A/N Hello :D

We're pushing the story forward a tiny bit roughly, and a fraction more hastily that I first expected.

I will reiterate that this story pairs Tsuna with many others, though the nature of relationships will not necessarily be romantic (though most of her guardians will be), and there will be some platonic relationships happening around the place. Notably I've been trying to figure out how to incorporate Reborn into something remotely romantic, but that will be a long time coming if my guesses on my writing are accurate.

Here's the next chapter with a warning that Gokudera's segment is nowhere near done...


~Chapter 14 – Uncertainly Marching Forth

Ietsuna was finding it difficult to remember the simplicity of her old routine, wondering how something that had barely changed in years could be overturned so suddenly. Mornings had been full of drowsy awakenings and shared the time with her mother and Takeshi, afternoons were school and Kyoya, leaving her early evenings sometimes to Fon and the remainder to be given back to her mother and herself. Now her mornings were hectic as she found herself pulled from dreams by the indignant shouts from her brother. Any time spent in her household was now split between her family in an uneven way. A little to her mother as they prepared breakfast together, less to her father as he offered her a yawn and a greeting, and the majority to her twin who flittered around her constantly as if to make up for years apart.

Takeshi no longer greeted her, no longer waited for her by the front gates to her home, marking it a week now that he had spent away from her side. And try as she might, Tsuna could not remember a similar instance in the past, finding Takeshi a welcome constant in her memories. She would admit to missing him, but had to wonder if him staying away was for the better. She let out a heavy sigh, finding these heavy thoughts starting to become commonplace.

"Tsuna!" Recently another had been added to their daily routine, and as punctual as ever, he was waiting outside their classroom as the lunch bell rang, ready to catch her on the way out, "Please go out with me!" It was still as embarrassing as ever, even if it was becoming an everyday occurrence. Coupled with Takeshi's absence and a heap of unresolved rumours, Tsuna was beginning to earn unwanted attention, no matter how hard she tried to diffuse the situation.

"Sorry, but I decline Sasagawa-senpai." Ietsuna rejected softly, though her words did little to the persistent boxer. She was convinced he had developed some sort of traumatic bond with her, mistaking the feeling of adrenaline and panic at the time of their capture, with something like love.

"Isn't this enough Onii-san?" Kyoko asked, walking up to them with her hands on her hips. Beside her was a torn Ieyoshi, happy to be next to his crush even if it meant that said crush's brother was chasing after his own sister.

"Kyoko, my heart has decided," the older Sasagawa proclaimed unashamedly, "I need to get to the club, but I will ask again tomorrow." With an uncharacteristic bow, he took one final look at Tsuna before jogging away.

"Mou," The school idol pouted cutely, giving Tsuna an apologetic look, "I'm really sorry if my brother is being a bother."

"It's fine, he'll get over it sooner or later." She shrugged with a shake of her head. She still owed the boxer an explanation but it seemed that he had mostly forgotten about the whole thing, no matter how implausible that was.

"Kyoko." Her best friend was calling her, holding up two bentos and giving the male Sawada a displeased look.

"What's with her?" Her brother whispered as their classmate was lured away. He truly thought Kurokawa hated him.

"So you pay attention when a girl dislikes you, but haven't noticed that Gokudera-san has been glaring at you this whole time?" His sister replied, her gaze moving over to where the transfer was watching them, unabashed.

"Rather than not noticing, I'm trying to ignore it," Yoshi fidgeted uncomfortable, avoiding eye contact, "I don't remember meeting him before, or doing anything that could make him hate me so much."


It was only with much effort she escaped the clutches of her overprotective brother, sending him home as she walked through the quiet streets of Namimori. He was paranoid that she would get abducted again, only relenting when she showed him the gun she was forced to carry around. At the time she hadn't found it necessary to tell him it currently lacked any bullets to shoot with, like hell she was taking a loaded gun to school, bluffing her way out of his grasp so she could turn up at the quiet dojo. Inside was a single person, not looking much older than her, silently working through a familiar kata. "Good afternoon, Ietsuna-chan," His soothing voice cut through the quiet and she bowed politely in response, basking in the calm his mere presence brought.

"I'm sorry for my absences Fon-sensei." Today he looked a lot like a certain bloodthirsty student of her school, his ever-changing form lingering in his adolescence. There was no logical explanation to how a baby could teach martial arts, or hold an intellectual conversation, nor was there one to explain how his age seemed to fluctuate. Her master was sometimes an infant, usually and adult, and occasionally a teen like now, and he hadn't told her more than the basics of his apparent curse.

