"Best not to mix the past with the present. The present paints the past with gold. The past paints the present with lead." – Henry Rollins

As soon as the bell rang for lunch, Tsuna stood up and gestured his head towards the door out of habit. "We need to talk."

Raising a brow, Kyoya followed him not too far behind. Tsuna ignored how quiet the room had become as he headed outside to the courtyard. Some students were some distance away, kicking around a soccer ball. He found a small isolated area of grass before swiveling on his feet to face Kyoya. He nearly stumbled if he hadn't held onto the fences for support.

"Yeah, this is fun," Tsuna said, scowling when Kyoya huffed a small laugh. "Anyways, why are you here?"

"You wanted me to follow you," Kyoya said.

Tsuna rolled his eyes. "Ha, ha, very funny. You get what I mean. This is stalking, which is illegal."

Kyoya's lips slightly twitched. "We abide by our own laws, little animal."

Sighing, Tsuna sank to the floor. His head ached; also, his hands shook a little more than usual. Now that he thought about it, which was a first for some reason, they never really disappeared since yesterday. Either way he hoped the nurse had Advil or something. Maybe he shouldn't have stayed up last night watching basic suturing methods on YouTube, but why did he get the feeling that that wasn't the reason?

"Okay," he said, "all jokes aside—not that you were funny at any point—why are you here?"

Kyoya shifted on his feet, his brows furrowed. "You are not well."

"Your uncle did some crazy things yesterday if you forgot already. I'm feeling peachy." Tsuna glanced down at his hands; his fingers were trembling. New bandages wrapped around his palms, which Nana had done that morning. "He didn't really explain anything so I'm just as lost as you are." He pursed his lips. "Unless you're in on it somehow and not telling me."

Kyoya's gaze was still fixed on Tsuna's chest. "I do not know. Even if I were to have that information, I would not tell you." He tilted his head like an innocent child. "What would warrant you the right either way?"

Tsuna opened his mouth, thought better of it, then closed it. Kyoya…had a point, a serious point that wasn't really helping Tsuna feel any better. Mentally sighing, he massaged his temples to think. Goddamn it, he just wanted to think and actually look at what the hell was going on here. Unlike Verde, surprisingly, Tsuna had a tendency to think way too much. Well hey, it saved him and the Arcobaleno a few times but none of them really approved of it.

Yet ever since his proxy-death, rebirth, whatever, it was proving to be useless. His mind drew blanks and it was hard to grasp a concrete thought without losing it again, like wading through quicksand.

"Little an—"

Tsuna shook his head. "Give me a moment." He took a deep breath then slowly exhaled. It didn't help much but at least he knew where he was. "Okay, back to you. Yes, you're right in a sense. I'll give you that much. You don't have to tell me anything that's none of my business; however, whatever's wrong with my body is something I should know. So I'm going to ask you again: why are you here?"

Kyoya mulled over his words for a moment before speaking again, although more cautiously. At least one of them could think. "It's my responsibility as a carnivore to maintain the herd."

"Technically, I'm only a third-party," Tsuna deadpanned. "That random pigeon you see in the trees twice a week or something, I don't know. But I'm not part of your herd."

Kyoya smiled faintly. "You have been when you saved the herbivore."

"What the hell do you eve—Wait." Tsuna buried his face in his hands to recollect his scattered thoughts. A gentle wind swept through the fields, and the students' lively chatter was too distant for him. For a moment, he thought the breeze would blow him away. Shivering, he brought his knees closer to his chest. "So by saving Hibari-san, I'm essentially tied to your family by—by association? You do know that I'm not a real doctor, right? I'm going to get out of your lives in two weeks and we're going to forget that we exist."

"You must come every day," Kyoya said, brushing off what Tsuna had said, "to tend the herbivore."

"Oh, now he's a plant," Tsuna mumbled under his breath. "I'm not refusing to treat him, I'm just…not sure if all of this is necessary."

"Kokuyo is my territory, little animal."

"Yours or your father's?" Tsuna didn't know why he asked, but even to him, he sounded exhausted.

He tensed when Kyoya took a small step towards him, the grass crunching underneath his shoes. "Mine."

He didn't look up to see Kyoya's face. He wasn't aiming for a mini-heart attack at the moment. Suddenly, he remembered Decimo's Cloud Guardian making frequent trips back to Japan—Right, Namimori. Maybe Tsuna had heard something about him running his own organization like CEDEF but not exactly like it. Either way, the details were fuzzy and they weren't helpful. Tsuna didn't even know why he remembered it.

"Okay," he said, sighing. "Think of it this way. I'm helping your father to get something in return. And you know, it's great that I'm being honest with you. Your uncle's even for it and I'm grateful for what he's doing. I don't know if it'll completely fix me but at least I won't be totally incompetent." Finally, he raised his gaze to meet Kyoya's, who simply looked down at him in curiosity, like a child inspecting a new toy. "Did he get into contact…with his friend?"

Unbuttoning his suit jacket, Kyoya said, "Yes, I heard him call but I do not know all the details."

Tsuna tensed when Kyoya draped his uniform over his shoulders. "I'm not cold." He raised a brow when Kyoya just stood over him. "I have my own jacket on."

