21 Years Later

At 35, Tsuna's life is simultaneously everything and nothing he expected. It is also both everything and nothing that he wanted for himself. He happily married Kyoko, the love of his life, and has officially been the boss of the Vongola Famiglia for well over a decade. He's done things he's not proud, but regrets very little. Tsuna has become a man very different from the boy he was over 20 years ago when Reborn first appeared in his home. Tsuna loves his famiglia, his wife, his children. He is happy, but things are far from perfect. Tsuna lives in a much darker world than he might have liked to. He's made sacrifices and lost people that can never be replaced. It's strange to look at his life and consider how much he's changed.

"Tsuna? Is something wrong?" Kyoko poked her head into his study. She was still as beautiful as ever. Carmel-colored hair pulled delicately into a low bun on her side, the rest of the long tresses flowing over her shoulder and large eyes that he'd seen tears in more than he liked to admit.

"Not at all. Why would you think that?" He answered, pushing out his chair and walking towards the door. Kyoko met him halfway, as she so often did, and he wrapped his arms around her waist lovingly.

"You looked so pensive. I was worried something serious may have happened." She told him, resting her head against his chest and listening to her husband's heartbeat. It might as well have been the sound of her own for how much her life depended on it.

"Everything is fine." Tsuna ran his fingers through her hair as he held her close. They so seldom got to indulge in something as simple as each other's company. Tsuna pulled away momentarily to press a kiss against her forehead, "Everything is fine. I was just thinking."

"What about?" Kyoko closed her eyes, letting herself melt against him as the two swayed back and forth slowly.

Tsuna smiled against the top of her head, "Just how far we've come." Kyoko allows herself to ponder over that for a minute before she decides not to press for more. She knows how rare and fragile peaceful moments like these are, knows that they are far too precious to squander over an idle curiosity. So she doesn't ask. She doesn't push. She simply permits herself to indulge in the way strong arms feel around her waist and the joy she knows she brings to the man she loves. Things are not perfect, but this tiny moment in space and time is about as close as she ever seems to get. It is enough.

"Papa, come play!" A voice like chimes shatters the quiet of Tsuna's study and as he pulls away to attend the girl behind her, Kyoko feels the hateful coiling in her stomach. She knows it's wrong. She has no good reason, no justifiable excuse for the awful feelings that rage inside her when Tsuna treats the girl as he would treat any child: with a strong and unbearably kind hand. The brunette child runs headlong into his arms as he kneels, fully ready to catch her; the smooth motion is followed as he spins her around and lifts her high into the air. "Higher! Higher!"

Tsuna laughs and the sound still makes flowers bloom in Kyoko's chest, even after so long. "I think you're getting too big, Principessa," he chides. He lowers her back down and ruffles her chocolatey waves. The girl wears a long skirt and a frilly (far too frilly in Tsuna's opinion) blouse and is dressed like any high class italian girl ought to be. Her hair is pulled clumsily into two braids, as she had just recently started doing them herself. She gave him a melodramatic pout before snatching his hand and leading him out of the study.

"Tsu and I want you to play with us! And don't say you're busy cause if you've got time to cuddle Mama than you can't be too busy to play with us!" The logic of children is something Tsuna is not sure he'll ever comprehend. His daughter had always had a knack for getting her way, though he thinks it may have something to do with being spoiled rotten by the wealthiest mafia family in the world. Not to mention all the unsavory habits she picked up during her far from average childhood. She knew how to break a man before she knew how to ride a bike. Despite her unusual upbringing there are times that Tsuna sees her acting just as any other girl her age would. Some things, he realizes, are universal.

