Chapter 3

During the course of five years, Reborn constantly visited the child whenever he got the chance. At first, it was once every few months but then as Reborn actually found himself enjoying the child's company and his ability to talk endlessly from excitement, it became once a month. That changed once more when the demon began to long for Tsuna's kind warm presence and it slowly became three to four times a month until finally once a week. Tsuna was such an interesting human that Reborn felt compelled to come closer to investigate and he found the topics that child deciding to talk about amusing. Despite it being every day stuff, Reborn would follow along and add in his own little tidbits about what he knew and he had experienced over the course of hundreds of years.

"Reborn, how old are you exactly?"

"Old enough."

Reborn began to like the child and the way he would just smile whenever they saw each other. It was kinda cute, though the demon would never admit that out loud. In a way, Tsuna acted like a bright light that just radiated whenever he was around and was constantly following Reborn like a lost puppy that refusing the child such made him feel horrible. Of course, the older brother and Tsuna's mother had the absolute tendency to annoy him. He didn't like either one of them and he took great enjoyment in causing as much trouble and misery to either of them just to make himself feel a little better. However, for the brother, he took steps a little further. He caused all sorts of irritating situations for the boy at school and even when he was hanging out with his friends, trying to make Tsuya fall in despair. Obviously, Reborn took great care in making sure that none of his interventions came back to haunt Tsuna. He wouldn't allow such a thing to happen and he made sure to steer the brunet away from getting involved.

Now that Tsuna was twelve years old, Reborn began to take the child out more often with him on missions or hunts. He found the human quite useful and took advantage of the boy's natural talents immensely. People always tended to drop their guards or relax whenever there was an innocent-looking child with tears-filled large brown eyes that was trying to seek out help. It created enough of an opening to slip pass those annoying barriers or heavily guarded exorcists. As a result, Tsuna learned a couple of skills from lying to knowing how to search out his true targets with a critical eye. He knew what exactly to break and when to search out for something. He could manipulate people, convince them to do his bidding and even get them to come out into the open where Reborn could attack freely. It was a vast improvement compared to how Tsuna had been before, so weak and cowardly. This child, the demon could deal with easily. When Reborn saw Tsuna using it on the people he interacted with daily, he felt proud as he watched the mischievous side of Tsuna slip out to get away from those that might hurt or use him.

Later on, Reborn began to allow Tsuna to stay at his place, using it as his new home to rest at compared to the hellhole called the Sawada residence. The demon didn't mind, it made it easier to search out the child, tell him the details of his plans safely, and even have people believe that there was someone constantly living in his apartment. It was always less suspicious when the neighbors could see someone entering and leaving the place considering he would leave for days at times before reappearing - less chances of people talking (well, somewhat). Reborn didn't even mind leaving behind plenty of cash for Tsuna to use, trusting the child enough to use it wisely, and sometimes a little extra for the missions the brunet helped out on, the boy deserving it.

During that time, Tsuna's grades in class began to improve and the longer he was away from his family, the stronger he got. He came back happy, no bruising in sight, and in peace. Despite some school issues with his usual bullies, he had a safe place where he could hide and relax at and didn't have to worry about being beaten or taunted constantly. It was like Reborn's apartment was his new home and it probably was.

More days went by and then another year and then another. Soon, Tsuna was sixteen and he had grown into an independent teenager, moving through high school (that his brother didn't go to) with ease. His family never bothered with him anymore and they didn't really care that he had somewhat moved out on his own, far away from any of them. Tsuna did his grocery shopping on different days compared to Nana and, as for his brother, he avoided the areas he knew Tsuya regularly visited. In a way, he isolated himself from his past and he was perfectly fine with that. He didn't have any friends nor needed them. The only person he bothered with was Reborn and the demon didn't mind at all. For all the good things that had happened, Tsuna hoped that he would never have to go back to that lifestyle.

Tsuna hummed gently to himself as he made dinner, getting ready to welcome Reborn back home after a yearlong absence. The demon had to run out on an undercover job that required him to remain hidden in the darkness for days on end to get the mission done. It hadn't been a simple one but Tsuna knew well enough that Reborn could handle himself perfectly well. Though, that didn't stop Tsuna from missing his companion during that time, finding himself more alone than ever before.

Tsuna was just beginning to finish up the preparations when he heard the front door being unlocked. He spun around, smiling cheerfully as he realized that the demon was finally home and quickly put everything to the side so that he didn't accidently make a mess for the demon to see. That wasn't something Reborn would be pleased about after just arriving.

