KHR Oneshot, 10027
Title: Struzzo
Author: Pain au Chocolat
Language: English
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters used in this fiction. Everything belongs to Akira Amano.
Rating & Warnings: T Cursing, daydreaming, OOCness, AU, in the distant future (TYL). Tsuna’s alive and time-hopping never happened.
Summary: Someone’s sending Tsuna a series of letters, and the Vongola Decimo is Decidedly Confused.
Pairing: Byakuran x Tsuna
NOTE:
Byakuran means ‘white orchid’
Struzzo means ‘bunch of flowers’
_____________________________________________________________________
STRUZZO
_____________________________________________________________________
14th of September
Buongiorno, amore mio,
I write this hesitantly, not quite sure of whether what I’m writing is really what I want to say. But then again, I’m not the type of person to say anything directly. This camelia I personally picked from my own garden stands for admiration and perfection - the former being some of what I feel for you, and the latter being what you are in my eyes.
Sawada Tsunayoshi, Vongola Decimo aged 24, was right now a very confused young man. He lifted the white camellia, admiring its beauty, yet not understanding who could have sent it. He didn’t think that any of his subordinates would… after all, wasn’t this a confession?
’Not necessarily,’ the brunet thought, tugging at one of his long, silky locks. ’All it mentions here is admiration. It could be someone we helped, right?’ Regardless, the fact was, that he didn’t have a clue of what to do with the letter or the flower. The sound of approaching footsteps from the hallway startled Tsuna out of his stupor, and quickly he put the flower and the letter into one of his drawers.
“BOSS! I have completed the mission TO THE EXTREME!” Right. Ryohei. Only he would come to report this early. Even Gokudera doesn’t. He waits till nine, to ensure that Tsuna was awake - the silver-haired man hated the idea of waking up his precious boss from the much needed rest. Hm… the writer of the message… it couldn’t have been Ryohei, could it?
‘…’
Nah, impossible. The Sun Guardian would shout out his feelings if he ever wanted to make them known. There was no way he’d send any notes about admiration. Then again, what about Kyoko? Weren’t letters more of a… er… girl-thing? Because now when he thought about it, it didn’t sound that platonic, what with the ‘perfection’ part. But why would Kyoko send him a letter? This was so confusing!
With a sigh, Tsuna handed another, not-so-urgent mission to the enthusiastic Ryohei, and decided to promptly forget all about the letter and the flower. After all, it could have been a prank done by Lambo or a test done to amuse Reborn. With another, heavy sigh Tsuna gathered his hair into a loose bun, rolled his sleeves to the elbows and pulled the first stack of papers in front of him.
“…regarding the disappearance of one don Giovanni…”
18th of September
Al mio amore,
I saw you yesterday, and you looked tired. Seeing you like that has made me concerned, since I wish for you to be all what this camomilla represents: renewed energy. I personally enjoy the tea, since it’s calming and very pleasant, and therefore I have taken the privilege of sending you some. hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. Tante cose.
Tsuna lifted the chamomile flower, looked at it, then opened suspiciously the tea box. Whoever sent this was sure considerate, but they’d be crazy if they really thought that he was going to drink tea sent by someone he didn’t know. Reborn had taught him that suspicious things were always poisoned, and Tsuna knew that that way of thinking was necessary, if he wanted to survive.
The Vongola boss sat down on his chair, staring at the flower in his hand, before he hesitantly grabbed the short letter - well, it was more like a card, actually - for closer inspection. He didn’t recognize the handwriting, but that didn’t mean anything - with little effort things like that could easily be changed or faked.
‘I saw you yesterday’. He had met lots of people yesterday, and not only from his own famiglia. They had had a meeting with the Millefiore Family, and not only had Byakuran-san and Uni-san been there, but also dozens of their comrades who - according to them, at least - just couldn’t possibly have stayed behind. It didn’t bother Tsuna that much - he had his own comrades with him - but Irie-san’s poisonous glaring had been rather disheartening. Just why did the guy hate him that much, anyway?
And had he really looked tired, yesterday? He hadn’t even noticed.
Who had looked worried, anyway? Well, Gokudera, naturally, but who others? Dino had mentioned that Tsuna might be in need for a vacation, and had went so far as to invite the Vongola Boss to the Chiavorone’s estates, but there was no way that the man could have sneaked in to deliver these without leaving a trace. Actually, who could!? It was a worrying thought in itself - what sort of guards let someone sneak in and out of their boss’s office? Tsuna turned to look at the window outside. It was impossible to sneak in from there either.
In other words, the secret sender of the cards and the flowers was either someone very trusted in the Vongola, or had an accomplice like that. So who could it be? Chrome doing errands for Mukuro? No, not possible. It was no secret what the man wanted to do with Tsuna - actually he had taken several chances and declared it out loud, thus gaining the wrath of many others. No, Mukuro wanted Tsuna’s body - and not exactly in the same way as years before - and he wasn’t subtle about it.
