To be 25 years old was to be 15 plus 10. That was to say, it wasn't all that exciting, not like adults would like others to believe.

Reborn stared into his drink, back straight as he sat at the bar. There was a table behind him and somewhat to his left that housed three women clucking and moaning about how handsome he was, daring each other to approach him. How annoying!

Down the bar a ways were five men who were badmouthing him, apparently believing themselves all high and mighty as they ranted about how they beat his ass black and blue. Because, seemingly, the three women at the table were their women – as if they owned them in some way.

Reborn lifted the glass to his lips, aggravated and yet tickled at the same time at the concept of owning someone.

As the men were egging each other on, fist pumps and alcohol all around, the Dutch door opened soundlessly to emit three very familiar men. Reborn smirked to realize them, displeased and pleased at the same time to have their company.

His friends, brothers really, heading straight for him with various expressions; Verde looked disgusted by his surroundings, Fon had his arms folded into the sleeves of his tunic, face tranquil, and Colonello couldn't have looked more unbothered, as if he was stepping into his home instead of a canteen.

The men who had been buffing themselves up took no notice of the new arrivals, strutting their way towards Reborn as if they owned the damn floor and him with it. One shoved right into Verde, who stumbled and narrowed his sickly green eyes on the fellow with growing dislike. The same asshole tried to do the same thing with Fon, failing as the Chinese man sidestepped him.

That was the only asshole who paused to notice that Reborn was unofficially getting backup. And he was the only asshole smart enough to ditch his pack and retreat out the Dutch doors.

Reborn almost scowled at that; he could have taken them all down easily, no reinforcements required. But, perhaps, people needed to be outnumbered to realize that they were the lesser of two strengths. Which was a lot of bullshit.

The last four men didn't have enough time to call the bartender (who was coincidentally getting more bourbon from the basement) for help.

By the time the old man came back with a huge box in shaking arms, the five men plus their three women had abandoned the bar, four of the men beaten and bloody while the women tried to stay behind for the four 'heroes' that was now Reborn's dubbed group and were then forced out by the injured males, as if they needed their pride as sperm donors ruined as well.

To have women mistreated in such a way had actually boiled all their nerves, but at least the women had left with the roll of their eyes, as if they knew they were following sissies. That meant they had some power, even if they were beyond saving.

Fon was kind enough to offer the bartender a hand, smiling softly. Verde took a large handkerchief from his pocket and placed it gingerly down on the stool before taking a seat, a grimace on his lips. Colonello, in all his finesse, sprawled across both his stool and the pale polished bar surface.

"Hey, when does the rest of the gang get here."

Reborn ordered another glass from the old man. "The storm will be rolling in about another few minutes and Viper's plane should have gotten here a half hour ago. Skull's jet is supposed to land in another 15 minutes and Tsuna is bringing Aria as the 'adult supervision'."

"Mother will be coming with Lambo," Fon chimed.

At the mention of the personification of the thunder and lightning, Verde leered lewdly into his reflection on the bar. So many years later and he had yet to succeed in his dream of dissecting the element, though it was not for lack of trying. So many years later and he just would not give it up.

Reborn's glare stopped the green-haired man short, nonetheless, the bespectacled man shifted uncertainly in his seat as the hitman's black eyes bore into his very mind and reminded him that there was a boogeyman in the world.

Colonello and Fon both chuckled at the hint of protectiveness Reborn was showing, something he hid usually very well and yet would sometimes rear its amusing head whenever he felt his guardian was in danger. It was almost pathetic because the hitman obviously despised this little quirk of his, most of the time coming up with a dozen or so reasons why it was not concern for Lambo and instead everything around him.

Both Colonello, Fon, and Verde had agreed that their most favorite excuse was 'I like thunder storms', as if to point out that it wasn't necessarily the personification he was trying to protect, but everything he represented.

Verde wasn't laughing at the moment, trying oh so subtly to edge into the next stool down and from there continuing his way to the far side of the counter. Away from the still glaring Reborn whose predatory stillness could have made anyone jumpy. Except, of course, for Fon and Colonello who were laughing.

Even when Reborn's glare spun on them, they were still caught up in mirth.

They had an idea of how lucky they were when, in the second Reborn's weight shifted towards them, body tensing like a beast about to pounce, the sound of rumbling thunder and the pinging of rain was heard from outside the tavern.

With great bravado, the door was slammed open and a loud 'I WAS EXTREMELY WAITING FOR THE REST OF THE GANG' echoed throughout the small establishment. Following the Sun was the Rain and Storm, both thoroughly soaked while the silverette looked none too pleased and the other quite happy.

Yamamoto waved to them. "Hah hah! Nice to see you all again! When was the last time we met up like this, hhmm?"

Fon and Colonello offered their own greetings in their own ways while Verde and Reborn waited, not really caring.

Gokudera, the personification of the storm with spitfire green eyes, green like those rare clouds before a thunderstorm that reflect the sun's light in the worst possible way, narrowed said gaze on the lonesome mad scientist that had once been a mad science-boy. "What are you doing all the way down here?"

Whatever explanation was offered was lost as a brunette came through the door with the raven-haired cloud at his side, Aria's hand in his as he smiled warmly at all of them.

"TSUNAA," Ryohei greeted loudly.

