Third P.O.V
They connected the clues. It wasn't a surprise to Reborn. This was planned. Everything is going according to plan. His only unknown variable is Vongola, but he doesn't have to worry about them quite yet.
The police department was busy, they had found all of the missing people and also had to hide it from the news.
"Ma'am, shouldn't the people know about this?" Ayase asked as her partner attempted to stop her
"Officer, what was your reaction to discovering the bodies?" A woman asked coldly
"I-" Ayase paused as the images from the night before resurfaced, causing her to nearly throw up again.
"Ma'am, Officer Nakamura is new to the force. Please go easy on her." The older man pleaded, feeling guilty at the way his partner had been exposed to things like this. She should've been eased into it, more or less.
The captain sighed, her exhaustion clear in her tone, "I understand, but if she is new to the force, how do you two think civilians will react to this?" She asked as gently as she could but her voice was still cold like ice
Ayase paused, her eyes widened in realization. She quickly nodded her head and bowed, "I'm sorry Captain. I believe I understand what you mean-"
"Captain Hibari!" A man burst into the room the three were in, shocking all of them, "They found a connection between the victims."
_
"Good morning Lambo!" Tsuna called out to the teen wearing a cow-print shirt.
He delivers the news to Tsuna's apartment every morning, though he was quite frightened when first meeting Reborn.
The teen's eyes widened as looked behind the brunette, "Is he not here anymore?"
"Is who not here?" Tsuna asked him
"That demon guy." The teen was scared, no matter how tough he attempted to sound.
"Lambo, are you talking about Reborn?"
Lambo's eyes lit up in hope, "Yeah! Is he finally gone?"
"I'm still here you dumb cow,"
"Gah! No way!" Lambo turned his attention to Tsuna, "You need to get rid of him, h-he's a demon."
"Lambo, Reborn isn't that bad," Tsuna patted the boy's fluffy hair, "Right Reborn?" He asked the man that was now next to the brunette
The hitman looked at his sky and then the teen at the doorway. He gave a mischievous smirk, "Right, of course, Tsuna."
Lambo screeched and ran away, dropping the newspaper while doing so
The sky looked Reborn, "What did you do?" Tsuna's eyes were narrowed in suspicion
The man himself smirked, "I didn't do anything Tsuna. I'm innocent." An 'innocent' smile played on his lips while saying that
Tsuna blinked a couple of times, "...Don't lie, you're a hitman." He wasn't believing the act that was put on just now. Tsuna may be oblivious to some things, but Reborn isn't one of those things.
Reborn quickly changed subjects to food, "What's for breakfast dear?"
"Don't change the subject Reborn," Tsuna responded
"Perhaps eggs and toast?"
"Reborn,"
"Pancakes?" The hitman suggested
"Reborn." Tsuna's voice was more stern
"Should we go out instead?" Another suggestion, ignoring the brunette's attempts to scold the man
"...Reborn..."
"I prefer your cooking to a restaurant's though," Reborn thought for a moment before deciding, "How about you surprise me, Tsuna?" He smirked
Tsuna sighed in response and gave in, "Sure..."
The hitman pat Tsuna's head gently, "Perfect, I'll go get Leon then," He turned around and began walking upstairs to where his partner was sleeping.
"Maybe Lambo is right," The brunette mumbled with a fond smile on his face and began cooking breakfast, "Maybe omelets?" The smile never left his face as he thought about Reborn.
Unbeknownst to him, Reborn had been standing right there still, "I guess we're working on his instincts today, huh, Leon?" He asked the chameleon on his shoulder
Leon responded by nuzzling his face against the hitman
"I agree, my sky can be quite adorable." He chuckled as he left the room completely, the newspaper in hand to take care of something. Just in case.
Tsuna continued making the omelets with a smile on his face, oblivious to what was happening in the world around him.
He grabbed some more eggs so he can give the leftovers to Tsuyoshi, "Ah, he said Takeshi was visiting as well, didn't he?"
He began adding two make his different mixes, two for Tsuyoshi and Takeshi, and three for him, Leon, and Reborn.
