2023 update: Don't even know if there's hints of OOCness here. Either way I was able to arrange this chapter better than before….
Warnings for mild cursing.
Chapter 11: Second Years
Emile gaped around the area where he stood in awe. He'd never seen a room filled with such splendor and light. The room shone so much that he swore that even blind people would be able to see it. He would've and probably could've gotten blinded too.
Repeat, could've.
He knew that he was somewhere beyond life now. He had died today after all. He had died in the middle of the afternoon at the hospital with his sisters Lillian and Kristin by his side. They began to cry uncontrollably at the sight but what could they have done?
When he left his body, he could see his mother down in the lobby waiting with a desperate look on her face. She had come to talk to her son about his leave from the company and how he was thinking irrationally but sadly, she never got the chance to speak with him.
Emile saw the tears that rolled down his mother's cheeks as she heard the news that he was now gone. He didn't really care for those tears however. His mother was a hypocrite. She only loved money and power. She didn't even give a cabbage when Emile said he wanted to make his own future rather than take over some powerful company that his grandfather left him. Emile loved his mother very much, but he couldn't help but just sigh angrily at the tears; those droplets of salt water that could've fallen for another certain daughter long ago. That was the past. And now he was waiting for his future after death.
Emile's green eyes circulated the space he was in once more. "Is this like a waiting lobby or something? You think they could add some chairs so people can sit down...eesh..." He sighed exasperated. He was about to pass to the other side when footsteps began to resound all over the room. Emile stared and gaped.
There was a long blonde haired woman in front of him with shiny blue eyes. She wore a white garment that reached down to her petite feet and owned the most beautiful whitest wings Emile ever laid eyes on. The pictures down on earth were total shams compared to these.
The woman, no, angel smiled kindly at the twenty-one year old man. "Hi! You must be Emile Marter," she said.
"That's me," Emile confirmed.
"Welcome to Heaven! Oh wait, that sounds like a horrible welcome. Sorry if it sounded too happy," the angel grinned apologetically. "You're not alive anymore..."
"Eh, it's okay. my time was up. Better to be here than anywhere else," Emile stared at the fluffy white clouds in the background. The clouds not being able to stand on was also a total lie on Earth. Man, if the angel weren't here he couldve jumped on them crazily and never get tired. But, he was an adult, and adults had to act mature. He almost let out a psh sound due to his thoughts. Wow that sounded too adult- like to even follow it.
"Thanks for welcoming me in. It's pretty nice up here."
The angel stared at him surprised. "Is it just me dreaming, or have you matured? Wow, you've matured."
"Um... thank you?" Emile laughed a little. The angel laughed along and urged the young man to walk around with her.
"I've been watching over you since you were eight and look at you!" The angel suddenly stopped walking, appeared in front of Emile to pinch his cheeks. "My, you've really really REALLY grown after 14 years! If Anya saw you now, she would've gushed all over you!"
'I think the one gushing over me is you' Emile sweat dropped lightly. Then he did a double take. "Wait. Did you just say Anya?"
The angel nodded. "Anya Marter. Yeah, I know her." Green eyes widened like saucers.
"Really?! Is she here? Where is she? Can I see her?!" He roamed all over the space, trying to spot red hair he knew so well from his memories.
The angel was about to reply when Emile stopped her with his hand first. "Can i have my cheek back? It hurts."
The angel realized that her fingers were still on the young man's cheek and she released him gently. "Sorry! I have a bad habit of doing that to new souls that come here. Some of them are just too adorable! I can't resist!"
'Daily? Wow this angel is weird...'
The said person cleared her voice. "As I was about to reply to your enthusiastic questions, no Anya is not here. She left."
Emile blinked. Twice. That didn't sound right. "Left? Where, to hell? Where could a dead soul possibly leave to?"
"Oh many possible places. The underrealm, back to life if it isn't their time yet. They can also be reincarnated and reborn back to either Earth, or a different world from this one. So explaining her whereabouts, Anya was given a second chance to live. That's why she's not here anymore."
Emile's lip wobbled only a little in a small forced smile. "I see...so I won't be able to see her?"
The holy messenger sighed. A silence stood for about a minute or so.
"Where is she now?"
The person with white wings folded her arms. "She's in the Katekyo Hitman Reborn world."
"WHAT?! But she HATES that show!"
"Oh we knew."
'I think I'm starting to dislike her a little' thought Emile.
"I was told to send her somewhere good so I chose that place for her to live again. By the way, she has an attitude problem..."
"That's cool. I'd give anything to go there! Who is she now?"
"She's Tsunsyoshi's twin sister. Her new name is Tsukairi."
"That means more screen time for her."
"That's exactly what she said."
"And she also has to deal with that demon..."
"Demon?" The angel tilted her head. "Oh...you mean Reborn-san..."
"Man, I really want to be her now!"
The angel smiled sneakily at Emile. "And you can be."
"Be Anya?"
"No dude, go see Reborn. Live in their world."
"REALLY?! You'd do that for me?"
"Yep." The angel patted his head gently like a mother would do to a son.
"Before Anya left, I promised her that I would watch over you always from here. Now that you are no longer alive the promise is over, but I feel like I should give you two a little gift to complete it. You really want to see her don't you?"
The grown up man nodded. "I love my family equally, but Anya was something else. She was inspiring to me. She was special."
"I discussed with the Higher Up not to long ago for permission to do this and I got a stamp of approval!" she jumped high in the clouds like a little child. "You'll be incarnated into someone else's body. "You'll be able to remember your past life, and the person's memories as well so you'll be still Emile, but them as well."
Emile couldn't believe his ears. "Holy bleep! Are you kidding?! This is awesome! Am I leaving now?"
"Yes but there's something you need to know. Anya does not and will not remember you no matter what you say or do. Lately, she's been having dreams of her past life but does not remember anything because she is not supposed to. Ive been trying to figure out how to fix this in the meantime, and having you there would actually help us gain some insight on this. Will you still want to go?"
Emile smiled sincerely this time. "Yes, I still want to. She won't know who I am, but what matters is that I get to see her again."
The blue eyes of the woman softened and closed them, expecting the unsaid reply he had spoken. "Very well Emile. I will send you down right now. This person is growing desperate to leave already and switch with you. I cant stand his whining at the moment. Darn brat..." Emile laughed slightly.
"One last thing", the angel turned very serious then. "While you live there, you absolutely by any means, cannot reveal your past self to others. Including Tsukairi aka Anya. You agree?"
Emile nodded. "Alright then. I bid you a short goodbye. I have to talk to this kid seriously before coming up." She poofed out somwhere and just like she said, she came back with a very irritated face, but when she gazed back at Emile, its like it were never there. 'She really is a weird angel...'
She glanced a warm look at Emile. "Your new name will be Cielo diAzzure. You're an eleven year old kid. You are the second adopted son of the boss of Vongola and your adoptive brother is Xanxus, who is still sleeping in ice. By the way, pretend you don't know you're adopted okay? You weren't supposed to know that hahaha..."
A bright light began to shine upon Emile before his green eyes widened and shouted, "Wait. A KID?"
"Cielo says to tell everyone that he'll miss them, he just grew tired of all the violence and killing and wanted peace!"
'You told me not to reveal anything! Can't make promises, Cielo!'
