Chapter Twenty-Seven

Tsuna leaned on the stone, panting before bracing himself to reach for the next good handle he can reach. He looked down to his feet to see how it will be placed right on the spot his hand vacated before eyeing the next one. So much for Shizuoka and Namimori cliffs. The cliff he's climbing now is probably one of the hardest with how smooth it is.

Once upon a time, his classmates were woken up at five-thirty. They were told by their gracious teacher that they'll be having some rigorous reinforcement training for their quirks. Apparently (proven and tested, courtesy of young Katsuki Bakugou), they might have gotten strong with all the experiences and things they came upon with the whole semester, it didn't mean their quirks did the same thing. To think that they have been growing emotionally and technically. So they are going for the physical and advancement training.

The very reason why one Tsunayoshi Sawada is doing a mountain climbing at the moment without any safety gears. It's not because he was asked to do it. It's because it is the only thing he knew that could take both his flames and enhanced strength grow more. Shouta had suggested him to Tiger, but with how advanced Tsuna is when it comes to the 'physical' aspect, the pussycat and the brunet went for sparring instead.

So his Dad let him do what he thinks okay for his quirk. He explained how mountain climbing is good for him. Other than it strains his muscles, his Dying Will flames becomes strong too. He almost got maimed after confiding that he had climbed the Shizuoka cliff and some tall trees in the forest and the park a lot of times (for six years) without his Dad's knowledge. He did get a painful noogie though. It hurts like hell, thank you very much.

("Protective Eraser and naive Sawada are a good combination." Mandalay hummed to Ragdoll who giggled.)

Looking up, Tsuna noticed he's nearing his goal. He grinned like a madman, and didn't mind the strain and burn on his muscles as he heaves himself to the rocks. With careful, calculated risks, he was able to reach the top of the cliff. Putting one hand on safest part of the ground above, then the other next is always the best thing. He pulled himself, putting his feet on the previous spots of his hands. When he got half of his body on the safe ground, Tsuna crawled until his whole body is rested on the ground. He closed his eyes as he panted, but the smile on his lips didn't wipe off.

Caramel eyes opened when he felt like someone is hovering him. He looked to see Shouta and Vlad King staring at him. He chuckled before turning to lay on his back. He breathed a sigh of relief as his back felt stretched and laid.

"Ragdoll said you were about to finish." His Dad said.

"Let me breathe a bit, Aizawa-sensei. I'm going to do my victory dance after." He asked, evening his breathing.

"Victory dance?" The other teacher parroted in a confused face.

"It's a thing he does when he did some small accomplishments. Especially after he challenged himself." His Dad elaborated.

"Good afternoon, Vlad King-sensei. How's Class B?" He asked before he went for his side to get up.

"They're joining Class A at the moment with their quirk training." Vlad King replied. "Yours is pretty different."

"I have two quirks, they require straightening. So I went for a cliff climbing. I wonder if Pixie-bob-san will make me a new mountain to climb? I don't want to memorize this one that quickly."

He laughed and dodged the capture weapon that almost got him. He didn't dodge the next one though. But he still snickered while being turned into a mummy.

"No. You're going down, and will join Midoriya and Tiger in their bootcamp." Shouta stated while hauling him on the back.

"This is a risky venture for a student like you, Sawada." Vlad King agreed as they started to walk, Tsuna being carried by his Dad. "Although you did a good job climbing it for the whole morning."

"It's a small fit from the things I did when I was ten." He dismissed. "Besides, I rather have that instead of letting out my flames. I burn, unlike Shouto's."

"You... burn?"

"We tried it earlier." Shouta elaborated, remembering how it went. "He almost burned the whole left side of the mountain when he let his Dying Will have a go."

"It's limitless." Tsuna repeated how he explained it.

"Like his determination." His Dad added. "His super strength is the same too. If Tiger didn't stop him from punching the mountain, the whole place must have been done."

"So you're the most well-developed student at the moment?" The blood hero guessed.

Tsuna blinked when he remembered something. "Oh no. Hey, Sensei. I think I know what we could do to stop me from climbing more cliffs."

"Yeah?"

Vlad King sweat dropped at the father and son's eccentricity.

