Guns and Smiles

by Laughing Yuurei

Collection of R27 one-shots (possibly some drabbles too), so always seen as completed. Will have different genres for each stories. Mostly AU.

7. Meetings

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

Warning: AU/Unbeta'ed/Open ending/Minor Characters' Deaths (not described)

Rating: T

Genres: Romance/Crime/a bit of Humor

Summary: This AU in which Reborn is still the greatest hitman in the world and keeps meeting a younger brunet named Tsuna. He unsurprisingly grows interested, especially when it becomes obvious that the meetings aren't planned and that Tsuna keeps intriguing secrets.

A/N: I probably shouldn't say more to keep a bit of surprise. It was supposed to be less than 4,000 words. It ended with more than 15,000. What happened?

Hope you'll enjoy nevertheless!

---

The first time they met, the both of them were completely focused on their missions, glancing at the other without really seeing. The bar was a bit crowded but not enough to cause a claustrophobic feeling. Chatters and lounge music easily filled the room, creating an inviting atmosphere. Reborn waved his way through the standing people skillfully, aiming for the counter. His eyes swept around, looking for his target. Finding it, he kept it in his sight and looked for a good place to sit. Several possibilities appeared. He disregarded the lonely woman who was obviously looking for a partner for the night, judging by her heavy make-up and the searching look on her face. He didn't need any distraction, especially when he was there for work. Two men were leaning towards each other, holding a friendly conversation. He probably wouldn't be able to smoothly step in without interrupting them. Glancing away, he finally found the perfect company.

A young brunet with Asian features sat quietly on a stool, nursing a glass of wine, his gaze lost among the people chatting and absently moving along the music. Reborn swiftly took place beside him, ordering the same alcohol by curiosity. The brunet raised an eyebrow at him, momentarily focusing on Reborn. The hitman took his glass of wine once it appeared and tasted it. He hummed in appreciation.

"You have good taste." He commented, shifting to include both the stranger and his target in the line of his sight.

"Thank you." The younger man hesitated then, wondering how he should formulate his lack of interest politely.

Reborn spared him the tedious task. "I'm not looking for a partner tonight."

"Oh." The other let out in relief, a spark of curiosity lightning up his honey-colored eyes. "If you're only there for friendly company, then, you're welcome. I'm Tsuna, by the way."

"Reborn."

The hitman smirked when Tsuna tilted his head at the unusual name but wisely chose to not comment on it. His target's eyes scanned the room at that moment, tensely looking for a threat. Reborn promptly set his attention on Tsuna, engaging small talk. He absently noticed that Tsuna was keeping a watch of his own, on a couple he had overlooked when he came in earlier. He didn't ask any questions on the matter, uninterested. After all, he was only there to trail his target and keeping a friendly conversation with Tsuna as a way to avoid suspicion. Reborn was fairly certain –as he slid off the stool with a polite "Good night" to the younger man twenty-three minutes later– that they wouldn't meet again.

---

The second time they met, Reborn was visiting a museum in Berlin a few hours before completing another contract. He had been interested in the exhibition at first upon catching a conversation during his infiltration in his target's house but now that he was there, he was beginning to feel boredom rising. He was leaving a room, turning around a corner, when a distraction ran into him –literally. Without thinking, he reached out to stabilize the young man in front of him who stuttered an apology in a heavily-accented German.

Reborn quirked an eyebrow as he recognized the wild brown locks, the Asian features and the sharp honey-colored eyes.

"Fancy meeting you here, Tsuna."

Tsuna started, surprised. He tilted his head while trying to slow his breathing. His face was flushed, giving his cheeks a rather endearing color. He had clearly been running away from someone or something.

"Reborn from Milan?" Tsuna asked, switching back to Italian, a language he was obviously more comfortable with. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think people do in museums?" Reborn asked back, a hint of amusement coloring his voice.

This time, his blush was due to his embarrassment. "Right." He mumbled, glancing away.

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

Tsuna snapped his head up, his eyes suddenly widening. He abruptly stepped back, escaping from Reborn's grip. He shot a look behind his shoulder, biting his bottom lip.

"Reborn, you really should ignore me and continue with your visit. I don't want to drag you into my troubles." He ruffled into the pocket of his jacket.

Reborn hummed quietly, observing him. Tsuna's clothes were different from those he wore in Milan, as expected. They were also in a bad shape, dirty and torn. His jacket especially presented a cameo of different colors, from the green of grass to the splotches of brownish red of blood. Tsuna let out an irritated huff, obviously not finding what he wanted. Instead, he took out a piece of rope and expertly tied his hair with it, in a low ponytail. Reborn took a glance at the younger man's wrists, finding them bruised. There was another bruise on one of his cheeks but no other sign of injury. However, considering what he had observed, it was possible that Tsuna was in the middle of escaping from possible abductors. Keeping a victim in a museum was by far more original than dumping them into a warehouse.

It was definitely more interesting than the exhibition.

Without any warning, Reborn caught Tsuna's left elbow, making him squeak in surprise. He then practically dragged him in the nearest toilet, ignoring his half-panicked half-indignant protests. They surprised a middle-aged man who threw a startled and confused look at them. Reborn glared at him, making the unfortunate visitor flee as fast as he could. Tsuna sent him an apologetic smile though it was completely unseen. The hitman turned the younger man around to make him face one of the mirrors. Tsuna grimaced at his appearance, understanding that he wouldn't be able to blend in the crowd of the museum until reaching the exit.

"Give me your jacket." Reborn ordered from behind him, running a critical eye on him.

"W-what?" Tsuna spluttered, meeting the other's gaze in the glass. "Reborn –"

The hitman forcibly removed the cloth from him and threw it into the bin. He ignored Tsuna's protest, giving him a cuff on his head.

"Clean your face while I'm out." He carried on. "Get rid of the rope too."

"Wait, Reborn!"

Tsuna watched in disbelief as the door closed behind the older man. With a resigned and tired sigh, he followed the last directions. Behind him, a stall door opened, revealing a hesitant boy. He probably wasn't any older than nine, looking a bit unsure on what he should do. Tsuna softened his face, giving him a warm smile. The boy stayed put, watching him warily. That wouldn't do. Tsuna knelt in front of him, switching back into his hesitant German.

"I'm Tsuna." He said slowly, knowing that his Japanese accent made some words incomprehensible. "What is your name?"

The boy was silent for a few minutes, long enough for Tsuna to think that he wouldn't give any answer.

"Hans." The child finally replied, recovering some confidence after observing Tsuna for two full minutes.

Tsuna knew that he didn't look very intimidating and while his shirt was dirty, there wasn't any fresh blood on it. That definitely helped. Tsuna took a few steps back, letting Hans go to the washbasin. Reborn chose this moment to come back in, holding a cosmetic bag. He spared a glance at the boy before dismissing him. Tsuna sighed, stepping forwards and snatched reluctantly the purse. He turned briefly towards Hans who was not-so-discreetly watching him.

"You should go back to your parents, Hans."

The child started, looking away. He fidgeted a bit, nervous.

"I'm with my class."

Reborn huffed impatiently, finding the interaction pointless. He stepped closer to Tsuna, rummaged in the bag and found the make-up he needed.

"Well, you should go back to them, then." Tsuna smiled at Hans, wondering who on earth would let a child wander on his own, before letting out a protest when Reborn grabbed his chin, turning his face towards his.

"Stay still." Reborn then applied some powder for his complexion, trying to mask the bruise.

He easily noticed the blush rising on Tsuna's cheeks and couldn't help but smirked, clearly amused.

"Where do you even find this make-up?" Tsuna asked in Italian, shying away at the proximity. "You can't possibly have simply asked…"

He trailed off at the arrogant smirk on the hitman's lips. It had been a piece of cake to charm a woman, giving her some lies and leaving with the promise to give her cosmetics back to her once his task completed.

"No way." Tsuna denied, his eyes widening.

"Now shut up, and let me work." Reborn was clearly enjoying a bit too much the situation.

Tsuna stood awkwardly, letting the man do what he needed to. He focused on the sounds coming from behind him. Hans turned off the faucet, cutting the flow of water. Footsteps went a bit closer.

"Goodbye, Hans." Tsuna said once the boy entered his line of sight, a hand on the door handle.

The child looked puzzled for a moment, trying to understand the Italian words. Figuring out the meaning, he threw a smile at the pair and got out. Tsuna briefly wondered what Hans thought of their actions. Reborn put away the make-up and examined his work. To avoid giving an unnatural color to the younger man's complexion, the hitman hadn't applied too much powder. There was enough however to mask the bruise if no one looked too closely. Taking out a bow, he went behind Tsuna and made another albeit nicer low ponytail.

"Better but not enough." He commented, staring at the dirty shirt that would stand out. "Here, wear this." He didn't wait for an answer and forced Tsuna to comply, putting Reborn's suit jacket on.

Reborn then put his fedora on the brown mop, tucking it beneath the hat. Tsuna looked at himself in the mirror. His hands disappeared in the jacket sleeves. He straightened both his shoulders and back to keep it from hanging. His eyes shifted to stare at Reborn, standing slightly behind him, looking rather satisfied. His mysterious air given by his suit had slightly changed, his spiky black hair adding a touch of rebellion.

"If you stick close to me, getting you out won't present any difficulty." Reborn smirked, sending a shiver down Tsuna's spine. "Of course, you'll have to play your part."

"Part?"

Reborn rolled his eyes and gestured at their reflections. "I'm sure you can guess what image we're giving to the other visitors, and consequently, your kidnappers."

Tsuna's eyes briefly widened. "You want us to pass for a couple? That's– wait, you said kidnappers? How did you–"

"Exactly." Reborn grabbed both his arm and the cosmetic purse, completely ignored his exclamation and dragged him out of the toilet. "Now, get ready."

