This one-shot is a Christmas gift for ArtsyreaderVOI! Merry Christmas, dear, I hope you'll like it! :)

Big thanks to the wonderful Beta - Phantom Hitman 1412

Thursday, the 10th of October, was the same day as always in the Vongola Inc., world's biggest and most wealthy and influential company. The long halls of the headquarters were full of busy people, going here and there, labs were working full time, meetings were started and ended... everything to ensure that their customers in various businesses were completely satisfied with what they got. Six departments took care of their branches, led by their heads, chosen for those positions very carefully. Each employee knew their role and its importance to the whole company. And if someone was to think that the management wasn't as busy as the lower tier workers... well, things in Vongola were always different than anywhere else.

The current, tenth CEO of the company, was sitting behind his mahogany desk in his office at the 27th floor of the main building, engrossed in his efforts to somehow vanish the looming mountain of paperwork. He knew that if he was to shirk his duties... well... things would NOT go well. His ex-tutor, a devil in man's clothes, would somehow know and ensure he would never... ever... EVER... do that again. All with that small, dark, sexy smirk...

"Good morning Jyuudaime!" Sawada Tsunayoshi, 24, still single, was pulled out of his thoughts by the cheerful voice of his right hand and head of the Science Department.

"A-aaah, Gokudera-kun... good morning. How are you today?" He smiled at the slightly hyperactive, silver-haired man, dressed impeccably in a high-end black suit with a scarlet shirt underneath. Pale green eyes shone with undisguised loyalty and happiness because he could meet his boss.

Gokudera Hayato, one of the most recognized and acclaimed scientists in the world, a genius in his chosen field of work, was the leader of all the scientists working for Vongola. They specialized in the branch of cosmetics, as well as made sure the inventions of other departments were safe for the health of their customers. Such celebrities like Verde, Innocenti or Giannini Sr were known to work with him from time to time. Gokudera's older sister, Bianchi, was ruling the perfume branch with an iron hand, always surprising their fans with new scents and blends. Hayato was also the first one to accept their new boss after some rather... heated arguments and a lot of negative emotions. Well, the fact that Tsuna had the luck to save him from a rather dangerous accident had its part in it...

"Uh... I-I just came here to get something... you see, those financial reports needed for the next stage of experiments I gave you to look through, it appears I made a slight miscalculation, therefore I have to take them back and find the mistake, as I don't want you to deal with anything substandard, that's why-"

"Gokudera-kun, you're rambling," this soft statement, coined with a smile, shut the silverette up quite effectively. "I think I've told you many times, you don't have to get so worked up. Anyone can make mistakes and I know you're not someone to make them often, so..." Tsunayoshi shrugged gently and fished out two thick red folders from a huge stack of paperwork. "Here you are, then. And please, try not to overwork yourself, you're an important part of our company and my friend, I can't help but worry..."

This made the other man fluster a bit and stammer some heated assurements that he'd take care and Juudaime doesn't have to worry and so on... when he left, the brown-haired male sighed softly and looked at the still huge pile of work, waiting for him. I'd better do all this, or Reborn will get those ideas of training again... he shuddered at the thought. Even after three years of leading the company officially he was terrified of his ex-tutor's methods.

And speaking of the ex-tutor himself... Tsuna wondered what he was up to lately. Reborn wasn't a part of Vongola, Inc. per say, he was rather a freelance manager and hunter of new, young talents, but for a long time he was working closely with the previous CEO and his advisors and now was a kind of a 'devil's advocate' for him. The black-haired, tall, fiendishly handsome man was very well-known in many social circles and didn't hesitate to use his connections and knowledge to sometimes ruthlessly drag a new soul into the mad circus that was the upper echelon of Vongola. The antics some of the department heads took part in... Tsuna wondered what miracle kept him still sane...

"SAWADA!" Great... another person wanted to interrupt him today. The CEO lifted his eyes to look at the white-haired, tall man, grinning down at him as always. The small bandaid on the bridge of his nose, white wraps on his hands and the yellow shirt under the black suit made him quite unforgettable, especially when joined with his typical grin and attitude.