The minutes felt like mere seconds to the boy. When Emile fluttered his eyes open he found himself in a room that was completely white with blue curtains flapping in a nearby window. When his sight traveled lower , he saw that he was in a hospital bed. His legs were small, as that of a child. 'I KNEW IT! SHE SAID A KID! IM IN A KID'S BODY AGAIN?' he complained mentally as he fought the urge to smack and move his new body.
Then as if a hammer hat hit a gong, his body began feeling pain spreading over around his chest, legs and head. He felt as if a grand piano had fallen from the sky and dropped on his body. What the hell had happened to the kid? Emile tried to shake his head but winced. Nope, best to reduce some motion right now.
He noticed a small but big vertical rectangular mirror hanging on the left wall and his eyes could have fallen out of their sockets. He WAS a kid after all.
His face was slim and very young looking. He had to admit he was very attractive (not that he wasn't already). He owned chocolate brown hair with baby blue highlights, and a normal emerald green eye color he owned before. At least one feature of his old self remained. He wanted to chuckle but there was an ache. His head was wrapped up in bandages and he also had an oxygen mask on. There were IVs everywhere around is body and Emile mentally sighed. He had to deal with stupid medication even in the anime world. What a pain.
'I'm an OC added to the storyline just like Anya, So cool!' Emile put a hand under his chin and tried to remember who he was and the people he knew based on Cielo's memories. After a minute or so sitting up and thinking hard, Emile heard the door open and found two recognizable faces Cielo knew but not Emile.
"Oh my!~ Cielo's awake! Thank heavens! I thought you'd never see the light of day!" happily spoke a man with multicolored hair, well toned body wearing a muscle shirt and dark shade glasses. He had rushed to him in bed. Emile swore he felt chills shoot over him. This dude definitely rolled the other way! Emile made a note to steer clear of this pervert dude.
"Voi, you shitty brat! You're alive! Do you know how much money we paid for your fucking hospital bills?! A funeral would've been cheaper for us!" a long silver haired man yelled waving a sword around like a flag.
Emile recognized the two as Lussuria and Superbi Squalo, the people who consisted of the Vongola's top assassination squad; the Varia. Emile had stopped watching KHR's Ring Arc after Anya had died so he didn't really know much of the Varia or how the rest of the battles went or who won, but Cielo's memories were helpful to get the basics down.
If he remembered based on his memories, he knew them since he was a little kid and when Xanxus had been wrecking havoc in the mansion. It also seemed that Cielo cared for his adoptive brother very much and looked up to him as a role model.
… Well that explains Cielo's involvement in aggression and violence.
Emile blinked in the midst of the silence, his usual personality taken abac at a group so offending and rude. But it was Cielo's family and he left them to him now. Emile needed to speak and act the way Cielo did or he would lose his cover. As much as he would love to be kind, he'd only get killed and be called an imposter. The chance this kid gave him would go down the drain.
He chuckled and winched again. "Y-Yo Lus! Nice to see you too shark-breath," he replied mockingly. "Glad I could make you waste lots of money for me. Disappointed that I'm alive?"
There was an aggressive hum at the stutter, with Lussuria and Squalo staring at each other and both sighed, almost in what could be relief.
'I should be sighing in relief…'
"Completely," Squalo muttered, crossing his arms. "You are such a stupid kid for not watching where you were going. I" promised your shitty brother I'd watch you but I never made any promises to help you breathe."
Emile/Cielo rolled his eyes. "Lucky for you Xanxus is MIA or I'd have him feed you to your pet shark in bits."
Lussuria hit him gently on the head." Don't be so harsh Cielo. You know you don't mean that."
"Whatever. Oi, when am I being released from the hospital? You know how I hate feeling cramped up in here!" the boy said rudely. Emile 'recoiled at himself. 'Tenshi-san was right! This kid is a natural brat! How'd he get to heaven?!'
"Still with that shitty loose mouth of yours. You're being released in two weeks," Squalo spat angrily and glared at the kid. Emile couldn't help but laugh. He was going to enjoy his new life to the fullest for his sake. It was going to be exciting and fun.
'I'll be able to see you soon, Anya! Just wait for me!'
And thus Emile Marter's new life began as Cielo diAzzure.
Sawada Residence 7:15 am
From the New Year in January, to trying to make it through toward the last months of their first year in middle school, to passing finals by one point; spring had come.
The Sawada twins survived by a hair. Whether it was thanks to spartan tutor and mafia hitman Reborn, or by the sheer will they had, they were ready to welcome their next stage of typical teen students enjoying their life in Namimori, Japan.
Feeling like second year students felt weird. It was a new stage of life that tsuna and Tsuri were sure would never come, or could enjoy considering all the personal turmoil they'd dealt with.
Life after the Kokuyo Gang went on, although Tsuri grew scared of her heightened sixth sense. She asked Reborn if the bullet could leave lingering side effects like vivid dreams she'd forget, feeling anxious every time they went outside and feeling weary of every passing stranger in sight. Her hands and the tips of her fingers also felt like they randomly would catch on fire, or have burning sensations that made her skin sensitive. The baby wasn't sure as the people affected with his bullets never presented such symptoms, but he said he'd make some calls and investigate for her.
If he did find something or not, he wasn't so keen on being urgent about it as he also told Tsuri that maybe her new abilities being unlocked just made her whole self sensitive and would wear off.
It did eventually…but not completely. Were morning hallucinations a side effect? Or confusion of self? Each time she woke up in the morning, her home would warp to that of a different room, and in her sleepy state she would see Bianchi and Futa as strangers with blond hair, or even her own eyes turning green in the mirror when she brushed her teeth.
Tsuri swore she was going crazy. She blamed the stress of the mafia and Reborn's stupid bullets. She should have never agreed to get shot.
"Tsu -kun! Ri-chan! Hurry or you'll be late to your first day of school!"
Tsuri poked her head out of her room door, making sure that Reborn hadn't set up an early morning trap. Her hair was sticking on all sides after all the tossing and turning she did again. It was still hard to get used to being in her own space, but that wasn't what kept her awake all night. She was exhausted, but somehow full of energy waiting to be burned. And that was because for once, she was actually looking forward to go to school and see if she and the rest of their friends would share another class together.
Excited and yet, why did her head feel fuzzy. There was an unbearable itch that would just not leave her be since she woke up. Were her morning allergies acting up? Or was it that her body inhaled too much of the smoke? Tsuri shrugged. Maybe it was the pollen from the spring air.
"Mornin' Tsuna" she greeted
Tsuna, who emerged from his own room with half-opened eyes, yawned and stretched his arms out. Tsuri swore she could see a piece of a potato chip in his disheveled hair.
"Morning. Did you get to sleep last night?"
"Nope," Tsuri rubbed her eyes. "I was a little too excited. I managed to sleep a little, but I'm still tired." Both brunettes searched around their room for a certain baby tutor but he was nowhere to be found.
"Huh. Reborn's not here?"
"He's probably eating breakfast downstairs or something", said Tsuna and got out of his bed. He began to doubt what he said slightly but knowing their tutor he popped out of thin air in random places and always went on trips without telling them.
He was about to take another step from the ground until Tsuri pulled his pajama shirt's sleeve in one forceful motion. Tsuna felt fully awake by then, rubbed his back in complaint after it hit the door, his morning irritation bubbling up. "What was that for Tsuri! If it's to wake me up, it worked!"
"Do. Not. Move. Carefully step back inside."
