Chapter Twenty-Nine
"E-Eh. G-Guys? Really. I'm okay." Tsuna tried to assure but shrunk back when six pairs of eyes stared at him intensely. "O-Okay. I'll stay in bed."
"Did you know what that sun trash said, Tsunayoshi?" Xanxus growled, earning a scared shriek from the addressed brunet. "Fatigue, lack of sleep, lack of food and stress made you vulnerable to suicide thoughts! Do you want me to kill you, you fucking son of an asshole?!"
"Enma!" Tsuna sought refuge under the covers and in Enma's arms.
"Eh?! Why me?!" The red head exclaimed.
Dino immediately took action and got a hold of Xanxus before the wrath can attack the comically screaming Decimo. "Calm down, Xanxus!"
Aria and Yuni could only giggle at their antics while Byakuran joined the hyper-dying will duo and attempted to cover Tsuna from the sight of the Varia boss.
Tsuna woke up after a day of rest. He was pretty disoriented and only remembers the time he was about to cut himself and seeing his female friend in front of him. The six people with him in the room threw hysterical and worried fits. And eventually, the rest became a history.
Regardless, the Vongola sky ring bearer looks more lively and well-rested. His skin got more color, instead of just pale white, his frenzy eyes (according to Xanxus) were steady and held happiness. And the wavering sky flame yesterday is wrapped around them, basking them with comfort and being comforted as well. They knew it's because of them. And they're very pleased to help.
"Wait. Why are you here though?" Tsuna asked as he looked at them. "Aren't you busy?"
"Well, Byakuran called us and persisted us to visit you. Xanxus is kind enough to open his mansion to let us stay before he went to the Vongola HQ to see his father. Turned out, he got you out of the house due to suicide attack your mind almost made you do." Aria summed up.
"Eh. I missed Tsu-chan." Byakuran cooed as he hugged the brunet and the red head.
"Oomph!" Tsuna puffed out.
"Byakuran! You're heavy!" Enma complained.
"You want me off, En-chan?"
"No. But you're heavy. And it's Enma!"
"I want in too!" Yuni reached out and jumped on them, earning a struggling scream from Tsuna who is being crashed underneath their combined weights.
"Tsu-chan!" Yuni and Byakuran screamed happily.
"Eh?! Tsuna!" Enma's hysterical call.
"Oi Trash, what happened?" Xanxus grumbled, making the four stop from their little antics.
"Yeah, Tsuna. What happened? We know you can keep your demons at bay. But to be pushed at the very edge indicates that something might've happened." Dino seconded.
Tsuna scratched his neck after Enma helped him up. "I met my set of guardians last week."
"And?" Enma urged.
Tsuna sighed. "T-They were the o-ones who t-tried to kill me and abandoned me when I killed one of them after defending myself."
The room became silent.
"Grandpa only tried to help since I couldn't present my own guardians. He told his guardians to search powerful flame users in different affinity and they found them. Ganauche, Visconti and Croquant tried to appeal but since they're the only options, they couldn't deny grandpa's order."
"How come we did not know about this information?" Byakuran asked.
"It happened before I came to Italy for my seventeenth birthday celebration." Tsuna answered softly. "The only ones who knew about this was Shamal, Ganauche and Visconti. And I liked it that way since only a few people knew that I'm an abandoned sky."
"But why can't you present your own set of guardians? I heard you have friends with different flames, and the Vongola mafiosi liked them." Dino queried.
Tsuna looked down to his hands. "I couldn't present them cause our world is dangerous for them. Most of them are civilians, some didn't know how to fight. And I don't want to send them to missions that might become their last. They're too precious to me, and I can't risk them with me as I do my future plans. I'd rather die alone than take them down with me."
"Is that all?" Yuni asked, making Tsuna woven his hands together.
"I..." Tsuna started. "I don't want them to feel suffocated like how my almost guardians felt years ago. It was my fault for fussing so much, wanting to keep them safe and creating an illusion that everything is alright. I don't want to feel the painful tear of our bond if ever they wanted to stop. It's selfish. I know. But it's for the best for both sides."
"When did you ever became selfish, Tsuna?" Enma wondered as he hugged his best friend by the side and put his chin on his head. "All you did was think of them and looked at a way for the decision to sound selfish. You are the most selfless person I ever met Tsuna. The most generous, compassionate and happy-go-lucky Vongola boss."
