Been a while. Happy Early Valentine's since I actually haven't written anything Valentine's-y, this will have to do.
Boarding House Rules by ficklepickles
Scrambled eggs for Yamamoto. Over medium for Gokudera. Sunny side up for Mukuro. Double helping for Ryohei. Warm milk for Lambo. Tea for Hibari. Espresso brewing on the side, just in case. There was a soft ringing as three toasters suddenly ejected their loads. Tsuna snagged the sets of browned bread with practiced ease and laid them on a neat pile on a plate. Nearly finished, he went over to double check the prepared dishes.
It wasn't easy being the manager for the particular tenants of his boarding house, but Tsuna enjoyed it just the same. The group was lively, if a bit unruly, and he was never bored.
The front door opened and Yamamoto, just in from a morning jog with a towel around his neck, entered.
"Morning!" He called out cheerily to Tsuna. "Mm, that smells good!"
"It'll be ready in a few minutes." Tsuna replied, wiping his hands on a hand towel at his waist.
"I'll be down after a quick shower." Yamamoto said with a grin.
"Eh, I think Gokudera might be in the shower!" Tsuna called out, but only the sound of footsteps pounding up the stairs answered him. A moment later he heard Gokudera's indignant shout and a loud thud.
Turning around, Tsuna rummaged through a cabinet and fished out a first aid kit, which he laid out at Yamamoto's spot at the table.
A shaggy head of curly hair poked itself around the corner.
"Good morning, Lambo." Tsuna greeted with a smile.
The teen nodded in response, yawning before taking his seat at the table. Tsuna laid out a plate of fruit in front of him.
Quietly, the boy picked up an apple that was cut into the shape of a rabbit. "I'm not a kid anymore." He murmured grumpily, biting into the sweet fruit.
Laughing, Tsuna shook his head. "No, I suppose you aren't. You've been here for five years now, but I guess some habits die hard." He smiled as he set down Lambo's cow-spotted mug of milk and toast topped with a slice of his favorite cheese. A slight blush lighted the boy's cheeks when Tsuna ruffled his hair, both knowing that despite the teen's protests, he did enjoy Tsuna's affections.
"Um…" The teen began shyly.
"Hm?" Tsuna lowered the heat on stove, taking care to make sure the bacon didn't burn.
"I got called back to Italy." Lambo began tentatively.
"Oh? You're moving out?" Tsuna replied with genuine regret in his voice.
Lambo nodded.
"When?" The manager asked.
"Next month."
"Oh." Tsuna said, disappointed. That was only a few weeks away, not that long at all. He was going to miss the young teenager.
"Are you going to be lonely?" Lambo asked, his expression innocent even in his teenage years.
"Yes. I'm going to miss you." Tsuna admitted.
"Me too." The young Bovino said, twisting in his chair to throw his arms around Tsuna's neck. Tsuna returned the hug, marveling at how Lambo was such a child at heart.
"Hey, hands off." A voice said gruffly from the stairway. Stomping down the stairs with an irritated expression on his face was Gokudera, hair still damp from a shower.
"Shut up, Stupidera!" Lambo shot back, sticking his tongue out.
Tsuna laughed. Despite his protests, Lambo was still immature.
Gokudera ignored the taunt, sitting down. Tsuna served up his eggs and a mug of coffee that had been sweetened with a sugar paste, turning it a lighter brown in color. While the grey-haired boy would never voice it, Tsuna knew that Gokudera was sometimes hit with pangs of homesickness. The coffee was his attempt at recreating the Italian styled drink that Gokudera was accustomed to, though it was a little difficult due to regional ingredients.
A grateful smile tilted the young man's lips. "Thanks."
Tsuna flashed him a sunny smile. "No problem."
"Oooh, looks good!" Yamamoto said, poking his head in between Gokudera and Tsuna.
Expression changing instantly, Gokudera growled, shoving the baseball player to the side. "Idiot baseball-nut! Don't interrupt!"
Chuckling, Yamamoto fell into his seat where he was promptly greeted with an orange juice and hash browns fried well. "Thanks, Tsuna!" He said cheerily, ruffling the other boy's hair.
"Not so close!" Gokudera barked, swatting at the baseball player's hands.
Yamamoto took it in good stride and began to eat while Tsuna rummaged through the first aid kit. Locating a bandage, he placed it on Yamamoto's swollen cheek, the wound courtesy of the still angrily puffing half-Italian.
"Fanks!" Yamamoto mumbled around a forkful of potatoes and egg.
"SPEAK RESPECTFULLY! NOT WITH YOUR MOUTH FULL YOU UNCULTURED PIG!" Gokudera roared furiously, aiming a kick in the other's direction.
Holding his plate tightly to protect it, Yamamoto dodged the kick. Frustrated, Gokudera slammed his hand on the table, jarring a dish. A bit of scrambled egg fell into Lambo's milk.
"Hey!" The youngest boy squawked. "Watch it, dummy!"
"What'd you say?" Yelled Gokudera, already incensed with Yamamoto.
"Tsuna! Stupid, clumsy Stupidera's spilling food!" Lambo tattled.
"What? He's lying!"
The front door slammed open. "THIS MORNING IS EXTREME!"
"Morning, Sasagawa." Tsuna said, turning to the newcomer with a smile.
"I'M SENSING FIGHTING SPIRIT!" The boxer shouted, eyes burning with bright flame.
"Shower first, and then breakfast." Tsuna reminded calmly.
