The next day was a little rough for Tsunayoshi. The students had been surprised in the morning to see him without any new wounds and some (including Ienobu who had already noticed he previous day at diner) thought such a mistake had to be corrected. Tsuna was hounded by bullies during each break and was covered in bruises by the time school came to an end.
The offenders, guided and encouraged by a pissed Nobu and whose parents couldn't come pick up until later, planned to target Tsuna at the exit, drag him somewhere less visible and do the job that Hibari Kyoya obviously forgot the previous day.
Tsuna, who wasn't quite as stupid as people wanted to believe, had seen it coming and was actually hoping that said Hibari Kyoya would be waiting for him outside. Not that the 6-year-old wasn't scary, but at least, he wouldn't harm you if you kept to his (very personal and objective) rules. And he knew the boy needed his help to try and summon his flames.
When the bell finally rang, Tsuna didn't wait for the teacher to allow them to leave and rushed to the door with his bag. Hibari wasn't in the hall but Tsuna expected that. The prefect knew he wouldn't run from him (the brunet had actually complied with his demands yesterday, why wouldn't he today) and he most definitely wouldn't wait and crowd with the waiting parents.
But his bullies (minus Ienobu whose mother came to retrieve, conveniently forgetting her other son) were hot on his tail and Tsuna needed to reach safety fast. Dodging the legs of parents, he ran outside and was probably the first person ever to feel glad to see Hibari Kyoya waiting for him.
The boy was scowling at anyone who got to close, but soon spotted the brunet exiting the building in a hurry. The reason for that rush soon became obvious when he discovered the bunch of taller kids running after the Omnivore, so focused on him that they didn't see the sadistic grin forming on the raven's lips.
Finally something to evacuate the annoyance of waiting outside with the weak Herbivores.
The bullies never saw him coming.
Two minutes and a pile of unconscious kids later, Tsuna was following a refreshed Kyoya to his home with a small thankful smile. The servants were even more stunned than the other day : what kind of mental disease did you need to agree to follow their young master twice in a row and with a smile?
Hibari lead the younger boy to the backyard where they were greeted by a shrill "Hibari, Hibari!"
The brunet quickly located the origin of the sound and opened wide eyes at the sight of the yellow fluff ball from the other day on a low branch and with his left wing in a cast. He didn't know the thing could talk! He turned inquisitive eyes to Hibari, who was still in enough of a good mood to answer "That specie can learn words. I called a veterinarian Herbivore to make sure its wing would heal correctly. Now Omnivore, let us start."
Tsuna ignored the squeals of 'Omnivore, Omnivore!' in the background and asked "Have you found meditation techniques?"
Kyoya nodded and pulled an old book from his jacket (probably a dimensional pocket thought Tsuna, there was no other way the rather short boy could hide two tonfas and a book there otherwise). He opened it and proceeded to follow the instructions. "What did it feel like when the flames first appear?" he inquired.
"Ah, well it's a bit hard to describe. I guess I suddenly felt very warm in my chest, like something was growing inside. And for a moment, I felt very calm for some reason. Like very, very calm when I was still falling from that tree. It felt strangely natural too to be honest. Like something that was always supposed to be there finally was."
Tsuna had spent the time during lessons actually thinking of how to help Hibari awaken his flames. It was after all the closest relation he ever had with anyone else. And he suspected it was the same for the raven : Tsuna had noticed he tolerated his presence better than anyone else he had seen so far. Hibari had always answered his questions and had actually held a semi-normal conversation with him. He knew the boy mostly wanted to use that flame ability, but Tsuna couldn't help but feel warm inside. It was the closest to friendship he ever experienced.
