"Everything is okay in the end, if it's not ok, then it's not the end." – Anonymous

The house was silent. Aside from the servants' quiet shuffling, there was no other sign of life in the meticulously clean halls. All the blood and corpses had been cleaned up. Tsuna had to admit, this kind of fortitude was impressive. This household was anything but normal. It was as if the raid was just a dream, a mad figment of Tsuna's imagination; the faint smell of bleach and artificial plum blossoms and Kyoya's haggard face were the only indications that it happened.

When Kyoya slid the door open to an empty room, he ushered Tsuna inside, his hand hovering behind his back, as if he was afraid to touch him, and pointed at the small table already laid out and ready for him. Some porridge and a cup of steamy tea lay on top of a tray. Tsuna blinked when Kyoya sat him down on one of the green seat cushions. He looked down at the hot rice porridge. The light steam rose lazily in the air; a wooden spoon rested beside the bowl for him, too.

Kyoya sat down across from him, his gaze turned down to the table. He seemed nervous despite his relatively blank face. "Eat."

Tsuna raised a brow. After picking up the spoon, he scooped a small portion of porridge and blew it gently. The Intuition thrummed in the back of his mind, not completely silent but enough of a presence to remind Tsuna that it existed. Too bad it didn't go away. Mentally shaking his head, Tsuna took a tentative nibble and swallowed the warm, surprisingly tasty congee. "It's good," he said.

Kyoya's shoulders relaxed. He smiled slightly. "Good."

"Aren't you going to eat?"

"I already ate."

Tsuna lowered his gaze. "If you say so."

Mostly he ate in silence, his spoon clunking dully against the bowl, and let himself relax for the first time in a while. Outside, the trees rustled from the breeze. Tsuna peered out the window, wondering if it was cold or not. In the rare instances Tsuna fell sick, Verde would make porridge and feed him like a kid, much to Tsuna's embarrassment. Still, he wouldn't deny that it felt nice being taken care of. Skull would always come by to snuggle, the lucky immune dunce, and Lal Mirch would buy way too much medicine for one sick man to handle.

Tsuna's chest tightened before he forced himself to swallow more gruel. It felt much thicker going down his throat. His hand tightened around the spoon; he found himself staring at Kyoya, somehow seeing Fon in his place, with his gentle smile and kind eyes, things Tsuna rarely saw in the underworld. There was no one else there like Fon, who wouldn't kill just anyone for the sake of money or power. No, he kept his honor, a tiny beacon in the vast darkness of depraved morals. Tsuna missed him, missed everyone, missed home.

"What's wrong, little animal?" Kyoya said, snapping Tsuna out of his reverie. "Is it…not as good?"

Huffing a small laugh, Tsuna shook his head. "No, it's fine. It just tastes like my mom's."

He didn't know if Kyoya could tell if he was lying or not; his heartrate was even and Tsuna was a good liar himself, a survival trait that he honed for years. Still he shouldn't underestimate Kyoya. However it seemed like Kyoya still had a few ways to go. Tsuna couldn't help but be relieved. He wasn't ready or inclined to sharing who he was, ever.

"It's Mother's recipe," Kyoya said. "If I was sick, she made that for me."

"Oh, mine too." Tsuna didn't know if Nana actually did, but she seemed like the kind of mother to do it. He had a pretty limited amount of knowledge in that department. "I don't get sick a lot though." Mixings truths in a lie were typically the way to go. His lips curled into a small smile, almost teasing. "Did you?"

Kyoya's eyes flickered upwards, briefly resting on Tsuna's face, before he looked elsewhere. "No…"

Tsuna leaned forward. "Is that a question or an answer?"

"An answer."

Tsuna snorted. "Yeah, pretty convincing there." He leaned his chin on his fist. "I can see it though. Little Kyoya all sick and feverish in bed." He tapped his smiling lips in thought, ignoring Kyoya's small blush. "Now the question is if you're the cranky kind of sick or the whiny kind of sick. I'm leaning towards whiny."

"That's—I was not whiny."

"Denying it makes it true."

"That is not how it works."

"The more you deny it, the more I'm convinced that it happened. Don't worry. You're still cute."

Kyoya's face was this close to resembling a strawberry. Now if only Tsuna could get him to look like a tomato. "You're speaking nonsense."

Tsuna stifled a snort. "Oh, now we're pulling up our britches." He reached out to pat Kyoya's hand and snickered when the boy pulled away, as if he was burned. "It's okay. There's no shame there. We all go through changes in our lives, right?"

His Intuition hummed just as a small knock came from the door. Tsuna had fun figuring out if Kyoya was annoyed or relieved at the interruption. A bit of both. He was easy to read like Skull…

Tsuna frowned and scraped the last bit of porridge from his bowl before the door slid open. A servant bowed low, unwilling to meet Kyoya's irritated face. "Kumicho is asking for your presence, young master."

