A/N:

@arisasonoda84: Take a guess! Hahaha!

@Levi1228: Aw. Thank you for the anticipation.

Thanks for the reviews. Haha.

Anyway, go on.

Chapter Seven

"Don't call me that." Tsuna pleaded comically.

Hayato blinked in confusion. "But why? It fits you, Tsuna-sama."

"Ugh..." The brunet slumped on his table. "It's so formal and so... Argh..."

"Master Tsuna?" The silveret suggested.

"Eh..." Tsuna drawled.

"Would you like me to call you tenth then?"

"Tenth for what?"

"For being the Decimo of Vongola of course."

Tsuna looked at him, made a thinking pose despite slumping on his table then nodded with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "That's much better. At least people will think that my name is Tenth."

Hayato shook his head. "Your craziness is immeasurable."

"It does not. It's limited." Tsuna argued.

"Where's that skylark?"

"Kyouya is in the garden, probably taking his nap. He always does that all the time. He doesn't have much time to sleep because of his previous boss. And now that he's free, he can do things he wants to do without any restraints." Tsuna replied as he got up from the desk and stared at the paper in front of him.

"Would you like me to arrange those for you?" The silveret asked politely, pointing at the papers.

Tsuna looked up to him. "You will?"

Hayato shrugged. "It's not that hard."

"Thank you!"

Hayato shook his head in amusement before walking towards the table and arranged the piling papers. He has been in and out of their hotel for five day, and yet the brunet is still working on some papers that kept on piling. He was never the man who take jobs like this, so he's curious how his friend hold up.

Up close, he can see the red marking of the pen on the brunet's middle finger on the first joint from the tip of the finger. It looked stiff, maybe because it has been used to sign papers for the past thirty minutes he was just sitting on the sofa and watched Tsuna silently work. Even the brunet's posture and body looked stiff. Maybe because he hasn't stretched since the time he arrived. And that was three hours ago.

"Would you like me to get you some milk?" Hayato asked softly.

"Hmm? Yeah sure. Thanks Hayato." Tsuna unconsciously replied, a little busy on the paper he was reading.

Heart flattering from the expression of gratitude, Hayato left the papers he arranged and went for the kitchen. He took a glass from the cupboard, poured some milk from the fridge then went back to Tsuna. The brunet looked up to him and gave a big smile. Hayato placed the glass in front of Tsuna before taking a seat on the sofa again.

"Tenth?" Hayato called out.

"Hm?" Tsuna responded as he took a sip on the milk.

"Where are your guardians?" He queried.

The brunet froze. "How did you-"

"I'm literally the Smokin' bomb Hayato they've known here in Italy, Tenth. My dad is a mafia boss, I was born and raised in a mafia residence, my sister is a hitwoman and you're a Vongola. Nono also thought that the skylark and I are your guardians. So that means you're a sky." Hayato leaned back his head, an arm dropped across the backrest, eyes questioning his friend. "You can inherit your famiglia if you have sky flames. But you can't inherit the Vongola if you have no guardians, right?"

Sawada took a deep breath, let it go and made his body relax. "That's true."

"So guardians?" He queried again.

The brunet shook his head. "None."

Hayato sat up, staring at the brunet with wide green eyes.

"I'm not looking for guardians, Hayato." Tsuna smiled warily. "I don't want to drag them in my mess. Especially if I want to start doing bloody things once I take the mantle on."

"B-But how can you..."

"Nono gave me an ultimatum. If I don't find myself some guardians by the time I turned twenty-three on the day of my birthday, he'll give me the guardians he chose himself."

"But are you okay with that?"

Tsuna stared at the glass in his hands in thoughts. "It's not that I'm not okay with it. I'm like... Fifty-fifty? Cause I mean, Nono will get me well-trained people to take on the role. Maybe people who already took lives so they won't be startled when I sent them to missions." He sighed. "I wanted to make Vongola a vigilante group again. Like they were in the past? Protecting those people who kept on getting taken over by mafia groups, saving those people who are in trouble and keeping those lunatics who don't have things to do in life at bay so they can't do whatever they want in life."

Hayato thought over the desire. "That's some kind of plan."

