Here's my newest, hope you like it! ^^

Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Katekyo Hitman Reborn and I don't.

Prelude

Crystals of light radiated from a chandelier set high above a floor that once held a dining table and now was cleared of furniture with the exception of a refreshments table along the eastern wall. Guests of all sizes and shapes occupied the furniture-cleared space below the glimmering glass.

There was a shot in the air and the guests froze, looking toward the source that pulled the trigger on their firearm. None were surprised to see a man with chin-length silver hair and stormy green eyes fire the shot. On his right was a redhead with thick glasses. To his left was a tall man with short black hair and a nick on his chin—a scare from a battle fought long ago. His toffee eyes revealed his joyful persona hidden behind a stony and blemished face.

The redhead gave a small bow of appreciation, clutching his stomach all the while, "T-Thank you, Gokudera." When he turned to the gathered people, he let go of his stomach and hardened his face. "My name is Irie Shouichi and I just want to congratulate each of you. Everyone did great. You all fought hard out there this past year to defend what was left of the mafia world. On behalf of the Giglio Nero, who lost some very precious people in this fight, I thank you."

A round of applause exploded immediately, and continued to drag on. The silver-haired man prepared his gun again, but was stopped by the tallest of the three, who lowered the gun and shook his head. Gokudera's eyes narrowed and he clicked his tongue—an old habit—and sheathed his weapon. And the applause died down.

Irie's hard expression slowly softened and he smiled, "Now, please welcome the man that this plan would have never worked without, Mr. Sawada Tsunayoshi!"

An even louder roaring applause broke free of the gathered guests' bodies as a lean man took each step down the red velvet, winding staircase with elegance and caution. Even years after losing his nickname "Hapless Tsuna", he was still as prone as always to falling down staircases or tripping over a step.

The brunette waved to his accepting audience as he joined his two guardians and Irie. "Hello everyone," he smiled. His eyes swept over the audience, catching the faces of those most familiar to him: Basil, Shamal, Lancia, Bianchi, Fuuta, the Arcobaleno, Lambo, I-pin—even Mukuro and his subordinates in the archway to a different room, one almost completely devoid of human presence. Chrome stood before him, watching Tsuna with her master. Slowly, Tsuna's gaze drifted away from his Mist Guardians and their friends. "It's been a while since we've last gotten together like this and met. As most of you have heard, I was dead for some portion of my life and for most of this important battle against the Millefiore's Byakuran. While it was 'Sawada Tsunayoshi' whom defeated Byakuran, that Tsunayoshi and myself are two different beings. If it were possible, I would have the younger me from that different plane take the credit instead, however, that is no longer possible."

Tsuna's guests chuckled and Tsuna continued to smile. "I hope you all enjoy the rest of the evening and night during this celebratory party."

The end of Tsuna's speech brought out more clapping hands and cheers. The brunette turned to his best friends and Irie, all the while keeping track of his elusive Mist Guardian and his quiet Mist Guardian through the corner of his hazel eyes. His gaze caught Mukuro's and remained fixated in a staring contest, until…

"Tenth?"

Tsuna looked toward Gokudera, who had called him by a nickname he had received long ago. "Yes?"

"Is something wrong? You seem a bit out of it." Gokudera questioned. Without even waiting for an answer, the Storm Guardian let his worry engulf him and morph his countenance into pain and confusion.

"Gokudera's right," the tallest man agreed, "It seems like there's something else on your mind right now. Is everything alright?"

Tsuna stole a glance back to where Mukuro was, but found the space empty.

"Tsuna?"

He flickered back to his two best friends, "I'm fine, guys. You're being a bit paranoid."

Toffee eyes and green eyes exchanged looks then focused on hazel. "Who wouldn't be after seeing their boss—no, their best friend—die once right in front of them?"

A wave of guilt rolled through Tsuna's body, shaking his heart the hardest. "Sorry, guys. I didn't mean to make you guys face such hardships, but…it was necessary for the plan to work. Besides, I'm still alive and that's what counts, right?"

Gokudera attempted a smile at Tsuna's effort to cheer him and Yamamoto up, "Just don't pull a stunt like that again or I might die, too."

