"It's a relief that the meeting's out of the way," Tsuna held a tangerine out as his nails pierced the thin rind, successfully avoiding the small spray of juice it ejected in protest. "But I didn't really think about what that meant for us. We can't leave until this whole mess with the Trovare is settled, can we?"
They were currently gathered out on the balcony of his and Gokudera's room, enjoying the sunshine. With the string of chilly, overcast days that had accompanied them since their arrival, the sudden bout of clear weather felt too valuable to ignore. It was difficult to properly appreciate it from the confines of the small deck, though.
"I'm extremely bored," Ryohei complained, laying his cheek against the warm metal railing that separated their cozy little balcony from the several hundred feet of open air that hung between them and the ground. Unfazed by it, the boxer had his legs dangling through the gaps between the metal, staring down the height as though it were merely a five foot drop.
"It probably would be a little rude to ask Jonathan to take us out every day," Yamamoto mused, limbs sprawling as he slid down in his chair. "Especially if we don't know how long we'll be here for. But I don't exactly want to stay cooped up in our rooms either."
"Is that all you're worried about?" Gokudera snapped. "As long as we stay here while the Trovare are still a threat, the Tenth is in danger! We should be strategizing, putting together a plan of attack for every worst-case-scenario we can think of, not moaning about how bored we are! Do you think this is any time to let our guards down?"
"You're right," The bomber beamed as Reborn voiced his agreement. "But there's a difference between being prepared and being paranoid. It's good to get a plan together, and it should go without saying that all of you should keep your guards up…but for now, that's all you can do. It won't do you any good to get obsessive – you'll just be losing sleep over nothing."
"In other words, hope for the best but prepare for the worst?" Yuri cocked an eyebrow thoughtfully, raking her fingers through a bag of trail mix in search of anything with sugar content higher than that of a peanut. "Well, I guess that really is all we can do for the moment."
"It's one thing to say that…" Tsuna sighed. While the words made sense, it wasn't exactly easy to just sit back and relax when he felt like someone could attack them at any minute. It was probably just in his head, but he could swear he felt a foreign pair of eyes on him, watching from a distance.
"Don't get yourself riled up when nothing's happened yet," Yuri was clearly trying to be reassuring, but she had a naturally grave tone to her voice that made the advice sound anything but. "If the Trovare make a move, we'll deal with it accordingly. For now, we can rely on safety in numbers. There are six of us, so it should be easy to pair off into groups of two or three if we do need to separate for any reason."
"That's right," Yamamoto's voice was bright and encouraging, in stark contrast to Yuri's solemnity. Sometimes, all he had to do was crack a smile, and it somehow felt as though everything was alright. "We'll just cross that bridge when we come to it. Besides, how bad could they be compared to the Millefiore?"
"Huh? Thousand flowers…?" Yuri had an expression of pure confusion plastered across her face, murmuring the name's literal translation.
"Yeah, Byakuran's family. You know, back when he was…or, well, wait…I guess I should say when he will be…? But no, that shouldn't be…" Gokudera literally dropped his face into his palm at Yamamoto's poor attempt to explain.
"It's a long story," It was clear that he didn't plan to elaborate beyond that as he clasped his hands together and leaned forward, nothing but business. "The point is, we need to be prepared, right? Let's make a plan – first of all, I'll be by the Tenth's side at all times."
"You say that as though it were ever a question," Yuri quipped, a bored expression on her face as she pushed the trail mix back into the center of the table, a small hoard of chocolate and dried fruit cupped in her palm.
"Be quiet! Oi, and don't just take all the chocolate for yourself!"
"…but-"
"Put some of it back! You were always too greedy when it came to sweets."
"I didn't take it all."
"Ninety-nine percent of that bag consists of nuts."
"That's still one percent of…not nuts."
"Put it back, we don't have time for childish arguments!"
"Then don't start them," Her reply was huffy, but she leaned forward reluctantly to dump her treasure back into the bag.
"You're hopeless," Gokudera forced out a growling sigh, picking some of the chocolate out and tossing it back to her. "I didn't tell you to put all of it back, so quit sulking."
"Are you treating me like a kid?" Her lips jutted out into a small pout.
"If you've got a problem with it, don't act like one," Save for an irritated twitch of his eye, he did an impressive job of ignoring the obnoxiously loud raspberry she blew. "Back on topic. Aside from me, we should set the rest of you up on a rotating schedule to act as the Tenth's bodyguards, centered around a three by five-"
"Question," Yuri interrupted, her hand lifted into the air like an obedient student.
"Denied."
"Aw."
"But we're already going to be together most of the time," Yamamoto interrupted. "What's the point of setting up a schedule?"
"That was my question," Yuri added quickly, piggybacking on the break in conversation.
"Will you two idiots let me talk?!"
Just as the bomber finally lost his temper, his fists greeting the table top roughly, the shrill sound of a ringing phone pierced the air, stealing everyone's attention.
"Is that the room phone?" Tsuna asked, blinking in surprise.
"Do you see any other phones around?" Reborn replied with an annoyed tone.
"R-right…um, I guess I'll go…get that, then." Hesitation made his movements jerky as Tsuna pushed his chair out and wandered back inside, approaching the phone with a mixture of trepidation and confusion. The receiver made a small click as he lifted it out of the cradle and pressed it to his ear. Nothing but faint static. "H…hello?"
"Good afternoon, Vongola Tenth?" The voice was male, crisp and professional. The tension in Tsuna's shoulders and neck slowly dissipated as he realized the call had to be coming from the front desk.
"Yes?"
"You have a guest waiting for you in the main lobby." Just as quickly as it had disappeared, the tension returned.
"A…a guest?"
"Yes. We can't allow anyone who isn't a hotel patron to loiter around here for too long, so please come retrieve them quickly, if you can. Otherwise, we can turn them away."
"N…no, um…I'll be right there."
"Apologies for the inconvenience – we'll plan to see you in a moment, then."
"Okay…ah, w-wait!" It was too late, and the man had already hung up. "…who is it…?" Tsuna murmured to no one in particular.
"Who was it?" Reborn practically read his mind as he rejoined them out on the balcony.
"The lobby. Apparently I have a guest."
"Guest?" Gokudera repeated, his eyebrows drawing together, resting low over his eyes. "Who?"
"He didn't say," Grabbing a coat, Tsuna gave him a small helpless shrug.
"Could it be a trap?"
"Only one way to find out," Yuri pushed her chair out with a loud scrape of metal on tile, her frown identical to Gokudera's. "We'll go with you."
"I probably shouldn't get excited about this," Yamamoto grinned sheepishly as he and Ryohei leapt to their feet as well. "But we were just talking about how bored we've been feeling."
"We've been sitting around for too long," The boxer agreed, throwing a few jabs with his right fist. "A fight would be an extremely good way to get our blood flowing again!"