Honestly before Reborn came into his life, feeding a chameleon, whether it was powered by flames or not, eggs would be very questionable to him.
Now he's adapted, which should be worrying but hey, that's life. Tsuna has just accepted the fact that he's probably going insane and enjoys Reborn's chaotic presence in his life instead.
He began to wonder what his mom would think about this, 'Probably have a heart attack or something.' Tsuna laughed dryly at the thought as he realized he hasn't visited her grave in some time. Grimacing at the way his thoughts are jumping around, he took a deep breath and attempted to relax.
Before he knew it, he was finished with all of the omelets. All that was left was to make some espresso for the resident hitman and a little cup of it for his partner.
The process was quick and easy as the aroma filled the kitchen, practically becoming a beacon for Reborn, "Are you already done?" He asked, a smirk playing at his lips, threatening to become a fond look instead.
"Yup! I'm still brewing some espresso for you and Leon, but other than that, the food is done." Tsuna happily responded
Reborn pat the brunette on the head lovingly, "Good job Tsuna," his voice was kinder than usual, "You did great."
A blush spread across Tsuna's cheeks, slightly shocked by the sudden affection, "Thak you..." He mumbled under his breath, not paying attention to the coffee cup that was filling up rapidly.
"Careful," Reborn took the cup and turned off the machine. He moved quickly yet gracefully, leaving a mesmerized Tsuna trapped between the hitman's arms, "You could've burned yourself," His voice wasn't mad or annoyed like Tsuna usually expected, it was worried and soft.
Tsuna quickly realized how close he was to Reborn, barely listening to the man's lecture, the brunette focused on the hitman's details, like his voice and how it was this deep baritone that left Tsuna feeling safe.
The brunette also had a clear view of Reborn's face, he could see light freckles across his cheeks, paired with obsidian eyes and black hair. He truly was beautiful.
Reborn's scent was strongly made up of gunpowder, espresso, and a bit of tobacco as well. Tsuna didn't hate the scent for once. The smell of espresso covered anything else even the smell that told Tsuna that the hitman spends quite a bit of time in the forest.
This man was like a panther in a sense, a terrifying beast that is insanely protective of what belonged to him.
"Tsuna? Are you alright?" The hitman called out to the brunette
Tsuna snapped out of his thoughts and lightly pushed himself away from the man, "I'm fine,"
Reborn moved away to give the brunette more room
"Thank you Reborn,"
"You're welcome Tsuna," Reborn smirked and turned around to sit at the table, his espresso in hand.
"When did you-" Tsuna paused and sighed, "Nevermind,"
He grabbed the food from the counter and set it down on the table. They entered a comfortable silence soon afterward. Even Leon didn't make too much noise, it was peaceful and quiet.
Later the two made their way over to TakeSushi and gave the owner two omelets for him and his son. After that, they began training for the day. Starting with Tsuna being pushed off of a cliff and Reborn telling him to, "Have fun,"
The day went by quickly and it quickly became the evening. The sun was setting signaling that it was time to go home, "Reborn," Tsuna began
The hitman raised an eyebrow at the brunette, "Hm?"
Tsuna looked up at him, "Do you like the forest?" The question was simple but it made the brunette burn with embarrassment
Reborn thought about it for a second, "I guess so, I've never really thought about it."
The sky smiled softly, "I see,"
A smirk fell upon the hitman's lips, "Why are you asking?" Amusement filled his eyes
"You smell like the forest. It's only a bit but it's there," Tsuna blurted it out without thinking, regretting it the moment he processed what he said
Reborn's eyes widened by a fraction, "Oh?" He felt something akin to joy flutter around his heart
Tsuna quickly tried taking it back, "Ignore what I said please," His face became so red he was scared someone would think it was a sunburn
"I'm good, why don't you tell me what else I smell like," Reborn teased the brunette
"...No?" Tsuna tested the waters
The hitman looked at the flustered brunette and let his smile soften, "Alright," His hand ruffled Tsuna's hair affectionately, "You will tell me one day, keep that in mind."
Tsuna giggled lightly as he playfully told the hitman to not ruin his hair.
