A Glass Shoe
Because Tsuna deserved a night at the ball, and he would be damned if he let his stepmother have her way. (AU R27)
Chapter 10
Once upon a time a prince stumbled upon another young man in an idyllic meadow following the whispers of the wind. The grass seemed to curl around the young man in comfort and the flowers bloomed at his smile; there was no doubt that the trees too found home in the small young man.
The prince was in awe.
From that day on, their fates intertwined and as the eve of the young man's day of birthday came, fate commenced.
Sawada Tsunayoshi was nervous. Years of toil under his stepfamily were reflected in every fiber of his human being: callouses dotted on his hands, the branches of wrinkles, and the sturdiness of his muscle. He felt vulnerable under the calculating gaze of what seemed to be all the guests of the ball.
Was his kimono too outrageous? Could it be his mask was inappropriate? Maybe he should have tried to tame his hair more.
Wild thoughts ran through Tsuna's mind and he found it difficult to breath as he took cautious steps down what felt like precarious doom.
Would Reborn even know who he was in this new fit?
As Tsuna neared the final steps of stairs, the guests parted like the red sea with each foot he planted forward. He stared warily on, trying to find a familiar face amongst the extravagance of the ball.
And in all his glory under the bright lights of the candled chandeliers, Reborn stood with a slight curve of his lips.
Yes, Tsuna smiled blindly back, it didn't matter what everyone else thought, tonight he would dance in Reborn's arms. The two met at the middle and Tsuna could swear his heart was begging to jump out of his chest.
"Reborn," he whispered.
"Tsuna." Reborn's small smile curved into a full-blown smile, "If you would do me the honors and allow me to accompany you this evening?"
Tsuna replied breathlessly, "Anything you ask for, I'm yours."
Like magic, an exuberant melody began to play. Reborn offered his hand and Tsuna clutched it gratefully. The two were pulled into a graceful yet jubilant dance. Tsuna threw his head back in laughter as Reborn lifted him up in sync with the other pairs dancing.
"You made quite the entrance," Reborn commented. His eyes were warm under the candlelight.
Tsuna blushed and continued to twirl and dance to the music. "I'm sure they're wondering what kind of idiot would wear a traditional Nippon dress to an Italian ball."
"Or," he continued teasingly, "Staring at you. You are handsome, Reborn."
Reborn nodded, seemingly in thought. "I believe you are wrong about one thing; I'm sure the guests are wondering how did I get such a handsome date instead."
Reborn decided then and there that Tsuna's laughter was sweeter than any melody he has heard.
The two made for an interesting pair in their kimono and suit. As they continued to dance and take breaks for hors d'oeuvres, Prime Minister Akira quietly fumed.
Things were not going according to plan.
He was well aware of the crown prince's identity, his spies had directed him to the man in the simple black mask. After weeks of spying on the prince, his ebony, spiky hair would not escape Akira's vision. However in Prince Renato's arms was not the Poison Scorpion Bianchi, rather some nameless commoner. There was something oddly familiar about the brunette, as if his defying gravity hair framed his face exactly as someone Akira couldn't put his finger on…
No matter whom the commoner was, Akira snarled and turned his nose as the couple swept by him in their dance; he knew all the nobles who attended the ball and that man was not accounted for.
If the Scorpion King discovered Akira's lies of union between his daughter and Prince Renato, Akira knew that his deeper, darker secrets would be revealed.
Stalking angrily towards the balcony, Akira nodded towards the man leaning upon the door. The two stood on the empty balcony and shut the doors quickly.
"Have you found what you are looking for yet?" Akira asked abruptly.
The other man's cool yet slippery voice sent shivers down Akira's back. "All in good time, Prime Minister."
"And the experiments?"
The man smirked, "It would be prudent to find what we need tonight."
Akira was exasperated. "Enough with the secrecy, tell me what Estraneo needs and I shall do all I can in my power to ensure it is yours."
The man leaned over the railings of the balcony. His platinum blonde hair gleaming as his catlike eyes narrowed.
"We seek the prince."
"Prince Renato?" Akira exclaimed, fumbling to stand straighter. "He has yet to exhibit any other flames than sun—"
"This is where all the fun comes in," darkly chuckled the man. "It is Prince Tsunayoshi we wish to find."
