AN: I'm so so so so sorry this chapter took so long. I had to split it into 2, because it was growing waaaay too long. Also, in my defense, Mukuro's headspace does not mesh well with mine. I hope you like it!

Thank you for waiting so patiently. Every comment and review I've received kept me going. You're all amazing!

EDIT May 8, 2017: Btw, when you have time please check out the amazing fanart drawn for this story linked on my profile page :) Thank you to all those talented artists!

Sincerely Scattered Shards

Part 3: Treasures

No, no, no, no. He tries to scrub at his arms, his chest, but the strange burning lines on his skin won't go away. They shine like the glinting teeth of wolves in the dark, like embers of lava before a volcano erupts. Tsuna wonders if he'll burn up like the lady in the story.

They hurt so much.

The stall walls feel like shadowy arms, hiding him from the rest of the school, instead of a stifling box, and Tsuna has never been so grateful for walls before. No one can see him retching into the toilet, or the blotchy tears and snot dripping down his face. No one can see him kneel and put his hands against his head. He's safe. Mute in the noise of other heartsongs arguing to be heard.

Just him.

There's even toilet paper for him to use to wipe his face and blow his nose. Later. Right now, he just can't stop heaving and sobbing in the same gasping breaths, like he's choking on air, and trying to find the oxygen in it. All his body wants to do is shudder in every sob, and just vibrate in all the words that want to rip his chest apart.

E-ever s-since y-your pendants have t-turned ugly, you've been no fun to be around. Just g-go away, D-dame Tsuna! Daichi had told him, over the shattering of his pendant.

Tsuna closes his eyes and wishes the stall could block out screams. Then he'd try to yell, anything to stop his heaving-sobbing-gasping. He just wants to stop feeling. Is there a way to stop feeling?

Muffled, twisted whispers rise out of Granny's shard and Tsuna can't do this right now, he can't listen to them tell him ghost stories again—

"…okay… be okay… you'll…. okay…"

His fist stops at the toilet rim, the sharp edges of Granny's shard digging into his skin and Tsuna's sobs almost stop.

"…G-Granny…?"

He moves the shard to his ear, tries to calm his shuddering breaths and listen.

"…child… you'll… okay… you'll be… Child, you'll… be okay…"

Her voice echoes and whispers the same words in different orders, fading in and out like a broken, looping, cassette tape.

"G-Granny! Granny, are you there?!" Tsuna hold the shard so tight that his palm starts to bleed.

"…Be okay… Child, you'll… be okay…"

"P-please, G-Granny… I… I don't know what to do!"

The shard doesn't answer. Only loops around the same words, until Tsuna can hear them later in his sleep instead of the murky ghost stories.

He brings the shard to his chest, near his tired heart, and curls up against the door. If he closes his eyes, he can pretend the walls are giving him a hug.

0

The shard bursts into columns of blue lightning, like a geyser of fire sprouting from the ground, and before anyone can react, Tsuna pushes Rokudo, Lancia and Smoking Bomb out of the way, crashing hard to the floor.

Immediately, the shard goes silent. The lightning vanishes and the shard sits on the floor, as if nothing happened at all.

Reborn probably speaks for everyone present, when he spits out, "What. The. Hell."

Yamamoto has his jaw slightly open, in awe and disbelief, before he snaps to his senses and tries to wiggle out of his restraints. "Tsuna! Tsuna, are you okay?!"

Tsuna barely has time to answer with a pained, "yeah…", when Rokudo starts to twitch on the ground and Tsuna pulls Smoking Bomb up and away from Rokudo's form. Lancia backs up beside them.

Smoking Bomb and Tsuna silently argue for a bit, each trying to stand in front of the other to protect him, but Smoking Bomb wins. He's stronger (physically anyways) than Tsuna, and Tsuna just scowls unhappily behind him.

"You… that power…" Rokudo stares at Tsuna in a hungry way that makes Reborn want to peel the killer's face off.

"It's not mine," Tsuna says quickly, while Smoking Bomb backs them both away further. "It was my grandmother's. She… doesn't like other people touching it."

Grandmother. Of course. That Sawada family pendant line that Nana told Reborn before. Yet another detail to interrogate Tsuna about.

Rokudo looks like a creepy kid who won the lottery and is plotting world domination with it. "There are more of you?"

"She's dead." Tsuna puts an end to that thought quickly. "It's just me," he adds, because he's an idiot, and can't see how the mafia will make a cash commodity of him if they knew (which they won't, because Reborn will kill them if they do.)

Both Lancia and Yamamoto tense, sending killing intent in Rokudo's path. Yamamoto can't do much, all tied up, so Reborn inches over to fix that problem. Lancia probably has no clue what the hell is going on, not enough information to act without unknowingly harming Tsuna.

Rokudo narrows his eyes. "…You said the pendants only work as long as the maker is alive."

Tsuna flinches. "I'm different. Granny's different."

Rokudo looks back at the shard that Tsuna dropped, and then at the pendant around Smoking Bomb's neck.

His intention must be transparent, even to Tsuna, because he says, "You can't steal one. It won't work for you. The pendants don't work for anyone but their intended owner. Um. Sorry."

Rokudo's face goes blank and he goes to pick up his fallen dagger. "So it's a power for your subordinates—"

"They're my friends—"

"—your little mafia pets. A reward, I suppose, for their loyalty. But you… you can't use that power, right now, can you? Your pendants might protect your friends… but who protects you, Tsunayoshi-kun? Your Grandma's shard is on the ground…"

Everyone seems to move at once.

Rokudo charges at Tsuna with his dagger, swiping angrily, trying to draw blood, and Tsuna is pushed away by Smoking Bomb who takes the hit. Lancia catches Tsuna, telling him to stay close, while Yamamoto and Reborn charge at Rokudo too, hoping to pin him down.

But then Rokudo's subordinates burst from the holes of the ruined ceiling, like pawns put into play. Ken tackles Yamamoto (Reborn manages to throw a special bat in Yamamoto's direction, one that will turn into a sword) while M.M. and Birds attack Reborn. Chikusa stabs Smoking Bomb from behind, distracting him, and leaving Rokudo free to run towards Tsuna.

That won't happen.

Reborn hops over M.M. and her attacks, he uses an extra pistol to shoot Birds directly in the head (such a bastard, according to his files, doesn't deserve to live) and goes to intercept Rokudo.

Lancia manages to keep up with Rokudo's movements, but years of mind-control means that Rokudo knows Lancia's movements by heart and Rokudo easily makes it past him. All Tsuna can do is walk backwards, thankfully towards the door instead of a wall (being chased by bullies is good for some preservation skills), and slide away.

Rokudo barely gives Tsuna, Lancia or Reborn time to watch or think. He attacks from the right, left, then right again and Tsuna can barely keep up with dodging (Ryohei's impromptu and random boxing training sessions were useful for something, at least).

"Tsuna/Tenth!" Yamamoto and Smoking Bomb, stuck in their own battles, roar.

But eventually Rokudo slices a scar just above Tsuna's knuckles and Reborn sees red, shooting all his bullets at Rokudo's head.

That fucker Rokudo dodges, with the audacity to look satisfied, as he jumps back towards the emptiest corner of the auditorium while twirling that bloody dagger in his hands.

"If I can't use your powers as myself, then I will through your body," Rokudo pulls out a gun, places it against his forehead, and shoots.

Tsuna's really the only one who seems to scream for the bastard. Smoking Bomb merely stares in shock, while Yamamoto seems to smile with a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. But Lancia actually looks terrified, staring at Tsuna, instead of Rokudo, and Reborn didn't notice before but… the rest of Rokudo's subordinates seem oddly… subdued. Dazed. Motionless.

More mind control probably… But shouldn't it have broken by now, with the bastard's death?

That's when Tsuna starts clawing at his own chest, nails drawing red and skin.

"Tsuna!" Yamamoto tries to go to him, but Ken swipes at him and he can't get away.

"Tenth!" Smoking Bomb, too, seems ready to bomb the entire auditorium but nearly collapses from the poison needles. Seems the pendants can only defend against truly fatal or painful attacks. Maybe the pendants can't detect poison.

In any case, Reborn hops on Tsuna's shoulder and grabs his face. "Tsuna, get a hold of yourself!"

But Tsuna just keeps clawing at himself, murmuring, "No, no, no, get out of my head, Rokudo, you can't go there!"

Reborn's eyes widen. Could it be…?

He looks to Lancia for confirmation. "The possession bullet… Is Rokudo trying to possess Tsuna, right now?"

Lancia can only nod in horror.

"No!" The possession bullet is illegal, it shouldn't exist!

Reborn hops off Tsuna, rushes to Rokudo's body. There has to be something he can do. Maybe if he pries the bullet out, then Rokudo will vanish, float away. But maybe that will unintentionally trap Rokudo in the same body with Tsuna, both of them always battling for control of the body. Too risky. But if he doesn't try, then—

"ArGH!"

Tsuna is in pain. Reborn goes to pry the bullet out when—

"Get OUT!"

All the pendants in the room flash orange, including the one in Reborn's pocket, and Rokudo gasps, opening his eyes. The bullet wound gone.

The hush in the auditorium is so sickening that Reborn wishes he could stab it.

"You…" Rokudo points a shaky finger at Tsuna, "What are you…?"

There's nothing but hunger and delight in his voice. Maybe a touch of fear and even… respect. This killer dares, when he hurt Tsuna so much…!

Reborn grabs the abandoned gun that Rokudo used, empties the clip of possession bullets (good riddance, Reborn will incinerate them later, but for now, in the pocket they go) and puts in his own clip. Aims for Rokudo's head.