The two of them fell into a peaceful silence as they made their way home, Reborn grabbed Tsuna's hand at some point but the brunette didn't really care all too much and just enjoyed the moment. The sunset fell on the two like a warm blanket with cool winds flowing as well. They were reluctant to let go of each other's hands when they got back to the apartment but eventually did so with a sweet good night.
Reborn was about to head upstairs as Tsuna was going to sleep on the couch, following their usual routine, until someone tiredly knocked on the door.
Reborn stalked forward, pulling the brunette behind him. He opened the door cautiously as the sky's heartbeat became faster. The door opened to reveal two officers, Reborn stepped forward and stared them down, "Yes? Is something wrong officers?" He asked pleasantly
One of the officers stepped forward, she spoke with a nervous tone as her partner looked as if he was going to pass out, "We need to ask you a few questions Mr...Sawada?"
Tsuna perked up and answered, "That's me," His voice wavered but there was a hint of relief to it
Both of the officers let out a sigh of relief as some tension left their bodies.
The brunette ignored it and pointed at Reborn, "This is R-"
"Sinclair Renato," The hitman answered smoothly with a smile that didn't quite reach his obsidian eyes.
Tsuna blinked in confusion but stayed quiet when Reborn gave him a look saying he'd explain later. He sighed quietly and gave a polite smile to the terrified officers, "Alright, come on in,"
They both stumbled into the apartment as an unknown pressure fell on top of them. They looked at the hitman that was still staring both of them down.
Tsuna put a hand on the female officer's shoulder, "You can take a seat over there," The pressure grew along with a certain hitman's glare, "Would you like anything to drink?" The brunette asked sweetly
The woman's partner answered for her, "No, we're fine." He stumbled over his words while talking
Tsuna dismissed them without another thought as he turned to Reborn, "Renato, what about you?" He asked fondly
The hitman hummed, "Do we have any whiskey Tsuna?" He asked while some of the pressure alleviated for a moment
The brunette nodded, "I believe so," his voice held a level of love and kindness that made the two officers believe those two were something more than what they'd say
"I'll take that then," His baritone voice seemed relaxed while talking to the brunette
"Alright, I'll be right back," Tsuna left for the kitchen as the tension returned immediately
The officers were both fidgeting nervously as the hitman now had his attention on the two of them. It was a terrifying type of attention, the type that promised pain if they did anything wrong.
"So, officers what is it that you need to ask my Tsuna?" Poison seemed to drip from that one sentence as he focused his words on 'officers' and 'my'.
"W-Well, we recently found a connection between Mr. Sawada and a few murders..." The more confident officer started as the tension in the room became heavier. She began to feel as if she was choking on her words.
"...You think he did it." It wasn't an inquiry, it was a conclusion
Both officers flinched at the empty tone. The timid one quickly began to appease the situation, "N-No! O-Of course not, i-it's simply protocol."
Before anything could escalate, Tsuna walked back into the room, "Hey, Renato, I found some whiskey." The tension began leaving everything except the two officers, "It was difficult to find though." Tsuna laughed lightly as he handed Reborn his drink
"Thank you Tsuna, you're so very sweet," Any anger or venom in his voice was gone and was replaced with obvious love and fondness.
Tsuna sat next to the hitman and turned his attention to the shaking officers, "Are you two cold?"
The more confident officer cleared her throat, "No sir," She began as she glanced over at Reborn quickly, "We should begin the questioning." Her voice became shakier as she attempted to keep up her facade.
The brunette smiled politely at both of the officers, "Of course, what did you need to ask me?"
The timid young man jumped into the conversation anxiously, "The, um, 'missing' people all have a connection to you,"
Tsuna's eyes narrowed at the hesitation, "I see," He turned to Reborn, "Renato," he called out in a firm yet gentle tone.
The man wearing a fedora preened at the way his name was called and was more than happy to tell his sky what was truly going on, "They've been found dead Tsuna," Unknown to the others in the room, his voice was filled with eagerness.