"Yes, onii-san?" The man's name was Sasagawa Ryohei, but because of the age difference and similarities between his boss and his sister, he demanded to be called such. Sasagawa lead the team of developers for a chain of gym and fitness clubs, creating centers for whole families and working with the Science Department to develop the safest supplements for bodybuilders and sportsmen. Ryohei was a well-known boxer himself, although now he had little time to practice, so he knew all the risks and dangers of such way of life. And if one was to ignore his rather... loud and... bright personality, the man was a great friend and a steadfast follower.

"Yesterday I left you some EXTREME plans for some new EXTREMELY important developments in the most popular of centers, but it seems I EXTREMELY forgot to include some latest reports! I have to take them back and EXTREMELY work them over again to make sure you have no EXTREME problems with wrong details!" Ryohei was already looking through one of the stacks. Tsuna only sighed and pulled three rather thick (when did onii-san get time to prepare something like that?...) cheerfully yellow folders from a different pile, which immediately decreased significantly.

"Here you go, onii-san. Don't worry, take your time to look them through, I know you always make sure everything is in order, one mistake isn't something bad..." he smiled when Sasagawa snatched the paperwork from his hands. The older male appeared in the company quite suddenly (thanks to Reborn, of course) and immediately took firm hold of the Recreation department. If anyone had any doubts about his abilities, judging by his attitude and behavior, they were quickly silenced when the then-existing three major fitness centers after heavy restructuring turned in a hefty amount of income. After the three years he worked here, Sasagawa Ryohei was no longer underestimated by anyone.

"I know, but I EXTREMELY want to do my best TO THE EXTREME!" And with a blinding smile the man was gone. Tsuna sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair. Strange... first Gokudera, the man he knew was a perfectionist, now onii-san... if the heads of the Games&Entertainment and Security departments join this strange tendency, then the world must be ending. But it was impossible, those two...

"Kufufufu... what heavy thoughts dare to cloud your mind so early in the morning, Tsunayoshi-kun?..." Speak of the devil... the brown haired male didn't dare to turn to look at the man who appeared like a ghost right next to him.

"A-ah, Mukuro-san... i-it's nothing important, really..." Tsuna tried to smile, but the man still unnerved him greatly. Rokudo Mukuro, the Head of the G&E, was a tall, blue-haired man, always dressed in a cross between a military uniform and a rock-star costume. Everyone working with or under him knew not to peep a word about the... unique... hairstyle of his under the threat of a severe trauma-inducing rendez-vous one-on-one with him. Add the heterochromatic eyes and a 'You're-a-silly-little-human' attitude and smirk and you got someone who could creep almost anyone out.

"Oya?... your eyes tell a different story, Tsunayoshi-kun... but if you don't want to tell me, then I won't press. Just remember, you can come to me with anything and I'll gladly... take over of all your problems..."

"Err... I think I'll pass, Mukuro-san, thank you..." It was a running joke (?) that the man had some unearthly powers and possession of someone would be a piece of cake to him. Considering that some who wished ill to Vongola or its boss and expressed those ill wishes near this particular man disappeared without a trace... everything was possible. Or maybe those were just survival instincts which Mukuro gained thanks to his 'life' on the streets, trying to protect not only himself, but also his twin sister and two younger friends...

"As you wish, Tsunayoshi-kun... well then, have a nice day, yes?... and take care not to overwork yourself..." and suddenly Sawada knew he was again alone in his office. Only now he allowed himself to release a shaky breath and relax a bit. Rokudo joined the Vongola corporation after he tried to entangle the soon-to-be-CEO in a web of fabricated scandals, to get the leverage and resources he needed for his sister's treatment. After everything was uncovered, Tsuna surprised everyone by inviting Mukuro to his group of close friends, and that quickly led to his appointment as the G&E head. Chrome, Mukuro's sister, was now on a straight path to recovery and often helped her brother with some new game ideas. However, the blue haired male still tended to behave in his unique way, especially towards his boss. Tsuna sighed and quickly looked at the paperwork still waiting for him. Huh... was it him or was the pile smaller? He was sure there were three indigo folders there, stuck between a cheerful blue and a deep violet ones... oh well, his gain, less work to do!

