Hello, hello! How is everyone doing? Summer is here and I'm dying due to the heat. My body can't stand such high temperatures. Global warming is real, guys. Let's protect our world and our health! The pandemic is still going around, so please take care of yourselves!
Next chapters will take me a bit longer to write due to their contents but I think they will be shorter in length. I don't want to skip and summarize the battles, for they will contain key moments for future character developments, so I will try my best not to make them so tedious to read.
Hope you guys enjoy the chapter!
OMG +1000 followers! Thank you so much!
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"The truth?"
Her tears were free-falling by this point without care and framing her face with clear streams that gleamed under the artificial light they kept in the garden. The tiny drops were silently rolling down from her eyes one after the other but the girl did nothing to stop them.
She stayed there, sitting on the ground and staring down at her hands as if they held all the answers Reborn was seeking and that she was keeping. And though the HDW flame had extinguished, her voice still retained a hint of emptiness as she echoed the question with dry amusement.
Because yes, Tsuna lied to his face and Reborn believed it.
He believed it.
They both were disconnected and at fault here, Tsuna for not being able to trust and Reborn for not asking enough. He did cross a lot of the girl's attitude as normal teenage behaviour, Dino yelled and screamed in denial a lot through his training, so he assumed it would be the same for the girl, never really considering there was more to it.
Because how could he have even known that the brunette was keeping Mafia bonds in secret?
Knowing about the Arcobanelo was shocking and it raised a lot of alarms, but with Tsuna's brief explanation, added with her interaction at meeting Fon and the lackey and Lal's and that idiot soldier's obvious affection for the girl, he didn't deem it necessary to pursue an explanation. Even if Verde was creeping on her, he didn't demand more answers, just made sure to cut any further interaction within them all.
And yet she lied.
She clearly knows Mammon when she had said she never met the mist Arcobaleno. She said she never met any of Nono's sons, yet she clearly had a personal relationship with Xanxus. Knowing about Vongola beforehand, knowing about the Arcobaleno and even about the dark side of the Mafia. It makes him wonder…
As a hitman, he found the girl's ability to lie impressive.
As a tutor, however, he felt bitter.
Was everything she had said from the start false then?
"Dame-Tsuna, I'm on your side." He said after some minutes of silence.
"Are you?" She questioned with raw honesty. "Ever since you came, all you have done is push me to my limit."
"If I didn't push you, you wouldn't have realized you had a limit."
"That's not fair." She scoffed with a wet laugh that was meant to mask a sob at his response.
"No, it isn't. But believe it or not, I'm not your enemy, Tsuna."
"But you're lying to me too."
And that was the thing, wasn't it?
He hadn't specifically lied to her, not really. Everything he has told her about Vongola and the Mafia and every question she had asked was real, sometimes blunt and harsh, but honest in answer. But he had deliberately withheld information for the questions the brunette hadn't asked. Important questions with meaningful answers.
And Tsuna knew that.
This relationship between them turned sour when the brunette revealed a part of her that he hadn't expected. A dark side of her, selfish and uncaring of the world so long as it favoured her. A greedy part of him wanted that, he wanted to own her in that way so that he could groom her in the underworld without bounds shackling them both.
But he knew it wasn't what was meant to be. He has to train her to become a Mafia Boss despite the brunette's wishes against it. And wasn't that another curiosity? Because Tsuna had accepted the training but it was never with the intention of claiming the title. So if she wasn't suffering through his training regime for the inheritance, then what was her reason for accepting?
Even if he asked, she wasn't going to outright tell him. It was annoying, but he can understand her mistrust and wariness of sharing her deepest thoughts with someone who could potentially hurt her. However, as realistic as her fear was, they needed to talk, really talk without threats or lies, and to do that both of them needed to come to terms and lay down a middle ground.
"I went to the hospital on Saturday."
She confessed quietly and her voice broke the silence between them. It surprised him a little, both that it was her who took the first step and that he didn't know her exact whereabouts from that day, assuming she was just going on a date with Hibari and thinking nothing more of it. It was a big mistake for a hitman to take everything for granted, and it was something that the brunette had been taking advantage of.
She needed answers and she was taking whatever means necessary to get them. And at her confession, he could already guess the reason as to why of the urgency, so he wasn't that shocked when she announced her symptoms.
"I'm burning fat, my blood is losing sugar and I'm at risk of falling into anaemia because my body is breaking"
She stated, because she knew that he already knew that; and he did.
"The flames are hurting me"
"Yes"
"Why?"
"That's what I want to know, Dame-Tsuna. If I had told you without having a real answer, you would have only panicked and rejected them, and that could lead your body to strain even more than it currently is"
Tsuna frowned at that, her intuition working quietly to let her know that his answer was truthful and that his intentions at keeping that away from her were real and honest. The flames were a part of you, he once told her. They acted on your feelings and strength, so if she was scared and rejected them, who knew what the repercussions will be. He didn't want to take that risk.
"But why?" She asked with desperation lacing in her voice at not understanding. And it was so frustrating, because neither of them knew the real answer to that.
"My theory at the moment is that your current body wasn't made for them. Because you activated your flames at this age, your organism and metabolism are not used to support the high flare of energy it releases to sustain themselves"
And thus, is eating you alive, he almost said. But he was sure the girl had come to the same conclusion by the way her face crumble in horror.
Her pitiful face made him sigh, there was still a lot they needed to talk and fix but now wasn't the moment.
He knew it was late and that the girl needed to rest after being sick and in distress the previous days, but for once he didn't force her to move. Not while she was at the edge of falling into a depressive state, and contrary to popular belief, he wasn't that heartless.
So he let her breathe and pull herself together on her own and took the time to plan a strategy for tomorrow's training and the future fights. The Sky battle wouldn't be the first, if only, he was confident it will be the last so they will have more time to train and do something with Tsuna's crazy flames.
There was also the matter of the missing mist guardian. The brunette already claimed Mukuro as hers, though she is unaware of it. Maybe. At this point, he didn't know if she could feel and understand what the guardian's bonds were. But it will be hard to find someone willing to fight and strong enough to go against an Arcobaleno with such a short time. And pulling a random mist into this mess was a recipe for disaster.
Perhaps they could forfeit that fight. As long as the other guardians survive their fight and Tsuna won hers, then it would be okay.
"So what now?" Tsuna asked quietly after some minutes of silence. She had wiped the tears from her face and brought her knees up to her chest to hug them. Her head was resting on them and looking to the side, not really seeing Reborn directly but keeping him in her sight.
What now? Indeed. That was a good question. There was a lot they needed to do, but for this to work, they have to take one step at a time.
"I have talked with Giannini and Shamal. We have come to an alternative solution to draw the flames out. Starting tomorrow, Basil will join us in your training" He told her.
"Basil?" She asked in confusion, thinking of the blond boy with the weird speech pattern.
"He has experience with entering into hyper dying will mode. His method is actually different, so we're hoping it can work on you too"
"And if it doesn't?"
"Do you believe it will fail?"
She kept her thoughts quiet to herself, pursing her lips to prevent saying something and frowning with a faraway look that was becoming more constant these days.
"Tsuna" Reborn sighed heavily "I can't help you if you don't help yourself"
"Can I trust you?"
"I'm your tutor. You have my best interest to keep you alive. That includes keeping your body healthy and your mind sane"
It was as simple as that. Perhaps if he hadn't shot her a few minutes after they met there would be more trust from the brunette's side. But he wasn't going to change his personality for her, she will just have to make do with what she got and learn to live with it. That's how life works. And the brunette understood his way of thinking, she knew he will never sugarcoat his intentions and will keep pushing her beyond her limits, and she accepted that. However...
"I give if you give…"
"I want the truth, Tsuna"
"I can't tell you my whole life story, it's impossible for you to know every little thing. But…" She shook her head tiredly "But I won't lie to you"
"In exchange of?"
"Please don't shoot me again" She whispered.
Shooting her reflected a lot of aspects in their relationship. It could mean that he was forcing her to do something against her will, that he wanted her to push herself beyond her limits or that she needed the power to be stronger to overcome her fears and he was the only one who could offer it. But the most important reason was, that when he shoots her with the HDW bullet, it is because he believes she can win and that despite being scared, Tsuna believes in herself too.
So when she asked him to stop doing that, it was because she wasn't ready to face that.
"I won't" He promised "Next time I shoot you, it will be when you have exceeded my expectations and I demand to see more"
"Can I even do that?" She asked with a tiny dry laugh.
"Keep doubting and you'll never know" He finally stood up and patted her knee as a sign to get up too "We'll talk tomorrow. Go to bed, Dame-Tsuna"
They can face the eye of the storm tomorrow, right now, they all need a good time to rest and think before the downpour eventually hits them.
