The Summoning Pact

Chapter Seventeen - Steady Progression

Tsuna didn't look up as the soft noise of a chair dragging against carpet sounded from opposite him. The sound had blended into the soft murmuring of students studying around him in the library, and, with how busy it was, he didn't begrudge someone needing to share a table with him.

For a brief moment, his heart leapt into his throat as he was drawn back to the memory of his first encounter with Byakuran, but he hurriedly pushed the panic down with another scribbled line of theory.

The stipulation set for allowing him to study in the library meant that someone was with him nearly all the time.

Even now he could feel Verde's cursory glance as the demon skated eyes over his being and then his companion. The attention soon faded away, as Verde no doubt turned back to his book from his place settled in a dark, unseen corner, and from that Tsuna deduced his table companion was someone safe to be with.

Long pale fingers flickered in his peripheral, and pressed gently against his wrist, where he had his fingers curled around his pen. Startled, Tsuna jerked his head up and was surprised to see Fon opposite to him, the demon withdrawing his hand now that he had Tsuna's attention.

"Oh," Tsuna said, so quietly it was barely a breath of noise.

Fon smiled and inclined his head in a cursory greeting.

The bustle of noise continued around them, students murmuring, pages turning, people shuffling between long, extensive aisles of books upon books.

"It's been some time, Tsunayoshi-kun," Fon greeted softly, folding his hands in front of him on the table. "How have you been?"

Tsuna had to lick his lips a few times, so he could speak without croaking, and simply replied, "Well. And yourself?"

"I find myself with a little problem, Tsunayoshi, and I was hoping you could help." Fon's fingers twitched and, for the briefest of moments, Tsuna saw a red flame crackle between the demon's knuckles.

"I'm not sure how I could help you, but if there's anything I can do, I'd be glad to assist you." Tsuna capped his pen and laid it neatly on his book, the pages still open.

Fon's hand lifted, and he pointed to Tsuna's upper arm.

"A mutual acquaintance of ours seems adamant that a contract between us would be beneficial. I'm disinclined to believe. It is of no offense to you, Tsunayoshi, I just do not seem to see the upside of being inexplicably joined to a human."

Tsuna rubbed his arm self-consciously and felt the skin under the contract prickle.

"I'm fairly amazed that Bermuda himself would agree to a contract with you, but that is not enough evidence for me to do the same. I come here with the hope that you could convince him to stop with his badgering."

"I didn't know he was," Tsuna admitted quietly, tongue feeling heavy in his mouth. "But should I see him again, I'll tell him to stop. Though…could I ask something of you?"

Fon spread his hands amicably and smiled. Tsuna felt Verde's gaze drift back to them, the other Arcobaleno watching intently.

"Go ahead, Tsunayoshi."

"You feel uncomfortable being bound to a human. What did Luce offer that her case was so different to mine?"

The sound around them abruptly stopped, the room falling into a deathly still silence that Tsuna could feel creeping over his skin.

"No matter how much trust you have gained with the others, Luce is a wound that need not be reopened, Tsunayoshi. You have no business in knowing who she is."