Reborn threw open the door and sneaked an arm around Tsuna's waist, keeping him close. He chuckled at the blush that had bloomed on the younger man's cheeks. Tsuna took a few deep breaths, convincing himself of the necessity of the act. Reborn was a precious and outrageous help and while Tsuna felt guilty at the danger he was putting the other man in, he was really thankful. They slowly passed a few rooms, fooling everyone meeting them. Reborn suddenly noticed the woman from earlier, demanded that Tsuna stay put and went to her. The brunet tried to look as inconspicuous as possible, looking around. He blinked when he noticed Hans pacing, visibly struggling to keep his growing panic in check.

Tsuna sent a look towards Reborn, hesitated a bit and then sighed. He just couldn't let the child alone when he was so obviously lost. He quietly walked to Hans, still watching carefully around him.

"Hans."

The boy started and bit back a yelp, turning swiftly on his heels. Tsuna gave him an apologetic smile, realizing that he had muffled his footsteps by habit. He knelt in front of the child, flicking up the fedora.

"Tsuna." Hans relaxed a tiny bit upon recognizing the adult. "You scared me!"

"Sorry." The brunet winced, mentally bracing himself for another conversation in German. "Why are you alone?"

Hans shifted on his feet, embarrassed and distressed. "I've lost my class." He admitted. "I don't know where they are."

Tsuna bit his lips, quickly thinking. There was no way that he was going to let Hans alone in the museum. He would have preferred to look for his teachers but he was a danger for the child since he was actively wanted by the very same abductors who had tried to lock him downstairs. He neither had the time, expecting his enemies to abandon any pretense and simply swarm into the building with all available and capable men they could find.

"Alright then, I'm going to take you to the reception desk." Tsuna decided on the spot, holding out a hand.

"You're unbelievable." Reborn commented from behind him, looking at him in exasperation and appearing from nowhere. "We're trying to get you out of here."

"I know." Tsuna replied, standing up and facing the hitman. "I can't leave him here alone."

"You should."

"No. Besides, adding a child makes for a better cover, doesn't it?"

Hans looked back and forth between the two adults, not understanding a single Italian word. Reborn narrowed his eyes at Tsuna who stood firm, refusing to back away.

"Fine." Reborn conceded. "Let's go now."

Tsuna gave him a brilliant smile, let the older man wrapped an arm around his waist and tugged at Hans's hand, encouraging him to follow them. They made the perfect picture of a nice couple enjoying a leisure time with their son or nephew. Fortunately, they weren't far from the museum entrance and made it in less than ten minutes. They stopped by the reception desk, letting Hans explain the situation to the lady looking at them with something close to envy in her eyes. Uneasy, Tsuna unknowingly shifted closer to Reborn. From the corner of his eyes, he recognized two men who played a part in his abduction. Letting out a silent curse, he ruffled Hans's brownish hair.

"Now, everything's going to be okay, Hans." He knelt in front of the boy, offering him a smile. "Stay with the nice lady so that your teacher can find you, okay?"

Hans nodded. "Thank you, Tsuna."

"Anytime, Hans." Tsuna grinned, relieved for the child but his back was stiff, aware that the men were getting closer. "It's been a pleasure to meet you. 'Till we meet again!"

He abruptly got up and followed Reborn, making sure that the hitman was hiding him from the men's sight. They left the museum and vanished inside the crowd. Together, they skillfully waved their way through, keeping an eye out. Five minutes later, Tsuna pulled Reborn in an alley. Looking around, he let out a relieved sigh. He took off the jacket and handed it back to Reborn. Lifting his head up, he opened his mouth to give his thanks. Instead, lips covered his own and muffled his words, startling him. Reborn took advantage of his surprise to slide his tongue in. Tsuna's capacity of reflection slipped away and he was absently aware of his own hands clutching the shirt in front of him. He didn't even notice when Reborn got his fedora back, too immersed in the kiss. When Reborn finally stepped back, Tsuna was quite breathless, staring in silent stupefaction at the man.

"Until we meet again." Reborn mimicked with an insufferable smirk, eyes glinting with an unsaid promise.

Tsuna stayed frozen on his spot, blushing furiously and watching him disappear in the crowd.

---

The third time they met, it was on the evening of the very same day. Reborn was leaning against a wall in one of the numerous ballrooms of the extravagant mansion. He had swapped his usual suit and fedora for a top hat and the according attire, completed with a silver mask. Infiltrating once again the mansion had been ridiculously easy and he had blended with the other guests who had come to the organized masquerade. Reborn didn't understand the drug lord's eccentricities but it served wonderfully well his mission. Striking down the host wouldn't be much of a challenge, after all.

In fact, he would have already acted if Reborn had known behind which mask the drug lord was hiding. He observed the room through his crystal glass. He only had before midnight to find his target and stroke. Well, he knew that he wouldn't have any difficulty in slipping away from the masked ball to wait for the lord in his bedroom or office, kill him there and disappear unnoticed in the night. It would singularly lack any form of drama and when Reborn could make a memorable performance, he gladly offered it.

From the corners of his eyes, he noticed some ladies coming towards him. Swiftly, he vanished among the crowd of dancers, skillfully waving his way without touching any of them. If he couldn't find the lord by himself, he would turn to the guests for information, beginning with the ladies. However, for now, he preferred trying by himself. Besides, he knew that escaping from them would surely keep their attention on him. He was putting his untouched glass of champagne on one of the tables when his gaze was drawn by the flutter of an orange dress. Straightening, he observed the woman, walking slowly and acting very much like a predator stalking a prey though he didn't really notice –or mind. The costume she was wearing wasn't sophisticated as some were, rather plain in fact. It blended completely among the others, escaping notice. Long gloves covered her arms, reaching the elbows. A cascade of wild brown hair fell on her back, hiding the laces. A black and red mask canceled her face, safe for her eyes and her right cheek. She wasn't gorgeous or ridiculous. She was lovely and possibly charming, attracting glances. However, Reborn knew that it wasn't her appearance that had caught his gaze. Instead, he looked at her movements as she accepted a dance with a young man holding a plain golden domino mask.

She was very graceful, much more than more than half of the other women twirling around her. It wasn't though exactly the same type of grace. She didn't make any unnecessary movement. Each one of her gestures was perfectly controlled. Despite the heels she was wearing, she didn't make any sound. Even though the dance rhythm stepped up, causing her partner's breathing to quicken, her own stayed regular. While the man only had eyes on her, Reborn could clearly see that her gaze was constantly sweeping through the room, vigilant and piercing. It took him only a moment to understand that she was actually using the dance to scan the other dancers and her partner to hide conveniently. It was subtle enough to avoid notice even though Reborn succeeded in figuring it out. He wondered the reasons behind her presence. Was she one of the drug lord's members of security? Was she a hired assassin? Was she something else? There was also something familiar in her. Reborn was certain that he knew her.

He leaned again against a wall, tracking her. He had no doubt that his stare had been noticed. He was merely waiting for her to make her next move. The evening was getting even more interesting. He watched her approach him in a flutter of her dress, absently avoiding an enthusiastic arm thrown in a swirl. She kept her hands clasped in front of her stomach, tilting slightly her head on the side. The perfect picture of graceful fragileness.

Their eyes met and recognition struck them both at the exact same instant. Reborn couldn't help but let out a low and short laugh.

"I didn't expect to meet you again so soon, Fräulein."

Tsuna scowled, shifting closer to hold a whispered conversation. Reborn appreciated his disguise, noting how the mask and the long orange gloves hide his bruises.

"You look absolutely lovely, Tsuna." He teased the younger man in Italian, knowing that the other was probably blushing though it didn't show. "I didn't know you had an interest in cross-dressing. I would have taken your passion in consideration otherwise."

"What are you doing here, Reborn?" He hissed, choosing to ignore the comments. "And don't answer my question with a rhetorical one."

"I should be the one asking you this." Reborn raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here? What made you think that entering into the wolf's den was a bright idea?"

Tsuna's entire body stiffened. It was the only outward reaction betraying his shock. "How did you know?"

"I didn't." Reborn quietly admitted, letting his gaze wander in the room, keeping watch. "You proved my guess."

Tsuna bit his lips in agitation, stopping when he realized he was eating his make-up.

"You didn't answer my question." He threw back, wondering about Reborn's presence.

"Neither did you." The hitman sent him a sharp look. "Why are you here, Tsuna?"

Tsuna stayed silent for a while, keeping his entire attention on Reborn, tuning out the world around him. His honey-colored eyes seemed to glow with their intensity. Reborn got the detestable impression that his soul was being revealed by his piercing gaze, finding every hidden secret. He half-expected Tsuna to back away, choosing to retreat and disappear in the anonymity of the crowd, leaving Reborn without answer. For a reason he had yet to define, Reborn didn't want that. Nevertheless, he didn't do anything, simply waiting for Tsuna to reach a conclusion on his own.

Tsuna blinked slowly. The intensity instantly vanished and Reborn found that he could once again take deep and calming breaths. His interest in the younger man just shot up for this alone.

"Information." Tsuna finally answered. "I'm here for information."

"That's all?" Reborn insisted, letting disbelief tint his voice.

"I'm not here for payback if that's what you're asking." The younger man replied dryly. "It's already crazy of me to be here. I'm not going to push my luck."

The hitman hummed thoughtfully, looking around. He noticed that they had gained the envious attention of some women and men, both aiming for either one of them. They were also some suspicion in some gazes. He let a smirk spread on his lips and with an elegant bow, held a hand for Tsuna, silently asking for a dance. Tsuna didn't question his actions thankfully, graciously accepting the offer. They waited the appropriate moment to smoothly enter in the dance, Reborn leading them both away from the previous attention they received. If Tsuna noticed that Reborn was holding him a bit too closer than necessary, he didn't say anything. On the contrary, he relaxed and let the other took complete control.

"I can help for the payback part." Reborn whispered in his ear, taking advantage of the dance to lean in.

