The training grounds at Vongola's hideout were usually filled with the intense sounds of combat: the clang of weapons, the shouts of training, and the bursts of Flame techniques. But lately, things had been… different, at least where Tsuna was concerned.

Today was no exception. Tsuna, normally focused and pushing through his limits, seemed distracted, glancing over at Lal Mirch every chance he got. She, in turn, noticed his unfocused punches, half-hearted dodges, and distant look in his eyes. If there was one thing Lal couldn't stand, it was a lazy trainee—especially one with potential as great as Tsuna's.

After yet another missed punch, Lal's patience snapped. "Alright, stop," she ordered, lowering her gun and crossing her arms. "What's going on, Tsuna?"

"Huh?" Tsuna's head shot up, clearly startled. "Uh, what do you mean?"

"You're not even trying today!" she scolded, her piercing gaze narrowing in suspicion. "Your stance is sloppy, your reactions are slow, and you keep spacing out. What's on your mind?"

Tsuna gulped, his heart hammering as he searched for an answer that wouldn't involve blurting out the truth. The truth, of course, being that he'd recently begun to feel… something whenever he looked at her. He couldn't help it—Lal was strong, capable, and had this fierce loyalty he admired. The problem was, he knew she cared deeply for someone else in her past, someone he knew she still held onto in her heart.

Tsuna chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I'm just… uh… tired?"

"Wrong answer," she replied, deadpan. "Tired doesn't make you stare at me every five seconds like you're hiding something."

Tsuna paled. "W-what? Staring? I wasn't staring!" He raised his hands defensively, taking a few steps back. "I was just… I mean… okay, maybe a little…"

Lal's eyebrow quirked, her expression morphing into a look of intense suspicion. She could tell he was hiding something, and there was only one way she was going to get it out of him. "Alright, then. Out with it. Now."

"I—uh, well, it's just—"

"Now, Tsuna," she repeated firmly, her voice low and commanding.

Tsuna's face turned red. "I… really can't," he mumbled, backing away another step.

"Oh, really?" She crossed her arms and smirked slightly, eyes gleaming with a competitive glint. "Fine. But I'm not letting this go. If you won't tell me, I'll have to make you tell me."

He knew that look, and it sent a shiver down his spine. She wasn't going to drop it. As he turned to avoid her gaze, he felt her steps moving closer, and without thinking, he started walking faster—then broke into a jog.

"Where are you going?" Lal called out, beginning to walk after him. Her pace soon matched his, then overtook it as she started to chase him outright. "Come back here!"

"Ah! N-no way!" Tsuna yelled, scrambling to find any escape route as he zigzagged around the training area.

The other Vongola Guardians stopped mid-training, exchanging confused glances as Lal Mirch dashed past them, hot on Tsuna's heels. Gokudera looked especially baffled. "What… is going on here?"

"Looks like Tsuna's finally cracked under the pressure," Yamamoto joked, holding back a laugh as he watched Tsuna duck and weave through the gym's equipment.

"Oi, Tenth!" Gokudera called out, as Tsuna darted past him. "What did you do this time?"

Tsuna didn't even have the breath to answer. "I… didn't… do anything!" he managed to get out, but the words were swallowed by the sound of his frantic footsteps. Lal's voice was loud and clear behind him.

"Get back here, Tsuna! You're not getting out of this!" she called, her voice taking on a somewhat amused tone as she picked up speed. "Running won't help!"

Tsuna bolted around a corner, hoping it would give him a few seconds to catch his breath, but Lal Mirch was relentless, her footsteps echoing as she closed in on him. In a last-ditch effort, Tsuna veered off toward the garden, hoping the maze of trees and bushes would give him some cover.

He slipped behind a tree, trying to steady his breathing, when he heard her voice right beside him. "Really? The garden?" she asked, peering around the trunk.

Tsuna jumped, backing away. "A-ah, Lal! I—um, I just thought… maybe you'd, uh… appreciate nature?" he stammered, his face burning in embarrassment.

"Nature?" She rolled her eyes and folded her arms. "You're terrible at lying, Tsuna. Just say what's on your mind."

"I… I really can't," he replied, his voice barely a whisper.

For a second, Lal's face softened, though her tone remained firm. "Why? Do you think I'll be mad?"

"It's not that…" He hesitated, eyes cast down. "It's just… complicated."

"Complicated how?" she asked, softer this time, sensing something deeper in his answer.

Tsuna fidgeted, feeling as if he might explode from the pressure of trying to keep his feelings hidden. But he couldn't say it—she still cared for someone else, after all. He didn't want to put her in a position to reject him or make her feel uncomfortable, not when she had her own struggles.

She watched him for a long moment, sighing. "Listen, Tsuna. I'm not going to force you to say anything you don't want to," she finally said, surprising him. "But if something's distracting you this much, it's only going to get in your way until you deal with it."

He looked up, her face framed by the golden sunlight filtering through the leaves. There was an honesty in her eyes, something that made him feel braver, more at ease. For a fleeting moment, he thought about telling her everything.

Instead, he forced a small smile. "Thanks, Lal. I… guess I have to figure things out first."

She raised an eyebrow but didn't press. "Fine. But know this—if you're going to make a habit of spacing out during training, I won't go easy on you."

Tsuna chuckled nervously. "Understood."

Lal's smirk returned. "Good. Now, since you wasted half the session running around, you're doing laps for the next thirty minutes."

Tsuna's shoulders slumped. "Laps?"

She laughed at his exaggerated groan. "That's right, boss. Unless you want me to chase you some more?"

"No, no!" Tsuna replied, already sprinting back to the training field to start his laps. The rest of the Guardians watched, a mix of amusement and bewilderment on their faces.

"Tsuna and Lal, huh?" Yamamoto said, a grin on his face. "Didn't see that coming."

"Nothing wrong with it," Reborn commented from his spot on the bench, tipping his hat with a smirk. "A little more motivation might be just what Tsuna needs."