Dead-Eyed Tsuna (KHR!)

Chapter 3: The Introduction Of A Home Tutor

The birds are singing, the sun is shining, and the street is bright and full of smiling faces. It is a good day to be Sasagawa Kyouko's friend, Tsuna thinks.

Kyouko, being the best friend a person could ever ask for, immediately accepted that he would have to cancel their Saturday plans, and then proceeded to insist that to make up for it, they could spend all of Sunday together! He feels like his terrible lasting mood from yesterday has been blown away, like dust in the wind. Hana is obviously coming, because she had decided to be Kyouko's shadow one day and never looked back. Tsuna has no idea what inspired it (though he has a sneaking suspicion it might actually be his fault), but he's not particularly bothered. Hana is usually a good sport about a lot of things, and he doubts she'll actively attempt to ruin their day.

Today, they're going to the arcade. Tsuna is thankful for this — all the running around he did yesterday is making his muscles ache now. This way, at least, he only has to worry about his hands and upper arms. If someone slapped him on the back right now, he would most assuredly die.

"You are not seriously wearing that in public," Hana dryly observes.

Tsuna looks down innocently at his neon t-shirt with a very colourful acid-trip visual of a sloth on it, topped with the gakuran and coupled with unassuming blue jeans. "Is there something wrong with my outfit?"

"So many things. But why are you wearing the gakuran around in public?"

"Do you have any idea how differently people treat me while I'm wearing this? Besides, I wasn't wearing it yesterday, and I want them to hesitate if they think kidnapping is an option."

Hana pales. "Wait, is it?"

"He seemed kinda into your charming personality, but I doubt the group will last long enough to identify you, report, and organize a kidnapping. I'm only being careful since I actually mingle. I told Kusakabe-san about the identity of their leader already, so things should be all sorted out soon. He was very impressed with me."

"If I wasn't there, you'd be dead meat!"

"Yeah. Thanks, Hacchan."

"Don't call me that!"

But then Kyouko arrives, and they are forced to end their conversation, lest worry her sick with hypothetical gang activity. They do, in fact, make it to the arcade without any kidnappings afoot. Kyouko drags Tsuna and Hana to the photo booth, gearing up to get in some Friendship Time before they inevitably split up to play the games most suited to them. Hana is clearly used to this with the way she easily slides in, but Tsuna, who has miraculously managed to survive an entire lifetime without even touching a photo booth, awkwardly perches on the edge of the seat next to Kyouko and eyes the screen warily.

"It's okay, it'll tell you when the pictures are about to be taken," Kyouko cheerfully reassured him. Tsuna is unconvinced. He wonders if he could use the countdown warning as a reference on when to slide all the way off the seat and hit the floor.

Kyouko drags him in further so he's sitting down properly. Damn. Foiled again.

Kyouko puts in the money and rapidly selects a few options with an expert hand, with Hana making a few suggestions. When they're finished, they set it up to take a photo. Tsuna narrows his eyes at the contraption. He doesn't deal well with photos. Especially crowded ones.

5...4...3...2...1...

SNAP!

Tsuna tries not to blink at the sudden flash. It starts counting down again, and Hana and Kyouko make funny faces. Tsuna grimaces. SNAP. Next one, they hold each other, and Tsuna sits awkwardly off to the side. SNAP. Kyouko wraps her arms around each of them and gives the screen a peace sign. Hana and Tsuna each give their own peace sign. SNAP. Hana reaches over to grab Tsuna's cheek and yanks it, grinning slyly, and Kyouko laughs and tries to get her to stop. SNAP.