"When were you going to tell me that you were a Sky?" Viper's words were accusing and sharp, an underlying sting of hurt. They had all arrived at one of Reborn's safe houses. Tsuna was hunting for some towels for Dino who was in the shower.

"It wasn't for you to know," Reborn said. It wasn't surprising to know that Viper had known what had gone down between Dino and him.

"Did you think I would let that information slip out?" Viper said.

White hot anger burned under Reborn's skin. "I wasn't telling anyone," he snapped. "Until six months ago, I was an Empty Sky."

That sent Viper reeling back. "An Empty Sky? But…" Viper fell quiet, a small frown on their face.

Reborn pulled off his hat, running his hand through his hair in frustration. It suddenly felt like things were moving too fast. It was easy enough to keep up, but Reborn didn't know how Dino would react, how Tsuna would react. Tsuna was beginning to adjust, settling into his own skin and this threatened to undo all of Reborn's hard work.

"Tsunayoshi's not an apprentice," Viper finally said.

There was no escaping this. Reborn would have tell Viper at least part of the story. Trust. Such a fickle and difficult thing.

"Tsunayoshi is my Sun," Reborn said. "I found him in my trip to Japan."

"The reason for your radio silence these last six months," Viper said, connecting together the pieces.

"He's a civilian who was abandoned by the town he grew up in," Reborn said. "Neglected, starved for attention, and so beaten and broken, it was amazing he had held on this long."

Reborn still bristled at the thought of how the people of Namimori had treated Tsunayoshi. When Tsuna finally relaxed and got comfortable, he flourished under even the smallest amount of positive attention that Reborn was able to give him. Reborn had no idea how to handle a teenager, to actually give Tsunayoshi the support he actually needed from a parental figure. Even as he fumbled his way through it, Tsuna still bloomed under Reborn's pitiful attempts.

"A civilian. You wanted to keep him as far away from this as possible," Viper said in understanding.

Tsuna was right. Friends really was the only way to truly describe the relationship he had with Viper. Viper was the only one Reborn had actually told his childhood to. It wasn't because he wanted to, but he had been bleeding out and drugged out his mind and Viper wasn't in much better condition at the time.

The mission in Naples had been the starting point for them.

"If it wasn't you, I would have turned down this job no matter how good the pay was," Reborn said. "I am not ready for the mafia to become aware of Tsuna and no matter what he says about being fine with my job, he is still very sheltered in the darker details of my job."

"Well, you found your Lightning on this trip," Viper pointed out.

That was true. Given the state of Dino's appearance, it was possible that Reborn would have never met him unless circumstances like this had forced them to meet. Had Reborn turned down this job, he would have most likely never met his Lightning.

"I assume…" Viper said trailing off.

"We're not," Reborn said. He had multiple encounters with Viper's Flames to know they did not harmonize together with his. Which was a shame because he would have been honored to have Viper as his Mist.

A wistful expression crossed Viper's face. Reborn sympathized. The bond between Sky and Element was a precious, precious, precious gift. Even Viper, who prided themselves on neutrality, would give it up if they found their Sky.

"I will ensure that this information does not leak," Viper said.

Trust and Loyalty. Fickle things. But something Reborn was grateful to have from Viper.

-.-.-.-

This was the cleanest Dino had been in years. Showers were a luxury that one didn't have on the streets. The few homeless shelters that he went to were always overcrowded and pack. It was a quick get in and get out. It saw so many people, the "new" showers were already worn and damaged in some places. Not to mention hot water. Glorious hot water.

The shower really helped. It allowed him to collect his thoughts, trying to piece together what exactly had happened in that warehouse. Lightning Flames seemed to be a bit of stretch, but Dino knew what he saw. Green fire and the orange fire that Reborn summoned that made him feel strange.

He turned out off the water reluctantly, stepping out of the tub.

A towel waiting for him, but his clothes appeared to be have been whisked away.

"Ah."

Dino looked up to see a younger boy sticking his head. In his hands was a bundle of clothing. He gave Dino a weak and meek smile. "I think this will fit you," he said.

