3944 words! This was something that's been in my mind for a while now and it was inspired by another fanfic. Although I forgot the title... I'm trying to look for it and hopefully I can by the time I post the next chapter :3 This is probably going to be a three shot, I don't really have any plans for this but it's fun to write. I'm also trying to cure my writer's block so I can update "Hiding In The Shadows". So for those of you who follow that story, please be patient .

I feel like this was a bit rushed since all the ideas just kept pouring out of my brain and my hands were struggling to keep up and type everything that comes to mind XD Yeah, it was that fun to write. But anyway, I hope you enjoy~!

Nana loved her precious little Tsu-kun more than anything else in the world.

She loved him even more than her own husband, Iemitsu. But she supposed it was only to be expected. At first, when Tsuna had still been a baby, if you asked her who she loved more, she'd say that she loved both of her boys equally. But after years of absence with only the occasional phone call and a few postcards, her love for the blond man, who took her breath away the moment he entered the restaurant she had worked at when they first met, slowly diminished.

Don't get her wrong, she still loved Iemitsu, very much so. She still looked forward to his rare visits and the man could still make her blush like a schoolgirl with his simple gestures and thoughtfulness.

But if you were to ask her now, the person who she held dear to her heart and loved with every fibre of her being was her darling son, Tsunayoshi.

Her precious Tsu-kun looked just like her! The boy had her mother's chocolate brown eyes and her father's chestnut brown hair. So whenever Nana just looked at him, she always had to hold back a squeal of delight. And no matter what anybody else says, she's 100% convinced that her Tsu-kun is the most adorable child on the face of the earth. Just look at him! Those chubby cheeks and wide brown eyes just made you just want to die from cuteness overload.

Not to mention that her Tsu-kun was such a kind boy. He always helped with the chores, he listened to whatever Nana told him, he's well-behaved and he does whatever he can to make his mama happy.

Nana remembers one time when she cut her finger while preparing dinner and her little Tsu-kun was so worried and he kept on fussing over her. He even asked her if he should call the hospital. Such a silly boy, but so sweet!

Not only that, but he offered to cook one time when she was sick. He said she shouldn't be working when she was feeling sick. He couldn't even cook that time, it made her laugh. A silly boy, indeed! Nana just brushed off the request and told him to go play in his room.

Another time, he drew a picture of their family at school, it was so well-done and he gave it to her for mother's day, although she couldn't help but frown a bit when Iemitsu wasn't included. When she asked him about it, he just tilted his cute little head and asked "Tsu-kun has a papa?". Oh, that boy and his jokes! Nana laughed it off and just hanged it on the fridge, her boy may be sweet but he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. But she still loved him anyways.

There was also that one time during her birthday that he got a gift for her, it was nothing special. Just some candy he bought with the money he saved up from his allowance. Although it was his favourite, so Nana appreciated it very much. But what she loved the most was that he said that the gift was from both him and his father. Oh, that boy was such a terrible liar! His father didn't even seem to remember her birthday since he hadn't bothered to call in over a month. But Tsu-kun was so thoughtful to say something like that. So Nana smiled at him and accepted the candies, her boy was such a sweetheart.

And she can also remember him coming to her bed one night and she asked if he was having nightmares. Her Tsu-kun is easily scared by a lot of things, after all. But the boy just says the strangest things!

"Tsu-kun want to sleep with Mama so you won't feel lonely anymore." He said. "Papa may not be here, but Tsu-kun is! Tsu-kun won't ever leave Mama so Mama shouldn't cry anymore..."

Oh dear, she hadn't realized that she'd been crying so loudly that Tsu-kun could hear it all the way from hi s room. How careless, he must've had trouble sleeping with all the noise she was making, but the dear boy didn't complain at all! He was so understanding and kind!

Nana really raised him well, so she could never help but smile brightly at him whenever she sees him.

Sometimes, she may be sad and heartbroken, but that doesn't mean Tsuna should have to feel her pain. He deserves to be happy... So she'll keep on smiling. She'll smile for him, because Tsu-kun was precious. She deserves a perfect life with people who love him dearly. And that's what Nana would give him, even if the 'perfect life' she can only give is nothing but a fake and filled with masks of smiles, optimism bordering on denial and tears that are muffled by her pillow during the night.

Because she loved her precious Tsu-kun, and whatever problems she might have with Iemitsu and their relationship would not get in the way of her raising her boy into a fine young man.

She would do anything for her son.