The brunette's eyes widened, "Oh my- Really?!" He was shocked to hear the news
Reborn held his sky's hand, "Tsuna, calm down." In the process, he pulled the brunette closer to his body and ran his other hand through the other's light brown hair.
Tsuna relaxed into the hitman's touch, "...Right," his heart began to slow down to a normal pace and he could practically hear Reborn counting the beat, "What does that have to do with me though?" His attention on the two officers became sharp
The other officer put a hand on the timid one's shoulder, "You're the only person who has had at least one interaction with each of them, Mr. Sawada."
The brunette thought for a moment, "Do you have pictures of them?"
"Yes sir," The timid one took out a portfolio and spread the pictures of the victims across the coffee table
"Quite a few of them were customers at the cafe I work at," Tsuna began putting the ones he met at the cafe into a group, "Other than that, I don't know them." His tone was apologetic as he looked up at the two people across from him
The questioning went smoothly, with Reborn slightly putting his arm around Tsuna's waist here and there. Soon enough the sun had gone down unlike Reborn's temper. Every minute that passed was a minute closer to two cops being found dead three blocks away from the apartment.
Tsuna seemed to realize the man's foul mood and was quick to send both of the officers away, "It's getting quite late," He said as he stood up, the floor creaking slightly from the sudden movement
"Yes, it is," The timid one got up quickly, "S-Sorry for taking up so much of your time Sawada,"
Tsuna's polite smile never once left his face when looking at the two officers, "Of course not," he took a small breath in as felt Reborn move closely behind him, "I hope I was helpful to your investigation."
The female officer smiled a bit and moved forward to shake the brunette's hand. A glare from the hitman made her stop and froze her in place.
Her partner was quick to pull her away, "The information you provided us with was quite helpful indeed," He gave a strained smile as he held the back of his partner's shirt in support. For him or her, he had no idea at this point, "Thank you, Mr. Sawada."
Tsuna didn't pay much mind to either of them as he responded, "You're welcome,"
Reborn followed the brunette from behind as they escorted the two to the door.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Sawada..." The officer paused as she turned to the man next to the sky, "Mr. Sinclair."
The hitman's eyes shone as a car passed by, a yellow gleam followed by a smirk, "It was no problem,"
Tsuna nodded as he leaned tiredly on Reborn
Both of the cops flinched lightly, "R-Right, we'll be on our way then."
"Have a safe trip back," Tsuna called out to them as they exited
As soon as the door closed, Tsuna fully collapsed on the hitman.
"Tsuna, would you like to sleep in the bed with me?"
The brunette thought for a moment, a blush spreading across his face, "Sure," He blurted out and then quickly added to his statement, "I mean, we're pretty close so it doesn't matter anymore."
"Of course," Reborn purred in response as he led his sky up the stairs that were a bit loud due to the heavy and tired steps of the brunette.
They both enter the room, "Looks like Leon has been sleeping this whole time," Tsuna sighed lightly at the sight of the chameleon resting in a makeshift hammock
"Yeah, that's my lazy partner," A chuckle escapes the hitman as he flopped onto the bed, Tsuna going down with him, "Night my sky,"
The brunette paused, "Can I ask you a question about that real quick?"
Reborn hummed in response, "Sure."
Tsuna pushed himself away a bit to properly look into Reborn's eyes, "Why do you call me 'my sky'?"
The hitman looked at Tsuna softly, "Because that's what you are," His smile becoming a little more sincere as he watched Tsuna's confusion, "I claimed you first. You are my sky and I am your sun."
The tired sky yawned as he laughed a little, "Alright then, il Mio Sole," He gave in and decided that this was fine, "Good night." He hugged Reborn tightly as he fell asleep
The hitman was left stunned, "Huh," His attention went to a very awake Leon, "...You caught that on video, right?"
At the chameleon's nod, Reborn chuckled lightly, "Good night then, Leon."
A light rustling and tap on the desk gave the hitman his response.
Reborn smiled a bit and cuddled Tsuna tightly to his chest.
Both of their walls came down a little bit more that night as they peacefully rested in one other's arms. Accepting the warmth that came with it.
