Pinkie's Part:

I want to apologize for the spelling errors. When I have time I will be going through each and every chapter to hopefully correct everything. Thank you to the lovely people who have pointed it out. Also, totally digging all the faves. Like woaa.

This is unbeta'd so I apologize in advance for any mistakes you may come across.

Alright! I'm punching the air like Ryohei right now. Sorry that this update is slightly late compared to my others. I was utterly exhausted last night- I fell asleep in my front chair. Some very atttractive photos were snapped as evidence. -.-

Enough of my babbling!

Onward!

xx

Chapter: You Will Be Strong

Tsuna was the first to awaken. His head heavy and his eyelids protested to being opened. The familiar burning feeling of sleep clinging to surface, making each blink harder and harder to complete. He went to stretch, but was held fast in place. He heard a click, and found himself staring down the barrel of a gun. His arm held in place by a large hand. He flinched, closing his eyes, antipating to meet the same fate as his bully. He waited before bravely opening one. He was met with a smirk. He relaxed only slightly, feeling the gaze intensify.

Obsidian eyes ghosted over his appearance, and Tsuna looked down, a blush rivaling the color of fire, rising steadily into the colour of his cheeks. He wasn't aware of when his clothing had been changed. A loose fitting dress shirt slipped off one shoulder, rising up on his hip, revealing miles of pale, white skin. He felt eyes following his line of sight. He snapped his gaze back and stared.

The amused expression of Reborn greeted him.

"Chaos, Leone."

Tsuna mumbled a greeting before he felt himself unceremoniously shoved off the bed. He landed with the grace of a wet cat, a loud thump signifying his fight with gravity; his loss. He rubbed the sore spot and turned back, a long leg dressed in black hung over the edge, he stood, a look of confusion on his face.

It was replaced with a blush when he realized that he was staring. Laying on his back, in a position of utter bliss; was Reborn. His chest bare. Though riddled with scars, the chest and stomach were taunt; perfectly molded muscles moved evenly with each rise and fall of breath. Tsuna wanted to reach out, to see if the small shadows caused by the raised skin were as smooth as the rest of the slightly tanned skin. His gaze lifted, taking in the collar bones, shigting over the sternal notch between and carefully observing the lines of Reborn's throat. The way the skin made gentle sweeps and spread out evenly. His chin sharp, but unmarked, not even by stubborn stubble of a regular man.

He felt his blush come in small waves as his gaze lingered on the male's lips. Slightly parted, and raised up in a small smirk, pale peach in colour, and smooth. No cracks in the delicate skin, Tsuna unconciously moved more towards the bed, only when he felt his knee touch the soft comforter did he snap becak into reality. Reborn's eyes staring him down, a stern look set into the jaw on the man, and the relaxed expression shifted to one of strictly business. He sat up, the vision of beauty replaced by one of a cold individual.

"I take it, that you enjoy the view?"

Humour danced on the tips of those words. Reborn watched as the small male skidded backwards and reeled into the attatched bathroom. He closed the door before he eeped. This wasn't him home! Why was he acting like this. It was common knowledge that Tsuna possesed some type of art skill. Maybe he could get away with it, by telling Reborn he was thinking of using him as a portrait sud- no! absolutely not. Tsuna shook his head, so far in his own thoughts that he missed the soft click of the door opening behind him. He snapped out of it once he felt an arm lift him off of the floor. He found his hip against another one, but he was shifted, being carried like a sack dog food held against the side of the shirtless man.

When he looked around frantically, trying to get himself released from the grasp, he couldn't help but gasp in utter shock. Reborn had him in tow, and they were getting nearer and nearer to the tub. Tsuna fought ten fold.

"I-it's indecent! Ind-d-d" His voice breaking into stammers, his anxiety raising, along with an unfamiliar flutter in his stomach, that rose into his heart. Something akin to the feeling of flight, in the form of many small organizims with light, feathery wings.

"Dame-Tsuna, I'm showing you how to use it. I will not be joining you."

He deflated, in both relief, and a slight tinge of disappointment. Reborn showed the smaller male how to use the tap, how to heat the water and which soaps and other personal hygenine items were up for grabs. Once his little tub tour was completed, he strut out of the room, closing it with an audiable click. Tsuna slumped against the edge of the tub, beginning to fill it with warm water as he stripped. He washed himself in cold water from a bucket before he toed the water in the tub, seeing it as warm enough he stepped in. The contrast of heat on his cold skin was relaxing. He felt himself sink deeper and deeper into the water, almost fully submereged, despite the portion of his stubborn chestnut hair that stuck straight up.

He felt himself falling, falling until he chanced opening his eyes under the water. He was suprised to see himself, staring straight back at him. Though this refection seemed better in more ways than one. A hardened expression was softening, orange hued eyes swimming with the colours of the sunset staring intently into the honey brown, slender fingers reaching for the other, a soft touch to his shoulder and he peered around him. Carribean hues of blue mixed with navy. The two forms were deep within a body of water, and Tsuna was instantly confused, wasn't he just in a bathtub? He then realized he was breathing. He face palmed, he knew his mother called him tuna fish, but this was ridiculous!

