Disclaimer: The Reborn manga or anime series does not belong to me
Chapter 7
The rest of Tsunas day was spent attempting to clean up her new house, she still felt giddy over that, all the while trying to avoid the various traps and life threatening devices that had magically appeared. Trying but failing. She groaned as she fell flat on her face yet again. She was sure that Reborn had been sent by the Devil himself to torture her; he knew just what buttons to push and never got tired reminding her how useless she was. Darkness was beginning to fall and she yawned as tiredness began to overcome her. Methodically she went around the house locking all the doors and checking that the windows were shut.
When she was sure the house was secure she lit a candle and went downstairs, she had set the old table back on its four legs, had dusted it down and put a couple of old chairs around it. She still had some of the food she had bought while travelling. After finding a plate she sat at the table and began to eat. But her eyes didn't stop darting around the room trying to see where Reborn would come from and steal her food. Tsuna knew he was watching her and it scared her.
From where he was sitting Reborn watched his student as she ate her meal. He was surprised to see she had also set out some of the food for him, it was some sort of noodle dish, and felt a spark of amusement. He had pushed the girl to her very limits yet she still looked out for him. There was no doubt in his mind that Tsuna Sawada had the potential to be a great Boss it was whether or not she could fulfil it, that he wasn't sure of. Was she prepared for the struggles that would lie ahead? No, not yet. She would need a strong family who could protect her and help her grow. That shouldn't be too hard, something about the girl just screamed I need to be protected but she didn't. Those bandits had learned that there was strength in that deceptively fragile frame. His hand stroked Leon absently as his thoughts continued to whir around the brunette. Their first, well second really, encounter had established that she was absolutely useless at almost everything except herbal medicine. Yet he had seen something flare in her eyes; the desire to improve, and that was what would keep Reborn training her. Deciding he had spent enough time contemplating he worked out the best way to surprise her.
Tsuna was scraping the remainder of the noodles round her plate having a mental debate with herself.
Just admit it you're worried about Reborn.
No I'm not. He's evil, mean and for gods sake he's a master hitman!
That may be but you are still worried about him.
He can take care of himself, if anything I feel sorry for the person doing anything to him.
But he's just a baby left alone in the world, how do you know if he's safe?
I don't care.
Yes you do.
No I don't.
Yes you do.
NO I DON'T
Then why aren't you eating?
I'm full that's all.
Sure you are. Face it you care for the psycho baby with a crossbow because that's who you are and you can't change that.
She sighed and held her head in her hands. Great she couldn't even argue with herself and win. Her eyes turned on to the empty seat at the table. Crazy or not Reborn was the only one she knew in this place and she trusted him....to a degree. Knowing if she didn't go now her worry would just grow she stood up to go and search for him.
"Ciaossu."
With a yell she fell backwards, knocking the chair down with her. Opening one eye she saw Reborn standing on the table. Now normally she would have scolded him for scaring her but her head was still spinning from the impact so it slipped her mind.
"I thought you knew by now that a boss-"
"Has to be aware at all times." she finished only to eep as the crossbow was aimed at her head again.
"Don't interrupt me."
"O-o-ok." She stuttered and the crossbow went away.
Reborn went over to his meal and began to eat. Tsuna got off the floor and put the chair back in its original setting. Outwardly she wore a frown but inwardly she breathed a sigh of relief. Even if everyone stepped all over her Tsuna had a personality that meant she cared a lot about about people close to her. Which was why a couple of days after the castle attack her emotional state still resembled a roller-coaster. She sighed and began to clear her plate away her thoughts turning to the boy she had met; Ryohei Sasagawa, he had seemed nice and friendly, his openness had surprised her as she was mainly used to glares and whispers behind her back. Maybe coming here would be a good thing. Turning her attention back to Reborn.
"I've cleared two of the bedrooms, we should (well I should) be more comfortable tonight (Because you made me sleep on the floor." she said,
"No I'll be staying in your room." he replied and went back to eating.