Tsuna laughed, "You got it Gokudera." He looked over his shoulder and saw Chrome looking up at him, waiting, and beckoning him through a telepathic link. Before he could keep his gaze away from his friends for too long, he turned back. "How about you guys all get some drinks? I have some business matters to attend to."

The two Vongola Guardians looked in the direction that Tsuna was glancing at earlier but found no one or nothing that could be of possible interest or intrigue. Both shot each other a glance of doubt then focused back on Tsuna once more. His smile was broad, but seemed half-plastered. "Alright…" Gokudera slowly nodded, "But only because you said so, Tenth." The silver-haired man turned to leave. "Let's go, Takeshi."

The tall man smiled, staring at Gokudera's back. Then, he looked back at Tsuna, "It's probably taking all of Gokudera's might not to follow you around, so don't let yourself get hurt, alright?"

Tsuna let out a small chuckle and smiled. "I'm not like how I was long ago when I couldn't defend myself out of fear and hate of fighting. Don't worry, Yamamoto, I'll be fine." The brunette couldn't help but joke, "If my friendly business gets to such a degree of danger I'll fight."

Yamamoto laughed, "I'll pass on the message to Hayato." He wrapped an arm around Irie and pulled the short man with him, waving as he left, "See you, Tsuna."

Tsuna smiled and waved as he watched Irie's face display shock and Yamamoto laugh at the shorter man's reaction. His hand slowly fell to his side as he stared out over the party and inhaled the scent of conversations. He let out his breath with lids covering his amber eyes.

"Oya, what do we have here? Tsunayoshi without his Guardians surrounding him…"

The suave voice echoed suddenly in Tsuna's ear, but he was hardly surprised by the sudden noise. Slender gloved fingers tapped Tsuna's bony shoulder as if they were striking a set of ivory keys on a piano.

"You're my Guardian, too," Tsuna reminded him.

The corners of lips turned with a curl. "Chrome is your Mist Guardian, not I. That's what the Cervello announced at the Ring Battles so long ago. Or have you forgotten?"

"I haven't," the brunette answered. Tsuna didn't look behind him and stared at the partiers as a small silence settled between the two. "Let's talk somewhere a little less crowded."

"Kufufu…Why is there something wrong with right here? Afraid you'll get caught with a man that tried to kill you? Or, are you afraid to be found dead in the middle of the party you hosted?"

Tsuna smiled, "No, I'm afraid that a certain friend of mine watching from the shadows might try to kill you."

A pair of mismatched eyes flickered to the darker regions of the room and spotted Gokudera, whose fist was sprinkled with shards of glass as well as wet with blood and chardonnay. "I see…Then shall we escape the heat of this party for the open air of the balcony?"

"That's sounds fine to me." Tsuna let the gloved hand lead him to the French door that stood guard between the mansion's interior and the night's cool air. As the two stepped out onto the cold cement and walked towards the railing of the terrace, the glass doors closed behind them and the blinds rolled down.

"Is this better, Tsunayoshi?" The suave voice asked as its body leaned against the railing on its back.

Tsuna chuckled, "The blinds are a bit much for a casual talk between friends. You might give somebody the wrong message by doing this."

"Kufufu, you're getting smarter everyday, Tsunayoshi."

"'Wisdom comes with age'," Tsuna explained. "…Do you need a place to stay now that you're out of prison?"

The converser shook his head. "I'll be staying with Chrome and the others. And speaking of prison…it was quite lonely in there after you 'died'. I had no one else to torment with nightmares."

"Haha, very funny," Tsuna laughed sarcastically, exchanging stares with the man next to him. The smaller man turned his attention to the landscape that stretched seemingly endlessly from the balcony. "When I heard that you died after fighting Glo Xinia, I was really sad. My heart told me that you couldn't possibly be dead, but my head told me otherwise. And, when I finally accepted your death, I got scared. I thought: what am I going to do if the others are killed?"

Long arms wrapped around Tsuna's shoulders. "Tsunayoshi, you are more capable than anyone to protect your friends from being killed. Your bond is so great that just by thinking of you they feel a surge of power born from their wills."

"So, are you admitting to being my friend?" Tsuna asked. A voiceless void filled the air for minutes.

