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"Talking"

'Thoughts'

Precious Sky

Chapter 2

Tsuna ducked into an alley and ran down it. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure it was clear or if he was still being followed. When he didn't see anyone, he sighed in relief, but didn't stop running. He wasn't going to give them the chance to catch up to him.

At the end of the alley, Tsuna turned to the left and continued to run. He ran faster and faster. He has never run this fast before so he could feel the strong pull in his muscles with each step he took. Maybe he should have gotten lessons from someone to train him so he could run this fast without the pain of running or the fact that it tired him out greatly.

His breathe was coming out in heavy gasps by now. He looked over his shoulder again to see if they had caught up to him yet when it was the front of him he should have been more worried about. Because the moment he got distracted, he was at a corner and that was when he met another body that sent him flying back into the pavement. At the same time, he heard the clatter of something hitting the ground.

"Ow." Tsuna muttered, rubbing his behind and glancing up to see who he hit. He really hoped it wasn't a bully. Though, when the other boy started to laugh, he realized there was no way it was a bully. The boy in front of him had slightly spiky hair and very kind brown eyes. There was a baseball bat sitting next to him.

"Hahaha, I'm sorry about that. I wasn't paying attention." The boy replied cheerfully.

Tsuna smiled at him. "I should apologize as well. I wasn't paying attention either."

"Then it's no problem." He said, smiling as he stood up and grabbed his bat. He held a hand out to Tsuna to help him up. "By the way, I'm Yamamoto–"

"Takeshi." Tsuna finished. "I know. We go to the same school. In fact, we're in the same class."

Yamamoto blinked and blushed a bit. "We are? I never noticed."

Tsuna shrugged. "No worries. You're popular, I'm not. You talk to others; I silently observe everyone and everything. It's no surprise you don't notice me."

"So what's your name?" Yamamoto asked.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi, but you can call me Tsuna. In fact, I'd prefer it if you call me that." Tsuna told him.

"Alrighty, Tsuna, so why are you running as if trying to escape something?" Yamamoto asked amused.

Chuckling slightly, Tsuna scratched the back of his head. "Well, my brothers are being annoying. They keep insisting I'm going to be kidnapped the moment they take their eyes off me so I'm escaping from their protective grasp."

"Sounds intriguing." Takeshi said with a chuckle. "Can I play your little game?"

Tsuna blinked. Since when was he playing a game? "I'm not sure if you want to get involved."

Disappointment flashed in Yamamoto's eyes, but it disappeared so quickly that it was difficult to notice at first. In fact, most people would have missed, but since Tsuna was already so observant, he noticed it immediately. He also noticed the fake smile that he plastered on his face. "I guess if you want to, you can come with me, though I don't know where I'm going."

"A friend's house?" Yamamoto suggested, grinning for real now.

Tsuna rubbed his head sheepishly. "Um, I don't have any friends."

Yamamoto blinked. "Seriously? Why not? You seem nice, just a bit quiet."

"Because I spend more time being an observer than joining in." Tsuna explained quietly.

"Then we'll hide at my place. Since your brothers don't know me, they won't find you there." Yamamoto decided and snatched Tsuna's small wrist and dragged him along.

Tsuna blinked, but smiled slightly. "Thank you, Yamamoto-kun."

As they were walking, or more like Yamamoto walking and Tsuna being dragged along, the latter kept staring at the slightly taller boy. He couldn't get over the fact that he saw that fake smile on the boy. He remembered him from class. He was always surrounded by friends so why did Tsuna always feel that the smiles and laughs he saw from the boy felt fake? It wasn't right. Someone as nice as Yamamoto shouldn't be giving such fake smiles.

It came as a slight surprise to Tsuna when Yamamoto stopped in front of a sushi shop. Noticing the confused look, the black haired boy smiled. "This is the shop my dad owns. We live above it."

"Ah, okay." Tsuna said.

Yamamoto and Tsuna entered the restaurant, slipped their shoes off and slippers on before heading over to the bar counter. "Yo, dad."

"Hello, Takeshi." Yamamoto's dad's eyes paused on the brown haired boy with his son. "Ah, greetings, young one. I am Yamamoto Tsuyoshi."

"Sawada Tsunayoshi." Tsuna gave the older gentleman a bow. "It is nice to meet you, Yamamoto-san."

"Dad, Tsuna and I are playing a game. We're going upstairs, kay?" Yamamoto asked

As he got the nod saying it was okay, Yamamoto was dragging Tsuna up the stairs that were at the back of the shop. They reached the top of the stairs and went down the hallway until they reached a room that overlooked the street below. The room had a bed in the corner with the window next to it. Opposite of the bed was a t.v. with a game system hooked up to it and a few video games lying around it. Tsuna noticed a couple fighting games and baseball games. There was a dresser, a closet, and some baseball gear lying around on the blue carpet.

