A/N:

@acertainpasserby: I just find Verde in that kind of role sometimes, a father, when everybody thinks he cannot because of his possible unhealthy lifestyle of being coped up in his room all the time. But I have to apologize though. No contracts in this chapter. Hahaha. Sorry. Thanks for the review though.

@michiko-chan27: Well, facts come from theories. So good job! And yes. just little more chapters. Maybe five more and we'll have Reborn and Tsuna relationship back. I did read Starstruck (credits to the author of this amazing fic). One of the stories I always read and still can't get enough (I already read it thrice! THRICE! And I want to read it again). Fon does have his moments there. Especially the car related ones. Just how the heck did he got his licence with that kind of driving? Hahaha. (I wish I can see Tsuna in action with his knowledge in Law, just imagine him doing debates. Hot damn!) Verde is older than Tsuna. He might've done something to be capable of interacting with people even if he always stays in his lab. He knows the hardship of being unable to interact with people. So yeah. He chose to guide Tsuna with that and partly because the latter pointed it out. Thanks for the review too.

So thanks for the other reviews. Also, here's another chapter. Hope ya like it?

Anyway, go on. Onwards.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Reborn stared at the papers presented by Viper. There's a couple of papers bounded messily by a paper clip and there's two arranged stacks of papers underneath it. He inspected the written letters from his spot and his heart flattered with anticipation. It was Tsuna's handwriting. He will always remember the brunet's writing anywhere.

The hitman was going to reach out for it when the Mist retracted his hand, as if teasing him. He glared while the other's visible mouth became a V-shape, indicating that he's amused and planning something. Reborn looked around the living room to reign over his irritation. He should be grateful that Viper is personally handing him the papers. It must be fresh from Tsuna's hands by then.

Of course, he reached out again when the Mist dangled it, and again, Viper pulled back.

"What?" He demanded.

"I want to make a deal." The esper said. The hitman rose a brow. "Don't worry, Reborn. It does not involve money."

He dropped his hand. "Okay."

"Weekly, Tsuna makes these things for you every time he finishes a book. And I can't let that get away. I want you to at least make something for him."

Reborn stared at the other. "I can't. He still thinks that I'm angry with him. And he may appreciate my replies but he'll overthink about it again at the very end. You should know how he thinks, you're his esper."

"Well, he has been a little peaceful these days." Viper commented. It put a twinge of pain on the hitman's heart. "He already had five summons, including you, and I think he's willing to accept the others if they make a valid point of what they could give to him and what he can give to them."

He didn't say anything. Good thing his eyes are shadowed by his hat while maintaining his stoic expression. Hell will go loose if he let anyone see him with any expressions.

"You're okay with it, I see."

He shrugged. "It's already on the process. And he's not calling out for me, so what's the use. Now what of the deal?"

"Hmm... Nah. It's invalid if you think that way." Viper gave the paper, and Reborn put it near his heart. He wants to grin widely at how excite he is. He's half way with the third essay, add these three more... He's gonna have a field day. "I recommend you read the recent one. It's about this memory that involves you."

His eyes lit up. "Did he say anything?"

"I'm charging you." The Mist warned, earning a growl, but the Arcobaleno only chuckled. "Kidding, Reborn. He won't forgive me if I charge you with things related to him."

"So what did he say?" He questioned impatiently.

"He said something about a park and this demon getting surrounded. He was pretty vague about it, wanting to write something for you immediately this morning."

He almost grinned. They are fresh from the brunet's hands!

The esper gave him a curious stare under the shadow of his hood. "I deemed the demon was you."

"Probably." He smirked before turning his back to go to his room. "Thanks for this, Viper."

Viper paused before saying something again. "No message for Tsuna?"

"No. As I said, he might appreciate it, but he'll think I said it because I received the essays." Reborn stopped ascending the stairs and looked back to the Mist. "Is there any possibility that he'll call me though?"

"I don't think so." The Arcobaleno replied. "Either ways, you won't feel him until he calls for you."

