Exigencies of Service

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Ink Burns

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

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Published on 2009-07-08 14:27:22.

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This ebook edition was published on May 16, 2012 by the Ink Burns fanfiction archive.

Exigencies of Service

Takes place some time early in "The Queen and All Her Men". Tsuna has to be convinced that his children need to learn early how to fight. Fortunately, Kyouko is more pragmatic. Drama, I-3

"Stop acting like an herbivore, Sawada."

Tsuna glared at Hibari across his desk. "One of the reasons I took this job was to change enough of our world that children don't have to fight!"

"Well you aren't there yet," Hibari pointed out brutally, "and if you want your children to live, they need to know how to fight. Now."

Kyouko sighed to herself and crossed her ankles, waiting for them to get it out of their systems. Once they were reduced to glaring at each other silently, she rose and gently pushed Hibari back from the desk and into a chair. "That's enough, both of you." Ignoring Hibari's raised brows, she came around to lay her hands on Tsuna's shoulders. "Tsuna," she said softly, "you mustn't be selfish about this."

"Selfish?" he whispered, eyes wide.

"I know you want to protect us all. To make a place for us to live where we don't have to worry about these things. But you can't do that alone." She smiled sadly. "Keeping the ones you love in ignorance didn't work very well last time, did it?"

He turned red and his eyes slid away from hers.

"I know you want that safe, wonderful place for your family to live and for yourself to come back to and rest," she whispered, and then tightened her hands and shook him once, firmly. "But you can't make that place without us, and if we're to help, we have to know!"

After a long, taut moment, he sighed, tension easing out of his shoulders under her hands. "Almost did it again, didn't I?" He smiled up at her, rueful and sweet. "I'm sorry."

She bent down and kissed his forehead. "Don't worry." Just a bit impishly she pointed out, "I'm here to remind you when you start to do something foolish. It's my job."

Standing he gathered her close and murmured into her hair, "I don't deserve you. Thank you." With a long breath he let her go and looked over at Hibari, who was watching them with a cool look, legs crossed, hands folded on his knee.

"If you're quite done with inappropriate displays?" he asked, dryly. "Living in this country has corrupted you, Sawada."

Tsuna laughed. "This isn't Namimori, and it isn't against school rules."

Hibari sniffed, though his eyes glinted at the banter. "Well?"

"All right." Tsuna held up a hand. "They'll be taught." His mouth quirked wryly. "The ones who don't run screaming will even be taught by you."

"I suppose that will do." Hibari stood, straightening his cuffs fastidiously. On his way out he paused to look back at Kyouko and give her a slow nod.

Kyouko just smiled.

End