Wahey! I'm finally back (after a Hunter x Hunter length hiatus lol). To kind of apologise for my absence this chapter is a long one. So without further ado enjoy. Crazy ranting to follow.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS OF KHR

Chapter 8- It's Always a Strange Feeling When an Idiot Says Something Intelligent

Gokudera woke with a start. He saw that he was still in the hospital and did what he always did when he woke up in unfamiliar surroundings, and scanned the room. He was immediately annoyed with himself when he realised that he had actually fallen asleep without setting up any protective spells. It was the first time in years where he hadn't done so, and in a hospital of all places. A place where spirits amassed after death and a place where people like him were especially vulnerable to attacks. He could excuse his incapability to do so on the first day of his stay but failing on the second was downright reckless.

He fidgeted in his hospital bed and raised his arm looking for his watch, quickly remembering that it was resting on the bedside table. He checked the time, glad that someone had drawn the curtains to let the sunlight in.

It was 10:13 am. Already another day- the second day that Gokudera was confined in the hospital while life and death went on as usual outside. He decided resolutely that this would be the day he would disappear from the hospital, whether he was still sickly or not.

He did actually feel better though, it felt as though something burdensome had been removed from his chest. But then again the heavy feeling seemed to have moved down to his left leg. Something seemed to be bearing down on it painfully to the extent that it was almost numb. Gokudera raised himself upright and glanced down to look at the cause and was alarmed to see a brown haired young man resting casually against the bed on one side while Yamamoto occupied the other side, snoring away without a care in the world. Gokudera was understandably bewildered at the sight before him.

"What the fuck is this, a meeting? I don't seem to have received the fucking memo."

Gokudera bent his body and leaned closer to the stranger taking a nap on his bed. After getting a better look at his guest he realized that it was none other than Sawada Tsunayoshi. He gathered that he had come to visit but as to why he was napping on Gokudera's bed- that itself was a mystery. Seeing him rest so soundly on the bed Gokudera was reluctant to wake him, so he moved to wake Yamamoto up instead.

Gokudera forcefully shoved his shoulder and when that did nothing to stir him he flicked Yamamoto's ear. Nothing.

The harder Yamamoto proved to wake up the angrier Gokudera got, until it came to the point where Gokudera simply slapped him over the head. Yamamoto suddenly yelped and shot upward clutching tentatively at the back of his head and looking around trying to find the cause of the sudden pain. Eventually his dark eyes settled on an angry looking Gokudera.

"Gokudera. What happened? Was it senpai?" Yamamoto asked frantically, still rubbing absently at the back of his head with one hand while cleaning a line of drool with another.

Gokudera hushed him quickly, scared that Yamamoto's volume would wake their guest.

"Show a little fucking tact will you. Do you know why Tsuna-san is here…sleeping on my bed?" Gokudera enquired in a rasping whisper.

As if realizing it for the first time Yamamoto looked startled when he saw Tsuna, fast asleep, snoring slightly on Gokudera's hospital bed.

"Hmm? Why is Tsuna sleeping on your bed Gokudera?"

"I don't fucking know do I! Are your ears just for decoration? That's obviously why I asked you, dimwit!"

Yamamoto simply smiled, seemingly not affected in the slightest by Gokudera's outburst. He looked down at the sleeping Tsuna, with obvious affection in his expression.

"Knowing Tsuna he was probably worried about us and came to visit. He's kind that way, you know?" Yamamoto said softly, smiling gently.

Gokudera seemed to think about this momentarily and then responded in an even softer tone than Yamamoto.

"Worried…about me?"

Yamamoto had to lean closer to the other young man to hear Gokudera's words. He heard them with some effort and took notice of Gokudera's confused expression. Yamamoto immediately understood.

"You must not be used to having people worry about you if you make that kind of face Gokudera", Yamamoto surmised.

Gokudera jumped slightly at Yamamoto's words, quickly checked to make sure it hadn't woken Tsuna and then sighed in relief seeing that he hadn't. His response when it came was simple, but there was no missing the bitter tone that accompanied it.

"Not anymore."

Yamamoto didn't press any further. He could tell that Gokudera wasn't ready to share everything about himself. Not yet.

To rid the room of any awkwardness Yamamoto kept talking cheerfully.

"Tsuna is a little weird, you know. He isn't strong on the outside and I wouldn't really call him clever. But even though he isn't any of that, he has this way of saving people, just by being himself. "

Gokudera was surprised by the amount of respect he heard from Yamamoto's voice, but quickly made the connection.

"I'm guessing you're talking from experience?"

Gokudera wasn't exactly expecting Yamamoto to give him the full story. He himself hadn't given one earlier in the first place. But he supposed that Yamamoto was different from him, and when he did answer Gokudera wasn't entirely surprised. But what did surprise him was the sad looking smile Yamamoto showed when he spoke. There was no need for a second glance at him to reason that what he spoke of was a painful subject.

"Yeah. If it weren't for Tsuna, I may have turned out just like senpai."

Yamamoto was surprised when Gokudera snorted of all things. He hadn't expected such an arrogant noise to be the response for his statement.