"Wait! Stop, Reborn! Don't kill him!"

Almost everyone freezes.

"What."

If Tsuna is going to do what Reborn thinks (knows) Tsuna will do, then Reborn definitely has to kill Rokudo now. But he thinks of Tsuna's disappointed face again, the sad smiles, and lonely form on the swings, and his fingers won't move.

Even Rokudo looks perplexed. "He's right, you know. Execute me. I'll come back for your body in the future. I won't stop."

"I… I know… I looked in your head, I know. I saw it all." Tsuna's face is nothing but devastation.

"It doesn't do to be too kind, Tsuna," Reborn snaps, because he should have just bluntly told him instead of trying to beating the implied message in, "people will take advantage of you."

Yamamoto, Smoking Bomb, and Lancia actually look like they're about to agree. But surprisingly, it's Rokudo who spits out, "I don't need your pity," instead of milking the opportunity to live, as Reborn thought he might.

Furiously, Tsuna shakes his head. "It's not pity! I saw, I know, and I felt it. You shot yourself. It hurt so much but you did it anyways. That's how angry you are. And you have the right to feel angry! What the mafia did to you… is disgusting."

All expression slips from Rokudo's face.

"B-but your m-methods are totally w-wrong! What you're doing right now… is just creating more hurt! My friends have nothing to do with this. I won't bring them into the mafia. A-and yet, you're trying to s-stab them, b-beat them… I won't forgive that!"

"Then why don't you just kill me?!" Rokudo lashes out, as if he'll throw a knife in Tsuna's face. "Kill me if you are so angry!"

But Tsuna shouts, "Because you don't have to be the monster they tried to make you to be! Show them you are more than that!"

Rokudo steps back, like he's been burned. "No. I won't do that… You… you expect me to forget what they did, what they took away…!"

"No. I expect you to find justice without killing others. You're smart enough to do that, aren't you?"

Rokudo's jaw drops, and for a minute, Reborn thinks he sees something like awe flutter through Rokudo's face. But no, monsters like Rokudo are not capable of holding anything in awe. They can only destroy. Reborn would know; it takes a monster to understand another monster, after all.

Before Reborn can voice this, before Rokudo or Tsuna or anyone else can react, the Vindice burst in through the doors and ceiling with their chains rattling.

"Shit," Reborn hops towards Tsuna, pistol raised towards them.

"What's going on?! Who are they?!" Tsuna sees how Rokudo pales and, of fucking course, the idiot sky's first instinct is to step in front of the homicidal maniac instead of stepping down like Reborn told him to.

"The Vindice," Reborn says calmly because maybe Tsuna won't do anything stupid if he acts like this is Tsuna's definition of normal, "basically mafia police. They're here to take Rokudo and his associates back to prison."

Shit, he can see the wheels turning in Tsuna's head when Rokudo tenses.

"Congrats," Reborn adds quickly, because compliments make people listen to you, right?

God, he's rusty at this feelings thing. This is why he never wanted a Sky (liar, didn't he revere the ground Luce walked on, once?)

"You did your job of distracting and keeping Rokudo in one place for the Vindice to catch up to him. Now take your people," Reborn gestures to Ryohei and Hibari on the ground (excellent emotional blackmail to a sky's bleeding heart), "and go home."

He sees Tsuna's hands twitch towards Ryohei and Hibari, but Tsuna's eyes are still on Rokudo.

"But—"

"He's getting what he deserves according to mafia law!" Reborn snaps. "Just go home!" Which is not the Ninth's plan at all. Nono wants Tsuna to become acquainted with the Vindice, with the harsh reality of the mafia. But Reborn sees Tsuna standing there, covered in scars, trembling with that odd calm in his eyes, and thinks, not this Sky.

Nono can't have him. Iemitsu can't force him. Reborn won't let them.

That's when the Vindice reach out with their fucking chains, pinning Rokudo and his associates down, and Reborn yanks at Tsuna's hair, determined to stop the idiot from stupid-self-sacrificing-bullshit.

He's prepared to lash out with harsh insults, with facts, with pathos, if necessary. Anything to stop Tsuna from going.

Yet when Tsuna turns to look at him, he's not prepared for the weariness long-etched in Tsuna's face. No, not weariness… Resignation, as if that emotion has long been inked into Tsuna's skin as law. A resignation that says Tsuna is used to people stepping over his decisions.

And Reborn wants to say something. To disagree. To tell Tsuna 'no.'

But he can't.

He just… can't.

Time slows as Reborn just nods. Lets go.

And when Tsuna smiles, Reborn swears that he hears sunlight in his wake—radiant, shining and clear. But then that moment passes, and Tsuna steps towards the twisting chains.

"Tenth, don't touch that!" Smoking Bomb shouts, racing over to stop Tsuna from being wrapped up in the Vindice's binds.

Tsuna just reaches down and his hands burst into flame.

0

Iemitsu towers over Tsuna, jaw clenched, arms crossed. Surrounded by weary little children, he looks like a giant in one of those fairy tales, choosing his next meal. Or perhaps a guard to a bridge, ready to fight whoever tries to pass. His heart booms with oppressive drums and cymbals while he says nothing and Tsuna can't help but flinch when Iemitsu moves towards him.

But instead of loud shouts like Iemitsu's heartsong screams, Iemitsu just puts his hands on Tsuna's shoulders, and says, "Wipe your eyes, son. Men don't show their tears."

This only makes Tsuna sob harder. Doesn't Iemitsu see the burning, fire-lines on Tsuna's skin? Doesn't he see that Tsuna's literally falling apart, soon to burn up? Why can't anyone see the fire-lines? But he clamps his lips shut so that no one will hear him. He knows Iemitsu won't believe him. He knows too well how startling it is to hear other people's pain.

Iemitsu only frowns and pats Tsuna awkwardly on the head. He tries to pick Tsuna up but Tsuna can hear his heartsong, can hear the way that Iemitsu burns with rage and disappointment.

"You're so soft," Iemitsu says when they are a block away from school. The word feels like a stone flung against Tsuna's face. "What am I going to do with you?"

You're never home, Tsuna wants to shout, I don't know you, why would you do anything with me? But he can't stop Daichi's words from echoing in his head, can't stop seeing Granny Minori slip away in the hospital bed, can't stop wanting to scream from the burning lines on his skin.

"Don't tell your mother what happened today," Iemitsu says when they reach home, "she doesn't need any more burdens."

Annoyance strings at Tsuna's eyes. "I wasn't going to!"

But Iemitsu barely looks at him. Just pats him on the head automatically, like Tsuna's problems will vanish if Iemitsu just pretends to be a dad.

"You have to be strong for her," he says, as if Tsuna hasn't be trying so hard for the past few months. As if Tsuna's very presence disturbs the universe.

Maybe he does. Maybe Iemitsu is right. All he knows how to do is cry.

Any tears Tsuna has left become well-acquainted with his pillow in his room.

He'd hate to trouble anyone with the sound of his tears after all.

0

"Let go of Mukuro," Tsuna says, and a chill runs down Reborn's spine at how calm, how resigned, Tsuna looks.

The chains in Tsuna's hands rattle wildly like snakes caught under a branch, but they don't rip out of his hands. His burning, flame-orange hands.

Hyper Dying Will Mode. Tsuna is using Hyper Dying Will Mode with no bullets. He doesn't even seem aware of this phenomenon. But Smoking Bomb and Lancia stare in reverence, like they'll get down on their knees and swear allegiance right there. Rokudo looks at Tsuna like he's a creature beyond this world. Yamamoto whistles in appreciation.

The Vindice still, turning towards Tsuna in unison. Their bandaged heads make them look like mummified zombies from Tsuna's video games, ready to make Tsuna one of their own (if they try, Reborn will finish them.)

"Rokudo Mukuro is under arrest for his crimes. You have no authority to interfere with justice."

Tsuna's eyes narrow. "Is it justice to sentence minors to prison when they were experimented on by the mafia in the first place?"

In hindsight, telling Tsuna Rokudo's backstory, when they were trying to find Smoking Bomb earlier, was a sloppy move on Reborn's part. Should have let Tsuna believe that Rokudo is a heartless killer with no sob story whatsoever.

"I wouldn't call myself a minor—"

"Mukuro, please stay quiet and let me do this," Tsuna frowns and somehow his soft words hurt deeper than a shout would.

The Vindice hover closer. "Are you saying our justice is flawed?"

"No. I'm saying this whole system is flawed. You. The Mafia. All of it!" Tsuna gestures to the chains, to Ryohei and Hibari on the floor. "How can you force kids—and yes, we are basically kids, we're allowed to be—to kill people? That's just… cruel! Do you have any idea what that does to a person's heart?! Just look at you!"

Tsuna points at each Vindice's chest. From the twitch of their heads, they seem to suspect what Tsuna means though Reborn has no idea what. But after this is all over, Reborn is going to demand all the answers.

"Mukuro and his friends are messed up but they don't need to go to jail for it. Not your jail. We should be trying to help them reintegrate into society or something!"

The Vindice rumble, their chains clattering in the air. "Are you volunteering, future Decimo?"

Tsuna frowns. "I'm not the Decimo. I won't be involved in the mafia."

This time the Vindice laugh, each one sounding like corpses being dropped into graves. "It is in your bloodline, Sawada Tsunayoshi. You cannot run from the Vongola."

"Then I won't. I'll destroy it."

Every chain goes still. Every breath goes quiet.

Tsuna twitches, like he'll take back his words at any moment, but then he nods, a steady flame in a desert storm. "Y-yeah! I… I refuse to let the mafia damage the hearts of people I care about. I refuse to let them taint any more. If the mafia wants me so badly… I… I'll burn it to the ground, starting with fixing the mistakes they made. Rokudo Mukuro… will not go with you."

