Disclaimer: My fic, not my anime or manga.


The brunet continued to run and run. He didn't even look to where he was going. He just continued on and on and on... Not stopping, just wanting to get away from people. Get away from the fact that he's hurting and that h-he always causes others to hurt too. He didn't want to face that fact. He didn't want to know that fact, but he does, and that was shoved right into his face countless times. He doesn't want to relive those painful times. He was finally free and not a burden to them anymore, so why couldn't he just have a little peace of mind!? He doesn't want to cause anyone trouble He doesn't want to be the source of people's pains. He just- just wanted to live without being a bother to others. Is that really so much to ask for?


All the while, two teenagers were frantically trying to find a certain brunet.

"Do you have any idea of where he might've went, Giotto?" Asari questioned the panicking blond.

"An inkling, but it's just my gut feeling, and let's hope it really isn't where I think it is." Giotto replied as he hurried towards the location as to where the kid might be at.

"Heh, your so-called hyper intuition, I suppose? Well, it's helped us many times before, no harm in believing it once more." Asari said lightly to the running teen.

As they kept on running, Asari finally realized where it was that Giotto was heading towards. He now understood why Giotto had hoped that the child won't be here. They were going to the Cliffs, a dangerous area at the edge of the forest that surrounds the Vongola mansion. For that matter it's not just dangerous there, it's very dangerous. The place is exactly as the name depicts, it's a location full of cliffs with a raging ocean right beneath it. The land over there is pretty loose, and one wrong step could have you plummeting down into the depths of the waters below with sharp rocks stabbing into your body. Now that gotta hurt, not to mention you might easily die if you're not trained since the Cliffs is close to the place where the guardians sometimes train at, so there are traps placed around random places near the Cliffs. Asari has faith in Giotto's intuition, but he fervently wishes that just for this once Giotto is wrong. If something happened to that child... Oh no, Asari doesn't even want to think about what Giotto would start doing, to himself and others. One time when a child from the orphanage was hurt because of him, Giotto locked himself in his room for over a month and when he came out he was a zombie! What happened afterwards... Asari doesn't even want to recall it!

When they finally reached the Cliffs Giotto's foreboding feeling suddenly became a massive headache, causing him to suddenly kneel down on the grassy land with a hand holding his head. Asari was worried about him, but something else caught his attention. A small hand was gripping the edge of a cliff close to the pair. Asari went right into action and rushed towards the small hand, but was careful as to where he stepped to avoid the traps and soft ground which may crumble if he put too much force on it. As he reached the hand, he could see that Giotto's intuition was right -as always- and he would have groaned if the situation wasn't so serious.

The hand that was hanging on the edge of the cliff was connected to the brunet boy that Giotto brought with him from before. Peculiarly, the boy wasn't panicking at all. For that matter, the boy kept a blank face even as he turned his face upwards to look at Asari. Though what was even more strange was that when Asari stretched his hand out to help the boy, he shrank away from him and fear started to seep into the once blank eyes.

Asari smiled kindly and said, "Come on, grab my hand. I won't hurt you."

Still though, the child attained an apprehensive look when he heard those words slip from the teen's mouth. The little boy didn't believe Asari and that was easily seen from the stiffened shoulders and wary look that the brunet carried. Asari found this to be very worrying, if the boy didn't hurry and grab his arm he might fall. But what caused him more concern were the frighteningly empty eyes that seem to hide something. Something painful, something dreadful, something that broke the innocence of this young boy.

Asari, deciding to try again, said this to the boy gently. "Please, it'll be okay. Grab my hand. If not, you'll fall."

The brunet once again looked at Asari with emotionless eyes after understanding that Asari won't forcefully go and grab him. The cold eyes unnerved Asari. It's actually pretty understandable now as to why Giotto was so worried about the boy that he brought the brunet with him, but there seems to be more to that... That was when Asari saw it. On the tiny hand gripping onto the cliff were bruises and cuts. That's normal for orphans who roam the streets, but- But those weren't just normal injuries. Those were marks of beatings! Then he spotted what was on the child's back, since his torn up gown was sliding off his shoulders. T-those blemishes on his back! They were burns! Asari was horrified, how dare anyone do that to a child! Now the rain guardian is more determined than ever to help this little boy.

"Can you hold onto my hand? It's okay now, alright? No one will hurt you, so can you take my hand?" Asari steadily inched out his hand to the smaller boy, hoping that he won't shrink away this time and actually reach for his hand. When the boy continued to stare at Asari blankly, the teen started to panic because it seemed like the brunet was trying to retreat to the recesses of his mind. If the child does that then he'll shut down and won't be able to hold onto the cliff anymore! So Asari hurriedly made a decision. He leaned further down from where he was so could go and make a grab at the child, but the kid seemed to have suddenly snapped out of his trance-like state. When he saw that Asari was trying to take hold of him, out of fear, the brunet struggled and his hold on the cliff loosened.