"I will be there," Kyoya said, regaining his composure. "Leave."

The servant didn't need to be told again. After she left, Tsuna downed his tea like a shot and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He felt a bit better. Though he was still hungry, at least his stomach wasn't empty now. "Alright, let's go," he said, standing up.

Kyoya followed suit. When they left the room, he leaned over to whisper in Tsuna's ear, "What are…britches?"

Tsuna groaned, but there was a smile dancing on his lips. "Pants, Kyoya. They're pants."

"Then what did it mean when you said I pulled up my…pants?" Tsuna had to stifle a laugh when Kyoya none-too-subtly patted his slacks to check that they were there. "I am wearing them."

"It's an expression."

"An expression of what?"

"That you're becoming a big boy."

Snickering, Tsuna ducked before Kyoya tried to whack him over the head.

None of the yakuza operatives were in the meeting room, which seemed more like a spare than an official setting. Tsuna assumed that the real one must be under renovations. He gave a small nod in greeting to Yuji, Asahi, and Reborn, and barely acknowledged Fon, which seemed to amuse the bastard; the two Arcobaleno were the only ones seated on the tea table. Another man, who looked like he could use a good shave, sat beside Reborn. Tsuna had found Dr. Shamal repulsive with his perverted ways—the man preyed on girls for Christ's sake—and he just found the hitman irritating after they met, even if he had reputable skills.

Sensing his discomfort, Kyoya stepped a little closer to Tsuna, their arms briefly brushing against each other. The Intuition didn't indicate that Shamal was any danger though, and Tsuna promised himself that he wouldn't be surprised anymore with any changes this world threw at him. He sat down at the end of the table with Kyoya doing the same beside him.

"You took your time, Kyoya," Fon said, his slight smile never wavering.

Kyoya tensed and kept his gaze down. His mouth opened to respond but Tsuna already beat him to the punch. "I'm feeling fantastic, thanks," he said. "I had Kyoya take a shower because he was covered in blood and I thought you wouldn't want the floors to get dirty. Killing two birds with one stone, you know? Upholding some integrity in this household and making sure Kyoya's ready to go. Also, did you know he makes some awesome porridge?"

Yuji's face was pinched, and he looked torn between laughing and looking aghast. Asahi did a better job hiding his amusement. Shamal openly stared at Tsuna as if he grew three heads while Reborn just sighed under his breath. Unperturbed by the brunet's spiel, Fon gestured at the tea pot. "Would you care for some tea?" he said.

"I think Tsuna's been drinking enough tea since he got here," Reborn said, ignoring Fon's critical gaze in favor of looking down at his cup of water. "I'm sure he doesn't want an upset stomach on top of recovering from some heavy internal injuries."

"Do you have something to say?" Fon said, his smile growing colder. Yuji and Asahi shifted in their seats. Shamal looked like he swallowed a lemon, but his hand hovered near his waist, covered by his long white coat. Tsuna's Intuition informed him that the man had a gun, and he had a feeling that Shamal wouldn't hesitate in using it.

"I already said my piece."

"I'm fine," Tsuna said awkwardly to mitigate the tension.

It worked somewhat when Reborn turned to him. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. My stomach's half-empty and I caught up on sleep." Tsuna would rather talk about the Intuition later when he and Reborn were alone.

The doctor nodded and gestured towards Shamal. "This is Shamal, my assistant. You haven't met yet."

The scruffy man nodded. His hovering hand now rested on his thigh. "Pleasure," he said curtly.

Nodding back in greeting, Tsuna turned his attention to the table. "So, is there a reason for me being here?"

Fon quickly regained control of the room. "Yes. We were just discussing damage control, as you would say."

Tsuna bit back a comment about how this wasn't relevant to him. His Intuition simply told him, "No, it's your business now, too", which made zero and perfect sense at the same time. And wow, what a polite "fuck your feelings". Rather than voicing his defiance out loud, Tsuna shifted on his seat to get comfortable, sitting cross-legged instead of on his knees. When Reborn raised a brow, Tsuna shrugged. "I'm positive I'm getting early onset arthritis. Trying to be nicer to my bones."

Kyoya furrowed his brows. "Your bones are quite weak."

"Okay, I didn't ask for your opinion." Tsuna gestured vaguely in the air. "Continue with your…diabolical revenge plan."

Fon didn't remove his gaze once from Tsuna's face. It was slightly unnerving, even if the Intuition indicated that it shouldn't be worrying. At this point, Tsuna thought it was safe to say that he and the Intuition were two separate beings with different goals in mind (essence? Was the Intuition a thing? An entity?).