Who else? Well, he could eliminate Yamamoto and Hibari from the list - Yamamoto had left for a mission two days ago, and was yet to come back, while Hibari hated any and all kind of flowers.
’This is making my head spin,’ Tsuna thought, while putting the card and the flower into the same drawer wherein the previous pair had been put. There was no use of thinking about it if he didn’t have any clues yet. Better focus now on organizing what missions needed to be done by the end of the week…
But he did ask for Gokudera to fetch him some chamomile tea.
22nd of September
Ciao, mio cuore
The news of how you defeated the Settimo of the Arcangelo Famiglia reached me, and I have never felt so proud of another person’s achievements before. Congratulations, we all know it wasn’t an easy victory. For that, I present you this bocca di leone, a flower that stands for grace and strength - both attributes you have. I thought about sending you a flower of victory - nasturzio - but victory was shared, while your strength is yours alone. Gradisco voi di più e più, Tsunayoshi.
Right.
No, it certainly hadn’t been an easy victory, and Tsuna had a broken arm to testify for that. The last sentence… Tsuna’s Italian was still not perfect, but he was certain that it meant ‘I like you more and more’, and he had a feeling that it wasn’t said in the let’s-be-friends meaning. But now the Tenth was certain that the secret sender of the flowers and letters wasn’t Haru or Kyoko after all - he didn’t know how he could have overlooked it, but neither of the two women knew Italian at all.
Well, Haru could say ‘tua madre si da per niente’ courtesy of her hanging too much around Squalo for reasons Tsuna really didn’t want to know. Nor did he particularly want to know what for Haru even needed to know what ‘your mother gives it away’ was in Italian. Or why Squalo would tell her.
Anyway.
Since the sender had used a masculine term when saying ‘I’, it was safe to assume that he’s a 100% male. Which, in turn, would safely count about 4% of the Vongola out. Then again, whether or not the sender even was a Vongola… Tsuna didn’t know. If it wasn’t, he might as well give up trying to figure it out. There was no way he could guess it.
But maybe if he tracked down whoever had been given the job of delivering these letters and flowers? Someone who could come and go without a question… Well, that limited the people quite a lot. It had to be someone from the Guardians, the Varia, or the Arcobaleno. There was no way his Guardians would do it, and the Varia definitely wouldn’t do anything like delivering love notes… and that left the Arcobaleno. A group of which only Reborn would do something like that, with yet again another one of his out-of-space excuse.
So, who did Reborn deliver these notes for? And why? Was it to test Tsuna or did he just want for someone to owe him a favour? Because there was no way that the Spartan tutor would be forced to do anything he didn’t want to. With a groan Tsuna closed his eyes, and leaned against the back of the chair. With Reborn's approval this mysterious suitor seemed suddenly to be very much real.
’How am I supposed to focus on my work like this?’
26th of September
Come sta, amore mio?
The regretful news of the death of your father reached me quickly, and the sorrow I feel is not only for losing such a brilliant man, but also for my incapability of standing by your side during these hard times. Sawada Iemitsu and I weren’t close at all, but his reputation is said to have been rightfully earned.
I give you this criantemo, a flower of wealth and cheerfulness, of optimism and truth. It also represents hope, rest and a wonderful friendship. From what I have learned, the Japanese put a single chrysanthemum petal on the bottom of a wine glass to sustain a long and healthy life. In Italy, they’re associated with death. Sia forte. Ti amo con tutta l'anima.
Tsuna, in the darkness of his locked office, held the lone chrysanthemum as if it was the last link to his father. The father who had sacrificed his life to save his son, in an ambush done by the Damiano Famiglia. A fool’s laughable act… it wasn’t more than a flower from a stranger, so why did it suddenly mean so much to him?
Sia forte.
Stay strong.
If only he could. He had no other option, actually. His mother was in a pitiful state, and the whole famiglia was his responsibility. Personal losses, grieving for a lost parent… No one had time for that sort of trivialities in the world of the mafia. But still… still…
Ti amo con tutta l'anima.
I love you with all my heart.
How come words from a stranger comforted him more than Gokudera’s cries from the other side of the door? More than Reborn’s uncharacteristic ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ or Xanxus’s unexpected, awkward ‘the pain will dull with time’? Was it because - Tsuna’s thoughts took a turn to a darker, more bitter path traced my self-loath - unlike the secret admirer, they didn’t declare their love or something? Ha. Tsuna hadn’t known that he was so shallow.
With a heavy sigh, the long-haired man inhaled the scent of the flower in his hand, tears falling from his eyes. His father, that good for nothing, family-ditching, laid back, drunk, sorry excuse of a parent, was dead. The father who had built him a sandcastle and a snowman and taught him how to ride a bicycle and who had kept Tsuna’s first fallen tooth as if it was the most precious thing in this world… He was dead.
Sia forte.
