chapter eleven has trash and sharks.

He'd done a lot of stupid things in his time. Actually, more than stupid. Beyond stupid, just so that someone at school would harass him far less than they already did for that one day. At first it seemed like the only way to make sure they would smirk and leave him alone for the day, before around the time he was eleven and realized it only made them think it was okay to do. So yeah, it seemed pretty stupid. By the time he turned twelve Tsuna realized his mistakes and kept his mouth shut. They knew he was afraid of them. They knew Enma was even more afraid and he was trying to get them back to his house – sanctuary.

So of course, that was four years ago.

Caramel brown eyes looked up, absolutely surprised as the glasses hit his forehead again. A trembling hand was brought up – his, most likely – and finally Gokudera-kun was lightly pushed away before he ventured toward the door as his only escape route, back turned to his exit. "Ah….G-Gokudera-kun….that's…I…erm…"

Green eyes stared at him warily and pushed his glasses up. If it weren't for the fact Tsuna was freaking out for his life (and only a smidge scared), he would have noted that just like his school uniform, Gokudera-kun managed to make looking like a…a bad boy geek? His lips twisted, sweat dripping down his forehead as Gokudera – rather soberly, actually – walked up to him and stood parallel to the poor brunet.

"You're scared of me," said the hotheaded teenager. His tone was a matter-of-fact, and maybe…just maybe Gokudera wasn't as drunk as Tsuna thought he was.

But what the hell, that was even more terrifying – a sober Gokudera just…just asked him to make out with him!

"No...," the brunet said slowly – weakly. His hand clutched the door handle, neck against the wood and entire body shaking. He wasn't as scared as he was nervous, and by now he knew how to trust Gokudera a little bit…maybe…sorta… A sigh escaped his lips, eyes squeezing shut as he reminded himself yet again: his back was against the wall. "Please don't touch me."

Gokudera fell silent. Brown eyes tentatively opening, they met with green and found themselves in a bind. "What do you like about me, honestly?"

"H-Honestly?" Tsuna squeaked, taken aback by the question, but couldn't help the ten gazillion things running around in his head. Pushing off the door, he hesitantly made a stride toward the couch. When their eyes met again, he only gave it a second or two of thought before plopping carefully in the middle. Gokudera-kun stayed where he was at.

"Talk." It was a light demand, but nevertheless he was flinching because of it.

Tsuna fumbled with his sweatshirt, body growing five degrees colder under such a chilling gaze. His mind raced with all of the possibilities; of what he could tell Gokudera-kun. Even if he wouldn't admit it, the fact remained that he was jealous. A frown fell across the brunet's lips, hands clasping together as Yamamoto's words passed through his mind again.

Shy. Gokudera-kun was very shy, and hid it behind his temper. That was what Yamamoto had said. Not only that, he thought with a roll of his eyes, Gokudera-kun apparently had a very thick Italian accent when he was little, so Yamamoto couldn't even understand him. Obviously now that wasn't the case, and although he'd never heard the silver-haired teenager talk in his native language, he had a feeling Gokudera was very fluent.

"Y-You're stubborn," Tsuna finally blurted flatly. Suddenly he shook his head, pulse quickening even if all the other teenager did was raise an eyebrow. "But that also means that you're hardheaded—no! I-I mean, it just…what it really means is…you're passionate. Driven to whatever you want to accomplish whether it's to prove a point or to um, save the world or something."

Fortunately that was enough to satisfy him. Gokudera-kun curtly nodded and urged for him to continue.

"You're very…proud—and that's all I mean it as," the brunet responded steadily. He wanted to make this as quaint as possible between them. "Headstrong. Which goes along with being passionate about what you do. You…You don't back down. And…I admire that a lot about you. Even if that means you can be a little pigheaded." Oh, crap.

A silence passed between them, eyes still on each other as Tsuna's doubled twice in size. The last part had slipped from his mouth by accident! "Care to elaborate?"

Gokudera-kun was seething through his teeth. Tsuna shoved both hands in his sweatshirt pockets and looked at him, trembling. "What did Enma talk to you about?"

"My sexuality." Plain and simple. He wished that this wasn't the subject for the entire night. "Elaborate, Sawada."

"I'm…I'm not really—"

"Elaborate, dammit."

"You're closed-minded," Tsuna seethed.

His eyebrows furrowed, frustration evident across his features, but he refused to look at Gokudera any longer with this explanation. A small smile spread across his face, a little scared, but Gokudera didn't say a thing. He wondered, really, if this was what one of their apparent "wars of wits" was actually like. According to a rather amused G, Tsuna had the mouth of a…a crocodile and snapped whenever Gokudera provoked him. Albeit he was still irritated even when acting calm (to outsiders), his frustration was still evident.

"Gokudera-kun…I've seen the way you act with Haru, and you're perfectly happy with each other. You've held hands and cuddled, and it's one of the only times I've ever seen you smile. B-But when it comes to Yamamoto, you think he's ogling you every chance he gets. But he's not. I-I've talked to him. He's happy for you." Brown eyes looked up hesitantly and noted there had been no reaction of any sort from the silver-haired teenager. "I'm n-not saying that you should go out with him. But…it can be stressful if you like someone and know for a fact that they're straight."

Not that he knew from experience. Suddenly realizing this, the brunet blinked yet again and went through his facts. He'd…never actually liked someone more than a friend. Enma as a brother, maybe, but that was it. It was by freak accident that he even realized his sexuality, and it was a little…astonishing to say the least. Enma had pointed it out.

Naito Longchamp, the new kid at Shimon in their second year of middle school, invited them out to go eat. Everyone thought he was annoying and ultimately, since Enma and Tsuna the only ones nice to him, he treated them to dinner. Before proceeding with telling them about his love life, how many girls he dated, and how many of them he scored with.

Somehow since Tsuna was sitting next to him and Enma was across from them, Longchamp had asked him why the hell they didn't have girlfriends. There was a silence, the only sound being Enma's soft bites of his hamburger. Tsuna sat there in shock, red to his ears while the other teenager stared at him intently, perverted grin spread across his face.

"Tsuna's gay," Enma suddenly said. And that was the end of it. Scarlet eyes looked back and forth between both boys, voice so barely audible that fortunately only their table could hear since the athletes were sitting nearly two booths away.

Longchamp's face dropped, curiosity on his face, and Tsuna panicked. "No, er, that's—" Absolutely flustered, Tsuna stood up from his seat before promptly sitting down, face as red as Enma's hair when the class rep looked over to them suspiciously. "I'm not—I mean—"

Somehow in his mind, the brunet couldn't think of what to say. Personally he was panicking more that other people would hear them than the claim itself, and Enma didn't seem to care. His eyes carried mischief, maybe a little confirmation for him, and Tsuna gave up. He sat down, twisted one fry in his ketchup, and decided to think about it at home.

At the memory, Tsuna tried particularly hard to suppress his blush. Two minutes of stillness later (including Longchamp's excessive babbling), their new friend looked up, eyes teeming with curiosity before he asked loudly, "So! Sawada-chan, how do you do it between two guys anyway?"

Needless to say, that was the single most embarrassing moment in his life.

"And do you think it's fucking easy on my side?" Crap. Tsuna snapped out of his memory and flinched at the sudden sneer projected in his general direction. Gokudera treaded three steps forward before halting, like he suddenly remembered something and planted his feet firmly in the ground. He jabbed his thumb at his chest, scowl dripping vehemently as he continued. "My fucking best friend – the faggot that I've looked up to for probably my entire life because of his confidence – is gay. For me! At first, anyway. For five-fucking-god-shitty years, I've lost control to what he did. He doesn't fucking think I noticed him staring in the locker rooms, or the way he would blush whenever I touched him! When we were twelve, he had a fucking wet dream. About me! Me! I moved here with my sister to get away from our judgmental parents; to regain some goddamn control! And he ruins it all!"

"That's harsh," Tsuna suddenly said, frown spreading across his face.

"No, it isn't!" Gokudera hissed, beer thrown aside, but he hadn't drunken more of it. "This phase he's going through? It's batshit crazy, and I don't give a damn about it! In fact, I wish he would just hurry up, get over it, and stop! When we were thirteen, he yelled at me for it! Out of everyone in this entire world, I probably trust that bastard more than my own girlfriend – and he betrays it with…with these feelings he claims to have!"

"Harsh," the brunet said again. This time, he stood up, heart racing like it was in the middle of a triathlon, but it was Yamamoto they were talking about. It had nothing to do with his own love life, either. This was all because of Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto. "He's a good guy, a-and you know it! S-So is Haru! She was a good friend before you guys dated, too, weren't you?"

"But she's not fucking Yamamoto!" Gokudera lashed back. "Hearing her laugh isn't just like a second skin to me! Watching her act silly doesn't make me want to smile as much as I do for that fucking idiot! And quite frankly, I'd rather damn well be at one of his retarded baseball games than one of her stupid school plays, ANY DAY."

Harsh. Harsh, harsh, harsh. The word sang in Tsuna's ears, tingling to the very core as his jaw loosened. His entire body trembled at Gokudera's words, and the silver-haired teenager was still freaking out about it. His knees gave out, and suddenly, the brunet found himself with his back pressed to the couch again. "Gokudera-kun—"

"Shut up," Gokudera hissed. Enamored by anger, his tone alone would have been enough to kill Tsuna. "You're just the same. Tenth, I don't get what he sees in that personality of yours. Too fucking nice, too considerate and jellyfish have more of a backbone than you do. I don't care what you say, and quite frankly, I wish the day you sprained your ankle, that you dropped dead, too."

A large lump gathered in Tsuna's throat. He looked up, ears swelling with what he had just heard. Gokudera suddenly cursed, muttered something under his breath, and picked up the beer can creating a puddle near his kitchen counter. Gathering all of his strength, the brunet stood up from his seat and slowly walked toward the door. He whirled around for a second, mouth opening as a thought passed through his head, and met eyes with Gokudera.

Green eyes flickered. "What?"

With that, Tsuna's mouth clamped shut. His lower lip quivered, teeth grinding behind them, and ducked his head. "I'll see you tomorrow."

No more words said, he made a low stride to the door and flipped the knob. There was a sharp intake of breath, and sudden steps. "Tenth, wait—"

Tsuna slammed the door behind him, numb to the bone with his eyebrows furrowed as he began the three-minute walk to the other side of the apartment complex.

You're also very, very, very loyal to your friends, no matter what. Tsuna ran a hand through his hair, confidence deteriorating. Cheer up, he softly told himself. His best friend in the whole entire world was here to visit.

OoOoO

"He's a minor."

"Fuck—how long are you going to keep mentioning that?"

Giotto stared his best friend in the face, utterly amused, and grinned. He wasn't stupid. But G was easily provoked and it was certainly entertaining to see that color on the redhead's face. For as long as he remembered, G was the twin to his charge. Hayato-kun was known for being ill-tempered, grouchy, and calculating. Through the years most of his temper faded, replaced with a sweet heart and high expectations for just about everyone he met.

But hell, if he was going to miss a chance to fluster his best friend-since-childhood, you were bloody well mistaken. The yell from Xanxus's annoying boyfriend – Squalo – had been from the parking lot on the other side of the apartment building.

G wasn't stupid, and neither was he. There was a possibility (well, matter of assumption and evidence to back up this assumption) that Xanxus had said something irritating, and Squalo was simply defending himself. Or he was mad that after a forty minute car ride with Giotto, the blond dashed off to his apartment at first sign of G's car in the Parking Lot B.

"Cute kid," Giotto decided instead. His amusement dropped slightly, a little troubled, and he rubbed his chin apologetically. "This might be an awkward sleeping arrangement."

"Go figure." G's eyes narrowed in amusement, lips twisted into an interested grimace. "You're calling me the pedophile and yet you're the one thinking about sleeping arrangements. Don't worry about it. According to the kid, he and Enma are fine sharing the same bed."

For some strange reason, Giotto found himself frowning. He arched an eyebrow, curious at that statement, but didn't make a comment. During the month with Tsuna, he found himself…liking the teenager's company. The thought came back from when they first really got along. G told him he'd be lonely in the apartment when Tsuna went back with Nana. He…wasn't sure that he would be sad, but he wasn't sure he wouldn't not be depressed over it.

Tsuna brought a sense of livelihood to his apartment whenever Giotto came home. He was like a puppy that'd just been bought, sniffing around hesitantly before it got settled, but expected nothing but abuse like from its last owner. He…liked his brother's company. A lot.

And this redheaded kid…he was a bit concerned. Obviously he'd walked in on something a bit…well, awkward more than intimate since G had a habit of sparing empathy to a younger party, and quickly saw that Enma-kun was a bit underweight. Unlike Tsuna, who the blond had no doubt got perfect nutrition from his mother, Enma-kun was both on the scrawny side and unbelievably short. The concern was plastered across his best friend's face as soon as he got that look.

They'd been sitting on the couch, bite-sized redhead next to the taller one, and the kid looked mortified. His twig-like arms were shaking between his legs, shoulders hunched and eyes wide while the blush dominated most of his face, if not body. G, oblivious as he was, leaned over, empathetic toward his embarrassment (though apparently for the wrong reasons) and tried to be sweet and tender.

Of course he was empathetic – he was G. For as long as he'd known his best friend, G always held justice and friendship before anything. Giotto was the same way, but often times he questioned if his best friend's sense of righteousness outweighed his own.

So G was observing the obviously bloody eye, lack of nutrition, and the cutely insufferable pout across Enma-kun's face. Perfect friend for Tsuna. Well, he thought with a furrowed brow, probably not perfect. But the type of friend Tsuna would most likely have. An incompetent friend for an incompetent person.

Erm, something like that. Not…in that way. A frown fell across his lips as he fumbled through his thoughts.

The bathroom door slowly crept open and both caught sight of red hair. It would be the second time Giotto saw his brother's apparent best friend (who he would now and forever call the bite-sized G). Scarlet eyes caught his gaze before they looked down, tiny bandaged fingers coiled around the door knob. He stumbled with the first step and sauntered toward the couch before sitting down like an obedient child.

Red sprinkled his cheeks and he waited patiently, fingers playing with a loose string in his pajamas. Red hair fell in clumps, covering most of his ears and half of his downward cast eyes. Giotto looked at him curiously before clearing his throat. Enma-kun flinched, startled.

"We haven't formally introduced ourselves," he said steadily, eyebrow raised. "I'm Giotto. G is my best friend and – oh look. He's got red hair too. How ironic. Go figure. Coincidental much? Astonishing. How phenomenal."

A soft groan left said best friend's lips and he ran a hand through his hair. "Giotto – shut up. Just shut up."

"Just creating conversation." Giotto smiled softly, quickly switching to Italian, but he had a feeling bite-sized G knew what they were talking about. He looked over again, fiery eyes full of cautious amusement once Enma's attention lifted from the useless loose thread. His head moved slowly – mechanically, even, like one of the Crazy Claw at the local arcade – before settling on G. Immediately the poor kid darkened, stature shrinking (if possible) and he buried his face in his knees.

"I'll be staying for the weekend." His voice was as soft and innocent as his physique. Giotto frowned, eyes scanning bandages upon bandages on the poor boy's face. His thumb alone had nearly seven Band-Aids from who-knew-what. "If that's okay."

"Knock yourself out," said the blond with ease. "You're just in luck: G here is turning twenty-seven tomorrow, along with Tsuna's teacher. G'll chauffeur you around."

Somehow that didn't seem to ease the poor redhead. His eyes widened, apparently taken aback, but slowly they shrank and he tilted his head to the side. "But what about…never mind."

"About what?" G arched an eyebrow. He snorted, casually tapping Giotto on the shoulder with a roll of his eyes. "The fact that even on my birthday, my fucking co-partner slash best friend is making me drive his brat brother and you around?"

Bad move. Enma winced, arms tightening around his legs before his ears turned pink. "S-Sorry…"

"W-Wait, ah." Ultimatum? G was left stammering like an idiot, speechless, and concluded to be a first class idiot. Way to go. "That's not…I mean…it was….sarcasm…"

Giotto snorted in amusement and took G aside for a moment. He quickly checked his watch and noted it would only be a few more minutes before Squalo and cousin Xanxus were hiking up the stairs and complaining about his 'shitty supply closet of an apartment.' He frowned, yet again worried as Enma hissed in pain and brought the finger he touched the loose strand of thread with into his mouth.

"You're scaring him," he muttered in…Dutch. Fortunately years of the international trade allowed him to be fluent in every language known to mankind. "Kind of funny though. I scared my brother, but he loves you. Hey, don't redheads have some kind of like, alien communication? Or does your tattoo block that out?"

"Oh, fuck you." G arched an eyebrow, hands shoved in his pockets as he warily looked over to Enma, who was now staring at the remote for the life of him. "Maybe you're so blond that you're too fucking stupid for him to feel threatened."

"Nah, couldn't possibly be it." Giotto rubbed his chin, puzzled. "I'll stay with him. Go help out Squalo and cousin Xanxus before they do something stupid."

"Alright." He would have smiled at the frustration passing through his best friend's face if it wasn't downright hilarious. G shut his eyes, begrudging scowl across his lips before he whirled around and shut the front door behind him.

With a silent slam, Giotto turned his head back, immediately catching his brother's best friend's gaze before he plopped onto the floor across the coffee table. Enma tilted his head, and scooted back into the cushions.

"You can sit up here," he murmured quietly, reluctance spreading in his eyes. "I…I don't mind."

"It's fine." Giotto smiled back, mind running through a million things a minute. It was easier to talk to him than it was to Tsuna at most times, ironically. Giotto admitted, that was an unfair analysis, but he supposed it all went back to the fact Tsuna and he were brothers. Ugh, he never hated a word so much in his life. "So. I won't tell Tsuna about the mole on your thigh if you don't."

It probably didn't help that he was most likely the bluntest person in the world. The way Enma's face dusted pink was amusing, almost in the fashion of Tsuna's. They fell silent, Giotto smiling expectantly and Enma's mouth buried in his knees.

Finally: "We took baths with each other until we were six. I…I don't think it really matters."

"Point taken." He wished it had been this easy to accept Tsuna the same way it was with Enma-kun. He flushed lightly at the thought of it. Talking with Tsuna made him feel like a teenaged boy himself: awkward, dorky, and babbling on and on just to impress his brother, no less. It was flustering and frustrating, but…worth it. Tsuna would crack a smile or two and they were getting along on better terms now.

"I hear you in the background a lot on the phone," spoke the quiet redhead. He lowered his head, gaze still focused on Giotto's own fiery eyes. This boy was about to tread on fragile territory – he knew this for a fact. "You're a lot nicer…than you were before."

"He's too cautious for his own good," Giotto offered a half-smile. "Can't say I blame him. We're still getting used to the entire situation."

"Tsuna's used to being the older brother." Eh? Ah. That…Lambo…sheep-brother of the family or whatever. He was still trying to process the fact out of all the names Nana and Iemitsu could come up with, Lambo was what they chose.

"You coming for fall break?" It was best to change the subject. The subject of family was still touchy for them. Enma's eyes flickered hesitantly, and he shook his head. "Probably not a good idea. Reborn's been telling me about his bad marks in math." Thoroughly and with a scowl. Damn that man; never liking his students to fail.

"Can I come for Christmas?"

"If you give G a big smooch on the lips under the mistletoe." Ah, ah? Giotto laughed softly as the poor boy's face contorted in a mixture of horror and an overbearing blush. This kid was cute. Almost as cute as Tsuna. "You seem to treat my brother well. Other way around, too. But don't hurt yourself until then, alright?"

The redhead dropped his head, face buried in his knees as he mumbled something inaudi—

"VOIII. Giotto, you fucking asshole!"

Fucking asshole was an oxymoron, if you thought about it. Giotto arched an eyebrow, amusement plastered across his face, but Enma-kun was startled. The redhead stood up from where he was before pathetically tripping and slamming his nose into the coffee table. Giotto winced, but didn't have time to ask if he was okay. The door slammed open, entire living room vibrating from the force before one mini-earthquake involving two very large feet stomping on the ground came toward him.

Squalo's eyes narrowed angrily, scowl plastered across his face and jabbed a finger in Giotto's chest. "Who the hell in this damn city would approve a driver's license for you? We lost one of our fucking suitcases because you swerved and had to spit at some TRASH in the road!"

"He ran a stop light," Giotto grumbled defensively. He felt Enma tug his vest from behind, fingers trembling, before he clasped a hand over the boy's wrist and kept him still.

"No. He didn't run a damn stoplight – YOU DID." Squalo pushed him back, ultimately causing both adult and boy to crash into each other. Enma gasped, and Giotto pulled him to the side, hand secure on both shoulder and waist. Squalo didn't notice. "Damn your fucking driving skills to HELL, you arrogant pussy! And then you have the fucking nerve to IMPROPERLY park on a fucking hill, pop one of your damn wheels in a rose bush outside without the decency to UNLOCK THE FUCKING TRUNK. I OUGHT TO NEUTER YOU."

"I can't be held responsible for a popped wheel," Giotto's eyes narrowed. "They still have seven bloody months on them – I'll sue whoever the hell planted the rose bush in the middle of the parking lot and gave me faulty tires."

"VOIII YOU DOUCHE BAG!" Squalo ruffled his hair with both hands, teeth visible and as deadly-looking as a shark's. "YOU ARE SO FUCKING OFF YOUR ROCKER."

There was no point. The blond rolled his eyes, mildly amused, and looked over his cousin-in-law's shoulder to see the door creep open. Squalo had the foul tendency to have fits over absolutely nothing. His driving, for example, was absolutely nothing. "Cousin Xanxus."

"Giotto." With the curtness of his lover now in the room, Squalo seemed to cool down almost immediately. Enma-kun's face was buried in Giotto's shoulder like a little kid, and he was trembling. Maybe it was because he was Tsuna's elder brother. His friend didn't seem like a person who accepted others without caution. "You are a fucking moron."

"Which clears up…your oxymoron." Heh. He made a funny. Giotto turned his gaze, settled on a shark that was now reduced to simmering, and gestured to the couch. "It pulls out like the old one."

Cousin Xanxus's eyes narrowed irritably to the bite-sized redhead at his side. "Your brother?"

"His friend."

The door slowly crept open yet again, and one blond eyebrow shot through his hairline in suspicion. Fiery eyes narrowed, suddenly concerned, and he could feel a tug on his arm. Tsuna. Tsuna who was…well, he wasn't crying, but he was surely sulking. G stood by him, lips pulled into a frown with a hand to his brother's back. Suddenly the poor brunet looked up, eyes widening to the many pairs of eyes glued to him, and blushed.

A small smile spread across his face and he mumbled a quiet "hi." That was it. Enma-kun brushed passed him, gracefully sidestepping both Xanxus and Squalo alike, and tugged on Tsuna's arm. Giotto cocked a curious eyebrow, arms crossing his chest as the redhead looked up, pink splattering his face as G and he made curious contact, before dragging his brother outside. The door promptly shut behind him.

That was. Um.

"So you like him," Xanxus said steadily. "Bastard child he may be."

"He's nice," Giotto said quaintly, head rose to project his opinion. His cousin, though admirable for being the only one deemed worthy enough to carry on Grandfather Timoteo's business, was irritatingly judgmental. Dino and he were the same age – wherever that idiot of a brother may be. "Xanxus, don't talk to him unless necessary while you're visiting."

"That's the plan." One black eyebrow rose and he snorted. "If you weren't family…"

"It's better this house than my house," G interrupted. His eyes narrowed wryly to Giotto's cousin before looking over and acknowledging Squalo. Oh goody. At least someone was behaving.

"Voi, is that a new couch?"

"It's always a fucking new couch."

"VOIII! It isn't my fucking fault that your cousin is a shitty driver!"

"Get a new apartment by our next visit."

"Only if Squalo gets a new boyfriend." Sneer, sneer. Scowl, scowl.

"You two are a fucking bunch of nuts," grumbled Squalo. Giotto laughed gently, expression softening only a little while Xanxus glared at him. The adult grumbled something under his breath before brushing past him and plopping on the couch.

"VOIII! And where the fuck am I supposed to sleep!"

"Who says you'll be sleeping?"

"What the—you arrogant BASTARD!"

To this, the blond looked over to his best friend and grinned fully. Of course, G was grumbling something under his breath before they met eyes. He admitted, the relationship they all had with each other was…odd, but it was certainly interesting. He chuckled softly, and the front door suddenly squeaked open yet again. Enma and Tsuna slowly walked back in, hand-in-hand, and Tsuna was…smiling.

A bright smile. Giotto blinked, all amusement lost in curiosity as he watched his brother whisper something in his best friend's ear before they both burst into a fit of giggles. A smile…suited Tsuna. A lot. The days rolled by in his head; how every night he would hear Tsuna from his room chattering on the phone with his best friend. There was an occasional babble, maybe a soft stammer, but his brother was truly concerned for Enma's wellbeing. Obviously now he knew why.

It made his stomach churn, really. Oh well.

Smiling lightly, Giotto found himself leaning into G, hands slowly sliding down to his pockets. They were still getting used to each other. He felt…envious, really, that it only took a few minutes of private conversation before his brother's depression was lifted, and obviously it had done enough. It would be cool though. If he could get Tsuna to smile the same way Enma-kun did, he meant.

"Tsuna. This is your cousin-in-law, Xanxus. He and Squalo are going to be staying for the weekend." Giotto gestured to Xanxus, who was now napping peacefully as if nothing happened on his couch.

His brother blanched, eyebrows rising into his hairline before they knitted together. "I…I didn't know that…I didn't think…I'm sorry, was this a bad weekend?"

"It's too late now," Giotto mumbled. And it was his fault for not reminding Tsuna that this weekend would be G's birthday. He looked up, reassuringly smiling at his brother before gesturing to his room. "You'll just sleep on the floor in my room until they leave. Does that sound good?"

"I could ask Hayato to look after them for a while. Get 'em drunk and—alright, let's not." Both adults shared confused expressions as they watched Tsuna's relief fleet away, replaced with depression. Enma yanked on his hand, steadily bringing his best friend closer and shook his head. G ran a hand through his hair. "Imposing on Takeshi wouldn't be a good idea either."

"It's my responsibility." Giotto turned away from the pair of boys for a moment, eyes only on his best friend and rubbed his chin. "Don't worry about it."

G's eyes narrowed. "The last time you said 'don't worry about it'—"

"Big deal. She was going to find out anyway." The blond grinned wickedly. A chuckle escaped his lips once G's face contorted again before he turned around and pointed to his room. Tsuna and Enma perked in confusion. "Go in there and sleep. Take your stuff with you and don't worry – next time it won't be like this."

Fortunately they nodded. In one hand, Tsuna held a bag that neither apparently noticed before and guided him and best friend toward the couch. He bumped into Xanxus's leg.

Shit.

"Squalo," Giotto immediately hissed in a harsh tone. His eyes narrowed warningly to the swordsman, who apparently for once knew when to be quiet. Cool gray eyes darted his way, but nothing else.

Tsuna halted, startled by the pair of legs, but stood frozen nearly a second later. Horrible, deathful eyes stared him in the face, and for an entire minute, no one breathed.

Shit, shit, shit. G rested a hand on his shoulder, but he barely registered it. Anything. Anything but Celeste's side of the family meeting Iemitsu's future wife's. But Squalo stood there, just as expectantly and appeared not to have a care in the world if it didn't involve their new bed. G was dead, Enma sensed the aura, and all depended on what cousin Xanxus did.

And Tsuna got a leer.

"Watch it," growled the elder adult. With every single word, his poor brother flinched, mortified, and Xanxus continued, obviously appeased by this reaction. "Touch me again, and you'll die for it, you shit-fucking piece of trash."

With that, Tsuna was kicked. He was kicked into Enma, and a pair of chocolate brown eyes lifted fearfully to Giotto's own gaze. Sad. The brunet removed his hand from his best friend's grasp and hugged his ribcage.

"Can we eat in your room?" he croaked. A smile. Sad smile.

"Use my Advil." Giotto nodded shortly as Enma hesitantly grabbed both bags. The door shut silently, echo behind like a riveting harp. With an air of tense peace, Xanxus grumbled something under his breath before swinging his legs and grabbing the remote. Giotto glared. "That was uncalled for."

Squalo turned his head again, eyebrow arched to their expressions, and the blond finally noticed the hand on his shoulder.

"You disappoint me," Xanxus returned sharply. "Don't get attached, brat. I may like you, but him? He's nothing. He's trash."

"Cheeky fucking bastard," grumbled G under his breath.

"What do you want to eat?" Giotto tersely arched an eyebrow. This wasn't a subject he wasn't going to get on. There were two points he was raised with as a Vongola, and that would be one of them. Family was family, but Xanxus was also Xanxus. They weren't related in any way, and therefore it barely benefited him, if at all.

"Goat meat from Scandinavia. Better be fucking refrigerated before you cook it."

But what the hell. The next time he saw Dino, he was going to shove a branding iron up the Bucking Horse's ass for sticking him with the relatives.

OoOoO

He couldn't sleep.

Brown eyes shut in the dark, carefully chanting a mantra as he tried to drift off into slumber land. No avail. A sigh left his lips and he looked to the alarm clock placed on Giotto's nightstand. 12:04AM. It was his birthday. Today, he was officially seventeen. And…G was twenty-seven, apparently. It was…weird, to say the least. He arched a puzzled eyebrow and picked himself up off the floor. Gokudera-kun's words kept bothering him.

Tsuna shut his eyes and drew a sharp breath. He…he knew it was just the hotheaded teenager's frustration talking, but it was maddening. Gokudera rendered him speechless; unable to say anything in return, because…what was the point?

It wasn't his problem to begin with. In the three longest minutes of his life, Tsuna had come to the conclusion that even if Yamamoto and he were friends and…well, Gokudera said they were friends too, this was something they would have to figure out for themselves.

Yet somehow it just made him angry. Frustrated. P-Pissed off!

He'd been getting used to it now. Yamamoto's kindness, Gokudera's bluntness…they were sweet. And nice. Haru, on rare occasion that they saw each other, would greet him enthusiastically, and wouldn't stop touching him. After a month of being in Namimori, life was going great and today was even better with Enma around.

He smiled for the first time in three hours. Enma was next to him, back to his side and fast asleep. They'd eaten, said only a few words to each other before the redhead tackled him into a hug and fell asleep. He always did sleep better, Tsuna thought, if they were next to each other.

They talked about it outside after Tsuna's three minutes of contemplation. The redhead seemed frazzled, panicking even, before grumbling some story about the only person who really liked him in his foster family – Shitopi-chan – and blushed red. Tsuna laughed.

Never, he thought, never did he want to be as unfortunate as his best friend and walk in on Shitt. P doing her monthly wax and shave of her entire body. And just like that, the two laughed it off, a little bit cheerier, and went back to the room.

The brunet snapped out of his thoughts when the door slowly opened and blond hair came to view. Giotto blinked, and Tsuna awkwardly waved.

"I thought you and Enma-kun would be asleep by now," said the adult slowly.

"He's asleep," Tsuna reassured. He gestured to the other side of him and suddenly blushed. Giotto nodded slowly before going to his closet on the other side of the room and shed his clothes. Oh God. "W-We took some of the sheets from your closet for the floor."

"That's fine." Giotto nodded slowly before disappearing into his bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

That was right. Tsuna blinked as he heard the shower running and looked around the room again. When both Enma and he first entered, a lamp was already on. There was no window, and he assumed it was because there was an apartment built behind Giotto's. The walls were white, but decorated with various picture frames. There were a lot of photos, really, of Giotto and his friends.

There was none of his mother or Iemitsu. Not even as husband and wife. Tsuna peeled the sheets off his body, slowly rising to his feet before he looked at a frame on the wall. Giotto was fifteen. Or…he had to be when this picture was taken. He blinked, curious at the hesitant smile spread across his brother's face while another blond kid – much older – hugged him.

The resemblance between him and Giotto were uncanny. Tsuna blinked, red scattering his cheeks as he thought of Giotto's qualities. Was…that what he was going to look like in a few years?

"That's a picture of Dino and me."

"Eek—!" Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth, heart racing before he turned around and met Giotto's eyes. The blond shut his bathroom door behind him, towel ruffling in his hair, and the brunet blinked. "Didn't you just get into the shower?"

Giotto arched an eyebrow. "Well, I just got out."

"B-But that was like less than two minutes!" He kept his tone hushed, immediately remembering that Enma was literally a foot away from him, asleep.

"You can do all of your necessities in two minutes," mused the blond. "Lather, rinse. No repeat. Brushing your teeth while showering reduces time. I'm squeaky clean."

That would explain his first few days here when Giotto and he were going out for laundry. His brother had changed quickly while he struggled to brush his teeth and take a shower, and his answers came tonight of whether or not Giotto even used his own bathroom. Before he knew it, the adult turned a corner and met Giotto by the same picture hanging on the wall.

"That's Dino." He gestured to the elder teenager holding him, and smiled fondly. "Before he went off to college."

Dino. Dino was…the other brother. Xanxus, Squalo, and the rest of the adults were talking about him in the living room. Tsuna shivered, hands stuffed in his PJ pants, but Giotto mistook it for something else.

"He's nice," Giotto mumbled quietly. "Nothing like me."

"A-Ah? He can't be nice and not like you. You're nice too." Oh, crap. His mouth was talking for him again. Red scattered his cheeks as the blond looked at him, somewhat taken aback from his statement before he shrugged. "I-I mean…well…w-we have a lot better relationship now, right?"

"Right." Giotto nodded back slowly and they entered silence. With nothing else to say, the blond grumbled a good night and crawled into his bed. Tsuna did the same and crawled back to Enma before burying himself under their shared duvet.

The lamp went out. But it was definitely still awkward. Everything was awkward. Had he known that October 14th was G's birthday, he would have bought a gift. Had he…had he known that Xanxus and Squalo were going to visit, then he would have waited. But…next week, Enma couldn't come. And at this rate, their friendship might as well be ov—

"Tsuna."

Well, that wasn't expected. "A-Ah…?"

"Don't…let what Xanxus say get to you. He's…a full-blooded Italian and had always admired Celeste." Giotto's faded slowly, and quietly, before continuing. "My mother, I mean. And it's the way he is."

"Alright," Tsuna whispered back. Was that what was bothering his brother? He'd…forgotten about it. Gokudera-kun's problem with him felt more important. But…his cheeks reddened. Giotto wasn't the type to get worried very easily. He was…shy with some of his feelings. "Giotto?"

"Mm?"

"I…I didn't take the pills." He shut his eyes and shivered when the mattress ruffled.

"You didn't do what? Tsuna, he's a skilled fighter. The Vongola come from a long line of mafia members, and—"

"I'm used to getting tossed around once in a while. That kick wasn't a big deal." The brunet felt his face heat up, but simply buried his head in Enma's hair. W-Wait, what? "Wait, mafia members?"

"You're used to getting kicked around?" Giotto was still sitting up on the mattress.

"Y…Yeah." With a soft sigh, the teenager pushed off the floor and looked at his brother through the dark. It was barely there with what little light visible, but fiery eyes were haunting him. "It's…It's not a big deal. C-Could you tell me more about Dino-san?"

Neither one spoke. With a little bit of shuffling, Tsuna realized his brother was lying down again. He did the same. "He's a good big brother. Klutzy, but…he's there for you when you need him."

"O-Oh?"

"We…" Giotto chuckled softly and shook his head with amusement. "When we were little, Iemitsu brought home a dog he found on the street. We kept it in a cage when no one was around to take care of him, and eventually…"

"Eventually what?"

"Dino's allergic to them," admitted the blond. "But I forced him to go see it with me anyway. I was seven, he was ten. And kids are annoying – I hate them all." Tsuna choked on a laugh. Even with his musings, Giotto didn't seem like the type of person to tolerate children. "I was afraid of dogs, and I wanted him to protect me. Dino insisted it was fine, laughing despite all of the rashes he was getting just for being in the same room as it."

Tsuna's eyes widened in horror. "And what happened?"

"It was let out, I ran away screaming, and Dino broke out into hives." Giotto cracked a grin. "But when Mom and Dad found out, they were going to pin the blame on me. I was the troublemaker of the family. My brother broke down crying and telling them it was all his fault – all while he ran into the room before tripping over one of my shoes and breaking his nose against the kitchen table. We both got grounded for a month."

"Th-That's horrible!" But he couldn't help but smile. The brunet suppressed his laughter in fear of waking his best friend up.

"Do you have any about Lambo?"

Ah. Er. To this, his grin suddenly faded and he pressed a hand to his eyes. "I…I guess."

"Do tell."

"He…stuffed an active grenade in my backpack one day."

There was silence. "You're kidding."

"Why do you think my backpack is so grimy looking?" Tsuna smiled weakly and relished one of Giotto's soft chuckles. Each one tingled in his ears. Finally, he turned on his side, eyes facing Giotto's bed. His grin faded weakly, heart pounding while the laughter soon died out. "Giotto?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you…remember when I first met you?"

He could barely hear the blond breathe. "Do you?"

"Not…not really." His voice was barely audible now, and Tsuna curled into a ball, unsure of what to say.

"I was fourteen and you were five," muttered the blond. There was a soft rustle, and Tsuna cringed when the lamp was turned on. They faced each other, gazes locked, and Tsuna raised his head. "I told you: I don't have a tolerance level when it comes to children. I was asked to watch you, and…I wanted you to take me seriously. So I bluffed as far as I could go before I could get you to cry and…I…I went too far."

"Did I finally cry?" His fingers fumbled on the small scar on his stomach, and he swallowed the lump in his throat.

"You whimpered. That day you could have told them that I penetrated skin with some bloody knife I found in the drawer – probably one of Squalo's." His brother's blazing eyes narrowed slowly, and he shut them before continuing. "But I bandaged it up and shoved it in the back of my mind. It's…not one of my proudest moments."

"Were you surprised when asked to be my guardian?"

"Obviously."

And that was that. Tsuna looked up to his brother, but found the blond deep in thought. Way to ruin the mood. Shutting his eyes, he muttered a soft good night and turned so he was touching foreheads with Enma. This was awkward. This was painful. This was…was horrible.

Then there was a loud, excruciating moan.

Tsuna jolted up from the bed and only met the back of his brother's head. "Wh-What was that?"

"FUCK—you fucking….nn…ahh….."

Giotto sighed softly and sat up in his bed for the umpteenth time that night. He blinked, like the few seconds of sleep he managed to get were absolute bliss. "That would be cousin Xanxus and Squalo having sex on the couch."

WH-WHAT. "B-But…I-I sleep there…"

"FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, GOD YOU BASTARD…!"

"They'll be at it all night," Giotto muttered sleepily. "From now till probably five in the morning."

"A-And the couch before you replaced it?" The reason why they had replaced it was because Tsuna found a used condom. O-Oh god, what if it was th-their's—?

"I get it replaced after every year," Giotto said sharply, obviously disgusted. Under the lamp light, the blond apparently paled at the very thought. Still…I-It wasn't comforting. "We don't even remove it by hand."

"B-But—"

"Tsuna, before you came, Alaude and I had sex in every inch of this apartment. It shouldn't be that big of a deal."

"I-if that's supposed to be comforting, then it's not!" Normally he didn't yell at his brother. But now, his entire face was turning pink, and all of the incoherent sounds and repetitive pound-pound-pound that was fairly audible was going to scar him for life.

"They fuck like rabid bunnies. And half the time it's not consensual." The blond looked at him warily. "Stop being ridiculous. Have you never walked in on your mother and Iemitsu going at it?"

"He's never around more than two days a year!" Tsuna squeaked. He pulled the comforter over his head and waited for his brother's next retort. It never came. Hesitantly, he slid the duvet off his head and looked at his confused brother. "Y-Yeah…?"

"He's not around for more than two days?"

Oh. "Erm. Yeah." It was why he never really called his father by that very word – Dad. It'd always been Iemitsu, and Nana was always the one who referred to him as Papa whenever he visited. Looking back up, he realized that Giotto was looking at him. With…w-with a lot of worry. Immediately he panicked again and shook his head. "I-It's not a big deal. I-I never really grew up with him anyway."

"Ah." The blond propped himself on one elbow, eyes narrowed to his younger brother. "And you were okay with it?"

"I…" He smiled uncertainly as there was a loud collision between…well he didn't want to know. The wall across from them, however, was trembling. "It was fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Tsuna." Suddenly the blond swung his legs over the bed and slid to the floor, eyes meeting Tsuna's. He placed a hand on the brunet's shoulder, and barely noticed when he flinched. "This Tuesday, we'll go apartment hunting."

And suddenly, he was sent into panic mode again. In fact, the various moans from the other side of the apartment seemed like music compared to Giotto's declaration. "It's not a big deal. And…I-I don't want to spend your money over something as expensive as an apartment."

"I've got the money for it," Giotto retorted. He shook his head, hand running through his hair as fervent pink splattered his cheeks. "And it would be a lot better. You're not here for a nine month vacation – you're living here for eight more months. And need your own bedroom. Privacy. And a bed. So that way, we can almost guarantee they won't fuck like bunnies in your room when they visit for New Year's."

His eyebrows furrowed. "But—"

"You either agree to it or I force you." His brother was quiet. Suddenly, a hand was running through Tsuna's hair and the brunet shivered. "Alright?"

"I…b-but…" Tsuna sighed in defeat. "O-Okay."

"Good." They parted ways, touch lost, and the brunet fell steadily next to his best friend.

This was progress. Tsuna's fingers coiled around the comforter and he pulled it closer to his nose. A weight had been lifted off his shoulders, like…like Giotto's news was all that needed.

"Good night, Tsuna." The lamp was turned off.

It was…strange, actually. His heart was beating faster in his chest, but it didn't feel like it would kill him. There was no panic, no unease, and a lack of nausea. He shut his eyes, hand buried over Enma's torso, and nodded to himself. "Good night, Giotto."

When the mattress dipped and lips were pressed to his forehead in good merit, Tsuna realized they had as much effect as one of Enma's hugs. Maybe even better.

That night, they both fell asleep at precisely 1:24AM, peace-ridden and mind blank of the irritating cousin in the other room with his boyfriend.

OoOoO

chapter twelve has flowers and pants.

"He's…wow."

"Yeah," breathed Tsuna. They stood adjacent, knuckles brushing against each other once in a while he watched with fascination as Enma leaned over Giotto's nightstand to look at a particular portrait of his brother and G. Pink scattered his cheeks, and he smiled softly as his best friend nudged it.

G and Giotto: two little five-year-old kids in booster seats with spaghetti sauce over all their faces. Noodles scattered the table, and a distraught Dino-san looked as if he were about to cry with two tiny forks forcefully rammed into his teeth.

Giotto looked…cute. Everywhere they looked, frames possessed the entire wall; no inkling of white to be seen. Pictures of five-year-olds, seven-year-olds, thirteen-year-olds and so forth met from floor to ceiling, and with each photograph changed Tsuna's opinion of his brother for better…o-or for worse. Gosh, poor Dino…

"Can't say I'm surprised," admitted Enma after a moment or two of silence. His hand pressed against the wall, slowly tracing a different portrait, and Tsuna followed is fingers. G and Giotto were together in almost if not all the pictures. "They're really close."

"Their closeness is more like you and me though," the brunet said casually. He shrugged. "Giotto's seeing someone, and from what I hear, G's divorced."

Enma's fingers came to a halt. "So…he's…straight."

"I'm pretty sure he's bisexual." From…all of the stories he'd heard of Giotto and G getting together with Gokudera-kun's sister splashed in between. "You could have a shot with him." Suddenly his eyes widened, quickly realizing his words as Enma's hand curled nervously and he turned his best friend's way, face as red as his hair. "I-I mean…e-erm…"

"Wh…What are you implying?" Suddenly the redhead's voice raised three octaves, and he was redder.

"I-I'm not…i-implying? Why would I…" This was crap. With a small sigh, Tsuna leaned forward, tiny nervous smile inching across his lips. "Y-You like him, don't you?"

There was silence. Then very quietly: "He's pretty."

Pretty. Pretty. He almost laughed at the word, but there was honesty behind it. G was as pretty as Giotto, but in his own way. Sharp jaw held high and parallel to the ground almost if not all the time, a messy mop of red hair easily pulled off with a calm but wary disposition, and last but not least, the tattoo that ran down the right side of G's face; extravagantly and boundlessly sculpted to the very last detail. G was…handsome, but not pretty. Giotto was pretty.

Well, he thought with a pink blush, maybe it wasn't right to suddenly analyze his brother in that light. With a somewhat wider smile, Tsuna shrugged. "He reminds me of my mother. Giotto calls him his wife."

"Oh."

"You're not…," Well, Tsuna thought with a pensive tone, "You're not jealous are you?"

He leaned into his best friend, and with a symphony of different, gorgeous hues of red, Enma lit up, eyes still on a particular picture of both the brunet's brother and best friend in their graduation gowns from who-knows-when. Two wiggly eyebrows furrowed, Enma's petal-like shaggy hair brushing into his eyes before swaying to the left and right for a negative shake.

"E-Enma," stammered Tsuna again, as if he'd just come across the "x" of a buried treasure, "Th…They're not married. I-I mean…if you like him – that's good! Y-you like him, and – "

"Tsuna."

" – it's kind of cute, but you know, it might just be a crush but at the same time, h-he's really nice, a-and he's really a cool adult and – "

"Tsuna."

" – wow, this is the first time you'ved liked someone, right? So – "

"Tsuna, shut up." The redhead's tone deteriorated, face buried in his hand as the pink sprinkled across his cheeks. With a short shake of his head, he hunched over. "Just…p-please don't…"

"R-Right. S-Sorry."

"By God, you two wake up too early!"

"Eek!" Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth and winced as a pillow was thrown in his direction. It collided with his face with a less than elegant moosh and once settled, Giotto's fiery eyes caught his gaze. "M…Morning."

"Do you always sleep under so many duvets?" Enma's voice peeked through, three times louder than it had been only a few seconds ago. Tsuna looked to his side and felt confusion bubble in his stomach. The redhead's posture remained languid despite the petite blush accentuating his features.

And for the longest time, he'd known Giotto to be grouchy, groggy, and barely sensible if awoken before 8:30AM. However, the irate adult's face immediately contorted, and he looked over to Enma, amusement sprinkling his eyes. "Do you always sleep like the dead?"

Well, this was weird. Enma's eyes widened slightly, innocence gleaming in his eyes, and Tsuna couldn't help but blush. His eyes wandered toward the clock on Giotto's nightstand. It was only a minute shy of 8:20AM.

"Do you mean…the stuff that Tsuna was talking about?"

"My cousin fucking his boyfriend like a rabid bunny?" Tsuna paled. A-According to Giotto, Xanxus and Squalo were normally…making love until five in the morning. Three and a half hours ago was when they stopped.

Urgh.

"Yeah." Enma's tone shortened, shoulders drooping in defeat before they entered a silence.

Nerves were bundling in Tsuna's stomach. He looked back and forth between the two, noticing ever-so-slightly as Enma's head turned to the side and attentively to a picture of both G and his brother on the wall.

"You should get him something for his birthday," Giotto said simply. Tsuna cocked his head, eyes meeting his brother's. So…i-it was obvious to him, too. "He likes things sturdy."

Enma glowed pink. Tsuna stood up promptly after his best friend, but there was nothing aside from absolute seriousness in both best friend and brother's face. The poor redhead ducked his head in defeat. "May I use your restroom?"

