Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He meets Reborn for the first time after having tripped, as usual, down the last two steps of the stairs. He barely registers his mother’s bubbly announcement of having hired him a home tutor over the shock of meeting the sharp black eyes of what looks like an infant in a crisp, black suit with comically curly sideburns springing out from beneath a meticulously placed fedora. Even that thought is pushed to the side in favor of the shining pacifier around the child’s neck, glowing as brightly as the sun, and the small sprinkles of color in his otherwise grey-toned world.

There is a thick band of it adorning the baby’s fedora, partially hidden behind the small lizard perched on the brim (what?), and a different shade of it filling in the flowers on his mother’s apron. There are splashes of it on the walls, or rather the pictures that hang upon it, and from book spines on the shelf. His rain boots stick out like a sore thumb in the genkan; spots of it swim in and out of the corners of his eyes. He knows he is staring, but it is so very hard to look away.

It is soft and sharp and oh so very warm, this color, and seeing it is like a balm to the soul.

He sits up slowly, unsure how to feel. He’s elated at the thought of actually having a soulmate (because it means he wasn’t meant to be alone, he doesn’t have to be alone, that the bullies were wrong, his existence isn’t meaningless); but at the same time, his soulmate appears to be an infant with a somewhat frighteningly blank face and sharp coal black eyes, and on top of that, his world is still grey-toned. There is only one new color he can see, and what does that even mean, maybe there was something wrong with him, maybe the bullies weren’t entirely wrong, what if his soulmate didn’t want anything to do with him because he messed it all up somehow, because he was broken-

Tsuna hisses and rubs the top of his head to ease the stinging. The baby raises the cartoonish ’10 Ton’ mallet that he did not previously have, as if threatening to hit him with it again. The slightly squeaky lisp does not quite hide the dark warning hiding within the baby’s words as he speaks.

“We will figure it out. Don’t be so dramatic.”

Tsuna’s teeth click as his mouth shuts, swallowing the multitude of questions on the tip of his tongue. Instead, he turns to his mother, blissfully oblivious as always, who is cheerfully extoling the virtues of her absent husband; the wonderful, loving man who apparently arranged everything because she once mentioned a long time ago how poorly Tsuna’s grades were and how concerned she was about it. Too busy trying to tune out her weekly gushing love-spiel and panicking over the realization that he was going to be late for school, Tsuna doesn’t notice the slowly fading light from the pendant beneath his shirt.

Reborn rarely misses anything, however, so his eyes linger as he creates a mental to-do list.

First on his list is to shoot Iemitsu for being so unacceptably inaccurate in his reports.

—

Reborn is the World’s Greatest Hitman, and being colorblind does not detract from this. It is a non-issue, as far as he is concerned. He has never desired the ability to see in color beyond idle curiosity and has never been bothered about the fact that he couldn't (so long as one ignored his pouting ego). This is mostly due to the fact that having the ability to see in color means that he would need to meet the eyes of his soulmate, something else he has never desired.

He is one person in a world of billions and the likelihood of ever meeting his soulmate, much less that that person would also be a mafioso and thus be able to understand and to survive within the dark world he thrives in, is infinitesimal. Why would he desire to be inexplicably attached to a stranger, a most likely civilian stranger at that? 

Eyes are the windows to the soul, however, and his ability to read others through them as though he is reading their minds is something he takes pride in. It is a hard-earned skill that he has invested countless hours of dedication and practice into learning; something as silly and unlikely as meeting his soulmate is not enough to make him throw away all of that effort. So despite the nearly infinitesimal possibility, he meets the eyes of everyone he speaks to and if there is a small voice in the back of his mind saying, not this one with each pair of eyes met, he doesn’t hear it.

Vongola Nono’s request comes at exactly the right time. He had long finished his last contract and though he loves his job, assassination has become less of an occupation and more of a chore. Being the top of the top comes with perquisites that he has no shame in taking advantage of, but the rush it used to fill him with, the excitement of a new challenge, the glamour and notoriety and thrill… it’s just… not gone, exactly, but diminished. Less than it once used to be.

It certainly helps that training the Cavallone Heir had made him feel more accomplished than his first successful hit. Watching how the cowardly, whiny boy turned into a confident, resilient man capable of leading his Family out of the dark hole they had been sinking into – it had ignited the spark he thought he had lost. He had done that; he had molded something brilliant from the useless lump it had used to be. It had been the most rewarding challenge he had ever faced… not that he would ever admit that out loud, and certainly not where the brat could hear him.

So he takes the job and hides his anticipation for this new challenge behind the repayment of favors and mutual respect. He only hopes he won't regret it despite that it sounds like exactly what he needs.

When he arrives in Namimori, he is expecting Dino 2.0. Only worse, because this time his student is a civilian who knows nothing of the dark underworld he will be forced into, not an heir reluctant to and incapable of taking over from his predecessors. His file is less than impressive, with failing marks, no athletic abilities to speak of, and apparently very poor social skills if the lack of friends is any indication. 

It is much less than he had to work with before; less a useless lump of clay and more a solid slab of marble he will have to chip at a bit at a time. It is an excellent challenge where none existed before, despite or perhaps especially because of who his new student is. He resigns himself to a long, frustrating few years because the boy who practically trips over air down the stairs is exactly what he expects.

The explosion of color as their eyes meet is not.

He is the World’s Greatest, however, so none of his surprise at this entirely unexpected turn of events shows on his face, even as he reads the shock, happiness, wariness, worry and fear in his student’s – his soulmate, and how even is this his life? – eyes. The boy’s eyes are moving between his pacifier, his hat, his mother’s apron, and there is the reason for his fear and worry, because for some reason the boy is still mostly colorblind. He is afraid, because he has wanted for nothing more than a validation for his existence, and this failing, this flaw, could mean that Reborn would leave him, and the idea of being rejected by his soulmate terrifies him more than anything else in the world.

Naturally, Reborn refuses to allow for such stupidity, so Leon transforms into the perfect object to knock some sense into him and he proceeds to do so without so much as a by your leave.

He is able to calm the boy – Tsuna, his name is Tsuna – down with just a few simple words (which both surprises and pleases him because in no way is he in the mood for excessive dramatics; in this, Tsuna seems to be nothing like his father, thank providence), and when his student is finished panicking over the time, Reborn sends him off with the assurance of explanations later. Reborn had been planning to follow him to school and shadow him all day to observe him (possibly start the unsealing of his Flames by shooting him with a Dying Will Bullet) but this new revelation, and what the consequences will mean for both of them – for Vongola, for the mafia world in general – comes first.

With Tsuna (his fourteen year old soulmate, how?!) safely out the door on his way to school, and Nana not long after him to go to the market, Reborn sits back with a cup of espresso and thinks. The clues are starting to connect, and to be honest he's not sure if he likes the conclusion that's forming. 

Observation one: Sawada Tsunayoshi is his soulmate.

Okay. He can work with that – might even be a bit happy about it once he's had time to process. The ball of unrest that has always sat at the back of his mind that he prefers to pretend didn’t exist is finally settled and quiet. He feels inexplicably lighter, a weight lifting that he had never noticed – or had refused to notice – before. It just means he'll have even more reason to tor- that is, to whip him into shape. He does not deny that he is a possessive man; he refuses to leave what is now his at any more of a disadvantage than he is already in.

Observation two: Tsuna is still mostly colorblind despite having met his eyes.

Strange, yes, but there is obviously some unknown factor causing this phenomenon. No one has ever been able to understand how soulmates actually work despite decades of study and research. In a world of over six billion, less than eighteen percent find their soulmate within their lifetime, and just under one percent of that total happens every year. In the last few centuries, however, those numbers had been steadily increasing – and not only because of technological advances. Perhaps it is related to whatever is causing the soulmate boom, or even perhaps it is just simply a quirk of his genetics.

Observation three: Tsuna is the bearer of the Sky pacifier.

The light shining from beneath Tsuna’s uniform, the warmth and glow of his own against his chest… it is unmistakable. Tsuna is – somehow – the Arcobaleno’s Sky. Which means he is Reborn's Sky. Which means Reborn will have to share his soulmate, however much that thought grates.

The lines are forming.

Reborn taps his fingers against his cup. Leon climbs down from the brim of his fedora and rubs his head soothingly along Reborn's jaw. Reborn pets him for a long moment, still thinking. 

He makes a decision and grabs his phone. 

"Come to Namimori, Japan. I've found something interesting."

He hangs up before the other can answer and starts to plan.

Chapter Text

Despite the surprises he receives that morning, Tsuna's day passes relatively normally, for him. He manages to make it to school on time and in doing so avoids a "biting" via the school prefect and self-proclaimed protector of Namimori, Hibari Kyoya. He successfully escapes the notice of his usual bullies, remains largely unnoticed by anyone else, and fortunately, there is nothing unsavory in his shoe locker. (The memory of the time he had been forced to wear shoes that were filled with various foodstuffs and left to rot during a school break by some unknown person still makes him gag. He has learned to keep a spare set sealed in a plastic bag hidden on the roof behind an access panel that's never used. Just in case.)

His classmates still mostly ignore him, his teachers still sigh in silent exasperation when he answers questions wrong, and Nezu-sensei is still as vindictively vicious as ever. Lunch passes with Tsuna eating as much and as quickly as possible before someone can decide they were still hungry or that Tsuna would look better wearing it. He finishes his favorite parts of the bento just as one of the boys in his class yanks it from his hands with a sarcastic, "Thanks, Dame-Tsuna!" thrown over his shoulder as he walks away. Tsuna ignores the mocking laughter from the back of the room and cleans off his desk.

Business as usual. 

Which is a little strange, he thinks. Shouldn't he at least feel different? He met his soulmate that morning! As mathematics is one of his mortal enemies, Tsuna doesn’t bother to try calculating the odds of the coincidence that his mother had hired a home tutor who just so happened to be his fated ‘other half’. (The tutor was not quite a surprise; she was bound to do it eventually with his grades being what they were, as strange as it is that she would do it so suddenly and without warning.)

Now that the shock has worn off and he has a moment to reflect, he realizes that that isn’t the only coincidence. Unbidden, his hand rests over the imperceptible bulge hidden beneath the collar of his school shirt. He’d never met anyone with a pendant like his before, one that shone as brightly as his own did the day it was given to him. (A looming figure framed by the sun and the glint of silver flash through his mind, but he blinks and the memory fades again.) So not only were they soulmates, but they possibly had another connection, perhaps one just as important and life-changing.

How likely was that?

None of it changes the fact that his newfound soulmate is apparently an infant; however, child or no child, he is still the person he is meant to be a lifelong... something to. After all, not all soulmates are meant to be lovers. Some are parent and child, some are siblings, some are just meant to be best friends for life. When he was little, his next door neighbor found her soulmate in her newborn granddaughter, and later moved to be closer to her. So who knows what's in store for them? Aside from the fact that he must be defective somehow, everything's okay.

He found his soulmate. That's better than okay.

It's pretty much a miracle.

–

He doesn't know the name of the color he can now see, and it's driving him a little crazy with the need to. Namimori Middle had always been a pale, washed-out grey, which he had thought was rather poetic considering how he felt about being there. Walking through the gates that morning had been like a punch to the gut, seeing one of his least favorite places as one giant block of his new favorite color. 

Learning the names of colors and their varying shades has always been done by purchasing the book that had been published especially for soulmates. His mother had a copy on her shelves that she sometimes took down and sighed wistfully over, but in his rush to leave, it completely slipped his mind. He would look in the school library but he knew they wouldn't have a copy. Soulmates were so rarely found at their age.

So his only option is to find someone who knows. There were very few people within the school that he could ask. Saki-sensei, who teaches year two History, has a soulmate, but  that would mean braving the staff room and possibly running into Nezu-sensei, one of the last people Tsuna would want to know about it. There was also a third year, however Tsuna couldn't remember their name and asking around guaranteed that everyone in school would know within hours. No thanks.

After nearly ten minutes of talking himself into it, he goes looking for Kurokawa Hana, the only other student he could think of who has met their soulmate and wouldn't try to flush his head down a toilet for asking, just on principle. (Maybe.) After another ten minutes of searching, he finds her standing with her best friend and the school idol, Sasagawa Kyoko, facing off against the kendo club captain Mochida Kensuke. Both Kurokawa and Mochida look to be in a bad mood and ready to flay into anyone who would bother them, which would normally have Tsuna running in the opposite direction – but Tsuna is nearly desperate so he interrupts them anyway.

"Excuse me, Kurokawa-san?" Tsuna flinches back from the twin glares the two combatants send him, but his resolve is set. "M-may I ask you a question? Um, privately?"

Kurokawa eyes him in something like disgust or disinterest, while Kyoko-chan looks surprised and Mochida splutters in a mix of shock and anger. She steps back from Mochida with a frown and places her hands on her hips.

"Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of Kyoko." Her eyes are practically challenging him to protest, so he nods his head quickly in agreement, like a bobble-head toy. 

"Don't interrupt, Dame-Tsuna!" Mochida yells, raising a fist in aggression. "And I'm not done with you yet, Kurokawa!" Kurokawa scoffs at him, flipping her hair over her shoulder. 

"Beat it, kendo-monkey. You'll get to Kyoko over my dead body. Shoo." Her voice is simply dripping with disdain and indifference, and she finishes her order with a flippant wave of her hand. Mochida’s face turns dark, fists clenching at his sides. Teeth grinding almost audibly and glaring a promise of murder (or at least revenge) at both her and Tsuna, he stomps away. 

"What do you want, monkey?" Kurokawa demands when he's gone. She takes a half step to the side, placing herself between her best friend and Tsuna. "And this better not be about Kyoko or I'll tell you exactly what I told the kendo-monkey."

"N-no! It's nothing like that!" Tsuna bites his lip in a moment of hesitation, putting a hand in his pocket and glancing momentarily at Kyoko-chan. While he knows that Kurokawa wouldn't say anything out of simple disinterest for anyone who doesn't share the name Kurokawa or Sasagawa, he's not sure about Kyoko. Sasagawa Kyoko is a genuinely nice person, and she might say something just out of excitement. Finding your soulmate is a huge deal, after all. Almost always, the people or couple are mentioned on the news or in the papers – at least, in a small town like theirs anyway. He very much doesn't want anyone to know, at least not yet. He hasn't even told his mom, after all. (Not to mention he doesn't even know his soulmate's name.)

He clenches the object in his hand nervously and considers. Kurokawa is starting to look impatient, however, so he throws caution to the wind. His instincts are telling him it'll be fine, so he listens. Slowly, he takes his hand out of his pocket, opens it, and shows them the object within.

"I was wondering... Can you... Can you tell me what the name of this color is?"

Kurokawa's surprise is evident as she stares at the bright ribbon in his hand. Tsuna had seen it snagged on a bush on his way to school that morning, a bright splash of color on an otherwise dull street. He had grabbed it without thinking as he passed and put it his pocket.

She eyes him in suspicion. "Why do you want to know?" she says slowly. Tsuna fidgets.

"Please don't tell anyone," he says softly, looking between the two girls. Kyoko is already nodding eagerly, and after a moment of staring, frowning in contemplation, Kurokawa nods once sharply in agreement. 

Tsuna takes a deep breath.

"I met my soulmate this morning." Even as the words are spoken aloud for the first time, it feels like a weight has lifted from his chest. He feels a bit more confident - more sure of himself - than he did a moment before. Even if his soulmate ends up leaving, disgusted with how useless he is, for now he feels as though all is right with the world.

It's... a good feeling. Wonderful, even.

Kyoko gasps in delight, clutching and shaking his hand exuberantly. "Congratulations, Sawada-kun! I'm so happy for you! Who is she? Or he? Are they our age? Do they go to our school? What's their name? Oh, this is so exciting!" Tsuna stares at her with wide eyes, almost dizzy from the rapid-fire questions. Kurokawa rolls her eyes, looking at Tsuna with new interest as she pulls her friend away.

"Kyoko, breathe. Give him a moment to answer." Kyoko doesn't look even a bit embarrassed, just staring at him in eager anticipation.

"Um. He. And no, he doesn't go to our school. He's not from Namimori, actually.  He's a home tutor; my mom hired him." He flushes a bit, and looks at the ground. It's no secret how horrible he is at schoolwork and how obviously necessary a tutor would be. He ignores her question about his age and name and hopes she doesn't notice.

"Why do you want to know what color that ribbon is?" Kurokawa asks, peering down at his hand with an unreadable look on her face. "Where'd you even get it?"

"I found it. On the way to school. It's... Well, it's kind of theonlycolorIcansee," he mumbles, face still flushed.

"Say that again?" Kurokawa looks at him incredulously, while Kyoko's face crumbles a bit in sadness. Tsuna releases a breath, shoulders hunching a little in a subconsciously defensive posture as he repeats himself slowly.

"I don't know why, but it's the only color I can see. Everything else is still... grey." Tsuna stares at the ribbon in his hand. It's bright against his skin, brighter than anything else in the yard, including the school and the flowers that edge the wall.

Fortunately, Kurokawa isn't one for pity, and it's almost time to head back to class anyway.

"It's called yellow," she says, grabbing Kyoko to pull her along as she walks away. "Make sure you get that book, monkey. If you can see that, you'll probably see the others eventually."

Tsuna blinks in surprise at the unexpected encouragement and gives her a look of gratitude. "Thanks, Kurokawa-san." 

"Whatever," she mutters, a darker dusting of grey across the bridge of her nose. Kyoko smiles brightly at them both and mimes a zipper across her mouth as she walks back to class with her friend.

Tsuna looks at the ribbon. 

"Yellow," he murmurs, feeling the word on his tongue. He recalls a lesson from elementary school, from when they were learning about their solar system. "Yellow, like the sun."

The thought makes him smile.

Carefully, he folds the ribbon and puts it back in his pocket.

Chapter Text

Mochida’s challenge is almost anti-climactic.

With how relatively well his day had been going, Tsuna had been starting to feel a bit paranoid; so being called out in front of his entire class is almost a relief. Terrifying, because he knows absolutely nothing about kendo, but at least he’s no longer waiting for the other shoe to drop. Mochida can’t do much to him, not in front of so many people (and with how quickly rumor spreads at Nami-chuu, no doubt a lot of students will be there, definitely most if not all of his class), and it’s certainly better than the alternative. He'd been having a rather nice day, so far, and that's rarely a good thing.

(Good days have a tendency to end with being hunted down on the way home from school. Whether he is caught or not, it always ends in tears.)

Reluctantly, he stashes his bag in one of his hiding spots – if he doesn’t, his things will be stolen or ruined or both – and heads towards the gymnasium. He may be horrible at math, but this is a simple equation. Take his beating now, and it’ll be over quickly with a bit of pain and humiliation from being seen as weak; or not show up and be hunted down later, with twice the pain and twice the humiliation from being seen as a coward as well as weak. He knows, with the familiarity of having gone through all of this before (not so much the challenge; that’s new), what the better deal is here. He doesn’t know the reason for the challenge, but people have never seemed to need a reason to beat him up before. Simply existing is enough to piss them off, apparently.

So he’ll take his beating, drag himself to the nurse’s office, fix himself up as best he can so he doesn’t worry his mother, and do his best to avoid Hibari on his way out. If he's lucky, the bruises will be easy to hide until they're gone.

That’s most likely exactly what would have happened, too, if he hadn’t won. Somehow.

What he remembers of the fiasco is entering the gym and seeing what looks like his entire grade and half of the two above him waiting. He’s surprised at this, because he’d only been issued the challenge twenty minutes before, and rumor doesn’t fly that fast at school. The best he can figure is that Mochida had been spreading his plan to issue the challenge since he interrupted… whatever it was he interrupted him doing at lunch, so everyone who was interested made sure to be there at the right time. Sitting on a bench in the front row with her best friend next to her and her brother behind her, looking absolutely miserable, was Sasagawa Kyoko. Kurokawa looks nothing short of murderous and Sasagawa Ryohei, Kurokawa’s unlikely soulmate, looks ready to throw down with Mochida right then and there.

Tsuna steps forward slowly, shoulders tense and clearly unhappy. He was beginning to think this would be worse than he had first thought. He was never going to live this down.

“So you decided to actually show up, Dame-Tsuna?” Mochida sneers at him from across a tatami mat, fully dressed in his kendo club uniform and armor, his shinai tapping against his shoulder. “Looking forward to your beat-down that much, huh?”

(No. No he was not. It’s not like he has much of a choice, however. The alternative is not worth consideration, and there are only so many times a month Tsuna can return home with ruined and bloody clothes before his mother starts to notice. He can’t – won’t – put her through an incident like from three years ago. Not again.)

Mochida’s sneer twists his face into something ugly when Tsuna doesn’t answer and he uses his shinai to point at something behind him. Tsuna looks and sees two boys from the kendo club struggling a bit to hold up a set of armor and a third holding a shinai with both arms. A bit away from them is another boy from the kendo club holding competition flags. 

It’s pretty obvious to everyone that this was rigged from the start, but as usual, no one bothers to speak up or point out the unfairness. He doubts it's fear of Mochida that stays their tongues. For all his bravado and loud talk, Mochida isn't best liked at school by anyone but his own club because of his arrogance and the way he treated people, women in particular. Compared to Tsuna, however, he may as well be a king.

“If I were you, I’d put on the armor. It won’t save you from a pathetic defeat, but it might save you a trip to the hospital.” Mochida’s chest puffs out a little bit as the rest of his club, gathered behind him in a show of solidarity, jeer mockingly. The boy holding the shinai Tsuna was meant to use throws it towards him, but Tsuna ignores it, stepping to the side to let it clatter to the floor. Mochida scowls at him. “What, so scared to face me you're giving up already?”

“Actually….” Tsuna rubs the side of his head and looks at the bamboo sword at his feet and then at Mochida in bemusement. “I’m not quite sure why I’m here… exactly.”

Mochida’s face turns dark. “Of course you know why you’re here, you idiot! Why else would you interrupt me while I’m trying to ask out Kyoko-chan if not to do it yourself? Like she’d go out with a pathetic, no-good loser like you!” On the bench, Kurokawa slaps a hand to her forehead and groans loudly, Kyoko blinks in bewilderment, and Ryohei is being restrained by what looks like a few guys from his boxing club.

…What?

“What do you mean what?!” Mochida is all but frothing in rage, spittle flying as he yells. “You heard what I said, you little shit!” Oh. Tsuna hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

“Um. Mochida-san, I think you got the wrong impression. Sasagawa-chan is really nice, and I’m sure she’ll make a wonderful girlfriend for someone when she’s ready, but I honestly don’t see her that way.”

He did once, perhaps; he wouldn't do her the disservice of lying if asked. When he was younger, he often dreamt of the day he would have enough courage to meet her eyes, imagining the world blooming into color and how happy they would be, their fates twined together for the rest of their lives. That day had passed, though, a few years back when they had been paired together for an art project. He had looked into her eyes, full of hope and yearning…and nothing had happened. 

It had taken a while, but his childhood crush began fading away until nothing more than admiration for who she was remained. He remembered passing her on the way to school one day and when the expected pained disappointment he usually felt upon seeing her never appeared, he went through the rest of his day lighter and somewhat relieved.

No, he and Kyoko had never been meant to be. Now that he'd actually met his soulmate, however, perhaps that was a good thing.

Kyoko is smiling now, which makes Tsuna a bit happy. At least she’s not looking like she’s about to cry anymore. Kurokawa is actually giving him a look of something like respect, which is unexpectedly reassuring. Ryohei-senpai is grinning bright enough to light a dark room and bellowing his catchphrase at the top of his lungs, sounding even louder as others around the room begin to go quiet from their previous mockery, watching the scene more closely than before.

Mochida grips his shinai so hard it looks like it could break in two.

“Likely story,” he spits out. “Pick up the damn sword. Now I really want to kick your ass!”

Tsuna is still considering his options (likely heavy armor he wouldn’t be able to move in, but would protect him somewhat from too much damage, or no armor and the ability to dodge the worst of it) when Mochida’s patience runs out and he lunges forward. His anger has made him completely disregard the rules of dueling that he holds almost sacred, and he attacks Tsuna despite him having no armor to protect his body and no weapon to defend himself with. Tsuna sees Mochida coming almost in slow motion, and that’s when things get a bit fuzzy.

The next thing Tsuna is aware of is that he is holding a shinai and Mochida is knocked flat on the floor with a dark welt swelling on his forehead. The gym is entirely silent; he’s being stared at by everyone, as though they’d never seen him before. Also, he’s standing there in just his boxers. For some reason.

Somehow, he had won the match he didn’t really want to fight in the first place, and he did it in his underwear. This is the perfect time to freak out a little, so he does.

“What just happened?!” he yelps, dropping the shinai and stumbling back a few steps. Like a dam breaking, the students all suddenly begin to roar with approval and laughter, siding as always with the winner but still managing to find a way to mock him. (Tsuna can’t blame them, really. He’d mock him too, if he was the type to mock people.)

