Hitmen in Crisis 9
A/N: I'm sorry for not replying to your reviews this time round! I'm not the only one with exams at this time, right? Right? TAT I'm very grateful for the reviews, favourites and follows, thank you all so much! *bows* (And I'll definitely reply to the next bunch! *does fist pump while eyes start flaming*)
I'm just happy I can keep up with about one update a week at this point. Oh, how I would love it if essays were as easy to write as stories.
Questions/Answers
PokerPair: When will Tsuna be returning to Namimori? For now that isn't in my plans yet, meaning it's going to take a while. And thanks for the review!
When will Viper appear? Awhile, I'm not sure how much I can reveal without giving away the plot.
When will Giotto, his Guardians and Tsuna's 'Guardians' appear? You'll see some this chapter and maybe some next chapter depending on if I can fit them in.
When will they meet Tsuna? Also going to take some time.
Bermuda and Vindice? For now, they have no real incentive to approach Tsuna. So not yet.
Why is it taking so long? It's slow now, but the pace will pick up. Meaning; enjoy this fluffy interaction for long as you can because it certainly isn't going to last! Plus, KHR has so many characters and I don't want them to appear all at once.
R27? All27? I'm pretty sure I stuck in enough incentive for R27. As for all27 I've also written quite a bit in but there will be more.
Smut? Lol, no way yet. I'll be keeping a tight reign on my inner pervert at the moment. (If you think that's torture for you, think about the one writing it.)
'Tsuna mouthing stuff.'
'Tsuna writing stuff.'
Reborn shifted around and grasped the warmth in his arms tighter, the soft scent of vanilla and strawberries tickled nose as he buried his face into the fluffiness. The hitman could feel a fond scowl overtake his features as he felt that vice-like grip around his waist. There was only one person he ever allowed this close when he slept.
Although it was strange that he could grasp the warmth... normally he would wake with his apprentice's arms wound tightly around him, the teen's body curled around his much smaller one and the teen's face buried in his hair as if he were his student's favourite stuffed toy.
Reborn squinted his eyes open against the rising sunlight filtering in through the curtains and peered down to find his student's fluffy hair tickling his nose, he blinked. Ah, that's right; he had been turned back into an adult.
Grasping the back of the brunet's borrowed shirt, the hitman tried to forcibly pull the teen off of him, to no avail. The only thing that purpose served was giving the hitman a good view of bare creamy shoulders and the top of a smooth toned back. Reborn scowled to himself as he felt the stirrings of that pooling at the base of his stomach.
Although he accused the brunet of being too girly (which was true) the teen was still clearly a guy, especially after all that training that had toned the lithe body. But, for Reborn, gender never bothered him when choosing who to fool around with. In the past, before he'd been turned into a baby, he lived on the thrill of killing, sex and alcohol. He never really gave a damn about anything else, men and women alike always seemed to want him, so he had no issues in getting laid either.
The hitman had had multiple partners, the majority of those were one night stands and he rarely went back for more. He never gave his personal details to anyone either, he was a hitman after all.
Reborn never really expected his apprentice of all people to incite this feeling in him, as a baby he had given up ever indulging in such activities and the unexpected return to his adult form seemed to have given his libido back. It was most likely the return of those hormonal urges that had him feeling this way, not his student, it couldn't be his student...which was why he needed to get out and find someone before frustration built up. He wasn't worried about molesting the teen or anything, he had more control than that, he was more worried about what would happen if he held off for too long.
Huffing into the teen's hair he shifted about annoyed; god even the brunet's scent was getting to him. Pulling the covers off of them, he sat up and sighed as the brunet continued to cling to him like a koala; arms wrapping around his neck, legs around his hips. Reborn looked at the foot of his bed where Leon was standing on Natsu's head, and quirked a brow, the two animals seemed to be staring as him rather unnervingly. He shrugged; maybe they were having the same issues as the others' pets.
Reborn stood up and growled when Tsuna didn't let go. The brunet's extra weight didn't bother him, but the brunet had tightened his grip around the raven's waist when the raven stood, and the hitman could feel that pressure against him, squeezing him.
