Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you like this quick fic I pulled out just for fun.
Our gods lie.
To put it simply, Tsuna did not enjoy crawling out of his shell of work and family drama just to put up with one of the most boring parties he ever had to grace. He stared at the prosecco bottle in his hand and wished that Yoichi as another alcohol option. He was drinking fucking juice, for Chrissake.
It also did not really add much excitement that the familiar faces were absent. He hadn't seen Gokudera since he left for Italy after their middle school graduation. Yamamoto, that ever-present goofball wasn't also there. He hadn't seen that dude for years since he went off to medical school (yep, he is as surprised as any of us). As for the rest of his guardians… well.
"Tsu-kun!"
The moment Tsuna saw his ex-middle school crush he knew things were going to be awkward. Like hella awkward. Sasagawa Kyoko was as breathtaking as he remembered. The way her stomach bulged though wasn't exactly how he remembered it.
"Hi," Tsuna bowed awkwardly as Kyoko enveloped him into a hug. "Oh, uh, it's nice seeing you too." At least there was that familiar face. He looked around more hopefully.
"Yeah…" Kyoko laughed a little nervously. "How are you?"
He was thinking of quitting his job because for the past five years people younger than him were getting promotions while he was still stuck in that stage that he was still handing out coffees to his asshole bosses. He could only look enviously at the people he met on Instagram as they go on random trips just because they had extra cash to not pay for the bills and electricity and their mom to shut up about his life choices. He was almost thirty and he still rode his mommy bike to work, a circle of friends limited to his office mates, and the gnawing feeling that he was going to die in a boring office desk with no family to go home to. He thought that he'd be able to forget that by coming there, but of course as usual, poor life choices. He cracked a smile instead. "Fine. What about you? How many months?" he pointed his half-empty wine glass at her bulge.
"Almost five. Haru thought I was getting fat."
"Haha. What the hell is she talking about? That's obviously a fucking baby." He covered his mouth at the Freudian slip.
"Yeah…" Kyoko tittered nervously again. The air was becoming cold really quick. She was now barely making an effort to maintain eye contact.
"Your first?" Tsuna tried to be civil again. This was getting nowhere. He should be going home. He wondered why he even went when he never attended parties.
"Yeah," she said, her third 'yeah' of the evening. The way she gravitated to her middle school friends made him pretty sure it was likewise.
"Uh, how's your brother?" he said, and there was that familiar lurch in his stomach for trying. What the hell was he doing?
"He has his fifth defense this month, I think. We don't talk much nowadays…"
Oh. Shit, this was going south real quick.
"Keeps saying I'm making stupid decisions, like keeping the baby or not sticking with you… sorry, now I sound like I'm ranting about him-"
"It-It's fine," Tsuna said, just as Kyoko stopped bothering making eye contact. "I shouldn't have asked. I'm sorry, that was rude of me."
"He keeps asking about you and about everyone else. Since you know… middle school ended. He keeps himself stuck in the past. I just wish that he will, you know, grow up."
It was a blank. It had always been a blank even back then in college when they were together. Tsuna was a man of what-ifs, rarely a full measure one, because he knew that when he did make a choice he'd fuck it up. With this mindset, maybe he was the same as that idiotic big brother of hers. He was stuck in the past too.
God, he really didn't know any better.
"I wish I could too," Tsuna stiffened his smile. "Uhm, if you need help with anything, just- just call me. Never really changed my number since college."
Ok, her crying made it really awkward. It looked like she was going through a lot. Worse, she did not even mention the kid's father.
"Uh, do you need a hug? I'm not exactly sure since- you know-"
He shouldn't have asked.
/27/
It was like opening a time capsule. Sure, it was only Kyoko from his old circle of friends that he got to meet first, but the rest of the evening didn't all come down to taking a hot bath and snuggling in bed to watch random crack videos on Niconico.
"Shit," Tsuna yelped in surprise as two familiar faces made their way to the gates. One was wearing a suit underneath his pea coat and the other a casual v-neck and jeans with his parka. He could never guess who was wearing who.
"Oi Gokudera, why are you frozen over there?" said the man in the suit, making Tsuna flip the shit out as he walked his way forward. He must be dreaming.
