"Ienobu, I can see you limping. Let me help."
"I'm fine, Tsuna! Sheesh, calm down."
"Baka Ienobu, you should listen more to your future Boss. Even if he is No-Good –"
Reborn hopped off the low wall, Ienobu's soda can bouncing and entering the neighbor's yard.
"I don't have to take your shit, Mr. 'Hitman,'" Ienobu spat. Of course, Reborn could not at all allow such intolerance from his students, so he flew through the air to kick Ienobu's backside. The boy kissed the cool concrete floor, groaning as he tried to slap the baby off him. All that effort was halted when his arm was uncomfortably pulled on and restrained.
"I am the number one hitman in the world," Reborn bowed with his snobbish smile. "You'd do best to remember that."
Tsuna sucked in a deep dose of fresh morning air, quite unsure if shoving Reborn off would have any percentage of success.
"It wouldn't."
… Perhaps that supposed psychic boxer Ryohei accused of cheating was actually guilty.
"I can sense your thoughts just from the expression on your face," the tutor continued.
He's not even looking at me! Tsuna shivered, eyeing the baby distraughtly. Is it that chameleon thing?
The tiny animal in question was staring at Tsuna with its gigantic eyes.
Ienobu said something muffled, his face still buried under his hair and against the ground, and Tsuna forced himself not to freak out.
"Oh, Tsuna?" suddenly asked a cute voice.
Tsuna turned in shock. Kyoko came up from behind them, smiles and all fluctuating into confusion at the scene before her. Tsuna could only stutter an incoherent response.
Ienobu's stifled voice rang again, his limbs dropping to the ground as Reborn hopped off him. The baby gave a blank look to Kyoko, just as she gave him.
"Kyaaaaa!" Kyoko screeched with delight to the child, kneeling down to admire his nifty little suit. "How cute!"
"Ciaossu!"
How could anyone think that this brat was cute? Sure, it was Kyoko-chan, but… but… Tsuna mentally slapped himself… likely to do so physically later… but still!
"Who are you?" Kyoko asked, a hand ready to ruffle the hitman's sideburns. Before Tsuna could stop her, Ienobu beat him to the punch.
"His name's Reborn," Ienobu answered, rolling onto his back to stare on bitterly, rubbing a hand on his sore arm. Kyoko retracted her hand, gazing at him. "He's a family friend that's staying with us for a while. Parents off on vacation or something."
Thankfully. Kyoko accepted the answer. "I didn't think someone his age would be able to take you down so easily, Ienobu-kun."
Kyoko blinked. Tsuna watched his brother open his mouth. Reborn kicked his chin. Ienobu refused to fall back, moving his hand to his injured lower face. Kyoko opened her eyes.
"I'm in the mafia," Reborn repeated. "I am perfectly capable of overpowering simple school prefects like Baka Ienobu."
"How cool!" Kyoko clasped her hands together. "And you sound so smart for your age!"
"Where's Hana-san?" Tsuna cut in, desperately wanting to get out of this situation.
"Oh, she had to get to Namimori early for a school project." The Sasagawa stood up. "I promised her that I'd get up early to help out. I should get going."
She teasingly ruffled Ienobu's fluffy hair. He automatically raised a finger in an obscene gesture, which was immediately slapped away.
"Be nice to little Reborn," she ordered pointedly. Then Kyoko flashed her smile to Tsuna.
There was no way he could hide his flush. Kyoko was always just so alluring and supportive, no matter the situation.
"Stay safe, Tsuna-kun."
With that, she went on her way.
Ienobu kicked his brother's lower leg. "Aniki, stop staring."
"You have a crush on that girl," Reborn innocently asked, "don't you Tsuna?"
The elder brother's eyes fidgeted as he looked at the baby. "Is that any of your business?!" One painful twist of an arm later, Tsuna was sitting on his bottom alongside Ienobu.
"If I could see your blush, aniki, Kyoko-chan sure as hell did."
"Sh-Shut up, Ienobu!"
"Why haven't you confessed to her?" Reborn questioned.
Instantly, Tsuna ceased to speak or make eye contact with anyone.