"Tsuna?" Reborn's deep voice called out questionably before the demon caught the scent of food, slipping closer towards the kitchen. He stepped around the corner to glance inside, spotting the brunet within. "Ah, there you are."

"Welcome back. I take it that everything went well?" Tsuna's honey-colored eyes examined the demon carefully, taking note of any oddities either on the clothes or skin. It was the only way for him to identify if the other had been harmed in any sort of way. He didn't see anything though, Reborn dressed in pristine condition.

"Obviously, I am Reborn after all."

"Of course." Tsuna chuckled, getting back to the food in order to sort it into two plates. Everything was ready, now all they had to do was sit and enjoy. "I hope you have some appetite, I made some dinner for us."

Reborn shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, why not." He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around the back of the chair before settling down onto the kitchen table. His fedora came off next, this time on the counter, and he ran a hand through his hair to straighten the locks. His eyes peered over the once child and smirked. Tsuna had really grown over the years he had known him and once he hit puberty, the difference beginning to get wider. Though the teenager was nowhere near as tall as him, Tsuna managed to reach up to his chin and was able to look up at his eyes without much strain. His caramel-colored hair had grown out, slipping towards the shoulder and would spike outward, sometimes sliding into his eyes. His skin was more on the pale side, staying indoors than out, but it complimented his eyes by bringing them out. In a way, Tsuna had a beauty of his own. He wasn't incredibly handsome like Reborn and had a more feminine tone in his features that was more of a mix. Regardless, Tsuna was turning quite attractive to people's eyes and now that he had been gone for a year, it was beginning to appear.

As the two sat down for a regular dinner, Tsuna spoke up. "Anything interesting happened during the mission?"

"Not really. I did meet up with some old friends of mine. They were either after the same guy or the organization he was connected with."

"So I take it that with the extra help, things went according to plan?"

Reborn smirked, "Somewhat, there are some idiots on that side that made things harder than they were meant to be."

Tsuna smiled, chuckling as he knew that implementation. Apparently, some just didn't know when to shut their trap during a silent mission and Reborn had no doubt taken the incentive to shut them up himself. He knew that Reborn was violent, even towards people he knew. The only person he hadn't really harmed was Tsuna but that might be because his weak human form was more prone to being damaged unlike a demon's body.

Dinner went on, the two chatting on what had happened over the time they had been apart in hopes of catching up. It took a couple of hours to get everything out into the open, dinner long done and the late night already setting in. Tsuna didn't have classes the next day so time didn't matter and he was too interested in Reborn's stories to say otherwise. During their conversation, the demon noticed the way the human smiled around him, much brighter than how he had first remembered it, and had edged closer to him in his seat. Reborn smirked, believing that it had been longing from Tsuna, who had missed him greatly. No, they both had yearned for each other, missing the times they would share breakfast or talk during the night just before they went to sleep.

Reborn would never admit it to himself but he was getting attached to the brunet, never wanting the child to leave his side. He wanted to keep the boy all to himself and never share him with anyone else. It was those first thoughts that would lead him down towards a path he never expected.

Another two years passed and Tsuna quickly grew out into a gorgeous young man that pulled the attraction of everyone he met. He had a smile that made people's hearts melt and a personality that they couldn't argue with. Tsuna had become crafty and extremely manipulative but that was all covered up by his cheery attitude. Only Reborn knew the truth behind those brilliant beams but sometimes even he found himself falling to a couple of those tricks.

"You'll be heading out to college soon. Have you decided on any?" Reborn spoke up one day, his eyes watching the television as some news reporter went on about some murders that had been happening in the neighborhood. It wasn't anything note worthy, just some human trying to show the world that he could control lives. Reborn huffed, switching off the volume. "You'll be late in sending in your application if you don't decide soon."

Tsuna hummed gently to himself, making himself a small afternoon snack. He didn't seem bothered about the whole thing even when making decent grades that could allow him into some average colleges with no issues. "I haven't really decided on what I want to do."

"You haven't?"

"Yeah, I don't know what field to head into." Tsuna stepped around the couch and flopped down beside the demon. "I mean, I have plenty of options but there's nothing I'm really interested in, nothing that really draws me in."

The demon tilted his head slightly. "That's to be expected, you're quite young. This is a career that would determine your entire life."

"That's why I can't decide on what to do."

"Well, don't worry. Either you'll find the path you want or it'll come looking for you."

Funny how Reborn would find out just how true those words could exactly be because the pathway did some find Tsuna, in the worst way possible.

