Reborn knows.
He is a great observer. His eyes never miss a thing, as some would say. The piercing gaze of an eagle.
Something is wrong with one guardian. Something that weighs heavily on the boy's shoulders, bothering him. Something it seems he will not dare share with anyone. Not even his friends, his fellow comrades, his boss.
Yet, even if this is a recent discovery, Reborn knows it has been going on for a while.
The signs have been there all along.
How his shoulders would hunch a little when he thought no one paid attention. How his laugh would sound a little off; not notably so, but still too high pitched. How he – for a mere second – would stare blankly out in space when he lost himself in thought.
All the smiles, the happiness, the glee, the laugh.
Reborn knows it's all an act.
As the other mafia-members, Yamamoto's body has scars. All the battles they have experienced have left their marks. But there is one scar that stands out. On his arm, long and jagged. Deep.
"Ah, this? That's just from Kaoru," he would say if anyone asked. And they wouldn't bring it up again. But Reborn knows.
Yamamoto is smart. He is aware of the correct way to kill oneself.
There is a reason behind his reluctance to wearing short-sleeved shirts. The skipping of meals. The excuses for missing baseball practice. He hides away. And not a soul notices.
If Reborn remembers correctly – of course he does – the swordsman was about to jump off a building once too. Because of an broken arm? An uncertain career in his favorite sport? No. That can't be it. Not the only reason. He may act lighthearted, but Yamamoto is not one to take the matter of life and death lightly.
But no matter how many times Reborn thinks about it, no matter how many times he silently wonders or how many times he analyzes the case, he can't find the reason.
What is it that follows the rain guardian like a plague, that tires him and makes him hate himself? Reborn does not know, and it irks him until no end.
And no one sees, but him. Because Yamamoto is convincing. Because he's smiling. Because he is laughing. Because he is happy. It's all wrong. No one sees that the words are fiction. That the smiles are fake. That the laughs are false. That the happiness is a lie. It's so, so wrong, but only he knows. Him and Yamamoto himself.
Because, sometimes, it is better to believe the lie, than having to deal with the harsh reality. So Reborn lets Yamamoto continue deceiving. Lets him continue weaving his web of lies. Lets him build the impenetrable walls around himself, so he'll never feel vulnerable.
Because, for once in his life, Reborn is helpless. He can only sit back and watch as the guardian secretly ruins himself. So he waits. For someone to ask. For someone to pay attention. For someone to care. Because he can't fill that role.
Who would have known? Turns out Yamamoto Takeshi is a great performer.
Well, that was sad... I hope you enjoyed nevertheless!
Constructive criticism is always appreciated!