Sorry to have kept you guys waiting! Here's the next chapter!
Thanks to:
Nyannah-chii, TakeshiYamamoto2980, Just Juliet, Ootori Haruhi, fatesmask, DreamSugar for reading my story!
Disclaimer: I don't own KHR but if I did I would have a Shounen showdown between KHR.
"No," G said as he crossed his arms, scowling at the blonde before him.
"Don't be like that G," Giotto said, not looking up as he continued signing paper after paper for the damage he caused after destroying the entire second floor. "Hayato is a nice kid. You're no different from him when you were a kid yourself."
G snorted. "That kid has a mouth that puts sailors to shame."
Giotto paused and looked up at his friend with his brow raised as if he was saying 'like you were any different' which G replied with, "It's still a no."
Giotto sighed at his friend. "G, it's just one day. Hayato hasn't left Tsuna's side at all since yesterday. This is good for you two to bond," Giotto said.
"And pray tell, why I have to do this?" G growled. "I got business in town today Giotto!"
"Because, for one," Giotto pulled out a document from his drawer and showed it to G. "You are his adoptive father."
"Since when?"G grabbed the paper and read it as fast as his eyes could go, he glared at him when he was done while resisting to strangle his best friend. "I don't remember agreeing to that! I just said they can stay! And how the hell did you get my signature?" he demanded.
Giotto shrugged, a smirk on his not-so-innocent face.
"You forged it didn't you?" G accused. Giotto didn't answer and continued to sign. A nerve was ready to pop out as G tried to quench his anger.
One of the many things that Giotto has learned from paperwork was that he can forge his guardian's signatures from seeing their signatures on their paperwork that was passed on to him to oversee. It took him a while but he managed to copy it to the last curve or size.
"It's either you do my paperwork or spend the rest of the day with Hayato," Giotto said as he put his pen down and smiled pleasantly at G.
G looked like he was ready to hurtle himself at him but decided against it since the blonde had just gone back to normal after terrifying his Mist guardian and he didn't want to test the blonde's patience. Eventually, he gave up. "Whatever," he said hotly. "I'm taking the brat out today." He was sure Hayato was still asleep, probably while on an uncomfortable position.
"Leave Tsuna to me and tell Uncle I said hi!" Giotto called as G closed the door behind him.
I knew it. G thought to himself. G knew that Giotto's objective was to probably spend the day with Tsuna, to get to know the little squirt while he, G, was to distract the squirt's little dog. That scheming bastard… before G knew it, he was standing outside Tsuna's room.
He knocked on the door gently three times.
There was a muffled "Come in!" from the other side of the door so G opened it to see a wide-awake Tsuna sitting up from his bed, looking good as if he wasn't scared the shit out of his wits. "Good morning G-san!" Tsuna greeted him.
"Yeah, morning kid," G responded as his eyes glanced towards the other boy in the room that was sitting on a chair beside the bed, sleeping with his head buried in his arms. "How long has he been like that?"
Tsuna frowned, concern seeping into his face. "Gokudera-kun must have been here the whole night."
"Why do you still call him with his last name?" G suddenly asked.
"Eh?" Tsuna said, startled with the sudden question.
"Shouldn't you be calling each other on a first name basis? You're too formal with your friends." G wasn't blind to see that Tsuna's relationship to his friends went deeper than blood. Even when he and Giotto had kicked it off at the beginning they had already started calling each other on their first names (though G had forced Giotto to use his nickname 'G' and not his real name). G wondered if all Japanes, besides Asari (the flute-loving prick), had manners pounded into them, poor or not.
"Well…" Tsuna started nervously. G watched him as he turned pink and started fumbling with his fingers, clearly not knowing what to say as if he hadn't thought about it before.
"You know what, don't answer that question," G cut in, deciding that the answer wasn't worth it.
"Ah... s-s-so what are you doing here G-san?" Tsuna asked as he tried to change the subject.
"When he wakes up, tell him that we'll be going to town today," G said in tight clipped tones. Turning on his heel he left without another word, leaving a frowning Tsuna.
Tsuna turned to his friend, still frowning. G didn't seem happy at the thought of being with Gokudera and once Gokudera wakes up, he was sure that he wouldn't like it either. But this would be good, a little voice inside his head told him that suspiciously sounded like Reborn. Family members should spend more time with one another. Yeah, that totally sounded like Reborn would say, and this is a great opportunity to get information, that one too.