"SHOWER TO THE EXTREME!" Crowed the white-haired man, storming up the stairs and punching at the air. From below, everyone could hear as the older boy threw open the bathroom door and ran inside. With a muffled shout of, "STRIP TO THE EXTREME!" followed by a similar cry for washing, the water blasted on.
"A herd of elephants just stampeded by." A silky voice purred. "What a dreadful manner to wake."
"Last one up, Mukuro?" Tsuna smiled.
"Hm…" Mukuro yawned, standing in the middle of the staircase in dark purple pajamas. "Late night." He murmured.
"Yes, sacrificing virgins for your demon summoning rituals." Gokudera muttered under his breath.
Heterochromatic eyes flashed. "What was that, you waste of space? You don't want to live anymore? Well, I can certainly abide by your wishes."
"Eh! Eh! Here are your eggs, Mukuro. I have the roasted tomatoes you like as well." Tsuna said, intervening quickly with the pacifying plate of food.
Mukuro took them with a curve of his lips. "Thank you, Tsuna. You're too kind." Then he leaned forward and kissed Tsuna on the cheek.
Tsuna flushed vibrantly and Gokudera seemed to be choking on his own rage.
"H-H-HOW DARE YOU!"
"I want a kiss!" Lambo piped, facing Tsuna with large eyes.
"No." Mukuro said, snaring Tsuna with his arms. "Tsunayoshi-kun is all mine."
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM!" Gokudera screamed, turning purple with apoplectic indignation.
"Hey, that's not nice, Mukuro. Don't they say that sharing is caring?" Yamamoto added, looking up from his juice.
Mukuro sniffed. "Applicable. I don't care about you lot. Therefore, I won't share."
Yamamoto's smile, while just as friendly as usual, suddenly didn't reach his eyes. "That's not nice at all. Tsuna belongs to all of us." He said, standing casually, but leaning closer to the two.
"IDIOT! YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT!" Gokudera shouted, almost jumping up and down to express his disproval.
"Hey, that's not fair! I want a kiss." Lambo pouted, pushing himself up from the table.
"Wait, don't I get a say in this?" Tsuna protested.
The other four looked at him.
"No." Three of them chorused.
"OF COURSE!" Only one supplied, as they moved closer to Tsuna.
"WHAT'S THIS? A STRENGTH CONTEST?" Sasagawa had finally reappeared at the head of the stairs, fire still burning in his eyes.
Tsuna's eyes widened. Oh no. He barely had anytime at all to try and make a break for it before the boxer threw himself into the fray, pumped and raring to go.
His last thought before things descended into total chaos was that it was a good thing that Hibari seemed to be out for the day. Had he awoken to the sound of the disaster-in-the-making, well, Tsuna's repair bill would have been more staggering than usual. At least he got the frequent customer discount with the handyman, which he was sure, had been invented just for him.
An hour later, Tsuna set about cleaning up the catastrophe that had been the dining room.
Sasagawa and Yamamoto had taken off to their respective training regimens, and Lambo had headed off to school. Mukuro had returned upstairs to finish his project.
That left the little manager with Gokudera, who was insistent upon helping him pick up the shards of broken glass from the morning's excitement.
Broom out, Tsuna was carefully sweeping the pieces into the dustpan the half-Italian was holding.
Humming to himself, Tsuna finished with the floor and moved on to the table as Gokudera dumped the glass into the waste bin. His movements were slow and almost absent minded, as if he were thinking hard on something. He was also uncharacteristically silent.
After a few minutes, Tsuna paused in his dishwashing to look over his shoulder.
The grey-haired boy was still standing by the bin, hands at his side, and eyes averted anxiously.
"Gokudera?" Tsuna called out. "Are you okay?"
Grey eyes snapped to Tsuna's. "Yes!" He said quickly.
"Are you sure?" The brunette raised a brow questioningly. While Gokudera was a bit on the exuberant side, this was odd behavior, even for him.
The other boy swallowed, considered something for a moment, then stepped forward, nearly running into Tsuna at the sink.
"I've been accepted in a study abroad." He said finally. "America." He added lamely.
Tsuna smiled, turning off the water and wiping his hands. "That's great, Gokudera! Congratulations! I'm happy for you."
Gokudera returned the smile awkwardly. "It er… starts next month."
"Next month?" Tsuna echoed.
"Yes. They have a summer orientation to get started. It's mandatory for the program." Gokudera explained.
"Oh." Tsuna said quietly. "So, you'll be moving out in a month?"
The Italian nodded.
"Well, I wish you luck. I hope you have fun in America. I'll miss you." Tsuna smiled warmly and hugged Gokudera.
The grey-haired boy stiffened, face suffused with red, but returned the hug tightly. "Th-Thanks." He stammered, then broke away suddenly to flee up the stairs.
Tsuna watched him go a bit sadly. "Well, I guess that means I'll need to make a note about buying less for next month's groceries."
"Mmm… something smells delicious." Mukuro's voice murmured by his ear.
Tsuna carefully stirred the vegetables in the pan. "I thought you didn't like bell peppers." He pointed out, keeping a close eye on their lunch.
"I love anything, as long as it's from you." Mukuro replied, smiling flirtatiously. Then he yawned and draped himself across Tsuna's back, arms coming over his shoulders to hang around the manager's neck.
"Just woke up?" Tsuna asked, forgiving the strange blue-haired boy this one trespass on his personal space. Mukuro had been working hard lately, studying late into the night, and sleeping in during the day.
