A/N:
@animeanimal12: Eh... I wonder how the audience will react too. Nope. not a psychic. Just doing the same thing when I have a writer's block.
Yo. Can someone help user AnimeManga738? He/She is obviously having a trouble reading Chapter 6 and 7. Just say remove the story, then add it again on his library if he's using the app? I know you know how it feels to see blank chapters when you're anticipating a good update. Cause I really know how frustrating that can be. So yeah. Help him out.
Anyways. I just love to disappoint expectations. Onwards.
Chapter Eight
The whole room burned in fire as Reborn stared at Tsuna with mischief. The cold they felt a while ago vanished and replaced by unbearable heat. It's as if the room is right before the blazing sun. And the only ones unaffected are the brunet and the demon who appeared.
"What?" Reborn asked before looking at him properly. "Are you in the middle of a battle?"
"I am. And you just appeared out of nowhere." Tsuna replied, a hand on his bleeding chest. "Why are you here anyway? And I'm not gonna ask how the heck you crossed the Mundane."
Reborn chuckled. "You called, Tsuna. I only came out of curiosity. I didn't even know that you're in Mundane. I thought you're in the lake. No wonder it felt strange since it's only been nine days."
"Yeah yeah. Now out of the way. I have to finish this."
"With that condition?"
"What? It's not like-" Tsuna coughed out blood and sagged a little out of exhaustion. "Maybe not. I'm gonna die."
"Don't exaggerate." Reborn huffed as he closed the portal he used and approached Tsuna.
The heat in the room vanished. All of them was able to breathe again.
"Well, you are going to die at this rate." The man assented.
"I told you so." The young man murmured.
"Don't get smartypants on me."
"I did not." Tsuna pouted.
"Hey! Are you done?! We have a fight to finish-"
Tsuna didn't have time to tell Reborn not to attack. The demon's gun materialized on his hand and aimed without even looking and pulled the trigger without hesitation. A burst of light went out of the gun and hit the dragon's tail. The latter howled in pain. And the brunet smacked the man on the arm and gave him a stern look that the latter answered with a questioning gaze.
The brunet took out his pen and fished an handkerchief on Reborn's inner pocket. The demon murmured 'pervert' with a teasing smirk. Tsuna only turned way before writing exorcism on the hankie and pulled himself with the use of Reborn's arm. The demon accompanied the young brunet by putting his arm around the latter's waist and made their way to the howling humanoid. They stopped in front of the semi, Tsuna raised the seal in front of the demon.
"I seek refuge-" Reborn stared at Tsuna who has his eyes closed when he said those words. "-to the Grace who never forsake."
The demon in man's disguise watched as the letters slowly lit up.
"I seek refuge to the Grace who forgives."
Reborn started to listen on every word of the silent prayer for an exorcism to a semi-demon.
"I seek refuge to the Grace who fortify faith." The hankie started to lit as he says the next lines. "I pray for your guidance. I pray for you pardon."
The dragon humanoid stopped howling as he glowed up slowly, eyes widening as he stared at the brunet in front of him.
"As I banish the evil one who desired, yet deprived." And with that, Tsuna opened his eyes showing orange colored ones.
The humanoid slowly brightened up. From his toes, he became small lighting particles. Tsuna smiled as he leaned on Reborn's arm, surely exhausted with his exorcism. He watched as the dragon looked at him with amazement.
"Come back when you're regenerated and healed up." Tsuna said in a small slurred voice. "Then tell me if you feel different once you reached Fiant. I'm not confident with that spell yet."
"Yes. Thank you." The dragon expressed with a smile before he vanished.
The brunet sighed deeply. "Now, let's go-"
And everything was black.
Reborn immediately swung Tsuna's arm around his neck and carried the brunet in his arms. He held in tight, considering the latter's weight. The child is light, almost as if he never eats. The man blinked, realizing that he never saw Tsuna eat any big, yet he didn't say about being a picky eater.
He removed his attention on the child in his arms and looked around. He quickly ran and jumped, landed on the steel barricade encaging the arena before leaping again until he's in front of Hana who was already gathering the things they needed for their little friend. Reborn put the young man on the cot and was about to step back when he felt a sudden tug. It was Tsuna's hand gripping the end of his coat.
Kyoko, if he remembers right, provided him a seat before helping Hana attend the immovable brunet. He sat down, leaned back and watched everything as they unfold.
"I told him to come, but no! He insisted on being okay and his injuries are not life threatening." Hana ranted on as she dabbed cotton soaked with alcohol on the brunet's chest wound. "I am so gonna heal you up and beat you to pulp for declining every single damn thing I suggested."