“What the hell, Sawada?” Kurokawa says, looking utterly flabbergasted. Kyoko is blushing and staring at the ceiling as though she’d never seen anything more interesting, and Ryohei is bellowing about his extremeness for “fighting like a man!”

“I have no idea what just happened!” Tsuna says hastily, eyes wide and wild. “I mean… what?”

“Kendo-monkey attacked you like the monkey he is, you fell backwards over nothing, somehow ripped off your clothes as you got back up yelling something about winning with your dying will, and knocked Mochida out in one hit. Then you freaked out. That’s a really weird necklace, by the way.” Kurokawa’s voice is almost entirely deadpan, but the poleaxed look on her face remains.

Tsuna looks at her, then at Mochida, then sneezes violently.

He is entirely bewildered when he finds a strange bullet in his hand.

“…What?!”

Chapter Text

Despite the delay, Reborn eventually finds his way Namimori Middle. He arrives to exited rumors of Tsuna having somehow upset the captain of the kendo club enough that he planned to issue him a challenge later that day. Rumors that Tsuna seems entirely unaware of, judging by how unconcerned he is as he goes about his day. Reborn wonders how one person can invite so much trouble for himself entirely without trying, then remembers that Tsuna's Flames are sealed and stops wondering. 

Sealing Flames is not an exact art, and always eventually causes problems. For an untrained Flame user, especially if they're young, there is always the possibility that the effects would be minimal. That, of course, depends entirely on the strength and purity of the Flames themselves. To his knowledge, no one has ever attempted to seal a Sky before; they were too rare and important to risk. Who knows what effect it has had – how much of Tsuna is because of Tsuna and not because of his sealed Flames.

Reborn doesn't approve of the action for the danger it courts – both for the one sealed and those around them – but as an independent ally of Vongola Nono, he has no say in his actions. Wouldn’t have even if he had known anything about the situation eight years ago when the sealing took place. Especially as Tsuna's own father, who is in a much better position to advise the Ninth seeing as it was pretty much the job he was paid to do, agreed with the decision to do so.

(Reborn has a lot to say about and to Iemitsu, but he'll save that for when -if- the man deigns to return home. And by then, he should even have back-up, not that he would need it.

Tsuna is their Sky, and he knows the others will also have plenty to say.)

He spends the time waiting until the end of school by making a detailed mental map of the area, creating hideaways and short-cuts within the walls as well as mental notes of various interesting people. He debates the merit of forming a secondary set of Guardians for Tsuna, but just thinking of it causes him to tense in agitation and want to shoot something. He makes a list of potentials because he's thorough, but otherwise decides to wait on that decision. 

Instead, he amuses himself with imagining Tsuna's reaction to being called out by the kendo club's captain. If his file is accurate, it's very likely that Tsuna would decide to hide or run instead of face his problems. Reborn only knows that the Mochida kid got angry because of something to do with a girl (Sasagawa Kyoko, whose brother practically radiates with Dying Will Sun Flames), but he arrived slightly after lunch, which was when the root confrontation originally took place, so he doesn't know the exact circumstances. 

Spying on the kendo club (who gossip like old ladies) gives him his answer and Reborn can only shake his head. 

Kids. Of course this would all be caused by a bruised ego.

When classes have ended for the day, Reborn finds the perfect perch from which to observe the match and settles himself on the observers balcony in the upper part of the gym. The room is filling quickly with eager students, some even placing bets on the outcome. Opinions are currently divided between Tsuna either running  away or being 'escorted' to the match, but everyone is in agreement that he would be losing. 

Reborn is somehow unsurprised and slightly impressed that Tsuna actually shows up without needing to be forced, and even somewhat on time. It appears that while the reports of his grades and his clumsiness are accurate, reports of his cowardliness are not. At the very least, Tsuna seems resigned to a loss and simply wants to get it over with. 

He finds humor in Tsuna's vague disregard for how serious his opponent finds the situation. His response to Mochida's accusations are even gentlemanly and worthy of respect. Some of his soulmate’s peers seem to agree, as they are looking at Tsuna with new consideration and at his opponent with new disdain. 

Leon crawls down to his hand and transforms moments before Mochida's anger overtakes him and starts the match before Tsuna can even arm himself. The temptation to shoot the little kendo brat (and not with a special bullet) is high, but Reborn aims for Tsuna and fires.

He is also unsurprised by what follows, even as his eyes remain on the pendant hanging from the chain around Tsuna's neck, visual proof of the burden they share.

(Tsuna's reaction to it all after the fact is hilarious, however.)

—

"Dying Will Bullet?" 

Reborn looks placidly at Tsuna from the other side of the table, taking in his look of open curiosity and makes another mental tick against the report he had been given. 

(After Tsuna had calmed down in the wake of the quickly infamous kendo match and had dressed in a spare set of work-out clothes borrowed from Sasagawa Ryohei, Reborn finally showed himself to escort him home. They greeted Nana when they arrived and then retreated to Tsuna's bedroom for their talk.

Tsuna had taken the revelation of the mafia and Reborn's true purpose for being there relatively well, considering. He had freaked out for a few minutes, but there was a notable lack of denial or outright rejection; so yes, it had gone well. For the first time, Reborn was grateful for Iemitsu's incompetence. 

Not that he would ever admit that out loud.)

"Yes. The bullet is used to force someone to enter their Dying Will Mode for five minutes. During this time, your limits are released, giving you great strength and invulnerability as well as unlimited access to your Dying Will Flames after reviving from a temporary state of death using the regret you feel upon dying. With training, one can enter Dying Will Mode without the necessity of bullets or pills, a relatively new creation." Here, Reborn pauses, and gives Tsuna a serious look. "However, your Flames were sealed when you were a child, which locked them in a dormant state. Because of this, the bullet was necessary to force your Flames to awaken, thus overpowering the seal."

He watches Tsuna as he turns contemplative, lips twisting downwards in a light frown.

"Sealed," Tsuna murmurs, comprehension dawning in his voice as though finally understanding something he has always wondered about. "That's what he meant...."

Reborn's eyes narrow, and he sends Tsuna a sharp look. "Explain." 

Tsuna shakes himself out of his thoughts and one of his hands raises to fiddle with the chain around his neck almost without thought. His eyes lock onto the pacifier around Reborn's neck. 

"About five years ago, a strange man approached me in the park. He told me that the sky was too pure to be locked away and that it could never find its true elements if it wasn't free. Then he gave me this necklace and told me to keep it safe and to never take it off." 

He pulls the chain out from beneath his shirt. The pacifier that hangs from it glitters in the light. The soft glow from within the pendant reminds Reborn of the descriptions he has heard of the sunset, bright and rich and warm. It would be beautiful if not for the stark reminder of the fate his soulmate faces. Reborn grits his teeth and all but glowers at it.

"Did he explain to you what bearing that pacifier means?" 

"No." Tsuna eyes him curiously, a question lingering on his tongue, but says, "He left after I put it on."

Reborn frowns, tilting his fedora down to shadow his eyes. So the Man in the Iron Hat curses an eight or nine year old child and doesn't bother to tell that child what he'd done? That from the moment he accepted the pacifier he was doomed to a short life? Typical. Reborn didn't think he could despise that man any more than he already did.

"You are what is known as a Sky Flame user. Skies draw in other Flame users to them, most notably the other six Flames of the Sky: Sun, Storm, Rain, Lightning, Cloud, and Mist respectively. This is due to their attribute, which is harmonization. In the mafia, Famiglie are usually led by a Sky because to the elements they gather, the Sky is the home that welcomes them and accepts them purely – that gives them a place to belong. That pacifier marks you as the Sky Arcobaleno which means you are the Boss - the home - for the other Arcobaleno."

Tsuna tilts his head curiously and reaches forward to touch the glittering yellow pacifier around Reborn's neck. Had he been anyone else, Reborn would have shot him. As it is, in a rare show of temperance, he indulges Tsuna and allows him his curiosity. 

"So you're an Arcobaleno too?"

"Yes," Reborn admits. His hand curls around Tsuna's over the pendant. "I am the World's Strongest Hitman, the Arcobaleno of the Sun."

Tsuna smiles and Reborn stills in shock as he feels the stirring of the Guardian bond as it snaps abruptly into place.

"Well, then. Welcome home, Reborn."

–

(It is surprisingly easy – or perhaps not so surprisingly, now that he's coming to understand Tsuna a bit more after disregarding and them burning the rest of the file CEDEF had put together – to get him to sit down for Mafia Boss lessons after the rest of his schoolwork is squared away more or less satisfactorily. He is understandably reluctant, but he listens to the history and agrees to the training schedule Reborn contrives and promises to do his best despite it.

Reborn has great respect for Timoteo, both as a boss and as a friend, and he never fails once he commits himself to a contract. Above all else, beyond being even the World's Greatest, if he is anything, he is loyal. So Tsuna will be Vongola Decimo, as Reborn had promised on his alliance to the Vongola Nono.

However, Tsuna is his soulmate – his Sky – and that bond is stronger than any mere alliance can claim.) 

—

Part 1. Giallo ~ End

Chapter Text

Iemitsu Sawada, boss of CEDEF and the Vongola Consigliere, sighs gustily, staring sappily at a picture of his wife and son and blissfully ignoring the paperwork piled precariously on his desktop. The picture itself was several years old, a memento of the last time he had been home for any appreciable length of time. Which had been, he thought back with some guilt, at least eight years before. The six year old in the picture was no longer a cute baby fishy but a cute teenage fishy about to be thrust into the dark underworld that was the mafia due to circumstances beyond anyone's control. 

It was partly guilt for allowing such an important part of Tsuna to be locked away that kept him from home. When Nono had sealed Tsuna’s Flames (incidentally on the same visit the picture had been taken), he had not protested under the fervent hope that they would never have cause to be unsealed. He had desperately wanted to keep his family separate from his lifestyle; and if it meant stunting a bit of Tsuna’s emotional, physical, and mental growth, well, at least he would be safe. Good grades were not nearly as important as the life of his child, and the negative side effects of sealing Flames had never been definitively proven. He wanted Tsuna to be happy, of course he did; but a normal, lonely child was better than a dead one in his opinion.

Tsuna’s exceptionally pure Sky Flames, if left unfettered and untrained as he grew, would attract both realized and unrealized Flames users for several towns over. Word would spread and eventually Tsuna’s (and Nana’s by default) connection to the mafia would be discovered, putting his family in danger. Better to prevent the risk than need a solution, he thought.

All for nothing, in the end. First Enrico is gunned down in an insignificant squabble with some no-name famiglia that no longer existed. Then Massimo was betrayed by one of his men while vacationing in Barcelona on one of the famiglia’s private yachts. They never did figure out what happened to Federico and what he was doing in the warehouse where they found his smoldering skeleton. That wasn’t even to mention Xanxus, frozen on ice for nearly a decade now after a failed coup – not that he would have been eligible anyway.

So, with Iemitsu as the External Advisor and thus also ineligible, that left Tsuna, his adorable little Tuna-fishy, to take up the position of Vongola Decimo. All hopes of a normal life for his son - gone in in just a few short years.

By now, Reborn should have arrived in Japan and most likely informed Tsuna that he was slated to be the next generation Vongola Boss. While he wished he could have been the one to inform Tsuna of his heritage, he was needed at work. Even though Tsuna would not be able to take the mantle for years, there was more to passing on the title of Vongola Boss than the rings and the ceremony. Nono had been Boss for many, many years and a sudden change would not be good for the famiglia. Iemitsu would be very busy at work; it would need a miracle (or a crisis) for him to have an opportunity to go home any time soon.

He sighs again wistfully, nearly pouting at the picture. A sudden thought pops into his head and he brightens, nearly launching himself at his phone causing pens and papers to scatter to the floor. Reborn’s arrival would be the perfect excuse to call home and to hear his sweet Nana’s voice!

He nearly melts when she answers the phone, but gathers himself together to say, “Nana! You sound as lovely as ever!”

“Ah, darling!” Nana says cheerfully. “How wonderful that you’ve called! I was hoping to hear from you soon. I have the most delightful news!”

Iemitsu’s curiosity is piqued even as guilt strikes him. Experience allows him to hide it behind false cheer. “Oh? Delightful news, you say?”

“Yes! Our Tsuna has found his soulmate! Isn’t that wonderful?” Iemitsu gapes for a moment in shock before he smiles widely in overwhelming pride.

“That’s my boy! My little Tuna-fishy will be all grown up before I know it,” he says nostalgically. “So, who is she? A girl at his school? In the neighborhood?” Excitement fills him as he pictures his cute son with a cute girl on his arm. His imagination goes wild, envisioning a big, beautiful wedding and a dozen grandchildren running around, looking at him with big, adorable eyes, and calling him grandpa.

“Well, it’s all such a happy coincidence, really,” Nana says, bringing him back to reality. “You remember that tutor you recommended for Tsuna?”

Iemitsu’s smile falters and something like icy dread goes down his spine; the vision of the future in his mind pops like a soap bubble.

“Of course,” he says, just managing to keep the nervousness out of his voice. “How is that going by the way? Is our Tsuna improving?”

“It’s going very well, actually. Tsuna even got an eighty percent on his last Japanese test! That Reborn-kun works wonders, and Tsuna seems to really like him.”

“That’s great! I’m glad it’s working out.” He feels a bit of relief that Tsuna seems to have taken everything well enough. He takes her observation of Tsuna apparently liking Reborn with a grain of salt. It was more likely Tsuna was too terrified to act differently, at least around his mother. As much as Iemitsu loved Nana, he had to admit she wasn’t the sharpest crayon in the box.

“It certainly is a good thing,” Nana continues, “because as it turns out, Reborn-kun is Tsu-kun’s soulmate! Isn’t it just the funniest coincidence?”

Iemitsu’s brain freezes, the words repeating so loudly in his mind he doesn't hear the rest of what she says, muffled as it is as the receiver slips from his hand to fall over the side of the desk, swinging back and forth.

“R-R-Reborn? Soulmate? …Tsuna?” he whimpers, his voice going progressively higher with each word.

"They get along so well, too! And I have even better news, darling, you won't believe this! Reborn-kun invited a friend of his to visit and it turns out his friend is also our Tsuna's soulmate! Isn't that wonderful, darling? Our Tsuna has two soulmates~! …Darling? …Are you there?"

He hears none of this, mired in the horror of hearing that World's Strongest Hitman is somehow his precious baby son's soulmate. (This will later come back to haunt him, even as it causes an endless amount of amusement for the man in question.)

“Reborn? Soulmate? Tsuna?” he repeats several more times, deaf to the sound of his wife’s voice from the swinging phone.

His eyes roll back in his head and he falls over in a dead faint.

(Twenty minutes later, Lal kicks him awake in annoyance. He’s too busy muttering those three same words to himself to pay attention to her lecture of sleeping on the job. It doesn’t take her long to notice his inattention.

Outside of the office, Oregano and Turmeric wince sympathetically at the sounds now coming from within.)

–

Over 9800 kilometers away, Sawada Nana looks curiously at her phone as the line goes dead.

“Ara? Must be a bad connection.” She shrugs and hangs up, happy enough to have heard from her husband and to have been able to share the good news.

Humming cheerfully, she readies a tea tray and brings it upstairs to her son and his two soulmates.

Chapter Text

Namimori is… quaint. That is not the first word that comes to mind, but it is the most applicable. He doesn't see anything about it that is remotely interesting, but Reborn rarely does anything without reason and he knows Verde well enough that such an abrupt phone call would pique his interest.

Of course, Reborn is also aware that a simple 'I've found something interesting, come to this location' had also the possibility of simply annoying Verde and thus go ignored. It is rare, however, that Reborn calls him for anything and with his last experiment having literally blown up in his face, and with nothing to replace it with that he can't put off for later, he goes.

If asked, Verde would only admit that it was his boredom in between projects that has him charter a flight to Japan and not any type of concern caused by the undercurrent of unease that he had read in Reborn's voice within those few simple words. Merely curiosity and nothing else.

His phone chimes with a message almost as soon as he lands and he follows the directions within to a small, well-kept park nearly devoid of people. Reborn is waiting for him there on a bench located in a remote area of the park, a take-away cup of coffee in his hands and another placed a few feet away from him on the bench with a stylized bolt of lightning drawn on the side. Verde pushes aside the tick of annoyance he feels when he takes the cup and finds it to be still hot, and after sampling it, that it is exactly how he likes it despite that it is obviously a poorer quality than he is used to.

The glow of their pacifiers is just starting to fade when Verde joins him on the bench, sitting just close enough to be polite and eschewing the customary pleasantries. Below them, Leon and Keiman seem to be holding a conversation comprised of blinking slowly at each other and lazy tail flicking.

(It has always somewhat amused Verde that their animal companions have always gotten along better than the Arcobaleno as a whole ever have, especially considering that half of them are natural prey to the other half. Or just plain creepy in Lal Mirch's case.)

They sit almost companionably silent for a while, drinking coffee and watching the people who pass by in the distance. Despite their similarities of being Arcobaleno, Verde has never really considered any of them friends.  Even when they still all worked together, they had simply been acquaintances gathered for similar goals. Those days were long since over, however, and Verde can count the times he has spoken to any of them since then for anything other than their individual missions on both hands with fingers left over. He can count the times he has seen them in person on one.

Nearly fifteen minutes pass by without a word spoken between them, and Verde is beginning to get annoyed. As… pretty as the park is, he did not fly eleven hours overnight to sightsee. He is tired and jet-lagged and he loathes flying. He is readying to demand an explanation when Reborn finally speaks.

"Are you still researching the soulmate phenomenon?"

Verde goes carefully still, small hands clenching the paper cup almost hard enough to risk crushing it and spilling its contents, annoyance fled in the face of the numbness this question engenders. 

Since the time he had first held a beaker in his hands and discovered the glory and wonder that was science, his greatest goal has always been to unlock the secret behind soulmates. It had been the driving force behind everything he learned; behind all of his study and research and experimentation until the crushing weight of his failure to understand, the disappointment of trying and trying and trying so that maybe if he could figure it out he could find his own had caused him to retreat from the world. He had secluded himself in a lab, surrounded himself with other ideas, other experiments, because if he did not have to deal with people physically, he could not continue to be disappointed. 

The reminder is like needles in his spine and ice in his lungs. It is a slow, soft whisper of whywhywhy that threatens to rise up and drown him as it nearly did over a decade before. He carefully locks it away behind a wall of apathy in his mind, even as his thoughts stir tumultuously. There are few reasons Reborn might raise this subject, but for the life of him he can't even begin to postulate his motive.

"Why do you ask?" he says, tone carefully mild and controlled. Reborn's eyes are steady and knowing, and Verde avoids them with all the subtlety of a hippo on a city thoroughfare. 

"I have been tasked by the Vongola Nono to train his heir." Verde already knows this, so he makes a noise of acknowledgement with hint of impatience that he can't quite subdue. "The boy - Tsuna - is my soulmate. However, he can only see one color."

The words reverberate in his mind almost mockingly, because despite the seeming indifference in which Reborn spoke them, there is still the soft, vague echoes of awe and joy that even Reborn, the strongest of the World’s Greatest, can’t mask completely. It takes Verde a moment to fight off the wave of absolute jealousy to infer the reason Reborn had called him to Japan.

"You want me to meet him and find out why."

"Yes."

Verde takes a long moment to consider and Reborn is patient as he waits. 

The first argument for his agreement is that he is already in Japan, so rejecting Reborn's unspoken request on the basis of not wanting to travel is no longer viable. (He suspects that was the entire point of luring him there in the first place.) That this is a unique and likely one-of-kind chance is the second, to study a case that there is no scientific record of having happened before. Both of those are enough to quell the automatic 'hell no' that nearly escaped him.

His biggest reason to decline and retreat back to his lab in Italy is petty even to his own mind. He has spent nearly his entire life trying to unravel the secret behind the 'fated other half' in his desire to beat the odds. Six and a half billion people in the world, and less than two hundred thousand find their soulmate a year; less than twenty million within an average generation. To place himself in a situation where he would be constantly surrounded and reminded about that which he lacks and has desired for so very long would be like chewing glass; unpleasant, painful, and foolish to attempt in the first place.

However….

This is, perhaps, the closest he has ever come to finding something - anything - that could help him to learn why and how, to find the answers he has so desperately wanted. It was a chance, a small one as it may be, where none had seemed to exist before. A possibility.

Against his will, a spark of hope lights within him.

"...I make no guarantees."

Reborn's eyes are dark and satisfied, and Verde gallantly refrains from punching him in the face.

—

He is sure he has never met anyone quite like Sawada Nana. For all of her oblivious naivety and immutable cheer, she is a force unto herself. Before he can do more than introduce himself as an acquaintance of Reborn's, he has been herded into the kitchen with a cup of tea and plate of finger sandwiches placed before him. Nana herself is cooking up a storm and gushing her pleasure that one of "Reborn-kun's friends" has come to visit amidst requests to call her Mama. 

Reborn is silently laughing at the poleaxed expression on his face, but Verde ignores him in favor of watching her move around her kitchen like a woman possessed. Idly, he wonders if perhaps she has a Cloud Flame, for how else can her ability to seemingly produce a feast from practically nothing at that speed exist naturally? Sky Attraction could easily explain how an idiot like Sawada Iemitsu ever managed to keep such a loyal and devoted wife for as long as he had, soulmate or no.

Then again, she had hardly blinked when he introduced himself, not at all surprised or confused by the contradiction of his obvious maturity in comparison to his physical appearance. Neither had she reacted much to having an alligator in her kitchen. While 'opposites attract' may be a popular colloquialism, the same can also be said for 'like calls to like'. It is hardly a surprise that the CEDEF leader found his soulmate in such a woman; they were certainly a matching pair.

Almost entirely without his notice, Nana manages to get him to admit that he is only recently arrived in Namimori and has not yet procured a place to stay. She brokers no argument when he tries to politely decline her offer of one of the spare rooms, and before he knows it, he is set up in the guest room and invited to stay indefinitely. 

In the end, Verde supposes this is probably for the best. If he is to study Sawada Tsunayoshi to try to learn the secret of his unusual reaction - or rather, non-reaction - to finding his soulmate, being in constant, close proximity to his subject could only help. Besides which, it is free room and board and "Mama's" cooking could likely start wars. Keiman seems to like it there as well, if the way he immediately curls up on the bed and falls asleep is any indication, which is the final deciding factor.

The school day is almost over so Reborn leads him to Tsunayoshi’s room and leaves to retrieve his student. Verde takes the opportunity to examine the room. It is rather typical of a teenage boy, if tidier than one would assume (likely Reborn or Nana’s influence). There is a bed, a desk, a small television on a stand and a study table. The walls are rather bare; a few shelves filled with books and manga, some charcoal drawings, and little else. There is something wrong with what Verde is seeing, but he can’t quite explain what it is. Something missing.

He is jolted out of this thoughts as the front door opens downstairs. He can hear Nana cheerfully welcoming her son home and a murmured conversation, but he is distracted by the sudden glowing of his pacifier and the puzzle is enough to keep him from hearing the stairs being climbed until there are voices just on the other side of the door.

“–in , Tsuna. A Boss should not keep his guests waiting.”

"A guest...? Hiiee! Reborn!" The door is suddenly flung open as a boy with fluffy hair is shoved through it.

This is how Tsuna enters his life, stumbling his way through the door with all the grace of a penguin on rollerblades. Verde sees the pacifier first, glowing bright and hot on the simple silver chain around his neck. His mind goes blank and for a moment it is all he can see. Then his eyes meet Tsuna's and the world all but bleeds into color.

"Oh," he breathes, something like wonderment in his voice.

Behind Tsuna, Reborn is looking entirely smug and satisfied like the cat who had caught the mouse having tea with the canary. Verde can't find it within himself to be annoyed by it. Well, not much.

Interesting indeed.

Chapter Text

Tsuna's day is... eventful. It begins with Reborn waking him up via a Leon-mallet at six in the morning. Still half-asleep, he is ushered into an old pair of sweats and chased outside for an early morning jog. 

Tsuna is used to running (usually from bullies), but Reborn shoots at his feet when he slows down from an outright sprint after the first five minutes. After thirty, his lungs are burning and there is a persistent stitch in his side. After forty-five his legs feel like noodles and he is ready to collapse. Reborn seems to understand his limits, however, so he is allowed to slow down for the last fifteen minutes home.

When they return, Tsuna feels as though he could sleep for a week. The warm water of his shower is like a siren, but the proud look Reborn gives him when he sits down for breakfast and the short, "Good job, Tsuna," is invigorating enough that he makes it out the door with enough time for a leisurely walk to school.

