A/N:

@ChuLian, @Yana5, @Rydia16: Thanks for the comments too.

@LavaLilly: How did Reborn became bottom? xD

Ah. I just wanna warn you that I might not be able to update next weekend or something...? Or for four weekends (I'm dreading the fact that it will take a month). But I'll really try to do so even though I'm prohibited to touch my phone at that point of time. Forgive me, but I promise to make it up to ya. Like eight chapters in two days (right after the 4th dreading weekend. So I'll do it on the 5th weekend. God. I cannot imagine myself unable to read anything for a month)...?

Sorry. Really. And I warned you...

Anyways, onwards.

Chapter Twelve

Reborn stared at the demon before him under the shadows of his fedora. Naked and snarling, cannot determine if one is a foe or a friend. And Tsuna was so interested to this wild demon.

The brunet was left with Skull and Fon today. He did excuse himself so the kid won't worry. It's been a week since the attack, and Tsuna is steadily recovering. The kid even estimated the time when his wound will become a newly made scar that itches a lot. He was so enthusiastic about it that he even made a bet with Verde who didn't believe him.

He was also interacting with others so well. Verde who is usually silent is always arguing with the brunet about certain topics that the hitman may or may not connect with. Sometimes Viper sides with either of the two, keeping tracks with their arguments. Sometimes, the kid will ask the most ridiculous questions (like who would ask which is better between a ponytail or a bun for a hairstyle?), the others will take it a stride and argue about it for two hours, digress at one or two points before going to the topic once Colonnello or Skull mention it again. It will end by a fact given by one of them and get to a good conclusion of never bringing it up again. Reborn and Lal will only sigh in exasperation while Fon will laugh merrily.

They are bonding under the sky. It has been millennia since they felt this. Being close to each other, talking about one common thing. Reborn can see himself talking to Verde or Fon after years of not speaking to them. Even Viper stopped counting and fretting about his money. Skull went to share his things and not secretive anymore. Lal and Colonnello, who are siblings, are going for a bond after decades of not doing things with each other.

It's not that they stopped doing things they loved after Luce, their previous sky, died. They just got so used to things that they started to drift away. The house is nearly empty anyway. And the only one time they were able to be together was the night Tsuna came to Fiant to search for Reborn (He is still flattered about that).

"Where is the sky?" A dark voice asked, shaking Reborn out of his musings. "The human who is always sitting on our table. Where is he?" Bermuda asked.

Reborn tossed some clothes to the new level demon, instead of answering. "Clothe yourself first."

"I did not ask for those."

"And I will not let you meet the human until you're properly dressed." Reborn hissed.

The demon glared at him before taking the clothes. It looks like it's a peculiar one since he was able to do the task without difficulty. He wore the articles like he had done the thing almost all the time. After being dressed properly, Reborn removed himself from the wall and walked a little nearer to the new level demon.

Bermuda, as what Tsuna named him, has the same build as him, as well as height. He is probably a little stronger since he has wild demonic powers, stronger than the blond arcobaleno (Reborn surely knows that Colonnello will throw a fit about this) and lived in the Mundane world. He looked casual in his all black attire, even his hair is black. He could almost look like the hitman if it wasn't for the face and the noble aura on the demon. Most likely because he was exposed to the old ways of the world.

"Where is the sky?" Bermuda asked again, hands gripping on the bars of his little prison.

"He's bedridden." Reborn answered, knowing the other is talking about Tsuna.

"I remembered pushing him off. I hurt him, did I?" The demon asked, face morphed into a snarl. The hitman wonders why the other is feeling regrets. "I should've known it was him. That human is too nice for his own good."

"You knew him since what?"

"Since the day he entered the academy." The other answered. The hitman felt a twinge of envy in his heart. "The kid was the first human to see me and my other companions. He usually reprimands others from setting in his table because we were there first and he only excused himself to dine with us."

Reborn didn't say anything for seconds. "Have you known?"

"That he's a sky? No. But I always wanted to come for his aid regardless of how useless I am. He did tell me to stop because he doesn't want me to get hurt." Bermuda cursed in Latin, hateful and worried. "That human gives too much and cares too much. Why can't others see how good he is and regards him like a delinquent?"

"He likes it that way."

Bermuda sucked air, trying to control his emotions.

"Bermuda." The other demon looked at him with dark blue eyes. "That's what he called you."

"He named me after a grass." The other deadpanned, making Reborn bark out a laughter.

