One day, I swear I will write something happy for this fandom. But that day is not today...

Second Best

It's been over 6 years since Dino met his younger brother in Namimori. He remembers the unruly hair, wide eyes and expression that had so often been on his own face with some nostalgia. Tsuna's really come on since then - and about to receive his rightful inheritance tomorrow. It was a long and awkward road for Dino's little brother, but he's finally at the finish line. However, that's not the most interesting piece of news circling mafia circles. There's a rather strong rumour regarding his former tutor too.

Reborn decides to confirm it privately, just before Tsuna's initiation ceremony. While Nono had Tsuna wrapped up in pre-ceremonial duties, Reborn had taken Dino out to one of his favourite watering holes in the city. The last time he'd brought him here, Reborn had congratulated him on becoming a real mafia boss.

They both ordered drinks, and when they arrived, Reborn's eyes had flicked to Dino's own.

"I'm joining the Vongola."

Dino nodded, picking up his glass.

"I suspected as much. Though I'm a little surprised."

Reborn shrugged. "Tsuna offered the position of advisor, it didn't seem right to refuse."

"I didn't think you'd ever give up the solo life."

Reborn gave a half nod in agreement. "Neither did I. Guess it was just a case of finding the right boss."

To outsiders, there was no change to Dino's frame. Even Reborn didn't pick up on the reaction, instead choosing to knock back his scotch, oblivious to the way Dino's hand flinched and jaw twitched.

That's the biggest problem with Reborn. He's so self-assured and put together, it's sometimes hard to tell if his actions and words are actually unintentional, or specifically selected to hurt. He wants…prays…that these weren't.

As Reborn gestures for another drink, Dino downs his own and thinks back. He remembers being Reborn's student. It was the most terrifying, and yet most exhilarating time of his life. The Arcobaleno looked at him like a lump of unmoulded clay, and pounded and beat him until the perfect mafia boss started to shape.

It took several years, and a thousand nightmares, but Reborn's efforts bore fruit. One evening, he'd stood in his office facing his tutor, the Cavallone ring on his finger, a thousand families at his back, and made the offer a dozen bosses before him had made.

"Reborn…I want you to join my family."

The Arcobaleno had paused, staring up at the young man his student had grown into. His eyes, usually wide and terrified, were focused on him, spine stiff as if made from titanium.

A true boss didn't hesitate in what he wanted, and Dino wanted Reborn.

The Arcobaleno hadn't answered at first, mulling over the question before asking the simple, and yet overly complicated, "Why?"

Dino had braced his shoulders, maintaining eye contact.

"I need you Reborn. You've helped me so much over the past few years – my family would have been destroyed without your help. A boss needs a strong inner familia, and there's no one I trust more than you. Join and I'll give you any concession – whatever you want, it's yours."

It was honest, to the point, and all Dino could offer.

Ten seconds passed, before Reborn smirked. Faster than Dino could track, the toddler jumped up, kicking him into the wall with barely any effort.

"Stupid Dino" he scoffed. "You're a hundred years too young to be bossing me around."

He'd still smiled though, once Dino had crawled out of the rubble. Later than night, he'd told his student that he appreciated the gesture.

The Hitman just appreciated his freedom more.

Then he'd gotten the call from the Ninth, and he'd had to say goodbye, leaving nothing but a phone number and a tortoise balanced precariously over a full bathtub (which he'd then inevitably knocked over and discovered his new pet's abilities).

Reborn had called him up a few months later, wanting to introduce him to his newest student. Sawada Tsunayoshi had been rather nostalgic, and Dino had tried to pull out all stop to impress him and Reborn.

'See?' he'd tried to show Reborn while he sat in his chair, surrounded by men who were ridiculously devoted to him. 'Look what a good boss I am. Look what you made me.'

Every time he came to Japan, he tried to show Reborn how well he was doing. He knew full well Reborn would never leave until Tsuna's training was complete, but that was fine. The Arcobaleno called him up several times to come 'help', so Dino was always able to show off.