"Mm-hmm." The Italian replied sleepily. "Mmm, you smell delicious too, Tsunayoshi-kun."
"Hmph. Like laundry soap, I bet." Tsuna said. He had just thrown in a load of laundry before starting on their lunch.
"No, you smell like you. I'm going to miss it."
"Eh? Where are you going?" Tsuna asked, curious.
"Kokuyo finishing school. It's the next prefecture over and I cannot commute daily. I'll be moving into their dorms in five weeks." Mukuro explained drowsily.
Tsuna nearly dropped the spatula. "You're moving out?" He asked in something of a squeak.
There was a slow nod of a head against his neck. "Mm… will you miss me? I'm willing to take you with me. You'll be my lovely bride, Tsunayoshi-kun."
Tsuna was still for a while, and Mukuro seemed to drift off in a light doze, not noticing the other boy's lack of reaction. The brunette shook himself out of it a few moments later, just in time to save his vegetables from burning. The motion woke Mukuro who floated back up the stairs, presumably to crawl back into bed.
Silently, Tsuna finished cooking, looking into his pan thoughtfully.
"So, another one…"
His mind wandered to his rapidly dwindling shopping list. There were several tenant specific items that he could cross off it now. Some were large and rather pricey since they tended to be specialty items to match the tastes of picky or selective boarders. Even certain soap brands had been taken into consideration. He would have a bigger budget for the following months, but the idea cheered him up little.
"Well, maybe I can finally expand one of the bathrooms that Yamamoto and Sasagawa tend to mess around in. The tubs just can't seem to contain them." Tsuna mused to himself.
Before dinner, it was almost not a surprise at all when Yamamoto, fresh from a late bout of training, approached him next.
"Hey Tsuna!" The tall Japanese greeted happily.
The manager was in the living room, folding the clothes of his tenants. "Hi, Yamamoto." Tsuna greeted gladly. The baseball player was always so perky and positive, he cheered Tsuna up by just being there.
Yamamoto took a quick swig from his water bottle. "That's a lot of clothes." He laughed. "I didn't realize how much work it is."
"It's nothing. It's like having a big family to take care of." Tsuna replied with a small smile. "I quite prefer this to just folding my own clothes."
Yamamoto grinned. "You're going to have to teach me that. Pretty soon, I'm going to have to go on without your skills."
"Are… are you moving out?" Tsuna asked hesitantly.
"Yeah…" Yamamoto answered a bit sheepishly. "I got into a training camp for the major leagues. Was recruited on short notice, but the recruiter really liked me. Offered me a spot in this summer's camp."
"Will it be starting next month?"
Blue eyes widened. "Wow, you really know your schedules."
"Lucky I guess." Tsuna murmured, trying to mask his disappointed tone with humility.
Four gone…
Yamamoto laughed light-heartedly. "It's not luck, Tsuna. You're just good. Anyways, gotta shower up before dinner. See ya."
"Ah." Tsuna replied despondently, long after the baseball player had run up the stairs.
Loneliness was beginning to grip Tsuna. Next month, he would be the manager of a near empty boarding house. But as long as he had a tenant, he could keep it open.
Late in the evening, Tsuna had made sure to leave the porch light on. Sasagawa typically went for a nightly run as part of his 'extreme' training. The manager had to admire the boxer's stamina, it was certainly impressive.
At about a quarter to ten, Tsuna heard the door open and shut, still vigorous, but not as loud as in the morning. Sasagawa did have some semblance of politeness, though thoroughly outshined by his enthusiasm.
Jogging into the room, his training suit darkened with sweat, his eyes lit up on Tsuna.
"Sawada!" He greeted, his voice a happy growl. "I almost forgot! I'm gonna move to a live-in Boxing Gym next month. Extreme training! Keep up the good work!" He cheered, and was up the stairs for a fast rinse and hot soak before bed.
Stunned speechless, Tsuna set down the cup of milk he had been sipping and hung his face into his hands.
Then there was one…
The phone was ringing.
More weary than he should be, Tsuna shuffled to answer it, his mind reciting the time: 11:30 pm.
"Hello. Vongola Branch Namimori Boarding House." He said, mentally cursing the long name of the boarding house. That specific name had been a requirement of his landlord. It made him tired just thinking of it. Though, maybe it was the Italian name that attracted all of the Italian tenants.
"Hey Tsuna!" was the merry reply. Dino's chipper voice was clear on the phone. The Cavallone was a frequent boarder of Tsuna's when the man was in town. For some strange reason, he much preferred staying in Tsuna's boarding house over the more luxurious hotels that the Italian could easily afford. But he was a friendly and lively person, and Tsuna always appreciated his company.
"Hi, Dino." Tsuna replied, a smile in his tone.
"Sorry for calling so late, but this was the only time I could. I just wanted to know that I'll be in town pretty soon, and am looking to have my room reserved."
"Your room?" Tsuna parroted.
"Yeah. I was planning on staying in my usual room for about a week. It'll be sometime next month though."
"Er… about that…"
"What's wrong? You sound kind of down." Dino asked, concerned.
"Ah, well, I'm considering shutting down the boarding house." Tsuna said softly, twining the phone cord around a finger.
"WHAT? Why?" Dino screamed from somewhere in Italy.
"Uhm… most of my boarders are moving out. All at once actually. Maybe they didn't like it or something, but I'm going to be in charge of an empty floor next month." Tsuna said a bit sadly.
"That can't be right. You're an excellent manager. Just ask Reborn!"
