Paternal - ism

-x-

Gokudera walked down the hallway, opening every door he passed by. And with every door he opened, quickly followed, "Hey, is Juudaime here?"

"Tsuna?" Ryohei, being behind one of those such doors in a certain hallway of the many hallways of the large mansion, signaled for his kangaroo to stop its attack, dropping punching gloved fists to his sides. He shook his head. "I haven't seen him all day. Ask, Hibari. He might know."

Gokudera did exactly just that, and after a hop into his car, he was knocking on the sliding paper door of the Namimori Shrine. "Hibari!"

A hand suddenly grabbed at the side of the door, quickly sliding it open in one quick movement. There, Hibari stood, his expression nonchalant. "What do you want?" Irritation was clear in his voice. It was tea time, Gokudera knew, and Hibari obviously wasn't too happy being disturbed.

"Has the Tenth been here?" Gokudera hoped. "Have you seen him at all?"

"No, he hasn't been here. He's been absent all day…" Hibari brought a hand to his chin. "Which means he's skipping out on work. Thank you for informing me. He will surely be punished for his absence."

Gokudera frowned and brought up a hand. "Oi, don't you even dare -" then waving his hands. "No, there's no need to punish him." A little growl escaped and he continued. "He already finished all his work… surprisingly. And now, he turns up no where to be found."

"He's not in the mansion?"

"I've looked all over, even asking anybody I lay my eyes on if they've seen the Tenth. They don't know about his whereabouts."

Hibari gave him a long look, a look that was much different from what Gokudera had ever seen, but it was only for a slight moment, seeming like it never happened. The prefect turned his back to the other, taking hold of the sliding door. "You'll find him." Then the door closed.

Gokudera rose a brow, then turned away from the shrine, making a stride for his car. He saw Kusakabe coming up from the staircase leading to the shrine and gave him a wave.

"Ah, Gokudera-san. I saw your car down there so I figured you'd be here." Kusakabe greeted. "Is there anything wrong?"

"Juudaime has gone missing." Gokudera crossed his arms. "It really bothers me."

"Well, of course it would. It would bother anybody since he had after all disappeared on us before." The pompadour received a very grim look from the other and shook his head. "But that is something of the past, no need to still ponder upon it."

"Well, I'm going to head for the city - to see if I can figure out anything there. See you." Gokudera bowed slightly and passed by Kusakabe, who gave a little wave in response.

-x-

Yamamoto looked around, studying each one with intent. He couldn't really choose this time. All of them looked so pretty, worthy to be given to his father. But which one would be best? … Or rather, which would his father choose? He sighed, seeing that this sort of problem always occurred to him every time he came by… He scanned over the ones near the window, glittering with water beads against the sun. But a shadow blocked the sunlight, distracting Yamamoto enough to look up.

He blinked and pointed out the window. "Gokudera?"

Said person noticed him after and entered the shop, the door jingling lightly by small bells. Gokudera looked around a little bit before he made his way to Yamamoto, looking at him with a questioning expression. "Why are you in a Flower shop?"

"Ah, about that…" Yamamoto spotted some delicate flowers in the middle of the shop, then looked at Gokudera. "What flowers do you like?"

Gokudera frowned. "Why exactly? It's not for me, is it?" He frowned more as Yamamoto didn't respond.

"Umm… well, what flowers would you get for you dad if he passed away?"

The blunt reply was, "Dead, wilted roses."

Yamamoto frowned. "How unloving."

"I never really never liked my dad." He admitted, then smiled a little bit. "But I'm guessing you're getting flowers for your pops, right?"

"Yep." Yamamoto nodded as he was examining another flower, bending down to have a closer look. "I just don't know what to choose though…"

Gokudera looked up, tilting his head in thought. "Probably you should get a flower…" Yamamoto looked at him with hope. "… a flower… that is like you."

Yamamoto stood straight, nodding thoughtfully. "Yeah…there's a problem."

"Already?"

"I don't know what flower I am."

Gokudera flashed out his I-phone and said, "Then let's go to Facebook and figure it out."

"Heh?"

A minute later…

"Forget-me-nots?" Gokudera stared at his phone screen. "You're a forget-me-not?"

"I guess so… Excuse me." Yamamoto caught the attention of clerk. "Do you have any forget-me-nots?"

"Yes, we do." A small, old lady appeared from the behind the counter. "They just blossomed yesterday. Would you like to see?"

"Yes, that'd be wonderful." Yamamoto followed happily after the lady, disappearing behind the curtain separating the back from the front.