Reborn had always seemed proud of him all those times.

He's not a child anymore, but part of him wants to grab Reborn's arm and ask him what he did wrong. When Tsuna overtook him; became more than just the student and become someone Reborn could call 'Boss.'

It's not breaking the curse, Dino knows that. Reborn doesn't leave debts unpaid but he wouldn't repay obtaining his freedom for another collar. Tsuna would never ask it of him either – the idea probably wouldn't even cross his little bro's mind.

Before he can even think of acting on those thoughts, Dino wakes from his musings at the sound of a cell phone. By the time he's recognised the ringtone, Reborn has already answered it, a soft smile that Dino has rarely seen on his tutor's face.

"Tsuna, is Nono done with you already?"

There's a little bit of high pitch squealing in-between the words, but if anything, Reborn's smile becomes more affectionate at the sound. Like a parent listening to their infant try to pronounce words and fail.

"Really Dame-Tsuna, a real mafia boss is prepared for anything."

The shrieking this time actually makes Reborn laugh, and he nods despite knowing Tsuna can't see it.

"Get Gokudera to go over the basics with you. I'll be there in 20 minutes."

Dino doesn't hear Tsuna's reply, and drops his drink on the counter as Reborn hangs up.

"Little bro panicking again?" he asks, more out of courtesy than anything else.

Reborn scoffs. "Does he do anything else? I have to get back and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid in the next 12 hours. By the sound of things, he's about ready to hijack a jet back to Japan."

Dino smiles. "I'm surprised you think he's ready for this if that's the case."

Reborn pauses at that, and glances at Dino's questioning face before shrugging.

"Dame-Tsuna is a good boss. He just doesn't realise how good he actually is. Once we get him on that throne and snap off the last of the training wheels, he'll realise that."

The hitman flashes a rather wicked grin. "Honestly? I'm rather looking forward to seeing that revelation when it hits."

He stands up, and in a rare move of charity, places down enough money to cover both Dino's drink and his own.

I'll see you at the ceremony Dino."

The man gets up and walks off without so much as a backwards glance, taking Dino's opportunity with him. It doesn't matter anyway – as he watches his former tutor leave, and mulls over his words, the answer hits him harder than his tutor ever did.

Reborn had high expectations for his students. He was the best, and so anyone under his tutelage would follow that mind-set.

Dino had done nothing wrong. In fact, he'd done exactly what Reborn had desired. He'd managed to achieve Reborn's expectations.

Tsuna…Tsuna had exceeded them.

Dino had whined, and complained and been forced into terrifying event after event…but he'd taken everything Reborn had to teach him and used it. When Reborn said jump, he was in the air before he said how high. He told him to fetch a cake for his birthday, it was on the plane from Paris within the hour.

Most importantly, when Reborn told him he couldn't do something, he stopped. His tutor knew Dino's limitations better than he did. If he wanted to become a decent boss, he had to learn them himself.

Tsuna never had. If Reborn told him to do something, Tsuna had insisted he couldn't, just like Dino – and been forced to learn that, yes, he actually could.

But when Reborn had told him to step back…Tsuna had refused.

The Arcobaleno trials…Reborn had told him not to fight, and Dino had understood, leaving him to break the news to Tsuna. But Tsuna hadn't listened, and had gone into a fight that nobody had thought he could win.

And in doing so, achieved the impossible.

It wasn't breaking the curse, or becoming the boss Reborn expected of him, or even his personality that had won Reborn over.

It was proving that the Hitman could be wrong. That sometimes, he could step back and let someone else take care of him. He stood alone, on a pedestal of his own making – where nobody doubted him.

And Tsuna acted as if he couldn't see it. Dragged himself up and knocked the Hitman from his perch and into his supporting arms. Made it clear that Reborn was no more and no less important than anyone else in his life. Something Dino doubted anyone else had ever even attempted to prove to Reborn.

Including himself.

Tsuna would always come first for Reborn.

As for Dino…

Well…

It wasn't like he wasn't used to coming last.

END