Tsuna took a deep breath, his fighting will restored, and turned to look through the window. The sun was setting, and it seemed that nobody was out there in the hallway anymore. With few, deep breaths, Tsuna had restored his heartbeat back to the normal speed, and he stood up. He’ll be strong. He needed to be strong. The future was uncertain and the enemies of the Vongola would feel no sympathy for his loss. The man stood up, decision made. There was a lot to do, and crying won’t get anything done.
This time, however, he didn’t shove the flower into the drawer.
He put it in a vase instead.
30th of September
Salute e congratulazioni!
Eliminating the Damiano was a good move, and I must say that I’m impressed by the fact that the Vongola suffered no heavy losses - or that’s what I heard. The act has been recorded as the Damiano Massacre, and praised by many. However, amore mio, I know that regardless of what you did, it was not for revenge nor are you proud of it, and you feel responsible for the few lives you lost. Yet again I cannot offer you more comfort than words and a flower.
This zinnia represents thinking of absent friends, as I suppose that’s what you’ll be doing. None of them died in vain, please believe that. In addition, the zinnia stands for my lasting affection for you, your own goodness, and the daily remembrance. To me, the daily remembrance I have is all about you, but I think that in these few days, you’ll think of your lost, precious people. And I respect that.
Tsuna glanced at the colourful zinnia with a sad smile. Whoever the sender of these flowers was, he sure knew Tsuna, and it felt good to know that someone knew that he hadn’t enjoyed the massacre at all. Alas, it had been necessary. The Damiano were gone for good, not even children were spared, and Xanxus had insisted on re-checking and burning everything, while Belphegor had taken extreme pleasure in stabbing anything that he deemed suspicious - and that varied from twitching corpses all the way to the screaming Lussuria, who hadn’t managed to dodge a knife aimed at his arm.
Dangerous games, those Varia guys liked, it seems.
Regardless, Tsuna could now breathe with ease for a little while. During the past few years many families had tried to challenge the Vongola, but the Arcangelo and the Damiano had been the only noteworthy threat, ever since the Millefiore agreed to enter the alliance pact.
However, a freedom to breathe didn’t mean the same as the freedom to relax - that was a luxury Tsuna couldn’t afford anymore. In a week there’d be a meeting with the Estachio Famiglia about that drug-dealing mix-up, and the Lodovico Famiglia about how much they couldn’t trust the Millefiore - that sort of meeting had happened with the same group time and time again. Xanxus had suggested getting rid of them for good. - and Tsuna would try in vain to make them see that the Millefiore really was a worthy ally.
Because he didn’t want to see what that famiglia could do as an enemy to the Vongola.
6th of October
Stavo sognando di voi
I apologize if my admission had made you uncomfortable, but it’s true. I was dreaming about you - and in a different sense than normally. Yes, I do dream of you almost every night, and I enjoy those dreams immensely. However last night’s dream made me sad.
Sometimes I wonder what you think of me.
To me, as the secret identity who sends you these letters, declaring his love for you so openly. And to me, the person I really am, the person you have met and associated with.
The pansé I have chosen symbolized how you occupy my mind night and day. Ti amo.
Tsuna’s eyes were wide as he read the last words of the message. ‘I love you’. He shook his head in denial, and sat heavily on his chair, not for once paying attention the red pansy that had been attached to the card. For some reason he didn’t doubt the love this… man… had for him. The way every single card had been written, the effort put into choosing the flowers… It was obviously not a Vongola, that much he had known for a while know, but who could it be?
It couldn’t be a ‘nobody’, because then Reborn wouldn’t have approved, much less helped him. And right now the only men who really had any influence in the underworld, were him, his Guardians, the Varia, The Arcobaleno… and the fearsome forces of Millefiore, with Byakuran-san in the lead.
So could it be one of them?
Well, it sure as hell wasn’t Irie Shoichi. That much hate could never turn into love, no matter what Haru’s shojo mangas claimed. And it couldn't be that creepy Spanner-dude who always came so close and was so touchy whenever he had something to say to Tsuna personally. But the young boss owed the man - thanks to him, the X burner had been perfected a few years ago. That didn’t explain the disrespect for his personal bubble, though.
Also, no offence meant but if the mysterious admirer turned out to be Glo Xinia, then Tsuna would definitely move back to Japan, and stay there. Or he could order a team consisting of Xanxus (he was a good leader for smaller groups), Mukuro (he always brought the worst out in people), Hibari (surprisingly, he wrote the best reports) and Gokudera (to ensure that the team wouldn’t stray from the mission. The bomber was a pro at guilt-tripping the others with the whole ‘Tsuna would be disappointed’-approach) to have a talk with the man.
Not to mention, Gamma really, really, really wasn’t his type.
Neither was that swordsman with odd eyebrows and even odder feet.
…
Shit, this was bad.
13th of October
The beauty of thousand flowers,
the power of a winged mare,
mean nothing for the white orchid,
if it could capture your heart.
