Life After Beaches
A Ten-Year-Later Fan Fiction
Disclaimer: No, don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.
A/N: Stuck in my mind for weeks. Last update before 25/11 (Exams)
Tsuna left his mansion for the first time in 3 months. Honestly, he believed he needed this break. Day after day, he was cooped up in his office—spacious yet enclosed—and he utterly hated it. His routine: Wake up, breakfast, paperwork, lunch, paperwork, dinner, paperwork, patrol to tuck everyone that is in the mansion in (yes, he visited the servants' hall as well), sleep. If he could squeeze in some time, he'll train for some time. Well, Reborn – that sadistic tutor—insisted that he train at least five times a week for 2 hours minimum. Honestly, that would just be less sleep and not, never, less work. Nothing is less work if one have such guardians actually.
The least troublesome guardians are Chrome, Lambo, and surprise, surprise, Takeshi. Lambo is only 15 and never would Tsuna let him out on a mission before he finished his studies. Yes, there were exceptions but Lambo, being a young and yet to mature assassin, he simply tagged along and only was assigned to do protection duties, much to his own dismay. Chrome, being a lady, was rarely out on missions alone. Her attacks are psychological and does long term damages to the mind, rather than physical attacks like Mukuro (damn that man). Takeshi, on the other hand, is a silent assassin. Much like Reborn, he carries out his missions silently and not leaving much evidence behind.
The others are just… Tsuna shook his head absentmindedly. There is really nothing to explain there. Hayato, Kyoya, Mukuro and Ryo-nii causes the most headaches. At least Kyoya have one capable assistant that helps to finish his own share of paperwork.
"Tsuna-nii!"
"Yes, Lambo?" Tsuna opens his eyes and turned to look right at the young Bovino across him.
"We are reaching, are you excited?" Lambo asked, jumping in his seat.
Tsuna nodded with a chuckle, "Anything that requires me to leave my office gets me excited, actually."
"Tenth, I'm really sorry I did not plan this much earlier!"
Tsuna shook his head and smiled slightly, "Nah, its fine. I couldn't have taken time off before today, anyway."
The limousine skidded to stop. Three seconds later, Tsuna's chauffeur, also doubling as his bodyguard, Mr. Alberto Rensine, opened the door.
"Boss and his guardians, we've reached."
Tsuna nodded, "Thanks for the hard work!"
Alberto laughed while holding a hand out to guide everyone out of the door, "Well, it's always hard work when I'm accompanying Boss and his guardians out."
"Getting a little cheeky here, aren't we, Albert?" Hayato prodded said man's cheeks with a dynamite.
"Wouldn't dare to, sir!" Alberto laughed.
"Thank you, Al!" Takeshi smiled and leaned forward, cupping his mouth, although his 'whispered' words are just loud enough for everyone else to hear, "Don't mind Hayato! It has been ages he came out with Tsuna or to the beach so he's getting impatient!"
"What did you say, Sword Freak?" Hayato growled.
"Haya-nii! Tsuna-nii said no fighting today!" Lambo frowned, arms akimbo.
"Yes, Hayato. 'No fighting'!" Tsuna frowned, wriggling his finger at Hayato and turned to Takeshi, "And you, Takeshi! Don't encourage a fight!"
"Sorry Tenth!"
"Well..." Takeshi gave a sheepish smile.
Tsuna looked around, "Where's the others?"
Hayato piped, "Hibari is avoiding crowding. Lawn-head is out on his 'mission' with Hana. Chrome and Mukuro might drop by later."
Tsuna pouted, "I thought I could get a nice family outing…"
"I'll get them over right away, Tenth!"
"Ah! There's no need!" Tsuna laughed and stopped, "Where's I-pin and Fuuta?"
"I-pin is out with her boyfriends and Fuuta is with Varia!" Takeshi answered.
"Oh yes, how could I have forgotten about all these…" Tsuna frowned and rubbed his forehead.