The other gripped the glass. "Yeah."

"So you won't mind if I tag along with you two, right?" He carefully worded.

"Oh not at all." Tsuna said lightly, beaming at Hayato. The silveret almost blinked at the sudden change of mood. "We like your company, and you rile up Kyouya too."

"So we're friends right?"

Tsuna stared at him in surprise. "Eh? W-Will it be okay? I mean it's not normal for a celebrity to be friends with a normal person. Whatever I do will reflect on you. If I do stupid things, they'll think you're stupid too."

"They don't have the rights to select those people I want to be friends with, Tenth." Hayato smiled. "And you're worth it. You gave me the things I threw away but with brand new life and light. So be it. If you do stupid things, they won't just say I'm stupid because of you. They'll say I'm stupid because I did it with you."

The brunet gave a watery laugh. Hayato can tell that the man in front of him is on the verge of crying. "Thank you. I'll be in your care then."

"Likewise, Tenth." He replied back sincerely.

He is officially lost.

Tsuna ruffled his hair with his own hands before letting out a sigh of resignation. He can't remember which route he took. He was walking aimlessly, wanting to breathe fresh air after being too coped up inside their hotel building. He thinks it's his intuition that made him lost. It was the one controlling him whenever he's idling.

"Kyouya is so gonna kill me." He mumbled to himself.

The skylark is somewhat protective of him. It's probably a carnivore thing since carnivorous animals are very territorial. Maybe Kyouya is right. He is a little animal cause he attracts trouble a lot. Add in Hayato who's always by his side. He is so definitely dead.

Sighing, he reached out to his intuition and let it guide him out of the building maze he's in. He kept on walking and walking but vigilant with his surroundings. Although people don't know his appearance, he should still be cautious cause some people saw him in the Vongola mansion whenever they host some parties over the years. It's better to be careful to avoid trouble.

He felt himself smile when he heard some noise at the end of the alley he's in. He speed walked and was about to passby an intersection when a body slammed into him. His arms flailed to regain his balance. But when his mind reminded him that he has something against his body, he put his arms protectively around the being and let himself fall from the impact.

He groaned in slight pain before adjusting himself from the weight on top of him. The body was trembling and flinching. Feeling concern for the person he's holding, he let his sky flames flare a little to assure the person he's safe. He felt him relax. He did too.

Tsuna felt minutes passed by as they just laid there. He's thanking the heavens that the ground he had his back on isn't dirty or muddy. He'd deemed that situition will be very uncomfortable. Especially if he's keeping a body on top of him.

His head snapped to the exit of the maze when he heard footsteps. He cringed when he saw Kyouya walking towards him, followed by a scowling Hayato. Judging from the latter's expression of relief, they were worried sick. He gave a small apologetic smile before squeaking a little when the body moved and made himself comfortable.

Hayato, who saw the movement, was about to walk over and remove the body when Tsuna shook his head. Hayato was going to insist, but Tsuna gave a small pout. The silveret hesitated. He was unused to a sulking Tsuna. Or even an angry one. So he looked at Kyouya for help. But the latter turned his head away, obviously not gonna help him.

"Jerk." Hayato spat.

"I think he's hurt." Tsuna whispered as he moved slowly to get up. The silveret rushed to his side.

"You think? And you're worrying about a stranger instead of worrying about yourself." Hayato chided softly.

"But he bumped into me and he was trembling. Good thing I caught him before we fell. Won't want him to get hurt." Tsuna argued back.

Hayato sighed as he carefully took the body from the brunet, put his arm around his neck and let Kyouya help Tsuna stood up. "You are so going to get it, Tenth."

The brunet grimaced. "I know. And I'm already starting to formulate my excuses."

"Seriously?" Hayato laughed.

Tsuna took the body's other arm and slung it on his shoulder before going still. "I don't think I'm much of a help in this work."

Kyouya rolled his eyes before pushing Tsuna out of the way and took the arm. "You owe me on this, Little Animal."

Tsuna smiled at them. "Thank you."

Hayato groaned. "You really like trouble."

Kyouya snorted.

"It loves me." Tsuna corrected with a small smile.