"I really hope that's not what this is about," Tsuna moaned, wearing an expression of blatant apprehension.
Slipping on their coats and shoes, they locked up the room and made their way to the elevator. Though they had only been there for a few days, they were already moving through the halls naturally, as though they had lived there for years.
When the doors slid open, Tsuna let out a small "Ah!" as his eyes immediately picked out a familiar figure by the entrance. Her hair was pulled back into a stubby little ponytail and her clothing was devoid of any wild prints or patterns, but Miyuki still managed to stand out in the crowd – partly because she was the only one staring at the inside of the building in slack-jawed awe.
"Miyu?" Tsuna and Yamamoto spoke at the same time as they stepped into the lobby, drawing her wide eyes down from the intricate designs on the ceiling to meet their own.
"This is where you're staying?" She demanded without offering so much as a greeting. "I was sure you had given me the wrong address! This isn't a hotel, this is a palace!"
"S-sorry?" Yamamoto offered hesitantly. "But what are you doing here?"
"Ahh, sorry," She apologized quickly, pulling a phone out of the heavy gym bag slung over her shoulder. "I'm running a bit late. I probably should have called ahead, but this was kind of an impulsive decision I made literally ten minutes ago – are you guys free right now? There's somewhere I'd like to take you."
"Um…" Tsuna was surprised to see Yamamoto turning to him with a hopeful look in his eyes, like he was asking him for permission. "Tsuna?"
"Well, we were just talking about how we don't have anything to do today, right?" He replied timidly, uncomfortable with the concept of being the one to call the shots. "If the others are up for it, I don't see why not?"
"If the Tenth wants to, then I'm fine with it," Gokudera replied gruffly, while Yuri just offered a small shrug and a nod. Ryohei didn't even need to voice his opinion; his expression alone did all of the talking.
"What about you, Reborn?" Tsuna asked, glancing over to the hitman on his shoulder.
"Oh?" Miyu blinked, leaning over to get a clearer view of the baby. "Here's a new face!"
"Oh, that's right," Tsuna had completely forgotten that the two hadn't met yet. Even after all this time, though, he still had absolutely no idea how to go about introducing the Arcobaleno. "T-this is Reborn, my, uh…"
"Ciaossu." He greeted easily. "I'm this No-Good kid's tutor."
"Tutor, huh?" Miyu looked amused, oblivious to the red creeping into Tsuna's cheeks. "Is that why you're wearing a suit?"
"That's what any respectable Mafioso wears. It's a hitman's uniform."
He never changes! Tsuna was screaming inside his head, frantically trying to think of a way to discredit Reborn's words, but Miyu just giggled.
"I see – your life must be exciting, then!"
"It's been a bit slow recently."
"Well, if you all come with me, it should be fun for at least a little bit. Would you like to join us?"
"Who else would keep an eye on this troublemaker?" Tsuna heaved a long, suffering sigh at Reborn's taunting smirk. "So I guess it's unanimous. We'll keep you company today."
"Lucky!" Miyu grinned. "Do you need to grab anything from your rooms?"
"Mm…I don't think so," Yamamoto replied after they had all checked their pockets and glanced around, trying to think of anything they might need.
"Oh good," She breathed a small sigh of relief. "Because I'm really going to be late at this rate, so we need to get going."
"Where is it that we're going, exactly?" Yamamoto finally asked what everyone was thinking as they followed her out into the afternoon sun, its warm rays caressing their faces.
"Guess!"
"…It's a secret, isn't it?"
"Mm-hmm," She hummed happily, a tiny skip in her step as she weaved between strangers wrestling for room on the sidewalk. "But it won't be for long, and if you were to guess correctly, well, who would I be to keep you from knowing?"
"You kind of look like you're getting ready to go to the gym?" Tsuna ventured. Her shoes were definitely athletic, and the gym bag was another dead giveaway.
"Looking like this?" She scoffed. "Wearing these baggy old sweats, I'm like a frumpy old lady; no way! You've got to look good when you hit up the gym."
"Why?" Yuri asked, incredulous. "You'd be getting all sweaty and gross anyways, wouldn't you? Who's there to impress?"
"You know, that 'practicality-above-all-else' attitude you've got is really starting to grow on me," Taking a sharp turn, Miyu grinned over her shoulder. "It's hard not to care how others see you, but it's smart."
"…It's not like I don't care…" Yuri grumbled, pushing her fists into the kangaroo pocket of her hoodie. "I just couldn't care less about people that I don't know."
"Right, right, an important distinction to be made," Miyu shot Yamamoto an exaggeratedly dubious smile that forced him to stifle a laugh. "By the way, you weren't lying the other day when you said you could match any pace I'd set, were you? I'll admit, I'm impressed you're all managing to keep up without so much as breaking a sweat."
"I told you, didn't I?" He laughed in response, lifting his arms behind his head with a smug air about him.
"Don't underestimate us, you grinning idiot," Gokudera growled indignantly. "This is nothing for the Tenth."
"Actually, I hadn't even noticed until just now," Tsuna commented, more to himself than anything, watching the ground race by beneath him as she had them cut through a parking lot. "But this isn't exactly a light stroll. We may as well be running at this point."
Beside him, Ryohei was letting out a satisfied yell, "This is extremely refreshing! You set the pace well, Nomiya! You'll have to join Aizawa and I on our next run!" The statement prompted a startled cough out of Yuri, whose lungs were already aching at the mere thought of it.
"Let's not get carried away," She almost sounded pleading. "I'm sure she's got better things to do."
"Not at all, that sounds great!" Miyu chirped ignorantly, completely unaware of Yuri's intense glare trained on her back. "Anyways, thanks to your stamina, it looks like I'm actually going to make it in on time! I'm glad you all brought coats," She slowed drastically as they apparently reached their destination, greeted by a pair of wide glass doors. "It can get a bit chilly in here."
Sure enough, as she pulled the door open, a wave of cool air blasted out, rolling over them and nipping at their noses like a dog greeting its owner. Confusion remained firmly in place on their faces as she led them through a wide lobby, greeting the receptionist behind the counter with a bright smile as they passed by. It wasn't until she pushed the second set of doors open that the realization dawned on all of them at once.
"You're a skater…" Yamamoto breathed, remembering what she had told him at lunch the other day. A massive rink stretched out before them, holding a smooth sheet of ice that multiple figures glided across, dancing on flashing blades of silver.
"I have extended practice sessions after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, since I don't have to worry about ballet lessons on those days," She explained, leading them behind a row of stone bleachers towards a door nestled into the nook. "I was feeling kind of badly about how things went on the rink at Rockefeller Center, and it struck me while I was dropping my schoolbag off at home that I could just take you all here with me."
