Chapter Text
Reborn, or as Setsuna sometimes enjoyed calling him when they were alone, Renato fiddled with the safety of his gun as Leon nibbled on some apple bits in said girl’s palm.
“What’s got you all antsy Mr. Home tutor?” She asked, gently petting Leon on the head, grinning when the Chameleon licked the tip of her finger in return.
The glare he sent her was so chilling that, had she not been friends with Hibari Kyoya for more than half her life, she might have just died from it.
“The Ranking Prince.”
She gave him what she absolutely knew was a shit eating grin
“Oh right, I think that’s what those thugs called Fuuta the day we found him…”
“The Ranking Prince who disappeared four years ago is your little brother?”
“Is he? I thought he was just some weird free loader who I spent my days walking to school with and cooking for when Mama was too busy.”
“Setsuna.”
“Renato~”
To his credit he no longer fired off a round when she said his name, she had the decency to keep it secret… aside from changing his name on every single one of her damn videos. He had hunted both her and Fon for the entire weekend for that and would have continued if his actual job hadn’t required him to get back to Ienari.
She had been quick to assure him that no one would be able to make the connection because of the illusion, and that she had a close monitor on all content related to her channel and blog, so he would be notified if something went wrong.
It was terrifying even to himself how easily he believed her.
At this rate, Setsuna could probably walk into Vendicare with a smile batting those doe eyes of hers and leave with whichever criminal she desired.
Out in the back by the dojo, Fuuta was playing a game of miniature football (Or soccer as the Japanese called it, they just had to learn that one from the Americans…) with Yamamoto, Gokudera, and Chrome. She may appear timid, but the purple-haired girl had a competitive streak that could rival Setsuna’s blood thirsty cloud. None of them paused when Setsuna had goten up from her spot, stretching before giving Reborn a smile that he did Not. Like. At. All.
“Stop that.” He said automatically
“What?”
“You’re smiling like Fon, and quite frankly it’s terrifying.”
The smile widened, lips tugging up in a serene way that just promised the suffering of someone; and as much as Reborn hated to admit it, that someone would usually end up being him. Fon had been one of the only two people out of the entire arcobaleno who could do something to him and get away with it. He did NOT need his student to be able to do the same.
“Good, now grab your espresso and get up, we have a video to film.”
“Pardon?”
Her lips parted, finally showing teeth. Blindingly white and straight in a way that most brace-faced teens would kill for.
“You wanted to be on my channel Mr. Sun Arcobaleno.” She reminded him. “And you’re sorely mistaken if you think I won’t turn this into an opportunity to milk you for every bit of ad revenue you’re worth~”
It was times like these that Reborn had to wonder how the hell she was related to Iemitsu, because not once had that idiot blond managed to set off Reborn’s survival instincts in the way his daughter had.
* * *
Reborn loved chaos, he welcomed it, reveled in it. It was partially why he allowed himself to work with those little everyday changes rather than against it. Of course, while he would prefer to be able to read a situation and predict the outcome, he was also perfectly fine with seeing where the winds took him and using his situation to his advantage.
He had bluffed himself out of countless tight spots by using this mindset. Nothing unnerves an enemy more than a cool head and utter nonchalance to their surprise attacks and master plans.
Nothing, however, could have ever prepared him for the hurricane that was the Sawada twins. It was like walking into a forest fire and deciding what it needed was a truckload of gasoline and coal. As if fueling the flames wasn’t enough, no, they wanted to stoke them until they were high enough to burn Heaven’s toes and then some.
It was seething anger, resentment, and bitter rivalry rolled up into an attention-needy teen and emotionally repressed vlogger. Like one wrong step would cause that careful cork seal to pop and the taunts and jeers would turn to an all-out war between them.
So Reborn was careful, he took the tense wire and walked it with an ease only he had. He redirected tempers, fueled sections of flame while dousing out others, and after a month or so, he felt that he had constructed a safe path to navigate between Ienari and Setsuna…
Then he walked in on the twins playing Mario Kart with the younger kids, joined by a small group of friends as spectators, and all his observations crashed down on him like a hundred-foot tsunami wave.
