Color my World
by Raining Sky Guy
Written for IlYamaTsuna7227li's CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE 2014(Feel free to check it out and participate as well ;). Warnings? Eh, might be cheesy… as hell.
Life was a monotonous thing. A certain brunet sighed as he looked out at the cloudless grey sky. He had heard someone say it was blue, but Tsuna couldn't even begin to imagine what that was supposed to look like. All he had ever seen was grey. He hoped he found his special someone soon. Usual as it was, Tsuna found himself more tired and bored as his grey days went on.
"Nice to meet you. I just moved in from Tokyo. My name is Yamamoto Takeshi."
Oh. They had a transfer student today. That was new. Tsuna spent a moment assessing grey-and-black features before quirking a small smile. His voice was nice and it matched his joyous expression. It was as if he was a puppy. Said puppy looked straight at him as if called and smiled.
Tsuna's surprised mind wished his soul mate would have a smile like that. Ah... Her smile would be adorable, he knew, adorable and full of color.
...
Wait. Hadn't his family told him they were taking in a friend of them while he and his son got properly settled down?
What had her mother said? " They have just moved in to this town. They'll stay until after Christmas at the very least. Maybe then we can convince them to stay until new year!"
Could this be who she had been talking about?
"Something on my face?" his new neighbor said with a bright smile. Tsuna's cheeks darkened as he quickly stuttered out a denial. He returned to his sky-watching forgetting to introduce himself. He missed how Yamamoto's smile dropped slightly.
"Hey there Yamamoto! Why did ya transfer just for our last day of class? I would have used it as excuse to miss school for a day at least."
"Haha, but I wanted to meet my new classmates as soon as possible."
Wasn't this embarrassing, eavesdropping in on the new teen, as he had no courage to ask him those very same questions? He was by far more interesting than the unchanging sky.
"Aren't you cool? Well, I'm Nagisa. Me and my friends will stay here for the holidays if you'd like to join us."
"Oh, seriously? That would be great! I'll think about it."
Tsuna really wished he could be like that too. But here he was, stuck to the name Dame-Tsuna.
"Hey I'm going the same way, let's go home together!
Tsuna looked back and saw Yamamoto waving at him to wait. Surprised, the shorter teen complied and soon enough both of them were walking in a companiable silence.
"So... Are you always so quiet?" Yamamoto started once they were walking down the road. He grinned at the other when the big-eyed male seemed to get embarrassed.
"No-I'm not…" Tsuna stammered out before falling into an even more embarrassing silence, mumbling something like "Just not good with strangers…" to himself. Takeshi kept the comment to himself, but he'd be lying if he didn't find his classmate cute.
(x)
Several minutes later, Tsuna was getting nervous all over again. The new student still was beside him, with zero appearance of leaving soon. The light-gray haired teen had no idea what to do and at last he asked, "Um… are you following me?"
"Eh? No, I also live in this direction…" Yamamoto muttered embarrassedly and Tsuna immediately offered him an apologetic smile. But then that means…
"Oh, you're the one my dad was talking about, he was right." Yamamoto suddenly spoke up, apparently following his same train of thought, realization making his black eyes shine.
Right? Wait, me-? What-?" Tsuna quickly asked, taken by surprise. The taller teen swung back his arms to rest behind his head as he grinned at Tsuna.
"He said we'd get along haha." He mumbled, eyes gentle and warm. Before Tsuna could get anything else out, the black-haired teen stopped to wave at someone. "Hey Pops!"
Tsuna belatedly realized they had arrived to his home, where someone who looked like Yamamoto waved at them. He had been too busy wondering if Yamamoto's eyes were really black.
"Hey, Takeshi! Tsunayoshi! Welcome home!" The man yelled and that was confirmation enough that this teen was his family's friend.
Friend that, when he thought Tsuna wasn't watching, grinned softly and pumped his fist in the air as he whispered, "Got his name!"
Tsuna's cheeks warmed at that and he decided to pretend he hadn't heard that. It was his fault anyway that he had ended up not introducing himself after all. That was the only reason he was embarrassed. Obviously.
As it turned out, both teens clicked together almost immediately, just after Takeshi got to know the Tsuna behind the shy and distant demeanor and Tsuna got a closer look at the no-lies, carefree attitude of the other.