Tsuna watched Vlad King at the side of his eyes while the latter talks with his Dad about some things. In some moment in the trial of judgement, their practical exam, he gained the blood hero's respect. The disgruntlement and the animosity he usually feels from the older man somehow went gone after they did the exam. It was maybe the mercy he showed? Oh well, at least he earned the man's respect.

It's just that the stage they used was really a replica of Vongola Castle in Italy. The structure, the walls, the color. The things that were missing were the paintings, the vases and the intricate things his guardians and himself have displayed there. He couldn't help himself remembering those days they paced in those halls, running to get to the hospital wing or where Kyouya and Mukuro were fighting to stop them from destroying the mansion, or those playful chase they do to keep everyone out of their rooms during dump days. Even the attacks.

Like he said to himself, it was like a closure to him to be there. So he let go of his flames, hugging the replica of his home for the thirty years he was the king of his own kingdom. For the last time, he felt home. He felt like he is the Vongola Decimo, the newcoming of Vongola Primo. The changer of mafia and the leader of the vigilante group who stops illegal things.

It hurts to say goodbye to things that chained him to those memories he cherishes. But he had to let go.

"Tsuna?" Caramel slid to eye who was calling him. It was his Dad, frowning. "You okay, Buddy?"

He smiled. "Yup. Just thinking how I'm gonna exercise my sun flames."

"I should be the one doing the thinking." Shouta grumbled.

He looked around and noticed they're in front of the cave where his fellow students in Department of heroics are being held. "Then what do you think, Sensei?"

The man blinked before smiling softly. "Huh. This is our first time brainstorming about your quirk or even teaming up on something not involving cooking or other thing we usually do."

"True." The brunet nodded, realizing the same thing. "This is the first time I'm calling you Sensei just being the two of us. It's usually Dad here and there. Or just Aizawa-san."

"It can't be helped. This is our first year being together in everything. Not going to different places for everyday things too. Or talking about different things that happened in our sides."

Tsuna gazed at the other. "Are you going to cry now, Dad?"

"Oh shut it." His Dad chided. "So about your sun flames, let's get down to it. Since it's more on activation, why don't you exercise it by healing the trees some of you had damaged yesterday."

His jaw dropped. "But that's too many!"

Shouta grinned. "Go and exercise it, Buddy. Do it with your Dying Will."

The brunet scrunched his face. "You're impossible."

"You mean nurturing. And don't forget, do not use your sky flames as a guide. You need to control your sun flames as efficient as your sky flames." The hero reminded while pushing him to the forest's direction. "While you're in that, I'm gonna think of ways how to elevate your other flames."

His eyes widened in surprise and fear. "H-Hie..."

"Recovery Girl told me of the red and blue when they borrowed you from me that one weekend. Storm and Rain, right? Disintegration and tranquil. I'll think of ways. Now go on." Tsuna closed an eye when his Dad tousled his hair. "I'll check your classmates."

He sighed. "Yes, Dad."

At the first two hours, Tsuna found himself struggling with the sun flames. Controlling a second flame is pretty difficult to do. It's either they die completely, wither away right in front of him, become too big or just explode right on his face. He couldn't really control it. He had to stop every once in a while to contemplate how to keep it controlled without sky flames. God. He's tempted to use the sky flames, but he was tasked not to.

At some point he realized that sun flames can be used in combat too, other than healing. It's like positive and negative side of sun flames. Even though he's not fond of science, he was able to connect the literal sun to his sun. So in a sense, he was able to figure out how to do after much experimentation.

So to him, there are five things of negative sun. There are the instant death with too much sun, fast acting decay, enlargement, explosion and burning. The positive sides are three. Homing which is like when Reborn uses chaos shot, energy after he realized that the plant he was touching went vibrant, and light because he accidentally made a stone glow. In a sense, too much sun flames will cause the negative sun effects. Too little sun flames will cause the positive but weird sun effects. Then the practice to not too small and not too big, balanced sun flames started.

Well, it wasn't that difficult. Just harder, instead of hardest? Since he came to this world, Tsuna had been able to save people with his flames by the guidance of his intuition. Like estimating how much flames he should make to use as a shield, a dome and his X-burner too, so he won't fly and crush on a wall like those first times he hadn't met Spanner yet. It's fifty-fifty. So he told himself, why not fifty on the left and fifty on the right?

