Chapter 10
"DAMN IT!"
Yeah... that was about how good Harry's day was currently going, all things considered. Ever since his birthday party that little demon baby from hell had stayed true to his word, pushing Tsuna and himself into an array of destructive and hellish training that at first Harry had believed he would die from. But as each day passed things became a bit easier, though even crazier; oddly enough, not once had Harry minded. In fact if he had to say...he was enjoying himself. He was truly and completely enjoying himself.
It was insane. It was completely unlike him. But it was true.
However at the moment...
"HIIIIIEEEE!"
Harry grunted angrily, gripping tightly on Tsuna's hand. His other hand was holding a patch of rock firmly. Teeth gritted, he felt the muscle tissues in his arms starting to tear bit by painful bit the longer he continued to hold onto his friend. His heart thundered against his chest. His breaths came in labored pants as he struggled to pull Tsuna back onto the rock. For someone who looked like the wind could blow him over, Tsuna was heavy.
Another flash of pain racked his arm and for a split second his hand tensed, numbed from the pain… which was enough for Tsuna's hand to slip from his grasp.
Oh hell no—!
Breathe, he told himself. His arm was strained, muscles burning as if on fire. But that was okay. Better then okay. He could deal with his arm feeling like it would fall off later. What was important was that Tsuna's hand was in his, and the brunet was not falling to his death in a nearly fifty feet high drop.
Not for the first time, he cursed Reborn to deepest pits of hell.
Reborn had decided to take them out on a hiking trip in order to help increase their endurance and muscle strength. Begrudgingly, Harry admitted that he wasn't physically strong. He usually relied solely on his speed and quick wit in order to end a fight. The training with Oliver and his other Quidditch Mates had helped get his body into a balance that met the required standards and he had formed healthy eating habits, so he wasn't in too bad a shape. But that was beside the point.
The infant was well aware of which areas he was lacking in and wanted to improve them as soon as possible. Regardless of whether Harry wanted to or not, it was going to happen as far as that demonic infant was concerned.
Not only had Reborn done that, but he had gone the extra mile and had even taught him the basics of using firearms. Taking him to a shooting range along with the others—Takeshi, Gokudera, Tsuna and the girls—in order to have a shooting contest via multi-coloured balloons at Namimori Middle. They had been split into teams of two before being assigned a color and were to destroy the opposite team'scolors. Reborn strictly forced all of them to use guns that looked similar to the one Harry had received during his birthday.
Naturally, he had been curious—until he witnessed Tsuna's freak out. Needless to say, Harry wisely kept his mouth shut after that. He didn't want to worry his friend.
The teams had been split off into: Yamamoto and Haru in Blue Team, Tsuna and Kyoko in Orange Team, Gokudera and Hana in Red Team, and lastly Bianchi and Harry in Green Team. The end result had been rather surprising. Tsuna, Haru and Harry had tied with each other in terms of points. No one had seen that coming.
However, Harry had been quite certain that a gleam that could have been either satisfaction or smugness had passed through Reborn's eyes. He hadn't denied the possibility of it being both. Either way, he wasn't able to prove it. His arms were still sore from the backlash of firing the gun. It had taken him by surprise and nearly threw him up against the wall. That was when he had realized that Reborn's teaching style revolved around learning by doing instead of being told up right and front. It had gotten Harry angry in the beginning but he eventually got used to handling his weapons.
Weapons...
It sounded odd to his ears. Yet, at the same time, it felt right. Feeling the cold metal in his palms, hands tightening around the handle, grasping them as he lunged into whatever challenge Reborn had setup... It just felt right.
Yet he couldn't fathom why.
"H-HARRY!"
Hearing his name, his attention snapped towards the source of the voice, Tsuna. "I'm not letting you fall!" he hissed, eyebrows furrowing in determination. Swallowing a pained cry, he successfully brought up the brunet back to his level. Harry held him in place, watching as Tsuna reached out to grasp the rocks in front of him. Tsuna waited until he was certain of his footing before nodding with a hesitant smile. A look of relief washed over Harry's face and he returned the nod. "Alright, we're almost at the top. Think you can make it?"
"I-I... I think I can," Tsuna stuttered out weakly, brown orbs holding mixed and conflicted emotions within.
In the short time that Harry had gotten to know the other boy, he had noticed the brunet's damaged confidence. It held an eerie resemblance to Neville. He strove to help his friend gain confidence, to walk with his head high. While it seemed that Tsuna had improved slightly since their first meeting, that desire to give up and feeling of worthlessness remained as clear as day. And it pained him to see that. He knew that Tsuna could do so much more if he simply believed in himself, and ignored what everyone else said!
It hadn't taken him very long to figure out that his friend had been and was currently being bullied. He had grown up with the Dursleys. Harry knew the signs well enough. At least Takeshi was also attending summer sessions and was in the same class as Tsuna—he could at least defend him.
Harry wished he was capable of doing more. It was the very least he could do for Tsuna after everything the other boy had done for him during his stay... and for the tentative offer of friendship, bringing him into his circle of friends.
For that, Harry would alwaysbe grateful. Making friends wasn't easy, mainly because of his shyness and his reluctance at letting people inside his defenses. Hermione and Ron were exceptions. Both were the first friends that he had ever had. The adventures that they endured had strengthened their friendship, besides forcing him to see the double-standards of the wizarding world around him. As for Fred and George, while he wasn't as close to them, he did consider them friends.
Being around Tsuna and the others felt wondrous and he felt free, like there wasn't a care in the world! It felt different. This friendship, compared to the one he shared with Ron and Hermione, roused a strange feeling inside him, yet he couldn't identify what that feeling was.
It was strange. It was wonderful.
It frightened him.
"Y-you alright, Harry?" Tsuna's soft, barely audible voice interrupted his thoughts, bringing him back to reality. Tsuna was gazing at him with a concerned look. The sober lines on his face easily drove Harry to placate him, with great haste.
With a thumbs up and a bark of laughter, Harry said, "Oh yeah, I'm fine." He smirked tiredly, to reassure his friend. "I was just thinking of a few things." Tearing his gaze away to take in their surroundings, he finally noticed that they had managed to reach the very top of the cliff in under an hour.
He blinked. "I think we're finally getting the hang of this Tsuna!" he said cheerfully, chuckling at his own words. After all, their previous attempts had taken much more than an hour. "We beat our record by a long shot!"
The brunet gave a weak smile, nodding hesitantly. "I-it seems like it, I don't think I could have done it without you."
"Nah. I don't believe that, Tsuna," Harry casually dismissed, waving his hand as if chasing away the self-reproach. "You could have."
"Maybe...," the brunet murmured under his breath, obviously without conviction. Caramel eyes flickered to the ground as redness spread on his cheeks. He glanced back up at Harry. "B-But with you around... Reborn's training feels easier. You know?"