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"How are you feeling, dear?"
"Tired"
"Maybe you should stay home again" Nana frowned as she checked her daughter's forehead for any signs of the fever returning.
It was morning, and Tsuna felt as restless as she did last night.
She only slept for a few hours despite her body feeling jaded and her mind stuck in molasses. Even if she slept for most of the day yesterday due to an induced fever, she still felt exhausted, both physically and mentally. And she felt so betrayed when her consciousness woke up before her alarm rang and left her staring at the half-ring in her finger mirroring her exact feelings, fractured and missing her missing half.
That's how Reborn found her when he woke up, laying in bed with a hand raised towards the ceiling and staring at the broken ring with a dazed expression.
"Did you even sleep?"
"I tried"
"Dame-Tsuna" He sighed deeply as if deeming her a lost cause.
"It's not like I stayed awake on purpose!" She bemoaned in misery.
A few minutes later and her alarm clock sprung to life, signalling it was time for her to start getting ready for school. As she turned it off, her mood fell to that of a sea of gloom at the thought of doing something so normal as going to school when they were about to fight the Mafia for their lives.
"Should I even go?"
"Go to school, Dame-Tsuna. You will lose your head if you stay here" The Hitman merely told her as he walked past her and out of the room.
He was right in that part. Although she wanted nothing more than to curl in her bed and try to get more rest, staying cooped inside when she knew what was going to happen would only stress her further. It was best to pretend that everything was fine instead of worrying for every minute with what-ifs. It wasn't healthy, but it was best to keep her mind occupied with something other than her thoughts.
So she took a shower and got dressed in her uniform before meeting everyone at the kitchen table.
It was a happy sight, for everyone to be eating breakfast together and wishing her a good day at school. Even if the kids were loud and cheery and their cereal was getting soggy due to their innocent banter, it was homely.
As she let Bianchi braid her hair, she apologised and thanked her for taking care of her while she was sick. But the woman waved her worries away in saying that she always wanted to take care of her sibling, but Gokudera was very stubborn and independent.
And speaking of which, the Italian bomber sent her a message apologising profusely and letting her know that he wouldn't be able to walk her to school. It was morning and he already started preparing for his own battle. Tsuna wouldn't put it past him to start his training as soon as he arrived last night to his house.
As she finished her breakfast with time to spare, she let her mother check her one last time before parting.
"I'll be fine, mom," She told her with a smile "If I feel sick, I can go to the nurse office, Shamal will take care of it"
If it was with him, she could always hide inside Kyoya's office. That is, if he wasn't still mad at her. Her mother was a bit reluctant to let her go, but she eventually accepted it.
"Well, alright. But promise me that you will go and rest if you feel dizzy"
"I promise. I'll let you know at lunch how I'm doing"
Saying that, she went to the door to put her shoes on, well aware that she was followed by a small presence.
"Baka-Tsuna"
"Not now, I gotta go" She told him, finishing tying her laces and grabbing her bag. For a moment, the thought of packing an emergency bag crossed her mind as her intuition flared to life but she dismissed it when she saw Lambo's worried pout "We'll talk when I get back, okay?"
"Okay"
"Be good and protect the house, there are some pirates loitering around" She told him with a secretive smile, one that the kid swallowed with bright stars in his eyes.
"Lambo-sama will fight and protect everyone!"
"Good" She gave him a pat on the head and then smiled at her mother who was watching her back with a smile of her own. "I'm off"
"Have a good day dear"
Reborn was already gone, but she was sure he was somewhere near. He was bound to whisk her away to start his 'special training' and they still needed to talk. Just thinking about it made her mood dwindle but it suddenly lifted when her eyes landed on the car waiting in front of her house.
"Puru!" she exclaimed as she bent down to pick him up "Where have you been?"
The cat only purred and nuzzled her chin with his head as a greeting, making her giggle. She didn't carry any extra food for him, but maybe if she hid him in her bag, she could feed him from her bento at lunch break or perhaps she could take from Yamamoto's, his was always a mixture of sushi and fish.
And as if summoning him, the mentioned boy approached her with a carefree grin and a wave.
"Hey"
"Hello"
"Are you mad?" His question made a pang of guilt brew in her chest, even more so when she saw half a ring on his finger.
Last night, after she had climbed back to her room and changed into her pyjamas, she texted both guys to let them know that she was back safe. She almost forgot, to tell the truth. And it was only the constant buzzing of her phone with questions from everyone asking if she had returned home and why she wasn't answering that reminded her to send a text to them all.
"I'm angry at myself" She murmured with a frown. They shouldn't be worrying about her when they were the ones risking their lives.
"Thought so" Yamamoto shrugged with a sigh "I'm not going to apologize, Tsuna. It's my choice"
"But you shouldn't be forced to choose," She said as hugged the cat closer to her chest "It's going to be bad, you don't know what you're facing"
"You know these people and they want to hurt you, I don't need to know anything more than that but I'll protect you"
"When did you turn into a knight?" She asked with a dry smile.
"When yours left you. Where's Gokudera, by the way?" Yamamoto asked, surprised not to see the silver-haired boy next to the brunette.
"Training. Don't worry about your best friend, he'll join us later"
"You really think we're best friends? Because I have been doing my best"
"Just keep trying" She humorously said.
A street away from school, Tsuna made Yamamoto stop and handed him her bag. The boy only accepted in silence and watched her put the cat inside with soft promises and petting his ears when he mewled in displeasure but eventually went along to her wishes.
"Are you really going to smuggle him?" He asked with amusement when the girl took her bag in her arms, being careful with the cargo inside.
"If you don't say anything, no one will know"
It was crazy, he had to admit and he didn't think the brunette was capable of something like that. But it was also funny, and he had no reason to stop her. Tsuna, however, could only think that keeping a cat inside her bag while in class will surely prevent her from thinking about Xanxus and the inevitable fights with the Varia.
They soon walked to school, pretending everything was okay and headed towards the lockers to change into their indoor shoes. Yamamoto changed quickly into his and walked back to the brunette, so he was able to see the ruined state of her shoes before she closed the metal door.
"Why are your shoes wet?" He asked with a frown.
"It happens once in a while" She dismissed the action, already accustomed to finding her shoes in that state "I have a spare in Hibari's office, you can go to class, don't worry"
"Oh? What happened to Kyoya?" At his light teasing, Tsuna blushed and smacked him repeatedly on the arm to shut him up, which only made him laugh in amusement. However, a heavy glare set upon them froze them in the spot and they turned back to see the school's prefect standing behind them.
"Strays are not allowed" Hibari crossed his arms and glared at the brunette, who immediately looked down to see a smug cat face peeking from her bag.
"Puru, when did you get there?" She exclaimed in mock surprise and quickly took him out, ignoring his purring and tail wiggling as she cradled him in her arms before setting him down. "Can you go home? I'm not sure I can keep you here"
The cat meowed at her and walked in circles around her legs before suddenly sprinting away.
"My office" Kyoya growled at her and didn't wait for her as he was already walking away.
"I'll be fine. I'll see you in a few minutes" She told Yamamoto with a sigh, accepting her doomed fate. The ex-baseball player only looked at her with pity, his teasing forgotten at the prospect of her being bitten to death.
Tsuna quickly trailed behind the fuming prefect, being smart enough not to say anything until he made the first step. She wanted to apologize for practically abandoning him in the middle of the city with no contact until two days later, and it was only for him to find out that his beloved Namimori school will become part of a Mafia battleground.
As soon as the door for the disciplinary committee was opened, a ball of fluff flew towards her head, chirping happily in greeting.
"Hibari~ Hibari~ Tuna~"
"Shouldn't Hibird be considered a stray too?" She asked with a pout as she felt the little bird fly around her. She had come to know the little bird name was Hibird and it was so adorable how it followed Kyoya around. Tsuna didn't find it odd that the violent prefect had allowed the fluffy bird to be his companion, but rather that he kept a reminder of the fight with Mukuro.
True, Kyoya didn't exactly face the pervert with the flock of birds, but it was still a reminder of that day.
Seeing as there were no tonfas flying her way, she quickly went to one of the drawers at the back of the room and grabbed her spare shoes. This was her last pair so she will have to re-stock soon. She didn't know what the nasty girls had against her shoes, but she would prefer it was that than them ruining her bag or her uniform. Or to just stop, seriously this was getting tiring; it didn't even hurt to find her shoes ruined anymore.
Once she had changed into them, she turned to see Kyoya looking expectantly at her.
"What?"
"Your phone" He demanded with an outstretched hand.
A bit wary, she handed it to him and watched in silence how he started typing in it, no doubt putting his number in there. It really was ridiculous how after all these years of knowing each other, they didn't have each other's phone number. If they wanted to contact one another, the boy would simply hunt her down and Tsuna would always find him in his office, so there wasn't actually a need to use the phone.