"Hmph, that's unlikely. Vengeful spirits are born because they cling to the life they used to have; they cant let go. To put it straight; it's because they're weak. But idiot that you are, you aren't weak."

Yamamoto didn't say anything for a few seconds, but he looked at his companion tenderly. Then he laughed. He recognized Gokudera's own special kindness mixed into his harsh words, that indignant tone that he pressed onto his words to make it seem as though he didn't care.

"Ha ha, Gokudera you have this weird way of saving people too huh? That's twice now."

Gokudera suddenly blushed furiously, obviously caught off-guard by Yamamoto's frank words. He rubbed his arm over his face as though it could erase the redness that had erupted on his cheeks.

"What the fuck are you talking about you fucking idiot?" he yelled, the person sleeping soundly on his bed momentarily forgotten due to his embarrassment.

He realized his mistake too late as he felt Tsuna stir on his bed and then raise his head. He proceeded to stretch the sleep from his body, eyes closed tight, obviously with no memory of where he was. He seemed to be right at home as he yawned lazily and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. It was only then that he opened them and saw the two young men staring back at him, one grinning from ear to ear as ever and one seemingly glaring at him. There was an awkward pause where no one said anything and they all merely looked at each other.

To Tsuna, Gokudera looked as though he was angry with him, but the person he was actually angry with was himself. He cursed inwardly at himself for having woken the other young man with his outburst.

As if the situation had only just dawned on him Tsuna leapt back in surprise, almost sending his chair flying backwards.

"Hieeeeee, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to fall asleep!" he shrieked, almost hysterically.

Yamamoto laughed cheerfully at seeing the usual Tsuna. At hearing his laughter Gokudera glared in his direction, his expression obviously telling Yamamoto to shut up. Yamamoto read the message loud and clear and stopped laughing, but the grin remained on his face in defiance.

Satisfied that he had at least silenced Yamamoto, Gokudera moved to calm down the almost neurotic Tsuna. He approached him with the same tone he imagined he would use on a panicking animal, his hands outstretched in a way that suggested he meant him no harm.

"Tsuna-san. I'm not mad at you all. I'm grateful for your visit and I understand that you just fell asleep because you were tired or something."

Tsuna seemed to calm down slightly, but he still proceeded to fidget nervously.

"That's not it Gokudera-kun!"

Gokudera nodded at Tsuna's words, his face uncharacteristically sad, as though he had understood something.

"Oh, right. You came to visit Yamamoto."

Tsuna shook his head furiously.

"No! That's not it. I came to visit both of you. It's just that I…I only fell asleep because you're my mom!"

The room filled with an awkward silence once more, as Tsuna realized what he had actually just said and Gokudera himself was at a loss for words. Yamamoto broke the silence with a hearty chuckle."…What?"

It was all Gokudera had the mind to say. It wasn't exactly the type of thing he imagined that would be said to him at any course of time during his life.

"No! I meant that you felt like my mom!"

Once again Gokudera looked at the other young man, eyebrows raised and not entirely sure what he should be feeling. That maybe it would be best just to ask Tsuna what exactly he meant by his outbursts.

"I feel like your….? I don't really understand Tsuna-san. Why don't you just calm down a little and explain it to me?" he soothed, surprised that he was actually capable of producing such a gentle and kind tone.

Tsuna nodded and took a deep breath, his face still aflame with embarrassment. When he spoke he was quiet and his head drooped down as if he was shy.

"Um, well. I actually came to visit the both of you, and when I saw that Yamamoto was sleeping over here I decided to sit here too in case one of you eventually woke up. But being by Gokudera-kun's side was really comfortable and I ended up falling asleep. It felt like when I would sleep next to my mother when I was little you know…made me feel like I was safe. Uwah, that sounded really stupid," Tsuna explained dejectedly.

While Tsuna cradled his head in his hands, his ears now furiously red like his face, Gokudera pondered on his words. He finally seemed to come to a conclusion and spoke with a surprisingly tender voice and expression.

"Feeling safe with your mother… I understand. If I gave you that feeling then I'm glad Tsuna-san."

Tsuna raised his head and gave Gokudera a sheepish smile, grateful that he hadn't been laughed at. Even Yamamoto's cheerful laughing had stopped when Tsuna had explained.

"Hey Tsuna, your visit was kind of lost on me you know. I 'm being discharged later," Yamamoto stated with a wide grin.

Tsuna seemed to brighten up with that.

"Really? That was fast! That's great Yamamoto-kun! How about you Gokudera-kun?"

Gokudera didn't take long to answer, and when he did he was glad that Yamamoto stayed quiet, although his expression suggested he wasn't exactly happy with Gokudera's decision.

"I'm getting out today too…"

TO BE CONTINUED

Yosh! That's chapter 8 completed at last. I had actually written this chapter out in my notebook ages ago but haven't actually had the time or patience to sit still and get it all typed out. Until now :D

But seriously, at the rate this series is going poor Tsuna is going to have a nervous breakdown any moment lol. He's such a panicky-poo young man :D

Next chapter includes a new character. Guess who it is! Go on guess! Comment, message, review or just send me a guess! All responses to any of my series gets me off my butt and gets me in the mood for typing! Ciao!