So this is both late, and not a very good chapter, I've lost touch on this story with the crazy summer I'm having, so I'm going to try to get back on track, in the next month I won't have much internet, so hopefully I'll get a few chapters of various stories out….but in September I need you all to know that I won't be writing at least for a little bit while I get sorted in school.
NOTE: I'm thinking of changing the rating of this story from T to M simply because of the nature of some of the things within this story and in the future. There is a lot of swearing and mentions of adult-type themes. Despite the fact that I will warn if there are any sensitive topics, I wanted to be safe rather than sorry and this will never be a truly M rated. But I'd like to know what you think?
Now, enough babbling, here's your next chapter, please enjoy despite my spelling and grammar mistakes.
The Difference between One family and one's Family.
Reborn had to keep rubbing circles along Tsuna's neck, standing on the boy's shoulder to prevent the poor child from holding his breathe. They were waiting for the guardians to appear and, as usual, Kyouya and Takeshi were the first to arrive. Mukuro appeared not long after. These three were always the first to appear to Tsuna's aide. Hayato and Lambo were obviously always with him and Reborn understood why of course.
He just wished that the brunet's guardians hadn't met Tsuna and each other under such appalling circumstances. It wasn't healthy.
Reborn had been with Tsuna for almost five years now and the growth of the boys under him had been alarming, but it was a necessity that their flames understood. Still, it had been hard to watch them be tortured so.
"Breathe, Tsuna."
"Can't." Tsuna choked. Reborn knew his face would be twisted in an attempt to stop the tears.
Takeshi appeared at Tsuna's elbow, and although he only brushed Tsuna's hand with his fingers, the boy's shoulders jolted and eased a bit. "Tsuna, we need you to breathe."
Tsuna's eyes flickered to the gathered men and one girl. Tsuna's two final guardians, Chrome and Ryohei, walked in and his breathing evened slightly. Reborn knew Tsuna's was working too hard. Tsuna quite literally lived for his friends. If they hadn't been there with him, Reborn had no doubt that he would have never met the boy; he would have ended all this a long time ago.
Ryohei's face set into a grim line as he trailed Tsuna for any more injuries. He wasn't happy to see Reborn rubbing circles on the Boss' neck. It meant Tsuna was close to panicking and no one liked that.
"Kufufu, what have you called us for this time, mongrel?" Mukuro snarled. He and Kyouya quickly took their places in front of Tsuna and Lambo, who was in his arms, his immediate defence and offence.
Mukuro had been a very unlikely, very violent and unstable addition to Tsuna's group. At first, Reborn had wanted to shoot the boy, both to save him from the harm he would endure with Tsuna under Iemitsu's hand and because Reborn didn't believe the man would protect Tsuna, especially since Iemitsu was the one to drop him and his sickly sister at Tsuna's doorstep uncaringly and unceremoniously.
Timeskip~ Tsuna, Takeshi, Chrome: 12. Kyouya: 14. Mukuro: 15. Three years in past.
Tsuna was twelve when the mysterious mist guardians appeared. He was tending to a bruised throat -courtesy of his father right before he left– when suddenly a shiver went up and down his spine, like none he had experienced before. He barely managed to scream before he was up against the wall of the bathroom. The mirror cracked behind him and heterochromatic eyes bore holes in him. The boy gulped and felt the spike of a trident tip against his sore throat.
"You're going to do exactly as I say, mafia mongrel. Or so help me, I'll kill you from the inside out and take what I need by force."
Tsuna's eyes were wide and his flames bucked under the surface in panic. He didn't even manage to get a word out before the door banged open and Reborn, Hayato, and Takeshi pounded their way into the room. Upon seeing the reinforcements, the heterochromatic eyed boy was quick to turn and pull Tsuna against his chest, trident still in place on the brunet's throat.
"Tsuna, we're here, okay?" Takeshi ignored the threat for the moment, eyes on the panicked twelve year old brunet he had given himself over to.
"Breathe." Mukuro felt the boy's chest heave shakily against his own as the violent, Smoking Bomb spoke. The boy had gone missing when he was five after his mother was slaughtered. Why was he here?
Mukuro's eyes flickered down and he noticed the calm in the boy, even as he shook against him. "You're not stopping me. I'm making this bastard help me." Mukuro snarled.
"How did you get in?" Reborn snarled as he levelled his gun. He could get the shot off, he knew he could, but he didn't need Tsuna to fear him more than he already did. Tsuna loathed Reborn's array of guns. "Who are you?"
The man, Tsuna could see his long blue hair waft into his face. The boy smelt of dust and sweat. Tsuna felt a thrill of panic in his gut, but not because the man was going to kill him. No. Tsuna realised that this man was protecting something.
Tsuna's intuition was burning.
"What's wrong?" His voice was small and he tried not to cough when his throat burned.
Everyone was startled at Tsuna's words. When the man with the trident looked down, he was surprised to find swirling gold staring back at him with understanding.
The boy faltered, his grip pressing against Tsuna and jolting the trident into the boy's throat. Tsuna cried out and the blue-haired boy's eyes widened when he spotted the bruises lining his neck, especially when he whimpered out a quick plea.
"Stop, stop, please."
"Y-You're supposed to be their heir." the boy suddenly muttered, arms tight on Tsuna, but more in the way Tsuna held Kyouya back when Iemitsu was rampaging. "You're supposed to be protected, why…"
"Iemitsu couldn't care less about me," Tsuna snapped, letting his hyper intuition lead him, "So long as I'm useful enough to him."
Something in Tsuna's words and the way he watched the boy with sincerity made him back off. Soon enough, Hayato had Tsuna pulled into their group and Reborn was on the floor, gun ready and glued to the strange, heterochromatic boy.
"Who are you?" Reborn growled, "You know my student's status, so who are you?"