When his own phone rang, signalling he had messaged himself from her phone, he locked it and handed it back to her without much fuss.
"Return to your class"
She wanted to talk to him. She wanted to know what he thought about the battles and how he let himself be convinced to participate in them. Because she could see the chain with the half-ring hanging on his neck. And that hurt, because Kyoya wasn't supposed to be chained like this. Chained to her.
"Why are you tagging along?" She asked him.
"Having this ring makes me your guardian, doesn't it? It means I can bite to death whoever approaches you"
"That's not how it works.'' She gave him an incredulous laugh, but he dismissed it by turning to look at the little bird who had perched itself on his finger.
"Go to class, little animal"
She pursed her lips, wanting to talk more - and maybe shake him a little - to change his mind. But once Kyoya had set his mind into something, not even heaven or earth could change his way of thought, so she sighed and closed the door of the office with a heavy heart.
She only took five steps into the hallway before her phone rang with a message notification. Stopping, she unlocked it and raised an eyebrow at seeing the sender.
"Lal?"
She asked out loud, feeling confusion and relief at finally hearing from her after ghosting her for almost a month. However, once she opened the message her mood decayed as an ugly scoff formed on her lips at reading the simple words that resonated like an iron hammer hitting a strong wall inside of her.
"Iemitsu landed in Japan"
"Well, shit"
Now she knew why her intuition told her to pack a bag.
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"Pouting will do nothing"
"The prince does not pout"
Bel crossed his arms as he sulked on his place in front of the tv. He wasn't really seeing it, but the noise was enough to block the loud yells and broken glass from the other rooms adjacent to his. It's been going on for forever, and most of the time he would join in the mischief to make the loud captain even mad, but he wasn't in the mood right now.
"You can't hold it against her" Mammon floated next to him, taking the role as the annoying voice of reason that he didn't need nor wanted.
"The princess lied"
"She didn't though," The baby said "She didn't know she had Vongola blood"
"She's still betraying us" He murmured and crossed his arms, turning his head away from the baby to ignore him and making his crown tilt from the movement.
It was annoying, everything was so annoying. To finally be reunited with his princess after so long, to see her in the flesh and be so close as to hold her, but now that she was finally coming back to the underworld, she was on the opposite side. She was doing what she swore she wouldn't do, throwing her loyalty to some other peasant and claiming the title of Boss of the Mafia, when she should be here, with them, with him.
It wasn't fair.
And it was also so confusing because he knew what she wanted. He knew of her plans and her wishes. So he couldn't understand why she wasn't giving up. It should be so simple, for her to quit, renounce her title and return the ring. But she wasn't. She bloody wasn't giving up the ring and instead, she declared war against them with her mediocre band of guardians.
So no, the prince wasn't pouting or sulking, he was fuming.
"The boss won't let her go," Mammon said quietly, still defending the girl despite knowing what she was doing "Maybe you shouldn't either"
Bel scoffed and stood up to walk out of the room and the hotel they were staying in. He wanted to wreak some mayhem and paint some walls in red, being cooped up in that tiny room and waiting like a good little kid was making him crazy.
Not letting go of her.
How absurd.
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"Kyoko, can I stay with you tonight?"
"Eh? A Sleepover? But it's Tuesday"
"I know, I know, it's just… I don't know where else to go"
"Is everything alright at home?" Kyoko asked with worry as she looked at her friend with confusion and Tsuna had to bite her lip in shame. She knew it sounded weird, even more so because Kyoko was always the one doing the invites, not Tsuna. So her request was both unexpected and worrisome.
"Um... yeah. I just… I can't be in my house right now" The brunette tried to smile to hide a grimace showing on her face.
The orange-haired girl stared at her, not really understanding and wanting to know more but by the way Tsuna kept avoiding her eyes, she knew she wouldn't get any answers soon, if any at all.
"Well, I don't have a problem, as long as your mom says it's okay"
"She doesn't mind" Tsuna quickly shook her head "I have a spare uniform here, but I will have to bother you with some sleeping wear"
"It's fine" Kyoko then smiled brightly "Ah! Maybe I can finally see Tsuna-chan wearing pink!"
"I'm regretting this already" The brunette sighed in slight mortification but her shoulders fell in relief at having found a place to stay. She would have gone to Dino, but he was busy training- watching over - kinda trying to tame- Kyoya, and she felt awful for screaming at him. Just like she felt terrible for barging into Kyoko's life like this.
"I have to do some errands, but… I will see you tonight?" She asked in a deflated lame way and was glad that Hana wasn't here to witness that.
"Of course, I will let my mom know. We can have curry for dinner"
"Sorry to bother you with this" She gave Kyoko a sad worried look as they reached the school gate.
"Not at all, I'm happy I can help" She smiled and waved at her "Don't take long"
Parting, both girls walked in different ways.
School had passed very quickly, by the time lunch time arrived, Gokudera had returned with a band-aid on his cheek and thousands of apologies for not being able to walk with her that morning. Tsuna waved his worries, instead, she told him to be careful in whatever it was that he was doing. Yamamoto tried to ask about his training, but the Italian remained tight-lipped about it.
They didn't talk about what happened last night or what could happen in a few days, and by the time the bell had rung to signal the end of the day, both boys had disappeared for their respective training and Tsuna was left alone to walk to hers.
It didn't take longer than 30 seconds for Reborn's familiar weight to settle on top of her head.
"Why aren't you staying at home?"
"Iemitsu's back and I really don't want to see him" She told him in a low voice and prayed in her mind that he wouldn't force her to return. She knew it would hurt her mother deeply, for her to disappear just as her husband arrived, but she couldn't help it. A part of her was dreading the encounter and the fear of seeing that man made her flee without thinking of consequences.
"You will have to face him sooner or later" Reborn said, patting her head to make her turn on the left street and didn't push for more.
"Then later"
A few months ago, she was positive - and she has her intuition to back her up - that the Hitman would simply shoot her with the dying will bullet and make her face her fears head-on. Oh, how far they have come and all it took was for Tsuna to crumble down and bare her heart open.
They walked in comfortable silence towards the mountain area and soon, Tsuna was climbing her way to the familiar forest path of the training grounds Reborn had been taking her for their 'meditation' sessions. Only that instead of taking the road towards the riverbank, he made her climb over a high cliff.
"What are we doing here?" She asked in confusion.
"Your fight with Mukuro gave me an idea" Reborn said as he leapt from her head and landed on a big rock near the edge of the cliff. Looking at him, and the place he was made something in her coil in panic as her intuition was slowly waking up to assess the situation. "Dame-Tsuna, you're going to jump"
"This isn't helping my anxiety at all" She shook her head and walked away from the edge to stand at a safer distance in case the hitman threw her himself.
"When you released the flames from your hands, they pillowed your fall and made you levitate. I'm confident you can use them as leverage to climb the sky"
"Fly? You want me to fly?" She asked incredulously "Reborn, what the hell?"
"It's not that uncommon. Although not many can reach the hyper dying will mode, there have been records of using the flame as a support to keep you in the air"
"And… what? You want me to just dive down?"
"Yes" Was his simple absolute answer "Your flames' instincts will kick-in to save you, if not, then you'll fall"
"I can't do it" She sat on the ground and tried not to glare at the hitman while trying not to appear to be on the brink of throwing an angry fit.
"Not today. Today we're going to try this" The hitman walked towards her and showed her a plastic case with blue rounded pills inside.
"What is it?"
"They are known as Dying Will Pills. They have the same function as the bullet, but the components are less potent so ingesting them they should produce a lesser energy flame."
"So, you're drugging me?" She asked with caution. It's been months, but she hasn't forgotten how he drugged her lunch with sleeping pills just so that she could rest.
"If you put it that way, then yes"
It was plain paranoia. It might sound stupid, but it was one thing to let a bullet hit her forehead and another swallowing some blue mysterious pills. It was meant to help, she knew that, Reborn knew that, her intuition knew that. But it still didn't soothe her nerves.
"And they are supposed to help?" She asked in a weak voice as she grabbed the little container and shook it to make the pills bounce.
"Basil couldn't be here today, he was called away by his Boss but he will return tomorrow to train with you." Reborn told her "He has experience and a good review of them. You can wait for him to ask more but if you wait, you'll lose a day of training with them"
"And if I don't use them today, what will we do?"
"You are going to train your ankles" He told her without skipping a beat, showcasing that he had thought about her reluctance and created a plan B in case she backed down. "Xanxus has a brute force in his attacks. You will have to dodge and jump, and if you add flying to your arsenal, then you need to know how to land. We'll start with light exercises to build muscle there and get your bones used to it."
