A/N:
Translation: (English to French)
steak au poivre - pepper steak
Note:
"Hello." - Probably a memory, speaking in a foreign language or a recorder.
Anyway, go on.
Chapter One
"You're not the Vongola Decimo anymore."
"Ieyasu has been in training for years. You were only chosen to keep him out of danger and acquiring the guardians suitable for him."
"I'm sorry, Tsuna."
Tsuna placed his hands on the either sides of the sink and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looks stupid. Dull eyes, dull hair, dull personality. Who would even want to follow him? He was just a scapegoat. A cover.
He closed his eyes as he tries to hide the bubbling emotion and stop himself from screaming. His hands gripped the edges of the sink so hard to the point that his knuckles turned white. Then after a minute, his shoulders slumped as his grips loosened.
What can he do anyway? He's powerless, stupid, a dame. Always a dame. Sighing, he turned on the faucet and started to splash some water on his face before turning it off. He took a towel from the rack and put it over his wet hair. He arranged his pants, before opening the door.
"Tsuna."
The brunet looked up to see a seven years old Reborn leaning on the railing.
"It's dinner." The hitman said in a casual note.
Tsuna nodded. "Thanks."
Then he slipped out of the hitman's gaze. He entered his room and started to rummage in his dresser for a shirt. After shrugging them on, he went out with the towel still on his head. He didn't look anywhere as he arrived in the dining room. He heard shuffling until he felt hands helping him with his wet hair.
"Mou. You're going to get a cold if you're going to bed with wet hair, Tsu-kun." His Mother chided softly.
Tsuna smiled. "It's okay, Kaasan. I have plenty of time to make it dry. I still have homework to do."
"You're always like that. Why do you have so much homework?" The lady asked with a worried expression on her face.
"Because it's school. I'll be glad if I enter one without any homework though."
Nana giggled as she pulled off the towel from her son's head. "I'll gladly enrol you if one exist."
Tsuna smiled.
"Are you transferring, Tsuna?" A new voice asked.
The brunet looked at his brother before eyeing his mother who answered for him. Leaving the towel in his mother's care, he sat on his usual spot and started to eat after murmuring his thanks. He silently went through his food as the table gets noisy. It has been an everyday occurrence to him now.
He swiftly evaded Reborn's attempt of stealing his food. He glanced at his tutor who looked at him with his black eyes, unreadable and contemplating. After eating, he said his thanks and stood up.
"Ara? No seconds, Tsu-kun?" Nana asked. Although she's used of Tsuna not asking for seconds anymore, she still offers.
Tsuna shook his head. "No, Kaasan. Give it to the kids instead."
"Thank you, Tsuna-nii!" Fuuta and Ipin shouted with a smile while Lambo grinned.
"Baka-Tsuna! Here! Grape candy! Mama gave me plenty!" His ex-lightning offered, but he declined softly.
"It's yours, Lambo-kun. Keep it for later."
Lambo gave him a startled look before slowly nodding. "Okay."
Tsuna went for the stairs and ascended it. He entered his room, closed it behind him and leaned on it. His eyes stung with tears with so much sadness. God. He worked hard to gain his family, only to have them given away.
A month and two weeks ago, His dad, Iemitsu, arrived with a kid around his age, and that was Ieyasu Sawada, his 'older' twin brother. Ieyasu was the young carbon copy of Vongola Primo. Blond hair, blue eyes, strong body for fighting. They were separated because Iemitsu wanted to show one of his son the wonders of Italy, until such time that Nana forgot that she has another son. And that was the intention of his father.
After the shocking introduction, Tsuna noticed how cautious his father was, even fidgety, and how quiet Reborn was. Of course they exchanged pleasantries until such time the bomb was dropped on him.
He was just a cover for his brother.
Tsuna vividly remembers how he turned to his tutor for confirmation, and he received a silent apology. He accepted it. And with his father's and brother's requests, he avoided his guardians after they were introduced to Ieyasu. He even avoided the girls and the kids for the sake of it. He, instead, goes for the sport clubs building to eat his food so they could use the rooftops. It went on for six weeks. And the result was tremendous.
