Welcome to The Grimm Office

Here comes the end…the unavoidable, and the beginning of the next cycle. This is Chapter Ten!

I have no other words to say other than these: Thank you all for reading :'3

Random Song of the Day: How to Save a Life (The Fray)

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

Chapter Ten

Life's a voyage that's homeward bound. (Herman Melville)

-Two Weeks Later-

"That that freakish thing out of my arm!" Reborn shouted, reflexively launching a punch at the blue-haired man standing next to him.

"Reborn!" Mukuro shouted, one hand jerking up to clutch at his bleeding nose while the other held a long, dangerously pointy needle still poking into Reborn's upper limb. "What the hell, it's not in your arm, it's in my hand!"

"Get what's in your hand out of my arm," the hunter threatened, the clenched fist doing his anger justice. Mukuro gulped, barely able to stand upright with blood gushing out of his nose. A raging Reborn was not a happy Reborn, and the risks of the needle point breaking off and getting stuck in the man's arm was reaching high levels.

Suddenly, a smaller male pushed his way into the fray and with a roll of his eyes, shoved Mukuro back, grabbed the needle from his grip and forced the plunger top down, injecting the clear fluid into Reborn's arm. The hunter snarled and twitched, but Tsuna had already pulled the needle out and tossed it into the trash bin.

"There, we're done," the teen ground out irritably. "Why are you acting like a six year old?"

"You try having a needle go through your arm by the hands of that self-proclaimed doctor!" Reborn snapped, yanking the sleeve of his button-up shirt back down over his forearm, not even bothering to grab a Band-Aid for the prick in the skin.

"I am perfectly qualified," Mukuro shot back, a wad of tissue stuck up his nose as he mixed something in a cup that hissed, frothed, and turned from a horrifying shade of cement grey to the colour of cat vomit. Tsuna paled as he watched the doctor chug down the contents, shudder, and smack his lips, tossing the mug beaker into the sink, where it joined a pile of dirty, week old dishes waiting to be washed. Mukuro stood still for a few moments, then cheerfully yanked the gob of bloody Kleenex out of his nostril and chuck it into the garbage, no longer bleeding profusely from the impact of Reborn's punch.

"Wow," Tsuna said, impressed. "That was awesome." Mukuro grinned.

"At least someone appreciates my work," he said pointedly, glancing at Reborn, who rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Well, that's all I've got for the ailing hunter here. You can go, and take your stupid fear of needles with you."

Immediately, Reborn was up in the doctor's face, grabbing the front of his shirt. "I. Am. Not. Afraid. Of. Needles."

"Right, right, you're not, now let's go, Reborn," Tsuna said, appearing inbetween the two arguing males with a cheerful smile again. He grabbed Reborn's hand and yanked him towards the door, waving a goodbye to Mukuro. The blue-haired man smiled back, still unamused, but straightened out his shirt and fixed his glasses before calling after them, "I'll double the fee for this, Reborn!"

"Walk," Tsuna warned, prodding the dark-haired man's back when he showed signs of wanting to turn around and pummel Mukuro again. The two of them stumbled out of the backdoor of the abandoned factory, walking out into the mid-afternoon sun of a mild November day. The temperatures were in single digits only, but the rays beaming down compensated for the light chill. Reborn instinctively reached out and pulled Tsuna's small hand against his own, feeling the slim fingers tighten happily around his.

London had found new life. The city had been clear for about four days after the war so that all the cleaning could be finished. The buildings that had been demolished during the fight were still being rebuilt, but the city itself was in much better spirits. The previously dull, dreary and lifeless atmosphere had vanished to be replaced by a brighter, lighter and welcoming setting. The streets were bustling, new vendor stands were popping up everywhere, and laugher could be heard. The two lovers walked along the cobblestone path, weaving between other shoppers and travelers talking, joking, and going about their daily business. Luce's café was blooming with business, and the Cavallone printing press had plenty to say about the so-called toxic spill that had been used to cover up their battle against the demons.