"Tenth, are you feeling well?" Hayato asked with a frown and his hand reached over to feel his forehead.
"Yes, I am fine, Hayato," Tsuna swiped his hand away. Honestly, what with being cooped up for months on end in an office could make anyone sick.
"Boss, I'll be parking the car at the carpark over there," Alberto pointed to a faraway plot of land, "I'll meet you…?"
Tsuna smiled, "Over here. At the beach. If we change our location, I'll inform you."
"Through the phone, Boss?"
"Telepathy."
"Sure, sure," Alberto chuckled, "Your jokes are getting old, Boss. Perhaps you're getting old-!" Alberto ended abruptly and dodged when Hayato raised a dynamite at him.
"I'll get going!" Alberto shouted from the front seat.
/
Tsuna was enjoying the heat. The rolling waves were crashing and the sound that produced sounded really good. Tsuna missed this. It had been at least a good three years since he had come to a beach to relax. The last time he was here, it was to catch the Boss of the Ruscetti Famiglia. It ended badly. He had thirty stitches near the skin where his clavicle was. That was not the worst. It was the sheer amount of paperwork he found after getting dismissed from the nurse's office. He did not even get a proper dismissal. The head healer, which by the way, is Ryo-nii, insisted him to stay in the ward for at least 2 more days. Tsuna knew that the amount of paperwork would be horrendous if he stayed and hence, gotten an early leave. Thank the gods, he had left early. If he waited for another two more days…
Tsuna shuddered at the thought.
He was lying, chest down, on Alberto's coat and his folded arms, covered partially by the parasol. Seated beside him was Alberto. As much as Tsuna insisted that he changed into something that will fit the beach, Alberto refused. The man sat beside Tsuna, as his bodyguard, in his suit. Really, he had removed his coat, insisting that "His Boss cannot be lying down on naked sand!". Tsuna doubted that was the real intention though. Probably, the coat might have been too hot for Alberto. Said man has rolled up his sleeves of his dress shirt and even his pants.
Chrome and Mukuro arrived shortly after they settled down. Mukuro had stalked away, muttering about pineapples and the sun (even though, he did mention he wanted to accompany Tsuna if Tsuna requested. Tsuna had rejected it immediately). Chrome quickly changed out of her 'battle robes', as what Lambo loved to call them, and into a purple ombre chiffon dress with a straw hat.
Lambo was 'frolicking' in the sand with Hayato and Takeshi. Chrome was laughing, holding onto her straw hat, and with her chiffon dress flowing. Well, Lambo was being rolled in the sand by Hayato after the former had lost a mini-game against Hayato. Takeshi was helping Hayato and Lambo at the same time. One moment, he helped Hayato to roll Lambo and the other, he aided Lambo by stopping Hayato.
Tsuna smiled and wished that only the aforementioned things were happening. Hardly that was the case now, every single time he exited his mansion and into places with people.
Girls with hormones, to be exact.
Tsuna twitched.
At least ten such ladies were standing approximately 15 meters away from where is. Not to mention, they were 'spazzing' over the few of them. Tsuna sighed inwardly.
"Oh my goddness, they are soooooo cute!"
"They are like Gods! Such features…"
"I can't believe it! It must be our lucky day!"
"The silver-haired man looks the hottest!"
"No! It's the man with the scar! So 'grunge', so hot!"
"I'm telling you, the guy lying down is the hottest!"
"No, no! It must be Lambo-sama!"
Alberto must have getting irritated by these girls as well. Tsuna could feel that Alberto was restraining to glare at them.
"The guy in the formal clothes looks hot too!"
That's it.
"Al, can you get those ladies away?"
Alberto nodded, seemingly relieved, "Sure Boss. The usual?"
"Yes, that would be nice."
Alberto stood up and went over to those girls and asked them politely to remove themselves.