Gokudera started to call Ieyasu 'Juudaime' while he was Tsuna-sama. Takeshi only smiles at him and waits for his brother so the three of them can go to school together. The girls didn't see him anymore, nor Ryohei-onii-san bugs him. The only ones who see him was Chrome, the kids, Reborn and Nana. But he has to keep his distance away. Even to his tutor since the hitman had started to make his brother comfortable in Namimori with his guardians. The only ones who don't have any reaction about it were Hibari and Mukuro.
Saying the requests were hard was an understatement. He struggled a lot to be polite towards his friends, pushing them away to Ieyasu's way and making excuses for the sake of his brother's reputation as the heir. The ring was even removed from him, even Natsu. God. He didn't even had the time to say goodbye to his friend.
He wonders if the future they saved was the same too. Him as a cover.
Shaking his head and wiping the tears away, he stood up and walked towards his desk to finish his work load of homework. He kept repeating in his head that he's okay. That it was fine. He is a dame after all. He was only good to be a cover. He knew he will never deserve such friends nor blessings by and large.
He'll just do his work as the cover brother and let them have their own fun. All for the sake of family.
Tsuna jumped back and went to a defensive stance. The assassin lunged. To counter, the brunet gave a combinations of kicks and punches before he shook his pill container and popped one on his mouth in a fast manner. An orange flame erupted on his forehead, his mitten covered hands went to his same old metal gloves.
They engaged into a close combat fight before Tsuna blasted off the guy. He took a deep breath as he walked towards his unconscious assaulter and carried the other on his back. He flew off and landed on the Namimori Middle School rooftop, just in front awake Hibari who was napping with Hibird just a second ago.
"Tsunayoshi-"
"Assassin." Tsuna clipped as he put the man gently on the floor. "Your town is getting full of it. Keep the security up to protect it."
Hibari silently stared at him before standing up. "All right."
The sky assessed his ex-cloud with his orange eyes before nodding. He flew off and arrived to his home in record time. He dropped himself to the roof of the house, removing his gloves. He was going to come down to his open window when he heard Reborn and Ieyasu talking.
"There's a lot of assassination attempt on you, Baka-Ie. You need to be careful." He heard Reborn informed.
"Should I? They know Tsuna as the heir. They won't look at my way." Ieyasu responded offhandedly.
Tsuna sat on his heels as he waited for the hitman's reply. "But your guardians are at stakes too. You can't make Tsuna as a bait for a position he already gave up to you. Just because he was used to be your cover, it doesn't mean you can continue abusing the situation."
"It's okay, Reborn." The blond dismissed, making the brunet clench his fists. "Tsuna won't know I'm using him if you won't tell him."
The Sky felt a spike of bloodlust from the hitman, but it went by quickly as it came. Tsuna can't help himself from smiling a little, relieved that his ex-tutor still cares about his well-being.
A sigh went out of his lips as he made himself comfortable on the roof. He stared at the setting sun on the horizon as he thinks of probable things. He's being fed up with all the antics his father had pulled on him. At one point, he thought the man cares about him. He was certain his dad gave him a proud look when he defeated the Vindice. But now, he's certain that Reborn is the only one who cares, alongside with his mom and the kids.
If he was the old Tsuna, he would've let them use him. But he's not. He was once a leader of a group that defeated the members of an elite assassination squad, an enemy force, a family and some mafia police. He was deemed as the Vongola Decimo for a year, declared a candidate for sky arcobaleno position, also under the tutelage of the greatest hitman. So no. Enough is enough. No more.
Staring ahead, he nodded his head as a plan formulated on his head.
He needs to get away from here.
Tsuna opened his eyes when he heard Ieyasu's voice rang in the house after saying his farewell. The brunet sat up, gathered some clothes he would like to wear before going out to use the bathroom. He did a quick shower, fixed his clothes on and went out. Just as he was about to open his room's door, Reborn went out of Ieyasu's room, a little shaken. Worry caressed his features as he stared at his ex-tutor. Probably another growth sprout.
"You okay, Reborn?" Tsuna asked, a hand on the towel in his head.
