A/N: This is a fast update but dont expect me to update like this as im not working on the next chapter due to IRL THINGS™ yes with capslock because its a big deal for me 💔
This chapter is in Tsunayoshi's (this world!Tsuna) pov so any mention of Tsuna is referring to him. When it switches to Byakuran's pov, he addresses Tsunayoshi (this world!Tsuna) and Tsuna (our!Tsuna, or original!Tsuna or og!Tsuna or Lambo!Tsuna) as both Tsuna but with emphasis on both Tsuna that its still recognizable who is who.
At this point I am tanking the characterization department and even manga canon facts whfhfjduweueifj if its too weird and uncharacteristic of Tsunayoshi to act like this just chalk it up with him and Lambo!Tsuna resonating and if i missed some canon fact about Tsunayoshi's knowledge over Lambo's background then I definitely forgot what is manga canon 😂😉
Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this chapter!~
Chapter Twelve: Tsunayoshi and co. escapade in Italy
Tsuna didn't know what to expect when they arrived in Italy but one thing he was relieved about was that, the plane landed safely instead of being blown to smithereens. He really liked his friends but sometimes–most of the time actually–he wanted to cry at the misfortune of handling such a rowdy bunch that wouldn't settle down!
But that was beside the point. They finally landed and there was a grassy patch of earth under his feet that almost made Tsuna tear up. Oh, how he missed the solid ground and the perpetual safety of not fearing being blown up–or down since they were up in the air.
"Finally, safety!"
Tsuna was queasy in his stomach but he didn't have to fear for all of their lives during the six-hour plane ride. Maybe his headache would soon disappear as well? Maybe? Perhaps?
He shook his head then winced.
"Are you alright, Tsuna-nii?" Fuuta crouched and worriedly peered at him while he was on all fours on the ground. Tsuna was weeping and–okay he might be overreacting but he felt like he might throw up if he spent another hour on that plane. It was even the first time he rode one out of the country and he didn't want the experience tainted with his stomach revolting and the headache that seemed to grow the more time passed by, but it was–okay, his brain should shut up and turn off and–
Tsuna loved flying, but maybe boarding an airplane with everyone wasn't a good idea. It was clearly a disaster. Just remembering Sasagawa, Yamamoto, and Gokudera trying to talk his ears off during it and trying to hold back Gokudera from lighting up his bombs–"isn't it a safety hazard? How did you sneak this inside?!"–and from convincing Sasagawa it wasn't a good idea for a boxing match–"please no fighting here, Onii-san! Y-Yes? I'll fight you to the extreme when we land!"–and Reborn casually sipping his coffee with the right amount of glare that Tsuna had better take a grip of his friends or, or, or–Tsuna had definitely whimpered in terror at the possible doubling of his training.
Why Fuuta and I-pin were more manageable than his friends was beyond him. Tsuna had started pulling his own hair and he feared he would grow bald at the early age of 14!
This is definitely Reborn's fault!
Fuuta, the stellar boy, the sunshine incarnate who was well-behaved and didn't give him any headache the entire ride, patted his back in a soothing action. Tsuna felt a little less pathetic and more steady on his feet.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." A white lie. It wasn't even a lie, he knew he would be. He just needed to breathe in the smell of earth, to feel the rough patches on his hands. Maybe he should pretend to pass out and sleep at that moment. Maybe if he did, he could drown out the pounding of his head and the noise that seemed to echo inside his ears. Who knows? Maybe it was a good idea.
"I can perform a voodoo exercise to dispel your ailment, Jyuudaime!" Gokudera said with manic fervor, emerald eyes wide and sparkling, hand already gripping a doll that remarkably looked like a mini-Tsuna, and needles wedged between calloused fingers.
"No!"
Tsuna shuddered and didn't dare look back at the doll in fear he would see misery painted on its face.
Why does it have to look like me, Gokudera-kun?! A madly cackling Gokudera with devil horns and a black cape on him popped into Tsuna's imagination and he internally sobbed.
