Summary: Reborn doesn't know who his parents were, despite his attempts to find them. All he knows are the two men with curls feel like family and that Italy feels like home.
AN: This plot just wouldn't leave me alone. Rinato Means Reborn according to my translator app.
Warning: Slight, like one line slight, mention of yaoi.
Disclaimer: I don't own KHR or Hetalia.
Mafia Prince
~~
1. First Meeting
Five year old Rinato knows that he is different from everyone else in the orphanage. It's not because he is smarter than everyone else of the curly side burns he's seen no one but himself possess. It's something much simpler, or perhaps even more complicated.
He feels different from everyone else.
Maybe everyone goes through something like this, or it really is just him. Rinato doesn't know. But he tells no one of this, or of this knowing that overcomes him at times. When the seasons change, how the economy will go and things like that.
Oddly enough it doesn't scare him like it would others his age. No, instead it fascinates him.
"Ve~"
Rinato startled. Badly. Looking up from where he fell he saw a man in his early twenties standing behind where he previously was, a relaxed expression and kind smile on his face with his eyes closed. He had light brown hair with a strange curl sticking out the side and lightly tan skin. He wore casual but dressy clothes: a button up white shirt with black slacks and dress shoes that had absolutely no business stepping on orphanage floors. In his hand he held a plate of steaming pasta and in the other was a fork.
There was something strange about him-
"Ciao bambino would you like some pasta?" the man offered the fork with the delicious smelling noodles curled around it.
Rinato gave him a questioning are you an idiot look. "Why would I take food from someone I don't know? Or for that matter even work here?"
The man frowned minutely before smiling goofily. Had it been anyone else Rinato would have been irritated, but the man just exuded warmth and fluffiness that he found it hard to even keep his frown.
"My name is Feliciano Vargas" be introduced, waving the fork around that miraculously didn't send food or sauce flying.
Rinato remained silent for a few minutes. "That still doesn't explain why I should take it from someone who doesn't work here."
Feliciano stuttered for a few minutes, and though he hated to admit it, the man looked very /cute/ in his confusion (years later when he's training the future Vongola decimo he would compare this man to him).
The elder Italian got his bearing back, "fratello and I are volunteering since the orphanage has been overrun lately."
Black eyes narrowed and Rinato started twirling his little curls. "Then where's your badge? All volunteers have one."
He got a blank expression in return. "Badge?" Feliciano asked tilting his head sideways.
"OI FELICIANO!" a man that could only have been Felicianos twin stomped out of the orphanages back doors, badge pinned to his shirt and another held in his hand. "You forgot this!" he thrust the other badge to the man which dropped, almost taking the pasts with it.
-something familiar and comforting.
"Fratello!" Feliciano exclaimed happily with a grin that just exudes happiness.
The man scowled. "Don't fratello me you pasta loving bastard! If someone caught you with the kids without your badge who knows what they would think!" he hissed.
Rinato watched curiously, wondering what the other adults would think. He had just been spouting off what the other grow ups had told him.
Feliciano fretted. "B-but fratello you love pasta too!"
The man slapped his face and Rinato hid a smirk. They bickered for a few minutes before Feliciano remembered he was there.
"Rinato this is my big brother Romano. Fratello this is Rinato" Feliciano introduced.
Rinato took a moment to really observe the older brother and got the feeling that the man was doing the same. The man looked very much like his brother, though his hair was a darker shade of auburn and his curl was sticking out opposite of Felicianos. He wore a sandy colored yellow button up shirt and black slacks and dress shoes.
"Is he always like this?" Rinato asked, smirking up at Romano.
"This is him being tame" he quipped back.
"FRATELLO! RINATO!" Feliciano whined as the two bonded over teasing the younger twin.
Feliciano got over it pretty quick and got back to trying to get him to eat some of the pasta, which he eventually gave into and was tortured into eating delicious noodle goodness.
It wasn't till later that night, when Rinato was getting ready for bed that he realized he had never introduced himself.
~~
2. School
Rinato was finally old enough to be enrolled into the local public school along with three other kids from the orphanage. He was excited. If you wanted to succeed in the world you needed to be smart and Rinato definitely intended to be one of those people.
His excitement deflated when he arrived and saw the crowd in front of the schools entrance. A virtual army of mothers and fathers stood with their kids.
Rinato never really gave much thought to his own parents, not unless it was adoption day or parents came to the orphanage hoping to adopt their own kid. But here, standing parentless in the crowd, he wondered, and envied those around him.
A hand pat his spiky head and he tensed, looking up slowly into foreign hazel eyes. It took him a moment before he placed who it was.
