Daily Life Arc

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn

Tsuna was worried.

Mia had been very distracted for the past few days now, opting to fall behind when they walk to school and becoming very quiet. She would often stare into space for long periods of time until someone calls for her attention. There were heavy bags underneath her eyes as if she hadn't slept a single wink for several days and her appetite wasn't as it was before.

He would try to talk to her about it but Mia would deflect his concern and just dodge it all together. It was starting to become annoying how she avoided him. Didn't she trust him? Did he do something to offend her?

Despite how hurt he felt, he was worried. Her state was worsening to the point that she fell asleep at class. The worst was that it was during Nezu's class. He slammed a thick textbook down on her desk which startled her awake, almost toppling off her chair.

"Matteis-san, am I interrupting something?" he sneered down at her.

Mia rubbed her eyes and replied in a very tired voice, "Nothing at all Sensei."

"Do you think my class is 'nothing' Matteis-san?" Mia paused. Tsuna could tell she was trying hard not to make a smartass reply.

"I think… your classes are very educating Sensei," she slowly replied. The class was dead silent as everyone's attention was focused on the two of them.

"Is that so? Then why miss it?" Nezu smirked at her, tapping the textbook with a finger. She didn't reply and hung her head. He shook his head at her and went back to front. He faced the class and fixed his glasses. "Class, it seems that some here thinks that education is a waste of time." Nezu glanced at Mia's way. "Just because one does well at school doesn't mean they can slack off."

Mia muttered something under her breath. "What was that Matteis-san? I didn't catch it." Nezu folded his arms and looked expectantly at her. She raised her head and Tsuna felt admiration at the fire that burned in her eyes. Her intellect was insulted and he knew she didn't take kindly to that. Mia slowly stood from her seat, back straight, chin up and eyes focused only on Nezu.

"I said, Sensei," the word was stretched rather mockingly. "That just because some graduated from a prestigious school does not make anyone more of a scholar then they can dream to be."

"I'm sure the likes of a public school attendee would never understand the worth of coming out as a prestigious member of society," Nezu told her scathingly.

Mia bristled. "I'm sure a 'prestigious member of society' would know the difference on teaching a mandatory middle school subject and bragging."

Nezu's face went purple. "How dare you…"

"Oh I dare," Mia growled. "Try me, È miserabile truffa!"

Everybody gasped even though they had no idea what she had said. It didn't need to be translated, it was a given, from her tone and obvious insolence towards Nezu that she was insulting him. The teacher's face turned into an unpleasant shade of red. He pointed a finger at her that had people flinching and said in a barely concealed tone of anger, "To the… Principal's Office."

Chin high, Mia did not look back as she went through the door. Nezu followed her out and when the door slammed shut, whispers broke out. Gokudera and Yamamoto were at his side immediately.

"You think she's gonna be alright?" Yamamoto asked worriedly.

"Mia-sama definitely nailed that one!" Gokudera beamed.

"What did she say anyway?"

"She called him a miserable fraud," Tsuna answered. He stood up, his brows knitted together in worry. "Come on, let's go look for Reborn."

They didn't have to look very long. He was with Mia outside of school, telling her off how troublesome she was becoming. She leaned on the shovel that she had in hand and nodded dumbly, accepting the rebuke. Tsuna could see how exhausted she really was and rushed towards them. Reborn stopped talking when they arrived. Mia straightened herself and smiled tiredly at them.

"Hey," she greeted them softly.

"What happened in the office?" Tsuna asked. She sighed.

"I'm supposed to look for this time capsule or else I'll be expelled." She tapped the ground with her shovel. "Oh, and I have to find it by the end of today."

Tsuna ran a hand through his hair and sighed. He wanted to scold her but looking at her now, he couldn't. Time was being wasted and they needed to get going. Gokudera and Yamamoto seemed to get the same idea as well as they took off their vests, jackets and ties.

"What are you guys doing?" Mia asked.

"Helping ya!" Yamamoto cheerily told her.

"If you guys get caught you'll be put on expulsion with me," she hissed at them.

Gokudera snorted. "As if we would let you be expelled Mia-sama. As the Tenth's right-hand man, I won't let that happen!"

Mia pinched the bridge of her nose and turned towards Tsuna. He gave her his puppy look and she threw her hands up in exasperation.

"Fine!"

Under the hot sweltering sun they shoveled their way. Mia wiped the sweat off of her forehead. She looked at the guys and felt with a pang that this was all her fault. If only she slept better instead of stubbornly refusing to take those pills, they wouldn't be in this situation right now. Mia didn't like taking medication unless she became too dependent on them but it had to be done – she needed sleep. But first, they have to find that stupid time capsule. She looked at the field. They barely covered twenty-five percent of the whole campus, how the hell were they supposed to find that stupid thing?!

She groaned.

"You feeling okay Mia?" Yamamoto appeared beside her. "Don't push yourself, go rest for a minute. I'll take care of this side." He grinned at her.

