Chapter Thirteen - The Ultimatum
"Can you close your eyes?" Skull asked quietly, hands hovering on either side of Tsuna's head. Tsuna gave him a bewildered look, but acquiesced, closing his eyes and nervously drumming his fingers on his thighs.
"This might hurt a bit," Skull added absently, moving his hands to cradle the base of Tsuna's skull with his fingertips. "If you need to grab onto something, please do, but don't move your head."
"Wha-?" Tsuna managed before his entire body bucked without his approval. His nerve endings set alight with pain. He was aware, only distantly, of hands pressing down on his shoulders and the sting in his right hand, the one with no shirt to hold onto, as nails dug into his palm.
The pain lasted no more than a handful of seconds, but by the end of it, Tsuna was violently trembling and pale, sweat beading on his brow. What was more disconcerting was Skull abruptly standing and walking over to angrily kick the desk.
"Skull?" Verde asked from somewhere behind Tsuna. The hands on his shoulders tightened briefly in response to Skull's angry noise. Tsuna just focused on trying to breathe, chest heaving almost desperately for air and his skin still tingling.
"Whatever the fuck it is, I can't get it out," Skull snarled, eyes flickering bright purple. Tsuna, still coming back online, flinched back as the instinctual lizard part of his brain screeched in fear, the prey's reaction to a predator.
Verde, still behind him, pressed closer, one arm slipping around his shoulders as the other settled on his hip. Tsuna leaned back into the warm line of his body, his trembling having died down to a subtle shiver every few moments.
"If you can't get it out, can you block it off?" Verde asked carefully. Tsuna latched onto his voice, a calming rumble that he felt throughout, the ghost of a breath ruffling his hair.
Skull's eyes lifted from where he had been glaring at his feet and his angry muttering silenced. Tsuna felt himself twitch again as those bright, unearthly eyes focused on him, but then Verde's arms were tightening and he couldn't get away as Skull was suddenly in his face.
Long fingers curled back around his head. Tsuna couldn't get rid of the inherent feeling that something bad was going to happen before his vision abruptly started to cloud and he slumped down, consciousness leaving him not gracefully, but in pain fuelled bits and pieces.
Throughout his descent, the flickering purple of Skull's eyes, like dancing flames, followed him down.
Tsuna crawled his way back to the waking world slowly, accompanied by the angry hiss of what he identified as Reborn, the contract on his ribs fluttering softly, like a bird's wings against his skin.
"What did you do to him?"
"What had to be done!" That was Verde, sounding louder than normal, irate. Tsuna muffled a noise into what felt like his pillow, but it was far too warm. Almost immediately afterwards, a hand dropped down to his hair and kneaded his head gently.
It was a godsend, easing the headache that he didn't realise had been building away. As he blinked his eyes open, he was forced to squint against a room that suddenly seemed too bright.
There was hushed muttering and the brightness dropped to a bearable level, accompanied by the swish of the curtains being pulled short. The hand in his hair didn't pause its motions.
After a few minutes, Reborn and Verde started again.
"He was gone, Verde. Whatever it was you and Skull did to him, he was gone."
"For less than a moment, Reborn! You're overreacting, considering part of this was your idea in the first place!"
How are you feeling?
The words bounced around Tsuna's skull lazily, curling through his mind as languid as the hand on his head. He focused on the clarity of them, tuning Reborn and Verde's argument out.
You don't have to answer me out loud. I can hear you just fine.
It took Tsuna a few moments to find coherency in his thoughts, bouncing around a few emotions mostly consisting of what? and sleepy confusion.
Sounds like you don't want the others to know you're actually awake. They think you dropped back off after the curtains were shut. So, we can just sit and speak here, huh? Reborn doesn't have to know.
There was amusement wrapped around the words, and a second hand moved to rest on his shoulder, thumb rubbing back and forth gently against the blade. A few more moments ended in sudden realisation as Tsuna recognised who was speaking to him.
Bingo. The voice, Skull, laughed. But really, Tsuna, how you feeling?