So when a strange man came to their house, claiming to be a friend of her husband, she was on high alert. Although Iemitsu didn't tell her much about his job, he wouldn't just have one of his 'friends' come over without informing her beforehand. Not to mention the fact that no matter how you look at it, the man was suspicious. Nana may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but she wasn't stupid. And she'd also like to think that she was a good judge in character.

He had been neatly dressed and looked like a respectable young man, but there was just something in the man's eyes that made her mind scream at her to slam the door shut and call the police. But a part of her reasoned that it wouldn't be a smart idea, he needed to think of another way around this.

So with her usual carefree smile, she put an act of welcoming him into their home.

Her Tsu-kun was already asleep, so she didn't have to worry about protecting him so long as she can keep the man from going upstairs. But the naive part of her insisted that she was paranoid. The man looked nice enough; it was probably just her motherly instincts being unreasonable, right?

But then, as they chatted about meaningless things, the subject was stirred to her husband and the man's eyebrow rose upon finding out his occupation.

"A construction worker?"

"Yes." She nodded, but the question only raised her suspicions. If they were really friends, then shouldn't he already know that? Nana already had her suspicions that her husband was hiding things from her so that could be it. But if they were really friends then wouldn't Iemitsu have told him this beforehand to keep things a secret? Or at the very least, Iemitsu would've told him the same life he told her.

Nana didn't mind it really; Iemitsu would tell her the truth when he's ready. But for now, she had to address the problem at hand. This man was no friend of her husband.

She'd be lying if she said that it didn't scare her, but that small naive part of her continued to insist that there was a logical explanation for it. She didn't want to think that she invited a suspicious man in their home who could potentially harm her son.

She really was a fool.

"... I see. And do you know of the company he works in?"

"Ara, not really. But his boss came to visit one time. His name was Timoteo, if I remember correctly."

Something flashed in the man's eyes, which disappeared in an instant. But there was no mistaking what it was. Nana saw it, and upon realization, her heart practically stopped.

Bloodlust.

This man was dangerous, and she knew that he planned on hurting her. Probably Tsu-kun, too. But she couldn't let that happen.

Despite her inner turmoil, she maintained her cheerful act, not giving him a clue about what was going on through her mind. It was one of her talents really, although she didn't find it that much until now. Hiding behind a smile; not letting anyone know what's going on behind the mask that she constantly puts on. Somehow, her Tsu-kun always manages to see through it, but he's the only one who can so far.

Now, she's using it against this man. She had to think of a way to get him out, since simply asking definitely won't help. She won't be able to fight him either, since he was obviously much stronger than she was.

Maybe she could take her son and make a run for it?

"Is that so?" the man's words snapped her back to reality. "Mrs. Sawada, could I have some coffee? I'm feeling thirsty, not to mention tired from my trip."

"Oh! Of course, just give me a minute, okay?" she stood up.

"Please, take your time."

The smile on the man's face as he said that seemed warm but it only unsettled her. Not knowing what else to do, she complied and headed straight for the kitchen. But not without glancing back at the man and making sure he didn't leave his place in the living room. Once she arrived at the kitchen, she grabbed the phone and called the police.

It was her best chance; she stalls for time until they can arrive. Putting down the receiver, she felt slightly better and went to prepare coffee. But she stopped in her tracks when she heard something from upstairs. It was a soft sound... footsteps?

Normally, people wouldn't have been able to hear it. But Nana had been s accustomed to hearing nothing and being surrounded by silence during the hours her Tsu-kun was at school that she was able to pick up on the smallest noice.

Her instinct alarmed her to check their 'guest' so she did, and she felt her heart fill with dread when she found him missing.

He went upstairs.

Her mind screamed at her to run up the stairs and protect her son, she had to keep that man away from her Tsu-kun! But something stopped her. Instead she went to the counter and grabbed a knife. If that man even thinks of hurting her son then she wouldn't hesitate on attacking him.

Quietly, she made her way up the stairs.

Her son's room was open. She walked as quietly as she could and peeped inside. There, she saw her son sleeping soundly and the man taking something out of his breast pocket, his back to her. Her eyes went wide upon seeing what it was.

A gun.

Her grip on the knife tightened, if this man thought that she was gonna let him her treasure, her light, her precious child, then he had another thing coming. The man was checking his gun, turning the safety off and whatnot so this was her chance. She slipped into the room and crept up to him.

Her Tsu-kun was a kind and innocent angel. He deserved a long, happy, and normal life. He didn't deserve to be bullied just because he was a bit slow like his idiot mother. He didn't deserve to have an absent father who couldn't be there for him as he grew up, unlike all the other kids. He didn't deserve a life of loneliness because people couldn't see how special he was and didn't want to be his friend. He didn't deserve a good-for-nothing mother who could only smile and pretend everything was okay instead of making all his worries disappear and being what a good mother should be.

