The Azure Sky

Chapter 38: Calling

Tsuna stared at the caller ID and found that it was, indeed, Byakuran calling him.
"Tsu-Tsu-chaaaaaan!  BWAAAAAH! Sob. I missed youuuuuuu!"
The brunet quickly put his hand over his phone to stifle Byakuran's voice; Tsuna sweatdropped.
'My phone's not even on speaker!'
The brunet glanced around before walking away from the door briskly.
After finding a suitable distance from the door, Tsuna removed his hand and sighed as Byakuran's voice babbled on through his phone.
"Byakuran....you remember 'me'?"
The marshmallow-addict seemed to calm down and muttered a yes.
"It's 'you', right, Tsu-chan?  You're the Tsu-chan that my deceased parallel-self knows..."
The brunet sighed tiredly as he leaned against the wall and slid down, sitting on the cold, metal floor below; his voice came out in a shaky laugh.
"...Missed ya', Byakuran..."
On the other side of the phone, the Mare ring-user frowned with concern.
"Tsu-chan..."
Tsuna covered his face with his hand as he leaned back into the wall.
"...It's really hard, ya' know?  Seeing all of you guys up and about again..."
Tsuna blinked back the tears that were threatening to roll down his cheeks.
"Don't cry, Tsu-chan.  You very well know that I don't like when you do that!"
The brunet gave a watery laugh.
"Ah~I know..."
"Sorry for killing you again in the future, Tsu-chan."
Byakuran made blubbering noises again, trying to lighten the mood with his childish actions.
It worked--only a little--as Tsuna smiled softly.
"...Byakuran..." The brunet narrowed his eyes slightly. "Are you going to be the 'bad guy' here?"
There was a silence before Byakuran sighed on the phone.
"Yep.  I'm ready for Take-chan to kill me."
Tsuna flinched slightly at the words, but he knew that this event was necessary for Hito to improve in strength.
Byakuran gave his usual laugh.
"Daijobu, Tsu-chan!  This is only the future after all~!  How about we have a cup of hot chocolate when you return to the past--or present.  Your group will be going back to get Primo's weapons, right?"
Tsuna chuckled softly, wiping the corners of his eyes.
"Ah...a cup of hot chocolate sounds good."
Byakuran smiled on the other side of the phone before frowning with worry.
"Tsu-chan...I know that you have...'that' in your possession...why haven't you stopped the curse yet?"
The brunet sighed softly, touching the small weight in his pocket.
"The curse is still needed, Byakuran.  Just for a while longer--you need a 'goal' for your 'evil schemes', right?"
Byakuran gripped the phone tightly.
"...Then I'll play my act in return for your struggles.  Arigatou, Tsu-chan."
Tsuna smiled.
"Don't worry, Byakuran." The brunet chuckled. "Reborn's birthday is coming up after all of this battling.  I think lifting the curse will be a perfect birthday present."
Byakuran blinked in surprise before chuckling.
"A perfect present indeed, Tsu-chan."
Tsuna then scowled at hearing the childish nickname for the nth time of the day.
"What happened to 'Tsunayoshi-kun'?"
Byakuran grinned on the other side of the phone.
"I like 'Tsu-chan' more.  Plus, I'm a different Byakuran, so I won't be calling you 'Tsunayoshi-kun' anymore~!"
Tsuna smiled exasperatedly.
"...I guess...I'll talk to you later?"
"Hai~!  Bye, bye, Tsu-chan~!  I'll see you in the past--or present~!"
Tsuna chuckled as the call ended.
The brunet put his phone into his pocket before sighing for the nth time of the day; he felt a weight settle onto his head.  Tsuna spoke softly to the other.
"How much did you hear?"
Reborn looked down at the other and patted the brunet's head.
"Nothing." Tsuna blinked with surprise; Reborn smacked the ex-Decimo's forehead. "I can give my students privacy when they need it.  Don't think so lowly of me, Dame-Tsuna."
The brunet pouted and rubbed the red spot on his forehead.
"Gomen, Reborn..."
The baby hitman sighed before tugging lightly at brown locks.
"Let's get going, Dame-Tsuna.  We have to go back to the present to get Primo's Guardians' weapons."
"Hai, hai..."
The brunet stood up and dusted his suit off before walking in the direction of Shoichi's room.
"Did you know that you taught me how to appear randomly like that?"
"Pfft. No, but I find it very amusing that I did."