When they get outside Tsuna is momentarily blinded by the bright sun, and he brings his arm up to shield his eyes. "Papa! Play!" His son runs to him, clinging to his leg, a smile that could give the sun a run for it's money on his face. Tsunahara is nearly identical to Tsuna himself, the only noticeable difference is that he has the carmel colored hair of his mother. The resemblance is not only skin deep, either. Tsu is only 5 now, but the way he is from his mannerisms to his overall personality is a perfect match to the way Tsuna was as a child. He is meek, but bright. Not especially gifted, but can be hard-working when he wants to be. The list goes on, but everything about him is in stark contrast to his sister. Nagisa was gifted from the day she was born. She was smarter, more resilient, more beautiful, and far more daring than any other child Tsuna had ever seen. She consistently outshone her peers by a landslide. She was his absolute pride and joy. Not to say he didn't adore Tsu, despite all of Kyoko's thinly veiled accusations of such, because he did. He loved the boy desperately. He had never particularly wanted another child after Nagisa had been born, but Kyoko had keenly wanted a baby of her own. Ultimately Tsuna didn't feel he had the right to deny her her wish. So Tsu was born.

He picked the boy up and flung him over his shoulder, "And what exactly are we going to play?" he prompted. Tsu squealed and giggled madly from his place as Nagisa rested her chin on her fist.

"Tag!" she declared and Tsuna rolled his eyes. When was it ever not tag? He put Tsu back on the ground and turned away, giving his children a fighting chance to escape into the sprawling estate of the Vongola mansion. They were just outside of the labyrinthine gardens and he knew Nagisa would take full advantage while Tsu was liable to become hopelessly lost and start bawling if he was not found quickly. He counted to 20 before turning and noisily looking for them in the obvious places. Kyoko appeared by the door, snacks and drinks in hand. He held up a finger to his lips and she giggled. She took a seat with the tray in one of the many pavilions that dotted the property, content to wait for the game to run it's course.

Tsuna set about actually finding his son first. He never actually lost track of the boy, but understood well enough that it was part of the game for him to act like he did. As usual, he took his time as he leisurely made his way through the gardens, "There you are! Better run fast or I'll catch you!" Tsu startled and ran off in the opposite direction, Tsuna jogging easily up to the boy and snatching him up, twirling him around several times and blowing raspberries on the child's stomach. He screamed and laughed and flailed happily and Tsuna tucked him under his arm as he went to find his daughter. "Where do you think Nagi's hiding, hm?" Tsu snickered under his arm. Nagisa was very good at hiding. She'd started training for the mafia when she was practically still in diapers, and she had little care for the fact that assassin skills weren't meant to be used in games. Not that Tsuna minded, if anything it almost made the game an actual challenge. Almost.

Eventually Tsuna plucked her up and threw her over his shoulder, spinning around with each of his children as they laughed. Tsuna started making his way back toward where Kyoko was waiting only to freeze in his steps when he saw Hayato standing off to the side, expression stoic. He let his children down and told them, "Run along to your mother, I've got to talk to Uncle Hayato for a bit." Nagisa smiled but the knowing look in her eyes betrayed her worry even as she did as she was told, pulling her brother along behind her. Kyoko stood, smiling, but the worry was in her eyes, too. Her poker face was infinitely better than Nagisa's though. Tsuna walked over to greet his right-hand man.

Kyoko couldn't hear much of the conversation, but she knew that was for the best. She hated knowing more than she hated not knowing. So long as Tsuna came home at the end of the day she would be content to ignore the ugliness of their reality. She could ignore the scars that slowly covered his body, and she could cope with the nightmares that woke him at night.

"Moroni's guys shot up one of our stations out in Manarola," Hayato informed him, bypassing his usual formalities.

"Shit. What for?" Tsuna wondered aloud.

Hayato didn't hesitate to answer, "Xanxus. He killed Domani Moroni, the boss' second son. They might be going for payback, but if so I don't know why they'd hit such an inconsequential spot. Could be they're aiming at provoking us into a fight, God knows why, or they're trying to scout for future attacks, maybe see how much they can get away with before we put them in their place."

Tsuna let out a heavy sigh, "Why the hell would he do that?" The Moroni Famiglia was old, but not particularly formidable. They were very rooted in tradition and loyalty. Though they didn't have a formal alliance with the Vongola, it was still strange for them to suddenly attack one of their outposts, especially such a remote one that most people wouldn't have known about.

Hayato gave a noncommittal shrug, "The hell should I know? Guy's a psycho if you ask me."