Tsuna laughed. "I hardly see the landlord. Maybe once a week for his usual coffee, other than the once a month payments for the floors I rent."
"Don't be so modest. You know that Reborn's hardly the type of guy that would rent out his building to someone he doesn't think is qualified. The guy likes you, he just has a hard time of saying it."
I don't think I've ever heard him say anything complimentary, Tsuna thought to himself.
"Maybe, but without a steady tenant-base, it's hard to run a business." The manager pointed out.
"Is that all? I'll have my men come over at once!" Dino nearly shouted.
"No! Don't do that, please." Tsuna said quickly. "That's not how a business is run, either."
"Are you really closing down, Tsuna? It's not like you to give up." Dino asked quietly.
The brunette sighed, tiredly raking his fingers through his hair. "You know I don't want to, but I need to be realistic. Zero tenants means zero income. I should probably start looking for a job soon too. It's pretty expensive to run a boarding house."
"I didn't think you were hurting for money."
"Not yet. But I'd like to be careful. After this, there's nowhere I can really go." Tsuna said reasonably.
The Italian didn't say anything for a while. Then, "do you want to come to Italy?"
The bark of laughter that escaped Tsuna's lips was so sudden it startled him. "Are you kidding, Dino? I can hardly speak Italian. And plane trips are costly. I'm trying to keep my bills down."
"Not as a vacation. A job. You're a great manager. I see it every time I'm in Japan. I have no idea how you keep those crazy tenants of yours under control, but you do. If you want, I can offer you a job in Italy with me. I'll pay for your ticket. You can be a manager here. I know that you know a bit of Italian. I'll teach you more when you get here, and hire a translator in the meantime."
"Are you serious?" Tsuna asked incredulously.
"Yes." The answer was instantaneous and completely sincere, it caught Tsuna by surprise.
"Ah, I'll think about it." The Japanese said, somehow disconnected with the weight of the offer. It didn't feel real, not yet.
"That's all I'll ask." Dino said with a smile in his voice. "I am serious though, Tsuna. Please consider it."
"I will." Tsuna promised.
"Ok, good night then."
"Good night."
Tsuna hung up the phone. The conversation with Dino hadn't lifted his spirits as much as he had hoped, but at least he now had another option.
The next morning, Tsuna had double checked the date. The rent was due.
The check was already deposited, but his landlord was a studious man, and this was one of the few times that Tsuna was assured of meeting him. Tsuna needed to speak with him face to face about his plans for the boarding house.
Swallowing, he worked up his courage about what he was going to say. Meeting with the landlord was usually a nerve-wracking affair as Tsuna just about fell to pieces around him. The man was just so unreadable, he couldn't tell if he was pleased or not half the time.
Breakfast seemed to take twice as long to clear out, and throughout that time, Tsuna had made certain that the espresso machine was up and running. He wanted to be as prepared as he could.
Tsuna was washing the dishes when he heard the sound he had been waiting for, the distinctive whine and grind of the espresso machine as it whirred to life. Steam hissed from the device as it dripped black coffee into the minute porcelain mug. Tsuna finished up the dishes quickly and dried his hands before turning around to face the other man.
He stood there, as he always did on those days. A handsome man in an immaculately cut and tailored suit, sharply dressed in a black fedora with a thick yellow stripe.
"Reborn." Tsuna called out.
The tall man turned and gave him a small nod of greeting.
"Um…I had wished to discuss something with you." Tsuna said tentatively, the tips of his index fingers meeting in a nervous gesture. He could feel the hair on the back of his neck beginning to prickle, it was an automatic reaction to the attention which the Italian gave him. The feeling was slightly unnerving, but not altogether uncomfortable, and it confused Tsuna every time he made eye contact.
Reborn stepped swiftly toward him. "What is it, Sawada Tsunayoshi?" He asked, his smooth voice speaking Tsuna's full name in such a way as to make the slighter boy shiver.
"Well, the lease on the floor is going to be up in about a month, right?" The brunette managed to say in a steady tone, one hand reaching for the back of his neck. The taller man unnerved him. Did he have to stand so very close?
Reborn nodded. "It is. Will you be renewing at the usual rate?"
"Actually, that's what I want to talk about. I'm thinking about not renewing this time."
The tall Italian's face remained impassive. "And the boarding house?"
"They're all leaving next month. It's kind of hard to run a boarding house without any boarders." Tsuna said quietly.
"There will be boarders." Reborn said firmly.
A wry smile crossed Tsuna's lips. "I'm glad that at least you're so confident, but I don't share that optimism." He ran a hand through his hair with a small amount of frustration. It was difficult for him to even think about closing down the boarding house, and Reborn wasn't making it any easier. "I just don't want to keep it open on a chance like that. It's expensive and it's a lot of work." He purposely omitted the part where he admitted it would also be inconsolably lonely.
Loud, rambunctious, and completely insane his boarders were, they also kept the place alive and homey. He didn't want to lose that, not again.
"And I don't think anyone would miss it." He muttered softly to himself with a trace of bitterness. Everyone was leaving, moving on to bigger and better things. A boarding house was merely a stepping stone in places to be. He knew that, but it was still difficult to swallow sometimes.
Reborn leaned forward, uncomfortably close. From that range Tsuna could see clearly the Italian's sharp eyes that he kept shadowed under the brim of his hat, and the curve of smirking lips that were oh so close to his.
"Bet on it." The man said coolly.
"What?" Bewildered, Tsuna gave Reborn a funny look.
