Disclaimer: FANFiction
BELATED MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Enjoy!
Chapter [Two]
"HIEEEEE!" A shriek then a thump, and a blast of explosion, which, after ten years of it, the few servants of the lonely mansion professionally maintained their air of indifference, though some could be seen quirking a small smile now and then.
'Thunk' "Stop shrieking like a girl, dame-Tsuna," Reborn's voice emanated through the body of a fit fifteen year old. Though flat, after ten years of 'Tutoring', Tsuna could hear the definite amused, sadistic, tone hidden beneath the note of Reborn's voice. It never failed to make his spine shiver in fear even after all those years, 'or will I ever' he thought as he stayed sat up on the ground of the ballroom's polished floor that he had landed in from the second floor with his legs stretched. As if hearing his thoughts (in which case, he truly believed it to be), Reborn let slipped the sadism of his true nature with a smirk and glinting eyes. Tsuna averted his eyes from his tutor in fear but glanced back with a scowl (A/N: Read, pout) after a few seconds of collective resolve to not turn away. Reborn's eyes gleamed in delight.
"Mou, Reborn! You didn't have to explode the hallway for just running late!" Tsuna admonished as he stood and dusted his pants free of ash, missing the pleased expression of his teenaged tutor. "I promised Anette-san and the rest of the maids a free day off for the next three days! Now they'll have waste a day on fixing and cleaning the dust off the carpet and the walls!" He continued with a gesture to the direction of the explosion. Reborn scoffed unaffected.
"Look again, dame-Tsuna, they have nothing to clean since nothing had been touched by even a speck of dirt." Reborn corrected his student and watched as said student blinked and climb the stairs to the hallway from which the explosion came to find the truth in his tutor's words. "How-" Tsuna started but shook his head and instead turned back to his tutor with a lovely smile formed on his face.
"Arigatou" and Reborn couldn't help but avert his eyes away with a hand on his fedora to hide his slight flush. He cursed his teenage hormones, but not one to claim defeat, he smirked handsomely back at his student who had to avert his eyes but with no fedora to hide his flush. It was no secret to Reborn or to Tsuna, the attraction that both has for each other. In living with each other for Ten years along with the camaraderie that had accumulated between them, Reborn the hitman had found something in Tsuna that he had never thought possible to find for himself whilst Tsuna gained a most trusted confidant that he could never have achieved with anybody else, afraid of him as they were. It did not take too long for him to figure out his growing feelings above mere friendship. It helped that Reborn's night form was a most sexy devil.
Tsuna blushed at the inappropriate thoughts.
But even with the obvious attraction, neither had confessed on their growing feelings for each other.
To Reborn, though the greatest there is, he did not want Tsuna to have a lover with questionable age. Loathe that he is to admit, he did not have a clue on why his age seemed to shift at the turn of the sun nor does he have control over it. Though seemingly something that can be dismissed when it comes to a relationship, he's the sort of man when willing to give his everything to a choice he had made, he does not give, nor accept to give, anything in halves. And after ten years of acceptance from his student -even covered with blood and gore from killing coming home, Tsuna deserved far more better than a mere half of his whole. Even with Flames cold as Ice, a warmth hidden deep beneath the surface had him kept on searching for a way to fix the Arcobaleno's age shift, even if it meant having to spend his valuable time with a man he thought of as insufferable. Time, he thought were very valuable indeed.
As for his student, it was an easy guess of confidence. Even with all these years of self improvement over his flames and his mature outlook on life, it takes not a whole lot of effort to bring the brunette down. His lack of experience in everything in life -despite Reborn having rectified that- had him hesitating in everything that he does, that he wanted to do. It both irritated and pleased Reborn when he saw Tsuna break away from that after just, in the past, a few hours, and now, not but a few seconds. The former because of still having the hesitancy despite everything that had happened and the latter, a sight Reborn deemed as a beautiful thing to watch. Orange sunset eyes burn beautifully in defiance even with his hands icy cold than burning hot. It was a sight he had come to love. It also helped that his student, from that awkward, clumsy child grow to a beautiful, lean and graceful man of just seventeen years old made Reborn come to love him more. A silent curse to his teenaged hormones echoed at the back of his mind, tuned out by the loud recoil of his Leon shape CZ-75 1ST gun.
After ten years of being submitted to the familiar bang of his tutor's gun, Tsuna did not so much as flinch from the bullet aimed near his person on the rail. Reborn raised his smoking green Leon gun just as the sun's rays touched the yellow pacifier hanging from his neck bouncing light off of its surface. Even after so long, Tsuna still can't help but watch in fascination as Reborn's form of a fifteen year old shift with a bright, -to his eyes, Icy- light to the familiar handsome man of a healthy twenty-five year old that he had come to know as Reborn's true form with the dip of the sun.
"Now, my dame student," his low baritone voice reaching out to Tsuna's body with but a wisp of a touch through his skin, making said boy shiver in delight. He smirked at the reaction as he lowered his gun and reached out with his other arm. "You will not leave my arms until I see you grace the ballroom like a pro." Tsuna swallowed heavily as the words played on his skin and shuddered in equal parts of anticipation and fear.