"So, Yamamoto-san, where would you like to go first?" Tsuna asked as he donned his favorite hoodie and looked for his shoes. Yamamoto pulled on a sweater and patiently waited for the shorter teen.
"Well, not particularly, any place you'd like to show me?" He shot back, choking back a laugh at Tsuna's shout of achievement at finding a certain pair of shoes.
"Okay, then, let me think…"
(x)
"This is the Namimori Shrine. I think that since this is the first time you've visited Namimori, this place would be a nice beginning. You can even get a charm and yeah…" Tsunayoshi trailed off, smiling when Yamamoto didn't seem put off but rather honestly interested in the place. The Shrine was rather empty since they had gone early in the morning but the place was as clean and beautiful as always.
Yamamoto had just gone to pray when Tsuna was accosted by a lethal-looking teen. Unfazed, the teen with the gravity-defying-hair quirked a smile.
"Hi there, Hibari-san." He greeted the other with a small bow and Hibari Kyoya hummed in reply. Menacing pose dropped, the older-looking teen glanced at Yamamoto and back at him in question.
"A friend of… my family. He's staying with us until his dad has their house settled." Tsuna answered, feeling that calling Yamamoto his friend would be preposterous. Not that Hibari really cared. He would roll his eyes at the self-drama. "You should meet him. He's nice."
"I'd really rather-" Hibari started, already retreating when Yamamoto jogged to reach them.
"All done, Tsuna! Sorry for making you wait." He cheerfully exclaimed before he noticed the other. "Oh? And who are you? I'm Takeshi! Yamamoto Takeshi, recently moved in from-"
"Tokyo. I know; I'd appreciate you stop saying unnecessary information. Tsunayoshi may tell you my name, I'm leaving." That said, Namimori's prefect turned around and continued on whatever he was going to do.
"A-ah that was Hibari Kyoya. As you can see, he's not very sociable… or friendly but he's a friend of mine I guess." Tsuna explained, trying to ease those awkward lines that had appeared on his classmate's face. Yamamoto gave him one last doubtful look before dropping the subject. The shorter teen then paused and mused out loud. "Actually, I think he likes you. He even gave you his name. That's pretty unusual…"
Yamamoto seemed to relax, but still looked confused; to compensate, Tsuna hurriedly dragged the other to the stands and got him a charm for good luck. The other's hand feeling oddly warm against his.
Tsuna showed him around some malls and finally stopped to lunch at a fast food joint. As they bit into their respective hamburgers, the question popped up, for no particular reason.
"Have you found you soul mate, yet?" Tsuna thought out loud, his face immediately darkening as he covered his mouth with his hand. "I'm so sorry, you don't have to-"
"Haha, it's alright. And to answer that, I haven't." Yamamoto spoke up with another chuckle and a smile. But this time, Tsuna noticed how that gesture seemed the slightest bit forced. The Sawada child frowned in silence, not saying anything as he learned about Yamamoto's fake smiles.
"Well, that makes two of us…" Tsuna sighed at last and from the corner of his eye, he noticed the black-haired teen's features relaxing. A moment later he was pinned by a stare. "Um, is there something wrong?"
"I'm just really surprised you haven't…well."
"What?" Tsuna exclaimed in disbelief before he broke down laughing, "No, I'm not popular at all." He waved his hand, dismissing the comment. His eyes turned to the grey sky, once again distant, "I hope I'll get to see the true sky someday…together with…" Unbeknownst to him, Yamamoto's face had gone a shade darker as he stared at him.
As it turned out, Nana ended up calling Tsuna as soon as they left the mall to tell them to be there soon, since she had cooked dinner and wanted everyone to be there. Nana's son smiled awkwardly as he explained this to Yamamoto, but to his relief, the other was perfectly happy to head home already.
"Tsuna? Are you-?" Yamamoto knocked on his suddenly-roommate's door yet paused at seeing the look on the other. Tsuna's head rested on his palm as he gazed at a grey sky. The deepness in his eyes replaced by a blank, despondent reflection of the sky. "Tsuna?" Yamamoto tried again, frowning in worry; sure enough, the other snapped to attention.
"Ah, sorry Yamamoto-san, did you need something?" The Sawada boy smiled at him, and Yamamoto dismissed the previous event.
"Nah, just wondering if you were free?" The current-freeloader asked, rubbing his neck nervously. To his relief, his friend's face lightened up at his words.
