The Bureau of Unexpected Tales
Whoa, this is Chapter Ten already? :O Crazy. Thank you so much for reading guys! –bows-
I regret to say that I have written myself into a rut. Oh gee. I thought I was long past this whole writer's block thing, but clearly it's come back to strike me once again. WHYYYY. This story was supposed to end within the next two/three chapters, but I had this brainwave. A weird one. So I added yet another small twist and delayed a major catastrophe…sort of. Well, you'll all see it eventually anyway, it's unavoidable…just might be a while ^^"
Song of the day: Regret (Mai Hoshima)
Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.
Enjoy!
Chapter Ten
If Tsuna had thought that Reborn was drop-dead sexy when he was in his hunter mode and a beast when in bed with the brunette, he was about to learn that there was yet another thing that made the man all more desirable, and quite honestly, made Tsuna blush in ways he did not know possible.
It was Reborn babysitting.
Yes, Reborn, the ruthless former hitman, the almighty hunter, and a freaking sexual predator, for crying out loud, sitting in the middle of the nursery Lal and Colonello had designed, flicking through a child's picture book with a bored expression on his face while occasionally sticking his hand out to prevent baby Dante from rolling off his pillow or to retrieve a thrown toy. The room was decorated quite beautifully. The walls were a cozy periwinkle blue with the underside of a rainforest canopy painted on the ceiling. It was a mixture of greens, blues, lime and brown, intricate in details and almost life-like. The floor itself was carpeted with giant throw pillows scattered all over the room. The toys were mostly plushies, but instead of teddy bears or animals, there was a giant stuffed pixie, a lumpy troll, an elf, and a giant nine-tailed wolf stashed away in the corner. The crib was furnished out of wood with soft pillows and a blanket tucked away inside. There were photos of mythical creatures posted up around the room, and a picture of Lal, Colonello, and Dante in a silver frame on the dresser.
Tsuna stood, gaping at the amazing sight before him, taking in all the delicate designs and paintings, as well as his boyfriend now playing tug-a-war with a determined baby. He could feel his face turn tomato red; the scene was adorable.
"Oh, Tsuna," Reborn looked up, not embarrassed in the slightest, as though taking care of kids came naturally to him. It was funny how flustered the man was in the beginning. He seemed to be getting along with his rival's kid just fine.
"Don't just stand there, idiot," Reborn said, tossing a beanie toy at him. "Come over and sit with me, I was just about to die of boredom."
"You're tougher than that," Tsuna teased, walking over to kiss Reborn sweetly. "How's Dante?"
"He regurgitated his food twice," Reborn scowled. "I dumped his bib into the laundry hamper and washed his face. Will you fix another bottle for me? I think the doppelganger's getting hungry again."
Tsuna laughed, but stood up and walked over to the dresser, locating a tin of powdered milk and an empty, washed bottle. Reborn was highly accurate when he called Dante a doppelganger; the boy was a spitting image of his father. Now that he was no longer wrapped up like a Christmas present, he was free to even act like Colonello. Dante waved his arms the same way Colonello did when he was thinking about something (father was probably going through some internal debate about tactics while baby was deciding which toy to pick up), puffed his cheeks out occasionally and even made gurgling sounds that sounded suspiciously like "kora!".
Tsuna shook the bottle while Reborn amused the baby with a snake toy, pulling it around him while Dante shrieked and stretched out his chubby little arms for the plushie.
"Done," Tsuna announced, sitting down next to Reborn and hauling Dante into his arms. "I'll get this; your hand is still broken, isn't it?"
Reborn huffed but did not reply while Tsuna cast a knowing glance down at the bandaged knuckles on Reborn's left hand. He had been confined to the temple's interior by both Mukuro and Tsuna; Mukuro speaking on behalf of a medical experience and Tsuna from exasperation at the fact that Reborn had broken his hand from punching a window, for pity's sake. But Tsuna knew the reason why Reborn had done so, so he did not badger the elder anymore.
