A/N: Hello! I'm so happy that there are people adding this story to their favorites. :D Thank you so much for the alerts! But most of all, thank you for the reviews! They are what keep me going even after suffering hell week from school. I think the teachers actually conspire against us students. Ugh.

Anyway, here's the fourth chapter of Canvas! I tried my best to make this chapter longer, but sadly this all I could do. I hope it's alright. :D Please enjoy~

Disclaimer: I think it's pretty much the same thing as wishing for a unicorn for your 7th Birthday. Sigh…

Canvas

-Chapter 4-

He found that he couldn't move. His legs would not respond to him no matter how much he wanted to break out into a run; to escape from it all. He could feel himself starting to get nauseous, his heart palpitating wildly in his chest. Beads of sweat trickled down his face as he gulped hungrily for air. He hugged himself tightly and closed his eyes shut, only to be greeted with horrifying images in his mind.

He felt sick. It was so hard to breathe.

Darkness surrounded him. He couldn't see anything, and yet he still felt them. Hundreds, no, millions of them. He could feel the countless number of eyes penetrating through him, tearing him to pieces. He screamed for them to stop. He begged and pleaded for them to go away, for them to stop staring at him. But the pointed stares remained, watching his every move.

His breath hitched. He was so, so scared. He couldn't take anymore of it.

Muffled voices resounded throughout his surroundings, growing in volume with each passing second. They were closing in on him now. It was suffocating him.

No!

Hundreds of shadowy figures circled around him, trapping him with their hateful glares, enclosing him, choking him.

He shrunk back, cowering in fear. Terror overwhelmed his entire being. His mind was a mess. I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared…

The shadows still crept closer and closer, enveloping him in darkness, hands reaching out to grab him. He screamed, but no sound came out. Nobody could hear his cries for help.

No! Stay away!

::

A pair of eyes snapped open revealing two wide caramel-colored orbs. He was breathing heavily, and his heartbeat was moving at an incredible rate. He propped himself up with one arm, putting up his other hand to his face, willing himself to calm down. He attempted to even out his breathing.

It's just a dream, just a dream…nothing but a stupid dream…

He chanted the thoughts in his head over and over like a mantra, reassuring himself that everything was fine. After a few seconds, his heartbeat finally returned to normal. He sighed, closing his eyes. As soon as his eyes closed though, images from his nightmare flashed before him. He jolted up, clutching his chest; eyes wide in fear and panic.

He clenched his hand and bit on his whitened knuckles. He wasn't new to having nightmares. He thought he was used to it, as it was a frequent occurrence due to his illness. But he's never been this afraid of a dream before. What's more is that this time, his dream felt so…real…

He truly felt scared out of his wits end.

Tsuna shook his head at the thought. He brought up his hands to pull at his brunet locks. He should just forget all about it. The dream was most likely the result of his reckless decision to ask for directions at a place teeming with people. He shuddered at the terrible memory. That was a moment of sheer stupidity for him. What kind of sane anthropophobic person would willingly subject himself to such torture?

Feeling a whole lot better, he finally turned his head to glance at his surroundings.

He was in a living room of sorts, lying on a couch. An empty cup was left sitting on the surface of the coffee table in front of him. The room smelt faintly of a mixture of tea and…was that oil paint? It was odd, but he found himself liking the weird combination of scents.

Where am I? The place was unfamiliar, that was for sure. He remembered his frightful endeavor at the shopping center, but, everything's hazy after that. What happened? How did he get here? He continued to glance around the room until his eyes landed on the wall to his side.

That particular wall held a number of paintings. There were around seven to ten of them. It only took one look for him to feel a sort of attraction for the painted pictures. He gingerly stood up from his position on the sofa and took small steps closer to get a better look.

The brunet openly gawked at the paintings. They were paintings of different landscapes. Some, he noticed were sceneries found in Japan. They were breathtaking. He could almost reach out and walk into them.

He looked at the painting closest to him. It was of a park, probably painted during sunset, what with its shadowy appearance and color choices of red, purple, and blue for the sky. Soft, thin brush strokes were visible, and different colors appear to be applied side-by-side, leaving the impression of little to no mixing or blending. He was briefly reminded of Monet's paintings. The only difference was that no matter how impressionist the techniques used seemed to be, the paintings were painted in such great detail.

He trailed his eyes to the bottom right corner of the canvas. Painted in small elegant writing was the letter 'F'. He checked the other paintings and noted that the others too were marked with the same signature. Every painting was painted by the same person. He briefly pondered on the thought as to why he has never heard of such a talented person before. Not that he was ever into art in the first place, but Japan's a small country as it is. Absentmindedly, he began tracing the painted letter with his finger.

His finger froze as he became aware of the muffled voices in the background. Memories of his dream returned full-force. The feeling of dread bubbled in his stomach. He wasn't alone.