Tsuna couldn't manage more than an approximation of a grunt, smushing his face firmly into what he identified now as Skull's thigh, and he was rewarded with another laugh, the hand from his shoulder sliding down to rest gently against the curve of the brunet's waist where he was curled on his side on the bed.
That's fair enough. Verde's idea worked though. We – I – didn't manage to get whatever he put in there out. There was anger in the words, real enough that Tsuna thought the burning fury was his own. But I managed to block it off. Might have to check on it every so often, but all that you were feeling before…the panic, doubt, negative stuff, shouldn't be so bad now.
Tsuna felt a shift around him, the warmth that was Skull briefly moving. Then there was the distinct feeling of a kiss being pressed to the side of his head.
Almost immediately after, the room, still echoing with the argument between Verde and Reborn, fell still.
Whoops. Skull didn't sound the slightest bit repentant. Tsuna huffed a laugh against Skull's thigh, before the hands were moving away and gently lifting him, adjusting him so his head was against an actual pillow instead.
Looks like Reborn's going to get all antsy and jealous. Wish me luck.
Tsuna squinted his eyes open again to see Reborn gesticulating something at Skull, who was now standing. Verde was stood by the desk, pinching the bridge of his nose, glasses hanging in his free hand.
It took a few groggy moments for Tsuna to realise he didn't know where Colonello was, and he wondered if he should worry. Another handful of seconds later, he was pushing himself to sit up, the argument Reborn was gearing up to scorn Skull with dying down as the motion was noticed.
Almost immediately, Reborn was at his side, heaving him to a seated position and, without so much as a 'how do you do', the demon had torn his shirt open, buttons flying and pinging across the room just so he could reach forward and press his knuckles to the contract, stark against Tsuna's pale skin.
The only thing that stopped Tsuna from chastising him was the fact that Reborn's fingers were trembling. He looked almost distraught at having, in his experience, nearly lost the slight brunet. It was enough to make something warm well up in Tsuna's chest and throat.
It wasn't so much harder after that to let Reborn cup the back of his head as the taller man leaned down to press a chaste kiss to his lips, though the more awake part of Tsuna's brain did ask him why the motion was easier than it ought to be.
The only reaction to Reborn's action was Verde letting out a soft, almost angry, huff of breath and Skull hiding a titter behind his hand, eyes lighting up with amusement as he looked between his Summoner and fellow Arcobaleno.
"So, what's going on here then?" Skull asked, voice teasing. "Some sort of love triangle? An illicit affair?"
"Verde and I already have first blood," Reborn replied, scathingly. Skull's eyes widened so far Tsuna was afraid they would pop out of his skull. And then, before he could speak, Reborn added, "As has Colonello."
"All three of you?" Skull asked, voice pitching in an almost amusing way if not for the way it made Tsuna's head throb. Skull continued, eyes dancing around the room, "Whatever for?"
And with just those words, Tsuna felt like he had been punched in the sternum, the breath leaving him in one, big whoosh.
Shouldn't be so bad, Skull had said.
The disbelief in his voice at hearing Colonello, Verde, and Reborn found Tsuna somewhat desirable had made the doubt come crawling back, dragging its way through his mind and then something in Skull's face twisted, regret colouring his features as he abruptly turned towards Tsuna.
"No, no. No, Tsuna. Tsuna, not like that. Honestly, I didn't mean it like that. Really." The imploring tone of his voice helped it ease, but Tsuna still felt like he was on the verge of drowning and angry at himself for it.
Skull made a despairing noise and threw his arms up in the air, "I just meant, why would they invite chaos like that, you know? It's been years, decades, longer, since any of us have agreed on anything, and I'm not saying the idea isn't inviting, but, you know, normally you don't make a move on someone else's bid, you get me?"
His voice dropped lower, endearing as he took a step forward, ignoring Reborn's warning noise, "It isn't anything against you. It's more like – why are they being unreasonable idiots?"