Gokudera still stared at his screen. "Why a forget-me-not?" He brought a finger to his chin. Somehow the result bothered him. But in the end, he shrugged, also making his way to the back. He needed to tell Yamamoto about the Tenth's absence.

-x-

Yamamoto walked along the small trail of pebbles, lined with evergreen grass. He was humming himself a tune for a while to ignore all the other monuments of graves laying about around him, but then realized it may be rude to the dead people and instantly stopped. He looked down at the forget-me-nots in his arms, a small smile in his face. That Facebook quiz surely was dead on - to his dismay. He then looked up, starting to make out the familiar path. Just a small turn around the group of trees and there would lie his father's grave.

As he walked, Yamamoto couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling upon his heart. Though his past self, along with Tsuna and the rest of the gang, saved this future from living hell, it still didn't change anything that had already happened. He always wondered why that was the case, ever since he stepped out of the white device Shoichi Irie had created. He was sure that everyone else wondered why too. Wondered why things didn't change, like it was expected. Why his father… wasn't alive now.

He passed by the group of trees and turned a little to the left, suddenly stopping in his tracks. He looked on to where his father's grave laid and on top of his monument laid a beautiful array of flowers, scattered and laid perfectly upon the grave, as if angels had danced around, blessing the area. He slowly walked toward it, soon finding himself standing before the monument. Yamamoto couldn't help but stare; he hadn't visited his father's grave for a few months now, nor did he ever mention its location to anyone… No, he had told someone… There was only one other person that knew this place…

"Yamamoto?" A soft voice quietly asked.

Yamamoto turned around, flowers still in hand, and recognized the person before him. "Ah, Tsuna." Tsuna gave a small smile and walked over, now standing next to him. The brunette didn't seem like he was going to say anything as he looked on at the grave, so Yamamoto continued. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to visit… pay my respects to a man I greatly owe a lot to." Tsuna answered quietly. "He truly did a lot for me, and I'm ashamed I didn't repay him back."

Yamamoto wanted to say something for his defense, but couldn't mouth anything.

"If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have met a great friend like you…" Tsuna squatted down now, brushing away some petals that covered the name. "He was the one that taught you a great power, and without it, we wouldn't have won those many fights. And he also accepted the fact that his son joined my mafia family. He served great food. He was truly a great man and father." Tsuna stood up now, leaning his weight on one leg. "I still feel guilty though… that I couldn't do anything. I feel like it was my fault -"

"It's not your fault." Yamamoto responded. "…It's not your fault…" He repeated.

Tsuna nodded, his smile fading away. "Are those forget-me-nots for him too?"

"You know what they are?"

"Yeah, I do…" Tsuna answered, taking the bouquet of forget-me-nots and placing them down gently on the grave. "But why forget-me-nots?" He couldn't help but ask. "I know they are blue and all… but…"

Yamamoto faced down, rubbing the back of his neck slowly. "I don't know why either… but taking the test that Gokudera gave me… I ended up with them."

"The flower test on Facebook?" Tsuna chuckled lightly.

"You know that too?" surprise evident in Yamamoto's voice.

"Things get around."

There was another silence that engulfed them, the rustling of grass and leaves by warm wind only heard. Tsuna looked over at Yamamoto, who in turn, also looked back. They held their gaze for a easy moment, until Yamamoto closed his eyes.

"Actually… I lied… I probably know why it's forget-me-nots…" Yamamoto confessed.

Tsuna didn't say anything, but waited intently for the conclusion.

Yamamoto could sense Tsuna's eagerness to know though. He really didn't want to admit it, as it felt like a blow to his pride. But since it's Tsuna, the only thing he could expect were helpful words, words that he knew he'd need. "I guess I was afraid… after my dad died, I was afraid of being forgotten…"

"Forgotten?" Tsuna repeated, his brows narrowing. "Do you mean for your father being forgotten?"

"No… me." Yamamoto ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know why I keep thinking that though. It bothers me a lot. But I have a feeling that it's truth. I don't want to be forgotten… it's my biggest fear, even since when I was a kid."

Tsuna sighed. "Well, anybody would be afraid about being forgotten. Even I feel that way sometimes. But it must be hard for you… Your father who was always with you is… gone. He was the one supporting you, the one you considered family, your real family. " then a shrug. "Unlike me, I've always had my mother and father, who I understood later down in my years, that I've been taking for granted. Sure without them, I'd feel lonely, but it's different for your view."

"I guess…" Yamamoto shifted a bit. "Truthfully, I don't know where my mother is… I have very few memories of her… but I have no motherly figure in my life… until I met your mom."

"Haha. You could consider my mother as everyone's mother by the looks of it now. The family has grown too big for just the house now."