He stumbled back in a state of panic, accidentally falling onto the small table. The cup was sent flying at the impact. It crashed on the floor, breaking into tiny pieces. He squeezed himself against the couch, not minding the stinging sensation of the bleeding cuts he got from the ceramic shards. His breathing felt constricted as he heard the approaching footsteps.

He braced himself for what was to come.

Arriving at the scene, Fon couldn't help but to stop and stare at the small creature before him. The brunet was cowering on the floor, pushing his back against the couch. Wide caramel eyes were looking at them with evident fear. The Chinese couldn't help but be reminded of a frightened bunny at the sight. He looked so much like a small frightened but adorable-looking bunny staring at a predator as if expecting to be eaten at any given time.

He looked so weak.

"Oh my."

Luce's voice brought him out of his musings. Fon watched as she stepped closer towards the boy, long cerulean hair trailing behind her. He followed suit without delay.

Tsuna continued to stare at the strangers before him with wide unblinking eyes as they walked closer. His mouth felt dry. Countless thoughts plagued his mind, none fitting the criterion of 'safe'. He felt himself trembling. He could be the victim of a kidnapping for all he knew. They'll probably torture him, kill him, and then dance around his lifeless body before they open him up and slice his corpse into tiny bits and pieces, organs and all, while it's still fresh. Then they'll feed him to the dogs. If his captors are cannibals, then they'll most likely feast on him themselves…

The woman reached him first, a smile gracing her lips. He blinked at that. Do kidnappers usually look this friendly? Do they smile at you before they eat your brains?

The mental picture terrified him far too greatly. He couldn't stop the whispered words that unconsciously slipped from his mouth.

"Please don't eat me."

The boy's tone was laced with fear, and Fon was taken aback at the peculiar statement. He glanced towards Luce and found that she, too, was caught off-guard. Neither of the two expected the words that came out of the brunet's mouth. They shared looks of amusement and broke out into silent laughter, before turning back to the small bunny –er, boy.

"Ara? What makes you think that we were going to eat you?" Luce smiled gently and crouched down to the boy's eye-level.

Tsuna relaxed slightly at the gentle tone of the woman before him. She somewhat reminded him of his mother. Somehow, he knew that the woman would do him no harm, and yet, he just couldn't get rid of his fear. He really couldn't stand being in close proximity with people. Any closer and he'll probably have to puke.

"I'm called Luce. And you are?" Luce smiled warmly and extended her hand in greeting. Tsuna flinched at the sudden movement, recoiling to the edge of the sofa as far away from the woman as possible.

He looked back and saw that the woman appeared unperturbed by his actions. He replied in a small voice. "Sawada Tsunayoshi…"

Fon perked at that. So his assumption was correct. He sighed in relief. "So you're Tsunayoshi." He watched with interest as the brunet turned to him, taking notice of his presence. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." He smiled tenderly at the boy as he shortened the distance between them. "I'm so glad that you're safe. I was about to go out to look for you, though I didn't really have any inkling as to how you looked like."

"Eh?"

Tsuna gaped at the Chinese-looking man before him. His terrified eyes showed confusion. Was he someone the man knew?

Fon's smile never left its place. "Ah, I seem to have forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Fon." The Chinese bowed slightly in courtesy.

The brunet's eyes widened in recognition. Fon-san? So this is the person he'll be living with for the meantime…

Luce watched the interaction between the two, a small smile tugging on her lips. She spoke up, clasping her hands together, deciding to join in on the conversation. "Ara? So you two know each other?"

Fon turned to speak to her. "In a way, yes. Reborn left Tsunayoshi here in my care for the time being." He said, gesturing towards the small brunet. "He was late at arriving, so I got a little worried." He stared at the brunet expectantly, waiting for an explanation.

Tsuna squirmed beneath the gaze. Finally, he answered in a soft voice barely above a whisper. "I-I got lost…"

"Oh my! No wonder you were looking so scared back there. Luckily I bumped into you, then. I got worried when you suddenly fainted, so I dragged you back here. You were so light, Tsunayoshi-kun. I think you need to eat more." Luce smiled at him warmly. "Are you feeling better now?"

The brunet glanced up at the friendly woman and then nodded in response. "T-thank you…Luce-san…"

Luce simply waved her hand off, dismissing the gratitude. "No need, Tsunayoshi-kun. A friend of Fon and Reborn's is also a friend of mine. Please just call me Luce."

Tsuna stared uncertainly at her for a while before nodding. Luce beamed at that. She stood up and stretched her cramped legs. She then turned towards the door. "Well then, I must say, it has been quite the eventful day, hasn't it, Fon?" She looked back at the Chinese man with a very amused expression.

Fon chuckled slightly before answering with the same light tone. "Indeed."

"I shall be taking my leave then. It's been a pleasure meeting you Tsunayoshi-kun!" She glanced at the clock hanging on the nearby wall. "It seems I'm late for my appointment." Taking a step forward, she looked back one last time to say her good-byes, before she disappeared behind the closed door.