Reborn contemplated the torture methods he could use to get the teen off him. Both Giotto and Tsuna slept like logs and he always had the pleasure of waking them. But there was one issue; as a baby, slipping out of Tsuna's grasp had been easy with his small body but now that he was an adult... Reborn scowled.
*knock knock*
A bright-eyed Fon had just finished dressing for the day when there was a knock at his door. He tilted his head in curiosity, wondering who it was that was up at this time. Going to his door he opened it and peered out, feeling his eyes widen as he caught sight of who was there.
Reborn stood in front of Fon's door with a Tsuna clinging to him, asleep and snuggling into the hitman. The raven haired man was also holding two crowbars. One; a shape-shifted Leon. The other; a plain metal.
"Help me pry him off."
~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~
A sleepy-eyed brunet mumbled incoherently as he trailed after his Sensei, gripping the back of Fon's robe so that he wouldn't wonder off.
Tsuna felt his sore arm, legs and head throb, wondering where the bruises on his arm and legs came from and why Reborn had to wake him up with a Leon-hammer (though he was glad it wasn't something worse). He was somewhat thankful that the cast on his left arm had protected it from whatever had happened.
Tsuna was aware that he slept like the dead. In fact, Reborn had put him under a lot of tortur- training, to get him to wake up easily. The fruits of that training were apparent in that he did wake up instantly if anyone were to approach him with ill intent. And therein lies the issue; he somehow (impossibly) got so comfortable around Reborn that he always slept like a log around the baby (adult now, he supposed) and that meant he couldn't avoid whatever wakeup call the baby-turned-adult came up with.
But, despite the morning torture, the brunet was still asleep on his feet. As Fon discovered when he stopped moving and felt the teen bump into him with a soft 'mmph'. The martial artist was about to turn around and confront the teen, when the brunet's arms wrapped around his waist and he felt Tsuna rub his cheek against his back.
Fon blinked for a moment, feeling strange as he'd never been embraced like this in his adult form before. He chuckled when he felt Tsuna purr against his back, feeling the sound vibrate against his body. The martial artist tugged on the brunet's arms and huffed, as strangely comfortable as it was to be held like this, he knew that he needed to get the teen off. It was quite probable that as soon as Tsuna woke up properly, the grip around his waist could turn into something suffocating. Yes, unfortunately, the martial artist had been on the end of Tsuna's vicious hugs before.
"Tsuna, let go."
The teen grumbled and tightened his grip, Fon's robe was soft and silky and warm and he didn't want to let go of his impromptu pillow.
"If you do, I promise to treat you to whatever dessert you want later."
Tsuna's ears perked up at that and in the next instant the teen's arms were gone and Fon turned to find Tsuna wide awake and beaming at him expectantly, almost jumping on the spot. The martial artist smiled into his sleeve and ruffled the brunet's fluffy hair, 'he really is too cute'.
"Just don't tell Reborn, okay?"
Tsuna nodded enthusiastically, finally taking note of his surroundings and felt his jaw fall open. The two were standing in a dojo-styled room, the room was large and spacious with a row of mirrors on one side and a bar that ran at waist height and large open windows on the opposite side, designed to look like open shoji doors. On the wall opposite where they were standing were rows upon rows of weapons; swords, staffs, chains, blades and many more that the brunet could barely recognise.
"Welcome to my personal dojo."
Fon chuckled as the brunet turned wide honey brown eyes toward him. "It's actually my old dojo, but I thought I may as well take out all those old weapons again and give them a good clean."
Tsuna stared at his Sensei in awe for a moment before grasping his sensei's hand and tugging him toward the weapons. The brunet wanted Fon to explain what some of them were.
Fon sighed, and then gripped the brunet's hand, watching his student turn back to him with a smile. "We can examine those later, why don't we start what I took you here to do?"
Tsuna tilted his head curiously, wondering what Fon was on about, he then caught the glint in his Sensei's eyes and finally noted his surroundings and what dangerous weapons normally implied, Tsuna gulped.
The martial artist's usually serene smile turned devious when he noticed the brunet's discomfort, and he shifted into an attack stance.
"Let's see how rusty you have gotten since last time."
'What about my broken arm?!'
"I'll go easy on you, Tsuna. Don't worry."