Voglio vederti stasera, Tsunayoshi
Tsuna shrieked, dropped the card, and fell back, missing the chair and landing on the floor instead. No, he wasn’t shocked by the fact that the card didn’t have a flower with it, or that he had just realized that it was Squalo Haru had been making out with, or that dude, this was a poem…
No, it was just…
…he had finally figured who the sender was. That poem. It was a straight admission that even Lambo would be able to understand.
“Beauty of thousand flowers…” Millefiore meant thousand flowers.
“The power of a winged mare.” Byakuran - Tsuna was sure of that - had the ‘mare ring’ with the outstretched wings. And his name meant ‘white orchid’. But why, how? The man was handsome, no one could deny that, and Tsuna could name at least seven women - and Irie - who were totally smitten with him. Why would he choose Tsuna over the rest? Was it for the status?
No, Tsuna trusted Reborn’s judgment.
But that didn’t make him understand.
Byakuran was IN LOVE WITH HIM. Yeah right. There had to be some sort of mistake in this. The brunet glanced at the card, and picked it up again. Voglio vederti stasera, meant ‘I want to see you tonight’. Did that mean that Byakuran would be coming to his office? Should Tsuna wait? Or would he be going to Tsuna’s room?
’No,’ Tsuna realized. Byakuran had intended - counted on it, actually - for the young boss to figure out his identity. And he had given the brunet a choice. To stay in the office and wait would mean acceptance, and leaving would be rejection.
With that figured out, Tsuna didn’t know what to do.
What did he feel for the man anyway? Other than the curiosity and almost non-existing attraction caused by the combination of the man’s personal charm and the lovely letters - now since he could match them together, Tsuna wasn’t sure. He didn’t love the man - that was certain. But was he ready to give this… whatever was going to happen… a chance?
“It could be either the best or worst thing you have ever done, dame-Tsuna,” a familiar voice mocked from the windowsill, startling the brunet.
“Reborn! How long have you been here?” Tsuna exclaimed.
“Long enough,” the tutor replied. “Byakuran is serious.”
“Eh!?”
“Think about it, dame-Tsuna. With blood-fusion adoption now as an available option, getting heirs isn’t an issue anymore. You being a homo to strengthen the ties between the Vongola and the Millefiore will be one of your best achievements. The families would be as well as merged - with you in the lead.”
“R-reborn…” Tsuna looked at his tutor, thinking whether or not he was feeling alright - because a humane Reborn wasn’t a normal Reborn - but rethought his conclusion when the tutor left after kicking him twice. Damn sadistic bastard.
But, Tsuna opted to wait.
And wait.
And do some paperwork.
And doodle on the said paperwork.
People came and left, reports were given, missions were handed out, meetings were arranged, Tsuna contemplated of taking the Xanxus-approach regarding difficult dealings and getting drunk - but he didn’t - so by the time it was half past midnight, the brunet was a fretting mess of nerves.
’What if Reborn was just messing with me?’ he thought, wishing desperately for some tea to keep him awake. His eyes were hard to keep open, and the chair was so comfortable. He was already half-asleep by the time the door opened, and a white-haired male entered the room. Byakuran stopped, observing the sight with an uncharacteristically soft smile. His face was usually set on a mocking expression, and the smile felt odd, but he couldn’t help it.
Tsuna was there.
That meant that he hadn’t been rejected. His feelings weren’t unwanted. Now, he needed only to convince the younger man to give it actually a chance, instead of trying to deal with it in silence. Because if Tsuna became his, there was no way he’d keep it a secret. What with the Mist Guardian’s male counterpart shamelessly chasing after his boss in a true show of insubordination.
“Tsunayoshi,” he said, and even thought his voice was low, it cut the air. The man one the chair, blinked drowsily, before finally seeing him, and then blushing several delightful shades of red.
“B-byakura-san,” he said softly, kind, brown eyes shining. The white-haired man let go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and with few long strides he was standing next to the chair, from wherein the younger of the two looked up, with wide eyes. Was that fear or anticipation? Or both?
“You know my feelings for you,” he said quietly. “I don’t think I have words - or flowers - good enough to express them anymore.”
“I’m… not sure about this…,” the other said hesitantly, and Byakuran kneeled down, looking at the pair of brown eyes.
“Why? What’s holding you back? Your familiga? Reborn supports us, so why wouldn’t they?”
“But…”
“Live in the present, Tsunayoshi. You too have the right of being happy.”
“But…” Well, now, why was his love resisting? Byakuran didn’t like it, so he opted to shut up the Vongola Decimo with a kiss. And just in case the man tried to talk again, Byakuran kissed him again. And again.
“Wait… this is too fast,” the brunet finally whimpered, and the white-haired man smirked.
“So you have nothing to say against it anymore?”
And with a resigned sigh, Tsuna had to admit that no, he had nothing against this anymore.
Then again, did he have anything against it in the first place?
Enemies could become the best companions.
Companionship, after all, is based on a common interest,
and the greater the interest, the closer the companionship.
What makes enemies of people, if not the eagerness,
the passion,
for the same thing?
