A/N:

Thank you for the reviews! Hahaha! To be honest, I'm not confident with this story because it has a lot of flaws, grammar-wise and lacks description. I'm trying to fix it as much as I can since I wrote it a year ago (I think?). But that's not a plausible excuse.

This is my first update of the week. I promise to update as much as I can since this is already written. Don't mind the grammar mistakes and typos. And yes. I'm going to include Chrome because the Vongola Tenth Mist is not complete without its other half.

Anyway, go on. Don't mind me here.

Chapter Sixteen

Takeshi eyed Tsuna, Lambo and Mukuro who were standing by the telephone. He looked at Kyouya, who is sitting on a thin pillow, sipping his tea with Hayato who is nursing coffee also. He decided to sit beside Kyouya, a little wary of Hayato who heatedly glared at him.

They're inside the hotel room. It's day two of his 'rest'. Tsuna insisted of not going out today, except when they buy the toppings for the sushi he'll be making. He tried to talk Tsuna out of it yesterday. He doesn't even know if he can make the dish. It's been years since he made the food. Other than that, he thinks he's already rusty in making it. What if it tastes bad? Or he put the wrong seasoning and poisoned his friends-

Friends.

Takeshi can't help his small smile. He felt his heart flutter because of the word. Even for a little while, he now knows the feeling of having friends. The feeling of being treated normal, being bugged for candies, placating between Kyouya and Hayato, being Hayato's target for what Tsuna did, laughing with Mukuro about certain things and being Tsuna's reason to smile and laugh.

He suddenly wants to visit his parents' graves.

He jerked off his musings when he heard the telephone rang. The three by the telephone tensed up as it rang away before it got directed to voicemail.

"Yamamoto-"

"Bam!" Tsuna yelled as he pressed the cancel button. "I got four!"

"Aw. I only got two. What if he gives up on calling?" Lambo questioned depressingly, slumping a little.

"Kufufufu... Tsunayoshi is really good at this." Mukuro praised with his arms crossed over his chest.

Sawada shrugged. "It's because I hate how he talked to Takeshi."

"I told you I could bite him to death." Kyouya said.

"But he's Takeshi's coach." Tsuna pointed out.

Hayato sighed. "We can unplug that telephone off."

"And where's the fun in that?" Mukuro retorted, causing another bout of glaring between them.

"Wait. Coach is calling?" Takeshi questioned to them.

"Yes. And we've been rejecting him. Not hearing why he's calling." Tsuna waved off in a disinterested manner.

"Eh?"

"Well, Tsunayoshi heard the first voicemail. So instead of making me smash the gadget to pieces, we invented a game. And it's nice." Mukuro explained.

He surveyed the three. "What was the message contains?"

Lambo smiled cheekily. "Some bad words. Man. That was my first time learning those things. I mean Bakadera is a good teacher, but that guy is a professor."

Kyouya and Mukuro chuckled while Tsuna gave Hayato a mock horrified look. Hayato paled whiter than white if possible. Takeshi can't help laughing before pulling Lambo to a headlock and gave the teen a soft noggie.

"Waah!" Lambo joked before laughing.

"Neh Takeshi! Let's buy some toppings already." Tsuna whined. "I miss sushi."

Kyouya peered at Tsuna at the corner of his eyes.

"Okay okay. Let's go." Takeshi relented as he stood up.

"Yey! Kyouya, come with us." The brunet motioned, moving his hands so the skylark will hurry up.

"Be careful, Tenth." Hayato bid, glaring daggers at Lambo who was whistling.

Tsuna bid the remaining ones goodbye then dragged Takeshi out, Kyouya followed close. After the door closed behind them, shouts of curses and threats were heard from the inside. Tsuna and Takeshi looked at each other before laughing. Kyouya stayed indifferent. They started to walk towards the elevator.

The trio went to the market as suggested by Takeshi. They let the baseball star pick the toppings. Although Kyouya didn't say anything, they both know they liked how Takeshi's eyes sparkle as he stared at those different fishes laid right in front of him.