And he sure as hell didn't deserve to die young, without being able to let his wings grow and soar through life like Nana knew her angel could.

Nana was a good-for-nothing mother, but that didn't mean she had a good-for-nothing son. Her Tsu-kun was amazing, other people just haven't realized that yet. She deserved so many things that Nana couldn't give him. He deserved to be happy but Nana couldn't even do such a simple thing. She's supposed to take care of him, but more often than not it was him who was taking care of her.

The very least Nana could do was to make sure that her son lived. And she didn't care what she had to do to protect her boy. As she glared at the man, she knew she couldn't forgive him for trying to harm her baby boy.

Suddenly, the man turned around even though Nana made sure to keep silent.

What she didn't know was that he managed to sense her killing intent and that was what gave her away.

Wasting no time, she lunged towards him. The man stretched his arm out and aimed it towards her, but he wasn't quick enough to react as Nana plunged the knife straight through his chest without hesitation.

No one was going to take Tsuna away from her.

No one.

The man struggled but Nana only plunged the knife deeper, even twisting it for good measure. He coughed up blood and trembled as they both fell to the floor with Nana on top of him. She retracted the knife, sat up and held the knife above her head while watching him with eyes filled with anger and determination. She searched for any signs that the man could still get up and attack them. She watched him until he stopped moving completely and she stared at those unblinking eyes until she was sure that he was dead.

He was dead.

They were safe.

Breathing heavily, she put her knife down and tried to calm her beating heart. But she froze when she heard rustling coming from her son's bed.

"Mm... Mom?" Tsuna got up, rubbing his eyes but not really opening them. Nana was at his side immediately, and gently pushed him back on the bed.

"Shh... Go back to sleep Tsu-kun." She said as gently as she could, although it was a bit hard to speak with the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. "It's alright, everything's alright now. Just go back to sleep."

Since he was still pretty tired, Tsuna only nodded before going back to sleep. Nana felt relieved to hear the snores and it calmed her, knowing that her son was safe and alright. She sat at his bedside, letting her mind process what had just happened.

Oh... Oh, God, what had she done?! She had killed someone! Her hands began to tremble and her breathing became uneven. She had killed someone. She had killed someone. Killed. Killed. Killed. She was a murderer. A murderer. The police were going to find out and-

Her head snapped up in realization.

The police! She called them so they were going to be here any minute now! What was she going to do?! She looked at the corpse in front of her which was staining the floor with blood.

He tried to hurt her son, so she had to do it... But would they believe her? What if they didn't? What if they send her to jail and she would have to stay there for the rest of her life? Then... Her eyes widened, then what about her Tsu-kun?! Who would take care of him if she wasn't around? She certainly didn't trust her husband with all the secrets he kept from her. And from what she's gathered, it may just be his fault that their son was almost killed in the first place!

No, there was no one else who could protect Tsuna but her.

Staring at the corpse, she knew that she had to get rid of it. Make it as if nothing had happened. It was the only way to protect her Tsu-kun.

But first, she had to get rid of the police.

Nana quietly left her son's room, making sure not to wake him, and then went to the bathroom. Looking at the mirror, she saw that the man's blood had gotten on her clothes, arms and even her face. She quickly washed it off and rushed to her room, changing into clean clothes.

Not much time passed before she heard a knock on the door. She tried to calm her heart as she went downstairs to face them.

Her plan wasn't fool-proof, but it would have to do. She could pull it off.

Opening the door, she was greeted with a single police officer who looked at her suspiciously, almost as if he knew that she had done something. Her palms were sweating and her heart felt like it was about to explode. But as always, she hid behind a bright smile.

"Yes? Is there something wrong, officer?"

"Are you Sawada Nana?" he asked and she nodded. "We received your call."

"Call?" she tilted her head in mock confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You said that there was a strange man in your house? Possibly an intruder?"

She frowned at this. "I'm sorry but I didn't call anyone. And we didn't have any guests today either."

"Really?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yes." She answered without skipping a beat. She had always been a great actress. The officer sighed.

"Must've been a prank call." He muttered, and Nana felt relieved. She heard about how the police got those quite often, and thankfully it worked. "I'm sorry to disturb you, ma'am. Please enjoy your night."

"Okay, have a good evening too, officer."

She was about to shut her door when the officer spoke up once again.

"Ma'am? There's something on your hair."