Akira's eyebrows furrowed, "That is impossible! He died as a babe… Even if he was alive, he could be miles away—" he paused, eyes widening, "Or he could be here. Tonight. In Nippon garb. A reflection of his deceased father." He immediately blocked the exit with a smirk; it would seem the advantage was on his side.
"In exchange for this information, I demand protection. If the Scorpion King were to discover our lie of marriage, we are ruined."
"Our lie? Are you aware of your accusations?" The man raised a platinum brow as his dark laughter filled the air.
The Prime Minister smiled menacingly, unafraid for he had the upper hand. "If they were to discover that I lied, do you truly believe they will not be able to dig up our past dealings? I let the Estraneo run freely only because you have assisted in infiltrating the other kingdoms. You work for me, not the other way around."
With that said, the Prime Minister marched haughtily back into the ballroom, missing the smug grin on the blonde man's face.
So the little prince decided to show up, did he? If that idiotic Prime Minister thought the remaining royal blood of the Estraneo Kingdom would bow down to his whimsical demands, he was wrong. Soon to be dead wrong he thought with a wicked smile.
Leonardo Estraneo, the surviving prince of the Estraneo Kingdom, entered the ballroom once more, set on finding his other prince counterparts.
"You see those two idiots in the corner?" Reborn gestured to Lal and Colonello with a mischievous grin, "They're too in love with each other to even realize."
Tsuna couldn't help but giggle childishly. He recognized the two from his father's work and they were always squabbling like an old married couple that he was more surprised to find out they weren't married.
"You know the baker at the café we always go to? Despite the suggestive eyes he constantly gives you, he is incredibly devoted to his wife," Tsuna whispered back inconspicuously. He noted that quite a few of the attendees were actually villagers and it warmed his heart to see them laughing and enjoying themselves as much as he was.
"Enough talk," Reborn declared as he offered his hand, "Shall we dance some more?"
Tsuna agreed, "We shall indeed."
And with that, Tsuna was swept into Reborn's arms. The two laughed as they danced in unison with everyone. Taking one last bow, they twirled into their new partners.
"I have not seen a kimono like yours in a while," commented Tsuna's new partner. His blonde hair glistened under the bright lights and his light brown eyes shone with curiosity.
Tsuna opened his mouth to respond but instead escaped a small 'ouch'.
"Sorry," the man winced and continued to babble, "I promise I am not clumsy all the time. It's just with all the masks –sorry, again- I don't know who is who and I become terribly susceptible to trip over things and I, I, uh, I was wondering who you were? Well I know your last dance partner –I didn't mean to- and how did you two meet?"
Tsuna, who was more focused on avoiding the blonde man's feet, blinked as he registered what the man had said.
"You know Reborn?"
The blonde man blinked back. His lips seemed to curve into a wide grin. "Reborn? Oh, indeed I know Reborn. You could say he was my –oh, sorry- tutor of sorts."
Tsuna smiled beatifically back, that oddly made a lot of sense. He supposed Reborn served as a tutor for noble families and had business with one of the princes.
"Yes indeed, he sure is brilliant," Tsuna commented.
The blonde man threw his head back in laughter, as if some joke was said that Tsuna didn't catch on to. "Has he told you –oh dear, you have my deepest apologies about your foot- about the time he taught me how to ballroom dance?"
Though, Tsuna briefly wondered, what good did Reborn's teachings do if this man was still stepping on Tsuna's toes.
"—I needed to practice leading of course and couldn't get used to leading Reborn of all people, therefore the next lesson he came dressed in an outrageous gown and a curly wig!"
"Hieee!?" squeaked Tsuna as he was lifted into the air, "Reborn must have looked ridiculous, I could never see that proud man in a wig!"
The man smirked playfully. "Or he could be so sure of his masculinity that a costume would not deter him. Plus," he paused thoughtfully, "Re—I mean Reborn, can be really involved in disguises and costumes. If it were not for his, er, position, I would have firmly believed that he was a tailor."
The two exchanged more conversations and laughs before it was time to switch partners once more.
"Thank you for this dance," Tsuna giggled and bowed, "Is there a name to my mysterious dance partner?"