"Tsuna-nii! Ahodera is picking on me again!"

… if only he got a CHANCE to do his work...

"What is it again, Lambo?" A teenage boy closed the door behind him and ,with a pout on his already handsome face, came to plop down on the adult's lap and snuggle into him. Tsuna just sighed and patted Lambo's head a few times. "Come on, tell me... I thought you were trying to get along with him?"

"Well, yes, but he said that my stupid chocolates won't save anyone's life and that if I dare to bother him with any more sweets to check he'll kick me out of a window!" Sawada Lambo, formerly Bovino, was a child one could call a prodigy – but only when it came to confectionery and traditional Japanese cuisine. After his previous family just abandoned him as a child, Lambo accidentally met Tsuna's mother and... the rest was history. The reason why Lambo was the youngest department head in Vongola was a bet... still unresolved, to boot. A bet that Lambo would not manage something so difficult and complex, being the 'spoiled little brat without an ounce of common sense', to quote Reborn.

"And Reborn told me that all my new plans are stupid and I have to remake them!" Hearing that, Tsuna blinked slowly. That... was NOT like Reborn. Knowing their deep animosity he'd rather let the teen try and fail spectacularly than help him, even in a such roundabout way...

"Well, if he said something like that, then you should listen to him, ne?"

"But I don't wanna! It's enough that stupid Reborn hogs so much of your attention every day and leaves almost nothing for me..." Lambo sniffled pitifully. Was it mentioned that the black haired teen had a severe case of the older brother complex?

"Come on, Lambo, everything's going to be okay. I know you think your plans are very good, but remember, if you have any doubts, try to think about every possible outcome and be prepared for everything, yes?" Tsuna hugged the teen gently and pushed him off his lap. Lambo sniffled once again, nodded with a new fire in his green eyes and after fishing out his folders ran out of the office, mumbling something about stupid meddling old men doubting in his ability to act... wait, what?

"What could he mean?..." Sawada just sighed and went back to work. The considerably smaller stack of paperwork was easier to manage, so he was proud when after two hours he was left with just some folders from other two department heads. He decided to start with the blue ones, those were at the same time the easiest and the hardest ones. The whole concept of PR and acting for the sake of the public was still kind of an enigma for him... good thing he had a very responsible and trustworthy person leading the PR department. Yamamoto Takeshi, a former baseball star, was flawless in this field of occupation. The press still could be easily blinded by his goofy smiles and seemingly oblivious comments, but under that mask was a quite ruthless and manipulative negotiator and spokesperson. Takeshi could quell or fan up a scandal with just a few words that, at a first glance, would be taken just as a passing commentary, but later on would stir the gossip swamp like a drop of blood in shark-infested waters. Tsuna smiled when he recalled the way Takeshi utterly ridiculed a rival company that tried to start a besmirching campaign against Lambo and Ryohei. It was safe to say that after THAT confrontation, the company in question would never regain their reputation... a phone ringing pulled him out of his musings. Because only a few selected people had this number, without looking he picked up the receiver.

"Yes?"

"Hi Tsuna!" It was Yamamoto. "Just wanted to tell you that the files my secretary gave yours are a bit outdated, so you can just trash and forget them, haha!"

"Err... are you sure, Takeshi?" Okay, NOW he was sure something was going on. Takeshi NEVER did that. If there was something wrong, he just came around with corrected versions or with the missing info to make sure Tsuna didn't miss anything.

"Yeah! Oh, by the way, just wanted to tell you you have the next month free of any harpies, so take care and have fun!"