Tsuna shook his head; how can they even 'spazz' like that? Really, Tsuna was only in a plain t-shirt and bermudas. He ain't even half naked! Although… Tsuna have to admit that he has a nice body. He did not have rippling muscles but they were well-toned enough to show just a little. He did not have any fats or flabs hanging. His abdomen has '6 united nations' and the best thing? He has a copper colored skin. He was not pale like those other kids that always spend their time indoors. (To ensure that though, Tsuna spent time outdoors to finish some of his paperwork, much to Reborn's disappointment. Reborn had thought that Tsuna could finish paperwork much more efficiently. But honestly…)
Hayato and Takeshi were around the same, except Hayato had more back and forearm muscles as he has been practicing archery to perfect his accuracy. As for Takeshi, his muscles are just right. Not enough to show any shape but enough to show that he is fit. (Takeshi has '8 united nations' though.)
Lambo… Tsuna shook his head with a chuckle. If that kid even work out, that's the end of his regime.
It was then Tsuna shot up from his position. He felt a flare in his Hyper Intuition. He glanced around… Nothing was…
There!
He scrambled up from where he was and ran towards the sea.
"Tenth?" Hayato shouted uncertainly.
"Tsuna-nii?"
"Tsuna?"
"Boss!"
Tsuna ignored their cries and quickly threw his shirt off. He ran into the sea and when it was deep enough, he started swimming powerful strokes.
"Help-!" The little girl cried.
"Help! My daughter is drowning! Help!"
Tsuna continued swimming and silently thanked Reborn for forcing him to finish his swimming lessons.
One stroke. Two. Three. There!
He scooped the drowning girl and cupped her chin to above the water and started swimming back to the shore.
/
"Boss! You could have told me to rescue her instead of going in yourself!" Alberto berated.
"Well…" Tsuna laughed sheepishly.
Tsuna frowned when Hayato brushed across his chest again.
"Honestly, Haya, I think you're gonna rub Tsuna raw like that." Takeshi frowned.
Hayato glared at Takeshi before softening and glanced at Tsuna, "Sorry Tenth. I should have been more alert."
"Its fine, Hayato." Tsuna smiled and ruffled the other's hair, "Besides, can you stop cleaning me? People are staring…"
Hayato apologised furiously and Alberto proffered Tsuna's clothes. Tsuna took it with a thanks.
/
Hettchex. Tsuna sniffled again during dinner.
"Do you need a tissue, Bossu?" Chrome asked worriedly.
Hettc-hettche-hettche-ngg… Huettch-X
"Thanks, Chrome," Tsuna accepted the tissue to blow his nose silently.
Heh-nng-mmf...huh-ingxt!
"Tenth, do you want to get some medications?" Hayato asked worriedly, already leaving the table.
Hehh..He-tchmm.
Tsuna shook his head as he stifled another sneeze. "I'm fine. It's most probably from the cold air and seawater just now. Perhaps I took too long to dry off…"
"It's all that Mother's fault! If she didn't take 1 hour to thank Tenth…" Hayato growled, eyes sparkling dangerously.
Heh-mmph...snff...hih-nngxt!
"Hayato," Tsuna berated, "It's not her fault."
"Well, she did take a bit too long thanking you," Takeshi sounded out while munching onto a piece of chicken.
Heh-tchhh...nngxt!
"Don't talk when you're chewing, Sword Freak!" Hayato shouted.
Tsuna shook his head with a smile before sneezing again. He massaged his temples silently and hoped that he will not get any sicker.
/
A knock at the door made Tsuna look up from his paperwork.
"Tsuna-nii?" Lambo's head pop in, "may I come in?"
Hetcheex-Hittchex-Hitchhhhz!
"Yes, flease," Tsuna answered with a congested voice. Seriously, the flu had gotten worse in 2 hours! He did not even switch on the air-conditioning in the room and instead had opened the windows.
Heh-ngxxt...nngxxt...huh-tchh
Wait, perhaps the cold air was bad for a flu.
