Chapter 7: Confrontations, part 2
"Leave, right now, before I shoot your fucking face off."
Mukuro didn't even flinch when the steel-cold barrel of Xanxus's gun was pointed mere inches from his forehead. If anything, his grin widened.
"I must say, this is certainly unexpected. I never imagined you'd be the one coming to the little Vongola's rescue."
"You're an eye-sore. I said get lost." Xanxus growled, his finger tightening just a fraction on the trigger. The gun glowed a fiery-orange, as it gathered the flames of rage.
"To me, it seems the famous berserker of the Vongola has finally been tamed. How interesting." Mukuro sneered, his whole body tense and tingling with anticipation, yet he showed no signs of it. Only the obvious amusement shown on his face.
Tension quickly built in the room, snapping and crackling between the two combatants. The crimson eyes of the wolf, filled with fury and hunger for battle, matched the gaze of the cobra with haunting mismatched eyes.
Mukuro's red eye briefly shifted, just barest of flicker, as the previous number-character fazed out, only to be replaced with a new one. However that brief moment of movement, not even a full second, was enough to make the tension snap like a whip being cracked in the air.
Xanxus needed no further encouragement. He pulled the trigger.
A blast of orange fire and heat shot out from the barrel of the gun with an angry scream. But it did not hit its target, as the fiery blast shot directly through the fading image of Mukuro's smiling face, and instead impacted with the wall that had been behind him. Plaster and dust momentarily filled the air, as the flames tore apart the wall, leaving a foot wide hole which lead into the next room.
Tsuna, still sitting on the floor, let out a squawk of alarm when the blast above his head came dangerously close. He covered his head in his arms when plaster and bits of the wall came raining down on him. Coughing as dust covered him, Tsuna looked up in distress and disbelief. What was going on? Why was Xanxus here? Why were they fighting? Tsuna's fever-induced mind couldn't seem to keep up with the events that were quickly developing around him. He opened his mouth to speak, to ask what was going on, why they were fighting, but he didn't get a single work out. Xanxus abruptly spun around, swinging his gun wide and upwards in an arch. His blow was met with the clash of metal, Mukuro's trident seemed to materialize out of nowhere. Xanxus brought his other arm in front, his second gun already brimming with power, and aimed to fire once again. However Mukuro was too quick, and was already leaping back and disappearing into the thick mist that had quickly been building within the room.
"Kufufufu. How sad. I expected more from the infamous Varia Leader." Mukuro's signature laugh echoed throughout the room, mocking Xanxus to make the next move. Xanxus's eye just twitched in irritation.
It was a well known fact that Xanxus disliked just about everyone (with the exception of a certain Vongola Boss of course, but that is another matter all together). But what wasn't widely known was that Xanxus tended to hate just about everyone on the same level. He hates Squalo just as much as he hates Gokudera, or one of the stupid subordinates that hover about the place too much. The only real differences between the hatred are the factors of why he hates them. With Squalo it's because he rarely gives Xanxus a moment of peace, always running to him and chattering away about his latest accomplishment or complaining about something or other. With the Storm Guardian it's because of his rather annoying defiant streak, and his insistent need to fight with everyone. And with the subordinates it's just because they haven't learned to fucking get out of his way yet. But suffice to say, the hatred is equal all around.
Then comes that rare individual who's entire existence just pisses Xanxus off like no other, and pushes his hated to new heights. Rokudo Mukuro is said individual. Almost like oil meeting water, Xanxus hates everything and anything that is the Mist Guardian. From that cocky all-knowing smirk, that gleam in his eyes, to that annoying as hell laugh. That, and the fact that no matter what he does, he just can't ever seem to hit the bastard.
Growling angrily like a feral dog protecting his turf, Xanxus took an unconscious step backwards, hovering near Tsuna. Raising his arms out and in front of himself, he aimed his guns at a near forty-five degree angle from each other, taking up a stance that allowed him to react quickly to any attack Mukuro may attempt next. The heavy mist that settled within the small room was so dense, Xanxus could barely see his own hands. Knowing better then to trust his eyes and ears against the illusion fueled mist, Xanxus instead relied on the only thing Mukuro couldn't influence, his reflexes and pure gut feeling.
He didn't have to wait long.
Xanxus felt rather then saw Mukuro's initial attack. The illusionist struck swift and silently, lashing out like a cobra from the mist, coming in along Xanxus's blind spot on the right side. But Xanxus's reflexes were faster, and he gracefully dodged the trident's strike, countering it with his own attack. Firing off a few rounds in Mukuro's general direction, Xanxus growled when the Mist Guardian teasingly dodged each shot with ease, dancing just out of the line of fire. Finally having enough of Mukuro's obvious game, Xanxus furiously charged at him, deciding to draw him into close combat. Mukuro's red eye glowed brightly, shifting once again, the character for four appeared within the iris. The State of Ashura, the skill made for close-combat. Raising the trident, Mukuro accepted Xanxus's challenge.
