Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The room was so quiet. The type of quiet where you held your breath, because you didn't want to be the one to break the silence.

You didn't want to be the one, to draw the attention of the dangerous predator that was in the room with you. Because if you did, and if you ran, there would be nothing left to find afterwards.

But Tsuna was kind. He was kind and dangerous in an of himself when his family was threatened, and right now, Tsuna's family was very much threatened. So he couldn't back down. He couldn't show weakness to the very man who had both seen and brought him to his lowest points. Not this time. 

For once in his life, he had to be cruel.

Cruel to be kind

But god, he couldn't even picture what Reborn might look like right now, he couldn't think over all of the thick silence, so heavy it pooled around them like smog. He knows nothing good will come of this, can feel it all the way down to his bones, that the only thing left would be heartbreak. But he needed to do this, for his Family he would do this. 

Cruel to be kind. Remember. 

"What.”

Oh, that tone was all Reborn at his most arrogant. It was the one he used on the neutral alliances, the Dons that everyone knew hated where Tsuna was taking the Vongola, but couldn't say anything, because he had The Strongest Arcobaleno on a leash.

And didn't that thought just burn. People talking about Reborn like he wasn't even a person. Just this Terrifying Thing, that Tsuna had somehow captured, a wild animal that he had leashed and muzzled and bound to himself.

(and when the tiny voice in his head whispered to him, almost constantly that yes, he was supposed to be mine. My Sun, My Guardian, and I was his but he wasn't mine and that was so wrong because what was a Sky without a Sun? What was a Sun without his Sky? He ignored it.) 

”I said get out.” His voice didn't shake like he half expected it to. It came out strong and sure, with a slice of bitterness that would have cut any of his 'Guardians' to ribbons if they'd heard it. But at least it hide the desolation he felt at this entire situation.

There was a moment of silence, then the sound of leather shoes moving across the carpeted floor, he heard a click, why not use Leon? and he felt cold metal come to rest on the back of his head.

“Try again, Dame-Student.” Oh, and there was the Wrath. He had wondered when it would turn up, because nobody commanded anything of Reborn dispite what the Mafia tried to convince themselves of.

Tsuna turned around with no resistance, the gun he could now see, resting against his forehead. A shot from this point would kill him, dying will bullet or not.

Reborn was so much taller then Tsuna. It always surprised him how much bigger he was now, compared to what his baby form used to be. How he physically towered over Tsuna instead of just mentally. Every inch the imposing Hitman he had always claimed to be. Tall, dark and so very handsome, the perfect stereotype of an Italian Mafia man.

Tsuna's breath caught as his warm, sunset eyes met Reborns cold, void black ones. Black eyes that now held a ring of hawk yellow around the edges, showing just how very close Reborn was to Raging out of control.

Raging was something very few people knew about or could do. Most thought only Clouds could rage, when their territories were under attack, and while for the most part that was true, if you were strong enough, and angry enough you had the Potential to Rage. It wasn't common but seeing how Reborn was the Strongest Sun in the world, it was practically a given that he had the ability.

Tsuna wanted so badly to grit his teeth and close his eyes, just to get those biting ones away from him but couldn't. Reborn was already reading all of his thoughts and desires from his face and no matter how strong his flames got, it never changed how horrible he was at hiding anything from this man.

Don't forget. Cruel to be kind. Cruel to be Kind. 

”Leave. Go away. How many ways do you want me to say it? What about in Italian? Uscire dalla mia vita per sempre. Did that help at all?”

There was a hand at the nape of his neck now. It was squeezing so tight it hurt and he was going to have one hell of a black bruise, but he couldn't look away from Reborn's eyes. They seared into his own, as if his flames were burning him, scaring him, just through eye contact alone.

The gun was moved to the side as Reborn pushed his forehead against Tsuna’s, the sneer on his face was hideous, it made Tsuna want to cower away. Just stop all of this.

Cruel to be kind!

Reborn's voice was harsh when he spoke. “You listen to me, il mio bambino cielo. If you think for even half a second, that I wouldn't burn the world to ash before I was forced from you, you don't know what kind of monster I am.” Suddenly he was backed up against a wall, the hand on his nape moved, so fast, to his neck and squeezed mercilessly. He tried to get his own around the larger one but they were snatched away before he could do more then scratch at it. 

Remember! Cruel to be Kind!

Through all of this Reborn kept talking. His burning, scorching eyes never leaving his own. “Did you think I was a child, Tsuna? Did you think I would curse at you, yell at you like all your little Guardians do then leave? That I wouldn't put a bullet in your head before I left because of what? Fondness? I am not kind, bambino cielo." 

Oh god he was going to die. He was going to die being choked to death by his Sun. Not mine. He's mine!

"I am The World's Greatest Hitman, my hands are dyed in so much blood that you would be sick if you could see the way they stain everything I touch."

The hand squeezed pointedly around his throat, a mouth, his mouth stretched wide in a mockery of his normal, proud grin. His eyes were so very cold. 

"And. I. Don't. Care."

No. No, stop this. I don't want to know, why are you telling me this. My Sun, my Sun, Your flames, Reborn, I'v never felt them, why are they here now, why do you want me now? When I don't have the time, there's no time. Do you know somehow? Do you know what's happening to me?

Tsuna couldn't think, there was a hand around his neck, a forehead on his own, he couldn't look away and Reborn's flames were all over his own, pushing him and pulling him and dancing and WHY AREN'T YOU MINE. 

Cruel to be Kind, Tsuna. 

"I am selfish. I am possessive. I am a sadist and you are Mine, idiot-student, idiota bambino cielo. You have been Mine since you broke my Curse. You have been Mine since you refused to let me die in a gutter like a dog. You are Mine to protect, you are Mine to teach, and you are Mine to keep.”

Reborns face was a truly terrifying thing to see. There was a dark love there in the curve of his mouth, a devotion in the brand he was leaving on his skin. He hadn't ever seen this before. He'd never noticed how unstable Reborn was without a Guardian Bond to the Sky he saw as his.

Most of the time he forgot how very old Reborn was. How long he's gone without a Sky to give him a home, harmony. And when he'd thought he'd finally found it, it had been stolen from him by Betrayal and the knowledge that he wouldn't even be able to Bond, in such a fucked up body. Everyone had heard about what had happened to Luce after the Fated Day. Even though they'd all tried to hide it once he became Decimo, Tsuna had always known Reborn was not a man to be crossed. So he had no doubt Reborn was being completely truthful when he said he'd burn the world to ash before they were forced apart.

Even by choice.

And Reborn just wouldn't. Stop. Talking. "I would have happily killed your Sun, your friend, if I knew you wouldn't run from me because of it. I would have killed him in the most painful way possible for daring to have his Sun, in my Sky.“ Tsuna gasped for air as Reborn stepped away, still as immaculate as ever. Face no longer twisted into someone he didn't know. Not a hair out of place and Leon just slightly poking his head out from underneath that signature fedora. He could still feel those eyes on him.

“Don't bring this up again, Dame-Tsuna. I won't be so kind next time.” That smirk, oh god he'd seen that smirk across the table when they had just met, before everything. When Reborn was still just a baby that was contracted to raise him into a mafia boss. “You might find yourself out of an official Sun Guardian.”

Reborn headed to the door after that. Leaving Tsuna on the floor of his own study, one hand holding him up, the other on the already purpling bruise around his neck, gasping in air. Reborn didn't turn around but he did pause before opening the door, and if there was a dark type of humor in his voice, Tsuna refused to acknowledge it. 

“If you listen to anything I've said tonight, listen to this. I might be leashed to you like a dog, Stupid-Student of Mine.” Tsuna flinched at that and glared at the back of his suit jacket. ‘Was he reading his mind again!?’

“But I've never been the one wearing the collar. Don't overthink your place, il mio bambino cielo." 

And he was gone.

----

Later that night Tsuna sat in his bathroom, staring into the mirror blankly. His eyes were absently focused on the bruise around his neck. He had been right when he thought it was going to turn black.

He had no idea where he'd gone wrong in their conversation. This was supposed to be a simple plan. With how often Reborn was off doing his own thing, he'd thought it would be easy to just convince him to not come back. To go back to freelancing. There was literally nothing holding him here! But Reborn was unpredictable at the best of times and this just showed that Tsuna couldn't read him as well as he thought he could. He didn't know what to do now.

Sullenly sitting on the cold floor, he brought out the stupid item that had started this all. There, sitting in his cupped hands was the Sky Pacifier. The object that cursed it's bearers with a short life. He was now the Sky Arcobaleno and had been for over 2 years.

Tsuna brought the cursed thing to his forehead and closed his eyes.

'Cruel to be Kind? What a load of bull.' 

 What was he going to do now? 

Chapter Text

Tsuna knows that the time he has left is swiftly coming to a end.

He's known for a while now that he wouldn't be making it past his twenty second birthday. But with everything that's happened he doesn't know if he honestly even wants to try. With his 'Guardians' off enjoying their own lives, the Varia taking all the assassination jobs they could ever dream of and the Vindice happy with their control over the Tri-Ni-Set, he didn't have much holding him here. (-hat’s not tru-) Hell, if he didn't have Primos blood in the first place he wouldn't even be here to begin with!

It's beyond insane what they've all managed to accomplish so young. He honestly couldn't think of anything that could top saving the world and toppling a centuries old power structure. What could he ever want to do that would measure up to all that? He was still the same Dame-Tsuna that he'd always been, so it wasn't like he could have a normal life after everything. No matter what, he would still be Vongola, would still have to be The Boss. But with how things stood now, he was at least vaguely hopeful that when it was all over, Vongola wouldn't topple like a house of cards built on spite and stubbornness.

Xanxus would sooner shoot himself in the head while professing his undying love for Levi then allow the Family to die out after they all fought so hard to keep it standing. So Vongola, in itself, would be fine.

His guardians… He cared about them all, to a point. Hayato was a good friend, even if he took his job as the Right Hand to a mafia Don a little to zealously. He was loyal to a fault and was always willing to lay down his life and pride for the people he cared about.
He was surprisingly sensitive.

Unsurprisingly, he was also one of the easiest of his ‘Guardians’ to push away. Loyalty built on hero worship and subservience was never very strong when stretched past a certain point. It had only taken a few weeks of almost complete silence between them before the only thing Hayato called him, if he called him anything at all, was The Don.

Really, it could even be argued that he was happier now compared to when they were children and Tsuna had been desperate to push away any mention of his impending statues. Hayato knew how to act as a Second Hand, he knew how to do it well even. He'd been born into the Mafia, raised as the heir to his own family, before he'd run away. As a Storm Guardian though?

‘Continuously at the heart of the attack, the furious Storm that never rests.’

Being a Storm Guardian was something Hayato had never really figured out.
Had never understood that Tsuna didn't want or need a Storm that never stopped, that attacked and attacked and attacked, everything and everyone over anything.
It was why they hadn't Harmonized. To the point where it should have been, anyways. The bond, what was left of it, was easy to snap with no one the wiser.

And if whenever Fon visited and Tsuna's flames slipped his control, reaching out to him desperately, all but screaming, he ignored it. Tsuna equally ignored the burning eyes that dug into his back ever time it happened. Denial was a very strong motivator when you had multiple Arcobaleno hunting you.