"Go for it." Giotto shrugged his shoulder near the door and looked up to Tsuna. Tsuna gulped. In soft steps, the redheaded teenager pedaled to the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

A sigh of relief escaped the brunet's throat and he plopped back down to the ground deep in thought. In a turnabout way, he knew it was rare for Enma to speak, so it was…relaxing to hear his voice. But tense. Giotto's personality in comparison to his best friend's was…loose, and witty. Enma was gentle, but firm. Putting them in the same room together worried him.

"So what's the story about him?"

Huh? Oh… "Enma," Tsuna mumbled halfheartedly as he analyzed the situation. Enma would be leaving early tomorrow morning. He wanted nothing more than for his best friend to stay, but he questioned the redhead's mentality. Especially when it came to the people of Namimori. "Enma…lives in a foster home. He…doesn't really get any special treatment even…though with his previous family…Mama tried to get legal custody of him when we were kids, but failed."

Iemitsu was still with his original family – with Giotto. That being said, of course no one would trust the mother to an illegitimate child with another little one to take care of.

"Oh?"

"Back then he was completely healthy and sweet. He would be in touch with his biological family, but can't. And…" Tsuna scratched his arm, eyes still on the bathroom door. Wait…wh-what was he saying? Snapping out of his ministrations, Tsuna pulled his attention back to his brother, who himself was hanging onto every word. Suddenly the poor brunet felt embarrassed, reminded of his many times under medication and the inability to remember anything. "Since Xanxus and Squalo are visiting, does that mean you're throwing G a birthday party?"

His brother looked hesitant in changing the subject. Finally, he slowly nodded and nudged his head to the door. "My friends and I will handle it. Why don't you and Enma-kun hang out with Takeshi-kun and Hayato-kun until later?"

"You won't need help?"

"I doubt you'll be any help in the ballroom of a five-star hotel." Giotto smiled wryly and pulled his brother up just as he stood up. Suddenly that grin faded, replaced by surprise and Tsuna blinked in confusion.

"Y-Yeah?"

"You're in the middle of a growth spurt." A fiery warm hand touched the brunet's forehead and Giotto gestured to his nose. "When you first came you barely met my shoulder. No wonder why you've looked so odd in your clothes lately. They don't fit."

That…explained a lot. Tsuna looked up again, now realizing that for weeks now he didn't have to tilt his head as much as usual to meet his brother's gaze. But if that meant he grew, so did Enma.

"We'll go shopping for a new wardrobe after the cousins leave. I'm sure I have a spare suit or two for you and the red munchkin to wear."

"Red munchkin?"

"Enma-kun." Giotto cracked another grin just as the other teenager crept out of the bathroom, fully clothed in a different outfit. Enma looked up, surprised, and tilted his head to the side. The blond reached over to the drawer of his nightstand and pulled out three crisp bills before putting them in Tsuna's hand. "We'll buy you a new wardrobe after we settle on a new apartment on Tuesday. This'll pay for breakfast and lunch if you don't eat over at Takeshi-kun's. And if you want to buy something for G."

"It's…your money though." Tsuna shook his head and hesitantly pushed the money back to his brother's. He hated borrowing money from other people. Yamamoto already treated him like his girlfriend, and although borrowing money from his brother shouldn't have been as bad, it still felt…bad. "I-I know with my curfew and everything, I don't have time, but…I-I'd rather get a job or something…"

"You're my brother, right?" Brown eyes snapped up as soon as those four words left his brother's mouth. The "B" word had always been something they acknowledged, but never really said aloud. "I'm bribing you. Stay out of this house, don't bother cousin Xanxus and buy me some crab sushi. I'll even throw in an extra bill if you can convince the munchkin to talk to my best friend. Hang out, G'll take you around in a few hours, and you can distract him until party time."

"I…uh…s-sure." There was no use arguing with Giotto. With a sigh, Tsuna tore away from his brother and looked to Enma, who stood by the door with his backpack in hand. He smiled weakly. "Let me change really fast and then we can leave."

Only a few minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom to the scene of Giotto and Enma sitting at the end of his brother's king-sized bed rambling about who-knows-what. Tsuna stood by the door, going unnoticed as they continued their conversation. Enma tentatively smiled and muttered something under his breath. In return, Tsuna carefully narrowed his eyes at his brother, quickly noting the wariness he held and frowned.

Did he…say something?

Finally, they looked up and Enma crawled off the bed.

"Alright," said the redhead finally as he met his best friend by the door. Tsuna flashed a look of confusion as Enma's eyebrows troublesomely furrowed. Finally, he broke into a smile, eyes refocusing on the brunet himself before he gestured toward the door. "We'll see you later."

"Remember what I said," Giotto chimed lightly. "And…have fun, Tsuna."

"I…y…yeah." Well, that was weird.

The second Giotto's door shut tightly, Tsuna shoved the money into his pockets and squeezed Enma's hand harshly. They paused, eyes almost automatically traveling to the couch from the night before and—

O-Oh God.

"Let's…"

"Y-Yeah." Tsuna turned his head to the other teenager, who was redder than his hair. The pair came to another halt, and the brunet's heart pounded violently in his chest once Xanxus's lip twitched. Underneath Xanxus was Squalo, and with a sudden jolt, the white-haired adult kicked his lover square in his torso. Down came the tanner man, and Enma cowered behind his best friend in fear as Xanxus hit the ground head-first, one thin blanket gracefully covering his legs while Squalo turned over, head buried in the armrest of one red, thoroughly ripped and tattered couch.

There was no movement. For an entire minute, Tsuna forgot how to breathe while Xanxus lay there as if nothing had happened. Suddenly, his lips parted, emitting one monotonous snore, and he turned to his side. Tsuna's body loosened automatically and pressed against his best friend.

"That was…" Enma's soft voice filled his ears, so inaudible not even a mouse would hear.

"Y-Yeah," Tsuna muttered back, maybe even a hair quieter than the redhead. He gulped, head burying into Enma's shoulder as he attempted to recollect is sanity, and pulled them toward the door. "Let's…"

"Yeah."

Without hesitation, Tsuna shut the door behind him and found the other teenager staring down the flight of stairs, eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Is that why you were pushing me from side to side last night?" he questioned.

"Yeah. They're…sturdier than they look." And somehow after two months, Tsuna still could not get over his odd phobia. Enma, on the other hand, steadfastly walked down the stairs, stumbling only as his shoelace tangled with a crack. The poor boy tripped and landed face-first into dirt. "Enma!"

In a matter of seconds, the brunet was by his best friend's side and plucked him from the ground. Enma flipped over, instead landing on his behind and looked up to his best friend. "Oops."

"Oops, you're right." Tsuna smiled nervously and secured an arm around his best friend's waist before guiding them toward the gate. "What were you and my brother talking about?"

"Stuff. You." Once they came to an agreement, Enma parted from his best friend and they trekked toward the sidewalk for downtown Namimori. "You went down the stairs pretty fast."

"I guess you just bring that out of me," Tsuna joked. But all-in-all, it was true. Ever since the day they'd met, Tsuna had been protective of his best friend. His foster family wasn't exactly the nicest in Shimon, and it didn't help that the redhead had the coordination of a common housefly. Maybe…that was another trait he shared with Giotto, he realized. G was able to bring out the whimsical side of Giotto. Though to begin with…there erm, weren't a lot of sides Tsuna really knew to his brother.

Giotto was very passionate about his job. Even on his days off (when Tsuna saw him), the blond was scanning paperwork. There was a shy side to his brother, who hesitated to speak if Tsuna was forward with a decision. And then…well, as his brother. Tsuna's eyes instinctively trailed back to the high buildings of the Namimori Apartment Complex. Last night as his brother, Giotto was sweet and tender, and—although he was on the blunt side to begin with—honest.

There were little slips about the blond that Tsuna found himself never hating. It made him…well, human. Giotto was held in a high light, superior to many and the lot in Namimori mostly knew who Giotto was. What did he even do for a living?

"He calls me," Enma interrupted after a moment of silence, "'Little Bite-Size.'"

A-Among other things, actually. Stores were opening up as Enma and he met the town. Tsuna pushed both his hands into his pockets. "You guys were speaking in Italian, right? Is it hard?"

Red eyes flickered hesitantly and Enma shrugged. His lips curtsied nostalgically. "I haven't spoken fluent Italian since I was little. It's…different from classes at school."

"But in a good way, right?"

"Yeah."

"Let's hang out before meeting up with Yamamoto." Tsuna obstructed their path and stood parallel to his best friend. "It's been too long."

To that, the redhead nodded his head, hands tight on the straps of his backpack. They walked in comfortable silence, neither saying much and for an instant, Tsuna felt like they were back in Shimon, walking side-by-side, but without a care. In Shimon, Tsuna realized, they had to be wary of enemies who lurked near. In Namimori – e-even though it had a lot of psychos – life was…normal. Ish.

"You've got a good life here," Enma mumbled.

"I like it even better when you come to visit." The brunet looked to the side, genuine smile spread across his lips. "Maybe we can work out a schedule where you visit every other weekend or something. I don't think Giotto would mind much."

"He wouldn't," agreed the redhead. "He likes me…I think."

"S…Speaking of getting people to like you?" Tsuna's eyes traveled back to his best friend, nerves building in the pit of his stomach as they halted. "I-I mean, it's good that Giotto likes you. Giotto's a lot nicer now, a-and I think a lot of that has to do with…you know, G."

There was no yelling, no freaking out, and Enma didn't even fall on his face. Instead, ruby eyes met brown, fingers stuck between the straps of Enma's backpack before a pink tint scattered across the redhead's cheeks. "What about him?"

"I…I dunno," Tsuna confessed, and he shrugged awkwardly. "You just…didn't get off to a good start when you two met. I don't think he thinks you like him much."

"What would there be to judge?" Enma mumbled back, and slowly he trudged forward until Tsuna was out of his line of sight. "It's not like…anything happened."

Something had to, if his best friend was shying away from his questions.

"Why would anything happen?" asked the brunet curiously. He thought back to last night, suddenly reminding himself that he'd left Enma alone in the house. After his dispute with Gokudera-kun, G had found him on his way back to Giotto's apartment and his brother (along with some…interesting company) had Enma cowering behind him in fear. If G was outside getting their food the entire time, then Enma had no chance to meet the redheaded adult.

Erm, right?

Still. Looking over his shoulder again, Enma's red face quickly caught his attention yet again. The other teenager ducked his head, bangs blinding his demeanor from view as he shuffled his feet and mumbled something under his breath.

"I-I know it's only been a day since the two of you met!" Tsuna quickly put a hand on Enma's shoulder to keep him from running into anything. "S-So, just get to know him, alright? I see G as much as I see Giotto every day – maybe even more. And it's best to like each other now than later…right?"

Red orbs met his gaze hesitantly. With a bleak sigh, Enma gently pushed away from his best friend's grasp and trudged forward. Tsuna followed after and sputtered an apology. With a sudden jerk, they halted in front of a flower shop. Tsuna blinked.

"What are we doing here?"

"Shopping." Without another word, the redhead entered the shop. Tsuna followed from behind, confused as ever before Enma strode straight toward the cashier. Come to think of it, it was more of a requirement to get G a gift than it was for Enma.

That thought in mind, Tsuna turned around, eyes wandering through the many different flowers before he dug for whatever money Giotto had given him. According to his brother, G liked things…sturdy. Flowers weren't exactly sturdy—but they were a nice gift. He glanced back to his best friend, who was busy discussing flower arrangements with a groggy teenager who looked like—

"Kyoko-chan." Well, that was unexpected. Tsuna stood at the tips of his toes, nerves getting the better of him as he identified who his best friend was talking to. Surly enough, it was Sasagawa-senpai's little sister working the front desk. He turned around, eyes wandering through the rest of the store before he settled on a shelf in the corner with things aside from flowers.

A birdhouse. Granted, Tsuna wasn't the most creative person in the world, but the design was pretty. He picked it up, half-attentive to the oak wood that would most likely splinter him in the future, and looked to the corner of his eye where Kyoko-chan was conversing with a befuddled Enma. It wasn't the first time he'd seen her out of school. She followed her brother around once in a while, and they saw each other at Yamamoto's scrimmages and baseball practices here and there.

However…that was when he was in a group with someone who already knew her. Enma on the other hand…well, they were strangers. Finally as he heaved a nervous sigh, the brunet scuttled toward the front desk, birdhouse in hand, and set it on the counter.

Kyoko gasped. "Tsuna-kun! This is the first time I've seen you outside of school without a uniform."

"M-Me too. With you." He smiled bashfully and dug his foot into the ground. "Hi, Kyoko-chan. I take it you've met Enma?"

"Kozato-san?" As usual, a lovely smile graced her lips and she turned her head ever-so slightly to meet Enma's gaze. The other redhead smiled back, somewhat comforted that his best friend knew her. "He told me it was a birthday present. Are you buying something for Reborn-sensei too?"

Tsuna nodded and gestured to the birdhouse. "Not for Reborn-sensei. My brother's friend's birthday is today, so we figured it'd be good to buy something."

"Birdhouse." Enma's eyes narrowed carefully at the gift. "Does he like birdhouses?"

"Giotto said he liked things sturdy." And it looked pretty. Tsuna shrugged and looked back to Kyoko, who was content with watching them. "Are you going to buy flowers?"

The redhead looked uncertain, attention fixated on the petty birdhouse, before he finally nodded. "I'm…going to look at flowers."

"Okay." Tsuna watched him venture off to the other side of the shop before turning his attention back to Kyoko-chan. He pulled out a wadded up bill and awkwardly shifted between his feet. "I'm u-um…s-surprised to see you up so early."

He didn't talk to girls a lot. There were Shitt P. and Adelheid, but he hardly hung out with them outside of school. Still, Kyoko minded little or didn't notice.

"I'm filling in for Hana-chan since she's sick today." Her eyes glimmered with a twinkle of mischief. "Happy Birthday, Tsuna-kun."

"You found out about that?" He blushed.

"Yamamoto-kun came by yesterday to tell us. He…really cherishes you as a friend, you know." Kyoko picked up the birdhouse and carefully examined the price. Without any hesitation she made the payment before bagging it and leaned into the counter, odd look on her face. "He looks a lot happier with you around. We're not the closest of friends, but it's odd to see him without a smile. So thank you for that."

"I-It's really nothing." Oh, wowzers. Tsuna darkened, hands tucked in his pockets as Kyoko giggled. Discomfort struck him again, and the adoring gleam returned in her eyes. He had no idea why, really… but it was weird. It…made him think of how Haru stared at him lately. Since they first met, actually.

"You must be joking if you think it's just nothing," said Kyoko. And she touched him on the shoulder. It tingled under her fingers, and on instinct he fidgeted as if he were trying to shrug it off. He didn't want to say that it was uncomfortable. Kyoko was nice! He liked being friends with her. "All Oniichan talks about now is you trying out for track. Gokudera-san doesn't allow a lot of people in his circle of friends, either. You're special."

Tsuna shrugged and looked guilty. His eyebrows furrowed, mind drifting back to his argument with the hotheaded teenager. "We're…not seeing eye-to-eye right now."

"Oh." Instantaneously, her smile dropped and their eyes wandered away from each other. Way to be a mood killer, Tsuna internally groaned. He ran a hand through his hair. Kyoko-chan was the only other girl he'd talk to alone in Namimori, with Haru being the other. Reborn-sensei assigned a lot of group projects, and with a grouchy Gokudera-kun, he and Yamamoto would automatically turn to her for help with homework. In return, Gokudera-kun threw fits and Yamamoto normally went to him.

Ironically, that was all that was needed to…what was it – "sooth the savage beast"? Gokudera was far from savage, despite his abrasive behavior. But for an entire month to get Gokudera off his case, Tsuna always worked with Kyoko in their groups of four. Eventually, Sasagawa-chan and Sawada-kun wore off to Kyoko-chan and Tsuna-kun. And they had some things in common, even if she teased him for being quiet.

Like now.

"What flowers is he picking?" Tsuna interrupted their awkward silence, suddenly reminded of this fact, and idly looked at her from the corner of his eye. She looked troubled. From bringing up an awkward subject, maybe? Guilt poked his chest.

Not a second too soon, Kyoko snapped out of her thoughts and looked over his shoulder before smiling in approval. "Daffodils. You give them to someone who you really appreciate. They're perfect for anyone who you know to be very noble and respectful."

That…sounded exactly like G-san. Tsuna leaned against the counter, carefully watching as Enma picked six daffodils and carefully checked the price. "What about the other ones?"

From the corner of his eye, he saw her expression change, and she focused more on each flower before she softly laughed.

"What is it?"

"Yellow Jasmines stand for timidity." Her eyebrows furrowed, cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment as Enma completed a clumsy bouquet of flowers that looked more like a shrub, and met gazes with her classmate. "He seemed so shy when he first came into the store. Does he talk a lot?"

"Enma's really quiet." Tsuna said sheepishly. Enma had never been a speaker. Even when they were little, it was hard to get his best friend to say anything instead of pointing to whatever he wanted, and he was used to hearing silence. Tsuna spoke for him, whether it was in class or to his mother. The fact that he didn't talk to Kyoko-chan wasn't surprising. "You know a lot for someone just filling in for Kurokawa-san."

"Hana-chan loves her job as a florist." She sighed dreamily, hands pressed against her own cheeks. "And she's my best friend. I love visiting her at work and listening to all of the meanings of each flower."

"You look like the florist type." He shrugged nonchalantly with his lips spread into a cautious blush and eyed her. "Maybe you should think about getting a job here over the summer if you need the money. Or even just for fun. They complement you really well, Kyoko-chan."

"Oh, really?"

"That is—erm, uh." Suddenly Tsuna stiffened, quickly taking note of the odd look on Kyoko-chan's face again, and made sure there was distance between them. Kyoko's eyes flickered, and she snapped out of whatever stupor he supposedly put her in before opening her mouth to speak.

Then there was a crash.

With a loud clang and a domino downfall of other clutters, the pair looked to Enma, whose foot pathetically landed in a basket of apricot blossoms and head collided with a shelf. Tsuna abruptly stood up and went to the aide of his best friend, Kyoko in suit.

"Ow."

"Are you okay?" Obviously not. A grimace spread across the brunet's face, eyes looking up and down at the smudges of dirt that adorned Enma's forehead to chin and the new bump on his cheek.

Fortunately, Kyoko-chan wasn't known just for her good grades and pretty looks. "What happened?"

"Was…reaching for a flower on the top shelf…found the ladder…" Enma gestured to the small three-step ladder at the end of his feet, and wobbled as he stood to his feet. A frown spread across his face once he got a better look at the blossoms ruined by his shoe. "The rest is history. I…I'll pay for the ones I damaged."

"You only damaged a few of them." Kyoko shook her head kindly and took the basket out of the other teenager's hands. "It'll be fine."

"It's okay." The other redhead picked the three flowers bruised and bent out of shape because of his mishap, and added them to the cluster of flowers sealed tightly in his other hand. "I should have enough money to pay for these."

Which was all of it. Tsuna's eyes widened in surprise as Enma took the largest and last bill out of his wallet and handed it to a hesitant Kyoko. She looked over to him in approval, and he couldn't say anything about it. With a silent agreement, Kyoko took the flowers out of his hand and proceeded toward the back while the other two waited at the counter.

"I could pay for it." The brunet frowned.

"It's my birthday gift. It's fine." Enma curled both hands into the straps of his backpack and looked to his best friend indifferently. "I brought enough money to last me for the weekend, and already have my ticket for the train tomorrow."

"Yeah but…" He sighed. There was no use arguing with Enma. "Giotto gave me enough money for breakfast. We can go to Yamamoto's sushi bar after this and get a discount."

Enma arched an eyebrow. "Have you been eating a lot of sushi since you moved here?"

U-Uh. "W-Well…" Y-Yeah. Cracking a grin, Tsuna pushed off the counter and turned around as Kyoko reappeared, bouquet in hand and wrapped in a plastic HAPPY BIRTHDAY bind.

"I hope whoever gets these flowers will like them, Kozato-san." She smiled genuinely as she handed the bouquet and change to Enma, then turned to Tsuna. "And I hope you have a good birthday, Tsuna-kun. I'll see you later at the party."

"Eh? You'll be at the party too?" Well, that was unexpected.

"Oops." She grinned as Enma wrapped a hand around his and pulled him toward the door. "Did I let that little detail slip?"

"C'mon," muttered Enma. "I'm hungry."

Without another word, they left the shop and went toward the direction of Yamamoto Sushi. Tsuna ran a hand through his hair. "What do you think she meant by 'little detail'?"

"Remember a few years back," said the redhead instead as he blindly lead them toward the sushi bar, "when Longchamp first transferred to Shimon and treated us to dinner because were the only ones that were nice to him?"

"Y…Yeah." Funny. He'd been thinking the same thing only a short while ago. Tsuna blinked in confusion. "Why?"

"That was when you decided to come out."

"'Come out'? You came out for me!" Though, that didn't make matters any better. Ever since then he'd been going through all of the theories and questioned how his best friend knew his preference before Tsuna did. The signs were as blatantly there as they obviously weren't. If that made sense.

"And you wouldn't have realized it if I hadn't pointed it out. I've always got your back." They suddenly stopped, and Tsuna noted they were only half a block away from Yamamoto's place. Petite fingers plucked at the unwanted, limp blossoms, and Enma crammed them in his pocket. "If…you've got mine."

So that was where it was going. The brunet took a better look at his friend and regarded what Giotto told him earlier this morning. He was in the middle of a growth spurt, and like the teenager had thought – so was his best friend. Two months ago neither would have been able to look at his brother without craning their necks. That…was two months ago. And then it hit him.

"I'm seventeen today." Tsuna blinked. Wow. Wow.

"You were never one who liked big parties," murmured the redhead quietly. He broke into a smile and tugged the other's wrist. "C'mon. I wasn't kidding when I said I was hungry."

"Y…Yeah. O-Oh, and Enma?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being my best friend." Tsuna blushed. "A lot."

Enma was as red as his hair. With a less-than-graceful step to the end of the block, he nodded back. "You're welcome."

OoOoO

"Has fog bubbled through your mind, little one?"

"Huh?" Takeshi snapped out of his thoughts, and immediately he looked around for his master. Music filled his ears, and the teenager's head jolted to the end of the sushi bar where Master Asari Ugetsu was peacefully playing his flute.

The swordsman stopped for a moment, eyes gleaming with amusement, and gestured from the large knife in Takeshi's hand to the bigger fish on the cutting board. "'Tis a good thing we are not in the middle of a lesson, is it not? I fear you were ready to cut a finger off."

"I…I…haha. Sorry." With a guilty smile, Takeshi continued peacefully with cutting the fish for sushi while his teacher set his flute on the table.

"Did something happen, little one?" It was kind of ironic, actually. Master Asari Ugetsu and he were the same height, even if when he started swordplay when he was no taller than the adult's hip. He loved it as much as he loved baseball. Maybe even more. "Certainly yesterday when I came to visit your father, you were in a far better mood."

"I finally told Gokudera that Mochida-senpai and I are going on a date next weekend." It was easy talking to Master Asari Ugetsu. Personally, Takeshi thought as his eyes focused only to the fish in front of him, his master understood him better than most people. Maybe even Gokudera.

His master…was the first person he talked to when he came to terms with his sexuality. After that, talking to his father was a piece of cake and it only took a few years before he proudly confessed it to most of the school. No one minded. No one cared. Half the girls were insanely depressed (he really wondered why his sexuality would be so bad for them) and the other half were extra enthusiastic and supportive.

"Oh?" So of course, his master was up-to-date with most – if not all – of his problems when it involved a certain childhood friend. "And how did he take it?"

"I thought he looked crushed." Takeshi shook his head in frustration and separated each slice once he was satisfied with his cuttings. He reached for the sticky rice and seaweed before idly wrapping rolls. "But he didn't say anything. And I want him to be happy – so I ignored it. He has Haru. And I asked Mochida-senpai out myself."

"And?"

"And…and up until this morning, I was perfectly okay with it." Takeshi froze, hands still grinding against the roll of sushi before a small sad smile spread across his lips. His stomach bubbled, heart pulsed, and like a second instinct the baseball player's mind flooded with thoughts of him.

Hayato Gokudera.

Love was blind, said all of the cheesy soap operas he never watched. When most teenagers thought of love, it involved warm fuzzies, sweet touches, beautiful other halves and…

Mochida didn't make him feel complete.

Certainly, Gokudera cursed more than the spawn of a Viking and a pirate, and his glares stung as harshly as his punches, but…he was beautiful. The mixture of cigarette smoke and pomegranate that soaked the silver-haired teenager's clothes made Takeshi fuzzy and warm. Each punch was a sweet tingle; another touch and contact given from his childhood friend. Gokudera was Grumpy, and the baseball player supposed with all of the sarcastic comments he'd gotten since they were kids, he was a little Dopey following the other dwarf around.

Only, y'know, they were average height.

Master Asari Ugetsu's eyes shimmered with both serene interest and languid disapproval. "You didn't ask this Mochida out simply to make Hayato-kun jealous, did you? Playing around with the heart does not assure victory, little one."

"No, no!" Mochida was great! He was a third year for one thing, and gosh, he was on the varsity kendo team – captain of all things – and said yes to him! But…he wasn't…Hayato…and…gosh… Gokudera was so angry at him this morning… "I called him, and he had a hangover, I guess. So I told him I'd come over like I normally did to make him feel better. He seemed okay with the idea…and after I said I'd have to come back to plan Tsuna's party, he just told me, 'don't bother' and hung up."

"I see." Master's eyebrows knit together, frown spread across his lips. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That is quite the predicament. You say he does not get along with Tsuna-kun very well?"

"They've gotten along on a few occasions, haha." Takeshi cracked a reluctant grin, mind fluttering back to the few occasions where his best friend and new friend actually got along. Kozato, too, seemed like a really nice kid. It was a shame the redhead couldn't stay longer – he really brought the best out of Tsuna.

"I would say to get your mind sorted out as soon as possible, little one." Master Asari Ugetsu scolded him lightly, eyes narrowed with a small smile before a chuckle escaped his lips. "Whilst your father has been hired to cater G's party, you must help him and also coordinate the party for Giotto's little brother, correct?"

"Yup, haha." Yamamoto smiled thoughtfully and put aside the sushi for later. He grabbed a rag and began to wipe the counter. You and G-san are still living together, right Master? Why are you up so early?"

A mixture of amusement and sheepishness passed along the adult's face and he chuckled. "I suppose G is stressed at the thought of turning twenty-seven this year."

"Oh?"

"He…threw me out of the house because my newest composition was getting on my nerves."

"Oh! Gokudera did that to me once when I…accidentally batted the baseball into his microwave, haha." The teenager cracked a grin and pulled the apron off his body. He quickly checked his watch, and without fail, tufts of brown hair caught his eye as Tsuna entered the sushi bar. "Hi Tsuna. Ooh, Kozato! What's with the bouquet?"

The brunet looked up from his thoughts; nervous smile spread across his face and blushed. Takeshi couldn't help but chuckle. It'd become a daily ritual. Every morning before school Tsuna came for breakfast. Obviously he was reluctant, but neither Yamamoto cared. Tsuna was a guest!

"For G-san." With a weak smile, Kozato turned his head and was lost to the decorations adorning the restaurant. The baseball player shared a grin with his shorter friend and gestured to the plate of sushi readily made.

"Tsuna, this is my master, Asari Ugetsu." Takeshi cracked a grin as both friend and teacher greeted each other. "He's been teaching me the way of the sword since I was about eight years old."

"You…" The brunet squinted in surprise, head tilting to the side before his eyes widened. "You play poker with my brother on his days off."

"Once in a while," said his master. Oh? So they already knew each other! Go figure. Master Asari Ugetsu chuckled and patted the short teenager lightly on his head. "Not lately. I am the one who recommended Giotto and G to move to Namimori."

"Wow. A-And you teach Yamamoto the way of the sword?" Master Asari Ugetsu nodded. With eyes as wide as saucers, Tsuna turned his head in fascination to meet Takeshi's gaze. "S-So you finally found your knitting needles?"

Master Asari Ugetsu's smile faded into confusion. "I did not know you knitted, Takeshi-kun."

The brunet darkened and shrunk in his seat. "I mean…That's not…It's just…"

"It's an expression Tsuna and I use, haha." Takeshi laughed softly and pressed both hands to his hips. "Shucks, Tsuna. I've still got a long way to go before I can consider myself a swordsman."

Truth be told, it would all depend. Besides, swordplay was just a hobby. He didn't consider himself any good.

"B-But you've been training since you were eight, right?" Tsuna's eyes glimmered with protest and he timidly smiled. "I bet you're really good."

And there was that. Takeshi blinked in surprise, suddenly taking this thought into consideration, and tilted his head to the side. Tsuna's bluntness. Despite what the brunet recognized, it was one of his best qualities. Tsuna had a knack for saying things that – while seemingly inappropriate – inspired armies to gather. Tsuna's personality alone was enough to bring Takeshi up from his foul mood.

He smiled sheepishly from behind the counter as Kozato rejoined them. "Maybe, haha."

"Nonsense," Master Asari Ugetsu interjected, and he warmly chuckled. "You are at a level where I would consider you as a great opponent, Takeshi-kun. Do not take it lightly, and be proud of who you are."

"Really?" Takeshi cocked his head in the direction of his master curiously. He got a nod in return, and almost immediately, the baseball player respectfully bowed. Asari Ugetsu was one of his greatest influences while growing up. That compliment alone would fuel him for years to come. "Thank you, Master."

"At the Christmas festival," continued the adult. He turned his attention back to Tsuna with a keen smile. "While 'tis different from the real thing, sword dancing is another breathtaking art. Takeshi-kun and I do a performance every year. Giotto can take you, if you wish to truly see."

The uncertainty and shyness innate to Tsuna's essence surfaced, and red danced across his cheeks. "I-I would love to. If it's allowed and stuff."

"I'll even dedicate my performance to you." The taller teenager laughed and pulled up a chair to sit on. Somehow it only made the brunet blush harder, and he quickly noticed Kozato playfully nudge Tsuna in the arm. Tsuna nudged back and softly laughed. Takeshi watched in quaint interest, one tiny chuckle escaping his lips as they whispered to each other like two four-year-olds ready to steal cookies before dinner.

It was cute. And funny. And…hm, maybe even dwarfish.

"You don't have to dedicate the performance to me." The brunet shrugged uncertainly.

"I normally dedicate it to Gokudera." The 'G' name out in the open, Takeshi's stature drooped slightly, and he perked at the almost inaudible gulp Tsuna gave. "But it's been fun getting to know you all this time, haha. It's totally cool, Tsuna."

"But…I-I mean…u-uh…" Hah. So it was possible to blush darker than Kozato's hair. That was cool.

"It's a long time away." It was cute to see Tsuna flustered, but not the best idea so early in the morning. "But I won't be able to hang out with you today."

"Oh." The brunet suddenly saddened, eyebrows furrowed in disappointment as he tilted his head to the side. "Baseball practice?"

"I'm helping him make the sushi for G-san's birthday party, haha." The taller teenager genuinely grinned. "And I still have to buy your birthday gift."

Tsuna shrank in his seat. "Y-You don't have to…"

"Don't be silly, haha. I want to." With an apologetic grin, Takeshi stood up and gestured to the door behind him. "But I should probably start the preparations. G-san's parties always have so many people, and it's only me and my Pops who are working on it, haha."

"Sorry to be a bother then." Tsuna picked at what sushi was left over and looked over to Kozato, who'd occupied himself with breakfast.

"It's fine, haha. I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Y…Yeah."

After saying his goodbyes, Takeshi eyed his master before disappearing for the freezer in the back room. He hummed, mind still boggled, but what choice did he have? With a lighthearted sigh, the tall teenager pulled out three frozen fish and set them in the sink. In three hours' time (hopefully), they would defrost and the Yamamoto men could continue making sushi.

Twelve hours from now, he hoped he could talk things over with Gokudera. Takeshi scratched his head, mouth contorting troublesomely. What would he say? I'm sorry I moved on so I wouldn't freak you out anymore?

Kozato's little wise words came to mind again, and his cheeks turned a humble shade of pink. Gokudera-kun treasures you a lot. You're really close to getting him.

How obvious, really, was the fact he was head-over-heels in love with his best friend?

Blind love, chided Takeshi lightly. Blind love, blind love, blind love.

Finally the tall teenager turned around, attention back to the front and he listed off all of the required ingredients. G loved yellowtail sushi, and Giotto adored tuna. Hm, that was something Tsuna and he had in common, actually. Master Asari Ugetsu had already left and…so had the other two boys.

Well, that was what he thought. He cocked his head at an obnoxiously loud sneeze, and with the politeness to say, "Bless you!" Takeshi found the pair standing parallel to G-san's Maserati Spyder.

"Sorry 'bout that," mumbled the adult. G sniffled and rubbed his nose, grimace spreading across his lips as he looked over to the flowers. "So—a…achoo!"

"Are you coming down with something?" Tsuna frowned and pressed a hand to the redheaded adult's forehead. Dubbing everything as fine, he let go, and Kozato was behind him, flowers still in hand.

Aw, poor Kozato. Takeshi smiled softly as he observed the scene. He'd gotten a firsthand experience on how timid the short teenager could be yesterday. Tsuna and he were alike to the bone.

"No…I…uh—achoo!" G groaned softly, and on instinct, the adult leaned into the driver's seat. Hmm? Why did Kozato keep flinching whenever G looked at the flowers? "Those flowers are beautiful, Enma-kun, but I think I might be—a-achoo!"

"Allergic to them?" Tsuna sounded panicked.

"Yeah. A-Achoo!" That being said, the two boys shared a look of disappointment while G ran a hand through his hair. "Who are they for?"

Wait, weren't those a gift for G-san in the first place? That was bad. Finally, the tall teenager intervened, one laugh escaping his lips as he put a hand on Kozato's shoulder. The redheaded teenager immediately tensed, and Tsuna's grip on his arm tightened slightly.

"For me, haha." Takeshi cracked a grin as Enma gave him a look of confusion. "We're thinking of decorating the sushi bar to attract more customers. Daffodils are a little cheesy, but I think it'll draw in a lot of female customers."

G blinked, then he laughed. "Nice. You're thinking about the female demographic when it comes to sushi. I'm proud to call you a businessman, Takeshi-kun. By all means, research the ratio of customers and what you have to do in order to increase your sales pitch. A…achoo! But…do me a favor and find a different flower. Otherwise I'll have to drive a fucking hour all the way to Shibuya to buy some half-decent sushi."

"You got it." Takeshi grinned.

"S…" Kozato ducked his head guiltily while the taller teenager slipped the bouquet out of his hand. "Sorry."

"What?" Suddenly, G-san looked incredibly distraught, and Takeshi watched in confusion as the adult jolted up, concern falling upon his features as he shook his head. "N…no, you're…fine, kid. I mean…A…achoo!"

"You look like you'll break out in hives at any second," Tsuna said with unease. He grabbed his best friend's hand, frown spread across his lips as he gave it a comforting squeeze. Aw, poor Kozato. "It'll be a bad idea if we're in the car with you the whole day because of it."

"Nah. A…achoo!" G sniffled and crinkled his nose. "I'll deal with it."

"Th-Then at least Enma or me drive." Eh? Tsuna had his license already? Immediately the brunet blushed and he looked over to the horrified Enma. Oh, that was right, G's car was a two-seater. "Enma probably still has the pollen from the flowers on him, s-so it wouldn't be a good idea if you're sneezing on the road…"

"If I can drive for six hours drunk, I can drive in intervals of fifteen minutes sneezing. Achoo!" Hm, that made a lot of sense.

"Th-That doesn't even make sense!" If possible, Tsuna's voice raised five octaves.

But not a second too soon, the brunet quickly lost his argument. Kozato tugged at his arm, and the pair scooted into the car right next to G. Thankfully with their size, fitting into one seat wasn't much of a problem.

G sneezed again. Was that concerning? Takeshi wasn't sure anymore. The adult grimaced groggily before raising his head and meeting the cheerful Takeshi's gaze. "Cheer Hayato up for me, would you? The kid snapped at me whenever I visited him this morning."

Like he knew what to do. "You got it, haha."

With a few words of sneeze-filled goodbyes, G restarted his car and they were off.

"Oh," Takeshi said once the realization hit him, "and happy birthday, G-san!"

OoOoO

So there was this saying that penguins were like little men in tuxedos.

Did that make Tsuna a big penguin? He certainly looked like one.

Giotto cracked a grin as he laughed at one of his American colleague's jokes. At the moment, he couldn't care less what Thomas said. However, his adorable little brother was sitting awkwardly by his best friend and sharing timid jokes.

The blond adult rubbed his chin thoughtfully and observed Tsuna. Loyalty was one of his best qualities.

But honestly, Tsuna's only bad quality was his submissiveness. There were many times where Giotto knew he had to play the role of parent if his little brother misbehaved, and the little guy already knew what he did wrong. The same went with Enma. Quite honestly…they were just oddballs. A pair of oddballs who were sitting together, and appeared content to be by themselves. They talked. A lot.

The little bite-size was quite possibly one of Tsuna's sweetest friends. Their conversation earlier this morning came to mind while Thomas wandered elsewhere. Giotto was worried with the bits and pieces of Tsunas confession, and he wanted to find out more about the red munchkin. Enma was a full-blooded Italian. So why on earth did his last name imply something different?

Hmm. He would have to look in on it later – and possibly put Alaude's PhD in forensics to good use. Enma appeared somewhat fluent to his native tongue, but Japanese got a better hold on him. Their conversation alone was enough to acknowledge how the younger stumbled.

Giotto snapped out of his thoughts when someone tapped on his shoulder. Immediately he flashed a grin and raised his glass of wine. "Birthday Boy. Or man. Should I call you a geezer?"

Ooh. Geezer started with a G. how fitting.

"Very funny." His best friend arched an eyebrow, obviously disapproving of Giotto's sense of humor before he looked around in concern. "Have you seen Hayato or Takeshi-kun anywhere? I saw them at the gate, and they've been gone for at least an hour now."

Hmm, an hour? Man, that kid must have had some stamina. Giotto rubbed his chin. "Takeshi-kun came up to me asking for a hotel key. I think he dragged Hayato-kun with him a little bit later."

Suddenly the expression of the redhead's face contorted, and G looked positively mortified. "Giotto! You gave a minor a hotel key, unsupervised?"

"The age of consent is thirteen." Giotto idly shook his drink and waddled his finger. "And Takeshi-kun is a good kid. You worry too mu—I wonder who that is." From the corner of his eye, the blond caught sight of the third redhead of this evening. She was a pretty little thing – dainty and princess like with short hair styled like any teenaged girl these days.

"This is a joint birthday with Reborn's, isn't it?" Giotto shivered. Reborn always knew how to crawl under his skin. G, unaffected, continued. "His students are scattered here and there. That's Kyoko; she's a classmate of theirs."

"Ah." They made a cute couple. Giotto observed quietly as she giggled and pulled Tsuna to his feet. The other teenager blushed, and they staggered onto the dance floor.

"That's puppy love if you've ever seen it," G mused. "They're good for each other."

Eh, maybe. Oddly enough he felt a little pity for his brother. Tsuna was shyly enjoying himself, but not to his fullest. Wow. Giotto inwardly smacked himself and wondered when he became so protective to the point giving his brother away to someone else felt horribly wrong.

Finally the music stopped, and once it did, Tsuna's eyes tore away from Kyoko's to meet his gaze. Giotto blinked and mouthed a pleasant hello. His brother turned red.

"I think it's your turn to ask the little one out." Giotto gestured to Enma before audibly hearing his best friend shiver.

"No matter what I do I can't get him to like me." G ran a hand through his hair and frowned. "I have a feeling you're to blame."

"The last thing I want is for you to be the reason Tsuna's friends don't visit as often as they should." The blond shook his head in disapproval, and they watched as the couple parted. Kyoko went off, this time to ask Enma onto the dance floor, and Tsuna came in their direction. "Enma-kun is a good kid."

G smirked. "You've certainly become quite the softie."

"I suppose." Giotto grinned back, fervent pink sheepishly dancing across his face before he nudged his head in Bianchi's direction. "She's been hanging over Reborn all night, but perhaps you could get her attention too. Hayato-kun might be delighted if you two get back together."

"Or horrified." The redhead did what he was told and sauntered off to a different part of the ball room. Turning his attention back, Giotto met eyes with his brother and immediately sensed his trouble.

"Happy Birthday." The second those words left his lips, Tsuna snapped out of his thoughts and up to his brother in surprise. Giotto arched an eyebrow before tossing the pair of pants and ripped up teddy bear Kyouya had deposited earlier this evening. "Well, early birthday, I suppose. I've been told these are yours."

"O…Oh. Th-Thanks." The brunet blushed and – heh, what's black, white, and red all over? A blushing Tsuna in a tuxedo. Too cute.

Giotto chuckled softly and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Alaude was angry at him for taking so long to get them back. From what I know, Kyouya only gets involved when it involves the middle school. So, what's wrong?"

"When did you first realize you were gay?" Silence. Then – "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask that s-so loudly, a-and I kinda blurted it out, a-and—don't hurt me!" Tsuna lit up like Rudolph's red nose, and he squirmed under his elder brother's gaze.

All the while, the blond stared at him in amusement and tilted his head to the side. "You wanna try that again?"

"I-I'm just…I-I mean…" If possible, Tsuna was disappearing from his gaze as the young boy trembled with fear. Finally the brunet took a deep breath, and he stood high, one hand on his chest as he nervously rethought his words. "When did you erm, come to terms with your sexuality?"

"First of all, I'm completely homosexual." And he was trying hard not to laugh. Giotto hummed lightly, hand stroking his chin as the horrid tale wandered back into his thoughts. He smiled awkwardly and looked carefully to Tsuna's body movements. "And I had a girlfriend – Marisol. She…wasn't exactly like the girl you were just dancing with, but she was my first love. When the time came to push our relationship and take it to the next level, we couldn't."

Chocolate brown eyes widened with innocent curiosity. "Wh-Why not?"

Giotto snorted. "I couldn't get it up."

"Couldn't…"

"Get it up." The story didn't bother him anymore. He was able to stare that memory in the face – of how they had the perfect dinner by the moonlight, when Dino personally allowed him to take his car out (even though he got his permit only a day or two before), and they exchanged "I love you"'s. But the harder Giotto tried, the less likely it seemed they'd be making love. She was ready, but he wasn't.

"What do you mean by that?"

Apparently his brother was more naïve than he gave credit for. He eyed the brunet, fiery orbs wry and disbelieving at his naivety. "You really don't know what I'm talking about?"

Fortunately, his suspicion was confirmed. Tsuna relaxed under his gaze, nervousness and little twitches aside before he played with the sleeve of a blazer far too big for him. "I-I…I guess I have one thought."

"Ah. Then you're most likely right." Giotto smiled lightly as his brother turned dark red. "It was a long time ago. Don't worry too much – I've had over ten years to get over my embarrassment."

"Ten years?" His supposed first time was when he was fourteen. Unfortunately as it'd been put, it never happened. Again, his brother's eyes widened before he awkwardly shifted between his feet with his eyebrows furrowed. "S-Sorry if I'm a little surprised."

"I don't see why you would be."

"It's just…" Tsuna looked up shyly and hesitantly smiled. "You're always so cool and know what to do. S-Sometimes I forget that you're only human."

Well, he didn't expect that. Did he mention Tsuna's honesty was another one of his great qualities? With a firm smile and a wry laugh, Giotto shook his head. "You're giving me too much credit. If I was as cool as you say I am, then I would have gotten to know you rather than harass you when we started living together."

"Th-That's what makes you human. And I didn't give you the benefit of the doubt either when we started living together." Giotto blinked. Tsuna continued, face red and smile timid. "Sorry."

"No." Giotto smiled back and chuckled softly. "Thank you."

"Y-You're welcome."

"So I take it this means you swing the other way?" If he pieced the bits together and tried to come up with a logical explanation, it made sense. Giotto examined his brother carefully for a reaction and continued. "You're gay, not straight?"

The brunet blushed pink, but said nothing. For an entire minute Giotto watched as his brother stood guilty, like he'd been caught red-handed with a cookie jar. Finally, the teenager opened his mouth to speak, an—

"Tsuna-kun."

They turned their heads unison. The little girl from before, Kyoko, tugged at Tsuna's sleeve with a petite smile. With an unceremonious yank, she collapsed their arms and leaned into his heat. Giotto watched his brother's expression shift from nervousness to discomfort before he struggled with a smile.

"Y-Yeah…?"

"Yamamoto-kun has a surprise for you in one of the hotel room."

"Oh. I was wondering where he went off to all evening." Only a second later, the teenager relaxed under Kyoko's grasp before looking to Giotto in confusion. Apparently, Takeshi-kun and Hayato-kun weren't doing the horizontal tango. "U-Um, do you mind?"

"Go ahead. We won't cut the cake or anything for another hour." Giotto smiled tenderly. "Tell the red munchkin I said hi."

"O…okay." Without another word, the couple headed toward the elevator. The last thing Giotto saw of his brother was one quick and affirmative nod before they disappeared behind twin doors.

OoOoO

The walk up to the hotel room was silent. Tsuna curled his hand into a fist as Kyoko leaned into him, and awkwardly stuffed it in his pocket. Immediately he was reminded of the stench of her perfume, and how the scent of vanilla couldn't be any more overwhelming.

In one hand he held both his pants and Rossella, and the other was occupied by his classmate. I-It wasn't like he minded…m-much. But…

Wasn't this something a girl and a boy did when they were dating? Even if he was interested in girls – and he hoped Giotto got his message loud and clear that he wasn't – Kyoko was way out of his league. She was smart, pretty and funny. There wasn't a guy alive at school who wouldn't do anything for her, and for some reason, she was being nice to him.

Which was bad. Very bad.

"What have Yamamoto and Gokudera-kun been up to?" Actually, he didn't think he wanted that answered. Tsuna paled at the thought, face twisting in worry before Kyoko-chan flashed him a sweet smile. As they stepped out the elevator, his heart beat faster and faster.

Reborn had told them this week that his birthday was on Saturday. Shockingly enough, the Spartan teacher didn't let it slip that so was Tsuna's. Most, if not all of his classmates were invited, and none of them were seen at the party. Even Enma had disappeared.

"You'll see." Kyoko shared a playful smile as she swiped the key card.

Sparklers, confetti, and 'hip-hip-hoorays' exploded into applause all at once.

Tsuna covered his eyes from the light and he flinched, almost hiding behind Kyoko as he heard his name called out over and over, with one obvious exclamation: "SURPRISE!"

Party balloons, all in cheesy clusters and obviously stolen from the party, littered the ceiling. The bed was pulled out, and once he opened his eyes again, it was obvious the hotel room was only lit because of seventeen candles sparking happily on a large birthday cake. A banner up front was pulled out, held by at least twenty or thirty kids and it took Tsuna a minute to realize they were all his classmates and then some.

It took him two to figure out they were singing, Happy Birthday to Dear Tsuna.

"Wh-What's this?" Somewhere in the mix, Tsuna forgot how to speak. He looked around the room again, and in the very corner was a large stack of neatly wrapped boxes and tissue-filled gift bags.

Yamamoto was first to greet him with a grin. "Haha, I told you we'd have a birthday party for you. It was short noticed, but we grabbed some of the decorations from the party downstairs."

"Yamamoto-kun coordinated it all." Kyoko smiled genuinely next to him, and Tsuna looked through the crowd for his best friend. "But we got all of the news yesterday." Lightly, she scolded, "You really should have told us yesterday it was your birthday, Tsuna-kun."