There was only one place that did not share all the hub-dub and joy, but it was in a respectful way. After making a quick stop at Kawahira's bakery and the flower shop that had been one of the king demon's unfortunate victims, Reborn and Tsuna had finally finished their uphill walk and arrived at the tall, decorated gates of a cemetery. The Church resided a little ways down the hill, overlooking a cliff that hung above a wide, lush forest that spread on for as far as the eye could see. The graveyard was located at the highest point in the city, surrounded by a black, iron-wrought fence. The graves itself were old, many of them weathered away by the rain and wind the tall hill was accustomed to, but under a long-limbed, sprawling yew tree, two new gravestones, identical in colour and shape, marked the resting places of their lost friends.

Tsuna reached the graves first; untangling his bouquet of white lilies with Reborn's wrapped flowers and placing each one gently down on the earth in front of the stones. The late birds twittered their songs on the tree's branches before leaping into sky, flapping their wings, presumably going somewhere warmer until spring arrived.

"Hope you guys are resting peacefully," Tsuna said, closing his eyes and bowing his head. His heart felt heavy at the fact that two of their allies, friends, and comrades would never return, but as Reborn said, they had to move on. Rebuilding something from destruction always came after a war, be it the buildings they demolished to the gaping holes in their lives left by those who'd departed from the world.

"Are you kidding me? Alaude's probably turning in his grave seeing how crowded London's streets are nowadays," Reborn grumbled, crossing his arms. "He hates mobs."

"You have no sensitivity at all, Reborn," Tsuna sighed, giving the dark-haired man a dry look. Reborn huffed in annoyance, pulling his black scarf tighter around his neck and turned on his heel, calling over his shoulder, "Hurry up, this place gives me the chills."

Tsuna looked down and brushed a couple of leaves off one of the stones with his hand, feeling the cold rock under his palm and the smooth edges running under his fingers. Someday, the rain and snow and wind would beat down on those tombstones, chip away at the surface until it was rough and lumpy, but that day would be many years from now and when that time comes, Yamamoto and Alaude would surely be dust underneath all those layers of earth. Tsuna blinked, feeling the tears prickle his eyes. He felt terrible that Yamamoto had left Byakuran behind, and that Alaude had died alone. Byakuran had vanished from London the moment he had been discharged from the hospital. Tsuna had tried looking for him, but to no avail. Reborn had wisely told the brunette that the man probably just wanted to be alone. But then, why? Why did there have to be a war? If Yamamoto hadn't died, the future could have been so much more for the two men. Some things were just too hard to accept.

Suddenly, a shadow fell upon Tsuna and a long arm came around him from behind, wrapping around his waist in a firm, but warming hold. "Idiot," Reborn mumbled, burying his nose into the soft brown locks, "Don't cry for them. You just have to keep moving forwards and live on for their sakes."

"I know," Tsuna whispered, turning around and smiling blearily up at his boyfriend. "That's exactly what I'm going to start doing."

"Good," Reborn said lightly, leaning down to drop a small kiss on Tsuna's lips. "We should head back. There's still a lot to follow up on."

Tsuna nodded, blushing a shade of pink as he laced his fingers with Reborn's again, talking animatedly as they walked back down the hill. Neither men would probably ever be free of the burden of their friends' deaths, but at the most, they would have each other to rely on.

The office was thankfully free of badgering customers because of the recent turn of weather these past two weeks. The people of London were not accustomed to the sudden amount of sunshine and absence of fog after nearly six years of wet, soggy forecast. Most citizens were using much of their time to enjoy the scenery while it lasted rather than going to bother the hunters for charms or spells. When the weather lasted for much longer than the people had expected, everybody had gone all out, organizing outdoor parties, trips, picnics and events before the winter chill settled in. Given the sudden lack of business, Reborn and Tsuna were left with a lot of time on their hands.