Tsuna stands in front of the killer, so stupid, so bright.

"I'm going to help him... without spilling any blood."

The Vindice hiss. Naivety. But Tsuna is so bright that it almost hurts to look at him, and yet, how could anyone look away? It's like watching a dying lamp become the first sunrise, in a world that never knew a sun. It's like seeing colour for the first time, in a world dressed in greyscale.

Leon's cocoon spills apart in sunbeams and Reborn only just sees a pair of mittens (of all the useless things) fall down on Tsuna's head before the Vindice rise up and attack.

Tsuna's basically thrown into a metaphorical cesspit of monsters spitting out chains. Reborn barely grabs Leon in time, transforms his partner into his favourite pistol, as Tsuna dodges every attack with that eerie accuracy that Reborn has grown used to. Yamamoto and Gokudera run into the chaos, weapons raised, trying to blow up and/or hack the chains away. Rokudo stares at the cacophony of chains with a growing (and worrying) glee while his subordinates stand by like statues.

Screw it, Reborn thinks, when he sees a chain pin Tsuna down, and Tsuna wildly throwing his flames about while still holding Leon's mittens (put them on, damn it, they could save your life, idiot-Tsuna!)

He jumps up and shoots the Vindice pinning Tsuna down in the head. The Vindice doesn't fall back or bleed (freaky fuckers) but it does let go of its chains and Reborn counts that as a win.

Tsuna spares Reborn one slightly bewildered look (when this shit is all over, Reborn is going to shoot everyone who ever abandoned Tsuna, fuck morality) before he leaps back and rushes back towards the Vindice because he has no sense of self-preservation.

Put on the damn gloves, Reborn almost shouts, but the Vindice gang up on Tsuna and Reborn has to jump in again.

They fight like they've rehearsed it—him and Tsuna. It makes Reborn want to laugh. Is this Sky Harmony? Is this what it feels like, reading another person's movements as if they were your own?

Then Tsuna falls.

Reborn shoots the closest Vindice right in the heart, and the head too, because death-shots aren't enough, before he rushes over to Tsuna. Sees the blood dribbling from Tsuna's nose and lips. The flames hissing out of that red.

What the hell…?

This isn't the time to freeze up. Reborn needs to end this battle now and if he has to drag Tsuna out and abandon the others, then—

The Vindice take this chance to throw their chains on Rokudo and his subordinates.

"No!" Tsuna lashes out, blood spitting on his clothes. His hands get caught up in the Vindice's chains until Reborn can't tell apart chain and skin.

Rokudo pales, hands shaking when—

"I think that's enough, don't you?"

0

He remembers writing, 'I want to be a robot when I grow up' in preschool. Robots are cool. They shoot lasers and can lift cars in the air. They can't get hurt. They can't die. They can't feel.

Tsuna wishes he couldn't feel right now.

His classmates shove their broken shards in his locker. Sometimes Tsuna finds them in his shoes. He sees the dull brown glass glinting in the garbage every day and a part of him can't leave them there. So every break, he offers to take out the garbage and picks each shard up to take them home.

They're broken and jagged and they cut his skin, making more fire-lines that no one else can see. They're ugly and worn and they won't shine again. But every time Tsuna looks at them, these broken pieces of his heart, he feels like someone (something) understands so he doesn't let go.

Strange, really. The only heart he can't hear is his own and yet he thinks every broken shard he picks up must be crying.

A robot could keep going without this.

Tsuna feels both numb and not. Alive and not. He can't even remember what day it is or how many times he's been pushed into the ground. Can't remember how long Iemitsu has stayed (has he ever stayed this long before?)

He wishes Daichi was as forgettable as a date on the calendar.

The checkered-masked man, though, he does not let Tsuna forget. He stands at the school gates every day and he whispers, when Tsuna walks pass, "I could take you away from this. You would never have to feel despair or scars again."

The chain holding Granny's pendant always seems to tighten every time Tsuna thinks about saying yes.

0

The Vindice's chains hover in the air, like charmed snakes waiting on the final cadence of their master's tune, just about to bite, to capture. But a tall man in long robes stands just between Tsuna and the chains. Tsuna who jumped in front of Rokudo.

This idiot, Reborn wants to pry Tsuna away from Rokudo, wants to shout that no killer is worth Tsuna's life.

The strange man smiles.

"Kawahira," the Vindice rumble. "This is not your place to intervene."

Reborn narrows his eyes. Kawahira. As in the Grandpa that Tsuna referenced earlier? Someone who knows about these pendants? He barely looks older than forty! This man doesn't even have any presence with his deceptively absentminded smile, but something about him makes Reborn want to shoot his corpse.

Kawahira tilts his head. "I'm afraid you're wrong. You see, Tsuna-kun is my precious relative. He holds a lot of potential for us both."

The Vindice's chains shudder.

"This child… is part of that woman's line?"

"Yes."

"His flames, then, are they—?"

"Yes. They are."

"Then, how long will it take—?"

Kawahira's eyes flash. "Soon enough."

"…And you deem Mukuro Rokudo's existence necessary for this to happen?"

"…Only as long as Tsuna-kun considers him necessary."

The Vindice's chains fall back to their owners. Each Vindice seems to whisper to the others in their unspoken language, chains clinking around them as substituted chatter.

"We will discuss this with Bermuda. But for now, we will not collect Mukuro Rokudo or his associates until the woman's promise has been fulfilled. But if Tsunayoshi Sawada relinquishes responsibility for Rokudo at any moment, we will come for him regardless of the promise. Is that satisfactory for you?"

"Hmm," Kawahira folds his hands together. "That will work perfectly. Until then, give my best wishes to Bermuda."

The Vindice seem to hiss, "Not likely," and they vanish as quickly as they came, as if the air opened doors for them to another country (Reborn wouldn't be surprised.)

In their absence, it feels like a switch has flipped and everyone in the room explodes into chatter.

"What the heck just happened? Did the Vindice just leave?!" Lancia panics.

"Tsuna/Tenth!" Yamamoto and Smoking Bomb race to Tsuna's side while Rokudo keeps staring intensely at Tsuna like he's something to eat. "Are you alright? Are you bleeding anywhere?" they both shout.

"I…" The flames slowly fade from Tsuna's eyes. The mittens, still mittens, scrunch tightly in his fingers. "I'm fine… I just… Oh! Hibari! Onii-san! We should take them to the hospital… and Grandpa Kawahira, how did you…?"

"I always know when you're in mortal danger, Tsuna-kun," Kawahira smiles again. "Honestly, you should just come live with me. You won't have to strain your heart so much anymore. You barely have any human skin left."

Instead of looking comforted, Tsuna frowns, the last of the flames leaving his eyes completely. Before Reborn can cut in or demand explanations, Tsuna hisses and clutches his face.

He falls over, blood leaking from his eyes.

0

"I always find heart-scars so eerily beautiful," the checkered-masked man appears on the rooftop, when Tsuna tries to scrub away the fire-lines again.

"…Heart-scars?"

"Ah," the checkered-masked man claps his hands together, "so my kin speaks once more! I have missed your voice."

Tsuna frowns and looks at the glinting fire-lines on his hands again. So many more lines intersect and twine against his fingers. They look like blood-veins but orange and burning.

"They did this, you know," the man whispers, suddenly close.

Tsuna stumbles back. "W-what?"

"The humans you gave your heart shards to. They broke your heart. Literally. And gave you these fascinating heart-scars."

Tsuna's throat feels hot. He doesn't even know what to say.

"Humans don't take good care of you," the checkered-masked man whispers when he puts a Band-Aid on Tsuna's knees. "They're so fickle and contrary. You see it in their hearts, don't you? If they knew what you could see, why, they'd run away again. Or they'd use you. Maybe they'd be like your father and they wouldn't acknowledge you." He pauses. "Or your mother."

Something long forgotten (he didn't even think he could feel it anymore) stirs inside his soul. Tsuna pries his leg away. "Mama loves me." It's true. It's true.

The checkered-masked man tilts his head. "She hasn't spoken a word to you in months."

"She's just sad!" Tsuna hears her heart screaming every day. "Haven't you ever been that sad? So sad that you forget everyone else?"

"You control it."

"She lost someone!" Tsuna did too.

Before the checkered-masked man can answer, Tsuna runs off.

Nana won't abandon him. Tsuna knows this as well as her heart-song. Even if everyone else leaves, Nana will stay. She's just sad, so sad, right now, but Tsuna can help her…! The pendant in his drawer, maybe it will make her smile, maybe it will make her see him and—

He sees Iemitsu leaving the house with a suitcase.

0

Rokudo catches Tsuna in his arms, fingers brushing against his hair eagerly, as if mere touch will unlock Tsuna's secrets. Immediately, Yamamoto yanks Tsuna away and Smoking Bomb stands in front of them as a shield while Rokudo shrugs his hands up in surrender.

"Calm down, I won't hurt your little Sky. I've grown quite fond of Tsunayoshi-kun…"

"Touch one hair on his head, and I'll make you wish I had killed you quickly," Smoking Bomb snarls, ready to throw dynamite regardless of any pseudo-treaty.

"Perhaps we should escort Tsuna-kun to a hospital first," Kawahira's smile twitches.

"Ah!" Smoking Bomb flails around, "Yes! Of course! Hey, you bastard," he turns to Rokudo, "tell me where the nearest phone is so I can call an ambulance—"

His threats die as soon as Kawahira pulls out a cell phone. Yamamoto just dabs Tsuna's eyes with his shirt, trying to get rid of the blood. So much blood.