He smirked at the shiver that Tsuna failed to suppress.

"Oh, really?" Tsuna almost scoffed but poorly canceled his interest. "What is it that you need?"

"The accurate mask."

Reborn didn't develop, knowing that it was pointless. Judging by the glint in the younger man's eyes, Tsuna already possessed this piece of information. With a planned misstep, he stumbled into Reborn's chest. Lifting his head up, he whispered a few words in his ear before stepping back, switching back into his lady persona. Apologizing, he offered him a convincing shy glance and with a graceful bow, he vanished among the dancers.

Reborn didn't watch him leave, his mind already back to his original task. This time, the lord wasn't going to escape him. A feral look entered his eyes, making several guests unconsciously step away from him.

A quarter before midnight, chaos erupted. Among the panicked guests, the barking members of the security and the agonizing lord, no one noticed the couple slipping out into the moonless night.

---

Three weeks later, Reborn strolled down a street of a Californian town, enjoying the quiet offered by the early morning. He went to a café he had noticed the day before. Crossing the street with barely a glance at the slow traffic, he felt his lips curve into a smirk. There, on the terrace, peacefully sipping a coffee and devouring with an almost childish glee a muffin, was Tsuna. The young man was clad in casual clothes, without any jackets. Not that it was needed. The day was already warm and the temperature would only rise. The wind ruffled his brown locks gently, still agreeable.

His fingers running through soft strands of hair, a cheeky smile on bruised lips–

Reborn blinked and the scene faded back to his memory. Honey-colored eyes peered over sunglasses. Tsuna slowly smiled, fighting back his surprise and something else, suspicion? Fear? It disappeared quickly enough, preventing the hitman to decipher it. Tsuna watched Reborn take a sit in front of him, leaning back enough to call for a waiter. They waited in silence that Reborn's order –an espresso, as per usual– came. Once served, Reborn wrapped a hand around his cup, looking around them.

"So, should I be worried?" Tsuna asked, setting down his coffee with a discreet clinking.

Reborn glanced at him, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"It's our fourth unplanned meeting." Tsuna clarified. "All of them have been quite…unconventional."

"Are you on another watch?" Reborn was teasing but he found that he was quite interested in the answer.

"What? No." The young man shook his head a little, remembering Milan. "I stole some time for myself when I can, just like a morning in a small town…or a night with a mysterious man."

Reborn kept silent, watching him. There was something unsaid within those words, something hidden behind this singular meaning. There was a shadow darkening the glow of his honey-colored eyes, usually so bright. It was a look Reborn had already met but he couldn't pinpoint it. The silence stretched until Reborn realized that Tsuna's question was genuine. The hitman pondered on his answer. He wasn't there for a job. He was simply vanishing from sight for a while, seeking peace from the watchful eyes of the Underground. So while he hadn't bought any danger with him, the possibility that it had still followed him was not to be excluded. He highly doubted that however. He was no amateur after all.

"I'm skilled at disappearing and making others disappear if I wish so." Reborn abruptly said, shifting in his chair to get into a more comfortable position.

Tsuna stared blankly at him for a moment. His words were clearly ambiguous and could be understood as a threat or a reassurance. Most people would go for the former. Well, in fact, it was a bit of both. Judging by the sudden knowing smile curving Tsuna's lips, there was no point in explanation or clarification. Good. Reborn was satisfied with the answer and flicking his hat up, he allowed his pleased amusement to show in his eyes. They stayed where they were nearly all morning, sharing idle talks but never giving any personal information.

"I'd bid you farewell if I weren't so sure that we'll meet again." Tsuna grinned, leaving first, several hours later.

Reborn didn't answer and simply watch him walk down the street. He reached for the cookie left by the younger man, biting into it absently, his gaze observing his surroundings instinctively.

---

It only took two months for Fate to decide that they needed another meeting. Tsuna was with a group of guys, strolling down a very loud street in the hearth of a lively Hong Kong. His giddy laughter cut short when he glanced absently at an alley. Recognizing the leaning form, breathing too quickly to maintain any credible composure, Tsuna didn't hesitate to ditch his company who was too inebriated to notice anyway. Approaching quickly, he noticed in the semi-darkness the gun in a steady hand, blood on a wrinkled suit and sharp and dangerous glinting eyes snapping at him. As he got closer, he heard footsteps coming nearer from the other side of the alley –most likely from where Reborn had been– and didn't even flinch when the gun rose seemingly on its own, fired a perfect shot that took out the fool, all this with Reborn's gaze still on Tsuna.

"Where can you go?" He prompted, already squinting to assess the possible injuries.

He frowned when he understood that there was too much blood on the clothes to let him deduce accurately the damage. Reborn put away his gun swiftly and stalked closer to the younger man. Tsuna fought back the urge to shrink and back away, intimidated by how predatory Reborn suddenly looked. He had always known that Reborn was dangerous, of course. However, until now, he had never felt afraid of the hitman, knowing that he wasn't a target to be annihilated or worse. His instincts had always been right and when someone would have turned tail as soon as they had met Reborn for the first time, Tsuna had simply smile and offer a bit of company and help. As Reborn crowded in his personal space, watching him intently as if assessing him, Tsuna wondered how he should handle the situation. He had no doubt that the hitman was still high on adrenaline, acting all impressive and deadly, but that didn't indicate him if there was any injury to take care of.

Tsuna bit back a frustrated sigh. Tilting his head a bit sideways, he met the almost intrusive stare dead on. He had no doubt that Reborn would be quick to snap his neck if he deemed the younger man a threat. So Tsuna didn't make any move, choosing to avoid misinterpretation but refusing to appear weak, he stood his ground. At the faintest approving smirk brushing Reborn's lips, Tsuna deemed it safe to speak up again.

"Reborn, we shouldn't stay here."

He didn't receive any verbal answer. Instead, Reborn grabbed his arm and proceeded to drag him further into the alley, apparently confident in finding his way to wherever he was going. Tsuna obediently followed –not that he had any other choice– and quietly thought to himself that if he weren't already lost before, he certainly was now. After a dozen of minutes of sneaking around, they finally stepped out of the shadows and headed towards an impressive and ostensibly luxurious hotel. His face blanked as he glanced at the blood on Reborn's clothes and his own very casual style. There was no doubt that they were completely out of place. To his astonishment, no one tried to stop them nor even questioned them. Reborn waltzed in as if he owned the building and its workers, followed by a lost-looking and embarrassed Tsuna.

Tsuna wasn't even surprised when they reached the last floor, shamelessly taking an elevator for their own use. They quickly entered the room –or rather the gorgeous apartment– with a breathtaking view on the city's lights. Well, it would have been if the curtains weren't all shut, preventing anyone to look out or to look in. Tsuna though didn't step away from Reborn to visit the room. He was more concerned about the blood. Since the suite was plunged in the dark, Tsuna hesitantly reached for Reborn's arm. He inwardly chided himself for being so shy –especially after the night they had shared months ago.

"Reborn?" He called in a whisper and couldn't help but wonder why he couldn't raise his voice. "You need to take off your clothes."

There was a huff of laughter before his hold shifted and suddenly Tsuna's hand was on a firm and muscular chest. When he couldn't sense any other movement, sure that the other was observing him in some way but determined to check Reborn despite being surer by the minute that he was fine, he raised his other hand and started to undress Reborn with swift but light fingers. The fact that Tsuna could practically feel Reborn's amusement radiating from him didn't help. He resolutely ignored the older man, focusing on unbuttoning the dress shirt.

"Won't you turn on the lights, Reborn?" He muttered irritably, pulling open the item of clothes as wide as he could without risking aggravating any possible injury.

"No." Reborn answered, mirth curled in his voice. "You're doing well on your own."

"Not helping." Tsuna tried to snap but failed and flushed instead. The jacket and the dress shirt were now on the floor, letting him run his fingers on the scarred and warm skin. "You're not injured."

"Never said I was." Reborn replied easily, amused by the irritation he could sense in the younger man. "You came to this conclusion by yourself."

Tsuna made a small sound from the back of his throat, refusing to react further, and turned away. "Well, since you're obviously completely fine, I should be going then."

Arms sneaked around his waist to press him closer to a chuckling body. Tsuna felt a pleasant shiver run through him and unconsciously relaxed in the hold. Reborn leaned down, murmuring in his ear.

"Now that you're here, you're not going anywhere until I say otherwise, Tsuna."

---

Their meetings went on in the same fashion, unexpected but welcomed.

Sometimes it was Tsuna who would spot Reborn in the middle of the crowd, eyes twinkling in pleasant surprise. Often it was Reborn who would materialize beside Tsuna as if he had always been there, a sinful smirk on his lips. Never was it the same town or the same country. Never was it the same kind neither. When they weren't running into and helping each other in their mission/contract/infiltration/whatever, they spent a leisure moment in the café/park/apartment/wherever they stumbled across each other. Sometimes they wouldn't meet for months, sometimes they would meet again in the same week. Sometimes it was Tsuna who was on a tight spot, sometimes it was Reborn who would reluctantly accept his intervention and then refused to admit that he needed help in the first place.

Despite their numerous meetings, they followed one unspoken rule: they never tell a word about themselves. It was both perfectly fine and completely unacceptable for Reborn. Yes, it ensured discretion and allowed him to keep secrecy on his identity and profession. Yet the mere idea of not knowing something –anything– was inadmissible for him. It was an offense aimed both to his intellect and to his personality. So while Tsuna refused to give any verbal information, Reborn tried to pick up any non-verbal one. To his frustration and growing respect for the younger man, his observations weren't enough. Since it was obvious that Tsuna was a target for an unknown number of people, Reborn couldn't exactly go to his usual information brokers or contacts without further endangering him. He knew that 'Tsuna' was short for 'Tsunayoshi', an undoubtedly Japanese name. His accent was clearly noticeable when speaking German in Berlin. He traveled even more than Reborn but knew fewer languages than him. He was friendly and warm but alone. He was an agile fighter and had glared at death more than once but he despised fighting. Reborn could drew –eyes closed– the every curve shaping Tsuna's body but couldn't even pretend decipher the depth of his personality or mind for that matter. In short, Reborn knew superficial information but nothing that mattered.