Light exercises, he says. Tsuna could already imagine the type of torture he would make her do just to have strong ankles. Well, so long as he doesn't make her run in heels, then everything would be fine, she supposed.
Standing up and dusting her skirt, she suddenly realized she was still wearing her school uniform. It just showed what a mess her head was at the moment. She knew training would be inevitable, she even walked to it willingly but forgot to change into some comfortable clothing or at least bring a spare.
Even if the flames had stopped destroying her clothes, she would still end up sweaty and dirty so she didn't think twice and took off her uniform, leaving her body in her classic sports bra and spandex shorts. She has lost all shame in changing in front of Reborn after all those times he made her run in that state. Also, the fact that she wasn't exactly wearing girly underwear but sportswear, made her used to it.
She already knew the drills so she didn't wait for Reborn to command her. Once she folded her uniform next to her school bag and set the pills down, she started stretching to warm up. And as she did, her mind wandered off into the inevitable. She did her best not to think about it at school, but whenever she dropped her guard, memories and made-up images of what could and can happen plagued her mind.
The thought of fighting Xanxus felt so surreal to her. Just seeing him and knowing that he was alive and breathing was so astonishing. It was almost like a dream.
Last night, all she could think about was how he got all those scars and if he wasn't dead, then where was he all this time? Why did they keep her in the dark and pulled her into their schemes when the rightful heir was back and healthy? Did they want to get rid of her? It was bitter to think about it, but Tsuna wouldn't put it past a mafia famiglia to create this circus and eliminate any loose threads for the Vongola throne.
And once you're in, there is no way out. There was no point in talking to Xanxus, even if she did surrender and gave him the ring, his pride will never allow her to quit like that. They were doomed to clash, one way or another. Their relationship wasn't all flowers and candies, they fought a lot in her time in Italy. Arguing back and forth, she learned not to take insults to heart and talk back when someone was crossing the line.
But they never intentionally hurt one another, never burnt or made the other bleed.
And now? What exactly was Vongola and everyone expecting? There can only be one heir, so really, what the hell were they expecting to happen? Kill one another?
Xanxus was by far stronger and more experienced with the flames than her. He could easily overpower her and end their match in just minutes with him as the victor. Her fight with Mukuro was pure, plain luck. She was terrified through the whole ordeal, shaking and on the bridge of a panic attack. And it was only until she embraced the flames that her head cleared and pulled her out of the mist.
She didn't win, the flames did.
And she knew that if she wanted to even stand in front of him, she would need to wear the flames so that they could numb her thoughts and freeze her heart. It was going to be fire against fire, something that defines him versus something that was forced to be blazed on her.
But how can she fight when she could barely control hers?
Her eyes instantly landed on the pills as if an external force was moving her head; her intuition, most likely. Silently telling and demanding her to try them, use them, and own them. Being scared of them was rational, but she also knew that if she wanted to survive from the fight - both physically and mentally, she needed to overcome them.
"Will you try them?" Reborn asked, having seen her troubled face staring at the box containing the blue pills for minutes.
Tsuna bit her lip, pondering. Her intuition had remained silent whenever she tried to poke it into giving her answers. The pills weren't dangerous, of that she was sure. But the fact still remained that her flames were an uncontrollable force of their own.
"How many should I take?"
"Two should do"
Still wary, she crouched down to pick the case. The pills jolted as she grabbed the case and uncertainty showed clearly on her face. She didn't want to, but if she didn't do it now, time would only drag and she could waste any potential lead of understanding just what the hell was wrong.
"Okay" She breathed out and nodded to herself "Okay…"
At least she packed her mittens, she thought dryly as she slipped them on, the soft cotton material instantly hiding the broken ring from view.
She stood up and looked at the cliff with scared eyes. Impossible, her knees trembled slightly at the mere thought of just standing near the edge. She wasn't going to do it today, one thing at a time, she thought. First, she needed to see how her body reacted to these pills before taking a blind leap and dive down.
"The flames are alive, Dame-Tsuna. No one chooses the flames, they are born with them. They are a part of you, so don't fear them, accept them" Reborn told her after she waited for more than two minutes.
"I do accept them" She confessed "I have always wanted to wield them"
Reborn could only guess that her knowing about the flames and wanting to possess them was all due to Xanxus and his sky flame. He was startled by the brunette's action last night, but he was also able to see Varia's shocked and perturbed faces when the brunette shot herself with the bullet. The awe and confusion in their expression, it just cemented his hypothesis of the brunette not being able to use the flames when she was a kid. But if that was the case, then what woke them up?
That first time he shot her with the bullet?
Tsuna sighed loudly and unclasped the case to pull two pills into her palm. Once they were settled on her palm, she closed the lid and placed the case next to her clothes on the ground and took a long moment to stare at the two blue orbs in her hand. It wasn't dangerous, her intuition was telling her. She just has to take them, there was no time to hesitate, and she needed her flames and the power to claim it- Claim what?
She frowned at the confusing messages, and it was that mess inside of her head that made her swallow the pills just to quiet them.
The reaction was instant, with a silent sigh, the sky flame lighted up in her forehead and her woollen mittens transformed into leathery black gloves.
"You good?" Reborn asked, staring at her and looking for any reaction.
Tsuna opened her orange eyes and the first thing she saw was the half-ring glinting back at her, somehow trespassing and forcing its way from its hidden cocoon. She wasn't going to question how that was even possible, it was Vongola - it was a Mafia Underworld creation - so she simply admired how the broken sapphire contrasted with the blackness of the leather. She clenched her fist, action that lighted her hands ablaze. And it felt so good, but so bad at the same time. Something was missing, and something was wrong, she just couldn't put a name to it.
"Tsuna"
"I'm good." She said quietly.
"There's a riverbank down there. If you start feeling overheated, take a swim"
"What do I do?"
"Start running," He told her "We'll change to jumping after 40 minutes"
Tsuna breathed out quietly and gave the broken ring one last look before breaking into a run far away from the edge of the cliff.
.
.
.
Japan was something so different from his usual lifestyle.
You can't pull out grenades in public or attack someone in plain daylight. The town was so quiet and peaceful, it was almost boring! He had to be creative in his ways to pass time and entertain himself. Mama was busy with the house and Baka-Tsuna always refused to play with him, not to mention that annoying Reborn who always ignored him.
So when two lackeys came to live with them, Lambo found himself pleased that his days away from his homeland were becoming even funnier each day. They even went on a cruise for summer vacation!
His Japanese Mama was really sweet too. She showers him with hugs and candies and she always cooks his favourite meal when he asks. She is nice and caring, he feels really loved here.
But there are nights when his homesickness is too much for his little heart to bear. In those nights, he wants nothing more but to go back home and be with his Mama. His poor Mama has been so weak and sad the last time he talked to her, Baka-Tsuna said he should go back to be with her, but his father had prohibited it. It wasn't the right time, he said. His mother needed rest, he said. He wasn't needed there, he said.
His father has said a lot of things to prevent him from going back to Italy, and because his Mama has not called for him in her letters and phone calls, he stayed in Japan like a good son, even if his heart longed to return for just one visit.
But now wasn't the right moment, because he has received a very important task.
He woke up with a broken ring attached to a letter, telling him - ordering him - to fight and earn the title to become a Vongola guardian. It was his duty, his mission, to bring such a position to his family name. The words weren't written there, but Lambo knew that if he didn't complete this task, then he wouldn't be able to return home at all.
He wanted to talk with Baka-Tsuna about it, but she was taking too long! She said they would talk later, but the sun has already set, and his Japanese Mama was worriedly looking at the clock and cooking dinner while a drunk idiot who suddenly appeared in their home was stealing away the TV in the living room.
He wasn't worried that he was going to lose this mission. He was the great Lambo, after all. He will just have to prove them all wrong! And then his Mama will be happy and proud and his family will be happy, and Baka-Tsuna could be happy too. And maybe they can all be a happy big family.
.
.
.
"Is this 'the talk?'"
Tsuna asked tiredly as she rested her head in the window of the train.
They had finished training without any trouble by the time the sun had set in the sky. Tsuna ended up with numb and shaky legs and ankles that ached with every step, but no bruises and most importantly, no blood. Because she didn't bring spare clothes with her, she washed the dirt away and waited until she was dry before putting her uniform back.
And because her legs trembled like a baby fawn, she decided to take the subway to reach Kyoko's house. It was the closest and fastest way to get there, so the walk down from the mountain was the only hardship she crossed.
Reborn had been silent through their trip, it wasn't until they got on the subway and Tsuna sprawled on a seat that he shifted his complete attention towards her. She knew this talk was bound to happen sooner than later, it's just been building up since their clash in the hospital but even if she was willing to share a bit of herself, it was still nerve-wracking.