Tsuna could see mist flames coil at the boy's feet, ready to run the minute he could. He could see the confusion and sheer desperation in the boy. It called out to his sky flames in a desperate and painful way.
"If you tell us, we can help you." Tsuna promised and the trident hit the floor, dissolving the world around him until they were standing in a bright field. They stood beside a large tree and within its roots lay a young girl, probably Tsuna's age.
When the world tipped and righted itself, Tsuna was the only one standing. Reborn perched on his shoulder with his gun tipped, looking queasy. Takeshi and Hayato were on their asses, green around the collar, staring at the boy with distrust.
"You're an illusionist, and a strong one."
Reborn's words only caused a mirthless smile to lift on the pale man's lips. "But not strong enough, Arcobaleno." His words made Reborn bristle, but Tsuna soothed his tutor, wanting to hear this boy out. "My name is Rokudo Mukuro, and this here is my sister, Dokuro Chrome."
Tsuna looked at the girl. He couldn't help but feel like something horrible was or would happen to her. His eyes flickered to Mukuro. He was not surprised to see that Mukuro knew what he was thinking
"I am Sawada Tsunayoshi, but you seem to know that already."
"I'm Yamamoto Takeshi, seems like we'll probably be getting to know you better, ne?"
"Gokudera Hayato."
"You know I'm an Arcobaleno. I'm Reborn, so I must assume that you're the Mukuro. I heard you escaped Vindice with just a gaggle of young kids. Very strong and very intelligent."
Mukuro smirked, twirling his trident in a fashion that suggested it was a nervous habit. "I'm flattered, but flattery has no place or time here."
"What do you mean?" Takeshi looked from the girl to the man, seeming more confused.
"Chrome is one of the 'gaggle of young kids' who escaped with me, but Estraneo has ruined her and I can't sustain her for much longer." Mukuro admitted, trident spinning faster. "I'm currently sustaining her with illusions alone, but I can only do so much."
Tsuna's heart went out to the boy, who only looked three or so years older than him. "What can I do about it though?"
Mukuro scowled and the world flickered under his temper, "I was made to believe that you would be worth the ransom needed to buy Chrome the medicine and surgeries needed to save her life, but I'm not-"
"So sure anymore?" Tsuna's smile was small and sad. It made Takeshi and Hayato bristle. They knew that if Kyouya were here, he would have pulled Tsuna close, in a way that proved his worth to them at least.
"You are not…what I expected." Mukuro admitted, feeling a burn of shame wash through him. He was conflicted. Usually, he would have invaded the boy in an instant and gotten what he needed, but now, he realised that this boy was a prisoner like himself. The one and only rule amongst the Estraneo's victims was never to take from each other. They didn't go out of their way to help each other, but they never stole or threatened each other. They had so little as it was, and making each other's lives harder meant nothing in the end.
"What bastard made you think that Tsuna was heir?" Hayato asked, eying the boy with intrigue. When his mother was killed, he had learnt of Mukuro and his gang. Fair to say, Hayato wasn't sure what to make of the boy. He was sickly and didn't look he had the strength to escape his fate.
Mukuro mused for a second, but he was desperate now, so he would play the nice games. "Young Lion of Vongola."
What the blue haired boy hadn't expected was the sheer ferocity to flood the room, the hate and the anger was nothing like he had felt before, and it all stemmed from the children before him, children at least three years younger than himself. Mukuro had only met such hate, fear and anger within Estraneo, but surely the Vongola heir would never be taken from such a place.
"I will help you, and your sister." Tsuna whispered, stepping forward from behind his guards and offering something Mukuro had never been offered before, a helping hand. Mukuro realised then how abused the child was. His face, his arms, his body was bruised and battered.
While Mukuro never trusted anyone but the children who came to and left Estraneo with him, he was drawn to the golden eyed boy and his promise. Once his hand touched Tsuna's, he knew there was no turning back.
"I…I have no hope left." Mukuro's face fell into a furious kind of sadness. As Tsuna gazed upon his face, seeing the love and disappointment on it, he knew that this boy was one he had to protect.
So he worked on instinct, on his intuition that blared so strongly it almost blinded him. He stepped forward and grasped Mukuro's hand. When Mukuro tried to pull back –because Tsuna was burning, hot, ardent, and beautifully orange – he finally realised the mistake he had made, both in choosing to come to Tsuna and trying to harm him.
Because as orange enveloped and dissolved the illusionary mindscape, Mukuro knew there was no turning back.
"I'll help you where I can, Mukuro, so long as you are part of my family."
~Present time~
"You will learn to hold your tongue, boy. Wouldn't want me to slip up when ordering Chrome's medication now, would you?" Iemitsu smiled that perverse smile towards Mukuro before his eyes raked over Chrome.
She was a sweet thing, determined, protective, and powerful, especially when she was teamed with Mukuro. Together their illusions were real and they truly fucked the mind. It was the only reason Iemitsu was keeping her, of that both Tsuna and Reborn were sure. But she was ill, her organs rotted and the illusions that Mukuro made were barely keeping up alone.
"You're a fucking sick bastard." Hayato hissed from beside Tsuna. Chrome was tucked behind him with Lambo in her arms; the two current weakest links. Tsuna had no doubt they would grow strong if Iemitsu left them alone.
"And you still have yet to hold your tongue. You're still not worthy of being the right-hand, and if you don't buck the fuck up, I will find someone who is. How would Tsuna feel then, wasting my precious time and money training you, hmm? Besides, you still don't know what happened to your slut of a mother, so I'd not anger me if I were you."
Like a switch, the threat to Tsuna immediately set the flames on edge in the room, but Iemitsu was fucking blind to sensing flames, or else he would be scared. He would hold his tongue, he would back off, he would realise how close he was to losing his grip on these children.