So Reborn and Tsuna continued their meetings without sharing relevant bit about themselves.

---

A year later after their initial meeting, Tsuna was waiting in a line to make his order in a busy fast-food in Fresnillo, Mexico, when glancing around, he noticed Reborn sauntering inside. Their eyes met and he shifted aside with a pointed look, clearly inviting him to join him. The hitman accepted the offer.

"Fast-foods aren't really your style, Reborn." Tsuna said, taking a step forward in the line. "Why did you decide to come here?"

"I followed you in, of course."

Tsuna instantly tensed. His eyes sharpened as he focused completely on the man beside him. He hadn't noticed. God, he hadn't noticed.

"Who else have I overlooked?" He asked stiffly, aware that he was trusting Reborn to tell him the truth.

"No one you need to worry about anymore." Reborn answered with finality, glancing at the board proposing several menus.

The unsaid "They're dead" was heard loud and clear. Tsuna fell into a wondering silence, watching the man beside him. Reborn didn't mind and ordered their dinner, unbothered at the idea of deciding for Tsuna. Instead of eating in the restaurant, they got out to escape both the noise and the crowd. Once outside, Tsuna instantly took off, certain that Reborn would follow. They walked side by side in silence for a while, waiting to reach their destination before speaking or eating. Tsuna took him in one of the shadiest part of the town, greeting men and women on his way in his tentative Spanish. Reborn didn't know how the younger man had met them but seeing as they were all cheerfully speaking to him, it wasn't hard to guess that he had helped them in some way. One of them came forward, looking grave. The Mexican sent a cautious look at Reborn but spotting the paper bag and the obvious ease between Tsuna and him, the guy spoke freely. The hitman glanced around, feigning disinterest but listening to every word. Tsuna frowned upon hearing the news before warmly thanking the Mexican.

"You'll leave after dinner." Reborn demanded rather than asked Tsuna, watching the informant leave.

"Yes, that should be wise." Tsuna confirmed quietly, leading Reborn towards a park surrounded by creepy buildings.

They sat on one of the benches. Reborn stood out in the environment, looking way too classy to belong to the place. In fact, it had been a while since he had been in this kind of zone. He certainly didn't miss them. However, he could understand why Tsuna had chosen to hide there. Deciding to eat in the open showed that he trusted the inhabitants to warm him if any rats appeared. They started to eat, biting into their spicy tacos.

Tsuna was pensive, watching Reborn. They didn't know a thing about each other but the man hadn't hesitated to kill for him. Why? Was Tsuna special in some way? Was he friend of his? Something more perhaps?

"Spit it out, Tsuna."

"What are we, Reborn?" Tsuna asked without missing a beat, not even surprised at being caught staring.

The hitman finished his tacos, returning the stare. What were they indeed? Honestly, he didn't know either. They were partners when lending a hand on jobs. They were friends when spending peaceful times in museums or cafés. They were lovers when sharing a sensual night usually in one of Reborn's places. However, Reborn wasn't one to have friends. He didn't have colleagues either. For the few lovers he had, he had never killed for them or been curious but respectful enough to choose to not pry in their pasts. In fact, he had never met someone like Tsuna who would cause such reactions from him. Tsuna was already special. The question was to determine just how much he really was.

Reborn didn't have time to sort out the answer. The Mexican from before came back, words spilling from his mouth at such speed he was barely intelligible. Tsuna got the gist of it and stood up abruptly.

"They haven't seen you, Reborn." Tsuna turned briefly towards him, his mind already elsewhere, thinking about an escape. "You'll be fine if you follow Javier." He added with a nod towards his informant.

"What about you?" Reborn asked with a raised eyebrow and a look, clearly telling him that he was capable to get out of this mess without any help.

Tsuna's lips curved in his genuine, warm and comforting smile. "We'll meet again, Reborn, as always."

And then he was gone, swiftly fading into the shadows.

---

Unfortunately, this meeting was only a glimpse of the incoming ones.

Their next meeting couldn't even be called as such. In a crowded street in the heart of London, among people of different cultures and origins, two gazes found each other and held on. Tsuna, heavily breathing, half-choking on his own spit as he swallowed, tore his eyes away from Reborn. With a glance behind his shoulder, the young man extracted himself from the busy sidewalk to hail a cab and disappeared. Reborn stood, uncaring of the exasperated people forced to avoid him. He narrowed his eyes as he observed the men who were pursuing Tsuna. The hitman committed them into memory and vanished in the crowd. It only took him a few days to get rid of the entire group, viciously shooting them down.

---

To Reborn's displeasure and frustration, their meetings fell quickly into this pattern. Each time Reborn saw Tsuna, the young man was in a tight spot. When he wasn't actively running away from nameless pursuers, he was hiding in shadows and crowds.

"I'm sorry, Reborn, but it's too dangerous for you to be speaking with me." Tsuna whispered, longing in his eyes. "I won't forgive myself if something were to happen to you."

Three months later, Reborn still scowled at Tsuna's words. He didn't need protection. He was perfectly capable to defend himself against anyone. He wasn't the greatest hitman in the world for his charming manners, damn it. So if he wanted to be with Tsuna, no one would stop him.

His expression darkened as he turned his glass of whiskey on the counter. In the privacy of his mind and the discretion of the quiet bar, he acknowledged the implications of his previous thought. Reborn had never been one to seek anyone for their conversation or their mere presence. It was a weakness to allow a form of dependence. He had always drifted without ties, finding strength in his solitude. His enemies wouldn't use any leverage for the simple fact that there wasn't one to begin with. The few lovers he had had were all masters in their domain, skilled enough to get by and uninterested in long-term relationship. It had been easy to step away from them, keeping in touch only on a professional level. Tsuna, though, Tsuna was completely different. He was the very first person Reborn was involved not only physically –which was secondary anyway– but also emotionally. Honestly, the mere idea of Tsuna being in danger was enough to worry Reborn.

Reborn was worried. The man with the reputation of being a sadistic and cold-blooded bastard was worried for another being other than himself. Christ, even Reborn didn't really think it was possible.

For this –and a myriad of other– reasons meant one single thing, and Reborn would be a damned fool to stand idly by, letting Tsuna fought alone against his enemies.

Reborn abruptly stood up and abandoned his half-full glass, getting out. He was going to track down Tsuna and made him understand exactly who Reborn was and what he was going to do. Reborn was selfish and once he considered something –or someone– his, he never let go.

---

Reborn was impressed. He was also very pissed. Tsuna was extremely difficult to track down, especially when Reborn knew little on him and tried to be as discreet as possible to avoid attracting attention on the both of them. It took him six long months before he finally found the young man in a train station in Budapest. There, he almost missed him, falling for the disguise of an extremely poor homeless. Tsuna had used his look to his advantage, passing for a seventeen-year-old when really, he was twenty-five. Reborn only spotted him because of the silver-haired guy who was talking with him in Italian in a low but animated voice. His approach was instantly noticed by Tsuna who gaped at him, astonished to see him here. Straightening up, Tsuna sent him a reproachful look.

"You're not supposed to be here, Reborn." He hissed at him. "I told you–"

The silver-haired quieted at once, widening his green eyes at the hitman. He looked vaguely familiar to Reborn but he dismissed the impression, deeming it unworthy of his time for the moment.

"Tsuna, you should know by now that I won't listen to any of the words you're going to say." Reborn interrupted him quite rudely. "Considering our past meetings, do you really think that I'm a stranger to danger?"

"It's not a job, Reborn." Tsuna insisted, his honey-colored eyes focused solely on Reborn's dark eyes, seemingly oblivious to the existence of the third man beside them. "It's bigger and worse. I'm deeply involved in this mess and I would hate it if you get caught in the fire."

"I've been involved since Berlin." Reborn retorted instantly. "Furthermore, I chose to be."

"It's not too late for you to avoid all of this." Tsuna maintained, getting closer and tilting his head up. He hesitated before he admitted quietly, forcing the hitman to slightly bend to catch his words in the noise. "I don't want to regret meeting you, Reborn. I know that I would if you get killed by my fault."

Reborn couldn't help but soften a tiny bit. It wasn't every day that someone told him that they cared about him. However, he wasn't going to give in.

"Tsuna–"

He was interrupted by Tsuna tackling him to the ground, covering his head and torso with his own body seconds before a train coming in the station exploded. The silver-haired swore viciously and Tsuna sat up, allowing Reborn to caught sight of the dynamite in his hands. Something clicked in his mind. Hayato Gokudera, Smoking Bomb Hayato, Bianchi's little half-brother. Well, that explained the familiarity.

"Hayato, stay close to me." Tsuna immediately ordered, knowing his friend. "We have to go, now."

"Tsu–"

This time, it was Tsuna's lips that cut him off. The kiss was chaste however, ending too quickly.

"Goodbye, Reborn." He whispered, still sitting on the hitman, preventing him to get up. "I hope that we'll meet again."

Tsuna gave him a smile so sad something in Reborn's chest ached. Then Hayato was dragging him away, eyes everywhere to spot any threat. Reborn huffed in annoyance and adopted a crouched position, glancing around. Ignoring the panicking civilians around him, he got up and quickly strode away from the chaos. It was a missed opportunity but at least, he had the confirmation of one of his theories. The Smoking Bomb's presence was only one of the signs that indicated that whatever the mess Tsuna was, it was directly linked to the Mafia. Only powerful Families could lead a man hunt for several years in different countries. The list narrowed down quickly to a few names, one standing out among the others.