"I-I'm good!" Tsuna squeaked in answer, his voice pitched higher. At the answer, Gokudera's face fell like a kicked puppy.
Before he could start feeling remorseful they were being ushered inside a black car and everyone crowded in it. Tsuna's peace and quiet never returned; he could only weep imaginary tears even as his friends continued being excitable.
He wanted to join the discussion too, especially when they began talking about souvenirs. Maybe he could give one to Kyoko-chan.
But Tsuna's stupid headache wasn't letting up and he began hallucinating about his soul leaving his body. Remarkably, the guardian angel shepherding him towards the light looked too much like Reborn down to the white outfit with white wings and a bow.
Tsuna groaned at his hand, done with his life and fed up with everything that seemed intent on killing him with a headache. He couldn't help but sniffle in frustration before deciding to slump his head on Yamamoto's shoulder and began mumbling for sleep to come.
...
Voices calling his name reached his ears–a feminine voice speaking gibberish and the sound of crying echoed in his head–that when a hand shook his shoulders, Tsuna stood up straight and startled.
He had no idea what happened or where he was or where the crying came from but–Immediately, pain hit the top of his head along with a loud bang. Tears gathered at the edge of Tsuna's eyes as he whimpered in pain, hands rubbing where they stung the most.
Tsuna couldn't help but redden with mortification when it finally registered in his sleep-addled brain that he had fallen asleep and hit his head when he was woken up.
So embarrassing!
Yamamoto and Gokudera fussed over him before it evolved into Gokudera spitting curses at Yamamoto for 'startling Jyuudaime awake'. Before he could decide to stop them from further arguing Reborn had butted in.
"Oy, we've already arrived, get out and behave."
Everybody immediately scrambled out. Tsuna did it in a more panicky and fidgety way, because he didn't want to be kicked flying when Reborn seemed to be in a fouler mood than earlier.
Did something happen?
Tsuna looked around the surrounding area, at the crowd dressed in black, and his stomach dropped. Mortification left him as something uncomfortable churned in his stomach.
Lambo?
"Why are there…" Tsuna trailed off as he turned to his tutor, question ready on his lips and instead caught the sight of his friends gaping silently and voicing the same confusion as him.
A conversation appeared in Tsuna's mind. Like a lightning strike.
"We are going to Italy."
"Why?"
"Stupid cow is there."
He watched with growing dread as Gokudera's expression shuttered off and his eyes sharpened with suspicion. Yamamoto's grin slipped off and a frown took its place. Sasagawa was gaping silently and Reborn's face was unreadable on his shoulder. I-pin was looking around confusedly, then at them for stopping just outside the car. Fuuta's arms tightened around I-pin and with wide eyes, a name fell from his lips, airing out their collective thoughts:
"Lambo!"
Tsuna bolted into action, instinctively following after Fuuta who dashed towards the entrance of a mansion where men and women in black clothes passed through.
His heart thumped rapidly in his heart.
Soon Fuuta disappeared from his view and Tsuna panicked because he was in the middle of the crowd. Tsuna had lost his charge. Before he could start calling out Fuuta's name, there was a hand that seized his wrist and Tsuna was immediately looking up at a woman with a weird-looking tattoo on her face.
A blush immediately formed on his face because the beautiful woman was holding his wrist and he felt oddly embarrassed and under-dressed in his hoodie.
"You're finally here, Tsuna-kun, I can call you Tsuna-kun, right?"
The woman talked in Japanese and Tsuna was taken aback that this woman knew his name. He couldn't help but nod meekly even as he stuttered out. "I-uhm, that's-okay, wait, how do you-"
He looked at her confusedly and she let go of his wrist. "Don't be nervous, Tsuna-kun. My daughter told me all about you."
Daughter? Tsuna blinked dumbly because he didn't know any female foreigner aside from Bianchi. Could this woman be Bianchi's mother?!
