Warmth. The faint beams of the rising sun settled across the heaped blankets and sheets. Reborn blinked at the early dawn light before registering the cold space beside him. Sitting up, he left the bed and silently padded down the chilled wooden stairs.
Humming met his ears, soft and faint as if to keep quiet. The sizzling of a griddle accompanied the tune with the smell of melting butter and baking blueberries. A short spurt of laughter caught the hitman's attention as gentle eyes caught his own. A kind smile lingered teasingly on a pale face as a quick movement fluttered against his cheek lightly.
"Good morning, Reborn."
Music drifted through the house, swift and upbeat as the door closed behind Reborn with an audible 'click'. A smirk rose unbidden as the dark-haired man leaned against a door frame. Enjoying the view as the brunette stepped to the song.
"-but mama I'm in love with a criminal~ And this type of love isn't rational, it's physical. Mama please don't cry I will be alright, all reason aside I just can't deny, I love the guy-" Tsuna sang along. Reborn tapped the dancing brunette's shoulder, startling the other into jumping with an additional shriek. "Reborn! I didn't know you were home yet!"
The hitman felt the edges of his mouth twitch upwards as he dragged Tsuna close. "Mio piccolo amore..."
Reborn woke with a start, jerking forward and seeing nothing but darkness as he reached out- "Calm. Don't stress your wounds further, you idiot. It's just me..."
Brown eyes. Deep and gentle and genuine as hands cupped the hitman's face and brought him back to reality. Reborn covered one of those hands with his own, leaning into the reassuring pressure Tsuna exuded. A strained smile crossed the brunette's face as the hitman curled around him. Sometimes, things like this were just too close.
"Who are you?"
The hitman quirked an eyebrow at the question. Looking over the small being in front of him, he frowned as wide eyes- innocent and curious, naive looking despite the dirt smudged face and rugged clothes- blinked.
A civilian. Male, young, and either in a bad home or homeless based off of his appearance.
Reborn watched as his gaze switched from the hitman to the alley behind him. Eyes widened a fraction before a frown adorned pouting lips. "Mou, those guys should have known better than to come back here. I warned them."
At that, the hitman reached for Leon, who remained calm and evaded the gentle hand. The hitman frowned at the chameleon's action and paused when nimble fingers ran over his jacket.
"Black always hides blood so well... They didn't manage to hit you did they? I know they laced their bullets with something." Brown hair reached his chin as the stranger ran his hands over Reborn's shoulders, taking interest in where the suit was torn or ruffled. "Nothing hit. You're fine. I'm Tsunayoshi."
A sudden introduction as the brunette backed away, a grin making his eyes light up. Reborn smirked, his fedora tipping forward as he held the brim. "Reborn."
_LittleLion-See you soon I made risotto for dinner. We can... discuss desert
Reborn hid a grin at the thought, already planning for 'dessert' later in the night. A shiver ran down Colonello's spine as he glanced at the hitman. Whatever made the sadist that happy, the blond didn't want to know.
"Lackey, hurry up. I think Reborn's lost it, kora!" he hissed into the mike. The sound of a glass shattering made Lal, who was sitting behind them, sigh and shake her head. "I would like to see you try and crawl across a wire above venomous and man eating plants!"
Verde rolled his eyes as Colonello growled a response back and the two started to bicker. Lal spoke into her own comm while trying to maintain her calm. "How is the download going, Viper?"
"I prefer Mammon now. Almost done. I'm not paid enough for this..."
A beep went off and the group started as Reborn slipped his phone out of his pocket again. The hitman frowned and put it away. "I'll be leaving."
Before anyone could make a noise in protest the hitman slipped away. Another buzz and this time, Lal took out her phone to gaze at the message in disbelief. "Iemitsu just kidnapped someone he says is his son..."
"...he reproduced, kora?!"
