A Question for Dusk

Takes place just before Breaking of the Day: Omake. As Tsuna prepares to inherit the family, he comes to Xanxus with a condition. Drama, I-4

Character(s): Sawada Tsunayoshi, Xanxus

Tsuna stood in the doorway, one hand on the sill. He didn’t want to intrude.

"I need to ask you something."

The long, lean figure slouched in one of the scatter of leather chairs snorted and burning eyes flashed in the dimness as Xanxus looked up.

"Do you plan on staying with the Vongola family?"

The hot eyes narrowed on him. "The hell are you saying?"

Tsuna shrugged. "I wouldn’t be surprised if you wanted to break off and start your own or something."

Another snort and Xanxus leaned back. "You’re a fucking idiot. You have no clue how things really work."

A corner of Tsuna’s mouth twitched up, despite how tense he felt. "I know. I’m working on it. So you plan to stay?"

Xanxus ignored him with such obvious disgust that Tsuna decided it was a yes. He took a breath.

"Okay. There’s a condition for that."

He bit down a flinch as Xanxus erupted to his feet.

"The hell are you saying?!" It was a lot louder this time. Xanxus faced him, sneering, hands out from his sides in a way that made Tsuna keep half an eye on them. "You want me to grovel for you, for everyone to see?"

"No." Tsuna made himself keep his eyes on Xanxus’. "I don’t want you to grovel. You don’t even need to acknowledge me." He breathed out a tense half-laugh as Xanxus settled back onto his heels. "You don’t even need to do what I ask you to."

Thought was coming back into that burning glare, and suspicion. "Yeah? You’ll just sit there and let me tell you to fuck off, huh? Tenth." Contempt dripped from the title.

"If you want," Tsuna said quietly.

Xanxus threw back his head and laughed. "Sounds like a deal to me! So what the hell is this condition?"

Tsuna braced himself. "You don’t have to do what I tell you. But when I tell you not to do something, that’s different."

Xanxus stilled, glare slowly turning hot again. "You little shit…"

Tsuna told his knees sternly not to shake and spent a second wishing he could have done this with his Will burning. But that wouldn’t have gotten him what he needed, here. "That’s my only condition."

Xanxus looked at him for a long moment before swinging away to stare out one of the tall windows. Tsuna waited quietly, hand tense against the frame of the door as seconds ticked past and past.

"All right." Xanxus’ voice was flat and his back stiff.

Tsuna took another breath. One more step. "May I have your word?"

Xanxus half whirled, snarling over his shoulder, and Tsuna tensed another notch, poised to drive himself down into Dying Will if this was the last straw and Xanxus attacked him. But Xanxus froze as his eyes met Tsuna’s, hand opening and closing by his side as he stared at him. The hot glare wavered and finally he spun back around and punched the wall, leaving a crater of shattered plaster.

"You have my word." It was low and harsh.

Tsuna swallowed. "Thank you," he managed, a little husky himself, and stepped back from Xanxus’ door.

He didn’t turn his back until he was around the corner, though.

End

Last Modified: Dec 06, 08
Posted: Dec 06, 08
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xantissa, xantissa, Lys ap Adin (lysapadin) and 13 other readers sent Plaudits.

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    1. Icon for BranchBranch Post author

      He really is. I love the hints of it we get in canon, and developing those is very tasty. I think this will go all the way through, I’m getting bunny nibbles.

      Reply
  1. lilac_ayame@livejournal

    Ho~! Smart one, Tsuna… Smart move!

    “You don’t have to do what I tell you. But when I tell you not to do something, that’s different.”

    Hihi, I wonder how he walked without turning his back XDD

    Reply
  2. iverion@livejournal

    Fwah~ Yeay! There’s another part in this awesome umbrella story thingy (er, what should I call it? A fanfic arc? XD) I really, REALLY hope this isn’t the last one. I would love any other stories about these two. Here’s hoping.

    Reply
    1. Icon for BranchBranch Post author

      Glad you liked it!

      And it is most certainly not the last one. *rueful* This has turned into an arc for real. There’s a long one coming next, with at least two or three shorter ones trailing after it.

      Reply
  3. iverion@livejournal

    I-worship-you. *erects a shrine* That’s so awesome. There’s not a lot of good stories for these two T_T Your’s is definitely my favorite.

    Reply
    1. Icon for BranchBranch Post author

      *hearts* I don’t know whether I’ll get to posting the next bit before the holidays, but these two are turning out to be a lot of fun to play with.

      Reply
  4. Yui3513

    Oh What interesting the condition was!!!

    XD oh I hope one day in the future Tsuna learns how to ‘treat’ Xasxus without tremble XD jajajajaja

    Reply
    1. Icon for BranchBranch Post author

      Thank you! At first I thought that first story would be all there was, but then the rest of the arc kept tugging at me to get written, so I had to make this bridge to get it there.

      *grins* Tsuna will learn all right.

      Reply
  5. ellie

    I think I’m addicted to your fic.
    Also..I love love love love love the way you write Xanxus. He’s so delightfully batshit in the series, but you write him with two sides, with something more.

    Reply
    1. Icon for BranchBranch Post author

      *hearts* That’s what’s fun about writing Xanxus! I mean, an everyday psycho is kind of boring; one with reasons, however twisted, is a lot more fun.

      Reply