Outside, Reborn paused, turning back to watch the smoke ascended in the darkening sky. If he was right, Tsuna would be in a greater danger than he had initially thought.

---

Reborn leaned against the door of his Alfa Romeo, fedora pulled down to hide the weariness in his eyes, in a town near Geneva. Five months since their last meeting. More than two years since their first meeting. It didn't take him very long to get information on Tsuna though he had to pay a high price to get them. He had gone to the best information broker, Viper who was known as Mammon among the Varia –Vongola's assassination squad– and to say he had been surprised was an understatement.

Tsunayoshi Sawada. 25 years old. Japanese. Son of Iemitsu Sawada (deceased, murdered six years ago), former head of the CEDEF and former advisor to the retired Nono, and of Nana Sawada (deceased, murdered six years ago). Bloodline leading to Primo so considered as a potential heir to the Family. Deemed threat by the current Decimo, Massimo. On the run since the deaths of both his parents.

That was only a piece of the file he had been given by Mammon. He also learned that the Varia had received the order to kill Tsuna and for three years, they had hunted him down. When they finally managed to catch up to him, Tsuna and six of his friends were waiting for them. This day, the Varia had walked straight into a trap and had only survived because of Tsuna's compassion and dislike of killing. Words were exchanged and without entering into details, it had been clear that Tsuna had let a strong impression on the assassination squad. Since then, the Varia kept the chase for appearance's sake but had simply stopped trying, uninterested in pursuing.

To think that Tsuna, a civilian, had earned Xanxus's respect was impressive. There was a reason the scarred man's was the leader of one of the most bloodthirsty organization in the world, after all.

That being said, Tsuna's friends were quite something too. First, he had the Hibari clan on his side, both Kyouya Hibari from his hometown –Namimori– and Fon who was considered as the greatest martial arts master with ties in the Triad. Secondly, he had the son of one of the deadliest assassins still living –Tsuyoshi Yamamoto– who had taught everything to his boy –Takeshi. Thirdly, he had Mukuro Rokudo and his gang at his side. At this point, Reborn wondered just how Tsuna had managed to gain the loyalty of one of the most wanted man in the Underworld. Even the Vindice, the Keeper of the Mafia Law, had trouble finding them.

In short, Tsuna –who had been an inconspicuous civilian for most of his life–had succeeded in gaining powerful enemies and powerful allies in a span of a year, maybe even less.

It was amazing.

It was maddening.

The situation was so incredibly complicated that even Reborn wondered how they would get out of this bloody mess. Because yes, he considered that he was part of it since there was no way he was letting Tsuna deal with it.

He needed to find Tsuna. He wouldn't be able to do anything without first convincing the young man of ceasing to try to stop him from being by his side. It was getting ridiculous and more than a bit annoying.

A sound snapped him out of his thoughts and he briskly lifted his head up, eyes sharp. A figure limped in his sight, shoulders sagging in exhaustion. Reborn instantly recognized Tsuna. The young man was swaying, struggling to stay on his feet. His face was flushed despite its sickly pallor, glistening with sweat. His clothes were ripped and dirty, stained by unidentifiable matters. Reborn stepped forward, glancing around them to spot any threats. He didn't know how Tsuna had found him or even managed to walk here but he had no doubt that the young man was injured.

"Reborn." Tsuna whispered, glazed honey-colored eyes searching for his own dark ones.

Reborn caught him before he crashed on the ground. He was right. The stains on his shirt were splotches of blood, either his or someone else's. He was also burning due to a raging fever, born from infection or any drug forced into his body. His wrists were bruised, just like that day in Berlin. He had a split lip which had stopped bleeding. No other mark on his face. In fact, Reborn would have to wait to be in a safer place before checking Tsuna any further. The most worrying injury he could see was the bullet wound in his left calf –hence the limp. Tsuna needed a hospital or at least a skilled doctor. Reborn shrugged off his jacket and his dress shirt, wrapping tightly the latter around the wound.

Pocketing out his phone, he dialed a number swiftly. Taking the mobile to his ear, he looked around again before unlocking his car with his key. Good thing he had chosen his five-door Alfa or he wouldn't have been able to offer a comfortable position for the young man.

"Reborn, now's not a good ti–"

"Shamal, I know you're in Geneva." Reborn cut him off, going straight to the point. "Listen attentively to my directions."

"Wha–"

"I saw you a few days ago." The hitman interrupted his interlocutor again, reflecting on how moving Tsuna in his car without worsening his condition. "You've already come in this particular house that I own when I saved your ass all these years ago –"

"I'm busy, Reborn." Shamal retorted in his phone before he turned to answer to some voices in the background. He sounded stressed, nearly on edge, which was quite unusual for the laid-back and calculative doctor/assassin. "You'll have to do without me. I'll pay my debt another time."

"I don't think you understand, Shamal." Reborn growled lowly. "I'm not giving you a choice."

"I'm needed there!" Shamal protested. "I can't–"

"I don't care." Reborn snapped, glancing back at Tsuna who had apparently lost consciousness –hopefully only temporarily. "If you do not do as I say, I will track you down and remind you exactly why the whole world cowers before my name."

There was absolute silence on the end of the line, both for Shamal and whoever his associates were. The hitman had no doubt that his threat had been heard loud and clear. He didn't give any damn. Tsuna needed Shamal, period. That was all that mattered. There were then curses, coming from a vaguely familiar voice. Shamal began to negotiate with whoever he was with. Reborn was a man of his words. It was safer to follow his orders and whims than to refuse him. Shamal promised to get back as soon as possible –which did nothing to ease the other's temper– and let out a trembling sigh.

"When will you be there?"

"You have an hour." Reborn hung up then, not waiting for an answer.

The hitman instantly moved Tsuna to lie him down on the backseats, putting his jacket under his head to get him a bit more comfortable. Less than two minutes later, the Alfa was speeding away from the town. Breaking the speed limit, Reborn gave most of his attention to the road. It would be utterly stupid to get into an accident when he was actively trying to save Tsuna. He still kept part of his focus to the sounds made by Tsuna, occasionally glancing in the rear-view mirror. Tsuna startled awake without any sound, a foreboding feeling eating his guts. He tried to sit up, looking confused.

"Lie down, Tsuna." Reborn ordered with a frown.

"Reborn?" He sounded surprised and with a quick glance at the mirror, the hitman noticed guilt crossing his face. "I shouldn't have gone to you." Tsuna muttered worriedly and attempted to sit again.

"Stop agitating your wounds." Reborn snapped. "You got shot, Tsuna, you're bleeding and you're feverish. You need to rest or at least to save your energy."

"Not the first time it happened." Tsuna dismissed weakly. "We're being followed."

The last remark was oddly not unexpected. Reborn had noticed after all the BMWs appearing sporadically in his rear-view mirror. They were doing quite a good job at trying to be discreet but the lack of constant traffic certainly didn't do them any favor.

"Two cars, I know." He confirmed out loud for Tsuna.

"Their colleagues aren't far, probably waiting for a call to ambush us when we stopped…" Tsuna mumbled, letting his voice trail off as he flopped down on the seats, feeling slightly nauseous.

"Breathe, Tsuna."

Tsuna obeyed. It was hard to focus, hard to take decisions; it was easier to follow Reborn's words, Reborn's demands. He didn't know how Reborn had, well, known about his discomfort. Yet it wasn't surprising. Reborn always noticed when something was off with him. He was just that observant. Tsuna was more than a little bit surprised that he had managed to keep his identity secret for two years. Then again, their relationship was unconventional and did not help to pry into each other's secrets. It made him wonder what they were exactly. Reborn had never answered his question, had he?

"Stay focused, Tsuna."

Reborn's sharp voice brought him back in the car, watching blankly its ceiling. He was absently aware that its speed had increased once again. Why though? Were they fleeing from enemies? That was it, wasn't it? It hurt to think.

"Where are we going?" Tsuna asked in an attempt to cling to a conversation, guessing that it was better for him to stay awake even though he only wished to let the darkness took him and sleep.

"In one of my places, near Geneva." Reborn answered absently, narrowing his eyes on the road as he passed another car, trying to put distance between their pursuers and themselves. "What happened?"

"Geneva?" The younger man repeated, puzzled. "I wasn't supposed to be there… Was I?" He pulled a face at his uncertainty, getting frustrated.

Reborn narrowed his eyes. Was the confusion caused by the fever or was it the result of a concussion? The bullet wound had gone through his leg without touching any important arteries or Tsuna would have bled out by now. He was absolutely certain that the injury was very recent. The blood loss would have weakened further Tsuna than he already was otherwise. He didn't think it was infected. However, he was no doctor so he could only make suppositions that clearly displeased him. Information was vital after all.

"What do you remember?' He prompted, clenching tightly the wheel as he watched in the rear-view mirror.

They were rather persistent, the rats following them. The Alfa entered the highway swiftly, ignoring the honks as the sport car forcefully changed lanes, startling conductors. Reborn had no qualm in pushing the motor even further, merrily and outrageously exceeding the speed limitation.

"I remember Francis." Tsuna replied slowly, his face scrunching up as he tried to concentrate despite the fever. "I – We were –Hayato, Francis and I– escaping from someone."

Reborn hummed to indicate that he was still listening while keeping track of the BMWs.

"Francis was speaking to me in French." Tsuna carried on, attempting to make sense of his flash. "He was talking too fast so I didn't get what he meant until he–"

There, he abruptly stopped. The sudden movement of the Alma, slaloming between the cars, and the sudden recollection, made him dizzy and even sicker. A lump obstructed his throat as he tightly closed his eyes. He involuntarily switched to Japanese.

"Francis sacrificed his life to get Hayato and me out of wherever we were." He breathed out slowly. "He tried to distract them but well, it didn't work completely."

"You got kidnapped." Reborn pressed the honk to alert his arrival, forcing a car in front of him to speed up and abruptly changed lane to avoid collision. He smoothly adopted Japanese, half-expecting it to happen anyway.