Dante burped when he finished his meal, and Tsuna smiled gently down at the baby, wiping his mouth with the bib. Almost at once, Dante's eyelids drooped, and he hiccupped a little before falling right to sleep. The brunette chuckled softly before passing Reborn the empty bottle to rinse, and lifted the baby into the crib. Dante moved his arm sleepily as Tsuna lowered him in, tucking the boy underneath a soft fleece blanket and placed a stuffed seahorse next to him. Reborn came back in a moment later, watching Tsuna stare at the child, and came up behind the brunette, wrapping his arms around Tsuna's waist and resting his chin on the teen's shoulder.
"Why so deep in thought?"
"I'm not deep in thought," Tsuna said crossly, straightening up and turning to poke Reborn in the chest. "You make me sound like an old man; you should be the one going in-depth on unanswerable questions in the universe, yeah?"
"You wish," Reborn rumbled, leaning in to seal his lips over Tsuna's, ignoring the brunette as he flapped his arms wildly until he gave up and wound them around Reborn's neck. The kiss was slow and comforting, peaceful and calm. Tsuna parted a moment later for air, tucking his head under Reborn's chin.
"I was wondering if the world will be okay by the time Dante grows up," Tsuna whispered. "I don't want to fail him."
"Well, we won't know until we try," Reborn said slowly. "But the Fates are not so cruel. After a decline in state, things will change for the better. Nothing lasts forever."
Tsuna gulped, eyes watering slightly. "Not even us," he said, so quietly that Reborn almost didn't hear him.
"No, we can't last forever," the dark-haired man agreed, placing a finger under Tsuna's chin and tilting his head upwards so that black and chocolate brown orbs met. "But we can make the best of the time set out for us."
"I hope so," Tsuna said, smiling a watery smile.
"Stupid," Reborn chided, bonking the teen on the head. "I know so."
Dinner that night was a quiet one. The table of monks was emptier than usual because of the amount of people on patrol at nights; the temple was never left unguarded. Giant torches illuminated the grounds, which made both Tsuna and Reborn feel extremely uneasy. Images of London were rising unpleasantly up from their memories, and the two were eating less than usual, poking around their food instead of consuming it. Mukuro wasn't dining with them; the doctor was in the infirmary, taking care of any wounded monks. Verde and Fon were engaged in a deep conversation regarding the newly build defensive perimeter around the river and Lal had finished her food long ago. She sat at a separate table, tinkering with a giant rifle with undisturbed focus. Colonello ate almost as little as Reborn and Tsuna did, occasionally bringing up short conversations with the two.
"It's cold tonight."
"It's not so bad," Reborn mused, taking a drink of tea.
"For June it is," Colonello insisted. "I mean, it does get chilly without the sun out, but it's worse tonight."
"When have you got patrol, Colonello?" Tsuna asked, scraping aside a piece of carrot.
"Two in the morning," the blonde yawned, stretching. "For the last three months already. Lal gets the shift after."
"I'm up at six with Tsuna as of this afternoon," Reborn grunted. "Verde told me."
"Is that so?" Colonello asked sleepily.
"Mhmm," Tsuna mumbled with a chunk of salmon sticking out of his mouth, trying to pick out the bones with his chopsticks. Reborn rolled his eyes and made the brunette look at him, pulling the little pricks out one by one with his own set of chopsticks while Tsuna went sheepishly cross-eyed trying to watching his boyfriend work.
The wind blew in from the open doors, and it was a little drafty, just as Colonello had said, but for some reason, Tsuna felt a chill run down his spine that had nothing to do with the weather. The brunette turned his head, making Reborn poke him, but the teen paid no attention. He stood up, quietly spitting the fish back into his plate, and stared out the door.
"Tsuna?" Reborn asked, getting to his feet at once, eyes narrowed. "Tsuna, what's wrong?"
And from a room in the far end of the temple, a baby's cry could be heard.
Every single person in the room froze, still as statues, and then, Colonello and Lal both jumped up at once.
"The nursery!" Lal screamed.
"Dante!" Colonello shouted, and the parents sprinted out of the hall just as a sudden, ice cold draft filled the entire hall, blowing napkins and papers aside in once fierce gale.