Still, he didn't mind the extra warmth Kyoya's larger jacket offered him. He felt a little smaller though—just a little.

"I know," was Kyoya's cool response.

Huffing, Tsuna shook his head. He tried backtracking their conversation to remember where they left off but strangely, nothing came up. "What were we talking about again?"

Kyoya quirked a brow. "The carnivore."

"You need a better organizational system for which is which," Tsuna mumbled. "Better yet, speak Japanese. Which carnivore?"

"My uncle."

Tsuna frowned. "Right. So was he able to make contact?"

"Yes, but I do not know the details."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "I thought you could hear 'far enough'." Kyoya huffed but surprisingly didn't respond. Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "I thought we had a thing going. I say something, you say something back—what? Did you get outed or something?" Kyoya pursed his lips, still remaining quiet. Unable to help himself, Tsuna grinned. "You got caught, didn't you?"

Ironically, Kyoya's silence was very telling.

Tsuna suddenly burst out laughing. "Oh my God, did he tell you to screw off? Oh, that's fucking gold!" He doubled over with giggles and snorts but couldn't stop. He didn't want to anyway. "This is just—just great. Oh my God, I don't know why I'm laughing b—"

"Stop."

"—ut this is just too good. What did he say?"

"I won't repeat myself, little animal."

Tsuna made the mistake of looking up. A light shade of red dusted Kyoya's cheeks, which only made him laugh even harder. Honest to God, how they got here was beyond him.

"Don't eat me but you're actually adorable," Tsuna said, snickering.

Ah shit, he wished he had his phone with him. Kyoya's not as red as a tomato but this was probably the reddest he'd become in front of Tsuna (or ever). Wiping his eyes, Tsuna grinned crookedly. It was a little weird but he kept forgetting that Kyoya was technically a kid.

Tsuna stretched out his legs, getting rid of the numbness. The grass and dirt was soft and cool underneath his hands. "It's a good thing. I bet you get it all the time."

Kyoya's face looked a little pinched as he tried regaining his composure again. "I won't eat you."

Tsuna snorted. "I mean, carnivores eat herbivores to survive, right?"

"You are not an herbivore."

Tsuna raised a brow. "Really? I don't know, 'little animal' sounds like an herbivore."

Kyoya's lips slightly twitched. "It's different."

Tsuna rolled his eyes. "Right, different. So, do you know who the friend is?"

"He's a carnivore."

"…anything else?"

Kyoya smiled. "You can trust him."

Trust—Tsuna could trust no one here. He couldn't even trust this Fon, even if he was helping him break the seal. There were too many incongruities and Tsuna just didn't know what to do. The way he was handling it was probably terrible but if he could just fucking think…

"Yeah," Tsuna said, sounding hollow even to himself. "We'll see."

Standing up, he brushed his pants and glanced at the clock on the other side of the school building. "We have ten minutes left. I hope that none of your entourage is here. You're already kind of s—"

"Watch out!" someone shouted.

Tsuna blinked before he felt a short gust of wind brush his face. He numbly stumbled back, tripped over air, and fell on the floor. Kyoya had easily caught the stray soccer ball with his hand, blocking it from hitting Tsuna's face. Widening his eyes, Tsuna scrambled to his feet.

"Can you throw it back?" one of the boys on the field said.

Tsuna glared, making him flinch. "You fucking suck!" He glanced at Kyoya who barely looked miffed. "Are you?"

Kyoya just smirked. Turning, he tossed the soccer ball in the air a few times before sending it up high. The students' confused and angry shouts immediately died down when Kyoya spun and kicked the ball across the field, over the streets, and landing in God knows where. Actually, it was probably still going.

"A little flashy but I'll take it," Tsuna said.

Kyoya puffed his chest a bit at the compliment, looking a little too pleased. "You are not in danger anymore."

Tsuna sighed as he shrugged off Kyoya's jacket from his shoulders. "Kyoya, you're going to have to do a lot more than that to get me out of danger. I'm probably the worst trouble magnet in existence. But guess what, your uncle's going to do just that. You just stand-by, I guess."

He tried to throw Kyoya's jacket over the other's shoulders but the height difference was a little much and his sense of balance was all over the place. Kyoya steadied him before he actually fell again.

"See, this is more your thing," Tsuna said, trying hard to keep his voice calm. He raised a brow when Kyoya didn't let go of his arm. "Your job's done here."

Kyoya huffed. "It is far from over, little animal."

"They're going to stare."

"That is no concern to me."

Tsuna's brow twitched. "Yeah, that's great." He eyed Kyoya up-and-down. Before the teen could wear his jacket properly, Tsuna suddenly said, "Keep it like that. You actually look better with the whole cape thing. Come on, I'm hungry."

This was probably the first and last time Tsuna would really admit it though. How much longer until he could drink that whiskey again?

School was never comfortable to begin with, but with Kyoya shadowing his every move, it was close to being unbearable. Tsuna was just too drained to really do anything about it. He knew when to pick his battles and this was just something he'd lose either way.

Though if someone kept pointing out if Kyoya was blind or not, he was going to strangle them. What made it a little much was how everyone in the school somehow found out what Kyoya did with the dumb soccer ball. Seriously, were kids running on one-track minds? Then again, what did Tsuna know about school and the juvenile social hierarchy? He never attended until now. Then again, Kyoya probably never went to school either.