- B.Berenson
*sheepis smile*
er... sorry? The spamming monster is here? ^_^;;
Author: Pain au Chocolat
Language: English
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters used in this fiction. Everything belongs to Akira Amano.
Rating & Warnings: T Cursing, daydreaming, OOCness, AU, in the distant future (TYL). Tsuna’s alive and time-hopping never happened.
Summary: Someone’s sending Tsuna a series of letters, and the Vongola Decimo is Decidedly Confused.
Pairing: Byakuran x Tsuna
NOTE:
Byakuran means ‘white orchid’
Struzzo means ‘bunch of flowers’
_____________________________________________________________________
STRUZZO
_____________________________________________________________________
14th of September
Buongiorno, amore mio,
I write this hesitantly, not quite sure of whether what I’m writing is really what I want to say. But then again, I’m not the type of person to say anything directly. This camelia I personally picked from my own garden stands for admiration and perfection - the former being some of what I feel for you, and the latter being what you are in my eyes.
Sawada Tsunayoshi, Vongola Decimo aged 24, was right now a very confused young man. He lifted the white camellia, admiring its beauty, yet not understanding who could have sent it. He didn’t think that any of his subordinates would… after all, wasn’t this a confession?
’Not necessarily,’ the brunet thought, tugging at one of his long, silky locks. ’All it mentions here is admiration. It could be someone we helped, right?’ Regardless, the fact was, that he didn’t have a clue of what to do with the letter or the flower. The sound of approaching footsteps from the hallway startled Tsuna out of his stupor, and quickly he put the flower and the letter into one of his drawers.
“BOSS! I have completed the mission TO THE EXTREME!” Right. Ryohei. Only he would come to report this early. Even Gokudera doesn’t. He waits till nine, to ensure that Tsuna was awake - the silver-haired man hated the idea of waking up his precious boss from the much needed rest. Hm… the writer of the message… it couldn’t have been Ryohei, could it?
‘…’
Nah, impossible. The Sun Guardian would shout out his feelings if he ever wanted to make them known. There was no way he’d send any notes about admiration. Then again, what about Kyoko? Weren’t letters more of a… er… girl-thing? Because now when he thought about it, it didn’t sound that platonic, what with the ‘perfection’ part. But why would Kyoko send him a letter? This was so confusing!
With a sigh, Tsuna handed another, not-so-urgent mission to the enthusiastic Ryohei, and decided to promptly forget all about the letter and the flower. After all, it could have been a prank done by Lambo or a test done to amuse Reborn. With another, heavy sigh Tsuna gathered his hair into a loose bun, rolled his sleeves to the elbows and pulled the first stack of papers in front of him.
“…regarding the disappearance of one don Giovanni…”
18th of September
Al mio amore,
I saw you yesterday, and you looked tired. Seeing you like that has made me concerned, since I wish for you to be all what this camomilla represents: renewed energy. I personally enjoy the tea, since it’s calming and very pleasant, and therefore I have taken the privilege of sending you some. hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. Tante cose.
Tsuna lifted the chamomile flower, looked at it, then opened suspiciously the tea box. Whoever sent this was sure considerate, but they’d be crazy if they really thought that he was going to drink tea sent by someone he didn’t know. Reborn had taught him that suspicious things were always poisoned, and Tsuna knew that that way of thinking was necessary, if he wanted to survive.
The Vongola boss sat down on his chair, staring at the flower in his hand, before he hesitantly grabbed the short letter - well, it was more like a card, actually - for closer inspection. He didn’t recognize the handwriting, but that didn’t mean anything - with little effort things like that could easily be changed or faked.
‘I saw you yesterday’. He had met lots of people yesterday, and not only from his own famiglia. They had had a meeting with the Millefiore Family, and not only had Byakuran-san and Uni-san been there, but also dozens of their comrades who - according to them, at least - just couldn’t possibly have stayed behind. It didn’t bother Tsuna that much - he had his own comrades with him - but Irie-san’s poisonous glaring had been rather disheartening. Just why did the guy hate him that much, anyway?
And had he really looked tired, yesterday? He hadn’t even noticed.
Who had looked worried, anyway? Well, Gokudera, naturally, but who others? Dino had mentioned that Tsuna might be in need for a vacation, and had went so far as to invite the Vongola Boss to the Chiavorone’s estates, but there was no way that the man could have sneaked in to deliver these without leaving a trace. Actually, who could!? It was a worrying thought in itself - what sort of guards let someone sneak in and out of their boss’s office? Tsuna turned to look at the window outside. It was impossible to sneak in from there either.
In other words, the secret sender of the cards and the flowers was either someone very trusted in the Vongola, or had an accomplice like that. So who could it be? Chrome doing errands for Mukuro? No, not possible. It was no secret what the man wanted to do with Tsuna - actually he had taken several chances and declared it out loud, thus gaining the wrath of many others. No, Mukuro wanted Tsuna’s body - and not exactly in the same way as years before - and he wasn’t subtle about it.