"I-I…" Tsuna turned red for the millionth time that night. His eyes widened in shock, and he looked around the room yet again until he settled in the middle, where Enma sat under. "I didn't want to…I-I mean…"

"Four hours until your birthday ends." The redhead smiled softly and gestured to the candles. "Someone has to celebrate it."

"I…" The brunet shut his eyes, and the aroma of cake and vanilla perfume filled his nostrils. With another hesitant blush, Tsuna looked up and tugged at his sleeve. "Th…thanks, everyone."

Enma laughed. "Make a wish, Tsuna."

Fresh and shock still on his mind, the birthday boy did what he was told. Chocolate orbs wandered about the room, taking each smiling face into consideration before he closed his eyes and thought out a wish.

That day, October 14th, seventeen-year-old Tsuna blew out his candles. But he doubted any wish could top such a perfect birthday.

chapter thirteen has complications and denial.

Giotto wasn't a morning person. The earliest he had ever gotten up was for school, and even then he was never out of bed until around eleven or twelve – in other words, by the time half of his day was over. Eventually his parents got frustrated, and even after insisting he would grow out of it, the school principal displayed concerns and irritation to Giotto's bad habits. After what one could consider a bribe, Mr. and Mrs. Vongola decided Giotto would simply go to school on his own accord and have the best tutors in the business work his ass off until dawn.

After all, if he was going to sleep in late (which was more of disturbing instinct and stubborn lifestyle than a flimsy habit), then the youngest son (at the time) to the Vongola Family needed a good reason as to why.

Through the years after unsuccessful attempts of getting Giotto up at the crack of dawn rather than forcing him asleep, Giotto would wake up around nine without the need of more than three cups of coffee to jumpstart his day. Tsuna changed that. He'd never brought it up, but the fact his little brother managed to get him out of bed before 8:30AM was a record. G would applaud.

The funny thing was, he didn't mind waking up early anymore. When the brunet first came to his house, he was still grasping the concept of having a little brother. It started on the first day after Tsuna appeared the night before, and Giotto'd woken up stubbornly to see if Tsuna needed anything. Granted, he'd immediately go back to sleep, but the few seconds where his instincts went crazy, he'd deciphered the many irritating sounds of the morning to be…his brother. Getting out of his bathroom. After the shower curtain was ripped open, the brunet got into the habit of leaving early in the morning.

Then promptly, Giotto went back to sleep without a care.

Eventually it changed, and he struggled every morning to force himself awake to, at latest, hear the door shut when Tsuna left for school.

The morning after G's birthday party was no different. The pair rented out the hotel for their friends and business partners, and Giotto woke up to the sounds of the bathroom door closing. His head pounded with events from the night before, and through bleary eyes Enma could be seen on the bed.

7:37AM. Had it been any other person, Giotto would have murdered them before getting back to sleep. Tsuna was apparently in the bathroom brushing his teeth and Enma was packing up the last of his clothes. The redhead was leaving today.

Giotto had pushed himself off the bed, rolled to his feet, and blindly grabbed his keys – before telling them to wake up G to drive them to the train station. And even early in the morning, the little red munchkin found a way to make Giotto crack a grin.

An hour and a half later – nearly twenty minutes before Enma's departure – a cranky G had driven them to the bus station. His redhead, best friend at that, was notorious for having horrid hangovers and being incredibly giddy when drunk.

Tsuna apologized for having to take them, and G sarcastically snapped. Enma deteriorated, and the blond declared even this early, it was quite possibly the best he'd ever started the morning after his best friend attempted to calm him down.

G sneezed after the boys went into the souvenir shop. The blond turned his head, one cup of coffee fresh in his hands as he arched a playful eyebrow. "Catching a cold, are we?"

"Maybe," said the adult. He'd been paling and sneezing since the car ride, but it left the blond confused. Giotto himself was sensitive to sickness, but G rarely got sick. In fact, he thought wholesomely as G crinkled his nose, it was more like G was—

The boys came back from the souvenir shop only minutes before loading. Giotto looked up, eyes warily connecting with his brother's. Tsuna looked back, cheeks pink and guilty, while he tugged at Enma's hand.

"Did you like your party last night?" Giotto asked while waiting for the boys to walk up to them.

"It was nice." G ran a hand through his hair, tone congested as he directed a gaze to the train. "I've got one hell of a hangover but, damn, it was worth it. Bianchi decided to make me cookies."

"I thought she was bad at cooking." Which was true. Bianchi's cooking alone made Giotto's stomach flip, and he shivered in discomfort. Gorgeous thing. Long, stunning magenta hair, a pair of lips as full as the moon itself and eyes that wrapped any man around her finger. But she couldn't cook. Quite frankly, Giotto suspected it was one of the reasons why they divorced.

"But I've never known her to give a man she hated cookies." G chuckled softly after blowing his nose and offered a wry smile. "We're on good terms. Otherwise I'd never see Hayato again."

"You're a good big brother."

"So are you."

Giotto blinked, taking in the statement before offering a short laugh. G gleamed with sincerity, eyes honest in speculation as the blond leaned into his best friend. "Who would have ever thought I would end up taking care of a kid?"

"You're doing a good job," G said simply. "He'd had the brightest smile I'd ever seen yesterday."

"I don't exactly know if that's my doing." With a tug of his lips, Giotto gestured to Enma. A weight tugged his heart, and the blond watched as the young pair took longer, slower strides to make importance of their last few seconds.

Suddenly, G frowned. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "That kid doesn't like me."

"Oh?"

"I dunno," admitted the redhead. He sniffled, wiping small bits of mucus away from his nostrils before leaning into his best friend. "You would think a businessman that's negotiated hundreds of companies to work with us would get a smile out of him."

"You're out of touch with your alien heritage."

"Oh, shut up. Achoo!"

"Are you still not feeling well, G-san?" Tsuna's eyebrows furrowed as he and Enma approached the two adults. Chocolate orbs glazed in concern as they reached Giotto's gaze, and he hesitated to say anymore.

"G has bad hangovers," Giotto said simply. He turned his head, focus on Enma, and felt a tightening in his stomach. They locked eyes, and the blond's thoughts resurfaced. Enma's hair was incredibly mussied. His shoulders remained hunched, lips pulled into a loose, submissive expression, but Giotto had never seen such ferocity in those scarlet orbs.

He bit his lip for a second, attention turned to how tightly his brother's hand was interlocked with Enma's, and had never felt so irritated. Letting Enma go was like throwing a newborn into the ocean and expecting it to swim. But it was odd.

Little Bite-Sized simply looked up, eyelashes fluttering yonder as he raised his head, and the teenager timidly took a step forward. Without hesitation, Enma held a hand out while squeezing the strap of his backpack with the other. "Thank you. For having me."

Giotto blinked before smiling. "No problem. You can come back anytime you want."

Pink lips curtsied nervously just as a fervent blush fluttered across the teenager's cheeks. He rocked back and forth on his feet before weakly looking over to his best friend. "I'll hold you to that."

"You'd better," he heard his brother muttering. Suddenly, and uncharacteristically as he'd never seen, the very same brunet tugged at Enma's arm. Giotto recollected his thoughts, watching as Tsuna pushed one best friend into the other.

"Whoa!" With less than little grace, Enma collided into G's form. Taken aback, the older redhead instinctively grabbed onto the poor boy's shoulder as he squeaked, and tightly held him. "A…Achoo!"

"If you were going for a light nudge, you were sadly mistaken." Giotto cracked a grin as he watched his disorientated best friend snap out of his stupor and Enma deteriorate under the many gazes. Tsuna turned pink.

Enma, on the other hand, turned red.

"You okay?" G sniffled and grabbed a handkerchief out of his pocket. He grimaced and ran a hand through his hair. "Achoo!"

"Sorry…"

"N…No…you're fi…a…achoo!"

"Just what are you up to, little brother?" Giotto arched an eyebrow of amusement. When he didn't get a response, realization hit him. The blond turned his head ever-so slowly to the sight of Tsuna turning bright pink again. The brunet shrugged bashfully.

"H-Hopefully something good."

"This is for you." As G sneezed again, Enma reached into his pocket, eyes darting everywhere but the man's face. Flowers were bunched up in his hands; ripped, tattered and looking as if they'd been taken out of a wad. Apricot blossoms. Giotto looked between the pair, and the blush fluttered across the boy's face in an adorable, rosy hue. "They got ruined by accident."

His gaze fell to the ground, knees locked and hands trembling. G looked positively stunned. Nose red from sneezing constantly early that morning, he took the blossoms and scrutinized them. "These are for me."

It sounded like he was talking to himself rather than Red Munchkin over there. The poor kid darkened, face melting into a deep scarlet as he nodded. "H…Happy birthday."

"They're nice." G cracked a tired grin and fingered each blossom. "I'll have Asari teach me how to flower-press to keep these safe."

Apparently, Tsuna wasn't the only one who could discover a new shade of red every ten seconds with his face alone. "You don't have to."

"I want to." With a genuine smile, G sneezed a last time. "Thanks. It was nice meeting you, Enma-kun."

Like a small child unwrapping a gift, Enma's eyes widened incredulously. He backed up and stumbled, only to be saved by Tsuna. "I…I think I have to go now."

"Bye, Enma." The brunet's eyes flickered sadly. Giotto watched, stomach churning and heart weighed down as the pair hugged. A look of distraught glimmered in his brother's face, and finally they parted as Enma made way to the train.

He turned one last time, lips strung from cheek-to-cheek with a child's appeal. Giotto'd never seen a more relieved face. "Bye."

With no other word, the redheaded teenager hopped onto the train and the trio waited until they left. Not a word could be heard as Enma's ride home left through the tunnel, and the early morning was deafen—

"Eh? G-G-san! Wh-why do you look so pale?"

Oh yeah. Giotto burst into a fit of laughter as he turned his head and watched his best friend hold onto his birthday gift tightly. The look on his face said it all, and the blond caught his best friend as he swayed to the left.

"Considering how thoughtful the gift, G would never throw it away. But," Giotto concluded with amusement as G let out a fatal sneeze, "he actually has a horrible allergy to apricot blossoms."

OoOoO

"Hello."

"H…Hi."

Asari Ugetsu flashed a brief smile as he watched his roommate's charge standing in his hallway. Without missing a beat, he picked up the bottle of water sitting quietly on the coffee table before tossing it casually to Hayato-san.

With grace, the young man caught it in one hand and lead to the couch. In doing so, the swordsman took quick examination of his student's beloved and noted the faint pink flourishing in his cheeks. His pupils weren't dilated – not that Asari Ugetsu could see them through his glasses, anyway. He arched an eyebrow at the thought, fully curious, and chuckled.

Whether Hayato-san realized it or not, he was easily flustered. Kids these days, Asari Ugetsu wondered with strong disapproval. Why on earth did they insist on dressing in such dark clothes and revealing so much skin? Then again, he hummed as Hayato pushed his glasses up his nose and fiddled with the handful of belts around his hips, times were changing.

And gosh, even his father would consider him old.

"I assume you were hoping to get a word in with G?" Asari Ugetsu broke formation and sat on the floor, legs crossed. "Come, join me."

"Bwuh, I don't really—okay." A few seconds later, Hayato placed the water bottle back on the coffee table along with his spare key and stood parallel to his guardian's roommate. Asari Ugetsu gestured to the floor yet again, and with a sigh, the teenager withered to the ground.

"Do you believe in meditation?"

"I'm atheist."

"Did I ask of your beliefs?"

"Well—no. I mean…fuck—shit! Gah, I'll shut up now." Hayato-san softly groaned, hand pressed to his forehead as he looked away.

Asari Ugetsu chuckled. How long had it been since they met? He remembered meeting Takeshi–kun when the boy was a young child. Tsuyoshi had been his colleague for the longest time, and they agreed to teach him the way of the sword as a form of discipline. For years before middle school came around, Asari Ugetsu counted the days Hayato would "coincidentally" walk by the dojo and offer to take Takeshi-kun home. They were inseparable, and often he theorized six-year-old Italian Hayato considered both Asari Ugetsu and samurais above all the devil.

Somehow, it was G-san who ended up becoming his roommate, and the pair lived in a beautiful condo. Meeting Giotto and G was another story, but having Hayato-san's older sister marry his best friend and roommate was something expected. By then, Hayato-san's attachment to G was as inseparable as Takeshi was to Asari Ugetsu himself, and they had no choice but to get along.

Though, he wondered when Hayato started assuming every little thing offended him.

"You seem troubled," Asari Ugetsu chided lightly. "Would you like to explain?"

Light pink flourished in Hayato's cheeks. He ran a hand through his hair, eyebrows furrowed tightly as he looked away. "No."

"I will not judge you. Nor," he added with a wink, "shall I tell my little one of your thoughts if you request I do not."

Hayato stiffened. In the next second, the swordsman found his roommate's charge up and about, eyes wide with fury and face red. He'd gone off like an explosive, and detonated into a rage. "And just what the hell do you know about my personal issues?"

"Everything Takeshi-kun has been willing to tell." Asari Ugetsu was not foreign to these temper tantrums. Instead, he'd responded with a calm quirk, eyebrow raised with mild amusement. He'd never been known as a violent man, after all. "Did you enjoy yourself at the party last night?"

This was Hayato Gokudera they were talking about. Asari Ugetsu waited as a patient man, and finally, the teenager let his guard down like the wary calm before a storm, again sitting parallel to the adult's form.

"…I always enjoy myself at his birthday parties," Hayato admitted. "My sister and he have dated for years before getting married, and he's always gone out of his way to include me in his activities."

"You speak truthfully."

"Why wouldn't I admire that bastard?" Of course, the deadpan of the silver-haired teenager's tone insisted more. He had seen G and Hayato get into many spats, but they truly were like brothers. "G has a good thing going for him, and is very loyal to his friends. He and Giotto-san are everything I want to be by the time I'm their age. That's in ten years. They were able to make names for themselves in less than ten years."

When Hayato began rambling about the successes of the pair, he never stopped. Asari Ugetsu was keen with this rascal – he was skillfully able to depict most if not all of Hayato's moods. "Admiration can go a long way."

"I want to meet all of their goals at my own rate." Hayato nodded his head assertively, chin held high. There was a saying – once a person spent enough time with another, they started looking alike. G and Hayato fit that case. Asari Ugetsu had known G for years.

Hayato could have been his clone. With a light smile, Asari Ugetsu raised his head. "Your admiration for G and Giotto in itself is admirable, Hayato-san. I wish you a pleasant future."

"Right." Suddenly, the silver-haired teenager's babbling was over, and he kept his stature firm once the swordsman chuckled. Hayato continued with a more professional approach, and Asari Ugetsu expected nothing less. "They are good businessmen in their prime."

"They are also of the homosexual preference."

Once the words left Asari Ugetsu's lips, Hayato's expression seemed to have disappeared from the world. Green eyes flickered tersely, and the adult watched with interest as the boy's shoulders hunched over, frown spread across his lips and glasses magnifying his fury. "Drunken experiences."

"Ah? So you consider their sexual activities, alone and separate—"

"Drunken experiences."

"You need not get defensive with me, Hayato-san," said the other coolly. "Center your thoughts. Deep breaths." But when it came to Hayato Gokudera, he was a typhoon that could not easily be stopped.

"I know you're a successful teacher in the way of the sword and prize Yamamoto as your highest student," and Hayato-san said this because he was quick to catch onto things, "but I'm not your student, nor your disciple. What you say to me won't leave this room."

"Likewise. You have my word." Asari Ugetsu nodded his head kindly. "Now, where was I? Ah. Giotto and G are two highly respected men, and even acquaintances know of Giotto's sexuality. They also assume G is his lover."

"So what," Hayato interjected defensively. He glared, gaze harsh as both his hands curled into fists. Asari Ugetsu reached over, palms resting against the teenager's before he uncoiled them. "They can fuck each other raw for all I care, but that doesn't make me a queer."

"You consider Giotto and G, two powerful men in the business world, as you say, 'queer'?"

"W-Well…no…ah, fuck."

"Do you think of Takeshi-kun a 'queer'? 'Fag,' possibly? 'Homo'?" Asari Ugetsu watched carefully to see what reaction he could spawn from the teenager, and ended up with positive results. Hayato ran a hand through his hair, eyebrows knitting together with mild discomfort.

"Sex between a man and a man is unnatural." Hayato shook his head. Hmm, if he continued with the furrow of his eyebrow, it was possible his face would get stuck that way. "Ever since ancient times, man has been dominant and the woman submissive. It's simple logic that there cannot be co-dominance in a homosexual relationship."

"Kings would often have concubines and not discriminate against gender, Hayato." Asari Ugetsu placed his hands on his knees. "Do you truly disapprove of homosexuals?"

Hayato scoffed. "No duh."

It was funny how only a few minutes ago, the young teenager insisted on being very respectful. Asari Ugetsu didn't mind. This was Hayato's true personality, after all. "How long have you known Takeshi-kun?"

The silver-haired teenager paused. Suddenly he shrugged, eyes cautious of the man's reaction as he loosened himself. "Long enough."

"And you consider him your best friend?"

"Yes?"

"Suppose he walked down the street as he usually did," Asari Ugetsu said finally. "There is a person who walks by in the opposite direction, and they catch sight of my student and your best friend. They know of his sexuality. If they called him a 'queer,' as you say, or even a 'faggot,' what would you do?"

Somehow, there was relief that spread across the teenager's expression. The roll of his eyes would have gone unnoticed had it not been Asari Ugetsu who was watching him. "It's a hypothetical situation. It's not like I approve of his sexuality. If someone discriminated against it, I would agree with them and expect him to understand why he's sick in the head."

"Ah. And if I were to say I wasn't speaking hypothetically?"

The confirmation and professionalism melted away from Hayato's face. "What?"

"Well—"

"Someone went up to Yamamoto and called him a fucking queer just because he's—he's gay?" Green eyes narrowed dangerously. Hayato sprung to his feet, finger pointed accusingly toward the door. He blazed with fury, growl escaping his lips as his other hand curled into a fist. "Just because he fucking likes guys doesn't make him a damn queer. I've known him all my life – he doesn't just sit around, paint his nails or shit like that. What the hell would he know about Yamamoto?"

"So—?"

"He's able to like whoever the hell he wants. That bastard can go fuck himself." The teenager grabbed his things from the coffee table. Uh-oh. "Do you know where he lives? I'll kick his ass—lord knows Yamamoto wouldn't do a damn thing about it."

"Hayato-kun!" Asari Ugetsu grabbed the boy's hand, quick in attempt to dispel his rage, and chuckled in amusement.

"What?" Hayato seethed. "Don't you fucking care that there's some bastard out there who's talking shit about your student? Why the hell would you be laughing? This is Yamamoto we're talking about!"

"We are still speaking of a hypothetical situation. Calm yourself, please – sit." Asari Ugetsu forced his guest to the couch, and crouched in front of the boy in order to continue his observation.

"Oh." The look flooded away from Hayato's face. Silenced, red scattered across the silver-haired teenager's pale cheeks and he looked up to the adult's demeanor without a word on his tongue.

"'Tis sweet; what you were going to do for my student." The swordsman's eyes glimmered knowingly, and he unscrewed the bottle of water in Hayato's hand. Mechanically, the teenager obliged and took a sip for himself.

"I've got to go." In the blink of an eye, it was as if the teenager regained his sense of coherency before picking himself up and made his way toward the door.

"I have yet said anything that could have given you such a revelation, Hayato-san," Asari Ugetsu called afterward.

Hayato turned around. He readjusted his glasses, face troubled, and the swordsman found himself at the other side of a bowing, respectful teenager. "Thank you for taking care of my friend after all these years. But I would rather handle this problem by myself."

"But—"

"It's none of your business," continued the teenager curtly. Hayato stared at the adult menacingly. "So mind your own."

Asari Ugetsu opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing. The door opened sharply, and he watched a flurry of red hair pass silver.

"Mm? You looking for me this morning, kid?"

"Your roommate talks too much."

With that, the door shut behind G. Asari Ugetsu blinked, taken aback by the other's reaction – but again…not very surprised, either. He offered a smile as G approached the room and chuckled.

"He's right, you know." G frowned. "You do talk too much. What the hell did you say to him?"

"I simply asked about Takeshi-kun."

"Oh. That's okay then, I guess."

"G?"

"What?"

"If I may ask," Asari Ugetsu's eyes narrowed to his best friend, "Why do you have such a ghastly rash pulsing at your neck?"

OoOoO

Asari Ugetsu looked like Yamamoto.

He blamed it on his fucking glasses, mostly, but the more Hayato had to stand there and wait for his bloody ex-brother-in-law to come home, the edgier he felt. Asari Ugetsu was a well-respected man, and it used to annoy the shit out of him when Yamamoto spoke highly of his master. It annoyed the shit out of him more, when Asari Ugetsu would smile the way he did. Perhaps that's where Yamamoto got it from – that annoying laugh of his, and all of those obnoxiously memorable habits.

Like…like the way Hayato knew Yamamoto was faking a smile when his nose would scrunch first. Or how the damn baseball idiot always leaned on his right foot before he pitched, and how Yamamoto would write, slice, and practice the sword with his left hand even though he was right-handed before a baseball game so he wouldn't ruin his good pitching arm.

Asari Ugetsu trained him well. The master especially knew how to say something so frankly, and render Hayato speechless.

But there was a difference between Yamamoto and Asari Ugetsu. The swordsman spoke wisely, knowing which words he needed to say in order to mess with Hayato. Takeshi Yamamoto, on the other hand, could say anything he wanted, and secretly, Hayato's knees would buckle.

The hair on the back of his neck would tingle, eyes would sting from the luster of a fervent blush, and that idiot would stand there, having absolutely no clue that he was making Hayato's heart pound three-thousand beats a minute.

It pissed him off that Yamamoto's estrogen levels were getting to him.

With a frown, he crinkled his nose, hiked his collar, and made his way toward Haru's house.

He didn't like Takeshi Yamamoto.

Falling in love with Takeshi Yamamoto would have been ridiculous.

Love all its own, was something so fucking troublesome that Hayato was barely sure it should be legal, let alone for que—homosexuals. He paused, pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose, and buried both hands in his pockets. His thoughts wandered back to only two nights before, when he had yelled at Sawada. The day before he'd cooperated with Yamamoto, leaving out as many details as he could upon the subject of the Tenth – which was kind of hard, since they were setting up his birthday party – and made sure he was happy.

After an hour of celebrating, he'd snuck away with the valid excuse of celebrating his guardian's birthday.

Fucking shit.

He hated how his pride managed to come above everything else. Hayato scowled at the thought, and kicked a wad of paper out of the way. Sawada was right. He remembered, too, when his and Yamamoto's friendship had a strain on it.

Yamamoto had hit puberty. Or started to, at least. His voice had been cracking on occasion, and for the longest time Hayato was incredibly jealous. At the age of eleven, he'd thought his best friend had been abducted by aliens and probed.

Boundary lines had been put up. As little kids, wrestling, sleeping in the same bed with one another and laying on top of each other had no significant meaning. Innocence was the word. However, meanings became thicker as they got older, and the signs were there.

Everything he said about Takeshi Yamamoto to Sawada had truth and meaning. Hayato held his best friend in high regard – higher than Giotto and G, even – because of his sheer determination. He knew the idiot aspired to one day be a professional baseball player, and with every fiber of his being, disapproved of that decision. At the same time, Yamamoto's determination was what made him whole.

Only when seeing a sincere smile on his best friend's face did Hayato feel as though his day was complete. Making friends came easy to Yamamoto, along with getting girls, or even defining himself. The thought of someone actually harassing his best friend was ridiculous because Hayato truly thought other than his idiocy, Yamamoto was perfect.

And at the age of eleven, the little seedling of doubt planted itself in Hayato's head. He could feel lingering stares, noticed touches that never withered, and every time Yamamoto stared at him, he could feel the baseball idiot searching for his soul. It was nerve-racking.

The theory was always in the back of his mind, and he wished that it wasn't true, but also argued with himself for not putting his best friend at depth as he would when they were children. Children, he stubbornly reminded himself, were innocent. What children did was different for adults.

One day, Yamamoto simply raised his head and said that he was gay. The next day, Yamamoto insisted on going out with him.

"Haha," the baseball idiot had said before his baseball game. "Will you go out with me, Hayato?"

He hated it when that name left his best friend's lips. The way it was said – the broadness and assertion behind Yamamoto's tone made him shiver. His cheeks would flourish with a heated blush, and throat would grow dry.

And he thought Yamamoto was joking.

"The fuck?" Hayato couldn't even find the coherency to yell at him. Yamamoto was standing there, bat in his hand and a smile across his face.

"If I were to think of one person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, it would be you." Yamamoto's words hit him like a cold bucket of water. The world around them seemed to disappear, and the silver-haired teenager heard nothing but his best friend. "And haha, it's weird. I see you every day, but sometimes it doesn't seem like enough."

"I know it's a lot to ask, but haha, I just think I'm in love with you. I'm going to dedicate the last game to you, okay?"

He was stunned. Yamamoto kissed him. But the taste of Yamamoto's lips had been the most electrifying moment of his life. He'd never felt so alive, so much lighter than air – so, so…

So disgusted.

His best friend was in love with him, kissed him, and it had been him Yamamoto had been thinking of. Yamamoto was in love with him. His thoughts soared through all of the possibilities, and the raw image of Yamamoto at night, pleasuring himself to the thought of him made Hayato feel exposed. He'd seen it coming; seen it set and done, but never thought it would happen.

So he asked Haru out. It was like living an entire day under the influence and drunk on all alcoholic beverages known to mankind. Before he knew it, Haru and he were hand-in-hand, and Yamamoto, crushed, ended up breaking his arm and taking Namimori's baseball team out of the running for the rest of the season. Out of any girlfriends, Haru would've been his last choice – but he liked her company. To some extent.

Haru made him feel like a man. Fuck – he was a man, and damn proud of it. All of the shit Yamamoto talked about, his interest in guys – everything was fucking insane. And Hayato wasn't gay. He would never be gay.

The thought of dating Yamamoto of all people made him sick to his stomach.

And made his heart soar.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

With a growl, the teenager rattled his fist into the door of the Miura Residence and waited expectantly. Not too soon, it burst open, and reveale—

"What the hell are you doing in a banana suit?" Dear God, why did he live next to a bunch of morons?

"Hahi?" Haru blinked in confusion, head tilted to the side as she looked at her boyfriend. She grabbed the door frame with her yellow-gloved hands and smiled proudly. "I'm practicing for the community center's play for preschoolers – The Ugly Strawberry! Did you know bananas are actually berries? And strawberries aren't?"

"Bah – fuck –! I don't care, woman! Just change, so we can go out on a fucking date!"

"Gokudera-san!" Haru gasped comically, stubby hands failing to reach her cheeks as she gave the other teenager a look of disapproval. "You will not cuss while you are in my household! You know how my mother feels about that!"

What the—"Just get changed already!"

"Okay, but you have to help me out of my banana suit."

"I don't want to fucking—"

"Gokudera-san! Language!"

Five minutes after arguing, Hayato found himself upstairs in his girlfriend's room, waiting ever-so patiently for the teenager to change out of her clothes. With a heavy sigh, he lay on her bed flipping through one of her silly magazines and reading nothing. A grimace spread across his lips, and he tried desperately not to stare at the many stuffed animals and…pinkness of his girlfriend's room.

It drove him crazy.

At least with Yamamoto's room, it had video games, sports equipment, and samurai swords. Fuck. He was thinking of Yamamoto while he was with his girlfriend.

"So where were you planning on taking me?"

"I don't know. A walk, or something?"

"Hahi? Just a walk? That's not very romantic, you know."

"So what?" Hayato raised an eyebrow, apathetic of the change of subject. He looked to his girlfriend, relieved she was finally out of her banana suit and figuring out something to wear. "Maybe I just like taking walks with you."

"I guess." Haru hummed sweetly and turned around. "It's a nice day out. Do you think I should wear a dress?"

"I don't give a damn what you wear." He shrugged idly and watched with little interest as she went from outfit to outfit before throwing them on the bed. "Just find something so we can go for a walk."

"Red's your favorite color, right? Hm, maybe I should wear red."

"Red looks good with your eyes." Red accentuated brown eyes. Personally, Hayato loved to see them together, and always had the pleasure to. There were three colors Yamamoto would always wear either together or separately – blue, yellow, and red. Hayato watched his girlfriend before pushing himself off the bed and standing next to her by the closet. He was a good four inches taller than her. With a wry smile, he nudged her in the shoulder. "But you look fine in anything you wear."

Haru gave him a calculative look. Shit. That was never any good. Instead, she broke into a smile, stood at the tip of her toes, and looked through her many outfits. "I see, I see. Gokudera-san, let's break up."

"I think you'd look better in green." Wait—"What?"

"Did you know that you have some excruciatingly bad habits?" Haru turned to him again, all smiles, before picking out a white and red polka-dotted dress. "For instance, your temper is atrocious, and the way you dress is horrendous."

"The hell?" Hayato's eyes narrowed. "You're not that easy to stand either, you little—"

"You can't let another person finish their sentence for the life of them," she continued, as if daring him to challenge her, "and you've got this annoying habit of saying 'che' whenever you're in a bad mood. Well, Mister, only delinquents and thugs say something like that. While you're knowledgeable in some things, your ego is so big that it won't let anything else through. And, Gokudera-san, you can fill out a pair of skinny jeans better than I can."

"Well you don't know when to shut the hell up!" Hayato's voice peaked seven octaves and he curled his hands into fists. "I get the best grades at our school and you're so fucking judgmental. Your estrogen gets on my fucking nerves, and—and your damn palms are sweaty every time I hold them! I mean, what the hell?"

"Gokudera-san!"

"What!"

"Those aren't the reasons why I'm breaking up with you." Er, what? Suddenly, the sweet smile that'd been across her lips disappeared, replaced with a menacing glare as she put her hands on her hips. "Are you aware of the fact that I've been standing in my undergarments for thirty minutes and you've said nothing about it?"

She was? Hayato looked at his girlfriend, taken aback, and realized she was right. "When the hell did you take your clothes off?"

"I had no clothes on under that suit to begin with," she huffed. Haru crossed her arms coolly, and promptly began to put a shirt on herself. "But I also wasn't planning for you to come here and take me out on a date. Gokudera-san, do you know what it means when a girl's boyfriend isn't ogling her like bacon?"

"Well—"

"It means that they're ugly! Unattractive! And I know I'm not unattractive!" Haru waddled a finger in his face and shook her head. "But it can also mean that you don't find me attractive." Buh… "I'm not mad at you, Gokudera-san, but I don't want to be with someone who finds me unattractive."

"I like you the way you are, woman." Hayato suddenly grappled his thoughts, gaze lowered to his girlfriend confidently, but he wasn't sure what to say. Haru shrugged nonchalantly, and sat on the bed. He followed in suit, and finally caught sight of her true expression.

She didn't want this to happen. She was sad.

Hayato blinked – once, twice – before deciding it was best to be quiet. It wasn't too long ago that they showered each other with "I love you's", and were making out before Haru went to class. Originally he had dated her to get Yamamoto off his case, but this was different. No matter how emotionally attached he refused to get, she was a part of his life.

"Elaborate for me." Please.

Haru looked up, eyes innocent as the day they'd met one another, and she offered a pitiful smile. Hayato nodded in acknowledgement, and the revelations began. "I'm not the person for you, and…you're not the person for me."

"We fight about every damn thing, yeah," Hayato agreed. "Go on."

"I'm just not the type of person who can handle your personality, and the way you handle mine can get annoying," she confessed. Haru put a hand to her chest. "All a girl wants is for a guy who thinks she's beautiful, but I don't want to date you if I've got to assume everything in the relationship."

"Ah."

"And that's why I think we should break up."

"Okay."

Haru blinked. "Really? Just like that?"

"Just like that." Hayato stood up, hands tucked in his pockets and gave her a curt nod. No more having to wake up early just to take her to school. No more weekly dates. No more having to take her to places, or spend money on her.

"I still love you," she continued, eyebrows furrowed cautiously. "But…not in the way either of us want."

"Yeah." He stood there, unsure of what to do next until she flung her arms around him in a sweet embrace. Hayato hugged her back, numb, and finally inched his way to the door. He stopped for a second, turning around one last time to see her face, and simply stared. "Bye, Haru."

She smiled sadly. "Bye, Gokudera-san."

"Eh…call me Hayato."

With that, the door shut behind him. He really should have been angry. Haru was his first girlfriend, and he was able to confide in her with most things. She was quite possibly the most annoying little wench he'd ever known – and one of the sweetest.

Hayato scratched his head as he trudged down the stairs. He really should have been upset.

But he wasn't.

chapter fourteen has househunting and dating.

"Now, now. Do you really have to look at me like-?"

"Yes." Giotto sharply narrowed his eyes, wary of the way his older brother's best friend's hands fiddled with a piece of chalk. Leon, his cunningly adorable chameleon approached the desk before curling into his owner's slender fingers. Unlike the blond, Reborn's feline serenity watched Giotto's every move with an underlining of amusement. It was different, shivered the other adult.

Eventually, Reborn's hand traveled to the bright green water gun he kept in his drawer. "Ieyatsu—"

"Giotto—"

"Ieyatsu." The full-blooded Italian continued, Cheshire grin adorning his lips as he casually squirted water in Giotto's face. The blond didn't blink. "Your brother pisses me off."

Giotto smiled wryly. "From what I hear, you grade your students harder than any other teacher in the nation."

"Don't take it so lightly. You piss me off more."

"Oh, do tell."

"Well. I can tell you now that the 'R' in my name, spelled in the very back," he gestured to the large letters that produced the letters, 'R' 'E' 'B' and half of what was probably an 'O,' "Is mostly of your brother being unable to answer any of my questions."

"What," Giotto chided sarcastically, "could he have possibly done to rile you up? I applaud him."

"You would," Reborn added. Suddenly the air thinned, and they found themselves at each other's wits with the mocking grin disappearing from his brother's teacher's face. "Are you doing well? Change has never been one of your better abilities."

"Fine, actually." But Giotto agreed. He looked to the window of the door, where Tsuna idly hovered with his head ducked. Takeshi-kun was at baseball practice, and he hadn't seen lash or hair of Hayato-kun since walking into the building.

"You were so heartbroken when finding out about Iemitsu." Reborn's eyebrow stretched an inch or two. "I hope you aren't the reason why his grades are so low. I've yet to have a student fail using my methods and I'd like to keep it that way."

"What you have in teaching experience you lack in sanity," Giotto responded flatly. The glint in the teacher's eyes didn't fool him. Instead, he leaned forward to look at the many tests and grade book Reborn kept tidily on his desk. Despite his hesitation towards the man, he knew well that Reborn wasn't an instructor to take lightly. The marks ranging from zeroes to fifties proved his point. The highest and only anomaly, Giotto confirmed, was a 'C' stacked neatly on top.

"He's quite on the pathetic side," Reborn commented. He looked up, unsatisfied. "I would've hoped that math ran in the family."

"He drives well." Probably better than Giotto himself. The blond excluded that minor detail and looked up to Reborn. "I've been meaning to get in touch with you about his grades. There are only a few more weeks left until exams and high school is important. Would you mind being his tutor?"

"Oh? You want to put your little brother through that pain?"

"If I was able to pass your homicidal methods, then he'll pass them." Hopefully. The fact Reborn tutored him when they were younger wasn't one of his fondest memories. "Tsuna is still getting situated with living with me. We both are."

The whim that so commonly radiated in Reborn was lacking. The elder man flashed him a look, one absolutely serious and turned to pet Leon. "He doesn't realize it, but that little moron of yours has the charisma to control armies. Watch him, Ieyatsu. With the proper studying, he could proudly hold the name 'Vongola.'"

Giotto blinked. Missing half a beat, he nodded in agreement of the other's observations. "Tsuna has more potential than anyone I've ever known." Another thought suddenly entered his mind and the blond chuckled at the memory of the brunet on his medication. "I've never seen anyone with a drive as pure as his."

Tsuna wasn't a Vongola. In all honesty, he had almost forgotten the brother relations altogether - how his mother had told him the story of Iemitsu Sawada and Celeste Vongola; their meeting, clever banter, and the marriage. Together they birthed two beautiful little boys, both who took on the Vongola name because Sawada was both common and short of high rank. Dino Vongola took over their grandmother's business, Cavallone and Giotto Vongola inherited Vongola from their grandfather. From Tsuna's perspective, Nana and Iemitsu must have fallen madly in love, had both him and Lambo, and lived happily ever after – no Vongola included.

If anything, Tsuna was more like the boy down the street who Giotto was captivated with than a brother. A 'brother' would have been a Vongola. For example…Dino.

"You seem quite fond of him," Reborn interrupted his thought pattern. Dark eyes held an interested allure, and Giotto shrugged. "I can't remember the last time you smiled like that in front of me."

Oh. Erm. "For many reasons."

"Sure, sure. I'll come by Saturday. He'll have the highest scores by the time I'm through with him."

"How am I paying you?"

"One blowjob an hour."

"Not likely." Giotto narrowed his eyes, frown delicately forming at his lips before standing up to shake Reborn's hand. "It was nice seeing you again, but he and I should get going."

"I hear you two are looking for a new house," Reborn speculated. He smirked. "I never thought I'd see the day where Ieyatsu Giotto Vongola moved out of that shitty old apartment."

"Heh. Neither did I."

"You are only keeping him until your parents get married, aren't you?"

Giotto's mind blanked. That was right; Tsuna was only staying with him until Nana and Iemitsu got hitched. When his mother first called him and requested he cooperated by taking in his little brother for the next nine months, it was written clearly in his mind those nine months were all he needed. Now…what now?

A month and a half.

Tsuna had been living with him for a month and a half now, and not only did they fall into a casual routine of eating dinners late at night and going out of the house every Tuesday, but Giotto forgot to count the days. He'd asked the brunet to go apartment shopping with him, and claimed ever-so blatantly that Tsuna wasn't on a 'nine-month vacation.' Because he wasn't.

Yet after nine months, his little brother would go back to Nana and Iemitsu, and they'd be a happy family. How…

How depressing.

"I don't know," Giotto finally concluded. Tsuna was a lifestyle for him now. They were attached. Weren't they?

"Oh well," Reborn said casually like he didn't notice the blond's new horrors and frustrations. "Best not to worry about the inevitable. I'll see you and your brother on Saturday, Ieyatsu."

What? Oh. "Yeah."

Tsuna stood to his feet once Giotto exited Reborn's classroom. Brown eyes widened in panic. "Wh-What did he say?"

Oh…yeah… "He'll be tutoring you on Saturday." Giotto blinked, arms crossed in effort to look disappointed, but didn't have the heart for it. He stared at his brother and reminded himself of every good thought he ever had of the teenager. Tsuna was sweet. Tsuna was adorable. Tsuna pushed his buttons in the oddest ways that made him frustrated for all the wrong reasons. Tsuna was…not very attentive.

"Oh. Okay." Not another word was spoken after that. Both brothers walked down the hallway toward the car with silence between them. Giotto's thoughts fluttered back to his bonding with Tsuna. Bonding. Bonding. Nearly a month ago, the word terrified him.

Tsuna was the illegitimate child that his bastard of a father had with another woman.

And also someone that Giotto had grown attached to. Suddenly Giotto's thoughts came to a halt and he looked to the corner of his eye, where Tsuna silently sat with his hands on his knees. The brunet's tight expression was grim, eyebrows furrowed and troubled.

"Tsuna," Giotto said lightly. Altogether, his little brother perked, lightly shooting an inch in the air. He raised an eyebrow, confused, and reached over to feel the teenager's head. "Are you ok—?"

"G-GIOTTO, YOU'RE DRIVING!" Almost immediately, Tsuna's head collided with the blonde's. Giotto let out a strained whine, but his brother didn't notice. Tsuna's hand gripped the wheel before swerving them to the right. Finally with a relieved sigh, Tsuna – shaking – leaned back in his seat. "That was close."

Giotto frowned. "That wasn't bad."

"Y-You r-ran a stoplight and got into the wrong lane!"

"It wasn't bad…" But then he smiled. It occurred to him only a short few minutes ago Tsuna had been silent. It was normal feat, yes, but one of his favorite things about his little brother was…

Getting a charismatic, uncharacteristic reaction out of him.

On cue, the young teenager's face turned the typical shade of rosy red, shoulders hunching, and he looked to his elder brother in confusion. "Y-Yeah..?"

"You're cute." He laughed again once Tsuna defied the laws of science and turned into a darker, more flustered hue.

"You'd be surprised," muttered the brunet quietly, "how often I get that."

No. He really wouldn't. In Giotto's opinion, Tsuna was quite possibly the cutest thing he'd ever seen. Instead of encouraging this statement and causing the poor teenager to darken more than he already did, he changed the subject. "You really have gone through a growth spurt."

"Oh?"

"Iemitsu is tall for a Japanese man. There's a possibility you may end up growing as tall as he was." Then again, Giotto was also half-Italian. Both his and Dino's height could have come from their mother, who too, was a very tall woman.

His brother deteriorated into a light, pink blush, and shook his head with a soft, inaudible – "Red light!" Tsuna squawked. Giotto blinked in confusion before immediately, the brunet grabbed hold of both the parking break and gear shift and there was a jerk. "Red light! Red light!"

Giotto pressed a hand to Tsuna's chest, shoved him back despite the force of the car, and they rode out the sensation. His head hit the back of his seat with a light thud, and he blinked – once, twice – until he could see what was in front of him.

A red light, as Tsuna had said, was above them and they were now parked a foot into the intersection. Other drivers honked and beeped, but the second they lay eyes on the businessman's signature car and remarkable hairdo, all went without care.

"I might need new tires," Giotto mumbled.

"A-And a new brother," Tsuna confirmed, voice faltering. They sat in silence as faint honks of other cars filled their ears. Giotto blinked, head still spinning from the velocity before he sat up in his seat and continued in the general direction.

Looking from the corner of his eye, the blond caught sight of his brother's reaction – depression – and decided best to leave him be. Focus on the road, he told himself. He'd scared the poor teenager into cardiac arrest more than once already.

And it irked him. He had been so busy in his own thoughts – on cloud nine, even – that he hadn't noticed his brother's silence. It was expected since Enma had gone home only a short few days ago, but Tsuna was oddly resilient.

He's homesick.

The thought slapped Giotto cold, and he gripped the wheel tighter. They'd been living together for over a month now, and Enma had just gone home. Tsuna wasn't fully attached to Namimori because he had grown up in Shimon.

Unfortunately, love for another wasn't something Giotto could do anything about.

He bit his tongue, and suddenly found himself very troubled. The thoughts spun in his head. Sure, he had been thinking it before – obviously, Tsuna would be shipped back to his parents once the knot was tied, but until then, Giotto was to treat him like family.

So, what now?

Giotto pulled into the parking lot, surprisingly without any troubles, and parked the car. They sat there in silence, each brother lost in their own thoughts. Laying his head back, the elder shut his eyes. Loving and nurturing was far beyond his time now. He hadn't had to be brotherly since Dino, and the elder Vongola started business along time ago.

"We're here now, aren't we?" Tsuna interrupted his thoughts.

Through the creases of his eyes, the adult watched his kid brother's shadow. Small hands brushed the hair out of his face, and his ears tingled.

"Are you okay?"

I should be asking you that. He was a little irritated, but knew by now it wasn't the best way to handle Tsuna. Tsuna was the type of person who molded with stress. He would live with it, either ignoring it or blaming it on himself.

While Giotto could have gone the immature route and blame his brother for his bitter musings, it was best to leave it be.

"I'm fine." With that, a small grin spread across the blond's lips. He looked up, fiery, Italian orbs mixing with that of brown, and gave his brother a quick peck on the forehead. Tsuna tensed, eyes widening to the size of twin Mount Vesuviuses, before his face exploded into a huge blush. The teenager messed with his jacket, hiking up his collar before he scurried out of the car.

Giotto's smile widened. That, surely, was enough to keep him happy. At least for today.

OoOoO

In the end, they had gone to four different department stores.

They finally went into Banana Republic to get a few suits. He had explained to the young brunet that in the future, Tsuna would most likely go with him for a "pathos" appeal to his rivals in the business world to benefit his company as they advanced in the hierarchy of success. (Tsuna of course nodded dumbly, so Giotto had a feeling he didn't follow any of that).

Out of the four department stores, Giotto held one little bag no larger than his hand. In it lay a pair of boxers that Giotto himself suggested to buy. Tsuna hadn't looked him in the eye ever since the small kiss on the forehead, but Giotto was used to it.

His little brother was fun to fluster, after all.

Still. The spurt had been so apparent in his growth, that Tsuna had constantly been tugging at his shirts and walking awkwardly. It probably would have helped, Giotto thought with much sympathy, if they had gone shopping earlier. After clothes-shopping, they would go apartment-hunting. If Tsuna would be getting no more than a pair of boxers, than this was pointless.

He looked around, enthralled by the many regal suits, and laughed lightly. Ever since inheriting the Vongola business, suits were a second skin to him. Even now, in a nice suit, Giotto knew impressions were everything. Such as the one Tsuna made on him.

Scared, timid, and willing to do anything to make his friends happy. A golden child.

Suddenly the adult's ears perked, and he looked to the dressing rooms. There was a light oof! and a loud squeak that Giotto knew belonged to one person only. A sigh left his his lips, amusement teeming in the blond's eyes before striding to the back.

It was one thing to treat Tsuna as a guest. It was another, he digressed, to treat him like family.

Which meant Giotto had no problem with wrestling Tsuna into a new wardrobe if the kid refused to buy anything. There were only a few dressing rooms in the back of Banana Republic.

"Tsuna?" Giotto called. He looked around, amused, before finally coming to a halt at the last stall. "Tsuna? Can I come in?"

"I-I...er..." There was a soft rustling before the door opened. Giotto looked over his brother's shoulder, ignoring his natural blush, and held back a grimace. Clothes. Heaps of them, all surrounding the room, hanging on the walls, and shoes back and forth. "Hi."

"The last I checked," Giotto muttered slowly as he pushed his little brother into the room, "I only gave you two suits to try on. Where did all of this come from?"

Tsuna shrugged. "Magic?"

"Right." Like magic actually existed. As Giotto looked back to his brother, he caught sight of the younger's blushing face. Oh. His eyes wandered to his brother's body, realizing only now the boy was in his boxers. Sure, he wrestled to put on one of the shirts, and went for a button-up.

But wow.

It had been a long time since Giotto had seen a livid body. Without even realizing it, his fingers grazed the contour of Tsuna's jaw. He studied the boy, lost in the firmness in his eyes. Tsuna stood still, breath caught as Giotto's hand molded with his face. Slowly – gently, Giotto moved his hand, fingers twisting in the brunet's hair and rubbing his ear.

He tensed. Widened eyes looked at him, confused, but said nothing. Giotto continued with his scrutiny, almost completely losing himself with his younger brother's body. It was...enticing. Thralling. The warmth traveled to and from his hand, and how each inch of the brunet's skin beat like a small drum under the skin of his own fingers.

A sanguine body, one that saw enough sunlight, with the natural red across his brother's face as if airbrushed on a porcelain doll. Tsuna's collarbone, Giotto realized as he gave the teenager's shoulders a soft squeeze, was very tight. He'd seen his brother as another being, but never one ever so full of...life. Of a flame, that appeared very gentle, but offered warmth to even the largest creature.

His hands traveled forth, and Giotto sat back into the small bench, overwhelmed by his brother's form. Softly they grazed against Tsuna's chest before lowering to his waist. The blond squeezed his brother's body tightly, and Tsuna shivered. His left hand traveled down, far onto the brunet's navel, and he saw it. The small, insignificantly significant scar that decorated his brother's lower belly. Like a child with a new toy, he stared, engrossed, before touching it.