After the dismissal bell rang, most of the students stood up from their seats to leave, their chairs scraping on the wooden floors. Tsuna stuffed his notebook in his bag and headed for the door until he heard a few boys talking beside him.

"Hey, just go and ask."

"You do it."

"Man, I'm not going up to him! Weren't you the one who kicked the ball?"

"I still can't find it! Shit."

"Ask him to pay for it or something."

"You think he even has the money for it?"

"I don't know but maybe he's from a loaded family."

Pausing in his step, Tsuna tapped his finger on the doorway before swiveling on his feet and facing the three male students. "Oi." They stopped talking to look up at him. "I've been bearing this all day and I just can't seem to wrap my head around it. Yeah, Kyoya's blind. So what? Do you have anything else to say? Ask him. He's not fucking mute."

The whole classroom froze in the ringing silence. All eyes were on Tsuna, but he didn't pay them any mind. He kept his gaze steady on the three boys in front of him. One of them looked anywhere but him and the other two seemed to debate on ripping him a new one or pummeling him to the ground.

"Do you have something against people with disabilities?" Tsuna said, raising a brow. "If you're going to keep talking shit with the other guy in the room, fuck off or grow some balls and talk to him yourself." He gestured at a clearly amused Kyoya, who had moved to his side. "Go ahead. He doesn't bite."

Silence reigned over the classroom. Every student stared at Tsuna with wide eyes, some even returning to the room to see what was going on. Even Sasaki-sensei, who had been organizing her papers and books, looked up to watch with furrowed brows.

"I'm blind," Kyoya suddenly said, startling everyone but Tsuna. "Not stupid."

One of the boy students—Shigeo, Shigeru, whatever—finally stood up from his seat. "I—We don't think you're stupid, Nakano."

The boy flinched when Kyoya's gaze pinned him to the spot. Before either of them said a word, Sasaki-sensei rapped her knuckles against her podium, drawing everyone's attention. "Before we all leave today, may I have a word? Sawada, Nakano, wait outside."

Great. Pursing his lips, Tsuna tugged Kyoya outside and stood by the window across the hallway. Kyoya merely crossed his arms over his chest, shadowing him like usual. A few students walked past them, their gazes lingering on Kyoya until Tsuna scowled at them. They immediately scampered off like terrified mice, not looking back once.

Tsuna sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, leaning heavily on the cream-colored walls. "Whatever they say, don't buy them that stupid ball—their fault. Don't even offer them anything."

Kyoya huffed. "I was never going to."

"Glad we're on the same page."

They waited there in silence, which would've grated Tsuna's nerves if he wasn't dead on his feet. Right, he forgot to stop by the nurse's office. Holy shit, was this some kind of short-term memory loss he was experiencing? He had seriously forgotten what he and Kyoya talked at lunch and that never happened to him, ever. Thinking about it only made his head throb even more.

"I was not born blind." Kyoya's soft voice snapped Tsuna back to reality. Blinking, he turned to Kyoya whose eyes lingered on the classroom door across from them. "When Mother took me to Shibuya, we were ambushed. I lost both her and my sight that day. The carnivore taught me how to overcome it."

There was a wistful edge in Kyoya's voice that made Tsuna's heart constrict in his chest. He knew that feeling…

"It's different…to see the world in ways you wouldn't utilize." Kyoya smiled slightly, lost in memories that would only appear in his head and not in front of his eyes anymore. "I sometimes miss Mother's flowers."

Tsuna looked down at his feet. For a moment, it was just him and Kyoya, not Decimo's Cloud Guardian. Kyoya wasn't Decimo's Cloud Guardian—he was just Kyoya, a son to an oyabun in Tokyo's most powerful yakuza and nephew to the Storm Arcobaleno, a child. He had experienced loss in ways that Tsuna might not completely understand, but he knew how it felt to lose someone you love. And for Kyoya to disclose something so personal that neither Fon nor Yuji told him was extremely telling—Tsuna hated it.

It made him feel worse. He was looking at all of this in the wrong way. How could he ever think that this world was like his own, could ever be like his own? Kawahira's words rang clearly in his head: "However, they won't know who you are. You're starting fresh here. This world is not like yours."

And Tsuna thought he could do it like the idiot he was.

"Why are you telling me this?" he whispered.

Kyoya didn't respond right away, and Tsuna didn't push, but he wanted to tell someone so badly about the grief that threatened to spill over the brim. Instead, he kept his mouth shut. There was no way things would go right if he did. No one could know.

"I don't know," Kyoya said slowly. "There is something about you, little animal. You feel warm."

Tsuna tensed. Warm—their first meeting when Kyoya had tried poking the seal with his Cloud Flames. He had briefly touched his Sky Flames, and someone inexperienced like him would only be curious about their effects. Tsuna prayed that Fon gave Kyoya some detailed lecture about the flames' attributes and not some half-assed "Hey, this is a Storm Flame" and leaving it at that because that was just some shitty crash course with no benefits whatsoever other than probably stroking his own ego.

"I don't know what you mean by warm," Tsuna said, "but I'm practically a human popsicle."

