Tsuna had volunteered to run into town the next day in order to bring back lunch for everyone. He was certain Gokudera would have accompanied him, but the taller male had come with down a cold and was asked to stay at the base where it was warmer.

Tsuna hadn't expected to come across a Varia member on his trip, so it came as a surprise to find Fran seated in the same café the brunet had entered, a distant look on the boy's face as he poked absentmindedly at his untouched meal.

"Fran…?" Tsuna sat down on the other side of the table, drawing emerald eyes onto him. They were unfocused, as if Fran had simply lifted his head instinctively at his name without even realising there was someone here. He waited until the boy seemed a tad more alert before he said, "What are you doing here?"

"Hunting lions in the African savannah." Fran gave the other a look blanker than usual. "What do you think?"

Tsuna blushed, knowing it had been a stupid question. "I see Belphegor isn't following you around today."

Fran snorted at this statement, neatly placing his chopsticks down beside his plate. "Bel-senpai is fast asleep, having been sated not even an hour earlier."

"Sated? What do you mean?"

Fran pointedly ignored this, instead finding that his fingernails were interesting to look at. He was silent, his attention not focused at all on Tsuna. In fact, he was so preoccupied, he didn't notice the hand that was reaching across the table until it was suddenly in his peripheral vision. He instinctively recoiled, flinching as he did so; he had had his emotionless façade beaten into him long ago by Mukuro, after all.

Tsuna frowned as he pulled his hand back, having not expected for the other to react the way he had; he had always seemed so… so blah about life. "I didn't mean to startle you…"

"Don't touch me, tuna-fish." There was a cold edge to his usually-monotone voice, a spark of anger in his emerald orbs. "Didn't your mother ever teach you to never touch someone you don't know?"

Tsuna blushed darker, his mother never having taught him such a thing before; he honestly felt bad that he hadn't even considered this. "I'm sorry…"

Fran pushed his plate away before he stood up, walking away from the table; as hard as he tried, he couldn't hide the limp. "I was quite enjoying the silence before you came along."

"Why are you limping?" Tsuna couldn't be sure, but he had a feeling it was because of Belphegor.

Fran didn't want to reply to this; he didn't want anyone to know about how weak and pathetic he was for not even being able to protect himself against his teammate. "I don't know what you're talking about. You're seeing things."

"Why don't you come back to the base with me, and you can rest?" Tsuna didn't expect the other to agree, so when Fran continued to limp out of the café, he chased after the boy. "Fran, wait!"

"I have nothing to say to you." Fran gave the other a blank look, trying to block out Mukuro's taunts that were echoing through his mind. "Leave me alone."

"If you come back to the base, there's a room you can sit in where no one will bother you," the brunet promised. "There's a bed where you can lay down, and you can stay for as long as you want – you don't even need to tell us if you're going; you can just leave."

Fran was tired. He was just so fucking tired of the world and everyone in it. He didn't want to be pestered like this, and though he could just as easily hide himself away with illusions, it took too much energy for his current state of mind.

"How far is it…?" Fran couldn't keep the defeated tone out of his voice, just wishing with all his being he could block Mukuro out. "I don't want to be walking for too long."

"It's really not that far, Fran." Tsuna pointed into the distance. "Maybe about fifteen, twenty minutes at the most."

Emerald eyes glared. "I'm not walking that far."

Tsuna sighed. "Fran…"

Such a lazy student you are… Kufufu~ Can't even do a bit of walking. Mukuro's voice was loud in Fran's head, cruel words seeping into Fran's mind. Such a fat, lazy student. Do you now realise why I wouldn't feed you for days? Your laziness has made you far too fat to be fed regularly.

"I don't –"

"- What way?" Fran grit his teeth as he received a confused look from the younger male. "What way is your base."

Tsuna blinked, not understanding why the other had suddenly changed his mind; Fran had seemed so against it, and then… "…Just follow me, Fran."

Is the little one trying to prove me wrong? Kufufu~ You're funny, Fran.

"Shut up…"

Tsuna jumped at the teal-haired male's unexpected voice. He looked to the boy, finding emerald eyes narrowed hatefully, staring straight in front of them.

"Fran…?"

Fran blinked a few times, coming back to reality; he had been so focused on his hatred towards the older illusionist, he had almost forgotten that Tsuna was with him. Shaking his head, he said, "Forget it. Keep walking."

Tsuna wasn't entirely sure what to make of this, but he did as instructed, leading Fran to their base.

~~XX~~

The first and only thing Fran did upon arrival at the Vongola Headquarters was go straight to the room Tsuna had told him about. He laid down on the bed, not bothering to pull the blankets over him; he just went straight to sleep.

When Tsuna came in to check on him just after a meeting, he had been shocked to find the other suddenly covered in bruises and cuts. It took just a second to realise that the illusionist had been keeping his injuries hidden, but the question still remained; what could he do to help?