Turning Point

Author : 27x18

Warnings : Fluffles

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It was a sad day for the Varia, their commander, Wrathful Sky and leader was in mourning.

Tsuna had finally stopped talking about herself in third person, much to Xanxus' horror, she had finally started to refer to herself as I. Mammon was making a fortune off Xanxus for any recording of Tsuna when she still referred to herself in third person. All of which had tripled in price as soon as Mammon found out.

Not that it made Tsuna any less cute to him, but still, he missed the childish referencing, it meant that Tsuna was growing up, and if he had his way she would never grow up.

Her schooling, Flame training and combat training were all well underway, but still he had never really thought about her growing up and starting to grow out of her cute habits. Xanxus could only hope that she never grew out of calling him nii-san, if Tsuna ever referred to him as Xanxus he wouldn't know what to do with himself. Mammon had a betting pool going on an estimate of the time until Tsuna grew out of calling him nii-san and a further pool on if he would cry or not when that happened.

Squalo had money on him crying.

Lussuria and Levi had money on Tsuna never stopping calling him nii-san.

Belphegor had just ignored Mammon when she brought it up with him and kept playing his game.

Mammon had cackled for three days straight at the profits she had to gain from this venture, no matter which way it went she stood to gain a lot of money.

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Tsuna stood beside her mother on a small step ladder while helping her to prepare the meals for her classmates and friends, a few weeks ago Tsuna had asked her mother to teach her to cook, Nana had been beside herself with joy at the request. Nana knew she couldn't help her child with her school work as she had never been the best at school either, but there was one thing she excelled in which was cooking. To Nana it was more than just food, if it made her family smile then that was all the return one could ever want or need.

Sawada Nana was a master of the housewife arts, she could cook like a goddess, having been called a Yamato Nadeshiko more than once by those that knew her. Everything was always in order in her house, washing done and folded, food provided for anyone that lived there or turned up, rooms always in order and clean yet homey.

Their new little addition of Nagi hadn't had any real impact on the small family so far. Nana had set up the guest room for the small girl, but she slept with Tsuna most nights. Xanxus asked that until he had dealt with the bullies that Nagi stayed at the Sawada home, she would be enrolled in school in a week or so once Xanxus had done what had to be done. Nana didn't ask any further questions, she just smiled and nodded taking care of Nagi during the day while Tsuna was at school.

Nana was working hard on gaining the little girl's trust, Nagi flinched every time she looked at her, even standing up without warning made the child sink in on herself and flinch in terror. If Nana ever had the honour of meeting this child's parents and as she had been told the ones that hurt the girl, Nana was going to smack them over the head with her most solid frying pan...multiple times.

A knock at the door alerted them to the arrival of Tsuna's friends, they came and picked her up every morning, Xanxus had even started to allow them to take her to school without him. Though he always picked her up from school. Xanxus didn't care how safe this small town was, nor how strong her little pseudo Guardians were. Xanxus picked her up every day to ensure that nothing like the Ottabio situation ever happened again.

In truth he also had Levi keep an eye on things in the morning just in case. The teen keeping a watch from a distance while ensuring that the child made it to school safely in the morning.

Nana went to let the children in, Mukurou and Chikusa taking their spots at the table while Ken ran circles around the room. Nana had taken to not only making them their bento's every day, but if they came a little earlier to the Sawada house they also got breakfast. Nana loved feeding people, their smiles when they ate her food was the highest reward any mother could ask for.

"Hey Tsu, what's for breakfast? Is that lunch? Oooh, what's that called?" Ken bounced around Tsuna watching the little girl carefully packing the bento's. Tsuna had her tongue between her teeth while slowly and carefully making sure she put the food into the bentos in the same condition her mother had cooked them.

"Mama and I made pork gyoza." Tsuna smile brightly at them "It was my first time….you'll all need to tell me what you think." Ken was salivating over the bento's, Nana nudging him towards the table where breakfast was waiting.

"Those are for lunch Ken-kun, come have breakfast, before Mukurou-kun eats it all." That made Ken move, anyone eating his food was going to get their fingers bitten off, even if it was Mukurou.

"Mukurou-san byon! That's mine!"

"You didn't look like you were going to eat it." Ken lept onto his chair and immediately swept his breakfast in close glaring at them all over his arms while baring his teeth at them.

"Now now, sit properly Ken-kun." Nana bade gently the child grumbling in Italian but taking his seat, he knew if he didn't do what Nana asked there was no chance of seconds.

"T-Tsuna." Tsuna hopped off her step and moved over to Nagi, the girl peeking in from the doorway. Nagi was scared of the other children still, especially Mukurou, he was always glaring at her, though his eyes fascinated her.

Tsuna tugged her friend in by her hand and pushed her into her seat, taking the seat beside the frail girl while Nagi began to hesitantly nibble at her food, her good eye darting around to the other children in the room.

Once the children were fed Nana began handing out the bento for the day and shuffling the children out the door.

"I'll see you after school Nagi-chan." Tsuna called back to the small girl with a bright smile. Nagi nodding with a timid wave "Bye mama." and with that the collection of children headed of towards school.

Tsuna had Mukurou on one side and Chikusa on the other. Ken kept running ahead of them and then darting back to them and moving off once again.

They were halfway to school when a white haired blur went screaming past them, the wind tugging at their uniforms in the wake of his speed, and echoing yell of Extremeringing in their ears.

"What was that?" Tsuna whispered with wide eyes, Mukurou glaring after the blur while Ken whooped for joy and ran after the blur taking the run of the older child as a challenge.

"Extreme byon~"

"How troublesome." Chikusa sighed while adjusting his glasses again "We'll be late."