Streets of Milan, Italy
Tsuna shifted his shoulders, trying to relieve the muscle pain there. 'So much for going easy one me, Fon-sensei!' The brunet huffed, despite the martial artist's calm nature; Fon was strict and harsh in his training regime. But Tsuna couldn't help his fond smile, he had enjoyed the work-out; getting to move into familiar forms and stances against someone he knew he would never have to hold back on, to allow his limbs to react automatically rather than over thinking, it was almost meditative. Truthfully, sometimes when he needed a calm moment but couldn't sit still and meditate, he resorted to repeating katas* instead; the ones he learnt from Fon all those years ago.
The brunet rubbed his left arm absentmindedly, the cast was gone as Reborn had finished the healing. Only a few bandages remained to keep his arm stable as his body took in the rapid healing.
"Brat! Don't dawdle behind with your head in the clouds! Keep up!"
Tsuna jerked his head up to look for the now-familiar blue hair among the pedestrians and found it easily. Slinking past the people and toward where he could see Lal and Skull, without his helmet, waiting for him, he couldn't help but look at his surroundings and the Old Italian buildings and shop fronts. He knew this place, but that's to be expected as Milan is a large city and Reborn had taken him here several times, but this street was strangely familiar...
"Kid!" Tsuna flinched as a fist landed on his head and started rubbing into his scalp. "Can't you keep up here? We don't need you gaping at everything like a tourist!"
"I'm not!" The brunet wailed out silently, clutching at his head. "I was just thinking..."
"Then think at the appropriate time. I thought Reborn would have trained you to stay on guard." The ex-COMSUBIN captain folded her arms and glowered at the teen in front of her.
"Hey! Reborn did train me! And I can think and stay on guard at the same time, can't I?!"
The brunet barely registered the pitying stares from passers-by; too busy glaring indignantly at the ex-COMSUBIN captain. Lal, for some strange reason, felt relieved that the teen didn't notice. People had a tendency to assume things about others from first glance, no doubt people thought he had some strange condition or was just dumb or something. She scoffed and sent a glare at the starers, smirking when they paled and looked away; humanity could be so blind sometimes.
At least Lal had the pleasure of torturing the teen, and she grinned as she gave the teen a good hard noogie. "Who do you think you are, talking back to me, brat!"
"L-Lal! Calm down! Reborn-sempai wouldn't be happy if Tsuna came back damaged!" Skull yelled from the side, hands held out in a placating manner.
"I doubt Reborn would care, he'd probably torture the brat himself." Lal stated as she let go of the brunet's head.
Tsuna whimpered, holding his head and looking tearily at the other two Arcobaleno. Both of them had to stop for a moment and look away, blushing, as the absurd thought 'cute' entered their heads. Lal swore the brunet's hair deflated too, god now she felt as if she had kicked a puppy. 'How the hell does Reborn stand this?!"
Tsuna took this opportunity to look at the store they were standing in front of. There were mannequins in the large display windows wearing various attire; from ball gowns to suits to what looked like a very scary Halloween costumes. And the wooden sign with 'Beauté Sauvage' engraved in gold hung above the ornate door.
Tsuna paled.
Oh, now he knew exactly where he was. This was the place Reborn went to regularly for suits when Leon was too tired to make them, Tsuna had been here a couple of times and he would very much prefer to keep it that way!
The brunet had ran three feet, much to the shock of his two companions, before a measuring tape descended over his head and around his body. He was then forcefully pulled into someone's chest, hard.
"Why if it isn't my Dear Tsunayoshi~! Oh my, look at how much you've grown! All these muscles are just divine!"
Tsuna shuddered as a pair of hands ran down his chest and onto his thighs.
"Oh, your legs would make any girl green with envy, mon cher!"
The brunet had no time to move as his face was gripped and he was forcefully turned around by his head, his neck craning at an impossible angle. He came face-to-face with the excited grey eyes of one Alaire, the owner of Beauté Sauvage.
"Aww, you're face has lost some of its softness, but I suppose it's to be expected. Look at all these lovely angles that are emerging~"
Lal and Skull watched incredulously as a lime-green haired man in an old fashioned navy suit, with ruffles at the sleeves and chest, and coat tails trailing behind him, felt Tsuna up and stated cooing at the teen as he dragged Tsuna into the store.