Finally, the so-called "magic" Tsuna mentioned only seconds earlier seemed to fade. The other boy, frightened, had his hands on Giotto's shoulders.

"G...Giotto?" whispered the brunet in confusion.

Oh, crap. Giotto snapped out of his musings, realizing what he was doing, before standing up. There he was, his hands through his brother's shirt squeezing his torso without even realizing it. The businessman held Tsuna tight, still gathering his own thoughts, before offering a light smile.

"White looks good on you. I suppose the buttons are a little complicated, aren't they?"

"I..." Brown eyes flickered, hesitant, but didn't ask a thing. "I...t-tripped over some of the clothes."

Giotto laughed. "Only some?" He pulled away, almost like ripping a bandage off a sore, and watched Tsuna jump with surprise. Ticklish, he assumed. But...

What did I just do?

Well, it was obvious what he did. He just felt up his brother. Groped. Molested. Well, maybe not molested, but close enough. He'd never been so absorbed in another's body before, as if they were art. Not Alaude. Not G, not anyone.

"The thing about it," Giotto thought, because he knew as the adult, he couldn't falter. He was Tsuna's caretaker, and it was best to act as if nothing happened – even if Tsuna hadn't pulled away.

But that was Tsuna. Even when they were younger, he hadn't said a word. Fiery eyes lowered themselves once more, to the small scar, and he held back a grimace.

The thing about it, Giotto reminded himself, "is that we've been here for two hours now, Tsuna. I know you're hesitant in spending my money, but we came here to buy you new clothes. And we're going apartment-hunting after this, so soon we'll have to buy you furniture for your room too."

His eyes didn't leave the small scar. Tsuna shied away, eyes falling to the ground, before he turned to gather his clothes. "Y...Yeah."

"I want to buy you new clothes," Giotto whispered softly. He didn't know where the insistence was coming from, but a need to protect his brother was quickly bubbling in his stomach. "I want to buy you new furniture too." Tsuna, he stopped himself from saying, I want to do whatever it takes to make you smile.

And there was no fight. He watched Tsuna shrug, but the teenager wouldn't dare look him in the eye. Finally, Tsuna was dressed, Giotto standing well on the other side of the dressing room as he waited.

"Orange is a nice color on you," Giotto muttered softly. He offered a lame smile, head resting against the door as Tsuna finally looked up. Brown eyes shimmered, reluctant, before the boy broke into a small smile. "It doesn't look good on very many people. But it fits you just fine."

"Th...thank you," murmured the teenager. "Um, Giotto?"

"Yup?"

"You think I could get a job?"

Giotto blinked. "Why would you want to get a job?"

"I...Uh..." During the entire time, Giotto realized, Tsuna wasn't staring at him. Great. Just forget about it, he told himself tensely. Just forget about it, and if he forgot about it, and didn't mention it, Tsuna wouldn't mention it either. Brown eyes looked everywhere but his face, before the teenager gave up. "Forget about it. I-It was stupid."

"Nah." Carefully looking around, Giotto gathered what clothes the teenager didn't pick out and held them tightly. "You could work with me if you want."

"Wh...what?"

"I need an assistant. You'll sort of be like my little secretary, or an intern – only you get paid." Finally satisfied, Giotto looked back up to Tsuna. The brunet's eyebrows furrowed, troubled, and his brother continued. "I'll pay you double minimum wage – and you'll never be off the clock anyway. We live together."

Tsuna arched an eyebrow, suddenly back in his own skin. "Isn't that nepotism?"

Ah. Nepotism. "No, my dear brother." Giotto flashed his signature grin. "That's favoritism."

OoOoOoO

"Tsuna?"

"H-Huh?"

That was the third time Giotto had called his brother's name. He looked to the little bugger, concerned, and Tsuna's look contorted into curiosity. "What do you think of this apartment?"

Tsuna blinked. "We left the car?"

Well, duh. "Yes indeed." Giotto watched the boy looked around, startled at his new surroundings before he himself examined at the apartment. It was a penthouse, located in the heart of Namimori. They were at least a fifteen minute drive from their current apartment, and twenty from Namimori High. On the other hand, it was much closer to his work.

Wooden floors. Polished, gloriously shining and never used. The owner was one of Giotto's old business partners, who he had helped out when they were first going into management. The penthouse was fairly new and only a few months old, and favoritism was on Giotto's side. After all, Shouichi Irie had quite the soft spot for him.

He made a mental note to thank the redhead for reservations. It was the fourth apartment building they had visited all afternoon, but the first he was able to snap his brother out of his daze.

And that it did.

With a child's amazement, Tsuna's eyes looked up and about the entire apartment. Giotto cracked a grin, accomplished, and looked back to the redheaded dealer.

Irie wasn't what many people would call scary. Since Giotto had known him, the young landlord had a weak stomach, and would often stammer as he spoke. His eyebrows would furrow, and often he listened to music to calm his nerves. If it wasn't for his architect/lover, Shouichi would most likely drown in his own self-pity.

Fortunately, both of them shared a hobby of robotics.

"As you can see, the penthouse is at the very top of the apartment buildings. It contains two bedrooms and one master bedroom." Shouichi smiled sheepishly. "I'll let you rent it for six-hundred dollars a month."

"If he likes this apartment, I'll pay you every penny you spent." Giotto whistled and hid a grin as it echoed. The penthouse design was beautiful. While indeed it wasn't the Taj Mahal or Mount Olympus, it was spectacular.

They walked around, feet clacking against the wooden floor, and found Tsuna in one of the alternate bedrooms. He stood next to a slanted window that overtook the fourth wall of the entire room.

The sun had set. Stars twinkled in a midnight blue sky, and the songs of cars and sirens could be heard from below, singing a sweet symphony. Above the large window overtook the ceiling with a huge skylight where the moon shined ever-so brightly.

Brown eyes shimmered, captivated by it all.

"I like this room," Tsuna declared quietly.

"It's got a balcony to it, too." Shouichi smiled politely before gesturing to the knob on the first window. He flipped the switch on the wall, and instantly the outdoors lit up. Tsuna backed away, suddenly red, and scratched his arm.

"I-I'm afraid of heights."

"Yet you want the room with the biggest view." Giotto cocked an eyebrow and chuckled.

"I...uh..." The brunet blushed, trapped in his own cocoon as he searched for a valid excuse. None apparently came to mind.

How cute.

Giotto smiled, leaning ever so lightly on Tsuna's back before he rested his forehead against the cold glass. Tsuna shivered, but said nothing. "Did I...ever tell you why I live in such a small apartment?"

"Y...You..." Tsuna stammered. "You used to live with G before he moved out, right?"

"He used to live with me." A chuckle left the blond's lips. "What you see now in that apartment is refurbishing after refurbishing. I'd moved to Japan on a whim because my friend, Asari Ugetsu convinced me that I would fall in love with Namimori. That I did."

The warm blush tingled in Tsuna's face. Giotto grabbed hold of the boy from behind and buried his face in the brunet's shoulder. He didn't know why he was doing it. It just felt...nice.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't have my mother's money supporting me. But at that point of my life, I only spent the money that I would make before I was named the successor to the Vongola family. That apartment is my pride."

"I...I...w-we don't have to move, i-if..."

"Nah." Why am I doing this again? This was brotherly. Hugging a brother was considered brotherly. So why was he so cautious about it? Giotto released his grip, smile faltering for a fraction of a second before he took the space next to his brother. Tsuna looked to him, confused, but Giotto couldn't explain it. "This is a new chapter of my life. And you're my brother. Not a guest."

And then Tsuna would blush. It was a strange custom, but something Giotto deeply enjoyed watching. The brunet shuffled his feet, eyes falling to the ground, and was officially rendered speechless.

Giotto looked up and smiled, but the buzzing in his head was ceaseless. He looked over to Shouichi, who himself appeared stunned and taken aback, before nodding to his brother. "You can go ahead and explore the rest of the building if you like. I'll be talking expenses with Shouichi."

"I...I...er. Yeah." Nodding slowly, the teenager scuttled off – but not without colliding with the door. "Oof!"

"Watch yourself!" Giotto called.

"R...right."

Once the front door finally shut, the blond looked back to his redheaded acquaintance, and found himself the object of scrutiny. Giotto wrinkled his brow. "What?"

"It's nothing! I'm just...rather...confused, I suppose."

"With?"

"W-well," Shouchi said, red rising to his face, "Your relationship with him is just confusing. You first arrived, comfortably invading one another's personal space, and because of...wh-what had just happened, I assumed you two were lovers."

"We're not." Lovers. Lovers. With...Tsuna? Of all the things – "He's not interested in me like that." And he was his brother! "And, you know, he's my brother."

"While the...the resemblance is there—"

"Shouichi." He couldn't remember the last time he felt so bothered by a statement. It would have been Giotto-like for him to simply laugh it off – tease Shouichi even, with sexual innuendos. But it was Tsuna. And to even...think of his brotherlike that was – "Do I have the apartment or not?"

"W...Well." Shouichi shrugged. "Of course. Just...Uh." He scrambled with folders as paperwork flew everywhere before gathering what he needed. "Just sign here...here...and...here..."

By the time Giotto was done signing papers, it was agreed that the pair could move in next week. He would have to talk to his landlord, then to the school about Tsuna's new address, along with business plans. Not only that, but they would have to go buy new furniture that would compliment the house.

(After all, while Giotto wasn't flamboyantly gay, he still would rather die in a hole than have a new, incredibly gorgeous penthouse not color-coordinated.)

He said his goodbyes to Shouichi, thanking him for the apartment and feeling somewhat lighter. Signing the papers for a new house was life-changing. He was no longer a young man with just a lover who lived by himself. He had a brother – one he would nurture and had become very attached to.

One he was living with now. Well, damn.

Giotto entered the personal elevator, thoughts going back to his brother. It put him at unease to the way he became so intimate with the young teenager. It upset him, however, that he wasn't upset at his behavior. He was more worried of what his brother would think, like – like a school girl with a crush asking herself if she was too clingy.

Again – well damn.

He needed a bath. He needed some time away, and needed to stop contemplat-

"Tsuna-kun?"

The blond stopped dead in his tracks, overtaken by surprise as he saw his little brother being approached by a little girl no older than him. The same girl, Giotto realized, as he examined her features. Kyoko. That was her name.

Tsuna looked up from his musings, snapped out of his thoughts, and tilted his head. "Kyoko-chan? What are you doing here?"

"I live in this apartment complex." The girl took a step forward, and Giotto got a better look of her outfit. A pretty dress for a sweet girl covered by a long coat for the cold season. A scarf was wrapped around her neck, and her eyes held sweet serenity. She was very pretty. "What are...you doing here?"

"Oh, uh." And like his brother always did, the brunet blushed and played with the strings of his new jacket. "I...I...Giotto and I are apartment-hunting. We're renting the penthouse on the top floor."

Her eyes lit up, twinkling like the night sky as she clasped her hands together. "Really? You'll be moving into this apartment complex?"

"U...Uh-huh."

"That's really cool." Silence shrouded them. Kyoko looked directly at the other teenager while Tsuna stared at the wall, before the conversation was lost.

"Um," Tsuna offered. "Maybe I could come over sometime. If...you know. You need some heavy-lifting or something."

The thought of his little brother trying to be a masochist was oddly cute.

Kyoko beamed slightly, red adorning her doll-like cheeks as she clasped her hands together. "Maybe we could get together and study for exams."

"O...Oh, uh. Sure."

"And...maybe we can get together, for...you know. Fun." Kyoko blushed lightly, smile spreading across her face as she rocked back and forth on her feet. "Go out and see a movie or something, you know?"

"Sure. I guess. Disney's always coming out with some uh, cute movies."

"Cool."

"Y...Yeah. C-Cool."

"Well then...bye, Tsuna-kun."

"Y-Yeah. Bye, Kyoko-chan."

The thought lost, Tsuna turned around to see her off. As Kyoko passed by Giotto offered a small smile before coming up to his brother, who looked positively mortified. It was then that Giotto decided to pop the question. "I thought you were gay."

Somehow, the teenager managed to blush as he paled. "I am."

"Didn't you just make future plans with that girl – a date, more specifically?"

Tsuna nodded. "That I did."

"Well. That sucks."

"Y...Yeah."

And for the oddest reason, Giotto was debating on feeling oddly amused for his little brother's girl problems, or extremely envious of her.

OoOoO

"Are you going somewhere?"

They were finally home. And Giotto could feel is blood rushing. He couldn't shake the feeling from his mind, nor his pulse, as he looked up to Tsuna, who sat on his couch with the remote in hand. The blond's heart was pounding in his ears and suffocating his lungs.

"I think you and I both know where I'm going." Giotto tried to offer a smile – but the demands were too great. The lack of oxygen getting to his head was causing him to become desperate, and with every second his fingers would curl and uncurl.

Tsuna glowed, and the answer was clear.

But he needed it. Badly. Giotto's body ached for touch. After bidding his brother a goodnight and reminding him of all the emergency numbers, food, G – God when did he become such a mother – Giotto practically stormed out of the house.

His groin was aching, crying for the touch of another, and his body was clamming up.

For his brother. For Tsuna.

The thought of being touched – touching someone else, making them moan and making them scream – all went back to the dressing room. He blamed it on a week without sexual intake before shooting through every stoplight to get to the Brouille Residence.

Kyouya-kun had answered the door on his guard, but the blond shoved past him. The ringing in his ears was great, and he let out a small moan as he stormed into the school director and ex-investigator's office.

Oh, heaven. Alaude stood up, quick to pull his reading glasses off his face, but Giotto tackled him down until they were both on the ground with his hand down the other's pants.

Alaude started cursing in French. He fought back, never one who liked to be taken off guard, but Giotto knew every weak spot. He kissed the nape of his lover's neck, ecstatic as he crooned, and picked him up.

"Warn me!" Alaude hissed. But he didn't fight back. As a matter of fact, Giotto blindly looked around, noticing only that Kyouya-kun rolled his eyes with distaste, cursing against his uncle before turning the TV on as loud as possible.

They walked through the living room into Alaude's bedroom. He tossed the silvery-white adult into bed, wrestled to get his tie off, and bucked into Alaude's hip. The other moaned, twitching as he tried to gain reality of things, before clothes began flying everywhere.

"I want you. Badly." Giotto needed this like no other. He needed to get Tsuna out of his head. He looked to the Frenchman, heart pounding, and Alaude irately rolled his eyes.

"Fine."

Hours later, the couple themselves in bed, wrapped in bedsheets in the afterglow of sex. Giotto ran a lazy hand up Alaude's thigh, eyes fluttering closed as he was finally at peace. He could worry about Tsuna later. Sex was hot.

Alaude was sprawled over him, reaching to the nightstand before he grimaced. "If you dare fuck me without lube again after tonight, you'll be getting a knife up your ass the next time we do this, you damn...insect."

Apparently this was where Kyouya-kun got his food chain insults. Giotto buried his face into the pillow, uncaring of his lover's insults, and felt a hand press against his forehead.

"What were you doing before I fucked you?" asked the blond lightly.

"Research."

"Ah."

"It's been something I've been meaning to tell you for quite some time now. You know for a fact I've had a history for tracking people down."

"Yeah."

"Giotto." Alaude's voice became as icy as his mood. The broad adult brushed the hair out of his lover's eyes, and the fiery orbs of the Italian fluttered open. "My latest case is complete. I found him."

Giotto's blood ran cold. "What?"

"Daemon Spade." Alaude's words ripped into his lungs. "I've tracked him down. He...says 'hi.'"

With just that name – something Giotto hadn't even heard in years now – he could feel it falling. His world froze, and through those eyes he saw it plummeting to the darkest trenches of the sea.

chapter fifteen has business and spying.

G was still watching Tsuna when Giotto got home. It was odd, the redhead thought, when Tsuna just went to sleep. For the past two days since Enma left, and he rarely left the house. Often, G would catch the brunet lost in his own little world, worry seeping across his features.

"You can tell me if anything's wrong, you know," G had said once he came to the apartment.

"Oh," Tsuna replied, like he didn't notice G the first time, "Uh, it's fine, G-san. Don't worry about it."

Which kind of hurt. For the past months he had thought Tsuna and he had gotten closer. For the teenager to be so upset and not say a word was...like it was the very first day when Tsuna came to him.

However, he worried more when the door shot open, violently rammed into the wall, and ended with Giotto leaning into Alaude, eyes doubled in size and complexion horrified.

"What the hell happened to him?" G stood up, shocked. But he knew Alaude wouldn't do this. It wasn't a lewd game they would play in the dark—Alaude treated Giotto well, and vice versa.

"The kid fall asleep?" Alaude asked, eyes casually falling to the lump on the couch wadded in blankets. "Good. I had to drive him home." He flicked the light on and disregarded the slumbering teenager.

Once G was closer, his hand twitched and threatened to curl into a fist. Worry bubbled in the pit of his stomach, and he couldn't remember the last time he saw his best friend – his brother, practically – lost.

Pale. Trembling. Mouth agape, and so detached from the world that a friend had to reel him back. Even then Giotto was such a sight that G didn't know what to say.

"My research," Alaude said simply. "My tracking. All these years, trying to figure out where he was, and he goes to a phone booth, has the nerve to call, and simply chirps he will be making a visit sometime soon."

Alaude was a man with little patience. He was easily enthralled in whatever he did (which made forensics a convenient subject for him), and cracked a violent joke or two that they would later find out wasn't just a joke. Alaude had the humor of a homicide detective, but the loyalty of a guardian to his mafia boss. The term of endearment – boss – came from their younger days in college and stuck.

Endearment was something they needed now.

"Let's get him to the bed," muttered the redhead quietly. His mind was in a daze. Alaude's grip around Giotto's figure hadn't lessened. His flesh was as white as his hair, expression tight as they made it across the room. G spared one glance to the slumbering brunet. Luckily, Tsuna looked as if not even an earthquake would wake him.

As Alaude and G helped Giotto to the bed, the redhead noticed the little things about the blond – the creases under his eyes, which made him look wise beyond his years – or to show that he knew better. A small freckle rested on the top of Giotto's eyebrow, and G remembered as a young kid he liked to kiss it.

"It's shaped like a heart, you know," his blond, four-year-old accomplice would reply. Giotto would grin back then, and he stated it proudly, loving to steal attention away from brother Dino when he had the chance.

Giotto wasn't smiling. He wasn't trying to steal attention – he needed it. Badly.

Giotto fell to the bed with a small thump, but he didn't dare lay down. His once fiery eyes lacked their warmth; lacked their ferocity, and had delicately been destroyed.

"Daemon." G finally spoke. For a second, he ignored Giotto, taking rest to the spot next to his best friend, and looked at the silvery-haired adult. "That's who you've been tracking, isn't it?"

"The only other person who had a lead on him was Xanxus." Alaude eyed him carefully, as if he couldn't find the right words for this. Which was a rare feat. Alaude spoke his mind, and rarely did he have to pick his words out.

G watched, and he saw the way Alaude tenderly cupped Giotto's face. He pressed his forehead against the shorter man, blond hair mixing with silvery-white. In that instant, Giotto suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, mortified, and pushed the taller adult away. He curled up, lost in his own little world, and it was obvious what he wanted. Or at least, didn't want.

Don't touch me.

Giotto had trust issues from time-to-time. Ever since Daemon, he let very little people – anonymous people – close without warning. The first person to tug his heart strings since Daemon Spade would have been...Tsuna. And the other brother was currently lost in his own thoughts, equally as detached.

Alaude barely bat an eyelash. He expected this to happen.

"Daemon Spade not only tore down Giotto's reputation as a person, but the boss's humanity." In a sweet manner, G watched as Alaude stroked Giotto's hair. The other didn't care. He was like a child with tear-stained eyes who had just been slapped by a parent.

"It was both," G corrected. The way Alaude's blue orbs gazed into Giotto's form, the redhead would have mistaken it for true love. He often questioned the worth in Giotto and Alaude's relationship. On many occasions he would see the way Giotto smiled – his same, truly charming grin that made young bachelorettes throw babies at him – or how Alaude would swat Giotto away during work before catching his face and initiating a kiss. As far as he knew, Giotto and Alaude never exchanged the "L" word, and rarely did his best friend toss it around because it was as simple as that – he didn't like tossing it around.

And Alaude's gestures were always analytical.

G watched, half-interested, but continued the conversation. Daemon...Daemon Spade. The name boiled the tip of his tongue, and he could feel his fingers curl into the elbow of his dress shirt. "He soiled Giotto's self-confidence. Alaude – what are we going to do?"

And with that, the same holier-than-thou look of distaste flickered across blue eyes, but only for a second. Alaude then looked up, reluctant, before running a hand through his hair. In instinct, G put a hand on the school chairman's shoulder. "Get your hand off my shoulder."

"Giotto is currently incapacitated." G's eyes narrowed, first to his best friend, and then to his best friend's lover. Giotto wasn't listening to them. "This isn't the time to lock yourself up and figure out a plan. The last time he came, he ruined the name Vongola. Until Giotto can gather his thoughts, we have to work together. You trust me, don't you?"

"Trust is a very delicate thing." Alaude and G, surprisingly to most people, held a very secure relationship with one another. 'Trust', as the chairman put it, was fragile between them, but they carried respect for one another. However, at the moment, it appeared otherwise. With a sudden jolt, Alaude jerked his shoulder way from the redhead's hand. He offered a look, one of great worry to the blond, and G caught sight of the bags under Alaude's eyes.

It'd been an important project. Alaude was able to pass things off, head held high and without a care, but in all honesty, Alaude was very passionate about his job. He was very loyal to Giotto, even if he rarely showed it.

"I'll keep you updated," said the other adult. As brusque as he entered, Alaude left the room. G waited until he heard the front door shut before turning to his best friend, who was lost in his thoughts.

G touched a hand to Giotto's face, worry bubbling in his stomach as he awaited a reaction.

"Want a beer?" G offered a smile, fingers molding around the contour of his best friend's face. Orange orbs lacked their flare, and for the second time in G's life, he saw his best friend as a frail child, too afraid of the world around him.

Silence. The room – the entire house, even – was deaf, and the heart of G's entire life sat there, different from the natural-born leader he was in his youth. Beer wasn't going to help. Until Daemon came...

"Yeah." He was pissed. He was scared. And...so was Giotto. Giotto was terrified. "I didn't think so."

OoOoO

As far as Reborn was concerned, he truly didn't care for the school. Originally he had been sent to Namimori all those years ago by Celeste and the elder Vongola heir – Dino – to look at Vongola Jr. He didn't care if his students didn't amount to anything – so long as they amounted to something. His favorite student quite possibly, would have to be the Sawada kid.

Ah, Tsuna Sawada. Ye of little fate. It was because of Reborn and his ambitions, he was certain, that that phrase had been coined.

Tsuna Sawada interested him to a great degree, surprisingly enough. He noticed very many quirks, similar to how Giotto would react when he was a child – and again, how very little they acted alike.

As Reborn casually entered the classroom, cowboy hat tilted to the side, he rested a boot on the desk of none other than Takeshi Yamamoto. The class sat, dead silent, and he cracked a grin before digging his hands into pockets of his cow-skinned trousers.

"Howdy, class," greeted the teacher. Funny, he thought. His class should have been used to this by now. Instead of wasting casualties, he leaped onto Takeshi's desk and sat cross-legged. "Today we will be learning about that pathetic-excuse of a Spanish man, Christopher Columbus, and how he – yes, Tachibana?"

"This is math, isn't it, Reborn-sensei?"

"Hn. Well, I was simply trying to come up with a valid excuse for this cool outfit. But if you'd rather write an essay while I tell you the truth, then very well." The Spartan teacher offered a mild grin and pressed a hand to his hip. "It's laundry day. Since my good suit is at the dry cleaner's, I decided that I would wear this."

"So...you have suits, and a cowboy...?"

"Costume."

"For Halloween?"

Reborn grinned. "If you want to call it that." He watched – and waited. Suddenly, the glow was very apparent across the poor girl's face, and while other students decided best to not acknowledge their teacher's sanity – or there lack of. "Today we will be learning about logarithms..."

Today, he threw three pencils aimed for Tsuna's head. Since the week had started only a few short days ago, Reborn wasn't surprised. Ever since Monday, the brunet was lost in his own little world, uncaring for those around him.

Three pencils. Each time to get the attention of one neglectful teenager –

"You. Sawada – pay attention."

"Wh...what? Oh...s...sorry."

– which was how the teacher's morning had gone. Reborn prided himself on the fact that he didn't easily get emotionally attached. In many ways he was like the Vongola boys, and often he wondered if that trait passed onto students from years before. He was the type of person who allowed himself to blend into the background, calculating and observant. It was one of the reasons why he picked up math so long ago, enamored with the subject's complexity, which often made hours go by.

Being the teacher wasn't always just for the money – or for the discussions with the students. What made being a teacher, tutor, instructor, and all of those other inspirational words, was the fact that from the beginning where a student was planted in the ground, the teacher knew by harvest, each student would bloom into their own person.

Thought before emotions, he told himself. Think before you speak, because only shit would come your way if otherwise. Tsuna was the one little oddity, something that piqued his attention simply because he was different from his brothers, and exactly the same.

Dino was clumsy. So was Tsuna.

Dino was hopeless. So was Tsuna.

Dino considered himself incredibly insignificant. So did Tsuna.

Dino was confident.

Tsuna wasn't.

Giotto was relaxed, but always needed to have control over the situation. Dino was a pushover; going with the flow because it would be less stressful to argue.

Tsuna was neither. The Sawada kid – neither the successor to the Cavallone business, or even Vongola. Vongola, which Giotto had completely turned around in the past few years when he finally inherited the business. Tsuna often had little control of the situation, simply because he forced his opinion down.

But in all honesty, it appeared that brunet didn't want control over the situation. It was possible that Tsuna was mortified by the thought for once he could have whatever he wanted since for the longest time he listened to others.

So he watched Tsuna, thoughtful to each quirk – like Tsuna would be his newest assignment. The fact the kid would freak out over every little thing cracked him up, but it so happened since the party, the teenager looked at others with a downcast expression.

Blowing the hair out of his face, Reborn readjusted the sheriff badge that completed his ensemble, and waited.

"Wait! Yamamoto...ah...ur..."

"Mm? Gokudera?" Takeshi's hand rested idly on Tsuna's shoulder before grazing skin and collapsing around the shorter's wrist. "It's been a while – I've been so busy with baseball, haha. I hear you're giving middleschoolers piano lessons now?"

Hayato Gokudera was a coy boy who stubbornly refused to acknowledge others. His face was pale, but always adorned by a sweet red blush; his instinctive response when it came to dealing with Yamamoto. "Yeah."

It was lunch now. He waited, watching between the trio, and arched an eyebrow to Tsuna, whose eyes were glued to the ground. One hand was buried deep on the teenager's pocket, tense, but went unnoticed.

"Cool." Takeshi was the type of boy most girls looked for in a husband. Gorgeous, strong, and an athlete. Unfortunately for his many fans, he openly came out with his homosexuality the year before (or so Reborn heard.)

"So uh. I know you missed me," Hayato said simply. He held his head high in the air, hand on his hip, and ran the other hand through his hair. "So. I figured I might as well eat lunch with you."

The mood shifted quickly between the two friends. Tsuna looked up, apparently slightly interested, and tilted his head in curiosity. Takeshi broadly smiled, but Reborn knew better. The tension in the athlete's face, the grip on Tsuna's hand. "I hear you've been eating in the music room with Suoh-sempai."

Hayato fidgeted, as if he was embarrassed to have been found out. The hot-tempered teenager clasped a hand to his belt – one that was out of school dress code, one might add – and shrugged. "It's...not a big deal. But I know how much you guys look up to me, so, why shouldn't I eat with you, y'know?"

Takeshi's face contorted. Oh, God. Where was the popcorn? Reborn tapped his table in half-attempt to be heard, but couldn't have cared less. In his personal opinion, watching his two students pirouette around the subject was like watching a bad Spanish soap opera. Mm, and Reborn had seen many of those during his time.

"I've actually been eating lunch with Mochida-senp-"

"Oh."

"Sorry guys." Tsuna's voice chimed in for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. The sweet tenor of his voice rung through the room, and Reborn quirked an eyebrow to his student. When was the last time he heard Tsuna speak for himself? The boy looked up, alarmed, but because he had interrupted his two friends. Instead, the clench he had on whatever was in his pocket tightened, and the brunet bolted for the door. "I...gotta take this."

Takeshi's hand was left out, fingers unclenched, and he blinked in confusion. Seconds later, the hand wavered and fell to his pocket. "That's the first time I've heard him speak all week."

"Why have you been eating lunch with Mochida?" Hayato's mood shifted frantically. His pulse quickened, and emerald orbs darted everywhere but the athlete's face,afraid. "Why...haven't you eaten lunch with the tenth? Since he's, you know, your friend and all?"

"Ah? Gokudera—"

"It's pretty fucking disrespectful, don't you think?" Where the attitude appeared, heart lacked. Hayato was trying to cover up his feelings with an entirely different subject. "You spend all your shitless time with Sawada, and now you're spending time with Mochida? How fucking horrible."

"Well he is my date," insisted Takeshi. No longer was his voice serene. It was like watching two parents finally fight while the child was out of the room. An infamous argument, one neither enjoyed, was out in the open, and had the sharpness of a blade. "Why are you bringing Tsuna into this?"

"Into what?" But Hayato knew what. Hot damn, even Reborn knew what 'what' was. "Sawada has nothing to do with this conversation!"

"Then what does?" It was clear that the mood was dropped. Takeshi was frustrated, and Reborn had seen it in his student a countless number of times. Brown eyes flickering, an internal battle waging under stressed orbs, and clearly it had the same affect on Hayato. "What is it you want to talk about, because as far as I'm concerned, we decided a long time ago to drop this conversation."

"I'm not in love with you!" Ooh, bold statement. Hayato jabbed a finger into the other teenager's chest, and in a quick second it seemed like Hayato was heartbroken. "I've never been in love with you – or, or your faggotry, and I will never, ever be in love with you!"

Reborn had never truly seen the taller teenager glare. He'd never seen the frustration, the scowl, or the crinkle of his nose in the light, because out of all of his students, Takeshi easily hid his vexations.

"Alright," Takeshi said simply. And Reborn knew whatever came out of the teenager's mouth next would be said out of spite – "But that's a good thing, right? You'll never fall for me, so if I fall for someone else, everyone's happy. You can date whoever you want, and not have to worry about me. And you'll be happy because I'm not on our case. I can date whoever I want, and you'll be happy more, because it isn't you."

"I." Hayato was reduced to a stammer. He didn't know what to say, at a loss, and hands too his side. The mask the silver-haired teenager wore was adorned by a tiny crack, and his words appeared fickle. Finally, he turned his head, twisted his foot, and was off on his own, two words left in his wake:

"Fuck off."

The shorter teenager pushed past Tsuna as the brunet returned, and neither spared a glance to one another. Takeshi saw his best friend off, before struggling to smile for Tsuna.

It didn't fool anyone.

"What's wrong?" asked the brunet. His ears were pink and eyebrows were tightened as the veins in his arms throbbed.

"I..." Takeshi's face loosened ever-so slightly. "N...Nothing..." And he, too, disappeared, leaving Tsuna by himself and spun the opposite direction of his problem.

Brown eyes looked up, obviously confused, but more nervous that he was caught in the middle. "Reborn-sensei?"

"Ah?" So the stupid one noticed him.

"Do...you ever feel like sometimes all you can do is stand there and do nothing?" The brunet chose his words carefully, and was obviously lost. "Like...you know you can do something, but don't, because it would change everything?"

Had the teenager paid attention to his teacher, he would have noticed the twitch of his eyes. Reborn ground his teeth softly, and – "Tsuna. I'm dressed as a cowboy. By now you should realize that I'm the king of awesome and you're the awful peasant boy from down the street. I can smite the shit out of you."

Suddenly the teenager shivered, face flushing from the very thought and he grimaced. His expression read, Somehow I believe that. Tsuna left the room with a muttered goodbye.

Reborn waited a few seconds before standing up from his seat and directing himself to the teacher's lounge. Ten minutes were left before the lunch period was over, and he meant to get coffee.

Stupid, no-good students.

OoOoO

When Giotto first declared he wanted to move the business to Namimori, G thought his best friend was crazy. Celeste was hesitant in allowing her youngest son to inherit the company, simply because his thoughts wandered elsewhere often. Most people would think that handling a business before being fresh out of college was a bad thing. And it was.

Yet somehow, G thought with approval, Giotto made it work. Originally Dino had been the one who was trained in business, and that he was. In the business world, many families left the fortune of a clan to the eldest child. Rather than picking up where his mother volunteered to leave off, Dino found an interest in horses and their grandmother's company.

In the long run, he suspected that because Giotto was expected to make his own name for himself in the name of Vongola, Dino wanted to help Giotto through. Not many people were informed of his best friend's business history. Here and there, Hayato would ask about the great Giotto Vongola, but G carefully chose his words.

There was a gap between the stories. A huge gap, much like the one unfolding today.

G looked back to his best friend's brother, who stood behind him nervously. Chocolate brown orbs wandered around the elevator, anxious, and somehow it calmed the redhead. Anxious Tsuna meant that he was back to normal.

"It's going to be your first time here, isn't it?"

In an instant, the teenager's cheeks exploded into a sweet shade of red. Tsuna pressed a hand to the tail of his shirt and leaned into the adult. "What...does Giotto do for a living?"

"As you know, Giotto inherited Vongola from his family." They stepped out of the elevator, and the familiar marbled floors of the second floor. Tsuna shifted nervously between his feet next to him, and G guided the teenager past the empty desk toward the office in the back, shared by both Giotto and G. "What Vongola Inc. does is different from generation to generation. Before Giotto had a handle over it, his mother branched off her father's business. Vongola is all about substance."

"Substance," repeated Tsuna, like he was trying to figure it out for himself.

"Security. Omniscience." G continued, and sat Tsuna down in front of his desk. "The company was raised to bring fear to all of its inhabitants, and even then only a trusted few are allowed to know what goes on. Vongola Inc. buys out different companies, and uses them for its own. They buy stocks of those who are struggling, but once the company is back on its feet, its absorbed into Vongola. There are the main links in the Vongola business, and then the branches that manage on their own. Whatever product Vongola's stock has produced, the Vongola name is stamped upon it."

"So how did Giotto change it?" Red eyes looked at the teenager curiously, and the teenager flushed. "Y...you said was."

"There were..." G grimaced. "Complications. Originally, Giotto would speak to the smaller businesses himself, but nowadays, I go with him as his personal adviser. He chooses the businesses carefully, once in a while taking a challenge because it's a hobby, and lets them go when he sees them fit. Although originally, companies would be put on stock and Vongola Inc. would take them, turn them into its own, and not let them escape. Many businessmen were hesitant to go that route because a contract with Vongola was a contract for life.

"Giotto disliked the circumstances, and changed it around. Once he was done with a business and his methods of getting them on their feet, he lets the businesses go. Because there is not a legal binding to it, many businesses, large and small, look to Vongola for support. Trustful alliances are made, and Giotto's name is thrown out here and there. They pay Vongola Inc. to help them out."

Looking back to the brunet, G caught Tsuna in deep thought. The brunet rested his hands on the other side of his brother's best friend's desk, and nodded slowly, understanding. "He...does always have papers with him."

"Companies contact Giotto night and day. By now he's gotten used to it, but the personal approach is easiest to gain their trust." But G was always there when a meeting take place. On occasion, Alaude would barge into the meeting, and they sat like the mature adults they weren't. "Giotto holds his reputation as a businessman very dearly. To give an inheritance to the second of the family is very rare."

Somehow, Tsuna managed to quirk at this. "How so?"

Uh. "Well," G said thoughtfully, "there are some families who only have one heir so that the successes do not have to be divided between siblings."

"Like...?"

"Like...Shimon, I suppose." The last he heard, Shimon owed a huge debt to other, larger corporations. Out of all the companies in the business world, G hadn't the faintest idea why he chose that one, but continued. "Shimon was a good friend of the Vongola. They go way back, but their rules are strict: there is to be one heir, and one heir only."

"What...would happen if they had another kid?"

G's face contorted. He reached into his drawer, idly reached for a cigarette, and lit it with ease. Tsuna crinkled his nose, but was used to it. "Funny you should say that."

"O...Oh?"

"There was...an incident between their heir, Cozart, and Giotto when they were younger." G grimaced, and flashbacks of when they were in their teens came to mind. There was a new kid at their school; one with red hair who hid it under a hat so no one would see. Giotto had immediately become enticed with this redhead, taking him everywhere they went. It was around the time Marisol and he were dating, and soon after the pair broke up, G had wandered around the school and found his best friend making out with the new kid.

Not a pretty sight.

"Cozart's father and Giotto's mother quickly clipped ties before an alliance could happen between them. And other rumors floated around." G looked back to Tsuna, pitying, but offered nothing else. "They say the Shimons ended up baring another child, but not many people know the story behind it."

Tsuna tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, 'what do you mean'?" G cracked a wry smile and shrugged. "Cozart was Shimon's heir. The family traditions in their family are very fragile – and if there was another kid, he or she doesn't exist under the eye of Shimon. Cozart's family would probably hire an assassin to kill him, or ship him to the other side of the world, if they had to, so that their reputation wouldn't be tarnished."

"That's..." Tsuna's eyes widened. "That's awful...!"

"Cozart died a few years back." The adult's smile dropped. "He was diagnosed with leukemia quite a while ago, and his body couldn't handle the stress. Giotto was devastated for the lost. Ever since his death, Giotto has been trying to make an alliance with Shimon again. Their company is at a loss, and their heir is a five-year-old little girl."

"Five-year-old little girl? B...but..."

"Shimon would have to have an heir." G shook his head disdainfully, suddenly wishing he hadn't told the story of Shimon of all people to the teenager. "After Cozart was diagnosed with cancer, they weren't going to risk whether or not he was able to fight it."

"And the little boy they weren't supposed to have earlier?" When he looked to the brunet, he realized he could see the fire in his eyes. Giotto's flames, so enthralled and full of passion, flickered in the brown orbs above him. Tsuna was at his wits, above his seat, and clenching the desk around him.

"What..." He arched an eyebrow. "What makes you assume the rumor is true? For Shimon to have three heirs?"

Tsuna backed off. The teenager's small hands unclenched the desk, as if realizing what he had just done, and he plopped into the seat under him. "I..." There was a hiccup in his voice, and G waited for an answer. Strange.

What was going on with the two brothers?

Finally, the brunet pushed his thoughts away and fumbled with the desk in front of him. "What's...what's my job?"

To be a kid and stop worrying about everything. "Filing papers. Typing. You'll basically work like all the interns we don't give a rat's ass for – only get paid for it."

OoOoO

Yamamoto was dressed nicely. Blue was a nice color that accentuated his features and – was that a new jacket? No.

That was Mochida's varsity jacket, the one that everyone in the kendo club owned, with their names embroidered on the front.

"Wh...why are we here again, Gokudera-kun?"

"To get some beer." Not to spy on his best friend. Hayato's fingers twisted the twigs and bush around him, and he pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose. It was Friday. Yamamoto had this date planned for at least a week, and Hayato was simply waiting for it to unfold.

Unfortunately for him, that meant Sawada had to be dragged along. According to G, Giotto wasn't feeling well. Because Giotto wasn't feeling well, the redhead had taken over all of his best friend's duties, and that left the ex-brother-in-law in charge of his role model's brother. He could deal. It totally didn't matter.

If it counted for anything, Sawada had been by himself the entire week and staring at his phone. Hayato simply dragged him along, and sure, along the way they would get beer, but for now...

Spying on Yamamoto seemed much more productive.

Hayato didn't know why. His hands clenched the bushes, and Sawada breath was at his neck, worried and confused. Fortunately for the hothead, the other teenager had no other choice but to follow along. He didn't know why Yamamoto's words affected him so dearly, and he wished they hadn't.

He'd been confused about his feelings ever since Haru and he parted ways, and couldn't think straight. Months of it now – listening to Asari Ugetsu, Sawada, and even Yamamoto himself about what his relationship was to and with his best friend.

What fucking relationship? He often found himself scowling. The relationship between Yamamoto and he was ruined.

Yamamoto was pining over someone else's affections now. But...Hayato was no longer seeing Haru.

He felt as if he was missing something – something vital and important. The more he thought about it – the sickening thought of his best friend with another person – another man – hit his ego hard. His heart would clench and ache, and he felt suffocated by his own self-doubt.

Oh God.

Why the fuck was he doing this, again?

"Mochida-senpai!"

Hayato cocked his head, the broad sound of Yamamoto's voice slapping him right in the cheek. They hadn't spoken to each other since Wednesday – since that stupid fight. Nowadays, that's all they were having. Stupid fights with no right or wrongs, and the gaping hole in their friendship widened.

The bitch-tastic upperclassman showed himself, ridiculous smile spread across his lips, and stick-thingie strapped to his back. Pfft. Hayato rolled his eyes. Oh, look at me! I'm so big and cool because I hit people with a stick!

Sticks were overrated. If it had been Hayato taking Yamamoto to dinner, then he would have chosen something cooler to show off with. Like...mosquitoes. Or bombs-

Fuck yes.

"Hey, Tenth."

"Y...Yeah?"

"When we go to get beer, remind me to get some TNTs and dynamites, you got it?" He played with little smoke bombs, stink bombs, and cherry bombs over the years, but never actual explosions. Take that Mo-stick-da dickface.

But...no. No. No, no, no. No-fucking-douching-way.

Mochida closed the space between his date, and Yamamoto's grin spread widely across his face, accomplished and satisfied. The upperclassman wrapped a hand around his kouhai's wrist allowed the baseball idiot to lean into him. All...A-All in attempt to be a douche and –

"You look nice," muttered the older teenager seductively, voice dropped ten times deeper than originally. "That jacket looks really good on you."

– he did NOT sound like a sex god! Why did his best friend's brown eyes flutter; why was he smiling so warmly? Frustration tugged on Hayato's heart. Only he should be smiled at like that. Yamamoto was only allowed to smile at him.

"Haha, you look great too." Yamamoto ran a hand through his hair. Wait. Was he actually...nervous? "Sorry, ah. This is my first date – " WHAT? " – I just don't want to end up screwing it up for you."

"You mean for us." The kendo captain flashed supportive smile. His hand grazed the delicate design on Yamamoto's jacket sleeve, and intertwined their fingers. Red fluttered across his best friend's face, and Hayato's hand twitched. He'd never seen his best friend blush. "I'll be a good date. I'll treat you well."

No way. "Aha...haha. So, what are we doing?" He was so not buying this shit. He couldn't be.

Mochida grinned like batshit and grazed his fingers down the line of Yamamoto's jaw. "It's still early, but I figure we can start off with dinner. There's this new ramen joint that's opened down the street, and your old man's always on the lookout for competition."

"A date and research?"

"Yup! And then we can go watch that new Harry Potter movie that came out. After that, to get the blood flowing, I figure we can go to the batting cages and finish off our date the—Takeshi?" Takeshi?

"What? Oh, haha. That just sounds like a spectacular date!"

Spectacular. Yamamoto said spectacular.

"Gokudera-kun—"

"What the fuck do you want?"

"Um, I just don't...feel comfortable spying on Yamamoto during his date."

"We're not spying on him. We're picking up bee—shit, where did they go?" Hayato stood up – but the last thing he expected was for his best friend to be staring straight at him, parted by only the bush in between.

"Gokudera?" Yamamoto blinked. Suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed, and the silver-headed teenager found himself quoting Murphy's Law: anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. "What are you doing here?"

Mochida-jackass had the stupidity to comment. "I knew I smelled cigarettes somewhere."

Uh-oh.

OoOoO

He had never felt this weak.

For the longest time, Giotto prided himself on the ability to stay calm. He disliked it when his was authority was challenged (but not to the extent of Alaude) and inherited the trait of adaptation for his brother. If there was a problem that he couldn't solve, then he looked at it from a four-dimensional standpoint. He understood that when things couldn't go his way, then he would have to mold into his problem.

Tsuna was the perfect example. Often before the teenager came to live with him, Giotto shoved his little brother in the back of his mind. It was easy to do so; they had two separate lives and the chances of ever meeting again were like a billion to one. When his mother called him all those months ago, told him to make preparations for his little nuisance, Giotto had no choice but to agree.

Celeste was Mommy. Saying no to Mommy was like saying no to Hitler.

They had gotten into arguments, but as far as Giotto was concerned, they road it out. Instead of solving the problem, he went along with it. Tsuna wasn't a problem anymore.

But his body hurt. All the air in his lungs had evaporated, and a knife delved into his heart. Blood dripped, pained by what had happened in the past, and the rest of the week had been a blur. He hadn't changed his clothes in three days.

He wouldn't have even gotten out of bed that Saturday afternoon, if that incessant knocking hadn't occurred. That was right. Today was the day Reborn would be tutoring Tsuna.

As Giotto opened the door, the last thing he expected to see was his best friend, the sushi-delivery boy, and his brother's teacher.

"Tsuna's missing."

chapter sixteen has redheads and brunets.

Monday was difficult, simply because he had gotten used to having Enma around again. School was hard to process, and he vaguely remembered Reborn-sensei throwing a pencil at his head. Three times. Yamamoto all of lunch sneaked glances to Mochida-senpai before finally, Tsuna shooed him off. He wanted to be left alone, anyway.

But Tuesday worried him. Enma didn't call like he normally did, and Tsuna only called at certain times when they planned ahead. Giotto and G both shared their concerns in their own different way. Now...Tsuna turned pink at the reminder of Tuesday. He dubbed it, in some twisted way, "brotherly bonding." By just the mere thought, his body grew warm with the imprint of Giotto's fingers tingling against his skin.

He wasn't sure what to think.

Giotto insisted on buying him new clothes. At first, Tsuna went along with it simply so he could stop thinking about Enma. As the blond entered the dressing room, Tsuna grew nervous. Without even realizing it, Giotto's opinion meant the world to him. Anything that Giotto did for his benefit, or against it, even, Tsuna didn't overlook. He supposed it went back to when they were younger, and his overall fear.

You're scrawny, he could imagine Giotto saying. You're tiny, and the fact you're so short cracks me up.

And that's what makes you cute.

He could imagine Giotto saying all of that (w-well, the first part, anyway), and it could be warm to his heart because he knew the blond loved to tease. Tsuna knew this for a fact.

As smooth hands grazed his chest, the ferocity that often crackled in his brother's fiery eyes traveled to his fingers, blazing with a sweet intensity, and caught Tsuna still. I-It's wrong. H-he sh-shouldn't be touching...there. Thoughts like that were blocked by Giotto's gaze.

He's never seen his brother's eyes so transfixed with something. Giotto was often calm. He was in his musings most of the time and found it a hobby to mess with G. However, still in the same light as Tsuna always saw him, the blond still held a child's fixation. Each caress, each touch...

His senses had gone haywire. Eek. What was he doing? Why...was he forgetting about Enma just because Giotto was making his heart flutter?

G questioned him that night. Tsuna couldn't find his voice.

Wednesday spooked him. He'd spent the entire day calling Enma and, got nothing back.

"We're sorry, you have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service." Two times? Three? Five-hundred times, trying to call Enma without getting an answer? Sounded about right.

G explained the history of the Shimon family, and Tsuna was outraged. His heart tripled in size and crushed his lungs as the hairs on the back of his neck burned with fury.

