Title: Love and Duty

Summary: "'Family before self'... That was what you taught me." "But I'm not a boss. Therefore, I can afford to be selfish."

Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to Akira Amano

Pairing: R27

Warning: Possible OoC-ness; set post-series TYL. Rated for suggestiveness.

Love and Duty

"Hayato."

That single address made the Vongola Storm Guardian pause in his footsteps, turning around to look at his boss with feigned calmness. "Yes, Jyuudaime?" Gokudera asked slowly.

"Contrary to rumours, Hayato," Tsuna started slowly, glancing at Gokudera with a firm gaze. "I do, in fact, read every single piece of document before I sign and approve them." The Vongola Decimo watched as his Storm Guardian and Right-Hand man start to pale ever so slightly, shifting nervously on the spot. "Why did you think that sneaking a 'Mission Transferral' form into my paperwork pile was a good idea, Hayato?"

"Jyuudaime... Please approve of the mission transferral." Gokudera ignored the question boldly. "We can head out today and—"

"—Hayato." Tsuna interrupted, sighing heavily. "If you have already asked me the same question twenty-six times, what makes you think I'll suddenly change my mind on the twenty-seventh time. Especially after you decided to sneak the document into my paperwork pile instead this time." Gokudera was silent, having no retorts. "Hayato... I appreciate your thoughts, but truly, it's alright."

"...But Jyuudaime... he left before Christmas and it's already New Year's Eve..." Gokudera argued.

"I expected this to happen when we decided to date, Hayato—we both knew it. We both have our duties to the Vongola Famiglia." Tsuna explained patiently. "I have to assign missions based on how likely they'd be completed, Hayato. And he is the one best suited for this mission. He has to do his job while I do mine. That is our agreement."

Gokudera hang his head guiltily. "I... I didn't consider... I'm sorry, Jyuudaime."

"It's alright, Hayato." Tsuna smiled kindly. "You just wanted me to enjoy New Year's Eve with him. There's nothing wrong with that." He sat back in his seat. "But I am Vongola Decimo and he is Vongola's strongest hitman. This is something that we have accepted."

The Storm Guardian nodded. "T-Then, I'll leave you to your work now, Jyuudaime..."

"Hayato."

Gokudera turned around, blinking in confusion. Tsuna gave a strained smile as he held up the Mission Transferral form. The silveret blushed in embarrassment, taking over the document before all but fleeing the room. Tsuna chuckled at his Right-Hand man's antics and smiled before returning to his paperwork (not before glaring (note: pouting) at it first, of course).

"Well, even though I said that..."

Tsuna sighed, collapsing onto his bed tiredly.

Since it was the New Year's Eve, the Vongola Famiglia had a small party to themselves that night. The kitchen had prepared a small feast, buffet and the party had started at dinner time. Tsuna had excused by the time about a third of them started getting drunk off their asses. (He didn't mind; it was New Year's Eve, after all, and everyone—himself included—had half a day off after a party night (mostly to recover from their hangovers).)

"...I... miss you..."

The words had left his lips before he even realized it.

Tsuna shook his head violently as he slapped his cheeks with both hands. He had sworn to himself that he'd never let their relationship interrupt their work. No matter how long they had to be apart because of work, he would never let those three words leave his lips.

Yet...

Tsuna couldn't help the loneliness he felt. He could kid himself and say that he didn't know why this was happening—after all, this wasn't the first time his lover had left for more than a few days; in fact, he'd been gone for a month before—but Tsuna knew the reason why.

Gokudera was right on the money, of course.

He had left for the mission two days before Christmas Eve. The mission was expected to take at least two weeks. A small, irrational part of him couldn't help but hope that he finish the mission much earlier than expected. (It was not an impossibility, per se, though still highly improbable.) Unfortunately, the last report he sent in had mentioned that the earliest he could finish the mission was at least three days later, meaning New Year's Eve would be long over.

"I'm... an idiot." Tsuna laughed bitterly, throwing an arm over his forehead as he sighed.

"It took you that long to realize that?"

(In hindsight, Tsuna would realize that his Hyper Intuition hadn't reacted to an intruder in his room, meaning said intruder was someone he felt safe around.)

Tsuna's eyes snapped opened as he shifted into Hyper Dying Will mode, immediately lashing out at the intruder despite the lack of his gloves. In the darkness of the room, Tsuna moved purely on instincts, unable to visually detect where his attacker was. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he attacked the intruder, who blocked and dodged his attacks with ease, but never retaliating. Finally, as if tired of Tsuna's ineffective attacks, the intruder ducked a punch from the Vongola Decimo and, using the momentum, pinned Tsuna to the bed with his arms above his head before pressing their lips together roughly.