Asari tried reaching for the brunet but missed him. Then he saw the rope attached to the boy's hand and gripped onto it. It might hurt the boy but it's the only way for him to actually save the child now. He secured his hold on the rope and sought to pull the child up and he did get to pull the blank child up a little but alas, his position on the cliff allowed him no such leverage and he couldn't pull the brunet up without having the earth beneath him crumble. Thus Asari continued to just to grip onto the rope hardly, hoping that he could save the young boy. Asari then swiftly looked over the boy to check how well he was holding up. He saw that the boy was trembling ever so slightly and that terror started to seep into those blank amber eyes.

Wanting to reassure the boy Asari spoke, "It'll be okay. I'll save you. So it's okay."

The boy didn't seem to have registered what Asari had said to him and instead appeared to be deep in thought. Then the boy's face promptly changed into one of distress, pain, and torment all mushed together. Before long it seemed that the boy finally accepted what was happening and the panic came. Along with the brunet's renewed struggling and Asari's slippery hold on the already frayed rope combined with the brunet's weight under the rope, well let's just say they heard 'Snap!' and everything went downhill.


He was falling! He was going to die! N-no! He doesn't want to die! N-no! He's scared! He really shouldn't have just kept running like that and not watch where he was going, now look at where he is! Falling down at least 2000 ft and meeting the sharp rocks down there. B-but wait... I-if it's like this then he wouldn't be a bother anymore. He wouldn't cause trouble anymore. He'd be completely free too...

Then his wrist felt like it was burning. He looked up to see what was happening and saw the man with black hair was clutching onto his bindings connected to his wrist. The raven looked as if he himself was about to fall off the cliff too which scared the brunet. He doesn't want the man to fall! He'll die along with him! No! He was a burden to people when he was living, he doesn't want to be a burden to other when he's going to die too! The man should just let go of him then he won't have to die for someone as useless as him. B-but the brunet is afraid of death. Even though all of the things he went through is considered terrible in others' eyes, it was acceptable for him because he was raised to believe that he deserved it. He was even told that he deserved death handed to him because he was a mistake and not needed. Still though, the little kid is afraid of death because he has never experienced it before. H-he doesn't want to die! N-NO!

Since he started struggling because of his internal thoughts, the already frayed rope broke. All the boy heard was a 'Snap!' before his world was turned all around and upside down. Oddly, this time the boy really is falling and no one would be able to reach him, but he is calm. Strangely so, but he is and there's this sort of peace that's coursing throughout his whole being. It's okay now, no one will be able to hurt him anymore...

Abruptly, the seemingly emotionless child was pulled out of his thoughts and was thrown right back into reality. The blond man from before was flying towards him! As the blond reached him he held out his arms and grabbed onto the man. That was when he finally realized that he didn't want to die. He was scared to die, s-so scared! Tears unconsciously pooled in the boy's eyes and slid down the sides of his face. Just as the blond and him reached safe ground he started bawling his eyes out and clutched onto the front of the blond's shirt. The two exhausted teens present just looked at him helplessly, not knowing what to do with such a child. When the crying was toned down to only sniffles, everything suddenly became awkward.

"So, what do we do now?" Asari asked Giotto, intending to break the tense atmosphere surrounding them.

Without thought or consideration Giotto said, with a smile, "Let's bring him with us to live in the mansion!"

Asari was not in the least surprised that Giotto said that, although he was a bit exasperated at Giotto's carefree attitude and decision. So, with a defeated sigh, but also with a smile Asari asked, "What will you tell the others?"

And just as expected, Giotto forgot about them so he said, "Ah, we'll deal with it when the time comes." Then he stood up and continued, "Well, we need to know this kid's name cause we just can't keep calling him kid or something."

Asari decided to take it upon himself to ask what the child's name was, but received no answer from the once again blank and emotionless boy. "Ah, what should we do? He won't talk to us and if we come even just a tiny bit closer he starts to get scared, just like a frightened little animal." Asari said with a dejected tone and crestfallen face. The little boy, seeing that he caused someone to be unhappy just because he didn't say anything started to feel guilty because these people did indeed save his life.

Maybe, just maybe, it's okay to let these people in. M-maybe it's okay to trust them. So with that thought in mind, the brunet moved closer to the man sitting seiza on the grass and clapped his hands onto the man's face to get his attention. When the man, Asari, looked up at the brunet with surprise and shock, the young child thought he did something wrong and started to shrink away, letting his hand fall to his sides.

