Chapter Forty-Seven
Reborn bridged Leon to the bed before he removed his hat to free his hair of their confinements. He looked up to his hair as he combed a hand through it. Eri pointed out that he and Tsuna have the same spiky hair awhile ago. She also said all three of them have soft hairs. Tsuna only grinned and told her a 'super' secret that made the girl go awe. Nah. He didn't bother hearing it. The brunet loves telling silly secrets to Eri.
He continued his mission to remove his clothes and change for a good sleepwear. It's a good thing they both go for the public bath before they go back to the UA dorms. Tsuna worries that he's not having a good relaxing shower before going to bed. So he always has this small strap bag aside from the usual bento boxes, that contains their usual shampoo, conditioner, soap and other toiletries. Even if he wants to go back directly to the dorms, Tsuna will pull him to the public baths and make him soak with him before pulling him to the dorms again. He'll climb the walls while the brunet will go in. Although Tsuna wants to introduce him to his classmates so he doesn't need to climb the walls, they both know he can't because it's against protocol to have someone sleeping in their room aside from them.
Reborn sat on the swivel chair and stared at the 'Wall of Photos'. For some reason, the photos got many. Some are the brunet's classmates. He even memorized most of them. That Midoriya kid who Tsuna said he can relate because he was bullied back in his middle school too. That Todoroki who has the same predicament with Tsuna regarding his original world's father, which took two decades for the brunet to forgive. Then Bakugou. Reborn considered that blond a rain even though he has a storm's personality. Although there is a possibility that Bakugou is dual flames, Tsuna never said anything of feeling any flames on his friend.
He surveyed the photos. There's also Shinsou who Tsuna truly friends with. The brunet stated that he just likes how impassive the purple head and how blunt he is on some things. They love sharing silence between them and just saying something mundane. Tsuna has a close relationship with his classmates too, to the point that they call him by his name and knock on his door when they need something.
His eyes caught a picture of his, talking with Aizawa over food. He stood up and touched a picture of Tsuna beaming with a peace sign raised, must be taken by someone else. He slowly took it out and scrutinized it. Widest smile, warmest eyes, accepting aura. He moved for his jacket and slipped the photo into the inside pocket in there before sitting on the chair again. He's getting addicted to the brunet that he even stole a picture.
"Reborn?" He turned to the door to see Tsuna coming in with a thermos in hand. He got a warm smile. "I made an espresso."
He outreached his hand. "Give it to me."
Tsuna closed the door and went nearer to him. "How many gifts did you receive today?"
"A lot." He answered while taking the thermos and opening it. "Mostly from girls, so they're worthless." He was about to take a sip when he realized it. "How did you know?"
"Here." He was handed three boxes in gift wraps and ribbons. "Birthday gifts."
He took the boxes while sipping on his espresso and put them on the table. He closed the thermos to reserve the heat and stared at the boxes. There are this nine inches long and four inches in width black box with yellow ribbon, a five and five inches white box with gold two strips at the top right corner, and a six inches long and four inches in width orange box with looped colorful strings in front and two painted yellow roses on the cover. They looked eccentric yet authentic, with a touch of Eastern and Western in a mix. He eyed Tsuna who smiled playfully and secretive.
"Should I take a guess first?" He asked.
"You can." The brunet nodded before smirking. "But I doubt if you'll get it right."
He glanced at the boxes. "How did you know?"
"I give importance to birthdays. I asked Leon if you have the same day, October Thirteen. So I thought of things to give you. Dad got a hold of what I wanted to do, so he tagged along." Tsuna smiled sheepishly. "I wanted to surprise you last night, but I figured you'll get a bunch so save the best for last?"
Reborn stared at those caramel eyes. "I'm not your Reborn." Those eyes flashed. "We maybe similar, but we're different. I'm not your tutor who nurtured you as you are now. We met over the summer, Tsuna. We're just getting to know each other."
"Reborn." The teen called fondly, walking towards him and kneeling in front of him. His eyes were a mix of orange and caramel as they stared at him directly. "I didn't do this because I think you are my original world's Reborn. I did this because you are Reborn. I want to thank you for going on my whims, telling me what you think of the things I say, of the things I do. You help me save people. And even though you became the reason why I left home for a month, you're also the reason why Dad was able to know who I am and made us closer. You're not my tutor, but you're my hostage mate."
"Hostage mate?" He can't help smiling at.