"It's fine," Fon looked at his student intently, happy to see she was in good condition after hearing about the kidnapping incident from one of his sources, "It would be unfair if I was the only one allowed unexplained disappearances." His humour was not lost on her and she let out a small laugh, relaxing more than she had in the past week.


"I had my suspicions," His voice was irritatingly calm, as he watched the retreating girl's back, certain she would be safe on her way home, "And it looks like they were correct."

"I too, have finally realized your reason for being here, Reborn," Fon turned to greet the hitman, his usual, guarded smile in place, "One would think you would prioritize guarding Ieyoshi Sawada rather than tailing his sister."

"I'm just watching out for my student." He replied coolly, enjoying the fact that his friend was stuck in a younger form, allowing the fedora-wearing male to tower over him more.

"Student?" There was a small amount of irritation at the hitman's words, one that derived from his pride as a master.

"Yes," Reborn replied with his patented smirk, "Iemitsu has given the rights of training Tsuna to me, after the small scare we had recently."

"Ietsuna is my student," Fon said with a frown, "If you think you can take her from me you are sorely mistaken."

"I said nothing about that," He raised a brow at the former assassin's possessiveness, "I just want to work out a small arrangement. Tsuna will need both of us if she is to take the 'throne'."

"You can't be serious, Reborn," The martial artists sighed, craving for a hot cup of tea, "From what I understand Ietsuna and her twin are very close. I doubt they would fight for the position of heir, even if Ietsuna actually desired it."

"You can never be certain," Reborn continued, "Though he may be satisfied with Ieyoshi, Nono would be truly happy with her. I'm curious as to what kind of reign she will bring."


In the absence of her usual guard, who had according to the latest trending rumour caught some sort of contagious disease, the teasing had almost started up again only to be crushed ruthlessly by her brother. Some had also forgotten the existence of Hibari, an almost impossible feat that would never occur again once they regained consciousness.

Tsuna couldn't bring herself to care though, feeling more and more down as time passed. She idly watched Gokudera call her brother out, and wondered if she should go eat lunch in the Reception Room despite the fact that only Kusakabe would be there at the moment.

"Tsuna-chan?" A quiet voice called her name, and she found it was Kyoko who sought her attention, "Would you like to eat together?" She was a little nervous, motioning to where Kurokawa Hana was waiting.

"That would be nice." Tsuna replied with a smidge of awe. It was the first time she would be eating with her other classmates.

"Great!" Kyoko brightened right up, smiling happily as she led Tsuna over to their table, "Onii-san is busy today so he shouldn't bother you." She added as an afterthought.

"I see." She could easily see how Kyoko was considered the school's female idol. She was just so bubbly and cute…

"So what is it like being courted by a monkey?" Hana's sharp voice asked as she sat down. Her friend didn't seem to mind the small slander to her brother, knowing all too well Hana's acute personality.

"It is an odd experience." Tsuna replied, admiring the fact that neither of them backed down from her gaze. It seems Takeshi's method of exposure had come to fruition, though it was a shame he was not here to see.

"If it really bothers you I can try talking to Onii-san again," Kyoko offered reluctantly, "Though he really does seem to like you…"

"I admire his enthusiasm," Tsuna admitted quietly, "And my heart does flutter whenever he comes to visit,"

"But…" The kind girl pressed, "Oh! Is it someone else?"

"No… yes, kinda-"

"Yamamoto?" Hana guessed boldly, voicing a popular rumour, "It's pretty obvious you two are close. Are you secretly dating?"

"…No?"

"Is it Hibari-senpai?" Trust Kyoko to be the brave one to ask, "You spend a lot of time in the Reception Room and he always beats up anyone who says a bad word about you." Was this what girls did when they got together, Tsuna thought to herself anxiously, trying to tackle the gossip as one would a life-or-death battle.

"Ah, really?" She also felt bad for thinking of the other girl as an airhead. It seemed like this whole time her keen sense of observation had been used for other things.

"If we're going that far then there's also the foreign students that sometimes wait around the gate," Her friend added, sounding a bit too much like a detective, "They come here specifically for you and we have a lot of heartbroken students because of them." Speaking of those two…it seemed like they were laying low, not that she could blame them.

"I never realized…" And how did she feel about all these candidates? Almost the same. If her heart decided to flop because she received a smile, then so be it. It was Takeshi's warm one, Kyoya's barely-there tilt of his lips, Mukuro's roguish smirk, Ryohei enthusiastic grin, Reborn- Oh no, why had his name popped up? There was Fon as well… No, he was her teacher and definitely off limits. And what about Xanxus? Tsuna was beginning to think she was getting ahead of herself. Wasn't this just her acknowledging handsome guys?

