Chapter 49

Renato is indeed at the shooting range. He stops his practice as soon as he senses him close. The man, Andrea, who he's learned will be his handler for the duration of his stay, hands him those weird earplugs that muffle sound he's seen so many times in movies.

They leave them alone and as soon as the door closes, Renato motions him forward.

He takes Daniela-san's word to the heart but considering there's no one here, he thinks it's safe if they're together now. So he goes to the hitman and doesn't stop him when he starts moving him into a position.

"Ever fired a gun?"

Tsuna shakes his head and Renato moves behind him in a total cliché way. He knows it too going by his amused smile. Not that it stops his fingers from lingering across his arms before they settle on his hands, adjusting his grip. His back is pressed to Renato's chest in such a way he could easily lean against it without difficulty. A leg moves between his feet to correct his stance but after its work is done, it doesn't move away.

Renato's breath tickles the back of his neck as he says "Fire."

Tsuna obeys, the recoil sending him against Renato's chest in surprise. He felts it rumbling against his back in a quiet laugh. Tsuna's hands are trembling because of the surprise but the laugh makes him relax so they soon stop.

"You tensed your arms before you pulled the trigger. That can be dangerous. Be careful."

With a nod, he tries again, and again until he can at least shoot the paper in the form of a human. He's sweating by the time he's done but that doesn't stop Renato from pulling him close, a soft look in his eyes.

"We can't be together in the Ball," Renato says.

"I know."

"You do?"

"Daniela told me."

"Is Daniela now, huh? You act quickly."

He feels his cheeks becoming redder. "We're family, stop it."

A soft laugh. It immediately calms him. It wasn't long ago when Renato showed only sadistic smirks and empty smiles. It's nice to know the man is more relaxed around him.

"You didn't tell me you were invited to join the Arcobaleno."

He feels a shrug coming from behind him. "It's an old story among the Mafia, didn't know you knew of it. Actually, how do you know of it?"

The hand with the bandage tickles, a clear mark of the Arcobaleno in it. He wants to tell his friend everything, from his trip to the past to their meeting. However he finds himself tongue-tied, insecurity builds in him.

"Please don't go," he finds himself blurting, surprised by his own vehemence. At least his Intuition is silent, not going against him. Though maybe that may be because it's responding to what he wants more. And what he wants is for his friends to be safe.

Renato tenses. "You know something."

It's too late now, but he still can say it out loud, not here where the walls can hear and there's no Daniela reassuring him their talk will be private. "Not here. It has to do with what I need to tell you though."

He doesn't care if he's breaking time. He'll find other ways to stop the curse. He can't let them be cursed. He can't.

"I—"

The door handle turns and immediately Renato steps away from him, moving in less than a second to the other stall. A man with a distracted air enters and looks between some stuff in the back, not even giving them a glance. It only takes a couple of minutes to find whatever he's looking and by then Tsuna is calm again. The man goes to the door, but this time he stops and looks back at them. "The party will start in two hours, by the way."

"Thanks," mutters Tsuna.

As soon as the man closes the door, Renato is already by his side.

"We can have this conversation later." He holds him again between his arms. "Will you promise me to be careful without me out there with you?"

He knows his friend is worried so he nods. "Daniela has told me one of her people will accompany me."

"Are they strong?"

"I haven't met them yet."

Renato hums as nuzzles his cheek.

.

.

Want to read more? Got to my patreon: jorieds