Lambo took in the haggard look of his surrogate brother and frowned. His face was slightly pale and his nose-! It looked like the fake Rudolph's nose that came in last Christmas!
"Tsuna-nii, Haya-nii told me bring these flu medicines for you."
Heh-mmph...snff...hih-nngxt!
"Tank you," Tsuna replied and rubbed his nose again before signing the on the line.
Lambo was about to exit the room when he remembered something.
"Tsuna-ni…"
Tsuna looked up once again, with a tissue in his hand, "Yes, Lambo?"
"Have you showered?"
/
It was 3am in the morning and Tsuna was sound asleep. His room was dark except for the light of the table lamp that shone through the room. It was a well-known fact that Tsuna was the mansion's teddy bear. If anyone were to have any nightmares, they would turn up in his room. Being a light sleeper, he would wake up the moment his room's door turned (also a skill Reborn drilled into him) and accept resignedly that his bed will be decidedly smaller for the day.
Five years into being the Don, he was resigned to the fact that his bed will be smaller for most of the days. After all, Lambo, I-pin and Fuuta are still kids. Well, other than that, the other guardians have just stepped up to handle missions single-handily, despite Tsuna's protests. They ended up having nightmares after gruesome missions. After Tsuna fell sick one day, due to over-exertion, what with handling paperwork, sometimes missions as well as coping with little to no sleep. When the head healer (at that time was not yet Ryo-nii) forced Tsuna to answer to the reasons behind little sleep when he finishes his paperwork at around 12 am every day, he replied reluctantly.
"The others… they are always having nightmares…"
This dawned on the other guardians, bringing pink to their cheeks. Every time they have a nightmare, they will automatically be met with warmth somewhere 5 minutes into the dream.
It was Tsuna. Tsuna would, without exceptions, enter the guardians' rooms at night and comfort or wake them up from the nightmares and coax them back to sleep. Sometimes, he would even visit Kyoya late at night to check up on him.
Ten years into being the Don, the older guardians are accustomed to the gruesome world of the mafia. Although, once in a blue moon, Tsuna would still be required to coax them back to sleep. Once in a blue moon, the older guardians will turn up in Tsuna's room, thinking that Tsuna do not know they are there (although Tsuna is fully aware), and sleep together with him. Sometimes they will be gone before he (officially) wakes up and sometimes, they simply clung onto him like a teddy bear (read: Mukuro), much to his disgust.
The door to Tsuna's room opened slightly, with Lambo peering into the room hesitantly. He murmured a soft "Tsuna-nii?" before entering the room, spotting the lump under the sheets. To the younger kids, Tsuna will, without fail, sit up sleepily although with a wide smile and would invite them over to the bed.
However, for that day, it was not the case. Tsuna's breathing sounded heavy and Lambo creased his eyebrows worriedly. Once more, he called out "Tsuna-nii"; this time much louder and confident. When there was no reply, he turned on his heels and went to the room beside. There was a soft cough coming from Tsuna's room and Lambo was worried.
"Haya-nii!" Lambo's voice was urgent and his knuckles rasped hard on the magohony-bulletproof door.
It took Hayato five seconds in total to reach the door in a half-run yet the bomber is able to mask his concern with a sleepy look, rubbing his bleary eyes when his right hand opened the door, meeting a worried Lambo.
"Haya-nii! Tsuna-nii seems weird!"
"What?" Hayato's voice was gruff and another seven seconds it took for him to reach Tsuna's bedside. Tsuna looked terrible. His face was waxy pale and there was a sheen of sweat on his forehead. He was in his dress shirt, although it had been soaked through. Hayato reached over to shake his boss awake.
"Tenth?" Hayato's voice was unexpectedly gentle and soft and there was a tinge of worry in his voice, "Tenth?"
"Mm…" Tsuna's eyes opened blearily, "Is it morning…?" His voice was unnaturally hoarse.