"You're my hitman. You're my friend. You're my family. Natsu loves you even though you aren't our Reborn. Instead of screwing around in the underworld or staying beside Nono or Aria, you always come back to me." He watched as those warm hands took his and held them firmly. "When I saw you there, all I thought of was to free you, Reborn. Because even when I knew you're the greatest hitman, I knew you have your own weaknesses. But that's all I wanted to do. Free you, make you take your life again, and maybe see you when the time comes. The only reason I invited you to my home is because I knew you'll come back. You never let go of a challenge. That's your nature as someone who's always in love with puzzles, especially if I gave so many things for you to think. But I knew you're not my original world's Reborn.
"Reborn calls me Dame-Tsuna every time I do something stupid or just anything, you only call me Tsuna even when you're angry. He will shoot at me, you will only reprimand me. He knows me like hindsight twenty-twenty, while you're just figuring me out. He treats me between a man and a kid, while you treat me like I'm a teen regardless of knowing my true mental age. You are different, and I know that. That's why I treat you differently too. I understand that you're not the same person because you don't have the same experience with me. And you're just learning how weird I am.
"So don't feel like you don't deserve these gifts. I assure you, they aren't the same things my Reborn there have got. Yours are unique as you." Then orange, oh so loving, accepting and warm, eyes stared at him. "He's my Reborn there, you're mine here. I might not be your home, but since you always come home to me, you're part of my home too. Don't feel insecure. Don't feel like I'm comparing you, or I don't see you as you. I love you as you, Reborn."
The hitman felt his insides go goo as Tsuna closed his eyes and kissed his knuckles. Fuck. This kid is a heartbreaker. If he's not straight, he'll fall. Just how the heck didn't Tsuna get any girls in his old world with how sweet he is? Does Aizawa always have this? Damn. Lucky asshole.
"We love you as you, Reborn. Capiche?"
He nodded before smirking. "You just love confessing to me, don't you?"
"If it makes you feel loved, I'll do it everyday for you." The brunet remarked.
He bopped his head to the other's, eliciting a cry of pain. "That was meant to be a tease, stupid."
"Ow." The brunet interjected.
Reborn took the other's hands and kissed them back. "Love you too, stupid." He put those dainty hands on his laps before taking one of the boxes. The black box with yellow ribbons. "Let me guess," He stared at the brunet who blinked at him innocently. "This is from you?"
"Yup!" The brunet beamed before sitting in front of him. "Open it."
He carefully pulled the ribbon off before opening the box. His eyes widened at the sight of fifteen silver bullets. He took one and inspected it. It's perfect for his magnums. He even has his initials in it, 'RS' for Renato Sinclair. When he was about to put it back, he caught something. On some bullets, there's 'TS' and 'SA' on them.
"When I was making those, I realized that we all have S in our names." Tsuna hummed.
"You made these?" He queried.
Tsuna nodded. "My storm taught me how to make dynamites and ammo. I wanted to give you a gun too, but I already gifted the other Reborn that. So I thought, why not give you personalized and handmade bullets? But this is my first time making those. They're quite hard to make, but I have fun. Don't worry, I tested the last five I made if they all work with the use of a gun. The initials were out of whim though."
Reborn can't help his lips from quirking as he caressed those bullets. Although he's dormant, he can feel the sky flames in those bullets. "I don't think I can use these."
Tsuna chuckled. "Maybe use it to those you deemed worthy of it? You're someone who will respect even his target when they earn it."
"True." He nodded before closing the box and putting it aside to get the white box with gold strips. "This is from..."
"Dad." The brunet answered. "That's also personalized."
He rose a brow then decided to open the box. True, they were personalized tie accessories. There's a tie chain with 'Greatest Hitman' written on the chain. The tie clip is shaped like a gun, while the bar is a bullet. He likes how the slate spelled 'R.E.B.O.R.N', and the tuck is a sun with rays. All of them are white gold. No wonder the box is white and gold. He eyed the letter pasted at the back of the lid and took it as he put it at the side.
'Reborn,
I wasn't going to write anything but Tsuna persuaded me to do it.
So happy birthday, Reborn. If you're wondering why we had cake, it's a tradition for us to celebrate birthdays without outright greeting the birthday person. Anyway, when I thought of a gift, I immediately called dibs on tie accessories. I don't know what to give you among five, so I gave everything. Tsuna approved with the personalization, so they won't make you look tacky. As a gentleman and a hitman, you have to look good, right? And seeing I never saw you wear one, I thought why not.
And I know Tsuna won't tell you, but your birthdays are in succession. Knowing you, like he told me so, you would want to gift him too.