As much as he would like to fool himself with Reborn's seductive, velvety voice, his thoroughly experienced ears could instantly detect the hint of sadism mixed in. He was not fooled and Reborn smirked, pleased.
"Let's dance."
[X][x][X]
Three days of un-dusty explosion, more so than usual and Tsuna had successfully made -forced- his body into that of a professional dancer.
"TSUNA-NII!" A joyful shout of childish delight with the large double grand doors of the main entrance powerfully bursting open expressed the mansion's occupants' concealed excitement for the day as three children, one girl of seven born of chinese descent -evident by her red robe with black pants and chinese slippers-, one boy of eight with slightly short afro hair dressed in a cow print buttoned shirt with black knee length shorts and sneakers, and another boy of ten with short brown hair dressed smartly in white buttoned up undershirt with a green sweater and jeans with sneakers, enter. They stopped when they noticed the empty, almost too quiet, large open foyer of the mansion.
"Where is everyone?" The brown haired boy asked in confusion and growing worry as each of their heads turn in search for life. An echo of footsteps had them jumping in fear only to recover with relief as the head butler's familiar, old, smiling face came in view from the front hallway. They smiled in greeting at the bow the butler gave them.
"Ojisan, where's Tsuna-nii?" came the drawled voice from the afro haired kid. Almost immediately did he ask that he found himself crouching in pain from a whack he had received from the girl. He look up at the scolding stare of his friend not missing the light laugh his other friend tried to hide.
"Lambo!" called the raven twin braided haired girl. "Be more polite!" she chided with her hand raised.
"Iiii-piiin!" Lambo whined in response but was already ignored as said girl stood in front of Alfredo inquiring the location of the person they had come for. Alfredo smiled at the children.
"The young master is still asleep." The children were amazed as usually, the hitman that they had come to know that lived with their big brother, would have not allowed the brunette to sleep in so late, especially today. Alfredo chuckled in amusement at that and explained before the three rowdy children get the idea to wake him up themselves. "Tsuna-sama had a very extensive three days of learning and Reborn had allowed him to sleep for a little while longer today. Of course, Tsuna is to be ready before the Coronation at the palace start." The children nodded in understanding then grinned at the reminder of exactly what today was. Alfredo smiled widely in turn from the children's contagious excitement and left them with explanation of the rest of the servant's whereabouts.
Apparently, the palace had more trouble than expected and had called for a few extra pair of hands to help and the others were given free leave by their master to join in the festival, three days ago. Alfredo had only come back to wake his master but was ensured by his other master, Reborn, to leave the waking to him. With his trust in Reborn, he was about to leave through the servants door until he had heard the three children come in through the main entrance with a bang. The children smiled and waved as they saw the butler out the door and into a brougham the children had volunteered to usher to the front, waiting as it was from the servant's entrance. They turned back inside once the carriage was far enough away.
"I can't wait for the Coronation!" I-pin claimed excitedly and turned to look at the two boys walking behind her. "Master Fon said that all the allied kingdoms of Vongola will be there! It'll be so Grand!" Lambo yawned with a hand properly covering his mouth and looked back with one eye closed.
"I don't like it." Lambo uttered. "Stupid Lampo will be knighted as Guardian and he'll be higher ranked than I! What's so special about him anyways?" He complained as he had been doing since having been informed. He scowled at the laughing boy on his right.
"You can just admit that you'll miss him, Lambo. I'm sure Lampo-nii won't mind letting you stay if you tell him that." Lambo's faced flushed red and ran to his friend with fists raised as he voiced out denials that were obviously untrue.
"Fuuuuuutttaaa!" the slightly afro haired kid whined as both of his friends laughed. A gunshot had him ducking instead behind his brown haired friend in fear, tears in his eyes evident from his fear and shame but the other two kids, having been in the presence of the man behind the gun for the last four years after they had met the master of the mansion simply stood still and glanced above at the second floor.
"Shut up cow. Your voice is irritating to hear." The unmistakable voice of Reborn announced in greeting. Lambo puffed his cheeks out in anger, the fear and shame gone as he boldly stood at front with legs apart and one arm on his waist with the other pointed directly at the black dressed figure standing on the middle of the two staircases, on the second floor.
"Haha! Reborn! I, the Great Lambo-sama will now see to your death!" Lambo then produced hand grenades held on each of his palm and briskly threw it directly at his intended target. Reborn did not even deign to move away from his spot as he swatted both grenades with a green paper fan out the window, never minding the sound of broken glass as well as the explosion thereafter. I-pin placed another painful whack on the eight year old's head before he could produce another set of bombs to explode.
"Stop destroying Tsuna-nii's house!" she yelled at the teary eyed Lambo.
"Ga-Gaman…" Fuuta chose to soothe the youngest boy before anything else could happen. I-pin huffed before smiling brightly at the dark haired fifteen year old climbing down the stairs.
"Reborn-san!" I-pin called. "Can we wake up Tsuna-nii now? I want to help him dress for the Ball before the ceremony starts!" She got a smile in return as Reborn was a gentleman first and foremost. To the ladies that is.
"I've covered it all I-pin. You'll have to wait to see him until the Ball." Reborn gently declined. I-pin pouted in disappointment but perked up with the other reminder.
"Tsuna-nii is going to the Coronation!" I-pin grinned happily.