Reborn nodded and continued on.

"He has been thinking of you lately." The hitman faltered on his steps. "His mind isn't filtered among us. And I know you already know that he likes you. In love with you even. So wait until he calls for you. One word, and the barrier around your line will vanish like it never existed."

"I know."

"He was so cool you know? He was like bam and boom! Reborn was pretty impressed with his chains!" Skull said, eyes and face lit with so much exuberance.

"Don't exaggerate things, Skull." Bermuda chastised, earning a brow from Tsuna who was watching Skull with interest while retelling all the things the Night did in his mission. "Don't look at me like that, Tsunayoshi. I know I said I wanted to talk to you about my missions but those aren't the things I did."

"He's just being humble, Tsuna. He really did those! I mean you could've seen how Verde muttered under his breath while writing all the things he discovered about Bermuda's aura."

Tsuna didn't say anything. He just watched the two have a small argument about those missions, and listened to how Bermuda did all the attacks. And honestly, he was impressed. Even his grandfather was intrigued with the night arcobaleno. They asked the Night various questions yesterday. If Nana didn't admonished them for being overbearing, they won't probably stop. Of course, he apologized to Bermuda. He remembered how red the other was with all the gushing they did.

Today, Skull invited him for sushi. Being a polite fella, the Cloud invited the whole family, but the three Sawadas declined. They said something along the lines of 'bonding', 'date' and 'company' (never mind the date thing. It was Iemitsu's joke (it did made the two demons squirm though, thinking how Reborn will shoot them to the oblivion for dating Tsuna behind his back, or even with his knowledge)). So now, they're walking towards the famous sushi shop in town, and highly recommended by the cloud arcobaleno.

Entering the vicinity, Tsuna ducked under the white covers and looked around the familiar shop. He didn't mind the two who were still bickering, keeping an ear for the conversation and laughing a little whenever Skull pointed out something that made Bermuda mutter under his breath in embarrassment.

"Welcome- Tsuna?!" The cook exclaimed in surprise, eyes wide at the brunet.

Tsuna beamed. "Good Evening, Tsuyoshi-oji."

Tsuyoshi-oji went out of his post and rounded the counter with a cheer in his body language. He approached the brunet and hugged the latter. "I missed you, kid."

"Same here, Oji-san." The young man responded, hugging back.

Tsuyoshi Yamamoto is the owner of Takesushi, the famous sushi shop in Namimori. Along side with his son, Takeshi Yamamoto, they kept the business alive. It is worth the money since the food is great and delicious, the service is nice and fast, and as long as you don't do anything stupid, you're welcome to hang around.

Tsuna doesn't really know the Yamamotos until he reached his second grade in middle school. That was when the youngest between the Yamamoto tried to commit suicide. It wasn't Tsuna's fault that Takeshi wanted to jump. He counted how many times he told the others not to pressure the baseball star, but no. The latter was the one who engages them to do more, to trust him more. That resulted to a broken arm.

It was a good thing Takeshi listened to him when he coaxed the baseball star on going down. He deposited the Yamamoto to the Sawada house, briefed his mother about what happened before coming back to do a little field work. Let's just say he had bestowed vengeance on those who put pressure on the teen (he will never forget how the coach and the team shouted for mercy, but meh. Who told them Tsuna forgives?).

(Tsuna wonders if they still celebrate that day he reduced every room to one student present for two whole months though? He should ask his Mom.)

After all the ordeal he made that day, Takeshi personally told his father what happened. Tsuyoshi only smiled in understanding but with a hint of sadness that put his son on the edge. After doing a deal between father and son, they expressed their gratefulness to the Sawadas. Nana took a liking on the two and they got generally taken under the protection of the family (it was like the Sawada adopted the Yamamoto and become a branch family). With that, no one pressed pressure on Takeshi ever again.

"Hoo! You've grown up, kid." Tsuyoshi praised as he patted Tsuna's head. The man parted from the hug and stared at him too. "Nana had fun feeding you, hadn't she?"

