Chapter 6: Confrontations, part 1
Tsuna was never one for confrontations. In fact, he'd rather avoid them like the plague. But looking back over the years, Tsuna couldn't help but notice the rather large number of confrontations he had inadvertently been thrust into. Continuing to think back, Tsuna could probably pick through each one, and count on one hand the number of fights, arguments and possible conflicts that he himself had instigated. So, Tsuna couldn't help but come to the conclusion that he, himself, was a human magnet for trouble. Despite all his efforts at trying to keep peace, a conflict of some sort was bound to generate around him.
"Ah! M-Mukuro….when did you-" Tsuna stuttered slightly, nervously looking up at mismatched eyes that seemed to pierce right through him, making his already throbbing head spin.
"Greetings, Sawada Tsunayoshi. It has been a while, has it not?" Mukuro all but purred, his eyes fixated on the small Vongola boss. His trademark smirk curved upwards on his face.
Yes, Tsuna was quite sure he did not care for confrontations. Not one bit.
Tsuna took a moment to assess the situation at hand. Here he was, leaning heavily against a wall in the Vongola private library, with Rokudo Mukuro practically leering over him. Did he mention he was alone, and his head pounding viciously with a slight fever? Yeah, Tsuna didn't particularly like his situation at all.
How did he get into this situation anyway? Tsuna couldn't help but repeatedly ask himself that same question.
--
His day started out much like any other.
Well, ok. That was a lie. Unlike most days, today hadn't involved the usual morning death threats from Reborn, explosions and angry screams from Gokudera, over-cheerfulness from Yamamoto who was a morning person, and constant proposals to go run a marathon from Ryohei, who was too much of a morning person. No, today hadn't been normal, because it had been normal. A gentle stillness had greeted Tsuna when he woke, and he found he liked it, despite it being a little unnerving. After a whole year of waking up to mass chaos, the sound of quiet was a little odd.
Breakfast too hadn't been normal, for it too had been a silent affair. Tsuna sat in the kitchen, eating his toast and fried eggs in solitude, mostly, if it wasn't for the brief appearance of Xanxus.
He silently entered the kitchen, grabbed a large coffee pot that had been prepared earlier and proceeded to fill his coffee mug. No even looking up at Tsuna, Xanxus seemed perfectly content with ignoring him. Tsuna munched on his toast, observing from the corner of his eye, and briefly debated if he should say 'Good Morning'. Tsuna had learned early on that saying 'Good Morning' to a non-morning person wasn't exactly the wisest move. It was like trying to pet a sleeping lion, because the lion would definitely wake up and bite your face off just to get you to stop. Tsuna guessed from the scowl on Xanxus's face, and how he was glaring down into his mug of coffee, that cheerfully greeting the Varia leader wasn't the best idea. So Tsuna continued to remain silent, and watched Xanxus as he fixed his coffee with cream and sugar. Tsuna couldn't help but wonder if this was Xanxus's first or second refill of the day.
Taking a long swig, Xanxus turned and stared directly at Tsuna over the rim of his coffee mug. Tsuna, startled by the sudden attention he was receiving, was caught mid-bite into his toast, as he stared right back into those crimson eyes. Xanxus's gaze seem to be searching for something, as it analyzed and studied the teen who was looking rather nervous and confused. Seeming to find what it was searching for, Xanxus gave a slight nod to Tsuna, and then promptly left. Tsuna's gaze followed Xanxus as he strolled out of the kitchen, wondering in his head what that was all about.
Downing his juice, Tsuna slouched back in his chair, and rubbed his temples. His head still hurt like something wicked, and he toyed with the idea of taking medicine for it. But once again he discarded the idea as quickly as it came. Medicine usually either made him queasy, or knocked him out cold. He didn't particularly like either, so he opted to just ignore the pain and hoped it would go away.
Still rubbing his head, Tsuna's thoughts were brought back to the previous night. He suddenly flushed in embarrassment. He still couldn't remember what happened last night. All he remembered was that he was talking with Xanxus in the kitchen. And even that was a vague memory. He partially wanted to go and ask Xanxus what had happened. On the other hand, he figured he didn't want to know, for it'd probably leave him even more embarrassed then he was now.
Standing up and clearing his dishes, Tsuna was suddenly struck with a realization. Here he was, in the Vongola mansion, alone. Well, not entirely alone, as there were still various subordinates and other Vongola members busily working within the manor. But the main point was, there was no Reborn, no Guardians, and especially no Varia (with the exception of one). He was free. No one was around to pester him, give him work, or overall turn his day into complete chaos. He could have a peaceful, quiet, and relaxing day, and no one could tell him otherwise.
And it felt glorious.
