DISCLAIMER: I do not own KHR or anything related to it.
My work to submit in ilYamaTsuna7227li's Christmas Challenge. This is NOT YET DONE and there will be another chapter.
Word count: 6,281 words excluding A/N and Disclaimer.
Chapter 1: The Red Man
"DAME-TSUNA!"
The single statement resounded throughout the Sawada household, alarming the said teenage brunette to no bounds. As if his life depended on it, which might as well true, Tsuna ran up the set of stairs and went into his room where he and Reborn resided.
With a tentative push, the door opened. "Hai, Reborn! Did something happen?"
He found Reborn sitting on his swing. His expression was blank and unreadable as usual and that was usually the big clue that something was wrong. Very, very wrong. The air was very tense as if a wrong statement would end… him.
Tsuna gulped and shook his head, dismissing the thought, and focusing on the scene before him. He never knew how standing there and looking at a baby wearing a mafia suit who was sitting so quietly at the moment could be terrifying. It was too much for his poor heart.
"Tsunayoshi Sawada," Reborn began and the young Decimo stilled. The Sun Arcobaleno was surprisingly formal and calm despite his appearance, too formal to be anything but a good sign. "Sit down."
And that he did, sitting down beside the small table at the center of his room. He never thought it'd be used for something similar to an interrogation. Or a torturing session because he had a feeling it would go somewhere that way. Then Reborn decided to drop the bomb on him.
"Did you touch my stuff?"
There he said it, that simple yet not so simple statement. The Sky Guardian knew better than to say some random things right out without thinking. Well, just for now, since it felt like, 'if you said the wrong answer, it's the afterlife.'
Dying right before Christmas wasn't really on the top of his wish list.
"I d-didn't!" The brunet smacked himself mentally. That stuttering when nervous reaction has got to go. "Besides, I'm not the only one who goes in here. Oka-san always comes every morning to clean my room!"
No reaction came from the infant. Not a sigh, a blink, a gunshot. It's just nothing. And that didn't sit well with Tsuna. Anything but deathly silence was good. Did he really have to think something with death in it?
The young Decimo jumped upon hearing Reborn speak. "You say you didn't touch my stuff." He whispered to himself. Bit by bit, something built inside the infant's eyes until he finally asked,
"You really didn't, Dame-Tsuna?"
"Y-Yeah! You know I would never touch your stuff!"
Hopefully from belief, Reborn eventually nodded to himself. "I see. Forget I asked then."
Tsuna sighed in relief. At least Reborn believed that he didn't touch his stuff. He already knows he'd get shot on the spot if he ever messed with the Arcobaleno during his sleep, let alone touch his precious, probably personal, stuff. But of course, that thought led him to ask out of curiosity,
"What's that stuff you're asking about, Reborn? Did you lose something?"
The baby's eyes sharpened as he looked at his student. "It's none of your business, Dame-Tsuna..." He replied, hostility back in his tone.
"H-Hai!" Tsuna backtracked, waving his hands in a apologetic manner. "I didn't mean to intrude..."
"…Yet."
Oh, poor Tsuna.
"What?" He dared to ask but he already had a good guess what he meant.
Snapping his fingers in a mafia like fashion, the door closed behind Bianchi, who was behind the door the whole time. Tsuna fought the urge to scream his infamous shriek when he saw Bianchi's new live animal companion wrapped fashionably on her neck.
"Oh, do you like it? It's a poison boa. Poisonous. Deadly."
"I know!" The brunet cried out, crawling backwards to the edge of his own bed. "What are you gonna do with that anyway?"
A rough cough came from the almost forgotten hitman. "Bianchi, a moment."
"Questions later, Tsuna." Bianchi winked. "I'll give you a clue though, it's not gonna be my new pet."
He wanted to scream 'I don't even want to ask anymore!' but chose to keep it in his thoughts instead. After all, whatever animal or insect Bianchi had, it would be gone the next day. Those were the days he wouldn't dare touch his packed lunch.
"Now Dame-Tsuna," Reborn began again. "Have you heard of the red man?"
"T-The red man?" If anything, Tsuna wished it not be related to the mafia for once.