"Tsuna."

His attention was redirected, having heard his name. He stared incrediously before him. The reflection having tilted it's head looking at him fondly. He returned the gesture, his head falling in the opposite direction. It felt so natural, this movement. He was almost disappointed not to feel familiar fingers pushing his head back upright. He was snapped back again at a soft touch on his cheek. His eyes widened as he watched his reflection draw closer to him. He tensed as he felt two arms wrap around him. One around his waist and the other around his neck. He then bacame aware of the nudity the two of them shared, he tried to shy away, only to have a tightening grip hold him in place. He was suddenly aware of the toned skin that differed greatly with him own. He tried to pull away, and the strong arms wrapped tighter around him, until a voice soothed him.

"I'm not going to hurt you Tsuna." The tone was gentle, if not reprimanding. He looked back into those sunset eyes and relaxed instantly.

His reflection's lips turned downwards, a diappointed from on his face.

"I don't have much time, because he will come busting in here in a little less than five minutes. Please listen."

Tsuna stared at those haunting eyes, his ears taking in the words, not knowing what else to do. The sentences seemed to clash together, losing all sense of understanding. Tsuna strained to try and process what he was hearing, he barely made out the last bit, as he felt his breath clench in his chest. He gaped like a fish, the hands of his reflection grasping him desperately.

"Tsunayoshi. Call me.. whenever you need me." He felt lips press to his forehead, a sense of comfort flooded through him; along with an odd sense of strength.

(BreakingOut)

The hitman had opted to go into his gym and release some pent out frustrations in a vigourous workout. He was quite happy with the sweat he had worked up. When he glanced at the clock on the wall, he frowned just slightly. He entered his bedroom, and was slightly annoyed when he saw the bathroom door was still closed, indicating the person inside was still not finished. Reborn sat on his bed, drinking from a bottle of water, reclined slightly on the side, his legs crossed as he waited. He waited, and he waited.

Reborn had waited roughly forty five minutes. Forty five minutes for the petite male to finish bathing. He understood the exhaustion of watching someone get killed, he understood it. He had been in such situations when he was much much younger. He was regularly a patient man, as a hitman must be during contract missions.

He counted down from one hundred, before he kicked the door in. His eyes danced in a wild concern. The sight before him caussed him into a frantic state he was not used to having. Face down in the vast tub, was a floating brunette. No bubbles were rising, indicating that he was not breathing. He sprinted to the tub, his hands fisting full of the damp hair. The air had cooled the water, an icy temperature greeted him hands as the water dripped down.

Tsuna's face was three shades lighter, and his lips were boarderline blue. Reborn placed the shivering body on the linolium floor. His ear dropping onto the slim chest, a faint heartbeat drifted in and out of his hearing reach. He shred his drenched t-shirt and began the pain staking process of CPR. One, two, three, breathe. One, two, breathe.

His lips pressed to the brunettes, his hands going to work on his diaphram. His determination almost mocking him as there was no response from the malew beneathe his fingers.

"Damn it all, Tsuna, breathe!"

He slammed his mouth down on the other, releasing air from his own lungs, trying to force the other to accept it. His hands grasping the chest of the other, his fist coming into the contact of the ribs. He heard a gurgle, and then a gasp. With a wild strike of luck, he continued, pumping his hands faster and faster, once more slamming his mouth the other's. When hands shot up and pushed him away, water slapping to the floor of the bathroom. Reborn's face relaxed, not worried about the watery slime that coated the floor near him. He gathered the trembling body in his arms, his legs sliding through the water that once drowned the lungs of the other. His arms cradling him, circles running through the skin as the nude form clutched him. Wheezing in soft sounds as Reborn coached him through.

"In through your out through your nose, Tsuna."

Few words of comfort were uttered as the older male kept the brunette calm; as to not agitate the breathing pattern he was allowing the other to create.

The petite form nodded, his drenched hair falling into his face as he burried his face into the smooth skin of the other. The pats on his back forcing out any left over water, he felt his legs clam up as he tried to move just slightly. His hands going to cover his nudity, and Reborn's hand smacked them away. He picked the male up, and walked back into his bedroom. He gently laid the man down, and threw some clothes towards him. He helped him step into the underwear, though slightly larger on the brunette. Reborn frowned seeimg how little the other was. He would need to fix that.

When Tsuna had stop trembling, Reborn turned his soft expression into a hard, calculating one. He turned on Tsuna, and the other flinched. Reborn thought that the reaction was proper as he plopped down on the bed beside the other.

"Now, Leone,tell me. What the hell happened."

Tsuna leaned away from him, trying his best to deter the glare, unknowingly making the look much much worse. He felt warm hands on his arms, and then a hand on his face. Reborn forced the other to look at him, his glare absolutely scalding. But within those eyes, Tsuna saw something. Warmth, concern, genuine care.

"I-I.."

"If you were too tired to bathe, you should have told me.." The defeated tone in which Reborn used surprised the hitman; never knowing he could manuver his voice in such a way. Tsuna then felt his own hands ghost across the hitman's. He pulled the hands into his lap, and placed a hand on the other's head. Reborn fought the touch, and then gave in. His head falling onto the shoulder of the other.

