A/N: Hello, I can't thank you guys enough for the reviews :). Didn't know how happy and how motivated it could make me. Sorry for taking so long, transitions in life etc.
Hope you enjoy. I'm kind of taking some liberties with the story and the characters. :B
Katekyō Hitman Reborn! does not belong to me
Tuna and the Beast: Captive
It felt like an eternity was ticking on when their eyes clashed. Red narrowed onto honey. The tinniest of twitch hadn't gone undetected under the harsh scrutiny of the beast. He smelt the fear radiating off of the younger boy. He looked nervous and unsure of himself. His eyes kept shifting from the monster to his unconscious father lying on the cold floor. Dark fur made its way toward the cell. His large eyes widened a fraction. The beast turned his head back to Tsuna.
He studied the small framed boy; he looked wrong standing there—so fragile…so breakable. The monster turned back to the jail cell with his eyes pinched shut.
"You have my word, he won't be hurt." The gruff voice attempted to reassure him. Tsuna wisely held his tongue and chose to ignore the blatant fact that his father was punched in the gut merely seconds before. His unmoving body was proof enough.
"What will you be doing to my dad, mister…" he trailed off in his soft voice. He was attempting politeness, but did a beast have an actual name?
"Xanxus." the question was answered curtly. The horned being clenched the bar tightly. It had been over a century since he last heard his own name. Something twanged painfully in the corridors of his heart. His ash brown fur hackled, unused to the foreign feeling. Eyes bore through the back of his skull—the boy was waiting expectantly for an answer. "He'll be transported to your village."
Tsuna stood there awkwardly watching the large creature open the gates and approach his father. He hoisted the body over his shoulder and slung it there like a bag. The brown haired youth debated whether he should protest the ungentle treatment—especially after his dad's head knocked harshly against the gate as Xanxus passed through. He grunted out the name Levi and soon after a loud mechanical flapping entered the cellar.
"Hiee!" Tsuna cried out in surprise when he located the source of the sound. A black umbrella hobbled on its curved handle toward the duo. He almost yelped again when a deep voice emitted from "Levi".
"Boy, come with me." He, Tsuna guessed by the baritone of the voice, directed as solemnly as an umbrella could. The young man bewilderedly followed the hopping rain-shielding device in half steps since he had no idea where he was being led and besides, the apparatus could only flutter about so quickly. As they traveled up the stairs, Tsuna spared a glance toward the mysterious beast leaving through a separate exit. He prayed for the safety of his dad.
The pair turned several corners to arrive at a dusty hallway. Levi led him to a tall door with a rusty door knob. He could tell by the spider webs adorning the corners of the entrance that there hadn't been a soul who passed through that door for a long time.
"This will be your dwelling space from now on," informed the enormous umbrella and when it opened, its span reached near the entire width of the hall, "Everyday master eats breakfast at eight in the morning and dinner at six in the evening. You'll be expected to join him, please don't be late."
Before he entered the room Tsuna quietly thanked Levi. When the black contraption wobbled once, strangely enough, he assumed the umbrella nodded back at him. After Levi left, the nervous boy locked the door behind him.
Finally alone, thoughts of the actual situation allowed itself to sink in. Tsuna was the captive of a ferocious animal because his idiot father got himself snagged into the trouble that always seemed to follow closely behind him. He had promised his short seventeen year old life away indefinitely. He would never be able to confess his love to his childhood crush Kyoko, get married, or have children. The overwhelmed brunet collapsed onto the queen sized bed tucked into a corner of the room. He felt the hot sting of tears burning his eyes as they broke free to trail down his cherub face. Tsuna pulled anxiously at his outrageous spikes of hair and found comfort from burying his face into the soft pillows.
"Poor little lamb, why are you crying?"
The occupant on the bed shot his head up and scanned around the room. He couldn't identify anyone that could possibly be hidden in the room and hoped it wasn't another object that could talk.
"Yoohoo, over here honey." To his dismay, it was another inanimate object that was—well—animated. To be precise, the owner of the voice was an impressively sized dark wood bureau with half of a red feather boa dangling loosely from its closed cabinet. Painted on doors of the container was a magnificent green-blue peacock sporting a multitude of long feathers. "Tell big sis Lussuria what's wrong."
The brown haired boy was quite sure the dresser sounded like a man, but ignored that. He was more concerned that there were objects that could talk. It was like a spell had fallen over this castle and nothing he experienced in his life could ever explain his predicament. His face felt tight from the dried out tears. He was tired from the emotional dam that had burst and flowed with willpower of its own. So without much resistance he explained his situation to the attentive drawer that hummed every so often as an indication of listening.
"You poor child, but don't worry I'll take care of you." Lussuria paused and examined him, "You're just filthy in those clothes; let's get you changed."
"O-oh, no thank you, I'm fine in these." Tsuna had the decency to blush at his disheveled state. He was still in his jammies, the sudden turn of the recent events hadn't given him much time to change and it wasn't as though horseback riding at top speed would leave him coming out of the forest looking flawless. This wasn't Tarzan.