Harry didn't give an immediate reply. He turned the words over carefully in his mind, sensing the sincerity in them. In fact, he was honored that his friend found the training that they were put through was easier to handle because of his presence. Briefly, he wondered what life had been like for Tsuna before he had arrived in Japan and how things would have been if he hadn't, before ignoring those thoughts. There was no reason to focus on the 'what ifs' and 'what could haves'. What mattered was the now and here.
"Yeah." Harry nodded with a soft smile. "I get what you mean."
The weak smile on Tsuna's face slowly widened. It became more certain though some of the shakiness remained. Unfortunately, it didn't last long as Reborn had appeared from nowhere and delivered a sharp kick to the back of Tsuna's head, sending the other boy to the ground. A dust cloud swirled around Tsuna's limp form while the infant stood on his back smugly.
"Don't go and start getting a big head now, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn chided, smirking as he watched the fallen teen with sadistic glee. "The both of you have much more to learn. It won't always be this easy even if the other is around. But then again you know that all too well." A gleam shone in the dark orbs as he directed his attention towards the brunet. "Don't you, Dame-Tsuna?"
Tsuna winced and pushed himself off the ground with some struggle, coughing as he did so. He wiped the dirt off of his pants. "Did you have to kick me in the head Reborn?"he complained. At a sharp gaze from Reborn, he squeaked and answered the question, "I-I guess b-but I like having Harry around!"
Harry froze, staring at Tsuna in surprise and bewilderment.
He likes having me around. The words were spoken so easily, so openly. When was the last time Harryhad heard someone say that, with such honesty? He hadn't been expecting that at all. Perhaps he should have,after spending so much time around the older boy. From what he had learned, Tsuna accepted anyone and everyone openly without discrimination nor any care for their past. He didn't judge others. Unlike the students back at Hogwarts who saw people solely based on their family and House.
Tsuna... the others... They didn't. Because they saw no reason to, friends were friends, and the past was discarded amongst them...
Well, mostly all of them. He and Gokuderawere still at odds with one another. Although, it felt a bit less tense than it had been.
Reborn jumped onto the ground. Turning his back towards them, he started to walk away. "We're heading back," he announced sharply.
Harry and Tsuna exchanged a brief glance before looking back at the retreating form of the infant. They followed behind him with much haste, curious about Reborn's sudden desire to head home. Not that they would argue. They remained silent on their way to the Sawada residence, which Harry had started to become well acquainted with during the past month after becoming friends with Tsuna and finding themselves under the similar training regimen. Nana was always pleased at his presence in the house happily cajoling him into staying over for dinner. There were times when Harry wondered if he was intruding on them too much. However, he discovered himself incapable of ever saying no or denying Nana anything when she smiled at him.
Either way, for once in his life Harry felt that he had found a place where he belonged.
And that scared him beyond belief.
(1)
By now Harry had come to expect crazy things to happen around Tsuna. In fact, the majority of the insane events that occurred didn't bother him much considering his own track record back at Hogwarts. Nothing surprised him anymore.
Which definitely explained why he was currently sitting beside Hana on a jet heading straight o Italy; one moment he was at Tsuna's house talking and the next he knew Yamamoto appeared at the front door, then they found themselves where they currently were. Not that he was personally complaining. It was just a wonder how they managed to jump from one place to another in the span of what had seemed to be a minute.
He stared outside, absently observing the bright blue sky. Hana's presence hadn't surprised him. He had half-expected it. What had been a surprise was Haru. The girl had practically attached herself to Tsuna's arm once they arrived, nuzzling the boy affectionately and oblivious to the discomfort etched on the brunet's features.
Something within her eyes had flashed when she looked at Harry but before he could interpret it her eyes closed shut as she snuggled up against his friend.
A cheerful laugh from Yamamoto closely followed by a bemused hum from Hana broke him out of his reverie, and the strange gleam in Haru's eyes was pushed to the back of his mind.
"I still can't believe Dino has a jet like this!" Yamamoto chirped excitedly, head darting around to admire the luxurious and well postured jet.
Hana's tongue clicked against her teeth. She looked pensive. "It's impressive. What did Dino say his job was again?" she questioned, her curious eyes fixated upon the baseball teen as she awaited a response.
"Dino? He owns a business that he inherited from his dad. At least that's what Gokudera told me." The amber teen tilted his head. His trademark sunny smile appeared. "Maybe he can take us to his workplace!"
Haru threw him a look, arm still hanging on to Tsuna's. "Hahi! Is that allowed? Wouldn't Dino-san get into trouble if he brought us?"
Yamamoto stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm, you might have a point there, Haru."
"I-I don't think Dino would want us to see what he does anyway. A-after all he'll probably be extremely busy with how much work he's missed anyway!" Tsuna interjected quickly, his arms flailing about and eyes bugged out. The sight was rather hilarious to behold. "A-and there are plenty of places we should check out anyway!"
"That's right!" Haru beamed at the suggestion, sparkling brightly. Releasing her hold, she threw her arms up into the air happily. "We have to check out the sites and get souvenirs!"
Yamamoto grinned. "I hope there's a place for baseball!"
As if on cue Hana and Harry let out long, heavy sighs in unison. They leaned back against their seats, watching in dismay as the two bubbly teens immersed themselves into animated chatter, happily picking out and proposing ideas for activities to do during their stay. Poor Tsuna was trapped between them, his face exasperated. The longer the brainstorming went on, the deeper he sank into his seat. Unfortunately, no one seemed to notice so he had to force himself to tone the two out, obvious by how he was openly staring into space.
"How much longer until we arrive?" Hana groaned, closing her eyes, frustration lining her expression arms as she folded her arms against her chest.
Harry blinked owlishly, flicking a lazy glance at the watch Gokudera had given him. "I'd have to say a few hours more I'm afraid."
The dark haired girl let out a low but clear groan, directing a baleful glare at him. "Did you have to tell me that? Couldn't you have lied?"
"You asked," Harry responded cheerfully, smiling. "Besides, ignorance isn't bliss."
Hana pierced him with a flat stare. "That isn't how the saying goes."
"Yeah, well, that's how I write it," Harry countered back, not unkindly. With a smirk, his friend rolled her eyes, and he realized that she held a similar sentiment. He replied in kind with a wry, knowing smile. Turning forward, he noticed Dino talking into his cell in a hushed tone, a stunned yet oddly pleased expression donning his face.
A massive yawn escaped from his mouth. He felt the beginnings of fatigue overwhelming him, and allowed his eyes to shut. Best to get some sleep now, before the arrival time neared. The indignant cries from Hana and Tsuna ignored, sleep finally claimed him.
(2)
"They what?! ... No... I understand. Thanks for telling me. I'll make sure that the boss is informed of this immediately. Gamma over and out."