If Kyoya knew he was lying, he didn't question it. "You can keep my jacket. I have more to spare."

Tsuna huffed. "I'm fine. It'll take forever to grow into it anyways." He sighed. "Can you hear what she's saying?"

"Yes."

"…care to share?"

"No."

"You're just the light of the party, aren't you?"

"Always."

Before Tsuna could retort, the doors slid opened and his classmates flooded out into the hallways. Most didn't look at them, but their whispers were discernible in the stuffy air. The few who did looked embarrassed. Tsuna just raised a brow as they passed by. Soon, Sasaki-sensei appeared at the doorway and beckoned them inside. Patting Kyoya's arm as a signal to follow, Tsuna entered the room with the teen trailing behind him.

Sasaki-sensei gestured them to come closer to her podium, her lips pursed. "I won't keep you both for long."

"It's okay," Tsuna said blandly. "Are we in trouble? Because I don't think we deserve it."

Sasaki-sensei shook her head. "You're not in trouble, Sawada, nor you, Nakano. I just wanted to make sure that no one is bothering you. I informed your classmates on being sensible and mature in situations like these." Her eyes softened. "I understand that it's difficult, Nakano, but I'm here if you need me. One of my good friends is blind so you can say I'm quite accustomed to these cases."

Tsuna subtly nudged Kyoya's side to make him speak. "Thank you," Kyoya said. "I'll keep that in mind."

Sasaki-sensei nodded. "Of course." She grabbed her books and tucked the attendance folder underneath her arm. "And Sawada, I was initially worried about you in the beginning but it seems like you'll be fine."

Tsuna blinked. "What do you mean?"

Sasaki-sensei smiled slightly. "You seem to be a good friend. Although you could do without the rough language. Perhaps Nakano can help you with that."

Kyoya may have been quiet when they left, but Tsuna swore he was laughing on the inside. He was sure of it.

"Why must you stay longer?"

Tsuna sighed, resisting the urge to thump his head against the wall. "Because my mom wants me to make friends."

Kyoya's lips slightly twitched. "Am I not your friend?"

"You're…different."

Kyoya raised a brow. "Oh?"

Ignoring him, Tsuna took a deep breath and opened the door to the science room. The lights were off and the window shades were closed. A handful of students were seated at their desks; Tsuna recognized two of them from his class. A white projector provided the only source of light, displaying a picture of a whooper swan on the blackboard.

Goro looked up from the projector and smiled. "Ah, Sawada-kun, I'm glad you joined us today. And who's this?"

Tsuna's tongue suddenly failed him at the moment. "Oh, um…"

Kyoya spoke up, "Nakano Kyoya."

Goro nodded, unfazed. "We were just studying different birds in the current season. Take a seat wherever you'd like."

Tsuna plopped down on the closest seat next to him near the door with Kyoya following suit beside him. He moved his bag onto his lap and hugged it to his chest, leaning forward to get a better look at the blackboard. Honestly, he didn't have much expectations about the science club. It was just something he thought would give him less of a headache.

"Every winter, they return to Lake Kussharo in Hokkaido," Goru said, resuming his mini-lecture. He changed the slide to a picture of the shore with several beautiful whooper swans wading in the snow-covered lake. "The waters closer to the shore are like a thermal spring for them. There's plenty of outdoor hot spring baths at the lake as well. Many people come around and book reservations in nearby hotels and inns."

A girl in the front sighed dreamily. "I want to go there someday." She gasped. "Oh, can we? We can do a fundraiser and everything!"

An older student scoffed, shifting his glasses. "The school's more focused on our crappy baseball team than anything else."

Some girl with curly hair huffed. "Doesn't hurt to try, Ren-kun. Right, Hamasaki-sensei?"

Tsuna mentally sighed as he rested his chin on the table. How long was this supposed to go on for anyways? He nearly jumped when a paper slid onto his desk. Names were written on it and the top had "Kokuyo Middle Science Club" printed. Looking up, he met a familiar face that made him blink and stare a little too long.

The girl had short golden brown hair and golden eyes. Her name was on the tip of his tongue, but Tsuna knew her—Decimo's Sun Guardian's little sister. Honest to God, he didn't understand how the hell Decimo got someone like her roped into the underworld; she was always there whenever Tsuna visited Vongola's mansion, she and that other girl's name he forgot. Some rumors said that Decimo had planned on marrying her, too. What were the chances of meeting her here of all people?

But she looked different, which should be a given at this point. Her eyes weren't bright like he remembered; Tsuna knew those eyes—they were the eyes of a survivor.

"—ear me? Sign your name."

Tsuna blinked a couple of times before realizing that the girl was speaking to him. He shook his head to regain his bearings. "Oh, sorry." He scribbled down his name underneath another student's name. "Kyoya…"

Kyoya just gave him a slight nod. Tsuna didn't know why he felt a little guilty for bringing him here when he practically followed him everywhere. After writing down Kyoya's name, he made sure he wrote "Nakano" instead of "Hibari", and returned the paper and pen to the girl. What the heck was her name again? He was pretty sure it started with a "C" or maybe "K"? "R"…? He was aiming for "Chieko".

"You're not my type."

Tsuna raised a brow. "Excuse me?"

The girl took the pen and paper with a blank face. "You're not my type."

