Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or Kuroko no Basket.


"Tsuna, pass."

Even as he heard the words, his hands were in motion, shooting upwards just in time to prevent the basketball from slamming into his face.

Tsuna sighed inwardly. Sometimes, it almost seemed like the imbeciles on his team wanted to smash his face in with the basketball, not that he would dismiss the idea. At the very least, if they were trying hard to pass properly, they were failing tragically. It was rather sad, really, considering that there were other players out there whose skills were absolutely ridiculous.

As soon as the ball touched his palm, Tsuna pivoted on his foot and dashed down the court. Someone on the opposing team stepped in front of him, trying to block his path, but he merely feinted to the left and slipped past his right. Frustrated shouts followed him as he tossed the ball into the air; the ball hit the backboard and bounced easily into the net.

The rest of his team clapped appreciatively, and Tsuna bit back a scowl. None of them were so friendly off the court, not that he cared. The "Dame-Tsuna" that everybody knew was simply a mask. An act, a pretense, in order for him not to be found and suspected. He could care less about what others thought of him, as long as his identity would remain a secret.

Pretending to be a complete loser, except on court, did have its merits.


Basketball wasn't very popular among the students of Namimori Middle. True, they had a team, but every single person in the school knew that it sucked.

Despite this, the Namimori basketball team was still familiar of Teiko Middle's team. Almost every school with a basketball team, no matter how small it was, had heard of the legendary Generation of Miracles. They were feared and revered throughout the country, and had earned quite a reputation within the last two years since their formation.

Naturally, the entire school was shocked when it was suddenly announced that Teiko had requested a practice game against their third-rate team. The entirety of Namimori was thrown into uproar at the thought. What could the legendary group ever want out of a stupid, pathetic game? Everybody on Namimori's team who had watched the Generation of Miracles play knew that they would be utterly destroyed. In fact, Tsuna suspected that even if he played all-out, the team would be unable to score a single point.

So it was truly a mystery why Teiko would even bother to visit Namimori, even for a practice match.

There was much speculation considering this. Some thought that they just wanted to show off, while others believed that they wanted to see how regular sports teams were doing. No one was certain about the reasoning behind this, though, and eventually they all gave up.

The match was scheduled to be held in two days. And in those two days, everything would begin.


Tsuna woke up early that morning.

The neighborhood near the Sawada residence was deceptively quiet. To the normal person, it would seem that everybody was still asleep. It would make sense; after all, it was merely five in the morning. But Tsuna knew that in fact, nobody was asleep—nobody was there to sleep at all.

Unwilling to lay any longer on his mattress, Tsuna climbed off and stretched leisurely. He had plenty of time until school started, and he supposed that he should get up and take his traditional morning jog.

After changing into a loose shirt and shorts, he slipped out of the house and out into the streets. When he closed his eyes he could feel the soft flicker of flames that emanated from the neighboring homes. Satisfied that the flames would do their continued work, Tsuna turned and headed down the road at a steady, paced jog.

As he ran, he saw another teen from his school: Yamamoto Takeshi, the baseball star that all of the girls on campus seemed to fawn over. Tsuna forced a genial smile on his face as he jogged past him, and his greeting was returned with equal enthusiasm. Yamamoto always passed by his house every morning in his morning jog routine, similar to how Tsuna always passed the restaurant known as 'Takesushi.' Occasionally they decided to run together, but most of the time they were fine with simply acknowledging each other's existence.

For today, though, he wasn't interested in associating with another human being, so they merely continued on with their own paths. When he returned back to his home twenty minutes later, somebody was standing outside of his home, inserting a letter into the mailbox. Tsuna hissed in shock as he recognized the baby that was delivering the mail, the fedora and the sideburns were unmistakeable.

Reborn had finally arrived.

Apparently, the Vongola had finally begun to make its long-awaited move, though he found it rather annoying that they had chosen now of all times. With the basketball game looming around the corner, life was about to get messy, without counting the arrival of the world's greatest hitman.

Wiping his face blank of emotion, he approached the house as naturally as possible. Reborn saw him approaching, of course he did, and with a tilt of his head the baby regarded him coolly. If he was surprised to see him the arcobaleno show it, to his credit.

Tsuna smiled amicably, letting his arms dangle harmlessly in a subtle but effective gesture. "Do you need something?"

Reborn frowned, and Leon skittered across the top of the fedora. "You are Sawada Tsunayoshi," he said, and Tsuna nodded in a quiet confirmation. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I was jogging," the brunet divulged brusquely, and he approached the door and opened it with a twist of his silver keys. "Please, come in."


His first impression was that the house was dark and cold: the lights weren't on, and the dawning sunlight was far from sufficient in lighting up the hall. The entire building seemed empty and forlorn, as if it hadn't been touched in weeks.

