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10 – Varia

"That was the last one."

"Nice!"

"Shut up, baseball freak!"

"Lambo wants an ice cream!"

"We've bought it, so we'll go back home first."

"Right! Or it'll melt! Ahahahah…"

"Didn't Tsuna-nii say something about needing laundry detergent?"

Ienari face-palmed. "That's true… Why didn't he write it on the paper…"

"Because you need to improve your memory, Dame-Nari."

"I still don't understand why I'm here…" Fon chuckled, but didn't let go of I-Pin's hand.

Reborn hummed. "Because I said so."

"Ah, I see…"

After a stop at the last shop, the little party started walking back. The hitman stroked Leon, that was bathing in the weak sun on his shoulder. For the first time in his life, Reborn felt contented. He was satisfied, even if on a job. He was enjoying someone's company and, without needing to make promises or to be chatty, he was having good, sweet afternoons every Sunday. But he was not feeling hollow, like when he had one-night stands, nor bored, like with his first and third lover, nor irritated, like with the second. No.

The most important difference was that, truthfully, he had feelings.

There was no use denying it.

In the beginning, Reborn had felt attraction. It had turned slowly into lust and interest… But he knew there was something deeper, lurking and growing in the pit of his stomach, in the back of his mind, in the void of his chest. He accepted it. It was slow, it was still weak, but it was there and it was expanding, taking control of his entire being.

He couldn't find it in himself to mind.

Nor to block it.

He didn't want to. On the contrary, he was liking it. Whenever Tsuna was present, his world seemed to be a bit more accepting, a bit more colourful, a bit more… his. And when they were alone, the brunette would be affectionate and caring, a lot more than when with others. Reborn would bathe in those attention and demand so much more when they could go further.

He wasn't sure Tsuna was undergoing the same process, but there were some signs. Like the blushes. Whenever the hitman acted in a more affectionate way, with a caress on his cheek or a chaste kiss as goodnight. Whenever they slept together without engaging in interesting activities and Reborn embraced him with care and simple desire to share some moments. Whenever Tsuna himself did something sweet, like passing pecks on his cheeks and lips, or caresses on his shoulders, neck or hands, or when he searched for Reborn's attention in his subtle but obvious way. But even certain actions made the hitman quite hopeful.

For example, the man was worried about Nono not answering reports nor phone calls. The evening before, he had tried for the nth time to reach him, mindful of the time gap, but only the dial tune had greeted his ear. While Leon morphed back to lick his lemon, he tapped his fingertips on the table and thought of a possible reason why that was happening. He didn't want to call on Iemitsu and Lal was out of reach, too. Colonello was still in France for training, so he couldn't know more. Viper was who knew where and Verde was probably caged in his laboratory, the madman…

"You're worried."

Reborn hummed, not turning to the other man. "Nono is not answering my phone calls."

Tsuna brewed coffee for both and sat near him. "That's strange. Anyone else you can contact?"

"Your father." The hitman pleasured his tongue with the beverage. "I don't really want to call him."

"Uhm… But you will." He smiled, sipping from his cup. "You can't let his idiocy get in the way of your mission."

Reborn huffed, finishing his coffee in one gulp. "Sadly."

Tsuna chuckled. "He can be professional when he wants, push him to be so." He lifted a finger, circling its pit on the hitman's hand's back. "And torture him a bit for me, if you can."

Reborn smirked, capturing the hand in his and hunching forward. "Of course I can, but what will I gain from it?"

The brunette smirked back. "Spices?" He played his fingers with feather touch on the other's palm. "And defiance?"

"You already give me those." Though Reborn couldn't stop the lust to reflect in his eyes, he could never get enough.

"And you want more of them every time…" Tsuna slid the hand to the other's face, lining his chin and lips. "I don't know… A date, maybe?"

The raven mulled the idea in his mind a bit, capturing again the hand and kissing the fingertips lightly. It was not a bad one. Actually, he was fine with it.

"You owe me one, then." And he sealed that with a light kiss.

Tsuna responded with a low smack and smiled. "Alright. It's for when things are settled, I guess."

Reborn saw longing in the chocolate orbs and caressed his cheek softly. "We'll see."

And that was only one, but the man was really doing his best to support the hitman and his brother, Famiglia included. Almost every Saturday, some of the Guardians were over for dinner. Every Sunday, the activities in bed were followed by cuddles or more and then chitchat over light subjects. Fon was showing no sign of wanting to leave and, frankly, it was thanks to him that Reborn was having his wicked way with the sexy brunette.

Thinking about it, his friend was talking to him.

"… –all?"

Reborn looked at him. "Can you repeat?"

Fon huffed, shaking his head. "I said… Has he answered your call?"

Oh. Iemitsu. The idiot liar.