"And it wasn't your fault that you killed one of them. Regardless of what you think, that guy deserved the death you gave him. If you didn't defend yourself, how will we ever met? Can Yuni and I be ever to live like today and the other arcobalenos you saved?" Aria added on.
"Thank you." The brunet's only reply.
Dino smiled. "I think Lussuria made dinner. Let's eat?"
"Oh sure." Tsuna said as he moved to the side of the bed. "Enma, help me up."
"Of course I'm the servant."
Tsuna playfully glared at his friend. "Never mind. Yuni, help me up with Byakuran. I'll bake goods later if I feel okay-"
"No! I'm the one helping!" Enma shouted as he tried to help Tsuna who moved away. "Tsuna!"
"What? You complained."
"I didn't! You only assumed that!"
"But you implied it!"
"I did not!"
"I'm really sorry for the inconvenience." Tsuna apologized to the six of them.
They're outside of the mansion. Tsuna had to go because he needs to do a lot of things before the ceremony. He has to organize the ball before the day of the inheritance. Other than that, he needs to assure the family that he's okay.
The Ninth already called for his health, apparently worried. Unknown to him, Xanxus ranted on and on about the Ninth's decision regarding the guardians he picked for the brunet. The wrath blamed the suicide attempt to the decision, and the Ninth could only apologized and assure his now only son that things will turn out okay as what his intuition is directing him.
"It's okay. Besides, the inheritance is in five days. This is convenient to us. We'll wait for our baggages to arrive before we move to the Vongola mansion." Aria dismissed with a big smile.
Tsuna's eyes brightened before looking at his uncle. "You'll come right? Right?"
"Of course I am." Xanxus scoffed. "I'm required to come."
"If you sleep there, we can," Tsuna signed drinking to him that Dino almost kneeled at as he laughed. "you know."
"I know that." Xanxus smirked. "I'm counting you to help me drink all of those with Squalo."
"Yeah yeah. I'll expect you on the ball." Tsuna bid before going down on one knee to see Yuni. "You'll come right?"
"Yes! I want to play with Tsu-chan there!" Yuni responded.
"We'll play with him and En-chan!" Byakuran seconded.
Enma sighed. "I still can't understand why Byakuran is three years older than Yuni but acts like a kid more than her."
"Never question our weirdness, Enma." Tsuna shook his head at his best friend. "Never ever."
"Yeah." Enma responded with a defeated sigh. "I'll be there tomorrow. Adelheid will be here with the others later."
"Sure." Then the brunet gazed at the mansion before edging closer to the red head. "Use your gravity when things escalate." He whispered.
"Yeah. I'll do that." Enma whispered back.
Tsuna smiled before standing up, patted his pants to remove dirt before looking at his friends. "I'll be going. See you there, yeah?"
Tsuna waved at them as his chauffeur opened the door of the back seat. After closing the door, the driver saluted the others with his newsboy hat before getting inside the driver's seat. The brunet sat with crossed legs, hands on his elevated knee while looking out of the window as the car moved out of the driveway.
The car was silent. The only sound that can be heard is the rumbling of the engine. Hayato, the driver, looked at Tsuna by the rearview to check on him. Sensing the melancholy aura, he took a cd from the inside of his suit, maneuvered the car with one hand as he opened the case with the other then put it on the player. A soft piano composition started to play inside the car.
The silveret heard Mukuro, who was seating at the passenger's, say 'Oya'. Regardless, he peered at his Tenth and saw the brunet smiling sadly as the latter listened.
"This is Hayato's fifth composition." Tsuna uttered as tears streamed down his cheeks. "Ah." The brunet exclaimed as he tried to wipe them. "God. I'm such a crybaby. Crying because I miss them. How low can I be?"
"Do you want me to change the music?" Hayato asked.
The Decimo shook his head. "No. It's fine. I like this song." Then he smiled as he looked outside, tears still flowing. "I like Hayato's composition the most. Do you know he signed a shirt for me when I first met him?"
The said pianist gripped the steering wheel, remembering that piece of memory. "No, Sir."
"I was with Kyouya that time. I intruded his work room when I was trying to hide from the scary skylark. You know Kyouya, yes?"
"Si. I once saw him attacking some of my companions."