"On guard!" Reborn bellowed, taking his gun out at once. Verde and Fon were by their side at once, and as the martial artist rolled up his sleeves and Verde remove his pistol from his holster, Tsuna pulled his mittens on and felt the familiar feeling of liquid energy boiling up in his veins, his inner demon slowly awakening.
"Dino! Split your men into four groups and take them out to each corner of the temple! We're taking the direct entrance," Fon shouted, eyes blazing. "Abaddon's coming."
As the monks dove into action, Colonello came running back, pale as sheet. He ran to the rifle Lal had been tinkering with and shoved all the tools out of the way, adjusting the giant machine.
"Colonello! Where's Lal and Dante?" Verde yelled, sparing a glance back at the blonde as they were walking forwards.
"They're fine!" Colonello replied, hooking the weapon over his shoulder and hefting up several winding piles of bullets. "It was Dante's sixth sense. He felt danger coming so he cried. Nothing got to him, but Lal's taking him down to the infirmary, where Mukuro is."
"Dante will be alright, Colonello," Fon said softly, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Everything will be okay."
Colonello closed his eyes, exhaling heavily. "Yeah," he whispered, a small smile gracing his handsome features. "I just wanna be able to hold his little hand after all this is over, kora."
"Then fight for it," Reborn said. "And do it now. The enemy's arrived."
Beyond the gates of the temple, they could see it. The demons had brought their own blue hell fire from the Underworld, which flickered and flamed and twisted in different shapes, illuminating the smoky monster's faces and rows of sharp fangs that were out for blood. The hunters hurried out onto the lawn with the monks at battle stations around them. Dino, Basil, Squalo and Bel were down at the front, armed with spears, swords, and knives, shouting orders to the other monks. The first wave of enemies was insight already. Down below, Dino shouted something to the monks.
"Set! FIRE!"
There were the sounds of something large and heavy whooshing through the air, and suddenly, the sky was illuminated with giant, flaming celestial bronze chunks that flew like rockets and smashed through the first row. The bronze molds shattered, sending red-hot fragments flying everywhere. The lower class demons disintegrated in an instant, writhing and burning, but the stronger and darker ones were still crawling their way forward, determined to find its prey.
"Set! FIRE!"
As the sky turned orange and red under the burning flames engulfing the monsters and burning through the forest, the hunters knew it would be their game soon. Colonello was already setting up at the doorway, his giant rifle spread impressively over the entire entrance. "I'll be here, kora," the blonde said, flopping down onto his stomach and pulling a pair of infrared goggles over his eyes.
"Verde and I will take the right side then," Fon said, exchanging looks with the green-haired man. "Take the left flanks, you two!"
"Understood!" Tsuna said firmly, his eyes reflecting the fire leaping into the night sky.
"Watch yourselves!" Reborn shouted, and he and Tsuna bolted down the walkway and into the gardens, where the entire place was being remodeled by scraping catapults, giant beacons burning with fire and sandbags stacked up into defensive walls.
They skidded to a halt when a giant demon crashed through the first layers of defenses and sent the monks flying in every direction possible. Tufts of grass rained down upon those on guard and sand spilled everywhere.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
With three well-placed shots, the demon writhed and slowly turned into ash, killed by the three bullets lodged into its face. Reborn huffed and lowered his gun, looking sideways at Tsuna. "Aim for their face or chest. Those are their weakest spots."
"Right." Tsuna said, nodding firmly. "Be careful, Reborn!"
The brunette turned to hurry into battle, but his boyfriend's voice suddenly called out to him again. "Tsuna!"
And when Tsuna turned, Reborn was kissing him, hard and fierce, like he'd never done before. The brunette almost bent over backwards at the angle Reborn was leaning in, but there was something lying hidden behind the action. It was desperate and longing, as though they had been separated for a thousand years. Tsuna kissed back just as fiercely, throwing his arms around Reborn's neck and pulled him down tightly, wishing he didn't have to let go.