Who else? Well, he could eliminate Yamamoto and Hibari from the list - Yamamoto had left for a mission two days ago, and was yet to come back, while Hibari hated any and all kind of flowers.
’This is making my head spin,’ Tsuna thought, while putting the card and the flower into the same drawer wherein the previous pair had been put. There was no use of thinking about it if he didn’t have any clues yet. Better focus now on organizing what missions needed to be done by the end of the week…
But he did ask for Gokudera to fetch him some chamomile tea.
22nd of September
Ciao, mio cuore
The news of how you defeated the Settimo of the Arcangelo Famiglia reached me, and I have never felt so proud of another person’s achievements before. Congratulations, we all know it wasn’t an easy victory. For that, I present you this bocca di leone, a flower that stands for grace and strength - both attributes you have. I thought about sending you a flower of victory - nasturzio - but victory was shared, while your strength is yours alone. Gradisco voi di più e più, Tsunayoshi.
Right.
No, it certainly hadn’t been an easy victory, and Tsuna had a broken arm to testify for that. The last sentence… Tsuna’s Italian was still not perfect, but he was certain that it meant ‘I like you more and more’, and he had a feeling that it wasn’t said in the let’s-be-friends meaning. But now the Tenth was certain that the secret sender of the flowers and letters wasn’t Haru or Kyoko after all - he didn’t know how he could have overlooked it, but neither of the two women knew Italian at all.
Well, Haru could say ‘tua madre si da per niente’ courtesy of her hanging too much around Squalo for reasons Tsuna really didn’t want to know. Nor did he particularly want to know what for Haru even needed to know what ‘your mother gives it away’ was in Italian. Or why Squalo would tell her.
Anyway.
Since the sender had used a masculine term when saying ‘I’, it was safe to assume that he’s a 100% male. Which, in turn, would safely count about 4% of the Vongola out. Then again, whether or not the sender even was a Vongola… Tsuna didn’t know. If it wasn’t, he might as well give up trying to figure it out. There was no way he could guess it.
But maybe if he tracked down whoever had been given the job of delivering these letters and flowers? Someone who could come and go without a question… Well, that limited the people quite a lot. It had to be someone from the Guardians, the Varia, or the Arcobaleno. There was no way his Guardians would do it, and the Varia definitely wouldn’t do anything like delivering love notes… and that left the Arcobaleno. A group of which only Reborn would do something like that, with yet again another one of his out-of-space excuse.
So, who did Reborn deliver these notes for? And why? Was it to test Tsuna or did he just want for someone to owe him a favour? Because there was no way that the Spartan tutor would be forced to do anything he didn’t want to. With a groan Tsuna closed his eyes, and leaned against the back of the chair. With Reborn's approval this mysterious suitor seemed suddenly to be very much real.
’How am I supposed to focus on my work like this?’
26th of September
Come sta, amore mio?
The regretful news of the death of your father reached me quickly, and the sorrow I feel is not only for losing such a brilliant man, but also for my incapability of standing by your side during these hard times. Sawada Iemitsu and I weren’t close at all, but his reputation is said to have been rightfully earned.
I give you this criantemo, a flower of wealth and cheerfulness, of optimism and truth. It also represents hope, rest and a wonderful friendship. From what I have learned, the Japanese put a single chrysanthemum petal on the bottom of a wine glass to sustain a long and healthy life. In Italy, they’re associated with death. Sia forte. Ti amo con tutta l'anima.
Tsuna, in the darkness of his locked office, held the lone chrysanthemum as if it was the last link to his father. The father who had sacrificed his life to save his son, in an ambush done by the Damiano Famiglia. A fool’s laughable act… it wasn’t more than a flower from a stranger, so why did it suddenly mean so much to him?
Sia forte.
Stay strong.
If only he could. He had no other option, actually. His mother was in a pitiful state, and the whole famiglia was his responsibility. Personal losses, grieving for a lost parent… No one had time for that sort of trivialities in the world of the mafia. But still… still…
Ti amo con tutta l'anima.
I love you with all my heart.
How come words from a stranger comforted him more than Gokudera’s cries from the other side of the door? More than Reborn’s uncharacteristic ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ or Xanxus’s unexpected, awkward ‘the pain will dull with time’? Was it because - Tsuna’s thoughts took a turn to a darker, more bitter path traced my self-loath - unlike the secret admirer, they didn’t declare their love or something? Ha. Tsuna hadn’t known that he was so shallow.
With a heavy sigh, the long-haired man inhaled the scent of the flower in his hand, tears falling from his eyes. His father, that good for nothing, family-ditching, laid back, drunk, sorry excuse of a parent, was dead. The father who had built him a sandcastle and a snowman and taught him how to ride a bicycle and who had kept Tsuna’s first fallen tooth as if it was the most precious thing in this world… He was dead.
Sia forte.