"Is that alright?" Tsuna wondered as she pushed the door open, leading them into a small locker room. "Shouldn't we pay, or get some passes or something?"
"It'll be fine," She waved his concerns aside, setting her bag down on the bench underneath a wooden cubby where a coat was already hanging. The logo on the back looked like it matched the one they had seen plastered across the wall when coming in. "I pay my dues here, so I can spend my time in the rink however I want. On Tuesdays I usually just do two freestyles after school and head to the gym for off-ice training, but I figured I could push the gym trip back to Thursday this week and snag a third freestyle slot to bring you guys on for a bit of fun."
"F…freestyle?" Tsuna blinked as several familiar words sailed right over his head in unfamiliar context.
"Just some figure skating lingo," She laughed apologetically as she began pulling off layers of clothing, slipping out of a baggy sweatshirt and shimmying out of her sweatpants. Tsuna's eyebrows rose as he realized she somehow had more layers on, wearing a tank top and black formfitting pants underneath. He couldn't imagine how she had been running in all of that. "Freestyles are just forty-five minute sessions where we practice jumps and spins on an open rink – it's harder to do that when you have to share the rink with the public, you know? More likely to accidentally slice someone's face open if you don't pay attention."
"A…ah…" Gulping, Tsuna shared an uncomfortable glance with the others, trying hard to push the gruesome imagery out of his mind as she pulled on the club jacket that had already been hanging in the cubby.
"So basically," She continued, immune to their discomfort as she lifted her bag back onto her shoulder and ushered them towards the door. "If you're all willing to sit through my boring practice, I can give you about an hour on an empty rink. Trust me, it's a lot more fun when you aren't bumping into dozens of other people every time you try to move an inch."
"Well, we can probably handle that," Yuri mused as they stepped back out. "I can't imagine it can go any worse than last time, and it's not like we weren't just sitting around back at the hotel anyways."
"It'll be interesting to get a glimpse into a figure skater's life, too," Yamamoto added, nudging Miyu playfully with his elbow. "You don't usually get to see what kind of work goes into those performances."
"It's not all glitz and glamor," She shot him a wry smile, dumping her bag on the bleachers and gesturing for them to take a seat. "If you're really aiming to get somewhere in this field, you've got to be strict. Like, counting calories and getting up before the sun rises strict."
"Are you?" Tsuna asked, leaning forward curiously as she sat on the ground with her legs in a V and leaned forward, stretching out her spine. "Aiming to get somewhere?"
Pulling her legs in so that the soles of her shoes were touching, she twisted her body around to look at them, lips pursed, "Honestly? I'm not sure yet." Rolling onto her stomach, she reached back to grab her foot, stretching so that the toe of her shoe came in contact with the top of her head. "Don't get me wrong, I really love skating," She grunted out as she switched sides, before getting onto her knees and leaning straight back. "I just don't know if I want to dedicate my whole life to it."
They were listening to her talk, but the slightly freakish displays of flexibility had them all just a bit…distracted. Curious if it was just the gender difference, Tsuna glanced over at Yuri and was surprised to find her looking more disbelieving than the rest of them combined, eyes narrowed and one eyebrow permanently fixed above the other as her jaw hung open. Catching his gaze, she leaned over to whisper conspiratorially, "I can barely touch my toes."
The note of resentment in her voice made it hard for him to keep from laughing.
They watched Miyu stretch for a while longer, making sounds of general astonishment whenever she lifted her leg farther than they thought possible, or sounds of distinct alarm whenever she bent back just a bit too far for their tastes. Yamamoto was the only one that simply wore a knowing little smile.
"She's been doing stuff like this since she was three or four, I think," He explained as a group of older girls came off of the ice, walking over to greet Miyu. It was easy to tell that she was explaining the small group of teenagers whispering in Japanese from how she was gesturing at them over her shoulder, but they couldn't understand a word that was being said otherwise. The girls did giggle and wave, though, which was easy enough to understand, before leaving Miyu to continue warming up. "I'm pretty sure she's been doing ballet her whole life, so I'm used to seeing her twist herself up like a pretzel."
As she lifted her leg up onto the railing of the rink, the resemblance grew clearer, her stretches and movements clearly those of a ballet dancer at the barre. Even with no specific knowledge of such arts, they could all clearly see it: she was a dancer at heart.
"Okay, I know I said to watch," She covered her face with an embarrassed giggle as she glanced over her shoulder to see what they were whispering about, dropping her leg back into a normal position. "But don't stare quite so hard! I can feel you guys burning holes into the back of my head!"
"Sorry," Tsuna apologized quickly. "It's just…really impressive."
"This is?" She looked genuinely astonished. "I'd suggest you check out the kids on the ice, that's way more interesting than this. I'm just warming up while they finish their class."
Dutifully aiming their eyes in the direction she was pointing, they glanced out at a row of young children clumsily practicing small, easy spins.
"Huh," Yuri dropped her cheek into an open palm. "Cute."
"Do you like kids?" Tsuna asked, surprised by her reaction. Her cheeks grew a light shade of pink as she lifted her shoulders slightly, lips twisting into an unreadable expression.
"I've never really had the chance to spend time with any," She murmured. "But I like to watch. They're…innocent. Always happy. It's a nice change of pace for someone like me."
"Y…Yuri-" Whatever he had been about to say, it was cut off by a startled squawk as Miyu suddenly landed heavily beside him, just a bit too close to his fingers for comfort. "Did you just jump up here?" He squeaked. "From the floor?"
Bending her knees once more, she just gave him a small affirmative grunt as she threw her arms back and leapt over several more seats before turning around and running back down them, preparing to do it once more.
"Watch where you land!" Gokudera protested loudly in Tsuna's place.
"Sorry, did I startle you?" She asked, only panting slightly. "Well, I guess I did tell you not to pay attention to me. I'll be more careful," Despite saying that, Gokudera had to dive sideways to avoid getting kicked in the head as she sailed over the seats again.
"You've always been quite the little monkey!" Yamamoto leaned back with a laugh, lying across the bench with his arms as a pillow, not even flinching as she landed beside his head.
"Somehow, I feel like that title suits you better," She loomed over him with an impish grin, planting her hands on her waist.
"What? No way!"
"Way!" She countered, sticking her tongue out childishly as she made her way back down to the floor, bending over to reach into her bag. When she pulled out a jump rope, Ryohei suddenly snapped to attention.
"Oh!" He grinned excitedly, pointing right at her. "An extreme tool for any workout!"
"You got that right," Her teeth flashed deviously as she held the rope up. "Wanna have a go? We've got spares in the back." She didn't even have to wait for his response, darting back into the locker room as he leapt to his feet and rushed down to join her. "Think you can keep up with me?" She asked challengingly as she re-emerged, tossing the extra rope to him.