That reaction seemed to be what Reborn was waiting for. Though they couldn't explain how or why, the twins felt as if the tutor's demeanor changed, as if he finally found something he wanted and wanted to use it.
"It's finally time," he announced.
A handgun appeared in his hand.
"Die."
Boom. Boom, went the shot, and Tsuna fell back.
X
His brother and mother were fighting again.
Not fist-fighting, of course. Thank God. Ienobu never raised his fists against kaasan, and kaasan never raised her hands against her son, again.
On all those dramas Tsuna sometimes saw kaasan watch, it was usually the husband and wife fighting, or the father and son. Why did it have to be Tsuna's family to break the trend? Why his?
At least sitting outside the house, on the other side of the front gate, the shouts could be heard a lot less than in his room.
"Oh, Tsuna?"
Looking up from the colorless floor, Tsuna saw Kyoko and her concerned face. She was frowning, shifting her eyes slowly from the house and to him.
She sat with him, wordlessly, at first. Tsuna didn't keep track for how long they sat, letting the sun cast a shielding shadow over them. When the shadows reached well down the street, then Tsuna realized it had to have been hours since Kyoko joined him.
"It'll get dark soon." Tsuna noted quietly. "You should go home."
"So should you," she answered back with an equal amount of enthusiasm.
The shouts got louder again, only a little. Tsuna was able to tell the levels of intensity of the argument from the volume. They were probably going on about how Ienobu "brings Tsuna down" or something along those lines.
"Onii-san and I don't argue," Kyoko continued, neither looking at each other, "not as harshly as your mom and Ienobu."
As they shouldn't. Siblings should not be enemies.
"When onii-san's brawls started getting out of hand, our parents called in a friend, Uncle Kaz, to talk with him. Uncle Kaz is a retired war veteran. He's missing a foot and an arm, and he was supposed to make sure onii-san kept his fights in the boxing ring only."
Kyoko stretched her legs, scratching an ankle as she did so.
"Uncle Kaz was able to beat onii-san in an official ring enough times to earn his respect. Ryohei followed him everywhere he went for weeks after. He just wanted to be trained to be a 'swift, respectable fighter like Master Kaz, to the extreme!'"
The girl chuckled, the boy letting himself grin.
"None of us noticed it," Kyoko's tone lowering, "but dad was getting jealous of Uncle Kaz. Dad expected him to stay for only two weeks. Then it became two months. During all that time, onii-san pretty much completely ignored dad, always too focused on Uncle Kaz.
"They had a fight, when mom took onii-san on a grocery run. I was sick, in my bedroom, but I guess they forgot I was up there when dad and Uncle Kaz started throwing punches."
Punches?
"I came downstairs, and everything was a mess. The couch overturned, broken glass on the floor, and dad had Kaz pinned against the wall. When dad saw me, Kaz punched again. Kaz knocked him out with his walking cane."
"… Is that why we've never heard of Uncle Kaz?"
Kyoko nodded. "Ryohei-onii-san was told that he had to leave for business and that there was an accident in the house, but dad made it clear to me and mom that Kaz was no longer welcome in our household. Our parents had arguments after, a lot of them. They timed them whenever my brother and I weren't nearby. That… didn't always work."
Tsuna never heard Kyoko speak so despondently. He didn't know she needed a reason to stay so bright all the time, or even if her story was a reason at all, and he was too afraid to ask. Tsuna's heard of worst childhoods, but this was Kyoko Sasagawa!
"I don't know how to get them to stop," she said. "I talk with Hana a lot about it, though. She's a good friend. She helps."
Kyoko inched closer to Tsuna, and she gave him a reassuring look, eyes staring intently into his.
"Even if you don't know how to help your nii-san and kaasan, we'll be here to help you."
The shouts didn't mean anything now, at least for a few moments.
X
"Did you really need to ask, Tsu-kun?"
Ienobu heard Kyoko-chan respond to Tsuna's question. She sounded relieved. Once he was blessed with sweet illumination of sunlight, he could see Kyoko hugging a Tsunayoshi clad only in orange boxers. Boy, did he look silly.
