually like to spar with the skylark at least once. He really needed someone to test his strength on and Hibari would be the best option for that. Even though he didn't think that he would tell anyone anyway. 
Instead of answering, Hibari just went back into fighting position. Quickly Kise raised his hands and shook his head. "Not now! I have to leave now. But some other time. I promise!" Even though he could see that Hibari wasn't satisfied with this, the black-haired teen accepted his offer for now. "Thanks! See you later." With this, Kise turned around and wanted to leave. But then he suddenly paused. "You shouldn't underestimate Tsuna", he then said. "He's much stronger than you think he is. Don't waste your time with me but watch over him instead. You will realize that he is the better choice to make one day." Without waiting for an answer, he left as quickly as possible.

~   *   ~

When Kise finally arrived at home, he still didn't know what to tell the others. Unfortunately, he even met his brother at the door. He just wanted to leave. "Ah, Yoshi, there you are! We just wanted to leave." Kise nodded and hesitated. "Tsuna... I... can't come along this time..." "Oh..." Tsuna seemed disappointed but then he just smiled. "Don't worry! Isn't it actually better for you to stay here? You shouldn't get involved more than this anyway." He smiled and Kise knew that every of his words were true but he still knew that he was disappointed deep inside. "I will take care of everything else!" Kise promised instead and placed a hand on Tsuna's shoulder. "Please wish Yamamoto good luck. I am sure that he will make it!" "I will!" With that Tsuna hurried to leave. Meanwhile Kise felt Reborns dark eyes on him. He was just sitting on Tsuna's heas again for the whole time but he didn't say anything. Kise sighed but couldn't deny that he was happy that no one asked for his resons to stay behind this time. He just went inside for a short time to pick up his mask to be kept unseen by anyone before he hurried to his school. 

He sat on the railing of the school roof where he had the best overwiew of the yard. Unfortunately he wasn't able to see what was happening inside the big tank where the fight was going on but he had a perfect view on the screen. He just hoped that nothing unexpected would happen. "I should be down there", he whispered to himself as he watched the others cheering for Yamamoto. He perfectly knew that nothing would happen yet and he was still disguising himself and watching from afar. He sighed and just hoped that everything would be over as quickly as possible. 

Little did he know, that a certain someone was also watching the fight from this very rooftop, observing the masked teen with interested eyes. 

-----

Just a picture of Gokudera that I drew and wanted to share here ^^

(Correction is still pending. I apologize for any grammar or spelling mistakes.)