The blonde closed the phone with clenched teeth. He was angry, but more at himself rather than the situation. He had allowed them to sneak under his radar and make their way to Italy. At least he was able to take solace in the fact they knew their destination. He pulled out his phone again, quickly dialing another number. He paced back and forth in the open clearing as the phone hummed. Hopefully, she would pick the phone up. Not that there was a reason why she of all people wouldn't, but that woman did have a habit of doing whatever she pleased—
"Hello?" the seductive and playful purr echoed from the other end. He could practically see the smile on that person's face in his mind.
"Boss? We have a problem," Gamma answered sharply.
Silence. "...What happened?" Her tone changed, hardening into the professional mafia boss.
"I'm afraid I let my guard down," Gamma admitted. Beating around the bush was not something he did. "The Vongola heir and his friends left with the Chiavarone Decimo back to Italy, from what my sources were able to gather. I'm sorry I failed you."
"You don't need to apologize, Gamma. In fact," his boss purred, piquing his interests, "I believe you may have actually helped in the long run."
That was not what he had expected. He removed the phone from his ear by a good inch, blinking rapidly in confusion. "B... Boss?"
"Well, that's all I have to say. Just remain there until they return, alright?" Over and out, Gamma!" the cheerful tone that always irritated him surfaced before a clicking noise sounded, signaling the end of the connection.
"...That woman is going to be the death of me..."
(3)
Amazing.
That was the first word that popped into his mind upon arriving at Dino's manor. He stared up at the building in awe; it looked like something out of a novel. The place towered like a gigantic castle and stretched across the property—about a few hundred yards long. Surrounding the front were gardens that flourished with many beautiful flowers. Rows of bluebells interspersed with clumps of jasmines bordered the walkway, drops of dew on the petals glinting underneath the radiant sun. The five, too stunned and overwhelmed, remained standing by the set of stairs, unable to do anything besides gape in awe.
They hadn't expected the blonde to live in a house like this. Everything just looked too extravagant, too expensive and just too everything. How was he even able to afford it all?
Dino breezed past them and, as if sensing their thoughts, stared askance at them while still proceeding up the stairs. "This house belonged to my parents back when I was a kid and since I inherited the business from my Dad, I managed to keep the house I grew up in." A wistful smile slid onto his face. Then he glanced at the teens, becoming bemused at their gobsmacked looks. "What? Okay, so I'm a rich kid. Does that really surprise any of you?"
"It's impressive." Hana was the first to snap out of her stupor, begrudgingly admitting her approval with a sharp nod.
Yamamoto let out a cheerful laugh. "This place is awesome Dino! Do you have a baseball diamond in the back?"
"Sorry, Yamamoto." The Italian man sympathetically shook his head. "Afraid we don't. But there are still plenty of things to do here in Italy."
Haru giggled. "Like visiting the sights!"
"Going into town would be nice," Tsuna spoke up. He looked thoughtful at the prospect. He was all for checking the city out. It wasn't often that they left Japan to a completely different country, no matter how much it connected to his so-called mafia heritage. And being able to get away from Reborn for a while was a giant plus in his opinion. "Maybe there could be a sports store too?" This was directed towards Yamamoto, whom had caught on and shot a grin at him.
"That's right!" He beamed happily at the prospect.
Harry was silent. "There are a few museums that could be worth checking out," he stated. History at Hogwarts hadn't been his favorite subject after going over the Goblin wars for the past three years straight, but Muggle history fascinated him even in the years before he had been aware of magic. Not that he voiced his interest aloud. Not due to shame; much to his chagrin, Hermione's pressuring when it came to school work and her self-righteous attitude constantly put Ron and himself down. She didn't realize it, but the damage had been done. He never blamed her for it, though.
Now that he was free to roam, his old interests began to surface once again.
"So there is more to you than what meets the eye," Hana commented dryly, an eyebrow cocked and a sarcastic smirk on her lips.
"Were you expecting anything less?" Harry countered with a smirk of his own.
The dark haired girl's smirk remained as a few moments passed in silence. "We'll see," she retorted, waving her hand. "At least you're not a monkey like the other two."
"Tsuna-san is NOT a monkey!" Haru jumped to Tsuna's defense instantly, glaring vehemently and placing both of her hands on her hips. She stood in front of the brunet in a protective manner. Her stance was almost challenging.
Hana blinked once, and then smiled. "Fine. He isn't a monkey. In fact I don't think either of you two are monkeys." Not anymorewas gone unsaid. Over the time since Hana was integrated into their circle of friends, her opinions of them had changed.(Somewhat. Her perspective on Gokudera hadn't changed much; they continued to fight and argue every now and then, though they came off more sibling-like than anything else.)
"How about I show all of you to your rooms?" Dino spoke up, looking amused at the entire display. Fortunately for him, his back was turned towards the five and his snickers as he heard Tsuna's whisper to Yamamoto, 'Did Kurokawa just compliment us?'was hidden. "I'll make sure to lead you guys to your rooms," he stated with a nod, entering the manor and leading them straight towards their respective accommodations. The girls were given rooms of their own on the far end of the hall while the three boys were given a room on the far right side, giving a good distance away from one another. After all, it wasn't appropriate for girls and boys to share a room.
The rooms were large compared to the ones they had back home (heck, everything within Dino's manor was probably larger than theirs). It was surreal knowing that the blonde lived like this.
After unloading their luggage they decided to explore the manor, or at least as much of it as they were able to. Tsuna was unsettled by their decision to explore the place without Dino's permission, but gave in to his own curiosity and boredom, and so here he was, joining them on their exploration of the building.
Three floors with extended hallways and multiple rooms to go through were just too much to ignore; even Hana was interested in looking around. Whether it was due to the boredom of being alone or genuine curiosity none of them would ever know.
It didn't take long until they were found by Romario, caught when their usual verbal antics caused them to clumsily fall on top one another, to the utter bemusement of the older male.
Not that any of them saw anything funny about it.
Afterwards Romario led them straight to the living room. Like all the other rooms they had seen, it was just as extravagant, completely filled with the finest furniture that they had ever set their eyes upon. Hanging above was a giant, expensive-looking crystal chandelier that usually only appeared in movies. The lighting compassed the room, making everything shine brightly.
"This is so cool!" Haru squealed, eyes shining with childish delight.
Tsuna gave a tiny smile. "I-It's rather cool..."
"The color's tacky," Hana commented flatly, pointedly unimpressed. A glint flashed in her eyes. "Not too shabby otherwise." She stroked her chin in afterthought, and then tilted her head sideways as her eyes roamed around. "Didn't think the blonde monkey had a sense of décor. No guy does."
"Ouch, Kurokawa. That's mean," Yamamototeased, letting out his trademark laughter.
Harry frowned. "Where is Dino anyway?"
It was at that moment that the others realized their host was nowhere to be found. Heads whirled around trying to locate him and turned up empty.
