And another chapter. Yay!
Chapter 3: Perverts and hitmen
Pastel green eyes cracked open with the first few rays of early morning light. A grumble of annoyance came from the human shaped lump, huddled in the bed. The figure rose, still tightly wrapped in it's blankets and began to shamble around the room, gathering it's things for the day. After the still drowsy figure was done, it carefully picked it's way out of the room, gently moving the dividing current to check on the rooms other occupant. Finding a still slumbering mass on the bed, it left without another noise. Creeping through the barely lit home, and out the front door.
The Umehito family lived in a small apartment, in a small apartment building, on the edge of the bad side of town. Tsubuki and her younger brother, who was in his last year of elementary school and would be thirteen in the summer, shared the master bedroom, while their mother used the small second bedroom. Their kitchen was small and the living room which doubled as a dining room was moderately sized. Though the family was often left feeling slightly cramped and the youngest Umehito stayed at his friend's houses as often as he could, they lived comfortably.
They had not started off as a poor family. No, Tsubuki's father had been very well off and after his early death, he'd left a small fortune to his wife and young children, but Tsubuki's illness proved to be far more expensive than could be easily managed. To keep from running out of money, their mother took to working any job she could. She had started off as a nanny, then worked at an official daycare. She took janitorial jobs. Last Tsubuki had heard, her mother worked mornings as a secretary for a law firm and afternoons as a maid with a cleaning company. The woman still managed to be home before her children and have a meal prepared for them.
With a bright new morning ahead of her, Tsubuki began her almost hour long walk to school. There were plenty that were closer, but they fell on the bad side of town and her mother would not risk her fragile daughter's safety by sending her to a school that was in gang territory. Her mother wasn't even aware that Tsubuki walked to and from school each day now. Her brother, who went by the name Ryuu though his real name was Satoshi, liked the idea of danger. Their poor mother could do nothing to coax him away from it all, but she still prayed each night for his safety and worried herself to tears every time he forgot to call.
As the sun began to fully rise, it's rays warming the slightly chilly air, Tsubuki began to hum to herself. Now that she would no longer be spending excess amounts of time the hospital or be visiting specialists around the world, her mother could ease up on the jobs she worked. She could move them to a better area, maybe even buy that small house she had been eyeing. Tsubuki's smile grew, making her cheeks ache with it's size. With a hop and a little dance, she took off in a jog towards Tsuna's house.
Tsubuki arrived just in time for Tsuna to come rushing around the corner nearly colliding with her.
"Haha, Tsu-Tsu, what's the rush?" She steadied the younger male, who in turn grabbed her hand and pulled her along behind him.
"We have to hurry or we'll be late! And what's with that nickname?" He pulled her along a little more roughly. Tsubuki found herself thankful for her long legs, as she moved to walk beside Tsuna instead of being dragged along behind him.
"I thought it was cute and since you're so small, you have to have a cute nickname!"
"Whatever, you'll forget it by tomorrow any way." Tsuna grumbled, picking up his pace just a bit more.
"Tsunayoshi, what's wrong?"He turned his big doe eyes on to her and sighed.
"There was this kid in my house this morning, calling himself my new home tutor. He even hit me!" Tsubuki raised an eyebrow, amused at the flustered Tsuna. "Seriously, what was with that kid?"
"I'm a hitman." Tsubuki suddenly noticed a baby in a suit and fedora sitting in Tsuna's hair.
"A hitman, that's stupid!" Tsuna laughed. Tsubuki's eyes went wide, her mouth forming an amazed 'o' shape, sparkles all but fluttered off of her.
"Cuuuuuuute~!" She squealed, snatching the baby off of Tsuna's head as he stumbled and stepped on a small dog's tail. "Ohiyo, Baby." The baby smirked at her. Tsubuki made a faint noise of joy.
"Ciaossu." Tsubuki ignored Tsuna as he face planted to get away from the small ferocious little animal. "Please put me down." She stuck out her lower lip but did as asked. The small baby walked up to the dog and pet it's head, calming the little dog down.
"Even cuter!" Tsubuki shrieked, hopping up and down in delight. Tsuna gave her a disbelieving look.
