The first time Kusakabe Tetsuya saw Sawada Tsunayoshi, he could not imagine how important he would become to him in the future.
He was walking through the streets of Namimori with his parents. They were on their way to greet the new Hibari's of Namimori, Papa said it was very important, for it had been a long time since the Skylarks had lived here.
Papa said that the Hibari's and the Kusakabe's had a long standing (how can standing be long? Do you have to be tall? His parents were tall, maybe that was it.
Were the Hibari's tall too? He wasn't tall yet though, but it didn't matter, because if they were long standing then he would be tall too, yes, and with a childish determination he decided that was it
(in the future once Tsuna discovered the reason for his obsession with height, he would laugh long and loud, but it wouldn't matter, because to Tetsuya that was the most beautiful sight in the world)) relationship, so they must go and offer their services.
Walking through the shopping district Tetsuya heard a sound, different than the hustle and bustle of the small town citizens bargaining for wares in the market shop, or the simple sound of a large crowd, he furrowed his brow, trying to hear it again.
Seconds passed, though to the small child it felt like minutes, his parents had noticed he was no longer following them and stopped to try and see what held back their son, they cocked their heads and there they finally heard it loud and clear.
It was wailing, a child's wailing, and without a second thought Tetsuya was the first to move through the mass of people, following the sound of sobbing that was becoming louder and louder as he swept through the horde of oblivious bystanders rapidly thanks to his small height.
The weeping was ringing through his ears up till he arrived at a corner, there he came to a sudden stop at the same time as the crying did.
He looked around himself trying to find the toddler, he searched with his eyes, in between the feet of the adults that paid him no mind, and he almost wished for the crying to start again until there on his right, at the entrance of a semi-hidden alley he spied a cherub no older than three, pining him in place with his gaze, they looked so pretty, his eyes, and warm, like a tender flame going around him and purring in contentedness.
The child began to smile delightedly at Tetsuya, and he found himself returning it while going closer to the youngling.
He reached a hand out to the toddler and was pleased when it was grabbed with enthusiasm, though it would be hard walking through the thong of people with a fluffy kid clinging to him like a limpet, but he would do it, for he was a Kusakabe, and Kusakabe's didn't give up.
Fortunately before he could try to brave walking through it, his parents arrived with a brunette woman in tow, and considering the sigh of relief she gave at the sight of the fluffy kid and the way the child screeched in happiness and babbled at her he could safely assume this would the child's mother.
Tetsuya was happy for the baby, even if they spent more than ten minutes trying to get him to let go (the little one had a surprisingly strong grip and a cute lil' determined pout on his face).
Once he was safely in his mothers arms and she had stopped giving her thanks and offering them tea for their help (to which they agreed to, if only for another day since they had a previous appointment already you see, did the mother- Sawada-san- seemed satisfied), they were about to take their leave when the babe grunted and pointed with his chubby fingers at Tetsuya.
"Tsu~ Tsu~~", he crooned in a soft childish voice while squirming.
Nana was delighted that her baby boy was speaking and already making friends!
Tetsuya tilted his head and seemed to be considering something, until he arrived at a conclusion.
"Ah, nice to meet you Tsu-san, my name is Kusakabe Tetsuya", his parents watched their little boy be so formal and smiled with fondness while he stretched a hand at the young child.
Tsuna seemed ecstatic and shook the hand offered to him with enthusiasm and undistinguishable babble, to which the older child nodded and hummed at every once in a while.
Finally little Tsuna seemed satisfied with his conversation and held on to his mother while letting his tiredness of having cried for so long finally come through, Nana taking that as a sign to take off for home, bowed a final time and took her leave.
The Kusakabe's watched them leave the busy market place satisfied, and once they told their son how proud they were of him, they warned him to not get too far away from them (though it was a little redundant since the Kusakabe's were as known in Namimori as the Hibari's would come to be, and no one wanted to face their wrath (it became the bane of the criminals in Namimori once the two families banded together once more)).
Once it was all said and done, they continued on their way to the new Hibari residence, they still had 30 minutes to get there in time for their scheduled meeting.
And so it was that two of the three pillars of Namimori met, and history began to be made.