Tsuna chuckled. "You haven't seen him go on a insulting banter with Mukuro and Hayato. Man. I miss them. If they were here, I'll hear their noise. Mukuro's laugh, accompanied by Takeshi's. Then Hayato will scold them, while Lambo tries to rile him up. Then Chrome will just sit beside Kyouya who is tolerating the noise. Add onii-chan to the fray, I'm sure he'll rile up Hayato too."
"Hayato seems angered a lot." The silveret pointed up.
"Hmm? No. It's just his way of showing his concern to others. I think he's unaware of it. He did grow up in a place for mafia." Tsuna closed his eyes. "I can still remember that time I went on his mother's funeral."
Hayato almost stepped on the break.
"I could relate to his pain since my mom died not too long ago too. So when I saw him sitting alone on one corner, I joined him. I don't even know if he remembers me. But I saw the looks the mafiosi dart on him. He was famous. The smokin' bomb Hayato. So I know he knew how dangerous our world is."
The car went silent.
"Is it the reason why they're not with you?" Hayato questioned, wanting to clarify the info he overheard that morning.
"Yes." Tsuna leaned his head on the glass window. "I don't want to see them hurt. I rather suffer than see them in pain because of what I've done."
"But what if they're willing to risk everything as much as you would just to be with you?"
Tsuna looked at him by the rearview and smiled with sense of pain. "I won't know. Maybe I'll beg for them to go back."
"Even if they swore in their dying wills?"
Tsuna sucked some air. "I don't know what will I do. Maybe I'll see to it when it happens."
Hayato's heart fluttered with hope. But instead of making his smile visible, he only nodded at the Decimo. The latter closed his eyes as he hum along with Forever Love. When they got to the mansion, Hayato opened the door for him and bid goodbye before moving the car to the garage.
Tsuna walked inside the mansion, only to hear some shouting then saw someone hauling a tall man who is radiating a deadly angry aura. A little curious of what was happening, he stood beside Frances who he saw overseeing the commotion.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Haruko badmouthed the Decimo. Some mafioso defended Tsunayoshi and went on rage when storm told him that Decimo is better off dead. If that mafioso didn't do it, I could've done the beating myself." Frances responded.
"Ah. Then where's Satomi?"
"He's there- Tsunayoshi?!"
Those who were near them snapped their head toward their direction.
Tsuna smiled. "Hi, Frances. Everyone."
"When did you get here?" The man asked as he hugged the brunet.
"Just now." Tsuna answered before they parted. "Well then, excuse me."
Tsuna strode toward Satomi who is groaning in pain. He crouched beside the man and inspected him with critical eyes before looking at the storm in his eyes. The supposed guardian froze when he saw the amber eyes staring at him.
"You're in the Vongola territory, Satomi." Tsuna said softly. "The number of mafiosi that may kill you are thousands, probably millions if you include the alliances I made with the other famiglias. In this place, I'm respected. So if you hate me that much to the point that you want me dead and out of your life, keep it to yourself. I don't want blood on my carpet." He stood up. "If you hate being called my guardian, the feeling is mutual. I hate labeling you as one of mine when in fact, you're never welcome in this manor. I only accepted you because I wanted to protect those people who deserve your titles more so than your egoistic behinds. Now, if you don't want to be labeled as a traitor and hunted by billions of people in this world, I'll advice you to check your attitude."
With that, he left the other still petrified with the other mafiosi. He asked Frances where did they pull the mafioso who defended him. The latter did not know. But as a compensation, he relied a thank you message through the butler.
When Takeshi, the tall, noiret mafioso who defended him, heard of this, the smile in his lips can't be removed.
Tsuna sat upright on the bed. Trembling and gasping after waking up from a nightmare. He reached out for the glass of water he had on the night stand. He drank it all before he laid down again.
He recalled his dream. It wasn't dream. It was a memory about what happened in the past. When his supposed guardians tried to kill him, and resulted to the death of one of theirs.
To his own point of view, he honestly doesn't know what happened. He did his best to appease them, make them home. But the way they returned it was painful. They bullied him too, just because he was a dame. But he wasn't anymore when they were together. He almost thought that they were his friends. Or maybe he did trust the thought that they were his friends. But they betrayed and abandoned him just because he suffocates them, guides them too much and trusts them too much.
He sighed as he laid on his stomach and buried his face on the pillow. At some time, he fell asleep. At one moment, he felt an arm around his torso, holding him so dearly, like a lifeline. And when he woke up, he thought it was just a dream that felt too real.
If only he knew that Lambo slept beside him that night.