Shouta Aizawa.'
For a hero, Aizawa tolerates him. He doesn't know what Tsuna told his Dad to make him impassive with the fact that he's a hitman, he killed a lot, and he should be behind bars. The man is so over with the brunet's whims that he doesn't mind doing things, as long as morally right. But gifting him these things, even greeting him happy birthday, is kind of nice. It's like having a brother in a form of Aizawa.
"What did Dad say?" Tsuna question, trying to take a peak.
Reborn immediately pushed the brunet's head away as he folded the letter again. "That's mine to know."
"Eh. Stingy. But you like them? I personally like the tie chain. They'll look good in you." Then the brunet blinked for the ceiling, as if imagining it. "Yup. They'll look good on you."
"I look good in everything." He rebutted and closed the box again in exchange to the unopened other. "This came from you?"
"Eh? How did you know?" The brunet questioned before patting his own cheeks with a pout. "Do I look too easy to read now? Shit. I need to practice my poker face."
"You're fine. I just know you're someone who won't be satisfied gifting someone with one present." He waved off as he caressed the yellow roses. The flowers mean friendship and joy. "You draw?"
"Jack of all trades, master of everything?"
He snorted. "I should've registered you as my son."
Tsuna grinned. "Ask Dad first."
He rolled his eyes as he untied the string. He rolled the string to a ball and set it aside before opening the box. Inside it are folded handkerchiefs. Three to be exact with embroideries on their right upper corner.
There's a yellow clothe embroidered with black thread that read 'Strongest Sun' in rage italic font. Around it are flowers of orange-red canna lily, purple gladiolus and pink-white lotus those mean glory, strength and grace, respectfully. Tsuna means this as he is the strongest Arcobaleno. The black clothe has 'Hitman' on it in white thread and font that he can identify as Bickham script with how it screams 'finesse'. It has yellow sunflowers for loyalty, dark purple aconitum for death and white trillium for elegance. Then in yellow, with gold lines, thread, 'Reborn' is written in a trajan font on a white clothe. Under his name are light purple crocus, pink amaryllis and red rose. They say timeless rebirth, pride and love.
The noiret breathed in before slowly letting it out. He doesn't know what to feel. All his life, since he became a hitman, he never received birthday gifts that impacted him this much. It has been decades for him to remember what it feels like to be given gifts. Handmade ones, personalized, even thoughtful ones. He was given watches, hats, suits, shoes. Even guns. His fellow Arcobalenos have given him gift too, but they never thought of something that really screams his personality in it. Dino Cavallone, his former student, either pinpoints what he wants or don't. Only Aizawa and Tsuna have given him things that he can use or display as something special.
"Have your Reborn ever cried in front of you?" He asked softly, peering at the brunet.
"Rarely." Tsuna answered with a nostalgic smile. "It took time for him to trust me with his emotions."
He looked down to the handkerchiefs. "Is he honest?"
"Frank. Straightforward. But he never says things regarding gifts. He just stares at them, tuck them away, then the next morning, he's wearing them. But I know that he likes them."
"He smiles?"
"Always. It's reserved, but he smiles to me when he wants to."
He looked up to the brunet and reached out to pat his head. "Thank you, Tsuna. For this."
Tsuna beamed. "Always."
"Here." He looked up to Shouta who dangled a patterned paper bag by his face. "Open it when you get back to your room."
"You don't want to see my reaction now?" He asked while taking it.
"Nah. I want you to open your presents at the same time." His Dad quirked a smile. "Since Reborn isn't back yet, it means he's still searching for your gift, so let's wait for him to give his before you open everything."
He can't help snickering. "Okay."
Tsuna sighed happily when the hero hugged him tightly. "You're sixteen now. Happy birthday, Tsuna."
"Thank you, Dad." He smiled.
He waved at the man as he went out. He started his walk for UA while talking with Leon. Natsu is still staying with Eri, keeping the child company with Shouta. Reborn made Leon stay with him as a protection. The man did assure him that he has a burner phone in case of emergency.
Tsuna can't help his smile as he remembered what happened the night before. He realized that his Reborn in the new world doesn't really celebrate his birthday, very unlike his old Reborn. His Reborn here appeared as if his birthday didn't matter. He really thought the hitman will cry while staring at the gifts he received. He wasn't even surprised when Reborn joined him on his futon somewhere in the middle of the night and hugged him to sleep. That's one of the things the two Reborns have in common too.