"Sure! Where would you like to-?"
"Maa maa, there's no rush. I think I'm fine with spending a day in here, y'know, playing and stuff. If it's okay…?" Yamamoto didn't get a chance to finish as Tsuna was already pulling out all his videogames to choose.
(x)
"Hey, Yamamoto-san, why did you decide to move so suddenly and just before classes ended? Why not move just after break?" Tsuna asked as he repeatedly smashed Yamamoto's character to the ground without bathing an eyelash.
"Eh? Well, actually I had already ended the semester in my previous school. But since yesterday was all about packing and moving and then doing nothing else, I took a chance to meet my new classmates." Yamamoto explained as he gave up this game. "Pops had earned enough money to open his own business so he decided to open it here, for memories sake, I guess."
"He's from Namimori? I guess that's how my father knows him…" Tsuna mussed out loud as he was declared victor. He turned to the other. "And? What business?"
"A sushi restaurant."
"Ah, I can see that. There's no good place for buying sushi here." The grey-haired male said as he nodded. He smiled at the other, "When it's open to the public we should go there together!"
"It's a promise!" The smiling other exclaimed slapping Tsuna's back animatedly.
"Tsuna-kun!" Tsuna's body shot to the air and to the window as a girl's voice echoed inside the house.
"K-Kyoko-chan!?" Tsuna exclaimed in surprise before hurriedly going to the door to greet her, Yamamoto trailing behind him at a slower pace.
(x)
"…was wondering if you'd like to go on a double date? You see, I have this friend that I think you'd like. Ah, but not right now, until I find…" A pretty short-haired-girl was explaining to the boy when Yamamoto reached them. The unknown girl paused to look at him with surprise, her cheeks darkening prettily. "A-ah, Tsuna-kun, this is…?"
"Eh? Ah, He's Yamamoto Takeshi." And after a moment's doubt —while checking him up and down— Tsuna leaned in on Kyoko's ear and whispered something at which the girl's face heated up even more even as she hastily nodded. Tsuna winked at her before inviting all three of them for tea.
"Um, is Yamamoto-kun alright with you?... I'm Sasagawa Kyoko, nice to meet you." Tsunayoshi left them alone to prepare the tea. He smiled at recalling Kyoko's smile, but faltering all the same.
He had promised her that he'd try to get Yamamoto to go on this double date with her and her friend. Who knew, maybe these persons would actually turn out to be his and Kyoko's soul mates. Because both he and Kyoko had tried with each other. Even though they had liked and perhaps loved each other…
It hadn't been enough.
"Do you have any hobbies?" Kyoko's voice cut through whatever Haru was telling him easily enough. Yamamoto chuckled and Tsuna didn't have to look to know there was a big smile on his face.
"I guess you could say baseball is my hobby." He replied with a dreamy tone that caught Tsuna's attention. The male turned away from his date to stare at Yamamoto. "But I think it's more of my life than just a hobby…"
"That's…so profound, you must really love baseball…" Kyoko voiced out her surprise with an easy smile, giggling when Yamamoto's face heated up.
So Yamamoto loved baseball… he had never told him that. If Tsuna had known he'd have made a point of taking him to the school's baseball court at least! The grey-haired teen pouted at the thought before shaking his head and focusing back on Haru.
"So, eh, Haru-chan, what do you like to do as hobby?" Tsuna still battled to say the girl's given name without getting embarrassed. But she had insisted so bad, he just had to try as pathetic as it made him sound.
"Haru loves cosplay-desu!"
Tsuna had to give up his soul mate thing up. There was clearly no compatibility. It wasn't that he didn't like her —she was pretty and smart and had a nice character. But he knew her sort of personality. Hayato's half-sister was the same. As soon as she knew the other was attached she would suddenly turn demanding.
.
At least Kyoko seemed to be doing fine. The girl and her date had seemed to hit it off since the start and both were laughing about this or the other. The pinnacle of the day seemed to be when Kyoko said something that clearly flustered Yamamoto and he proceeded to turn all gentlemanly —making even Haru shyly look at him. Meanwhile Tsuna was just wondering if this was his default behavior when he didn't know what to do.
Tsuna's eyes inevitably strayed up to the patch of sky he could see from the window. Would he never know the color of the sky?
