Chapter 4

Tsuna woke up and got ready for school. He never seemed to sleep in too late, which made things easier for Reborn. Though that may be because Tsuna had trouble sleeping to begin with, which wasn't good for his deteriorating health. It was a given that he wasn't sleeping enough, but he always seemed perfectly active, for someone who didn't want to be alive at least. Reborn and Dino made sure that Tsuna had breakfast before leaving for school. After that, Reborn followed Tsuna to school carrying his lunch.

Takeshi entered his classroom and looked around. Sure enough, the fluffy brown haired boy from the day before was there, staring blankly at his desk. Takeshi took his seat, which was actually right next to Tsuna, causing Takeshi to wonder how he never noticed the boy before. "Hello again," Takeshi said, but Tsuna made no response. He didn't even move. Takeshi sighed and waited for class to start. He swore that he'd stay awake today to see if he could help Tsuna.

The teacher took attendance and when Tsuna's name was called, Tsuna just raised his hand. It seemed that he really didn't talk. The teacher was visibly annoyed by this, but just sighed and moved on. When math class came around, the teacher called on Tsuna to answer a question. Tsuna got up and walked up to the chalkboard. He wrote down a number in no time at all and went back to his seat.

The teacher smiled. "Wrong again Tsuna," she said. "It's a mystery how you even got past grade school." The class erupted into laughter and Takeshi's face soured. That wasn't funny.

The lunch bell rang and Tsuna left the room. Takeshi got up and followed him while the bullies from the day before did the same. Takeshi grabbed the leader's shoulder and the guy turned around, his face becoming even angrier, if that was possible. "You want a repeat of yesterday?" Takeshi asked condescendingly.

"You think I'm scared of you," the bully said. "Right." The bully looked back at Tsuna and grunted. "He got away thanks to you. Don't think I'll forget this." The bullies went back into the classroom.

Takeshi ran after Tsuna but made sure to stay far enough behind so Tsuna wouldn't notice him. Tsuna kept going until he reached the roof. At that moment Takeshi faltered. Everyone knew that the roof was where Hibari liked to take his naps. It was no wonder why Tsuna ate up there. No bully would ever attack him there if they didn't want to be bitten to death. Takeshi took a deep breath. If he was going to do this, he was going all the way. He opened the door and saw Tsuna right on the edge of the roof, looking down. Takeshi froze. Tsuna couldn't be doing what he thought he was doing, right? After a few seconds, Tsuna sat down just inches away from the edge. Takeshi let out a sigh of relief and walked over to Tsuna. "You doing okay?" he asked.

Tsuna looked at him for a moment, before disappointment flashed in his eyes. Takeshi sat down next to him and noticed he wasn't eating anything. He didn't even see a lunch with Tsuna, not that that meant he didn't have one. It could still be in his bag. "You have anything to eat?" Takeshi asked. Tsuna shook his head. "You want some of my lunch?" He shook his head again.

"Tsuna," said a voice behind them, "I told you that you need to eat." Takeshi turned around to see the infant from the day before. "Takeshi was it? Thank you for the offer, but I have his lunch right here." He held up a bento box and then gave it to Tsuna. Tsuna just stared at it blankly and Reborn gave him a stern look. "Tsuna."

Tsuna sighed before opening the box and beginning to eat as Takeshi decided to get out his lunch and do the same. The two sat in silence as they ate. Takeshi was trying to make conversation, but he couldn't think of anything to say. It was hard to talk to someone who didn't speak.

The lunch bell rang and Tsuna didn't even eat half of his lunch. Reborn sighed. "You'll finish this when you get home," he said and Tsuna looked worried. "Don't worry. I'll hold on to it so the bullies won't know you have it."

"What are you talking about?" Takeshi asked.

"The bullies want either money or lunches as payment. In order to get Tsuna to eat I'll be bringing him lunches at lunch time and taking them with me after it's over."

Takeshi nodded. "Okay, well see you later."

Reborn watched the rest of the day play out relatively the same as always. When the day came to an end, Takeshi looked over to Tsuna. "Anyway, I got to get to baseball practice, so see you tomorrow," he said. When Takeshi walked out of the room he looked around. "I can't see those bullies, so it should be safe for you to leave." This boy was definitely guardian material.

Tsuna got up and left the room as well, Reborn in tow. As soon as Tsuna turned the corner he came flying back, crashing into the wall. The bullies walked out. "I warned you to bring the money today," the leader said, as he picked up Tsuna and prepared to punch him again. Reborn discharged his gun and the bullies froze at the sound of the gunshot. "What was that?" After a few seconds they shook it off and turned their attention back to Tsuna. "You better have the money today, or I'll beat up so bad you won't be able to walk for a week?" Tsuna sighed and turned his pockets inside out. "Seriously! That's it! You asked for this!" Tsuna squinted his eyes shut and Reborn prepared to step in when someone else spoke up.