"Everybody is now going to see how awesome my big brother is!" Lambo followed enthusiastically, fast recovering from his depressed state.
"Un!" Fuuta agreed, just as enthusiastic as the other two were. "This will be Tsuna-nii's debut!" The other two suddenly paused in their excitement with a tilt of their heads as they tried to contemplate the complexity of the new word. Reborn chose to helpfully supply them with a simple definition.
"It'll be the first time he'll be introduced back to the public, officially." Fuuta nodded in agreement. I-pin squealed from overwhelming excite whilst Lambo expressed his in jaunty laughter.
"Ah. He'll be with actual, real, live people. Finally." Reborn sarcastically muttered out loud as he started toward the kitchen, his intended destination before. He did not turn even as the three children followed his lead with an uttered, "what did you say, bastardo?!" from Lambo followed by a whack from I-pin. He planned to punish Lambo at a later time as he and his pet Leon was hungry for breakfast. Food first.
"I bet how Tsuna-nii is, it'll be totally strange for him to be surrounded by lots of people after so long, ne, Reborn-san?" Fuuta, ever the honest child asked Reborn whom gave a shrug of nonchalance.
"But Tsuna-nii is more than ready!" I-pin declared with Lambo nodding his agreeance.
"They'll be all in wow when they see him!" Lambo expressed with his limited eight year old vocabulary.
"I can't wait! Tsuna-nii promised to dance with me and Master Fon said it might go on all night!" I-pin yet again squealed in excitement. Reborn grinned at the reminder of the reason for Tsuna's three day exhaustion, he would have to remember to give I-pin a much bigger present for her birthday this year.
"Tsuna-nii must be elated with anticipation." Fuuta remarked. "Or he's completely nervous that it makes him gas." Lambo laughed. Reborn almost released a snort at that. It was possible, though not entirely true. He imagined his student awake but too nervous about the upcoming ball enough to spend the last few minutes revelling under the darkness of his sheets before he was forced out to prepare by only the thoughts of what he will do if he were to be late. I-pin a few steps behind him gave Lambo a repulsed look while Fuuta chuckled and gave a compromising answer, knowing both to be possible for their big brother.
"Maybe he's somewhere in the middle." Reborn made a turn and passed the threshold of the kitchen doorway. The children automatically made for the leftover biscuits on the center of the isle in jars that they knew to be their big brother's own creation whilst Reborn decided to make breakfast as it was a special day. Of course, in exchange, Tsuna will have to compensate with an extra for his beverage later on.
Fuuta chewed on delicious biscuits and swallowed before turning to Lambo. "You're whole family is going to be there right Lambo?" he asked. Lambo visibly deflated at that.
"The whole family." He confirmed in a sullen voice with a stab of his fork on the bacon of his plate that Reborn had incospiculally placed in front of him same with the other two. I-pin uttered a sound by his sudden sulk.
"What's wrong with that? You have twelve older brothers. It must be fun having that many siblings. I'm an only child and without Uncle and meeting big brother Tsuna, I would've been really lonely." Lambo gave a snort and replied before I-pin fully took the sound as an insult.
"Three of my brothers pretended I was invisible, literally, for two years. The others aren't as much fun as Tsuna-nii, they always tell me to go away, while the oldest ones are too old to play with me." He huffed out annoyed by the subject. Fuuta and I-pin frowned, saddened for their friend and was about to apologize before Lambo gave a sudden smile. "But, but, you know! If it hadn't been for that, then I wouldn't have ever met Tsuna-nii that day in the woods and get to see his awesome skills! He even gives me candy and plays with me and makes the best dessert! Tsuna-nii is the best big brother ever!" He happily proclaimed. Fuuta and I-pin nod and voiced out their agreement with grins all around, the mood happily escalated. Reborn smirked unnoticed by the three on his place, leaning his back on the counter as he listened.
"And after this ball, everyone would want to be friends with Tsuna-nii and he won't ever feel alone anymore!" I-pin optimistically announced but then furrowed her brows in concern when she noticed her older friend Fuuta smile sadly. "Is there something wrong, Fuuta-nii?" she asked. Fuuto shook his head with a hum.
"Nothing's wrong, just that… this means that we'll have to share Tsuna-nii with others." It was Lambo's turn to furrow his brows in concern at the realization.
"Nooo!" He whined, "I don't want to share Tsuna-nii! He's our big brother!" He cried out.
"Dame, Lambo!" I-pin chided, "We'll have to share him! It's not good to keep him secret forever! But!" I-pin declared and before Lambo could get a sound in, she continued with a smile. "Tsuna-nii isn't the kind to just forget us. He's not like that. He'll still be our big brother even after everyone meets him and we'll be his favorite because we found him first!" A cheer resonated around the kitchen room and Reborn could not help outright smiling at the children's positive energy. If only his student could hear them now, he would count the different shades of red Tsuna would be sporting from embarrassment to happiness. It was a real shame that he wasn't. His thoughts were cut off by an innocent comment from a girl's every known wisdom.
"Besides, he'll eventually meet 'The One' someday and we'll have to give him to that person but we'll still be part of his family! Tsuna-nii said so!" I-pin announced to the great confusion of the two boys.
"'The One' I-pin-chan?" Fuuta blinked.
