Disclaimer: I do not own Kateyo Hitman Reborn.

Tenuto (Italian); sustained - Part of the tempo of a piece of music by holding or sustaining a single note.

Chapter Two - Tenuto


It was cold, so cold but so warm at the same time. It was swirling; chasing each other. One could be without the other, and yet, as Tsuna started to wake from his slumber the warmth, overpower the cold until it was gone; nothing but the warmth remained now. It fully enveloped Tsuna, trying to lull him back into a deep slumber. Sleep was oh-so-tempting but Tsuna would have none of it and sat up. He still remember he had to check up on Timo-granpa to see if he was still asleep because, and if Tsuna remembered right, he was up late last night to give Tsuna a blanket. Ah, that's right Tsuna fell asleep in the kitchen last night. Lolling his head around, Tsuna froze in an instant. Last night…

Tsuna looked around the room. He didn't fall asleep here, he fell asleep at the table in the kitchen. He sure as hell doesn't remember coming back up to his room afterwards as well. He thought about it and decided Timoteo probably got him somehow up the stairs and into his bed. Though, something told him that wasn't true, he decided to ignore that.

Tsuna took a glance a the clock, reading the numbers he made his way out of the comfy bed. Whatever, it must have been because of the stress of being left here, in this big and empty house, alone with only an old man, who he barely knew, for company. Oh man, life was just not fair to Tsuna sometimes. Well, whatever. Instead of pitying himself, Tsuna got up, noticing he was still in his clothing from yesterday. How could he not remember to even change?

Tsuna pointedly ignored the clenching in his stomach.

It was a new day so he needed some new clothes also. Picking out a fresh pair of pants, a shirt, some socks and a warm over shirt (what, it may have been warm in his bed, surprisingly, but it was still cold everywhere else in the house). Then, without much thought, Tsuna dressed into the warm outfit and headed out. Although, as soon as he opened the door, the warm had all but dispersed. The cold was back and, it seems, here to stay. Tsuna quickly scuttled out of the warm room and into coldness of the corridor. He stood still for a moment trying to adjust to the new drop in temperature before moving towards the stairway. As he made was to the stairs, the cold floor, even in his socks and walking on the rugs that were covering the floor, was still practically burning ice into his feet. It made Tsuna cringe the whole walk to the end of the corridor.

It was a good thing he chose a room close to the stairs which was, in turn, (somewhat) close to kitchen where he was headed. Glancing at the railing, Tsuna noticed for the first time how new they looked compared to the rest of the house. It was, by far, not brand new, but one could tell it was plenty newer than the all the wood paneling that surrounded it. It didn't have any nicks or crannies and certainly didn't wobble like old railings on stairwells. No, it was still slightly shiny with a nice, deep auburn color to it still. Now that you mention it, Tsuna thought, absently staring at the railings, the stairs look like they're only a couple of decades old too… They don't squeak like the ones on the opposite side of the house or practically break every time I step on one. Tsuna guessed Timoteo replaced it because it was old, but then why didn't he replace the other stairs as well? It will have to be a questioned left unanswered because Tsuna just brushed it off as the old man only needing to replace the stairs he most frequently uses.

Tsuna silently passed through the foyer into the connecting halls leading to the kitchen. He walked through one, and halfway through he turned towards the main hall that goes to the kitchen. Tsuna didn't like this hall, not at all, because of the creepy portrait that hangs in it. This "creepy portrait" is a grand painting of someone who was apparently an ancestor and the one who had this house built. Tsuna wouldn't have minded this painting if the head, not just the eyes, didn't look like it was following you around the entire time. And another thing, why is it hanging here instead of somewhere where everybody can see it when they walk into the house, Tsuna still kept leaning closely to the painting, examining it, Wait. It… was it always frowning like this? Tsuna didn't have any time to think about as a cold hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed.

"Well, well look who's up. Did you have a nice sleep?"

Tsuna jumped almost a foot into the air before turning around and noticing it was Timoteo. Oh, crap, he forgot to check on him. He was such a bad caretaker (not to mention a failure at everything), why did his parents leave him here to do exactly that! Still, Tsuna replied anyways, voice slightly trembling after recalling his dream, "A-ah, yeah. I… yes, I did have a good sleep. Thank you for asking. Um, I was just heading to go make some breakfast so if you'll excuse me…" He felt guilty for forgetting to check up on Timoteo and already felt like he failed him even if it was only a small blunder.

Timoteo looked at Tsuna deeply for a moment then said in his old, raspy voice, "Of course, Tsuna, but I made some already for you, if you don't mind. Help yourself to whatever you would like. I'm just going to go back to bed and rest for a while now." His eyes glanced behind over Tsuna's shoulders once then proceeded to turn and head back to his room.