He immediately bowed in respect and started stuttering, "Oh! I-I'm sorry, it's nice to meet you Bianchi's Mama b-but I kind of have to look for a kid that I was with, s-so I'll be on my way. Please e-excuse me!"
Tsuna turned away to look for his wayward charge and ignored the woman's chuckles though it made him turn to her again with a degree of confusion, especially when he heard her answer.
"You've mistaken me for someone else but that's fine. Do you want me to lead you to Lambo-chan?"
Tsuna immediately agreed, completely forgetting his manner at the moment, and the woman gave him a sweet smile before she turned around, gesturing to follow her. He dutifully followed despite the questions rising in his head now that he fully registered what she said.
She's not Bianchi's mama? And she knew Lambo? I'm confused. Wait! What if she's Lambo's mama?
Tsuna observed her short black hair pinned up and held by hair-pins. He thought back to her face. There was no resemblance he could identify and his confusion turned into concern because what if he had potentially followed a dangerous person? Tsuna shuddered at the thought and he began to ask.
"Uhm, miss? Ma'am? W-Who are you really?"
The woman hummed under her breath, turned to him with a secret smile. "I'll introduce myself later, Tsuna-kun."
Tsuna's eyes nodded absent-mindedly, at the same time he caught sight of something brightly coloured around her neck. The color was eye-catching as it contrasted her black attire. It was tied to something but Tsuna couldn't see what it was from this angle.
Something nagged on his mind, he knew he had seen something like it before. Tsuna knew it.
Instead of wracking his head about it, he focused more on calming his nerves and tried not to get lost in the crowd.
Before he knew it, the black-haired woman met up with a tall guy with blonde hair who looked intimidating. Tsuna definitely squeaked under his breath when the man threw him a glare before the woman took the attention off him and they talked in low voices. Even though Tsuna could hear bits and pieces of it, he didn't understand anything and surmised they must be talking in Italian. And talking about him because of the gesture they made.
For once Tsuna felt the urge that he might have made a mistake by coming here to Italy when he didn't know the language. What if they were talking badly about him? Maybe they would stuff him in a car? What if they chop me up? Tsuna paled and shook his head. No, the woman felt like a good person; he was merely exaggerating. Reborn told him to trust his instinct more so he would.
The man grumbled and dutifully walked in front of the woman. He took the lead and it reminded him of Gokudera. There wasn't much crowd around them because of it and maybe it was because of the man's intimidating aura.
When they entered some kind of hall, Tsuna stopped walking. Brown eyes took in his surroundings and the people in black clothes. There was some chatter going on but it wasn't loud as people chose to whisper among themselves while maintaining a respectful silence.
The woman he followed stopped, turned to him as she sidestepped as if showing him something. Tsuna's eyes caught an orange-coloured pacifier tied on a ribbon, like Reborn's, but it wasn't what caught his attention because when Tsuna looked past the space she was previously covering there was a box, a coffin, and Fuuta was on his knees embracing–
Lambo!
Before he registered what he was doing, he absentmindedly threw a respectful bow and excuse me and thank you to the nice woman and intimidating man, then he was speed-walking towards his kids. Tsuna was oddly mindful not to run, to shatter the mourning silence that he could practically taste on his tongue.
Tsuna stopped before them, nervous, and anxious about what to do. Tsuna's fingertips were oddly twitchy to give comfort because Fuuta and I-pin were crying and embracing Lambo, a Lambo who was wearing black attire and catatonic in their embrace.
Tsuna winced at the sight. There was a disconnect between what he was seeing and what he had seen of Lambo. Lambo was a child with an overabundance of energy, like a hyper-active child always on a sugar rush. Seeing Lambo who laughed and bawled his eyes out on a daily basis to being this despondent. It was sickening, heart-breaking, and oddly tragic.
He glanced at the open casket, at a picture frame of black-haired man, then at Fuuta who was apologizing to Lambo. Fuuta's words were not reaching. It was as if he was talking to a statue.
Lambo just kept staring in the direction of the coffin even if Fuuta blocked the view.