"Hana-chan tried to persuade Tsuna-kun to talk to you about the battles he had today." Kyouko explained. "She also tried to tell him to at least call the demon he had summoned once, but he still refused. Hibari-san-"
Reborn tried to recall the name Hibari in their past conversation. He could only decipher the name as 'little brother who is two years older than Tsuna'.
"-offered his summon, Mukuro-kun. But he still declined. He said he'd rather die in the battle field than have a summon." Kyouko tightened the bandage, making the brunet wince in his sleep. "So far, he was able to overcome seven battles, including the one he concluded with an exorcism just now."
"If it wasn't because of you, this idiot would have been dead by now." Hana added on as she changes Tsuna's upper clothe. "He's lightly patched up. I'm not an expert but you need to put him in the infirmary."
"I tried to heal the small wounds. The problems now are his thigh, chest, side, the cracked ribs and the back." Kyouko informed.
Reborn stood up and picked the brunet from the cot. "I'll take care of him. Direct me to his room."
"I'll take you, Carnivore." Reborn peered behind him to see a tall noiret in Saint Academy uniform with tonfas in hands. "Follow."
"Thank you, Hibari-san!" Kyouko expressed enthusiastically as they moved out of the nurse's station.
He almost said 'Ah'. 'So this is Hibari.'
Reborn observed how every student in the stadium stirred away from them. Their eyes warily flit from him, to Hibari then Tsuna. They looked scared and ready to run in case of something happens. But what something? Hibari rampaging since he's so tense and his aura is radiating? Or him going out of control because of what happened to Tsuna? Or the brunet in his arms that looks like very alert and ready to sprang up for a fight?
Reborn followed Hibari out of the auditorium and to the hallways. They made tons of turn and straights until they reached a corridor of many doors. He suspected that this is the dorms. The noiret went on and stop in front of a door before opening it. The first that came to his mind was the smell of orange, papers and ink. And when he entered, he saw the neatest room he ever seen for his entire life.
He cautiously stepped in went for one of the bed by the end of room. He perceived it as Tsuna's since the smell of orange comes from there. He never really considered his companion's smell. He was more focused on how he acts and how his expression changes. He turned to Hibari and nodded, the latter nodded, stared at Tsuna before going on his way and closed the door behind him.
Reborn sat on the bed after draping the blanket over the young man and looked around. Everywhere is stacked by books. Some were collecting dusts, others have paper markers on them. He wonders where Tsuna get these books. There are papers on a desk and many pens and bottles of ink on a shelf. He has drawers here and there, but nothing extravagant. Reborn isn't really sensitive, but he could feel how lonely Tsuna is even with his friends with him.
He decided to look around and pick a book he found interesting. He should be wandering around the school to see a better look at the Mundane world since it's been centuries since the last time he was here. But he couldn't find himself leave the child alone in the massive dorm. So he decided to seat on the bed and lean back on the head rest as he started to read the book.
"Did you know that the book you're reading was written by longhand before they printed it?" Reborn looked sideways to see Tsuna with his arm covering his eyes. "The author was a left-y and loved to write instead of using digital technologies. He was able to produce nine books in his lifetime before he died. And his debut book is the one you're halfway reading right now."
"You should be resting." Reborn pointed out.
"I'm fine. Nothing to worry about." The brunet dismissed as he sat up and went out of his bed. "I need to change."
Reborn watched the kid fumble around, a hand on his bleeding chest. He saw the kid grimace in pain whenever he reached out. Sighing, he closed the book he was holding, stood up and strode towards Tsuna. The brunet stared at him with curiosity. He dismissed that and took a hold of the other's shirt. He removed the shirt and inspected the damage done on him.
"You have a lot of injuries and you insisted on being fine." Reborn pointed out as he put a hand on the brunet's wound. "He almost took your chest out."
"He was ordered to kill me, not incapacitate me." Tsuna uttered before wincing when he felt heat. "That hurts."
"I'm healing it a little. And your back. You won't be able to change your bottoms if I don't." The demon responded.
"Thank you."
"For someone who is almost dying, you can be very stubborn."
"Aren't all dying people stubborn?" The young man pointed out. "I need to eat. I'm freaking hungry."
He let Tsuna change into something proper. Mostly a shirt and a pants, like the pattern he noticed when he first met the child. The brunet started to limp towards his door and walked out, he followed suit and about to close the door when he saw it vandalized.
'Demon'
'Get out!'
'Conceited!'
And many other things Reborn can't see Tsuna as one. He closed the door and walked behind the limping human, thinking about the words on the door and why they call the brunet those. When they entered the crowded hallway, Tsuna was regarded as a plague. People stir away from, some are even trembling in fear. They couldn't see Reborn since he made himself invisible like most demons are. He walked beside Tsuna and saw how the brunet looked straight with a bored, dull eyes, very opposite to the bright ones he got used to. Then he realized that this is his chance to see the Tsuna he never see outside the confines of the lake.
