Disclaimer: Don't own KHR.
Chapter I: Birthday
For the first time in years the chefs, maids, and other fine servants under the Vongola Famiglia bustled through the hallways of the finest mansion in Italy, the enthusiasm teeming beneath the seams of their clothes. Smiles graced their faces, excitement only increasing as each person completed the task at hand with speedy success. Not one complaint was heard, even from the tiniest helper when Vongola Decimo himself asked the five-year-old if he was okay.
The mansion was tidied, starting from the very first painting of Vongola Primo as a little boy with his mama and papa at his side, to the picture taken just that morning, when the Vongola Storm Guardian threatened to shove a dynamite down when the Lightning Guardian's throat.
Invitations were sent to every allied family of the Vongola Family, plenty reporting their presence at that night's gala and chortling advice to make the event twice as much fun, to which the humble Decimo felt the need to oblige.
Even on his 20th Birthday, he was never a man who liked broad declarations.
It was after his 18th Birthday and the official coronation of an only semi-skittish Vongola Decimo that he insisted not having a party on his nineteenth (where despite everything, his guardians threw a surprise party ). Events throughout the year required him to dress up, make a big entrance, and consequently make sure the alliance between the Vongola Famiglia and their partner was wavering.
For Tsuna to leave these gaudy parties unscathed, he was only a lucky man.
But it wasn't every day that his old tutor would be coming into town, and after thinking aloud, 'If he's coming in town, we should throw a birthday for the both of us,' to Gokudera-kun, Gokudera casually mentioned it to Yamamoto in pillow talk, who discussed it during warm-ups with Ryohei, who enthusiastically phoned Master Colonello, who after hearing about Reborn's return to Italy declared himself the party planner (then was subsequently kicked in the face by his former instructor for interrupting the CEDEF meeting) and caused an irritated Lal Mirch to vent to Iemitsu Sawada, who took a kick to the heart when he heard he wasn't invited, then mentioned all the plans to Gokudera once again—
—who, finally at the end of the day yelled at the top of his lungs, 'If it's anyone that will be planning this party for the Tenth, it will be me, his right-hand man!'
Of course, Tsuna was the last to know, conveniently on his birthday when it appeared the staff was busy in preparation for this incredibly large party.
It was where he was now, in his luxurious office stumbling over his Rain Guardian's dance shows and sputtering apologies to the Ninth whenever the soles of his shoes positively did not land on the ground. His cheeks burned red and he refused to look his amused dance partner in the eye.
"Sorry! Sorry, sorry!" he squeaked, ashamed of himself. "Ah—is this where you twirl me?"
"Hahaha, Tsuna, I'm the girl, remember? You're supposed to twirl me." If that didn't sound like a comedic tragedy waiting to happen, then Tsuna didn't know what was. Still, he was busy with the insistent enthusiasm in his best friend's eyes to care.
With a quick swoop and a loud yelp, Tsuna felt his feet lift inches off the ground, his tall friend's version of 'twirling' coming in full effect before he landed.
That is, if landed meant diving nose-first into the carpet. CRASH!
"Ah! Tsuna!"
As the balls of Tsuna's feet brushed the ground, the nervous birthday boss nosedived into the friendly orange carpeting and hit his head against his desk. A blanket of unsigned paperwork trembled before scattering over the floor and exploding on top of the brunet's head.
Ow.
He groaned, immediately placing a hand on the head wound before pushing himself off the ground. Looking up through squinty brown eyes, he heard the unfiltered laughter of his best friend and a few, formal chuckles from the Ninth.
"Maybe you won't be asked to dance tonight, Tsuna." Yamamoto chuckled again, quietly before he helped the poor brunet to his feet. "There will be far less furniture in the room…we can stay away from the food, too, so you don't hurt yourself."
Said so casually, too. Tsuna laughed, rubbing the wound just as the Ninth offered a bag of ice, then sighed. "Then it'll be like high school all over again, where I'm stumbling asking a girl on a date, and you get confessed to every day."
