I chose to depict this character's reaction next because he must have felt very troubled. I admit that I really over-romaticised him in this chapter, but it can't be helped since this is just how I see things. I know he'd probably not feel the things I make him in this, but I felt it would make for a stronger story body.

please enjoy it anyway

When people think of Yamamoto Takeshi, most would say 'what a reliable guy, always upbeat and there when you need him'. The Guardian who could always smile. A baseball-nut and ever the optimist.

No one really recalls the day he stared down at Namimori middle school's campus, a croud at his back and his arm in a sling. No one remembers that on that day ten years ago, he had full intention of ending his own life.

But Tsuna had saved him that day, just as he had saved him hours ago.

Yamamoto pulled his hands away from his face. They were thick and sticky with rehydrated blood, and they shook uncontrolably. Every part of his body shook. The roar of rain falling outside was deffening in his ears, each drop joining millions of others to bring a crushing thunder to the undulating atmosphere.

He knew Gokudera was still outside, that the man had barely made it out of the car they'd come back in, but he couldn't find it in him at that moment to care. The truth of it all; of the blood caking his hands and suit, the blurs or ring-flames as the Mist and Cloud fought around him, all of it. It was just as Hibari had said, it was the unavoidable.

Tsuna was dead.

A rolling shudder of misery pulled tight at the Rain Guardian's chest, and he tried as best he could to curl into himself on the marble floor. His body was too tall, arms too strong and legs too long for the comforting embrace he'd done as a child years and years ago.

He tried to block it out; the images of white pinstripe soaking up more and more blood. Tsuna's thin hands shaking slightly as they were clutched in Gokudera's and his own pleading grip.

He didn't know if he had ever cried so intensly in his entire life, nor if he ever could again. Perhaps his heart would harden against the tears, like torn skin healed over in tougher, caloused scar tissue that was far more difficult to penetrate.

Tsuna was gone, and the world seemed so much more cruel. Being in the mafia was something Yamamoto had never really thought deeply about. To him, it was just ensuring he'd get to stay friends with everyone he'd formed connections with throughout his life. A way they could be together forever, under Tsuna's leadership and determination to preserve bonds.

"Wait here."

"Tsuna?"

"Jyudaime?"

"You guys stay behind. I'll go in on my own."

"Tsuna, maybe we should-"

"Maa maa, its fine Yamamoto. I'll...be okay."

He had forgotten, while clinging to old immature dissillusions, that being Mafia meant crime. It meant death. Even Tsuna hadnt been able to change the inevitable.

"Tsuna..." Yamamoto clutched his eyes shut. It hurt to have them open, only seeing blood spraying backwards onto double glass doors and the smiling face of the Millifiore Don. Though, when Yamamoto's eyes closed, he saw Tsuna's exasperated smile; the soft honey-gold light that surrounded his messy spikes of chesnut brown hair when they sometimes went on early morning walks around the Vongola compound together; the deep flush of red when Reborn would tell them all an embarrasing moment of their Boss.

"R-Reborn! Thats enough! D-don't tell them that! What did I ever do to you?!"

These warm memories and images were around before. They would more often then not resurface in Yamamoto's mind to make his body feel pleasent and keep the positive attitude he'd always had. He'd feel himself smiling.

Now, they were salt in his freshly torn wounds.

It was ironic. He was the one who had to litterally pry loose the hysteric and screaming Gokudera from Tsuna's side. He remembered only holding the Storm Guardian back long enough that the horrified Vongola medical unit tp step in and take their Sky away in an ambulance. Yamamoto had seen the EMT's faces. He'd even caught the solome shake of their heads and the way the wouldnt look directly at the body they had lifted onto a streacher.

How had he managed to pull himself away? How was he able to let go of his longest more dear friend? How had he done that, when all he'd wanted was to cling to that thin, trembling hand and never let it go?

Now, he would never be able to hold that hand again.

Every partical of Yamamoto's soul craved to be able to pull the unsuspecting Tsuna into a one-armed embrace like they were students again. He wanted so badly to laugh while Gokudera brilsted and yelled with jealous anger, Tsuna just sighing in light hearted resignation.

Yamamoto ignored the massive explosion of marble and drywall only feet from his head as Mukurou and Hibari vented themselves around him. He simply let his eyes burn from tears they were not used to spilling.

"Oh? Well, isn't this a bad joke."

He'd said it with sad, angry eyes, but a classic smile. It had to be a joke, and Yamamoto truely believed it to be. A sick person's idea of humor, perhaps a Millifiore attempt at comedy. What other reason could exist for him to be face to face with those huge blinking amber eyes?

He'd forced himself to realize even before it was said, that it was in fact Tsuna, just brought back from ten years ago. He paid slight notice to the youthful Gokudera standing beside Tsuna, it was hard not to see the difference between the younger and elder version, as this one still had life in his green-grey eyes.

The more they all spoke, the more Yamamoto let himself calmly bask in the fact that it really was the 15 year old version of his belov-

...Best friend.

He wondered if Tsuna knew why he'd appeared in that flower-filled coffin. Did Gokudera come back from the past at the same time, or had the present-day Hayato have to see Tsuna's face all over again on one of his daily trips to pay respects?

They went on through the darkened woods, and with growing light coming back into his eyes, Yamamoto let himself give Tsuna's shrunked stature a throttle as he wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

It was more painful then he thought it would be, feeling the familiar way his arm tucked in just around those shoulders, hearing the indignant and aghast outcry from Gokudera trailing behind. It was painful, but it felt so good to have it again. Like a sip of warm, bitter-sweet tea on the coldest day in winter, he even got to hear Tsuna laugh once.

He wondered what the Present-day Gokudera would say if he saw the way he'd been finding excuses to touch this Tsuna. Rubbing his hair affectionatly while telling him about all the amazing things his Future self had accomplished seemed enough to earn a harsh jealous glare from the Smoking Bomb of the past.

Of course there were things he had to stop himself from doing. Outright embracing the young brunet was out of the question. It wouldnt fit his personality and would only confuse and probably scare the two younger boys. This lead him to regretting he'd sheathed his sword, for now that he'd thought about it, his fingers began twitching towards the so-small hands of the innocent teenage boy who walked beside him.

Tsuna was all questions, and for the first time, since so long ago, a genuin smile lifted past his lips and warmed his dark brown eyes.

Much later, Yamamoto sent Tsuna off to find the missing Kyouko while he handled a battle in the streets of Namimori. He'd done it for the simple reason that no one would recognise him, and that now that he was there, he didn't seem to be leaving anytime soon.

So he'd paced himself, tought the teenaged Gokudera a few tricks about the new-age weapons (it was a little ego-boosting, teaching the all mighty Right Hand of Vongola how to fight). He'd never suspect that the boxes he tossed up in the air to catch impressivly on their way down, would in fact never reach his waiting palm, as an explosion of pink smoke took him away.

He hoped, when he came back, things would be different, and copper-penny eyes would close in a off-beat smile while he walked through the Vongola compound in the early morning sunlight.

I really like the pairing of Yamamoto and Tsuna, and its so rare that I love writing even little hints at it.

I know it was short, but I never planed on these being very long chapters...

I'm caught between who to depict next. Gokudera's is going to be the most angsty of the lot, so I had planned on saving him for 2ed to the last (Tsuna's Chapter will be the last of the bunch). Maybe Hibari?

Thank you for reading, everyone!