"What!? No way not when you can have your own bed." she snapped.
"So you want to leave me alone on my first night in this big, creepy old house." he was doing that pout again and Tsuna could feel her resolve weakening.
"Stop trying to manipulate me with that face. I refuse to sleep in the same room with you. I won't be able to sleep for worry over what you're going to do in the morning."
"But I'm all alone." She groaned and gave in tactically ignoring the victorious smirk on his face. Why did he have to be a baby? Why couldn't he have been some perverted man that she could easily say no to.
She headed up for bed. Changing into a bed shirt she had bought she slipped under the covers. Her eyes noticed a small canoe hanging between the corners of the ceiling. She growled as she realised that Reborn had already moved in. Although she was worried at whatever life threatening, dangerous and probably inescapable trap he had set up for her she was tired and her eyes shut. A final prayer that she would sleep without dreams.
Reborn hopped into his bed and turned his gaze to his slumbering student. No-one who knew of him would ever sleep so peacefully in a room with him. Tsuna did yet she trusted him to an extent, and he had only known her a couple of days. Black eyes flickered to the charm by her side. It wasn't anything special just a trinket to give luck; nothing magical or special. Yet she clung to it like a lifeline. He couldn't believe she had kept it but there it was. A mosquito buzzed into the room and he listened to it. He grinned at the news it brought; A certain mafioso had arrived seeking to challenge his pupil. Excellent.
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Early the next morning Tsuna woke up to start her search for a job. Of course this was after dodging the giant swinging blade pendulums that seemed to have suddenly appeared all over the house. Pausing only to grab an apple she ran out of the house. Reborn had told her he would be around, whatever that meant but she assumed he would be around if she needed him. As she stepped out onto the street she heard someone call her name.
"TSUNA!" She turned to see Ryohei running towards her.....and he didn't seem to be stopping. Taking a step back she just missed the blur that was charging at her. He skidded to a stop a couple of metres away. Tsuna could not believe the amount of stamina he had.
Plastering a smile on her face she said "Good morning Sa-Ryohei." Her cheeks flushed a little as the use of his first name. He gave her a thumbs up and his smile seemed to split his face in half.
"I'm EXTREMELY glad you are OK." She cocked her head at the strange sentence.
"Uhh, why wouldn't I be OK?"
"Oh I thought you knew." A shiver of dread passed up her spine.
"Knew what?"
"Well every owner of that house has died in an EXTREMELY horrible way in less than a month after moving in." He turned to Tsuna, who was now pale white and shaking. "Are you alright? You look EXTREMELY unwell."
Tsuna however, didn't hear this the only words going around in her head were owner, house, died and horrible. She gulped and hugged herself.
"Anyway I'm sure you'll be fine. So what are you doing today?" Snapping out of her daze she gave a small smile.
"Oh I need to find a job, I want to repair the house and make some changes but I need some money." Ryohei crossed his arms and made "ahh" noises. He opened his eyes and clenched his hand into a fist.
"I will help you find a job Tsuna." He declared and for a second flames seemed to burn in his eyes.
"T-Thank you but it's really not necessary." He opened his mouth to say it was when a third voice joined the party.
"You could use all the help you could get No-good Tsuna." She recognised the speaker immediately.
"Reborn I don't want to impose on Ryohei, that would be rude." She saw Ryohei staring at Reborn.
"Hey Tsuna who is the baby?" he asked.
Tsuna panicked, there was no way she could tell him the truth he'd think she was a freak. "Oh uhh he's my-"
"I'm a hitman from the mafia." Her eyes widened and she felt a jolt of fear run through her. Slowly she turned her gaze to Ryohei. His arms were crossed and he was nodding his head. There was a moment of silence then he opened his mouth.
"That is EXTREMELY awesome. I'm glad that Tsuna has such a strong person to protect her in that house." She nearly face vaulted at his answer. All she could think was I need protection from him! Reborn smirked and Tsuna didn't like the calculating look in his eye.