Tsuna slapped his cheeks. "Hieeeeee! Why is my subconscious talking like Reborn?"
Gokudera jerked awake from where he slept. "Jyuddaime! How are you feeling?" was the first thing he said.
"I'm fine Gokudera-kun," Tsuna said miserably as he cried inside how horrible it was to have a Reborn living in his subconscious.
Gokudera though, when it came to Reborn, was totally oblivious to Tsuna's misery and said, "That's wonderful Jyudaime!" Then later he added, "Are you hungry? I can go ask one of the servants around here to send up some food or –"
"Why don't we just go to the dining room and eat with the others?" Tsuna offered.
"Yes Jyudaime!" Tsuna suddenly remembered what G told him and gulped.
"Ano… Gokudera-kun…"
~ Vongola Famiglia ~
The silence was suffocating.
This was one of the reasons why he could never get along with children – he didn't know what to say! Sitting on the opposite side was Hayato, who was downright ignoring him while looking outside the window of the carriage.
After Jyuddaime had told him that he was to accompany the old man into town, he instantly protested. Surely, how can he leave his boss to the others? But Jyuddaime insisted that they should get along. He said that G-san wasn't the G he met in the future, give him a chance, Jyuddaime said.
Gokudera had no choice after his boss pleaded him. How can he resist those eyes anyway? So here he was, sitting in the carriage with the old man, not knowing what the hell to say. Gokudera wasn't the best conversationalist in the world because it always ends in him threatening the other person (unless of course if it was Tsuna).
G had a similar problem – except he does it in a very subtle way. G wasn't charismatic, no, that was Giotto's job.
G inwardly cursed his best friend at the thought. How was he supposed to get the little brat to like him?
He didn't have much time to think when the carriage suddenly came to a halt and when their coachman had told them they were here.
G came out first, then Gokudera, who looked around curiously.
It was obvious that this wasn't the town that he and his friends trashed - it was still standing for one and that he didn't recognize it at all. Their trip only lasted for a few minutes, maybe ten or thirty so he supposed that this town was closer to the Mansion.
"Follow me and try not to get lost," G said as he started walking.
Gokudera ran after him with a scowl but didn't say anything otherwise. He slowed down just behind G and looked around, people greeted G with a smile and tipping their hats and G would respond with a nod. Gokudera wondered why people were being friendly with the grouchy old man. Was it because he was the Storm Guardian?
Gokudera frowned when they entered a small instrument shop. He thought that G came into town to stock on weapons or something.
"Ah G, nice to see you around again," An old man greeted as he dusted his hands.
G looked at the old carpenter with a certain fondness in his eyes despite being gruff. "Come on old man, you make it sound like I haven't visited in years."
The old man stretched his back and grunted. "Time flies when you're so focused on your work. Speaking of work, how is Gio doing? I heard he's busy a lot these days."
G smirked and said, "Oh he's very busy alright."
The old man chuckled to himself. Then he noticed Gokudera and his old grey eyes widened. A knowing smile made its way to his lips. "I see you got busy as well," he teased and let out a booming laugh when G stuttered like a fool.
The old man bent down and smiled, "Hello bambino, I'm Saggi. I raised this fool and Giotto when they were kids," he jerked his thumb at G.
That explained why people were friendly with G, this must be the town that Vongola Primo and G grew up in.
Usually, Gokudera was always weary of strangers but this old man was the person who raised Vongola Primo and the First Storm Guardian, if he really is the person he claims to be then there's no reason to put up a guard.
Gokudera bowed Japanese style and said in the most polite tone, "I'm Gokudera Hayato."
Oh, so the brat can be polite to normal people, G thought and started to stutter once more when Saggi said, "Oh? What a strange name to call your son. She must be foreign no? Didn't know your last name was Gokudera too."
"He isn't my kid!" he pointed at Hayato the same time Gokudera said, "The old man isn't my dad!"
"Yes, yes, as you say." He waved them off as he went back to work, ignoring the fuming duo that were letting out steam from their ears.
"Listen when I have something to say old man!" G said and Gokudera couldn't help to be reminded of Shamal when he demands for his attention… except that Saggi was a kind old man and not some perverted weirdo.