Reborn had been having issues with a large pack of demons recently, ones that were quite average in the ranking and appeared to be flanking the higher ups in groups. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, however, after the pack of demons struck and weakened the other, another group of more powerful demons snuck up behind to finish the job. It was becoming such an issue that even Reborn found himself weakening over time at the constant fights. He managed to disappear into the darkness to hide from the remaining battles, knowing better to get himself caught in such a trap. It was bothersome and he didn't enjoy such annoyances.

The issue was that a large number of the demons were trackers and had no issue in taking in his scent to follow him around. Reborn sneered angrily at that little tidbit, not exactly enjoying that he had to constantly run and hide to ensure his safety. He attempted a few times to kill off the trackers only when they separated from the pack, succeeding most of the time before the pack came running. Of course, Reborn made sure to prevent any pursuing to his resting locations, not wanting anyone to get the drop on him and definitely on Tsuna.

Reborn smiled at the thought of the brunet. Tsuna was finally in college, working towards a degree in… something. Honestly, the human wasn't too entirely sure on what he wanted and was currently taking some basic credits while he figured that out. Reborn didn't mind and simply continued to supply the brunet with the money he needed to make his bills disappear. Still, Reborn sometimes found himself staring at the brunet from a distance, observing him as he interacted with other mortals around him with a smile. There were also times when he would simply glare at anyone that came too close from a distance. In a way, Tsuna is his and his only. He wouldn't allow any other human to take him away.

"So that's the human you've been keeping around."

Reborn huffed, unfolding his arms to look at a fellow demon beside him. He suppressed his surprise, having not heard the other sneaking up on him, but knew from the sound of the voice that he wouldn't be harmed. His dark eyes turned towards the male beside him and almost growled. "Fong."

The Chinese-looking demon chuckled, raising a arm up to cover his lips. "Long time no see, old friend. Heard you've been having trouble with that pack of demons."

"Not too much. They're more of an annoyance at this point." Reborn turned away, glancing back at Tsuna. He was examining him carefully from the back, not wanting to intrude while the brunet was out shopping for groceries. He was currently in an alleyway, hidden in the darkness and out of view of anyone else unless they decided to interrupt. "Still, there's no doubt that they need to be killed off and soon before they cause any more trouble."

"Yes, that I can agree with." Fong sighed, leaning back against the brick wall of the building. "They almost got my fledging, I-Pin, if I hadn't showed up in the nick of time."

"I see. Then it'll be the same as for me. I won't appreciate it if anything happens to something that belongs to me."

"Still…" The other demon hummed gently to himself, glancing towards the human curiously. It was clear he was tempted to get closer but one look from Reborn made him rethink that. "You best be careful. There's a chance your human there might get attacked because of your scent. You should change him if you want to give him the best chance of survival."

Reborn blinked momentarily at that subject matter and stared straight at the human carefully, as if afraid that Tsuna might very well disappear one day. He… didn't really want that to happen anytime soon, not when he was already so used to his presence. If Tsuna died, either by accident or old age, Reborn knew he would be left alone once more with hardly anyone to be around with. The friends he had made over the hundreds of years didn't count since they were mainly allies and though they trusted each other to help out without issues, there wasn't any on a personal level. The demon huffed and stepped away from Fong, no longer wanting to continue this conversation when it was heading somewhere dark.

Sadly for Reborn, Fong's warning should have been taken more into consideration.

It had been three months of running from the group of demons and Reborn had been as careful as possible to keep his hiding places a secret. He didn't want anyone following him back, much less to where Tsuna was living. However, despite all his caution, things eventually came to its end. Reborn hadn't realized he had one trailing him from the shadows until it was too late, memorizing his scent.

"Tsuna?" The demon called out once he arrived home, hoping to hear that familiar voice that could only belong to the brunet. However, all he received was an eerie silence. Raising an eyebrow up in worry, he stepped in further to get a sense of the area before freezing to his very spot. That smell… Reborn sneered angrily, immediately going on guard and snap his eyes around for all openings. He recognized that smell anymore, he lived off of it.

Blood…

"Tsuna!" Though he knew he shouldn't be calling out the brunet's name in unknown territory, Reborn couldn't help it. He needed to find the human and fast. The blood was fresh and there was only one person that it could belong to. Sliding through the apartment, he came upon the body in the kitchen and froze at the entrance way. "Tsuna..."