When they entered the cafeteria, the noisy room became quiet. Reborn saw Hana stood up from her seat and a red head squeaked in worry. Tsuna seems to never mind them as he continued his way to the buffet, only to be stopped by a guy with white hair.
"If it isn't Sawada. I thought you're dead already." The guy sneered lightly.
Reborn almost whistled when he noticed how Tsuna's stance became relax. "If I was, you won't see me here."
"Sometimes your cockiness makes you meet death."
"I agree." Reborn said, not that anyone will hear him. Well, except for a certain brunet that jerked his head to his direction, surprising him.
"Hn." And Tsuna tried to bypass him, only to be touched by the shoulder. "Honestly, Lu Zing. I'm not in the mood. I'm hungry and I need to eat."
"Who the fuck cares about your hunger?" The guys smirked.
Reborn pulled his hat down when Tsuna smirked. "I do."
The demon watched as Tsuna kicked the back of Lu Zing's knee, making the Chinese tumble at the sudden jerk, and take the hand on his shoulder and twisted it. Tsuna's smirk widened as they heard a pop and a cry of pain before the brunet let go of the guy. Reborn took three steps back as Tsuna rounded his shoulder and blocked an attack of a tiger demon with his arm, then kicked the semi to the side. He inclined his head to the side, eyeing the other possible attacker, daring them. Stupid enough, they took the bait.
He watched how Tsuna fought with ferocity. Like a lion putting his clawed paw on his land, claiming it and defending it. The problem is, Tsuna isn't making a territory, he's proving something they thought he can't. Who knew that the delinquent of Saint Academy can be very vicious when hungry and as strong as he was after a few hours of sleep? Reborn suspects that Tsuna may or may not have experienced worst than this.
"Okay! Calm down, Sawada!" A tall noiret placated as he held Tsuna armpits by hooking his arms around them. "You're hungry right? Let's go eat. They have plenty for you."
"But I'm not done yet-"
"No. You are done. And you're going to eat." Hana said with full authority, scowling at the brunet who sunk and sulked. "Don't give me that. You almost died three hours ago and now you're already moving."
"But they attacked first."
"The committee will take care of them." Hibari, who suddenly walked in, said as his men took every single human.
"Tsuna cut their ties again." A red head pipped while looking around for contract signs.
Reborn quirked an eyebrow at that.
"Ah! Wait!" Tsuna said as he held a hand high to the tiger demon. "Appease to ease. Release the nexus. Untie the wreathe. I order you to unbind."
Reborn felt a sudden shift and watched Lu Zing writhe in pain as the mark in his forearm burns away. The demon tiger though is unharmed and confused.
"Hah! That should do them!" Tsuna cackled evilly.
"Let's go." Hana dragged the noiret holding Tsuna. "If he doesn't eat any sooner, he'll get worse than this."
"Oh sure." The tall noiret agrees.
Reborn followed them, sneaking food on the plate they carry for Tsuna to eat. The brunet, who is able to see him, stares at him and the food he puts on the plate. When they let him seat on his table and went away from him, the brunet separated the things he put on the plate and patted the seat beside him. He obliged.
Tsuna has three plates full of food, the fourth one is the silver ware Reborn had in front of him. Whenever he is almost finished, the brunet will nudge the other plates to him and urges him to take some, and he does. Quietly, they eat. He observes under his hat what the brunet eats, what he put in his mouth first, what expression he makes when he eat a certain food. So far, the young man eats everything. Maybe because he is really hungry, and in need of energy after all the fights and brawls he did. Reborn finds himself worrying about the wounds though.
"I have an abnormal fast recovery." Tsuna said while he ate pasta. "I discovered it when I was... Five? When I fell of a cliff, but survived? I also have a good reserve of stamina since I was... Trained to run fast when I was a kid."
"You were bullied."
The brunet smiled and nodded. "Quick catch. They're two of the reasons why I can fight like crazy even when injured."
"Is talking to me like this normal? Aren't you worried that your schoolmates might see you as a freak?"
"They already see me as one. It's a common occurance for me to talk to demons they can't see. It's the reason why I have this table all by myself. They thought I can see ghosts, demons, fairies, etcetera, so they don't want to seat with me. I got tired of trying to tell them that those I talk to don't stay that much, but they said I was a freak, so I let it go. Nothing much will happen anyway."
"Even Hana?"
"Yeah. And she has her own set of colleagues, why sit with me? But she did understand that I can see invisible things, and told me that it was a compensation for my lack of aura. And now that I'm told to have sky aura, I think it's just associated with it."