Takeshi was an.. interesting friend to have. The Natural Born Hitman still continued to think of the Mafia as nothing but a game. Even while he was massacring hundreds he always had that smile on his face. Sometimes, Tsuna wondered how, exactly he became so disconnected from reality at such a young age. They had only been 14 when Takeshi had tried to commit suicide. And he would have succeeded if Tsuna hadn't been there to stop it. But he was always good to lighten the mood when you needed to collect yourself, and when you needed someone who could keep a straight face in even the most ridiculous of situations, Takeshi was your man.

He was reliable.

Takeshi was also delusional. To an dangerous extent. But to give him credit, he had been more difficult than Hayato. With how just plan not there, he was mentally most of the time, actually pushing him away enough emotionally without him either killing himself or everyone else in a kamikaze attack when he realized what was happening was a challenge. But Takeshi had always been more obsessive than loyal. He'd traded his obsession with Baseball and being a Perfect Idol, to an obsession with Tsuna and the Mafia ‘game.’ He'd lasted almost a month before he stopped tracking where Tsuna was with his eyes constantly, lasted almost two months before he stopped touching Tsuna more than necessary, no more hugs or idly touching. By the end of the third month Tsuna hadn't seen him in days. It was kind of a relief, really. Takeshi was a horrible Rain Guardian.

If his job was to, ‘become a blessed shower that settles conflict and washes everything away.’ He had crashed and burnt minutes after knowing what his role in the Family was. Takeshi was a lot of things. But someone who settled conflict? No. He was much more likely to bring them them all to a boiling point then watch the resulting explosion.

And Tsuna had never understood that. How a Rain that was supposed to be his, had never tried to help him in controlling his elements. Squalo was a Rain, a strong Rain that despite how loud and violent he was, had taken care of the Varia for years before Xanxus was unfrozen. Tsuna didn't think Takeshi could have done that. He'd have self destructed weeks in, happily taking everyone down with him.

Thankfully there was no Bond at all with this one, seeing as Tsuna had never really forgotten how many years Takeshi had known him and never tried to help or acknowledge the abuse he'd suffered for so long at
School.

And when Colonello  and Lal sat on either side of him when he just couldn't deal with his Guardians anymore, so very close to just shutting himself in his room and raging everything out, all the pain for being so very alone while surrounded by so many people who just wouldn't listen to him not matter what he said or felt or wanted, he let them. He knew it was weak, he knew they could feel his flames all but suffocating under the clash of opposing 

-stormlightningsunmistcloudrain-

that drowned out his Sky, that tugged on him and demanded of him and oppressed him into something they wanted but that he was Not. Well. Denial was good for that too.

Lambo.

Fuck, Lambo was just a little boy. He shouldn't have been in any of the situations they had all found themselves in to begin with. None of them should have been but Lambo most of all. That his own Father had thrown a toddler into a death match against an elite assassin was something he knew he'd never forgive. Not after the split second of incredulous confusion at seeing Lambo there at all. Then the horror that no one else but Reborn seemed to share when he was, basically, emotionally blackmailed into the fight. If he didn't have that Reality breaking bazooka, Lambo would be dead. While Tsuna would be making his bones at 13 because it would have been his fault for not standing up to the others.

(Reborn might have looked unshaken by the situation to an outside observer but Tsuna basically lived in the back pocket of the, at the time, infant. With most of it having been with the Hitman on his shoulder. He'd felt that slight pull of his hair when Reborn had clinched his fists. Felt that sheer annoyance that he knew almost better than his own. Needless to say but that was the last time his father ever made any type of decision regarding Lambo.)

He'd been thrown from his family and told he could only come back after he'd killed Reborn. It was insane and heartless. If they'd all been just a little bit older, a little bit wiser, they would have realized that. But they were kids, and it had made some bizarre kind of sense.
Mafia, Magic Baby's and Flame powers? Alright. Weird kid with an Afro that has to kill the World's Greatest Hitman to go home? Understandable.

But he was just so young. And always so very scared.

Lambo had been the easiest one to break away from. All Tsuna had to do was deny the requests to visit. As long as Lambo stayed with his mama, so very far away from Italy, the small bond they had would fray over time and distance. With his Harmony not trying to maintain the connection it would break down even faster.

While Lambo had always almost completely embodied the, ‘to draw damage to himself and away from the rest of the Family, serving as a lightning rod,’ part of being a Lightning Guardian, he had never been Tsuna’s. Tsuna could not, would not, harmonize with a child that couldn't understand what was happening. Never. He would sooner cut him out of the Family altogether then take advantage of that damaged little boy.

The day Tsuna realizes what exactly Lambo's former family we're trying to do when they sent him after Reborn is the day he goes M.I.A for hours. No one knows where he is, other than Verde who has cameras all over Italy at this point. No matter what they say or threaten, he later learned, Verde refused to say where he was. The moment someone tries to get to the screening room for the camera’s, all hell breaks loose. Tsuna only arrives later that night to a destroyed right wing, a ruffled Reborn, a spiteful Verde and enough robot parts to fill a medium sized factory. He doesn't really understand what's happening, but the moment his flames try to rip themselves out of him towards Verde, he turns tail and flees. Hours later he can still feel the stinging zing of those eyes digging into him. No one ever finds out where he went.

Ryohei was Ryohei. He did what he could to help, (He did to much to help. My god, the damages from that man alone….) was always there with a... if not smart then kind word when ever you needed it. He believed in you more than you believed in yourself most of the time. He was a completely genuine person.

He had never stood a chance.

How could he? Tsuna’s Flames had been reawakened by Reborn. Reborn who was The Strongest Sun in the world, someone he trusted with his life, his mind, with his Family, with all that he was. He was someone that by the time everything was over and done with, was so intertwined into his very being that even with the strongest of self denial, it would be impossible to deny that Reborn was the only Sun he would ever accept.

No exceptions.

Ryohei was a genuinely nice person.

Reborn couldn’t afford to be. 

He was the hardest to break away from. Mainly because if he did anything to quickly, Reborn would know. Because Reborn knew what Tsuna's Flames felt like slightly harmonized with another Sun. He knew it intimately, almost possessively. If Tsuna didn't go slowly breaking his thin bond with Ryohei, Reborn would feel it and pounce, because Reborn wasn't a nice person. But he was smart, if he thought he knew what was happening he would take the chance to steal the position in a heartbeat. Tsuna didn't know what he would do if Reborn ever became his Sun Guardian officially. Nothing good.

‘Destroying the misfortune that attacks the Family with their own body, they become the Sun that brightly shines upon an area.’

Yes, Ryohei was exactly like the brightly shining sun, sending rays of warmth and heat down to the earth. He could have even made a good Guardian. To bad Tsuna had gone through a Trial by Fire under the scorching haze of a different type of Sun, one that was merciless in its intensity.

The day after the Study Incident, which is what the servants are calling the almost fight that had Tsuna walking around with a choker of bruises around his neck, Reborn is so much more cruel than he usually is. He's constantly prowling around wherever Tsuna goes, a strange light in his eyes whenever they flick down to the bruises. His Flames are even more unruly then he is. Normally, they’re kept as tightly leashed as Tsuna’s own are right now. But… now they bask on him almost. Like a cat around his shoulders.

It's more comforting than he wants to admit. Also terrifying. The one time another Sun comes close enough to him where he can feel their Flames, the ones curling lazily around him turn into chains. Giant, hissing things that make it hard to breath in the now tense environment. It only breaks when the Sun hurries to leave the room, Tsuna decides Denial is the better part of valor and ignores it.

But he can't stop thinking about it, probably because Reborn has never shown this side of himself before.      

The Hunter.

The Hitman.

He doesn't want to think about what it means that he's showing it now.

Chapter Text

But god, he was going to miss his Sweet Chrome and Sly Mukuro. His twin Mists who did their jobs so well that not even the Family knew the full extent of their work.

‘Creating something from nothing, and nothing from something; thus bewildering the enemy, to render the Famiglia's true form intangible with visions of deceit.’

Mukuro. Cunning, ruthless, loyal Mukuro. The only one of his Guardians who had chosen him, who was loyal to him. Not the Vongola family, not the 10th generation Boss, but to him.

So many years have passed since their rocky start and people still assumed that Mukuro was only waiting, that one day he'd have to try to take over Tsuna again. So many years of constantly having to listen to his other Guardians complain about them, having to listen to other Dons, who thought themselves older thus wiser, on how untrustworthy mists were, constant never ending words upon words about every possible thing a Mist could do to trick you, to deceive you, to kill you.

And he could say nothing.

Because Mukuro wanted it like that. Wanted people to think that he had no heart, only an Malice kept in check by his own will power and a thirst for destruction. Because if they thought that, if they knew what everyone else knew, they would come. All the traitors, all the men with murder and mutiny in their hearts. The stupid and the reckless and the cruel. All would come to him because he was the obvious choice. Because everyone knows Mukuro Rokudo was a Mist. And Mists betray.

And it was always so much easier to catch those types of people from the inside. So much easier to find their base or their weaknesses from within their own organizations. Because no one ever suspected the Mist in their midst. Why would they?

He was Mukuro Rokudo. Everyone knew he was just waiting for the perfect chance to betray his Sky. 

It had always bemused him that people on both sides thought such similar things. Some of these people were supposed to be his closest allies, the ones that should have known him best, always, always assumed that Mukuro was his least trusted Guardian. It was almost funny how shallow people could be to still see grown men as the 14 year olds they had once been, or it would have been funny if these same people weren't supposed to be in charge of hundreds of others. Instead it was just horrifyingly incompetent.

And Chrome! Shy, timid little Chrome who had grown up to be a terrifying woman. One who took to the softer Mist arts so well no one but the three of them knew the full breath of her web. She might never be the best offensive fighter when separated from Mukuro but Chrome knew how to play to her strengths. The depth and imagination she could draw upon for her illusions was staggering in its intensity.

Being a woman in the Mafia it could be said that Chrome would always be at a disadvantage in most situations. This was so far from the truth that the first time he'd heard someone suggest marrying her off for an alliance after Mukuro was returned, he laughed them out of his office. They would lose more lives and minds trying to marry Chrome off then Hibari could bite to death in a year. She would be the single most terrifying Black Widow to ever emerge from the Mafia, and Tsuna would be the one having to clean everything up!

Not to mention the single minded War, Mukuro would (Again! Honestly, hadn't they learned the last time?) wage against the Mafia as a whole for ever daring to even have that thought.

His Mists we're so very tightly woven together and to him that he knew he would have to explain a little of what was happening for them to even entertain the idea of breaking their Bond.

But it was hard. So very hard. How do you even start that conversation? How do you tell the two people who have worked tirelessly for you, who are so close to you that it feels like ripping out the veins in your body just thinking about never seeing them, or hearing them, or just being close to them again. How do you do something like that? Break your own heart?

(He wonders what it says about him that they don't wait for him to gather up the courage to try to find them. That they arrive with Viper isn't important at the moment. It's seeing his left and right lungs in human form standing on either side of zir that takes his breath away. It causes all the blood in his body to rush to his head. He's so dizzy.