"Extreme sportsmanship," His grin matched hers as a competitive flame blazed to life in his eyes. "What are the rules?"
"Just follow my lead! If you mess up or have to stop before I'm done, you lose, if you keep up with me, you win!"
"I won't lose easily!"
"I'm counting on it," Grasping the handles, she threw the rope into the air and began to skip quickly and evenly. Without missing a beat, Ryohei easily matched the pace beside her. Compared to his usual…well, extremeness, Tsuna was surprised to find the boxer actually looked graceful, especially as they began to speed up to the point where he could hear the ropes better than he could see them as they tore through the air. "Can you go backwards?"
"Of course!" Without even the slightest pause, he easily turned the rope's rotation around, followed closely by Miyu, who stumbled slightly on the transition.
"I'm impressed," She puffed after a minute or so, her breaths starting to come out in short, powerful bursts. "You're good – Yamamoto said you were a boxer?"
"That's right!"
"I'm guessing you know what's next, then?"
Perfectly in sync, the two of them began to alternate between normal jumps and jumps with their forearms crossed, before settling into a much slower pace where they dropped into low squats every other time their feet cleared the rope.
"Ever the show-off," Yamamoto remarked, pushing himself back into an upright position. "Didn't I read somewhere that monkeys are good jumpers?"
"Oh, be quiet, no they aren't," Miyu struggled to laugh as she and Ryohei picked the pace back up, beginning to jump higher, bringing their ropes around for two full rotations every time.
"I'm pretty sure they are!" Yamamoto called out, keeping up the banter. "How else do they get from tree to tree so easily?"
"Th…they swing!" Miyu puffed out, her grin never faltering for a second. "You know…on ropes or vines or something!"
"And what do you call what you're doing right now?"
"Sh-shut up!" She let out a slight wheeze as she struggled not to giggle, barely recovering as the rope caught on her foot briefly. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? Trying to help him win?"
"Can't blame me for being a good underclassman!"
"That's bad sportsmanship, Yamamoto!" Ryohei joined in with a scolding. "I win my own competitions fair and square!"
"Yeah, that's right!" Miyu taunted, sticking her tongue out for a split second before thinking better of it. "You're a bad friend!"
"Aw, come on…!"
Watching the spectacle from a safe distance, the corners of Yuri's mouth curled towards the ground as the repartee carried on.
"They get along well, don't they? Bantering like they've known each other for years when they've only just reunited."
"I guess it's because they knew each other as kids?" Tsuna ventured, nodding in agreement.
"Childhood friends?" Yuri hummed thoughtfully, leaning forward to hover over Gokudera, who was sitting in front of them. "Wouldn't that mean we should be the same, then?"
"Hah?" Tilting his head back to return her gaze, his eyebrows pulled together and formed an irritated little crease. "Don't be stupid," Reaching up, he flicked her lightly on the forehead. Ignoring her small protest, he lowered his face again. "It's just their personalities."
Rubbing at her forehead, Yuri leaned back with a strangely satisfied look on her face, "Hm…yeah. I guess so."
"…" Watching with a raised eyebrow, Tsuna turned away with a small sigh, resting his chin on his knuckles.
"'They get along well too,'" Yelping as a sharp pain suddenly pierced through his ear, Tsuna found himself being forced to join Reborn at the baby's level. "'In their own weird way,' is what you're thinking. Right?"
"Ow, ow, ow, that hurts, ow, let go, let go!"
"Tch," The hitman had a way of sounding disappointed without even saying a word, but at least he did let go.
"Well…" Sitting back up, Tsuna cupped his stinging ear with both hands. "Yeah. I mean…they don't exactly get along well, like those two down there, but they do get along. In…in their own 'weird way'."
"Different experiences forge different bonds. Certain personality types just match others better. A lot of the times, opposites attract, but that doesn't necessarily mean that parallels repel."
"Don't spout stuff like that as if you're imparting some kind of sage wisdom. I was just thinking it looks nice…to have someone like that, who knows you really well, both the good and the bad, and still thinks you're worth spending time with." Before he could even blink, Tsuna suddenly found himself being yanked down by the ear yet again. "Ack!"
"You're sounding pathetic, Tsuna," The legitimately angry tone in Reborn's voice was enough to halt Tsuna's protests. "Do you think this family you've gathered doesn't know you? Doesn't know your good and bad sides? They've seen everything that makes you No-Good Tsuna, yet they still trust you and follow you – what do you call that?"
"Alright, alright, you've made your point!" Tsuna's eyes squeezed together as his ear was finally released for the second time, wincing as he sprung upright again. "I get it. I've got nothing to mope about." Turning his attention back down to the jump-roping duo as their competition finally came to an end, he watched Miyu turn with a flushed smile and lift a hand into the air, celebrating with an emphatic high five. "Yeah…" He murmured, chuckling as Miyu clutched her wrist the moment Ryohei turned away, quietly mouthing a big 'OW' as she stared at her reddening palm. "Things are good right now."
"Don't let me catch you forgetting again," Reborn murmured threateningly. "You've gotten too used to wallowing in self-pity, you can't even see when you've got a good thing right in front of you. I'll have to beat that habit out of you." His gaze lacked amusement as he watched his student scramble away with a frightened cry, but his lips curled into a familiar smile. "…That can wait until later, though."
At the other end of the bleachers, Tsuna gripped the railing as he peeked over the edge, calling down to where Miyu had migrated in the hopes of discouraging whatever abuse Reborn had in store for him next, "What are you working on now?"
"Hm?" She glanced up, lowering her arms slightly from the pose he had just caught her in as the others joined him in poking their heads over. "Just some off-ice warm ups. I've got a competition coming up, so I need to start dedicating any extra time I've got to my program." Lifting her arms back into position, she stretched her left leg out behind her, maintaining an impressive level of balance and stability. Turning, she took several graceful steps forward before launching into a low jump, then another. "I got a little carried away and threw a triple axel into the routine, thinking I would have nailed it by now."
"Is it hard?"
She took a deep breath, stepping in place as she rolled her neck and shook out her fingers.
"Hard…" She muttered, not exactly answering the question. As a look of pure determination settled into her eyes, she took two long strides across the floor, bent her knees, and leapt into a spectacularly high jump. Tucking her limbs, she spun through the air like a top before landing roughly on her left leg, having to hop backwards several times to keep from toppling over.
"Wow," Almost all of them exclaimed in unison, even Gokudera.
"Now that's something I never saw you do in ballet," Yamamoto was grinning from ear to ear as he hopped down to approach her. "Miyu, that was great!"
"Was that it?" Tsuna asked, his eyes bugging out of his skull. "The triple thing?"
"Heh…" She chuckled humorlessly, reaching down to grab her foot and roll her ankle around. "It was barely even a double."