Reborn was currently being used as a clothing rack. Tsunayoshi, was going through some packages of socks. "These are so different and yet they all look the same! Honestly I wish there was some sign saying 'Pick Me' like in that book..."
Apparently the odd brunette was not homeless, but had gotten lost and simply slept outside when he couldn't find his way. That answer was also followed by some weird mumbling that Reborn would read into later.
But now, they were in a store shopping for some fresh clothes for the brunette. Reborn would have left if Leon hadn't suddenly decided Tsunayoshi was the most interesting thing in forever.
"Awww look at you!" A slow, lazy blink, and the young man practically cooed at the creature as it climbed onto his outstretched hand. "Oh my god, you are adorable!"
Then again, Reborn approved. Not many were intelligent enough to see how great Leon was.
"Okay, that should be fine. Do you want to eat after this? I know a place somewhere near here" Tsunayoshi babbled. And continued to babble as he walked, payed at the counter, and started skipping down the street while occasionally glancing back. Leon was staring with expectant eyes from the messy nest of brown that was the other's hair.
"I'm getting honey moon vibes." Reborn blinked. Had he just said that? He knew it wasn't poison from those bullets earlier, he was the best after all. But really, what was wrong with him? Shopping, a chattering partner leading him to some restaurant, and this wasn't even a date.
The brunette stilled. Reborn stared curiously at tense shoulders before noticing the tips of what were pale ears glowing a heated red. His lips twitched up and despite it being unbecoming for one such as himself, Reborn snorted.
The slow tapping of a foot roused Reborn from his musing above the map. An irate Tsuna was glaring at him, arms crossed and lips thin. "I told you that we would get lost if you didn't take a left and ask for directions."
"We're not lost. This is the scenic route."
"Oh really? Then where is the road to the next town? I want dinner."
"..."
They drove back to a gas station Tsuna had seen ten miles back. They then took three right turns and a left to get to the closest sign of civilization within the next hundred miles. They didn't eat dinner until it was one in the morning, at some greasy little diner with a bleach blonde waitress.
"So..." Tsuna chewed on his BLT with a thoughtful look on his face. Reborn sighed into his cheap black coffee. "While this is definitely different and I like it, could you start listening when I say we need directions?"
The hitman gave a solid nod after he forced the swill they called coffee down.
"Why would that idiot take you right off the street? Of all the stupid things..." Reborn grumbled. Tsuna was giggling as he toweled off the spiky black hair of his boyfriend. He hated seeing his father- today, of all days, but it was worth it to see what Reborn did to the imbecile that was Tsuna's sperm donor.
"Iemitsu was dumb enough to believe hiding me and Mama in Namimori was enough. Of course he would think that picking me off the street while I was screaming and kicking... Only someone like him could think that it was perfectly okay."
"... That moron is your father?"
"Sadly. I like to believe that I am mostly my mother's son however."
"..."
'WHAM!'
Reborn blinked. He had woken up alone in their bed upstairs, and heard the window in the kitchen shattering. When he had rushed downstairs with Leon in hand, he had expected either some stupid assassin from a famiglia or Tsuna having tripped and thrown something through the window.
He didn't expect to see Tsuna frowning at his now dented tea kettle, and a Mafioso out cold on the floor. The brunette was whining about the dent in his favorite kettle and how the tea would never taste right from now on. Completely ignoring the concussed body and shards of bloody glass on the tiled floor.
"...Tsuna."
The brunette startled. And promptly blushed. "Oh! It was an accident, he startled me... sorry if I woke you."
"...I'll handle this. And when I come back..." The hitman ran his eyes over the pajama clad form of his boyfriend. The blush Tsuna had tried to calm immediately returned and the small male started sputtering.
A scream. Reborn bolted from the study and into the room, only to find messy sheets and tangled blankets lying half heaped onto the floor. A light flickered across the dark room from the bathroom. Reborn cautiously approached, swinging the door open with one hand to see Tsuna inside leaning against the bathtub.