"It's not like Dino-san to just disappear like that… I hope he's okay," Tsuna said, his voice barely above a whisper, worry lining his features. Caramel eyes focused on the ground, then flickered back to everyone else uncertainly, as if he was trying to decide on something.
Romario chuckled. "No need to be afraid D-Tsunayoshi-kun." Thank goodness he had quickly caught himself and corrected the slip. He ignored Hana's narrowed eyes. "Dino merely went to go and greet our other guests and bring them here. You have absolutely nothing to worry about, I assure you."
All five teens blinked in unison.
"Other...," Yamamoto began.
Hana pressed her lips together, annoyed. "Guests?"
"A-are we intruding?" Tsuna spoke up, appearing more uncertain than before.
"Why are we only informed of this now? Shouldn't we have been told in advance? It's irresponsible of him to forget something like this," Hana chided, arms folded against her chest as she stared pointedly at the older man. Her eyebrow rose casually, though she remained silent for several moments. "Or does this have to with his phone call during our flight?"
Harry blinked. She had noticed it as well?
"Very observant of you, Miss Kurokawa," the man praised, clapping. "That is correct. The phone call does have something to do with it."
"And?" she prompted swiftly, refusing to back down.
"Kurokawa!" Tsuna cried out, waving his arms about in an attempt to stop her.
The girl threw a glare at him. "What? It's fine to ask questions, no? We're going to spend the night here anyway and since he's having more guests over I don't see the harm in asking about them!"
'I think that's just a bit too demanding,' Harry briefly thought. He averted his gaze to the windows, toning out the conversation. While Hana brought up a good point, the identities of the guests undeniably weren't any of their business. Still, Hana was absolutely right about one thing: they should at least have been informed that there were other guests upon landing.
So why hadn't Dino said anything about them? Did he just forget (which wouldn't surprise Harry, actually…) or was there something that he wanted to keep to himself?
Whatever the reason was, he would reserve his judgment for now.
"I'm sure everything will be fine. Dino-san isn't the type to do something without a reason," Haru piped up, smiling.
'Reborn,' Harry thought instantly. It made sense. Dino had been Reborn's student once, like how Tsuna and he currently were. From what he had seen the blond hadn't inherited Reborn's malicious methods.
He had the oddest feeling that he wasn't the only one having this thought.
The sounds of doors opening echoed loudly, followed by a resounding slam not too long afterwards.
"They've arrived," Romario concluded calmly, his posture straightening immediately.
Muffled voices came from the hallway, made incoherent by the wall and the hard footsteps pounding against the floor. They couldn't figure out how many people had entered the building, forcing them to wait with anticipation and wariness. Hana stood straight, tense, caution keeping her eyes set on the door. On the other hand, Haru was the complete opposite; she was calm and held genuine interest in her eyes and a warm smile on her face. Yamamoto was a mix of both, holding a friendly smile and obvious curiosity yet his eyes told a different story. They were sharp, guarded and certain if the need arose. And last was Tsuna, torn between politeness and uncertainty. Fearful caramel eyes darted around the room and back at the door, attempting to prepare for what was to come.
Harry on the other hand held a calm composure. While he was mostly curious, he still understood why the others were getting so worked up over the matter. None of them could change what was to happen. They needed to accept this fact. If something did happen, then they'd take matters into their own hands. The very least they could do was wait and observe before reacting. However, that didn't mean he wasn't taking precautions. His hand was in his pocket, keeping a firm grip on his wand.
The doors pushed open to reveal Dino, looking as normal as he had been upon leaving the jet. He wore a grin on his face as he waved at them. "Sorry for keeping you all waiting," he apologized with a small chuckle. "Had to make sure our other guests arrived!"
"So? Where are they?" Hana countered him flatly, staring him down with obvious disapproval.
"That would be us, my dear. Please accept my humble apologies." An old but strong voice with an apologetic note to it rang in the air, prompting Dino to stand aside, revealing a rather tall elderly man in the threshold. In his hands was a cane, and he wore a light tan suit and black tie. A very gentle smile stretched across his face once he stood in front of them. There was a calm air surrounding the man that brought to ease the tension in the room. Behind the soft, warm gaze, however, Harry noticed sharp calculation and guardedness.
"GRANDPA!?" Tsuna exclaimed at the top of his lungs before slamming his mouth shut, wearing a look of absolute horror. His eyes widened at what he had let slip.
The man merely continued smiling, his gaze softening and smile widening. "It's good to see you too, Tsu-kun. It's been a while, hasn't it?" The teasing tone was not lost on the others.
"Grandpa? Tsu-kun?" Hana interjected sharply, sending a glare towards Tsuna.
The brunet offered no response, still staring at the man in horror and awe.
"That was a nickname his mother bestowed upon him back when he was a young toddler. I believe back when you were around four or so?" The elder man waited for confirmation and received a stiff nod from the stunned teenager. His eyes danced with delight. "Forgive me. It has been quite a number of years since we have last seen one another. Work has unfortunately kept me from visiting," he said apologetically, appearing very sincere as he looked at the others. "It seems I have forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Timoteo. It's a pleasure to meet my grandson's friends."
Hana was the first to recover. She bowed politely while maintaining her stoic features. "Likewise, Sawada's Grandpa. I'm sorry for my earlier outburst," she added very calmly, composure regained, eyeing every detail of the man. "My name is Kurokawa Hana."
"Tsuna's grandpa, huh?" Yamamoto laughed, following suit with a bow. Next to him, Haru did the same. "Nice to meet you, name's Yamamoto Takeshi!"
"Miura Haru!" The brunette chirped, holding a peace sign next to her forehead with a brilliant smile.
Harry lowered his head with a tentative smile."Harry. Harry Potter. The pleasure is ours, sir."
"I think perhaps it would be best if we adjourned to the backyard? I'm sure my guardians would prefer that," Timoteo suggested to Dino with a relaxed smile on his face. "Unless of course you think it would be better to remain inside?"
Dino didn't look even remotely offended at the request. "I don't see a problem with it."
"Guardians?" Hana repeated the word, frowning. Her expression betrayed her bewilderment as she stared at the elderly man.
"He'd be referring to us, little miss." A gruff but powerful voice boomed through the room. Peering through the shadows of the dim hallway beyond the door, there behind Timoteo they saw a tall figure with wild white hair that reached to the base of his neck. The man's features gave an impression of a stern yet calm person. His moustache ruffled a bit as he smirked at Hana. As he moved forward to make himself visible to the small group, his mechanical arm was also displayed for all to see. Harry felt a twinge of guilt when all of them, including him, gawked at the strange mechanism. The man, though, seemed to ignore the stares with a practiced ease. The man's lips curled into a tight frown as he looked over them carefully, as if they were prey. His eyes betrayed nothing.
"I am Coyote Nougat, Timoteo's right hand. You may refer to me as Coyote only. Do I make myself clear?"His words cut sharply through the air like a knife through butter, his tone speaking as much as his words; he would take absolutely no nonsense. His stature was straight, very business-like, and professional.