Mukuro’s face is stone still though he doesn't look angry, Chromes bottom lip has been bitten so hard he can see where it's gone white from blood loss. He's a coward really, despite everything he's done, all the other bonds that he's cut, because these two are important.

They are the ones that choose him, that believed in what he was trying to do to the Mafia. That he has to explain now that he doesn't have the time to do any of what he promised is agonizing.

It seems like no time at all before he's surrounded on all sides by the most distrusted Flames in the Mafia. He can feel Mukuro's hand in his hair, Chromes face against his neck. This is so unfair. If he could keep anyone, any Flames, any Bonds he would keep these two. He may already be dying but he doesn't know if he can stand to cut these two out before the very end. It's so unfair.

In the end he doesn't have to say anything. They sit in silence for what seems like days, hidden from the outside world by the Mist Arcobaleno. Mukuro ends up being the one who strangles the bond into death. He's always been the strongest out of the three of them at killing his dreams. Tsuna has a bite mark on his shoulder that he hopes never fades away from Chrome trying to keep her agony inside, it feels like someone's reached in and ripped out something he can't live without. Something he needs, but it's gone gone gone, oh god, oh god. no….)

Chapter Text

Hibari is….

Hibari is more myth than man, now.

Out of all Tsuna’s ‘Guardians’ Hibari is the one people fear the most. They whisper about him in the streets, even the ones who have no idea why they should be afraid, are.

(Sometimes.. Sometimes he thinks about Hibari’s name for them all. Herbivores. Plant eating pack animals. Hive minded by instinct and herded where the Carnivores want them to go. Culled when the Predators decide the population is growing too large to control. Only alive on the grace of beings that hold contempt for them. And wonders at the truth of it all.)

Parents huddle with their children as he stalks by, praying that he didn’t notice them and If Tsuna is the messiah that people call him, Hibari is the devil at their back. He is cold, barely contained bitterness, a calculating force of nature that hits like a tsunami and rages like a wildfire over all he deems unworthy.

Tsuna has always been unworthy in his eyes.

Even as strong as he is now, Hibari doesn't respect him.

Because under all the Power he has gained (been forced to cling to), all the allies he has (somehow) charmed, he is still the same cowardly boy who would run from a fight before standing up for himself.

Hibari knows that. Tsuna knows that.

But the Mafia…

The Mafia sees Tsuna as the second coming of Primo. The man who'd made the Mafia what it is today. (If only they knew how very alike the two actually were) They see the same face, the same Sky Flames, the same fighting style and they stare upon him in awe.

Because that's what he had been molded into. What Nono had planned for, when Tsuna was the only heir left.

But it wasn't what he was. Not really.

But they didn't care. He would lead them into a new era, the golden age come again. But he wasn't. And no one but Hibari had ever seemed to realize what that meant.

(A flash of purple hair, a grin always, always laughing. At the world, at himself. Tsuna’s Flames reaching, reaching towards…)

Hibari knew Tsuna couldn't withstand this kind of pressure forever, knew that he would break at some point. It was that weakness, that inability to cope with what was happening, to reach it and strive beyond that Hibari detested in him.

But they we’re both trapped by what the herbivores Hibari so hated, wanted. Tsuna in his high throne, watching over all his subjects. Waiting for the day the spun sugar (Hope. So much hope from everyone. It was going to destroy them all.) that held him up, dissolved. Sending him tumbling, plunging, down, down, down towards the ground he knows much better than the heights they've forced him to.

Hibari is caged, corralled like the animal he plays by expectations even he is not strong enough, stupid enough to dismiss.

Tsuna knows Hibari knows that being tied down at the base of his rocky throne, of a god-king that brittle who he does not respect, is not where he should be, knows that he'll get caught in the fall if he doesn't move. But he is trapped by his straining for his Sky. Trapped by his desire to run, desire to protect the herd, but can’t.

Is refused.

(running, always running, fighting, and winning. Hibari’s Sky is free like the horses he's called after, like the ones he raises. He is open, and loyal, and he understands in a way no one else ever has. )

Hibari’s Sky, who was older brother to Tsuna, the great deceiver. Hibari’s Sky who denies him, who rejects him out of love and loyalty towards the Tsuna, who still didn't want any of it, didn’t want him, had never wanted him.

(A motorcycle that’s always waiting in Tsuna’s driveway when he can escape the madness that is Vongola, waiting for him to talk to the owner, to climb on, to hold on, and just drive. For however long they can escape.)

(It’s never long enough.)

Tsuna is the so-called omnivore who would run if he was able, the god-king in his fake throne, the All Encompassing liar, hunted by his Elements but was completely, intentionally alone.

Hibari hated Tsunayoshi.

Hibari hated him because he was a coward.

(Running from the Elements his Sky-Flame wanted to hold, to give a home to.)

Hibari hated him because he lied, constantly.

(To everyone. He lied to himself, he lied to his ‘Guardians,’ he lied to his Elements, he lied and lied and lied. )

Hibari hated him because he was never able to stand up for himself, for what he wanted.

(The Herbivores that called Sawada their Sky, without any understanding of what that was supposed to mean, who tried to change him, tried to fit him into what he wasn’t, never noticing how the Sky they so loved, was slowly darkening, draining, dying. )

(Which Tsunayoshi did nothing about.)

Hibari hated him because he knew that after everything life had thrown at Tsunayoshi, what he’d personally thrown at Tsuna, it had turned him just that little bit cruel.

(How could he not be with Reborn nestled in his instincts? With his Mists inside his heart?)

He knew Hibari was the only one of his ‘Guardians’ who saw him as he truly was now. Knew that while he played the every forgiving, ever welcoming Sky, he hadn’t been that person since the day he’d gone forward to a Future-That-Never-Was, had seen what he would become, had uncovered the Sun.

His Never-To-Be Sun who had died. Seen how unable to cope the Guardians he had been pulling in before, had been. Fought a Mad-God for the sake of an entire world at only 13.

He’d… grown distant. Grown into a far away Sky. One that was unreachable, never ending. One that couldn’t accept a Feral-Cloud. Couldn’t accept a Child-Lightning, couldn’t accept a Purposeless-Storm or an Unreliable-Rain or a Shallow-Sun.

Couldn’t accept Guardians that no longer matched him. Not when he knew they couldn’t survive it when he died. And at age 14 after killing his first man, after destroying a system that would have killed his Sun, talking to a man (Was he a man though? Tsuna had always wondered what being a true earthling even, really meant) who was far too old for such young looking features, Tsuna knew that he would die.

Is it really any wonder that Tsuna would turn just that little bit cruel? Not enough to lose himself, never enough to enjoy it.

But just cruel enough that even though he knows Hibari has realized what’s happening, knows why he’s slowly distancing his ‘Guardians,’ why all the Arcobaleno have suddenly converged around him, Tsuna…. waits.

He waits.

Weeks after his Mists are gone from the mansion. Months since he’s seen Yamamoto or Hayato. Almost a year and a half since Lambo had come to visit. Ryohei is still around but that’s due to how very…. intense, Reborn had been lately.

(He’d been unable to escape Reborn’s annoyingly, thorough authority, long enough to have the time necessary to break what’s left of Ryohei’s bond away from him.)

(It’s an ongoing problem)

Waits until Hibari himself can’t wait anymore, until he’s forced before Tsuna. Head bowed, pride in shambles around him, before he lets him go.

It’s a normal day, (as normal as he gets anymore, anyways) when he hears from his secretary that Hibari is in the mansion, demanding his presence in that silently terrifying way he has.

Unfortunately for the Yakuza Leader of Namimori, Tsuna isn’t the highly cowed kid he’d been when they’d first met.

He’s the Boss of the most dangerous Family in the Italian Mafia, if not the World. He couldn’t afford to be intimidated by one of his own ‘Guardians.’

That was another reason Hibari hated him, wasn’t it?

He’s sitting outside today. The mansion having felt way too stuffy with all the annoyingly persistent Flames covering everything he’d touched. Two different Rain Flames on his bed, (one so painfully cheerful, another overwhelmingly protective) to help him sleep, Sun Flames in his office (always feeling of ‘Mine Mine Mine’ and ‘ I Dare you to try.’) to cow all the Underbosses he had meetings with that day, Storm Flames (He could practically taste the ‘I’ll protect you.’) in all his food, presumedly to destroy any poison his chefs might have missed, Mist Flames ( If he hadn’t already been aching with the loss of his Mists, the feeling of ‘Please. Just give me a chance.’ would have hurt him much more deeply.) in his clothes, in his shampoo, his freaking toothpaste to hide his insecurities from the world.

Lightning and Cloud were probably the worst/best today. Lightning because instead of Flames on everything he owned, he was only being watched by cameras. But since he was used to always being watched by some type of security, having only cameras was almost a relief, compared to what could have been.

(He was willfully ignoring the fact that most of those ‘cameras,’ probably had more firepower than any four normal security teams put together.)

The Cloud on the other hand was… annoying.

He’d shown up this morning, out of the blue. With that stupid, tempting motorcycle and his stupid, tempting grin and his stupid, tempting question of if he’d like to escape for a while.

But Tsuna had too much to do. Even though he’d desperately wanted to take Skull up on the offer. He had to train Xanxus without him realizing; on how the Main family was run, had to figure out how exactly he was going to turn the Varia commanders into Vongola Guardians without them (trying) to kill him. Had to make sure Mama was safe after he was gone, make sure Basil could stand up to Iemitsu as the new CEDEF commander, make sure the Old Men of the Alliance didn’t try to take advantage of the Family after his death.

He just had too much to do to drop everything and disappear for a couple of days.

But even after telling Skull this, he hadn’t left. He’d followed Tsuna around, commenting and annoying everyone around them, about everything they passed.

Food? Oh Skull-Sama had that in South Korea once, much better there since the Vongola Chefs didn’t cook it right. The offended chefs who’d heard him, tried to cook the idiot Cloud that was hiding behind his back. They’d only escaped through a window when one of the attendants had slammed the door open, thus distracting the angry Mob filled with knives and scalding liquids.

After that it was the gardeners. (Who really don’t like their flower knowledge tested)

Then it was housekeeping. (Who knew most of housekeeping was ex-Varia? ….no really why wasn’t he informed that was terrifying.)

And then the actual Varia showed up and he’d written the day off as a bad shot and hurried them both out towards the back, back gardens where hopefully there wouldn’t be anyone trying to kill Skull.

(He really liked the silly Cloud, even when he thought he was being sneaky dumping a frankly outrageous amount of clingy, whiny Cloud Flames down his back while he was distracted making sure they both didn’t die from household staff.)

So Tsuna should have known today was going to be hell. 

Should have known that of course, today was the day Hibari finally had enough of his slightly sadistic teasing.

Should have fucking known that Skull would be the one with him when it happened.

(The only one who would have been worse, would have to be Reborn himself. He could praise the gods while cursing them at the same time couldn’t he? That had to be allowed.)

Because if Hibari hated Tsuna, he despised Skull.

It hadn’t been long after the Arcobaleno had reached the ages they’d been cursed at, that Skull and Hibari had met again.