"You're kidding," The doubt in his voice was poorly concealed, but she just gave him a little grimace, gaze still fixed on her foot. When she did lift her eyes, though, her expression brightened.
"The kids' class is finishing up," She smiled as the children that had previously been practicing their spins began to file off the ice. "I need to get ready."
Walking back to the bench with a slight skip, she began rummaging around in her bag once more, pulling out a battered looking pair of ice skates. There was clearly a time where they had once been a pristine white, but the surface of the boot had been scuffed too many times to count, the laces a dirty gray, and the seams starting to fray. Despite their ragged appearance, she held them like a pair of precious jewels, fingers working quickly but delicately as she slipped them onto her feet and began lacing them up.
Once she finished tightening the knots and tucking the excess laces into her boots, she stood and walked over to the rink's entrance, standing to the side so the children could step off of the ice. Tsuna blinked in surprise as her name came spilling from their lips gleefully, small fingers reaching up for high fives. Grinning, she dropped into a crouch, speaking excitedly in English as she patted each of them on the back and sent them on to find their parents.
"They know you?" Tsuna asked once the last little girl skipped past him, balancing precariously on the blades of her skates.
"Most of them, yeah," Miyu replied, still beaming as she lifted one leg to pry the plastic guard off of her skate. "I work as a teacher's assistant for the kids' classes on the weekends."
"You're…really dedicated, aren't you?" His eyebrows rose, prompting a small laugh out of her.
"Of course, but I didn't really have too much of a choice. I wouldn't be able to skate otherwise." She laughed again as he tilted his head to the side, giving her a confused look. "I, uh…I can't afford it. Private lessons are pretty expensive." The topic clearly made her uncomfortable, her fingers working at the back of her neck as her eyes darted to the ground. "I just pestered them until they agreed to let me trade work for lessons. I teach on the weekends, run errands, help maintain the rink and clean the building…it's unglamorous, but I think it's worth it."
"That's really impressive," Tsuna murmured. He couldn't think of any kind of hobby that he had ever been so serious about. Ironically, the only thing he had ever taken seriously was the mafia.
"Not at all!" She laughed awkwardly, waving her hand dismissively as she stepped onto the ice and pivoted around to yank off her other skate guard. "I started later than most other figure skaters, so I just have to put in the extra work if I want to have any hope of catching up, that's all!"
"Somehow, I don't quite believe you…" Tsuna muttered, rejoining the others on the bleachers as she turned with a small wave and made her way to the center of the rink.
"I'm kind of amazed, actually," Yamamoto said, scooting over so Tsuna could sit beside him. "I didn't think she was capable of something like that."
"The skating?"
"No, no – she's always been one of those people who are just…good at things. They barely even have to try before they get the hang of something new, you know?"
Like you? Tsuna couldn't help thinking, amused by how unaware Yamamoto seemed to be of the fact.
"No matter what she did, people always said she was gifted, a natural."
"That sounds nice," Tsuna sighed. "It's like the exact opposite of me."
"I hate people like that," Gokudera glowered from Yamamoto's other side, watching Miyu through narrowed eyes as she glided around the ring with her coach, performing simple leaps. "Anyone who coasts through life on talent alone is a fluke, getting success they don't deserve."
"I don't quite see it that way," Yamamoto chuckled as Gokudera glared daggers at him. "She was never happy. She just did whatever people told her to, and never really thought about what she wanted, I don't think. Everything was boring, because there wasn't any challenge to it."
"Why are you saying that like it's a bad thing? It's better if you can master things more quickly! It's efficient!"
"Think about it, though! The best part of learning new things is the challenge – the fact that you put so much effort into it and it finally paid off, that's why it means something in the end, isn't it?"
"That makes sense," Tsuna concurred thoughtfully.
"That's why I'm surprised. She never took much of anything seriously when we were kids, she mostly just fooled around. All the time, even…even I got sick of it now and then. I've never seen her make a face like that." Tsuna glanced up as she glided by on one leg, lips slightly parted and her brow furrowed deeply in concentration. "She's so focused. It's really weird."
"It's good," Ryohei added. "Everyone needs something to be extremely passionate about."
"Mmn…" The swordsman hummed in agreement, but he didn't sound completely convinced. As a lull settled over their conversation, they turned their full attention to the figures on the ice. Miyu wasn't the only occupant, but the rink had emptied out significantly compared to when they had first arrived, allowing her to… "Wait, is she dancing?"
Sure enough, her movements had shifted from repetitive jumps and spins to something more fluid. Rather than confining herself to a corner, she had begun to utilize the entire rink, and as she skated past them once more, they could just barely see the earbuds tucked into her ears. The brilliant smile she wore, on the other hand, was hard to miss as she practically floated across the cold surface, her arms spread like wings.
Once the routine ended, she dove right back into it without stopping for even a minute to catch her breath, and continued to do so over and over again until Tsuna felt as though even he knew her routine by heart. Just as his eyelids were beginning to droop, he caught a flash of movement from the corner of his eye that prompted him to glance over to his right. He hardly expected to make eye contact with that simple action, nearly jumping a foot into the air.
The icy eyes staring back at him belonged to a boy who couldn't have been more than a year or two older than himself, dark blond hair pulled straight back and held in place with copious amounts of gel and hairspray. It was his intense glare that caught Tsuna's attention, though, impelling him to quickly whip his head the other way.
"Hey," He whispered, jabbing Yamamoto lightly in the ribs. "I-is the boy over there looking at us strangely?"
"Hm?" Without using any discretion, the swordsman stretched his neck to look straight at the boy. "Yeah. Why?"
"I don't know!" Tsuna hissed, yanking hard on his friend's sleeve in an effort to make him to stop staring. "I just looked over for a second and he was staring right at us!"
"Maybe his face is just stuck like that, and he doesn't know?"
"I don't think anyone can wear an expression with that much malice and not know."
"Wow, Gokudera, that's a really good impression!" Tsuna let out a small, panicked sound as he realized the bomber had noticed the newcomer as well, and was scowling right back at him with just as much derision.
"G-Go-Gokudera! What are you doing, don't provoke him!"
"He pisses me off," The bomber snarled. "Looking at the Tenth like that, who does he think he is?" As he moved to stand, his hand undoubtedly reaching for a stick of dynamite that he had tucked away, Yuri's arm looped under his and locked around his left shoulder as Yamamoto pressed down on his right, forcing him back into his seat.
"Who are we starting a fight with?" Yuri asked, while Ryohei peeked past her with an excited glint in his eyes.
"Fight?" He repeated, like a pet waiting for a treat.
"Nobody, we're not fighting anyone!" Tsuna waved his hands, desperately trying to defuse the situation.
"What a pitiful boss," Reborn joined in, leaping onto his student's shoulder. "If someone shows disrespect, you need to pound fear into them until they can't remember why they even thought to cross you in the first place."