"Sorry again for getting you dragged into this…"Tsuna apologized for the nth time as a cheerful Yamamoto slung an arm around his shoulders as they walked together to the mall —this time, to buy Christmas decorations.
"I already told you, it's alright!" His free-loader said cheerfully, waving the list Tsuna's mom had given them with his free hand. "I'm free-loading in your house anyway, so even more reason to do it. Anyway, what should we get first?"
"Ehh… I guess the Christmas lights… I wonder why mom suddenly insisted on putting all the decorations up. We stopped doing this a long time ago and gave that stuff away." Tsuna explained as he guided Yamamoto to the correct aisle.
Soon enough, both teens were loaded with decorations, their Christmas tree reserved to be picked up later. Tsuna reasonably left everything breakable —hence the lightest things— with Yamamoto so when he tripped, there was no worry he'd broke anything.
"Ouch. Ah, nothing broke I'm glad…" Tsuna muttered as he checked the merchandise. He looked up and smiled uncertainly to wave the other's worries away, "I'm fine, fine. I trip often enough." It was embarrassing to say, but it was the truth. Not like he wouldn't have noticed this sooner or later.
"Are you sure? Do you need me to carry you?" Yamamoto seemed to have fallen in what looked indeed like his default gentlemanly behavior and Tsuna couldn't help but stutter. He was not a girl, thank you very much!
The shorter, grey-haired teen got up with a set frown, all the scattered merchandise already in his grasp. "See? It's alright." He showed the other with a small pout. And then, a bit out of revenge and a lot out of personal curiosity, he added, "It's funny how when something unexpected happens, you become Mr. Knight-in-shining-armor. Why is that?"
Yamamoto's face turned a very peculiar shade of dark. "That's just how I was brought up!" He declared before hurrying up ahead. "Hurry up, you mocking bird. We need to get these to your mother, before you tire."
"Did you just call me a bird?!"
Today was the day the Yamamotos were moving out. The final preparations had ended much sooner than expected. Tsuna watched the leaving duo, feeling strange when his household occupant's decreased again. Without senior Yamamoto helping out in the kitchen and on whatever was needed and without Yamamoto-kun making him company…
Boy, it sure got boring fast.
.
Tsuna stared without seeing the darkening sky from outside his house. It had already been sixteen years. He wasn't really that popular and he had started to wonder if seeing the colors was really worth all the trouble. More like, for some reason he was more fixated on finding his soul mate so he can see the colors than on finding his soul mate for itself.
A white cloud flew by, slowly blocking out the sun and Tsuna was reminded of Hibari. He was the prime example that neither of those things was necessary. He had power, he had strength, he had friends. He did not care what the color of the sky was.
"That the clouds are white is more than enough. That my hair is black and yours grey is plenty." He had told him in a perfectly fine voice. At least there was hope there. Unpopular-Tsuna would just have to get used to the fact that he wouldn't see the sky, even if-
"…that a lot?" Tsuna was startled out of his thoughts as a mop of black filled his vision, just before his eyes focused on similarly dark eyes. He sat up, looking at Yamamoto in silence before remembering to smile.
"Sorry, I was about to doze off…" He explained as he covered a yawn. "What are you doing here though, Yamamoto-kun?"
"Well we are on Christmas break. I was wondering if you'd be up to… I don't know, do something?" The certainty in his voice fading away to nervousness.
"Sure! Come to think of it, I think there was a baseball game coming up. Would you like to see if it's toda-?"
Tsuna's question was cut short as Yamamoto excitedly dragged him with excitement, He had to stop however and let Tsuna guide them though. The baseball-fan still didn't know where the stadium was yet.
After the game, a hyped Yamamoto went to congratulate the winners while Tsuna excused himself to the bathroom. While the black-haired baseball nut introduced himself and shared tips and memories, someone else went to the bathroom entrance to wait for the male.
"Kyoko-chan?" Tsuna was surprised at finding the girl there, even more with the quiet determination in her face. "What's up?"
"Tsuna-kun. I want to do it today." She declared with resolve, but promptly looked down in nervousness at her fingers. "I-I think today is a good day. I tried to find Takeshi-kun, but Nana-san told me he had already moved out, so when I heard of this game I just thought… I know he came with you, but-"
Tsuna cut her by placing a hand over her head. "I get it. It's alright. Go get him girl."
