Chapter Text
Suffocating
That was the word that resurface in Tsunayoshi Sawada's mind, the word that seemed so clear that it made any other thoughts in his mind a blurred image. He never actually realised how pressuring it felt to actually talk to someone— or was that only to Yurei Sakkaku's person?
He didn't know.
His Intuition was slightly humming at the back of his head, not exactly giving him the specific answer he was hoping for as the aforementioned person sat before him. Despite having Gokudera and Yamamoto behind him, Tsunayoshi felt as if he wasn't the one in control— albeit, he never was good in taking control.
But that doesn't explain how Yurei was doing much more better than he was—
Yurei observed the place they had chosen for the meeting (it was just Sawada's house really), recalling back the time when he was brought back after being blasted away by bright pink grenades. Slowly he sipped his glass of warm water, letting the silence between them fall and settle like heavy snow. He was waiting for the brunette to talk and it seem to be almost going nowhere.
"So, you were saying something about this ring?"
He decided to start off. Honestly, he had done so much for them and he isn't getting all the benefits he was entitled to. Not to mention, he was somehow given the Ring that not only doesn't fit him, the nature of it does not align with him in general. Despite all his questionable reputation in the underworld, he was not a liar. Cunning? Yes. Sly? Yes. Not a liar.
As he slipped the ring out, holding it between his thumb and index finger, he had opted to tune out whatever words were coming out from the Sawada. Whatever it was, he wasn't interested. Just as he had told Nono, he would maintain neutrality. Getting looped in was the last thing he needed and he despised having shackles around him.
While the power politics itself was tempting, there was no way he was going to get involved with a gang of kiddies that have zero battle worthy skills and experience. Sure, Gokudera hailed from a mafioso family but he is still just a kid even if he is just slightly better than the rest. The same goes for Kyoya and the pineapple dude. Did he also mention the unfairness of the plot armor the protagonist and his gang had?
It wasn't worth it. Not only could he not influence or cause any effects directed at them, what they are to be is already set in stone. Thus, him receiving the Mist Ring only confuses him. It wasn't going to be his, that was what he is sure of considering the world, the universe, didn't consider his actual nature to bestow the appropriate ring upon him.
Did he seriously become the delivery man? How insulting.
"So now you're the Mist Guardian for the Vongola Decimo." Reborn's voice was what pulled him out of his thoughts and Yurei reacted quickly, his signature smile remaining ever so present on his face before he merely placed the ring down and pushed it forward.
"I have no idea what that is but no." He blatantly rejects them, his eyes closing while his smile only unnerved the three teenagers before him. "Besides, all that sneaky sneaky thing doesn't sit well with me. I feel like a thief. But if you are looking for a misty person, I think this one guy with a pineapple hairstyle would fit!"
He had suggested, before Reborn had the chance to cut in. "He snuck up on me the other day and I couldn't even sense him! He was like a ghost so he might actually fit your criteria in being a badass invisible buddy!" Throwing oil to the fire, he was setting the path right back, just giving it a little push. Tsunayoshi's Mist was not Yurei, nor was Tsunayoshi his Sky. Mentioning Rokudo was more than enough to perk Reborn's attention as the other's hairstyle could be said to be a rather famous description of the teenager.
"Besides, the ring design doesn't fit my aesthetic. It sticks out like a sore thumb." Yurei stood from his chair, adding yet another flippant and ridiculous excuse as to why he rejected the ring. A shiver of what could be identified as disgust was paired along with a shake of his head and his tongue sticking out in distaste to the plain looking ring. It was almost like an indirect insult to the Vongola Insignia which was the pride of every famiglia as well as the design of the rings. More than enough for Reborn to reconsider the other candidate he had sacrificed.
Yes, sacrifice. Rokudo is so hellbent on the Tuna, isn't he? He shall serve up the first row seat on a silver platter for him. In his mind he had stuck up a middle finger to said illusionist.
《♠️♠️♠️》
He didn't know what events he had missed but with him receiving the Mist Ring the other day, it was enough of an indication that it was before the Ring's Battle. He still had time before they started off the battle, enough time for him to rough up the waves and disrupt the peace of the lake's surface. Swinging his feet a few times from the edge of the roof, the Game Master grinned wildly. The night was fairly dark, with the absence of a full moon but was saved by the lights of the city.
He leaned over and dived.
《♠️♠️♠️》
Rapid gunshots were heard in the morning of wonderful Sicily. GM played as the main culprit when he had in fact appeared at the entrance of the Varia's territory. Yells and words of apprehensions were dutifully tuned out to nothing but static in the teen's ears. A visible quirk of his lips that now formed a smirk, revealing some teeth was enough to be a trigger, the start to the pulls of the triggers that release the bullets through the air and towards him.