A lazy, drawn out chuckle came from behind him. As an arm draped around the man's shoulder out came another face. This man looked young compared to Coyote. "Now, now Coyote, don't go and scarin' the kids now," he chided playfully a lazy smirk playing on his lips as he looked at the younger ones.
"Name's Ganauche III. Nice to meetya, kiddies!" With his arm held up as a greeting, he appeared very laid back and easy going, unlike Coyote. His slouched posture also reminded Harry of Yamamoto. Though he wore a similar suit to Coyote's, he had no tie and his black coat was unbuttoned, further impressing the devil-may-care attitude he carried.
"I, for one, think you're a tad bit informal," another male voice spoke, softly compared to the other two. The third man came up. The first thing that caught their attention was the lizard tattoo on his right cheek.
"My name is Brow Nie Jr." He then bowed very formally to them. When he came up from his bow, he wore a gentle and reassuring smile. He's like a balance between the two ends of the spectrum, Harry thought amusedly. Formal, yet gentle. Like the other two he wore a similar suit except his was accompanied with a yellow bowtie.
"I think that's just you Brow." The fourth man that appeared had scars all over his face. His eyes remained closed upon entering the room. His attire was identical to Coyote's except his coat was open and he had a blue tie opposed to the other's red one. Head half-turned towards the small group, he gave them a small nod of acknowledgement. "Schnitten Brabanters."
"Can't you two whippersnappers keep your voices down? You're both going to be the death of my eardrums," a grunt came. Another irritated grunt came as another elderly man around Timoteo's and Coyote's age walked through the door, sending Brow and Schnitten a pointed stare. Harry fought an amused smile as the two feigned innocent expressions, making the man roll his eyes and shake his head before turning his attention towards their group.
"So you're little Tsunayoshi, eh? You're bigger then I remember," he commented, stroking his chin. "Visconti; no last name so don't bother asking. Got that?"
Ganauche looked around. "Where's Bouche?"
"I thought he was with you," Visconti rebuked flatly, pinning him with a look.
"He wasn't," Ganauche shot back instantly. He turned to Brow. "Was he with you?"
The brunet pressed his lips together. "I don't believe so. No, in fact I'm rather certain he came with Coyote to be-"
"No. He wasn't," the other male interjected, effectively cutting him off.
"Did you lose him again, Coyote?" Ganauche accused, pointing a finger and raising an eyebrow at him. "You old men do have a tendency to start losing your mind around your age."
Coyote's eye twitched. "What was that, you brat?" His tone held a sharp, menacing edge to it. His head turned slowly towards the other man. "I dareyou to say that again!"
"Old man! Old man!" Ganauche sang loudly, grinning from ear to ear as he swiftly dodged a strike from the older man. The grin widened. "You missed me! You sure your old age isn't catching up to you?"
"I'LL SHOW YOU OLD!" Coyote snarled loudly, lunging at the other male yet once again missing, landing hard on the floor while Ganauche stuck out his tongue at him. Pushing up from the ground, he once again charged at the other man and began to chase him around the room.
... It's like Yamamoto and Gokudera... except older, Harry thought, staring blankly at the scene. His lips twitched a bit. He glanced over to Tsuna and saw the brunet boy slapping his hand over his face and groaning under his breath. Apparently he had similar thoughts. Judging by the faces of the older crowd, this was a normal occurrence.
A cracking sound interrupted his thoughts. He belatedly noticed a tall, dark-skinned man wearing a Mohawk hairstyle with a tiny tail at the end standing between the two men, blocking their punches with his hands. His arms were not even strained.
"...That is enough. There are children in the room." Everything was said in a voice barely above a whisper yet it was loud enough for everyone to hear and feel the seriousness in his tone. His eyes flickered between the two. "If you wish to fight, take it outside." He was wearing the exact same suit as Coyote, black and very formal. By now Harry's eyes were immediately drawn over to his tie, which, as expected, was different, being indigo rather than red.
"Tch." Coyote lowered his arms and sharply turned his back on the two men. "Not even worth it."
Ganauche simply smirked. "Admit it; you're just afraid I'll kick your scrawny ass!"
"You wish, brat." The elder snorted, not even bothering to look at the other as he walked away, giving Timoteo a stiff nod once he returned to the man's side.
"Were you hiding again, Bouche?" Visconti questioned the newest arrival curiously.
The black man spared him an unreadable look, remaining silent for several moments. "... I was always here. None of you bothered to look around," he finally answered, not unkindly, his eyes dancing with a sprinkle of mischief.
"Must you always sound so creepy?"
"Hmm, I wonder," the Mohawk man answered cryptically.
"Where the hell did this guy come from?" Harry heard Hana murmur to Yamamoto, who was staring ecstatically at the man. Haru was blinking in confusion, trying to figure out what was going on while Tsuna simply looked like he was torn between jumping into a hole and gawking at the arguing adults. He had a feeling that his friend had never seen adults fight as if they had de-aged several decades; ithad to be shocking.
A laugh echoed in the room. He was pretty sure it came from Yamamoto.
"This man over here is Bouche Croquant," Timoteo introduced, gesturing towards the Mohawk haired man who gave a nod in response. A broad smile was on his face. "He's a bit of a prankster so please forgive him. Now then, shall we head outside?" Beneath the pleasant and calm demeanor hid firm steel that booked no argument, daring them to question his authority.
It was at this point that Harry couldn't help but wonder what type of person Tsuna's grandfather was and why he needed bodyguards of all things.
Hopefully, the answers to his questions would unfold themselves soon.
(4)
"...We have confirmation. I repeat, we have confirmation on the Vongola Decimo. We are waiting further orders."
"You know what to do."
"Yes, sir."
"Do not fail. Understood?"
"Crystal!"
"Good."
(5)
Tsuna trembled as he sat right next to the most powerful and influential person in the entire mafia world, who was also the man he remembered as his grandfather. All in all, he was torn between being scared out of his wits and relaxing in the calming presence. In the end his body decided for him, settling for a mixture of the two.
This person was the Godfather of the mafia. A predator, the largest of them all in the underworld—no, probably in the whole world. Yet no matter how hard he tried all Tsuna could see was the person that played with him back during his toddler years. It was strange. Unreal.
It also brought up another question: did his parents know about this? His mother might, he reflected. She had no problem letting Reborn into their lives to tutor him. She never really questioned the weird things that happened in the house or the injuries he gained from the insane training that Reborn had him go through in the months under his tutelage. As painful as it was to admit, his mother never did blink an eye at anything at all and was so easily to believe in things. Or perhaps his mother really was that gullible.
Which left his father.
It... made sense. Two years ago had been the last time he had seen the man. No phone calls, not even a message to inform them of his well-being or to ask of theirs. Nothing.