Tsuna gasped, only for that to turn into a moan as the intruder took the chance to slip his tongue pass his lips, teasing the Vongola Decimo. The brunet could practically feel the intruder smirking against his lips as a knee forced his legs apart, grinding against his lower body. Tsuna writhed weakly on the bed, almost pouting when the intruder broke away to chuckle softly.

"...That was mean, Reborn..." Tsuna mumbled. "Lemme go already..."

"I don't think so. I'm rather enjoying the view." The hitman smirked at the blush adorning the brunet's face. "You need more training, Dame-Tsuna, if you let someone sneak into your room so easily." He narrowed his eyes.

"Hyper Intuition didn't react." Tsuna murmured, leaning up to brush their lips against each other. "Whoever that snuck into my room is safe."

"It still took you over a minute to realize that." Reborn retorted smoothly, his smirk widening as Tsuna pouted.

"Sh-Shut up... I was... preoccupied." The pout faded away and a frown marred his face this time. "Why are you here, Reborn?" Tsuna asked tersely. "Your last report said that the earliest you could finish your mission is three days later, no?"

"It's New Year's Eve, Tsuna..." Reborn answered tiredly. "Even the target won't do anything stupid other than to spend time with his own family."

"You can't be sure of that..." Tsuna closed his eyes as Reborn dipped his head, pressing kisses all over his exposed neck. "...Reborn... Please don't tell me you abandoned the mission just because it's New Year's Eve..."

"...And if I did?" Reborn questioned, onyx orbs staring into pained caramel. "What if I said I did?"

"...Go back." Tsuna swallowed. "As Vongola Decimo and your boss, I order you to go and finish your mission. Do not come back until the target is assassinated."

Tsuna stared sternly at Reborn, who stared right back, eyes shining with an emotion Tsuna can't read. The hitman sighed, "You're so not adorable."

"E-Excuse me...?!"

"It might have been nice if you could confess to how much you miss me, maybe even beg me to stay the night..." Reborn said conversationally, smirking at the increasingly reddening face of his younger lover. "Your dishonesty is so not adorable."

"W-What are you..." Tsuna gasped. "W-Who the hell w-would say that i-in the first place...?!" His eyebrows twitching in annoyance and Tsuna cursed the fact that he was still being pinned under Reborn. (The impossibly red face reddened even more at the thought.) "I-It's enough already. Go back to your mission..."

"Hmm." Reborn hummed thoughtfully. "If you tell me you miss me, I'll leave."

"...You sadist." Tsuna huffed, groaning as Reborn deliberately shifted the knee between his legs again, drawing a strangled gasp from him. "F-Fine...!" He blushed violently. "I... I missed you, alright... Even though I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas and even New Year's Eve with the family, but I... I still... I wanted to spend it with you—mmph...!" Tsuna was cut off as Reborn crashed their lips together. "R-Reborn...?"

"It's decided. I'm not leaving." Reborn said, pulling off his tie with his free hand.

"E-Ehh...?!" Tsuna's eyes widened. "W-Wait... R-Reborn...?!" He squirmed beneath the hitman as Reborn tied his wrists together with the tie. "R-Reborrnnn...?!"

"Like I'm going back after your little speech, baka." Reborn growled against his lips, smirking predatorily.

"B-But, your mission...?" Tsuna blinked.

Reborn sighed exasperatedly. "Dame-Tsuna," The brunet winced. "Do you really think I would have come here without making sure that the target is being watched?"

"Well, no..." Tsuna mumbled. "But Reborn... this is your mission... You can't abandon it like that..."

"I'm not abandoning it, idiot. I'm taking a break." Reborn murmured.

"Same difference." Tsuna retorted. "'Family before self'... That's what you taught me, Reborn." He spoke softly. "I can't not send you on that mission because you'd miss three occasions with me because you are the best hitman I have and I needed the best on that job. We had an agreement, Reborn..."

"I know." Reborn replied. "But I'm not a boss. Therefore, I can afford to be selfish."

"How... selfish." Tsuna smiled wryly.

Reborn chuckled and smirked, leaning down to whisper into Tsuna's ear. "Get ready. I'm making up for Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year's Eve in one shot."

A/N: This turned out to be a few days late, but nevertheless, Happy New Year~ Thanks for reading my stories and supporting me. I wish you all an awesome year to come~ Ciao Ciao~