The Grimm Office was changed for the better. The broken door in the front had been replaced with a much nicer one, made of polished wood with a smooth glass pane installed in the front. The lobby had been swept up, washed, and waxed. The floor sparkled and the old painting had been replaced with a giant scroll with Chinese calligraphy written on it. Reborn had found it stashed in the closet, but still hadn't told Tsuna where it came from. A couch was added to make waiting easier, the lonely light bulb had been changed, the stairs refurnished, and the office reorganized. Tsuna had moved the two desks back so that they faced the door instead of each other, artifacts had been mounted up on the wall and files all stacked away in the cabinets. On the updated bookshelf, Yamamoto's old name plate sat on the highest ledge.

The couple made their way upstairs after hanging their coats up in the closet downstairs, Tsuna going on about what he wanted to make for dinner and Reborn rummaging through the mail that had been deposited through the slot in their new door. Reborn's ruined home was still under construction, so he and Tsuna were currently staying at the office until all the renovations were done.

"We've had noodles for the past three days already, so I was thinking of making a soup and probably frying some potstickers," Tsuna said, thinking aloud to himself. "What do you think?"

"Sounds good," Reborn replied, flipping through the mail and tossing two irrelevant ads into the trash bin. There were two requests from a Mrs. Irknal regarding a goblin that was attacking her chickens and Mr. Brownstein, who wanted a traveling charm made for a daughter that was going to Spain for her studies. Those were dropped onto Tsuna's desk, seeing as the brunette handled stuff with the locals more than Reborn did. There was also a report that the police force wanted them to fill out, which the hunter was tempted to toss into the trash as well. There was a small "ahem" from somewhere in front of him, and Reborn looked up to see Tsuna standing with a hand on his hip, and amused look on his face.

"You weren't listening to what I was saying, were you," Tsuna asked.

"Sorry for trying to work, brat," Reborn shot back, but there was no menace in his words. Tsuna grinned, walking forwards. He pushed the letters out of Reborn's hands so that they scattered all over the table; there were two more letters regarding small-fry household spirits, one for taxes, and an bright red envelope with a single Chinese character stamped on the lower corner. Unseen by either of the hunters, a postcard from the countryside slipped off the desk and fluttered down into the dusty gap between the furnace and the wall. Written in the untidy scrawl of a farmer living a little distance out of London, it reported the sight of a white-haired, purple-eyed demon wandering through his pastures, its deadly aura wilting the farmer's crops as the monster passed through.

"You know what I'm thinking?" Tsuna asked, leaning into Reborn's chest. "We need a vacation."

The dark-haired man snickered, wrapping his arms around Tsuna and leaning down to kiss the brunette's neck. "To where?"

Tsuna squirmed a little, Reborn's hair tickling his face. "I was thinking…maybe Italy. It's been a while since I've been there. And you're Italian too, right? I hear it's nice during the winter."

"Italy…who knows?" Reborn mused, tracing circles on Tsuna's lower back. "It's been years since I've gone home…I'm not even sure if I can call it my home anymore."

"Home is where the heart is," Tsuna said firmly, poking Reborn in the chest. "So if you're happy, then that's where your home should be."

Reborn thought it over, tilting his head a little before a smirk wormed its way onto his face. Tightening his arms around Tsuna, he picked up the brunette, who made an "eep!" before setting him down on the desk, their lips brushing against each others' softly. "What if you're the one who makes me happy?"

Tsuna turned a magnificent shade of red, ducking his head down in embarrassment. "Then stay with me, Reborn. Forever."

"Forever's a long time," Reborn teased, placing a finger under Tsuna's chin and tilting the brunette's face up.

"Then you're gonna have to get used to my cooking," Tsuna shot back, smiling widely. Never before had Reborn's heart leapt with such emotion at the sight of another before, and as annoying as all the love bullshit was, something about Tsuna made it alright. The hunter leaned in, and Tsuna fell forwards, the two kissing again—

And then, Reborn saw the red envelope.

Dark eyes widened, and Reborn leapt for it at once, almost pulling Tsuna down with him. "Reborn!" Tsuna yelped, losing his balance. "What's the matter?"

Reborn did not answer right away. Instead, he stared at the envelope, which was thick and heavy in his hands. The paper was made of smooth material, soft to the touch, and in the bottom corner of the envelope, there was a character imprinted on it: 風.