"As we were saying," Fon said smoothly, "23 of our men and women were killed along with 14 bystanders, who were sent to the hospital in critical condition. We received news that 5 died this morning." Tsuna grimaced. Whoever attacked the compound had no qualms about collateral damage. "Kiyo has informed me that 3 of her subordinates were killed in the clash. Her shops had been raided but nothing was stolen, though 4 of them are undergoing construction. The other areas are under similar conditions."

At the corner of Tsuna's eye, he noticed Kyoya's knuckles turning white over his lap. Without thinking, he reached out and placed a hand over them while maintaining eye-contact with Fon. "Okay," he said. "Do you know who did it?"

Fon took his sweet time sipping his tea then. "My men have been able to locate a few of their hideouts, but as foolish as they were, they were intelligent enough to leave their warehouses empty of evidence. However, we do have some theories."

Theories weren't enough. One wrong move and things would get horribly messy. When Goro had accidentally attacked an ally's warehouse, no amount of apology would ever mend the relationship their groups had. There were no true alliances, because the human condition prevented any sort of perfect harmony that lasted long enough. While Tsuna knew that Fon—this Fon—wasn't patient, he hoped that it didn't mean that the man was rash.

"Someone mentioned…the Akasasoriand Hisuikumo yesterday," Tsuna said slowly.

Yuji pursed his lips. "Yes, but they're not in any condition to carry out this sort of attack." He hesitated for a moment, glancing at Tsuna worriedly. He was definitely unwilling to share this sort of information with him since Tsuna here was a child.

"I think we all agree to some degree here that I'm pretty much stuck with you, so it's fine to just say what you want to say. Not like there's anyone I can tell. Who'd believe me?"

Fon smiled unkindly. "And it should stay that way, yes?"

Yuji paled a little. "Brother, d—" He shut up quickly when Fon levelled him with an impressive blank glare.

"As Tsuna has said, he is very much stuck with us, which has already made him a potential target for what this group is aiming for. I believe that even Reborn would think it best for us to keep Tsuna here for protection."

Reborn looked unimpressed. "I'd rather not get involved in your affairs. Don't drag me into them."

"I'd prefer shelter rather than keep," Tsuna deadpanned, "but it's the thought that counts, I guess." He had no intention of staying here. Living here was also out of the question.

Clearing his throat, Asahi proceeded to pick up his boss' slack as gently and non-assuming as he could. "As mentioned before, we had cut the Akasasori's resources by half a few weeks ago and no activity was reported on any transactions between them or their typical sources. The Hisuikumo had…a less-than-pleasant mutiny in the ranks that are keeping them well-distracted at the moment."

Frowning, Yuji averted his gaze. Tsuna felt like the man needed a serious hug. "Kageokami wouldn't do anything against Brother." Shadow Wolves, huh. "And Kinhebi…" Wow, Golden Serpents. Well, not like Goro was any better. He called themselves Midoribofuu, or Green Tempest. Needless to say, there wasn't much color in their lives.

"They would've been the leading contender," Fon said. "I don't think anyone has forgotten the stunt they pulled two years ago."

Tsuna blinked. Though he didn't want to be directly involved with the yakuza politics here, what with the way Fon mentioned that he was a potential target, plus the shitfest that happened last night, pretty much spelled trouble with a capital "T", he couldn't deny that his curiosity was piqued. "What stunt?" he said. Shamal seemed just as confused as he did while Reborn looked like he seriously didn't give a damn.

Yuji winced. He opened his mouth but closed it quickly, swallowing his words. Tsuna and Shamal of all people shared a brief, one-eyebrow-raised look before returning their attention to the other men. Well, if they didn't want to say anything, Tsuna wasn't going to push.

This time, Kyoya was the first to break the silence. "Kinhebi were culled accordingly."

Tsuna kind of didn't like where this was going. "Oh, okay." Kyoya tilted his head expectantly, as if waiting for another response, something else more substantial. Tsuna wasn't in the mood to indulge him, no matter how much the Intuition tried to make him probe. "I think that's all w—"

"They also tried to kill Brother," Yuji said quietly.

An unsavory gleam shone in Fon's eyes. "As we all know, every fool's mistake. Kyoya did well in culling them. However"—Kyoya's fists tightened, prompting a very telling whine from Tsuna's Flames at the boy's distress. It took every ounce of willpower to keep them contained. Judging from Reborn's surreptitious glance, it wasn't going very well—"there have been rumors that some members had managed to escape. They've succeeded in regrouping and building themselves from the ground up again."

It suddenly struck Tsuna as strange with how calm Fon was being in this situation. From what he'd observed so far, Fon didn't seem the type of person to take an attack like last night without retaliating instantly. Maybe he didn't give the Arcobaleno much credit, but something didn't sit right with him.