"I gave you a day to rest but things are progressing fast."
"You give, I give" She muttered as she shifted in her seat and at her words, the hitman sighed deeply.
"What do you want?"
"Who are my guardians?" She asked, although she already had a great suspicion as to who they were, she needed the confirmation.
"You already know them. Gokudera, Yamamoto, Ryohei, Hibari, Lambo and Mukuro. That's Strom, Rain, Sun, Cloud, Lightning and Mist. Although we're still working on a way for the last one"
"You mean, you're releasing him?" She asked in surprise, not expecting a convict to become a guardian. Although a part of her was pleased that he could have some freedom, the thought for Mukuro to be released only to be chained by Vongola was disgusting. And she was also mad that they chose Lambo, a freaking kid, to fight in a dangerous battle without her or his consent. If they were in the safety of her room, she would have broken into hysterics once more and raged to the point of losing her voice. But now wasn't the right time.
"No. Without Nono, it's not my say if they release him or not" Reborn told her, and she didn't know if she should feel glad or not. It was a difficult situation, no mafia famiglia would take Mukuro out of prison if they weren't gaining something from it. Vongola had no reasons to do it, not unless she became Vongola Decimo and legally - or illegally, it was the mafia after all- claim Mukuro as hers.
All options were bad and left a dirty bitter taste in her mouth, Mukuro will no doubt hate it. She will have to talk to him the next time they meet to clarify the situation in case Vongola acted on its own accord and mess things up.
"What do you want to know?" She asked after a few minutes of silent ranting in her head, knowing that it was her turn to answer.
"Your relationship with the Varia squad. I need to know what we could potentially face"
Tsuna hummed and shifted once more on her seat. All those memories were still fresh in her mind, having relieved them for the past few days. Most of them were so clear, vivid and happy while some of them, she just wished to never remember.
"Do you remember I told you that I lived in Italy for two years?" She asked although Reborn already knew that, it was just her nerves doing the talking. "I lived in Nono's summer house with my mom. Iemitsu wanted the family close, so he convinced mom to move to Italy so that we could all be together. It's not like it worked, he spent most of the days busy with work and we barely saw him on the weekends."
She huffed at that. Oh, her mother was so happy when they moved, blindly thinking that her husband would have dinner with them and wake the next day to have breakfast together. But he didn't. Instead, they were left alone in that big house with the man appearing every once in the blue moon.
"But one day, Iemitsu brought me to Vongola's main headquarters to see where 'dear father' worked and the foolish man left me alone in a waiting room. I was bored and curious, so I went to explore. That's when I met Xanxus"
A little girl meets a grumpy teen with red eyes in a desolated hallway. And instead of screaming from her part or pushing her away from his, they stared at each other as if they were curious and mysterious creatures.
"Everyone in the mansion was so frightened of him, but I wasn't" Her lips unconsciously curled up in a smile as she recalled the maids' expressions when they saw her strolling behind the brooding teen like a little duck trailing behind its mother. "He told me about the Mafia straight away, told me what Vongola was and opened my eyes to underworld life"
Reborn frowned a little at that, because right now, in her eyes, Xanxus was the one who told her the truth right away instead of lying like everyone else was doing. By the nostalgic tone in her voice and the little smile on her face, it was obvious that she held that man on a pedestal. It was something troublesome.
"He sometimes went to the summer house or I would go to his manor after school. We used to spend the afternoons sleeping in and having dinner together. Mom knows him, you know?" She suddenly said. "She knows everyone…"
She hushed down when the subway stopped to let more people in. It was late, so there were just workers filling in to go home. Even though there were empty seats around her, no one seemed to want to approach her, even if they were dead tired. Probably Reborn's doing.
"Keep going" He ushered her after the train started moving again. It wouldn't be long until they reach her stop.
"Two weeks went by and I already looked up to him as my big brother"
"If only Dino could hear this" He said, and thought how the blond would react knowing that his self-proclaimed little sister considered someone else as a big brother instead of him.
"Dino knows"
Double backstabber! Reborn blinked at her with silent annoyance.
"It's not like he was trying to hide it, it just never came up…" She argued weekly. "He was schoolmates with Squalo. And Squalo was my nanny so we had a lot of tea parties at the summer house"
The hitman didn't know how to respond to that, so he urged her silently to continue.
"Eventually, Xanxus started gathering his guardians and it was inevitable when I met them all"
"Varia"
"I met them one by one, and somehow I was accepted by them. You could say, I was a bunny in a den of carnivores, but I wasn't scared. To me, they were my friends… they were family"
She sighed with a heavy heart that even Reborn could feel it.
"Bel and Mammon practically lived with me in the summer house. And after school, Squalo would come over to tutor me in Italian. I was in an art school, so I had a lot of fun with Lussuria and as for Levi and Ottavio… Well, I terrorized Levi a lot, but I didn't saw Ottavio much. It confused me no to see him at the reunion, actually"
"That's because he is dead"
"What?" She straightened up in shock. She wasn't even close to that man as to feel pain by his sudden passing, but it was surprising because she did not know about that. She didn't know a lot of things, apparently.
"I didn't gather much, but he worked with Varia's previous leader Tyr. Apparently, he was the one who told Vongola about Xanxus' coup d'état plan before it happened. If you want my guess…"
"Varia killed him" She concluded dryly "A traitor is a traitor in the end"
"Why would you be a traitor to them?" He questioned, because that was what was driving the brunette crazy. Of her betraying them. He wanted to know and understand how exactly she was betraying them when it was inked in her blood?
"They trained me and taught me how to survive…" She said "You ask why they call me a traitor? Because when I was there, in Italy, with them, I didn't know anything about my connection with Vongola. I thought I was just a normal girl who lived with the most powerful people in the world, I looked up to Xanxus, more than a brother, I looked up to him as my leader. I swore loyalty to him, Reborn"
She breathed out and blinked fast so that the burn in her eyes would go away.
"I swore that when he became Vongola Decimo, I would be by his side. That's why I can't fight him. And it hurts to fight him like this, for something I never wanted"
"But you have to"
"It's not like I want to" She shook her head angrily as she stood up when the train stopped and quickly made her way out of the wagon and into the streets. Reborn had jumped on her shoulder the moment she moved, and remained silent until the brunette had walked some couple of streets to calm down.
He didn't want to end their conversation in a grave tone, not when they still had a lot more to discuss, but he needed her to understand the risk of the situation.
"Do you know why all of Nono's sons were killed?" He asked quietly and mentally reminded himself to ask another time if she actually knew them too.
"Enemy attacks" She murmured.
"Because Vongola is a bloody famiglia and the position to be the next boss is cursed. Anyone wants that power, doesn't matter if you have to kill to get it"
"Xanxus won't kill me" And she said it with so much confidence that Reborn didn't know if it was her intuition or her naivety talking.
"Perhaps." He said "But the Mafia can"
And they will.
.
.
.
Wednesday, 7:40 am.
"Juudaime!" Gokudera greeted her as soon as she walked inside the classroom with Kyoko.
"Hey" She smiled and noted that his face had gained another band-aid "How's the training going?"
"It's going" He shrugged as if it wasn't tedious, not wanting to worry her or show a weak side in front of her.
"Please don't push yourself" She told him as they walked towards their seats. Knowing Gokudera, he will probably push himself to his limit in a not-so-healthy way.
"I won't." Yet he still promised "How's Juudaime's training going?"
"It's…" She paused at her question with a slight grimace "It's going"
Reborn disappeared as soon as she made it to Kyoko's house where she was warmly welcomed. After a delicious dinner, the orange-haired girl made her take a warm shower and helped her put some ointment on her ankles for sore muscles that she stole from her brother's bag. Tsuna wasn't stumbling, but Kyoko was able to see how tense she was when walking.
And yes, she was forced to wear a ruffled pink nightgown with hearts printed all over it. Kyoko could be mean when she wanted to, it sometimes surprised Tsuna.
She also texted her mother, lying -why was that a common word nowadays? - and telling her that due to a school project she was staying with Kyoko. Her mother did not mention her father nor did she ask for her to come home. She probably doesn't know that Tsuna is aware that Iemitsu is back and is probably drinking beer on the living room floor. It was cruel for her to act like that, but so long as her mother didn't ask her to come, she was not returning home.
On a side note, she didn't have any trouble falling asleep or waking in the middle of the night. Sleeping somewhere else with the pressure of the fights should have kept her paranoid through all the night, but surprisingly she had a very good rest. No dreams or nightmares plagued her mind, so she was really angry when Ryohei woke them up with his loud yelling.
"Where's the baseball idiot anyway?" Gokudera asked as he looked around the classroom for said boy.