"Ro...mano?"
The man smirked down at him. "Fancy meeting you here bambino."
Rinato scowled up at him, glaring and looking for all intents like a ruffled kitten. "I'm not a child I'm six!"
"Ve~ Good morning Rinato!"
He turned around and saw Feliciano with that same goofy smile holding a brown cat with green eyes purring from the thorough rub it was receiving.
"You're late!" Romana scolded, tugging his you get brothers ear and grabbing his attention away from the fur ball.
"Owowowowow, Fratello stop! Rinato help me"
Resisting the urge to blush at the scene the two were causing, Rinato his grin. He didn't feel so alone anymore.
~~
3. Adoption
It hadn't taken long for it to become obvious that Rinato was a genius. He excelled in everything, particularly in math and quickly went miles above his year mates.
When news got out about his prodigal talent he became a local celebrity, attracting adopting parents who wanted to get their greedy paws into him and brining attention to the orphanage.
Not everyone liked this change though. Rinato had become a pariah amount his peers at the orphanage, many jealous about the attention he was receiving. They tried bullying him, but Rinato was strong and they quickly learned to ignore him.
Rinato turned down all the adoption offers, knowing what they were really for. And they didn't feel right. It felt wrong to even become a part of any of those families.
He told this to Feliciano when he visited him without his twin, the man's gentle presence calming his strained nerves. Feliciano didn't say anything to him; just let him rant before petting his head when he was done.
It wasn't much, but to Rinato it felt like perfect.
Was this what having a family felt like?
~~
4. Fire
It was equally beautiful as it was horrifying. The giant red columns reached to the sky in flickering lights and the smoke rising from it in big puffs of black was the only mar to its horrific beauty.
Rinato watched it all in shocked silence, his black eyes unblinking as the orphanage, his home, burned to the ground regardless of the efforts of the firefighters, the water doing little to put out the flames.
"Son are you alright?" one of the firefighters asked, putting an arm around his -shaking?- shoulders and guiding him towards one of the ambulances.
Rinato stayed silent, eyes never leaving the smoldering remains of his home.
The firefighter tried again, but gave up when he didn't get any response.
The next thing Rinato knew he was waking up in a foreign bed -it was too soft, too plush to be his lumpy old mattress- yellow sheets pooling around and bunching at his waist.
He looked around wildly, taking in the soft blue walls and barren room absent of e dry thing but a highly decorated dresser and matching nightstand and bed-the latter of which he was laying on.
Memories of what happened previously came back to the forefront of his mind like a sludge hammer, and sty tears gathered in the corners of his eyes, stubbornly refusing to fall.
Looking for anything to distract his mind -fire, oh dio the fire- he saw a set of clothes lying innocently folded on top of the dresser.
Putting them on he looked himself over and greatly liked what he saw. He had on a very expensive black suit with a yellow button up underneath and black tie which made him look very snazzy. A quick raid of the closet revealed more sets of clothes, most of them suits along with five pairs of different shoes and three hats. He took out a pair of black dress shoes and a black fedora with a thick orange stripe and placed them on.
Dressing complete he went out of the bedroom and explored the rest of the place. Besides the bedroom there was a bathroom and living room with the kitchen merged with it. The place wasn't huge, but it was obviously new given the state of the walls and floor. It was also sparkly decorated, a white chaise sofa in the living room with a lamp and a chair at the small in the kitchen were the only furniture present. A quick glance through the cabinets and refrigerator showed pots and pans and food stocked up.
On the kitchen counter was a note.
Rinato,
Seeing as how the orphanage is gone you've become emancipated in the eyes o the law. This apartment is fully paid for until you are twenty-five and you will get a monthly stipend for food and other supplies until you graduate school and get a job.
Sorry I couldn't be there when you woke up but boss called. The kitchen is fully stocked and there's some money in the drawers to buy a meal or two.
With love,
Feliciano Vargas
Crushing the note Rinato swore. He wasn't a charity case damnit! Taking a few breaths to calm down he opened the drawer and found a few more things than the money he expected.
There was a hand gun in there as well as a few cases of bullets and a note.
Rinato,
Now that you're living on your own you need more protection. Practice with this so that you can defend yourself, your old enough now to stop depending on others.
The local armory will let you use the practice range and you get five more cases of bullets before you have to pay.
My pasta loving brother didn't do this out of charity. He genuinely likes you and I don't like seeing him upset- if you tell him I said that your /dead/.
There's pasta in the oven if you're hungry.
Romano Vargas
PS: Don't you dare tell him!