Tsuna told the others what suffering Takeshi is in. Knowing how it feels to be alone, all of them didn't say anything, but did what they could do to make the noiret feel really comfortable with them that evening. Good thing the baseball star is scared of Tsuna cause he went to sleep immediately when the brunet told him to sleep early for his health. In that way, the five held a meeting, not even minding all the things they discussed that early morning before they went out yesterday.

"Y-Yamamoto?"

Tsuna and Kyouya perked up at the acknowledgement. Takeshi frozen up. The brunet immediately went to the baseball star's side after he noticed his friend's reaction, and put a good grip on the latter's arm.

"Let's go Takeshi. You're paling again." Tsuna pointed out.

"T-Tsuna-"

"Wait. Are you sick?" The man in his twenties asked.

Tsuna assessed the guy. A quick motion of once-over from head to toe before judging the man's personality with the way he carries himself and dresses. In conclusion, the brunet came up with: the guy is from one of the rival teams, not in good terms with Takeshi since the latter hasn't given his usual grin, a cautious type with the way the baseball bat is being carried, and too confident. No wonder his team is losing. No offense.

"Yeah. He's sick as you can see." Tsuna replied for Takeshi's stead, a small polite smile on his lips. "So if you'll excuse us, we have to go."

Tsuna began to guide the daze Takeshi towards the opposite way without waiting for any response. For a moment, his intuition spiked. He didn't even registered what that spike means when he winced a little. They were approaching Kyouya when Takeshi suddenly turned. He was about to question why, but he stopped dead on tracks when he heard Yamamoto's howl of pain. His eyes widened in shock before his body did what was best...

Kick the guy on the face.

While Kyouya stalked towards the guy who attacked them, Tsuna attended Takeshi. He inspected the injury before hissing at the imaginary pain he felt. The shoulder bone shattered because of the metal bat. It will be impossible to fix, especially if they go to the hospital. The doctors there will tell the noiret that he won't be able to play baseball anymore. And world be damned if he will let that happen.

Reaching out with both hands, he willed his sun flame to do its job. He planned two things in mind: mend the shattered bones, and heal the muscles. He needs to be careful because he might heal the muscles first before the bones, and that will be a disaster. And if that happens, Takeshi won't be able to play baseball for his lifetime.

Takeshi grunted a little as his bones snapped to places. Tsuna hummed in worry but didn't say anything. He can hear all the ruckus behind him, made by Kyouya, of course. Thankfully, no one is worrying about them, and no civilian can see his hands glowing yellow without any light sources other than his will to heal Takeshi.

"Y-You're paling, Tsuna." Takeshi pointed out between pants.

Tsuna gave a small smile. "Well, sun isn't my main flame so it's understandable."

"You can stop now."

"If I stop healing you, you won't be able to play the day after tomorrow."

"I-It's fine."

The brunet gave the other a cursory gaze. "Are you giving up on baseball, Takeshi?"

Takeshi didn't respond.

"That's not what you want." Tsuna stated as he exhaled some breath through his mouth. He's weakening, but he needs to keep going. "I'm gonna heal it so you can play for the last time. After you played, you make your decision."

"But it's what I want to do." Takeshi argued.

Tsuna raised his eyes and met his. They blazed amber because of so much emotion the noiret can't interpret. "And do you have the will to do it?"

Takeshi clammed up. Of course he doesn't. He just wanna stop playing since he thinks baseball is becoming toxic to him. He got sick because of baseball, and it's the sole reason why every people on his team hates him. Even their coach hates him. He can't understand why they hate him secretly when they praise him so openly. It happens all the time to the point that he thinks everything is his fault.

It's not like he's being self-centered. They just kept on implying that he's the reason why everything bad happens to them. And he hates that. He's sick of that. So he wants to give up baseball. The sport he really loves.

"Are you okay, Little Animal?" Kyouya questioned when he went back to them.