"Oh, you do miss him" She teased him with a smile and bit back a giggle at his expression.
"What? No!" He exclaimed with a bit of an angry blush on his cheeks.
"Don't worry, you will see your best friend tomorrow"
"He is not my best friend" He crossed his arms and turned his face to hide a scowl "I don't want to see him ever again"
He wasn't going to come, early that morning he sent her a message telling her that he was skipping to train some new moves with his father and that she shouldn't be mad about his decision. Tsuna was mad, but it's not like she could force him to stop once he made his mind.
She was considering talking to him and revealing everything about the mafia so that he could step back before it was too late. But she had a feeling that when he finds how deep into the underworld both Gokudera and her were, he was going to follow them with his stupid bright smile.
She sighed. Maybe she should skip school too. Tomorrow was the first fight and she has no idea who was going to be chosen. It's not like her intuition could see the future, or if it can, then it wasn't working properly.
Coming to school was probably a bad idea, through all the day, both Gokudera and her remained restless and didn't pay attention to class at all. It gained a lot of suspicious looks, mostly because Yamamoto wasn't in class and they were acting very nervous and fidgeting and as soon as classes were over, they rushed in separate ways.
Unfortunately for Tsuna, because she was out of spare clothes and uniforms, she will have to go to her home later at night to pack a bag. It was only good luck that she had a spare Phys Ed. uniform - and an extra sports bra - hidden in the disciplinary committee office. And it was so embarrassing that Kyoya kept them there! Seriously, why?!
She was blushing and muttering as she walked out of school, Reborn didn't comment on that but he was having fun at her embarrassment. As they stepped out of the gates, they were met with Basil. The poor boy must have had trouble finding his way around, it was a good thing they met at a local point like the school and not in the middle of the forest. He will surely get lost if that was the case.
"Greetings! Signorina Tsunayuuki" He smiled and bowed respectfully at her, gaining many weird looks from onlookers.
"I told you Tsuna is fine" She patted his shoulder to make him stand up. "Who taught you Japanese, by the way? It's a bit out-dated"
"My master! He's a great boss and respectful leader! Thou must be blessed to have him as thy father"
"My… father"
Right, Dino mentioned that he was the leader of some organization allied with Vongola. So he refused the title as a mafia boss so that he could be the boss and mentor of another kid? It wasn't fair, but she wanted to snarl and punch the awestruck smile away from Basil's face. It was mean, she knew that. But she couldn't stop the ugly feeling of bitterness from blooming in her chest. She didn't know what she could have said next, if it weren't for Reborn tugging at her hair to stop it.
She sighed and nodded at Basil who kept talking and gushing in weird Japanese patterns about her father's heroic deeds and leadership moments as they started to make their way to the training grounds. Through all the way to the mountains, Basil kept talking and asking her questions, and although she did her best to be polite, some of her answers were short and a bit bitter.
Once they made it towards the same cliff from yesterday's training, Tsuna reached a limit point. She really didn't want to hear how Iemitsu resolved a conflict with a Latin American Cartel or his mentoring towards Basil, so she took the chance to turn around and start unbuttoning her school blouse.
"-and then he intercepted another drug traffickers near the border and-Oh! Oh, I'm sorry! S-Signorina, you shouldn't remove thy c-clothes! It's not proper for a lady!"
Basil exclaimed with a high-pitched tone at the end of his voice as he quickly shut and covered his eyes and turned around while Tsuna continued changing into her Phys Ed. uniform in silence.
"You're cruel, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn told her with a smirk.
"I don't know what you're talking about" She muttered back as she finished wrapping her hair in a messy bun. "Basil, it's fine. You can look now"
The boy did so with a red face and so very slowly, he removed his hands from his eyes to make sure that she was indeed dressed.
"That was really scandalous, Signorina! Thou must be the most careful!"
"Sorry, the flames sometimes burn my clothes so I got used to it" And she was wearing a shirt, what was cruel about that?
"R-Right" Basil cleared his throat "Thou have tried the pills?"
"Yesterday. Is there something else I should know?"
"I have tested that taking more than two pills per day can cause a headache"
"So you can only enter hyper mode once a day?" Reborn asked, taking note of that.
"Yes"
It limited them greatly if that was the case, knowing Tsuna's luck, she could faint with a migraine if she takes more than four pills. But it was for the better, they will just have to do with what they got.
"Warm up a little. And Basil, don't hold back or she'll kick your butt"
Tsuna almost snorted at the hitman's comment and Basil's skittish look. She didn't know what kind of tales her father told him about her, probably that she was a magical princess or some shit like that. And she will not feel any bit bad about breaking that Mary-sue image she appears to have.
After stretching for some minutes, Tsuna walked a few meters away from the edge of the cliff all while ignoring Reborn's dead stare. She wasn't going to do it, not today. Probably not for a while, or ever. She has never dreamed of flying like a superhero so she was not curious or even brave enough to try it.
Basil didn't wait for any order, as soon as they had stopped on a small clearing, he swallowed two pills and Tsuna watched in surprise as a blue flame bloomed on his head. She didn't know much about this whole technique, but she had taken for granted that only the sky flame could do it.
"I have never seen someone else entering dying will mode" She told him. The best way to train the hyper dying will mode was to fight with someone who could wield it. Tsuna didn't want to fight, she would gladly return to her Achilles training but she didn't think Reborn would be more lenient to her than he already was.
"Thy father was really surprised too!" Basil exclaimed happily and his eyes shone with pride.
All this talk about her father and his relationship with the boy was making her sick. She didn't want to fall into the line of jealousy, she wouldn't. It was petty and useless and she didn't want to waste her time thinking about her father. She didn't wait another second before slipping in her gloves, swallowing the pills and letting the flames consume her.
"Tsuna, you're the attacker. Break Basil's defence" Reborn commanded her and Tsuna dashed forwards. She didn't give Basil a moment to think and immediately had him on the ground by a faint punch that made way for a roundhouse kick.
"Don't take her lightly" Reborn reminded him. Poor kid, he thought. He will have to step in just in case the brunette tries to commit murder.
"R-Right" Basil nodded and stood up, brandishing a metal boomerang and igniting it with his blue flames. For the next 30 minutes, he held his ground and managed to keep his defence up. Reborn gave a few remarks for both of them but let them mark their own pace.
Because Tsuna was on the offensive side, Basil didn't use his weapon but to defend himself in blocking or misdirecting the brunette's flaming fists.
Tsuna wasn't playing with him, but she wasn't exactly attacking with enough force. It seems like she was tasting something, because when Basil's suddenly changed into offence when Tsuna left an opening, he noted that the brunette had been listening to her intuition and saw the attack coming before it was even there. She dodged and had Basil on the floor once again.
That was good. Her intuition can warn her beforehand so that she could be prepared, but if she concentrated sorely on that, she could miss her chance to attack or be attacked in return. Time was going to be vital in the battle against Xanxus, Tsuna needed to face him head-on instead of him pushing his attacks like a game of cat and mouse.
Basil recovered quickly and in a silent agreement, they shifted their dynamics with the boy trying to land a hit on her. Her legs must probably be aching from yesterday's training, but she did her best in jumping and dodging. The boomerang attack came as a surprise and Tsuna was able to duck in time, but as it went it came, and it almost hit the back of her head if she hadn't crouched down.
"Don't rush blindly. Look where his attack will come" He told her "Xanxus fights with dual guns, you need to watch both angles"
One hour turned into two, and when the blazing sun was starting to set, Reborn finished their training with Basil for today. The poor boy was panting and slightly bruised, the brunette wasn't holding back her punches and that was good. It didn't matter if it was a friendly match or a training spar, Tsuna needed to measure her own strength.
And she also proved his theory correct. She was able to glide for a couple of seconds as she dodged the incoming attacks. With that aerial mobility, she could have a great advantage in dodging Xanxus's gunshots. Jumping wouldn't just do, she will need to fly soon.
"That's all for today" He called them to stop and they both slowed down. And like, yay! Tsuna listened on the first call. That was good progress.
"T-that… that was intense" Basil said as he sat on the ground, panting and releasing his dying will mode.
"It seems like my student is training you" Reborn told him as he walked towards them. He didn't know how experienced the boy was with fighting, seeing as he had some areas to improve but he wasn't all that bad.
"Signorina Tsunayuuki is amazing!"
"It's nothing" She shrugged, still with the sky flame on her head although she had better control of her reactions now that she was standing still.
"Basil, how long does the pill effect last?"
"Oh, actually, I have no idea. I can release the effect whenever I will for it" He told them and started at Tsuna who was frowning softly and looking to the side.