Before Tsuna could ask what was going on, the call has ended and he was left with thousands of questions and suspicions swirling in his head. 'What is going on here?!' he shrieked mentally. He dreaded to think what could happen next...

"Omnivore."

Oh. Great. He jumped a bit and with a glint of panic looked towards the door. As always he appeared without any warning...

"Y-yes, Hibari-san?" Tsuna managed to stutter only once under that steely gaze. Hibari Kyoya, the head of his Security department was really, really scary... it was not so long ago that he finally stopped calling him 'herbivore' and attacking him at random moments. But it was thanks to his fearsome reputation that Reborn scouted him and, with undoubtedly heavy blackmail and probably some promised spars, recruited him to Vongola. Hibari was the head of the 'Foundation' – one the most respected and reliable security organizations in the world. His people made sure each facility, be it a gym, a lab, a sweets shop or a game center, was protected to the degree even some military units weren't. And if anyone dared to test those means... well, Hibari didn't care that the hospitals could only house so many patients.

"I will be taking these files from you," the man just picked up what he needed (which effectively cleared Tsuna's desk, aside from some simple forms and Takeshi's folders) and then dropped a thin, black folder right in front of his boss. "This is an urgent matter. One of our newest holiday resorts in the Indonesia appears to be a liability when it comes to the safety of guests. You will go there for a month and check those rumors." Tsuna blinked slowly. Hibari wasn't afraid of ordering him as if it was the most normal thing in the world, but something like that?... "Non-negotiable, omnivore. And I want you to leave the premises of this building in less than an hour or I'll bite you to death." And he just left after that, not even waiting for Tsuna to react.

Tsunayoshi was... completely and utterly lost. What was going on? Was the world ending? Was he just dreaming? Did he fall into the Twilight Zone?! He thought he knew his friends, but... but this was something he did NOT expect! He groaned and let his head fall into his hands. What was the reason of this madness?...

As he was busy working himself into a panic attack, he didn't notice he had another guest, who was now leaning on his desk casually and observing him with a small smirk. When the person decided enough was enough, he reached out and just smacked him soundly on the head.

"OW! Reborn, I didn't-" - Tsuna's mind caught up to his tongue and the brunette looked up quickly. Yes, it was his ex-tutor in his whole glory. Tall, dark-haired, as always dressed impeccably in a high-end black suit with yellow shirt and a black tie, with a black fedora casting shadows on his devilishly handsome face, Reborn looked down at him, his eyes shining with dark mirth.

"You didn't what? Dawdle around? Well, I can see that, your desk is miraculously visible..." The man teased, his smile growing larger.

"But... oh yeah! Reborn! Something really strange is going on!" Tsuna knew that if anyone could find any sense in this whole situation, it was Reborn. "Each of my department heads was... not themselves today! First Gokudera-kun tells me he made a mistake in his final reports and takes them back, then onii-san does the same, then Mukuro-san is really interested if I'm okay, then Lambo comes in crying and leaves saying something about acting, then Takeshi calls and tells me to scrap his reports and that I have FREE TIME from the press, then Hibari-san comes in and orders me to go to this resort and-" and he was flicked at his forehead quite painfully.

"And shut up finally, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn growled softly. "Yes, I know everything about that, and if they didn't manage to free you up for the coming month I would have to... have a CHAT with them," he smiled darkly. Tsuna's mind ground to a halt, trying to properly understand Reborn's words. It took him a few minutes, but then he blinked and jumped out of his chair.

"Y-you made them do all that?!"

"Congratulations on your quick uptake, stupid ex-student," Reborn snorted and sat on the edge of the large desk.

"B-but... why? What is going on? I-it's not like you, Reborn!"

"Oh, so you claim to know me better than I do?" Here Tsuna couldn't help but blush lightly and look away. Reborn only sighed and pointed at the nearest wall. "Look, Dame-Tsuna, and tell me what you see..."