Suddenly feeling better by this new revelation, Tsuna nearly skipped out into the hallway (but he didn't, because mafia bosses certainly didn't skip),and hummed a little tune as he was fully prepared to enjoy this day to its fullest.
"Good morning, Juudaime!"
"Greetings Boss!"
"How are you today, honorable 10th?"
Tsuna was greeted by several people as he happily strolled through the Vongola manor, and he politely nodded and said hello to each one. However he did not stop, for he was on a mission. A mission to do something he'd been dying to do ever since he'd moved to Italy.
Sneaking into the Vongola private library, Tsuna checked to see if anyone was around. Satisfied that the room was empty, Tsuna walked to one of the far walls of the room, scanning the vast bookshelves that were stuffed full of old and ancient books. Running his fingertips along the spines, he stopped abruptly when he spotted the book he had been searching for. Brushing the dust away, Tsuna pulled out a large red book titled Storia del Vongola. Running his hand across the broad cover, Tsuna studied the intricate details of the Vongola family symbol which was engraved there. Setting the book aside, Tsuna then reached into the empty slot where the book had been previously, and pulled out several comic books.
"If you want to hide a tree, put it in a forest." Tsuna chuckled to himself, replacing the red book once again to its proper place, and cradling his precious comic books against his chest.
Ever since he was officially titled the 10th Vongola Boss, Reborn had restricted and prohibited most of Tsuna's "lazy and juvenile habits". Not that Tsuna minded (or was able to complain). In his line of work, one couldn't afford to be a kid anymore.
But that still didn't mean he couldn't enjoy an occasional comic book from time to time.
"Good thing I asked Gokudera to smuggle these in for me. Reborn would've burned them on site if he found them." Tsuna held back a nervous laugh as he plopped down into a comfy leather chair and began flipping through the comic book.
About an hour or so passed in blissful silence, as Tsuna continued to read through the stacks of comic books. Tsuna had now moved onto a some silly manga about an overactive orange-clad ninja.
"Hahah, that Lee guy is kinda like Ryohei. Better not let him read this manga, or he'd start wearing green spandex too." Tsuna sweat-dropped at the very very bad imagery that suddenly floated into his head from that thought.
Continuing with his reading marathon, Tsuna was so immersed within the fantasy-world that he failed to notice the thin film of mist that clung to the edges of the room, hovering around the floor. Nor did he notice the shadowy figure that crept into the room, tendrils of mist following it about. What did snap him out of his reading, however, was the haunting sound of a very familiar laugh.
"Kufufufufu…" It echoed about the room, almost like a whisper.
Startled slightly, Tsuna hastily dropped the book, and jumped up, moving away from the chair and standing in the middle of the room. He eyed the room for a moment, before sighing and slouching his shoulders.
"I know you're there Mukuro. These tricks don't work anymore." Tsuna called out, amber eyes scanning the room. After dealing with the illusionist all these years, Tsuna was more then use to Mukuro's odd appearances. He had learned, that if you don't show your fear or surprise, the Mist guardian would quickly get bored.
"Oh really? Such a shame. I always find enjoyment in our little games." A silken voice practically whispered into Tsuna's ear.
This time, Tsuna almost did jump right out of his skin. Whirling around, he was suddenly face to face with none other then Rokudo Mukuro himself.
"Mukuro….you're…here?" Tsuna looked at the Mist Guardian in amazement and confusion. Mukuro was currently standing in front of Tsuna, in his real body. Tsuna was more then a bit startled by this. In all the years Tsuna has known the illusionist, only three times has he seen him in his real body. The first was obviously during his first introduction to Mukuro, at Kokuyou Land all those years ago. The second had been when Tsuna used his influence as the 10th Vongola to release Mukuro from the Vindice prison. Tsuna had personally been there when Mukuro was freed from his watery cell. The third time had been when Tsuna was officially appointed as the leader of the Vongola. Mukuro had actually appeared in person during the ceremony, and took his place next Tsuna, as one-half of the Mist Guardian. That ceremony had been the first and only time all seven of Tsuna guardians were gathered in once place at the same time.
Whenever Mukuro did decide to show up (which was a rare occasion), he'd be borrowing either Chrome's body, or some poor soul, be it person or animal. When he wasn't around, the Mist Guardian was next to impossible to find. Sometimes Tsuna wished he hadn't freed him from his watery prison, as at least he knew where he was then.
Mukuro's smile just widened ever more, and took a bold step towards the young Vongola boss.
--
"Greetings, Sawada Tsunayoshi. It has been a while, has it not?"
And thus, we're brought back to Tsuna's current predicament. To re-cap, here he was, pressed up against a wall that one Rokudo Mukuro had oh-so-easily cornered him against, with the Mist Guardian leaning dangerously close, well beyond the personal-space barrier that he seemed to determined to intrude upon.
