"Please wear the face, the one where you smile. Because you lighten up my heart when I start to cry." ~Adele

He was dead.

Sawada Tsunayoshi, Tenth Generation Boss of the Vongola Famiglia, was dead.

I stared at Yamamoto as he told me the news. That Tsuna had traveled to the Millefiore to meet with Byakuran to try and negotiate a treaty, and he had been shot point blank.

"You're lying to me." My voice was cracking, trying to hold my composure. I couldn't believe the words that had come out of his mouth. Tsuna couldn't be dead. He was too good to be killed point blank. He was the Tenth, the boss of the largest Family in the world.

Yamamoto looked at me with those dead eyes. There wasn't a trace of his childhood innocence left. Ever since the death of his father, those cheerful smiles had become fewer and the time between them had grown longer. Now, it was obvious that any trace of a smile would not emerge on his face.

"Gokudera, why would I lie to you?" His voice was as dead as his eyes. "You, of all people. I know how much you loved Tsuna, better than anyone. Why would I lie to you and cause you pain?" He turned away. "I thought you knew me better than that Gokudera. I really did."

I could feel tears prick at the corners of my eyes, but I fought to hold them back. "He's not dead! He's the Tenth, how can he be dead!"

"He was shot in the forehead." Yamamoto's voice was low, controlled. "Mukuro tailed Tsuna to make sure that he would be all right-"

"But he was requested to go alone!" My voice was on the brink of a wail. "If Mukuro followed him, then why didn't he do anything! Why didn't he save Tsuna!"

"He heard the gunshot and burst into the room. It was too late. I already told you, he was shot in the forehead. There was nothing anyone could do once the trigger was pulled."

I felt the tears spill over onto my cheeks. I rubbed at them angrily. I wanted to make them go away.

"Gokudera, I'm sorry. I really am."

And then I cried. The tears were hot as they fell down my cheeks. I couldn't stop them. I wanted them to go away. I wanted Tsuna to be back. I wanted Yamamoto to smile like the idiot he used to be. I don't want these tears. I don't want that look of death in Yamamoto's eyes. I don't want Tsuna to be dead.

I felt a sob rip from my chest. Yamamoto turned around at the noise. His eyes were filled with worry.

"Gokudera!" He was in shock. He hadn't seen me cry before. I never let him see me cry before. I just wanted it all to go away.

"Just go away." I groaned, hiccupping as another sob tore through me.

Instead of listening, he wrapped his arms around me. "It'll be okay Gokudera. It's gonna be okay…"

"Geoffme" I mumbled. I didn't want him to see me cry. But I did want those arms. I wanted the comfort.

"No, you'll kill yourself otherwise." He pulled my face up to look at him. And then the prettiest thing I had ever seen happened.

Yamamoto's lips broke into a smile.

I was shocked into silence. Of all the times for him to smile, why now? I was debating whether to punch him for being so insolent or hugging him back for stopping my tears.

"It'll be okay Gokudera. I'll be here for you, I promise. Even if you don't want me, I'll be here okay?"

I could feel myself calming down. Every word out of his mouth was helping me put myself back together, taking my fragmented brain and heart and slowly piecing them back together.

That smile was so sweet, I almost started crying again.

"You're smiling." I mumbled.

Yamamoto chuckled lightly. "I guess I am. But you need it, I can tell."

How does he know me so well?