"Buki-chan, this is the kid I was talking about!" She looked at him then looked away, he smiled a little, was she feeling guilty.
"Lucky. I wish I had this cutie for a home tutor!" Tsuna's jaw dropped in disbelief.
"He's just a baby! What would he even be able to teach you!?" Tsubuki stared at the little smirking baby, tapping her finger to her chin and her toes on the ground.
"It'd be tutoring for when I become a mama!" Tsuna couldn't come up with a response. He knew she loved children, but he hadn't thought it was this bad.
"Sawada Tsunayoshi." Both teens turned back to the baby. Tsubuki's hands twitching like she wanted grab him again. "You're a loser who get's panicked easily in a crisis." Tsubuki nodded in agreement. "You're the single middle schooler on this Earth who's afraid of Chihuahuas."
"And everything else." Tsubuki added as an after thought. The baby tipped his hat in agreement and Tsubuki nearly melted at the sight. "Sooooo cute!" She scooped him into her arms again, cradling him to her chest. "My name is Umehito Tsubuki! Please call me Buki-chan!"
"Reborn." Tsubuki's grin nearly split her face as the baby made himself comfortable in her arms. "Nice to meet you, Buki-chan." Neither bothered to help Tsuna off the ground as quick footsteps approached them, followed by a defeated sounding thud.
"Aww. How cute!" Tsubuki grinned brightly at Kyoko.
"Ciaossu." Reborn said, causing both girls to smile happily down at him.
"Good morning!" Kyoko said to the baby. "Good morning, Tsubuki-senpai." Tsubuki nodded in return before they both turned their attention back to the baby nestled in Tsubuki's arms. Neither noticing Tsuna's dreamy eyed stare.
"Is this your kid brother?" Tsubuki jumped at the sudden, and rather unwanted, appearance of a disheveled looking brunette haired girl. The girl was looking at Tsubuki.
"No. He's Tsuna's." Tsubuki pointed a finger at the small boy to her side. He moved back, shaking his head no at the statement.
"Why are you wearing a suit?" Kyoko asked, all smiles and sparkles.
"Because I'm in the mafia."
"That's so cool!" Kyoko clasped her hands, looking excited. "But, I'm going to be late for school, so see you later little boy!" Tsubuki saluted Kyoko as a good bye when the girl walked off.
"Hey, Tsuna, aren't we running late too?" Tsuna was too busy gazing at the back of Kyoko. Tsubuki sighed. "Sorry, Reborn. I have to go to school, but I hope to see you again, okay?" Tsubuki set Reborn down carefully. He nodded at her. "Buh-bye! Take care of Tsu-Tsu for me!"
"Ciao Ciao." With that Tsubuki began a steady pace the rest of the way to school, well, it started that way. A mere few minutes later, Tsuna came rushing past her, body glowing and in nothing but his boxers. Tsubuki froze mid step, her eyebrow twitching and smile faltering. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Tsuna was far too reserved to do something so daring.
"What?" She patted her cheek lightly. "That couldn't have been Tsunayoshi. I must still be half asleep." With a small, uncertain laugh, she started her walk to school again.
"No. That was Tsuna." Tsubuki turned her eyes to Reborn, who was now standing next to her, holding up a small paper bag.
"It. . . was. . .huh. . .okay." Tsubuki froze again. "HE'S GOING TO SCHOOL LIKE THAT!?"
"To confess his feelings to Kyoko." Tsubuki turned a surprising shade of green in her shocked state.
"B-but he'll be labeled a pervert. . ." Reborn held the bag a little higher, his black eyes meeting her pastel green.
"Then you should hurry up and give him these clothes." Tsubuki just stared at the baby, and he stared back. "You are his friend, right? No one else will be kind to him." She clenched her first, gently taking the bag from Reborn.
"You're right. Thank you." She tucked the change of clothes into her school bag and shifted the whole thing onto her back before settling down into a sprinters starting position. "See you later, Baby." With that she took off running at her quickest pace, not caring that her short skirt flipped up on several occasions, giving passerbies a flash of her raccoon printed panties.
Reborn pulled out a notebook and scribbled a few things down. "Umehito Tsubuki. Not guardian material, but still has potential." The little green chameleon on his hat nodded it's head with his statement. "Either way, she's already loyal to Tsuna."