(x)
His outing suddenly cut short, the lonely teen meandered outside, his feet mindlessly carrying him over to Hibari's place.
"What are you doing here?" The prefect demanded upon seeing him, but still invited him in with a deadpan expression.
"Your house has the best sky-gazing spot." Tsuna replied, smiling when all Hibari did was guide him to said spot. There they lay down, face-up to gaze at the sky. The sky that just might stop being grey for Kyoko today. Tsuna felt divided by this thought but he concluded it was merely because his only partner in this whole soul mate quest would leave him.
"Why do you try so hard?" Hibari suddenly spoke up, as he propped himself up on an elbow, looking at the other. The uninvited guest locked blank eyes with him.
"You know why, Hibari-san."
"I know the reason you want your soul mate. But I don't see where's the need to rush. Neither for you nor the other herbivorous girl." The older teen declared before returning to look the clouds flying by. "A soul mate is… Your final objective is wrong, Tsunayoshi. Don't put your brother above your soul mate. It's unhealthy."
Colorless eyes closed. Tsuna replied nothing.
Takeshi felt…odd. Awkward too and sorry. Tsuna's friend had found him just when he had bid the other players goodbye and had some way or another convinced him to go have lunch with her.
"Sorry about just butting in. Tsuna-kun told me you didn't have any plans as of yet, so…" Kyoko had said, shyly looking down at her hands and Takeshi didn't have the heart to say no. And Tsuna had already agreed anyway. And he'd be lying if he didn't find her cute.
She had taken him to a barbeque-oriented restaurant, and they had kept a nice string of talk going, until the topic of soul mates was brought up again.
Was it this town, or why did those two ask him about exactly the same? Back in Tokyo it hadn't really been a frequent question to ask. Belatedly, the baseball nut realized he had spoken out loud given Kyoko's dark face. But before he could apologize, Kyoko stammered,
"i-I'm sorry, for making you uncomfortable… It's just that…" The girl brushed a stray bang away from her face and shyly looked up to meet his eyes. Was he her soul mate?
Takeshi blushed at remembering again what happened next. He walked over to his house and up into his room. His day had been cut short, but he suddenly had no more energy to go look for Tsuna. It hadn't been his fault, but still he had broken someone's heart. Someone that smiled at him afterwards, looking resigned.
Face hitting his pillow, a brief image of Tsuna looking like that with Haru had him sighing sadly. Tsuna also seemed like Kyoko. Urgently seeking his soul mate and knowing full well, the chances were low.
"Tsu-kun? Takeshi-kun is waiting for you. Get up already!" Sawada Nana, Tsuna's mother demanded the sleepy other with a half frown. She walked up to him and shook him, "Young man, you can't be asleep at such an hour and your friend is waiting!"
"Huh-what-?" The Sawada son woke up by stages, figments of his dream mingling with his consciousness, "Giotto, let me sleep some more…"
Sawada Nana paused in her actions for a fragment of second, but Tsuna was already awake, not knowing what was going on. "Mom? What are you…" His question trailed off with a yawn.
"A-ah, Takeshi-kun is downstairs. You should go greet him."
.
"Yamamoto-kun, hey, what's-" Tsuna started with a smile before his features turned severe, and he closed in on the nervous other. "Yamamoto-kun, can you see the colors?"
"…." Yamamoto averted his eyes, looking meek for no apparent reason.
Tsuna's face dropped slightly, before he sighed and turned to the kitchen with a seemingly casual stride. "Ah, well, it can't always be… Have you had breakfast yet? Come join me."
(x)
Tsuna ended up taking the other out again; seeing the other's crestfallen expression he correctly assumed he felt guilty. And so, the grey-haired male made it a point to entertain the other as best as he could. It wouldn't do for more than two to be sad at a time.
The ball rolled down and did an amazing curve… away from the objective. Tsuna sighed as he returned to his seat without earning any points. Takeshi side-eyed him briefly before he grabbed a bowling ball, prepared… and tossed. It went straight to the canal.
"Geh!" The black-haired teen winced at the bad shot and laughing at himself he said, "Tsuna don't sit down yet, you're up again!"