They went back to the hotel. Hayato helped the brunet tend the man the latter helped. They did a lot of pauses, and struggles. The silveret had much hard time on calming Tsuna from his sobs. He too was troubled of what he saw, but he can't leave the man unattended and his friend bawling his eyes out. He needs to be the one to think a little rational.

Kyouya was waiting outside and looked up from his laying position when he heard Tsuna's room door opened and closed. He stared at Hayato who was having this distressed and exhausted expression. Surely, it wasn't that hard to make the man comfy in the bed.

"Fuck." Hayato cussed as he brought out a pack of cigarettes. He was about to tap the bottom of the box on the lower part of his thumb when he realized Kyouya is glaring at him. "Can I? Just this one time."

"I'm a prefect, Herbivore." The noiret informed.

"Ex-prefect, mind you. Why don't you just enter an academy to become a proper police?" Hayato mumbled before shaking the pack. "Can I?"

Kyouya closed his eyes and faced the ceiling. "Open window."

Hayato didn't have to ask what his company means. He went for the open window, dragging Tsuna's swivel chair there. He sat, tapped the underside of his pack repeatedly until a stick made its way up. He took the cigar, put it between his lips and lit it with his lighter as he dragged a breath from it. He puffed out some gray smoke that went out of the window and was carried by the wind to nowhere.

Hayato took another drag before sighing out the smoke. He scrubbed a hand on his face then banged his head on the window. He looked at the prefect, who was looking at him in amusement. He scowled at the noiret.

"Don't get started, bastard." Hayato chided. "That guy we brought here is fucking complicated."

Kyouya's eyes narrowed.

"He has these so many nasty scars. Tenth cried when he saw them. And he has some scratches, burns and wounds too that needed to patch up. And why the fuck didn't you tell me that Tenth is a dual-flame user? If I didn't see his hand glow yellow, Tenth would've healed the shit and used all his energy to make it all better."

"We thought you're stupid." Kyouya shrugged.

A tick mark appeared on Hayato's temple. "Logic, asshole. I won't know Vongola HQ if I'm not involved with the mafia."

"There are possible circumstances that they held parties and you're invited to perform."

Hayato glared at him. "Logical."

Kyouya snorted at him. "Storm."

"That's right." Hayato sighed before looking out the window. "Do you know what Tenth will do?"

"Figure." The raven replied as he faced the backrest.

Hayato tutted. "Damn you, bastard skylark."

"Hn."

He sat up panting. He put a hand on his chest and clutched the clothe there as he felt himself heave heavier in panic. He was being experimented. He was being poked by many needles and they hurt. He can feel the pain. Some machines around him kept on beeping annoyingly. He can hear the scientists saying things he can't decipher. He can hear his name being said. He can-

"Juice?"

He looked up. A smiling brunet with matching pajama set is standing beside him and offering a violet colored drink. He stared at the man before he eyed the colored drink sceptically. Maybe the man got what he thought cause he put the drink on the side table and pulled out another glass from a cabinet and pour some water on it from the jug.

He looked around and realized he's in a different place. He's not in the usual room with locked windows, closed doors and CCTVs on every corner of his room, lighting red as people keeps on monitoring him. It's a room with fancy things with open lamps on both sides of the bed he sat on. Otherwise, the place is dark.

He's in a different place.

Different people.

Another suffering-

"Here." A glass appeared in front of face, startling him out of his stupor. He looked up to the brunet again. "It's water. No poison or tunic in it. Just plain, purified water."

He stared at the man. He's a brunet with gravity defying hair, all fluffed up, and his eyes are brown. He blinked when those eyes became orange for seconds before they became brown again. He was also small, probably reaching his eyes, even his body is like a girl's. But the most interesting things about the man he's staring at is his puffy red eyes, red nose and the bright smile that is directed to him.

Did he cry? Why is he smiling?

He shakily took the glass of water and just grasped on it. The brunet sat on the bed, facing him. The smile got bigger despite the wearer's brows were furrowed... In what? Worry? Anger? He can't decipher.