The hitman scowled. "He did. He's having the same problem. Can't contact Nono, nor the Guardians."

The Chinese man hummed. "Strange, indeed."

"And foreboding." Reborn added. "I have a bad feeling about it." He glanced at Ienari, that was looking around with careful eyes. "Intuition has made my student wary of his surroundings."

"And…" He moved his hand in the air. "What else have you talked about?"

Reborn stopped, letting the teens walk forward to put some distance. Fon did the same and, after some seconds, they walked again.

"I told him about the discrepancies I found once arrived here. He is even dumber than I thought, saying that his older son shouldn't know about Mafia and him."

"What about the choice of an heir?"

The hitman sighed. "He refused to answer. Maybe he's hiding something the brothers do not know… Frankly, I can't figure it out."

"Could it be they're… not related by blood? Maybe…"

"No, I searched that out. Sawada Nana has never betrayed Iemitsu. I can't be sure about the idiot, though."

"And they're too similar to not be brothers… I see, it's difficult to find out what's the problem like this…" Fon shook his head, checking on the teens and children. "I suppose talking about it won't solve the riddle. So… I notice you're quite relaxed, my friend."

Reborn smirked despite his will not to. Memories of two days prior filled his mind. Of moans, of pants and battles for domination. And of so many delightful images.

"I am." He answered before feeling overwhelmed. "You covered me, I owe you."

"It's not a problem. Though… The younger brother is starting to be suspicious of your absences."

Reborn sighed. "Damn brother complex…"

"Ah, that's how it's called… I'd suggest letting Tsunayoshi deal with it." Fon hummed. "But it's not that easy, huh? And you are not the type to… How do people call it… Go public?"

"Something like that…" He stopped and looked behind, up at the tall building. "For the time being, we have graver matters."

An explosion, followed by several yells and a spiral of smoke, burst on top of it. The teens jumped in alarm. Reborn stayed put, hands in pants' pockets, but Leon slid to his arm, ready to morph. Fon just turned and waited in a defensive stance to protect his students.

Two silhouettes appeared in the sky and rapidly fell right on the road. They created a crater, with debris flying everywhere and smoke covering the ongoing fight. As dirt settled, Superbi Squalo and CEDEF's Boss' assistant, Basil, came into view. The younger boy was holding a box carrying the Vongola crest, seemingly protecting it from the Varia Rain.

While Fon shielded the children, wary of the new threat, Reborn took hold of Ienari's collar and launched him in-between the two fighters. Obviously, he earned a shriek. Yamamoto and Gokudera didn't waste time in reaching their Boss' sides.

"Sawada-dono?"

Ienari flinched at the out-of-date honorific and looked at the blonde guy. "Who are you?"

Basil blinked, but didn't answer. Squalo's laughter distracted them.

"So that's the heir chosen by the external advisor?! VOOOOOIII! Ahahahahahah!"

Reborn narrowed his eyes at the comment. Chosen? What was that sentence's meaning? Ienari had been appointed as heir by Nono, then by Iemitsu. What was going on? And what was that box?

"Sawada-dono, stay back!"

The hitman loaded a Dying Will bullet, still surveying the situation. Apparently, Yamamoto was getting carried away. They couldn't tell the gaps between their strength and the foe's, yet. The two swordsmen fought for some seconds before the afore-mentioned gap was obvious. Gokudera tried to help, but uselessly. Reborn shot.

Ienari was still too weak to take on someone from Varia.

Squalo left with the box in his hands.

Reborn wanted to sigh at the following display. Yamamoto's pride was hurt, as much as Gokudera's. Ienari was trying to comfort Basil, panicky, while sending worried glances at his two friends. Fon was still shielding the children, eyes closed in grave lines.

"Let's go back."

The teens tensed at that, but obliged, Ienari searching for his torn clothes. He tried to cover himself the best he could. Without words and the previous light atmosphere, they quickly went back home. He saw Tsuna hanging the clean clothes to dry in the garden.

The peaceful expression left his face when he saw the wounds on Basil and the moping of the teens. He quickly met them at the door and urged the blonde boy inside, making use of the first aid kit. Unsurprisingly, the two Guardians left before entering the house. The children went to play in the garden after being told to by Fon and receiving a pat from Tsuna.

"Anyone who kindly tells me what happened?"

Ienari, that had gone upstairs to get changed, flinched as he sat down. "We were attacked… I think Takeshi and Hayato… Are a bit…"

"The first loss, uhm?" Tsuna said absentmindedly. "Are you okay, Ienari?" He glanced at his younger brother.

"Yes, Tsu-nii… Just…" He fell silent.

The brunette ruffled his hair with a soft smile. "You did well, he is safe, right?" He tilted his head to Basil, that was already patched up and confusedly looking around. "What was the mess about, anyway?"