The two clashed and danced around each other, each knowing a single strike from either could be the end. Xanxus's deadly flames could burn limbs and break bones, while a single scratch from Mukuro's trident would be the end of free-will and a decent into insanity.
"This really is disappointing. " Mukuro taunted as his trident clashed with Xanxus's guns that swung out at him. "The flames of rage that you are so famous for seemed to have dulled quite a bit over the years. You've gotten soft." Mukuro struck hard, forcing Xanxus to raise his arm to block, the staff of the trident colliding with bone and muscle in a painful crunch. " Maybe spending a little bit too much time with our sweet little Vongola boss here?" Mukuro's glowing eyes shifted from Xanxus to Tsuna, who was still sitting on the floor. Tsuna and Mukuro's eyes momentarily met. The illusionist's grin widened into something sinister, almost lecherous. Looking away however was a fatal mistake.
Hot angry flames suddenly burst in front of his face, and only his bare reflexes saved him from having his head blown off. Staggering backwards in surprise, Mukuro's attention snapped back to Xanxus who was looking at him with a smug grin on his face, and a smoking gun.
"Only dead men look away from me while fighting." Xanxus growled low and dangerous, but still held that edge of amusement.
Mukuro paused for a moment, staring at Xanxus in contemplation and a hint of uncertainty. Then, with the wide grin back in place, Mukuro startled chuckling deeply, the laugh echoing about the room. Standing straight, signaling the end of the battle, Mukuro casually wiped away the blood that was dribbling down the side of his cheek.
"Kufufufu. Maybe you haven't quite lost your edge as I originally thought. Well done." Twitching his hand, the trident disappeared into thin air. Mukuro then proceeded to straighten his clothes and brush off the invisible dust. "However…it seems that my time here is up. I must thank you though, for that joyous piece of entertainment. We must do it again sometime." Mukuro chuckled again, and gave Xanxus a mock-bow.
"The next time we meet, I'm putting a bullet through your head." Xanxus replied, frowning deeply, clearly not amused.
Mukuro just smirked, eyes narrowing slightly. Stealing a glance of Tsuna, Mukuro caught his gaze once more. "We will meet again, Little Vongola. Until next time." Mukuro gave another bow to Tsuna, then stepped backwards, disappearing completely with the fading mist.
As the mist cleared, an awkward silence hung in the air. Tsuna, still sitting in the rubble on the floor, let out a heavy breathe he hadn't realized he had been holding. Tsuna slowly got to his feet, brushing off the dust and plaster that clung to his clothes. Steadying himself from the slight dizziness from the headache, Tsuna took a quick glance about the room. Burn holes and slash marks lined the walls, and some books were completely destroyed, pages littering the floor. Tsuna had a hand it to Xanxus though, the damage was far less then he imagined it would have been. The hole's caused from the flames shot from Xanxus's guns were no more then a foot in diameter, unlike in the past where they use to take out an entire wall. Tsuna concluded that Xanxus must have learned to concentrate his flames into a more narrow shot.
He shifted his gaze to Xanxus, who was currently wiping off his guns, apparently content with ignoring Tsuna for the moment. Tsuna let the events that just occurred finally sink in. Mukuro had cornered him, unguarded and unarmed. And once again he threatened to possess Tsuna (it was somewhat of a routine now, for Mukuro to threaten Tsuna every time he visited). However something was off this time. The way Mukuro approached Tsuna was far different from his previous encounters. Mukuro liked a challenge, liked manipulating and winning things. Tsuna knew Mukuro wouldn't have tried to possess him then and there. He didn't like cheating or striking when backs were turned. Despite his shifty nature, Mukuro liked a head-on challenge. He hated shortcuts. It wasn't his style. Tsuna's gut was telling him Mukuro was trying to tell him something. He didn't get the chance to find out what though, because Xanxus had aggressively stepped in and prevented him from learning Mukuro's true purpose of visiting.