So much for Tsuna's perfect day of peace.
"Mukuro….what an unexpected surprise. I didn't know you would be arriving today." Tsuna tried to act casual and unaffected by the heavy gaze he was currently under.
"Ah, yes. I decided to drop in for a little visit. It has been quite sometime since we last saw each other….face to face…." The Mist Guardian purred, leaning in just a smidgen closer.
"And to my surprise! I arrive to find out that none of the little puppy dogs that oh so eagerly follow you around, are here. They've all been sent away, from what I hear, by none other then yourself. Even the arcobaleno is gone!" Mukuro's eyes lit up with excitement, and one of his hands rose to rest on the wall right next to Tsuna's head.
"I can't begin to tell you how much enjoyment that brings me. It's almost like Christmas." The illusionist's voice dropped very subtly, rolling over his tongue in a deep rich tremor. He inched closer to Tsuna just a little bit more, fingers curling on the wall on either side of Tsuna's head loosely.
"Enough Mukuro. What do you want?" Tsuna tried to growl out in a threat, but ended up sounding more like a kicked puppy.
Mukuro just laughed, deep and huskily, with his trademark 'Kufufufu'.
"Haven't I said it before? It's you." Mukuro suddenly grabbed the front of Tsuna's shirt, fisting it in his hands and holding firm. He pressed the fisted hand against Tsuna's chest, pinning the brunette against the wall.
"Wha!? Mukuro!" Tsuna let out an surprised yelp. Startled by the sudden physical contact, he grabbed onto Mukuro's wrist that held him against the wall, and attempted to break the grip.
Now, had Tsuna taken the medicine that would've cured the vicious headache that left his reflexes and rational thoughts just a bit sluggish, Tsuna might have had a chance to avoid this rather compromising situation. Had Tsuna brought his gloves with him, instead of opting to leave them in his room (because who needs to carry them around in your own house?) he might have had a chance to fight back, and properly defend himself. Had Tsuna not sent away all his Guardians, and snuck away to a secluded spot, telling no one of his whereabouts, this situation would have never occurred in the first place. But unfortunately, everything that could go wrong, did. And Tsuna had practically set the whole thing up.
"I've been telling you this for years, little Vongola. Practically spelt out my entire plans of vengeance to you. Possessing you has been, and still is, the one and only reason why I joined your little famiglia." Mukuro used his free hand to pull at one of Tsuna's wrists, pinning it to the wall behind him. Using his weight, Mukuro lifted Tsuna just slightly up into the air by his shirt, with his back still heavily pressed against the wall. Eyes glittering dangerously, Mukuro leaned in even closer, with leaving nothing but a hair's breath between their two bodies. Tsuna squeaked when he felt Mukuro's knee slide between Tsuna's.
Tsuna's brain had officially gone into over-load, as it desperately attempted to think of a solution our of this dangerous situation. So far, the only conclusion Tsuna managed to reach was 'I'm screwed'.
That was, until the familiar sound of a gun clicking, startled them both. Mukuro's eyes widened slightly, and swiveled to the side when he felt the cold metal of the gun pressed against the back of his head.
"Ah. Seems there was still one puppy on guard duty. How disappointing." Mukuro chuckled, suddenly releasing Tsuna, and turning around to face his challenger. Tsuna, who had apparently been holding his breath, let out a heavy sigh, and slid down the wall to sit on the floor.
"Leave, right now, before I shoot your fucking face off."
TBC
--Notes from the Author--
First off, I'M SORRY!
I didn't mean to take so long with this chapter. It's been a rather hectic month for me. Plus, this chapter was proving to be a particular challenge to write. Mukuro is such a mysterious character, and since he's shown up in the manga only a handful of times, trying to write him in character is a bit of a struggle (for me anyway).
Also, I'M SORRY AGAIN for leaving it off at such an awful spot. I didn't think this chapter would be so long. But after plotting it out, and then finally writing it, it's turning out to be quite the monster. I decided to cut it here, because the 2nd half has some action, a lot of dialog, and a lot of emotion. I figured you all waited long enough, so I decided to split the chapter in half. The 2nd half is really fresh in my mind, so it shouldn't take me very long to write it. I'm going to try to get it done this week, if not, definitely the next.
Next, OMG I LOVE YOU ALL! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! 95 REVIEWS! YOU ALL ARE THE BEST!
Seriously, my mind is blown by the massive amounts of feedback I've been receiving. I get all giddy inside when I check my inbox and I see a New Review e-mail sitting there. It totally makes my day. That, and I get inspired to write, like, instantly.
That brings me to my next huge thank you! FANART PIMPAGE!