"Jesus, seriously, you won't let me have my fucking moment? I haven't seen the Tenth in years, asshole."
It was weird to hear this familiar banter and it pissed Tsuna off a little. He knew where this was going. "Uh, you're late."
"Sorry about that Tsuna. Gokudera took a long time making it past customs. Probably because of the explosives from my man over here-"
"Asshole, this is why I insisted on using the family jet-"
"Shut up!" Tsuna shouted, ramming his hands on the gate and yelping as his hands made contact with the metal. Damn, since when did Namimori have electric gates? He covered them hastily. "Christ, don't remind me that I'm poor as fuck, ok?"
"Sorry about that Tenth! I'm not really that rich. I only have two jets, an acquaintance has ten-"
By then Tsuna only rolled his eyes as he wrenched the gates open, electric current be damned. Lambo's horns were worse anyway. "Geez, you're rich as hell and you're wearing flip-flops?" he eyed it beadily. They were fucking Gucci, what a douche.
"I forgot you folks don't like ostentatious shit like this." Gokudera kicked his flip-flops aside. "I'll burn them later, Tenth."
"Don't do that! What's your foot size, anyway?" They'll fetch for a good price on e-bay either way. He then turned at Yamamoto, gaze narrowing. "And what's with the suit? It was supposed to be smart casual."
"Yeah, we were in this dinner party before coming here… Everyone were exchanging looks at Gokudera too."
"Right, I forgot there was that pompous shit the successful people in Nami-chuu attended… Was Hibari-san there?"
"No Tenth, you know that asshole hates crowds!" Gokudera scratched his head. "And Tenth, you know how I hate dress codes…"
"You should stop calling me that," snickered Tsuna. "I never became the Tenth."
"You're always the Tenth to me!" Gokudera said loudly.
"So… judging by that look, wanna go somewhere else, Tsuna?" asked Yamamoto, grinning as he loosened his tie.
"Anywhere but here. The last thing I need is to remember how many times I was beaten up and called Dame Tsuna," he then said as he raised his fist to them both.
"Good to see you again," Gokudera grinned as Yamamoto pressed the remote of his Fiesta.
/27/
"You're a doctor, Yamamoto. Can't you have… er, a bigger car?" Tsuna said as they continued their drive.
"Nah, man. You already know how I still have to pay for my loans for medical school," Yamamoto explained. "Since there's no baseball scholarship for that one."
"Wonder how the hell you became a doctor," Gokudera grumbled. "When you were flunking classes in middle school."
"Maa, I didn't fail physical ed though. That's kinda mean. I worked hard." Yamamoto sighed. He then pulled out his phone. "Anyway, since we're reunited, this calls for a pic-"
"What the hell-" said Tsuna as he swerved the car in time as another vehicle zoomed by. "Jesus Christ, take the fucking wheel Yamamoto-"
"Look Tsuna, your face's kinda funny!"
Tsuna sighed as he crossed his arms in the front seat. "You sure they're there guys?"
"I told the two to meet us there, anyhoo. Dunno how we'll fit here though when the whole gang's here."
"Where's Lambo?" Tsuna eyed Gokudera, who was busy tapping something furiously on his phone.
"The stupid cow will meet us near the airport, I think," he said absent-mindedly. "Busy with work. Can't believe some idiot actually picked him up. Thought he was a goner when we broke up."
Tsuna couldn't say anything as those words struck him deeper than he prepared for.
"You make it sound like a couple thing," Yamamoto reminded and made Gokudera hiss again. "Has he grown up with a better fashion sense?"
"The fuck do I care. I'm always in the observatory nowadays. We'll be visiting the Arecibo Telescope next month. You guys can come and check the sights if you want."
"Yeah, wish I can just drop everything and pretend that I don't have a mother to feed," was Tsuna's acerbic reply. Or have a dad who supports him no matter what his life choices were, he eyed Gokudera in the dashboard mirror enviously before shifting his eyes back at the road. Yamamoto had the same experience he had when he broke the news that he wanted to become an orthopaedic surgeon instead of inheriting the sushi shop after college. He figured his friend's old man will come around. For his dad though, he wasn't quite sure.
If he was, he wouldn't be rounding up these people now, would he?