"I chose to be." Tsuna rectified. "I ensured that Hayato was able to get away and get help then to attempt a rescue."

"It was very stupid of you." Reborn commented mercilessly. "You could have gotten killed instead of abducted."

"It was a calculated risk." Tsuna snapped before stifling a groan when his sudden burst of anger brought a wave of dizziness. For an instant, he truly believed that he was going to black out. He didn't thankfully. "I suspected that they didn't want to kill me –not for the moment, anyway."

Reborn's scoff clearly stated what he thought of that. Instead of mocking him, he carried on. "So after getting idiotically kidnapped, what happened?"

"I don't remember." The younger man answered, frustrated and tired. "I was drugged, that much I'm sure. Otherwise, I would know why I appeared in a warehouse in Switzerland instead of one in France."

"How did you escape?"

"It was sheer luck." Tsuna admitted quietly, closing his blurry eyes. "If they hadn't been so neglectful, I wouldn't have been able to get out. I still get shot though."

"How did you find me?"

That earned him a woozy chuckle and Reborn knew that Tsuna was soon going to pass out. "I didn't even know you were there. Guess that Fate has plans of her own…"

The last part was muttered, nearly inaudible. Reborn snapped his eyes towards the rear-view mirror. His lips twitched in displeasure when he understood that the young man was completely out, shivering and shallowly breathing. Losing consciousness was probably better than trashing in fever-induced delirium that would agitate his wounds. No, that would come later. While Reborn would have preferred a lucid and more importantly conscious Tsuna, there wasn't much he could do.

He had given one hour to Shamal to get there. Usually, from the town Reborn and Tsuna were, they would need at least a hour and a half but at their speed, they would gain precious minutes, narrowing down the necessary time and arrived shortly after the doctor. Ideally, he would have lost their pursuers before reaching the small cottage he owned. He started to analyze the cars around them, wondering if he could create an accident. He was already driving fast enough to freak out the conductors he passed so any occasion would be enough to create chaos.

He glanced thoughtfully at an Audi, contemplating just shooting in the tires of a random car. It would undoubtedly cause the death of more than half of the civilians involved in the pile-up but it would keep occupied the annoying kidnappers. Now, was it worth wasting a bullet?

He was brought out of his musings when he distinctly heard a metallic sound coming from the trunk. With an irritated glance, he spotted one of the men leaning out of the right window, aiming at his Alfa. They had obviously caught up –at least, one of the cars– taking advantage of the sudden absence of vehicles around them. However, idiots as they were, instead of shooting at the tires, they tried for the bumper and failed. They hadn't even thought that the Alfa was modified to be as resistant as any armored vehicle. With a scoff, Reborn slid down his window and fired a single shot.

The driver of the BMW instantly lost control and crashed into the guardrail, brakes screeching violently. The hitman rolled his eyes, surveying the damage in the rear-view mirror. To his satisfaction, only a few civilians' cars got involved and in the chaos following, no BMW followed them.

Reborn parked his car in front of his cottage by the lake, exactly one hour after his call. Shamal was leaning against his own car –a Lancia– scowling at him, containing his fury at being both threatened and forced to come here when he was required elsewhere. He narrowed a glare at the Alfa, watching Reborn leave his car.

"Shut up." The hitman ordered without looking at Shamal who had opened his mouth to give him a piece of his mind.

He opened the door for the passengers sitting in the backseat and bent down. He carefully took Tsuna in his arms, avoiding putting pressure on his legs. Reborn could feel warmth radiating from the younger man despite the clothes, indicating that the fever had risen. The shallow breathing had turned ragged, quickening its pace. Reborn clicked his tongue, knowing that Tsuna's condition would only worsen without Shamal's care. He slowly stepped out of the car, shifting slightly his hold on Tsuna to get him more comfortable. He then turned sharply towards Shamal, a few convincing words in mind to keep him silent.

"Tsuna?!" Shamal exclaimed both in astonishment and worry.

Reborn felt the usual amusement mixed with surprise whenever Tsuna was involved. Of course Tsuna would know one of the best doctors in the world who was also an assassin. Shamal looked conflicted for a moment, questions flashing through his mind but he quickly shoved them aside. Tsuna was obviously in need of his medical talents and there was no time to lose. He felt an unexpected gratefulness for Reborn's harshness and selfishness.

"Bring him inside." Shamal demanded, getting into his Doctor mode.

Reborn extracted the key from his pocket and threw them at Shamal. The assassin caught them easily, unlocked the door and shot a look around as he entered first. He allowed an instant of surprise upon seeing how humble the décor was. There was no luxury in there, only simple furniture. The curtains were drawn, darkening the living-room.

"I need light." Shamal muttered in irritation, already moving towards a rectangular table. "I also need water, towels and a kit."

The doctor abruptly shut up when he noticed the care Reborn took in laying down Tsuna. It was a sight he would have never thought he would witness. Suddenly, the call and the threats made sense. The hitman then moved out of the room, entering a narrow hallway to fetch the necessities in the bathroom. None of them bothered turning on the lights or the taps, knowing that it was unlikely the cottage had any electricity after being left alone for at least a year, judging by the dust and the stale smell floating in the house. As for the water, the valves were turned off. Shamal could only open the curtains and the swing shutters to get some sunlight in there as well as some fresh air. He was absently grateful that night would not fall before hours. Reborn appeared as suddenly as usual, putting a complete kit and some towels on the floor near the table. He vanished then in the kitchen to come back with several bottles of water. Shamal absently took notice of his presence, already mentally assessing Tsuna's injuries.

"The bullet has gone through without touching the bone." He listed aloud after untying the jacket around the leg. "Muscle and artery were touched instead, though, with rest, the appropriate medicine that we do not have at hand and probably some therapy, he should be alright. It is not yet infected so the fever is drugs-induced." He scowled then. He couldn't give anything to Tsuna in that case. He wouldn't risk any ill-reaction between the components circulating in his metabolism. There was no need to add seizure. "His wrists are suffering from being tied up, of course. It's only bruises thankfully."

"What can you do, Shamal?" Reborn asked quietly, his voice implying that he wondered why he had bothered calling the doctor if he couldn't do anything.

"Cleaning his wound and bandaging him to prevent as much as possible any infection." Shamal snapped, reaching for the bottles and attempting to somewhat wash his hands, spilling water on the carpet.

Reborn didn't say anything about it since he had already emptied a bottle on a thin towel and put it on Tsuna's forehead.

"You'll find everything you need to bandage his injury." He pointed at the kit before moving towards the window, peering outside. "You have twenty minutes."

"You've been chased?" Shamal glanced sharply at him. "Who?"

"Kidnappers in BMWs."

Reborn left once again the room to bring back two more bottles of water from the kitchen as well as a pair of Browning and ammunitions for both Shamal and himself. While the assassin Trident Shamal usually used his mosquitoes to get rid of both enemies and targets, his insects wouldn't be of a great help for the situation.

"Don't you know something else?" Shamal asked in exasperation, keeping his attention on the leg. While he was attempting to clean somewhat the wound with the water, the blood seemed to flow even more. "I need you near Tsuna."

Reborn shot him a look. "Think, Shamal. Would I retain information in such situations?" He took off the towel to throw it on the floor. Picking up another that he drenched in cool water, he folded it on Tsuna's forehead. "We shook off two BMWs on our way here. Their colleagues are probably on our tracks now."

"Which car should we take? Your Alfa is faster than mine."

"We can't take it." Reborn instantly disagreed. "I expect that the kidnappers have communicated between each others. They're probably looking out for any red Alfa Romeo with bullet impacts on the trunk."

"How did you find him?" The doctor was currently bandaging tightly Tsuna's leg, knowing that they could only pray that it would be enough until he –or another physician, surgeon, even a nurse– could treat him better. The shivers shaking Tsuna wasn't helping in the least. "Hayato spent hours looking for him and lost their trails upon arriving in Geneva. He was pulling his hair out when you called me."

"I didn't." Reborn replied, sending a fond but exasperated glance at Tsuna. "He found me. Who else is looking for him?"

Shamal held his breath. He kept silent as he thought, observing the hitman in front of him for a moment. As usual, Reborn's composure didn't betray any of his thoughts. His face was as unreadable as ever. His sharp dark eyes were intensely staring at Shamal, no doubt studying every single signs made by his body –consciously or not– and drawing conclusions. The assassin wasn't blind though and had noticed the tiny gestures of affection from the hitman to Tsuna. Now, were they genuine? Shamal owned the kid for saving Hayato from himself and had grown to like the young man too. For these two reasons, the assassin wouldn't tell anything to Reborn –one of the most dangerous persons in the world– and try anything to protect Tsuna and his secrets.

If Reborn genuinely cared for Tsuna, then Shamal would let him in their terrifying and horrifying game of cat-and-mouse. Tsuna's enemies were very powerful –Vongola and its allies were not to be underestimated.

If Reborn was merely seeking a way to fight off boredom, then Shamal would take Tsuna away from the hitman –consequences be damned.

If Reborn was sent by their enemies, then God help them, Shamal had no idea how to defeat a monster like the hitman.

"Do you love him?" Shamal blurted out the question before he could lose his courage.

The air seemed to still in the room, silence only broken by Tsuna's ragged breathing. Reborn's face was completely blank but his right hand twitched when Tsuna whimpered suddenly in distress. The young man quivered violently, slightly pulling and therefore loosening his unfinished bandage. Shamal didn't make any movement, still scrutinizing the man in front of him. He had stopped breathing at some point, aware that everything would change at Reborn's next act.

Finally, Reborn lowered his head in a nod and let his thumb draw soothing circles on Tsuna's wrist, feeling the quick pulse of his heart.

Shamal exhaled slowly, acknowledging that as Reborn's way of expressing a positive answer about his feelings.

His feelings. The day probably couldn't turn any weirder.

