A/N:

@animeanimal12: Thanks. Good luck with Spanish though.

@crystalputri: Take a guess who will get the first contract with Tsuna. :)

@twilightserius: Nah. They won't come. But Tsuna will come to them.

Thanks for the comments. And faves. Anyways... Onwards with the chapter.

Chapter Nine

Tsuna raged. Oh he's angry alright. Four meetings, and no Reborn showed up. How the heck did that happened? The demon told him that he's going back to Fiant after three days of staying with him when he recovered. When he went to Fiant, to the lake, the man didn't show up. He asked the fishes on the second meet, and they answered him truthfully that they don't know where he is. He did on the third meet and on the fourth meet. Crude. He is so angry.

But he is also worried. His head is nagging at him to look for the man who hadn't showed up for two months. He can think of many scenarios but mostly being killed or getting bored with Tsuna. His intuition is leaning on the former though. He doubts that.

Tsuna isn't really the impatient one. He was known to have the longest patience when it comes to waiting. But when it comes to Reborn, God have mercy on him, he bolted out of Professor Harold's summoning class and ran towards the Blood tower. He ran so fast that he leaped inside it, not even listening to the watchers heeds.

Before they can even catch up to him, he ran towards his right where the direction of lake is. He ran as much as his legs can carry him. He didn't bother go to the lake and greet the fishes. They too grew depressed because of Reborn's absence. They're used to their presence every fourteenth day of the month. And he didn't want to make them sadder with the stunt he did. Oh hell with Madam Cara. She can kick his butt off, after he's done with his mission though.

He stopped and placed a hand on the tree beside him to catch some air. His eyes flitted around before he looked up when his intuition nudged him. Eyes planted on the tree is staring down at him. He made a small sound of 'oh' before he smiled and waved at him while still panting.

"May I?" He asked. The tree's eyes closed. He took that as a yes and sat down.

Tsuna started to look around, not used to that part of the forest. He begun to worry that he might see some semi who attacked them months ago, not that he will back down from finding Reborn and know what happened to him. After ten minutes or so, he stood up, patted the tree in good nature attitude before he started to walk onwards. He stops momentarily to wave at some common demons who either waves back or run away. He doesn't have a grudge to those who does the latter.

He started to follow his intuition, giving him nudges here and there. He doesn't know how many hours he spent walking in the forest since he can't see the sky and the inside is pretty dark due to the leaves covering the view because their trees are pretty tall. He did stop to eat some of his snack bars when he felt hungry before walking again. He wasn't one to get tired when walking is the subject, except when the place is uphill and he needs to hike without any bags and all. He doesn't want that honestly. He's tired from running (he's not gonna run again for three months), surely don't wanna experience panting anytime and he wants to lay down.

But he needs to find Reborn first.

His jaw dropped when he arrived in a clearing and saw the sky full of stars. If he calculated right, it's midnight already. Heck. He didn't know the forest is that big! He really was sure that when he bolted out of the room, it was past ten in the morning. Was he that absorbed in the forest that he didn't really check the time? And why was he not attacked?

Tsuna edged away from the forest and looked back. There are eyes, alright. But not scary. Just... Curious? He scratched his head and face to the direction he had to go. Though he blinked when he saw a lengthy two story house. It's bright with all the lights inside, though some are off, and the one at the porch. He hissed when he felt his head nudging him to go and approach, but warning him about something too. Just when he was about to step in, he saw three shadows lurking around the house. He tensed up and drew out his ready-made papers, not even caring if he's trespassing or he's putting his nose on something not his business.

He made a swift run to the nearest, making his movement light and fast as possible. He quietly murmured the incantation of a high barrier just to be sure before he struck out. Using a small amount of strength, he delivered a chop on the other's nape, caught him when about to fall before placing the tag. He went for another hunt.

He rushed to his next target and fought him hand to hand. The only sound in the air was the rustle of the grass they've been disturbing and the painful smack of skin against skin. He didn't let the other give him any injuries even if it's dark though. It was fine. He's good at this kind of environment. Before long, he was able to slung the other over him and give him a good punch in the face. He placed a tag before going to the last one.