"Huh? Why? If we don't go downstairs, Lambo and Reborn will steal our portion—"
"Baka I said don't move!"
Tsuna brushed her off and the second his foot hit out his door, a small but strong explosion went off. He blinked dumbfoundedly, then crossed his arms hoping for an explanation.
"There was a mine right there," Tsuri pointed sweat dropping. "You set it off."
"YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT BEFORE!" Tsuna retreated back in, covered with soot from head to toe.
Tsuri tiptoed through a clear area of their hallway, to get a closer look, much to Tsuna's panic. "I bet you Reborn woke up extra early in the morning to set these up."
"Where did he even find all this?!"
"This is Reborn we're talking about. He has his ways and sources." Tsuri put a hand to her chin in thought. "I think that was the only one he set. Should be okay now. I'm going downstairs."
"HIEEEE! No Tsuri don't do it—"
There was another aggressive sneeze, one of those that made your body lose control, jerk and shut your eyes tightly. And one that made sure Tsuri's bare foot would perfectly calculate its step to set off another hidden mine.
Tsuna coughed out the smoke. It cleared out enough for him to see an almost exact image of himself, except with singed orange colored pajamas, dusty and grey skin, and braided hair now a darker shade of brown.
"I told you not to."
"I sneezed. I'm not you."
Tsuri yelped as a slipper landed on her face in one swift move. When it came to sibling attack spats, Tsuna sure had good precision.
…
…
"Okay. We're exactly on time," Tsuri stared at her room clock and dusted her vest of all the toast crumbs. She made sure to check that her mother made enough breakfast this time since the others tended to leave them little portions. Thankfully and oddly, Reborn hadn't shown up to steal their food. They had eyed the roof, windows and cabinets to prepare themselves with his odd entrances and fly away with their food to make them suffer after his obvious trap set up. He didn't come out. He was probably busy and being secretive, as always.
"Whew thats good to know!" Tsuna buttoned up his yellow blazer. Thankfully he had time to shower and rinse off all of the black dust. He was sure he still smelled like smoke. Tsuna cried mentally. He hoped the Namimori prefect would just check their clothing and not their smell.
"You two are up pretty early."
The twins' eyebrows twitched. They spoke too soon.
There he was, their beloved hitman tutor that loved to torture them and draw minimum blood in the most bizarre ways.
"That mine was to test your morning reflexes after a deep sleep. If you set them off them you both of you are proving to be dumber than I initially thought."
"Tsuna was the least aware! I just sneezed and it went off!"
"If you had told me clearly beforehand then I would have avoided it," Tsuna defended.
Reborn tutted. "Dame-Tsuna, you need to learn to use your own senses. And even a sneeze lets your guard down."
'How do you even stop a damn sneeze! That's impossible! The nerve! You...! Ugh!' Tsuna sweatdropped and brushed off his sister's little tantrum.
"Why weren't you here for breakfast?" Tsuna side eyed another said sneeze attack from Tsuri, moving to the side so her germs wouldn't fly to his face.
"I had something to do."
"Figures you wouldn't tell us."
"You're all second years now" Reborn dodged the conversation as usual. In pointing out their new grade, clearly it meant not just the twins advanced, but their friends as well.
'And we barely made passing grades… for once I'm glad we went through all that hard studying' Tsuna said relieved.
Tsuri nodded fervently, remembering all the headaches they earned when Gokudera and Yamamoto dropped by to help them. It was outrageous in their difference in tutoring; one went all professor Einstein with his formulas and advanced theoretical language while the other made incoherent gestures and noises beyond comprehension. Tsuri had to end up escaping and relying on Hana and Kyoko to have at least one decent and reasonable explanation on math sets and Japanese idiom analysis.
'Got that right.'
"Next year's classes will be announced before the advancement ceremony."
"I hope I'm in the same class with Kyoko-chan this year too."
Tsuri and Reborn stared at the hopeless lovestruck boy emitting heart bubbles everywhere around him. Tsuri had to swat one away in aversion.
"You should create some more progress Tsuna. You can't keep remaining on the sidelines, being all dopey and drooling," Tsuri scolded lightly. "I've done by best to give her insights on the best parts of you but you keep acting stupid and missing your shots."
Tsuna's ears went red. "S-Shut up. Of course I know that! If we're in the same class this year, I'll try my best to get even closer to her!"
"You don't always get what you wish for" Reborn pulled down his fedora, hiding any facial expression the twins could've seen; not that they could anyway. His dark beady eyed never gave room for anyone to read them. Anyone but Bianchi probably.
Tsuri groaned, deciding to go and put her shoes. She exhaled deeply. She could already detect somehow that Reborn was up to something. It was too damn early for all of this.
She closed her eyes, applying pressure to the sides of her head to relieve the blossoming headache and whatever tension she retained. Darn baby and his stupid intrusive methods. His menacing aura around him and with each passing day augmented more and more and it was so excessively unpredictable and too risky for her own health.
Nana, Futa and I-pin popped their heads out as they watched the blue stress lined and clouds of water droplets the Sawada female was releasing.
Her head pulsed and she was sneezing too much. Was she getting sick? The world around her spun as if on the cusp of disaster - but why? She was fine, really. Her nose was so damn itchy and runny and her throat felt sore, almost as if she had screamed her voice to death. Maybe she did catch a cold, but she didn't want to get sick before the new semester at school started...
To hell with it, she was going to school anyways. A cold wouldn't kill her.
"Ara Ri-chan, are you feeling alright? You don't look very good," Nana told her daughter worriedly. She took a piece of tissue offered to her by the ranking child and sniffed once more.
Why was everyone always so concerned about her all the damn time? Was she really that reckless and stubborn?
"I'm fine. Just allergies from all the spring pollen in the air."
"Are you sure Tsuri-nee? Your face is pale..." Futa said., his eyes of worry making her want to suffocate him in her arms. "You're not sick, are you?" He continued.
She never understood why everyone, especially the kiddos, seemed to care more about what was happening with her than just annoying her in the middle of the day when Lambo was active. But then again, she understood why the ranking child did his best to check in on her, even more than Tsuna did. Futa was just a kid, but he had witnessed her at her worst, with Mukuro taking over her body and nearly killing her too. She should have expected him to be protective in his own way. It took a while for both of them come to terms to everything that happened to them.
She didn't want to dismiss his feelings or anything but she didn't want to be babied. "I feel fine Futa, it's just the new season. I'm off to school." She grabbed her bag beside the door.
"Now wait just a second young lady" Nana rushed towards the door to lightly touch her daughter's forehead. "Just as I thought. You're starting a fever!" Nana shook her head. "You've been sleeping with your hair wet while the window's open again, haven't you?"
She winced and rubbed the back of her head nervously. "N-Not really..." Tsuri lied. Her mother wasn't wrong but only a little. She had always made sure her hair was dry enough to sleep with the window open. She liked to feel the cold air; it made it better to snuggle into her comforter and sleep better as she breathed flowing air.
"Maybe you should stay home..."
"No way!"
Nana paused, alarmed at the shout. Futa and I-pin looked at each other.
"S-Sorry Kaasan but today we're starting our second year. I want to at least see which class I'll be in..." She heard footsteps and looked up to see Tsuna coming down without Reborn. When the other twin saw their mother's crinkled eyes and hand in cheek he knew something was up.
"Kaasan?"