"Oh no, I have to give Hibari-kun his lunch too!" Tsuna squeaked heading off towards school in a run, if she didn't give the food to Kyoya in the morning he got grumpy. He always ate his lunch between his morning patrols, his biting of people to death and before his afternoon nap. Kyoya was going to flick her forehead or bop her with his tonfa. Kyoya's lunchtime was different from the schools set time.

If she didn't get it to him before class he'd come get it. The last and only time that happened he had kicked in her classes door in his quest for his lunch. Tsuna didn't want to let him down again. Besides, it was scary having him come to class like that, their teacher had nearly fainted from fright and the entire class had lept to the back of the room and huddled together in fear while the so named Demon of Namimori had stalked up to her desk and bopped her on the head with his tonfa. Glaring at the class he had then taken the bento from Tsuna and stalked right back out.

Tsuna didn't even twitch as they entered the school grounds and Mukurou twisted out of the way of a furious Kyoya. It had become the norm recently to the point that Tsuna barely reacted anymore. Tsuna no longer flinched and shrank back from Kyoya, instead the child just kept walking to class while Kyoya tried his best to "Bite the annoying pineapple herbivore to death."

The battle-maniac was furious, he had been promised a fight with Mukurou the previous day and the blue haired brat had slid out of school with Tsuna under the protection of an illusion. Kyoya hated it when he was tricked, and Mukurou was making it a habit of his using those illusions of his. to trick him more and more, Kyoya twisted after the escaping Mist and launched at him again.

Tsuna handed Kyoya's lunch to his second in command Tetsuya, the tall child tilting his head in thanks to her even as Ken came running back up to them from his race with the white blur.

"Come on Tsu-" Ken glowered when Mukurou grabbed Tsuna's hand and began to run towards the school building "Mukurou-san byon! Stop hogging her!" The child quickly took chase, a snarling Kyoya not far behind. Chikusa sighed heavily and not for the first time that day. Nudging his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

"How troublesome."

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Ken had found the perfect cure for his energy, for PE that day the boys had played baseball, and if there was one thing Ken could do was hit hard and run fast. It was a match made in heaven.

After leaving his classmates in the dust the boy was approached by the captain of the baseball team. Ken at first had glared at him and bared his teeth unsure what this stranger was after until Tsuna had hurriedly explained in her clumsy but improving Italian.

"Oh…" Ken noted with wide eyes, so they could play this game outside class? And he could run around as much as he wanted? There was a morning practice and an afternoon one, and some of the kids played it at lunch break too, Ken was beside himself, he would be able to put all his energy somewhere, maybe then he could actually sit in class for more than five minutes without getting itchy feet.

When Xanxus came to pick them up that afternoon he reluctantly made a detour on the way home, only because Tsuna asked, to get some baseball for dummies books. Though even then he doubted Ken would understand them, he would need baseball for super stupid Italian brats.

It did mean however that Ken would need to head to school before the others, the child wilted when he realised that meant no more breakfast at Nana's. Tsuna however promised to bring him breakfast with his lunch bento. That helped perk the kid up a bit.

Ken spent the rest of the walk home trying to read and walk, an action that led to him walking into people, into Xanxus, into the gutter, potholes, fences and finally a door. After that Mukurou confiscated the book to save Ken from his own stupidity.

So it wasn't so unexpected that two weeks later Xanxus was sitting and glaring at the gathered mothers and brats with Tsuna sitting beside him cheering Ken on in his game. Xanxus wouldn't be caught dead at a place like this normally, but as soon as Tsuna turned those brown eyes on him and that bottom lip began to quiver...The kid had no idea how much power she had in that look.

So here he was, sitting at a baseball game with the brat and the other brats while glowering at the children running around the school yard, waiting for this ordeal to just end, or for death, either was preferable to being in this loud crowded place.

Tsuna didn't know much about the rules for the sport, but Ken seemed happy. The sometimes grumpy child with boundless energy was racing around the field like a puppy after the ball. Mukurou made a comment about how like a dog Ken was and Tsuna could only agree watching the child running around the field after the ball, she could almost see his tail wagging.

Xanxus snorted in amusement before nudging Mukurou "Enough." The Mukurou shrugged and let the tail disappear, thankfully no one had been watching Ken carefully at the time and witnessed the little illusion Mukurou had cast on Ken.

Tsuna's brown eyes were flicking all over the place, she didn't understand the sport even though Ken had tried to tell her the rules a few times, she just wasn't interested enough to listen properly. All she knew about it was that the ball was thrown and hit and Ken loved hitting it as hard as he could, usually knocking it far out of the school grounds.

Tsuna blinked startled when Xanxus reached out in front of her and caught the ball heading for her, Xanxus' red eyes glaring over at the young child who was glaring right back at him, Kyoya standing in his office at the school his window open. "Ah…" Tsuna murmured "I forgot to give Hibari-kun his lunch." Tsuna slid off the bench and headed off for the school, Xanxus watching her go carefully, not liking that she was away from his side in public, especially with these whores surrounding them all gushing over their brats. Ones he knew had stood by and allowed their brats to harass his brat.

Tsuna hurried up to Kyoya's office and ran over to his desk, holding out the bento. Kyoya glared at her, snatching the bento away and bopping her on the head with his tonfa. "We've discussed this herbivore, if you are not going to keep your side of this agreement then you will be disciplined like the other students." Kyoya growled while Tsuna bowed to him over and over,

"I'm sorry….I forgot…" Kyoya growled lightly at the weak excuse,

"You forget too often." Tsuna pouted slightly but bowed to him again with another sorry,

"I expect a totally hand made lunch on monday, without help from your mother." Tsuna blinked while tilting her head to the side, she could probably do it...but it was so much easier with her mother helping her. Tsuna was worried about the knives still, she was scared of cutting herself, she hated blood still.