"Does Tsuna know Alaire?" whispered Skull, cupping his hand around his mouth and leaning toward Lal.
"Hn, figures Reborn would take the brat here." Lal muttered as she entered the store, the bell at the door tinkled at their entrance. The first things in sight were racks upon racks of all kinds of clothes. The two could hear Alaire bemoaning in the back though.
"Just what is this?! Dressing you in these oversized abominations? Is Reborn asking for people to look at you and see this adorable little thing with big brown eyes and making them think of doing all sorts of perverted things to you?! Oh my gosh, Tsunayoshi! Alaire here shall protect you from the perverts! Never fear!"
"Alaire! You're the only pervert here!" Lal stated as she stalked into the back room. Skull ran past her and put his hand on his hips as he announced, "THE GREAT SKULL IS HERE!" Only to duck behind Lal when he took a good look at the room.
The room was covered in fabrics, sewing machines, threads, patterns, pens, drafts and everything you would expect a tailor to have. Tsuna was being held down on the couch with Alaire gripping his borrowed shirt and trying to tug it over the brunet's head. The teen was holding fast, the note book in his hands reading 'HELP ME!' accompanied by the teen's pleading gaze.
"Skull, is that you?! Oh my, Lal?! Just what is going on? Have your adult forms returned? Shall I break out the champagne?"
Skull gaped at the frivolous man for several seconds while Lal did her best to resist the urge to take out her handgun and start shooting.
"A-Alaire, why d-don't you let Tsuna go and we'll tell you why w-we're here." Skull stuttered from his position behind Lal. The Arcobaleno had often used this man as their tailor even before getting cursed, and continued to go to him for the majority of their specialised clothes. They were quite used to the man's odd habits but still got unnerved by them from time to time, especially now where Tsuna seemed to bring out the extremities of his quirky personality.
"But he's just too cute!" The gaudy man turned back to give the brunet another hug only to find the brunet not there and an empty shirt in his hands. "Aww, where did my darling Tsunayoshi go?"
As the man fretted about, Skull felt something grip his arm and he would have yelled aloud if he hadn't seen the fluffy brown hair. "Tsuna?" he whispered. The brunet, nude from waist up, nodded, his eyes shifting about fearfully, and held out the notebook.
'I'm getting out of here.'
Tsuna was just about to bolt when a hand clamped down on his shoulder, painfully.
"Sorry, brat. As much as he is a perv, he's the best of the best at his job. And we can't have you running about in Reborn's clothes forever.
And with that final note, Lal handed the struggling brunet over to the tailor as if the teen was going into his death sentence.
~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~
Tsuna was exhausted. Amazingly, getting changed in and out of clothes like a doll in a rabid girl's hands was more stressing than going through Reborn's training... wait, he would have to debate that thought for a while yet. The brunet could hear Alaire gushing to Skull and Lal about how brilliant he looked and the bluenette's angry retorts and Skull's questions. 'Thank god he didn't make me parade around in front of them.'
Alaire had made several sets of clothes for Tsuna in moments. The brunet was sure that it was physically impossible for such a thing to happen, yet it did, right before his eyes. He had been shoved in to and out of clothes faster than he could blink and he was very very glad that the tailor had no time to... admire his body, when the tailor was so focused on creating the garments.
The teen could also admit to himself that wearing clothes that actually fit for once was a blessing; even though a small part of him enjoyed wearing Reborn's clothes because he liked the scent.
Tsuna heaved a sigh then looked toward the table inside the change room and grinned as his eyes took on a dangerous sheen. He should probably thank the Alaire anyway because man, did the tailor know how cater to a hitman's needs.
"So these are all the clothes you made?" Skull asked as he peered into the multiple fancy bags with 'Beauté Sauvage' inscribed on the side.
"Oui, aren't they just gorgeous? Tsunayoshi's luscious body just titillates my imaginative side~ Of course I included all the extras," Alaire held out his hand as he started counting off on his fingers, "bullet proof, flame resistant; both types of course, resistance against blades, built-in high force absorbance, flexibility, and last but not least; amour!"