“Fuuta! How could you!?” Ienari cried out melodramatically as the twelve-year-old released a blue shell onto the first-place driver.
“By pressing the L-button Nari-nii.” Fuuta replied. “You should try it sometime.”
From her spot next to I-pin Setusna snickered.
“I have never been prouder of you in my life Fuuta, just for that I won’t red shell you if you pass me.”
“Yeah, you would favor him Setsuna!”
“Don’t hate me for being in first now Ienari.”
“Fuck off! Preferably off the course actually.”
“Language~”
“I-pin got a star! Coming after you Lambo!”
“No! Stay away!” He flung fireballs behind him haphazardly only to be thrown off the course as Princess Peach mercilessly zoomed past.
“Oof on Rainbow Road too. I-pin is merciless…” Ienari muttered and Lambo gripped the controller.
“Revenge!!!” He wailed, seeming to lock onto his friend as his only target.
“You go little bro! To the EXTREME!!!” Sasagawa Ryohei yelled cheering Ienari on, to the right of him was another boy, sitting father off but watching with just as much interest.
“Ienari, you’re pathetic at this.” He said bluntly
“Shut up Akito!” Ienari snapped at a dark-eyed Yamazaki Akito, who simply shrugged and went back to observing.
“Get them Principessa!” Gokudera yelled, almost vibrating with excitement as Yamamoto switched between cheering Tsuna on, and subtly egging on more of Fuuta’s targeted assaults on Ienari.
All in all, it was a regular game session between family and friends…
Reborn decided to walk back out and get a strong drink of anything to help the world make sense again. He almost longed for the days when his students were plainly useless. At least he knew what to expect then.
* * *
When Setsuna walked home, she took one look at the long line of men dressed in expensive Italian three-piece suits, and promptly turned around. Yeah, she was not dealing with this today. If there was one thing, she had learned during the past couple of months of Reborn living with them, it was that if something looked even the slightest bit out of place, it was his doing and was going to be an annoyance. So, seeing a group of people so clearly out of place that a blind person would probably stop and stare, meant that it would be upgraded from annoyance to destructive disaster.
Pulling out her phone, she sent a text out to Kyoya.
To: Kyo-kun
So… If I wanted to hypothetically avoid my house for the rest of the day…
From: Kyo-kun
What did you do now?
To: Kyo-kun
Why do you think it’s always me? :(
From: Kyo-kun
Are you saying it’s not?
To: Kyo-kun
TheGovernmentisHere.jpg
Do I look like I own the Men in Black?
A moment later her cell phone began to ring.
“Yes?” She answered casually, despite being able to feel the irritation radiating even before she pressed the answer key.
“Fledgling. Why are there strangers crowding your home?” Kyoya growled from over the line. Setsuna peaked from behind the wall she had taken cover with and made a noncommittal noise in the back of her throat.
“If I had to guess? Reborn.” She said simply. “Or more specifically, a scheme of Reborn’s involving my brother which I have no interest in being involved in.”
“And you’re telling me this because….”
“I’m coming over and you can’t stop me.”
The line went silent for a moment, and the smallest of sighs were heard.
“How long?”
“Two nights max.”
“Hn. I’ll tell my parents.” He acted like he was irritated, but Setsuna knew better. After all his parents adored her. His mother especially, actually Setsuna was half certain that the woman wanted to adopt her for herself with all the comments she made about how “they would one day be family for real…”
Because the Hibari’s had one mode, and that was feral. So clearly his mother was planning on stealing her from her family and raising her like some Jungle Book-esque story. Still, Setsuna enjoyed their company far too much to stop visiting them anytime soon, so she figured she’d cross any kidnapping bridges when she got to them.
“Tell Miyuki-san I said hello~”
Kyoya’s mother Miyuki was Fon’s half-sister. From what Setsuna knew, their father had multiple wives throughout his life which would also explain the larger age gap between the two siblings. Even though Miyuki had been born in China like her brother, her mother was Japanese and after her death, Fon had sent his sister to Japan for her own protection where she had met Kyoya’s father.