"Anyway," she began hoping to get Ryohei away from him "I should probably get going." She backed away from the boy and hoped to get out of this unharmed.
"Alright you check that side of the city and I'll check the other. This will be an EXTREMELY good training exercise." she wasn't sure how to handle his enthusiasm for well everything.
"Training? What are you training for?" She asked. He smiled and seemed to get even more excited.
"I am a boxer and someday hope to be the best in the world. My motto is to live life TO THE EXTREME!" He yelled and punched his fist into the arm.
"Wow, that's quite a dream you have there."
"Uh huh. I train every day and enter as many competitions as I can."
"You must be really strong then." She smiled, the biggest smile he'd seen on her. It looked...cute. Pushing that thought away he nodded.
"I hope so. So this quest for a job will just be another EXTREME training exercise." And with he ran down the street leaving a rather bemused Tsuna standing behind him.
Shaking her head she looked at where Reborn had been standing only to gasp when she saw that he'd disappeared. Sighing, annoyed at her teacher she continued down the path. There were a couple of shops but none of them were looking for help and it was the same at nearly everywhere she tried.
Disappointed she decided to head back for lunch. She was worried about what would happen if they didn't have a source of income. It was nearly midday. So wrapped up in her thoughts she didn't see the small object getting closer and closer. Then it blew up. With a yell she was thrown to the floor. Wincing at the pain in her knees she turned to see what had caused the explosion. As the smoke cleared she saw a figure step forward. They were in a large square and alone. Most people were working or eating lunch. Her eyes took in the boys appearance; he was taller than her (but then again most people were) he was wearing plain trousers a shirt and a loose jacket. He had silver hair and piercing eyes. He would have been handsome if it wasn't for the scowl on his face. He stepped in front of her and sneered. Instinctively she cowered away from him.
"So you're the one who is next in line to be boss of the Vongola." Her fear gave way to confusion and she just went.
"Eh." He scoffed and brought out some sort of tube like object from his jacket. She saw it was the the same as the thing that had just exploded and jumped away.
"Pathetic. There's no way a girl as weak as you could be boss." She cringed a bit. Suddenly Reborn jumped onto her head.
"Ah, you must be Hayato Gokudera otherwise known as Smokin bomb Hayato."
"You know this guy Reborn?" The boy nodded.
"So is it true that if I kill her then I'll become Vongola tenth?" All the colour drained from her face.
"Yes that was the deal."
"What! Reborn how could you make a deal like that!" She waved her hands in the air. The boy took a fighting house and threw a handful of the explosives at her.
With a yell she ran out of the way. Covering her ears from the noise she dodged the explosions that seemed to come out of every direction. One of them knocked her to her feet and a small pile of the explosives landed at her feet. She was going to die. A sharp pain hit her in the forehead and she felt herself falling backwards. As darkness surrounded her she felt a regret that she wasn't able to stop the bombs otherwise people would get hurt.
Gokudera stopped for a second when he saw the limp form laying on the floor. A moment passed then an orange flame surrounded the body and she jumped up. The wild look in her eyes was back and her clothes were beginning to rip.
"REBORN! I'll stop the bombs with my dying will!"
Stunned Gokudera stepped back before frowning. "Not dead yet? I'll double the explosives." Only this time she was different. Her hands put out the sparks that lit the explosives. Her speed increased tenfold and she became a blur of orange. No matter how many bombs he threw the girl just put them out. Frustrated he filled his arms with explosives.
"Fine. I'll just have to use triple the amount." But his arms couldn't hold that amount of dynamite and they fell to the floor around him. I can't get away. I'm going to die. He thought.
"Diffuse!" The voice startled him and to his shock he saw the girl putting out the bombs at his feet. Every one. When the last one was put out She sat back on the floor and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank god. I was sure one of us would be hurt." She gave him a small smile which faded when she saw him bowing on his knees before her.
"Are you OK?" She put a hand on his shoulder, worried he had been hurt.