Ienari blinked. "Right, I don't know…" He gazed over Basil, that was then gaping at Tsuna. "Hey…?" The teen had to tap on his shoulder.

The blonde jumped and half-shrieked, looking frantically between the two brothers. "W-who is S-Sawada Ienari-dono?" His student lifted one hand, a bit unsure. "A-and… who are y-you?"

Tsuna arched a brow and frowned, crossing his arms. "Sawada Tsunayoshi. Who do I have the pleasure to talk to?" Reborn recognized sarcasm and irritation, probably at the blatant show of impoliteness.

Basil blushed without restraints. "I'm B-Basil!" He sat up from the table and profusely bowed. "E-excuse my h-horrible behaviour!"

The brunette seemed sceptical, Reborn didn't know if it was at the sorry display or at the apology itself. "So, what was the problem?" Ienari was sweat-dropping at his brother.

"Right! The Vongola Rings! He took them!"

Oh… And Iemitsu had given the Rings to Basil? Highly unlikely.

Fon opened an eye to him. "That's quite grave…"

Ienari frowned. "What are these Rings?"

"Vongola's treasures, inherited from generation to generation of Guardians." Reborn answered. "Basil, are you sure they were the real deal?"

The blonde scowled. "Of course! Boss gave them to me!"

… Was Iemitsu that stupid? Last time he'd checked, no.

Reborn was about to ask again when the doorbell rang. Tsuna frowned, but went to check who was the nuisance. The hitman blinked when he recognized the voices.

"Ehm… Who are you?" Dame-Dino, alright…

"Excuse me, you rang the doorbell of my house. Who are you." Reborn didn't feel a single inch of pity for them.

The bloodlust reached the kitchen. "I'm deeply sorry, Mister. I'm Romario and this is my Boss, Dino Cavallone. We're searching for Sawada Ienari."

"A polite one, in the end." Tsuna remarked. "I'm his older brother, Sawada Tsunayoshi. Can you state your business?" And there it was, the protectiveness…

Ienari face-palmed, but was smiling. "It's… personal."

The bloodlust increased. "I'm his guardian and he's a minor. What. Do. You. Want."

Reborn stood, slightly smirking at the mother-hen's antics. He put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, eyeing the two new-comers before looking at Tsuna.

"Dino is my previous student, Boss of the Cavallone Famiglia." The brunette nodded, shrugging and calling back the killing intent. "What are you here for, Dame-Dino?"

"R-Reborn…" He was at a loss, looking warily at Tsuna.

The blonde Italian only took a red box and offered it to the hitman. He recognized the crest and smirked in satisfaction at being right. Basil and Ienari came, too, gaping for different reasons. Tsuna urged everyone in the living room, closing the door and getting busy at brewing beverages.

Reborn whacked Dino on the head to shock him out of the surprise-induced daze. "A brother? An older brother? What's happening?!" He yelled in a whisper.

The hitman simply took the box and opened it. "These are the true ones."

"Oh… Yes… Iemitsu gave them to me. Basil was a bait…"

"Indecent…" Tsuna muttered, delicately putting a tray of beverages on the low table. "Honestly indecent…" He went back to the kitchen.

Reborn huffed. "So, what's happening?"

Romario noticed the shock his Boss was in and sighed. "Vongola Nono has chosen Xanxus as his heir. Iemitsu-san has chosen his… son. These are the halves."

The hitman hummed, closing the box and giving it to Ienari. "That's strange." He eyed Dino. "Nono hasn't been answering me for days."

The blonde nodded. "We can't contact him either, but the danger is true and Xanxus is back."

Reborn looked at Tsuna, that was sipping his tea with Fon, checking on the children from time to time. No more reactions, huh?

"What does this mean?" Ienari observed warily the halves, a hand lingering on them.

"It means that, once Xanxus, Nono's adopted son, notices the halves in Squalo's hands are false, Varia will come to take them." Reborn pointed a finger at the box. "You and your Guardians are the only ones who can stop them, at the moment."

The shriek came in exactly five seconds. "I can't do that! I don't want to be the Boss!"

Tsuna silently chuckled at that, exchanging gazes with Fon. "You have no choice, Dame-Nari." He looked at him with a blank expression, hiding a sudden rage. "And your father is probably coming to ensure you take them on."

One brunette on the other side of the hose lightly cleared his throat, gaining the attention of everyone but the Storm Arcobaleno. "Excuse my intrusion, who is coming?"

Leon morphed into a robin and landed on the table, pecking Tsuna's finger. "Your father."

The man stood, petted Leon on his head and left the house. Reborn massaged his temples with a light sigh.

Ienari shivered. "He's going to destroy him…" A flash of gold in his eyes only assured them it was true.

Thanks for reading! See ya next week!