"What are you talking about?" Lambo asked.
I-pin let out a sigh from the reaction. It seemed even her two friends were too young to understand about 'those', just as Bianchi, the resident match-maker of their kingdom, predicted. She was thankful that her big brother, even with his isolation, knew about 'those' things.
"'The One'!" She pronounced with a determined gaze for them to understand. "The person Tsuna-nii is going to marry!"
"Ah!" Fuuta exclaimed with an understanding nod and reached in his book bag that he had been carrying with him to bring out a thick brown hardcover book with his own insignia on the cover. He placed it carefully on top of the table next to his plate of food and opened it on a page where his big brother, Tsuna's name was in. I-pin stared at him with excited anticipation.
"What is it? What is it? Do you have a ranking of Tsuna-nii's future husband?" Lambo gave her a look.
"Husband? But Tsuna-nii is a guy!" I-pin scoffed at him.
"Tsuna-nii's too motherly to have a wife. Bianchi-san says that guys like Tsuna-nii are destined to have a husband." They were too involved with their discussion to notice Reborn's shaking shoulders. His laugh silent as he dipped his head to hide his amusement on his face, if only Tsuna were there to hear what his 'kids' were saying.
"Here it is!" Fuuta de la Stella a.k.a the ranking prince, exclaimed with a finger on Tsuna's name and ranking. The only two people allowed to peek in the ranking prince's Ranking Book, peered in. "It doesn't rank Tsuna-nii's possible candidates, I-pin-chan, but it does say that Tsuna-nii is ranked to be number one on most possible person in the Vongola Kingdom to find true love." Fuuta told them, much to I-pin's delight, her eyes near sparkling at the information.
"When was this?" Lambo asked the star prince.
"Bianchi-san wanted to know about it and so asked me to do a ranking not too long ago but I don't think the results were what she would have liked and Tsuna-nii came out as number one." came the answer.
"Uwaaahh! That means Tsuna-nii might meet him tonight at the Ball!" I-pin exclaimed in exhilaration.
"That is a possibility. Many people will be attending and he'll be meeting lots of possible candidates." Fuuta remarked as Lambo, easiest person to get upset, cried at the thought. "That's too soon!" only to be ignored by the elated seven year old whose thoughts were centered on their big brother's romance.
"Just imagine!" I-pin squealed happily, with a wide spread of her arms as she voiced out the fantasy playing in her head for tonight's ball and turned to her two friends. "Imagine Tsuna-nii dressed, suit and all, fetchingly draped against the wall. The picture of sophisticated grace!" Reborn raised an amused eyebrow at that. 'Grace?'
"Suddenly he sees him standing there," I-pin pointed at a random direction with a serious stare as if she could truly see a person standing 'there', with two pairs of captived eyes following her every move as she continued. "A handsome dark stranger tall and fair-" a snort from Lambo had her glaring inquisitively at him, to which he replied with a laugh, "He'll probably stuff his face with chocolate from nervousness." And Reborn couldn't help but smirk at the possibility as I-pin ignored them in the favor of continuing her fantasy.
"Then they'll laugh and talk all evening-" "Which is totally bizarre-" "Nothing like the life the he led so far!"
If Reborn's mind wasn't at the right place as he was surely certain was in his cranium. he would have thought that, if it were possible, the two kids glaring at each other were somehow taking cues from an invisible sound.. In song. He let out a breath and quietly excused himself out to the kitchen from the preoccupied kids, knowing that they would leave soon afterwards in their own preparation for the coming Coronation. It was about time he check on in his dame-student and possibly drag the unwilling brunette out of the bed. An almost smile tugged at his lips at an amusing thought.
'A handsome dark stranger tall and fair' …
[X][x][X]
Whilst the three children discussed the future of their big brother's supposedly existing love life downstairs, upstairs said brother was currently, as a certain man had guessed, hiding beneath the shadows of his blankets on his bed as he shivered in fear at the thought of what was to come. The Coronation.
'YOU ALMOST FROZE MY SON!' 'YOU FROZE-'
As if living the moment of his nightmares at present, he squeezed his eyes shut tight and covered his ears with the palms of his hands in an effort to hide away from the hated scene. Unconsciously a mantra started from his parted lips. A mantra Reborn particularly had a strong dislike for, given that it was from a person he despised. The Regent King, his father.
"Now Tsuna, remember what your grandfather and I told you. Your flames are unfamiliar and dangerous," The father explained to his impressionable young son as he slid a long glove down one arm with a broad wide grin. "From what we could tell it responds when you're really happy or angry or sad, so from now on when you feel like something wants to come out, just close your eyes and say these words…"
'Conceal It. Don't Feel It. Don't Let It Show.'
From a very young age that wanted to please the people who took care of him at that time, Tsuna knew nothing of the meaning of the words or what it would -has- done to his psyche and to his flame. All he knew then was that from the first time he uttered in need for the words, the bubbly feeling of letting out the surge of power settled within him and thought it a good sign as nothing came out. It worked. And after the pleasing sight of the adults smile of his accomplishment for him, dame-Tsuna. He strove to use the words as often as possible to let more smiles come his way. He never did understand why his beloved cousin would frown, often scowl at the adults whenever he uttered the words but as a child, he didn't pay much to it, only wanting to please and nothing else. He thought it didn't matter what anyone else thought of the words -namely Giotto- even himself, for the words did often leave a bad taste after, so long as more smiles came his way. Of course, until Reborn came into his life and made him understand in the most… efficient way. He caught himself wince as the memory and shook his head in a dizzying matter not to relive that particular painful moment, though it did help lessen his nerves as he let a loud breath as if releasing all his emotions with it and finally took out a look from under the covers.
