Love Is?
That's what he always wished for. Always yearned for.
This was what Tsuna thinks as he watched his parents snuggle together during Valentines, unaware that their one and only son was up, watching as they snuggled together during their precious alone time.
A person who was there… who would always be there, can always be there, will always be there…
But then wasn't that just wishful thinking on his behalf?
People leave.
They always do.
People lied.
They always did.
What use was there to hope of building a solid relationship with no solid foundation?
No trust. No love. Can't even bother being beside you for one second.
Tsuna had long learned that love was fickle. It really never exists and just randomly shows on any lucky bastard's front door. And when it does show , the people who have it don't even bother giving it a second look, not even bothering to stop and say, 'hey, I got something really precious here. Something I should treasure for the rest of my damn life.'
Idiots.
They don't realize what they've got until it's too late to get it back.
Life likes doing stuff like that.
But then, who was Tsuna to think like that?
He had just been as stupid as his father in realizing what love was.
Love wasn't cooing over a pretty girl in middle school and going to school just to see her.
Love wasn't being jealous of prideful seniors and of bragging in front of crushes
Love wasn't running around naked yelling of unrequited infatuations-slash-confessions.
Love was- well, love was tolerance.
Love was a gentle smile, an arm around the shoulder.
Love was sacrifice- giving up what you love for someone you love.
Love was a shield- your life, no, your future for him.
Love was pain- a broken arm for a lifetime of resolve.
Love was a gentle requiem- a rain that washed all sorrows and tears.
Love was a small quirk of the lips- secretive amber eyes that withheld all affections behind a grinning mask.
Love was a natural born hitman.
And Tsuna was slowly learning all of that. He had been slow at first, unfortunately, like his father still was.
But Tsuna was learning now. He was taking one slow but sure step at a time. More sure of his feelings than most. And the brunet couldn't help but think, as amber eyes met his…
That love should wait for him to catch up…
…And catch up he eventually did.
(Later Tsuna will realize how he described love as a person, specifically a certain person, and then he smiles and realizes, as he is in the arms of a certain baseball idol, that yes, this was right.)