WARNING(S): OCC's, Parent!bashing, depressing!thoughts, suicidal!tendencies,

NOTES: "Japanese" - "Italian" - 'Thinking' - *Tsuna's eye speak* - [Written Messages]

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Amano Akira does.


"Wait up Sawada!" Takeshi called out, quickly stuffing the books in his bag. He had noticed that Gokudera and Sawada would leave the school very quickly.

Sawada stopped and looked at him with curious eyes while the bomber next to him was glaring without any heat.

Takeshi furrowed his eyebrows. He didn't like it... he didn't like how Tsuna never spoke. 'He's not the Tsuna I knew... What happened to him?'

"What do you want, baseball-freak?" snapped the silverette. He was already displeased by the fact that part of the reason why Tsuna-sama was so guilty was because of the baseball player.

...And he didn't like the raven head trying to commit suicide for some reason.

Takeshi shrugged his thoughts away and grinned cheerfully, "Just wanted to thank Tsuna! I wouldn't be here without him!"

"Damn right! Who told you to listen to the clone in the first place?! Besides, Tsuna-sama took the time to talk to you! Don't you know how precious it is?! You should know better than to doubt Tsuna-sama in the first place! Don't you know remember how he always blames himself for everything?!"

Tsuna could only stare at the two with wide eyes. 'At the rate things are going, I have a feeling that they might just remember by themselves... I'm so going to destroy all those marshmallows!'


[SOMEWHERE]

A certain albino shivered.

"Is something the matter, Byakuran?" Yuni asked

"Yuni-chan... please help me hide my marshmallows!"

"Why?" The child asked confusedly

"I know that Tsu-chan is trying to curse me! He will definitely go for my marshmallows!"

Yuni looked at the adult in front of her with sad eyes, "Byakuran... Tsuna-san isn't here anymore. Remember, they-"

"Don't remind me, Yuni-chan," the albino said seriously. Instead, he looked at the dark sky and murmured, "I hope you are safe in the parallel world, Tsu-chan... You need to be."

After a moment's silence, Yuni said, "Let's go, Byakuran. It's time."

"Yes, its now or never. Let's GO!"


[Back in the present]

Takeshi glanced at the wide-eyed brunet, "You're right, I shouldn't have... I don't know what got into me. Gomen, Tsuna and arigatou!"

Tsuna merely smiled at the teen and started writing. [How are you feeling, Yamamoto-kun?]

Takeshi pouted, "Call me Takeshi. Other than that, I feel fine. Thank you for talking to me."

[Then call me Tsuna and no problem, it's what friends do.]

"By the way, Gokudera. Why do you call Tsuna, Tsuna-sama?" he asked curiously.

Gokudera looked up at the baseball freak as though he's stupid. "Of course it's because I'm Tsuna-sama's right hand man and bodyguard!"

"Oh? That's right, I forgot! Gomen, Hayato."

"Don't call me Hayato, baseball freak," Gokudera said as he took out his bombs while Yamamoto only laughed carefree.

"Ma ma Hayato, don't forget that I'm a part of your mafia game too."

Tsuna could only feel his smile becoming strained as the two fought, while the need to kill a certain albino was growing stronger and stronger. 'Won't remember, my a**! They are unconsciously remembering! Thank god, Reborn isn't observing us. I don't know how I'll explain.. this.'

"I'll be Tsuna's bodyguard too! Two is always better than one!"

"Are you saying that I can't protect Tsuna-sama on my own?!"

"No, but two is always better than one, is it not?"

"I don't need your help, baseball-freak!"

"Maa Maa, Haya-chan calm down."

"Don't call me 'Haya-chan'!" You could literally see the smoke coming out of the bomber.

"Oo, cool fireworks you've got there"

"Fire- These are not fireworks! They're dynamites!"

"Hmm, maybe I should get myself some too! To help protect Tsuna!"

"Hmph, you'd blow yourself the moment you hold these... A sword fits you better, don't you know that?"

Takeshi blinked then smiled. "Wow, I didn't know you cared, Haya-chan!"

"I said not to call me 'Haya-chan'!"

Takeshi laughed again while peeking a glance at Tsuna, who had a small but genuine smile on his face. He had just noticed that all those other smiles were fake. His real smile was 10 times better!

"Ne Tsuna," Takeshi started, ignoring Hayato's yells in the background. "Where are we going?"

"Baseball-freak, do you like to stalk people without knowing where they are headed?"

"If it's Tsuna then yes. If its' somebody else... I don't care."

Tsuna sweatdropped at that while Gokudera clicked his tongue in annoyance but didn't say anything. Tsuna had a vague idea that Gokudera agreed with Yamamoto... Scary.

"Gokudera-kun is going to have dinner with us. Would you like to come as well, Yamamoto-kun?" Tsuna asked quietly.