"Can you keep it up?" Reborn asked her. They still had more training to do and he wanted to see how far she could go. At his question, Tsuna clenched and unclenched her hands until the fire there disappeared and left her with nothing but the sky flame in her head. Sighing quietly, she nodded at him.
"Thanks, Basil, you can leave now. We'll meet here tomorrow, same time"
"Of course" He stood up with a huge smile, not minding his battered appearance "I bid you farewell, Signorina Tsunayuuki. Have a pleasant night"
They watched him leave and when he was sure the boy was out of sight, the hitman turned towards his frowning student.
"Dame-Tsuna"
"I'm fine" She reassured him and removed her white t-shirt as her body was starting to feel slightly overheated.
"You think you can turn it off on your own?" He asked with a frown of his own as he stared at the orange flickering flame in her head as if it was waving to the wind.
"I think so" It wasn't 100% reassurance, but they will have to deal with it when they get there.
"Wrap this around your ankles and then put the weights. You're climbing down" He handed her some bandages and when the brunette sat down on the ground to remove her shoes, Leon jumped in front of her and transferred into some green ankle weights.
She didn't have much experience in wrapping wounds, but she did her best to wrap both ankles properly so that her feet weren't numb and had mobility. Once she felt comfortable by wiggling her toes, she slid her shoes back on and put Leon around her ankles.
It was heavy, she could already feel the strain in her muscles as she started to walk around to get used to the added weight. It was a bit hard and it was tiring for her tired body, but by the time the sun had bled into nighttime, and her flame disappeared in tiny ember wisps, Tsuna was exhausted.
She had climbed and jumped and did some drills to strengthen her ankles and calves, and it hurt so much that she was really stumbling to reach the river bank to wash the dirt away from her body. Leon had released her by that point and had clawed his way to her shoulder. He was probably waiting for her to fall so that he could transform into a cushion or a pillow.
Tsuna was blindly trusting him because her legs were trembling even if she was standing by the shore. She didn't trust her feet to stand on slippery rocks at night with the way her body was and she already changed into her school uniform after washing the sweat and most of the dirt off, so a dunk into cold water was a very bad idea.
She was just leaning down to cup some water to bring to her face when she felt it, the tiny needles biting her skin and down her back, a shudder of hot flame licking her skin and the whisper of a raging siren clawing in her mind.
T̶s̴u̷-̶ ̷o̴u̸t̵!̸
"R-Reborn" She called him a bit shaky and when the hitman turned it was to see the brunette trying to stop a nosebleed.
"It's not the bullet" He frowned and walked closer to her to assess her state.
"No" She confirmed "It's the flames"
"How do you feel?"
"Hot" She swallowed hard and breathed harshly through her mouth as her nose kept dripping all over her face and clothes "But it's not as before"
"That was a three hours mark" He noted to himself "With the bullet, it was less"
Way less. But it was still something, they had gained a significant amount of three hours for Tsuna to train the flames and a limit time for her fight. They will definitely have to step it up if she was going to be fighting the clock instead of Xanxus. But it was still troublesome, because yesterday was fine, so why now? What triggered it? Was it the strain or the adrenaline of the fight that pushed her flames to burn more?
Tsuna might hate it, but they need to keep training to find a reason and a possible solution. This couldn't go on like this, it wasn't healthy.
"I'm okay, I'm okay" Tsuna muttered as she knelt carefully and washed her bloody hands in the river. The light from the moon was bright and lit enough for it to reveal her haggard face in the water. It was a scary image, her skin too pale that one might say the moon had painted it white with it's light and the only contrast was the blood covering half of her face.
She brought a shaky hand to the cool water and cupped some to clean her chin and nose.
"If it's mine… why does it hurt?" She whispered to the night.
"Because you shouldn't have it"
The man had answered.
Was it really that simple?
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Eventually, she had to go home for a change of clothes.
Leon had changed into a walking cane to help her make her way out of the forest and eventually the mountain without tripping. Tsuna was warmed by the little action, which made Reborn accuse her of stealing his beloved pet. They argued all the way back to her house about Leon's rights and custody, for the little chameleon had taken a great liking to Tsuna over the past few months, helping her and cheering her up in his little ways.
Tsuna wanted a pet, but she couldn't have Leon, the hitman argued back. She already had a stray cat to look after, so stealing someone's pets was something low, even in the mafia.
He obviously made that up, but it distracted her enough that before she realized it, she was standing in front of her house with her hair in disarray, blood on her shirt and legs filled with bruises. It was a very worrying sight for anyone who saw her and she was lucky that no neighbour spotted her.
But the fact still remained that she was going to have to walk inside her house, looking like she was just assaulted. She considered sneaking in from the backyard, but as her fingers gripped the door's knob, a sense of relief washed over her for a moment.
"Mom's not here?" She whispered but Reborn merely shrugged and jumped from her shoulder when the door opened.
She peered inside, noting that there was no light coming from the hallway and kitchen. It was after dinner time, so her mother must have surely still been in the kitchen or folding clothes in the living room while the kids refused to sleep. Her intuition was calm, and she knew that if something had happened to her mother, hyper intuition or not, she would have felt it.
But it was still weird that not even the kids were creating a ruckus. Taking the opportunity to slip in without causing a scene, she closed the door behind her and made her way towards the stairs to head to her room. But just as she was about to take the first place, her shoulders tensed and her body froze despite her intuition alerting her of the presence standing under the living room door.
"Tsunayuuki" Iemitsu called her.
His voice, God, his voice… Tsuna didn't remember how it sounded anymore. It's just been so long since she last heard it. Her lips parted and her eyes moved sideways to see him without actually staring at his face. His tall silhouette almost reached the door's frame, he had to actually lean down. And just that stance made her remember how he used to hit his forehead whenever he was home, here. So very long ago.
She scrunched her nose in distress. She couldn't do it. Not now.
"It's Tsuna"
"Tsuna-fish-
Tsuna didn't bother to hear whatever he was going to say, she practically bolted upstairs as fast as she could and almost crashed into Bianchi who was coming out from the guest room. Bianchi stared at her appearance in shock before rushing towards her and grabbing her shoulders as she looked all over her body for any signs of injuries.
"Tsuna dear!"
"I'm okay, it was a nosebleed" She reassured her "Where's mom?"
"She went out for some ice cream with the kids"
"Alone?" She almost growled, but her heart was still beating like crazy and her voice came out like a strangled whimper.
"You're shaking"
"Bianchi" Tsuna looked at her with conflicted eyes "Can you poison him?"
"It won't be hard" Bianchi frowned at her in worry "But Tsuna, stay the night. You're beaten. I will heat you some dinner, okay? You don't have to come down, just stay"
"Okay…"
It's not what she wanted to do. It's not what she came here for. But her body was close to collapsing and she needed a moment to breathe so as soon as Bianchi walked downstairs, Tsuna practically locked herself in her room.
She slid down against the door and covered her eyes. She wasn't going to cry, not over him. He wasn't worth the effort. And yet she still felt so guilty for wanting to do so. Was it horrible that you wanted to hate someone? To hate a family member? She felt awful just thinking about it, but her heart couldn't handle all these emotions. If hearing his voice triggered her like this, she didn't want to think what she would do if she stood in front of him, face to face.
Probably break down into heart-wrenching sobbing or point a gun at him. Maybe both.
One thing was for sure, she needed to get away if only to be able to breathe properly without fearing for her mother returning and being forced to socialize in a family get together. She just couldn't.
So she uncovered her eyes and stared at the window with determined eyes.
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Iemitsu sighed heavily when the brunette dashed upstairs. To be truthful, it went better than he expected. He had prepared himself for his daughter to scream at him or try to kick him out of the house, and he felt relieved that she didn't burst into tears. His heart wouldn't be able to handle that again.
He lifted the half-empty bottle of beer that he was carrying and took a big gulp of the bitter beverage to soothe down the aching in his chest.
"What are you doing here?" Reborn asked as he walked around the hallway and Iemitsu had to think really hard just what type of training the hitman was forcing into her daughter for her to come home, late at night with a bloody shirt and bruised legs.
"Why, I came to support my Tsuna-fish in her battle!"
"What about Nono?" The hitman asked and Iemitsu frowned.
"We have turned the mansion upside down, he's not there" He told him "I have a team on standby. I won't accuse without having proof, but it might be possible that Varia had something to do with his disappearance"
"And Cervello?"
"I know them. It was me who sent them as a neutral party" He confessed and at Reborn's impassive expression he swallowed down another gulp of beer before explaining better "The Varia will never agree to terms if it was a Vongola representative overlooking the match. And this way, it also saves Tsuna the trouble in case they tried to play dirty"
Just then, Bianchi came down the stairs. She didn't spare Iemitsu a glance, but she did welcome Reborn back as she made her way to the kitchen while tugging some silicone gloves over her hands, probably to heat some food for the brunette. That was good, she needed something warm after all the intense training she did. She said she went to the hospital, and they must have given her some medicine. He will have to ask about that too tomorrow to create a diet plan.