He let out a tiny, almost breathless screech when he noticed the time and barreled off to his en suite in hope that Reborn will somehow be distracted from acquiring him, long enough for him to get ready before he comes. He shuddered, this time not because of the dreaded ball but from the dreaded hitman.
Another shiver and another glimpse of his outside window made him to move even faster. Call him insane but he could almost hear the hitman's soft footfalls coming towards his room, no matter where his tutor might be.
Luckily, by the time Reborn opened the door to his room, Tsuna brushed the last of his hair into seemingly a tamer set of mane on his head with a flourishing finish of a long tail tied with ribbon at the nape of his neck. He turned at the sound of his door opening in a graceful arc that had Reborn pausing in admiration for his student. The tilt of his lips had his student cocking his head in confusion and looking down on his clothes in fear that he had missed anything in clothing with a flush on his face.
Distracted by with his appearance, he missed the shook of Reborn's head in amusement and almost shrieked at a hand grasping his surveying one. One look up and he felt his flush go deeper by how close his secret crush is in his proximity. He felt like melting when Reborn let out a delicious arrogant smirk in amusement but glared (Read: pouted) just as fiercely as his flush in return.
A hit on the head, lighter than normally given, was what he received for it but let out a smile for Reborn's good mood as he was pulled to the door and out the mansion onto the awaiting carriage. His smile softened when he realized that the warm hand that grasp his wasn't lightening up in an intention of pulling away. He tightened his grip to reciprocate his gratitude and in hope that his tutor wouldn't ever let him go.
No words were needed to understand and before Tsuna knew it the carriage jerked to a stop in front of the Grand Palace's gates. A sight he had not seen since the day he was sent off to live in isolation. He gulped inaudibly as he stepped down from the only means of escape he had left.
And as Reborn pulled him into walking, the unwanted words almost floated out of his lips.
Conceal It. Don't Feel It.
Don't Let It Show.
[X][x][X]
'Nothing's changed.'
As Tsuna stared around the Entrance Hall of the Palace, though filled with glittery nobles and foreign diplomats, he felt nothing of the change that he had been expecting since he had left. The Hall, no, the Palace itself felt only as though he had just came back from one of his afternoon walks around the Palace's gardens as a kid.
He didn't know what to think about that.
He was startled though, when he noticed the receiving line to the Great Hall where the Coronation was to be had shortened in length from where they started from the outside. The swallow he took seemed to deaden the the noise of the chatter of the crowd around him as he slowly took one short step at a time for their turn to receive. His parents. He almost turned to run but the grip on his hand around a certain hitman's arm tightened enough to almost shatter bone and the fear of losing a perfectly useful hand overwhelmed the now ridiculous thought of a simple receiving from his parents.
As much as he knew Reborn to love him -though words were never said-, he wasn't naive enough to think that he was off on Reborn's sadistic ways. (A/N: He's such a maso- *cutted off*).
"Reborn, you made it!" greeted the regent king cheerfully followed by a handshake and a clasp on the hitman's back whilst his wife stood beside him prettily wearing her ceremonial gown of white and blue. matching her husband's suit loyally.
'She's still pretty' Tsuna's eyes took on a soft dazed look as the image overlaid the her of his memories.
"Tsunayoshi! You're here too! I'm glad you could make it!" a heavy thump on the back jostled him out of the past and strained out a smile from him as his father continued greeting him as if a long time seen friend of old. Throughout it all, Tsuna held his strained smile just as his mother held her pretty smile and Reborn held his hand tight all through the Coronation Ceremony until the ball. And Reborn didn't know if the smile that Tsuna held for that duration was either because of his hand or having been glad that he could come and make it to watch his precious cousin be crowned king.
"The king calls you dame-Tsuna" Reborn suddenly called with a push towards the front of the Throne room where the newly crowned king of Vongola awaited, unbothered by the protests and futile attempts of escape his student made.
"Wai- Reborn! I'm not-! Stop pushing!" Tsuna forcibly yelled at Reborn only to find him gone from behind him and repositioned at the steps of the elevated Throne seat, tackled, no less, by the highest of nobility.
"GIOTTO!" The unmistakable loud hiss of the newly appointed Storm Guardian of Vongola sounded from behind him, mercifully pulling off the heavy tackler on him and he, in a state of panic from anxiousness, hid behind this chosen protector. In his effort to hide, he missed the flash of hurt that came across Giotto's eyes that lasted for but a brief moment before teasingly grinning at the situation. However long it may have been for them to interact with each other, Giotto knew that Tsuna, no matter how much has been changed under Reborn's tutelage, was still the same Tsuna he played with since birth.