"B-But-" the chilling silvery grey blue glare cut her off, Tsuna got the none too subtle hint, she hand made his lunch alone or he would start disciplining her as he did all other students. "Mmm, okay." Tsuna mumbled nodding to him a smile tugging at her lips "I promise." Kyoya nodded then, the brat might be unpredictable, strange and somehow...magnetic, but she never gave her word on anything without following through. Tsuna would keep her word.

"Leave." Kyoya ordered, Tsuna bowing to him again before skipping out, Kyoya tried to yell at her for moving at such a pace inside school grounds, but the words died in his throat and he instead turned his attention to his lunch.

Throwing something at Tsuna would probably be seen a mistake and or attack as far as the teenager brat that followed her was concerned, Kyoya knew that tall foreigner wouldn't let anything happen to the herbivore though, and there was no risk in throwing the ball with all his strength.

Tsuna hurried back to Xanxus, the teen setting her on the seat beside him again while glaring at Kyoya's window still. "Brat." Xanxus muttered, Tsuna hugging his arm with a bright smile,

"Hibari-kun was just hungry. Mama said people are grumpy when they're hungry." Xanxus rolled his eyes at that, Nana was a fabulous cook and mother, but she was completely oblivious, he worried that she might hand it on to Tsuna. In some ways the kid was oblivious, but in all the right ways she wasn't.

"Nagi starts school on monday." Xanxus noted while ruffling Tsuna's hair "It's been organised." Tsuna smile was so bright at that moment that all he could do was smile in response, his brat may be a Sky, but she was brighter than any Sun. Picking her up he set her in his lap with a smirk and pretended to pay attention to the baseball game, Tsuna humming to herself in his lap while watching the game.

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Nagi looked terrified, Tsuna didn't like it at all, so the minute that Nagi and the teacher entered Tsuna pushed out of her seat, ignoring the surprise words of her teacher and stepping to the front and standing by Nagi and taking her small hand into her own.

"This is Nagi-chan. Nagi-chan is my girlfriend." Tsuna glared over the class, the students flinching though they never meant to, not to someone like Tsu-baka. Still the small brown haired child intimidated the class into only nodding in response to the announcement. "If you're mean to Nagi-chan…" Tsuna had been learning a lot from Xanxus about how to leave something open. How to use people's imaginations against them. Tsuna left her statement completely open and just tugged Nagi to the small empty desk to her left and sat her friend down.

"W-Well." The teacher stuttered grabbing at his notes and changing topic as quickly as possible "We'll begin with handing forward yesterday's homework."

Mukurou shot a glare over at Nagi, but turned his attention away when Tsuna's brown eyes flicked around at him, he didn't want Tsuna to know that he didn't like Nagi. Tsuna got sad when they didn't get along.

After the morning lesson it was time for the boys to go to PE, Tsuna and the other girls being taken for cooking to another class, even if he didn't like the girl at least it meant that Tsuna would no longer be alone in cooking class.

Tsuna stayed close to Nagi as they moved to the kitchen, tugging the small quiet girl with her down the hallways and to an empty desk near the back.

The teacher began her talk on what today's assignment was while Tsuna and Nagi listened quietly, Nagi flinching when the teacher requested them to find groups. Tsuna took Nagi's hand into her own and gripped it tight while flicking her brown eyes around the class. Everyone was avoiding them, Tsu-baka that was surrounded by all the scary people now, Tsu-baka that their parents had warned them against going near. Tsu-baka that had made all her bullies go to hospital.

"Sawada-san….you can join Hana-chan and me." Tsuna blinked at the girl with wide startled eyes, someone was talking to her, someone at school was talking to her other then the boys and Nagi….Someone was offering her a place in their group!

"Sasagawa-san?" Tsuna whispered glancing at Nagi, then back at the small orange haired girl, flicking her eyes around at the muttering students "...Are you sure?"

"Mmm." The child smiled brightly at Tsuna while her dark haired friend shrugged at them both,

"We have to join up anyway, all other groups are set now." the girl noted while Tsuna glanced around class, she was right, everyone else had groups now, they were the last ones left, even if no one wanted to group with Tsuna and her new weird friend, the only ones left to do so were the pair before them.

"Sorry to intrude." Tsuna said with a bow to them, Kyoko giggling at her,

"We asked, it's not an intrusion." Nagi just bowed quietly and re attached herself to Tsuna's arm, peeking at them from behind the small girl.

"Can we get this over with?" Hana asked, though it was more of an order, Tsuna jumping to attention and hurrying after the girl while the dark haired child led them all to an empty cooking station.

"Alright girls, we're going to start with something simple, now, who knows how to cook a riceball?" Tsuna raised her hand, the teacher ignoring her and continuing to look around the room, picking another student, Tsuna lowering her hand with a sigh, so it was going to be a long lesson it would seem.

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Tsuna tilted her head a strange look in her brown eyes. Nana blinked at her daughter in confusion while Tsuna slid from her seat at the dinner table.

"Nii-san." Nana tilted her head at Tsuna "I need to see nii-san."

"At this time of night?" Nana asked, Tsuna nodding slowly her eyes looking into the distance,

"Please mama." Nana nodded in understanding and slid from her chair and held her hand out to Tsuna.

The door of the mansion swung open, Squalo peering out, his face pale and a frown on his lips, "Nana-san." Squalo greeted Tsuna ducking past them without a word, Nana blinking after her daughter. "The brat's perceptive." Squalo mumbled while Nana tilted her head at him in confusion "We just heard that one of Xanxus' brothers has died." Nana gasped and held one hand to her mouth while worry set in.