"What about that maid?" Tsuna asked cautiously. Kyoya bristled at the mention of the woman who had tried to take the brunet away, but Tsuna ignored him. "Did you manage to…find her or something?"

Yuji glanced at Fon, who merely nodded, before turning to Tsuna. "We're currently shadowing her movements. She's smart enough not to directly go back to the base of her group, but we have eyes on her 24/7. She hasn't moved since arriving at Shibuya. We don't think she and her accomplices will travel anytime soon." He looked awfully guilty, and the pieces somehow clicked in Tsuna's head.

"You knew who she was," he said.

Fon's smile stretched a little further; his eyes took on a darker, redder hue that sent shivers down Tsuna's spine. His Fon had never been so outright predatory, at least, not so blatantly. Surprisingly he had some tact in that department. "Yes, but she didn't know that we knew. Regardless of what you think of me, Tsuna, I am capable of remembering some vermin that catch my interest."

"I apologize that your life was endangered because of that, Tsuna-sensei," Yuji said, bowing a little in shame with Asahi following suit.

Tsuna couldn't help but stare awkwardly at the display. On one hand, he guessed it was nice that they cared about his well-being, but it was a little embarrassing to see…this. "It's okay," he said to mostly get them to sit up. "You don't have to apologize, Yuji-san." Oh, and if Reborn was smirking, Tsuna was going to wrangle his tiny little neck. "Seriously, it's all good—well, mostly. I'm alive, we're alive, and my mom thinks this is the greatest sleepover ever. It's seriously fine so, just, chins up." He laughed uneasily while the men slowly did as he said.

"We didn't outright predict that you'd be targeted," Fon said like nothing happened. "But it was a possibility considering the fact that your sudden appearance must've thrown that wretch off."

"We will do everything in our power to keep you safe while this situation is being handled, Tsuna-sensei," Yuji said firmly. "This is why we asked you to come here, to discuss certain priorities and protocols that you can agree on."

This didn't really need much thought. Even the Intuition barely gave a pulse of agreement for Yuji's offer. Biting back a sigh, Tsuna nodded. "Okay. What were you thinking of?"

An hour or so trudged by before Tsuna was finally able to leave. That whole conversation was more like an arbitration than a simple have-at-it deal. He had learn three things over the course of it. One, negotiating with Fon was like talking to a fucking crosswalk voice that only knew one word. Two, Kyoya liked to puff his chest at the mention of his combat prowess, which…yeah, Tsuna could give that to him since the boy had beaten 23 men without breaking a sweat. And three, Yuji pulled off some killer puppy dog eyes, whether he knew it or not.

So that was how Tsuna had found himself grudgingly agreeing to staying for another day of the "wonderful" sleepover and being escorted to the Hibari Compound after school before being driven home. Tsuna had to explicitly point out that Nana was no idiot and she'd get suspicious if he stayed out too long. Plus he wasn't a fan of her meeting Kyoya (or anyone from his family) in the future.

"Tsuna, can you come with me for a check-up?" Reborn said, looking up at him from the floor. "I want to make sure your vitals are stable before I leave."

Tsuna's heart almost stopped. "Leave? You're leaving?" He mentally winced at how his voice raised an octave (or two or three).

Reborn's face betrayed nothing, not even when Kyoya stepped closer to Tsuna's side in a show of warning. "Yes, I have a patient to see in Marseilles." France—Reborn was leaving for France. The doctor tilted his head. "My agency isn't tied here."

Tsuna opened his mouth, already prepared with a retort that fell along the lines of "of course, I knew that, what am I, an idiot?", but they died quietly in his throat. "Oh," was all he said. "Kyoya, you can go. This won't take long." When Kyoya didn't budge, Tsuna sighed and patted the boy's cheek half-heartedly. "Kyoya, my sweet summer child, go off and frolic in the gardens or something, seriously. You need some more vitamin D on your skin. You're literally one hop away from being a vampire."

Shamal stared at Tsuna incredulously while Kyoya mumbled something under his breath. Though he eventually moved away, he lingered for a moment in the halls, then finally turned to leave. Tsuna couldn't help but roll his eyes. Kyoya looked more like a sulking child than a boy who could take down men twice his size. It reminded Tsuna of Skull whenever he couldn't run fast enough to get a hug from Tsuna first. Viper was the top contender, the most slippery one out of all of them, while Colonnello was a close second. Reborn was a sneak whenever he was around though, by whisking Tsuna away and locking the doors and windows to keep him all to himself…

"Follow me," a squeaky voice said, cutting through the warm memories. "It won't take long."

Tsuna straightened up. "Right."

Reborn and Shamal led him to another vacant room. Tsuna didn't recognize this part of the house—everything looked the same to him at this point—but it was undamaged and clean. A few scroll paintings hung on the plain walls, and there was a sliding door that Shamal opened revealing some parts of the garden outside. A cool breeze settled in the stuffy room. Reborn gestured at the tatami floor. "Sit," he said, with Leon crawling out of his pocket and onto his shoulder.