Tsuna numbly nodded his head before Timoteo had turned then watched his grandfather's back disappear around the corner before heading on into the kitchen. Not even sparing one glance towards the hanging portrait he wandered off into the kitchen. Great, now he feels even more guilty. Not only did Tsuna not check up on Timoteo, but his grandfather also took some of his own time to make Tsuna breakfast-and not the other way around. Upon walking into the kitchen he say a wondrous meal awaiting him. Oh wow, this is just icing on top of the cake.

Not.

Every breakfast food imagined could be here… from the simple stuff like eggs and toast with jam to apple tarts and croissants and to full dishes like egg bakes and quiches. It was nothing like an ordinary Italian breakfast (which is what he was used to now and had for the entire time he was here) which was coffee, hot chocolate for him, and some cookies or breads. When had Timoteo have the time to make all of this? Surely he didn't just make it all, no, he couldn't have. Making just an egg sunny side up would have taken him, Tsuna, and entire two hours just to make correctly (this makes breakfast limited for Tsuna when someone isn't cooking for him).

Choosing only some of the items laid out, Tsuna began to eat and eat he did. After the first bite, he was officially hooked on Timoteo's cooking and praised his grandfather's skills in the art of food. This might just as well be better than his mom's cooking and that is saying something. Now that Tsuna thought about it, this was the first time Timoteo had cooking anything since he had first got here. The rest of the time it was the chefs or some of the maids who did it. Either way, he figured his appetite was now ruined for anyone else's meals now. Eating over half of what was laid out, Tsuna got up and dropped his plates into the sink. He went into the cupboards and started to take out some Tupperware only to notice a misshaped object in the back. Reaching although and pulling it forward he only looked at the object for a couple of seconds before realizing what it was. The object in the cupboard was an oil lamp. Though, it looked like it hadn't been used in decades; centuries. It was so dusty you couldn't see inside of it anymore plus the metal was all rusted now.

It also had a large crack on the side of the glass.

Huh. Wonder what it was doing up there.

Pushing it back where it belonged, Tsuna grabbled the Tupperware he needed and started to put the leftover food away. Opening up the fridge, which was barren and empty, he set each one carefully next to or on top of each other. What a perfect way to start of the day. A good sleep (he was still ignoring the dream). A good breakfast. And now he was being helpful and cleaning up.

Tsuna finally held his head up and regarded the little window over the sink. Just as his grandfather had said, there was still a blizzard going on outside. Only, it looked even harsher than it had yesterday night. It looked pure white out, like they were inside a giant igloo or something like that. Tsuna gave up trying to compare the whiteness surrounding the house and instead washed and dried his hands then left. Heading out back into the hall, he glanced towards his right through a window and looked ahead again.

Hmm… it looks nice out. Wait, what?

His head instantly shot back to the window again.

It was pure white still, nothing else.

What was that, he didn't even know, I could have sworn when I just looked through that window it was sunny and there was no snow storm going on… Everything was picture perfect out a moment ago, I swear it was! Tsuna didn't know and he didn't want to know. At all. He just sidestepped the distraction and head back towards the foyer to go to the living room.

Hours seemed to pass and nothing of significance seemed to have happened. Tsuna sat around reading a few books the shelves had (they were quite interesting too; one was about a little Italian boy in a prison camp who was there since he was young and broke free, he traveled trying to find his mom in a world he didn't know since all he knew was what was in the camp), watched some television (not a lot since it went out right in a middle of the show due to the storm) and even started doing his (purposely) forgotten homework (seriously, it was just that boring here). Timoteo came down around three o'clock and visited for an hour or so, but he immediately went back to bed afterwards. Life was good right now.

Dong Dong Dong Dong Dong

Tsuna was startled out of his nap to the grandfather clock sounding off. Boy, that thing scared him every time it chimed.

Dong Dong Dong

Ah, so it was eight o'clock now. Time goes by when you fall asleep after actually working hard. Slowly sitting back up on the floor, Tsuna picked up his scattered papers and pencils. Only then he noticed it was dark outside and the storm was going on anymore. Everything was as still as stone.

That was good maybe then the servants would be back tomorrow and make this place less empty and cold. Who was Tsuna kidding, this place would always be cold and empty. Tsuna was lost in his thoughts as he traveled down the corridors back to the foyer. He broke out if his thoughts when he heard creaking noises. Instantly his head shot up and looked around for Timoteo but saw no one. Okay, maybe it was all in his head, yeah, that's got to be it. He must be tired. Yeah, that's it. He's just tired so he's starting to get delirious.

Looking along the hall, there was no one and nothing. Just long, dark shadows of the tables and chairs in front of the windows. Okay, well, that wasn't helping his situation. Everything looked positively freaky at night. Tsuna started to freak out, but at least he didn't hear the noise anymore.

It was all in his head. That's it.

Not even a second after that thought, the noises were heard again, it sounded like the main staircase on the opposite side of the house; yet, these were definitely a lot closer. It sounded as though…

It sounded as though the were coming for the stairs he was near, or more like underneath the staircase. The creaks were getting louder and louder as though multiple people were walking up and down the stairs but couldn't get out. Up and down. Up and down. Coming closer then farther, closer then far. This isn't happening! There's no one here but me!