Lal quirked a brow and decided to ignore how 'love' could be integrated into clothes, "we weren't really after anything like that, just some clothes that the brat could wear."
"Ah! But you see, Monsieur Reborn always demands that all the extras be put in, he seems to find Tsunayoshi... accident prone, of course that just makes ma chéri all the more delectable!"
There was a thunk as a thin silver knife embedded into the wall where the tailor's head had been.
"Tsunayoshi! Now, is that any way to thank the one who made you such marvellous garments?"
Lal and Skull turned to see the brunet leaning against the doorway and gaped.
Tsuna was holding up his note book. "I am not accident prone, I just happen to get into unusual circumstances often. And that is my way to thank you for the weapons, Alaire."
Tsuna was now dressed in black slacks and leather shoes, a wine-red dress shirt that bought out the russet undertones in his hair, a black vest and tie over that. The outfit fit him perfectly and even helped to hint at the hidden muscles in his chest and arms.
Both of the Arcobaleno could agree that Tsuna looked older and more like a hitman this way. Lal could also spot with her trained eyes (she doubted that normal mafiosi would be able to see them) the hidden weapons; the cufflinks had miniature blades on them, the very slight bulge on the vest indicated a gun and there were hints of hidden blades on the teen's arms, legs and she wouldn't put it past the tailor to put blades in the shoes.
Lal smirked. "You clean up well, brat."
Skull grinned, "You look great! Almost as awesome as me!"
The brunet smiled gently back at them as Alaire gasped and ran into the changing room, "Non non, it is not complete!" the tailor retuned and plonked a fedora, with a red stripe the same shade as the shirt, on the teen's head. "There, perfect!"
Tsuna grinned and bought his hand up to tilt the fedora down, imitating Reborn and shadowing his eyes, much to Alaire's pleasure as the frivolous tailor began squealing like a fanboy.
As they were leaving the store, Tsuna and Skull carrying the bags, Alaire shouts after them. "Come back whenever you need me, darlings! And I hope Reborn doesn't keep you playing that game of silence Tsunayoshi, I love your beautiful voice!"
The brunet could do nothing but sweat-drop at the man's obliviousness.
Markets in Milan, Italy
"You do realise we didn't come for cake, right?"
The brunet stopped pressing his drooling face against the glass display case to turn pleading eyes toward Lal. The three of them had decided to get groceries next and were roaming the markets. Lal had no idea how the brunet still managed to pull off 'cute' in his new clothes, but he did. Skull, after several moments of silence, could not stand the puppy dog eyes of the brunet and turned on Lal too.
"Lal, why don't we go in for one slice! We've been walking around for hours now."
The purple haired man cowered when the ex-militant glared at him.
Lal glanced at the brunet to find Tsuna's eyes were starting to water and huffed exasperatedly. "Fine, one slice. That is it." She felt slightly disturbed as the brunet's expression did a complete one-eighty and then choked as she was glomped in a bone crushing hug.
Luckily for her, the brunet soon let her go in favour of walking into the dessert parlour and heading straight for a table in a corner. Skull followed the brunet as Lal grumbled under her breath and rubbed her limbs. Glancing at the table she smirked; the brunet had chosen the one in the corner which meant enemies couldn't sneak up from behind and that particular one had a good view of the front door and the kitchens. She wondered if the teen even knew about his choice or if he did it subconsciously.
Skull was busy watching the brunet as Lal took a seat and a waitress approached them. The waitress took one look at the brunet and blushed as she asked for his order, Tsuna just nodded and pointed out what he wanted and the other two did the same. The waitress never looked away from the brunet but Tsuna didn't seem to notice the intense stare at all, she huffed as she walked away to put down their orders.
Lal snickered from behind her hand while Skull seemed to remain oblivious and was asking Tsuna a question. It seemed the brunet wasn't aware of his charm at all, she was sure that if it were Reborn, the raven would have either shown interest or flat out told the woman that he wasn't interested in as polite and blunt a way as possible.