Twisting his index and middle finger where a card would appear through the sleight of hand. Like a card dealer in a casino, he swiped the card across him and three large cards appeared, human sized and nailing themselves into the soiled pavement. A King of Hearts, Queen of Spades and Ace of Clovers was seen facing the perpetrators who were the guards of the Varia territory.
Bullets made contact with the cards and were deflected off the surface. From the point of contact, it could be assumed that the cards were made of metal bulletproof materials seeing how sparks of embers came off from each shot made yet not a dent was seen. The material proved sturdy as well, seeing how GM was leaning against one of the cards while flipping the card that was in his hand.
Humming a random tune that seemed to be a mashup of different songs together that was stuck in his head. His humming continued, only ceasing when the shots were no more. The ammunition clearly ran out, a smile gracing his face before he heard a voice. Not that he recognized it by any means, but the nature of it was enough to highlight the personality and narrow down the identity of the owner.
"VOIIIIII, what's the commotion?! Boss ain't appreciating the racket this early in the morning!"
A man in his young twenties with long silver hair seemed pissed no doubt. The pavements are littered with bullets and bullet holes. It was lucky that it wasn't done behind the gates else the damage done to the tiled pavements would have gotten a nagging from Mammon. His grey eyes narrowed dangerously as his aura fluctuated between frustration and stress. It didn't take him long for his eyes to land on the large cards that pretty much had him blinking in confusion cause: what the fuck??
"Ah, Superbia Squalo!~ Just the man I was looking for~"
A sing-song voice came from behind the cards. The King was moved aside as if it was a sliding door, one swift motion made with a gloved hand that came into view. His hand pushed the card to the side and he did one full turn, almost twirling as all the cards were pushed out of view, disappearing to god knows where. A flamboyant yet gentlemanly bow accompanied by the twirls of his right arm with the grace of a ballet dancer as it crosses over the left shoulder.
His head lifted, blue eyes barely seen from behind the chequered mask he wore. His fox-like grin remained still before he straightened himself up. His feet that crossed each other, the front right foot swung a little for it to be back in position beside his left foot. Right arm lowering down to his side before his voice was heard to introduce himself.
"Game Master, pleasure to be acquainted with the Rain of Varia."
《♠️♠️♠️》
"Lighten up on the scowl, Xanxus~"
BANG
"Tsk tsk, such impatience~" GM quipped cheerfully from his seat on the couch. He had laid down, lounging without a single care or guard up as he faced the boss of Varia who was seated at his chair behind his study table. A gun pointed at him while he moved the card away from his face, not wanting his sight to be disturbed by the poker card.
Chuckling softly he extended his arm to the side, a finger tapping his card and letting the flattened bullet that had been shot towards his face but failed to meet the target, to fall and clatter against the wooden surface of the table. Slipping the card away back into his sleeve, he brought his arm back to be behind his head, his feet that were on the other end of the couch's armrest lightly shook.
"Get to the point, Trash."
"All have been detailed in the file I've given you, Xanxus." He answered coolly, the shaking subsiding as he tilt his head to the leader of the assassination squad. "What I'm asking is, may I have a place in this game?"
"There is no benefit in this deal, not for you."
"Ah, that is where you are wrong~" GM jolted up into a sitting position, a wide almost jovial grin seen. "I am not like the typical mafioso, I just want to have fun~" He stated as he stood up and sauntered over to the table where Xanxus sat. "Can you imagine their face seeing an unknown and unexpected variable turning up?"
He no doubt sounded crazy, he actually was if Xanxus could ever put in some words to describe the individual before him. The scarred man glared at the man, still trying to discern his motives or for any traps that laid behind those words and the offered information of how the Vongola Decimo in training have attained a few Guardians but it wasn't a full trope just yet. Not to mention that all of the potential and chosen candidates were just kids.
"You know my rules and my pledge. Even my skills as well as my worth." The GM continued, coaxing the man. "By those Ten Covenants, I shall do my part to obtain victory in the battle. In exchange for the information and alliance I've chosen to aid you in."
The GM extended his hand out, "All I want is just to have fun, are you able to give me that, Xanxus?" Xanxus warily stared at the hand offered to him, the deal was practically advantageous to him. Not many would even negotiate further with how eccentric the Game Master was and would just fulfil their end of the deal. However, Xanxus did not become the leader of the most elite mafia assassination squad for nothing.
He reached out and shook his hand. "Aschente."