The rest of the week was history. Something had happened between Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto, apparently, if the silver-haired teenager was willing to kidnap Tsuna for lunch in the music room. Friday night was Yamamoto's date, and Tsuna had unceremoniously joined Gokudera in his fail-spy attempt.

No word from Enma.

The first stroke of luck possibly came that night, when G checked up on him. Giotto had fallen sick the past couple of days and hadn't left his room. G had grown worried, and the weariness was visible under his wrinkled clothes and the bags in his eyes. Knowing his brother was sick, Tsuna almost didn't leave.

But when G gave him the paycheck for the first week – half of a week – Tsuna flipped. It was enough money for new clothes, weeks supply of food, and...a train ticket.

Tsuna, being Tsuna, had gotten on five wrong trains before he realized he bought the wrong tickets. In his pocket was a wallet filled with cash. His head had been spinning through the entire trip, and his heart was suffocating under his ribcage. It was a hard choice. Enma – who he had been best friends with every since they were little, holding hands and sniffling while they waited under the jungle gym while the bullies looked for them – was missing. Giotto – whose existence was becoming a comfortable second skin to him – was sick. Horribly sick.

E...Enma came first.

"Some people would say that it's insulting, b-but I don't think so, you know? I-I mean, if it's insulting to call people fat, then wh-why isn't it insulting to call them skinny?" Tsuna turned red. Under the night sky and street lights, his breath had grown visible in October's late night, but he acted like he didn't care.

His redheaded best friend huddled up with a small smile pressed against his lips. That was all Enma could do.

Tsuna watched carefully, quietly even, as Enma shivered in the cold wind, and pulled his hood over a tangled mess of red hair. The redhead's smile had faltered, shiver running up his spine, and his phone fell to the ground between his legs.

It was snapped in half, screen cracked, with loose wires springing out like cowlicks. The reason why Enma kept it was a mystery. Tsuna leaned into his best friend, and once the redhead was done with his ministrations, he pulled the scarf off his neck and put it around Enma's.

Scarlet red eyes looked at him and mouthed very quietly, Thank you.

Enma lost his voice. Tsuna supposed that was the other reason why his best friend was unable to call him. With his phone broken, he couldn't text, and without a voice he wasn't able to speak. The brunet didn't asked his best friend how long his voice was gone, but he didn't want to bother.

The other teenager's cheeks were flushed, occasionally coughing, and he was in obvious pain. He would wobble from side-to-side, and Tsuna grappled the redhead's shoulder before pulling his best friend into an embrace.

"So uh," Tsuna continued, because he knew trying to get Enma to talk would be pointless. When it came to a sore throat, it was better to preserve his voice, and whispering made it worse. His eyes darted everywhere but Enma's face, uncomfortable with their surroundings. "Fat people – they're not different from skinny people, right...?"

They sat on a bench, huddled together for warmth, and Tsuna continued his ramblings. The day flashed through his mind; how he packed up his new clothes –thought god I am so in trouble – before walking early at six in the morning when the train station opened on Saturday mornings – thought god I am so in BIG trouble – bought two tickets; one for a stop and the other to get to Shimon – Omigod, I didn't buy a round trip ticket, I'm so going to be in a crap load of trouble – went through the entire day on two trains in motion – I'm on a train,and G-Giotto didn't allow it. I-I'm breaking the rules... O-Oh, God... – and arrived.

Tsuna spent a total of five hours on a train to Shimon before having to take a cab to get to the suburbs. There was still no word from Enma, and Tsuna had grown worried – Crap, fuck, shit, I've run away from home, Giotto and G are going to kill me – before checking with Enma's foster parents.

Adelheid Suzuki, Enma's foster sister, had opened the door. Soon behind her came Aoba Koyo, and Rauji. Personally, Tsuna never liked Adelheid. Her...b-breasts made him nervous, and the domineering look she held always intimidated him. Her prowess as the head of the liquidation committee was much like Hibari-san, who was rumored to kill anyone who broke into Namimori Middle.

"Sawada." The astonishment was heard well in her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"I...uh..." He hadn't planned this far. In the corner of the door, he could see Shitt. P doing one of her ridiculous balloon routines, and Aoba was fighting (and failing) to get to the door.

Out of anyone, Adelheid made Tsuna nervous. Aoba-kun scared him, sure, but Adelheid had the look about her that convinced the brunet they shouldn't cross.

Rauji spoke up sadly. "Enma doesn't live here anymore."

Enma...didn't...what? O...Out of Enma's foster siblings, he liked Rauji the most because they would sometimes play video games together. B-But... Tsuna's head ached.

"Why?" he whispered gravely, eyebrows meeting his hairline. "Wh-Why wouldn't Enma live here anymore?"

Adelheid changed the subject. "You look taller."

Aoba-kun interrupted her and pushed past the door before he was glasses-to-eye with Tsuna. "What? That little bitch? Bah, who gives a rat's ass about Loser Enma?"

"What'd you do to him!" Tsuna raised his voice. He never raised his voice; not even to Lambo when he once stuffed a grenade in his older brother's backpack.

"He wouldn't give up that stupid ring," Aoba said sharply, like he'd been the one offended instead of the other way around.

"Koyo." Immediately, the greenet shut his trap,and Tsuna could feel the rage tingling the tips of his fingers. Adelheid's gaze didn't waver, and instead looked Tsuna dead-on. "You've said enough. It was nice seeing you again, Sawada. Now, go home."

The door slammed in his face, and the noise it made as it rattled was like a punch to Tsuna's stomach. His blood ran cold, mind spinning, and he banged on the door again. No one answered. He banged a third time, then a fourth, but each attempt failed.

After the tenth time, when Aoba screamed, "FUCK IT, GO HOME SAWADA!", Tsuna ran for it.

He wasn't sure why he was running. Was it because Aoba scared him off? Because he knew Enma no longer lived with his foster parents? Because he couldn't find Enma, and this wh-whole trip was a waste?

Running was when he did his best thinking. Tsuna could see everything from the corners of his eyes – the bakery where Enmaand he would go to buy donuts, the library where Enma and he would go to hide from stupid bullies, the little cafe where Enma, Longchamp, and he first got to know each other. I-It blurred. Oh...Oh God.

Tears stole his vision for the first time in ages. Funny, he thought bitterly. The last time he cried was when he was stuck with his brother. If he was with his brother right now...i-if he stayed with his brother, f-forgot about Enma, then his b-best f-friend would be safe and still at home, wouldn't he?

S...sometimes Tsuna would suggest Enma move in with Nana, Lambo, and he. Enma's scarlet red eyes would suddenly sparkle, off with a far-away look, and his eyebrows would dip in longing, but he would simply shake his head.

I can't, Enma would say in his rare likelihood of speaking.

The redhead would never leave that home. No matter how simply chilling it appeared, Enma would stay. Tsuna had told Giotto that Mama tried getting legal custody of Enma when they were younger, but wasn't able to. He never told Giotto that the reason wh—

Something grabbed his hand. Or rather, someone. The brunet toppled over and tumbled across the sidewalk, head first. A groan escaped his lips as the last of his tears fell. The weight above him shifted, and he quickly rid himself of his troubles to see what made him fall.

"Enma," he whispered. Chocolate brown orbs widened to the unruly clumps of red hair, somber scarlet eyes, and the petite look on his best friend's face. "Enma!"

The other teenager quaked, as if trying to gather his own thoughts before his eyes locked onto the brunet. His pink lips quirked before he broke into a small smile. Tsuna found himself victim to a strangling embrace, and caught his breath. He hugged back, face buried in his friend's hair. Enma was trembling.

"Shh," said the brunet, quickly forgetting that he, too, was crying about Enma just a second ago. It was the only thing he said, and he waited in silence while his best friend finished crying.

Once they were both calm, Tsuna had helped his best friend up and couldn't hold back his worry. Enma looked skinner, if possible, like he hadn't eaten in days. Bits of grass and leaves littered his body and tangled through his hair, and smudges of dirt accented his face. Dirt here and bruises there. Enma looked more like skin and bone now than before the brunet moved.

Enough of that.

He snapped out of his thoughts and his ramblings about short, fat, skinny, and tall people when there was a thump to his shoulder. A hand clung to the front of Tsuna's shirt, and from the corner of his eye, he saw his best friend fast asleep and shivering. Keeping one hand on Enma's waist to keep him still, the brunet dug through his backpack to the blanket one of the stewardesses gave him. It was thin and meant for rest during transport, but it would work. He wrapped it around Enma, wondering if it was the first time in days that his best friend could feel warmth, and huddled closer.

In truth, the time was only around seven o'clock. Kids with their parents passed by at the sight of Tsuna and Enma. It was a small town where everyone knew each other. He was lucky it passed for typical between them.

Snuggling close to Enma, Tsuna dug for his phone. Forty-three missed calls. The phone vibrated again,and a picture of Giotto showed as the caller ID.

Like the calls from G, Yamamoto, and even Alaude-san, Tsuna ignored it. He closed his eyes, head pounding with guilt, and made sure Enma was warm.

Tsuna liked to think each vibration of his ring tone was added another inklet to his guilt.

OoOoO

Tsuna woke up to the sound of Enma coughing. His eyes snapped open, and he cast a look, suddenly aware of the fact that his best friend was blazing hot, yet shivering like it was a winter's day. Enma's cheeks swelled red, and he was sweating. He pressed his hand to the teenager's forehead and quickly recoiled.

Enma was burning. Tsuna quickly got up, face contorting, and he looked around for an exit. He had to go tell his mo – Mom was in Italy with Iemitsu planning their wedding. No...N-No, no, no, no. A-And there wasn't likely that any of the pharmacies would be o-open at this time.

Enma coughed again, and Tsuna jumped with fright. He didn't have much knowledge of medicine, other than the Children's Tylenol Lambo would have to take whenever he fell sick. The cold, along with however many days Enma had been outside in this weather, wasn't good for him. It didn't come as a shock that Enma was sick, b-but, why now?

The brunet looked around, alarmed. What was he going to do?

"Stay here, Enma." Not that he had any choice. The reassurance in Tsuna's tone was meant more for himself than for his best friend. He was often out with the redhead to begin with, and normally his mother took care of them when they were sick. He looked back to Enma, hesitant to leave him alone as he slid onto the bench like a bed, and took a step back.

He ran for it. Tsuna told himself not to panic, or to run too far, otherwise he wouldn't get back to Enma. There had to be at least one store that was open, right? A-And they would know what he needed to do so Enma would be okay. R-right?

Success.

A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he found a corner market with the light still open, and looked to the clerk holding a magazine to his face. He looked weary and cranky; disbelieving that a kid would come into the store so late at night.

"Sick," Tsuna panted. He put his hands on the desk, eyes widening with distraught. The clerk arched an eyebrow, apparently having not interpreted what he said, so the brunet continued. "My friend's running a fever and he's coughing and he's shivering and he's small and he's got a fever and he's lost his voice and—"

"What?"

"He's got strep!" Supposedly. The teenager gripped the desk between his fingers and wobbled to his feet. The clerk arched an eyebrow. "H-How do I treat strep throat?"

"Ah. You're gonna want penicillin."

"A-Alright, where is it?"

"We don't carry it." Tsuna's heart dropped. The clerk looked apologetic, and shook his head. "We only carry Tylenol and other simple medications. Ibuprofen would reduce his fever – but you have to understand, kid. You're still a minor. There isn't a store in Shimon – especially at this hour – who would give medication to a minor. Term of likeness or not, medications are still drugs."

Tsuna shook. "Oh...I...see..." He walked out of the store, deep in thought, and wandered back to the park. This wasn't good. No, this wasn't good at all. If no store would give him medicine for Enma, what was he going to do?

He got back to his best friend, but didn't expect to see someone else hovering over Enma. Wait, what? Tsuna ran closer until he could see four figures standing in front of the bench. The color had drained from the redhead's face, with only the evidence of his fever left.

"Huh." said the one with teal green hair. "It looks like this pathetic moron was left in the park by himself. With a fever, eviden—" Enma coughed. "—High fever. He's shivering. The cold isn't helping his situation – what kind of idiot would leave him out here?"

"Ne, byon!" The blond one, animal-like with a large scar running from cheek-to-cheek shoved into the green-haired one, and pointed immaturely to his best friend. "Why the fuck did we have to stop for this? We were going to buy beer for Mukuro, weren't we?"

"You mean buy candy for Chrome?" The one with glasses smirked.

"A-Ah? Sh-Shut up, kakipi! No, we're not buying anything for that stupid girl!"

"He's in a serious trouble," interrupted the shortest, with teal hair. "A fever of 103, at least."

The only girl suddenly spoke, and lowered herself. Her hair was midnight blue, and the last time Tsuna saw it, it covered most of her face. She had it pinned back, and a patch covered her right eye. Ironically enough, if it wasn't for her voice, he probably wouldn't have realized who she was. "Will he be okay, Fran?"

"Nagi." Nagi, the girl he had met while on his way to Namimori. Maybe it was the fact it was one in the morning, or his fear for Enma's ill health outshined his fear for the animosity from the blond. The girl cocked her head, apparently hesitant to take on the name, but a good look at her face let Tsuna know that indeed, it was her.

One look at Tsuna and the girl tilted her head before acknowledging him. She stood, hand on her heart, but her expression showed she was familiar with him.

"Ehh? Nagi? Who's Nagi? Hey, Stupid, is this your boyfriend, byon?"

"Is this your friend?" Fran spoke up. He stood to his feet, and it was then that Tsuna noticed that Fran and Nagi looked much younger compared to the other two. They looked no older than fifteen, actually. "He's gravely sick. You're stupid to leave him alone like this."

"I...Uh..." Tsuna lost his voice for a second. "I-I went to...g-go get him some penicillin—"

"And they don't offer medicine to minors. Huh. Paranoid bastards." It didn't make sense. Fran's face stayed completely intact without even the twitch of an eyebrow, and his voice was monotonous. He sounded uncaring, yet looked completely delved in his work. "Alright. Ken-niisan, Chikusa-niisan, pick him up. We'll take him back to the hideout and make sure he gets better. Chrome, go get your pathetic friend."

Again, there was no emotion in his voice.

"Alright."

"WHAT? Kakipi, you're not listening to him, are you?" The blond one sounded like a dog as he whined.

Tsuna wasn't one to talk to strangers. His intuition normally told him to run, but somehow he felt a little relaxed. Nagi (or Chrome, as Fran had called her) walked forward, eyes not leaving Tsuna's gaze, before holding a hand out. She was attempting to have Fran's same tight-knit expression, but failed.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Tsuna whispered softly. Something was wrong with him tonight. Tsuna wasn't one to suddenly trust strangers, or sleep in the park like a homeless person. Then again, he never thought he would have the guts to run away, either, and he was one hundred percent sober for that one.

"Fran is good with medicine." She said nothing else, red tingling her cheeks. As Chrome turned her head, Tsuna saw the ghost of a smile adorn her lips as the elder teenagers collected Enma's body. Fran remained observant, and folded up the blankets.

"Are you coming?" His question almost didn't sound like a question. Fran's eyes flickered expectantly, and the blond one had Enma on his back. The one wearing glasses kept his hand on the small of Enma's back.

"I...Y-yeah..." Although she didn't say anything, Chrome took hold of Tsuna's hand and the brunet was forced to follow.

The subway ride was anything but quiet. Very few people road underground at night, and Tsuna found himself, while still holding hands with Chrome/Nagi, also staring as the blond one (Ken, apparently) pounded on the glass window with his tongue hanging out as if he were a dog. Chikusa (the one with glasses) sat next to him, occasionally yanking at the other's shirt to keep him down, but said nothing.

Tsuna sat between Chrome and Fran, who was keeping a careful watch on his best friend. Enma had been stripped of the scarf, jacket, and Tsuna drew the line at pants. Fran kept a hand on Enma's forehead, and his eyes on the redhead like he was a valuable test subject.

"Y...you said that his temperature was about 103, didn't you? Wh-Why do you still have your hand on him?" Tsuna turned pink as Fran's gaze turned to him. Chrome squeezed his hand, and said nothing.

The younger teenager held out his free hand and pressed it to Tsuna's cheek. The teenager jumped in surprise – they were freezing. "You could say I'm a cold-blooded frog. I like to think my cold blood will someday let me take over the world and destroy the moronic superiority of monarchs in society. Especially princes."

Did he...ever talk without monotone? Tsuna guessed not. Enma's eyelids were clenched shut, as if he was trying hard to focus. Fran spread the thin blanket around his body, but that didn't keep him from tossing and turning. Suddenly the redhead jolted up, and Fran pulled out a brown paper bag out of nowhere. He shoved it in front of the redhead's face, and Tsuna shut his eyes. That didn't mean he couldn't hear it, however, when Enma vomited.

"That's sick, man!" Ken's constant remarks didn't help.

To the left of him, Chrome's weight suddenly became nonexistent. Chocolate brown eyes peered through his fingers, and he saw both Fran and Chrome coaxing his best friend. They took turns rubbing his back, and Enma let out a mighty cough. He threw up yet again, and Tsuna took the liberty to sit next to him.

"Hmm, he's got red eyes, too. This could be severe."

"O-Oh, uh. N...No, that's the natural color of his eyes."

"Oh. Never mind, then."

Scarlet eyes peered back and forth in the subway, and Enma's small hand clutched the front of his t-shirt. He was panting, face pale, and entire body damp with its own humidity. A dribble of his own vomit slid down the crease of Enma's lips, and he recoiled to Tsuna.

Surprisingly enough, it was Ken who spoke up intelligently. "When's the last time he's eaten anything?"

"I...I dunno." Tsuna looked to Fran, terrified, but held onto Enma for the life of him. The redhead tensed for a second before realizing who had a hold of him. He slid forward, and the brunet took the liberty to move Enma's head on his lap. "He lost his voice, too."

"You don't lose your voice during strep. That's what you said he had, right?" Ken leaped off his seat like a wild man and took a good look at Enma.

"Mm. Ken-niisan, don't sniff the patient."

"Or lick him," Chikusa said in Fran's monotone, "for that matter."

If Ken noticed something, he didn't say anything. He and Fran exchanged looks (which looked more like Ken looked at Fran thoughtfully, and Fran nodded like a mechanical doll), and he walked back to Chikusa like a dog returning to its owner.

"You said that we would be going back to the hideout, right?" Tsuna decided it was best to change the subject. Fran and Chrome cocked their heads to him, and he felt his cheeks grow hot. "W...Where's the hideout?"

"Kokuyo Land." Fran placed a hand back on Enma's head. "The pharmacy may not give you penicillin, we'll have some. All types of medicines. And it beats sleeping on a bench."

"And...wh-what were you guys doing?" Tsuna felt his ears turn pink. "I mean, why were you guys all the way in Shimon?"

For the first time all night, the brunet watched Fran crack a small smile. He nudged his head to Ken, whose tail would have been wagging if he was a golden retriever, and then to Chrome, who seemingly fell asleep. Her head rest on Fran's shoulder, and Tsuna took interest in the bracelet wrapped around her wrist. Three charms: an owl, a trident, and a skull.

"For that stupid dog to get this girl some candy, of course. He wanted to satisfy the princess. Stupid Niisan."

"HEY, I HEARD THAT—!"

"Get some rest. Don't worry." Fran's expression suddenly contorted again, and he appeared serious as ever. "I would tell you if your pathetic friend were to die. It's 2:30 in the morning. Even a wimp like you needs some sleep."

"Oh, uh." He was tired, yes, but Enma's well-being meant the world to him. Tsuna shook his head. "I'm good."

Twenty minutes later, the subway made its stop. Enma seemed to have calmed down; reduced to soft shivers as he buried his face in Tsuna's hoodie. Ken and Chikusa stood up first, and Fran shook Chrome awake. Quickly, the redhead was taken out of his best friend's care and straddled Chikusa's back.

They were the only ones to get off at this stop.

Yet again, Chrome's fingers tangled through Tsuna's in reassurance. The subway passed by, whirling with excitement as it departed for its next destination. When it was finally out of sight, all four turned to the left. Chrome pulled him along, and they walked with Ken whistling in the background.

Tsuna grew nervous. Unintentionally, he squeezed Chrome's hand, and she looked his way in surprise, blushing slightly. "S-Sorry."

What he didn't expect was to suddenly stop in front of an orange sign.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION. NO TRESPASSING. BEWARE GHOSTS AND BITCHY FROGS. Next to the sign written in red marker, it read, WATCH OUT FOR HUMPING HORMONAL GOLDEN RETRIEVERS.

Ken kicked it aside. It appeared to be routine, because Chrome then pulled Tsuna in, followed by Chikusa and Ken. Fran stayed behind, gathered the sign, and put it back up. They walked further, and Tsuna could feel the anxiety building in the pit of his stomach. What was taking so long?

Finally, they made it. There was one last turn, and the group halted. The brunet's eyes wandered in amazement. Bricks and piles of wood lay against the wall, truthfully proving that the place was under construction. Before it was abandoned, apparently.

Then repopulated. A heap of blankets was in another corner, followed by a bonfire left untended. Curtains hung here and there, and a stream of old posters hung the walls about classic rock bands. An old, beat up radio was plugged into an outlet and rested tediously on what appeared to be a dinner table.

Fran disappeared into a corner decorated with Princess and the Frog curtains before returning with a basket full of what appeared to be medicine. Chikusa slid Enma onto a blanket near the bonfire.

"You can go over there," Chrome said quietly. "If you like."

Tsuna nodded carefully, still amazed by the appearance of the abandoned subway tunnel. She guided him to the center next to the bonfire, and— "Eek! What are you doing!"

"Stripping him butt naked." Ken arched his eyebrow. "What the fuck do you think I'm doing, byon?"

"He has bruises all over his face," Chikusa explained. "Right now your friend is as good as a corpse. It's better to treat his wounds, don't you think?"

He hadn't thought about it. Or rather, the thought occurred, but Tsuna was too relieved Enma was still alive to really care. As Ken unbuttoned Enma's clothes, Fran began peeling off the dirty Band-Aides on Enma's face and fingers. Tsuna couldn't remember the last time he saw his best friend without his bandages. He looked naked without them.

Enma went through a coughing fit again, and Tsuna waited while everyone else did their own thing. Chrome came back with what appeared to be crackers as Chikusa reached for a nearby wastebasket when Enma's face turned green. The redhead retched , and Tsuna grimaced. When he finished, Chrome moved a pillow under the sick teenager's head, and went on as if it was nothing.

"What's the color of the puke?" asked Fran.

Ken looked in the wastebasket before crinkling his nose and shivering. "Green."

They continued casually, and Ken began whistling whatever was on the radio. Enma was reduced to his boxers, shivering, but Tsuna's concern sprouted further than just the redhead's temperature. Small bruises were scattered here and there on Enma's legs, but he wasn't the most coordinated person in the world. A large bruise dominated most of Enma's stomach, and his biceps appeared cut. With the bandages off Enma's face, Tsuna saw quickly that Enma's nose looked like it had been smashed in. His fingernails looked torn, as if he was in a fight – and was fighting back.

Enma flinched as the alcohol was applied to his cuts, but said nothing. He was still at least half-awake.

Tsuna looked to Fran, who continued what he was doing without falter. "How...how do you know what to do?"

Fran finally paused, then continued. He wiped the grime off Enma's face, halted at sticky, dirty adhesive, and applied new bandages. "I have a degree in medicine."

Wh...What...? "Aren't you, like, a middle schooler?"

"Something like that."

"W...Well then..." Tsuna looked back to them again, fixated with how clean Enma's face now appeared. "How do you have the funds for all of this? I...I mean... all of that medicine is expensive, isn't it?"

For the second time that night, the brunet watched Chrome smile. Ken held his head with pride, and ran a washcloth down Enma's chest. "Mukuro pays for all of the medicine. We get in a shitload of trouble, eh, kakipi?"

"Yes."

"He's been out with Byakuran lately. His college lover, byon. Feh, who cares about shit like that?" Ken harrumphed, leaning over Enma like an ape before handing Fran an ointment. He reached for a bottle labeled Penicillin and set it aside. "I would rather stay with Stupid over there than be in love!"

A ghost of a smile spread across Chikusa's face. "Is there a difference?"

"What the fuck!"

As they began arguing again, Chrome scooted closer to Tsuna. They watched tirelessly as Fran wrapped Enma in new clothes. When they stopped their work, the color was slowly returning back to Enma's face.

"What do we do now?" Tsuna asked. It was four in the morning, and he was exhausted. No one else seemed tired.

"Now," Fran said simply, "we wait."

"I'll show you where you'll be sleeping, Tsuna-san." Chrome stood to her feet, lips curtsied into a small smile, and helped Tsuna up. The brunet's head felt heavy. He staggered, falling into the younger teenager a little before mumbling a sorry. He couldn't remember the last time he stayed up so late, tired, and barely able to think.

As they walked only a few feet away, she stopped them and tilted her head in curiosity. Chrome pressed a hand to his head, and waited. As she found nothing wrong, they continued behind a curtain where more blankets could be seen in the corner. A small space had been made out, enough to fit a person . Chrome must have made this while Fran was tending to Enma.

"Enma will have to stay by the fire." Her voice was quiet. "I'm sorry we don't have a heater – Ken spilled ramen over it last week."

"I-It's fine," Tsuna mumbled. He plopped onto the blanket, and shed whatever clothes he didn't need to sleep. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you put up with it?" Tsuna blinked – once, twice – and felt if he blinked a third, he would be fast asleep. "Ken-san calls you a stupid girl, Fran-san makes sarcastic comments, and Chikusa-san just...stands there. You're really nice."

Through weary eyes, he saw her pale face flush in surprise. Her eyebrows knit together, contemplating, before a broad smile came to her face.

"Because," she said, "they're my family."

Tsuna fell asleep that morning, intuiting that he would have to keep her reasoning to heart.

OoOoO

Two days had passed by. Well, technically one. Enma was still bedridden, and even when coherent wasn't allowed to move under Fran's orders. After Tsuna had woken up that Sunday, he found Ken and Chikusa left to go buy food, leaving Fran to a laptop for World of Warcraft under the alias: The Froginator Who is Holier Than Prince Ushishi (Tsuna assumed that "Prince Ushishi" was someone else on WoW, but didn't bother to ask) and Chrome in her own corner, satisfied with reading a book.

They ate when Ken and Chikusa came back, and Tsuna contemplated on calling Giotto to finally know where he was – before deciding not to. His missed calls had piled up to three hundred and forty-seven, and he was in deep trouble, anyway. Tsuna offered to buy them food in gratitude, and they declined. The entire day was spent like a Sunday at home: watching cartoons and just hanging out.

Not one person was bothered by the fact they were underground doing nothing. Sunday at home apparently was Sunday at home.

"Kufufu~ Fran-chan, is there a reason why this kid is in my room?"

"What. Oh, pineapple Master, we thought you were gone." There was a rip heard ,and a bang. "Ow, Master, that hurt. Why would you do that, that it really hurt."

Chocolate brown orbs fluttered open. They—

"Hello there."

"EEK!"

— didn't expect to see two bright orbs staring back at him, amused, but foreign. Instinctively, Tsuna recoiled back until he hit the wall with the back of his head. He was dizzy. Where was Enma? Ken? Chikusa? Anyone?

"Feisty little one, aren't you? Kufufu, I like you. Byakuran!~ We just had a child!~"

Wh-What? Tsuna took a better look at the man Fran had called "Master." The way he dressed and how his hair was cut reminded Tsuna of Chrome, but he lacked her kindness. Wait. Byakuran. Ken mentioned that name when they first met – if Byakuran-san was outside, that made this guy...

"I-Is your name Mukuro?"

The taller teenager looked back to him, enthused, and arched an eyebrow. "That would be my name. And you are?"

"Ts-Tsuna S-Sawada." Tsuna found himself at a loss, scared. Unlike Ken, Chikusa, Fran, and Chrome, there was something about Mukuro that he didn't like. The taller was intimidating; almighty, even, and looked like he could kill a guy.

"Tsunayoshi Sawada, eh? Kufufu, such a cute name for a cute little girl." Boy. Mukuro flashed a haughty grin, and the last way Tsuna expected to spend his Monday was to be swept off his feet, and carried like he was something as petty as a surfboard.

"L-Let me go, please!" Tsuna squeaked, eyes widening three times their size as he tried to escape, but failed. Mukuro had a tight hold on him, and the white-haired man sitting on the couch (Tsuna assumed this was Byakuran) stood up. He clasped his hands together, mathing grin to Tsuna's captor, and pinched the poor brunet's cheeks.

"My, my. What a cute son we had together. Isn't he a little bit on the short side?"

"Kufufu. Don't you remember, my sweet? We birthed a daughter. Sawada here is our daughter."

"Ah, that makes sense~"

Tsuna looked over to the quartet sitting at the table playing cards. Enma was fast asleep, mouth opened slightly. The bandages on his face had been changed yet again, and the color on his face was solid. He was getting a lot better. Chrome looked up, pitying, but like the rest of her comrades simply smiled at Tsuna's horrid situation.

"Shall we do some father-daughter bonding, love? Kufufufufu."

"I do believe so, my sweet."

What happened next was a blur. Tsuna felt like a little doll constantly being dressed and undressed as they took him to the mall in a neighboring city to Shimon. They put bows in his hair, carried him around like he was a little kid, kissed random spots on his body like he had "booboos" and managed to buy him a dress with his consent. Tsuna would have run away a long time ago, had it not been for the fact he had no idea where the hideout was. They practically blindfolded him to get out of the subway, anyway!

When the clock hit one in the afternoon, Byakuran had to leave. He apparently had classes, and Tsuna endured the sickening image of Mukuro and his boyfriend making out for a good three minutes. He waited, head turned, and stared at stuffed animals while they finished. He was debating whether or not he should buy a get well soon present for Enma, when—

"Nn...ah...yes, there..."

—Ew. Ew, ew, ew, ewewewewew – Mukuro's hand was firmly down Byakuran's pants – in public – and his lips were nibbling on Byakuran's collar bone. In public. In public!

"Kufufufu, looks like her eyes are no longer virgin." Where had he heard that before?

Tsuna squirmed, hand clasped against his eyes.

"Bye, my sweet. Bye," Byakuran kissed his hair, and the brunet had never felt so defiled in his life, "My daughter~"

With a sickening lovey-dovey sigh, the white-haired college student left them alone and departed through the crowd. They were now sitting at a cafe only a block away from his old school, where Mukuro ordered them sushi. As Tsuna took a bite of the sushi, relief washed through him, just as guilt did as well. He nibbled the sushi, and the sticky rice scattered in his mouth. It was delicious.

But it wasn't Yamamoto Sushi. Remembering the taste of his best friend's food, Tsuna's heart sunk and he curled a fist into his jeans.

"You look very familiar."

"Huh?" As Tsuna looked up, his eyes locked back onto Mukuro. His expression was no different than the lightness he carried since that morning, but his eyes told a different story.

Mukuro smiled cheerfully. "Kufufufu. So I heard from the little ones that they found you on the street. You certainly don't look like a street rat though, Tsunayoshi."

"I...uh...I-I live with my brother." The brunet's cheeks turned pink and he looked to his chopsticks. "Th...thank you, by the way. I-I heard that you were the one who bought all of those medications. I-If they weren't there..."

"It's my godfather's money." Mukuro sighed dramatically and rested his head on his hand. "He complains when I don't use it. Why not spend it on the little ones?"

Oh. "S...so, you're not mad at me? For intruding, I mean?"

"Stay as long as you would like, Tsunayoshi. It's my godfather's money – I couldn't care less. Especially with a cute daughter like you~"

Tsuna suddenly felt uncomfortable. He shifted in his chair and looked down. "O-Oh."

"Honestly I wanted to see if you would run away if Byakuran and I had a little fun with you. Kufufufu." Mukuro gained a distant look in his eyes. He sighed dreamily, hands tangled in his hair. "If you were anything like him."

Like him? "I...I don't think I'm anything like Byakuran-san..."

"Kufufufu~"

Tsuna offered a wary smile before pulling out of his seat. Mukuro seemed nice enough, but appeared to be hiding something. Like everyone else in the world, really. He picked up his plate with the intention of going inside and discarding the rest. Sushi only made him think of Yamamoto. As Tsuna went inside, he cursed when a chopstick fell from his plate.

Someone already picked it up before he managed to bend over. "Whoopsie daisies. You dropped this."

"O-Oh...uh. Thank you." Looking up, Tsuna found himself taking in the sight of this man. He was tall and lean, with a long face. A coat and a hat adorned his body, along with a pair of glasses that hid his eyes. Something about his expression caught Tsuna off guard, but with a pair of glasses and a hat blocking off what he really looked like, Tsuna simply had to guess.

"Ooh, I go by many names, but you may call me Julie Katou!~"

"Er, my name is—" It took a moment for Tsuna to process what was happening, but as he came to, he realized that the man, Julie was kissing him. W-WAIT. HUH? Most kids his age should have been in school – not kissing! Wh-What!

As quick as it happened, Julie disappeared from his sight with an odd laugh, and Tsuna was left by himself. Again.

He was just kissed. By another man. HE WAS JUST KISSED BY A MAN WHO WASN'T EVEN HIS AGE!

"Hie—" Tsuna kept the sound down. His body trembled, mind racing back and forth between thoughts, and he tried to collect himself as he threw the trash away. He was kissed by a complete stranger.

H-His...f-first k-k-kiss. And—

"Hey, guess what."

—the last thing Tsuna expected to see was a blur of blond hair. A large pair of arms wrapped around his body, and the look on Giotto's face...he'd never seen his brother so angry.

"You, my little brother, are dead meat."

chapter seventeen has hospitals and rings.

"What were you thinking?"

"I...I was thinking..."

"Do you know how old you are? Sixteen, Tsuna. Sixteen!" Seventeen. Giotto still hadn't been clued in about his birthday over a week ago. None of the adults – not even G-san. There they stood, Giotto's eyes flaring like a wildfire and a vein throbbing at his forehead. Shimon was small compared to Giotto in his pin-striped vest and trousers, and he stuck out like a sore thumb. "You have the common sense to call me – and if not me – " Tsuna tried to ignore it, but he couldn't. His brother's voice cracked, obviously hurt, but he carried on. "—you could have at least answered to G."

He'd never seen his brother vulnerable. Giotto's eyes never flickered that intensity of worry before, and it was a week after that they were at the mall shopping for clothes and apartment-hunting.

"Why did it take you so long to find me?" Was that Tsuna's voice? He wasn't sure. The world around him spun, head aching as it tried to grab hold of reality. Giotto wasn't helping.

For a moment, Giotto's eyes softened, and he ran a hand through his hair. He pulled Tsuna down on a table, fingers intertwined with the brunet's. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out the only place you would run is Shimon."

Where else would he run?

"You're too loyal to run anywhere else, and I see the way you look at the little munchkin." Giotto's eyes flickered, and the tension was still visible in his voice. "Train station's closed on Sundays. Why do you think I called you so many times yesterday?"

"I...I..."

"We were worried sick. I was worried sick." Giotto's voice sounded conflicting, as if he was trying hard not to yell at the poor teenager. Guilt bubbled in Tsuna's stomach, and the last thing he expected to see was Giotto shaking. The blond's cheeks tweaked with red,and he brought a trembling hand to his face. "D-Do you know how terrifying that was?"

Giotto never stuttered.

"How do you think I felt while in the mindset that...every day, I trust my little brother, go to work, and automatically know Takeshi-kun and Hayato-kun are taking care of you?" Giotto's voice wavered ,and Tsuna curled his hands together. He'd been trying to avoid this. "Do you know what the worst feeling in the world was? Not knowing you had gone missing. I-I find out you left the house from a secondary source, and – not only to leave the house – but to come all the way here."

"I...I know—"

"Tsuna." He didn't understand how much stress Giotto had been going through until now. He knew that his brother was sick and had been bedridden, but so was Enma. "If you wanted to go see him, all you had to do was ask."

It made Tsuna feel like scum.

"I can't...I'm your brother, and your guardian. You could have gotten hurt, and I wouldn't have known. I gave you that phone for a reason and...I can't..." Giotto's voice cracked again. Sure, Tsuna expected a brother's rage for sneaking out of the house and going miles away to visit his best friend, but this wasn't rage. Giotto was scared. He was still collecting his thoughts, and Tsuna wondered how far his brother's fear delved. "Tsuna. I can't trust you."

A knife stabbed Tsuna's heart, and it oozed with guilt. A slap in the face – a punch in the stomach. Not one person ever told him that...and now he was hearing it from his brother. He could have cried, but Tsuna was convinced he'd done enough of that already in the past week.

"Yeah," he simply said himself. His voice didn't feel like his own. "I know."

"You're grounded," Giotto whispered. "You won't be seeing Enma for a very long time."

"But that's not—!" Fair. His brother had hit a home run with this punishment. It wasn't fair? It wasn't fair that he was stuck in Namimori, stuck with Giotto? He would never say that. Th-That wasn't true, a-and it wasn't fair for Giotto to be worried sick or that Tsuna refused his phone calls. He knew that. "Okay."

"We'll talk about this more when we get home."

Tsuna nodded, and they stood up from the table. G was outside, leaning against the cafe wall in solitude and smoking as they came back. From the corner of his eye, he could see Mukuro cast a delighted look in his situation, and he immediately turned around.

G pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and Tsuna saw that he, too, looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep. The bags under his eyes were unbearable, and the somber look told the brunet he wouldn't be getting the easy way out. The pair of adults exchanged looks and started speaking in what Tsuna assumed to be Italian.

Finally G looked his way. The redhead was just a simple reminder that although Giotto could see his best friend on a daily basis, Tsuna couldn't. The teenager forced his rage down. Not now.

He didn't expect for G to smile, even if he did play good cop to Giotto's bad cop when they first got to know each other. G pressed a hand to top of Tsuna's head and ruffle his hair. "Hey, kid."

"H...Hi." Was it permissible for him to speak?

"Crazy thing you did. Running away and all."

Tsuna swallowed his nervousness and closed his eyes. G's hand ran down his face before reappearing on his shoulder. "I-I...Enma is s-sick. A-After the party, I-I hadn't heard from h-him, and I had to make sure he was o-okay."

When he opened his eyes again, Giotto was staring at him, fiery orbs diminished into surprise. "You left that part out."

The brunet shrugged. He didn't think that they cared about his friend. "His foster parents kicked him out of the house – I don't now when, he doesn't have his voice, either. A-And he's been sleeping outside. It gets cold in Shimon pretty early..."

He found himself rambling before he could catch himself. G continued. "Well then, where is he?"

"The...Hideout." It would only occur to Tsuna later that Giotto and G didn't exactly know what "the Hideout" was.

"I don't see any harm in visiting him if he's sick." G tried to keep his voice light, but both he and Giotto carried the same look of worry. Tsuna blinked. Had they always been worried for Enma's well-being? "Right?"

Giotto muttered something under his breath, but Tsuna couldn't hear him. Instead the blond nodded, eyebrows knitted together with worry. "Let's go."

"A...Alright." Tsuna took a deep breath, goosebumps prickling the skin on his arms as he trudged back to Mukuro. Giotto and G followed close behind. They stopped just as Mukuro got up, and Giotto squeezed his shoulder. "Mukuro—"

"Come to pick up your brother?"

"And his friend."

"Kufufufu~"

Right off the bat, Giotto had been the one to speak. Tsuna looked up as Giotto revealed another face; another demeanor he'd never seen before. Tense and wary, and very knowing. Suddenly the adult's expression slackened, and he offered a hand. "Mukuro."

"Ie—"

"Giotto."

"Giotto, then." A delicately eerie smile spread across Mukuro's lips, and he looked between the trio almost mockingly. He shook the blond's hand, reminded that he was still younger in comparison to the adults. "G, too."

"Can you take us back to the hideout?" Tsuna felt his cheeks turn pink. His voice to the rest was measly, and he knew that it showed through his meekness. "I-If that's okay, I mean?"

"We'll be checking Enma-kun into a different care." What? Tsuna looked up to Giotto, who was guarded as ever. The grip on the brunet's shoulder hadn't relaxed, and it deliberately showed.

"Kufufu~ Very well then. But I can assure you, Giotto, that Tsunayoshi's little boy toy is doing well under Fran-chan's care."

Mukuro trekked in a different direction and G and Giotto followed Tsuna close behind.

On the way Tsuna caught the looks G and Giotto exchanged. They were tense, and Tsuna reexamined them for the umpteenth time that afternoon. G was unkempt and unruly. His tie hung by a simple limb, and the shirt he wore went untucked. Red hair stuck out in odds and ends almost like Giotto's hair, and the wariness in his eyes sought sleep.

Giotto was no better, he shivered. Maybe he wasn't over his sickness. At first glance, most people would see the nice pin-striped vest and the natural charming zest that accentuated Giotto's persona, but Tsuna knew better. He lived long enough with his brother to know this wasn't how the blond acted. Giotto leaned over his seat on the subway, hands held out, and they were trembling.

His gaze remained downcast, seeing nothing in the world around him, and random cowlicks adorned his natural hair. Tsuna knew Giotto. His brother, his Giotto held a gaze like broad fire. Italian blood accented his speech, and a grin that often curtsied his lips would fall into place to warm the heart. His charm, his prowess, and his wit lit the entire sky; lingering in the afterglow of absolute radiance.

G leaned forward, gaze pulled away. His callused fingers grabbed hold of Giotto's, appearing almost accidental, but wasn't. He squeezed his best friend's hand in reassurance – everything's going to be okay. Giotto peered up, as if for the first time touching the world. The grasp lingered, tender and sweet until Giotto's hand quivered, and minutes later he pulled away, entire body shifted in a different direction.

The redhead in return's lip tightened with grimness and said nothing. His action went noticed, but not acknowledged.

When the train stopped twenty minutes later, Mukuro was first to stand up, followed by Tsuna. The adults trailed behind, lost in their own little world with G murmuring to Giotto on occasion. Tsuna noticed that they kept at least a foot of distance between one other.

Where was the charm? Why didn't Giotto playfully tease G like he normally did, and why was G's hand digging for a his lighter every thirty seconds? The closer G got to Giotto in comfort, the further his brother distanced himself. Giotto didn't want to be touched.

Did...his disappearance cause this?

Before Tsuna had the chance to ask, he ran straight into Mukuro's back. A groan escaped his lips. They were finally there. G snorted and Giotto snapped out of his own thoughts yet again.

Mukuro cracked a grin. "Does my cute little daughter miss her daddy?"

Giotto scowled. "Watch it."

"Alright, alright." It didn't stop the taller teenager from laughing, however. Mukuro pulled his hand from Tsuna's hair, but it was oddly saddening. Mukuro's teasing...almost sorta kinda made him somewhat inklet-ly think of Giotto's own mischievous streak.

As they arrived at the hideout, Tsuna joked that he normally associated the place with the old radio playing in the background, a husky scent of cupcakes and crackling firewood, and the enthusiastic sounds of Fran, Ken, Chikusa, and Chrome.

The radio had been drowned out by screaming.

Tsuna could say having to watch Byakuran-san and Mukuro make out was the worst thing that happened today. He could say having disappointed Giotto scorn him, torn up, and even say the fact his brother couldn't trust him anymore topped that. He would be wrong on both.

"Enma!"

The worst thing to happen ever, up to par, was watch Enma fight against four people who were pinning him down as his coughs echoed through the abandoned tunnel. Enma looked frail and blue; different from when Tsuna left him earlier that morning.

Giotto and G rushed into action. Tsuna followed in suit, but was blocked by the others.

"He isn't looking good." Fran raised his voice, but not a hair on his head was out of place.

Enma wrestled the grip of even Ken and Chikusa, who were much stronger than Chrome and Fran. He fought to sit up, beads of sweat rushing down his face and dampening his skin. The sound of his shallow breathing was like two strips of rusted metal rubbing against each other, or nails on a chalkboard specifically designed to drill at the ear and whine in pain. Enma shook violently, fat tears leaking down his face to join the rest of his chaos, and a stream of wet green was at his lip.

He lunged forward, taking everyone by surprise, and lurched.

G was closest to see what he'd retched, eyes doubling in size. He turned to Tsuna and the rest of the kids while Giotto tried to keep the poor teenager down. "Someone get a doctor! Get a medic – call an ambulance! This kid's coughing up blood!"

OoOoO

Three hours and five minutes had passed by while they sat in the hospital and patiently waited for results. Five minutes to get there, and three hours of waiting. Well, maybe more than five minutes. Giotto tended to exaggerate.

It happened in a flash, and the blond wasn't quite sure he'd processed all of it. After finding Tsuna, he never expected to end up in a hospital, joined by his best friend and waiting to hear results. The medical assistants had stolen Enma away when G stormed into the hospital with a kid on his back looking about ready to die.

Giotto and Tsuna fluttered after him, only a second apart from G's entrance. Now they sat in the waiting room, catching their breaths as the hospital nurses returned to their regular routine. All they could do was wait.

Tsuna had grown numb. He collapsed on the nearest chair, eyes wider than the rest of his face, and complexion worse than G's. Not once did he blink, and Giotto couldn't find it in him to yell at the poor kid. Not now. Maybe not ever again.

"This isn't what I meant," Giotto murmured hoarsely, "when I said we'd be checking him into different care."

G buried a hand in his hair. "Better here than leaving him there."

"You would think after all that's happened, after how much crap I put you through, and with Tsuna's good intentions..." Giotto pressed a hand to his eyes. "He's the one who gets punished."

Tsuna was gifted with the power of peace. He may never realize it, and...Giotto wanted to be mad at him – ever since Tsuna came into his life, Giotto wanted to be very mad at him. But he couldn't. There he was; a teenaged boy who should have been proud, hotheaded and stubborn. A bucket of angst.

Not a chance. Instead of getting a bucket of the typical bitchy teenager (just like he had been), the hotblooded half-Italian came face-to-face with a gentle kitten that put pleasing everyone else before pleasing himself.

He moved in with Giotto when they both knew they were on bad terms so Nana could be happy. He tolerated Giotto's bad attitude because they were initially stuck with each other for the next seven and a half months. He...ran away to take care of a sick friend.

What could you do with that? Giotto was mad, furious, and scared that his brother had run away. And if Tsuna ran away once, he could...do it again. Giotto couldn't deal with it. He'd locked himself in his room, scared of the world around him, and was almost scared of standing under sunlight again. Daemon...Daemon scared him shitless.

Giotto wasn't a parent.

When he was deemed Tsuna's guardian, he wasn't prepared to take on the role of a parent. He was a brother. A shitty brother, at that. A parent would have punished him – a parent wouldn't even let Tsuna visit his best friend if they were the cause of trouble. But Tsuna was a gentle spirit, who ran away to help a sick friend.

Being angry with his brother would have been ridiculous.

From beginning to now, Giotto had his own concerns for Enma's health both physically and mentally. Most boys Enma's age – like Tsuna – were healthy, tall, and lean. The munchkin looked like he weighed very little, and he was always very quiet. Bandages adorned his face like a sick mask to cover his frailness, and red clumps of hair hid his eyes. Enma deliberately tried hard to blend in, scarlet orbs cast to his feet so he remained invisible. He should have realized this when Tsuna first introduced him.

In Giotto's mind, the redheaded teenager was a key chain to Tsuna's ensemble. They held hands like little kids, and Tsuna constantly made sure Enma was eating when they were at the party. He assumed Tsuna was just being a good friend. Not...actually making it his duty to take care of him.