The hitman raised his head to see him before giving his usual smirk. "You should be asking yourself that, you're already late."
"Nah." He waved off. "I'm not the one who needs to keep his reputation or have anyone waiting on me." The teen winced mentally when realization hit him. That sounded wrong. "Anyway, wait here. I have some painkillers in my room."
"I'm a sun, Idiot. I can heal myself."
Tsuna twisted the knob and went in, not closing the door. "Doesn't mean you can't feel the pain."
Tsuna rummaged on his drawer of medicine and took out the tab of painkillers. He went back to the hitman and handed the drugs. Reborn took it and inspected it. Seeing the curiosity and proud look on his ex-tutor made him a little happy. Well, a little because he sure is going to have a beating once the hitman get a hold of what he is about to do.
"Reborn,"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you." Onyx eyes looked at him. He gave his widest smile. "For everything. You really are the greatest hitman."
The other tilted his hat in arrogance as a smirk played on his lips. "Of course I am. Didn't I tell you that from the very first?"
"Yes, you did." The brunet confirm.
"You're five minutes late, get ready. I'm going ahead."
Tsuna nodded and watched the hitman go down the stairs. Shaking his head, he went back to his room, and closed it. He only needs his pills, mittens, lenses and headphones for emergencies. Of course a good amount of money from his savings. Good thing he made Shoichi and Spanner remove the trackers last week. It won't be nice if he can be monitored.
Nana looked at her youngest son descend the stairs. Tsuna isn't wearing his uniform, rather a casual attire under a zip-up jacket. She stared at her son who gave her a warm smile and a hug when he got near enough.
"I'll be going, Kaasan." A soft bid of farewell, almost breaking her heart.
"Where are you going, Tsu-kun?" She asked, hugging her fellow brunet.
"Somewhere I can move as I am." The teen answered, pained and insecure. "I'm sorry for leaving you. I'll call as much as I can. But after I settled in."
Nana parted from the child. She looked at him dead in the eyes, searching for assurance. "What about Reborn-kun? He'll definitely ask about your whereabouts."
She saw the nervousness and uncertainty. "I don't know. I haven't planned on that yet. I just want to get away."
"It's about Iemitsu and Ie-kun, right?" She asked softly. Tsuna's silence was an obvious answer. Her son will never know how to lie. "Okay. I'll come up with something. Don't worry. Just call me or text me, okay? I love you, Tsu-kun."
Her son nodded. "Always, Kaasan."
Nana kissed her son's forehead before letting him go completely. She watched the teen smile at her once more before going out of the house in a hurried pace. Tears streamed down her cheeks as realization hit her.
She knew something was wrong when Tsuna suddenly went quiet after the child talked with Iemitsu and Ie. Even Reborn was getting distant with her youngest son, and she can't do anything about it. She also noticed the distance Tsuna is trying to put between him and the kids, and how polite he is to his friends whenever they're in. She can't understand the situation, but she knew how painful it is to her son.
It was probably suffocating to the point that he had to get away from Namimori.
She knew her shortcomings as a mother. She even calls her son 'dame' instead of supporting him when others bully him. But when she saw how her son's shoulders and back were straighter and broader, how he stood taller and smiled brighter, she started to see how stupid she is for being oblivious. Her foolish naivety and stupidity caused a drift between them. Kyoko Sasagawa was right, it was not right for her to call her son a 'dame'. She was his mother for God's sake. If it wasn't for Reborn, her son won't be happy. The tutor filled up her supposed to be role. And it hurts her. It pains her that she can't elevate Tsuna's suffering.
Wiping away her tears, Nana started to formulate a good story to tell Reborn. If Tsuna went away without his tutor's knowledge, then it must be something important. However, she'll help him to her best of abilities. If her obliviousness is a blessing, then she will use it to its limits. It's her time to help her son.
Three days.
Tsuna has been traveling aimlessly away from Namimori for three days straight. He has been staying in cheap motels and searching for a good place to stay. He hadn't contacted anyone yet since he turned off his phone for any possible detection. He should probably dispose it too since there's a hundred percent possibility that Reborn bugged his device. But he needs to find a good store that will provide him a good phone.