"Even back then, Hayato wouldn't tolerate it." With a pleasant smile, the swordsman placed a friendly hand on his boss's shoulder and scrutinized the brunet. How many months had it been, exactly, since they saw each other?
Too many. What Tsuna enjoyed most about the event was that all of his family would be present. Unknown to him until that day (just like the surprise party the year before), his Guardians all finished their missions early in order to make the event and were coordinating the entire affair.
It was close to nine months since he'd last seen his Rain Guardian, which was only for a brief period before Yamamoto was sent off on his next mission with a grumpy Hibari-san. The shortest to be away was Gokudera, who was gone for two weeks in order to visit his dying father and make arrangements for the funeral. Lambo, he'd seen last Christmas when Nana came up with the children.
Here Tsuna stood now with his best friend, whose smile did not waver. They'd been together six years, and tonight he would be able to celebrate his birthday with his closest friends.
Even Reborn, which made the news even more exciting. Especially Reborn.
Usually when it came to big events like the one thrown tonight, he would have locked the door to his office and hoped no one would find him. Yet when Colonello confirmed Reborn would be present the following evening, he decided to give in and take dance lessons.
For the fourth time that month.
By a different instructor. And more bruises.
"It wasn't that big a loss now was it?" Smiling evenly, Yamamoto reached for the remote and shut the stereo off; fanciful music now forgotten. He leaned against the desk, eyes still focused on the shorter man. "After all, for most of high school you were in a relationship with—"
"Somehow, more girls were gawking than actually wanting to date me." Tsuna interrupted that sentence, feeling his cheeks flame as Timoteo raised a brow of interest. P…Personal life aside, not very many people knew who he dated while in school.
A formal smile graced the Vongola Ninth's lips and he bowed his head before touching his successor on the shoulder. "A lot of other famiglias will be here tonight, Tsuna. I recommend dancing with as many of their daughters as you can. Get to know them and find a partner that you like."
Uh. "W…Wouldn't it be better not to step on their toes and accidentally cause an incident?" The thought of transferring what he learned about dancing from Yamamoto to an actual ballroom with smaller girls didn't seem like a good idea. So far he learned, twirl them but don't lift them off the ground, and 'don't wear shoes with giant cleats.'
As kindhearted as Timoteo was, he still took the duty as Vongola's former boss seriously. He chuckled, light but quite dire, and placed both hands on the young adult's shoulders. There was a gravity in his eyes that spoke louder in his words.
"Find one you like," he repeated gently. "You never know. Your future wife could be amongst that crowd."
"Future wife?" The ridiculousness stretched in Tsuna's tone, eyes wide and eyebrows raised beneath brown hair. He pulled away from Timoteo's grip, a slight nervousness to his smile before taking a spot beside Yamamoto against the desk. "O…Okay. I'll keep that in mind, Ninth."
"Good, Decimo." Something in Timoteo's expression changed the slightest bit and he recoiled. A fuller smile appeared across his lips and he stretched, a symphony of cracks reaching his ears. "Now, I should get going. Visconti and I planned on grabbing a late lunch, and there's still enough time to take a nap before the party. I suggest you do the same, Tsuna."
"Have fun." Smiling nervously, Tsuna waited until the man waved goodbye and disappeared behind the doors. He sighed with relief, something that Yamamoto noticed immediately.
The swordsman laughed and reached over to Tsuna's mini-fridge, quickly grabbing two bottles of waters. "Now, now, Tsuna. Does he really make you that nervous?"
"I never want to mess up in front of him," he said immediately. Fortunately between all his guardians, it was easy to share his feelings. Tsuna's hand curled around the bottle of water, a quiet thank you spitting from his lips, then he turned pink. "I…it's like he's always hovering over my shoulder, waiting for me to make a mistake so he can show me how to fix it, and I never know when I'm making the right decision—agh, Yamamoto. It's just…frustrating."