From the other line, Kyoya huffed.
“Tell her yourself. I’ll be expecting you in 20 minutes maximum.”
“Give me some time to try and sneak out a change of clothes at least.” She pouted over the line.
“You’ve left plenty here, and if you need, I can take you shopping.” He wasn’t going to budge on this, so Setsuna sighed.
“Okay, you win. I’ll see you in a bit Kyo-kun.”
“If they try and follow you, go for the throat.” And with that heartwarming piece of advice, he hung up.
“Why always the throat? Why can’t it be something more fun, like the ankle? I’d be a literal ankle biter.”
Setsuna grumbled to herself as she slipped her phone back into the pocket of her bag. It seemed like most people were out front, but she wouldn’t be surprised if there were more inside as well. While she could disobey Hibari and risk sneaking into her room for some supplies, she would bet her right foot that the moment she landed on the lower roof of the home, Reborn would know and set out to capture her, if only for his own entertainment.
So instead, Setsuna adjusted her bag, smoothed out her skirt, and turned right around to head down the street to walk to Kyoya’s neighborhood. Ienari would just have to suffer.
* * *
“Oh my, Setsuna-chan is coming over? How marvelous~” Kyoya’s mother had reacted predictably, a bright smile overtaking her youthful features. “I’ll be sure to cook extra for our meals then.”
“Is it that man again?” His father, Seichi questioned, sipping a cup of green tea as he typed away at his laptop. Kyoya was certain he was already looking at a flight manifest for the most recent passenger lists on planes that arrived from Italy for one certain blond menace.
“No, her tutor. He brought guests over.”
“Oh! The Cavallone group, Fon did say they were being brought in for some training exercise.” Miyuki said as she got up to fetch something, probably for Setsuna.
“Training?” Kyoya would admit, his interest had been slightly peaked, but Seichi made a noise of disapproval.
“No one worthy of our time, especially if they’re here for that child.”
“It’s a shame Setsuna won’t simply move in with us, Nana would be more than welcome to as well of course, though I think Tsuyoshi would have something to say about that.” Miyuki lamented as she laid out another cup and plate of snacks at the remaining edge of the small table they were seated at.
“Mother…” Kyoya growled, though it didn’t have any effect on her, not when she was capable of so much worse. Really to Miyuki, her son was still but a small kitten, trying to appear big and strong by making his own little group in imitation of his father. It was adorable.
“Oh, don’t give me that Kyoya, you’ve been far too subtle with her-” They both ignored his father’s cough at the word ‘subtle’ he had no room to talk since he and his mother had courted each other over dead bodies and cold steel. “You’ve staked your claim long ago, now you have to follow through, or else a nosy insect may think they can some in and steal her away.”
The wood of the table seemed to take an alarming dip under the strength of his fingers, and his jaw clenched, a sign usually indicating to those around him that destruction was sure to follow. But instead of breaking furniture, or worse using them as weapons of mass terror and destruction, Kyoya took a breath through his nose, staring down at the cup of tea before him.
“She knows,” Kyoya said after a moment. “She just chooses to pretend that she doesn’t, and I will not push her.”
Not the way her father had with her own mother, smothering Nana in gifts and stealing her attention and affection until he was the only one she would ever be able to see, not because he deserved it, but because he had pushed out everyone else she had left.
Miyuki made a displeased sound.
“If I ever meet Setsuna’s father, I’m ripping his tongue out and shoving it into his lungs.”
Seichi didn’t say anything other than a slight twitch of the hand that was resting on the mouse-pad of his laptop, most likely because he agreed. Good, Kyoya usually didn’t like sharing his prey, but this was a rare time he would accept his parents support in taking one down.
“That man has caused far too much damage to his family. We allowed him to start his family here out of goodwill towards the Sawada line, however…” Seichi’s brow twitched. “The mental state of his children has only really declined since that day, it’s impressive Setsuna is as well adjusted as she is, and it wouldn’t do to have that Sun Arcobaleno ruining her progress.”