"Exactly!" Gokudera agreed emphatically, making another thwarted attempt to confront the stranger.
"No! No, no, no, we're not doing any of that!"
"Tenth, he needs to learn his place!"
"He is a stranger that looked at us!" Tsuna hissed. "Besides, we don't have any power in the States, right? Picking a fight would just be assault, not some twisted show of dominance!"
Unable to form an adequate argument, the bomber simply opted to continue his scowling match, but the blond had already lost interest in them. Feet already clad in skates, he was preparing to step onto the ice, eyes wide with shock as Miyu barreled towards him.
"What is she…? Is everyone here crazy?" Tsuna mumbled, watching in horror as the girl continued to pour on the speed, showing no signs of slowing down. Just as she was about to slam into the boy, she planted her hands on his shoulders and he took a step back, grabbing hold of her waist and lifting her over his head. For a split second, Tsuna feared that he actually planned to throw her – but she remained suspended, stretching her limbs out and arching her back.
Her grin turned sheepish as an angry shout sounded from the other side of the rink, her coach skating towards them, his face redder than a tomato. Scowling, the blond boy set her down roughly but safely, bopping her on the head just a bit harder than seemed necessary. Ignoring it, she turned to face the coach's scolding, rubbing the back of her head as his voice continued to rise. Finally, he gestured at her bag and moved back out into the center of the rink.
"Miyu, what?" Tsuna spoke up immediately as she glided up to them, rubbing his temples in an attempt to discourage a headache from forming. "What…what was that? Is that normal? Who is that?"
"He was giving the Tenth a dirty look!" Gokudera added quickly, clearly prioritizing that above all else.
"Oh," She snorted. "That's just Chris – don't mind him, he does that to everyone."
"And that's why you literally threw yourself at him, or do you do that to everyone?" Yuri asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, no," Miyu laughed, pulling her earbuds out and hanging the wire around her neck. "He's my partner. I decided to try out pair skating at the beginning of the year, and my coach decided to pair me up with him."
"You guys must be close," Yamamoto noted. "It looks like you've got a lot of trust in each other." This only drew another snort out of her.
"Well, in pair skating, that's pretty much the first and most basic requirement, but…ah, let me just say this: on the ice, I trust him as far as he can throw me, but off the ice it's the other way around. He's a grade-A jerk with nerves of steel. The only way I can get him to even flinch is if I get reckless, like I did just now, but that always gets me an earful from our coach. Even so, I'd say it's completely worth it."
"Wow. You really don't like him – what did he do to earn that?"
"Are you kidding?" Turning around, she leaned against the wall, propping her elbows up against the stone as she glared daggers at Chris. "He is by far the worst bully at my high school, and I was apparently an easy target my freshman year. He tormented me."
"Then, why…?" Tsuna left the question hanging, unsure quite how to finish it. Glancing over her shoulder, she gave him a look that made him feel as though he should already know the answer.
"He lets me skate." Turning her gaze back around, she gave a small shrug. "I'll be the first to admit, he's good – if I'm working with him, I can just focus on myself without needing to worry about what he's doing. He's insufferable, but we share a goal as long as we're sharing a rink. Sabotaging me would mean sabotaging himself, so there aren't any mind games, no deliberate attempts to trip me…we constantly try to outclass each other, but that's as bad as it gets." After a moment of nothing but silence, she turned to face them once more and was met with several blank faces.
"That…uh…"
"Don't worry about it," She laughed, skating over to the entrance and slipping the plastic guards back over her blades as she stepped off of the ice. "In any case, I'm just about done, so…what do you guys say? Ready to come out and join me?"
"You won't leap at us, will you?"
"You have my word," She promised solemnly. "Don't worry, it'll be fun, I promise. Yuri, if you can just reach into my bag really quickly, there should be a notebook and a few pens…yeah, there you go. If you guys can just write down your shoe sizes, we can go get your skates."
Nodding, Yuri tore a piece of paper out and scribbled something across the top before passing it down to Ryohei. When the paper finally reached Miyu, she led them back to the main lobby, grinning broadly as the receptionist began pulling out one pair of skates after another, lining them up on the counter. Once everyone had grabbed their respective pairs, Miyu sat them down on a bench and showed them how to lace the boots up properly. In Ryohei's case, she had to step in and tie the laces for him when he simply made a large knot, ignoring the hooks completely.
Having already done it once before, they didn't have much trouble walking back out to the rink. When they finally made it onto the ice, though, it was another situation entirely.
"Stick close to the walls for now," Miyu instructed, skating backwards slowly and holding her arms out as though to catch them if they fell. Evidently, she barely even blinked, much less made a move to save him as Tsuna's feet immediately slipped out from underneath him. "Don't worry, that's going to happen a lot more from now on," She giggled, grabbing onto the wall and digging her toe pick into the ice as she helped him back up.
"And you said this was supposed to be fun?" He groaned, rubbing at his newly bruised tailbone.
"It's hard at first, but everyone gets the hang of it pretty quickly!" She grinned as Gokudera and Yamamoto both glided to his side, offering their help as well. "You'll get it in no time!"
"Easy for you to say…"
"Um," Yuri interrupted, pointing at a certain boxer's back as he shot off across the ice in a straight line, arms pin wheeling wildly to keep himself upright as he ran straight into the wall.
"Oh gosh," Miyu murmured, letting go of Tsuna's hand to skate after Ryohei. "I didn't expect that."
"Oww…" Tsuna groaned once more, his back already reunited with the ice. "M…maybe I should just wait back on the bleachers."
"Don't give up, Tenth!" Gokudera encouraged, frantically trying to pull his boss back upright. "The physics of this are simple! Once you understand the proper weight distribution, friction and heat output, along with the proper angles and trajectories to use in conjunction with each other, it'll be as simple as breathing! Here, I can go get that Grinning Idiot's notebook-"
"No, that's alright!" Automatically waving his arms, Tsuna found himself falling for the third time already. "I…I really think I should just wait-"
"Going to chicken out again, No Good Tsuna?" Reborn asked, gliding by deftly on a pair of skates that looked suspiciously similar to Leon. "You've only fallen three times and you're ready to throw in the towel. Try taking a look at your other friends."
Grumbling as he hauled himself back up, Tsuna clung to the wall, standing on wobbly ankles as he scanned the rest of the rink. Just a few yards ahead of him, Yuri was in a similar position, her legs quavering as she focused on putting one foot in front of the other. With every other step, her skate would fly forward or backward, forcing her to hook her arms over the edge of the wall and cling for dear life. And already at the other end of the rink, Ryohei was tumbling over yet another wall, yelling loudly as Miyu trailed after him with outstretched arms and a deeply concerned expression.
"Do you see either of them getting ready to give up?"