Let's just say he was able to heal fifty trees as he goes back to the lodge. He was able to do his victory dance and happy dance twice, because he couldn't do it after he was done with his cliff climbing. The cliff climbing did help on his control on the sun flames. Using it doesn't make him exhausted anymore. Or maybe using sky flames with the sun flames made him tired? Hmm...

"Tsuna?" Izuku called as the brunet stepped out of the woods. "What were you doing there?"

"Just doing some quirk training." He answered as he let himself slouch. "What about you? Done?"

Izuku nodded, smiling tiredly too. "Yeah. I heard we're gonna make curry."

Caramel eyes glanced around and blinked when they spotted a hat. He returned his gaze to Izuku. "Then we should help."

They started to walk side by side.

"So how was your training?" He asked to the greenet.

"Still on it. I had to 'tear' my muscles a bit to make use of them."

"If it helps, I don't really use my enhanced strength, but I climb trees and cliffs to stretch my muscles back then." He hummed. "It hurts like hell. I couldn't move that well for days. But it did help me use my second quirk to an extent."

"Oh yeah. You said you trained when you were still young." Izuku remembered. "I hope I can use my quirk like that too."

"Two of my friends had once told me that, abilities and weapons had to be extensions of our body. We use it freely like another limbs. Like Shouji-san's tentacle, Ojirou-san's tails and Jirou-san's earphone jacks. So if you want to control your quirk, imagine it being your trusted friend who'll always be looking at your back."

"Is that how you..."

He nodded. "My Dying Will and enhanced strength are the same. I think of them as something that will help me do the things I want."

"W-Wait!" The greenet panicked. "Are we gonna talk about it now? My head will spin if we do!"

Tsuna chuckled as they stepped out of the forest. "No. We have to wash up to make some curry. Come to me after."

Green eyes widened. "Okay!"

He smiled as he watched the greenet run for the others.

xxx

Tsuna looked up from the photo of Shouto smiling that he took, and blinked when Satou placed a plate of rice and curry they made in front of him. He smiled appreciatively that the other returned before sitting beside him. He turned his phone off and pocketed it. After saying his thanks for the food, he started eating like anybody else.

After washing up and dressing into clean clothes, Tsuna found himself in potato peeling job with Aoyama, Satou and Kouda. Since the last two had a topic of their own, Tsuna and Aoyama conversed in French, making some of their classmates look at them weirdly. Nothing divulging. He asked what's new in France, if there are new fashion, new buildings to visit and such. The blond chattered about them animatedly. That earned him to call his French classmate as Yuuga.

Their conversation was stopped by Katsuki who glared at them and took him to peel carrots while the explosive teen cut them up. He took in Shouto, Iida and Izuku with him so they won't get awkward. Regardless of how fun their night before and they still had a conversation here and there, it doesn't mean they're okay. He honestly wants to tell him something, but it's hard. Although, the 'barriers' between him and his classmates are being torn down as he slowly accepts that he's part of their world now. He can even say his flames are 'quirk', instead of just an ability or manifestation of aura.

Tsuna glanced around while chewing silently. It was a first time to eat dinner with the Class A as a whole. He's usually with Hitoshi since the Sports Festival, even after the Stain incident. The only time he sat beside the others was when everything was just starting. It's probably the reason why he doesn't feel like he belongs. Because they're all close, while he's flitting here and there, but never stays.

He looked back to see if Shouta is watching. His Dad is talking with Vlad King. When those black orbs were about to move, the brunet turned away and focused on his task to eat. Shouta shooed him away to eat with his classmates. He won't say he didn't feel hurt with the gesture. But he understands anyway. Both teachers have to talk about their training for tomorrow, and also the remedial studies of those who failed the practical exam for the night. It's just him being clingy.

Tsuna pushed his plate away and let his head thump on the table as the others laugh at the joke someone said. Those who were near him glanced at him curiously. He didn't mind. He's lamenting why a fifty-five year old man in a teenager's body like him is being clingy to someone who is younger than him for twenty-five years. Is this what others say as kid at heart? Argh. Cringy.