Dull brown eyes stared upwards. Seeing nothing. Reborn knelt next to the silent brunette. As his hand started to work through the tangled brown locks, Tsuna jerked and blinked. He fell over onto Reborn, resting his head on the hitman's shoulder. His throat burned.
"I'm always here, Tsuna."
Tsuna had left Japan for many reasons. It was impulsive, and stupid on his part. And yet it was also needed and made most of his friends sigh in relief.
The main reason was the death of Sawada Nana.
It wasn't by an assassin, or illness or anything mundane or abnormal. She died in a fire. That she had set herself, while Tsuna had gone to the market and taken the kids for a treat. They had arrived home just as the final flames had died out. An officer had taken them to the station to explain what they knew before Kyoya came and swept them all back to the Hibari compound.
The only reason he knew it was suicide was because she left a note with her will. And six months later, the young Sawada still didn't understand how he hadn't seen the signs.
Lambo and I-Pin were staying with Haru, while Fuuta stayed with Kyoko. Mochida had been allowing him to share the small apartment above his kendo dojo. And Tsuna had been distant. Not enough so that an intervention had taken place, but enough so that even Hibari had the committee looking out for him more than usual.
Then the brunette had gone out for groceries, and instead hopped on a plane to Italy. Which, with no luggage, was rather thoughtless. But the only thing that encouraged him to keep going was a text from Kyoya before the flight took off.
_Hibari: About time.
Here, above sparse clouds and undefinable lands, Tsuna could breathe.
The first thing he did when in Italy was get lost. He couldn't even follow the directions to Spanner's house because they were a mix of Italian, English, and then mostly schematics for one of the blond's robots. So, for a week Tsuna found himself taking advantage of a bakery that let him stay in the attic, as long as he worked.
Which, was perfect. He loved all the customers, and baking was enjoyable and reminded him of home without hurting too much. As well as the neighborhood was pleasant, once he had combed through it.
Of course, he had always been a favorite of Murphy's Law.
Stumbling onto an alley of corpses with the ground soaked in blood was not his idea of a typical morning. The dark figure he was sure he recognized because of Hayato and Takeshi was turned away. And it took a minute before his instincts started to run and he connected several mental dots.
The man had been attacked, the attackers were a group of scientists who had taken to experimenting on the random homeless in the area, and the man was petting an adorable chameleon.
Anyone who owned such a cute creature couldn't be too bad.
"Who are you?"
"Reborn!"
"I said no you idiot! Or is your IQ so low that you can't even comprehend it?!"
"You know what, fine! I'm leaving, you sick bastard!"
A door slammed. The hitman was seeing red and heaving as he stared at the broken dishes and scattered papers. While nothing had turned violent, it had turned heated.
Reborn sighed and fell back into a chair. And he knew he was somewhat in the wrong. But he wanted Tsuna safe.
He was soaked from the rain when he finally reached the address, knocking hurriedly as he swept back dark bangs. Some woman-she had red eyes, and goggles were pushed up over her forehead- opened the door and he pushed past. He could hear cursing as the door was closed and the woman barked orders.
He dodged some blonde figure in green, and ignored the false hallway to his left as he nearly flew up the stairs. There was someone he had accidently pushed away, that he could have sworn was his Skull-nii, but he ignored everything.
Listening to his intuition, Tsuna slammed the last door to the right open to see Reborn struggling to sit up. The hitman froze, eyes wide as he stared at the rain soaked brunette. Tears sprung to Tsuna's eyes as he cried out and lunged forward, Reborn wrapping bandage wrapped arms around the shivering form.
"I'm sorry, I am so sorry, I should have listened but I already knew and I didn't care-"
"Shhh, Tsuna. Everything's fine. I was wrong too..."
Tsuna was crying, sobs tearing from his cold body as Reborn simply held him. The house was still in a panic, Reborn could hear them all. A thought occurred to the hitman and he pulled back a little.