"Remember when we walked from the Tenth's house all the way to this place?" Gokudera said, chortling as they halted to their next stop. "It's less fuzzier than I thought."
Tsuna's stomach lurched as they went outside and inhaled the night air, the vegetation, and the animal droppings emanating from the quiet hulk of the building that remained as unmoving and as ominous as it had always been. He always thought that after the many mayors that came and went, they'd ignore the legends surrounding this place. Guess some things do never change.
"You still can't look at Bianchi-san straight in the face?" Yamamoto asked as they soldiered on to the ravages of Kokuyo Land, though not without the large torch Gokudera procured. He didn't answer, making Tsuna chuckle a little. Damn, some things do never change.
At least there was some comfort in that.
Yamamoto was just about to pull out his phone when a familiar voice made its way across the ruined cinema, a place Tsuna could only chuckle at. It couldn't be all the more fitting.
"I'm very happy that we could meet again." Those were the same words Rokudo Mukuro uttered when he finally revealed himself to be the main villain in Tsuna's past life. By then, the place was flooded in flames and made the three of them yelp as the entire area began to light.
He was sitting there in that spot in the middle, in that same sofa, the pillows fluffed exactly where Tsuna remembered them to be. He couldn't suppress the laugh as he said the same reply his ex-guardian would want to hear. "Ah. It's you."
Chrome's eye patch was like a bolo tie in his pristine white shirt. "Kufu, a fitting answer, Sawada Tsunayoshi."
"You're the only one left, huh, Mukuro-san?" this felt weird. This man was no longer wearing the usual leather jacket schtick he remembered his TYL self wore. This must be what age does, at least making you less the impossibly cool rebel and more a weary scruffy coot. He still donned the old black overcoat with silver buttons and skull-tipped boots, but his hair was severely cut, the pineapple tuffs at the back absent now. None of the pomp and meretricious display. His back was hunched lower than Tsuna remembered. His smile was thinner as well.
"The three idiots finally severed their ties two years ago, as what she wished." By then, he stood up and was suddenly in front of them, flipping them off further. "You can already predict where the little one went off to. I'm sure that shark and that monkey your past cloud guardian endearingly nicknamed them as are satisfied with his services-" by then, Gokudera and Yamamoto couldn't suppress their guffaws.
"H-How are you, Mukuro-san?" Tsuna squeaked nervously.
"Kufufu," Mukuro chuckled as his eyes glanced at him quite surreptitiously. "I could kill you all, you know. For summoning me here."
"Was this Chrome-san's wish too?" It wasn't as satisfying as Tsuna imagined when Mukuro's expression changed even for a fraction of a second. By then, his trident appears in his mind and Tsuna shields his face almost instinctively.
Mukuro however, was less petty than he recalled and passed them. "I'll be following you closely." He then disappeared in a quick display of fog and made Gokudera mutter 'classic Mukuro' as they followed his owl form in the inside of the car.
/27/
"Well, this is awkward," said Yamamoto as Lambo stuffs himself with Gokudera in the back seat along with Ryohei, who also, by either extreme coincidence, or a quicker way to shoehorn two of his least likable guardians, happened to run to their car when Gokudera blew up Lambo's enormous suitcase when they came to pick them up, making the adult ex-Bovino burst into tears.
"You still have the Ten Year Bazooka, stupid cow?" yelled Gokudera as he attempted to shut Ryohei's mouth with duct tape. Lambo was really quiet as he nibbled a sandwich Yamamoto got them when they passed by a 7-11. Gokudera punched him in the face, making his eyes tear up again.
"What the fuck man?" Tsuna hissed, just as Mukuro hooted on his shoulder. "Can't the three of you shut up at the back? We're not teenagers anymore, fuck. Let's talk like full-grown adults. Not all at once, okay? Yamamoto, you start first."
"Sure, what do you want to talk about?"
"Can I start first, Tenth?"
"Seriously, if any of you attempt to butt in, I'll start first," Tsuna sighed. "I'll be asking a question and all of you will be answering. Yes, even you, Mukuro."
"To the extreme? That's Mukuro-"
"Ok, so what have you been doing since you've retired being my Sailor Scouts?"
