96. Wimp

"Tsuna-kun," I whispered into his ear cheekily, "Once you accept this position, there's no turning back, y'know, being a Mafia Boss and all."

Tsuna shuddered, flinched, and shot away. "Re- Rei-san!" he whined at me, "Don't remind me, please...!"

I giggled, "It's appalling how reluctant you still are after all this," I told him, "I'm sure it's hard to keep running from reality, Tsuna-kun. Why don't you give up while it's still possible?"

Tsuna glared at me from the side, wordless. Then, he just sighed. "You've... cheered up, huh," he seemed more disappointed than relieved. Also, why is my honorific back on? the question was written on his face.

At that, I could only provide an awkward chuckle. "It's hard to stay sad, Tsuna-kun," I told him, pulling his cheeks up personally, "C'mon, stay sharp, look up!" 

I heard Gokudera let out a sigh in resignation, but make no attempt to oppose my actions. Without a doubt, he would've snapped if I were anyone else. 

I grinned wide-- but then my eyes narrowed and I found my smile curling into something a little more sinister than happiness. "Are you willing to let the culprits see right through your depressed, half-assed demeanor?"

Right away, a hand came to my face and a fist landed rock hard on my head.

Just so easily, I was incapacitated, doubled over the ground for a full two minutes just trying not to cry.

The slap came from Gokudera, I think... the punch?

Looking up, I froze.

A male so, incredibly tall compared to me-- a head of incredibly long, perfectly white hair-- his eyes were a shade of something gray maybe, or was it the light I don't know-- he wore a suit, fashionably and feigning a composed impression--

regarding, that sword on the back of his arm wasn't a good sign at all so--

"Uhm," Staying on the ground, finding myself sitting on my knees in a dogeza for some reason, "It is very nice to meet you again, Sir Squalo."

I didn't dare look up. 

From the side, I tried to ignore the blond bangs an inch away from me, the nonexistent eyes behind them boring holes into my existence--

"Ushishishi," he snickered under his breath, but did not plan on saying anything more.

On the other side was Lussuria, comfortably gazing at me as if I was a cute puppy-- 

Leviathan stood in the way of the light, his large shadow covering my entire figure and secluding me in a box of no escape--

Finally, Mammon settles on my head, finding my hair a comfortable island as he just sits there--

With a sigh, I turned to Tsuna with a delighted, cheerful smile. My chuckle genuine and without a hint of a lie-- I truthfully asked him my final question. "Hey, Tsuna-kun, will you build my memorial for me?"

"Rei-san?!" Tsuna freaked out first, "Wait, everyone? We gotta--" he panicked, because oh no Rei is gonna die I think he's just given up on life god why- then Ryohei tugs him by the collar towards the direction of the main hall. "Wait, Onii-san?!"

"I'll do the funeral too!" Ryohei turned to me with a grin and a thumbs-up, joking for the first time in his entire life. "Rest assured to the extreme!" 

I have made a mistake-

-

I was sat down on a chair.

So, they surrounded me on all sides again-- why the hell do they like doing this so much I've been trapped in the Box of Varia like three times now and this is our third meeting or something-

"I still can't believe it," Belphegor mumbled, leaning in close, speaking without a hint of amusement, "This little chimp joins us in the future?"

"Tch," Squalo clicks his tongue, "Ridiculous. Can we just kill him instead?"

I flinched as he raised his sword up--

"Ehhh," Lussuria gives a complaint, wrapping his arms around my head, "But he's a cute one. I want to keep him." he put his chin on my head and held me comfortingly for some reason-- well at least it's comfortable but--

"He is NOT a pet animal!" Levi, Bel and Squalo snapped in unison.

Wow, they have the ability to agree on things?

"Then he's my pet human." Lussuria whined, feigning childishness.

Leviathan tutted in the background, "Stop messing around," he groaned, really not in the mood for this tomfoolery now. 

Deciding that was enough, Lussuria straightened himself.