Before anything else could be said, their doorbell rang in announcement telling them that their guest had arrived, and suddenly his mother was up and gone with the wind to greet the Fledgling, leaving Kyoya with his father.
Seichi typed away on his laptop, Kyoya knew that the information stored on that device could cause entire countries to fall if his father so desired. Lucky for them, this branch of the Hibari family hadn’t been interested in the politics of the greater world. Namimori and its residents were their territory, and the only thing father and son were concerned over. His mother though, he knew for a fact had caused the dissolution of at least 3 small governments in South America within the past six months alone. Her reasons however were her own, whether it was because they had disrespected her or it had been a favor called in by his uncle were for her to share or keep to herself as she wished.
“Please excuse my intrusion…” Setsuna walked in a minute later, still dressed in her school uniform, her book bag clutched close to her chest. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail in an effort to keep her usually fluffy locks tamed, and the bottom of her eyes had the beginnings of dark circles forming.
Truthfully, though she often hid it well, she was tired, and Kyoya knew it. His father was right, as well-adjusted as Setsuna appeared, as flippant and sarcastic as she usually was, the Sun Arcobaleno’s presence had set her further on edge than she would have liked. It meant that the mafia was encroaching into her life, and her brother was being given a position of power over her. Despite the fact that she had never wanted it, the current head of the family along with her father had made an active choice that branded her as inferior to her younger sibling, which would no doubt lead to eventual headaches.
“Fledgling, rest in my room before you fall over,” Kyoya said as he got up to take her bag from her. Setsuna looked like she wanted to protest, but his mother quickly cut her off.
“Listen to Kyoya Tsu-chan, you look absolutely exhausted. Is it that math teacher of yours again? Or your brother? Really we would be happy to help you put them in their place.” Miyuki said with a smile that Kyoya had come to know meant his father would be making late-night visits to the Coroner’s office not long after.
Setsuna expertly waved his mother’s offer off though, a slightly exasperated smile coming onto her face.
“Thank you for the offer Miyuki-san, but Nezu sensei hasn’t bothered me for a while now, and I think my brother mysteriously vanishing might actually exacerbate this particular headache…”
“Your father has never been very observant, nor is he a reliable judge of character for anything directly outside of the active family, despite what the current Vongola Don would like to believe,” Seichi said as he continued to scroll something. “Though I will say, I expected more from Reborn, Fon held him in high regard.”
Setsuna paused for a moment, thanking Kyoya’s mother as she handed her a cup of tea for herself. She tried to think of the best way to answer the elder Hibari in a way that wouldn’t lead to any trouble. Indicate that Reborn is a menace and he would most likely find himself on the hit list of Namimori’s guardians, which was not something you wanted to experience, Arcobaleno or not. On the other hand, fully praising him just felt like an outright lie.
“He’s a sadistic demon, but at least he’s honest about it.” She finally settled on her answer. The typing paused, and she realized that Seichi had turned his full attention onto her. For a moment Setsuna couldn’t help but intake the similarities between her dear Cloud and his father, though Kyoya most definitely got a majority of his looks from his maternal line (he and Fon were nearly twins), his attitude and strict moral code were very much a product of his father.
Fon and Miyuki were dangerous, yes, but they hid that danger beneath smiles and honeyed charms, by the time you realized you had done something wrong, it would be far too late, and you would lay with your life bleeding away before you could ever think to stop it.
The Hibari’s however, have always been straightforward and clear about what they expected from those around them, and the consequences that would follow if those expectations were not met. In that way, they were easier to navigate, so long as you stayed in line and followed their rules, you had no need to worry about incurring their wrath. You could also, in turn, rely on the fact that if you resided within their territory, you were well protected from outside threats.
Setsuna also knew that this was what Seichi was trying to evaluate now. If Reborn was ultimately going to be a help or danger to the residents of his town.
Setsuna took a sip of her tea, as much as she loved her mother, there was no doubt that Miyuki always made it the best.