~~
5. Family
Opening the door to his apartment, school bag slung casually in his shoulder Rinato took a deep breath, the delicious and mouth watering smell of freshly baked garlic bread and the slight tangy but none the less heavenly scent of fettuccine sauce.
"What's for dinner?" he asked casually, dropping his bag on the couch and sitting on the bar stool, eying the still steaming platter of bread in front of him.
"Not even a 'hello' or a 'I'm home' you bastard?" Romano glowered from the other side of the bar waving a spatula-thankfully not throwing any of the sauce- around, hand on his hip.
Rinato would have felt threatened -not- if the other Italian wasn't wearing a 'Kiss the Cook' apron. And if they hadn't done this just about every day.
Swiping at the bread, Rinato frowned as his hand was slapped away by a wooden spoon Feliciano was holding. He pouted, but only got the spoon waving in his face.
"Go and wash your hands. Dinner will be done in a few minutes Ve~."
"Oi you bastards! Stop ignoring me!" Romano screeched.
Smirking Rinato glanced up at Feliciano who was holding a tasting spoon unsure of what to do. "Did you hear something Feli?"
Feliciano gave him a confused look "Ve~?" before understanding dawned. "Just a small breeze."
Having a little half smile on his face Rinato watched as the twin argued, Romano screaming in aggravation and Feliciano pretending he was nothing more than a gust of wind.
He was home.
~~
6. Puberty
Pinning the girl to the wall Rinato attacked her mouth with teeth and tongue, swallowing her little meows and throaty moans and her hands carded through his hair before brushing on his bouncy side burn curls.
Black eyes snapped close in bliss as waves of pleasure originating from the little strokes of his hair as white clouded his vision as he came.
When he came to it was to the girl -Felicia- looking at him worriedly as he felt the uncomfortable feeling of wet pants and the embarrassment of coming so soon like an inexperienced teenager -a little voice in the back of his head said that he was a teenager. Rinato promptly told it to shut up.
He was confused. Why did he have such an intense reaction to having his curls touched?
Months later he witnessed a bulky German blonde tug Felicianos curl in confusion and saw the older Italian man to slack where he was standing, a pleasureable but slightly pained look on his face.
Other people he's observed didn't have his problem.
Could they be-?
~~
7. Mafia
Rinato ran down the alleyways of Italy, nothing more than a black blur, cursing.
It was a rookie mistake, but one that could cost him his life.
Panting in exhaustion as rain crashed like bullets against his back, slowly numbing his limbs.
Turning around the corner he wasn't fast enough as a bullet buried deeply into leg. He fell, crashing into the water soaked ground, his hat flying away in the harsh wind and gun sliding out of his hand.
Was this it? Was this how he was going to die?
Footsteps, unburied and casual in their pace headed towards him, splashing in the water. But it wasn't coming from behind. It was coming from in front?
Black eyes met hazel, dark auburn hair plastering against a tan face. Romano, for it could be no one but him with that curl and eyes. What was he doing here?
More footsteps sounded as a gaggle of men came from the corner Rinato did.
Hazel eyes never left his own as Romano brought out a gun and shot everyone execution style without looking at where he was aiming.
Rinato didn't know what happened next, but he woke up back in his bed, in his apartment with the Vargas twins sitting at his bedside.
Feliciano was on his right, hands grasping his own as he slouched half on the bed asleep. Romano was on the other side, leaning with his arms crossed over his chest against the wall right by the window.
"You're finally awake."
Rinato nodded. "What happened?"
"The bullet nicked an artery. You almost held to death and caught hypothermia." Romanos voice was calm, steady. Leveled, and Rinato knew that the other man was pissed.
"How long was I out?"
"Two weeks. Feliciano has barely left your side."
Rinato turned towards the sleeping Italian and his eyes softened.
"if you still weren't recovering I'd kill you myself for making him cry" Romano said this calmly and Rinato swallowed heavily as the man's glare turned lethal.
"I made a mistake" and didn't that hurt to admit.
"See that you don't repeat it."
They were silent for a few minutes before Romano spoke. "If you're going to stay in the mafia it's best if you have an alias so that the authorities don't connect you. We've been pulling a lot of strings just so that you wouldn't get arrested."
Rinato wanted to snap that he didn't ask them to do that, but that would be ungrateful and He was grateful. "What would you suggest?"
"Something simple, that people can connect but would disregard to you."
Rinato thought for a few minutes before deciding. Smirking he told the other man. Romano nodded thoughtfully.
"Reborn"
~~
8. Protective urges
Rinato, or Reborn as he now preferred to be called did not Like Ludwig. He was big, he was bulky and he and Feliciano just didn't fit!