Reborn didn't know what to make of it. Back at the Vongola headquarters, Iemitsu never shut up about Nana and his adorable son, day in and day out. From what he had said, Reborn had expected the Sawada home to be relaxing, warm, and comfortable, but looking at it now his assumption couldn't have been more inaccurate.

Then there was the nagging at the back of his head. Years as a hitman had honed his intuition to a fault, and he had learned to trust his instincts through his experience. Right now his instincts were screaming 'danger,' and he was taking in everything that he could absorb at once. There was no other sound besides the soft intakes of breath from the brunet in front of him, not even the sound of footsteps that all normal civilians created as they moved. The silence unnerved him, and on instinct he urged Leon to morph into a gun, perusing the house warily.

Tsuna led him into the living room, and gestured Reborn to sit down, and after a brief hesitation he complied.

"…So, who are you?" Tsuna said, leaning back in his seat.

Reborn pulled the fedora lower on his head. The way the brunet carried himself reminded Reborn of not an innocent boy, but rather an experienced fighter. He could see it in the calculative glint in the sorrel eyes, and in the relaxed yet ready position that Tsuna had settled himself. A second's warning would be all that Tsuna needed to launch into action.

"My name is Reborn," he answered, settling himself into a similar position with the gun in his hand, "and I am here to make you the tenth boss of the Vongola famiglia."

The smallest flicker of recognition and—was it triumph?—flashed through the brunet's gaze, but a moment later the look had been replaced with a bland, confused smile. Tsuna frowned, his eyebrows furrowed, "Famiglia? Is that the mafia?"

"Right."

"Sure," Tsuna snorted sardonically. "Look, Reborn—I don't know what game you're playing, but go play with your other kiddy toys. All you are is a Mafioso wanna-be. Get out of your suit and your stupid fake gun, and drop your silly imagination."

Before he had finished speaking, Reborn had hopped onto his lap and pressed the barrel to the center of his forehead. "I'm not kidding," Reborn said genially. "This gun is very real. Would you like me to prove it to you?"

Tsuna smirked knowingly. "You won't shoot, Reborn."

Reborn's eyes narrowed; Tsuna was the last remaining heir to the Vongola, and Nono would be upset to know that Reborn had killed the last sensible candidate (Xanxus didn't count). The tone which the sentence was said made it seem like Tsuna knew much more than he was letting on. Then again, it was laced with just the right amount of doubt and anxiety, so it could just be a desperate attempt to save his life…His intuition was leaning more to the first scenario, and he found himself lowering his fedora.

"Not at you," Reborn agreed, "not yet." But he pointed the gun at the window and tugged at the trigger. A single gunshot exploded in the silence, and the glass panes shattered and the jagged shards tumbled to the floor with a strident clatter.

Tsuna raised an eyebrow, "And that was necessary?"

"It wasn't." Tsuna was calm, too calm for his liking, Reborn thought disappointedly.

Grumbling, the brunet glared at him crossly. "You're paying for the window."

He ignored the demand. "In order to train you to Vongola Decimo, I will be setting up a pretext for your mother. I will be your 'home tutor,' like it says on this flyer." Reborn held up a copy of the sheet of paper he had inserted into the mailbox a few minutes ago. "Where is she?"

If Reborn hadn't been looking for a reaction, he would have missed it entirely. His face shuttered, closing off in the blink of an eye. But before he could focus more on the reaction the expression was gone, and he found himself staring at a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"She's in her room," Tsuna said mildly. "Would you like me to get her?"

Reborn eyed the teen warily and shook his head. No, it would do no good to wake her up at five in the morning. He needed her to agree with his proposal, and getting on her bad side would not allow him to do that.

Tsuna nodded, as if he expected that answer, and stood up with a brush of his pants before heading away. Reborn was tempted to follow, and made a move to do so when the boy suddenly turned around.

"Would you like some espresso?" the teen called over his shoulder, eyes flickering in amusement when he saw Reborn twitch, and he pulled his lips into a small playful pout. "You know, it's not as if I'm going to poison you. Not everybody's a Mafioso in this world."

Reborn huffed, relenting. "I'll take a cup."

"Well then, why don't you come to the dining room?"

Reborn shifted and got up to his feet, his eyes taking in everything around him. It was a small, well-organized room. A large table stood in the center, enough for at least eight people. Lining the walls were the stoves and cupboards, no doubt where the tableware were stored. Reborn hopped onto the table and wormed his way into a chair, which was suspiciously elevated so that he could reach the desk. Tsuna moved around the room with ease, opening and closing cupboards as he pulled out all of the necessary materials.