"She's really nice. Everyone likes a mother like her."

"Yeah…" Tsuna smiled. "I know…"

"But still… that loneliness and fear doesn't subside…"

"It won't go away that easily. It's hard." Tsuna openly stated. "So you'll just have to replace it."

Yamamoto looked at him now, misunderstanding clear on his face.

"Never forget your father. Everyone else and I, too, will always remember him. He's a part of our family." Tsuna looked back at him. "And so are you. You are a part of my family and always will be. We'll never forget you, Yamamoto. Forgetting is taboo. We can never leave you behind. But as of right now, what you need most is time. And if anything, you need help…" Tsuna smiled. "We'll be there to back you up."

Such simple words brought a smile on Yamamoto's face. Tsuna could sense the relief just by his expression alone. "Th-thank you… it's very reassuring…"

"You should've known that all along." Tsuna replied. "It's going to be like this forever more."

"Yeah…" Yamamoto sighed. " I … was just a little impatient is all."

"Perhaps, but no one can blame you…"

After a brief pause, Yamamoto asked, "So you know… that today was the day of my father's death?"

"Yeah… I clearly remembered that day. I apologize though… for suddenly intruding and not notifying you before hand."

"No.. I told you about this place. It's fine." Yamamoto assured, truly meaning it.

Tsuna looked at the tombstone. "I was heartbroken that day… I couldn't do a thing."

"…Neither could I… I'm the one to blame…"

"No… it's not your fault either…" Tsuna countered. "We just couldn't do anything about the inevitable. We can't beat the destiny of death. One way or another, as depressing as it sounds, we're bound to death the very day we're born."

"That's a settled way to put it." Yamamoto looked at all the other flowers scattered around. "You brought these flowers right?"

"Yep, except your forget-me-nots…" Tsuna answered. " I wanted to get flowers of hope. And so I scouted for each of them."

"I see… it seems my forget-me-nots are out of place now…"

"I wouldn't think so…" Tsuna smiled, picking up his jacket from the ground. "It's like a symbol for you and your father. We'll never forget your father like we'll never forget you. It's your father's present and it's your future."

Yamamoto was surprised at such creativity that Tsuna was able to spout. It was like a whole new Tsuna that he never encountered had appeared before him. 'Perhaps…' he thought to himself, '… this is the Tsuna that Dino was talking about… this different Tsuna.'

"Yamamoto?"

"Hmm?"

"You spacing out on me now?"

"No…" He chuckled. "Just thinking about how amazing you've suddenly become… not saying that you weren't before… but you just suddenly got ten times more amazing than I'd ever expect."

"I'm taking that as a compliment then…" Tsuna chuckled, then looked down at the grave. He gave a silent prayer and bowed slightly before taking his leave.

Yamamoto also gave a short but steady prayer for his father, all his thoughts mashed into one big 30 second prayer, then bowed. He turned to find Tsuna waiting for him from behind, seeing him jerk his head slightly to signal their leave.

Once they were on the pebble trail, they started talking again.

"You know…" Yamamoto started, his mood lighter than before. "Gokudera is looking all over for you."

"Is he really?" Tsuna laughed. "I'm told he's like a loyal lost puppy when it comes to me. I didn't know what to say."

Yamamoto laughed along with him. "Heh, I could actually see that now you mention it…"

Tsuna continued walking along, but stopped when he realized that Yamamoto increasingly lagged behind. He turned around, facing a quite serious looking Yamamoto.

"Tsuna… I want to ask you a question… while we're still alone here…" Yamamoto muttered, loud enough to reach the other.

Tsuna looked at him, his mind sparking with curiosity. "Go ahead."

-x-

"Juudaime." Gokudera stood in front of his desk.

"Hmm?" He was already busy with some scattered papers.

"Here's the documents for today. Please finish them before the end of the day."

"Will do." Tsuna looked up at him from his chair, taking hold of the pile of paper. "Ohh, it's lighter today." He mused cheerfully.

"Yes, it is, huh? The rest is waiting behind my counter." Gokudera replied, walking toward his desk.

This made Tsuna drop the papers on his desk, some pieces flying away. "WHAT?"

"You see, I don't want you running off again because there is too much paperwork which I know you really hate." Gokudera explained. "That's why I separated them so I know it won't be too much work…" He sat down in his own chair and flashed a big grin, only to find the Tenth's head banging against the desk. He instantly stood up, out of his seat, a worried expression crossing his face.

"Oh, woe is me. And I thought it was finally getting it easy…" Tsuna whispered, pouting. This earned a raised brow from Gokudera, his worry fading away - quickly.