"Tsu-kun, Ri-chan is sick. I'm trying to tell her to stay but she's not listening..." Nana explained.
Cue the automatic twin connection. Tsuna was now hovering over her, touching her forehead and examining her whole. "You do look a bit pale."
"I said I feel fine!" She pushed his hand away, face flushed at all the fuss and attention in her way.
"Kaasan's right. Maybe you should stay home."
'This is starting to agitate me.' "I said I'll be okay! If I am sick I promise to come back home and get some rest. See you later, love you bye!"
Nana watched her daughter slip on her shoes and dash out the door without looking back and shook her head.
Tsuna gave his mother a gentle smile that gave her the notion that her son would keep that promise active, even if she had to drag her from her toes. Nana grinned at her son. She was glad that she had twins. They took care of each other well, despite being the way they were. Especially now, seeing them so grown and starting another year of school. She knew though, this moment was entirely different. They had people around them now.
She patted Tsuna's hair and giggled at the memory, seeing her babies off when it had been their first day of kindergarten. When she and her husband shed tears at just how time flew by without warning. She wished he could be here to see them, he'd be so proud.
"I'm off!"
"Have a good day Tsu-kun!"
…
…
…
Having a brother who hovered had its perks. It made life easier in ways that other people wouldn't even begin to understand, and it was one of the few advantages when going places. Tsuna wasn't the strongest boy, his punches felt like a teddy bear but he did have a kick ass glare that he rarely used. And just one look at it made hell freeze over and over for the person. She'd experienced it once when a boy had tried to talk to her as kids. That kid was one out of a million happening chances where Tsuna caused someone to fear him.
Is this how Tsuna felt when she hovered around him during their first year of school when he'd been bullied? That constant presence that was always watching him like a hawk and making him feel like he could go nowhere unseen? He hadn't said anything in elementary school. Was it because they were older now?
Tsuri felt her body slump. Was this payback? Tsuna and the rest of her family overly checked in on her to see if her mind was present and if were to go far from them for any reason, they assured she never went out of their sight. She could tell how Yamamoto insistently pressured her to start running morning laps with him, and how Gokudera would glue himself onto Tsuna's side every morning to scan his bag for that tanuki system he recommended to them; he even seriously yelled at her a few days ago for forgetting to attach her own alarm on her.
Tsuri wasn't sure which was worse. Being constantly watched like an overprotective parent, or having absolutely nobody notice anything was wrong. Either way, she needed to let them know that she was fine now. Hell, her senses were still sensitive and felt like she could hear every living being's breathing but she was fine!
Another sneeze came and she prayed to all that was holy that she wouldn't result with a stuffy nose later in the day. She was seriously even considering chopping off her long hair and keeping it short like her mother just for the sake of not drying it.
Their morning group had grown over the last few minutes of taking their usual route. Gokudera was fussing with her sleeve to make sure that damned tanuki bracelet was on to which she had to shove him off violently across a brick wall for him to stop pestering. Then, to Tsuna's good luck they were able to cross paths with Kyoko and Ryohei. Kyoko commented to her about the way she looked exhausted, but Tsuri made sure to tell her that she was just tired from staying up all of last night. Which was mostly true.
Ryohei didn't even give a chance for Tsuna to offer Kyoko to walk side by side because in a blink of an eye, the now third year took him by surprise and dragged him along sprinting to Nami-chuu. The three others had no choice but ti follow behind, with Gokudera worriedly asking Tsuna to wait (he couldn't either way) and Kyoko calling out to her big brother to do the same.
Out of breath and feeling worse, they reached Nami-chuu's entry gate. Yamamoto had already been there and greeted them, and telling them that their class bulletin boards were up.
"Its over there" Yamamoto pointed behind him. "The class announcements are out."
"Really? Already?" Tsuna said surprised.
"They just posted it up. But it looks like we're all separated. That's too bad."
"What?"
Tsuna and Tsuri rushed towards the bulletin board and searched for their names. It was true. Tsuna was in Class A, Kyoko and Tsuri were in B, followed by the other guys who were in C and D. Ryohei was one year older than them so that was a different thing.
Gokudera had been boasting to Yamamoto that it was tough luck up until the second his green eyes scanned around for his name . He started to fake cry while gripping on his beloved Juudaime and resorted to wanting to blow it all to pieces and make them reconsider.
Tsuri let out a harsh sigh. She had probably hoped too much. The school arrangement system was pure bull shit. They practically used a roulette system to have them decide where to place students instead of just making it simple and keeping the classmates the same for advancement. And to top it off they'd probably come with with an excuse on how they took their careful thought and time to organize the class roster.
"This really sucks… hey, Gokudera, blow up the board. I refuse to conform to this list."
The silver head chuckled darkly, his occupied weapons in hand waiting to be lit on. "With pleasure!"
"EH? WAIT!" Tsuna yelled as he went to tell Gokudera to stop. "Don't motivate him Tsuri! We can't destroy school property on our first day back!"
"Haha! Both of you have a sense of humor for a welcome back, " Yamamoto laughed.
"I just can't believe all of us are separated…" Tsuri glared at the display once more. "I wont accept it! Gokudera, give me a dynamite I'll blow it up!"
"Tsuri!"
"Juddaime it's alright, I'll make sure that she won't get hurt!"
"That's not the issue!"
"It's awfully noisy."
Raven hair, flying black coat on his shoulders and those petrifying eyes of his… Hibari Kyoya.
Tsuri's body hairs stood up and she hid behind Tsuna once more. She was glad to see that he was much better, after all the broken bones and blood blows he suffered through Mukuro's hands. His bloodlust was definitely bigger though.
"Herbivores…don't crowd around here or I'll bite you to death."
"Uh…Hibari-san. Didn't you graduate already?"
He snorted, taking the comment as nonsense. "I'm free to choose to be in any year I wish. Nobody can use conventional wisdom to restrain me." Hibari eas actually smiling. And it wasn't one that produced rainbows and sparkles. This one was deadly.
'You want your ass handed to you?!' Tsuri scolded. 'Shut up and don't say anything anymore!'
"So…why don't I start acting like a member from the disciplinary committee?" said Hibari as he took out his tonfas.
"You asking for a fight?" Gokudera said as he walked up and took out his dynamites. Yamamoto causally just stood next to the silver head. It felt like a repeat of when they had first crossed paths with the DC leader, which worsened Tsuri's mood further. She hoped that she'd hear some fists and grunting but Hibari hadn't moved a muscle. Instead, he was focused on the flowing petals of their school's Sakura trees flowing with the morning air.
Displeasure was evident in his face now. "Who planted a Sakura tree here?"
"It's been here for a while…" the older Sawada said.
"Our school always has had sakuras around season for the new term," Tsuri added.
"Hn…I've changed my mind. this place puts me off."
"Does Hibari-san hate sakura as a lingering effect of the Sakura-kura disease?" Tsuna asked out loud.
"Besides that," Tsuri was no longer hiding, watching their DC committee leader's retreating figure grow smaller. 'I think this tree represents something worse for Hibari-san.'
'Is that speculation or your ability talking again?' Tsuna sighed.
'You have hyper intuition too. Tell me I'm wrong.'