It had been a massacre.

No one had known that Skull was that strong. No one but the other Arcobaleno, that was.

Apparently, the reason they’d all lasted so long as Arcobaleno, where normally they would have maybe 10-20 years? Was entirely due to the ridiculous amount of Cloud Flames Skull had. The Curse has taken his Flames and multiplied all of the others by 1000x percent.

If Bakuyran hadn’t made the poison that killed the Arcobaleno off in the Future-That-Never-Was, and scared Checker Face into trying to get new ones, they could have lasted millennia before new sacrifices were needed. (Not counting the unbonded-Skys )

No one had known. The Arcobaleno had made sure no one knew. Since the majority of Skulls Flames were being taken to power almost the entirety of the Tri-Ni-Set, he had close to none for external use. He couldn’t really fight, or protect himself.

Tsuna had been told that they’d made up a plan. None of them wanted to die, they were all much too filled with spite to be taken out by The Curse, or The Mafia if it came out Skull was the one powering it and them.

(Actually being told Arcobaleno secrets should have clued Tsuna in that something was afoot. Instead he’d gotten too comfortable in the haze of happy none-demanding Flames and never realized.

Honestly, looking back there where a lot of signs he should have noticed.)

So for the next 40 something years they did a magnificent performance.

Skull was weak, but he was the Arcobaleno punching bag. Others didn’t get to touch him. He was theirs. If you did, if you even tried, you’d have the entirety of the Arcobaleno to answer too.

He was their Lackey.

He didn’t matter.

He was a cry baby.

He was a civilian.

He was weak.

And everyone bought it. For years. No one even questioned how such a weakling could be an Arcobaleno. It was just something that was.

To those who knew about it, it was beautiful.

To Hibari?

It was enraging.

From what Tsuna had been told, (Again by the Arcobaleno. Cuddled up between Skull, who was telling the story and Reborn, who was correcting the story, he should have realized.) Hibari had seen Skull and remembered him from the Battles.

When he’d tried to ‘bite him to death.’ Skull had kicked his ass. Easily. With no amount of structural damage.

Then Hibari had been paraded around his own territory, ass first over Skulls shoulder, completely unable to move while Skull looked for either somewhere to drop him off at, or his second.

For hours.

(He’d died ok? Alone with only Reborn and Skull in the room, he’d laughed so hard he’d cried. Hibari. Proud as a peacock and twice as vicious Hibari, had been taken home like a scolded kitten and dropped off.

His face had to have been beautiful.

But then someone had decided to pinch his ass and drag their flames down his spine and he’d had to kick them both out.

If he’d shivered with the phantom feeling of happy, adoring flames against his own for the rest of the night, he’d lie, unashamedly if anyone tried to call him out on it.)

So of course this was the time that Hibari decided enough was enough.

That was just his life.

And Skull, the clingy, possessive limpet that he was, refused to move away from his back. So now he was going to have to break his shallow bond with Hibari, while Skull was there, because god forbid he be allowed to try to die in peace.

Skull was going to tell them all, wasn’t he.

Fuck.

Chapter Text

It’s the quiet dread of inevitability that fills him as he waits for Hibari. Skull a restricting blanket draped over his back.

He can feel every puff of breath Skulls body releases against his cheek and while that should unnearve him, to be so close to such a powerful, if childish, man it doesn’t. What does not-so-much unearve him, as terrifies him, is how it makes him relax.

He knows without a shadow of doubt that with Skull here, literally at his back, Hibari can’t touch him. Not physically and definitely not emotionally.

Tsuna knows he can defend himself against Hibari with fists. Can fight the Cloud to a still, can stop him in the middle of his rampages if he needs to. But he’s still the same person he’s always been. Still the same sensitive boy he’d been at the beginning of all this. And words can hurt so much more than broken bones. They can carve into your head, no matter how much you actively fight against them. How you tell yourself, No. I am not worthless. They are worthless for making a child feel that way. They are the no-good, the Dame, I am good. I am strong. I don’t need them or what they think of me.

But the feelings behind the thoughts linger, no matter how many years go by.

With Hibari it’s always the question. If he can’t fight with fists what can he fight with? For a boy, now man, who was so obsessed with order and rules he’s very quick to find the weaknesses, that at one point he could have helped stop the forming of, to exploit.

To burn with his words, slice with his expressions. Ground into him the way he can’t with his Flames or fists.

(But why would the Perfect care about the Dame? Why would he put effort into protecting, enforcing the no bullying policy the school had? Crowding was punishable. Bullying No-Good Tsuna was not.)

So having Skull with him? One of the only people Hibari (unwillingly) fears? It’s a curse disguised as a blessing. There’s no way to win this. Not against Skull, not with Hibari forcing the issue now. Tsuna has been in a lot of fights, most of them always fighting for others, but he didn’t know how to win this one.

Please. He just needs a little more time.

But that’s Skulls long fingered hand curling against his hip under his shirt, that’s Skulls long hair tickling against the back of his neck, those are Skulls long legs bracting him from behind, escape impossible. And- and are those Skulls Flames happily nuzzling against his own, a sweet explosion of minejustletmemine around his throat where Reborns own Flame Mark had just faded?! Are those Skulls teeth on the side of his neck!?

But of course that’s the moment when Hibari sweeps into the area. His Flames proceed him, an funeral march with a feral undertone, a song of running, always running, fighting. But it’s the sliver of pure desperation that brings him up short and gives Skull time to actually bite into him.

“Ow! What the-why would you- Skull?!” Tsuna pushes the grinning head away from his neck, hand already going to the injured area.

Purple eyes are half lidded in satisfaction, his whole face taking on a feline quality. When Skull licks his lips it does not help with any type of explanation or-

Skull dives back in.

Tsuna squeaks and tries to escape but it’s like Skulls turned into Oodako, his hands are everywhere. His Flames are everywhere.

“Stop it! Oh my god Skull, what are you even doing?!” Tsuna screeches like he hasn’t in years. Not since he’d stopped jumping when Reborn shot at him.

But Skull doesn’t answer just laughs and pushes all his weight to the side, tipping them both over. Tsuna lands on bottom with Skull squishing him, legs tangled together. His screeching turns into laughter when Skulls wandering hands turn into tickling claws at his sides.

God he hasn’t played with someone in, well every really. But Skulls silly enough he should have known something like this would happen, no wonder his Flame Animal was an Octopus. Skull was so warm.

“Decimo.”

His laughter cuts off abruptly.

Tsuna turns wide eyes to the side, his hands still on Skulls shoulders playfully trying to push him off. Their legs are still tangled together and Skulls hands are around his waist. Skull hasn’t moved at all since Hibari spoke, simply stopped and rested his weight entirely on Tsuna.

It’s Hibari’s seething eyes that cause Tsuna’s breath to catch, the way they trail over his and Skulls positions. When they narrow on his hands, Tsuna jerks them away from Skulls shoulders as if burned from the look alone. The Rage in silver eyes is cold, it burns in his throat like swallowing dry ice. Tsuna knows how this looks. Here he is rolling around with another Cloud, he hadn’t been trying but the way their Flames mingle at the edges is telling. So telling.

And he feels Shame.

A deep shame. An all consuming desire to hide away. Because this was wrong. All of this was wrong. What was he doing? He’d been so cruel to Hibari, refusing to break them apart. He’d wanted the man to feel just a little bit of what he had as a child when Hibari should have protected him. But this isn’t- he hadn’t meant-

Tsuna smacks both palms to Skulls arms softly. A universal signal to let him up, he needs to do something. Apologize, let Hibari hit him a couple times, anything to get this situation underhand. Because right now it felt like a gauntlet had been thrown down, and two different Cloud fronts were about to clash.

But instead Skull does something he’d never expected. Not from Skull. Not him. Skull was a friend, he helped when Tsuna needed freedom, when he needed to get away.

Skull dropping even more of his weight on top of Tsuna, refusing to let him up, to let him escape is something he’d never even thought could happen. He just.. He just turns his head towards Hibari, far enough that Tsuna can’t see his expression, his hands slowly trailing up Tsuna’s body to gather his wrists together while Tsuna is still in a slight state of frozen shame/shock.

But Hibari hissing like a pissed off cat at however Skull is looking at him, is enough for Tsuna to try and wrench his hands away. It’s doesn’t work. Skulls grip is iron around them, he doesn’t even seem to notice Tsuna’s frantic struggles. Hibari’s Flames are arching more and more like a cat with its back up, and Skulls Flames are suffocating the whole garden. When Tsuna flares his own Flames to try and dispatch whatever is going on here, another pair smack him down from somewhere around the house. He can’t pin point from where but they’re flamiler enough that he’s worried now.

Everyone else should be gone. None of his (Not his!) Elements should be here, none of his remaining Guardians. Hell, even the Varia should be gone by now!

Sending out another spike of pure Sky Flames, this time aimed solely at Skull, two different Flames types smack his down. One was Skulls overwhelming Cloud Flames, the other was… Reborn’s Sun Flames?!

Oh god no.

Now he really needed up. Needed to fix this before Reborn got curious enough to investigate. He did not need the insanity that was his former Tutor worsening the situation, which he would if only to inconvenience Tsuna.

“Skull! Skull I need you to let me up!” His voice is much screecher then he wants it to be. He can see Hibari’s lip curl in disdain and wants to hide. Skull must see it too because his Flames take on a dangerous curl.

But Skull does turn his head towards Tsuna so he’ll take that as a win, even if Skulls hips press down even harder. (Oh god, oh god. Dick I swear to- if you do anything, I will cut you off.)

“Skull. I have to talk to Hibari. Alone.” The last part Tsuna adds hestily. He might just get out of this without Skull knowing anything.

Skulls head cocks to the side, the grin he’d lost at some point coming back slowly as he took in Tsuna’s red, flustered face. “No.”

Tsuna couldn’t speak for a moment. Just stared up at the once again grinning man above him. “What?”

Skull leaned his face closer towards Tsuna’s, almost but not quite nose to nose. “I said no. If you need to talk to him, bunny. You’ll do it here.” The unspoken ‘With me’ was heard by all parties.

“What? No! Just get up!” Tsuna tried again to tug his hands free but Skull was stronger then he looked.

“Hmm, no I don’t think I will.” Skull rubbed his thumbs against Tsuna’s sky rocketing pulse point, before snuggling in more. Tsuna froze when a certain, hard part of not-his anatomy rubbed in lazy circles around his already half interested dick. “Besides. You don’t seem that upset with me.” A long, possessive lick was swiped over the bite mark Skull had made earlier sending a full body shiver through Tsuna. It did not help with the hip situation.

“Decimo.”

‘Oh god, Hibari was still here wasn’t he.’ Tsuna thought slightly hysterically. Hibari was watching all of this. Skull moved slightly harder and Tsuna bit back a whine. How could either of them still have an erection with Hibari Kyoya standing there?

Skull hummed beside Tsuna’s ear, one of his hands releasing its hold on Tsuna’s wrist to drag down to Tsuna’s hip and digging his nails in. Even one handed when Tsuna tried to move his wrists they didn’t budge.

“Just do it now, bunny-chan. My little bunny Sky.”

