Chapter 26

(December 11th, 1982 - Sunday afternoon)

There have been more times than he can count on where Tsuna is actually glad for the Spartan training Reborn put him through. All those times have occurred after he appeared in his life with gunshots and explosions, true. But, and he won't ever admit this out loud, he's found out that there's something in running without feeling one cough away from puking his guts out that makes him honestly content. Most likely is because is in those innocent moments he realizes how far he's come from that no-good student everyone bullied. Just running with steady breathing, heart barely speeding from its usual tune. It makes a smile slip on his lips, makes him believe one day in the future he'll look back at the problems he's going through and recall all he gained from it, the stronger he got because of it.

And if there's really nothing to gain from the experience, well, at least the pain will be nothing but a faint memory.

He needs that now. Needs to remember that in a couple of months' time he'll be playfully whining about how fate hates him to his friends and how it seemed to decide which days to fuck him over more than usual. Even if he doesn't seem able to do it now.

Gritting his teeth, he slowly lowers his pace as he reaches a park and focuses on his breathing, the beating of his heart, and the painful sensation of his frozen face, all while trying to ignore the prickling sensation in his eyes. After all, it really isn't surprising that Giorgio-san fired him. He's young, without a legal guardian or enough documents. He knows it and has known it from the start.

Why does it hurt so much then?

The whole shady people suddenly increasing and then decreasing in numbers has made the police twitchy. Considering how from what he's heard and seen, Italy's trying to forget the attacks that happened the previous decade which caused many deaths, it's all understandable. While they call it terrorism, no one has discarded the Mafia yet.

Besides, having an employee not contracted legally is a quick way to be sent to prison. He should be glad Giorgio-san only considered the option because he couldn't hide it anymore. He should also be glad his job in the hotel is safe from this because he works behind curtains. And it's shady on its own, too. Luxurious and very well-known, but shady nonetheless. He can continue working there and his boss keeps avoiding paying the extra tax that comes from having one more worker. It's a win-win situation if one doesn't care about the law.

He really should be glad he at least had one job left.

… It still hurts.

The apologetic, sad smile on the usual stern face should have been enough of a hint for what was going to happen. His Intuition rung too, but that's something that's been happening all day and he didn't think and he should have, instead of standing there like a broken doll listening all the—

He covers his mouth and focuses on his shallow breathing once again. His vision is too blurry but there's a bench near and with his free hand—his fumbling, trembling hand—he reaches it. The solid wood is cold under his ungloved hands, but his fingers are already too numb from the weather to flinch away. He sits, sprawling all his weight on it and tilting his head back, looking up at the cloudy sky.

Too much, too sudden. Everything's happening too fast. His body is still sore, his flames tired. The weight of Mamoru around his neck, not comforting enough. He feels like crumbling and won't be surprised if parts of him start slipping off from his hold. The hand still covering his mouth slips away, his muscles protest in pain but he doesn't care as he looks at the puffs of air forming with every exhale.

"I should call Mona," he murmurs to no one.

He doesn't move for long minutes and lets his mind drift. When the stars appear as the darkness comes, Tsuna pulls his battered bag on top of his lap and search for the heavy phone without enthusiasm. It doesn't last more than a couple of seconds. The hard part is actually finding the correct number.

"Money, clothes, Vongola Ball," he recites over and over as he waits for the line to connect.

It doesn't but it doesn't surprise him. Mona's always busy and has said to only ring him and wait for a callback. He can't call Fong either. Or Renato for that matter. Zaid's working and Chiara, too. He doesn't have other close friends. And even if he did, keeping in contact is not immediate and easy like it was in his time.

He lets his head fall to the side until his cheeks touch the cold surface. He sees a familiar light on the next street that becomes clear after he rubs the tears away from his eyes: Daemon's still in the neighborhood.

Going there is tempting if only because it's familiar and he'll be able to talk with someone who knows, but… not now.

He glances around the park and the buildings near. When he's sure no one's looking, he brushes the side of Mamoru in a silent request. Soon, she's soft under his fingers and opening her wide as his hand. He takes the dry phone from her mouth. Unlike the heavy, dark-colored one inside his bag, this one is sleek and orange. The number '27' is written in big letters with small imprints of the Vongola emblem inside them, barely distinguishable.