Entering the dorm at past nine in the evening, he greeted his classmates who are still lounging around. Katsuki eyed him suspiciously when the other noticed the paperbag. He was so thankful that his Dad didn't put 'happy birthday' anywhere because the blond will be very angry if he discovered that it's his birthday. Some did ask what's with the fancy paper bag. He reasoned out that his Dad gave it to him, they gave up asking after that.
Bidding them goodbye, he went for his room to drop off the gift among the three he got, before taking some clothes to take a bath. He made sure that his veranda is open before leaving though. Katsuki still gave him the suspicious looks, with Shouto and Izuku this time, when he went back to the common room for the baths. He can't help sweat dropping and didn't mind. He let himself soak with Leon and went out after fifteen minutes in the big tub.
"Tsu-na." He blinked at Mina who is smiling at him.
"Hi Mina-chan. How's your dance coming up?" He asked with a smile.
"It's great! Some are having a hard time but they aren't that hard to teach. A little more polishing too!" The lady replied with enthusiasm.
He nodded. "So what can I help you with?"
"We've been wondering," The lady paused.
"Uh-huh." He indulged.
"we figured everyone's birthday except yours. So when is your birthday?"
He pursed his lips before smiling apologetically. "Today."
"Eh?"
"October fourteen. It's my birthday today." He answered before waving. "See ya tomorrow, Mina-chan. Good night."
He immediately escaped to the elevator when Mina asked loudly why didn't he say anything. It's not that he doesn't want them to know. It's something that should be asked personally, right? Or to be known. God. Katsuki will really really kill him. The blond asked him when is his birthday, and all he said was 'four days from now'. That should be a good enough answer, right?
He's so screwed.
Entering his room, he hurriedly turned on the lamp before turning off the main lights. He sat on his swivel chair and turned on the dancing lights of his 'Wall of Photos', as Reborn dubbed it. He sat back and stared at them. Oh yeah. Reborn was staring at the wall too when he came in yesterday. He can't help smiling at the pictures he collected though.
"You made a commotion downstairs." A baritone voice informed. He glanced at the hitman who's coming in from the balcony. "They didn't know it's your birthday today?"
He shook his head. "Nope. Although I answered Katsuki 'four days from now' when he asked on the tenth."
"Speaking of tenth, I heard Xanxus received an anonymous gift." The hitman said while putting down the paper bag he was holding to the other gifts. "He received an expensive wine, colorful feathers for his hair accessory and a leather jacket. His brothers denied the gifts since they forgot that it was Xanxus birthday."
Tsuna snorted. "I thought they love him?"
"There are reasons why they aren't my student." Reborn deadpanned. "Anyway, seeing your expression, those were from you."
"Maybe." He hummed with a cheeky grin.
"And the other anonymous gifts he receives over the years." Reborn added before rolling his eyes. "You're pretty sneaky."
He laughed. "I just knew things. My Xanxus used to be very competitive with me. Whenever I give him a gift, he'll really top it off. I just took the opportunity to give him the gifts I've been thinking for awhile without him grumbling and cursing how he can top it."
Reborn stared at him.
"What?"
"Open my gift last." The hitman stated while gesturing him to his gifts. "Go on."
He looked over to his six gifts, which is an achievement because he usually has three every year. He took the first gifts he received that day, a small box with yellow dots pattern and white ribbon from his Uncle Naomasa, and an eight by eight inches box with music sheet wrappings from his Uncle Hizashi.
The first thing he opened is the one from the officer. He cracked up as he raised the handcuff for Reborn to see, before smiling appreciatively at the intricate white fountain pen with it. The handcuff with its key is obviously a gag since he gifted his uncle a Villain Tsuna action figure as a joke before giving up the real gift. He let the hitman play with the handcuff as he opened the other one. His eyes budged as he stared at headphone set. One headphone, headset and wireless headset.
"Shit." He exclaimed as he took his phone.
"What is it?" Reborn asked, looking over.
"Headphones." He answered with the biggest grin as he typed messages for his uncles. "You've seen my worn out headset, right? That has been playing with my sky flames for the past two years. This set is like saviors."
"Why? Can't you use your headphones?" And the hitman nodded on something behind him.
"Oh this?" He jabbed a thumb for his X-headphones. "That's for combat and when I'm in flight."
A brow was cocked. "You can't play music in there?"
He shook his head. "Nope. It's not made by my old tech guy. Those people I asked Verde to get? Spanner? He was the one who made the very first and still upgraded my latest eleven- No. Twelve years ago."