Tsuna bobbed his head with a small smile. "A little more and Takeshi's shoulder will be good as new."

"That herbivore got so far." Hibari huffed.

Yamamoto stared as Sawada laughed merrily. "Accepted. But it's my fault. I should've moved faster after my intuition spiked."

Takeshi blinked. Kyouya just apologized and Tsuna understood the implication.

"A little more." Tsuna announced before sighing in relief as he sagged. He retrieved his hands just as the yellow flames vanished. "There."

"Baseball carnivore." Kyouya addressed.

The tall noiret snappily perked up. "I'm just gonna buy the fishes and the things we need that I saw awhile ago."

The skylark nodded. "Hn."

Takeshi helped Kyouya piggyback Tsuna who was on the verge of passing out. He silently rolled his shoulders, feeling the bones and muscles, especially the broken one. It was amazing. Tsuna's amazing. He's not really familiar with the flames other than his and the sky flame, since his oyaji only briefed him with the other ones, and he didn't really understand them. So he's practically amazed with the sun flame that healed him.

He purchased all the ingredients he needed before they went back to their hotel. The room was cleaned up when they came back. Hayato was drinking coffee, reading some file when they came in. The silveret only stood up to meet them after they announced their arrivals. Takeshi watched as the silveret fussed around the brunet. Lambo, although worried for Tsuna, helped Takeshi with the things they bought.

Feeling a little bad because he was the reason why Tsuna was worn out, Takeshi started and tried to make the sushi. A little hesitant at first since he has no confidence on that part of him. After he finished, he tried one first then cringed. It's not satisfying for him.

"Oi baseball freak." Takeshi looked at Hayato who sat by the counter with his mug of coffee and files. "Make sure those sushi are good."

Takeshi gave a weary smile. "I don't think I can do it."

The silveret raised a brow. "What does that mean? You forgot the things your father taught to you?"

Takeshi's smile faltered as he stared at Hayato owlishly.

"If Tenth is here, he'll tell you to remember those times you spent with your father making sushi. In that way, you'll learn again and you'll feel like you're in those times again."

"How would you know that he'll say those?"

"Because it's his way of remembering his mom." Hayato answered in a beat. He looks a little nostalgic with the way he spoke. "And it's the way how I was able to play the piano without any practice for years." The silveret sipped some of his coffee. "It's not bad remembering your parents. It's actually good and relieving after all those years of avoidance. Sometimes, I can see Mom in Tenth when he suddenly become a motherhen or when he scolds me for something. You can relate to that, can you?"

"Yeah." Takeshi agrees, remembering those nights Tsuna spent with him. "When he gives advice, I can see my Mom. When he smiles and jokes around, I see my oyaji."

"It's because Tenth is home." Hayato elaborated as he stared at his coffee. "He may not know it, but when he accepts people, when he smiles at us and when he makes us happy, he's a home. A person we can always come back to even if we turn our backs on him. Always there to support us."

Takeshi pondered as he stared at Hayato. It's his first time seeing the man so open to him.

"But what worries me is does he feel the sense of home to us too?"

"It's like asking who will save those heroes who are struggling."

"Yes." Hayato sighed as he sipped his coffee. "Man. I'm like taking care of a four years old inside a man that suddenly matures when needed."

Takeshi laughed. "You are like a mother, Hayato."

"Hmp! It would be fitting if I was a woman."

"Miss Hayato?"

Takeshi learned to never piss Hayato that day.

"It's delicious!" Tsuna exclaimed as he ate a tuna sushi.

"Tsunayoshi." Kyouya called out as he ate a Salmon sushi.

Tsuna halted from stuffing his face to give his attention to his caller. "Hm?"

"You're eating your own kind." Kyouya informed nonchalantly with a teasing smirk.

Takeshi, Lambo and Mukuro gave out a bark of laughter just as Tsuna almost choke on his food. Hayato immediately handed a glass of water to the brunet, although chuckling at the said joke. Kyouya continued to eat, a little satisfied with all the reactions he got.