He checked his wallet where his money is hidden. He has some secret pockets here and there too, in case that he got robbed or his wallet get snatched. His money came from Nana. He hadn't have time spending them since everytime he wants to, trouble gets him. Ever since Reborn came, it got never stolen nor getting 'borrowed' by his sempais. Probably because he's associated with Hayato, Ryohei, Hibari and Takeshi. The last noiret has a pretty mean bat and pitch that can kill.
It was around brunch when he felt hungry. He did skip breakfast to get to the next city. He knows it was pretty low of him to be paranoid, but he can't help it. So now he's searching for a good restaurant. Luckily, he did find one and entered.
The place was jampacked. He winced how high class it is. He should've expected as such, of course. It is a big city. He will never fit in there with his dirty clothes and unkempt appearance. So he decided to leave.
He was going to go out when a tall bulky old man with long white hair wearing a blue yukata walked in. He looked scary so Tsuna scooted away and about to walk out when his tummy rumbled. He grumbled under his breath and about to continue his way out when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Yes?" He asked before he looked back. It was the old man. Fixing his falling composure, he queried again. "What can I help you with?"
"Eat with me, young man." The old man said as he maneuvered the teen to face the inside of the restaurant.
"E-Eh? But Sir-"
"You're hungry, right? Just take this as a request of an old man."
Tsuna's mind went to his grandfather Timeteo. He bit his lower lip before surrendering. "Okay."
The old man nodded and beckoned Tsuna to walk with him. As they trudged, an usherette welcomed them. Tsuna noticed that the lady didn't address him, mostly to the old man who is towering him. The man is probably a powerful one.
They were ushered to a room with a Japanese style interior. Tsuna removed his shoes by the small foyer while the old man just stepped in with ease since he was wearing geta. He found his spot across the old man. He kept himself relax and alert as assessing eyes inspected him. Reborn will kill him if he showed any weakness.
"You should order now, child. The food here are highly recommended." The old man suggested.
Tsuna nodded and took the menu on the side of the table. His eyes flickered here and there on the pages of the catalog, looking at the names of dishes. He's so thankful that the hitman drilled French in his head. A little later, the usherette came back with a tablet in hand.
"You order first." The old man urged.
Tsuna nodded a thanks. "I'd like a steak au poivre and a banana split for desert." And he gave a smile to the lady.
The lady stared at him before a tint of pink got sprayed on her face. "G-Got it."
The brunet blinked in confusion. The lady was normal just awhile ago, then why is she red now?
"I'll have the regular." The old man pipped in, earning a nod again before the usherette went out, closing the door in her wake. "You know French."
"Ah yes." The teen affirmed before a sheepish look settled on his face. "My tutor taught me languages in his free times." 'Which is all the time.'
"I'm Senzaemon Nakiri."
"Tsunayoshi Sawada, nice to meet you, Nakiri-san."
"Hmm..."
The service of the restaurant was superb. The food was already on their table within minutes. Tsuna checked his food, feeling his intuition for any foul play. Deeming it safe like any other food he had tasted so far, he took his cutlery and started to cut his steak. He tasted the food before frowning and reaching out for some salt.
"Is it bland?" Nakiri-san asked, cautiousness is pretty detectable.
"Ah. N-No." Tsuna shook some spice on the steak. "I just like to have some salt most of the time."
"Are you picky with food?" The old man questioned as he took the salt shaker that the brunet placed back.
"I don't really remember being picky." 'Well except for Bianchi's poison cooking.' "My Kaasan's cooking has been my everyday food. I don't eat that often outside, except for the sushi shop in my town."
"Hm. Do you know how to cook?"
Tsuna blinked. "A little."
"How little?"
"Hmm..." The brunet chuckled, remembering how Reborn wanted him to cook for them both, but ended up being taught to how to cook. It was the first time his tutor seriously instructed him of how to do things. "I can cook a few Italian food, some French, a lot of Japanese and quite a number of some other cuisine."
"What do you think of attending a cooking school, Sawada-kun?"
"Eh?" Tsuna blurted out, surprised.
"Tootsuki Culinary Academy. What do you think of attending such school?"