He was about to turn to a corner when an arm tried to choke him. He gasped and gritted his teeth. Thinking of ways to get out of the situation, he first assessed his attacker. Stronger, taller and probably much experienced. But nothing can beat the old way of escaping things. The fancy yet tricky way.

He flailed his hand before smacking the other to its eyes, earning a yelp of pain. With force, Tsuna was able to break free from the still strong hold before he kicked the other between the legs causing him to kneel and about to give a finishing blow if only the door didn't open and a stream of light went out. Tsuna was left in act of poising for a side kick with his right leg up.

"Shit! That hurts kora!" His attacker complained.

Tsuna blinked before he brought down his leg and inclined his head to the right. "You aren't one of them."

"Of course I'm not kora!" His attacker, a blond, answered back.

"Ah. Sorry. I was looking for a dinosaur humanoid." Tsuna apologized before he looked around. "Did you got it?"

"Killed it." Tsuna tensed up on that. And the blond caught up with it. "What? You didn't?"

"The two are in a high barrier."

"The two might have already broke it."

Tsuna shook his head. "Doubt it. I knocked them out first before I put the tag."

The brunet stared as the man in front of him gaped at him in bewilderment.

"Just what the hell is going on in here?" Tsuna glanced at the woman who is standing by the door.

"Sorry. You were being attacked so I kinda helped out." The brunet apologized. "And sorry about him. We caught each other off guard so we kinda had a hit off."

"What?!" The woman shouted.

"It's okay, Lal." The blond said as he stood up. "I could use some ice though."

"I'll get it." A Chinese looking man, who was looking from the inside, chirped and went in the house.

"Who are you?" The woman asked Tsuna.

Tsuna looked thoughtful before he opened his mouth. "Won't it be stupid of me to tell you my name?" Both stared at him. "You're both strangers. If possible high ranking demons. It will be bad for me to tell you my name. I'd rather go back to the forest and see a nice demon tree that might let me stay on its roots to sleep."

"You just said your plans." The blond said.

Tsuna smiled. "But didn't really said which direction, what tree and what time I'll sleep."

"You're a human?!" The woman shouted in realization.

"Yes."

"Lal? Why are you shouting in-" Another voice called yet stopped when he made appearance by the door and looked at him with surprise. "Tsuna!"

The called brunet blinked before beaming. "Skull! Good to see you again!"

"Good to see you too! What are you doing here- Wait. Let me rephrase that. What the fuck are you doing here in Fiant and in past midnight?!"

Tsuna smiled sheepishly. "I was looking for someone and walked through the forest. I couldn't see the sky so I lost track of time."

"Goodness." Skull facepalmed before looking at Lal and the blond. "Can we invite him inside? I don't think he's okay with the cold."

"Oh I'm fine." Tsuna waved off dismissively. "I just need to find my way back to the portal."

"No. You stay." Lal said as she walked in. "You were able to beat Colonnello, so you stay."

"Let's go in, kora. No use arguing or declining her offer." The blond, now Colonnello said as clasped a hand on Tsuna's shoulder, not minding the lowkey insult of the woman. "You give one hell of a kick in the groin, kid."

"Nothing beats old school tactics." Tsuna muttered under his breathe.

"Please don't let me seat on the couch. I'll fall asleep." Tsuna requested that Skull and Colonnello heard.

Skull smiled and ushered him to the kitchen. "Oh sure. No worries."

"Is there any problem?" Lal asked to Colonnello as Skull attended the brunet.

"He apparently doesn't want to sleep, kora." The blond answered as he accepted an ice pack from Fon. "Thanks kora."

"You're welcome." Fon answered.

"He's quite interesting." Lal said in hushed voice. "He was able to put down two semi and Colonnello."

Colonnello winced. "He used the old way of escaping an arm choke. I thought he was even gonna cut my head off with a sharp kick. If I was any human, I would have already died."

"Hmm..." Fon hummed.

"What a powerful barrier."

"Those semi are unconscious for the rest of the night. That idiot did a good job."

Colonnello felt a tick mark appear on his head as two figures emerged from the back door. "Who are you calling an idiot, Reborn kora?!"