They're inside the dining room and savoring Takeshi's sushi. Tsuna woke up just after the baseball star finished the last batch. The brunet had been eating since then, harboring the tuna ones and those with salmon roes.

"Kyouya! That was uncalled for!" Tsuna whined while punching his chest.

Kyouya only widened his smirk.

"Don't worry, Tsunayoshi. You can eat Birdie's relative too." Mukuro consoled.

Tsuna burst to giggles while Kyouya glared at Mukuro.

"Loud herbivore."

"What?" Hayato asked as he ate a salmon raw.

"Buy some pineapple. I'm gonna make some juice."

Tsuna, Takeshi and Lambo's laughter rang in the whole room while Hayato's lip quirked up in amusement.

"Kufufu. Birdie is being bad."

"Piney pissy."

"Another Tsuna?" Takeshi queried to the brunet as the two destructive pair in the room started to do a verbal fight.

"Yes! Every single one of them!" Sawada answered in excitement.

"Tenth, you'll get stomach ache if you ate too much." Hayato tried to mollify.

"It's okay! I have a strong stomach." Tsuna assured, patting his stomach with a big grin.

"Right-o!" Takeshi responded with a cheer of his own.

Lambo took his nii-san's hand out of urge. Tsuna looked at the teen and smiled, then focused his attention to Hayato again. His big brother has been pretty well since they came there. He has been smiling a lot, laughing and doing happy things. It was almost normal. Like nothing happened. But honestly, Lambo knew better.

"Tsuna-nii?"

Tsuna looked at him. "Yes Lambo?"

Lambo stared at him before shaking his head. "Nothing."

"Grape candy?" Tsuna asked as he pulled out a wrapped violet colored candy.

Lambo nodded with eyes wide. He didn't think of that candy for a while. "Yes!"

His big brother gave him the candy. "Don't be shy to say anything, Lambo."

"Even if it offends you?" He queried, hands faltering from opening his treat.

"I rather have the truth than receive the lie." The brunet shrugged.

Lambo gulped before he opened his mouth. "Nii-san, do you hate us?"

"Eh?"

Hayato straightened up at the question. Mukuro and Kyouya stopped their glaring contest and looked at the brunet. And Takeshi placed his knife beside the fish he was going to fillet.

The question was sudden, but it was on point. They wanted to ask the same thing, however, no one wanted to hurt the man who bind them all together. They don't want to hurt the sky. Even Takeshi can't bring himself to question Tsuna anything deep. He thinks he'll hurt him and push the man to do more cuts in his body.

Tsuna stared at Lambo's hopeful eyes. The brown haired individual surveyed around to see his friends' expressions. Did he do it again? Made them feel like they're unimportant to him? Or insecure because he couldn't bring himself to say anything about himself?

He did, didn't he?

"Of course not. I love you guys." Tsuna responded in a calm, easy voice with a soft smile. "If it weren't for you guys, I will be in one of the apartment complex in here, searching for work or doing my work as a Vongola employee. Or maybe wallowing about something insignificant. And maybe overthinking things like why am I even alive or do I even have any importance in this world other than for the sake of other people.

"Sometimes- No. Most of the time I feel like I'm only functioning instead of living. I function for other people. Talking for their sake, smiling and feeling emotions for their well being. Sometimes I wonder why I suck so much emotions from other people. Maybe because I'm that numb and empty that I crave feelings. But instead of positive feelings, I get those negativity.

"It's not that I'm saying I'm as important as you guys. I'm okay just listening to you talk about things you like and tell me things about your day, your life or things you've been wanting to share. I'm okay in supporting you five of what you do. And because of you, I feel so much happiness. You give me positive feelings that it becomes surreal. And frankly, those feelings scare me because I'm not used having them.

"So if you feel like I don't trust you because I don't talk about myself, don't think like that. I'm just not that accustomed to being the center of attention. Or being asked if everything is okay with me. Or being fussed over other than my Dad, but that rarely happens."