Not that it really mattered much anyway. The two seemed obvious to the others feelings, though Feli seemed to realize it somewhat.
In order to resist the urge to separate them after Feli glomped the German, Reborn went over and sat by Romano who was alternately glaring at the two.
His actions got a nod from the elder and they spent the rest of the evening glaring at the blonde and separating the two.
~~
9. Photograph
It probably took much longer then it should have for Reborn to realize, and if it hadn't been for that single photo, the only one he had the of the Italian twins Reborn doubts he would have realized when he had.
Feliciano and Romano weren't aging. They looked the same as they had those many years ago when Feli offered him some pasta as a stranger. And eternal picture in a decaying frame.
It was mind boggling, curious and very interesting. Reborn was tempted to ask, but memories of the two of them weighed his tongue every time he asked.
What did it matter anyway? Being forever young -or immortal- was relatively normal when compared to the other shit he's seen since joining Italys underworld.
~~
10. Revenge
Feliciano had never seemed so small, so vulnerable. He's always seemed so much larger than life in Reborns eyes. The white sheets around him did nothing but expand on the man's too pale and gaunt complexion, and normally expressive closed eyes that brought him comfort just made it seem more real.
He ignored Ludwig, who sat equally pale beside Felicianos bedside and turned towards Romano who was just as pale and shaky as Reborn himself felt.
"What happened? Who did this?!" he growled out, sounding more like a lion then an actual human.
Romano observed him for a few minutes before writing on a card, the blue ink glaring at him with names and locations.
Nodding Reborn left, cataloging mentally what he would need to make this the most brutal and pain filled mission he's ever taken. For his prey of course.
Two days later the Italy's headline news featured the mangled decapitated bodies of one o Italy's foremost terrorist organizations, the bodies spanning all over Italy.
If there was thanks in the hazel eyes of Romano or relief in the golden ones of Feliciano, Reborn didn't say anything.
~~
11. America
As his reputation grew so did the amount of jobs Reborn took increase, as well as the location.
America was a first though, but it didn't make a difference. A hit was a hit and in no time at all Reborn was done and telling his client where to deposit the money.
Bored and since he was there he decided to explore the vastly crowded streets of New York city, observing the people and buying small but useful knick knacks that caught his eye.
Done with exploring he headed back to his hotel only to stop short a mile away when something, or rather someone caught his eye.
It was Feliciano. But what was he doing here? And who was that man that was with him.
Curious he moved closer and caught most of the conversation. Luckily the place was I crowded so Reborn didn't have to sort through the useless chatter.
"America stop!" Feliciano wailed, wagging his arms around unsure of what he was supposed to do. "That isn't pasta it's just something those less educated people claim I to be!"
America?
"What are you talking about Italy? This is from Pizza Hut! They serve nothing but genuine Italian food! And I can understand why you go on about this stuff its amazing! But not as amazing as the cheeseburger" the man said with nauseating chewed up food visible through his mouth every time he spoke.
Italy?
Feliciano looked close to fainting at that admission and Reborn even shuddered at what he was saying.
Claiming that that gooey plate of all things not pasta as pasta was sacrilege.
Mind full of unanswered questions and wanting tiger as far far away he could from the rude American, Reborn headed back to what he originally was doing. Going back to his room.
~~
12. France
Once is coincidence two is happenstance.
Done with his mission in Paris -mid level mob boss, I toured the streets of the 'city of love'. And once again I saw Feliciano. Only this time-
"Italy! It's so good to see you!" a blonde haired man dressed in the most ridiculous blue dress was harassing Feliciano.
"Big brother France stop!"
There it was again, someone calling Feliciano Italy. Reborn pushed that to the back of his mind when he saw the blonde molesting his fellow Italian.
Enough was enough. Besides Reborn has always been a man of action.
He fired a few shots at the blonde, watching as the man danced to avoid the bullets.
"Feli is this man bothering you?" Reborn slid in front of the confused Italian, gun at the ready and aimed at the Frenchmen's head.
His reaction to having a gun pointed at his head was somewhat abnormal.
"Ita-Feliciano why?" crocodile tears fell from his blue eyes as he bolted away.
Reborn and Feliciano looked confused as the man vanished into the busy streets of Paris.
That was weird
~~
13. Vongola Alliance
Turning down yet another offer to join the Vongola by invite from the nono, Reborn thought about why.
It was simple, he was more on the twins side then on Vongolas.
Should either Feliciano or Romano ask him to kill someone, even the Vongola boss, Reborn would. That's just what family did, and how much the two meant to him. He's already taken out some people for them: a couple politicians, a terrorist group or two, members of the diet. People who made things bad for Italy.