Gokudera suddenly recognized what Saggi was working on and his throat hitched and his eyes widened in shock. It was his piano. The same piano that his mother taught him on and is recently using after Jyuddaime had requested hearing him play. Bianchi told him that before he was born, his mother had this old and worn piano that was in her family for centuries. His father had restored it as a gift and when he was born, his mother had given it back to his father. It had the same markings at the keys that you couldn't find in any piano; Gokudera didn't know what those markings meant but he was sure it was Latin.
G blushed when he saw the markings on the keys.
"That's - !" he said but couldn't say completely.
"Ah, this?" he gestured at the keys. "Reminds me when you were young G. You always had a nice voice."
Gokudera didn't expect that G, the fearsome right-hand man that could get Mafioso cower before him by the sound of his voice, can actually sing! He couldn't help but laugh at G's expression – embarrassment and humiliation rolled into one look.
G sent him a glare but faltered when he saw how Gokudera was laughing his butt off with tears coming out of the corners of his eyes. He had never seen the boy laugh before… it made him look like the child he was.
"These markings here is the song that G used to sing when he was little," Saggi added to G's growing horror. "It was his favorite."
"Cut the hell out old man! Stop telling the kid!" G growled but Saggi didn't seem fazed. Instead, he chuckled.
Gokudera stopped laughing and came over to inspect the keys, his small hands brushing against them with his eyes glazing over.
G watched this with barely concealed interest while Saggi nodded approvingly.
"That boy has skill G," Saggi said.
"How do you know?" G asked.
"Look at his hands, they way they hover over each key like he's playing. Don't tell me I'm going blind – I can still see well boy – and I know a musician when I see one, much like you." Before G could protest, Saggi said "I know, I know, he's not your son. Either way, that doesn't stop me from thinking that way."
"It was Giotto's fault," G muttered, as if that explained everything. "He made me adopt him."
Saggi nodded once more. "Of course it would be Giotto," he chuckled.
"He got one himself too you know!" G said without thinking and Saggi raised a brow at him, surprised. "His name's Tsuna and he looks just like him."
"And what do you think of Gokudera?" Saggi asked.
"It's Hayato," G corrected him. "Japanese people have a way to say their last names first and the kid is reckless. Plus he has a pretty bad mouth and stubborn."
"Much like you?"
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" G said, clearly annoyed.
"G," Saggi said solemnly. "Children are gifts bested to us by the Lord. I took you and Gio in when you had nowhere to stay and eat because I felt that you two needed a home. Don't you think that this boy might be in need of one too?"
G didn't answer but stared at Hayato. Gokudera was looking inside the piano, tip toeing at the edge of a chair and afraid that he might fall in, G called out "Get down from there Hayato before you fall in!"
Gokudera did as he was told and approached Saggi. "Where are it's strings?" he asked.
"I'll be doing that last."
"What about the keys? What do does mean?" Gokudera asked and Saggi had to clamp a hand over G's mouth to stop him from saying anything.
Old Saggi just smiled at him. "Only this fellow can tell you that." He pointed at G.
G had had it with the old man's teasing and was planning to leave when Gokudera had this curious look in his eyes that G instantly disliked.
"You're not going to hear me sing brat and that's final!" he said to Hayato and stomped away.
"Tch, it wasn't like I wanted him to sing. I just wanted to know what it meant," Gokudera muttered. He didn't study Latin and now, it looks like he has to study it then. G would have made it easier if he just told him what it meant.
"Have a nice day now Hayato," Saggi said kindly before he left.
"Good luck on the piano sir." Gokudera replied before going after G.
Gokudera may have grown up in Italy, Sicily, but he didn't recognize the buildings around him. It was official. He was lost.
Gokudera wandered around the place, his anger slowly building up as the sky grew darker with each cloud blocking the bright sun. Jyuddaime would be worried if he didn't come back soon… and that stupid G! How could he run out like some wussy kid and leave a ten-year old charge? Where the hell did that old man went off to? It looked like it could rain anytime.
He wandered into a market street and sat down by the fountain that stood in the center. He watched as people passed by and in one catching his eye: it was a young boy maybe ten years old, he was bawling his eyes out and Gokudera saw that the young boy was beaten all over. Bullying maybe? Just thinking of that made Gokudera's blood boil.