Heh-ngxxxt...hu-tchh...hheh-nnngxt. Kekouff…kekooofkoff..hheh-nngxt!
"No, Tenth. Are you okay?" Hayato was openly worried now. Tsuna made a move to sit up but a cringe was seen before he clutched his forehead in pain.
"Ah…" Tsuna voiced out unnaturally, "Ugh…"
"Tsuna-nii, you're running a fever!" Lambo voiced out, almost shouting.
Tsuna winced at the volume, "I guess… so…" He coughed and when he did not stop after 3 seconds, Hayato made a beeline for the phone that was perched at the other side of the bed. He picked up the phone and dialled the nurse's number.
"Hello, Tenth?" The nurse sounded sleepy but answered politely.
"This is Storm. Tenth is running a high fever, with a flu and cough. Please get the necessary items over." Hayato did not wait for a reply before hanging up and went right back to Tsuna's side. Tsuna was even paler now and Hayato could feel the heat rolling off from Tsuna.
/
The next day, Tsuna was still confined to the bed with a high fever of 40 degree Celsius. Hayato, Takeshi and Ryo-nii had left for their respective missions, being rather annoyed, in which Tsuna had planned before he was confined.
"But Tenth! Surely you can send…"
"Shush, Hayato," Tsuna's voice was weak and pained and hoarse. "I'm sending du because you are de most suitable person for dis," he added quickly when he saw Hayato's mouth opening to protest, "No arguments!" Tsuna, then, lapsed into a coughing fit in which Hayato rushed nearer to pour Tsuna a glass of water and rub his back gently.
"And Hayato," Tsuna called out when Hayato was going to prepare to leave for his mission (he insisted to stay by Tsuna's side till the very last minute), "I'm sending you to dis mission because I can." He smiled weakly when he heard Hayato's grumbling about a boss that abuse his authority.
/
Tsuna was feeling absolutely horrible. His head was pounding, as if there were trucks running over his forehead, repeatedly. His throat was itchy and he really wanted to reach his hand in to scratch and only common sense made him not to. There would be gag reflex and he knew, that he absolutely did not want to vomit due to that.
When he felt his coughs were getting so bad, and that his stomach felt so bloated that he could feel the contents churning, he knew that he was going to vomit. When he coughed so hard that his stomach hurt, he rushed as quickly as his jelly legs could take him to the toilet. He knelt, pathetically, beside the toilet bowl, half-hugging the porcelain body and retched.
One time, two time… And he felt bile enter his oesophagus and the contents spilt out of his mouth and into the toilet bowl. He retched once more, being not quite done. There were tears leaking out his eyes and his mouth is dry. Disgusted by the taste of bile and chicken porridge, he stood up to wash his mouth out. However, right afterwards, he felt coughs bubbling up his throat and he faced the toilet bowl once more. He retched and dry heaved…
/
"This idiot."
He opened the door to Tsuna's room, a room he knew very well. Spotting the blankets being thrown haphazardly on the floor, he sighed before moving towards the toilet. He spotted the young brunette, hugging onto the toilet bowl, seemingly asleep.
Heh-ngxxxt...hu-tchh...hheh-nnngxt.
It pained him to see Tsuna's face scrunched up in pain and how every single breath was difficult. He guessed that Tsuna's nose was blocked and his throat was dry. Moving forwards to touch Tsuna's forehead, he grimaced.
"Did he even take his medicine?"
He sighed once again, before carrying Tsuna up from his shoulder heavily.
"Hmm..?" Tsuna stirred but was not coherent enough to look right at Reborn and only knew it was someone he was familiar with. He leaned into Reborn, feeling the cool body and sighed.
"Stupid."
"Mbe?" Tsuna slurred as he was carefully, gently, placed on his king sized bed. He was tucked under the covers and a cool pad was placed on his forehead.