Speaking of the raven, the bluenette had seen him stalk out of the apartment this morning with a scowl on his face. She had a feeling she knew what he was going out for; he was reverting back to some of his more annoying habits now that he had his body. The ex-militant wasn't going to complain though, Reborn's life was his own, even Luce hadn't bothered with it too much unless Reborn ended up missing something important; like dinner.
"Tsuna, a-are you sure you can finish all that?" Skull stared at the largest slice of Black forest gâteau he had ever seen. His only reply is the brunet shoving a large spoonful into his mouth, humming happily.
Skull turned to his own cake; a slice of Baumkuchen*, and started digging in. He glanced at Tsuna now and then, wanting to ask something that had been on his mind as well as wonder how in the world the brunet managed to consume copious amounts of cake between each glance. Tsuna seemed to notice, because when the brunet was almost done eating (by which time Skull and Lal had only managed a fifth of their own), he turned to the stuntman with his notebook. Skull hadn't even noticed the brunet writing with his other hand.
'What's wrong? You've been looking at me strangely.'
Skull blushed before asking, "Why did you decide to go shopping with me? I know you could have gone home after getting your clothes. Reborn only ordered me to go get them."
Tsuna tapped his fork against his lips in thought. He'd decided to accompany Skull on the shopping trip and Lal had tagged along, stating that there was a place she wanted to go to afterwards. Looking down again, he started scribbled a response.
'Reborn usually orders me to get stuff for him so it's fine. Besides, I don't want to be stuck indoors all day.
Skull was about to take another bite when he saw the reply and surprise crossed his features. "Reborn orders you around? For shopping?"
The brunet nodded and started listing. 'Shopping, paying for damages he caused, getting him alcohol...though I don't usually comply with that one, since he was a baby, and we end up fighting; so I have to pay for more damages. And then there's his coffee, he's extremely picky!
Skull stared down at the growing list and couldn't help feeling a kinship develop between himself and brunet. A spot light shone as he reached out and clasped Tsuna's hands, his amethyst eyes gazing endearingly into honey-brown ones as he called out. "Comrade!"
Tsuna, feeling this deep bond develop between them, clasped his hands back as he felt himself tearing up. He then reached out one hand to scribble a final note. 'We should set out on a quest for revenge against the evil Reborn!'
Lal just shook her head at the ridiculous scene as the two continued to gaze at each other and converse through looks alone. This was even worse than watching Iemitsu on a drunken rant.
The three were interrupted for a moment when an explosion echoed from a few stores away, making customers peer out the window to see a pillar of smoke rising from whichever unfortunate place that had just been blown up. Whispers spread rapidly about a bunch of loud foreign troublemakers but Tsuna and Skull paid no mind, having gone back to planning revenge on Reborn.
After getting the rest of the groceries, the three had ventured into the shadiest part of town to a weapons dealer so that Lal could restock on ammunition and purchase an automatic Uzi. That venture had been rather fearful for Skull and had made Tsuna come off his cheer and become openly wary. Lal had grudgingly approved of the brunet's attitude and stance change despite the numerous bags that were weighing the two males down.
Tsuna had refused to let Lal carry more than two bags due to Reborn's ingrained training, and the woman had thrown a fit about being treated like 'a helpless girl'. That is, until the brunet had corrected her and told her that if anyone was to attack them, Lal would be the best at reacting to the situation.
This made the bluenette wonder if Tsuna had inklings as to why she had come along. She didn't necessarily need to buy her ammunition nor weapons today. The only reason was because the brunet was now the Sky Arcobaleno, and although it was impossible that the underground world knew of this yet, they couldn't take any chances.
Now that they had arrived home in the late evening, the ex-militant breathed a sigh of relief as she sat on the sofa, placing her new gun and ammunition on to the coffee table. Skull flopped onto the chair next to her, complaining about his arms as he released the numerous bags. Tsuna had headed into the kitchen, having volunteered to cook tonight.
Verde glanced at them from his seat at the kitchen island, where he could observe his Subject and watch his fellow Arcobaleno in the living room at the same time. "Anything interesting?"
Lal rolled her eyes, "besides Alaire getting a bit too excited with the brat and an episode of idiocy between Skull and the kid, nothing much."
"Hey! That was a show of camaraderie between two like minded individual-! H-hello Colonnello-sempai!"