Tsuna chuckled darkly, "Psycho or not, he's Vongola." Hayato scoffed, but didn't try to dispute the point. Vongola meant family after all. "Tell Xanxus to clean up his own messes. The varia can handle it however he sees fit. Minimal casualties, though. We don't need another massacre to clean up." Hayato raised a brow in question. Tsuna usually went for a strict 'no casualties' rule. Tsuna nodded, reaffirming his orders and Hayato excused himself to call the crazy bastard and tell him what the boss said. Tsuna moved to rejoin his family in the shade. Kyoko stood when he approached, wary of any news that would bring Hayato to their home in person and unannounced, but Tsuna dismissed her worry with a wave of his hand. He took a seat at her side and pulled his son into his lap. The boy squirmed for a bit, adjusting himself in the new seat, and then happily continued munching on the crackers and fruit slices Kyoko had prepared for them.

"What did you and Uncle have to talk about?" She thought she was being subtle, but her eyes were a dead give away. She was a worrywart like her father, though, so perhaps it couldn't be helped.

"Nothing of consequence, sweetheart." She pouted at him, recognizing the dismissive behavior. Tsuna smiled and took one of her braids in his hand, thumbing the messed braids as he spoke, "Don't worry. It was nothing so important that you should let it dampen your day." She grinned at him and let the matter slip from her mind. He wondered when false platitudes would stop being enough for his too-bright child.

Hayato came over a minute later, "I should get going now. Sorry to interrupt." He bowed deeply.

Tsuna shook his head and laughed, "You weren't interrupting. Why don't you join us?" This had the effect Tsuna knew it would. Hayato hastily opened his mouth in an attempt to respectfully decline only for Nagisa to beat him to the punch.

"Oh, pretty please say you'll stay Uncle! Say you will! Pretty please stay! Just for a little while," she said excitedly. The proclaimed right-hand-man's shoulders drooped in defeat almost immediately. There was no way for him to say no to the Vongola's beloved principessa.

It takes less than a minute for Nagisa to climb into his lap once he's resigned himself to keeping the Decimo's family company in the humid afternoon air. She chatters happily in his ear and the sight brings a smile to Tsuna's lips. He knows Nagisa adores that man and vice versa. A part of him wonders if it isn't natural, for Hayato to love the child of two of the people he loves most in the world and for Nagisa to love the man her mother loves. He banishes the thought from his mind. Thoughts about Nagisa's origin and in turn her place in the mafia world should that truth come to light have been consistently more and more frequent in his mind. Looking back he thinks they may have all been naive to think that they could say the girl was Kyoko's and be done with it. Perhaps Kyoko herself had been too optimistic when she believed that she would be able to love Tsuna's daughter as her own. Maybe Hayato has a sweet spot for the principessa because he knows what it's like to be the bastard of a mafia boss. Tsuna can only pray that that pain is something he can keep his daughter from for a while longer; he's no longer naive enough to think the secret will be kept forever. It'll be a scandal, but hopefully it will have been worth it if only for small moments like this when they can masquerade as the perfect family. There are too many storm brewing, too much for Tsuna to lose, the stakes too high for slip-ups. He'd talk to Xanxus himself later. Just to be sure the Varia leader understood, and he might want to look into why Xanxus would start the skirmish so recklessly in the first place. But that was for later. For now he had to soak up this little window of happiness he had with his family. It was such a fragile thing.

Author's Notes: Ok so first off I have been wanting to do a future fic for KHR for forever! I have a lot of things planned, some characters may or may not be dead, and this is going to be more or less told completely out of order. This chapter takes place in the middle of the story, before maybe the second main plot point. Also how do you all like Tsuna's kids? Nagisa was named after Nagi in case that wasn't obvious and Tsu was clearly named for his father. I'll get into specifics with them and all the other eleventh generation Vongola kids later on. What do you think? This won't get in the way of my other fic, especially because writing for this goes much faster due to it all being original content and also because I don't see this taking off the way BFF&I did, so I'll be updating the more poplar story more probably.

Anyway feel free to comment and check out my other fic!