Tsuna bit the inside of his cheeks, stopping the urge to be emotional even though it was like a losing battle.
Someone important to Lambo died and by the look of it, it was his father or a father figure. Tsuna didn't know for sure. Why didn't he know if Lambo even had parents? Why didn't he hear Lambo talk about them?
There was no one else who was comforting him, only Fuuta and I-pin. The visitors chattered lowly to themselves and ignored the tragic visage Lambo was.
Tsuna's hand turned into a fist and he had decided what to do. His Mom wasn't here to give comfort. Tsuna had to step up and be that person for Lambo. He sniffled, wiped away the stray tears pooling in his eyes by mere swipe of his hand, and ignored the feeling of wetness stuck to his lashes.
He could do this.
Tsuna stepped forward.
But a hand held his wrist, the hold was soothingly warm against his pulse that he was turning towards the owner, a little breathless and distracted by the feeling. "Give them a moment, Tsunayoshi-kun."
The irritated voice talked to him just as Tsuna saw the man with white hair, lavender eyes, a familiar face. It belonged to the same person who took Lambo from them, sans the white attire and wings. But he got such a warm hand that Tsuna gaped. "You…"
"Yes, me." a smile graced his face and Tsuna was oddly captured even as he shivered because there was something in that smile that seemed dangerous and at the same time fragile.
"Don't just stand there, come with me." Annoyance bled in his tone as the guy dragged him by the wrist. The movement was forceful, and Tsuna instead of stopping the motion let the man lead him away.
Tsuna listened. There was something about this person that he couldn't help but follow.
He looked back once at Lambo and I-pin on Fuuta's arms and he watched them take a seat. Fuuta took charge and a warm feeling tickled his heart at the sight. He would be back with them after Lambo's kidnapper talked to him.
Tsuna returned his attention to the spiky-haired teen still holding onto him and he wondered why he was being stupid.
Like seriously making stupid decisions which happened to be following another person right after he followed an unknown woman. It reminded him of a lost puppy looking for guidance and Tsuna couldn't help but frown. He wasn't a puppy! They just had the answer to his questions so he was following. It was as simple as that.
Later, he would explain the same to Reborn. Maybe for once he would be reasonable and listen to him.
Still Tsuna couldn't help it. Reborn told him to trust his guts and he was! Tsuna kind of, also, definitely, wanted to trust it. More so, because there was something about this person that he never noticed when he first saw him. He was weird, got a weird looking tattoo–the color of his eyes–on his face, and took Lambo from them. But even though the teenager was gripping him tightly. Tsuna felt like this person wouldn't harm him.
He felt familiar. It was odd, he never felt that way when he first saw him.
Maybe this mafia business was ruining his judgement because he would be staying far away from him or definitely cowering if this person talked to him even once.
Before Tsuna had another crisis about why he was following yet another person, or how being the Mafia Boss was impairing him. Seeing that they were now leaving the hall, it made him abruptly stop on his feet. Tsuna could ask where they were going, right?
"W-Wait."
The albino turned to him with annoyance, his hold a little tighter. Tsuna swore he didn't do anything wrong this time. Why was this person annoyed with him? Was it his stuttering or could he see the general dame-ness that clung to him like a cloak?
Tsuna whimpered and he stuttered out words of clarification.
"W-Where are you taking me? W-W-We can talk here, right?"
The annoyance bled off his face and he dismissively shook his head. He whispered and pointedly gestured at Tsuna's back, to where the visitation hall was. "Not here, we will talk somewhere quiet."
Tsuna's ears were red as he followed, subdued, and properly chastised.
When they had turned into a corner where there were fewer people and he couldn't hear the noise from the hall. Byakuran stopped and let go.
Tsuna felt a pang of disappointment, sorta like loss, when that skin contact disappeared. But he paid it no mind because Byakuran was turning to him, maybe to finally explain.
"There, we can properly talk. Do you have any idea why... Lambo-chan is like that?"
"You mean when… he didn't react at all?" Tsuna answered hesitantly.