"Wait. How did you know where I was?" Reborn frowned when the brunette tried to hurriedly calm down, only managing to devolve into tearful hiccups. "I- hic-had a friend-hic- track your phone-hic. I know- hic-it's not legal but I- hic- could tell something w-was..." Tsuna sniffed, a new batch of tears starting up in his eyes.
Reborn winced. The mission they had just gone on had been trying, as they had gotten Verde and then Viper, which led to Skull, Fon, Colonello, and eventually even Lal's capture and imprisonment for the past two weeks. Reborn had only just managed to trap and detain the famiglia before they had blown up the base.
While unusual, Reborn had been distracted of late by the absence of a particular brunette. And was relieved to have him near.
"-s-something was w-wrong and I c-could feel you were-Reborn-?!"
He was muffled. The hitman had him bent backward as he leaned over the brunette. Tsuna was pliant after a second, mouth open as Reborn dominated the kiss. Possessive and heated, Reborn ignored the burn of his wounds as he relished the close contact.
"Reb-OH MY G-"
They broke it off simultaneously, neither looking pleased as they glared at Colonello. The man seemed to pale several shades as he fell back. Lal had finally caught up and was looking confused and gruntled, Viper was mumbling something under their breath. Verde was looking bored. Fon was standing behind them all with his sleeve covering his face, most likely smiling. And shoving his way through the group with Oodako helping-
"REBORN, GET AWAY FROM MY LITTLE BROTHER!"
"Oomph!" Skull held back from shouting at the kid who had just bumped into him- honestly, the teary eyes and pale face spoke volumes about how upset the brunette was. Besides, the kid was much too thin… Skull offered a hand.
"I am the mighty Skull-sama!"
"Tsuna…" was the sniffled reply. Though distraught, wariness entered the teens expression as he stared at the outstretched hand.
"Tsuna-kun, would you allow the Great Skull-sama to accompany you home?"
A weird look passed by the pale face, lips turned down and looking like they had been sucking on a lemon. "Skull-sama, I hope I do not have to use force to insist you leave me alone. I am not so cheap."
It took a moment for Skull to realize that first, he was being threatened by a kid- he just got back to being an adult, thank you!- and second, what the kid before him thought he had implied.
"Wai- No! You just, I didn't want whoever did this to you to follow and- Well, I-" Skull stammered. Suddenly he missed his old helmet. His new one was still being made- which was why he was in Japan. There was a shop in Namimori that actually did what they were asked of.
The only thing that stopped whatever rambling that may have happened was the soft chuckling that stunned Skull. The stuntsman couldn't help but grin at Tsuna, who had relaxed a bit.
This time it was Tsuna who had held out his hand, smile warm as he spoke. "How about we go to a cafe? My friend bragged about this one near the old middle school.."
Tsuna smiled fondly. Skull had continuously visited after that day, knowing that the teen- for some reason it took seeing some form of identification for Skull to believe he was fifteen at the time, then the man had been angry for no reason muttering about 'thin' and 'small'. Which, when Tsuna remembered the biscotti he had ordered, made Tsuna wonder what the Cloud had against them.
But it was nice to see the stuntsman again. He hadn't called nor seen the man since his last visit to Namimori, a few weeks before Tsuna left.
"Ciao, nii-san. I guess you know Reborn then?" he stated with a neutral smile. The one that said Tsuna was going to be getting what he wanted in a nice and orderly fashion.
They were slow dancing. It was raining, and their music was some cheesy song on the flimsy radio a neighbor had dug up and left playing in his window. They were on a street corner, soaked to the skin.
Yet Tsuna had never felt so warm. He sifted as close to Reborn as possible, lulled into the monotony of their simple waltz. Reborn had settled his hat and jacket on a step out of the rains reach. A content Leon sat upon the pile dozing.
The hitman himself was staring down warmly, expression bare but eyes opened for one reason, one person.
