A sky within the night -KHR

119. Weakening, Leon is Cute

1034 Words excluding (A/N)~ I no own KHR~

Written June 21 2021
Posted June 23 2021
NEXT UPDATE is July 7 2021

Another week of training had Tsuna still at a standstill flame wise. Both Hayato and Takeshi had ended up improving a bit, leaving their sky behind as they advanced. Thankfully the two guardians had noticed their sky's unease and had been giving him more space over the last two days.

Tsuna grimaced, swallowing down a mouthful of blood as he leaned against a tree. Along with his failure to improve with his flames, he'd been feeling funny recently. It hadn't been noticeable until it was, but he could tell that he was getting sicker. Something just felt wrong, or at least more wrong than usual for him.

"You've been lagging in your studies and training Tsuna" Reborn stated. He'd noticed that his sky hadn't been lacking in effort, so he was wondering what was up with Tsuna.

'Something changed in the last few days'

"I know" Tsuna's hands curled into fists, frustrated with himself "I don't feel well, I feel bad, but I'm still standing for some reason" He glanced down at his fists, his skin was pale, he'd need to feed again, just like he'd done the last few nights. He didn't use to need to feed so much, so why was he needing to now?

Reborn frowned, his inner flame lashing uneasily "You haven't been looking too well lately" Tsuna's health was decreasing more rapidly for some reason. He hesitated a bit before continuing "You've had the pacifier for a long time" He pursed his lips, it was honestly a miracle that Tsuna had lived so long with the curse "Is the curse advancing?"

'Could his vampirism be fighting the curse? I've spotted him hunting more than usual'

Honey flashed orange as the teen offered the hitman a weak smile "I think so" Tsuna couldn't help the small thrum of fear that was building in his chest. He wanted to live "I just-" He clutched at his chest, the orange pacifier wrapped in chains pulsing a bit beneath his shirt "There's still so much to do" They weren't ready, he wasn't ready.

The hitman nodded solemnly, resisting the urge to hover over Tsuna. He'd thought that there'd be more time, a lot more time. He'd been naive. Luce had deteriorated quite swiftly once she'd reached a point, so why would Tsuna have been any different? "I haven't come across any leads" Reborn replied, regretful "Have there been any on your side?"

'Checkerface is too skilled at evading... And here we are just being mostly idle and waiting. The bastard has no reason to show himself in front of us'

Tsuna hesitated a bit "Checkerface's location is still unknown, but Shamal is working on something that could help me last longer" The doctor had been working quite earnestly on the endeavour. Though that was probably due to the many subtle threats that'd been thrown his way.

"In what way?" It couldn't be a cure, one would have already been made by now with how long the arcobaleno have existed within the world. So it had to be something else.

'I have no clue of what it could be besides something to improve health'

The young sky gave an uneasy smile "He's been working on a disease to destroy flames at their source..."

Reborn scowled "Dame-Tsuna, have you not learned your lesson about how removing all of someones flames is basically a death sentence?" Just what was Tsuna thinking?

Orange eyes glowed in response "The pacifier using my flames, even just a little is what's killing me Reborn" He wasn't angry, just frustrated. He could understand that Reborn was just concerned about him "If I have no flames, then the curse can't grow" It was a shaky theory at best, and just plain suicidal at worst "Time is a luxury that we seem to be running out of" Tsuna bit his lip "I don't want my flames to go out" The connections that he's built... He's had his flames burning within him for as long as he could remember. Even if they'd been burning weakly up until Ie was saved.

The hitman narrowed his gaze, he did not like the idea at all "You're not allowed to go through with it unless you're already well on your way to dying" Tsuna would not be like Luce, he was not going to lose another sky. Reborn absolutely refused to let that happen.

'I don't want to lose Tsuna, but I also don't want to lose the ability to feel his flames'

Tsuna's expression softened, orange melting back into honey "I agree, I'm not fond of banking on my durability as a vampire..." The solution was very likely to kill him considering how his body had reacted to him depleting all of his flames "But it's the only thing that we could think of" They didn't know how to break the curse, so the next best thing was to destroy the very thing said curse was feeding off of.

"You do know, that if it works, you won't have any flames right?" Not unless they wanted to go back to where they started.

'Our bonds would break'

The sky gave a small nod "I know" He bit his lip "But bonds can be made without fancy magic flames you know" He replied, looking nervous.

"You're right" Reborn amended, taking note of the other's unease "I won't leave you so long as you don't give up and take the easy way out" Being around Tsuna was enjoyable, and the teen knew how to protect himself even without the use of his flames. He pulled Leon out of his sleeve, the tiny chameleon had formed a shiny green cocoon "Leon is working on something for you, a weapon"

'I'm not sure if I'm fond of the timing or not. What would a life or death battle entail? I haven't noticed any threats arriving'

Tsuna's face lit up "Leon looks so cute like that" He gently pet the cocoon "Thanks for worrying about me Leon"

"Worrying?" He'd thought that Leon must have sensed something.

"There won't be a battle, so Leon is probably just worried about my health" Tsuna cooed "I know what Leon did for your past student, but I know that there won't be a fight soon"

"How do you know that?"

"I just do" Tsuna continued to pet the cocoon Leon.

Me: Their plans are being uprooted... Don't you hate when you realize there's not as muc time left as you thought? I do >^<

Comment? ^-^