Title: But Not Both
Characters: Iemitsu, Reborn
Summary: You can have one of the other; you can't have both.
Notes: Part of Choice: The Betrothal Arc. General audiences. 425 words.

But Not Both

"So you were wrong, which is no surprise," Reborn said, landing in the middle of Iemitsu's desk without ceremony.

Iemitsu just leaned back and looked at him, waiting for Reborn to clarify just what sort of mistake he'd made this time. It didn't take long.

"She does have a Flame. She's a born Sky." Reborn adjusted the brim of his hat. "Quite possibly a strong Sky, at that. If Xanxus gets a child on her, it'll probably be the strongest Sky the Vongola has ever seen," he mused.

Iemitsu felt his eyes trying to cross for several reasons. "She has a Flame?" he asked, settling on the easiest one to deal with. "How did you—?"

Reborn smirked. "I have my ways." Those were words to fill a father's soul with horror. "She'll need to be trained, of course. It should be interesting."

Perhaps, Iemitsu thought, perhaps he should have requested that the Ninth pick someone, anyone, else. He winced. "Please, Reborn—be careful with her. She's only a little girl."

Reborn gave him a long look, unreadable. "Do you want me to be careful or do you want her to survive? You can have one or the other, but not both."

"Sometimes it's very easy to hate you," Iemitsu told him.

Reborn just snorted, unimpressed.

Iemitsu ran a hand over his eyes and rubbed his forehead. He'd seen some of the things Reborn had put the Cavallone boy through. At the time they'd been funny.

Funny how hindsight could change things.

"I want her to survive," he said, not looking at Reborn. "You know that. But have a care with her, for God's sake. She deserves better than this."

Reborn let out a breath, almost a sigh. "I'll see what I can do," he said. He reached into his breast pocket and withdrew a folded sheet of paper, which he dropped in front of Iemitsu. "Tell the Ninth to get these people out of Namimori. If they're not gone by the end of the week, I'm going to do something regrettable."

Iemitsu looked at the paper, which had a pair of family names on it. "You've been here twenty-four hours and you're already creating a hit list?" he asked, trying for lighthearted. "Isn't that just a little extravagant?"

"Not really," Reborn said, tone even.

"What did they do?" Iemitsu asked.

Reborn considered it and then shrugged. "I wonder if you'll find out." He hopped down from Iemitsu's desk and left him to pondering that as he reached for the phone to call the Ninth.

end

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