Tsuna plopped down and waited patiently for the doctor to get settled. "You seem to be in decent condition," Reborn said after finishing the check-up. Leon morphed back into his normal form from a stethoscope and settled comfortably in Reborn's hair. "Other than a weak nutrition and water intake, I recommend you rest and don't get involved in any strenuous activity."

Tsuna huffed. "I think that'd be more likely if I wasn't here." He looked pointedly at the room's entrance, knowing Kyoya was nearby, probably not too close to garner suspicion, but close enough. "I think my survival rate just dropped to the negatives."

Shamal scoffed, but his haggard face didn't carry any ill-will. "Kid, that's an understatement." He grumbled under his breath when Reborn gave him a small look.

"Don't call me kid," Tsuna said.

"Is there anything else that's been bothering you?" Reborn said, steering the conversation towards neutral territory. "You mentioned something about the Intuition before."

Tsuna grimaced. "Well, I was wondering if you knew how to get it to shut up. It's like a voiceless voice in my head and it's seriously driving me up the wall." The Intuition flared almost indignantly but Tsuna ignored it.

Reborn crossed his arms over his chest and pondered on it with a soft, thoughtful hum. "How frequent are these headaches?"

"They spike whenever the Intuition acts up. It's brief, probably two or three seconds."

Shamal pursed his lips. "Even two or three seconds can mean life or death."

Tsuna knew he meant well, even if Reborn gave the man a look that shut him up. "On a scale of one to ten, how's the pain generally?" Reborn asked.

Tsuna ran a hand through his hair. "Um, four. I'm gonna say four point six." He frowned. "It might go up though."

"And when it spikes?"

"A solid six point double-O."

"Do you experience any blurry vision or nausea?"

"No. Well, not so far anyway. It just hurts and goes away."

Leon clambered down to Reborn's open palm and opened his mouth wide before a bottle of pills came up. Tsuna had always been impressed by the chameleon, which could do everything from shapeshifting into solid objects to choking a man to death with nary a blink. Really, it was still a mystery where Reborn had got him, even if the man said Leon was from a pet shop. That was no normal chameleon.

"These are pills that have a dose of Rain Flames to lessen the pain," Reborn said. "One pill will be enough. Take it when your headaches act up too much."

"Any side effects?" Tsuna said dryly, turning the small bottle around to find any labels. There were none. "Is this even legal?" Honestly, he was more interested in how Reborn managed to create flame pills for medicinal purposes. Flames worked according to the user's wishes and keeping them contained into small white capsules weren't exactly a walk in the park. Also, whose flames were these?

Reborn's lips slightly twitched. "The dose in one pill isn't enough to knock you out, but taking several will. I wouldn't advise it unless you want to sleep for a week. The dosage is enough in each pill for your headaches and lasts eight hours."

Tsuna shook the bottle and estimated that there were 20 pills inside. "What if I run out?"

Shamal pulled out a card from his coat pocket and handed it to Tsuna. "Send us a text. We can send more if you need, but they'll probably be delivered here since your mom…"

"Yeah, right." Tsuna accepted the card and read the fine, plain print: Reborn, MD. There wasn't much else on the white business card other than Reborn's name and a number underneath it. "Is this your number or…?"

Leon morphed into a pen for Reborn to use. The Arcobaleno reached over to scribble something down. Shamal blinked but didn't say anything. "That's Shamal's," Reborn said, returning the card. "Most of my correspondence goes through him. You should text every day to keep me updated on your condition. I'll do my best to gather as much information as I can on the Intuition to help and keep you informed. I can't guarantee I'll respond right away, but Shamal will be there as needed. You're also free to ask him any questions, too."

"Oh," Tsuna said, looking down at the card. "Is that a zero or just a fucked up six?"

Shamal coughed into his hand while Reborn deadpanned. "It's a three."

Honestly, Tsuna could barely make out Reborn's chicken scratch. He also didn't know how to react. His Reborn's penmanship was to die for, with its elegant loops and perfect spacing. Even the tail of his y's was infuriatingly aesthetic. "Oh," was all Tsuna could say.

"I need to leave for my flight," Reborn said as he stood up. He paused for a moment, his eyes roaming Tsuna's face thoughtfully. "I hoped to stay a little longer to explain more about Flames. Do me a favor, don't ask Fon. I doubt he'd actually explain anything properly or at all."

Tsuna snorted. After meeting Kyoya, he had a feeling that was the case. "You don't have to tell me twice."

"This might not be reassuring, but I wish I could do more to help you."

Tsuna's lips curled into a tiny smile. His Reborn had never been forthcoming with his concerns. "It's okay. I mean, I guess it was inevitable considering…my dad and everything."