"It's just flame exhaustion. Not everyone can use Hyper-Dying-Will mode without a bullet," Kawahira remarks. "Tsuna-kun will be fine after a bit of rest… Though I'd tell him to eat more spinach and red meat, he'll need to replenish his iron levels."

Yamamoto only nods, never taking his eyes off Tsuna. Likely, he has no idea what Kawahira is talking about. But Kawahira, on the other hand… well, Flame knowledge is limited to the mafia world. And Kawahira seems to have some sort of connection to the Vindice. Enough authority to get them to bend the law.

Reborn's eyes narrow. "What side of Tsuna's family are you from, again?"

Kawahira just shrugs. "The distant side."

Right. Okay. Bullshit.

Sirens in the distance tell Reborn that help will come soon. Tsuna's health comes first. Interrogations, later.

"Gokudera, and uh, random guy," Yamamoto says to Lancia, "you should grab Hibari and Sasagawa. Oh and Tsuna's Granny's pendant."

Smoking Bomb, predictably flails up, "Why should I?!"

"Well, Tsuna would want—"

"Let's go make those idiots as comfortable as possible!" Smoking Bomb races off, dragging Lancia with him.

Satisfied, Yamamoto brings Tsuna closer to his chest and stares coldly at Rokudo.

"What?" Rokudo says innocently. "I won't do anything illegal. I swear. Not until our Skyling wakes up. Right, everyone?"

Rokudo gestures to his subordinates, who all nod at the same time, expressionless. Then he laughs and laughs like he's in on the world's greatest joke.

For that, Reborn knocks him out. Some bastards shouldn't be allowed to talk.

0

"You're leaving?"

Iemitsu winces. His heartsong screams sorry, sorry, have to, need to protect you both but Tsuna wants to shake it and shout, then stay! But Iemitsu only laughs too loudly and pats Tsuna's head. "Got important work to do, son, you know that. Been away for too long. Boss needs me."

"But mama needs you too!"

His smile stiffens. "Well, the mourning period is over. I'm sure Nana just needs more time to get back to normal and then she'll be fine again. I'll call when I can, but for now—"

"Mourning period?" Tsuna's hands shake.

"Well, yes. Usually people mourn for a few months and then they go back to their routine—"

"Mama's not okay!" Neither am I. "Can't you see that? She needs you! She always feels better when you're here. Can't you ask your boss for more time off? I promise, she just needs more time, she needs you, she—"

"Tsuna." Iemitsu says sternly, "What did I tell you about crying?"

That's not the point, that's not the point! Why does it matter if Tsuna is crying or not? Why does Tsuna have to care that Iemitsu cares? This is about Nana, this is about Iemitsu leaving all the time, and Tsuna feeling like… like…!

"Dad." Tsuna tugs at his sleeve. "Can't you stay for five more minutes? I have… I have something to show you. Maybe…" Maybe if he gives Iemitsu a pendent, Iemitsu will understand. Maybe if he gives Nana the pendent in front of Iemitsu, Iemitsu will see and just know. How precious it is to be near people who love you. How just being there can be another way of protecting someone.

Iemitsu sighs. "If it's about those funny-looking pendants you've been making, I found a jar of them in your room. They're not a very nice colour but I'm sure you'll improve next time I see you. Just give one to me next time. I have to go. The plane leaves in an hour…"

He walks away.

0

Tsuna looks so fragile, lying in the hospital bed.

Tucked into their own beds, Ryohei and Hibari lie across from him in various bandaged states.

"He'll be okay as soon as he wakes up," the nurse told them earlier. "He just lost a lot of blood. Tell him to take it easy for the next few days."

Smoking Bomb, with a notebook that's probably detailed with recovery plans, had nodded diligently.

Now they all sit around Tsuna's bed. Waiting.

Reborn doesn't bother calling Nono, Dino, or Nana yet. Call him selfish, but he needs time to think. Meditate. Get some answers on Tsuna so he knows how best to proceed in keeping Tsuna alive.

Yamamoto and Smoking Bomb each take one of Tsuna's hands and wait by his bedside. They look like knights, waiting for their liege to wake up. But Reborn feels a strange annoyance at this image and decides to glare at Rokudo and Kawahira instead.

Rokudo and his subordinates received funny stares in the hospital. Probably because of the handcuffs and rope Reborn secured. Tsuna might be willing to forgive the next psycho that tries to kill him, but Reborn doesn't forget. Rokudo has yet to show any true remorse for his actions. The moment he steps out of line, Reborn will kill him.

Lancia, on the other hand, hovers from bed to bed, unable to look at Tsuna while Kawahira takes the only unoccupied bed in the room and lies down on it (much to the annoyance of the nurses.) He's barely phased by Reborn's glares, only mildly amused.

"The secret to Tsunayoshi-kun's pendants… do you know it?" Rokudo speaks up.

Everyone but Kawahira tenses.

Kawahira only chuckles. "Don't bother asking, child. You wouldn't be able to pay the price for it."

Rokudo looks insulted but Reborn snaps, "And what is this price? Bloody noses? Bleeding tears? Taking pain for other people? Am I missing anything else?"

"Maybe," Kawahira shrugs.

Reborn raises his gun. "Tell me."

Kawahira's smile suddenly feels anything but happy. "Do you really think that a gun will give you the answers you want? These pendants are gifts. Beyond anything you can imagine. They're my line's legacy and if you think you can just force yourself into the narrative—"

"…Grandpa Kawahira… stop…"

Everyone's eyes whip towards the bed.

"Tsuna!"

"Don't get up, Tenth!"

"Take it easy, there, Skyling—"

Tsuna just winces and tries to sit up against his pillows. Gently, Smoking Bomb helps him while Yamamoto fetches him a glass of water.

"Tsuna-kun?" Kawahira asks, and for the first time, Reborn feels Kawahira's emotion is genuine.

"…I think I should tell them."

"No," Kawahira snaps. "They're outsiders. They're already wasting your pendants—"

"They're my friends," Tsuna says softly, "and… th-they, they deserve to know."

0

He sees Nana curled up against the couch, staring at a picture frame. It's a family portrait. One that Tsuna doesn't remember taking. But in the photo, Nana and Iemitsu stand by Minori in her hospital bed and Nana holds baby Tsuna like he's the most important thing in the world.

"I'm sorry," Tsuna says, after minutes pass in silence and Nana still doesn't look up from the photo. "Mama, I'm so sorry. I couldn't stop Iem—Dad from leaving. I thought maybe… I thought…"

It doesn't matter what he thought. He can't be a good friend. He can't be a good son. Or a pendant-maker. What's the point?

0

Tsuna insists on waiting for Ryohei and Hibari to wake up first. It doesn't take long. Reborn might have pinched both to get a faster wake-time. Once Hibari calmed down (after trying to kill Rokudo), he and Ryohei settled into an expectant silence.

"…I can see people's hearts," Tsuna starts.

Everyone stares in disbelief.

Blushing, Tsuna shakes his head. "Sorry! Sorry! That's probably not a good way to start this but… um, it's true! I can… I can see people's hearts. Not like the fleshy organs or anything but… metaphorical hearts? I guess? Everyone has different colours and designs, different music. I can hear it and figure out people's emotions… not that I'm reading your mind or anything, I can't do that. I can just hear emotions. And sometimes words, if your heart is fixated on something. Um. Yeah."

"…Wait, what?" Ryohei blurts out.

Reborn, for once, actually agrees with Ryohei.

"Um…" Tsuna fidgets, "I guess I could give you more proof—"

"A…Amazing!" Smoking Bomb practically sparkles in his seat. "You're just like a superhero! Maybe you're related to UMAs? Oh, or an UMA granted you this power? Why didn't you tell me this sooner, I just—"

"Yeah, that's pretty cool, Tsuna," Yamamoto says easily, accepting this as fact like the ocean is blue. "Can everyone in your family do that?"

Tsuna looks surprised at first before he laughs nervously. "Well, only on my mom's side… but not everyone inherits it. Granny was the last one besides me to…" Tsuna looks down at the pendant lying on his bedsheets. "Um, anyways, so… the pendants are just things that my family makes to protect the wearer? Sort of? If you're in trouble, the pendant kind of tells me where you are and I'll try to help you… but mostly, the pendants are actually… um…. kind of… basically… piecesofmyheart."

For a minute, Reborn feels like he's with Luce again. That moment of betrayal when his body shrinks into something unfamiliar and alien. That disbelief and denial when he realizes that this is real and he'll never look like himself again. Except most of that is directed towards Tsuna and Reborn can't comprehend why anyone would tear out pieces of himself for people who would treat it like trash—

Hibari stands up, ignoring the startled beeps from the heart monitor and the gushing of the IV drip when he falls from his hands.

"Ahh! Hibari, don't do that, you're bleeding—"

"Is that really true?"

A nurse comes in, panicked, ready to stab the IV back into Hibari but he just hisses at her and she squeaks, ducking back out the door.

"Um."

"Well?" he demands, "Are these pendants truly pieces of your actual heart?"

Wincing, Tsuna looks to Kawahira for help and Kawahira nods.

But before Kawahira can speak, Rokudo says, "It's true. I could see what these hearts looked like from Tsunayoshi-kun's mind when I tried to possess him. What he sees… is breathtaking."

Biting back the urge to stab Rokudo's eyes out for that possession attempt, (later, Reborn promises himself), Reborn snaps, "But giving pieces of one's heart, how is that even possible—"

"More like one's soul rather than the literal heart. Tsuna-kun just happens to see these souls in the shape of a heart. Sometimes he can even crystalize a part of his soul into glass and use it as a way to offer protection. Didn't you think it was odd if you felt upset or frustrated and the pendant would glow a little? Send you a bit of warmth?" Kawahira cuts in. "That's what the pendants do. They comfort, if they can."