The infant shook his head. "Obviously not." Reborn said, not surprised. "Then Tsuna, you know about Santa Claus?"
"Of course I know him!"
"Good, good. That un-complicates things." Tsuna was about to ask what he meant but Reborn already answered, "Santa Claus is the big, fat man that goes down the chimney to give you gifts every Christmas Eve."
"I said I knew that already, Reborn!"
"But," The Sun Arcobaleno cut. "There have been rumors about a man in red appearing in houses every night since the start of the season."
"Sightings indicate he's been appearing a lot inside houses beside Christmas Trees around midnight." Bianchi added. "If we're to believe housewives tales."
"But actually, it's not just regular people he's targeted." Reborn finished.
"W-What do you m-mean?" Tsuna asked. Suddenly this was turning into another horror movie he had seen.
"Hayato." Bianchi sighed. Tsuna's eyes widened involuntarily at the said name of his Storm Guardian and self-proclaimed Right-Hand man. "His apartment window was unlocked. All video cameras in his apartment were crushed and…"
"All his gifts for everyone were stolen, including yours, Tsuna."
"E-Eh?" So that was the reason why Gokudera didn't show up at school yesterday, Tsuna thought.
"But you didn't have school yesterday." Reborn stated, suspicious. Did Reborn just read his mind again?
Instead of being annoyed by that however, "Y-Yeah that's right. Ahaha…" Tsuna laughed lamely. "A-Ano, everyone wanted to have a snowball fight. Gokudera and Haru didn't come, though."
At the last statement, Bianchi and Reborn exchanged looks. The female nodded grimly and Reborn's lips came to a flat line.
"That's because Haru also had all her gifts stolen."
Tsuna blinked, his lips curving into a frown but he didn't comment.
Bianchi frowned as she said, "Hayato and Haru have been looking non-stop for their gifts. Hayato's really mad about losing that diamond watch."
At this statement, Tsuna screamed. "HIIEE?! Gokudera-kun was serious?" He recalled Gokudera telling him he'd buy him one as a joke but he may have nodded unconsciously since he was also talking to Ryohei and Yamamoto at the same time during lunch at the rooftop last week.
"But Haru," Bianchi continued, ignoring the brunet's reaction. "She's been staying at Kyoko's house since the gifts were stolen from her. She's been down ever since."
"Not to mention even the Sasagawas' gifts were stolen last night too."
"Kyoko-chan and Onii-san too?"
Reborn nodded. "To sum it all up, last night's victims were the Sasagawas, Mukuro and Chrome… Lambo." Though why that red man would steal all those grape candies Lambo kept underneath his bed was a mystery.
Hearing almost all the names of his guardians, Tsuna concluded. "Isn't that everyone?"
Out of the blue, a huge vein popped out on Reborn's forehead and he jumped with 10 ton hammer for the sake of a good bam.
POW
"Itte!" Tsuna cried in pain, clutching the hit spot on his forehead.
"That's all of your guardians except Yamamoto, Dame-Tsuna!"
"H-H-Hai! I'm sorry!" Tsuna apologized with his hands safely protecting his head.
"Dame-Tsuna will always be Dame-Tsuna, ne Reborn?" He could hear Bianchi giggle.
Reborn crossed his arms. "That's not very comforting. And I'm supposed to make this guy into the Vongola Decimo."
"I told you I'm not planning to be the Vongola Decimo!" Tsuna complained.
"Urusai!"
POW
"Gomen, gomen!"
While Reborn still looked so mad at his student, Bianchi decided to intervene. Reborn wasn't this pissed until his stuff was stolen. It had a very significant meaning to the infant.
"Reborn." She said softly. Reborn sighed, a long one.
"Tsuna, we just want you to keep your eyes peeled for any strange red men. We already have an idea who it might be." Again, there was a quick exchange of looks between him and Bianchi. "For now, I want you to go out."
Stupefied, he asked, "G-Go out? What for? It's snowing!"
A soft click from Reborn's Leon-made gun was more than enough of a reason for Tsuna to run down and to the cold outside of his house with a quick "Bye!" from Bianchi.
'Stupid Reborn and stupid Leon kicking me out of my own room and making me go out with only my thin t-shirt and pants.'