He must have shown some confusion in his face because what followed was the white-haired teen looking irked–but not at Tsuna, and muttering under his breath. Some of those words were in Italian with the word 'Arcobaleno' which was a little off-putting.
"You haven't heard the news yet, have you?" Byakuran asked airily, as if the words were route and perhaps it was. Tsuna looked at him and squared his shoulders. Maybe he was an idiot rushing here, unknowing of what happened but he could guess. And maybe he was misunderstanding something?
Tsuna shook his head at the question then added for more context, "I'm here because after you kidnapped Lambo, my tutor told me Lambo is here."
The person shrugged his shoulders. "Don't call it something like that since I didn't 'kidnap' him. And my name is Byakuran."
Tsuna gulped nervously, unsure of which to tackle first.
"Byakuran-san, right?" Byakuran didn't deign to answer but continued staring at him unnervingly. Taking that as a positive sign he began after a pause.
"I don't know what is happening, or why you took Lambo but you have a r-reason right?" His voice was a little shaky.
Byakuran hummed, his eyes boring into him as if seeing him for the first time and Tsuna tried not to shrink under that gaze. Byakuran eventually smiled as if he had passed some test. His smile was off though, and there was something frightening in his expression that made his fingertips feel numb.
"You see, Lambo-chan's an old friend," His expression went blank, a mask, and Tsuna wondered why it made his stomach churn with discomfort at the face Byakuran made. "And you don't know but Lambo's father was sick and died yesterday."
Tsuna's stomach dropped and flopped on the ground as empathic grief made its way up to his heart. Then even higher up to his throat.
Lambo is too young, he's just five years old!
Tsuna remembered the tears he shed while they looked for Lambo, of the salty water falling from his eyes and the feeling of his heart breaking. He shook it off with a shaky breath. Tsuna had to focus on the explanation, on Lambo, not on that mysterious experience, not on whatever he was seeing in Byakuran's expression and body language.
"D-Did Lambo arrive late? Did he get to talk to his Dad?" Tsuna asked hesitantly. Please tell me that Lambo still gets to spend time with his father.
Lambo had been around Namimori for months, he must not have seen his father for the same duration. The thought churned in his stomach and gave him a new perspective. One he didn't know he would discover because it felt awful and depressing. If it was his Mom–Tsuna shuddered and forcefully banished such thoughts from his mind.
Byakuran shook his head. "They talked one last time but that was it."
It didn't give him comfort because no matter what happened the end result would still be the same. Lambo would still live with the fact his father was dead.
Byakuran heaved a sigh, this time of frustration. Tsuna didn't know for whom or what.
"This wasn't the first time it happened," Byakuran imparted without a preamble and no context at all.
Tsuna paled as he gripped a portion of his pants even as he stared at Byakuran who was looking through him. Tsuna got the feeling Byakuran was talking more to himself than to him.
"But he had never been good at losing people around him." And the implication set in. Lambo's family had all died, that was why no one was comforting him, no one was there for him. Tsuna's palm stung against his nails and his heart thumped faster against his chest.
An orphan. Lambo is an orphan.
The realization was unpleasant and made him want to cry. He had no time for crying as big boys don't cry. Yet hearing of Lambo's loss, Tsuna felt–it was a horrible feeling that he couldn't help but sniffle, in an attempt to stop himself from bursting into tears.
(Tsuna wouldn't realize it yet, of how he was easily more empathic about Lambo's loss, of how it wasn't normal how he dealt with learning about it. But it was then when Lambo's father was buried next to his wife, when Lambo and Byakuran started screaming against each other, and when Tsuna broke down into loud bawling and incoherent babbling that he had been given definite proof that something was wrong.)
Tsuna took a deep breath and didn't dare meet the others' eyes, a little ashamed that he was like this, but couldn't help but feel horrible at the news. "I-I'm sorry, it's just, I'm sad for Lambo… he's... only a kid."
Byakuran seemed uncomfortable, opposite of what he looked like when he took him away, as he handed him a handkerchief.