"I got that thin?" Tsuna asked in disbelief, touching his face in the process.

"Yes. But you're slowly getting weight. I can feel your hardened muscles under that sweatshirt. Still getting ragged up by your old man?"

"Sometimes." The brunet replied before flashing a cheeky smile. "I beat him three times already."

"Ah. Must be taking it easy on you."

"Hey!"

The cook laughed in a good hearted way. "Kidding, Kid. So how many are you?"

"Just five. My friends want to eat some of your sushi."

"Oh. Sure sure. Take a seat already." The man ushered him to a vacant table.

"Takeshi?"

"Delivery. He'll be back with Hayato in a few minutes." Tsuna's brows rocketed upwards, making the old man smile proudly. "My son is a summoner."

"Wait. He's that Yamamoto who usually pulls me out of my fights?"

"Oh. You saw each other." The man dismissed lightly.

Tsuna squinted his eyes. "Is that the reason why he went gone after finishing our second year in middle school? We did ask you where he was, but you said we shouldn't worry so we didn't question further."

The old man only smiled slickly before going back to his post again. Tsuna made a scrunched face before sitting. Viper materialized beside him while Verde appeared by the door and sauntered toward him. The brunet laughed when the Lightning rubbed his head with the latter's knuckles before sitting on the chair opposite to him. The other two piled in, looking like they had a rough battle outside.

Tsuna took their orders, gave it to the 'innocent-looking' cook before going back to the others.

"I haven't heard from Lal and Colonnello." Skull said while balancing himself on the back legs of his chair.

Tsuna sat on his spot and braced the Cloud's chair with an arm. "Mission?"

"Yup." The stuntman chirped.

The brunet hummed in wonder.

"They're somewhere in Noerim. I want to contact them, but Lal's instruction was precise. Never tap on them for a month and a half." Viper informed before sighing. "You're a bad influence, Tsuna. That information would've cost a lot of money."

Laughing, the young man nudged on his Mist. "It's just among us. And you love me that way. But still, why did they go there? That's too far."

"Something about a mission and training. Lal wanted to do something with Colonnello. They haven't done that for a while." Verde replied.

Tsuna was about to say something when the store door opened. He watched as Takeshi went in with a silveret semi-demon in a cat form. The ex-baseball star scanned the restaurant and their eyes met. The brunet stared at the other, taking notes of everything. And yes. The black hair, brown eyes, and tall and lean structure was really the one who pulls him out from all his fight. He also remembers the duo being chased by the Siberian black wolf that was killed by Reborn (he remembered crying when the wolf died) in the process. Now that he thinks about it, he hadn't seen the other since he stepped in the academy after the annual sky meeting.

He wasn't prepared when the noiret went to him with a big grin and hugged him close. The brunet made an 'ooff' sound and hugged the other back in instinct. He made the others' stand down when he felt them tensing up, ignore the onlookers and watched the were-cat who was hissing at him.

"Your summon is rather possessive, Takeshi." He pointed out, and earned a spluttering demon. "Now that I stare at him, he's rather cute."

"He is, right?" Takeshi seconded, letting Tsuna go. "He was the first one to approach me. But I asked for the contract."

The brunet perked up. "You did? Well. It's not that surprising since you are the bravest person I know who will approach a tiger if he wants to."

"He did approach one. A Siberian wolf though." Tsuna heard the were-cat mumble.

"I take it his name is Hayato?" The brunet asked the noiret who nodded enthusiastically. "Who protects who?"

"Does that include calming down Hayato when he's about to blow up something?" The ex-baseball star asked.

"Or keeping that idiot out of harms way whenever he thinks it's okay to approach deadly creatures?" The silveret grumbled.

Schooling his amusement, Tsuna shrugged and stepped back. "Both then."

"Takeshi! Bring these to Tsuna's table!" Tsuyoshi called out.

