Chapter 40

"You want an extra free day?"

"Well, I wouldn't need it as I get a Christmas holiday, but I was invited to a Ball and it's a day after Christmas, in Sicily. I would be back by the twenty-seventh, at night."

"This month you already get four days off as I can't make you work on Christmas day or New Year."

"Uh, yeah." He scratches the back of his head. "So could you?"

Verde hums but doesn't look from the machine he's looking at with some type of magnifying glass. Tsuna is actually surprised it's taken this long to obtain those days off. Verde is mostly an uncaring guy, who doesn't seem interested in following the rules that don't matter to him, and he's actually an understanding person when one gives him clear details and a solid argument.

"I've got this week off on my morning job, maybe if I work all day for that week? Please, Verde, I can just not show up."

Verde looks up. "What did you call me?"

"Eh, Verde?" he says, not really sure where this is going.

"That's not my name."

Oh, fuck, right. He's called Dimtr. And he just called him Verde when he's asking for a favor.

"I'm sorry, I just—Well, you're kind of… green," he ends lamely, silently despairing.

"Though that's an alias I've taken. Do you know me as Verde in your future?"

Tsuna scratches his cheek; he knows better than saying he's not of the future. It would be insulting Verde's intelligence and he's sure Verde-Dimtr, damn it- has already found some more weird stuff on his phone that incriminates him. "Kind of. I thought it was your name. No one calls you Dimtr in the future."

"Interesting." He clicks his fingers. "You mentioned a ball on Sicily, right? Does that mean you're going to the Vongola Ball?"

He blinks. "How do you know?"

He's actually curious about that. Verde -Dimtr- is not Renato. He's not that involved in the mafia and while the Vongola Ball is known, it's not the only Ball in Sicily. Though Verde is a genius, maybe he has—

"You just confirmed it to me."

—or that. Dimtr looks triumphant and there's a gleam in his eyes that speaks of hunger and curiosity. It's kind of disturbing being directed that look.

"… You want to come? I do have a plus one."

Can he come?

"And being surrounded by ignorant people without a name they could respect? No. I'll wait to be invited. I'm already progressing in my immersion of that world, it'll take a couple of months for me to gain it, however."

Tsuna is not naïve. "But you want something from me, right?"

"Two things, actually."

He leaves the machine on the table and goes to the desk at his right where he takes something small and lent-like from the drawer. "What's that?"

"This is actually inspired by the camera on your phone. I want it to be put on your clothes."

Tsuna takes it from him and inspects it. "It's actually a masquerade so I could put it on my mask."

"Better then."

"And why do you want that?"

"Because I know every flame active has to wear something of the color of their flames on their clothes. This is just me gathering information on possible customers."

He doesn't know that. He actually still doesn't know how he'll obtain the suit. He has to call Mona tomorrow so hopefully, that will get him some money to use.

"Okay, I can do that. Next thing?"

"I want you to harmonize with me, that's all," he says like harmonization is not a big deal. But Tsuna knows he doesn't think that way; his eyes are serious even if his tone is light. That's why he doesn't immediately say no.

"Why do you want to do it?"

"Why? To study it, of course."

That answer actually annoys him. "And what when I leave? Do you think Discordance is not something serious? What will you do then?"

"I'll study it, too."

"… What?"

"I don't want a deep bond. I don't want to be accepted. I only want to study it. And you leaving, inferring you're returning to your future at some time, will give me a chance to also study discordance. Maybe find a cure or some way to deal with it. It's genius. What better way to study something but by experiencing it?"

Tsuna is actually floored by that answer. He doesn't know what to do with it. He knows Renato and Fong want to harmonize with him but this is different.

"You also have to consider the fact that you're in a bad condition. I'm guessing you've had guardians before coming here, right? And now you're are suffering from some kind of Discordance. You need to bond with others, what better option but one who doesn't want any ties attached to him?"

"I—What?"

Dimtr rolls his eyes. "I made you a complete exam, remember? Your body is wasting too much energy, your cells are dying and regenerating at an incredible pace. I wouldn't be surprised if you get a heart attack. Though something seems to be keeping you functioning. I guess those are your flames, but I'm not one to make assumptions so I'd need more data. I don't know if you have noticed, but you're growing at an abnormal pace. You're seventeen, aren't you? You don't look like it. You look young, true, but almost late eighteen or mid-nineteen, not your actual age. That's what this Discordance is doing to you."

The tests that keep coming now seem to be more important. It's not anymore about flames, it hasn't been since a couple of days ago it seems. Now it's about his health. It's all obvious now.

"You're studying me."

"You knew that."

"I... Yes, I did." He looks away, his fingers going to the necklace around his neck, taking comfort in its cool warmth. "I—I need some time to think about it."

"Of course. Take your break now if you want, but I want an answer by tonight."

He clenches his fists at the suddenness of all. "And what if I say no?"

Dimtr shrugs. "You're a smart kid, I know you won't."

Taking a small breath, he turns and doesn't look back.