"What is that?" Tsuna asked, staring at the envelope. "Reborn?"

"It's…from a friend of mine," Reborn replied, reaching into his boot to pull out his knife. He slit the envelope open and pulled out a sheet of parchment paper. It was soft and wrinkled, a bit weather worn and transparent, but written on the parchment were a series of Chinese characters inked on by a traditional brush, the graceful handwriting linking each word with the next. The signature at the bottom of the page was the same insignia as the one on the envelope. Tsuna didn't understand a word on the page, but Reborn scanned it once, twice, and apparently figuring out what was written, cursed and folded it up again.

"What's going on?" Tsuna asked at once, grabbing Reborn's arm.

"It's…complicated. This message is from my friend, Fon. Something's happened."

"Fon? Is he a demon hunter too?" Tsuna inquired, his eyes wide.

"Yes. He fights using a rare form of martial arts. He followed the same master as I did, along with several others."

"A Master?" Tsuna asked, his brain swirling with information. Reborn tucked the letter into his jacket, nodding.

"Yes, a Master. I took some of my training where Fon resides now."

"Where's that?"

"China," Reborn answered. "Tsuna…I know this is rushed, but there's apparently something's gone wrong in the East. If Fon felt the need to send me a letter for help, then I think it's safe to say that there's trouble brewing over there."

The brunette paused, and then he stood up and stretched, grinning. "Well, I think a trip to China sounds nice."

Reborn's eyebrows went up in surprise. "I thought you wanted to go to Italy?"

Tsuna pouted. "If you're not going, then I'll be bored as hell. Besides, judging by the way things sound, you might need an extra hand or two." The brunette reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out his mittens, flashing Reborn a cheeky grin. The elder hunter shook his head in amusement.

"Looks like I'm really stuck with you forever."

"And you know you won't have it any other way," Tsuna replied smoothly.

Reborn only responded with a quick kiss, teasing Tsuna's tongue for a bit before pulling back, looking around the office. "Looks like we're going to have to take a break from London. Bet the people aren't going to miss us." Tsuna took a look at the piles of messages and requests on their desks and rolled his eyes in good humor.

"Yup. I think it'll be a peaceful getaway."

The reminder of the day resulted in a bit of hassled packing, last minute shopping, buying two one-way tickets for the next train out of London and scrawling a quick message on a piece of paper. When Reborn and Tsuna finally left the office in the late afternoon for their ride, the brunette slapped the notice over the door before linking his hand through Reborn's with a smile and heading down the wide, bustling cobblestone street for the station.

Currently stuck on the door of the Grimm Office were the words: Closed for vacation; be back soon.

The glowing rays of the evening sun illuminated the rooftops and reflected off the windows, casting a warm, orange light over the citizens of London. Though the quiet city was still rebuilding itself from a dark age, it was full of life and spirit at this time of the year. Even though it was still too early for anybody to be interested in the holiday cheer, the sudden change in the weather seemed to have raised everyone's spirits. The sky was clear of clouds and the atmosphere was lively. Tucked away in the alleyway behind the exquisite Victorian-style bakery and the printing office was a door; newly put in, leading up to the most peculiar and enigmatic business anyone has known. The sign hanging above the doorway in faded yellow words read simply: The Grimm Office.

Who will be their next customers?

Only time will tell.

End

Note: 風 means wind in Chinese, which is what Fon's name means.

Aaaaaand we're done! :'D Some of your reviews put the thought of a sequel to this in my head, and I can't really get it out. I've never tried that before, so I deliberately left the ending a little open so if I wanted to, I could work on something from there.

I honestly love the plot for this story. I think it's one of my better ideas, and I've had a lot of scrap ones that make my cry every time I look at them because it's so awkward, ha ha.

In any case: thank you so much for reading! It's been so much fun writing the Grimm Office for me, and I hoped you enjoyed reading it as well. I supposed I'll see you guys around when the time comes. :3

Until then!

-BlackStar42Roses