To summarize it all, Tsuna was not only cold but also slightly frustrated at the baby. But really, Reborn didn't forget to throw down his number 27 mittens and orange sleeved sweater. Well, just now from the window upstairs anyway.
"Have fun, Tsuna. We can take care of things so just have fun." Bianchi waved from the window before closing it shut. Sometimes Tsuna would question the sanity of Italian Mafia.
Sighing, Tsuna decided to move on to a different subject. 'So Kyoko, Haru and the guardians except Yamamoto had their gifts stolen."
'Why did it have to happen during Christmas?' Tsuna thought sadly. He already had his share of sadness during Christmas, from snowball fights to gift giving where he never had anybody to do it with. He wouldn't want that sadness to be felt by his friends too. Anything but that.
'Please, anything but that…'
"That's because Haru also had all her gifts stolen."
"Hayato. All his gifts for everyone were stolen, including yours, Tsuna."
"To sum it all up, last night's victims were the Sasagawas, Mukuro and Chrome… Lambo."
That would make everyone's gifts stolen but if he recalled correctly only Yamamoto was the one who had his gifts not stolen. Yet. But then again, Yamamoto admitted yesterday he still hasn't bought his gifts for everyone.
"Yo, Tsuna!"
Speak of the devil and he shall come. The brunet flinched at the sudden sound of the Rain's voice.
"Hey, Yamamoto."
Back inside Tsuna's room, the two were watching something on Tsuna's TV.
It was Bianchi's first time seeing the video but Reborn had been watching it all morning. The female's eyes widen as the man in red came into the scene, clothed all over in red similar to Santa Clause but this one lacked the size to fit the part and his face was unidentifiable due to his, or her, mask. The thief snuck inside Tsuna's room where Reborn slept but Tsuna was nowhere to be seen since he was invited for a sleepover with some other people at Yamamoto's house.
"This is no ordinary thief." Bianchi commented.
True, the man was able to get inside the Sawada home undetected and that itself was quite the feat since Reborn has all kinds of traps activated at night. No common thief would survive getting inside the outer walls without getting the shock of their lives from high electric current running over it.
"But that's not all." said Reborn.
On the screen, the thief immediately went to Reborn's position and felt something underneath him, the location of Reborn's stuff. He, or she, didn't even make a single noise as the thief took a red bag filled with something that is making Reborn grit his teeth in annoyance right now.
"Ne Reborn," Bianchi began. "What was in that bag?"
"It's just something from the past."
Bianchi didn't say anything more than that. She knew the times when Reborn wanted to talk and time he didn't and she respected that.
"Bianchi, look."
The thief successfully took the bag without the sleeping hitman noticing. Just when the thief was about to go outside and run, he took his mask off.
Her eyes widen in disbelief. "Reborn!" she gasped.
The Sun Arcobaleno already knew what would be her reactions. "The video wasn't edited or tempted with. Even I don't know why he would do that." Yes, even Reborn was genuinely puzzled as he watched the video recording for the fifteenth time.
For safety purposes and now more than ever since it was already announced that Tsuna was going to be the Vongola Decimo, he had secretly implanted several hidden security cameras throughout the house without anyone knowing, except him, Bianchi and Giannini.
"This isn't the first time this has ever happened right, Reborn?" Bianchi asked without looking, her eyes glued to the repeating recording.
"No, this isn't." agreed Reborn. "But why?"
Bianchi fell silent as she found it unable to say a good, logical reason why that person on the TV would steal something from Reborn's bag, especially one of his most precious reminders from the old days.
"Bianchi, take care of the rest of the stuff for a few days. I want to ask Iemitsu a few things."
At the Namimori Shopping District two teenagers walked hand in hand but that wasn't why people kept shooting them curious stares. Rather, it was because,
"Y-Yamamoto! Do we really have to hold hands while walking?" Tsuna asked as they walked.
The baseball ace had asked him for assistance in buying gifts for the rest of the gang. So it came to this, on their way to the local mall to buy a few things.
The Rain smiled sheepish. "Ah, sorry about that, Tsuna. Should we break up?"
"What? B-Break up?" The boy turned red from head to toe. Yamamoto looked confused and gestured to their connected hands, which made the boy to smack himself silly.