"Although I'm not that type of doctor, don't hesitate in confiding with me. Shamal is more equipped in that department though, so you'll be able to get more progress with him. There's nothing to be ashamed about if you need help, Tsuna, especially with what you've been through."

Tsuna tilted his head. "Why would you go that far for me? I mean, I'm grateful but…"

Reborn levelled him with a steady gaze. His dark eyes were surprisingly honest, more so than Tsuna's Reborn would ever show. "Because you're my patient, and your health is my priority. You're also very young and impressionable. This isn't normal for someone your age and it shouldn't be."

Shamal seemed to adopt a somber look, his brows furrowed. Tsuna wanted to know more about this Reborn, why he became the way he is, but shoved the questions deep down in his chest. He didn't know if he'd be able to ask. "Thank you," he said quietly, "for everything."

"Don't thank me yet. You're still far from being perfectly healthy. If there's any questions you have, you can text me or Shamal and we'll try to answer them to the best of our ability."

Tsuna was almost afraid to ask. "Are you going to come back?"

"Yes, when my schedule's settled. I'll keep in touch."

"Yeah, have a safe flight."

"Thank you. Take care, Tsuna."

And just like that, Reborn was gone from Tsuna's life again.

Sunday passed by without a hitch. No signs or activity from the traitor maid or the insurgent group. Nana was more than willing to let Tsuna stay at the Hibari Compound for another day, but made him promise to return on Monday early night. It wasn't hard to say yes.

The compound had been more or less boring. Tsuna had thought that he was being driven insane by the idleness, and Kyoya sticking to him like glue when he wasn't on patrol wasn't helping either. Somehow Tsuna managed to survive for Monday. "You know, it's actually impressive that you made me miss school," he said, exiting the car.

Kyoya perked up a little. "I am impressive?"

Tsuna glared at any student who looked at them. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."

The day passed by sluggishly. Lunchtime was also uneventful. Tsuna and Kyoya ate outside, away from the classroom and their classmates. Their incessant chatter, while a welcoming buzz, had become grating in Tsuna's ears and he just needed some air. They didn't talk much aside from Kyoya urging Tsuna to finish everything in his bento and the brunet's snarky jabs. It was almost…tame, comfortable. Tsuna wanted to hate it, the way his Flames cooed at being in close proximity with Kyoya.

During math, he completely zoned out. He had taken one of Reborn's pills after lunch and it actually worked. It felt strange when the Rain Flames briefly dispersed in his body, as if searching for the source of his troubles, before they surged to his head and worked wonders with his nerves. The headache dulled quickly but it still thrummed behind his ears. That would mean it was less of a physical problem.

Closing his eyes, Tsuna leaned onto his fist and let himself be lulled by the sounds around him: pencils scratching lightly against paper, the chalk tapping ceaselessly against the board, his classmates' quiet breaths, the teacher's dull voice. His hair tickled his cheeks when a small breeze flitted through an open window. Some students ran around the field outside for P.E., kicking a soccer ball.

It was nice, this sort of stagnancy. Tsuna hadn't had a moment of peace in a while, not even before the whole Decimo fight came up. While he hadn't been there to see Decimo grow, Tsuna already had enough on his plate with his clinic. The Decimo title-grab hadn't been any of his business nor did it pique any interest. The last thing he wanted was to get involved in a power struggle. Well, not like it was any much of one. Nono's sons had been dead for a while and Xanxus wasn't his actual child; plus the Varia leader had been frozen in impenetrable ice for a few years until Viper approached Tsuna and asked him to get the man out. Viper rarely asked for anything.

Soon his thoughts wandered near murky territory. What were they doing now since he brought them back? Were they working with Decimo's guardians on taking down Byakuran? Were Reborn and Colonnello fighting like usual or sticking it out together with gritted teeth until everything was over? Did Viper stay awake to keep the nightmares away? How long would it take until Fon snapped? Did the bunker even have any tea? Would Verde work with the Vongola scientists without making them feel like complete idiots every half-second? How long would it take before Skull got too antsy and left the bunker to go scout Millefiore territory, making excuses along the lines of "why the hell not"? Was Lal Mirch able to keep them sane or had she teetered off the edge first?

More and more questions swirled in his head, a dizzying loop that seemed to pound every inch of his skull until he was left with nothing but a numbing ache in the back of his throat. No, he thought. That wasn't the way it is.

Lal Mirch would plant her feet firmly in the ground and bash the idiots' skulls so they'd start functioning properly. Skull would always come back, no matter where he went, with information on the littlest things to make sure they'd survive. Verde would suck it up and just do his best to assist the scientists and keep them all on the same page, churning out weapons and protective gear to ensure everyone's safety. Fon would bear every second with the patience of a saint, and he wouldn't cry over some tea-less pantry. Viper would sleep, even if it was only closing his eyes for a few minutes, and push forward without stopping. Colonnello would think twice about what he had to do, then move accordingly without goading anyone into a fight, especially Reborn. And Reborn… Reborn would fight tooth and nail until the bitter end.