"Geez, Yamamoto-kun, there's no need to go easy on me." Tsuna replied with a sort-of-sad face that faded in a blink. Huh, it should have been the opposite. The lighter teen grabbed a ball, and walked over to the area. He prepared and when he was about to let go he felt a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
"You're too stiff, Tsuna. Relax your shoulders and feel the ball as you swing. Then you'll know if it's going to go 'doooo' or 'dweck!'" Takeshi exclaimed like a toddler and the other was hard-pressed not to laugh or let go of the ball. But instead of trying to ask for clarification, he focused on the gestures Yamamoto was repeating. Tsuna's tongue stuck out as he threw his arm back, aiming carefully and letting the oversized marble roll.
(x)
"It wasn't that funny." Tsuna demanded as they walked over to his house. The baseball fan had to try hard to contain his laughter.
"I'm…I'm… so sorry…" Yamamoto managed to choke out the memories of a falling teen still clear on his mind.
After managing to get ahead in points, the brunet's fingers had somehow gotten stuck on the ball and both he and the ball had skidded across the playing area, slipping so far as to knock down a couple pins.
"Stop thinking about it!" A mortified Tsuna demanded, knowing what was going on in the other's head. Sullen, as soon as he spotted his own house, he pointed it out. "My house is here. Goodbye."
"Pfft. See you later?" Yamamoto asked as ways of goodbye and cheered softly at the reluctant nod, managing to make the shorter one smile.
"Tsuna?" Takeshi called the other, pausing when he once again saw his friend getting distracted by the colorless sky. Takeshi would have thought he liked the sky very much if it weren't for the fact Tsuna's eyes always seemed sad when he stared at the firmament. "Tsuna why is it that you gaze at the skies so much?"
The shorter teen blinked out of his stupor, eyes downcast at being asked the same thing by a different person. Hibari he could answer, but he felt oddly self-conscious around the other. Would it be alright to tell him? Or would he think him too weird?
"I kinda… really want to know the color of the sky." He replied slowly, softly, carefully weighing the words so as if not to hurt himself with them.
"You want to find your soul mate that badly?"
"…I guess you could say so." Tsuna smiled sadly, knowing his answer surely sounded weird. He himself had started questioning his purpose. "It's my brother." He ended up thinking out loud, hastily clamping his mouth shut at that.
"Bro-? Oh. Tsuna, you have a brother?" Takeshi inquired with a smile already about to start questioning him about it when he caught the other's face. He immediately sobered up, "What's up with him?"
"I was told he had the eyes of the sky. I can't remember anything about him and the pictures either disappeared or faded too much. I only remember colorless eyes and… I miss him." He concluded abruptly, before messing his hair with both hands. "But I'm such a horrible person. I mean, a soul mate is so much more than just a means to see the colors but, I mean, it's horrible not remembering how Giotto used to look…"
"I don't think you're a bad person, y'know?" Yamamoto softly cut in, staring straight at the distraught other. " I think it's perfectly alright to have a wish like that. Especially if you miss this brother of yours. Just… I think you should not make it your goal in life. I-I'm not saying it's not important! It's just that… your soul mate is going to be there from that moment on forth. She wouldn't want to be tossed aside because you…" Here Takeshi fumbled with his words really really uncomfortable by the way he was managing things. He tried putting himself in place of Tsuna's possible soul mate and tried expressing the feeling without hurting Tsuna's feelings. "I mean, for example I wouldn't mind that you want to know how your brother looks- uh, looked like. I would be happy to be able to give you that chance. But I wouldn't want you to… simply not see me because of it. That's the worst kind of loneliness."
After that both males settled into an uncomfortable silence, one because he realized Takeshi's words were true and the other because he felt a niggling suspicion settling in.
"Hey, Tsuna… I'm not sure if- Do you think you could tell me more about your brother? If it's alright with you of course." Takeshi was the first to break the silence with an unsteady voice and as he heard of Giotto, Tsuna's older brother he felt himself despair.
He loved Tsuna. But there was no way he was his soul mate. And Takeshi couldn't find it in himself to force himself unto the other. He wouldn't be able to.
'Ah well,' Takeshi thought as he smiled over Tsuna's warm memories and face, 'I think as long as I can see you smile like that…
'It's alright then.'
"Hmm, I think I should be the one inviting you to the aquarium…" Tsuna protested lightly as the baseball-lover gently dragged him inside. The shorter teen hurried to add at the other's arched eyebrow, "I mean, you're the tourist and I should be showing you around. Sorry I missed this place. I just didn't think…"
"Maa maa, it's fine Tsuna, don't think too much of it, even I'd like to take my friend out sometime." The other reassured him with a pat on the back as they walked down the first aisle.