Standing there fiddling with his sleeve, lost in thought, Tsuna thought over this new development with Xanxus. What truly bothered Tsuna far more then the fact that Xanxus tried to possibly kill Mukuro, was the fact the Xanxus was being protective of him. Where did that come from? On one level, Tsuna was somewhat grateful that Xanxus actually acknowledged him enough to want to protect him, but at the same time….god-dammit he didn't need another baby-sitter! Despite his often clumsy behavior, Tsuna was quickly learning the ways of being a good mafia boss. And Tsuna was also quickly learning that there are some thing you just can't do with a human-shield standing in your way, trying to protect you. Sometimes, you need to be the one standing up front, taking things head on. Tsuna had just started coaxing Gokudera to back off a bit. He didn't need Xanxus of all people to take his place.
Shaking his head, Tsuna flexed his hands, curling his fingers into a fist. That was beside the point however. Mukuro wasn't a threat. He didn't need to be protected his own Guardian. It seemed no matter how hard Tsuna tried to convince people of that, they didn't listen. Hell, Hibari was more of threat then Mukuro, in Tsuna's opinion. Of course, Mukuro's behavior often didn't help his case. Which brought Tsuna back to the matter at hand.
Looking away, Tsuna scowled, thinking everything through. Seeming to make up his mind, he took a deep breath and then turned fully back to Xanxus.
"You didn't need to do that." Tsuna spoke firmly, looking at Xanxus with disproval.
Xanxus paused, and turned partially to look at Tsuna, an eyebrow raised in mock-question.
"You didn't need to come to my rescue. I'm not afraid of Mukuro. I can handle him." Tsuna continued, his fists clenched at his side.
Xanxus just snorted in amusement. "Yeah, you looked like you were handling it quite well back there."
"I'm serious." Tsuna snapped, surprising himself, but had no intention of correcting himself. Things needed to be said. Xanxus needed to hear Tsuna's opinion on the matter, and he was going to make himself heard.
"No, I'm serious." Xanxus countered, all amusement from his voice gone. "He had you pinned against a fucking wall. I know his motives, and I'm not going to let him have his way."
"Mukuro may act independently, but he still upholds the family's safety and well-being. He does his job." Somewhere in Tsuna's mind, he can recall using these same words in previous arguments, all of them about Mukuro and his questionable loyalty to the family. Tsuna felt like he was having deja-vu.
"His only motive is his own. He cares for no one else. He's a threat." Xanxus growled angrily, stepping closer to Tsuna, towering over him.
"Mukuro isn't a threat! He's one of my Guardians! One of the Vongola!" Tsuna yelled back, angrily looking up at Xanxus in defiance.
"He's trying to destroy the Vongola!"
"So did you!" And the moment those three little words leapt out of his throat, Tsuna wished he could instantly take them back.
Time froze in the little room. Tsuna stared up at Xanxus, frozen with shock, watching the emotions flicker through the crimson eyes. Hurt. Regret. Confusion. ANGER. Tsuna opened his mouth to say something, to take back the words he didn't mean to say. His voice was lost however. Xanxus just clenched his teeth, and raised a fist.
Tsuna flinched as the fist came straight for him, but was surprised when no impact came. The crunch of plaster and wood shattering momentarily filled his ears. Peaking an eye open, he found Xanxus's fist imbedded in the wall next to where he had been standing. Xanxus's face was downcast, and his bangs shadowed his eyes. Pulling his fist free, Xanxus didn't even spare Tsuna a glance as he quickly turned and stomped out of the room, making sure to slam the door hard enough to make cracks appear.
Tsuna stood in the now empty room. He watched the doorway, listening the sound of Xanxus's fading footsteps. Clutching his head in his hands, Tsuna crouched down in defeat, his legs feeling too weak to stand.
"Stupid….idiot…No-Good……baka…." He cursed and cursed himself over and over again, in every language he knew. He silently wished he wasn't so afraid of time-travel, because he really wanted to go back just five minutes in time and fix his mistake. So he could fix the broken bond he'd only recently been able to make.
(Kou-Tora - haha, I was thiiisss close to ending the chapter here. However the idea of a mob with pitchforks and burning torches didn't really appeal to me, so I continued on. :P )
It wasn't until late in the afternoon when Tsuna was finally able to seek out Xanxus. Shortly after Xanxus's departure, subordinates had quickly filled the library, wondering what had happened and if he was alright. It took a while to calm them down and to order repairs for the damaged walls. Tsuna knew he was going to pay hell when Reborn found that it was the Library where the fight had broken out. It was one of the very few rooms in the entire mansion where Reborn had strictly enforced no fighting, no explosion, no anything. Other rooms in the mansion could be repaired and fixed, but the treasured books could not so easily be replaced.
Sighing heavily, Tsuna wandered the hallways, guilt weighing heavily on his mind. Ever since their argument, Xanxus had made himself scarce, hiding away where no one apparently could find him. Tsuna was confident he was still within the manor though, as his subordinates did not spot him leaving the grounds, nor were any cars taken.