With a clatter, Tsuna placed the cup down in front of him, warm brown liquid swirling tantalizingly inside. "Oh, and by the way," Tsuna said as he headed for his own seat across the table, "tomorrow I will be meeting with some of my friends after school for a project. I won't be able to be home until perhaps nine."

Reborn frowned but agreed, gently lifting his cup to his lips. He blinked as the bittersweet taste filled his mouth.

It was delicious.

There were so many things that struck him as odd about the teen before him. There were his records, which claimed him to be boneless and no-good. There were his peers, who claimed him to be a failure in all aspects of life except for perhaps basketball. Then there were his teachers, who reported something similar: that Tsuna was a quiet, obedient teen who will never amount to anything throughout his life.

But Tsuna was acting completely different of his records. Reborn acknowledged that his grades were miserable, but he was far from boneless. No—he was assertive and playful, neither talkative nor silent. Tsuna was far from obedient, and that lack of fear was likely to give Reborn problems in the near future. He was independent, and undeniably charismatic—the features of a leader, of a boss, that Reborn had hoped to change the 'boneless teen' into. That wasn't part of the plan, but there wasn't anything that he could do about it. For now, all he could do was to watch and observe.


The day passed in silence.

Tsuna's mother woke up around six, and then Reborn had handed her the flyer, and Nana seemed extremely excited to have received such an offer for a tutor. It was inexpensive, and the only thing she needed to was to provide living quarters—something that Nana agreed to cheerfully.

Reborn followed Tsuna to school, deciding to watch and wait before making a move. The moment Tsuna stepped into the campus, he suddenly changed: the shoulders slouched, his head dropped, and his strides turned into shuffles. Nobody paid him much heed, and if they did it was to tease him.

In class, he was quiet and subdued. He bowed his head meekly when laughed at; he flushed with shame as the teachers berated him. It was such a perfect facade that Reborn wouldn't have known that Tsuna was acting if not for his previous actions.

Reborn was tempted to try to shoot Tsuna with the dying will bullet, but decided against it. He wasn't sure how Tsuna would react to the gun quite yet, and his intuition was saying that he would regret shooting him. He trusted this instinct and acted upon it, although his suspicion against Tsuna only rose.

At the very least, at the end of the day, Reborn could say that he found great candidates. Gokudera Hayato was coming from Italy the following day, and the Lambo brat from the Bovino was bound to try to kill him soon. He already found potential candidates for the rain, sun, and cloud wandering around Namimori High, though he still needed a mist. Although he didn't get very far with interacting with Tsuna, he felt that it was a fairly productive day.

But it wasn't enough. Tsuna was a very good actor, more than Reborn would like to give him credit for, and that worried him. He didn't know why Tsuna would choose such a life. He didn't know why Tsuna would hide his obvious intellect, or his true personality. A normal person would have nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

Whatever Tsuna was hiding from him, it was big.

Reborn didn't forget Tsuna's declaration to him about having to meet some friends. After school, he let Tsuna go reluctantly. He had considered trying to follow Tsuna to see who he would meet, but Tsuna had already managed to catch all of his spying during school, and even waved at the camera that he had planted in the classroom.

Of course, he had considered following Tsuna to see how the project would go; he had already confirmed that there was a project like the paranoid hitman that he was. But Tsuna's glare at the twentieth camera made it clear that he knew and disliked being watched like a criminal. So Reborn let him go, unwilling to chance another crack in their relationship so early in the game.


Tsuna stretched leisurely as he walked down the street.

He felt so free and relaxed, now that he was away from everybody's calculative gazes. He hated having to live with his acting, but there just wasn't a way around it. If he suddenly started acting and talking differently then people would start questioning, which was something that he'd rather avoid.

It hadn't helped that Reborn had finally arrived. He had been expecting the baby for weeks now, and the wait had put him on edge. Part of his mind was grateful that Reborn had finally decided to appear, but the other half was really annoyed.

Tsuna checked his watch, noting that it was around four in the afternoon. His 'friends' would have already arrived in Namimori, and was already waiting for him in the hotel. He had changed out of his school uniform, so he wouldn't be as easily recognizable, and had stored his clothes in his backpack. Like always, he had taken precautions, only taking the crowded routes. It was less conspicuous compared to walking through a narrow alley, where no boy should be walking, and the regular shoppers around him also masked his presence.

Tsuna's pulse began to race as he felt the slide of energy against his skin. He subtly ignited his ring, signifying his presence, and felt the flames shift in acknowledgement; he was close, he knew it, and when he turned the corner the sight confirmed it.

The hotel was large, easily ten stories tall and hundreds of feet wide. It was painted a soft peach, the color of his skin. Hundreds of windows flashed at him, some hiding behind the railings of the balconies. From the outside, it looked just like a normal hotel—which it was, Tsuna thought, except that it was a hotel for the rich.