"I'll believe it, haha. Maybe having Reborn visit for a while won't be a bad thing." With an earnest smile, Yamamoto leaned over and chugged his water. The scar on his cheek curled as he spoke, something Tsuna couldn't help but scrutinize.
Without it, he wouldn't be sitting here casually talking to Yamamoto as his Rain Guardian.
They'd grown through the six years they were together—all of them. Lambo was in the middle of a growth spurt, finally visible beneath his wild mane of hair. He was more annoying, according to I-Pin, but only when she wasn't travelling with her master. Gokudera and Yamamoto were in a surprisingly stable relationship and soon would celebrate their third anniversary. When talks of 'marriage' or 'engagement' was brought up as casual talk, one (Yamamoto) usually ended up with a hit upside the head (by Gokudera, of course). Ryohei was enthusiastically engaged, with Haru and Kyoko eagerly planning the wedding for the happy couple.
Hibari…was still Hibari, but Tsuna learned he had a temporary quarters he paid rent for with Chrome—who was stronger. Braver. They were an odd pair, she being the person Hibari had the least hostility working with on missions and Chrome never said a word. She smiled, a lot, even when Mukuro was out on his own accord.
He remembered one night, the first time he acted as boss on his own terms his guardians and he banded together. There was darkness in Yamamoto's eyes, followed by rage and hatred—but in the end, he was still the same man with an irreplaceable smile and heavy determination.
Fight to win. Not to kill.
Since then, Tsuna couldn't remember the last time he left the mansion for more than a simple visit to the Cavallone Famiglia or to get on a plane to visit Mama and the kids.
But he knew around the time he and his guardians accepted their duties, Reborn was already out the door looking for his next job.
At that thought, the brunet could feel his heart clench. He looked to his hands, coiled them into fists, and bit the inside of his mouth. Yamamoto snapped him out of his thoughts, touching Tsuna with his own shoulder.
"Sorry about the lessons, haha. Hayato gets mad at me too when I try to be the girl, if that helps." Smiling earnestly, Yamamoto staggered to his feet. "You should probably take a nap before the party, Tsuna. We can handle things from here."
"R…Right." It wasn't that he didn't trust his guardians to handle the situation. He just…had a feeling he would wake up and find, 'TO THE EXTREME' banners hanging off the walls, sushi as the main course, and drunk hedgehogs making the space unbearable.
"Did he get the letter you sent him last week?" Yamamoto smiled as Tsuna started a path toward his bedroom. "Reborn, I mean?"
The question stopped the brunet in his path. He frowned, reviewing what he'd said in the letter in his head before turning back to his rain guardian. "I think so. He moves from place-to-place all the time so it's a matter of luck that I find him."
"Did he send a letter back?" Yamamoto arched an eyebrow.
"No. But…" Tsuna's eyebrows furrowed together. "I have a feeling he got it." His intuition was telling him so.
Not…that Reborn ever responded to any of his messages though.
With a soft goodbye, Tsuna went in the direction of his room. He was cut off halfway there when one of Vongola's finest chefs chased him down and explained Nana Sawada infiltrated the kitchen, kicked half the staff members out, and insisted she'd cook for the party tonight herself.
xxx
Ow.
Reborn woke up with a splitting headache. His eyes were dry and free of moisture and sweat drenched the pits of his shirt. That musky odor, filled with blood, sweat, and the adherent, inevitable scent of sex was what invited him to the conscious world.
He pushed off the cot, feeling the aches and bruises from actions the night before as they throbbed, and examined the room.
A love motel. Chipped red paint decorated the walls, followed by gaudy paintings that depicted some strange castrating ritual. The TV was on, shaped like a giant purple heart and showed some girl, breasts the size of volleyballs being taken on a window sill.
Classy, Reborn mused derisively. He grimaced, rolling his sleeves above his elbows, then looked to the man in his bed, who was nestled tightly beneath the duvet. Blanket hog.
Slowly, Leon climbed his arm until he perched on Reborn's shoulder, then crooned. The old arcobaleno rubbed the chameleon's chin.