"How is she, by the way?" Iemitsu asked after a moment of silence. Reborn blinked at him, as if dissecting him with his eyes so he took another sip from the bottle to avoid making eye contact.
"Well, your daughter gave your apprentice a strip show and she shot herself in the head to make a declaration of war. What does that tell you?"
Iemitsu spat his beer at that.
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It was easy to sneak out now that she has done it before and knew the way. She had to wait until Bianchi returned with some mushroom cream soup so that she wouldn't worry and she was lucky that her mom and the kids were taking long on their way back. Tsuna wasn't worried about them, her intuition never flared in danger or warning.
So after drinking her plate empty she changed into comfortable clothing, reminding herself that she needed a proper bath, and sat on her window ledge. It wasn't that high, she has been jumping higher distances in her training, but she will be doing this jump without flames, and one bad landing can cost her both ankles.
However, she found it easier to want to jump to her garden from her window than standing on top of a cliff in hopes of flying down. Ridiculous, her mind was a mess to make a comparison like that but she still didn't feel scared when she started climbing down past her small balcony railing and towards the roof. She must be crazy for doing this, but once she was at the edge of the roof, all it took was a little push before gravity pulled her down and her feet landed on the grass before she was even aware of the impact.
Her sore ankles groaned at the force, begging for her to rest but she freaking did it! She swallowed down a tiny giggle of success at her own accomplishment. Though she grimaced as soon as she stood up as her legs trembled, but it was fine, nothing was broken and she could walk with a slight discomfort.
She should probably grow some ivy near her bedroom wall or hide a folding stair in case she needs to sneak out again. It should be easier to climb down instead of jumping, and she needs to be careful not to make it a habit. She will give her mother a heart attack if she finds out.
She looked at the night sky in serene peace as she walked towards the nearest park. It was a bit chilly outside but her intuition prepared her beforehand so the cotton hoodie she was wearing was a warm shield against the cold wind. Her legs still burned as she walked, and even if she has bruises now, the aching wasn't as bad as it was yesterday. In Reborn's words, she just needed to keep training and get her muscles and bones used to the harsh treatment until it stops hurting.
Evil Reborn, she muttered to herself. His training methods were not what she expected and part of them were more for his own amusement. He wanted to turn her into a flying chicken on fire and expect her to win against Xanxus? Ridiculous.
As she reached the park, she sat in one of the benches and brought her knees up to her chest. Leaning her head back, she kept staring at the stars and thinking of anything else but Xanxus and her father. Oh, right, she needed to talk with Lambo. She has to put him out of this mess before it was too late. She can't let him fight the Varia, it was insane to let a little kid fight a mafia battle like this.
She hummed softly and stayed in silence despite her intuition warning her of someone approaching. The presence felt just as before, the nostalgic feeling of a summer storm mixing with the sudden urge to punch him, but her body was too tired to move.
"I don't want to fight" She whispered.
"Not gonna fight" Bel whispered back, sitting next to her and leaning his head back to mirror her position.
They stayed like that for minutes, just staring at the night sky silence. Tsuna felt calm and sleepy now by the sudden warmth seeping through her side that was leaning against his. She shouldn't really get closer with 'the enemy' but no one was there to judge, and even if they were, Tsuna wouldn't care. So when the self-proclaimed prince didn't move, she sighed softly, bringing her sight back to earth and rested her head over his shoulder.
"You were spying me"
"Shishishi, you ran from home knowing assassins are after you"
"I know you won't hurt me"
"The princess it's too naive" Bel sniggered and shifted to rest his head over hers, sprawling his legs wider and just sagging back into the bench.
Lazy, she muttered but all she received was a knee bumping into her foot, for she was still hugging her knees.
The silence with Bel was strange and almost nonexistent, back when they were kids, they spent whole afternoons and nights and some mornings just screaming and laughing and wreaking havoc to the point of Squalo having to lock them in opposite sides of the house with threats and sometimes chains involved. But these quiet moments with him were nice too. Nice, but a bit sad too. Knowing that she lost six years of her life without him and everyone else she left in Italy.
"Hey…" Bel suddenly whispered and Tsuna hummed back in question. "Give up the ring"
At his request, her shoulders rose and she lowered her feet to the ground to turn and see him better. She couldn't see his eyes, but she was sure he was frowning at her.
"If you give it up, there won't be any fights. You can come back to us, we can protect you!"
"It's not that simple" She shook her head sadly.
"I don't understand you!" He exclaimed angrily as he stood up "You don't want to be Vongola Decimo, yet you refuse to surrender the ring? Why?! Is it because of him? The man you are looking for?"
"How did you…" She whispered and stared at Bel in shock. He couldn't possibly be implying… could he? did he...?
"...You suck at hacking" The blond muttered "The prince had to hack you back to erase all the traces and bugs"
"W-Wait… wait a minute, you…" She shook her head as she stood up to stand in front of him and let the words sink in. All this time? Was she truly the only one left in the dark?
"You bastard!" She snarled angrily and pushed him away "You spied on me?! You hacked me and left me alone? You never called to know how I was, if I was even alive! You knew Nono told me Xanxus was dead, you knew I was broken by that! And you have the nerve to call me a traitor?! Just how could you?"
She breathed out harshly and her chest constricted in pain at holding back a sob, or a scream, she didn't care and couldn't think what she was feeling inside. She was just angry and hurt and it's something that she has been feeling for the past days and she was sick of it! She was sick of people betraying her, of lying to her. Her closest people, Bel doing this to her? She just couldn't grasp the idea that he...
"Fuck" Tsuna turned to walk away but Bel launched forward, grabbing her arms and preventing her from leaving.
"No"
"Let go of me!" She kicked him hard on the shin and tried to break free from his grip but the blond persisted and held her tighter.
"Listen to the prince"
"What!?" She screamed and her shoulders fell in defeat "What?"
"I didn't want to hurt you" He confessed quietly and so very slowly released his grip on her arms once he was sure she wouldn't run away. "The prince thought it was best to leave you, after… I wanted to keep you safe"
"That's bullshit" She cried, because that's the last thing she wanted.
She felt so alone and lost, broken and terrified. She lost herself, she couldn't trust anyone, couldn't even try to be friends with someone at school. It was a slow and agonising process of healing, and even now, the cracks were still there, rough and pointy edges stabbing at her whenever she so much as to let herself be happy.
She can't handle another heartbreak, can't handle any more lies.
And now Bel was doing the same? Going behind her back, stealing her information, lying and ignoring her for years. Was it her fault? Did she make people want to keep secrets from her, because she was doing the same? Or did they find it amusing to see her break when learning of their deceits? She just couldn't understand.
Things come apart so easily when they have been held together with lies. And that's exactly what was happening to her life. Her reality and beliefs were crumbling at her feet to reveal ugly facts and bitter truths of things she used to believe and trust.
Everything in her world went wrong with a lie. And after that moment, everything changed. The secrets from what she thought was her life just kept haunting her like a ghost to a grave. Was this meant to be her punishment?
"That time… I was betrayed by someone I trusted. And it fucking hurt"
She could feel the way Bel flinched at her words, and it reminded her of how horrible that night was for both of them. With him finding her gone and Tsuna living a nightmare until she awoke one week later. They didn't have a proper goodbye, if she was in a hysterical fit, then Bel was close to a psychotic rage, covered in blood and being restrained by Squalo and Mammon as they took her away. And now they were reunited and instead of happy and teasing smiles, there were screams and bitter tears.
Things will never be the same, it was impossible. So much had happened and there was a lot going on for things to go back to normal. But she wanted to, she longed for it so much. She was a fool, a naive little girl who dreamed of a happy life and was scared of being alone despite pushing people away from her. And that was her truth. She didn't want to let them go, even if it hurt.
"You will have to earn it back" She whispered.
"I will"
Bel hugged her close and Tsuna let her tears fall while clenching his shoulders tightly in a childish fear of him pulling a joke on her and disappearing. It still hurts, and she will have to talk with him about everything he knew, but she swallowed the pain for now and let the storm in her heart turn into sprinkles.
Must all her nights end up in tears?
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To be continued in part II…
So, chapters 1 through 4 have been successfully rewritten. No major changes, just the grammar structure has been fixed. (Or at least its way better than it was when first written). Sorry for all the bad years with bad grammar and kudos to y'all for staying despite that.
As a second note, Tsuna has a lot of emotional baggage that we'll slowly - and I mean slowly - start to unravel. So be patient with her.