verb: believe, place confidence in

Tsuna rushes to Lambo and I-Pin alongside Gokudera, his eyes on them only, trusts Yamamoto will keep the two enemies away. "Is everyone okay?"

"Keep it together!" Gokudera shouts.

Lambo catches sight of them, and beams. "Tsuna-nii! Stupidera!" He almost fully faces them, but his hand stays on I-Pin's back—no, he holds on her changshan, as if holding her back.

"Are you okay?" Tsuna asks again once he reaches them, and again I-Pin doesn't answer, doesn't turn back. She stands in a fighting stance, her back to them, seemingly ready to jump into the fight at any given moment, and from up close her changshan is even more worn out and tore apart. "I-Pin-chan—"

"I'm okay, Tsuna-nii," I-Pin says soothingly, but cold like he's never heard her before. "You take care of Kyoko-nee, Haru-nee, and Lambo. I'll fight alongside Takeshi-nii."

You fought enough. The words burn Tsuna's tongue, and only the look Lambo gives him stays his hand from reaching out to her. He can't see her face, but if it's anything like Lambo's—old and new bruises—scars blending together on battered, pale skin—, he doesn't need to. You shouldn't even have had to fight, I'm so sorry you had to, please look at me.

"Tsuna?" Haru stumbles out of the smoke, coughing, unharmed. Tsuna's next breath comes out easier, but his throat closes up again when Haru catches his eye. "You came." It's no more than a whisper, but so loud to his ears in its relief, almost a question.

At least it seems to pain the both of them.

"What the hell are you saying, you idiot girl?" Gokudera snaps. "Of course the Tenth came!"

"Of course," Tsuna echoes hurriedly, firmly, so scared. "I came, I'm here."

Haru reaches out, and Tsuna is quick to cradle her hand in both of his, squeezing tightly. See? I'm here, I came, of course I came, I was always going to. Don't you know?

[Why didn't she know?]

"Are you hurt, Haru?" Is that the way Haru looks at him? The girl who fell in love with him twice, who called herself the future Vongola Decimo's wife without a second thought.

Why is he thinking about this now?

"Hahi?" Haru blinks, looming above them, and flicks her eyes between them. "Oh." She laughs, and it sounds sad and longing, tearful. She cups their cheek. "Yes, of course you came."

Gokudera splutters, no doubt blushing, and it'd have made him smile if not for Haru's glimmering eyes.

Is that the way she looks at him? The girl who fell in love with him for his assertiveness third, his strength second, and his gentleness first.

[Like someone she should know, and yet she couldn't quite recognize.]

The battle rages on, Yamamoto effortlessly holding his ground against the man with pink hair. He explains about the rings and the boxes, and Tsuna makes himself listen, remember.

"Oh no!" Lambo screams. " Tsuna-nii, Kyoko-nee's missing!"

Tsuna's blood runs cold, and his scream never makes it out past his lips. I-Pin turns back, at last, horror on her face, and Tsuna's running.

The man with a cap swings his flames covered scythe, and the wave of Storm flames barely misses him. The blast sends him flying through a window into one of the warehouse, but he wastes no time walking off his fall. Back on his feet he runs once more, calling for her.

"Kyoko-chan! Kyoko-chan, where are you?"

"Over here!"

Tsuna almost falls in his hurry to follow her voice, but then finally finds her in one of the empty rooms. She sits on the floor, cradling her ankle, but otherwise looks unharmed.

Tsuna's legs almost give out from relief. "Kyoko-chan... Thank God..."

Kyoko smiles, long, golden brown hair framing her face, big, golden brown eyes filled with warmth. "Thank you. You're here, Tsu-kun." Eh? Tsu-kun? She laughs, and her face softens. "You're crying."

Tsuna turns his back on her, warm on the face, and hurriedly dries his eyes with his sleeve. Kyoko chuckles lightly, and he blushes harder.

God, she saw him cry! How embarrassing!

"You came, but I wish you wouldn't have to anymore." Eh...? Kyoko holds his gaze, a sad frown between her brows. "How's everyone?"

"They're okay," Tsuna says, upbeat and reassuring. "Gokudera and Yamamoto are with them."

"What's happening, Tsu-kun? Those people... What do they want?"

Tsuna's smile freezes on his lips. "It's okay," he says, and Kyoko looks like he hit her. But how could he tell her about the war, the hunt? Those people are here to kill you, but she doesn't need to know, doesn't need to be terrified, because Tsuna won't ever let that happen. "I'll take you to safety now, alright?"

Kyoko doesn't take his hand, doesn't avert her eyes from his. She purses her lips, now frowning fiercely, but if she wanted to look anything but sad and hurt, she didn't succeed. "Why?"

Tsuna's smile is frozen on his lips, and it hurts.

The silence stretches between them one beat too many, and without a word, her eyes downcast, Kyoko lets him help her to her feet.

"I don't take prisoners." Kyoko's eyes widen, and Tsuna whips around, looking up at the same man who sent him crashing into the warehouse, flying above them. "So I'll make this quick. After all, I can't keep my main meal, the Rain Guardian, waiting."

"Tsu-kun..." Kyoko holds on his shoulder and his back, her fingers curled around his jacket.

Tsuna doesn't remember grabbing his gloves and pills, but he holds them in his shaking hands, as his whole body shakes too. "I... I won't let you..." Can he win? Can he even fight, when his strength matters so little with the way they fight in this world? "There's no way I'll let you..."

"Tsuna-kun...?" Tsuna's heart sinks. "Tsuna! Thank God!" Kyoko smiles, beaming, bright-eyed and unaware.

This man is mafia and wants to hurt us. Run as fast as you can, I'll hold him back.

That's all it would have taken to let her know, to let her seek safety on her own, and increase both their chances to make it out alive.

"Everyone's been looking for you! And for Reborn and Gokudera too!"

That's all it would have taken, but Tsuna can't do that now, because she doesn't know, because he always tried so hard so she wouldn't know.

"Look out!" The man swings his scythe again, and Tsuna pushes her away just in time.

He takes the hit head on, and it leaves him lying face down on the floor, his limbs too painful to move. Kyoko screams, but he can't make out her words past the ringing in his ears.

Tsuna needs to move, to put on his gloves and swallow the pills. The man could attack her any moment now, and there's no one but him there. He needs to move, to go into Hyper Dying Will mode.

Now, right now!

Kyoko screams again, terrified, and as Tsuna flies to her rescue, he remembers her pursed lips and fierce frown, nothing but sad and hurt, remembers Haru's laugh, tearful and longing.

What's the difference, really, between keeping people at arm's length and keeping them in the dark?

[Not knowing only makes you bitter and resentful, hurts you until you decide it's better not to care anymore. He would know.]

Tsuna wins the fight but gets wounded on his shoulder, and the scar will remind him everything he touches the mafia will swallow it in its shadow, no matter how faint the stain he leaves.

[He should have told them, but it's more than that. Tsuna can't have both, can't protect both.

And that too, he would know.]

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Any and all review are appreciated.

Thank you for reading!

- Hope

Answer to Guests' Comments:

Guest: Thank you so much! And yeah, that's exactly the angle I'm taking for this fic! I'm feeling much better already, thank you for your well-wishes :). Thank you for your comment!

Mori: you're welcome! and glad you like the angst because there's plenty more like that coming haha. thank you for your comment!