He is met half-way by Sasagawa Kyoko, who gives him a bright smile, and Kurokawa Hana, who greets him with a simple, "Sawada," in place of her usual catchphrase. Tsuna doesn't question their companionship, however much he may wish to, and the walk to school is silent save for Kyoko's merry humming. 

Their arrival is markedly different from what Tsuna is used to. Normally, he is ignored or jeered at by his peers, but today they seem to be watching him in a strange mixture of shock and contemplation, whispering quietly amongst each other. The change makes Tsuna apprehensive. 

He has always done his best to stay as unnoticed as possible. Bringing attention to himself is like sending an invitation to anyone with the inclination to use his flaws against him, such as his grades or his small stature, wielding fists and words like knives piercing his heart. He expected some attention because of Mochida's challenge, however this isn't the mocking of peers but rather the judgement of the whole reassessing the thought-to-be weakest member of the group. 

No one, least of all Tsuna himself, expected him to win that challenge… but he did, and now even they are unsure exactly where he stands.

He feels a bit of relief once he is seated at his desk, because although they are still staring and whispering to each other, there are fewer people in his class than in the hallways. What he overhears tells him they are talking about yesterday's kendo match, not that he's surprised.

Tsuna only hopes that the debacle won't give his tormentors ideas (such as retribution, or take the fact that he won to mean they can escalate the severity of their normal encounters), but it is likely a false hope so he does his best to try not to think or worry about it. His thoughts are racing, however, and he can't stop himself from picturing the mental map of his usual route and making contingency plans.

It's disheartening how necessary it is when he realizes what he's doing, and also how familiar. It's been a long time since he felt safe walking home. He has learned the best routes and shortcuts out of necessity; he wouldn't be in the least surprised if he knew how to navigate Namimori better than any other resident barring Hibari (who was a vicious zealot when it came to the protection of 'his' city.)

He is forced to put those thoughts out of his mind completely however as their first teacher arrives and classes start for the day.

(Just his luck. Math.)

—

Class has scarcely ended for lunch when Tsuna is all but ambushed by Kyoko, Kurokawa a patient, long-suffering shadow behind her. They are both carrying their lunches with them and looking at him expectantly. Tsuna pauses in the process of opening his bento to stare at them in surprise.

"Would you like to join us for lunch, Sawada-kun?" Kyoko asks cheerfully, giving him a bright smile. He blinks at her silently before sending Kurokawa a confused look. She rolls her eyes and makes a "go with it" motion with her hands.

"Um... Sure?"

"Yay!" Kyoko cheers. She grabs his upper arm and pretty much drags him out the door and down the hall, inciting more staring and shocked murmuring. She's a lot stronger than she looks, Tsuna thinks, and before he knows it they are ensconced within one of the few enclosed seating areas on the grounds, Kurokawa on one side and Kyoko sitting next to him on the other.

This is an unprecedented event, and it makes him almost too nervous to eat; he has not eaten lunch with anyone at school but himself for years. Kyoko is chattering happily, pausing only to takes bites of her food, looking as though nothing pleases her more than the fact that he is in their company. Kurokawa is silent, chewing absently on an empty yakitori stick. She doesn't appear to be paying attention, staring off into the distance, but her eyes are sharp and she spears Tsuna with a look when he fidgets with his hashi. 

He hastily fits them back into the lid of his bento as he closes it, a little unnerved to see how much is actually left inside. After so many years of having his lunch taken or ruined, he never realized how little of it he actually ate. Like a Pavlovian response, the few mouthfuls he has managed - barely a third of the contents - is enough to satisfy him. He wonders for a moment of he should ask his mother to make him smaller lunches from now on, but quickly reconsiders. This could be a one-time thing, after all, and his tormentors would likely find a way to punish him for taking away one of their daily pleasures. Not to mention that it would make his mother think. 

Nothing good lies in that direction. His mother wondering why he might want a smaller lunch when he has always done well with what she gave him before would lead to her asking questions. Questions would lead to observation would lead to realization would lead to.... Well. At least the food is rarely wasted, and what she doesn't know won't hurt her.

(It will be a cold day in hell before he makes his mother cry again.)

Kurokawa is staring at him now with an eerily blank look in her eyes, the beginnings of a frown tugging at her lips as she looks between him and the bento and the school. Tsuna has always noticed how smart Kurokawa was; that she could take in all the clues and arrive to the most likely correct conclusion surprises him not at all. Subtly, so Kyoko won't notice, he shakes his head. She makes an abortive movement and scowls, turning instead to glare darkly in the direction of their classroom.

It moves him a bit that one of the most unapproachable girls in his class is showing obvious anger on his behalf. It's nice, and just a touch frightening. 

Fortunately, Kyoko remains oblivious to this aside as she finishes her current monologue – something about a new cake shop she found, although Tsuna is ashamed to admit he wasn't really paying attention. She bends down to retrieve a small paper bag with a yellow smiley face drawn on the front and holds it out to him. Her easy smile is belied by the nervy look in her eyes that don't quite meet his.

"Here! I baked some cookies for you. I wanted to apologize for yesterday." She meets his eyes this time, wearing a disapproving frown that reminds him of his mother. "Mochida-senpai had no right to treat you that way. I already talked to him and cleared up the misunderstanding. Oh!" she exclaims as panic flies across his face. "Don't worry, I didn't say anything about your secret." Tsuna sighs in relief, the sudden flare of panic fading away. 

"I also wanted to thank you." Kyoko smiles softly and looks down, biting at her lower lip. "That was a very nice thing you said. No one has ever said it quite like that; 'when I was ready', I mean. It's always, 'when I pick', or 'if they ask enough'. To be honest, I've always felt a bit pressured when it came to things like that." Her shoulders slump, a pouting moue pulling at the corner of her mouth.

Tsuna frowns at the sad look on her face. The resemblance to his mother is even stronger here, and just as when Mama is upset, he struggles to find some way to make her feel better. 

"Have you ever told them you weren't ready?" Kyoko flushes and shakes her head.

"Well, no. I'm not really good when it comes to confrontation. Except with onii-san, but you have to be firm with him sometimes or he extremely won't get it." Tsuna huffs out a surprised laugh and Kurokawa groans exaggeratedly while Kyoko giggles.

"Well..." Tsuna bites his lip in thought. "I'm not very good at advice, but maybe.... next time, imagine you're talking to your brother?" he offers unsurely. 

Kyoko blinks in surprise. Kurokawa shakes her head and mutters, "Ugh. Why didn't I think of that?"

"I...." Slowly, Kyoko's face brightens until she's beaming delightedly. "Yes! I can do that! That's a great idea, Sawada-kun!"

Tsuna flushes in embarrassment. "You can call me Tsuna. If you want."

"Then call me Kyoko." She gives her friend a pleading look. Kurokawa sighs, but her voice is sincere when she offers to be called Hana. Kyoko offers the bag of cookies again, and he takes them with a small, pleased smile, sharing them with both of the girls.

Talking with them is easy, somehow. Kyoko is bubbly and cheerful, and now that she's relaxed from her earlier apprehension shows a surprisingly humorous side of herself. Hana has a dry wit and sarcastic overtone, which balances nicely with her childhood friend. They make him laugh and forget to worry about the possible consequences of yesterday and the waiting judgement of their peers.

Tsuna feels... warm. Happy, even. He wonders if this is what friendship feels like.

It's rather wonderful, if it is.

Chapter Text

Tsuna is very good when it comes to playing oblivious. Although sometimes startled by random instances of nonsensicality, he can carry an air of “I'm doing just fine; life is peaceful and normal” as learned from the master with grace. Although he has never asked his mother how she manages her effortless ability to ignore all the strange things that seem to happen in their town (and he likely never will, so as not to ruin the illusion), he believes it has to do with her endless cheer and positivity.

Tsuna is rather more pragmatic, however. He has been ever since a strange man with a masked face and sad eyes gave him a necklace that made his mind calm for the first time years. His fears and anxieties and the constant worry that something somewhere was wrong, was missing, just… not disappeared, exactly, but relaxed. Tempered.

It was this learned (still learning, he isn't quite up to Mama's level, not yet) ability to be outwardly calm in the face of absurdity that allowed him to face Mochida yesterday, although it failed him later that same day with Reborn's announcement (but really, that was just. Mafia. Him? A mafia boss?), even if just for a few minutes. It is also this ability that allows him to remain outwardly calm now. 

Still, he stares at Yamamoto Takeshi as though he has never seen him before, and he hasn't, not really. Oh, he knows who Yamamoto is; they have been in the same class for years after all. And everyone knows about the ace baseball player who is friendly with everybody and is considered the male idol of their school, looked up to even by some in the grades above them. 

Tsuna has never really interacted with him before despite them being in the same class, more concerned with trying to get through school one day at a time than concern himself with matters that don't need the input of the school's pariah. Likewise, Yamamoto has never reached out to him before, swept up in his love for baseball and the team that flocked around him, drawn by his immutable cheer.

Until now, it seems.

What led to this moment is thus: Their last class of the day was P.E., and today they played baseball. Usually, Tsuna is able to get out of actually participating on days the teacher picked a sport, mostly due to the fact that the team leaders refused to pick him and the teacher, knowing that Tsuna had two left feet and was prone to accidents (of his own or others making), never pushed the issue. Yamamoto, however, was insistent and so Tsuna played. 

They lost, of course, and as usual Tsuna is blamed and delegated to cleaning up the field alone by his team, who then promptly leave him with a pile of brooms in an empty field. 

Surprisingly, Yamamoto stays behind, picking up one of the abandoned brooms and offering his help. Tsuna accepts gratefully and for a while they work in silence until his cleaning partner speaks up suddenly with an unusual request.

"Hey, Sawada. Mind if I ask you for some baseball advice?"

Yamamoto is looking back at him now, a bright grin on his face that doesn't reach his eyes and Tsuna thinks, sad. There is not an ounce of honest happiness in Yamamoto's smile, and that troubles Tsuna more than the strangeness of Yamamoto's request. Something, instinct, tells Tsuna that now is not the time or place to address the issue, so he turns to the question itself.

"You want my advice?" Tsuna queries, hesitant. It doesn't hurt to make sure because, really, "...about baseball?" Tsuna is flabbergasted, because why in the world would the baseball ace want dame-Tsuna's advice about the sport he excels in?

Yamamoto laughs almost sheepishly, leaning on his broom. "Ahaha, yeah. I know it's strange, but you seem like a reliable guy lately."

"I'm not really good at giving advice," Tsuna demurs, "but if you really want it, I'll try my best." Yamamoto laughs again and grins, but still it doesn't reach his eyes.

"Thanks! See, it's just. I really love baseball, you know? But it seems like no matter how much I practice, my batting average keeps going down. I just don't want to disappoint the team. What do you think I should do?"

Tsuna thinks for a moment, using the excuse of sweeping to give him time to do so. Even though he has never really talked to Yamamoto before, he has heard plenty about the baseball team, being the only major sport the school funded the most. It always seemed to Tsuna that the rest of the players placed too much of their dependency and desire to win on one person, which was rather unfair of them. Baseball is a team sport. Frankly, the rest of them could do with a bit of disappointment.

However, speaking ill of his team to Yamamoto could only do more harm than good, so Tsuna swallows the urge. Instead, he asks Yamamoto how often he practices. 

"How often?" Yamamoto looks surprised by the question. "I get up early every day and practice for a few hours, and usually for a few hours after school and on weekends if Pop doesn't need help in the restaurant."

He ponders that for a moment, Reborn's lesson from that morning on placing the importance of making sure your body is fit above making sure it is strong ringing in his thoughts.

"Maybe that's the problem?" Tsuna is watching Yamamoto carefully so he notices when his smile becomes a little frozen and his eyes a bit cooler. "Training so hard shows dedication, and that's a great thing to have for a sport you love; but if you don't take some time to unwind and let your body relax, you could hurt yourself. Maybe the decrease in your batting average is your body's way of telling you it needs to rest." Tsuna bites his lip, watching his classmate carefully for his reaction. 

"Rest, huh...?" Yamamoto, fortunately, seems to be actually thinking instead of brushing him off. His brows are furrowed as he stares at the ground, lips tilted slightly downwards.

They finish the rest of the cleaning in silence and as they're putting the brooms away Yamamoto says, "You know, my arm has been kinda sore lately. Maybe you're right. Thanks, Sawada. You should give yourself more credit; you're not bad at this advice thing."

When he smiles, Tsuna is both happy and relieved to see that this time, it reaches his eyes.

—

Reborn is at the school gates waiting for him and seemingly having a staring contest with Hibari when Tsuna arrives. 

To be more precise, Reborn is standing on the wall, staring unblinkingly at the annoyed prefect, who is standing within the gates and holding his tonfa halfway threateningly, seemingly in the middle of deciding whether or not he wants to attack the apparent toddler who is intruding on his territory and breaking the rules by standing on the wall. Tsuna isn't sure whether to be concerned or amused by this, so he decides on both. (Who he should actually be concerned about is still up for debate.)

Tsuna approaches delicately, being sure to remain out of immediate striking distance.

"Hello, Reborn. Hibari-san." Hibari turns his dark, glaring eyes to him and Tsuna carefully does not roll his eyes when Reborn smirks at his apparent victory.

"Herbivore. Is this baby with you?"

"Yes, he's here for me." Tsuna very carefully doesn't take a step back as Hibari adjusts his tonfa when Reborn jumps down and lands lightly in Tsuna's hair, however tempting it is to put some distance between them. Hibari would sense his weakness like a shark scenting blood in the water or a hound scenting a hare, and the last thing Tsuna wants to do is incite Hibari to bite him to death.

"It is against the rules to stand on the walls of Namimori Middle. If he does it again, I'll bite you to death." Hibari eyes them both with dark promise before turning sharply and stalking back to the school. Tsuna lets out a breath when he's out of sight and starts home.

"You did that on purpose," he accuses the cursed infant.

"You are in a good mood today," Reborn says, blatantly ignoring him. Tsuna huffs slightly, but obliges the change in subject, digging the leftover cookies Kyoko gave him from his bag. The smell of warm chocolate assaults them as he opens the somewhat crumpled bag and lifts it for Reborn to reach into.

"I made some friends today. And Kyoko made me cookies to thank me for what I said to Mochida-senpai yesterday. I saved some for you and Mama." Reborn takes the offering with a happy hum and Tsuna packs the rest of them away carefully.

Nana greets them cheerfully when they return home and smiles brilliantly when Tsuna tells her of his making friends. She is also pleased and impressed with Kyoko's cookies after trying one for herself.

"You should invite them over!" Nana suggests, looking absolutely delighted at the idea. Tsuna hesitates, but his mother's clear happiness the hint of relief sways him. 

"I'll ask," he promises. 

"We're going upstairs now, Mama," Reborn says, and Nana waves them off with a remark about starting dinner.

Near the top of the stairs, Tsuna is distracted by the warmth of his pendant and is surprised to find that the pacifier is glowing when he lifts it from beneath his shirt.

"Hey, Reborn, what does it mean when-"

"Hurry up and go in, Tsuna. A Boss should not keep his guests waiting.” 

It is only then that Tsuna notices that he's standing in front of his door, his question forgotten by Reborn's statement. "A guest...?" Reborn ignores him, jumping off his head and shoving him through the door. "Hiiee! Reborn!"

Tsuna has to flail to keep his balance and just narrowly manages to avoid falling over. He is about to demand why Reborn pushed him when he is distracted by three things.

First is that there is a toddler wearing a lab coat in his room, seated at his worktable. Second is the glowing pacifier around the baby's neck, which answers the question he never got to finish asking Reborn. Third is startling color of his eyes and his hair and his pacifier and....

"Oh," says his guest, staring back at Tsuna in equal surprise and wonder.

"...Hi," says Tsuna, sitting down on the other side of the table gracelessly. 

"Tsuna, meet Verde," says Reborn, looking smug and satisfied with himself, "the Lightning Arcobaleno."

Chapter Text

Tsuna is clutching his cup of tea almost like a lifeline, still dazed by the revelation of a second soulmate. He has just barely gotten used to the idea that he was lucky enough to even have one, only to find that now he has two... and possibly more, if the fact that he can now see a second color but nothing else means anything. 

And that's just…. He was worried enough about being a good soulmate to one person; the idea that there could be – will be – more, is terrifying. (And exciting and wonderful and just… why him? Why would the universe see him – dame-Tsuna – as someone important enough to have more than one soulmate when so many go their entire lives without?)

"How is this possible?" he asks faintly, carefully setting the cup down so he doesn't spill tea on the pages of the open book before him.

The book written for soulmates (Rainbow of the Soul; Tsuna wonders if the authors couldn’t find anything less banal) is open to the color dictionary. The pictures are mostly of a multitude of fruits, vegetables, plants, and trees, with a panorama of a lush meadow that takes up nearly an entire page. Bits and pieces of the pictures are still grey to his eyes, but he can see the yellows in the setting sun and the brilliant display of life in the meadow. 

Green. I can see green. Leaves and grass and limes and watermelon. 

It's almost overwhelming.

"I'm afraid I can't answer that at the moment," Verde says gently in an apparent effort not to spook his newfound soulmate. Tsuna wonders absently what he must look like for Verde to think he needs to be so delicate in his manner. Probably like he's about to run away screaming, Tsuna thinks with wry amusement.  The effort is appreciated, however, so Tsuna offers him a smile.

Verde adjusts his glasses, the lenses flashing in the light which hides his eyes for a brief moment. He turns the book around and thumbs quickly through the pages, reading at a fast pace that has Tsuna blinking in awe. 

"As far as anyone is aware, there has never been a recording of a person with multiple soulmates before," Reborn says, helping Leon clamber down to the table. The chameleon bakes a beeline for Tsuna, who picks him up with gentle hands and rubs his chin obligingly while wondering at the brilliant hue the chameleon has taken from the dull grey of before. It's rather comforting. "Verde is the World's Greatest Scientist. I called him here to help in figuring out your partial color blindness."

Tsuna eyes him for a moment contemplatively, somehow knowing that could not be the only reason. The answer comes to him in a burst of insight that nearly takes him by surprise. "And because you suspected this would happen."

(Unbeknownst to Tsuna, his eyes, normally a warm nutty brown have suddenly turned a rich golden hue alight with his Flame, nearly freezing Reborn in place with the intensity in which they pin him. How strong must his Intuition be, Reborn wonders, for him to say that with such certainty? How pure must his Flames be, for his Intuition to already be this strong?)

"That too," Reborn admits glibly. Tsuna feels slightly exasperated, but if there is one thing Tsuna has learned in the two days he has known Reborn, is that his soulmate (his first one, and how weird is that, even) is practically shameless and does pretty much whatever he wants. Reborn smirks at him, as if reading his mind. He is also modest, Tsuna thinks dryly. (Cue sarcasm.)

“It’s all rather interesting,” Verde says then, closing the book and waylaying Reborn’s retaliation. “There are a number of facts to consider, all of which tie together somewhat neatly." He adjusts his glasses again in what Tsuna is beginning to think might be a nervous tic.

"First is that you are the Sky Arcobaleno." Verde's tone reminds Tsuna of the one teachers adopt when they are about to begin a lecture. "Theoretically, this could mean that as your elements, we are – all of us – part of your soul, as nearly every element is bonded to their Sky." Verde's lips twist in something like annoyance or distaste. "This theory is flawed, however, when you consider that the position of Arcobaleno is one that is chosen for us, not by us and that you are not the first Arcobaleno Sky of this generation, but the second, even if we were never Guardian bonded to the first. There is also that there has never been a Sky who reported having a Guardian as a soulmate, never mind more than one.

“Second, while you remain partially colorblind, Reborn and I are not. This indicates that we are linked to you, specifically, and not each other as a whole; this tells us that it can indeed be indicative of the fact that you are our Sky, which as I stated before is flawed reasoning. However, it is further supported by the fact that you can now see the color green in addition to yellow. Green is the color of the Lightning Flame, which is my Flame, and yellow is the color of the Sun Flame, which is Reborn’s Flame. 

"Hypothetically, if the other Arcobaleno are indeed your soulmates as well, meeting each one will allow you the ability to perceive the other colors when you meet them. How this will work for allowing you to see orange, which is the color of the Sky Flame, is uncertain; perhaps you will be able to discern it after you have met all of us." Verde pauses, tapping his pen against his notebook as he sips his tea, and frowns.

“Which brings us to the third: the unusual and unlikely coincidence that you are our Sky as well as our soulmate," he says grudgingly, as though unwilling to voice this next theory aloud. "The likelihood that Checkerface, the administrator of the I Prescelti Sette – the Chosen Seven, otherwise called the World’s Strongest Seven – somehow… knew that this would be the case, that you were special in this way, and chose accordingly is… unsettling. It could mean that he has ulterior motives for choosing us. For choosing to put you in such a dangerous position, Tsuna. The possibility that he had some type of foreknowledge of our unique bond and has plans to use it – to use you – in some way… is unacceptable.”

Verde’s eyes pierce into his own, but the absolute promise in them, the utter conviction Tsuna can see to not allow him to come to harm, makes him feel remarkably, unequivocally, safe.

The thought that the man in the mask had ulterior, possibly dangerous motives for choosing Tsuna to be the bearer of what he has only recently learned is such a powerful artifact is chilling but somehow… wrong. He doesn't know why he feels that way, but the same instincts that tell him when to hide, who to trust – that tell him when his mother is sad despite her cheerfulness, when others are hiding lies behind their smiles…. Right now, it is telling him not to be afraid of whatever reasons that man may have had. 

There may be many things he is bad at, but he has always been very good at trusting his instincts.

–

Verde can sense when Reborn begins to follow his line of thought during his explanation; the suppressed killer intent is nearly palpable. When he finishes, he meets Tsuna’s eyes to convey, in no uncertain terms, exactly how much he approved of the possible danger Tsuna could be in due to the plans of the man who cursed them. He knows without looking that he and Reborn are in absolute accord for possibly the first time in their association.

That is to say, they didn’t approve in the least.

Verde is sufficiently satisfied having found his soulmate that he doesn't mind having to share, even if it meant sharing with five (possibly six; the unusual situation of the dual Rain Arcobaleno makes this an uncertainty) other people. The simple release this knowledge gives him, to know that he can stop looking, is enough. His mind is light and clear for the first time in over a decade, which is… brilliant.

The soft, subtle warmth of the forming Guardian bond is even more so. He had never wanted to be a Guardian before, had never felt anything but the vaguest Sky Attraction to anyone, but for his soulmate…. For this, for what he has desired for as long as he can remember, he would accept the bond and all that it entails.

“We will need to prepare for the possibility of that man appearing again if this is the case.” Reborn flips through a notebook almost as big as he is that is filled with numbers, notes, and random doodles. “It is likely that you will meet all of your Arcobaleno in less than a year, so your training will need to increase by half, Tsuna. We will work on your homework after dinner, so for now, change into your running clothes.”

Tsuna blinks at him, startled. “What, now? But it’s almost time for dinner.” Reborn’s eyes glint and his lips curl into a smirk. Returning to his hand, Leon transforms into Reborn’s favorite weapon, the green gun glinting in the soft light of sunset.

“That will be an additional half kilometer. Want to go for more?”

Verde takes Reborn’s notebook to look through it, already seeing where his expertise can make improvements, his genius mind already formulating a dietary regimen and Flame exercises. He ignores the gunshots and Tsuna’s halfhearted complaints with aplomb, unknowing of the soft, contented smile that softens his face.

Yes. He doesn't mind it at all. 

–

(It takes Verde nearly a month to remember his first observations of Tsuna’s bedroom, and it is only because of a few simple, nearly over-looked additions. The small white shelves dotted about the room that had previously contained manga books, drawing pads, and videos had all been emptied, the contents moved to a small four-tiered bookshelf newly bought and placed next to the door, the white shelves rearranged carefully onto a single wall.

In place of their previous content, one shelf now holds a photograph in a yellow frame; it is of Tsuna and Reborn, sitting at his study table over piles of papers and books. Next to the frame is a small stuffed chameleon with a yellow ribbon tied around its neck. On another shelf is a picture of Tsuna and Verde, himself, in the makeshift laboratory that Verde had made of the guest room he was given. The photograph is in a green frame, sitting next to a small stuffed alligator with a green ribbon tied on the tip of its tail.

The other shelves are empty… all five of them. He is stunned by the revelation, of what Tsuna is saying without speaking a single word.

Verde will never admit it to Reborn (because Reborn is a smug bastard who has already or will eventually figure it out on his own), but he would forever be grateful for being tricked into coming to Namimori. Had Reborn explained himself instead of playing to his curiosity, Verde would most likely have declined and thus likely have never met Tsuna and gained the one thing he never knew he wanted.

A home.)

