So you're aware and don't comment later on. Tsubuki is 5'7". Tsuna is 5'1". Yamamoto is 5'9". Ryohei is 5'6". Gokudera is 5'6". And Kyoya is about 5'6 ½". So Tsubuki is taller than everyone but Yamamoto.
And now let's get into the real story!
Wheee~!
Chapter 1: The return of Near Death-Buki!
She hadn't expected much when she returned to school. Although it was more like she officially started school, having missed the first few months of this school year. She'd expected to receive a few greetings from a select few students, people who barely knew her to demand she tell them what happened so they could turn to their friends and spread gossip. When she entered the school grounds, she got everything she hadn't expected.
Disbelieving looks, frightened glances, feverish whispering, no one dared approach her. As she progressed through the halls, everyone stayed back, parting to the sides like she was the plague. Tsubuki's bright smile and peaceful eyes didn't falter. Not once, not even when she heard a whispered 'Didn't she die?' from a frightened first year. Her face even brightened in amusement as some unknown girl began the first whispering rumors of her 'deal with the devil'.
This year would be interesting, she decided, very interesting.
The teacher greeted her blandly as she entered the classroom and pointed out an empty seat for her to take. Tsubuki seated herself and politely ignored the stares of disbelief that the other students were giving her. As class began, she realized she had done this lesson and the next few already. Being in the hospital left her nothing much to do, so she had worked ahead in the school books.
It was much the same with each class, she was one or two chapters further in then the rest of the class, and though paying attention would have been a good review for the tests she knew would soon be coming, Tsubuki found herself unable to pay attention. She had longed to return to the school, to be among people her age, but now she was rather bored.
She twirled a strand of her still rather dull rusty orange colored hair. She hadn't immediately come to school, through the urging of her mother they spent a week together relaxing enjoying the small things about being a family. In that week, Tsubuki's skin had become a bit more healthy looking, no longer chalky, but now a nice pale cream color. Her hair had gained a bit more shine, but was still dull and a bit coarse and frail. She was looking healthy, more so than she had in years. That also seemed to spark more rumors, further fueling the ones about Tsubuki's apparent deals with the nether world.
When the bell signaling lunch sounded, Tsubuki was the first up and fleeing the classroom. Her destination was the first year classroom to gather her younger friend and drag him away to lunch with her. She grinned happily, a slight prance to her run, people stared even harder at her.
"Buki-chan!" A meek voice called out to her as she continued on, though Tsubuki didn't seem to hear it. "A-ah. She ignored me again." Grumbled the meek voice before it turned and kept walking, she seemed to be in a hurry, so he would find her later.
Upon reaching the appropriate classroom door, she tore it open with such force that a loud bang shook the silent room.
"Tsunayoshi! Let's have lunch together!" Silence was her response. Students gave her dull looks before returning to their conversations though now there were a few murmurs of Near Death Buki and No Good Tsuna dating. Tsubuki blinked, Tsuna had never told her that they were calling him no good. She frowned, eyeing each student in the room, looking for her small brunette friend. She couldn't seem to find him.
"Excuse me." Tsubuki turned her pastel eyes to a pretty little girl, whom by Tsuna's repeated descriptions and praises of, she knew to be Kyoko. Vaguely she remembered her older brother being in her class, the funny loud mouth who thought everything to be extreme. Tsubuki hummed in acknowledgement of the girl. "If you're looking for Tsuna, he left already." She smiled apologetically at Tsubuki, as if it were somehow her fault Tsuna took off.
"Ah. That sucks." Tsubuki grinned down at the girl, who blinked at the sound of the older woman's rough voice. "I'm Umehito Tsubuki. This is my first day back and I was hoping to eat with Tsunayoshi."
"I'm Sasagawa Kyoko. Tsuna's classmate. It's very nice to meet you." The two girl's bowed slightly to each other. "I was going to eat with my friend Hana, you can join us if you want?" Tsubuki shook her head no, waving a dismissive hand.
"I appreciate the offer, but I be fine." The two shared another smile before Tsubuki fled the room, returning to her classroom. She walked at slower pace, hands folded behind her back as she hummed, eyes wandering the walls, peering in open classroom doors. Nothing had changed since last year, she wasn't as scared as last year, but she had intended to be with Tsuna for the start of his middle school times though falling ill had put her a few months behind. Not to worry, she would catch him at the end of the day, they had a relatively similar route home.
Afternoon classes proceeded normal enough, nothing truly exciting or interesting happened, until the last hour of the last class for the day. The teacher, a substitute, had told them to take notes from their books and gave them permission to work together. Not that any of them were really working, they were mostly just talking now. And that's when it started, that's when the first girl leaned towards Tsubuki and opened her mouth.
"Aren't you supposed to be dead?" Tsubuki blinked rapidly, eyes adjusting from looking at the fine text of her book and to the face of a relatively average looking girl next to her. Other students had quieted down and turned to witness the brewing confrontation.
"No. I'm alive. So obviously, I'm supposed to be alive." The girl gave Tsubuki a dull look.