While Tsuna sat gingerly on the floor, Yamamoto moved over to the window and looked down at the street. "How many brothers do you have?"

"Oh, I only have one, but all of my brother's friends are like brothers to me, except Elena. She is like a sister to me." Tsuna explained. "But she isn't chasing me all over the place and saying I need protected."

Yamamoto nodded and sat on the floor with his back to the window. "Protected from what though?"

Tsuna shrugged. "Who knows? All I know is that I can only take so much of this. It's been going on for three weeks. I used to be able to take as long as I want to get home from school, but now, I always have one of my brothers waiting for me after school to drag me home. I can never stop at the park or stop to get ice cream now cause of them."

Yamamoto gave him a small smile. That did sound like a lot of fun. It would be great to be able to go get ice cream with a friend after school or even go to a park.

When he noticed the sadness appear and disappear in their light brown eyes again, Tsuna frowned and moved so he was sitting in front of the boy. He waited until Yamamoto was looking at him in confusion. "Yamamoto-kun, why are you so fake?" He asked gently and calmly.

The taller boy blinked in shock. "What?"

Tsuna smiled, but it wasn't a cheerful smile. It was a grim, determined smile. "You are always around friends and classmates, but you are never happy. You are always putting on a fake smile and I always see sadness flash in your eyes. Why? What is wrong?"

"If you're such a great observer, then I shouldn't have to tell you." Yamamoto said bitterly, no longer putting up his act now that Tsuna had seen right through it.

"I have an idea, but I want you to tell me." Tsuna said.

"Why? Why should I tell you when you already know the problem?" Yamamoto snapped.

Tsuna closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, there was a coolness in them and they seemed to have a tint of orange in them now. "I'm not one hundred percent sure and plus, I think you need to say it."

Anger flashed in Yamamoto's eyes. "Say it?" He growled, leaning closer to Tsuna to grab him by the shoulders. "Say what?" His grip tightened on Tsuna's shoulder to a bruising grip. "Say that all my classmates only like me because I'm popular and good at baseball. Say that my teammates only like me because I play a good game. Say that they are only my friends until I can no longer play a good game. Say that my life sucks! There is nothing true in it. It is all fake and no one notices because they don't care. I bet I could kill myself and no one would truly care that I was gone."

By the time he was finished, Yamamoto's voice was hoarse as he was yelling and his hold on Tsuna weakened so much that Tsuna could pull himself free, but chose not to. Instead, he grabbed Yamamoto's wrist in his small hands. "Yamamoto-kun, don't say that. There are people who would miss you if you were gone. Don't give up so easily. I'm sure you can find people who would want to be your friends and not for you skills in a sport. And those friends are the only ones who truly matter. Then there is your dad. He wouldn't want you to kill yourself. You are his son. He loves you a lot."

To Tsuna's surprise, Yamamoto started laughing. He was laughing so hard that he fell forward and buried his face in Tsuna's shoulder. His whole body was shaking with his laughter. "O-one person, Tsuna. Name one person who would be my friend if not for popularity or because of my skills in baseball."

"Me." Tsuna said quietly without an ounce of hesitation. "I'll be your friend."

The upset, crazy laughter stopped and Yamamoto pushed off of Tsuna to stare at him surprised. "What?"

Tsuna rolled his eyes, but with a fond smile. "Are you deaf or something? I'll be your friend, though I'm not sure how to be friends since I never had any before."

"Hahaha, and I never had a true friend, Tsuna. We'll learn together." Yamamoto said, laughing loudly.

Tsuna chuckled a bit and moved back to his sit in front of the bed. "Yama–"

"Takeshi." Yamamoto interrupted, grinning. "If I can call you be your first name, then you can call me by mine."

Smiling brightly, Tsuna nodded. "Alright, Takeshi-kun."

Yamamoto shook his head. "Nope. No honorifics, Tsuna. Just Takeshi. Unless you want to call me Takeshi-sama and make me your leader." He said teasingly when it looked like Tsuna was going to protest.

"I think not. If anyone shall be leader, it shall be me, Takeshi!" Tsuna argued mockingly, grinning at his first friend.

Takeshi stood up and bowed to Tsuna. "Of course. I am deeply sorry for undermining you, boss."