"Drink. You'll need water to be hydrated." The brunet urged gently. "Do you want me to help you? You're shaking badly- Wait. Do you even want to be touched or allow me to be this near you?"

He didn't answer.

"Do you want a hug?" He stared. "I mean you badly need one."

"U-Uhn..." He affirmed.

"But you need to drink first."

Warm hands cupped his. The man shifted and half kneeled on the bed while the other is on the floor. One hand settled underneath the glass while the other hand was placed on his back, rubbing him there. The hand underneath guided him to lift the glass to his lips, but it only stayed there. Didn't push nor pull. Just there to guide as he drank the content of the glass. And he just realized that he's thirsty. After drinking, the man took the glass out of his hands in a careful manner and continued to rub his back.

It was soothing. It's like his scars there were being carefully touched but treated too. The man asked him if he wants more. He nodded softly, and a glass of water is on his hands again. He doesn't know how many glasses did he took. Three? Four? He just felt so depleted yet relaxed after the thirst in his throat vanished.

"You okay?" The brunet queried again.

"Un." He answered.

"Want to sleep?"

He tensed up but the other warm hand was placed on the middle of his chest.

"Relax. No one is going to hurt you here." The man whispered in his ears. "You're safe. You're okay."

"I-I d-don't wa-want t-to s-sleep." He managed to say.

"Do you want me to stay then?"

He nodded.

"Okay."

The man wrapped his arms around him, giving him a side hug. His head was placed underneath the man's chin and he felt so safe. The man started to hum as he rubbed his shoulder so gently. And before he knew it, he was lulled back to sleep.

He had a dreamless sleep. No images. No sound. But the way he felt was so warm, snugged even. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by an orange shirt. He tried to recall what happened that night. When he was about to move, the arms wrapped around him tightened. He stopped and looked up to see the man sleeping.

"Don't move." He looked towards the source of the voice. "It's his first time sleeping this late." A silveret said as he puffed out smoke.

He didn't say a thing.

"Hayato...?" He looked up to the brunet who called out. "You're here...?"

"Yeah." The smoking man responded.

"You didn't go home...?"

"No, Tenth. I was doing your paper works with that asshat skylark."

He jumped when a bang was heard from the outside.

"Asshole! Are you trying to destroy the door?!" Hayato shouted hotly.

"Herbivore is being annoying." Said by a noiret who was leaning on the doorjamb.

"Hmmm... Play nice for a while. I want to sleep." The brunet murmured, hugging him close. "Let's sleep, neh?"

He nodded and silently stared at the man who was already fast asleep.

"Hey brat. What's your name?" Hayato asked.

"L-Lambo. Lambo Bovino." He choked out.

"Ah... Good thing you understand Japanese." Hayato praised. "Now then, let's go skylark and finish stacking those papers so Tenth won't be too stressed with it later."

"Hn." The noiret grunted before turning around.

Lambo stared at the door after it was closed behind Hayato. He looked up to the man beside him. He snugged close. The brunet sighed softly, and he did too before going back to sleep.

"Lambo?" Tsuna called out as he opened the door. "I have milk. Do you want some? I also have cookies. They're freshly baked by Hayato and me."

Tsuna smiled when he saw the teenager look up to him from his spot. He gave a small wave before entering the room. The teen stood up and went for the bed as he neared it too. He set the tray he was holding on the fluffy foam and took one cookie, soaked it on the milk and ate. Just to show the child that it's not laced with poison. He was followed.

Lambo is a little skinny. Maybe because he was experimented and was abused since child. Of what he heard from Hayato, Bovino family is really into experimenting but instead of taking humans, they made Lambo, their heir, receive everything. The silveret also said that they're doing it to get rid of Lambo because he was known to be a brat and a nuisance to their household when he was a child.

Tsuna felt like crying and hurting somebody when he heard that. It took a lot of his effort not to put a crack on his table. And now, he can see the result of those horrible things. The child can't smile nor even feel at ease. He can't sleep without keeping an eye open for look out. It takes effort to make him eat since he kept on suspecting that every food that are given to him are poisoned. No wonder he's so thin.