Giotto cursed under his breath. Thoughts like those made him think of when Cozart had been diagnosed with cancer. He doted on the man constantly, not once letting him out of sight for the longest time. A knife stabbed his heart, and with a blink, Giotto felt a burst of dizziness consume his mind. Everything. Daemon...Cozart...

Enma's resemblance...the eyes, the nose, the mouth, his hair –

"I need to speak to a relative of Enma-san's."

The adult snapped out of his thoughts, eyes raising to the nurse standing highly at the end of the waiting room.

Tsuna stood up. "I-I'm...h-his brother."

If the nurse didn't believe his lie, she didn't show it. Instead she revealed the clipboard in her grasp. "He's currently incoherent. We've given him some medicine that calmed him down, but it appears he can't speak."

"Y-Yeah." Tsuna bit his lip. "He lost his voice."

"I need you to answer Enma-san's medical history. Is he allergic to any medicines?"

"Not...that I know of."

"Good. Is there a history of cancer in his family?"

"I...yes. H-His older brother died of leukemia a few years back." What?

Giotto cocked his head. Tsuna shivered, and it looked as though he was about to faint. He looked over to G, who also tuned into the conversation. It wasn't possible. Sure, Giotto thought carefully. What were the chances? No. No, no, no, no.

"When was his last visit to the hospital?"

"When he w-was eleven. For Appendicitis."

"Hm." The nurse's forehead creased, and she carefully studied what she had written down. Strange, her face read. If she had a sneaking suspicion of anything, she didn't let it show. "How odd. If your medical records are on file, I wonder why his aren't. The computer doesn't register an 'Enma Kozato' anywhere in this district."

"What?" Apparently Giotto and G weren't the only ones shocked. Tsuna's brown eyes had a look of retreat, frustrated, before he looked back up again. "Enma Shimon. C-Could you look up the name 'Enma Shimon'?"

The nurse paused, then nodded. She appeared hesitant – probably finally figuring out Tsuna was lying – and nodded. "As you wish." With that, she departed through double doors.

Enma Shimon. No. Not possible – no way. He'd heard the rumor, before meeting Cozart, but—

Tsuna collapsed in the seat across from the pair and buried his head in his hands. G was the first one to go over as if he knew more about what was going on, and that he did. Tsuna looked up and Giotto could see it in his eyes.

His brother had been tampered with; his little world destroyed and the balance diminished. He seemed aged, and Giotto wished it was last week where Tsuna was enjoying himself.

"Did you know about the Shimons?" G whispered tenderly. "About Cozart? Mami?"

"I..." Brown eyes widened, reading into what his best friend had just said, and Tsuna shook his head. "I didn't know all of it."

"How did Enma-kun come here?" G's voice raised calmly; only a gentle bit to let Tsuna know that they needed answers, but not enough that it would scare him away.

Like how I scared him. Like all the time. Giotto overreacted – he let his emotions go haywire and had become vulnerable. Sure, G had more experience with little kids – the blond himself normally despised the ground they walked on – and he took care of Hayato, but he was a better big brother. Way better. Jealousy bubbled at the pit of Giotto's stomach, and he swallowed it down. There wasn't room for that.

"Who is Enma-kun?"

"I...I..." Tsuna's voice deteriorated. In all honesty, Giotto was surprised his brother wasn't crying. He would have. The brunet tried to form words, but failed. One little sentence managed to squeeze its way out. "He's the heir."

"The heir? To Shimon?" It was Giotto's turn to speak. His mind whirled. True, he had his suspicions and was still a little lightheaded from adrenaline, but in a twisted way, it made sense.

Tsuna looked up to him, withering eyes pressed against curiosity, and slowly nodded. "I...he...I'm not really sure about the entire story. Wh-When I first met him...h-he was with his brother." Cozart. "His brother and he were playing...and Cozart-san gave Enma a small red box—"

"With a ring in it." Now Giotto was up to date. Hopefully. His own brother looked to him in surprise, and Giotto continued. "The Shimons play by business deals and is made up of pure, Italian blood coming from a long line of Dukes and Landlords. That ring is passed on from successor-to-successor, and Cozart was the eldest, presumably the only heir. He inherited the ring when he was born, and gave it to his little brother as a keepsake."

The brunet looked surprised. G responded. "You say that Enma has foster parents. I know Cozart personally – he would've loved Enma-kun too much to let him go."

His brother nodded, eyebrows furrowing. "He did."

"The rumored second child." Suddenly, Giotto let out a low whistle. It wasn't every day that he found out one of is old business partners and best friend also had a little brother...who was best friends with his. Yippee-fucking-doo. He...wanted to laugh. The thought ran through Giotto's mind over and over, reducing him to one thought, and – "Three redheads for the price of two. Damn you and your alien communications, Gaspare."

Cracking a joke wasn't appropriate right now, the blond knew. G and Tsuna gave him looks of surprise, but not disapproval. Relief, maybe, that Giotto was willing to smile.

"We can get Alaude to do a full background check on this." G rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Knowing Roberto, I wouldn't doubt it if he arranged Enma's current home situation." This piqued Tsuna's interest. Giotto put his hands in his lap, debating whether or not he should take out his phone. "Roberto chose a home carefully, away from Italy and Cozart must have known this from the start. I bet in giving Enma-kun that ring, he planned on blackmailing his father when it came time to succession and bringing his brother back under the rightful name."

"B-But...Could Cozart-san really...really plan that?"

"You forget that we're only nine years apart, little brother." Giotto arched a careful eyebrow. Tsuna stared at him in confusion before the red scattered across his cheeks like a wildfire. "When did you meet Cozart and Enma?"

"When...we were six..."

"There. Cozart had to be at least fifteen. You don't have to be an adult to hatch a plan – whether it was his intention or not, he was only being spiteful." Giotto tilted his head to the side reasonably.

The brunet shut his eyes before lowering his head. "They kicked him out because he didn't have the ring."

So, the Shimon Family had been that hateful since Cozart's death. Giotto bit his tongue and decided best not to speak. Finally the same nurse burst through the doors, elegant and calm with a smile.

She stopped in front of Tsuna again, manilla folder fresh in hand with the fresh scent of Sharpie. Enma Shimon decorated the label. A social security card, one page of a medical record, and a birth certificate poked through the edges like she'd just put it together. Nothing else.

"We couldn't find an Enma Kozato-san, but you were right. We found an Enma Shimon-san."

"How..." Tsuna's eyes tripled in size. "How is he?"

The nurse looked through her papers again before offering a peaceful smile. "He's been diagnosed with pneumonia. From the looks of it, he'd gotten a bad case. Whoever treated his symptoms allowed his body to last longer – but you're lucky. We got to your brother in time, and his body is responding well to the antibiotics. The doctors want to keep him overnight and maybe a few days for further study."

A sigh of relief escaped the brunet's lips. Altogether his body fell limp like a doll, back in his seat, before he realized what she said. "A-A few days?"

"The doctor wants to inspect his voice." She nodded reassuringly. "It's unusual, and his heartbeat is erratic. He found bruises and cuts that while neatly wrapped, need to be further inspected before the doctor completes his diagnosis."

"Can you tell what's wrong with his voice?"

"I don't know. We'll see." The nurse was curt, and she nodded slowly before gesturing to the double doors. "Would you like to see him—?"

"Yes. P-Please."

Giotto stood to follow, but G held him back. Tsuna was off by himself, scampering after the woman like a nervous puppy. It wasn't a good time. Tsuna was far more emotionally unstable right now than Giotto himself; what the hell did G think he was doing? "What?"

"For a second you were yourself again. With Tsuna. Are you...okay?" G's voice was soft. So soft that he doubted Mukuro and the rest of his gang could hear them in their own little corner. Oh.

Giotto plopped next to his best friend, defeated, and felt the cushions squish under his bottom. "Okay with my brother, or...okay in general?"

"Both."

"I..." Funny. Tsuna apparently wasn't the only brother who had trouble with his sentences. Giotto leaned over, eyes at the leg of the chair in front of him, and ran a hand through his hair. The stress came back, along with the numb sensation earlier on that made it hard for his heart to beat. G and Cozart were his best friends growing up. The loss of Cozart had shaken him, and still, G always made sure he had a shoulder to cry on. "Thanks...G. Thank you."

G watched out for Tsuna, nurtured him when Giotto wasn't emotionally prepared for it – when he still wasn't emotionally mature enough. When the blond was in over his head with his decisions, G was the first person to support him wholeheartedly. Always. Giotto knew he wasn't completely stable at the moment, and G accepted it.

It was almost a week now since Alaude told him he found Daemon. His body barely processed thought better than his mind, and G took it upon himself to take care of Tsuna. All week he recieved constant visits from all his friends: Asari Ugetsu, Knuckle, even Alaude. And G was a miracle worker.

He ensured Giotto was at the peak of his health, even if the blond couldn't care less.

The redhead could calm storms. He was solid (despite irresponsibly sharing alcohol with his sixteen-year-old charge), and Tsuna had taken a liking to him. He coaxed Tsuna easily. His best friend – brother – had come a long way from his hotheaded years, where he screamed at everything with legs that bothered walking within twenty feet of Giotto.

And Giotto was a jealous. Very jealous. G could talk to Tsuna without appearing as an absolute idiot. He could chatter up the boy without overthinking or with fear that he would offend him. G was everything Tsuna should have had as a brother. Not...him.

Giotto wasn't a good brother. He didn't react well when more than just his state-of-mind was in jeopardy. He wasn't the first to know Tsuna ran away from home, didn't immediately take Tsuna to the doctor when he injured his leg, nor make him feel at home from the beginning.

"You're welcome." G's voice came off as a hoarse whisper. He smelled of cigarettes and an underlying scent of pomegranate gelato. "Let's give them some time alone...alright?"

"Right. Yeah."

He considered learning to become a better brother. Now would be the perfect chance.

OoOoO

Despite the image that haunted with Tsuna's mind, Enma wasn't hooked up to twenty different tubes, forty needles, and whatever else. An IV was next to his bed, followed by a device pressed against his head measuring his pulse. A mask was over the redhead's face, and Tsuna assumed it was for his trouble breathing.

The last time Tsuna was at a hospital, Lambo had been born.

He hated the eerie feeling it projected and its silence. Enma's heartbeat was fine, and the color was back on his face. His bandages had been replaced by ones that looked more professional. As far as Tsuna could tell, he was fast asleep. Peacefully, by the looks of it.

The nurse left him a lone. Good.

Tsuna pulled up a seat, eyes still transfixed on his best friend. He was...better. He had to be.

"You scared me half to death." More than half. He was surprised that by now he hadn't fallen dead from panic. Everything was solved. Giotto cracked a joke when they were in the waiting room, and a small widget of his true self shined through. Enma was at the hospital, fully taken care of, and Fran was able to delay Enma's illness.

He was lucky. Incredibly lucky.

With that alone, the teenager felt is body grow weary and ran a hand through Enma's hair. His soft breathing could be heard behind the gas mask, and for the first time in a week, Enma was getting good sleep.

"I'm..." Tsuna's face glowed with heat. He blinked the meddling things away – the stupid, pathetic tears that told him he was the worst best friend in the history of infinity. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. He should have never left. That first night when Nana sat him down, fed him curry and told him she'd be going to Italy, he should have said no.

If he stayed, then Enma wouldn't be reduced to this. He cupped a hand on a pocket of his backpack and pulled out a small, wooden box.

He should have said no to a lot of things.

"You still haven't opened it yet."

The day came fluttering back – the Sunday where Enma was to leave, and they bought donuts. On the night before, very few people brought gifts, but it didn't matter. To have a party at all made Tsuna's heart swell. Because of the events going back and forth from his party and G's party, Enma never got the chance to give him his present.

Until just then.

"It's your ring," he had said incredulously. Chocolate brown eyes widened in surprise. The craftsmanship was beyond Tsuna's understanding, and he knew it wasn't worth a quarter in a toy machine. They were at the train station, and Giotto and G waited on them outside.

Enma looked at the ring, then back to his best friend with a smile.

"Enma, I can't take this—"

"You can. I'm letting you. It's..." Red eyebrows furrowed together, and dainty hands wrapped around Tsuna's own before his expression turned apologetic. "It's not the best birthday present in the world, I-I know—"

"I can't take this," Tsuna said again. His head throbbed in horror. "E-Enma, your brother—"

"Keep it for me. Cherish it." The redhead was insistent. The dark gem gracing the platinum gem glimmered in Enma's eyes. Just looking at his best friend, Tsuna saw the redhead's love and care, and what he had to do to keep it that way. "They're...they've been looking for it recently, and I'm running out of places to hide it. Please?"

Enma cherished his brother's memento more than his own life.

"I...o-okay..."

Looking back now, Tsuna had no doubt Enma most likely didn't regret his decision. The brunet bit his lip, head tilted to the side. But...he ducked his head. Cozart was dead. Leukemia, of all things.

"Will you come back when I'm done playing with Tsuna?"

"Of course I will, Piccolino!"

Play with him, Tsuna remembered Cozart saying. Cozart said that he would pick Enma up when they were done playing. But he never came. Cozart left a six-year-old boy at the park, who was picked up by Adelheid before the day was over without a word.

It was the first time he ever saw his best friend devastated. Years later, he saw the smile again; the rare one that made Enma brighter than the sun, when Cozart sent a letter. Enma kept it close to him like a cherished memory, and it was as important as their friendship.

After that, no other letters came.

"I'm so sorry," Tsuna whispered softly. He was absolutely and completely sorry. Enma and he finished "playing" a month and a half ago. Tsuna moved, and Enma was left by himself. His brother couldn't pick him up because he was dead. Tsuna was more than sorry.

He let his best friend alone, to fend for himself at a house that was obligated to keep him, and was useless. Tsuna wasn't old enough to get drugs, he didn't realize Enma was suffering from pneumonia, and everyone around him did what he should have done: keep Enma safe.

"Damn." The word rolled off G's tongue without hesitation. Tsuna shoved the ring back in his backpack, wiped away his tears, and whirled around. He fidgeted, eyes landing on Giotto and G. If they noticed anything, it wasn't brought up. "He looks a hell lot better than when he first got here. Thank God."

"Y...Yeah," Tsuna whispered. He watched carefully as they walked up to the bed to get a better look at his best friend. Giotto lingered close to him.

"Frail little thing." G ran a hand down the slumbering teenager's jawline, and molded a hand around his cheek. "Compared to you, he's simply skin and bones, kid."

"I...yeah." He nodded. "That's why I wanted to get the job. To...get some extra money and check on him."

Giotto cocked his head silently, yet said nothing. It rested on his tongue, and Tsuna offered a look of curiosity. His brother was yet again deep in thought, eyes flickering in their own turmoil. He thought it best not to respond.

The door slowly creaked open and a man in a long white coat came in. Tsuna stood up, automatically assuming the role of Enma's caretaker – but he didn't expect for the man to be so tall. He staggered back into his seat and resisted the urge to squeak.

F-For a moment he mistook the doctor as Yamamoto for his h-height.

"You may call me Doctor Nowaki." The tall adult flashed a gentle smile. "Enma-kun gave you quite a scare there, didn't he?"

Tsuna looked down to the ground and nodded. They should have gone to the doctor days ago before Enma's spasms.

"Don't worry. Your brother is fine – but we are concerned about his vocal cords. The x-rays showed that he suffers from what appears to be a vocal fold nodule."

U-Uh.

"What's that?" Giotto asked for him.

"A vocal cord nodule reduces or obstructs the ability of the vocal folds to create the rapid changes in air pressure which generate human speech. Basically, they're blocking off Enma-kun's ability to speak." Doctor Nowaki rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It would be the reason why he wasn't able to talk; though how he obtained it is still a mystery."

"Th-then, how will it be treated?"

"A simple, quick surgery. It seems if we don't, his voice will remain like that." The doctor acknowledged the brunet's unease. His eyes glimmered with mischief, and Tsuna gulped. D-Did he realize they weren't b-brothers? "Don't worry. Before we prep him for surgery, he must get over his pneumonia, otherwise his sickness may get worse as we apply the anesthesia. It's a clean and cut surgery and a common procedure. After that, he may have to endure speech therapy, and...from there, we'll see what happens."

Giotto squeezed his shoulder in reassurance. Warmth radiated through his touch, and he felt his brother lean into him for support. "That's great."

Doctor Nowaki...seemed nice enough. "We'll come by later to explain the procedure to him, and get consent from his immediate family. I suggest going home and getting some—" A phone rang. For a moment they waited, and as the doctor inspected the caller ID, his face lit up.

"S-Sorry...I have to take this." He pressed the phone to his ear, and left with his last words being, "Hiro-san? What is it?"

The door closed behind him.

"Looks like things are okay then."

Tsuna looked up to his brother's face. It had changed a little from this afternoon. While it was clear that he didn't have full control over the situation, he had sunk back into his skin long enough to be sober.

"I'm...s-s..."

"Don't." Fiery orbs looked at him passively. A hand touched Tsuna's shoulder, and he could feel his neck spike with a blush. "You're fine. After we're done, let's go get some dinner and head over to the hotel – it's been a long day."

H...Huh? "H...Hotel?" Tsuna blinked. "You mean...we're staying?"

The room was silent, other than the beating of Enma's heart monitor. Giotto's lips parted slightly, rendered speechless, before he closed it. "Gaspare, talk some sense into him."

G chuckled. "No, Ieyatsu. Why don't you?"

Now he was really confused. Tsuna looked between the both of them, trying to find the answer hidden in their words, but it added up to nothing.

"Tsuna. We're staying until Enma-kun gets better." O-Oh. Giotto smiled gently and pressed his forehead to his younger brother's. "You don't have a choice. You think I would actually rip you two apart after what's happened?"

W-well...maybe...no... Tsuna didn't know what to say. His hand twitched, and –

His poor brother never had a chance when Tsuna jumped him. The brunet tackled Giotto, who almost toppled over with the weight. G got up, instinctively going into bodyguard mode while the teenager buried his face in the crook of Giotto's neck. Giotto stiffened; was this the first time that they ever hugged?

"Thank you so much." Tsuna's voice muffled into Giotto's neck, and he realized he was standing at the tip of his toes. A few tentative minutes later, Giotto hugged back and shrugged.

"Even dead meat needs to be cut some slack sometimes."

Oddly enough, Tsuna found himself laughing. He was giddy like a little kid. G plopped down back on his seat as the pair pulled away, and Tsuna blushed. H-He wasn't much of a hugger.

He looked back to his best friend and scarlet eyes slowly fluttered open. Enma was stirring.

"Enma," Tsuna muttered. Relief shot through his body and he slumped forward –

"You okay, kid? You know you gave us quite a sca—" He didn't realize that the first thing that must have registered in Enma's mind was G hovering over him. The taller redhead pressed a hand to Enma's forehead – and the younger burst red.

His eyes tripled in size, succumb to the realization that G was now touching him and –

"Eek! E-Enma!"

"Gah? ! S-Someone get a nurse!"

– Enma fainted, just as Giotto burst into a hilarious cackle. G flipped out, and Tsuna repeatedly tapped the nurse button in panic; all before one of the nurses stomped in and kicked them out for the night. A-Apparently they had been too loud.

chapter eighteen has hugs and kisses.

The rest of the night ran smoothly. Tsuna could not recall the last time he was able to sit down around dinner with Giotto and G without worry bubbling in the back of his mind. Most of last week, G would watch him at the office, they would buy food-to-go, and go home, where G could check on his brother. On occasion there were visits from Asari Ugetsu-san and many other guests that knew Giotto personally.

That had been last week. The hospital was located in a neighboring town not too far from Shimon; fifteen minutes by subway. With Enma in mind, they grabbed dinner and later a hotel suite five minutes from the hospital. Giotto and G were locked in a conversation, flipping through languages like TV channels. Tsuna watched, oddly interested. His brother's eyebrows were often furrowed, and as G occasionally broke to eat his food, the blond would space out, lips dipping slowly as his once fiery eyes cast a look into the distance.

It wasn't boring. Tsuna often found himself worried for his best friend's well-being during dinner, but for once he knew Enma would be okay. As he stood to go to the restroom, Giotto stood with him and followed the poor boy. He dashed for a bathroom stall once they were there.

"How long do you think it'll take before you trust me again?" He had asked. The toilet flushed automatically, and he stood on one side of the stall door as Giotto guarded him on the other. The noise of customers about had yet to die out, and very little people came to and from the front. His voice had echoed.

"Days? Weeks?" Giotto's voice was deep, if not a little winded. "It's hard to tell."

"I..." Tsuna shut his eyes. "Wh-What I did was inexcusable—"

"What you did was inexcusable," the blond repeated. Mirth delicately laced his words, and Tsuna felt him lean into the stall door. "But I'm glad you did it."

He said nothing in return. Pink bloomed through his cheeks, and red burned his ears. As the brunet exited the bathroom, he resisted the urge to look his brother in the eye. Brown eyes absorbed the floor, and he stumbled once – twice – before a strong hand grabbed his arm.

Fiery orbs met his gaze, blazing with the intensity he'd been attracted to when they first met. Beautifully long bangs as breathtaking as the sun, moon, stars, and all celestial matter that once existed upon their universe fell in languid portions to the side, and his brother offered a look of woolgathering fervor.

"Giotto—?"

Giotto embraced him. Broad arms tightly wrapped around his body, and his shoulder was dominated by his brother's slim and idle nose. Giotto breathed in his scent, buried in that his younger brother. For a moment, the brunet could barely register what was happening. Giotto's body was on fire, Italian blood radiating with such warmth that made Tsuna feel like jelly. Red hiked up his neck, and Tsuna looked at his brother in worry.

Until he laughed, of course.

"I'm proud of you, little brother. But you are so still dead meat." With that, the embrace was over. Warmth escaped him, replaced by expensive air conditioning and a husky scent of Red Lobster's seafood. "Go wash your hands. I don't want your cooties."

With that, the conversation had been dropped. Tsuna said not a word, body t-tingling, and stared at the ground on their way back. G was messing with his phone. The evening was complete when they finished, and they took a taxi back to the hotel.

It was big. Really big. By simply looking up, Tsuna could see balconies and risings going all the way to the twentieth floor, and a stain glass skylight that particularly looked like a rainbow.

"Ah...ko..." Tsuna squinted, eyes fixated on the English text written in bold letters.

"Arcobaleno." G ruffled the teenager's hair as the brunet blushed, and handed a card key to Giotto. "I'm gonna make a few phone calls to make sure work is covered for the next few days – and get a damn beer."

The blond arched an eyebrow, amused. "You don't want to try this Arcobaleno's red wine? Their hotels always carry the finest alcoholic beverages."

G smiled weakly. "I'll take my chances with Budweiser." Not a second too soon, his smile dropped, eyes flickering to Tsuna. Chocolate orbs peered upward, confused, and red eyebrows contorted slowly. He changed his speech to Italian, and the amusement on Giotto's face vanished.

Instead, the blond nodded and raised his hand. Tentatively, he held it out before cautiously resting it on G's shoulder. It was different.

The brunet forced his thoughts down, fingers grabbing at his ear to silence himself. The...th-the thought of warmth...made his heart flutter. It was the same all day – how Giotto would embrace him without a thought and twitch in pain at the thought of human contact with others.

Wh...why?

"Don't hurt yourself." His brother's lips curtsied tentatively and he grazed a hand through G's hair. Hesitation glimmered through waning-fiery orbs, and Giotto offered a pity chuckle. "Use your alien communication if you get lost."

"Very funny." G arched a wry eyebrow. He lowered his gaze, eyes tenderly falling upon Tsuna. "Take good care of him, alright?"

"A-Alright." Sanguine radiated Tsuna's cheeks. Without another word, the redheaded adult left them alone in the hotel lobby. Giotto took lead, and Tsuna followed after him like a lost puppy.

All thoughts were of his brother. Oddly enough, Giotto was the one who didn't want to strike a conversation. Tsuna noticed the little things his brother did – standing closely to the elevator entrance/exit, fingers brushing ever-so gently against buttons as other hotel guests entered and left. Smog blocked the embers in fiery orbs, and rarely did the adult raise his gaze.

"Giotto." The name left Tsuna's lips much deeper than intended, and more of a demand than of a question. No answer. Pink tickling his face, the teenager tilted his head with concern. He...i-intertwined his fingers with those of his brother's.

Instantaneously, the blond snapped out of his thoughts, eyes rising in high flames, and peered down in confusion. Tsuna wouldn't look at him. Using his free hand, he tugged the strings of his hoodie and guided his brother out the elevator after apologizing to impatient hotel guests.

Warmth tingled through his fingers, and brown eyes desperately sought the room they were staying in. Tsuna jerked, hand tightening over Giotto's, and they came to a stop.

He l-looked up, face blazing – why was he so nervous? Because it was Giotto. Giotto made his heart go into cardiac arrest by his simple gaze, and his intoxicating – almost childish – laugh caused all the blood in his vessels radiate with sweet sparks. It scared him – because his brother wasn't acting like himself.

"We're here," Giotto muttered softly. Tender fingers grazed the skin of his jaw, gently caressing the space from his chin to his ear, and Tsuna shivered. The sensation was one he never felt before. His brother chuckled distantly, but with such sweetness that made his ears tingle. "You're so strange today."

And how long have you been strange? "H-How do you know Mukuro?"

Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth, eyes widening in shock as his older brother's expression dropped. Fiery eyes flickering incandescently, Giotto opened the door with not a word escaping his lips as he made it to the bed. For the first time, he watched a look of grievance pass through the blond's eyes before burying his hands in his hair.

Silence. Dead silence, and Tsuna had been the one who caused it.

His blood ran cold, heart pulsing twenty thousand beats a minute. He stood by the hotel door, one hand instinctively leaving it open, and stared at his brother. H-He d-didn't mean to upset him.

H-He didn't mean to freak his brother out, he—

"How do I explain this to you?" H-Huh?

"Y-You don't have to..."

Blazing orbs caught sight of chocolate. The look upon Giotto's face was tight and firm. His lips remained still, and he ushered the boy in. A hand clasped the blond's chest, and he stood erect. Tsuna closed the door behind him, hesitant, and stood a foot before his brother.

"Mukuro is the godson of one of my old colleagues, Daemon." Giotto's eyes closed as he leaned forward slightly. "I know him through that."

"O...Oh." Tsuna's hand twitched around the belt loop above his left pocket. "H...How did you know Cozart-san?"

Contrary to what the brunet thought would happen, Giotto tensed. His eyes remained blocked from view, bangs shrouding their mystery, and his hands fiddled together.

"Daemon was the first business man that I was ever associated with." The blond continued on, ignoring his younger brother's question. "I...he. He's about Dino's age. We got to know each other very well, and before I attended business school, he taught me what I didn't already know when growing up."

"But I—" Tsuna stopped himself. I was asking about Cozart-san, he wanted to say.

"Cozart," Giotto continued, hands coiling around one another, "is the one who told me not to trust him. G was worried about my judgment, but I didn't care. Daemon was someone I held dearly."

"G...s-says that you choose the businesses to help that you can trust, and rarely go into meetings without him anymore." Tsuna's eyebrows contorted. "I-If at all."

A weak smile curtsied the blond's lips. "Tattletale. It's true. I...trusted Daemon as my personal adviser because he was very good at it. He was my second, before I went back to G. And...he knew all of my secrets. Even about Cozart."

Cozart? "Y-You mean the kissing on his first day of school?"

Giotto blinked, taken off guard. A-Apparently not. He shook his head, reorganizing his thoughts, and looked back to the ground. "The reason I know about the rings is because Cozart told me. Often he had great business ideas, but it was obvious he didn't want to continue the family business. But he told me the deals – kept me updated with Roberto. We planned to do what our parents couldn't: share and some day merge the companies.

"But...while I h-had the best of both of them, I didn't realize Daemon's intentions. He...kept telling me that he wanted to merge Vindice and Vongola, but I declined. Vongola Inc. was only supposed to help his business grow, and Daemon wouldn't leave it be. O...One of the nights, he spoke to me. He'd...stolen Shimon's files, and planned to use it against them.

"I told him not to – even made a deal, that Vindice may keep its name, and Vongola Inc. will help his funding, but he didn't care. At first I thought he was just kidding – he h-had a cruel sense of humor. The next day, I didn't see lash or hair of him, a-and the next week, Shimon lost all of its money.

"I told Cozart. He cared more for...m-my well-being than he did the company. When he was diagnosed with leukemia I—I tried hard to help Shimon win back all its money. Daemon's plan was unclear to me. They...r-refused funding, spent the rest of their money on high doctors; genetic engineers, even, to make sure Mami would not inherit the cancer. They...s-spent more making sure Mami was healthy than making sure their eldest son could live to be thirty.

"He...Cozart d-died years ago. He'd been fighting it for two."

Tsuna waited patiently. His feet had grown numb as Giotto explained the story, eyebrows furrowed as he watched his brother. All...h-he wanted to know was how Cozart and his brother met. He couldn't ask now, n-not...w-with...

Not with Giotto's face blue with disgust, body hunched like a frightened turtle returning to his shell, and clammy skin that sickeningly glimmered under the hotel lamp. Fiery orbs lost their glow, dissipating into smog. A moment later, Giotto snapped out of his thoughts halfway, a hiccup in his ministrations. His body tensed worse, and he hid his gaze, fingers at the base of his hairline.

"M...Mi dispiace—"

"You should get some sleep." Tsuna's own voice was raspy. The clock on the nightstand read 11:32PM, and his brother was to the point where he was incoherent. Slowly stepping forward, Tsuna brought a shaking hand to his brother's face and firmly intertwined their fingers.

Giotto gazed up, vision unclear. He'd become irrational to the point of falling into Italian.

Gently, the brunet pushed his brother into the bed. His hand grazed Giotto's shoulder, down to his hand before tucking the blond like he'd done with Lambo so many times in the past.

"You need the sleep more than I do," Giotto muttered softly.

"I...I-I'm gonna shower."

"Alright. Turn the light off when you're done."

Giotto hadn't realized he was trembling. The stumbles in his speech went unnoticed, and the paleness of his face was sickening to his sun-kissed Italian skin. His body shook like he was in danger, simply speaking of the man – Daemon Spade. Who was he? And...why did Giotto tremble like that, like he was the victim of some sick rape?

The man had lost his voice, struggling to keep himself together for the sake of his little brother, a-and...to not be able to save his best friend – Enma's brother – was a hit to his pride.

Did...when...

When Enma first came, did he bring up Giotto's memories? He...s-seemed fine, the entire visit. Oddly protective, even, when Xanxus and Squalo were involved.

Tsuna shut the shower nozzle. He lingered in the tub, eyes examining his toe as thoughts of Giotto, and the odd man, Daemon Spade came to mind. He wanted to know more. He wanted to know why...wh-why all week, Giotto was bedridden. Why G said Giotto was "gravely sick," and wh...why Giotto looked scared than angry?

Why...why was he so lighthearted when he spoke of Cozart at the hospital, but grieving when they were alone?

By the time he was finished with his thoughts, the water had run cold against his skin. Tsuna dried himself off in front of the steamed covered mirror and dressed himself. It...angered him that G beat around the bush when it came to Giotto.

As he exited the bathroom, Tsuna's heart beat in his ears. He set his backpack in the corner, quick to check on his brother. Giotto had fallen asleep, breathing shallow and curled up in his pillow above the sheets. He hadn't changed.

Tsuna trudged toward the other bed, slowly unwinding tucked blankets before burying himself in the pillows. The mattress squeaked under his body, and the teenager cocooned himself with the vast array of blankets. It had been a long time since he slept in a bed, with his own pillows and warmth.

Somehow, it felt uncomfortable.

Chocolate eyes opened slowly into the darkness. They sought the lump on the other side of the room, who stood out even in midnight's wake in his pin-striped suit and full blond hair.

The brunet stood up. He crawled out of bed, careful to trip over whatever was flung on the ground, and slid into bed with his brother. Warmth. Real warmth. Tsuna scooted closer, and the scent of his brother's nervous sweat mixed with that of mint chocolate ice cream.

The bed moaned and shook, and the impression made by his brother shifted. Giotto's voice sounded scratchy, but not groggy. "Tsuna. What are you—?"

"I had a bad dream." Liar. Liar, liar, pants on fire. Red swept Tsuna's neck, softly dancing across his creamy skin under the covers, and he felt a hand run through his wet hair. He shut his eyes, refusing to look his brother in the face.

For a moment, it seemed the facade would not convince his brother. Finally, Giotto lifted the blankets before they lay body-to-body with each other. Wordlessly, Tsuna grabbed his brother's arm and buried his face in the blond's shoulder. Giotto concurred, and he ran a hand through the brunet's hair once again.

"You're so weird." Tired amusement tickled the adult's throat.

"Thanks for letting me sleep with you. F-For bad dreams, you know." He was such a liar. "G-Good night, Giotto."

"Sogni dolci, Tsuna."

And so was Giotto. But until he was ready to tell Tsuna everything, the younger brother would do anything to make his older feel safe.

OoOoO

"Tell Takeshi-kun that Tsuna is fine. Yeah." Pause. "Hayato, I don't care if you're not speaking to each other. But you best do best do what I say." Pause. "Look – I don't give a crap. I gotta go now. Behave."

G hung up as the subway arrived in Shimon. He peered out the window to pedestrians going to and from restaurants. Funny, he concluded. You wouldn't expect a small town such as Shimon to actually have a subway. He supposed it was to get to the nearby towns and cities with more to visit.

He exited, hand on his phone almost instinctively. There were tings to get done – business deals, appropriating little men – watching his ex-brother-in-law. A small smile spread across his face, and through G's weariness he almost laughed.

Damn, he had a stressful life. It wasn't a surprise, however.

Giotto was first to ask for his friendship. Being their chauffeur's son, G supposed he saw his best friend's protection more important than his own life. A mafia boss and his righthand man, one could have said.

His smile dropped to a frown as he climbed the stairs to the surface and concern fluttered through his chest. Giotto, who was currently incapacitated, unable to endure the touch of another person – just holding hands or touching shoulders, even – and Tsuna, who put the sake of his best friend before his...better judgment.

The kid had guts.

There was nothing else to it. G knew a horse ass's well that Tsuna had a drive that could either get him in trouble or let him become a revolutionary figure to the world. Well, maybe both.

And the tension between two brothers was imminent. G knew Giotto long enough that he suited the role as the younger brother. Dino spoiled him when given the chance, and Celeste raised winners. Giotto held expectations for people, and it was almost innate. He was serious when it came to his business, and relaxed when it came to his friends. Tsuna was an anomaly.

Giotto grew up in a world of business people, and often on the terms of, "What can you do for me?"

Tsuna was humble. He was kind, sweet, and more of a Dino rather than Giotto, and for that the younger Vongola found himself at wit's end coming up with a compromise. A compromise in business deals? Easy. Compromising his brother when for the next nine months, his well-being depended on how Giotto would raise him? Not as easy.

Despite how wise Giotto came to be at his age (feh, only twenty-five), he still needed to learn. However, Daemon Spade couldn't have come at a worse time, along with Tsuna's problems. It was a bad habit; forgetting everyone had a life.

G grew used to Tsuna's timidity just like he grew used to Giotto's unorthodox schemes, and found himself in the middle of all their problems.

But was it a 'problem' for him? G chuckled. Nah. He lived for it.

Not a second too soon, he reached the Suzuki Residence. From what the nurses had told him of "Enma Shimon," along with records of the kid's immediate family, the Suzuki family lived as any other ordinary family. Which sounded right.

It was five minutes to midnight when he finally reached the street, and the house looked like any other house on the street. Nothing menacing; nothing that signaled they were cruel or abusive. The lights were still on, and through the hum of the night, chuckles could be heard from the inside.

They certainly didn't sound concerned that their foster son almost died of pneumonia that afternoon.

He knocked the door and received no answer. After the third round of knocking, it burst open — UMA. UMA, UMA, UMA, UMA —He resisted the urge to point and stare – why did Hayato have so much influence on him – and looked at the odd girl, who could have been no more than sixteen.

She wore very little clothes, almost like a worker from Hooters, and as far as he could tell, she was hairless from head-to-toe other than the patch of bangs that rested on her crown.

"Yo."

"I...Uh..." G tried hard to keep his composure. "Is your mother home?"

"My name is Shitt P. Call me Shitopi-chan."

"I just...is your mother—"

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm – I'm meditating, mmmm – "

"Shitt P – "

"Mmmmmmmmmmmm – "

"Shitopi-chan, is your mother home – ?"

"Why yes! Would you like to speak to her, kind stranger?"

It was a wonder how Enma didn't go crazy living with someone like her. G's mouth fell open as he registered the fact she was singing a variation of the Numa Numa Dance, and carefully he managed to nod. Shitt P pulled him in faster than he could blink, and the door slammed behind them.

The house was bigger than it looked on the inside. Unlike the loft apartment shared by G and Asari, it seemed homey. Stairs stood directly in front of G, and the living room was filled with pictures. None of Enma.

"MAMA, PAPA! THIS KIND STRANGER WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU!"

Apparently they were still up. G clasped his hands on his ears and made sure his body was still intact. He wasn't sure if he could handle Shitt P yanking him in any more places than the door. Finally she released him and danced off in her own little world.

"Idjit. Kikyo, come back to beddd."

"Shitopi-chan has called. We have to go answer, you buffoon."

"God dammit."

G's lips contorted into a frown. The voices were...manly. A sickening thought came to mind, and he groaned inwardly just a little bit. Is everyone on this damn planet a homosexual? One good fuck. All he needed was one good fuck with a woman, and he could reassure himself that no, he wasn't crazy. Everyone else was.

Two men waltzed down the stairs, one in his boxers and the other politely dressed in a bathrobe. The redhead's lips twitched slightly, and his hand went for the lighter tucked in his pocket.

"Oho?" The one in the bathrobe spoke first. "Could this possibly be Cozart? I'm sorry to say, but you're a little late. We've shipped him off already."

Right. Without a doubt, G knew he disliked the two. The one with a bathrobe made his stomach lurch. He took him for a transvestite or crossdresser; with his long tea green hair (G preferred Budweiser) and pasty eye shadow not even Bianchi would have bought, and took the other as a sleezy douchebag. Greasy red hair and five o'clock shadow. Ick.

"Cozart died of leukemia three years ago."

"Ah!" The one with greasy hair arched an eyebrow. "The dipshit with the hat?"

"Yes, Zakuro. The dipshit with the hat."

"Let me explain." G gestured to what he assumed was the dining room and followed the couple to the table. They sat parallel from each other and he kept a cautious eye. For one, he inwardly grimaced, he didn't need to see the outline of the greasy guy's dick in his boxers. "I've come to ask some questions about Enma. My name is G."

"I am Kikyo, and he is Zakuro. Enma has been a wonderful addition to this family." Immediately, the challenge was recognized in the feminine-looking one. Zakuro followed in suit, and Kikyo sat well in his seat. "What is it, G?"

"I'm sure you know he was admitted into the hospital today." He made sure to keep his guard up without giving away his own tension. In the room next to them, it was apparent that a laugh track was going on every five seconds. Ahaha! "Enma was diagnosed with pneumonia and vocal cord nodules. He's unable to speak."

"The poor idjit." Zakuro rested an arm behind his chair.

Almost on instinct, G pulled out a cigarette along with his lighter before pausing. Kikyo noticed. "You smoke? That isn't healthy for Enma-kun's sake."

Huh. "It's a bad habit. Good stress reliever. I guess I'll get to the point. Why weren't you there?" Ahaha!

"How would we know?" Kikyo was dancing around his question, provoking him even.

"They called his immediate family, and Tsuna says he lives in a foster home." Having a sixteen-year-old boy probably wasn't his best source. "He claims that Enma was kicked out."

"Ah, the Sawada kid." Zakuro's grin reminded G of a T-Rex. He leaned over the table, one elbow propped on the surface, and his eyes narrowed. "And what are you to Enma, G? His teacher? Don't look like any we've seen. Shitopi says you're a 'kind stranger.' You his brother? Obviously not—"

"I'm—"

"You that idjit's lover? Bah, these days 'round the world you can get sued for fucking a minor—"

"Fuck you." The words rolled off G's tongue with ease. As he realized his patience was wearing thin, the adult regained his stature and looked to Kikyo, who sat silently with a mocking smile that reminded him vaguely of Daemon's. "I can assure you I know very well the history of Enma Shimon. I simply want to know why. How did he end up here?"

Zakuro snorted. "Damn this shit. I'd have rather stayed in bed." Ahaha!

"You'll be sleeping on your hand, dear, if you don't shut up." Kikyo was apparently Mama. He looked back to G, and the redhead grimaced. This was a bad idea. "Enma is a mistake."

"Enma was an accident."

"No, no." Kikyo, like his lover, leaned forward with such a disturbing smile that G wanted to knock his teeth in. "To quote Roberto-san, it's easy to say that he is, indeed, a mistake. You seem like a man who knows business. Roberto-san hired us to take care of Enma. Obviously manslaughter was out of the question – especially taking into consideration his family history of dukes and landlords. It would give Shimon a bad name, if found out."

"They could have hired the mafia." Thank the lord they didn't. Ahaha!

"I'd rather not get into detail about the Italian mafia." Kikyo gave him a look, pompous and uncaring, and continued. "The idiot, Cozart dropped him off and dearest Adelheid took him here. We may have had custody of him, but we never considered him our child. Which was the plan."

"Excuse me?"

"Treat him like shit." Zakuro took over, legs swinging over and meeting G's face. The way things were going, G was ready to set the house on fire. "Roberto ordered it. He was used to the spoiled life – didn't get it here. That kid gets the crumbs and hand-me-downs. He doesn't get squat unless he earns it for himself, and we make sure he has no backbone."

"That isn't good for child development." Ahaha!

"Who gives a fuck about his child development?" Zakuro stood up, idly turning around and giving G a rather obnoxious view of his butt crack. He scratched a cheek before getting a beer and sitting back down with a thump. "Roberto didn't, we didn't. We get paid by him to make sure he knows little – fuck, we get paid to make sure his development is fucked up. Destroyed his confidence. Made sure he knew he shouldn't speak, even when spoken to."

The irritation bubbling in G's stomach became almost unbearable. He opened his mouth to speak, but—

"You don't get it." The greasy redhead smirked, hand running back and forth on what G hoped was Kikyo's thigh, before taking a good swig of his beer. Budweiser. "Roberto contacted us a few years later – undoubtedly when Cozart was to inherit the company. He told us to treat his second son like a bitch. All he needed was that ring. Now that that idjit's lost it – no ring, no place to live."

Stay calm. G's hands twitched for his lighter. He turned his head to Kikyo, mouth tight.

"What he said." Kikyo nodded curtly, eyes sly.

"So what is he to you?" Hysterical laughter hid behind the half-naked adult's words, and his eyes narrowed impractically to the other redhead. "Your brother? Friend? Lover, did I say? Does that bitch moan when you shove it up his a—"

A sickening CRACKechoed through the entire house. Whether it was Zakuro's nose or G's hand when the redhead punched him was debatable. Ahaha.

OoOoO

"I'm not speaking to him right now." Pause. "Who the fuck cares what you say? You dumbass – you owe me some be— hey!" Hayato hissed, hands choking the receiver of his phone. That. Fucking. Arrogant. Little...tall. Drunkard. Bastard...! Without another word, the teenager threw his phone against the wall and cursed for buying the unbreakable phone case. Text books flew everywhere from his fury, and finally he collapsed back on the couch, stressed.

Fine.

No Sawada, no Yamamoto – no Haru. No G, no Giotto-san, no...anyone. Not even Bianchi, who was off somewhere in France again learning some stupid gourmet cooking techniques.

At the thought of his sister, Hayato shivered and hugged himself. As he gathered his sanity, he collected what he'd dropped and sluggishly tossed them as a pile on the coffee table before grabbing a can of beer from his fridge .

He'd been lonely.

Hayato swallowed half his can, and the buzz of Budweiser was satisfying. He stayed cocooned at his house for the better part of the weekend – along with today. If G wasn't going to be home to check on him, then why bother going to school?

From what he'd been told, Sawada had been missing since Saturday. The little runt went back to his hometown, worried for the well-being of that Kozato kid.

At the mention of the redhead just like his sister, Hayato shivered and hiked the collar of his shirt.

Enma. He stuck by what he said – calling that runt tiny, frail, and insignificant. With no doubt, the brat had a mouth on him that could sink battleships. He felt sorry for the small teenager, in truth. Pneumonia ranged from as small as a cold or as deadly as... As cancer.

When first told Sawada was missing, Hayato was disbelieving. The hotheaded teenager remembered specifically – on the night that shall not be named – dropping the brunet off at his house before retreating to his own apartment, pride wounded and anger blazing in his chest. But the kid had guts. Granted, if Hayato had the chance to run away, he would have. But it wouldn't have been as important.

The Tenth ran away to help a friend in need. For Hayato to run away...would be running away from his problems.

At umpteenth mention, Hayato slouched on the couch. He buried his face in an armrest. It wouldn't have been the first sissy-time he ran away. He couldn't fucking help it, alright? Dealing with Yamamoto and Sawada made his head hurt. Dealing with Mochida made his heart wre—

His broken phone rang. Hayato cursed the case brand, and the familiar ring tone of Take Me Out to the Ball Game echoed through his apartment. He hesitated, hands tightly wound on his ankles to prevent himself from getting up, and waited. It rung anyway.

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,

I don't care if I never get back.

Let me root, root, root for the home team,

If they don't win, it's a sh—

"Fuck this!" The poor teenager ran for his phone and nearly rammed it in his ear. "What the fuck do you want, you baseball playing, no-good idiot son of a—!"

"Gokudera?" Yamamoto's soft voice distilled his anger. Tension that once contorted his face now loosened, and he found it hard to keep a scowl compared to the soft tone of his best friend.

"Y...Yamamoto." Stupid. Find your voice. Don't let him make a fool out of you; you're not a fucking pansy, and that idiot doesn't have control over you.

"Is there any word from Tsuna?"

You could say no. If you said no, you could say you'd let him know. And if you said you'd let him know, he would call you. You would get Yamamoto all to yourself, and Mochida would be shit. "Yeah. G says Tsuna went to Shimon to check up on Kozato. The kid's got pneumonia."

"Ah, haha. That explains it." The baseball player's laugh was absolutely empty. What was it for, Hayato wanted to ask. Was Yamamoto distraught because Tsuna had run away...or because they truly hadn't had a conversation in five days?

Stop being queer. You're better than that fag. You have power over him, and that's how it always should have been. Not the other way around. You're mad at him. He's a douchebag, such a faggot and homos scare the crap out of you. Especially your own best friend.

"Gokudera?"

"Ah...ha?" The silver-haired teenager snapped out of his thoughts. From the corner of his eyes, the color of the hand gripping his phone was a sickening white. His ears were burning, and the surface of his cheeks radiated with heat.

"I said, 'Do you know when they're coming back'?"

"I—uh." Dammit. Green orbs looked around nervously as he tried to control the beating of his own heart. "Kozato has to go through surgery, too. I think they're planning to stay until he's positively better. The kid didn't look all that healthy when we saw him last week."

He could imagine it. Fortunately for him, G was one who never withheld gruesome information. Kozato most likely looked frailer; weaker. He was skin and bones as is, always looking to the ground. To be admitted to the hospital for pneumonia could have resulted in death.

"The poor kid..."

"Yeah." Then again, he was also a total moe douchebag who managed to have his way with Yamamoto and tried very hard to convince him that they belonged together. Hayato was torn between an annoying little voice in his head and a frail kid that looked like a corpse.

