Disclaimer: I do not own KHR nor any of the characters. No profit etc is made.
Summary: The man is suave, mysterious and exudes charm…everything screams at Tsuna to run away. Damn his job. R27 library AU
A/N: Another half written fic I just dug out and started writing again. There'll probably be updates, I have a more fleshed out story.
The man is here again.
Tsuna's not staring, not really. He's merely glancing at the strange man who he had been frequenting the library for the past, closing his eyes in brief recollection he misses the swift glance the stranger shot at him, one—no, one and a half months.
Without once borrowing a book.
It is that that ultimately makes the normally more-or-less quick to trust Tsuna so damn suspicious. He narrows his eyes, conveniently forgetting that he is not supposed to be staring, and contemplates. Tsuna's had his share of weird visitors who have questionable tastes in books (and life choices). So, the impeccable black suit does nothing to faze him (even if the other library goers tend to go a little slack jawed at the sheer professionalism), nor does the black fedora perpetually tipped over his face and casting a semi-menacing shadow. Not even the odd lizard that perches on the brim of the fedora sets off alarm bells.
It is the lack of borrowing. Or researching. Or anything vaguely library related.
Tsuna's stare morphs into an all-out frown. At least all the other insane asylum escapees had the decency to come to a library to…do things meant to be done in a library. (He sends a quiet apology to any family members he has inevitably included in the aforementioned description but Tsuna has long accepted that his family is utterly crazy). But this man just sits at an armchair an hour a day and stares out of the windows. The view is nice, Tsuna will admit but not nice enough to stare at every day.
So preoccupied with thoughts of how suspicious the fedora wearing stranger is, Tsuna does not even notice that said stranger is approaching. Rapidly. Only when the sharp spike of 'approaching predator' flashes in his brain does Tsuna snap out of his thoughts, far too late.
The stranger leans on his counter and something like a squeak nearly escapes Tsuna's mouth but thankfully dies before it can humiliate him.
"I'd like to check something out." A shot of espresso, black and bitter, almost scalding, on the verge of pain as it slid down his throat. Tsuna blinks once, twice, lets the words whirl in his brain and the urge to pen it down is strong. For good measure, he blinks again and carefully shoos the words to a corner of his brain, this was hardly the time to start waxing poetic about some stranger's, a dubious one at that, voice.
"Yes?" He says instead and looks quizzically at the stranger's empty hand. What exactly was he borrowing…? And checking out were certainly an odd choice of words.
"I want to check you out, if you please." This time, the connection between words and brain is much faster and Tsuna is spluttering because did this suspicious guy just…? Unrepentant and clearly amused, the man just tilts his fedora back and black, just utterly black, pupils (Tsuna doesn't care about what Gokudera-kun says about no such thing as black, only dark brown eye colors because researches clearly haven't met this man before) and has the audacity to smirk at him.
"What?" Tsuna cannot believe the nerve of this man and makes sure to show it very well by pushing his chair away from the counter and squinting disapprovingly at him, from a somewhat safe distance of course.
"I want to check you out." The man repeats shamelessly, looking for all the world as if he had just asked to borrow a book, which he should be doing. As a budding author, Tsuna realizes that it is his time to shine, dozens of sharp and witty retorts whirling through his mind, Tsuna opens his mouth.
"No barcode." He says instead, pointing dumbly to himself. Great job Tsuna, he thinks, splendid show of wit. Espresso-guy's smirk widens and Tsuna can see the glint of teeth.
"Even better, that means you're free to take." He drawls, leaning forward even more as if he was going to make a grab for Tsuna. The 'NO' that explodes out of Tsuna is embarrassingly loud and he can feel himself redden as the other people in the library glance over. Clearing his throat, Tsuna furiously shakes his head.
"No, no thank you. Not a book to be," he pauses and flushes even more, "checked out." Espresso-guy stares unblinkingly at him and, surprisingly, nods.
"Reborn. See you tomorrow, Tsuna." He says, tipping his fedora and the lizard on it flicks its tongue at him. Tsuna stares uncomprehendingly as Espresso-guy walks out. A full minute passes before the fact that Reborn is Espresso-guy's name connects.
Another weirdo, is his first thought. Stupid name, is his second.
His third and final thought before he gives up thinking completely is, wait tomorrow? But that's my day off.