They were coming into their own. They just needed one push, one final proof that they were strong and could fend off Iemitsu and get what they wanted out of this unfortunate fate.
"What did you call us here for, Otou-sama?" Tsuna finally cut in, stepping to Kyouya and Mukuro's shoulders, both at least a head taller than him right now.
Tsuna knew how to read and direct situations better than Iemitsu. He knew Iemitsu's breaking point and he wasn't going to let the resulting explosion even touch his family.
It was touching and horrifying to see in the fifteen-year-old-boss-to-be's eyes.
Iemitsu's eyes rolled over Tsuna and the lecherous grin vanished, cool anger coiling in his eyes and tone.
"Your training is stepping up." He didn't hear a complaint -good, they were such good soldiers –but he did see the horror in their eyes and loved it. "The Elite Assassination force of the Vongola has become too big for their boots and you pitiful lot are going to stop them."
"You're fucking joking." Reborn growled, the curse broached by his emotional onslaught, locking Tsuna's shoulder into rigid acceptance.
This was not the push that Reborn meant. This was another death sentence over their heads. This was more beating and scarring. And if Reborn's mind was anywhere near as clear and correct as usual, this wasn't a mere beating. This was going to be revenge against Iemitsu for fucking with the Vongola in its own home.
"They're not ready." he hissed at the CEDEF head. "What business does the Varia have with us?" And it was US. Reborn was in for the long haul. He would do what he could to protect this young family. This was his brood now and he would die long before he let them die. Lal and Colonello would understand when they met in their next lives.
"The ungrateful mongrels wish to take Vongola from under m-Tsuna. So he has to fight for his inheritance."
This wasn't just about the inheritance. Xanxus would be out for blood. He wouldn't care if it was just Iemitsu that painted the walls either because all Xanxus saw was Iemitsu's blood, having tried to kill the Ninth and take Vongola over. Xanxus wanted revenge from Iemitsu for trying to take Vongola out from the inside. Reborn couldn't do anything about it. This wasn't a push. This would either kill Tsuna and his friends in the most brutal and painful way imaginable, or it would finally push their stressed young minds to the edge and Tsuna wouldn't let that happen to them.
The Vongola blood within Tsuna would sooner let the boy go mad than let too much harm befall his family.
"Well, it doesn't matter. They will be here in a matter of weeks and you will make sure they're ready. My boy will be here in a few days with the rings." Iemitsu turned to walk away before halting and grinning at Reborn. "Be sure they're ready, Reborn, or else you better call that wayward Sky Arcobaleno of yours to choose two replacements."
Reborn snarled openly and feral from Tsuna's shoulder as Iemitsu walked away, cackling and assured of his own power.
But now, Reborn had a purpose. He needed to get the children ready for the war they were about to face, because missing a cloud guardian or not, each Varia member was a war rolled into man. But if the kids could beat these assassins and gain the full rings, Reborn knew, just knew, deep in his gut that they would know then that they could overthrow Iemitsu by themselves.
"Come on," Reborn soothed, looking at the old-eyes in the faces of terrified children, disgusted that he couldn't stop this from happening to them, "We need to go prepare. You'll win."
"How can you be so sure?" Tsuna asked, his voice blank. When Reborn and the others looked, they weren't surprised to see his eyes burning gold with tears streaming relentlessly down his face.
"Because I have faith in you, your resolve and you strength, Tsuna." Reborn explained with the most sincerity he could muster. "You'll win and we'll take Vongola out from under Iemitsu before he knows what's happening."
"You sound like you have a plan, akambo." Kyouya snarled.
"Ah, you lot are my plan." They were all startled, surprised by Reborn's open trust in them. "Now come on, we must prepare."
"SQUUuuuuuuu!" The call rattled the mansion, immediately setting Squalo's hair on edge, but not because he didn't recognise or trust the voice. It was because out of all the visitors and allies within the Varia, it was this one that was closest to seeing the cracks in Vongola.
Something the Varia couldn't afford if Iemitsu's hold was even half as tight as it had been before the Coup.
"Voooiii! You stupid toy-pony! What did I tell you about that nickname?!" Squalo barely had time to get the retort out before a tall, shaggy-haired blond man managed to get his arms around the Varia lieutenant and squeezed.
"You told me not to call you Squ anywhere your squads could hear me. But Squu," the blond whined, sounding much younger than his twenty four year old body looked, "You never complained when we were in school."
Squalo, for his part, managed to keep his temper under control for about two minutes, letting the blond boss, Dino Cavallone, swing from his neck and press against him in a very familiar embrace that they had shared as friends when they were young. "Damn it, Dino, you useless fucking horse,we're not in school anymore."
Dino's brown eyes lowered, frowning. There was that tone in Squalo's voice that told Dino the shark-commander was almost at his limits –was actually kind of serious– and the anger in his voice was not just teasing. Squalo was now actually frustrated with Dino.
"The squads are wearing on you, friend?" Dino asked, patting Squalo's shoulder, noticing for the first time how tight they were. "Is there anything my famiglia and I can do?"
The blue-eyed-second-in-command watched Dino carefully for a moment. He almost, almost, spilled his soul to the man. This was the man who followed him through all six years of mafia academy. He was there from the moment Squalo demanded respect, when he told the whole school that he was going to be the sword emperor and that, yes, he would follow Xanxus like fish-shit. This was the only man besides Xanxus who didn't laugh at Squalo and who simply watched on, curious and sure that Squalo would get that title.
This was the closest thing Squalo had to a family member outside of blood besides Xanxus. This was Squalo's closest friend. So it was difficult for the silver-haired man to sigh and shove Dino off.
"No, you damn show pony, we're fine. Xanxus is just busting our asses."
Dino was not stupid, Squalo knew that, his family knew that, and Reborn knew that –Reborn had tutored the man when he was a boy after his academy time– so Squalo could see the gears moving. But Dino hummed instead.