When Tsuna's and Takeshi's eyes met, they both burst out laughing. "Boss!" Tsuna cried, grabbing his sides as he laughed so much. "That's a good one. Neither of us will ever be a boss."

Takeshi agreed, but didn't voice it out loud. He was still busy staring at Tsuna's eyes. Earlier, they were tinted orange, but now, there wasn't a trace of orange in them anywhere. Had he only imagined the orange in them?

"Something wrong, Takeshi?" Tsuna asked worriedly when he saw Takeshi staring at him.

Takeshi shook his head and smiled. "Nothing, Tsuna. I'm hungry. Do you want to try the sushi here? You'll love it."

"Sure, but I'm not sure I have enough money to–"

"My dad owns the shop, Tsuna. You don't have to pay today." Takeshi interrupted.

"I couldn't possibly–"

Takeshi didn't stay to listen. He ran out of the room and down to the shop below. He heard Tsuna shouting at his back to wait, but he refused to listen.

"Hey Dad," Takeshi said, skidding to a halt in front of the bar. He looked around to see it was pretty empty in the shop. He wasn't surprised. It was getting late and was almost time for the shop to close. "Can Tsuna and I have some sushi, Dad?"

Tsuyoshi blinked when he saw the happiness shining in his son's eyes. It's been a long time since he had truly seen his son this happy for real. "What has got you so happy?"

Takeshi grabbed Tsuna by the neck and pulled him closer to him. "Tsuna and I are best friends now, Dad."

"Is that so? Then I guess we should celebrate. Sushi on the house for you two." Tsuyoshi said, smiling at the boys.

"Oh, I couldn't–" Tsuna began to protest but was waved off by Takeshi's dad.

"See? I told you it would be fine. Now, I'll be right back." Takeshi said, grinning as he walked off to do something.

Tsuna watched him go before turning back to his friend's dad and sitting at the counter. He watched as Tsuyoshi expertly cut up the fish.

"I hope you stay his friend."

Blinking, Tsuna looked away from Tsuyoshi's hands and to the man's face. "Huh? Why wouldn't I? Takeshi is real nice and funny. Even though today is the first day we spoke, I have a feeling we'll be friends for a long, long time."

Tsuyoshi's smile grew even bigger, but he didn't reply to Tsuna, who just shrugged and went back to watching the expert hands make the sushi. 'Thank you, Tsuna, for saving my son from himself.'

Loud laughter came from Takeshi. He wiped a tear from his eye, staring at Tsuna in amazement. After his dad had filled them with all the sushi they could eat, he started cleaning up and closing the shop while the two boys talked to get to know each other better. They both offered to help him, but he insisted the guest didn't help and that Takeshi entertained him. "Are you serious?"

"Would I lie about something like that?" Tsuna asked with a raised brow, smirking.

"It's just so hard to imagine a home tutor using explosives whenever you got an answer wrong. I feel sorry for your brother." Takeshi said.

Tsuna shrugged. "It's a good thing he's smart and doesn't get many wrong or we would be out of a house."

Takeshi chuckled. "Does he tutor you?"

"Only when I ask for help and he doesn't use any deadly means when he's helping me." Tsuna said thoughtfully. "I think it's cause of Giotto, but I can't be sure since Reborn-san doesn't take orders from anyone."

"Sounds like a scary person." Takeshi said, still grinning.

"Oh yes, you look real scared, Takeshi." Tsuna retorted, eyes shining with mischief.

"What are the chances that I will ever meet this crazy person?" Takeshi quipped.

Tsuna nodded his head in mock seriousness. "Good point, oh wise one."

A chuckle brought the two boys out of their mocking conversation and they turned to see Takeshi's dad had come back. He was drying his hands on a towel, while smiling at them. "Sorry to interrupt, but it is getting late. Don't you think your family might be worried about you being out so late, Tsuna?"

Blinking, Tsuna looked up at the clock to see that it was getting late as it was nearing nine o'clock. He didn't even realize so much time had passed. Perhaps it was because he was having so much fun with Takeshi. "I guess I should head home. I did run off on my brothers earlier."

Takeshi chuckled. "Giotto and Dino are probably freaking out with worry by now." His eyes lit up with mischief. "You're going to get it." He said in sing-song.

Scowling, Tsuna flicked his friend in the forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow at school, kay?"

"You sure you don't want me to walk you home?" Takeshi asked worriedly. He recalled Tsuna mentioning earlier how his brothers were paranoid about him getting kidnapped so it worried him to let Tsuna walk home alone.

"Don't worry. I don't actually live far from here." Tsuna replied, smiling happily. He turned to Tsuyoshi and bowed. "Thank you for the meal and hospitality. Are you sure you don't want me to pay?"