A clatter was heard. All attention went to Tsuna who started to pick up the pieces of mug he dropped. They watched the brunet smile to Skull who fussed over him. To even see the cloud panic and be hospitable, which is way out of his passive demeanor, is something they haven't seen before.

The two new arrival took a peek inside the kitchen. They didn't miss how Reborn's eyes widened just as Tsuna turned around to look at them. The other's eyes widened too and went for a full beam that was cut short when the demon in black burst into angry aura.

"What are you doing here?!" Reborn asked in his angry voice.

They instinctively backed away from the strongest demon.

"I was searching for you." Eyes widened at Tsuna's response.

"You could've waited-"

"For the fourteenth day? Yeah. And waste my time again. You didn't show up for two months, Reborn. Of course I'll get worried." Tsuna cut him off.

"It's not a good excuse for you to come here and search for me."

"Well, it is for me." The other spat back before he took a deep breathe and eyed Reborn with molten amber eyes they just noticed. "Look, I'm sorry if I spent my time walking inside the forest just to search for you because I got worried that you would have died or fatally injured. My fish friends were pretty upset that one of their constant companions aren't there. They thought you got fed up with their teasing and constant chatter with me. And since your literally alive and kicking, not even bothering to check those people who worries about you, I want to head out if you'll excuse me."

"Tsuna-"

"Thank you for the hospitality." The brunet parted smoothly, cutting off Skull's wanting to reason, before he fluidly evaded their bodies and went out of the house with a soft click of the door.

Silence filled the house. All eyes going back and forth from Reborn to the door. They can't stop these nagging voices in their heads that they just witnessed a lovers' quarrel although it's more on the friendship side...? (Colonnello and Skull leans on the former with the other occupants of the house, except Reborn though). Reborn, on the other hand, is eerily quiet. As if still in shock of what he saw, he heard and just happened.

They all turned to the stairs when a door opened and an impassive Verde came out. He casually looked at the time in the opposite wall and sighed. Just what did happen for the greatest scientist of the world who rarely sigh let out a breathe?

"You do know that he's a human, and it's nearly one in midnight." Verde said as he leans on the railings, eyes trained on the man in black clothes. "I wonder if he has a place to stay in or just wondering around, attracting demons on his way and before you know, he's gone-"

"Fuck!" Reborn cussed out and ran towards the door, threw it open and gone.

"That was my first time hearing him curse." Colonnello pointed out.

Lal scoffed. "That was his first time losing his composure."

Fon looked at Verde. "Do you have to be that cruel?"

"What? That stupid will only hole up in his room if I didn't say those. We all know how hard headed and emotionally bottled up that creature is." Verde offhandedly replied with a small quirk of lips.

"Man. I thought I was hearing a lovers' quarrel with all new content." Skull said lightly.

Fon sighed. "I agree. But he is rather brave to cross the forest just for Reborn."

Skull bit his tongue when he was about to say, 'I can sense a bit of underlying insecurity on the words though.'

"Who was that?" Viper asked, out loud instead.

"Tsunayoshi Sawada " Skull replied as he set another mug of chocolate drink on the table. "The person who wrote those four essays we enjoyed reading and the person who summoned me months ago."

"What?!"

He knew something was wrong when he heard rustlings outside the house. Three loud ones and a light steps. Those movements are hard to sense if you're any normal demon. But they chose to build the house in the middle of a clearing just to hear the unconcealed noises just like those. No one can escape him, and them even in midnight.

When he went out of his room and met most of his friends in the hallway, he knew something was up. He can still hear the steps. But instead of the first four, there's only three left. He watched as Colonnello silently run down the stairs with Lal not far behind, while he and Viper went for the backdoor. When they inspected, they found barrier captured and unconscious demons. Who did those isn't in their group, and pretty talented to knock out semis who looks like level seven, and used a high barrier. But Reborn can recognize the tag, the handwriting and the way of knocking out his enemy. But he shook his head. Impossible.

Oh how wrong he was.

After helping Viper put the semis to their underground for some interrogation, they went in. They found Fon, Lal and Colonnello huddled by the dining room's doorway.

"What a powerful barrier." He heard Viper commented. And this guy rarely says any compliment.

"Those semi are unconscious for the rest of the night. That idiot did a good job." He commented back, amused a little.