"If I'm making you uncomfortable, I can just put my hands in my pockets. I forgot my mittens y'see."
Tsuna looked down. Yamamoto's bare hand looked pretty warm on his own. His pockets didn't looks so shallow or warm either. "N-No! I just don't want people to think us strange."
A level look then a small chuckle came from the taller teen. "Tsuna, haven't I told you this before? I don't care what other people think."
To prove his point, Yamamoto's hand tightened considerably before loosening the instant after.
"And your hand is pretty warm. I don't really want to let go anytime soon." Yamamoto admitted with his sheepish smile still on his face.
Tsuna really wanted to tell him something close to, 'That isn't what you tell freely!' or 'You don't tell that to another guy!' but it was Yamamoto's nature to be honest and oblivious to what should be and what should not be said.
"Shouldn't we be getting your gifts now, Yamamoto?" said the blushing boy in an attempt to change the subject.
"Oh yeah! Hahaha!"
The young Decimo rolled his eyes. 'Typical Yamamoto reaction.' And he laughed.
They soon arrived to their location. Namimori Mall located far from their school. The place was full of Christmas decoration. Bright Christmas lights wrapped around the trunks of artificial trees, the staff and clerks all had red, shining Santa hats, sleigh-themed carts, brightly lit Christmas Trees in different sizes and colors, and there was even Santa Clause on a chair asking kids what they want for Christmas.
"I haven't told Santa what I want this year yet."
The statement made the smaller teen to look up at Yamamoto in disbelief. The taller teen looked back with the same questioning look.
"Hahaha! What? I thought it was fun." He said indifferently. "I might get what I want this year if I ask now."
Curious, Tsuna asked, "What do you want for this year? A shiny, new baseball bat?"
Yamamoto gave him a long, blank look and then smiled his sparkling smile. "You already got me what I want, Tsuna."
"E-Eh?" Tsuna stuttered in question. Truth be told, he tagged along because he was also planning to buy gifts for two of his guardians. He already had everyone's except Yamamoto and Hibari's.
But really, what could you get Hibari that he would accept? He didn't even say he was going to the party at his house.
"Well, at least I think I got what I want." Yamamoto sighed.
Again, Tsuna looked at his best friend who looked uncertain about something. He decided to say,
"I'm sure you'll get what you want this Christmas." Tsuna gripped his hand still connected to Yamamoto's as if it would give him confidence. "Yep, I'm sure it will!"
The Rain slowly turned into a happy grin, returning the gesture completely. "Yeah, haha! Thanks, Tsuna."
Just when the two were smiling like idiot at each other, someone just didn't like it.
"Oi! Get your hands off him, yakyuu-baka!"
Of course everyone knows who that is.
"Gokudera?" Tsuna looked into the crowd and saw a familiar flash of silver running towards them at high speed, possibly knocking anyone out of his way.
"Tsuna-san~!"
Oh Buddha please no.
"Oh, Haru-san is here too." Yamamoto stated lamely and Tsuna sulked.
They could hear Gokudera shouting, "Che, stupid woman! Stop dragging me down!"
And they could clearly hear Haru retaliate, "But you're going to Tsuna-san!"
"Geez what a loud couple." A passerby told her friend.
"Someone should call the guards." said another.
"Er, we should go." Yamamoto suggested. "I think senpai wanted a towel since he sweats a lot."
Strangely, Tsuna felt the same way. "Yeah, we shou-uwaa!"
He never got to finish the sentence as he found himself being dragged by a strong force, his feet barely managing to keep up. If this was what it felt to run in baseball then he'll have to pass when the opportunity comes. It was now wonder why Yamamoto was Namimori's ace when it came to baseball.
"You know I always wanted to do this shopping thing with someone." Yamamoto said while running. It came like a whisper due to the air but the brunet heard it clearly.
"But I also wanted that someone to be Tsuna."
The said teen would have stumbled if it weren't for the strong arm pulling in front. He fought the urge to blush there and then when he feared he took it the wrong way.
"B-Baka, Gokudera will catch up if you slow down like this!"
Yamamoto didn't say anything else other than a loud, hearty laugh he was known for.