Tsuna took a deep breath, his fighting will restored, and turned to look through the window. The sun was setting, and it seemed that nobody was out there in the hallway anymore. With few, deep breaths, Tsuna had restored his heartbeat back to the normal speed, and he stood up. He’ll be strong. He needed to be strong. The future was uncertain and the enemies of the Vongola would feel no sympathy for his loss. The man stood up, decision made. There was a lot to do, and crying won’t get anything done.
This time, however, he didn’t shove the flower into the drawer.
He put it in a vase instead.
30th of September
Salute e congratulazioni!
Eliminating the Damiano was a good move, and I must say that I’m impressed by the fact that the Vongola suffered no heavy losses - or that’s what I heard. The act has been recorded as the Damiano Massacre, and praised by many. However, amore mio, I know that regardless of what you did, it was not for revenge nor are you proud of it, and you feel responsible for the few lives you lost. Yet again I cannot offer you more comfort than words and a flower.
This zinnia represents thinking of absent friends, as I suppose that’s what you’ll be doing. None of them died in vain, please believe that. In addition, the zinnia stands for my lasting affection for you, your own goodness, and the daily remembrance. To me, the daily remembrance I have is all about you, but I think that in these few days, you’ll think of your lost, precious people. And I respect that.
Tsuna glanced at the colourful zinnia with a sad smile. Whoever the sender of these flowers was, he sure knew Tsuna, and it felt good to know that someone knew that he hadn’t enjoyed the massacre at all. Alas, it had been necessary. The Damiano were gone for good, not even children were spared, and Xanxus had insisted on re-checking and burning everything, while Belphegor had taken extreme pleasure in stabbing anything that he deemed suspicious - and that varied from twitching corpses all the way to the screaming Lussuria, who hadn’t managed to dodge a knife aimed at his arm.
Dangerous games, those Varia guys liked, it seems.
Regardless, Tsuna could now breathe with ease for a little while. During the past few years many families had tried to challenge the Vongola, but the Arcangelo and the Damiano had been the only noteworthy threat, ever since the Millefiore agreed to enter the alliance pact.
However, a freedom to breathe didn’t mean the same as the freedom to relax - that was a luxury Tsuna couldn’t afford anymore. In a week there’d be a meeting with the Estachio Famiglia about that drug-dealing mix-up, and the Lodovico Famiglia about how much they couldn’t trust the Millefiore - that sort of meeting had happened with the same group time and time again. Xanxus had suggested getting rid of them for good. - and Tsuna would try in vain to make them see that the Millefiore really was a worthy ally.
Because he didn’t want to see what that famiglia could do as an enemy to the Vongola.
6th of October
Stavo sognando di voi
I apologize if my admission had made you uncomfortable, but it’s true. I was dreaming about you - and in a different sense than normally. Yes, I do dream of you almost every night, and I enjoy those dreams immensely. However last night’s dream made me sad.
Sometimes I wonder what you think of me.
To me, as the secret identity who sends you these letters, declaring his love for you so openly. And to me, the person I really am, the person you have met and associated with.
The pansé I have chosen symbolized how you occupy my mind night and day. Ti amo.
Tsuna’s eyes were wide as he read the last words of the message. ‘I love you’. He shook his head in denial, and sat heavily on his chair, not for once paying attention the red pansy that had been attached to the card. For some reason he didn’t doubt the love this… man… had for him. The way every single card had been written, the effort put into choosing the flowers… It was obviously not a Vongola, that much he had known for a while know, but who could it be?
It couldn’t be a ‘nobody’, because then Reborn wouldn’t have approved, much less helped him. And right now the only men who really had any influence in the underworld, were him, his Guardians, the Varia, The Arcobaleno… and the fearsome forces of Millefiore, with Byakuran-san in the lead.
So could it be one of them?
Well, it sure as hell wasn’t Irie Shoichi. That much hate could never turn into love, no matter what Haru’s shojo mangas claimed. And it couldn't be that creepy Spanner-dude who always came so close and was so touchy whenever he had something to say to Tsuna personally. But the young boss owed the man - thanks to him, the X burner had been perfected a few years ago. That didn’t explain the disrespect for his personal bubble, though.
Also, no offence meant but if the mysterious admirer turned out to be Glo Xinia, then Tsuna would definitely move back to Japan, and stay there. Or he could order a team consisting of Xanxus (he was a good leader for smaller groups), Mukuro (he always brought the worst out in people), Hibari (surprisingly, he wrote the best reports) and Gokudera (to ensure that the team wouldn’t stray from the mission. The bomber was a pro at guilt-tripping the others with the whole ‘Tsuna would be disappointed’-approach) to have a talk with the man.
Not to mention, Gamma really, really, really wasn’t his type.
Neither was that swordsman with odd eyebrows and even odder feet.
…
Shit, this was bad.
13th of October
The beauty of thousand flowers,
the power of a winged mare,
mean nothing for the white orchid,
if it could capture your heart.
Voglio vederti stasera, Tsunayoshi
Tsuna shrieked, dropped the card, and fell back, missing the chair and landing on the floor instead. No, he wasn’t shocked by the fact that the card didn’t have a flower with it, or that he had just realized that it was Squalo Haru had been making out with, or that dude, this was a poem…
No, it was just…
…he had finally figured who the sender was. That poem. It was a straight admission that even Lambo would be able to understand.