Soft lips touched Tsuna's warm cheek and there was a light chuckle as the brunette's skin reddened from the contact. "Kufufu…I am not your friend, Tsunayoshi. I am merely a man who wishes to possess you for revenge." The arms that had encased Tsuna drifted away in a slow slide, but the taller man remained where he stood, hovering. "And this leads me to wonder why you would let yourself be exposed to such danger in a secluded setting."

In the gloved fingers that had played the human shoulder, a black staff formed. At one end, three silver points appeared. The longest point rested over Tsuna's heart. "It would be so easy to just take you here and destroy the mafia world using the Vongola's name. Only a puncture or a scratch here or…." he moved the trident's edge to the gap between Tsuna's collarbones, ripping off the first two buttons on the brunette's collared shirt and undoing the knotted tie into a rope that lay on the floor in front of two pairs of feet. "I could just slice right here and that would be the end. So why do you keep me so close? Why don't you flinch?"

Tsuna smiled, moving the weapon away from his neck with one finger. "Because, kind sir, I trust you."

"Oh?" Lips curled into a smile and an eyebrow went up in intrigue. "And how far does this trust measure for a man who hurt your friends, a man who forced you deeper into the mafia world for his own satisfaction and gain?"

"To the extent that I would bet my life on this trust."

"That seems a little extreme for you, Tsunayoshi…"

"Then I take it you still don't believe me?"

"Evidence would be the best in this situation," the man answered as his trident disappeared into the night sky.

"Then, how about I tell you some of my secret fears?"

"Oh? So the Great Tenth has more fears than just that over Chihuahuas and losing his friends. Please share, Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna let out a sigh that turned into a puff of smoke in the chilly air. He turned back to face the landscape. "Well—" A heavy leather trench coat was rested over his shoulders. Amber eyes glanced up at the older man's, "Thanks."

Mukuro nodded. "You looked cold is all. And I need that body to be in the healthiest of conditions when I take it."

Tsuna smiled, "Right. So…"

"So? Let's hear these secret fears, Tsunayoshi. Or…are you stalling on purpose?"

"I'm not stalling," the brunette answered. He let out another sigh. Mukuro's arms dangled from over Tsuna's shoulders as the smaller man felt a sudden weight over his back.

"You really shouldn't sigh like that, Tsunayoshi; it's not good for your mental health."

Tsuna's face reddened at the whisper. Nonetheless, he cast a sideways glare at Mukuro's smiling face. "And you would know all about my mental health, wouldn't you?"

"Kufufu…" Mukuro traced a finger from Tsuna's cheek bone and down his neck, stopping right over the brunette's heart. "Of course, Tsunayoshi. Now, let's hear those deep dark secrets of your heart."

"Well, more than losing my friends, I'm afraid of them getting hurt. And even more than that, I'm more afraid of them getting hurt because of me or for me. Before, I was afraid to fight, but now I'm more afraid of not fighting because I don't want to lose my friends and I want to protect them and the ones they care about."

Mukuro gave Tsuna a small squeeze, "That sounds very mundane and like you. How about something with a bit more potency?"

Tsuna buried his face in Mukuro's arms as he admitted more of his fears, "I'm afraid of solitude. The though of being alone without friends or even enemies really frightens me. I don't want to sit alone, stranded in darkness without even a soul to keep me company."

"Anything else?" Mukuro asked as he rested his head on Tsuna's shoulder. His fingers began fiddling with Tsuna's night-chilled hands, twining and untwining—playing his hands like a violin that sang Tsuna's deep fears.

"I'm afraid of being betrayed because that would mean I either hurt my friends to the point that I'd lose their loyalty or that we were never truly great friends in the first place."

Velvet whispered into Tsuna's ears, "And what's your deepest fear of all?" Gloved hands rested over bare palms.

Tsuna choked at the announcement, but answered the question nonetheless. His hands intertwined and closed with the ones on top of his. "I fear…myself…"

End Prologue.

Well, this is just the prologue so far. I hope you guys feel interested in it and keep reading. ^^

*This story, like The Lost Ring, will be updated about once per month (hopefully around the same time if not earlier).

As always, I'd love to hear your guy's thoughts about it and any suggestions you have. ^^