"Do you believe me now, Baka Ienobu?" That bastard of a baby undid the rope on his hands and legs.
"Yeah, yeah, Dying Will and resurrection." Ienobu rubbed his wrists, taking a knee on the rooftop. He watched Kyoko drag Tsuna out of the public eye. "What the hell kind of mafia family is the Vongola anyway?"
His cheek kissed the floor. Again. "One that you should speak of with respect."
Not wanting to add onto the injuries that he already suffered earlier, Ienobu sat silently and looked at the baby.
"So, when do I get my dose of Dying Will?"
"Soon. I need to get a better feel of your personality first. I know that Dame Tsuna has an amazing loser complex. I don't know quite enough about you."
Gotta give the hitman points for honesty.
"I'm more curious about the phone call you gave last night to Takeshi Yamamoto, concerning his father, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto."
Ah, crap.
"I'm guessing you know all about him," Ienobu challenged.
"Of course." Reborn drew his gun. He fiddled with its parts, the magazine and whatnot. "I am well aware of his past as a swordsman. While I haven't had the pleasure of meeting him, know that he is hardly a match for me if your plan is to use him for protection."
Ienobu held his peace, glowering. The gun clicked, locked and loaded.
"You and your brother cannot and will not be able to avoid the Vongola. Regardless of your feelings, it's in your blood to be a part of this family."
"What if wasn't my blood?" Ienobu asked. "What if Tsuna and I were just regular kids?"
"You aren't, but even if you were, I can still see potential in both of you." Reborn regarded Ienobu with a pensive look. "Don't look at this as a punishment. As a family, especially with the Vongola, you will be strong. You and your brother, under my tutelage, will be strong enough to protect each other and yourselves."
The baby's words sounded sincere, yet Ienobu still couldn't get over it. Why the hell didn't they know about this whole mafia business? What kind of danger could they be in? Reborn was obviously a force to be reckoned with. If a guy like him exists, what else is out there?
Reborn hopped onto Ienobu's shoulder. "Let's go. You've got school."
Reluctantly, Ienobu obeyed.
He intentionally avoided everyone at school. Besides, everyone was too busy gossiping about Tsuna's confession, and the newly settled couple was pretty preoccupied saying sweet nothings to each other. His pals on the Disciplinary Committee left him alone, too, either healing from the fight yesterday are sticking with their patrols.
Ienobu didn't give a second glance when Tsuna was dragged to some kendo match with Mochida. Reborn said he'd be watching the fight, so Ienobu took that as permission to go off on his own and visit Yamamoto-sama when school ended.
Looked like TakeSushi was open. Upon Ienobu's entrance, however, no customers were present.
Yamamoto was at a table, reading a book. He looked up with a fatherly smile, waving kindly.
"Ienobu! Word on the block is that Tsuna and Kyoko are finally together."
The brunette smiled back. He had to. He took a seat across from the old man.
"When I went out for a morning run, I also saw that tutor of yours you mentioned, with the suit and sideburns."
Takeshi's dad was the wisest man Ienobu had ever met in his short life, and that was why Ienobu said, "I want you to train me."
This time, Yamamoto didn't sigh like he usually did. He didn't brush off the request, or abruptly change the subject. The esteemed chef calmly set his book down and folded his arms. His smile waned.
"You know the basics of the sword," Yamamoto said. "You can defend yourself."
"I need more," the child insisted. "And I'm pretty sure you know more about organized crime then you let on."
"Perhaps, but you know teaching you would go against what's right."
"Do you know what's right?" Ienobu didn't want to raise his voice. He couldn't stop himself. "The definition of 'what's right' isn't the same for everyone. You told me that, told Takeshi that. I don't think the mafia have the same idea of what 'right' is as either of us."
Yamamoto leaned in a touch. "I can help you however I can, but you are young. Barely gone through puberty. My master told me to wait until I was sixteen before going through his training."
"You said you weren't ready until then," Ienobu leveled with Yamamoto's stare. "I'm ready. Don't think so? Test me."