"Thank you," Dino said. Who was this? He didn't realize there would be anyone else here when Reborn brought him back.

"I'm Tsuna," the boy said, eyes darting to the ground.

"Dino. How do you know Reborn?" Dino asked.

There was a split second of completely terror on Tsuna's face that Dino feared he may have agreed to visit the home of an abuser.

"He rescued me," Tsuna said. "And if he tells you that I'm a bedraggled kitten, that is a lie. My hair might look like a fluffy lion's mane and Mochida pushed me into the school pool and I shouldn't be telling you this. Or at least I don't think I'msupposedtoarghhh!" He threw the clothes at Dino and dashed out of the bathroom.

Alarmed, Dino swiftly got dressed and left the bathroom.

"Whatever did you say to Tsuna?" Reborn asked as Dino appeared.

"Is he okay?" Dino asked, concerned. The thread of bewilderment in Reborn's voice was the only reason why Dino hadn't immediately made a mad rush for the door. "All I asked was how he knew you?"

Reborn pointed to the blanket burrito in the corner. "He's fine. Though I haven't seen him do that in a month."

"I wasn't aware he was so skittish."

Dino turned to see another… man? Woman? He couldn't tell with the cloak.

"That town did a number on him," Reborn murmured.

"Well, if you need help," the other person volunteered.

"I may take you up on your offer," Reborn said. "This is Viper. They are a neutral informant who knows everything there is to know about the Underground."

"Hello," Dino said.

Viper pursed their lips into a thin line. "You're much younger than I originally estimated. Exactly how old are you?"

"...Seventeen," Dino answered.

"Practically a child," Viper said.

"I should have made Perri suffer more," Reborn said darkly.

"Um?" Dino said, confused by their reaction.

"Reborn and myself are a bit of rarity in that we don't like involving children in our jobs," Viper explained. "Sometimes it is unavoidable, but the preference is always no children."

"Then Tsuna?" Dino asked.

"Tsuna is a civilian," Reborn said. "One who was supposed to have stayed home."

"I brought all my homework!" Tsuna protested, head peeking out from the blanket he had wrapped himself up in.

Dino was struck with the sense of familiarity. It reminded him of the time his mother would yell at him to finish his homework or eat his vegetables. It was parental, the way Reborn was scolding Tsuna and Tsuna's reaction.

"Your son?" Dino asked.

"Yes," Reborn answered without any hesitation.

Surprisingly, Tsuna blushed a bright red, flustering at Reborn's words. He rushed over to Reborn to give him a quick hug before letting go and disappearing into the bedroom. Dino turned to see Viper staring at Reborn, jaw slacked and surprised.

Huh. He got the feeling he had been just entrusted with a very big secret.

"You adopted him?" Viper asked.

"Yes," Reborn said. Then looking at Dino, he continued, "Tsuna's hometown treated him poorly, between the bullies and terrible teachers to neglect at the orphanage he was at. That was six months ago, and we're still adjusting."

Guess that meant Reborn wasn't that bad of a bad guy, even with the killing he did. Tsuna looked genuinely happy, if easily flustered.

"Um, so can you explain that whole color flames thing?" Dino asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yes," Reborn said. "Take a seat, this is a long explanation."

-.-.-.-

Dino couldn't sleep. He had a bed for the first time in years and he couldn't sleep. It was such a waste.

But how could he sleep? Reborn had explained to him in detail what all those colored flames meant. He covered what it meant to be a Sky, to be Dino's Sky and wasn't that so strange? Dino was being offered a place, a home, if he wanted it.

Even if he didn't want to come with Reborn, the man was still offering to setup Dino with a house and stable job, no strings attached and as far removed from the mafia as possible. Good things like that didn't just happen. His luck wasn't that good.

Dino got out of bed. Maybe some water would help.

He opened the bedroom door to find Tsuna in the living room pacing. He clutched his blue blanket, draped over his shoulders, dragging it across the floor.

"Tsuna?"

Tsuna yelped, twirling around, twisting his blanket and falling to the ground with a thud.

"Are you alright?" Dino asked, helping Tsuna up.