As soon as the door closed, Fon turned to look at Tsuna. Noticing the other staring, the brunet quickly shied away from the gaze. Fon's brows furrowed slightly as he stepped closer to the boy, his eyes fixated on the brunet's hand. It only took him a few short strides before he reached the young man's side.

At the sudden intrusion of his personal space, Tsuna reflexively jumped to the side in shock, accidentally bumping into the coffee table. He hit his head, hard.

"Ow…"

Taking advantage of the situation, Fon reached out to grab a hold of the brunet's hand. He held it gently in his own, inspecting the bleeding cuts. He glanced around and finally took notice of the pile of broken shards scattered on the floor. That probably was what caused the crashing sound earlier.

Tsuna found himself panicking at the closeness of the older man. The feeling of dread overrode the pain he felt from having hit his head at the wooden coffee table. Without thinking, he quickly slapped away the hands that held his and scrambled away. He hugged himself as he tried to calm his racing heart. Breathe…Breathe…

Fon looked at him with worry. "Are you okay, Tsunayoshi?" He tried to move closer towards the frightened brunet, but froze in his spot as he noticed the boy flinch at his movement. He spoke more softly than before. "We need to treat those cuts." He reached out his hand tentatively but was once again pushed away.

"Please stay away from me." Tsuna's voice was hoarse, and his voice faltered a little, alerting the other of his fear.

The Chinese narrowed his eyes in thought. The puzzle pieces were piecing together in place. He thought back on the beta-blockers hidden in his medicine cabinet and of Reborn's note. He finally understood what they were for. Sighing, he schooled his expression into a small smile.

"We still need to treat those, Tsunayoshi. Reborn sent me some medicine. Do you want me to get them for you?" He asked slowly, awaiting the brunet's reaction.

At the mention of medicine, Tsuna's eyes shot open, looking even more panicked than before. He was sweating down buckets now. He quickly scrambled to his feet, maintaining a safe distance away from the older man.

"N-no! I'm fine!" He waved his hands frantically in front of him. "I don't need them! I'll just treat myself!"

Fon raised a brow at that, but decided to let it go. He smiled at the boy standing in front of him. "Well then, let me show you to your room. Your luggage has already been brought there." He motioned for the brunet to follow him towards the bedrooms. Tsuna nodded, and then bent down to pick up his orange backpack from the ground. It was left lying on the floor the entire time. He soon followed behind the taller man towards the direction of the hallway.

Fon stopped in front of a normal-looking door. Upon closer inspection, it was engraved with small Chinese characters. Tsuna stared at them with mild fascination. He couldn't tell what they meant, but they intrigued him. The Chinese opened the door and stepped back to allow the other entrance. "This will be your room for the time that you'll be staying here. If ever you need me, my room's just across from yours." He pointed to the door opposite the room they were in. "You can come to me at any time." Fon smiled as he stepped out of the room. "You could unpack your luggage if you want. I'll come back with the first aid kit for your wounds."

The door closed. Silence engulfed the room.

Tsuna sighed as he glanced around his new bedroom. It looked fairly comfortable, with the medium-sized bed and the small seating area beside a wooden bookcase. The curtains were closed, creating an eerie shadowy atmosphere inside, but he didn't bother to open the lights. He noticed his luggage on the floor. He really should unpack now, though he wasn't really in the mood for it. Sighing once again, he decided that he would just do it later. He glanced towards the bed. For now, he should rest.

He kicked off his shoes and jumped into the bed, savoring the crisp feel of freshly washed bed covers on his skin. He curled his body in a fetal position and drifted off into much needed sleep.

Fon was standing outside Tsuna's bedroom door, the first aid kit held securely in his hand. He raised his free hand to knock on the door.

Knock. Knock.

There was no answer.

He raised his brow at the lack of response. Weird.

"Tsunayoshi?"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The knocking echoed throughout the empty hallway and still, there was no answer. Fon tried his hand at the doorknob and found that it was open. He slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside the dark room. When his eyes finally adjusted at the dimness, he smiled at the sight before him.

The brunet was curled up on top of the bed, sleeping peacefully. His chest was slowly rising and falling in even breathing. This was the first time he has seen the brunet looking so relaxed, as if without a care in the world. He walked towards the bed, stopping to stand at the side. Fon reached down to brush away a few stray bangs from the boy's face, tucking them behind his ear.

He took less than a minute to think before he gently sat down next to the sleeping brunet, taking the wounded hand in his. He opened the first aid kit and slowly started to treat the small cuts.

A/N: A bit of FonxTsuna moment at the end. :3 Hope you liked it! Please tell me your opinions regarding the progression of the story. And I was serious when I said that you could leave me gut-eating criticisms. I really feel that they would help me grow as an author. I welcome them with open arms! XD

Hope you'll leave me a review! :3 See you on the next chapter~