Skull ran his Flames, soft now and as light as the fluffy clouds in the sky up into him. A parody of sex. Something Flame users did when courting, an intimate act that had Tsuna catching his breath in awe. No one had ever tried courting him.

“Break it.”

In the almost Flame drunk state he was in Tsuna didn’t question how Skull knew what Hibari was there for. He didn’t freak out about him knowing what was happening with his Guardians, didn’t break down over all his efforts being for nothing because if Skull knew that meant they all knew and that just wasn’t something he wanted to focus on right now. Not when he felt so nice, not when he could ignore that Hibari was there, that Reborn was around somewhere, that this was all probably planned somehow.

He just wanted to be selfish for once.

Tsuna refused to look at Hibari when he went inside himself, where all his bonds were. He ignored the eye searing Yellow that was strangling the faint goldfish yellow beside it. Ignored the Navy and Sky blue that entwined together, ignored the cauterized wound where Lavender Indigo used to sit with its Midnight Twin; The Violet that strained there now only made him feel sadguiltylove

He wouldn’t look at the warm Red that pulsed with safety or the static Green that prickled with protection around the soft grass green that was fading from sight.

Instead he stared straight at the sensual Purple. The one he didn’t want but that he wanted so badly. It fought for space with another shade of purple so pale it looked almost sliver. It was a thin thing. Like all his bonds other than Reborn. The others were growing despite his best efforts but this one in specific was paper thin. His own Orange Sky Flames seemed to have a stranglehold on it and Tsuna felt Shame again.

He shouldn’t have done this. No matter his insecurities, no matter what had happened in the past. He was better than this, wanted to be better than this. Taking the sharp as steel Flame Bond into his metaphorical hands Tsuna let it bite at him, let it bleed his Flames like the owner couldn’t bleed his body. It was only fair.

He still knew what was happening to his physical body, could still feel Skulls rocking, could still feel Hibari’s incensed eyes on them. But he was also outside of himself, away from it all. Breaking this bond to Hibari in front of Skull would have so many repercussions.

But maybe. Just this once. He could do this. He could break this bond, let them confirm what they have to already think. Then stop. It would be even crueler than what he did to Hibari but..

He just wanted to be selfish for once.

“Break it.”

That voice in his ear again, lust and longing filled it. A voice he wanted so much he’d die for it. Was dying for it. He would never tell them. Never.

Tsuna broke the bond.

It was almost instantaneous. Hibari charged at him, Skulls Coud Flames punched him through a tree, and Reborn dropped down in front of them both. Skull ground into him even harder, biting down on his neck again. Tsuna cried out as he bucked up and Reborn used his distraction to guide his Sky Flames into harshly breaking the bond to Royhai. The opposite of when he’d shown Tsuna as a child how to use them.

He was free.

Skull was grinning into his neck. Reborn was crouched above his head on his hunches smirking down at him with a hungry glint in his eyes.

Fuck. He was trapped.

Chapter Text

Skull and Reborn had a definite plan for seducing their Sky.

After they’d broken the last two of Tsuna’s disharmonious Bonds, they’d soothe his nerves (Reborn had suggested they keep going until Tsuna was overwhelmed and accepted them as Guardians, Skull had argued back that doing so was horrible in the long run. Much smarter to wait until he was so high on endorphins he couldn’t tell up from down, or Cloud from Sun), over being tricked.

Then hopefully, if Tsuna seemed to be responding well, they’d reduce the younger man to a begging, pleading mess using everything they had learned in their long, long lives. Between the two of them? They had a lot of experience in seducing what they wanted from targets.

“He’s not a target, Reborn.”

“He’s always my target.”

“Well at least don’t call him it! Fon’s already being… Fon-like, we really don’t need him tipping over into being an enemy for this.”

“Hm.”

“Stop it.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“I know your still planning something. Fon will know your still planning something.”

“But Skull, Il mio joker, I’m always planning something.”

“Yeah, but your Flames taste different when you hunt and when your thinking about Tsuna. We really don't need him running away screaming ...yet.”

“You’re so dull, Skull. Where’s the chaos in that?”

“I am entirely willing to steal Tsuna away while your off having ‘Fun.’ “

“Shut up, Skull.”

“Rude.”

It was a completely foolproof plan in Skull’s humble opinion.

But Tsuna, true to the dramatically contrary person he’d always been, shot the entire plan straight to hell minutes after they’d finally, after weeks of planning, ran him down and pinned him completely.

No one should have interrupted their Courting. The Varia were guarding the perimeter incase some of the children showed up or Tsuna escaped before he’d heard them out. He could be as wily as a fox when he wanted to be, thanks to Reborn’s hellish training. While great normally since it was a lot harder to catch something that could outrun you, it was the exact opposite of great when they personally needed to grab him.

Xanxus himself was just outside the range that they’d need with Squalo on stand by. If nothing else it would probably confuse Tsuna long enough seeing the man around when he should be in London, for someone to grab him.

Everyone that was in-the-know, was there. They all knew exactly what was supposed to be happening today. Fuck, they’d even had a vote on who’d approach the man to start with!

(And yes, thank you very much Fon. But no, none of the stuff before counted. Tsuna still had his useless Guardians at the time, and despite how much every single one of them would deny it, they’d had no idea what was going on while he was breaking Bonds left and right. So thank you so much for you’re worry but we both know exactly what we’re doing.)

Lal and Colonello having bowed out in the beginning for various reasons no one but each other knew, Verde had stared at them all with a vaguely horrified look on his face before calling all of them insane and locking himself in his lab, Fon’s reaction while not as bad a Verde’s was still offending. The man had only shaken his head before lifting his hands and eyes to the sky above, asking why he was being forced to be under the same Sky as these idiots. Viper, unsurprisingly had been completely apathetic in response.

They hadn’t pushed further then that. Tsuna was a very delicate subject for the Mist right then, and would end up probably having the hardest time Harmonizing after what had happened with the Others.

So Viper turning out to be a goddamn traitor was one of the least expected outcomes of what they’d hoped would happen.

Because while the yelp Tsuna made when Reborn gave him a truly delicious looking kiss was adorable, the scary powerful Sky Flames flinging out to grasp onto slightly Harmonized Mist and forcing it to drag him away was not.

“This is entirely your fault. I told you not to send him screaming.”

“Shut up, Skull.”

“We have no idea where Viper is right know, you know that right? They could be in fucking Australia.”

“Shut up, Skull.”

“What are we gonna tell the Varia? What are we gonna tell Xanxus?!”

“Stai zitto, Teschio!”

“Rude.”

-x-

The feeling of teleportation was something Tsuna thought he’d long gotten used to. The bumps from where Mist Flames stretched to thin in places, to the hard landing for anyone but the caster, should be all second nature by now.

But this teleportation was one he’d never felt before. There hadn’t been any thin stretches of Mist where he could feel reality try to take back control, it had been a smooth, strong ride all the way through. And instead of being unceremoniously dumped out like fish from a bucket, he’d been flung slowly towards the only source of Flames in the immediate area.

Though he doesn't know how he used Vipers Flames to pull himself towards the other, he’s grateful that they seem to get enough of a warning to dive out of the armchair they were sitting in before Tsuna crashes into it. Even going as slow as he was the momentum would have sent it crashing backwards if Viper hadn’t scrambled to grab onto the seat and throw their weight backwards against his.

It titled dangerously for a few seconds, Tsuna upside down from his landing unable to help more then holding his breath and Viper straining against gravity to try and bring the heavy wooden chair down on the side that wouldn’t send Tsuna crashing into the glass behind him.

As the chair settled and they both sighed out in relief, Tsuna couldn’t help but think on how different that telaportan was compared to Mukuro and Chrome’s.
It really showed how far ahead, how much stronger an unsealed Viper was compared to both of his Mists. Because if Viper been able to access all of their Flames during the ring battles, there was no way Mukuro would have won. It really was sad how long these men and women had been forced to be only half themselves.

Reborn; The strongest man he knew, forced into a baby’s body against his will, tricked by the one Sky he’d allowed himself to care about.

Fon; The gentle, kind man unable to care for I-pin the way he had desperately wanted to. Forced to leave her with almost-strangers just so she could grow normally.

Verde; Who had only wanted to build and discover, pulled in just like Skull had been, deeper and deeper into the darkness that was the Mafia until he’d lost almost all his morals.

Lal; Such a strong, independent person. She’d excelled in all she’d worked towards, until she’d activated something the Vindice would not allow in the Army.

Skull; So free, always running towards the next adventure, the next Act, plucked from his life because of his strong, recessive, Atlantean Flames.

Colonello; Always so loyal, so willing to help in any way he could. Cursed in place of his best friend, the woman he loved, forced into a situation he knew nothing about.

And..

Tsuna studied Viper upside down, it had been only moments since they’d stopped him from falling with the chair but it had seemed much longer. Sometimes his Intuition liked to tell him things in the strangest ways possible times. Slowing down time didn’t seem that far-fetched after everything.

But knowing Viper better wasn’t something he wanted, not right now. He didn’t want to know Viper hadn’t ever wanted to fight the way the Mafia glorified, that they'd only wanted to be an informant. Never on any one side so it was always fair. That they’d wanted to be trusted, wanted to never be without the knowledge that could help like they had been with Checker Face.

Never wanted to be so unprepared ever again.

“Why did you do that.” The mouth in front of him moves, even though the words don’t really make much sense.

“What?” he can’t help but blurt, body sliding down the chair head first.

Viper backs up enough since it’s clear Tsuna wasn’t going to fall backwards and stands. Even though their face is covered he can see a confused twist to their mouth.

“Why did you use my Flames when you don’t want to Harmonize with me?”

The air leaves Tsuna’s lungs in wheezy surprise at the blunt way Viper had decided to just say something he’d been fighting with for weeks. If not months.

Flailing around to hopefully right himself, Tsuna frantically tries to think up something to say. All he ends up doing is undoing all their combined work by falling off the chair anyways. At least it’s forward into the wooden floor instead of backwards into the glass cabinet behind, but he’ll take what he can get right now.

“That’s not-! “ he splutters. “That’s not true!”

“Really?” Viper asks, tone annoyed. (Hurt. Their hurt. So very hurt) “Then why, exactly do you avoid me?”

Tsuna flinches back into the chair legs. He has been avoiding them. But not because of that!

Viper continues, back straight and head held high. “I won’t beg for your attention like the others, I won’t wait on you hand and foot, mou.”

They are barbed wire and velvet to his senses, achingly soft but so closed off. (wantingwantingwanting, why doesn't he? I don’t understand!)

“I- We know exactly what your doing. Fon figured it out first. But we all know. “

Tsuna stills against trying to climb back up using the chair, clinging on to its leather seat. They couldn't know what was happening. It was impossible, Kawahira had promised-!

“And I- We know something is coming. Something worse than The-Future-That-Never-Was. We know Tsunayoshi. So why can’t you..” Viper trails off. “Why can’t you just trust us?”

He can’t hold it in, the simple relief that they still have no idea what’s actually going on loosening his iron control enough that telling Viper this small bit of information won’t hurt him as badly as it normally would.