"What?"
Tsuna looked at him. "They told me I have sky aura. And I didn't believe so."
"Why the sudden announcement?"
"I know. Not like they can manipulate me just because have it. And I don't care. I'm not going to have a summon even if I have an affinity."
Reborn heard his heart broke at that. But he pushed it away. He accompanied Tsuna to his room and watched as the brunet fell to his bed with a bounce and sighed in content. He returned to his spot a while ago and took the book he was reading. Before he knew it, his companion is already asleep. He decided to tuck the young man under the covers before going back to his book.
"Madam Cara." Headmaster Angelo called with authority.
Reborn barely held himself back as he watched Tsuna look away from the higher ups of the Academy. The brunet received so many smacks and slaps from the guidance before the headmaster intervened. Despite the bangs shadowing the child's eyes, he can see the unshed tears that are forming.
He didn't stop himself from standing beside the young man and hooked his pinky with the other's pinky. Tsuna looked at him, eyes red and surprised. Reborn just tipped his hat down. He really is grateful for Tsuna's ability to see through invisibility.
They stood there as the three decided to argue. Two against one. When the woman started to insult Tsuna, the demon let go of Tsuna's pinky, swiftly went behind him and cover his ears. He felt the other tensed up at the close proximity of their body. He can't help chuckling as he pressed his chest on the lad's back. That made Tsuna squeak silently in response. He can feel heat on the ears.
Even when the insults and cursing died down, Reborn didn't remove his hands on the brunet's ears until the three stopped talking. He only removed it when the chancellor addressed him.
"Huh?" Tsuna asked again. "Pardon?"
"Who was that demon who helped you yesterday?"
"Oh. That was my friend." He answered, putting his hand behind him and reached for Reborn's hand that felt warm against his cold one. "He said I called his name, so he came."
"He is not your summon then?" Angelo asked.
"Yes." Tsuna responded.
"You insolent little recommendation! You are a sky and the fact that you did not take any summons is a disgrace for any sky wielders-"
"Sometimes I can feel my patience snapping, Madam Cara." Tsuna said in dangerously low voice. "If I am a sky, I will announce it to the world that you don't deserve a bond with me nor any skies. I reject you."
Madam Cara's jaw slacked at the rejection.
"And what if I am a recommendation. I am only here because I made a promise to my family. Did you know that Sawadas aren't really forgiving? How I imagine my mother burning the castle because of how you countlessly insulted and slapped me."
"Then leave you demon!" Reborn's hand clutched the brunet's hand tightly.
"I will." Tsuna smirked. "Let's see how Ganauche will react."
"Sawada." The headmaster called, pleading. "Don't mind Madam Cara."
"Heh. But my friend minded her already."
Reborn let himself be seen, tipped his hat and greeted. "Chaos."
"What do you think, Reborn?"
"Hmm..." He hummed before tugging Tsuna to leave. "Let's not waste our time here. I want to go to Fiant. All people here are worse than Satan."
"You are being treated like this because you're a recommendation." Reborn said out of the blue.
He and Tsuna are inside the dorm. Reborn got a hold of how people inside the academy treat Tsuna. The brunet took it in stride, not even bothering to look at them. He can now see how 'cool' Tsuna is whenever he's outside the dorm, or out of Reborn's confines. What he really admire is the way Tsuna can control his emotions better. Yes, he lash out on bullies (they saw one student getting bullied and Tsuna stepped up), but that doesn't mean he's violent. He has his tendencies to be very scary while calm when he looked at the people who attacked him yesternight.
Tsuna is the epitome of human demon. But he disagree because the brunet considers his little brother as the real demon of Saint Academy. Too humble.
But Reborn did not like how those higher ups treat Tsuna. He can see the professors adore the young man but those three infuriates him. How he barely stopped himself from killing them.
"Yes." Tsuna mumbled as he buried his face on the pillow. "God. I hate this academy."
"Then why don't you get out?"
"I have reasons."
Reborn closed the new book he was reading and crossed his arms. "Enlighten me."
"One, I promised my family that I will go home with a title. Two I can't leave Hana-chan and Hibari. They'll kill me. Three, you're here. I can't leave you." Tsuna groaned while the demon blushed. "You're as important as my books. Or even my life. And you're the greatest friend I could have. You even stayed with me."
"Hmm..." Tsuna peered at him and beamed. Reborn huffed. "Don't smile at me like that."
"Why? Am I that handsome to look at?"
The demon pushed the human's head on the pillow. "Shut up and sleep already."
Tsuna's laughter rang inside the dorm. Reborn could only smile at the nice sound.