The brunette did so and the first thing he noticed was a glint of gold on one of Reborn's fingers. He couldn't NOT stare, as THIS particular ring, with its brother sitting on HIS left hand, was always on a strong chain around Reborn's neck and carefully hidden under his clothes, why was it-

"Stop staring, Dame-Tsuna, and finally do what I say..." Reborn's cold voice made him squeak softly. He knew that tone, Reborn was getting impatient... Tsuna looked at the wall and tried to understand what could the man mean. There was a clock, and a calendar, and a potted plant, and-

Wait a moment. Today was...

"Really, you DID forget. And here I thought you couldn't get any dumber..." Reborn's voice made him cringe. Yes, he forgot that today was his birthday, but not only that. After all, three years ago, exactly on this day, he finally found the courage to come up and reveal his feelings towards his tutor. To this day he remembered the humiliation he felt when Reborn laughed... and the glee, when the man explained WHY he laughed.

-FLASHBACK-

"Took you long enough to find the courage, Dame-Tsuna... don't look at me like that, I knew what you were going to say. What, you thought I wouldn't notice the way you look at me nowadays? Silly boy... well, it doesn't matter now. What matters, is... I don't share, anything with anyone. Ever. So... get used to it... Tsunayoshi."

-END FLASHBACK-

That was the first time Reborn used his full name, and the memory of the husky tone he used then still caused Tsuna to shiver. But...

"You said... if I remember correctly, you said that we have to keep it secret until the most appropriate moment..." here, Tsuna glanced again at the gold band on Reborn's hand.

"The rumors about your mysterious 'partner' got so intense I thought it was the best moment to show the whole world you're taken," Reborn just smiled. "And I've had enough of those broads, trying to get into my bed. Honestly, a man just shows them a bit of attention, makes a few vague promises, and suddenly they believe they rule his heart..."

Tsuna almost sweatdropped at that. So Reborn was doing that only because it would benefit him the most...

"Stop that train of thoughts immediately, you stupid ex-pupil," another flick to the forehead made him drop the trail to self-pity. "I made a promise to you, right?... I'm a man of my word, Tsunayoshi. I don't share what is mine... and that means I don't care about others. They and their opinions can go to hell for all I care..."

Suddenly, Reborn was standing right in front of him. Those onyx-black eyes were unreadable for most, but Tsuna could see the hidden emotions there – a hint of warmth, protectiveness, even care... when the man's large hand slipped into his hair, the brunette could only sigh and lean forward, into his lover's embrace. He wished that moment would last forever...

"Get ready, Dame-Tsuna. You have two hours to pack for a month in that resort. If you're even a second late, I'll drag you out naked and screaming, not caring who would see and hear that. Got it?" The young CEO could only nod and furiously hope that his cheeks weren't as red as he thought they became after that unexpected comment. Before he could say anything, those calloused, long fingers captured his chin, pulling it up, and suddenly those tantalizing lips were pressed firmly against his. Tsuna's heart skipped a beat, then started to flutter like a caged bird; his head suddenly was empty of everything but those moments. No matter how many times Reborn has kissed him already, the sensation was always as novel and stunning as it was the first time they shared a kiss. The fact that Reborn finally decided to flaunt his rights to him openly via this trip... well, that was another source of butterflies in his stomach. All too soon, the kiss ended, and Tsuna couldn't stop a small whine from escaping his lips. Reborn just chuckled softly, his black eyes gleaming with possessiveness and... was that happiness?

"Still such a tease you are, Dame-Tsuna... don't change, ever." After a quick peck the man was walking towards the door. "Remember, only two hours! Well, now it's an hour and 47 minutes... tick tock, my dearest ex-pupil, tick tock..."

When Reborn left with a soft chuckle, Tsuna could only smile like an idiot and look at the thin gold band that for the last three years was always on his left ring finger. So maybe their relationship will become a public secret... so maybe they'll get a lot of attention, not always of the good kind... so maybe Reborn's fangirls will try to murder him for taking 'their place' at his side... so what? For once, he just didn't care.