Timeline: Beginning of Mukuro Arc, before Fuuta was kidnapped.

"There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full."

~Henry A. Kissinger

Tsuna woke to the sound of frantic buzzing.

He rolled over and glanced at the potted plant on his windowsill with a sleepy curiosity. Despite supposedly being a geranium was chowing down on a rather large mosquito, like some sort of Venus Fly Trap.

He blinked.

His gaze turned to Shuichi-nii as his brother slipped quietly into the room. He examined the bug trapped in the flowers clutches for a moment his eyebrows knitting together as he frowned. Tsuna sat up.

Tsuna sat up.

"Shuichi-nii? What is it?"

Whether he was referencing the bug or the flower, even he wasn't sure.

His brother smiled softly at him. "I'm not sure Tsuna, but I'm going to find out. In the meantime, try to keep everyone in the house and don't let them touch you ok?"

He nodded slowly, feeling the customary spike of surprise over his brother not knowing something. It had been happening more frequently lately, with the arrival of Reborn…

Shuichi-nii had a serious look in his eye as he turned and started to walk out of the room. Tsuna felt his stomach drop and he called out.

"Shuichi-nii! Please be careful…" He ducked his head.

"Hiei will be helping me, so I won't be alone." Tsuna peeked up through his bangs and found his brother smiling warmly at him. "But, I will do my best to not get hurt. Wouldn't want mother to worry, would we?"

Tsuna nodded more enthusiastically the knot in his stomach easing slightly. "I'll protect mom, and everyone else while you're gone."

Shuichii-nii blinked slowly before he nodded.

"I know you will, Tsuna."

Tsuna watched him leave the room with a giddy feeling encasing him at his brother's words. He stared down at his hands and curled them into fists. He leaped out of bed suddenly feeling energized and got dressed in record time. It was still early and there was no school, so no one else was awake just yet. He pulled out a fly swatter and began to prowl the house for any stray bugs that may have gotten through the apparent plan defense his brother had set up outside and on every window sill.

Reborn told him that the mark of a truly good boss was whether or not they could protect the people who followed them

He still didn't know or understand this whole mafia business, but he had people he really wanted to protect now and he wasn't going to let them down. Even if his opponents were weird bugs.

His brother believed in him and his friends were counting on him.

That was all that matter to him now.

When Reborn slipped into the house an hour later, bringing with him a couple of the bugs he apparently couldn't see, Tsuna was on them in a moment swatting them towards the closest plant life and watching as the seemingly innocent plant devoured them.

Reborn observed him throughout all of this, without comment.

Tsuna glanced at him wondering what exactly he thought of Tsuna seemingly smacking at air.

Reborn tilted his head slightly. "Is it dangerous?"

"Dunno, but Shuichi-nii said not to let them touch anyone." Tsuna started before pausing. "Can you see them?"

"No. But, judging by the way you moved they're some type of bug, correct?"

Tsuna nodded.

"Hm."

There was an odd glint in his eye that almost seemed triumphant...but Tsuna didn't have time to think too much about it as he saw another couple slip into the house from who knows where. Then again, since Reborn couldn't see them they were probably some type of spirit bug so maybe they were just going through the walls. He'd seen a few ghost do that over the years.

It scared him every time, but he had gotten better at ignoring them.

Calling attention to something other people couldn't see, usually ended in nothing but trouble for him. He was actually surprised that Reborn was taking this so calmly.

Then again, Reborn was just weird.

He winced as he was smacked on the head by his tutor.

"Watch it. I can read minds you know." Reborn chided.

Tsuna pouted. "Hiei-nii says you can't. He says you're just pretending."

That earned him another smack.

He jumped when the doorbell rang. He heard his mother start to shuffle around her room from upstairs, likely trying to get presentable to answer the door, but he beat her to it. He didn't want his mother to accidentally touch one of the bugs if they tried to slip in while the door was open.

"Fufufu, could you be Tsunayoshi Sawada?"

He blinked slowly.

"Um, yes?"

The stranger's smirk widened.

"I'm Mukuro and these are my associates Chikusa and Ken. Your brother sent us."

This was supposed to be up earlier, but I got caught up in preparations for my trip. Should have one more up tomorrow, but then I probably won't update again till after I get back. Thanks for the reviews!