And probably was one of the things he was loved for by Tsuna.
For the rest of the day, they hadn't seen a shadow of their two previous stalkers.
"So I got Basil's Chrome's, Gokudera's, Lambo's and Mukuro's." Yamamoto did a mental count of all the gifts he had in possession.
"Only Hibari, Bianchi and Reborn are left." said Tsuna. He didn't put his name on the list on purpose, hoping that Yamamoto would notice.
"Yeah, that's all." He nodded without a second thought and left Tsuna disappointed.
Disappointed was an understatement. Tsuna was crushed.
"W-What were you thinking of buying for Bianchi?" The brunet mentally cursed himself for stuttering.
They were currently inside a store with women's clothing trying to find a good gift for Bianchi.
Yamamoto paid it no mind. "I was thinking of something like a T-shirt." The taller teen pondered, checking the tag prices one by one. He didn't like what he saw, turning into a sour look.
"T-Too much?"
Yamamoto nodded and sighed. "Too much."
"Oh," The smaller teen mumbled. "M-Maybe Bianchi will be more grateful for cooking materials." he suggested.
"You're… right." Yamamoto replied after a short period of thought.
"I think I saw one on the upper floor." And hopefully, he thought, he'd be able to buy that small fluffy bird stuff toy he saw for Hibari. Hibari was hostile to crowding humans but never to small animals. Well, so far it seemed like it.
"Yeah, I think I know what to get Bianchi-san now."
None of them noticed that their hands were still connected as they walked and none of them seemed to mind. Rather, it felt heartwarming to just stay like that, giving each other warmth and comfort. They didn't care anymore for the rude, questioning stares and glares people shot them. Nothing mattered anymore besides the two of them.
When they reached the upper floor, Tsuna asked, "A-Ano, Yamamoto, can I go somewhere?"
Yamamoto raised an eyebrow. "Where to? Let's go together." The Rain smiled as he offered. It was likely of him to do that.
The brunet shook his head. "You don't have to. I'm just gonna buy something quick."
Yamamoto frowned and intentionally squeezed his hand gently. "It'll be faster if we go together right?"
But no, Tsuna wouldn't just budge. He was also going to use this chance to find something to buy for Yamamoto and you can't actually buy something you're going to give to a person you're shopping with.
"Sorry, it'll be quicker if it's just me."
Without the other's approval, Tsuna let go of his hand and ran off, blending into the crowd before the Rain could even call him back.
Running through the crowds, people became blurry obstacles. Strangely, they were easily avoidable which Tsuna was glad for. At least he didn't bump into anyone. He had to thank, even if just once, Reborn's training. Soon, he reached the shop that sold stuff toys and found the small yellow bird stuff toy which fit on his hand.
"Kufufufu~ Surprise meeting you here, Tsunayoshi-kun."
The brunette turned, coming face to face with Mukuro holding a small, stuffed, white owl which he guessed he was buying.
"Hiiie! M-Mukuro!"
"I'm here too, bossu." Chrome appeared from behind Mukuro, looking somewhat dejected.
"O-Oh hi, Chrome." Tsuna sweat dropped.
"Doing your late Christmas shopping too, Vongola?" Mukuro asked with a smirk.
"Y-You're doing it too!" Tsuna retaliated in an intimidated manner.
The smirk turned into a sharp glare that only made the brunet more scared. "That's because someone stole all of the gifts I kept for Christmas. I won't let that person's soul rest without meeting him in this cycle."
Tsuna could only describe the glaring Mist guardian with one word. Scary.
"All the gifts we were gonna give everyone was stolen so we have to buy another set." Chrome said half-heartedly, her lips curving to a sad frown.
"B-But Reborn said he already knows who it was." said Tsuna.
Something flashed inside Mukuro's eyes and Tsuna was sure it wasn't amusement. "Oya? Is that true? We should give this person a visit then."
"Mukuro-sama," Chrome tugged at the original Mist guardian's sleeve. "Reborn-san told us not to interfere. And he told us not to buy another set of gifts."
"But Christmas is two days from now." Mukuro growled at the female Mist guardian, who stepped back and bowed sorry. He looked taken aback from the sudden movement, looking rather sorry.