"He said you smelled like grass when you were going to attack him." The other tensed at the word 'attack'. "I won't forgive you for attacking him. He is my human regardless of how many years, months or even days you know him in the Academy. But that doesn't mean he can't forgive you. That kid understands you. I don't even know how can he be that comprehensive of everything even if he almost died in the hands of humans and demons alike."

Bermuda sighed, tired of something. "Sometimes, I just want to tell him to be cruel to others. But I know that won't do."

Reborn stared at the demon before covering his eyes with his hat. "That kid is pretty powerful and influential. To make us talk this casually even though I should be killing you for almost killing him."

Bermuda visibly grimaced. "I apologize. I wasn't aware of my actions. I was worried of him for not turning up in our usual table for days. I heard some humans threatening to kill him in his sleep. I wanted to protect him, but I did the total opposite."

Reborn almost saluted the demon for being like this. "Would you want to see him again?"

"If I can." The other said without missing a beat.

"You need to control your powers and find your animal counter part. As much as I heard, that human assumed you were a semi because of the miasma covering you. But you are actually a level one who jumped to level eight in one day."

"I will do my best." Bermuda promised with conviction.

Reborn nodded and was about to leave when the other called him again. "What?"

"Who are you? I've seen you twice with him."

The hitman smirked. "Chaos. I am Reborn, the strongest demon among the Arcobalenos and in Fiant. Known to be the greatest hitman in the Mundane world."

The hitman marvelled the awestruck expression on Bermuda's face before he left the other for his own devices.

Lal remembers how she was teleported from Fiant to the Mundane world without even thinking.

She was cleaning her gun when she felt a strong sky aura calling for hers. It was screaming and begging for help even though it felt like the owner is just hoping, and understands if she doesn't come. Of how can an aura connect those feelings with others, she doesn't know.

Luce's aura isn't like that. It was stong, beautiful and home. But it wasn't that emotional and understanding. Luce's sky is always expecting, knowing. But the sky who reached out is silently hoping, accepting. And she answered his call, and was teleported.

The transition of places was something. It was fast, accepting any help the owner of the aura could get. Armed with only her hand gun, two magazines of different sizes and her last minute armalite, she was shoved to a battle she hadn't done for a while.

She noticed the wrecked room she's in. It looks like a classroom with the chairs and tables thrown aside and crushed by something. One of the windows is broken, something crashed on it to get in. An attacking demon is being engaged by Reborn who shot two to three bullet before letting Fon and Viper take over the fight. She didn't miss the human lady that is inside a barrier, obviously a strong one for it withstood the demon's attack. Then when she caught a glimpse on her back, her jaw dropped.

Tsunayoshi Sawada, the kid who walked in their house in the middle of the night and had an argument with Reborn, is drenched in blood and being held by a human much older than him. An unusual dread pooled in her stomach but she relaxed a little after hearing deep breathes from the kid. She doesn't know why but she doesn't want that human to die.

"Lal! Take the lady to safety!" Reborn ordered.

She nodded. "Yeah."

The first thing the human lady did was ask about Tsuna. She wasn't crying though. She was scowling and looked angry. Lal almost thought that this kind of attack is frequent. If only she knew that it wasn't the attack that never fazed the noirette lady. It was the danger the brunet is always in that's making her worry. Who knew that the brunet is much important than the situation itself?

Lal assured her that he is okay since Reborn took him. The worry eased a little but it was still evident. After escorting the human out, she went in again. Skull is in his hulk mode and in wrestling match with the rapidly rising level demon. She took her armalite and aimed, then fired with fast succession, never missing the target. It obviously didn't work, but it became a good distraction. Enough for Viper to trap the demon, with Fon and Skull subduing it with brute force. Colonnello, with gathered rain energy in his palms, shot a rain bullet on the demon, creating a loud 'bang'. That made their fellow creature lost consciousness. Skull let out a cry of victory. Viper encased them to a box and teleported back to Fiant.

"Damn. Who knew Tsuna is that strong to summon us?" Skull laughed as Colonnello and Fon hauled the demon's arms over their shoulders and took him inside the house.

"Tsuna? He's the sky?" Lal questioned, wary.

Skull nodded. "Yeah. He is the only one who is not a lightning there. The lady you took to safety and the old man are all lightning. Tsuna is the only one who isn't. He's a sky."

"Skull." Viper called as he floats toward them. "Reborn is calling you. Tsuna is in dire situation."