"Who are you calling an idiot, Reborn kora?!" Colonnello yelled, obviously ticked off.

He was about to retort a good one when they heard something hit the floor and shattered. His gut pulled him to go there, he did out of curiosity (his gut never failed him so he follows) since no one in the house shatters dishes anymore. When he got to the entrance, he saw a familiar fluffy brown hair, and a petite figure of a young man. Slowly, horror and glee grew inside his stomach as he registered the Saint Academy black uniform and the brown eyes that stared at him with surprise.

Reborn cursed in Latin as he remembered how Tsuna talked, what was his words and how he looked rejected under the strong front he showed when he argued. It was his first time losing an argument. But instead of being mad at it, he feels proud since he expected that from a bookworm Tsuna. However, he didn't expect this outcome. Running blind inside the forest to chase the brunet who felt so insecure because of a stupid demon.

"Tsuna! Where are you?!" He called out, but eyes of different demons glanced at him and looked away. "Fuck. How the heck am I gonna track a kid without an aura-"

Reborn's mind lit a bulb. He remembers Tsuna saying he was regarded to have a sky affinity. Pretty rare and not that hard to sense, except if Tsuna is pressing the aura down. That kid is a quick learner.

Eventually, Reborn closed his eyes and focused. He drew his senses in and flared his aura, searching for something. Searching for a specific sky flames. Specific person who is so worried of him to the point that-

He's crying.

Reborn's heart thumped painfully inside his heart. After getting a good grip on the boy's aura, he let himself turn to his animal form, a big raven with ebony feathers and pitless black eyes, and took off. He flapped his wings harder and felt himself go faster. In results, he felt himself getting nearer to the sky. Then he saw a small figure, hunched and sitting on a tree's root. He went down with the wind flattering around him before he slowly descended in the ground.

Tsuna looked up and gave him a sinfully teary eyes. They held so much pain, so much understanding from something he doesn't know but he knew it's directed to him. And it gently and surely broke his heart as he watched the glistening tears stream down his cheeks.

"D-Don't come any nearer." Tsuna sobbed out, wiping his face with his uniform sleeves. "Don't come..."

Reborn saw how the demon tree curled around Tsuna. It obviously liked the brunet and held sympathy with him to the point that it gave the raven a stinky glare. Reborn watched and waited. He'll wait for Tsuna. He'll wait like how the brunet waited for him for four meetings he didn't show up. Stupid. Stupid Reborn and his overthinking mind.

Yes. He didn't go to the lake because he thought he was becoming too attached. He itched every fourteenth day to go, but he stayed firm, planted himself inside the house either sleeping or reading a book. But reading reminds him so much of Tsuna to the point that he can't help reading the first essay he received and the other three again. It was a miracle that the others didn't notice his change of behavior. God. He consumed three cups of coffee in a day, that becomes five when it's fourteenth. Screw him getting attached, he's already knees deep.

He adores Tsuna and his little quirkiness. He likes the double personality. And he wants to protect the brunet who haven't realized that he gives so much for the sake of other people he barely knows.

Minutes passed, sobs, sniffles and hiccups are the only thing that can be heard. Reborn watched with breaking heart and bit down his urge to at least soothe the young man's worries away. He needs to wait. And he didn't wait that long.

"Y-You're Reborn, right?" Tsuna asked as he stared at the raven.

Reborn nodded.

The brunet patted the tree with a broken smile. "Thank you." The tree went back to its original position. "Y-You didn't have to come."

He cooed.

"I mean I know why you didn't come in the lake." Tsuna looked away, Reborn thinks the child will burst to crying again. "And I understand. It's common for someone to feel like that. Don't worry. I'm not upset. I got over it already."

Reborn knew that was a lie. He hadn't got over it.

"You can go now. The trees and demons will guide me to the campsite." Tsuna stood up and brushed away the dirt on his pants. "I hope you'll be fine and-"

Reborn let himself morph to his human form and walked towards the brunet.

"Uh-"

"Don't say it." Reborn whispered before he hugged the young man. "Don't say it, Tsuna."

"Say what?" The brunet asked, curious. Always curious.

"That word."

"Oh. Goodbye?" Reborn buttheaded him. "Ow! What was that for?!"

