"Reborn? You know the way in this forest, right?," Tsuna asked while they were bathing in the nearest river. It wasn't that deep so there's no problem for him to stay in it, his hands grasping on the bank while Reborn help him clean some parts of his petite body.
The werewolf hummed in response as he continued massaging the boy's hair. "Mmhm. Why do you ask? You wanna go back to your mother?," he teased but Tsuna took it seriously and his body tensed. 'Okay, never joke about his mom.' "Relax, I'm just kidding," he cooed, now massaging the kid's stiff shoulders.
Tsuna let out a sigh, turning to see Reborn's face since his back was the one facing the older man earlier. "Please don't give me back to my mother. She's gonna beat me to death! You don't want that, right? Because I'm your friend? Please!?," he pleaded, his eyes turning like those of a puppy and thin pink lips forming a pout as he unconsciously fiddled with his fingers forgetting that he was on a river.
As Tsuna yelped, Reborn quickly caught him in his arms, pulling the kid in his broad naked chest. 'Does he even know what face he's making right now? How can someone be this adorable? Wait, did I just say that this kid is adorable? I must be crazy.' "Careful. No need to worry, alright? I told you, it was just a joke," he replied, patting Tsuna's head and the boy sighed in relief. "Where do you wanna go then?"
Tsuna smiled widely that made his eyes crinkle, "To granpa! I believe I have told you before that it's only abuelo who loves me and that's true! He gives me lots of sweets and plays with me when I ask him to. He cares for me when I'm sick and he doesn't hurt me the way my mom does," he cheerfully said, happiness in his voice.
'He must really love him.' "So you are saying that you want me to take you to his house?," Reborn wraps up, lifting Tsuna so the boy can sit in the river bank since the water is getting colder and the kid might just catch a cold.
The smaller male nodded eagerly, eyes shining in too much excitement. "Yes, please! I will introduce him to you, too, if you want. You'll like him for sure, and he's gonna like you too because you saved his cutest grandson," he chuckled softly with his own words.
Reborn's lips twitched in amusement. "Who said that you're the cutest?," he nudged, joining Tsuna in the bank and he dried them both. "My service isn't free though. How will you compensate me if I'm to bring you there?," he teased, watching as the boy became deep in thought.
"Well, I don't have money right now. I can't earn any as well since no job is available here in the forest. Would fruits be enough? I can gather a lot and lot for you!," Tsuna offered even if he kinda knows that the other would decline. He can still hope though.
Reborn grinned, "No."
"Maybe gramps can pay you when we get there? He's plenty rich, I swear!," Tsuna continued to bargain but Reborn only shook his head to say no. The boy pouted and slumped.
"So.. what now?" Reborn enjoyed teasing Tsuna because the latter wasn't even aware of the faces or expressions he was making, he's just so innocentㅡ so pure.
Moments later, Tsuna's face lit up like he just came up with the brightest idea in his life. His head slowly turned to gaze at Reborn, eyes glinting with mischief. "I'm gonna shower you with a barrage of kisses!"
Reborn was given no time to react as the brown-haired boy climbed up his lap, their faces only inches away from each other. "Readddyyy!" Then Tsuna began giving him soft pecks in the cheeks and even wet kisses all around his face. He should be grossed out but the way the young man beamed at him as he gave him a lingering kiss on the side of his lips stopped Reborn from pulling away.
"Ehrm." A creature on the other side of the river cleared their throat and Reborn suddenly felt the urge to kill someone.
Surprised by the unfamiliar company, Tsuna quickly pulled away and hid behind the older's back. Across them was a man whose skin is covered with a mix of black and silvery fur, above his head is a pair of cat earsㅡ no, not cat's, but leopard's. His arms were filled with the fur too and his hands extend into sharp claws. A semi-leopon? And on his belly was a belt full of dynamites.. those are dangerous!
Reborn rubbed his temples, why is he and Tsuna always disturbed by other creatures? It's pretty annoying. He just want a peaceful moment with the kid. "What now, Gokudera? Do you need something?"
Noticing that Reborn's reaction wasn't as awful as yesterday, Tsuna felt somehow at ease. He stood by his side and eyed the creature. He didn't know that semi-leopons existㅡ well, he just witnessed a harpy so what could surprise him more? "Who is he, Reborn?"
He sighed. "An acquaintance, he's Gokudera Hayato."
The mentioned man jumped his way to Tsuna, surprising the boy that he stumbled on his feet and fall in the ground. Rubbing his behind, Tsuna looked up to Gokudera. "W-what do y-you need? Y-you're not.. gonna h-hurt me, are you?" He looked at Reborn and his eyes scream for help but the werewolf wasn't making a move. 'Is this my end?'
Hayato extended his claws to Tsuna who closed his eyes as if welcoming any attack. "Stand up, I won't hurt you. A friend of Reborn is a friend of mine," he stated, earning a snort from the werewolf. "Don't mind him. It's the first time I've seen him with someone. May I know your name?"
The young man flashed his usual bright smile. "I'm Tsunayoshi, but you can call me Tsuna for short. It's nice to meet you, Gokudera-san!," he introduced himself and gave the leopon one of his warm hugs. Hayato was taken aback but didn't push the kid away, it's not always that someone would embrace a creature like him.
"Hey, hey! Who said that you can hug him?!," Reborn complained, pulling Tsuna away from the leopon. "Don't hug anyone except from me, okay? You're not sure if they would not really attack you!," he added, grasping the kid's arm possessively.
Hayato gazed at the sight in front of him in awe. "Oya, oya. Is this the territorial side of yours, Reborn? C'mon, I'm not gonna take him away from you. No one would dare, knowing what you can do."
Reborn shot him a warning look. "Shut up. Go away, will you? Tsuna's gonna finish his bath."
"But I'm done already, Reborn! Why can't Gokudera-san stay?," Tsuna butted in, pouting at the werewolf. "He's nice so maybe we can play. Right? Right?," he added cheerfully.
Gokudera raised his hands in defeat. "Sorry, Tsuna. I still have training to do, my trainor will be mad if I'm late," he excused. He wanted to play with the Reborn's eyes are already shooting daggers at him.
Tsuna's shoulders slumped down. "Alright. Visit me next time, okay?"
The leopon nodded and that was enough for the human. He watched Gokudera run with his hands and feet til he fade away inside the dark forest. Then he turned to Reborn. "I'm really not allowed to hug anybody?"
"No one but me. Understood?"