—

Part 2. Verde ~ End

Chapter Text

At a small airport just outside of Namimori, Japan, workers stop and stare at an unusual sight. There is a small child wandering around, hiding behind crates and luggage - or at least, trying to hide. The child isn't exactly very subtle. Although he did his best, scampering to and fro and leaping behind anything available when someone draws near, the little tail of the cow onesie he is wearing or the top of his curly afro or the tips of one of the little horns sticking out of it never seem to make it entirely behind his hiding place with him.

Not to mention he is talking rather loudly to himself in third person.

Taking it as a quirk of childhood, the workers play along and pretend they don't see him. He isn't underfoot or getting into things he shouldn't be, and he is rather adorable, so they let him believe he is being inconspicuous on his quest to leave the airport unseen and continue to go about their duties. After all, they assume, he likely belongs to another passenger and is just playing because he's bored. 

For his part, Lambo Bovino thinks he is being rather clever and successful in his quest to sneak into Japan unnoticed. He is on a very important mission. The Boss of his famiglia had ordered him to prove his worth by killing the (in his mind) second greatest hitman in the world, the Arcobaleno Reborn whom he had once met in a bar in Italy. He was able to learn through various rumors that Reborn had gone to Japan to train a new student so he had snuck onto a plane by hiding himself in someone's luggage.

(When the unfortunate owner of that particular piece of luggage later opens it, they will be very confused to find not their belongings but a plethora of empty juice boxes, candy wrappers, and other assorted junk food detritus. The headache this will cause for the airport will make them wish they had paid more attention to the wayward child.)

Following a map he had stored in his hair, Lambo easily makes his way to Namimori and begins the hardest part of his search: finding out where Reborn's student lives without even a name to go on. He shows a picture of Reborn to everyone he meets, but his progress is very slow due to the fact that he is distracted many times by various toy stores, candy shops, ice cream parlors, and arcades. By the end of the first day he isn't any closer to finding his target, so he finds a warm place to sleep by sneaking into a closing toy store and settles for the night.

He tries again the next day, but meets no further success as the day before, nor the day after that. It is fortunate that he finds what he is looking for on his forth day, as unbeknownst to him, the toy store he had been breaking into to sleep in at night had been quite frustrated to find their wares scattered, packages open and toys played with, as well as their candy displays ransacked upon opening for the past few days and had installed a new alarm system.

However, early on day four of his search he meets a nice woman at the market who recognizes the pictured hitman right away. By a rather exceptional stroke of luck, Lambo runs into Sawada Nana.

"Ara? Are you Reborn-kun's friend?" 

Lambo is struck by the gentle smile she gives him. He doesn't remember his mother, who had died when he was still a baby, and his father never really had time for him. Growing up with his famiglia, not many people have ever really treated him with much kindness. Those who had time for him found his exuberance overwhelming and gave up (Lambo had gone through quite a lot of nannies, to his father's frustration), and the rest were too busy with their experimenting and inventions to pay him much mind.

"Lambo-san is on a mission~!" he tells her, wisely leaving out exactly what his mission is. "Lambo-san needs to find Reborn to do a very important job~! But Lambo-san can't find him."

"My, what a big boy you are! You're in luck. Reborn-kun is my son's tutor, and he's staying with us for a while. Why don't you keep me company while I shop, and afterwards I'll take you to him? How does that sound?"

"Lambo-san agrees! Lambo-san would like to shop with you~." Lambo grins happily at her, excited at the prospect of not only being able to find Reborn so quickly but of being able to spend time with such a nice person who had a pretty smile all for him.

Shopping doesn't take too long. Nana indulgently listens as Lambo talks about whatever comes to his mind, chattering nonstop about all of his favorite things. He nearly bursts into happy tears when she buys him a small bag of grape candy, which rapidly disappear. When they arrive at the Sawada residence, Reborn isn't there so he also keeps her company in the kitchen as she cooks. Around the time Nana says Reborn is expected to be home, Lambo sneaks out to hide in the tree outside of her son's bedroom window in order to ambush Reborn in a sneak attack, mourning his glass of unfinished grape juice as he goes.

Naturally, his attack fails. So does the second. And the third. By the fourth, Tsuna has become rather exasperated by Reborn's slighting of the would-be assassin and the damage being done to his room from Lambo’s rebuffed attempts. He confiscates Lambo's weapons (which Verde is quick to steal for study), scolds Reborn (who ignores him) and sends Lambo down to his mother, who invites Lambo to stay with them. Stuffing a handful of the crackers she gives him into his mouth, he is sufficiently distracted and agrees.

In the end, Lambo decides that although he failed his mission to kill Reborn, he's rather pleased with the outcome. Mama is the nicest person he has ever met, and she makes really good food to boot. Tsuna-nii is also rather nice, and he stops Reborn from picking on him and gives him grape candy when he cleans up his messes, which is awesome. He could do without Reborn, who is a meany-head, and Verde, who is kind of creepy, but all in all, the Sawada house has quickly and easily become home. He doesn't miss Italy even a tiny bit nor any of the people he left behind. Tsuna-nii even eventually returns some of his weapons!

Happily, he settles down in Namimori for good.

(He never does get his Ten Year Bazooka back, though.)

Chapter Text

"Here you go, Tsuna!" Tsuna smiles gratefully, accepting the bottle of water with an exhausted sigh. Takeshi laughs, grinning brightly at him as they both sit down on a nearby bench, taking a rest from their early morning jog. The cool breeze is a welcome relief, helping to dry the sweat gathered on his forehead and shoulders.

It has only been a few months since Reborn and then Verde had arrived and turned his life upside down, but Tsuna is all the more grateful for it. His previous loneliness is a distant and unlamented memory. He is, for the first time in a very long time, happy. He even has friends, and that thought cheers him like nothing else.

(Tsuna had been surprised to arrive to school a couple days after their talk in the baseball field to find that Yamamoto Takeshi had his arm in sling. Rumors had abounded that he had anything from a sprained wrist to a broken arm, but Yamamoto ("Call me Takeshi! We're friends, right?") had explained the real reason to him later that day after inviting himself to his lunch with Kyoko and Hana – which, to Tsuna’s continued surprise, had continued after that first day.

"I talked to my old man and he took me to a sports doctor.” Takeshi had laughed sheepishly, his free arm raised behind his head. Tsuna had been incredibly relieved to see that his smile still reached his eyes. He seemed much happier than he had even two days before. “Turns out I've been working it too hard! Just have to keep it rested and it'll be good as new. Doc said I might have done some real damage to it otherwise, and that would have kept me out for half the season. Ahaha, man, that would have been bad!"

So Tsuna had made his third friend in less than a week. Reborn, relentless and unashamed opportunist that he is, immediately manipulated the situation and so he had also gained a companion to his morning runs.)

"Man, that baby sure doesn't go easy on you, does he?" Tsuna watches, somewhat enviously, as Takeshi throws and lands his empty bottle neatly in the bin. He had slowly been gaining stamina and strength, but his aim still needed work.

"I don't mind," he answers, standing and stretching his legs. His smile is fond as he remembers Reborn's and Verde's lectures about properly warming up his muscles and letting them carefully cool down in order to avoid painful cramps and muscle strain later. "He is my tutor, after all. He wants me to do my best."

“Tsuna.” Tsuna lets out a startled yelp as Reborn lands on his head from nowhere. A few feet away, Takeshi clutches his stomach as he laughs.

“Reborn! Don’t do that,” Tsuna scolds weakly, patting his chest as if to slow his heartbeat. “You’ll give me a heart attack one day.”

“A Boss must be aware of his surroundings,” Reborn replies blithely. “Mama has breakfast ready. You have ten minutes to return home. If you fail, you will drink Verde’s Experimental Nutritional Drink #27 as penalty.”

Tsuna swallows, trying not to gag in remembrance. While he greatly appreciates Verde’s dedication to providing the best nutritional plan to go along with his training regimen, his experiments in creating the perfect “nutritional drink” to help supplement his Flame usage always seem to end… strangely. (He forbade either of them from mentioning the results of #13, and did his best to scrub the event from his memories. It was not allowed to be talked about. Ever.

Not that Reborn planned to listen, of course. The pictures he took of those failed results will be perfect blackmail material in the future.)

With this very real threat in mind, Tsuna's pace is just shy of desperate.   He really, really does not want to be subjected to one of Verde's experiments this early in the morning. Takeshi is still laughing almost too hard to keep up and Tsuna is tempted to leave him behind.

He trips him instead, and the two playfully squabble the entire way back, Reborn shooting at their feet out of sheer annoyance and planning to make Tsuna drink Verde's newest creation whether he makes it back in time or not – and Takeshi too, just because he could.

—

When the call comes, he has just finished a modest breakfast after watching his disciple set off on her first solo assassination mission. He had promised her she could do it alone so he will keep his distance, but she is young and still mostly inexperienced and so he worries for her regardless. He answers, but the person on the other end speaks before he can give a greeting.

"I'm calling in your favor." 

There is a surprised silence for a moment before Fon sighs and says with some amusement, "Hello to you too, Viper. What can I do for you?"

"I go by Esper Mammon now," the Mist Arcobaleno mutters somewhat petulantly. "I need to commission something from Verde, but he disappeared from his lab over two months ago and hasn't been seen since."

"You want me to find him?" Fon raises his eyebrows in bewilderment. He wasn't the best suited for tracking people despite his profession, even if he could do so if required. Of all of them, Viper themself was actually the one best suited for that, or even Lal Mirch. Reborn as well, he muses after some thought, although asking either of those two to do a favor for the other was like mixing vinegar and baking soda: eventually, it just ends up as one big mess.

"I've already found him. My Thoughtography places him nearest to your location."

"Really? How unusual for him to travel. What is it that you need from me?"

"I want you to deliver a message to him, and find out why he's in Japan while you’re at it."

Fon wouldn't mind knowing the answer to that either. Verde hadn't left his lab in almost a decade, not since the last Arcobaleno Meeting to discuss the sudden disappearance of the Sky pacifier. For him to have not only left but to travel all the way to Japan, he must have found something more than worth his time. It is certainly enough to pique Fon's curiosity.

"Alright. What is the message? And where can I find him?"

"Tell him I have a commission for him. You should be able to find him in a town called Namimori." Viper hangs up without so much as a by-your-leave, but Fon is too distracted (and too used to Viper's breviloquence) to mind.

Verde is in Namimori?

Fon leans against the fencing of the office building roof he is standing on, crossing his arms over the top. He looks out over the picturesque scene, the sun just beginning to crest over the horizon, washing the rooftops and trees in a hazy grey light. Lichi chitters at him from atop his head, very carefully peeling a mandarine of which she hands him a piece. They share the treat in silence, watching the sun rise.

What a coincidence, he thinks. He looks down and to the west at a quaint, brightly decorated seating area in a small park next to a shopping center. His sharp eyes linger on the sign that proclaims it to be Namimori Square. The hour is early, but already there are people meandering along the path that runs through it; men in crisp suits, women with small children clutching their hands, a young boy on a bicycle with papers in his basket.

When the sun has fully risen above the horizon, shining brightly in the cloudless sky, he nimbly jumps down to the street and joins the throng of people as they make their way to work or school or the shops. Viper has not given him a time limit, but Namimori is not that big and he has the advantage of speed, his animal partner and his pacifier to aid in his search. He is also rather fond of the adage ‘Do not put off ‘til tomorrow what you could do today’.

After roaming around the business and market center of Namimori for a few hours without so much as a spark from his pacifier, he makes his way towards the more rural part of town. He knows better than to doubt the accuracy of Viper's unique ability, but he can't quite picture Verde choosing such a picturesque location to settle in, for whatever reason. He has time, however, so he will leave the likelier location of the warehouse district (as a possible location for a new laboratory) for later.

I-pin, his student, is nearby and he keeps out of sight as he watches over her. She is showing a picture to several people – mothers with their children and teenagers on their way to school; likely the one of her target he had given her before she left. He has a momentary concern over her nearsightedness, but vows not to involve himself unless she mistakes the wrong person for the one in the picture. (It would not be the first time; he considers investing in a pair of glasses for her.)

Soon enough she wanders off, and he is distracted as Lichi chitters excitedly, dashing off over the rooftops. He follows her for several blocks to a normal two story house in the neighborhood, and as he jumps onto the wall that surrounds a well-kept lawn and small garden, his pacifier begins to glow.

There is an answering glow from one of the windows on the second level and he reassesses his earlier thoughts. He jumps onto a branch of the convenient tree in front of it, smiling ruefully as Lichi launches herself through the window with a happy shriek.

He is surprised to see not Verde, but Reborn, sitting atop a pile of pillows at a small table with a cup of coffee. Lichi is on the floor next to him, crawling on her belly after Leon in a strange game of tag.

"You're early," Reborn says as Fon joins him in the room. Fon is pretty sure Reborn is pouting, not that he would ever say so to his face. He knows better.

"You were expecting me?"

"I saw your student this morning." Reborn produces a cup of tea from nowhere, but Fon is well used to this and accepts it graciously.

"I was actually looking for Verde," Fon says. He does not ask if Reborn has seen him; he doesn't have to. If Verde had come to Namimori, and Reborn was also in Namimori (something about training another heir?), then it was unlikely Reborn had not tracked the scientist down if only find out why he was there. Reborn was curious to a fault at times, and unashamedly nosy besides.

"Verde is observing my student for the day." There is a wicked gleam in his eyes to match the smirk on his face. Reborn is too amused by the idea not to have had a hand in whatever Verde is observing the unfortunate soul for.

"I see. I have a message for him from Viper."

"Oh? How interesting." An unspoken command has Leon scampering back to Reborn, deftly climbing up his partner's arm to curl up in his usual spot on the brim of Reborn's fedora. A pouting Lichi follows his example, clambering her way up her partner to perch on his head. "I'll bring you to him."

Fon has a strange feeling as he follows Reborn out of the house that whatever the reason for Verde's presence in Namimori, his life is about to get a lot more interesting.

Chapter Text

Lunch has quickly become a favorite part of Tsuna's day. The days of eating lunch alone at his desk, pretending not to be envious of the others around him as they eat with their friends, have long since faded.  

He can't quite picture eating without Kyoko's happy chatter or Hana's dry sarcasm or even Takeshi's incessant expounding of baseball facts in the background. He is even able to eat a full meal now after Hana's painstaking and tireless efforts, helped along by Takeshi's sharp and understanding gaze. Together, with Kyoko an unwitting accomplice, the two have steadily helped him to increase his portion intake until he no longer has to worry about what his mother might say.

(The first time he brings home a bento emptied entirely on his own merit feels like a triumph and if Nana wonders at his accomplished smile and random squeeze of his arms around her waist, she says nothing.)

He is even starting to feel a bit stronger from his training with Reborn and Verde; smarter with their tutoring and (somewhat) patient explanations until he actually understands the subjects they are teaching him as opposed to the frustrated muddling of before. Their unwavering support (Spartan and terrifying and exhausting as it may be) the past few months has helped him to feel more assured and confident in himself. It's glaringly obvious to even the densest of his former tormentors, who seem unsure what to do with a victim who refuses to continue being a victim. Although they stay in the shadows and circle him like wolves scenting for weakness, he is finding that the amount of times he needs to find a new route home to avoid them is dwindling.

That is not to say they don't still try to resume their 'game', but after their last attempt to 'put him in his place' – in which one went home with a sprained wrist, another with a broken nose, and a third with a black eye – they've backed off. They have found that the kitten they were enjoying kicking was really a lion cub in disguise and they are painfully uncertain of where they now stand in this budding new hierarchy.

Even Hibari notices the change in him, and that is a horrifying prospect in itself. Tsuna is aware of Reborn's desire to see the two of them fight, to see how his Sky currently stacks up against the Demon of Namimori, but Tsuna would very much like to keep that from happening for as long as he can. He may have improved a bit (or a lot) from the dame he was only a few short months ago, but he has not improved that much and he is well aware of that.

Today they are lunching on the roof, as their usual spot on the grounds had been overtaken by a group of rowdy second year students to Hibari’s extreme displeasure. (They were not the only ones to decide that vacating the area was better for their continued health.) Verde was with them as well, accompanying him in lieu of Reborn to document and observe his reaction to his latest experimental Flame supplement, which Tsuna had not been able to avoid that morning. So far it seems to be having no adverse effects. Tsuna has learned, however, that Verde's experiments often have strange or unusual consequences, no matter how benign they seem at first. (The less said of that the better, in his opinion.)

The small group of four – not counting Verde, who was scribbling his way industriously through another notebook and not paying attention to anything else – is in the middle of discussing the latest school gossip: that of Nezu-sensei's suspension pending investigation of claims of fraud that Hibari had somehow uncovered. (Verde had seemed unusually smug at the news, giving Tsuna the inklings of suspicion). They are soon distracted, however, by the arrival of a small child with a singular braid atop (...his? Her?) egg-shaped head. They are looking between what looks like a photograph in their hands and the group with grim focus.

"I hate kids," Hana mutters, shuddering in revulsion. She had said much the same thing when introduced to both Reborn and Verde, though she has learned to tolerate their presence when either of them invariably invite themselves to lunch. 

(She has not yet accepted the explanation for why they follow him even to school, and is mystified at the reason Hibari lets them get away with it. Tsuna and the two baby monkeys are obviously hiding something and while she has her suspicions, she will wring it out of him, one way or the other.

Nor has she accepted the fact that one of them is followed around by an apparently tame alligator. That was just weird.)

"Hana!" Kyoko scolds. She stands and walks over to the child, bending over and smiling kindly. "Hi, sweetie. Are you lost?" The child stares at her in slight incomprehension before shaking their head, braid swinging erratically with the movement.

"Fon must be in town," Verde muses, looking up from one of his many notebooks, peering at the child with narrowed eyes. Tsuna looks at him in curiosity.

"You know this kid?" he asks him softly, leaning closer to him so as not to be overheard.

"That is I-pin, a promising assassin under the tutelage of Fon, the World's Strongest Martial Artist."

"Another Arcobaleno?" Tsuna murmurs, looking at the child with new interest.

"Indeed," Verde answers, quickly losing any previous interest in the situation as he returns to his notes.

"Wait," Tsuna hisses in alarm, eyes wide. "Assassin?!" He looks at the child, who is now glaring at him. They tuck the photograph away and move into a martial arts pose.

"Target found," the child says in broken Japanese. "I-pin defeat you."

"What are you talking about, kid?" Hana demands, placing her hands on her hips and looming over the child like a bird of prey.

"Kids play such interesting games, huh Tsuna?" Takeshi laughs, grinning brightly.

"I don't think he's playing," Tsuna says nervously as the child takes a deep breath and moves in a slow martial arts kata.

"Hold your breath," Verde advises absently, making notations in his book. "I-pin uses a form of martial arts called Gyoza Kenpo, which utilizes a strong smell of garlic to affect the target's brain, making the body susceptible to manipulation. If you can't smell it, it can't affect you."

"That doesn't make sense," Tsuna and Hana say at the same time, before looking at each other in bewilderment. 

The child pauses, a flush spreading across their glaring, sweating brow.  Their head bows and as they watch, the child assassin's forehead glows and nine round markings appear upon it.

"The Pinzu Time Bomb," Verde says in fascination. He adjusts his glasses and leans forward, entirely in observation mode. "How fascinating to see it in person. You might want to do something about it, however, Tsuna. The Pinzu Time Bomb releases all of the stored garlic gas the user carries creating a large explosion. If it goes off, it will level half the school." The remark is said rather flippantly; Tsuna gives his Lighting soulmate an incredulous look.

"That makes even less sense! How can this kid be a walking time bomb?!" Hana demands. She stiffens as the child suddenly latches onto her leg like a barnacle. "Get it off!" she hisses from between her teeth, glaring at all and sundry.

Tsuna rushes forward and manages, after a struggle, to get the child to release Hana only for them to latch onto him instead. The markings on their forehead have already counted down to four.

Panicking, Tsuna recalls his lessons on his Flames and attempts to call them up, knowing that it could possibly be the only thing to keep them all from blowing up (as well as part of the school, thereby inciting Hibari's wrath). While it has never been easy to call them up without first spending several minutes focusing, which he does not currently have time for, something now seems to be blocking him from accessing them altogether. It isn't hard for him to guess what that 'something' might be.

"Verde," he says with false calm, "I think I've discovered the downside to Experiment #27."

"Oh?" Verde says, pen at the ready and a gleam of science in his eyes. Under normal circumstances, Tsuna would find that both endearing and (somewhat) frightening, but these are not normal circumstances.

Tsuna grits his teeth as the markings flash and change. "I can't call up my Flames. I can barely feel them."

"Hm." Verde looks over his notes, frowning. "I wonder.... If I can isolate and replicate the cause and perhaps turn it into a gas….This could become very useful in the future."

"Verde!" Tsuna cries, exasperated, wincing as the markings flash again. "I don't think now is the best time for that!"

The teens watch in a mixture of confusion (Kyoko), interest (Takeshi), and horror (Tsuna and Hana) as the markings go from two to one. Tsuna braces himself for an explosion, the single marking beginning to glow, when a sudden blur cuts across the rooftop. The glow intensifies, momentarily blinding them all, but... nothing happens. Slowly, Tsuna opens his eyes.

Another child, slightly taller than I-pin, has his hand on I-pin's unmarked forehead.

"Well," says the new child with a gentle smile, "looks like we arrived just in time."

It is then that Tsuna notices the light hasn't entirely faded. Or rather, that the light is coming from both himself and the new arrival. The other child, dressed somewhat similarly to I-pin, notices as well and his head turns to look at the soft glow from beneath Tsuna's shirt that can't entirely hide the shape of what's beneath. 

Their eyes meet. 

Tsuna gasps softly as the glow of the pacifier around the apparent child's neck seems to intensify, bringing both it and his outfit into bright, startling color. (Tsuna is beginning to realize that he will have a hard time picking a favorite color if – or perhaps when – he gains the ability to see them all. Although, yellow will always hold a special place for having been the first.)

Only the slight widening of the newly arrived Arcobaleno's eyes betrays his own shock. A soft smile turns his lips as he bows, his eyes never leaving Tsuna's.

"Hello," he says. "My name is Fon. I apologize for my student's mistake. She's a bit nearsighted, you see."

"Ah... n-no problem," Tsuna stutters. "Honest mistake. Thanks for stopping her from… um, blowing up."

"You are very welcome."

The two continue to stare at each other silently until a growl of frustration breaks them out of it.

"Will someone please explain what's going on?!" Hana yells in exasperation.

Chapter Text

"Mafia." Hana's voice is incredulous, staring at them in disbelief.

"Maa, Tsuna, you really are an interesting guy!" Takashi laughs.

"You have three soulmates?" says Kyoko, clapping her hands together in delight. "So that’s why you could only see yellow back then! I'm so jealous!"

"Um," Tsuna says eloquently, face flushing a cherry red. 

"We have hypothesized that Tsuna could have as many as seven," Verde corrects. He has put his notebook away in respect for the conversation, but Tsuna recognizes the way his fingers twitch as if trying to reach for a pen. "I have not been able to locate the causing factor, but the reason is ultimately of no consequence. Tsuna is our Sky, as we are his Guardians. That we are also his soulmates simplifies matters."

"Mafia," Hana echoes.

"I thought we weren't supposed to talk about that," Tsuna not-whines, scratching at his cheek. He frowns at Reborn, who had, before, specifically stressed the importance of observing Omertà and yet had been the one to tell Kyoko, Hana, and Takeshi that Tsuna was a mafia boss in training. Reborn gives him a blank look in return, entirely unmoved.

"A Boss knows when to pick his battles," is all he says. Tsuna drops his head in resignation, trying very hard to ignore the headache that is forming between his eyes.

"Mafia?!" Hana says for a third time. "This pipsqueak," Tsuna squawks as Hana leans over and painfully pinches his cheeks, shaking him like a ragdoll, "is going to be a mafia boss?!"

Reborn sips at a cup of tea that hadn't been there a moment ago, seated at a small table with a full tea set and several cups that also hadn't been there a moment ago, dressed in a formal kimono as though attending a tea ceremony. (Tsuna has given up trying to comprehend anything Reborn does. Reborn breaks the laws of physics and rationality as though they were made of wet tissue paper, and trying to figure out how the hell he does it would only give him a migraine.

Then again, Tsuna can set himself on fire on command. His life has gone way beyond common sense.)

"Yes," Reborn answers succinctly. 

Slowly, Hana lets Tsuna go; he is quick to shuffle out of her reach, rubbing at his sore and pinking cheeks. She stares at Reborn, then at Verde and Fon, and finally gives Tsuna a calculating once-over.

"Huh. Yeah, okay."

Tsuna's jaw drops and he splutters, unable to form a coherent response to her irreverence. She gives him a bland, unimpressed look and crosses her arms over her chest, blowing a strand of hair out of her face.

"I don't believe in willful denial, I'm obviously not dreaming, and if I've gone crazy, I'm going to drag all of you down with me. Besides–“ Hana says, pointing at a contrite-looking I-pin, “–the fact that you're supposed to be a mafia boss is a lot less weird than a five year old walking time bomb."