"I know, Leon," he murmured, eyes narrowing at his current case. "I hate blanket hogs, too."
Without much time to waste, Reborn dragged himself to the restroom, popped two Advils in his mouth, and hopped into the shower. He scrubbed the evidence of last night's activities and rinsed his flesh of any bodily fluids. Then of course, the most important part of his shower routine, he rinsed his hair with Garnier and as he dried himself off, heard the maid drop off a newly pressed suit and hang it outside his door.
There were giggles, indicating she was still in the room before she skipped off to her next assignment.
Wiping the mirror clear of steam, Reborn caught sight of the red imprints on his wrists and smirked. As his headache dwindled, he dressed, feeling refreshed for the morning. Shirt, slacks, vest, hat. Good.
Now to raise chaos.
Circling the bed, Leon changed to the familiar shape of his gun, and the hitman matched gazes with the man on the mattress. He kicked said man out of the bed with one violent swing and aimed the weapon at his head. Coldly. "Get up."
Abel Gallo. Age 28. Sex: Male. He was a man of tall height with a medium, stocky frame, and fluffy blond hair that tapered down his neck. The most prominent feature he held was the marionette tattoo on his chest that extended over the crook of his neck down to his ring finger. He was a con-artist dealing a heavy drug in the underworld that without warning, could kill twenty men at the scene.
He was also a very, very bad blanket hog.
Gallo woke up immediately, a rowdy sound of surprise thundering at the back of his throat. He lay on the fluffy purple carpeting, bare of everything but the duvet coiled around his body and the scanty pair of boxers he wore to cover a nasty case of morning wood. Shock filled his face. "What the—! Cain!"
He raised his arms, only to realized both his feet and arms were cuffed tightly together.
Reborn smirked.
"You must recognize those last night from when your men handcuffed me," he drawled, the natural allure gleaming in his tone. His lips curled with his natural smugness, and he pointed Leon straight at Gallo's head.
Terror widened in the man's eyes and he trembled with the grossest expression. "I—I have no idea what you're talking about—"
"You questioned my loyalty to you after a two-month partnership and decided to test me last night. When you were convinced I would not disobey you, you enacted the scene as though you were a hero saving another's life." Reborn reached into his pocket and pulled out a hand-sized vile filled with blue liquid. "What you didn't realize was that your men told me the effects and the ingredients to the drug you're using to kill people in the underworld."
The way Gallo gritted his teeth said it all. He was sprawled over the floor, helpless, and looked absolutely ridiculous. Like a pig in a blanket. "Cain. I should have never trusted you whenever you came into my office, you bastard."
"You should have trusted your intuition." Reborn flipped the vile in his hands. "I wonder what would happen if I fed you a whole bottle."
"No!" The fear twisted in the ridiculous man's face. He forced himself upright, turning as blue as the liquid in the bottle, and trembled. "You wouldn't dare."
"You're right. I need it for an accomplice to find an antidote." For an obscure price, Verde would have a ball analyzing the mixture. Crouching to eye level with the man in front of him, Reborn tipped his hat and allowed a better look at his face.
Once it registered in Gallo's mind, he wasn't all surprised when those pretty boy eyes widened in shock. Gallo's jaw clenched and he paled. "You…you're…"
"That's right." Finger intertwined over the trigger, Reborn raised his head and hummed. "I suppose I could always kill you."
"N-No! What about last night?" A desperate look wrinkled over Gallo's face and he heaved grotesquely. "You and I…y-you were my Cain! W-We understood each other, I told you all of my secrets! For two months, you and I were together—"
"Cain killed Abel." Reborn pulled the trigger. Everyone on the eastern side of Augusta woke up to the blood-curdling screams of the late Abel Gallo.
Later that morning when the maid arrived with clean sheets, Reborn flashed the Vongola Famiglia Seal before she could scream and requested a quick tidy-up. He tucked the vile safely in his shirt pocket, packed the sparse things brought with him on his two-month mission, and ushered himself out of the room.