"But it won't hurt if you share some of your burden to us right?" Takeshi questioned carefully.

Tsuna shook his head. "No. It won't hurt. But I need to get used to it first. Or maybe be reminded that I can share my thoughts to all of you."

"Figures. You tend to self-destruct." Mukuro muttered.

"I just hope that you won't..." Tsuna quietly mouthed the next things.

"We won't, Tsuna." Takeshi replied while the other looked back and forth between the two. "He hopes we won't get tired of him. Or give up." The sushi chef elaborated.

"I sometimes wonder how little animals survive the wilderness when they're so stupid most of the time." Kyouya wondered outloud. It made Tsuna give a watery laugh.

Hayato chucked a fork towards the skylark, who caught it in return. "Shut up with your animal references."

Kyouya raised a brow. "Heh. Jealous, are we?"

Hayato only fumed and looked away.

Takeshi went over to the table, sat on his reserved seat between Mukuro and Kyouya and gave Tsuna his order. "Like what Hibari-sempai-"

"Kyouya." Tsuna, Lambo and Hayato corrected almost immediately.

"Kyouya-" Takeshi repeated with a small chuckle. "-said, you can always take a pick who to confide with. If you want all of us to listen, we will."

"I'll remember that."

"I mean if you want to just sleep, there's Lambo who can sleep with you all day. Or Kyouya to slap you so you can straighten up. I'm here if you're jittery or anxious. Go to Mukuro if you want reality check. And Hayato to tell you everything will be alright." Takeshi elaborates.

Silence.

"Are you really a baseball freak?" Hayato asked.

"Eh?"

"What Bakadera is saying is, you made a good suggestion, Takeshi-nii." Lambo praised.

Takeshi beamed. "Thank you Hayato!"

Tsuna gave a big teasing grin when the silveret blushed red and spluttered. "Hayato can't handle genuine praises that's not related to piano or his work."

"Oya?" Mukuro exclaimed.

"Ne Hayato!" Tsuna called before resting his cheek on his hand as his elbow took its place on table, all his attention is on his friend. "I like your silver hair and green eyes."

Hayato went redder if possible.

"Mwahahaha! Bakadera! Mwahahaha!" Lambo guffawed with arms clutching his stomach.

"Shut up brat!" Hayato chided.

"Aw. It's okay Hayato. I'm bad with compliments too." Tsuna consoled as he hugged the man by the sides. "Besides, you should be cool with it already. We love the way you play the piano."

"Oh right, he can play." Takeshi remembered.

"Bakadera can really play the piano! He's a virtuoso in it!" Lambo bragged.

"I heard they have a piano downstairs." Takeshi mentioned.

"Oi-"

"I saw it." Mukuro verified.

"Hn." Kyouya seconded.

Tsuna's eyes twinkled. "Let's go!"

"W-Wait Tenth-"

Tsuna took his plate of sushi and Hayato's hand then walked out of the room. Takeshi went to catch up with Lambo, crowding the pianist on the way while voicing out their excitements. Mukuro went after, a little behind them while Kyouya followed in a slow pace.

Tsuna sent Takeshi to the reception for a permission to use the piano by the restaurant. After receiving an okay signal, they went in. Takeshi and Tsuna persuaded Hayato to play. When the noiret reminded the silveret that him, Lambo and Mukuro haven't heard him play, Hayato took the stage. Tsuna and Takeshi snickered, it was hook, line and sinker.

Tsuna sat at one of the chairs by an empty table. Takeshi and Lambo joined him. Kyouya leaned on the doorjamb while Mukuro stood by the wall between two windows. Hayato breathed a mock sigh of resignation before smirking as he placed his hands on the keys and played the first note.

All people inside the hotel restaurant looked at the spot where the piano is. They marveled the sight of a small group smiling at the pianist who is playing a beautiful piece. Even the staffs joined them.

And that night ended with a warm song.