"I'm doing the dishes!" He volunteered as everyone stood up.

"Are you sure, Tsuna?" Asui asked. "We're twenty-one, and the pots and the ladles are there too."

"The things we used awhile ago were already cleaned up by him." Tokoyami informed, taking most of their attentions. He pointed a finger to the clean chopping boards, knives, ladles and other things they used earlier. "He was doing it while we were resting."

"Eh?!" Most of them exclaimed in surprise.

"Then it's us who should do the dishes!" Hagakure cheered. "Tsuna-kun already did the pots! It's the least we could do!"

"Yeah!" The other girls nodded.

"But-"

"Come on now, Tsuna." Mineta said, tugging his arm to get him out of the bench. Even Kouda and Ojirou helped. "Let's play cards while they're at it."

"But-"

"To the lobby!" Kaminari shouted.

"Except for those who failed." Shouta stated, making Kirishima, Kaminari, Satou, and Sero slump. "Come with me. No exceptions, Ashido."

"Okay!" The five droned in unison.

"I'll come by and seat with you later?" Tsuna offered as he gets dragged by other boys.

The gleams in those eyes were cute.

Tsuna spent his time playing with the other boys. He can't help laughing whenever the others accuse him of being a card shark. It's not his fault that his intuition is telling him what to do. But it was fun. Really. The boys were entertaining as they are. Kouda gives him signs who has what and things. Especially, Katsuki's card. He helps Shouto with his though.

After an hour of being with them, he excused himself to see the others. He was walking for the lobby when he noticed Izuku. The greenet looks down while sitting on the bench. His heart string tugged with pain, knowing it's Kouta who made that face possible. He noticed the greenet going missing earlier, probably following the kid who has his own hideout somewhere.

Sighing, Tsuna sat beside Izuku quietly.

"Tsuna?" The greenet called softly.

"Hmm?"

"You've been vigilante for...?"

"Five years." He answered as he sat back and stared at the ceiling. 'Add on the twenty-five years I worked as a leader of my family. That's thirty years.'

"Is there a time when you couldn't save people?"

"A lot of times." Caramel eyes shifted like he's reading, but actually, he's reviewing those time he cried for those lost lives. "Sometimes, they're dead already before I could even save them. Sometimes, when I'm about to save them, they suddenly die. Sometimes I just couldn't because we all know it's risky to continue. That even if I lay my life to save that one soul, it won't make a difference.

"There will be moments that all I could do is offer them myself as a messenger for their love ones. To smile and assure them that everything will be alright, even though we all know it won't be. That he'll die in just a few seconds. But the thought counts, you know. At least it soothed their pain a little. It settled their troubled minds. Who knows, maybe someone out there needs my help now, being tormented by pain and crying for my help, or for someone who can assure him or her that everything will be fine. Sometimes I just wish that my range isn't limited. That my movements aren't limited, so I could help more."

"All Might said the same." Izuku uttered softly.

"Heroes, even with their individuality, superpowers or abilities, are just humans."

Izuku nodded.

"This is about Kouta-kun, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"I heard about his parents." He hummed. "Even I wished I was there to at least save them."

"We both do."

Silence.

"I'm not gonna pry. But do your best to make him understand." The brunet stood up and ruffled the mass of curly green hair. Izuku closed his eyes and leaned in to the touch. "Sometimes, we have to understand other people's perspectives and make them understand slowly. Good luck, Izuku. You can do it."

The greenet nodded as Tsuna pulled his hand away. Brilliant green eyes looked up. "Thank you, Tsuna."

He smiled. "You're welcome. Now, go and join the others. I'll check on Aizawa-sensei's remedial lessons. I promised them I'm gonna sit in."

Izuku stood up and went for the boys' dormitory. But before he entered, he waved at Tsuna first. The latter waved back. When Tsuna got satisfied of seeing his friend get inside the room, he walked for the remedial classroom. He opened the door slightly to peak, only to jump back with a squeal when he got to see Shouta's face up close. His Dad hid his face on his capture weapon, obviously laughing silently with how his shoulders shake, while opening the door for him. He slapped his Dad's arm before peaking at the five who were watching them banter.