"I, I was gravely mistaken." he said. When he looked up there was a big smile on his face that stunned her. Wasn't this the same guy that had just tried to kill her?
"When I heard that the next boss in line was a servant girl about my age I thought you would be too weak. So I came to challenge you, even if I didn't really want to be boss. But I was wrong you are the strongest person I've ever met. I'll follow you to the ends of the earth Juudaime-hime!" She blinked at the passionate speech.
"Juudaime-hime?" She wondered what it meant.
"It means Princess Tenth or Tenth Princess." Reborn told her. Appearing once again after the danger had passed. Gokudera nodded.
Reborn smiled. "Well done Tsuna you've gathered your first familigia member."
"What do you mean?"
"It's a Mafia tradition, the loser becomes the victors subordinate." He said and she nodded but then started shaking her head.
"No, No Gokudera. I don't want that. Why don't you just become my friend." She tried to wave away the offer but he got that scary look again.
"I'm afraid that I can't let you do that." he said in a serious tone. Tsuna was so intimidated that she couldn't say anything to contradict him. She glared at her teacher instead.
"Did you plan this?"
"Yes."
"Don't admit it so blatantly. Anyway I'm not going to be a Mafia boss." She crossed her arms and the blushed as she realised her clothes had ripped again. Blushing she scrambled away from Gokudera with a red blush on her face. Said boy was now looking away with a similar looking blush on his face. Reborn jumped onto her head again. He dropped a bag in front of her face.
"Here are some spare clothes you can change into." Grateful she grabbed the bag and rushed round a corner to make herself decent. Gokudera stood up and turned around to guard the Tenth from any perverts that might try to peak at his boss. The scowl was back on his face again.
Quickly Tsuna scrambled out in the new clothes. She smiled and went over to the boy. "Thank you for guarding me Gokudera."
"It was my pleasure Juudaime-hime." She sighed at the title but let it go.
"TSUNA!" The two teens spun round to see one Ryohei Sasagawsa charging for them. Thinking fast Gokudera pushed her out the way and threw a handful of bombs at the attacker.
"Wait Gokudera he's a friend of mine!" Tsuna yelled but her voice was drowned out by the noise. Scared she searched for Ryohei amongst the smoke and was pleased to see he looked relatively unharmed, if a bit dirty.
Unconcerned by the near-death experience he walked up to her and threw an arm around her. Earning a death glare from the silver haired teen.
"Glad I found you. I think I might have found a job for you." A smile split her face.
"Really Ryohei?" Her voice was filled with hope and gratitude. He smiled and gave her a thumbs up.
"Just who are you?" Ryohei turned to the now fuming bomber who was still glaring at him.
"My name is Ryohei Sasagawa. I'm a friend of Tsunas, and you are?."
"Hayato Gokudera, right hand man of Juudaime-hime." He said proudly and crossed his arms still trying to scare away the idiot.
"Do you mean Tsuna?"
"Don't be so familiar with her Turf-head!"
What at last my hair doesn't EXTREMELY resemble an octopus!"
"Take that back!" Tsuna just stood in the middle as the two bickered. A laugh bubbled up inside her and sh began to giggle; a light tinkling noise that caused both boys to stop their arguing. Realising she was the centre of attention she stopped and looked up.
"I'm sorry for laughing. It's just that I've never had two people argue over being my friends, and I'd be glad if you both became my friends." She said her hands wringing together behind her back. This whole social interaction thing was still new to her. They both looked at her and said they would be honoured to be her friend. The trio then set off following Ryohei's directions. With the two males still arguing and calling each others names. Still Tsuna felt a rare sense of peace and the smile stayed on her face.
AN: I know there's no Yamamoto yet but he will appear soon. Again please send in some suggestions for Tsuna's job as I'm still not sure. I'm really surprised by how much people like this story. Do you think I wrote Gokudera allright? Pairings again still not sure on but I don't mind putting a bit of everything in if that's what you guys want. Please review!
