Title: Dancing in the Rain

Summary: "Dance with me in the rain?"

Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to Akira Amano

Pairing: R27

Warning: AU; OoC-ness; Character death-ish.

Note: Set in canon, pre-TYL (~9YL), but with slight AU. Further clarified in AN below.

Beta'd by Lightning515. *gives more Spanner-lollipops*

Dancing in the Rain

Tsuna remembers.

Their little tradition started eight years ago.

Tsuna was sixteen then, and he… Well, come to think of it, he never did mention his age. Tsuna guessed that he was probably very old and was being vain. (He got a possibly-concussed head for the remark, but the amused smirk on his face was so worth it.)

That day, when their own little tradition began, had been the day of the Inheritance Ceremony.

That day, there had been a ball at the Sicilian Vongola estate ―the headquarters of the Vongola Famiglia. Given that the most powerful Mafia Family was having their newest (and youngest) successor take over as the new Don of the Vongola Famiglia, the Family had spared no efforts in organizing and hosting the most extravagant ball they could afford (even now, Tsuna still thinks that 'extravagant' was an understatement) ―which was to say, it was rather overly and ridiculously extravagant. Almost every Family had been invited to the ceremony and, surprisingly, the inheritance had gone on without a hitch. There had been no attempts to attack or ruin the Inheritance Ceremony in any way, and Tsuna, along with all six of his Guardians, successfully inherited the Vongola Famiglia as the Tenth Generation Vongola Guardians.

As the new Don of the Vongola Famiglia, 'popular' doesn't even begin to describe how busy Tsuna was during the ball. He, along with his Guardians, stuck by the Ninth Generation for the better part of the night, constantly greeting and thanking people for their appearance and their congratulations. It was a full four hours later when Tsuna could not take it any longer as he quietly excused himself, dodging into an empty balcony to take a breather.

What happened there… was the start of everything.

"Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna's heart skipped a beat at the low, husky voice coming from behind him. He spun around, involuntarily letting out a soft gasp at the dark obsidian orbs staring at him. "R-Reborn…" Tsuna greeted. "W-When did you get here…?"

The hitman seemed to give a sigh at the question. "Dame-Tsuna. I was here before you."

"Ehh? Really?" Tsuna blinked, cocking his head to the side in a rather adorable manner. "Then again, even with Hyper Intuition, half the time I don't even know if you are around, so…"

"Dame-Tsuna…" Reborn narrowed his eyes.

"I know, I know." Tsuna cut his tutor off, inwardly grinning at the brief look of surprise that flashed in the hitman's eyes. "I should be more aware of my surroundings because anything can happen anytime. But, Reborn, I thought no one was around ―I checked! You're different, since, like I said, half the time I don't even know you're around. And besides, that's kinda your job as the strongest hitman in the Mafia, so technically… Technically ―and that's a very big and huge 'technically', mind you― it's not exactly my fault."

Reborn growled under his breath and unceremoniously whacked Tsuna over the head with a transformed One-Ton Mallet. He smirked as Tsuna whimpered, nursing his wounded head with a gigantic pout on his face.

"Aren't I, technically-speaking, your Boss now?" Tsuna asked.

"Technically." Reborn answered, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"So… Technically-speaking… Doesn't that count as assault against your own Boss?" Tsuna pressed on.

"Technically." Reborn repeated, the smirk growing wider on his face.

Tsuna sighed, "I may be ―officially― Vongola Decimo now, but I'll never get to order you around, will I?"

"Nope." Reborn replied, a tad too gleefully.

Tsuna sighed again, deciding to ignore his tutor for the moment. He turned to the balcony, his arms resting on the balcony railings as he glanced out. Given the sheer number of guests arriving, the ball was held in the largest ballroom of the Vongola estate, which was a separate building on its own. From where Tsuna was, the new Don of Vongola could see the main part of the Vongola mansion. He sighed; the estate was so large, he couldn't get around without a butler accompanying at all times at the beginning ―he would get hopelessly lost after the first minute otherwise. Tsuna would have taken his own time to familiarize himself with his new… 'home'… (he was honestly still trying to wrap his mind around it) if his tutor hadn't demanded (actually, more like, asked politely while pointing a gun at him) that he memorize the entire blueprint of the Vongola estate.

Right now, a cool breeze was blowing through the estate and Tsuna closed his eyes, letting the soothing wind calm him. Music was coming from behind the tall glass doors of the balcony, which wasn't surprising; considering that it was a ball.

What was surprising, was his companion's next… actions.

"Do you know how to dance?"

Tsuna spun around, blinking at the hitman with confused eyes. "Umm… No?" He answered, ending the answer with a question rather than a statement. "You do remember that before I met you, I was still tripping over thin air, right?"