Their reactions almost shake the room.

Smoking Bomb falls out of his chair, murmuring about how he's unworthy while Lancia tries to calm him down. Ryohei almost tears his bandages off, frantically looking for his own pendant, checking to see if it's still around his neck or just tucked into the drawers with the rest of his clothes. Yamamoto's grip on Tsuna's hand is so tight, Reborn kicks at him for cutting off Tsuna's circulation. Rokudo actually tries to touch Tsuna, see where his heart is, before Lancia and Smoking Bomb tackle him away and have to swat off his hypnotized subordinates. Hibari beats up said subordinates before looking intensely at Tsuna, snatching back his own winged pendant, and storming out the door (probably to terrorize the medical staff.)

"…I'm sorry," Tsuna slumps down against the pillows. "I should have… should have told you sooner. I was just…" He crinkles up the sheets in his hands. "I'll understand if you want to leave too."

Fuck. That.

"Anyone who wants to leave for any petty reason will be shot," Reborn snarls, patience gone.

Tsuna, the idiot, looks more alarmed. More concerned for any traitors than himself. "But Hibari—"

"He's pacing outside the hallway, he hasn't left," Reborn snarls. And then, because Tsuna should never flinch from him, Reborn adds, "No one here would dare leave you. I'd kill them myself first."

It may be blunt and he's trashing all of his rules but, damn it, he has a piece of Tsuna's heart in his pocket. The literal and symbolic power of that gesture alone makes Reborn want to hunt down everyone who chipped away at Tsuna's self-esteem and wipe their existence off the face of the universe. He doesn't care if it sounds ruthless or obsessive or immoral. This is who he is.

He wonders, if Tsuna can really see hearts, how ugly Reborn's heart looks to him right now.

But Smoking Bomb breaks the silence, shouting, "Not before I blow them up!"

"I'd beat up anyone who left you now, to the extreme!" Ryohei joins in.

Tsuna gapes.

"I'm not interested on playing on anyone's team but yours, Tsuna," Yamamoto says intently.

"You… saved my life. And from what I heard, you'd do the same for anyone. I don't care where your affiliation lies, I'll follow you," Lancia says quietly.

Rokudo only smiles vaguely.

Each one of them radiates the aura of a potential hitman, ready to court a sky the only way they know how. Tsuna's kindness is terrifying in that moment, the type of kindness that inspires murder for a boss who doesn't want to be one. He wonders how Tsuna can bear to look at them all.

Instead of grimacing in disgust (like any normal civilian would do), Tsuna bursts out in hysterical laughter.

"Why do you all keep being so… so nice to me?" he half-laughs, half-wheezes. "I… I lied to you… Kept you all in the dark… And then I was crazy enough to challenge the mafia and say that I'll destroy it! You shouldn't… you shouldn't hang around me anymore. I'll probably put you in danger again."

"So what?" Yamamoto cuts in, voice cold. "Then we'll just have to beat their team—"

"This isn't a game, Yamamoto!" Tsuna shouts. "It's real! Mukuro was actually experimented on by a mafia family, Gokudera and Reborn are hitmen! Lancia is some… assassin, person, maybe! If you keep hanging out with me, you'll get hurt… like you almost were today! Even my pendants couldn't keep you all safe, it just made Mukuro more curious!"

"Fair enough." Rokudo shrugs when everyone turns to glare at him. "It's true. Your abilities are very valuable. I can only imagine what the mafia would do if they could harness the defensive capabilities of your pendant. And think of the information you could learn from observing the state of people's souls…"

"Yes, well…" Tsuna looks back down at his grandmother's pendant. "Mukuro's right."

"No—"

"You heard what he said! I was enough of a target when Reborn was trying to make me into a mafia boss… if the mafia knew what I could do…"

"They won't," Reborn hisses. "This information stays private among the people in this room."

Tsuna only slumps further against his pillows. "Maybe. Even if the mafia doesn't find out… I already promised I would destroy the way they work…"

"Why did you?" Rokudo interrupts.

Tsuna blinks at him.

"You're incredibly weak. From what I've seen in your head, you don't want anything to do with the mafia and yet you'll wage war with them? You must be a masochist or the stupidest person I've ever met. How can someone as weak as you have so much power?"

"Sawada's not weak, you pineapple bastard!"

Ryohei punches him in the face. Then howls because of the added pain to his injured arm.

"Onii-san! Mukuro! Are you both alright?!"

"Wish I'd punched him," Smoking Bomb mutters to the side.

"Ow… yes, extremely in pain, but worth the punch." Ryohei gives a thumbs up.

"We shouldn't fight," Tsuna cries out, "Look, Mukuro's hurt now—"

"Is it pity?" Rokudo spits out, kneeling on the ground where he belongs. Reborn doesn't like the poison that Rokudo emanates in his voice. "You saw a few glimpses of my past when I tried to possess you and now you think you know me? Is that it? Trying to lessen the self-guilt you carry?"

"Of course I feel guilty."

Rokudo stops.

Tsuna frowns at him, "Even if I try to deny it… I'm… I'm Vongola. I don't want to be, but still. By neglect or ignorance, my so-called family did nothing to help you. Maybe they even caused it… And I'm sorry."

Then he bows his head, looking so small and fragile that Reborn's surprised that the smallest sounds haven't broken him.

Rokudo laughs, each sound sharp and bitter.

"You're a liar," he spits, "just like the rest of them."

Then he storms out, with his brainwashed followers trailing behind him.

Damn it all, Reborn really is going to shoot Rokudo. Now. Probably—

"It's okay," Tsuna tugs at Reborn's sleeve. "It's… it's okay."

No, Reborn wants to snap. It's not. Anyone who walks away from Tsuna, rejects Tsuna, should be shot. Reborn promised that he would let nothing hurt his Sky and even if he has to burn the world, he'll do it in a heartbeat.

But Tsuna's trembling hands stop all of Reborn's thoughts.

Of course, nothing is okay. Tsuna isn't stupid. He's just stupidly trying to be strong when it should be his guardian's jobs to be strong for him. Reborn's job.

Tsuna doesn't need a hitman right now. But he needs… whatever Reborn is right now.

So Reborn stays.

0

Oh no. Hot tears stream down his cheeks and he can't stop mucus from following. Hiccups and coughs and uncontrollable sobs. He can't breathe, he can't breathe, he feels like he's drowning in a thick soup of air and tears, both trying to choke him. He can't stop, he needs to stop, but it just. Won't. Stop—

"Oh, Tsuna…"

Warm arms wrap around him, clumsy and desperate like someone trying to relearn a half-forgotten language.

"I'm the one who should be sorry. You've been so brave."

"B-but…!" He shakes his head. He can't accept this hug. He hasn't been brave. He's just been numb this whole time, ignoring Nana just as she ignored him, because it was easier to be in pain.

"You have," she whispers, rocking them both back and forth. "You're crying for me, right now, aren't you? It's alright, Tsu-kun. You can cry. You're allowed to cry."

"B-but I…"

He doesn't understand it. Crying means he's being weak little Dame-Tsuna again. Crying means that he's given up, doesn't it? How can that ever be brave? This sensation, like hot coals burning up inside his throat and chest, trying to tear themselves out. He wonders if his tears might be trying to turn into acid, to burn him both inside and out.

"It's painful… but you cried anyways. You stayed."

Oh, Tsuna thinks, remembering his father's back being swallowed by the distance.

They cry together.

0

In the quiet, Kawahira gets up to go after Rokudo. He takes Lancia with him, whispering about debts that need to be paid back. Reborn doesn't really care, he'll get that intel later.

The rest of them sit in the hospital room without moving. A room in stasis. As if moving will create ripples amongst themselves.

"We don't need that bastard, Tenth," Smoking Bomb bursts out, eyes shining.

Tsuna grimaces, shoulders still shaking.

"Gokudera-kun, don't—"

"You have me, and even these idiots with you, so don't worry, I'll protect you, I'll—"

"Gokudera—"

"—kill anyone—"

"—no!"

"—who messes with you, Tenth."

"Stop calling me that!"

Smoking Bomb looks so shattered that Reborn wonders if a gust of wind would blow the remaining pieces of him away. Not Storm Guardian material if a mere emotional outburst will shake him, Reborn almost wants to scoff.

"I'm sorry," Tsuna immediately flinches. "I didn't mean to yell… I just… Don't you see? I'm not who you think I am, Gokudera. I'm not the Tenth. I don't want to be. So please… don't call me that."

Smoking Bomb twitches, like he'll reach out and take Tsuna's hand, and Reborn doesn't know how to feel about that.

But before Smoking Bomb can try, Tsuna gives a weary smile. "I think… things are going to be dangerous around me now… and you… you don't have to stay anymore, now that I'm turning down this whole Vongola thing, Gokudera-kun… You can… you can be free, if you want."

Smoking Bomb's face twists.

"…Free?"

"Yes," Tsuna latches on to that. "I know you only stay because I'm supposed to be the Decimo… But you don't have to anymore. You can be free of me, of the mafia, all of it."

Smoking Bomb's unlit cigarette falls from his mouth. His jaw clenches and he looks so utterly blank that Reborn takes out his pistol, just in case, and Smoking Bomb pulls something out his pocket. A weapon? Dynamite?