Tsuri was guiding Gokudera on how to create minimal damage but just enough so that the board could disappear. Tsuna was pulling on his hairs to make the two stop. It was a comedic sight, as it was always when it came to the twins and everyone just went with it. They were observant though, very very observant. Tsuri's movements were rather slow even though she had her usual energy surge. Her whole countenance was ashen, lacked the glow it had, and her eyes looked like they were forcing herself to push through whatever she was feeling physically.
Before Yamamoto or Kyoko could say anything, Gokudera had rushed to a teacher and demanded that he change the class arrangements. Just as Tsuri predicted, they had made the comment that they took their time to think and set the classes. It wasn't until Reborn made his presence known as a fake high end professor that she had concluded that this was his scheme for the day. make everyone chase him around the whole school's premises to catch what was a blank roster where they could decide what class to share with whomever they wished.
Tsuna and the rest were determined to make their sole will known. He could see the beginning of a bad cold in Tsuri just by the way she was sneezing. He didn't let her follow and instead relied on observant Kyoko to keep her with her until they were able to complete their task.
Tsuri stood in front of the bulletin board with the younger Sasagawa sibling, knowing fully well that she wouldn't have been able to find the stamina and will to even go along with Reborn's shenanigans. Tsuna could pull the weight for her today.
"I wish I could be in the same class with Tsuna-kun and the others Tsuri-chan..." Kyoko said sadly.
She sighed. "I don't know if they'll be able to catch him." Kyoko's dejected expression made Tsuri wish she hadn't let her thoughts out loud. "D-Don't get me wrong, I'm happy we're together and sharing the same class. It's just…"
"It's fun when we have everyone. Tsuna-kun is brighter when you're with him Tsuri-chan." Kyoko smiled that ever so easing flower smile of hers.
Tsuri perked up at the comment despite feeling shittier as the seconds passed. "R-Really? I've always thought he found me annoying for hovering so much."
"You've been keeping him safe in your own way. I'm sure Tsuna-kun appreciates it. He smiles a lot more than he used to."
Tsuri felt her chest grow warm at the compliment. Kyoko was truly a positive girl who saw the world in a happier light. Tsuna definitely needed to secure the bag with her. She'd love to have her as a future sister in law. She reminded her a lot of their mother too. Like a warm sun to hug.
"These teachers are shitheads to separate us like this." Tsuri side a sidetake, Kyoko's eyes wide at the foul language that had slipped out if her mouth. Tsuri instantly flung her arms around as a sort of defense. "A-Ah, I'm so sorry Kyoko, what I meant was…"
Kyoko laughed at the brunette and returned a smile. "It's alright. You're saying what you actually feel." Tsuri shared the smile and laughed, but it didn't last long. Traces of mildly aggressive coughing appeared out of thin air, making Tsuri regret brushing off the ranking child and her ever so knowing mother.
"Speaking of feeling, Tsuri-chan you look sick. Are you alright?"
"I… may have caught a small cold. Don't worry I feel fine. I'll head to the nurse's office and take a nap while you go and catch up with the others. I think they're by the roof."
Kyoko glanced another worried look at Tsuri but decided to follow what she said. The girl was at stubborn as it came when they insisted her to do something. The only person who could ever convince her for anything was her own brother. "Okay then. Be sure to let me know if you need anything okay Tsuri-chan?"
"I will! When you have a chance please tell Tsuna that I'll be in the nurse's office, "Tsuri wiped some sweat, evening her breathing. Oh the joys of not obeying your mother. Thats probably why the I-told-you-so's existed.
"Ugh I feel like crap. I need a bed pronto or I'll think the concrete is one."
In Nurse's Office
The nurse's office at Namimori Elementary has been her go to place ever since Tsuri could remember. Not that she did most times because whenever she got hurt, and frequently, she'd end up with the nurse. The nurse was a reluctant and strict woman. Every kid that came in and out would come out crying because of the harshness she emitted from the get go. Tsuri guessed it was her way to make sure they never came back, but it just didn't see me to stick for Tsuri after the many concussions int be playground, arm and leg sprains from playing kickball and the bad finger breakage from punching an upperclassman to stop him from throwing her brother out a window.
It was a hard goodbye to say to the woman after they graduated Namimori Elementary, and hoped that maybe she'd come and transfer to Nami-chuu. The woman probably found it relieving that she wouldn't see her on a week-to-month basis. Now Tsuri and the rest of Namimori Middle's students had to conform with no other than the Vongola's mafia doctor and hitman instead and that made her vow to keep herself out of harms way so she wouldn't see him at all.
There was a second nurse who came to fill out Shamal's days off, so she prayed that he had taken his rest day. "Sensei! I'll be staying— Shamal?! What the hell?!"
Why was she always talking too soon? There he was, the trident mosquito hitman looking a little tipsy by his desk. Not that it was rare seeing the middle aged man drinking. It was, when he wasnt around Tsuna or Tsuri but today it seemed as if he needed booze to cope with his handed out rejection; again. He had been seen hitting on a girl in the morning, and like always, dealt him a flat no. She had to give it to the man though, he was annoying and harassed anything with a chest, but he was too persistent for his own good.
"Oho look who's come to check up on me. How are you Tsuri-chan?~ Need a little assistance?"
Tsuri slid the room door closed and crossed her arms. "I don't need your pervertedly tainted hands giving me any assistance."
Shamal's expression changed into a weird sleezy one. "Hoh, thats coming from an amateur in love right? Lovely girl, you still have a ways to go. If you've had experience like me, then I'd prove to you that I don't have tainted hands when it comes to the opposite gender."
Tsuri blushed at the implication his words had. God, why couldn't the other nurse be working here today? Why did Reborn even hook him up with a job if he wasn't going to act like an adult? The assassin certainly was able to escape certain death, but not with reports of sexual harassment!
"I'm fourteen you shitty old man. Give me another comment like that and I'll make sure to ask Reborn to shoot you in the head." 'How'd this topic come up again...? I'm here for rest not a love talk!'
The male doctor began to laugh so hard, he almost dropped his clipboard from holding his stomach with one hand while nearly dropping the drink on his other.
"You know, even though you're Vongola Decimo's sister, you act a lot like Hayato."
Tsuri's face went a few more redder shades down than usual. "What the hell does this have to do with Bakadera? We're nothing alike!"
How the hell was she like Gokudera? The boy was completely insane! He was always pissed off about everything, fought with anyone regardless of age and had such a bad vice on smoking like a damn chimney, it was a miracle that his lungs and breathing weren't blackening.
"Well not so much in the sense that you act like him, but you have picked up some of his habits like cursing and yelling. You shouldn't spend so much time with him, it's going to get worse."
"Does it look like I have a choice in the matter? He's everywhere I go he's like a leech on Tsuna and no matter how much I pull him off him he just finds ways to stick. I swear I he doesn't stop I'm going to end up digging an open hole on the ground and just—" Tsuri didn't find it so bothersome now, though Gokudera Hayato did give her motives to kick him in several occasions for hogging Tsuna away and calling her a useless replicated and failed copy.
After getting body snatched by Mukuro and waking up all battered and with no memory of what entailed after he reunited with Tsuna with Hibari, his whole demeanor had shifted. He was still as badmouthing as ever, and passive aggressive, like a little child who was always looking for something to be tsundere about. Even with all the weird stuff that went on, Tsuri hadn't realized how out of sorts Mukuro and his posse affected him. He had probably beat himself up with guilt about not being able to protect Bianchi or Tsuna. Gokudera was an ass but she could tell that he had a caring side to him. Probably one that she wasn't worthy to have, despite getting mixed signals from him.