"That's… rude," Yamamoto laughed and by then the rest of them shushed him as Tsuna said Ryohei's name.
"My sister hates me and I might die alone," he bawled after several seconds, making the rest of them calm him down so their ride would be less overbearing.
Lambo took awhile to answer as well.
"What should I call you? Tsuna-niisan? I can't possibly call all of you young Vongola-"
"Whatever, we don't give a shit," grunted Gokudera. "Just answer his question."
"I didn't expect Gokudera-san to still be as immature as the one I remembered-"
"Answer the question Lambo or I will permit the duct tape," Tsuna sighed.
"Fine. I'm doing part-time doing shampoo commercials while taking my undergraduate in chemistry and material science engineering back in Italy."
"Why did you come with us? You seemed… busy." Sans the modelling thing and the undergraduate choice, Lambo seemed to have adjusted to a normal life even after their adventures.
"I'm really allowed to talk? This is weird."
"Yes, just talk already. You're allowed to do an adult conversation now that you're of age."
"Eh, ok, Gokudera-san. Sorry, for being a brat back then. Uhm, I was supposed to go to this sweets shop near the airport where they sold this amazing lollies, but the building's gone. My flight's till Tuesday, so might as well kill time coming with you guys."
"That's… eerily normal. I thought you'd come to kill Reborn and finish what you started or something."
"Tsuna-niisan, I'm no Kylo Ren. I was an idiot. I cringe whenever you guys tag me in our old photos. My friends like bringing it up when we're drinking-"
"Never thought I'd hear the day the stupid cow will be out drinking. I feel like an uncle all of a sudden. It's a good thing I'm not spending Christmas with my bratty nieces and nephews," said Gokudera.
"You can say that again!" laughed Yamamoto.
"You guys still like to cut me off when I'm complaining…"
"Well, at least you're doing well. Compared to when you were always all kamikaze in assassinating Reborn when it was obvious for us that your family was trying to get rid of you-"
"You are a mean person, Tsuna-niisan."
Tsuna laughed. "Ok, Gokudera. Say what you've been doing in three sentences or less."
"No fair, Tenth!"
"Two sentences left."
"Geez, I'm an astrophysicist. Kinda boring though, so I might take a PhD in biochemistry or atmospheric science to be more useful."
"Ok what about you, Yamamoto? And don't make that face, Gokudera. I told you, you're done. We don't need to listen to your first world problems."
Yamamoto looked pleased at this. "I became an orthopaedic because I thought it would be fun to work with athletes after I retire from baseball. Didn't think it would take nearly half of my life though and I'd never get to play professionally. But it's weird… I don't have any regrets on that part."
"Where do you have regrets then?"
By then Yamamoto began to laugh. "You already know where Tsuna."
None of them spoke for awhile.
"Why are we here, Tenth?" Gokudera then asked. "Do you want to form the Vongola Tenth generation again?"
Tsuna could not think of a fitting answer as a mix of jumbled emotions began bubbling up. It was weird. All he needed to do was call them to come. It took him years to grab his balls and just damn the international charges. It was really that easy.
"What about you, Mukuro? What made you become a Mist Guardian all this time?" he turned at the owl clicking on his shoulder. "You never really established a bond with any of us."
Kufu. I enjoyed toying with your makeshift little group. It had little to do with those cute bonds you easily broke when you declined to go further.
His words stung necessarily so. "Thank you then. You made her happier."
He saw it only on social media posts. Mukuro was absent when they buried her six feet or more under, but a snowy owl never left the vicinity even in the stormiest nights. It did leave along with four people, never to be seen again, until now.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there," he said. The rest of the guardians were present. Even Hibari came, according to Yamamoto's anecdotes when the crowd had dissipated. Tsuna recently moved to a new company then, no time to fly and be a good ex-Boss. That was how big of an asshole he was.
That's not the only thing you must apologize for, kufufu.
Tsuna knew what he meant. He relinquished their precious trinkets attached to his damned title.
/27/
"So, no go, even if I told Kusakabe about Mukuro's presence," Yamamoto said as he locked his phone as they waited outside the Hibari manor.
Fufu~ That lackey is lying. Hibari is resting inside. Mukuro hooted.
