Ok…Computer Issues. All I have to say. I am slowly working my way through stuff I haven't touched in a long while okay? So it's taking time. On the bright side- my computer is being looked at right now so cross your fingers for me!
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Sign
There is silence for an entire minute as the Vongola mansion absorbs what they are seeing.
Tsuna couldn't take it anymore.
He was male.
It didn't matter that he had wide chocolate eyes.
It didn't matter that he had 'amazing hair'.
It didn't matter that he enjoyed cute fluffy animals and was prone to making an unmanly noise when they were put in his sight.
It didn't matter that he knew how to cook, and clean, and was polite.
It didn't matter that he was 'adorable' and knew how to make and serve tea properly.
It didn't matter that he 'had a smile to die for' that 'lit up his eyes like stars'.
It didn't matter that when Tsuna turned wide, watery eyes on someone the toughest of the Mafia would crumble at his feet.
Tsuna was a man.
Of course the rest of the world seemed to not care.
He was always getting hit on by everyone.
After last night with that mafia don Tsuna had had enough.
He made himself a sign.
And he was wearing it.
I am a male. Stop treating me otherwise. Thanks.
There was silence for an entire minute as the Vongola mansion absorbs what they are seeing.
Then there is laughter.
Faith
Reborn had once been asked what he believed in.
What did he place his faith in when the darkness grew to be too much?
Before he would have answered "I have faith in myself."
Then Tsuna came stumbling into his life all clumsy and useless and panicking.
The answer had still been 'myself' then.
Then he had gotten to know Tsuna, witnessed the lengths Tsuna was willing to go to and reached despite whatever stood in his way, and he began to trust.
He still had faith in himself, still hadn't been aware of what exactly Tsuna had done until the whole Arcobaleno Trials came up.
He had insisted Tsuna hand him his Boss Watch and forget about it, because he didn't need to die for the Arcobaleno.
Tsuna had refused.
Reborn can remember being shocked that his student- who had been so clumsy and useless not so long ago, so scared of his own shadow- had yelled at him and refused to bend to his will.
He can also remember the very instant that he began to hope for a better future. The very instant that he began to believe it was possible to come out of it curse free and alive…
Nowadays if someone were to ask what he had Faith in he would answer "I have faith in myself." And silent but always true, always spoken without words:
I have faith in Tsuna.
Bandage
Mukuro was very good at his job. He was capable of fooling the best and slipping in and out of the most dangerous and protected places in the world.
Just because he was one of the best didn't mean he was unbeatable.
Sometimes Mukuro fell.
It was rare.
It was so very rare, but sometimes Mukuro got hurt.
And when Mukuro was hurt he lashed out at everyone in an effort to be left alone where no one would be able to hurt him while he was vulnerable. He had learned long, long ago that he could only trust himself.
But then he had been drawn into Tsunayoshi's web and slowly but surely Tsunayoshi was teaching Mukuro that there were people out there who he could trust to let near himself when he was vulnerable.
That Tsuna was safe.
That Tsunayoshi offered him Sanctuary.
Mukuro remained still under careful, gentle hands as they continued wrapping the bandages around his chest and listened to the soft voice that admonished him for taking a sword slash that had been aimed at Tsunayoshi's unprotected back.
Mukuro smirked and offered a laugh and an often spoken but no longer meant sentence "Your body is mine to possess Little Vongola. I cannot allow it to be killed before I am ready to strike."
And Tsuna looks up at him without a hint of panic and soft caring eyes and Mukuro knows that Tsunayoshi knows.
Oddly enough- or perhaps not- Mukuro is alright with Tsuna knowing the truth of why he had taken that sword slash to his chest.
Hard
The Guardians all know that Reborn is protective of Tsunayoshi.
They know that Reborn sees Tsuna as his to guide and teach. As his in every way that matters.
They all knew this. They knew Reborn would go to great lengths to protect his charge.
When Tsuna is attacked and the intruders managed to get through all the Guardians in order to do it, they learn that Reborn is hard.
They learn that when Reborn takes on as a student he will succeed in making that student better even if the method he takes to do so leaves the student bleeding and sore on the floor gasping for breath and not entirely sure how they survived.
