474 ❀ backdated to earlier this morning

[ino]

[Time to do some good old-fashioned meddling! First up is a couple of typed notes pasted in the journal for a certain two derps.]


[Tsuna]



[/Tsuna]



[Giotto]



[/Giotto]


[And then a little talk with two other emotional derps.]


[Zelos]

So, what's your count so far?

[we'll start casual, with this one. don't want to startle him into defensive mode]

[/Zelos]



[Sheena]

So, made a move on Cloud yet?

[... and time to figure out what to make of this one]

[/Sheena]


[And, way later, there's another filter appearing here]


[Once-ler]

[boy, she sure sounds pissed off right now]

I'm not doing it. Find someone else.

[/Once-ler]

Comments

Filter

[is_mafia]

[Giotto stares at the message in the journal, typed so he couldn't recognize the handwriting, telling him to meet Tsuna at 2 pm by the fountain in the city. It was obvious that Tsuna hadn't actually sent it. He was too afraid, too avoidant, to change his mind this quickly. Someone had sent it for him, or perhaps without his knowledge. He doubted that Tsuna was in trouble, or his Intuition would be warning him. This was probably some sort of prank or trap for them both.

Still, he would go anyway. Just in case it was true, and Tsuna did show up. He couldn't just leave the boy waiting or wondering.]

[not_mafia]

[Play it cool.

Okay, Tsuna was horrible at playing things cool. Awful. He knew that. So his plan was... really, to see what Giotto wanted of him. After all, he couldn't know from his flame type and appearance alone who he was, right? That'd be impossible. Maybe he'd just wanted to know why Tsuna had kept avoiding him.

When he's walking up to the fountain, and he sees Giotto there, he comes to a halt and stares for a moment, feeling his nervousness start to mount immediately. Even after their first encounter, seeing him here, in the flesh... it was incredibly surreal, and gave him goosebumps.

And now it seems like his nerves have taken over, because his legs refuse to budge. Not that it mattered; the flame within him announced his presence easily enough.]

[is_mafia]

[Giotto can feel the flame approach, yes, but right now he isn't actually truly paying attention to it. He's paying more attention to the tiny ball of bedraggled fur that he had picked up on his way here. A tiny kitten on the streets in winter? It wouldn't last long at all, and it had tugged at his heartstrings, seeing it in the streets. So he had picked it up and brought it with him, hands wrapped gently around the poor thing and giving off a bit of heat from his flames to warm it up.

Only when Tsuna paused for such a long time right nearby does Giotto actually look up and see him.] Ah...?

[not_mafia]

[Tsuna can't see what's in his hands from this distance, but when Giotto's eyes land on him, he feels his blood go cold, a shiver running down his spine.

NO YOU KNOW WHAT

FUCK THIS

He immediately decides to cower behind a building, like it will help hide the presence of his flames.

AREN'T YOU SO PROUD OF YOUR LITTLE BROTHER INO]

[is_mafia]

[The fact that he ducked behind a building when Giotto looked at him just proves that Tsuna had not been the one to send the note. He was still avoiding him, or wanted to avoid him, but yet had decided to come anyway, for reasons unknown.

Giotto didn't move to go after him, though, instead staying right where he was, seated on the edge of the fountain with the kitten cradled gently in his hands.]

[not_mafia]

[Tsuna waits there for a minute, a couple minutes, and still, Giotto isn't coming towards him; his flame stays exactly where it was.

Hadn't the man wanted to speak with him? Why... wasn't he coming for him? And what had been in his hands?

Tsuna gives a nervous, gulp, looking down, stiffening his body.]

M...maybe I can't do this after all...

[ino]

[TSUNA STOP BEING A WEENIE.

from several rooftops away, she's discreetly tossing a knife at a laundry line right above his head to cut it and startle him back into the street towards giotto. ENJOY THOSE BRAS FALLING ON YOUR FACE TSUNA]

1/2

[not_mafia]

[--HOLY SHIT WHAT IS ATTACKING HIM.]

G-GWAAAAAH!!!

[Falling over and flailing a bit, before taking off a bra and blinking at it.

Oh that's a really nice bra.]

2/2

[not_mafia]

[And cue a nosebleed firing out of his face like two jets, a strangled noise, and then Tsuna falling face first into the ground.

He... might have lost consciousness.

Oops?]

[is_mafia]

[Giotto looks up suddenly, started, at the explosion of noise over where Tsuna was just in time to see him fall into the street face first, and go still. He blinks, then gets up hurriedly, walking over there to see if he was even remotely all right.

...Evidently not, as he still didn't move when Giotto leaned down and gently turned him over. he had quite obviously passed Giotto surveyed the bras and the snapped line, and the bloody nose... he sighs. Of course.

Giotto gently tucks the kitten into his large pocket, assuming that it will be safe if he moves carefully, and picks Tsuna up, cradling him. He can't just leave the poor boy here. He should at least find a bench, or somewhere more suitable to lay him until he wakes up because the ground was cold.]

[not_mafia]

[It's not very long until Tsuna comes to-- only about eight minutes or so. Disoriented, he immediately brings his hand up to his head, where he'd fallen on it, not even realizing that he had to pull it out under some cover to do so. He rubs at his head with a small groan, trying to recall what happened.