Soon enough, after much careful cajoling, the smile he had been waiting for opened up to him and a feeling of bright sunshine melted away the stormy thoughts brought on by stress in his mind and laughter echoed loudly throughout the hall from the front of the Great Hall where the newly appointed King resided. Reborn, sheltered inconspicuously in one corner of the room saluted his former student with a raise of his champagne flute.
"-And Asari here is The Best Flute player you'll ever meet!" Slightly inebriated from joy and a few alcoholic beverages that he had consumed, Giotto continued his introduction of his guardians with a flushed face to his nodding cousin whilst his right-hand man slapped a hand on his face.
"Gi-Giotto, you praise me too much. I'm not as good as you perceive me to be." Stammered the embarrassed Rain Guardian as he struggled to carry the weight of his new King clinging onto him with an arm wrapped around his shoulder.
"Nonsense, Asari! You're too humble on yourself!" He gave a hard loud slap on the back of his Rain guardian to halt all denials and turned back to his cousin with a wide grin. "This guy is seriously the best I've heard! You should see him play Tsu, he's really wonderful!" And Tsuna nodded and smiled as the two cousins forced the reluctant Rain guardian to play by the orders of the King and King's cousin.
"You come play too G! Tsuna, do you remember-" Giotto started but was halted by a hand nearly hitting his face.
"Save it baka-yasu. Unlike Asari I don't need to be tricked into playing for you. You nearly do it all the time anyway at any special event we have." G's hand went instinctively went to his mouth but made a noise as he had forgotten about not having lit a cigar for the day. He gave a sardonic look back at both the highly similar grins the gravity hair defying twosomes had on and followed his music partner to where the band was situated.
"Thanks Tsu." Giotto, the highly uninebriated King, whispered softly to his willing conspirator who gave a slight grin in return with a raised glass as his welcome. He was about to say more when a familiar voice calling for his attention was heard over the loud whispering of their guests. It could not be ignored. He frowned as he looked at Tsuna who gestured for him to go.
"I'll be fine, besides we'll have a lot of time to reacquaint after the party and you could introduce me to the rest of your guardians then." He then gestured to his glass. "I think I'll go for some refill, talk to you later?" Tsuna then later found himself leaning on the rails of a much appreciated empty balcony just above the Hall and heaved a great breath of fresh air. Too distracted was he for the much needed calm of his nerves that he never noticed that despite it being of favorable weather due to it being in the middle of summer, his sigh released an ominous hazy mist that one would experience when in a cold winter day. He jumped and turned when a sound hit his ears.
"Sorry!" said the man who had disrupted Tsuna's peace as he stepped onto the balcony. With both hands raised, he smiled embarrassingly at Tsuna's startled figure. "Didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted some peace from the party and I thought there wouldn't be anyone in here considering this is the second floor."
Tsuna's first instinct was to escape. By only just glancing at the man's appearance, Tsuna immediately knew that this man was a highly ranked nobleman that most probably was part of a kingdom allied with the Vongola Kingdom or was a prince himself from an allied Kingdom. A second glance told Tsuna that the man most assuredly came from the kingdom of the Southern Isles, which only cemented Tsuna's need of escape.
Not only did he not want to risk an allied member from Vongola's alliance of his frazzled nerves but Reborn had also warned him against all the shaky alliances Vongola had in recent months. The Southern Isles included. His slight shift of movement coupled with his shaky smile must've had been noticed when the long silver haired man -the hair reminding him of a certain sword emperor under his uncle's rule- started toward him with an arm stretched. The ready made excuse in his head died on his lips as he glanced down on the hand that had gripped his. The man blinked at him before staring down. It seemed to Tsuna that the man had no idea of his body's' movements and seemed to be genuinely shocked at the daring move.
"So-Sorry!" The man stuttered again with averted eyes and slight pink on cheeks. Tsuna, unable to keep it in, gave a chuckle that threatened to burst to a full grown laugh, which only made the man's cheeks flush in full but let out a laugh as if infected by the brunette's light chuckle. Tsuna's need for escape settled down and though his intuition said to run from the man, he instead gave in to talk to the man.
"My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi, may I ask what's yours?" The man then gave a wide grin as if Tsuna had just given him a bountiful of treasure.
[X][x][X]
"Reborn, kora! There you are! We thought you would have left by now! Enjoying the Ball, kora?" A hard drunken pat on the back almost made Reborn lose his best suit by staining it with his whiskey but managed to save it with his instinctual maneuverability. He fully glared hatred on the drunk blond garbed in ceremonial military clothes, only ruined by the camouflaged styled headband keeping his hair in place. He scoffed loudly as a conveyance of his thoughts. He backed up a step as the blond almost fell to the floor by a hit on the head offered by the scarred but lovely bluenette dressed similarly but as the blond.
"Lal, how nice to see you again." Reborn greeted, completely ignoring the blond fuming in the background.
Lal Mirch, a former ranked major general now turned instructor and member of Vongola's secret intelligence organization or also known as CEDEF, rolled her eyes at Reborn. One of the few who could without having to stare down the barrel of his gun afterword.
"Save it Reborn. I'm not in the mood." Lal replied with a cross her arms. Reborn raised an inquiring brow and took a sip of his wine. He then gave a realizing smirk afterwards.