"Well, I'm gonna—"

"Wait!" He was trembling. Hayato put his hand to the ground just in time to see his hand shaking like the rest of his body. But he wanted it. Heat raised to his cheeks and he hunched his shoulders. God, when did he become such a pansy? Why was his voice wavering, and why couldn't he find it? "Do...do you want to come over?"

Yamamoto was silenced.

"It's not a date!" God, where was a beer when he needed one? On the other side of the room. Hayato could barely hear anything above the beating of his heart, and he wished to strangle it. "Just...come over. Bring some sushi."

"Uh, on a school night?"

"To hell with 'a school night!' You think I give two-shits?" At that, Hayato jumped to his feet and staggered toward his fridge. "Come over, you ball-less piece of—"

"Okay." The phone went dead. He fidgeted, eyes on the home screen. God, what did he just do?

Ten minutes later found Hayato pacing back and forth with a beer in hand ("Is it smart to be drinking when that idiot is coming over? ...b-bah to hell with it!"). All the possibilities showed themselves in his mind, and he was at a loss. What if Yamamoto was still mad at him? Normally the idiot caved a few minutes after their fight and they would have it Hayato's way. As far as the silver-haired teenager could tell, nothing was going his way this time.

Haru broke up with him, the Tenth was off somewhere in Shimon with his ex-brother-in-law and idol, and Yamamoto...Hayato bit his lip. Yamamoto was –

A knock brought him out of his thoughts. He hesitated for what seemed like an eternity. If he didn't answer, Yamamoto would walk way. He could have his apartment to himself, and so long as his guardian was elsewhere, he couldn't get in trouble for staying home.

But the thought of his best friend – his first friend when Bianchi and he moved to Namimori – made him want to die.

"Dammit," he muttered. The teenager gathered himself, fluster becoming a second nature to him as he came face-to-face with the tall idiot at his door. Brown eyes met his gaze, albeit guilty. Looking at Yamamoto was like getting the wind knocked out of him. Yamamoto was tall and lean. Every single little detail of his best friend came to mind; everything he learned since their meeting.

Yamamoto liked sushi. He liked milk. He loved the rain as much as Hayato had a fetish for storms, and a glimmer would appear in his eyes as he played baseball or danced with his swords. The last image mixed with the pit of Hayato's stomach, and he shivered.

"You're still mad at you, aren't you?" Yamamoto's voice was ridden with guilt. Fuck, he didn't even do anything! "I brought some sushi. And your favorite movies..."

Rush Hours 1, 2, and 3.

"You have got to be – " If Hayato was a hugger, he would have tackled Yamamoto to the ground and kissed him senseless. "I haven't even seen the third one yet!" Restraining himself from acting like an overexcited little kid, Hayato stood at the tips of his toes and gripped his best friend's wrist. "You have to put it in. If we don't put it in, it'll drive me crazy!"

And the way he was acting was totally uncool. Hayato froze, suddenly aware that he really was acting like an overexcited little kid. He'd always prided himself on his maturity and self-control, and to lose it in front of Yamamoto was absolutely embarrassing.

"We can watch it then." However, Yamamoto didn't laugh like he normally did. A chuckle didn't escape his lips, and he didn't praise the other teenager for being cute. Hayato curled his toes, grounding himself, and nodded. "Do you think you could help me with Reborn-sensei's homework?"

Yamamoto was guarding himself. He was preparing for every single one of Hayato's reactions – bad or good – and was being cautious to provoke him. Hayato's hands twitched as he realized he'd touched his best friend from excitement, and nodded slowly. "Yeah."

The opening previews went by with enthusiasm that each boy lacked. Hayato sat on his couch while Yamamoto sat near his coffee table, and they ate sushi in silence. Occasionally, Hayato would catch the taller teenager check his phone, but other than that he wouldn't look at him.

Finally halfway through, Yamamoto finished his sushi. He reached for his text book and turned around. Brown eyes met emerald green, cautious as ever. "Alright, so I think I sort of understand Reborn-sensei's work, but how do you convert revolutions into – "

"I'm sorry." The words escaped Hayato's lips before he had a chance to collect his thoughts. Despite the fact his face now glowed red, he was willing to admit that there was no regret. This had gone long enough, albeit even with his pride on the line. Yamamoto blinked, as if this was the first time Hayato was apologizing. Thinking back, there were very few times he had apologized.

"Gokudera – "

"Dammit, I'm sorry, okay?" The teenager hissed, eyes narrowed. His body shook yet again, and he looked to the floor. "I've...given you so much shit these past few months, and when I finally accept the fact that my best friend is a queer, I never really accepted it. I don't...want to lose your friendship."

"Gokudera..." Yamamoto paused, waiting for the teenager to finish. "...I'm sorry I fell in love with you."

Uh, that was bold. Hayato turned his head. He buried his head in the armrest, face heating up again. Why was his body reacting like this? "Do you regret telling me how you felt?"

"No." Don't look at his face. No matter what, don't look at his face, or the way his lips curl whenever he smiles. The mirth was apparent in Yamamoto's voice, almost wistful. Hayato thought back to the day where it happened; where all of it went wrong. Even then, Yamamoto held one of his smiles, but it was different. Loving. Protecting. "I think it's an honor."

"An honor, my ass." Hayato turned around, finally coming face-to-face with his best friend, and found him looking back. The teenager's heart ached, and the tenderness that passed through the taller's eyes was almost unbearable.

"Not very many people get to say they fell in love with their best friend." Yamamoto smiled dearly. "I get to. But because I fell in love with my best friend – a boy, who was most likely straight – there isn't much chance for me. Haha..."

It made Hayato guilty. Like, why the fuck can't I just be gay for him? He shoved the thought away and curled his fingers. "We could have avoided all of this if you didn't tell me."

"We could have," Yamamoto agreed. "But then for the rest of my life, I would be hiding who I really was from my best friend."

Oh. The silver-haired teenager closed his eyes. In the background, gunshots from Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan were well heard, mixed with shouted Chinese and English. Yamamoto thought of his well-being. He thought of everyone's well-being.

"I..." Hayato said, voice raspy. His thoughts were lost again. "Haru and I broke up."

The baseball player blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah—I'm going to get some beer." Why did he said that? Why would Yamamoto care? Hayato turned away from his best friend and inched toward the fridge without looking back. All he had was two of a six-pack of beer and milk, which he always kept just in case Yamamoto would be coming over.

Dammit, what was wrong with him?

He took a swig of beer, damning the toleration that kept him sober, and grabbed the carton. By the time he collected the rest of his thoughts, Yamamoto was asleep. Emerald orbs eyed his best friend, who indeed was slouching against the couch, eyes closed.

Worrying about Tsuna, most likely. Had there not been enough stress on Hayato's mind, he would have been as exhausted as Yamamoto was. Pneumonia was no joke, and it obviously was enough to mess with the brunet's mind if he ran away from home. Who knew he had the balls for it.

"Damn you, Yamamoto," Hayato muttered softly. Damn the idiot for making him feel like a dick. He fell to his knees and crawled the rest of the way to his best friend. Exhausted from school, baseball, and a friend that'd run away two days ago. And because his jackass of a best friend is a jackass.

In truth, Yamamoto looked exhausted. The scent of sushi was strong on him, even for Yamamoto. He just got off from work. Hayato curled his fingers, hand brushing hair away from the other teenager's face. Just like charcoal.

He looked like a little kid when he was asleep. And smiled, too. Good. It suited him.

Hayato tugged on a loose end of hair. He waited, breath heavy, and his heart fluttered when Yamamoto didn't move. His fingers played with the ends of the other's hair and...the shorter teenager caught his breath, slowly – tentatively – leaning forward as an act of God before their lips met.

The hothead kissed his best friend.

The warmth was riveting; slow and gentle. It lasted maybe five seconds at most, and heat stained his lips once Hayato released. Opening his eyes, the teenager found himself face-to-face with his best friend, who was still asleep.

Lucky bastard.

Reluctantly scooting away, green eyes examined the tall teenager from top to bottom. Only moments later, the smile he'd been resisting danced across his face. Hayato's heart fluttered. Now that wasn't bad, was it?

Not at all. Given a little time... Hayato nervously played with a loose string on his pants. "Someday...we'll figure this out."

Suddenly the shy grin left his face. Hayato screamed at the top of his lungs, apartment vibrating as Yamamoto woke from his slumber, alarmed.

"OH MY FUCKING GOD."

"G-Gokudera! What's wrong?"

Of all people, he was falling for Takeshi Yamamoto.

OoOoO

The week for Enma wasn't what he would have called typical, but it wasn't surprising, either. The past three years he had been very cautious. Adelheid and the others were growing restless, almost never letting him leave their sight, and he had been right. They wanted Big Brother's ring.

He'd given it to Tsuna for safekeeping because out of anyone, the brunet valued their friendship more than the price of some silly ring. Obviously, the redhead knew the consequences. He didn't expect to get kicked out of the house – or to fall sick. At first he'd lost his voice for some odd reason, and then pneumonia. His body burst with heat, but he ignored it.

Enma went to school, did his work, and found a new place to stay every day. Longchamp was somewhere out of the country (again) and he often found himself sleeping in piles of leaves or dirt. Caught up in the cold, it was no wonder he would have gotten sick. The old lady at his job pitied him, offering to take him up, but it was like every other adult in his life. I can't.

To Tsuna's own mother, even. He couldn't leave the Suzuki Residence, no matter how badly he wanted to. The more he worked, the easier it was forgetting how Zakuro-papa and Kikyo-mama were acting. Then one day Tsuna came by, snatching him up and it was like a dream.

It still felt like a dream. An odd dream, but not a bad one. So much had happened in the past two days after a long week of trials and struggles. As far as Enma knew, he'd been sick and retching, dragged to an abandoned subway station, then taken to the hospital. The clipboard at the foot of his bed read Enma Shimon, just like when he was admitted for Appendicitis years ago.

Tsuna came through for him. And...would be leaving soon.

Early morning wood was something easily fixed with a cold shower. Enma woke up the next day to find himself without the oxygen mask and breathing finely. His mind was fuzzy, wearing off from the medicine hours earlier when the nurse checked upon him. As far as he could tell, he had been picked and probed.

He shifted his legs, pink dancing across his face at the tension between his thighs and thought it better to get some sleep.

"You're awake." Or not.

The hair on the back on his neck stood high, and Enma felt thankful he was under three blankets. The pink of his cheeks soon bloomed red, and he peered up to the face that made him faint yesterday.

G's face was grim, eyes narrowed, and a fresh cast stood out on one of the adult's hands.

Enma fidgeted again in bed to sit up. He looked around, confused, and checked the clock. The morning was only a minute shy of 7:30AM. He looked around yet again, and pointed to the glass door. Visiting hours weren't until eight.

"I, uh." G grimaced. "I broke my hand punching someone in the face."

He blinked. There were many things the redhead had come to expect nowadays. Having G-san at his bedside telling him he punched someone in the face would not be one of them.

"We both came to the hospital – Tsuna and Giotto will be here in a bit. If he can drag Giotto out of bed, that is." G leaned forward onto Enma's bed, and the younger instinctively scooted away. Think boring thoughts, he told himself. "I came here to talk to you as...Enma Shimon."

Hard-on was gone. Enma curled his hands in his blankets and tilted his head with curiosity. He pointed to his mouth, opening it only slightly and mouthed, "I can't speak."

"That's fine. You sit, I'll speak." G smiled broadly; heavenly and strong to the point Enma could feel his heart racing. His head was still light and he lay back down promptly as the adult decided to tuck him in. "It's about your brother, Cozart."

They knew about Cozart?

"Strange, how everything works out." The adult's tone was funny. His eyes became faraway and distant, and seemed to have trouble reeling himself back in. "Cozart was a dear friend of mine and Giotto – but we met him after what happened."

What happened? Wh-What happened with big brother?

"We never knew he had a brother." G-san's eyes narrowed carefully, and his smile dropped to seriousness. "The Shimon has a cruel system that they've been following for centuries, and I'm sorry to say that you got wrapped up in it, Enma."

Oh. Enma shook his head. It's fine.

"You shouldn't have to endure this." The elder man sat back in his seat. "Especially with Cozart's death a few years ag—why are you looking at me like that?"

What?

Cozart's death? He...died? Wh-When did he die? How did that happen? Why didn't anyone tell him? Is that why Adelheid and the others were trying to get his ring, more than ever? Did they know about his death?

It took him a moment to realize he was furiously shaking. His entire body went into shock, eyes left wide, and warm wetness streaked down his face. W-Was he c-crying?

G stood up, obviously taken off guard. He must have expected him to already know. A broad hand touched the teenager's shoulder and tightly squeezed it, but the look on his face showed he wasn't sure of what to do. Tsuna rarely cried as is – and G didn't seem like the type who empathized well.

"Cozart was diagnosed with leukemia when he was twenty," muttered the adult steadily. "He died three years ago when he was twenty-two. I-I'm sorry, Enma, I thought...you knew...shit."

Enma jerked away. His mind went into shock. For years he had been thinking of his brother; of how Cozart promised one day he would come to pick him up, and he trusted his brother because of the ring. Th...the ring was a family heirloom, a-and Cozart didn't go anywhere without it. A-And – what was the point then, l-living? Zakuro-papa and Kikyo-mama still had custody over him, and... a-all these years, h-he could have...

He couldn't breathe. The scent of death was fresh to his nostrils, his late brother coming to mind again. Will you come back for me when I'm done playing with Tsuna?

Of course I will, Piccolino.

Piccolino. He hadn't been called that since he was four. Tsuna and his mother could have had custody of him all those years ago, or the old lady at his job, o-or...

"Breathe," G pleaded. "You're going to hyperventilate if you don't, and then you'll pass out. Enma – you're already at the hospital, don't – don't make it worse."

Through his haze, Enma could hear the door silently creak open. He looked up, gasping for air and he took note of Doctor Nowaki, who immediately dropped his professional demeanor and approached the other adult.

"Does something hurt?" The doctor's voice was gentle and concerning. Enma shook him off. He couldn't feel the world. "Sir, did you stress out Enma-san?"

"I – I didn't mean to – "

"Enma-san, it's alright." Doctor Nowaki put a hand on his back again, tenderly soothing the boy. "Look at me. Can you tell me what color my eyes are? Shh, shh. Tell me – what color are my eyes?"

"B..." Blue. His throat was still hoarse, and it hurt to speak. He gasped for air.

"Blue? Were you going to say blue?"

Enma nodded.

"Alright. Now what color is... "

"G," G-san quipped.

"Ah. What color are G-san's eyes, Enma-san?"

Enma found his breath slowing as he looked through his tears. Nowaki's smile was soft and tender, but also very worrying. He looked over to G, face red and swollen from tears, and managed to breath through his dizziness. "R-R..." Red.

"Red? Were you going to say red?"

He nodded again.

"What color is G-san's hair?"

The redhead took a good look at it, focus fighting his tears. His heart shriveled, and a headache took the place of his worry, but he finally got a good look. "P..." Pink.

"Pink?" Apparently that'd taken G-san off guard. The adult's face contorted, surprised, and he ran a hand through his hair. "You're the first person to call it pink."

To that thought, the teenager felt his face radiate with heat, this time from embarrassment rather than his own panic. Doctor Nowaki chuckled softly and ruffled a hand through tangled red hair. "Do you feel better?"

That he did. Enma's throat was hoarse, tears slowing in pace as they cascaded down his face. He caught his breath, lungs suddenly hollow, and ignorantly grabbed a hand to keep himself grounded before nodding.

"Why did you ask that?" G turned his attention away as Doctor Nowaki gave Enma a tissue box.

"He was going into shock. Patients such as Enma-san, whose breathing is weakened by pneumonia may end up fainting." The taller adult smiled gingerly as he concluded Enma was okay and turned his full attention to G. "But if you get them to focus on something else, it helps them through before they make their condition worse."

"I see." The redheaded adult nodded understandingly. "That makes sense."

Doctor Nowaki laughed softly and turned back to Enma with a sweet smile. "Alright. Now that you're fully awake, I guess it's time to tell you the game plan—"

"There he is!" The door burst open. Enma jumped, grip tightening over the hand he'd grabbed. He hugged it tightly like a young child just as Zakuro-papa appeared with Kikyo-mama on his trail.

Followed by Rauji, Koyo, and Adelheid.

"Father," Adelheid spoke first. "You should be in bed."

It was now that Enma realized he was gripping G's arm tightly – his casted arm – , but G showed no intention of letting him go. Doctor Nowaki, oblivious, frowned slightly. "Zakuro-san, as your daughter said, you should be in bed next door."

Enma looked up to his foster father, confused. It was then he realized that his foster parent's nose was in a cast just like G's arm. A bruised eye decorated his face, and gaps appeared where his front teeth would be. G, too, had a bruise here and there, but appeared fine.

"Give it a rest, dear." Kikyo-mama arched an eyebrow, obviously not amused.

You punched my father? Enma wanted to say. He would have, had it not been for his voice. Zakuro-papa looked furious.

On instinct, he yanked G's arm and the adult offered a sheepish shrug. "He had it coming."

"Ah!" Suddenly, Doctor Nowaki reappeared, clipboard in hand. A smile worked its way across his face, albeit tense, and he looked to Zakuro-papa and Kikyo-mama. "It shows that you are the immediate family of Enma-san. Now that you're all here, I'll tell you what the game plan is."

Zakuro-papa sneered, but like he did with all the adults in Enma's life, he repaired himself, appearing professional despite the fact he was dressed in a hospital gown and his permanent stubble. Kikyo-mama took control. "And that is?"

"Enma-san has a vocal cord nodule." Before Kikyo-mama or Zakuro-papa could put a word in, Doctor Nowaki continued. "He must have surgery to get it removed. Once we are sure that he is completely cured of the pneumonia, we'll begin the procedure. The estimated time would be in two or three days, depending on his health."

Zakuro-papa grimaced. "And if he doesn't get the surgery?"

"He will risk permanent damage to his vocal cords and become a Mute for the rest of his life." Doctor Nowaki nodded his head to Enma. The door crept open again, just as the tall adult continued his conversation. Tsuna and Giotto. The moment his best friend registered the situation, he paled. "Under your consent, the surgery will be – "

"Consent?'' Kikyo-mama was first to speak. "Who said anything about consent?"

"Why," Doctor Nowaki blinked. Giotto and Tsuna slipped away until they were next to G and Enma. "His guardian over there...G-san gave his consent."

"What's going on?" Giotto asked. G promptly ignored him. The grip on Enma's hand hadn't loosened, possibly having gotten tighter.

"G?" Kikyo-mama raised his head. "The man over there is not in custody of Enma. He has no legal attachment to him."

"I'm..." Certainly Doctor Nowaki looked confused. "I apologize. I simply assumed...he's been here since the doctors put the cast on his hand."

"Do you think we can afford a surgery for any of them right now, idjit?" Zakuro-papa arched an eyebrow, unamused. His voice came out nasally and almost inaudible, and it was obvious he was breathing through his mouth. "We have six other kids to feed – and are still paying back the bank for his appendicitis."

"Then we'll pay for it." Enma cocked his head to Giotto just as Giotto did, and the teenagers shared looks. Giotto offered a casual smile.

G squeezed the redhead's hand tenderly. "Vongola Inc. has enough money to pay for his stay in the hospital and his appendicitis."

By the simple name, both foster parents and their foster children gave matching sneers. Vongola was a poison to them. Enma ducked his head, and he felt Tsuna embrace him from the other side.

"You don't have legal custody of him," Kikyo-mama said simply. "We refuse."

"I will have legal custody of him." What? Enma cocked his head with confusion. "There's no reason for him to stay in Shimon, and we can nurture him. Doctor, obviously Enma has failed to get the nutrition he needs at his age. We can provide him with the necessities he needs."

"You're questioning my authority as a parent?" Kikyo-mama was not amused.

G scowled ferociously, eyes flickering like a typhoon. "I'm questioning your authority as a human being."

"Hot damn," Giotto muttered.

"I..." The poor doctor was caught in the middle. "Until this is the settled, the surgery cannot go underway..."

"We'll settle this in court." G was furious.

Kikyo-mama viciously glowered. His eyes narrowed, and Enma felt his heart beat quicken under his other foster father's gaze. "Enma? Do you really want this?"

"Please," Tsuna whispered in his ear. "Enma, please let G take care of you..."

His world was spinning. Wh-What was he to do? He could stay...with Kikyo-mama and Zakuro-papa, but with Big Brother gone, th-there was no one to wait for. He had nothing to come back to, or the hopes of seeing his biological parents ever again.

But G and Giotto-san knew his family. They knew everything about Cozart, and the look in G's eyes had been of tragic nostalgia. He...could go with them; have a new life. He could be with Tsuna.

"Y..." Yeah.

chapter nineteen has stories and coffee

As far as Giotto was concerned, G was acting as leader on his part. Fiery eyes scrutinized the frail little boy sitting in the middle of his hospital bed. With that he withheld a grimace – the thought of a smallkid in a hospital bed smelling like medicines the half-Italian couldn't even spell wasn't his idea of pleasant. He knew G as a man who took pride in what he did. His best friend tolerated very many things – when he didn't, he drank Budweiser, and found toleration for it – but knew when he had to stand up for himself. Giotto always declared that if G could put up with him until they died old, G could have his apartment.

(Usually after that, G would pale at the thought of growing old with Giotto's antics and drown himself at the nearest bar.) However –

"Don't you dare speak, or we'll make sure you never get that surgery." The one who looked like a tranny hissed. He glowered deeply, and Giotto found himself leaning closer to G; if not for protection, to protect his best friend.

Enma was moving in the bed. He suddenly looked three times smaller than originally, hospital gown managing to almost come undone and like the good brother he was, Tsuna soothed him, even if little Bite Size continued shaking in fear.

"Threatening him won't help you in court." G sneered and Giotto resisted the natural urge to smile. Alaude made a good lawyer.

"Enma," hissed the nasal-y one. "You little – "

"Sir," the doctor interrupted yet again. Giotto looked up, almost an instinct, and remembered how Doctor Nowaki had the air of Asari. "It isn't a smart idea to rouse the patient – especially while he is still recovering from a bad case of pneumonia."

Nasal would have said more, but Tranny stopped him. The green-haired one squeezed Nasal's bicep and smiled cleanly. For a second, Giotto felt a shiver run up his spine – thoughts of...him coming to mind. "We apologize for our behavior. Please excuse us."

"I'll fucking fax you the court date," G hissed. In return, Giotto did the same to G, firmly grabbing hold of his bicep before burying his face in the crook of his best friend's neck.

"Calm down, shut up," he muttered under his breath. The last time he'd seen G this angry...truly the last time, it was against Roberto. His best friend lost himself, but that was just it. G's anger made him think of their days as kids; how he was paranoid and convinced everyone was out to get him.

Tranny crinkled his nose. The look on his face showed, sick 'em, but the blond would have guessed that he wanted to keep his poise. Instead, Nasal held up a very special finger, and Giotto nearly wrung G's neck to keep the man at bay.

Nurses were now entering, obviously concerned with Nasal and his nose, but the greasy redhead simply looked to all of them – from Tsuna to Giotto, to G and Enma. "Don't go wild, forcing him to the ground and fu—"

It was where G lunged, Giotto restrained, Tsuna shouted, and Enma nearly lost grasp of the redheaded adult. A whimper escaped the ill teenager's mouth, and an instant before Hurricane Gaspare could terrorize the hospital, he relaxed. Doctor Nowaki, who had been torn between interrupting the conversation and kicking Nasal and Tranny out, immediately came his way, and G melted into the big softie he was, realizing that Enma's face was buried in his messy sleeve, once again cast in the light as a small child.

"E-Enma," Tsuna stammered softly. He pressed a hand to Enma's face, who looked positively pale and afraid. Giotto couldn't blame him. G wasn't exactly known for his moodswings, despite his charge. A rough cough escaped the redhead's lips, and immediately Tsuna was freaking out again. "A-Asthma? I-Is it asthma?"

Doctor Nowaki shook his head, quietly taking note of Giotto's best friend before shooing the poor redhead a foot away. In convenience, an oxygen mask appeared from under the bed, and Enma was quickly hooked up. For a better part before they realized what was going on, nurses yanked the trio out the door, leaving them only to see what was happening on the other side.

Enma was blocked by the doctor. Shit.

Tsuna pressed up against the glass, horror written across his face. His complexion paled until it was completely blue, and Giotto had a feeling he was on a verge of tears.

He'd never seen his brother cry. Not once – not even when he was on Tsuna's case for running away, when he looked positively devastated. The early morning came fluttering to mind, how Giotto had woken up and Tsuna was still asleep. Out of anyone with no doubt, his little brother had it worse. To see his brother sleeping, eyebrows in attempted slumber, he wasn't truly relaxed. Giotto's heart wrenched. He almost didn't wake Tsuna up, so he could get a well deserved rest.

Almost.

And he gravely wanted to talk to him about it, but G, too, was freaking out like there was no tomorrow. He remembered over dinner last night when they discussed plans about Enma – Tsuna's head perked once or twice although they were speaking too fast in different languages – and this was a new development.

"What was that back there?" Giotto wanted to make a joke. His entire body was filled with absolute zen ever since waking up that morning, and for once in the past few days, he hadn't felt hollow. "G – G, put your cigarettes down."

"I...yeah...sorry...Budweiser—shit." There was more than one thought going through his best friend's mind. Without another word, Giotto found himself digging into G's pocket, grabbing his pack of cigarettes and lighter. G flinched, but said nothing.

His brother was still at the window. It was a thick choice; what he had in mind. Giotto was sure that every ounce of sanity had vanished from Tsuna's mind days ago – maybe when he had to move from Enma in the first place. He debated, and finally, he decided to keep his speech Italian.

"I screw everything up with that kid, I don't – fuck," G hissed and ran a hand through his hair. At first he tried with his injured hand before realizing it was broken, then went for the other.

"You know I trust you with my life," muttered the blond, and he moved to guide G's hand from his hair. "But do you think you can handle that? You're my personal adviser-slash-vice president, taking care of the brother of your ex-wife, and you watch over Tsuna."

That perked the brunet's attention.

"I can – " I can try to get custody of Enma-kun.

He never got the chance to finish. G jerked away, obviously trying to relieve himself. Giotto rarely saw his best friend frustrated, and he was glad. Out of anyone, his best friend's fury was like hellfire raging storm and destroying the earth. He was an unstoppable tornado. "I don't want you to have that stress."

"Wife," Giotto said a little irritably, and maybe a little jokingly. The tension was becoming unbearable. "Why...why are you so riled up?"

Thankfully it appeared to be enough to stop G's almost-rampage. Ruby red orbs scanned the hospital corridors before eyes landed on Tsuna, who now peered up, innocent eyes directed to the pair of adults.

G switched to Italian. "You know I went for answers."

"Si."

"Roberto hired them to take care of him – and while I warned them that it wasn't a good idea, they laughed it off. They called him a bitch, and – and..." G grimaced, and a look appeared in the redhead's eyes that Giotto hadn't seen in years since Cozart. The Look.

At that moment Doctor Nowaki decided to reappear. He paused, eyes on the possessions in Giotto's hands, and the blond quickly shoved them back in G's pockets while the other let out a string of curses for being groped. The doctor struggled through his frown. "Are you a smoker, G-san?"

"Yes." Quickly G continued, "But I haven't smoked one since yesterday, and I'd never do it on hospital grounds – and I carry cologne with me to cover the scent."

Giotto resisted a smile. It had been a habit he assumed G got from his own father ever since his death. Few people had the tolerance he did, and because his body had more smolder than oxygen, he sometimes forgot. Fortunately, G was responsible – always carrying cologne to cloak the scent for potential business partners and a bottle of water (out of like, three hundred cans of beer) to sober up before going home.

"Will he be okay?" Tsuna had been asking that more times than needed lately. Out of instinct, the blond grabbed his brother, hand protectively on his waist.

"Enma-san will be fine, but as you know, he isn't in his best condition." Doctor Nowaki smiled reassuringly despite the horror that crossed Tsuna's face. Giotto waited for a second, and he felt as almost if he could feel his brother's heart throbbing in horror. "G-san – while you don't wreak of cigarettes, you can definitely smell it. Enma-san had been holding your sleeve for quite some time and inhaled deeply. With his trouble breathing and speaking, the scent was clogging up his airstream."

"Shit," G breathed. Giotto could hear it in his voice: Why can't I do anything right?

"It's only a little," Doctor Nowaki quickly assured. He put a rather large hand on G's shoulder. "But...if you truly, truly want to gain custody of him, then I suggest quitting smoking. At least temporarily."

The blond knew his best friend well. He knew that G couldn't handle a day's stress without his booze or cigarettes, no matter the responsible adult his shell proved him to be, and the choice had to be conflicting. A lifetime of stress-relievers, or a lifetime with someone who caused him stress.

Then his redhead's hand twitched, and Giotto buried his chin in Tsuna's hair. He'd been doing a lot of that lately.

"Your choice," Giotto whispered. "The munchkin or the smokes, G."

It wasn't really a choice. G reached in his back pocket before summoning both his lighter and pack of cigarettes before giving them to Doctor Nowaki. Giotto thought of asking him why he wouldn't just toss them in the trash – but it was obvious. Any idiot could come along (such as Nasal) and pick them up to either set the hospital on fire or promote lung cancer. Giotto wasn't a fan of either one.

"May we see him?" Tsuna's voice was quiet. His brother was as vulnerable as Enma nowadays. Oddly enough, Tsuna was the one squeezing Giotto's hand for support, and Giotto let him.

Doctor Nowaki nodded, quickly tucking both of G's possessions for later disposal. Tsuna sighed in relief, and for a moment, Giotto expected his kid brother to tear away and run to Enma's side to make sure he was okay. Instead the brunet took his first step, expression tight as he pulled away from Giotto's arms, and turned around.

Small fingers brushed long, blond bangs out of smoldering eyes, delicately tugging at loose strands of what Alaude always called "unnatural sex hair" before pushing them behind the half-Italian's ears. A sharp tingle ignited to the back of Giotto's spine, while Tsuna lackadaisically tilted his head. Caramel chocolate brown eyes contorted with concern.

"You alright?" His little brother's cheeks teemed pink. Since last night, Tsuna had been giving him odd looks, conflicted, and supposedly had a "bad dream" as soon as he exited the bathroom. While his brother was a little ditsy, he knew Tsuna wasn't stupid. Well, hoped. It was cute, how the brunet dubbed himself not only Enma's, but his protector.

He remembered waking up in the morning, rejuvenated and refreshed, and discovering his brother was a hugger. Not just a hugger, but a vice-gripper. Giotto waited because his brother was asleep, unsure of what to say with the brunet's face buried in his side and arms around his waist. The look on his brother's face appeared troubled, and he contemplated. Tsuna came to his bed on his own free will, lying, specifically so Giotto would let him stay. It was odd. But he didn't care – having his brother with him after being worried sick was all he needed to feel secure.

As Tsuna's eyes fluttered open, Giotto's shut closed, and he feigned sleep. He felt his brother pause, only half-awake, and then there was a twitch. Giotto guessed his brother hoped not to wake him, and the brunet scurried off, body giving off heat his old Easy Bake Oven would be jealous of. Nearly twenty minutes later, Giotto had fallen asleep again, only to be gently woken.

"Giotto," whispered the brunet softly. "Time to wake up."

After he was getting ready, the blond noticed his brother was having hard time looking him in the eye. Giotto flashed a smile on the way to the hospital and asked his brother if he slept well. Tsuna said yes, and immediately the teenager asked the same.

"Yeah," Giotto said now. He suppressed a smile, yet again feeling the wrong emotion at the wrong time. He nudged his brother slightly and gestured to the door. "Go tell the Red Munchkin I said 'hi.'"

Without missing a beat, the teenager rushed through the door. They watched in silence as Tsuna nearly tackled his best friend (he knew what that felt like) as Enma removed the mask.

"Sorry." Giotto snapped to G, who buried his good fist in his hair. Doctor Nowaki, too, looked at him in curiosity. "I didn't – creating a commotion like that – damn, what will Child Services say...about...his – fuck."

"You can tell he's a very calm man."

"Shut up, Giotto."

Giotto cracked a smile as Doctor Nowaki let out a small chuckle. The large man blocked the window, smile spread across his lips, but his eyes showed worry. "You certainly remind me of my lover, G-san."

He wanted to laugh a little. A look that most likely went unnoticed to the doctor, but G's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly. Is everyone gay? Just about, love. Instead of provoking the redhead further, he looked up to the doctor. "What are the chances, do you think, for G to gain custody of Enma?"

Doctor Nowaki held his lips at a straight line. "I can't tell you that – I'm not your attorney. From the two days I've known you compared to Zakuro-san and Kikyo-san, it doesn't say much."

"You've seen Enma more than once," G clarified.

The doctor smiled sadly and looked over his shoulder. "True, I haven't seen Tsuna-san since Enma-san needed to get his appendix removed. However, Nana-san would bring him here without her son on occasion. I did many of his check-ups, no questions asked because Nana-san, too, did not know anything but to take Enma-san to the hospital."

"Nana would have taken better care of him," Giotto said simply.

Doctor Nowaki nodded in agreement. "She tried very hard to get custody of him – begged her husband. He told her it wasn't the right time – one son to take care of because he was engrossed with work, and later they would have another child. She was almost approved to take care of him, but Zakuro-san and Kikyo-san – I don't know how – gathered dirt on her. Good dirt."

"Child custody isn't exactly that powerful in this country." Giotto turned to the redhead, who busied himself with his new brace(let.) "G, are you sure you want to go through with this? Can you handle it?"

"It's what Cozart would have wanted."

Yeah. Right. Giotto bit his lip, eyes fluttering closed for a second. It's what Cozart would have wanted; what Tsuna truly wanted, and what they definitely wanted. No child should have to go through cruel abuse – even if he did think they were spawn of the devil. "Do you want it?"

There was no hesitation. "Definitely."

A smile spread across the face of Doctor Nowaki, and he revealed a pamphlet from his pocket. "This will help you rid the scent of smoke on yourself and at your home. I recommend buying new clothes so he does not inhale the scent. Have you bathed since last night?"

"Er, no."

"Alright. Bathe before you come back, and I will sign a waiver allowing you temporary custody until the court date."

"I didn't ask for one."

"Would you rather I not?"

"No." Then G cracked a curt smile, broken hand shoved down his pockets as he looked to the window. Tsuna stopped his conversation, eyes peering to the pare of adults, and Giotto rested a hand on his best friend. "But thank you."

"He will have to stay in Shimon. He can't stray too far," Doctor Nowaki warned.

G looked conflicted yet again, then nodded. "Alright."

Tsuna appeared at the door, eyes bashful as they looked at the conversing adults. Giotto gave his brother a look in exchange for his own, and the brunet turned pink.

"Doctor Nowaki is going to sign a waiver so I may have temporary custody of Enma," G said. A sigh of relief escaped the teenager's lips, and Giotto cracked a smile. G grimaced. "Also gotta go clothes shopping and file a court date. Tsuna, do you want to come with me?"

Hesitation crossed the teenager's face before he slowly nodded. Tsuna looked up to his brother. "Will you...look after him?"

"There's a choice?" A small smile etched his brother's lips, and Giotto chuckled softly. He patted the boy on the head before turning back to G. Doctor Nowaki had excused himself, off to get what Giotto assumed was the waiver, and G raised a hand.

Giotto shut his eyes, hands tangling through red hair. He shifted, until his face was buried in the crook of his best friend's neck. It'd been a long morning, and he wasn't used to waking up early.

"Stai bene?" Are you okay?

"Si." Sorta. Not really. The second G mentioned his insecurities, Giotto could feel a struggle to keep the smile on his face. His fingers were trembling, and G pulled away, lightly pressing a kiss to his nose. As he did so, the blond resisted his instinct to whimper like a child. The kiss had been chaste, but it left him with a light headache.

G released his hands, expression as tight as it'd ever been, and looked to Tsuna with a soft smile. "Arrivederci, Giotto."

"Ciao." The other man softly squeezed Giotto's shoulder, and even then the blond felt the need to jerk way. He resisted, instead smiling at his best friend, then Tsuna, who followed after G like a stray cat.

Scarlet red orbs met Giotto's eyes as he turned his head. He offered a small smile as Enma hugged his knees and entered the room. "Se sei fluente in italiano?" Are you fluent in Italian?

It was one of the first questions he'd asked the redhead when they first met. He knew Enma was at crossing-point, where he knew more than a tourist, but less than a resident.

Enma hesitated before shaking his head.

Giotto grinned. "Carino." Cute.

Red danced across the teenager's cheeks, and it was obvious he was bothered by something. The blond grabbed hold of a chair before perching himself at the side of Little Bite-Size's bed. Fiery eyes wandered for a moment, and a chill ran down Giotto's spine. The room felt empty; almost lifeless without the pair.

As he checked on the munchkin, he found scarlet eyes carefully watching him.

"What?"

The redhead's face contorted, eyebrows furrowed dreamily and he lay back down.

"Are you alright?" In truth, Giotto had never taken care of a sick person. The closest he came was Lampo, and (thank God) the kid was now twenty.

The look his brother's friend gave him seemed bothered. Giotto looked at the tiny teenager, and knew he wasn't stupid. "Fra..." Enma cringed, and the blond knew Little Bite-Size's voice wasn't supposed to be in that octave. "Fra...tell..."

"Fratello. Brother." Giotto clasped a hand over the redhead's mouth, treating him almost as he did G when the other was bothered. Enma held his throat delicately before slowly nodding. "Do you want me to tell you about your brother?"

Enma nodded.

"In Italiano or Japanese?"

The redhead's lips twitched into a slight frown before holding two fingers up. Giotto assumed he meant the latter, and he processed all thoughts of Cozart. As the memories became more consistent, he could feel them slap his heart. Making out. Skinnydipping. Exchanging Valentines. Skinnydipping. Making love. Skinnydipping. "I met Cozart when we were fifteen."

He watched as Enma counted the years, then continued.

"He's the one who turned me gay."Giotto waited for the teenager's reaction, and was surprised when the redhead simply shrugged. Obviously, Giotto thought with nostalgic humor, Cozart was a charmer even before they met. "He...never told me he had a brother. But I also assumed that he didn't."

Little Bite-Size bloomed red, but Giotto had a feeling it wasn't from embarrassment. Just like his brother, Enma wasn't stupid.

"Enma...do you know the customs and traditions?" Enma shook his head. So Giotto explained. The teenager was silent (though, he couldn't speak anyway), and the blond made sure he didn't leave out any details – from Shimon's traditions, to dukes and landlords, Roberto, and anything else he could think of. Until, finally: "You're the heir to the Shimon Fortune, Enma. Above your sister, technically."

But did disowning count? Each family had a different way of dealing with things. Once Giotto mentioned sister, Enma's eyes widened, eyebrows raising beneath his hairline. By now Giotto knew Enma learned the death of his brother. To find out about the existence of his sister on the same day as the death of his brother was a lot to take in.

"Mariana-Emilia Gabriella Shimon. Mariana-Emilia. Ma and Mi – Mami." At the name, Enma's face twisted, and Giotto already knew why. "Roberto Cozart Gabriel Shimon II – " Enma yanked the IV with him until he reached the clipboard hanging at the end of the bed. He trembled slightly before handing it to the adult to read. "— Emilio Mariano Nathaniel Shimon – Cozart came up with your name, didn't he?"

It was one of the things Cozart and he shared – going by their middle names. Giotto understood now, why the munchkin was in his right of mind when he paled. They took names from both brothers, and obviously kept the youngest in mind. Oh, Roberto. What was he up to?

Kozato. Cozart. Duh.

The heading was just as Giotto had seen – Emilio Mariano Nathaniel "Enma Kozato" Shimon. His name had never been changed, which meant that some day – maybe now, actually – Roberto planned to use Enma.

"Your sister is five years old," Giotto whispered softly. He narrowed his eyes before setting the clipboard down. The poor redhead was lost in his own little world, eyebrows furrowed, and obviously unsure of what to do. The blind smiled softly and squeezed the poor boy's ankle. "She's very sweet."

Enma shivered. He buried his face in his arms, and Giotto heard the same word again in a different sense. "Onii-san." Big Brother.

He grimaced, voice sounding like broken glass to his ears. It hurt listening to, and Giotto had no doubt it was uncomfortable for Enma to speak. He continued squeezing Enma's ankle, eyes slowly fluttering close. They were different and so much the same.

Cozart had been so optimistic, and his laugh made him easily stand out of a crowd. Enma wanted to blend in and make sure no one noticed him. Cozart hid himself under his hat, and Enma his Band-Aides.

"We met when we were fifteen," Giotto started again. A reminiscent smile spread across his lips and he leaned back in his seat. "And Cozart was the one who turned me gay. There was something about him that made him irresistible – whether it was his charm or his love of nature – he was a hippie, you could say. So in tune with the earth."

"You won't speak to me, but you'll make out with a squirrel?" He remembered as a teenager, asking. The new kid in class was quiet. Roberto Shimon – that was his name. It wasn't his calmness or his serenity that attracted the blond teenager to the nature-loving hat-kid. Gaspare had gone off to do something of his own that day, and Giotto decided to pester him.

Pester the shit out of Roberto Shimon, until that kid was willing to speak. Roberto looked up, and the blond remembered being unable to breathe. The look in his dashing, maroon eyes, or his hair in such a rusty color that it was almost unearthly. He liked women at the time – or thought he did, before that kid flashed a shy, reserved smile.

"It was stuck in between the teeth of a cat."

He – "Oh." It was a divine accent. Think Marisol, Giotto remembered. Marisol, Marisol, Mari-girlfriend-sol. "Roberto – "

"Cozart," and the redhead grimaced. It was the same grimace Giotto often had when someone other than Gaspare referred to him as Ieyatsu. "Please, Giotto. Call me Cozart."

When Roberto Cozart Gabriel Shimon II flashed him a delicate smile, Giotto knew he had been – he'd been grounded. Taken from his little world of superiority to another man, and – Marisol? Who was that?

"I don't think I've touched a woman after Cozart." Giotto chuckled lightly as Enma turned pink again and lowered his gaze. "G didn't like him, to begin with."

The look crossing scarlet eyes showed he was outrageously offended.

"He warmed up – he had to. Cozart was my best friend, and I've cried on more than one occasion about his death – birthday, reunion, anniversary or not." And he wasn't ashamed of it. The blond looked to the face of his late best friend and once-lover's brother, and the thought lingered crept through his head – why do they have to look so much alike? Did Enma look exactly like his brother, once he was stripped of those bandages?

Not entirely. Totally.

"In our later years," Giotto continued, and he shut his eyes. "When Cozart was diagnosed with leukemia, G and I wouldn't leave his side. Through occasions, we took care of Mami because she liked seeing her older brother. G loved her dearly like a sister. Like a daughter, almost."

G had always been good with kids. Giotto would never let that fact slip away.

"G has always been very protective of me. He was originally the son of our chauffeur, and we became best friends." His face fell grim again, reminded of what had happened no less than an hour ago in the hallway. Cozart and G meant the world to him. "There were a few times – rough times – where there was sexual tension. Mostly on my side."

Enma's lips fell to a frown. Ah. The blond couldn't help but smile, and tested the waters.

"We've had sex a total of three times since we've known each other. But," Giotto continued before the redhead could burst a vessel, "we've never actually been in love."

Red orbs looked at him reluctantly, and the blazing Italian gazed back. It took maybe one, two seconds before Enma's cheeks turn pink, and the redhead shrunk in his misery.

"You're jealous." Enma shook his head. "You little midget, you're jealous. Is our intimacy any different from yours and Tsuna's? At all? Do you have feelings for him?"

Hilariously enough, the teenager obviously froze. He debated this, and Giotto did his best to keep a serious demeanor. Not a second too soon, red darkened the teenager's face until he was the color of his hair, and he buried himself under shaggy bangs. Giotto chuckled.

"Carino."

No one ever understood. Giotto and G may have had sex, but Cozart and G made love.

Despite how well Giotto was certain he'd shown G the pleasurable side of liking men, the blond knew well his best friend would not have divorced Bianchi those three years ago – the three years before Cozart died – over gay sex. Giotto made G enjoy gay sex, but Cozart Shimon made Gaspare Tempesta fall in love.

OoOoO

"What's wrong with him?"

G watched the brunet as they moved around the mall. Tsuna had been silent through the entire trip in the taxi, and he'd grown worried. Of course, he thought with a tired chuckle, Tsuna had an odd tendency to run his mouth and suddenly think everything he said would offend someone. Because he hadn't specified who "him" was, the redhead was left confused.

"I think you know what's wrong with Enma-kun," chided the adult. It wasn't a secret how tired he sounded – three hours in a hospital room where he insisted his fist was fine – even if he did break someone's nose from a simple punch – and another few spent contemplating Enma's situation.

If possible, large brown eyes grew wider, and the teenager fumbled with his fingers as he looked at the rest of his Chinese food. "Do you...really want to adopt him?"

"Well, maybe not adopt." That was a step was one he would have to discuss with Enma. Adoption would have been a big step for the both of them, calling Enma his son. Enma was old enough to...to be his ex-brother-in-law. The expression on Tsuna's face melted into turmoil, and G assumed he didn't know the difference between adoption and guardianship. "I'll have legal guardianship over him, if court passes this decision. The same way I manage Hayato-kun's wellbeing and Giotto manages yours."

"Oh." With that, relief fluttered through the kid's mind.

To reassure him, G continued. "I've got to speak to Asari about having a new room mate – he complains that we don't spend enough tome with one another." Damn musician. He resisted the urge to smile. Asari Ugetsu would know exactly how to soothe Enma, even if he couldn't.

"The one that looks like Yamamoto?"

Uh. Well, the redhead blinked, suddenly taken off guard, "Uh, yeah. I guess they do look a little bit alike, don't they? Takeshi has been getting lessons from him since before I even met him. Through him I met Hayato, and through Hayato, I...well, you can guess from there. I married his sister."

"Wh-Why did you guys divorce?"

The redhead pondered the kid's question, lips hesitant to contort into a small, sad smile. Many reasons. "I, uh – "

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Tsuna's eyes widened comically, like he had suddenly set off a bomb. "I-It's private, and – "

"Nah, it's fine. I normally tell anyone who asks we divorced because her cooking was terrible." G crinkled his nose, and the lingering scent of hazardous cooking engulfed his senses. He shivered, face paling. "That was part of it. She and I are still good friends, but..."

"But...?" The teenager apparently wouldn't leave it be.

He could tell the full story; what had happened. Or he could change the subject, like he he did when Tsuna became concerned with Shimon's status. Now he knew that was for a good reason. "We divorced three years ago, and three years ago Cozart died. At the time and during his chemo, Giotto and I never left his side – but the responsibilities of a newlywed got to me."

"Then..." His eyebrows furrowed. "Why does Gokudera-kun's family let you take care of him?"

"Hayato and his family have never gotten along." It was similar to how Tsuna was raised. "His parents payed very little attention to him, unless he was attending a piano recital. Hayato has a natural gift for piano. But because he was so young, Bianchi was worried he'd never have friends his age, and they moved here to stay with a close family friend, Doctor Shamal."

The color on the brunet's face disappeared. G arched an eyebrow, concerned, but decided to leave it be. The corner of his lips curved into a sheepish smile, thoughts fluttering back to Hayato and Bianchi. Most little siblings were overprotective and wary if they felt threatened. Hayato wanted Bianchi to be muzzled and enthusiastically told G on more than one occasion that he was willing to ship Bianchi to his house via UPS Ground.