"Nonsense," The giant bureau teetered dangerously to get closer. Tsuna would rather not be crushed, thank you very much. A perverted glint appeared in the nonexistent eyes of the drawer, "You aren't my type, so relax! You're much too frail for my taste, I like my boys beefy."
Xanxus had made his way to the hall of Tsuna's room. From the outside of the door his sensitive ears overheard the sound of crashing.
"Hieeeee nooo! Stop Lussuria! " The panicked voiced was identified as his newest prisoner. His furred ears twitched. He made out the distinct sound of clothes being torn.
"Oh my—such smooth skin you have." Tsuna's pleas were obviously being ignored. Faintly, because Xanxus never bothered to think too deeply into trivial matters, he wondered how an armless bureau was capable of undressing the brat. The raccoon tailed beast then carelessly chalked it up to Lussuria being extremely skilled; before their transformations, his servants were only the best of the best.
The commotion inside the room eventually settled down and Lussuria cooed as he admired his handiwork. The boy certainly looked dashing in the royal blue blazer with gold trimming; it also didn't hurt that he pulled off those brown boots well.
The dresser flapped his cabinet doors with pride, "So adorable, but my, you put up quite the fight." Tsuna managed a strangled cry of humiliation.
"Trash." Xanxus barked from outside the hall and any previous noise halted. His patience was running thin—it was a miracle he waited for his captive to get dressed. "You're late for dinner."
Tsuna began to hyperventilate at the thought of dinner with the beast, "Actually, I'm not too hungry…" His voice trailed off quietly, but he managed a mumbled, "…please, go on without me." He unsuccessfully masked the fear in his uneven response. Truth be told, he was actually starving, but there was no way he'd take any chances with Xanxus.
A movement of unbearable silence passed—like the calm before the storm—until there was a feral growl. In one fluid motion the beast slammed his paw into the door and broke the handle. Tsuna saw the paw intact jutting through the wood as it swung lamely open, splintered and damaged. The entrance revealed a hard glare.
Xanxus' wolf-like body stalked predatorily across the room and his sharp teeth grounded out, "You will join me for supper." Without warning, Tsuna was taken by the scruff of his new outfit as Xanxus made his way out of the room. He eeped, but regardless of his discomfort, he chose to hold stalk still. He considered playing dead; he once heard that bears wouldn't bother with a corpse. His captor didn't seem very tolerant though—if his entrance wasn't an indication—any sudden movements might set him off.
The two passed through the hall of Tsuna's room and traveled down the stairs. The boy was still in tow, when Xanxus directed his attention to a second set of stairs. It was obviously used more often than the one belonging to the youth's new room, but something foreboding nuanced the atmosphere. "This is the west wing…" The beast muttered a dark warning, "You are to never enter."
After what seemed like forever they arrived at the dining room and Xanxus unceremoniously dumped the frightened boy on the cracked marble floor.
"Sit." He ordered Tsuna, following the scrambling burnet with his eyes. The seventeen year-old sat erect at the furthest end of the impossibly long table.
The silence was deafening. The rattling of the uneasy boy could be heard as he faced the stony expression of the beast from far across the table. He had to be at least twice the size of a lion and his dark twisted horns added to his already impressive height. Given the time to inspect the monster, Tsuna wondered what exactly Xanxus was. His long snout was akin to that of a wolf and darker patches of chocolate fur randomized itself onto his face, while his mane was a shade of darkness and red feathers adorned his crown. The beast possessed the tail of raccoon and his gigantic paws were armed with talons. The most astounding of all, was his eyes. Despite their bloody hue, there was an extremely human quality to them. This disturbed the boy, and when he looked further into his eyes, he thought he sensed sadness and regret. The squeak of a cart made itself evident, snapping Tsuna out of his reverie.
"VOI, DINNER IS SERVED." The sheer loudness of the statement practically knocked the brunet out of his seat. He covered his damaged eardrums and turned to the source.
"Che, well this is new. You're a small brat." The mop noted as a plate was set in front of Tsuna. He almost slammed his forehead against the table. Repeatedly. These objects were commenting on the way he looked, when he should be commenting about, let's say the fact that they talked—like it was the most normal thing.
When his platter of food arrived, Xanxus glared at the unfortunate plate. While the brunet chose to pick up his silverware, the beast opted to dive face first into his supper and Tsuna's jaw hung open.
"Shi shi shi, peasant, the prince doesn't recommend that you stare at the master." The knife cradled in his palm swished about. Carved into the base of the silver utensil was an intricate design of a crown embedded with gems. Golden accents decorated the talking knife.
"Oiii, Bel-sempai," his other hand holding a fork wiggled about, "why the generous mood?"
"Shut up stupid Fran." The knife swiped at the fork, pulling Tsuna's hands together. Both his hands did a bit of a dance around each other as the eating utensils bickered. He almost cried out when Bel nearly stabbed his dominant hand.