Junez-chan totally surprised me with this AMAZING piece!
junez-chan. deviantart. com/art/KHR-Deep-in-thought-83758100 (remove the spaces)
melts into a puddle of goo It's so pretty! I seriously cannot put words together on how much this made my whole WEEK! I demand you all to go look at it and worship her!
And speaking of fanart, I'll be posting all the links to all the fanart I receive in my profile. So if you hate removing the spaces or going from chapter-to-chapter to find them, they'll all be listed there.
Urja Shannon recently brought up an interesting point (and I'm sorry, Urja, for not replying to your Pms. I got them and read them! I'm not ignoring you! 's IM system really kind of confuses me, but I'll try to reply soon!).
I openly welcome fanart of any kind for any of my fics. You don't need to ask for permission! I actually feel honored that my fics actually inspire fanart! My only little request is for maybe a link to my fic, crediting the inspiration/source, and sending me a link so that I can totally fawn over it and pimp it to the world! :D
One last thing I want to blab about, then I'll shut up. I'm currently debating getting a DeviantArt account. I'd love to comment and favorite on the fanart I've been receiving, and I'd possibly submit some of my (sucky) sketches that I myself have done. The real question I'd like to ask you all is, should I post Ashes to Flames chapters or any of my other fics there? Good idea? Bad idea? For those who have DA accounts, and those who post fanfictions there, what's your opinion? Any feedback would be great!
Ok, I'm done for now. On to a few review responses! (there are so many!)
--REVIEW RESPONCES--
bitterchoco - Hahaha, actually, when I was toying with the idea of a spin-off series, adding Lal and Colonello as supervisors was something I thought of. I think the Guardians would all die though from the hard-core training.
firedraygon - yes, I know of my insanely annoying habit of switching tenses. I'm so horrible at it, yet I do it totally subconsciously. cries And the SpannerTsuna fic would be fun to write sometime. I'll probably end up writing it when the proper inspiration strikes.
ChibiChaos- hahaha, yes, I definitely have a Jealous!Xanxus and Possessive!Xanxus planned. A little bit of it will show up in the next chapter, but it'll develop a lot more in later chapters. Xanxus is in for a rough time. (hehehe)
shizouo- Awww, thank you! I'd hardly call myself a prodigy, but I try atleast to write creatively. Mukuro is going to be quite the little instigator of tension between those two, as messing with people's minds is what he does best! And don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Hibari. He's going to show up later, but he's definitely going to cause a big commotion.
SesshouNoKon- Thank you!! :D Hahaha, Tsuna being all bad-ass was really surprisingly popular! I'm definitely going to try to show that side of Tsuna again in the future. In fact, looking at what I've got planned thus far, there are still several sides to each of them that I've yet to reveal. Their "relationship" has just barely scratched the surface, and the both of them will evolve and change dramatically as it grows. Just wait and see! And again, thank you for all the reviews!
Junez-chan - like I said above, OMG THANK YOU! The artwork was AMAZING!- rolls around in joy- Every time I look at it I can't but squeal like the fan girl I am. XD
Wayra - whaaa thank you! Haha, I fan girl squeal just by writing it! And I totally welcome fanart! And it most certainly will NOT be fail! Any fanart is full of epic-win in my book! :D
Quicksilver4 - I'm not sure what inspired me to write the whole insomnia bit about Xanxus. It just kinda popped in my head when I was trying to think of an excuse to make Xanxus go wander the halls at night. It really does fit though, doesn't it? Maybe that's why Xanxus's so grumpy all the time, he just never sleeps. XD And oh yes, Tsuna will sadly be oblivious for a little while longer. Because Tsuna's just dense, and Xanxus will be in denial. XD
urja shannan - haha, X27 is an addicting pairing. And I'm sorry if I made Xanxus too OOC. I'm definitely going to gradually explain the sudden change of attitude, as it's one of major points of the whole story, but I can say this much. The kindness thing, yeah…that's just around Tsuna, as you'll see eventually. XD
Orange-Butterfly100 - Yes! Converted another! -evil laugh-
Flippant Wisdom- Thank you! Yeah, the subtle romance hints are vague at first, but it'll definitely build momentum over time. Both of them are just too dense to just jump into things, so they have to realize it over time.
warflame001- Thank you!! The boot camp story would be fun. Sadly, I have next to nothing at the moment on what would happen, other then the fact it would be probably 99 percent crack and chaos! Just gotta wait till the inspiration strikes me.
Sorry if I didn't reply to your review. I still read them all (several times), and I appreciate every single one of them!! Reviews are my writing-fuel! 8D
Next Chapter: Emotions build and conflicts are created. Oh, and a little bit of fluff on the side.
REMEMBER! REVIEWS ARE THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD! (The next chapter may even update faster with more reviews!) ;D
-Please fangirl/boy responsibly.
-Kou Tora