"I think, I just was so relaxed that I.. I fell back to sleep.." He couldn't bring himself to tell the other the truth, he was content with what was happening now. The feeling of the other leaning on him, in a silent way asking for acceptance. Tsuna pulled his shoulder back slightly, the other male's head sliding to a halt on his colar bone as he slid his hand through the raven's hair, allow his hand to gently rest on the opposite shoulder. The two sat on the edge of the bed that way, before Reborn slowly pulled away, grasping the hand that was on his shoulder.

"You stay right here, I'm going to clean up your mess, and take a quick shower. We'll go eat, and then we need to have a serious conversation."

Tsuna looked up at him, tilting his head in his usual fashion, rewarded with the warm hand that pushed it back into place.

A smile on Reborn's lips, one that Tsuna felt his heart leap at the sight of. His face paleing slighlty in response to the embarassing words he had uttered, being repeated, only in a deeper barriatone.

"I want to protect you- like you've protected me. I'll do it. Even if it costs me my life."

(BreakingOut)

Gokudera was at the police station. He cursed himself for listening to Reborn. For allowing himself to take such a favour and in turn, run with it. He glanced at the screen of his phone, and grimaced. He didn't want to be here, much less with that woman. A flash of a pale pink settled near him, and he slipped his glasses onto his face. He dusted imaginary dust from him suit and grasped the manilla folder that was slipped into his hands.

"Perché ciao fratellino, come fai?" (Hello little brother, how are you?) The woman said, sliding her arm through the silver haired man's. Her smile motherly, almost in a sense of overly fond loyalty.

"Che, Tranquillo, è fastidioso donna"

(Quiet down, you troublesome woman.)

His smile was equally as fond, as the two proceeded into the building. Their disguises nearly perfect, save for the cigarette that hung out his mouth, and the scorpian tattoo on the woman's upper arm.

The two gained acess to the front of the building, an officer at the front counter looked up curiously, taking in the two people's appearences and then paled. The two were dressed in smart business attire, the man in a suit, and the woman in an elegant dress, buttoned all the way to her throat. He dismissed the tattoo, thinking it was given at an earlier time that had nothing to do with her current profession.

When the woman noticed the lingering gaze, she inclined her head to Gokudera, who slid into the building unnoticed.

"My name is Bianchi, I'm here to examine the body of the student who was murdered earlier this week."

The officer fidgeted with the keys on his computer, totaly taken aback that the gorgeous woman in front of him was speaking to him. He looked up at her apologetically.

"I'm sorry miss, but unfortunately only authorized personel are allowed down to the morgue."

Bianchi sighed in defeat before he turned slightly. Her finger pressed to her chin as she pulled a pout.

"That's too bad, I was to inform the family of the deceased what his conditions were. I suppose that is alright though, policies are policies." She had leaned onto the desk, her skirt slightly hitched, revealing the edge of her thigh high stockings. She clicked her tongue as the officer stared at her exposed flesh hungrily. She sighed, men were so easy..

She placed a peice of candy into the officer's pocket, before placing a kiss on his cheek and sauntering out of the bulding. Her triumph expressed on her face when she heard the male slump across his desk.

She wasn't known as the poison scorpian for nothing. She willed Gokudera to execute their favor to Reborn without issue, she longed to see that smirk of approval on his face, if even just for a smidge of a moment. She continued down the steps, seeing her younger brother at the foor of them. She dropped her head to the side, as their green eyes met. The lack of a cigarette was indication of a mission complete. She slipped her arm through the loop offered by the other as they walked away. They reached an alley way, and began to slip out of the clothes they had just occupied. Gokudera had continually whispered numbers under his breath, and then the pair heard it.

"Get out now! Pink haired woman with a scorpian tattoo and a silver haired delinquant, dressed in suits! Burned the body, and withdrew all evidence we had, even the bullets in the skull! I want them in custody -five minutes ago!"

They listened to the scuttle of shoes heading towards their location, and in a flash threw the clothes into a nearby dumpster and replaced their attire with something more plain.

Bianchi had placed a short brown bobbed wig onto her head, paired with a yellow sundress and a white cardigan, something normal looking enough, and not suspicious within this slighly chilled spring weather. Gokudera had placed a baseball cap over his hair, a pair of cargo pants paired with a plain white t-shirt. They waited for the police to sprint passed their hiding place before nonchalantly walking from the area, Bianchi accting quite intersted in a merchant stall. Gokudera smirked, one that Reborn himself would have been proud of, as he pulled the phone to his ear.

He waited for the click of acceptance, and without missing a beat-

"Missione compiuta, see you at the harbour."

The phone line went dead and Gokudera went to round up his sister. He had done a good job, as was indicated by the silence. His fingers had itched to blow something up, and he no longer cursed this favour. He suggested to Bianchi that they pick up some well picked coffee; and she agreed, pulling her younger brother through the stalls. They had to thank Reborn for giving them an oppertunity to stretch their legs.