Upon returning the motel key to the desk clerk, he was stopped immediately.
"Ah, Sir Cain!" the clerk couldn't be older than her mid-twenties, with smooth ginger ringlets, bright blue eyes and plump, apple red lips. She looked to him, doll-face full of wonder and handed him an envelope. "This came for you overnight. I was told to deliver it as soon as you checked out."
"Looks like you're doing your job well." Tipping his hat, he offered a gentlemanly smile, caught glance of her pink blush, and bid the pretty lady farewell. On his way out, he read the name of the sender and and ripped it open.
Reborn:
I heard from the Ninth you were coming to the galla tonight. The room and arrangements have already been made, so please feel welcomed to stay as long as you want. Happy Birthday!
Sincerely,
Tsuna
Hmm.
Beside him, Leon curled comfortably onto his shoulder and purred. Reborn hummed, remembering the Ninth's words whenever he was contacted about the circumstance three months ago. Scratching beneath Leon's chin, Reborn tucked the letter in his coat pocket. "You're right, Leon. Our No-Good Student's handwriting is getting more terrible with each letter."
xxx
According to the Varia, the best thing about the Vongola Mansion was the massive ballroom that, when filled with hundreds of people as it was for the certain occasion, it seemed to have no end. Over the years it had been refurbished to keep up with modern technology, but the skylight still remained the same: a long exquisite painting of the yellow sun setting in an orange sky that tapered off to the five other elements; storm, lightning, rain, cloud, and mist.
The elements melted onto the walls, and with a light coat of mist flames, looked animated. It was Tsuna's favorite part about opening the ballroom. Otherwise—
"Eek!"
"L-Lady Catarina! I-I'm sorry, did I step on your foot," Tsuna squeaked, "again?"
—the Tenth Vongola Boss would often try to meld into the walls or hide under the table until one of the servants or his guardians found him and obliviously ask him where he'd been. With cheeks darker than the Storm Flame, Tsuna always felt the urge to crawl under a rock and die by the end of every party. E-Especially if they insisted on dancing with him.
Unfortunately, as Timoteo insisted, he didn't have that luxury (usually when Tsuna begged, the Ninth would smile in amusement and deny that request.)
Lady Catarina was the daughter of a local family who owned a fish cart by the beach. They were not a rich bunch, but according to the Ninth, her family sold an abundant number of fish to the Vongola every month and was never short a shipment. She was pretty with curly black hair pinned back in some fancy bun and a modest dress, and very, very tolerant.
You know, after Tsuna stepped on her foot for the eighth time in less than a minute.
He hung his head in shame, face still steaming. The poor boss was only fortunate when his seventh dancer of the night laughed quietly and curled a hand over his shoulder. "It is fine, Sir Vongola. I was advised to wear steel-toed heels."
"S…Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better." Still, through his humiliation, Tsuna managed a pathetic laugh and looked her in the eye. She smiled fully despite his errors like the rest of the girls and they carried on.
Once the song ended, they parted embraces and bowed respectively. He mouthed a thank-you to the woman and turned pink when she kissed him on the cheek. Before he could be swept away into another waltz, Tsuna snuck out of the room and onto the balcony.
Seven girls.
The evening started only started two hours ago, but in that time the Ninth whisked him away to speak from one girl to another, suggested he ask them to dance (despite the fact how terrified he felt) and complimented him almost outrageously to many of the girls' fathers. They smiled rambunctiously and offered their daughters for the night.
He barely had time to breathe, let alone feel miserable for making the Ninth look silly in front of all the guests.
A sigh of relief passed through his lips as he leaned against the balcony. Along with the ballroom, the exterior of the Vongola Mansion had been decorated with plentiful lights to make the place glow beneath the stars. Roses laced through the fencing, providing a romantic atmosphere for any couple that came and went, and even the pool glowed more than usual.