He was definitely a tsundere.
"Hai Hai alright Miss Temper. Whatever you say," Shamal waved his free hand up and down and then sipped more of his drink. "May I ask why you are here?"
"I'm not feeling well. I need a bed."
Shamal unconsciously began doctor scanning her open symptoms, making Tsuri shrink at the intensity. Red flushed face and nose, glazed over and sleepy caramel eyes. If it weren't for his emotional provocation from earlier, her skin would've appeared see through by how pale it was looking in contrast to the redness. He hummed. "I get it. You can go on that unoccupied bed." His lips were wiggling funnily. "There's some IV fluids I can give you for the time being—"
Needles. No way in hell was Tsuri going to let him put a needle into her skin again or let him touch her. She'd rather be dead.
"Okay. I can see you're not ecstatic about it. Fine. If you change your mind, they'll be over there by the first aid kit. I'd administer it for you but you'll be alone for a little while. I have to go do a couple of errands by the pharmacy. Restock and whatnot."
'Liar. You're going out to pick up more women and drink booze. Typical.' Tsuri snorted in her head.
"But if you want I can stay and dedicate all my time for you~."
"I refuse," Tsuri deadpanned.
The middle aged doctor clicked his tongue in defeat. "Hidoi yo Tsukairi-chan. I understand. I'll close the door to make sure no one disturbs you. You can leave at any time you wish. Ja ne~."
…
…
Hibari Kyoya was not a caring person. He could care less if people were hurt or yelling at each other violently. (unless it concerned the town or the school) Seeing Sawada Tsunayoshi and his little herbivore friends run around the school did not interest him much, as long as they did not destroy school property. To which they did. He'd get even with them soon due to it.
While patrolling school grounds, Hibari glanced inside a classroom where that herbivore, Sawada Tsunayoshi, was inside. He stopped in his tracks and rose an eyebrow as he noticed that someone was missing in between his crowd.
"Oh Tsuna-kun! I forgot to tell you!" the orange haired girl with big brown eyes said suddenly. "Tsuri-chan is in the nurse's office."
"What?!" the herbivore's brother shouted. "Is she okay?!"
"Mmm, she was getting worse so she went to the nurse's office to rest for now."
"Maybe we should check up on her," Yamamoto Takeshi suggested. "She really didn't look too good."
""And if Shamal is in today…" Gokudera Hayato put a hand to his head. "Juudaime, we really should go and check."
Huh. Another subject to ignore, but he had something to do to satisfy his slight boredom. The prefect gave another disinterested look and walked a little more towards the nurse's office down the hall to bite someone to death for not attending class. With tonfas ready at hand, Hibari finally arrived and slid the door to come inside. The room was silent and peaceful making him think she wasn't there but then the prefect heard a faint grunt coming from somewhere. He drew forward and slid the curtains to reveal a sick brunette breathing heavily on a bed. Her face was crimson red, and she was sweating from head to toe.
The nurse wasn't present. Had they administered any medication? There was no way that he'd let the herbivore's sister spread disease among the school for everyone to catch.
He didn't want to associate with this situation. So what if she was sick? As long as she was confined to this room, no sickness would leave. His job was done here. No need to bite anyone to death if her ailment was the truth.
He turned to leave, but one more look at her gave him the notion that in order for the solution to become active, she needed to be given medicine. Hibari roamed about the place, the smell of faint beer and rubbing alcohol mixing together. This nurse was definitely breaking school rules of being on the influence during work hours. He would remind himself to come by and apply punishment. After a minute or so of wandering in the room, Hibari was able to spot some IV bags by the first aid box and a jar of water. The bags were rarely used in the school, only for emergencies when they knew students couldn't be taken to the hospital.
"Juudaime, she should be here shouldnt she?"
"Not so loud Gokudera-kun. You might wake her."
The prefect froze for a split second. He needed to exit quickly. He could leave the IV ready and have them give it ti her but by the looks of it she really needed it now.
Mind you, Hibari Kyoya was by no means a doctor or had any knowledge on administering IV bags or any of the sort. But when it came to self injury and treatment he had to come by many things himself and learn. What would be the harm in doing it for the Herbivore? It was good practice anyways in case he considered using this method for himself at a given point.
He quickly ripped off an alcoholic wipe to disinfect her right arm. He then made sure to locate a vein, albeit a visible one to gently insert the catheter carefully. He could see that the young female didn't seem to like the sensation of being prickled but Hibari did his best to make sure it was gentle enough to place a piece of tape in place so it wouldn't be painfully yanked, and hung the bag above the rack next to the bed.
By the time he was done, the curtains slid slowly and the prefect found himself face to face with the herbivore and his crowd. He recoiled inwardly.
Tsuna, Gokudera, and Yamamoto stared with their mouths gaped open. Hibari only gave them that cold glare of his.
The silver head eyed a tissue stained red by the nightstand. He felt his whole chest burn with something he couldn't name. "You bastard! What did you do to her?!" Gokudera yelled angrily, popping dynamite in between his fingers, ready to blow the prefect to bits.
"Don't be like that Gokudera. You know she doesn't like needles. Maybe Hibari came in to check up and see if she got her treatment," Yamamoto patted his friend on the shoulder but the latter responded back with a glare and growl.
Hibari felt his annoyance spike up. Check up? Not even close. He didnt have any interest in Sawada Tsukairi other than her strength. Thats why he had nursed her, to get something out of it once she noticed he had helped her.
"H-Hibari-san! What are you doing here?" Tsuna asked carefully.
His gaze made him wish he hadn't asked at all. "Hn. I was checking if the herbivore was skipping class so I could bite her to death but she is sick," Hibari responded apathetically, ignoring the question. He made himself through the door. "Keep the peace and order, or I'll have to bite you all to death."
The trio watched the prefect's coat flap away with the rest of his body and disappear into the hallway. Tsuna let out a breath of air, relieved that the scary person was now gone. He and his friends grew closer to the person on the bed. Looked like the IV started kicking in and good thing she wasn't awake or they was sure she would've screamed bloody murder at being poked at.
"Huh?" Tsuna touched the bag. "It's still full. Was she given this just recently?"
"It couldnt be Shamal. I saw him leave the school earlier by the window," Gokudera said in thought. "Wait! It couldnt be..."
"Did Hibari-san administer the IV bag?!" Tsuna somewhat shouted in shock. "How does he even know how to do it?!"
"Haha so he was worried," said Yamamoto with a grin.
Gokudera's fists balled up next to his sides and he scowled quietly. His mind raced with countless thoughts of why. It words didn't make sense in his head. He didn't think himself as someone who was so sensitive about what happened to others, except his Juudaime.
Tsuri was not him. Even if she was his twin she was entirely different from him, in some physical aspects and their personalities. But even if he hated her, Gokudera would have been bothered by this kind of behaviour from anyone else regardless. Tsuna was always involved in his copy's well being no matter what, and though knowing him and her never clicked, he expected him to care one way or another. Thats why Gokudera did his best to make sure he would step up, for his Juudaime so he wouldn't see his face drop like a suffering puppy.
No matter how much he told himself that, though, his chest stung. His fingers twitched in the grip, and he tried to swallow down the lump forming at the back of his throat. His mind swam. Why, he wondered. Why did it irritate him ? If he had any idea what the answer was he would find it.