Tsuna gaped but took it, ducking his head down to wipe his face. It smelt of sweets and of flowery perfume.
It struck Tsuna then that Byakuran didn't kidnap Lambo for nefarious reasons but for Lambo himself. So that Lambo could spend time with his father. It made Tsuna look at him in a different light.
His hunch was right, this person meant no harm. He was looking out for Lambo.
"You… Byakuran-san... is actually a nice person." Without his input Tsuna's tongue loosened and he spoke in awe. Tsuna immediately shut his mouth because he hadn't meant to say any of it aloud. It was merely a thought! Just an intrusive thought that would be considered rude to say.
There was no response to that so Tsuna began stuttering out. To explain his side because he didn't want this person to think badly of his words.
"W-W-Wait, I mean, I-I, you… I mean you felt nice but you... looked kind of intimidating. But! I di-didn't actually know that you're really kind... despite the... Uhhhh…." Tsuna coughed as he trailed off, embarrassed to the point he wanted to run away.
I'm really a Dame, Dame-Tsuna. I've been making stupid decisions, hieeeee!
"I-I didn't mean to be rude, Byakuran-san! P-Please forget I said that, I don't know what I'm saying..." Tsuna's ears steamed and he turned even redder when the person barked a laugh. Mortification flooded him and he wanted a hole to swallow him whole. Though, Byakuran's laughter was soon dripping with bitterness in every syllable.
It wasn't a nice sound. Far from it.
Suddenly it stopped, cut off so abruptly that the following silence rang louder and painful to his ears.
Perhaps he had indeed offended him and Tsuna peeked at the other teen.
Byakuran's lips were pulled upward into a grin, but his eyes were empty. Lifeless. Tsuna gulped nervously at the expression and his stomach did a nervous flip.
Before he could start apologizing, Byakuran's lavender eyes glowed orange, like a candle lighting up.
Is that flames? Is he also–?!
The teen looked so eerie that Tsuna took a step back. He was tempted to turn tail and run as Byakuran closed on him like a shark with a blood-thirsty grin. But there was something that nagged at the back of his head, it stopped his self-preservation from taking any further steps backward.
Tsuna squinted closely to understand, to see what his guts were telling him.
"Don't misunderstand me, Tsunayoshi." Tsuna flinched at the voice dripping with malice, and was disappointed at the lack of affectionate suffix -kun. "I'm being 'nice' because you remind me of him." Byakuran whispered as he leaned on his personal space.
It was like…
...This person was a wild animal posturing to hide away the obvious injury. Like Mukuro did in every interaction Tsuna had with him and his group.
Tsuna was filled with nervous jitters but not frightened. Which was slightly better when Byakuran inappropriately forgot personal space existed at the moment and focused on cowing him down.
If he was thinking, he would be terrified out of his mind. Byakuran looked and sounded frightening and yet his guts told him he was not in danger. It was telling him to wait, and comfort and it doesn't make sense. Nevertheless, it made him stay still, waiting it out, waiting for Byakuran to lose his steam.
And there it was. Byakuran bristled, his eyes squinting, then he backed off. He didn't continue threatening him and Tsuna sighed with relief.
Suddenly Byakuran raised his hands, a universal sign of surrender. And Tsuna's eyes stared riveted at his right hand, at the silver ring with a pair of wings that he had failed to notice before. That ring... He looked at it pensively. It reminded him of the Vongola Rings and of the ring Lancia gave him.
What's up with the Mafia being vain with their fancy rings?
"You shouldn't leave your charge alone, Sun Arcobaleno Reborn. This might be the Bovino Residence–" Byakuran began to talk and the words were definitely not addressed to Tsuna and when he whipped his head, he found Reborn. Tsuna couldn't help but exclaim his name then shrieked in alarm because his hitman tutor was holding onto a gun directed to Byakuran's back.
It signaled chaos or violence, but most of the time it was both.