The twinkling eyed man bowed in return, "I suppose you may call me Dino, and yours?"
"Tsuna, just Tsuna." With that said, Tsuna was promptly hoisted by his new dance partner with gleaming hair.
"Oh hello there." Tsuna stared warily at the predatory grin on his new dance partner. The man continued, "Quite the stir you caused at your entrance, I am honored to have this dance with a noble like you."
All tension in Tsuna's shoulders loosened as he laughed softly at the man's assumptions. "Have no fear, noble I am not; I am merely a peasant, no one to be missed."
"Oh?" The man's sharp eyes curved into tiny moons. "How interesting, you could have fooled me as a prince."
"And you? Surely you are a noble?" Tsuna questioned back with a slight smile tugging at his lips. It was not everyday he was mistaken as a prince.
The man's throaty chuckle sent shivers down Tsuna's back and he wasn't quite sure if it was out of the tinge of fanaticism he heard or the mere richness of the tone. "This is a masquerade, shall we move on from discerning one another's identity?" The man raised a platinum brow and Tsuna merely nodded.
With one last twirl, the song came to an end and Tsuna and the platinum blonde man bowed and politely applauded the live orchestra.
Tsuna watched as the man mouthed something to him only to be washed over the applauding. He leaned closer allowing his curiosity to take over despite his conscious screaming at him to back away.
"I'm sorry, did you say something? I can't quite hear you—"
The man snatched young Yuni's handcrafted mask off his face with a cruel smirk. "Oh my, I only meant to brush your hair aside. Please accept my sincerest apologies, Sawada Tsunayoshi." He bowed once more and gave Tsuna his mask back before blending in with the rest of the crowd and disappearing.
Tsuna stood frozen.
The last person to even address him by his full name had been his stepmother. He hadn't been called a Sawada in years.
"Tsuna!" came Reborn's jovial voice, breaking Tsuna from his stupor.
His fingers began to shake and this overwhelming sense of fear seemed to take over every inch of Tsuna's body. His mask felt like it weighed of bricks and it quivered in his hands.
The look of concern on Reborn's face reminded Tsuna where he was.
Golden chandeliers. Candlelight shadows. Elegant gowns. Sharp tuxedos.
The ball.
"I just," Tsuna gasped feeling small in the extravagance and bright light. "I think—I need some air, please," he begged softly.
Reborn nodded and clasped his hands with Tsuna's. Together they maneuvered through the crowd into a garden.
Tsuna took a deep breath and willed himself to calm down. "Sorry, I was a little taken back by everything."
The handsomely dressed man reached out and Tsuna flinched at the incoming appendage. Reborn faltered and dropped his hand, his face worried. "I hope you know I truly am grateful you came. I can't remember the last time I had as much fun at a ball like this." Reborn too took off his mask and smiled genuinely down to the brunette.
Tsuna leaned on Reborn's shoulder and closed his eyes; the light music of the orchestra echoed out softly to the garden and he swayed in rhythm.
"As am I; I had the grandest night with you," he paused and smiled slyly, "As well as a lovely dance with one Dino? He surely had interesting anecdotes to share."
He could feel Reborn stiffen underneath him and Tsuna bit back a giggle.
"Is that so? What has that idiota student of mine said now?"
Tsuna let loose a loud guffaw and released his tight hold on Reborn, finally feeling at ease. He skipped as much as he could in his kimono around the garden with Reborn trailing behind. "Nothing much, except for your exceptional skill in tailoring and apparent interest in cosplay."
Despite the innocuous statement, Tsuna found himself laughing even harder than earlier at the red blush that graced his partner's face.
"The next time I see that man I am going to run him over with Leon," Reborn huffed, narrowing his dark eyes. He then plucked a flower out of the garden and placed it on Tsuna's ear.
Reborn smiled tenderly and Tsuna could feel his heart wanting to beat out of his chest.
"I am actually glad we are out here, I have something to tell you."
Hope budded in Tsuna's chest and little did he know, the twinkling stars illuminated his bright smile, endearing him even more to Reborn.
The older man swallowed and cupped Tsuna's face, "I—"
"I know," Tsuna replied simply, basking under Reborn's radiance. "And I feel the same way."