"Oh? I wonder why?" He innocently asked and glanced at a certain blond which the bluenette instantly caught. "Mayhap it's because Colonello won't-"
"URHG!" Colonello suddenly groaned loudly in pain for his arm has been violently twisted at his back by an angry -embarrassed- Lal.
"Keep. Quiet. Reborn." Lal fiercely declared.
"W-w-w-why me?" Colonello pitifully whimpered in agony, only for a chuckle to be heard in a form of answer. Three heads turned as a man in a red robe with braided raven hair walked in on their view.
"It looks like you three are having fun." Fon, Vongola's allied martial arts master, smiled in greeting. Reborn raised his glass in return and Lal (fortunately) released her subordinate's arm.
"Fon!" Colonello sobbed in relief. Fon wisely ignored his drunken colleague and turned to the other two.
"What do you need Fon?" Reborn immediately asked. Lal frowned in concern.
To those that did not know the martial artist in a personal level, the smile that greeted them wouldn't be called anything less than polite but to those who did knew would see the strain of that smile. To the two people who understood the storm Arcobaleno by living closely with him along with the rest of the Arcobaleno group, they easily caught on to the distress hidden beneath. Fon's smile relaxed at the sight of offered help from his three friends. (Colonello, even with his drunken state knew when faced with serious business.)
"I'm actually looking for I-pin and the kids., might've you seen them?" Fon asked as he glanced around the crowd. "I confess that it hasn't been awhile since I've seen them but with this many people I'm getting a bit worried."
"Have you informed Kyouya and Alaude?" asked Reborn, setting aside his glass at the worrisome information. Simple though it may sound, I-pin, Lambo and Fuuta weren't just ordinary kids invited to the Ball; each were a part of the most important and closest allied kingdoms of the Vongola Kingdom, not to mention the third being the most important of all as Fuuta de la Stella is not only the royal prince of a small yet prominent kingdom but is also under the direct protection of King Giotto. If word got out that the most wanted Ranking Prince was taken from under Vongola's nose, some of the alliances that were made because of the Prince will turn their heads from them and possibly join the kingdom who'll have the prince under their belt as Prince Fuuta had not only the most information of Vongola but also their weaknesses.
"I have," Fon confirmed. "They've only just started to inform their subordinates for the search."
"Speaking of," Lal interjected, "Where's your brat, Reborn? Aren't you supposed to be babysitting the most important brat of all these guests?" she asked only to receive an arrogant look in return. Reborn jerked his head in the direction of the dance floor and all three heads followed instantly catching sight of a significant shock of brown hair. Colonello took a double glance.
"Is that…?"
"Frido Briar (A/N: random name that just came at the top of my head), head chief of Estraneo Research Facility." Lal quickly identified.
"Reborn, kora!" Colonello suddenly hissed in alarm. "Why the hell are you allowing that person anywhere near one of Vongola blood?! Don't you know-" Lal cut her student off with a smack to the head.
"Of course he knows, idiot! Use that brain of yours! Reborn can't do anything about it moron!" Lal hissed with another smack for emphasis. Finally having enough, Colonello ducked in cover behind Fon.
"Why not, kora?" Colonello asked lowly.
"Because Lord Frido has been given knighthood and an alliance with the Kingdom of the Southern Isles just last week." Intervened a voice from behind Colonello. Reborn gave a fierce scowl as one of his most hated people in the world came stepping up to their space together with a short purple hooded figure. The green haired man pushed up his glasses in greeting.
"Verde, Viper, I didn't think you two would be attending. This is a certainly nice surprise." Fon greeted.
"It's Mammon," the hooded figure corrected in an irritated tone, "I'm came with the Varia." He then proceeded to the punch bowl next to Reborn as Verde continued with his explanation.
"Lord Frido has been acclaimed to have saved the crowned prince of the Southern Isles from a terribly rare disease, thus his gain of royal status." Verde raised his glass to the young and handsome Southern Isle's crowned prince currently talking with the former Vongola's King Regent before taking a sip.
"It's not a secret that Reborn holds a contract with Vongola as a hitman. If he so much as introduced himself without a proper introduction from one of Vongola's nobility, people will think that Vongola will have marked a direct attack against the kingdom of Southern Isles." Mammon casually continued in a monotone voice. Verde gave a light chuckle and Reborn glared.
"It's no laughing matter," Lal crossed her arms. "If Reborn so much as makes eye contact, the Southern Isles could declare war on us." Reborn redirected his glare.
"That's some tough responsibility, kora." Colonello smiled, placing an elbow on the dark haired man. Fon politely covered his mouth as he also gave a light chuckle but then frowned and directed their attentions back to important matters.
"Verde, Viper (it's Mammon!") have you two seen the kids?" he asked. Verde and Viper instantly frowned in concern for they too knew of the kids' importance. They both gave a shook of their heads in answer. Fon's face turned unsettling.
"Thank you Frido-san." Came Tsuna's voice. They then all turned to the brunette with his long haired companion delivering him back to Reborn.
"Ah," Tsuna was startled. He hadn't expected the large company Reborn would acquire after his dance. An awkward silence descended upon the group.