"How is Xanxus-kun?" Squalo winced his mind flicking back to the pale faced Xanxus. He had never seen someone's mood swing so fast before. One moment he had been sipping at scotch and grumping over the paperwork before he answered one phone call. His face had paled and he had crushed the phone in his hand by accident. Whispering for Squalo to leave immediately the teen had slid out quickly and headed for another phone to find out what the hell was going on.

No one had the heart to intrude on Xanxus, they had left him alone to mourn. Until Tsuna. Tsuna had turned up at the mansion without anyone calling her and had headed straight to Xanxus. The brat was too sensitive to Flames, especially Xanxus'.

Tsuna twisted the handle to the room she knew her brother was in and peeked in. The room was in shambles, papers were scattered around the room and there was signs of burning from his Wrath Flames on the walls and desk.

Tsuna didn't say anything, the child just shuffled over to him and climbed into his lap and hugged him tight. Slowly his arms wrapped around her and the teen clung to Tsuna his face buried in her hair. Laboured breaths escaping him while he desperately fought back his tears.

Tsuna just hugged him quietly, happy to be there for him for as long as he needed. Xanxus had been there for her, it was her turn.

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No one could say no to Tsuna when she asked to go with Xanxus to the funeral, even though it was going to be in Italy and the closely allied famiglia would be in attendance, no one was willing to take Tsuna away from Xanxus right now. Squalo had a theory that Xanxus would be off on a rampage like he had not that long ago if Tsuna hadn't been by his side.

Nana agreed to let him take her to Italy even though she wouldn't be going with them, she was in charge of taking care of the children while they were in Italy. Nagi was too scared of the loud boisterous Varia to be in their care, and Nana trusted Xanxus, she knew nothing could happen to Tsuna while they were in Italy.

Iemitsu had called her and forbidden her from letting Tsuna go to Italy with Xanxus, but she hadn't been able to say no to Xanxus. Tsuna really did think of the teen as her brother, and there was no way Tsuna was going to let Xanxus go to Italy without her. Nana believed if she said no to them then Tsuna would find a way anyway.

This new, more confident, happy and stronger Tsuna was also very protective of her family and friends. Nana had ignored Iemitsu's warnings and handed over Tsuna's passport to Xanxus with an understanding smile.

Xanxus, Tsuna and Squalo were going to Italy, Lussuria and Levi were in charge of watching over the three children that were under the care of the Varia. Mammon was away for work and Belphegor had a new game to play and refused to leave his room.

Iemitsu called Nana only two hours after Tsuna got on the private plane with Xanxus heading towards Italy, to say he was upset was an understatement, however Nana refused to back down, not this time.

"How could you Nana, you don't know this kid, and you just let my daughter go to Italy with him!"

"Our daughter, Iemitsu I know you don't like Xanxus for whatever reasons, but he has been good to and for Tsuna-chan." Nana had never disagreed with her husband, but this was one thing she would never allow, Tsuna needed Xanxus, and Xanxus needed Tsuna. Nana didn't completely understand why, but she knew it would be cruel to separate them now. Nana trusted Xanxus with Tsuna with every part of her soul, Xanxus would sooner die than let anything happen to her little girl. "I've never fought you on anything before. However this time I cannot and will not take Tsuna-chan away from Xanxus-kun. I'm sorry Iemitsu, but no, Tsuna-chan and Xanxus-kun are family, even if you don't like it, they are family, and Tsuna wants to be with him right now, he has my total trust in take care of my daughter."

"Nana-"

"No, Iemitsu, I won't change my mind." Nana set the phone down with a shaky breath, she loved her husband, but she loved Tsuna more. If Iemitsu wanted to do anything that in her mind would hurt Tsuna, example A being taking her away from Xanxus, Nana could not allow that.

"N-Nana-san?" Nana smiled over at Nagi and ruffled her hair gently,

"It's alright Nagi-chan." Nagi hesitantly smiled at her again "And remember, call me mama."

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Timoteo slammed the phone down only seconds into the conversation, how the hell did Iemitsu have the balls to complain to him about Tsuna coming with Xanxus to the funeral? Timoteo had just lost his eldest son.

Enrico had been at a routine meeting with allied famiglia when a badly timed police raid had commenced. His son, his eldest and first son, had been sneaking the famiglia members out of the building until being caught in gunfire from the so called authorities.

The Mafioso had not fired a single shot, yet the police had killed fourteen people. Still the media reported it as if the Mafioso had tried to kill the police raiders and the police had been completely justified in killing fourteen men. "Dangerous armed and hostile individuals" Nono had lost his son, his kind, funny and gentle son.

Timoteo was using every resource available to him to put on the face of calm. Yet in the midst of his own, or any parents, personal hell and loss of one of his children Iemitsu wanted to bitch at him about Tsuna coming to the funeral.

Timoteo knew that the child was coming, and he knew that they had to keep her out of the Mafia world and had even organised things with his Mist so the child would never be recognised. He could explain that to Iemitsu but the CEDEF head had picked the wrong time and a worse tone with the Vongola head. Being bitched at while dealing with his grief was not something he could take right now. So Timoteo, Vongola Nono, had hung up on the head of CEDEF without a word. For someone, Iemitsu of all people, to have the balls to complain to him just after he had lost his son, the gentle and kind son with such a contagious smile and jovial personality, to then complain to him and turn the conversation onto his own issues and about his personal life. Timoteo was of the opinion that Iemitsu could go fuck himself.

If Iemitsu was so callous as to harass him so soon after the death of his son then he could go to hell on an express elevator in his opinion.

Timoteo covered his face with his hands while pulling back his sob, desperately he sobbed into his hands his shoulders shaking. No parent should ever have to bury their children.

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Tsuna was asleep only moment after the plane took off, her head resting on Xanxus lap while the teen stared out the window a frown on his lips.