His boss was subject to bullying for the most of his life and wasn't completely blind to the loneliness that the brunette harbored when Gokudera first met him. It made his heart ache to know that his boss didn't have any friends until Reborn had found them for him. It made him happy that he and (as much as he hated to admit) the others had driven the sad lonely look from their Boss' eyes.
A young woman approached the young boy and Gokudera guessed that it was his mother. She held out her arms and the boy ran straight to them, clinging to her as he told her what happened. The young mother listened and rubbed his back in circles.
"Don't cry my dear, Mama is here," the young woman said. "Now smile, sadness doesn't befit a face like yours."
The boy's smile twitched before becoming a full-blown smile.
"Yes Mama!" he said before giving her a kiss on the cheek.
Gokudera looked away from that, a sad aching feeling crawling into his heart as he did so. It was no use longing for the mother he wanted to know and love. She was gone now.
From a distance, G was standing behind Gokudera and saw when he looked away from the loving scene that the mother and child were having. He didn't know what a mother felt like because he was dumped when he was old enough to talk by his own parents but he knew that it must hurt so much more when the people who love you, can't even see you.
He went to Gokudera and tapped his shoulder. Gokudera whirled around and scowled when he saw G. "Where the hell were you old man?" he shouted. People looked their way at the sound of Gokudera's voice.
"Sorry kid, didn't mean to run out on you."
Gokudera didn't realize that G had just apologized to him until he saw the shame-faced look on the redhead's face. He was sincere to the last word. He meant it and Gokudera understood. If they were anything alike… then Gokudera would have done the same thing if it was him in his place. His anger deflated like a balloon and he rile himself up to angry, not when he had these sad thoughts.
Gokudera didn't say anything and instead was looking down on his feet.
"Let's go back now. It looks like it's going to rain soon." Gokudera nodded and followed him and G had to blame himself on this one. If he hadn't left Hayato all alone then he wouldn't like some beaten puppy. He was going to get an earful from Giotto when he sees the boy's face.
When they stepped into the carriage, the sky was nothing but full of black clouds.
It was ten times more awkward as the carriage started to move. It wasn't even two minutes when the rain started pouring like a storm and that Hayato had yawned.
Lightning struck through the sky, illuminating the dark, muddy path. They haven't even gone that far when lightning struck one of the wheels and blasted it off. They skidded to the side and went off road with the horses screeching and the coachman shouting. Gokudera covered his ears as thunder boomed.
"Wait, here. I'll be back," he told Gokudera and stepped out into the pouring rain.
It was raining as if stones were being pelted at him. G had to cover his eyes and approached the coachman as he was trying to soothe the horses.
"What happened?" G yelled through the rain.
"The back right wheel is gone sir! I'll have to take a horse back to the mansion to replace it!" the coachman replied.
"Let the horses go, they know where to come home to. I'll stay here with Hayato and take care of yourself!" the coachman nodded and undid the straps of the horses. G went back inside soaking wet.
"What happened?" Hayato asked him.
"We'll be stuck here for a while, one of the wheels came off and it's raining like rocks out there," G told him. He pulled the cushion off from where he sat and fumbled around in the secret compartment hidden inside it. G pulled out an extra shirt. He took his off and put the new one on.
That little compartment was meant to hold some extra clothing just in case they were going to a party after coming from a fight.
G kicked his boots off and took out a pair of pants and put those on too, while Gokudera looked away. His hair wasn't dripping wet anymore but it was still damp. Now that he was in dry clothes, G had to worry about the awkward silence surrounding the both of them.
~ Vongola Famiglia ~
Giotto and Tsuna sat side by side in the library, worrying over their best friends as rain pelted the windows. Giotto had come to show Tsuna some books that he might find interesting (which surprisingly, he did so) and frowned when it started to rain.
"Gokudera-kun…" Tsuna murmured worriedly.
"They'll be fine. G is with him after all so don't worry Tsuna," Giotto said, smiling.
"It's getting late though, they already missed dinner."
"Knowing G, he might have rented a room in an inn if they weren't stranded in the middle of the road."
"Okay then," Tsuna nodded and turned back to his book. "I never was interested in reading before… I only read what I had to. Thanks a lot for taking me here and showing all these books to me D-dad. But I don't think I can read them all."
"Would you like me to read them for you?" Giotto asked and Tsuna turned pink.