They learn because while Tsuna is recovering Reborn takes them all on as his.
They also manage to learn respect for Tsuna who had not only survived Reborn's teaching methods but living with the man at 14 when his teaching methods left every one of them sprawled on the floor and praying that was their last session.
Not that any of them would stop what they were doing. They never wanted to see the enemy get past them again and attack their boss ever again.
Place
The Arcobaleno are all found of Tsunayoshi in some way or another. Especially since it is thanks to Tsuna that they all have their adult bodies back and no curse to speak of.
When Tsunayoshi offered his hand to the Arcobaleno and fought for them and won he had earned the loyalty of the seven strongest.
It helped that Tsuna was so warm and accepting of everyone, that he asked no one to change themselves in his presence. That Tsuna made the people around him want to be loyal and protective of him. That Tsuna had no ulterior motives with anyone. That he meant what he said.
So it came as no surprise to any of the Vongola- barring Tsuna himself- that when Tsunayoshi offered each of the Arcobaleno a place in his home and Family each of them accepted.
Drunk
It took a lot of alcohol to get a Flame User drunk.
A Lot.
Tsuna was particularly good at holding his liquor especially since he was Vongola's Boss and it seemed to be a tradition to drink over anything significant. (And insignificant)
Birthday?
Have a drink.
Treaty being signed?
Drinks.
Dinner?
Here's another drink.
Someone got new liquors.
Share it.
Of course then there was the first time he had been allowed to drink when Reborn had made a point of overwhelming his Flames and getting him drunk.
Really Drunk.
Tsuna had woken up that morning with a horrible headache and no idea what he had done the night before.
Reborn had taken great pleasure in reminding him via video recording.
Tsuna stared at the television as he staggered into view of the camera. It was obvious he was drunk with a large smile on his face (Something about his smile was off. Familiar, but off.) and a rather large blush on his face. "Reborn~"
Tsuna's eyes went wide as he heard his tone. "Where have I heard that tone before? I know I have." He wondered silently.
"Reborn!~ Come on! I wanna play a game! You'll play right?" His smile widened on his face and he twirled lightly somehow managing to look graceful despite the uncoordinated nature of his movements.
Tsuna blinked and turned to stare at Reborn for a minute before he turned back to the recording. (God it was so familiar. The tone, and the smile. Even some of his hand movements. Why was it so familiar?)
"I don't want to play Tsuna. Go ask your Guardians." Reborn's voice came from behind the camera and Tsuna pouted at him. "But you're better at games. You'll be
"Why don't you try all your Guardians at once then? That should be fun."
Tsuna's face brightened, a large smile spreading and his eyes lighting up as he nodded. "That might work."
Tsuna leaned forward as if he could see what exactly was off with his expressions and tones and movements if he just got closer. "What on Earth am I doing? Something is off. Why can't I see it?" Reborn smirked wider in the background as he waited. It was about to get interesting. He couldn't wait for Tsuna to see it.
Tsuna watched as the video him wondered away staggering a bit but making it look almost elegant and purposeful. He watched as that same familiar smile spread over his face as soon as he spotted his Guardians all sprawled in a sitting room.
"Hello~"
Every Guardian in the room turned to face Tsuna.
Tsuna watched his Guardians' faces as they spotted him. They knew. Tsuna knew they knew what was off with him.
It had to be the hangover interfering with his reasoning skills. It was the only reason Tsuna could come up with to explain why he didn't see what they saw and recognized immediately.
As Tsuna watched the recording his eyes widened.
He managed to con and twist and work each of his Guardians into playing games with him. As he watched himself play and laugh and gesture the sense of déjà vu he got grew.
It wasn't until he started laughing at his Guardians' loss that Tsuna realized what he was seeing, his eyes widening with shocked mortification.
"Oh my God I turn into Mukuro when I'm drunk!"
Reborn had smirked in the background as he watched his student realize that when drunk all his morals and limits warped and he became willing to say and do things he wouldn't at any other time.
Reborn tried not to be too proud that his sadistic nature and cunning had rubbed off on his student- even if that only showed when he was drunk.