Making his way up to the top floor, Tsuna stuffed his hands in his pockets and slowly stepped through the quiet hallway. How could he have done that to Xanxus? He was only trying to look out for the welfare of the family, and Tsuna just had to go and throw Xanxus's greatest regret back in his face. Tsuna knew Xanxus regretted what he had done. He had seen it as clear as day, when he spoke those awful words. The pain, misery and guilt, Xanxus had shown it all when Tsuna had brought up his betrayal. And in seeing those emotions, it hurt Tsuna far more then he realized.
Looking up, Tsuna caught sight of the familiar long black coat and multi-colored feather ornaments belonging to the Varia leader. He had apparently chosen a secluded outside balcony to hide, which was connected to one of the back rooms farthest down the hallway. Sitting in a plush chair, Xanxus was currently working on emptying a glass of liquor. Quietly padding his way towards the open door, Tsuna stopped just before entering. He fidgeted with his sleeve again, looking down at his feet, suddenly feeling nervous. How was he suppose to even begin to apologize? Xanxus had been burned and betrayed a lot in his past. Forgiveness didn't seem like something he'd earn so easily.
"Are you coming in, or are you just going to fucking stand out there all day?" Xanxus's deep voice barked from his spot, but he didn't move or turn around. Startled, Tsuna scampered inside, slowing a bit as he stepped outside onto the balcony. Hovering just near the doorway (again), Tsuna took a deep breath and opened his mouth to start apologizing, but he was cut off.
"Well, sit down already." Xanxus motioned towards the chair that sat next to his, but never took his gaze away from the scenery that was spread out before them.
"HAI!" Tsuna couldn't hold back his trademark apology, and quickly sat down. Sitting stiff and tense in the chair, Tsuna steals a glance at Xanxus. He was reclined the chair, savoring his glass of golden liquor, eyes fixed on the setting sun that was dipping below the horizon in front of them. Casting his gaze back down to his hands in his lap, Tsuna slumped in the chair. Fiddling with the corner of his sleeve, Tsuna took a deep long breath.
"I'm sorry." He spoke softly, yet without hesitation. He meant it. "I didn't mean those words."
"Yes you did. Or you wouldn't have said it." Xanxus spoke, still not looking in Tsuna's direction. His voice was not harsh, not cold, but very flat and low. It still made Tsuna flinch.
"You didn't deserve it. You were only trying to…to help. And I said something awful in return. I'm sorry." Tsuna did look at Xanxus now, his deep amber eyes glowing from the setting sun. His hands were now fisted in his lap, slightly gripping the fabric of his pants.
"You don't need to apologize." Xanxus replied, his voice still the same tone. Before Tsuna could voice his reply, Xanxus cut him off and continued. "I did deserve it. I deserve every word." This time, he did look at Tsuna, tilting his head slightly to the side. His eyes too, glowed, a deep rich crimson.
"No, you don't." Tsuna replied, slightly shocked by Xanxus's words.
"Yes, I do. I did try to destroy the Vongola, kill the 9th, kill you. I will forever deserve any kind of punishment for it. " Xanxus couldn't look at Tsuna anymore. He tore his eyes away from the young mafia boss, the boy he almost succeeded in killing, and looked back over at the horizon. He didn't want to talk about it anymore.
Tsuna just shook his head, still looking at Xanxus. "But you've already been forgiven. You don't need to be chained to it anymore." His voice was low, soft, and held something….something that Xanxus couldn't find in himself to argue with….at this time. "So, I'll say it again. I'm sorry."
Xanxus sighed, but just gave a grunt in reply, grudgingly accepting Tsuna's apology. He drank from his glass again, loving the feeling of the burning liquid down his throat. Tsuna, catching Xanxus's hint at not wanting to talk about that subject anymore, was at least partially satisfied that he got to apologize, and was apparently forgiven. Settling into the chair, Tsuna looked out over the flowing green grounds of the manor, enjoying the warmth of the setting sun. A movement caught his eye, and he watched as a black cat padded itself across the lawn, trotting playfully towards the manor.
Breathing in deep, Tsuna was reminded of the second reason he was out here.
"You don't need to worry about Mukuro. I know his behaviors is…odd…." Tsuna began, and Xanxus just scoffed. "But he is kept in check. Not just by me, but by Chrome as well. And despite what he says…I believe Mukuro truly has found his place among the Vongola. I also don't believe he wishes to destroy it that strongly." Tsuna laced his fingers together, as he attempted (once again) to explain his beliefs.