Tsuna looks at I-pin as well and sighs in defeat. She has a point, he admits to himself reluctantly.

"Why you, anyway?" Hana smirks at him and playfully pinches his cheek again, albeit softer than before. "I mean, no offense, but you are a scrawny little pipsqueak."

"Um. None taken?" Tsuna says unsurely, batting her hand away. It is Reborn who answers her question, drawing the attention of the others.

"The current Boss of Vongola, Nono, had four sons; however, they have all died or become otherwise ineligible to assume the title of Vongola Decimo." From seemingly nowhere, Reborn produces a hand-draw chart detailing a partial family tree. Wisely, no one mentions the fact that it was drawn in crayon nor the fact that there was a small doodle of a chameleon wearing a fedora in the corner of it. "As a descendant of the Vongola Primo through his father, Tsuna is the last remaining candidate for the position. As a favor to Nono, I agreed to come to Japan to train Tsuna and to protect him until he ready to officially inherit his title."

"Wait," Hana says, looking confused. "If he was chosen because of his bloodline, then what about his dad? Couldn't he take over instead?"

Tsuna's brows furrow, an unhappy look passing over his face. Reborn had explained about his father's position in the mafia and what it meant. On some level, Tsuna could understand his father's choice to stay away from his family, but understanding is not the same as approving or accepting. While he appreciates that his father apparently cares enough about him and his mother to keep them safe by involving them as little as possible in the dangers and darkness of his world, he knows that it would not have been impossible for him to keep them safe while also speaking to them more than twice a year or coming home more than once every three or four. 

All too often Iemitsu has chosen Family over family, and Tsuna, the one left behind to deal with a lonely wife and mother who would cry herself to sleep every so often, especially when her husband has forgotten their own wedding anniversary or whom had not come home after promising to do so, is not sure if he can ever forgive him for that. (His mother deserved a lot better than his father was apparently willing to give.) There are only so many lies and broken promises he can take, and if not for his mother, he would have long ago written the man off completely. Passing off his fatherly duty to inform his own son of his heritage to what was basically a complete stranger was just another in a long list of black marks against him.

His father had a lot to explain and a lot of groveling to do before Tsuna would be inclined to entertain thoughts of forgiveness.

"Sawada Iemitsu is also ineligible," Reborn answers her, seemingly oblivious to Tsuna's raging thoughts if not for the fact that Leon has climbed up his arm to perch in his hair. "As the head of the Consulenza Esterna Della Famiglia, the External Advisers to the Family, he is outside the direct control of Vongola, as are all members of CEDEF. Excepting in times of crisis, they are considered as completely separate from the famiglia; they cannot be Vongola if they are also CEDEF, and the reverse holds true as well. Unless Iemitsu steps down as their leader and relinquishes his ties to the organization, he cannot be Vongola Decimo because it would then give one person too much power. It would upset the delicate balance currently in place." 

The 'he could, but he won't' remained unsaid but it was all too clear. Instead of doing the logical thing - the right thing - and passing on his position as the External Advisor in order to take up the title of Decimo, Sawada Iemitsu decided to throw his teenage civilian son to the wolves instead. Plucking at the silver chain around his neck, Tsuna uncharitably hopes he gets to be there when his father learns that the decision to involve him in the dark world of the mafia had never been his in the first place, and hadn't been for years.

"Your dad's kind of a jerk," Hana says blandly, her quick mind having come to the correct conclusion almost immediately. Tsuna covers his mouth to stifle the unexpected burst of laughter. "Whatever. Count me in, I guess."

"Sounds like a fun game! Can I play?” Takeshi says cheerfully, Kyoko happily nodding her agreement in the background.

Tsuna opens his mouth to protest, but closes it before he can say a word. For all his nonchalance, Takeshi looks as sharp and as calculating as he is on a pitcher’s mound, full of intent and purpose. Tsuna is reminded of that day on the field where they spoke more than three words to each other for the first time and the way his smile didn't reach to thaw the coolness in his eyes. There is none of that coolness now; his is the look of one who has heard the words that haven't been spoken, the ramifications that Tsuna will eventually have to face. The look of one who understands and who will still refuse to let Tsuna face it alone despite the consequences.

Of course, Tsuna won't be entirely alone. There is Kyoko, who doesn't quite understand but is determined to be useful regardless. Hana, who is accepting and just as determined, if only to keep her own sanity.

There is also Reborn to show the light and guide his way. Verde who, even now, is ever calculating what is necessary to make him stronger, faster, more resilient. There is Fon, who despite having just been apprised of the situation and his place in it, is the temperate eye of a storm just waiting to be unleashed upon that which would threaten what is his.

And, possibly, perhaps even sometime soon, there will be others. Others who will see him and know him for what he is meant to be to them, others who will gather under his banner as they have never been gathered before; as they have always been meant to gather.

It's a heady feeling, almost overwhelming in its significance. For the first time since Reborn strolled into his home and introduced color into his life, Tsuna thinks, I can do this, and believes it wholeheartedly.

With them – with all of them – I can do this.

Chapter Text

Fon doesn't know what he is expecting to find when he arrives on the roof of the middle school Reborn's new student attends. It certainly isn't his own apprentice, facing off against a group of teenagers and on the cusp of activating her Pinzu Time Bomb. Fortunately, he and Reborn have arrived in time for Fon to neutralize the oncoming explosion, which he does with all due haste.

He also is not expecting to see the glow of an Arcobaleno pacifier hidden beneath the shirt of the teenager she had attached to, nor the color that paints his world like an artist creating a masterpiece when he meets the boy's eyes.  

His mind is frozen, unsure of which aspect of this moment takes precedence. On the one hand, this boy is the Sky the Arcobaleno had been unaware of and searching for after the unusual disappearance of the Sky pacifier, which had gone missing shortly after Luce's death as reported to them by Aria, who had not been able to harmonize with it to everyone's collective confusion. On the other, he is the soulmate Fon had always considered he had been... undeserving of, perhaps, due to the circumstances of the dichotomy of his being mafia and Triad and cursed.

Yet here he stands before him, both Sky and soulmate in unison and Fon is bizarrely terrified and enthralled at once. Terrified, because his soulmate is a teenager, untested and unaware of the danger Fon has now placed him in merely by association. Enthralled because the same boy radiates a Sky Flame purer than any he as ever felt before, purer even than Luce who had been one of the strongest Skies he has ever known.

He is quick to gain equilibrium and introduce himself and apologize for his errant student, struck by the hint of Flame glowing in his soulmates eyes, but the moment is broken and he reigns himself in. He regains his composure as explanations begin and questions are answered. He decides wisely to withhold his own until he has a chance to speak without an audience.

It is easy to tell that finding his Sky or soulmate or both has had an incredible impact on Reborn, and Verde as well. The men he sees now are different beasts to the men he knew before. Verde is, for once, actively participating in a conversation that has nothing to do with science and discovery or mission parameters; neither has he retreated behind one of his ever present notebooks despite his clear wish to do so. Reborn is... calmer, perhaps. Settled. He is still the canny hitman who can read a situation with almost preternatural ease, but the tension in his shoulders and the nearly invisible furrow in his brow that had been present since before Fon had met him, and is only now noticeable for the lack of it, is gone. 

There is a weight lifted from their shoulders that had gone unnoticed until it disappeared. Lifted by this slip of a boy with great strength and something like destiny slumbering inside him, waiting to be unleashed on the world.

Fon feels almost humbled to be a part of it, even as he is unsurprised at his luck that his soulmate is not wholly his own. It is actually somewhat of a relief. At the very least, should his past catch up to him he can rely on the fact that he will not be alone in protecting Tsuna from that fallout.

Of course, he will be doing his very best to make sure that it never reaches him in the first place.

—

"He was sealed?" Fon says later, a hint of alarm in his voice. 

As Tsuna and his friends return to class at the end of their lunch hour with Verde watching over them, Fon departs with Reborn to the Sawada residence. I-pin naturally has come with them, and becomes fast friends with the child the Sawada’s had taken in and all but adopted some weeks before. Reborn is quick to fill Fon in on the details when he asks for them. 

Reborn frowns, tilting his fedora down. "Nono came to Japan with Iemitsu not long after the Cradle Affair. During his visit, Tsuna became frightened by a dog and activated his Flames; they had been exceptionally pure and powerful for his age. He decided sealing them was the best option in order to give Tsuna a normal life away from the mafia."

"That was a dangerous risk to take, especially for an active Flame user that young," Fon says, keeping his tone carefully mild. Dangerous and irresponsible and potentially life-threatening; to seal an innocent child was reprehensible, no matter the reason.  "They are unblocked now, however? If they are strong enough to see in his eyes, the seal must no longer exist."

"My plan was to use the Dying Will Bullets to destroy the seal by forcibly reactivating his Flames and putting them to use. It was the least dangerous method to accomplish it quickly. However, Verde studied his Flames not long after he arrived and found that the seal has already been destroyed."

"By itself? How is that possible? I don't know much about Don Vongola, but I do know that he is still considered one of the strongest Skies in Italy, if not Europe."

"Not entirely by itself," Reborn corrects. "It is because of the Sky pacifier."

"I don't understand." Fon frowns, thinking it over. The pacifiers have never shown to have any real powers of their own; they were merely vessels of power, basically cursed storage containers really. They worked more like the Flame conductive rings, difficult to make and hideously expensive because of it, worn by the more well-connected and affluential in the mafia.

"Tsuna explained that when the Man in the Iron Hat gave him the pacifier, he mentioned that 'the Sky cannot find its elements if it is locked away'. Through examination, Verde has postulated that either the pacifier or The Man himself loosened the seal enough that as Tsuna grew, the natural purity of his Flames would degrade the seal on their own. Even without the Dying Will Bullet, the seal would have been fully gone in less than two years. I only had to shoot him once to destroy what was left of the seal."

"I see," Fon murmurs. "You will have your hands full training him to use them properly without hurting himself."

"No." Reborn's lips curl into a smirk and he tilts his fedora down to shade his gleaming eyes. "We will all have our hands full training our Sky. After all, he is your soulmate as well so I'll be putting you to work."

Fon blinks at him, then smiles, warmed and utterly pleased by the thought.

In his darkest moments, Fon had despaired of ever finding a soulmate. Before the curse, he worried over what kind of life he would be consigning them to. The Triads had no compunctions for holding the safety of the families and loved ones of their ‘volunteer’ members hostage in order to get what they wanted and keep them loyal. In this way he was fortunate, having long broken ties with what little family he had. After the curse, whether or not he would ever meet his soulmate just didn't bear thinking about. Who could be happy being tied to someone destined to spend the rest of their life in the body of a two year old?

So he had thrown himself into his work, ignoring the small part of him that felt as though something was missing. He filled the empty spaces with missions and training and traveling, and later with an apprentice who was entirely too young to be mired in the darkness of the world and yet had no choice to be otherwise with her special lineage and inherited power. He refrained from making important ties, of seeming as though he had people he valued and would miss, and meanwhile the emptiness festered like a gaping wound.

The Triads will not be pleased, he thinks, but at the same time he can't bring himself to care. He had never enjoyed being in their service and although it seems callous of him, I-pin is not, had not been, enough to cause him to break ties with them before. 

Tsuna is - can be, will be - enough. Being mafia is somehow more palatable than being Triad, and having a soulmate, a Sky of his own, can only be the best possible reason to make the switch.

"Yes," he says then, folding his hands into his voluminous sleeves, "I imagine we will."

Hands full or not, it will most certainly be worth it.

—

("I have given Verde your message," Fon says when Viper answers. "He has agreed to listen to your request and will contact you within the next few days."

"And have you discovered the reason for his sudden relocation to Japan?"

Fon smiles fondly, his eyes moving from the small white shelf that holds a red-framed photograph and a small stuffed monkey with a red ribbon tied around its paw to look out of the window at his Sky - his soulmate, and isn't that thought just wonderful? - as he meditates under a tree, Lichi sitting on his head in a matching lotus position and I-pin and Lambo playing a loud game of tag around them.

"He came to Japan," he answers with the barest hint of mischievousness, almost wishing he could see Viper's reaction, "because it is the home of our Sky."

He hangs up before Viper can respond and jumps out of the window to join his family.)

-

Part 3. Rosso ~ End

Chapter Text

Nana all but collapses against the counter, lungs heaving to regain the breath she had lost in her rush to get to the hospital as fast as she could. The nurses behind the counter exclaim in shock, two leaning over to enquire hurriedly after her health, a third rounding the partition to lay a calming hand on her shoulder and the other hand on her wrist to check her pulse.

Nana knows she must look a fright; the alarmed looks of the nurses gathering around her make that more than obvious. She garners much attention from everyone in the room from her abrupt entrance and disheveled appearance, many heads turning in her direction, whispering to their neighbors with eyes full of judgement or pity. While she would normally feel uncomfortable at the attention, it is nothing compared to the terror in her breast and the staccato of her beating heart against her ribs in tune with the 'please, please, please' echoing in her thoughts.

"Sa-Sawada Tsunayoshi's room," she gasps out finally, her eyes desperate and wild as she grasps the shoulder of the nurse steadying her. "Please. He's my son."

The nurse nods sharply, barking an order to the two behind the counter who jump quickly into motion. One of them turns to retrieve the room information; the other rushes off to find the doctor assigned to the patient. A moment later, Nana is being led down the hall, her entire body trembling from her fear and the slow release of the adrenalin that fueled her flight, the nurse's arm around her shoulders.

Later, Nana will find the nurse who is murmuring soothing words in her ear, her strong, comforting grip the only thing keeping Nana from falling completely to pieces, and thank her for her kindness. Right now, however, the only thing she can focus on is her son and the phone call she received less than half an hour earlier.

Calls from Tsuna's school are nothing new, not even when they come in the middle of the day. They are often from exasperated teachers, complaining about his tardiness or his subpar performance in his work or for not turning in his homework (which is ridiculous, because she checks his bag every morning and even if it's not very well done, his homework is always there). Sometimes they are about his classroom participation – or rather, the absence of it – from teachers who are concerned about his lack of motivation, or his lack of confidence, or his lack of friends, or any number of thinks her son is apparently ‘lacking’. (Which is also ridiculous. Her son is many things, but certainly not lacking.)

The calls she dreads, however, are the ones to inform her that Tsuna has gotten into an ‘altercation’ with another student or has been ‘clumsy’ and hurt himself.

She knows what people say about her, what they think of her; the woman with an absent husband, left alone to raise a child whom most believe isn't very bright. She knows they whisper about her 'dame' son when they think she can't hear them. That they pity her for being, essentially, a single mother with a useless son who is a bit ‘special’ herself.

She may be willing to admit that she's not the smartest, or the most observant, but she's not stupid. She's not deaf either, and she's certainly not blind. She knows, with absolute certainty, that those calls from exasperated school nurses about her son getting hurt due to his clumsiness were not always because he was clumsy; that the reports from his teachers that he was starting fights with his peers, full of reproach and patronizing disappointment, are also boldfaced lies meant to shame the true victim into compliance.

It infuriates her, but her anger is impotent. She also knows there's nothing she can really do and she waits in fear of the day that those students, who see the teachers take their side and believe it to mean that they have permission to hurt her son do more than take his work and make him come home with bruises and swollen eyes and blood on his clothing.

And now her worst fears have been realized.

She freezes in the doorway, biting back the sob that wants to escape her so hard that her lip nearly bleeds. She barely registers the nurse guiding her to the chair next to her son’s bed, her eyes busy with taking in what she sees. One of Tsuna's eyes is swollen shut, purple blooming across his face like the budding of a flower, his left arm in a cast from wrist to shoulder. His bottom lip is an angry red and purple and there is a butterfly bandage across the bridge of his nose. If there is anything else, the bedsheets hides it from her view.

(“There was a small scuffle between a few other boys and he fell down the stairs,” the principle’s secretary clucks with false concern, disapproval lacing her voice. “The other boys have been punished, of course, for not being careful of their surroundings. Kamada-sensei has decided that Sawada-kun was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and not involved in the fight, so he’s free to return to school after he’s released from the hospital.”

Nana clutches the receiver in a white-knuckled grip, calming herself with a saintly amount of patience and thanks the woman for informing her of the situation, all but slamming the phone down in her haste and anger. The headset is still rocking in its cradle as the front door slams shut behind her.)

Nana isn’t stupid. She can read between the lines. Someone pushed her son down a flight of stairs, and if they had not been caught in the act (played off as an accident as it was) there would have been nothing she could do about it. There is little she can do to protect her son from the bullies in his school and the complacent, ineffectual staff that remain willfully blind to it, and the thought burns.

She sinks into the chair and reaches for her child. Tsuna'a good eye opens when she clasps his hand, pupil dilated from the pain medication he was likely given, the fresh scab on his split lip threatening to break open when he smiles at her.

"Hi mom," he says, his words slurred from the effort. "Sorry, I got in trouble again."

To his extreme alarm and confusion, she bursts into tears.

-

Iemitsu doesn't return her call, but if she's honest with herself, she doesn't expect him to.

So while he never does learn about the time his son was hospitalized by three upper-year boys (who were, several days later, also hospitalized with injuries made by something like police batons and then later expelled for having been caught harassing another student), three years after the Incident a certain group of possessive cursed infants and their equally possessive animal partners do learn of it.

If those same three boys, now high school drop-outs involved in the yakuza, mysteriously disappear for a week and return with tales of terrifying babies with guns and strange fire and demonic pets; who are so plagued with nightmares and the fear of children that they eventually turn themselves into the police and confess to every crime they ever committed... well.

It’s not as though anyone really minds a few less delinquents roaming the streets.

Chapter Text

If there is one thing they pride themself on aside from excellent money management skills, it is their ability to keep a calm temper when faced with annoyances. Being surrounded every day by hundreds of people who do not carry such ability (and in fact more often than not let their tempers get the best of them) this was a rather useful skill to have. Someone had to be the rational one, after all; especially when your fellow officers were homicidal lunatics and your boss throws liquor bottles at anything that moves like an angry three year old.

Sometimes, however, Viper muses as they glare so harshly at their phone it's a wonder it hasn't gone up in smoke, strangulation just sounds so tempting.

Viper, otherwise known as Esper Mammon of the Varia, puts their phone away and breathes slowly to calm themself before they do something rash. Fantasma nudges their cheek and croaks soothingly, which helps their seething rage simmer down to mere disgruntlement. Grateful to be alone for the first time in days, they contemplate the short phone call and considers the puzzle Fon had given them. 

That Fon had been in Japan wasn't strange; likely, he was combining business with pleasure by checking on what little remained of his family as he did every few years despite his estrangement from them. It was also likely that he was using the opportunity to train his student and teach her about another culture and language. On the other hand, Verde being in Japan had come as a surprise, seeing as he hadn't left Italy in over a decade, much of that spent as a recluse in his laboratory. For the scientist to suddenly decide to abscond to Japan on a whim was both intriguing and suspicious.

Fon's claim of Verde having found the Arcobaleno Sky couldn't have been what had actually drawn him out of seclusion. Verde had never been too interested in Luce beyond seeing her as a useful ally, nor had he ever been too concerned with keeping ties with the Arcobaleno after she died, despite helping to look for her replacement. He may have been willing to attend the Arcobaleno meetings when they were called but he had little to do with any of them otherwise. The location of the missing Sky couldn’t have been nearly enough to get the reclusive man to travel halfway around the world.

So there has to be another reason, a factor they are missing. He would not have left Italy, much less his laboratory, without one – Sky or no Sky. It takes them only a few more moments to remember that there is a third Arcobaleno that has also gone to Japan recently, one who found amusement in stirring up chaos whenever he went and was currently being contracted for a not-so-secret job.

They contemplate the puzzle as the pieces fall into place, patting Fantasma absently as the shape changer hops into their lap. The likelihood of the chosen heir to the Vongola also somehow being the missing Sky that they and the others had been looking for is rather substantial. The coincidence of the Sky being found in Japan just after Reborn leaves to train the new heir, who is also in Japan, is not something to be easily dismissed. Not when the fact that Verde had left for the same country not long after, drawn there by something or for some reason, is also considered. 

Viper does not believe in coincidences. This had all the markings of That Man and his subtle manipulations, and the thought stirs their ire.

Viper considers their options, but there is only one clear conclusion they come to. Currently, the Varia was keeping a low profile after the successful coup in regaining their formerly imprisoned leader who was now recovering from his years spent on ice. The plans were to eventually go after this supposed heir and eliminate the competition for the Vongola Rings, but Xanxus would not be ready for some months in his current state. As whispers of the chosen Vongola heir spread through the grapevine making him more and more irate by the day, there is no question of if he will go to Japan, but when.

As loyal as they are to the Varia (which, to be honest, is only so long as the elite assassination squad continues to pay well enough to keep it and so long as the payment outweighs the risks), if the heir is in fact the Arcobaleno Sky.... Well. They certainly couldn't allow those plans to come to fruition. That Man had changed the game by choosing a different bearer of the Sky pacifier than the one expected, and this was one game Viper did not indent to lose; nor would they lose another chance for a true Sky. Not for all the money in the world.

Losing Luce had been hard enough even after what Viper felt as her betrayal, for all that she had been not been the Sky they could have possibly formed a bond with (seeing as she had already had a full complement of Guardians at the time). Joining the Varia had been beneficial; they paid the exorbitant fees without too much complaint with the added benefit of removing the possibility that Viper might unintentionally form a bond to Luce's daughter through proximity and circumstance. 

Aria was very different from her mother and having watched her grow into the woman she was today had been an interesting experience, but the reminders were painful and vicious. Being around her, the memory of being cursed, the realization that Luce had known, that she had known and had not warned them, overshadowed the good. Perhaps an unrealized instinct had been why Viper had never felt pulled to her Flames, at least not to the point of forming a bond.

Xanxus was a good boss; a great boss even. He would never say it, but his men - all of them - were important to him. They were his responsibility, and he was nothing less than Varia Quality. He took care of what was his in his own inimitable way.

But he was not necessarily a good Sky. It took a specific mindset and Flame stabilization to be able to Harmonize with Sky Flames that had been corrupted by Wrath. Xanxus' Flames were powerful and Viper had been pulled to them, but not enough to consider Harmony. Thankfully, as Sky Rejection was dangerous and painful and that was what would have awaited them. (Viper would have been able to survive Disharmony via Rejection, but it would not have been a pleasant experience.) Ironically, their Mist was too pure for Wrath Corruption; the pull of Xanxus' Flame despite that said much of the Varia Commander’s strength.

Viper pulls their phone out again and makes arrangements for a leave of absence. They can’t leave immediately as they had recently accepted a contract for a new mission, one which would last at least a few weeks if not longer. After it is completed however, and with no other contract waiting for them to fulfill aside from that which needed Verde, they will be free to pursue their own interests – whatever they end up being.

If Reborn had in fact found the Arcobaleno Sky – if Verde, who had never been interested in becoming a Guardian before, had left his isolation to join them (and now Fon as well, apparently) – then Viper is certainly interested in finding out just what kind of person this Sky is for themself. That it would also expedite the completion of his last contract was inconsequential, really. In any case, an in-person consult with Verde is a lot cheaper than a long-distance one, and spending less than they would have to otherwise is reason enough.

No sense wasting money, after all.

—

"It seems members of your school’s Disciplinary Committee were attacked by students from another school earlier today," is what Tsuna comes home to after a rather strange day at school. 

Hibari had been stalking the grounds like, as Hana put it, an “irritated cat with a mouse it can’t get to” all day, putting the normally fearfully respectful students on edge. Even Mama had been a little tense when he and his friends arrived, eyeing the four of them with a concerned eye and locking the door behind them. (She only ever locks the door at night; it was the first clue that something was wrong. The serious looks on Reborn’s, Verde’s, and Fon’s faces when the four teens entered Tsuna’s room had been the second.)

"The three boys who were attacked had to be taken to the hospital with severe injuries,” Fon continues. “There was also a note left at the scene that said they will not be the last."

"We suspect this to be the doing of a criminal gang led by a man named Rokudo Mukuro who escaped from Vendicare, the Mafia prison," says Verde. “According to intelligence, they arrived in Namimori a week ago.”

Tsuna doesn't need a mirror to know that he has gone very, very pale. His expression is reflected in the way Kyoko's grip on his hand is just short of painful, in Hana's clenched jaw and Takashi's stiff frame. It is reflected in the way Keiman curls into his lap and Leon under his jaw and Lichi's cooing from his hair. His soulmates/tutors/Guardians lean ever so subtly closer in response to his distress, the air around them heavy with intent.

Tsuna closes his eyes and breaths. He recalls to mind Fon's meditative breathing exercises, Verde's centering technique, and Reborn's lessons on situational awareness. When he opens his eyes again, he feels calmer and more able to approach the discussion with a level head. He ignores the panicked gibbering in his mind and shoves it firmly behind a wall of serenity.