"When we divorced, Hayato was devastated. Bianchi wanted to travel the world and learn more about food now that she wasn't caged to – well, me – and Hayato didn't want to leave Takeshi." God, he wished they would just jump each other and get it over with. "It was the least I could do, taking Hayato under my wing. I wasn't going to stop her pursuing her dream." And if she actually learned to cook out of it, then they were all saved.

"Do you...regret divorcing her?"

G smiled. "I regret not being a better husband. But no. She's constantly pursuing Reborn, and I'm busy taking care of you, Hayato, and – " G crinkled his nose. " – Giotto."

"Ah."

"Any other questions? How did I react when Giotto came out?" He ran to a confused Cozart about it. "Do I ever plan on having children?" Giotto was more of a child than he could handle. "Why have of my face is covered in a big ass tattoo?"

"Why is Giotto afraid of Daemon Spade?"

Oh damn. The grin across the redhead's face dropped. Red orbs raised to the little boy – young man – sitting parallel to his form, and Tsuna simply showed he wouldn't leave this one be. "Who...told you about Daemon?"

"Giotto." Tsuna lowered his gaze, hands playing with the napkin in front of him. His voice dropped a pitch or two, and he rested his head in his hands. In an essence, G thought wryly as twenty-thousand excuses surfed through his mind, the pair of brothers never looked so much alike. "Will you please tell me?"

He didn't want to. It wasn't G's to tell, and he strictly told of Giotto's business life to most people in four simple words – He can do anything. However, G thought, eyes scanning the form of his best friend's brother, Tsuna wasn't most people. The brunet had come awfully far in the past few months, and it was a good thing. Giotto was learning how to trust someone other than those who had been around for years.

So before he knew it, the redhead was explaining in every crisp detail that came to mind about the jackass. "Spade was Giotto's first homosexual relationship." Without prediction, he knew the teenager was blushing. "Giotto inherited the company when he was nineteen, and still had to endure his studies. The man's admirable – he loves his job. Daemon is thirty. He had more experience than Giotto, and insisted on helping him."

G grimaced.

"Giotto was...incredibly attracted to Daemon. They fell in love, and I'd never seen Giotto so head-over-heels. Neither Cozart nor I liked it. Oh, we definitely didn't like it. But he trusted Daemon. Then, Shimon – "

"Daemon Spade sold off information about the Shimon Company?" G arched an eyebrow as Tsuna darkened and shrank in his seat. "H...he told me."

"Daemon is a manipulative cretin who worked for different companies to do different things before he started his own – Vendice. Giotto and he had been planning it, and once Daemon betrayed Giotto, they didn't speak after that. Giotto told Cozart everything first thing, and although troubled, Cozart forgave him. When Cozart forgives, he doesn't take it back." G's lips twitched slightly before his eyes fell closed. "However, Giotto didn't let it affect him. He lived his life in the name of Vongola for months, and didn't look back. But I...I should have noticed."

Tsuna's eyebrows furrowed. "Noticed what?"

"When Giotto started losing his sanity." A bitter smile loosely spread across calm lips, and G grasped his chopsticks. Why? Why couldn't he have noticed it – why did he actually listen when Giotto brusquely told him to shrug it off? "It was the first man – maybe first anything – who he ever fell in love with. Daemon made himself out to be the perfect boyfriend, fitting every one of Giotto's wants and desires. I was jealous. Cozart was jealous. And we didn't notice.

"They were in a fucking relationship for two-and-a-half fucking years, and even thought about possibly getting married one day – adoption, too, even if Giotto thinks kids are spawned from the devil. But it was all one-sided. There wasn't even a little bit of sympathy or love when Daemon left him, and it was a punch in the stomach to Giotto, who always has to be in control. For once, he wasn't in control because he let a client get too close.

"All of their touches – their sex life. Fake. Giotto lost himself for months, feeling so exposed to the world, having some guy touch him under orders for almost three years, because he thought he knew Daemon." G buried a hand in his eyes and felt the tension built. "'How would you feel,' he said to me when I tried calming him down, 'if you were swept off your feet, and each touch, each ache where you thought you were making love – you were just being molested and groped and violated?' He tried to play it off at first, saying it messed with the business – and it did. His personal business.

"It's a lot like how Giotto is right now. Alaude vowed to track Daemon down for Giotto, but the man always goes under different aliases. He throws off Alaude's tracks completely. Giotto doesn't like anyone touching him; it makes him nervous. You see how he acts, Tsuna." G curled his good hand into a fist. "Giotto grew up with the mindset that he has to be in control of the situation. He has to know that he'll be safe – anyone's got to know. Daemon messed with his mind."

That was it, as far as G knew. He disliked reliving the details – of finding Giotto in a corner of his room or under his desk, trembling and incoherent with tears streaming down his face. He wouldn't look G or Cozart in the eye, pride far too wounded and feeling incompetent. Daemon fucked people up in the head.

Tsuna's face wasn't one G'd ever seen before. Chocolate caramel eyes, devastated and positively disturbed. He never trembled the way he did, and his eyes were never as large as they now were. Tsuna was at a loss, and G remembered more than one occasion when he was in the kid's position.

"We never told Celeste. Dino, however, flew in as soon as he heard his little brother was injured." It was probably what G needed to do now, but he couldn't get a hold of him. Contacting Dino proved to be troublesome. "He talked to him; made sure Giotto was okay. After that he had to leave, and Giotto was left to rationalize his own thoughts."

He would have continued talking. G wished he could; say anything else so he wouldn't have to see Tsuna's face, the way it contorted. He wouldn't have had to watch the look of joy disappear from Tsuna's face.

"O...Oh."

He wouldn't have had to destroy another person's view of the reputation Giotto tried so hard to earn.

OoOoO

Enma had fallen asleep.

Giotto found himself spending time explaining the full extent of his relationship with Cozart. There was without a doubt sexual tension between the both of them, and they dated on occasion, but in the end after Big Bite-Size fully turned him gay, it was just too weird. Dating Cozart, falling in love with Cozart – none of it seemed right.

Stories ranged from finding puppies to making out in the back of the car while Gaspare drove. Giotto decided to leave out skinnydipping – or for that matter, when anything below the belt was taken off (excluding socks.) On more than one occasion, Enma would harden, lips pressed together tightly as his thoughts wandered elsewhere, and Giotto noticed.

"There were a lot of times where when I left him alone, I would catch him staring into space," Giotto told him. And it'd been true. Same as the scarlet-eyed munchkin, Cozart's thoughts always fluttered elsewhere, and the blond never knew what to do. Cozart hadn't told anyone; not even G.

Once or twice, Little Bite-Size's lips would twist into a sweet smile, before fading again. Giotto hoped he could keep the teenager entertained. There were times Enma would perk, but Giotto made it clear he didn't want the redhead to strain his voice. He wished otherwise, so they could talk.

So he could find out more about Tsuna.

After speaking of Cozart, Giotto brought up many of G's good qualities. The teenager turned redder than his hair, and Giotto convinced himself Enma fell asleep due to "heavy blood loss in the second-head area."

After leaving Little Bite-Size alone to get coffee, a wave of nostalgia shrouded his heart. It'd been too long. He missed Cozart – missed his scent, his laughter, his smile, his love of nature – Giotto missed all of it.

It was a wonder how he didn't recognize the baby face of his once-lover under those bandages; the slight hesitation that came with Cozart's speech. Admittedly, Enma was mildly bolder. When comfortable, the teenager's stares could drill holes in a person.

Giotto missed Cozart. Dearly.

"Note to self," muttered the blond once he stood before the coffee machine. "Go to Sicily once this is over with."

A curse left his mouth as he dropped the lid between his fingers. G had to file a court date, they had to buy new clothes and necessities for Enma once he left the hospital, and still manage the business. If he couldn't keep a damn coffee lid at bay, was there any hope for him?

Overly dramatic, much? Giotto rolled his eyes.

"Whoopsie daisies." There was an icy chill that associated itself with that certain voice. Giotto remained hover over his lid, frozen, and a hand found itself in the back pocket of Giotto's suit.

His mind went wild, internal alarm screaming just like his external, and long, slender fingers picked up what he'd dropped.

"You dropped this, il mio amore."

No. No, fuck – no –

"Did I say it right? Hmm, Giotto?"

Broad arms wrapped around his waist, and the adult trembled. Two and a half years of touches came back to mind, and the entire world looked like it was shaking. No. H-He couldn't...not...n-not right now, h-he couldn't –

"Il mio amore?" Daemon's lips brushed against the shell of Giotto's ear, voice serpentine to Giotto's ears. "You're not afraid, are you?"

chapter twenty has fevers and penthouses.

"Nufufu~ Nothing, il mio amore?"

Funny. Years ago a voice so smooth like the sound of a purring feline made Giotto's skin crawl with delight. It had the ability to sedate and make his blood rush all the same, cause red to swell in his cheeks, and make his heart beat twenty times its regular beat.

Giotto felt paralyzed. Blood dropped from his head, quickly numbing the rest of him, and the warmth in his cheeks eerily collapsed into a ghostly white. His heart throbbed, desperately hiding itself under layers of weary tissue and fearful muscles. Heartbreak was a gruesome wound, and to this day he was still unsure if five years apart allowed his heart to heal.

"You know I'm a good British man." Blond hairs rose, icily frozen in place as the malicious voice of his ex-lover slithered through his veins. The thick British accent huskily raised Daemon's vowels as he spoke in his native tongue. "Oh, you wound me, Giotto. Here I thought after a five year reunion, you would fling yourself around me and – "

"Let." Was that his voice? It simply sounded like fuzz to his ears. "Go of me."

There it was: that laugh again. He loved it – could fall into the melody like Jell-O and the broad embrace of his once-lover. It was like sandpaper rubbing against his ear drums. "I can't do that, Giotto. My love."

Love. Love, love, love, love. How could a feeling so sweet shred his aorta and leave his heart fending by a measly vein?

At that instant, the blond turned around. Rage filled his blood, and immediately the fear washed into utter hatred. A scowl destroyed his shell, and vehemence blazed in fiery eyes. "What right do you have; to call me that? After our fuck session, when you waved my best friend's fucking files in my fucking face and say that's all you wanted?"

Daemon didn't answer. The same charming, manipulative grin curled his lips. It took a moment to register in Giotto's mind that Daemon was hiding behind coke-bottle glasses. His stature loosened, quickly realizing although it was the same voice that ruled his aching heart, Daemon was still up to his silly games.

Glasses so thick you wouldn't know his eyes were the rich blue from trenches of the sea. He fashioned a goatee the same color as his eyes, but his hair was left stuffed under a large white fedora. A bright yellow shirt, black blazer, and neon red belt adorned the rest of him, and it was the kind of fashion-don't Giotto would never allow himself to be caught dead with.

Was it not for that stupid voice, he wouldn't have realized it was Daemon. He could have gone his merry way; pretending or truly not knowing the identity of the man in the hallway if it wasn't for that fucking voice.

After all these years he could still pick out his once-favorite lunatic from a crowd.

"I can see you're still mad at me." Well duh— "Alright. Since we're both here, we might as well go to his room now, right?"

'His'? Who was 'he'?

Before he had the chance to ask his question, Daemon grabbed him by the arm and pulled Giotto down the hall. They followed familiar steps and corners before coming to a stop at Enma's room. All the while, the burn of long bony fingers clasped tightly around his wrist made the fact go unnoticed. His flesh hissed in distaste, and he stumbled into the cretin as Daemon yanked him inside and dropped him in a chair.

"What are you doing?" Giotto stood immediately, but the look flashed his way caused him to fall right back into his seat. He sat obediently like a small pet waiting for its master, and hated it.

"What does it look like I'm doing, love? I'm checking on my responsibilities." As Giotto processed the small sliver of information, he silent not just from fear, but also confusion. Daemon's lips contorted into a blissful grin as Giotto watched like a newborn kitten. The odd cretin ran a hand through Enma's hair, and the air in Giotto's lungs vanished.

"What," he breathed light-headedly, "what…responsibilities?"

"Nufufu. Emilio, of course." Emilio. Emilio, Emilio, Emilio – Giotto was just speaking to Enma about his status as an heir a few hours ago. What did Daemon know about Emilio. "Oh, love. You're still one of the slowest people I know, I can see."

Giotto snapped out of his gaze, eyes narrowing as the internal instinct to protect Enma came to mind – until, however, he really looked at what Daemon was doing.

The man he once loved ran his hands through "Emilio's" hair, fingers digging into soft curls, and the look was one of pride. "We shared many qualities, but your stupidity isn't one of them. That one goes hand-in-hand with all three of your brothers. Emotional attachments, however, seem to be a weakness of both of ours."

Emotional – ?

"I loved you. Still do, I suppose. But emotion is not a weakness I can afford to show in my personas. Iemitsu counts on me to keep this case in order."

His father? What did his father have to do with any of this? With… Giotto scowled. With Daemon?

"Don't get mad at your father," Daemon hummed irritatingly. "I've been working for the bloke for years now. Before I even met you. Emilio has been my case since I was fourteen and you were eleven, love."

"Wh…what?"

Daemon sighed dramatically and Giotto took the stupid time to remember before focusing on business and the thrill of gambling, his once-lover was a Theatre Arts major. "You know for a fact, don't you? You told me – after you found out your father was having an affair with Nana, and they birthed Tsunayoshi, he was never around?"

"He was never around for Tsuna, either," Giotto said defensively. He mentally slapped himself – in what way was he defending his brother?

"Of course. Emilio is overall my case. Iemitsu is in charge of child services, and the Shimon family became his client." Daemon pulled away, smooth smile separating his cheeks, and locked eyes to Giotto. Giotto looked away. "Most of the time, Emilio was my client. On occasion, he would visit Nana and Tsunayoshi – thus ending with the birth of Lambo." Ugh, the sheep child. "The Shimon Family requested we kept it private, and so we did."

"Then why get all of that information? Why steal the data I had of them and destroy their company name?"

"That was almost always the plan. Getting involved with you was the easiest way to get to Cozart and get all the data from Shimon. Without that money, Cozart's destiny to die was set in stone, and years later, while they're still in debt and being the loyal brother he was, Emilio remains in possession of the ring." Daemon smirked triumphantly. "Nufufu. In the years to come, the Shimon Family will be forced to reacknowledge their shame."

It was a talent Daemon had that left the rest of the world speechless. Really. The information took his mind by storm, and he wasn't sure what was easiest to process: You…stole that information to kill my best friend? You used it to benefit Enma?

"You used me to get to my best friend," Giotto whispered softy. Fiery eyes diminished, falling to the ground defeated.

"Yes. But you proved to be a challenge, love." Daemon's fingers found their way wrapped around golden blond hair and cupped the half-Italian's face. Giotto's eyes flickered miserably, and Daemon slid the glasses off his face. "I never expected to fall in love with you. In fact – my mission was Cozart. But you, with your tight arse and the way you eye things possessively. It was riveting. I fell for you."

"But…?" Ocean blue eyes as deep and mysterious as the sea. A long nose and absolutely perfect teeth, and an idiot who made a stupid suit look absolutely gorgeous. Stop it, Giotto shivered. Stop.

"But I've always put business before pleasure. You know that. You were a good fuck, love, however, my sights are set on the business world. Stock management. Gambling. Dirty deeds Coppers wouldn't begin to imagine." Daemon flashed a grin, and had not Giotto paid attention to his speech, he would have missed the quick kiss upon his lips. "Vindice is going well, as you know. Expect a visit from Iemitsu soon to discuss child custody."

"You're leaving?"

"Always am, dearest. Nufufu." A peck of the lips was placed upon Giotto's head, and while Giotto realized what just happened, Daemon left.

The room was left empty with only a slumbering Enma and a bemused Giotto. He fell back into his seat, the soft beating of Little Bitesize's heart monitor filling his ears, and remained in that position until the hospital door crept open.

"Giotto?" Whose's voice…? G's. "Are you alright?"

He was still out of it. A small hand touched his shoulder, and while first instinct would be to jerk away in fear, he couldn't. The warmth of another body only seemed soothing, and the look in chocolate brown orbs almost made his fear melt. Almost.

"You alright?" How many times had Tsuna asked that in the past day? The brunet's hands found their way to Giotto's, and the look of worry never passed.

Giotto looked to G, who too was giving him a nervous look on the other side of the room.

"Yeah." Giotto's lips struggled into a small, defeated smile. "It's nothing."

He was too busy lost in his thoughts of Daemon to realize he was still speaking English.

OoOoO

The court date was set for two and a half weeks later. Until then, Enma would continue school and go through the surgery for his voice, but overall, G was his temporary guardian. Because the news was progress and Tsuna couldn't miss any more days of school himself, they left late afternoon the next day after spending the entire morning with Enma.

Giotto stood parallel to the ticket booth where G stared at him, concerned, and leaned into Tsuna. He placed a hand on the brunet's shoulder, and immediately his brother snapped out of his thoughts, shaken by a weak touch to his flesh. Tsuna looked up, conflicted between leaving and staying.

He chuckled softly. When did his kid brother appoint himself as Giotto's protector?

That was…G's job. At the impression of his best friend's fingers on his shoulder, Giotto's grip on Tsuna's shoulder tightened.

"I don't want to leave you alone."

"Suddenly willing to commit?" Giotto teased weakly.

"Only if it would put a smile on your face."

Said smile dropped from the blond's lips. Giotto's grip loosened, and he stepped forward to hug G. Immediately his face was buried in the crook of his best friend's shoulder, and only the faintest scent of cigarettes appeared under G's scent of pomegranate gelato.

"You can be my wife, my best friend, and my brother." Giotto wrapped his fingers in the cloth of G's striped dress shirt. "But you can't be my caretaker forever, G."

G smiled halfheartedly. "Someone's gotta be."

"That someone isn't you. Take care of Bite Size, alright?" Giotto pulled away, and the comforting warmth reduced to a tiny grip G had on his arm.

G turned to Tsuna, who slightly twitched. "Take care of this nuisance."

The look in his brother's eyes was different than they had been the past couple of days. Giotto cradled G's forearm steadily, eyes watching the brunet's brow wrinkle. His lips fell to a contemplative small opening, the urge to say something tickling his tongue, and his shoulders drooped. Then apparently coming to a revelation, Tsuna raised his head again and said softly, "Will do."

"C'mere, kid." A half-smile etched G's cheek, and he yanked the teenager until they were hugging. Giotto watched, attention never leaving the embrace as he felt his heart tremble. G, the miracle worker, was once again taking all the world's stress upon his shoulders and making it his responsibility – including taking care of his brother.

G wasn't going to be around when they got home. Giotto would have to put aside his troubles and take care of an obedient, troubled teen that could run away again at any given time. The thought alone made his nerves twitch with anxiety. How would he be able to handle that?

"Giotto?" Tsuna tugged on his sleeve.

"Huh? Oh, right." Giotto pulled his hand away from G and smiled against G's look of concern.

"Maybe I should – "

"See you in two weeks." He pecked G's cheek, suddenly feeling like a doting housewife, and delicately tangled his fingers with Tsuna's.

Suddenly, G snorted. "You're not gonna welcome me with a good fuck again, are you?"

"Mm. Only if you need it." The blond laughed softly as his brother looked mortified before tugging them toward the train. "It's here. Now seriously – we gotta get going."

After the last of goodbyes, they finally made it to the train. A look of awe passed across Tsuna's face as they entered the suite on the caboose, and – "Whoa!" – under an iron clinch, the adult was quickly pulled to the large window showing the train station.

"For a little guy, you've got one heck of a grip," murmured the adult. G stood far on the other side of the window, unable to see through the tint, but he appeared deep in thought. Once the high-pitched whistle echoed up front, the caboose jerked.

Still, the teenager said no word and didn't relieve his brother's hand.

Giotto watched patiently for a reaction from the brunet. Nothing. Tsuna pressed his forehead to clean glass and curled his fingers.

"Enma's going to be in good hands, you know."

"I-I know…" Tsuna hunched his shoulders and shriveled onto the small seat as they sped through the city. "I know he'll be fine. I-I guess…it's just weird."

"Weird, how? You knew Cozart; we knew Cozart?" And you also knew my ex?

Caramel-chocolate brown orbs shyly looked up, orbs memorizing Giotto's form as pink spread across his cheeks. "The last time I was on a train to Namimori, I-I was dreading coming to live with you. But now that we're together the way we are…I'm…I'm really glad that you're my brother."

Oh. Giotto blinked, taken off guard, and felt himself turn red. When was the last time Tsuna actually called him that? …never. That alone was enough to sweep him off his feet for the next decade as Tsuna looked away, embarrassed. Silence fell upon them.

"Um." The blond ran a hand through his hair. "You can let go of my hand now."

"Oh." The brunet's eyes widened in amusing horror before releasing his death grip. Red replaced the pink dusting his cheeks and he wiped his sweaty palm onto the denim of his pant leg. "A-Are you going to use the bed?"

"We can both sleep in it. It'll be a long ride, little brother."

"R…Right."

As they climbed into bed on opposite sides, Giotto shed of his blazer and unbuttoned his dress shirt before tucking himself under the comforter. Like the past few days, he waited until he was settled, and Tsuna fell into a system of curling around the blond, face flushed in his left arm and becoming Giotto's personal heater. Slumber hit Giotto like a wildfire, and it hadn't occurred to him how insanely exhausted he felt.

"Sweet dreams."

As he closed his eyes, Giotto felt himself fall into the bliss only his brother could conjure.

OoOoO

Another train ride later found Giotto and Tsuna at dusk once they entered the neighboring city to Namimori. Few familiar faces registered in Giotto's mind as he dragged his groggy brother off the train and toward the taxi that'd been waiting five minutes for them. Thrice his brother stumbled into him, and Giotto nearly toppled over from the surprising weight.

"S'rry," Tsuna murmured once. The look of worry was gone from his eyes, and both hands clutched Giotto's left arm. He had given his younger brother a look of concern and simply shrugged.

"It's fine."

Finally they reached the taxi, and Giotto nearly threw his dazed brother into the back before crawling in himself. Tsuna barely registered the collision of his head against the glass door, and Giotto cringed. "Tsuna, what's wrong?"

"I'mmfine," Tsuna mumbled quietly.

"Liar."

"Seems to me the kid's got a fever."

Giotto cocked his head to the taxi driver as he shut the door and showed him the address. He didn't expect a "her," or for "her" to look half Tsuna's height with an odd shade of blue hair. Come to think of it, didn't he push them into a hot pink mini-cooper with crappy man-eating Blue Bell flowers painted onto the exterior? Oy vey.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, his face his red, he has absolutely no coordination skills, and his speech is icky." Icky. His taxi driver just said "icky." She stuck her tongue out at him and harrumphed. "Even I know that, you loser."

"Uh." She was definitely not who he talked to on the phone. "How do you reduce a fever?"

She laughed. A high, obnoxious laugh that rung with a 'holier-than-your-mom' arrogance that shook Giotto's ears as he readjusted the brunet until his head rested on the blond's lap. He grimaced, eyes falling to the petite girl, and wished G trusted him enough to drive his Maserati Spyder. Was it really his fault that he was a little rusty from not driving for a week? "That's rich! So freaking rich! Well, Alex Pettyfer, your beau definitely ain't going to school tomorrow. He's gotta rest. Give him some Tylenol and Ibuprofen and he should be good. Hopefully. If you're competent enough. Which I highly doubt."

Giotto opened his mouth to speak, but was rendered speechless. (And quite frankly, he was a little reluctant to speak to a girl he doubted could even reach the gas pedal.)

What was he going to do if Tsuna was sick? Immediately he reached for his cell phone to call G, but the girl made him feel inadequate. He…was inadequate, if he couldn't take care of his brother, and it was ten at night. G…well, the typical G would have bought a six pack of beer and have some male bonding with Hayato-kun. G now was probably finding a temporary living space to hold both Enma and he, and Giotto wasn't sure what was more important. Fever. He had sicknesses before, but it was often counteracted with whatever nanny Celeste could find.

Or, he thought as he shifted Tsuna's head between his legs, when Iemitsu was still around to take care of him. He hadn't had his father's full attention since he was six and Dino was nine. A pang of discomfort made it hard for him to dwell on their father. However…was there any other choice than to ask G?

He couldn't. He wouldn't. It'd only been half a day with his brother and obviously he found a way to screw up already.

An overly warm hand tugged on his dress shirt and Tsuna caught his attention. Caramel brown eyes watched his gaze lackadaisically, and the brunet's lips formed a tightly-knit straight line. "You alright?"

Giotto cracked a pitiful smile. "Are you?"

"Mm. 'been better. Why's'world spinning…?" It was enough to provoke a chuckle from the blond's lips. He had an odd flashback to his brother and his DW Pills. Well. Putting him on heavy medication may not be a horrible thing. It simply meant his shy, cute little brother would be replaced with a sassy, cute little brother.

"Almost there," Giotto murmured soothingly. He brushed away brown hair, the back of his hand resting idly on his brother's forehead, and bit back his grimace. Tsuna had been shivering in his sleep since the first train ride. Was he too relaxed to notice?

Only a few minutes later, they arrived at the tall building only blocks away from Vongola Inc. He tipped the driver (though had an odd flashback of Nasal when she, too, flipped a special finger before rushing away) and pulled Tsuna onto his back. Worry bubbled in the blonde's stomach, and he wished he was torn between laughing at the teenager's delusional state of mind or making a house call to Doctor Shamal.

Instead he was incredibly nervous, mind jumping around from subject-to-subject as he tapped the "up" button of the elevator with his foot. The pressure lifted from his neck as Tsuna lifted his head, and immediately Giotto felt his body stiffen. Warm lips moistened the shell of his ear and the wetness alone was enough to send a shock down to his groin. Giotto shifted uncomfortably.

"Wh-Where are we?" Tsuna shivered and sniffled. "I-I…th-thought…"

"Asari and Knuckle moved all of our stuff to the new apartment while we were with Enma. You get to sleep in your own bed for the night, little brother."

"Oh." Tsuna squinted, and he buried the side of his head into a blond hedge. "Cool."

Giotto entered the elevator, readjusted to suit Tsuna's height, and clicked the very top button for their penthouse. Somewhere through, his little brother dozed off, comfortably asleep, and he made a mental note to look at what his brother really had. The brunet's head remained perched at the crook of his neck, and he struggled for the new set of keys to unlock the door.

That was another thing, realized the blond. He needed to give Tsuna a house key since they were at a new house. Cold wind suddenly hit Giotto where the teenager had lifted his head, and he flicked the light skillfully with his foot.

Wow.

Arching an eyebrow, Giotto looked to the new set of furniture he'd ordered not too long ago, including his third new couch in the past three month. He rolled his eyes. Giotto could see it now – "Vongola Inc.! Suddenly in debt for serious money because he kept buying new couches for his brother? !"

Shouichi hadn't let him down by the looks of it. Looking around, Giotto could see the trio apparently took the liberty to stuff his kitchen (since both Tsuna and he were both incompetent when it came to cooking) with a mixture of breads and pastas in his pantry. The TV hung firmly on the sole stairway leading to both of their rooms, and the orange furniture accented the light yellow color everything else seemed to be. Pictures hung from corner-to-corner, and had they not been his own, Giotto would have felt like a guest in his own home.

He trudged up the stairs, Tsuna still on his back, and entered the room Tsuna dubbed as his favorite. A dresser and a mirror made a difference to the brunet's "room" before, along with the bed placed on the wall opposite of the window – c'oz, you know. The Little Brother's afraid of heights. He smiled humorously and shrugged his brother onto the mattress. Tsuna curled into his new pillow, and a soft, euphoric moan escaped his lips.

It certainly was not helping an appendage he hadn't touched in nearly a week and a half now. Giotto was fortunate it was too dark to see, and chuckled softly as his brother hugged the pillow like a teddy bear. At least some part of him wasn't freaking out about how to bring Tsuna's fever down.

Speaking of which. "Your clothes should be in the dresser. Get changed into something comfy and I'll see what medicines we have."

A noise left Tsuna's lips, and Giotto assumed that meant, "Okay."

He flipped the lamp on his brother's nightstand before exiting the door – after all, as cute as his brother could be, he was also a world-renown clutz. That being said, Giotto pulled out his phone, lips pulling into a distressed frown as he looked through the numbers on his phone. Ah.

"Hello?"

"Knuckle. Tsuna and I just got back from Shimon, but he's running a fever. Do you think you can come by and look at him?"

"Hmmm. At your old apartment, most definitely. At your new one, it would take me a while. What're his symptoms?"

"Uh." Giotto peered into the room again, slowly scrutinizing his brother as Tsuna pathetically searched for the button on his jeans. Brown eyes slowly peered up, barely able to process his surroundings before looking directly at his brother. Or, the blond thought with a shiver, straight through him. Tsuna sniffled. "He's got a runny nose."

"That could just be allergies. Find a thermometer and take his temperature, then take careful care of him. If he's got a fever, give him Ibuprofen or Tylenol. I'll come by early tomorrow morning and check on him for you."

"Right." Tsuna picked at the tail of his shirt, apparently finding something incredibly interesting about it as he raised it above his naval. The brunet huffed, eyes falling to his belly button, and poked it with curiosity. If Giotto ever summoned the courage, he would have to call Nana and ask how she dealt with her son's…quirks. "Tomorrow."

"Oh. And Giotto?"

"Yes, Knuckle?" He felt like a little kid stressfully trying to get rid of his mother.

"Don't panic."

Giotto's lips twitched. Whether it was a smile or a frown, he was unsure, but decided to keep to himself. Instead he murmured a tired goodbye and tucked the phone in his back pocket. Thermometer. The last time he'd fallen sick was a year ago with a cold. G and Knuckle took care of him, and he quickly returned to his feet the next day. Running a hand through his hair, the blond lamented a sigh and searched all the cabinets for medicine. A newly sealed thermometer rested on the top shelf, and he climbed over the edge to reach it.

The door crept open once he returned, and Tsuna's face lit up with the LED light of his TV.

"What are you doing?"

"Watching Katekyo Hitman Rebirth."

"Put this in your mouth."

"Okay."

If Tsuna was useless when he was sober, he was as competent as a dummy-puppet on a ventriloquist's lap. He sat there, wobbling back and forth in nothing but a pair of cow print boxers as the kid on TV shouted obnoxiously, "TO THE MAXIMUM!"

A minute later, Giotto relieved the brunet of the thermometer and carefully examined it. 102°F. That wasn't good.

"I'm cold," whispered Tsuna. "And you're blocking the TV."

"No, you're pretty hot." Giotto steadily walked out of the room and ran through all he remembered about taking care of a fever. Not much. G was always in the office, never had the flu, and his friends were always old enough to take care of themselves. Tsuna could have been the same, but the way he was excessively poking his belly button made Giotto think otherwise.

So instead, the blond searched through new, polished cabinets for whatever medicine his friends provided for him and bit his tongue when he found Advil. Did Advil relief fevers? They relieved colds, according to the label. And runny noses. But couldn't a fever occur with any sickness? L-Like cancer, or…c-could he have caught Enma's pneumonia? Why didn't he show signs earlier? Didn't they meet each other on Saturday? Fran took care of it, didn't he? Then…omigod –

"I'm so useless right now," Giotto grumbled. His hand shook as he struggled with the cap. For a moment, he debated taking all the bottles of medication sitting in his cabinets and feeding his brother all of them before remembering he wanted to cure his brother, not give him a drug overdose.

So when he found the bright red bottle of Tylenol, the blond nearly wet himself in relief. He quickly reached for it along with a bottle of water from the fridge and almost tripped over the carpet going back to Tsuna's room. The teenager hadn't moved, apparently transfixed with the credits.

"Still cold?" Normally Tsuna jumped out of his skin when startled. He was too clouded to realize Giotto had entered the room.

The brunet nodded slowly. "A little."

Finally the younger brother returned under the comforter, remote in hand as Giotto stood on his knees near the nightstand. "You're definitely not going to school tomorrow. A friend of mine's coming over tomorrow to take care of you. Do you remember Knuckle?"

Tsuna squinted. "The one that shouts, 'To the extreme,' all the time?"

Surely he had been watching way too much Rebirth. Giotto sighed softly and unbuttoned the cuffs of his dress shirt. He pulled the sleeves to his elbows. "Sure. Do you need anything? Chicken soup? Tissues?"

"I-I'm a little hungry…"

"Alright." Come to think of it, he doubted they had basic necessities anyway. So they'll stuff my fridge when all I eat is Captain Crunch, but they won't buy me tissues? "I'll have to run to the store. Take your medicine and behave."

"Okay."

Running a hand through his hair, Giotto resisted the urge to sigh. What happened to Giotto Vongola, the CEO of his family business that all other companies were jealous of? The face that charmed everyone and made him riches?

"Giotto?"

"Tsuna?"

"'Love you…g'night."

O-Oh….um. "G…Good night."

Fiery eyes blinked in surprise as he faltered on his first step toward the door. Giotto nearly stubbed his toe as he hit the wall, and red quickly overshadowed most of his features. Oh, God.

Giotto Vongola, the CEO of Vongola Incorporated that all other companies were jealous of, did not – would not blush. He glared into the rear-view mirror of his Ferrari as he ran over what appeared to be a floatee for the pool downstairs. Giotto Vongola did not blush.

Ieyatsu Giotto Vongola, the older brother who was becoming more and more tightly wrapped around his kid brother's finger, however, turned the brightest hue of red with whatever mumbo-jumbo escaped the lips of Tsuna Sawada.

OoOoO

He was probably up three hours the night before making sure Tsuna was okay before forcibly collapsing into bed next to his brother. Those three hours included constant checkups on his temperature, two bowls of burnt chicken noodle soup (three spilled because they were hot when Giotto touched them), keeping Tsuna from repeatedly poking his belly button, immediately running to his brother's aid when he heard a cough, and a refill on a box of tissues, which now decorated the brunet's floor like confetti. Granted after dressing his brother in a pair of silk pajamas, the brunet kept unbuttoning them so he could continue the strange fetish with his naval.

Finally his brain stopped processing and with a vibrant bounce, the blond wound up in bed with his younger brother.

What most people found out within the first ten minutes of meeting one Giotto Vongola was he was very rarely a morning person. Some claimed his driving was not up to par (however, Giotto always quickly dismissed those slanderous lies), but sleeping was a luxury the blond absolutely loved. If one was curious where to find the half-Italian businessman, they would find luck in his bed.

Which was probably the first place Knuckle checked when he came into the house unannounced. The second place was Tsuna's bed, and Giotto was brought to an unceremonious awakening as the duvet was pulled away from his face.

"Oh, Lord!"

Lord. Yup, sounded like the religious oaf if Giotto'd ever heard him. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, blearily squinting in the sun's light as he processed what was happening. Certainly his brother was warm enough for the both of them, but his backside was now suffering from a lack of heat, and he had the right mind to murder "Father Knuckle."

Suddenly his brother's fever came to mind again, and the blond rolled out of bed, exhaustion forgotten as Knuckle supported his stumbling form. "Is he alright?"

"Hm." Knuckle rubbed his chin thoughtfully, eyes falling to the brunet, who was still peacefully asleep. "Did you give him Tylenol?"

"Yeah. Like you told me to." Realizing he was in contact with one of his other close friends, the adult quickly tore away, nervously shifting yet again, and made sure there was at least a foot of a gap between them.

"Still a little jittery?" Knuckle flashed a calmly sympathetic smile, but kept his gaze on Tsuna. Giotto nodded hesitantly, and clutched his wrist to stop its shaking. After that, the happy Spanish man reached for the thermometer and quietly shook his brother awake.

The teenager slowly stirred, but from the looks of it was still subdued by Ibuprofen, Tylenol, or Advil. Somewhere during the night, Giotto had a feeling he gave up on separating the bottles and simply picked up what he could find first.

"You bright and awake, son?" Son. G called his brother 'kid,' and Knuckle was calling Tsuna 'son.' He drew the line at Asari calling the rascal "grasshopper."

"Where's my brother?" Tsuna's voice grated Giotto's ears weakly. He cringed at the sight of his brother, whose face was swollen from fever and nose dripping with mucus (ick) as he sat up like a spoiled child deeply unsatisfied with the turn of events.

"He's right there, son." Knuckle chuckled softly before beckoning Giotto to come forth. The blond ran a hand through his hair, and just like he'd done earlier, Knuckle grimaced once he put a hand on the teenager's forehead.

Tsuna whimpered. "I'm cold."

"I think God and I both agree that you're very hot, Tsuna." Knuckle cracked a coy, comforting grin and pushed sweaty bangs out of the teenager's face. "Does your head hurt?" Tsuna nodded. "Hm, runny nose, headache…I'm pretty sure he only has a minor case of the flu. His color looks okay. Have you been feeding him, Giotto?"

"Duh," Giotto mumbled, which came out more bratty than intended. He felt disgusting.

"A little exhausted from your first time handling the flu, I see," Knuckle teased. He pulled away from the teenager, small smile spreading across his lips, and jotted something down on a sticky note. "This is a prescription. Give it to the local pharmacist and…he'll have to be out of school for today and tomorrow."

"So for the rest of the week?"

"Just about." Knuckle nodded while Tsuna, giving up to understand what was happening, decided to go back to sleep. "Is there anything else you wanna talk about?"

The look on the priest's face made Giotto arch an eyebrow. He relinquished, slowly wilting to the bed, and looked up to Knuckle once again.

"Is there anything you want to talk about?" Knuckle nodded like an eager puppy wagging its tail. "Let's…go outside. Tsuna, take your medicine, okay?"

Another noise left the teenager's lips, and Giotto gestured toward the door. Once it closed, Giotto took a better look of his apartment in the sunlight and sighed. He got to know it very well tripping in the dark to dote on his brother. Alaude sat on his couch, currently enveloped with his laptop, and Knuckle held his head high proudly.

"You really got him to come?" He knew the pair rarely ever got along. Knuckle's achievement was indeed a rare feat.

On cue, his silver-haired partner raised his head, icy blue eyes warming behind their cool façade. Giotto bit back a smile – it was one of the reasons why he adored the man's presence. He – "You saw Daemon."

The almost-smile dropped. Alaude's knack for deductive reasoning overpowered his problem of keeping his mouth shut. When the blond opened his mouth to confirm Alaude's claim, Knuckle was second to interrupt him. "WHAT? YOU SAW MISTER DAEMON SPADE? DIDN'T YOU GO TO SHIMON TO FIND TSUNA? WASN'T THAT THE GOAL? WASN'T MUKURO THE ONLY ONE WHO – "

Alaude glared. Knuckle shut up.

Immediately the priest's face turned pink and he sheepishly smiled. "Sorry. You know I'm easily excited."

"So?" The Frenchman turned his attention back to Giotto, ultimately ignoring Father Knuckle, and crossed his arms.

"So what?" Smoldering eyes fell to the ground and fingers curling into the pockets of Giotto's trousers. So he pushed it to the back of his mind so Tsuna became his first priority? So Tsuna may have become first priority so he didn't have to think about Daemon? So thinking about Daemon led to what Daemon had said…and quite possibly erased the past five years Giotto had thought of him of a sick man?

No. Daemon was and would always be a sick man for his atrocious fetishes, but he was also one who had a strong place in his heart.

"Does G know?" Knuckle's voice softened to a gentle tenor. He placed a hand on Giotto's shoulder, but the man jerked it away and shook his head. "Are you going to tell him?"

Giotto shrugged. Everything after Daemon revolved around Tsuna and Enma, and telling G would simply put more stress on the redhead's shoulder. G didn't deserve it. However, G was going to kill him if he ever found out. Which really meant Giotto was going to take their meeting to the grave.

"He's going to find out."

"Not if one of us keeps our mouths shut, you oaf."

"Hah? Alaude, I thought you could keep a secret!"

"Of course I can, Father. I don't have time for this."

The blond rolled his eyes. Predictably, Knuckle lost his image of a calm, "fatherly" priest, and pouted. "You're never going to change, are you?"

Alaude snorted, and that was the end of it. Giotto looked between the both of them as the Spanish man sighed exasperatedly to his partner-in-crime. "Knuckle, leave."

"But I – !"

"He'll call. Leave."

Again, Knuckle harrumphed, and the shortest adult watched the pair with a soft chuckle. Getting Knuckle and Alaude in the same room was close to impossible, but when they were, they were near inseparable. With another concerned look directed Giotto's way, the blond nodded in reassurance. Knuckle saluted goodbye, and was out the door grumbling under his breath. They waited in silence until hearing the obnoxious ding of the elevator, before Giotto dragged himself into the kitchen.

"So what happened?" Alaude, never one to beat around the bush.

"I don't really want to talk about it," Giotto murmured pensively. He ventured for the fridge and produced cereal meant for one.

"Why not?" Contrary to what was heard, Alaude's questions were always orders rather than curiosity.

"I don't want to." Tsuna. Focus all thoughts on Tsuna. "Look, I should probably make breakfast for – "

"Giotto." The tips of Alaude's pale hand could be seen from the corner of Giotto's eyes. The Frenchman's tone melted into true concern – another rare happening. Great; his closest friends all had a key to his new apartment, Knuckle and Alaude were once again their hilarious comedy duo, and his icy cold loner of a fuck buddy was now being tender even though he was rough in bed. "Please tell me what he did to you – "

"He did nothing." Which was true. "Held me by the hand, said he loved me, and left. That's it." Satisfied? He was ready to hiss, irked beyond belief, and knocked the bowl of cereal off the counter in the process. "Shit."

Miserable and frustrated, he fell to his knees as his heart bled over the thought of his old…lover. They were lovers. Daemon valued him as a lover, even if his priorities scored him lower than his work. How often did he do that with Alaude? All the freaking time.

Daemon's eyes were an intoxicating blue. So were Alaude's, and the way his partner fell to the floor with him made his brain go haywire. The Frenchman gathered what Giotto could not, towel grouping fruit loops to later throw away after absorbing all the milk. "Look at me."

Giotto did what he was told in fear. No longer was the demeanor across the white-haired adult's face of a professional detective, but a truly worried lover who was obviously scared for his significant other. Blond meshed with snowy white, and he resisted all urge to recoil.

"I don't want to be away from you."

"You and G and Asari never give me a break." Giotto turned his head. He hated feeling weak. It wasn't the foundation he built his image upon. "Wanna fuck?"

"Not right now."

"Alright." Who was he kidding? Being touched just like this made him nervous. "G's going to ask for your help soon. Use your authority in law enforcement to make sure we win this case." Win Enma. Win Tsuna's happiness. "'kay?"

"As you say, Boss." The mask of Alaude's profession reappeared and he pulled away.

"Got to get going?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Call in sick for Tsuna."

A curt nod sent his way assured Alaude would do that much. He had a feeling he'd get a visit later that day, too, from the looks of it. Giotto gathered the soggy cereal once the door shut. G would most likely call, then Asari would check up on him, play some genius melody constructed only two minutes before, and they would all try to cheer him up.

Jeez. Why couldn't all his friends just meet him all at once? One-by-one simply drove him crazy.

Giving up, Giotto made one last check that the wooden floor was clean and dug for the paper Knuckle'd given him earlier. The clock only read 9:31AM. It was…way too early for him to be up. Did anyone respect the godliness of slumber? He opened a can of chicken noodle soup, again stepping down to life, and set it on the stove. Hopefully this time it wouldn't burn and stain the floor. Again.

Peering into Tsuna's room, he found the boy was still asleep. Exhaustion crept upon him like a shadow, and Giotto staggered toward the bed before crawling in next to his brother. Overbearing heat desperately begged his body to shed of clothes, but the blond did otherwise.

Funny. All he had to do was embrace his brother to feel the teeniest bit calmer, and then everything seemed okay. The scent of medicines and sweltering sweat filled Giotto's nose as he inhaled his sick brother, and like a light the blond was out.

Giotto woke hours later when the weight on the bed shifted. His body was in a sweaty haze, and heat still radiated from the comforter that'd been pulled over his shoulders. A sound like shaking tic-tacs sobered his senses, and he wearily looked at his watch. Three hours past noon. The door opened, revealing a flushed, medicated Tsuna, and the boy returned to the bed wide-awake like he'd never had a fever.

"Why," Tsuna grumbled, voice three octaves deeper, "do I feel like I've twisted my ankle all over again?"

"Dunno. You might wanna get that checked. Put some pants on." Of course the brunet liked to sleep in his boxers. Giotto would have smiled if it wasn't the second time that day he was being abruptly woken. "How are you feeling?"

Tsuna didn't answer. Instead he looked around, body wavering like a drunkard until his legs reached the bed. "Where's G?"

"In Shimon with Enma."

"Oh yeah. Forgot. …am I in your bed, or are you in my bed?"

"You have a fever," Giotto mused. Tsuna stuck his butt up in the air as he reached for his pants on the floor and crawled beside his brother. "I've never really dealt with a sick person."

The teenager snorted. "'Dealt.' That's certainly a way to put it."

"Uh. Right." An awkward silence swept the room, and Giotto watched as the brunet look around like they were abducted by aliens and forced to share a bed. Technically the redheaded aliens shooed them off, and while they weren't forced to share a bed, the blond found sleeping with his brother to be more than delightful.

"We both need showers, don't we?"

"Quite a bit." Giotto laughed and waited while Tsuna glared at empty space. He shut his eyes, softly sighing as he decided to sit up across from his brother. How disheveled was he, anyway?

"Giotto."

"Yeah – ?" Tsuna kissed him.

The brunet pressed his lips against his brother's – hard –into an almost bruising kiss. By the time Giotto realized what was happening, the brunet drooped forward, nose diving into his older brother's shoulder.

"You," Tsuna murmured feverishly, "are the prettiest person I have ever known."

R-Right. Y-Yeah. Um. Er. Wh-Why couldn't he get past the fact his brother just laid a wet one on him?

"By the way," murmured the teenager as he buried his face in his pillow, "the chicken noodle soup is burning outside."

Oh thank god, an escape. Giotto scurried off the bed, suddenly feeling as cowardly as Tsuna often projected, and couldn't get out of the room soon enough.

His brother…kissed him.

HIS BROTHER KISSED HIM.

B-But he was medicated. Medicated Tsuna couldn't remember anything after five minutes, r-right? Giotto certainly h-hoped so. And Tsuna was sick. He…w-wouldn't remember it. …Right? And, Giotto thought a little more rationally, one of the reasons why Alaude was his lover now was because he dazedly dragged the older man to bed and had his way with him. Tsuna w-was…well, half related to him. And Tsuna had weak tolerance to just about anything. E-Everything, really. So the kiss was just an accident.

Right. A sigh of relief escaped Giotto's lips. As far as he was concerned, his brother most likely wouldn't remember that kiss.

He grabbed the oven mitts (a gift from God the blond realized only the fourth time he cooked chicken noodle soup) and poured it into a bowl.

Only. Giotto froze again.

The reason why he kissed Alaude in the first place was because he'd always felt an attraction to him. W-Was it p-possible..th-that…Tsuna felt – ?

The doorbell rung. A loud curse escaped the blond's lips as boiling hot soup nailed him in the toe, and he quickly rushed to the door to yell at his next problem of the – "Dino?"

There he stood, Giotto's clumsy older brother who had more bruises than the US had states; hair like the Sun God and dorky smile and what appeared to be a caged animal. "So I hear my cute little brother had some boy troubles again? Where's my adorable little otouto? I have a birthday present for him!"

Birthday present? The blond opened his mouth to speak. He never had a chance.

Once Dino tripped over the welcome mat, the caged, adorable little kitten was released. Blood now stained Giotto's new, polished floors, and apparently no one took the liberty of telling him all hell was breaking loose.