Tsuna walked in, straightening his posture, ignoring the suspicious stares of the residents (who were all dressed in suits or dresses—honestly, he thought in exasperation, they could dress normally like other citizens once in a while). The lady behind the desk looked at him blankly, taking in his semi-formal appearance, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. It couldn't have been helped; if he had dressed formally then he wouldn't have blended in with the shoppers, not at all.

"How may I help you?"

Tsuna flashed a winning smile, leaning against the counter. "I'm here to meet my friends. They are registered under the name 'Sei.'"

"They are in room 304. Third floor up, fourth door to the right. Please enjoy your stay."

"Thank you." Tipping his head in a nod of thanks, he turned and headed up the elevator. Soon he found himself standing in front of a plain-looking door, the number displayed prominently on the placard, and took a deep breath before knocking. Not a minute passed before the door was pulled open. Pink hair greeted him, and the girl in the doorway beamed.

"Tsuna-kun!" Momoi exclaimed in shock. "I didn't know you were coming!"

"I wanted to surprise you," he answered warmly, and she nodded before pulling the door open wider so that he could step inside.

The room was furnished nicely. There were three couches, all occupied as the most of the occupants stared avidly at the television screen. One of them was splayed out across an entire couch, sleeping with a tanned arm draped over his face. From his angle, Tsuna couldn't tell what was playing, but he could tell that it was good if it managed to keep Akashi's attention, of all people.

At Momoi's voice, the redhead lifted the remote and muted the sound. Two red eyes fastened on him.

"Tsunayoshi," Akashi said.

All of the occupants turned toward Tsuna, instantly bombarding him with voices.

"Aw, did you have to come now of all times?" Kise whined. His arms were crossed over his chest, his lips pulled into a playful pout. "It was just getting good!"

"Ah, just shut up," Aomine grumbled irritably. He lifted himself from the otherwise empty couch and glared at the blond. "You're too loud."

"My horoscope says that today will be a particularly good day for Cancers," Midorima said. "I see now why that is."

"Do you have anything to eat, Tsuna-chin?" Murosakibara asked hopefully.

Tsuna smiled. Some things never changed.

"How are you all doing?" Tsuna asked cheerily as he walked in, dropping his backpack to the ground by the entrance. "Are you holding up well?"

Akashi moved forward, red eyes gleaming eerily. "We're all fine. Why are you here? We didn't expect you until tomorrow."

"I have news. Reborn's made his move," Tsuna explained. "He has come to notify me of being the next heir to the Vongola. He now lives in Sawada residence, with my 'mom.' Kuroko-kun,, I know your illusions are affected by distance and concentration. They have been holding recently, but no matter what, we can't let them falter now that Reborn is with me. Can your illusions hold up?"

"Of course he can!" Kise interjected playfully. "Kurokocchi's not a famous illusionist for nothing!"

Tsuna ignored him, and Kise began to pout like a child. "Kuroko-kun?"

"I can hold them," Kuroko answered.

Tsuna nodded in satisfaction. "I need you all to be careful tomorrow before, during, and after the game," Tsuna warned. "We do not know each other. It would cause too many unnecessary questions. Tomorrow, we are nothing but strangers. However, just because I will not approach you does not mean that Reborn won't. Reborn's bound to look for you, because you are so uniquely talented. Hell, he may even ask you to join the Vongola."

"No way that's happening," Aomine muttered.

"Even if it does happen, we'll turn down the offer," Akashi said coldly. "And if Reborn persists…I'll introduce him to my scissors."

Tsuna leaned back and sighed. "Of course you will. I trust that none of you would even consider accepting the proposal. We're already our own famiglia, after all. But no matter what, don't underestimate Reborn. He's not the number one hitman in the world for nothing. So far it's the lack of information keeping my identity a secret, but that won't last for long. Even so, he needs me alive. It's not the same for you. If he becomes aware of who you are and your connection with me, you'll be killed. If you underestimate him, it'll be the last mistake you will ever make. Be careful, everyone."

Multicolored sets of eyes stared back at him solemnly, and he felt a small surge of pride. He cared for them, he truly did—much more than he had than for anybody else.

"But Reborn's the same, too," Kise suddenly said.

"What are you talking about?" Midorima asked.

"If Reborn underestimates you, it will be the last mistake that he will ever make. None of us here are without motivation. We're all fully willing to commit to our goal—to annihilate the Vongola." His grin suddenly looked sinister.

"Isn't that right, Miracolo Primo?"

Tsuna smirked, a dark glint coming into his eyes. "It's not just me. If Reborn underestimates any of you, he'll be in for the shock of his life. None of you are a part of the Generation of Miracles—the Miracolo Famiglia—for no reason…

"And if he does…the Vongola will all die, by my hand."