"'S'up?" Yamamoto tried some slang he must have heard somewhere, making most everyone in the bar look at him strangely. He only smiled serenely.

"My sky," Gokudera murmured reverently, ducking his head in respect.

Tsuna only smiled wider and sighed, as if caught in bliss. "It feels nice to be with everyone again."

The cloud personification at his side seemed to not be able to disagree with him enough, sour expression glowering at all of them with his arms crossed over his chest. His slate blue eyes flashed from them to the sky and then away, perhaps coming to the conclusion that there was no escape as long as his lover demanded his presence.

"But I see we have a few people late," Tsuna went on to add, sharp caramel eyes scanning the room. The old man in control of the liquor caught his attention and he slipped into a stool, Aria stealing the one next to his where she asked for a soda, and himself not ordering anything but a delightful chat. Just like that, he pushed his earlier statement out of the air, smiling angelically as he invited everyone still standing to sit down as well.

Hibari, of course, took a faraway table for his own, in the darkest corner available, and glared malevolently at the door as if to make certain that no one else dared to come in.

As if summoned by said glare, the door opened again to welcome two more people.

Fon's smile couldn't have gotten wider as he slid out of his seat and went to the ethereal woman standing in wait for him, her smile matching his as she opened her arms and let him into her embrace.

The man at her side looked at Reborn with warm eyes, striding up to take the seat Fon had abandoned.

Reborn, for his part, pretended not to notice. Verde, pouting, couldn't help but glower.

Fon and I-Pin went to a separate table, sitting on the same bench with Fon's head tucked against I-Pin's shoulder as they spoke lowly in Chinese and spoke of their adventures the past two weeks apart.

They had been meeting up regularly, their bond of mother and son never letting them part for too long. The rest of them, however, had not met face-to-face in nearly two years.

"How have you been, Reborn?" Lambo murmured.

Reborn glared at him, as if the hell in his eyes would in some way force the other to leave him be. Which, of course, didn't work; like always.

"I see, so you've been doing well," the thunder narrated. "Ah, but I've missed that glare of yours; you see, people do not seem to enjoy my company as much as you pretend not to. I can always tell by the way they look at me. You know, I had my feelings hurt some days ago; there I was, doing what I was born to do, and there was an old grumpy man on his porch, looking up at me as if I was at fault of something, and he said 'Thunder, thunder, die today – leave me be' – I thought that rhyme was meant for the rain, but apparently not…"

Reborn's glare had intensified at Lambo's ranting. Especially at that part 'pretending'. But he listened, sadly because he couldn't think of what other choices he had.

The Dutch doors parted again, a woman wearing a black bell cap with a pompom on top resembling a toad and a matching black cloak that fell to her mid calves, a design like a yellow snake biting down on its tail going around the torso of the fabric. At her side was a blonde wearing black leather pants with a purple-and-black striped sleeved shirt, a strange little crown atop his head. And, behind them, was another small woman with purple hairs and a violet eye, as if she had seen things in her lifetime that would make others lose their minds. The last woman wore a pure white crochet dress that ended just above her knees, her hair loose around her shoulders. Over one eye was an eye patch decorated with an engraved skull.

They were all welcomed happily by Tsuna. When he tried to hug Viper, the girl with the demented sense of dressing, however, the blonde pulled her tight to his side and offered a bloodthirsty smirk that just dared the sky to make a move. Because, obviously, he was insane.

Thus, Bel, Mammon, and Chrome were welcomed into the reuninon.

Lambo, after an initial wave, turned his attention back to Reborn. "Have you killed anyone since the last time I saw you?" He spoke as if it was a casual subject, as if they were discussing the weather for fuck's sake.

Reborn sipped his beverage. "Five men, two women." He had a thing against harming the female race, but these had been the type of women all for equal rights. And not in the best kind of way. Certainly not.

Lambo raised an eyebrow. "How do you feel?"

"How do you think I should feel?"

"Like you killed seven people, for starters."

"Why are you here again?"

"Because I missed you~"

"Because I haven't killed you yet."

"If you discover the way to killing an element, tell me how before you carry through with it, please."

There was silence; not uncomfortable, though. Actually, it was almost soothing, like therapy without words or actions. Reborn finished his drink and didn't bother to ask for a third because he liked having a clear head and he knew he would be getting into a drinking contest with Colonello later, so why lose his mind now?

Lambo eyeballed him. "You've grown even more since the last time I saw you." He sounded almost wistful. "Humans, always growing bigger… I bet you're even taller than me now." He reached out and fisted his hand around Reborn's shoulder, squeezed, and then released. "You might even be broader." He looked nearly sad. "You used to be so cute as a kid."

Reborn's black glare slid threateningly to the other male. "Since when was I a kid?"

"Well you never acted like one, but I vaguely remember a midget version of you trying to kill people about a decade or two ago."

Before Reborn could even think to respond to that, Colonello had bounded up to his side, beer in hand and a competitive light in his icy blue eyes.

As he had predicted, the drinking contest commenced.

Author's Note: And I end the story here… A rather sour ending, but I thought it was a nice touch to have the whole family together.

As for where Skull is… well, his jet was late. *cough, cough* Hibari had something to do with that.

I LOVE ALL OF YOU!