"I still can't get used to his psychic powers, to the extreme!" hollered Ryohei.
"He's the only one of us who still has superpowers, so work your magic Mukuro-san. Can you make sure Hibari-san comes out?" said Tsuna.
He'll be out in five- four-
"Kyo-san?"
Three- two- one-
"H-Hibari-san!" Tsuna squeaked when the familiar scowl of his cloud guardian welcomed them along with the slam of the doors. The rest of his fellow intruders slowly shuffled nervously behind him. Even Mukuro flew up with a hoot. These fuckers… Tsuna thought as he recited a sutra in case Hibari flashed his tonfas.
"The baby is not with you herbivores," Hibari noted and the rest of them backed away when he began to unfurl his sleeves. "You have disturbed my nap."
"Yeah, we want you to come with us, Hibari-san. I need your help," by then Tsuna hesitated. "Please help us find Reborn."
"Does he want to be found by the likes of you?" Hibari said, his indifference a far harder punch in the gut than seething scorn. "You disappointed him, herbivore. As you have disappointed me."
"I've no intention of rejecting that notion!" said Tsuna, feeling all the more stupid because he was sure he was starting to seal the deal of getting beaten up after so long without the protection of the Dying Will flames or his tutors. He raises his arms in the way. "And I'm prepared to apologize, for letting you all down, after everything you gave up for me, like your solitude Hibari-san."
"Shut up and I'll bite you to death," Hibari said, cutting through all his bullshit and proceeding to raise his tonfa as Tsuna screamed and prepared for the worse.
"Ara, you have a way of flaunting your vulnerability, don't you, Sawada Tsunayoshi?" said Mukuro when Tsuna opened his eyes. He was cheesily hopeful that Mukuro was willing to prevent him from dying at least.
However, he didn't expect a katana, a fist, a large horn, and a stick of dynamite (now that wasn't a good idea) blocking the tonfa inches away from his forehead.
"Tsuna, you okay?" said a worried Yamamoto.
"You're still as extremely reckless as ever!"
"Like hell I'll sit down while the rest of you guys protect the Tenth!"
"I'm not too comfortable with getting a dynamite sliced in two in front of my face, Gokudera-kun!"
"Let me say something cool, dammit!" cried Lambo, making his ex-guardians cover their mouths as they guffawed. Tsuna couldn't help but laugh even if he winced at the pain of getting pushed away while his friends unflinchingly made their way in front, with Mukuro at the helm.
"You have decided to come to your senses and lose that ridiculous pineapple," said Hibari without batting an eye as he charged forward.
"Shut your mouth and prostrate before me, little duck," leered Mukuro. He twirled his trident, sweeping the place in darkness as his right eye began to switch characters. "This is what you desire after all this time, do you not?"
"Your tongue will suffice," Hibari said derisively, sending hell on earth again as the two of them fought and sending Kusakabe screaming of how his quiet night was ruined (again).
"Shouldn't we be helping Mukuro-san?" said Tsuna as the rest of them grabbed a fainted Kusakabe and went inside the house to search for a bigger and faster ride as per the plan and Mukuro decides to troll them and disappear.
Sure enough, they managed to sift through Kusakabe's clothing and got the keys to a functional Land Cruiser.
"Can't we take the Tesla? Please? Geez, it would help if we'd ride in style just once!"
"Shut up, I want my leg room!" said Gokudera as he grabbed the driver's seat. "Fucking better!" By then, it was Yamamoto's turn in the middle as Kusakabe passed out in the left corner, Ryohei and Lambo flanking Yamamoto's sides.
"I think Mukuro will be able to lure Hibari by then," he said as the unpleasant sound of screeching rubber started the car. They were able to avoid Hibari's rage at the cost of the right side mirror and went almost full speed ahead, with no intention of making Hibari catch up. Soon enough though, they can make Mukuro's white fowl form and the light of a motorcycle backing up the rear.
"Must be a Ducati…" Gokudera trailed and Tsuna smacked himself in case he reminded everyone again that Hibari defied the roles of logic and automotive specs.
He waited for a few minutes and sure enough, the people in the back started to snore.
"Is it really too late for you to become the Tenth again?" Gokudera said softly while they drove on to the night.