"Yes! Come on Hayato! Orders are up!" The son cheered.

"Yes yes." The were-cat responded.

Tsuna sat on his seat and watched the two work. Although polar opposites, the two work together perfectly. Both are obedient with the older Yamamoto's guides and each others suggestions. At some point, he saw the contractor look at his summoner with a fond smile. The two must have been through a lot if they're that close.

Blocking his thoughts from the others, he started to munch on his own food while thinking back to those times he and Reborn were in good terms. He wonders if the hitman is reading his essays. Did he like that one romance novel he gushed about? Or the essay about that one crime book? Maybe the language of demons? The Sky could only wonder and question no one about his Sun's well-being.

"More, Tsuna?" Skull asked, pulling him out of his thought.

The brunet eyed the Cloud then the latter's food before taking a salmon roe. "Yup."

"Hey!"

"Since we talked about Lal and Colonnello's whereabouts," Tsuna mentioned, ignoring the tension of anticipation in the air from the four demons. "Fon didn't come back. Where is he?"

"Sulking." Verde answered as he put a sauce on his sushi. "Did you say something to him?"

The young man leaned back to his seat as he thought back to his and the Storm's conversation three days ago. "Nope."

"I'll tease him then." Viper chimed as he took one of Bermuda's food.

The Night gaped at the Mist, so Tsuna put one of his own to compensate.

"Or I can talk to him." Skull suggested.

The two older Arcobalenos snickered, making the stuntman pout.

"Like what you did to Reborn?" Tsuna reminisced, while sneakily eating off a sushi from Verde's plate. The two snickering demons stopped tittering. "You did say you pounded some sense on him. And Fon asked why you have to be that cruel."

"It wasn't my fault that I deemed Reborn an idiot for being an unjustifiable jerk." Skull waved off a hand, wise eyes gazing at the honest brown ones. "If he wanted something or clarify any issues between you two, he could've said so. You're a sky. If he was jealous, he should've voiced it out because you'll understand. And you need to learn how to be selfish, human. You cannot forgive nor give away anything for the sake of others. You own what you own until you don't need it anymore."

Verde let out a small cough. "He's right, Tsunayoshi. We don't want you to giving us away before we know it."

"After promising me those lifetime bargains? No way." Tsuna responded. He snuck a hand under the table and squeezed Skull's hand who squeezed back. "And I don't break promises."

"We know." Bermuda answered before drinking some water.

Tsuna smiled before waving for Takeshi to order more sushi.

Yellow lights produced by burning lava from below illuminated the walls and things inside the vast room. Seven figures sat on their seats with one supreme demon at the very end, dividing the rest by three on one side and four on the other.

Belial, in all his glory, sat at the end with his chin propped on his hand, a frown on his features. He looked so displeased with something the others cannot fathom. He had been cranky for the past weeks, that even Lust, who is a fickle 'child', stopped her yammering about a certain human she wants to destroy but couldn't find because of their lord's sudden mood swings.

Pride surveyed the people in the room. All is well and in attention, except for Wrath who was sleeping again. The Sin has been in his room, sleeping his hide off whenever he does not want to destroy someone, something or a big city in 'Human world', or what the demons now called 'Mundane world'. He cannot help wonder why the demons even agreed on naming their land 'Fiant' when it means 'fiend' in those insufferable humans' language. Their kinds nowadays are becoming stupider by each passing time.

He narrowed his eyes on Wrath when the latter's head banged on the table.

"If you do not want to listen, go back to your room, Wrath." He ordered.

The oldest Sin raised his head and nodded before standing up.

"Wait Wrath!" Lust shouted but the demon didn't listen, muttering something about eating and be safe. "That human will get the end of it once I get my hands on him." The youngest among them seethed.

"Now now, Lust." Greed mollified, eyeing the youngest. "We are in the presence of Lord Belial. One brat is enough."

Lust glared at the table.

"Speaking of humans," A guttural voice pitched in. All Sins, sans the one who left, looked at their leader who was scowling. "there is one who is acquiring his own set of guardians."