"But you died." The girl pressed, Tsubuki nodded. She had died for a few moments, just a few hearts worth of time. "So why didn't you stay dead?" Tsubuki's eyebrows rose, before her face came alive with a mischievous sparkle. If her fellow students wanted to spread rumors, then who she to stop them, in fact, it was her duty to provide them with more fuel.
"You wanna know the truth?" The girl nodded feverishly. Tsubuki leaned in, the girl followed her example. "You sure?" The girl's hair bounced with her nodding head. The surrounding students had leaned in a well, all curious. "Alright, you see, I made a bargain with a demon." Tsubuki knew she shouldn't, she really did, but she was a teenager and a teenager will always at some point do what they shouldn't, no matter the consequences. "My soul in exchange for immortality." The students leaned back, giving her disbelieving looks.
"Prove it." A boy to her diagonal left said. Tsubuki smirked, a dangerous glint in her eyes. She knew she shouldn't and she really hadn't intended to do it, but it was too late. She had raised a closed hand and slowly opened it. A bright yellow sparkling flame sprung to life in her palm. The students gasped, recoiling, they were startled, some frightened. While those students turned and began to wildly gossip about what happened, their whispers turning into a full blown roar of rumors, Tsubuki felt in her gut that she had in fact made a very bad decision.
She didn't know it, there was no way she could, but disguised as the potted plant in the corner of her classroom, was the world's greatest hit-man. He was gathering information on the people who surrounded his soon to be student, and he was very fortunate to have decided to watch No Good Tsuna's friend today. He'd watched her few times while she was still in the hospital, a few times when Tsuna had visited, to see how they interacted, to define their relationship, but Reborn hadn't considered her much worth to the family. A fragile sickly girl who was kind and gentle wouldn't fit in the mafia world. But as he watched the bright yellow flame burn in her palm, he decided he needed to re-evaluate his opinion of her.
As the roar of the students continued on to a point where the poor substitute teacher gave up trying to control them, a hand clasped Tsubuki's shoulder, far more roughly than she was used to, accompanied by a loud voice.
"That was so extreme!" Tsubuki turned to the voice, eyeing the tall silver haired boy, with a confused smile on her face. "How did you do it? Tell me!"
"W-what?" He leaned in a bit closer, looking far too excited over something like this.
"That flame!" He pointed to her hand, the flame long gone, sitting in her lap. "How did you make it appear in your hand?" Tsubuki smiled politely at him.
"It's just a magic trick. A slight of hand." He gave her a dull look. She swallowed thickly, did he not believe her? Sasagawa Ryohei wasn't known for being the brightest of students, so she sincerely hoped she wasn't that bad of liar.
"I don't get it to the extreme."
"What don't you understand? A magic trick is just making people see the impossible happen without it really happening." He nodded his head, but she had a feeling he still didn't understand.
"I still don't get it." Tsubuki sighed, she figured. "But it sounds really hard! You must be extremely smart to be able to do it." Tsubuki felt a small laugh escape her mouth, it wasn't melodic or like tinkling bells. It wasn't beautiful and feminine. It was rough and slightly deep, like a gentle rubble. Warm and happy, but a bit more masculine than most women have. The bell signaling the end of school rang, causing Tsubuki to cease her laughter. She continued to grin at him with bright eyes.
"My name is Umehito Tsubuki." She gathered her things and stood up, holding her small hand out to him. He grasped it firmly, she returned the strong grip. "I like you Ryohei. I hope we can be friends." He released her hand with a nod and a grin, going to gather his things as well. Tsubuki left the room an aura so happy surrounding her that sparkles could almost be seen fluttering off of her.
On her trek to the front gate of the school grounds, she saw Kyoko standing with a few girls that Tsubuki assumed were from her class. Instead of hunting down Tsuna, she decided to just ask his cute little crush where he was.
"Ohiyo! Kyoko!" She turned smiling sweetly, her friends gossiped behind their hands, all except for a tall black haired girl, who looked uninterested.
"Hello again, Tsubuki-senpai." Tsubuki bowed to them when she got closer.
"Sorry for bothering you, but have you seen Tsunayoshi?"
"It's not a problem." Kyoko paused to think, her pretty eyes looking skyward for a moment. "Sensei held him back for sleeping through his class again. I'm sorry."
"No. No. It's fine. That sounds like something that would happen to Tsunayoshi." She smiled politely at Kyoko, bowing before turning to leave, only to be stopped by one of the unnamed girls surrounding Kyoko.
"Tsubuki, right?" Pastel green met common brown as Tsubuki turned back and nodded. "Are you dating No Good Tsuna?" Kyoko looked a little bothered by the question. Tsubuki couldn't quite decide what part bothered the girl.
"No. I'm not." Tsubuki stated firmly, her fists clenching. "He's my closest friend, even though I lose him all the time because he's so short and is very lacking in presence, so I kindly ask you to not refer to him as No Good." With a huff and a pout, Tsubuki turned on her heel marching towards Tsuna's classroom.