"You still haven't given up, have you?" Tsuna said as he shifted his attention to the CCTV screen again for that familiar glimpse of light.
"I'm pretty sure Reborn-san hasn't. He wouldn't have agreed to meet." His mouth looked agitated as he pressed an unlit cigarette on his lips. "I'm sure everyone here with the exception of that fighting maniac following us, hadn't really lost hope."
"Aren't you happy with the choices you made?" Tsuna dreaded the place they were going to again. "You didn't get a path where you'd suffer through someone else's terrible decisions. You haven't lost your humanity."
"…Sorry about that. Forget I ever asked," Gokudera said and Tsuna felt that uneasy rumbling in his stomach again.
"I missed you guys too," said Tsuna just as sprinkles of snow started to fall. "Honestly, I'd want to invite everyone we've met and battled and have our own reunion to catch up but I've long accepted that they're not a part of my life now. It's the same for them."
"That's not true. The Simon and Giglio Nero miss you. Hell, the idiot shark keeps checking up with Yamamoto and you in case you change your mind."
"You still haven't left the Mafia, haven't you? Stop clinging to a past that won't return, Gokudera-kun."
Gokudera said nothing for awhile. None of the histrionics, the impassioned pleas or protests. He was seeing the man he was supposed to become now.
"I never saw Reborn-san's face since that night. He completely shunned the world. Everyone reckoned he couldn't stomach the failure of bringing you up to who you were supposed to be."
I failed you, haven't I Reborn? Tsuna thought wistfully as he eyed the snowfall. "Is the current Boss doing well?"
Gokudera couldn't hide the bitterness lingering around the edges of his mouth as he returned his cigarette to his shirt pocket. His eyes looked tired as he continued to look at the road. He never attempted to look at Tsuna's eyes since he grabbed the wheel.
"Do you remember that snowball fight we had with the Bucking horse? I switched sides and then hell broke loose."
"It wasn't even a snowball fight anymore. Everyone just wanted to win," he laughed, but the heavy air continued to weigh on them. "Remember all those stupid games Reborn wanted us to play? Pretty sure he made them all up."
"Oh, remember that abominable swimming the stupid lawn head had? Jesus, I might forget every memory in my life except that, like goddamn."
"How dare you mock my Rumble Fish Style!" yelled his former Sun Guardian. "You can't even swim squat!"
"Ehh, so everyone's swapping stories while we're asleep. That's no fair guys," said Yamamoto with a yawn.
"Don't swap those stories. You'll make me remember my bratty self-"
"Hey remember the time when Lambo peed in his pants?" yelled Gokudera at the top of his voice.
"Oh my god, stupid bakadera-san!" moaned Lambo as he tried to stop himself from crying. Tsuna then remembered the Lambo they met twenty years later. This version of Lambo made his heart squeeze less.
"Remember that time in the future when Lambo first opened his Vongola box? That was really epic," Tsuna said with a grin.
"If you don't count his wailing," Gokudera said flatly, making the teen tear up again.
"Don't listen to that octopus, Lambo-kun! You were an extreme help that time! Even in that age, you valued your family me more than being scared. That's an extremely ballsy thing to do!"
"Whatever weakest guardian, like you were ever a massive help…"
"You octopus head-!"
"Calm down, Sasagawa-san!"
Kusakabe was quiet the whole journey even as they parked their way to the entrance of the town beach. Tsuna rubbed his hands and bundled up himself as they made their way down. He waited for a dazed Kusakabe to follow.
"Kyo-san's gonna kill me," he murmured as he trudged his way down. "For disturbing his sleep, riding on his car, and following you here."
"Does he still hold a grudge for what happened?" Tsuna peered at the approaching motorcycle and quickly trudged through the snow and sand.
"I don't think so…" Kusakabe trailed off. "I mean, he didn't burn your house to the ground."
"Uh… that's good to know. Geez, didn't think it would be like this though," he looked at his former guardians as they continued their boisterous selves. Owl Mukuro continued to fly above them, hooting softly as they went and creeping Tsuna out. He shifted his attention at Kusakabe again. "It's like nothing's changed. It will just keep everyone's hopes up."