"You sure you want the kid with you at the funeral?" Squalo could only cringe at the glare sent his way. Squalo fumbled desperately for a change of topic, Xanxus' blank stare was all the answer that he needed, however out of desperation he continued. There were still a few hours to go of the flight and he didn't think it could get any more awkward than this.

"Frankly Squalo, I don't give a damn." Xanxus whispered while running a hand through Tsuna's soft brown hair "Shut up." Squalo fell silent and sighed shuffling back into his chair his eyes flicking to the window and staring out at the passing scenery.

That was fair, Xanxus wasn't in the mood for conversation, being that he had just lost his brother he could understand that completely. Squalo didn't like the heavy silence, but anything he said was just going to piss his boss off further, so Squalo shut himself up and just watched the scenery pass while Xanxus drew from the calming gentle Sky flames of Tsuna to keep himself calm and centred.

The moment they landed Xanxus was met by Vongola personnel and taken directly to the mansion. Xanxus didn't want to admit it, but he was worried about Nono, the man had come to meet them and discuss Tsuna's situation at the events to come and even he, as oblivious to emotions and the like, could see the dark rings under his not fathers eyes.

"I have organised with my Mist, no one will recognise Tsuna outside this event. The little one is welcome at the funeral and mansion until you're ready to go home." Xanxus wanted to say something to Timoteo to hurt him, to take a dig at the man who had lied to him for years. But not even he was so callous as to try bring pain in this time, anything he might have said died on his lips at the haunted pain in Timoteo's tired brown eyes.

Tsuna blinked sleepily at Timoteo for one moment before slipping from Xanxus' hold and moving over to the older man and hugging his leg tight. Timoteo, as strong as the Vongola head had been in front of everyone in this current situation couldn't help but scoop the child into his arms and press his face into her hair while forcing himself not to sob. He understood a little as to why Xanxus was so attached to the child, she was very warm and accepting. A true safe place in their world of blood.

Xanxus fought his emotions so he didn't grab Tsuna back from his father and hug her himself. Weakness Tsuna would never use against them, weakness that only Tsuna could see and accept, weakness Tsuna would forgive them and never try turn into a weapon against them.

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Xanxus stood at the freshly laid dirt, his older brother sent to rest beneath the surface. He had never, not even once, told his brother thank you, not once had he ever let go of his ego and said to his brother that he noticed the effort he went to to make him feel at home, the smiles they had given his temperamental self when no one else had come near him. Enrico, all his brothers, had been so kind and accepting to and of him from the moment Timoteo brought him back to the mansion. He had pushed them away, and now...he had lost one of them without ever telling him how thankful he was.

They had taken him as family and treated him like a true brother without hesitation. Every time he had been cold to them, they had brushed it off and kept being annoying happy bastards never taking his words to heart, never giving up on pampering him and treating him like a child and family.

On his other side his other two brothers were standing in total silence, fists clenched so hard their knuckles were white. Xanxus had not a single thing he could say to them right now. He entertained the thought of lending them Tsuna for a hug.

Tightening his hand on Tsuna's small one the child slowly let a small flame come to life between their joined hands, the soft gentle Sky Flame helping to keep him grounded, helping to push back the rage and need to hunt down every single bastard involved in the death of his brother, helping him not to show any emotion in front of all these cold bastards staring at the grave with smirks and grins. One of the sons was gone, that left three heirs, as far as they knew.

That brought Nono's reign one step closer to ending, and the end of that line of Vongola blood.

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"Why Nono, I had no idea you had a daughter." Timoteo glanced to the side, steeling himself for what was to come, he was a Mafia Don, he couldn't show weakness, not even at his son's funeral. Forcing a calm he didn't feel Nono forced himself to smile calmly at the head of a famiglia allied to the Vongola. Lucian Gokudera, the man had always rubbed him the wrong way because of how he handled the matter of his mistress and his son, but in their world any illegitimate child was scorned. Not that anyone had dared say a word to him when he brought his youngest son and for all they knew Timoteo's bastard son home.

"Oh no. This little cutie is Xanxus'. My own darling granddaughter." the man looked taken aback at that, looking between Xanxus and the tiny girl holding his hand a little way away from them.

"Eh?" Timoteo could see the man's mind whirring as it put together his statement, looking between Xanxus and the child again while he tried to do the maths….the kid looked around five years, Xanxus was sixteen….so that meant that Xanxus had been ten to eleven when the kid was born. Minus another nine months. All Lucian could do was stare at Xanxus with confusion on his face.

"The little one is being raised currently outside the Mafia, so I'd appreciate it if you kept that in mind when around her." A shiver ran down his spine while he nodded to Nono, that wasn't a request, it was a warning.

"Of course Nono." Timoteo's smile took on a scary note for another few seconds before the old man nodded and his smile disappeared, looking over at Tsuna who refused to leave Xanxus' side right now.

"If you like….I can provide a playmate for her while the more sensitive proceedings go on." Lucian added after a moment's thought, the kid was around the age of his bastard. If he could get a foot in the door with a direct relative of Nono, raised outside their world or not, it gave him more leverage than his famiglia had at the moment. The look Timoteo sent him sent another shiver down his back. The man knew, Timoteo knew exactly what he was thinking of using his bastard for.

The smile that took Nono's lips then scared Lucian more than the look the older man had given him moments before "Of course, that would be appreciated. Young Hayato is welcome at the mansion, he's smart enough to understand the restriction of topics, correct?" Lucian nodded quietly, unwilling to push anything further with the Vongola head, moving away to get someone to bring his bastard to the mansion.