Tsuna affectionately went to the child's side and gave him a hug there. He felt Lambo look at him but he didn't budge. He want to give the child he can give. It's not right for him to experience like this. He knows life is unfair and that many people out there are cruel, but it's still not right to derive children from their happiness and freedom to grow as themselves.

"T-Tsuna-nii?"

Tsuna perked up and beamed. "Hmm? What is it, Lambo? Do you need anything?"

"I'm done." The noiret whispered.

"Hmmm... Do you wanna go outside? A change of view perhaps? Kyouya won't bite and Hayato is just a little snarky, but he's good."

Lambo looked at him warily. "Can I?"

"Yes! Always. You're welcome to go outside. Even watch TV."

"TV?"

Tsuna blinked before smiling. "Alright. Let's go out. I'll teach you things you need to know."

"Ha?"

"Come on."

Tsuna took the tray and Lambo's hand and tugged the latter towards him. They went out of the room. Tsuna put the tray on the center table of the living room, made Lambo sat on the couch, took the remote by the tv and sat beside the teen. He turned the TV on and flipped through the channels until they landed on some cartoons.

Tsuna took the notepad from the center table, recalled all the cartoon channels he saw and wrote them. He left it there before looking at Lambo who became engrossed with the moving animation. He smiled, stood up with the tray in hand and went for the kitchen. He came back with a mug of water, a bowl of fruits and some crackers. He left it on the center table before going back to his table to work on the papers Hayato and Kyouya arranged for him.

They just sat there, and it felt like hours. When Hayato came in, the sun was already setting. Tsuna looked up from his last paper, smiled at Hayato before stretching. He sighed when he heard a good 'pop' from his bone before sitting pretty again.

"Welcome home, Hayato." Tsuna greeted.

Hayato blushed a little on the greeting. "I-I'm home, Tenth."

"Why are you red?" Lambo asked suddenly as he stared at Hayato.

Tsuna stared at his friend. "Eh? Did I say something wrong, Hayato?"

"N-No, Tenth!" Hayato replied too quickly with a shake of his head. "Shut up, Brat."

"But you were red." Lambo pointed out before sticking out his tongue. "He likes you Tsuna-nii."

Tsuna laughed. "Of course he likes me. We're friends."

Lambo looked at him. "Friends?"

Hayato and Tsuna glanced at one another before the latter nodded. "Yup. When you like someone's company and they're really dear to you, they're your friends."

"Oh."

"Hayato?"

"Yes Tenth?"

"Where's Kyouya?"

"Hn."

Tsuna gave small shriek of surprise before turning around. He tried to whack Kyouya's head but the latter dodged it and sat on the sofa beside the couch Lambo was on. Hayato snickered before leaning on the couch. Tsuna groaned before taking the pillow from his back and chucked it towards Kyouya who was smacked on the back of his head.

Tsuna bolted before Kyouya can even move. The skylark stood up and ran after him. Hayato joined in the fray and tried to hide his tenth. Lambo was just watching the chase. He doesn't know why but he was having fun as he watched them run around too. And when a tonfa smacked Hayato on the face, he couldn't help himself laughing.

In the end, they settled themselves on the dining table with plates of food in front of them, made by Hayato and Tsuna. They ate while they chatted, although Kyouya was quiet and seldomly says his input. After eating, Tsuna ushered Lambo back to the living room and let him watch the TV with some snacks. After awhile, Hayato went home, not before ruffling Lambo's hair and Kyouya retreated to his room. Tsuna guided him to the bathroom and they brushed their teeth together before going for the brunet's room.

Lambo went in first before Tsuna slipped under the blankets and hugged him. The latter sighed in content as he buried his face on the child's hair.

"Lambo is so warm." Tsuna commented.

Lambo felt his face warmed up. "Tsuna-nii is cozy."

"Eh... That's good. So you can sleep better. Or do you want me to sleep on the floor? I have extra futon."

Lambo shook his head and hugged the brunet back. "Tsuna-nii is here. I want you here."

"Hmm... Me too, Lambo. I want you here."

"Can I stay?"

"Of course! You can always stay." Tsuna then hugged him closer, tighter and secure. "I'll protect you always, with my dying will."

Lambo smiled at that.