On the other side of the table, Reborn nods in approval which has its own unique calming effect.

"So what do we do?" he says finally, squaring his shoulders in determination. 

"For now, nothing overt. Currently, the criminal Rokudo is not aware that we know of his arrival. Nono has sent the order to test your current level of competency by capturing or subduing the criminal and his cohorts. However–“ Reborn says, sending Tsuna's friends a sharp look as they attempt to protest, “–despite your improved Flame control, Rokudo is not an enemy you are ready for."

"Countering Mist Flames is not as straight-forward as countering the others," Verde explains. "Sky, Storm and Cloud are best used in offensive maneuvers; Lightning can be both offensive and defensive; and Sun and Rain are best utilized defensively. Mist, however, affects the mind. Its property of Construction is used in the creation of illusions. Fool the mind, the body is quick to follow. A competent Mist is a dangerous Mist, and Rokudo must be very competent indeed to have escaped from what was considered an inescapable prison. As we do not currently have a Mist user on hand for training, and as we are not able to replicate the effects–" he adds sourly, "–we are unable to train you to recognize and counter his Flames."

"Meditation will help you build mental fortitude and a strong Dying Will can sometimes allow one’s mind to ignore the illusion," says Fon. "However, Rokudo escaped from Vendicare, which is unprecedented, and has managed to be one step ahead of the Vindice for several months. This is no small feat. You will need to be very careful, Tsuna," he cautions. "If he had simply passed through to further his escape, it would be one thing. Instead, he risked himself by staying. There can only be one reason for that."

"Rokudo is unquestionably here for you. Why and for what we do not yet know, but one thing is certain." Reborn tilts his fedora and it shadows his eyes. "When he comes, you will be ready."

Tsuna swallows heavily, but his eyes are determined and his voice is steady. "I won't let you down."

I hope, he thinks.

Chapter Text

As the note Fon mentioned implies, the first attack on Namimori students is not the last. Five more students are sent to the hospital, some with severe injuries. More notes are left at all of the attack sites declaring that it wouldn't be the end. Life at school becomes very tense; between the Disciplinary members being whittled down a few at a time and Hibari's ever increasing agitation, it's a wonder to Tsuna that his days remain relatively normal.

As the second week passes with yet another hospitalized middle schooler, Reborn makes a preemptive decision. He has Tsuna excused from school and absconds with him to a remote training site. Verde remains behind in order to pinpoint the rogue criminals' location and keep an eye on Nana and Lambo. Fon stays behind as well to protect Kyoko and Hana, who are in danger by association, with I-pin’s aid. 

(That this also proves to be good training for I-pin in protective detail is immaterial.)

By the end of his first week of training, Tsuna finally masters the ability to enter Hyper Dying Will mode without the assistance of the Dying Will Bullet. It's not instant, and it only lasts for a few moments before it begins to cause him physical distress and falters, but he succeeds. 

Despite this, Reborn is pleased. Had Tsuna's seal still been a factor, it would have taken him a lot longer to discover how to achieve activating his Hyper state, and longer still (years, likely) to do so without the assistance of either bullets or pills. Even so, eight Dying Will Bullets are used in the attempt before Reborn declares him ready to begin learning the Vongola Primo's signature technique: Zero Point Breakthrough.

(Reborn is also secretly relieved by this. That made nine bullets used in total, and with Shamal still running around Italy somewhere there was no guarantee he could call the womanizing doctor to Japan in time to cure the result of the tenth bullet. If they even could have convinced him to do so in the first place, which would have been time they would not have had to spare.

Not that Reborn doubted his ability to be suitably convincing where it concerned the life of his Sky.)

They stay at the training site for another six days before they are forced to return to Namimori. While Tsuna has not yet been able to perform the technique with any degree of satisfaction, Leon's tail falls off and Reborn declares it to mean they are out of time. He remains remarkably patient as Tsuna fusses over the dysfunctional shape-changer; he is also incredibly smug when they return and the other animal partners become jealous over the attention his partner receives.

Hana and Kyoko are quick to fill him in on what he's missed as far as news and rumors go. The Disciplinary Committee was down a total of thirteen members and more often than not, Kusakabe has been left in control of Nami-chuu during Hibari's increasing absences. Takashi is the one to inform him that the school had decided, for the time being, to cancel all after hour club activities due to increasing pressure from concerned parents.

"I don't mind," he says when Tsuna expresses his concern over the impact this will have on his baseball schedule. "I got my old man to agree to train me in the sword since I have so much free time. It's kinda fun!"

Another three days pass with the school mired in tension and uncertainty. Then Hibari goes missing and Sasagawa Ryohei is attacked. 

Reborn meets Tsuna outside of the boxer's hospital room. Quietly, so the girls inside don't hear, he beckons Tsuna away. Takashi and Reborn have a short standoff, staring each other firmly in the eyes, Reborn assessing and Takeshi firm in resolve. After a few moments, Reborn nods in acceptance and Takeshi relaxes with an easy grin full of teeth.

"Verde has found Rokudo's location," the hitman says as they make their way through the streets. "Fon has gone ahead; he has an invested interest in the Disciplinary brat the group have likely captured." Tsuna is curious, but doesn't ask. "Aside from Rokudo, there are four others you will likely face. One of them has the ability to give himself superior strength. Another has a weapon filled with poisoned needles. The third is unknown. The only girl of the group should be easy enough to defeat; destroy her weapon, and she'll be defenseless."

Tsuna nods his understanding. It isn't hard to see that they are woefully outnumbered. Even though Reborn is with him and Fon is waiting for them, he doesn't want to have to rely solely on their strength alone. He wants to prove himself; prove that he is worthy of their time and attention. That he is strong enough to stand beside them as the Arcobaleno Sky.

More than anything, he wants to prove to himself that he is worthy of being their soulmate. He doesn't dare be anything less.

—

The next hour passes in a blur of activity and fighting. They encounter a boy named Joshima Ken, who battles strangely by slotting the teeth of various animals over his own. Tsuna and Takashi work together to knock him out, one as a distraction, the other to finish, though it is difficult and time consuming.

They scrape through and barely finish tying him up before they are set upon by his companion, Kakimoto Chikusa. Already worn out by the previous fight and sporting a trio of slashes on his back from one of Joshima's Channels, Takashi is too slow to avoid the poisoned needles that release from the yo-yos Kakimoto wields. It is only through Hibari's unexpected intervention that Tsuna avoids the same fate. Hibari seems especially annoyed for some reason, likely related to his unkempt appearance, and refuses to acknowledge any of them aside from a brief glower in their direction – especially Fon, who arrives with him looking pristine and amused. Kakimoto joins his cohort in quick fashion, knocked unconscious by a brutal swing of Hibari's tonfa. 

Although he managed to avoid the worst of it, the poison still puts Takeshi out of commission due to a growing fever. He offers to stay behind and watch over the two captives as the others (including the silent mercurial prefect) move further into the park. Tsuna is reluctant to leave him behind with the two teen escapees in his condition, but Takashi is adamant so Tsuna goes.

Reborn's estimation of the female escaped prisoner proves correct; once her weapon – a clarinet capable of emitting sound waves – is destroyed through judicious use of Sky Flames, her hand-to-hand skills prove ineffective in ensuring her freedom. Still, fighting her leaves Tsuna with ringing ears and a second degree burn on his forearm, having used it as a shield to get close enough to melt the clarinet.

Reborn is busy applying Sun Flame to speed up his healing when the man who claims to be Rokudo Mukuro shows up. Hibari is so eager to fight by this point that the man is barely able to finish his monologue before Hibari has struck him down. The lack of challenge does nothing but annoy Hibari, who stalks off with an irritated scowl without a backwards glance.

It's almost too easy, Tsuna thinks. His intuition is telling him that the worse has yet to come. There is only a bare hint of what he assumes is Mist Flame in the man who claimed to be Rokudo; the rest is too harsh and chaotic and wild, almost like the tempest that sleeps within Fon. It isn't until they meet a boy named Fuuta de la Stella, whom Reborn calls the Ranking Prince, that he realizes he was right to think so. Fuuta reveals to them that the man is not Rokudo at all but Lancia, the so-called Strongest Man in Northern Italy, who was not exactly acting under his own will.

“What are you doing with that kind of guy?” Tsuna asks the gaunt-looking child before him. Fuuta's eyes are sad and tired as he tells them of fleeing his home to escape from the people relentlessly hunting him who wanted the use of his strange power. 

"Mukuro-san saved me from a group of Mafioso who wanted my Ranking book," Fuuta says, clutching a book almost as big as he is tightly to his chest. "He said he would keep me from them if I gave them the rankings of the toughest fighters in Namimori." He bites his lip, eyes bright with unshed tears. "But I overheard him talking to Ken-san and Chikusa-san. He wants to destroy the mafia and start a war."

Tsuna kneels in front of Fuuta, placing a hand gently on the boy's head. Fuuta stares at him with wide eyes and wet cheeks, and while Tsuna may not be impressive in stature himself, all he can think of is how small Fuuta looks and how surprised he is to receive a bit of kindness from a stranger; especially one who has come to capture the group that had saved him.

"I'm going to stop him," Tsuna says solemnly. "You don't have to stay with him if you don't want to. Mama loves kids. I'm sure she won't mind if you stay with us, and we can protect you from the people who want your book." Fuuta's face brightens, a smile falling across his lips.

"Really? You don't mind?"

"Not at all," he promises. "Listen – my friend, Takashi – he stayed behind to watch over Joshima-san and Kakimoto-san. Why don't you wait with him until I come back?"

"I'll go with you," Fon says, his gentle smile putting Fuuta at ease. 

Fuuta agrees readily; Fon gives Tsuna an inscrutable look, eerily mimicking Reborn when the Sun seems to be reading another’s mind. Whatever he finds pleases him, and after a brief shared glance with Reborn, he takes Fuuta’s hand and leads the boy back towards the entrance of the abandoned amusement park the escaped criminals have been using for a base.

Tsuna rarely feels anger. It's a dirty, uncomfortable emotion. It sits heavy in his chest and tastes bitter in his throat and leaves him utterly exhausted once it's passed. Hearing how Lancia was forced to destroy his own Family… meeting Fuuta, who can't be more than ten years old, and how the only person he can trust to protect him does so only conditional to his usefulness…. It stirs his ire like nothing has in a very long time.

He won't say he hates Mukuro, because hatred is something that cannot be easily taken back once spoken and is such a darker, more painful emotion than anger. Anger is destructive, but hatred is consuming.  Everything about this, however… the Disciplinary members and Ryohei and Hana and Kyoko and Takashi and Fuuta, all of it just... infuriates him.

"Reborn." His soulmate says nothing, merely looks at him with a gaze that speaks entire essays on its own. "I will beat him." The words echo between them like a vow, with absolute certainty and conviction. 

Leon, who has been wrapped in a shimmering green cocoon for days, erupts into light.

Chapter Text

Tsuna clenches his teeth as they come across yet another destroyed stairway. While the building itself seems to be falling apart, many of the stairs towards the upper levels look as though they have been deliberately destroyed. The idea that he was following the exact path Rokudo Mukuro wanted him to take makes him uneasy and a little tired of playing by the criminal’s rules.

"I came here once," he says, looking around the destroyed room as an idea comes to him. There was mostly rubble; fallen beams and chunks of ceiling, broken furniture and cases. He walks carefully over the piles of detritus towards the ruins of what looks like an old service counter, the small splash of color that remains now dull with age and exposure. Reborn follows him, curious where this is going. 

"When I was little," Tsuna continues. "It was the last time dad was home for longer than a day. He came with his boss and decided to drag me and mom around with them while they explored Namimori and the surrounding towns. Ah – I guess that must have been the Vongola Nono." Tsuna pauses, and frowns in though.

"What are you looking for, Tsuna?" Reborn says, nudging him back to the present.

"Oh, right," he says sheepishly. "Well, we came here the day before they left. I'd been really tired for most of their stay for some reason, so dad thought a trip to the amusement park might make me feel better." Reborn tilts his fedora down to shadow his face, but Tsuna is too busy digging through the rubble to notice. 

(That must have been around the time the Seal had been placed, Reborn conjectures. The stark reminder of it, the knowledge of the almost immediate effect it must have had on his young Sky who even now near radiates with the strength and purity of his Flames causes his teeth to gnash at a metaphorical bit and his trigger finger to itch. Nono had done it with the best of intentions, having had four possible heirs in the running at the time and thus no requirement (nor desire) to involve a (for all intents and purposes) civilian child in the bloody and dangerous world of the mafia. 

The aphorism about 'good intentions' is not without its basis, however, so while the close friendship he once shared with the Ninth may never fully recover, he can't in honesty be too angry with the man, however irresponsible and damaging his actions could have been to Tsuna without the Man in the Iron Hat’s intervention. Instead, he'll save his ire for the man who could have – who, as Tsuna's so-called father, should have – contested the action but didn't for his own selfish reasons.

What was one more to add to an already long list?)

"The only thing I remember from the trip is that I got lost," Tsuna says, oblivious to his Sun's internal homicidal musings. "A lady who worked here said if I ever got lost again to come to a service desk because – ah!" Tsuna stands up, holding a ratty, torn paper triumphantly in his fist. "Because the service desks had maps!"

Reborn smirks in approval and studies the map. While the words are faded, the map itself is legible. Leon, now back to his normal, fully functional self, turns himself into a pen and Reborn efficiently marks out the route they had taken, crossing out the broken stairs and inaccessible hallways. A worrying, but not unexpected, pattern emerges and he frowns down at the map in thought.

"The likeliest place for him to be is in the old theater. If he follows the pattern, the only path to there is through an emergency hatch in the arcade," he says grimly. "It gives Rokudo control of where we enter, however, it also leaves him with only one exit. He is either very confident, or very foolish." 

Tsuna grimaces, looking down at his hands. A small Flame forms in his fist, the soft light throwing shadows over the simple fingerless black cotton gloves that Leon had produced. He clenches his hand, snuffing the Flame, and nods.

"Let's go."

—

Viper scowls at the innocent-looking nameplate next to the gate on reflex, crumpling the Thoughtography map in their fist. They aren't sure whether to be satisfied that their suspicions were proven correct or upset about the implications.

They had known whom Nono had chosen as the Vongola Decimo even before the Varia had managed to free Xanxus and return him to headquarters. One of the Varia plants in CEDEF had made a surreptitious copy of the report before it was sent onwards. But seeing it now, like this – on the gate of an unassuming two story house in quiet suburban neighborhood – sends a spike of irritation through them. Sawada Iemitsu has been a thorn in the Varia's collected side since Xanxus was put on ice by the Nono and the mere proximity, or even thought, of the man is a headache waiting to happen. Fortunately for their peace of mind, the man in question seems to have an allergy to visiting his family and isn't likely to be home now, or even anytime in the near future.

Fantasma croaks once before changing forms and Viper unwraps the Mammon Chain from their pacifier only long enough to give a warning of their arrival and to check for the presence of another Arcobaleno in the vicinity. The brief glow is all the answer they need before they return the chains, which stops the glow. Under normal circumstances they would have done more reconnaissance, but these are certainly not normal by any means.

They do not need to wait for long before the door of the house opens and Verde exits, Keiman a scaly reptilian shadow ambling in his wake. Viper releases the subtle Mist that has been hiding their presence, floating down to meet him just inside the gate. They eye each other for a moment in silence. Viper is somewhat surprised to note the relaxed (dare he say, peaceful) air cloaking the toddler-sized scientist, loosening his posture with something like contentedness. 

"Viper," Verde says finally in greeting. The Lightning Arcobaleno adjusts his glasses, light gleaming off the lenses, but otherwise seems unsurprised at their presence. Viper doesn't bother with pleasantries; time is money, and the less of it they waste the better.

"Where are the others?"

"Taking care of a small problem." The look that passes across Verde's face implies he has grossly understated the matter. It also belies a hint of concern, and that, more than anything, gives Viper pause.

"Fon told me something interesting," they say instead, sounding carefully unconcerned. “About the Arcobaleno Sky.” Verde's expression doesn't change from its usual placid look, but there is a subtle tilt to his head, just enough to have the light of the late noon sun reflect off of the glass and hide his eyes. Even Keiman seems to be paying attention, the lazy flicking of his tail ceasing. This is all the proof they need. "I want to meet him."

Verde is silent for a moment, before he tilts his head in acquiescence. "They are currently in an abandoned amusement park called Kokuyo Land. I would show you the way, but I am needed here." He doesn't elaborate, but Viper isn't too interested in his reasons.

"I can find it on my own," Viper says, reaching for the roll of paper they carry with them and tearing a slip off. Carefully, they hold it out and sneeze on it; a moment later, the bright glow fades, leaving faintly glowing lines in its place.

"The Vindice are in town," Verde says as Viper turns to leave. Viper pauses, frowning, then nods in understanding. It takes but a moment for Phantasma to shift and they are gone without further ado.

Kokuyo Land is easy enough to find, and the epicenter of the action easier still. The white vans that imitate ambulances bearing a subtle declaration of Vongola allegiance in the form of the Family crest are parked within what looks to be the old service entrance in the back of the park. Even now, medics stand around a few occupied gurneys, Flames bright as their patients were cared for. A further bit away, work crews in plain white uniforms were clearing away what looks to be the remains of a skirmish, returning those areas to their former abandoned and dilapidated appearance and erasing any evidence of there ever having been an altercation.

Not far from them, staring intently at the tallest nearby structure, is a familiar braided form with a small monkey sitting on his shoulders. Somewhat irritatingly, Fon doesn't even twitch as the Mist Veil settles into place, weaving a subtle compulsion for others to stay away and creating the illusion that the martial artist remains alone as Viper alights at his side.

"Hello, Viper." Unseen beneath their cowl, Viper narrows their eyes at their fellow Arcobaleno. Despite the serenity of his tone, Fon's stiff countenance belies the proof of his agitation. Whatever situation Viper had unknowingly intruded upon, it was clearly worrying the normally implacable Storm.

"Do you often visit abandoned amusement parks?" they say in a subtle demand for information. Fon doesn't look at them, but his shoulders relax a fractional amount.

"A prisoner who escaped from Vendicare used this place as a hideout for himself and the others who escaped with him," he offers freely. "It became clear that his agenda was to draw out the Vongola heir. The exact reason is unknown at this time. Vongola Nono requested for Tsuna to deal with the problem."

"I see." 

Viper is grudgingly impressed. A rather brilliant test to gauge the heir's worth and growth. To escape from a prison thought inescapable, and with others no less, is a feat never before successfully accomplished and only proves how strong the prisoner is to have done so. With the tumultuous unrest within the Vongola hierarchy at the moment between those who feel that Xanxus should inherit over a civilian child despite his illegitimacy and those who would rather take the risk on a direct heir of the Primo (who could, perhaps, likely be… influenced due to his young age and inexperience), tempers had been steadily growing hotter. A test like this would either postpone or push forward thoughts of mutiny, hinged on the chosen heir's success or failure. 

Nono has his faults, but stupidity was never one of them. He must be very optimistic indeed to risk another, more successful, coup on an unknown civilian child.

There is a sudden shift in the air, a brief warning before Sky Flame –heady, powerful, and so very pure – flares into life within the building before them. It crests out in a wave, washing over the area before it dissipates, leaving behind a lingering trace. They can't be seen but they can be felt, and they feel…

Crackling fire after a day spent in snow; sun-warmed grass in a lush meadow; soft laughter and open arms, ready and welcoming; acceptance without reserve; safety, protectiveness… home.

Viper freezes, face slack with surprise, mind absently cataloging how the medical team not far from them do the same with looks of awe and astonishment and how Fon all but melts with a sigh of relief. His Mist lurches with want, and for a moment Viper struggles against either letting it free or reigning it in. Luce's Flames had been warm and gentle, the purest Sky Flames they have ever felt before, but they don't even compare.

If nothing else, Viper considers, the medical teams will relay this information and the rumors will spread and grow on their own. With Flames like these, it is doubtful Nono's decision will meet much further resistance. 

Chapter Text

Tsuna aches. It is a bone deep weariness and he knows he'll regret allowing himself to remain in Hyper Dying Will Mode for so long in the morning. However, Mukuro had been stronger than even Reborn had anticipated and no one had expected the advantage that the escaped prisoner had had in the form of the Possession Bullet. He had been left with no other choice than to leave his Flames burning for as long as he could, faced with an enemy who could switch between bodies at will and even control all of them at once.

As he watches the portal close behind the Vindice guards (Tsuna had never felt so cold and terrified in the presence of another being before and is so very glad to see the back of them) and their prisoners from his prone position on the floor, he feels reluctantly relieved. He may sympathize with Mukuro and the others for what they have gone through, but not enough to let them fulfill their plans for genocide. With them gone, Namimori should finally be able to return to the tranquility it once carried and the residents will be able to relax and roam without fear of being attacked simply for the crime of living in the same city as their target.

He contemplates staying where he is and just falling asleep even as he feels Reborn sit next to him and settle into his side. Even Leon seems exhausted as the chameleon crawls into his chest and curls up, regenerated tail tucked under its chin. Tsuna closes his eyes but is jarred out of a light doze by the sound of voices and rattling metal from the floor below them.

"Medical is on its way," Reborn says, his steady voice a stark contrast to his lax form. Tsuna can feel Reborn's dark eyes on him from beneath the cursed man's fedora and smiles at the soft and proud susurration of, "Sleep, Tsuna; you did well," as he drifts off.

He remains unaware of the arrival of the medical team and the careful descent back to where the vans are waiting, nor does he hear the very brief argument as Lichi joins him on his gurney and his Sun soulmate's derisive insinuations of the medics' competence if they can't work around her. It is the arrival of another set of Flames, different but similar to those he had just fought against that brings him back to a state of semi-awareness.

His eyes open slowly, fighting against his exhaustion, and his head turns to the side. It's hazy, but his Intuition is telling him there is someone standing in the spot that the unknown men and women in white uniforms seem to be unconsciously avoiding. Against his skin, his pacifier is pulsing a subtle warmth, not quite as hot as when the other three bearers arrived but softly, as if confused.

However, his Intuition is also telling him that mentioning this where those unfamiliar to him can hear would not be a good idea and that Reborn and Fon are nearby and aware of this unknown presence. Whoever it is isn't a threat to him, at least not at the moment.

Tsuna finally gives into his body's urgings, content with the knowledge that should it be necessary, his soulmates will keep him safe.

—

Viper eyes the teenage Sky sleeping soundly on his bed before facing the others arrayed around the small study table in the middle of the room. They take a moment to gather their thoughts, pouring a cup of tea from the provided service tray. It's bland despite the sugar they add to it, but without strawberry milk to choose from, they would choose tea over coffee any day.

"Soulmate," they say eventually, voice tinged with skepticism. "All of you?"

"We have theorized that Tsunayoshi's unique colorblindness is connected to his status as the Sky Arcobaleno." Verde flips through one of his ever present notebooks as he speaks. Viper can easily follow where that train of thought leads – all the way to the tragic and fiery wreck at the end. "Likewise, the colors he gains comprehension of correspond to our Flame types."

Viper remains silent, returning to his perusal. Having felt the boy's Flame earlier in the day, it wasn't hard to imagine That Man taking advantage of such Flame purity, even over the natural successor of the pacifier. What is difficult to wrap his mind around is that this wisp of a boy, newly introduced to the mafia and mostly untested, is the bearer of such a powerful object – that his fate could tie into theirs.

Viper pulls out their pacifier, the chains binding it clinking as they remove them. Light shines immediately from it, glowing brightly in their small hand. Four lights echo it; three from the necks of the infants at the table, the forth from the neck of the teen stirring in the bed.

"How old?" they say softly. They don't need to explain.

"Eight."

Fingers clench around the cursed glass. Damn that bastard. Pure Flame or not, what the hell was he thinking? Children born into the Mafia have an unfortunate tendency to short childhoods, but to give one such a heavy burden to bear didn't just destroy their childhood, it obliterated it.

The four go silent as Tsuna finally begins rouse from his sleep, turning over to blink open sleep-glazed eyes. They sharpen as he registers the shining lights and Viper's presence.

"Um… hi?" the weary teen says slowly, wincing as he begins to sit up.

"Careful, Tsuna," Fon warns, hopping onto the bed.

Viper watches with interest as the diminutive Storm arranges the pillows and blankets like a fussy overbearing parent, scolding him for moving so suddenly after exhausting his Flame supply in such a dangerous manner all the while. For his part, Tsunayoshi bears the fretting with admiral tolerance and somewhat bemused patience, obediently following Fon's directions. Within a few minutes, the young Sawada is propped up, bundled in blankets, and nursing a warm cup of tea with an alligator in his lap and a monkey on his head.