"Don't fuck this up brat." Heading out the front of the mansion he grabbed the boy by the scruff of his neck and pulled the silver haired child close "Not a word about the Mafia, you are now Nono's granddaughters toy, understood?" Hayato shot his father a glare "Don't fuck this up brat. Do anything the kid wants, if we work this well we might be able to get you a place as her Guardian when Nono gathers them for her." Hayato knew better than to question his father, when you were given an order in the Mafia you followed it.

He had been ordered this way more than once, including at all his piano performances when his darling sister would feed him her….cookies. Hayato knew that he had to follow orders, the penalty far outweighed the reasons for not doing as told. Had he been anyone else he knew he would have lost a finger for having denied his father. In their famiglia you did as you were told or you faced the consequences.

"Understood."

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"No." Timoteo sighed heavily his eyes flicking between Tsuna and Xanxus,

"Xanxus-"

"The brat is not leaving my sight." Xanxus growled angrily, no way in hell was he going to leave Tsuna unattended with the sharks circling them, all eyes on Tsuna. Xanxus could feel them all looking at her, all of them staring at his little brat wondering how they could use Tsuna to gain leverage in the Vongola.

"You're telling me you want her to come with you to the proceedings this afternoon?" his son shot him an especially dirty look at that,

"Then I'll stay with her." he shrugged while Timoteo frowned at his youngest son,

"Xanxus….please, I need you and your brothers with me." Xanxus glowered at his father while Tsuna glanced between the two of them piecing together the conversation.

"Nii-san….grandpa needs you, nii-san...please?" Xanxus groaned while he looked at the little girl in his arms, whose bright idea had it been to teach her Italian. "Please?" how could he say no to that?

"Fine." Xanxus grumbled glaring over at his father again "But, Squalo stays with the brat." Timoteo nodded in agreement, while he knew the chances of Hayato doing anything stupid, the kid was a genius from his sources, Xanxus wasn't going to feel comfortable leaving Tsuna with anyone without one of his best men keeping an eye on her.

"Thank you little one." Tsuna smiled brightly at Timoteo reaching towards him, Xanxus reluctantly letting Tsuna free from his hold and Timoteo lifting the girl into his arms. Tsuna hugging his neck tight.

"Grandpa needs his family." Tsuna murmured "Nii-san is really good at making me feel better, maybe he can help grandpa." Timoteo chuckled softly tightening his arms on her for a moment before letting her go, Xanxus all but snatching his brat back from Timoteo.

"I'll leave Bouche with them as well to keep her identity hidden, I promise she'll be safe." Timoteo assured while Tsuna hugged Xanxus' neck again letting him hold her for a few more moments.

"Fine." Xanxus finally agreed softly, but he wasn't doing this for Timoteo, he was doing this for Tsuna and his brothers. "However." Timoteo cocked an eyebrow "I meet this little shit-" Tsuna flicked his forehead "with her, I'm not leaving her with some little shit I have never met." another flick to his forehead that he ignored from Tsuna while he glared at his father "When is this meeting shit happening?" Tsuna poked his cheek this time while he continued to ignore her,

"Young Hayato has just arrived." Nono noted while looking over at one of the maids "Would you like to go meet the young Storm?"

"Don't even try it old man." Xanxus growled "You are not pushing any Guardians on my brat!" Tsuna tilted her head in confusion, not understanding that word,

"Nii-san, what does Guardian mean?"

"Noth-"

"It means protectors little one." Timoteo interrupted while Tsuna blinked at him her face scrunching in thought,

"So….lots of Nii-san?" Timoteo, even while pushing back his grief admitted to forgetting himself entirely and fangirling at the tiny girl for a moment,

"Lot's of Xanxus', fuck that, run while you can brat." Xanxus tossed a dirty look over at Squalo, the teen leaning against the doorframe his arms crossed over his chest,

"There's more than one nii-san?" Tsuna whispered with wide eyes, blinking at Xanxus with her curious brown eyes "Nii-san….is there really more then one of you?" Xanxus sighed heavily while rolling his eyes,

"No, there's only one of me." Xanxus shot another dirty look at Squalo "You are in charge of the brat this afternoon." Squalo shrugged, he was glad to not be dragged to the formal proceedings that afternoon, there were members of the police that needed to be dealt with for this clusterfuck.

"Fine by me." Tsuna looked between the three while trying to figure out what they were talking about now.

"Grandpa…" Tsuna noted smiling at the greying Vongola head "You'll be okay." Nono was taken aback at the conviction in the small girl's voice and could only smile gently in response,

"Go take the little one to meet Hayato, Xanxus." Xanxus glared at the old man before striding out, Tsuna in his arms and Squalo a step behind him,

"How's Xan holding up?" Timoteo studied his youngest legal son, Federico poking his head in, his face paler than normal and his dark suit showing none of the normal cheer that usually was bursting from the young man "He hasn't let us near him."

"The little one has been helping, his temper has been in careful check thanks to her." Timoteo noted "She really does have a very calming Flame."

"Wish he'd share her then….we could all use a calming strong Sky Flame right now." Federico muttered softly while reaching out to set a hand on his father's shoulder in comfort, the old man was shaking ever so slightly, but that soon passed.

"I'll go get Massimo." Timoteo nodded while his son moved away, Nono taking one deep breath and heading for the door, it was time to get things underway.

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The maid led him into the drawing room, waiting for them was Bouche and a silver haired child with bright green eyes, the child shuffled off the seat and bowed to Tsuna and Xanxus,

"My name is Hayato, it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance." Xanxus set Tsuna down, glaring down at the brat while Tsuna went to meet him,

"I'm Tsuna...uh...nii-san, what's an acquaintance?" Xanxus shot the boy another glare before looking to the waiting Tsuna,

"Means nice to meet you." Xanxus explained in Japanese before looking at Hayato again "The kid is native Japanese, don't fucking confuse her with long words you shit." Hayato shot Xanxus an answering glare for a moment before the look disappeared and the small Italian child was once again the perfect little boy, if his father heard that he had glared at one of Nono's sons he was going to be beaten, or worse, made to eat more of his sisters cooking.

