16. Punch (1/2)

aye music went great no more fetal position for me haha

-punch-

tsuna sits on the ground with his legs sprawled out in front of him, hand massaging his sore jaw as he looks up at the seniors leering at him. he can hear reborn's voice of disapproval already-not even going to fight back? pathetic-but he knows that they'll walk off if he doesn't put up any sort of fight from past experience.

"fucking

at," one of them snarls as the other two laugh almost hysterically, tsuna feeling his face burn in humiliation even though he's resolved not to fight back anyway. "serves you right-"

"hey!" a cheerful voice sounds from behind the trio and the boys turn, still grinning. "what's going on here?"

"ah, hiro! doing your club of the week?" the boy who had been snarling now sounds almost pleasant as kahiro slides in next to him with a smile, his arm swinging around her shoulders. she's in her pe kit and is flushed from exercise most likely, hair falling out of her ponytail. "we're just teaching a kid a lesson here!" he announces, almost sounding proud. "bumped into me and split water all over my bag!"

kahiro blinks and she then looks down to see tsuna for the first time since she's arrived. and it's awful, tsuna decides, how the sparkle to her eyes dims and that smile vanishes almost completely because of him since that's her charm, that never-ending joy. he looks down at the floor, shame overwhelming him.

i should've fought back.

then: "ow! hiro, what the fuck is wrong with you?!" the senior yelps and tsuna looks up just as a hand grabs his wrist. he's yanked to his feet and tugged away, almost tripping over his feet at the speed he's being made the walk. "hiro! hiro get back here, you crazy bitch!"

the girl doesn't reply, grip on tsuna's wrist only getting a little tighter in response to their words. only when they're a good distance away does she stop and spin around, face twisted into an expression of anger and concern. "are you alright?" kahiro asks seriously and tsuna registers in the back of his head that it's almost funny to hear her speak like this.

"i'm fine, kahiro!" he reassures her, still feeling the burn of humiliation on his face. god, he must have looked completely pathetic back there.

she looks unconvinced and reaches her hand forwards, fingertips skimming his already