"Shit." The cloud cursed before disappearing.

They didn't talk about it much after the cloud disappeared to the Mundane world. But Lal knew they can't stall. Skull was right. Tsuna is very powerful to summon seven demons at once. Summoning can take too much from a mere human. Incantations for barriers, exorcism and unbinding take energy from them. It can be unnoticed but it is still there. And it is rare to see fit people nowadays.

Just how fit Tsuna is anyway?

When Verde and Skull came back, they looked exhausted but relieved. Maybe Tsuna was out of danger.

"We almost lost him thrice." Verde said, glasses removed from his eyes and fingers pinching the bridge of his nose to remove the small ache. "Of how he was able to still tug Reborn and Kurokawa to revive him everytime, I don't really know."

"Don't you think it's his aura?" Fon supplied. "He is pretty much close to those two. So they'll know what he wants."

"Or maybe they're not ready to lose him yet, Kora!" Colonnello said. "That human lady was shouting his name when I arrived. Reborn was pretty much killing that demon if it wasn't because he sensed something that he backed away, Kora."

"Maybe. The sky aura was hesitant to call me anyway." Verde muttered as he took his notebook out. "This is not any sky aura I encountered."

"But you know, Tsuna's aura is really lonely." Eyes stared at Skull who was lounging on the couch. "When I arrived, he was really hesitant to reach out for me. Like he was contemplating if he wants to bother me to help him or not. Maybe he doesn't want to be a burden, and Reborn and Hana felt that so they kept reviving him."

"For someone who is really cheerful and full of mischief, he is an introvert." Verde uttered before fixing his eyes on them. "How was the demon? Has he stabilized yet?"

Lal looked at her brother who went serious. "That demon became level eight and now in human form. I don't know how he did that, from level one to level eight. But he looks powerful enough."

"I suppose he is like any other." Verde concluded.

"No." Viper said as he descended the stairs. "That demon is searching for something. I cannot fathom what but he is still searching for it."

"Huh." Lal huffed. "Searching for something yet he attacked students."

"Why not invite Reborn to talk to him?" Fon suggested. "Reborn is direct and we all knew how protective he is to Tsunayoshi. I bet he'll get angry if we do it first."

Lal thought for a minute, considering the facts. It is true that the hitman is protective of the human. "We should let him."

"Good timing. Colonnello, head to Mundane. Reborn needs you urgently." Viper said before moaning. "That hitman will pay me accordingly. I am not a messenger."

"Okay Kora! See you later, Lal!" Her brother bid before disappearing.

Lal looked at the cloud. "What did you do anyway?"

"Me?" Skull asked before smiling. "I duplicated Tsuna's blood. He was running low. No wonder his heart almost failed him. He was pretty thankful too about it."

"Does he even remember that he summoned us?" Lal grumbled.

"I don't think so." Verde answers. "It is yet to be discussed. But I know he'll ask about it. He is a curious human, after all."

Lal wonders about that.

"Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna looked up to see Lal. "You can always call me Tsuna, Lal."

"Tsuna." The demon corrected herself as she sat on the stool next to the bed. "I would like to ask you something."

He nodded.

"Do you know who we are?"

The question made Fon and Verde looked at their spot. The former is sitting on a mat, meditating. While the latter is reading another book from the shelves. The three is staying there to oversee Tsuna's recovery. Reborn did not insist. Tsuna also expressed how he doesn't want to bother them. But the group is willingly doing it for him.

It's been a week since the attack. He is recuperating, alright. He has yet to try getting out of his bed since they don't want him to. Especially Kyouya (Hibari's order), Hana, Reborn, Nezu and Skull. It was overbearing and amusing at the same time. Not that he finds his room boring. Books aren't boring. But he would like to see the world every once in a while. It's what inspires him to think of things anyway.

Anyways, back to the question...

"Yeah." Tsuna answered. "When I came back from Fiant, I searched for this book I read awhile back. I knew you were a group since you live in one house. And I kinda have this feeling that I knew you from a small description. Arcobaleno is that famous you know." Then he shrugged. "Except for me, I guess."

"What do you know about us?" She interrogated further, but he didn't mind.

"All I knew about you is from the book. Like how you were contracted by a man who was forced to be a soldier to fight for a war, hence you took the appearance of a military woman and earned your honors because of the job. I knew you have two auras. But I knew too that Colonnello is not your disciple but your brother. You like the coffee I gave to Reborn since you steal some whenever he isn't looking. And you love your guns since you've been carrying some and cleaning them here. So nothing much."