There on the cold tiled floor was Tsuna's mangled frame. Claw marks and bitten off flesh scarred his form. Clothes had been torn in the process and his face was covered in blood. A puddle had already formed around him, still and undisturbed. Lingering footsteps, clearly a demon's, were scrambled around Tsuna's fallen form before heading away, disappearing as the remaining blood was rubbed off on the carpet. Reborn simply stared, his mind shutting down, and slowly fell to his knees from the very shock. He could smell the remnants of those that had done this, the scent that clearly belonged to that retched group he had been dancing with. The demon sneered angrily to himself, knowing that this was his fault. They must have caught his scent on Tsuna and followed him back home, hoping to catch Reborn in his hiding spot. He had been too lenient and had allowed an opening. He was so foolish...

"Re..."

A small whisper broke him out of his trance. It was weak, grasping for breath, and it was only then that Reborn noticed the subtle movement of Tsuna's chest. He was still alive, just barely hanging on.

"Tsuna!" Reaching forward, he grasped the brunet's too cold hands into his own, staring straight into those warm honey-colored eyes. "Don't you dare close your damn eyes! You can still live through this!"

The brunet just smiled, bright as ever despite the blood that was decorating his face. "Y-You're ba...ck."

"Yeah..." Reborn peered around his surroundings, quickly searching to see if any of his enemies were hanging around. It was like they had cleared out just to have him find the dying remains of his companion, revenge for taking their own. Oh, they were going to pay for that. Reborn would make sure of that, but first things first. Taking a deep breath, he spoke, "Hey, Tsuna, do you... want to die?"

The human just stared, droplets of blood slowly sliding down his lips. His breathing was getting slower as he tried to stay awake and it was clear that the light in his eyes was quickly fading away. He smiled again and closed his eyes. "No..."

"Good answer." Reborn smirked, leaning closer. "Then you're lucky that you have me, a powerful demon beside you." Tsuna simply opened his eyes once more, weakly this time, and stared at those dark eyes. "Because if it was someone else, you would have just bled out."

Licking his lips, Reborn chuckled. "You'll be the first demon I sire. Welcome to demonhood, Tsuna."

Reborn smirked in amusement, observing as the newly awaken Tsuna annihilated his enemies in retaliation for almost killing him. He hadn't expected the brunet to become so strong as a demon, nowhere near his strength of course, but still quite up there for a fledging. Reborn figured it had to be the strength of the sire that determined everything. He chuckled as Tsuna tore through the various demons with ease, unbothered by the pathetic attempts they made towards him. Apparently, when the brunet had become a demon, he had earned a special ability just like all demons when they are born and his was too useful to deny. To neutralize demon's abilities of his choosing, it was unheard of but fitting.

The group that had been bothering him was being obliterated with ease, not even understanding what was happening to them until it was too late. Reborn simply laughed, languishing in this turnaround. He remained hidden in the back, surveying the setting both for himself and Tsuna's safety.

As the last body splattered against the ground, the brunet spun around and stepped towards his companion with a gentle smile. "It's done, Reborn. They'll never bother us ever again."

"I can tell."

Tsuna peered back momentarily at the bled out corpses, the light from the distance streetlights reflecting in his eyes. "So what now? What should I do? I know... I can't live a normal life anymore."

Reborn shrugged his shoulders, pulling away from the wall he had been settled against. "Anything. Whatever you want. You're technically immortal. You can't be killed easily and you can move however you wish."

The brunet hummed gently to himself before gazing back at the older demon. "Well, I don't really plan on going anywhere except with you. I guess you can take me along from now on. My poor human body won't be able to get in your way now."

"Even as a human, you had your uses."

"So you say but I guess now that I'm a demon, I'll be able to do things I couldn't before. I'll be able to help you in areas a human couldn't." Tsuna smiled, nearing the other. Despite the blood that was scattered around him, he appeared too innocent in the setting. He then spoke all too softly, as if he only wanted those words to be for himself only. "And then perhaps I could have you look at me differently than just a friend."

Reborn caught that last phrase and from his continual interactions with the humans, knew exactly what that meant. He stared at the little demon curiously before smirking, reaching forward to wrap an arm around Tsuna's shoulders. He listened to the small 'eep' the other released and chuckled. "Well, I guess someone is really going to have to try hard to change my option about them but don't worry, it won't be for nothing."

Rubbing the top of Tsuna's head, enjoying the way the spiky hair nestled against his skin, Reborn gave out an laugh. He pushed down a little harder, listening to the arguments and curses the other threw at him before stepping away, knowing things would be extremely interesting for the next couple of years. Having a partner along with him will definitely make that time worthwhile in the passing.

"Reborn!"

Oh, he was going to have a lot of fun with this little demon.

Sorry for the rush of this story but it had to be done. I couldn't really think of anything and it just wasn't happening but I at least gave it an ending. Anyone is welcome to expand on this storyline if they like considering I'm unable to.