"For what it's worth, I think your brother's charming." Tsuna stated suddenly before clamping her mouth shut, after she had gone ahead and dug her grave. Her face heated as she opened her mouth again, but it took a few false starts before she was finally able to finish the thought, "But he definitely deserves someone other than me."


Tsuna knew something was wrong when her brother and the transfer student didn't return to class. Her intuition though, wouldn't let up, nagging her and drowning out everything else. With a weak excuse to use the bathroom she rushed out of class, walking not running, as fast as she could down the hallway. That same nagging feeling told her to look out the window just as she passed the taps, so she did.

"No way…" That was her brother all right, standing calmly despite the fire that looked to be stuck to his forehead. And that silver hair definitely belonged to Gokudera. But surely the red sticks he was throwing were just sticks. The fuse she saw was just her imagination…as well as the echoed shout of 'double bomb' in the distance. Oh, it was all real she accepted, watching as Yoshi desperately dived about to put out the fuses.

She saw a vision at that point. Not like an oracle or a seer, but just a simple possibility… With Gokudera holding so much dynamite it was amazing he didn't fumble. And like a prophet, she watched her musings come true. Without a moments delay she grabbed a nearby bucket of water, leftover from yesterday's cleaning, and poured it out the window. It drenched the poor boy, but luckily put out the fuses by his feet.

"Sorry!" She called loudly, as they turned their heads up, "But could you please stop fighting?" Her brother opened his mouth but whatever he replied with was drowned out by Gokudera's louder voice.

"Of course, Juudaime!" Oh god, that rebellious transfer student was kneeling with his forehead touching the ground. That wasn't normal right? Not by Italian standards and definitely not by Japanese…

"It is in the mafia." Tsuna jumped but didn't scream. It was bad enough she was shouting to people two stories down, but a scream would've definitely aggravated the lead prefect, wherever he was lurking.

"Reborn? Why are you at school?" He gave her his most innocent look, which still looked as if it belonged to a devil.

"That was Smokin' Bomb Hayato you just saved," Oh wow, Gokudera as young as he was, already had a name for himself in the underworld, "By saving him you've earned his loyalty. Congratulations on receiving your first underling."

"I don't need an underling-" She huffed.

"What?!" They may have only been on the second floor, but the speed that Gokudera arrived with was somewhat unnatural, "I promise I won't be a burden Juudaime! Just give me a chance!" He bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle, hands pressed flat against his sides.

"No I didn't mean it like that," Tsuna added quickly, "I'm sure you can hold your own, but something like an underling is a bit much…maybe we could just be friends?"

"Such praise?!" He had an odd twinkle in his eyes that she barely glimpsed before he went back to his bowing, now blushing self. It was kinda…a little bit…

"Adorable?" Her head snapped around to face Reborn who was wearing than damnable smirk, "I couldn't help but overhear you and your classmates earlier…"

"Eh?" Couldn't help? She had no doubt it was done on purpose.

"I understand that a Sky tends to have a big heart," He continued somewhat confusingly, "But I hope that I'm your favourite."

"Ehh!?"


"…eh?" He supposed they really were father and daughter, Reborn mused as he listened in on the conversation. "What do you mean you can't?"

"I mean I can, it's just I won't…Sawada-san," Gokudera spewed out ungracefully, "I apologize but I decline the position as Ieyoshi-sama's guardian." Reborn had taken him aside the moment his loyalty had been decided, asking him simply if he 'understood the current situation'.

"Did my son not pass your test?" Iemitsu asked with a frown. The silver-haired teen shrugged without answer. The whole match was more or less null and void, as it was outweighed by something greater.

"Right now my life belongs to Ietsuna-sama," He stated confidently, "And I will spend it protecting hers."

"Tsuna?" The blonde failed to hide his surprise, "I suppose it would be good for her to have a bodyguard." He was counting on Ieyoshi to recruit Gokudera as his storm guardian, but would have to settle for a backup. It was important that he completed his circle as soon as possible. "Reborn are you ok with this?"

"I'm pleased in fact," The suited mafiaso replied, "Gokudera is reliable after all." The teen in question preened inwardly at the praise. If the great Reborn was saying as much, then he would strive to do his best at whatever role he needed to fill.


A/N Thank you for reading~

Takeshi remains elusive and Tsuna takes the time to reevaluate her relationships and apparent type haha...

Despite how Gokudera appears at the moment, you can bet that there will be more highlighting his and Tsuna's relationship, beyond what appears to be an 'I-owe-you-my-life' level of loyalty.