They'd continue to fight without qualms, even if he wasn't there, because they were better than that, better than moping around and doing nothing. And they'd be damned if they let Byakuran win. Tsuna would be, too. The Intuition flared. He sensed it before it even happened, Kyoya raising his foot to kick the back of his chair, and bolted up from his seat.

A hushed silence fell in the room. Tsuna stared at Aoki-sensei, who mirrored his surprised face. The bespectacled man cleared his throat politely. "Is there something you need, Sawada-kun?" he said, his voice quiet as always. It sounded louder in the silence.

"I—I need to use the bathroom," Tsuna said, scowling when some of the students snickered. "Can I…?"

"Oh, erm, yes, you may."

Muttering his thanks, Tsuna quickly left the bathroom. He hissed under his breath for Kyoya not to follow, knowing the boy got the message. Whether he listened to it or not was something Tsuna didn't want to get into. His steps squeaked lightly in the brightly-lit hallways, and it didn't take long before he rounded the corner and pushed the bathroom door open. It was empty. He could hear the P.E. students yelling and kicking the ball around from outside the open window.

Quickly, he turned on the sink and splashed cold water on his face. He let the water run for another minute, letting the rushing sound fill the quiet air, and stared into the mirror. A small, young face stared back, a haunting guise from the past—except this was how he looked now. The sink knob squeaked when he turned it off.

For another minute or two, he gripped the sink and breathed slowly in a steady rhythm. Fon's calm face appeared in his mind; the man's eyes were closed as he breathed with him, a reassuring metronome of poise. Sighing, Tsuna reached inside his pockets to fish out his phone. He might as well stay here until math ended. There was no point remaining in class when he wasn't even paying attention. He didn't have to think far to count how many times he had to use the quadratic equation in his life: fucking zero.

His inbox was still empty, which, to be honest, was disappointing. Tsuna had saved Reborn's number as soon as the doctor left and messaged him on Sunday. It took about 12 hours to fly from Japan to France; maybe Reborn and Shamal were jetlagged. But with the headache pills Reborn had given him, Tsuna was pretty sure Reborn might've made some other pills to deal with jetlag.

Huffing, Tsuna typed another message anyways: Ate lunch about an hour ago and took one of the pills. Its seriously amazing btw. Headache calmed down. I hope you had a safe flight. Heard jetlag can be tough.

He sent it before he thought about changing anything. He didn't mention that the headache hadn't gone down 100%; it was something he wanted to think about on his own. While he was grateful for Reborn's help, he preferred to keep some secrets to himself.

His fingers lingered over the keypad, gently tracing the slight indentation of each number. A dirty yellow pacifier flashed in his mind. Tsuna should've picked up the fucking phone but Decimo decided to be an absolute idiot and…

No, he thought, his grip tightening. He wasn't going to wallow and moan about shit not going his way. But still, his chest ached. What had Reborn wanted to say? Inform them of some development in Byakuran's plan? Remind Tsuna that he had to eat? Ask how Decimo was doing? It was frustrating to be unable to keep these poisonous thoughts contained. They just sapped the confidence out of him. Granted that it took Tsuna ten minutes to re-construct his pathetic dignity again, it still made him feel like shit.

"Just…one last thing," he mumbled to himself, his thumb gliding across the keypad. It was stupid, but the Intuition, which had been quiet throughout his mental turmoil, flickered encouragingly.

He dialed in Reborn's number, his Reborn. The small combination was imprinted vividly in his head and when he saw the numbers looking back at him from the screen, Tsuna could barely contain a small smile. It had taken him months to actually get the hitman's real number (and Tsuna was proud that he managed to get it without paying Viper, even if it irked him that his Mist somehow had it before he did).

Without hesitation, Tsuna pressed the call button. He knew that his Reborn wouldn't pick up the phone, but this was a way to sever any more ties he had with his past. He was here, they weren't. It was a little pathetic that he needed more validation when he encountered plenty already, but this was the big leap—and he was going to fucking take it.

He could barely breathe when someone picked up. The call barely dialed—and he was especially unprepared to hear loud, booming bass on the other end. It sounded like…a club. A raucous cheer roared in the background coupled with clinking glasses.

"—ought it'd take fucking forever for you to call," a rough, clearly inebriated voice said in Italian.