The teens smiled at the kid's display of care. Then Giotto went to the kid and knelt in front of him, startling the younger boy. "Can you tell us what your name is?"

The kid was taken aback by these weird people, but they felt warm. It's kind of nice to feel like this. But they want to know his name. H-he doesn't know how to answer that. What if because he can't answer it, these people start hating him? What will they do to him then?

The boy then looked up to see the face of the blond staring intently at him, but there was kindness in his eyes. So the boy decided to risk it and actually responded this time with a shake of his head. Then he spoke! He really spoke out loud! Albeit his voice was raspy like he hadn't used it in years, but he spoke! "I-I d-don't r-remember it..." He stuttered and trailed off, looking timid. The two other people present were very surprised. The boy spoke, and in Italian nonetheless. He also showed showed some emotion, although it was only looking timid, he showed some emotion!

Asari could tell that the boy was of Japanese descent and he asked if the boy knew Japanese. The child responded with a stuttered and quiet 'Y-yes.' Right then and there Giotto thought of the name that he should give to the child. "I know what your name will be!" Shouted Giotto out of nowhere, startling the conversing pair and scaring the brunet.

"Giotto, don't shout like that so suddenly, you'll scare the child." Asari chided his friend lightly.

Giotto looked sheepish but he continued on, "I'm sorry. It's just that I got too excited when I was thinking of things to name the kid."

"Oh, and what will his name be then?" Asari asked, his interest piqued.

"Well, since he's Japanese and all I thought that he should have a Japanese name." Giotto started.

"Yes, yes and so? What will his name be?" Asari asked Giotto, wanting to know what the child's name will be.

"Tsunayoshi Vongola!" Giotto told Asari with triumph like he accomplished something great.

"Why?" Asari asked, perplexed.

"Because 'Tsunayoshi' means 'Lucky Rope'. And since it was the rope around Tsunayoshi's hands that let you catch him before he dropped it's good luck! If you hadn't caught onto the rope, and my headache still continued, we wouldn't have been able to save Tsunayoshi! So the rope is lucky. That's why his name should be Tsunayoshi Vongola!" Giotto finished.

"Though why 'Vongola' as his last name?" Questioned Asari.

"Well, since he also knows how to speak Italian and we're in Italy, I thought that he should have an Italian last name. It's not like any of us has actually have a last name that's Italian so I decided to give him the last name Vongola because the Vongola is one whole big family and he'll soon be part of our family!" Giotto said with a wide smile on his lips, ready to split his face in half.

"Ah, what logic is that? But yeah, Tsunayoshi Vongola, it's a good name. Still, isn't the first name a little long to say? Why don't we shorten it to Tsuna, as a nickname of course." Asari added.

The two teens then turned towards the child in question who was just standing and watching the two older boys talk. "Do you like that name?" Giotto and Asari asked the brunet in unison. The child looked at the two with an undefined emotion in his eyes before he nodded his head yes.

"Okay Tsuna, let's go home now alright?" Giotto said, stretching his hand out to hold Tsuna's hand.

"Yeah, it's getting dark now. Oh, Giotto. I forgot to mention this earlier but G told me to relay this to you. 'If you don't get your butt back here in half an hour, your hidden stash of sweets will be gone.'" Asari said with a smile as he took hold of Tsuna's other hand.

"Oh no! Not my sweets!" Shrieked Giotto as he took Tsuna and carried him in his arms while running towards the mansion. Asari was running just behind him with a smile on his face, but there were many questions about Tsuna that he had. Though it's okay. Tsuna's part of the family now, he'll have time to figure it out later. Right now, he just wants to get home, eat dinner, take a bath, and get a restful sleep. Today has been a long day.

All the while heading towards the mansion, many things were running through Tsuna's head. Is he wanted now? Will he be loved by these people? Is he going to be apart of their big family? Will he fit in? Will he be troublesome? What will happen now? He hopes he'll be able to be of some use to these kind people, but does it really matter all that much? Being with these people allowed a strange warmth that he hadn't felt for years blossom in his chest. If being with these kind people will let him feel like that, then maybe it's okay to really trust them? But what will happen if that's a wrong decision to make? H-he's scared of that. So very much. Then Giotto suddenly tightened his hold around Tsuna, embracing him in a safe manner. Maybe it won't be like that. Maybe... Anyway, right now, he just wants to snuggle into the warm and strong chest and fall asleep, not worrying about anything outside of his dream world. Maybe everything will be okay. Maybe...