OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

Finish

This is how the end of the beginning finishes.

Past

Tsuna never asks her about her time as Cervello Cynthia, and everyone else takes their cues from him. Even Reborn, although she imagines he goes behind Tsuna's back to research her background anyway.

From the way he sometimes scowls at her, she doesn't think he finds much.

For about a month, her family alternates between tiptoeing around her and fussing over her. Noriko appreciates it. She does. It helps keep her in the present, drives the unwanted memories away.

But enough is enough.

"Let's go ski racing," Noriko announces cheerfully during lunch. "Loser gets to buy the drinks!"

"N-N-Nori-chan!" Tsuna splutters. "What - "

"That's a great idea, Reiki," Reborn declares, popping out from a tree in a ski outfit. "It'll be good training. And I already have everyone's tickets here."

"Wait - " Tsuna tries.

"A ski race, huh? Sounds fun!" Takeshi grins and folds his arms behind his head. His gaze is gentle and accessing but Noriko only blinks innocently at him.

Hayato huffs. "I'm definitely going to win second-place for Juudaime!"

Kyoya has tolerated most of this for about a month. But even he has limits. "If you herbivores continue shouting, I will bite you to death."

"WAIT - " Tsuna cries.

About a second later, lunch devolves into a brawl. And that's that.

Noriko leans back on her outstretched palms and smiles.

Let the past stay in the past. She has the future to look forward to now.

Rainbow

Noriko is not impressed when Checker Face introduces them to the Representative Battle of the Rainbow. Really? It hasn't even been half a year since their last big catastrophe. She misses the days when the most dangerous activities they participated in consisted of skydiving and swimming with sharks.

(It's possible Noriko's sense of normality has been severely twisted...or quite possibly, simply never existed in the first place.)

"Don't do a Judgment unless you have to, okay?" Tsuna frets the day before the first round of the battle is to begin.

"Okay," Noriko says and takes a swig of rose wine. She developed a taste for it during their Italy trip. Thankfully, Dino's been more than happy to ship bottles to Takeshi's, whose father pointedly doesn't ask questions.

Tsuna gives her a Look. "Nori-chan, we're underage!"

"I'm technically not," she points out. Noriko may never tell her family any major details about her past life, but she's not above using this open secret to her advantage.

"You can't use that excuse everytime!" Tsuna wails.

Takeshi takes a cautious sip of sake. "She's kinda right, though, Tsuna," he says. "Hey, this isn't half-bad!"

"Takeshi-kun! Not you too!"

Pacifier

Noriko stays out of the fights, as Tsuna asks. It almost looks fun, like a tournament match between friends and allies, were it not for the edge of desperation that every Arcobaleno vibrates with.

She does, however, step in when the Vindice appear. Can't not.

They think they can touch her family? She'll ground them to dust beneath her heel first.

(Tsuna solves everything, of course. He always does.)

Future

Tsuna takes the mafia out of the Vongola. Taking the Vongola out of the Mafia is a bit of a different issue, but they're working on it.

When they celebrate, their bartender is quick to assure them that they have plenty of rose wine and sake in stock. Tsuna groans. And then politely asks for some apple juice himself.

Noriko's so proud of him.

Somehow, the night ends with Hayato dunked in the public fountain and Takeshi being chased around by Squalo with his sword in hand. Kyoya beats up half the party guests - to be fair, they were rowdy, especially when the alcohol really started flowing - and ends up sparring with Xanxus, demolishing an entire wing of the mansion.

It...sounds vaguely like Ryohei and Lambo are blowing up the back gardens.

Noriko sits on the patio swing and looks up at the stars. Centuries have gone by, and they're still almost exactly the same.

Tsuna stumbles up to her and collapses on the swing with a groan, his head in her lap. "Save me, Nori-chan. I'm going to have so much paperwork tomorrow," he laments, already sounding like a man on his way to the guillotine.

Noriko laughs. She combs her fingers through his hair, still soft and fluffy. "We could always run away," she suggests. "Leave the others to handle the evil paperwork."

Tsuna makes a face and closes his eyes. "You know Reborn will just drag us back and then make us do thrice the amount of paperwork as punishment," he sighs. "This is why I always said that I don't want to become a mafia boss!"

"Then be something else," Noriko says simply. "Something better."

Tsuna opens one eye to give her a grumpy look. "That's what you said two years ago, and look where it's gotten us now." He flails at the mess of fire, explosions, and giant turtles in front of them with a pout. "More paperwork! I'll have an ulcer before I'm thirty!"

"Good thing Ryohei's a great healer," Noriko says, mock thoughtful. "Otherwise, imagine the hospital bills."

"Nori-chan!" Tsuna whines.

She just smiles. They sit there quietly for a few minutes to a background soundtrack of complete destruction and property damage. It's good to know that some things never change.

And that some do.

"Hey, Nori-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you happy?"

She thinks about it.

Happiness isn't anything more than a feeling. Happiness is always temporary. Happiness is something so delicate, she can't touch it for fear that it'll tear.

"Yes," Noriko says. "I'm happy."

It's a full moon tonight.