"Yo! The kid's gonna cook tonight?" Colonnello asked as he sauntered in and sat next to Lal, much to the bluenette's irritation.
Fon looked up from the book he was reading opposite Lal and Colonnello. "Yes, this way none of us will have to complain about the food."
"The kid's that good, kora?" Colonnello looked surprised.
"Hmph, figures he would be, what with Reborn's picky tastes." Drawled the scientist.
"What was that about my tastes, Verde?" The group turned to see the hitman stalking through the door to the stairwell. Leon-gun pointed at the green-haired man.
Verde just directed a lazy stare at the hitman before turning back to observe the brunet cook. It was quite fascinating watching the teen dice vegetables in seconds. He himself preferred to mix different types of ingredients together to observe their reactions, perhaps that was why the taste came out so... unique.
Reborn huffed and turned to see both Fon and Lal staring at him, almost glaring really. He stared back, it wasn't their business what he went out and did. Considering that it had almost been a decade and a half since he'd indulged in such activities it was surprising he still had the charm, or maybe not. He wasn't the world's number one hitman for nothing.
Stalking further into the room he quirked a brow at the multitude of bags with 'Beauté Sauvage' inscribed on the side. "I know I told you to get him proper clothes, but this many?"
"Alaire went a little mad." Lal stated, she had started looking over the ammunition, handing some to Colonnello.
"Hn, figures." Reborn let an evil smirk spread across his lips and Skull gulped from his seat; the stuntman had the best view of the hitman. "I bet Tsuna had fun."
"Reborn-sempai! You mean you told us to go there on purp-!"
*BANG*
"A-ahaha, the great Skull said nothing!"
Reborn huffed and let Leon change back. The chameleon crawled up his arm and on to his fedora as the hitman began looking through some of the bags. Reborn nodded in approval; Alaire did his job well despite his eccentricities, although... The hitman pulled up something from one of the bags.
"What the hell is that, kora?!"
It was... a waiter's outfit. A sexy waiter's outfit, to be exact, it consisted of nothing but an apron, cufflinks and a collar.
The Arcobaleno gaped at the thing for moment. Then Fon reached past the hitman to grab the next one and held it up.
This one looked like nothing but a bunch of leather straps.
"I-Is that a bondag-!" Skull slapped a hand on his mouth before saying any more, face turning red.
Reborn quirked a brow, wondering how the stuntman would know what a bondage outfit looked like.
Lal just growled under her breath. "I am going to kill that man."
There was a clutter from the kitchen doorway and they turned to find Tsuna gaping at them, a wooden ladle at his feet from where he'd dropped it and Verde gripping the teen's arm. The scientist had noticed the brunet walking out but had been too slow to stop the teen.
Several moments of utter silence passed as several of the Arcobaleno started to blush; because the brunet was standing there and the outfits were still being held out and it was quite obvious whom the garments were made to fit.
Then Reborn growled, grabbed the one Fon was holding and shoved them into the bag with the rest. As to whether or not he even wanted to see the rest...well, that would be tackled another day. The hitman stood up with the bag and stalked up the stairs, no, he did not rush.
Tsuna was still in shock, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish before his face started blooming red. 'W-what was that?!'
Skull and Verde remained confused as to what the brunet said but the look of pure embarrassment was enough of an indication.
Fon stood up and went to the teen, dragging Tsuna away from Verde and pushing him toward the kitchen again. "Don't worry about it Tsuna, it's nothing." The martial artist's smile sharpened and it was lucky the brunet's back was to him. "I will have to make a personal 'visit' to Alaire." He muttered under his breath and when the brunet turned to him curiously, Fon plastered on a genial smile. "Why don't I help you set up the table?"
Colonnello turned from the retreating pair to the small white note that got left behind when Reborn left.
Now that you are almost of age, it's finally time to explore the wide world of Amour! Please use these garments and your delicious body to seduce many!
–Love, Alaire
The note was turned to ash instantly as fist full of blazing blue flames engulfed it. "That perv's gonna die, kora."
Forest in the outskirts of Milan (Japanese being spoken)
"WE'RE LOST TO THE EXTREME!"
"And whose fucking fault is that?"