Ienobu asked for this. He couldn't back down. Not now. He had to stay focused, attentive. The boy kept his eyes on Yamamoto as the man went up to put up the "closed" sign at the door.
Yamamoto, his back facing Ienobu, turned around to throw a dart, one that belong to the set Tsuna had gotten for Takeshi's twelfth birthday. Ienobu had to veer off to his right, scrabbling on the floor and behind table for cover. A few more darts were thrown his way.
He had to have planned this, Ienobu realized as he hurled a chair at Yamamoto. The swordsman knew what Ienobu had wanted and prepared accordingly. The darts wouldn't last forever, though. So, Ienobu dashed for a certain pair of ornaments set up on the wall.
It was a pair of dao swords. Yamamoto had special sheathes that locked the swords in place. A special key was needed to unlock them. The sheathes on the wall right now were not the special ones.
Ienobu drew the dual blades, curved and feeling as light-weighted as ever. His hands clutched the black grips. He blocked the imitation sword just in time. However, the wooden blade managed to bonk the front of Ienobu's forehead.
"Faster."
A kick jostled Yamamoto back. He retaliated with string of slashes, pushing his opponent along the wall until Ienobu rolled between his legs. He kicked again, at the old man's hip, only to hit the sword. Ienobu was not discouraged and flung his knives against the longer blade's hilt. With another kick, he tried to disarm Yamamoto.
It didn't work, of course. Yamamoto-sama slid the wood along the dao. He disarmed Ienobu, one of the swords being thrown to pierce the wall. Ienobu held his grasp on the other, using it to carve upward. A cut went up Yamamoto's shirt and the white band around his forehead. Ienobu didn't penetrate any skin, but Yamamoto was startled long enough for Ienobu to swing a quick jab with his fist.
The second punch was blocked. Ienobu couldn't thrust his feet anymore as his shins were hit. Yamamoto picked up Ienobu and dropped him onto a table. The wind was knocked out of him, nearly dropping his sword. The kendo stick pressed itself against Ienobu's throat. It was long enough to also restrain Ienobu's arm, now unable to swing his sword.
"What would you do with the dao?" Yamamoto-sama asked with difficulty, Ienobu trying to break free. "You've nearly killed during your time with the Committee."
"Nearly," Ienobu breathed out, still struggling, "only nearly. I don't kill. Like you said, I'm young, and I have to defend myself."
"Against wannabe gangsters and bullies, not –"
Ienobu grabbed Yamamoto's shirt, pulling it and his face closer to Ienobu's. "You saw Tsuna get shot, didn't you? It's only a matter of time till someone with a real gun and a real bullet comes along."
Yamamoto frowned. He lifted his wooden blade ever so slightly. Ienobu pulled him closer. "I don't trust Reborn. I don't know him, but I know you. I need your help, Yamamoto-sama. You can show me how to get me and Tsuna out of this whole Vongola cra – situation, alive."
A pause followed, a tense pause. Ienobu stared onward, defiant to the end.
Tsuyoshi just knew that his wife was going to haunt him for this.
He retracted his kendo stick. He clasped his hand with Ienobu, pulling him up. The boy, hardly younger than Takeshi, was still panting. Tsuyoshi patted his back, swiping the dao blade away.
"I'm not as well-versed with the dao swords as I am with the Shigure Soen Ryu, and you will not use what I teach you for petty reasons. Understood?"
Ienobu Sawada recomposed himself, cracking his neck and grappling Tsuyoshi's arm. "Hai, Yamamoto-sensei."
"Just stick with sama." Tsuyoshi patted Ienobu's shoulder, grinning. "For training lessons, just come to me if you have time afterschool, every other day, only when Takeshi has baseball practice."
"That's a start."
The front doors opened, and the pair saw Takeshi enter. He stopped as he saw the scattered darts and weapons, but he smiled anyway.
"Did Ienobu cuss again, dad?"
They all shared a meal together, Takeshi relaying what he saw of Tsuna's and Mochida's kendo match. Ienobu fell off his chair, laughing at how his brother won the match.
Someone snapped a picture of Kyoko kissing Tsuna. Ienobu needed to give the photographer a handshake.