“Truthfully, he’s a nuisance at his best and an inescapable terror the rest of the time, and he managed to get Fon to team up with him against me so I have to deal with him more than I’d like… but I can’t deny that he’s good at his job,” Setsuna said. “He’s smart, and he has experience in training people, he also is helping Ienari get used to freeing his flames…” She paused at that, her hand rubbing absentmindedly at her chest, trying to ignore the lingering chill she still felt to this day.
“Those flames will only take him so far Setsuna.” Seichi said, not unkindly, but also not gently either.
Miyuki nodded in agreement.
“You may be twins, but sooner or later he’ll hit a wall he won’t be able to break. After all, what can you expect from a child who lives off of siphoning his sister’s flames?”
Setsuna didn’t have anything to say in return.
* * *
“I know what you want to say.” Setsuna didn’t let Kyoya speak once they got to his room, his mother had insisted they enjoy a nap before their meal (how had no one realized the Hibaris were cats with human skin yet?). “I know, and I’m sorry I just- I can’t just stop now. I don’t know what will happen if I stop now…”
She sounded even more exhausted, and he knew it was because she hated this conversation, this endless circle they had been going around in since she was barely even five. Since the day that useless man had come home with the Vongola Don, and caused an irreparable rift in the very family he claimed to wish to protect. It made Kyoya enraged, to think he could claim to be a Protector, a pillar, when he was nothing but a corrupting rot that ruined all it touched.
“What will happen is you claim what’s rightfully yours, and I will burn CEDEF to the ground before your father’s very eyes. Then we’ll spend the rest of our lives here in Namimori and I will work with the rest of our infuriating pack to slaughter any hard-headed clam that attempts to sneak their way back in and have the Deceiving Carnivore’s father send them back to Italy as chowder”
She gave a small smile at that, and he was pleased that she found comfort in his promise of arson and wanton slaughter. She could deny it all she wishes, but there was a part of her that was just as vicious as he was.
“You only actually talk when it involves bloodshed, you know that?” She said, that small grin still etched onto her face. “Also, you know Takeshi hates it when you call him that.”
“If he dislikes it then he can simply shed that useless herbivore mask and I will stop.”
While he was speaking, she had climbed under the covers of his futon, and Kyoya wasted no time following after her. She turned to face him and curled her body so that her forehead was resting against his chest, his arm automatically came to wrap its way around her waist. Despite the warm clothes she wore, the sweater and thick tights under her school skirt, she was still just a little too cold, her body temperature slightly too frigid not to take notice of…
“He’s been using more of your flames while training, the Sun Arcobaleno can’t be this oblivious-”
“Please, I don’t want to talk about this, not right now.” She whispered. “Just, hold me, tell me about your day. Kusakabe said that you nearly murdered Nezu, I had thought you were planning to expose him as a fraud before breaking every bone in his body.”
He tightened his grip around her, their legs so close that they had to brush slightly for them to be comfortable.
“He dared to talk negatively about you in my presence.”
She giggled, it was short and extremely soft, but he heard it, and it brought him relief.
“You can’t kill everyone just for saying mean things about me Kyo.” She admonished him, though her words had no heat behind them. “Or else they’re going to think that I’m incapable of defending myself without you around.”
“That would be their fatal error then.”
She smiled but didn’t say anything, simply moved her hand so that her fingers could lightly curl around his own free hand’s fingers, a way of her giving him room even as close as they already were. It was moments like these that confirmed what Kyoya had always known since they were children. Setsuna was aware, she had always been aware of just how deep his possessiveness (not feelings, definitely not) towards her flowed. Perhaps he should have been more irritated at her refusal to openly acknowledge them, for running away so often when they knew. But Kyoya also knew better, he knew her better. No one but he and Yamamoto Takeshi knew the depths of the wounds Setsuna carried to this day, a small animal forced to bare fangs it shouldn’t have had to grow. Not even her mother was truly aware…
The Hibari family didn’t waste time worrying about verbal emotional sentiments, words were nothing without action to support them. Setsuna’s actions told him everything he needed would ever need to know. There was something shared between them, something that not even the other elements were able to share with her, but she wasn’t ready, and that was fine. Hibaris’ were patient when needed. Kyoya would remain patient as long as she required him to, so long as she stayed by his side, where no pesky herbivores or Arcobalenos could try and steal her away to a world that would mercilessly attempt to stamp out what she had left.