"Erm.." Tsuna started but trailed off. A nudge from Reborn made him continue, he raised his shaky hand next to his smiling dance partner. "This is Lord Frido Briar of the Southern Isle kingdom." He missed Reborn's slight raise of brow at the introduction. "Lord Frido this is Reborn my tutor and a highly valued allied member of Vongola, and uhm.." He looked at each of the others gathered about, not knowing any of them. Fortunately, Reborn took over his introduction with an offered hand.
"Lord Frido," Reborn started, the receiver none the wiser.
"The Greatest Hitman, Reborn isn't it? A pleasure to meet you." Frido greeted with a smile.
"Likewise," Reborn returned with his own as they shook hands. He then proceeded to properly give introductions where his student failed and managed to provide a civilised conversation between their company, smoothly easing the rising tensions from either sides as well as the wide array of people peeking in for a possible show. Reborn gave a discreet and quick but audible glare in retaliation.
Once tensions settled down to a controllable degree, Fon, still worried about the kids and knowing that there wasn't anything left for him to do with Reborn easily taking charge of the unprecedented situation, turned to go elsewhere to hopefully find the kids. Tsuna, not one for missing people's look on their faces -due to years of insecurity and caution against his and their safety- saw the troubled look and turned to quietly speak to him with an impressive amount of inconspicuous movements.
"Fon-san?" Tsuna called softly with a slight tug on the martial artist's long sleeve. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.
Caught off guard if the question by the unassuming brunette, Fon had no choice but to inform the boy the palace's slight trouble after the slight pause and incredulous expression given. Then again, Reborn, a man that he and the rest of the Arcobaleno respects (however much they hide it), had been with and tutoring the boy for the past ten years; perhaps, the boy may be more than what he seemed. He welcomed the boy –the prince, with a smile.
"Prince Tsunayoshi," Fon greeted which made the brunette's cheeks blush a lovely shade as he shook his head most inelegantly. "No Fon-san! I'm no Prince. Please, just call me Tsuna" An embarrassed Tsuna told him.
"Then please, call me Fon, Tsuna." Fon countered back with an ease of camaraderie.
Tsuna hesitated but agreed with a nod, "Fon then." He voiced before frowning as he asked the martial artist once again, "Is there something wrong, Fon? You look troubled." Fon couldn't help but give a low chuckle by how straightforward the question was. Realizing this by the chuckle given, then continued with a redness on his cheeks and a stutter in his voice. "No-not tha-that y-you are o-obligated to t-tell me," he looked away, "I ju-just tho-thought that I-I may erm… help, or something" he finished with his voice getting weaker at the end. A large, firm but gentle hand on his wrist made him turn back to serious but thankful eyes.
"Actually Tsuna, I may need your help in this." Fon stated and Tsuna soon saw the hidden worry behind calm eyes. Pulling the brunette closer, Fon covered his mouth for any wandering eyes as he whispered his troubles to the crown's cousin. Tsuna's eyes widened as the raven finished as worry filled his gut.
"Has it been long?" Tsuna asked. Fon unconsciously tightened his grip.
"You've seen them? Do you know where they are now?" Fon hurriedly asked.
Tsuna held a wince from the grip but held his tongue and answered back with a nod. "I saw them together with Lord Friido minutes after the dance started. I-pin…" A hesitation and quick glance at the mentioned Lord was given before he continued "accidentally tripped and spilled her drink before we got to do our promised dance together." Fon immediately glared at the person's back, having caught on Tsuna's meaning. As I-pin was a personal apprentice of his, he knew of what truly happened.
"I tried to go with her to her room with Fuuta and Lambo but I had also promised a dance with Lord Friido." Regret filled the teen's voice which Fon turned back to as he let go of his grip to instead pat the brunette's wild yet fluffy hair. He gave an appreciative smile for the teen's honest heart.
"This isn't your fault, little one." Tsuna pouted but did not interrupt. "Though, it is still worrisome to hear." Fon's eyes narrowed in suspicion that he could not hide from the brunette. "I will-" yet he could not finish his sentence as his name was called down by some people of important titles he could not excuse himself of. Looking back at their group, he found that most –if not all were already called, or were being called by other such people. Reborn especially, by a waving former –drunk- King Regent. A comforting hand had him looking back down to an understanding brunette.
"Don't worry Fon. I've been meaning to slip away from the party for some time now. I'll look for the kids and bring them back here." Tsuna reassured before slipping away at one of the double doors near the beverage area. Fon would have protested but was called yet again by a friend of important standing and only managed to leave a smile of thanks before getting pulled by the friend whom decided to pull him to meet the others himself.
[X][x][X]
[Scream]
[Bang]
"What do you think are you doing shooting at my student?"
Sorry if there were a lot of grammar mistakes and such, but I was in a hurry to Update this before the new year started... I hoped you enjoyed though! This is longer than the first one and was honestly going to end it without the cliffhanger buuuuttt it was too long so you'll have to wait for the third and final chapter... though it's not much of a cliffhanger, since the plot is from Frozen. Doesn't take that much thought to know what will happen noh? Though of course, it will be slightly different... Anyways, this is my Christmas gift to you all! And for those who were waiting for my BWL Twin Fic (If there are any..) You'll be glad to know that I'll be posting that soon! ^^ (I have eight chapters ready to go!)
That's all folks! Happy New Year!
Ps. Reviews of all kind will be accepted and much appreciated! I would like to know what you all really think! ^^