Tsubuki arrived just in time to witness Kyoko run away from the underwear clad Tsuna. She grabbed his wrist, using all her strength to throw him behind a nearby tree and smash the clothes into his arms. The flame faded from his forehead and his body stopped glowing. Tsubuki stared at him hard. That flame, it had been a different color than her's but it felt the same, acted the same even. She didn't think it was a common thing, but here Tsuna was. That same flame, gone from his forehead.
"Tsubuki?" Tsuna forgot about his near nudity, after looking his friend over. She was pale. Chalky pale, sickly pale, the pale color she had been when she was still so very sick. Sweat was beading on her face, and her breath was harsh. Her hands were trembling in odd intervals. "Tsubuki, are you okay?" She looked at him, her eyes looked off, bleary, tired. "M-maybe we should take you to the nurse, you could be getting sick again!" Tsubuki swatted him away.
"I ran after you with those clothes." She motioned to the bag in his hands. "I wanted to try to keep you from doing that, but looks like I'm too late." She shrugged her shoulders, turning around and beginning a slightly unstable walk into the school grounds. "So, pervert, put your pants on." Reborn arrived a moment later, his gaze landing on Tsubuki's back as she retreated to an isolated area of the school before turning back to Tsuna.
Tsubuki wobbled, falling to her knees before slumping to the side against the outside of the school. Her skin felt like ice yet her insides felt like they were liquid fire. Her vision was a dizzying mess of blurred shapes and growing black spots. The only sound she could hear was the frantic rushing of her blood in her veins. Her lips began to turn blue as a slow forced breath exited her lips, she didn't draw in the next breath, instead she waited just a moment. Thinking hard about the things that make her happy. A memory flashed through her mind. Her family together, when her father was still alive, they had gone to the zoo, her brother's first time. Satoshi and her had tried to trick the zoo keeper into letting them ride the rhinos. Her father had bought them large rhino stuffed animals to ride instead.
A smile pulled her lips up at the corners shortly before a soft sparkling yellow flame engulfed her body. It fluttered and rippled around her, dancing across her body in gentlest of caresses, soothing her body. As her color began to return, she settled herself more comfortably against the building. She was tired, her body though getting better with help from these beautiful flames of hers, was still weak and unused to the work it had to do. She should have paced herself better. Her eyes slipped close as a warm ray of sunlight fell on her. A nap would do her good, and if asked why she was late, it would be no problem to explain. She was still considered sickly after all. With that thought floating through her mind, Tsubuki slipped into a peaceful sleep.
Pain. Pain was what woke Tsubuki from her sleep. Bright burning aching agony that blossomed from her shoulder and coursed through her body in crippling waves of fire. Without a second thought, she rolled, crawled, leapt to her feet, and charged away. Her pastel eyes did not turn to search for the cause of her pain, she had an icy feeling her gut about what it was anyway, but she needed to escape danger, not confirm what was out for her blood. Tsubuki made it only several yards from her napping spot before another blow caught her side, sending her to dirt below and rolling. She curled up onto her knees, defensive, preparing to rush away again. Her attacker stood before her, bored eyed, messy black hair, tonfa readied for another blow. Tsubuki had truly hoped to avoid the being standing before her.
"Herbivore, cutting classes and sleeping on school grounds is prohibited." Tsubuki swallowed thickly. She was no fighter. In MMORPG terms, she would be the third row healer, weak but put up with for her usefulness. Not a tank, not even a glass tank. She was just that squishy weak (stereotypically female) healer. "For breaking the rules, I'll bite you to death."
"I would rather have detention, please." Tsubuki slammed herself into the dirt below her to avoid being struck again. She scrambled blindly and ran.
That was how the rest of her school day was spent, running and hiding and running again. She'd catch short breaks to heal herself with her glowing flames, but then like a true predator, that beast of a boy would come for her, having sniffed her out, and she would have to run away again.
Reborn shook his head, slightly disappointed, but not very surprised. He turned from peering out the window and back to watching his student in the gym. He could sense the potential in Tsubuki, but he couldn't see her as a fighter. Maybe in defense of her family, in a situation with no other options, but otherwise seemed very unlikely.