'The less contact that he had with them, the safer they would be,' was probably the reason. All good and well in theory, but not in action. Not when it hurt, wondering for days that turned into months and then years, is dad okay, does he ever think of us, when will he be back, does he love us anymore? Of course, Tsuna had no proof to back up his thoughts. For all he knew, neither of his parents was aware of his mafia heritage. It was possible.
Right?
"You seem troubled, Tsu-kun," Timoteo commented, chuckling fondly at the bewildered expression that blossomed on Tsuna's face. His fingers wrapped around the china teapot and he poured some tea into the brunet's glass, pushing it towards him. "Drink. It will help with your nerves."
Tsuna felt his cheeks burn slightly. "T-thank you Gran..." At the stern expression from Coyote, he corrected himself. "I mean, Nono." Mentally cheering for remembering the Italian numbers, he grabbed the cup, placing it to his lip with a wince at how hot it was. He ignored the slight burn as he swallowed the liquid. It had a very sweet and delicious taste, and the scent wasn't too bad either. "It's good!" he exclaimed, his smile stretching to his ears.
"I'm glad you think so. This is a very special tea that we Vongola make," the Ninth began, folding a leg over the other. "It was originally designed by the Primo Generation during one of the battles in the middle-east. It's quite a fascinating tale. My mother, the Vongola Octavia, told me many stories about the previous generations. If you'd like I can share some with you." The sincere tone was not lost on Tsuna. The man had a gentle smile on his face. This was the person he remembered as his grandpa.
His eyebrows furrowed together as a thought occurred to him. "By the way, where is Gokudera?" His brows furrowed together in a tight frown as he gazed around, trying to locate the silveret. "I haven't seen him since our arrival. Did something happen?"
The half-Italian had been acting extremely off the day prior. He had tagged behind him everywhere, as usual, but the sheer desperation that rolled off of him had caused Tsuna some concern. Especially since it appeared whatever restrictions his friend usually had was no more and he used dynamites to solve all his problems. It frightened Tsuna. Sure, he had seen the boy completely devoted and defensive about him before but never to the length where it felt like every act was his last. He was glad that he still managed to get Gokudera's constant outbursts under control before it was too late. Yet, nothing satiated the boy. Nothing at all. However, once the night rolled around all the energy seemed to have been sucked out of Gokudera, leaving an empty, depressed husk as the boy left for his apartment.
Tsuna didn't know what had brought on the erratic behaviour. Gokudera's aggressive behaviour that endeared him to Tsuna as time went on had been normal, but he could tell that there had been something different about the situation that he wasn't told about.
He had reacted in a fearful manner and sent Gokudera home in hopes that he would cool down and entrust him with the knowledge of what was going on so that Tsuna would be able to help, whatever the reason was.
Next thing he knew Gokudera showed up at his door completely happy and bouncy, even physically clinging to him before running off who knows where in delight until Yamamoto had knocked on his door and invited him to come to Italy with Hana, Haru and Harry.
Oddly enough, as Tsuna explained everything to Timoteo, he suddenly had an inkling his grandfather knew exactly the reason.
"I see. I'm sure that it's nothing to worry aboutTsu-kun. Do not forget that like you, Gokudera is a teenage boy," Timoteo informed kindly, the smile stillon his face. "He's probably just going through some changes."
'What kind of changes do you mean!?' Tsuna wanted to yell, but he settled for a sigh. "If you say so Gr—...Nono." Another withering stare from the bodyguard prevented him from slipping up again.
"Now why don't you tell me about the rest of your family members? You seem to have gathered a great deal of them," the Ninth pointed out, nodding towards the general direction of the teenagers that were now playing a game of volleyball with the rest of his bodyguards. Timoteo chuckled quietly as he observed them, obviously pleased that everyone was getting along.
Tsuna's stance became somewhat defiant and he stared disapprovingly at Timoteo. "They aren't my family members. They're my friends!"
"In that case, tell me about your friends," the elderly man corrected, once again smiling that bright and cheerful smile.
"W-well t-there's Gokudera. You already know about him and all," Tsuna stuttered, losing his previous demeanor and falling back into his nervous and shy state. "H-he's really smart, brave, though a bit reckless and has a tendency to provoke others and lose his temper easily but he's a good person and he means well too. I'm glad that he's one of my friends. Yamamoto's popular and really nice. I'd never thought we'd ever become friends to be honest. Healways seems to know what to say and when to say it; I can't help but be envious of that but just having him there is reassuring. I feel calm with him beside me, as strange as that sounds."He let out a weak and small chuckle. "Kurokawa and Haru are different from the girls in my class and even more from each other. Haru's all around cheerful twenty-four seven and she's always trying to put a smile on everyone's face. Hana's smart and cold at first, but she isn't that bad a person once you get to know her better. And Harry... I met him just a month ago; he's been training with me under Reborn i-if you didn't know, Nono—"
Timoteo waved his hand, nodding. "Yes, I'm aware. I am rather curious of this boy though. Reborn hasn't said much about him other than he has potential and is interesting."
"I don't know much about him either, Nono. H-he's a friend of mine!" Tsuna jumped to the raven haired boy's defense in fear of something happening to his friend.
"Calm yourself Tsunayoshi. Nothing will happen to him, I assure you. I am merely stating what Reborn had informed me," Timoteo placated him gently, watching carefully as the brunet relaxed. "If you say that he's a friend and is trustworthy, I believe you." He leant against his chair. "However, I am assuming that none of them are aware?" An eyebrow rose cautiously, indicating towards the small group meters in front of them.
"Yamamoto thinks it's a game and Haru... I don't know if she takes it seriously or not, it's hard to tell with her sometimes," Tsuna admitted honestly. There was no point in lying to the man especially if he was in constant contact with Reborn. "Hana and Harry don't though. I'd like to keep it that way if I can, Nono."
Timoteo inclined his head. "You are aware that you may not be able to keep the truth from them forever, yes? Especially if they are close to you as they are now."
"...I know." The brunet looked down, biting back tears as he felt his powerlessness. He raised his head, meeting the man's eyes. His face was calm, and not a single tear glittered at the edges of pained brown eyes. "Even so I'll still try to protect them from that truth. I don't want to drag them into this, not when they have normal lives waiting for them."
Surprise passed through the man's eyes as they widened a fraction. Then they settled again, a proud smile blossoming across his features.
(6)
"It's rather surreal, isn't it?" Ganauche drawled out, a tiny bemused smile on his face as he sauntered over to where Harry was sitting. He plopped down beside Harry. Harry wondered if he should feel offended when the man didn't even bother looking at him, instead staring up at the sky. Then the man glanced at him, meeting his eyes, before returning his sight to the blue sky hanging above them.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Surreal?"
"Well of course," the older man answered, leaning backwards, using his elbow to keep balanced and sliding his head onto it. "After all, it's not every day you get to see the famous boy-who-lived travelling around with Nono's heir-apparent." His eyes leered at Harry expectantly.