Kyoya tilted his head slightly, his gaze shifting to the girl's face but subtle enough not to draw attention to himself.

Tsuna snorted. "Yeah, you're not mine either. Move along."

The girl blinked but quickly schooled her face. She glanced down at the paper. Interestingly, her hands were wrapped in sports tape like Decimo's Sun Guardian. "Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"Present," Tsuna deadpanned. "Could you move? I can't see the board."

"Kyoko-chan," another girl said, waving her over, "could you help me with this?"

So Tsuna was way off the mark. Kyoko just looked him over for another moment or two before heading off to her friend. By now, Goro was handing out some papers to the other students and shut off the projector. When Tsuna glanced at the clock, he frowned. Not even fifteen minutes passed since he got here.

"She's unpleasant," Kyoya said.

Tsuna stifled a laugh and buried his face in the crook of his arm. Ah, he was probably going senile at this point if he was actually laughing at what Kyoya said. Soon, propping his cheek on his fist, Tsuna quietly watched Goro talk with a few students. Never in his life could he imagine his boss being patient at all. It was just "go or no go" for him.

A moment or two passed until Goro approached him. Smiling, he didn't offer Tsuna the handout he had in his hands. "You look disappointed, Sawada-kun."

Tsuna straightened himself out of habit, even if this Goro wasn't his Goro. "Oh, um, I didn't mean to look that way."

He internally cringed. That sounded worse than he originally intended. To his surprise, Goro just chuckled and pulled up a chair nearby to sit across from him. "Do you mind telling me why you joined the science club?"

Tsuna's hands suddenly felt clammy. He rubbed them against his pants, hoping that they'd just go back to normal.

"You're too close," Kyoya suddenly said, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Goro jumped, which somehow made Tsuna relax. His Goro wouldn't have reacted that way. He'd grab Kyoya by the hair and smash his head against the desk.

"Kyoya, it's fine," Tsuna said. He glanced at some of the students who were focused on the handouts Goro gave them. A few were reading a chemistry textbook. "I don't know. I just…wanted to learn something else other than what I'm learning in class."

The tension disappeared from Goro's shoulders but he still peeked at Kyoya from the corner of his eye in case. That made Tsuna's lips twitch into a small smile.

"Is there anything you're interested in?" Goro said. "Many of the students here have varied interests. While we don't go by the school curriculum—that gives us some leeway—there are topics we can talk about during club hours."

Tsuna licked his lips, trying to find the best words to say, until his tongue worked before he could really think them through. "I want to learn about the body—human body, I mean. My uncle i—was a surgeon and I want to be like him."

It wasn't exactly a lie. His Goro had been more of a father to him than an uncle, but Kyoya was next to him and Tsuna couldn't get rid of the possibility that he and Fon might've dug up some information about him—well, the kid. Invasive, but that was what people like them do and he really had no means to stop them. Just carry on with his act as long as he could.

Goro smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry for your loss, Sawada-kun. He sounds like a great man."

Tsuna snorted. "He wasn't a saint." Goro's punches could hurt like hell. "But, I guess he was great in what he did." If cutting people open and selling their organs in the black market were great, sure. "I was just hoping to learn stuff like that, you know? Start early or something like that."

Goro chuckled. "It's good you had something in mind. I might have something for you."

He stood up and headed to his desk. Tsuna let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Rolling his neck, he leaned back on his chair and nearly fell if Kyoya hadn't stuck out his leg to break his fall. Tsuna blushed and sputtered out unintelligible words while Kyoya easily pushed him upright again.

"You're too light," Kyoya said.

"You're welcome would've sufficed," Tsuna muttered under his breath. "Thanks."

"You barely ate your lunch."

"I wasn't that hungry."

"When are you hungry?"

"When I want to be."

"That is not how the body works, little animal. Even I know that much."

"Just…leave it."

Before Kyoya could answer, Goro returned with three worn-out books. Spreading them out on the table, he gestured at each of them while he spoke, "These are the only ones we have right now but I can put in an order later when you finish them. I think these are a decent start." He chuckled. "I majored in philosophy back in university but if there's something you don't understand, I'll learn it with you and do my best."

Tsuna furrowed his brows as he read the titles. It took just a little minute longer than usual to process them: "The History of Medicine", "Everything You Should Know About the Human Body", and "Medical Terminology & Anatomy". The second one was more for kids, but the other two looked a little more extensive. Either way, brushing up on the basics wouldn't hurt and he had already started sewing with Nana.

"This is fine," he said. "Thank you."

Goro nodded. "I'll leave you to it then. All clubs end at 5 so you have time. Let me know if you need anything."

"Okay."

After Goro left, Tsuna opened the second book. Right. He glanced at Kyoya who seemed bored out of his mind in his own broody way. Honestly, the fact that Tsuna could read him at all was a little unsettling. Then again, he was easier to read than Decimo's Cloud Guardian and he had a hell of a time trying to pick up on whatever micro expressions Reborn let through.

"Kyoya." Tsuna almost laughed at how the other perked up when he spoke his name. "Come on, make yourself useful. I saw some of the books in your room. Not all of them were in braille. How sensitive are your fingers?"

Kyoya raised a brow but smiled faintly. "Very."

