Part Four
Fon - Chapter Four
Fon likened himself to a patient person, despite the fact that the very nature of his Flame, his Aether, disputed that.
He was level-headed, calm in the face of danger and, recently, he had found that very little left in the world could surprise him, or even phase him.
He was, after all, a very gentle person overall.
Reborn's anger, ringing loud and clear, blazing across the planes, was enough to shake Fon to his core. He had heard Reborn's anger before, an emotion that was just a shade darker, stronger, than his sadness, but never like this.
Never like Reborn was about to step the line between what it meant to be an Arcobaleno, and what it meant to be the demon it represented, through and through. In fact, it hadn't been like this, not ever since Luce's death, her awful, unlawful, heart-breaking death.
(Even Fon's composure had slipped that day, had crumbled away and tried to slip free from between his fingers.)
It wasn't difficult to make the decision to cross planes, the urge to check on Reborn encompassing the curiosity he felt at wondering what could have caused Reborn to react in such a way in the first place.
Crossing from his plane, where he only really weighed as much as a whisper of a thought, over to the human realm where he'd be expected to be solid was as difficult as ever. Like always, the invisible, sharp tipped fingers dug into his Aether, hooked on tight and tried to drag him back, even as he forged on.
The pain was ice cold and white hot, conflicting feelings, all a ploy to get him to turn back, to return to where he belonged instead of going where he shouldn't be allowed to go.
But Reborn needed him.
And, after all, he had promised to always be there when he was needed. And god forbid whatever tried to get in his way.
Admittedly, the little brunet human was a really big surprise.
Where had the old man gone? Where had this little thing come from? Why was Reborn so angry and – Oh. There was blood. The boy was hurt.
The pieces clicked into place slower than Fon wanted to admit they should have but he had to push down the questions now and focus on making sure Reborn didn't kill everything with a pulse.
Getting him away from the bed was the most dangerous thing Fon felt he had done in years. One wrong word, one wrong move, and Reborn would snap like a piano wire wound too tight.
And, while the damage wouldn't last in the long term, Fon quite liked having face. It made for easier negotiations.
Thankfully, however, Reborn didn't seem as close to the edge as Fon had originally thought and, after some reasoning, he managed to tug the other Arcobaleno across the room so the human doctors could do something about the mess of blood and bone on the bed.
He almost questioned Reborn why he just didn't heal the boy himself, but the wild look on Reborn's face shut that route down. If he tried anything now he'd probably pop, like a balloon with too much air and then he'd kill the human anyway, instead of helping him.
And then, as an added bonus, kill everyone and everything left in the room too.
Fon found humans difficult, but he didn't hate them enough to set a rampaging Reborn on them.
Asking questions about the new summoner seemed like a safe subject, despite how recalcitrant Reborn seemed in answering them.
Of course that was when a tipping point was reached and the fragile, broken little body on the bed began to gasp his last breaths and Reborn had shot away faster than Fon could stop him.
But, upon seeing the desperation cross his friend's face, at watching the despair as he leaned over the summoner and poured his heart into healing him, Fon decided he couldn't step in between and pull him away again, even despite the dangers.
He wasn't that cruel to separate Reborn from what he so obviously needed to do.
The boy was healed but Reborn was still emptying everything he had into a body that needed no more.
Fon felt marginally guilty at interrupting a tender moment, the summoner brushing fingertips to the frantic demon's face, a smile spreading across blood speckled lips, but if Reborn went any further, drained himself any further, the human would burst like an overripe fruit.
Fon was a little surprised it hadn't happened already – most humans found it very difficult to sustain Arcobaleno as it was, having Reborn's Aether topping up his own could be a bigger danger than the wound he was suffering.
Ushering Reborn away was a tad easier this time and Fon would have worried at the lack of fight in his form if it weren't for what he had witnessed. Losing a summoner wouldn't have been that drastic a loss, unless – oh, of course.
Reborn was already emotionally invested.
Fon was very surprised by that. Reborn prided himself on being a lone wolf sort of character.
He voiced his concerns.
Reborn almost lit up like the sun (ironic, really) as he waxed poetic about this boy, about Tsuna, in a single sentence.
And, remembering the look on the human's face, unadulterated concern and relief upon seeing Reborn well and happy – without being completely devoid of reason – was enough for Fon to point out that this one was different.
Very different.
(A very quiet part of him thought of Luce and despaired that this would be another tale with an unhappy ending.)
The suspicious look Reborn gave him was completely unwarranted, as if he suspected Tsuna to get snatched out of his hands. Fon hurried to elaborate, should Reborn take him as a threat – he trusted Reborn implicitly, but with his current mental state he was very much a liability.
The sour look on Reborn's face was unexpected as he made comments on how Tsuna didn't need to be special, how he didn't need any attention, and you shouldn't think so Fon, thank you very much. Though, not in as many words, of course.
Oh, Reborn, Fon thought quietly. This summoner of yours is already making shockwaves.
Suggesting that others might want to contract with a body as powerful as this summoner, of the Sky if Colonello was to be believe, made Reborn act antagonised, and Fon found himself talking a half step back expecting Reborn to start pacing.
Fon tried to reason with him, he did.
But like he had deliberated before, having a face was a good thing.
Having Reborn tear it off in a pique of anger was not.
And Fon knew he should leave it alone, should trust that Reborn knew what he was doing.
The yellow pacifier, hanging low and mocking him with the crack a human eye couldn't see without looking for it, was enough to make him poke the frothing rage that Reborn consisted of at the moment.
Fanning the flames probably wasn't his wisest move, but it seemed to sink into Reborn's skull after insistence.
Mentioning Verde's interest went easier than he expected, Reborn making a noise of distaste, a grumble in his chest he probably intended to be warning and mostly came off as pathetic. At least, that's how Fon interpreted it.
Reborn was finally starting to realise, but was too stubborn to admit he'd been wrong.
Fon slyly mentioned Colonello being more than eager to contract with this Tsuna and the deal was done.
Reborn slammed down like a gate, agreed to Verde if only to stop Fon from mentioning Colonello again, and Fon felt smug that Reborn was still so easy to read, even after all these years.
He patted Reborn's shoulder amicably, mentally gave himself a 'well done' and stepped back to slip between the planes to his own home again.
Unbidden, he found his eyes trailing to the bandage swathed body bundled onto a new, clean bed, the human pale but breathing easy.
He couldn't quite get rid of the unease in his gut as his solid form finally dispersed and he returned to his plane.
Fon's POV, Chapter Four! Hope you liked it!