"It is no trouble at all, Tsuna." Tsuyoshi replied kindly.

"If you're sure…." Tsuna trailed off, allowing Tsuyoshi to nod once again. "Then I'll be going."

It was a quiet walk home for Tsuna. Having lived in this neighborhood his whole life, he knew it like the back of his hand. Even so, it was still difficult to walk around in the dark so it was a good thing the street lamps were on.

Everything was completely peaceful. There were times when he was younger and Giotto was going off with his friends where he realized something was incredibly wrong. He didn't know why he knew that. He just did. It wasn't until he told Giotto and Dino about it that he was told. Apparently it was something called Hyper Intuition they had in their family. Apparently it ran in his blood so it only made sense that he and Giotto both had it.

So since he felt completely calm, he could only assume that everything was safe and he would be safe on his walk home. With that thought, he was able to enjoy his walk home.

It wasn't until he was outside his house that his intuition started going wild. The moment he entered that house, chaos was going to start.

Groaning, Tsuna approached the front door. It was best to just get this out of the way, instead of prolonging it. That would just make the whole situation a lot worse. He quietly opened the door, walked in, and quietly closed it. He removed his shoes and stepped farther into the house. And that was when he was assaulted.

"TSUNA!"

The nine year old back stepped when he saw his two blonde hair brothers staring at him with frowns. "Gio-nii, Dino-nii." He greeted, smiling faintly. "I'm home?"

"Where have you been? Do you have any idea of how worried we were?" Dino scolded.

"You gave Asari a heart attack when you ran off like that and he couldn't find you. And then you don't show up until hours later. You had everyone extremely worried." Giotto scolded, frowning down at his brother, who was doing a decent attempt at looking apologetic. "You can't just run off like that. Who knows what kind of trouble you could get in?"

"I didn't though." Tsuna said quietly, but forcefully. "I didn't get into any trouble. I was completely fine. I'm not going to get kidnapped the moment you take your eyes off me. Stop worrying so much. I am fine."

Dino sighed. "You really don't understand the danger of our world, do you? It is a dangerous world and the people in it will not hesitate to attack or kill you. These people are not weak. With no way to defend yourself and no strength, you'd be taken easily. It would cause us a lot of fear and worry so you need to stay with us."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes at his self-proclaimed older brother. His narrowed eyes moved to Giotto, then to the man standing behind them, Reborn. "You can't be with me all the time. At some point, you both have to leave to take over your respective Famiglias in Italy. In that case, teach me to fight, to defend myself." As he said this, he was looking at Giotto, then at Reborn to get the message across to his dear brother.

But it seemed his dear brother thought otherwise as he paled greatly. "No, absolutely not. Reborn is a dangerous hitman. You will not be taught by him. This is too dangerous for you, Tsuna. Just forget that you know about the mafia and that we are involved. Even when we leave for Italy, there will still be members of the Vongola Famiglia around because they have to keep you and Mom safe. Don't let them know you know. It's safer that way."

Tsuna's little hands clenched into fists at his sides. He shot a look at Reborn, asking for help, but the hitman was no longer looking at him. With no help from Reborn, he looked to Dino in the hope that he understood why he needed this, but the boy looked just as determined as Giotto to keep him out of this world.

"Sorry little bro, but we're not letting you get involved any farther. We want you to stay innocent." Dino said.

"So," Tsuna said, shaking with something between annoyance and anger. "You want me to spend my life, acting oblivious to the fact that my brothers are involved in something as dangerous as the mafia, not able to defend myself, and allow myself to be protected by everyone else?" Frustrated, Tsuna smacked his hand against the wall, glaring at his brothers. "Why not just lock me up in a house for the rest of my life if that's the case? I'll be the innocent little doll that never sees the outside world!"

He didn't give either of them a chance to reply, choosing instead to walk pass them and up the stairs to his room. Instead of slamming his bedroom door shut like he wanted, he closed it gently and locked it. Why didn't they understand that they couldn't protect him forever? If he didn't learn to protect himself, bad stuff was going to happen. It was impossible to keep him from that world, he knew that and he was sure they knew that so why were they trying so hard to keep him from it?

Back downstairs, Reborn was staring at his two students with a frown. "He was right. You can't keep him safe forever. He has to see the real world sometime."

"He's fine as long as we keep him away from the mafia." Giotto said stubbornly, glaring at his tutor. "This is your fault in the first place. You didn't have to tell him about all this."

Reborn looked from one student to the other with a dark frown.

"You both are still too naïve."

A/N: Please Review!