Curiously, Tsuna realized something in the back of his fogged-up mind: This was the first time Reborn had kissed him while he was in half-demon form. Almost as though the elder was reading his mind, the dark-haired hunter drew back a little so that their lips still hovered over one another's, petal soft and slightly swollen because of the intense kiss.
"Demon, human, or both, I don't care. I love you and I swear to god I'll never leave you, not matter what. So whatever it takes, Tsuna, stay alive. Please."
Tsuna nodded, his heart almost melting away at the—dare he say it?—confession Reborn had just given him. It nearly made him cry, but this was not the time for tears. The brunette took Reborn's face in his hands and he whispered back, "I promise. Wait for me to come back, okay?"
And then they were parting, one running in one direction, the other sprinting away in another, the sounds of destruction and fire crackling filling their ears and the blazing firelight blurring their vision. A demon was flying overhead, going straight for the temple, and Tsuna leapt into action. As one of the catapults were set to launch another flaming bronze ball at the enemy, Tsuna leapt over the rim of the hollow vessel, landing hard on the inside.
"Set! FIRE!"
The catapult was launched, and Tsuna experienced a moment of free flight as he was launched right into the air at his target. The demon's yellowed eye widened in surprise as Tsuna crashed into it in mid-air, sending the two of them spiraling down to earth. They smashed into the front steps of the temple in a sickening crunch and a mess of stone and grass. Tsuna untangled himself from the fleshy body and writhing limbs before spreading his arms wide open, palms splayed, and slammed his hands on either side of the demon's head. The force of the blow was enormous, and with an ugly squelching noise, the demon's head exploded.
Tsuna smirked and shook black blood off his hands, stepping out of the ashes. The night sky was still crawling with demons, and the brunette took off at once, running for the next catapult set to fire. He leapt into the vessel as well, allowing himself to be thrown up into the air. The next demon he caught was unfortunately much closer to the building, and both hunter and monster ended up crashing through the wall of the temple, marking the first damage on the giant structure. In a mess of dust and rubble, Tsuna leapt off the demon and onto the undestroyed part of the floor. His orange eyes zoned in on his enemy, which was still dazed from running headlong into a building, and wasted no time taking advantage of the weakness.
Tsuna sprinted forward, and with an almighty shove, forced the demon to slide backwards off the side of the temple and fall backwards into the gardens. "Look out!" Tsuna shouted, watching the monster fall, and in an instant, was engulfed by bronze cannonballs. The demon screamed and dissolved as well, much to Tsuna's satisfaction.
Ba-bump. Ba-bump.
Tsuna froze, his breath catching in his throat. This feeling. There was an evil, deadly force approaching them. Could it be…?
"Up there!" someone from the grounds shouted, and Tsuna squinted at the black sky. Something was coming. Fast.
The teen's eyes widened when he saw what it was. "Oh, shit—!"
Tsuna ran for it, leaping off the broken edge of the third floor building, wind whistling in his ears as he plummeted down to earth just as something enormous and cackling with electricity shot right above him, blowing up the temple's front with a massive explosion.
Shouts were heard as rubble rained down upon them, smashing into catapults and skidding over the grass. Tsuna landed and rolled, narrowly avoiding being crushed by a chunk of fall crashing into the spot he landed in a millisecond ago.
"Brother! Are you alright?" one of the monks called, helping Tsuna to his feet.
"I'm fine," the brunette panted, brushing ash and dust off him. "Please, retreat quickly! The enemy approaching is not one you can handle."
"What do you mean?" the monk asked, shaking.
"It's the King of the Underworld," Tsuna said softly, clenching his fists as he looked up into the sky. "Abaddon has joined the battle."
Approaching the temple in a majestic, chariot pulled by winged Nemian Lion was indeed Abaddon, dressed in shiny black armor, holding a massive spear in his hands the crackled with black electricity. It was a lightning bolt he'd shot at the temple earlier. A cruel smile had twisted his face, and he was bearing down upon them at an incredible speed, flanked by another wave of demons.
Tsuna sprinted for the ruined path leading up to the front of the temple from the forest, determined to stop Abaddon in his tracks, and was surprised to find Reborn by his side, Fon on his right, Lal, Colonello and Verde taking up the rear.