(x)
"Aren't they funny?" Tsuna mumbled with a smile, looking back at Takeshi with a smile, "I like the catfish more, how about you?"
'I like you more.' Was the very inappropriate response that wanted to escape his lips. He cleared his throat to get some time before muttering something that sounded like clownfish. To get rid of his embarrassment, the taller boy tried to focus on the tee-the fishes! And headed for the sharks.
"They're so cool!" This time, the sea creatures did manage to capture Takeshi's attention. The sharks swam all around them in their immense tank. Tsuna meanwhile shrunk a bit every time a big one swum overhead. Yes they were cool, but they were everywhere.
Slowly, both males made their way from exhibit to exhibit, noticing this or that fish —going back to the sharks as well— and talking a lot.
"-best friend, awkward just like me. Though he's just a bit more helpless than I am. I guess I have to take care of him a lot. Though I guess not even then I do a good job." Tsuna smiled embarrassedly as he told the other about his closest friends.
"Don't you think you're a bit mean to yourself?" Takeshi asked the other with a slight frown and Tsuna started before looking at him with wide eyes.
"Eh-what are you talking about?"
"Never mind, just… try to be more positive. I'm sure Enma-san wouldn't say you do a bad job. And who isn't helpless from time to time?" Takeshi said with a gentle smile, looping his arms behind his back. "You're a pretty cool dude. You helped me out a lot too while I didn't have where to sleep. Oh, thanks about that, by the way."
"Ah-no-it was nothing…" Tsuna mumbled looking at the ground, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Come on, it's getting late, and we promised your mom we'd help set up the Christmas decorations…"
"Ah, sorry again that my mom just dragged you into this again…"
"Ahaha, no worries, Tsuna, I'm happy to do that. And anyways, Pops and I were invited to your Christmas dinner. Least I could do you know?" Yamamoto cheerily answered, still happy at that. Tsuna then avoided his gaze, seemingly battling with himself over something, "Is there something wrong Tsuna?"
Tsuna looked up at him with his wide, innocent eyes. "Can I call you Takeshi?"
"Mom, why'd you get mistletoe for?" Tsuna complained as Takeshi blinked up at the small poach. The matriarch poked her head into the living room —where both teens were helping at hanging all the necessary Christmas decorations.
"Ara, Tsuna-kun it's part of the Christmas spirit!" The woman declared happily, "it's plastic so it's safe to keep in a pocket too!"
"Why would I want to do so?" Tsuna continued as he instead turned to hang another sphere around their tree. Takeshi chuckled softly as he hung little stars over the window.
"Maa, Tsuna you could hang a couple. You're the one looking for your other half aren't you?" Takeshi pointed out as he bent to pick another star-shaped decoration. He missed the odd look that Tsuna's face showed for an instant.
"And what's that going to accomplish? Will my soul mate just pop up in my room or something?" Tsuna joked as he made sure the tree was looking alright. Then he nonchalantly popped open the bag and started adding the mistletoe as tree decoration.
"Hey, you'd like to do something after this? I mean, I know it's late but…" Tsuna started, already backtracking at realizing the hour. Besides it was almost Christmas, not many places would be open the twenty-third…
Tsuna seriously thought that there was no way a cold, dark night felt so perfect like that one.
"Merry Christmas, Takeshi-kun!" Tsuna beamed as the aforementioned male approached him, bundled up against the snow and wind. It was still early, but since they would spend most of their day copped inside Tsuna's house with the small party and dinner both teens had decided to have a little outing beforehand.
"Haha, merry Christmas to you too!" Takeshi swung an arm around his friend's shoulders. He grinned to the air as he pointed to the horizon. "Now, let us go tourist around!"
"Nothing is going to be open today, let's just go to the park or something…" Tsuna repeated, softly leaning against the other. Still brimming with enthusiasm, Takeshi grabbed the other by the arm and sprinted towards the park.
.
"Wow, everything's so pretty!" Takeshi marveled at his surroundings as Tsuna tried to regain his breath. Tsuna noticed how he returned to being like a little puppy with him prodding the snow-covered branches, and crouching to see something on the ground. "Whoa, a frozen pond, cool!"
