Vongola XXVII -- Dictated

[not_mafia]

[He should have asked this two days ago, really, but he kind of got.. distracted. Also, procrastinating like a boss and hoping he wasn't jinxing it. But now he's kind of curious.]

Just out of curiosity-- what's the longest anyone has seen a loss last?

[In other words, hi guys, he's still here.]

Comments

[is_mafia]

A few months ago. Nora took me out.

[Does Tsuna even know Nora? Giotto wasn't sure.]

This one looks fine.

[not_mafia]

Did she? [He goes inside, holding the door open for Giotto.] And how did that go?

[is_mafia]

Not too badly, though it was far faster and louder than I expected.

[Or that could just be Nora's driving. He walks though the door, thanking Tsuna with a nod.]

[not_mafia]

They can be pretty loud and fast... planes are even moreso.

[Tsuna asks for a table for two, and follows the waitress, politely thanking her once they're seated.]

You know...

[He pauses, then waves a hand.]

Ah, nevermind.

[is_mafia]

I doubt I'd like them, then. [He raises an eyebrow at that, but doesn't pursue whatever Tsuna was going to say.]

...All right then. [And then Giotto falls into a silence because he has nothing to say, really. His fingers find his ring, and start spinning it around his finger.]

[not_mafia]

... the others on the journals, they said the longest loss they've seen was a month. So... I have a couple more weeks, I suppose.

[He gives an awkward laugh.]

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what to do with myself here.

[is_mafia]

[Giotto gives him a wry smile.] Well, neither do I, so we can not be sure of what to do with ourselves together.

[not_mafia]

If I were here longer, I'd probably get together another expedition. But, well, I don't think I'd be able to pull one off in two weeks.

[When the waitress comes he orders a soda for himself. The waitress then takes Giotto's order for a drink as well before departing.]

Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, though. I hope I'm not turning into a workaholic...

[is_mafia]

[Giotto can't help but laugh at that, clearly amused. Because Giotto knows he's a workaholic, there's no doubt. All he has now is his job and his Family, and his Family is his job. Tsuna, on the other hand...]

You will be if you don't lighten up and learn to have some fun every once in a while.

[not_mafia]

[He gives a soft snort and opens up his menu.]

Oh? And what would you suggest? What do you do for fun, hm?

[is_mafia]

Don't look at me, bambino. I'm the worst person to ask that, since I am a workaholic.

[not_mafia]

And yet you don't work here. ... have you honestly been occupying most of your time just by reading?

[is_mafia]

[Giotto chooses not to answer that, instead just looking at his menu.]

[not_mafia]

[Tsuna gives a soft sigh and returns to his menu. He chooses what he wants fairly quickly, but browses through the menu anyway, in case Giotto wants to bring up a topic, or simply needs some time to decide what he wants.]

[is_mafia]

[Giotto doesn't speak, instead just spins his ring on his finger and picks out something from the menu, not even sure he'll eat more than half of it. Japanese food was never his favorite.

Or maybe he'd just hadn't had enough of it to form an opinion.]

[not_mafia]

[Tsuna gives a soft chuckle.]

Goodness, Nonno. Don't tell me you've been a hermit so long you've forgotten how to talk to people.

[is_mafia]

Hm? [Giotto looks up at him when Tsuna talks, as he was lost in his own world for a moment there.] I'm not a hermit, thank you. I can talk to people perfectly fine.

[not_mafia]

Well? I'm waiting.

[is_mafia]

Well... [Oh damn it, Tsuna, you know he can't come up with a topic all by himself. At least one that was safe and wouldn't end in some sort of fight.] This isn't remotely fair, I hope you know.

[not_mafia]

[He gives a chuckle, trying to be gentler since he can feel his grandfather's annoyance.]

Would you rather me carry the entire conversation?

[is_mafia]

No! [He glances at Tsuna, still a bit annoyed.] I just have no idea what to talk about.

[not_mafia]

[LOOKS A BIT ALARMED] Y-you don't need to be so defensive, Nonno...

[is_mafia]

[Giotto sighs, running a hand along his face.] Sorry, bambino.

[not_mafia]

Goodness, Nonno... it's no good for you to be so stressed all the time. You need to learn how to relax.

[is_mafia]

I am not stressed all of the time. [Not usually, at least. Being around Tsuna just seems to put him on edge, sometimes. Especially around this older Tsuna would would ask him questions he'd rather not answer. And almost no topic was safe to talk about.

He didn't want to upset Tsuna again like he did that first day. And that definitely narrowed their topics of discussion.]