"I don't think Sensei will come for a while. Why don't we stay here with her?" Yamamoto threw the stained napkins into the nearest bin.
"Um, thats a good idea, but we're gonna miss class. Hibari-san will also bite us to death if we're not there," Tsuna said. "I'll stay with her for a few minutes and leave a note for Reborn or Shamal to look after her. "
"Un. Sounds like a plan!"
"Okay. For now lets see... Gokudera-kun, can you get a towel? Yamamoto, please fill a small bowl with mild cool water."
"I'm on it!"
"You can count on me Juudaime!"
As his friends dashed off to do their assigned task, Tsuna brushed Tsuri's bangs out of her sweaty forehead.
"I swear you're as stubborn as it comes."
…
…
…
Later...
The entire school day had passed by quickly. Even witha few hours of rest, Tsuri was still a bit weak to walk on her own. After plenty of screams and protests, Tsuna had to carry her home piggy back style as Gokudera, Yamamoto, and Kyoko followed behind him to make sure they didn't topple down together, and make sure their friend was in good conditions to settle their worry.
So when the doorbell rang, Nana paused her cooking and opened the front door to find her son with daughter in back, along with his friends beside them. "Why if it isn't Tsu-kun and friends! Welcome!"
"Good afternoon okaasama," the silver headed teen greeted politely.
"Good afternoon Sawada-san," Yamamoto and Kyoko said together.
"Hi Kaasan," Tsuna blushed a little. "We're home."
Nana tilted her head to see her little girl's body behind her brother's, her face still flushed red. Tsuri waved. "… please don't say anything…"
"Mou, I keep telling you! You are as stubborn as it comes, Sawada Tsukairi! I told you to stay home." The mother of the twins however couldn't help but squeal a little. "But it's not everyday when I get to see you two like this! Wait right there I need to take a picture of this!"
Tsuna blushed even more when Nana had taken out a Polaroid camera from who knows where, and took a picture in front of his friends and crush. Kyoko let a small giggle escape her lips. "So adorable! Oh, I'm sorry everyone! Come on in! Tsu-kun, make sure her pillows are upright when you leave her in her room okay?" Tsuna nodded and went in first, climbing the stairs carefully but quickly.
"Sorry for the intrusion," the friends said together and walked inside the house. "Their rooms are upstairs. I'll be there in a short minute after I brew some tea for you all."
Tsuna went ahead of everyone else upstairs, with Tsuri's weight making it hard for his own knees to stay straight. He successfully made it, and opened her room door with a tiny kick, layed Tsuri on his bed and plunged himself on the floor swiftly, tired and exhausted from chasing Reborn earlier in the morning, and carrying Tsuri from school.
"Thank you…" Tsuri's soft smile made him relax. "So? Did you fix the whole class roster problem, or am I going to have to file a complaint?"
Tsuna spread his arms over the bed, using the mattress as support for his chin. "Kyoko-chan caught Reborn for us. We're all in the same class now."
"Good."
Their first day on being second years certainly was unexpected and very tiresome, but the good thing was that everyone would be together again for another year. Tsuna yawned, clearly sleepy and feeling relaxed. It was still early, so maybe he could take a little nap. Tsuna closed his eyes. It would only be a little one. Tsuri gently smiled, her heavy lidded eyes craving for another nap.
"Tsuna, Tsuri? we're coming in..."
Silence. "Tsuna-kun?" Kyoko knocked.
"Juudaime?" Yamamoto, Gokudera, and Kyoko peeped their heads in the slightly opened door to find the brunet asleep on the floor beside Tsuri's bed peacefully.
"He needed some sleep too huh?" Yamamoto grinned again. Their mother was right. It was a rare sight to see the twins' intimate moments as siblings. Right here they could see something they didn't see everyday at school; a brother and sister who were there for one another. Even for a simple cold.
"Un" Kyoko laughed quietly.
"Let's stay here and make sure we don't wake them up."
Without Tsuna or Tsuri noticing, their room became occupied by their family. And by half an hour later, each of them fell into their own little nap. Nana came in for another round of check up, and stared at the teenagers sprawled all over her daughter's bedroom sleeping. Her lips curled into a small genuine smile that had been genetically if not taught to her own kids.
'Isn't it great Tsu-kun, Ri-chan? You have all these friends that take care of you and trying to help one of you get better!' Her chocolate brown eyes softened and she closed their room door.
After two more hours of dreamless sleep, Tsuri opened her eyes to find her room filled with familiar people on the ground sleeping and snoring. Beside the bed, her twin brother was sleeping, his head lyed onto the sheets gently. Ryohei and Kyoko slept back to back by a wall, Yamamoto and Gokudera had their heads and arms on their coffee table with traces of tea cups near them. They all looked scattered like the toys she and Tsuna used to play with a leave after getting bored and it made her laugh.
She rose from the bed carefully and gently removed the cooling patch that had been put on her forehead. She still felt a little heavy, but thankfully her body wasn't boiling like a pot anymore. Tsuri stretched her arms out and released a relieving yawn, one that woke up her brother, and the others one by one. 'Oops...'
"Huh...Tsuri, you're...awake..." Tsuna spoke slowly.
"Un. How long have you all been here?" Tsuri turned to everyone else that had gotten up.
"Since school ended," Yamamoto yawned. "We wanted to stay and see how you were doing."
"I helped your mother change you into your pajamas," Kyoko mumbled still somewhat sleepy. Tsuri knew that her twin was probably fawning over how cute Kyoko looked at the moment.
"Sawada-chan, you look extremely better," shouted Ryohei with a restored resolve. "Kyoko called and said if I could bring some things to help you get better and I ended up taking a great nap to the extreme!"
"Tch. Juudaime was so worried," muttered a still drowsy Gokudera.
Tsuna stood up and stretched along with his friends. "Are you feeling better?"
"I think my fever's down now, and the scratchy sensation in my throat is gone," Tsuri's palm traced under her bangs and neck. "Thanks for being here everyone. I appreciate it!" She whirled her head towards Yamamoto, Gokudera and Tsuna. "Oh and tell Shamal thanks for the IV. I didn't know if he'd return to the office after his woman hunt."
The trio shared confusing glances at each other,but the silver head began to feel irritated all over again by the allegation they had come up with. Tsuri tilted her head to the side in question. "What? Am I wrong? Did one of you decide to play nurse and give it to me instead?"
"We didn't give you the medicine," Yamamoto said truthfully. "It was Hibari."
A quick shot in her nerves made her whole body jerk. "What?"
"Hibari-san gave you the IV," Tsuna repeated. "Which is really strange..."
"EH?! You mean to tell me that H-Hibari-s-san g-gave me— he actually knows how to prick people He ADMINISTERED the IV to me?!"
"Are you slow?" Gokudera growled. Everyone stared at the bomber with an eyebrow, and he glowered at them but Tsuna.
"Tako-head sure is grumpy..." Ryohei folded his arms.
"Why the hell are you so angry at me? I'm just shocked," Tsuri muttered.
"He's Hibari. Who knows what other things he knows how to do that we don't. I can't believe you let someone that dangerous touch you."
"Excuse me? How could I do anything with me being knocked out due to a fever? You'd think I'd let the guy who stole my first kiss help inject me with the thing I hate the most?"
Eerie silence filled the room along with various pairs of eyes bulging out of their sockets. Tsuri sighed roughly. Great.