Takeshi grinned widely. It seems as though he has made it into Tsuna's circle of who he'll talk to. Albeit hesitantly and sometimes. But that can change over time.

(He didn't know it was because of his throat that constantly burned and burned until-)

Takeshi quickly nodded his head and followed the two teens. Gokudera and Takeshi were doing the talking mostly while Tsuna listened quietly, only speaking sometimes.

"What are you doing here?" asked an unhappy voice from behind.

All three had stopped in front of a two-story house and were about to head inside when they were interrupted. Looking behind them, Ienari was standing with his arm-crossed.

"Coming for dinner, clone. What does it looks like to you?" Gokudera spat venomously.

"I mean, what is the esteemed baseball player who tried to commit suicide doing here?" he asked while eyeing Takeshi suspiciously. He was pretty sure his dame brother had spoken to knock some sense into him.

His eyes narrowed at the thought, 'It seems that Dame-Tsuna hasn't learned his lesson yet.'

Takeshi flinched at the reminder and could feel Tsuna tense beside him.

So he did what he always did and smiled, "What Gokudera said. I came to have dinner with Tsuna." His eyes saw a flicker of movement from behind him. "Who's this?"

The baby who was wearing a suit and a fedora smirked, "I'm Reborn! Dame-Nari's home tutor!"

Takeshi nodded his eyes. Ienari really needed a tutor... to teach him some manners.

"Hmph, you're here to eat dinner with Dame-Tsuna? Guess it is true dame people flock together," Ienari said disgustedly

"No. Not Dame. It's Tsuna," Takeshi said while narrowing his eyes. He stepped forward threateningly.

"Never call Tsuna "dame" in front of me ever again," Takeshi said while smiling a tad bit too wide.

"Change of plans Gokudera, we're having a sleepover at my house," He, then, grabbed Tsuna's wrist and dragged him inside, ignoring his silent protests. "Let's go get Tsuna's stuff!"

Gokudera merely grunted and followed the two inside but not without spitting at Ienari's feet, "Bastard, be happy that Tsuna-sama doesn't likes violence."

While Takeshi dragged Tsuna inside with Gokudera following, none noticed the look of approval that flashed through the baby's eyes.


Once inside Tsuna's room, did Takeshi release Tsuna and started to take out some clothes for Tsuna to wear at his house. For some reason, he knew Tsuna's room like the back of his hand. However, that wasn't what was worrying Takeshi; it was Tsuna's guilty and worried expression.

"Are you alright, Tsuna-sama?" Gokudera asked worriedly.

"Tsuna... it's not your fault. Calm down," Takeshi said after a beat of silence. "If it helps, I won't be listening to Ienari's words at all. I promise I won't let them affect me."

"Promise," Tsuna asked softly and Takeshi only nodded in return, which helped release some tension from the brunet's shoulder.

"You know Tsuna, I wasn't kidding about the sleepover at my house." At that Tsuna seemed to protest before Takeshi continued as though not noticing the brunet's protest. "I'll also let you guys have a taste of my dad's sushi! It's the best in this whole town! Gokudera's invited too," he added as a last thought.

Tsuna still looked conflicted before a squeaky voice interrupted, "That's a good idea."

All three glanced backwards and saw Ienari's tutor standing there.

"This way you can all celebrate your long lost friendship," he said while throwing an empty bag to the baseball player, who caught it and started putting Tsuna's clothes inside. Tsuna felt his eyebrow twitch, 'Not Reborn too!'

'Hmm, Tsuna's choice of clothes hasn't changed at all. In fact, he liked to wear casual clothes rather than the suit-' Takeshi suddenly paused minutely before thinking confusedly. 'Suit? Since when did Tsuna wear a suit?'

Beside him, Tsuna only shook his head in denial before Reborn interrupted, "Tsuna, you are going, no rejections whatever. You need to act your age and sleepovers are common for your age. Besides, when you come back, help me with Ienari's training - I need to have varieties."

Takeshi saw Gokudera blanched (he had seen the outcome of the torture that they both put Ienari in) while Tsuna managed a minuscule yet genuine smile and he's still hesitating.

The baby released a sigh. 'Of course Tsuna wouldn't go. Don't know why though. In that case, the best way to persuade him is...'

"Tsuna either you go to your friend's house or I'll have Ienari sleep outside," he said with a glint in his eyes. This got Tsuna moving for he knew that Reborn would actually do it.

*Don't harm my brother!*

"I wont. Now leave or..." The rest didn't need to be said because the message was clear.

Really, Ienari didn't deserved Tsuna's kindness at all.

Takeshi had only befriended Tsuna but he could feel as though he knew them for years. (A/N: You have no idea how true that is..)

His father would definitely do a double-take but would most probably smile as well. After all, he haven't invited anyone for a long time.

