Haha ey guys! I know I basically lost all motivation to continue this story because I was a lazy procrastinator but here I am! At least I'm back right? Hopefully you lot are still interested. On a side note, I've gotten into crossovers between Harry Potter and Merlin and Harry Potter and Sherlock. Adorable. Love domestic family Johnlock. Also been preparing for SATs and APs and hopefully a job. Busy busy busy! But fanfiction will never cease to amaze me- on with the show!

Would love it if you posted reviews or messaged me telling me your thoughts and possible story ideas too

Tsuna couldn't think. Right in front of his eyes was a man that was as close as a brother he could possibly get. Tsuna hungrily drank in the sight of an alive and well (at least he's not dead) Yamamoto Takeshi, going against all of his former accusations of people impersonating his loved ones. Yamamoto felt someone staring at him as he stirred. After opening his eyes and being blinded for a few moments due to the outside light, Yamamoto finally glanced in the general direction of the stare. As he took in Dame-Tsuna small form, his cheeks quickly burned from embarrassment of allowing a classmate, especially the rumored pathetic Dame-Tsuna, to see him in such a state, mind reeling to the point that why Tsuna was there even crossed his poor alcohol-dulled brain.

After an awkward silence, Yamamoto couldn't bear it anymore and tried to hoist himself up. Tsuna immediately sprung into action, fingers twitching like a madman's.

"W-wait, Yamamoto-kun."

Yamamoto simply ignored him as he got on his feet and leaned against the concrete wall for a breather.

"Y-you shouldn't move yet. You're hurt and-"

"Hahaha, it's totally fine, Sawada-san," Yamamoto tried to laugh it off with his signature smiles and lifted his arm halfway up to his head as a nervous habit before he remembered his arm was in a cast.

Tsuna was not impressed. A shadow crossed his face; he knew Yamamoto was putting up a façade and furrowed his eyebrows, worry marring his features. Yamamoto didn't know how Tsuna saw through his mask he wore everyday when they were practically strangers.

"Jaa ne, Sawada-san" Yamamoto chirped cheerfully with a strained smile as he started his trek back home.

He thought for sure that Tsuna would get the hint and leave him alone like every other person he knew. However, Tsuna surprised him by quietly following him down the road.

He'll probably leave soon, Yamamoto thought idly as he continued on his way.

But Tsuna merely kept his head down and basically escorted Yamamoto only a little way from his house. Yamamoto had enough. After breaking his arm during baseball practice, being told he was basically a burden to the team now that he could not play, and getting a massive hangover from the cheap alcohol he drank- come to think of it how did he find that place?- Yamamoto's patience reached its peak with Tsuna showing him something close to sympathy.

As they neared the alley situated next to his dad's restaurant, Yamamoto whirled around, grabbed Tsuna's right wrist-skinny, he thought with passing interest- and dragged him into the alley. Tsuna's head slammed into the fence as Yamamoto brought his face close to his.

"If you think showing me pity," Yamamoto spat out disgustingly, "is going to make us chummy and help me you are dead wrong."

Tsuna studied Yamamoto's face with a mask of cool indifference. He saw sorrow, anger, a feeling of worthlessness, and other complicated feelings flit through Yamamoto's cracked mask swiftly.

"You are mistaken," Tsuna said softly. "I only wanted to help a-brother, no we aren't that close here. Friend? Not likely- "

Tsuna never got the chance to finish. Yamamoto's eyes glazed over as he recalled memories of his "friends."

"You're all the same. Always wanting something from me. Only helping me because it helps you, whether with baseball or reputation or any of that shit!" Yamamoto's voice rose as he continued ranting.

"Sometimes, even I need a break. I'm not the idol everybody makes me out to be. Mr. Perfect never existed- only a normal guy. Sometimes," Yamamoto paused as a faraway look took over "I don't think its worth it to keep going." At this point, Yamamoto choked back a gasp and clutched his chest. His eyes tightened with tears that would never come because he was already done- both physically and mentally.

He heard the rustle of clothes moving before being embraced by a small body.

"I know. I know the feeling of complete and utter uselessness as you watch your friend turn their backs on you. I know how when you think just when it can't get any worse, it does. I know how sometimes you think it's all too much to bear and that there is only one escape."

Yamamoto felt arms tighten around him.

"But I also know that people care about me. That if I went now, I would condemn them to a life of regrets and sorrows I would never want to confer upon them. I know that people care about you, Yamamoto-kun. That your father would weep and drown in his sorrow the same way you tried to. I also know that I care about you- not as Yamamoto the baseball player or Yamamoto the school idol but as Yamamoto the person. The amazing, kind, funny, intelligent, and all around first-rate good guy he is. How wonderful he is. How he can't see that is just baffling to me."

At this, Tsuna chuckled lighten as though to lessen the gravity of the situation. Throughout his whole speech, Yamamoto listened silently, almost not believing Tsuna was actually serious. At the end, Yamamoto finally broke, as he returned Tsuna's embrace as best as he could with his good arm. Harsh sobs wracked his frame, as Tsuna merely squeezed the taller man tighter in response. Time seemed to stop for the intimate moment as Yamamoto let out all his anguish in front of this stranger-classmate dubbed Sawada "Dame-Tsuna" Tsunayoshi.

As he watched their backs in the dark alleyway, Reborn smirked. When he was sent by Nono to train Iemetsu's pathetic son, he expected a spineless naïve boy that needed guidance in the cutthroat society of the mafia. What he got was the appearance of one that also seemed to show signs of Boss material- empathy for his men and an ability to sense one's mood.

Interesting, Reborn thought as he lowered his binoculars.

This'll be more fun than I thought.