"Sorry about that. Dad can't help teasing me sometimes." He rubbed his nape as blush crept to his cheeks. "He knows I'm afraid of ghosts and getting literally surprised right on the face."

"You're just to easy to scare." Shouta pointed out, which made him pout.

"You owe me a cake." He stated before smiling widely. "So what were you learning? I want in!"

He was given a chair to sit and listen to Shouta teach the six of them. Tsuna felt fascinated while watching his Dad talk about the topic. He's not really the prying type nor the hero is someone who tells things, so sometimes both of them get really surprised when they discover something new from each other. Like how adept Tsuna is on speaking different languages, or how good Shouta in teaching. They just like focusing on the present them, that they get really surprised with the things they find out about the other. Sometimes, Hizashi will facepalm at their own naivety.

It's really chaotic for Tsuna to focus on the present while being stuck in the past. The only one who could help him refocus is his Dad. Whenever he goes to memory lane, thinking about Shouta will always snap him back to the present. Maybe the thought that he's the reason why the hero couldn't enjoy his youthful days makes him want to at least compensate. To live a life his Dad will know he'll want. Tsuna wonders sometimes, like what if he never came to Shouta's life, what will his father figure's life will be. Is he happy? Is he living his life?

"What are you thinking now?" Shouta queried as they go out of the classroom after his classmates. "You look thoughtful."

Tsuna stared at his Dad before smiling softly. "Have you ever imagined if I wasn't in your life, Dad?"

The other frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Like I'm not alive, or you gave me away. Something like that." He shrugged as he put most of his weight on his left leg and waited for an answer.

"I did." Caramel eyes blinked when the man shook his head after his answer. "But not pretty. Maybe up until now, I haven't let go of Oboro's death. I'll look more tired and ragged. Probably scarier and stricter too."

"You won't... Like enjoy your life? Go drink with Uncle Hizashi and Nemuri-nee?"

"No. I don't think you remember since you were four that time, but before you came in to my life, I wanted to never associate with people and be a vigilante all my life. I couldn't even take care of myself. I can't eat three times a day, living on snack bars even. That's why I'm somewhat grateful that you came into my life."

Tsuna pursed his lips before smiling brightly. "You're a good teacher, Dad."

"Is that the reason why you thought of that?" He closed his eyes as he received a painful flicker on the forehead. "Stop thinking like that. Whatever you say, you're a blessing to me."

"I know." He opened an eye to see his Dad. "You're the best Dad a child like me could have."

Shouta was about to say something when both of them heard something behind them. They looked back to Kouta who is watching them with teary bleary-eyes and sad face. Tsuna was the first to respond. He crouched down to meet the kid who walked towards him. He caught the child who proceeded to hug him and called him 'Mama' in a small voice. Caramel eyes blinked as he hugged the child to his body, then looked up to Shouta who appeared equally surprised.

Tsuna picked the child up, one arm under the bums and the other by the back. Kouta snuggled closely while sobbing a little, murmuring incoherent things. Shouta craned his neck to the lobby where the Pussycats should be. The brunet nodded and let his Dad lead the way.

He contented himself by rubbing the child's back before putting a gentle hand on the small head. He remembered doing the same thing to Kyouya's son back then. Since Kyouya had a rather strict upbringing in a traditional Japanese household, Tsuna had to teach him things. It was expected for a cloud to be aloof to his own family. So sometimes, the son will run to him when upset about Kyouya's action. There are times that the other kids do the same thing, run to him when they feel sad, or badly scolded by their parents. God. Even Xanxus' kids runaway from their home just to vent their anger to him.

It's not a big deal to him at all. He had experiences with Lambo, Ipin and Fuuta. Sometimes even his own fellow guardians who can't control their own emotions. Adjusting to kids, making them understand their parents' reasons why they do something like this and that, and advising others to give time are just some small mercies he wanted to gift them. Heh. Even Reborn's son does the same, although just to keep an eye on him most of the time. Father and son love to spend their time with him. It can't be helped.

He wonders how are they faring now.

"Eraser?" He heard Mandalay acknowledged inquiringly as his Dad went inside the group's office.

"Where's your nephew's room?" Shouta asked.

"Why?"

