I.

"Sun lights up the daytime, moon lights up the night…"

The room was on fire.

"I light up when you called my name and you know I'm going to treat you right…"

The building was on fire.

"You give me fever when you kiss me… fever when you hold me right…"

And if he looked out the cracked and shattered windows right now, Shinobu Mamoru would probably see the world burning outside as well.

"Fever in the morning, fever all through the night…"

… He needed to get out of this fucking place or he was going to die!

With his heart hammering in his chest, Mamoru bolted towards the single window and leaned out as far as his body could go as he tried to spot a ledge to climb… or a bush to fall into to… o-or even another fucking window to climb through!

"O-Oh please God… please don't let me be killed b-by that psychopathic monster!"

Finally, he spotted his path to salvation and freedom: an opened window two floors above him! If he could climb up before that… monster found him, he'd be able to double-back to the stairwell and leave this burning hell with his life and limbs intact!

"Everybody's got the fever… that is something you all know…"

Grunting as he dragged his bruised and battered body through the broken window, Mamoru placed his feet on the window-sill, said another prayer to a God he didn't believe in (though, wouldn't anyone pray if they were in a life-or-death situation…?), and jumped.

"… Oh thank you Jesus!" Mamoru sobbed when his fingers grasped the window-sill of the opened window.

Quickly, he pulled himself up and through the window and landed with a grunt in this not-burning, quiet, safe room where he could-

"My, my… it such a nice night out tonight, isn't it~?"

-look up into the eyes of Death.

"… No…," Mamoru breathed in shock and despair. "H-How…?! Y-You were… You were on the b-bottom floor! H-How did you get al-all the way up here s-so fast?!"

"That, my dear little pigeon, is a~ trade~ secret~!" With every sing-song word, Death took a single step forward, a large smirk on his stretched lips.

Scrambling backwards, as if he had enough distance to put between himself and his impending death, Mamoru flung his arms upwards in the universal sign of surrender. "W-Wait… wait, p-please! P-Please don't k-kill m-me…!"

Death let out a thoughtful hum as he raised a gloved hand to tap slowly at his chin. "Hmm… nope!" He chirped brightly, popping the p, as he leaned forward to loom over the shaking, petrified Mamoru. "I can't let a handsome guy like you live, even if I wanted to… You see, I'm a bit… contractually obligated to end your life right here, right now."

"P-Please! Th-There must be s-something…! Wh-What about m-money?! I-I'll pay you twice, no- Triple the amount you're getting paid tonight! I-I'll also… women! I-I can give you all the most willing and beautiful women y-you want! A-And cars! Jewelry! W-Watches! A-Anything and everything you w-want, I'll give ju-just as long as you don't k-kill me!"

Death tilted his head, exposing a long, pale neck as he thought about the words and pleas of a man trying to bargain for his life.

"Hmmm… money you say…?"

Mamoru shot forward, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes. "Y-Yes! All the money y-you could ever w-want!"

"And women. Cars! Jewelry! Watches!"

"Y-Yes, yes! I-I can give you that a-and more i-if you let me g-go!"

Death straightened to his full height… and held out a gloved hand.

"Th-Thank you!" Mamoru practically flung himself forward and grasped at his only chance of living. "I-I'll make good on my promise! I swear it! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"… You really shouldn't be so… gullible, Pigeon."

Suddenly, Mamoru's hand was on fire and it took his brain a moment to process that fact, when the pain finally registers, he let out an ear-splitting scream of pain and terror.

"Ah…. A-AAHHHHHHH!"

Death maintained his iron grip on Mamoru's hands and peered down at the flailing, pleading, burning man. Only when Mamoru had been completely engulfed in flames, did Death release his grasp on his latest victim.

Humming softly, Death turned and left the room, trailing his fingers on the walls as he calmly strode down the empty, body-ridden hallway.

Fire blossomed and bloomed wherever his fingers touched.

"Everybody's got the fever... what a lovely way to burn…

What a lovely way to burn, what a lovely way to burn…

What a lovely way to… burn~"

.

.

.

II.

Tachibana Ryuunosuke gripped his phone tightly as he read the email he had received just moments ago. Hyperaware that his young nephew was sitting just feet from him – Tsunayoshi was merrily coloring away in one of the coloring books he was gifted – Ryuunosuke made sure that his expression was as welcoming and open as ever before he propped his elbows on the kitchen table and leaned forward.

"You look happy, Tsuna-kun. Are you having fun?"

"Yeah! I'm gonna color this picture the best and then give it to Mama when she comes home!"

Ryuunosuke smiled gently. "I'm sure she'll love it, Tsuna-kun."

"U-Um… do… do you want to color too, Uncle Ryuu…?"

"I'd love to. Do you have extra markers?"

"Yeah! It's in my room so I'll be right back, Uncle Ryuu!"

The Tachibana Head chuckled softly as Tsuna hopped out of his seat and ran out the kitchen. However, once alone, the brunet allowed his smile to drop as he scanned the email once more.

Hi Luv!

I did you a HUGE favor and exterminated some rats for you! No need to thank me! I know you'll have some kind of reward waiting for me~ I wouldn't mind it being of the monetary or… personal kind~

Picked up some sweet intel for you too! I'll bring that along me when I visit this so-called 'dead' sister of yours!

See ya soon Luv!

Love, Dante

P.S. If you see happen to receive a call about a burned down building, don't worry about it! I already had the muscle workers foot the bill for us! I'm so thoughtful and considerate aren't I?

The brunet heaved a resigned sigh and swiftly typed out a response.

I'll have Akihiro pick you up at the airport… oh and, Dante? Corrupt my nephew in any way, shape, or form and I won't be happy.

At all.