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.

"Come in." Gokudera said loud enough.

And through the doors, Yamamoto came in, his expression somewhat worrisome. "Ah, Tsuna!" This quickly caught said person's attention.

"You're finally awake." Gokudera muttered, crossing his arms.

Yamamoto dismissed Gokudera's nagging and walked up to Tsuna's desk. "Tsuna, what happened?"

Tsuna stood up from his desk. "About yesterday?"

"I heard that I fainted and you brought me home…" Yamamoto rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't remember anything that happened after we were at my father's grave…" He looked to Tsuna who shook his head slowly.

"You just fainted is all. I'm not surprised though, since you worked really hard for the past few days." The mafia boss replied quietly.

"Errr… sorry about that…"

"What? Me carrying you back home? Ha, I didn't mind." Tsuna frowned. "Though it was kind of tough dragging you to my car. You were heavier than I expected." He laughed a little.

Gokudera took a place in front of Tsuna's desk, arms still crossed. "But still, you shouldn't have caused trouble for Juudaime."

"It wasn't any trouble at all." Tsuna intervened. "At least I can be at peace, knowing that my guardians get their rest… Now…" Tsuna started looking down at all his documents. " - I better start working…"

Yamamoto, seeing the piles of work and the slumping expression on the brunette's face, decided to help free his friend from the horrendous work. "Ne, how about we play some baseball today?" He asked enthusiastically, spreading his arms in emphasis.

Tsuna looked up from the papers and answered, "I'm up for it." He watched the tall man give him a big proud smile which signaled him a time of relief.

"HEY!" Gokudera yelled angrily. "This is not time for games and play! Juudaime and I need to work, unlike you."

Yamamoto frowned. "I do work hard. It's just every time you don't see it."

Tsuna stepped out from behind his desk, walking up to the two. "It really is true, Gokudera. Yamamoto does work very hard, just like I said earlier."

"Che."

"If you don't want to play baseball, we can always play something else… like basketball… or badminton." Yamamoto suggested with a bigger smile.

"Why are they all B-games?" Gokudera spat.

"Tennis? Soccer? Football?" Yamamoto shook his head. "No… volleyball?"

Tsuna sighed, a small smile forming on his lips. "For now…" He mumbled. "This is the way things should be."

"HMM?" Both of them looked his way, apparently missing that whole statement.

"Ah, nothing." Tsuna assured, opening the door to his office and leading out to the large hall way. "How about we go for some ice-cream?" He didn't know why, but ice-cream just sounded good right now.

"I like chocolate." Yamamoto piped in happily, already heading following behind him.

"Well, vanilla still is better." Gokudera countered, also making a place next to his boss. "I like vanilla."

"Heh? Gokudera, you like vanilla?" Tsuna asked with disbelief. He started blubbering. "But last time… I gave you chocolate… (reference to ch.1)"

"Ah, Juudaime! It's alright!" Gokudera waved his arms flustered. "I'm okay with either!"

"Maa, maa." Yamamoto swung both of his arms over the other two's shoulders. "We'll all go and have a good time."

Suddenly, they were pushed over by an incredibly strong force.

"HAHAHA! YOU CAN'T BEAT ME! I'M EXTREMELY STRONG!" Ryohei shouted down the hall, pointing a boxing glove at Hibari who was quickly following after.

"OI! LAWN-HEAD!" Gokudera began his rampage, pointing a defiant finger at the passionate fighter. "You ran us over with your stupid extremeness!"

"You are making too much disturbing noise, Sasegawa." Hibari lashed out his blazing, violet tonfas. "You will be punished." Then his eyes darted beyond Ryohei, to Tsuna. "As well as you, for being absent."

Tsuna blanched. Yamamoto laughed. Ryohei and Gokudera yelled. Hibari stood there looking all cool.

Yes…

This was our Vongola family.

"Oya, oya. What's all this loud noise?" Mukuro winced, rubbing his ear.

Everyone paused in the middle of their attacks. Where did he come from?

"Yare, yare… this always happens. Expected from stupid adults…" Lambo appeared behind him, one eye closed. "It gets really annoying."

"How interesting…" Mukuro sighed. "Haa~ It wounds me that I'm not apart of such a fuss…"

And somehow, the family just became louder (and destructive). This was how the family was supposed to be (…if it were just them).

-x-

Disclaimer: Facebook does not belong to me (pssh, obviously as I'm a silly high schooler). Neither does the "Flower Quiz" because I didn't make one AND I'm sure somewhere down in the depths of past Facebook quizzes, there is a flower test/quiz sort of thing.

- Do Jo