Xanxus was quiet for a moment, before finally answering. "I just hate the bastard." He finally admitted. "You just can't trust his kind."
Tsuna chuckled slightly at this. "Well, in terms of hating him, I can tell you you're not alone there. Gokudera and Hibari share a certain level of…dislike…for Mukuro's presence as well." Pausing a moment, Tsuna gathered his thoughts. "On trusting him…all I can really say is…he's not a threat. Just trust me on this." Tsuna wanted to say more, but he was unsure if he could fully explain it. There were too many factors surrounding Mukuro, all of them pointing to the fact that he could be trusted, however Mukuro himself states that he should not. Thinking too deeply about it was making Tsuna's head hurt even more.
Xanxus chose not to comment, but just hummed in reply. It was neither a 'yes' or 'no', but it was at least a confirmation that he had listened.
A movement caught his attention, and he turned to notice the black cat had somehow managed to climb all the way up to the balcony that was connected to the room next door. It sat on the edge of the railing, eyes closed, contently licking and cleaning itself.
Tsuna, glad somehow that the issue was at least partially resolved, reached out to the small table that sat in between them, reaching for the bottle of liquor. He was tired and stressed, and he was desperate enough to try anything to relax a bit. He wouldn't lie that he was also just a little bit curious as to what was so great about alcohol. However, he was quickly thwarted in that plan when the bottle was snatched away before he could grab it.
"Don't even think about it." Xanxus growled, half amused, half serious.
"There's more then enough for me." Tsuna protested, for some reason confused by Xanxus's protest to him having a little drink.
"You're underage." Was all Xanxus replied for an excuse. 'And I don't want a repeat of last time.' Xanxus silently thought to himself.
Tsuna didn't reply, but somewhere in the back of his mind, that line struck a cord of nostalgia. Where had he heard that before? Why did this seem familiar? Shouldn't he remember? Tsuna gave up the argument for the alcohol (not entirely that interested), and slumped further into his chair, pondering over this new feeling.
He was quickly brought out of his thoughts though when he heard an animalistic growl come from Xanxus. Looking up, he watched as Xanxus downed the last bit of liquid from his glass, then proceeded to pitch the glass at the cat that was sitting not too far from them. The cat gracefully danced out of the way as the glass shattered into a million pieces. Trotting lightly along the railing, the cat flicked it's tail high in the air and calmly walked away, clearly taunting Xanxus. The cat paused for a moment, revealing mismatched blue and red eyes, before leaping down off the railing and into the dark cast shadows below.
"I really hate that bastard."
Author Notes: UGH Why does this feel like a complete FAIL chapter…. It played out so perfectly in my mind, but then somewhere in the transition from my brain to my fingers, it got all garbled.
I have also learned that fight-scenes aren't really my specialty. They're really quite hard to write.
Well, anyway, I want to say (as usual) THANK YOU for all the amazing reviews. 6 chapters in, and Ashes to Flames already has well over 120+ reviews! I'm blown away by the huge response I've been getting. THANK YOU!!
Sorry no Review Responses this time. It's late, and my mind is in the process of shutting down, so I'm afraid if I start typing anymore, it'll come out as some weird garbled mess.
Though, I will quickly mention a few things that have been brought up a few times. On Tsuna's and (especially) Xanxus's OOC-ness. I've realized that with Ashes to Flames, I picked one of the hardest scenarios to portray accurate characters. Both Tsuna and Xanxus have not yet appeared in the future arc of the manga, so what they are like is a complete unknown. Also, one of my major themes for Ashes to Flames is "Change". A lot of the sub-plot will revolve around how Tsuna has changed since getting back from the future, and how Xanxus has changed from his complete defeat during the Ring Battles. So I'm gradually trying to introduce 'how' and 'why' they changed. So, taking that into account, please tell me if I'm doing ok, or failing miserably.
Second thing I'll mention is that I somewhat hinted a lot in this chapter about some issues that will appear again later in the story (in a big way). There are at least 3 that I mentioned (though a few more can be implied ). Can you guess them? ;) I'll give you a hint. Tsuna ranted about all three.
The third thing I'll mention is, YES, Hibari will appear, eventually. Fear not, you're epic battle of Xanxus vs. Hibari will happen. (somehow...still working on that...)
So, that's it for now. The only thing I have left to say is…..geez Mukuro laughs a lot. I was re-reading the few times he's actually appeared in the manga, and he's laughing like every other panel…hence the reason I have him laughing all the time here. The guy's crazy.
Next Chapter: Fluff is back. The plot gasp! Yes there is plot! takes off.
Following tradition REVIEW WITH YOUR DYING WILL! (and then I'll probably write with my dying will)