Tsuna made his appearance and smiled sheepishly. "Kouta-kun must've had a bad dream or something."

"Oh Kouta." Mandalay sighed, worried and resigned.

"It's fine." He assured. "You can just direct me to where his room is. I'll stay with him until he feels good enough to be left alone. Not that my sleeping time is nearing. I still have-" He glanced at the wall clock. "-one hour and a half time left to idle around."

"I'll take you there!" Ragdoll volunteered cheerfully.

Tsuna nodded. "Thank you." Then he looked over to his Dad. "Don't stay up late too."

"I'm older."

"I'm your caretaker."

Both of them narrowed their eyes to each other.

"Now now." Ragdoll cheered while ushering him out. "Let's go!"

Tsuna was ushered to the deeper part of the headquarters. He said thanks to Ragdoll, who dismissed it and thanked him for helping Kouta, before going in the aforementioned room. He laid Kouta to the bed before sliding in. He combed the crying child's hair, humming a little. As he hummed a lullaby, he let tendrils of sky flames from his body. Slowly, Kouta started to relax. Before he knew it, the child is already asleep. The brunet chuckled as he brushed away the tears from those cute cheeks.

"Dream of your parents for me, alright?" He whispered before extracting himself from the kid. "Sweet dreams, Kouta-kun."

He moved silently to the door and turned off the lights. Before he went out, he looked back to see if the child stirred awake. Since the latter didn't, he went out and closed the door behind him in a gentle way. He padded the hallway for the boys' dormitory.

He wonders if he can make those rowdy bunch fall asleep too.

Tsuna sat up in pain.

Putting a hand through his hair to grip it, he quickly turned to get his bag and rummaged in there with his free hand. After taking the bottle of aspirin out of his bag, he went out of his bed and staggered for the door. His mind is so busy with the buzzing ache that he didn't notice four pairs of eyes watching him go out.

He walked silently to the halls, a hand on the wall as a guide. When he reached the kitchen, he immediately took a glass from the racks, poured water in it before opening the bottle of med to get two tablets. He put them in his mouth and drank the water before kneeling to the floor. He waited for the blinding pain to subside as he panted for air. Seriously, why can't his intuition alert him without making it painful?

As his sight gets a little bit clearer, he stood up. He washed the glass and put it back to the racks. He closed the bottle then pocketed it as he went for the hall to get to the lobby. He closed his eyes as his intuition tweaked him. Fucking hell. Who the hell is trying to attack them at the moment? Since it is a hero agency, the door is open and he was able to go out without any hindrance.

He looked around the forest and the mountains. Igniting his flames, he pulled out his gloves from the back pocket of his pants and put in on before he took off. He only flew for the highest roof of the lodge, then slowly, he let waves of sky flames go out from his body. Then when his intuition told him that it's enough, he raised his hand and let a heavy flames go out of his hand and create a thin layer of dome around the perimeter of the lodge.

It's the least he could do now. If he searched for those villains who have gained on them, there's a possibility that nothing will go well. There's a possibility that instead of retreating, they'll engage. Besides, unless they attack first, they can't engage. The sky flames he let out will be the trigger warning for the night, while the dome will be the protection. If anything happens, it will hold off the people who are about to attack and will give enough time for them to get away or something.

"Tsuna?" He looked down to see Shouta gazing up to him with worry. "What are you doing there?"

The brunet jumped and landed in front of his Dad. He sighed as his mind get settled a little, yet his intuition is still ringing. "I have a confession to make."

His Dad's face went unreadable when he pulled out the battle of aspirin. "Since when?"

"Since the night before yesterday." He sighed as the flames snuff out. "And it just alerted me right now, so I made reinforcements." He stared at his Dad. "It's not that dangerous. Probably checking if we're here, but didn't pursue to attack because the night is quiet. But I wanted to be cautious so I put on what I could do."

"I know. I felt your flames." The other said.

Caramel eyes widened. "Wh-What?"

"What what?"

Tsuna closed his eyes tightly and shook his head. "Nothing. Just... Promise me you'll be careful till then."

"I will. Now let's go inside." Shouta invited while putting an arm around his shoulders.

Before Tsuna went inside, he looked back to the cliff where he knew those people are currently standing.

God. He just hopes.