"... You know who I am." It wasn't a question. His body went rigid, and he swallowed, unable to move, shocked as he was. Harry hadn't thought that he would run into anyone that knew who he was. After staying so long in Japan the idea of running into a wizard or a witch had become less probable and he had resolved to handle everything on his own. However, his luck seemed to have changed. "You didn't react when you saw me," he added slowly, pressing his lips together, his guard up. While this man was a friend of Tsuna's grandfather, it didn't mean he was trustworthy.
Ganauche held up his hands. "Hey now, I ain't going to hurt you kiddo! Just making a statement is all. I swear!" His right hand was placed right above his heart.
"I'm sorry." Harry ran his hand through his hair, sending an apologetic look to the man. "I don't... usually react this way."
"Nah, don't worry about it kiddo." Ganauche leaned over, ruffling his hair and grinning cheekily at the ensuing scowl. "This is your first time being outside of England – well, outside of Japan too I guess. Isn't it? I remember the first time when I left England, seems so long ago," the older male mused thoughtfully.
Harry blinked slowly. "Umm. You're from England?"
"I don't look like it do I? Yeah, born and bred. Then I left and never looked back," Ganauche answered nonchalantly, shrugging. "I think you know my younger cousin, actually; Neville Longbottom?"
"Wait you're Neville's cousin?" Harry exclaimed in surprise. "How come he's never mentioned you?"
Ganauche smiled, except it wasn't a fond smile. Rather it was cold, sharp and cynical. "Tell me, Harry, has anyone ever talked to you about squibs and what happens to them when they're discovered? Nothing good, I tell you. Most prominent magical families don't like the idea of squibs in the family. As the old saying goes, better dead than a squib."
The words sent a chill down his back, leaving him cold and nauseous. Was that how things were in Pureblooded families? To kill a loved one just because of they couldn't use magic… But the longer Harry thought about it, the more it made sense. Or what meager sense he could assume of the actions anyway. He recalled the accountant cousin that Ron had brought up during their first meeting and how they never talked about him much, seeing the disturbing parallels between the Weasleys and the Durlsyes. His mind drifted towards Neville; he had told Harry that his Uncle Algie had pushed him out of an apartment building. At the time he had thought that his friend had been kidding, but now...
He was finally starting to see the darker side of the wizarding world. And it disgusted him.
The man seemed to read his mind, nodding sympathetically. "It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" His words were soothing, a balm Harry was grateful for, with his world feeling like it had been thrown upside-down. "Not many people stop to think about it. Most of them are too wrapped up in the wonders of magic until it's too late. But it seems that you get it," Ganauche stated with a pointed stare. "Well that's the British for ya. The other countries, notably the North Americans, don't follow that practice anymore. It's mostly just Britain that continues those old stuffy ways. Hogwarts is held in high regard and all that, but the European justice and educational system are considered complete jokes worldwide," he added.
"Wait what?" This was certainly news to him!
"Never mind about that now. You'll have to find info on that on your own," Ganauche said swiftly. "Have you contacted the Japanese Ministry of Magic at all?"
Harry flinched. "I don't know where to go or how to contact them. Hedwig managed to find me a week ago, but I've been letting her rest comfortable and..." A blush appeared on his face. "I didn't want to get in trouble breaking the stature of secrecy."
"Eh, that's probably a wise decision," Ganauche agreed, tilting his head. "You know you can use magic if you're in trouble, right, kiddo?" Seeing the stunned look, the man chuckled, shaking his head. "That answers my question. I'll loan you a book to go through," he offered.
"Thank you," Harry whispered gratefully with a tiny smile, eyes flickering over towards Tsuna and the others. He bit his lips. "D… do they know?"
"Hm?" Ganauche stroked his chin thoughtfully before shaking his head. "No. They have no idea. It's all in the past where it's going to remain. I have friends– people that I can call family, and a job that I love. That's all that matters to me. We can't change the past but we can strive for the future. You understand what I'm saying?"
There was wisdom in the man's words and, hearing the passion as he spoke, Harry felt the strength burning in them. His conviction.
Harry did not respond immediately, his eyes straying from Ganauche to his… friends. Yes, friends.
His eyes softened, a faint smile tugging up his lips. "Yeah... I do."
(7)
The rest of the afternoon went without a hitch. Since all of them were still feeling the jetlag, they decided to explore the town the next day. The majority of their time was spent lounging around with Tsuna's grandfather's bodyguards and Dino, who kept switching between mingling with everyone and answering his cell, which, Harry noticed, every so often followed by a soft smile or furious blush, though no one else seemed to notice. Mostly Tsuna kept close to his grandfather, immersed in deep conversation, enjoying his presence.
Tsuna wasn't the only one enjoying the guests' presence, as Hana certainly enjoyed herself playing chess with Visconti again and again, going by her smirk. Both seemed to enjoy the challenge that the other brought to the table as they battled ruthlessly for victory (personally, Harry was reminded of Hermione). Yamamato and Haru were busy chatting animatedly with Schnitten and Brow by the table not too far from where Tsuna was sitting. Harry on the other hand continued to talk with Ganauche about the wizarding world's current state.
Apparently, no one had noticed that he had gone missing.
Ganauche had been keeping up to date with the British Wizarding World since leaving in order to keep an eye on things and his family. He held no ill-will towards them and, surprisingly, even thanked them for throwing him out. Ifthey hadn't, he'd said, he would not have met Timoteo at all.
Harry understood, in a way. It was similar to how Harry, if the Dursleys hadn't left him in Japan, probably would not have met Tsuna and the others. In a strange, twisted fashion, Harry owed the Durlseys.
Not that he'd ever admit it.
Harry pondered over the situation carefully. It made sense that no one had noticed his disappearance since he had used muggle transport. And since he hadn't been using any magic no one had been able to locate him via owl post for underage magic... Not that they could, Harry reflected, remembering the ring he had received.
He had kept it a secret from Ganauche. For now, anyway. Using magic hadn't crossed his mind often. He had become used to doing things the normal way again so that resorting to magic wasn't his first reaction anymore. And he had learned the joys of having fun without magic.
Not that he hadn't known them before. He just never had anyoneto share it with. Ron didn't know and wouldn't be interested in doing muggle activities, and Hermione was so firmly planting herself into the magical world that her interests in muggle things seemed to have faded away.
As much as Harry loved and enjoyed magic he didn't want to have to give up one for the other. Greedy he may be, but he wanted both. In the past the magical world had been an escape for him, to finally have something of his own that Dudley couldn't have. A sanctuary.
But that was no longer the case. He had a choice now. And... Harry wasn't sure that he could choose between the two. He didn't know what to do! Never before had he ever felt so conflicted. He knew that he'd have to make his choice in the end, and that that time was nearing.
Harry only hoped he would make the right choice.