"Okay," Heaving a big breath, Tsuna grabbed the wall with both hands and struggled to walk forward. "I get it, I'll keep trying."
"That's the spirit!" Yamamoto grinned. "Just think of it as floating on a cloud, then it's not so scary! Fluffy, fluffy," He took off towards the center easily, skating in a wide circle with wide strokes. "Fura-fura! Furaaaaa-furaaaaaaa!"
"…"
"What kind of idiotic advice is that?" Gokudera snapped.
"Huh? I think it makes perfect sense!" Yamamoto countered as he started to skate backwards, only the slightest wobble in his knees.
"It's like you're speaking a different language! How is this anything like a cloud?"
"It's like floating!"
"You-!"
"Why don't you both just do it your way and see who skates better?" Yuri suddenly interrupted, skidding to a clumsy halt beside Tsuna. "Do a couple of laps around the rink or something. Frankly, I think Yamamoto's making more sense than you are, Hayato."
The bomber made a small choking noise, his eyes narrowing dangerously as Yamamoto laughed lightheartedly.
"What are you laughing at?" He snapped. "Fine! Start from that entrance over there, we'll do three laps! You don't stand a chance!"
"You think? I guess we'll see, but I've got a good feeling about this!"
As the two skated off, trading mockery and insults, Tsuna breathed a small sigh of relief.
"Thanks, Yuri."
"It didn't look easy to concentrate with that going on around you," She glanced down at their feet, raising her eyebrows. "It looks like you're starting to get the hang of it, though."
"Eh?" Glancing down as well, Tsuna realized his feet were no longer wobbling uncontrollably. "I'd hardly call this 'getting the hang of it'. I still can't take a step without holding the wall."
"Neither can I," She countered with an amused, if not slightly irritated smile. "I almost feel bad, cutting the ice up like I am."
"Don't be ridiculous," Miyu suddenly cut into the conversation, gliding up beside them. "That's literally all it's there for. Don't underestimate ice's resilience. You're both picking this up pretty quickly, by the way."
"You don't need to be nice," Tsuna grumbled, glancing at the boys racing around the rink. Gokudera practically looked like a professional already, and while Yamamoto was a bit clumsier, he was a natural. Ryohei had joined the fray as well, and though he hadn't quite figured out how to turn properly yet, he was keeping up surprisingly well.
"What, them?" Miyu watched as they finished another lap, giggling at their varied performances. "You can't compare yourself to them – they're freaks. Look, when I first started, I spent months just falling. I would probably get one successful jump in every twenty-five tries or so, and it was the same for everyone else here. Don't get down on yourself for falling a few times."
"R-right," Tsuna gave her an embarrassed chuckle. "This is just for fun, anyways. It's not like I'm being graded, right?"
"Exactly. Here," She lined herself up behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "This should help you feel a little more balanced. Just keep one hand on the wall, and if you feel yourself falling forward, push back instead and I'll catch you."
"Okay," Narrowing his eyes in concentration, he began putting one foot in front of the other again. He almost fell several times, but Miyu kept her promise and successfully kept him upright, yanking him back onto his feet over and over again. Several times, Yuri had to dive in and grab his hands as well, but eventually, he began to improve.
"And there you go!" Miyu exclaimed after a while, clapping happily as he glided forward without any support from her or the wall. "I told you!"
"A-ahaha…" He chuckled disbelievingly. "I didn't think it was possible."
"Way to go, Tsuna!" Yamamoto called out, slowing down as they came around for another lap.
"Looking good, Tenth!"
"Extremely good progress!" Without slowing down in the slightest, Ryohei snatched Tsuna's wrist in a vise-like grip, dragging the boy along after him. "You should join our race!"
"Eh, wait, Onii-san!"
"Oi, turf-top, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
And just like that, they were all off again, Tsuna just barely managing to stay upright for half of the lap before losing his balance and face planting.
"Ooh, that looked painful," Miyu grimaced.
"They're too rough on him sometimes," Yuri agreed. "But it's nothing he can't handle."
"That isn't hard to believe, for some reason. So, what about you?"
"Me?"
"You've gotten pretty good yourself – want to learn a jump or two before we wrap up?"
"I…don't think that's a good idea."
"Come on," Grabbing the girl's wrists, Miyu tugged her towards a vacant corner. "At least give it a shot."
"Just wait, you'll agree with me soon enough."
"We'll see," She said teasingly. "Here, look…this one's easy, it's called a toe loop…"
"Hello? Earth to Takeshi?" Yamamoto blinked as Kazuo's face suddenly appeared just inches in front of his own. "Anybody home?"
"S-sorry," He apologized quickly, pulling back. "I guess I'm a little more tired than I thought, what did you say?"
"It was fun, right?" Miyu repeated, giving him a strange look.
"Ah, yeah! Thanks for taking us!"
When their time on the ice had finally come to an end, Miyu had somehow been the only one shivering. After sharing countless falls from managing Ryohei, helping Tsuna, and recklessly trying to perform lifts with Yuri, her clothes had been soaked nearly straight through. When they returned to the locker room, she had decided to just change out of her practice clothes and into the warm (and substantially drier) outfit that she had arrived in. Because she was wearing a leotard beneath everything else, she didn't even think twice about stripping right in front of them, shocking nearly everyone.
When she slipped her pants off, though, nobody could look away.
"M…Miyu…" Was all he had been able to choke out at first. "What are those?"
Her hips and thighs were riddled with dark, mottled bruises. It had almost looked like an abstract work of art, blues and purples in some places, dull yellows and greens in others.
"Huh?" She had looked genuinely puzzled for a moment before following their shocked gazes down to the injuries. She laughed just a bit too quickly. "Ah, too many bad falls in a row – I told you didn't I? I spend more of my time falling than I do sticking the landing!" When she pulled her shirt off, they could see that her back was in a similar condition.
"You aren't pushing yourself too hard…are you?"
"Oh, these are nothing. Trust me, they look worse than they are – any other skater will tell you the same thing."
Though it was certainly easy to see how one could accumulate that many bruises from falling onto a hard surface over and over again, it had left a bad taste in his mouth.
When the worried looks refused to leave their faces, she suggested a spontaneous hospital visit to see Kazuo. In the end, though, everyone else opted to return to the hotel – most likely to finish their earlier discussion concerning the Trovare – so Yamamoto ended up being the only one to accompany her, not wanting to miss out on the chance to see his friend again.
"You know, skating exercises a lot of muscle groups that you don't usually use," Miyu said, leaning in to examine his face more closely. "If you're tired, I can easily call you a cab."
"Don't push yourself just for me," Kazuo agreed, leaning back against the pillows on his bed. "I'm sure there'll be more chances for you to come visit!"