"Why don't you have any summons?" Verde asked, before Lal can ask more. "Why didn't you contracted Reborn?"

Tsuna bowed his head a little, eyes covered by his bangs.

"Verde." Fon chastised.

"Are you okay?" Lal asked in a small voice.

"I'm afraid you know." Tsuna answered as he traced the outline of the book he was reading just awhile ago. "Months ago, I reason out that I'm colorless, but that's not an enough reason since I had read books of how a colorless human can gain a summon. With right amount of everything, I can gain one. I'm just afraid that I might rob off your freedom from you, treat my summon bad like other humans do, and not be able to give you the other side of the contract. I'm afraid that I might not be strong enough to keep you standing here in Mundane. I mean you three use your power to materialize here. The longer you stay, the faster you drain out."

"Yeah. We do. But we're stronger than those pesky demons." Verde responded, earning a disapproving stare from the brunet. "What?"

"Don't insult your fellow demons." Tsuna answered before sighing. "I'm just worried that you might be staying here too much that you get tired. It won't be good if those fellows of the demons that attacked you come again. I need to persuade Reborn too." The brunet made a pinched expression. "This is my fault."

"Now now, Tsunayoshi." Fon tried to placate as he stood up from his place and went to the brunet's spot. "Nothing is your fault. The demon attacked, you protected your comrades, and unfortunately, you got fatally injured. It was no one's fault. We are doing this because we want to. And it's been years, millennia even, since we stepped on the soil of Mundane. We just want to savour this opportunity you gave us."

A child-like expression on Tsuna's face made the three almost melt. "Really?"

"Yes." Lal replies, a small smile appearing on her lips. "So don't get so worked up. We are enjoying our stay here."

A smile blossomed on Tsuna's lips. "Okay."

"You should rest, Tsunayoshi." Verde urges. Fon assisted the kid to lay down. "Reborn won't like it if he appears and you look tired."

Tsuna's eyes glinted. "I would like to see Reborn's angry face again though."

"Go to sleep, kid." Lal ordered.

Soft chuckles escaped Tsuna's lips. "Yes, Mam."

The three watched as brown eyes were slowly covered by eyelids. Tsuna exercised his breathing, and before long, he is already asleep.

"No wonder Reborn wants to protect him badly." Fon sighed with an amused smile.

"But such insecurities." Verde murmured as he went back to reading. "Who knew a human can consider that too?"

"We have now a proof." Lal sighed as she stares at the peaceful look on Tsuna.

Lal never let her eyes leave Tsuna. Fon went back to meditating but his thoughts were on Tsuna's worries. While Verde stopped reading and just stared into space, pondering how Tsuna gained those insecurities of his.

Days passed by with Tsuna slowly getting out of his bed then outside his room. The Arcobaleno have spread through out the compound of the academy whenever not with him. Of what are they doing? He doesn't know. But they still go to his room most of the time.

Hana assisted him with the lessons he missed, mostly the interesting subject ones. Not that he goes to his classes properly. The lady told this to the group. Various reaction did suffice. Verde smirked. Viper laughed with Skull and Colonnelo. Fon and Lal scolded him. But Reborn's reaction really did a number on him. The hitman didn't talk, and Tsuna doesn't know what to make of that. So when they got the room for themselves, he asked if Reborn was disappointed or angry. The hitman just smiled and said he's okay with it. Tsuna says otherwise.

So the brunet told him why he skips his classes. It was to taunt and anger Ganauche, the man who recommended him. He wanted him to regret everything. Reborn stared at him for a sec before nodding. And up until now, the demon won't look at him in the eyes.

"What's wrong with you?" Kyouya asked when Tsuna decided to visit the disciplinary office and laid on the couch.

"Nothing." Tsuna replied as he covered his eyes with his arm. "How's Mukuro and Chrome?"

"They're alright." The skylark answered. "Did something happen?"

"Just things." The brunet responded before sitting up. "Are there any cases...?"

Kyouya got the sentences. "Reduced. But the prince charming is doing it again."

The youngest of them grinned. "Can I?"

"If you're okay, why not?" The prefect answered.

"Thank you!" And Tsuna went back to laying on the couch. "Wake me up by three."

"Hn."

Tsuna smiled at the response before sleeping off, worried still of Reborn.