Tsuna was about to hang up but the Intuition told him to fucking stay put. He could only freeze when the man said, "Come on, Pietro. I know you don't own a cat, and I'm not in the mood to fuck around." The man laughed, all high and shrill, that grated on Tsuna's ears. He had to pull the phone away before the man loudly continued, "Who wants to fuck your sorry ass? Even your ugly cow of a mother wouldn't suc—"

Tsuna just hung up. The Intuition thrummed ceaselessly in the back of his mind, but he didn't care. He clicked his tongue. Yeah, he wasn't in the mood to hear any more. If anything, that was a nice send-off, however fucked up it was.

"Are you alright, little animal?"

"Yeah. Just had an upset stomach."

Kyoya furrowed his brows but decided not to push. Wonderful, he was learning. "Was it the pill?"

Tsuna sighed and rested his head back against the car seat. "No, pill's fine. Really, Kyoya, don't worry about it. I'll live." He watched the streets blur by out the window and focused on the whooshes of cars driving past them. Pedestrians walked about on the sidewalk, entering and leaving stores in a continuous flood of movement. The sky was blue and cloudless, with an annoyingly bright sun.

Kyoya lightly huffed beside him and just left it at that. They didn't speak for a moment while the driver drove smoothly around traffic. Leaning his head against the window, Tsuna scrolled through his inbox. Still no responses yet. While he replied to Nana, the Intuition unexpectedly burned. Tsuna looked up in time to see them approaching a highway bridge.

"Take another route," he said.

"I'm sorry?" the driver said.

Tsuna tensed. The Intuition was practically screaming. "Find another goddamn route! Don't take the bridge!"

"There's only a one-way! Please sit back, Tsuna-sensei!"

"Does it look like I fucking care?"

"What's wrong?" Kyoya said, pulling Tsuna back. "L—" He went rigid. Tilting his head, he stared at the back of the driver's seat.

Tsuna gritted his teeth when the traffic light turned green and the driver, confused, drove straight ahead—right onto the fucking bridge. He looked out the window, his eyes flitting around to find any danger. "Kyoya," he said.

"Three vehicles," Kyoya said. "Each has three men."

Before Tsuna could retort, a dingy car drove up beside them. His stomach sank. Their window rolled down before a gun peeked out. A loud pop cracked in the air. Tsuna yelped when Kyoya leapt on top of him. The tires screeched and the car swerved sharply to the left. His body shook from the impact, and he grabbed onto Kyoya's shirt while the car turned and rolled endlessly down the road. Glass shattered everywhere, a few shards nicking Tsuna's cheek. He could sense the thrum of Kyoya's flames proliferating the muscle fibers in his body, just like how Skull did it.

The car skidded on the hood until it thumped down on its side to a stop. Tsuna's ears rang, and his breaths came out short. His body trembled against Kyoya from the shock, but the Intuition said it was best to stay with him.

"Are you okay, little animal?" Kyoya said quietly in his ear, his voice strained. Shit, Kyoya's senses must be going crazy.

Tsuna let out a shuddering breath. "Peachy. You?"

Kyoya huffed. "I will live."

Quickly, Kyoya unbuckled Tsuna's seatbelt and caught him as he fell from the awkward position. He kicked the door open and carefully helped him out. Glass shards and debris crunched underneath their feet. A little disoriented, Tsuna stumbled before Kyoya helped steady him. The air smelled like oil and smoke. It took him a few seconds to realize that the car's hood was on fire. Other vehicles on the bridge had skidded to a halt; some were overturned from the collision.

"Come," Kyoya said, tugging him away.

Tsuna's breath hitched. He looked over his shoulder to see some men closing in on them. He widened his eyes when he noticed one of them held a fucking grenade launcher. "Kyoya!"

The boy was already moving before Tsuna called his name. Swiftly, Kyoya grabbed Tsuna and picked up the car door just as one of the men shot a grenade at them. The car door erupted in purple flames a second too late. The grenade exploded upon impact, sending the boys flying over the bridge.

The wind whistled sharply around them, whipping through their hair, and Kyoya pulled Tsuna closer to his chest before they plummeted to the ground. Screeching cars swerved around them when they skidded some ways down the road. Kyoya hissed softly when he took the brunt of the impact, but didn't let Tsuna go.

"Kyoya, can you hear me?" Tsuna said too loudly. His ears just wouldn't shut the fuck up. "Kyoya!" Shit, did Kyoya know how to use his flames properly yet, or did Tsuna have to skin a Storm Arcobaleno alive?

The Intuition roared. When Tsuna looked up, the men clad in black were looking down at them, all of them wearing masks. They aimed their guns at the boys before a volley of bullets cracked the air.

A/N Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? :'^)

So there's some development here, both bad and good, as per usual. Some more Kyoya fluff (he needs to be protected, ahaha). Hopefully the pacing's not too slow or anything. That was one of my concerns for this story. Let me know!

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

Have a lovely day~

Little Miss Bunny