"Here he comes!" Fon warned as the chariot started to descend.
"I'll flatten his face," Lal snarled, and it occurred to all the men that out of the entire group, Lal was the one they'd hated to fight in this battle. A mother's instinct was a dangerous thing.
Abaddon's chariot cleaved off the tops of trees in the forest as he landed on the pathway, tearing up the neatly paved stones with his massive ride. The flying lions dug their paws into the ground, roaring and tossing their heads. These were the lions from the Greek myth of Heracles; the lion whose skin was impenetrable. The hunters came to a halt in front of the chariot, forming a line that blocked Abaddon further access to their home.
"What's this?" the King of Hell smirked, brushing his windswept hair back. "A welcoming reception?"
"You're sorely mistaken if you think you'll be welcome anywhere," Fon snarled, glaring coldly up at their foe.
"Watch your tongue, boy," Abaddon sneered. "Show some respect and I might find use for you once I take over this pathetic world." His eyes moved down Fon's body and he smirked. "A good use," he leered, and the hunters shuddered in unison.
Abaddon, a pervert?
"Shut up, your rotten asshole," Lal growled. "We're not going to let you take over this place. Or the world, for that matter."
"And you suppose you're the one to stop me?" Abaddon asked, looking bored.
"Not just Lal," Colonello snapped. "All of us are here to defeat you, Abaddon."
"Even though the Overking, your last hope, has abandoned you?" the dark lord said slyly, and the hunters stiffened. The King of Hell laughed out loud at their reactions. "Oh, how typical of that old fraud. Playing hero while leaving behind a trail of broken hearts. Let me tell you something, humans. In all his so-called glory, the Overking is just like me. He pretends to be godly and represents light, but in fact, he won't do anything that will put his throne in jeopardy. Take part in a war? Bah! You were fools to rely on him, and now you're in over your heads with this silly battle. Tell you what," Abaddon suddenly says, leaning in over the edge of his chariot, a dark smile on his face.
"Surrender yourselves. You will live and serve alongside of me, and no other lives will be taken away. Your friends may live. Your children—" Lal flinched visibly at those words— "will live in peace. I am a merciful ruler. I will not—"
Bang.
Abaddon flashed back at once, letting the bullet fly by, nailing a demon in the back that immediately turned into ash. His eyes narrowed and he turned to see who had shot him. "Well now, Reborn, why so cold?"
"I've never had a high tolerance for bullshit," Reborn growled.
"Merciful my ass," Verde snorted, his glasses flashing in the firelight.
"Take your self-centered, bastardized words and shove it where the sun doesn't shine!" Tsuna said heatedly.
"What they said, kora," Colonello called out. "Sure, the Overking is a jerk, but he's not the one waging war on us."
"If he won't help us, then we'll help ourselves!" Lal shouted. "We're not weak and we're certainly not helpless."
"No matter what, we're going to keep fighting," Verde added. "Who the hell surrenders nowadays? That's cheesy."
"And we're not giving up," Tsuna said firmly. "We're going to stay alive, no matter what."
Reborn cast a half-glance over at his lover, a small smile quirking his lips. "There's your answer, Abaddon. And about that offer for your throne? Thanks, but no thanks. I don't work well with narcissists."
Abaddon pressed his lips together, coal black eyes flashing dangerously down at them. "So be it," he growled, his low voice making the ground shake and the earth moan. But the hunters stood their ground, determined. "I'll rid you lot where you stand!"
The giant spear was thrust up into the air, crackling with dark energy, and the force of it sent the group staggering back a couple of steps.
"Look out!" Fon shouted.
Abaddon let loose a ground-shaking war cry and brought his weapon swishing down on them. For a scary moment, the power of the lightning bolt itself nearly fried anything within a twelve-foot radius of the angry Underworld King.
I wouldn't do that if I were you, Abaddon.
Suddenly from behind the hunters, a mass of glowing white light expanded forwards, completely neutralizing the negative energy and dispersed it. The reaction send a powerful shockwave into Abaddon, who was throw backwards off his chariot and sent skidding along the ground on his back, a look of pure confusion on his face.