"Who do these people think they are? Calling him No Good. Sheesh. Do they even know him? No. They probably don't. Bunch of nasty sows. When I find Tsunayoshi, I'll make him tell me what this No Good thing is all about. Keeping secrets from me just because I wasn't here, what a little brat. And he wonders why I lose him all the time." Tsubuki continued her grumpy march towards Tsuna's classroom, not noticing the short brunette boy that had stopped just down the hall from her and smiled happily at her.
"Buki-chan!" He exclaimed moving to meet her halfway. "I thought you were starting school next week?" Said girl continued her march toward the room the small brunette had just exited. "Uhhh. Buki-chan?"
"Why does that little wimp think he needs to hide things from me anyway?" She continued to grumble in rough voice. "Did he think I would leap out of my hospital bed and beat everyone up? I'm not that violent. I'm not violent at all. Okay. Maybe a little violent. I do smack Tsunayoshi on occasion for saying dumb things, but I never hit him hard." Tsuna reached forward carefully, tugging her sleeve timidly.
"Buki-chan. You're ignoring me again." The girl in question turned to look down at him, blinking in surprise.
"Ohiyo, Tsunayoshi! I was just coming to get you!" She ruffled his hair affectionately. "I went to get you earlier so we could have lunch today too, but I couldn't find you!" She grinned happily, linking their arms and all but dragging the brunette out the school, the remaining students whispered about how they were dating and what an unusual pair they made. Tsuna stood at a short 5'1" for his age, but that was okay because he was thirteen and had plenty of time to grow, while Tsubuki stood at a frightening 5'7" for a 15 year old female and she prayed often that she grew no more in her life.
Their walk home was peaceful, filled with chatter on simple topics. His grades, her plans for the year, her health, his need of a tutor. Simple things that normal teenagers chatted about.
"Ah, Buki-chan, you never told me where you're from." Tsubuki blinked at him confused, she couldn't remember him asking about her origins before. "I asked you two weeks ago, while we were sitting outside in the garden at the hospital. . ." Tsubuki's eyebrows came together.
"You were there?" Tsuna sighed, feeling tired, how she managed to not notice him so often was beyond his understanding.
"Y-yeah, but I guess like you say, I don't have much of a presence so it's pretty easy to overlook me." Tsuna mumbled scratching at the back of his head. Tsubuki looked at him sadly for moment.
"Then next time say something to me, don't just sit there like weirdo." She ignored his shout of 'I was talking the whole time' and continued on with answering his question. "I was born here and so was my mom, but my papa is military and got transferred here from America." Tsuna nodded.
"Is that why you're so tall?" Tsubuki frowned, looking down at Tsuna, she hadn't noticed until just then, but she did tower over him.
"I'm not sure." She frowned deeper. "My papa was short and so is my mama." Tsubuki ruffled her bangs slightly frustrated. "My mom even says I'm still growing so I'll probably get taller which means I'll have to settle for a short husband." Tsuna laughed nervously.
"But it's not really a bad thing. I mean it makes you stand out so people notice you and it's not like you're ugly or anything s-so. . ." Tsubuki had stopped and leaned down to stare into Tsuna's eyes, a dangerously serious look on her face. "W-what's wrong?"
"You're not confessing to me are you?" Tsuna made a small 'Hiiie" sound, before sputtering stumbling over his response. Tsubuki stood up, placing a hands on her chest over her heart, pulling her arms in, making her moderate sized bust stick out more prominently. She turned away from Tsuna, a sorrowful look spread across her face. "It's a curse truly, my exotic beauty, men falling to their knees before me in desperation for me to return but an iota of their feelings, but I can't! For I am waiting for the man who will carry me to safety! Not rescue me, but stand and watch as I fight my greatest battle, cheering for me with all his heart, and after I am victorious, he will hold me close and tend to me till I am better! That is why I can not return your feelings Tsunayoshi, but fear not for we shall be friends eternally!"
"W-what are you talking about?" Tsuna was ignored, as Tsubuki twirled a few times continuing on with her delusions.
"Our first kiss shall be brought about by divine intervention! The world itself shall force together and it will be at that moment when we blush in embarrassment and utter awkward apologies, that he realizes that I am the warrior princess he has been looking for to fight alongside him!" Tsubuki turned back to Tsuna, her eyes sparkling, face glowing and hands clasped in front of her mouth.
"That sounded like a bunch of plots from those romance novels my mom reads. . ." Tsubuki's face blanched.
"I ran out of murder mystery novels while in the hospital and had to resort to the harlequin romance novels the woman in the room across from me had."
"A-aren't those for adults?"
"Like you've never looked at porn." Tsuna had to rethink what she said several times before it registered. She had said it so plainly that he was almost positive he misheard her. His face turned bright red and sputtered in embarrassment.
"W-what are you talking about!? Don't say things like that!" Tsubuki laughed, a loud warm rumbling sound, as she took off running, her fingers weaving between his and dragging him behind her.