“I hate that he still defends him,” she said after a while, her voice soft and small as if she were trying to hold back tears, “and I hate that he does it without even understanding why he does, but he’s my little brother. How heartless would I have to be to take this away from him?”
Kyoya’s eyes snapped down to watch her as she played absentmindedly with the crease of his shirt.
“You took nothing from him Setsuna.” He said firmly. “That man is the one who took his warmth, and your foolish brother froze it over by his own choices. You are the only one here being taken from.”
And had it been up to Kyoya, he would have never allowed it to happen in the first place, it would have never gone on for this long.
“But I can’t do anything else to help him Kyo… I can only give him this.”
“What you’re giving him, is far more valuable than anything else he ever could and will receive in his life, and if he’s not smart it will be his last gift as well.”
She poked him in his rib, he didn’t flinch.
“I already told you, no offing my brother. I’m not bailing you, or our friends out of prison.”
Kyoya scoffed.
“As if a measly prison could hold us.”
“You all really are the worst menaces around.”
He would take that compliment with pride.
* * *
Dante’s Inferno
Discord Server
Setsuna Today at 7:02 pm
I’m going to murder Reborn’s old student alongside him. Fake kidnapping Ienari? Go for it, in fact make it real and keep him.
But ruining MY HOUSE!?
Takeshi Today at 7:02 pm
We’re happy to have your mom and the kids with us while your home is repaired Tsuna, dad loves having her around to help out with the restaurant, but are you sure you don’t want to stay with her?
Hibari Today at 7:03 pm
The Fledgling will be staying with me for the time being, it works out the best as she already has items at my home.
Takeshi Today at 7:03 pm
Makes sense. I guess that means I’ll be swinging by this week then Kyoya-senpai!
Hibari Today at 7:03 pm
Don’t expect this to be an easy visit Deceiving Carnivore
*Takeshi reacted with :SetsunaCryingWhyEmoji:*
Setsuna Today at 7:03 pm
I thought we agreed to remove that emoji!
*Several people reacted with :HanaNoSmug:*
Takeshi Today at 7:04 pm
Innocent blood was shed for these emoji pictures Tsuna. We need to honor their sacrifices
Setsuna Today at 7:04 pm
You guys bribed Spanner to snap pictures with drones. What blood?
Takeshi Today at 7:04 pm
Metaphorical blood counts too. Besides, you use that Hibari emoji more than anyone of us.
*Setsuna reacted with :HibariMurder:*
Hibari Today at 7:04 pm
You will both perish by my hand
Several People are Typing…
Hana Today at 7:04 pm
Hibari planning murder again aside.
Setsuna. What the actual fuck. A giant turtle?
Hayato Today at 7:04 pm
I heard that the Cavallone family was visiting today, the Boss’ pet is some sort of strange turtle that grows as it absorbs water. Definitely an UMA
Shoichi Today at 7:05 pm
My sister was really pissed off, a flying piece of debris crushed a blueberry bush she was trying to grow
Setsuna Today at 7:05 pm
Ah fuck, tell Akiko I’m sorry? I’ll make Reborn take her to a plant nursery to get a new one.
*Shoichi Reacted with :ThumbsUp:*
Hana Today at 7:05 pm
Replying to Hayato: I heard that the Cavallone family was…
BreatheInBoi.gif
The Mafia is paying for my therapy
Setsuna Today at 7:06 pm
Mood
Takeshi Today at 7:06 pm
Does that mean you’ll go to therapy?
Setsuna Today at 7:07 pm
Not Mood
Hana Today at 7:07 pm
Called it
—————————————————— New Message ——————————————————
Spanner Today at 7:15 pm
Hey Setsuna, where’s your pain of a brother and his tutor staying?
Setsuna Today at 7:16 pm
As long as it’s far away from me, who the fuck cares?
*Several People Reacted with :ThisArrowUp:*
Spanner Today at 7:16 pm
Fair.