(And if it takes that aching wound inside them away, he’d do much more painful things then this.)

“I’m not avoiding you because of that.” he tells them but stops seeing them flinch back slightly.

Sighing he climbs fully into the chair finally and runs a shaky hand through his hair. He can’t look them in the eyes, or at their hood, really.

“Seeing you hurts.” he finishes quietly.

“How can seeing me hurt?” Their even more confused now he can tell, and that hurt, sharp feeling is creeping into their voice.

“Because your not them.” is his whispered answer nto the sudden harsh, silent room.

He didn’t want to look at them, almost never does anymore but where normally it’s because they remind him of that horrible day, now it’s from shame.

“I know I’m not.” Vipers voice trembles slightly. “I've never tried to be.”

Tsuna shivers. “I know that, but sometimes… sometimes it’s hard to change the way you feel, even when you know it’s not right.”

Tsuna lowers his head farther while they sit in silence for a while. Then he hears a sigh from above. Viper had floated over the few feet that separated them to hover slightly above him. He can’t force himself to look at them, convinced all he’d see is anger. (Not from his Mist (they aren’t yours, you idiot!). He’s dealt with so much anger from his Guardians through the years. He can’t deal with it from his Elements. Not now. He’ll see it soon enough.)

But Suddenly from seemingly nowhere, Tsuna can feel strong arms settle around him, their cloak billowing to cover him almost entirely from view. No one would be able to see him from the doorway, hidden as he was in Vipers surprisingly strong arms.

Viper hums against his head, they’re fingers brushing against his cheek. “I’m sorry I’m not them, I’m sorry you still hurt.” they squeeze him tightly against their chest. “I can’t fix it for you but…”

“I know.” he interrupts, hands reaching up to hold on as tightly as he dares. “ I know…”

They sit in almost silence for a while. Viper continues to hum a soothing song, helped along by their willowy Flames burning a comforting strength in the background, finally melding together with their Sky’s in the way they should.

After an unknown amount of time the comfortable silence is broken once again by Tsuna. “I want to thank you.”

The hand in his hair stills for a moment before starting again. “For what?”

He didn’t know if he should bring this up but.. it needed to be said. “For bringing them when I couldn’t.”

Vipers arms tighten around him to a painful degree. “Don’t.” they command against his hair voice quiet. “Don’t thank me for that.”

“Why?” is all he can ask. This hadn’t been something he knew he’d needed addressed but now that the conversation had started he wouldn’t (didn’t want) stop it.

“Because doing that is not something I’m proud of. Hurting you is not something I’m proud of.” Their voice is dangerously flat above him.

“But… it had to be done.” Tsuna says bemused. They apparently ‘knew’ what was going on but this was what got to Viper?

They cling to Tsuna tighter, their head moving to hide in his neck, gritted teeth touching just where Skull had earlier. “It didn’t. Not that way. Not right then.”

Tsuna doesn’t want to ask. Not really. They’ve just found each other (stop this madness Tsuna. Your only going to hurt yourself and them) but he needs to know. Badly.

“What do you mean?”

“I was selfish. And impatient. I forgot you weren’t Varia. Forgot how much it would hurt you to break away. I took advantage and hurt my S-“ Viper cuts themselves off.

Tsuna freezes heart pounding in his chest. (no!) “You’re what, Viper.”

“My boss.” Is the lie that leaves their lips confidently. If Tsuna wasn’t who he was he’d believe them in a heartbeat.

“That’s not what you were going to say.” But he was Vongola.

Viper pauses for a long moment letting the silence lengthen into something important. “No.” they say slowly, “No it wasn’t.”

“You know lying to me is useless.” Why was he pushing this? He’d been avoiding it like the plague from everyone for months. Dodging them all.

“I know.” Vipers hands tighten on his back, where they’d stayed running instead if just holding him. They’d started trying to sooth him.

“What did you say?”

“My Sky.” The world around then seemed to stop, and he can’t help but let the words wash over them both. Hands grip tightly around his ribs incase Tsuna tries to flee.

(A small part of him deep inside is amused. They really did know him well, didn’t they? Skull and Reborn, Viper. If their first thought was to hold him down so he didn’t do a runner against things he didn’t want to hear.)

“I can’t be your Sky, Viper.” he’s begging now. He knows where this is going. The train wreck that’s waiting for them all. “I can’t.”

“But you already are, Tsunayoshi Sawada.” Vipers voice rips through every type of defense he tries to make. “And this bond, no matter how selfish, isn’t one I’ll allow you to break.”

Viper squeezes him and Tsuna can feel the tears trailing down his face. “You’ll regret this.” he tells them with iron certainty. “You’ll all regret this.”

“We won’t.” Viper promises feverishly. “Not in ten years, not in a hundred, and not in a thousand. Not when the sun burns out and not when the stars start to fall. We will always love you.”

Tsuna doesn’t know what to say, can’t say anything because even with this small concession he won’t allow it. Can’t allow it. Not if he wants to save them for good.

Moments pass again in a heavy stillness, waiting for one of the two stubborn people in the room to break it.

The door behind them both is shattered open in an explosion of sound, wood flying everywhere. They can do nothing, curled around each other as they are but watch in horror as a huge mass of black and green with long silver hair trailing behind it heads straight for their chair.

It’s a mess of limbs and glass as the chair Viper had saved tips over backwards towards the glass cabinet behind it. Filled with four people, the chair (and everything behind it) never stood a chance.

Tsuna squawks like a bird being murdered trapped under everyone, Viper’s screech of indignation had to be heard throughout the base and there’s just a whole lot of tangled limbs, elbowing everything in sight going on.

“VOOOOOOI! Bastard Boss! I said to fucking wait! Not throw me into goddamn Levi!” Is screamed with more profanity then Tsuna knew was possible to push into one sentence, at the open doorway. “He broke the goddamn door!” A glaring face topped with beautiful (Not that he’d ever tell him that) hair yells right in his face. “And the Baby Boss!”

Tsuna can’t even be surprised. He really can’t. Where else would Viper be other than the Varia headquarters? It was a miracle they’d had any time at all before being barged in on. (Actually that was really suspicious. Why hadn’t they been barged in on before now?)

“I will never understand why you still call me Baby Boss.”

The grey eyes above narrow at him before his head is slammed down into the floor and Tsuna can only groan.

He never learned.

Heavy footsteps moved casually over towards the puppy pile of some of the most dangerous people in the world and stopped. From where his face was being ground down into the floor, Tsuna could see large, black steel-toed boots that Xanxus favored in front of him. Not to mention the uproarious laughter coming from the huge man from above.

“You left some pissed off Arcobaleno back at the main house, Baby Boss.” He could practically hear the smirk on his smug face. “I hope your prepared.”

Wait.

How did Xanxus know what happened at the main house?!

Chapter Text

It took entirely too long for two annoyed world class assassins, one indignant Arcobaleno, and a long-suffering Mafia Don to untangle themselves from each other and the chair without breaking anything else.

They didn't succeed.

Squalo couldn't stop screeching at people and swinging his sword arm around at them all when they accidentally (or not so accidentally) pulled his hair while trying to move, Viper kept trying to Mist their way out but only ever made it that much harder when something got caught on their cloak pulling them right back in with the rest, Levi kept kicking the already poorly abused cabinet to try and get some motion going to pull himself out but only ended up spraying them all with more glass and dragging the group itself erratically back and forth. Tsuna, accepting his fate of forever being trapped by both Squalo's foot, Viper's body and Levi's idiocy laid perfectly still and hoped if he just ignored them they'd all go away.

"God, you really are just like Giotto." A familiar, echoing voice sneered from above him, "You're both always running away from your problems."

Tsuna's head snapped up, dislodging Squalo's foot off his face and toppling the slim man even further into the pissed off pile. But he didn't notice the renewed screaming, instead  staring horrified at some type of creature that’d gotten past every single one of the Varia and now, somehow, stood right beside Xanxus without him even flinching. It looked like a person shaped glass container filled with black smoke that was swirling lazily. It had no face, but it's expressions were easy to tell apart they were so filled with raw emotion.

"Wha-" What are you Tsuna tried to ask but before he could finish the first word the creature was interrupting him.

It's lip pulled up slowly to show viciously black teeth that glistened with some type of purple ooze, "Whatever happened to changing the Mafia, Tsuna? Isn't that what you promised us when you realized you had no way out? You were so filled with self-righteous naïveté, so ready to change the world " the smoky figure snarled audibly, "and now look at you, running from your problems again, hurting people just so you can live in denial! You're selfish, no, you're beyond selfish!" The smoke inside the figures body turned in on itself like a self-eating black hole, over and over and over again, faster and faster the black smoke would get sucked up into a hole in the middle of his chest. Then spat back out again by the creatures head and feet.

Tsuna starred in fascinated horror at whatever this thing above him that knew his life so intimately was, before he realized what the being said, "I- it's not that easy!" Tsuna sputtered in denial missing the way Viper, distracted from their fight with Squalo's clinging hair inquisitively cocked their head towards him.

"It's not that easy, he says!" The voice mocked him crouching down to get eye level, "It's sooooo hard having all this power, having all these people willing to die for you, murder for you, change their entire outlook on life, practically worship you. But poor, pitiful me 'I don't want to be a Mafia Boss!' " The things voice perfectly matched a fourteen year old Tsuna's voice. The screech and everything was present.

Tsuna tried to drag himself backwards, away from the toxic, past words the creature was pinning him with, to find some type of safety from reality. Anything but having to listen to this things wrong, wrong, wrong opinion. He wasn't like that!

Tripping over body's in his escape he fell and slammed his elbow hard into the wooden floor, drawing the attention of the rest of them room, "I never asked for any of those people to do that stuff for me! I never asked for them to act like I'm some sort of stupid almighty figure! And- and, you're right I didn't want to be a Mafia Boss! I didn't get a choice in this! But I made it work!" Tsuna cried shakily. A defense made of already shattered glass.

"Boss-"

The figure reached out with one shadowy, cold hand to harshly grab Tsuna's dress shirt and bring them both inches away from each other, face to face. "Well suck it up, buttercup because no one fucking cares what you wanted. This is who you are now and you need to accept it."

"Shitty Boss, what-"

Tsuna couldn't stop shaking. The creatures face was right there, it's breath was hot and minty and it's hand was like a steel cable keeping him steady unwillingly. He could just barely feel Viper's hand clawing the back of his shirt, could feel vague, half formed thoughts of concern in his soul where Viper had forcibly made a home. Tsuna had tried everything he could to keep those Bonds from forming but he couldn't help but be grateful, no matter how bad the idea, that Viper was here with him, that he wasn't alone against this.

The creature wasn't smiling anymore, it's face had gone cold, it's common features showing through the blackness. "You're going to die, Tsuna." It said harshly, "Stop." A shake, "Running." An even harder shake, "Away." Tsuna felt another hand clamp down on the top of his head and scruff it roughly. It was big, always bigger than his and rough from gun calluses. He knew this hand.