It's a ring. Smoking Bomb has a freaking ring in a box. The little golden topaz stones glitter like bottled pieces of sunlight snatched at dawn. They swirl around the silver ring in a looping spiral pattern that's surprisingly elegant for someone with Smoking Bomb's gaudy sense of fashion but suitable for Tsuna who doesn't like accessories that stand out.

Quite reasonably, Tsuna splutters and everyone one else in the room radiates half killing intent towards Smoking Bomb and pure Sky-possessiveness towards Tsuna.

"What are you…?!"

"I designed this ring the day after you gave me that pendant. It was… it was the first time someone had given me anything without any other motive. You just… gave it to me. I had to make you something in return. I can't make beautiful pendants like you can, but I can draw. And I sent my design to a jeweler I know, and then I waited for the perfect time to give this to you."

"Gokudera-kun…"

"In the mafia, we kiss someone's ring when we swear loyalty to them. And, if you want, you can wear this ring. Not because you're mafia… but because you're you. And I hope… I want you to accept this ring as a symbol of how I feel about you."

The vase by Tsuna's bedside shatters into pieces.

"…Sorry." Reborn says tightly, putting his twitching fingers into his pockets. "I saw a cockroach. Do continue."

Smoking Bomb doesn't even react to the shattered vase, so intent on his confession. "Look, I don't know if I love you like a friend or a lover or someone I admire greatly, but I've never felt like this before. I want to keep feeling like this. I've never felt as alive as I am with you, Tsuna-sama."

Tsuna, wide-eyed and trembling, shakes his head. "Gokudera-kun, you don't know what you're—"

"I know exactly what I'm saying. You might be able to see hearts, Tenth, but it doesn't mean that you're always good at interpreting what they feel. Just listen to what I'm saying."

Tsuna's eyes glisten. His eyes don't waver from Smoking Bomb's heart.

"Tenth, no, Tsuna," Smoking Bomb kneels on both knees, one hand holding Tsuna's wrist tightly, the other holding the ring box, "I want to be with you forever."

…What.

"Uh, oh crap, wait, what I mean is—! Well, yes, I want to be with you, because you're amazing and you're my friend and even more and I, well," Smoking Bomb turns bright red, "there's nothing to free me from, Tsuna-sama. You already freed me a long time ago."

He brings Tsuna's hand up and kisses it.

"I'll follow you anywhere… because you are you. And that is not an obligation."

An exemplary storm, thinks Reborn, and an idiotic one too for charging in with such honesty and making his Sky cry.

0

In the morning, Nana smiles and makes breakfast as if Iemitsu was never there at all.

"Now, don't look at me like that, Tsu-kun. Mama's fine. I just needed some sleep, that's all."

But her heart says otherwise.

For a moment, Nana's smile falters.

"No…" she raises a shaking hand to her face. "You're right. I'm… not fine. But… for now, for both our sakes, Tsu-kun… please… could we just pretend to be happy?"

Muck and heaviness, and all the words that Tsuna has ever wanted to say, settle into Tsuna's throat, burning like his fire-lines. Humans don't take good care of you, the checkered-masked man had said.

Tsuna only nods.

Nana's hug feels like ice.

0

"Ah!" Gokudera's arms flail, "You're crying! You shouldn't be crying! I'm sorry! I upset you! How do I make it better?!"

"I—I'm not crying!"

He is, though. Fat blobs of tears stream down Tsuna's face and Reborn is going to roast Gokudera alive for years.

"I just. I don't—"

"Do you need to step out for a bit, Tsuna?" Yamamoto cuts in. "I could take you to the roof, if you want, to cool your head."

"No," Reborn snaps. "Tsuna's still recovering, it's too risky—"

"Yes," Tsuna says at the same time, "I need, space. Just… ten minutes. Please."

Yamamoto and Reborn glare happily at each other before Reborn relents. "Fine. I go too."

"Tsuna-sama—"

"You wait here, Gokudera," Reborn says because this Storm before him is no longer fit to be called the mafia's Smoking Bomb. "We will return shortly. Keep Rokudo contained if you find him."

Gently, Yamamoto crouches down next to Tsuna and carries him in his arms. For a moment, Reborn curses his own baby-body. He's still the world's number one hitman but even this body can't carry the one he…

The one he what?

No. This isn't the time to be conflicted. He has a Sky to take care of.

For once, Tsuna doesn't argue against the gentle treatment and leans his head against Yamamoto's chest, hiding his tears. Reborn fights the urge to scowl, to ask when Yamamoto and Gokudera became so close with Tsuna but Reborn knows that he has no one to blame but himself.

The rooftop looks similar to Namimori's all those months ago but the view spans the entire town, rather than a few neighbourhoods. Everything seems so small and insignificant compared to the all encompassing sky stretching up above and the one in a potential Rain's arms…

A hitman like Reborn blots the picture with stains but Reborn's too selfish to care. He stands close by when Yamamoto sets Tsuna down to sit by the railing.

For several minutes, they just breathe together. The Sky accepting all, the Rain calming and comforting until all the Sky's tears are used up. The Rain always waiting to accept the Sky's pain, to rage when the Sky can't. If Reborn had any doubts about Yamamoto as potential guardian material before, now, he almost doesn't have any left.

"…Um, I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier," Tsuna mumbles against Yamamoto.

Yamamoto's smile softens into a genuine one. "It's alright, Tsuna. I know you didn't mean it."

Tsuna stiffens. "What if…" he pulls back, "what if I did?"

Something sharp swims in Yamamoto's easygoing gaze and Reborn narrows his eyes. "Very funny, Tsuna."

"No, Yamamoto, listen. This mafia stuff, I know you think it's a game, but it's not. It's real. My family's really messed up and I've been really selfish, getting you and Ryohei-sempai and Gokudera involved. You all got hurt because of me."

"Tsuna—"

"I can't stop Gokudera, but you don't have to get involved in this. You should go back to playing baseball," Tsuna doesn't see Yamamoto's face go blank, "or spending time with your dad. Be ordinary for me, please—"

"No," Yamamoto grips Tsuna's shoulders tighter, eyes calmer (more unpredictable) than the sea. "I'll stay."

"But—"

"Tsuna," Yamamoto says, placing both hands on his shoulders, "I know this isn't a game. I know. I've always known."

Ah. The truth. A bold move, Reborn clenches his fists. A foolish one. But Tsuna makes everyone act foolish around him.

"What are you…?" Tsuna frowns. "But why…?"

"Games just make more sense to me. It's easier just to care about my own team. And I've always played on your side, Tsuna. I always will."

Leave it to this stupid Rain to compare everything to a game, but doesn't Reborn do that too?

Tsuna trembles. "I don't… I don't know what to say…"

"Maa, maa," Yamamoto runs his hand through his hair, "Gokudera has it so easy sometimes, saying what he wants. Tsuna just accepts all of it."

Quietly, Tsuna stares at Yamamoto's chest, at the invisible heart that must be there. "You… you really mean it…"

Yamamoto's hands cradle Tsuna's face upwards. "Of course I do," he whispers so tenderly that Reborn wants to look away, to tear them apart, to stop this moment before it can go any further. It's too close. Too charged with something Reborn doesn't want for Tsuna.

But then Yamamoto lets go, stepping back into the easygoing mood from before. "I'm happy as long as Tsuna is happy."

Reborn wants to laugh. Rain material, indeed.

But—

"Maybe I should get Tsuna a ring too… it's not fair that Gokudera got to it first."

"Eh?!"

Yamamoto grins and quickly kisses Tsuna's nose. "Yeah," he whispers, watching Tsuna splutter in different hues of red, "I'll have to get you another ring."

Screw it, Reborn shoots Yamamoto in the sleeve. Annoyingly enough, the boy brushes it off with a laugh, holding Tsuna close once more.

0

Tsuna can pretend to be happy if that's what Nana wants. Tsuna can learn to ignore the sad songs of the people around him, of Nana, if that's what she wants. He can. He can, so—

Nana stills, slowly pulling away. "Tsu-kun?" Her voice sounds so close yet far away. He doesn't want to look at her. "Tsuna… are you… are you crying?"

He shakes his head furiously, only to be squeezed in a painful hug.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, Tsuna. You must feel so confused and angry, having this hypocritical mama like me. I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

No, he shakes his head. Nana shouldn't be apologizing. Tsuna's the one who's too sensitive, too weak. He can't make pretty pendants or make his family happy or keep them together. He can't do anything.

"That's not true," Nana says fiercely, making Tsuna realize what he said out loud. "You are the best son that I could ever ask for and I would never replace you. You're too good to me, always trying to carry my burdens and ignoring your own. But your feelings are important too. You're allowed to be upset with me, to grieve and be sad. Don't listen when I try to ignore things. Don't be like me. Mama… Mama slips up sometimes. Mama gets so sad she ignores the world and she forgets she has precious people like you to live for."

Tsuna almost doesn't believe her but—

"I'm so proud of you," she whispers, while everything in her heart sings affection and awe and overwhelming grace. It's like listening to music for the first time after decades of silence. It's like finding a song that sings every note of your soul and never finding another like it.

It's like hearing a real I love you for the first time and actually believing it.

For the first time in months, Tsuna feels so blessed to be able to hear, to see, these little hearts.

0

"Sawada! Yamamoto!" Ryohei crashes through the door, "You gotta get back downstairs, Gokudera and Hibari are tearing the hospital apart!"

"What?!" Tsuna jolts up for a minute before swaying on his feet. Yamamoto stands up to hold him. "Why?!"

"It's Rokudo! Hibari dragged him back to your room and when you weren't there, Rokudo started saying some nasty stuff about you and then—"

"Let me guess," Reborn bristles, "Gokudera tried to kill him?"

"Extremely no! Hibari did. Gokudera sort of just joined in."