Tsuna pushed his desk next to Kyoya's and fished out a notebook and pen from his bag. Opening to the first chapter, "Our Bones", Tsuna pushed it towards Kyoya. "Try to read out the bolded words. I'm going to jot them down and define them. I'll read them back to you so you can check them."

Kyoya rested his hand on the first page and delicately swiped his pointer finger across the text. He then paused. "Periosteum."

Tsuna carefully spelled it out on a fresh page. It took a moment for the definition to come to his sluggish mind—at this point, he didn't care who Fon called; he just wanted to get rid of the seal as soon as possible—but he wrote out everything he could anyways.

They continued this until it was time to go.

When Kyoya and Tsuna arrived at the Hibari Household, they were greeted by the guards and servants like usual.

Accepting his slippers with mumbled thanks, Tsuna put them on and followed Kyoya to his father's room. His slippers rasped lightly in the silence, mingling with Kyoya's steps, which were somehow lighter. When he looked out to the small gardens, the pink camellias were still fresh like yesterday.

Two different guards stood outside Yuji's doors, but let Kyoya enter nonetheless. The familiar, floral aroma of oolong tea was faint in the air, drawing Tsuna's attention to Yuji who held a cup in his hands. The man's silk pajama shirt hung around his broad shoulders, showing off his bandaged stomach, which looked fresh. Although the band-aid on his cheek was a little odd.

At the sound of their arrival, Yuji looked up and smiled briefly at Tsuna before faltering when he noticed Kyoya beside him. Asahi, who knelt by Yuji's bedside, bowed his head to them both.

"I'll be fine," Tsuna said, dismissing Kyoya and walking over to Yuji's futon. He was careful not to trip over the silver tray on the floor that held a tea kettle and a small plate of biscuits. "How are you feeling today, Hibari-san?"

Yuji's shoulders relaxed a bit. He smiled faintly. "I feel better. Thank you, sensei. Although you're more than welcome to call me Yuji."

Tsuna heard the doors close behind him, signaling Kyoya's departure. However, that didn't mean he really left. Shrugging off his backpack, Tsuna rested the back of his hand on Yuji's forehead. "At least you have no fever. What happened to your face?"

"He attempted to walk outside earlier, sensei," Asahi said, his head still bowed, "but could not walk for too long."

Yuji widened his eyes. "Asahi!"

Tsuna quirked a brow. "Your wound is still relatively fresh. Do me a favor—don't force yourself or get involved in stressful situations. I can't guarantee I can stitch you up then."

"I trust you," Yuji said. "You did it the first time."

Tsuna snorted. "Out of sheer luck, yes. Asahi-san, could you tell me what Hibari-san did up until I came now?"

Yuji blinked. "You call him by his name and not me?"

Tsuna shrugged. "We had a moment."

"A moment? What moment?"

Asahi's lips twitched, as if he was resisting the urge to smile. "It is of no concern to you, oyabun."

Yuji huffed. "You will tell me later then."

"It is not my place to tell."

"You can go outside but not too far, Hibari-san," Tsuna said. "You'll have to stay in a wheelchair and go through physical therapy to move around again. Asahi-san, his schedule?"

"I can tell you," Yuji said, looking down at his cup.

"The fact that you tried to move around without proper counsel tells me how irresponsible you can be. I believe Asahi-san is more attuned in the responsibility department."

Asahi coughed lightly in his fist while Yuji stammered incoherent words. Finally, he sighed and rubbed his face with a small wince, silently giving in.

"He has rested for the most part, Tsuna-sensei," Asahi said, regaining his composure.

"Ridiculous," Yuji mumbled under his breath.

Tsuna and Asahi ignored him. "He woke up today late morning—11 to be exact—and ate a small breakfast," Asahi continued. "He was prohibited from performing his usual duties by kumicho. Lunch was served to him at 3 P.M. He then took a shower under your instructions at 4:30 P.M. Just before you arrived, he attempted to walk in the gardens but could not continue any further without assistance."

"How many steps?" Tsuna said.

Asahi's lips slightly twitched. "Four."

"I counted seven," Yuji said, his brow twitching.

"My apologies, oyabun. Seven if you include him tripping."

"Asahi!"

Tsuna couldn't help but smile as the two men bickered. Well, Yuji did most of it; Asahi just took it all with a smile. They were clearly good friends and for some reason, Tsuna was relieved that Yuji had someone to rely on. His smile faltered. He found himself missing Reborn and Colonello arguing with one another, whether it was serious or not.

"—ou alright?"

Yuji's voice jolted Tsuna back to reality. He blinked a couple of times, his vision blurring for a moment. "I'm fine," he said. "I've just been…spacing out a lot today."

"Would you care for some tea?" Yuji said, his brows furrowed.

Tsuna would probably become a mess if he drank oolong tea. Shaking his head, he said, "No, thank you. But, water would be nice."

Asahi stood up before he even finished his sentence. "I'll bring it, Tsuna-sensei."

After Asahi left, Tsuna forced on a smile. "I'm sorry about that. Today hasn't been the best day of my life."

Yuji smiled slightly. "I heard that Kyoya went to your school again but as a student."

"Honestly, it scared the shit out of me."