The doctor returned to his wrapping, motioning at Reborn to change the towel on the young man's forehead while speaking up at the same time. "What do you know about Tsuna?"

"Massimo wants him dead since he is the last threat towards his position as Decimo." Reborn answered as he worked. "He lost his family but has an incredible network of friends." At that, he shot a pointed look at the assassin.

Shamal suppressed a laugh. "That's an understatement, Reborn." He sighed then. "I think that you need to hear the whole story from Tsuna." He glanced up, looking at the hitman. "As for the bastards who've abducted him, Hayato had found out that they're mercenaries who had been hired to capture Tsuna alive. They were to take him somewhere near Geneva, hence our presence in the city."

"Mercenaries are skillful professionals." Reborn carried on, his eyes drifting towards the Browning on the table. "They're not driven by emotions, unless the matter is strictly personal. They already lost at least four comrades and perhaps more during Tsuna's attempts of escape. If the group loses any more people, they will yield. They won't pursue if the possibility of dying is higher than the possibility of completing their mission."

"What are you trying to say?" Shamal asked, checking for one last time the leg before reaching with gentle hands for the wrists.

Reborn kept silent, looking thoughtfully down at Tsuna. He moved away to look outside, opening wider the window. It was a quiet full of birds' and small animals' sounds of life. He wondered how powerful their client was. Would they readily risk their lives for money? Would they readily risk their lives by fear?

His eyes narrowed. It was difficult to threaten an entire trained group of killers with effective results and without getting silenced for even attempting such a strategy. It was still possible. It supposed power and resources, far more than any minor Families might possess. It seemed more like the hold that Families such as Vongola or the newly formed Millefiore owned. Outside the Mafia, governments' secret services might have access to such information. Well, any intelligent service –legal or illegal– were susceptible of finding information and using it accurately.

He was probably digressing. They were mercenaries hired to abduct Tsuna and with the drugs helping, making him weak and compliant enough to make him obey them. That last bit had failed somehow obviously. Tsuna had succeeded in escaping, wandered in town and found him, a hitman. They were determined to get him back, sending multiple small groups to look for him. They probably communicated by radio or by phone at least. They knew that Tsuna had found an ally driving an Alfa Romeo, skillful both with a wheel and a gun in their hands.

Now, was his identity discovered? It was possible if they managed to get sight of him. His trademark suit and fedora were hard to miss. Even if he was indeed identified, the cottage wasn't a known location. They would take some time to find it but they would inevitably stumble upon it in their search. In any case, they needed to move.

Would the mercenaries pursue them? If Reborn was correct in assuming that their client was very powerful –and he inwardly scoffed at that, knowing that it wasn't even a supposition but a fact– they wouldn't abandon their mission. To get rid of them, Reborn needed to strike fast and hard. His reputation would help but wouldn't be enough. As much as he loathed admitting it, Reborn was only one man. Fighting an organized group of trained soldiers alone was suicidal and stupid, two things that the hitman wasn't.

In conclusion, Reborn needed help to protect Tsuna and would only find it once they reached Geneva. They needed to get out of here first without getting caught and quickly. Without even mentioning that Tsuna was in dire need of proper medical attention, of course. It was high time to get a plan. His mind instantly offered him some suggestions, some crazier than others.

"Reborn!" Shamal snapped, glaring at him.

"How far will you go for Tsuna, Shamal?" Reborn asked, ignoring the annoyance flickering in the assassin's eyes, opting for studying him carefully.

"He has saved Hayato."

Reborn blinked, surprised. He had completely forgotten that the brat was Shamal's pupil –or had been once. He knew that the doctor was fond of the child for some reason. So if Tsuna had actually saved Hayato, then he was family already for Shamal.

Good, good.

"The twenty minutes are up." Reborn continued, approaching Tsuna. "Time to move."

"What's your plan then?" Shamal stood back, watching the hitman delicately lift Tsuna in his arms.

The sudden movement startled the young man who weakly struggled. Reborn shushed him with a whispered word. The effect was immediate, Tsuna surprisingly relaxing.

Shamal never thought someone could relax within Reborn's proximity. In fact, watching the picture they made was disturbing with Reborn as the rescuing knight and Tsuna the damsel-in-distress. He inwardly snorted at that. Right. Reborn fit better the role of the villain, as for Tsuna, he was nowhere near fragile or harmless.

"Get the guns, Shamal." Reborn's baritone voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "You'll need them."

"What's your plan?" He repeated and picked up the guns and the ammos before following the hitman out, leaving the house without bothering cleaning it up.

"Diversion and disappearance." Reborn glanced at him, waiting near the Lancia.

Shamal unlocked the car without a thought. He paused then, staring at him as the hitman tried to get Tsuna as comfortable as possible on the passenger seat.

"You want me to lure them away." Shamal realized. "You want me to fight alone against teams of mercenaries!"

"Don't be stupid." Reborn retorted uncaringly. "You don't stand a chance. No, you're evidently leaving with us."

"In your car which, I might add, has been spotted by the kidnappers."

"I'm sure you'll be fine." Reborn stepped towards him quickly, clasped his shoulder in a totally out-of-character way and deftly stole his car key while Shamal was still fighting his indignation and surprise. "Once we've reached Hayato and his friends, I'll let you know."

He then quickly settled in the driver's seat and expertly awoke the Lancia, letting the motor purr for a moment long enough to sent a smirk at Shamal before speeding away. The assassin closed his eyes, a pinched expression on his face, as he turned towards the Alfa in resignation.

Reborn would pay for that, Shamal inwardly swore.

---

Hayato wasn't surprised.

He wasn't surprised when he received a call from Shamal explaining to him why he couldn't get back for a while, as he was currently being hunted down by German cars with fierce abductors driving them and that he couldn't even take the highway since a fucking hitman had decided that it was fun to cause a massive and lethal pile-up.

He wasn't surprised when the call ended with a fit of swearing that would make any sailors proud, followed by gun shots and the roar of an unknown motor.

He wasn't surprised when a familiar Lancia stopped a few inches before him, lowering the driver's window to meet the Greatest Hitman in the World's handsome features –yes, even in his thoughts Hayato didn't dare be disrespectful – who gave him a dangerous smirk. He wondered how on earth the hitman had managed to find him when Hayato had not told a soul where he was, especially not to Reborn.

He wasn't surprised when he saw Tsuna in the passenger seat, fighting a fever and presenting bandages on several limbs.

What surprised him was the complete lack of reaction from Tsuna when Reborn moved to take him out of the car after having scanned the area for any possible threats. Usually, Tsuna instinctively tried to fight any hand touching him during his sleep, only stopping after recognizing who was attempting to wake him up or after successfully getting away. Yet he stayed relaxed in Reborn's arms, trusting completely the hitman.

At this point, Hayato didn't know what to think.

"Tsuna needs medical assistance." Reborn snapped at him to force him back into moving. "Since you were waiting in front of this clinic, I assume it is under our control."

It wasn't even a question.

"Yes." Hayato confirmed anyway. "To be exact, it belongs to Millefiore."

There wasn't any reaction from Reborn. He had already suspected that Tsuna was allied with Vongola's first rival Family, namely the Millefiore. It was comforting to see that his theories weren't thrown to the ground each time Tsuna was involved. As much as Reborn loved chaos and unexpectedness, it became frankly tedious when Tsuna's life was at stake.

They entered swiftly into the building, attracting all kind of attention, from the vigils to the nurses. His grip on Tsuna tightened briefly before reason kicked in. He was ready to let a nurse take care of his feverish burden when Tsuna suddenly tensed up, stopping for a few seconds his shivers. He clung to Reborn's dress shirt as he opened glazed eyes that held no recognition and stared at the medical staff. He made a sound of protest, stubbornly attached to the hitman. Reborn, impassive, started to list every single injuries on Tsuna's body, adding an order to analyze his blood to determine what cocktail of drugs had been given to him before trying to sedate him. He shifted his hold on Tsuna who absolutely refused to let him go and started to follow a nurse towards their assigned room.

It was so very bizarre for Reborn to be the caring one, calming a confused and feverish Tsuna and coaxing him into accepting the nurses' help. He sat in a chair near Tsuna's bed, staying in his field of vision, and observed the medical staff doing their jobs. His presence was needed to soothe the young man who was unlikely to struggle when Reborn was there. That was what troubled Reborn. He was used to provoke the exact opposite reaction. He terrified and horrified people. He had never brought any comfort to anyone and he honestly had no idea how. As always in any awkward situations, he adopted a smooth unreadable mask and a cold attitude, driving away the shiest nurses.

"Once the fever vanishes, we're leaving the country." Hayato announced, entering the room and closing the door behind him.

"You best put your most trusted men at this door." Reborn coolly advised him. "Attempting to interrogate me may exceed your abilities."

Hayato stopped short, a mix of surprise and exasperation crossing his face. He should have known that the hitman would instantly see right through him.

"I will. Now that Tsuna's back, I won't let anyone get to him." He darkly promised, stepping closer to the bed, his eyes never leaving Reborn. "I need to know your intentions."

If there was one thing Reborn could appreciate, it was bluntness. Sometimes, it was refreshing when people went straight to the point instead of begging for his mercy or spitting anything to postpone the inevitable. The fact that he was also the type to be blunt played a part too. Still, having the almost identical question directed at him again was beginning to annoy him.

"I'm not leaving Tsuna." He replied calmly, glaring at Hayato without bothering to hide his irritation. "Now if you ask me another stupid question, I will shoot you."

Hayato twitched, nervous. He scowled but didn't say anything, acknowledging the threat.

"Did you identify your enemies this time?" Reborn sent him an inquisitive look. "Do you know who hired the mercenaries?"

If possible, Hayato's scowl deepened. "Not yet." He answered curtly. "We've got too many enemies to investigate on."