This is what Reborn gets for working with adolescent, hormonal, borderline-sadistic, potential guardians who are all (most likely) a bit in love with Tsuna.

"That's not a very fun game. They'll make Tsuna worry. They can always kill Rokudo later," Yamamoto says nonchalantly.

"Yamamoto, we can't let them destroy the hospital!"

"Ah, true. That would be bad. Okay, I'll carry you back downstairs, but stay close!"

Before Reborn can stop them, Yamamoto dashes off with Tsuna with a pointed grin in Reborn's direction. That damn brat…

"Hey kid," Ryohei says, oddly seriously. "Is it true? Everything Sawada said… about hearts and the mafia…"

Reborn frowns. Now's not the time for this. But Yamamoto and Tsuna should be able to handle the situation. Reborn trusts Yamamoto, at least, to prevent Tsuna from doing anything stupid, like running out to hug a psychopathic killer like Rokudo and start crying over his inevitable tragic backstory.

"What do you think?"

Unexpectedly, Ryohei scowls. "I know what you're thinking. But I won't abandon Sawada! I'm just worried about my family. I have a sister, you know. I can't get her involved in all this. If I could, I'd take her and Sawada and hide them away somewhere sunny and warm, where they'd never get hurt again. But Sawada wouldn't go for that."

"No," Reborn agrees, "he wouldn't."

Ryohei shakes his head, his grin too wide on his face. "I don't know what to do."

"Fool," Reborn whispers, "just be his Sun. Play the idiot you always do, and Tsuna will be content with that."

Ryohei looks confused for a moment before he shakes his head. "You're a strange kid. Be his sun? Huh." Ryohei looks down at his hands. "I'm not much good at anything other than fighting, I don't think a 'Sun' is like that."

"A Sun is a powerful flame in the mafia world. It can blind and burn those who harm its Sky but it can also heal and give warmth. I can teach you that, if you promise to swear your undying loyalty to Tsuna."

Without hesitation, Ryohei offers his fist. "To the extreme, I will."

Reborn nods, letting his fist meet Ryohei's.

First official guardian. Set.

Now to see the chaos downstairs.

0

"I'm going to do it," Nana closes her eyes, paces back and forth twenty times, and then picks up the phone. "I'm going to call us an appointment with a grief counsellor. And it's… it's going to be okay."

Tsuna doesn't understand it, the little cymbals of fear in Nana's heart-song, the doubts of what if I'm not sick? What if I'm overreacting? What if it's all in my head and they don't take me seriously? But he remembers how afraid he was to give her his heart-pendant, how afraid he still is.

His fire-lines glitter brightly, like bits of lava trying to escape the cracks.

He holds her hand.

Gently, painfully, Nana takes another breath and dials the number.

0

Reborn and Ryohei arrive to see hospital equipment torn into little wired pieces, sparking on the floor, and nurses screaming for help.

Yamamoto and Tsuna crouch protected behind a giant cabinet while Hibari and Gokudera throw tonfas and bombs at a cackling Rokudo. Unsurprisingly, Rokudo's robotic human puppets linger by the wall, watching.

"Gokudera, Hibari, Rokudo, stop!" Tsuna keeps shouting, but no one listens. Yamamoto seems more concerned with watching as a spectator and keeping Tsuna from running off into the middle of the battle to care. Good.

"Take back what you said about Tsuna-sama!" Gokudera bellows, sending another round of bombs towards Rokudo, somehow without destroying the walls.

Hibari, on the other hand, somehow makes his hospital gown look menacing as he goes for Rokudo's throat.

Reborn's tempted to let him. Yet one look at Tsuna's devastated face and Reborn finds himself stepping into the middle of the battle, subduing all three opponents with a good kick to the head. Nothing like what he could do in his original body, but it gets their attention.

"Idiots. Are you so caught up in your dispute that you can't even hear your Sky talking?"

Gokudera immediately clams up while Rokudo goes dangerously silent. Hibari, on the other hand, bristles. "Sky?"

"Tsuna."

"Ah, the little bird," Hibari nods. "That is an acceptable title for him."

Note to self, update the civilians on mafia and flame terminology.

"I will still bite that disgusting carnivore's throat out though," Hibari moves forward.

"Wait," Reborn sends all his killing intent into his tone. Hibari only respects power after all, and for some reason, Tsuna. "Let Tsuna say his piece."

Hibari pauses, looking back and forth before he sighs. "Five minutes. Then I attack."

Tsuna scrambles out of Yamamoto's hold, and hiding place, as soon as Hibari leans back against the wall.

"Mukuro, are you hurt?!"

Rokudo, oddly quiet this whole time, glowers. "Are you pitying me again?"

Tsuna looks taken back. Then—

"No. I just… I just want to… say sorry, however I can and—"

Reborn scowls. Tsuna doesn't need to apologize for things he never did, especially not to a killer but Rokudo's face turns livid.

"I don't need your sorries!"

Reborn narrows his eyes, torture plans bubbling in his head except Tsuna glances at Reborn and shakes his head no.

"Look, you're right. I don't know you. I just… saw some awful things in your head… and I feel like I understand a little more, where you're coming from… If it were me… I don't know if I could have survived what you went through. B-but t-that doesn't e-excuse w-what you d-did to m-my friends! O-or what y-you did to t-this hospital! Y-you're s-still a jerk!"

Rokudo blinks at this.

"B-but… trying to find justice… especially when people won't recognize your voice… that's really brave of you… A-a-and t-that's… that's what I'm t-trying to do."

Something shifts in Rokudo's gaze and Reborn can't help but think shit.

"Be brave?" he says quietly.

"B-brave enough t-to take r-responsibility. In a peaceful way. If possible," Tsuna adds hastily.

Rokudo's shoulders start to shake, and then he bursts into laughter. "Very well, Vongola-kun," he shifts past Gokudera and Hibari, to take Tsuna's hand. "I doubt you will pull it off. But I'll stay close to watch over your progress. Even if you do fail, which you probably will, I'll just take that body off your hands."

"Like hell you will!" Gokudera tries to shove him away.

Stealing a quick kiss against Tsuna's knuckles, Rokudo dodges and smirks.

"Let's make the mafia burn beautifully together, Vongola-kun," he says, probably just to watch Hibari darken.

"What part of peaceful do you not understand?!"

Shit, Reborn thinks again.

At this rate, Reborn will have to post bodyguards by Tsuna's side 24/7 to stop more killers from latching on to Tsuna's side. Judging from Yamamoto, Gokudera, Hibari and Ryohei's murderous looks, those bodyguards might have already started the jobs today.

"I refuse," Hibari says suddenly, pointing his tonfas to Rokudo's offending face.

"Excuse me?" Reborn glowers.

"I refuse to acknowledge this scum as one of your allies, little bird."

"Oh?" Rokudo cocks his head.

"I'll bite him to death."

Needless to say, they get kicked out of the hospital.

0

Therapy is strange and uncomfortable. Tsuna tries to listen to what the nice lady Ms. Sakamoto says, he really does, but… he keeps getting distracted by the sound of her own heart. Naoko Sakamoto's heart is a gentle blue like peacock feathers but its song is tired and weary. Please tell me your troubles and let me help, it calls, I hope I can help. It's honest and tired but it hits too close to home.

Tsuna wonders if his own heart sings that song too.

0

"So," Tsuna fiddles nervously with his sheets after everyone (under threat of more violence from the nurses) leaves (or in Ryohei and Hibari's cases, get moved to another hospital room. Hibari had glared at Tsuna and muttered, 'This isn't over. I need to punish you for keeping secrets,' before he left. Reborn would change Cloud Guardian candidates if he didn't think Hibari would destroy something in retaliation. Hibari, unfortunately, is the best candidate Reborn can think of. For now.)

Kawahira had mysteriously pulled Lancia and Rokudo aside, telling Tsuna 'not to worry.' Apparently Kawahira will let the 'new guests' stay with him. Immediately, Reborn sends his beetles out to do a background check. Something about Kawahira doesn't feel right…

"Um," Tsuna starts again, looking nervously at Leon and Reborn.

"What," Reborn snaps.

"Well," Tsuna ducks his head. "I just. You seem. Annoyed. I was just…"

Right. Reborn will have to get used to Tsuna reading his emotions like a book. Then again, he'd always seemed exceptionally perceptive. Now Reborn knows the reason.

"Not with you," Reborn says stiffly.

"Oh." Pause. "Are you sure?"

Don't be an idiot, Reborn almost snaps but… He promised, what seems like ages ago, to be honest now. At least with Tsuna.

"I'm… annoyed," he admits, the word strange on his tongue, "not at you specifically… but the situation. Everyone else."

Tsuna has the gall to look surprised. "But…"

"I care about you, idiot," Reborn snaps, because he's not that soft. Yet. "This situation is unprecedented. You barely have a handful of allies, most of them immature flames and one of them an unstable killer. You keep attracting scum like Rokudo because you're a natural born sky and you can't help it, but gods, I want to shoot them all. So yes, I'm annoyed, because there are too many unknown variables, too many loose cannons and I can't—"

I can't protect you this way.

Reborn grits his teeth, staring down at his tiny hands. Even at his most powerful now, there are things only an adult-sized body can do.

He'd tear Checkerface apart if he could.

Arms wrap around him. Reborn freezes. "What are you doing, Tsuna?"

"…It's called a hug, Reborn. You look like you need one."

"I'm not a child—"

"I know," Tsuna says softly, "but everyone needs hugs sometimes. Even scary number one assassins. And… I'm scared too."

"…Idiot," Reborn doesn't lean back, doesn't bother lying.