And to Tsuna, that was a bigger declaration than anything Reborn could even try to show if he cared.
"You could have told me, you know."
Reborn looked down, fingers still carding gently through brown hair as he raised a questioning eyebrow. Closed eyed and smiling contentedly, Tsuna only hummed.
It was silent for a few moments. The sound of the heater filled the otherwise quiet room. The rest of the house occupants were gone for now, otherwise Reborn could guess what chaos they would be causing outside his room.
"...I want you safe, Tsuna." A frown marred the pale face of his civilian boyfriend.
"I hope you realize that not telling me could have placed me in more danger than admitting and letting me choose."
What the brunette would have had to choose between went unspoken, but both knew. To stay, or to leave. Be safe, or have the risk of death hanging over his head. What was worse, the hitman couldn't figure out which he wanted the brunette to choose.
"That is what my father did after all. And now since I'm the last viable blood heir to Vongola, I guess that makes it worse. Which reminds me.."
Reborn had pulled back at the moment, several facts finally clicking into place like jigsaw pieces. Tsuna looked like the cat who had caught the canary and received the cream on top of it.
"We never did figure out if that assassin was for you or for me. He made a lousy burglar as well."
Tsuna would focus on that. The added comment in that random thought tone of voice only made this worse.
"Nii-san, sit."
Reborn couldn't tell what was more amusing; the way the stuntsman automatically followed Tsuna's order or the stunned look on the others. Either way, he was pleasantly entertained.
"Skull-nii, this is my boyfriend Reborn. Reborn, my big brother Skull de Mort. Please be nice to each other from now on." Tsuna was smiling. Reborn gave a sharp nod to the lackey, who was scowling at him with his eyes shining violet. Inverted Clouds were quite violent when others approached their territory, Reborn mused.
Territory that differed for each Cloud. Some had land, others had material possessions. And Skull was rather defensive about his people.
"Tsu-chan, why did it have to be him?!" Skull whined. It was quiet, yet they all heard it. And any attempt the man may have been trying to keep this hushed was ruined by the spectacular glare the Cloud directed at the hitman.
"Because, Skull-nii, we're in love!" came the chirped reply. Reborn stilled. Someone choked. He assumes it was Verde.
"And besides...what he brings to bed is really…" Tsuna's face flushed, and playful eyes turned towards Reborn. Then Tsuna turned away and cleared his throat. "Well, it keeps me satisfied. Now, who wants lunch?"
It was quiet, as they sat in their apartment waiting. Tsuna resisted the urge to do something stupid- it was too quiet, he sort of wanted to just shout something random. Reborn kept looking at him by glancing and quickly moving his gaze back to the blank tv before them.
"So… Vongola." Tsuna groaned, the hitman smirking. Then the small moment turned serious as Reborn frowned. "Xanxus is ineligible due to his blood...and with the other three gone that leaves me." Tsuna sighed. "I know that, and I don't want to be the boss of a crime syndicate."
Reborn hummed, noncommittally, and slid an arm around the brunette. Tsuna leaned into the comforting warmth and savored the moment for what it was worth.
"...I'm the world's greatest hitman. Leon can transform into any object within reason. I fell in love with an idiot who ran across me when I was on a hit and took me clothes shopping." Tsuna scowled, thumping the taller man on the chest. The hitman merely chuckled, letting his hat tilt forward.
"It is your choice, and I will aid you in whatever you decide Tsuna."
At that, brown eyes softened and a fond feeling warmed his chest. "...Thank you, Reborn."
Well, this started out as little clips and pieces I imagined and typed down, and then this disjointed story came along… so anyway yeah the characters may be a little disjointed but I think this is fine. It's fanfiction. Nearly 4000 words of R27…. which I wish there was more art for.
But yeah, I hope you all enjoyed, please leave a review, I might keep writing a continuance if an urge hits but I don't count on it. This has been in my folder for months already.
Thanks for reading.