Mia sourly looked at him. Here's another thing, the boys were treating her like she was some fragile doll. It was slowly grinding on her nerves. Sure she wasn't strong as they were or equally just as powerful but she wasn't weak either! She wanted to snap at Yamamoto but held herself back because it wasn't right. She shouldn't take her frustration on her friends so she complied, sulking underneath the shade of a tree. Reborn dropped out from the branches above her to survey their work.

"At this point you'll never find that capsule," he said.

Mia rubbed her face tiredly. "I know." After a while she confessed honestly, "Reborn, isn't there some way to do this much faster? I… I feel so bad letting them do the work that I should be doing."

"You regret it?' he asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Hmnn… there's only one way though." He watched she slowly realized what he meant. When she did, she blushed.

"Still wanna go down that route?" he asked her again.

"I…" Mia seriously considered it. Then after a painful moment, she said, "I can have a moment right?" she pleaded with the hitman.

"Take your time," he told her.

Great, even the world's greatest hitman was feeling sorry for her. Or maybe he just wanted to humiliate her but whatever. She got up and immediately wanted to back out of it. She fidgeted on the spot, contemplating whether or not this was the best course of action. Tsuna seemed to have noticed her indecisiveness. He stopped shoveling and waved at her. Mia could see his soaked shirt as it clung to his lanky frame and how his unruly spiky hair was drooping because of the sweat. Hesitantly, she waved back.

The image of herself in her underwear suddenly popped into her head and she blushed darkly.

Why did she have to wear that today?

Actually, why did she accept Bianchi's 'gift' in the first place?! Oh that's right, Poison Scorpion threw away her old undergarments and replaced them with more… mature ones. She was fourteen now. Did she really need them? Unconsciously, she wrapped an arm around her breasts and lowered her skirt. Her mind was made up before she could answer Reborn.

"Reborn, I think I'll just – "

"Too slow, I've made up my mind." With a loud bang, she felt the bullet sink into her head and she toppled backwards.

Tsuna was frozen on the spot as his tutor shot his best friend. "HIEEEEEEEEE!"

Mia was sprawled on the ground like a corpse. God, did he looked like that whenever Reborn shot him? Dead? He was going to run towards her when she stood up so fast, it was inhuman. Her eyes were closed and to his horror, an orange flame blazed to life on her forehead. He barely had time to react when her clothes came off and he was staring at a mixture of fair white skin and blue lace.

He was faintly aware of letting go of the shovel and the clang it made when it hit the ground or his jaw dropping open and blood squirting out of his nose like a hose. Like hey, he knew his best friend was a girl – lately the truth had been glaring obviously at him – but now it seems as if the world was pointing it out especially for him. He could not stop staring at those lacy blue boy shorts… or the bra. Or just at Mia in general. Perverse thoughts flooded his mind and before he could think any more of it, he heard the sounds of approaching footsteps.

He whirled around to see both Gokudera and Yamamoto ogling her. In a matter of seconds, he closed the gap between them, slapping his hands over his friend's eyes.

"What are you two doing?" he hissed.

"Tenth!"

"Tsuna!" They both squeaked.

"Virgins I see," Reborn sighed. Tsuna looked behind him to glare at his tutor.

"What the hell Reborn?! Why did you shoot her with a dying will bullet?" If his hands weren't so busy he would have strangled his tutor and die trying for shooting Mia. Also that virgin comment! His ears burned just from hearing it.

"Mia-sama was shot with the dying will bullet?" Gokudera gasped. "I don't see – well hear her screaming."

"That's because whatever flare Mia has, her true ferocity lies in her calmness." Tsuna frowned.

"Yeah but when she's mad she's…" he trailed off, knowing that they understood what he meant.

"When it comes down to it, she's a thinker before being a fighter. Being shot with the dying will bullet will not change that." Reborn paused and Tsuna had to focus all his attention at his tutor and not at Mia's… legs passing by.

"Eyes here dame-Tsuna," Reborn amusingly told him. "And wipe that blood off your face, you look like a pervert."

He flushed and hastily wiped his nosebleed on his sleeve. "Take your hands off their eyes already Dame-Tsuna." Tsuna furiously shook his head.

"No way!"

"Possessive aren't you?"

"I'm not! I'm just… Mia she's… Gah! Will you just shut up!"

"How cute, you're protecting her honor."

"Of course Reborn-san! Tenth's intentions have always been noble when it comes to Mia-sama!"

"Hahaha! Tsuna's just looking out for her after all."

Tsuna's face burned with shame. While it may appear that way, he actually had less-than-noble thoughts running around his head at the moment. Several electronic beeps sounded and Tsuna craned his neck where it could have possibly come from. Mia stood on the middle of the field, hand on a green metal detector. She looked over her shoulder to meet his gaze.

The flame still burned and her blue eyes shone with triumph.

"Found it."

Thanks for reading!