Tsuna scrubbed at the base of his throat, free hand fisting in the material of his shirt to pull back against his chest, trying to hide his bared skin. Unsure what to say, he just nodded to Skull's words. That reaction didn't seem to be the one Skull wanted.
"I'm not saying anything bad, really! I mean, you're attractive, Tsuna, in that squishy human way. And, to be honest, your intelligence and bravery isn't off putting either, they're all very good things–"
"Skull," Reborn said, warningly.
"–and anybody would be lucky to have you, but, I mean, you have to respect first blood! I don't see someone's partner and think 'oh, I want that for myself because he's adorable as fuck' and-" Skull snapped his mouth shut, a dawning horror on his face.
"Skull," Reborn took a step closer, eyes narrowed in consternation. Skull looked up from Tsuna's bewildered face to Reborn's as he whispered, "Oh god. I think I do think that."
"No, you really don't, Skull."
"But I do. Reborn. Oh lord. He's cute. He looks like something you should bundle up and hide away, but then you realise he can look after himself. And his mind is a palace, it's amazing, he's amazing. Is this how it starts? Is this how it begins?"
Verde, who had chosen to seat himself next to Tsuna, looked amused as Skull had his crisis. Reborn, however, looked more and more despairing, even as he drew himself up, a physical barrier between Skull and Tsuna.
"How are you feeling, Tsuna?" Verde asked, eyes on the spectacle before them as Reborn danced around Skull, negating everything he said at every turn.
"My head is a little sore. How long was I out?"
"For about twenty minutes. You crumpled a little quickly, which alarmed Skull. It was why he was sitting by you, that way, when you woke up, he could check for anything amiss."
"The hand in my hair," Tsuna murmured in understanding, but when Verde laughed quietly. He glanced at the demon beside him.
"No. I think the hand in your hair was a little self-indulgence. Skull was always a little slow when it came to matters of the heart, especially when he's so far lost in his own mind."
Tsuna felt his mouth twist a few times, not sure whether to grimace or smile as he asked, "So what he and Reborn are going on about now…?"
"Skull is just trying to wrap his convoluted head around the fact that the more instinctual part of him believes you to be a suitable candidate for first blood."
Groaning quietly, Tsuna scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed softly, letting himself lean into Verde's side. The motion was slow, and unsure, but the arm that settled across the top of his shoulders almost automatically, to hold him close, settled the unease.
"Where's Colonello then?"
"He was still…angry, after unveiling what was ailing you. He left to his realm for some time to calm down, rather than have you face him at his worst."
"Will he be okay?" Tsuna immediately asked, eyes glancing up at Verde and where the chain of his necklace glittered against his skin and clothes alike, the pacifier hanging low and unassuming.
Verde caught his stare.
"Colonello is…robust," Verde offered, sounding the word out slowly. "But he is also certain. Were there to be a problem, you would be the first to know."
Tsuna lifted a hand to his collarbone, fingertips pressing against the skin of the bared contract as he traced the edge of it contemplatively. There was a small part of him that was afraid Colonello wouldn't come back, for some reason or another, but it was quickly buried under the reassurances that Colonello was stubborn enough not to let go that easy.
Almost immediately, Verde's arm dropped from his shoulder to settle around his waist, a warm palm pressing against his contract through the fabric of his shirt and, slowly, Tsuna forced himself to relax, briefly closing his eyes as Verde brushed a lingering kiss to the top of his cheekbone.
It helped that the argument Reborn and Skull were currently in was funny to witness as well.
Two weeks after the incident where Skull had entered and consequently blocked his mind, Tsuna was fairly convinced he was going off the deep end and doing a swan dive into insanity. For eleven of those fourteen days, he had been seeing glimpses of something out of the corner of his eye.
He was almost convinced it was Byakuran, if not for the fact he hadn't seen hide or tail of the creature since that encounter on that overcast morning all that time ago.
No. This thing was different.
At first it had been a black shimmer seen from the corner of his vision that, when he turned to look at it, ended up being a passing shadow from some other person, from a bird flying overhead or from himself.
Then it happened a second time, a third time, and by the fifteenth time, Tsuna knew it wasn't a coincidence.