"I-I-I couldn't ask you to do that!" Giotto waved him off.
"It's nothing really! My mom would tell me any stories and my father was never there so it's embarrassing to have someone read to me!" Tsuna said, looking down on his lap.
Giotto frowned, displeased with Tsuna's real father. He didn't know why he suddenly felt like his parental instincts kicking in when he first saw Tsuna and felt somewhat familiar with him. Giotto ruffled the boy's locks and smiled at him. "Well, now you have one so let's read these stories yes?"
Tsuna couldn't help but say yes at Giotto's hopeful expression. While it was still weird talking to his Great-great-great grandfather, it felt nice to be patted on the head gently with fatherly care.
~ Vongola Famiglia ~
Gokudera didn't know how long they were stuck in the middle of the storm but it must have been hours already and he was hungry, tired and sleepy. Curse this stupid body! He thought as his eyes drooped but with each thunder that boomed through the sky he would snap his eyes open. He couldn't block the awful sound out and he was starting to feel cold.
G wasn't feeling tired at all, only that he was extremely annoyed with the weather. This morning there wasn't a cloud in sight! How could a beautiful morning turn out so bad? He sighed and closed his eyes, pushing down his temper.
He opened one eye and saw that Gokudera had almost fallen asleep until he was jerked awake by a loud boom.
Without thinking he started to hum in a slow, soothing voice that had Gokudera's eyelids fluttering. Then G started to sing soft low tones:
"Posa la tua testa e ti canterò una ninna nanna
Torna agli anni di loo-li-lai laico
E io canterò a dormire e ti canterò domani
Dio ti benedica con l'amore per la strada che si va
G caught the boy just in time and laid him on his lap so that he wouldn't fall off.
Che si naviga lontano per i campi lontani della fortuna
Con diamanti e perle a vostra testa ei piedi
E che mai è necessario bandire sfortuna
Che tu possa trovare bontà in tutto ciò che si incontra
Gokudera turned and snuggled into G's shirt. G pulled out one of Lampo's shirts and laid it on Hayato.
Possa esserci sempre angeli di vegliare su di voi
Per guidare l'utente ogni passo del cammino
Per proteggere voi e tenere al sicuro da ogni male
Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay
He had heard this song from a young woman that came from Scotland. He was only a boy then and had only heard it once but he remembered it to the last line.
Possiate voi portare l'amore e può portare la felicità
Essere amato in cambio fino alla fine dei tuoi giorni
Ora cadere a dormire, non ho intenzione di tenervi
Me ne starò per un po 'e cantare Loo-li, lai-lay
G leaned his body and head back and closed his eyes. He was still singing.
Possa esserci sempre angeli di vegliare su di voi
Per guidare l'utente ogni passo del cammino
Per proteggere voi e tenere al sicuro da ogni male
Loo-li, loo-li, lai-laico, loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay
From there he hummed until he fell asleep, thinking that being a father wasn't so bad as he thought it to be.
When they woke up, the coachman had woken them up and had said that they had returned to the mansion. They must have slept through the ride and everything. G asked what time it was and the coachman told him it was past midnight.
G growled in annoyance and went inside with Hayato trying to keep up with his long strides. There, standing by the door was Giotto, who was smiling at them.
"Were you here the whole time?" G demanded .
"No, I just came down for a glass of milk and I heard the carriage coming in," Giotto replied.
"Tch, Hayato, go to your room. It's late and you should be in bed," G told Gokudera, who scowled at him.
"You're not the boss of me," Gokudera muttered but did so anyway after he bid Giotto goodnight.
"I take it you two were fine?" Giotto asked once Gokudera was out of earshot.
"Why are you asking this? I'm pretty sure you know with that intuition of yours!" G said.
Giotto smiled. "Nah, its just that I can read you really well."
"Okay, it wasn't so bad," he admitted. "But don't you dare say anything!" he cut Giotto off as he marched inside, his bangs covering his face.
Giotto couldn't help but stifle a laugh when he saw the red-tinted cheeks.
Now Giotto has something to tease G about and there was nothing, nothing that could keep him from doing so even if it was paperwork.
I will be putting up a poll later in the morning of what's the next chapter is! If you're looking for you're name then don't worry! It'll be there :D
The song is "SleepSong" by Secret Garden :)