"Fake prince-sempai, you almost cut his finger off." Fran stated in a bored tone. The knife simply snickered devilishly, but continued his barrage, that is, until Tsuna dropped the two with a clatter.
The beast had only taken a few bites before he stopped. Without taking his eyes off the entrée, he grabbed a chilled wine by the neck. He let it hang in the air for a few moments, the water drops slid back down into the ice bucket, and without warning he chucked the heavy glass object at the mop head. A million pieces broke off from the shattered bottle, decorating the floor like jewels. "Shithead Squalo—the fuck is this?"
From across the table Tsuna couldn't help but gawk.
The ruby soaked cleaning device began to sway about violently—snapping furiously against the table like a bamboo staff. "WHAT THE HELL!"
The tremors of the table reached the observer. The brunet timidly raised his hand, "Um, excuse me…" The squabbling pair both directed their frustration at the young man—fixing their heated glares onto his fluffy brown head. If looks could kill Tsuna would have found himself a melted pile of goop.
"Hieee!—I mean...could I tour around...seeing as I'm going to live here…for the rest of my life." Even if his stomach protested angrily at him, the hungry boy and really, anything was better than sitting there watching everything argue.
"Do want you want, but remember my words scum." Xanxus sat back, his hind legs landed carelessly onto his food with a loud squish. Bits and pieces splayed onto the embroidered table cloth. He crossed his legs, "Lame-ass candle show the trash around."
A dim object floated in a straight path toward the quizzical boy. A puff of smoke expelled from the wax candle as it sighed about wasting time doing non-profit endeavors. The burning flame motioned at the young man to follow. He remained a few steps behind the illumination; the brunet was close enough to read Mammon engraved in cursive onto the brass handle of the holder. Tsuna was led here and there around the castle. Parts of the bastion were kept to standard, but the darker corners of other rooms were left neglected. The candle uttered the least amount of words possible to introduce each location. With each additional room, the doe-eyed boy became increasingly lost.
As they passed a familiar sinister hallway, the flame flickered, and a wicked idea flashed through Mammon's mind. The candle never did anything without a price…this entertainment would be sufficient compensation for the mini tour.
Tsuna heard a sneeze from the direction of the floating candle and immediately after, the flame went out. Being seventeen years old, he didn't want to admit that the dark still scared him shitless, so he held in the cry that threatened to erupt when the light disappeared.
"Ah. Allergies." Mammon sniffled. "Boy, follow my voice, I need you to relight me."
Tsuna obediently, yet slowly, groped his way toward the sound; his thoughts dwelled upon what a candle could be allergic to. He nearly tripped over something and Mammon advised, "Watch your step. Stairs."
Shuffling awkwardly to the top of the stairs, the triumphant youth listened intently for the candle's voice.
"Mammon?" He called out to the candle hesitantly. His heart dropped when he failed to receive a reply. He had been ditched—without even a clue as to where he was. A faint and eerie glow caught his attention far off to the left. The light emitted from behind a large door. Entranced, Tsuna found himself moving closer to the mysterious source of light, perhaps Mammon had been able to relight without the youth's help.
The door creaked out with age as the curious burnet made his way into the illuminated room. The place was a total wreck. Broken fragments of wood graced the floor in splinters and torn sheets were draped in defeat. A portrait hung crookedly—unidentifiable from the great gashes that centered on the face of the subject. The glow shone through thick curtains bouncing against the furniture; it was soft and warm, coaxing him to come closer.
Tsuna pushed the curtain aside to reveal an enchanting red rose encased in a bell jar. He ventured closer to the glowing object, and heard the curtains fall back into place with a slow swish. Mystified, his small hands reached out to touch the glass. His lips parted in fascination as his fingers drew closer, and he felt a dull hum emit from within the flower. It sang out to him.
"I told you to never come this way," a dark voice hissed from within the shadows. In one deft motion Xanxus wedged himself between the intruder and the blooming flower. His eyes, smoldering in unadulterated fury, paralyzed the fearful boy.
"Leave," he growled menacingly. Unmerciful, he swung his massive paw and sent the light weight careening into the opposite wall, increasing the distance between the boy and the jar.
The impact forced out all the air from his lungs. Tsuna let out a helpless wheeze while he leaned on the chipped wall and began a stuttering attempt at an apology, or some sort of explanation to prove his innocence. But the beast would not have it.
"LEAVE." He roared; his voice no longer held any recognizable traits of humanity. With his back turned away from the boy, Xanxus began to angrily rearrange the furniture—merely missing Tsuna's head a few inches.
Confusion, terror, guilt, and anger surge through his heart, but he didn't wait for the Beast to repeat himself again. Fearing for his safety, he stumbled from where he had been thrown. He ran down the stairs through the darkness of the castle without ever once looking back. From the heavy doors, he burst out into the open, a blast of coldness hit his face, but regardless he continued his pace into the angry snow storm. Dawn was breaking and this was his chance at freedom. Promise or not, I can't stay somewhere like this.