Viper absently wishes they had a camera. They're sure a picture of this scene would be worth its weight in gold.

"Tsuna, meet Viper," Reborn says. "The Mist Arcobaleno."

"Oh!" Tsuna's eyes widen a bit in surprise. "It's nice to meet you."

"I don't believe in soulmates," Viper says in lieu of a greeting. Tsunayoshi looks taken aback for a moment before he nods and smiles his acceptance.

With their backs to him, he doesn't see the reaction of the three at the table. Fon's smile has a bite to it, half hidden as it is behind his cup, and his eyes carry a taint of Storm. Verde adjusts his glasses, which flash and hide his narrow eyes. Reborn just smirks, disassembling one of his hidden guns for cleaning with his eyes shadowed beneath his fedora.

Viper is unmoved, but they know if Tsuna takes the statement as a personal criticism and becomes upset, his protectors will retaliate in some way. As it is, Viper likely has some coming their way in the form of 'friendly spars' and 'innocent' experiments. Troublesome, yet intriguing.

"That's okay," Tsuna says, oblivious to their antics. "Not everyone does. Until I met Reborn, I didn't really think I would ever have one." His lips quirk in a depreciative half-smile that softens into something warmer. "And now I have three! I'm really lucky."

Viper sips their tea and contemplates the enigma that is Sawada Tsunayoshi. With just a few words they can already tell that this boy is nothing like his father (thank providence), likely taking after his mother in more than just looks. He is an echo of his Flames – or rather, they are an echo of him, purity and all.

They have never given much thought to soulmates. They have neither cared nor been curious to find their own. The idea of soulmates was an abstract thought. That such an ephemeral thing could exist that would tie two people together for the remainder of their lives is something that should belong only in story books. It was one of the reasons they have always kept their face hidden from view and avoided direct eye contact.

They have never wanted a soulmate; never needed a soulmate.

However, no matter how much it galls to admit even within the safety of their own mind, they have always desperately wanted a Sky. For that bond, they are willing to give him a chance.

"My remaining contract is about to expire. I understand you require training in recognizing and combatting Mist Flame; I would perhaps be amenable to helping with that after it does." From beneath their cloak appears a shiny silver printing calculator and a smirk.

"Let's talk payment, shall we?"

—

(It takes Viper two weeks before they pull Tsuna aside.

Tsuna has been remarkably understanding over their reluctance to test Reborn and Verde's soulmate theory. A part of them feels grateful for this even as his easy acceptance and careful avoidance of the subject stirs up something resembling guilt in the miser. Viper is unaccustomed to the feeling, and very much doesn't like it. The looks they receive over this time from their fellow Arcobaleno are not exactly subtle and very much exasperating, so eventually they capitulate if only to keep them quiet. Those three are very good at being especially annoying when they try.

If the hypothesis is wrong, Viper thinks they will actually be disappointed. This is an unusual thought to them. They still do not believe in fate or soulmates, but the idea is no longer so anathema. Tsuna is hard not to like. He doesn't seem to understand or even notice the effect he has on others, especially his own Elements, and Viper is in no way ignorant to the fact that the others have formed a Guardian bond with him. He is naturally kind and welcoming and more forgiving than he should be.

He is a true Sky, and soulmate or not, it is enough.

Viper lowers their hood and looks the teenage Sky in the eye. Grey eyes soften into honey brown, a golden flicker of Flame making them glow in the twilight of the room.

An instant later, not even the shadow of their hood is enough to hide their small, pleased smile.)

—

Part 4. Indaco ~ End

Chapter Text

Unusual for that time of day, the halls are entirely devoid of life. While there would normally be men and women rushing to and fro, some armed to the teeth, others looking harried and loaded down with files and paperwork, there were very few willing to risk their life to be in that particular part of the castle at the moment.

The crash and tinkle of shattering glass, a familiar and regular sound heard in the Commander Wing of the Varia Headquarters, is nearly drowned out by the bellow that follows it. 

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT BABY TRASH QUIT?!"

Superbi Squalo scowls at his boss, shaking glass shards and alcohol off of his boot. That shitty Arcobaleno trash; he was going to strangle that money mongering baby next time he saw them for this.

"VOOIII!! It means exactly what it means, shitty boss!" he yells back, stepping to the side to avoid another liquor bottle; it explodes impressively against the wall, spraying more glass and liqueur everywhere.

"Shishishishi." Lounging indulgently on a chaise that looks as though it is worth more than the GED of a small country, Bel twirls one of his ever-present daggers between his fingers. "The prince thinks we should go fetch the baby and drag them back," he says, lips twisted in a mockery of his usual bloodthirsty grin. Of all of them, he has taken the news the hardest, having been the closest to the former Mist Commander.

(Not that he would ever admit this.)

"You volunteering, scum?" Wine red eyes narrow dangerously at the Storm Commander. Leviathan, ever eager to please his boss, rushes forward to offer a tray of more alcohol.

"I will do it, Boss! I'll show them the consequences of betraying you and lay their corpse at your feet!" Levi gives him a worshipful look, ignoring the bottle that ruffles his hair as it barely misses crashing into his head.

"Mou~ Did we not pay them enough?" Lussuria places the back of his hand placed delicately on his forehead, draped elegantly dramatic across a fainting couch.

"The Prince bets the shark forgot."

"VOOIII!! What was that you shitty Prince?!"

"The Prince does not repeat himself."

 "YOU ASKING TO BE CUT TO RIBBONS, SHITTY BRAT?!"

"Maybe we should offer the dear more money?"

"Traitors to the Boss deserve to be slaughtered! I'll make an example out of the scum, just say the word, Boss!"

Xanxus' brows furrow narrower and narrower as his Commanders shout over each other. He can't even hear himself think over their baying and his fury sky rockets, Wrath-tainted Sky Flames erupting and lighting his guns as he shoots at them, forcing them to scatter lest the Flame immolate them.

"ALL OF YOU GET THE FUCK OUT!" he bellows. "Not you," he growls lowly as his officers wisely exit the room, pointing a pistol at his second in command. 

Squalo scowls, his flesh hand clenching as he glares enviously at the not-quite fleeing Sun, Storm, and Lightning. He knows better than to test his Boss's (non-existent) patience when his temper is already so short and remains silent, waiting for Xanxus to speak.

"What exactly did that fucking trash say?" 

"They said they fulfilled their contracted assignment of ordering the production of the merchandise, which will be delivered within the specified timeline and that they were not currently open to more contracts from the Varia at this time," Squalo spits out, ire stirring at the thought of the paperwork this sudden decision would produce. 

Xanxus had little patience, least of all for paperwork, so as the second in command it fell to Squalo to make sure it was complete. The last things they needed was for the CEDEF (and that fucking Iemitsu Sawada bastard) to come stick their nose where it didn't belong because of unfinished paperwork.

Squalo is doubly irritated at the thought that his paperwork would now be tripled due to Mammon's sudden 'retirement'. Part of their duties included the overseeing of the Varia's finances, allocating their monetary resources and expenditures. In this, their money mongering ways were especially handy. It cost the Varia more in repairs and reparations on a weekly basis than paying their officers' wages did in three months.

Xanxus swears impressively, tossing yet other bottle of liquor at the wall with a glare that could melt steel. After a moment, he throws an empty tumbler at his Rain's head.

"Shark trash." He ignores Squalo's indignant shouting and talks over him. "Get the scum back in here," he demands. "We have work to do."

As Squalo leaves to do what his boss commanded, shouting curses and deprecations as he goes, Xanxus leans back into his throne-like chair and thinks about his next steps. While Levi's suggestion of hunting the baby down and slaughtering them was sorely tempting, it wasn't a tenable one. Mammon was wily and clever; they worked for the Varia solely through a contract at a time as a freelancer and not as an official member. They were free to leave whenever they wished simply by not renewing or accepting another contract. If it had been any other officer, that person would have been considered a traitor and killed for defection. 

While the suddenness of their departure is irritating (as well as the plans that would now have to be altered to compensate), Xanxus can't exactly say he's too surprised by it. He could remember clearly his first meeting with the Arcobaleno and their clear statement that they would continue to accept contracts so long as they had no better offers to consider and doing so worked in their own interests. Xanxus read between the lines and understood what the cursed baby had really meant, especially after he had felt the almost violent recoil of the Mist's Flames retreating from his own. 

It was the greatest desire of any Flame user, especially for those with Flames strong enough to be nearly sentient, to find a Sky to belong to.  There was a lot a free Element would do for a Sky they resonate strongly with – and almost nothing they wouldn't. Mammon had only been with the Varia for a year before the failed coup so he can't claim to know them well enough to guess at their reasoning; but he could certainly conjecture with so many clues and coincidences all but punching him in the face. 

First, Mammon's last known location was somewhere in Japan, hunting down the Lightning Arcobaleno that had suddenly decided to pack up and move shop without warning. (Rumors had it he was there for the long haul.)  

Second, they had only left after receiving information from an acquaintance who owed them a favor, one who just happened to be in the area and also seemed to be settling in for a while. (Contacts within the Chinese Triads had recently sent information that the Triads were in an uproar over the sudden desertion of a certain Storm.)

And then, only a few weeks after arriving in Japan, they up and quit without any prior indication they had been planning to do so. Most telling of all, however, was saying that they weren't accepting further contracts at this time.

Three Arcobaleno, all absconding to Japan and looking as though they weren't planning to leave any time soon. A fourth – who would actually be the first, going by the timeline of events – already there for a job that wasn't as big of a secret as it should have been. A nearly forgotten memory of an angry Mist being especially vicious, taking out their anger and frustration and grief on their marks mere weeks before the failed coup that left him frozen for eight years.

Xanxus lifts the only bottle of alcohol left on the table beside him and drains the contents of it in four swallows. He tosses the bottle behind him, ignoring the crash as it shatters, placing his chin on his fist. His lips curl into a sharp, excited grin, Wrath flickering at his fingertips.

Looks like that upcoming 'trip' he's planning to take is going to be a lot more fun than he thought. He was looking forward to it… and he was still going to shoot that fucking Mist trash the first chance he got.

—

(Viper sneezes, accidentally forming a large rock that launches across the clearing.

"Is it really okay, though?" Tsuna asks, biting his lip in worry. He dodges the illusionary boulder and tries to ignore the way the ground seems to cave beneath him. "Won't they be angry you quit?"

"They'll get over it," Viper replies, adding a bevy of flying rocks to the illusion; accident or not, the idea is a good one. "Focus, Tsuna. Feel for the Mist Flames within the illusion. If you allow yourself to be distracted by inconsequential matters, it will overtake you." Smirking, they tweak the illusion again.

They wonder if perhaps Reborn's unique teaching methods has had a bad influence on their own when all they feel is amusement as Tsuna shrieks.

"Hiiiee! You promised you wouldn't use the creepy the tree demons again! Viiipeeer!"

…maybe just a little.)

Chapter Text

"A vacation?" Tsuna glances at his calendar and shoots a look of confusion at his Sun. "…but it's October."

"The perfect time to go."

"You've been training hard lately, and after that minor incident we decided you could use some time to unwind." Tsuna's mouth quirks in amusement at Fon's serenely spoken understatement.

The 'minor incident' of his capturing the escaped Vendicare prisoners still rankles his first three Guardians, he knows. The state of Tsuna's Flame depletion had left him achy and exhausted for several days, and they weren't happy Tsuna had decided to go to school and continue training despite it.

(It wasn't enough that he had won. Not nearly. Mukuro was only the beginning and he had survived through sheer dumb luck and Leon's assistance in the form of gloves he hasn't removed for anything less than bathing since. He is supposed to be the Boss of the strongest group of Flame users the Mafia world can produce. He can't be that if he is only surviving what that world throws at him by the skin of his teeth.

He is their soulmate, above all else, so dealing with a little exhaustion is worth strengthening the weakest link that he is amongst them.)

They had also been most displeased by the message the Ninth had sent Reborn. What it amounted to was that Nono was satisfied with how well Tsuna had completed the task although disappointed with how long it had taken. Tsuna hadn't minded any of that, though he had felt annoyed that Nono had also mentioned his 'coup' of securing the loyalty of the Ranking Prince.

Tsuna hadn't helped Fuuta because it would better the Famiglia, he had done it because Fuuta deserved to feel safe and not used. The look in Fuuta's eyes when Tsuna turned down his offer to make rankings for him and promising that any rankings he made would be because Fuuta himself wanted to make them had Tsuna wishing he could smash Mukuro's face into the floor all over again – which was saying something, as Tsuna didn't consider himself a violent or vengeful person. For Nono to suggest he might have done it for any other reason than Fuuta's own happiness had Tsuna's already low estimation of the man decrease another notch.

(Nono's appraisal of Tsuna's current efficiency hadn't been the only thing to upset his soulmates. The letter had ended with a private message to Reborn expressing the Ninth's disappointment and subtle recrimination that Tsuna had yet to pull any Guardians to him – as far as he was aware. Reborn had taken that particular bit as a personal slight. Perhaps it hadn't helped that Viper had chosen to point out that Reborn had been the one to decide not to mention Tsuna's primary status as the Sky Arcobaleno, however.

Tsuna had despaired over the state of his backyard afterwards, although Mama had been pleased with her new garden plot.)

"We leave on Friday and will return Sunday evening. A cruise ship will take us to our destination."

"I get seasi–"

"It will be an excellent chance to learn how to overcome that," Reborn says over him. "A Boss must learn how to overcome his weaknesses."

"But I've already missed so much school, and–"

"You're well caught up with your schoolwork," Verde interrupts from the corner of the room. Tsuna eyes the beaker in his hand warily, a little nervous about the smoke pouring from the top. "Because of the compensations I made due to your training schedule, you're even slightly ahead."

"But Hibari-s–"

"Has been informed that you will not be in school that day." Tsuna blanches, wondering exactly how much Reborn had annoyed the irascible prefect; by the smirk on his face, he could only assume the answer was 'a lot'. Reborn found far too much amusement in riling up Hibari-san, usually to Tsuna's detriment.

"Viper–"

"The tickets were free." Viper doesn't look up from their calculator, uninterested in the conversation.

"But–"

"Mama is coming too."

"But–"

"The brats will have to come with us, of course."

"What?! But–!"

"They have promised to be on their best behavior during the trip." The 'or I'll throw them overboard' went unsaid.

"I–"

"It will be very relaxing."

Tsuna tosses a candy at him from the pile on the table, huffing when Reborn catches it in his mouth with a pleased expression.

"Stop interrupting me!"

"I will when you stop trying to give me stupid excuses."

"You do not wish to take a trip with us?" Fon asks, adopting a sad moue. Tsuna cringes at the look, even knowing that Fon was teasing (read: manipulating) him. He sighs in defeat.

"Of course I do."

"Wonderful!" Fon smiles cheerfully.

Tsuna jumps, startled at the loud cheering from outside his door. It flies open suddenly, three little bodies tumbling inside. Undaunted, Lambo and I-pin get up again, running around the table in happy circles while singing about vacations, boats, islands, and candy, Fuuta joining in a moment later.

Tsuna looks at his calendar again, biting his lip. A vacation with everyone sounded nice, actually, even if it was in the middle of the school year. His only reservation really had been that Friday would be the twelfth, making Sunday the fourteenth…. Meaning they would be spending his birthday tired from traveling instead of how he had wanted to spend it: home, with his friends and family, watching movies and enjoying his mom's special recipe strawberry chocolate caramel cake.

I suppose I don't mind, he thinks, smiling softly as he watches the younger kids laughing as they start an impromptu game of tag. They seem really excited, and it does sound fun. Besides, Mama deserves some time to relax too.

Cheered, Tsuna allows the kids to pull him into the game, chasing after the happily shrieking trio as they stampede out of the room.

Behind him, unseen, four cursed infants grin smugly.

—

"Move it, you maggots! What do you think this is, a tea party?!"

From his perch high above them in a tree, Colonnello scowls deeply at the small group of Mafioso on the ground below. Next to him, his animal partner screeches in agreement, making the already scrambling men panic even more. He sighs when one of them sets off one of the various traps scattered across the training ground, the small explosive device catapulting the unfortunate man into a tree.

"They just don't make them like they used to," he mutters, shaking his head in disappointment.

Falco twitters, sharp yellow eyes following the path of a second man, who trips over a hidden wire and ends up suspended ten feet from the ground in a net. Two others go to the trapped man's aid, only for one to be knocked flat by a flying log and the other to be caught in a second net trap. The last man in the group looks at his fallen and trapped comrades, whimpers, and runs screaming from the clearing. Falcons twitters again, this time clearly in laughter.

Colonnello groans and slaps a hand over his eyes.

"Pathetic." Scowling ferociously, the small instructor of Mafia Land's training grounds jumps down to the clearing and eyes four men in disgust. "If this is seriously the best your Famiglia can send me, I gotta start wondering how the hell you idiots have survived this long."

Angrily, the first trapped man, the one who had been chosen to lead this group, draws himself up as dignified as he can whilst being suspended upside down from a branch. The pained moaning of the man who had set off the explosive from below him and the cursing next to him as the other grunt manages to tangle himself more and more in the net as he struggled made the group leader deflate like a popped balloon and look away in embarrassment.

"Ugh. I can't deal with any more stupid today. We'll continue tomorrow morning. Gather the other maggots and return here at seven hundred sharp," he orders.

"Uh… how do we get down… sir?" the man asks shakily, sweat dripping down his cheek.

Colonnello withdraws a pocket knife, the combination of the gleam in his eyes and the sound of the blade popping open causing the man to gulp in fear and regret asking. He whistles for Falco, tossing the knife in the Mafioso's direction as his partner lifts him into the air. Without having to look, he knows he hit his target by the loud thump, yelping, and additional pained noises rising from the ground.

"Bright an early, maggots!" he yells down to them. "Then we'll have some real fun!" He allows himself a sadistic chuckle at the whimpers that answer him.

To be extra certain that the men he was hired to give supplemental training would actually show up, he instructs the hotel to give them an early wakeup call and make sure they were 'escorted' to the train. (It wouldn't be the first time someone had tried to do a runner; better to head it off at the start.) He wouldn't bother, normally; it will only shame and cause problems for their Famiglia if they run away without causing any detriment to himself, but he feels especially annoyed today for whatever reason. As the cause of some of that annoyance (and for the crime of being so stupid), he was going to train those men until they were less pathetic or kill them trying.

To get rid of some steam, he hijacks one of the training sessions for island security and spends a couple of hours making their lives miserable. While it cheers him up some, he still feels twitchy and somewhat off balance. He may not have a Sky's vaunted intuition, but he has always trusted his gut – and his gut is telling him that there is a storm of sorts approaching.

He gazes into the clear bright blue sky with not a cloud in sight, fingers wrapped loosely around the phone in his pocket. He has a sudden urge to call Lal, to hear her voice and let her cool logic soothe away the itchiness in his mind. If anyone could talk away his paranoia it would be her. She would tell him he was being stupid and threaten to put him through training again and… yell at him for breaking their promise over something so silly.

He releases the phone with a grimace, tearing his eyes away from the sky. Yeah, she would definitely yell at him. It was probably wasn't something he needed to be worried about anyway.

And if it was… well, then he'll just cross that bridge when it comes.

Back in his rooms at Mafia Land HQ, he sighs, slumping into his favorite armchair with a glass of wine and that week's paperwork stacked on the table next to it. He makes a face at the pile, debating the merits of ignoring it or getting it done and out of the way. Paperwork was certainly his least favorite part of his job, necessary evil or no.

With a grumble, he grabs the top folder on the pile and spends the rest of his evening getting it done and ignoring the ice creeping up his spine and the weight of his phone in his pocket.

Chapter Text

In all honesty, the trip hasn't been nearly as hectic as he was expecting. Aside from the small hiccup of Lambo running off and nearly getting lost almost as soon as they boarded the massive cruise liner that was to take them to their final destination, things had so far gone smoothly.

Tsuna leans against sun-warmed railing, staring down at the rushing water below in contemplation. His seasickness had fortunately passed within the first few hours thanks to the pills Mama had brought with her, leaving him to enjoy the rest of the trip in relative peace. (Fortunately, as he didn't quite trust the lurid green liquid Verde had offered him if they failed.)

Somewhere behind him he can hear the kids splashing about in the pool, playing with an inflatable ball a stewardess had given them and his mother happily chatting with a woman sunning herself next to her. A few feet from him, close enough to placate their Guardian instincts but far enough not to be considered as hovering, Fon and Reborn converse softly with Verde interjecting every so often in between scribbling away in his notebook. He lets the sounds wash over him, relaxing him, until they are a muted lull in the background.

He glances to the side, feeling eyes on him, and smiles as Viper joins him at the railing.

"You seem deep in thought," the Mist says, a question lacing their words.

"I was just thinking."

"About?"

Tsuna hums lowly, looking back down at the sea. "It's a little strange…. I can see the ocean and the dark blue and green of the water… and even though I know the sky is blue, it still looks grey. Shouldn't I be able to see both? I mean, indigo is just a shade of blue, isn't it?"

"No one has ever been able to understand how the soulmate bond works," Viper responds after a moment. "We don't know why it affects our vision; why colors are taken from us at birth and given back to us should we meet our match. We don't understand how the necessity of two pair of eyes eventually meeting can affect something so ingrained in biology and genetics that even the evolution of our species has bred out birth defects that would cause detriment to our vision.

"We have even less understanding of how our matches are chosen for us, or why or even if they are necessary. There has also never been a recording of someone with more than one match – or at least, no one has ever admitted to such." They move from the railing to sit on his shoulder, Fantasma changing back to its frog form and hopping on top of his head.

"We may never have that answer for you."

They sit in comfortable silence for a while, staring out across the ocean and relaxing in the comforting atmosphere.

"I'm okay with never knowing," Tsuna says, turning as his mother calls over to let him know she was taking the kids back to their rooms to get ready for lunch. He waves at her in answer and watches them leave as he continues speaking. "Whatever the reason is, it let me meet all of you. That's good enough for me."

"Even if it means you are cursed with a short life?" Viper's tone is soft; unreadable. There is an emotion behind the words that Tsuna can grasp only the barest understanding of. The eyes of his soulmates are heavy as they watch him, unusually grim and dark with hidden emotion.

He thinks back to the conversation the five of them had not long after Tsuna had fully recovered from the fight at Kokuyo Land. The four had sat him down and explained fully what it meant to be Sky Arcobaleno; that the weight of their curse would be especially heavy on him, taking a toll on his body and Flames that would result in the end of his life at a young age. A short life made even shorter due to being the second Sky of this Arcobaleno generation.

The origin of the Arcobaleno was a riddle wrapped in a mystery wrapped in a legend. It was unknown where they came from or their purpose for being as they are or what happens to them after it was time to pass their pacifiers to the next generation. Death was the assumption, as no one had ever met an ex-Arcobaleno before. What little was known, however, was that as the bearer of the pacifier that kept the others in harmonious balance, the Skies were always cycled through more often, more quickly in comparison to the rest. The curse took them sooner because their burden was the heaviest.

"I think," he answers slowly, thoughtfully, under his Guardians undivided attention, "that just like everything has an opposite, for someone to be so fortunate as I have been there must also be a bit of tragedy to balance it. I would rather have a happy, ephemeral life than a long and empty one. Like I said: it let me meet all of you, and that's enough for me. To be angry or bitter about it would cheapen the bonds we've made, and really, that wouldn't be fair to any of us.

"What's the point in feeling miserable when I don't have to be?"

They remain silent, joining Mama and the kids as they enter the dining room, each of them stricken by his words in their own way. In such a simple answer, their Sky had shown a depth of understanding and acceptance of his existence with the grace and dignity to outmatch men three times his age.

What could they have said to that, really?

Lunch passes quickly, if not quietly, and as the group separates again to pursue their own interests and activities, Reborn pulls Tsuna aside.

"The island we are going to is called Mafia Land. As an unknown, you would normally be required to undergo an entrance exam to be allowed to stay on the island. However, you are Arcobaleno, which affords you certain luxuries and privileges otherwise barred to the average Mafioso, even one from the Vongola, who was the major contributor to the conception of the island."

Tsuna rests a hand over the bulge in his shirt, where his pacifier lay against his chest. Although he had never been ashamed of it, something – likely his Intuition – had always told him to keep it hidden beneath his clothing. Reborn easily reads his concern and the reason for it.

"You will only need to show it when you check in," he reassured. "The staff are discrete and will keep your identity to themselves."

Tsuna smiles in relief.

"Mafia Land?"

"Yes. It is a Mafia-only amusement park created and paid for by allied and neutral Famiglie to be a place for Mafioso and their families to relax and unwind away from the darkness of the underworld. Famiglie who deal in drugs, human trafficking or experimentation, or other corrupt actives that break the laws of the Mafia, are not allowed on the island.