"Tsuri-chan, you had you first kiss with Hibari-san?!" Kyoko's eyes widened in surprise.
Yamamoto chuckled slightly, drops of sweat forming behind his head as he saw Tsuna emit another dark aura, and Ryohei yelling 'EXTREME' more than 5 times. Gokudera looked as if he were about to blow at the mention of that day. The stinging in his chest hit harder than the needles the glasses bastard threw him a long time ago.
Tsuna sweat dropped, sighed to calm his brotherly instincts down and grinned wearily. "A-Anyways, why dont we check downstairs and see if dinner's ready?" he offered. "Can you guys stay over?"
"Sure!" Everyone but Gokudera and Tsuri agreed happily that they would be eating wonderful Nana Sawada's food. Kyoko, Ryohei, and Yamamoto exited the twins' room hastily.
Tsuna lingered a little at the door, waiting for the bomber or his sister to budge or move their eyes away from their odd staring contest but neither of them creaked a muscle. Tsuna shook his head, his own way of saying that he was used to his friend and twin acting childish most of the time and closed the door behind him.
Gokudera was standing beside the bunk beds with his arms folded in between his chest still feeling annoyed. He tried to shove it away, but it wouldn't disappear.
Tsuri however, was a little disturbed at the yell Gokudera threw her. He had woken up minutes ago, but she was sure that he wasn't cranky because of that. By the deep frown that was visible on his lips, she knew he was mad at something else. She thought that she might have done something to him that had ticked him off. Did she say something he didn't like? She didn't recall saying much a few moments ago. She wanted to know what was going on inside the head of the idiot, but she wasn't going to ask.
Gokudera had been looking away, but he stole glances at the brunette, and vice versa. When they caught each other staring, they both blushed and turned away. The silence was more than the female could bear and a tick mark began to throb on Tsuri's forehead.
"Ah mou! I'm tired of dealing with you. I'm going downstairs," she said in a bothered tone and got up from the bed to head to the door when a hand pulled her back from reaching the knob. She flipped her head back.
"Where are you going?"
"Let me go you hotheaded idiot. If you're not going to tell me what I did to piss you off then leave me alone," she tried pulling out of his grip.
"You should be resting, not moving around like you're the most active person on earth! Juudaime has had enough worrying to last a lifetime because of you."
"Something you want to say?" Tsuri burned holes into his skull with his glare. The young man was trying hard not to flinch but that stubbornness only made him more intimidating. The fact that he didn't look scared at all made her more weary than ever, "You sound like I love spreading concern on Tsuna on purpose. For your information, I don't."
"You do."
"How?"
"Your stubbornness. You purposely keep your mouth shut and hide things from Juudaime so he won't find out, just like that time you sprained your wrist."
Tsuri scoffed. "I didn't tell him because I could deal with it on my own. I didn't want Tsuna to feel responsible and I also don't llike Tsuna worrying over me because of simple things like this." She gestured all over herself and the box of cooling patches on her nightstand.
The guy didn't answer just stared harder at her as if waiting for something and she glared right back.
"If you have nothing else to say then get your hands off me." She yanked his hand away from the door handle but he didn't let go. It made her want to pry his fingers off the door and kick him in the chest.
"Are you angry because of that? Because I don't tell Tsuna things that in the end make him freak out?"
"Juudaime already has enough on his plate. You would do well to lessen that by not hiding things from him."
That hit Tsuri in the chest. It reminded her of the heaviest secret she still had hidden. About their dad. About the mafia. But Tsuri couldn't say a word. Gokudera was right, he already had enough in his plate. But that's exactly why Tsuri kept things to herself. She disliked becoming a burden to him, and anyone really. She could figure things out for herself, she was adept at it, until it fell out of her hands. Like today.
"Mind your own business," she finally hissed after taking a deep breath, "You have no idea how our relationship works. You can care for Tsuna all you wish, and even if you don't do the same for me out of your own accord, don't you ever question my actions or what I do to make sure he's okay."
Gokudera froze. His eyebrows became furrowed. He felt so conflicted. She had a point. He didn't know how their sibling relationship was at all. Tsuna was a person of kindness and acceptance, and Gokudera admired him greatly most of all because of those attributes of his.
He found himself wondering about Tsuri's actions all the time because of it. He knew she would never do anything to hurt him, but he didn't want to see that day come where Juudaime would kill himself, heart and soul for Tsuri's secretive nature.
His Juudaime needed his twin no matter what. That was a given. Gokudera vowed to make sure Tsuri's nature wouldn't destroy her in the end.
Tsuri's body grew limp. Usually Gokudera, being the loyal puppy he was to Tsuna, he couldn't care less about her since she wasn't Vongola Decimo. But the way this conversation was going. Was he concerned that Tsuri's way of being would harm her brother in the end… or herself? She shook her head. There was no way the cranky old man cared for her. Something in her chest ached at the thought though.
Both of them stood by the door, faces cross. Tsuri was the first to give up and huffed. "Sorry… I didn't mean to sound so harsh…" she looked at the floor, a hint of guilt on her face but he was still frowning, hands shoved deep in his pockets. She could see him pondering really hard on what to say next.
"I know you love Juudaime…" his voice was still pissed but it was better restrained. "But you seriously need to take care of yourself better, for his sake." His voice trailed off slightly as he turned back around, eyes looking anywhere but her.
She blinked owlishly, unsure if this was supposed to be his way of apologizing, even though it clearly didn't sound like one. She decided that she was better off not questioning it. The last thing she wanted right then was enter into another awkward argument with a person that she couldn't read.
"I… promise I'll do better?" Her face flushed. "Obviously for my brother, not because you told me to."
Tsuri slipped on her slippers and made her way to the door again. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm starving and there's food downstairs."
"You don't learn you stupid woman. You should be resting!"
"Here you go again with your yelling. I'm sick you know," Tsuri fake coughed.
"You're being a hypocrite!"
Tsuri's radiating and sincere smile caught him off guard and made him want to run away from the room by how much it made his heart do funny things in his chest. Her hair looked soft like silk and her eyes, even though they still revealed how unwell she still was, were bright like stars.
This was a Tsuri that he'd never seen before, and only his Juudaime had the honor to see it. He coughed into his palm, trying to suppress the redness spreading from his face to his ears.
"Ne Bakadera, we just had a conversation that sounded almost as if you're… concerned about us. Are you and… are we friends?"
Friends? Everyone was his enemy. No one but his boss was worthy of such a title. His distorted face gave her the answer she was expecting and she sighed again. Too good to be true.
"Your facial expressions are too honest, my god. If I were anyone else I'm pretty sure that would have hurt my feelings."
The silver head watched as Sawada Tsukairi waved him off as she ignored his request to stay inside the room.
He was losing his mind.
There was no way that right now, out of all the thoughts he could have had about this damned woman, was the fact that her whole self emitted this adorable , but irritatingly infuriating jump of excitement she had at the thought of her mother's delicious cooking.
In the kitchen everyone could hear severe banging coming from upstairs, ones that sounded like they were being self inflicted on the ground along words such as 'Forgive me Juudaime!' and some ritual cleansing chant.
"Tsuri? What's going on up there?" Tsuna asked as Yamamoto sweat dropped again at the echoing sounds of head to wood.
The brunette shrugged as she ate another spoonful of her soup.
"Who the hell knows?"