"I apolo….sorry." Hayato changed his words the second Xanxus glared at him "I didn't know you didn't speak Italian well."

"Luss-nee is teaching me Italian." Tsuna explained with a bright smile "Ne, why are you sad?" Hayato's back stiffened and Xanxus groaned, no, please no, don't let the brat pick up yet another brat for him to take care of. If Timoteo had brought this kid here for that he was going to punch the old man, grieving or not, Xanxus had enough fucking kids around him, no more.

"I'm perfectly fine Miss. Tsuna." Tsuna looked at Xanxus curiously while he sighed

"Miss is -san." Tsuna smiled brightly at Hayato and reached out to grab his hand, tugging him out the doors and into the Vongola mansion's gardens, she had been eyeing a hedge maze since they got here two days ago,

"Call me Tsuna-chan, Hayato-kun. Squalo-nii come play!" Squalo grumbled softly while nodding over to Xanxus and heading after the children. Xanxus watched them disappear into the hedge maze. Turning his back on the bright Sky and taking a deep breath to calm himself Xanxus headed for the meeting room.

Let him make it through this afternoon without killing someone. Separated from Tsuna he was making no promises.

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Tsuna tugged Hayato behind her through the maze, around corners and through arches until they ended up in the centre of the maze, as Tsuna had seen from the window of her room there was a beautiful fountain here. It was even prettier up close.

"No one can hear us here." Tsuna noted looking back at the child with a bright smile and sitting herself on the edge of the fountain "Why are you so sad….and scared?" Hayato looked at her cautiously his green eyes searching for something from her. Why the hell was she asking those sort of things, was she fishing for weakness? For something against his father? Had the Vongola gotten this innocent looking kid to try and press him for information so they could do something to his famiglia?

"I'm not sure what you mean." Hayato noted with a strained smile "I'm neither scared nor sad, I'm just nervous about playing with a new acquaintance." Tsuna looked to Squalo in confusion,

"That meant nice to meet you didn't it?" Squalo flicked his eyes between them,

"Yes and no, he means to say that he's nervous about playing with a new person." Tsuna blinked before nodding and looking back at Hayato,

"Okay." Tsuna smile at Hayato with a crooked grin "Let's explore the maze Hayato-kun." the silver haired child squeaked in surprise as Tsuna grabbed his hand and dragged him off into the maze again, the pair ducking and running around corners and getting themselves quite lost.

"We should be making a map." Hayato called startled while Tsuna tugged him around another corner, grinning back at him,

"It's more fun this way, the more lost we are the more fun it is to find our way back." Hayato was doing his best to count corners and keep track of how many times they went left and right, but the small girl was tugging him too fast and he had lost count some time ago.

"Father will be mad if we're out too long." Hayato yelped while Tsuna slid to a stop looking back at him with big brown eyes,

"Why would he be mad?" Hayato clammed up and avoided her eyes, his green eyes flicking around them at the green hedges surrounding them so completely, eyes flicking back to Tsuna. The girl had pretty red eyes, but something about her seemed off. Though he knew very well they were being followed by one of Vongola Nono's Guardians, Mist to be precise, it was likely the little black haired girl looked nothing like what he saw. "Hayato-kun?" his green eyes flicked back to her again, pushing his thoughts aside.

"Let's start looking for our way back." he muttered while wrapping his hand around her own tight and tugging the small girl back in the other direction, trying his best to remember the corners and lead her true.

"My father get's mad over strange things." Tsuna mumbled while Hayato froze looking back at her with wide green eyes,

"Xanxus-sama?"

"Nii-san?" Tsuna blinked confused "Nii-san isn't my father, he's nii-san." Hayato cocked an eyebrow confused, Tsuna thinking desperately for the right words "My big brother." Hayato looked stunned, staring at her. His father had said she was the child of Xanxus, for her to now say that was wrong meant that his father had no idea about where this little one came from. "My father is never home, mama says he's working far away." Hayato was trying to push aside the twinge of concern for the little girl that had no father, as he felt on more than one occasion. His father never acted as a father, maybe, just maybe this girl could understand.

"When father is home….he's always angry." Tsuna tightened her hand on the small one still clasped to her own "Angry at me, angry at everyone." Tsuna just studied him in silence, Hayato gripping her hand tight in his while fighting back the shaking that took him when he thought of his father, "He scares me."

Tsuna tugged at his hand, pulling the child towards one path, even though he couldn't recall if this was the right way he trusted Tsuna, he had known this child for only a very short time, but for some reason he trusted her.

"My father hates me." Tsuna froze, looking back at the hooded green eyes of the child behind her, a sad smile tugging at her lips.

"You can come back home with Tsuna." Tsuna smiled "I'll protect you." Hayato stared at her, not even noticing the groan from the silver haired teen that had been following them,

"Another one? Really?" Tsuna blinked back at Squalo, tilting her head,

"Nii-san...would say no?" Squalo pressed a hand to his face, they had no chance, not against that cute little brat. Flicking open his mobile he sent a mail to Xanxus, they had taken on yet another brat.

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Timoteo poured a decent serve of whiskey into the glass and slid it across the table to his underaged son, while normally he didn't like Xanxus drinking, today was an exception, they both needed it. Massimo was refusing to leave his room, Federico trying to convince him to show his face for the second day of meetings and discussions. The action of the police could not go unpunished, the Vongola could not show even a moment of weakness, to do so meant the wolves descending.