"That is rather peculiar." Gluttony opined.

"Yes. Yes it is." Belial agreed, getting into the discussion. "The human is a powerful sky as what I gathered. He already has his sun, mist, cloud, lightning and another rare element which is a night. I do not even know how did that foul creature got a hand on the last element, but we all know what this means."

Sloth propped his arms on the table and rested his head there, facing their leader still. "But they do not know that we are awake, sire. What more can they do?"

"Good point. It will be a pleasant time to ambush such human and kill his guardians." Pride proposed.

"That's as if announcing your awakening, Pride." Envy divulged, eyes glaring at Pride who coolly met her gaze. "We cannot announce our awakening. That will sabotage our chance to annihilate the human race."

"That is the point, Envy." Pride coaxed. "By the time they know my awakening, the strongest sky is already dead and no one will be strong enough to challenge us."

"You're underestimating humans, Pride." Greed sneered, a little offended.

"It's understandable, Greed." Envy waved off, smirking obnoxiously. "His vainness was a wealthy man from the start. He doesn't know the resilient extent of humans to achieve what they want."

"A reason why you become like this, then?" Pride chimed in, earning scathing glares from Envy, Lust, and Greed. "Low lives craving for the things they cannot attain."

"And you're a conceited man who tries to stomp down every single creature to prove that he has power." Lust retaliated. "Well guess what, you can't control everyone."

Pride rose a brow. "On what bases?"

"Wrath." Sloth quipped on the spot before stretching his limbs.

Gluttony winced as he swallowed. "We're too old for this kind of bickering."

"I agree." Sloth drawled, resting his left cheek on the table and eyeing the four Sins. "Still, Wrath did not bow down to Pride. He was pretty much sitting on his heels when you forced us to kneel."

Pride glowered at Sloth. "Wrath bowed to me."

"Really?" Envy questioned smugly. "I remembered he went with the flow because he thought it's a new trend. He is older than any of us. And the most powerful sin among us."

Pride snarled.

"Enough." All Sins quieted down at the order of the supreme demon. "Since I can feel your want to prove yourself, do so Pride. I expect positive result."

Pride looked at Belial and nodded. "You have my word, my lord."

Reborn brought down the essay paper on his stomach and moved his eyeballs to the corner of his eyes to see his left. He heard some steps before a figure emerged from there. The fishes in the lake hissed in distaste but did not bubbled. They probably see the figure as a threat, but for whom? For him or for them? The hitman sat up and tossed crushed biscuits to their way to ease them up.

The approaching figure stopped meters away from him and did not walked further after minutes of silence. Good. She won't want to anger the strongest demon of Fiant more.

"You should stop trying to lure me in, child." Reborn advised. "I have my Sky."

"Hm? That doesn't mean I can't take you away from him." The figure said in his silvery voice.

A brow lifted just as the fishes bubbled their distaste. So it was for him. They really like Tsuna that much. "You're playing a dangerous game, Aria. You should know already what Byakuran suffered under the power of my Sky."

"Oh, I heard much." Aria assured with a smile. "Yet can he protect his contractors? He already left you, so what more chance can I get if it isn't now, Reborn?"

"Are you sure about that?" And Reborn flared his aura. Aria Giglio Nero stiffened at the sheer power, to the point that she keeled on her knees and gasped for air under the suffocating aura pulling her down to give respect. "This isn't half of my power, yet you're already down."

"And a mere..." Aria struggled to look at the hitman. "Human can?"

"He did." The sun arcobaleno looked back to that time they made a new contract and Tsuna took his power in a stride unlike the first time. If he remembered right, that new contract incantation and circle let more of his power for Tsuna to feel than the old one. "All of them and he survived. Though I dare you to take one of my comrades under his wing. And if you succeed, I may consider your proposal."

"Challenge accepted-"

The hitman smirked mischievously as he cut her off. "If you can."

And Aria blacked out.