"There is also a non-violence rule. Unlike certain cities and towns in Italy, it is the only place considered be absolutely neutral. No infighting is allowed whatsoever on the island. Any disputes that arise between unaligned Famiglie are resolved underground by the head of the Mafia Land Training Facility."

Tsuna listens in fascination. He still wasn't too sure about the whole Mafia thing, nor about the expectation that he would take over what was considered to be the most powerful Famiglia and one of the progenitors to the Italian Mafia; but the idea of an amusement park created solely for Mafioso to shed the dark chains of the underworld for a little time to act like kids again was interesting to learn about. It didn't make him any more eager to take up the mantel of Vongola Decimo (strangely, being Sky Arcobaleno came with no such feelings of hesitancy), but it was nice to hear that not everything in the Mafia was about bloodshed and criminal activity.

"We should arrive shortly after dinner," Reborn says, drawing him from his thoughts. "There should be enough daylight left for Mama to take the kids exploring while we handle administration. And don't worry about the luggage." Reborn tilts his head, his fedora tipping just slightly to throw shadow over his eyes as he gives a little smirk. "The staff is very efficient."

Somehow, Tsuna isn't very comforted.

—

Mafia Land is not quite what Tsuna is expecting. If he's perfectly honest, it seems like your average everyday luxury island resort and theme park, complete with grand hotels, a bustling outdoor marketplace full of souvenir stands and food stalls boasting cuisine from all around the world, and an enormous colorful Ferris wheel that stands out starkly against the dark green and grey mountain in the distance.

…Well, if you ignored the seemingly endless crowd full of dangerous-looking scarred men and glamorous women, bodyguards in neat black suits, and the fact that everyone, from the porter who bowed them off the ship to the little old man who ran a gelato stand, is obviously carrying a weapon of some kind, anyway.

"Tsu-kun!" Mama calls, holding Lambo in her arms to keep him from running off while I-pin and Fuuta stand obediently at her side, clutching at her skirts, "Fon-san and I are going to take the kids exploring while you and Reborn-kun take care of checking us in, okay?"

Tsuna blinks and looks around, only to realize that Viper and Verde have disappeared somewhere between disembarkment and the funnel cake booth. He turns to Reborn and opens his mouth, but Reborn answers his question before he can ask it.

"They have something to take care of," he says nonchalantly, jumping up to hitch a ride on his shoulder. Tsuna considers asking him to elaborate, but in the end decides that his Lightning and Mist can take care of themselves and would doubtlessly return once they're done.

So he shrugs and waves to his mother. "Alright, Mama. I'll see you later, then."

"Do you have your phone?"

"Yes, I turned it on while we were docking. I'll call you when we're done."

"Such a good boy~," she coos, giggling as he ducks his head in embarrassment. "All right then, Tsu-kun~! Don't take too long!"

Tsuna watches them until they vanish behind a group of tourists in Hawaiian shirts. Reorienting himself, he follows Reborn's directions – and a few passengers he recognizes from the ship – to a building labeled 'Administration'.

Taking a deep breath to calm his sudden nerves, Reborn a comforting weight on his shoulder, he enters.

Chapter Text

The lobby of the Administration building is as stark and bland as any other. A few landscape portraits and maps that line the plain white walls; a few comfy chairs, framed by small side tables, with a tall magazine rack in one corner; half a dozen bright green ficus trees in square planters; but not much else.

He waits patiently in the very short line until he comes face to face with a woman in a neat grey suit. She gives them a patented receptionist smile from behind her computer screen, welcoming but blatantly uninterested; the smile of someone who has dealt with all types of people and become inured to anything they might throw at her. She doesn't even twitch as Reborn tilts his fedora up with the barrel of gun-Leon and leans forward to look directly into her eyes. At the same time, his small hand lifts the chain of Tsuna's necklace just high enough to show the pendant attached to it.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi; Sky Arcobaleno."

Having been instructed earlier on how he should comport himself, Tsuna carefully keeps a stoic but polite expression on his face and says nothing, allowing Reborn to speak for him. This is the part he was least looking forward to, and he almost wishes he could have just used the Vongola name instead and taken the test – just almost, though; he hates tests.

("It is our duty," Reborn says bluntly, though not unkindly. "As new as it may be, and as much as it may discomfort you, it is our duty – and our privilege – to introduce you in some instances to the general rabble of the underworld. It is mostly politics, which your lessons have only just begun to touch on and which we will continue in further depth later.

"You are an unknown face, however, so it is best that we position ourselves in this way until you can stand fully on your own."

Tsuna doesn't like it – but he understood.)

The dark warning underlying his words does garner a reaction from the receptionist. Her bland smile falters slightly, the barest widening of her eyes showing her surprise as her fingers freeze above the keyboard. Light green eyes flicker from the pacifier to Tsuna's face before looking at Reborn, recognizing his previous actions for what they were: not so much a show of arrogance, as she had likely seen a hundred times before, but a genuine threat made by one of the most powerful Flame users in the world in defense of his Sky – arguably the most important one to visit the island in decades.

To her credit, her fingers are steady as she reaches for her phone, speaking swiftly but quietly into it. She ends the call and stands a moment later, bowing to them as she gestures for them to follow.

"This way, sirs, if you please."

Satisfied, Leon transforms back and reclaims his perch on the fedora's brim, chirring softly.

Tsuna follows her down a hallway off the side to a large set of double doors at the end. They are bowed through them into an office that boasts of opulence and prestige, from the crystal chandelier and oil portraits to the Persian rugs and stands holding delicate pottery and vases. A tall, weedy man awaits them, adjusting his dizzyingly patterned red tie nervously. He is standing next to a shorter, stockier man in a crisp black three piece suit, ridiculously small bowler hat, and a deep scar on his cheek, who stands from the chair behind a massive oak desk as they enter.

Tsuna is too distracted to notice any of this however, and the reason for his distraction is obvious to everyone in the room. His pacifier, resting gently against his chest and still visible, chooses this moment to glow in a brilliant display, enhanced by the soft yellow that shines from the matching pendant around Reborn's neck.

—

Colonnello yawns, bored nearly to tears as the latest Mafioso to face the last-chance test for Mafia Land entry makes a lackluster attempt through the booby-trap laced obstacle course. They have yet to reach the half-way point, but already he can tell that the man – boy, really, he can't be more than twenty – won't pass it and thus he, and whoever came with him, will be summarily removed from the island and banned for the customary one year before they can try again.

He considers ending the test early (if only to spare the poor sod's life) but it's the only entertainment he's had in days even if it wasn't exactly all that entertaining.

With a grumble, Colonnello turns over in his hammock, the motion causing it to swing, and falls into a light doze with the terrified screaming of the mafioso as a somewhat morbid lullaby. His eyes snap open only minutes later as his pacifier shines a sky blue against his chest and sits up with a frown. He hadn't been expecting company… not that any of his fellow curse bearers were likely to give him warning, save Lal (who would only have arrived if it was absolutely necessary and unavoidable and for whom it would not have shone anyway) and perhaps Fon, (who was unusually polite for an assassin).

As he contemplates this, he hears the rumbling of the subway train and screeching brakes as it clamors to a stop. He doesn't need to guess why it had arrived, as Administration only sends him one victim – that is, tester at a time and he's pretty sure he had no groups scheduled for training. Ignoring the man curled into a whimpering ball in the middle of a clearing laced with landmines, he hops from his perch and goes to investigate.

He blinks in surprise, baffled at the two pseudo toddlers that exit the train car and make their way towards him.

Out of all them, he would have expected his surprise visitor to be Reborn, likely with the new student he's heard the Sun had taken on in tow. Definitely not Verde, and even less likely Viper – and certainly not both of them together. Curiosity well and truly peaked, he meets them halfway up the walk.

"Verde, nice to see you out of your lab. And Viper; bored of playing dead or something?"

"Colonnello," Viper says blandly. He grins at the glare he can feel, if not see, that pierces him from beneath the hood of their cloak. Already his day is looking up.

"So what brings you to my neck of the woods?" he says cheerfully, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. Verde adjusts his glasses, light flashing briefly across the lenses. If Colonnello didn't know better, he would almost say that the spark of mischief he thinks he sees is more than just a figment of his imagination.

But it couldn't be. This was Verde, after all.

"As we are here on vacation, we decided, as a curtesy, to inform you in person that we have located the new Sky."

Colonnello's smile freezes on his face, mind stuttering momentarily to a halt.

"The hell?!" He points a finger at them, his hand moving between them in comical disbelief. "What do you mean, we found the Sky – you mean the same Sky we spend seven years looking for only to get absolutely nothing?! …Wait, vacation…?" He pauses, his eyes narrow in thought before realization dawns across his face. "You didn't just find the Sky, you brought them here," he whispers.

Colonnello's growing excitement is enough to drown out the hint of annoyance he feels as Verde pulls out his wallet and passes over a handful of bills to a smirking Viper while muttering, "It seems I will need to adjust my calculations; he caught on much quicker than expected." Viper merely smirks and counts their winnings with an expert hand.

"Who are they? And how'd you find them?" He directs the question to Verde, knowing well enough that getting Viper to part with information was costly and like pulling teeth. Verde, at least, wouldn't charge him half a month's wages just for a name, even if Colonnello did cause him to lose a bet. (Verde should have known better than to bet against Viper anyway, so it was his own fault, really.)

"Reborn was the one to find him first," Verde says after putting his wallet away. Colonnello scoffs; of course it was Reborn. "As it happens, our Sky is his new student."

His brow furrows in thought. "But didn't the Vongola Ninth send him to Japan to train…." His teeth clench, hands fisting at his side. "But then he's just a kid. That bastard," he hisses.

It was one of the worst kept secrets that the chosen Vongola heir was the teenage son of the CEDEF leader, at least among those close enough to the situation to glean the truth from the rumors. He didn't know much about Sawada, but despite how much that man claimed to want to protect his wife and son, his lips were awfully loose when it came to his boasting about his family.

The Arcobaleno Sky had been unknown for over seven years; if Sawada's son was the new bearer of the Sky pacifier, then he had to have been given the burden when he was less than ten years old. That the Man in the Iron Hat would choose to curse and sacrifice a child…. It was unforgivable.

Colonnello adjusts his bandana, the wide camouflaged band shadowing his eyes, and breathes. He reaches for his Flame, letting the tranquil properties of the Rain fill him and smooth his ire until he feels calm enough not to hunt the bastard down and fill him with lead. Falco lands gently on his head, cooing softly in response to his churning emotions.

"That isn't all of it."

Colonnello pins Verde with narrow blue eyes. A part of him doesn't want to know whatever Verde has yet to tell him, but the rest of him needs to know. Even without the slim possibility that perhaps he has even the slightest chance to have a proper Sky and not one in name only, this boy was still the Arcobaleno Sky. He motions for Verde to continue and braces himself.

"The day Reborn met his new student and realized that the Vongola had inadvertently placed him in charge of our young Sky, he also discovered that he and Tsunayoshi shared a secondary connection, that being that they were soulmates." Colonnello sputters, nearly choking on his tongue in shock. "Tsunayoshi, however, did not gain perception of all color; just one."

"So he called you, which explains how you know," he surmises, the surprise fading now in interest.

"Indeed," Verde admits, adjusting his lenses. "That is when we discovered Tsunayoshi was my soulmate as well. As for himself, Tsuna gained perception of a secondary color."

Colonnello freezes again, thoughts racing and heart pounding in his chest. He looks at Viper in question. They nod in answer.

"Fon as well," Verde continues. "Tsuna can now perceive approximately fifty-seven percent of the color spectrum."

"So… so you believe that he might be my soulmate as well?"

"That is the theory, yes."

Colonello breathes slowly. He thinks of Lal, of the promise they made so long ago… and for the first time in a long time, allows himself to hope.

Chapter Text

Once under the relative anonymity of being just another face in the crowd, Tsuna lets out a breath, tension falling from his shoulders and feeling much like a wrung out sponge.

"That was…." He can't quite find the words for what exactly that was; he shrugs helplessly and leaves the remark unfinished.

"You did well," Reborn says with a hint of pride. "Good job."

"I didn't really do anything," Tsuna points out, sending a text off to Fon. "You did all of the talking."

"Exactly as you were supposed to." Tsuna shrugs again and cedes the point, reading the message Fon sends back. "Well?"

"Mama took the kids on the Ferris wheel and will go to the hotel when they're done. Fon says he'll meet up with us after he drops them off." His phone pings with another message. "And Verde and Viper are on their way back; they want to know where we'll be."

"Tell them we'll be at the beach. They'll know what that means," Reborn says flippantly. Tsuna eyes him in suspicion.

"That thing they had to do wouldn't happen to be related to why our pacifiers were reacting, would it?" Reborn merely hums a non-answer, blatantly ignoring his question. Sighing, he sends off the texts and follow's his soulmate's unspoken directions through the marketplace.

As their gait is unhurried, he takes the time to look around, observing the people and the buildings they pass with a curious eye. Most of the other Mafia Land patrons and stall workers ignore them, going about their own business and pleasure. Those that do take notice of them, he is interested to find that they seem to take a double look before pointedly looking elsewhere after a brief moment of gaping. They look at them with a mixture of fear and awe… or rather, they look at Reborn that way, he notes. Of Tsuna they seem to take no more than a passing, uninterested glance if they deign to look at him at all.

Their destination, a small strip of isolated beach surrounded on three sides by a small outcropping of rock and cliff face, is far from the main crowds and buildings and devoid of people. Not so surprising, really, with the sun setting in the distance, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold. The only entrance (that he can see) is a set of stairs seemingly carved out of the surrounding rock; depictions of tiny pacifiers were hewn shallowly into the stone, some worn away due to time and exposure.

Suddenly, the lack of people made even more sense.

They did not have to wait very long before Reborn turns to look over his shoulder with a succinct, "Good. They're here."

Tsuna found himself unsurprised when he turns himself and sees not three, but four small forms making their way across the sands.

—

Many years ago, long before the Mafia and the strange missions and the curse that ruined their lives, Colonnello and Lal Mirch shared a bond that went deeper than that of simply trainer and trainee. However, they were military and there were rules and regulations that had to be followed. They were professionals. So as much as they hated it, they kept it secret and refused to let it interfere with their duty.

Until the Fated Day happened.

After the curse, in mourning of their new existence and in recognition of the danger of admitting exactly how deep their bond truly was, they made a promise. Unless it became absolutely necessary, they would stay away from each other and have as little contact as possible and hide the truth from the rest of the world. At least until they found a cure or more likely a Sky who could accept them both, as they were.

They were soulmates, after all, and they refused to allow either of them to be used against the other, especially as their particular bond seemed to be so different from the others.

It makes so much sense now, he thinks, thumbing the phone in his pocket. The reason we…. He shakes his head, clearing the thought. He didn't know for sure yet that it was true. Until he was absolutely certain he would wait. He could be patient when he tried.

Colonnello clutches his phone before reluctantly letting it go, staring absently at the passing scenery through the window of the train.

"What's he like?" he asks in curiosity, turning his face from the window. Verde's hand slows to a stop, his pen hovering over the page of his notebook as he considers the question.

"He is… warm. Powerful, with a Flame purity I have not seen the like of." There is a softness to his voice, a hint of fondness beneath the stoic expression that was his norm. "Wise for his years, and very intuitive. His heritage shows strongly."

"He also has an unfortunate propensity for placing others before himself," Viper says wryly.

"Indeed," Verde agrees as he pulls a cell phone out of his pocket and fiddles with the keys. "He is the kind of Sky the mafia needs, however. I have great confidence he will change the world, given enough time and the proper guidance."

"A true Sky, yeah?" Colonnello murmurs.

He grins.

Whether or not this Sawada Tsunayoshi is the Sky he has been waiting for – that he and Lal have both been waiting for – he can honestly say he's looking forward to this. Either way, it was bound to be a lot more entertaining than torturing a bunch of spoiled, entitled mafia brats in the guise of training.

Twenty minutes later finds them making their way through the market by way of the rooftops towards the agreed upon meeting place. The sounds of the growing hustle and bustle of the nightlife of Mafia Land begins to fade as they draw further away from it towards the roar of the ocean in the near distance. A forth form joins them as they reach the end of the buildings and continue their trek by land.

Fon greets them with a smile.

"So you're here too, hey?" Colonnello eyes the diminutive martial artist who seems, if possible, even more relaxed than usual.

"So it appears." Fon reaches up to give his partner a piece of dried fruit, placing the bag away in some hidden pocket when the others refuse his unspoken offer. "How has Mafia Land been treating you?"

"It's been kinda boring lately," Colonnello says with a grimace. "Each group of brats they send me seem to be worse than the last."

He is frustrated and amongst those he knows he can trust, even peripherally, he doesn't bother to hide it. Mafia Land has become less of a duty and more of a chore in recent years. If not for the agreement that the island would always have at least one Arcobaleno to watch over it, and the knowledge that none of the others would willingly take his place, he would have left years ago. Sometimes he imagines doing it anyway.

If this meeting ends how he hopes it will, he might just.

The sun is just kissing the edge of the horizon by the time they are descending the stairs down to their private beach, two figures standing near the water's edge shadowed by the light at their backs. Colonnello suppresses his ingrained reflex to shoot at his rival, hands twitching at the aborted reach for the rifle slung across his back. It's not quite the first impression he wants to make, however tempting it is to let out some aggression on someone he knows can take it and return it tenfold.

Sawada Tsunayoshi is unassuming in appearance, all fluffy hair and wide eyes that flicker with proof his Flame. He looks nothing like his father, who is stocky and blond and loud even when standing still. The little he's gleaned from Verde's descriptions gives hope that he has not inherited the man's temperament in place of his looks. The world does not need a second Sawada Iemitsu; it might not survive.

With all of the bluntness that Lal had despaired of not being able to train out him, he stops directly in front of this boy, his hopeful Sky in more than just circumstance, and looks him squarely in the eyes. He grins, happy and sharp with glee as the colors that had before eluded him – the orange of Sky Flame, the purples painting the darkening sky, the sharp blood red of Fon's traditional clothing – replaces the grey and slots seamlessly in with the blues and greens and yellows that had been his sight for over thirty years.

"Hi," he says cheerfully, so filled with joy and relief and hope he could burst. "I'm Colonnello. Guess we're soulmates, hey?" Tsuna blinks at him in momentary surprise and smiles.

Verde was right to say he was warm. The purity of his Flame, strong enough that they affect the color of his eyes even when not in use, radiates from him so thickly it's a wonder he hasn't attracted more attention. A Sky like this, incomplete and so young, would normally have unbound Flame users flocking to him in droves. Likely, Reborn had used his own Sun Flame to cover for this and keep him unmolested.

"Yeah," Tsunayoshi says cheerfully, bolstered by Colonnello's unbridled visible optimism. "It's kind of neat, right?"

Colonnello laughs, loud and bright and so, so hopeful for the future he'd never believed he would ever see realized. He couldn't wait to tell Lal!

"Hey, so have you seen much of the island yet? There's this one coaster you've gotta ride, it's awesome! And the ferris wheel's best at night, you can see the whole island lit up. It's almost as good as flying. And then there's…"

—

("This better be important, Colonnello, or I'll put you through so much remedial training…."

"No, it is, I swear! You'll never believe this, but that thing we've always wondered about? What we thought it might mean? We were right!"

"… What ?"

"Yeah! And the best part is, our second soulmate is also our Sky! He's just a kid, Lal, but he has so much potential it's ridiculous. But it's awesome, Lal, you have to come meet him. But you can't tell anyone because it's kind of a secret, and–"

"Colonnello. 'Nello, you know I hate it when you babble. Shut up and explain it to me properly."

"Right, sorry. Okay. So, it's like this….")

—

Part 5. Azzurro ~ End

Chapter Text

She is in the middle of overseeing a rather boring meeting when her phone buzzes silently in her pocket. She slips quietly out of the door, happy for the excuse to leave, but it quickly turns to ire (and a hint of worry she does her best not to acknowledge) when she sees the number displayed on the screen. Walking down the hall to an empty room and closing the door behind her, she flips it open and answers it with a scowl.

"This better be important, Colonnello, or I'll put you through so much remedial training…."

Colonnello interrupts her threat, his words laced with excitement.  "No, it is, I swear! You'll never believe this, but that thing we've always wondered about? What we thought it might mean? We were right!"

That gives her pause and it takes her a moment to find her voice, her response a strangled exhalation of air and disbelief.

"…What?"

"Yeah! And the best part is, our second soulmate is also our Sky! He's just a kid, Lal, but he has so much potential it's ridiculous. But it's awesome, Lal, you have to come meet him. But you can't tell anyone because it's kind of a secret, and–"

Lal takes a deep breath, cutting him off before his words become even more jumbled. "Colonnello. 'Nello, you know I hate it when you babble. Shut up and explain it to me properly." She all but collapses into a chair behind one of the unused desks, taking advantage of his pause as he calms himself down to regain her equilibrium. His excitement is infectious, and for once she allows herself to feel something she hasn't felt in a long time: Hope.

"Right, sorry. Okay. So, it's like this. You know how we always wondered why, when we met, the colors we were supposed to see weren't complete?"

"Of course," she says, thinking back to all those years ago when she met her then-student in one of the COMSUBIN training grounds. "You had a strange version of protanomoly while I had a form of tritanopia. The only color we could both agree with was green."

"Right, and we couldn't figure out why. Eventually, we decided that–"

"That either we both had extremely rare visual deficiencies or… or we both had another soulmate."

For a moment, neither of them said anything, caught in the memories of the past. 

In their search to find an answer, they discovered something that gave them an impossible idea. It stemmed from one of things few people were willing to discuss: What happened when your soulmate died?

If you had never met them, then the answer was absolutely nothing. You would continue to go about your life in monochrome, never knowing that your fated match had passed on from the world, decided upon the fact that you were simply not one of the lucky seventeen percent.

If you had met them… that was different. When one of a found soulmate pair died, they took some of the color with them. The one left behind could still perceive color, but it became faded and incomplete. It would sometimes result in suicide, as the one whom had lost their other half couldn't live with the blatant reminder of their loss every day.

When they had first come to a tentative conclusion that it could be related to their situation, neither were all that willing to believe it. No one had ever had two soulmates before. It was so ridiculously impossible, but… what if?

They had already decided before all that to keep the fact that they were soulmates a secret. Regulations would see them separated to prevent fraternization bias and really, they didn't want that. Coming to the idea that they could, perhaps, have a third somewhere out in the world made the decision easier. There was always the possibility that their thirds were different people, of course, but they weren't going to dwell on that.

And then the curse happened and Colonnello (stupidly) sacrificed himself for her and they decided that maybe they were safer apart than together.

She shakes her head, shoving back the guilt she still felt over the promise she had forced from him in her anger.

"Okay. You said we were right. That means you… found your third?"

"Our third," he corrects. She nods even if he can't see it, squaring her shoulders.

"Alright, our third then. What was this about a Sky?"

"Do you want the long version or the short?"

Lal rolls her eyes over the unnecessary dramatics. "Give me the short version."

"Reborn found the Sky Arcobaleno, who ended up being not only his soulmate but also Verde's, Fon's, Viper's, and ours. And I guess Skull too, but that isn't confirmed. Just likely, considering."

"…Give me the long version."

Colonnello laughs.

"The Vongola heir, Tsunayoshi Sawada, became the Sky Arcobaleno when he was eight. Reborn found this out when he went to Japan to train him for the Ninth, but also discovered that Tsuna was his soulmate. As it turned out, however, instead of the normal reaction… normal to everyone else, anyway… Tsuna was only able to see the color yellow after their eyes met. So Reborn tricked Verde into going to Japan, and suddenly Tsuna could see green also. And then Fon arrived and Tsuna could see red, and then Viper showed up… and, well."

"That's…"

"I know."

"This is going to get messy."

"Understatement."

She hesitates, the spark of hope within her blooming slowly in her chest. "He's a good Sky?"

"His Flame… I can't describe it. It's so pure, Lal. Purer than Luce's. There's so much potential sleeping inside him, and even though he doesn't like the idea of being a mafia boss he's willing to do it for them… for us. I think… I really want to be his Rain."

She exhales slowly, halfway convinced already simply because of the yearning she can hear in his voice. At the same time, Iemitsu's somewhat bipolar attitude, switching between angry ranting and horrified gibbering over the last several months, including all of those frantic phone calls made to the Ninth, makes a lot more sense in retrospect. The biggest thing she has to consider, however, is if it's something she wants; if it would really be worth the drama and the mess and anything else it will cause.

She's surprised at how easily the answer comes.

"I'll work on damage control."

"You're the best, Lal."

"Yeah, yeah. Now go away. I've got work to do."

"Good luck! I love you."

"…I love you too."

She hangs up with a sigh and drops her face into her hands, rubbing her eyes wearily. She was absolutely certain she was not going to be the one to tell Iemitsu.

But she would definitely be there when he found out.