"The little one. Young Hayato makes up the last second to last post of Guardian does he not." Xanxus threw a dirty look over at his father.

"The brat has not got Guardians. Like hell I'm ever letting her get involved in our world." Timoteo studied his drink quietly for a moment. He agreed, but he wasn't so naive as to think Tsuna would never get involved, the Mafia world may not know her true appearance, but they now knew she existed. He would do everything he could to delay them, but not him, nor Xanxus had the power to keep her free from the underworld now they knew that not only did she exist but was also related to them and a possible leverage.

"Mist, Sun, Rain, Cloud and now Storm, she's only missing Lightning. If not Guardians what do you think of them as? They're all flocking to her Flames, and her magnetism will only get stronger as she and her Flames grow."

"They're brats, not Guardians, they're inexperienced whiny little shits that are allowed to stay in her vicinity because it's what Tsuna wants."

"You're right, they are not Guardians." Yet "What about Paladins?" Xanxus looked completely confused now "Well her own little army needs a name."

"Why the fuck would you pick Paladin. Are you high? They're her bitches, or slaves...or toys."

"Paladins fear nothing, for Evil fears them" Xanxus couldn't help the snort of amusement that escaped him.

"Every one of those brats fears something." Xanxus noted "They fear Tsuna not wanting them around anymore."

"Doesn't everyone? The little Sky is impressive, gathering so many without even trying. It's not every day a Sky collects another Sky." Timoteo noted with a pointed look, Xanxus growling back at him. Nono couldn't hide his soft smile "We can call them Guardians if you pref-"

"They are not her Guardians." Xanxus growled angrily again while Timoteo turned his old brown eyes to the whiskey in his hands "Paladins...you're losing your marbles old man. Whatever call them whatever you want. It's not like I care, they're all just brats to me." Xanxus grumbled watching Tsuna in the garden with the newest brat that was now being offloaded onto the Varia and their growing collection of brats, seriously, what was becoming of the Varias top brass, babysitting brats from all over the Mafia.

"Even the Cloud is showing signs of attachment." Timoteo noted "When a Cloud attaches to a Sky, you and I both know that she will never be able to lose those surrounding her."

"Taking care of the brat is one thing, you keep throwing brats at us and I'll start culling the little shits." Xanxus growled while throwing back his drink "We're not a babysitting service."

"You brought three of them home yourself, you started the collection the moment you picked up Tsuna in Italy." Xanxus tossed him yet another glare "From that moment, you my son began collecting children."

"I did not begin collecting brats, all I did was take in Tsuna, I don't give a shit about any of the rest of them. They are toys for Tsuna, nothing more." Timoteo sighed softly at his son, Xanxus was not going to admit that Tsuna had any effect on changing him. Xanxus had become softer, not that it was overly obvious, Xanxus had softened and had actually begun to care and notice that other people had feelings.

"Will you take him to Japan with you?" Xanxus frowned down at the child that was sticking close to his brat. Tsuna would be so upset if they left him behind now, but taking him with them gave his father the impression that he had now installed his son as a Guardian for Tsuna.

"Tsuna wants him to come." Xanxus muttered "So yes." Timoteo smiled softly at his son, he knew he didn't have to worry about Tsuna or Hayato, Xanxus would take care of Tsuna even if he was reluctant to take in yet another child, he would take care of Hayato because Tsuna cared about him.

"Thank you." Timoteo murmured "Take care of that gentle Sky."

"You don't have to tell me that, Tsuna is my brat, I won't let anything happen to her."

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I do apologize for the delays, between full time work and part time study I have no life or time. Holidays at the moment though, so to writing I go. I haven't spent a tonne of time double checking things and editting, so apologies, but I wanted to get things out, been too long.

Huge Thank You to EVERYONE.

Biggest response to a chapter yet, I love you all, thank you for everything, each review, favorite or even follow, share around the brotherly Xanxus, everyone needs a little fluff.

Looking back at my start as a little one shot of fluff I wasn't even sure of continuing, I never imagined such a positive response. Thank you all so much.

Enormous thank you to Littlest1 for the talks that helped out with brainstorming ideas.

fantasy.92 , Littlest1 , Gelasia Kidd , Jackie Frost123 , brnkofeternity06 , Shadow Phoenix 16 , Nekohana , Crystallea1321 , kawaiioddish , ddmahan922 , Lucky Guard , ilovecartoonsgirl , TamashinoSuzume , i , fringeperson , Evani , Of Stories Told , Xxferessa-TanXx , foxchick1x2 , Ice Night , Kagekitsonegal , GetsueiNoYume , Arashi - IV of VI , 00-SilentObserver-13 , meme7789 , EndlessChains , Jo Anna Grace , Sarekkandarikulover , Guest , Astra (Guest) , Natsu Yuuki , LioPyro7890 , Mari Wollsch , Wanderer13 (Guest), , shelia-cloud , lovleydragonfly , Beloved Daughter , k123 , Guest , Breath after Death , Kichou , Silvyavan , Frostfire613 , GirlAnimePrincess , Kurogane Tsubasa , Faery66 , Kyrrh , LunarCatNinja , Guest , Pixiecropse , Ender the multiverse Detective , ksecc1 , Jully Reed , kaiirine

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Guest : Yup, Xanxus and Tsuna's birthdays are both in October. Only a few days apart too. I didn't even realize it until I was looking at the dates. Of course our lovely Varia Commander and his XX name is born on 10/10 as well.

Lacie (Guest) : Unfortunately I'll still be killing off Nono's sons, I don't want to, but for Tsuna to be chosen as Decimo they have to die...I feel bad about it, but...it has to be done.

Breath after Death : " Xan Xan is such a cute older brother" My original save file for this was called XanXan. xD

Everyone needs Brotherly Xanxus.