Yuji laughed before wincing and nearly falling over. Tsuna helped him upright again with pursed lips. "Take it easy, Hibari-san. Laughing can reopen your stitches."

"What?"

"Among other things: straining, lifting, coughing, sneezing."

"Ah." Yuji's hand trembled as he put his cup back on the tray. "That is…quite unfortunate."

Tsuna kept his eyes trained on the bandages for a moment. When no blood seeped through, he finally relaxed.

"Kyoya never attended school before," Yuji said, looking down at his calloused hands.

"I can tell," Tsuna said.

They stayed quiet for a moment. Some birds chirped outside and the leaves rustled with the gentle breeze. Tsuna blinked hard when he caught himself dozing off. That was really strange.

"My wife would not even let him go to kindergarten," Yuji said, chuckling. "She said there was no point. I should've been more assertive then, but I loved her too much. I still do."

If Tsuna could control his flames, he'd at least provide Yuji some comfort, but he didn't. He didn't know if he could or why he thought to do it. Yuji didn't seem like he had flames or belonged here for that matter—neither of them did.

"He's doing fine," Tsuna said. "First days are hard for everyone. He'll get used to it."

Yuji smiled. "I'm glad that he met you. Please, I hope you can become his friend or at least consider it. I know how difficult Kyoya can be, but he has a good heart. He was never able to grow up like most children, and that is something I regret every day. I'm not trying to force you with pity but I know it will mean a lot to him. It will mean a lot to me, too."

Tsuna sighed softly. "I know Kyoya's not a bad person. Honestly, I've been…unfair to him." And to Fon, he mentally added. He smiled slightly. "I'm not a normal kid but neither is Kyoya. I guess, when I get to think about it, we're on the same boat."

Yuji chuckled. "You say very strange things."

"He told me about his mother." Yuji's smile faltered a bit. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you."

"The fact that Kyoya even told me says a lot, don't you think?" Tsuna smiled crookedly, which Yuji tentatively returned. "We started on the wrong foot, but I'll give it a chance. Can't help it if he actually followed me to school at this point."

Yuji grimaced. "Yes, well, I did tell my brother to reconsider but…"

Tsuna huffed a small laugh. "No doesn't exist here."

Yuji relaxed, smiling. "Yes, it doesn't."

The doors opened then, revealing Asahi carrying a small wooden tray with a water bottle. "Tsuna-sensei, kumicho is asking for you."

"Oh," Tsuna said. "Did he say why?"

Asahi shook his head, looking almost remorseful. "I apologize but I do not know the details. He only said that you wouldn't want to miss it."

Tsuna tensed. "Oh…" He glanced at Yuji who looked concerned on his behalf. "Yeah, I know what he means. I'll—I'll be back, Hibari-san. I still need to go over your recovery details."

Yuji nodded solemnly. "It's alright. Go. My brother isn't fond of lateness. You can leave your bag here."

Great, just what Tsuna needed to hear. He needed several years before he could even adjust to the whirlwind of events occurring right now. He nodded. "Thank you. Don't move."

Yuji huffed. "I know. Asahi, make sure he gets there safely."

Asahi bowed. "Of course, oyabun. Come, Tsuna-sensei. Here." He handed Tsuna the water bottle, which he accepted gratefully. "Kumicho is this way."

After bowing towards Yuji in farewell, Tsuna followed Asahi outside while drinking nearly half the water bottle. "Oh, Asahi-san," he said. "I washed your handkerchief. It's in my bag."

"Thank you, Tsuna-sensei," Asahi said. "You didn't have to."

"But I did." Tsuna capped his bottle. He looked around the empty hallways and closed rooms. The gardens were empty other than some birds. It was eerily quiet. "Where's Kyoya?"

"He left to attend to his patrol duties."

Tsuna raised a brow but didn't comment. If Kyoya had free reign to patrol areas, then his position was much higher than Tsuna initially thought. Still, he oddly hoped that Kyoya could have heard what his father had told him.

They soon arrived at a large tea room. Tatami mats covered the floor and the bright lights cast a warm, bronze glow on the walls and wooden dressers. A long scroll hung at the head of the room, depicting a painting of birds flying above a river. Fon sat alone on a finely-carved table with some tea and a bowl of nuts. A small monkey rested on top of his head, chattering quietly in a way that only Fon would understand. Lichi.

"Hello again," Fon said, smiling faintly. "Please, sit. You may leave, Asahi."

Asahi bowed and left quietly, but not before squeezing Tsuna's shoulder in comfort. It didn't really help but Tsuna appreciated the sentiment. He sat down ungracefully across from Fon, nearly bumping the table with his knee.

"Her name is Lichi," Fon said. "She is my closest companion."

Tsuna couldn't even bring himself to smile. "She's…cute."

Lichi hopped down on the table and tentatively sniffed Tsuna's hand. White tail flicking about, she inched closer until her dry nose lightly brushed Tsuna's thumb.

"You are quite fortunate today, Tsuna," Fon said, making him look up. "I was able to get into contact with my acquaintance this morning and he has expressed high interest in your case." He smiled slightly. "It's not every day we come across sealed flames, and not something as intricate as yours."

"Did he—Did he say when he'd come?"

