"Reborn," Nono said.
Reborn didn't follow his mother into Tsuna's room. His presence would do nothing in there. It would either work or it wouldn't. He trusted his mother enough with Tsuna.
"Who is she?" Nono asked.
While he didn't outwardly show it, Reborn felt a touch of pity. Nono looked exhausted. The rush to secure Tsuna's position as Decimo was due to Nono's failing health and this added complication took its toll on the aging Vongola Boss.
"Shouken Kaun," Reborn said. "Doctor." He offered no other explanation. Let them draw their own conclusions on his exact relationship with his mother.
"She taught you kora?!" Colonnello shouted in disbelief.
"Yes," Reborn said.
Colonnello just looked like he had been slapped, stunned beyond belief. Reborn smirked. For some reason, people liked assume that Reborn had always been this way. It was impossible for them to picture him as a young child, which suited Reborn just fine.
"Can she be trusted?" Lal asked.
"I trust her," Reborn said. Trust was fickly. Reborn trusted that his mother wouldn't do anything to Tsuna because now she understood how important Tsuna was to him. Thus by extension, she would do anything to keep Tsuna healthy because it made Reborn happy. Outside of that? Everything was fair game. In other words, she would insult half the group, physically injure a quarter and actually attempt to kill the rest. Dino was probably safe. Iemitsu was probably a dead man walking and depending on how she react to Nono's not exactly real grandfather persona, Nono would probably only end up injured.
Reborn was going to let her.
He was not stupid. Alliances and fondness be damned, Renato was not stupid enough to challenge his mother when she set her mind to something.
(No, it was far safer to ask his father and then watch from the sidelines while his father disarmed his mother. That never stopped being impressive to watch.)
Speaking of his father, the con would probably be up if his father decided to visit the hospital. Reborn looked too much like him for it be a simple coincidence.
He would have to cross that bridge when he got there.
Unceremoniously, he felt himself being picked up by his collar. He bristled, before relaxing upon recognizing his mother.
"The anchors are holding," Kaun said without preamble.
"Wait-!" Nana said.
"What does that mean?"
"Does that mean Jyuudaime will be okay?"
"Where are you going?"
Naturally, Kaun ignored all the questions and protest, sweeping off into Tsuna's room. Once inside, she dropped Reborn onto Tsuna's bed.
Reborn heard the door lock, keeping the noisy bystanders out. He paid no attention to it, staring down at the still body of Tsuna instead. His heart clenched at how frail the small brunet looked. The last 37 hours had taken its toll on Tsuna. He had lost plenty of weight, nothing but skin and bones. His skin a pale pallor, washed out, and his spiky brown hair limp. The brilliant warm brown eyes closed and breathing labored, wispy and shallowed.
"Spread your Flames as evenly as possible through him," Kaun instructed.
Reborn nodded, channeling a steady stream of Flames into Tsuna. Tsuna's Sky Flames greeted him in return, tiredly but still warm. Reborn could sense the anchors he had created, pressing down on Tsuna's very soul.
Silence descended upon the room.
"He won't be compatible but with the echo resonance of your Flames, your father will be a suitable backup," Kaun said. "While I know you could potentially last the first 24 hours without rest, and that Sawada-kun's relationship with his Sun Guardian is strong enough…" she trailed off.
She reached out to touch the yellow pacifier around his neck.
Reborn stiffened.
"We're going to have to talk about this as well," Kaun said. There was a thread of anger in her words; her black eyes flashing.
Reborn grit his teeth but nodded his consent. He did not want to discuss anything regarding the Arcobaleno Curse, but there was no way his mother would let it rest.
It was just a small price to pay for Tsuna's continued good health.
Anchors holding! -cheer-