"Mmm…" Tsuna cringed and touched the cool pad on his forehead, "Mbe no like…"
"Hmm?" Reborn raised eyebrows, "What's wrong with the cooling pad?"
"It durns…" Tsuna slurred, grimacing as he feels the chemicals working on his cool head.
Reborn rolled his eyes and peeled off the cooling pad before muttering softly beside Tsuna, "I'll be back."
Tsuna smiled and when Reborn was out of the door, Tsuna opened his mouth and replied.
Reborn cocked an eyebrow before closing the door gently, afraid to disturb the person who was softly wheezing yet, in a peaceful sleep.
/
"Hey kiddo, you feelin' betta?"
Tsuna cocked an eyebrow before tightening his grips on his knitted cardigan and sat down on the bed, "When habe you started usin' sucha slang, Shamal?"
Shamal's eyes twitched, "What do you want, tiny boss? You got a problem?"
"Ndo," Tsuna smiled, before dropping it and replacing the smile with a grimace, "Reborn insisted."
"And Hayato said OK?" Shamal laughed while putting his different electrodes on the stark naked body of the 'tiny boss'.
"When can Hayato say against Reborn…" Tsuna grumbled, "It was 6 against 1 to visit you."
"1 including you or not including you?"
"Not including, duh," Tsuna mock laughed before elapsing into a coughing fit. "Well, how can I even be involved in this?"
Shamal nodded in agreement before turning back to the monitor to type some things before asking, "1 being Sasagawa, I assume."
Tsuna coughed in agreement, "Yez. Ryo-nii said that he will take care of my health but he was in America for god's sake." Tsuna shook his head.
Shamal stood up to retrieve the papers from printer and handed them over to Tsuna who immediately read through it. Shamal started to remove the electrodes, "Fever's still there but not as bad as two days ago when Reborn summoned me into your room in the middle of the night…" Tsuna smiled sheepishly. "Stomach flu which caused a throat infection. Your throat is still pretty raw…" Shamal noted before continuing, "Are you still coughing blood?"
Tsuna shook his head, "Ndup, haven't since that night."
Shamal nodded, "Good." He handed Tsuna's clothes over and aided the 'tiny boss' to wear his clothes.
"Free to go."
"Even with a 38 degrees fever?"
"Well, you're standing upright, aren't you, 'Mini Boss'?"
"Dyuck, I don't like that name."
"That's the whole point."
Tsuna mock glared at the doctor and put on his cardigan.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Shamal glared at Tsuna before shoving him to the door, "Get lost, you unwanted guest."
"I dislike you, Shamal."
"Great minds think alike, then."
"Heh," Tsuna laughed before closing the door to avoid the Trident Mosquitoes' attacks, "You dislike you?"
/
"All cleared!"
Heh-ngxxxt!
Tsuna felt all eyes on him as he rubbed his nose again, "Seems like I spoke too soon…" Tsuna laughed sheepishly.
"Tenth, into your room!"
"Tsuna, you want to rest a bit more?"
"Tsuna-nii, go to bed!" ("It's 3pm and my paperwork…")
"Heh, guess an herbivore will be an herbivore…" ("Aren't I already an Omnivore, Kyoya…" Tsuna asked wearily.)
"It's some EXTREME flu, Tsuna! You should come for some more check-ups!" ("It's okay… Ryo-nii…")
"Bossu… you should rest."
"Kufuufuu… How about I rest with you?" ("Get your hands off me, Mukuro.")
"Exactly Boss… You should sleep a bit more. You were up doing paperwork yesterday and the day before. And," Al added, a frown gracing his features, "I know you were still coughing, sneezing and having fever."
Damn this observant Al.
Tsuna's heart dropped when the last person commented.
"All these points to more training, Dame-Tsuna."
Well… Shit.
"Ne, Reborn… I don't doubt it."
I know you'll be back for me.
Fin - Life After Beaches
Please review! If not i'll be so so so sad for my exams. I need encouragement for my A-Levels!