"Oh. Then it's like the best gift?"
He chuckled and reached out to pat the hitman's cheeks. "There's no best or worst gift for me, Reborn-kun. I appreciate all of them." He pulled the headphone and inserted the jack on his phone. He played an Italian lullaby. He grinned at how good the volume. "Damn."
He didn't mind when Reborn took his phone and switched the headphones to the new headsets. He went to take Nemuri's gift for him. It was a simple brown envelope. He didn't dare carelessly put aside cause it looked like it contains some papers. He carefully opened it and peered inside. He went to Reborn's side, by the bed, and spilled the pictures in there. It's a lot. He took one with four people in it. It was a picture of teen Aizawa, Nemuri, Hizashi and...
"Oboro." He uttered, staring at the teen with the widest grin. "Shirakumo Oboro."
"You have a lot of pictures there." His hitman pointed out. "Should I put mine too?"
Tsuna can't help his laughter. "Oh, Reborn."
"What? I want you to have my photos too." The other harrumphed.
He snickered. "I have a big album somewhere. Put your photos here too. I'll search for it."
"You're not taking me seriously." The hitman sighed.
"No no!" He denied as he stood up and went for his closet. "I really have a big album here. I took it with me because I have some toddler pictures in there, and some pictures I couldn't let go. I mean, memories are memories- Aha!" He brought out the big album and showed it to Reborn. "Did you know that I asked Dad to buy me this kind of album when I was seven? We had a lot of pictures by then since I always use his phone to picture silly stuffs." He stood up and put it on the spot he was sitting previously. "I buy the same album every time I ran out of space to put the pictures I print out and connect them with strings until it became like this." He nodded to his trusty printer. "And that's my very first printer I use to print pictures, since I was nine."
"This is big." The man gaped.
"I told you so." He carefully opened the album to the bookmark he put and smiled at the blank space. "Where are your pictures? I want to put yours first."
He grinned when he noticed how Reborn's face lit up. They separated those pictures he can hung to his wall and the pictures he wants to put on the album. He can't help staring at how cute Reborn's baby form. Damn. His uncle instincts are on overdrive. He wants to pinch chibi Reborn's chubby cheeks. After keeping the pictures, with the hitman's full body as the last picture to be kept, they proceeded to get Hitoshi's gift. They were three handmade coasters. He can't help blushing at the words though.
'With my Dying Will.', 'Everything will be alright.', and 'Just for the heck of it.'
Reborn teased him about it before they opened Shouta's gift. He had the widest smile when the hitman snapped a picture of him with the gift. The bag contains three plushies of him, Reborn complete with Leon and his fedora, and Shouta with his capture weapon. He hugged his Dad's and his hitman's plushies to his heart, and it took minutes for him to let them go because Reborn was impatient for him to open his last gift.
"Hug your copy later, yeah?" He said while he carefully took the paper bag. "I'm gonna make Dad hug his too so everytime you're away, I can hug you both."
"You're such a sap." Reborn huffed, making him laugh again.
He looked down to the paper bag and carefully took the small box at the top of the larger one. He carefully pulled the loose side of the orange ribbon and opened it. His eyes widened at the sight of the watch. It's a Nomos Glashütte Lambda Weissgold with three dials that he saw on the magazine he was reading yesterday. And instead of the usual prints though, it wrote 'Encompassing Sky' and 'Vongola Decimo'. "Reborn..."
"I couldn't think of anything to give you other than that." The hitman reasoned. "It's good you updated your suit too. It will go well with it."
"I..." He looked down to the watch before relenting. It looks really good with all the gold, the glass and brown straps. "You charmed the worker, didn't you? That's why it doesn't have the usual writings." A smirk was the only answer he needed. "Man. Thank you. I didn't expect this."
"I know you aren't the type to go materialistic or go expensive, Tsuna."
"We both know." He assured before putting the watch aside and carefully took the big box. He opened it and eyed what's inside. "A fedora." He uttered as he put the lid away and firmly took a good grip on the hat. "This is new?"
"Nope. One of my hats. I went to Italy to get that one. I figured you'll want something I used, so I got that one." The other answered.
Tsuna grinned widely and put the hat on his head. It was just like Reborn's, and he can feel the small sun flames in them. "I love it. Thank you."
An amused smile was received. "Always."
"X-Xanxus!"
"Wha-"
"Please! Please! Find him!"
"Who?"
"Find my hitman! Please! Find Reborn! Find my Reborn!"