"Herbivores." The bullies dropped Tsuna, who fell to the ground, and turned around in horror, faces completely white.

"Hi...Hi...Hibari!" they all shouted.

"For disturbing the peace, attacking the little animal, and interrupting my nap," Hibari lifted his tonfas, "I'll bite you to death." The bullies ran for it, but none escaped. Hibari attacked them relentlessly and left them badly bruised on the ground. "Attack the little animal again, and you won't be able to walk for a week." He walked over to Tsuna and held out a hand to help him up. Tsuna once again ignored it and pushed himself off the ground. Hibari grunted. "If this happens again, you will tell me. I will not tolerate those who break the rules." Hibari walked away and Reborn noted that he would make an excellent cloud guardian. Close enough to Tsuna to want to protect him, but not close enough to let him slide. That made two candidates found out of six. Reborn had chosen someone to be the storm guardian, but at the rate things were going, it would be awhile before he could introduce them. If he did it now, the candidate would most likely kill Tsuna.

Reborn met up with Tsuna and led him home. "You seem to trust Hibari," Reborn said.

Tsuna took out his notepad. [Hibari doesn't care if you're a person, plant, or punching bag. As long as you don't break the rules, he'll leave you alone.]

"Person, plant,...or punching bag? That last one seems out of place."

[That one is me. It's the only thing I'm good for.]

Reborn sighed. It was like they were making no progress at all. The way Tsuna looked at Dino when he tripped, it seemed that he made a connection to Dino, but there was almost no trace of that connection now and he seems just as distant as before. Well it had only been four days since he was taken away from his last... family. They would just have to give him more time.

Hayato was getting impatient. It had almost been a week and Reborn still hadn't called him. When he heard that he was going to Japan, he was ecstatic. He would finally get to see the country his mother was from. He arranged the flight, apartment, and school transfer right away, but he had to keep delaying them because Reborn hadn't called. Reborn said he'd call when the Vongola Decimo candidate was ready to be tested and that it shouldn't take more than a few days. What the hell was a few days to that hitman. Hayato was done waiting. Whether Reborn was ready or not, he was going.

Tsuna was getting tense. It had been over a week and Dino and Reborn still haven't shown any signs of turning on him. He knew it was coming, but he should be out of time already. That morning Reborn told him that he couldn't come with Tsuna to school because he had more business to attend to, but would try to bring him his lunch. He also said if he didn't make it, and if Takeshi offered, to take some of his lunch. Before leaving for school, Dino forced Tsuna to eat breakfast, and Tsuna was getting used to eating bigger meals. Tsuna was not happy about this though. It would only make it harder to readjust to his near starvation diet. He made it to school early, like usual, since he always woke up too early. He sat down and after a while Takeshi showed up. "Hey Tsuna," he said. "Good morning."

'Stop it,' Tsuna thought. 'I don't need your pity. Pity only lasts so long and once it's gone you'll stop. I can't accept you, so just stop now!'

"Okay class," the teacher said as school began, "I have an announcement today. We have a transfer student." A boy with green eyes and silver hair that was neck long walked into the room and all the girls squealed. "This is Hayato Gokudera, from Italy. Do you have anything to say to the class Hayato?" Hayato just grunted, making the girls squeal even more. "Um, okay, you can sit behind Da… I mean Tsuna. Tsuna, can show yourself to Hayato please." Tsuna raised a hand without looking up. Hayato walked over and stopped in front of Tsuna, looking him over as if to judge him. Hayato eventually grunted and kicked over Tsuna's desk.

"What the hell was that for!?" Takeshi yelled.

"That's not any of your business, punk," Hayato said. "Stay out of it."

"Of course it's my business! You just kicked over the desk of my friend!"

The class erupted into laughter. "Friends, with Dame Tsuna?"

"Please, he's not worth the time!"

"Give it a week, Takeshi will find out. Blame his big heart for not seeing the waste of space for what it is yet."

Hayato turned to Tsuna, who was staring back awestruck. "You're friends?" he asked. Tsuna shook his head and Hayato turned back to Takeshi. "He doesn't seem to think so."

"Well I do!" Takeshi said. "And even if we aren't friends, he's still my classmate! I have the right to be concerned!"

Tsuna just ignored the argument between the two. He was too busy staring at the new boy in awe. He wasn't an average bully. He was dangerous and seemed to have a personal grudge against Tsuna, despite never meeting him before. This boy might actually grant Tsuna his wish.

Reborn didn't make it for lunch, not that Tsuna cared. Takeshi offered some of his food, but Tsuna turned it down. He was getting too used to eating as it was and he couldn't afford to depend on another person.