"If you're sure." Then he grinned. "What are you doing in Japan anyway? I didn't know that Vongola had much business here."
Dino missed the panic in Squalo's eyes, mostly because the man was good at hiding it. "We're training. Old man's getting along in years, and with the boys gone, we need to make sure we don't slip up."
Dino began to nod, he understood this well. He was already being pressured into marrying and popping out children. There was always a chance that someone got lucky in their line of life. "Ah, I understand. Well then, I guess since you're so busy I'll just head home."
Squalo sighed, but he knew that he had probably offended Dino in some way and would have to apologize once everything blew over. For now though, he had his boys to rally. After all, they had a week or so before it was time to strike.
Dino continued to stroll around the Varia's estate, nodding to the various guards and grunts who knew his face. He had always been welcomed amongst the Varia, his alliance to the Vongola and his connection to Squalo made their relationship a lot more trusting. There were still places he wasn't allowed to go of course. He was still a Mafia Boss, but Dino never forced the issue, because he was as comfortable within Varia lands as he was his own famiglia, if not more clumsy.
"Pony-trash." Now that was a voice that Dino hadn't heard for years. In fact, almost nine years ago he remembered the horror and grief in Squalo's voice when the man informed Dino that the Varia leader was out of action almost indefinitely.
"Xanxus, you're looking healthy. You must have been quite injured to be OOA for so long."
The man, scarred in a way Dino had never seen, huffed with a grin that lit his entire body. He was lazy, graceful in a way Dino could never be. Dino was a horse, skittish at times, but when the predators appeared he could fight like the best of them. Xanxus, however, was like a large cat, always ready for a fight and protect what was his, always sure of himself and his power, even his win. He was able to stroll amongst the prey like he was the King, because he was.
"Pfft. The old man's just paranoid. He told my boys to ignore me until he gave the all clear. I've been fine for years." Xanxus huffed like he was amused, but Dino could read the exhaustion and paranoia in his eyes.
Interesting, Dino must be close to something.
"Well, it's good to see you back. Feeling well I presume?"
"I've never felt better. The boys certainly don't let me forget who they answer to."
Xanxus was different. Dino could still taste his anger and his temper, but there was a smouldering intelligence behind the bitterness now, a certainty that the man hadn't held since before his brothers' deaths. It was strange, and it made Dino burn in the way he always did when there was worthy bosses in his midst.
"Ah, they do seem rather keyed up, don't they?" Dino knew then, knew that Squalo's temper and Xanxus' assurance meant something, and only one man Dino knew would have a clue as to what was up. "What have you got up your sleeve, Xanxus? From what I hear, the Varia has been keeping pretty tight tails. So, what are you doing?"
And the Varia were keyed up. They were bouncing on the balls of their feet. They were grinning and whispering, and building up faster than any boys that Dino had seen. These boys were scrawny children when Xanxus was deemed 'Out Of Action,' but now they were men, they were taking Varia up and up and up and the man standing before Dino, with double guns strapped to his hips and tapestry like scars on his face, was the reason for the bolstering.
It left Dino with many questions, feeding on his suspicions that something was wrong with the old Dogs in Vongola, especially when Xanxus grinned in that easy way, proud and feral.
"Ah, these kids can never grow up fast enough. I let them do as they wish. As long as they stay Quality, I could fucking care less."
A grunt came up and Xanxus' joking fell away. The man nodded at Dino in greeting before whispering in Xanxus' ear, but he was bouncing too. Dino wasn't surprised when Xanxus sent him off then turned to Dino.
"It seems the kids spilt some milk again, so I'll have to continue this wonderful conversation later, pony-trash."
Dino just nodded and made his way outside. More questions rolled around in his head even as he entered his town car. He had so many suspicions and so many worries, but for now, he had to bide his time.
And of course, make a phone call.
Reborn and his kids were sitting in the shrine, panting and resting as Chrome and Lambo distributed cold drinks and onigiri after an intense training session when Leon flickered into a cell-phone.
Curious, since Reborn only had this line for emergencies within the family, he answered curtly.
"Hey, Reborn," An instant wave of calm washed over Reborn. Dino was his student, his brood, and he didn't sound hurt or worried or in danger, just curious.
"Idiota, what are you calling me for this time? Did you lose your ring again?" Reborn was very good at hiding the tension in his voice.
"N-No! I haven't lost my ring since I was a boy, Reborn." Dino whined. Reborn grinned. It was nice to have some normalcy back after these last few years. "I was just wondering if you were in Japan. I heard that the Ninth sent you on a mission a few years back."
Even Tsuna noticed when Reborn's whole form froze up, the air seemed to still when the hitman was in turmoil. He watched his tutor with concern, even as the others seemed to miss the tension.
"How did you know that, Dino?"
And like that, Dino's carefree laughter died in his throat and he was suddenly in boss mode, voice cold and mind clear. "I'm the closest ally Vongola has. Of course I know you were sent out. So, are you in Japan or not?"
"Why do you want to know?" Reborn's voice was solid and terse. Dino knew that voice, it meant that Reborn wasn't going to give favouritism.
The situation, whatever it was, seemed more dangerous that Dino had first thought.
"I just finished visiting Squ and wanted to meet up with my Tutor. There's not much happening in my family right now and I thought I'd take break."
Reborn mused on this for a moment. There was a lot of trouble that could come if Dino figured out that something was wrong, but at the same time, Dino was very close with the Varia. If he figured out that Tsuna didn't want to do this and that Iemitsu was abusing his own child, then perhaps news would reach the Varia.
Of course, Dino may not know a thing, may not catch on and Reborn might really be on his own with all this. But it was a risk he had to take.
"Dino, would you do anything for Vongola?" Reborn asked, just as terse, but with an edge of desperation leaking into the sentence that had Dino's neck bristling in that way it did when family was in danger.