"Regardless, the boss did tell us to kill him the next time we met." Belphegor chuckled, and with one flick of a finger he drew a sharp, silver blade from his sleeve. "Shall I?"

Feeling a little calm after that hug from Lussuria, I slowly reached out to Belphegor's hand-- and to my surprise he let me touch him, curious of my action. I wrapped my hand around his wrist for one second--

"Oh," I blurted, figuring out the trick. "Something like-" With a little twist of my pinky, I imitated Belphegor's previous sleigh of hand, drawing one of his knives our of my sleeve. "-This?"

"Oh, you're a quick learner." Belphegor mused this time.

Pulling the knife out, wire still connected to my sleeve, I scrutinized it. "These are kinda a hassle to control." I mumbled to myself, "I'd rather just the knife without the wires."

"Now now," Belphegor took the knife from my and snapping it toward me quickly. "We're not here to sightsee, we're here to kill."

I dodged it, but it scraped my cheek.

I kept my serious demeanor. "And I'm here to make peace." I declared to them, "What could I do to make you accept me as one of you?"

"Hah?" Belphegor was baffled.

The Varia seemed to take a step back in surprise-- bewildered, just what? 

"Voi," Squalo gaped, "You're not actually expecting us to ever do that, are you?"

"I'm serious." I sighed, "We all know it's going to happen in the future. Rather than denying the future like our indecisive Decimo there, why don't we get this done with right here and now?"

This seemed to make them all fall quiet. 

I had no idea what they thought of it-- did they find a flaw in my logic? Did questions rise in their minds? Were they convinced, or not?

-

"The Boss is going to get angry," Mammon finally decided to speak up, "but if you give me a million bucks, you can be whatever you want."

That just broke my poker face immediately as I burst into furious giggles.

"Voi!" Squalo yelled, angered at Mammon's irresponsible declaration.

I managed to settle and lift my head. Asking excitedly, "Can I pay in installments?" an innocent, but not-so-unconsidered question.

"There'll be interest." He made a final compliance.

"No probs!" with a delighted OK. 

-

Lussuria chuckled heartily, "Then, boy," he leaned down to whisper in my ear-- "If you let me do whatever I want with you for one week, I'll accept you."

I had nothing but bad feelings about that declaration.

Choosing my words with extra, extra care-- "Is anything dirty included in your demands?" I tried.

Lussuria pouted, "Alright then, I'll keep everything to illegal but not mature." 

I had my mindset wrong all this while. Lussuria was the most dangerous of the Varia members in relations to my wellbeing- abort mission abort mission- 

I sighed, "Permission granted..."

-

Neither Belphegor nor Squalo looked pleased about the decisions made. 

"What makes you think the Boss will ever agree to this?" Squalo groaned, "Don't be absurd, let's just kill him right now! We decided that last time!"

"The situation has changed!" Lussuria retorted, "He was useful, you saw the future."

"We don't have to follow that future!" Squalo yelled, "Besides, what makes you think this wimp would be of any use to us yet?"

Belphegor straightened his knife-- and taking the chance where I seemed engrossed in listening to the quarrel-- he aimed it straight at my eyes.

Grabbing it right out of the air, I diverted the course downwards, clasped the hilt with my left hand-- and drove it right down and into the back of my right palm.

The blade tore through nerves, cells and bones in one quick flash, even penetrated the wood of the table under it, and went right through to the other end.

Unable to suppress my voice, I let out a sharp, pained, howl.

I sucked in a breath-- forgetting how to breath, I gasped over and over, trying to compose myself in face of the excruciating agony in my right hand. 

At my voice many rushed over to the scene. 

First to appear was Dino, who yelled for the medics, then Tsuna and gang perhaps, that tried to approach, but I didn't register.

I simply looked back up to the Varia-- putting on the most prideful smirk I could muster. Squalo looked taken aback by what I did-- and Belphegor was pale. Lussuria was amazed-- and Levi has his eyes wide open in shock.

I let out a string of throaty chortles.

"Still a wimp to you?" I taunted.