"I told you not to say it!"

"I was just taking a guess! That was unnecessary!" Tsuna complained.

Reborn was about to say a rebuttal but he decided to suffocate the kid with his hug instead. "I'm sorry, Tsuna. I'm so sorry for my selfishness."

He felt arms hug him back and hands gripped his coat from behind. "No. Thank you for coming all this way. It was dangerous and stupid for me to search for you in an unknown place and arrive by midnight. I really didn't notice the time. And I got so worried that you might be dead or something. I just got to see you breathing, Reborn. And that's good enough for me."

"I made you feel insecurities."

"You did. I thought you got bored of me or I was too boring that's why you didn't show up anymore. Even the fishes were depressed because you aren't there to ask about the book I read, or give me something I can babble about. God. I can't express how I missed you."

Reborn hugged him tighter as his heart flattered at the words.

Reborn came back with Tsuna on his back. The brunet is asleep from exhaustion. The others were pretty much dumped when they saw him sleeping. They wanted to meet the guy who has so much insight in regards to their race. But Reborn did promise that they'll talk to him in the morning. They retired in their rooms, not missing the way their friend possessively put the kid inside his own quarters.

Tsuna woke up with something warm pressed on him. He snuggles closer and hugged his heater. The heavy thing on his waist pulled him closer too and something nuzzled on his hair. The brunet sighed in relief.

He doesn't care if he's hugging Reborn. Yeah. He remembers every single thing that happened yesterday and on the midnight. He's not that stupid to forget what happened, he would if he is too dizzy and bashed his head that hard to the wall. He knows he should be ashamed or even embarrassed about what he said to Reborn. But who cares? He's the one talking, he's the one who missed Reborn the most.

"Morning, Tsuna." A baritone voice greeted.

"Let me sleep." He mumbled.

Tsuna can almost imagine the demon rolling his eyes. "You hardly go back to sleep once you wake up."

He pulled away and glared at Reborn. "Fine."

"No. Come here, human."

Tsuna struggled but the taller person between them won. He gave up and hugged the man by his shoulders and buried his face on the other's neck. He breathed in the unusual scent of gunpowder, smoke and coffee. Soon, Reborn sat up with him in tow, cradling him like a child. He didn't open his eyes.

After ten minutes of just sitting like that, Tsuna opened his eyes and linked away from Reborn. The demon let him go and ran a hand through his own hair. Tsuna stared at him before raising a hand and touched the man's locks. He made an 'o' with his mouth before patting Reborn's head and ran his hand on them, then he tousled it like an old man does to a kid.

"They're unbelievably soft!" Tsuna commented with a giddy smile on his lips. "What shampoo do you use? What's the scent- Ah wait! Let me figure that out!"

Reborn almost lost his balance when Tsuna straddled him on his knees and reached for the head. The man suppressed a shudder of something when he heard the brunet sniffing his hair. Different scenarios and thoughts ran in his head and they sounded... Lewd. He shook his head and hugged the young man when the latter giggled.

He really needs to check his sexual frustrations.

"Who would have thought that the strongest demon I met has watermelon scented shampoo?" Tsuna teased.

Reborn felt an irk mark on his left temple before he touched the sides of the brunet. "What did you just say, you little maggot?"

"Oh nothing." Tsuna hummed.

Reborn went for revenge by tickling the other. The brunet let go of him and started to struggle as he laughed and begged the man to stop. But the demon is really adamant on taking his revenge. He teased Tsuna who laughed so merrily while teasing back instead of begging him to stop like at first. They didn't even noticed how intimate their position was.

And that's what Viper saw when he barged inside the room. He was radiating angry vibes because of all the noise, but stopped in his track when he noticed the two. Reborn is between the brunet legs. The latter's hands are pinned over his head, his friend's other hand is on the revealed skin of a shirt that hiked up due to some activity, and they were both panting and flushed. Viper blushed hard as the two stared at him in surprise.

"I'm sorry." He apologized before he closed the door.

Tsuna looked at Reborn and wiggled his eyebrows with a teasing smile. "How does second round sounds?"

Reborn bonked him in the head, already getting the hidden message on that one tease.