He had to give it to Gokudera; despite how reckless and impulsive the Storm Guardian could be, he'd done a good job coordinating the event. The last he'd seen of himYamamoto had whisked Gokudera away onto the dance floor to distract him before he could realize they were out of quiche. (Tsuna suspected the night would end with a simmering Gokudera and a laughing Yamamoto who would have a face full of bruises.)
Parties were usually his least favorite part of being the boss, along with his favorite.
He hated having to put on a cool front, speak in a foreign language and pretending to be comfortable with it, and then suddenly finding another genuine, loyal accomplice to love in the Mafia World.
However, he also loved them because they were the only time he was allowed to stretch his legs and (somewhat) speak his mind. Usually Tsuna was stuck in his office signing all the paperwork from when his guardians were away and assigning missions to those who were present.
Stars filled the sky in the way the paintings inside couldn't, and the soft Italian wind blew through brown hair.
"Tsu-kun?"
Tsuna inhaled a deep breath, dipped his head back and closed his eyes, then turned around when he heard his name called. When he caught a glance of the girl, he lit up.
"Kyoko-chan." A smile graced his lips and he stepped forward for his dear friend in relief. "Oh—oof."
To his surprise, Kyoko stepped forward to give him a hug. A smile curled across her lips just as pink accentuated the poor brunet's cheeks.
"It's been a while." Tsuna laughed sweetly.
Suddenly, she pulled away, confusion written across her face. A moment passed before Tsuna realized why. Quickly, he apologized.
"S-Sorry! I've been speaking Italian all night with the Ninth's accomplices." Smiling sheepishly, he bowed his head and spread out to make more room. "How are you, Kyoko-chan? Is the wedding planning going well?"
"Very well. I've slipped the invitation in your gift." Another smile graced her lips, as angelic as the first one. Like many of the girls that night, she was dressed in fancy clothes and had her hair pinned back with a complex barrette. Kyoko-chan was petite compared to some women who were either the future bosses of their famiglia or guardians.
"I'll be sure to come." Hopefully it'd be another experience for Tsuna to get out of the office.
Kyoko wrapped his hand with both of hers and extended an arm. "Would you like to dance with me? Haru-chan is here, too."
"Okay. But…I'm not very good." He made sure to stretch that point as he stumbled off the balcony. As they (reluctantly) made it back to the ballroom, Tsuna caught sight of the patch sewn into the bottom of Kyoko's skirt and blinked. "Is that…the Vongola seal?"
"Hm?" Kyoko raised her dress just slightly. "Yes. Haru-chan has one on her dress, too! Bianchi-san told us to wear it."
"Ah." Probably so those who weren't familiar with the girls knew they were part of the family. Tsuna was always hesitant when the girls asked to visit them in Italy (Ryohei never forgot to give him an earful), yet somehow they always got their way. "Well, you look beautiful in it."
Saying those words to a pretty girl still made him blush, despite the fact he was twenty now.
Which…was what Kyoko-chan was currently giggling about. She tucked a hand over his shoulder and guided Tsuna's other hand to her waist. "We've known each other since middle school, Tsu-kun. Do you still get embarrassed when you hold a girl's hand?"
"I-I think I'd rather have that than forget to treat you well," Tsuna admitted earnestly. His eyebrows knit together, still embarrassed when her giggles increased.
"Have you been well?"
"For the most part." Tsuna nodded, still modest, then twirled her. To both his surprise and relief, dancing with Kyoko-chan wasn't nearly as hard as it was with the other girls. She had a point—they'd known each other since middle school. Maybe that was why it wasn't as hard. They spoke, catching up for the gap that'd happened between them. (According to her, Ryohei was in the middle of begging Hana to have the wedding in a boxing ring.) "Um, have you seen Reborn anywhere?"
"You haven't seen him yet?" What? Pure puzzlement mixed across her demeanor and—"Ow!"
"Oh! S-Sorry…"
"No, it's fine…" She smiled through a wince and tightened her grip over his hand. Maneuvering across the dance floor, Kyoko tilted her head curiously and gestured to the front doors. "The moment Reborn came in, he greeted both Haru-chan and me. He made Lambo-chan cry, too."