Instead, he closes his eyes and allows himself to listen to his Sky's heartbeat. For a moment, he pretends that he isn't cursed, that Tsuna isn't being a sacrificial moron, and that everything will be alright. Just one moment for a fairy tale's thought.

0

School becomes tolerable. Tsuna still finds shards in the trash, shards he takes home. The checkered-faced man still hangs around the gates but Tsuna ignores him every time, it's easy to ignore someone when you're running away from bullies.

He's tired and scarred but having Nana at home helps. For a while, Tsuna feels like himself again. But he can't help the lingering fear that whispers in the back of his head that it will only last for so long, he's Dame-Tsuna, people will figure out he's faking everything soon and then he'll break, break, break, just like his shards…

Sometimes Tsuna wonders if the dark thoughts in his head are coming from his own heart, an insidious voice he refuses to recognize as his own.

You're nothing, the voice whispers.

No, he starts to argue back, starts to believe some days. I'm something.

0

"Your ability… Are there any other negative consequences to it that I'm unaware of? Any other ways you can get hurt?"

He can feel Tsuna tense, feel the smile coming.

"Don't bother lying. I know abilities like this, magic, always has its drawbacks."

Cautious, Tsuna says, "…Not always…"

Reborn turns around, meets him face to face. "Do you see this pacifier here?"

Slowly, Tsuna nods.

"It's one of the most powerful things in the world… and it's my curse."

Tsuna's eyes widen. "You mean…"

"Yeah. It's a long story but I trusted someone… and they betrayed me. Now me and six other people are cursed to look like infants, cursed to carry this power with us for the balance or the world or some nonsense like that. Cursed to die eventually when we can't handle this power anymore. So I know, Tsuna, that abilities like flames and prolonged youth come with a price. Don't tell me that all you suffer for giving away pieces of your heart are nosebleeds."

Tsuna's jaw drops. "You're dying?!"

Oh great. "That's not important right now, your pendants—"

"How long do you have?! How does it work?!"

"Tsuna."

"Reborn!"

He sighs. "If I tell you, will you finally be open about your ability?"

Tsuna nods quickly.

"A decade at minimum. Maybe fifteen years. It depends on how chaotic the power in this pacifier is. I have to use my life force, my flames, to keep this power stable. Does that answer your question?"

Tsuna doesn't answer. Instead, he looks at Reborn the same way he did when they first met, with absolute horror and pain.

"Tsuna, let it go. There's nothing you can do about it." Reborn's not sure why he told Tsuna about the pacifiers either. To force Tsuna's hand? Because he thought Tsuna might understand? "Now tell me about your ability."

"…Two years."

Reborn feels his heart dip down into an icy cold.

"…What."

Tsuna looks up, tired, teary eyed, and a little bit resigned. "That's how much I have left too."

0

At some point, Tsuna looks at the little cracks on his heart, at the missing pieces and how his heart still burns, and he thinks, I have to stop doing this to myself.

0

"…How do we stop it."

Tsuna shakes his head.

"How do we stop it."

"You can't," Tsuna looks at something Reborn can't see, "It's already done."

"I won't accept that. We haven't gone through all the solutions yet. We barely know anything about what you can do, so don't tell me that I can't."

The silence eats up Reborn's heavy breaths.

"Isn't that what you told yourself when you got cursed?" Tsuna asks and Reborn starts to scowl.

"Don't ask me to save myself, Tsuna."

"Then don't ask me either, Reborn."

They both glare at each other until Tsuna starts to laugh.

"What are you doing? This isn't funny! You're dying!"

"We all die someday," Tsuna says between his laughs, "and it is kind of funny. We're being pretty stupid, arguing over who can be saved…"

Reborn stares at him, tries to remember the last time he lost himself in an argument until logic left his head completely. Somehow the thought of a world without Tsuna became so unbearable that Reborn just had to try something, anything…

"Idiot…" Reborn says, more of an endearment now than an insult, "maybe we should try saving each other."

Tsuna's shoulders shake. "I'll try to save you if you try to save me…?"

"It's a promise."

0

"How long are you going to keep letting these herbivores walk all over you?" Hibari says one day when he ambushes Tsuna's bullies.

Tsuna wonders if he should start running away. With Hibari, no matter what his ice-heart whispers, it's hard to tell when he's being ruled by justice or bloodlust.

"Well, herbivore?" Hibari swings his tonfas, as if this is Tsuna's fault. As if Tsuna asked for the bullies to bother him. "When will you stop being so weak?"

Maybe it's the stress and sadness, maybe it's talking to his therapist and sometimes feeling like he can be worth something. Maybe it's all this and nothing at all, but Tsuna snaps.

"I'm not letting them do anything! So I'm not strong or scary like you, but that doesn't mean you can pick on me too! I thought you were supposed to be justice for Namimori! Well you're not very good at it if you yell at other people for not being as strong as you are! I'm not strong, but I'm not weak either!"

Hibari stares at him and while Tsuna's mind screams at him for the social and physical suicide, he maintains his glare.

Then, impossibly, Hibari smiles the way he does towards his animals.

His hand reaches out, and Tsuna flinches, but instead he gets a soft pat on the head. "You speak too loudly, little bird. Maybe put that voice to good use and stand a little taller when you walk. Keep singing."

It's the first time that Tsuna thinks that Hibari might actually be… nice. And somehow that feels more terrifying than the Hibari that everyone else sees.

0

A menacing presence enters through the door and Reborn nearly shoots it in the heart.

"You're dying?!" Hibari snarls.

Tsuna eeps, and to his credit, doesn't hide under the covers.

"That is unacceptable."

"Um—"

Hibari turns to Reborn. "What do we have to do to keep the Little Bird alive?"

Reborn crosses his arms, but keeps his finger on the trigger just in case. Unstable Clouds can be a menace to deal with and he doesn't want Namimori burning to the ground in this Cloud's rage. "We're working on it. Tsuna will need more protection, obviously, for when we face the mafia, but we'll work out the details of combating his… other situation… in time."

Hibari whirls back to Tsuna, his pendant dangling in his fingers. "You're not allowed to give me your heart and then leave. I won't let you. If you die, I will drag you back and bite you."

Tsuna stutters. "I'm not going to leave on purpose!"

Hibari only scoffs. "You have a bad habit of singing too loudly and attracting predators. You need to be put back in a safe habitat. I will take care of your environment now."

"Hm," Reborn perks up, "does this mean you will be one of his guardians?"

Hibari narrows his eyes. "I'm not swearing loyalty. I'm merely claiming ownership."

This fucking brat. Never mind Yamamoto and Gokudera, Hibari is a measly brat that needs to be slapped and thrown off a building.

"Then I'll have to find another guardian for Tsuna then."

Hibari throws a tonfa at him. "They'll have to go through me."

"Um. What's this about guardians?!"

Hibari turns back to Tsuna, eyes uncharacteristically softer. Less wild. "They're your keepers."

"Wait, what?!"

Then Hibari smooths out Tsuna's hair and leaves the room before Reborn can shoot him.

0

Tsuna thinks about Hibari's words all the way home. Stand taller. Keep singing. Isn't that what his heart is trying to do too? Sing even if Tsuna can't hear his own voice?

"Tsu-kun? What's wrong?" Nana asks.

Quietly, Tsuna takes her hand and leads her upstairs.

With trembling fingers, he digs out his old pendant, the one he made just for her, and lets it glimmer in his hands.

"I… I made this for you, Mama. I hope you like it."

Nana's eyes water up and her smile is brilliant, the smile Tsuna's been chasing since Granny died.

"I'd love anything you make, Tsuna. You make everything more beautiful."

0

Reborn still has more questions but Tsuna needs his rest. They'll talk more about pacifiers and heart-pendants tomorrow. Reborn takes his place by the window sill, mentally organizing a bodyguard schedule for Tsuna in his head. He'll have to update Dino about the situation, with Tsuna's permission, and see how much Nana knows. Perhaps they should start informing Nana of the current situation, and Reborn doesn't know what he'll tell Nono yet.

Four teenaged, hormonal guardians. A mass murderer and his hypnotized gang. An old mafia member. Whatever Uncle Kawahira is. Dino. Nana. Bianchi. A few babies. Reborn. And Tsuna.

Not much of an army against all the mafia families in Italy. Not much of a time frame either. Two years.

Well, if Reborn is throwing his life and blood in this lot, in with this sky, he might as well show it.

Carefully, he takes out the pendant from his pocket, feels it warming his hands.

Then he puts it over his head, next to his pacifier.

0

Tsuna decides to make a pendant to Hibari, a thank you for giving Tsuna confidence.

0

Reborn suddenly falls over, pain pain pain hitting his heart, surrounding him, stabbing at his veins. Pain he hasn't felt since he last so Luce, since Checkerface, and losing his body.

0

He finds himself bleeding out blood from his eyes and clutching at his chest. What's happening, what's happening.

It never used to hurt this much before.

0

Flames devour Reborn's body, they eat at his arms and legs. He gasps, reaches out to Tsuna, thinks, Not you too, as he remembers Luce turning her head away in shame as his worldview grew bigger, much too big—

0

The next thing Tsuna knows, he sees the checkered-face man appearing in his room, sweeping Tsuna up in his arms.

"Do you see now, Tsunayoshi-kun?" the man trails his fingers on the new fire-lines on Tsuna's skin, the jagged glowing scars.

0

Reborn screams. His limbs, they're—

0

"You're so much more powerful than the others."

0

When Reborn wakes up, he's in a body he long thought was lost forever. Limbs that feel unfamiliarly longer, stronger, faster.

He looks at the mirror to a reflection he hasn't seen in decades.