An amused smirk graced the raven's lips, "A little hard to forget."

Tsuna blushed, remembering how he had tripped and, of course, fell onto the hitman at their first meeting. Reborn had gracefully caught him around the waist then, though he had also unceremoniously hit Tsuna with the One-Ton Mallet shortly after the brunette steadied himself. What a way to meet, huh.

Tsuna coughed and pushed his blush down as he continued in a remarkably steady voice, "Why are you asking me that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Reborn chuckled softly as he took a step closer to his student. Tsuna shivered when he felt Reborn's chest just barely touching his. With a gentle, but firm tug on his wrist, Reborn spun Tsuna around effortlessly, holding one of the brunette's hands while his free hand went to the Don's waist.

Tsuna blushed at their new position and stuttered out, "W-What a-are you d-doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Reborn quirked an eyebrow in amusement. "I'm teaching you to dance. A Mafia Boss needs to know all methods of socializing, and dancing," Reborn paused for a moment, listening to the music coming from within the ballroom before he finished, "…is one of them." Obsidian eyes watched as a lovely blush spread across his student's cheek. "Oh, and Dame-Tsuna? Mafia Bosses don't stutter."

At Reborn's cue, Tsuna lifted his free hand (which had been hanging rather uselessly at the side) and placed it on his tutor's shoulder. Reborn hummed softly in approval and started moving, murmuring for Tsuna to follow his lead. The brunette's natural clumsiness had shown itself a few times, but it was fine for the better part of the dance. It was after Tsuna had finally gotten familiar with the dance step did a thought finally occur to him.

"Ne, Reborn?" Tsuna called softly, glancing down as he concentrated on not tripping over his own feet ―or Reborn's. He felt the rumble of his dance partner's chest and knew that Reborn was listening. And so, he continued, "If I'm supposed to be learning how to dance, then why am I doing the woman's part?"

"Because, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn started, and this time, Tsuna knew the old nickname was said more out of affection than tease. "I don't play the woman's part. Ever."

Tsuna tilted his head back (the hitman was simply too tall for Tsuna, who had yet to achieve the growth spurt he liked) and pouted. "I am not a girl."

"Never did say that." Reborn quipped back. "Though your looks certainly say otherwise."

And with that single line, Tsuna's blush came back, twice as intense as he attempted to glare at his tutor. Before he could even open his mouth to give another retort though, a droplet of water splashed onto his face from above.

And another…

And another…

And another…

Reborn paused, mid-step, as he glanced upwards, noticing the darkened rain clouds for the first time. With no violent winds or roaring thunder, it seemed that it was only a light drizzle, and it was unlikely to evolve into a full-blown downpour. Still, it would not do good for both the new Don of Vongola and Vongola's finest hitman to catch a cold from the rain (not to mention his rather expensive suit and precious fedora were both getting drenched), so Reborn retracted the hand that holding Tsuna's waist―

"―No…!" Tsuna cried out.

Reborn's eyes widened, just by a fraction, as he glanced down questioningly at the brunette. A dust of pink covered his cheek this time, an indication that Tsuna himself didn't really know the cause of the outburst. Reborn couldn't help but chuckle; his student really was oblivious at times.

Feeling a little cruel, Reborn teased, "What's wrong, Dame-Tsuna?"

Tsuna gripped the fabric under his hand a little tighter, uncaring that he was wrinkling Reborn's neatly-pressed suit. They had been out in the drizzle long enough that the cold was starting to seep through their clothes and into their skins, and Tsuna's hair was clinging uncomfortably to his face. But still… Tsuna didn't want to let go. He didn't want Reborn to let go either. He was ―as embarrassing as it sounds; he was comfortable in the hitman's embrace. He didn't want that to end yet. Tsuna glanced up at Reborn, who was still quietly waiting for his answer and asked softly, "Can't… we continue?"

"We'll get sick, Dame-Tsuna." Reborn replied.

In response, Tsuna clung tighter to Reborn, shifting himself so that his head was resting on the raven's shoulder blade. Reborn only chuckled, the rumble sending a jolt of… something up Tsuna's spine. The hitman placed his hand on Tsuna's waist and began to move again.

"Follow my lead." Reborn murmured.

And Tsuna did.

It all began there, on the night of Tsuna's inheritance.

Gradually, it became their tradition: when the stress was at an all-time high and a drizzle fell, he would come in and sweep the Vongola Decimo off his feet, gently guiding them for their little twirl in the falling rain.

It was the same then, too.

The same… then.

Tsuna giggled, a small smile on his face as he let the rain fall on him. His expensive tailor-made suit ―white with an orange dress shirt― was getting soaked, his hair was plastered to his face, but none of that mattered.

This was their tradition, and he'll be damned before he let any of those insignificant things spoil it.