"You know I'd do anything for Vongola, Reborn. It's in the treaty of alliance." Dino scoffed. Almost there, almost there, he knew something was up.
"Not for the damn treaty, Dino. Would you do anything for the Vongola?"
Dino startled, thinking of the world play, thinking of the times they spoke all those years before. "I would do anything for my family, Reborn. I'd lay down my life. You taught me that."
Reborn sighed, one filled with so much more than Dino could usually read. "Good. I'm glad you remember. In that case…I have a new brother for you, Dino. He's Vongola's newest heir and Decimo in training."
Dino's eyes widened on the other end of the line, mind whirring. Squalo had said that he and his boys were training to take over from the Ninth when it was his time to retire. But if that wasn't true…Dino had a lot to figure out, especially about this new brother.
"You want me to meet him, Reborn?"
"Ah, I do. He could use a brother. He wasn't raised in the mafia and needs some help to learn how to be a good boss." That wasn't exactly true, but Reborn needed something to draw Dino in. Something to get the boss on their side and give Tsuna an ally he could count on and that Reborn knew wouldn't betray him.
Dino was the only one Reborn knew of, the only one that he could trust with Tsuna's wellbeing.
Dino started laughing, because Reborn was being very protective of this new little brother. It intrigued the Cavallone boss.
"Haha, alright, Reborn. Send Romario the address and I'll come and meet this new little brother."
"Thanks. See you later, idiota-Dino."
Once Reborn hung up and Leon was back on his hat, he looked around at his kids, wondering if taking this risk was the right thing. After all, this could bring down not only the Varia, but the Cavallone too if Dino decided that Tsuna was too much like Iemitsu and learnt too quickly what a traitor Iemitsu was.
"Who was that, Reborn?" Tsuna asked from his seat on the floor, eyes flickering rapidly between gold and brown as Tsuna's exhaustion pushed his HDW away.
"Someone is coming to see you, Tsuna." Reborn explained that evening when the group was settled at Kyouya house in a bid to rest and recover without Iemitsu breathing over them.
"Is he an EXTREME ally?" Ryohei's eyes were stern, a brother through and through. He was all muscle and strength. Blue eyes that blazed with resolve and strength, his hair was white and his body refined with dying will flames that he had been giving off since he hit three.
~Timeskip Tsuna, Takeshi: 12. Hayato: 13. Ryohei, Hibari: 15
Ryohei was chosen by Iemitsu. Not for the Mafia connection –since it seemed easier to mold Tsuna's guardians if they were civilians– and not necessarily for the dying will flames practically pouring out of the boy every second that he was awake, though they were an asset. No, Iemitsu was after the boy because his family was easily manipulated.
Ryohei wasn't, though he was thick and lacked the educational grades most guardians on Iemitsu's list needed, he could see when something was wrong and he knew when he had to fold.
Iemitsu had a lot of connections. He was a mafia man and a tainted one at that. He knew of the financial pressure the Sasagawa family was under. He knew that the boy and girl had been beaten by yakuza to give the parents some incentive. After all, the Sasagawa head –Ryohei and his little sister's father– did not get to his top position in Japan's biggest car manufacturer for free, and to get there, he borrowed money from the wrong person.
So Iemitsu knew that, between the yakuza loan, Ryohei's sports clubs and Kyoko –a sweet girl that Ryohei doted on, but who had a rather expensive list of medications and treatments for a heart condition and the gifts and treats they all drowned her in– the Sasagawa bills were getting close to bankrupting them.
So Iemitsu just gave them a way out.
"Tsuna! Get your butt down here and meet your new guardian."
Ryohei, at fifteen, knew how to be strong and knew what was normal. He had seen the state of the young boy coming down the stairs and almost went ballistic. He was bruised, only twelve –his imouto's age– and skittish around his father.
But, Ryohei's father had told him to do whatever Iemitsu told him to do, because Kyoko was being taken care of if he did.
And Ryohei was nothing if not loyal. So he listened to Iemitsu, even if he was confused by the concept of being a 'guardian' to his kohai from Namimori.
Tsuna had arrived downstairs with a gathering of children, and his eyes had widened when he saw Ryohei standing next to his father. "Otou-sama?"
Ryohei blinked owlishly. Who called their father 'otou-sama' anymore? But he looked up to Iemitsu, flinching when he saw that disgusting grin on his face. Like he was eating Tsuna or was pleased by the pain in the boy's voice.
"Say hello to Ryohei Sasagawa, Tsuna. He is going to be your sun guardian." Iemitsu purred, "His parents have given me permission, so you can't argue."
But Tsuna did.
"You're not dragging sempai into this, Tou-san." Tsuna seethed. He was in front of them all, all the kids that had come down stairs with him and Ryohei was gobsmacked. Tsuna had arms splayed out and flames pooling at his feet as his eyes switched to that golden colour that had Iemitsu salivating.
But this time, Iemitsu's son's flames were not for training, he was using them to try and outdo Iemitsu and that was something the man would never stand for.
So, right before Ryohei's eyes, the boy that had tried to protect him was on the floor, a foot flying into his stomach and ribs, sobbing, and then the other three boys were all over the man, flames –like those that Ryohei sometimes saw coming from himself in the mirror– were flooding and clashing. The room was spinning and he didn't know what to do.
And then it was over. Tsuna was on the floor, sobbing and broken, and the other boys were slammed against the walls and floors and Iemitsu looked to Ryohei briefly, scoffing at the terror and confusion in the child's eyes.
"It's too late for that. His custody's been signed over to me already and his family is gone." Iemitsu chuckled, "So deal with it and train hard."