Reborn seem to let go a sigh of relief and hugged the brunette close and began swaying to the sweet music. "Thank you… but there is something else you must know. I am actually—"
The clock struck midnight and echoed loudly, each chime seemingly cutting off Reborn's words.
"I need to go!" Tsuna gasped and ripped himself from Reborn's embrace. "I need to go," he repeated as he picked up the ends of his kimono to speed up, "I'll see you tomorrow, I had splendid night, but I need to go, I love you!"
The last words slipped before Tsuna could truly think about what he said. Silently cursing to himself, Tsuna rushed out and glanced back to see Reborn stopped in his tracks with a small smile and pink cheeks accompanying it.
Tsuna didn't mean for it to come out so casually, but he meant it either way. It was freeing, admitting his love for the older man.
In one hand, Tsuna clutched his mask and the other gathered the skirts of his kimono. The ball seemed more crowded than ever as he tried to rush through. Reaching the top of the stairs, Tsuna kept his eyes downwards to avoid the footsteps of his fellow attendees.
Seeing dark shoes entering his field of vision, Tsuna attempted to avoid the man but the man too sidestepped the same direction as Tsuna and ended up bumping into each other. Tsuna still did not look up as he bowed and blurt out an apology, "Please forgive me, I fear my race against time has caused me to be clumsier than usual."
"Giotto?" the man whispered.
Tsuna tilted his head up at the familiar name. The man had graying hair and kind eyes, eyes of Tsuna's childhood.
King Timoteo.
Tsuna closed his eyes as he felt the telltale sign of tears demanding to fall. He bowed once more and continued his rush out of the ball. He finally reached the last staircase leading to the carriage and sighed in relief. It would be incredibly rude if he made Tsuyoshi go out of his way to pick him up and be late. Though, Tsuna briefly thought, he also needed to beat his stepfamily home and change immediately.
Stumbling over the last step, one of Tsuna's glass geta slipped off his foot. He hobbled back to grab it but froze when he saw more familiar faces at the top of the stairs. There was no mistaking it; four princes with faces of wonder stood.
Tsuna abandoned the glass geta and leaped into what he recognized as Tsuyoshi's carriage.
"Wait—Yoshi!"
"Please, Tsuyoshi," Tsuna said breathlessly, "We must leave immediately!"
The sound of the whips hurling in the wind hitting the horse began the carriage ride at once.
"Thank you—I will never forget this night, and it is all thanks to you and Luce I would not have been able to experienced the best night of my life."
The velvety chuckle that echoed from the front of the carriage sounded nothing like Tsuyoshi. In fact… it sounded oddly familiar.
"But you see, Vongola Tsunayoshi, the night has yet to end."
dun dun dunnnnNnNn! HELLO I'M STILL HERE I PROMISE (hello there unedited chapter 10 oops)! I recently started school so finding free time has been a struggle and I find myself writing at the odd hours of the evening and staying up late to try to at least write something. I'm so sorry for the late update, BUT I HOPE Y'ALL ENJOYED THE CHAPTER MAYBE IDK. Some parts didn't flow exactly how I wanted but I'm glad I was able to finish the chapter!
Guest Reviews (I'LL REPLY TO THE OTHER REVIEWS SOON, SORRY FOR THE DELAY!):
Shelly Marsh: hopefully I pulled through with the cute moments?!
Guest: ilysm (imagine a bunch of hearts here ok)
suzie: i'm so blessed, i luv u :')
I AM FOREVER THANKFUL TO ALL THE SUPPORT THIS FIC HAS GIVEN ME! Also y'all truly helped me with my confidence in posting more of my ideas and just writing in general and ugh i'm so appreciative to the positive community this website is.
In other news, if y'all are Naruto and/or Gakuen Alice fans, u should check out my new potential fic? I only uploaded the prologue just to get a feel of who would be interested, but because I love the fandoms so much I may or may not be updating still
Natsume Not So Hyuuga
Wherein Mikoto gives birth to twins and Itachi is delightfully pleased to have two younger brothers; Fugaku is not amused. Because Natsume had all the right bearings of an Uchiha (in which Natsume Hyuuga is reborn with another chance).
OKAY SORRY FOR THE LONG A/N! SEE U AT THE NEXT CHAPTER!