"I think you're doing a brave thing, Sawada Tsuna," said Kusakabe. "Kyo-san keeps grumbling about your choice befitting a herbivore's, but I'm sure it's not out of selfish reasons."
"Yeah…" Tsuna laughed nervously. "How're Hibari-san's duties going?"
"I'm stuck with the paperwork. Legally taking over Namimori's tougher than just ruling the town through fear, haha."
"Hibari-san's a good mayor though…" This was getting weirder now that he realized it really wasn't a good idea to preoccupy the busiest person in Namimori with this weird request.
"Watch over my things, Tetsu," said Kyoya as he threw his keys to his henchman, who bowed hastily and made his way back to the parking lot. Geez, Kusakabe probably has it much worse. Tsuna then walked faster to keep up. "Will the baby truly be present?" he turned at him and Tsuna can see despite the bloodlust brewing within, there was a tiny spark similar to the others' eyes.
"Yeah, but he's not a baby anymore though. With the curse being broken and all. Do you still see Fon-san?"
"He will be coming at noon. He accepted my challenge and came here because of my duties."
"Eh… I'm pretty sure he just wants to spend his New Year with you," Tsuna said, looking at his feet before managing a small grin at Hibari. "Sorry for dragging you into this."
Hibari ignored him and continued on ahead, making Tsuna sign in relief as he looked around for any trace of that old fedora. He never saw an adult Reborn before, so this would be really awkward and scary. He'll probably have the same hopes as the rest of them.
"Can't believe you haven't detected my presence even when I'm in front of you. You've forgotten to tap your intuition, Dame Tsuna," said a voice out of nowhere as Tsuna managed to dodge a whizzing bullet as he turned his head. By instinct, he jumped back, crouching slightly. Shit. Shit, holy shit it's all coming back and that's not good!
"Looks like my training paid off. Your body still remembers," the smug voice continued. It was a deeper, unfamiliar one but the swagger was still there. The rest of his guardians were making their way towards him, Hibari at the helm. No one was as excited to see Reborn, Tsuna guessed. By then, even past the shadow of the small island and the cloud-ridden moonlight, he could make him out. That fedora, that black suit with the yellow shirt, those stylized curly sideburns… shit, he saw this man before.
"W-Wait you're Reborn?" he managed to dodge his foot in time. Holy shit, this was really embarrassing. He had seen him before! Back with his dad.
"Chaos," he replied back, taking out the green Leon pistol and pointing it at his forehead. Just like that time. Just like those times. He blinked back the tears in his eyes as he tried to fight the nostalgia away. "Do you remember what happened to this place thirteen years ago, Dame Tsuna?"
"You won't even let me remember the good times? Geez…"
The hitman then turns to the others. "I see you're all here. Even Hibari Kyoya."
"Naturally," Hibari said, raising his tonfa, a satisfied smirk gracing his face. "I can finally battle with you, no longer a baby."
"Kufu, isn't that title a tad too long, little duck?" said Mukuro just from behind Tsuna. His former cloud's eyes narrowed.
"I will deal with you later," Hibari responded curtly as he took a step forward.
"Now, aren't you cocky?" said Reborn as he took out another pistol from his pocket and pointed it at Hibari's direction without losing eye contact at a confused Tsuna. "I'll play with you. But I have to do this first."
"I'll dodge. I'll keep dodging as many times as it takes," Tsuna said, his entire body shaking. He could still remember what Leon's pistol was for. He knew how it felt to have that power coursing through his body, and the price he has to pay using that. The price his friends have to pay with the Dying Will.
"You're nothing without me, Dame Tsuna. You know that," Reborn said as he began to relentlessly shoot him with both guns, taking the rest of his guardians aback. Tsuna began retreating, thankful of the melting snow as he skidded through the sand. He was right in a number of ways. Without Reborn, he wouldn't have met these amazing people. Without Reborn, he'd be able to accomplish things beyond his imagination. Without Reborn, he wouldn't be able to keep up with his bullets and anticipate the possible directions he'd shoot him with. It had been years since
He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve. He really missed this man.
"I will ask you the same question I've asked you thirteen years ago in this beach, Dame Tsuna," Reborn said, reloading his pistols. "Will you become the Vongola Boss?"