"I didn't mean to…" The former Estraneo grumbled. The female Mist nodded giggling.
"It's alright Mukuro-sama." she replied with a small smile.
Tsuna wanted to ask, 'Are you guys together?' or something like that if he knows he'd make it out alive. Mukuro was very, very personal.
So instead he asked, "Why do you have gifts for everyone? It isn't…"
"-like me?" Mukuro finished and Tsuna nodded. "I may be person trying to destroy the mafia but I was born in a place where Christmas is celebrated every year. It would only be natural for me to."
Somehow, Tsuna doubted it. Reborn could have forced Mukuro and his gang to participate.
"I-I'm gonna cash this out now."
"Kufufufufu~ Take your time, Vongola." Mukuro waved goodbye but Chrome followed. She came close to the young Decimo and whispered from behind his ear.
"Mukuro-sama means it, bossu." she said reassuringly.
The teen smiled. "If you say so, Chrome." he replied, believing.
After a few exchanges of looks, the brunet parted ways with the two Mists with no specific destination in mind. Yamamoto should be done with his own shopping by now since it took about half an hour for him to buy the gift and escape his two former companions but he didn't really feel like meeting back with him right now.
Then he heard it.
"Hehehe! Gifts! So many gifts!"
The brunet halted in his tracks, eyes searching around for the source but he found none, other than bystanders and clerks giving him questioning looks.
"So many, so many!" The cheery voice returned, louder this time.
"Who are you?!" Tsuna shouted. The voice was very clear, but the presence felt like it wasn't there. He extended his arms and swung around just to make sure it wasn't anywhere nearby in case it was using Mist flames to conceal its presence.
"Mukuro's getting me new gifts! Happy! So happy!"
"Hello?" He asked as he turned again.
"Yamamoto~ I can't wait to get yours!"
"No, don't!" Tsuna shouted helplessly, turning again and again desperately finding the source.
"Gifts!" The voice mumbled before fading bit by bit. If only Tsuna could go into his Hyper mode then but he didn't bring the pills.
"Tsunayoshi-kun, what on Earth are you doing?"
Mukuro stood with a large bag over his shoulders with an amused smirk.
"M-Mukuro!" The brunet shouted. For the first time in his life he was actually glad his scheming male Mist guardian would appear, almost jumping on him and hugging him silly. Almost.
"I heard you screaming and thought it was a sight to see so I came." Mukuro explained. "But then it was just you losing your mind. It was amusing either way."
"Did you see the red man?" Tsuna asked so serious Mukuro's smirk drop.
"I only saw you screaming and nothing else. Is that why you were doing that?" He asked, a dangerous, murderous tone replacing his casual one.
"I-I think he was using Mist flames!"
But Mukuro shook his head. "I would have sensed it. There was nothing there, Tsunayoshi."
"But I heard him loud and clear!" Tsuna grabbed the other male's arms. "Use your Daemon lens! He's around here!"
Mukuro gritted his teeth. "Let go of me Tsu-"
Tsuna didn't hear Mukuro finish his threat as he saw a flash of red running at top speed. Without even a single word, he took off after the mysterious figure, skillfully dodging people as he passed. It wasn't long until he disappeared from sight.
"The Arcobaleno should know about this." Mukuro muttered, his face ever serious. "But I should return to my dear Chrome first."
From the opposite distance, his eyes met with a certain guardian who looked fairly agitated by what he'd just seen. Mukuro merely ignored the harsh glare and proceeded to return to Chrome.
'Oya, oya, you're Rain guardian is really something.' He thought, avoiding the urge to cringe.
"Get. Back. Here!"
The red man was a blur, easily fading from one spot to another. He no longer had doubts of him being the culprit. His Santa hat covered most of his face but his impish grin and it didn't fail to agitate the brunet even more.
The chase led to the rooftop which nobody hanged out due to the cold weather and snow. The thief came to a complete halt on the edge but never turned.
Tsuna arrived soon after, his breathing uneven for he was running and small spasms hit his body. He nonetheless glared at the thief, the one who threatened to ruin their Christmas, the one who took everyone's gifts and was now targeting his best friend's.