“Beauty of thousand flowers…” Millefiore meant thousand flowers.
“The power of a winged mare.” Byakuran - Tsuna was sure of that - had the ‘mare ring’ with the outstretched wings. And his name meant ‘white orchid’. But why, how? The man was handsome, no one could deny that, and Tsuna could name at least seven women - and Irie - who were totally smitten with him. Why would he choose Tsuna over the rest? Was it for the status?
No, Tsuna trusted Reborn’s judgment.
But that didn’t make him understand.
Byakuran was IN LOVE WITH HIM. Yeah right. There had to be some sort of mistake in this. The brunet glanced at the card, and picked it up again. Voglio vederti stasera, meant ‘I want to see you tonight’. Did that mean that Byakuran would be coming to his office? Should Tsuna wait? Or would he be going to Tsuna’s room?
’No,’ Tsuna realized. Byakuran had intended - counted on it, actually - for the young boss to figure out his identity. And he had given the brunet a choice. To stay in the office and wait would mean acceptance, and leaving would be rejection.
With that figured out, Tsuna didn’t know what to do.
What did he feel for the man anyway? Other than the curiosity and almost non-existing attraction caused by the combination of the man’s personal charm and the lovely letters - now since he could match them together, Tsuna wasn’t sure. He didn’t love the man - that was certain. But was he ready to give this… whatever was going to happen… a chance?
“It could be either the best or worst thing you have ever done, dame-Tsuna,” a familiar voice mocked from the windowsill, startling the brunet.
“Reborn! How long have you been here?” Tsuna exclaimed.
“Long enough,” the tutor replied. “Byakuran is serious.”
“Eh!?”
“Think about it, dame-Tsuna. With blood-fusion adoption now as an available option, getting heirs isn’t an issue anymore. You being a homo to strengthen the ties between the Vongola and the Millefiore will be one of your best achievements. The families would be as well as merged - with you in the lead.”
“R-reborn…” Tsuna looked at his tutor, thinking whether or not he was feeling alright - because a humane Reborn wasn’t a normal Reborn - but rethought his conclusion when the tutor left after kicking him twice. Damn sadistic bastard.
But, Tsuna opted to wait.
And wait.
And do some paperwork.
And doodle on the said paperwork.
People came and left, reports were given, missions were handed out, meetings were arranged, Tsuna contemplated of taking the Xanxus-approach regarding difficult dealings and getting drunk - but he didn’t - so by the time it was half past midnight, the brunet was a fretting mess of nerves.
’What if Reborn was just messing with me?’ he thought, wishing desperately for some tea to keep him awake. His eyes were hard to keep open, and the chair was so comfortable. He was already half-asleep by the time the door opened, and a white-haired male entered the room. Byakuran stopped, observing the sight with an uncharacteristically soft smile. His face was usually set on a mocking expression, and the smile felt odd, but he couldn’t help it.
Tsuna was there.
That meant that he hadn’t been rejected. His feelings weren’t unwanted. Now, he needed only to convince the younger man to give it actually a chance, instead of trying to deal with it in silence. Because if Tsuna became his, there was no way he’d keep it a secret. What with the Mist Guardian’s male counterpart shamelessly chasing after his boss in a true show of insubordination.
“Tsunayoshi,” he said, and even thought his voice was low, it cut the air. The man one the chair, blinked drowsily, before finally seeing him, and then blushing several delightful shades of red.
“B-byakura-san,” he said softly, kind, brown eyes shining. The white-haired man let go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and with few long strides he was standing next to the chair, from wherein the younger of the two looked up, with wide eyes. Was that fear or anticipation? Or both?
“You know my feelings for you,” he said quietly. “I don’t think I have words - or flowers - good enough to express them anymore.”
“I’m… not sure about this…,” the other said hesitantly, and Byakuran kneeled down, looking at the pair of brown eyes.
“Why? What’s holding you back? Your familiga? Reborn supports us, so why wouldn’t they?”
“But…”
“Live in the present, Tsunayoshi. You too have the right of being happy.”
“But…” Well, now, why was his love resisting? Byakuran didn’t like it, so he opted to shut up the Vongola Decimo with a kiss. And just in case the man tried to talk again, Byakuran kissed him again. And again.
“Wait… this is too fast,” the brunet finally whimpered, and the white-haired man smirked.
“So you have nothing to say against it anymore?”
And with a resigned sigh, Tsuna had to admit that no, he had nothing against this anymore.
Then again, did he have anything against it in the first place?
Enemies could become the best companions.
Companionship, after all, is based on a common interest,
and the greater the interest, the closer the companionship.
What makes enemies of people, if not the eagerness,
the passion,
for the same thing?
- B.Berenson
*sheepis smile*
er... sorry? The spamming monster is here? ^_^;;