The rest of the day went the same as usual. After school Takeshi left for baseball practice after checking if the coast was clear for Tsuna. Of course the bullies just waited till Takeshi was out of sight to come out of hiding. There was one difference this time though. Reborn wasn't here. The last few days, Reborn shot off his gun, which scared the bullies off. Not because of the gunshot itself. No, they still didn't know what it was. What they did know was it was loud. And being loud it woke Hibari up from his nap. And no one wanted to be around when Hibari was woken up before he was ready. When Hibari found Tsuna alone and picking up his stuff that always fell on the floor for the first time, he swore that Hibari was going to break every bone in his body for waking him up from his nap. However, he just grabbed Tsuna's stuff and threw them over to Tsuna before picking Tsuna up from the back of his shirt's collar, as if he was a kitten, and carried him out of the school. It was an unusual thing for Hibari to do, even if he did call Tsuna a little animal all the time, but Tsuna was never injured from the ordeal, so he was going to complain about it. However, Reborn wasn't there this time to fire his gun, which meant that Hibari wouldn't be coming.

The bullies demanded money, which of course, Tsuna didn't have, not that it would have helped. They attacked, and were much harder on Tsuna than he was used to. It was so bad that he almost passed out by the time they threw him into the closet. He probably would have if it wasn't for the loud bang that came from the door soon after.

Hayato was pissed. This mute, scrawny, joke of a kid was going to be the next boss of the Vongola. Hayato wasn't about to let him be his boss, that was for sure. He watched as some kids threw the boy into a broom closet before they walked away. Once they were gone he made his way up to the closet and grunted. He kicked the door over and over until it broke down. The boy on the other side was shaking for a few seconds, but after getting a good look at Hayato, he stopped. Did the kid think Hayato was here to help him? He was in for a rude awakening. "Follow me," Hayato said harshly and the boy nodded.

They exited the school and Hayato led the boy to a secluded part of the school grounds. Surprisingly, after they got outside the boy didn't run. Hayato had released a killing aura to intimidate the kid, but he didn't seem to notice. They came to a stop and Hayato turned to face the boy. "Do you really think I will work for you?" Hayato said. The boy tilted his head confused. "You can't lead the Vongola!" The boy's confusion only grew. "What, did Reborn not tell you!?" The boy seemed to realize something in that moment and then shook his head. "What do you mean!?" The boy stayed silent. "I read your file! I know you can talk!" The boy still said nothing and Hayato was getting angrier but the second. "I'm not like those bullies! I can and will kill you if you don't cooperate!" The boy nodded in acknowledgement. "Then talk!" Still nothing was said by the boy. Hayato was done wasting his time and took out a stick of dynamite. "Do you want me to kill you!?" The boy nodded. "Well then ta..." Hayato froze when he realized the response he was given. "W...wait what was tha...that?"

The boy sighed and reached into his bag. He took out a notepad and began to write something down. [A yes. Please kill me.] Hayato dropped the dynamite in shock. [Just do it. You want me dead too, don't you?] Hayato was losing his balance. [Please, end my nightmare. Just do it.] Hayato's vision went blurry. [Don't worry. I won't be missed. No one will look for you.] Hayato just stared at the boy, unable to do anything. [Please, let me see my mom again.]

Hayato could not believe anything he was seeing. This boy, he was already dead. He came out here to see what the boy could do, and if necessary, kill him. But now, he couldn't bring himself to do anything. He couldn't hurt this kid. The boy couldn't lead like this, but he wasn't even trying. Hayato couldn't get a gauge on him. Not only that, but something else stopped him. He too knew what it was like to lose a mother, but this kid must have gone through so much more. The mere fact he was still here might have meant that there was hope for him to become a good boss after all.

Hayato finally mustered up the ability to say something. "What do you mean you won't be missed? What about that baseball idiot from this morning?"

[He'll forget about me soon enough. Pity only lasts so long.]

Hayato couldn't process things properly. "No," he finally told the boy, who looked confused. "I won't do it!"

The boy looked incredibly disappointed. [So you want to prolong my suffering.]

"No that's not it…" Hayato trailed off.

Stop pretending to care. If it's a pity get over it, it won't last forever. If you really want to do me a favor, then kill me.

"I… I…" There was a gunshot.

"Tsuna!" said a voice from behind Hayato. "I told you to stop doing that!" Hayato turned to see a completely livid Reborn. "And you Hayato, why are you here!?"

"I… was getting impatient," Hayato said. "But now… I… I'm not sure anymore."

"I didn't call you because Tsuna wasn't ready! You will not try this again. Do I make myself clear."

"It's fine. I've lost any will to hurt this kid anyway. He's all yours." Hayato waved a hand and left.

To Be Continued...