Byakuran turned to his side, fully facing the hitman as he continued without care at the gun pointed at him, "But no one was safe from assassination even more so the Vongola Decimo. So much for being the best tutor." Byakuran's voice turning a little darker by the end.
Tsuna gaped at the scathing words and at the amicable smile adoring Byakuran's face. He was bracing for the sound of a gunshot but Reborn was not pulling the trigger.
Reborn had a blank expression on his face, but Tsuna knew him, he could see vexation and he didn't know why it felt like the two started on the wrong foot even though they sorta had the same chaotic vibe? Was it because of the phrase that the same feather didn't flock together?
("No, Dame-Tsuna you got the phrasing all wrong." Reborn would lecture later on.)
"You got a sharp tongue, Byakuran Gesso." Reborn smiled pleasantly but there was nothing pleasant in that smile, it looked too mean for Tsuna's taste. "But there is no need to worry, Tsuna here can take care of himself."
Byakuran glanced at him and Tsuna gulped, suddenly conscious as he shot Reborn a wary look. Byakuran soon dismissed him and returned an even look at the hitman. "Fair, but 'this' doesn't seem like much of a fighter. He looks like a twig."
Tsuna's eyes widened comically as he snapped. "I'm not a twig!"
Byakuran snickered, definitely making fun of him. Tsuna grumbled under his breath and he could feel Reborn internally kicking him in the face at that remark and for not shutting up.
However, it made the tension disappear and Tsuna didn't mind it was to his expense.
Byakuran took a step back then turned his back to Reborn even when Reborn was holding on to his weapon of mass destruction. Tsuna could feel Reborn assessing Byakuran and coming to a conclusion, before it was lowered.
"It was nice meeting you, Tsunayoshi-kun. But I still have an escorting job to do. Byeeee!"
Then Byakuran sidestepped and walked back to where they initially came from, hand waved in see you later gesture and a bounce on his steps. There was no trace of annoyance in his voice nor body posture as if it wasn't there to begin with.
With Byakuran out of immediate earshot Tsuna finally exclaimed like a kid who got a correct answer on a particularly hard quiz.
"Escorting job? So he is really a mafiaso!"
No wonder Byakuran had a mafia ring and Tsuna saw flames in his eyes. He never saw anyone's eyes do that, well, except for Reborn, but Reborn was not normal enough said.
He was about to enter the hallway, back to his siblings, when Reborn tugged his hair.
"No, you are not going back there with that get-up." Tsuna looked down at his clothes
He was wearing dark clothes, he couldn't blend well with everyone, but wasn't he dressed alright?
His tutor looked at him as if he was an idiot. "You're hopeless, Dame-Tsuna."
It turned out that all the attendees were in the Mafia and that was why he had to wear a black suit as well. All because a Mafia Boss should never be under-dressed. Reborn's words not his.
Speaking of mafia bosses, the woman he had followed was named Aria, who was a mafia boss of the Giglio Nero Family and that Byakuran was the heir to the Gesso Family.
Did he just–
Yup, he had met two mafia bosses without showing 'proper mafia boss etiquette' as per Reborn when he had explained how he ended up alone with Byakuran.
Reborn wasn't pleased with his poor conduct and his interaction with them–"you do know there is a saying stranger danger right? Next time don't follow anyone all because they told you so, especially not the stupid cow's kidnapper, you hear me?"–or lack there-of when he followed Aria-san like a lost puppy.
As Tsuna tried on different black attire, which all looked the same in his eyes, as the chattering of his friends echoed in his ears. The brunet wondered how come his life was beginning to be so chaotic again right after the Varia Battle ended.
Tsuna glanced at the back of his wrist, feeling the phantom touch of the white-haired teen, then at his friends who were with him. They talked with him and with each other and with enough cheer, but Tsuna could see the subdued air.
The image of Lambo's unresponsive body in Fuuta's arms resurfaced in his head. He immediately sobered as he was reminded who they had come here for.
