4. Birth

Word Count: 735

There was a companionable silence between the two teens as they walked along the edge of the outlet creek, one watching his feet as he pretended to balance on the fine line between shore and water, the other watching his back with a patient smile on his face that complemented the curiosity and concern in his eyes.

"Hey, Tsuna, don't you think we should head back to the hospital? Your mom might get worried." Yamamoto called out to his friend before him and watched as he waved it off.

"Mom has the kids, Bianchi, and Reborn with her. She won't be missing me for a while."

Yamamoto hummed, a small sound of assessing and understanding, and continued to watch Tsuna's back, feeling the air shift around the boy into something deep, contemplative.

Tsuna suddenly stopped and then laughed quietly.

"This is… kind of mind-blowing." Tsuna laughed breathlessly and his hands crept into his hair, gripping tightly to caramel colored locks.

"What is, Tsuna?" Yamamoto asked quietly, stopping just behind Tsuna.

"This," he motioned with his arms wide. "This whole situation is mind-blowing. I had nine months to get my head wrapped around this-this whole thing but i-it's just now hitting me." He laughed again, and Yamamoto could feel the nervousness pouring from the sound.

"I probably shouldn't have this kind of a mindset but I-" Tsuna cut himself off. Yamamoto could tell he didn't want to continue, but this would turn into one more thing Tsuna would shoulder on his own and that, he wasn't going to allow when it was right in front of him to stop and bare with him.

Yamamoto wrapped his arms around Tsuna's shoulders and pressed him to him, back and chest colliding softly. He heard Tsuna make a soft noise as he raised his hands and grabbed the arms holding him to Yamamoto, relaxing against him.

"I'm nervous. Scared," Tsuna whispered as Yamamoto pressed his nose in Tsuna's hair, breathing in the scent that made Tsuna.

"Scared for what?"

"For that baby boy in my mom's arms, surrounded by all those people who already cherish him." Hands tightened on Yamamoto's arms, "I'm supposed to be that boy's older brother. That's-"

Tsuna paused again and swallowed thickly. "I don't know if I can be a good brother to him."

Yamamoto smiled slightly at the concern that was so familiar, concern that was part of who Tsuna was. "I think you worrying about that there makes you a good brother already."

There was an airy laugh. "Maybe. Maybe it would be if I was normal."

Normal, as in, 'not involved in the mafia' were the words hidden underneath.

"Are you scared that you won't be able to protect him from it?"

Tsuna nodded, his body shaking with the nod. "I'm scared the mafia might get to him too, that I won't be strong enough to defend him, that I won't be there for him when he needs me, j-just like my-"

Tsuna took in a sharp breath, as if that was most definitely taboo and it probably was. Yamamoto decided not to push for it and instead nuzzled his face into Tsuna's hair. It brought out an amused breath of a laugh and Yamamoto smiled.

"Maa, I think something like that is something you deal with as the years go by and keep in mind as you watch him grow older. My dad once told me that parenthood wasn't really something you could plan out. I don't imagine brotherhood being too different."

He grinned, "It's the ultimate test of your gut feeling."

Tsuna rolled his eyes with a laugh and pushed Yamamoto off of him, "Of course you would tie it to instinct!"

Yamamoto folded his arms behind his head, grin widening, "It's part of the baseball experience! Gokudera has every reason to call me Baseball Idiot!"

Tsuna laughed again, his hand slipping Yamamoto's larger one. "Well then, Baseball Idiot," Tsuna's eyes softened as he gave Yamamoto a smile just as soft, "I thank you. I really needed to hear that. Despite how instinctual you made it sound."

Yamamoto grinned, "No problem, Tsuna."

Tsuna chuckled merrily, "C'mon, we probably should go back to the hospital." His face blanched with a smile, "E-Even though Reborn's there, I don't think we should leave them all alone like that."

They both shared a laugh and headed towards the hospital, hand in hand.