She blinked in confusion before her hand reached up and felt something sticky on the ends of her hair. Looking at her hand, she saw red.

Her eyes widened a bit as she realized what it was.

"Oh my! How embarrassing!" she said, laughing awkwardly. "It's the sauce from the pasta I was eating. Oh, I didn't realize I was such a messy eater."

The officer chuckled. "Don't even worry about it, ma'am. I'm sure it was real tasty."

And with that, he left.

Nana closed the door. Her legs gave in and she fell to the floor, her whole body trembling. That was close, way too close. She didn't think she'd actually be able to fool them. Her hand reached out to her hair where the blood had stained and she clenched her fist.

Breathing heavily, she forced herself to calm down. It wasn't over yet. She still needed to get rid of that. It wasn't over yet, she still had to protect Tsunayoshi.

That was the mantra she chanted in her head as she forced her legs to work and take her upstairs to her son's room. There, she saw her son continuing to sleep soundly, oblivious of the corpse that lay only a few feet from him.

Quickly, she grabbed him by the leg and dragged him out. He was very heavy, but the blood which reduced the friction between the body and the clean floor made it much easier for her. She could clean up the mess later. But for now, she had to get rid of the body.

She couldn't really dispose of it right now. But she couldn't just leave it in her son's room. So she decided to hide it for now, and the best place she could think of was in their basement. Tsu-kun never went down there because it was too dark. And even if her husband suddenly showed up, he had no reason to go down there either. So she dragged the corpse of that man, down the stairs as slowly and as quietly as possible, then down to their basement to the far corner where it would be hidden behind a stack of boxes filled with her old things.

Once that was taken care of, she rushed upstairs, grabbed a sponge and a bucket of water then slipped back into her son's room to clean up the mess. She forced herself to breathe more quietly, telling herself that her son had school tomorrow so she shouldn't be too loud or else he'd wake up and not get enough sleep.

That's right, she had to look out for her son.

It took a while, but all the blood was eventually cleaned. The bucket that had been filled with clean water now had murky, red liquid. She poured it into the sink and went to take a bath to make sure that there really was no blood on her anymore.

But as she did, the memories of what she had done assaulted her mind and she found herself beside the toilet, emptying her stomach's contents.

Nana didn't get enough sleep that night. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was the face of that man contorted in pain yet she could still feel the knife in her hands and the willingness to stab him again if the need arose.

She was a murderer. If she had thought that she was such a lowly human being before, then now she's actually reached rock bottom. How pathetic.

But she didn't regret what she had done. She did it for her son, after all. If she hadn't done it, then who knows what could've happened.

Nana felt sick, but it wasn't due to guilt. She had to do it, after all. And she'd do it again, too if it meant protecting her son. But that didn't really stop the gorey images from assaulting her mind.

As expected, the moment Tsu-kun woke up and saw his mother preparing breakfast in the kitchen, he immediately knew something was wrong. Her Tsu-kun was special after all.

"Mama? What's wrong?"

"Hm? Nothing's wrong, Tsu-kun. Why do you ask?" she said with a smile. It would've been more convincing if her hands weren't trembling so much. Her Tsu-kun frowned but dropped the subject. She knew that he wasn't convinced and only decided to drop the subject because he knew how stubborn his mother was when she didn't want to talk about something. He was such a smart boy!

Life continued on as usual. Nana continued to pretend that everything was alright, that she wasn't plagued by nightmares every single night, that there wasn't a corpse rotting in their basement. She knew that she should get rid of it but she just couldn't bring herself to get anywhere near it. The thought of it alone made her sick. So she just kept it locked, forbidding her son to enter it.

Maybe if she ignored it long enough, it would go away.

But her problems didn't go away, and she started to think it never will, when a well-dressed young man appeared in their doorstep one day, a few months after the incident. He said his name was Marcelo, an Italian name like Leonardo, the name the man from a few months ago had given her. Not only that, they both looked like foreigners. Marcelo also claimed to be a friend of her husband. And there were also their eyes.

Nana was becoming more and more accustomed to identifying bloodlust.

She knew what was going to happen. But this man didn't.

So with a smile, she invited him inside and offered him some coffee.

That day, she didn't have to clean any bloodstains. She decided that a messy kill had too much risk of getting caught. So why not settle for poison rather than ruining her good knives?

Was that good? I thought it was good :3

Any suggestions for the ending? I have a few ideas but I'm not really sure how I'm going to go with this. Let me know what you think.

The hardest part of writing every story is figuring out how you should end it -_-

Anyway, I hope you liked it. Please review ~ !

~ RnR ~ !

~ RnR ~ !