When he strutted out, Ryohei was quick to get to Tsuna's side, sliding on his knees and hands fluttering uselessly over the body of this child, probably just a little older than his little sister, as he sobbed and his nose dibbled with blood and he whispered:
"I am so sorry, Sempai. I couldn't stop him. I'll get you out, one day. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
The boys around him, the violent Kyouya that Ryohei had heard so much about, the silver-haired boy that Ryohei remembers from school and the sushi-maker's boy, were all quick to tell him to shut up, that it wasn't his fault.
"We'll stop him one day." they chorused. Ryohei thought it sounded something like a prayer.
Before any of them, before Reborn, or Tsuna –and unbeknownst to Iemitsu– knew it, sun flames started pouring from the boy as his face went murderous and his hands grew hot.
"I'll protect you, all of you. You can call me Onii-san, and I won't let this man hurt us."
Flames poured out of him and the wounds that Iemitsu had just inflicted soothed and faded. Suddenly, there was no blood and the breathing around him evened. Ryohei passed out after, having not used to using his flames for anything but running and training. When he awoke, he was pleased to see his new family healed up.
He couldn't be with his sister or parents anymore, because the bastard had pulled strings and used Ryohei's parents –and sister's– desperation to his own advantage, but Ryohei would be damned if he didn't make the best of the bad situation.
From then on, Ryohei was a constant in Tsuna life, a source of sun flames that healed and hurt for Tsuna, and always made sure he was there to brighten the darkness they all drowned in.
~Present time~
"Ah, he will be. He is my ex-student and he's agreed to be Tsuna's big brother." Reborn soothed, though he didn't mention that Dino was also extremely close with the Varia's second in command. That would only terrify the already jumpy children under his wing.
While the others were curiously silent, Reborn noticed the gears turning in Tsuna's mind, a dangerous thing for the boy, because if he thought too long he usually found the mark that Reborn hadn't wanted him to hit for years.
"Reborn, Xanxus had brothers, didn't he?" The guardians grew silent, wondering where Tsuna was going with this and why there was a sudden change in topic.
"Yes, the Ninth had three sons and adopted Xanxus."
"What happened to them?"
"Tsuna, where are you going with this?"
"What happened to them, Reborn?" Tsuna's face gave away his grief, but Reborn relented, he couldn't really say no to Tsuna after all.
"They were all killed a few years ago, all three within a year and a half of each other."
Tsuna's smile turned haunted. It made Reborn bristle. Something had killed a part of Tsuna, and it was obviously something that Reborn had said. But what?
"So this is all revenge then…?"
~Time skip~ Tsuna: 5/6. Xanxus:17/18. During the deaths of the Vongola Brothers.
Tsuna had gotten used to his father's coming and going. He didn't like it –his mother always cried, he always ended up injured, Iemitsu always came home– but he had gotten used to them by now since it were his life.
So, at six years old, Tsuna was very confused as to why Iemitsu came home, grinning like a cat, scooping his son into his arms and kissing him like he was actually precious in Iemitsu's eyes.
"Things are looking up for us, sport!" Iemitsu cheered, swinging Tsuna around before kissing Nana –who walked in surprised– deeply and taking Tsuna out to 'train'.
"Papa?"
Iemitsu grinned again, so sick and twisted in a way that had Tsuna shaking. "See this man, Tsuna?" Tsuna could, though only barely.
Iemitsu shoved a picture into Tsuna's hands, a photo of a man smiling, looking like he had arms around two other people –though the photo was cropped just to his face and shoulders -except it wasn't a clear picture, because there was a bright red cross through it. He was a handsome man, young, younger than Iemitsu, with bright red hair and eyes so green they were startling. However at the bottom of the picture was another head of hair, cut off from the blown-up angle. He looked strong and friendly, but Tsuna was sad for a reason, something like a gong going off in his chest.
"Where is he?" Tsuna knew, somehow, that who was not to be asked and that where would bring a more startling answer.
"Gone, Tsuna. Gone and never coming back. He's never ever going to get in our way again."
And Tsuna left it at that, because Iemitsu started training, and he forgot about the man.
But it happened again, and this time Iemitsu was hysterically pleased, bashing a seven year old Tsuna around in his glee as they trained.
This picture was also crossed out, and this man was bigger with a round face, but grinning in a way Tsuna had never seen Iemitsu grin, happy and sneaky. His hair was dark and his eyes light. He was so happy. The picture was cut to his face, but there was a hand –not his, too tanned– ruffling his hair.
"Is he gone too, Tou-sama?" And Tsuna knew the answer, because the gong had gone off in his chest and he felt, for some reason, that he had just lost a brother.
"Forever, never going to bother us again."
And there was one final time that Iemitsu was so sick with pleasure before the training really started and Reborn arrived, and it wasn't even long after the last. This time, Iemitsu beat Tsuna in his pleasure. Kicking and kicking before throwing down a final, crossed out, picture and walking away.
"All fucking gone. All three. Now time to exterminate the mutt."
This man was much younger than the last, the youngest of the three. He was smiled softly, looking –to Tsuna– much like himself. His hair was a soft brown, mousey and grey, but his eyes were storm-cloud, the lightest and darkest of all the boys. Brothers. Tsuna suddenly realised that they were brothers. This boy had an arm cupped tightly around his shoulder, pulling him in gently, cradling him.
With all the pictures Tsuna finally saw the big picture. Three brothers, arms thrown over each-other, protecting and loving, but with a forth, in the middle, ignored by the Iemitsu's pictures but precious to the three targets. And now Iemitsu was after the fourth and unknown boy.
And Tsuna remembers, more than the poor people in the picture who were 'gone', the satisfied look he had caught on his father's face when he whispered to himself at night, thinking Tsuna was ignorant.
"Nono's almost broken. His face, so broken."
~Present time~
"Tsuna, what do you mean?" Reborn twitched, not happy with the look on Tsuna's face or the tears on his cheeks.