"Give me back everyone's gifts!" He shouted after regaining his composure.
"I don't wanna!" The voice sounded childish and spoiled it made him question the red man's age.
"Why?"
There was a long, quiet pause.
"Because I'm tired of feeling alone." The thief sounded sad, broken. Tsuna could relate completely. He always felt that way every Christmas, until Reborn came, until Gokudera came, until Yamamoto came, until everyonecame. He never felt that loneliness come back again ever since. Well there was…
"You're sad too." He said it like he knew.
"I'm not sad!" Tsuna retorted angrily. "And I said give me back everyone's gifts!"
"But it isn't just your guardians and friends, Tsu-na~!" The said teen flinched. "Aren't you forgetting something? Something from Reborn? A bag maybe?"
'Bag?' Tsuna thought. Reborn never said anything about him losing stuff. That would explain why he interrogated him in this morning. But he did mention something like that a few days earlier.
"Where did you hide them?" The brunet asked which went ignored by the figure.
"You should know where."
Another long pause came.
"Who are you?"
The red man stiffened at the question. "I'm…" He began to turn.
"Tsuna!"
It all happened too fast. The thief jumped off the root without even revealing his face.
"No!" Tsuna ran to give chase but stopped short when a hand hooked itself around his waist.
"Don't! Tell me you aren't planning to jump Tsuna!" Yamamoto pleaded.
"I'm not! Yamamoto, we have to catch him!" Tsuna screamed as he desperately tried to free himself but the arms wrapped around his torso outmatched his own.
"Tsuna, please calm down. You aren't thinking straight! There's no one there!"
Tsuna didn't want to believe it. He was close, so close to getting their presents back. He was almost there! But he had to jump. He hated it, to feel helpless, to know you're there but couldn't do anything, for letting everyone down. Before he knew it, he was crying, crying in frustration in front of his best friend.
"I was so close." Tsuna kept sobbing.
Seeing his best friend in such a state, it frustrated him even more. He was already mad when he saw Tsuna with Mukuro alone. He wanted to go home then, just forget it ever happened and act like the happy-go-lucky baseball ace everyone knew, act his role as the guardian of Rain but he couldn't. He just couldn't.
Yamamoto didn't think. He just went on with his instincts and wrapped his arms around the teen, keeping his close as he sobbed on his chest. With calming whispers, Yamamoto calmed the sobbing teen together with frequent rubs on his back. But he didn't feel like stopping there and he didn't even want to listen to his inner self nagging him to stop. But it was too late.
His hands held the smaller teen's face, leaned in, kissed the tear strained cheeks, kissed his tears away until he finally took the brunet's own lips. His eager lips pressed on Tsuna's softer ones, licking, asking for entry, until it was granted, passing by and exploring the hot cave much like his own, except it was sweeter than any treat he could think of.
Tsuna didn't think. It was too late to anyway and instead came to welcome the foreign object, meeting it with his own. The fought for domination until Yamamoto's won without doubt. They did that for a few more seconds until they broke apart, each panting for break.
"Y-Yamamoto," Tsuna was as red as a tomato. From behind, he could feel two arms holding him securely, not planning to let him go anytime soon.
Yamamoto also had his own color change, his cheeks tinted pink but he didn't look really happy. "I'm sorry." He mumbled guiltily. "I-I took advantage of-"
The Rain didn't get a chance to continue when a small finger closed his lips. "N-No, you d-didn't. It did s-surprise me though." Tsuna smiled shyly. Yamamoto returned it with the same amount.
And awkward silence came but neither wanted to break it. They just wanted to stay like that, Rain holding the Sky peacefully.
"Kufufu, I wouldn't advise standing under the falling snow for long."
"Bossu and Rain-san don't want to get a cold just before Christmas right?"
One could only imagine Tsuna's high pitched, infamous scream breaking the peace of Namimori.
The whole day passed without another incident. Haru and Gokudera didn't appear the rest of the day, much to their relief.
And so they were on the road back to home. The snow had began falling then, each flake covering the now-white grounds of Namimori. Christmas lights and even small mistletoes underneath the door frames decorated every home they passed by.