Fon raised his cup to his lips. "It will depend on how willing he is to push his other priorities to the side for you."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "Your best guess then?"

"Soon."

"Specifically?"

Tsuna swore Fon was intentionally trolling him. "A day, perhaps earlier," Fon said. "As I said, he is very interested in your case."

Suppressing a sigh, Tsuna let it go for now. "I hope it's really soon. I haven't felt good after you…did whatever you did yesterday."

Fon tilted his head. "How so?"

Tsuna stiffened when something small poked his hand. Looking down, he saw Lichi offering him a nut with wide, curious eyes. "Oh, um, thank you."

Lichi chittered happily, placing the nut in his palm, and scampered off to her spot on top of Fon's head.

Fon chuckled. "Lichi's quite shy but she seems to like you already."

Well, at least this Lichi wasn't different from his Fon's, who'd always make sure Tsuna was eating whenever her companion wasn't around. His heart ached when he remembered his own animal partner, Shiki. The ferret always had a special place in his heart with his mischievous but lovable ways. Shiki was amusingly the jealous type, always biting whoever got too close to Tsuna (or just for the hell of it). Amusingly, the ferret was fond of Skull more than the others.

"—ear me?"

Tsuna blinked when Fon's voice cracked through his reverie. "I'm sorry?" He jumped when he realized Fon stood in front of him, almost falling over. "W—What are you doing?"

"I was wondering if you heard me," Fon said. "You're not intentionally ignoring me, are you?"

Tsuna didn't know if that was a joke or not but he was settling on the former for his own sanity. "No, I just…spaced out. It's been happening more than usual ever since yesterday when you did your thing."

Fon raised a brow. "Oh?"

Tsuna sighed. Was that all Fon was going to say? "I don't know, I've just been clumsier than usual. I can't really think without drawing blanks."

Fon hummed lightly. "Well, that is peculiar. Perhaps I shouldn't have done what I did yesterday."

Tsuna was this close to throttling him. "Thank you for the reassurance."

Fon smiled faintly. "If anything, I can call my c—" Suddenly, his red pacifier started to glow, making Tsuna flinch. "Ah, perhaps not."

Tsuna's breath hitched. One of them—he was going to meet another one of them, but who? Was it Verde? He would be the most logical in this case if he was a scientist in this world, too. Maybe Viper? But only if he was formidable and entrenched in the old ways of the mafia his Viper. Too many possibilities, too many anomalies—who was it?

"—dn't expect for him to come this soon," Fon said, his voice distant. "But given your special circumstances, it isn't all that surprising."

Something was wrong. Tsuna's lungs weren't getting any air. Panic attack? No—it was too hot. His flames were practically screaming to be released; his veins felt like they were about to burst. A dull pain flared in his side but all he cared about was breathing. His eyes burned with tears. Fuck, why couldn't he do anything?

He then noticed that the world was suddenly sideways. He must've fallen. When he blinked, something black and red replaced his vision. A glowing pacifier. Fon…

"Tsuna, can you hear me?"

Fon's voice was too far away. No, come back, Tsuna thought deliriously. Don't go.

"Fon," he whispered, his mouth feeling dry. "Fon."

"Yes, it's me. Tsuna, can you hear me?"

"I can't—I can't breathe…"

Fon hushed him gently. "Don't speak. Save your breath."

Tsuna wanted to laugh but he couldn't. His mind was empty; it was like he was being frozen alive, like what had happened to Xanxus after the Cradle Affair. Everything felt hot and cold all at once.

"He will be here soon," Fon said. "He'll help you."

"No," Tsuna gasped out. Red and black meshed chaotically in his vision. "No, don't go. Fon, don't leave me. Don't go."

"I'm right here, Tsuna."

"Don't go…"

You'll die, he thought wildly. You're going to die.

Tsuna's eyes fluttered as he struggled to stay conscious. He couldn't move. Why couldn't he move? His flames were screaming: Let me out! I'm dying!

A mesh of distant noises soon sounded through the stifling air.

"—una-sensei!"

Asahi…?

"—ell over suddenly." Fon.

Something flashed in his eyes but Tsuna couldn't react. His heart was beating too fast. His head pounded and his lungs were failing to intake air. Why couldn't he just fucking move? None of his limbs responded to his command, which only made him panic even more. Still, nothing.

"—upils are dilated," a raspy, deep voice said.

Tsuna knew that voice but he couldn't place the name or face. Fon—where was Fon? Closing his eyes, Tsuna sagged against the floor, exhausted. He felt detached from his own body.

"Stay with me," the same man said.

"Move."

Tsuna inhaled sharply. He knew that voice. He never thought he could get over it ever since he heard it the first time. A warm sensation suddenly flooded his body, spreading from his head all the way down to his toes. The burn in his veins cooled down and air soon filled his lungs again.

You came back, Tsuna thought, drifting. Reborn…

A/N :^)

I've been getting this a lot so I'll clarify: this story is not related to Komorebi. Tsuna here used to be an underground doctor while the Tsuna in the other story is a genius trauma surgeon (with a license), haha. I'm sorry for the confusion!

Thank you so much for your reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make my day and are pretty good motivators. ;^)

Thank you for reading! I hope to see you again in the next chapter.

Have a lovely day~

Little Miss Bunny