"Nothing, Reborn, I'm just sure now that I'm not going to make it through this."
And no matter what Reborn said, no matter what the kids said to Tsuna, he just kept sobbing. The hitman knew then, that Tsuna had been aware of Iemitsu's disgusting personality for far too long.
Tsuna knew who killed Nono's sons, and that alone almost had Reborn flying to the Varia to save the child. He was guilty by association now, despite not knowing anything.
Dino's arrival was wild and powerful.
"Yo, Tsuna. I'm your new big brother."
It was chaos, mostly between Kyouya and Dino. For whatever reason, they got along as well as oil and water –oil ignited on water that was. Dino was flipping and spinning within minutes of arriving at the field Reborn had directed him towards.
His whip meant nothing to Kyouya, who upon seeing a new threat to his had gone ballistic. He wasn't going to let another threat or vulnerable person enter their group. He couldn't protect what he had right now, never mind letting someone else into the fold. Fuck what Reborn had said, Kyouya couldn't afford to trust him right now.
And so, he bit and bit and tore at Dino, letting the whip bleed him, and letting his fury and fear out in his strikes.
It was only when Tsuna –homesafefamilyskytrust– held his arm gently, did Kyouya stop. He let himself lean into Tsuna, assured that his fear, and how disgusting it was that he had let it show, hadn't made the boy push him away. Tsuna, eyes burning orange, looked at Dino –panting and holding his throbbing ribs– with a gaze that had Dino bristling.
This boy was not well. He was hurt, he was beaten, and he was emotionally done. Dino had seen those eyes on his men right before they took their own lives. So, he had to wonder why Tsuna was still here. How.
"I see you made it, Dame-Dino." Reborn appeared on Tsuna's shoulder, soothing and calm. Kyouya unlatched his tension immediately. "It took you long enough."
But as done as he was, Tsuna was there, the centre of the sky for his people. Because Hayato –the smoking bomb who bowed to no one– was there by his side, a soothing eye for his sky to stand in. The cloud, vicious, defensive, and terrified for his sky was quelled under a single touch. Mukuro, a vicious, bloodthirsty monster, according to the Vindicare, was ready to slaughter Dino at the closest sign of distress in Tsuna. And of course, the others, young and volatile. They were all ready to destroy the closest sign of danger. The rain boy was trying to numb Dino –he could feel it– and the smell of sun flames breaking through Dino's sky set off natural alarms in his head, even the lightning child seemed ready for war.
These children were all so damaged and yet this sky, emotionally drained, was the centre of them all. He was their balance and their home. Dino could see the dependence these children put on Tsunayoshi. But Tsunayoshi was so unbalanced himself.
And that, Dino realised why Tsunayoshi was still here, still training for a position he obviously wanted less than his life. He had his family.
But Dino didn't know why Tsuna was so unbalanced and damaged.
He didn't know why these children seemed too close and desperate for each other's safety.
He didn't know anything.
So he put on a happy face and a carefree smile. He made sure Romario was close, because he couldn't afford to mess up.
"Aha, you caught me again, Reborn." Dino chuckled, rubbing his head as his whip swished –still unravelled– at his side. "We got side-tracked by the beautiful scenery."
"Baka," Reborn scoffed, but didn't move, a hand on Tsuna's neck. "You have a job to do."
"Gomen, gomen." Dino joked, walking forward. "Let me formally introduce myself. I am Dino Chivarone, Boss of the Cavallone famiglia and ally of the Vongola. Reborn's asked me to come and show you the ropes of being a family," He analysed the warrior children, "Though you seem pretty sussed."
Mukuro was the first to speak. "Then you may leave." He sneered, mist bucking at his feet.
"A-Ah, I won't leave until I deem you worthy or Reborn sends me away." Dino's smile was carefree, but it fooled no-one.
"Maa, is that true, Reborn?" The rain boy, most like a hitman, was also most ready to actually draw blood.
And Reborn, the unemotional and balanced hitman, sighed. It sounded so tired, so exhausted, so sick of life that Dino almost had his men descend on these children.
Nothing. Nothing should make Reborn so tired. Something was so wrong.
"It's true, he will stay until he or I are satisfied. So get used to it."
And that was it really. Dino followed the group to a small house in the middle of Namimori, where warmth and family felt equal parts to horror. Dino didn't know what to make of this group, so strange and contradictory to themselves and each other.
That was until Tsuna stepped through the threshold just before Dino and after everyone else.
"Welcome to our family, Dino." Tsuna said softy with warm eyes and a voice of acceptance. "Make yourself at home, we don't have much, but I appreciate what you're doing for us." Tsuna's voice was so kind and gentle that Dino had no idea why the Mafia wanted him so bad. "It must be difficult, taking so much time from your family."
But his smile that held acceptance and the sheer fight for life and family was why the mafia wanted him. Dino could feel the pull, the pull all skies had to one more powerful than they. Dino wanted to be assimilated into Tsuna's family, to feel that utter trust that the others felt, even if he wanted to covet it into his own family just as strongly.
"Ma, no worries, Tsunayoshi. I'm here to help."
When Dino walked passed, clapping Tsuna on the shoulder in a show of good fortune, he tried his hardest not to stop and stare when Tsuna flinched back violently into the wall, but he barely succeeded. He played along when Chrome pulled his attention away from the near hyperventilating boss-to-be.
Something wasn't right.
The new friends –though tentative as it may be between certain members– acted out their parts for weeks. Dino acted as a tutor and brother, falling faster into the actual feeling than he thought he would. They felt like his family. Like his boys back home and it was hard to keep separate from them.
They trained, talked, debated, and set about building up Tsuna's Vongola. Dino taught him what to expect and Tsuna taught Dino what would never be.
It was strange. Tsuna was strange. The whole dynamic between this family was strange.