Tsuna looked straight ahead, past his friends and to the door, his eyes flickering with conviction as he vowed that they would be with Lambo, no matter what happened.
(If along the way, Tsuna decided to befriend a certain albino instead of listening. Well… Reborn couldn't stop him if he tried.
There was something about Byakuran that Tsuna couldn't leave alone.)
—100—
Byakuran stared and kept staring at the visage he could see before him, of Tsuna standing by the coffin, alone with his unseeing eyes that saw past beyond. Byakuran should be taking him away from there. He knew from experience that Tsuna would stay until he wasn't steered away.
And yet...
The memories echoed in his mind; of Tsuna's empty green eyes staring at the coffin, of the harsh slap of skin against his, of the hand he tried to reach out meeting the same fate from hours before.
Byakuran stood pathetically by the wall in a silent vigil, waiting, and knowing that Tsuna wouldn't turn his way. Not when Tsuna was like this.
Hours passed by and visitors walked forward to pay respect, said empty words to the unresponsive Tsuna and walked away in the same breath. Byakuran watched like a guard dog, vigilant, and making sure no one overstayed. Not like anyone even attempted, no one did.
After hours of standing there, rapidly approaching footsteps echoed, and a child embraced Tsuna as if their life depended on it. Fuuta De La Satella and I-pin arrived, slipping into Tsuna's space. Byakuran knew they were coming, even the time they would arrive courtesy of Aria but seeing them, being that close to Tsuna without being turned away, a pang of jealousy bubbled in his heart.
As Fuuta hovered over Tsuna and babbled soft words that wouldn't be recognized nor be heard. Byakuran could only watch with veiled jealousy.
As he saw a familiar brunet walking towards them, the ache in his heart doubled because a teenage Tsuna was there, wearing a stupid black hoodie and sneakers. He looked different from everyone else, he didn't fit in.
This was a younger Tsuna, this world Tsuna wearing Tsuna's skin like he had grown into it. He looked cute, adorable even, he still had baby fats, his spiky hair looked fluffy. He looked like a baby to an old man like him.
Was Byakuran really old?
But Byakuran thought he had never done any growing up. His time had stopped the day Yuni perished and the same day he was stuck with the seal. He felt young but more than that he felt like one step away from a violent tantrum.
Seeing this world Tsuna, seeing the brunet looked unsure at his feet, awkward and hesitating, before deciding to give comfort, to enter that bubble Tsuna was in. No, don't you dare, you fake.
The ugly emotion Byakuran held in his heart reared its ugly head that he was snagging this fake Tsuna away from Tsuna.
No, he wouldn't let them. Byakuran wouldn't let them steal Tsu-chan away from him.
(For multiple times that day, Byakuran hid the growing loneliness creeping into his heart.)
A/N: [I redacted 3k characters of just the summarized version of all the BS (coughs: fucked up shitty situations with an S) ive been under in just few weeks and this A/N still look too personal for my taste.]
Due to my family problems (that came to a head after years of dealing with my parent's medical condition and ever growing expenses) that almost took my life (and yikes is actually ruining my life, ergo, my hard-earned freedom from my parents is fucking compromised big time) i was almost unable to permanently work on anything bcs of some BS that will be too personal for me to share. I am trying to deal with all these 'difficulties' (that I never wanted in the first place fmp&fml) as patiently as i could but its very hard considering its from my own goddamn family. Its very hard as all the responsibilities falls on my shoulder and i still am holding a grudge against my own parents that i can never forgive them for. (Sometimes I wish i can freeze my heart so i cannot care about them anymore. Too bad that at the end of the day, i still am a fucking bleeding heart 💔 )
Thats why, i would very much appreciate it if i dont receive any flames, negative comments, backhanded compliments, and comments rushing me to update as it will spurn me to do the opposite. All i ask is a little bit of kindness and understanding, and it will really help me, like a lot. 🙏
In another matter, its only now I noticed but what an unlucky number this chapter got 💀
Lastly, dont forget to let me know what you think of this chapter and what you like/love about it. ❤️