"Actually face something in your pathetic life without being forced for once." The smoke being snarled at him but it's voice was fading slowly as more and more sensation intruded on its little world with Tsuna. A big hand on his head, a smaller but even rougher hand (what was it about swords that cased calluses even worse than guns?) clamped down hard on the back of his neck, a rough jacket was draped aggressively over his front, the buckles and strange white criss-cross thing Tsuna had never been able to tell the use of, dug into his neck and knees.

And…

Viper. Tsuna shivered, Viper he would always know, no matter what. They were practically plastered over his back, their arms tight around him under Levi's jacket, their face roughly shoved into the side of his neck and they kept repeating something Tsuna even in this state refused to listen to, over and over.

Easy enough to do when he didn't know up from down or right from left. His head was pounding, and his continuously twitching body felt like he'd just gone twelve rounds with Xanxus making it even easier easy to ignore the Mist. Hi's sight was darkening at the edges with confusing shapes that could have been people, only now he couldn't grasp entirely who and what was where in the room. He couldn't seem to swallow enough to get his voice to work to ask but he could vaguely make out the familiar voices around him.

"This is the third time it's happened this month, Boss." That was Squalo's voice. Less loud then he normally was, almost… secretive? When had he even moved his hand?

"I know." And that was Xanxus. Sounding so much more serious then Tsuna almost ever heard him.

"Has he said..?"

A scoff. "No, of course the shitty kid hasn't said anything." A deep rumble that Tsuna knew Xanxus only ever made when he was deeply displeased about something but unsure on how to fix it, "everytime someone tries to bring it up he uses those fucking shitty ass eyes and all the trash fall over themselves to do anything he wants. It's pathetic." A mean chuckle, "It'd be almost hilarious if it wasn't about this."

"Boss-" Squalo's voice stopped abruptly before he could continue. Which was even more unlike him then his earlier quiet worlds were, Tsuna thought through the molasses that was his thoughts.

"What, Shitty Shark."

A loaded pause.

"...You need to think about why we're even here. Baby Boss hasn't sent us on any missions other than milk run diplomacy ones in months. Even before people outside the Family started catching theses… episodes."

Xanxus tched and Tsuna could hear some type of glass bottle breaking against a wall, then more until it was just glass after glass exploding in the room, one after the other with no stop.

Squalo's voice rose over the breaking glass easily, "You know as well as I do what that means when Don's of any Family do that!" Squalo was seemingly ignored, "BOSS!"

"I KNOW!" Was roared out. The glass stopped shattering and Tsuna could hear a heavy thump land somewhere in front of him, before a large, warm weight covered his front and big hands gently shoved his head into a chest with a wildly beating heart.

"I know, Squalo." A harsh breath, so unlike Xanxus, "I know.."

Something wet and unexpected splashed on Tsuna's cheek, "I won't lose anymore brothers, you stupid fucking brat." Was horsley whispered like a dirty secret Xanxus didn't want anyone else to know, in his hair. More voices argued over his head, but Tsuna was already falling down into the warm darkness of unconsciousness.

For once he wasn't worried about not waking up. As long as Xanxus and the Varia Commanders were there everything would be fine. Tsuna couldn't help a last fond thought that it was awe inspiring how far people can come. His thirteen year old self would have never imagined being anything other than terrified of Xanxus and the others, much less that he'd end up lov-

...he was falling,

drifting in the dark,

forever going down,

down,

down….

(Tsuna wondered idly if this is what death would be like. If it was, he wouldn't mind it so much.)

Tsuna woke up abruptly to the feeling of eyes staring at him. To most people it would probably just be unnerving or annoying, most likely a pet or friend messing with you. For Tsuna it was one of his most common nightmares after he'd started to live with people other than his Mother. Because Tsuna had lived with Reborn for years at that point, so his instinct's (which had always been good when danger or humiliation was involved) said someone (Reborn) staring at you was really bad for your continued mental well-being.

(It's only later, after he'd moved all the way to Italy that assassins started to show up, when it become an actual nightmare that would wake him up weekly, hands and forehead blazing. It was always the worst right behind the one that had Reborn behind the barrel of the gun pointed at him. That one left him shaking for days afterwards. )

He springs up off the couch(?) he'd been sleeping on, his hands and forehead already wreathed in Flames and come into direct contact with Xanxus unreadable eyes. Tsuna blinked and almost took a step back. Xanxus didn't… do quiet. None of the Varia didn't really, but Xanxus was right behind his Rain in the leader press on who was worse to get screaming into you ear.

Instead of relaxing his battle ready stance after he realized it was just Xanxus and not some assassin sent to kill/fuck him, he stiffened up. Something about the air, the atmosphere in the room was still. Like the entire world was holding its breath.

"Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna steared uncomprehendingly. Xanxus had never used his name before. Not for Alliance meetings, not alone, nor anywhere since he'd always had a hard time pronouncing the foreign sounding words. Tsuna's never really cared much about what nickname he'd have as long as Xanxus was comfortable. Why would it matter? He wasn't what anyone else called him either. What's one more persona to add the piles.

But he'd used it this time.

Something was very, very wrong and he had no idea what it could be. What Xanxus had caught when he'd been so very careful about hiding his plans.

Xanxus in turn studied Tsuna, his unreadable eyes trailing up and down his body slowly, before moving with that same contemplating look from fingertip to fingertip. from arm to arm, for some strange reason before he leaned back into his armchair, and placed both boots firmly on the floor.

Not to relax, Tsuna realized with a sinking stomach, but because this was going to take a while.

"We need to talk, Baby Boss."

Chapter Text

Xanxus crowded Tsuna further against the couch so much so he was almost afraid to move away from it. If he didn’t know Xanxus had absolutely zero interest in him he’d be more concerned. A large hand slammed against the wooden back beside his head, “Listen to me, you little shit. I don’t know what your planning but I know enough that those shitty Guardians of yours won’t fucking like it.”

No. The man was just really, really bad at showing genuine concern.

“I don’t wanna’ have to clean up your shitty mess if you croak to soon. Barely got outta’ the shitty job the first time around, there’s no way your shoving it off on me you fucking brat.” All of this said in a sneer. Like the larger man hadn’t been trying his hardest to kill him the first time they met. “I can see how miserable you are. I already have enough paperwork to deal with because of that shitty shark.”

Tsuna’s lips twisted into a small smile, one only Xanxus could see and he patted the gruff man on the arm he still had looming above him, “I know, Xanxus.” It wasn’t an agreement.

Xanxus knew it too by the growl that should have logically only come out of his Box animal. The heavy hand on his head wasn’t unexpected, neither was the other hand coming around to grip at the nape of his neck in a vaguely cat like manner.

“I won’t do it, Tsuna. Whatever your planning in that shitty head of yours, I won’t do it.” The hand pressed down harder and Xanxus’ eyes burned into his own with a rage that hadn’t been tempered, not really, not even after all this time. It had only taken on a different form. “You’re the head of this Family, kid.” He bared his teeth in a mockery of a smile, “You’re gonna stay the head of It if I have ta’ drag you towards every last one of your Guardians, bleeding and crying.“ Fiercely protective; that’s the form the rage Tsuna had seen as a child had taken. Rage against anything that would take anymore of his Family away. Even themselves it seemed, not that he knew Tsuna was the enemy this time.

Tsuna swallowed with difficulty, his eyes taking in every aspect of Xanxus’ face so close to his own, the magma in his gaze, his unwavering confidence and his brutal loyalty, then he buried his head in the fall of feathers in his face and wrapped his arms around Xanxus’ neck, the man’s own strong arms curling around his back and pulling him into a crushing hug and just breathed in the scent of iron and liquor. A horrible smell really but this man…. he’d been more of a father figure to him then Iemitsu ever had. After that fight for the rings, when Tsuna had to stop being just a simple 14 year old and really step up, Xanxus had been there to guard him.

He hadn’t been kind, or even approachable but he’d been there to help him through everything. Everything that Xanxus himself had ended up having to go through alone. After the Future-That-Never-Was, where Tsuna grew up in the Mafia without anyone to show him what to do and ended up sacrificing himself just to get his younger self there to fix it all, he’d turned into a guard dog, or cat, honestly, with the way he prowled around and kidnapped Tsuna for his own ‘lessons’, (Very different from the Ninth’s own) every so often. If anyone personified their box animal absolutely, it was Xanxus.

Tsuna knew about the parts of Vongola that when he’d first shown up that had wanted nothing to do with him, the parts who had stayed loyal towards Xanxus’ claim even after six years without any word from the Heir they were backing. Xanxus has been the favorite even over his older brothers (when they had still lived) for a reason.

Mukuro had been thorough in telling him all about the ones who wanted him to go back to being a ‘lost’ Heir so Xanxus could take his rightful place. Told him how much everyone hated him and his new policies but he’d also told him, slyly on the nights he didn’t think he’d be able to do this, on the nights everything felt against him, when Reborn was gone and none of his Guardians we’re where they were supposed to be, that Xanxus was his strongest supporter.

Told him idily, all dramatic glances and lounging languidly on a fainting couch that hadn’t been there before one of his Mist’s had showed up, about how he snapped and snarled at anyone dumb enough to bring it up to him, dumb enough to think he’d go against Family after they've already had their ‘talk.’ (Never mind said ‘Talk’ was with Flames and Fists and Guns, or that Tsuna won by the skin of his teeth terrified the entire time. That was normal for the Mafia, he later found out. Told him all about the men and women that had died before Tsuna (Mukuro) had even known they were a threat at all.

Xanxus was the older brother he’d never had, the father he’d wanted to make proud of him with running the Family. Xanxus’ Guardians had ended up protecting them both more often than Tauna’s had been around at all.

It had become a problem at one point, when the Family had started to notice.

Had started to talk.

One thing that you can’t stop in humans is gossip. It doesn’t matter how tightly you seal the lid, how much red tape you put around a topic, the more people that knew something the faster it spreads. There was a reason the saying went ‘two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.’

Tsuna remembers vaguely that it went like this the first time he’d realized what's been going on behind his back, while he was trying to pull the Family out of it’s blood soaked past with very little luck.

He’d had Belphegor with him at the time since he’d just come from The Varia compound after speaking with Xanxus, Bel had just wandered off with him since none of his own Guardians had been ‘available.’ Xanxus hadn’t even told him to go with Tsuna, he’d just...done it.

Bel had been juggling his knives for Tsuna’s entertainment while they walked, (Not that he’d known that either at the time, he hadn’t been very good at hiding his exhaustion. He wasn’t very good at noticing things at all then, now that he’s thinking back on it.) catching some in his teeth, most in his hands and then throwing them up again. It’d been highly interesting to watch and despite Tsuna’s worry that if Bel missed one of the knives he was going to get seriously hurt, he kept his mouth shut. Belphegor wouldn’t appreciate it and he’d definitely be offended that Tsuna thought he was so incompatent he’d hurt himself, when he caught the ending sentence of one of the maids from a room with an open door.

“-can’t even keep his own Guardians, Alice! How are we supposed to respect a Don that tries to steal another Sky’s?”

Tsuna had frozen, his intuition informing him he wouldn’t like listening into this conversation. Bel’s face at the words had simply confirmed it. It also told him Bel knew exactly what the women were talking about.