While Dino was talking to Kyouya one evening, because that boy seemed the most in need of an all-out-spar, he noticed Tsuna walking over to Mukuro and Chrome. Those twins were terrifying, not only because of the sheer power pouring out of their cores, but their eyes. Their eyes were the oldest, the wisest and the most distrustful, except for when Tsuna was near, then they opened up and trusted, thought they were furiously protective. It made Dino want to see Tsuna's inner workings because the boy, unknowingly or not, had managed to win over and get trust out of probably the two strongest illusionists in the world. Ones abused by the mafia from the moment they were born.
Dino watched as Tsuna stepped forward, taking Mukuro's hand in his own, and suddenly the room was filled with a golden, swirling, warm like a campfire's, wave and Mukuro suddenly started breathing easier. He leant into Tsuna while the brunet pumped the purest sky flames Dino had witnessed into the illusionist.
And when the blond thought he was done with that, he wasn't done at all, because Tsuna placed a hand on Chrome's stomach in a very intimate way that was obviously comfortable only because it was normal, and did the same.
After all that, Tsuna was winded, but his smile was so glorious, bright, warm and happy that Dino almost felt faint.
"Tsuna cares for his own, Dino, more than you and more than me. Tsuna would sooner let himself go mad and kill them all himself than let someone else harm them in a way he couldn't protect." It was an awful thing to admit, but Reborn knew it to be true.
"How does a child get like that, Reborn? He's a civilian."
Reborn remained silent and Dino knew he had to figure this out himself.
The rest of the day went by slowly. Dino talked and interacted with the children, amazed by how cold they were and just how dependant and possessive of Tsuna they all could be. They weren't even fully grown yet, but still their famiglia was more synced than even the Vongola.
It was concerning. But what was more concerning were Hayato, Lambo, and finally Tsuna; all the boys who lived with Iemitsu.
Dino's eyes narrowed as he spotted the bruises lining not only Tsuna's face, but his ribs and legs. There were bruises present on every one of the kids here in some way. Those weren't self-inflicted and by the way these children seemed to orient themselves around Tsuna, they weren't inflicted during spars either.
Dino also knew that Reborn would never leave bruises like that. They didn't teach anything but fear and pain and judging by the way he practically coddled these children outside of training, he wouldn't dare touch them violently.
Dino's stomach grew cold with hot stone bubbles at the base.
"Hey, Little-bro." He chuckled as he swung an arm around Tsuna's shoulders like the Rain-boy did on occasion, but he didn't get the violent flinch that Dino did. The blond leant his head close to Tsuna's ear, his smile melting into something serious and making the children snap around to the pair. "I'm here if you need me for anything, ya' know. My family and I stand by each other. And you're my little brother, so if anything's bothering you…"
Tsuna flinched and stiffened. Dino opened his mouth, eyes narrowed and eyebrows furrowed to make sure the child was alright. This child's actions bothered him. The brunet was fifteen, almost sixteen, but a damn child shouldn't flinch all the time. Except he didn't get the chance.
Reborn kicked Dino square in the back of his head and managed to separate him from Tsuna. He was quickly replaced with Ryohei and Takeshi before taking him to the corner for a stern word.
"What was that for, Reborn?!" Dino whined, his eyes barring into his ex-tutor for an explanation. Something was so wrong here. It felt wrong, it smelt wrong. Dino hadn't tripped once since meeting the kids.
They screamed for protection from someone bigger and stronger than them, though Dino doubted he constituted as too strong, especially with Reborn around as their sentient gargoyle. But Dino could feel that connection and it hadn't taken him two minutes to decide that these kids –Vongola or not– were his brood and his family. But the kids' eyes were old.
"Butt out of Vongola business, Dino." Reborn's voice hummed with cold dictation, a tone he never once used with Dino. "I asked you to be a help to Tsuna in the matter of boss business, as a brother. But this isn't your Famiglia."
Dino's eyes narrowed only for a split second, noticing that glint of approval before Reborn's fedora covered his black eyes.
Fuck.
Dino knew something was wrong then. Because Tsuna was his famiglia. The minute Reborn had asked him to be a big brother for Tsuna –and he had accepted– was the minute that Dino had tied himself to Tsuna in a way no alliance or treaty ever could. He had given a part of himself to Tsuna and that the brunet would one day give back when he realised the implication of Dino's help.
So Reborn was fucking brilliant, something was keeping the Hitman –who had no ties or alliances or bonds– tongue-tied and something was wrong with Dino's little brother and the people around him. But not the guardians obviously.
"I'm sorry, Reborn." Dino looked sheepish, rubbing his head and laughing uncomfortably. "I guess I still have a lot to learn. Sorry for over stepping over my boundaries. But I'll still give Tsuna a few pointers; can't let my little brother go into the Mafia world without some help."
Reborn was easily able to hide his grin. The moment he had put his seal on Dino, was the moment he let his pride show openly. "Ah, that's better. Don't let it happen again."
With that, the Hitman was bouncing back over to Tsuna. The Chavallone boss saw the characteristic hand rubbing the brunet's neck, something the Hitman had been doing near constantly for the child.
He only ever did that for Dino when he was close to the edge, losing control and faith.
Dino was going to get to the bottom of this. Something was not fucking right. Now he had claimed these children as a part of his domain.
Cavallone's did not like it when something had unsettled their herd.
Not one bit.
And there you have it! Another chapter. This time we introduce Dino to the mix and let some chaos ensue.
Yes Dino is probably a little OOC….but at the same time, we don't really know if under these kind of situations he wouldn't be a little more mature. He was tutored by Reborn, and I truly believe he would have a similar bond with the Hitman that our dear Tsuna did. They would be able to read each other and trust each other.
Hence this mature-ish Dino.
Anyhow. Thank you for reading, please leave a review, it's much appreciated
~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3