"Bet that no one will miss it." The Italian repeated.
"Bet what?" Tsuna returned uneasily, backing up.
Reborn straightened. "I assume you have other prospects if you're so willing to leave behind the boarding house."
Tsuna sighed. "Yes, actually. I was considering taking up Dino's job offer."
"Dino?" Reborn echoed, raising an eyebrow. "You know his intentions aren't exactly the purest."
The brunette gave the taller man a look. "He's a nice guy. Kind, respectful, and he offered me a job."
"It'll take you to Italy. You can't even speak the language."
"Gokudera and Lambo taught me a few phrases, and Dino's willing to teach me what I need to get by. Plus, a little change in scenery might do me some good. I'll at least be able to visit Basil and Lancia while I'm there."
Reborn snorted. "Escapism never suited you." He bent toward him once more. "Tsuna," he said, his voice caressing the shortened name, "you know that Italy won't make you happy."
Tsuna rolled his eyes. "A job is a job. I've been No-Good Tsuna all these years for a reason, you know. Jobs aren't exactly lining up at my door."
"Take my bet." Reborn drawled, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms. "If you announce the closure of your boarding house and no one objects, then you're free to go to Dino, to Italy, whatever you decide. But, if there is even a single voice of disparagement, one person who demands that you keep it open, then you'll stay." His smirk widened. "And you'll move your room from the boarders' level to my floor."
Tsuna graced him with a funny look. "Your floor? You don't allow anyone on your floor." Reborn had made it widely known that his floor, the top floor of the building, was his private domain and was forbidden for any of them to set foot on it without his express permission.
"I'll make an exception for you."
Sighing and fisting a hand in his hair, Tsuna nodded. "Fine. I'll take your bet, but I don't see what the big deal is. Everyone is leaving next month. No one's gonna object."
In an unexpectedly gentle gesture, Reborn trailed his fingers across Tsuna's cheek. "We'll see."
He left a confused Tsuna in his wake as he took the tiny cup of espresso the boy had prepared for him.
Properly stunned for a few seconds, Tsuna brought a hand up to rub the spot Reborn had touched. His cheek felt tingly, and his face burned with embarrassment.
What was that all about? Reborn was being weird again.
The timing had been too good for all of it to happen at once by coincidence. His boarders had probably expected to leave in the same season. There was no reason to keep it open only to suffer the crippling loneliness again.
Like when mom and dad left.
No.
He shook his head. This was different. That had been an accident. No one could have been prepared for that.
Orphaned.
Not his fault.
Unwanted.
He needed to move on. Just keep moving, and he was sure to be fine.
"He was here."
Startled, Tsuna dropped his spoon. "Hibari!" He squeaked, spinning in his seat.
The older boy regarded him calmly. "Hm."
"Oh! Food, food." Tsuna muttered to himself, rummaging around in the fridge.
Ever the late riser when he did return to the boarding house, Hibari typically came down only for meals, and only when everyone else had already left.
"Sawada," Hibari said, causing the manager to turn around. The use of names meant that Hibari was being polite. "What did he want?"
The stern Japanese seemed to have something against Reborn. Maybe it was some kind of rivalry, he was always seeking a match with the Italian.
"Rent." Tsuna answered truthfully, drawing out a small fish and some tofu. He lit up his small charcoal grill, bought specifically to cater to Hibari's traditional tastes, and salted the fish.
"You are tense." The dark haired man continued, glaring at a point in the middle of Tsuna's back as if he were trying to bore a hole into it.
The manager shifted under the scrutiny, feeling the weight of Hibari's gaze. He gave an uneasy laugh. "I'm planning on making a few changes next month. I'll make an announcement at dinner." He said, attempting casualness.
Hibari grunted, but said nothing more, taking his seat at the table instead and unfolding a newspaper.
Twenty minutes later, Tsuna served up the grilled fish and miso soup, pouring a small cup of strong tea for Hibari.
"Tomorrow, I'm leaving. But tonight I'll stay for dinner." Hibari said tersely, possibly the most he'd ever said to Tsuna at one time.
"Thank you." The manager gave a little bow of appreciation.
And then there were none.
That night, Tsuna was nearly shaking with anxiety. It had been a while since everyone had gathered for dinner. Hibari, true to his word, and despite his absolute loathing of crowding, had joined them as well. Though, the withdrawn and sometimes volatile Japanese did sit apart from the rest, claiming the far end of the table, furthest from the others.
He served up dinner without incident, watching as they dug in noisily. At about halfway through, perhaps irritated with having to sit and eat with others, Hibari shot him an annoyed glare.
Tsuna gave an uncertain nod and coughed timidly.
"I have an announcement to make." He began slowly. Six sets of eyes turned to him, listening with more attentiveness than he had expected, although Sasagawa was in the midst of chewing a rather large mouthful of food.
Trepidation had lodged itself in his throat. He gulped dryly, ignoring the feeling of burning behind his eyelids, or the rush of blood to his cheeks.
"Uhm, it's come to my attention that a number of you will be moving out next month. As I won't have enough tenants to keep the boarding house open, I've decided to close it. Uh… that's all." Tsuna finished quietly and turned his face away,.
This sucks.
There was a stunned silence following his declaration, his tenants appearing frozen.
Surprised, Tsuna turned to face them, wondering why they had gone so quiet. But as he had predicted, no one had protested against his decision. He swallowed a painful lump of disappointment, unaware that he had held out a small hope that someone would have opposed it. Maybe it really was time to move on. He had run the boarding house for several years already, a short, but very fun run. Well, at least he had Reborn's approval now.