Tsuna was silent but occasionally he would stare and mumble in awe when he would see a house with great decorations and brightly colored lights. He still blamed himself for losing the red man, but above all, he was silent because Yamamoto was the same.
From his hindsight, he could see the taller teen carrying the gifts he had by the wrists, his hands burrowed into the small pockets of his pants. He could tell he was cold since he had forgotten his mittens. He had offered to carry the other half of the gifts but Yamamoto would politely decline every time.
He really didn't want to see his best friend like that. He also wanted to know what that kiss meant exactly.
"D-Do you want to hold hands?"
Yamamoto's footsteps stopped followed by Tsuna's own. The Rain looked shocked, disbelieving the fact that he was just asked that, stuttering,
"E-Eh?"
Unable to stand it anymore, Tsuna walked himself to the taller teen and grabbed his hands. They were ice cold yet the owner could still smile like it felt like nothing.
"Baka! You're freezing!" Tsuna pouted at the taller teen.
The brunet didn't get to continue the lecture as he found himself swiftly pulled close and trapped inside Yamamoto's arms.
"T-Thanks, Tsuna." Yamamoto's words came with visible air.
Before he could ask what he meant by that, a pair of hands slipped into his sweater's pockets, closing off the space between them and they looked like two sticks glued together. As if they weren't close enough, Yamamoto rested his head on the brunet's shoulder, breathing cold puffs of air.
Tsuna flushed red. Being so close to Yamamoto's body was really… infuriating? No, he didn't feel like that. He actually welcomed it. Being close to another made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. But having his face close was another story, unable to stop his loud heartbeat from accelerating because it reminded him of that kiss.
Another puff of breath came from the Rain a few minutes later. He lifted his face up and stared at the brunet with a smile.
"I feel a bit better now." He said gratefully but didn't let go.
"M-M-Me too."
A grin found its way on Yamamoto's lips. "Really? I don't want to let go. Can I?"
"I-I-I," Tsuna scrambled for a good excuse. Yamamoto's expecting look didn't help. "I want some hot chocolate!"
"Haha! Sure, I'll get you anything when we get home."
'when we get home?' Tsuna couldn't help but bury his face inside Yamamoto's chest to hide his red face.
"I- uh…"
"I'll get you marshmallows too, a free hot bath and-"
"Can I sit close to the fireplace?"
Yamamoto looked taken aback then smiled sheepish. "Uh Tsuna, We don't have one." He said lamely, disappointed in himself.
Tsuna rolled his eyes. "I'm just kidding, Yamamoto!" Of course Tsuna would know that. He always goes to his house for homework after all, even if they aren't able to do much work together.
"We can get a hot bath running instead." The Rain suggested.
"Forget it." The brunet smiled. It wouldn't really feel the same though a bath would sound nice.
But Yamamoto wouldn't just let it go, muttering, "I wish we bought a one."
"Yamamoto! I said forget it." Tsuna pouted.
"I know but-"
"Baka-moto!"
"Do you want to sleep over at my house?"
And there was silence. They had come to a complete halt in the midst of falling snow. Yamamoto wondered if he said something that he shouldn't have.
He blinked when he heard the smaller teen speak.
"S-S-Sure," The brunet stuttered. He wished he could blame the cold for that and his reddened cheeks.
The Rain couldn't be any happier, breaking into another one of his sunny smiles. "Great! Let's go."
Somewhere…
"Gifts! Gifts~ My precious gifts!"
Chapter 1 End
Author's Note
Hmm... I'm not satisfied with it. No, not at all. YamaTsuna-chan, I'm not yet done. Hehe. I don't think I'll ever get it done. Oh well, I'm not aiming for the top. I'm aiming for the first or second place, fufufufu~
I think the next challenge should be a Valentine Challenge. If I may be able to suggest, the theme could be cupid.
Feel free to message me and feel free to review. I'm not demanding when it comes to reviews. (but can you make it with lots of love? Ahaha! Sorry!)
A Question If You Don't Mind!
1. Is anybody looking forward to the next chapter of Flowers?
2. I want to know if you guys figured out who the red man is. If you do, don't tell who it is in the review. Just tell me a simple "Yes" or "Nope".
KHFMEE-8027 out!