Silence fell, only disturbed by the machines monitoring Tsuna. No words were exchanged as they waited for the results of the blood analysis, standing guard in the room. They listened to the heartbeats echoing in the room, each lost in their own thoughts.

---

"Is Shamal safe?" Tsuna asked, one of his hands loosely holding his glass of water and trying to ignore the sound of his mechanical heartbeat at his right.

"Yes, he's currently hiding in one of our friends' house near Zurich." Hayato answered, standing near the bed. "He thinks of returning briefly in France to investigate their contacts there."

"Well, I was out for three days, Hayato, I need more information." Tsuna chided him gently. "Who hired the mercenaries?"

"The Gazze Family sent them to us." His friend grimaced. "I didn't think they had yet the power to do so, especially considering that their main branch is in Italy. I didn't even know they had grown enough to expand in other countries."

"You're disappointed." Reborn pointed out, a leg crossing the other, hands folded in his lap, fedora low on his face, casually sat on a chair nearby.

"We've been trying to get them into our alliance for months." Tsuna explained after taking a sip from his water. "It was going rather well. I can't believe they just changed their mind like that."

"They probably decided that Vongola offers a better alliance, network and general advantages for them."

Tsuna scoffed. "Vongola is losing long-term allies like the Cavallone to get creepy Families. If the Estraneo still existed, I'm sure Massimo would have tried to appeal to them."

"I see that my idiotic student has made a good decision." Reborn commented, pleased.

"Wait, Dino was your student?" Tsuna exclaimed. His eyes widened as he remembered the tales Dino enjoyed telling him about his crazy sadistic and nameless tutor. "You have no mercy as a teacher."

"I have no mercy at all." Reborn corrected him, an amused glint in his eyes. "What will you do?"

Tsuna sobered, returning the conversation to its former subject. He looked down at his water, contemplating.

"I'm curious as to why they asked the mercenaries to abduct me instead of killing me." He admitted, glancing at the hitman. "If they wanted to gain Massimo's favor, getting rid of me would have been easier. Why go through the hassle of capturing me?"

"Don't tell me you think they wanted to talk to you." Hayato was dubious, almost exasperated. "If they wanted to converse, they could have simply arranged a meeting."

Tsuna shrugged. "Well, we have already enough enemies. I don't want to add another one."

"It is inevitable for what we're doing, Tsuna." His friends' fingers twitched, betraying his desire for a cigarette. "We're getting stronger and deadlier, obviously we're frightening them."

"I know." Tsuna sighed and waved vaguely towards the shut curtains of his window. "It's just that I don't want to start a war. The Vendice are already pestering me about it."

"The Vendice?" Reborn repeated, sitting up and sending him a sharp look. "What are they asking of you?"

Hayato hesitated but finally decided to leave the two of them alone. It wasn't a discussion that he wanted to hear again. Besides, Tsuna was perfectly safe with the hitman. He didn't know exactly what their relationship was but they were close enough for him to feel relaxed enough to get out of the room. He needed to contact their informants anyway to find out about the Gazze Family's motives.

Tsuna's eyes flickered around the room, reluctant to speak but knowing he should.

"As you know already, Reborn, Massimo has made sure that no one would threaten his position as the Decimo." He wasn't only referring to his parents but also to Enrico, Federico and probably Nono as well. While Timeteo was still alive, it was thanks to his Guardians who had not ceased to protect him in every possible way. His retirement was more a necessity than a real choice. "He had not tried to remove Xanxus for two reasons. One, Xanxus was adopted and had therefore no claim on the throne. He needs to be of Primo's line to do so. Two, Massimo has plotted enough to destroy any of Xanxus' potential allies –minus the Varia – and has been removing the allied Families that weren't in favor of his investiture."

"As Primo's direct descendant, you are de facto the remaining threat." Reborn continued quietly, unbothered by the confirmation that Tsuna knew he had done some research on him. "That's the reason you have such a high bounty on your head."

"Indeed." Tsuna nodded, idly playing with his glass. "I am one of the most wanted people in the entire world. Quite popular, aren't I?" He let out a humorless laugh.

It was so ironic. He had been called Dame-Tsuna all his childhood, despised and ridiculed. When he wasn't bullied, he was as transparent as air. Now, it was the complete opposite. Suddenly every eye was looking for him anywhere he was. It was a shocking and very dangerous contrast that forced him to adapt quickly to this new situation or die before getting answers and revenge.

"That night, when I lost my family, Kyouya wasn't the one who found me first." He revealed without waiting for Reborn to react to his previous statement. "They assumed that I was the one who took care of her murderer or that he had left, thinking that I had perished in the fire along with my mother. Truth is that I wasn't able to protect myself much less kill someone else. It wasn't me who took away that assassin. Besides, I knew of my situation before Lal explained it to me. Do you guess who it was?"

"You're telling me that the Vendice saved you." Reborn replied blankly, unable to associate the two notions together.

The Vendice was the Mafia Law, punishing those who broke the Silence, those who destroyed Families without motives or warnings and those who decided of the sort of any straying Mafiosi. They weren't known for their mercy. Quite the contrary, in fact, Reborn's own cruelty was often compared to the Vendice's. It was both a compliment and a disturbing admittance of terror from the victims.

Saving did not match any definition of the Vendice.

"It's a bit more complicated than that." Tsuna fidgeted, wincing in brief pain. He refused to take any strong painkillers to keep his head clear. "The Vendice have agents –moles if you prefer – in every influential Families. They had managed to keep track of Massimo's decisions this way but they're steadily losing their contacts. In fact, they don't have any loyal member in the Vongola anymore. They were either killed or forced to vanish temporarily to survive. It's thanks to their moles that the Vendice knew about Massimo's plans and moves."

"Yes, I figured as much." Reborn impatiently interrupted him. "What I am asking you, Tsuna, is why they interfered in your execution. In fact, they should have acted to prevent the involvement of civilians such as your mother and yourself before it happened. They are conveniently using the laws to fit with their interests."

"They are also using me to this end, indeed." Tsuna confirmed his unspoken thought. "When they caught the assassin, they explained to me quite a lot of things, namely that my father was involved in the biggest Family in the Mafia, that he was killed for standing his ground against the new head, that my mother and me were next to prevent any form of revenge and a claim on the position and that Massimo will lead the world to its downfall. The Vendice's reason of existence is to keep the Mafia alive through preventing abuses, slaughters and the likes."

"They came to you because they think you're the only one who can overthrow Massimo."

Tsuna marveled at how easy it was to speak about it with Reborn. The hitman was quick, using all the cues he needed to get to the truth. When he had first talked about it with Kyouya, his friend had been very skeptical and hard to convince, to say the least. Reborn, though, was completely different. He analyzed logically the information given to him, drawing the accurate conclusions. He was rather callous though when he clarified the matter, getting straight to the point without encumbering himself with his interlocutor's feelings. Tsuna was almost envious. It had taken him months to understand and especially accept the Vendice's plan.

"Well, I am Primo's descendant and since I apparently lacked motivation for fighting for the position, they thought that revenge for my parents would be convincing enough." He muttered bitterly, his expression closing off.

Sure it was Massimo who ordered their deaths. However, the Vendice knew about it and instead of preventing it, they decided to use it to manipulate him –as Reborn had pointed out. Tsuna would never forgive Massimo or the Mafia police for they were guilty of the same crime.

"When I said that the Vendice were pestering me, I was referring to me overthrowing Massimo." He concluded, getting the conversation back to Reborn's question. "They think that I'm losing too much time. The longer I wait, the harder it will be."

Reborn sent him a sharp look. "Despite knowing what they did, you still choose to go along their plan. You befriended powerful figures and built numerous alliances while roaming the world to confuse the enemies tracking you. It isn't a matter of survival anymore."

Tsuna looked at him in complete silence, hands still. There was something important there, something that Reborn had probably wanted him to ask for the two years they have known each other.

"What are you fighting for, Tsuna?"

"For my family." There wasn't any hesitation in his voice. "I fight for Hayato, Kyouya, Takeshi, Mukuro and his friends, Lal, Fon and his apprentice, for everyone. I fight for everyone who needs me to and for everyone who wishes to be by my side. I fight to preserve the life I share with every single person who saves me because they offered me what I was lacking. They gave me a reason to live."

Tsuna softened then, openly showing his affection. "I fight for our meetings, Reborn. I am so very glad to have met you and I would do anything to still be able to meet you again."

Reborn smiled. It was soft and genuine, only for Tsuna. It made him hold his breath in amazement, taken aback.

"So what will we do now?" Reborn asked him, his lips curving into a more amused expression. "Where will you take us, Tsuna?"

Tsuna stilled for a split of a second, feeling light-headed –probably because he wasn't still breathing. Did it mean–? Or was he reading too much into it? Because if he had–

"Breathe, Tsuna." Reborn cuffed his head, definitely amused and took the glass of water to put it on a bedside table.

Tsuna hadn't even noticed him moving. Reborn motioned him to make some place on the bed and sat beside him, crossing his ankles, his back against the bedstead, once Tsuna had obeyed.

"I'm your partner, Tsuna, of course I'm coming." Reborn added, looking very comfortable despite the lack of space and sending him a fond glance before forcing him to lie back to get some rest.

Tsuna felt a grin make its way to his face, ecstatic and almost drunk on hope, shifting closer to the hitman. Reborn absently ran his hand in Tsuna's wild hair, slowly lulling him to sleep.

They still needed to talk about the alliances, on how they would defeat Vongola and overthrow Massimo. However, for now, Tsuna would simply rest, letting Reborn keep watch over him for another night. They were together again and this time, their meeting wouldn't be taken from them.

For now, it was enough.

---

A/N: Yes, it is an open ending as in everything can happen now. No, I don't know if I will continue it (I doubt it). I hope it is not too confusing but you can ask some questions if you have any.

Thanks for reading and don't hesitate to point out any mistakes!

See you next time~