He turns it on with a flick of Sky flame, once again glad that Spanner made them able to recharge with only the phone owner's flame. There's no internet, but a couple of apps that shouldn't work still do, like the GPS (which he doesn't understand how) and the one that disturbs camera signals and other stuff in a certain range. He has some type of AI in it that also works too. It was meant to be some kind of assistant but can probably hack simple stuff if he wanted to. Not that he would try it. It sounds way too much like Reborn for him to depend on, which was most likely the intention though he doesn't cross sadistic amusement and won't ever.

Since coming to this Tsuna has mostly used it for music storage and the language app to practice his Italian. A few times, this one included, he uses it to simply watch the photos he's taken of his mom, Reborn, his friends—his family. Everyone is there. Mukuro, Hibari, and even the Varia are there. Though the last one is mostly because Squalo sends them to Yamamoto when he's tired of all the pics his Rain sends him. Some are fun and happy, others, like the ones Ken took with Chrome's phone, are not that well-focused and downright blurry, but Tsuna could never get himself to erase them.

Nostalgia is always bittersweet but Tsuna is honestly happy when he looks at them.

He's looking at one with mom trying to bathe Lambo and I-pin when he hears gunshots in the distance. They're far away and easy to mistake because of it. Luckily, and he thinks this with sarcasm, Tsuna's so used to hear them he could recognize them in his sleep.

Time to go.

He stands up, puts the phone inside the inside pocket of his coat, and gives his face one last rub. He doesn't feel like crying anymore even if the loneliness has grown at seeing photos of what he misses the most and wants to return to.

Five minutes of looking at nothing pass before he nods to himself and starts walking in the direction he came from. He'll probably reach a familiar street soon if he does that. Then he can return to his current home, make himself some hot chocolate perhaps.

Now, if only his intuition could understand it. Is not as if he has to get involved with every shooting that happens near him. Besides what he's heard is nothing more of an echo of a gunshot, far enough to easily ignore it and in the completely opposite way of where he wants to go.

Not again, he thinks without the normal resignation as his Intuition continues pounding a staccato in his head. There's something else this time too, something more like anger and impotence, maybe a bit of hysterical desperation too. He wants to cry again, or scream maybe, but when he opens his mouth only a harsh laugh escapes him, because of course, the day isn't over. Of course, he can't get some peace.

He's Fate toy, after all.

His Intuition rings again, clearly weaker than he's used to but still with the same annoying insistence.

"Shut up," he whispers in Japanese with his fist clenched tightly at his sides. "Just. For today. Please. Just shut up."

It continues and Tsuna wants to scream once again. He ducks his head, hiding his face between his hands. "You're supposed to be my Will, why don't you shut up."

Fingers trail the small of his back and Tsuna immediately turns around to punch whoever is behind him but ends punching the air. He looks around but finds no one close. He's still tense, so when he feels a hand pulling his ear, he's ready to attack.

But there's no one.

"Will you take it back?" the air whispers from behind him. "Is this your limit?"

"Daemon, I'm not in the mood," Tsuna spats, feeling his eyes changing their color, searching for the man.

"So you need to be in a 'mood' to act, young Vongola?" There's a sigh full of pity coming from behind him as if a person was sighing next to his ear, but there's no one there. "You said you weren't going to complain. You were the one who accepted this, the person who agreed. Have you changed your mind so quickly?"

Tsuna opens his mouth to tell him how he's not taking back his words, he just needs a break. That's the only thing he wants at the moment. Just for a day—this tiring day. He wants to say them but nothing comes out.

This time he can see the hand touching the side of his head, sliding around his neck in what would look like a chokehold but it's too loose to be called that. A head leans towards him, not close enough to touch but still enough for him to feel some of his hair against his cheek.

"I'll answer for you, young Vongola. The only reason you're still alive is that your Intuition is still trying to guide you. That means the core that makes you, your Will as you'd call it, still wants to continue this task. If you really didn't want to, I'm sure your Intuition would help you escape. I'm sure you'd be able to accomplish it, even."

He takes a shaky breath. "Why are you really here, Daemon?"

The choke-hold loosens, even more, turning into what can be something faintly called reassuring. "The Sky Arcobaleno is pregnant. Your time is running out, Tsunayoshi."

With that happy news, he disappears. Tsuna doesn't need to look to know the Ramen shop has disappeared with him too.