Then all of a sudden there was banging, loud, loud, loud banging. It sounded like fists hitting the wall, passionately; desperately. Tsuna didn't know what was happening only that he must be going insane. There's no one here! There's no door there! There were never any stairs!

Along with the banging there was scratching, nails clawing at the walls looking for a way out. It could be heard from where Tsuna was at. It was gruesome and bone chilling. The scrapes echoing in his ears, singing a song of fear. No, no, no, no! None of this is real! None of it!

Finally, to top it off, screams were being heard. Horrible, shrilling, anguish-filled screams.

God, make it stop! Make it stop!

Everything was happening all at once! The screams. The banging. The scratching. The walls started to shake from the force! Pictures fell and vases tumbled down and broke. There was so much going on and Tsuna couldn't take any of it!

All of his supplies crashed to the floor as he brought up his hands to his head to try to block out all the noise. Instantly he screwed his eyes shut and fell to the floor trying to make it so everything would just stop.

As suddenly as it happened, everything went dead. Nothing moved; everything was a still as the night was outside. Tsuna didn't dare breathe. He didn't know what just happened and didn't want to move from his safety position. Eventually he started to calm his heart by breathing out evenly.

Slowly, as if to not rile up whatever just happened again, he opened his eyes, lowered his hands and gently stood up. Everything was pitch black now and Tsuna could barely see past the front of his nose. Stumbling forward, his school supplies lay forgotten on the floor behind him, he tried to feel out the stairs blindly. What greeted him instead made him instantly want to go back into his little fetal position. A doorknob was found instead of a railing.

Tsuna started to tear up and let out a pathetic whimper.

He didn't know what to do know so he just stood and stood and stood there, staring at was should be stairs lead upwards, not down. He wanted laugh, and cry, mostly cry, but laugh because, well because… he didn't know but he figured he must be going insane by now so it's okay.

Instantly tearing up again he let some tears fall this time.

Shakily turning around he was about to head towards the kitchen because he knew it was there. When he started walking down the long and black hallway he stopped and froze. Ahead of him at the end of the corridor was a shadowed figure standing in front of a looking outside. The figure moved slightly, turning towards Tsuna's direction but didn't seem to notice him and turn back towards the window. More tears fell as Tsuna tried to silently run back to the foyer and head to the living room where he could hopefully take the back way upstairs. He would go up and hide in a room he would hopefully know.

Silently jogging as to not make much sound he was back in the foyer, panting and out of breath, praying he hadn't been heard. Fate must hate pleading because the next sounds Tsuna heard were footsteps coming closer and closer from the hall the shadowed figure was in.

No, no, no, no! Please, no!

Immediately he took off again, running towards the living. Tsuna was running and running and running, never stopping even when his lungs burned and legs felt like giving out. Running and running and running and running on and on and on and on. Seeming like it would never end.

The footsteps were even paced and even though it was like that, they kept coming closer and closer.

When Tsuna rounded the corner on the last hallway, he tripped over himself and instantly fell to the ground.

The footsteps were so loud! He couldn't concentrate!

Getting up, Tsuna took a mad dash down the corridor. He came to the stairs that were thankfully there and leaped up them three at a time. At the top, not even missing a beat, he ran. He ran so fast he could feel he was about to pass out.

The footsteps were relentless.

Shooting his hand out to the familiar knob, Tsuna twisted and shoved the door open as fast as he could in a hurry. After he shut the door effortlessly, surprised when it hadn't made a sound, and listened.

The footsteps closed in on the door, stopped, and walked away.

Tsuna just stared at the door in disbelief but still let out the breath of relief he didn't know he was holding in and turned around.

There was a man on the other side of the room staring directly at him.

The burning feeling that consumed Tsuna after adrenaline instantly froze, and he was suddenly as cold as ice.

The man opposite to him smiled and opened his mouth:

"You're back again."


Author's Notes: Oh. My. God. I almost peed myself writing this. D: I wanted to start bawling in the middle of the night scene, I was writing this at night to create more of an atmosphere to feel what Tsuna would be feeling and holy crap. When I was writing the scene where he sees the shadowed figure in the window, a bird chirped, and my heart almost gave out. Anyways, just to clarify some things: Italian breakfasts do normally consist of just coffee and croissants or cracks, much like a lot of European countries. So when Tsuna saw what Timoteo, a full-blooded Italian, made for breakfast he was genuinely surprised. Okay, during what I like to call the insanity scene, Tsuna is still in the "real world" and not in the "other place." After he closes his eyes he is in the "other place." Finally, what I should have said in Chapter 1 is that this has nothing to do with the manga, "Noblesse," I have heard of it, but have not read it. I found the name pretty, found out what it meant and decided it was a really good name to have for this story. If to know just search it up.

Thank you for anyone who supports this, and sorry for the long author's notes this time. I had really wanted to clarify some things. Please review, constructive criticism appreciated, thanks you! :)