Besides he trusts that the two of them would never make him do something he's uncomfortable with.
So while he would ally himself with the Vongola, he would never join them.
Just in case.
~~
14. Curse
Two months had passed since that accused day. Two months since his life was ruined. Two months since he became an infant, an arcobaleno.
Living deep in Italy's forest in the cabin where he and the others use to plot and plan their mission, he though over his life, and what he was going to do next, all the while training his new body, or rather his mind to the new size. Thankfully all his skills and strength were there, all it was now was getting used to his much shorter reach.
"Ve! There you are Rinato!" looking towards the open door from his -much to big- seat Reborn saw the twins. However, it was an odd sight. Both of their eyes were open, Romanos hazel and Felicianos gold bearing into his own.
They seemed momentarily shocked by his appearance before taking it all in stride.
"Feliciano, Romano" Reborn greeted, tilting his head forward in acknowledgment his side curls bouncing. He would have asked how they knew where he was but he knew they wouldn't tell him. They always seemed to know where everyone was, especially him.
"Why are you staying in doors? The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day" Feliciano stated, opening the previously closed curtains and letting the sunlight peek into the room.
Reborn stayed stubbornly quiet.
Romano observed him from the doorway, ignoring his brother who bustled around in activity. "Are you just going to sulk until you die?"
Reborn glared at Romano, angry at the others words. "I'm not sulking!" he snapped.
"Then what do you call this? You haven't left this place since you were changed and from the looks of it you don't plan on going anywhere soon."
Reborn looked every bit his age as Romano gave him a dressing down.
"Feliciano can handle your old life, make it so that there would be no evidence of you existing until we find a way to reverse it, and we will find a way no matter how long it takes."
Hope blossomed deep inside Reborn chest as Feli nodded along with his brother.
Maybe everything wasn't as hopeless as he thought.
~~
15. Truth
Leaning back into his chair, Reborn pinched the bridge of his nose.
Everything suddenly made so much sense.
He called in a few favors from inside the Italian government until he reached the president and found more then what he was searching for.
Name: Rinato Italy
DOB: October 13, XXXX
Parents: Feliciano Vargas
Notes: Rinato Italy appeared in the younger Vargas family bed one morning.
Learning that the man you were looking up to as a mother was most likely your parent was not so surprising to Reborn. He's suspected for years that the two of them were related.
What was surprising was Felicianos and Romanos profile.
Name: North Italy
Family: South Italy, Roman Empire (deceased), Rinato
Notes: Is the personification of N. Italy. Publicly goes by the name Feliciano Vargas to not raise suspicion with the masses. Italias representative to the other nations. Had a son named Rinato who unlike other members of his family is mortal. See attached notes for further details.
Name: South Italy
Family: North Italy, Roman Empire (deceased), Rinato
Notes: is the personification of S. Italy. Publicly goes by the name Romano Vargas to not raise suspicion with the masses. Father of the mafia and king of Italy's underworld. Helps keep the countries underbelly united with his brothers help.
It was a lot to take in but it made sense. Why those other people called Feliciano Italy. Reading the attached notes he learned a lot of things. One, he was the son of Italy, literally. Two, unlike them he was mortal. Three, the former president is the reason why they couldn't raise him.
A thought also came to Reborn. If Romano was Mafia king, would that make him the mafias prince?
~~
16. Reaction
Watching Tsuna and his friends gape like a fish at being told and meeting the personification of Italy was hilarious. Except for Hibari, who Reborn was almost positive was going to look for Japans personification.
Later, when Tsuna and the others had left Reborn led the two Italy's to his room.
Hopping onto one of the chairs Reborn spoke. "I know."
They tensed.
"Ve?" Felicianos gold eyes snapped open into his. Lack ones, hope shining deep within their depths along with something Reborn had refused to acknowledge for years; love.
"I already knew who you were before Tsuna and the others were told...I also know of my 'birth'." seeing the raw emotions on both their faces, Reborn allowed his own turbulent feelings to show.
With a sob Feliciano gathered his small body to him, hugging him close.
Closing his eyes as he hugged back and felt Romanos arms wrap around the both of them, Reborn let out a happy sigh.
He was finally home.
AN: The reason I chose Mafia Prince as the title for this is not only because of Reborns heritage, but also because when you think of it, Reborn is the ideal Mafioso. Hes charismatic, but sharp when needed. Strong, but he knows when to be gentle. Dresses nice, prefect manners, he is the Mafioso.
This fic was inspired when it finally clicked that Reborn, Italy and Romano have trademark curls.
I would really appreciate what you guys think of this :3 Thanks for reading :3