A splintering sound caught his attention, it was the sound of chopsticks snapping.
Tsuna blinked, and his eyes widened.
The shock came from the one person he didn't think would object at all.
"Herbivore," Hibari hissed, very clearly pissed. "Who gave you permission to close down the boarding house?"
"Uhm, I made the decision myself. I'm not cut out for this business." Tsuna said defensively, shrinking back a bit. He never could stand up to Hibari in a rage.
Hibari stood slowly, carefully setting his broken chopsticks down on the table.
"Did it not occur to you that if I disliked your company so much, that I would not bother to return at all?" Hibari continued in that low tone, stalking forward.
Mentally, Tsuna concluded that staying in a building with a bunch of other guys automatically constituted as 'crowding' to Hibari, so the fact that he did come back on occasion must have meant something.
"I-I've already spoken with Reborn about this." The manager replied quietly. "I—He agreed, partially, that it's my decision. I can't run an empty boarding house."
"Am I not enough to keep it open?" Hibari's eyes narrowed, now uncomfortably close to Tsuna's person. The little brunette had never seen the serious Japanese so close before. He wasn't sure he'd want to ever again. It was scary. Tsuna started to back up.
"Weren't you leaving tomorrow?" Tsuna pointed out.
Hibari nodded. "As customary for my business. But I did not once claim that I was leaving permanently."
"Oh," was all the manager had managed to say as Hibari advanced unrelentingly. Tsuna, accordingly, stepped backwards. All too soon, Tsuna's back hit the refrigerator and two long arms came up to cage him in.
"So, Tsunayoshi, who permitted you to close your doors on me?" He asked softly, his eyes glinting anything but softness, his tone purring Tsuna's given name. "Tell me," Hibari whispered, "so that I may inform them of their mistake."
"You… you want me to keep the boarding house open?" Tsuna questioned hesitantly. Reborn's words were echoing around in his head.
"I won't tolerate you to shutting me out." Hibari stated.
"I—"
Then the world exploded.
"You were going to shut it down? But the camp was only for the summer."
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM YOU PERVERT! Tsuna, why didn't you tell me? I would never leave if it meant you were going to close. MOVE!"
"Tsuna, I was going to come back for school. My family only wanted me to return during summer vacation."
"THIS IS EXTREMELY DISTRESSING! WHERE WILL I GO AFTER BOXING SEASON IS OVER?"
"I don't know what irritates me more, the fact that that lowlife has you there, or that you were going to close without informing me. Though, if you had asked, I would have gladly consented to you moving in with me. Now, Tsuna, leave that barbarian behind and come to my arms."
Mukuro had stood as well, grabbing and twisting away one of Hibari's arms while the two of them glared daggers at each other.
Everyone was speaking (and shouting) at once. Tsuna could barely make out the words.
"But, I thought you guys didn't like it here." He replied, confused. "Isn't that while you're all leaving at the same time?"
"WHAT?"
His tenants, minus Hibari who had yet to move away from him, looked at each other.
Their answer was collectively formulated by Ryohei. "I FORGOT!"
There was an awkward silence following the confession of the tenants who had just realized that perhaps not explaining things clearly at the beginning had made the wrong impression on Tsuna.
Mukuro smiled and offered a small bow. "Please accept my heartfelt apologies. To make up for it, you can spend tonight in my bed."
Hibari bristled at that.
"Shut up. The sooner you're all out of here, the better." He said, drawing Tsuna closer to him with one arm.
"HEY!" Gokudera shouted, rising to his feet. "What gives you the right to handle him like that?" He demanded.
Hibari smirked, a scary thing. "Because next month, it'll be just me and him. No more annoying herbivores crowding around my Tsuna."
"Eh, Hibari, I don't think—" The manager began.
"I'M CANCELLING MY ORIENTATION!" Gokudera raged. "No way am I going to leave you alone with him!"
Yamamoto looked thoughtful. "Yeah, I don't really wanna leave either, if it comes down to it." His usually playful blue gaze had turned a tad sharper.
"You can't!" Tsuna protested, suddenly angry. "Don't be stupid! You guys can't give up what you want to do for a petty reason like staying behind. I'll be happier if you go. It's just a boarding house, a stepping stone. It's not something that you have to sacrifice anything for!"
The others looked taken aback.
"Petty?" Gokudera echoed.
"Hm… I do believe that my dear Tsuna has had a little misunderstanding." Mukuro drawled.
"Tsuna…" Lambo spoke in a small voice and caught the manager by the cuff of his sleeve, carefully avoiding getting too close to Hibari, who glared at him. "It's not just a boarding house to us, you know?"
"Yeah, it's our home." Yamamoto added, grinning. "So, please don't just close it up without telling us ok? We wouldn't be happy if it was gone when we came back."
"Home?" Tsuna repeated, sounding slow, even to himself.
That can't be right. They all have homes. Boarding houses are temporary.
"YES! DON'T SELL MY ROOM WHILE I'M OUT!" Ryohei shouted, reaffirming what the others had said in the simplest way possible.
Tsuna couldn't help but laugh.
"You guys…" He began, wiping tears from his eyes. "I can't just—" He cut himself off and hung his head. "Ok, I give up. You win." He sighed. "I won't close."
"I wouldn't have tolerated it." Hibari muttered.