"I thought there was a new one!"
"We'll just kill that one and insert you. I got an ok from the Ninth."
"What the hell that's messed up! You really can't stand failing the Ninth, can you?"
Tsuna noticed that the bullet seemed to have doubled.
"If you would refuse me again, then why did you call me out?" Reborn snorted. "I might let you live if you give a sufficient response."
He gulped as he stopped pulling the triggers and returned them back to their holsters. It was really weird, to see this Reborn. I guess that's what he'd say too when he sees him like this, an adult, and yet still unable to run from his childhood fears.
He looked at his estranged friends. He could only recognize Yamamoto from their lot. None of them really banded together because they treated each other as friends again back in their battles.
He wanted to say a lot of things to Reborn and to these people he parted with. Maybe they'd recall the time with the Varia differently. Maybe their future turned out better than the one they travelled to with the Ten Year Bazooka. Maybe Chrome would be there, not just a shadow or a memento disguised as a fashion piece hanging on Mukuro's neck. Maybe he would have chosen differently.
"It gnaws sometimes, when I think about the time my dad and I would have spent together if I did follow my destiny. About how cool it is to see that flame on my forehead again, wielding a power for something greater than myself. And how many of you guys will remain as we trudge on to that path," he paused. "Of the what-ifs my friends will harbour if you did follow me. Of the people you wouldn't meet, of the other skies you would have seen apart from mine. Of the choices I would rob you of. I just want to know if I'm not the only one who thinks that way. If I'm not the only one who wants to grow up."
He stared at Reborn, who gave a blank stare at his two pistols. He then stared at his guardians, at their disconcerted gazes as they tried not making eye contact with anyone.
"I have many regrets, Reborn. It honestly… grew when I finally saw you all again, all going through different paths I could never dream of back when we were teenagers. But I'm happy. I'm happy that I fought against destiny. I'm happy living a normal life like this. That maybe this is enough. I want to thank you all for that."
Reborn raised his pistol at Tsuna's direction again. "You're a fucking liar, Dame Tsuna. That's not the reason why you refused."
"I guess," Tsuna laughed awkwardly. "I only want to invite you to stay for lunch. You always complain to the Ninth that you wanted to taste mom's cooking."
A quick smile flashed through Reborn's face but not before he attempted to shoot Tsuna again.
"Until the end, you're still thinking about your famiglia, aren't you, Dame Tsuna?" by then he exhaled deeply as he made his way. "So that's it? I want hotpot and yakiniku. Every kind of meat available."
"I'll pass," Hibari raised a hand. "But not before I battle with Reborn and then the illusionist."
"Naturally," Mukuro shrugged. "I have plans as well. Will be rewriting the Mafia laws regarding succession."
"From a genocidal outcast to one of the pillars of Mafia law. Who would have thought?" Reborn grinned.
"My plans align greatly with the people there. I can't resort to street parlor tricks to earn a living. I want to update my wardrobe as much as I can."
"You can say that again," Gokudera grinned. "See baseball freak, when you get rich you should take hints from this guy!"
"Easy for you to say. You're old money!"
/27/
"I still can't take no for an answer," said Reborn as he chewed the rest of his grilled pork. "You know how much I hate to lose."
"I'm aware, you're the first adult who never quit on me," Tsuna said as he drank his precious single malt. He was spending almost a months' worth of savings for this outdoor barbecue party. He was supposed to file a loan for a new car but yeah, he still has time to make poor life decisions. Ryohei and Hana Kurokawa were in intense conversation at the corner, followed by Kyoko. "Maybe I'll join CEDEF instead. The bonus pay there's much larger than my current company's."
"Don't even think about it. You'll become the Vongola Boss even if it takes us ten years to do so."
"Am I your greatest failure Reborn?" Tsuna laughed. "Not so much a badass god, are you?"
"Not anytime soon. Don't test a fucking god, Tsuna," the hitman said as he drank his coffee.
"I hope you're right," Tsuna smiled, drifting off to sleep but not before avoiding a not-so stray Dying Will Bullet.
END.
Title inspired by 'The gods lie.', a favourite single volume manga of mine. The themes and story there's no way tangential to this one though.