The seventeenth time he had seen it, instead of coalescing into a shadow, it had drawn itself into the figure of man. Tsuna swallowed his fear, curled his hand into his ribcage by Reborn's contract, self-consciously and as a nervous tick, and resigned himself to the fact that, if it became hostile, he would drop all pretences and scream for help.
His first thought was that it had been that thing, man, whatever from before, from Gokudera's. The fact it hadn't given him a squeamish feeling and that he could sense this thing…well. It was trustworthy for the moment, as far as it could be in that retrospect. It hadn't tried to wheedle its way into his mind or attempted to hurt him.
So, by the time he turned his head just slightly to catch sight of the figure for the twenty second time on the fourteenth day, he had just glanced at it and walked passed, like every time before.
Except now it was walking next to him, keeping pace and staying eerily silent. Tsuna, as casually as he could, moved so he would put another foot between himself and the thing. He told himself not to panic. He was on his way back to the dorm, where this could be resolved peacefully and quietly, without turning the school hallways into a bloodbath.
When it followed him into his bedroom, Reborn was the only one there, flicking through a book and looking tired after a day of teaching unruly teenagers and young adults. But, as Tsuna stepped in, Reborn's head lifted and his expression twisted, as if he had smelt something awful.
Tsuna stopped as Reborn leaned in in close enough for him to feel uncomfortable at the invasion of space. He watched with suddenly bated breath as Reborn's pupils sharply contracted and the demon took in a sharp breath.
"You've encountered another demon," Reborn said, sounding almost as accusatory as a particularly jilted lover.
Tsuna felt only slightly hysterical and indignant as he replied, "I certainly haven't. You think I invite them in for tea parties while you're all out? The only demons I've encountered today are you and the others! I mean, considering you've all but banned me from summoning in class anymore."
"For your own good," Reborn interrupted. "Considering that vermin the last time you attempted."
"Two weeks ago," Tsuna shot back, waving an arm exasperatedly and only seeing from the corner of his eye as the shadowy figure stepped back slightly. It made an odd coughing like noise Tsuna only vaguely guessed was more of a scoff.
"Tsuna," Reborn's voice softened. "We're just trying to keep you safe."
"I know, I know." Tsuna glanced to the side absently, eyeing up the figure and felt more than saw Reborn glance in that direction too.
"So you've only encountered us and, I'm assuming, the teaching assistants?" Reborn asked quietly, nostrils flaring as he drew in more scent.
Tsuna shrugged, deciding to add in a quiet mutter, "Well, there's this thing that's been following me for maybe ten days, but it's not doing much other than hovering about, don't see how it's any trouble."
Both Reborn and the shade jolted in surprise. Reborn because he hadn't realised there was anything there in the first place and the figure because Tsuna had chosen to acknowledge its existence for the first time in the two weeks he had seen it for.
"You can see me?" it asked, voice bland but decidedly male. Tsuna flinched, twisting around even as Reborn grabbed a hold of his shoulder and pulled him back.
"You can talk?" Tsuna found himself replying, voice pitched embarrassingly high, but then he was tucked tightly and protectively into Reborn's side and there wasn't much more he could do.
There was a thunderous expression on Reborn's face that Tsuna had subconsciously dubbed the 'something is about to go down' face because it only popped up during dire situations. With that in mind, his stomach twisted nervously. It felt as if a stone had been dropped in there.
If Reborn looked so angry, there was no doubt in his mind that whatever had been following him was dangerous. As slowly as he could, he curled himself into Reborn's side in a manner that let him edge almost half his body behind the quivering demon, Reborn physically holding his rage in tight check.
"Let me see you, Mammon," Reborn hissed, the words barely coherent and spat out from between teeth bared in a snarl.
The shadowy shape across the room rippled briefly and then snapped into clarity. When he finally made a solid figure, Tsuna was hit by a vague recognition, almost instantly remembering the pictures he had found in Luce's diary oh so long ago.
The man was tall, and cut an imposing figure, considering he was mostly hidden by a trench coat, his face covered by the hood. The only visible part of him was his mouth, which was just a thin line of either aloofness, or disappointment. With the rest of his face covered, Tsuna couldn't tell what this new person was thinking.
"I was only here to observe," Mammon spoke, his voice less ethereal than it had been in the brief moments before. "To see what had enraptured the great Reborn and to see if it was worth my time and effort. I'm fairly disappointed by…this thing." He gestured dismissively to Tsuna, who felt himself first bristle with anger and then deflate, the words cutting deep.
"Yeah. You wouldn't be the first to say that," Tsuna muttered with a derisive snort, absently rubbing at his shoulder. He felt Reborn twist briefly to face him, the Arcobaleno's eyes lit with barely hidden concern.
"Are you okay, Tsuna?" Reborn asked quietly, one hand lifting to rest on Tsuna's, eyes dropping to the shoulder where he knew the scar would be hidden. Tsuna took in a deep breath, knowing he was talking less about the scar and more about how Mammon's words had hurt.
"I'll be fine," Tsuna finally answered, hesitating for a moment as he glanced at Mammon.
"Do you need-"
"Reborn," Tsuna said, perhaps a little sharply. "I'm all ready to have a heart to heart, a little sit down circle as we talk about our day, but I'm not going to bare all in front of a stranger. Now, have your conversation and deal with whatever he's here for so he can go along on his merry way." Tsuna twisted towards Mammon and said, perhaps a little nastily, "To be honest, I don't know what all the fuss is about you either. So, stop following me, stop being creepy, and please go away. Having you follow me is very distracting."
Before Mammon could react, Reborn intervened, saying, "I don't particularly want you here either, Mammon. So, figure out whether or not Tsuna is worth your being here somewhere else. We could do without you."
"You care for this one," Mammon accused. Reborn responded by giving him a smile, all teeth and no cheer, before tugging his shirt off to flaunt the crest he sported against his ribs.
Mammon's mouth curled up just slightly as he took in the detail of the contract with an appraising look, turning his curious expression on Tsuna. After a long moment, he murmured, "I see," and then promptly disappeared without another word.
After the silence filled the room, Tsuna said, rather quietly, "I know what I said, but I'd still rather not talk about it even with him gone."
Reborn nodded his head in understanding, and then wrapped an arm around Tsuna's shoulders, pulling him close and tucking the brunet under his chin as tight as he dared.
It was only three days later, when Tsuna was changing shirts, that something stabbed him gently in the ribcage, enough to make him give a strangled shriek into the shirt that was still wrapped around his arms and head.
"I heard from both Verde and Colonello that you are of the Sky Flame. It didn't escape my notice that they have similar marks to Reborn as well. Skull, the coward he is, was very reticent on the matter and ran as soon as he saw me," Mammon intoned upon his arrival. Tsuna fumbled to get out of his trap of a shirt as cold, gloved fingers prodded at Reborn's rune on his chest.
When Tsuna had freed himself, he swatted Mammon's hand away and held the shirt defensively in front of him as he asked, sharper than perhaps was necessary, "What of it? By the way, Reborn isn't going to be happy if he finds out you're still harassing me."
Mammon scoffed. Tsuna shuddered at the ticklish feeling of what felt like a damp cloth gliding over his bare skin. Completely ignoring Tsuna's warning, Mammon asked, "Would you let me see? Your Flame, that is."
"Will it make you leave?" Tsuna replied scathingly, and wasn't convinced at all by the smile Mammon gave him, still hidden beneath the hood.
"Perhaps," Mammon waved a hand dismissively as he answered, "I mean, if I find it worth the trouble, of course."
Tsuna narrowed his eyes suspiciously, contemplatively and then said, "I'll show you mine, if you tell me yours. Also, take off the hood. This is weird enough as it is."
Mammon acquiesced after a disgruntled moment, flipping his hood down in a movement far too exaggerated. "I am Mammon," he said surely, straightening his spine to adopt an intimidating posture. "Of the Mist Plane."
"Arcobaleno," Tsuna said almost despairingly, wrinkling his nose at the way Mammon lifted a brow in answer, the closest he would show to surprise. Tsuna sighed and then added, "Sure. Check all you like, I'm giving permission."
The ticklish sensation was back and Tsuna felt something cool against his face, like sea spray, followed by the taste of something sharp and bitter at the back of his mouth. It was gone in an instant, disappearing almost straight away.
When Tsuna blinked a few times to get over the disorientating feeling, Mammon seemed closer and the demon asked, more declared, "Tell me your name."
"I was under the assumption you knew it," Tsuna replied wryly, taking a step back and hitting the sink.
"I want you to tell me," Mammon responded immediately.
Tsuna rolled his eyes, fingers clenching nervously in his shirt at the proximity of the other man. Taking a wild guess in that Mammon was probably one of the more stubborn of demons he would ever encounter, he grudgingly said, "Tsunayoshi Sawada. I prefer being called Tsuna though, if you ever –and please don't– find the need to call my name."
"Tsuna. Well, aren't you a rare little thing. Like a diamond in the rough." Mammon snatched at his wrist before he could pull back. No matter how much he tugged, Tsuna couldn't get free.
Mammon continued talking as if Tsuna wasn't struggling to break free, "Don't mistake my actions for petty feelings, or emotions. I'm a collector of valuable things through and through. Just…see this as me staking my claim."
Mammon dragged Tsuna's hand up. The brunet, as soon as he realised what the demon was going to do, started struggling more vehemently, even going so far as to bring up a foot to kick at Mammon's shin. It was as solid as his grip.
"No! No, don't you dare think of it!" But even words weren't enough and he watched, more disgruntled and angry than anything, as Mammon used delicate fangs to break the skin of his wrist, taking first blood in as careful a manner as he could. Tsuna had stopped struggling as soon as the teeth had been bared, knowing it would be better than having his arm sliced to Sunday and back.
During the entire process, Mammon's eyes had stayed on Tsuna's face. Tsuna made eye contact. He found Mammon's expression to be dark and unfathomable, just so focused that it made him shiver a little.
"I hope, Tsuna, that we might meet again. I'm sure we will be able to achieve a great many things together." Impulsively, he feathered a kiss over the sluggishly bleeding bite, drawing his mouth up to Tsuna's pulse point at the base of his palm.
Then, Mammon let go of his arm. Tsuna just blindly let it swing back into place next to him, staring, eyes wide, at the demon opposite him.
"Rest assured. This time I will do better in remaining hidden so as to not disturb you."
Tsuna felt his mouth twist as he murmured, "Hopefully you won't be there at all."
His answer was a soft laugh as Mammon replaced his hood, stepped back, and dispersed in a swirl of shadowy something.
He was barely gone before Colonello was breaking down the bathroom door, chest heaving in exertion and eyes wide as he scanned the room.
Tsuna later learned that Mammon had caught the sleeping Arcobaleno in an illusion, real enough to the blond that Colonello had refused to let him go for the two hours it took Reborn to return from lessons.
"I'm going to kill him," Reborn hissed as he ran his fingertips over the scabbed wound on Tsuna's wrist, eyes glittering malevolently.
Skull was on the other side of the room, staring at Tsuna as if he had reached an epiphany, or was having a midlife crisis. Tsuna just stared at his knees from his sitting position on the edge of the bed. Colonello was still pressed tightly next to him, one hand curled around the inside of his elbow.
Colonello wouldn't tell him what he had seen, but the look in his eyes was bright, wild and barely human, so Tsuna let him have his skin contact, let him stay close, and didn't complain whenever the blond felt the need to manhandle him into a better position in order to press his face to skin or hair.
"Apparently I'm a commodity," Tsuna said slowly. "One that Mammon hopes to collect. So, rest assured, I'm not in any danger of him whisking me away into the sunset with honeyed promises and a bouquet of flowers."
"He shouldn't have touched what wasn't his," Reborn replied tartly, running his thumb over the scab. Tsuna felt something under his skin hum as, when Reborn's thumb passed the wound, it disappeared.
"Not saying I'm an object or anything," Tsuna said immediately, voice scathing, and the look on Reborn's face eased into something friendlier as he ruffled Tsuna's hair, shaking his head in agreement.
"You certainly aren't."
"That's it," Skull suddenly declared. "If Mammon gets to and he doesn't even care for Tsuna, I definitely should be able to as well. No, don't complain, Reborn, this is something you can't dissuade me from. Tsuna."
Tsuna lifted his head, startled, at the curt tone in Skull's voice, tilting his head in question and ignoring the fluctuation of emotions that crossed Skull's face.
"I'm asking permission because I'm damn polite that way, not a jerk like this lot, but, considering the circumstances, may I take first blood?"
The largest part of Tsuna declined immediately as he stared at Skull's determined and hopeful face. The smaller part didn't want to crush the tentative friendship they had earned. Plus, there was the added bonus of extra validation of his worth.
Chewing his tongue for a moment in thought, Tsuna finally nodded and watched as Skull's face filled with relief. The dark haired demon stepped forward and sidestepped a disgruntled Reborn with a smug expression.
Taking Tsuna's hand carefully, Skull, unprovoked, pressed a kiss to Tsuna's palm and it was so sudden and intimate, Tsuna felt, to his horror, his cheeks grow warm in a blush. Skull seemed delighted, pressed his cheek briefly to the inside of Tsuna's wrist and then made a gentle puncture with his teeth.
"This," Skull declared, licking his lips clean. "Is going to be fantastic."
And then he leaned in close in order to kiss Tsuna hard enough for the lip piercing to press in and hurt just a little as the metal bit into Tsuna's skin.
Skull was still smiling even as Reborn yanked him away with a nasty sounding snarl.
Tsuna just thumbed at his lip, stared at the speckle of blood on his skin, and let Colonello curl tighter around him. At the very least, the tight hold the demon had on him would keep him together for another day.
"What are they fighting about now?" was asked softly from the doorway. Verde was laden down with books as he gently nudged the door shut with his hip.
Colonello grunted into Tsuna's hair and then muttered, "Skull grew a backbone, kora. Finally asked for first blood. Mammon took it too."
Verde's grip loosened slightly on his books as he looked towards Tsuna for confirmation, seemingly surprised.
Tsuna smiled weakly and said, "I'm a commodity."
"I'm going to strangle him with that ridiculous coat of his," Verde said calmly as he set his books down, ducking a wayward swing from Skull's arm as the Arcobaleno squawked in pain from something Reborn did.
"There's too much of it. Rather better to smother, I think," Tsuna replied, tone blasé as he absently kneaded his fingers into Colonello's arm where it was like a steel band around his waist.
Colonello huffed a soft noise like a laugh, and slowly began to relax. Tsuna patted his arm gently and then asked Verde, "Where have you been?"
"In the library this establishment offers. There're a lot of fairy tales and fake stories that have fallen through the gaps into true knowledge, but I noticed there was a shelf towards the back dedicated to older texts and such that I found suited my need."
"That shelf is only allowed for Master Summoners," Tsuna pointed out quietly. Verde smiled just slightly as he tapped his fingers against the book on the top of his pile. Tsuna sighed and then added, "If you wanted some interesting books, you could have asked. Our library is extensive. I've got some collector's pieces in storage."
"I found these books were just fine, Tsuna. Thank you for the offer though." Verde's smile was a little warmer this time and Tsuna found himself smiling in return.
"What are you researching this time, kora?" Colonello was the one to ask, shifting his weight so he was less wrapped around Tsuna but could still boast a tight hold on the brunet.
"Well, the first thing I noticed upon entering the library was that whatever Byakuran had done during his first encounter with you, Tsuna, is still in effect. That being said, as soon as I entered the space, I couldn't sense anything beyond it. Taking the barrier down seemed more difficult than I anticipated, too." Verde's fingers paused in their ceaseless drumming on the top book, brow furrowing.
Reborn and Skull had stopped scuffling in order to listen in, the mention of Byakuran as effective an argument douser as anything.
"And the books are…?" Tsuna found himself asking, subconsciously tucking himself tighter into Colonello's side as he absently rubbed his wrist.
"Research. I may yet have to take you up on the offer of your books in storage. I want to know, exactly how Byakuran managed to not only use a Lightning affinity to full effect, but also that of the Cloud affinity, proven by his ability to break into your mind with such ease. Before, of course, Skull came along."
"It's not normal to have more than one affinity?" Tsuna wrapped an arm defensively around his middle. He was only a little startled as Reborn fell into the space Colonello wasn't occupying.
"Lal Mirch, of our little family here, she used to have a grasp on more than one. No more than a rudimentary ability in them but still dangerous to be considered prime candidacy for one of the Arcobaleno. Byakuran is an outlier. We don't know what his true Aether type is, but he can use Lightning and Cloud. As far as we know, he might be able to use others."
"But it's not normal?" Tsuna insisted, sitting up in a little straighter. Verde met his eyes head on and shook his head in answer.
There was a ball of something writhing in his stomach and Tsuna abruptly stood, shrugging off Colonello's arms and stepping away from Reborn as he ran a hand over his face and then through his hair, tugging absently at the shorter strands at the back of his head.
It had clicked. Perhaps a little slower than it should have, but the memories were coming back now.
"The thing at Hayato's," Tsuna said, finding himself starting to pace, fingers wringing nervously together in front of him, and he shrugged Skull's hand off when it dropped to his shoulder, the Arcobaleno hoping to be comforting.
"The thing at Hayato's," Tsuna repeated, looking up from his hands and meeting the eyes of his summons one by one. "It knew Byakuran. It only decided to look at me because of Byakuran. And he knows about you lot as well." He gestured expansively around the room, gesturing at the four of them. "Said I had four – what else do I have four of? – and that there were only three more to go for a 'full set'. So, whatever it is, it knows you lot, and it's in cahoots with Byakuran."
"We've known Byakuran since nearly the time of Luce," Reborn said contemplatively. "Perhaps longer, but that's going back a long time now."
Tsuna was hit by the urge to ask exactly how old his demons were, but it seemed a little rude to ask about it.
"He only lashed out when he heard we were contracted to Luce," Verde added, brow furrowed in thought.
"I need to talk to him," Tsuna found himself saying. The room descended into chaos as each and every one of the others present shot that idea down immediately and with varying degrees of volume.
"Taceat!" Tsuna found himself shouting the Word of Reprimand and the room fell silent almost immediately. The betrayed looks, he could deal with. The childish way they were responding, he couldn't.
"I'm not saying I should be by myself," Tsuna said quietly. "But if we want to know what's going on and who that thing at Hayato's is, then I need to talk to Byakuran. At the moment, he seems to have an obsession. I doubt he's going to kill me off if he's that invested. Now, if I give you permission to speak, will you be reasonable?"
Looking around the room, Tsuna seemed happy with what he saw and said, quietly, "You may resume."
Reborn angrily worked his jaw, scrubbing a hand across his face.
"I don't want you to have to face Byakuran again."
"So far all he's given me is a handful of scratches and a bruise. He's trying to show me something without it being inherently obvious, but he hasn't permanently damaged me yet. I'm going to find him, I'm going to talk with him, and I'm going to figure out what his damage is."
Reborn just made an angry, almost wounded noise and fell silent again, glaring at the wall next to Tsuna's head.
"Does anyone else have any objections?" Tsuna asked mildly, looking between the other three. Neither Skull nor Colonello looked particularly happy, but Verde looked contemplative. Tsuna felt relaxed that at least he had a potential ally in someone when it came to this.
Of course, how to find Byakuran would be dealt with when they got to that point.
Not much to say about this chapter in my opinion. Hope you enjoy it nonetheless. Might be getting into some more plot next time!
Thanks to Pure Red Crane as always for doing a lovely betaing job!