Inwardly, Tsuna gave a relieved sigh. He couldn't imagine what Hibari had done if he had come back one day to find the boarding house closed. Recalling the wrath of his prone-to-violence tenant, he shuddered.
The others gathered closer to him, each expressing their concern and affection in their own way. They were coming back. They wanted to stay. Tsuna couldn't have been happier. Abruptly, he felt a prickling at the back of his neck, and his gaze snapped up to meet the glinting dark eyes of Reborn.
The black-suited Italian stood, leaning against the wall of the stairwell, smirking.
Something fluttered wildly about in the brunette's stomach as he suddenly recalled the deal he had made with Reborn.
The brim of Reborn's black hat lifted as he tilted his head upward, lips still curled in that knowing smile, eyes gleaming in the light. Then he was turning, leaving.
Tsuna wouldn't let him. Too many questions raced about in his mind. How did he know that the tenants would refuse? Why wouldn't he let him close anyways? And most importantly, why did he make that type of bet?
He broke from the group abruptly, running after the landlord. Up the stairs and away from the surprised yelps of his tenants, Tsuna tore after the slippery Italian. Barely seconds after Reborn had turned the corner, he was already at the hidden lift by the time Tsuna reached the top stair. With a soft chime of the elevator, Tsuna made it to the door just in time for them to seal shut behind Reborn's back.
Tsuna collapsed against the metal slabs with a sigh of defeat. He never could beat that man, let alone meet him on his own terms. It was always Reborn who called him, Reborn who met up with him, and Reborn who was never wrong. He couldn't help the small self-patronizing smile that crept across his lips. Why had he even taken the bet in the first place? Reborn didn't make losing bets. It wasn't even a gamble for that man.
He probably should return to the others. Tsuna could already hear the hubbub of the tenants coming after him. At least it was still lively.
A second chiming sound surprised him, and before he could push himself away, the elevator doors parted and Tsuna fell into the open arms of the dark-suited man. Immediately, Tsuna's nose was full of the smell of Reborn's cologne, and he was so very aware of firm lines of muscle beneath that million-yen suit.
Reborn smirked and his arms closed tightly around Tsuna as he heard the shouts from his boarders. Their diatribes were cut short as the doors closed once again, and the lift began its smooth flight upward.
There was the soft chime, and the doors slid open soundlessly. Tsuna was now in a section of the building he had never once seen, Reborn's floor.
"Are… we still in Japan?" Tsuna asked a bit shakily, still reeling from the experience of being held by Reborn.
"Of course." Reborn answered without pause. The Italian strode calmly through the gleaming hallway that seemed cut from nothing but polished black marble. Beneath his feet was a narrow strip of thick plush cream colored carpet that sliced through the center of the floor, running the length of the perfectly straight corridor. The two treaded silently on the carpet stripe, Tsuna warily following behind Reborn.
The unfamiliar and completely new aspect of Reborn's floor had brought Tsuna to an uncomfortable silence. However, once he had realized that, he had no intention of being pushed along Reborn's pace. "Why did you take me here?" He asked.
"You pursued me." The Italian replied smoothly.
Ugh, Tsuna should have anticipated how difficult Reborn could be. It was one of the foreigner's favorite pastimes after all, messing with Tsuna's head.
"No, you came back for me." He shot back, somewhat pleased that he could actually formulate an argument.
"Oh?"
Tsuna could feel the smugness in that tone.
"So you would have rather been mauled by that over-exuberant bunch that you so dote upon?"
The manager could feel himself faltering already. "Not… mauled… exactly."
Reborn was grinning. Tsuna didn't have to see it to know.
The tall Italian came to a quick stop and turned, an amused expression spread across his features. "This will be your new apartment." He declared, one hand pressed against a shining black door.
Tsuna's eyes widened.
Reborn leaned forward, and again, Tsuna found himself in a light cloud of the man's cologne. "Don't tell me you've forgotten?" He whispered in a way that implied that he would be all too willing to repeat his words.
While he hadn't forgotten the terms of the bet, he had also not expected Reborn to actually carry them out. He had half-expected it to be some kind of threat. These were Reborn's rooms after all. It was the notoriously private, suspiciously-employed, secretive, and frustrating Reborn who owned these halls. Tsuna didn't even feel like he belonged standing there.
"Would you like to see it?" Reborn invited, slipping a silver key from his pocket.
Tsuna was speechless. He could feel his heart thudding in his ears. This wasn't some real estate agent giving him a friendly tour. This was predatory Reborn who seemed far too entertained. Tsuna felt that it was well within his rights to be scared.
Without really waiting for the answer, the Italian unlocked the latch and swung the door wide open.
The apartment was ridiculous.
It was a huge sprawling penthouse of an apartment. The brunette couldn't even imagine how such a massive complex fit on that single level.
"I took the liberty of moving your things. You'll find them in your room." The man pointed to a bedroom. "I hope you like it." Reborn grinned, a confident smile full of teeth.
It occurred to Tsuna that he was forgetting something. "Where are you staying?" He asked.
"There." Reborn pointed to the adjacent bedroom.
Tsuna's jaw locked. The gears in his mind turned, slowly.
"Reborn?" Tsuna began, calmly.
"Hm?" The Italian had the gall to look innocent.
"When you said 'move to my floor,' was this what you had in mind from the beginning?"
Reborn smiled. "What are you implying, Tsunayoshi? My floor has only ever had one apartment."
Tsuna was already moving before Reborn had even finished speaking. There was absolutely no way that this would work out. He barely knew the man. This was his first time ever even seeing the floor. He couldn't possibly move in with him, and then share a wall.