Tsuna held up a hand silently as he walked back towards the door the women were by and stood behind the it’s opening. Just enough they couldn't see them but close enough he’d be able to listen in. With still hands and an uncharastic frown Bel followed him silently, though it was clear he’d rather they be anywhere but here.

From the reflection of the window opposite the room (Bad security. They’d need to fix that before anyone got killed. A window right outside the bedroom door? Sometimes Tsuna didn’t understand at all how whoever made this mansion got the job.) He could see two women. They were both young and Tsuna didn’t recognize either of them so they hadn’t been vetted to be close to him like his own Varia trained maids had been.

One had longer hair than the other and she was dusting a rug out aggressively while she talked, the other woman, who’s hunched shoulders showed she didn’t want to be stuck in a room with her coworker was timidly dusting all the lamps.

“I’m just saying, Alice! What type of Sky makes someone under him give him unlimited access of his Guardians? It’s not right!” The first woman seemed like a Classic Storm through and through.

The other woman winced and looked over at her colleague, “Keep your voice down, Karen.. We don’t need anyone hearing you yell how wrong you think our Don is.” She practically whispered compared to the other woman.

Karen huffed and set the rug down savagely on the floor. “But you’ve seen it too haven’t you?” she asked, “Poor Xanxus’ Guardians are with the Don more often than their with him! What could make a Guardian do that then a direct order from the Head of the Family?”

Alice sighed and turned her back on Karen, trying to focus on her dusting, “I think it doesn’t matter what we think. We're just maids and even if it is wrong we have no authority on it.” She said softly, “He’s our Don, what he says and what he does is without reproach. You’d be smart to remember that.”

Karen stormed over towards Alice and jerked her around, “I know that! But how can you stand there and say it’s none of our business when he’s our Don! What he does reflects on all of us and that his own Guardians won’t stay in the same house as him for more than a week at a time, not to mention everything he’s doing with Xanxus’ Guardians!” She shook the other woman slightly, “It’s wrong!”

Alice sighed heavily and eased Karen off her, “I know it’s wrong, dear. Trying to steal another Sky’s Guardians is disgusting but,” She pushed the other woman farther away, “we can’t do anything about it. It’s not our place.”

A tight grip on his arm drew Tsuna’s attention away from the women and towards Bel, who was holding him in a bruising hold. Looking down Tsuna realized he’d been clenching his hands so hard his fingernails had pierced his palm. Small drops of blood were dripping into the white carpet. He wondered when he’d started to do that, since he hadn’t felt any pain from it and it was a lot harder than people thought to pierce the skin of your palm.

Bel tossed his head sharply over his shoulder in the direction they’d been going before Tsuna had heard the woman talking. Tsuna moved slowly away from the door, careful not to alert the two inside that they’d had eavesdroppers this entire time. One of which was the person they’d been talking about.

Bel dropped his arm the second they started moving and went back to his place behind and slightly to the left of Tsuna’s shoulder. They walked in silence for an uncomfortable moment until Tsuna couldn’t take it anymore. “Is that really what everyone thinks of me?” He didn’t look back at Bel when he asked the question, already so sure about the answer he didn’t want to watch the Storm confirm it.

Bel replied unnervingly quietly, “...Yeah, boss.”

“I see.”

They continued the rest of the walk to Tsuna’s office in dead silence. It wasn’t until they got to the door and Tsuna felt a ruthless hand tugging backwards on the collar of his shirt to look up at a scowing Belphegor, that he did anything at all. Even without being able to see the blond prince’s eyes, Tsuna could tell he was being glared at.

“Don’t get any stupid ideas in your head about what they said, pesaent-boss. We all know you aren’t trying to steal us from Boss.” Belphegor’s upper lip pulled up to reveal surprisingly sharp canines, “You’re Guardians are trash and we like you un-assassinated. It’d be too annoying to have to break in another lacky after you.”

Tsuna remembered smiling at Bel too numb to feel much of anything else at the moment. The prince’s face twisted in some unreadable expression before he’s sighed and released him. “Boss is gonna be pissed..” He murmured, hands going to fidget with his knives nervously.

“Thank you, Bel.” Tsuna said blankly, “I think I’ll be alright now. Can you remind Xanxus about that meeting with the Caro Family coming up?”

Belphegor’s hand started twisting his knife around and around, faster and faster while his other one roughed his own hair up in frustration, careful to not disturbed the crown perched precariously there. “Yeah boss, I’ll do that.” He looked like he wanted to say something more but Bel hadn’t ever been what you’d called stable and he had no idea how to reassure or comfort someone like Boss and the others could. He was at a loss of what else to do.

So he did nothing. He watched Tsuna walk into his study and not come out again until Reborn had to force the door open with his alarmingly strong (even for Varia standards) Sun Flames and drag Tsuna out by his hair weeks later. After that, no matter what they tried to do, Tsuna refused to be protected by the Varia. It didn’t matter how much Boss raged at him or Squalo tried to intimidate him, the baby boss was absolute. He would not be using the Varia as protection.

The gossiping stopped but something in Tsuna had seemed so desolate that day. So alone. A wall had been built brick by brick by all their actions, until Tsuna was completely alone. Not that anyone had realized that at the time.

( What made it all the more tragic for Tsuna was that Xanxus wouldn't have minded sharing his Guardians with another Sky, as long as that Sky was Tsuna. It’s what the Varia had been aiming for, in those early days. They knew his guardians didn’t deserve him, and they were powerful enough it wouldn’t strain any of them to have two Skies. .

But as all things do, that pure, selfless desire from them all to help crashed and burned. All due to others judgements. )

Then Xanxus, strong, feral, possessive Xanxus reaches out his Flames and curls them protectively around them both. It feels more like home than his mother’s house ever did, more than when Iemitsu tried to do the same with his own Flames years and years ago and got Flame rejected so severely he’d never tried again.

It felt like terror in the face of the unknown, but with a strong hand to guide him, it felt like training and training and training until he could hardly hold himself up, then strong arms lifting him on a broad back to carry him home. It felt like wrath and gunfire and an overwhelming amount of resigned love. Like he’d never wanted to get attached but couldn’t help himself. He felt both nothing and exactly like the Elements Tsuna wanted, just as much his as Tsuna was Xanxus’.

Together like this, they were the horizon.

Two Skies, two different methods and two different personalities melding Flames together so well, so smoothly you couldn’t tell one from the other until you saw them physically. Even then it was only the outer edges that showed their individuality, the middle between them, the very center of their being stayed the beautiful ombré of pure orange Sky Flames fading into intense Red hues of a Wrathful Sky. Both Skies, both so different, but nothing except beautiful together.

It was Xanxus.

So Tsuna broke down. There simply wasn’t anything else he could do, not with Xanxus’ not here, not now.

He held him in a crushing embrace, wrapping almost completely around Tsuna’s still thin frame, something that hasn't changed in all the years since they first met. While Xanxus had grown larger and wider, becoming a sturdy body Tsuna could rest against and know he’d be protected when they were out in the wider Mafia world, Tsuna had grown taller but stayed the same willowy kid he’s always been.

So it wasn’t hard at all to disappear into Xanxus willing arms, to forget about responsibilities and death and the knowledge he’d be leaving everyone he loved behind. He could be that sixteen year old again, trapped in some room of the manor while the party raged outside his door. overwhelmed and miserable, trying everything he could to not have a panic attack,. Until Xanxus had stormed in, the door rocketing off the wall to fly back towards his face before he caught it with one hand. He could be the teenager that was terrified of judgement, but craved reassurance. He could be the sixteen year old who had sobbed on a younger Xanxus’ shoulder, just like this when he’d gruffly yanked him up into his arms and onto the couch not far from them.
He wasn’t the only one remembering the past because Xanxus clawed his fingers into Tsuna’s waist and repeated the same words he’d said then, in the same ritualistic tone.

“I’m right here for you, my Don.” Then, and now, were the only times Xanxus has ever called him that.” Not for the shitty old man, not for your shitty father and not because your shitty hitman tricked me. I’m here for you.” He’d squeezed impossibly tighter, so tight Tsuna couldn’t feel the darkness of the decisions he’d made creeping in, the terror that he was in way over his head. “You’re the last of my family and the Head of my Famiglia, not the old man, no matter what shit he likes to spew.” Raised voices came from outside before cutting off abruptly, “I’ll be your black hand until the day I die, your loyal rabid dog.” Xanxus vowed, “I’ll drench my hands in the blood of the people who want you dead or a broken toy.” Tsuna’s breath hitched on his tears. “I’m here, Don. Always. You just have to let me help you.”

But just like then, Tsuna took the comfort, selfishly but couldn’t give back the same devotion. He couldn’t drag Xanxus or his Guardians down with him. Not then or now. He loved them all too much.

“I can’t.” Tsuna drew back despite resistance from the body he was holding on to. “I can’t do that, Xanxus. Not to you all.”

Xanxus scowled dangerously at Tsuna when he got far enough back to see his face. He didn’t make promises easily, and just like then it stug to have Tsuna reject him. He’d do it anyways, because nothing he said was a lie, but it… hurt. “You can, you brat. You just don’t want to. You have this stupid idea in your head becasue of your shitty dad and that shitty hitman that you can’t get help from anyone else or you’ll ruin them. It’s bullshit and you know it.”

Tsuna flinched back into the couch, his hands curled up in front of his chest defensively. “I.. that’s not true..”

Xanxus pushed himself away from the couch and Tsuna, his Flames drawing back into himself protectively. “It is. You still think your that shitty kid who couldn’t do anything right. I fucking know, Tsuna, The Varia aren’t as stupid as everyone else in Vongola think we are.”

Tsuna’s own flames grasped at the wrath flames as they separated themselves, but when they started searing his own he let go completely. I.. I don’t know what you want from me, Xanxus..”

Xanxus glared at him, “I want you to actually take care of yourself for fucking once and harmonize with your shitty Elements finilly. You’ve only been running from it for fucking years.“ Xanxus cracked his neck and sat heavily back in his armchair with an angry sigh. “But thats not fucking likely, so I want you to tell me what the fucks going on before it blows up in all our faces.”

Tsuna blinked at Xanxus’ honesty, he didn’t know why he was surprised. Xanxus was never known for being very patient.” Nothings going on..”

Xanxus smirked unhumorously, “Then why’d you break down, Tsuna? Why’d you freak the fuck out so badly when your elements made their move you used Viper’s Mist to get away?”

“It was an accident!” He exclaimed, “I just.. panicked.”

“You panicked so hard you used a Mist who isn’t yours, to teleport away.”

“I mean, when you put it like that it sounds bad..”

Xanxus put his head in his hand, “Of course it sounds bad, you asshole. It is fucking bad. It’s an understatment how fucking bad it is.” Tsuna squirmed, “It’s also somthing you wouldn’t fucking do normally. You have more control than that. More control then anyone else in this fucking Family. You don’t just panic like that, not anymore.” Xanxus said all of this in the most matter of fact tone Tsuna had head from him. If he wasn’t on the spot right now, he’d probably be flattered by how highly he thought of his ability not to panic. It wasn’t true, of course. He’d just learned to keep all his reactions inside. His subconscious remembers how all his “Hei’s!” had been dealt with by Reborn.

Brutally.