"Ne, ne!" Tsuna grinned, his eyes sparkling with playfulness as he asked, "Dance with me in the rain?"

Without waiting for a response, Tsuna moved, his hands immediately going into the familiar positions. Even now, eight years since their tradition began, he was still forced to play the female part, though any complaints Tsuna still hung on to have long since morphed into playful banter. There was no music, but then again, there had never been music since the very first time. Still, a tune always played into their head whenever they danced ―the same melody they danced to back on the balcony eight years ago. Humming that same melody to himself, the dance began.

They've done this dance countless of times over the past eight years. Now, the dance had been completely ingrained in Tsuna, and the brunette was practically dancing out of muscle memory; not a step out of place. All around, the rain drizzled on; the sound of the droplets splashing repeatedly on the cold marble floors forming another melody behind theirs.

Tsuna closed his eyes, letting the dance take control of him.

If he closed his eyes… If he concentrated… Then, maybe… Just maybe―

"―et him be."

"But…"

"Let him be." Gokudera repeated softly.

Beside him, Yamamoto's eyebrow furrowed even more as the two Guardians stood under the shelter just outside the glass doors leading to the back gardens, watching as their Boss danced in the rain.

It was Yamamoto who had seen Tsuna going down the hallways. He had seen that look in Tsuna's eyes too many times and knew immediately where the brunette was heading. He had called Gokudera then, and the two made their way to where they were now. Yamamoto had wanted to get Tsuna out of the rain; the brunette would catch a cold at this rate, and Ryohei certainly would be giving them an extreme lecture for not stopping Tsuna, but strangely enough, Gokudera ―who usually put Tsuna's wellbeing over anything else― objected.

"He'll get ill at this rate." Yamamoto sighed. "The weather's been getting colder lately. Tsuna will get cold."

"…But that's just what Jyuudaime needs now, isn't it?" Gokudera replied softly, keeping his sight on his beloved Boss as he continued, "Jyuudaime needs the cold right now. Because… Because if Jyuudaime doesn't do this… He'll break. I'd rather let Jyuudaime fall ill than to see him break down into pieces… Because… the only one who can put him back together… isn't around anymore…"

Gokudera clenched his fists while Yamamoto glanced up into the sky, noticing that the Sun was hidden behind the dark rain clouds again. He noticed that it had been happening a lot lately; whether it was raining or not, the Sun always seemed to be hiding behind the clouds. The Sky was generally darker as a result, just like their Sky…

"…Fine." Yamamoto murmured. "But we are getting him out of there before he freezes to death. You already know how long he can stay outside, right?"

"Of course. What kind of Right-Hand man do you think I am?" Gokudera chuckled humorlessly.

"For letting his Boss risk sickness? A bad one." Yamamoto cracked a bitter grin.

Gokudera shoved an arm into his fellow Guardian's side as the two glanced back to their Boss.

In the rain, Tsuna danced alone to the soundless melody as rain poured down on him. He was getting cold, the chill seeping into his skin as it does every time their tradition was carried out, but nothing was colder than the chill in his heart, threatening to freeze him from inside altogether. Was he crying? He wasn't sure. Probably not; he was pretty certain he stopped crying a long time ago… It had already been five months, after all.

"Jyuudaime… Reborn-san is―"

Against his chest, the colorless pacifier that hung from an orange ribbon pulsed with a soft yellow glow.

"―… No, he isn't!"

―he might be able to feel his touch once more…

One month, twenty-six days and eighteen hours later, Sawada Tsunayoshi, Vongola Decimo, aged twenty-four, was gunned down in the Millifiore Famiglia Headquarters; pronounced dead in the Vongola Famiglia Headquarters medical ward one day later.

"Dance with me in the rain?"

"You'll get cold."

"No matter the time, no matter the weather, the Sun is always in the Sky. I'll never feel cold; not with the Sun warming me. So… Dance with me in the rain?"

"Follow my lead."

"Always."

Settings: Set in canon, pre-Future Arc. Arcobaleno are still cursed, but not in the infant state. The idea for the Arcobaleno in this is that they are still allowed to age while under the Arcobaleno Curse. If they die and get 'reincarnated' by the Sky Arcobaleno, however, they will have to re-grow to their true ages from their infants state.

A/N: Well, I've always wanted to try writing a rainy fic, and I wrote this when I was feeling a little depressed. I hope it wasn't too confusing for you guys. Feel free to clarify anything!

Many thanks for Lightning515 for beta-ing for me again! How do you spot those mistakes anyway?! Gosh. Whenever I get my fic back, I always go, "Wait. I actually made a mistake here? Why didn't I notice this the half dozen times that I read through this?!" :x

As always, thanks for reading! Ciao Ciao~