Eek. That sounded like Reborn.
Still, Tsuna couldn't help when his brow furrowed in frustration. Maybe he shouldn't have been so disappointed his old tutor hadn't immediately greeted him. After all, they'd gone two whole years without Reborn ever sending him a letter.
"Is it true that you asked him to be your advisor, Tsu-kun?" Kyoko tore his attention away from his thoughts once more. "He mentioned something about that."
"Did he?" That made Tsuna light up. He'd offered the position to Reborn shortly after becoming the Tenth. Work had been overwhelming and he felt loss without a guide. However, when he asked the hitman himself, Tsuna received a kick in the shin and was told, "You're still my No-Good Student if all you want is for me to throw you around for the rest of your life."
"I'm surprised," she admitted, quirking a brow beneath her hair. "You and Reborn-san are incredibly close. I would expect him to see you immediately."
"R…Really? Somehow I don't think that's his style…" Not after all these years without a letter of respon—
"May I cut in?" The third addition of a voice cut the dancing couple off.
Tsuna's skin bristled in familiarity and he cocked his head. "R-Reborn!"
His old teacher stood there in the middle of the dance floor with them, tall and eloquent. A self-righteous smile curled over his lips, hands tucked in his pants pockets as he examined the pair. A glint appeared in his eyes, memorable and mischievous, and immediately Tsuna turned red.
Kyoko and he stopped dancing in the middle of the song. Tsuna took a step forward, the surprise of reuniting with the old hitman still running through his head. He looked…well. Better than well. "I…It's been a while."
"You don't mind then, No-Good Tsuna?" A long hand wrapped around the Tenth Vongola Boss's, and suddenly he was ignoring what Tsuna had just said. "If I cut in?"
"Oh, um—" The next thing Tsuna knew, he was being yanked into the arms of his once tutor, Kyoko long forgotten as his dance partner.
With a tip of his hat and Leon's blessing, the poor brunet found himself now in the middle of the dance floor with very little personal space; chest to chest with the hitman and ebony eyes piercing through him.
There was a change of song, switching from the fancy, boring violin and cello to something of faster pace. A…A tango? All eyes, Tsuna realized, were suddenly on them.
"R-Reborn—" This was way too sudden. Way too fast pace, even for him and—and, he couldn't dance! What on earth was Reborn doing—?
"Your fear is showing, you No-Good Student." Smugness curled in Reborn's tone. He pressed his lips to the brunet's ear and hummed. "Was Bianchi not a good teacher of tango?"
To that, Tsuna had a mental lapse. He paused in his panic, Reborn's words ringing in his head. How did—?
"Just follow me." Once again, Reborn's words cut through him like a knife. Tsuna found himself dragged three steps forward, and looked to the other man at eye-level. Despite the devilish joy the hitman was getting from all of this, there was definite reassurance in his gaze. Just like when they were younger.
So being who he was, Tsuna only nodded in agreement. "O…Okay."
Tango was harder than plenty of the other dances. Unlike than the little square Kyoko and he had drawn in the floor with their feet, Reborn's calculated movements were all over the place. Somehow, with his intuition tingling in the back of his head, Tsuna's eyes followed each movement as though he'd entered HDW Mode and he managed to take Reborn's steps, even almost taking lead.
"Do you always look at your partner's feet when you're dancing?" Reborn mused.
Only when he was sure his partner would kill him if he looked up. Tsuna made a face, then met the man's eyes. He struggled for a smile through the fast-pace steps and grunted when they met chest-to-chest. "N…Not always, no."
"That's probably why you've stepped on so many peoples' feet." With a swift jerk, Reborn unwound his partner. "Pay attention. I'll shoot you if you step on mine."
"Only you would threaten me ten minutes into a reunion." Tsuna made a face and turned pink as he was reeled back in, arms wrapped tightly around his body. In those few seconds, he caught a better look at the ex-arcobaleno.