He was going to meet Giotto, wasn't he? And then... some... laundry had fallen on him. Of a, um. Hm. Particular kind...

--WAIT, GIOTTO.

He suddenly bolts upright.]

What just--?!

[is_mafia]

...You passed out. [Giotto said from where he was, sitting on the end of the bench, holding the kitten, who was currently trying to bat at his thumb.]

1/2

[not_mafia]

[He starts at the noise, then looks over and HOLY SHIT HE'S RIGHT NEXT TO HIM.

He draws the cape that was draped on him around him protectively.]

Hii--!!

2/2

[not_mafia]

[And somehow, the first thing that comes to his attention isn't the cape around him, but the kitten in the man's lap.

The kitten kills the mood so fast he actually stops squealing, and stares at it.]

H..huh?

[is_mafia]

You should probably look out in the future for falling women's undergarments. [Said with an entirely straight face, though his lips keep twitching into a smirk.]

Ah, it is a kitten. I found it on my way here, and I could not just leave it. [He runs a finger down her back in response to a plaintive mewl.] I'm thinking of keeping this little one, unless you would like her.

[not_mafia]

[And Tsuna flushes a bit red at the first statement, but thankfully Giotto focuses on the kitten quickly enough. At the second part, he immediately brings up his hands and waves them in front of him.]

A-ah, that's alright, I'm really no good with animals! --eh?

[And that's when he notices the cape on him. His breath hitches a little for a moment-- he has The Primo's cape on him-- but he's touched by the gesture. For a moment, a small smile graces his lips. That and the kitten in his hands demonstrates exactly what he had always known the Primo to be; a kind, gentle and caring man.

And just as quick, the smile's gone. This is also exactly why he had fled from the man so long; someone like this, who'd worked so hard to create a group to protect innocents... didn't need to know it was falling apart because of Tsuna.]

...ah, um, Pr-- [For half a second, the word catches in his throat, and he struggles to get the right one out.] --Giotto, sir... what is it that you wanted from me?

[is_mafia]

Suit yourself, then.

[Giotto hears the cut-off title and raises his head up to look at Tsuna. Primo. He knew who he was. That almost might explain his wish to avoid him. Perhaps the Vongola had done something to his family or friends, and he had good reason to be scared. And yet... That didn't explain why he looked so much like Giotto. Except if...

The child couldn't possibly be related to him. Could he? Giotto supposed it was possible, especially with his sky flames and their similar looks. And that gave a whole new dimension to his fear, because if he was expected to take over the family... Giotto knew that he himself would be terrified of that. He obviously thought Giotto would force him, when that was not the case. He would not wish it on anyone. Not anymore.

But that was neither here nor there. If Tsuna wished to keep his secrets, then he could. If he wished to avoid him, then he could. Giotto would force nothing. Not in a place where it didn't truly matter, and not in a place where no one knew who they were, where they could both pretend they were normal.] I did not wish to speak with you. I received a note, that was quite obviously not from you, earlier today asking to meet at the fountain at two.

[not_mafia]

[His silent assessment of Tsuna is stifling, and for a moment, he thought he really screwed up with that little stumble over his tongue. He gives a gulp, trying not to radiate nervousness, but it's practically written all over him.

The answer is definitely not what he expected. He starts visibly.]

Wh-what? But, I got a note from you saying the same thing! W..well.. I guess it's pretty clear that it wasn't you now.

[He bows his head thoughtfully, scratching a little at his cheek.]

But, why would someone want us to meet...? [There wasn't anyone else from the mafia or home here-- not that Tsuna was aware of at least, so it had to be someone who had known he was intentionally avoiding Giotto...]

[is_mafia]

Because you are quite obviously avoiding me? [And he can only think of one person who knew them both and would go through this much trouble. Who wanted to help him just as much as Tsuna. He looked around for her, but he had a feeling that she would never show herself.]

[not_mafia]

[He flinches at that. Even Giotto knew...]

W-well, I.. um...

[There's not really any trying to deny it, so he looks away guiltily.]

S..sorry...

[is_mafia]

[Giotto smiles gently at him.] It is all right. I do not mind in the slightest.

[not_mafia]

[...he wasn't going to ask? Really? Here was the kid who could be mistaken for his son, who was the only other one with flame energy in the castle-- sky flames, no less-- who had been avoiding Giotto ever since he arrived, and he wasn't going to take the opportunity?

At the risk of shooting himself in the foot:]

You're... not going to ask me anything?

[is_mafia]

No, I am not. [He glances over at him.] If you wish to keep your secrets, then you can. I will not bother you.

[not_mafia]

[That... actually really puts him at ease. He's still startled that the man will so willingly let him keep his secrets, as he said, but... well, it's nice to know that maybe he wouldn't have to actively avoid the man anymore.

Right?

Quietly:]

Th... thank you.

[And then he starts a moment, and offers the cape back.]

Ah-- you can have this back, by the way. Thank you for letting me use it, sir.

[is_mafia]

You're quite welcome. [He takes it back from him.] And just Giotto, please. I'm not that respectable to be a 'sir'.