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The air was thick with almost-summer, and since the day's cloudburst had ended before school did, there had been no reason against choosing the long way home. The path wandered through the park and went pretty near the gaming arcade, if you wanted.
It was sort of lucky Gokudera had cut the last couple of classes like he sometimes did, or the kids they passed in the park wouldn't have left intact after asking to borrow Yamamoto's baseball. Yamamoto asked to join the game in turn and Tsuna played along too, when usually he'd prefer to cheer, and they both left smiling, the sear of rain-fresh air making their cheeks red.
On reaching the other side of the park they took the turn to the arcade, Yamamoto tossing his baseball in the air a last time before they got into the thick of people. He glanced over his shoulder and grinned broadly as the ball thudded into his waiting palm, each stitch familiar.
"Hey..." Yamamoto said, turning back from looking at the green-crush paths they'd left across the wet grass. Tsuna had heard, though his voice had been soft with wondering, and was looking at him with big, alert eyes. Yamamoto took a few quick steps to catch up.
"Hey," he said again like it was hi, slapping Tsuna on the back, and Tsuna grinned. They nudged each other with shoulder and elbow, friendly push and shove. Just to know you're there.
Yamamoto had to ask. "Do you ever..."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"Do you ever get this feeling like—" He dodged someone coming down the sidewalk. Umbrellas kept open for the stray drops from ledges and gutters made them circle each other, and Yamamoto raised his voice over the sounds of the increasing traffic.
"This feeling like, your heart's in your chest and it's really beating. I mean, like you can feel it, and it's whole and -" he side-stepped someone else, losing sight of Tsuna's widening eyes "- it's not going any quicker, but stronger, even though nothing's really happening - not really, if you're thinking seriously - but it feels like you could walk faster than if you decided to run, because there's nothing else to breathe but—"
Tsuna stopped dead, staring at him.
"All the time!" he said, looking worried and relieved at once, ducking his head to see past the stream of people.
"You get it," Yamamoto said. He stepped closer so they could continue on their way, but then stood right there, the better to drag Tsuna close by the arm around his neck, smiling down between them. It was a relief. It was worlds opposite from standing on a roof ledge - he hadn't been able to imagine then that understanding like this could be - though he'd die for this too.
"I'm glad you also get it," Tsuna said with another friendly punch, only a little awkward. Ha, he wasn't the type, but he knew Yamamoto liked communicating that kind of way. "Really good to know..." He huffed a laugh.
Sidewalk traffic shifted easily to make space around their team of two. There was nothing to notice--except from where they stood, Yamamoto keeping Tsuna a little like the way Tsuna kept him.