Ebony black hair. Although Reborn was known for his firmly pressed suits, he looked even finer in a black tuxedo with Leon perched happily on his head. There was a smoothness to his expression, one mastered as both an adult and as a baby, that naturally made Tsuna's cheek burn. They were the same height now and at eye-level.
Unlike Colonnello or Yamamoto, who both had stockier builds, Reborn was rather slim. His hands were long, fingers even longer, and he had legs that Tsuna could not see the end of. He was…no where near the baby he once was—
"Are you checking me out?"
"Eh?! N…No…!" Okay. Less staring, m-more dancing.
The amusement teemed—no, radiated in Reborn's expression and he held Tsuna tightly toward the climax of the song. His lips curled into a devastatingly cruel smirk and he ushered Tsuna in another corner of their dance space. "You're doing fine. Don't worry."
"I'm…not." Which was the truth. Through his…not-checking-out moment, he'd forgotten all about dancing and let Reborn take the lead. Here they were now at the center of the ballroom, the only two gentlemen dancing like a ballroom couple.
It threw him off when Reborn's expression seemed less like a smirk and more like a smile. Enough to make Tsuna's heart forget a beat or two. He was unfazed whenever the song ended, and the ex-arcobaleno dipped him as a finale. The room broke out into several applauses and chuckles, and Tsuna's hand curled around Reborn's breast pocket. The Vongola Emblem was sewn onto that, too.
"I've…missed you," Tsuna said, still mesmerized by everything that'd just happened. He scanned Reborn once more and finally inhaled a breath. This…wasn't how he planned on meeting his teacher again but—well, it was Reborn. Having plans when it came to that man was only a desired dream.
Reborn's eyes glazed once the 'M' word was mentioned and Tsuna couldn't help but bite the inside of his mouth. A slight smile laced across his lips and he brought the brunet up into a proper stance. "You're getting better at your Italian. The last time I heard you, you nearly caused an underworldly incident."
"W…Well, it wasn't on purpose." Well, that lost sentiment really quickly. Brown eyebrows knit together, quick to negate Reborn's fussing. "Anyway, you're the one who had been missing the entire night! I didn't even know you were here until Kyoko-chan told me."
At that moment, Reborn pulled out a white invitation laced with an orange trim and was sealed with a dying will frame. "I got the Ninth's letter weeks in advance. If you paid attention, you would have realized I RSVPed immediately."
"That's…not my point." Though, that being said, Tsuna couldn't help but curl his fists beneath his coat pockets. "Besides, you never responded to any of the letters that I sent you!"
Reborn hummed, and just like that, the comment went in one ear and out the other. He rubbed his chin casually and smiled. "This will be fun then, won't it?"
"What will be fun?" Oh, there was a way Reborn smiled that meant bad things. Very bad things.
"Excuse me, if I may have your attention." At that moment, the room suddenly dimmed. Near the end of the room, where the violinists, cellist and other people in the orchestra played, Timoteo smiled. In his hand was a microphone, tight and could be heard probably through the entire mansion.
Another hum passed through Reborn's lips. "This will be very fun."
"What?" Tsuna's eyes narrowed. He hadn't been informed of any announcement—usually the Ninth told him those things.
"Starting from today on out, Tenth," Reborn drawled, the mocking clear in his tone, "I'll be your love advisor."
Wait—
"As you all know, we have gathered here today for Tsunayoshi Vongola, of the Vongola Famiglia." Timoteo's eyes glittered warmly and suddenly the spotlight zoomed onto the brunet. Tsuna's entire face paled. "Today is his twentieth birthday. Like every boss of the Vongola Famiglia, the day of their twentieth birthday strikes a very important occasion: he is now of age to seek someone to marry and thus produce an heir—the future Vongola Undicesemo."
—what?
xxx
Author's Note:
So, talking to a few people we've had different disputes about Reborn's character as I wrote it. Oh well. I mean, it'll just be my take on the character, and I hope you guys will give it a chance. (: Anyway, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed!