Chapter Twenty Eight
Tsunahime hummed happily to herself as she crept out of Fon's room, having carried him there from the garden when he had eventually fell to sleep, lulled by their new bond. She had a new family member! Oh, she was delighted! She'd have to officially introduce him to everyone. Tsuna was sure everyone would like him. Takeshi had already taken a liking to the small storm, perhaps too much of a liking (really, it was like they were brothers or something). Tsunahime reminded herself to reassure Hayato that she wasn't replacing him (she would never, ever replace him but Hayato still needed reassurance sometimes). Out of all her bonded, he was the most self-conscious about his position as an element within her sky. Even Chrome had more self-confidence than the half-dog did when it came to that area. Kyoya did have a strange relationship with Fon, calling him 'annoying carnivore', despite actually being related. Still, after observing how they reacted to each other, she was pretty sure Kyoya cared about Fon in his own way but his own pride got in the way most of the time when it came to showing it.
She was sure Reborn would also enjoy Fon's presence. They were comrades of a sort and they seemed to be on good terms. It was difficult to judge but he seemed to like Fon better than he did Colonello. Fon might even have a calming effect on Reborn. Tsuna chuckled to herself, that was unlikely, especially considering she had a feeling that Fon also had a sadistic side to him, it was just well hidden beneath his polite nature. Reborn would probably draw that out rather than Fon calming him down.
That was perfectly fine with Tsuna. She liked it when her family was lively.
Tsuna carefully opened the door to her and Reborn's room, it was very late and she felt a little guilty about being so long and not letting Reborn know beforehand. Though, it wasn't possible to do so. She had only thought her conversation with Fon would take about half an hour at the most but then the bonding happened. It wasn't something that allowed her to run off straight away. She needed to make sure the bond was strong and secure and that her bonded was alright. Tsuna wouldn't risk sabotaging that.
"Bambina." Reborn greeted.
Tsuna stilled, she thought she was being quiet but it seemed pretty worthless given that Reborn was still awake and had noticed her. Tsunahime smiled, "You didn't need to stay up, Reborn. I didn't think I'd be so late coming back, my apologies."
"It's fine." Tsuna frowned at that, walking up to her bed and sitting on it. His words sounded clipped and... almost upset? There was a near invisible tremor in his voice that betrayed his mood. Whatever had happened must have been big to cause such a reaction. A reaction that Reborn couldn't completely hide. Her frown deepened when Reborn did not turn around to face her. Using her flames, Tsuna attempted to comfort the hitman but froze when Reborn flinched at them. It was a small thing, barely visible, but Tsuna considered herself an expert in reading Reborn given all the time they spent with each other.
Now deeply worried to the point of almost panic, Tsuna asked, "R-reborn? Are you okay?" she couldn't stop the hesitation in her voice. This had never happened before! Reborn had never, ever flinched at her flames. Tensed, maybe, but never physically recoiled away.
"It's fine." he repeated but now his voice held a more visible tremor. Reborn still wouldn't look at her!
"No, it is not!" she hissed, using anger to replace her worry (and the pain of being recoiled from. She was her flames in a way. And Reborn had flinched away from them, from her. Reborn should never feel the need to do anything but relax when her flames were near. What had happened?!) before shaking her head at her actions. It was unlike her to be so quick to anger but she had never been so worried before, not even by her mother, because something was wrong. Reborn, too, was startled by her reaction, turning his head to look in her direction before stopping himself at the last second. Softening her voice and pushing away her anger, she started again, "Please," she pleaded, not caring about her pride, this was more important, "Something is wrong, something is upsetting you and I… I cannot stand that."
Reborn didn't repeat his words again but he stayed silent. Tsuna didn't dare to try and comfort him with her flames again, scared of the reaction she might get. Biting her lip in her worry, she filled the silence with her frantic analysis of what could be bothering one of her Own, "Something is upsetting you and you were fine when we came back. So something happened within the time I was gone to talk to Fon-" at Fon's name, Reborn stiffened minutely, stopping anything else she was going to say.
Tsuna breathed out, her mind clicking together all his responses he had to her, suddenly understanding, her intuition helping her look in the right direction, "Oh," she voiced in her realisation, "Oh, Reborn." she called, softly, "No, I would never, never, replace you like that. You are still mine but Fon is one of mine as well now."
"One of yours?" Reborn's voice held more strength than before, thankfully, but it was still too weak to suit Reborn's usual confident nature. There was something else in his voice, a mixture of hope and disbelief that tried to hide behind the slightly mocking tone the hitman had taken.
"Of course," Tsunahime replied instantly, "You are one of mine."
"I am not." Tsuna heard the painful ache in his voice that Reborn had desperately tried to hide. Reborn was too emotional at the moment and couldn't cover himself properly like he normally could do.
"Not at the moment." she agreed partially.
"You have Fon." he shot back, "You do not need me anymore." And that was the truth in his eyes. Everything he had, Fon had as well. The title of the Strongest was something both he and Fon had. They both had the same type of reputation. Fon, an enforcer for the Triads and him, a hitman in the mafia. Fon was calmer, more suited to Tsuna's own calm personality where as Reborn craved chaos.
Fon was better than he was. He was more suited to the comforting warmth of the bambina's sky.
"And how do you know that?" he heard Tsuna ask sharply, "I have Fon, but I've had you first." Reborn felt his breath catch in his throat, like it did everytime she had said something along those lines, "I won't replace you for him regardless of how shallow you think I am."
"Shallow?" he echoed, eyes wide, finally turning to look at her. He almost regretted it because he felt his chest ache in pain.
"Well, isn't that what you think?" His bambina's voice was defensive and… was that pain? No! No, that wasn't what he wanted! He didn't want his bambina in pain. He only wanted to let her know that she didn't need to have him now that she had Fon. She didn't need to always comfort him or cocoon him with her flames or be so goddamn nice! Tsuna didn't need to do that anymore.
"No!" he was surprised about how venomously he denied that, "You are not shallow!" All she did was give to others. She hardly ever got angry on her own behalf, her elements and himself needing to do that for her, on her behalf. For her family, however… Well, Tsuna was like a wrathful goddess. Reborn tried not like think about that side of Tsuna too much because it had a certain allure about it. The amount of images, fantasties, that was spawned in his head from seeing that side...
"Yet you would think that I would..." Tsuna paused, choked up from even thinking about it, "That I would replace my family members whenever someone new came around?"
"Of course not!"
"Then why would you think I would even consider to do the same with you!?" she demanded, her voice wet with tears and Reborn, against his better judgement, found himself looking into her eyes. The same eyes he had avoided even glancing at when she had walked into their room. They were shining with tears she refused to let fall, her eyebrows furrowed as if in pain, it seemed that at some point she shifted into her half-phoenix form because they were golden-amber in colour. The colour seemed dull in her sadness, with her wings pressed firmly against her back for some sort of comfort, "You are my Own, Reborn." she repeated, her voice rung with honesty but it trembled as she fought to keep going, "It may not be official yet, but that is what you are to me. That you would even suggest that I…" Tsuna trailed off, unable to continue.
Reborn stared, understanding what his words could have meant to her, "I didn't mean…" he stopped when Tsuna flinched, almost curling in on herself and took a breath, didn't he wasn't good at this type of thing! Heart to heart talks were not something he had needed to be do before, he just usually shot at the problem but that wasn't something he could do to the bambina, "You can do better than me." he finished.
"Better than the World's Greatest Hitman?" she asked, a shiver of humour in her voice, lips curling up into a sad sort of smile, understanding that his words weren't thought like she had intepreted but still sad that Reborn that thought himself almost… unworthy of her sky. Like she actually thought that someone could be unworthy or worthy depending on a quality or trait in order for them in take a place within her sky.
Reborn shook his head, "I have blood drenching my hands." He was dark, a bloodied shadow, compared to the bright pure light of Tsunahime's sky. At least, when it came to Luce, she was a mafia boss already and despite her smiles (that he later learnt were false, something he didn't even think could be a possibility til after the curse, so blinded was he by the prospect of finally finding a home, a place that could hold him. It was the same for all of them there, he knew) she had ordered people's deaths whether by her own choice or by obligation. Tsuna didn't like killing, he knew that, despite the fact that she knew that sometimes it was the only choice. Reborn didn't enjoy killing either but there were times that he had enjoyed it. When the person lying bloodied and still on the floor were someone that had wronged him or someone he knew and cared enough about to claim as his. He knew with certainty that if he could, he'd show Timoteo just how wrong he was to seal his bambina and Reborn would enjoy it, feel satisfaction from doing it.
Tsuna nodded, "I have killed as well, Reborn." Reborn paused at that before remembering what she said on their first meeting, it was difficult to believe that someone so bright had made the life disappear from someone's eyes. Not that Reborn cared about that though, that man was an assassin sent to kill both Nana and Tsuna. He would have killed the bastard as well. In that sort of job everyone knows if you go out to kill someone then you have a chance to be killed in return. A tooth for a tooth. People feared Reborn too much to demand retribution though, everyone knew that would just get you killed in a remarkably brutal way instead.
"Not like me."
"Do you think I care about something like that?" Tsuna asked, her hands reaching to hold his own tiny ones, staring into his eyes as if willing him to see her sincerity, "I have actual demons as my elements." Still, Reborn shook his head, stubbornly, looking away. Tsuna pressed her lips together in faint irritation, "Look at me?" she asked and Reborn instantly compiled without even fully registering the move, "I do not want anyone else. I want Reborn. You might have heard of him, he usually wears an infuriating, mocking, arrogant smirk. He's a sadistic piece of work but he does these small things that shows he cares about people, even if he doesn't like to admit it."
Reborn let out a breath. His bambina wanted him. She truly wanted him, not because he was strong or because he was the World's Greatest Hitman but because he was himself. A troll with a sadistic sense of humor. He couldn't really understand that. No one had ever wanted him because he was himself. They always wanted something from him. Even Luce. Reborn had only met her, had only gotten a chance to bond with her, because he was one of the Strongest.
He knew Tsunahime though. She was a true sky and hadn't he already said that? Even though Reborn knew that, it was difficult to think that Tsunahime would treat him the same way as her other elements because he was Reborn. He had never gotten something only good. It had always came with a bad side. Being one of the Strongest meant he couldn't have normal relationship again because they might be targeted to get to him. Being a hitman, being strong and feared, only came around once his arsehole of a father left him on the streets to fend for himself when he was young. Even Leon, his precious, faithful, beloved partner, had only come to him after he had been cursed, as a side effect from it. No, Reborn had never had something that was purely good. And being with Tsuna, belonging in her sky? Reborn couldn't think of anything bad to go with it.
It was almost scary because that was an unknown to him.
Oh, Reborn said he'd be selfish about his love (because was what it was. Nothing else could hurt one moment but comfort him the next other than that) to the bambina but he had never really thought about what would happen if Tsuna felt the same way. His bambina wanted him, despite the fact that he had caused her pain with his words, and that had to mean something, right? It meant that Tsuna at least deeply cared about him, and Reborn? He could work with that. Oh, he could do so much more than work with that.
Reborn smirked, trying to regaining his composure and relaxing as Tsuna hesitantly (what had he done? She shouldn't need to hesitant! He needed to fix this. He needed to reassure her!) drew him closer to her, her wings curling towards him, "Oh?" he probed, wondering what else she'd say.
Tsuna smiled, reaching for him with her flames and almost laughed with delight when Reborn merely sunk deeper into them, "Yeah, he's the World's Greatest Hitman but for some reason he decided he wanted to tutor others instead. If he's not careful, people will discover he has a heart." Reborn chuckled lightly at that, his heart lightening even more as he relaxed completely, "Reborn?"
"Hm?" he asked, closing his eyes, so very comfortable at the moment. He wouldn't mind staying in this position forever. He was exhausted and completely emotionally drained. Reborn was never fighting with Tsuna again if he could help it, he felt like he could sleep for a decade.
"You know I will always have a place for you in my sky, right?" And just like that, Reborn was wide awake again. He stared, wide-eyed at the phoenix. She smiled gently, "I assumed, before, that you knew that so I was waiting for you to come to me when you were ready. However, it seems you're more oblivious than your title would suggest," Reborn was too in shock in even smack her around the head like usual when she teased him, "So I'd thought I'd tell you as clearly as I can."
"You…" Reborn swallowed, trying to keep his want and excitement out of his voice, "You want to bond with me? Now?"
Tsuna smiled, "Of course, you are one of my Own. It was going to happen sooner or later." You'd think that they didn't just have a whole conversation/argument about this subject but she figured Reborn was too emotionally drained to properly process the information right now. Tsuna wanted to sleep too but this was important.
Reborn was still staring at her. All he could think about was when he got bored waiting for Tsuna and had searched for her only to find her with Fon, their flames mixing, bonding together. He remembered the absolute crushing feeling that Tsuna wouldn't want him now she had Fon (but she did! She wanted him!) as he gazed at their intertwined flames. He remembered the burning jealous that bordered on hatred when he viewed Fon as someone who had taken his Bambina away from him. The feeling was replaced quickly with self-loathing and regret. He had time, time to tell her, time to ask her to be his sky but he hadn't. He hadn't because he had hesitated. The World's Greatest Hitman hesitated. Well, that was unacceptable and shouldn't had even been a thing in the first place, he'd have to make that it won't happen again.
Reborn wasn't ready to tell her about his feelings, (uncertain about how she would react once she found out, he didn't want to change anything about their relationship just yet, not when he had almost ruined it by jumping to conclusions. Hesitating and being hasty were two different things after all and there was only so much that even he could process in a day) but for her to be his sky? Oh, he wanted that so much.
As if sensing his ancipation, his want, Tsuna smiled. It was a bright thing, brighter than he had ever seen her, before she lit her hand aflame, just like she had done with Fon (she didn't need to do it this way, the flames didn't need to be visible to bond with another but for Fon and Reborn, who were so tired and hurt, she felt that they needed to see the visible proof). Reborn stared at the flame like it was his first time seeing it before carefully doing the same. His yellow sun flame was smaller than Tsuna's, the pacifier making it harder to use his flames as time went on under the curse. Reborn wasted no time to bring his hand closer to Tsuna's however, unlike Fon, and watched with fascination as his flame wrapped around her's. He allowed his iron control over them to fall away and instantly his flame harmonised with Tsuna's. It happened so quickly that Reborn was shocked, he knew his flames yearned to be with Tsunahime's but he didn't think it would happen so fast, so quickly.
Reborn couldn't think on it anymore than that because the bond snapped into place. It shook him to his very core. Reborn inhaled in awe, just feeling. There was warmth encasing his soul. It warmed him to his very bones. The feeling of home, of safety and acceptance, was more shocking than he thought it'd be (he never did fully harmonise with Luce, only partially). Every part of him just relaxed and Reborn wondered how he could have gone so long without this. When he thought back to the time without the bond (which were mere seconds ago), Reborn wondered why he never realised just how cold he was before. There was a part of Tsuna's flames carefully encased in his own and Reborn turned his flames to wrap around the sky flame. In response, even more warmth filled him and he shivered at the feeling. It almost lulled him to sleep but at the same time he was so focused on the feeling that sleep was the furthest thing from his mind.
He could feel others too, Reborn realised, when he went deeper into the bond, exploring the new sense of harmony. Tsuna was watching him with soft eyes, arms still wrapped around him. It was the other elements, he instinctively knew. Their flames greeted his own, wrapping around his own. He got the vague sense that they were happy to see him. Fon's flame was there too, but his didn't move like the others. It was slower, as if constantly basking in Tsuna's sky. Reborn didn't doubt that his own flame looked the same (not that he could actually see the flames, in the physical sense, but he could feel them so strongly that he could picture them within his mind's eye). Every so often one of the others' flames would move to wrap around the storm's flames, reassuring him.
"I didn't know you could feel the other elements when bonded with their sky." he whispered, still feeling the affects of the harmonisation. He could feel the other elements clearer than before. It was like he instinctively knew where they were. He could feel Fon and Lambo down the hall with Hibari further down. He could feel the others spread all over the town, despite the fact that usually the distance should stop that from happening unless he consciously tried.
Tsuna chuckled softly, bringing him even closer in her embrace, "I'm a phoenix, remember? We have stronger flames so we have stronger bonds too. You are connected to them through me and they are connected to you through me as well. You are ours and we are yours." Reborn didn't really know what to say to that so he stayed silent, instead he wrapped his flames around the others briefly in greeting.
Tsunahime smiled happily at that, "And now you are officially one of my Own, Reborn." she sounded happy, ecstatic, really. Reborn echoed the feeling silently, smiling. He never wanted to give this up. He understood why the other elements were so overprotective and possessive of Tsuna now.
If anyone threatened this bond, threatened Tsuna, he didn't think he'd be able to hold himself back.
And cut!
So, how was it?
Poor Reborn, I've made him so sad and jaded in my version. To be fair, I did that with Fon too. I really do feel sorry for the Acrobaleno. Sure, they're all murderers on some level (apart from Skull, at least in the beginning anyway, because he has probably killed some people since joining the mafia) but they didn't deserve to be cursed. Not only were they forced into a child's body but they have outlived anyone they knew. If they had lovers, partners, family, they'd have to move on without them. Watching everyone they love grow old without them, and eventually, die. It's gotta be hard and I can't imagine that it wouldn't have an affect on people and how they view themselves, e.g their self-worth, even if they are overconfident bastards like Reborn. In canon, Reborn accepted his fate and was resigned to the curse, trying to make the most out of a bad situation, but that wouldn't have stopped how he felt about it. In my fanfic, Reborn has accepted his fate, on some level, but that doesn't mean he's not angry about it or doesn't want it to change. This is the same with all the Arcobaleno.
Anyway, I hope Reborn's reaction wasn't too OOC. My Reborn can't really get angry at Tsunahime for bonding with Fon because he doesn't think himself completely worthy of her sky (and is hopeless in love with her. When Reborn falls, he falls hard, I mean, the amount of pining in this chapter...) so instead he got angry at himself and at Fon, on some level.
Some people have asked me what sort of relationship Reborn and Fon with have now that they've bonded with the same sky. They'll be friends, they won't be at each other's throats and will work well together. As I've mentioned in some other scenes, Reborn and Fon have a lot of respect for each other, even if they don't show it very well, as they have similar roles in the mafia and triads. They were also partners when the Arcobaleno (being the Strongest and second Strongest out of them all) worked together as a team so they know how to deal with each other. Anyway, I'll show hints of this throughout the fanfic and make it clear, so don't worry.
