Tsuna stood under a dim streetlight, watching it flicker incessantly. Raindrops pelted down and seemed to sting his already soaking skin. His eyes were burning with tears but he kept his head angled up - he would not cry. The moon and stars were completely hidden by the clouds in the sky. They seemed to press down on the air around him and it felt like the layer of fog was slowly caging him where he stood.

The last few weeks has been a mess of lies, secrets and stressful moments. The most recent fight had seen Tsuna and his guardians defending their rights as the tenth Vongola generation against violent would-be-successors. Lambo and Ryohei were both still in hospital and Gokudera had his arm in a sling. Chrome had barely escaped with her life, even after Mukuro intervened. Yamamoto had lost conciousness halfway into the fight after a particularly nasty blow to the head and Hibari had disappeared once the enemies had been defeated, apparently unscathed, however Tsuna could've sworn he had saw him limping.

But Tsuna? Tsuna had no injuries. None at all besides a small cut on his shoulder. Why? Because he couldn't fulfill a single promise. He had watched in horror as his friends fells one by one all around him. They had leapt in front of attacks mean for him and defended him with their bodies. All the while he had heard the echoes of his empty words 'I will protect my friends! I won't let anyone else get hurt!'. It seemed almost comical to him, now. His assurances to Reborn, his guardians...himself. He had thought he was able to look after his friends but it seemed he just couldn't. Now they suffered through injuries meant for him.

"Tsuna? Is that you?"

That voice...He tilted his head to the side. Sure enough, the familiar face was smiling at him from under an umbrella.

"Oh...It's you, Kyoko..."

Her smile faltered when she finally acknowledged where he was, "Tsuna, what are you doing? You'll catch a cold standing out here in the rain!" She held out her hand to him and gestured that he join her under the umbrella. Tsuna looked at her for another moment before he asked in a flat voice, "How is your brother?"

Kyoko was taken aback and withdrew her hand slowly, "I...I thought you knew..." Tsuna's stare intensified and he felt anxiousness turn in the pit of his stomach. However, he remained silent and waited for her to continue, "He...he took a turn for the worse and...now the doctors aren't sure if...if he'll..."

Kyoko looked close to tears by the time she finished and Tsuna felt guilt add to the ball of frustration he felt. It would be his fault if Kyoko cried. If he had realised Ryohei's intentions before he had carried them out, Tsuna would be in his place and Ryohei would be at home right now, laughing with Kyoko and enjoying spending time with his only sister. He turned his head back to stare at the murky sky again.

"...I see," Tsuna said quietly, "No. No one told me that"

"Oh, well I assumed you'd know...because of the whole...you know...mafia thing..."

"Yeah. It seems everyone does"

"Sorry?"

Tsuna looked at her and noticed her worried expression. He forced a half-convincing smile on his face, "Nothing, Kyoko. Don't worry about it. It's late. You...you should get home before your parents start worrying."

He was sure that her expression cleared a little, but he couldn't keep up the facade for long.

"Are you sure, Tsuna? What about you?"

"I'll be fine"

'This smile is about to break...'

"Maybe I should walk you-"

"Kyoko. I'll be fine. Besides, my house is in the opposite direction to yours. That would be silly"

'I'm not planning to go home...'

She still looked concerned and opened her mouth to say something more, but Tsuna turned his back on her, waving as he went and calling, "I'll see you tomorrow at school"

He waited a few moments before turning to see if she had left or not. When he did sneak a glance back, he saw he standing with her back to him, shaking. Immediately, he forgot to act calm and dashed over to her side.

"Kyoko? What's-"

Was she hurt? Scared? Maybe there was someone...

"Don't act like this, Tsuna!"

Tsuna pulled back, stunned. He'd never hear Kyoko raise her voice before. Then he noticed the tears streaming down her face. 'Oh...'

"Act like what, Kyoko?" He asked, forcing the smile back on his face.

"Like...like that! You think I don't know that something's wrong!" Tsuna's expression melted into surprise. Had Kyoko really noticed? "How long do you think my brother has been pretending everything was fine? I know that expression. It's the one he uses when he's really in pain. He thinks I don't realize but it's actually him who doesn't understand. When you're hurting it affects everyone close to you. It cause them pain too, but when you try to hide it and suffer on your own - that's even worse!"

"Kyoko, I didn't think-"

"No, you didn't think. You didn't think I'd understand because I'm not part of you're 'guardians' or the 'Vongola' or whatever. I want to help, Tsuna. Please let me..."

It was silent for a moment, aside from the sound of falling rain. Finally, Tsuna bowed his head and stepped back from her.

"I'm sorry"

"No, it's fine...I understand why you didn't realize-"

"No, Kyoko, I mean...I'm sorry I can't. If you knew what...what I'm feeling, I don't..."

Kyoko stared at him with a blank look on her face, as she scrutinized him, then said quietly, "Is that so..."

"Yes"

"Well I guess you're right. It's late...I better be getting home"

"No, wait, Kyoko!"

"It's okay, Tsuna, I wouldn't want to keep you from your important mafia business"

"Kyoko, don't-"

"Well, bye then..."

"..."

"I'm scared!"

Kyoko paused with her back to Tsuna. She didn't say anything and he took this as a sign to continue.

"I'm scared because everyone is relying on me and I don't think I can live up to their expectations. They ignore my wishes and instead put their lives on the line for me every time we fight. Did Ryohei tell you how he got injured? The truth about it?"

Kyoko had turned and was watching him with wide eyes. Tsuna suddenly felt self-conscious, but he kept talking, anyway, since it was too late to stop there.

"Ryohei is lying in hospital because he jumped in front of an attack that was aimed at me. I was fighting someone else and didn't notice it until it had connected with him, but now...now I wish he hadn't noticed it either. I just wish...I wish that none of this had...ever happened. That the Vongola; Reborn; the guardians...everything! I just wish it was all a really scary nightmare that I'll wake up from when I pinch myself...but...every time I try to wake up I...I'm just...still..."

Tsuna wasn't sure if it was raindrops or tears spilling down his face, but he didn't care, now. All that mattered was that Kyoko understood that he could never live a normal life now. He could never go back to school without being on constant alert for enemy assassins or competing families. He'd never have the life he'd always wanted.

"Tsuna...I..."

"Never mind. It's fine - I'm fine. Just...forget this ever happened, alright?"

"I can't"

"What?"

"I can't forget what you just said. Just like how I can never stop worrying about you. When you disappear from weeks of school at a time and return in a cast and have bandages everywhere. I can't help but feel anxious when I just know you're off somewhere incredibly dangerous...but it's alright. It's alright, because I know you'll come back. You always come back. And you get better. Though, the thing that always amazes me...is that you go again. I've seen the world that you're part of and I never want to again. The very fact that you can face it and remain as...happy...and sweet...and just...so optimistic - it surprises me every time. I couldn't do that"

"Kyoko..."

"Come on. I'll walk you home," Kyoko smiled brilliantly at Tsuna as she took hold of his hand and pulled him under the umbrella. The shade was a little redundant since he was already soaking wet, but her hand felt nice in his and he couldn't help but smile as they walked.