Tsuna tuned him out as he still wheezed for breath, his eyes accidentally wandering to the clear sky. Last night it had snowed heavily but right now there was no sign of the culprits of all this snow…
And he was reminded of his older brother. His dear, overprotective brother that had died of a fever. He never got to be older than five. Tsuna had been a four-year-old toddler when it happened. And now all he could remember were warm colorless eyes.
"Tsu-?"
"I'm sorry." The sitting boy interrupted him, croaking the apology to no one in particular. Who was he apologizing to? For what?
Takeshi echoed Tsuna's thoughts, but not even then he found he could answer them. Instead, he cleared his throat and looked back at the other, who was standing in front of him. "For not paying attention, I zoned out. Did you say something?"
"That you should start to move around, so your body doesn't cool down too much." Takeshi smiled at him as he grabbed his hand to tug him up. "So let's walk around a bit."
"Tsuna…" Takeshi suddenly spoke up with all seriousness, as they meandered through the empty park. Palms sweating in nervousness, he stopped walking to face a curious boy.
"What is it, Takeshi-kun?" Tsuna asked, tilting his head at the other's actions. Said teen steeled himself, unable to keep quiet any longer.
"Tsuna, I'm sorry,"
"Wha-eh? What are you apolo-?"
"I'm in love with you." Takeshi's deep voice cut through his worries and other thoughts like a hot knife cutting butter. Tsuna merely stared at the man that surely couldn't be…
"I don't care if you're not my soul mate. I want to spend the rest of my life with you…. If it's alright with you?" Takeshi's pleading voice broke at the last phrase, trying to gather the strength to forge on.
Tsuna was scared. He had come to realize he liked Takeshi but… as much as to forget his soul mate for him? What about the colors, will he spend the rest of his life being unable to see them? Would he accept the grey sky for Takeshi?
But one look at black-eyes was enough for him to decide. Who cared about knowing about the sky if he couldn't be with Takeshi? Why would 'blue' be more important than Takeshi?
White and black was enough. White and black was still love.
As words refused to convey what he had just concluded, Tsuna hesitatingly stepped closer and —refusing to meet the other's eyes— tiptoed and pecked his lips.
Like an explosion, everything came to life. Tsuna's eyes widened at the sudden assault to his senses as former-black-eyes shone with a never before seen tone. It was color. Takeshi's eyes were color. They were amber.
Tsuna's face brightened as they both separated to see each other properly for what felt the first time. Tsuna also felt oddly exposed. But the moment passed and in a daze, they each started calling out on each other's colors —"your hair's brown, Tsuna!"—the names rolling off their tongues as if they had always known them.
And then Tsuna looked up, he had once been told that the sky was blue, but now he knew.
As the colorless eyes of his memories changed to sky blue ones, Tsuna felt his brother watching over him from the heavens. His brother had always been with him. No matter if he could see colors or not.
He said so to Takeshi just before he threw himself at the other, "Thank you, Takeshi!" And remembering Takeshi's worries, he added, "Takeshi-kun, this won't change anything, I still do lo… love you."
Relieved laughter, arms wrapping around his frame, a chin resting atop his brown hair. And the whispered, overjoyed, "Love you too, Tsuna." Tsuna needed nothing more.
This was the most perfect Christmas gift ever.
"Ah, Tsuna, wait a second…" The still-black-haired teen suddenly spoke up, separating himself the slightest bit to open his breast pocket and pull out… a plastic mistletoe. The teen had taken one from the tree the other day and tucked it away. Takeshi grinned at the brunet's surprise and embarrassed squeak, "Come on, have some Christmas spirit!"
Blushing wildly, Tsuna stammered something as he stared at the object, but locking eyes with happy amber, he couldn't refuse.
Under the blue sky, under the green-red mistletoe, their lips met once again. Colors made no difference to Takeshi's warmth or love, Tsuna realized as his eyes slid close.
"I love you."
Fin
AN.
Here you go, Yatsu-senpai XD. So mushy, but whatever. I feel the focus wasn't on Christmas but, heh, did what I could xD.
Hey guys, I'm back after accomplishing NaNoWriMo 2014 (won't ever get tired of bragging about this) and in January I should have at least one update for you guys! And a long Hibari-centric oneshot with some luck.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!