However, for all his pumping legs, he noticed he wasn't gaining any distance between him and that lunatic to whom he paid rent.
In fact, his nose was rather filling up with that spicy, musky cologne he had become far too familiar with in the past few minutes.
Reborn had casually looped an arm around Tsuna's waist, that single limb being enough to keep the younger man in place. He was laughing. It was a sound that the brunette had never heard before, and he could not yet decide if it sounded pleasant or evil.
"You're cute, Tsunayoshi." The man said, nearly purring the name. He licked his lips.
Evil, Tsuna decided. Very evil.
"While I appreciate your energy, for now, shall we just be good neighbors?" Reborn implored, his dark eyes glinting in the shadow of his hat. "Then, we can be good friends." His smile was anything but reassuring. "I'd like you to know that I prefer to keep my friends close."
Reborn's arm tightened. Tsuna squeaked, turning red.
The Italian leaned forward, brushing the shell of Tsuna's ear with his lips. "Quite close." He murmured, lips parting. White teeth gently nibbled on the tender ridge of flesh that outlined his blushing ear.
"Eee!" Tsuna flailed, trying to push himself away as Reborn again burst into (evil) laughter.
"Pervert! Molester!" Tsuna shouted accusations, but one fact stuck with him. "Oh god, I have to live with you!" Because of course, Tsuna was a man of his word. Unfortunately, that did not protect him from his world which had just seemed to implode.
Everything he had thought, had been wrong.
From what his tenants had thought of him, right down to Reborn himself, Tsuna couldn't have been further from the truth. He was quickly learning his lesson in self-esteem, though.
Dino had decided to move his trip up, and had arrived a few weeks earlier than he had planned. The Cavallone had spent nearly his entire time with Tsuna, his cheerful demeanor a welcome return.
It took his mind off the fact that shortly, only Hibari, Reborn, and himself would be residing there. The last few weeks were fun and Tsuna felt as if they were a real family, though living next to Reborn had taken a bit of getting used to. The man had a strange habit of turning off Tsuna's alarm clock and awakening the brunette himself, claiming that he disliked alarm clocks.
He was sad to see Dino go, but the friendly Italian promised that he would return soon, and that if Tsuna had ever wanted, his offer to work for him in Italy would always be open.
His tenants had moved out, one by one, until only Hibari remained.
Hibari didn't seem to appreciate Reborn's bet, and had gone to great lengths to confront the Italian. If anything, he appeared to be more fired up over meeting him than he had been before. Tsuna wasn't sure why, and whenever he had asked, he received two flinty stares from both men that felt far too hot.
Humans shouldn't be able to scorch others with their eyes, he concluded quietly to himself.
Humming softly to himself, Tsuna dusted the living room. With fewer people, he had less to keep himself occupied with, and for now, maintained the menial work on a daily basis. Perhaps he would pick up a hobby. There were those… books that Reborn had gifted him on the day he moved in. Although, they seemed to be of a questionable nature. As far as Tsuna could tell from the first few chapters, there seemed to be a distinct lack of women in them, and they tended to quickly become… graphic.
A tapping at the door roused him from his introspective (suspicious) musings.
Why did Reborn give him books like that?
"Hello?" He greeted as he opened the door to view two men standing on the stoop.
One was an auburn-haired Japanese in square, blue rimmed glasses. He was consulting a slip of paper. At his feet was a duffel bag and two pieces of rolling luggage. Beside him stood a blonde foreigner (Italian, Tsuna bet this month's lunch budget that the man was Italian), with an overstuffed backpack, a lollipop in his mouth, and five suitcases stacked on top of each other.
"Is this Vongola Branch Namimori Boarding House?" The auburn haired man asked in a polite but tired voice.
Tsuna nodded.
The man brightened. "Oh! We've found it at last. Hi, sorry we're late. We're your new tenants. My name is Irie Shouichi and this is my friend Spanner. We just got in from Italy."
Tsuna closed his eyes. Reborn, it had to be Reborn's doing.
"There will be boarders."
Bastard knew that they were coming. He never made a bet that had a chance of losing, that over-confident prick.
The brunette pushed the dark thoughts aside and smiled. "Welcome." He said, opening up the door wider. "Bring your stuff inside and have a seat. I can show you to your rooms when you're more comfortable."
"Thanks." Irie said gratefully, obviously exhausted from their trip. He grabbed the handles of his luggage and began to move them inside. Tsuna stepped out to offer to help with the bulk of the baggage.
Spanner just stared at Tsuna. A wide smile broke out across his face suddenly and he grasped Tsuna by the hands. "Cute!" He declared in accented Japanese. "This must be what they call fanservice!"
There was an indignant sputter from inside.
"Don't listen to him!" Irie shouted. "He doesn't know what he's saying!"
"But I've found my wife." Spanner replied, clasping Tsuna's hand tighter.
Tsuna stifled a groan. It didn't look like life at the boarding house would be changing that much after all. Smiling indulgently, he gently pushed the elated blonde back. "I'm a boy." He stated clearly.
Spanner's chipper grin seemed to turn into an all too familiar smirk. "I know."
Ah, maybe that's what those books were for.
end
I cut it short. At one point, this fic was a 10,000+ word monstrosity of ramblings. I was trying to edit it down for coherency, but may have failed horribly in that endeavor.
Apologies for Reborn's crappy flirting. It's my fault for looking up pick-up lines from the internet. I know no smooth-talkers in real life.