When dinner snuck up on them Dino requested that they change into more appropriate attire for the evening. Which stumped them until Hana and Haru caught on, forcefully dragging the three into the nearest bedrooms and sneaking their claws into the boys.
Women were scary. Especially when clothing was involved.
He didn't know how donning suits could take hours, but he'd checked and asked and the clock really wasn't broken. So it was several grueling hours later that found Harry, Tsuna and Yamamoto all clad in black spare suits Dino had fished out of the closet as they rejoined the others in the very large, very polished dining room.
Harry wondered if he would ever feel anything besides awe in Italy.
It was something totally out of a movie, with an oaken table stretching across the room, a giant chandelier hanging above its center, its small, diamond-like ornaments dangling back and forth. Smaller, yet no less intricate lights dotted the ceiling, bathing the room with a soft, golden light. It was absolutely breathtaking.
The food looked no less impressive. A variety of dishes laid before them, fish and mollusks—heck, there were even several bowls of soup, all different kinds—and beef and chicken, all prepared differently and decorated fit for royalty.
Then Yamamoto's stomach proclaimed its eagerness with a beastly growl, no few snickers rang throughout the room, and with a sheepish expression Yamamoto took his seat.
The rest followed suit.
"This is amazing!" Yamamoto exclaimed, swallowing the food with a wide grin. "I've never tasted anything so good in my life – don't tell oyaji that though!"
Hana snorted, smirking. "It's Italian food, of course it's going to be great!"
"I'm glad that you two think so highly of my chef. I'll make sure to tell him you said that!" Dino remarked, quite pleased at the comments. "It's rare that we get visitors so I'm sure he'll be happy."
Tsuna blinked rapidly. "Y-you have a chef Dino-san?!"
"Well..." The blonde looked rather embarrassed, scratching the side of his cheek. "Not... many of us that live in the manor know how to cook so... we... have to hire one." Dino gave a sheepish grin, his face a bright red as he confessed to his inadequacy in the kitchen.
Yamamoto let out a cheerful laugh. "I know what you mean! Even though my Dad owns a restaurant and I help out frequently, anything beyond sushi I can't cook!"
"That's not something you should say so easily, Yamamoto," Hana chided, piercing him with a cold look, gaining a sheepish grin from the baseball player which caused her to sigh. "I take back what I said. You're a monkey through and through."
"Ouch, Kurokawa!" Yamamotoplaced a hand over his heart, mocking a wince and failing fight off the grin that threatened to spread over his face.
"If you'd like, Yamamoto-kun," Brow spoke up as he placed his cup onto the tray, a fond smile on his face. "Perhaps I can teach you a few things? I myself was once in your position you know."
"Really? Thank you Brow-san!"
The man merely smiled in return.
"I-I wouldn't mind trying to learn too," Tsuna murmured under his breath, playing with his food. He glanced up shyly.
Dino grinned. "After all, you can't always rely on Mama's cooking, right?"
"Nana always did make the best Italian dishes whenever I came for a visit," Timoteo mentioned, wearing a nostalgic gaze as he reminisced. How he missed those delicious meals!
Visconti snorted. "You would never shut up about her meals, Nono." He smirked.
The man flushed. "H-Her dishes are wonderful!" Timoteo defended, holding up his hands.
"So we've heard time and time again," Coyote grunted, disapproval lining his features once again. However for a split-second the rough man's lips tugged up teasingly before falling back under control as he quietly returned to his food.
"You're all against me," Timoteo stated, shaking his head, and threw his hands up into the air in a joking manner.
The entire table erupted into rambunctious laughter at the man's display. Who knew that the old men actually had a sense of humor? The rest of the night continued on smoothly; it was a wonderful night.
And tomorrow was bound to be even better!
(8)
"I'm going to go use the bathroom!" Tsuna informed his two friends from the doorway, giving them a wave and receiving nods in return. Closing the door, he leaned against it, a sigh on his lips. A smile tugged on his lips, however.
He was absolutely exhausted, but it had definitely been worth it.
Being in Italy had already been overwhelming but meeting his grandfather, or rather the Vongola Nono along with his bodyguards had been even more so. Yet it had turned out better than he'd expected. Much to his relief, none of them acted likeReborn. They were all rather laid back around them, with the exception of Coyote, though he couldn't help but wonder if the man had warmed up to them. He had seen the man smile every so often, so perhaps. In the beginning Tsuna had been rather frightened of the older men, but that was no longer the case.
He enjoyed spending time with them. It had been fun.
Just like the rest of the rooms within Dino's manor, the washroom was far from shabby. It glowed brightly, the strangely styled—probably Italian designs—lightings above providing strong light. It was completely large (Tsuna doubted anything wasn't) and multiple mirrors lined the wall near the sink; they were oval-shaped, and… were those goldlinks attaching them together? Now that he observed carefully, the borders seemed to be gilded too…
The brunet teen smiled ruefully, scratching his cheek. "Dino-san…" As he shook his head at the opulence, he finished his business and went towards the sink, washing his hands and splashing his face with water. Tsuna reached over to the side trying to grab one of the towels, missing at every try causing him to frown. "U-urgh I can't see. Where's the towel—?"
"Don't worry. It's not like you'll need it," a sharp, male voice spoke, malicious tone at odds with the casual words.
Tsuna froze at the sound, his body whipping around sharply as his eyes snapped open. "H-Huh w—!"
A white cloth was slammed against his mouth, another hand sneaking up from behind, pressing against his back. Trapping him, Tsuna realized with horror as his fist caught the man's arm instead of his stomach like Reborn had taught. He had to move, and he couldn't breathe, his throat constricted, something crushing his neck and strange, why did his limbs feel like lead…?
'N-no! L-let me go! YAMAMOTO! HARRY! HANA! HARU! GRANDPA! DINO! HE-ELP!'
Darkness claimed him.
(9)
Chapter 10- End.
I ended on a cliffhanger, aren't I evil? Anyway I hope that all of you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next one, you'll all be glad to know that it will be a short wait since chapter eleven is already half way to being completed so look forward to it!
Now I want to bring up this little notion before I continue onwards; this is not a bashing fic. There will be absolutely NO BASHING whatsoever. There WILL be conflicts between characters here and there, which is normal, especially between Iemitsu and Tsuna, not everyone is going to immediately be all buddy-buddy with one another. So please keep that in mind. If It seems that I'm dangerous leaning towards bashing a character let me know so I can rectify that. So I hope that has been covered.
Another thing I'm probably going to get called out on is the lack of Gokudera in this arc. There IS a reason why he won't be a part of this arc which you'll see AFTER this Arc is over, it IS important to the future developments of the character so keep that in mind.
Now unforunately, I am of need of a new beta. If you're interested please say so in your review or send me a message via the PM!
Anyway make sure to leave a review everyone!
And make sure to have an awesome Christmas, Hanukkah, or whatever holiday you celebrate and a Happy New Year!