"What the—?"
"Greetings," a low, familiar voice said from behind the hunters as the shield dimmed, "I thought this would be a good time to intervene."
The hunters spun around and drew a collective gasp.
"You!" Colonello and Lal shouted.
"Old man?" Reborn said, frowning.
"Overking!" Tsuna gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"Heeding my summons, of course," the Overking said, his voice deep and grave. He was in the form of a giant man, wearing silvery white armor and held a long, pearl encrusted sword in his right hand. His lined face was stormy, and his grey eyes serious, but there was a hint of a smile on his mouth. He looked a like a majestic old king, but at the same time, a kindly grandfather.
"But you—you rejected us—" Fon stammered. "How—?"
"I apologize for my harsh words," the Overking said softly. "It was a test. As much as I am obliged to help the students of my own advisor Luce, I had to place you all through a trial. If you gave up, then what would be the point of me fighting for a race that was truly dying? I am not assessing you on whether or not you will win, but if you have the resolve to continue on even after everything falls around you; even if the situation seems hopeless. And you have proven to me beyond a doubt that you are not a dying race. In fact, I can see your will to live burning stronger than ever."
"It was a test?" Tsuna repeated stupidly. "Wow…you…wow…"
"Trying to appear all high and might again, are you, Overking?" Abaddon sneered, staggering to his feet. Almost at once, a force field from the King of Heaven sent the King of Hell sprawling on his back once more.
"Greed has always been your down fall, Abaddon," the Overking said sternly. "That, and your bloodthirsty nature."
"And your general lack of conscience," Lal snapped.
"And your sociopathic tenancies," Verde inserted.
"Pevert," Fon and Tsuna muttered together.
"Don't forget his over-inflated ego," Reborn added helpfully.
"And his awful sense of style," Colonello jumped in, prompting a snicker from Reborn.
"TRASH!" Abaddon snarled, getting to his feet. "Demons! Attack!"
"Archangels," the Overking called in a powerful voice. "Assemble!"
From the ground, wisps of white smoke began to rise. Quickly, they formed the shapes of tall, armored angles armed with arrows and bows, swords and shields. Their breastplates were similar to the Overking's, and the angelic force marched forward, lining themselves up expertly at their King's orders.
"Onward!"
With a ferocious clash, white and black met on the middle of the battlefield, slashing, cutting, and stabbing. Demons howled as they fell, ash scattered into the air, and Abaddon was forced to retreat as his chariot was smashed into pieces and the winged Nemian Lions were restrained before the angels killed the beasts by plunging their swords down their throats. It was an all-out, no bounds battle, and it was getting more dangerous to be standing around. The Overking slipped on his helmet, humming as he lifted his sword.
"Shall we, hunters?"
"And to think I called you a jerk," Colonello said in awe.
They dove headlong into the war, winding in and out of the mass of light and darkness, the clash of weapons and teeth, and the bodies lying on the ground. Behind them, the gong in the temple echoed across the grounds, signaling midnight.
The battle was high, but in every one of the hunter's hearts, there was something new that was burning strong and proud.
Hope.
And this time, they dared to hope that they would make it out alive.
It was quick, but the Overking joins the war! And it was a test xD Did he redeem himself? Yes? No? Sort of? He'll have another mini role in the upcoming chapters, so if you guys like his performance now, hopefully he'll impress you again (〃￣ω￣〃)ゞ
And I couldn't resist throwing in the let's-violate-Fon humor once again. But he is a very pretty man, no? :'3
On a sadder note, I wrote this while I was downstairs at 1 am. And when I finished, I was too scared of the dark to go back upstairs, uwahhhh. ((((；゜Д゜))) I was stuck for a very long time until I gathered my non-existent courage and ran my way back up.
Eh, enough with my irrational fears. Thank you so much for reading! Every one of your comments is deeply appreciated, and if you guys have any suggestions, comments or ideas on how I can improve, please don't hesitate to let me know. It makes the story all more enjoyable for you guys to read! (◡‿◡✿)
-BlackStar