"No, I'm fine!" Yamamoto brushed their worries aside quickly. "I'm sure I'll perk back up soon enough. I always get drowsy when the sun is setting."
"Well, if you say so," Propping his chin on his fist, Kazuo gave him an impish grin that looked unnervingly similar to Miyu's. "You should make sure to take care of yourself, though. Last time you were here, that boxer friend of yours told me you broke your arm a couple years back when you pushed yourself too hard."
"Ah," Yamamoto's eyes darkened at the memory. "Don't worry. I had a good friend at the time that helped me come to my senses."
"That's good to hear. You have no idea how worried I was that you'd get yourself into trouble after I left."
"What? Why would you worry about that?"
"You're gullible, don't deny it! Gullible and naïve!"
"That's kind of harsh, isn't it?"
"You think so? I always thought those were your charm points. The girls in your class loved that about you, didn't they?"
"That they did," Miyu laughed. "I remember the first time one of our classmates told you about cooties, right before Valentine's Day. At least a dozen girls experienced their first broken hearts when you refused all of their chocolate."
"You're kidding!" Kazuo grinned, his eyes flashing as he elbowed Yamamoto playfully. "You never told me you were a heartbreaker!"
"I-I'm not! That didn't-! I wasn't-! I don't remember that at all!"
They almost didn't notice a nurse poking her head into the room as they continued laughing. The young woman wore a timid smile, looking reluctant to interrupt the conversation, but she finally tapped Miyu's shoulder and said something quickly in English.
"Mm, okay," Miyu nodded, turning back to them as she stood and followed the nurse out. "I'll be right back."
"Ahh, I'm jealous!" Kazuo exclaimed before Yamamoto could even ask what that had been about. "I wish I could have gone with you guys! I only got to try skating once or twice before I got stuck in this bed."
"Y-yeah…" Yamamoto tried to match his laughter, but it came out sounding strained and awkward. Glancing down at his feet, he tried to think of a way to respond, a way to phrase the question that seemed to be dancing along his tongue, knocking on his teeth and pressing against his lips. But before he knew it, his pause had drawn out into an uncomfortably long silence, and then Kazuo was sighing.
"So she told you."
"…I…why…" Opening and closing his mouth, Yamamoto shook his head, licking his lips as he continued to struggle with the question.
"Why did I lie?" Kazuo offered. The swordsman froze for a moment, then nodded. "Ah…I'm used to protecting you. Even though you're sitting right in front of me, it's hard for me to remember that you're not that scrawny little kid who used to cry over a scraped knee. I thought about telling you, but every time I tried, my throat would just close up. Your mom-"
"That has nothing to do with this." Suddenly, Yamamoto's voice started working again, and it was firmer than ever. "That isn't a reason to keep something like this a secret."
"No, it's not," Kazuo agreed with a rueful sigh. "But don't act like it has 'nothing to do with this'. I remember her. How full of life she was, how bright her smile could be, how she'd blow on your cuts and scrapes and tell you she was sending them to visit the stars to get healed up. And I remember watching you while you watched that life drain out of her. I just…I didn't want to put you through that again. It didn't feel fair."
"Look at you," Yamamoto let out a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "Talking about how this is unfair to me? You're just as crazy as you were back then."
"…I'm sorry."
"Don't tell me sorry. I don't need to hear sorry. I need to hear that you're going to get better! I need to know that you're still going to be here next week, and next year and the year after that and after-" His voice gave a little hitch, cutting his words off. Kazuo wasn't looking away, and there was a sad, strained smile on his face…but he wasn't saying anything.
"I'm sorry, Takeshi. I really am."
Suddenly, they could hear Miyu's voice, even through the closed door. The words were in English, indecipherable to Yamamoto's ears, but her voice was climbing in both volume and pitch, taking on a shaky panicked tone that sounded as though she were on the edge of tears. Even though he couldn't understand, he knew. She was begging.
"What are they saying?" This time, Kazuo did look away, turning to stare out the window. When Yamamoto spoke again, his voice wobbled the way Tsuna had on the ice. "Sempai. What are they saying?"
A deep breath, shoulders rising high and falling back down in defeat.
"They're telling her that we can't afford the treatment." He took a long pause, drawing out the silence for as long as he could. "And that without it…I've got a year left to live, at best."
Yamamoto finally crumpled. Chest heaving. Eyes stinging. Ears ringing so loudly they almost drowned out the endless loop of I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…
Yamamoto never thought he'd be so relieved to recognize the translator's face among the staff when he finally strode back through the hotel's entrance.
"Oh my, the Vongola Tenth's young guardian! Welcome back, sir – your family is waiting in their rooms, I believe."
"Ah, thanks, but…I was actually looking for you."
"Oh! Well, of course, what can I do for you?"
"You…" The swordsman rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. What he was about to say felt weird just resting in his mind, he couldn't even begin to imagine it coming out of his mouth. "You're…well acquainted with the mafia…right?"
"That is the line of business we're in, isn't it? I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific."
"Is there a way to make a lot of money in a short amount of time?"
Jonathan blinked, eyebrows practically lifting into his hairline.
"…yes…" He drew out the word, sounding it out cautiously. "Plenty, in fact. I assume you realize that none of them are legal, per se?"
"Yes."
"And it's certainly not my place to question your judgment, but I do feel it's my moral duty to let you know that none of them are safe or necessarily…ethical."
"I…I assumed."
"…If you're sure."
"I haven't made a decision yet, or anything, I just…want to know the options."
"Of course. I can have information sent up to your room within the hour."
"You…aren't going to ask why?"
"In my experience, I've learned not to. The Vongola Tenth's family is young, but you've all shown nothing but capability and competence thus far. I trust your reasons are sound."
"Oh. Well…Thank you."
"Of course." Jonathan bowed deeply before turning away. "I hope your situation resolves itself."
Taking a deep breath, Yamamoto held it for several seconds before letting it back out. By the time he drew in his next breath, his familiar broad grin was back in place, as though it had never even shattered.
A/N: Oh dear. I started this chapter off on a lighthearted note, and it just kind of slingshotted around to whatever this is that I just spewed out, because plot. Sorry if the entire skating portion of this chapter feels a bit slow - I started researching figure skating when I first started drafting this chapter up and it got out of hand (if any of you are interested in skating, though, I highly recommend watching some of the montages out there; the things that those athletes are able to do and the work that they put into it just absolutely astounds me!) Unfortunately that led to my first draft being very factually correct and also horribly boring. I've been trying to fix that ever since, but things were just getting to a point where I had to either post or slip into another hiatus, so I just decided to post. I hope you all are able to enjoy it regardless! And since V-Day just flew by, I hope you got to spend the day with someone special, and if not, that you spent the day pampering yourself! As always, thank you so so so much for all of the love and support that you guys have given me this past year! Stay safe!