Mafia X Vampire

Chapter 18 Revelations and friendship

"Moka-san?" Tsukune asked softly, he and the others watching as the two shared a silent stare-off, not knowing if they should interrupt them or not.

"Is that who you really are?" she asked in a soft voice, ignoring the others, searching for something in Tsuna's eyes. "You shroud yourself in mysteries and half-truths but I think I get enough sense of your character. And from what I see you are not one to kill in cold blood like this if he could help it. So why would you do it now?" she asked, careful to keep her voice low and even.

As he listened to her, Tsuna felt anger swell inside him, mixing with his earlier frustration and self-loathing, creating a very dangerous and volatile mix of emotions. It took all of his willpower to keep himself from lashing out, knowing it would be all but ineffective against her and would just damage their relationship.

"What do you think you know?" he hissed out with eyes narrowing before his attention turned toward his defeated opponents, Saru not even making a sound as if it wasn't his life that was about to be decided."This is the law of the world they got involved in, the law they brought upon themselves. Do you think they will just stop if I let them go? Even if they don't come after me again, they will inform others, who are more bloodthirsty and ruthless than them and I can't be around to protect you from any attack aimed at me."

He pulled his arm out of her grip, surprised that she let him go that easily, and took aim once again, finger back on the trigger. Moka watched him with a frown, noticing his labored breathing and the way he was sweating but chose not to comment on it.

"What would my other self say if you saw you like this? Or are you so weak that you simply let the world around dictate your decisions?" she asked, crossing her arms, signaling that despite her thoughts she would stop him this time.

Even so, she was surprised by the hollow laugh that came from him.

"She probably wouldn't be able to look at me but I accepted it. The darkness of that world, I decided to shoulder a long time ago. Everyone who I trusted and loved already left me once, what's once more?" he bit out bitterly, his words low that the others barely caught a few words, standing a little ways away and could only look at his tense, pained expression. "I would rather her be alive and hate me than be dead because I didn't do what I must."

"Tsuna-nii," Yukari murmured next to Lambo, looking at his expression. She wanted to run to their side but she respected them enough to know that it was their talk alone. She also feared he would react badly if any of them suddenly ran up to them at this point.

"It's always the same," she heard Lambo murmur as he lowered his head. "It's always nii-san who has to burden everything and I couldn't help him. Not now and not then." he lamented, obviously angry at himself.

Tsuna took aim for the second time, his face set in a frown as he met the eyes of Saru, challenging to say anything. Wisely he chose to stay silent, looking as dignified as he could.

"Then why is your hand shaking?" Moka spoke up, her eyes zeroed on the one holding his gun."Even if I don't move your arm, I doubt you can hit him in your state."

Tsuna gritted his teeth as he looked at his hand. It was indeed shaking violently, to the point where he knew aiming was all but impossible but he stubbornly refused to relent. He more than anyone knew how the mafia worked, even with Dino and Lal helping and running interference if he let them leave, he and more importantly his friends would be in clear danger.

"Because you can say it otherwise as much as you want, you are still a wet behind his ears kid, aren't you kid?" a familiar voice interrupted him this time, causing Tsuna to whip his head to the side.