"You're the one who said you knew where Sawada EXTREMELY was, Tako-head!"
"Herbivores, be quiet! I'll bite you to death."
"Ahaha! Calm down, we'll find Tsuna eventually!"
Four teenagers wondered a forest edge. Well, three walked together while one trailed behind; sticking to the upper canopy so as to avoid being associated with 'crowding herbivores'.
"Baseball-freak! This is your fault! If you hadn't gone and challenged Turf-top to a stupid competition of who could eat their pistachio gelato the fastest we wouldn't be in this situation! "The silver-haired teen with a cigarette poking out of his mouth growled and glared at the taller raven-haired teen. He was also holding an odd red device.
"THAT COMPETITION WAS EXTREME! I BET SAWADA WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE EXTREME!" Another teen with silver hair punched his fist into the air, eyes blazing with yellow flame.
"SHUT UP, TURF-TOP!"
"Ahahahaha, calm down Hayato! And senpai's right, if Tsuna had been there we would have been beat. Besides... Weren't you the one who threw the dynamite?"
"Don't you dare go blaming me! It's your fault for being IDIOTS!"
"Tako-head! Where's Sawada?!"
"I TOLD you! This UMA technology isn't wholly accurate! I can only track Tsuna-sama's vague location... A signal showed up about two days ago around here and hasn't changed. Tsuna-sama must be around this area! I'll search every house and Famiglia in the area if I have to!"
"Whoa, Hayato! Isn't that breaking and entering?!"
"We're talking about Tsuna-sama! What if he'd been kidnapped?! No, he was already kidnapped! We have to find him and kill the bastards who dared to take Tsuna-sama!"
"Sawada won't be EXTREMELY kidnapped! Master Pao Pao trained him to the EXTREME!"
"Tch. Idiot! We're talking about Tsuna-sama! The greatest man! The only one I will follow! And the only one who's willing to get involved in anything to help someone! No matter how dangerous it is!" By this point, the silver haired bomber had fist-pumped and was looking up at the darkening sky with reverent eyes.
The taller dark haired teen grinned and put his arms behind his head. "Maa maa, what Hayato's trying to say, senpai, is that Tsuna gets into trouble easily."
As the bomber spluttered and was about to retort when the boxer grinned and nodded in understanding. "SAWADA IS AN EXTREME MAN!"
"YOU JUST DON'T GET IT DO YOU, DAMN TURF-TOP!"
"Maa maa, calm down you two. Hibari wondered off somewhere."
"WHAT?! Tch. That fuckin' skylark! Can't even stay on track! Come back here you dam-!"
*BOOM!*
Outskirts of a small town in Italy.
*Ding Dong!*
A little cow child stood on the doorstep to an Italian villa. Fidgeting and picking his nose as he waited for the door to be opened.
When it was opened, he saw the confused face of Chrome, her eyes red from crying.
"Lambo?"
"Gyahaha! Lambo-sama is here to find Tsuna-nii!" The cow child yelled as he placed his hands on his hips and laughed.
"Kufufufu, what are you talking about, cow? Sawada Tsunayoshi is dead." Mukuro came out from behind Chrome, his eyes narrowed. It was hard to spot, but the illusionist had dark shadows under his eyes and even his signature laugh was somewhat lacklustre. Although his hair was as neat as ever.
"Tsuna-nii is not dead!" Fumed the child, stomping his foot. "Giotto said that Reborn said so!"
The child was unprepared for Chrome to reach out and grab him, looking at him with eyes full of hope. "I-is that true?! Bossu is alive?"
"Of course! Tsuna-nii is too strong!" Yelled Lambo as he fist pumped, only to squeak as the female hugged him tightly.
"Nufufufu~ interesting... Chrome, shall we arrange to meet Tsunayoshi? I'll punish him for making you worry." And nobody could hear that creepy laugh gain back its creep factor, nobody at all.
Chrome smiled in relief.
A/N: Mockingjay Rose's Sectret santa event is still open! 8D
*Kata - a set of training exercises for martial arts
*Baumkuchen - A layered cake normally cooked for a long time on a spit. Literally means 'Tree cake' or something. I'd love to try it sometime but I don't think it's available here. TAT
R&R!