(Tsuna could only inwardly weep. He didn't want to leave, just in case something important rises. He has a.. job, you know! He also didn't want Reborn going through his... stuff unnecessarily.

.

.

.

Maybe, he should just go... otherwise it would only be more suspicious.)


When his son walked in with the Hurricane Bomb and a tiny, fragile looking brunet, he didn't know what to do. Takeshi had mentioned that there was a transfer student fromItaly but who would have guessed it was someone from the mafia.

He desperately wanted to keep his son away from them - it's what he promised himself when he left the mafia but, apparently, fate has other ideas.

However, he didn't refuse when Takeshi asked at a last minute, if they could have a sleepover. But he also couldn't hide his surprise at all. It was one thing for hanging out for a while and another to have a sleepover.

Besides, his son hadn't asked anyone to come over to his house in a long time and neither did he smile so genuinely. At least, not after his mother's death.

It was a good change.

So, he made observations on what type of friends his son had made and payed close attention to the bomber. So far, he hadn't done anything that would raise alarm bells but he did notice the god-like worship behavior he had for the silent brunet.

In fact, both his son and the bomber revolved around the brunet - as though he was their light or something.

(In the distant future, Tsuyoshi would only shake his head in amusement. He should have paid more attention to the weak looking brunet because he was the catalyst for why his son even got involved in the mafia, not that he was complaining.)

He also noticed that Tsuna was practically mute. He had heard rumors that one of the Sawada twins was a mute but if he remembered correctly, he had met Tsuna as a child but at that time, he was perfectly fine.

'Ah, but even then he didn't speak much,' he thought before frowning. 'But he still spoke to me- so what happened?'

After he had fed the three, he ushered Tsunayoshi upstairs while Gokudera went to grab some of his stuff, that he forgot to bring with him, since it was a last minute change of plans.


"Tou-san?" Takeshi was truly worried for his father.

After Tsuna and Gokudera went to do their respective stuff, his father had started to wave his knife around as though he was contemplating on killing someone.

(Takeshi wondered inwardly if he could be taught some of those skills - he really wanted to hurt Ienari.)

"Takeshi, is Tsunayoshi being abused?" Tsuyoshi asked and waited for his son to reply.

After a beat of silence, he replied, "I don't know. I'm guessing mentally though..."

"He stopped you from committing suicide right?" he asked.

"H-How..."

"Overheard students from your school, who came here to eat."

"I'm sorry," his son said in a quiet voice. "Tou-san? Tsuna talked to me, you know. I hadn't heard him speak before but he..."

"Yes, that must have taken a lot of courage. But it seems your schoolmates have... different opinions on him"

Takeshi's eyes hardened in a way Tsuyoshi was sure he hadn't before. "Tsuna's a great guy. He stopped me from jumping off, cares for others even with that brother of his."

"Brother?" asked Tsuyoshi. He could tell from the way his son's uncharacteristic scowl deepened that he was the cause of all problems. To think that a family member would be the cause of harm...

"Ienari... I was with Tsuna for less than 5 minutes but he didn't stop insulting Tsuna not until I took him in. Gokudera was about to brandish his fireworks too and the baby tutor had a green gun in hand... Ienari was also the one who made me consider suicide."

Tsuyoshi was sure that those fireworks were not fireworks at all but he didn't bother correcting him. He's sure Takeshi wouldn't even believe it that easily.

"What about his parents?"

"Tsuna lives with his mum; I don't think she notices or she just doesn't cares. His dad disappeared and he was bullied for quite a while before Gokudera came."

"I see..." he said when he realized something about a baby tutor. "Baby tutor? Takeshi did you get his name?"

"Reborn. He was the one who convinced Tsuna to have a sleepover or he'll have Ienari sleep outside."

'Probably in the wilderness,' Tsuyoshi thought, 'that's how the Sun Arcobaleno works anyway.'

"Well, whatever the reason, Tsunayoshi is welcome anytime here."

A brief pause later, "Tou-san?"

"Yes?"

"Can you teach me Shigure Soen Ryu?"

If the look in Takeshi's eyes wasn't enough proof that he's ready that he didn't know what was. "Yes."

Takeshi grinned widely and headed upstairs.

Tsuyoshi could smile and think that his life will start getting interesting now.


[SOMEWHERE]

*Cough*

"I-It seems like... like we've lost, Tsu-chan," Byakuran murmured. "I-it's up to you now," he said before closing his eyes and becoming limp. His ring glinting under the moonlight.

Somewhere in the shadows, a person smirked. 'Finally, things will become easier now.'


Author's Note: So, I've given you clues... and more questions than answers I bet! The 'somewhere' as you must've guessed is the canon world. What was your favorite part of this chapter?

Beta read by A.N-Miyazawa and MidnightCoffin!

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