"Yes," Tsuna sputtered out. "Sorry. Did I wake you?"

Dino shook his head. "No, I couldn't sleep. Why are you awake?"

Tsuna opened his mouth then closed it.

"You don't have to tell me," Dino said.

"N-no. It's not that. Reborn said it was okay to talk to you. That you're his Lightning and stuff. He's been pressing the whole 'his job is dangerous and he has plenty of enemies' so… I wasn't really sure before. He didn't have time to tell me that earlier when you came, so…" Tsuna trailed off. "Sorry. I'm sure you don't want to listen to me ramble. It's stupid."

"I'm sure it isn't," Dino said.

Tsuna's gaze sharpened. Dino got the impression he was being evaluated, tested. Then as quickly as it appeared, it dropped as Tsuna's eyes drifted back to the ground.

"I have trouble believing that Reborn isn't going to disappear on me," Tsuna admitted. "I know logically that it isn't going to happen. He's proved it to me over and over again. Even on the days when he leaves before I wake, he leaves a note and calls me."

"I'm not going to take him away from you," Dino said, trying to reassure him. He winced at the awkward words. That sounded terrible out of context.

"I know," Tsuna quickly replied. "Or it's fine if you do- I mean- Um… I'm his Sun? That's how we met. My Sun Flames reacted to his Sky Flames, in a similar manner as yours did with his."

Oh, Reborn didn't mention that.

"Is… what he offering, is it as good as it sounds?" Dino asked.

"Yes…?" Tsuna answered. "I… I don't know how to answer that. From what I can see, you're doing alright. Or I mean…" He struggled to get his words correct, frowning.

"Reborn always tells me otherwise, whenever I say this, but I don't know how to describe it otherwise," Tsuna said. He shuffled slightly, grip tightening on his blanket. "He wanted me, he wanted Dame-Tsuna, No-Good, Useless Tsuna. I'm clumsy, and not very smart. I can't do anything right, have no speakable skills and I'm nothing but a burden on his wallet."

Oh. That was another sense of familiarity. Dino had heard similar things thrown his way all the time. He couldn't keep a job, had terrible luck and was probably even more clumsy than Tsuna. They were similar in that regard, weren't they?

Tsuna looked off in the distance, lost in his own memories. "Reborn still wanted me. He went as far as adopting me, moving me to another city, enrolling me in another school. He spends time with me, helps me with homework, teaches me self-defense. I had nothing to lose by going with him. No one cared back there, and he's not perfect -no one is- and I know I should run in other direction because he's actually really dangerous, but he cares and that's more than anyone, even my own mother, had given me before."

"It feels like a trap," Dino admitted. "You can't trust anyone on the streets. That's how you end up dead. They prey on the gullible and everything about what Reborn is offering, a home, food on the table, somewhere to sleep, it's all…"

"Too good to be true," Tsuna said with a laugh. "I spent most of my days thinking I'm living some sort of dream and this has been my life for the last six months."

"Yeah," Dino said. "And… you know hitman."

Tsuna nodded. "Logic says flee, but Reborn feels -"

"Safe." Safer than anywhere Dino had been ever really.

"Exactly."

In some ways, Tsuna had the right idea. What did Dino have to lose? There was much to gain and Tsuna didn't seem like the type to lie.

"I think I would like to be Reborn's Lightning," Dino said. "If you don't mind?"

Tsuna blinked at him. "Why would I mind? You're his Element, the same way I am. He's our Sky. We share that connection, crisscrossing every which way."

Dino laughed. He supposed that was true.

Ahhh look at these two bonding. So Dino has slid into place in this little family. They're cute, it's cute. Writing this story makes my heart ache and my smile so wide. Also Viper, don't think you're escaping this. Skies collect people, even outside of their harmony. There's no escape. You're family. xD

Also, if you enjoy my writing, please consider supporting my kickstarter, Graveyard Shift: Volume 2. There's only a few days left! You can find more information at www#.#kickstarter#.#com#/#projects/1170238334/graveyard-shift-volume-2

Please leave a review on your way out.